Unexpected Fondness┊saiki k x m!oc

nove // chapter nine

• ——— •

Sooner or later, lunch came around. Asher grabbed the little bad he had packed, waiting near the entrance of his classroom for a particular male. He had texted Aren beforehand that he wouldn't be able to eat with the "gang," leaving out the small detail that he'd be spending one-on-one time with Saiki instead.

"Let's go." When the two of them got together, Saiki immediately led them somewhere, and the brunette wasn't hesitant to follow.

Together, they sat outside of the building on one of the many benches around the campus. They were silent as they began eating, the only sound being their chewing and the soft wind that occasionally brushed past. Well, that and Asher's thoughts that were just as open to Saiki as they were to himself.

"I'm sorry," Asher blurted out eventually.

"I know."

"Yeah, but I'm really sorry."

"I get it."

"No, but--" Asher paused to clear his throat, using the moment to somewhat gather his thoughts. "I know it's not very... common for that sort of thing around here. And even if we might not've went all the way in for it, I recognize that I might've made you uncomfortable, and that's the last thing I wanted. I was just-- I knew I would have to be the one to make a move, and.. God, I don't know..."

Saiki clicked his tongue, his eyes pointed in the opposite direction of Asher. "That's not why I reacted like that. I was just taken by surprise, which isn't something I'm used to."

"Huh? Nobody's tried to kiss you before?"

"Well, no. But that's not the point."

"So you aren't mad?" Asher wasn't too focused on whatever the point may be at the moment, he was just relieve that things weren't weird between them.

"I suppose not."

"Thank god..!!" He leaned forward into his knees for a moment, attempting to hide the wide grin on his face. He paid no mind to the tumbling of his food on his lap.

"But," the brunette's excited shivers came to a halt, "Do you like me?"

"Oh- haha." Asher could feel a warmth rise to his neck as he combed through his brown locks. "I mean, I did try to kiss you. You don't just do that to anyone.."

The only response he received was a shrug before going back to enjoying his food.

'That's it? Is he really that unaffected by my confession??'

'I'd rather not deal with that now. Or ever.'

"Uhm, Saiki--"

"Yo, pal! Buddy! Fancy seeing you two here!!"

"Asher, you seriously left me with these idiots for Saiki!?"

"Asher! Saiki!!"

'Dammit..'

'The first time I've ever been a little glad to see them.'

• ——— •

The three boys joined Saiki and Asher for the rest of lunch, causing the two of them to be unable to talk about that anymore, to the pinkette's luck. Aren and Asher walked home together like they typically did. It was silent, but it was to be expected. They didn't always have something to talk about, but that was okay. It was a comfortable silence. Seeing as the two of them were already close enough to be brothers, they've also gained that "sibling's intuition."