Title: Fish Out of Water
Universe: Tsuritama
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Yuki/Natsuki, Haru
Rating: PG
Word Count: 920
Alt. Link:
FF.NetA/N: Written for the kink meme - Haru knows that there's something going on between Natsuki and Yuki, but they don't seem to realize that. So he uses his water gun.
Fish Out of Water
As he watches them argue across the table, it clicks in Haru's mind slowly but surely, like a train finally pulling into a station, that Yuki and Natsuki are special to each other. They're both gritting their teeth, locked eyes glaring daggers, but the closeness with which they're leaning in is almost… intimate. As if Haru, and maybe even the entire restaurant around them, isn't there.
Haru tilts his head in confusion. Sure, he's hung all over Yuki himself, but the way it looks like Yuki and Natsuki are struggling not to touch each other or that they don't even know the want is there, makes Haru frown. And their voices are loud, hurting his ears and tightening his grip on his water gun. He raises it and pulls the trigger when the first of the two - Yuki - looks over.
An extremely distant part of Yuki's mind is relieved when he comes to and finds that they have moved outside, his argument with Natsuki no longer being watched by the other customers of the diner. But before he can get angry at Haru for having used his water gun on him again, Yuki opens his eyes and finds that his mouth is already busy. Soft, warm, against another's. He wrenches himself away in shock to find Natsuki doing the very same.
"You-!"
"Wh-!"
The two boys yell at the same time, and Haru grins at them as though his point has been proven further.
Yuki can already feel the sweat dripping down his face in nervous rivulets. Something twitches beneath his hand and he yelps, pulling it away like he'd touched a stove top. His hand had been hot, burning, where it rested on Natsuki's hand. He shoots up and away from the curb they'd been sitting on, blushing like mad. But Haru, who'd been watching the two reawaken in a crouch with his elbows on his knees and his palms supporting his smiling face, yanks him back.
"Isn't this what you wanted to happen?" Haru says like it's the easiest thing in the world. Like he's asking about the weather or dinner. Like Yuki isn't staring at him like he's, well, like he's a freaking alien.
Natsuki is standing now too.
"What's going on? What did you just do to us?" He's shaking, clenched fists at his sides, but the way his cheeks are flushed a red as deep as the color of Yuki's hair throws off any effect he might have had otherwise.
Haru turns to him. "Isn't it the same for you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Natsuki snaps. He rubs the back of a hand across his mouth, trying to brush away the light pressure he still feels lingering on his lips.
Yuki stares at the dark-haired boy, eyebrows raised.
"Is that… true?"
The question slips out before he thinks it and when he hears it in his voice, he yanks his wrist out of Haru's grasp and slaps his hands over his mouth in horror. He staggers backwards and falls, landing hard on his butt.
A silent moment passes in which only Haru moves, excitedly whipping his head back and forth between the two of them.
"Stupid," Natsuki sighs under his breath as he trudges over to him. Without meeting the other boy's gaze, he extends a hand. He says the next thing so quietly that it almost isn't there, a whisper crafted by the wind: "…W-what if it was?"
Haru wants to scream his happiness and skip around the other two. He aches so bad to cheer at them that he has to shove his fists against his mouth to stop himself and just be satisfied with squirming where he is because he's somehow sure that he needs to wait, needs to let this moment happen.
Yuki's jaw drops as he is pulled to stand on wobbling knees, eyes widening at the slight tremble in Natsuki's grip. Now on his feet, he shakes his head over and over as if denying his train of thought and looking anywhere but at Natsuki, who bristles.
"What, you think I'm lying or something? Fine. Think what you want then, but -"
Suddenly, Yuki yanks Natsuki forward by the tie and presses their lips together. It had been a flick of the wrist, almost an accident, not at all intentional. When he pulls away after a millisecond, the blush barely beats out the stricken paleness that raced to cover every inch of Yuki's skin.
Natsuki stumbles back and flushes up to his ears, his voice stuck somewhere below his Adam's apple.
Arms in the air and mouth open wide, Haru finally releases his cheer.
"I like you too," Yuki blurts, but it comes out sounding like a chopped-up question, his voice cracking in all the wrong places. He smacks hands back over his mouth again and steps away slowly before turning around. He runs, and Haru thought he'd seen him run pretty fast before. It becomes clear, as Yuki turns into a very distant spec, that he sorely underestimated the speed in which Yuki's legs could carry him away, screaming all the while.
Natsuki stares after him, flabbergasted. He looks over at Haru, who smiles at him, and does not return it. He shoves his hands in his pockets and starts heading home, the red of his cheeks still clear as day.
Haru begins to hum loudly, arms folded on the back of his head, as he does the very same.
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A/N: Comments and concrit are very much appreciated ♥