𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧 ☼ 𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚

VII

     waking up on the couch would have been nicer if he wasn't awoken so abruptly.
eyes wide with shock, he gasped for air as he scrambled to get shōyō off his chest.

"get- off- of- me!"

the boy giggled maniacally as he sat on top of tobio, swatting his grabby hands away as he continued to try pushing him off. tobio was stronger though... and just a bit smarter.

"AGH!"

tobio jammed his fingers into the crook of shōyō's ribcage, tickling mercilessly all over his torso; the ginger writhed and screamed excitedly before toppling over the edge of the couch with a sudden, "oomph!"

"don't do that, idiot,"

shōyō stood up on wobbly legs, rubbing his side where tobio attacked him, "you're too rough! tickling isn't supposed to leave bruises!"

"oh, i didn't bruise you, shut up,"

"meanie."

"sure. call me that when i let you sleep over my house and eat my food," tobio teased, ruffling shōyō's hair as he stood up and padded over to the kitchen.

"what do you want? coffee? tea? chocolate milk?"

"coffee, please. with creamer!"

     "i know, i know," tobio scoffs. he pretends to be irritated, but he fools no one. he bought shōyō's favroite creamer just for when he sleeps over- which is often.

     shōyō found himself in another world as tobio scurried over, two mugs in hand; the boy handed a purple mug with little daisies on it to him, and kept a blue one with cartoon clouds and a chubby giraffe on it for himself. he drinks his coffee with only milk, and shōyō will never understand why sugar plays no part, but he doesn't care enough to bother. it's a little thing, but it's a thing he likes about tobio. one of the little everythings about him he adores.

     "ugh, this is why i love you so much," shōyō mumbled through sips of the sweet drink, his cheeks rosy red from happiness.

     "you love me?"

     "of course i do."

     "like... love love? or like, friend love?"

     "tobio, you buy me my own coffee creamer,  you let me sleep in your clothes, and you care about me. i promise you that i am completely, totally, undeniably in love love with you, you five year old."

     tobio felt his head thumping, and blood rushed like stormy waves in his ears as he gripped the sides of his mug. "i... i love you, too."

     the peach-haired boy scooted over and pressed a soft, whispery kiss to the warm skin of tobio's temple and said, "you better."