you can't catch a falling star

An empty glass vase in the library had caught his eye- And as someone who liked to think he saw the world as a glass half full, he’d just have to fill up the gaps himself! A bouquet would lighten up the space, something he’d like to give to Tsumugi in a way that he’d be able to enjoy in a place that he seemed to like being. 

He’d chosen an arrangement of dusty pink camellias surrounded by baby’s breath- The color reminding him of the delicious color Tsumugi’s face would turn at times, and the full round petals of the flower reminiscent of the apples of the librarian’s cheeks when he laughed. It made it hard not to stick the flowers against his face and inhale, wishing the light floral scent was closer to what Tsumugi smelled like in all honesty. 

Waiting to give the flowers to him had proven agonizing- the minute hands not moving fast enough on the clock, and his constant time checks not speeding things up. But after the bell mercifully released him for lunch, Chiaki threw his bag over his shoulder and dashed to 3B, enthusiastically pulling his target along with him. 

And he didn’t stop until he’d dragged them to the solace of shelves and books, excited to be alone. Pulling his present out without much preface, Chiaki pressed the flowers against Tsumugi’s chest, bubbling on about how he thought that the library needed some cheering up and that “Vases shouldn’t be left empty like that Aoba~” 

Pleased that he’d made his delivery, he pressed a quick kiss against pink tinted cheeks, noting happily that his color match with the camellias was spot on. 

It was impossible to not notice those at the top of the idol hierarchy, as they shined the brightest and demanded one’s attention. But a cursory glance at the bespectacled boy sitting next to him wouldn’t have tipped you off that this was once a member of a ruthless unit who crushed anyone who dared stood in their way. 

This person seemed more reserved, maybe a bit nervous at times. But his laughs still rung clear when Chiaki managed to elicit them, and the same spark in his eyes from the year before surfaced when he performed on stage with his new unit. 

Chiaki liked seeing the radiance, thinking it was the type of light that anyone looking for some hope would be drawn to. But then, maybe he was just talking about himself. 

Hand laced with Tsumugi’s, he flipped past the page he’d been sitting on for the past ten minutes, aware that he’d taken nothing in but still wanting some momentum for his next action. With the page flipping left to right, he let his body parallel the motion, firmly planting his lips against Tsumugi’s temple, smiling against him. 

“Thanks for letting me in- It’s lonely being in the dark you know.” 

For someone who had issues learning how to love themselves, it felt hypocritical to lecture Tsumugi. It was easier with his first years- as he felt that he’d gone through their struggle himself. But with Tsumugi it felt that he was looking at a different version of himself- dumped by a unit he thought he could call his own then making a new place for himself. It was a work in progress and he still wasn’t sure if he was over it. 

But what he could do was assure Tsumugi that no matter what, he’d be right be his side. No more being left behind, no more abrupt goodbyes. 

“You’re stuck with me Tsumugi~” He’d tease gently. Aware that he could easily be replaced, but still wanting to offer his support until it was no longer needed. But he had faith that Tsumugi wouldn’t leave him. Or at least he so desperately hoped. Maybe if he could just show him that he cared, loved a little harder, his genuine feelings would come through. 

So with each time his lips sought out Tsumugi’s he felt a pang of desperation marring the otherwise sweet kisses. But then came the anxiety that he was being too forward, perhaps his advances only serving shove Tsumugi away. And he’d stop, biting his lip and breaking away before nervously laughing and drawing the other into his arms, masking any insecurity with a warm embrace. 

He wanted so badly to be someone special in his life, but could only hope that it was a place he could earn.  

Prone to staying up for days at a time, sometimes he wasn’t even aware of the hour until a light tap to his shoulder jolted him out of whatever project he was pouring his attention to. A gentle reprimand would cause him to apologize sheepishly before he caught the worried but amused look in Tsumugi’s eyes. 

That was enough to get him to abandon his work, and he got up with a yawn, joints in his shoulders cracking in a way that had him worry briefly. But there were more important things to do- Like fuss over how late it was and how Tsumugi should have been in bed hours ago. 

And he took it into his own hands to make sure his most dear wasn’t losing any more sleep over him. With energy he shouldn’t even have, he scooped Tsumugi up in his arms, planting a kiss against the corner of his eye, the dark circles under his own lifting with the curve of his smile. 

“Good boys don’t stay up past their bedtimes Aoba~ How am I supposed to return to a warm bed if you aren’t already there to cuddle?” 

His teasing, ludicrous. His reasoning, stupid. But it was terribly on brand and he wasn’t about to break consistency. 

Chiaki was grateful that someone minded enough to notice when he was working too much, making a note to  take better care of himself if only to alleviate any stress on Tsumugi’s end. 

After gently setting the sputtering prize in his arms against their shared bed, he unceremoniously flopped against the mattress himself, head against Tsumugi’s chest in an act of spoiled indulgence. 

First snow usually meant that most animals would have gone into hibernation. But he could pretend he didn’t know that rabbits didn’t snooze through the winter- Any reason to drag Mugi home with him was a good one, right? 

Poking through the brush, he flicked his ears to get the snow from clinging to him, listening to the way the fresh layer of white crunched beneath his feet. He knew this route with his eyes closed, but even so it took longer than usual since he had to trudge through the powder. 

On arriving, he’d found one slightly irritated looking bunny and had to fight not to laugh at how cute he looked all fluffed up. The cold didn’t particularly bother him so he looped his scarf off his neck before tying it around Tsumugi. 

“Wanna hibernate at my place Mugi~? I promise I’m as good as a radiator if you wanted to stay warm.” And without waiting for much of an answer, he drew the other into his arms, easily hoisting the warm bundle. 

The light snowfall danced down in replacement of the leaves that were fluttering to the ground just a few weeks ago, and Chiaki thought that Tsumugi looked just as pretty now as he did then. 

Watching as one particular snowflake landed on the bunny’s nose, he leaned down to kiss it away before it melted and got his face wet. Ah- but he really should ask if Tsumugi was okay with this, huh? 

Though a little late to really be asking, he brought the bunny closer to his chest, hoping his warmth would keep the chill away. 

The feeling of familiar hands pushing aside the frames of his glasses hardly had him look up, Chiaki idly licking his thumb as he flipped to another page. In the dim light of the bedside lamp, he could just barley make out the sentences strung together, but it was difficult getting more than a few words in at a time before he finally shut the book, a soft puff as the parchment pressed together. 

As he looked to his side, he blinked a few times before seeing that Jesus had his glasses in hand, inspecting the frames as if they’d offended him somehow before a bit carelessly tossing them on the table by his side of the bed. 

Clicking his tongue, Chiaki huffed through his nose, ready to scold Jesus for for the rough treatment. “I was reading something- As you can clearly see.” 

But his whine was cut off at the finger trailing against his jaw, and a wry smile gave away the amusement bubbling in his chest. Tracking the feeling of the finger against his face, he felt the digit press against his lips, and they curled into a smile. Blinking and trying not to look too expectant, he used what little self restraint he ad to wait until Jesus leaned forward to press their lips together, a soft sigh escaping him at the warmth. 

He was still getting used to how possessive his partner was, head coming up in surprise when he felt an arm slip around his waist as Jesus took a seat next to him. The large gathering of guests made it difficult to constantly stay by his side, so Chiaki had drifted towards an empty table to finish off his drink while he waited for fawning strangers to be done with their greetings. 

But his absence had been noted, and apparently not appreciated. He’d been lightly rebuffing the advances of a slightly intoxicated dinner guest himself, smiling politely and keeping his voice cheerful. He’d almost gotten up after feeling a hand on his knee, creeping up his thigh, but was saved by the abrupt appearance of his savior. 

Chiaki was sure he’d get an earful from Jesus later, but for now he took the kiss and nip against his neck, trying not to blush at the very public and intimate display of affection. Or possession. Whichever. Both? 

He had a soft spot for animals, big or small, and was always willing to step in to help a furry friend if it looked like it was in a tight spot. And this time he’d paid with scratches and bites to his hands and arms- the aftermath of a scared kitten he’d plucked from a tree. 

After assuring the little girl who owned the cat that he was fine, he’d shooed her home before heading back to his own, hoping that the cuts wouldn’t bleed and that he wouldn’t need too many bandages. That would just worry Jesus, right? 

But he hadn’t been so lucky, the shallow cuts leaving angry red marks across his skin and making the total effect look much worse than it actually was. That and the fact that Jesus had caught him in the middle of bandaging up had lead to a roundabout explanation where he had to insist that he was fine and “No wait, I promise I can explain. There was a cat you see? In this tree, and I couldn’t just leave it there, you know? So I ended up cli-” followed by a short struggle to get his wrists out of Jesus’ hands. 

After that small fiasco, he’d been scolded for being careless, again, then made to sit down while Jesus called him and idiot under his breath and did his wraps for him. Chiaki almost felt sorry after how annoyed Jesus looked, and had the decency to look apologetic. 

Leaning close, he pressed a light kiss against a flustered cheek, thanking him for worrying about him. 

More often than not, Jesus was the one to take kisses, not ask for them. Not that Chiaki minded too badly. This one was not different, and he has to remind himself to breath between the struggle to not be completely taken over by the hot feeling of a mouth against his. 

Letting his tongue flick out, he ran it against a sharp canine, glancing up to catch Jesus’ hooded eyes. The kind of look that paired well with a smirk- It was almost irritating with how pleased Jesus was of himself sometimes. But the confidence was intoxicating, and he couldn’t help but melt anytime that self satisfied smile was aimed his way. A single crook of Jesus’ finger would have him drift over to obediently curl by his side, as nothing else seemed to matter when the silent order of come here was being directed at him. 

Moaning quietly, his eyes fluttered back shut, more interested in focusing on the feeling rather than dividing his attention- As much as he did like to look. 

This sort of thing wasn’t out of the ordinary. But every interaction still had his pulse quicken and cheeks color, feeling just as much desire burning in him in this kiss as he had for the first. Or for any hundreds or thousands to follow. 

Post sex always made him feel tired; But after Jesus, anyone would be exhausted. However, that didn’t stop him from pressing himself as closely against Jesus as possible, his hand seeking out the other’s and lacing this fingers together before bringing them to his lips, kissing his knuckles. 

He was very clear about how much he liked human contact, drawing energy from the warmth of other bodies to fuel his own even if only briefly. And he’d decided that bare skin really made the experience more enjoyable. The combination of silky sheets and warm skin paired so nicely with one another, the soft sound of his leg moving under the fabric drawing more attention to the way he rubbed against Jesus. Slowly. Deliberately. 

His body is still aching, and he can feel the heat left behind by all the bite marks on his thighs. But that doesn’t particularly stop him; The tendency to tease to strongly ingrained in him to know better than stop while he’s ahead. Jesus wasn’t great at soft contact- and to be honest, he wasn’t either. But he’d learned to slow down a bit and enjoy every little thing life had to offer. And he’d be a fool to not appreciate Jesus while he had him right next to him. 

Mustering the strength to turn so that he was facing Jesus, he listened to his breathing, watching the way his chest rose and fell. Strips of moonlight lay in rows against this mostly unmarred skin, but Chiaki made sure to trail his fingers along the marks he’d left behind. He was usually brash about the way he expressed his love for others; always too much or too heavy handed. But that seemed to work well in the case of Jesus, breaking through what he thought was a particularly dense head. So he wondered if his little gesture would phase him at all, mean anything substantial. 

Still, he tried. 

Looping his arm around Jesus’ side, he pressed his nose against the crook of his neck, breathing in the familiar smell and exhaling cool air against the fevered skin. The thought of how jarring breaking the silence would be never occurred to him, and without skipping a beat, he smiled up at him, lightly butting his head against his chin. 

“You were good as usual tonight~ At least I know you don’t hold back on me.” 

Laughing at his own quip, he pressed himself against Jesus’ chest, letting his leg side between his, subtlety thrown aside.