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Asking them to sleep after such an incident is impossible, that much is obvious. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t even fathom going to bed, plus, the amount of tea he has stress-drank is absurd. Kasubata won’t fully admit it, but he is grateful for Enishiro’s words, they’ve really calmed him down. Well, as calm as he can get in such a time.
His eyes are practically sewn shut but yet he still cannot sleep. Kasubata can tell that Enishiro is in the same boat as they lay in their own futons trying to will themselves the glory of rest. Their battle with that stupid “cat” –more a dog than anything– was grueling and to add on the kidnapping of his best friend truly has wiped him out. He’s already moved a dozen times, about ready to just sit up and drink more tea. However, just as he’s about to do just that, a hand finds its way around his wrist.
“Hey, Kasubata.”
Enishiro’s voice is hoarse, leave it to him to try crying himself to sleep. The idiot seems to cry over everything when it’s something like this.
“What is it?” Kasubata doesn’t face him, instead finding the sliver of moon that can be seen through the window to be a more interesting thing to gaze at. He can hear the rustling of the other boy’s covers, likely sitting up.
“Besides the whole… Hasumi thing… Which I know we’ll get him back!”
Kasubata snorts at that but doesn’t interrupt.
“But, are you also nervous for when they pinpoint “K’s” location?” Enishiro’s voice slightly wavers and his grasp tightens around Kasubata’s wrist. “I keep overthinking. Sorry.”
With a sigh, he turns to face him. Enishiro’s looking at the floor, the covers, his fingers, anything but at Kasubata directly. The boy’s hair is a mess without its usual headband, not to mention his slightly puffy eyes.
“Don’t think anyone isn’t nervous.” Kasubata says with a shrug. His words make Enishiro’s hand tighten even more so, plus it makes him narrow his eyes at the poor blanket covering him. “You don’t need to apologize for something so normal.”
“It’s just…” Enishiro sighs, he loosens his grip and is about to remove his hand all together before Kasubata grabs it himself. It momentarily stuns him but he speaks his mind regardless, “I’m not like, afraid to die or anything. But still, it’s like everything has gotten reallllly serious and I dunno what to make of it.”
Kasubata clicks his tongue, holding Enishiro’s hand better so that their fingers interlock. It’s a bit awkward, he did it on a whim, but he knows Enishiro feels more comfortable with contact. “You should be afraid to die.” He huffs out, “After all, if you do, I’m beating your corpse to death.”
Enishiro, stunned even further, meets his eyes. Wide grey-ish ones meet Kasubata’s stern dark brown ones. It causes the boy to giggle to himself as he squeezes Kasubata’s hand in contentment.
“You’re right. Sorry sorry!” Enishiro continues to giggle quietly. “Also,” The boy smiles ever so kindly, “sorry for hugging you so forcibly today. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
Such an idiot. Kasubata thinks to himself, taking in Enishiro's sad puppy expression. “As if you could make me uncomfortable, dumbass.” He sighs, "Pardon me.”
“Eh?” The boy frowns, looking even more dejected. “Then why’d you push me off?”
He looks at him, really looks at him, and then turns his gaze to look anywhere else. “Everyone was around, it was embarrassing.” He leaves out the fact that it felt far too intimate. When Enishiro grabbed his face and put his forehead to his, Kasubata seriously thought about dying on the spot.
Enishiro hums, lightly squeezing his hand once more. “So being around everyone was the issue?” He cocks his head to the side in question.
Kasubata meets his gaze in confusion.
“So, since it’s just us. Can I hug you again?” The boy cheekily asks with a matching cheeky grin.
He’s incredibly lucky it’s dark in their room, he knows his face is slowly turning crimson. He tries not to think about it to save face. “Tch, what for? Getting sappy now, are you?”
Without being granted an answer, Enishiro lets go of his hand in order to fully sit onto Kasubata's futon. He chalks it up to being tired, or the fact he’s distracted because of Ren, but he sits still and allows Enishiro to embrace him into a warm and tight hug. Enishiro’s arms wrap snuggly around his neck, burying his face into the crook of Kasubata’s neck. He can feel Enishiro slowly ease up with all the tension that’s in his body.
Almost on instinct, Kasubata embraces him back, wrapping his arms around the other boy’s waist to keep him there. No more words are shared for the moment, it feels like they’re the only two in the world for the time being. It’s extremely comforting, though Kasubata would never voice this opinion out loud.
Enishiro, after a minute or two, fully relaxes into Kasubata’s arms. His shoulders stop being stiff as he leans almost fully onto Kasubata’s chest. Though somehow, this is less intimate than today after their battle.
He almost wishes it were.
He has the urge to mimic the other’s actions and grab him by the face, get close and personal just to feel that closeness. It’s almost like he craves it now that he’s so close. Perhaps it’s just his brain acting weird knowing Ren is in danger. Or –though he won’t admit it either– it could be lingering feelings he’s slowly been realizing.
Almost as if he’s read his mind, Enishiro leans back up and gently cradles Kasubata’s face in his hands. He stares at him, gazes meeting, Enishiro’s looking at him with such a fond look it’s nearly sickening. His thumbs rub small, gentle circles under his eyes. It's nice.
His brain betrays him, his eyes drop just for a split second to look at the other’s lips –not that he’d ever act on such things– before his eyes shoot right back up. Kasubata gulps, sweat building by his brow. He’s not sure what this is, what they’re even doing. What Enishiro is doing. It’s confusing.
“Kasubata…” Enishiro mutters out slowly.
He gives a small nod of acknowledgment.
“I know you’re thinking about… a lot of things…” Enishiro’s hands feel a bit sweaty on his face. “And this isn’t really the right time…”
Kasubata gulps yet again, a bead of sweat rolls down his face, his cheeks reddening even further.
“But could I kiss you?”
It’s absurd to him how much he loves that idea, how much he wants to initiate that contact himself. He’s never been one to care about such things. “Idiot.” Is all he can say as a response, though he does lean just ever so slightly forward, hoping the flamebaiter gets the hint.
Enishiro grins as if he’s just won some sort of prize before he both pulls Kasubata towards him as well as push himself into Kasubata. The very second Enishiro’s lips connect with him, he brings his own hands to grab at Enishiro’s. He’s not sure why, just another point of contact. He wants the other somehow even closer than they already are.
The kiss is rather nice, Kasubata finds himself sinking into the feeling, sinking into Enishiro’s hold. The flamebaiter’s lips are slightly chapped and feel like they’ve been bitten at, and that’s all he can tell before the kiss ends. Enishiro pulls back, quickly giving Kasubata’s nose a peck before letting his head fall right onto his shoulder.
“Sorry.” Enishiro mumbles into Kasubata’s shirt. “It’s so selfish of me.”
He blinks in confusion but remains silent, unsure of what to say all he can do is move his hands back to hold the other boy.
“Here you are losing sleep about your best friend and I’m here wanting your attention. Sorry.” His voice sounds so guilty, everything about Enishiro just screams guilt.
Kasubata huffs, pushing the other back just enough so he can flick the flamebaiter’s dumbass forehead. “You fuckin’ moron.” He coughs out a small, “Excuse me.” Before continuing, “If I was worried about something dumb like that, I would’ve pushed you off from the get-go.”
“Are you sure?” There’s that sad puppy look again.
“Dumbass. Quit the worrying!” Kasubata flicks him yet again in the forehead, Enishiro winces with a small sound of pain. “Now get up, we both can’t sleep so let’s go train instead.”
That sure gets Enishiro to change his tune, suddenly he’s all happy as he lets go of Kasubata completely and shoots to his feet. “Oh-kay~”
Kasubata silently thanks a god he doesn’t truly believe in that Enishiro can write this off. It means he gets to actually explore his deep rooted –and heavily pushed back– feelings and give an answer to it another time. For now, they can train until they pass out and forget about this small heat-of-the-moment.