ʀᴇᴅ ʟɪɢʜᴛ [ᴄʟᴏsᴇᴅ: sʜɪɴᴋᴀɪ]
It’s Shinkai Hayato’s birthday today and Arakita Yasutomo knows this because he’s been actively preventing himself from circling the date on any calendar, electronic or paper, in an attempt to assure himself that he doesn’t actually care that July 15th is most definitely one Shinkai Hayato’s birthday
(It doesn’t really work, especially when confronted with the idea that a great deal of people do, in fact, care that July 15th is Shinkai Hayato’s birthday.)
So when he finds himself in Shinkai’s room later that night, feeling bizarrely tongue-tied, Arakita simply scratches the edge of jawline before shoving both of his hands into his pockets and spitting out the question resting on the tip of his tongue. “What do you want for your birthday?” he blurts out quickly, teeth clamping down on his lower lip.
There’s a slight pause that’s enough to make him dig his fingernails into his palms and runs his tongue over the edges of his teeth. He stares intently at the patch of wall next to Shinkai’s left leg, counting each second it take Shinkai to answer off in his head. What an interesting corner. It’d be great if it could swallow him up just…about…now.
When Arakita can’t bear Shinkai’s silence any longer, he glances back over to the other boy’s face and snaps, “Dumbass! Just answer the question!”
His birthday rolls around, and Shinkai doesn't expect anything flashier than whatever Toudou is willing to offer him (a party in a dorm room filled with faces he doesn't recognize) and a few courteous phone calls. But the day starts to wind down and he makes way back to his own dorm room, holding a small plate with cake that he plans to eat as soon as he's sat down in bed.
Shinkai would make good on his promise to eat more cake, but he walks in to find Arakita already in his room, the first time he's seen him all day. Of course, he smiles instantly - raising his brows and nodding to him until he's cut off with what's been the most surprising thing all day.
"What do you want for your birthday?"
And that's when he notices the tension and struggled sitting heavy on Arakita's shoulders - the way he clamps his teeth down on his lip, his fingernails digging into his own hands; the tiny details that clue Shinkai in and have him stifling a laugh. He starts to press even more for an answer, and he's ready to say 'Nothing' and leave it at that, but of course - he has no intention of leaving it at that.
So he puts down what he's holding and shrugs, smile tugging at the edge of his lips as he already pulls a power bar from his front pocket. "I guess a hug would be nice."
He's still smiling when he bites into the snack, eyes locked on Arakita as he waits for the reaction he's already expecting.
