“Let’s shower together,” he proposed, entwining his fingers through Teruo’s.
Teruo smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes, but he followed Shinji inside the bathroom. Stepping into the shower stall, Shinji turned on the water and looked over his shoulder at Teruo who was taking off his clothes. Teruo’s abs tightened with the movement and Shinji gave Teruo a sly smirk when he was caught watching.
“I like what I’m seeing,” Shinji said.
Teruo gave a non-committal nod. “Thanks.” He ducked under the steamy water and ran a hand over his hair, slicking it back as the drops poured down his body.
Shinji paused in confusion. Teruo usually had some sort of reaction to his flirting. Either getting flustered—which Shinji found adorable—or flirting back. Picking up the shower gel, Shinji ducked under the water too and poured some onto his palm, then ran it over Teruo’s chest and lower over the ridges of his abdomen.
Teruo pressed his forehead to Shinji’s, a soft sigh escaping him.
“Are you okay?” Shinji asked. “You seem worried.”
“I’m good.” It didn’t sound convincing.
Offering what he hoped was a reassuring smile, Shinji circled his thumbs over Teruo’s hips. “If you’re not in the mood, that’s fine. Let’s wash up and then have breakfast, yeah?”
“But that’s the deal,” Teruo said, raising his head.
“Deal? I’m not following.”
There was a peculiar expression on Teruo’s face, one Shinji couldn’t quite read. “We’re meeting up in private for sex,” Teruo continued. “If we don’t do that, then what are meeting for?”
Straightening up a bit, Shinji blinked, taken aback. Yeah, that was their deal. Casual sex, obviously. But the way Teruo said it sounded as if he didn’t want to make room for anything else besides sex. On Thursday and Friday night they had not only fucked, but enjoyed each other’s company, spent time tucked under the sheets, talking about insignificant stuff. Teruo had left him with the impression he was fine with this being just a bit more than casual sex, but just a bit less than an actual relationship. They hadn’t spoken about it, but they didn’t need to. It had been a silent understanding between them.
Apparently, it had just been a silent, one-sided misunderstanding on Shinji’s part.
Teruo cleared his throat and concern replaced his unreadable expression. “I put it rather harshly. I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just… I’m not in a good place right now.”
Shinji cupped his cheek. “Don’t worry. I understand.”
Another curt nod from Teruo and he remained silent as they washed. Teruo feeling under the weather didn’t surprise Shinji. He’d had back to back homicide cases with no rest, his former partner was murdered and if Shinji’s guess was correct, Teruo could see hisreiryokuwhich for a non-supernatural could be something very shocking.
Today he would get hisreiryokuunsealed which was even more concerning. Would Teruo end up seeing the whole intensity of hisreiryoku? One solution was to hide hisreiryokuwhile he actively used it, so Teruo couldn’t see it. This was a neat ability supernaturals had, but hiding one’s spiritual energy actually consumed it faster than simply using it and exhausted the user.
He’d also debated coming clean to the Onmyoryo and telling them that a non-supernatural could see hisreiryoku. They would take care of it and it wouldn’t be Shinji’s problem anymore. But he didn’t want to force Teruo into being searched, made to sign NDAs and never having peace and quiet in his life because the Onmyoryo would always assign a person to supervise him from the shadows. Such scrutiny was a tough thing to cope with for a non-supernatural and a person as private as Teruo was.
“I’ll have to leave for a few errands soon,” Shinji said as they walked inside the kitchen.
“I can drive you if you want,” Teruo offered.
“Nah, that’s okay. It’ll take me a while to finish everything.”
“I’m free today.” Teruo shrugged. He picked up the ingredients for their breakfast and lined them up in order on the countertop. “Well, mostly free. Gotta buy groceries and also food for the little minions.” He pointed his thumb at Mochi and Dango who were stretched on the floor right in Teruo’s way. “But, if you’re meeting someone…” Teruo trailed off.
“It’s not that kind of errand,” Shinji said, resting against the counter and meeting Teruo’s gaze. “You’re the only one I’m seeing. And you’ll be the only one for as long as we’ll be meeting in private.” Surprise stretched across Teruo’s face. Shinji chuckled and continued. “Would it be okay to return here in the evening?”
“Of course. If you want me to pick you up, let me know.” Teruo settled a bowl and eggs in front of Shinji. “Beat them for thetamagoyaki, please.”
“It’s been a while since I ate so many home cooked meals.” Shinji cracked the eggs in the bowl. “I usually eat junk food.” He disliked cooking whereas Teruo thrived on carefully preparing each meal.
“You should try to eat healthier from time to time. Especially since you seem to go to the gym.” He threw a glance at Shinji’s bare torso before returning his attention to the pots on the stove.
“I guess.” Shinji picked the chopsticks and started beating the eggs, adding the rest of the ingredients one by one.
He hadn’t been to the gym in a while. Last week and this week had been so hectic that finding a good gym completely vanished from his mind. Teruo had basic equipment here at his house, but asking if he could use it felt like crossing some sort of invisible line in their relationship that Teruo seemed not ready to cross yet.
Shinji’s own train of thought was slowly becoming frustrating. He wasn’t sure what he wanted. To keep this casual? Put a stop to it? Or try to turn it into a relationship? Sleeping together, eating together, spending some quality time after work and maybe working out together? A part of him kept saying “That sounds nice!”, but he shoved that thought aside.