' YOU'RE INSENSITIVE, BUT HE'LL FORGIVE YOU ANYWAY '
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Asher and Saiki saw each other against the following day. The brunette had fallen asleep once more with the comfort of his crush next to him, and Saiki had woken up not too long afterward. He was lucky he had woken up so soon. Not only would he had turned Asher to stone, but the brunette was close to crushing him with his entire body.
They've been in class for a few hours now, and the two of them were now in their open period. He was currently talking with Aren, Kaidou, and Nendou before he went off to look for Saiki. Their conversation was short and nothing worth remembering, honestly.
He noticed Saiki standing close to the entrance of the classroom as he began to make his way out. He approached from behind slowly, wanting to snoop in whatever conversation he was having before interjecting. What can he say, he was a curious guy:
'Is that Teruhashi and Imu? I never that he'd give either of them the time of day.'
'Me neither.'
Asher clicked his tongue, and Saiki turned to look at him. He's been caught! The pink haired man had to hold back the small smirk from Asher's jealousy.
"I have something to do. I'll be back."
"Can't I come with you?"
"I'd rather you not." Saiki began to walk off, turning around once more when he heard Asher's footsteps echoing his own. "I'll be quick. Stay."
Talking to Asher like a dog worked surprisingly well, his imaginary ears drooping as his master made his way to whatever secret meeting he had. Asher wasn't the most obedient person, he'd say, because as soon as Saiki turned a corner he made his move. 'What's he gotta do that so fucking secretive..?'
The brunette "secretly" trailed a few feet behind Saiki, away from class and down a few hallways, leading to one that was completely empty. He waited behind a corner, spying Imu walking down the same hall Saiki was walking into. Although it felt a bit sketchy, it was Saiki they were talking about.
'This feels oddly planned...'
'Well, it was on my end.'
"Saiki! Can I talk with you?" When the blonde had caught eye of his pink hair, she rushed towards him. "Um.. do you have a girlfriend?"
The eavesdropper's eyebrows rose to his hairline. 'Oh my god, what is happening?'
Saiki shook his head. He shook his head quickly, almost too quickly... It was giving desperate. (Saiki rolled his eyes at this thought.)
"Oh! So.. how do you feel about,, me?"
He gave her a thumbs up. Asher had to bite his tongue to hold back his laughter. He knew the guy didn't like to talk, but that was hilarious.
"Even more than Teruhashi!?"
Saiki's thumb haltered for a moment, slowly falling over to point down. As it went down, Imu's mood went with it; Saiki shot his thumb back upwards.
Asher couldn't hear her mental dialogue, but he could read it all over her face. The sparkles that flew around her as she felt as if she finally felt she beat Teruhashi, the manga panels that scrolled by as she gave her inner monologue. The way her face slowly turned to disbelief as she went red looking at Saiki.
'Un-fucking-believable.'
"Then Saiki.. do you think... maybe we could..." she struggled to get her words out, hands bunched together in front of her as she looked anywhere but the boy. She then turned suddenly, making a run for it. "Nevermind, sorry to bother you!!!"
Saiki looked shocked as she ran off. That might've been the most expressive he's ever been. He pulled his head away from the corner, resting his back against the wall. He wasn't too sure why he stayed for so long. Jealousy had quickly filled his body and uncomfortably clawed at his throat. He knew Saiki was popular, but watching it before his two eyes was a bit much. A frown had found his face before he knew it.
Before he could make his grand escape, a voice called out to him.
"I told you to stay."
Asher's eyebrows almost became a unibrow with how close he pushed them together. ".. I was curious."
"Haven't you heard 'curiosity killed the cat'?"
"Well, satisfaction brought it back, so fuck you," his tone rose quickly, becoming angrier than he would've liked. His eyes were directed to their shoes.
"Well? Are you?"
"Huh?"
"Are you satisfied?"
Usually Asher preferred Saiki's impudent tone and questions, but this had been way different. It felt less like he was being teased or more like made fun of. He was more sensitive than people may realize.
"What the hell, Saiki. Don't ask me dumbass questions, you know how I feel—"
Saiki leaned his head to the side, his eyes slightly squinted together. "Do I, though?"
As much as Asher said he loved Saiki's sassiness, now was not the time..! He squinted his eyes back at Saiki, frown never wavering. "The least you could do is respect my fuckin' feelings. I mean, of course I don't like that you're.. like... like, you're flirting with girls 'n stuff—!"
"Why does it matter?" Saiki shrugged his shoulders. "It's not like we're dating in the first place."
What an asshole. For the first time he's known Saiki, a distaste spread through his mouth and down his chest. "Yeah, go fuck yourself." He stuffed his sweaty palms into the pockets of his pants, walking off to cool his head.
Maybe Saiki should have been a bit more considerate.
• ——— •
Luckily enough for Asher, the week came and went and it was not their weekend. The awkward vibe between Saiki and Asher disturbed everyone around them, and he needed some time to think and hopefully get over whatever he was going through. Aren and Kaidou had made some time to come over to the brunette's house while his mother was away.
They were mostly there for the free food and games. But! They were also there to console their friend with... whatever was happening with him. Not many details were spared, but they could tell it had something to do with Saiki, which must've been a big deal. Plus, nobody liked a cranky Asher, so they wanted to do what they could to wash the nasty feelings away.
With the time that's passed, he's already cooled his head off a bit. But the whole situation still left him uncomfortable and unsure of how he felt. Was Saiki being a dick, or was the guy just that dumb when it came to emotions? He really, really hoped it was the latter.
Asher had been up in his room changing into more decent clothes while he had guests. He had previously planned to lay in bed all day, but the two boys downstairs said otherwise. He climbed down the stairs, sounding like a a stampede of elephants as he went. His hand scratched at his stomach underneath the loose tank top he wore, his outfit only a simple black tank top and red basketball shorts. "'m back." He glanced around his living room, watching them pig out on his couch while they focused on the game they played. "Do you guys have nothing better to do?"
"Of course not!" Kaidou spoke, that same animated tone he typically had in his tone. "Nothing beats hanging out with you!"
Aren gave a firm nod. "Damn straight."
"Uh huh.." He couldn't entirely get why they'd want to spend their weekend with a moody, hot-headed asshole that he was at the moment, but he wouldn't shove them out just yet. He slung himself on the end of the three-seat couch, holding a hand out. "I call winner."
The three of them played whatever games Asher could with them, switching off every once in a while since he only had two controllers. Most of the games were heavily action-packed, which suited his two friends perfectly. It kept them preoccupied for hours, well past noon when Asher was brought out of his gaming trance.
A knock at the front door pulled him to his feet, letting Aren and Kaidou continue on their own so he could answer it. "Oh," it was Saiki. "You need something?" His hands were full, one holding a plastic bag while the other held, what looked to be, a cage.
"I wanted to talk."
"Okay..." The brunette held the door open wider for the other to come in, both of them situating themselves in the dining room. "What's up?"
Saiki placed the items he carried onto a counter, fidgeting with them as if he needed something to keep his eyes busy. "What I said to you, that time in the hallway, it wasn't right. I thought about it. I know I'm not the kindest person, but I shouldn't have said it."
"Well, did you mean it?"
Saiki looked at him with question.
"You saying it or not doesn't really matter. Do you believe what you said?"
It was noiseless, aside from Aren and Kaidou in the other room, while Saiki thought. "No," he concluded. "You're one of the only people I tolerate. How you feel matters to me. Only a little," he swiftly added on the end.
A warmth grew to Asher's face, a warmth that he had missed these past few days. He loved that truthful side to Saiki. How he was able to admit when wrong, and somehow overcome it. It was unnecessarily attractive.
Saiki moved his weight from his left to right foot, changing the subject to divert Asher's train of thought. "Are you allergic to animals in any way?"
"Uhhh... I don't think so? Why??"
"Want a hamster?"
"Did you buy me a fucking hamster just to apologize?"
"What? No." He pulled an assortment of things out of the plastic bag, which looked to be different supplies to care for the hamster. "I found it on the ground, and was looking for its new owner."
"And that's me because..?"
"Because I had to come to your house either way."
Asher laughed. Whatever, what's the harm in owning a little rat? Saiki had already did the hard part and bought what he would've had to, all he has to do is find a place for its cage and make sure to watch over it. "Well, thanks, I guess I'll take it— him?"
"Yeah."
"I think I'll name him... Saiku." They looked at each other. "Like, Saiki Kusuo—"
"Yeah, I get it. You're not very creative."
"Like you could've thought of anything better!"
'He's right.'
• ——— •
chat name:
bb n me
kusuo
asher.
asher
is the world ending???
you texted me first
kusuo
nevermind.
asher
nooo COME BAK
im sorry
saiki
kusuo
my parents bought a massaging chair
it's heaven
asher
oh really?
they're not the real deal but they
come very close.
kusuo
true
i'm good at giving them
that's what my parents have told me
asher
are you offering to give me a massage??
kusuo
when did i say that?
asher
it feels like you're insinuating it
kusuo
i wasnt saying that
but i can.
asher
okay
then i'll be over
soon
kusuo
okay
Asher wasn't sure what to make out of that conversation through text, but he knew it had his heart pulsing in his chest. He had to take a quick shower and change his clothes before even consider making his way to Saiki's place, wanting to be as appealing as possible to touch— but, surprisingly, not in a weird way. He got to his house no longer than 30 minutes and they stood in Saiki's bedroom.
"Am I actually giving you a massage?"
"That's the reason I came over, right?" He stripped off his shirt.
"Do you have to get naked..?"
He smirked at Saiki over his shoulder as he climbed into bed. "What're you being shy for? This isn't your first time seeing me without a shirt." He knew he won when he heard a sigh, and the boy awkwardly shuffled to his side. "You can sit on me if you have to."
"No thanks."
Asher shrugged, laying his face into the pillow and allowed himself to relax. It was hard to as his crush started to kneed into the muscles of his back, rolling out whatever knots had formed over the past years. It felt good, a maybe too good, and he found his brown eyes being encased by his eyelids.
"Y'ur hands are warm."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," Asher sighed, a heavy breath of relief following as a certain knot was detangled. "Soft, too. Did'ya know that?"
".. No. I didn't."
"Yeah, I've noticed a few times when I grabbed your hand before. And– ah, it's not like you've got delicate hands. They're dainty, yeah, but still like... nice to be held with, and hold 'n stuff. K- kinda like the entirety of you— oh, fuck. Like, nice to hold, but not in a weird 'oh you're so small' way but because you're cozy and— fuck, Saiki, that fucking burns!"
He had tried to ignore the growing heat to his back as he spoke, disregarding it as his own embarrassment from his words. But as it grew more and more unbearable, he couldn't help but roll over to his side, a hand reaching back to feel the spots he felt as if he were burned. Saiki also took a step back, his face a shade or two pinker than normal.
"What? Did I do something?"
"Are you that fuckin' shy or what? Burnin' holes into my back..."
".. Maybe you just have sensitive skin." The pinkette shrugged, and he scoffed with a laugh in response.
"Yeah, right.. well, your parents were right. You're good with your hands." The brunette sat up, using his hand to hold himself up as he leaned forward. "Wanna see what else your hands can do?"
"They can shove you out of my house. Get out."
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