Work Text:
Katsuya hated the restaurant within a few seconds of walking through the door.
It was too loud. Agonizingly... The ambient clatter of cheap cutlery on sticky laminate tables sounded like glass shattering directly inside their ear canal. A wasp in a neon sign near the back buzzed with a high-pitched hum that nobody else seemed to hear. If they did, they were clearly ignoring it like he was trying to right now.
Then there was the collar.
Katsuya reached up with two fingers, tugging uselessly at the slim black leather strap snug around their neck. The small silver ring dangling at the front clinked against their collarbone.
Yoshio had given it to them a few days ago. He tossed the small plastic bag onto Katsuya’s lap while they were slouching on the couch and muttered, “Looked like your thing.”
Katsuya had called him an idiot. They’d called it ugly.
They hadn't taken it off since.
I mean, it wasn’t not their thing. It was cute after all. Katsuya liked cute things, as much as they tried to deny it. It was a little tight, but they could deal with it. Usually. It felt tighter in this restaurant, though.
"Table for two?" the host asked, not looking up from his laminated clipboard.
"Yeah," Yoshio answered.
Katsuya glared at the back of the host’s head as they were led to a cramped booth in the corner. The vinyl seat was cracked. The air smelled like burnt oil and cheap disinfectant.
Why are we here? Katsuya thought, their jaw clenching so hard their molars throbbed. Why did I agree to this? Why did he ask? He knows I hate people. He knows I hate leaving the house. Is he stupid? Yeah. Of course he’s stupid! He’s always stupid. A stupid massive idiot. God, I don’t wanna be here…
They slid into the booth, folding their arms tightly across their chest. Their leg started its rhythmic, violent bouncing immediately.
The pressure behind Katsuya’s ribs was building up fast, hot and heavy, creeping up their neck like scalding water.
Yoshio sat across from them, picked up a menu, and flipped it over. "Ouu shii. They have garlic bread."
“I don't care,” Katsuya snapped, their voice sharper than intended.
Yoshio tilted his head. “When did you start hating garlic bread?”
“Why did you bring me here?”
Katsuya completely ignored his question! How rude. I know you’re upset being here, but do you have to be such a meanie about it? 🙁 My heart burns for you!
“You said you were hungry on text,” Yoshio replies.
“I said I was bored.”
“Same thing.”
“It's not!" Katsuya hissed, leaning forward over the table. "It's completely different! God, you're so dense. Look at this place. It's disgusting. Everyone here looks like a burning garbage heap. Probably because this place is… What if they poison the food..?”
Yoshio glanced around the restaurant with zero urgency. “Food's decent though.”
Katsuya wanted to scream. They wanted to grab the menu and tear it down the middle. They wanted to rip their own skin off. The anger was there, blooming suffocatingly in their chest, giving them something to hold onto so they wouldn't just dissolve into the sticky, and apparently disgusting vinyl seat.
The waiter arrived two minutes later, looking utterly miserable. He dropped two glasses of ice water onto the table, splashing cold liquid onto Katsuya’s wrist.
“What can I get you,” the waiter muttered, not even making eye contact.
Katsuya froze. The cold water dripped down their arm. The wasp in the neon sign seemed to buzz louder.
“Hey,” Katsuya said, his voice now quiet. I guess it was an attempt at trying to keep his composure.
“Watch what you're doing.”
The waiter blinked, finally looking down. "It's just water, boss."
Boss.
That was it.
"I'm not your 'boss', you blind piece of shit," Katsuya spat, their voice cutting through the ambient noise of the restaurant. Several nearby tables went quiet. "Learn how to carry a glass without spilling it like a toddler, or get a job where you don't have to use your hands, you dumbass!"
The waiter’s face flushed red. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me! You're incompetent!" Katsuya was practically shaking now, the heat in their blood boiling over. It made the hollow pit in their stomach vanish completely under a wave of pure adrenaline. "Get out of my face!"
"Katsuya," Yoshio said quietly with an awkward smile.
"Shut up, Yoshio!" Katsuya turned their rage on him, chest heaving, the silver ring on their collar vibrating with their rapid breath. "Don't take his side! He's an asshole! Everyone here is an asshole!"
Yoshio looked a bit embarrassed, but not embarrassed or angry with Katsuya. He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, slid a twenty-dollar bill onto the table, and slid out of the booth.
He reached down, wrapped his hand loosely around Katsuya’s wrist, and pulled.
"Come on."
"Don't touch me!" Katsuya yanked their arm back, but they still stood up, following Yoshio out of sheer fury. "I'm not finished! He was disrespectful!"
Yoshio just kept walking, pushing open the heavy glass doors and leading them out into the biting night air.
It was dark, lit only by the amber light of a single streetlamp at the end of the block. While the cool air bit at Katsuya’s hot skin, it didn't cool the fire raging in their chest.
"You're unbelievable!" Katsuya yelled, their shoes crunching on the gravel as they stalked after Yoshio. "You just paid him! You just gave him money after he splashed me! Why do you always do that?!"
Yoshio stopped near a brick wall, turning around slowly. He shunted his hands back into his hoodie pockets. "You were going to bite his head off."
"He deserved it!"
"Maybe he did, but..."
"He did!" Katsuya took two aggressive steps forward, shoving Yoshio’s chest with both hands. "Stop acting like you don't care! Stop sitting there with that dumb, empty face! Say something! Get mad at me!"
Yoshio looked at them, raising an eyebrow. “Why?"
"Because I'm ruining everything!" Katsuya cried out, their voice cracking, exposing the jagged, desperate edge underneath the rage. "I ruined dinner! I ruin every single thing we do! I'm nasty, I'm unpredictable, I'm obnoxious, and you're just... standing there! Fight back, you coward! Tell me I'm a nightmare!"
"You’re not a nightmare," Yoshio replied quietly.
"I am!" Katsuya shoved him again, harder this time, their fingers clutching wildly at the fabric of his hoodie. "I am, I am, I am! I want to break things! I want to tear my own skin open! I hate everyone, and I hate this world, and I hate you for making me feel like I shouldn't be angry!"
"Katsuya—"
"No! Fuck you! Fuck you, Yoshio! Why don't you leave?! Just leave me here! Leave me in the dark so I can just—"
Yoshio moved.
In one sudden motion, Yoshio’s right hand shot out, his thick fingers hooking directly under the front of the black leather collar around Katsuya’s neck.
Snap.
He yanked. Hard.
Katsuya let out a shocked, strangled gasp as the leather dug firmly into the back of their neck, forcing their head up and pulling their entire body violently forward. They stumbled, their chest slamming hard against Yoshio’s.
Before Katsuya could open their mouth to spit out another string of curses, Yoshio stepped into their space, tilted his head, and brought his mouth crashing down onto theirs.
Katsuya let out a shocked, strangled gasp right into Yoshio’s face, and Yoshio swallowed the sound whole.
Yoshio’s mouth slammed against Katsuya’s, grinding their lips together until Katsuya’s hands flew up instinctively, clutching at Yoshio’s jacket just to stay upright.
When Katsuya parted their lips to spit out another curse, Yoshio used the opportunity to force his tongue deep into their mouth.
It was wet, heavy, and hot. It was quite a contrast to the cold air around them. Katsuya let out a muffled, desperate moan against Yoshio’s lips, their brain short-circuiting as the anger evaporated, completely replaced by the sheer, overwhelming reality of Yoshio taking control.
Yoshio didn't let up. His grip on the collar tightened, tilting Katsuya’s head back to give himself better access. He nipped harshly at Katsuya’s bottom lip, catching the soft flesh between his teeth and tugging just enough to draw a sharp, shuddering gasp out of them before slanting his head and kissing them deeply again.
Spit slicked their chins. The rhythm was frantic and uncoordinated. It was a collision of teeth, hot breath, and sliding tongues. Katsuya was practically hanging off Yoshio's fist, their fingers digging uselessly into his shoulders as Yoshio drank them in, refusing to give them an inch to breathe until all that nasty rage was starved of oxygen.
Yoshio’s tongue tangled with Katsuya’s again, sucking Katsuya’s breath straight out of their throat until Katsuya felt dizzy, their knees going weak and soft. If Yoshio wasn't holding them up by the collar and the waist, they would have collapsed straight onto the gravel.
"Yoshio..." Katsuya whimpered, the name getting entirely lost as Yoshio kissed them again.
Yoshio finally slowed the pace, but he didn't pull away. He dragged his mouth across Katsuya’s slick bottom lip, taking slow, wet, heavy bites, lapping at the moisture on Katsuya’s chin before pressing one last, hard, bruised kiss to their swollen lips.
When Yoshio finally let go of the collar, Katsuya’s head thudded lightly back against the brick wall.
They were breathless. Chest heaving, shoulders shaking, their lips wet, red, and visibly swollen. A thin, glistening thread of saliva stretched between Yoshio’s lip and Katsuya’s chin before snapping in the cold air.
Katsuya stared up at him, their dark eyes wide, dilated, and unfocused.
The anger was gone. Completely, utterly annihilated.
Yoshio was panting softly, his chest rising and falling against Katsuya’s. His thumb reached up, gently wiping a streak of moisture off Katsuya’s chin.
He looked at Katsuya’s face. At their swollen lips. At the black collar sitting slightly crooked on their throat.
Man, was his work beautiful! He couldn’t help but crack a smile.
"Shut up," Katsuya whispered, their voice entirely wrecked, completely devoid of any real bite.
"I didn't say anything.”
"You were thinking it."
"Yeah, sorry. You’re just so cute!"
Katsuya leaned their head forward, resting their forehead directly against Yoshio’s chest, right over his heartbeat.
Katsuya took a shaky, deep breath, their hands slowly untangling from Yoshio’s jacket to wrap loosely around his waist under his hoodie.
"You're a jackass," Katsuya mumbled into his shirt.
"Yeh."
"And you ruined my collar."
Yoshio reached down, his fingers lightly trailing over the leather strap, adjusting it back into place so the silver ring sat flat against Katsuya’s skin again.
"Looks fine to me," Yoshio said softly. He wrapped both arms securely around Katsuya, holding them against him. "Let's go home. I’d rather doordash anyway."