Work Text:
Adonis Otogari is in love.
Or at least, this is what Kaoru tells him inbetween noisy sips as he chases the dregs of his strawberry milkshake. “I mean. Heart races whenever you’re close to him? Feel like you wanna spoil him with affection and presents? Overthink everything he says?”
Adonis nods quietly, staring into his own barely-touched milkshake. Thoughts of spiky gray hair and too-loud laughter and fingers calloused from guitar-playing spiral in his mind. He feels heat gathering in his face again, a sensation he’s experienced all too often these days but still hasn’t gotten used to.
Kaoru appraises his expression and frowns like a doctor that’s just made a damning diagnosis. “Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Love suuuucks,” Kaoru sighs and lays back in the mahogany booth.
“I thought Hakaze-senpai was quite experienced in… that,” Adonis ventures.
“Well, yeah, I go out on a lot of dates. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in love. I haven’t really gotten meaningfully attached to any of the girls I’ve been seeing.” Kaoru runs a hand through his hair. “I mean, not like they stay around long enough for me to anyways. I don’t get it. Aren’t I charming enough?”
“You are very charming,” Adonis responds, genuinely. “I respect you a lot.”
Kaoru preens. “Gee, thanks. But you’re no lady, so that doesn’t get me anywhere.”
“Then, you’ve never been in love, Hakaze-senpai?”
Kaoru’s expression drops for half a second before an uneasy smile takes its place. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Off-limits! We were talking about you here, no? What do you see in Koga-kun anyways? Isn’t he a little abrasive for a chill guy like you?”
“Oogami is gentle and kind,” Adonis says, a little too quickly and a little too loudly. A couple other customers pause their conversations and turn to look. Taking no notice, he straightens himself unconsciously, putting himself slightly above Kaoru’s eye level. “He’s knowledgeable about a lot of things, and he always makes sure to include me. He is not a bad person.”
“Stand down, tiger,” Kaoru puts both hands in front of him in a placating gesture. “Nothing I said was supposed to imply that he’s a bad person.” Across from him, Adonis relaxes. “All I mean is that he can be… a lot to deal with. Although, come to think of it - he probably treats you nicer than anyone else. Hey, what’s your secret?”
“Oogami and I spend a lot of time together in the practice room while we wait for you and Sakuma-senpai to attend,” Adonis muses. “Perhaps if you spent more time with the unit, he would trust you more.”
“Wow, I somehow got scolded?!”
“I did not intend for it to sound that way. I’m sorry.”
“I know, I know. And I’m gonna make more of an effort, y’know? I promise. Although y’all better warn me if you’re gonna be all lovey-dovey in the practice rooms, alright?” The blond points an accusing finger. Adonis stares at the glob of milkshake still on it. “I don’t like seeing that between guys, y’know?”
“I do not… know how to confess my feelings to him.” A twinge of sadness colors Adonis’s voice. “Oogami is the type of person who gets upset when confronted with anything emotional or personal, and I am afraid our friendship would suffer because of it…”
Kaoru’s face contorts in exasperation, like he’s dealing with a troublesome but still helpless child. “Don’t make that pitiful face. Personally, I feel like you have a better chance than most. I think you should go for it.”
“What does Hakaze-senpai recommend then? For getting my feelings across?”
“Uhh… I mean, when it comes to what guys like? I wouldn’t know. Maybe ask the Internet or something?”
“I see,” Adonis says, even as he’s not entirely sure what that entails. He refrains from asking for any additional advice, though, as the senior seems to squirm in his seat, making eyes towards the barista to beckon them over for the bill. Kaoru’s tells aren’t exactly subtle, Adonis has noticed, and the only other time he acted like this is when Adonis asked about his parents. He wonders why love between men is such a sore subject for him, considering how often he brings up his own romantic endeavors unprompted. Feeling nonetheless that he needs to assuage the awkwardness between them, Adonis adds, “I hope you know that you can also come to me if you are struggling with something. I cannot promise I will be of any help, but I will do my best.”
Kaoru’s eyes soften. “Thanks, kid. Maybe I will, when I’m ready.” A receipt materializes on the table. “Oop, here’s the bill. Hey, since I got some interesting gossip out of you, I’ll treat you, ‘kay?”
“Thank you, Hakaze-senpai.” Adonis dips his head in gratitude, for both the meal and the advice.
“Finish your shake and let’s get out of here, loverboy.”
–––
Adonis realizes shortly into attempting to “ask the Internet” that he will need to enlist the help of someone else. Luckily, he seems to be in the vicinity of an expert.
It’s their cool down period after track practice and Adonis and Arashi are changing out of their jerseys back into casual wear for the way home. (Mitsuru accomplished this in three seconds flat and already dash-dashed his way off of campus). A high-up window sheds a rosy cast over the room, reminding Adonis that he should be home for dinner soon. It’s then that he rediscovers his smartphone in his school uniform pocket, and remembers he has something to ask of her.
“Narukami, can I ask a favor of you?” Adonis asks the lockers, diligently looking away unless she’s still changing.
“Hmm?” Arashi’s voice is muffled as she shrugs on a shirt.
“I tried to look something up on the Internet, but, I’m no good with technology. I wondered if you could help me search for it.”
“Of course, of course!“ She hops over on one foot as she tugs her socks on. “Give me a look-see?” Adonis hands her the device, and she lets out a fond giggle. “Oh, darling, first of all, this is the Notes app. See - I’ll select your search by dragging it like this, and then I get a copy of it - and then we can drag up to get the Home screen, and theeeen -“
Adonis watches her manicured nails tap away as scrupulously as possible, but as usual, the well-intentioned tutorial goes in one ear and out the other, and he finds himself as lost as before. However, whatever magic Arashi performed seems to have worked, as his screen now shows a list of blue links, and at the very least, he knows how to click on those. He’s just about to let the gratitude spill from his lips when the blonde suddenly shrieks, making every hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
“Wait, wait, wait - I didn’t even read it up until now - Adonis-chan, why are you searching ‘hwo do I ask somenoe out on a Date? thank you.’?!” Her eyes are wide and almost sparkling as she crowds further into Adonis’s space. He shrinks away instinctually, reminded a little too much of his biological big sisters. “Oh. My. God. Who is it? Who are you asking out? Wait - Souma-chan? You guys have been attached at the hip since freshman year, maybe it’s a besties-to-lovers situation?”
Her eyes probe his intensely, looking for any kind of change in his expression, and Adonis resigns himself to his fate, knowing that if she just keeps listing names, she’ll eventually find out. “Okay, not Souma-chan - oh, oh, maybe Mama? Mmm, no, didn’t think so, that would be like, weirdly incestual - wait, I’ve got it! That little doggy Koga-chan from your unit?”
And Adonis doesn’t hate many people or things, but the automatic flush that comes to his cheeks even from hearing Koga’s name is maybe one of them. He’s just changed into his casual clothes, but he almost feels like getting on the track again just so he has something else to attribute his pounding heart to. It’s a fuzzy feeling, small and curled deep in his chest, like a baby animal that Adonis doesn’t know how to pick up without crushing. And it’s all painfully obvious to Arashi, who squeals, “I knew it! Big sister’s intuition is never wrong!”
“Please do not tell anyone,” Adonis says quietly. “I don’t want Oogami to start avoiding me.” That would truly be the worst-case scenario - reverting back to their dynamic from the first week they knew each other, Adonis awkward and bumbling, Koga angry and disillusioned from the recent disbandment of Deadmanz. Not to mention they still had lives to perform, where on-stage chemistry would be crucial. The thoughts crowd in on Adonis, and he considers asking Arashi to undo whatever magic she used to bring up those links.
“My lips are sealed,” Arashi promises, miming her mouth being zipped closed. “But oh my god, tell me everything. How long has this been a thing?”
“There is no ‘thing’ to speak of. But I started feeling… differently towards him two months ago.” He remembers it pretty clearly, actually, the moment he fell. Adrenaline pulsing through their limbs as they came down from the high of performing, Koga slinging a sweaty arm over Adonis’s shoulder, and his blinding smile as he praised him, “you’re incredible, y’know that?”
“That’s sooo cute,” Arashi swoons, snapping Adonis out of his reverie. “I’m rooting for you, full force!” She pumps two fists encouragingly.
“I was going to confess to him, but I was unsure whether the customs around romance are the same in Japan as in my home country. Hakaze-senpai suggested I read the Internet for help,” he explains. “He said he didn’t know how it goes between two guys.”
“Ugh, that guy,” Arashi whines. “Don’t listen to him. There’s no difference whether it’s guys or girls or both or neither. As long as it comes from the heart,” here she pats Adonis’s chest, “your feelings will come across. But I mean, if you wanna woo him or something, it’s not a bad place to start.”
“‘Woo’ him…?”
“You know, like sweep him off his feet. If you want, I can roleplay as him and you can test your strategies out.” She winks devilishly.
“I’m alright,” Adonis says, weirded out.
“‘Ugh! Adonis, ya bastard, you’re late! Better practice twice as hard to catch up to yours truly! …The fuck you hidin’ behind your back? Heart-shaped chocolates, just fer me…? Ya shouldn’t have! Adonis… dammit, I’m just gonna spit it out - I’m in love with ya!’” She’s scowling now, arranging her bangs in a criss-cross to really capture the character, and Adonis can’t help but crack a smile, even as he protests the defamation of his crush.
He finds himself in higher spirits as Arashi walks him to the front gates, then splits off for her own home after a crushing hug and more verbal encouragement.
Much later, he’s lying in bed, watching the ceiling fan spin, when he makes a decision. He opens his phone.
–––
When did the practice room become this hard to open?
Not physically, Adonis knows - he can reach out and twist the handle with little effort - but there’s some kind of invisible mental wall that keeps him rooted to his feet, staring at the wooden doorframe. It’s the knowledge that if he opens it, Koga will be there, and Adonis will have to follow through on his plan, effectively tossing their relationship into the air. How will he react? Start cursing and throwing things around? Stunned into silence? Gently let Adonis down? Is it even worth the one-in-a-million chance that he enthusiastically reciprocates Adonis’s confession? Worst of all, what if Koga gets hurt? It’s not too late, Adonis reminds himself, to turn tail and trash everything and ask Arashi how to wipe his search history.
He lets out a shaky breath, pivots his heel. It’s not worth it. He needs to swallow his pride and pretend like everything between them is normal. UNDEAD is too precious for him to indulge in something as selfish as this -
A hummed melody creeps out from underneath the door.
Adonis stops in his tracks.
It’s not just any melody, either - it’s a lullaby from his childhood, lilting, soft, like a warm embrace. He played this on the ocarina, once, for Koga, it must have been a year back - how does he still know? It doesn’t sound like how his mother would sing, Koga’s voice sporting a distinct gruff undertone, but it’s unmistakably the song Adonis showed him then. And he’s humming it with such care, his voice gentle and focused, a stark contrast to the rough-and-tumble side he shows during their performances.
Adonis’s heart leaps so high in his chest it threatens to spill out of him, and he stumbles into the practice room, the door thudding loudly in his hastiness.
Koga looks up with startled yellow eyes, the song cut short.
No more outs, Adonis realizes with a distinct feeling of dread.
“Christ, Adonis, ever heard of knockin’?” Koga admonishes. He relaxes his grip on his guitar, which he’s been clutching with white knuckles since Adonis entered the room.
Adonis collects himself, although his heart is still pounding. “I’m sorry to frighten you, Oogami. I seem to always scare people.”
Koga tsks. “Well, you’re not usually the noisy kinda guy, so ya didn’t needta before.” He turns his attention to the tuning pegs on his guitar, strumming lightly as he adjusts them. Despite the harsh words and usual glower, Adonis knows him well enough to pick up on the fact that he’s in a good mood today. “Why’re you in such a hurry, anyways? Not like the vampire bastard’s gonna wake up anytime soon, and the playboy’s pro~bably gonna flake too.”
“It seems likely. It may just be the two of us again today.” Adonis sits across from him, cross-legged. “…I heard you humming the lullaby from my homeland earlier. I was touched that you remembered.”
“Khh - hah? Bastard, you were eavesdroppin’?” Koga’s face flares red, and his guitar makes a discordant noise as his fingers falter. “Don’tcha know that’s rude?! Anyways… it’s not anything special. ‘S got all the major chords, or somethin’… so I was just warmin’ up my voice.”
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It sounded beautiful,” Adonis says quietly.
Koga scowls and returns to his task. Adonis watches his movements carefully. Practiced fingers pluck at the strings as they gently settle into their correct notes. Instead of forcing the release, he lets them slip naturally from his fingers after pulling them back, like an experienced archer with his bow. The frown never leaves his face, and yet, his expression is completely contradicted by his movements, graceful and caring. Adonis wonders, not for the first time, what it would feel like to be touched by those hands, like he’s something unbelievably precious and worthwhile.
“Adonis? You’re lookin’ at me all weird, and your face is red. Got sunburnt or somethin’?”
“Ah, it’s not that - I…” he trails off.
“What…? If it’s serious, spit it out, will ya? Your expression is freakin’ me out.” Koga’s concerned now, and there really are no more outs, because he definitely won’t let it go until Adonis tells him what’s going on.
So he takes the leap. “Oogami, I…
If you and I were socks, we’d make a great pair.”
Pin-drop silence.
Koga looks like he’s on the verge of busting a lung laughing, but something in Adonis’s serious expression makes him swallow it. “Uh… what?”
“I-If that’s not good, then… do you have a name, or can I just call you mine?”
Koga is too dumbfounded to speak. Anxiety boils in the pit of Adonis’s stomach as he racks his brain for the other lines he saw online.
“Do you have a Band-Aid? Because I scraped my knee falling for you?”
“Wha- why is it a question?!”
“Do you ever get tired running around in my thoughts all day?”
Koga grabs Adonis by the shoulders, shaking him violently. “What the fuck has gotten into you? Snap out of it, snap out of it! Why are you talkin’ like you’re some kinda one-liner robot?!”
“Did it not… work?” The world spins around Adonis, making him dizzy.
“The hell are you talking about, like actually?” Koga’s face goes dark for a second. “It’s that damn playboy bastard getting into your head, isn’t it? What did he tell you? Do I need to go bite some sense into him?”
“Please don’t get violent, Oogami. This is entirely my fault. But please, give me another chance.” His eyes are shining with such conviction that Koga has no choice but to return to sitting, still wary and confused.
“I… made this playlist for you, Oogami.”
“Wh… huh? Why? How did you do that?” Koga scrolls through the phone Adonis had handed him, eyebrows furrowed. “Uh… these are just all of UNDEAD’s songs, though…?”
Adonis nods. “The author of the post said that I should choose songs that remind me of our time together. And UNDEAD’s music reminds me of us. I’m thankful to sing by your side.”
Koga scratches at his hair, mussing it up even more than before. “Well… like, same here, but was this really necessary? I’ve got all of these songs already?”
Adonis looks crestfallen.
“Please don’t make that face… urgh, it’s like, I’m thankful or whatever, but I still have no idea what you’re gettin’ at?”
“T-then…” Adonis slings his backpack to the front. He at least has prepared for a couple of these methods to fail. Zipping the bag open, he carefully extracts a bouquet of fresh flowers - carnations, roses, chrysanthemums, and daisies, all slightly flattened from the trip, and presents it to Koga with two hands, blushing deeper. “I hope these can convey my sincere feelings.”
“Adonis -“ A loud sneeze.
“Bless you,” Adonis says politely.
“‘Bless’ my ass! -“ sneeze “- mother of fuck -“ sneeze “- get those things -“ sneeze “- the hell away from me, what’re you tryna do- “ sneeze “- fuckin’ kill me?!”
Panicking, Adonis hurriedly shoves the flowers back into his bag, then runs across the room and flings the whole deadly package into a locker, locking it for good measure. By the time he returns with an entire armful of tissue boxes, Koga has most likely set the world record for most consecutive sneezes. They take turns, Koga cussing and Adonis apologizing profusely, until Koga’s fit subsides, the gray-haired boy looking haggard surrounded by used tissues. Adonis fetches a trash can from the corner of the room to clean up the carnage.
“Nhnn… augh, damn,” Koga sniffles, looking truly like he’s been through the wringer.
“I’m so sorry, Oogami. I didn’t know you had a weakness to flowers.”
“S’not a fuckin' weakness! I have allergies!”
“I’m sorry.”
“God, is that all you say? …It’s fine. S’not like I’m dyin’ or anything. But I’ll have ya know that if you try any shit like that again, I’ll pummel ya for real!” The other boy nods in response, ashamed. “I’m more concerned with the fact that you’ve been actin’ like a complete weirdo ever since ya entered the room. Wanna explain that to me, huh?”
Yellow eyes bore into golden suspiciously, and Adonis flounders. He hadn’t expected for his backup-backup-plan to fail, and he’s not confident in his improvisation. He takes in a shaky breath, but can’t find the right words to say that don’t lapse into more apologies.
“Listen,” Koga growls, “it feels like yer tryna let me know about somethin’ important, but yer goin’ about it all the wrong ways. I shouldn’t be the one tellin’ you this, of all people, but why don’t ya just tell it to me straight instead of puttin’ on whatever this character is?”
“Tell you honestly?” Adonis echoes, because it sounds so simple when he presents it like that.
Koga nods.
“I see, then… To be honest, Oogami, I am in love with you. I have been for a couple months now. You are passionate and kind, and a beautiful person inside and out. I would really enjoy it if we could go out with just the two of us sometime. So, even if they are not returned, I hope you can accept my feelings.”
It’s refreshing to lay it bare like this, Adonis thinks with his head bowed, instead of beating around the bush with all of these complicated “woo”ing techniques. When he rights himself, Koga’s expression is one of slack-jawed shock, his complexion beet red from ears to neck.
They sit in tense silence for a bit, until Koga finally croaks, “shoulda just said it from the beginning.”
Adonis smiles. “The Internet seemed to say that gifts and pick-up lines would win your favor, but it was completely unlike me. I understand now what Narukami meant when she said it comes from the heart.”
“Yeah. Ya always need me around to tell ya how ta act, huh?”
“You’re right. I’m always learning from you, Oogami.”
“Then, ya should know,” Koga says, and Adonis wonders when the distance between them got smaller, “this is the part where ya kiss me.”
“Oh,” Adonis breathes.
“If that’s, okay, with ya, obviously.” Koga is staring at the ground, still blushing harder than he’s ever seen.
“It is.”
And before any second guesses can surface, Koga is grabbing his jaw and pulling him in, and Adonis’s eyes flutter shut on instinct. True to their dynamic, the resulting kiss starts undignified, their teeth clacking together in their hastiness, until it settles into something much gentler and sweeter. Koga’s lips are slightly chapped and taste like mint. Adonis works up the courage to reach out for Koga’s free hand at some point, and feels a budding warmth in his stomach when he realizes their heartbeats are racing in tandem.
Adonis is in somewhat of a daze when they fall apart, questioning whether that really just happened, but can’t help but smile when Koga presses a second kiss to his nose, like a chaser after a drink. “Hi. So, should I take this as…”
“Yeah. I mean. I feel… that way about you. Also.” Koga’s face screws up in embarassment, as if the honesty has a bad taste.
Adonis is hopelessly endeared. “I’m glad.”
“Don’t expect me to say it, cuz I’m not gonna anytime soon.”
“I know. I’ll wait for you forever if you want.”
“You - rrrgh!“ Koga flushes and buries himself in Adonis’s shoulder. Rather than hearing him, Adonis feels the vibrations of Koga’s rough voice on his skin. “Why’d ya even look stuff up if yer gonna say that with a straight face?!”
“You said to be honest,” he chuckles.
“I know! That’s what makes it worse!”
Koga grumbles and groans some more into Adonis’s neck, who wraps his arms around him and locks his fingers. Skinship isn’t unusual between them every once and a while, but it’s different now that Adonis can tell it isn’t unwanted. Koga relaxes just so, melting into him. Adonis rests his chin on the shorter boy’s head, and wow, his hair is so much softer than he could have imagined. The nervousness from the earlier confession eases into contentment.
It’s unclear how much time passes while the two cuddle, but Koga springs up when two voices, one playful and husky, the other a melodramatic drawl, come into earshot behind the practice room door.
Koga busies himself with tuning his guitar, but Adonis, not as fortunate to have some kind of task to pretend to work on, finds himself standing awkwardly in the middle of the room as their two seniors enter.
“Heeey, we’re here - what are you guys doing?”
“Nothing,” Koga says in a tone that very transparently reveals that something happened.
“Oh?” Rei questions, head cocked in confusion. Red eyes dart back and forth between them. Then, as he seems to connect the dots, “oh!” in a more knowing tone.
“Ah!” Kaoru points at the two accusingly. “Oh my god!”
“Shut it! You fuckers are already late, so shut your traps ‘nd go change into yer practice clothes now!” Koga snaps. He really does resemble a guard dog like this, Adonis thinks to himself, suppressing a smile.
“Yessir,” Rei replies, and ushers a still-wildly-gesticulating-and-gawking Kaoru out towards the bathrooms while mumbling something about young love.
The door slams, and Koga buries his hands in his face.
“We don’t have to tell anyone you don’t want to,” Adonis says gently. “Although I fear it might be too late for Sakuma-senpai and Hakaze-senpai.”
“I know.” Koga runs his finger across a scratch in the floor, just as an excuse not to look at him. “Though I don’t mind people knowin’ that I’ve got the coolest fuckin’ boyfriend in the world.”
A wave of pride and fondness swells in Adonis’s chest. He beams at Koga, and the corners of Koga’s mouth quirk up in return.
“We should get dressed too, Oogami.”
“Fine.” Koga sets the guitar to the side and stands, stretching his muscles and shrugging off the Yumenosaki blazer in the process. Then, with a cursory glance towards the door, he yanks Adonis’s tie down just enough to get him in range to peck him on the lips again.
“Saturday, 3pm, corner store by my house. And I’m bringin’ Leon!” Koga says with a fiery glint in his eyes. With that, he returns to his signature slouch and stomps off.
Adonis stares after him, touching his mouth gently, and makes a mental note to ask Arashi how to thank the kind people online who helped him get here.