Chapter Text
The peak of summer comes around right in the beginning week of June. The thought worries Akito as he currently digs into a small patch of fertile soil, poking a seed through the middle of the ditch.
Too much heat is always an anxiety when planting—and sure, maybe Akito is only here in the Aoyagi backyard planting flowers because his partner picked up the hobby, but he at least knows that much from common sense. It’s humid outside today, and it makes him deeply regret the choice of a long-sleeved sweater. He still sweats even though he rolled the sleeves up to his forearms and traded his tennis shoes for slippers, but honestly, he’s already grown accustomed to the uncomfortable feeling.
The warmth of the soil that presses against his hand reminds him of how all this started. It happened a few weeks ago on a school day—the day when Toya showed up at Akito’s doorstep unscheduled and enthusiastically (his face didn’t move much from its usual passive state, but Akito could decipher it with ease) pulled him to his home to demonstrate his new hobby. It would’ve been a better discovery for him if it weren’t 3 in the morning; but Akito couldn’t argue with Toya’s fear of sleeping his ambition away. It’s been ever since that simple time that Akito has helped Toya grow his little garden of flowers—by now the small ones are almost in full bloom, yet the taller ones like the sunflowers are still taking their time. He covers up the ditch of dirt with a smile—he’d love to see those full sunflowers someday.
As he stretches himself onto his feet, he hears the creak of the back door, hearing gentle footsteps sound closer and closer until a familiar figure stops beside him. He watches silently as they take the watering can from their hands and tilt it slowly over the small plot of soil, witnessing the dry, brown dirt fade into a deeper shade drop by drop. After they finish circling around the flowers, they place the watering can down and return to his side, wiping their gloved hands.
“I believe that’s all,” Toya says, eyes stuck to the flowers. “This garden is already so beautiful. When everything is in bloom…I’ll be excited to see it.”
“You and I both,” Akito sighs, watching the flowers sway softly in the wind. “Picking up this hobby wasn’t bad at all. Thanks for letting me do all this with you.”
“It’s nothing. I want to experience this with you, after all,” Toya gives him a smile—that small upturn of his lips that is never shown to anyone but him, and it only shines brighter under the rays of the sun. “I’m glad, rather, that you agreed to go with me that morning.”
“Hah, you kinda scared me then, y’know? Thought some weirdo was knocking on my door at 3 in the morning.”
“Yeah. I guess that is a little unsettling…”
A frown starts to fade onto Toya’s face. Yet, once Akito notices, he quickly takes his hand and brings his face closer, pressing a delicate kiss onto his cheek with the proudest smile. “Well, we wouldn’t be here if you didn’t, so I’m glad either way. Don’t go beatin’ yourself up over it.”
Now what fades in is a thin sheet of red, all sense of humiliation disappearing into thin air. “Yeah, you’re right,” he agrees, squeezing the hand that holds his own.
They stand in silence afterwards, staring into their small field of flowers that isn’t longer nor wider than a short five meters. A calming breeze settles into the atmosphere, swaying the flowers to create a breathtaking mixture of color, all warm and gentle. But what Akito ends up looking at more is the serenity on Toya’s face as he watches the flowers blow in the easy summer breeze, the littlest smile still there on his face. He wouldn’t want to see Toya with any other look—hell, if this gardening hobby was all it took, then he’d rather run away with him into the desolate hills and grow the world’s biggest flower field, all just to see how much brighter Toya’s face can glow. He then stares into his eyes, lost in the peaceful atmosphere, and then to that little mole underneath his left one: that little mole he’s always adored and has kissed so many times. And now he stares at his lips and purses his own—damn, he’d just like to kiss him right now. So he will.
But before he could move closer, Toya blinks and something catches his attention. His hand falls away from Akito’s to point to the middle of the field, at which Akito follows to figure out what’s happening.
“Look, Akito,” he says, wonderous and sweet. “A butterfly.”
Instinctively, he freezes. And sure enough, a single orange butterfly rests on one of the flowers, shuffling around the petals. He ends up forgetting every calming thing he just experienced and starts to sweat just a little harder. Toya doesn’t notice the silence until the butterfly levitates from one flower to the next, causing the teenager to jump back. Toya hums and looks back with confusion, but the only thing that has Akito’s attention is the butterfly flying towards him. He curses under his breath and keeps backing away, almost tripping over himself in the process. The insect eventually flies up into the air and out of the backyard, leaving Akito and his oddly fast heart rate alone.
Akito’s eyes stay in contact with the sky, following the butterfly until it completely disperses from sight. That’s when he lets out a huge sigh from the top of his chest and gazes over the field, confirming one final time that the butterfly is no longer there.
But then his eyes wander over to Toya, who stands in disbelief. “Akito?” He calls with concern. “Are you okay?”
The boy takes a moment to breathe and straighten himself up again, and once he’s balanced on his feet, he nods (albeit frantically) and steps back over. “Yeah, uh,” he stammers with avoidant eyes, “I’m good, yeah.”
Toya blinks.
“Are you sure?”
“Very sure.”
Eye contact has never been harder than now.
“Seems like dogs aren’t the only thing you’re afraid of.”
“Oh shut it,” Akito grumbles, playfully kicking Toya in the leg. “Look, I…I’m usually fine with bugs, nasty as they are, but those things…they creep me out.”
“Butterflies? But they’re quite fascinating.”
“Fascinating my ass. Those creatures are straight from Hell.”
“How so?”
“Hm?” Akito hums, barely raising an eyebrow.
“How come they’re so intimidating to you?”
“It’s…no, it’s embarrassing…”
Their hands find their way to each other again. “I’d never judge you,” Toya says truthfully. “You know that.”
Akito scrunches his mouth, looking all around before letting out yet another sigh and returning his gaze to Toya. “Alright, fine. I’ll tell you. But don’t make fun of me, okay? And don’t tell anyone else, either.”
“I would never, Akito,” Toya smiles, squeezing his hand.
(The next words out of Akito’s mouth get Toya to snicker. Eventually he has to fight back a smile while Akito rips onto him for making fun of him; yet it only makes Toya want to laugh even more.
And even though it’s embarrassing and Akito’s face is hotter than the heat-soaked soil beneath them, he’d rather freeze time indefinitely for him to hear that honey-sweet laughter over and over again.)