#blk itoshi

-lena

11.10 pm - Itoshi Sae

Outside, the city is falling asleep, the streets growing emptier by the minute. It's a weeknight, after all, and ordinarily, you'd be in bed too.

But your bed is occupied now.

You lean against the fridge as you wait for the water to boil, don't even try to pretend you're not staring.

Sae's just that pretty, all lean muscle and pale skin, his magenta hair pushed away from his face by a fluffy kitten headband he found in your bathroom.

"Take a picture," Sae drawls now, swiping on his phone. "It'll last longer."

"Already did," you fold your arms across your chest and rest your cheek against the cool metal of your fridge. "Now I'm just staring because I can."

His eyes flicker up to yours and back again. There's the faintest smile dancing over his lips. You think about kissing them, but your kettle clicks off, so you force yourself to move instead.

"Salty seaweed tea for the guy with no taste," you put it on the nightstand next to him and gingerly climb onto the mattress next to him, trying not to spill your own drink.

"What are you having?"

"Instant hot chocolate," you blow on it, inhaling the sweet scent of cheap chocolate, freeze-dried marshmallows, and peppermint aroma.

"That sounds nasty."

"Don't knock it till you've tried it," you claim, stretching your legs and knocking your knee into his at the same time.

You wonder why he's here again. You've seen his apartment. Your dingy little place could probably fit in his bathroom and then some.

But it's exhilarating to have him here, in your bed, your headband pushing back his bangs.

Sae stretches and puts his phone away, eyeing you carefully.

"What?" You ask, blowing on your drink again.

"You're beautiful," he points out, drawling out the words as if he can barely be bothered to say them.

"Mhm," you nod. "Thanks."

Sae blinks. Furrows his brows. "Thanks?"

"What?" You take a tentative sip, but it's still a little too hot. "Am I supposed to say something else?"

Sae laughs then, and it sounds both surprised and genuine, a sound you don't hear often.

"I like you," he mutters, reaching out to brush his thumb over your cheek. "Tell me something about you?"

-

It's only weeks later, the alarm clock next to your bed reading 11.10 pm once more, that you realize.

"Wait," you lift your head from where it had been resting on Sae's chest. "You've been flirting with me."

Sae laughs, surprised and genuine, like he only seems to do around you. "Have been for a year, thanks for noticing."

You pout. "You could have said something."