The Strong / Silent Type

@silenttyped

hikaru   doesn’t   usually   panic   like   this.       but   his   chest   feels   tight,       as   if   someone   is   holding   his   lungs   hostage,       holding   them   in   a   vice   grip   keeping   them   from   expanding   to   their   full   potential.       he   knows   the   drill   when   it   comes   to   host   parties,       however   this   time   around   the   parents   were   invited.        being   around   his   parents   was   always   something   that   brought   him   great   discomfort.       and   if   he   knew   that   this   is   how   he   was   going   to   be   affected   then   perhaps   he   should   have   just   played   sick   or   something   just   to   get   out   of   having   to   be   here   in   the   same   room   as   them.

he   couldn’t   take   it   anymore,       the   air   was   feeling   heavy,       the   walls   were   closing   in   on   him,       and   he   worried   that   someone   might   notice   just   how   bad   he   was   struggling.       “       excuse   me.       “        he   departs   from   the   scene,       walking…       no   running   away.       he   had   to   go   outside,       he   needed   fresh   air.       he   needed   to   be   somewhere   where   they   weren’t.       finally   he   feels   the   cool   night   air   against   hot   skin.       but   still   he   can’t   breathe.       he   hates   feeling   this   way,       feeling   weak.       it   sickened   him.       the   power   they   held   over   him   was   disgusting.

hearing   the   soft   footsteps   of   another   person   caught   his   attention,       it   was   takashi.       no   don’t   look   at   me.       he   wanted   to   run   away   again   however   he   was   too   busy   gasping   for   air   to   make   his   feet   move.       watching   the   other   grow   closer,    he   almost   swipes   at   his   hand.       don’t   touch   me.       he   didn’t   want   help,       he’d   rather   deal   with   this   alone   than   have   someone   look   at   him   as   something   so   pathetic   and   weak.       all   because   mommy   and   daddy   were   at   an   event.       but   still,       he   stays   and   flinches   as   the   other   places   a   hand   upon   his   chest. 

( unprompted ! / always accepting ! )

it's so busy all around them.

with the holiday season imminent, the streets are full of activity. not for the first time, hotaru finds herself incredibly grateful that mori is so tall. it makes navigating the crowds with him far easier, her smaller frame nearly pressed into his side as she quickens her pace to try & match his natural stride.

until, that is - she notices the lights.

between the trees & the lampposts, stretching along the walkways just overhead, there are workers for the city carefully hanging long strings of bright, twinkling lights. hotaru stops in place, lips parting in quiet surprise as she watches every length of string find its proper place. each little point of light reflects in wide violet-sky eyes, little constellations that glow despite the blanket of early evening around them.

she first notices that mori has come back for her  (  how kind of him, truly  )  when she feels the familiar sensation of his warmth against her side. but hotaru cannot bring herself to look away from the display being arranged right in front of her, too captivated by how something so seemingly simple can be so beautiful, how bulbs so little can emit enough warmth to reach her heart even through the late autumn chill.

she's only derailed from her train of thought by the soft press of fingers on her chin. hotaru returns to herself, blinking once as she turns her head, ready to apologize for her distractedness, when -

oh.

the brush of mori's lips against her cheek is so ... gentle. she can feel the heat of a blush rising up her neck, consuming her expression with a rose hue. part of her wants to chase the sensation, but the rest of her is so rooted to the earth, she worries any movement would leave her stumbling.

❝   morinozuka-kun ...   ❞  she murmurs, the corners of her mouth slowly curving up. gingerly, her fingers curl around his wrist, thumb pressing against his pulse-point. unwilling to look away, she tilts her head slightly, raising mori's hand & pressing her lips to one of his knuckles. she speaks quietly, whispering the words directly into his skin.  ❝   how sweet of you. there's not even a mistletoe around ...  ❞

hotaru is infinitely grateful she was not actively sipping her own drink at that moment.

( she can only imagine how humiliating this would be, if she had been. )

The taller nods in agreement at this, his expression in thoughtful consideration to her predicament ( as if he did not fully come onto her a moment early ). Indeed, he would not want her for only a single night of the year. ❛ A witch..., ❜ he admonishes, a satisfied hum escaping his lips. ❛ Could be cute. ❜

❝ hmm ... i still don't know what i should be for halloween ... ❞

𝐀 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄-𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐎 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐕𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐒, starbright beneath her skin. Constellations whisper across her sun-kissed frame. She is a Sun.