Work Text:
Day One
Hajime stares at Tooru's pretty, innocent smile, contemplating whether or not a punch was too extreme of a reaction to Tooru's announcement. "It's just two weeks, Iwa-chan, we've spent longer together during the summer."
"Why did you come here?! Why didn't you go home?! Your parents are on vacation--you could have been alone! Now I'm stuck in here because of your poor life decisions!"
Tooru's smile doesn't falter. Hajime is sure that he has already run through every possible scenario that will play out here in that creepy, perceptive mind of his. "Iwa-chan," he says, as if he is trying to placate an upset child, "Just think of it as a vacation. Two weeks with yours truly. We already live together, so it won't be too big of a change. I sent Makki a list of groceries that will get us through the two weeks, and we have all the streaming services we can dream of! Vacation, Iwa-chan!"
"The thing about vacation," Hajime bites out, "is that we can go outside. The thing about living with you, is that I can always escape to the library if I need to get away from you and your terrible personality, but now we're going to be stuck together, 24/7, for fourteen days! There will be no escape!"
That gets Tooru to react, a small droop of his lips that Hajime almost misses, but before he can apologize, Tooru is back, megawatt smile turned full force. "Yep, you're stuck with me, so there's no use complaining! What do you want to do first?"
Day Three
The only time Hajime has moved from his spot on the couch in two days is to get food and sleep. Tooru has moved even less. Every time Hajime gets up, Tooru asks him to bring over whatever he is craving, and of course Hajime complies, even though he isn't sure why. He's also pretty sure Tooru even slept on the couch last night instead of going to his bedroom.
"We should at least clean up some of this trash," Hajime says, making no move to gather any of the wrappers strewn on their coffee table. Tooru hums listlessly, pressing replay on Pacific Rim. Hajime rests his hand on Tooru's shin, because Tooru has decided he wants to sit sideways instead of normally.
On the third day, Hajime is feeling disgusting. He forces himself to take a shower, and is surprised at how good he feels afterward. He decides to make breakfast, not just heat up whatever they have in the fridge.
Tooru groans when Hajime flips on the light. He takes one of their throw pillows and puts it over his head. "Iwa-chaaan, I was sleeping."
"It's ten o'clock. Go sleep in your room," Hajime answers. He's surprised when Tooru doesn't answer back. He glances over, but it looks like Tooru had fallen back asleep. Hajime frowns, sighs, then puts another portion of rice and eggs in the pan.
As expected, Tooru wanders into the kitchen when he smells the food. Hajime has to cover his mouth to suppress a laugh. Tooru frowns. "What?"
"Your hair looks like a rodent nested in it," he says with a smirk. Tooru gasps and lifts his arms to fix his hair.
"And when was the last time you took a shower?" Hajime asks, wrinkling his nose.
"If I knew I was just going to be attacked, I wouldn't have come over here," Tooru says, wounded. He abandons his hair to try and steal a bite of food. Hajime slaps his hand away.
"Attacked," Tooru says again, more emphatically.
"I'm not letting you eat until you go take a shower."
"But, Iwa-chan..."
"You smell like death and your hair looks worse. Go shower or I'm locking you in your room until you change your mind."
"Only if you promise to cuddle with me," Tooru says. "I'm touch-starved, Iwa-chan, and if I'm going to clean up for you, you'd better put out."
Hajime imagines Tooru curled up against his side, and his heart speeds up, just a little, just like it always does when Tooru suggests doing something a little more-than-friendly. He scowls at Tooru, but, as always, Tooru seems to read his mind. "Great! Leave some food for me!"
Hajime takes a deep breath, listing all the reasons why throwing Tooru's portion in the garbage isn't a good way to handle the situation.
After breakfast, Tooru hums happily as he scoops up the trash that has collected around their couch. Hajime does their dishes. He hadn't realized how worried he had been about Tooru's lackluster mood the past few days until he sees him back to his usual cheerful self.
Tooru wrinkles his nose. "Do we have air-freshener somewhere? It smells like the whole volleyball team was here after practice."
Hajime smirks. "And you didn't want to go shower."
"This wasn't all me, Iwa-chan! I heard the water stop running, come over here. I want to watch Pacific Rim again."
Hajime finishes drying the dishes and putting them away. He takes a few deep breaths, then walks over to the couch, plopping down in his usual spot. Tooru immediately presses himself into Hajime's side. They've done this before, late at night when Tooru or Hajime had drunk just a little too much, or when Hajime could tell Tooru was upset but not saying anything. It is a familiar routine, one Hajime knows will only lead himself to heartache. He knows he should say no.
Instead, he wraps his arm around Tooru, locking them in place. Tooru smells like vanilla and mint, his familiar combination of shampoo and body wash. "See? This isn't so bad, Iwa-chan."
That's the problem, Hajime thinks, but he doesn't say anything, just pinches Tooru's arm gently.
Day Five
"No, Shittykawa, we are not watching Pacific Rim for the fourteenth time!"
"But, Iwa-chan, it's so good..."
"I have the movie memorized at this point! If you don't find something else to watch I'm going to break the TV, and then what are we going to do for the next nine days?"
"...Fine, we can watch The Lion King instead."
"Just don't get snot all over my shirt."
Day Six
Hajime watches Tooru as he paces the apartment like a trapped animal. He had known this would happen, eventually, once Tooru got over the excitement of having two weeks open. Tooru likes to think that he doesn't thrive by filling his schedule to the brim, with outings and study groups and gym time, but Tooru isn't made to be confined in small places with nothing to do for so long.
It is three in the afternoon. Tooru had taken a test in one of his classes. He had also written a paper, commented on every one of his peer's posts in their class discussion for the week, and read all the material he needed to for the foreseeable future. Hajime wonders where Tooru's sudden bout of productivity had come from, but he is not complaining. Hajime is also getting more things done with his class work and around the house with Tooru occupied with something other than him.
Hajime looks at the ingredients he had spread out on the counter in their kitchen. "Tooru."
Tooru stops his pacing to join Hajime.
"Wanna make a cake?" Hajime asks.
Tooru frowns. "You said I'm not allowed in the kitchen..."
Hajime nudges his elbow into Tooru's side gently. "I'll help you. You can't mess this up, especially if you follow my directions."
Tooru ducks his head away. "So demanding, Iwa-chan. Your wish is my command."
Hajime swallows hard at the way Tooru's voice has pitched low and wrapped around the innuendo. Tooru lifts his head. The look Tooru gives him is challenging, his eyes burning with...something. Something Hajime has only thought about by himself, late at night or in the shower, where Tooru would never accidentally discover how fascinated Hajime is with him.
They are best friends. That should be more than enough.
Hajime cocks his eyebrows, and Tooru's expression cracks, just slightly. Hajime laughs, the mood suddenly returning to normal. "You look constipated."
"Rude, Iwa-chan! We were having a moment! Now, what do you want me to do first?"
Hajime loves Tooru like this, eager to learn, okay with making mistakes. It doesn't happen often, especially when they are out with others, but here, in the privacy of their home, Hajime is touched that Tooru trusts him enough to let his guards down. That he is okay asking Hajime stupid questions and not being the perfect Oikawa Tooru persona he has built so completely he forgets it isn't his true self.
When Tooru has finally put the cake in the oven, he sighs, rubbing at his cheek with his wrist. Hajime stifles a laugh as Tooru smears some cocoa powder along his cheekbone. The motion doesn't get past Tooru, who frowns. "What?"
"You have some..." Hajime doesn't think about what he is doing until he is rubbing his thumb against Tooru's cheek, trying to get the chocolate smear off of his skin. When he notices Tooru has frozen, his eyes wide with surprise, Hajime pauses. He realizes how close he is now standing to Tooru, close enough to see Tooru's pulse fluttering in his neck, close enough to count the freckles that dot the bridge of his nose and are sprinkled lightly on his cheeks.
Hajime pulls his hand away as if Tooru's skin is burning. "Uh, sorry."
Tooru presses his fingers to his cheekbone, rubs slightly. Hajime isn't sure what expression is on his face, but he can't read Tooru's either. "Did you get it?"
"Yeah." Hajime doesn't know how their voices sound so normal. He blinks his eyes a few times, trying to disentangle himself from the strange, sticky emotions that have coated the kitchen. "Get out the powdered sugar. We need to make the frosting."
Day Eight
After their day of baking, Tooru seems to have found the motivation that he needs to organize the rest of their stay-in. He tapes a schedule to the refrigerator, the bathroom door, even the TV. "We'll start with schoolwork," he says, standing in front of the TV like a professor. Hajime tries not to smile at Tooru's serious expression. "Then, we have free time for an hour, and then our activity of choice. Also, I found a scavenger hunt online! We have until seven o'clock to turn in our answers every night, so we have to fit that in somewhere too."
Hajime nods, trying to school his expression into something more serious, but he is afraid that if he opens his mouth, he's going to start laughing.
Tooru frowns. "You think this is dumb," he accuses.
"No," Hajime is quick to say. "No. I like how engaged you are, really. I haven't seen you so dedicated to something in months. It's pretty awesome."
Hajime seems to have taken Tooru by surprise. He stares at Haime, eyes wide. "Okay. What have you done with my normal Iwa-chan?"
Hajime frowns. "What do you mean?"
Tooru walks around the coffee table and flops down on the couch next to Hajime. "My Iwa-chan would scoff at the schedule, say that only dummies with the attention span of flies would need something like this."
"I thought it was a given you had the attention span of a fly." Tooru smacks Hajime's arm. Hajime laughs, then continues, more serious, "Your excitement is contagious, I guess. I've always liked how excited you get about things, you know that."
Tooru is looking down at his hands. Hajime can see his cheeks are dusted pink. His stomach twists in a not-unpleasant way when he realizes that he is responsible for the blush. "Really, Iwa-chan?"
"Really. Now, stop fishing for compliments. I have a paper due tomorrow, and if you want to...what is that? Finger paint?" Tooru's expression turns steely. "Okay, fine. If you want to finger paint today, I have to get it done. Deal?"
"That's what it says on the schedule, Iwa-chan! I'm already caught up for the day, so if you need help, let me know."
Hajime smiles. He wraps an arm around Tooru, squeezing him close for just a second before letting him go to grab his laptop. He wouldn't admit it in a million years, but he is glad that Tooru decided to come back to their apartment and drag him into quarantine with him.
Day Eleven
They are up at two in the morning arguing about paint colors. Hajime and Tooru have finger painted, made foam swords which they demolished in two hours fighting against each other, made a Home Sweet Home sign out of paper and framed into a cool-looking shadow box, and now are trying to decide what color to paint their wooden name blocks. "We have to do something, otherwise they'll blend into the shelves."
That's another thing they had done that week, made and hung cute shelves for all the random shit they have had strewn across the apartment for two years. Apparently, it takes not being able to leave your space to organize it. Tooru had also ordered succulents and flowers. "Because they make the house brighter, Iwa-chan." Hajime can't say he's wrong. He has never seen their apartment so clean. This, more than anything, makes him feel like a real adult instead of a poor college student trying to live on air and motivation.
"Okay, but why do they have to match?" Hajime asks with a frown.
"Because, Iwa-chan. We have a color theme in our living room, so our names should match too!"
"But anything matches white..." Hajime sighs at Tooru's determination. He isn't going to win this one. "Fine, what do you want me to do?"
They had slowly and slowly been messing up their sleep schedules, staying up late to finish a project, or get an assignment turned in early so they could spend extra time building shelves. Hajime knows that their lives will go back to normal soon, that they need to get back on schedule, but he likes Tooru in the early morning hours. He seems...softer, quieter. He knows Tooru has always been a night owl, and now Hajime is starting to see the appeal of a silent world, him and Tooru in their own little space. Even their arguments seem to have a dreamy quality to them.
Hajime watches Tooru get started painting his name block, his tongue sticking out slightly as he concentrates. Hajime blinks, returns his attention to his own project.
"There," Tooru says once they're done, studying the two blocks, now teal blue and gray, sitting side-by-side on the crumpled newspaper they have covered their table with. "They're going to look so good under the TV!"
Hajime doesn't know what it is about that moment, Tooru looking at him with excitement and eagerness, talking about their shared living space, that makes him forget all reason. He reaches up with one hand, cups Tooru's neck, and pulls him down. He sees Tooru's eyes widen very briefly before he closes the distance between their lips.
To Tooru's credit, he doesn't stay still long. He raises his hands, places them on Hajime's cheeks, and deepens the kiss. Hajime can tell Tooru is coiled tight with tension. He doesn't know if it is an excited tension or if he is scared, but it drops Hajime back to the present like cold water dumped on his head.
He tears himself away quickly. Tooru stands, eyes wide, barely breathing. Hajime doesn’t know what there is to say, but he starts talking. "I...Sorry. It's tired. I'm tired. I should go to bed."
Hajime is tripping over his words, he's going to die of embarrassment. He finally gives up and practically runs to his room. The clock on the nightstand reads 3:34. He closes his eyes and drops his head. Tooru is going to hate him now. Hajime has ruined everything he and Tooru have built between them the past ten days because he couldn't just control his emotions.
His mother used to say nothing good happens after midnight whenever he tried to extend his curfew. He wishes, for once, he had listened to her.
When he falls asleep, though, he can't get the thought of Tooru's lips on his, warm and wet and wonderful, out of his head. He wishes he could say he regretted it, but the only thing he might regret is the aftermath of his stupidity come tomorrow.
Day Twelve
Tooru knocks on his door at noon. "Hey, uh, I made lunch? If you want it."
Hajime hates how hesitant Tooru sounds, as if he isn't sure if Hajime is going to snap at him or start crying. He hates that he isn't sure what he is going to do, either.
"Uh yeah, sorry, I'm just finishing a paper," Hajime says. He's not quite lying, but he hasn't really worked on the paper, either. Instead, he is just obsessively playing their kiss over and over in his head, the way Tooru looked so pliant and soft when he had pulled away.
It was the time, Hajime tries to convince himself. The time, the sleep deprivation, the paint fumes. It wasn't because Tooru wanted it.
He sneaks out of his room to the kitchen. He isn't sure what sneaking is doing for him, because their apartment is open and tiny, so unless Tooru is in his room (which he is not), he can see Hajime wherever he is.
He spots an egg salad sandwich sitting on the counter, with a rolled bag of his favorite chips next to the plate, and a soda. He looks at Tooru, who is staring at the TV, where Pacific Rim is playing once again. Hajime contemplates going over to sit next to him, but instead he goes back to his room.
Tooru doesn't knock on the door again.
Day Fourteen
Hajime decides on the last day that he needs to go out and be normal. He has thrown Tooru's whole schedule off, and he is sure Tooru will be moping about it.
He braces himself for the passive aggressive sniping that is about to come from Tooru, but he is surprised when he sees Tooru in the kitchen, whistling cheerfully. He has his hair in a bandana and an apron on, which makes Hajime's mouth water. When Tooru turns around he gives Hajime a smile. It is almost identical to his real one. "I'm making sweet bread, Iwa-chan! So we can have something good to take to work tomorrow. Did you know the school announced this morning that they are moving online for the rest of the semester?"
Tooru rambles on as Hajime looks up the latest news. It seems like the two of them are going to be stuck together for the foreseeable future. At least they will be able to go outside now.
"You didn't get sick," Hajime says suddenly.
"Nope! You're slow, Iwa-chan. Usually you worry about my health obsessively."
"I was too busy being angry at you for cooping me indoors with you."
"Ah," Tooru says, turning back to the oven. "You didn't get sick either, so, better safe than sorry!"
Hajime can tell something is wrong. Tooru is too cheerful. Not that he isn't usually happy, but the cadence of his words is just too bubbly today. He scowls at Tooru's back, willing him to turn around, but he doesn't, just hums as he makes the sugar mix he likes to put on top of his sweet bread.
Ever since Hajime had given Tooru tips and tricks in the kitchen, he has taken it over. It gives him something to puzzle over. Hajime likes to watch him, likes to think about Tooru making him bentos or dinner. Likes to fantasize about kissing Tooru into oblivion, freeing his hair from that bandana, tugging on it until Tooru is a panting mess...
He blinks. His imagination has started spiraling out of control these past two weeks, and their shared kiss hasn't helped anything. He scowls at his phone. Neither of them have acknowledged what happened. Not that Hajime has given Tooru many opportunities. He is avoiding him as well as he can in a 700 square foot radius.
"Here."
Hajime blinks, surprised, when Tooru's hand appears in his vision. A small meat bun is sitting on a plate. "You haven't eaten anything. I made them yesterday."
Hajime stares at Tooru, who gives him a small smile before turning away. "What...What are we going to do today?"
Tooru looks up at him in surprise. "I...Well, I was thinking maybe we could relax today. We're going to have to go back to real life tomorrow."
Hajime sighs. "Well, not really real life, but out to the real world I guess."
Tooru doesn't answer. Hajime wishes he would say something obnoxious, bring normalcy back where Hajime has introduced awkwardness, but Tooru doesn't seem to be reading the cues. Hajime can't blame him.
The silence is so complete between them, Hajime can hear their clock ticking softly in the background. "I...This was fun. I thought you had another project you wanted to complete?"
"Ah, we put the blocks where I was thinking to put the trunk, and we don't have time to finish it, so I don't think we need to worry about it."
The timer on Tooru's sweet bread rings. Hajime feels his scowl deepen as Tooru busies himself with his back to Hajime once again.
Hajime finishes the meat bun and throws the plate in the sink before stalking over to the couch. He puts on a random show he and Tooru had started watching in the background during their DIY projects, and it's incredibly dull, but he forces himself to watch.
After a few hours, Tooru finally sits next to him. He offers a plate of his newly made creation to Hajime. "This is really good," Hajime says.
Tooru sniffs. "You don't have to sound so surprised, Iwa-chan."
Hajime scoffs. "Before this week you burned butter on a daily basis."
"Maybe I'm a genius in the kitchen, then. I've wasted all my years playing volleyball when I could have been making my own milk bread."
Hajime chuckles softly, and Tooru gives a small, lopsided grin. "Hajime," he says, softly. Hearing his name from Tooru's lips causes Hajime's heart to stop for a second, then beat faster than before. He forgets the plate in his hand. "What...Why did you kiss me? The other day."
Hajime blinks. His thoughts race. He is sure Tooru is about to let him down gently, with that placating smile and those sad eyes that makes Tooru seem so genuine every time he rejects someone. Hajime has seen it enough that he knows he doesn't want to be the recipient of the look. "I...I was just tired. It's not a big deal, I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable..."
Tooru presses his hand over Hajime's mouth softly. "I love you," Tooru says simply. Hajime blinks. Tooru laughs softly, then sits back, his hand dropping from Hajime's face. "I thought, maybe, if we were stuck together for so long, I'd work up the nerve to say it. But you were pretty upset that we had to stay inside together, so I second guessed myself. I almost said it when we were baking that chocolate cake, but I just...I couldn't. But then you kept going with all my ridiculous DIY projects, and we were making our house together, and I just...I decided I would just live with it. And then you kissed me. I thought I was dreaming.
"But then you looked so horrified afterward. Iwa-chan, you can't look at everyone you kiss like that. If they don't already know they're a good kisser like I do, they're going to be crushed."
Hajime laughs. It sounds more like he is choking, but Tooru smiles. "You avoided me all day."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay if you can't love me back, but I thought I should let you know."
"Wait, what?" Hajime frowns and Tooru's eyebrows crease in confusion. "You think I don't like you?"
"Well, you just said the kiss meant nothing..."
"I didn't say that, idiot, I just apologized if I made you uncomfortable. I've liked you for years. Why do you think I still put up with you? Why would I agree to live with you?"
Tooru's confusion melts and a giddy smile replaces it. "Does that mean we can kiss again?"
"Hell yeah. You have no idea what that apron and bandana are doing to me."
"Mmm, don't underestimate me," Tooru says, pulling on Hajime's shirt until Hajime is hovering over him. "Well, are you going to do something?"
"Shut up," Hajime says, and presses their lips together firmly. He feels Tooru smile against his mouth, and he is pretty sure they aren't moving from this spot for the rest of the day.
The Next Day
"So," Makki says, wiggling his eyebrows. Hanamaki, Matsukawa, Tooru and Hajime are at a park, and Tooru won’t allow them to come closer than two arm lengths because we’re social distancing! I don’t know where you’ve been! "How many times did you do it in a row?"
"You're disgusting," Tooru says with a sniff, twining his arm around Hajime's. "For your information, the answer is zero. We're taking things slow."
"It wasn't slow enough dragging this through high school and your first two years of college?" Mattsun shakes his head. "You're going to be too old to get it up by the time you actually decide to consummate your relationship. You're missing out."
Makki shakes his head as well. Tooru scowls. "I just can't believe it took you all the way til the end of the two weeks to confess. That was not the plan. The plan was sex by the end of the quarantine period, remember?"
Hajime turns his attention to Tooru. "What plan?"
Tooru gulps. They all know Hajime's scary calm voice. "I...Well...I told you I wanted to spend time with you, this isn't a surprise!"
"You told Makki you were planning this? And you didn't think to warn me?" Hajime rounds on Makki, who just cackles.
Tooru squeezes Hajime's arm. "But it worked out! Right?"
"You're in so much trouble when we get home," Hajime hisses.
Tooru looks at him, eyes wide and innocent. "What are you gonna do to me?"
Makki and Mattsun exchange a look. "Well, looks like they're not going to take it slow," Mattsun says.
"I knew they'd be into some kinky shit," Makki answers. "We'll leave you two lovebirds to it. Ta-ta."
As they leave, Makki nudges Mattsun. "You know," he says casually. "If we were stuck in quarantine together, I think we could do it at least six times in three hours."
Mattsun raises his eyebrows. "Why do we have to wait for quarantine to test that out?"
Makki grins.
***
When Hajime and Tooru get home, Hajime presses Tooru up against the door. Tooru swallows, trying to smile innocently. "What was the plan, Tooru?"
"Ah," Tooru says. "You heard Makki! Do I have to say it again?"
"You sure as hell do," Hajime growls in his ear. Tooru shivers when he feels Hajime's teeth on his ear. "If I had known sex was the endgame..."
"Ohh, naughty Iwa-chan, good thing we're supposed to stay in for the rest of the...ow! You're such a brute!" Hajime captures Tooru's mouth with his, pulling him away from the door roughly.
They stumble their way to the closest bedroom, which happens to be Tooru's. Tooru pulls Hajime down on top of him, trying to get him out of his shirt at the same time. After a few seconds of their frantic explorations, Hajime pulls away, panting. "I didn't...tell you. I love you too."
Tooru's intense expression melts. He smiles sweetly up at Hajime, places his arms around Hajime's neck and kisses him slowly to show Hajime how much he loves him too. When they break away, Tooru nods. "Now that we have all the sappy stuff out of the way," he says, breathless, "I've been waiting for this as long as you have. Get to work, Hajime."
And Hajime does just that.