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This year’s autumn had been rather cold, and today was no exception. The windows to the handicrafts club room were still lined with frost despite it only being late afternoon, and the grey light of winter muting the multitude of colors that lined the shelves in the room just added to the dreary day. Shu sits down, picking up the doily he’d left half finished yesterday after being chased out by one of the teachers. No appreciation for inspiration, these days. A quick glance at the clock show’s that he has half an hour before the theater club calls its practice for today. Shu doesn’t know if he went, not with the things they call him nowadays, but Wataru said to expect him, and Wataru never disappoints.
Unfortunately, Shu has a tendency to lose track of time when focused, which is why it’s a bit of a surprise when the door to the handicrafts room slides open, and Shu looks up from the doily he’s sewing to greet...no one? He sighs, but does not fight when a fond smile tugs at his lips.
“Wataru, I know you’re in here. Please don’t scare me when I’m doing delicate work.”
The door slides closed as Wataru appears in seat the across from him, resting his head in his hand and smiling back.
“Ufufu, Shu, you worry too much over nothing. I shan’t risk destroying one of your precious masterpieces.”
“True enough, you of all people understand the value of art, after all. That aside, I would not waste your time, dear friend. Come, come.”
Wataru hops over the table, somehow, to land in the seat next to him. He leans forward, eyes sparkling, his entire being radiating curiosity. Shu deftly unwrapped the bundle of plain cloth, revealing a scarf. It’s lavender, lighter in the center with little sparkle like shapes gradually getting darker until the ends are a royal purple. Rather long too, about twice Shu’s height. Wataru’s blinked, eyes widening a bit, before breaking into a large smile.
“A surprise? For me? Shu, you are much too kind…”
Shu scoffs, winding the scarf around Wataru’s neck.
“Nonsense, this is just a simple gift to replace the scarf your birds murdered. Besides, this was good knitting practice, it’s been awhile since I tried my hand.”
Wataru hums, eyes still showing his smile even though his mouth is hidden.Though beautiful is the first thing that comes to mind when describing Wataru’s appearance, cute can suit him amazingly well in moments like these, like a picture-perfect candid shot. Shu draws back when the scarf’s ends hang at Wataru’s knees, perfectly even though he did not looking at his hands. Wataru's hair frees itself from the confines of the scarf, flopping back into place over top of it.
“...It’s very soft,” Wataru says, slightly muffled, while rubbing his cheek against the scarf.
“Of course it’s soft! As if I would subject anyone to the horror of itchy wool, let alone one of my friends! Honestly, I feel faint at the thought! Anyways, I’m glad the colors were right, it pairs well with your eyes and hair. You really should wear lavender more.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Mr. Fashion Expert. Though couldn’t you just look in the mirror? Our eyes are the same color after all.” Wataru pulls the scarf from his mouth, careful not to snag his pale pink claws on it.
“Of course not, yours are different. I have done fashion for my entire life, I can tell the difference between colors, Wataru. Is that otherworldly perception of yours failing you?”
“Fail? Me? Who do you think I am, Shu? Even if my eyesight were to fall to that of a normal human, no, even if I were to be blinded, I would still observe the world around me perfectly! For example…”
He leans forward with a hum, eyes closed and brow furrowed in mock concentration.
“...you have some croissant crumbs by your mouth.” He whispers it like it is a shameful secret, despite the two of them being the only person in the room, even if they were not Wataru would just draw their attention anyway. Shu rolls his eyes, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Do not be ridiculous, you saw that before you closed your eyes.”
“So you knew beforehand, did you?”
Shu flicks Wataru’s nose, eliciting a giddy giggle from him. Wataru leans forward a bit more, bumping their noses together, then rocks back and opens his eyes, still smiling. From this close, it is clear that Wataru’s eyes are a bit lighter than his own, just as he had thought. The makeup he’s wearing highlights them perfectly too. Ah, how odd, this feeling. It is similar yet distant from the one he gets when he looks at Nito, from when he looks at his less animate dolls, or even from looking at his latest masterpiece. No, this feeling has Shu leaning forward for more, closing his eyes, tilting his head, placing his lips against those glossed to look like pink glittery silk…
Wataru’s lips are as warm as the rest of him, though slightly sticky with his lipgloss. Lipgloss that does not taste like some artificial fruit that would make him throw up, but is rather a hint of sweet vanilla, something unexpectedly soft for someone so bold. Wataru makes a noise that may have been confusion, surprise, or something in between, and that is what snaps Shu’s eyes open, jerking back when he realizes what he has just done.
Panic and embarrassment act before rational thought does, making his chest tight and body hot in the worst of ways, making his stutter out an apology as his mind draws more and more ways that he has screwed everything up, so much for having friends or coming to school or existing ever again-
Wataru is kissing him. Actually, he had probably been kissing him for a bit, but in his panic he hadn’t noticed. Shu finds his eyes closing as his breathing slows back to normal, slumping a bit in relief. The hands on his back are rubbing up and down, warm and soothing and steady, an anchor for him to sink against. His lips loosen, parting a bit as Shu brings his arms up to wrap around Wataru’s broad shoulders. Too soon for Shu’s liking they part, holding each other in a loose embrace as they both process what just happened. At some point they slip back into their own space, through it just reminds Shu that this room is very cold and Wataru is very warm and right there, right there…
A glance up shows Wataru staring at the table with a vacant expression, one hand pressed lightly to his lips while the other hangs limply at his side. The apples of his cheeks are a little pink, which is another cute look on him. He blinks once, the light coming back in his eyes, then suddenly springs to life, smiling as if he had not just been staring into space a second ago.
“Ahaha, that was quite a surprise, quite a surprise indeed! It is a rare thing for me to be so pleasantly shocked! Alas, the bell chimes, and I fear our cute little magician may be quite upset if I am late, you know… Thus, it is with a shower of roses and mystery that i must bid you adieu!”
True to his words, Wataru disappears in a puff of rainbow-colored roses and glittery white smoke, though not before darting forward and giving Shu a parting kiss on each cheek. Shu blinks, finding that it is now his turn to stare into space dumbfounded, only he has his hands cupping his cheeks.