Although they have their differences, they are no longer going for each other's throats like they used to, he believes that their little bonding session over the river had made them exist in peace around each other. But that doesn't mean they have become friends and do clash from time to time, like right now.
"Okay but who the hell in their right mind drinks chocolate with toothpaste?" Kunikuzushi says with disgust. They are in the restaurant for dinner for their senior party and for some reason, mint chocolate latte had been brought up in the conversation and these two just cannot not bicker over the stupidest of things.
"Kunikuzushi, we just cannot judge people based on their tastes."
"Heyo," comes a cheerful voice, a guy with dark blue hair that fades into aqua on tips, interrupts them, sitting beside Xiao and slinging his arm over him, "What are you guys arguing about? This table seemed extra hot."
"Oh," Kunikuzushi notices Aethers face drop for a moment before he covers it up with a smile, "Hey Venti."
Kunikuzushi finds this interaction a bit odd, 'who is this guy and why does Aether look uncomfortable?' he thinks, observing them.
"Whos this?" Venti points at Kunikuzushi, "Never seen him with you guys before."
"It's rude to point at someone you have just met." Kunikuzushi deadpans, "And who the fuck are you to be interrupting us like this?"
"Don't talk to him like this." Xiao glares at Kunikuzushi.
"I feel deja vu." Kunikuzushi shudders and smirks at Aether playfully. Aether just rolled his eyes at him.
"This is Venti, a good friend of ours." Aether introduces, "And this is Kunikuzushi, we became friends recently."
"This is the guy who used to argue with Aether." Xiao starts the conversation which feels a bit weird if you ask Kunikuzushi
.
"Ohhh," Venti remembers and drawls his words "interesting"
"Wow, you guys have been talking behind my back?" Kunikuzushi.
The Venti guy takes a swing of the vodka and comments, "That's because you have been stressing our poor Aether."
"In my defence, he started it." Kunikuzushi pointed at Aether.
"Excuse me?" Aether says with unfocused eyes, he looked adorable, and takes a swing of his own drink.
"Slow down-" Xiao tells Aether but gets ignored.
"Ohh look who's drinking." Venti hoots.
"I did not st-starit," Aether comments seeming lightheaded. His whole face was flush.
"Aww he's such a lightweight." Venti cooed and Xiao sighed at that.
"I'm not," Aether disagreed, his words slurring a little.
"Drink to your heart's content," a senior stands up and declares, "My treat."
"Yayyy," Venti hoorayed.
"Aether, I think you should go home." Xiao said.
"Why?" Aether pouted, "I am completely fine."
"You are tipsy already," Xiao reminds him, "And you know how it gets when you drink."
"Ahh, just say I am trouble to take care of," Aether said dejectedly, "Don't worry I wont bother you." He got up and left the restaurant.
"Ahh you made him mad," Venti said in a singsong tone as Kunikuzushi stood to go after Aether.
Kunikuzushi caught up to the pouting Aether, "What up?"
"None of your business," Aether stated and walked faster but tripped, Kunikuzushi caught him.
"Careful," he said with a sigh.
"Lets get you home shall we?" Kunikuzushi said, calling for a taxi.
"You think I am annoying when drunk? Aether was still holding onto Kunikuzushi, he looked sleepy.
"I wouldn't know," Kunikuzushi tucked a stray hair behind Aethers ear, his face was hot as compared to Kunikuzushis cold hands.
"Ahhh, your hands are so nicee," Aether held onto Kunikuzushi's hand and brought it to his cheeks, "Hmm cold, gimme that one too" he said holding his other hand and bringing it to other cheek, he closed his eyes and smiled blissfully. He looked so cute and Kunikuzushi wanted to do nothing but kiss his annoying face.
"The taxi is here," Kunikuzushi reluctantly slipped his hand out of Aethers and got Aether into the car.
"Fuck," Kunikuzushi said to himself out loud, slapping his forehead in the process, , looking at the sky. What has he gotten himself into?
.
.
.
The next day, Venti decided that they should have a bonding session with Kuni and just like that, they found themselves in a local club due to Venti's insistence. Kuni does not want to be a part of any drunken party but he decided to stay for Aether, he wonders why do Aether and Xiao even indulge in Venti's antics despite usually getting in trouble when drunk.
They took a corner spot in the club and sat down while Venti ordered the drinks. Aether declared that he would let himself loose and went to the dancefloor, he needed that to cope with his sorrows. Xiao wanted to follow him but Venti stopped him telling him how he should trust Aether and let him enjoy. Kunikuzushi could not be bothered with this weird love triangle thingy so he just kept to himself to drink a little bit. He could see Aether from where he sat so he was not too worried for him.
Aether looked completely different when drunk, its as if all the filters were removed. He said whatever he wanted and did whatever he desired. What he did not expect was for Aether to start dancing like a pro, his movements were sharp yet elegant, it took Kunikuzushi breath away. He could feel something burning in the pit of his stomach seeing Aether becoming the centre of attention in the club, people joining him and encouraging him on.
He was proud of Aether yet he felt the distance between them increasing. It seemed as if Aether was unreachable, as if he did not deserve such a radiant person. He was reminded of a story his mother used to tell him of a toy soldier and a ballerina. He just felt like the toy soldier, admiring Aether from afar and not being able to do anything. The Toy soldier had a heat at least, Kunikuzushis already burnt his in the fire five years ago.
When he returned to reality from his thoughts, Aether was nowhere to be seen. He looked at Xiao and Venti and they were in their own world.
"Hey where's Aether?" he asked Xiao.
"Huh?" Venti asked dumbly while Xiao stood up to look at the dance floor.
"Nevermind, I'll go look for him." Kunikuzushi said and went to the dance floor without waiting for the answer.
Aether was nowhere to be found on the dancefloor, his presence was too radiant for Kunikuzushi to not notice him so he went around the club looking for him. Just as he was passing by the mens toilet, he heard a sound of something falling so he decided to check just in case. And just as his hunch had told him, Aether was inside, holding himself up by the sink with dishevelled hair and tear stricken face.
Another man was in there, picking himself up from the floor, fury in his eyes. He approached Aether and held him by his arm shouting at him while Aether struggled to set himself free in his drunken state, "You think you're all that you little bitch? I was being nice to you because you were crying but fuck me for being so nice to a slut like you," he shook Aether, "Just wait, I will fuck the attitude out of-"
Kunikuzushi moved with a speed he did not know he was capable of and punched the man square in the face, probably breaking a tooth or two. The guy was completely knocked out as he fell to the floor with a loud thud. He decided that knocking this asshole out was not enough so he kept hitting the unconscious guy, he had never felt this much rage in him.
"Kuni,stop" Aether sniffles and weakly tries to stop him from hitting the guy more, he was a bloody mess already.
Kunikuzushi did not move an inch, " I am gonna kill him for you, don't worry."
"No, please stop." Aether held his shirt from the shoulder and pulled weakly, "Please, take me away,"he sobbed weakly.
That made Kunikuzushi stop, his priority is Aether right now and if he wants to leave, he should take him away to a safer place. He got up and held Aethers hand tightly, guiding him outside the club as he texted Xiao about him and Aether leaving first.
He takes Aether to the bus stop and sits him down at the waiting area, no one in sight as it was one am already and no more buses were coming. Aether looks so small and vulnerable like this, dishevelled hair and still crying. Kunikuzushi takes a seat beside him, taking Aethers face in his hands and wiping his tears he asks,
"Why are you crying like this? Should I go back and kill him hmm?"
"No, I don't know…" Aether replies with uncertainty as more tears stream down his face.
"What am I going to do with you?" Kunikuzushi asks fondly, gently rubbing his back "Look how much out of character I have to become for you."
"I'm sorry," Aether sobs harder.
"No no shh, it's not your fault" Kunikuzushi says in panic and hugs him awkwardly, "I guess cry as much as you want, time for payback."
Aether chuckles and mumbles a thank you as he buries his face at Kunikuzushis chest.
"You better remember this!" Kunikuzushi comments jokingly.
After Aether was done crying and had settled down, he undoes the hug and stares at Kunikuzushi absentmindedly.
"Hey, can I share a secret with you?" Aether asks to which he is met with Kunikuzushis arched eyebrow, his expression sceptical.
"And what makes you think I will keep it?"
"You cried in front of me."
"Okay understandable, continue with your secret."
This makes Aether chuckle as he continues, "So actually there's someone I like."
Kunikuzushis' heart drops at this knowing where the conversation is headed.
"You mean Xiao." Kunikuzushi says and is met with Aethers surprised expression.
"How did you-"
"You couldn't be anymore obvious."
"Are you serious?" Aether said horrified, face buried in hands, "When did you find out?"
"When we sat down together for the first time."
"No," Aether shakes his head.
"Yes," Kunikuzushi nods.
"Did you think anyone else noticed?"
"I don't know," Kunikuzushi replies, "Don't you want to confess to him?"
"No never!" Aether jumps up and stumbles.
"Careful," Kunikuzushi holds him and calls for a taxi on his app, it's about time they should go back before someone else sees them.
"I am trying to get over Xiao," Aether smiles softly, scratching his cheek shyly. "He's already dating someone and I think they are perfect together."
"Oh the Venti guy?"
"How did you know?"
"Well, I am not blind like a certain someone."
"Hey, Xiao is not blind" Aether playfully punches him in the arm and pouts, "anyways, please forget this ever happened, I will get over him in no time. In Fact, I am already over him but I guess I get like this because of attachment issues."
"Oh?" Kunikuzushi smirks at him, "You get attached easily?"
"Well unfortunately yeah."
"Will you be sad if I am gone?" Kunikuzushis blurts something he should have kept to himself.
"Well yes, we are friends no?"
"When did we become friends?"
"Wait, you mean we are not?" Aether looked offended, " We shared so many secrets and I think you don't hate me anymore.
"I never hated you," Kunikuzushis caresses Aether cheeks tenderly with a deadpan expression.
"Oh, I thought you hated me because you were always so mean!"
"The taxi is here, get in. You should go home."
Aether sits in the taxi without any complaint and they say their goodbyes awkwardly as Kunikuzushis rouches Aether to get home. Kunikuzushis' heart is still beating wildly from the interaction and the hug, he cannot believe he showed such a gentle side to Aether. He hopes Aether forgets everything the next day.