Fic for kaminikaku
Title: Growing Old
By: razberrycreme
Pairing: Hayato/Ryu
Rating: PG-13
Genre/Warnings: romance, angst
Prompt (if used): N/a
Notes: I haven’t seen anything past Gokusen II so this is purely what I think would happen if Ryu became a teacher, all bumps into canon coincidental, and likewise all departures from reality due to this fact. Big thank you to my beta, s-y!
Summary: Even high school thugs can grow up to have normal routines.
In the morning Hayato rubs his eyes and grumbles his way out of bed only when Ryu finally rips the covers away and Hayato’s left curled up in the cold, his pajamas hiked up and exposing his skin to Ryu’s unsympathetic nudges.
When he finally gets up he stretches up into a yawn with one fist reaching into the air, his other hand tugging Ryu along to the bathroom where they brush their teeth together, Hayato sulkily, wordlessly demanding when he holds out his toothbrush to Ryu for toothpaste. Finishing that he ignores Ryu’s quiet protests and irritably smacks Ryu’s hands out of the way, helping him out of his t-shirt and tugging down his pajama pants, pushing him over to the shower to toggle with the temperature of their stubbornly lukewarm shower.
Ryu shivers into the kiss when Hayato steps in with him, sliding a hand up Hayato’s bare, wet shoulder, the water weakly beating away the last traces of sleep.
--
Ryu emerges from the bedroom, bag in hand, and stares at the plate of onigiri and the brown paper bag sitting next to it on the counter. Hayato has never made breakfast or lunch before.
“Starting today?” Hayato asks, gaze fixed determinedly away from the table. He’s wearing a t-shirt and jeans, a bandana tied around his head to keep his hair away from his eyes. He keeps complaining that it’s time for a haircut but Ryu likes running his fingers through it when Hayato’s tired enough to lay his head in Ryu’s lap and he suspects Hayato knows this. He hasn’t gotten his haircut yet despite talking about it for a month.
“Yeah,” Ryu says to the brown paper bag, still staring. Hayato clears his throat and scratches the back of his head, the keychain he has looped onto a finger jangling with every move.
“Then,” Hayato says, edging over cautiously to pass by Ryu and get safely to the door, “I’m off. Kuma really will fire me if I’m late again.” Kuma adores Hayato and already counts him as a member of the family, but Kuma loves everyone. His siblings are harder to win over but they have Hayato wrapped around their little fingers and they light up whenever they see him, so Kuma would have to deal with their wrath if he ever made Hayato leave. So Ryu knows Hayato’s lying desperately to save his pride.
“Then,” Hayato says again, pointedly waiting for Ryu to stop blocking his path.
He tries to shoulder his way past but Ryu drops his bag and corners him against the wall, hands still clumsy but learning, pressing in to smile against Hayato’s mouth. Hayato’s tongue is warm and sweet as he licks Ryu’s bottom lip and when Ryu accidentally nips his mouth Hayato only sighs, fingers twisting into the lapels of Ryu’s jacket. Their legs brush comfortably and Ryu starts to feel too warm, like he should slip off his jacket and undo his tie to cool off. His thumbs slip up underneath Hayato’s shirt to brush against soft skin and Ryu can’t bring himself to pull away after that so he’s part-grateful, part-disgruntled when Hayato tilts his head away to breathe, still clutching the material of Ryu’s jacket in his hands.
“Thanks for the lunch,” Ryu murmurs belatedly, and feels Hayato duck his head and grin.
--
“I’m home,” Ryu says, closing the door behind him and locking it. He slips out of his shoes and toes on his worn slippers.
“Welcome back,” Hayato replies, padding over and standing awkwardly in front of Ryu for a moment before he moves in and kisses the corner of Ryu’s mouth. He turns away quickly and goes into the kitchen to take their dinner out of the microwave: leftover ramen from Kuma’s. Ryu silently reels from the fragile feeling of contentment rising in his chest and doesn’t mind even when Hayato avoids his gaze when he puts the bowls on the table, two pairs of chopsticks held between his teeth.
“How’d it go?” Hayato asks casually, sitting down cross-legged on the floor in front of their little dinner table, usually propped up vertically in a corner to save room. Ryu goes over slowly, watching the flush work up Hayato’s neck and to his cheeks.
“Okay,” Ryu says. He doesn’t want to think about his day right now. He wants to think about what just happened. He picks up his chopsticks. “Thanks for the food,” he says in unison with Hayato as they begin to eat. “How was...your day?”
“I saw Tsucchi! He wants us to go out for drinks on Friday,” Hayato says, wiping his chin with the back of his hand. “I told him we were busy so now he’s buying our drinks if we do go,” he adds, grinning.
“Oh,” Ryu says, nodding. “How has he been?”
The truth is Ryu had been thinking of going out for dinner on Friday, or maybe staying in and watching TV on the tiny set that they’d found next to the garbage cans one night and lugged up to their apartment. It works fuzzily but has the important channels: the cooking one that Hayato watches for easy recipes, the news one that Ryu likes to listen to in the evenings, and a few that play cartoons in the afternoon. Their favorite is the Korean drama channel, and Hayato entertains Ryu every night by making up dialogue and plots that have nothing to do with the angsty characters on-screen.
But it’ll be good to see the others again. He misses them; it’s still strange to wave goodbye at night and not know that he’ll see them again tomorrow, and the day after that, and after that. Now they all have lives that no longer revolve around brawls over pride. He thinks Hayato misses them, too; he thinks their friends bring out a side of Hayato that he can’t.
Hayato shrugs, looking thoughtful ,his noodles growing cold wound round his chopsticks held in midair.
“Tired. He’s working a lot lately, but you know that girl from high school?” he asks, finally dipping his head down to slurp the noodles into his mouth.
Ryu nods, setting his chopsticks down. He’s not very hungry, and settles back to watch Hayato eat instead.
“I think they’re getting serious,” Hayato says, waggling his eyebrows above the bowl.
“Oh.” Ryu’s surprised; he hadn’t thought they’d last this long, all the way since high school. But then he’d thought the same thing about his relationship with Hayato and here he is, sitting across his best friend and living together in their own apartment. When he was younger he’d thought he’d be in a wealthy, sterile office by now, powerful but lonely like his father. Instead he comes home to a cramped apartment and Hayato, an infinitely better trade.
“Imagine Tsucchi as a married man,” Hayato says, laughing. “He’d be so whipped.” Ryu coughs, laughing at the image of Tsucchi wearing a pink apron, fanning his wife through the summer months. Hayato pauses and just watches him for a moment, smiling.
“So who’s the teacher you’re shadowing?” Hayato asks, licking the noodle soup from his fingers. Ryu stares with interest. He doesn’t realize Hayato asked him something until Hayato nudges his thigh with bare toes.
“Oh,” Ryu says, and then remembers, and grimaces before he can help it. Hayato notices, he always does, and he tilts his head questioningly.
“You don’t like him? Is it- oh, shit, is it one our old teachers? Like the bald one who tried to hit us with rulers all the time?” Hayato asks, looking concerned.
“Not that one,” Ryu says, the back of his neck prickling with embarrassed heat. He shifts in his seat as Hayato watches him silently.
“Is it,” Hayato starts, and then he has to put down his bowl to laugh, rolling on the floor and holding his stomach. “It’s Yankumi, isn’t it,” he wheezes, catching his breath and laughing all over again.
Ryu frowns and steals the meat from Hayato’s bowl in revenge.
--
Ryu finally gets up to turn the TV off early that night when Hayato falls asleep on his shoulder for the third time.
“It’s only eleven-thirty,” Hayato protests, stirring when Ryu gets up. He yawns as Ryu takes his hands and pulls him up and to the bathroom to get ready for bed.
“Getting old,” Ryu says simply, and hands Hayato his toothbrush. Hayato glares at him, snatching the toothbrush and the toothpaste from Ryu’s grasp, squirting out a glob and handing Ryu the flattened tube. In retaliation Ryu washes his face and tosses the damp towel at Hayato's face, ignoring Hayato's sleepy grunt of indignation and turning to go to bed first.
Hayato squirms and shivers when he gets underneath the covers, cool cloth blankets pressing against the skin of his bare arms. He kicks at Ryu’s ankles until Ryu sighs and scoots closer, bearing it when Hayato’s cold feet scoot up Ryu’s warms legs.
“So how are the kids?” Hayato asks, turned on his side so that they’re looking at each other, faces close together. Ryu looks into Hayato’s sleepy brown eyes and gives into the urge to touch him, drawing him close until Hayato’s pressed comfortably into Ryu’s body. Hayato just yawns into Ryu’s shoulder and prompts him with a nudge of his chin. “Well?”
“Tough,” Ryu says, then thinks for a moment and adds, “like us.”
“That bad?” Hayato asks, snickering into Ryu’s skin.
“Nothing Yankumi can’t handle,” Ryu says, smiling slightly. “She’s doing well.” Hayato makes a dismissive noise.
“Who’d worry about her,” Hayato mutters, turning his face into the crook of Ryu’s neck and making Ryu laugh.
“You,” Ryu says quietly, and shifts to kiss Hayato good night.
--
Hayato’s strange the next morning: quiet, and whenever Ryu catches his gaze he thinks Hayato’s eyes look worried. He sips a cup of tea and watches Hayato drop an apple into his lunch bag. Ryu waits for him to say something, glancing over at Hayato while he goes to rinse out his cup.
Hayato leans against the counter, watching him. Ryu turns off the faucet and faces him, wiping his hands with a towel. He can’t help feeling anxious whenever Hayato looks at him so seriously; he can’t help thinking that one day Hayato’s going to figure out that this was all a schoolboy crush and it’s time to move on. Every morning he wakes up and feels Hayato’s cheek pillowed against the curve of his neck and he waits to wake up a second time and realize it was all a dream and it’s time to avoid his parents and go back to work in that dingy bar. But then there’s just Hayato shifting sleepily in his arms, starting to grumble about the light coming through their patchy blinds. Ryu goes to sleep very night wishing for this dream to keep going a little longer.
“Those kids,” Hayato starts slowly, “if they’re like us, do they ever-” He pauses and Ryu waits a beat in confusion. “You know,” Hayato continues, gesturing vaguely.
“No, they don’t hit me,” Ryu says, amused. Not for lack of trying; Ryu’s beginning to think the kids are even worse than they were. “Just pranks. None as bad as yours,” he adds, and Hayato laughs at that, relief apparent in the way his entire body relaxes. Ryu hadn’t realized how worried Hayato had been, and he swallows down the beginning of a smile.
“Maa, it’d be hard to beat out my tricks,” Hayato asserts smoothly, puffing his chest out.
“No one would be that stupid,” Ryu deadpans, throwing the towel at Hayato.
“Oi,” Hayato says indignantly, catching the towel, and starts to say something when Ryu passes by and kisses the outraged response from his mouth.
“Say hi to Kuma-san for me,” Ryu says before he slips out of the apartment, smiling.
--
After reassuring Hayato of course he’d get home late that night. He opens the door guiltily, toeing off his shoes at the entrance, his right leg throbbing.
“Where’ve you been?” Hayato demands, padding into their little living room, “The food’s getting cold-” Hayato stops and gapes in steadily growing anger when Ryu turns from locking the door and he sees the scrapes across Ryu’s face, his swollen cheek, the dirt on his clothes. “Holy shit.”
Ryu doesn’t answer, setting down his bag and trying to brush by to get to the bathroom, but Hayato grabs his arm and tugs him down to sit on the floor while he gets up to rummage in their medicine cabinet. He emerges with some bandages and a small brown bottle of alcohol, a cotton swab in his hand. Hayato’s been stocking up lately.
“Brings back good memories, huh?” Hayato says. His jaw is clenched and his eyebrows draw together in a frown, but when he dabs at Ryu’s cuts he’s careful. Ryu knows Hayato wishes he wasn’t so experienced at this. Ryu brushes his fingertips down Hayato’s cheek and waits for Hayato to look at him.
“Yeah,” he says, and watches quietly as Hayato takes care of him.
--
“Hey, I have today off so I’ll walk with you,” Hayato says in the morning when Ryu looks for his brown paper bag and sees an empty counter. “I’ll bring your lunch later.”
“Oh,” Ryu says, and turns away to get his coat so Hayato won’t see his pleased smile. They walk out together, Ryu handing Hayato a pair of gloves to pull on.
“Ahh, it’s just like when we were kids and we walked to school together every day,” Hayato says, stretching his arms up into the cool morning air. Ryu watches him fondly, a helpless smile on his face.
“Hey, look, let’s get some of those,” Hayato says, pointing to a stand on the side of the road.
“I’m going to be late,” Ryu says to Hayato’s back. He trudges up behind Hayato and resignedly accepts a kabob of fried fruits and vegetables. He eyes the two Hayato’s still holding in his hands but keeps quiet when Hayato starts eating.
“Mm, delicious,” Hayato says, and glances at Ryu’s. “Hey, mine doesn’t have apple on it!” He tussles for a bite of Ryu’s while Ryu dodges half-heartedly, elbowing Hayato when he manages to take a bite.
“Just eat that one,” Ryu says, jerking his chin in the direction of the kabob in Hayato’s other hand.
“I can’t do that!” Hayato says, indignant, and sticks out his own half-eaten one, holding it to Ryu’s mouth. “Try the onion,” he says.
By the time they reach the school they’re done with both of their kabobs, and Ryu throws away the sticks, returning to give the kabob in Hayato’s hand a look.
“Maa, since I have an extra,” Hayato begins, “and I’m kind of full...”
“I’ll give it to her,” Ryu says, resigned, and takes it from him.
“Because I’m not hungry,” Hayato adds, and Ryu gives him a flat look.
“I’ll see you at lunch!” Hayato grins, backing away with sticky hands in his pockets.
--
The entire class whoops and makes catcalls when Ryu hands the kabob to Yankumi.
“Why, thank you, Odagiri-kun,” Yankumi says bashfully, hugging her math book to her chest and taking the kabob in her other hand. “But I am a bit old for you-”
“A bit?” Ryu asks darkly underneath his breath.
“-by a year or two,” Yankumi says, coughing daintily, “and we work together, so it wouldn’t really be appropriate for us to-” She nudges Ryu with her elbow, blushing, “You know.”
“It’s from Hayato,” Ryu says, and tugs the book from her grasp. “Now, class, we’re going to go over basic integrals and derivatives.”
“Eh? Yabuki-kun?” Yankumi interrupts, blinking owlishly behind her glasses. “He’s here too?”
“Who’s Yabuki?” a kid in the front calls out, raising his eyebrows into his spiky hair. Hideo-kun, Ryu’s mind supplies.
“That’s Yabuki-san to you, Hideo-kun,” Ryu corrects. “He’s a former student of Yankumi’s.”
“How do you know him?” Iwao-kun asks from the back.
“He was my classmate,” Ryu answers, then asks, “Who can tell me the derivative of x-squared?”
“Is he Yankumi’s boyfriend?” Masahiko-san asks.
“No,” Ryu says shortly, before Yankumi can answer. “Nobuo-kun? Go ahead.”
Nobuo looks up from the manga on his desk and manages a small, “Uh,” looking around wildly for help. Everyone shrugs apologetically, equally clueless.
“No one?” Ryu asks, looking around the class at the blank faces. He raises his eyebrows and says, “Quiz tomorrow, then,” ignoring the groans, “and we’re going to spend the rest of class reviewing.”
He sighs as they all start sinking in their seats. He glances over at Yankumi, who’s eating her kabob and watching him with a knowing look on her face that immediately turns innocent when he catches her eye.
“Alright, get out your books,” Ryu orders, ignoring her.
--
“Here,” Hayato says when he shows up, ducking into the classroom and handing Ryu his lunch. He seems oddly at ease considering the entire class is crowded behind Ryu and Yankumi, visibly sizing him up.
“That’s Yabuki?” Hideo sniffs. “-san,” he adds when Ryu turns and gives him a look.
“Yeah,” Hayato says, stepping close. “What of it?” he asks, intimidating but not, especially since he’s grinning amiably, completely different from the edged smirks he used to show his rivals.
“Bringing Odagiri-sensei his lunch, huh?” Hideo shoots back, raising his eyebrows cockily. “You his wife or something?” Hayato shoots Ryu a look and laughs, catching Hideo in a headlock and rubbing his spiky hair flat.
“Think you’re a tough guy, don’t you,” he says over Hideo’s flailing and “agh- get off me - this is child abuse-”, the others laughing unhelpfully.
“Yabuki-kun is as lively as ever, ne?” Yankumi says at Ryu’s elbow. She’s giving him that knowing look again, lips pressed together to contain a smile. “Maa, it’s hard not to get excited around me, of course,” she concedes, spinning away and cupping her face in embarrassment.
“She’s still weird, huh,” Hayato says behind her.
“Really weird,” Masahiko pipes in. “She tried to beat me up.”
“Ah, me too!” Hayato replies, letting Hideo escape his grip.
“You too?” Fumio asks, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose in interest. They all clamor for Hayato to tell the story, and once they figure out that Hayato knows the goods on Ryu they grow even more persistent while Hayato slants mischievous looks at Ryu and laughs at the disgruntled expression on Ryu’s face.
Of course Hayato befriends the kids easily and in no time they’re all sucking up to him, bragging about the time they’d beat up this gang or that, trying to get Hayato to raise his eyebrows and say “Wow, that’s rough.” Ryu and Yankumi stand off to the side, sulking.
“Yabuki-kun is amazing, ne,” Yankumi says, eyes narrowing behind her glasses when even Fumio, who’s notoriously stone-faced, starts laughing at one of Hayato’s stories. She crosses her arms.
“Yeah,” Ryu replies. He hadn’t expected anything less.
Their students spare a glance in their direction and say, “C’mon, guys, Yabuki-nii is treating us to ramen at Kuma’s shop! - And he says you have to come, too,” some mutter reluctantly.
Yankumi grits her teeth good-naturedly and chases the crowd out the door, calling something out about English and math lessons and having to actually learn in order to graduate within a year, but everyone goes “AHH,” loudly, drowning her out.
“Yabuki-nii?” Ryu echoes in the empty room, following bemusedly.
--
“You should have become a teacher,” Ryu says that night when they get back to their apartment. He hands Hayato a glass before he sits down next to him.
“Eh? And teach them what?” Hayato asks, choking on his water. “How to season ramen?” He laughs, wiping his chin with the back of his hand.
Ryu shrugs. “You were good at English-”
“Oi, we agreed that you’d never bring that up again,” Hayato interrupts, kicking at Ryu’s knee. “Besides, they have you and Yankumi.” Hayato pauses for a moment, then takes a sip of his water and says, “Or, well, they have you.”
Ryu shakes his head. “I’m not a good role model for them.”
“And I am?” Hayato asks, laughing again. He sets the glass down and nudges Ryu with his shoulder. “A bunch of kids at Kuma’s were all ‘Odagiri-sensei is so cool, ne, I want to be just like him.’” Ryu slants him a skeptical look.
“Oi, I didn’t believe it either,” Hayato defends. “I said ‘you want to grow up to be a mute skinny twig?’ but they were all ‘he’s the silent but cool type.’ I made those punks pay for their own ramen,” he adds. Ryu makes a dismissive noise, shaking his head with a smile.
“I never know what to say.” Ryu takes Hayato’s glass and drinks from it, ignoring Hayato’s protests. He looks up at Hayato helplessly. “When they ask me for advice.”
“You say enough,” Hayato says, shrugging with a lopsided smile. “You being there and wanting to protect them is enough.”
“Yeah,” Ryu says after a moment, nodding, his mouth curving into a smile.
“Those kids must be really messed up if they look up to you, though,” Hayato adds, tugging the empty glass away from Ryu and setting it on the table.
“They said they want to be like you, too,” Ryu says flatly.
“Well, duh,” Hayato says, “smartest decision they’ve made yet,” and he laughs when Ryu wrestles him down to the futon and keeps him there for the rest of the night.
--
“It’s finally Friday!” Hayato whoops as they step into the bar, and a couple of guys raise their beers and grin to that. Ryu spots Tsucchi, Take, and Hyuuga already at a table, talking and laughing loudly, drinks in their hands.
“Over there,” Ryu says, and when Hayato steps in front of him, cutting through the weekend crowd, he lets himself admire the graceful line of Hayato’s back and long legs. Hayato pulls chairs up for both of them as they greet the others.
“Hey, it’s cool you guys could make it tonight,” Tsucchi says, fanning himself in the humid air of the bar. “It’s been awhile since I saw your ugly faces.”
“Not long enough for me,” Hayato replies, kicking him underneath the table.
“Ow,” Hyuuga says, glaring at Hayato, bending down to clutch his ankle.
“Ah, oops,” Hayato says, holding his hands together in apology. “I’ll go get our drinks,” he adds, escaping before Hyuuga can turn vengeful. Take laughs and pats Hyuuga on the back sympathetically.
“Ryu, I hear you’re teaching now!” Take says, looking at Ryu, who glances up, still nursing his first glass.
“With Yankumi!” Tsucchi adds, grinning.
“Yeah, how is she?” Hyuuga asks, leaning forward onto the table.
“The same,” Ryu says, nodding.
“Oh,” the other three say in understanding, exchanging knowing glances.
“It feels nostalgic, ne,” Take says, smiling.
“No kidding.” Tsucchi drains his bottle in a long gulp and exhales noisily, wiping his mouth with his hand. “I think I need another drink before we start talking about the past, though. Why’s Hayato taking so long?”
“Oh, I see why,” Hyuuga says slyly, looking in Hayato’s direction with a smirk.
“Why?” Take asks, turning to look for Hayato at the bar. Ryu turns as well, and spots Hayato talking to the bartender, engaged in conversation, their drinks neglected on the bar counter. Ryu turns away first, drinking the contents of his glass in smooth gulps. He feels Take’s eyes on him and avoids his gaze.
“Let’s give them some privacy,” Tsucchi says, sticking his fan out to block Hyuuga’s view.
“Like I’d want to see Hayato picking someone up at a bar anyway,” Hyuuga huffs, leaning back in his seat.
“But it’s about time he found someone,” Tsucchi points out, grinning. “Ryu, you should get out more, too.” Ryu’s hand tightens around his glass and he smiles tightly, nodding in reply.
“Here we go,” Hayato says a moment later, bottles and glasses held creatively in his hands.
“Took you long enough,” Tsucchi says, fanning himself.
“Yeah.” Hayato shrugs, handing out the drinks. He looks flushed. “That bartender-“ he shakes his head. Ryu takes his drink silently and looks away. “Anyway, tell us about your girlfriend!” Hayato insists, nudging Tsucchi with his arm. They laugh as Tsucchi turns red and starts fanning himself fervently. Hayato listens and laughs, teasing Tsucchi with the others when he stutters with embarrassment, but Ryu can see Hayato shoot him worried looks out of the corner of his eye, too. Ryu takes a drink of his beer to get rid of the sinking feeling in his stomach and tries to look more interested.
When the guys start getting sleepy and drunk Tsucchi gestures for the tab and waves off everyone’s attempts to pitch in.
“Don’t worry about it, you guys get it next time,” he says, putting down his money.
“Do you have enough for a cab home?” Hayato asks, looking skeptical.
“I’ll walk,” Tsucchi says, getting up from the table and swaying the entire way out of the bar.
“We’ll go with him,” Take says with a grin, decidedly more sober. He ducks under Tsucchi’s arm and supports him, Hyuuga on the other side.
“Later!” The trio calls out as they leave, Ryu and Hayato waving until they turn out of sight at the intersection. The streets are quiet at this hour and Ryu’s aware of Hayato watching him as they walk, silent.
“Hey,” Hayato says when they step inside their apartment, “Ryu. You okay?” Ryu doesn’t answer, turning toward the bathroom.
“Ryu,” Hayato says, catching his arm and looking surprised when Ryu shakes him off on reflex. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Ryu says, an edge in his voice, and gives up on brushing his teeth. He goes into their bedroom to change his shirt.
“Ryu,” Hayato says from the doorway, looking concerned and irritated in that way that means he’s hurt. Ryu tugs on his shirt and looks down at their closet, blankly staring at pajama bottoms. He feels like he wants to start a fight.
“That bartender,” Ryu says, jaw locking, “You and he-” Hayato makes a noise, interrupting him.
“I know, and I said I wouldn’t try to start fights anymore,” Hayato says, leaning his forehead against the doorframe and groaning, “but I couldn’t help it. He was an asshole,” he adds. He sighs and looks up hopefully. “But I didn’t actually fight him.”
“Fight him?” Ryu asks, deflating in confusion.
“Yeah,” Hayato says, looking sheepish. “He was some guy from some school we used to fight with all the time. One of them, anyway,” he adds. “He recognized me and was talking shit.”
“Oh,” Ryu says slowly. He feels like an idiot now, but so relieved he starts smiling, “You were angry.”
“Yeah,” Hayato says, looking puzzled and moving closer cautiously. “But why were you pissed off about that?”
“I’m wasn’t,” Ryu replies, clearing his throat. He doesn’t want to have to explain. He already feels his neck prickling with embarrassed heat.
“You were,” Hayato insists. His eyes widen a moment later and Ryu meets his gaze, defiant. “Were you jealous?” Hayato asks, amazed.
“No,” Ryu shoots back irritably. Hayato watches him with narrowed eyes for a moment and then tackles Ryu down to the futon, the pillows not quite soft enough to cushion the fall entirely.
“You were,” Hayato says, grinning smugly above him.
“No,” Ryu says again, flipping them. He can’t quite meet Hayato’s eyes.
“Jealous,” Hayato says gleefully, rolling them over. “You were jealous-”
“No,” Ryu says loudly, shoving Hayato on his back again. “I-” Hayato leans up and kisses him.
“Jealous,” Hayato murmurs when he falls back to the futon, smiling. He looks content. He looks exactly how Ryu feels at the moment, with Hayato’s hands firm and warm at Ryu’s arms and stroking down his back.
“No,” Ryu mutters one last time, and Hayato laughs, the bastard.
“Wow, Odagiri,” Hayato says, grinning, “You really love me, huh,” except it comes out less like a joke and more like a question, and Ryu can feel Hayato freeze underneath his hands.
“You’re okay,” Ryu says after a moment, and laughs when Hayato struggles against him and says “I’ll show you okay, Odagiri-” and just presses him down into the futon, ignoring Hayato’s half-hearted attacks.
“So,” Ryu says when Hayato finally settles against him. He meets Hayato’s gaze steadily. “What you said about not starting fights anymore...what did you mean?”
“Oh.” Hayato’s muffled against Ryu’s shoulder, and he starts to say something but he cuts himself off, “-nothing.”
“Just getting old?” Ryu asks quietly, trying to contain a smile. He strokes Hayato’s neck soothingly, feeling Hayato start to tense.
“No,” Hayato says, annoyed. He scratches at Ryu’s hip while Ryu chuckles above him. “Just something my dad said to me once. That I shouldn’t go around looking for trouble all the time if I have something important to protect,” he says carefully.
“Oh,” Ryu says, swallowing, his fingers pausing on Hayato’s skin. “Something important to protect?”
“Yeah.” Hayato shifts so they can face each other and smiles lopsidedly at Ryu, who feels warmth tingle all the way down to his toes. “Something that won’t shut up even though it’s late.”
“You’re just old,” Ryu states, grinning, and rolls them over again to stifle Hayato’s protests.
By: razberrycreme
Pairing: Hayato/Ryu
Rating: PG-13
Genre/Warnings: romance, angst
Prompt (if used): N/a
Notes: I haven’t seen anything past Gokusen II so this is purely what I think would happen if Ryu became a teacher, all bumps into canon coincidental, and likewise all departures from reality due to this fact. Big thank you to my beta, s-y!
Summary: Even high school thugs can grow up to have normal routines.
In the morning Hayato rubs his eyes and grumbles his way out of bed only when Ryu finally rips the covers away and Hayato’s left curled up in the cold, his pajamas hiked up and exposing his skin to Ryu’s unsympathetic nudges.
When he finally gets up he stretches up into a yawn with one fist reaching into the air, his other hand tugging Ryu along to the bathroom where they brush their teeth together, Hayato sulkily, wordlessly demanding when he holds out his toothbrush to Ryu for toothpaste. Finishing that he ignores Ryu’s quiet protests and irritably smacks Ryu’s hands out of the way, helping him out of his t-shirt and tugging down his pajama pants, pushing him over to the shower to toggle with the temperature of their stubbornly lukewarm shower.
Ryu shivers into the kiss when Hayato steps in with him, sliding a hand up Hayato’s bare, wet shoulder, the water weakly beating away the last traces of sleep.
--
Ryu emerges from the bedroom, bag in hand, and stares at the plate of onigiri and the brown paper bag sitting next to it on the counter. Hayato has never made breakfast or lunch before.
“Starting today?” Hayato asks, gaze fixed determinedly away from the table. He’s wearing a t-shirt and jeans, a bandana tied around his head to keep his hair away from his eyes. He keeps complaining that it’s time for a haircut but Ryu likes running his fingers through it when Hayato’s tired enough to lay his head in Ryu’s lap and he suspects Hayato knows this. He hasn’t gotten his haircut yet despite talking about it for a month.
“Yeah,” Ryu says to the brown paper bag, still staring. Hayato clears his throat and scratches the back of his head, the keychain he has looped onto a finger jangling with every move.
“Then,” Hayato says, edging over cautiously to pass by Ryu and get safely to the door, “I’m off. Kuma really will fire me if I’m late again.” Kuma adores Hayato and already counts him as a member of the family, but Kuma loves everyone. His siblings are harder to win over but they have Hayato wrapped around their little fingers and they light up whenever they see him, so Kuma would have to deal with their wrath if he ever made Hayato leave. So Ryu knows Hayato’s lying desperately to save his pride.
“Then,” Hayato says again, pointedly waiting for Ryu to stop blocking his path.
He tries to shoulder his way past but Ryu drops his bag and corners him against the wall, hands still clumsy but learning, pressing in to smile against Hayato’s mouth. Hayato’s tongue is warm and sweet as he licks Ryu’s bottom lip and when Ryu accidentally nips his mouth Hayato only sighs, fingers twisting into the lapels of Ryu’s jacket. Their legs brush comfortably and Ryu starts to feel too warm, like he should slip off his jacket and undo his tie to cool off. His thumbs slip up underneath Hayato’s shirt to brush against soft skin and Ryu can’t bring himself to pull away after that so he’s part-grateful, part-disgruntled when Hayato tilts his head away to breathe, still clutching the material of Ryu’s jacket in his hands.
“Thanks for the lunch,” Ryu murmurs belatedly, and feels Hayato duck his head and grin.
--
“I’m home,” Ryu says, closing the door behind him and locking it. He slips out of his shoes and toes on his worn slippers.
“Welcome back,” Hayato replies, padding over and standing awkwardly in front of Ryu for a moment before he moves in and kisses the corner of Ryu’s mouth. He turns away quickly and goes into the kitchen to take their dinner out of the microwave: leftover ramen from Kuma’s. Ryu silently reels from the fragile feeling of contentment rising in his chest and doesn’t mind even when Hayato avoids his gaze when he puts the bowls on the table, two pairs of chopsticks held between his teeth.
“How’d it go?” Hayato asks casually, sitting down cross-legged on the floor in front of their little dinner table, usually propped up vertically in a corner to save room. Ryu goes over slowly, watching the flush work up Hayato’s neck and to his cheeks.
“Okay,” Ryu says. He doesn’t want to think about his day right now. He wants to think about what just happened. He picks up his chopsticks. “Thanks for the food,” he says in unison with Hayato as they begin to eat. “How was...your day?”
“I saw Tsucchi! He wants us to go out for drinks on Friday,” Hayato says, wiping his chin with the back of his hand. “I told him we were busy so now he’s buying our drinks if we do go,” he adds, grinning.
“Oh,” Ryu says, nodding. “How has he been?”
The truth is Ryu had been thinking of going out for dinner on Friday, or maybe staying in and watching TV on the tiny set that they’d found next to the garbage cans one night and lugged up to their apartment. It works fuzzily but has the important channels: the cooking one that Hayato watches for easy recipes, the news one that Ryu likes to listen to in the evenings, and a few that play cartoons in the afternoon. Their favorite is the Korean drama channel, and Hayato entertains Ryu every night by making up dialogue and plots that have nothing to do with the angsty characters on-screen.
But it’ll be good to see the others again. He misses them; it’s still strange to wave goodbye at night and not know that he’ll see them again tomorrow, and the day after that, and after that. Now they all have lives that no longer revolve around brawls over pride. He thinks Hayato misses them, too; he thinks their friends bring out a side of Hayato that he can’t.
Hayato shrugs, looking thoughtful ,his noodles growing cold wound round his chopsticks held in midair.
“Tired. He’s working a lot lately, but you know that girl from high school?” he asks, finally dipping his head down to slurp the noodles into his mouth.
Ryu nods, setting his chopsticks down. He’s not very hungry, and settles back to watch Hayato eat instead.
“I think they’re getting serious,” Hayato says, waggling his eyebrows above the bowl.
“Oh.” Ryu’s surprised; he hadn’t thought they’d last this long, all the way since high school. But then he’d thought the same thing about his relationship with Hayato and here he is, sitting across his best friend and living together in their own apartment. When he was younger he’d thought he’d be in a wealthy, sterile office by now, powerful but lonely like his father. Instead he comes home to a cramped apartment and Hayato, an infinitely better trade.
“Imagine Tsucchi as a married man,” Hayato says, laughing. “He’d be so whipped.” Ryu coughs, laughing at the image of Tsucchi wearing a pink apron, fanning his wife through the summer months. Hayato pauses and just watches him for a moment, smiling.
“So who’s the teacher you’re shadowing?” Hayato asks, licking the noodle soup from his fingers. Ryu stares with interest. He doesn’t realize Hayato asked him something until Hayato nudges his thigh with bare toes.
“Oh,” Ryu says, and then remembers, and grimaces before he can help it. Hayato notices, he always does, and he tilts his head questioningly.
“You don’t like him? Is it- oh, shit, is it one our old teachers? Like the bald one who tried to hit us with rulers all the time?” Hayato asks, looking concerned.
“Not that one,” Ryu says, the back of his neck prickling with embarrassed heat. He shifts in his seat as Hayato watches him silently.
“Is it,” Hayato starts, and then he has to put down his bowl to laugh, rolling on the floor and holding his stomach. “It’s Yankumi, isn’t it,” he wheezes, catching his breath and laughing all over again.
Ryu frowns and steals the meat from Hayato’s bowl in revenge.
--
Ryu finally gets up to turn the TV off early that night when Hayato falls asleep on his shoulder for the third time.
“It’s only eleven-thirty,” Hayato protests, stirring when Ryu gets up. He yawns as Ryu takes his hands and pulls him up and to the bathroom to get ready for bed.
“Getting old,” Ryu says simply, and hands Hayato his toothbrush. Hayato glares at him, snatching the toothbrush and the toothpaste from Ryu’s grasp, squirting out a glob and handing Ryu the flattened tube. In retaliation Ryu washes his face and tosses the damp towel at Hayato's face, ignoring Hayato's sleepy grunt of indignation and turning to go to bed first.
Hayato squirms and shivers when he gets underneath the covers, cool cloth blankets pressing against the skin of his bare arms. He kicks at Ryu’s ankles until Ryu sighs and scoots closer, bearing it when Hayato’s cold feet scoot up Ryu’s warms legs.
“So how are the kids?” Hayato asks, turned on his side so that they’re looking at each other, faces close together. Ryu looks into Hayato’s sleepy brown eyes and gives into the urge to touch him, drawing him close until Hayato’s pressed comfortably into Ryu’s body. Hayato just yawns into Ryu’s shoulder and prompts him with a nudge of his chin. “Well?”
“Tough,” Ryu says, then thinks for a moment and adds, “like us.”
“That bad?” Hayato asks, snickering into Ryu’s skin.
“Nothing Yankumi can’t handle,” Ryu says, smiling slightly. “She’s doing well.” Hayato makes a dismissive noise.
“Who’d worry about her,” Hayato mutters, turning his face into the crook of Ryu’s neck and making Ryu laugh.
“You,” Ryu says quietly, and shifts to kiss Hayato good night.
--
Hayato’s strange the next morning: quiet, and whenever Ryu catches his gaze he thinks Hayato’s eyes look worried. He sips a cup of tea and watches Hayato drop an apple into his lunch bag. Ryu waits for him to say something, glancing over at Hayato while he goes to rinse out his cup.
Hayato leans against the counter, watching him. Ryu turns off the faucet and faces him, wiping his hands with a towel. He can’t help feeling anxious whenever Hayato looks at him so seriously; he can’t help thinking that one day Hayato’s going to figure out that this was all a schoolboy crush and it’s time to move on. Every morning he wakes up and feels Hayato’s cheek pillowed against the curve of his neck and he waits to wake up a second time and realize it was all a dream and it’s time to avoid his parents and go back to work in that dingy bar. But then there’s just Hayato shifting sleepily in his arms, starting to grumble about the light coming through their patchy blinds. Ryu goes to sleep very night wishing for this dream to keep going a little longer.
“Those kids,” Hayato starts slowly, “if they’re like us, do they ever-” He pauses and Ryu waits a beat in confusion. “You know,” Hayato continues, gesturing vaguely.
“No, they don’t hit me,” Ryu says, amused. Not for lack of trying; Ryu’s beginning to think the kids are even worse than they were. “Just pranks. None as bad as yours,” he adds, and Hayato laughs at that, relief apparent in the way his entire body relaxes. Ryu hadn’t realized how worried Hayato had been, and he swallows down the beginning of a smile.
“Maa, it’d be hard to beat out my tricks,” Hayato asserts smoothly, puffing his chest out.
“No one would be that stupid,” Ryu deadpans, throwing the towel at Hayato.
“Oi,” Hayato says indignantly, catching the towel, and starts to say something when Ryu passes by and kisses the outraged response from his mouth.
“Say hi to Kuma-san for me,” Ryu says before he slips out of the apartment, smiling.
--
After reassuring Hayato of course he’d get home late that night. He opens the door guiltily, toeing off his shoes at the entrance, his right leg throbbing.
“Where’ve you been?” Hayato demands, padding into their little living room, “The food’s getting cold-” Hayato stops and gapes in steadily growing anger when Ryu turns from locking the door and he sees the scrapes across Ryu’s face, his swollen cheek, the dirt on his clothes. “Holy shit.”
Ryu doesn’t answer, setting down his bag and trying to brush by to get to the bathroom, but Hayato grabs his arm and tugs him down to sit on the floor while he gets up to rummage in their medicine cabinet. He emerges with some bandages and a small brown bottle of alcohol, a cotton swab in his hand. Hayato’s been stocking up lately.
“Brings back good memories, huh?” Hayato says. His jaw is clenched and his eyebrows draw together in a frown, but when he dabs at Ryu’s cuts he’s careful. Ryu knows Hayato wishes he wasn’t so experienced at this. Ryu brushes his fingertips down Hayato’s cheek and waits for Hayato to look at him.
“Yeah,” he says, and watches quietly as Hayato takes care of him.
--
“Hey, I have today off so I’ll walk with you,” Hayato says in the morning when Ryu looks for his brown paper bag and sees an empty counter. “I’ll bring your lunch later.”
“Oh,” Ryu says, and turns away to get his coat so Hayato won’t see his pleased smile. They walk out together, Ryu handing Hayato a pair of gloves to pull on.
“Ahh, it’s just like when we were kids and we walked to school together every day,” Hayato says, stretching his arms up into the cool morning air. Ryu watches him fondly, a helpless smile on his face.
“Hey, look, let’s get some of those,” Hayato says, pointing to a stand on the side of the road.
“I’m going to be late,” Ryu says to Hayato’s back. He trudges up behind Hayato and resignedly accepts a kabob of fried fruits and vegetables. He eyes the two Hayato’s still holding in his hands but keeps quiet when Hayato starts eating.
“Mm, delicious,” Hayato says, and glances at Ryu’s. “Hey, mine doesn’t have apple on it!” He tussles for a bite of Ryu’s while Ryu dodges half-heartedly, elbowing Hayato when he manages to take a bite.
“Just eat that one,” Ryu says, jerking his chin in the direction of the kabob in Hayato’s other hand.
“I can’t do that!” Hayato says, indignant, and sticks out his own half-eaten one, holding it to Ryu’s mouth. “Try the onion,” he says.
By the time they reach the school they’re done with both of their kabobs, and Ryu throws away the sticks, returning to give the kabob in Hayato’s hand a look.
“Maa, since I have an extra,” Hayato begins, “and I’m kind of full...”
“I’ll give it to her,” Ryu says, resigned, and takes it from him.
“Because I’m not hungry,” Hayato adds, and Ryu gives him a flat look.
“I’ll see you at lunch!” Hayato grins, backing away with sticky hands in his pockets.
--
The entire class whoops and makes catcalls when Ryu hands the kabob to Yankumi.
“Why, thank you, Odagiri-kun,” Yankumi says bashfully, hugging her math book to her chest and taking the kabob in her other hand. “But I am a bit old for you-”
“A bit?” Ryu asks darkly underneath his breath.
“-by a year or two,” Yankumi says, coughing daintily, “and we work together, so it wouldn’t really be appropriate for us to-” She nudges Ryu with her elbow, blushing, “You know.”
“It’s from Hayato,” Ryu says, and tugs the book from her grasp. “Now, class, we’re going to go over basic integrals and derivatives.”
“Eh? Yabuki-kun?” Yankumi interrupts, blinking owlishly behind her glasses. “He’s here too?”
“Who’s Yabuki?” a kid in the front calls out, raising his eyebrows into his spiky hair. Hideo-kun, Ryu’s mind supplies.
“That’s Yabuki-san to you, Hideo-kun,” Ryu corrects. “He’s a former student of Yankumi’s.”
“How do you know him?” Iwao-kun asks from the back.
“He was my classmate,” Ryu answers, then asks, “Who can tell me the derivative of x-squared?”
“Is he Yankumi’s boyfriend?” Masahiko-san asks.
“No,” Ryu says shortly, before Yankumi can answer. “Nobuo-kun? Go ahead.”
Nobuo looks up from the manga on his desk and manages a small, “Uh,” looking around wildly for help. Everyone shrugs apologetically, equally clueless.
“No one?” Ryu asks, looking around the class at the blank faces. He raises his eyebrows and says, “Quiz tomorrow, then,” ignoring the groans, “and we’re going to spend the rest of class reviewing.”
He sighs as they all start sinking in their seats. He glances over at Yankumi, who’s eating her kabob and watching him with a knowing look on her face that immediately turns innocent when he catches her eye.
“Alright, get out your books,” Ryu orders, ignoring her.
--
“Here,” Hayato says when he shows up, ducking into the classroom and handing Ryu his lunch. He seems oddly at ease considering the entire class is crowded behind Ryu and Yankumi, visibly sizing him up.
“That’s Yabuki?” Hideo sniffs. “-san,” he adds when Ryu turns and gives him a look.
“Yeah,” Hayato says, stepping close. “What of it?” he asks, intimidating but not, especially since he’s grinning amiably, completely different from the edged smirks he used to show his rivals.
“Bringing Odagiri-sensei his lunch, huh?” Hideo shoots back, raising his eyebrows cockily. “You his wife or something?” Hayato shoots Ryu a look and laughs, catching Hideo in a headlock and rubbing his spiky hair flat.
“Think you’re a tough guy, don’t you,” he says over Hideo’s flailing and “agh- get off me - this is child abuse-”, the others laughing unhelpfully.
“Yabuki-kun is as lively as ever, ne?” Yankumi says at Ryu’s elbow. She’s giving him that knowing look again, lips pressed together to contain a smile. “Maa, it’s hard not to get excited around me, of course,” she concedes, spinning away and cupping her face in embarrassment.
“She’s still weird, huh,” Hayato says behind her.
“Really weird,” Masahiko pipes in. “She tried to beat me up.”
“Ah, me too!” Hayato replies, letting Hideo escape his grip.
“You too?” Fumio asks, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose in interest. They all clamor for Hayato to tell the story, and once they figure out that Hayato knows the goods on Ryu they grow even more persistent while Hayato slants mischievous looks at Ryu and laughs at the disgruntled expression on Ryu’s face.
Of course Hayato befriends the kids easily and in no time they’re all sucking up to him, bragging about the time they’d beat up this gang or that, trying to get Hayato to raise his eyebrows and say “Wow, that’s rough.” Ryu and Yankumi stand off to the side, sulking.
“Yabuki-kun is amazing, ne,” Yankumi says, eyes narrowing behind her glasses when even Fumio, who’s notoriously stone-faced, starts laughing at one of Hayato’s stories. She crosses her arms.
“Yeah,” Ryu replies. He hadn’t expected anything less.
Their students spare a glance in their direction and say, “C’mon, guys, Yabuki-nii is treating us to ramen at Kuma’s shop! - And he says you have to come, too,” some mutter reluctantly.
Yankumi grits her teeth good-naturedly and chases the crowd out the door, calling something out about English and math lessons and having to actually learn in order to graduate within a year, but everyone goes “AHH,” loudly, drowning her out.
“Yabuki-nii?” Ryu echoes in the empty room, following bemusedly.
--
“You should have become a teacher,” Ryu says that night when they get back to their apartment. He hands Hayato a glass before he sits down next to him.
“Eh? And teach them what?” Hayato asks, choking on his water. “How to season ramen?” He laughs, wiping his chin with the back of his hand.
Ryu shrugs. “You were good at English-”
“Oi, we agreed that you’d never bring that up again,” Hayato interrupts, kicking at Ryu’s knee. “Besides, they have you and Yankumi.” Hayato pauses for a moment, then takes a sip of his water and says, “Or, well, they have you.”
Ryu shakes his head. “I’m not a good role model for them.”
“And I am?” Hayato asks, laughing again. He sets the glass down and nudges Ryu with his shoulder. “A bunch of kids at Kuma’s were all ‘Odagiri-sensei is so cool, ne, I want to be just like him.’” Ryu slants him a skeptical look.
“Oi, I didn’t believe it either,” Hayato defends. “I said ‘you want to grow up to be a mute skinny twig?’ but they were all ‘he’s the silent but cool type.’ I made those punks pay for their own ramen,” he adds. Ryu makes a dismissive noise, shaking his head with a smile.
“I never know what to say.” Ryu takes Hayato’s glass and drinks from it, ignoring Hayato’s protests. He looks up at Hayato helplessly. “When they ask me for advice.”
“You say enough,” Hayato says, shrugging with a lopsided smile. “You being there and wanting to protect them is enough.”
“Yeah,” Ryu says after a moment, nodding, his mouth curving into a smile.
“Those kids must be really messed up if they look up to you, though,” Hayato adds, tugging the empty glass away from Ryu and setting it on the table.
“They said they want to be like you, too,” Ryu says flatly.
“Well, duh,” Hayato says, “smartest decision they’ve made yet,” and he laughs when Ryu wrestles him down to the futon and keeps him there for the rest of the night.
--
“It’s finally Friday!” Hayato whoops as they step into the bar, and a couple of guys raise their beers and grin to that. Ryu spots Tsucchi, Take, and Hyuuga already at a table, talking and laughing loudly, drinks in their hands.
“Over there,” Ryu says, and when Hayato steps in front of him, cutting through the weekend crowd, he lets himself admire the graceful line of Hayato’s back and long legs. Hayato pulls chairs up for both of them as they greet the others.
“Hey, it’s cool you guys could make it tonight,” Tsucchi says, fanning himself in the humid air of the bar. “It’s been awhile since I saw your ugly faces.”
“Not long enough for me,” Hayato replies, kicking him underneath the table.
“Ow,” Hyuuga says, glaring at Hayato, bending down to clutch his ankle.
“Ah, oops,” Hayato says, holding his hands together in apology. “I’ll go get our drinks,” he adds, escaping before Hyuuga can turn vengeful. Take laughs and pats Hyuuga on the back sympathetically.
“Ryu, I hear you’re teaching now!” Take says, looking at Ryu, who glances up, still nursing his first glass.
“With Yankumi!” Tsucchi adds, grinning.
“Yeah, how is she?” Hyuuga asks, leaning forward onto the table.
“The same,” Ryu says, nodding.
“Oh,” the other three say in understanding, exchanging knowing glances.
“It feels nostalgic, ne,” Take says, smiling.
“No kidding.” Tsucchi drains his bottle in a long gulp and exhales noisily, wiping his mouth with his hand. “I think I need another drink before we start talking about the past, though. Why’s Hayato taking so long?”
“Oh, I see why,” Hyuuga says slyly, looking in Hayato’s direction with a smirk.
“Why?” Take asks, turning to look for Hayato at the bar. Ryu turns as well, and spots Hayato talking to the bartender, engaged in conversation, their drinks neglected on the bar counter. Ryu turns away first, drinking the contents of his glass in smooth gulps. He feels Take’s eyes on him and avoids his gaze.
“Let’s give them some privacy,” Tsucchi says, sticking his fan out to block Hyuuga’s view.
“Like I’d want to see Hayato picking someone up at a bar anyway,” Hyuuga huffs, leaning back in his seat.
“But it’s about time he found someone,” Tsucchi points out, grinning. “Ryu, you should get out more, too.” Ryu’s hand tightens around his glass and he smiles tightly, nodding in reply.
“Here we go,” Hayato says a moment later, bottles and glasses held creatively in his hands.
“Took you long enough,” Tsucchi says, fanning himself.
“Yeah.” Hayato shrugs, handing out the drinks. He looks flushed. “That bartender-“ he shakes his head. Ryu takes his drink silently and looks away. “Anyway, tell us about your girlfriend!” Hayato insists, nudging Tsucchi with his arm. They laugh as Tsucchi turns red and starts fanning himself fervently. Hayato listens and laughs, teasing Tsucchi with the others when he stutters with embarrassment, but Ryu can see Hayato shoot him worried looks out of the corner of his eye, too. Ryu takes a drink of his beer to get rid of the sinking feeling in his stomach and tries to look more interested.
When the guys start getting sleepy and drunk Tsucchi gestures for the tab and waves off everyone’s attempts to pitch in.
“Don’t worry about it, you guys get it next time,” he says, putting down his money.
“Do you have enough for a cab home?” Hayato asks, looking skeptical.
“I’ll walk,” Tsucchi says, getting up from the table and swaying the entire way out of the bar.
“We’ll go with him,” Take says with a grin, decidedly more sober. He ducks under Tsucchi’s arm and supports him, Hyuuga on the other side.
“Later!” The trio calls out as they leave, Ryu and Hayato waving until they turn out of sight at the intersection. The streets are quiet at this hour and Ryu’s aware of Hayato watching him as they walk, silent.
“Hey,” Hayato says when they step inside their apartment, “Ryu. You okay?” Ryu doesn’t answer, turning toward the bathroom.
“Ryu,” Hayato says, catching his arm and looking surprised when Ryu shakes him off on reflex. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Ryu says, an edge in his voice, and gives up on brushing his teeth. He goes into their bedroom to change his shirt.
“Ryu,” Hayato says from the doorway, looking concerned and irritated in that way that means he’s hurt. Ryu tugs on his shirt and looks down at their closet, blankly staring at pajama bottoms. He feels like he wants to start a fight.
“That bartender,” Ryu says, jaw locking, “You and he-” Hayato makes a noise, interrupting him.
“I know, and I said I wouldn’t try to start fights anymore,” Hayato says, leaning his forehead against the doorframe and groaning, “but I couldn’t help it. He was an asshole,” he adds. He sighs and looks up hopefully. “But I didn’t actually fight him.”
“Fight him?” Ryu asks, deflating in confusion.
“Yeah,” Hayato says, looking sheepish. “He was some guy from some school we used to fight with all the time. One of them, anyway,” he adds. “He recognized me and was talking shit.”
“Oh,” Ryu says slowly. He feels like an idiot now, but so relieved he starts smiling, “You were angry.”
“Yeah,” Hayato says, looking puzzled and moving closer cautiously. “But why were you pissed off about that?”
“I’m wasn’t,” Ryu replies, clearing his throat. He doesn’t want to have to explain. He already feels his neck prickling with embarrassed heat.
“You were,” Hayato insists. His eyes widen a moment later and Ryu meets his gaze, defiant. “Were you jealous?” Hayato asks, amazed.
“No,” Ryu shoots back irritably. Hayato watches him with narrowed eyes for a moment and then tackles Ryu down to the futon, the pillows not quite soft enough to cushion the fall entirely.
“You were,” Hayato says, grinning smugly above him.
“No,” Ryu says again, flipping them. He can’t quite meet Hayato’s eyes.
“Jealous,” Hayato says gleefully, rolling them over. “You were jealous-”
“No,” Ryu says loudly, shoving Hayato on his back again. “I-” Hayato leans up and kisses him.
“Jealous,” Hayato murmurs when he falls back to the futon, smiling. He looks content. He looks exactly how Ryu feels at the moment, with Hayato’s hands firm and warm at Ryu’s arms and stroking down his back.
“No,” Ryu mutters one last time, and Hayato laughs, the bastard.
“Wow, Odagiri,” Hayato says, grinning, “You really love me, huh,” except it comes out less like a joke and more like a question, and Ryu can feel Hayato freeze underneath his hands.
“You’re okay,” Ryu says after a moment, and laughs when Hayato struggles against him and says “I’ll show you okay, Odagiri-” and just presses him down into the futon, ignoring Hayato’s half-hearted attacks.
“So,” Ryu says when Hayato finally settles against him. He meets Hayato’s gaze steadily. “What you said about not starting fights anymore...what did you mean?”
“Oh.” Hayato’s muffled against Ryu’s shoulder, and he starts to say something but he cuts himself off, “-nothing.”
“Just getting old?” Ryu asks quietly, trying to contain a smile. He strokes Hayato’s neck soothingly, feeling Hayato start to tense.
“No,” Hayato says, annoyed. He scratches at Ryu’s hip while Ryu chuckles above him. “Just something my dad said to me once. That I shouldn’t go around looking for trouble all the time if I have something important to protect,” he says carefully.
“Oh,” Ryu says, swallowing, his fingers pausing on Hayato’s skin. “Something important to protect?”
“Yeah.” Hayato shifts so they can face each other and smiles lopsidedly at Ryu, who feels warmth tingle all the way down to his toes. “Something that won’t shut up even though it’s late.”
“You’re just old,” Ryu states, grinning, and rolls them over again to stifle Hayato’s protests.