Draken was glad that he and Mikey happened to be alone in the bike shop right now while Inui was out getting lunch for himself, it made it a lot easier to do this without his friend and business partner telling him 'it's about damn time' or something similar. Almost on week of waiting and keeping silent had been enough, Draken knew Inui was right and he needed to do this.
Fingers were still gently running through Mikey's hair and Mikey had the content look on his face that was so familiar to Draken, seeing that soft smile that he loved seeing on Mikey. Just seeing Mikey happy made Draken himself happy. Fingers trailing down along to Mikey's cheek, Draken held it for a long moment to just watch Mikey's reaction to being held somewhere first.
This could go horribly wrong. Go horribly wrong in multiple ways and all end in a variety of negative outcomes, all of which Draken wanted to avoid because the last thing he wanted was to see his friendship with Mikey be affected in a negative way either.
But what if it went right? That was the other side of things, the other figurative being on his other shoulder telling him to just do what he had wanted to do for awhile now. It felt like so much longer had passed while Draken's thoughts conflicted, but in reality only a few seconds had passed of his thumb gently stroking Mikey's cheek. Draken just now had to pray to some higher power that he didn't regret the decision he was about to make.
"You gave me a couple kisses the other day, thought I'd return them."
One deep breath was all he took before Draken leaned down and pressed his lips to Mikey's. It wasn't the quick and hasty kisses they had exchanged last week, this one continued and Draken's left hand lifted to mirror the other to cup Mikey's other cheek. Lips just barely moved against the others to move them into a second kiss, but also let Mikey know that this was absolutely intentional and there was no mistaking that Draken wanted to kiss him in that moment. And one moment later Draken finally pulled away and rested his forehead against Mikey's; he had to let go at some point but at the same time Draken didn't want to pull back.
"If that wasn't okay, feel free to punch me for it."
It's easy to fall into old habits. A comfortable silence , sunlight cascading patterns across the floor , and this: Draken's hands combing through his hair and putting Mikey back right ( like he always does. ) Truth be told , he's getting a little sleepy with his cheek pressed into Draken's hand. Blinking tiredly , he offers him a little smile , happy to rest his head.
It looks like Draken is staring , but Mikey doesn’t mind , not when he can stare back and trace his eyes over the slope of his nose , and the ridges of his lips , and back up to those eyes he knows better than his own. At long last Mikey lets out a little huff , the growing smiley betraying his faux annoyance — “ What are you looking at ? ”
— Ah , the kisses ? Is that what’s bothering him ? It certainly caused a great deal of stares in their youth when he slobbered all over his friends. Mikey hadn’t grown out of it , planting all manners of pecks and wet kisses on cheeks and foreheads. He gave them as casually as throwing an arm around his friends’ shoulders. — Was it upsetting now that they were older ? Inupi wasn’t his favorite person , but if Draken was serious about chasing him , then Mikey would relent and give his permission ( but he’d whine the entire time ).
There’s a certain pride in knowing his friends better than the stars who witness their existence. He knows their dreams, their aspirations, their souls , and yet he knows when it comes to himself , he’s blind unable to find the shape of his own self , not even in the blinding light of day. Perhaps this is why he misjudged Draken’s heart as their lips crash together , not in the way Mikey does to joke , but in the way that says love , love , love. I love you when the sun rises , and I love you more when it sets.
His chest seizes up , breathless and tight , and the Invincible Mikey falls. It’s like he’s plunging from fifty stories above , like he’s drowning beneath the waves of the beach , like he’s burning up in the rays of the sun. “ Huh ? ” he finally blurts , “ You’re not in love with Inupi ? ” He feels more embarrassed after saying that , red faced as he stares in disbelief.
What if he ruins everything ? What if he hurts Draken ? Now , he kind of wants to punch Draken , though not for the reason he’s implied. Mikey had settled himself with being the friend for the rest of his life , and had found comfort in his steady presence , but his entire world was spinning now. Mikey doesn’t know what love is. What does it look like ? Does it have a taste ? Will he know its texture , its presence ? His parents could not teach him , and in his older age , Mikey had begun to suspect that Shinichiro didn’t know what it was either.
He cannot help but to cover his face , red traveling to his ears and down his neck. Carefully he shifts his fingers so he can peek at his friend from between the gaps. Taking one quick look at Draken , Mikey covers his face again , unable to stop the hammering in his chest. “ You’re really , really sure ? Really , really ? ” and he doesn’t know what he will do if Draken snorts and just says I’m kidding or it didn’t mean anything.
Though he cannot look at Draken right now , he walks his hand over to lace their fingers together. If he were to try to describe love , his heart would sing of a dragon tattoo , kind hands , and the boy who followed him everywhere , righting his path when it went astray.
