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At first, it was something bearable. Just having him around was enough. He knew there was something, but it didn't bother him; it never got in the way of his life.
But somewhere along the way, the feeling suddenly changed. Before he even realized it, he was already craving another touch, another caress, anything.
Sitting beside him and feeling their arms brush against each other was no longer enough. He wanted to pull him close and hide his face in his neck, then feel his laughter as the tickling made him squirm.
He often considered the idea of pulling away, but it was impossible. Inojin was magnetic, and Shikadai was trapped in his orbit.
Inojin was discreet about most of his feelings. He never really knew what was going on in his mind, and Shikadai couldn't risk putting their friendship in jeopardy.
After all, that relationship was far too important to him. It was the closest he would ever get to him.