The old, wooden kitchen ladder creaks threateningly when Hokuto steps down to marvel at his evening's work. As he planned, the fairy lights he found at a thrift store look great around the walls when hung up together with golden tinsel garland. The soft yellow lights make the tinsel glimmer like a billion stars around the café.
It took him almost two hours to hang the tinsel and lights on the walls, and as he looks around the room, he rolls his shoulders to stretch out the stiffness that came from continuously reaching up for that long.
For the customer tables, he stuffed loose bunches of the same tinsel garland into recycled glass jars. He has even taped some tinsel to the backside of the coffee machine, and spent his lunch hour well by meticulously hand-picking a playlist full of all the prettiest Christmas carols.
Finally finished, he switches off the lights, carries the kitchen ladder into the back room, and changes into his casual clothes. His white apron is stained with coffee and chocolate, and something red that might be cranberry syrup, so he rolls it up into his backpack for laundry. As he locks the doors and turns to walk towards the metro station, his phone vibrates in the pocket of his winter coat.
Hokuto glances at the screen and frowns. He doesn’t recognize the number, and why would anyone call him at half past ten in the night, anyway? For a moment he considers ignoring the call, but he taps the green button after all.
"Help me," someone whimpers as soon as the call connects. "I don't know where I am." The caller is a young man, but Hokuto doesn't recognize the voice for anyone he knows.
"He- he threw me out-" The man continues. His voice is slurred like he's drunk, and about to burst into tears. "He took me home and tried to- But I didn't want to, I said no and he- I wouldn't let him and he- He kicked me out and- I don't know where I am and it's cold and-"
"Hey, now," Hokuto says quickly as soon as the man takes a breath. "Wait a second. What's your name?"
"What? I'm Juri! It's me, can't you- why are you asking? Fuma?"
The man's terrified distress is obvious, and as Hokuto walks ahead, he makes sure to speak very slowly, in a low voice that he hopes is as soothing as he has sometimes been told it is.
"Your name is Juri, huh? Who are you trying to call?"
"My friend Fuma," Juri sniffles.
"Alright. Listen, Juri. You've got the wrong number. You don't have this Fuma guy's number saved in your phone?"
"M'phone's battery died. This is a pay phone."
"Can you try calling him again? Do you have enough money for that?"
"Yeah," Juri mumbles, "'m sorry to disturb you."
"Don't worry about that," Hokuto assures him. "I'll hang up now so you can call your friend. Take care."
Juri hangs up before Hokuto can, and he sighs when he puts his phone away. Poor guy. It must be scary to be lost while being so drunk. Hopefully he gets the number right the next time and his friend answers him. What if he doesn’t, though?
Maybe it was a mistake to end the call, Hokuto thinks restlessly, but it's too late now. Can't call back to a pay phone.
At the next crossroad a freezing gust of wind hits him. He shivers and pushes his bare hands into the pockets of his jacket. It was stupid of him to forget his gloves in the morning. It's not snowing but it might as well be, with how frosty the air smells.
It would be dreadful to be lost in such a night. Hokuto remembers one night much like that from years ago, but it was in summer, and he actually managed to reach his friend back then despite being drunk as a skunk. He never was in any real danger, but it was still awful and scary.
Is that guy, Juri, even properly dressed for the weather? He said he was cold, and that someone threw him out when he- What did he say?
Hokuto shivers of another kind of cold as Juri's words come back to him. Fuck, did that other guy- and Hokuto let Juri off the phone just like that. Guilt and anxiety grope at the bottom of his stomach, and he prays to all the gods he knows that Juri manages to contact his friend and gets home safe.
Let him be okay, Hokuto thinks as he strides towards the metro station. Let him be safe. He sounded so desperate, and very, very drunk. Let him be okay.
His phone vibrates again. He fumbles it out of the pocket of his jeans, and relief floods on him like a warm bath as he recognizes the same, unsaved number on his screen.
"Juri? Is that you?" he gasps into the phone.
"Fuma?" Juri's voice is small and hesitant.
"No, I’m- you called me again."
"Fuck, I'm so sorry." Now, the guy is actually sniffling. "I- I tried to call him. But I don't remember- I thought this was his number! I'm so sorry to disturb-"
"Stop it," Hokuto says firmly, and the line falls silent. "You're gonna be okay. I'll help you, alright?"
"Why?"
"Because you're lost and you can't remember your friend's number. My name is Hokuto. I'll help you."
"Hi, Hokuto," Juri says miserably, and Hokuto smiles at him softly, even though Juri can't see him through the phone.
"So, for starters, what city are you calling from?"
"Tokyo."
"Great, I'm in Tokyo, too. Where were you when you last knew your location?"
"I- I met my Tinder date at the Ikebukuro station. We went to a bar and- after that we took a taxi to his place but I don't know where-"
"Alright. Look around. Are there any shops or restaurants nearby? Anything you can see the name of?"
He stops and waits, turning his back against the wind so it doesn't hit him in the face and listening carefully to hear Juri’s quiet words.
"There's a convenience store at the end of the street. And, wait... Ikeda dental clinic."
Hokuto sets his phone on speaker and quickly searches with the map app. There are about twenty dental clinics with the name Ikeda all around the Greater Tokyo Area, but only two of them are anywhere near Ikebukuro, and just one is on the same street with a convenience store. He checks the nearest metro stations, and starts walking again. He can already see the lights of the entrance.
"Listen, Juri. I think I know where you are. I'll take the metro and be there in about fifteen minutes. Go wait in the convenience store, it's warm in there. I can't call you back, so if I don't find you in half an hour, come to the phone booth to call me again. Do you understand?"
"I understand," Juri says slowly, sounding tired and weepy, and Hokuto very much doesn't want to let him go off the phone. But Juri will at least be inside at the convenience store, even though the people working there might not approve of him if he looks as drunk as he sounds.
"Go to the convenience store. I'll see you soon!" Hokuto repeats, almost running down the stairs of the metro station when Juri hangs up again. As he slams his smartcard on the reader at the gates, he gets a vague suspicion that he might be overly dramatic. He brushes the doubtful thoughts away. It’s better to worry over someone’s safety too much rather than too little, isn’t it? Even when the other person is a complete stranger, right?
Please let him be okay. Please let him be there.
Hokuto takes the metro, transfers to another line and, after finding the correct exit, jogs the rest of the way to where the place his map app guides him. The screen of his phone shines too bright in the shadowy stretches that spread between the dim street lamps, but he doesn’t stop to fix it.
Finally, there is the convenience store, and as he strides inside-
"Sir, you should go home now, or I will have to call the police." On the left from the doors is the small table by which customers may eat their quick meals. There's a man sitting there, head resting on his crossed arms like he has fallen asleep. Next to him there is a middle-aged lady wearing the blue-and-white striped shirt of the store chain. She is frowning at the man but her voice isn't exactly unfriendly, just firm and frustrated.
"Juri!" Hokuto calls, hoping very, very much that the man is, indeed, Juri.
"Mmh?" the man mumbles, tilts his head and squints at Hokuto. That's enough of a confirmation for him, and he quickly bows to the lady.
"I'm very sorry, ma'am. He's my friend. We lost him in the crowd at the station. Thank you for taking care of him!" He turns to grab Juri's shoulders and gently shakes him. "Come on, Juri. Let's go home."
"You shouldn't let him drink so much," the lady says reproachfully, and shakes her head. "It's so cold outside, he could have frozen to death."
Yet here you just were, asking him to leave, Hokuto thinks crisply, but keeps it to himself.
"Thank you, ma'am," he repeats and pulls the reluctant Juri up on his feet. "Let's go, mate."
Juri is wearing a jacket, but not any gloves, hat, or a scarf, and his sneakers and socks leave his ankles bare against the cold. They better get going to the station. Juri is able to stand without support, but he looks dizzy and can't walk a straight line. Hokuto half walks, half drags him down to the metro tunnel, and drops him on the first bench he finds. He sits next to Juri and leans closer so he can speak in a low voice. It's a small station and there aren't many people around at this hour, but even those few don’t need to know how wasted Juri is.
"Do you have any family or other friends you could call? Anyone whose number you'd remember? You can use my phone."
Juri looks up at Hokuto and his eyes widen like he has only now actually seen him. His mouth drops open as he stares at Hokuto.
"Juri? Did you-"
"You're the prettiest guy I've ever seen."
It's so sudden, and so stupidly sincere that Hokuto feels his cheeks heat up under Juri's dazzled scrutiny. Juri isn't bad-looking himself. In fact, he is rather hot in his leather jacket and tight jeans. He has golden rings in both his ears, and his hair is dyed to warm dark brown. And, well. Excluding the way how his eyes are bleary with alcohol, they are very nice eyes indeed.
Hokuto takes a deep breath. Focus.
"Thanks. Did you hear my question? Any family in Tokyo? Friends?"
When his words register, Juri looks down at his hands in his lap, blinking hard.
"I'm- I'm not out to them."
His whisper makes Hokuto's heart ache because he knows how that feels like, even though his family and close friends have already known for years.
"You don't need to tell them, it's alright. You can just say it was a girl who-"
Juri shakes his head vehemently, looking distraught enough that Hokuto drops it right away.
"Alright, alright, you don't need to. But that guy you wanted to call, Fuma. He knows, then? Do you remember where he lives?"
Juri takes a couple shallow, shaky breaths, looking dizzy. "I don't remember the address. Haven't visited his new-" he sways on his seat and Hokuto only catches him because he falls towards him instead of the other direction. He helps Juri sit up again, bitterly aware that a couple passers-by sniff at their direction with overflowing contempt. In his head, he wishes the old hags to fuck off.
"Let's get you on your feet, Juri. We're going to my place."
His words make Juri jolt up, fear in his tired eyes. "We're not- you're not gonna-"
Again, Hokuto's chest aches for Juri and for how fucked up this situation is.
"I'm not gonna touch you like that. I'll help you to my home, and you can sleep in my bed. I'm sleeping on the couch. You're safe, Juri. I promise," he adds in the end even though he doesn't know if such a promise means anything to Juri right now.
Juri makes an attempt to square his shoulders, and it's painfully obvious how desperately he is trying to gather himself and focus on Hokuto to judge if it is safe to trust him even though his head must be swimming and he looks ready to either throw up or pass out.
"Here," Hokuto finally says and offers Juri his own phone. "Now you have the phone and I don’t. You can call 110 for help if anything happens."
Juri looks at the phone and slowly reaches over to take it.
"Put it in your pocket, and we'll go. We don't want to miss the last trains."
The phone seems to make Juri feel safe enough, as he stands up with Hokuto's help and allows himself to be escorted into the train. As soon as they find a seat and sit down side by side, Juri is out like a light. Hokuto inches close enough to him that their sides are pressed together, holding his arms crossed so that he can covertly grab Juri's sleeve into his fist and hang on it in order to keep him upright without anyone noticing.
He doesn’t need to worry over Juri falling to his other side; at the first bigger curve of the rails Juri slumps against him instead, nearly falling face first to his lap. Hokuto pulls and nudges him up so that Juri's head is at least resting comfortably against his shoulder, and lets him be. It's not a long ride but some sleep might help Juri clear his head.
Sleep does not clear Juri's head. If anything, he is even more disoriented than be was before when Hokuto gently shakes him awake a minute before they need to get off the train.
"Lemme sl'p," Juri groans and snuggles closer, hiding his face against Hokuto’s neck and refusing to open his eyes.
"Our stop is next, Juri," Hokuto murmurs into his ear. This close, he can feel the faint scent of Juri’s fragrance. It’s sweet and somehow fits him perfectly. Nice. Focus. The train stops, and Hokuto promptly yanks Juri on his feet as soon as the doors open.
Getting Juri up the metro escalator and walking him a few hundred meters to Hokuto's apartment is, honestly, an ordeal. Juri is exhausted, weepy, and, as it turns out, extremely cuddly.
"You're so warm," Juri splutters, rubbing his cheek against Hokuto's shoulder, and Hokuto's grasp on him only holds because Juri is skinny enough that Hokuto's arm reaches almost completely around his waist. "And sweet. Can I kiss you?"
Hokuto almost drops Juri down the stairs.
"Don't be ridiculous," he snaps, hauling Juri up the last steps and trying to find his keys from his pocket. "You cannot consent to anything at this state. And like half an hour ago you were terrified that I might take advantage of you."
"But you weren't a creep," Juri mumbles, both his words and his legs faltering. "You're so nice. And kissing is not sex."
Hokuto shoves Juri in through his apartment door and lets out a deep sigh now that they're finally inside.
"You can kiss me in the morning if you still want to," he grumbles, way too tired for shit like this. Juri was so much easier to handle when he was lost and miserable. He kicks his shoes off at the genkan and helps Juri do the same before making him sit at the small table standing in the middle of his single-room apartment.
“Drink this,” he says, pours a glass of gold barley tea from the fridge and leaves the pitcher on the table. “I'll get you something to sleep in."
First, he makes a detour in the bathroom, leaving the bath tub to fill itself. He doesn't dare offer Juri a bath - Juri would probably drown if left to his own, and supervising him through the bath sure as hell doesn't agree with his promise to not do anything improper. Hokuto himself though - he has deserved his daily hot bath tenfold. Next, he rummages through his cupboard.
His sweatpants are a bit loose on Juri, but they stay up well enough when Juri tightens the string on the waist. The oversize t-shirt looks like it was made for Juri, and Hokuto chuckles. Some people just manage to be attractive even when wearing an old, holey rag of a shirt and shabby sweats.
"Another glass of tea," Hokuto orders while he puts a clean pillowcase on one of the decorative pillows from his couch. He doesn't bother changing the rest of the sheets. It's not like Juri will notice where he sleeps, anyway. Hokuto throws his own pillow to the couch, and leads Juri to the bed as soon as he is finished with the tea.
"I'll leave the pitcher and the glass on the nightstand, and some painkillers too. Take them in the morning," he orders when Juri crawls in between the sheets and curls up to his side. Hokuto is just about to turn around when Juri grabs his wrist and looks up at him. Hokuto raises his brows and swallows.
"Thank you," Juri murmurs, and Hokuto smiles at him helplessly. Surely Juri’s eyes should have no business being so soft and pretty.
"You're welcome," he says. "Good night. Wake me up if you need anything." Juri nods, closes his eyes, and falls asleep within seconds.
Hokuto watches him for a while, then goes to get the pile of clothes that Juri left on the floor. He folds everything neatly at the end of the bed and takes both Juri’s phone and his own from Juri's pockets. He plugs Juri’s phone on a charger before checking his own new messages. There is one from Shintaro.
So I'll stop by in the morning, ok?
Hokuto taps him a quick message.
Don't come kicking the door too early. I rescued a lost kitten. He's probably gonna sleep late.
Shintaro's answer arrives before Hokuto can even put down his phone.
A what? he asks, accompanied with an emoji of a surprised cat.
Hokuto glances at the bed where only a tuft of brown hair is visible from under the sheets, and goes to take his bath. Afterwards, he makes sure to leave both his phone and Juri’s in the middle of the table so Juri can see them if he wakes up before Hokuto.
* * *
Shintaro hammers Hokuto’s door at exactly seven o’clock. Awaken from deep sleep, Hokuto squints at the door and sighs, forcing himself to sit up. He yawns and rubs his eyes with his palm when he tiptoes across the room.
“Which part of ‘don’t come too early’ was unclear to you?” he asks in a low voice as he opens the door.
Shintaro flashes a disarming grin and pushes his hands into the pockets of his extremely warm-looking woolen coat. “Couldn’t help it. My mum said they’d come pick me up at ten, so. Gotta pack my stuff before that.”
Hokuto raises a brow. “At ten. Today.”
“Yeah, so. If you don’t mind?”
Hokuto goes over to the cupboard to fetch his carry-on suitcase from the lowest shelf, and glances over his shoulder just in time to see Shintaro hovering above his bed, studying Juri with great curiosity.
“Stop it,” he hisses, “You’ll scare him if he wakes up!”
Shintaro backs away with raised hands but there’s a twinkle in his eye and a lopsided smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
“Quite a kitten, huh? Very much your type, too.”
“Quit it. He was drunk and lost, and tried to call his friend but called me instead. Twice. I couldn’t just- I had to help, okay?” Hokuto sighs, walking over and handing Shintaro the empty suitcase.
“Help,” Shintaro says pointedly, nodding slowly. “Right.”
“I didn’t sleep with him!” Hokuto snaps, and runs his fingers through his hair. “Sorry. I’m tired. What little I know, his date turned out to be a rapey asshole who threw him out into the night when he wouldn’t put out.”
Shintaro’s eyes widen. “Shit. Sorry, man. Did the bastard-”
“I’m not sure. I don’t think he did? But, yeah. Couldn’t leave him.”
How Juri is still peacefully sleeping through all this noise is beyond Hokuto’s understanding, but he is thankful. Juri doesn’t need to hear this conversation, anyway.
“Yeah, I get it,” Shintaro says, much more softly now that he’s not trying to tease the shit out of Hokuto. “You did the right thing.”
Thankful for the validation, Hokuto smiles at him meekly. Shintaro switches the suitcase from one hand to another and places the freed hand on the door handle, ready to go. “And say hi to your grandma for me? Tell her I miss her gyoza like mad.”
“You should come along sometime,” Shintaro says and winks at him. “Like you used to, remember.”
“That was about a century ago,” Hokuto snorts, “but, yeah. I’d like to. Have a safe trip!”
Shintaro waves a hand and leaves with the borrowed suitcase. Hokuto inhales deeply the fresh, cool air that poured in through the door when it was opened, and turns to look at Juri. It’s barely ten past seven still, but even though he isn’t going to get any sleep this morning, he should probably let Juri sleep some more.
“Thank you for not leaving me.”
“What?”
Juri pushes the duvet away from his face and looks up at him. He looks terribly exhausted but is definitely awake.
“Sorry. I figured it’d be less awkward for you guys if you thought I was asleep. I already woke up at his knocking on the door, and then you started talking.”
Hokuto flops down to the edge of his couch, replaying his and Shintaro’s conversation in his head and feeling more and more embarrassed by the second.
“I didn’t mean to-” he starts, and realizes too late he doesn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry. You really didn’t need to hear all that.”
Juri drags himself up into a sitting position and scratches his own neck, looking about as awkward as Hokuto feels. His hair sticks up in every direction and there are dark shadows under his eyes, but he still manages to look adorable, nested in the middle of Hokuto’s beddings.
“I know. But I did hear you, so. Thank you, anyway.” Juri leans his head down so he can rub his temples with his fingertips.
"The painkillers," Hokuto reminds him. "On the nightstand."
Juri takes the pill with a wry smile. "Thanks. Again."
Hokuto smiles, too. "Really, don't worry about it. I'm just glad I could help.” He hesitates before continuing, but he has to ask, just to make sure Juri won’t be in the need of any medical or legal help.
“Are you all right? I mean, you said he wanted to do things and you wouldn’t let him- um. So he didn’t-”
"He didn’t rape me," Juri quickly confirms, his expression turning sour. "Though, it wasn't due to any decency from his side. He was just afraid of the consequences. He couldn’t keep his dirty paws to himself so I told him I sent a photo of him to my friend, and that I wouldn't hesitate to go to the police even if that meant announcing my gayness to the whole station full of officers. I guess he had counted on me being too ashamed to tell anyone."
Hokuto tilts his head and pulls his feet up to the couch so he's sitting cross-legged. The floor is cold. "Had you actually taken a photo?"
Juri chuckles. "I hadn't. I don't think he really believed I had, either, but I guess he didn't want to take the risk. So he threw me out. And then I found out my phone had died. I guess I panicked."
Juri's eyes land on his phone on the table, and they widen round when he notices the charging cord still attached to it.
"Fuck. You're- thank you."
Juri sounds sincerely touched, and that's when Hokuto decides they're done with the sorrys and thankyous and the whole awkward now what? -atmosphere. He stands up, puts on on a pair of slippers and turns to the kitchen corner, starting to make breakfast for the both of them.
“Hygiene, then food,” he announces. “There’s a clean towel hanging on the bathroom wall. The blue one. You may use whatever products I have in there.” Juri, thankfully, doesn’t stand on ceremony and quietly slips into the bathroom.
Hokuto cooks them rice, eggs, and vegetables and listens to the splashing of water. It’s weirdly comfortable, somehow. They don’t even know each other but somehow he doesn’t feel like there is a stranger taking a shower in his bathroom.
When Juri comes out, he’s put the sweatpants and t-shirt back on. Hokuto smiles at the frying pan. For some reason he is glad about the clothes. Juri looks much cozier this way than he would with his own tight jeans and sparkly shirt from the previous night.
Juri sits down by the table and uses one hand to rub his hair with the towel while switching on his phone with the other. Then he taps a couple messages to whoever has tried to reach him. Maybe it's the friend he was trying to call last night?
"Your name’s Hokuto, right?" Juri suddenly asks.
"Yeah. Matsumura Hokuto, but don't you dare call me by the family name. We're past that after I've saved your ass and called you Juri from the miserable beginning."
"Tanaka," Juri says, "But, yeah. Just Juri's fine." He taps his phone some more. "And, uh. Where are we?"
Hokuto glances over his shoulder. "My address is on the electricity bill on the table. And if you want to take a picture of me and send it to that Fuma guy, that's fine, too."
Juri gawks at him. "How did you-"
Hokuto shrugs and starts to gather tableware from the kitchen cupboard. "Just a guess. You wanted to call him last night. Makes sense that you'd want to let him know your whereabouts now, too. And," he adds as he spreads the plates and utensils on the table, "you said you weren't out to your family. So I figured they aren’t the ones hearing this story.”
Juri's sad smile is a telltale sign of Hokuto having hit the nail.
"Yeah, that. I don't know how they'd react so I just let them think whatever they think." After a while he frowns, seeming to remember something. "What did your friend mean by me being your type?"
It's Hokuto's turn to smile wryly. "Never mind him. It's just that-" He pauses, helplessly gesturing at Juri with both his hands and trying very hard to look admiring and respectful rather than slimy and harassing. “Well. You are.”
“Oh.” Juri puts his elbows on the table and rests his chin on his hands. He looks thoughtful but not particularly creeped out, and promptly accepts the food Hokuto puts on his plate.
“Okay, so. I’m just going to ask,” he starts after a while of munching down the rice. “He thought we slept together. You like dudes too?”
“And girls,” Hokuto says honestly, sensing the seriousness beneath Juri’s light tone. “Anyone who piques my interest, really.”
Juri smiles. “Cool. And your family?”
“They know. I came out to them right after I had graduated from high school. Told my closest friends that time, too. Shintaro’s been a pest since then.” Hokuto nods towards the door, indicating Shintaro to be the friend from earlier. “Whenever he thinks some guy is hot - you know, in his extremely straight perception - he’ll try to hook me up with them.”
Juri laughs at that, and Hokuto feels pleasantly warm. Juri’s laugh is bright and sincere, and it rings in Hokuto’s ears for a long time afterwards.
As they eat, Juri tells him more about his date which had seemed quite alright in the beginning but started to go downhill as soon as the other guy got drunk. Together they take great delight in bashing the asshole so creatively and comprehensively that his ears must be burning with hellfire. Juri seems to be great with words, able to come up with such clever insults that Hokuto keeps bursting into uncontrollable giggles.
It’s so easy to talk to Juri. It’s not that they’ve broken the ice by being honest to each other - it’s more like there never was any ice to be broken in the first place.
“So, yeah. He’s a dick,” Juri finishes empathetically and stabs his last piece of omelet with such vehemence that Hokuto has to ask again, just to be sure.
“Are you all right? I mean, I heard what you said about what happened, but. How are you feeling and so on?“
Juri’s brows rise high up for a second, then his eyes soften again as he smiles at Hokuto.
“I’m good. Honestly, being lost without a phone upset me more than that slimeball once I was out of there. But thanks for asking.”
Hokuto grins back at him. “Maybe you should save my number, too? You know, in case you ever need me to save you again. Just keep your phone charged.”
Juri blinks at him, then laughs aloud. “Smooth,” he snickers, but the look in his eyes makes the bottom of Hokuto’s stomach flutter with tiny butterflies.
“Shut up and do it,” he says and stands up to clean up the table so he gets an excuse to look away.
When the both of them change into their daytime clothes, Hokuto carefully stands his back towards Juri so he can’t peek. But he hears the noises of Juri pulling on his jeans and buckling his belt and- well. He’s glad Juri can’t read his thoughts.
Juri lingers at the door when he is fully dressed and ready to go. He has already thanked Hokuto several times more, but he still looks like he wants to say something. Hokuto stands by the edge of the genkan and waits, wishing Juri could stay just a moment longer.
Standing at the genkan Juri is a good ten centimeters lower than Hokuto, and thus has to look up at him even though Hokuto is only slightly taller. There is a hint of a smile playing in the corner of his mouth but his eyes are somehow intense, and- Hokuto swallows. Juri looks so damn hopeful, standing there with his hands loosely hanging in the pockets of his leather jacket.
“Last night,” Juri says slowly, “I asked if I could kiss you. You said I could if I still wanted to do it in the morning. Did you mean it?”
The butterflies in Hokuto’s stomach go haywire as his heart skips a beat or two.
“I did.” His mouth feels dry and his voice comes out like a breathy gasp. Juri’s face spreads into a proper smile as he reaches over to place his hand on Hokuto’s neck and pull him closer. Hokuto loses his balance and stumbles down, practically throwing himself into Juri’s arms. It’s an honest accident but Hokuto cannot complain when Juri’s both arms wrap around his waist. Juri’s laughter is bright with delighted surprise, but he doesn’t let go even when Hokuto has regained his footing. Instead, he presses their lips together, and Hokuto easily melts into his eager warmth.
The kiss is slow and long, and not shy at all. It’s gentle and determined at the same time, and tastes like hello there handsome and thank you and and don’t stop. Hokuto loves the way he can smell his own shampoo on Juri’s hair, and the low, pleased sounds that Juri makes when Hokuto nibbles on his lower lip- well. He really, really doesn’t want Juri to leave.
Juri, too, takes his time before finally stepping backwards. His chest is moving up and down a bit faster than it normally would, and there is a wonderfully adorable pink flush on his cheeks when he opens the door and steps outside. There he takes his phone and after a few taps Hokuto's phone vibrates on the table behind him.
“Now you have my number. Invite me for a coffee or something, if you want. I will say yes. You really are the prettiest guy I’ve ever met.”
Once Juri is gone, Hokuto spends a whole total of two minutes pondering whether it would be ridiculous to text Juri right away or if he should wait for a day or two. In the end he decides he doesn’t want to play any stupid games. He writes the message and sends it right away.
Do you like Nepalese food? I know a good place.
Juri’s answer arrives almost immediately. Sure! Tomorrow at six?
Hokuto taps back an affirmative and chuckles quietly. The butterflies in his stomach seem to have no intention of calming down. And Shintaro will be absolutely thrilled about the news.