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They fall into steps that are unison to one another as they approach the dorm, while the sky melds into deeper and deeper shades of blue to signify the day's end. Street lamps cast hazy, golden rays upon the road, the same road their shared dorm looks down on, and forgives the seeping darkness of the night.The silence between the pair silence is mutual, comfortable, at least until Akihiko halts mid walk. his focus is directly onto the pavement before him. Minato slows to a complete stop as well."Senpai?"Minato turns to face the other, concern slightly wearing his features. Akihiko is stood still, fists bunched at this sides.The summer night drones on behind them, bugs releasing final cries amongst the sound of cars rolling in the distance.Minato would have had half a mind to believe his senior had become worn with fury, he is quick to dismiss such when his voice sounds from before him."I don't get it."Minato tilts his head. "you don't get what?"Akihiko actually raises his head so that they both may view one another. His cheeks appear to have a reddish tint about them, (well, they might, Minato cannot properly discern when only ominous yellow rays drape their forms.) Akihiko takes a long moment to respond, before his voice weakly raises up once more. "I used to like hanging out with you."Minato is caught by such a bizarre statement. What has occured to make that so?"Used to?""Well now.. now I feel all tense and on edge."Minato could honestly say he feels the same. Most of his days spend in Akihiko's company are ones in which he as well spends in anxiety, expressed under a burning and secretive adoration for the other.Minato's pulse quickens at realization of the statement, because not only is it mutual, but it appears that he understands it's implications where Akihiko does not. His words are usually well thought before they reach his lips, yet, Minato decides that pensiveness is ill suited for any occurrence but now."You're in love."The lack of debate before articulating speech is liberating, which Minato thinks that perhaps this is how Junpei often feels. In the absence of a reply however, dread carefully seeps into the pit of his stomach. He really did just say that out loud."Love?" Akihiko questions, his voice grows softer at each instance. "This is.. love?" he continues.He merely watches as Akihiko puts pieces together, too shaken to provide any proper response.Akihiko must suddenly process what has been said, his features dressed in only surprise amongst the small gasp he pronounces.He takes a hesitant step forward from where he is stood. The two are not as far apart anymore."I guess it already slipped out, but I'd like to know how you feel."A brief pause interrupts speech."Will you go out with me?"Minato is still incapable of forming words at this point, and instead settles for reaching for his senior’s hand. He loops smaller, uncalloused fingers through the other's. (If anyone believed Akihiko was easy to rile, they had probably not met with Minato properly, for the action alone sets a flame to his skin.) He onlooks their intertwined palms for a moment, composes himself, and mumbles a quick affirmative.Before much awkward realization may properly settle between the couple, Akihiko embraces Minato. it's sudden, and he's holding Minato much too tight for it to be comfortable, but all is forgiven by the boxer's intentions. Minato's stomach stirs. It stirs in only a way that resonates with the deep affection looming in the air. He feels loved.Akihiko draws back after what feels to be a quick moment."Oh, uh.. sorry.” Both larger palms are removed from Minato's form, and instead rest behind the senior’s head so he may rub his neck in an abashed manner.They remain outside and bask in each other's presence till the dark hour melds unto.
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Most of their time together is spent in a mutual silence, however not one that feels to be awkward. Akihiko tends to the numerous fitness equipment dispersed around the room as Minato-- who has apparently forgotten any appeal of engrossing in his studies, lay stomach up across the senior's bed.He watches said senior flit about, whilst the room spans entirely upside down. Akihiko pauses, and looks him directly in the eyes. He squints. "Your face is getting red, don't hang like that." His tone is akin to that of a mother of four.Minato's laziness grows apparent, for he merely grunts in acknowledgement of the warning. On top of such, he remains still.Akihiko crosses the room, halts in front of where the blue mop of hair lay, and gently places a supporting palm under his head. Minato makes no effort to help him lift."Sit up." Minato raises neither his head or body. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?"Somehow, the air of annoyance is enough to move him from his reign of indifference, to which he huffs a silent giggle. Akihiko raises an eyebrow. "You looking for a laugh?" Minato's level of amusement ranks aside of his laughter-- he doesn't actually respond.Akihiko reaches his free hand out and prods a finger into his junior's side. The movement draws an abnormal squeal from him, he folds into himself to block any more tickling from occurring.Akihiko joins Minato on the bed to gain vantage.Soon enough, Minato lay under Akihiko, both arms pinned in some manner, and he pleads mercies with labored breath. Akihiko does not relent. He sweeps His fingers across his junior’s stomach and does not relent, mostly due to their shared laughter. The event entirely reminds him of something him and Miki would partake in.The older of the two seems to pause with that thought. His eyes rake over the boy rested below him, who's shirt has ridden up significantly, and his hair, which rests unusually so that it exposes the other side of his face. On top of such, his cheeks are slightly red to accommodate for the manner in which his chest rises. Each feature sets a buzz into his blood and settles somewhere in his stomach, a fluttery feeling. He likes that feeling just as much as the rush he gets from boxing.He guesses it’s love, or something akin to it."Aki?"Akihiko comes to the realization that he's just been staring down Minato, and utters a quick apology alongside releasing the wrists he had captured in his own hands. Now released palms reach for Akihiko’s face, and despite their weak grip, hold him in place. Minato makes direct eye contact.Shortly after, he is leaning up. He connects their lips in a gentle manner. Akihiko instinctually responds, he merely presses into the kiss.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
When Minato wakes, he finds that his reentrance into reality is accompanied by an extreme sense of panic that reverberates through his entire body, the sort of sense that sends him scrambling to toss the sheets away from himself. Immediately after becoming free, he stumbles through the darkness of his room where he paws at the wall in utmost urgency for the light switch. The light eventually blinks on.He’s briefly glad that it is not the dark hour, thinking so as he nervously watches the just barely working light. It flickers several instances before settling itself. Content, Minato slides down the wall until he finds himself in a crouched position directly under the switch. Another nightmare, he notes, which accompanies him into reality through the sensation of his own rapidly thrumming heart and shaking palms.The shaking does become less intense with the light of the dorm looming over him, though the contents of his dream only increase the itch for the particular warmth of his senior’s embrace. He hesitates. He is aware that Akihiko is supposed to have practice after school, and he would hate implementing minuscule issues like a nightmare onto him at... whatever hour of the night.With that, Minato considers the clock for a moment, hung over his desk. One AM, it reads, its hands audibly turning with each passing second. He breathes out a shaky sigh, and stands with final intent to slip into Akihiko’s room despite his personal guilt. Hopefully no one comes looking for him in the morning, specifically Aigis, he thinks, just before dismissing the lights in his room.When he enters Akihiko’s room, regret bleeding through him more than leftover anxiety from his dream, he is surprised to find the other does not immediately jolt awake. For a moment, the idea of shutting his door and instead remaining awake in his own room renders in his head. It fades as soon as Minato hears the door click shut behind him. Too late, he thinks, returning unsteady hands from the knob of the door. He then takes cautious steps towards the boxer’s slumped form, up until he stands over it. Akihiko’s breath comes out even, completely unconscious and equally unaware. Minato offhandedly wonders if Pharos ever felt this nervous before disturbing him at night.He must sit and think about this for a while, because he does not notice when Akihiko’s breathing becomes more particular, nor when both eyes flutter open to peek up at him. Minato is only disrupted from thought when the a quiet laugh sounds, sending him reeling multiple steps backwards. Immediately, his own guilt in concerning Akihiko with his own issues increases tenfold. So he ended up waking him after all.Akihiko reaches a hand out, which grasps at air for a moment in its search for Minato’s hand. A quiet, sleep ridden voice follows afterwards. “What are you doing here?”Minato extends his own hand and lets the limb pull him in. He climbs onto the bed, over Akihiko, and adjacent with the wall. “Nightmare,” he meekly answers, settling himself into the other’s arms.Akihiko stiffens for a moment, Minato feels it. He also feels the other shift his head to peer at him, though he has long buried his head into Akihiko’s chest for his face to be visible. “Did you want to talk about it?” He questions, a hand freeing itself from their embrace to stroke at his skin in a soothing practice.“No,” he mumbles, his ability to speak growing weaker with each moment in the wake of his own exhaustion.“Okay.” Akihiko’s grip tightens around him with the answer, followed by a feather light press of lips to his forehead. When Minato falls asleep again, there is no nightmare to chase him.