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The sun was hotter than usual today. Probably because of how little clouds there were, few remains of them scattered in the sky, barely visible. The air wasn’t just warm, it was humid too. So perhaps it wasn't the best day to go to the beach.
“Are you sure you want to go swimming today, Hajime?” Komaeda’s eyes were thin and scrunched up as they tried to avoid the bright rays of the sun. He was carrying a bag with a couple of towels, sunscreen, and some water bottles.
“Come on, Nagito. I get your luck, well, sort of, but it can't be that bad!” Hinata grinned at him as they headed hand in hand towards the sandy edge of the island. The pale boy blushed at the sight.
“--oh, believe me, it can be. My sunburns leave me looking like a ripe tomato, and I'm sure my bad luck will strike today to make up for the good luck of this…incredible view.” He rasped while looking not-so-discreetly at Hinata's exposed chest. “I mean, you look reaaally good in only those swim trunks.”
Now it was tsun-tsun hair’s turn to blush, letting out an awkward laugh. “Come on! We'll put on extra sunscreen, okay? Plus we have the umbrella for shade. Pfft..” He held up his hand that he wasn’t holding Komaeda’s with, the one that had their beach umbrella in it.
“Oh, I get to put sunscreen on Hajime’s body? Surely you don't want my luck cycle to kill me, do you?” Komaeda smirked and ran his finger against Hinata’s chest slowly–
“GYAHHH!!! I NEVER SAID THAT!!” The tanned boy squeaked out, his cheeks much redder than before, and shoved Komaeda's finger away with his hand in a flash.
Komaeda sighed at his response. “Such a tsundere, Hajime~” he whispered before giggling profusely.
The sand was coming into view, the ocean line just behind it. With each step they took, another row of perfectly turquoise waves revealed itselves to them, and soon they'd be close enough to see the foam from each wave. Palm trees were sprinkled across the beach, adding small hiding spots from the sun. They could hear a slight breeze as it rustled in those same trees, and it felt heavenly against their faces and bodies.
Everything was so breathtaking, despite the countless times they'd each seen it before. Just the spots of light on the water had both their pupils growing wider.
“Hmph. I'm done with your bullshit, let's go set up our umbrella.” Despite the cruel-sounding words, Hinata used a playful tone in his speech. He let go of Komaeda’s hand and grinned, “I'll race you to… there!”
“H-hey, what? You just pointed to a random spot!! I couldn't even see it!” But Hinata had already taken off, and Komaeda joined him not a second later as they both laughed like school children. The sand beneath their shoes was soft, unfortunately too soft for Hinata. His foot went behind him and he fell flat on his face.
Komaeda was only a few feet behind as he fell, and couldn’t help but let out a burst of laughter.
He held his chest as he wheezed, “Pff-Hajime, you should’ve seen your fall! It was straight out of a cartoon!!” Which was certainly not what Hinata was in the mood to hear with sand in his hair and mouth, and threatening to go up his nostrils if he breathed in too much.
Lifting his face out of the sand and spitting out a few grains, he coughed, “Be quiet, Nagito, this is only because-ow!” Komaeda stuck his sandal on Hinata’s back, effectively shutting him up.
“Yeah, yeah.. Whatever, Tsundere-chan!-”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Uh huh, Reserve-kun-”
“TOO FAR!!” (He was giggling like a toddler.)
“Mmm.. fair enough, my love. Let’s set up the umbrella, hm?”
He twisted his heel deeper into Hinata’s back, quite the non sequitur to his previous comment.
“Oww.. and how exactly do you expect this to happen with your foot pinning me down?” Hinata grunted. Komaeda, fortunately for the boy under him, lifted his sandal up at that. The chestnut hair boy rolled over and began propping himself up.
“Haaah.. sorry, Hajime,” he breathed out, “I just love seeing you held down, submissive and with your back-” Hinata flew his hand to clamp over Komaeda’s mouth, red faced with his eyebrows in a loose V shape.
“JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!” He huffed. “Ugh, I’m putting the umbrella up, with or without your help.” One of his hands fell from Komaeda’s mouth, whilst the other unwrapped his fingers from the umbrella, and he struggled trying to extend the pole.
“Uh.. I think you’ll need my help, Hajime.”
As they set up the umbrella, the sun rose a bit higher in the sky. It was directly overhead now.
The umbrella was a bit smaller than they’d expected.. It was their first time using it, they had just found it in the dusty storage closet of the beach house the other day.
“Well Hajime, considering the sun is so hot and the umbrella is so small, I guess we just have to huddle together to fit under the shade.. How unfortunate..,” he purred, but Hinata wasn’t just going to keep taking Komaeda’s teasing.
“Yeah, y’know, I was about to say the same thing.” He wrapped his arms around the white haired boy’s back as he let out a small noise of shock, and tackled him to the ground underneath the shade.
“Eh..ehh?” Komaeda questioned, a pinkish hue on his cheeks.
Hinata buried his face in the boy’s chest, something akin to when a cat rubs its head on you. “Mmm, Nagito, you’re always so cold, it’s so nice. You almost feel like… a glass of ice water?..”
“Weak simile.”
“Well, I can’t be an amazing poet all the time.. I have to be average occasionally.”
“Mhm, I’m sure. Though I must say, I’d be quite happy if a piece of garbage like me can feel nice to someone even half as hopeful as you, Hajime!” Hinata didn’t have to lift his chin up to know what face Komaeda was making but he did anyway, gazing at the one he wears when he spouts about hope or how he’s “worthless” and “pathetic” or something along those lines.
He let out a sigh. “Nagito.. Haven’t I told you not to say you’re…well.” Hinata thought for a moment, about why Komaeda said all this. Another sigh. “Sorry. I guess it’s hard to quit saying it, huh?”
The lucky student’s eyes widened, and Hinata knew he had gotten it right.
“You don’t need to feel sorry for me.. but… it’s true. I’m really not worthy to-”
“You’ve been inside me. Do you seriously think, considering that fact, I think you’re not worthy to..what? Be around me, be my boyfriend? How low do you think I am?” He softly chuckled at the end, seeing Komaeda flustered from his first sentence.
“W-well..when you put it like that..,” his voice was such a low whisper Hinata struggled to hear him.
“Nagito, I know this is sappy, but I want you to know I’m really, truly so grateful to have you here with me, okay? We’ve been through a lot together. The killing game, and you..” His eyes got glossy and he looked away. “When you..died, in the Neo World Program..”
Komaeda bit back a whimper. His eyes were threatening to water, too.
“I’m glad we’re alive, and living together, with everyone on the island. I’m glad I can hold your hand and talk to you and kiss you and-” A tear ran down each of their cheeks, almost in the same second.
“Shh, Hajme, it’s okay.” He rubbed Hinata’s back to comfort him. “I’m gonna stay with you, yeah? I’m never gonna leave you again.”
Hinata was crying louder now. “Do you, hic, do you really..,” he sniffled, “..promise me, Nagito.”
Komaeda closed his eyes and placed his face in the crook of Hinata’s neck. “I promise you. I love you, and I always will.”
And with that, he moved his head to kiss Hinata.
The crying boy leaned into the kiss at first, before breaking away to whisper, “I love you too.”
Komaeda lifted himself up so he was laying at Hinata’s side instead of under him, and they each let the sound of the waves carry them to peaceful sleep, still holding each other lovingly.