So I'll watch your life in
pictures like I used to watch you sleep
And I hope the sun shines
And it's a beautiful day
And something reminds you
You wish you had stayed
So I'll go sit on the floor
Wearing your clothes
All that I know is
I don't know how to
be something you miss
Since it's free day today. This is my contribution. I listened to Taylor Swift's last kiss. It's one of my mikorei songs. T.T And I had so many feels. Esp. the part,
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38 and 52 mikorei please? (preferably mikoto lives, you're the writer tho so it's really your choice) Also I hope you're doing well :)
So this is number 38 (52 is here) from the Sensory Prompt list! 38. A person’s weight as they lie on top of you. This is also my last day of Mikorei Week, Day 7! I thought this prompt was perfect for some fluff on the last day. Thank you for the request anon! This is also for Munakata’s Birthday <3 my lovee Happy Birthday Munakata!
Weightless
“Suoh” Munakata grunts, feeling the weight of the man’s back pressed up against his chest. “What are you doing?” he chokes out, coughing.
“Trying’ to stop ya’” Suoh says, pressing his nose up against the back of Munakata’s neck. His breath is hot, and his kisses are lazy, but it’s so inherently Suoh, Munakata can’t help but smirk.
“Oya? Stop me from what?” he chuckles, attempting to push himself up, but Suoh’s far heavier than Munakata realizes, especially from this awkward angle.
“Gettin’ up and rushin’ to work,” Suoh mumbles, and Munakata feels his fingers glide through the bottom of his blue hair, a finger wrapping around a piece at the base of his neck.
“And why do you wish for me to stay in bed?” It’s a silly question. Suoh always wants to be in bed. Actually, he’s surprisingly awake, given what time it is. Usually Munakata is out the door early, leaving Suoh in bed, half naked, still asleep.
Suoh rolls off of him, and smirks, brushing their lips together as they lay in their comfortable bed. “I have somethin’ for you.” Munakata almost misses the gentle pressure of Suoh pressed against his back, their bodies so close. Then again, breathing is nice too. “I made ya’ tea and breakfast. That’s why I had to be sure you didn’t leave.”
Munakata raises an eyebrow incredulously. “You made breakfast? Tea?”
Suoh nods once. “Kusanagi helped,” he snorts, as though he’s made a frustrating confession. “But you should still give me the reward when you realize how good it is.” Munakata knows that playful twinkle in Suoh’s golden eyes well.
“Oya,” Munakata teases, “the truth comes out." When Suoh tries to keep him in bed like this, it leads to other things, which makes Munakata either arrive to work on time a disheveled mess, or show up late due to his need for a shower. “And what, may I ask, is the occasion?” he questions. When Suoh wants sex, he stays in bed and kisses Munakata enough to convince him to as well. He never makes breakfast.
Groaning, Suoh rolls out of bed, and stretches up. Munakata’s eyes follow the curve of his hip bone as it disappears into his pajama shorts. “Don’t tell me you forgot?” Suoh storms to the kitchen, leaving Munakata behind in his confusion.
He pushes himself up finally, stretching with a yawn. He reaches over and unfolds his glasses seeing clearly once again. Still, he doesn’t recall anything special about today. What could he have forgotten? Their anniversary was months ago…so what could it be? Glancing to the clock, his eyes suddenly widen.
“Did ya' figure it out yet?” Suoh asks, returning with the large tray full of tea options. He places it down on the bed next to Munakata. Leaning across him, Suoh presses his lips on Munakata’s chin, neck and lips, wanting to taste all of him before his mouth is preoccupied by the tea.
“I think I have an inkling of an idea,” he replies, brushing Suoh’s messy red bangs out of his face. He loves the idiot, especially when he does shockingly thoughtful things like this.
Suoh presses their lips together once more, only pulling back an inch, keeping their mouths close. “Happy Birthday, Reisi,” he whispers.
You should read the previous chapter just so we’re all caught up: http://azii.tumblr.com/post/144674248893/mikorei-studentteacherau
Mikoto and Reisi talk. And honestly, that’s the only fucking thing that happens in this chapter. Because I suck. Sorry. I also don’t know what part this is, because… you guessed it! I suck.
.
.
.
Flowers, Mikoto knew, had a language. But he’d be damned if he had any idea how to speak it. Still, he carried a bouquet of red roses, peach tulips, and white carnations in his arms. It was massive and stupidly heavy; maybe asking Anna’s babysitter to help choose a suitable collection was a bad idea. In fact, Mikoto secretly suspected that Yata was always available to look after Anna because the kid hadn’t been on a date in… well, ever.
He stifled a smirk and knocked on Munakata’s front door, once again shifting the damn flowers into a more comfortable position.
His professor answered with utter amusement sparking his eyes. “How unexpectedly conventional,” he said, taking the flowers from the redhead and inviting him in. “I’ll be with you in a moment. Just let me put these in some water.”
“You brought some for Anna when you came for dinner,” Mikoto replied, showing himself further into Munakata’s home. “Thought I’d return the favor.”
“Well, I applaud the effort,” Reisi quipped. “Please make yourself at home; I’ll bring drinks.”
The redhead was in the process of doing just that. He ambled into the living room, shedding his leather jacket along the way and laying it across the back of the sofa. Munkata’s home was surprisingly lived in, he found. He expected modern, minimalist aesthetics with clean lines and monochromatic décor. Sleek, efficient – much like the man himself.
Instead, the living room was airy and bright – vibrant blues and yellows coming together in a rather quaint and almost cozy manner. Books lay everywhere. Munakata had glass-fronted bookcases along the exposed brick walls, but he also had volumes stacked on the coffee table, the side tables, atop the fireplace and even beside the television. The piles were neat and precise, of course, but the tiny evidence of humanity, of imperfection, was deeply endearing to the redhead.
“You need more shelves,” Mikoto said, smile broadening as he stepped up towards the fireplace to take a look at the titles. “I can build some more of these cases if y’want.”
Reisi called from the kitchen. “I’m afraid I don’t have any free wall space.”
“Guess you need a bigger—” and then he stopped short. In the middle of the mantle was a solitary picture. Munakata was there, off center, arm slung around another man. The other was tall and lean, with pale skin and grey-blue eyes. His long black hair fell in a spill across one shoulder. He was attempting to push it behind his ear while Reisi pressed a kiss to his cheek. The stranger seemed somewhat camera shy, a blush adorning his face while he averted his eyes from the photographer’s gaze. Both men looked deliriously happy. And Munakata – well, he looked downright unrecognizable. Mikoto had seen a dozen of the man’s smiles, sickle sharp and concealing untold secrets. And when entertaining Anna, the brunet smiled with kind indulgence. Sometimes he was triumphant, especially when students put forth particularly incisive comments in class. But Mikoto had never seen his professor smile like this – carefree and innocent, like the heavens had crafted the emotion of joy solely for his benefit.
“Ah,” Munakata said, sidling up to Mikoto with whiskey in tow, “That was taken on our anniversary. Nearly four years ago.”
Mikoto turned to his companion. No one had been watching sensei as closely as the redhead, so he realized immediately how the man’s smile turned plastic, how his eyes lost their customary luster. And then he remembered what his professor had said to him that night on his porch, before skittering away in some odd combination of fear and guilt. “Not available,” he repeated. “’s what you said at my place.”
“Please sit,” Munakata replied, gesturing to the couch facing the fireplace.
“You call me over to break up with me, doc?” Mikoto sighed, frustration welling up inside him. Fucking Munakata-sensei and his fucking love of play. “I don’t like games. Not when Anna’s heart’s on the line too.”
Something flashed across that impassive countenance then, but it was gone before he could recognize it. Instead, the brunet merely squared himself up and commanded whatever pretension was left to him. “First, you and I are not together; therefore, we cannot break up.” He adjusted his glasses. “Second, I invited you to explain things, so if you could refrain from arriving at erroneous conclusions based on no evidence whatsoever, I should like to do just that.” A sigh. “Sit. Please.”
Mikoto took the indicated seat, eager to hear this so-called explanation. He wasn’t surprised when Munakata chose to sit across from him rather than beside, in a threadbare and especially ugly armchair that clashed with the room.
“The man in the picture was – is – my finance. Detective Habari Jin of the Metropolitan Police Department.”
The redhead’s fingers curled into the armrest. If his beautiful bastard of an instructor was engaged, then he damn well should have said so before he accepted Anna’s invitation to dinner. The other man wasn’t stupid. Not by a long shot. He knew Suoh was attracted to him and growing more attached with each successive day. He’d led the redhead on, dangling possibilities and fantasies before him like a fucked-up Pied Piper.
Still, he couldn’t bring himself to get up and leave. He’d waited so long for Munakata to betray even an ounce of sentiment that he was willing to risk heartbreak just to see. To prove to himself that he wasn’t the only one who felt this… this all-encompassing electricity between them. So he stayed.
“I was a lonely child. I would be remiss if I did not commence my story there – my childhood. My intellect and abilities so outstripped others that I had trouble fitting in. I’d never made any real friends; any genuineness pretended towards me was done out of consideration for my elder brother, Taishi. He was always the friendly sort, and so people naturally flocked to him.” Here, he met Mikoto’s eyes and smiled, if in a broken manner. “Much like you, in fact. Graced with natural charisma.”
“Doc—”
“It’s Reisi,” Munakata interrupted. “To you, that is.”
Mikoto nodded, tonguing his reaction. He’d never expected this man – this ever-composed, ever-placid man to talk so openly about himself. But by the same token, he never expected that talking like so would bring Reisi such pain. And he was in pain, of that Suoh had no doubt. The timbre of his voice was shot through with regret and loss and wherever this story led, the redhead knew it wouldn’t be anywhere good. Maybe that’s why Anna likes him so much, he thought to himself. They’re both hurting.
“Jin was my first friend. We met in college – we were roommates, in fact.” Here he laughed. “We hated each other at first. I’d come back to the dorm to find empty takeout containers and dirty clothes littering the floor.”
Suoh smirked. “Never did learn to pick up after myself, either. Only do it now for Anna’s sake.”
Reisi nodded and continued. “But then, I noticed other things about him. How his eyes would light up when other first years came to him for advice. Or how he’d spend his time reading criminal law books. He said he wanted to be a lawyer, wanted to protect people. We even started watching police procedural dramas together. Eventually, those friendly movie nights became dates; we hardly noticed the feelings blooming between us until we found ourselves falling asleep in the same bed night after night. And so, my first friend became my first love.”
Mikoto smiled at the thought of a twenty-something Munakata clambering onto the same bunk as the man in the picture, a bowl of greasy popcorn between them and the glow from the television setting their faces alight in the dark. It was a good mental image, he found. The Reisi in his imagination seemed untroubled – lighter, somehow, as nonsensical as that sounded.
“He decided in our fourth year that being a lawyer might help people, but it would not protect. Not in the way Jin wished to do so. I remember that was our first fight – I felt, initially, such a career path was too dangerous. I did not want to lose him, you see. Given my solitary history, he had become my whole world. The loss would be too great, I thought. Unbearable. But at the same time, I admired his selflessness. I even had a mind to join him at the Academy, but I’d already been accepted to my PhD program with a sizable stipend. It would be easier, financially, to make a home for us if I continued along my planned career path. And so I went to graduate school while he became a police officer.”
And now the man had Mikoto’s rapt attention. He placed his tumbler of whisky to the side and leaned forward, absorbing Munakata’s every word.
Reisi, for his part, had closed his eyes. He, too, had set aside his drink. His hands trembled as they sat folded primly in his lap. Brow furrowed, lips bent, and Mikoto knew what was coming before he even spoke. “Something happened,” he breathed.
“It was a gunman. Severe cranial trauma.” Munakata didn’t open his eyes.
Suoh couldn’t help it, not when the man looked like he was being held together by spider’s silk and memories. He slinked forward, kneeling before the brunet and taking his shaking hands into his own. Saying nothing, he merely held Reisi’s hands and allowed his warmth to seep into the flesh. This was the only comfort he would be allowed to provide, he knew. Anything more, and Munakata’s remaining control would shatter. If that happened, he was sure he’d be asked to leave.
The professor took a deep breath. “He’s been in a coma for three years, Mikoto.”
And for all the times that Mikoto wished his gorgeous instructor would address him less formally, he had never wanted to hear his name fall from the man’s lips like that.
Munakata rallied, “This is why—”
“You’re not available,” the redhead finished, breath ghosting against the fingers held against his mouth. “You’re still tied up.” Tied up in every way possible, too. He pressed a quick kiss to the tips, committing the scent to memory. Ink and paper. Tea. And something a bit spicy and sweet at the same time that belonged solely to Munakata. There was never a chance for me, he realized. There’s no room for me here.
Reisi pulled his hands away, carefully wrapping his arms about himself. He was shuddering head to foot. At this distance, Mikoto to sense how much effort it was taking him to keep his composure. His guilt redoubled. If it was taking all this just for the man to talk, then maybe he didn’t need to. “Don’t,” he said finally. “Don’t do anything you don’t want. You don’t have to explain anymore. I’ll leave.”
“I don’t want you to leave,” the brunet answered firmly. “I want you. And I want this,” he continued, amethyst eyes finally seeking out amber. He gestured between them. “But I—”
“—feel like shit for wantin’ me.”
Reisi managed a broken smirk. “That’s one way to articulate the guilt attendant to this desire, yes.” But his smile warmed as he leaned to card a chary hand through Mikoto’s hair. “I’m rather unpracticed at romance. As I said, I’ve never had need to be very discerning about my feelings. Jin could read me like one of my books, meaning that I never learned how properly to express sentiment, nor, in fact, how to contend with it when it overwhelms me.”
“Sound like you need a hug, sensei.”
A laugh, this time, though it was choked off. “It’s Reisi. And I don’t think a hug is going to help much.”
Shrugging, Mikoto just stood and threw his arms around the seated man, squeezing him in a vice hold and drawing him close. “Might help a little, though.” He stood there, awkwardly holding the other as long as he was permitted.
Gently pushing the redhead back, Munakata adopted a mildly flustered demeanor. It was good, Suoh decided, to see him back in form. “Useless,” he murmured. “But appreciated nonetheless.”
Mikoto merely chuckled and resumed his seat on the floor, head pillowed against the hideous armrest.
“I don’t know what I ought to do,” the brunet said, fingers in soft, scarlet strands again. “It seems that over the last three years, my feelings for Jin have faded somewhat, although I love him still. At the same time, lately I’ve developed feelings for you.” He paused. “How can one person care for two individuals like so?”
Mikoto snorted.
Munakata’s voice betrayed a slight irritation when next he spoke. “What can possibly be humorous?”
“Just that you’re an idiot for such a smart guy,” Suoh retorted. “Obviously you can have feelings for both of us ‘cause you do. You just don’t know what you wanna do about it. That’s why you’re all confused and shit.”
“To be fair, I haven’t much of a choice in the matter,” Reisi replied, voice tight. “He and I never married, so I am not the executor of his will nor his medical proxy. His family are terminating life support.” He sighed heavily. “Perhaps he never named me as proxy because he knew that I would never agree to such a thing.”
Mikoto sucked in a breath, nothing that his feelings were now confused. He should not, for example, feel any sort of relief upon learning that Reisi’s finace was going to die. He should be appropriately sad. But at the same time, if this opened up a chance for the two of them to explore a real relationship, then perhaps it was for the be—
No. No, he couldn’t think such things. He’d seen what death had done to Anna – how it left her hollowed out and haunted, how she’d stopped speaking for a year afterwards, how her smiles even now were tinged with heartbreak that he couldn’t fix. He didn’t want that for Munakata. He didn’t. The man had known enough hell for a lifetime.
So why did this emotion clinging to him feel so much like hope?
“What are you gonna do?” he asked quietly, trying to piece together his own mind as the other had been attempting all night. Man, we’re fucked, aren’t we?
Reisi stopped playing with Mikoto’s hair. “I don’t know.”
Ah, finally i participate again this year~ so i dedicated myself to this event. I hope i can do all the challenges :”3 cover drawn by me (Mikoto so hawt want to push him so he can kiss Reishi)
Oh, i write my fanfic using my mother language, Bahasa Indonesia, so pardon me if not everyone can understand :”3 and i’m not sure if i want to translate it into english because... i’m lazy XD
And when i update my story, i always reblogging this stuff so, yeah
Ah, if anyone curious why i update so fast, i live in place that the time is GMT+7
Day 1, Tulip - Fascination
link
Day 2, Amaryllis - Pride/timidity
link
Day 3, Jonquil - Love me/Desire
link
Day 4, Cyclamen - Resignation and goodbye
link
Day 5, Carnation - Bonds of affection/my heart aches for you
link
Day 6, free day
link
Day 7, Violet (white) - Let's Take a chance on Happiness
Hello everyone! I bring you the prompts for this year’s Mikoreiweek!
The overall theme will be Language of Flowers.
WHEN WILL MIKOREIWEEK START?
Mikoreiweek will be held on September 25 (that will be a Monday) up to October 1, 2017, but if you are busy, don’t worry, you can still submit on October 2 up to October 8! That will be the late submissions week.
WHAT CAN YOU SUBMIT?
1. You can submit fanfics, fanarts, playlists, edits, cosplay, comics, whatever you like, provided that the submissions are related to the theme(s) and revolves around our favourite pair, Mikorei.
2. You can submit any type of work provided that you put the necessary warnings. We don’t want anyone to get triggered all right? If it is an art or a comic that has dubious consent and the like, of course it is imperative that you have to make use of a text post so that the people who are uncomfortable with stuff like that can’t view the whole of your submission, and that the people that are fine with it can bask in the brilliance and the sin of your work.
GUIDELINES
1. Tag your work with mikoreiweek2017 with no space in between.
2. It is entirely up to you how you interpret each theme. Be as creative as you can be! Which means the setting of your work can be an AU or in canon verse. Reishi and Mikoto can be in a romantic relationship or can just be friends/rivals or whatever. You can twist each theme to suit your purpose. There’s no stopping you, so pull out those artistic juices.
3. The themes are the meaning or meanings of each flower featured on a day. If there are two meanings for a flower as specified, you can choose either or if you wish you can incorporate each meaning in your work.
That being said, the featured flower for a particular day need not be the focus of your submission, but if you wish, you can submit a work that gives it a slight amount of focus, or none at all. It can also be the sole focus of your submission. Like, if you wish to submit a fanart/edit you can create mikorei + the particular flower, that is acceptable.
THEMES
- Day 1 - Monday, September 25
Tulip - Fascination.
- Day 2 - Tuesday, September 26
Amaryllis - Pride/timidity
- Day 3 - Wednesday, September 27
Jonquil - Love me/Desire
- Day 4: Thursday, September 28
Cyclamen - Resignation and goodbye
- Day 5 : Friday, September 29
Carnation - Bonds of affection/my heart aches for you
- Day 6: Saturday, September 30
Free Day - You can write whatever you wish to write.
- Day 7: Sunday, October 1 - Happy Birthday Reishi! This is the birthday prompt.
Violet (white) - Lets Take a chance on Happiness
FINAL STATEMENTS
If you have questions regarding the themes, or any other concern just please don’t hesitate to ask us. You can message the admins:
@psychemenace
@scepterofstardust
@munakatareishi
@squireofgotham
@aprettyred-ashiningblue
Of course special mention to @mikototsu-trash who’ll be helping us for this year’s mikoreiweek.
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An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Summary:
What happened next left Suoh in a trance. Munakata’s face which was usually adorned with that fake smile of his, shifted to a softer genuine smile. His amethyst eyes looked at Suoh warmly, like he actually fell in love with him and his face was to close to Suoh’s that Suoh could practically see the flutter of his eyelashes, the ways his lips curve when he speaks -he’s never seen Munakata act so timid.
“Suoh, your line.” Munakata hisses.
My work for day 2 of mikoreiweek2017. The things I do for my ship.
Dímelo otra vez (en Wattpad) http://my.w.tt/UiNb/viVQdUteNG
Ya han pasado 2 años desde la muerte del rey rojo, y el rey azul aún tiene muchas preguntas sin contestar y una petición dicha en un susurro que nadie podrá escuchar más que las paredes de su habitación.
Dear anon thank you so much for this prompt, I had a super fun time writing this fic LOL it ended up being so silly and i hope you enjoy it! This was only requested like…a year and a half ago, nbd. I am so timely. Thank you to @its-love-u-asshole for beta-ing even tho she had no internet LOL
Title: Balcony TalksMikorei Week 2017 Day 2: Timidity Pairing: MikoreiRating: TWord Count: 2,955Ao3Summary: Munakata Reisi does not have a problem. He does not sit on the balcony solely to see his attractive next door neighbor. He does not smoke with him because he likes him, and he certainly does NOT have a very large crush which he cannot seem to keep in check.
He moved in six months ago. Munakata had noticed for two reasons; One, the obnoxious couple next door leaving meant he finally had some peace and quiet, and two, the new guy who had moved in had piqued his interest.
He was about Munakata’s height, and had unruly red hair. The man didn’t seem very talkative, and Munakata only really saw him here and there, usually when the redhead stepped out onto the balcony for a smoke.
Munakata often sat out there after work, reading a good book while the noises of the city faded into his ear. The soft sounds calmed his mind after a long day of work, and though the balconies of the apartments were close to one another, Munakata often felt as though he sat in a bubble when he was out there.
At least until his neighbor started hanging out on the porch, smoking. The two of them would occasionally acknowledged each other. At first, Munakata would glance over his way and nod his head, the redhead grunting in return. However, they both would turn back to their own activity, happily sitting in silence.
It was strange though, even in the silence, Munakata often found his eyes flicking over towards his new neighbor, observing the other as he stood on the porch, smoking his cigarette. His balcony was empty, no patio furniture, and it made Munakata wonder about the state of the inside of his apartment. His body was slouched, his foot pressing against the balcony railing. Every so often he would shift, his arms lazily draping over the edge, letting out a sigh. Was he such a troubled man? He seemed perpetually tired, from what Munakata had witnessed, though he could never quite pinpoint why. Mostly because he knew next to nothing about the man.
Still, Munakata found it difficult to rid his brain of thoughts of the man. Sometimes at work he imagined him, standing there on the balcony, the wind blowing through the wisps of his pointed red hair. It’d been so long since he’d been so fascinated by a person, though he knew it was foolish. The man was his neighbor, nothing more, and Munakata saw no reason to further their relationship beyond that point.
Until the red-haired man decided to break the invisible wall which separated their two balconies. Leaning over the railing one afternoon, after their daily nod of acknowledgement, he offered Munakata a cigarette.
“You smoke?” he asked, tapping the box on the side railing.
Munakata stared, his purple eyes darting between the proffered item and his neighbor. He used to smoke, hadn’t in quite awhile, though he supposed one couldn’t hurt.
“Ah, yes, thank you,” Munakata said, gently placing the book on the small table as he stood to take a cigarette from the man. He placed it between his lips, and borrowed the lighter, smoke rising up towards the sky. “It’s been a long while.”
“Ah. Sorry if you were quitting,” the red-haired man mumbled.
“No, no. It’s quite alright. I enjoy indulging from time to time,” Munakata admitted, leaning against the railing.
The man nodded, turning back towards his regular post, staring out onto the world, looking bored as he watched the bustle of traffic from on high.
Pursing his lips, Munakata let out a grunt. “I am Munakata Reisi,” he said. “Thank you for the cigarette, and for being a much better neighbor than the people here before.”
“Hah?” the man replied, quirking his eyebrow. “Suoh Mikoto.”
“Nice to know your name after all these weeks of seeing you on the balcony,” Munakata chuckled. Suoh nodded, glancing away yet again. Munakata supposed Suoh wasn’t much of a talker. He found his inability to speak infuriating, if only because Munakata wished to know more.
After a long bout of a silence, Suoh finally spoke, putting the cigarette out on his balcony. “What was wrong with the people here before?”
“Ah, they were a couple,” Munakata explained. “But they were quite loud. When they weren’t arguing loudly, about to tear each other’s throats out, they had extremely loud…intercourse. I could always hear them through the wall.”
Suoh snorted, stretching up. “Glad I can be quiet for ya’ then,” he chuckled.
“Oh yes, you’re much better thus far,” Munakata began,“I haven’t heard so much as a peep from you-” And as his sentence trailed off, Munakata realized Suoh had already gone back inside.
Frowning, Munakata pressed the cigarette out on his own balcony. “You may be quieter, but you certainly aren’t politer,” he scoffed.
~~
Though Munakata had begun to find Suoh insufferable, he had taken a liking to smoking with him every afternoon. Instead of reading, the two would stand, leaning against their respective balconies as they enjoyed a smoke together.
Rarely did either of them talk, or if they did, Munakata would lament about his job and Suoh would simply listen, not saying anything of significance in return. In fact, after about a week of their normal back and forth (or one-sided conversation) Munakata mused silently that he didn’t actually know anything about his neighbor. All he had gathered was that Suoh enjoyed smoking and not speaking.
There weren’t many clues for Munakata to go off of either. He had no furniture or decorations on his balcony, and Munakata hadn’t been able to see inside the interior of his apartment at all.
He wasn’t sure why he wished for more information about the man, he had never taken an interest in his neighbors before, and yet he couldn’t stop pondering, daydreaming even, about what Suoh’s life was like. He looked forward to seeing him, waiting for his tall figure to emerge from his apartment so they could share a casual hour together.
“You know,” Munakata said finally, after almost two weeks of their shared time. “If you wish to speak about your job or life, or anything, please feel free,” he urged.
Suoh took a long drag on the cigarette, blowing the smoke out into the cool air. He grunted, and rolled his shoulders back. “Eh. Don’t have anything to say,” he said.
Frowning, Munakata huffed, “nothing?”
“Nope.”
“Where did you live before this?” Munakata asked, deciding asking direct questions would yield a bit more information.
“Downtown, above a bar.”
“Did you work there?”
“Nope.”
Munakata let out a small, exasperated sigh, his gaze falling upon Suoh’s lips, which curled around the end of his cigarette.
“Well, I suppose I’ll leave you to it then,” Munakata finished, making his way back inside, noting Suoh didn’t seem bothered by Munakata leaving at all. He was probably relieved since speaking was damn difficult. Such a strange man.
Munakata gave up after that, assuming Suoh would offer up any information when he felt ready, which would most likely be never. The most frustrating part was Munakata didn’t quite understand why he cared so much. He didn’t know why he wanted to know so much about the red-haired neighbor who had moved in and consumed his thoughts. He didn’t know why he looked forward to their nightly smoke. He felt no need to share his enjoyment of it with anyone, especially not Suoh.
Neither of them expressed much of an interest in it, but both of them always ended up there, same time same place. Though it had bothered him at first, he had come to enjoy the comforting silence which hung gently in the air between them. Of course Munakata wanted to know more about the attractive male he’d come to spend his evenings with, but he supposed he could be satisfied with this.
~~
That was, until one evening where Munakata saw a whole new side of Suoh.
Munakata was waiting on the porch, his back dipped ever so slightly over the corner of his railing, the blue locks of his hair brushing against his ears in the breeze.
It was odd, Suoh was usually here before him. Munakata had no idea what Suoh did all day, but perhaps he was getting held up at his job, even if Munakata had absolutely no clue what that was. After what seemed like an eternity, Munakata finally heard the slider door opening behind him.
“You’re late, Suoh,” he chided, the teasing hum apparent in his tone.
“Ah…Munakata,” Suoh muttered, and he turned around, faced with shocking sight; Suoh, dressed only in a towel tied around his waist.
Munakata swallowed, the back of his neck feeling hot. Suoh was…incredible looking, especially for someone who seemed so damn lazy. The towel sat tucked just over his defined hip bones, and Munakata felt his mouth dry up. He knew it was wrong to stare at his stomach muscles.
“Suoh,” Munakata said, finally catching himself. “Is…there a reason you are coming out here without clothes on.”
“Ah…” he muttered, his golden eyes glancing downwards. “Can I borrow your shower?”
“My…shower?” Munakata asked, raising an eyebrow at the man in front of him.
“Yeah, mine’s only running cold water, and I have to get ready for this date I have tonight.”
Munakata froze. It was the most personal information Suoh had ever given him, and yet…
His heart sank. A date? Suoh was going on a date? It only made sense, with how attractive the man was that he would go on dates. Just because Munakata had never heard anything like he had with his last neighbors, didn’t mean Suoh wasn’t partaking in such…activities.
“Right, yes, of course. A date. Need a shower for that.”
“…Great,” Suoh grunted. “I’ll come around.”
Munakata didn’t even have time to fret that Suoh hadn’t seen his apartment before, (not that it was messy in the slightest), no, instead his mind was filled with so many more questions. Was this an early date? A first date? A date farther into a relationship? Swallowing, he opened the front door.
“Thanks,” Suoh said, stepping inside. “Your place is so clean. No surprise there.”
“Oya?” Munakata asked, his gaze curious as he shut the door, his eyes staring at the lower curve of Suoh’s back.
“You seem like a neat freak.”
Munakata frowned, changing the subject. “The shower is to your right. I assume you know that though, since our apartment layouts are most likely quite similar.” He had to get Suoh into the shower, and out of his apartment, or his mind would go crazy.
What the hell was it about this man that made Munakata lose his mind? He was normally so poised, and in control, and yet his heart was throbbing, pounding out of control.
“Thanks.”
Munakata heard the shower turn on, the water rushing down the drain. Suoh was naked in his apartment. His body stood naked, in his shower… and all because he was about to go on a date. Munakata began to pace, wishing this wouldn’t be the case.
It only took Suoh about 20 minutes to finish showering, a surprisingly short time, Munakata thought.
Suoh let out a sigh, keeping the towel wrapped around his waist as he came back into the living room. “Thanks again.”
“First date?” Munakata inquired, swallowing yet again. It was impossible not to stare, especially with the few droplets of water rolling down Suoh’s bare chest.
“Yeah. Ex-roommate set it up,” he shrugged. “He’ll be pissed if I don’t go meet this guy.”
“I see…” Munakata said.
“Yup,” Suoh groaned, rolling his shoulders back, the movement pushing his muscles forward as they rolled under his skin. “See ya tomorrow, thanks,” he shrugged, shutting the door behind him.
Munakata sighed, finally breathing like a normal man now Suoh was no longer in his apartment. Silently, he hoped the date would go poorly.
~~
Suoh didn’t mention the date, but Munakata couldn’t let the burning question in his mind go. He decided that not knowing anything was better than finding out Suoh planned on moving forward with this person. Who knew what moving forward would mean? Probably no more smoking on the balcony. So really he had to know.
“How was your date?” he asked the next evening as the two of the stood outside, the crickets beginning to chirp for the evening.
“Eh,” Suoh grunted, lighting a second cigarette.
“Oya? Not good?” Munakata asked, more cheerful than he should’ve been.
“Nah. Not my thing, not really interested in that. Kept thinking ‘bout other things, other…people,” he said. He paused awkwardly, their eyes meeting. Suoh’s golden, tired eyes locked with Munakata’s purples, the setting sun hitting Suoh’s eyes just right that it almost looked as though they held a playful, teasing twinkle, as though he wanted Munakata to ask who he was thinking of.
“I see,” Munakata said instead, finally speaking after an awkward silence. There was no way he meant him. They were casual friends, nothing more. Right?
“Yeah,” Suoh shrugged, glancing away. “No loss, no gain.”
Munakata hummed in agreement, but kept how very pleased he was to himself.
~~
And as happy as Munakata was Suoh’s date had gone poorly, it hadn’t changed much. He was still awkward, and frustrated by his consuming thoughts. He thought about telling Suoh how he felt, but the idea of it made his face heat up more than he enjoyed, so he often pushed the thought away. The worst part about all this was the image which was forever burned in Munakata’s mind of Suoh being shirtless and standing in his apartment.
Sometimes his eyes removed his shirt when they stood outside together, and sometimes Munakata would imagine him standing in his living room, standing only in that damn towel. He flopped down onto his couch, sighing heavily. What the hell was wrong with him? It was times like these that he wished he could smoke outside with Suoh, but he knew that wouldn’t solve the problem, only make it worse.
Showering, though it reminded him of the incident, did seem like a good idea however, since his mind had begun to wander yet again.
It was hot, and Munakata undressed, grabbing a towel as he made his way towards his shower, only to be stopped by the loudest, most unpleasant noise; the fire alarm.
His eyes widened, glancing down at his naked form. He couldn’t very well go outside naked, and yet if there actually was a fire, (which was a high possibility since the building manager hadn’t emailed about any upcoming drills), Munakata didn’t want to waste time getting dressed. Grumbling, he wrapped the towel tightly around his waist and made his way outside where many of the tenants gathered.
A few children pointed, laughing, and Munakata simply smiled, not wanting to give them any satisfaction. He wasn’t ashamed of his body, in fact he knew he had quite a nice figure. However, he did not enjoy being indecent in public, though he supposed the situation called for it in a way.
“Guess we’re even,” A voice came up from behind him. Suoh stood, grinning, as he placed a cigarette to his lips.
“Even? What ever could you mean?” Munakata growled, glaring at the redhead. His face, he could only assume from the heat rising on his cheeks, was bright red. Something he didn’t wish for Suoh to witness.
“I mean you got to see me like this a few days ago, and now I get to see you.”
“Wonderful,” Munakata said. “I was caught mid-shower when the alarm went off.”
“You coulda put clothes on,” Suoh shrugged.
“If there was a real fire, putting on clothes could’ve been the deciding factor in whether I made it out alive or not,” Munakata explained.
“Pretty sure it’s just a drill,” Suoh sighed, but a small chuckle left his lips, amused by Munakata’s very typical response.
In the end, it hadn’t been a drill. A tenant on one of the lower floors had left the stove on for far too long, causing the alarm to go off. No one had been hurt and it had been more of an inconvenience mostly.
“People really should be more careful!” Munakata sighed, quite annoyed at the situation.
“Yeah,” Suoh muttered, which was about the only thing he had had said during the entire walk back up to their respective apartments.
“Anyway,” Munakata sighed. “I will meet up with you later, as per normal.”
“Mmm. Right, later,” Suoh sighed.
“Is something wrong? Are you going on another date?” Munakata asked, folding his arms over his chest.
Suoh rolled his eyes, stepping forward as he ran his fingers down one of the blue locks of Munakata’s hair. “You’re pretty dense for a smart guy.”
“O-Oya?” he stammered, his eyes flicking back and forth between Suoh’s fingers and his face. Had Munakata actually been right? Had the twinkle in Suoh’s eye been real the other night? It was so difficult to read the other man. He swallowed trying to maintain his composure. Suoh was touching his hair, and his fingers felt nice… but there was no way Suoh could…
“Yeah.” Suoh smirked, leaning against the wall, his hand falling away from Munakata’s face. “About that shower…”
“My shower?” Munakata asked.
Suoh grinned, leaning forward a bit. “Maybe we could finish it together?”
Together?! What was Suoh saying?!
Munakata’s eyes widened, his face flushing even harder. Perhaps the other person Suoh had been thinking of…
There was no way.
“You…”
Suoh nodded. “I don’t spend time with people I don’t like,” he shrugged.
Munakata couldn’t believe it. All this time…all this time he’d spent wondering and questioning. If he had just spoken up, he would’ve saved himself a great deal of frustration.
He chuckled, shaking his head. “How about you take me on a date first, then we can use my shower.”