Nagihiko wakes up to a headache. And a body ache.
His shoulder is both aching and numb, and it takes him a moment to remember why.
It takes him a moment longer to feel the comforting weight of an arm around his waist.
When he opens his eyes, he's greeted by two pair of small eyes looking at him from over the edge of the bed. The third pair is closer to the pillow.
"Hey, guys."
His voice is quiet, trying not to wake the weight behind him. "You okay?"
They nod.
They are both oddly quiet.
Not so odd for Temari, maybe, but Rhythm usually chatters on a mile a minute.
But then again, the blue chara looks about as exhausted as he feels.
His smile is small but genuine. "Good."
Carefully, he rolls over. Kukai's still asleep.
Face poke.
In the distance, there is music. Beautiful singing. Kukai is floating in darkness, listening to the music. He's warm, and comforted, and happy, and... and the music doesn't sound exactly like music. It's.. what is that? What's going on here? Struggling, Kukai tries to fight his way out of the blackness and~
Face poke. Kukai mrphs and opens his eyes, blinking blearily at the roof of Nagihiko's room. Sleeping in his clothes was tiring and more hot than he'd like, but it keeps people who peek in on the two of them asleep from blowing holes in the roof and that sort of thing. He blinks, looking over at Nagi for a moment, seeing two faces beyond him - no, three, there's Daichi. "...Morning." He yawns. "Oh good grief what time is it..."
"Morning." Kukai's voice, while a welcome sound, is also incredibly loud to his headachey brain. He curls against him and grumbles, dragging a pillow up and over his head. "I dunno. Too early."
Helpfully, Temari floats over with Nagihiko's alarm clock to show Kukai. The alarm itself has been turned off.
"Apparently, one should drink a gallon of water after a fight. I feel like I have a hangover. If I knew what a hangover felt like."
Kukai hugs Nagi close, then pats the top of the pillow that ends up over top of the purple-haired dancer's head. "Way too early." He peers up at the hovering Temari and winces. "Not actually that early at all. I think you just caught a big blast of energy. I guess it's a good thing there's no school today. At least for us."
He sighs and leans back, still petting Nagi's shoulder. "What, with all the sake you drink? I woulda thought that would have been one of your earliest experiences." There's a faint grin on his face. "But yeah, some food and drink would go a long way towards making that ache go away."
Nagihiko grins and peeks out from the safety of his pillow. "That's today? Good."
There's a gentle poke against Kukai's side. "I'm smart enough to drink a ton of water after. That kills the whole hangover thing, for the most part. Just get a bit fuzzy in the head." A beat, and then a confession. "Usually. Okay, maybe I've had a few hangovers. But this feels like I was in a weekend bender."
With some effort, he sits up. "That sounds like a good idea...a glorious one, actually. And maybe Aunty can look at my shoulder a bit."
There's a faint snort and then a grin. "Are you one of those people who would have been halfway up and ready for school before they remembered what day it was?"
And then a little poke, and Kukai acks. "I still think you must drink a bunch. But that's better than me and my brother's beers. I don't think I've ever been that sick. Never again, I said."
Kukai sits up off the bed as well, then grins at Nagihiko. "Think she'll cook for me too or do I need to sneak out the window or something?"
"Well, yeah. I'm not exactly awake when I first wake up. I sometimes start to get ready for school on weekends."
He smiles at Kukai, working out stiff muscles, wincing as he goes. He needs to fight more, it seems. It works muscles even dancers normally don't. "For me, sake kind of comes with the territory. If you wanted to find something more your flavor, I'd recommend tasting parties, but I'm thinking that's not really on your list or priorities."
He laughs! Then winces, because ow! "Of course she will. And if she doesn't, I'll make you something." At the door, he turns to Kukai with am exaggerated serious face. "Even if my head explodes, you will get fed."
Dedication, Nagihiko has it!
This admission elicits a little laugh from Kukai as he stretches and bends, doing a couple simple exercises to help him get un-stiff.
Kukai hmms. "I guess I could say sake comes with sports, too, but to be honest I don't like drinking. I feel like I get dumb when I drink, which bothers me. If I could find something tasty to drink that didn't make me fat or make my head fuzzy I would be really happy."
Kukai moves over towards Nagi at that wince, but it should be ok. He hopes. "Hopefully if you wince and pout and make big eyes at her she'll go along with whatever you want. It works on me, you know." He winces. "I'm not eating brain or eyeballs, Nagi, I'd rather you stay in one piece."
There's watching, of course. Subtle, out of the corner of his eyes, and maybe a few not-so-subtle.
"There's always the sweeter wines. A lot of them are low in alcohol. And there's also some light alcohol mixed drinks. We could experiment if you ever get the urge, and if you get fuzzy I'll look after you. And not, you know. Take advantage." This time the serious face is for real.
And then there's a light dusting of pink across his cheeks. "True. I'm not sure Aunty's completely immune..." He leads Kukai down the hall and toward the kitchen. "What if you were a zombie?"
Daichi hops onto Kukai's shoulder, not the one between him and Nagi, though, and rides. "That might be pretty good. Something light and sweet and kinda thin. I hate syrupy drinks." Kukai laughs. "I guess something like sports drinks isn't too far off." He blushes a little. "I'm glad nobody's around to hear that 'we'll experiment' comment too loudly, or the bit about you taking advantage of me.'" His nose is maybe just a little longer than usual.
He chuckles. "Nobody's completely immune. You could probably convince Riventon to do whtaever you wanted." He follows down the hallway towards the kitchen. "Well if I were a zombie... I dunno. Maybe I'd eat brains, but I'd try to not eat yours."
Temari and Rhythm likewise follow along. Temari tucks in Nagihiko's hair whereas Rhythm plops down next to Daichi. Noogie!
Nagihiko's own face nearly combusts with how red it gets! "I-I!" Flustered, completely and totally, he lightly shoves Kukai on the shoulder. Then he lowers his voice. "If that's what I meant, I wouldn't have been so vague!"
Yes he would have, but darnit, Kukai needs to nearly spontaneously combust, as well!
Then he laughs. "I don't know about that. He seems...a touch out of touch." And then, at the kitchen door, he grins. "Well, maybe I'd let you have a nibble."
Shoving his way in, he sees Aunty at the kitchen, and woes all over her. Food, please, Aunty. My shoulder hurts, Aunty. Kukai's never tried your amazing crepes, Aunty.
Daichi laughs and hugs Rhythm, but then eeps as he gets noogied, wiggling away and giggling!
Kukai can't help but laugh at the totally flustered Nagi, but then almost staggers over at the shove. It's not as light as Nagi thinks. "Hahahahah..." Kukai might be fairly red, but he's enjoying himself.
Kukai shrugs and then laughs. "Hey, hey, I'm already pretty brainless, let's not get any ideas. I can nib... you know, I just made one awful joke, I'll let that one go." He leans back, following Nagi into the kitchen for a moment, standing back and grinning. True magic at work.
Nagihiko's eyebrows raise in a way that may very well mean 'I was joking?'
Whether or not that's what he means will never be known!
Aunty clicks her tongue and feels her young master's forehead. "You boys slept half the day away. Must have been some party you went to."
She also checks Nagihiko's shoulder, guided by feel and wince. "I'll get a salve. You may have pinched something."
She gets him and Kukai a tall glass of water before shooing them. "Go onto the deck, I'll bring breakfast when its ready. There's a nice breeze out there."
Kukai happily takes the glass of water Aunty offers and holds the door for Nagihiko out onto the deck. He follows the other boy outside, then sits down. "...That is a nice breeze." It's about as cool outside as it is inside, which is good, since it's probably about to get hotter in the kitchen.
Kukai looks over at Nagihiko and then smiles. "...Is that what we do? Party all the time?"
Nagihiko basks in the breeze, closing his eyes for a moment as he takes long pulls of water.
He turns to look at Kukai before he gives a small laugh. "I think that's what she wishes I do. She keeps telling me I should try experiencing things like a normal boy. Not sure if that's because of Nadeshiko, or if she suspects I moonlight on occasion as a...crime fighter? Vigilante?"
Kukai takes several long drinks as well, relaxing in one of the big chairs out on the deck. He looks over at Nagihiko and then blushes. "At least she doesn't think bad things about us. And maybe she thinks you're fighting or skateboarding or learning martial arts or ... who knows. Maybe learning sports from me or something?"
Nagihiko looks at Kukai with amusement. "I think Aunty suspects there's at the very least a one-sided attraction."
Then he shrugs. "That could be it, too. All I know is this is the same woman who always just seemed to know when I was being Nadeshiko too long. Hell, I wouldn't even know half the time. One minutes I'm in a skirt, the next I'm being told to go scrape my knees and climb trees."
Kukai leans back, blushing and grinning. "Well I mean we smooched in front of all those people at the beach party. I'm pretty sure she'll understand if I'm unrequitedly attracted to you."
He rubs the back of his head. "And she knew when to put you back in the skirt when you were going overboard, too? Huh. That's... I'm sorta impressed. I mean that she knew you so well."
Nagihiko snorts and is trying not to grin so hard. "Is it possible to be unrequited on both sides?"
Then he sighs and leans back, looking up at the small clearing of woods. "She wasn't in charge of the business. She could afford to stay back and watch. She's the one who suggested I tell Tadase. She was also my strongest supporter in going to school at Nagishiko this semester, even when I wasn't sure." He looks over at Kukai and gives a warm smile. "Well, strongest supporter in the family, anyway."
Kukai laughs and shrugs. "If we were both idiots and didn't say anything about how we felt to one another." He reaches over, squeezing one of Nagihiko's hands quietly, grinning at him.
He sits back, looking to where Nagi is looking, then nods. "So...." He rubs his chin. "Y'know, can I ask a question in a few minutes that may be kinda... a thing?" He nods at the kitchen. He seems to absolutely not want Aunty to overhear what he may have in mind.
He squeezes the hand back, eyes warm, a little teasing, completely affectionate. "Well, it's good we're both smarter than most would give us credit for."
Curiously, he draws his eyebrows together. "Sure?"
In the kitchen, Aunty is almost done making her crepes.
Kukai smiles and then laughs. "Tell our teachers that, please! I need some credit!" He leans back, then smiles. "It's nothing bad. Just something I'm curious about." He looks back at the kitchen door, sniffing. "mmm..."
Aunty comes out with a tray of two plates. Crepes! She looks at each of them with an almost bemused expression.
Before she leaves, she rubs salve into Nagihiko's shoulder. "Take it more easy with those jump shots."
And then she's gone.
Nagihiko looks between Kukai and the plate of food before him. Try it!
Kukai smiles and nods to Aunty. "Thank you so much ma'am!" He reaches over even while she's rubbing Nagihiko's shoulder (the better to not look at bare-shouldered Nagi) and picks up a crepe, taking a couple of curious bites. It is all he can do to resist the urge to grab more of them, and leave some for Nagihiko. "These... these are sooo gooood!"
Nagihiko grins and takes one for himself. "Well, now that I know its not poisoned."
He bites into it, and yes, his eyes are glittering with mischief.
As if Aunty would risk poisoning her young master!
Finishing up the first and taking another, he shifts a bit in his chair to better face Kukai.
"So what's the thing?"
Kukai rolls his eyes. "You are... such... a brat." He sighs, looking at him and then leans on the arm of the chair, turning to face Nagihiko. "So... the thing. The question. I wanted to ask, honestly. I think I know the answer, but I wanna just.. y'know. Do you like girls? I mean, I think you do, because of Amu, but I just want to know. And I think you like boys." He grins, then rubs his chin.
Nagihiko gives a short bark of laughter. That...was not what he was expecting at all. "I like a person for who they are, regardless. But yes. Both is nice."
He hums and tilts his head a little. "But at this moment, I'm thinking boys are nicer."
He leans forward. "Same question, though I think I already know the answer."
Kukai hmms, then takes another bite of his crepe, thinking. "I agree. I like people for who they are. But I hadn't even thought about it until a few months ago. I don't know if one's nicer than the other or not - they're both pretty awesome in the right circumstances. I think that's the key - in the right circumstances, I'm pretty open to anything." He grins at Nagihiko. "Sound about right?"
He nods. "Very much." A grin.
Then he settles back. And thinks.
Their lives are crazy. Hectic.
"I love you." His cheeks are pink, but he doesn't take them back. He turns to Kukai. "I don't expect the same, but. I figured you should know."
Kukai looks at Nagihiko for a long moment, then the next thing Nagihiko knows is that Kukai is kneeling next to his chair, arms going around his middle, looking into his eyes and blushing hard. "...I'm gonna be honest with you. I love my brothers, and my parents, and I think I love my friends, but I've never loved anybody like.. like a relationship. But I feel something for you. I dunno what it is, but I'm pretty sure that from everything I've heard, it's love. I love you too."
He smiles. "You challenge me, you entertain me, you're as good at everything as I am and better at some things, and I think the sun rises and sets in you. So... I guess that's love." He reaches up and pets Nagi's cheek, the happiest, most honest smile he's ever given there.
There's a moment of worry as Kukai starts and by the end his smile is matching Kukai's.
And he'd add something, about how Kukai was the first person he felt completely accepted by, or how when Kukai's hurt he wants to do everything to make it better.
But it's hard to speak when there's a lump in your throat, so instead, he closes the short distance and presses his lips against Kukai's.
Kukai smiles into Nagihiko's eyes, arms around him. For a moment he sees little tears into those eyes and it makes him nervous for a moment, but then there's that soft, passionate kiss.
It's a good day, even if he does still feel tired. It's going to be a good day.