#hiragi

“Heyyyyyy, kiddos!” Umemiya chirped, placing the gaming console on the ground next to the TV. One by one, with a very dad-like grunt, he would pick up the boys in a tight hug.

Nirei was mid-slice of carrots when he was hugged from behind and hoisted. He giggled like a child. “Umemiya! Careful!”

“What’cha cookin’, kid?” the older male inquired, setting the boy down and draping himself across his shoulders.

“Making yakisoba for all of us.”

“Ooooh. Sounds yummy,” he hummed. “And look at you with your hair up! The ladies would just be all over you!” Umemiya made cooing sounds as he pinched at Nirei’s ears, resulting in flustered giggles from the blonde.

Suo was next. As he helped Hiragi set up the gaming system, he was suddenly scooped like a bride. He subconsciously kicked his feet with a tiny gasp. “Hello, Umemiya.”

“Suoooooooo. You’ve been taking care of yourself, right, kid? Not just worried about everyone else, yeah?”

The redhead sighed dismissively. “I’ve got to get this hooked up if we want to play games.”

“That’s not what I asked you.”

“I—“ he exhaled with that polite smile of his. “Of course I have; it’s just that sometimes, others need my help more than I need rest.”

“Oh! My dear pupil! You wound me so!” The oldest cried out. He cradled Suo to his chest like a baby, gently humming the lullaby song to him.

Sakura scowled. What a dork

That scowl was replaced by a rather manly yelp when he was swept off of his feet and thrown over Umemiya’s shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “Put me down!” he cried. When the white-haired male began to spin him, he pounded his fists against his back. “Umemiya!”

Hiragi huffed with a grin. “Alright, Umemiya, put the kid down.”

“Awwww! But why?!”

“First, he looks nauseous as shit. Second, we got the console set up.”

With a groan from the older male, Sakura was back on his feet. He sat down next to Suo with a huff and crossed his arms. When Suo patted his head, he shot him a glare.

“Hey, Sakura,” Hiragi hummed, “Y’ever play Smash Bros?”

“Heard of it,” he replied. “Never actually played it.” The boys turned to look at him as if he were a space alien. Even Nirei looked up from his vegetable chopping to gape at him. “What?” he asked, confused by their incredulous looks. His patience shortly wore thin. “Okay, what?! Is it like some rite-of-passage game? I bet you’ll shit yourselves when I tell you that I can’t play chess either!”

Suo turned to him with a Cheshire grin. “Now, young Sakura, we are going to teach you the ways of the gamer.”

The boy snorted. “Oh yeah, sure. Like I need to know how to wear the same hoodie for five days straight and shower once every two months.”

Hiragi snorted at that, clapping a heavy hand on Sakura’s shoulder. “Nah, kid. This is just like the party game ever.”

“Wrong,” Nirei called from the kitchen; he hadn’t even turned to look at them, as he was caramelizing onions on the stove. “The party game ever is Mario Party.”

“Wrong again,” Umemiya chimed. “Wii Sports is the way to go.”

“Absolutely not,” argued Suo. “The best one is totally Carnival Games.”

There was a collective groan from all of the boys except Sakura. Hiragi scoffed. “Do you want someone to throw a book at you?”

“Barker is SUCH a bitch, dude!” Nirei cried. There was a subsequent, loud sizzle from the pan in the kitchen.

“Careful now, don’t singe your eyebrows off,” Suo hummed.

Sakura felt like he was missing something again…

A small controller was put into his hand. It was blue, and it had four buttons and a joystick. How simple…

“So, first, you pick who you want to be,” Umemiya hummed, taking a seat next to the boy. “My favorite to play is Kirby. He’s a little hard to get used to because of the timing.”

“Teach him to play Pikachu. He’s like the easiest,” Hiragi mused.

“No way! Teach him to be Lucas! That’s my main!” Nirei chirped. Sakura couldn’t help but grin when the blonde sneezed. At least the food was getting seasoned.

“Of course you play Lucas,” Suo grumbled.

“And who do you two main?” Nirei huffed, stirring the contents of the pan.

“Palutena, duh,” Hiragi reported proudly.

Suo sat next to Umemiya, putting the oldest male in the middle. “Sora main here.”

“Booooo DLC player!” the silver-haired male chided, wrapping his arm around the boy’s neck. “Pay-to-win, Pay-to-win!” he cooed.

Suo’s visible eye rolled, and he snorted. “Paying only gets me the character. It’s the skill that sells it.”

“I wanna be this guy!” Sakura interrupted. “He looks cool.” Hovering his “P2” icon over the character, the boy looked at the rest of the group.

Hiragi gaped at him. “You wanna be…”

“Mister Game and Watch…?” Suo asked.

“What’s wrong with him?!” The half-and-half boy barked, a blush creeping onto his face. “He’s so cool! He’s old-fashioned gaming!”

Umemiya grinned at him. “You’re right. He’s based off of the first ever Nintendo console, the Game and Watch. He was the first video game character to ever exist.”

Sakura’s eyes lit up. “I wanna play him!”

“Game and Watch it is,” Umemiya hummed.

The boys showed Sakura the ropes, and as expected, the young man greatly enjoyed himself. What they were not expecting was how fast he excelled.

“How the hell did you take two stock already?!” Hiragi yelped, fiddling with his joystick in a panic.

“His down smash demolishes. And I can edgeguard with neutral B,” the boy chimed.

“You talk like you’ve been playing this game for years,” Nirei noted.

“Your noodles are boiling over,” Hiragi grumbled at the sound of the bubbling pot.

Game after game, Sakura continued to absolutely destroy his friends in the game. Not a single one of them could defeat him. Even after changing characters, the half-and-half male still managed to steal stock after stock from them.

Now, it was him against Suo for a final deathmatch. Infinite stocks, 10 minutes time, total chaos.

Umemiya watched the screen with a delighted, soft smile. His baby brothers were really getting along, and it warmed his heart to see Sakura enjoying himself.

Delighted and frantic war cries filled the room. They were neck and neck. When one person would take a stock, the other would match it. Each boy was giving it his all, and both were at a stalemate within the first minute.

Soon, Sakura had the up on Suo, and Umemiya was truthfully getting tired of the same narrative over and over again.

Experimentally, he poked a single finger against Sakura’s foot. The boy merely twitched, curling his toes up. When they un-scrunched, he waited for Sakura to charge up a strong attack before he skittered his fingers over it.

“What are you— ngh! D-Doing?!” he yelped, jerking his foot away.

“Nothin’!” chirped the older boy.

“Don’t screw with me. I’m about to beat Suo’s ass!”

“Hardly! We’re one stock apart from each other!” the redhead argued.

“Boys! Don’t argue,” the white-haired male chided. “You’re both the winners in my heart!”

Sakura made a gagging noise, and Suo’s visible eye rolled. Umemiya glared at the two before sneaking a pinch to Suo’s side and a squeeze to Sakura’s kneecap.

For Suo, his response was a small jolt and a death glare.

Sakura on the other hand…

“DON’T!” he exploded, yanking his knee away. His features softened when he realized everyone stopped to stare at him. “S’just a sensitive part of me… Don’t touch it; that’s all.”

Sensitive, hm? He’s sensitive there… Now, Umemiya was not born last night. What Sakura needed to say, but was unable to, is that he was ticklish there. His knees are not sensitive; they’re ticklish.

“Ah, I see,” Umemiya hummed. “You’re ticklish,” he informed bluntly.

Sakura let out a strangled squeak when he was pinched again. “I— I am not!”

“Are.”

“Not!”

“Aaaaare!”

“Nohohohohot!”

Suo grinned evilly when the oldest’s fingers continuously prodded around the half-and-half boy’s right knee.

“Dohohohon’t tihihihickle mehehehehe!”

“Don’t tickle you? But Sakura, you just said you weren’t ticklish! Why would you mind?”

“Ahahahahasshohohohole!”

“Oh! How cruel!”

“Stahahap! Yohohohou’re dihihihistrahahactihihing mehehe!”

Shooting a wink to Suo, Umemiya only continued.

Despite the handicap of his knee being squeezed, Sakura still managed to keep his lead through giggles and jolts of his body. He couldn’t help but blush deeper when he noticed Hiragi watching him with a sweet grin. He was down to the final minute; he could do this!

“Stay on it, kid! It would be a cryin’ shame if you were to… lose focus.” Umemiya’s hands traveled up to squeeze at Sakura’s thighs, his touch unrelenting. “Don’t lose it!”

“Gngh— bahahahastahahahard! Nohohohoho!” he squealed, squirming.

“Hmmm… I thought you weren’t ticklish, Sakura?” the oldest cooed. “This is such an oddity. I wonder what’s happening.”

“Dohohohohon’t! Stahahahahap!”

“Don’t stop? Oh, so you want to lose? Is this like a… giving up control thing? Y’know, my therapist says—“

“Nohohohoho!” Sakura’s character splatted against the screen, and a pillar of lightning followed. He had lost a stock, damn it! “Stohohohop dihihihistrahahahactihihihing mehehehe! Bahahahastard!”

“Sounds like a skill issue, Little Sakura,” Suo cooed, poking the boy in the side.

“Ughhhhh! Stahahahap ihihihit! Yohohohou two suhuhuhuck!” Sakura whined. His laughter grew in pitch when he felt skittering fingers on his foot

Hiragi was grinning evilly, his free hand around the half-and-half boy’s ankle, his other hand tickling his foot with precision. Now within the final seconds of the match, the boys were tied. Suo had the upper hand because of this cheating! But Sakura was determined to keep his streak alive. He focused his attention into a down smash slam… followed by a side B—

“NAHAHAHAHA! DOHOHOHOHON’T!” he cried. Umemiya’s squeezing hands traveled up to his ribs and prodded around. “NONONONONOHOHOHOHOHO!”

The oldest smiled beamingly. “Don’t lose, kid! Keep it going!”

“UHUHUHUMEHEHEHEMIHIHIHIYAHAHAHA! HIHIHIRAHAHAHAGIHIHIHI! NOHOHOHOHO!”

Five… four… three… two…

“Shit!”

“No!”

“How did he—?!”

“GAME!”

“YEHEHEHEHES! YEHEHEHEHES!”

“That little shit.” Suo grumbled. He tossed his controller to the side and tackled the giggling Sakura to the floor—though, there wasn’t very far for him to travel. Umemiya and Hiragi let go with surprised chuckles. “So, Little Sakura, how’d you manage to cheat?”

“Cheat?! It was you three cheating! I could’ve easily whooped your ass into next Sunday if you weren’t t-tick… t-tickl—distracting me!”

“Ohhhh, distracting you, hm?” the redhead teased. “Don’t you mean tickling you?”

“I see; I see,” Hiragi hummed. “He was mad that we tickled him.”

“Oohoohoo!” Umemiya cooed. “Little Sakura can’t handle the word tickle!”

“I guess so. Look at how red he gets when we say the world tickle around him,” Suo observed.

The white-haired male couldn’t help but giggle at Sakura’s increasing blush. “Mhm. Mhm. How curious… I’m just tickled by this information.

“Shut up; shut up; shut up!” The boy whined. “You three are terrible! Nirei’s my only friend now!”

The blonde let out a little cheer from the kitchen.

“What I think is that you need to tell us how you managed to get so good in only an hour,” Hiragi said with a death glare.

Suo’s hold on him got a bit tighter. “We have our ways.”

Hold on… Were they gonna hurt him…?! They were just having fun and being—

“Relax,” the redhead whispered as he held Sakura’s arms over his head. He shifted to sit on his hands. “We would never hurt ya’, Little Sakura.”

Before he could relax, Suo dug into his underarms without mercy. “WAITWAITWAIT NAHAHAHAHAO! NOHOHOHOT THEHEHEHERERE!” he squealed, kicking his legs.

Umemiya grabbed onto his knees and squeezed both of them, cooing at him. “Ooooh tickle tickle tickle, kiddo! You’re so precious!”

As if he couldn’t have been more embarrassed! A blush formed at his neck as he screamed in laughter.

“GUHUHUHUYS!”

Suo smiled sweetly at him: a rare, genuine sight. “Hmm?”

“IHIHIHIT TIHIHIHICKLEHEHEHES!”

“I’m sure it does,” the redhead chimed. “Why, I’d be down for the count if I was being tickled riiiiight here!” Giving the half-and-half boy a break by moving his fingers to his neck.

In turn, Sakura’s laughter died to gentle giggling once more, as Umemiya had picked up on the signal and moved down to run his fingers up and down the boy’s calf. He wriggled slightly, his body merely twitching in response.

“You’ve been carrying so much on your shoulders… Why don’t you just lay back and laugh for a while?” Suo’s whispered voice in his ear caused a warm vibration to spread from his head to his toes. His blush spread to his ears and face now.

He nodded.

The redhead shot Hiragi a knowing look, and soon enough, there were skittering fingers on Sakura’s feet again.

The half-and-half boy lay there giggling like a child. His eyes were squeezed shut in mirth, and his body jittered from the tickly feeling. Daresay, he was… enjoying it. The gentle treatment went on for minutes, and his giggling was rather cheerful.

At least, until Umemiya decided that he had had enough of a break.

Sakura felt Suo getting off of his wrists, the other murmuring something about “not wanting to trap him.” As he went to sit up, to curse out his friends, he was pushed back to the floor with a heavy weight on his hips.

“So… you gonna tell us how you did it?” asked the eldest, a terrifying calmness on his face.

Giggles started flooding out of him like routine. His hands, now free—albeit trembling—shot up to grip his senior’s wrists.

The two held intense eye contact until Umemiya’s lips curled into a sweet smile. “Oh, kid. You’re just too cute.”

And then, Sakura felt two hands on his sides and tummy like lightning. He didn’t even get a chance to react! His hips bucked upward as a strangled yelp left his lips, all before he dissolved into sweet laughter. “Nohohohoho!”

“Oh, yes. See, when the head of Bofurin asks you a question, Sakura, it’d be wise of you to answer,” Suo chirped, sitting cross-legged with that patient, polite smile of his.

The half-and-half boy couldn’t even keep his grip on Umemiya’s wrists, especially not when they traveled up to his ribs. Sakura’s laughter grew in volume, his tummy quivering in the cold air as his shirt rode up.

Innocently, Suo’s two fingers crept up his side like walking limbs. They strolled along his sides and traced torturous circles along the bare skin before pinching around his belly button. The boy tossed his head back and cackled loudly when a finger dipped inside.

“Such stamina,” Hiragi praised. “I wonder what’ll make you crack.”

“I know,” Umemiya chirped, “but our little friend here is enjoying himself; I can tell; best not to tucker him out so fast!”

And all good things, as beautiful and sweet; as torturous and breath-stealing; as giddy and exciting as they may be, must come to an end. Despite his enjoyment, it would be Haruka Sakura who would end his own merriment.

“Ihihihi cahahahan tahahahake ihihihit!”

Tsk tsk tsk… poor baby.

So confident…

All of that confidence melted away when Umemiya’s hands shot up under Sakura’s arms without warning. His back arched off the ground and thrashed madly, trying to escape. The white-haired male’s fingers followed wherever he would attempt, leaving no opportunity for escape.

Suo continued his soft treatment of the boy’s stomach, utilizing gentle prods and tracing over anything else. As the tummy beneath his fingers would jolt and twitch, he’d only smile, resting his cheek on Sakura’s lower ribs. One finger turned to two hands raking around the sensitive skin.

“Uuuup, and dooooown, and aaaaalll arooooound. Only the softest touch for my Little Sakura.~” he cooed.

Meanwhile, Sakura could barely think. The back of his head was glued to the floor while his back arched up. Umemiya’s weight on his hips rendered him immobile, with his arms free but just shy of stopping Suo’s torturous caresses. He could form no thoughts in his mind; he could move no limb to protest. He could scream his head off as his blush swallowed his whole face.

“Hmm… That redness looks quite serious, Suo, my friend. What are your thoughts?” inquired Umemiya, not ceasing his tickling for a second.

“Mhm, I agree… he’s far too flushed to continue for long,” mused the redhead. “Say, Umemiya, would you arch your back upward for me? Make a little room, please.” When his senior obliged, Suo smiled that calm, patient grin. “Now, Sakura, I know you can’t hear me right now, as you’re being far too noisy—for reasons I’m totally unsure of—but I think it’s time for myself to show our upperclassmen how to solve a problem. Don’t you?”

Belly laughter was the answer he received.

“Now… what to do…” he drummed his fingers along the warm, bare skin of the boy’s tummy. “Ah! Yes, naturally. Here we go!” With a deep breath, Suo ducked his head down and blew a raspberry onto Sakura’s skin.

“OHOHOHOHO SHIHIHIHIHIHIT! NOHOHOHOHOHO!”

“Ah! Umemiya, he seemed to enjoy it. Please arch upward once again!” Another breath, another raspberry.

“SHITSHITSHITSHIT! SHIHIHIHIT! FUHUHUHUCK!”

“Such a rotten mouth!” Umemiya cried out, honing in on Sakura’s underarms with a bit more fervor. He looked down evilly at the boy—a side which Sakura had seen only once before. A simple command was given to him; one that he would be able to ignore for a few good minutes. “Crack.”

And yet, nothing. Sakura’s screams of laughter were merely background noise for the tiny apartment.

“OHOHOHOHO MY GOHOHOHOHOD! SHIHIHIHIT!” Accompanied Hiragi’s attempt to study the controllers better.

“NOHOHOHOHO! BAHAHAHASTARDS! HYEAHAHAHAHAHA!” Was a sweet symphony to join Nirei’s plating of their meal.

The two continued their ruthless attack on the younger boy. Despite his hot blush, the intensity of their tickling, and the duration, Sakura still was going on strong. Umemiya ought to be the one to put his baby brother to bed after as an apology.

Raspberry after raspberry, Suo continued without mercy. His repetition led him to an experiment of sorts: berries toward the sides and hips were less ticklish, while berries toward the ribs and atop of the belly button were the most. He breathed in heavy for another one until he heard a frantic plea.

“OHOHOHOHO FUHUHUHUCK! NOHOHOHO MOHOHOHOHORE!”

He sighed, sitting up. However, Sakura was still hoarse with merriment. “Umemiya.”

“PLEHEHEHEHEASE! STAHAHAHAP STOP!”

“…Umemiya!”

“IHIHIHI CAHAHAHAN’T TAHAHAHAKE IHIHIT! STAHAHAHAP!”

“Hajime!”

When Umemiya’s fingers came to a halt, and Sakura’s upper body fell backwards, Suo was there to catch him. He gently pat the boy’s back as he caught his breath, subsequently snaking his hand under Sakura’s white top to rub the warm skin of his back.

“Just breathe, Sakura. Don’t speak; just breathe,” Suo soothed in a whisper.”

Umemiya’s fingers started to gently brush through his hair. “Shit, kid— Haruka, I’m so sorry.”

“S’okay… had… lots’a… fun…” rasped the boy.

A delicious smell of meat and veggies entered their noses, and a huge bowl of Yakisoba was soon prepared on the counter.

“Eat up,” Nirei hummed. “Get his strength back up.”

The half-and-half boy was gently shook, but he only groaned, clinging onto Suo’s free arm. Hiragi huffed with a fond grin, bringing back an extra plate for Suo, while Umemiya did the same for Sakura.

The five boys shared their meal in total delight. Sakura stayed glued to Suo for a good five minutes, eyes shut—at least until he realized that he was snuggled up to the redhead, then he promptly shot up like a spring, his blush creeping back. It was at this point where he would begin his meal.

After food was shared, Hiragi offered to clean up, while Umemiya offered to wash the dishes. While the two older men completed their cleaning, the Switch was booted back up. Nirei quickly loaded into the game and selected his main fighter. He took his hair out of the ring ponytail… Business…

And finally, throughout a day full of losses and revenge, Haruka Sakura was at last defeated.

Game and Watch: Many

Lucas: 1

Nirei’s laughter would bounce off of the walls of the flat soon after, Sakura’s following in hot pursuit. Suo’s soft giggles would follow along his tickling fingers. A smile of true joy at Nirei’s adorable snorts would form on his lips.

Umemiya couldn’t help but smile at the sight and sound of his baby brothers’ delight.

You can't help but think you're a little justified in being upset with your family for leaving you out to dry. Or, more likely, freeze. You don't like being home alone on a good day, but now the snow is piling in so heavily you're not quite certain you could make it to the small corner store on your own if you run out of food.

Which is looking likely, because you're also real low on groceries.

You're a pouting mess on the couch, a holiday movie playing on the television that you're not entirely paying attention to while wrapped in blankets to fight off the cold of the storm. It's there you're sitting when a heavy knock thuds against the door, like someone with an impatient fist is trying to get in.

Your mind jumps to murderer. You know no one in your family is knocking, and no one else should be coming—especially in this weather.

Still, despite the fear gathering at the base of your spine and tingling through your fingertips, you wrap yourself in the blanket and make your way to the front door. Whoever is knocking pounds against the wood once again, and your heart stutters in your chest at the sound.

Oh god. How long will it take to find your body in this snowstorm?

Mustering all the courage you have, you creep next to the door and hold your breath to better listen for who is on the other side. All you hear is the storm winds howling, and you know you have to be braver.

"Who is it?" You weakly ask, hoping that no one will answer and you get to go back to weathering the storm on your own. Unlikely.

"It's me," A familiar voice responds, calm and collected. Instantly, relief floods through you in the form of a pleased sigh. No, you won't be getting murdered today. "Open up, will you? This storm is only getting worse."

You scramble to undo the locks on the front door when you realize he's stuck outside. Swinging it open, you happily reveal none other than Toma Hiragi, arms laden with bags and body bundled tight in warm clothes. Still, he looks chilled to the bone and snow is practically pouring inside, so you pull him past the threshold and shut the door behind him.

"I thought you were here to kill me," You admit sheepishly, a small smile toying with your lips as you help unravel Hiragi from his mass of scarves and winter coats. He ducks slightly to help you unwrap his scarf from around his neck, something so domestic it sends a pang of affection through your chest. He sets his bags down just beyond the genkan and helps you in your quest to shed his layers.

"I wouldn't have knocked if I was going to kill you," He assures you, hanging his coat and scarf next to yours on the hook by the door. You chuckle at his response, and though you're puzzled by his sudden arrival, you're not upset by it.

"Not that I don't love you being here," You start to verbalize your confusion, leading him further into the house with his bags in tow. You catch a glimpse of a blanket peaking out the top of one, and something in a glass container in another. "But what are you doing?"

Hiragi sets one bag next to the couch and takes the second into the kitchen. You're forced to follow him on his journey, and it makes you grin, how he's walking around like he owns the place.

"You said you were here alone." He offers the explanation casually, tossed over his shoulder as if it answered the question that simply. You remain silent, hoping that it clues him into the fact that you want more of his reasoning. Emptying the contents of his bag onto the counter, Hiragi answers while he keeps his back to you. "The storm's getting worse. I didn't want you to be by yourself."

You're not prepared for his answer, or the way it nearly knocks the wind out of you. You and Hiragi aren't dating, but you're not... not. A few dinners, here and there. A handful of stolen kisses and plenty of hugs that last far longer than necessary. You're not together, but you're definitely teetering on the edge of something more.

And he trekked all the way to your place to stay with you in a winter storm so that you wouldn't be alone. That's not something just friends would do.

It's groceries he's unloading, you realize a little belatedly. Snacks and meals that could be prepped and eaten without the need to cook in case the power goes out. You know you should tell him how grateful you are for his presence, but when you open your mouth to speak, all that happens is that your body surges forward in the direction of him.

Hiragi is still standing with his back to you, rambling on about how he just knew you wouldn't have groceries prepared for the storm, but you're not processing anything he's saying. Instead, you wrap your arms around his middle and cling tight, cheek pressed against the center of his back to eliminate as much space between the two of you as possible.

You're pretty sure you're halfway in love with him, and he hasn't even officially asked you out yet.

"Thank you," The words are mumbled against his back, and you feel the vibrations of his quiet hum in response. His own hands have settled over yours that are latched in front of his stomach, and you think you might be able to stay just like that for the remainder of the storm.

"You don't have to thank me," He promises, and it's then that he squeezes your arm braced around his middle in a silent request for you to move. But the moment your grip loosens, he turns in place so that he's facing you. Gentle hands frame the sides of your face as he tilts your chin up, his own ducked low so that every one of his breaths brush against your lips. "I'd feel responsible if you died in this storm."

And then he's kissing you, and you're almost certain that no winter weather could take you out when he can warm your body so swiftly.

It's over as soon as it starts, and you're practically pouting with each inch of distance he puts between the two of you by straightening back up.

"You think I'm helpless," You counter, arms that were wrapped around him moving to press flat palms against his toned abdomen. Hiragi grins, sharp teeth making an appearance and you know you can't stay annoyed with him for too long. Especially not as his hands slide from your face to your hips, anchoring you in place before him.

"I didn't say helpless," He reasons, fingers flexing against your body to emphasize his words. "I'd call you unprepared. I mean, do you even have—"

As if the universe was dying for the opportunity to prove you wrong, the power goes out in the middle of Hiragi's assessment of your capabilities.

"—candles?" He finishes, though now it's less of a playful jab and more of a relevant request. You groan, loath to admit to him that he's right. It's unfair to ask you to look him in the eyes when you confess it, so instead you press your forehead against his chest and shake your head.

"I don't supposed you have any in those bags you brought?" You ask, voice hopeful. With the storm clouds blocking any stray rays of moonlight that might stream in and no power working the lamps or light posts, you can barely see two feet in front of you.

Hiragi sighs. You can't see the exasperated look on his face, but you can picture it pretty clearly. The fact makes you grin, and you press yourself closer to him as if it'll solve all your problems.

"This is why I was worried about you being here alone. Made my stomach hurt thinkin' about you being by yourself in this storm." He's not lacking his trademarked tired caretaker tone, but he's incredibly gentle as he threads the fingers of one of his hands through yours before guiding you through your own house to where he had set the other bags in the living room.

He wordlessly urges you to sit on the couch while he crouches over one of the bags. Your eyes strain against the darkness to watch what he's doing, but you can only make out the barest of his movements. He pulls something from the bag, and you assume it's a candle because shortly after, you hear a lighter clicking. Sparks shoot from the general spot where his hand is at, and suddenly you can see his concentrated scowl as the candle he's holding bursts to life.

"Vanilla Christmas cookie scented?" You tease, reading the label on the candle in the dim light. Hiragi doesn't take your bait, only humming in acknowledgment as he sets the candle on the coffee table and lights a second one. Spiced cider scented.

He sets the newest candle on the opposite end of the coffee table, offering enough light so that the living room is decently lit. At least, you can see Hiragi settle carefully next to you on the couch, and that's all that you care about at the moment.

A beat of silence passes where you think about Toma Hiragi and him going out of his way to bring packed bags with him to stay with you. The storm winds howling outside the darkened window say for themselves about how hard traveling to you must have been for him, and yet he did it simply because he was worried about you.

Affection swells heavily in your chest, and the only thing you know to do with it is to swing a leg over his hips so that you're sat in his lap, straddling him. Your arms wrap around his broad shoulders before he can process your new position, and your face is tucked in the corner of his neck.

Hiragi lets out a grunt of surprise, but he's quick to reciprocate your touch. Strong arms encircle your body, keeping you close while his warm hands move comfortingly up and down your back. All your worry from earlier in the evening is gone now that he's here and you're in his arms.

"Thank you, again, for coming to stay with me." You mumble out, voice muffled from where you're practically speaking against the skin of his neck. He smells like the candles he just lit, and you know it's your new favorite scent. "I'm glad I'm not alone, but I'm even happier that it's you here."

You and Toma aren't together, yet, but it feels like your confession will push you over the edge into something more.

"I'll stay as long as you need me to." There's no hesitation in his words. He means what he said, and you know he isn't just talking about the storm. Pressed so close against him, you can feel the steady beat of his heart.

"I'll keep you forever, then." Your lips press against the space where his heart is. Between the layers of fabric, you're not sure if he feels your kiss burning against his skin the way your whole body feels alive in his touch. You hope he does.

"I'll stay."

He'll stay, even when you aren't prepared for snowstorms. He'll stay, even when you aren't expecting him to show up.

He presses a kiss to the crown of your head, a physical declaration of his dedication to you.

For as long as you need him, and even after.

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