๐๐ต๐ธ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ป๐ธ๐๐ท๐ผ ๐ช๐ท๐ญ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฏ๐พ๐ต ๐๐ป๐ฎ๐ช๐ถ๐ผ
A simple request to make flower crowns with his (very obvious) crush turns into annoyance for the other male tagging along, a reflection on how he treats others, and, finally, confusing dreams of being close to his pink haired crush and the once bothersome pale skinned male.
A/N: This was originally going to be hurt/comfort, but I don't like angst, so why would I give y'all that misfortune? "Hajime, Chiaki and Nagito make flower crowns... Hajime realizes he loves her... wakes up and realizes it's a dream and Chiaki's actually dead... Nagito comforts Hajime BLAH BLAH BLAH!"
Not completely proofread!!
credit to @mikeykuns for the flower border!
Hajime woke up with the sun in his eyes, causing him to shut them once more. He cursed before opening them again, this time with a hand shielding the light, and found that it was almost noon in his summer paradise. He groaned, wanting nothing more than to stay in bed, but a loud and annoying beep came from his phone. He had a bad habit of looking at his screen early in the mornings and decided to stop it at that very moment. Whoever it was on the other end could wait.ย
He showered, brushed his teeth, and began to cook breakfast with ease as he forgot all about the notifications on his phone. He even sat down and chewed his eggs and hash browns slowly with tiny sips of water.ย
โPerfectly average.โ he thought before being reminded of said messages from before. He could hear the muffled ringing of the device from his dining room, and he finally made a move to look at his things for the day. He unlocked his lock screen, no passcode, and made haste to call back whoever sought him out. To his surprise, it was Chiaki. Normally he was the one calling her to wake up.ย
โIf she's calling, does that mean there's something wrong? Is she in trouble?โ He tapped to call her back and sat down on the edge of his bed; leg bouncing as he waited for her voice to push weakly through his cheap phone's speakers. When it rang long enough to reach her voicemail, he went back to call her again, but was relieved to see her calling him. He put the phone by his ear, volume all the way up.
โChiaki?โ He asked worriedly, on the verge of biting his nails before a voice called back to sanity.
โHajime?โ She spoke softly from the other side, although that could've been his phoneโs limited volume. โYou didn't answer before. I would've been worried if I hadn't dozed back off.โ Hajime bit back a laugh.
โYou? Worried? You have no idea what kind of thoughts I had when I saw you calling me!โ He huffed out with shaky laughter before leaning back in his bed. He tried to stay calm. โSo, whyโd you call me so early?โย
โItโs just past 12.โ
โYou sleep until 3 if I let you.โ She let out a frustrated sigh on the other end. Hajime barked out a laugh before trying to cover it up with a cough. He could tell she wasn't amused.
โI want you to come over.โย
โOh?โ He was fully tuned in.
โYeah. We're making flower crowns at 1. You're coming.โ His smile dropped just a little, but he tried to replicate his previous tone.ย
โYou, me, Nagito.โ The green eyed boy groaned. โHe's the one that asked to go.โย
โThere's no way I'm going if he's coming with us.โ He shook off a jealous thought that popped into his head. He was starting to really hate how Nagito was third wheeling their datesโ um, their hangouts. He just wanted to be with Chiaki, alone, and desperately hoped she'd wanted to do the same. But she was always more social than him, and naturally, she befriended the weirdest people. Himself included.ย
โGuess that means more flowers for me and Nagito.โ she clearly meant for that to be the end of their conversation, but Hajime shouted before he could stop himself.
โWait,โ he cringed inwardly, already regretting his life choices. โIโฆ I don't exactly wanna hang out with Nagito, but if you're there, it's like we're technically hanging out, yeah?โ He felt heat rush to his face as the words came out. โTechnically hanging outโ? They would be hanging out. What a stupid thing to say.ย
Chiaki, however, did not seem as repulsed by him as he was.
โSo,โ she started. โDoes that mean you're in?โย
He let out a long exhale.
โCool. See you in a few.โ She hung up without a goodbye, but Hajime would see her at her place later. He covered his eyes with the crook of his arm, hoping to stay hidden away forever. But he had already agreed to go, so he had no other choice. He would have to face her, and Nagito, or be ridiculed for not showing up. Being made fun of by Chiaki was an actual nightmare.ย
He begrudgingly stood up to pack a bag: bottled water, pb&js sandwiches (Chiakiโs favorite), gummies, and headache medicine, because he had been getting the worst migraines recently. He gave his house a once over before grabbing his house keys and leaving his home behind.ย
He pulled his bike from his pathetic excuse of a shed and locked it up after getting his transportation. He settled on nicely, with ease, before pushing off towards the gamer girl's home. Out of curiosity, he turned back to find the state of his home quiteโฆ average. No major damage had been done to it, yet it also didn't scream โlook at me!โ His garden was dead, but his house at least looked clean. It was a small thing far out in the country, and he had managed to convince Chiaki that they'd be at peace here. Naturally, their other classmates followed suit, which left them all miles apart from each other. He liked the idea of having his privacy but having his friends within reach.ย
That was until Nagito moved into the rundown farmhouse in the middle of the land. Broken down, unused, and definitely considered a fixer-upper. Nagito would definitely describe himself as such. Either way, he couldn't seem to find himself agreeing with Nagito being among their countryside group. He was definitely a city boy. He realistically had no chance of survival outside the city limits. But Hajime couldn't judge too much, given he was pretty much as useless as Nagito. Hell, Nagito probably had more to offer than him. That must've been why Chiaki invited him too.ย
He physically pulled away from his thoughts as he managed to track down the gamer girl's house. He leaned his bike on the side of her porch and quickly made his way up the steps, impatient to finally see her. He found himself contemplating the doorbell or knocking, but quickly chose the former as his fingers pressed into the buzzer. It was muffled, but an electronic jingle flowed into the small cottage home while wind chimes twinkled behind him. He waited a long five seconds before a figure slowly made its way to the screen door. The door opened, and he opened his mouth to greet the girl, but his jaw dropped.
She was wearing a sundress. A long, flowy, dark pink, and dare he say beautiful, sundress. The dress, which was dark pink with light pink flower patterns, stood still as Hajime examined it with the utmost concern. His eyes landed briefly on the short girl's shoulders, which were exposed because of the dressโs thin straps, and a gold necklace adorned her neck. Chiaki was hanging in gold from the necklace, making his cheeks burst bright pink like when he was on the phone with her. He was pleasantly surprised to see Chiaki's light pink hair in a perfect bun with no hairs out of place. Her face was bare, which was the one thing he expected. In the girl's words, makeup made her face feel โstickyโ and she certainly wouldn't force herself to wear the stuff during the summer.ย
Overall, he loved how she looked. She was always pretty.
Then he turned to self degradation. He looked down to find his outfitโฆ unsatisfactory. He wore a plain green t-shirt and the only pair of slacks that fit him just right. His tennis shoes were covered in grass and dried mud, and he didn't even think to brush his hair. He almost frowned before focusing back on the girl in front of him. She gave him a small smile.ย
โYou made it.โ She grabbed his hand and barely tugged him into the house, which Hajime considered to be cleaner than it usually was. The first time they all moved to their respective homes, he'd come over to find trash everywhere on Chiaki's floors, clothes thrown haphazardly, and miscellaneous objects already stepped on and forever stuck to the carpets. Now, the floor was a dark wood that made your steps sound loud and hollow, and there were no clothes or trash to be seen.
ย He was proud of her for cleaning up. She was getting better at a lot of things now that her friends were keeping tabs on her. One thing he was thankful for were the caring friends the girl made. They would never let her, or each other, get into a depression without a clean and lively environment. He was certain Sonia had taken to designing her place with little to no gaming apparel in the forefront of the home.ย
She pushed him towards her off-white loveseat and sat down beside him. They just barely fit with how small the couch actually was, but they both weren't adverse to rubbing shoulders. Hajime felt comfortable in their closeness even though his heart beat at different tempos. He was surprised his heart didn't scream โfortissimo!โ from how hard he felt it in his chest. But if Chiaki could hear it, she sure didn't say so. The two sat there for a while longer before he felt a rough movement against him.ย
He turned in time to see Chiaki holding up three baskets of various sizes. She handed one to him and he set it awkwardly on his lap, finding no other place for it. She sat back down with the other two, setting both aside on the side table. She sat prim and proper, straightening the long pink fabric over her tanned legs and gave the male beside her an amused look. His gaze lingered dangerously close to her ankles, but he resisted the urge and held her gaze. They still hadnโt said much to each other, but the gamer girlโs face was slowly painted a light blush the more they stared. Hajime was reluctant, but decided to break the tension.
The two interrupted each other and gave the other a surprised and apologetic look. The situation turned from embarrassment to hilarity as the couple couldnโt contain their laughter. The two tried to calm down but found themselves laughing harder, as if they had been told the funniest joke ever. The two eventually settled back into a peaceful silence before trying to speak again.ย
โI will go first.โ Chiaki announced, leaving no choice but for her counterpart to listen. โI was thinking we should go out to the field by Gundhamโs place. He has the best kept flowers there.โ She said with no argument to be had. But if there was one thing Hajime had, it was his stubbornness.
โWhat about Fuyuhikoโs?โ the girl quirked an eyebrow. โI mean, he has prettier flowers over there. Heโs got all sorts of colors!โ He leaned back, almost confident that the girl would side with him on this. He thought sheโd be impressed. One thing he didnโt account for was her own stubbornness.
โGundhamโs flowers are so clearly looked after. I think theyโd look beautiful in a flower crown. Plus, itโs my first time making flower crowns, so Iโd like to have limited options so I donโt get overstimulated. Maybe we can go next time.โ She gave him such a sweet smile that was hard to refuse, but he already had his argument lined up.ย
โOf course I donโt want you to be overstimulated, but what if you just pick the colors you want in your crown and let me at least have some options. Plus, why would the condition matter if youโre picking the flowers anyway?โ
But the arguing was not over.
โItโs not the fact that I canโt limit my options on my own, I just donโt want to be exposed to so many colors at once.โ She frowned.
โI would just like to have more options. Are we not making flower crowns for each other? Donโt you want a really pretty one?โย
โI would, but Iโm sure youโd get overwhelmed with all the options too! Letโs just go to Gundhamโs and then go to Fuyuhikoโs next time we make flowercrowns.โ
โWell, what if we just go to Fuyuhikoโs and pick out a color theme based on the flowers we find there? We can always go to Gundhamโs next time.โย
โWell, why donโt you just go blind me with reds, blues, and purples!โ
โWell, why donโt you bore me to death with whites, yellows, and greens!โ
The two huffed, more riled up than they shouldโve been, but it seemed that they had nothing more to say to each other. Hajime didnโt really care about the flowers. Why did he feel so compelled to argue about it with her? Did he think sheโd just blindly accept what he said without even considering her? Thatโs exactly what he did, and now he was starting to feel bad about it. He had to remedy this somehow, or he was going to kiss goodbye to his chance at Chiaki inviting him out more.
โHey, Iโm sorry, but we can go to Gundhamโs field if you want. I shouldnโt have argued with you about something stupid like that.โ He rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. โI understand why you wouldnโt want to be around any bright colors. Weโll go to Fuyuhikoโs field next time.โ
โNo,โ Chiaki held a hand up, worried and remorseful. โYou were right. I should be able to pick some colors to work with so you can pick the flowers you want. I donโt want you to not have any colorful flowers, even if we end up making more next time.โ
โNo, Iโm fine! If you think the other flowers will look better, and you wonโt feel overwhelmed, weโll go do that. Whatever makes you comfortable.โ
โDo both!โ The two turned to find Nagito already in the room and walking towards them with a slouch. โYou have those baskets, right? We could just pick all the flowers we want from either field and meet back to make the flower crowns under the shade.โ Hajime and Chiaki looked at him, both of them thinking of how stupid they were for not coming up with that exact solution. Sweat rolled down the pale maleโs face. โOr, you both could stop staring at me and then decide what to do.โ
Hajime was annoyed again. For starters, he had just been reminded that Nagito would be third wheeling their hangout, but more importantly, he was assuming the reasonable one role in the group. He was going to have to calm down before he threw the white haired male out a window. Chiaki, however, found herself smiling at him.
โYeah, I guess youโre right.โ She spoke as softly as she did to Hajime earlier. It was the same volume he had assumed his phone tampered with. But she spoke it so easily with him, and with him. Just another thing that ticked him off about Nagito.ย
โOh, please donโt flatter me. Itโs not good for my ego.โ He laughed quietly at โ what Hajime assumed โ his own joke.
โYes, we wouldn't want you to gain some self confidence, would we?โ Hajime said, voice monotone and expression deadpan. The girl elbowed him.ย
โSince you're finally here,โ she stood up from the loveseat. She held the baskets in both hands. โWe should go to the fields now.โย
โBefore that, I'll need some sunscreen.โ The pale skinned male, who looked a little less sickly than usual, scratched the back of his neck with a grimace.ย
โI know where it is.โ He strode across the room and into the back of the house. Seconds later, he had the bottle in his hands, already rubbing the yellow cream on his hands. The brown haired male looked back at the short girl, confused by their current dynamic. She gave him a lazy shrug.
โHe's always coming over forโฆ things.โ She said quietly to him. His eyes went wide. Jealousy almost overtook him, but he managed to suppress it before Chiaki could reprimand him. Instead, he gave her a curious look. โHe likes to come over for talks. It's nothing you have to be concerned about.โย
โAlright,โ the white haired male came back into the room, almost comedically lathered in sunscreen. Even with how annoyed he was, Hajime still stifled a laugh. โLetโs hit the road. Or, should I say, field?โ Chiaki looped her arm around the lanky male's before handing him a white basket. Hajime just about scowled at him before the girl slid her arm through his the exact same way.ย
The sun beamed on their bodies with an uncomfortable amount of heat and practically pushed them all to find shelter from its heated gaze. Nagito was the first to hide under a reliable tree for shade and stripped himself of his light green jacket. Why he wore any long sleeve outside was beyond Hajimeโs comprehension and he thankfully wouldn't have to question it any longer. They all heaved a collective sigh.
โI'd say we start searching for the flowers, but I can't stand this heat.โ Chiaki brought out a decorated hand held fan and began to fan herself. Even without a longing stare, she brought out other fans and handed them off to the two. Nagito took his gratefully while Hajime examined his own.
There were small, beaded patterns stitched into the white fabric. All the colors on the fan were a different variation of pink, which seemed to be Chiaki's go to color this season. A lopsided heart announced itself proudly as other flowery shapes stood to the side, small but beautiful. He turned to Chiaki in question, but she had already wandered off towards Gundhamโs field of flowers. This left him and the other male, who he caught staring at him intensely. He gulped. They stood there, awkwardly staring at one another.
Hajime eventually had enough and decided the best course of action was to leave, but Nagitoโs words stilled him.
โDo you mind me going with you? I'd really like to pick some flowers in Fuyuhikoโs field.โ He asked in a soft voice, reminding the green eyed male of Chiaki's tone. But Nagito's softness put him on edge. Maybe he was imitating her just to get on Hajime's nerves. It was certainly working. But he didn't want to hear anything from Chiaki if she found out he pushed the pale boy away, so he simply nodded.ย
โI guess.โ He turned and walked quickly to the former Yakuza leaderโs house without looking back. He heard the grass shift quickly behind him, which he tried not to pay so much attention to. Nagito snuck up closer to him before he tried to make conversation.
โTo be completely honest, I also really wanted to go to the more colorful flowers.โ He started with a forced smile, keeping his focus completely on Hajime. The other male tried to ignore him, but Nagito became stuck to his side, so he had no other choice but to nod along. โBut I really didn't want Chiaki to feel like she had no vote, so I just suggested we split off. I'm sorry you both aren't getting to spend time together picking flowers.โย
Hajime turned to him, irritation clear on his features.ย
โHow long had you been in the room before you decided to show yourself?!โย
โOh,โ the male pretended to ponder. โI'd say when you both were talking about where to go.โย
Hajime couldn't contain his contempt. He was getting angry at every little thing Nagito said or did. He'd have to get his blood pressure checked, and get a doctorโs prescription of โNagito repellentโ. He abruptly stopped, causing the other to run into him hard. He turned back to Nagito.
โYou just don't know when to stop being weird, do you?โ Nagito frowned.
โI didn't want to interrupt. You too looked pretty comfortable cuddling on the couch-โย
โWe weren't cuddling!โ Hajime yelled. When he saw Nagito flinch at the suddenness, he quickly reeled back. He stepped away from him and took a deep breath to collect himself. He finally turned back to the trail to Fuyuhikoโs home, and the other male quickly followed.ย
โHeโs acting like a freaking dog.โ he thought as he felt Nagito practically on his heels. In reality, Nagito was trying his hardest to keep his distance, but his body seemed to betray him. He inched closer and closer to the brown haired male the more they walked to the flowers.ย
โOh look, we're here!โ
They set their sights on the plentiful flowers by the former Yakuzaโs home and just stared. The air only picked up a little as they stood there, each discerning which flowers they would pick, and it was as if Nagito hadn't just been getting on Hajime's nerves. Without any further discussion, the two split off and found their own flowers, ignoring the argument they almost got into.
The two returned to the shade of their tree and found Chiaki already there, her flowers and picnic blanket to boot. They all sat down and began their flower crown making with simple instructions from Nagito, whose former obsession with color wheels and basket weaving came into play. Even with a couple mess ups along the way, their pieces were coming together as expected. Hajime found his fingers already familiar with the weaving pattern and tried to forget why that was. A reminder of his multitude of talents was not welcome on such a peaceful day.
Chiaki noticed his smooth movements contrasting his exasperated expression and made a point to put her shaky hands over his. He gave her his full attention only for a small smile to make its way onto her face. The muscles in his face finally relaxed and he was suddenly in a better mood. He looked back down to his fingers only to find that they were shaking, and he smiled. It made him feel better to mess up at that moment, and he grabbed the beautiful girlโs hand, squeezing in gratitude.ย
Then Nagito had to speak.
โI really do admire how fast you work, Hajime! Youโve got me beat.โ Hajime looked closer and saw that he had already completed his flower crown. He hadnโt even noticed. He examined it and breathed out a relieved sigh when he found the mistakes in his almost perfect weaving. Chiaki held up her finished crown for him and the pale male to judge.ย
โWell? Did I do it right?โ Nagito took it in his hands and took his time inspecting each stem weaving before shaking his head with shame.ย
โYou and Hajime really are perfect.โ He held his flowers, which were organized in a lovely group of colors, but were hanging on by a thread, threatening to come apart any second. โMy luck seems to have run out after finding all these beautiful flowers, huh?โ
Before he could criticize himself more, Hajime took his crown carefully into his hands, with only a few falling out, and cradled the attempt at weaving. He moved closer to the slouched over male and used his basket to catch any flowers that fell in all his moving. He gestured for Nagito to get closer. He did so with caution.
โHere,โ he handed the crown back to Nagito and made a move to hold his hands, but gave a questioning glance. The other male nodded, allowing Hajime to touch. He did so with no disdain. โYou might be good at basket weaving, but flowers are different. Let me show you.โ He held certain fingers in between his to help Nagitoโs hand movement, finding that it was helping the other male better than he realized. Nagito didnโt say a word and only gave him an amused expression.
When they were finished with the crown, the white haired male let his creation fall into the basket below, favoring the idea of staring at the brown haired male. Hajime wouldโve felt annoyed like before, but he couldnโt take his eyes off the otherโs. It was like Nagito was staring into his soul, trying to connect with him spiritually. It was a look the paler male would often give him.
โThanks for the help. If I didnโt know any better, Iโd say you did it because you like me!โ He leaned back with laughter and couldnโt keep his eyes on Hajime without finding utter amusement. Normally, the boy would reciprocate with his own insults or comebacks, but when Nagito looked at him again, he saw the seriousness in his gaze. He stopped his rocking in laughter and finally gave into the other boyโs staring.
โWhat if I do?โ He noticed their hands still joined together, although not in a loving way like a couple, but in a lingering way. They werenโt touching to be close, they were touching to experiment, it felt like. They continued to stare at each other for the longest time as all the annoyance seemed to disappear with a new kind of tension. Nagito felt a connection between them and inched closer towards the brown haired maleโs face, wanting a closer look at his sunburned cheeks, and his long eyelashesโฆ and his lipsโฆ
โWow, your flower crown looks so much better, Nagito!โ The two broke apart and turned to see Chiaki staring right at them, flower crown held loosely in her hands. She placed it down gently on Nagitoโs lap and gave a strained smile. โGreat job.โ
He nodded and tried to find Hajimeโs eyes again, but he knew by the expression on his face that he wouldnโt be able to pull a stunt like that again. Hajime looked stunned and lost in shame and embarrassment. The male twiddled his fingers and looked to Chiaki for forgiveness. She gave him a relaxed and cute smile.
โI guess Iโm on her hit list now.โ Nagito sighed. The couple were too caught up in their staring to notice Nagito trying his hardest not to spiral. He was having a hard time controlling his desire for Hajime, and yet heโd have to wait if he didnโt want to ruin another good thing in his life.
The three finished their flower crowns in a somewhat peaceful silence and passed them around for others to admire. Chiaki leaned on Hajimeโs shoulder as he carefully analyzed every flower on her crown, waiting for him to praise her work. He gave her an impressed look.
โThis is really good! Didnโt you say you were a beginner though?โ He gave her a half smile. She leaned closer to him.
โI just watched you when you were helping Nagito.โ Embarrassment washed over him as he realized how long it took the pink haired girl to interrupt his and Nagitoโs gawking. She didnโt bring it up again, so he chose to ignore it all together. He didnโt want to cause any more weird tension. After all, Nagito was still with them, practically perched on his left shoulder.
โIt looks very lovely, Chia.โ
Hajime broke out of his embarrassment to give the two annoyed looks.
Chiaki nodded while Nagito turned his eyes away from Hajimeโs stern ones.
โYeah. Our nicknames.โ This didnโt seem to help their case because the girl added, โIf youโre jealous, weโll give you one too.โ His blood pressure spiked, but he decided that he would get into that argument next time.ย
โIโd say itโs about time we get out of the sun.โ Nagito stretched his limbs like a cat waking up from a nap, using the tree to paw his way up to stand. With a long sigh, Hajime got up as well, pulling the girl up too. It was still daytime, but with all the mundane activity, the three felt more tired than when they were on their work trips for the Future Foundation. Still, it was much tamer than training people on how to restore the world using their innate talents.ย
They all walked sluggishly through the tall grass of the fields, each heading their way back home, but not quite wanting to leave each othersโ side. Hajime had been utterly annoyed with the other male that day and had originally wanted to go home as soon as possible. But something changed. Maybe it was Nagitoโs constant staring, or the way he got under Hajimeโs skin, or maybe it was the jealousy boiling over into another kind of emotion. Either way, he was very unsure of his feelings. The only thing he could say for certain was that Chiaki would always be the apple of his eye.
Although, he would never admit to it.
They all found themselves on the steps of Nagitoโs rundown barn house, which looked like it was abandoned. It had been altered a little bit: The walls were patched up, there were individual rooms with beds and bathrooms, and there was no cattle to be smelt. Still, the house looked very much like Nagitoโs self-consciousness. Hajime sighed, thinking that the house was too fitting for a guy like him. That didnโt mean he liked to see one of his friends living in such a terrible place.
โFriend? Since when did we become friends again?โ Hajime blocked the thought out as the slouched over male turned back to give them a tired goodbye.
โThanks for the invite, Chiaki. I had a lot of fun with you and Hajime.โ He gave the brown haired male a longing gaze. โI enjoyed our conversation on the way to flowers, Hajime. It gave me a lot to think about.โ He quickly turned away and gave Chiaki a small smile before walking through his giant barn doors. Hajime didnโt even know what to say. All they (he) did was argue the whole way there. Maybe Nagito was more of a masochist than he thought.ย
Chiaki grabbed the maleโs hand and led him away from the house, walking slowly to make the most of their time together. He almost pulled away when he felt the sweat dripping down his palm, but the girlโs grip was unrelenting. Heโd have to just roll with it. Itโs not like he actually wanted to let go.
Even with the slow pace, their time was uneventful. Their strolling was accompanied with peaceful silence. Even the animals that poked their heads through the grass didnโt want to bother them. They swung their hands like children skipping to their next play spot, but made no moves to run through the fields. It was calm. Regretfully, it had to end at some point when the two found themselves standing in front of Chiakiโs tiny home.ย
โI had a lot of fun today. Iโd like us to spend more time together.โ She smiled up at him. โ... All of usโฆโ His smile wavered, but he tried to be a good sport and uphold the light mood.ย
โIโd like that too. If Nagito happens to fall into a mysterious illness thoughโฆโย
โYouโre not getting out of hanging out with him.โ She teased, but he could tell her words were genuine. She was right though. He couldnโt run away from his demons forever.
โWell, Iโll be on my way back home then.โ He pulled away from their hand holding and gently picked up his bike from its spot leaning on the cottage. She was close behind him.
โIโll see you off.โย
He gave her one last goodbye wave before forcing his eyes back onto the path, pushing his feet to move the pedals. She yelled out a quick โsee you!โ and watched as he rode off to his house, not too far from hers. A frown quickly took its place on her lips. She couldโve asked the boy to stay the night with her, but given the previous interaction between him and Nagito, she wasnโt exactly in the mood to let the jealousy consume her. She liked Nagito like a best friend, but an unexplainable feeling coursed through her when she saw him leaning into Hajime, preparing to kiss his soft, thin lips. The worst part was that she didnโt know if she wanted to be Nagito or Hajime.ย
She finally settled back into her home and tried to make the thoughts go away. She grabbed the sugar from her cabinet and started searching for baking recipes in her cookbook, trying to distract herself. Sheโd have to face those thoughts again eventually, but tonight would not be the night.ย
Hajime plopped onto his bed, feeling the heat from the hot water still on his skin, deep in his bones, and threw off any blankets that would cause him to overheat. The water proved to help him feel tired faster, but the cons outweighed the pros in this case.ย
He was still thinking about Nagito. The kiss that almost happened. Almost. He didnโt even want to entertain the idea of what he would do if Nagito had actually gone through with it. He tried to think of Chiaki like he usually did, but Nagito was rotting his brain. He couldnโt even look up at the ceiling without seeing his pale face. His white hair with pink tips looked tamer than it had before. Maybe he brushed his hair just for their hangout?
โPull yourself together, idiot!โ He turned away from the white ceiling and stared at a picture of his classmates. Well, not exactly his classmates, but his friends. The Ultimates that made their way into his heart and made him the man he was today. If they hadnโt been there, he wasnโt sure what kind of disaster he wouldโve been. Especially if there was no Chiaki.
His eyes fluttered closed, hinting that his body needed a rest, but he didnโt want to dream about the uncertainties of his and Chiakiโs relationship. And he especially didnโt want to have dreams about Nagito. Heโd rather not have him plaguing his mind at all. But with another slow sigh, he finally gave into his bodyโs need for sleep, and that seemed to be the end of it.
He didnโt resist as another thought of him and Nagito slipped into his head. He was glad to see Chiaki there too, holding onto both of their hands as she dragged them along on their next adventure.
Maybe he wouldnโt feel so bad about hanging out with Nagito again.
A/N: Despite the fact this was supposed to be a short writing, it took me a couple days to finish this. I feel some success with writing this, especially since I've been busy with all the homework I have in uni. DON'T BECOME A MUSIC EDUCATION MAJOR Y'ALL. NOT WORTH IT (just kidding, I love it).
Anyways, thanks for reading, blah blah blah, love y'all. Will try to write more.
