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Shinkai shrinks into himself when he sleeps.
It’s a surprise to Izumida. He had never once seen the sprinter appear anything less than capable and, well, awake.
It’s no surprise to Arakita, however.
“Are you kidding?" Arakita scowls on his way past them to the next row of lockers. "Shinkai falls asleep on me all the time. You’re not that special, kid.”
Izumida shouldn’t be as affronted as he is by the third-year’s usual bluntness.
“Does falling asleep on you,” he quips, voice dropping to a whisper, “mean just like this?”
To his credit, Arakita does stop and stare at them.
For a good ten seconds, even.
Narrow eyes look from Izumida’s flummoxed expression to Shinkai’s face half-buried into the start of the second-year’s chest, the older boy’s posture so relaxed Izumida doubts a hurricane sweeping through would wake him.
A point further proven by Toudou’s reenergized shrieks about Manami trekking dirt inside the clubroom.
Not to mention Manami’s flagrant laughter and easygoing dismissal of Toudou’s mounting frustration sweeping by them.
Even worse folllowing Fukutomi’s resigned our bikes on the rollers have likely dragged far worse in here that rises above their usual banter.
Izumida and Arakita’s eyebrows lift hearing that.
But life goes on.
So does Shinkai’s even breathing over the space between Izumida’s clavicles.
“Maybe,” Arakita shrugs after several more beats of silence, “he likes you enough to wanna be extra cozy with you.”
Arakita skulks off for the showers then.
Leaving Izumida to reflect alone.
Well, sort of.
“Shinkai-san,” says Izumida, softly, not wanting to rouse the older boy any more than move his arm going numb. “Is it just me, I wonder?”
Maybe, though, he wants to do something about the curious little flip his heart does when he realizes how close Shinkai’s lashes are to his bare skin, how close Shinkai is, leaning in and curling up against him like this.
Maybe he wants a bit too much.
“Touichirou."
At first, Izumida worries he’s imagined it.
Shinkai’s nestling further into his chest, a far cry from his earlier perch propped between the changing bench’s end and the wall.
Which was how Izumida found him — his greatest mistake, considering how the warmth-seeking Shinkai latched onto him immediately after.
Though, perhaps, not his greatest mistake of all.
"Touichirou."
Is Shinkai…oh, oh, he’s lifting his head now, looking up at Izumida with bleary and unfocused eyes.
"Sorry about that,” is what first stumbles out of Shinkai’s mouth. “Ahh, jeez, I don’t even remember when I passed out…" Then, uncharacteristically shy. "A-Actually, would it be okay if I sta—”
“Shinkai-san." Izumida tries to sound stern, but then Shinkai flashes one of those fond smiles stretched over wide lips.
Is there a word for how it feels to be melting from the inside out?
If not, then Izumida has to think of one.
Soon.
"I’m not going anywhere,” Izumida assures him. Like Shinkai has so many times before, through words deliberate “If you wanted, we could stay here as long as you’d like.”
“I can’t imagine Juichi would be too happy about that,” Shinkai laughs. He hasn’t turned down the idea, though. “Do you think he’d let us have the key to lock up if I ask him?”
“That might mean you have to get up,” points out Izumida.
Shinkai, surprising the second-year, starts to pout.
“I guess,” Shinkai decides, pressing his face right between Andy and Frank and making Izumida squeak, “I’d better get my Touichirou Recharge in before practice finishes up, then!”
“S-Shinkai-san!" Casual as the skinship is, the declaration leaves Izumida too flustered to say anything else.
(From the other side of the lockers, both of them hear a disgruntled bark-mumble that sounds an awful lot like get a room lovebirds!
For all Izumida’s embarrassment and impending protests, he doesn’t stop Shinkai from knocking back twice with a chidinggive a little privacy, Yasutomo, to the newlywed couple.
Least of all when Izumida notices, before the color rising to Shinkai’s cheeks bright enough to rival his cheeks, Arakita’s footfalls retreating for the exit and the all too gracious door he locks behind him.)