savetheearth | action, closed.

Entry tags:

action, closed.

who: Souji and Hajime
what: Trolling. Hanging out. Cats.
where: Hajime's apartment.
when: This weekend? This weekend.
warnings: Souji is his own warning, but we're not expecting anything worse than trollin' like old marrieds.

[The problem with finals being over was that Hajime wasn't quite sure what to do with himself.

On any given day, he usually had more than enough to keep himself busy - but a full load of mostly science and math courses and time spent tutoring on the side were both out of season as soon as the last class ended, and although he'd signed up for a summer class or two and there were a couple of students whose parents insisted on keeping sharp even over break, those summer classes were still a couple of weeks off and the tutoring was less of a time commitment than it had been for the last nine months. Final papers and lab reports were in, there were no tests left to study for, and with Souji still off at work for the day (or at least scheduled to be)...

Was he...bored?

- of course he wasn't bored. Hajime's opinion had always been that if one was bored, they simply weren't trying hard enough to do something about it. (That could be a dangerous opinion to hold, when one's best friend was Souji Sasaoki, but it was what it was.)

And with all that had happened lately, and all there was to thinking about, Hajime only had an even greater motivation to keep himself busy. Too busy to think about killing people in some past life, too busy to think about Toshi's newfound problems with blood -

Laundry and cleaning the bathroom had killed a few hours, but with those done, he'd moved on to occupying himself by surfing Epicurious. More free time meant maybe it was time to shake up the dinner menu a little bit before things picked up again. He usually fell into a pattern of tried-and-true recipes that he knew backwards and forwards when school was busy, but if he had a little more time to experiment - hey, chocolate beet cake was probably healthier than the beetless alternative. He could totally pull that one over on Souji, right?]

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[To say Souji loved summer was an understatement. Sure he was still working, and that was kind of a pain, but he didn't have to be bothered by annoying projects and papers and any number of other things. He was happy with his grades (3 As and 2 Bs, thank you very much) and on his way back from work he'd found a box of kittens on the sidewalk next to an empty lawnchair.

He wasn't even aware people actually left kittens in boxes on the sides of roads; it was one of those things he'd only seen through TV and hadn't thought happened in the "real world," but well, there they were. Souji had promptly taken the entire box and examined them as he walked.

They seemed healthy, like they'd at least been given their shots and taken care of before left out there. Probably there had been someone sitting with them to sell them and they'd gotten called away really quick, she Souji's tucked two 20s under the leg of the chair (that was probably enough for 5 kittens, right?) and went on his way.

They'd quieted down and fallen asleep by the time he reached Hajime's apartment and he carefully closed the lid (making sure there was space for air to get in of course). He balanced the box carefully, opened the door to the other's apartment with the spare key he had on hand and placed the box off to the side so as not to be accidentally jostled or otherwise messed with until the proper time.]

Honey, I'm home! [He called out with a laugh, ducking around until he found Hajime on his computer and capped off his man-of-the-house impression by... giving Hajime a big smacking kiss on the cheek, then peering over him at the screen.]

What's for dinner?

[Hajime flushed a little at the kiss, but otherwise didn't bat an eyelash. It wasn't exactly surprising, after all. A day wasn't over until Souji had done something to troll him at least once, and it did seem like the...married couple jokes were a bit more common lately than usual, for whatever reason -

- for whatever reason he wasn't even getting into, okay.]

You're early. I hadn't really decided yet.

[And true to his word, he did have quite a few more tabs open than the chocolate beet cake (which he might just have minimized as soon as he heard Souji's voice, since the last thing he needed was for Souji's suspicions to be up before he even had the chance to try it).]

I was thinking this steak and soba stir-fry looked good, though.

Sounds good to me you know I'll eat anything you make. I'm not exactly picky. [He laughs again, clearly in a good mood.

Well he'll eat almost anything. Still, he claps a hand on Hajime's shoulder and nods towards the couch] Hey go sit down and close your eyes. I got a present for you.

[He'll eat anything Hajime makes as long as he doesn't know beforehand that there are vegetables hiding in those baked goods, anyway. (Though, okay, even then he'll still eat it, he'll just complain about it.)

As much as "close your eyes" sets off a few quiet alarm bells in his mind, though, it isn't like Hajime doesn't trust Souji. "Close your eyes" will probably lead into something minorly embarrassing or ridiculous but still not a big deal, and really, there's no reason to kill Souji's good mood by not indulging him a little. So he nods and closes his laptop as he gets up from the desk.]

[Souji gives a pleased hum--such a good boy, Hajime! Souji has trained you well--and walks back to the box.

He opens it and gently wakes the kittens up, getting them moving around before he picks the box up and makes his way back to his friend. Looking at him, so innocent and trusting with his eyes closed like Souji couldn't just slide a knife between his ribs, gives him a warm feeling in his chest and his expression turns more than a little fond.

The box balances on one arm as he reaches out to gently brush some stray hair from Hajime's forehead and tucks it behind his ear, lingering just a little before he remembers the task at hand and clears his throat]

Keep your eyes closed, okay? You'll know when to open them! [Soui picks up one kitten to place on Hajime's shoulder, then carefully tips the box to let the other kittens start falling out and onto his lap]

Ta-dah!

[He's patient - because Hajime is good at nothing if not being patient, as one needs to be to be best friends with someone like Souji - and doesn't move or open his eyes as he hears Souji moving around, although it feels like his heartbeat got just a little louder in his ears when he feels Souji messing with his hair -

Or is that it? He's not sure what the weight on his shoulder is, but something in him feels hollow, like all those times when -

Souji's voice and the weight in his lap, light though it is, are enough to snap him out of it, and he finally opens his eyes, staring at the kittens tumbling into his lap.]

[Souji can't help but laugh at his expression, kneeling down on the ground and resting his arms on Hajime's knees as he watches the kittens climb about the other.]

Aren't they cute? I found them, poor things, miserable and alone and abandoned on the side of the road to die. [This is said a bit melodramatically and Souji flashes him a quick grin before continuing] But then I arrived, a valiant knight, and saved them.

[He wrinkles his nose with a smile and nuzzles his nose against one of the kittens.]

[They're cute, Hajime certainly can't deny that.

But if he was concerned about their taking care of one cat, thinking of five is just ridiculous, and there are so many things they'll have to worry about when they keep them (because of course if Souji brought them this far, there's no if about it, Hajime knows that all too well). They're going to go through cat food at a ridiculous rate and they should probably check with the vet and make sure they've got a clean bill of health, and -]

We don't even have a litter box.

[And they're probably going to need a few of those, with this many. Scratching posts, assuming they can even manage to convince the cats to use them and not the sofa...

The kitten on his shoulder leans in close and licks his cheek.

...they're cute.]

We probably don't have to keep them all. Maybe one or two and sell the rest. [For higher than he paid. Maybe he should go back and take one of the 20s from the chair--]

It'd just be about picked which ones we want to keep.

[Souji pauses and tilts his head, resting it against Hajime's knee as he looks at him]

...Oh yeah, a litter box would probably be a good thing. I didn't even think of that. [He grins with a peculiar expression, like he's proud of Hajime's deduction] This is why we're together.

[Well, thank goodness for that. Five cats is probably beyond what they're capable of handling...

...still, as he looks between them all, the prospect of picking just one or two seems so...daunting. They're all cute! They all deserve love!]

[Souji quietly watches him a moment or two before speaking quietly]

Are you happy? You're not mad or anything, right? [Not that it mattered, it was too late to really return them and all but--

But Hajime being happy was Important.]

I'm not mad.

[And even if he's not quite smiling, he does seem pretty content, with the kitten on his shoulder still nuzzling his face, and he's petting the others.]

It just feels a little mean to try and pick one.

You're the one who said we couldn't keep them all! [He laughs, shaking his head and sitting up some, letting one of the kittens absently.]

We keep whichever one behaves better. And we have to pick names too... [He scratches his chin thoughtfully.] We can go shopping for litter boxes and some toys after dinner or something. They're little right now so they shouldn't be too much trouble yet.

[That sounds like a reasonable enough plan to Hajime, and he nods, a faint smile finally crossing his face. It's going to be trouble, certainly, but at least Souji managed to stumble on them when they're both less busy and more able to deal with it.]

I may need a few things from the grocery store to try this recipe, so we might as well go before dinner and get everything at once.

[He turns to look at the kitten on his shoulder, intending to pick him up and move him down to where the rest of them are, but stops when the kitten picks that moment to lick him again, catching him squarely on the nose.]

Sounds good to me.

[He can't help but laugh, his heart throbbing with--

With something he can't begin to try and think about right now.] Well, I guess we know at least one we'll keep!

Though I don't know how I feel about having competition now. I'm a possessive person, Hajime. [Despite his joking tone, his eyes are on Hajime's face, watching every expression carefully.] Are you going to end up loving the cats more than me?

[He doesn't immediately turn to face Souji when he hears that question, and at first, all it gets is a faint blush. He can hear the tone, sure, it's a joke, though Souji's jokes sometimes still manage to embarrass the hell out of him anyway, and especially with how a few of their recent conversations have skated the edge of...of something -

- but when he finally turns his head and meets Souji's gaze, something about the look in his eyes is enough to make that blush deepen on the spot.

The question suddenly feels a lot more serious than it did half a second ago.

Ugh. Say something, stupid!]

Only if they learn to clean their own litterbox.

[Stupid joke. Stupid jokes are safe, right? Not that he's nearly as good at them as Souji.]

[His eyelids lower slightly into a smoldering look and Souji slowly stands. The joke gets a lightly laugh, but he plants his hands on either side of the other on the back of the couch and leans in.

Their faces are close now, Souji's gaze intense and he takes Hajime's chin in hand]

I think you have more important things to be worrying about right now. [The corner of his mouth twitched in amusement] You'll never leave me, right? I want to hear you say it.

Edited 2013-05-23 04:46 (UTC)

[He's torn between the expectation that this is about the part where Souji backs off, says "no homo," and never says a word about it again, and the knowledge that Souji tends to be pretty serious when the topic of leaving comes up. Because for so long, Hajime was it, just as Souji was it for him.

They had each other, and...nobody else.

And even if the answer to that question has always seemed obvious enough to Hajime, he's accepted that sometimes, Souji just needs to hear it, and he doesn't argue with that.

...Souji usually doesn't need to hear it from this close.]

I'm not going anywhere.

[Souji exhales softly, a small sound of relief and he nods]

No. You won't. Of course you won't. You don't have anyone else like you have me. And the same goes for me to you too. [He murmurs softly, more talking to himself than to Hajime, his eyes on the other's lips but it still seems like he's looking at something only he can see.]

You'll never leave me-- not that I'd let you. How could I possibly... I'd be nothing without you, you know. Nothing at all.

[He leans in slightly as he speaks, not even really realizing it] I don't want you belong to anyone else either. But you'll leave me one day, I'm sure. I always think about it. "One day Hajime will get fed up." "One day I'll go to turn that handle to find the locks were changed"... Things like that.

One day I'll have to give you up, but I'm really selfish, Hajime. But you already knew that, didn't you?

Edited (typos god damn it.) 2013-05-23 05:17 (UTC)

Don't say you're nothing.

[He's never quite sure what to say, when Souji's in a mood like this - not that he's ever seen a mood quite like this, but the sentiment is familiar, even if the intensity, the actions...those usually don't come with it.

Hajime's never been good with words. He's not really great with feelings either, exactly, and sometimes putting the two together is just too much all at once. More often than not he just doesn't try, stays silent and lets people assume what they will.

But sometimes staying silent is too much, and he has to say something even if he isn't sure of the right words for what he feels.]

You're something to me.

[Souji says nothing, looking startled by Hajime's words. Partly it was because he had almost forgotten, in his half-mad ramblings, that Hajime was actually there, and partly because of the words themselves.

Something to me.

Of course. He couldn't think of this from just his side, he meant something to someone too. Hajime had feelings and thoughts and desires too.]

Ah. That's true. [He leans in and brushes his lips against Haime's. It's a chaste kiss, and fairly brief as Souji pulls away to press his forehead against the other's shoulder]

You bring out the worst in me, Hajime. And the best, too. I don't know what I'd do without you.

[His eyes flutter closed for a moment and his breath catches when Souji's lips brush his. The chasteness of it all somehow makes it all the more striking, somehow; there's nothing sexual and nothing lustful in a gesture like that.

Just...feelings.

His hand slips behind Souji's head, fingers tangling in his hair as Souji presses into his shoulder.]

You don't have to find out.

[His fingers curl into Hajime's clothes and he exhales slowly. He feels more like himself again except--

Except he wants to kiss Hajime again. So he does, pulling away slightly and pressing his fingertips lightly to the other's jaw to tilt his head. The kiss is longer and still relatively chaste, but his breathing is a little heavier, the desire for more making his blood hot--

A soft mew and a paw on his cheeks sends him feeling back to the present and he pulls away laughing. Like it wasn't his best friend he was just making out with, or like there wasn't any making out to begin with.]

Ah, the children are getting impatient. I'm going to take a shower, then we should head out to the store.

[He untangled himself from the embrace and straightens his clothes, feigning nonchalance] Do I still have spare clothes here?

[His other hand fumbles to Souji's shoulder when their lips meet again, his grip tightening slightly. It's not much distraction from the fact that his heart feels like it's about to pound its way out of his chest, but -

- his eyes snap open again when Souji pulls back.

...question. That was a question.

Um.]

Top left drawer in the bedroom.

[Because of course he just puts Souji's clothes that get left at his apartment back into his own dresser. What, did you think he was going to be messy and leave them out?]

[Souji's hand finds Hajime's chin again and he leans in--

But then seems to second guess himself and forces himself away.] I have my own drawer now? [He raises an eyebrow, amused, but he moves to the bedroom to grab his clothes and then to the bathroom.

He doesn't know what's getting into him and his body still aches for Hajime, but a shower should help him clear his head. If the kitten hadn't interrupted them... Souji feels himself blush and shakes his head. Maybe getting a cat was a bad idea if it was going to be like this.]

[His eyes follow Souji all the way to the door, but he stays in place, reaching down to absently pet the kittens.

He never expected this, but despite all that, between the jokes and Toshi's offhand comment, between some other things they've said and done lately that seemed to just skate the edge of - of something, without quite making it there - Hajime can't deny that this has been somewhere in the back of his mind, despite his best efforts to just ignore it.

If not for the cats, then...

He's still not sure if Souji would have kept going.

He's not sure if he's relieved or disappointed that he doesn't know.]

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