[ He decides not to report this, having no evidence to the matter and with his feelings in turmoil besides. He has no interest in Sensei, he keeps telling himself, over and over again. He still acts like his old self, only politely greeting the little man if they ever cross paths, but ignoring him otherwise.
And it's almost time for him to leave the school behind. He sits inside the planetarium, hoping to bid it goodbye with Kazuki before he has to leave, but he is late, probably on last minute business with the Student Council. ]
[ Naoshi kept his promise. No one would ever know there was anything different about the man, that he'd discovered and come to terms with a new part of himself, that he was patiently yet longingly waiting for someone else to do the same, eager for the school year to end so that certain societal barriers could be broken.
Then graduation day finally arrives and the ceremony is held... and they don't even have to coordinate. Yes, there are those other boisterous friends of his that Homare likes to meet there, Shiranui and Shirogane, but if it was really them he wanted to see, going all the way back up to the rooftop planetarium after the ceremony was rather out of the way for it. But it was quiet and secluded. Practically an invitation. Practically? Of course it was.
Not that Naoshi didn't think he didn't still have some coaxing and reassuring to do. He wouldn't mind it, though. He'd been waiting all the rest of the year to pick up where he left off. You couldn't just sweep a Taurus off their feet. You had to court them properly. A skittish, masked one like Homare, no doubt doubly so.
He slips inside the planetarium and down the rows of seats, greeting neither too quietly nor too loudly. ] Congratulations on graduating.
[ Ah, it appears that he can only let his guard down for so long. He came in early because it was a nice, secluded area--the perfect place for him and his friends to say farewell without interruption.
He looks up, his expression neutral as he speaks: ] Thank you, Sensei. [ He gets up to leave. ]
Oi, oi~. [ Naoshi aborts that attempt to rise right away, carefully but firmly pressing Homare back down in his seat, then leaving his hands on his ex-student's shoulders to keep him there, even though he has to lean in from the aisle at a slightly odd angle to do so. His expression is pleasant as he faces the boy in his seat, even so. ] What's the hurry?
[ He frowns, hiding his panic. Even after all this time he still makes him nervous, and he doesn't want to find out why. ] I have nothing to say to you. [ And he puts his hand to Haruki-sensei's to pull him off. ]
Easy, Kanakubo. [ He catches those hands and holds them still, instead, keeping his tone warm and soothing. Homare's as flighty as ever and Naoshi doesn't want to scare him, but you have to be firm with these stubborn types. ] I made you a promise and kept it, didn't I? I waited, and everything turned out alright. Relax....
[ Trapped again. He was hoping that he didn't have to deal with this at all.
He looks away, still frowning. And would his heart stop fluttering-- ] I already said I don't like you that way. Please let go.
[ Naoshi releases one of his hands, only to wrap the other up in both of his, rubbing it briefly. ] I understand your being nervous. [ He assures empathetically, then lets go entirely. But he's still close, holding himself up with one hand on the arm of Homare's seat and the other on the back of the chair the next row down. ] Opening up to people means we open up to getting hurt, too. I'd never hurt you, but I won't rush you. Just because I know you doesn't mean I don't want to get to know you, the right way, at whatever pace you want.
And it's almost time for him to leave the school behind. He sits inside the planetarium, hoping to bid it goodbye with Kazuki before he has to leave, but he is late, probably on last minute business with the Student Council. ]
[ Naoshi kept his promise. No one would ever know there was anything different about the man, that he'd discovered and come to terms with a new part of himself, that he was patiently yet longingly waiting for someone else to do the same, eager for the school year to end so that certain societal barriers could be broken.
Then graduation day finally arrives and the ceremony is held... and they don't even have to coordinate. Yes, there are those other boisterous friends of his that Homare likes to meet there, Shiranui and Shirogane, but if it was really them he wanted to see, going all the way back up to the rooftop planetarium after the ceremony was rather out of the way for it. But it was quiet and secluded. Practically an invitation. Practically? Of course it was.
Not that Naoshi didn't think he didn't still have some coaxing and reassuring to do. He wouldn't mind it, though. He'd been waiting all the rest of the year to pick up where he left off. You couldn't just sweep a Taurus off their feet. You had to court them properly. A skittish, masked one like Homare, no doubt doubly so.
He slips inside the planetarium and down the rows of seats, greeting neither too quietly nor too loudly. ] Congratulations on graduating.
[ Ah, it appears that he can only let his guard down for so long. He came in early because it was a nice, secluded area--the perfect place for him and his friends to say farewell without interruption.
He looks up, his expression neutral as he speaks: ] Thank you, Sensei. [ He gets up to leave. ]
Oi, oi~. [ Naoshi aborts that attempt to rise right away, carefully but firmly pressing Homare back down in his seat, then leaving his hands on his ex-student's shoulders to keep him there, even though he has to lean in from the aisle at a slightly odd angle to do so. His expression is pleasant as he faces the boy in his seat, even so. ] What's the hurry?
[ He frowns, hiding his panic. Even after all this time he still makes him nervous, and he doesn't want to find out why. ] I have nothing to say to you. [ And he puts his hand to Haruki-sensei's to pull him off. ]
Easy, Kanakubo. [ He catches those hands and holds them still, instead, keeping his tone warm and soothing. Homare's as flighty as ever and Naoshi doesn't want to scare him, but you have to be firm with these stubborn types. ] I made you a promise and kept it, didn't I? I waited, and everything turned out alright. Relax....
[ Trapped again. He was hoping that he didn't have to deal with this at all.
He looks away, still frowning. And would his heart stop fluttering-- ] I already said I don't like you that way. Please let go.
[ Naoshi releases one of his hands, only to wrap the other up in both of his, rubbing it briefly. ] I understand your being nervous. [ He assures empathetically, then lets go entirely. But he's still close, holding himself up with one hand on the arm of Homare's seat and the other on the back of the chair the next row down. ] Opening up to people means we open up to getting hurt, too. I'd never hurt you, but I won't rush you. Just because I know you doesn't mean I don't want to get to know you, the right way, at whatever pace you want.
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