Okay but- if you think about it, Saru really does hate being touched, even by Misaki when they first meet. Not much of a surprise if you look at Saru's home life and how he was treated. So naturally, the very first time Misaki feels conformable enough to hug Saru, he's pushed away instantly only to be told that hugging is something Saru isn't crazy about. This of course does disappoint Misaki a bit but he decides to try again a few weeks later, only to get the same results.
However, despite the constant rejections, he doesn't give up because he's determined get his best friend more comfortable with hugs, and soon enough he notices that Saru had stopped pushing him away, but still refuses to return the embrace. Either way, progress is progress, so over the next couple of months the hugs continue and then one day, Misaki is surprised.
As usual, Misaki comes running up to Saru and throws his arms around his best friend, giving him a bit of a tighter hug then usual. Just as he was about to let his friend go, he is taken by surprise when he feels Saru wrapping his arms around him, surprising Misaki right away. This causes Misaki to look up at his friend in confusion, only to see Saru looking off to the side and seeming to be a bit embarrassed.
"...Are you hugging me back, Saru...?" Misaki asks, still sounding rather confused.
"I um...to be honest, I've always liked your hugs but I had to tell myself I didn't because I feared that you would reject me... No one had ever wanted to hug me before, not even my own parents obviously, so I just told myself I didn't like hugs...but yours are different... They're warm and I feel safe..." Saru mumbles in a soft tone, still not looking at Misaki.
Hearing that had definitely surprised the little ginger, and even made his heart hurt slightly. However, after learning this he tightens his embrace on Saru and gently snuggles against his chest while feeling Saru's arms tighten around his smaller form.
After that day, Misaki made sure to hug Saru every day, sometimes twice or three times a day so Saru could always feel the safe embrace his friend provided for him and Saru always returned his friend's hugs, making Misaki the only one allowed to ever touch him in such a way.





















