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The mountain air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp pine and soil. At the base of the slope, the morning mist still clung to the jagged rocks, blurring the line between the earth and the pale sky. A few discarded hiking pamphlets fluttered in the breeze near the trailhead, ignored by the handful of early-morning climbers who often passed through.
Mika stood a few paces away, clutching the strap of his backpack, his mismatched eyes wide as he took in the sight of Koga standing further ahead. He felt a familiar, fluttering nervousness in his chest that he couldn't quite quell, no matter how many times he tried to acclimatise himself to the other's presence.
The fluffy grey hair, the sharp jawline and brows, the untucked, ripped shirt, the chains that hung from his cargo pants along with the silver cuff on his ear—all the parts that made up a mesmersing whole that was Koga Ogami—and felt a sudden surge of admiration.
Koga truly inhabited his self-proclaimed role of a "lone-wolf" with every jagged line of his posture and confident tilt of his head. He looked like something that belonged in the wild, something un-tamable and fierce. Something that was so very different to himself.
They had only been boyfriends for two weeks, but for Mika, those fourteen days had felt like a dizzying, high-speed blur. The intensity had left him reeling, but it was as if he had been dropped into the deep end of a pool and was discovering he actually liked the feeling of learning to swim. He was used to the structured, disciplined world of his unit, where every move was choreographed and every day carefully outlined. But Koga was all improvisation and feeling. Every casual touch—a hand grazing his lower back, the sudden pressure of Koga’s shoulder against his—felt like an electric shock in the truest sense of a "shock."
"Oi. You're doin' it again," Koga interrupted his thoughts, his sharp golden eyes narrowing with amusement. He stood up, the movement swift, and stepped closer into Mika’s space. "That look on your pretty face. You thinkin' way too hard about somethin'. Spit it out, or I'm gonna start assuming you're daydreaming about how cool I am."
"Nnah, I wasn't!" Mika squeaked, stumbling back a half-step before he caught himself. He fidgeted with the straps of his heavy pack, the weight digging into his shoulders. "I was jus'... I was thinkin' that Ogami-kun looks right at home here. Like, an actual wolf in the mountains."
At his admission Koga laughed, a sharp, barking sound that vibrated in his chest. He turned his back, but not before Mika caught the flush crawling up the back of his neck—a bright, betraying red against his slightly tanned skin.
"Yeah, yeah. Save the flattery for when you ain't lookin' like you're about to keel over from just carryin' a backpack," Koga grumbled, already trekking toward the trailhead. "Move it, Kagehira. We've got a long way to go and we're losin' light waitin'."
The trail was... unforgiving. To say the least.
It started as a deceptive gentle incline, but quickly morphed into a punishing series of switchbacks that tested every muscle in Mika’s spindly frame. His lungs burned, the thin mountain air feeling drying in the back of his throat. He tried to keep his breathing steady, to keep the rhythm of his feet consistent, but his legs felt heavy like lead weights were tied to his ankles.
"Too slow!" Koga called out from a few yards ahead, his voice echoing off the rock face. He navigated the trail effortlessly, his stride long, stepping over protuding roots and rocks like they were nothing.
Mika grit his teeth, forcing himself to push harder. "I'm... I'm tryin'!"
Koga stopped and turned around. To an outsider, he appeared annoyed, his brows knitted together. But Mika knew better, his eyes were darting over Mika’s reddened face and labored breathing, coming to focus on his face. Without hesitation, Koga reached out, his hand darting out to snatch the strap of Mika’s pack before Mika could protest. With a huff that sounded like a growl, Koga heaved the extra weight onto his own shoulder, his posture barely shifting under the extra burden.
"O-Ogami-kun, no! Ya don't have ta—" Mika started, his voice thin and laced with worry.
"Shut up. You were slowin' us down," Koga shot back, though this time he kept his pace locked with Mika’s. "Just thank me instead. Ya lucky I'm not a weak man," He puffed, unabashedly boasting about himself.
Mika stared up at the other boy. The golden light of the afternoon filtered through the trees, catching the shimmering gold of his eyes. A deep, sudden flush crept up Mika’s neck, staining his pale cheeks a vivid crimson.
He looked down at his shoes and kicked the dirt nervously, his voice was low, yet a sincere smile pulled at his lips. "Thank ya... Ogami-kun. Ya really are kind."
Koga suddenly tensed up like a deer in headlights. For a few agnoizing seconds he was completely silent, his pupils dilating as he searched Mika’s face.
Mika watched, rapt with amazement as then a strange, light flush climbed up Koga's own neck, clashing with the cool silver of his piercings.
Then, as if remembering himself, Koga snapped his head away with a violent jerk. He crossed his arms and huffed loudly. "Tch! Don't go sayin' weird stuff with that kind of face…" he murmured, though the aggression lacked any real bite.
Without any warning or further comment, he started walking again. This time with two bags on his back.
Mika blinked, a small, smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He hurried to catch up, his steps as light as his heart now that the crushing weight of the pack was gone.
As they ascended, the dense canopy finally broke, revealing glimpses of the valley below stretching out like a quilt of greens and browns. Along the way, Koga eargly pointed things out, his sharp eyes picking up movement that Mika would have completely missed with his less than stellar eyesight.
"Look, up there. A wedge-tailed eagle," he said, gesturing to a speck circling the sky. He squinted at the bird, a smirk curling his lip. "Makes me think of that noisy bastard Amagi. Always screechin' and swoopin' in where he ain't wanted lookin' for scraps of attention."
Mika let out a startled breathless laugh and chided weakly, "Ogami-kun…"
"What? It's a spot-on comparison!" Koga countered with a massive grin, his shoulder playfully brushing against Mika’s as they navigated the winding trail. The friction was only slight but it still sent dizzying rush of warmth through Mika's chest. He glanced sideways at Koga, noting the way the silver ring on the older boy's finger caught a stray beam of sunlight. Without thinking, Mika reached out and lightly hooked his pinky finger around Koga’s; a tentative, fragile ask for connection.
Koga nearly tripped over his own boots in surprise. His eyes flickered down at their joined fingers, then back up at Mika, his expression a chaotic mix of startled panic.
"Wh—what're ya doin'?" he sputtered ungracefully, though he didn't pull his hand away. "Ya tryin' to distract me so I'll let ya slack off?"
"Nnfufu, maybe a little," Mika teased, his voice regaining its melodic, playful lilt. He felt a rare surge of confidence seeing Koga's cool composure crumble.
Koga let out a sound that was halfway between a scoff and a groan. He tried to maintain his stern expression, but the way his lips twitched betrayed him.
"Tch. Ya gettin' way too cocky, bird-boy. Gettin' all smug just 'cause I'm carryin' your bag" he grumbled, though he didn't let go. Instead, he shifted his grip, sliding his hand further into Mika's until their palms were pressed together, locking their fingers in a tight, clumsy knot.
When they finally broke through the tree line it opened up into a plateau of soft silver-green grass, a range of wildflowers, and at the furtherest point, a small meandering creek, trickling with crystal-clear water that ran off of the ledge. Past the edge of the cliff, the sunset was beginning to bleed into the horizon, washing the world in shades of violet, burnt orange, and deep, bruising gold.
"Wow," Mika breathed, utterly taken with the sight. His hands suddenly itched for his sketchbook.
Koga finally let go of Mika's hand to drop the heavy packs with a dull thud, the straps sliding off his shoulder with a sigh of relief. He stretched his arms high above his head, his shirt riding up to reveal a glimpse of his toned midriff. Mika tried not the stare, his breath hitching.
Koga came to stand beside him, carefully watching Mika’s face instead of the view. "Yeah," he said, his voice unusually soft. "I don't come up here often. It’s a pain in the ass to get to. But... it’s the only place that feels like it’s actually mine. I wanted to see if you’d like it too."
Mika didn't answer immediately, he was too busy fumbling to re-organise his words having been struck speechless by the genuine, rawness in Koga's voice.
For someone who spent most of his time declaring his ambitions to the heavens, Koga's softness was a rare, precious thing. Mika felt a sudden overwhelming urge to be the kind of person who deserved it. He leaned his head against Koga’s shoulder, his voice barely a whisper. "I love it, Ogami-kun. It's... it's beautiful."
Koga stiffened for a heartbeat before relaxing, huffing. "Hmph. 'Course ya do."
Despite the words, he shifted his weight, leaning back into Mika. He looked out over the valley, the gold of his eyes reflecting the amber horizon.
Setting up the tent was a chaotic affair, with Mika accidentally tangling the lines and Koga swearing at the uncooperative folding poles, but all the frustration felt strangely domestic. Once it was up, Koga got a small fire going in the pit. He produced a pot and several sachets from his pack, dumping them into boiling water with a mix of dried vegetables and raw ingredients he’d lugged up the mountain.
It wasn’t gourmet, but to Mika, it tasted like a warm home cooked meal. He sat close to the fire, slurping the hot broth greedily. He was so focused on the warmth spreading through his chest that he didn't realise he was making a mess until Koga snorted loudly and leaned closer.
"Honestly…" Koga murmured. His thumb was rough, his skin calloused from guitar strings, but his touch as he brushed a droplet of broth from Mika’s cheek was feather light.
Mika froze, the next spoonful halfway to his parted lips. The air suddenly felt very thin for a completely different reason.
Suddenly, Koga’s eyes widened, a hilariously frantic, panicked expression crossing his face as it dawned on him what he’d just done. He pulled his hand back like he’d been burned, his entire face turning a brilliant, burning crimson that rivalled the fire embers.
"I—I just—shut up and eat!" Koga snapped, even though Mika hadn't said anything, before scrambling to poke at the fire with a stick, his movements jerky and uncoordinated.
Mika hid his smile behind his palm; a small, secret thing, accompanied by a pleasant buzz stoking through his chest.
After the meal, they migrated to a flat patch of grass just outside the tent, relaxing back to look at the sky whilst bathing in the gentle heat of the fire.
Away from the city light, the universe unravelled before their eyes. Millions of stars were scattered across the velvet dark like spilled droplets of milk.
"It’s so pretty," Mika whispered, breathlessly. Koga hummed in agreement. The wind blew fresh air across his face.
Mika pulled his knees to his chest. "I... I never got t' do anythin' like this. Back at the orphanage." He hesitated, his fingers picking at the grass. "An' with Valkyrie... everythin' is so busy. Oshi-san always strives fer perfection. Which I like! ...It's jus'... sometimes I feel like I'm only tryin' ta keep up with the rhythm he sets."
Koga listened, not moving, his eyes tracing the constellations as he took in Mika's quiet words.
"...UNDEAD is different," Koga said quietly. "It’s not perfect. It’s loud, and it’s messy, and it’s full of people who don't know how to act normal. But we all lean on each other. I also have Leon." He turned his head, his eyes reflecting the distant starlight. "Next time... I’ll bring you over. You can meet him offically."
Mika felt his heart swell at the offer. "I’d like that."
He looked at Koga, really looked at him, and felt an overwhelming surge of affection that he didn't know how to contain.
"I think this is my first favourite date ever," Mika blurted out, his bright eyes reflecting the shine of the stars above.
Koga scoffed, though there was no real heat in it. "This is our first date ever, you idiot."
Mika’s laughter rang out, its bright warmth flooding right into Koga’s chest and setting his pulse ablaze.
Koga didn't snap back. Instead, he shuffled closer, his arm finding its way around Mika’s shoulders, pulling him in until they were pressed side-by-side, passing heat between them. Mika gently rest his head against Koga’s shoulder, smelling the woodsmoke and the crisp, clean scent of the mountain air on his skin.
"Next time," Mika murmured, his eyes beginning to droop as the exhaustion of the climb finally caught up to him, "I’ll plan our next date. We’ll go somewhere with... with nice tea n' flowers..."
"Yeah.. sounds nice," Koga murmured his agreement.
But Mika was already half-asleep, his body going limp against Koga’s.
Koga didn't dare move, simply held him steady. In about fifteen minutes he'd have to shake Mika up to move into the tent to escape the cool, but for now, he sat idly and daydreamed about plans and possible futures. Relishing in the simple joy of having someone to explore the world with.