[ShuMugi]Hazy afternoon

[anakiddwrites]

 The last thing Shu wanted from Aoba right now was words. He was a lot more tolerable having his tongue occupied with something else.
[written for Ensemble Stars Ship Olympics 2019]

Stupid hot summer.

The handicraft club has no funds for air conditioner, so Shu needs to deal with the stuffy room even though he absolutely hates the summer. That alone would be enough to justify the frowny face, but today he had even more reasons to feel particularly annoyed.

“Thanks again for accepting helping us with this outfit, Shu-kun~ I was feeling totally at loss by myself, haha…”

“I am helping Chibisuke, not you.” Shu practically spit the words, contrasting with the overfriendly tone of the fellow club member. Tsumugi didn’t seem to mind, just tilting head and smiling even more.

“Sure, sure ~ Sora-kun will be happy, that’s the most important, hm? Here, that’s ready too ~” He carefully placed the piece of fabric on the table, just to see it grabbed and threw away by Shu’s merciless and judgemental hand.

“It’s ready to the trash can. Start over.” Shu spoke emotionless, not even taking his eyes off his own work. Tsumugi didn’t hide a frustrated sigh, but stood up to grab more material and obediently do as he was told. For the third time.

“I understand Shu-kun’s standards, but at this pace we won’t finish today…” He commented in a frail voice, not really showing annoyance, rather softly condescending. That alone caused Shu to huff audibly and lift his eyes to face the other for a second.

“If you really want me to help, don’t ruin… everything.” Shu spaced out for a moment at the sight. Tsumugi was grabbing a huge fabric bolt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a ponytail - a side ponytail taming his hair and exposing his neck.

The audacity.

“Ok, ok ~ I’ll do what Shu-kun says, of course.” Giggling softly, Tsumugi rolled the bolt on the table with a quick and precise move, leaning down to risk and cut the pattern once again. Shu was still staring, catching himself observing a sweat drop slowly sliding all the way from the forehead to Mugi’s chest, disappearing inside the shirt.

It was almost physically painful to admit, but… there was beauty in that.

“Hunf!” Shu growled and snapped back to continue his own work, wiping some sweat from his own forehead, feeling the annoying heat suddenly worsening. How annoying. “It’s not like I expect anything decent from you, but at least make something acceptable. I’m not fond of working at this slow pace, too!”

“My apologies. I’ll work harder. ~” Tsumugi smiled softly, as if the insults and lectures couldn’t quite reach his heart, as usual. He shouldn’t expect anything different from Shu, after all.

Just being able to stay in the presence of the club leader was more than he could ask for, all thanks to Sora’s intervention. After all, Sora is the one worthy of Shu’s kindness. Natsume too, of course. That’s more than enough.

Tsumugi continued to prepare the fabric, sometimes throwing a stare to Shu through his hazy glasses. The summer visibly wasn’t good to his delicate structure, but still his hands were moving strongly and precisely as usual. It was almost mesmerizing to watch and easy to get lost in that feverish violet eyes, transcending the sweat and heat in order to create a perfect artwork.

Shu-kun always had been amazing like that, after all.

At some point their eyes met awkwardly, and Tsumugi could swear Shu’s skin turned even paler. But he had no time to make sure, since the other stood up suddenly and a bit fumbly, holding the just finished piece in his hand - almost squishing it.

“Aoba.” Shu said simply and dry while looking at him, trying his best to not let his eyes fall on that tempting neck again. The ring of the word sent a shiver bolt through Tsumugi’s whole body and suddenly the room’s atmosphere was even stiffer.

“Y-yes..?” He adjusted his glasses for no reason at all, watching Shu coming closer. When they were standing up so close that Tsumugi could count the sweat drops on the other’s forehead, Shu tilted his head slightly.

“Let’s try it for once.” He shoved the waistcoat on the other, making him hold it, pressing even a bit too much against him - enough for Mugi to feel the shape of his fingers on his chest. Then he folded arms and took half of a step back while Tsumugi was wearing the piece. The blue haired boy was still feeling his thoughts a bit messy for no reason, except maybe having Shu too close after so long.

“Oh… how expected of Shu-kun… it fits so well from the start, hm?” Tsumugi smiled, actually feeling good wearing it. “Hm, maybe it’s a little bit tight on the shoulders…”

“Of course it is.” Shu bit his lip, annoyed with that whole… thing. He had to look up closer now, witnessing Tsumugi’s broad chest and shoulders shaped by the incomplete waistcoat, still holding up with pins instead of buttons. His posture totally straight for once and a defined silhouette, paired with the ponytail and the rolled up sleeves, was a complete evidence that God wanted to mock Itsuki Shu. Otherwise, why someone like him would have been blessed with such hidden traits, throwing it in his face out of sudden and impossible to ignore?

“Pearls to the pigs…” He vented under his breath while measuring Tsumugi’s shoulders again, making the other tilt his head, showing concern.

“Shu-kun? You look a bit off today, is it the heat? Remember to keep hydrated ~”

“Keep your mouth shut.” Annoyed, Shu suddenly grabbed at Tsumugi’s shoulders, somewhere in his mind planning to shake him off violently. But his body moved differently, bringing a very confused Mugi closer, so close they could feel each other’s dry breath.

“A-ouch!” After a second of intense stare, one of the pins poke Tsumugi and he winced, causing Shu to snap back and harshly push the boy away, his own legs shaking.

What was he doing?

Mumbling to himself, Shu walked towards the shelfs to grab something, anything to find an excuse to open a distance between him and whatever witchcraft Tsumugi had cast upon the room. However, the heat was indeed hard to bear and paired with the emotional turmoil, Shu’s vision started to double and he weakly tried to hold onto the shelf before sliding to the floor.

“Shu-kun!!!”

Tsumugi reached in time to hold Shu before he touched the ground, supporting him in his arms despite his own confusion. But now he could only think of how beautiful Shu looked, despite his fragile expression… no, because of his fragile expression. Unconsciously, he nestled the other closer in his arms, and Shu could feel himself being held tight among his dizziness, half-lidded eyes staring at Tsumugi again.

“S-Shu-kun!!! Y-you… the heat is no joke, you need…! H-hydration, and.. and… f-fresh air, and…! Ah, why this room doesn’t have AC, too!?” Looking around nervously, Tsumugi didn’t know what to do besides holding Shu, until the club leader exhaled deeply and grabbed the blue fluffy hair, sealing Tsumugi’s mouth with his own.

Tsumugi shivered all over, his stomach turning like the stormy sea. His mind was in denial and frozen for a second, but he quickly found himself closing eyes and returning the kiss, grabbing at Shu’s sweaty shirt.

The kiss lasted enough to heat up their bodies even more, their breath audible as they stared at each other intensely. Tsumugi’s lens were messy, just like his ponytail. It was annoying, so Shu kissed him again, rougher and deeper this time, almost like a provocation.

The provocation worked, since Tsumugi lifted him even easier than he did with the fabric bolt, pressing Shu against the wall while kissing him, his mind hazy and too focused on the other’s taste. He couldn’t help but savour it and crave for more. It was the perfect middle ground among sweet and bitter, strong but delicate, just like he always imagined.

And he sure had imagined it before, even though he would deny that even to himself.

Shu cooed loudly, one leg wrapping around Tsumugi’s waist for balance, his hands grabbing and slightly scratching the back of his shirt. His heart was racing and the pressure of Tsumugi’s body against his own was making the blood rush to his head very fast. If he could see himself he would be ashamed, but letting all the pent up desires roam free was too liberating to stop now.

Shu’s lips reached for Tsumugi’s exposed neck, marking it with an assertive bite and taking revenge for that nefarious temptation. Tsumugi exhaled a loud noise, Shu’s smirk and tongue against his skin making his whole body shiver and numbing his mind.

“Shu-kun...” He whispered without any goal besides feel the sound of the other’s name in his voice, eyes closed and feeling Shu’s slender, delicate fingers rubbing his back like marking a territory. However, he didn’t say anything else because his lips were sealed again with another passionate kiss, his ponytail now completely undone.

The last thing Shu wanted from Aoba right now was words. He was a lot more tolerable having his tongue occupied with something else.

They didn’t realize how much time passed between kisses and mindless touches until the loud sound of ripped fabric broke the spell. The waistcoat fell graciously to the floor, too fragile to hold up to that intense movements. Still entangled, they finally looked into each other eyes again, fully aware they shared a messy figure and swollen lips.

“A-ah… it was really… t-tight on the shoulders… ahaha…~” Tsumugi offered a shaky smile, despair settling in. He was quickly trying to accept the fate of being axed out as natural consequence of that crazy outburst.

Shu just stared intensely at him for a few moments, sweating profusely and expression unreadable. Abruptly, he disengaged from Tsumugi’s arms and caused the other to wince, afraid of being hit or lectured. But Shu just left the room in fast steps without looking back, leaving a confused and messy Tsumugi behind.

Slowly, Tsumugi picked up the pieces of fabric and placed it on the table again, still feeling his mind and heart numb. However, the warmth on his lips and skin were still lingering, definitely real. Too immersed on that to continue working, he just sit down, catching his breath and staring at the unfinished pieces. His hand slowly traced over his own neck, the mark of Shu’s lips still pulsing, like a strong statement… or even a curse.

Before he knew Shu was back, composed figure and stone cold stare again. Tsumugi watched him lean on the table and start tracing the waistcoat pattern in the fabric again, almost like the passionate and messy Shu from before was just a figment of imagination.

But that definitely wasn’t possible, right??

“Aoba.” The voice resonated through the heavy atmosphere, Shu’s eyes on the fabric all the time.

“A-ah! Y-yes, Shu-kun???”

“You don’t plan to continue working looking like such mess, do you??” He huffed, trying to be the most vague and discreet as possible. “Find a mirror and put yourself together, god’s sake.”

Tsumugi took a few moments to understand that and Shu still had to throw a deadly stare to make him stand up and run to the bathroom.

“Find a fan while you are at it, too!!” The club leader still shouted, annoyed and clutching his own shirt at chest height, then mumbling to himself.

“It is too damn hot in here… my brain cells are melting. That’s it, for sure. Cursed season.”

Five minutes later, the only sound present in the handicrafts room was the monotonous fan helix moving. Tsumugi’s hair was also free of any restraint again, hiding the neck safely. The two clubmates worked at opposite sides, only exchanging eye contact and few words when strictly necessary. At least, they both saved any mean word for another day, preferably when they haven’t exchanged anything more intimate than that.

Since then, Shu could only count the days for the summer to end and temptations begone.

Stupid, stupid season.