Masks (Antique Bakery, Chikage/Ono)

Ono stepped out of the bathroom and froze, his hands stuck in the middle of toweling his hair dry as conscious thought failed him. He blushed instantly, awkwardness and embarrassment and a tiny, miniscule drop of desire welling up in his stomach, and for a moment he forgot how to breathe. Tachibana stared back at him with equal surprise, a forgotten cigarette dangling half-out of his mouth.

It was like something out of his high school fantasies. There was Tachibana, looking gorgeous as ever. His jacket was draped over the back of the couch, his shirt partially unbuttoned, and it looked like he was halfway through pulling off his belt when Ono had walked in. That or he was about to flog Ono for walking around his apartment wearing only a pair of towels, one of which was draped over his head.

A drop of water rolled off his hair, splashing right on his eyelid and he blinked. That simple movement was enough to break whatever had taken hold of Ono’s body and he finally managed to look away, his face burning impossibly redder as Tachibana continued to stare.

“I thought it’d be a while before you got back.” The words sounded lame even to him, like he made plans to sneak around Tachibana’s house while he was gone, like he made a habit of it. His demonic gay charm was powerless against Tachibana’s intimidating presence. It felt like high school all over again, and for a moment he was scared, irrationally waiting for Tachibana to hurt him.