Diverted, Part 5
Rating: PG
Pairing: Akihiko/Minato
Spoilers: None
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Having drawn Akihiko back inside, Minato pushed him gently towards the back of the room, and turned to close the door.
"Don't sit where you were before, or I'll feel like we're still fighting," he instructed.
Akihiko obediently headed past the chair and went to sit at the foot of the bed. Minato pushed the chair back in and sat against the headboard, facing Akihiko's profile. He pulled his knees against his chest and considered the other boy.
"So, a plant sounds good," he began earnestly. "Maybe one of those desert plants that don't need water, so I can't kill it very easily."
Akihiko shook his head. "It was just a random suggestion, you know. You don't have to get a plant.
"Though," he continued, trying to school his voice into a contemplative tone, "some posters really would do wonders in here."
He looked up to make eye contact with Minato, and they both burst into helpless laughter. Akihiko curled forward into a ball and laughed until he was breathless. Minato's entire body jiggled up and down, until he finally released his grip on his knees and collapsed sideways across his pillow.
Akihiko finally stopped laughing when he completely ran out of air. He gasped repeatedly to get his breath back and used the bed post to haul himself up again. Minato's giggles snuffled to an end, too. His bangs had slid to entirely cover the left side of his face, leaving one bright blue eye shining out. From his horizontal position, he smiled happily at the newly-upright Akihiko.
The beautiful smile hit Akihiko right in the gut. He had a sudden, nearly uncontrollable urge to brush the hair back off of Minato's face. The hand in his lap trembled with the effort of not moving.
Fortunately Minato didn't seem to notice, his voice interrupting before Akihiko's traitorous hand could fully rebel. "I'll be sure to get some. With cheesy pop bands on them. Brighten things right up."
"I'm glad you finally decided to listen to reason," Akihiko chuckled.
Minato's expression turned graver. He propped his head up on his fist and shook his bangs out of his face. That got rid of Akihiko's distraction, but not his dread of what Minato was planning to say.
"Next time you're concerned about me? Just say so, okay?"
Akihiko sighed. "I’m sorry for pushing. I just wanted you to...pay attention to yourself too." He fought the urge to blush. //That sounded so dorky.//
"I didn’t understand at first. I thought you were…I don’t know - judging me. You unsettled me."
"Yeah, I went about that all wrong, didn’t I?" Akihiko gave an abashed smile.
Minato gasped indignantly. "You took off your gloves! And my *headphones*! And asked me the meaning of life! Of course I was thrown off!"
"I didn’t think you’d admit that anything was wrong, unless I demonstrated it first."
"And all that...subterfuge, with removing my jacket and 'taking advantage of my compliance'? And I repeat, *removing your gloves*??"
Akihiko held out a bare hand to look at it. "I don't know why I took them off. But I was *trying* to make you comfortable, not the opposite."
Minato half rolled his eyes, and shook his head resignedly. "Well, like I said, next time let's just talk."
Akihiko nodded, somewhat ashamed. Not a small part of his shame stemmed from the fact that he'd just avoided having to answer for most of his actions. Minato had *asked* him about removing the jacket and headphones, but miraculously hadn't forced him to address those subjects in his answer. Akihiko was exceedingly grateful for that, as he'd only moments ago realized that he'd unconsciously been taking any excuse to touch Minato. Not having an alternative explanation prepared, the truth could have very easily slipped out of his mouth.
"But just so you know -" Minato sat up to emphasize his words. "The headphones? Are sacred. No touching." Minato's twinkling eyes belied his harsh tone.
"Duly noted," gruffed Akihiko. "My apologies, sir!"
Minato snorted, but then ducked his head in...embarrassment? Akihiko was confused.
"So, um," he said, "this is kinda embarrassing, but I need to use the bathroom."
Akihiko nodded in understanding. "And you can't go downstairs because everyone will be in the lobby."
"And if anyone sees me on my way to the fourth floor, they'll want to know why I went the long way when sick."
"I can go check the lounge on this floor for you, at least," offered Akihiko.
"Yeah, okay." Minato smiled gratefully.
Akihiko couldn't believe that he was already forgiven, when he was the one who'd created these obstacles for Minato. //I don't deserve to keep getting these smiles from him.// He paused before leaving the room and grinned over his shoulder. "Don't go anywhere."
Minato rolled his eyes. "Okay!" he exclaimed with sarcastic enthusiasm.
Clearing the wall at the end of the hallway, Akihiko was pleased to see an empty lounge. He peeked up the stairs, but didn't see anyone.
"Hey senpai!" A loud voice came from behind him. Akihiko just barely suppressed a startled jump.
"Oh, hey Takeba."
"I heard Minato-kun isn't feeling well. That's too bad."
"Yeah..." Akihiko trailed off.
Yukari was looking at him expectantly. Apparently he was supposed to keep talking.
"He, um, texted me! He wanted a drink!" Akihiko strode swiftly over to the vending machine, digging some change out of his pocket and glad to have something to occupy his hands.
"Do you need any help, senpai?"
"No, no. No point in exposing another person to germs, right?" He chuckled awkwardly.
"True." She smiled widely. "You seem to have everything under control. It's so sweet of you to take care of him..." Her smile went a bit melty.
Akihiko grasped at something to change the subject. "Nice to have an evening off though."
Happily, Yukari was pretty easily distracted. She gave a dramatic groan. "Yeah, cuz I have the worst math assignment. Now that I have the whole night, maybe I can actually figure it out."
"Well you go get started!" Akihiko commanded encouragingly.
"Yes sir!" She saluted cheerfully. "Wish me luck!" she cried over her shoulder as she disappeared up the stairs.
Akihiko's shoulders slumped in relief. One SEES member out of the way. He stared menacingly at the down staircase, daring someone else to come up it. "Good," he muttered, when no one did.
He burst back into Minato's room. "Here," he said, thrusting the can at Minato.
"Um, I need the restroom, not more liquid!"
"I told Yukari I was buying you a drink. She...smiled at me funny for taking care of you." He shook his head as if to clear it. "Anyways, she went to do work in her room, so let's get going."
"Upstairs then?"
"Yeah. I'll run interference for you." Minato nodded and followed him out the door.
Click here to continue to part 6.
Pairing: Akihiko/Minato
Spoilers: None
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Having drawn Akihiko back inside, Minato pushed him gently towards the back of the room, and turned to close the door.
"Don't sit where you were before, or I'll feel like we're still fighting," he instructed.
Akihiko obediently headed past the chair and went to sit at the foot of the bed. Minato pushed the chair back in and sat against the headboard, facing Akihiko's profile. He pulled his knees against his chest and considered the other boy.
"So, a plant sounds good," he began earnestly. "Maybe one of those desert plants that don't need water, so I can't kill it very easily."
Akihiko shook his head. "It was just a random suggestion, you know. You don't have to get a plant.
"Though," he continued, trying to school his voice into a contemplative tone, "some posters really would do wonders in here."
He looked up to make eye contact with Minato, and they both burst into helpless laughter. Akihiko curled forward into a ball and laughed until he was breathless. Minato's entire body jiggled up and down, until he finally released his grip on his knees and collapsed sideways across his pillow.
Akihiko finally stopped laughing when he completely ran out of air. He gasped repeatedly to get his breath back and used the bed post to haul himself up again. Minato's giggles snuffled to an end, too. His bangs had slid to entirely cover the left side of his face, leaving one bright blue eye shining out. From his horizontal position, he smiled happily at the newly-upright Akihiko.
The beautiful smile hit Akihiko right in the gut. He had a sudden, nearly uncontrollable urge to brush the hair back off of Minato's face. The hand in his lap trembled with the effort of not moving.
Fortunately Minato didn't seem to notice, his voice interrupting before Akihiko's traitorous hand could fully rebel. "I'll be sure to get some. With cheesy pop bands on them. Brighten things right up."
"I'm glad you finally decided to listen to reason," Akihiko chuckled.
Minato's expression turned graver. He propped his head up on his fist and shook his bangs out of his face. That got rid of Akihiko's distraction, but not his dread of what Minato was planning to say.
"Next time you're concerned about me? Just say so, okay?"
Akihiko sighed. "I’m sorry for pushing. I just wanted you to...pay attention to yourself too." He fought the urge to blush. //That sounded so dorky.//
"I didn’t understand at first. I thought you were…I don’t know - judging me. You unsettled me."
"Yeah, I went about that all wrong, didn’t I?" Akihiko gave an abashed smile.
Minato gasped indignantly. "You took off your gloves! And my *headphones*! And asked me the meaning of life! Of course I was thrown off!"
"I didn’t think you’d admit that anything was wrong, unless I demonstrated it first."
"And all that...subterfuge, with removing my jacket and 'taking advantage of my compliance'? And I repeat, *removing your gloves*??"
Akihiko held out a bare hand to look at it. "I don't know why I took them off. But I was *trying* to make you comfortable, not the opposite."
Minato half rolled his eyes, and shook his head resignedly. "Well, like I said, next time let's just talk."
Akihiko nodded, somewhat ashamed. Not a small part of his shame stemmed from the fact that he'd just avoided having to answer for most of his actions. Minato had *asked* him about removing the jacket and headphones, but miraculously hadn't forced him to address those subjects in his answer. Akihiko was exceedingly grateful for that, as he'd only moments ago realized that he'd unconsciously been taking any excuse to touch Minato. Not having an alternative explanation prepared, the truth could have very easily slipped out of his mouth.
"But just so you know -" Minato sat up to emphasize his words. "The headphones? Are sacred. No touching." Minato's twinkling eyes belied his harsh tone.
"Duly noted," gruffed Akihiko. "My apologies, sir!"
Minato snorted, but then ducked his head in...embarrassment? Akihiko was confused.
"So, um," he said, "this is kinda embarrassing, but I need to use the bathroom."
Akihiko nodded in understanding. "And you can't go downstairs because everyone will be in the lobby."
"And if anyone sees me on my way to the fourth floor, they'll want to know why I went the long way when sick."
"I can go check the lounge on this floor for you, at least," offered Akihiko.
"Yeah, okay." Minato smiled gratefully.
Akihiko couldn't believe that he was already forgiven, when he was the one who'd created these obstacles for Minato. //I don't deserve to keep getting these smiles from him.// He paused before leaving the room and grinned over his shoulder. "Don't go anywhere."
Minato rolled his eyes. "Okay!" he exclaimed with sarcastic enthusiasm.
Clearing the wall at the end of the hallway, Akihiko was pleased to see an empty lounge. He peeked up the stairs, but didn't see anyone.
"Hey senpai!" A loud voice came from behind him. Akihiko just barely suppressed a startled jump.
"Oh, hey Takeba."
"I heard Minato-kun isn't feeling well. That's too bad."
"Yeah..." Akihiko trailed off.
Yukari was looking at him expectantly. Apparently he was supposed to keep talking.
"He, um, texted me! He wanted a drink!" Akihiko strode swiftly over to the vending machine, digging some change out of his pocket and glad to have something to occupy his hands.
"Do you need any help, senpai?"
"No, no. No point in exposing another person to germs, right?" He chuckled awkwardly.
"True." She smiled widely. "You seem to have everything under control. It's so sweet of you to take care of him..." Her smile went a bit melty.
Akihiko grasped at something to change the subject. "Nice to have an evening off though."
Happily, Yukari was pretty easily distracted. She gave a dramatic groan. "Yeah, cuz I have the worst math assignment. Now that I have the whole night, maybe I can actually figure it out."
"Well you go get started!" Akihiko commanded encouragingly.
"Yes sir!" She saluted cheerfully. "Wish me luck!" she cried over her shoulder as she disappeared up the stairs.
Akihiko's shoulders slumped in relief. One SEES member out of the way. He stared menacingly at the down staircase, daring someone else to come up it. "Good," he muttered, when no one did.
He burst back into Minato's room. "Here," he said, thrusting the can at Minato.
"Um, I need the restroom, not more liquid!"
"I told Yukari I was buying you a drink. She...smiled at me funny for taking care of you." He shook his head as if to clear it. "Anyways, she went to do work in her room, so let's get going."
"Upstairs then?"
"Yeah. I'll run interference for you." Minato nodded and followed him out the door.
Click here to continue to part 6.