synopsis: the tension between you and ino has been clawing at you. his long glances, and sensual touches making your knees feel week. but the worst thing about the whole situation is that he’s so unaffected by all of it! or so you thought…
“nobara, i’m telling you!” a laugh bubbled from your throat, bright and uncontrollable, spilling into the warm, slightly stale air of the apartment as you chatted happily with her. “and the strange thing is, i literally told her that he was cheating! oh — and guess what she told me?”
“what!” nobara voice rang from next to you, sharp and eager, her face twisting into a question look as the couch creaked beneath the both of you.
“she called me a fucking liar!” you scoffed, the words tasting bitter even as they left your mouth, and she bursted out laughing. the sound echoed off the walls, loud and full, filling every corner of the room. you soon joined, flopping on your back, the fabric of the couch rough against your skin as you held onto your stomach, laughter spilling out in uneven breaths.
sadly the both of your joy was cut short by a knock, ino.
the sound was dull but firm, knuckles against wood, cutting clean through the noise like a blade. it lingered in the air even after it ended.
ino was your roommate, your extremely attractive roommate. it’s not like you weren’t aware of it, hell — you’ve known the guy for 13 years! it just so happened that the moment you both reached college, it finally dawned on you. his once gangly, too long for his body, arms slowly shifted into toned biceps and triceps, veins faintly visible beneath warm skin. his shoulders had broadened without you noticing, stretching the fabric of his shirts just enough to make it obvious, and his voice — deeper now, smoother — seemed to settle into the space around him whenever he spoke.
even the way he stood in the doorway sometimes, one hand braced against the frame, carried a kind of presence that made the apartment feel smaller, like the air had to adjust to fit him.
he called your name from behind the door, his voice low and familiar, slightly muffled by the thin wood but still enough to make something in your chest tighten. you gave nobara a look, throwing your head back in annoyance before slowly standing up, the cushions shifting beneath you as your laughter died down into a quiet exhale.
the door opened to reveal a shirtless ino, a normal occurrence to you since he absolutely refused to wear any shirts. the hallway light spilled over him, catching on the planes of his chest and the defined lines of his shoulders, casting soft shadows along the ridges of muscle. his hair was slightly damp, strands clinging to his forehead, and the faint scent of soap and something warmer—something that was just him—hung in the air between you.
nobara watched, eyes flicking between the two of you, as he pulled you through the threshold of the door, fingers wrapping around your wrist with an ease that felt practiced, leading you outside the room. the air in the hallway was cooler, quieter, the muffled hum of the apartment settling around you like a held breath.
“you’re loud, like, really fucking loud.” he dipped his head down to the soft curve where your jaw met your ear, his breath warm against your skin, sending a faint shiver down your spine. his gruff voice reverberated through your skull as he spoke, low and close, the words brushing against you more than landing.
he absentmindedly stroked your wrist as he awaited for your reply, thumb tracing slow, careless circles over your skin, rough fingertips catching slightly as if he wasn’t fully aware he was doing it. his eyes stayed on you, steady, probing, like he was trying to pull something out of you that you hadn’t even said yet.
“sorry.” you whispered, your voice clipped, barely more than air. it’s not like you weren’t aware you were trying to give him an attitude, but the soft scent of him drifted into your space — clean soap, something faintly woody, and unmistakably him — and it made it hard to think, your thoughts slipping over themselves as your pulse picked up in your throat.
his eyes scanned slowly across your face, lingering just a second too long on your lips before lifting again, before giving you a curt, almost reluctant nod. “yuji asked if you were down to get dinner with everyone else — you could bring nobara too, if you’d like,” he spoke again, his voice lower than usual, rough around the edges like it had been dragged through something unspoken.
you held his gaze, unable to look away, even as the air between you thickened, pressing in on your lungs. the tension felt heavier now, suffocating, like it was wrapping around your throat and tightening with every second of silence.
“yeah,” you replied quickly, the word slipping out before you could steady it. your voice came out breathless, unfamiliar to your own ears, like it didn’t quite belong to you. “that’s fine with me… and i’ll ask her if she wants to go.”
he stared at you for a beat longer this time, his eyes searching, unreadable, before he gave another small nod. without another word, he turned and walked back to his room, the soft thud of the door closing echoing louder than it should have in the quiet hallway.
your heart slammed hard against your ribcage, each beat sharp and uneven, as if trying to break free. warmth rushed up your neck and spread across your cheeks, leaving your skin flushed and tingling. you exhaled shakily, only then realizing you’d been holding your breath, and turned back toward your room, your steps slower now, heavier, like you were wading through the lingering weight he’d left behind.
nobara gave you a look the second you walked in—sharp, knowing, like she’d already pieced everything together without you saying a word. you sighed, the sound heavy in your chest. “don’t say anything, nobara — i know.” your eyes rolled as you flopped down onto your bed, the mattress dipping under your weight, sheets cool against your flushed skin. “yuji was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight? ino and i are going,” you added, turning your head to look at her, hair brushing softly across your cheek.
“yeah, of course! uni’s been kicking my ass, and it’s been soooo long since i saw yu’,” she stretched, arms reaching above her head until her shirt lifted slightly, exposing a sliver of skin before she sat up, crossing her legs with an easy, practiced motion. “speaking of uni, i gotta go.”
you groaned, dragging a hand down your face, and she giggled, light and teasing. “sorry, babe — gotta’ get to class, but i’ll text you!” she flashed you a bright smile, eyes crinkling at the corners, as you walked her through the apartment to the door. the hallway felt warmer, quieter, your footsteps soft against the floor. the thud of the front door closing echoed imore than it should have, the sound settling into the silence that followed.
you paused for a moment, listening. the apartment felt… still. too still. ino didn’t really come out when you had company over — he is a pretty outgoing person, well, around most people — but that’s besides the point. it felt different when it was just the two of you, as if even the space between the both of you was holding it’s breath.
you padded over to his room, the floor cool beneath your feet, your knuckles tapping lightly against the thin wood before you could second-guess yourself. the sound was soft, but it seemed to linger. a few quiet creaks of the floorboards followed from inside, each one deliberate, measured, until the door finally creaked open.
he stood there, filling the doorway, the dim light from his room spilling out behind him, casting shadows along the sharp lines of his face.
“d’you eat lunch yet?” you asked, your voice softer now, almost careful. your lashes fluttered slowly as you looked up at him, gaze steady despite the faint tightness in your chest, like you were waiting for something you couldn’t quite name.
he shook his head no, his eyes still trained on yours as he didn’t speak a word. “uhh… well,” you start, your voice catching for a second before settling. “i’m about to make lunch, just something, like, light. do you want some?” you asked softly, your tone finally evening out as you spoke to him.
“yeah,” he sighed through his nose, blinking a few times like he was trying to clear something from his thoughts. “i’m down. just text me when it’s ready, alright?” you nodded, the small motion feeling heavier than it should, before making your way to the kitchen, bare feet quiet against the cool floor.
after a bit, the soft sizzle of the pan filled the space, warm and steady, mingling with the faint clink of utensils and the low hum of the fridge. the savory aroma slowly drifted through the apartment — buttery, a little garlicky, something toasty underneath — curling its way down the hall to his door. he peeped his head out, drawn in, and walked down to see, rubbing the back of his neck as he followed the smell.
“i thought you said text when it’s done?” you laughed, glancing over your shoulder as you gracefully moved through the kitchen in a practiced rhythm, turning, stirring, reaching without thinking. the light above the stove cast a soft glow over everything, catching the steam as it rose in thin wisps.
you wouldn’t say you were the best cook, but you enjoyed it — the way the air filled with warmth, the quiet focus of it, the comfort in doing something with your hands — and that’s all that mattered.
“it smelled good, so i wanted to just see,” he replied, his eyes dropping to the ground in slight embarrassment, lashes casting faint shadows against his cheeks. a honeyed smile spread across your lips as you watched him, warm and a little amused.
“well, it’s done anyways. come sit.” you beckoned him over to the table, nudging the chair out with your foot before placing a plate in front of him. the food still steamed, heat curling up in soft tendrils, carrying that same rich, savory scent. you watched him carefully as he took a bite, your gaze flicking to his eyes, searching for even the smallest shift in his expression.
“fuck,” he whispered, almost breathless, and went in for another bite before he’d even finished the first. “it’s good,” he said in between bites, words a little rushed, like he couldn’t get them out fast enough. the quiet scrape of his fork against the plate filled the space between you.
you gave him a lopsided grin, one brow lifting as you leaned back slightly, arms folding loose across your middle. “can’t be that good, and calm down — you’ll burn your tongue!” you laughed, the sound light and easy, as you sat down next to him. the chair creaked softly beneath you, and you finally took a bite yourself, the warmth of the food settling in, tasting even better after the effort you’d put into it.
the kitchen slowly settled into a comfortable quiet after that, the kind that didn’t feel empty — just full in a different way. neither of you rushed to break the silence after that — it just lingered there, warm and easy, like it had nowhere else to be, and just like that, the noise of the day softened into something slower, the kind of quiet that carried them gently into the rest of the evening.
kyoto’s kiss : omg guys i love this actually, im so excited to show yall the 2nd parttttttuuughhhhhhhh 🥹
