and they were roommates,

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FROM THIS THREAD.

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[ but what if hien wants to try multiple dishes? he's getting ahead of himself, but - just in case. blame his brain. ]

I can afford this much.

[ he flags down the server to order: carbonara for hien, spaghetti for himself. when she leaves, he grins at hien. ]

My part-time job's going pretty well. Just help yourself to whatever you want.

[selfconcept]

[ Hien will always want to try multiple dishes, but he figures he can come back here at any time if he wants to eat. No big deal. And he doesn't want to empty Haiga's wallet... ]

What's your part-time job, anyway?

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Taniguchi’s. It’s a liquor store. I do mostly stocking and heavy lifting - stuff like that.

[ but no drinking.

and when they settle into conversation like this, it feels like it always does: companionable, a little special. he relaxes slightly. ]

It’s nice to have the extra income, and I’ve just been saving until… I got the courage to ask you out.

[ more like he couldn’t hold it in anymore. ]

[selfconcept]

If I tell you to save it for something more meaningful, you're gonna disagree, huh?

[ Hien looks over at Haiga. That's a lot of physical activity to do at a job. He's not exactly a muscle enthusiast, but he certainly is a hug enthusiast. To hug someone like Haiga must be nice and warm, like hugging a firm teddy bear. ]

But about that... Does that mean you got your feelings all sorted out already?

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[ he did gain some muscle, though overall he’s still long and lanky. hien’s free to feel him up - ]

I figured… if we’re already together a lot and I still want more, then that means something. And if I’m gonna try, I want to try it with you. I don’t want to give up.

[selfconcept]

[ He'll take that into consideration. ]

Try... being in a relationship?

[ That's what he means, right? ]

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Try being honest about who I like. [ a beat. ] Regardless of… gender.

But… [ his ears go a little pink. ] Yeah, a relationship would be… I want that, too.

[selfconcept]

[ Haiga truly keeps getting saddled with people who don't mind his sexual orientation, huh. Hien nods to acknowledge it nonetheless. ]

Was there a time when you weren't honest about it?

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Eh? No, not exactly. It’s, uh, messy.

[ he combs his hair back nervously. ]

My ex… was really clingy and we just weren’t working out, but she didn’t want to break up. It was pretty stressful. I confided a lot in a friend and I guess he liked me.

[ his eyes slide away, not necessarily to make sure they aren’t overheard because his feelings are wrong - but they’re private and he’d like to keep it to just hien. he doesn’t want hien to think that he’s ashamed or anything like that.

he looks back at hien, eyes serious. ]

Maybe I liked him, too. I don’t know - so I wasn’t completely sure that I was bi. Do you… know what I mean?

[selfconcept]

[ Hien was never the kind of person to have deep thoughts of his own sexual orientation, but he knows many people do. It's not something he can personally understand, but he's aware of the hardships that come with it. And boy, that situation sounds complicated. ]

It's only right that you break up with her. She wasn't your responsibility.

[ ... ]

Well, did you want to kiss him at the time?

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[ but she kind of was - and he still feels some guilt. he wasn’t in the right either. ]

Not until he kissed me first - and then I didn’t mind it.

[ he’s fully aware it could have just been curiosity at play. ]

I want to kiss you though.

[selfconcept]

[ Hien pauses at that, not expecting that response. He stares at Haiga for a bit, but. Yeah? That tracks? Haiga kissed him in the car. Why did Hien not expect it despite the obvious? Anyway, it stuns him into silence as the waiter comes back with their food and puts them in front of each respective person.

... ]

... If you're willing to be serious about this relationship with me, then I'll go out with you.

[ He thinks he could grow to love someone. Hien likes Haiga enough to try, at least. That, and... he doesn't want this to be a fling, surprisingly enough. ]

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[ wait, really? wait, really?? really???

at first he looks so excited that he might shoot up from his seat. but then he freezes. ]

Hien, do I look like I’m not serious about you?

[ he needs to fix that asap. ]

[selfconcept]

Do you love me?

[ He asks, while looking down at his own food. ]

Or do you think you can come around to it eventually? I won't be offended either way.

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[ love? ]

I… When you wake up, you’re so… pretty. I want to touch you so bad. I want to watch you wake up forever.

[ his words come slow as he lays his feelings out for hien. he’s never felt this type of affection before for anyone he’s dated. ]

And I’m always thinking of - always eager to see you again so we can keep talking about - nothing. Anything. Everything? When you move out or graduate, I - I dunno. I’ll probably cry. Ha…

[selfconcept]

[ Hien will just assume that by touch, Haiga is talking about gentle actions like getting his hair out of his face and whatever else that's chaste. He refuses to think about anything else regarding that. He is eating... spare him...

But the genuineness of Haiga's words touch Hien's heart. ]

... Sorry, to put you on the spot, but thanks for telling me.

[ Hien didn't think he would have that effect on anyone. Talking to Haiga is nice. It's something he looks forward to in his day to day apart from sleeping, so the feeling regarding that is definitely mutual. ]

I just didn't want it to be something that happens for a week and let go.

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[ definitely the more chaste stuff. seeing hien sleep and then wake is the physical manifestation of what it feels like to have a really good nap on a warm, sunny day. there’s a comfortable energy to him that draws haiga in. ]

What’s there to be sorry about? I like that we talk and that you’re blunt.

[ in fact… ]

Let me just say officially that I’m serious about you… I’ve been thinking about this for a while.

[ he finally starts to dig in. ]

Don’t break up with me after a week though, I won’t recover.

[selfconcept]

... That long?

[ He really didn't notice. Wow. Hien just scarfs down some more food to ignore the fact. It's fine.

Hien also thinks that Haiga won't give him a reason to break up with him after a week though. It's fine. This isn't that other BL. ]

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[ help,

he nods - yep - and distracts himself with a couple of bites. ]

Once my mind is set on something, I kinda… Well, anyway, so, um. We’re dating?

[ just checking… ]

[selfconcept]

... Yeah.

[ That came out quieter than he thought it would, even though he had nothing in his mouth when replying. Hien is a little embarrassed. Just a tad. It's fine. He keeps looking down at his almost gone food and resumes eating and drinking water like it's his remaining lifeline. ]

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[ ok, things could go wrong - like really wrong and he still could ruin their current relationship - which they’ll have to discuss anyway. he wants to build on what they already have, not change it into something that’s only focused on romance. or, um, sex.

but he’s really happy. in this moment he’s been given a chance and he nearly bursts with happiness. ]

Then, once again, please take care of me. Hien.

[ if he had a tail it would be whipping through the air right now and the entire restaurant would know. ]

[selfconcept]

[ Good thing, because this version of Hien is a little shier than usual despite his blunt and crass personality. ]

... Sure.

[ He quietly huffs and eats the rest of his food. His face doesn't harden when he says that--in fact, his voice gets softer with a sort of fondness when he sees how happy Haiga is. The fact that seeing people happy is one of his favorite things to see hasn't changed in the slightest. ]

What are you planning to do for the rest of the night?

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Honestly? Hadn’t thought that far.

[ he waves his fork around. ]

Either you’d accept my confession - [ wow, what is he? a high school girl? ] - or you didn’t and what happened afterward would be vaguely positive or negative. Like maybe I walk home and we don’t talk anymore.

[selfconcept]

So you knowingly took a big risk, huh? That takes some guts.

[ And bravery, especially since they're roommates. ]

... I wouldn't want to stop talking to you because of that though. I'd never. You'd have to piss me off for me to stop interacting with you.

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Oh man, I was gonna explode if I didn’t.

[ less guts and more desperation probably! ]

And I was running out of time. Once the school year is over, it’ll be harder to see you as much.

[ he wants to reach out for Hien (a very familiar urge by now), but they’re both eating. and also in public. instead, his sneaker inches closer to hien’s until their toes tap, lightly. ]

I’ve never seen you pissed off before.