Chapter Text
The light within the storage closet was incredibly dim. It was already bad enough that the room was musty and hot; this only worsened it. Rikai could hardly see anything, and sweat was building up on his neck, but he didn’t want to turn the light on. If someone else found him just…standing…in there, they’d surely be suspicious. He’d have to wait for Amahiko in the dark. Hot, blind, and alone to think about why he showed up in the first place.
He and Ohse had been together for some time now, but their relationship wasn’t going anywhere. Despite both being adults, they seemed more like clueless middle schoolers. They hadn’t gone on a single date and never moved past holding hands, and Rikai could tell Ohse wanted more out of their relationship, even if he’d never admit it, but there wasn’t a simple solution to this. Rikai’s idea of a perfect relationship was flawed in the eyes of many others. He believed in waiting until marriage. For everything.
Rikai’s face flushed pink. With a clenched jaw, his mind began to wander. Sharing a bed, kissing, sex… All of it was far too much. But he wanted Ohse to be happy, so sacrifices would have to be made. He just had no clue how to go about anything. He was entirely lost without advice—something that Amahiko, the World Sexy Ambassador, was sure to have. But would Amahiko offer it to him? Rikai already sought advice on how to become sexy in the past and was quickly turned down. This time, he’d have to word it differently. Surely it wouldn’t be a problem if he just wanted to improve his relationship?
Suddenly, the door swung open, causing Rikai to jump out of his skin. The light from the hall outlined Amahiko. “You wished to see me, Rikai?”
“Shh, shh!” Rikai snapped, rushing forward to slam the door shut. The two of them were plunged back into darkness. “No one can know we’re here.”
“Sexy.”
Rikai shook his head. He’d have to ignore the comments. This was important. “I-I need your help, Sensei.”
“In the dark? How erotic.” Amahiko’s voice was just as sultry as usual.
It wasn’t meant to be erotic, he just didn’t want to get caught. But, as unavoidable as it was, he also didn’t want Amahiko to get the wrong idea. He wasn’t here to cheat on Ohse! It was quite the opposite. Maybe it’d be fine if the lights were on now. Rikai doubted Amahiko made any effort to avoid being seen, so wouldn’t it be weird if he kept them off?
“Ah–Right, turn the lights on, would you?”
Amahiko did as told.
Rikai tugged on the collar of his turtleneck. “Umm…”
He wasn’t quite sure how to start the conversation. Fortunately, Amahiko jumped to his rescue. “What help did you need? I already told you you're as sexy as can be.”
Rikai shuffled his feet, trying his hardest to keep his posture straight. “N-No! It's not that. Not this time, I mean. I just…” He cleared his throat. “I hope–I want to–Ohse. I’d like to take things to the next le-level. With Ohse.”
“Sexy!”
“Amahiko Sensei, please! Refrain from the innapropriate comments!” Rikai begged, wiping sweat off his forehead. “I don't–If Ohse were to get bored of me…”
“Bored? Of you?” Amahiko leaned back. “I believe you have nothing to fear, Rikai.”
“Y-You don't understand!” He said, whistle grasped in his hand. There was no way he could risk it! If Ohse did happen to get bored, what could he do? Nothing. He'd be alone again, and, no matter how much he tried to convince himself he didn't care, he did. He really, really did. And, what if he made Ohse feel even more insecure? The last thing he wanted was for Ohse to doubt his love. He'd think it's fake again.
Rikai tightened his grip on the whistle, desperate to soothe his trembling fingers. “I want to keep him happy.” What if he wasn't enough?
“I’m sure he’s fine with you as is.” Amahiko blinked at Rikai, hand raised to his chin. “But, if you really are concerned, you must have more variety in your relationship.”
Rikai dropped his whistle. It fell softly against his chest. Finally, they were getting somewhere. “Variety?”
Amahiko stepped forward, his eyes glinting with mischief. Rikai thought he’d die before Amahiko spoke again. “Yes. Bring more to the bedroom.”
Rikai choked on his own spit. Of course Amahiko got the wrong idea. “The b-bedroom!?” His heart nearly pounded right out of his chest. “Wha-What are you saying?”
“Have you tried bondage?”
He stumbled backwards. “N-NO!” Rikai hollered as he tripped over a misplaced box, landing flat on his ass. “Absolutely not!” Maybe this was a mistake. He should've gone to someone else, possibly Terra? But she'd just want to talk about herself. Even then, that'd likely be better than this.
Amahiko chuckled, shaking his head. “Start with that, then. I look forward to hearing your endeavors.”
“Start–Start with that!” Rikai covered his face with his arm. “H-HEAR-HEARING!?” What was Amahiko saying? He was clearly confused. Hopelessly and utterly confused! Either way, nothing about this was appropriate.
Without another thought, Rikai snatched his whistle.
PPPPPPPPPPPP
The harsh sound nearly made both his and Amahiko's ears bleed.
“Amahiko, stop this madness!” Rikai huffed, scrambling to his feet and dusting himself off. Hopefully no one else heard that. “We do not do such vile things.”
“Is that not the problem?”
“N-No? Of course not!” Surely it wasn’t that hard to understand…
Amahiko looked Rikai up and down. “Have you kissed?”
The silence stretched for ages. Rikai looked down at his feet. In Amahiko’s eyes, he’d surely be a dissapointment. “...We have not.”
“Do you want to?”
What kind of a question was that? Obviously, he wanted to. He was human, just like anyone else. However, that didn’t make it right. “Um…” Rikai mumbled. His foot tapped up and down, disturbing what little dust was on the floor. Iori would probably be sweeping soon. “It’s–It’s slightly too early for that.”
“It’s never too early if you love one another, Rikai.”
Rikai gripped a nearby shelf so tightly his fingers nearly fell off. He almost argued that, if you really loved someone, you’d be willing to wait as long as necessary, though kept it to himself. If it would make Ohse happier, he could do it. But he wanted to avoid it. For now. “Amahiko Sensei, we’ve never even been on a date…”
“Why don’t you ask him on one, then?” Amahiko asked. When Rikai opened his mouth to respond, he clicked his tongue. “Ah, not just anywhere, though. Bring him to a nice restaurant.”
Rikai scratched behind his head. It sounded like a good idea…
“If the food is appetizing, you’ll become even more appetizing, too.”
Rikai swallowed the lump in his throat. He wasn’t quite sure if this was true, but what other choice did he have? He had never been on a date before. So, he pushed his doubt aside and bowed as deeply as he could, his arms stiff against his sides. “Thank you, Sensei!”
Amahiko smiled as he surveyed Rikai. “Sexy.”
Rikai bit his tongue.
Rikai stood outside of Ohse's room, a bouquet of roses in hand. His fist hovered over the door as his mind spun. What if the flowers were too much? What if Ohse said no? What if he didn't answer? There were so many ways that this could go wrong, but he had already made the reservation…
“Ohse?” Rikai knocked gently on the door. There was no turning back now. “It's me, Rikai.”
“...Come in.”
Ohse hunched over a half-finished painting. A brush dangled loosely in his fingers. He carefully moved a strand of his hair out of his face with his sleeve, avoiding touching it with his messy hands. When he heard Rikai approach, he looked over his shoulder. A streak of paint, matching the yellow of his eyes, was dashed across his cheek.
“G-Good afternoon.” Rikai cleared his throat. His palms were so sweaty that the roses nearly fell right out of his hand. “Your painting is coming along nicely.” As he got closer, he was able to make out the shape of a bird resting on a branch.
Ohse glanced down at the roses, then back to the painting. “Mmm… It could be better,” he mumbled, but Rikai could’ve sworn he saw blush on his cheeks before he looked away.
“You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Ohse.” Rikai rested his free hand on his boyfriend's shoulder. “You have real talent! Self-deprecation will get you nowhere.”
“Thank you, Rikai.” Ohse sighed, dropping his paintbrush into the glass beside him. Together, they had been working on his harmful comments. If he was accepting compliments, he had to be getting better. Even if only slightly.
“You're very welcome, Ohse!” He beamed, squeezing Ohse’s shoulder tighter. “I'm proud of you.”
The blush on Ohse’s cheeks burned brighter. Cautiously, he stood from his stool and grabbed a messy rag to wipe his hands. “Those flowers, are they… um…”
“Oh, yes.” Rikai smoothed out a wrinkle on his shirt before he spoke again. “Ohse, would you… Ahhh… How do I say this?” He had practiced the line endlessly in the mirror, yet he couldn’t remember it for the life of him. Nonetheless, he extended the bouquet to Ohse and tried again. “Will you… Will you go out on a date with me?”
“Rikai…” Ohse stared at him, mouth agape. “You shouldn’t force yourself to be seen with someone like me. I’m already enough of a stain on your perfect image.” There went all of their hard work.
“You are not a stain, Ohse.” Rikai gently took Ohse’s hand, flipping it over so he could place the roses in his palm. Gently, he folded Ohse’s fingers over the flowers. He could feel his breath quicken. “If you were, I wouldn’t still be here.”
With a nod, Ohse examined the bouquet. A small smile threatened to form, but his eyes seemed to stare through anything he looked at.
“I still allow myself to be seen with the others, and you’re much more respectable than any of them.” Rikai tried his hardest to give Ohse a reassuring grin. “I just wish you could see it.”
Ohse risked a glance up at Rikai, eyes shining. Rikai’s breath hitched. Making eye contact always caught him off guard; Ohse was so, so pretty. It was almost unbearable.
He wanted to memorize every one of his features, but now wasn’t the time. He could do that on their date. If Ohse accepted, that is. “I’ll ask again. D-Do you want to go out with me, Ohse?” This time, he made sure to make it clear that it was his decision. Based on his desires. What the world may think of them held no significance.
“Um…” Ohse wiped his face, looking away from Rikai. “If I won’t be a bother, then… I guess so…”
It took everything in Rikai not to jump for joy. Even if Ohse only said he guessed he wanted to, it was still better than nothing. He had successfully asked someone out on a date. And that someone was none other than the second most righteous person he knew. Second only to himself, of course.
“Wonderful!” He stood as tall as he could, pride surging through his body. “I made reservations for tomorrow night, does that work for you?”
“Reservations…?” Ohse furrowed his brow. “Are we going somewhere nice?”
“We are,” Rikai confirmed. “Only the best for the two of us. It’s a restaurant not too far into the city, five stars.”
“I don’t deserve that.” Ohse backed away, setting his roses on the nearest clean surface he could find. It was littered with paper and dried paint palettes. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have made you pick somewhere so fancy. Shit like me can’t go anywhere nice!”
“Ohse!” Frustration threatened to spill, but he swallowed it. “Stop. You deserve nice things just as much as anyone else.” Ohse opened his mouth to object. Rikai quickly squashed that down. “And you didn’t make me pick anywhere. I chose this place on my own.” The truth was, Amahiko had picked it. Lying to him felt terrible, but he couldn’t quite admit to seeking outside help.
“Hhhh…” Ohse grumbled, walking back over to his painting. He stared at it for a few seconds before shutting his eyes tight. Clearly, thinking about this was taking a lot out of him.
“Okay…” He picked up the soaked paintbrush and whacked it against his closet door. Droplets flew everywhere, nearly hitting him. “That’s fine. I’m sorry for being so difficult.”
Rikai sighed with relief. At least Ohse hadn’t tried to kill himself this time. “It’s alright, Ohse. You are showing improvement.”
Ohse slouched forward. Rikai had to strain to see his smile again. It never got old, filling his chest with warmth.
“You seem busy; I’ll leave you to it.” He commented as Ohse got back to work. “I wish you luck on your painting.”
As he made his way to the door, Ohse stopped him.
“Rikai.”
“Yes?”
“Um.” He leaned forward even more. His face was practically touching the canvas. “Are you busy?”
Rikai pondered the question for a moment. He had considered going for a stroll before dinner, but that could wait. They still had an hour or two.
“No, I am not.”
“Do you… Do you think you could stay here?” Ohse mumbled. His grip on the paintbrush was so tight it made his hand shake.
Before Rikai could respond, Ohse jumped back to his feet. “I’m sorry, that’s a stupid question! I’ll–”
“Ohse!” Rikai dashed forward. With trembling hands, he forced the other man back down onto the stool. “Of–Of course, I don’t mind.”
Ohse was blushing again. Adorable. “O…Okay.”
So, Rikai stayed. Chatting with Ohse as he painted made the hour they spent together feel like only minutes. He was so skilled with that brush. Every single stroke was effortless, but every line of paint was meticulously placed. There was nothing rushed or lazy about that painting.
Rikai couldn’t help but smile as he watched Ohse’s brush glide across the canvas, almost as soft as he felt.
By the time they arrived at the restaurant, the sun was about an hour and a half from setting. Traffic had been terrible on the way there, despite how hard Rikai tried to pick a place that was out of the way. He had hoped it’d be an easy drive as neither he nor Ohse did well when the roads were congested. But, unfortunately, it did very little to help.
Rikai cleared his throat, examining his gray suit for anything that needed to be adjusted. His clothes were flawlessly ironed, and his shoes had been expertly polished. Thanks to Iori, who had no clue what it was for but still didn’t want Rikai doing anything for himself, it was in perfect order. Exactly as everything should be.
Ohse was dressed much more casually. He wore a simple, white button-down with khakis. His shoes appeared to be brand new, and he adorned a tie that Rikai was certain came from Terra’s wardrobe. Additionally, his hair had been freshly washed, smelling faintly of mint. It was probably the best he could manage.
“Y-You look nice,” Rikai mumbled, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves. He had already told Ohse this on the way there, but their silence made his heart race. It was the first thing he could think of to break that silence.
“Thank you…” Ohse stared at his feet.
“You're absolutely welcome." Rikai looked to the sky, painfully aware of how red he must be.
With a deep breath, he looked back at Ohse. "Um, we…We should p-probably head inside." He gestured towards the restaurant with a weak smile. “After you.”
Ohse jumped. He stared at Rikai with wide eyes. “Ahh…” With a tight nod, he made his way towards the door, nearly tripping on his way in. Rikai quickly followed suit.
The entire restaurant was quiet, save for people chattering softly at their tables. It was a very nice contrast to their meals back at home. While Iori always did a wonderful job preparing food, the others occasionally lacked proper manners, especially Saru. Ohse hardly ever ate with them at all. It wasn’t healthy to stay cooped up as much as he did. Plus, he hardly cleaned up after himself when he ate in his room. This would be a nice change for him.
As Rikai adjusted their shoes by the door, a waitress approached them. “Welcome, come in! How many people are in your party?”
Rikai straightened up rather stiffly. He puffed out his chest, attempting to hide how anxious he was. “J-Just the two of us.”
“Very well then, right this way.” She gave the two of them an exhausted smile as she led them to their table.
When they were finally seated, Rikai desperately gulped down his water. He almost choked on it as he drank. Ohse, on the other hand, simply sat in place. He looked as if he were trying to disappear.
Rikai tapped his finger on the table as he tried to recall everything Amahiko had told him. God, what was the next step? Small talk, maybe?
“So, Ohse…” He said, checking the time on his watch. Only 5:10. “H-Have you done anything exciting lately?” That was the worst possible question. Why would he ask that?
“No.”
Of course. Ohse, of all people, wouldn’t have done anything new! All he was doing now was making his date feel guilty; he was sure of it.
“R-Right.” Rikai racked his brain for anything else to say. Amahiko warned him not to talk about himself too much, so he couldn’t do that. “W-Well–Um–Would you… Er, no–Have you ever…Ahhh…” This was nearly impossible.
Ohse looked down at his hands. “I’m sorry for bothering you.”
“Wh-What?! No! No, you’re not… You’re not bothering me!” Rikai assured. “Why would you think that?”
“You… The fact that I’m–” Ohse cut himself short, sinking further into his cushion. “It’s… Rikai, you don’t need to pity me.”
Rikai swallowed hard. He probably should’ve talked through with Amahiko what he’d do if Ohse started to get like this. “Ohse! I-I’m not pitying you! It’s not–Stop this.”
Ohse stared off into space for a while, muttering something incomprehensible. Rikai thought he’d never speak up.
“I’m–I'm sorry for doubting you, Rikai… I wouldn't be surprised if you wanted to break up with me.”
Rikai thumped his legs against the table, overwhelmed by panic. “Ohse–No. I am– Hah? I am not going to br-break up with you! Are you–Did I–What!?”
Ohse leaned back, his face screwed up in a complex display of emotions. “You’re so nice, maybe you took me here so I could be happy one last time. You know I'd have no chance with anyone else.” He grumbled. For a second, no one said a word. Then, his head shot up. “Ah! Not that you're less or anything–! Actually, you're perfect! I wouldn’t want anyone else, but–”
“Ohse.” Rikai whispered sharply.
“But someone like me shouldn't ever have a shot with another human, so the fact that I'm with someone so great… It's just it'll never happen again! So–”
“Ohse!” Rikai snapped, attracting the attention of everyone around them. What was he thinking, yelling like that? He nearly fainted as the eyes of so many people bore into him. He had been far too disruptive. They were sure to get kicked out now.
But they weren’t, and, eventually, the other diners went back to their food.
Rikai wiped away the sweat building up on his forehead and cleared his throat. “Oh-Ohse, please. Calm yourself.”
Ohse frowned, digging his nails into his pants. “Sorry, I really don’t–”
“It’s–” Rikai took a deep breath. “It’s alright, Ohse. I’m–I would never.”
“You really mean it?”
“I mean it.”
“You really, really mean it?”
“R-Really.” Rikai smiled, though tense.
Ohse stared at him, his brows upturned and his mouth twisted into a frown. He began to mutter something incoherent again as he rocked back and forth on his cushion.
“Are you–”
Before Rikai could ask if he was alright, a waiter appeared at their table. He must've accidentally hit the button to call someone down while he was panicking.
“Are you ready to order?” The waiter asked.
Rikai looked to Ohse, who, in the middle of his rocking, slowly nodded. With a sigh, he turned back to the waiter. “I… I suppose we are.”
The food took forever to arrive–two servings of yakizakana (grilled fish). They both ended up ordering the exact same thing because, as it turns out, Ohse hadn’t even looked at the menu..
Rikai wiped his hands and gave a short bow before picking up his chopsticks. He was about to start eating when Ohse spoke.
“Rikai…”
“Y-Yes?” He bit back surprise, setting his chopsticks back down.
“That painting I made, I wanted you to have it,” Ohse began. “You…I’m sorry to assume, but you seemed like you liked it.”
“...!” Rikai gasped.
“It's–It's okay if not! Please don't feel like you have to take it.”
Ohse had made gifts for the other house members before, and, typically, he had a reason. So, Rikai guessed this was his way of thanking him for the date. Who was he to refuse? “No, I’d love to have it. It’s a wonderful painting.”
Ohse’s eyes seemed to sparkle at the praise. Rikai nearly fainted at the sight.
“You said you used to have a pet bird–Morals, right?”
Rikai held his chin high, flattered that Ohse would remember such a thing. “Yes, I did!”
“I, um, I made it with that in mind.”
He grinned from ear to ear. It wasn’t a thank-you gift; Ohse had just been thinking of him. “Well, that makes it all the better, then! I’ll hang it up in my room when we get back.”
“You really don’t have to…”
“Why would I not? It is a gift, after all.” Rikai hummed as he took a bite of his food.
Ohse sighed softly, picking up his chopsticks.
Their date was much calmer once they began eating. Ohse hardly ever said another word. Instead, he constantly fidgeted and kept checking the time. Rikai didn’t mind too much, though. At least he was able to get him out of the house. This was the first step in improving his health!
When they left the restaurant, a cold night breeze washed over them. It felt incredibly refreshing, filling Rikai with a newfound vigor.
He glanced down at his wrist. 6:22. They’d have plenty of time to get back home before eight. So, maybe a quick trip to the park would be a good idea.
“Ohse, would you like to go for a walk with me? There’s a park not far from here.”
“Um..”
This wasn’t a part of Amahiko’s plan, but that didn’t matter. They’d need to get some exercise after such a big meal, anyway.
“It’ll be good to get more fresh air. You spend too much time indoors.”
Ohse blinked at him. His eyes seemed to glow in the streetlight. “Okay.” He gave Rikai a fragile smile as he spoke.
As the two of them walked side by side, Rikai felt Ohse’s hand brush against his. A chill ran down his spine. He could feel his face burning up, but still, he intertwined his fingers with Ohse and carried on. To think he’d ever find himself like this with someone from their sharehouse… Who would’ve guessed it?
Ohse seemed much calmer now. His breath was even, and his body still. No more did he fidget. His shoulders seemed to drop, too, as the katydids and crickets began to chirp. Seeing Ohse relax brought a smile to Rikai’s face.
“It’s a lovely night.”
“It is,” Ohse responded with a nod. “The bugs like it, too.”
“The, uh, the bugs?”
Ohse nodded, breaking away from Rikai and making his way over to the closest bush. Carefully, he reached his hand out to one of the leaves. A strange figure crawled onto it. “Rikai, come here.”
“Alright…” As Rikai neared the bush, he noticed that, sure enough, Ohse was holding an insect.
“It’s a praying mantis,” he began. “A female. They’re cannibals and sometimes eat their mates.”
“C-Cannibals? Really?” What a way to start a conversation.
“Mmm,” he nodded again. “It’s not as common in the wild. They mainly cannibalize each other in captivity.”
“Is that so?” Rikai wasn’t sure how Ohse could hold something like that so comfortably–wild or not. “Tell me, how did you even know it was there?” Surely it would have been blending in with the bush. In the darkness, especially.
“I didn’t… I just wanted to see what I’d find.”
“Ah, I see.”
Rikai flinched away as the mantis moved towards him. He never was fond of insects, but if they made Ohse happy…
“You don’t like it, do you? I’m sorry.”
Rikai’s heart nearly jumped right out of his throat. “No, no! I-I like it… Could–Could you tell me more…?”
Ohse pulled the mantis closer to himself. Rikai couldn’t help but sigh with relief. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, go right ahead.” Now that there was more distance between him and the insect, it’d be easier.
“Okay…” Ohse pointed to the mantis’ head with his free hand. “They’re, um… They’re able to turn their heads 180 degrees, which makes them excellent hunters. Their mandibles are really sharp, too.”
“Do… Do they bite?” Rikai asked, pulling on the collar of his suit.
“If provoked…”
“Does it hurt?”
“Usually, when they bite they also attack with their forelegs, which are covered in hooks and spines used for catching food. It will hurt.” Ohse mumbled, setting the mantis back on its bush. It was as if he read Rikai’s mind and could tell that he was about to tell him to do so.
“I-I had no clue you liked insects so much, Ohse.”
Ohse nodded. “And reptiles.”
That much, Rikai knew. Ohse was the only one in the sharehouse with a pet, and it happened to be a lizard. He was allowed to hold it once, but was quickly forbidden after he nearly dropped the poor animal.
“Maybe we could find a gecko.”
“I will… certainly keep my eyes open in case one happens by,” Rikai said, grabbing hold of Ohse’s shoulder and leading him to a bench. “For now, let’s sit down, shall we?”
His boyfriend made no effort to get away, but he did grumble about it. “I thought you wanted to walk…”
“I do! Or–I did. But sitting is just as good as long as you’re outdoors!”
As much as he disliked insects, he really did enjoy hearing Ohse talk about the mantis. It was significantly better than his usual doom and gloom. Besides, he enjoyed learning about his passions. Perhaps Ohse would want to learn about Rikai’s in return.
“Ohse, look there.” Rikai pointed to the sky. It was hard to see due to light pollution, but you could make out a few, faint stars. “That is the big dipper.” Carefully, he traced his finger along the air, remembering something he learned as a scout. “If you follow it, you’ll be pointed to the north star.”
Ohse scooted just a little closer to Rikai. “Ah, it’s pretty.”
“Yes! And, it is an excellent help for navigation.”
“How…?”
“It’s within close proximity of the celestial north pole, so it remains stationary,” Rikai began. “And because it doesn’t move nearly as much as the other stars, that allows you to find true north. Now, if you look over here you can…”
As Rikai continued to talk about the constellations–visible or not–Ohse grow closer and closer until, eventually, he was leaning his head on Rikai’s shoulder.
Rikai’s breath quickened at the touch. Almost immediately, he closed his mouth. Ohse had fallen asleep. In the middle of the park. Right on top of him. At 7:15! He was quite the sight for sore eyes, too. His features seemed to soften as he slept, making him look serene. They’d need to head home soon, but how could Rikai ever wake him? He always looked so troubled while awake…
Maybe his best bet was to wait a little while longer–just five more minutes. That would still leave them with enough time to get home at around eight, and it gave him some time to be with Ohse.
Ever so carefully, Rikai leaned his own head down to rest on top of his lover’s. Maybe his twenty-five years of patience had been worth it.