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Chapter Text

Mao hasn’t even been working with UNDEAD for a week before he receives a couple dozen texts and missed calls from his little sister.

“Onii-chan!” Her voice is grating and rather loud when Mao finally picks up the phone—he winces and holds the phone away from his ear. “You’re working for UNDEAD and you didn’t tell me? How could you?!”

“Micchan, calm down!” Mao sighs, rolling his eyes as he hears his sister mutter something under her breath on the other line. “I didn’t know you liked them. If I’d known, of course I would’ve told you.”

“Sure you would’ve.” Minako huffs. “And by the way, I have their posters all over my walls, and I talk about them all the time on social media! How did you not know?!”

“Well, first of all, we don’t live in the same house anymore. Secondly, you blocked me on all social media because you “didn’t want to see your sad older brother’s life all over your feed”.”

“Oh.” She doesn’t have a comeback to that one, but Minako is nothing if not tenacious. “Well, whatever. When can you introduce me?”

Mao raises an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you be focusing on studying?” Minako is in her final year of high school now, and from what Mao can tell she isn’t doing the best with her studies, if the way she changes the topic whenever he brings it up is anything to go off of. His parents haven’t contacted him much since he moved out, so all he has to go on is her word.

“Pfft, it’s fine. It’s the weekend tomorrow, anyway.” See? “Pretty please can you introduce me? I’m dying to know what they’re like up close. Mom never lets me go to any of their concerts because they look too ‘dangerous’. I mean, sure, their whole thing is beasts of the night, but that doesn’t automatically make them bad people! Right, Onii-chan?”

“Right.” Mao chuckles to himself. It seems she really is a fan. He feels a little bad that he took the job without knowing, but now that he does he guess it wouldn’t hurt to do his little sister a favour. “Do you have a favourite?”

“Oogami-kun!” Minako’s answer is immediate, followed by one of those dreamy sighs you hear in movies. “He’s super cool. And hot. Not that you’d get it, with your taste in guys.”

Mao has to stop himself from laughing out loud. She couldn’t be more wrong. “That so? Micchan, what would you do if I said we went on a date?”

“What?!” There’s some background noise; Mao can only assume she’s sitting up to be able to yell louder. “You’re lying, right? There’s no way someone as incredible as Oogami-kun would wanna go out with my pathetic brother.”

Ouch, that stings. But it’s just Minako being Minako, so he shakes it off. “He asked me out first, actually. If you don’t believe me, you can ask him yourself tomorrow.”

Minako gasps. “Wait, really?! You’ll introduce me?!”

“Yes, if you behave. No talking me down, okay?”

A pause. “Fine, I guess that’s okay for one day.” Sometimes Mao wonders if she genuinely hates him. But, then, “Thank you, Onii-chan! You can be cool sometimes, at the end of the day.”

Mao smiles. “Of course. I’m your reliable older brother, aren’t I?”

“I still don’t believe Oogami-kun asked you out, by the way,” she says, as if any semblance of a nice conversation is incomprehensible to her. “But I’m sure that even if he did, he’ll change his mind once he sees me~.”

“Whatever you say, Micchan.” To be fair, it isn’t exactly like he and Koga are in a relationship or anything, but he likes to think Koga has a lingering interest in him. It’s only been a few days since their last date, and most of their time since then has been spent working, but Mao hopes they can go out together again soon. Sorry to Minako, but he got there first. “I’ll text you the details later, okay?”

She thanks him again before hanging up. Mao runs a hand through his hair with a sigh. He’d just assumed that at least Koga would be available; it’ll be pretty embarrassing if he isn’t, so he pulls up Koga’s contact and starts a new message.

(20:36) Hey, Koga! Are you free tomorrow, around noon?

(20:39) yeah why?

Oh, thank goodness.

(20:40) My little sister is a huge fan of UNDEAD, and she just found out I’m working with you all. Is it alright if you could meet us somewhere and say hi and stuff?

(20:40) course no problem dude

(20:41) not sure if the others will be able to make it tho i’ll check

(20:42) Thanks a bunch!! I’m sure it’d be okay if it’s just you, though. She said you’re her favourite ^^

(20:42) that so?

(20:42) seems to run in the family, huh?

Mao’s face burns. Damn, he has a point. That’s a little embarrassing.

(20:44) You could say that

(20:45) heh. good taste

(20:45) i’ll ask the others what they’re doin tmrw and get back to u later kay

(20:45) Okay!! Thanks again, this means a lot!!

Mao flops down on his bed, clicking his phone off. Maybe he should sleep early today. He’s got a long day ahead of him tomorrow.

“Onii-chaaan, when will he be here?” Minako tugs on Mao’s arm with a whine. “It’s been so long!”

Mao shakes her off as gently as he can. “That’s because we got here almost an hour early, though…”

Minako had shown up at Mao’s apartment at roughly eight in the morning, beaming and looking more awake than anyone should that early. In the past few years she’s picked up a fondness for fashion, so of course she’s dressed to the nines, as if about to go on a date.

Subaru kept her company as Mao got ready, but the second Minako saw how he was dressed she stormed into his room to find something nicer, completely disregarding the sleeping Makoto. She ended up stealing a shirt from Hokuto for Mao, who she said was ‘the one person in the household with any fashion taste’. Seems that’s the general takeaway, huh?

Seeing how Minako showed up three hours earlier than necessary, they’d had some time to kill. So she’d suggested they play one of Makoto’s many fighting games (who’s still asleep, mind you), and promptly destroyed the three of them. Mao remembers her calling things like manga and video games nerdy no less than a few months ago, so it’s equally surprising and embarrassing how bad he got his ass kicked.

They left the apartment at around half past ten, arriving at the park they’d agreed upon meeting at with too much time to spare. Minako has been on edge the whole time, glancing around and mumbling to herself and checking her hair on her phone camera. It’s rather adorable; Minako would kill him if he said that out loud, though.

Oh, and Koga is the only one who’s able to make it. Apparently, Rei and Kaoru had an interview, and as much as Adonis said he’d have loved to come, he had a dentist appointment he couldn’t miss. Minako hadn’t been disappointed or anything, though. After all, Koga is her favourite, and she’d said that since Mao should be with them for a while, there’ll be more chances in the future. Which is kind of true, actually.

“Yeah, because it’s proper manners to show up early!” Minako insists, kicking her legs back and forth on the bench they’re sitting on.

Okay, Mao can’t argue with that. He can’t count the number of times he’s shown up way too early for things in the past, including his date with Koga. Honestly, he’s a little nervous to see him today. All their interactions the past week have been strictly professional, except for a few odd texts. And now he’s going to see him again, dressed much nicer than he usually would be, albeit with his little sister who most definitely also has a crush on Koga. It’s pretty funny, actually.

“Yo, Dekosuke,” a familiar voice calls, and Mao lifts his gaze from the floor to see the aforementioned man approaching them, wearing his mask again and one hand raised in a lazy wave. Mao’s heart flutters in his chest. “Finally found ya.”

Minako squeals, clutching onto Mao’s jacket sleeve again. “Ohmigosh, it’s him! And he gave you a nickname?! You have no idea how lucky you are!”

It’s more of an insulting nickname than an affectionate one, though. “Hey, Koga. Good to see you.” He stands up, gesturing to Minako to do the same. She shuffles out from behind Mao shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “This is Minako, my little sister.”

“H-Hi, Oogami-kun…” she mumbles, fiddling with her hands. “It’s really nice to meet you! I’ve been a huge fan for a while now.“

Koga smiles kindly, tugging his mask down before offering his hand for Minako to shake. Hesitantly, she takes it, face as red as her hair. “Heya, uh, Minako, was it? It’s nice to meetcha too, Mina. Yer brother’s been real good to me this past week.”

Mao watches in amusement as his sister stumbles over her words, presumably reeling from the nickname. “That’s good. He could be such a pain at home, so I’m glad he isn’t causing you trouble.”

A pain?! She’s talking as if he isn’t the older one here, the one who did the vast majority of chores in her stead? Koga shoots him a teasing look, to which Mao furrows his eyebrows and shakes his head.

“Nah, he’s good. Takes the best photos too.” Koga winks at Mao before focusing his attention back on Minako, leaving Mao just as much of a mess as his sister. Koga needs to stop spending so much time around Kaoru. It’s not good for his heart.

“Ah! Um…” Minako rummages around in her bag for a moment, producing a notepad and pen. “Could I have your autograph?”

“‘Course.” Koga takes the proffered items and signs the paper before handing it back. “Anythin’ else?”

“Onii-chan!” Minako hurries over to Mao, snapping him out of his stupor as she shoves her phone into his hands. “Take a photo of us.”

“A please would be nice,” Mao mutters, but still raises the phone up to take a photo as Minako awkwardly positions herself beside Koga who carefully places a hand on her shoulder. If Mao had his camera, he could take a much nicer photo. But he hadn’t thought about that beforehand, so Minako’s phone camera will have to make do. He has the feeling she’ll savour it no matter what the quality. “Smile, you two!”

He takes a couple of photos, signalling to Minako when he’s done so she can take her phone back. She snatches it out of his grip, mumbling a thanks then something about needing to show her friends. Someone has their priorities.

“She seems nice,” Koga says, coming to stand beside Mao. “Real cool of ya to offer to introduce her like this.”

Mao scoffs, folding his arms over his chest. “Oh, no. She called me yesterday and practically demanded I introduce you. She’s getting sassier as she gets older, that one.”

Koga laughs. “Ya clearly get along, though. I never had any siblings. Just me, my parents and Leon.”

Neither of them speak for a moment, and it occurs to Mao that this may be the perfect chance to ask Koga out. The thought is a little scary, but to get to spend some time alone with Koga again makes any fear worth it. Taking a calming breath, Mao turns to face the man next to him. “Hey, Koga. Do you have any plans after this?”

“No, I was just gonna head home.” He tilts his head to the side way too cutely for a guy dressed the way he is. “Why?”

Mao chews on his bottom lip, then finds it in him to meet Koga’s eyes. “Uhm, would you, I dunno, wanna grab lunch with me? I know this place that does the best ramen, and I thought you’d maybe like to go with me.”

Koga’s cheeks are pink as he gives Mao a small smile. “Yeah. I had a lotta fun with ya last time, so ramen sounds great.”

“No. Way.”

Ah. It seems they’d forgotten they had another companion.

“Wait, so you were telling the truth before, Onii-chan?! You really went on a date with Oogami-kun?!” Minako demands. Koga laughs, but shuts his mouth when Mao elbows his side.

“Yeah. Why would I have lied about it?”

“I dunno…” Minako huffs, crossing her arms and glaring at the ground. “You’re really lucky, you know.”

Her voice is low, and Mao can’t really tell who it’s directed towards. But she perks up quickly after, as if struck with an idea. “Hey, can I come with you to lunch? Pretty please?”

Mao shares a glance with Koga. “Maybe next time.”

Working with UNDEAD is a dream.

It’s been about three weeks since Mao accepted Rei’s offer, and he is absolutely certain he made the right decision. If he’s being honest, the pay isn’t exactly better or worse, but it isn’t about the money. He’s so much more free here, more able to shoot what it is that captured his interest in photography in the first place. And he has more free time and less paperwork. He stays up until one in the morning by choice now.

UNDEAD themselves are really nice to be around, too. Having known Rei for a couple of years already, Mao finds himself more comfortable around him than the others (even if he is a little intimidating at times). He helps him out if he ever has any problems, and although the constant pestering for updates on Ritsu can be annoying, Mao does genuinely like him.

Kaoru is a little more difficult to get along with. He spends the majority of his time off stage on his phone, and his flippant attitude towards, well, everything, makes Mao a little hesitant about saying he likes him yet. He’s very good at fanservice, though, taking the lead at meet and greets after shows and basically transforming into this reliable, cool guy that anyone would admire. Mao has had to remind himself that that’s just a front several times.

Adonis, Mao feels the complete opposite around. He’s a sweetheart; kind, considerate and very gentle despite his muscular stature. Mao once twisted his ankle chasing after Subaru, who’d showed up unannounced and ended up stealing his camera, and Adonis carried him all the way to the train station after giving Subaru the most gentle but stern lecture Mao had ever seen. He’s a good person to be able to call a friend.

And then there’s Koga. Loud, brash Koga, who is currently readying himself for one of UNDEAD’s first professional photoshoots. It’s a different magazine from the one Mao used to work on, a more well-known one, so he was rather touched when they complimented his skills and asked him if he’d like to help out.

Koga stretches his arms above his head, his tight black shirt riding up just enough that a silver of his stomach is visible. Mao glances pointedly down at his camera, his cheeks tingling with warmth.

Their ramen had gone well, Koga letting Mao order for him and putting up with him going on about how much he loves, well, ramen. Afterwards, Koga had said he needed to take Leon on a walk, awkwardly asking Mao if he’d like to tag along. Of course Mao said yes, and they returned to the park with Leon this time.

Unfortunately, they haven’t been on any more dates in the two weeks that have passed since then. Every time Mao approaches Koga with the intent of asking him out again, he gives him that adorable curious gaze that renders Mao useless. So, here they are.

Shyly, he glances back up, relieved to see Koga is back to just standing around. Today’s outfit is nothing extravagant, just their default outfits bar the jacket. Still, Koga manages to look utterly captivating; if Mao had some more courage, he’d go up to him and tell him that. But alas, he is nothing more than a cowardly guy with a crush.

Adonis calls out something Mao doesn’t catch to Koga, to which he responds with a wide grin and hand in the sign of the horns. Mao’s hands itch for his camera, which is thankfully around his neck this time. He fiddles around with it for a moment before raising it up to eye level, squinting through the viewfinder.

Click.

Ah, shoot. He forgot to turn the shutter off.

Koga’s head immediately snaps over in Mao’s direction, his grin morphing into a stern glare when he sees what Mao’s doing. “Oi! I thought they toldja no photos till the shoot starts?!” A week ago, Mao would’ve recoiled in alarm. But he’s grown used to Koga’s harsh reactions, so he simply offers him an apologetic smile. Yes, it was true that he technically shouldn’t be taking any photos just yet, considering this is an agency-issued camera, but…

“Sorry, sorry.” He shifts on his feet, fiddling with the mode dial of his camera. “You just looked so pretty I couldn’t resist.”

“Hah? Yer gonna need t’ speak up.”

“I said, you looked so pretty that I couldn’t resist!” Mao says, louder this time. It takes him a moment to realise he may have been a tad too loud, as Rei raises an eyebrow at him from across the room. Mao hopes he doesn’t bring it up later.

Koga’s mouth falls open, his cheeks flushing a pretty shade of pink. “W-Who the hell are ya callin’ pretty, huh? I ain’t pretty, I’m cool, and strong! Honestly, ya need t’ get yer eyes checked. Blind bastard.”

Mao bites back a laugh. Despite Koga’s words, he knows he appreciated it. The guitarist isn’t very good at hiding his true emotions; he may be scowling, but the slight quirk of his lips gives it all away. Why Mao is looking at his lips, well, that’s none of anyone’s business.

The person in charge calls for everyone to get into position, and Koga gives Mao one last steady gaze before going to join the rest of his unit in front of the cyc wall. Mao is called over by the other photographer; he scrambles over, ridding his head of any thoughts of Koga. He needs to focus.

The shoot runs smoothly, UNDEAD (Koga) being surprisingly compliant. They’re all super photogenic, and Mao is rather happy with how everything turned out. He got some especially good shots of Koga he’ll definitely be printing off and taking home for personal viewing.

Once the shoot ends and Mao is finished thanking the staff, someone taps him on the shoulder. He turns around to find Koga, face breaking out in a grin. “Hey, Koga! You were great out there today! I got some really cool photos thanks to you.”

Koga scowls, but Mao can see in his eyes how happy the praise made him. “‘M just doin’ my job. …I’m sure the photos ya took were great as well.”

“Thanks. That’s oddly nice of you.”

“S-Shut up!”

Koga stands there for a moment, scuffing his feet on the floor as if waiting for something. Mao takes pity on him. “Did you want anything?”

“As a matter of fact, yeah. Adonis was gonna give me a ride home, but he got a call so now he’s gotta go pick up his sister from the airport. So I was kinda hopin’ you could.” Koga can deny it all he wants, but he is so cute.

“Hmm…” Mao strokes his chin as if in thought, having sensed an opportunity. “Ask me nicely—call me by my name, and I’ll help you out.”

“Hah? Don’t be so petty!”

“I’m not asking for much. Just ask like a normal human being.”

Koga scowls, sighing loudly to show just how much of an inconvenience this is to him. “Tch… fine, whatever. Could ya give me a ride home, Mao?”

Ah. Nothing could’ve ever prepared Mao to hear Koga say his name for once, flustered and a little annoyed. It’s like a shot through his heart, perfectly designed to K-O him. Maybe it’s better that Koga calls him by a nickname, because Mao doesn’t think he could handle this every day.

“Yeah. C’mon, you can give me your address in the car.”

Apparently the after-effects of hearing Koga say his name must be too much for Mao to handle, because as he turns to take a step forward, he trips over nothing. Sometimes, Mao hates his life.

Koga acts immediately, grabbing Mao’s arm and stepping in front of him to brace him further. “Woah, there. You okay?”

“I-I’m fine.” Mao stammers, face burning. Swallowing back his embarrassment, he looks up only to find Koga’s face inches away from his. Rather than moving away, he freezes, his breath catching in his throat. He thinks his heart is going to beat out of his chest and—hold on.

Up close like this, it’s easier to spot things he may miss usually. Such as a purple bruise on Koga’s cheek, poorly concealed by makeup. He supposes that after a good few hours of moving around, it’s rubbed off quite a bit.

It’s odd, but Mao doesn’t question it for now, just backs away from Koga, trying not to think too much about Koga’s gentle grip on his arms. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” Koga says, grinning down at him. “Should we get goin’?”

Hopefully nothing too eventful happens in the car. Mao genuinely thinks his heart will give out if anything else happens.

It’s a little after one in the morning when Mao is rudely awoken by his obnoxiously loud ringtone. He blindly scrambles to turn the ringer off, praying it didn’t wake Subaru or Hokuto up. Makoto’s still awake, playing some video game with Jun. He insists they’re not dating, but Mao knows that’s bullcrap.

Honestly, this is pretty annoying. The one day he finally decides to go to sleep early instead of staying up all night, some asshole just had to wake him up. It’s probably Ritsu; it’s the middle of the evening wherever he is, and, well, to be fair, he’s used to Mao staying up rather than being asleep at this time. So it might actually be Mao’s own fault, in a way.

Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he reads the name on his screen; Oogami Koga. Huh. What? He rubs his eyes, then checks the screen again. Yep, definitely says Koga. Well, that’s a surprise. What could he possibly want at this hour? Did he get drunk, or something?

“Mm, Koga?” He mumbles into the phone after finally picking up. “What’s wrong? Why the hell are you calling me at this time of night?”

“Dekosuke.” Koga’s voice is ragged, like he’s out of breath or something. He also sounds… a little relieved. “Fuckin’ finally. ‘M sorry I woke ya up, but it’s important.”

“It better be,” Mao huffs under his breath, moving so he’s sitting up. The first time Koga calls him over the phone and it’s at 1am. It’s totally reasonable for him to be a little annoyed.

“I, uh.” Koga pauses, then sighs loudly. “Fuck, I need yer help.”

Mao scoffs. “What?”

“I sorta—” Koga sucks in a breath through his teeth, as if in pain. Now, that’s worrying. “I’m in a pretty tough spot right now. I think it’s just better if ya come over to mine.”

“What? Koga, are you okay?” Mao suddenly feels bad about being annoyed. “Did something happen? Is this related to that bruise you had the other day?”

“Ya noticed that?” Mao takes that as a yes. “Dammit, just get over here. See ya soon.”

And just like that, he hangs up. Someone seriously needs to teach him some manners. But Mao can worry about that later, because to say he’s worried would be an understatement. Koga asking for help is about as likely to happen as a blue moon; for him to turn to Mao of all people, something must definitely be wrong.

As quickly and quietly as he can, Mao throws on a jacket and some pants, grabs his phone and car keys then leaves his room. Faintly, he can hear Makoto talking in the living room, and decides against interrupting him before slipping out of the house and starting his car.

It isn’t until he’s halfway to Koga’s that he realises he probably should’ve spoken to Makoto. Mao has essentially vanished without a trace, and Makoto and the others will have no idea where he went. Ah, it’s okay. He can shoot them a text once he’s made sure Koga’s okay.

He can only wonder what happened to him. The bruise from the other day could’ve just been from a nasty fall, but now this? Perhaps he’s gotten into a fight or two, or he was mugged. If it was the latter, Mao can understand not wanting to tell anyone about it. For someone as prideful as Koga, that’d surely be a fatal blow.

God, Mao’s hands are all sweaty just thinking about it. He doesn’t like the idea of Koga being hurt. He’d like to say he’d hunt down whoever did it and return it tenfold, but he is not a shounen hero and he has the arm strength of a noodle. Maybe he can get Kuro to help out. Whatever, he should stop thinking of revenge plans and just focus on getting there quicker. The roads are almost empty at this time of night, and Mao isn’t one to drive faster than the recommended speed limit, but…

It’s about two when Mao arrives, pulling up into what he assumes is the resident parking lot and flying out of his car as fast as he can. He hopes and prays that he doesn’t disturb any of Koga’s neighbours as he makes his way up four flights of stairs to the number Koga had sent him while he was in the car. Without wasting a second, he rings the doorbell, taking a moment to catch his breath.

There’s some rummaging around on the other side of the door, and then it swings open and Oogami Koga is standing in full display in front of Mao. Except it isn’t the Oogami Koga he’s used to seeing. His right eye is half-shut and swollen, his bottom lip split open and bleeding. One arm holds the door open, while the other clutches at his ribs. When Mao looks closer, he can see his knuckles are pretty bloody too. His posture overall reminds Mao of a wounded dog, and his heart aches at the sight.

“Koga! Oh my gosh, are you okay?” Mao steps inside almost immediately, gently shutting the door before grabbing onto Koga’s shoulder to support him. “God, what happened?”

“Nothin’ much.” Koga winces as Mao leads him to the living room, setting him down on his sofa. It’s a relatively nice apartment, much nicer than Mao’s own, but now isn’t the time to be admiring interior design. “Just put a couple assholes in their place, is all.”

“Koga.” Mao gives him a stern glare, his grip on his shoulder unconsciously tightening. “You have to be honest with me here. First, though. Where’s your first aid kit?”

Koga grunts noncommittally. “Second cupboard on the right in the kitchen.”

Mao follows his instructions, grabbing the kit and then washing his hands. A few minutes later, Mao is seated beside Koga on the sofa, dabbing at his knuckles with a damp flannel to clean all the blood off. Koga winces, growling lowly at Mao. “Be more gentle, wouldja?”

“I’m being as gentle as I possibly can.”

Koga huffs, turning his head away from Mao like a child that’s been scolded. Carefully, Mao runs the flannel over Koga’s knuckles one more time before reaching for the bandages. It isn’t a super bad injury, but it should probably be covered for a day or two while it’s still open. “So, are you going to tell me what happened, or…?”

“Do I hafta?” Mao pulls the bandage a little tighter than necessary. “Ow, jeez, fine! I’ll tell ya when yer done with what yer doin’.”

That’s fair. Mao imagines he’s in a fair amount of pain at the moment; not exactly the best state to be telling a story in. He ties the bandage off, lightly running his thumb over it. If Mao wasn’t running purely off of adrenaline and Koga didn’t look on the verge of tears, he’d probably be freaking out about the fact that they’re technically holding hands.

To be honest, he is a little touched that Koga trusts him enough to ask for his help specifically. Rei’s up all hours of the night—he could have easily called him. But he didn’t. He called Mao. And Mao is determined to ease the pain as much as he can, so gay panicking can come later.

Mao gets Koga an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel to hold against his eye, then grabs a couple of wet tissues and hesitantly holds them up to the dry blood beneath Koga’s lips. “Can I?”

Koga nods, unable to look Mao in the eye as he gingerly wipes along his skin. The room is too silent, and Mao thinks he might die in a minute. This was definitely not how he’d envisioned he’d be spending his night, but he’d do anything for Koga.

Sure, they’ve only known each other for barely a month, but Mao’s never clicked with someone like this before. He’s had crushes and the likes, but never has he felt as strongly about anyone as he does Koga. And if Koga’s flushed cheeks are anything to go by, there’s a very real chance he feels the same.

After roughly another ten minutes, Koga looks much more presentable than he did before. Mao had forced him to take some painkillers, and now he’s curled up on the couch wearing a sour expression. It tugs at Mao’s heart to see him like this, to know he was in such pain and probably still is. No one wants to see anyone they care about in a state like this.

Mao sits beside Koga, folding his hands in his lap. “Are you ready to talk now? C’mon, you dragged me out here at ass o’clock. You can at least tell me what happened.”

“I guess so. There isn’t much to tell, though. I dunno what yer expectin’.” Koga sighs, shifting so he’s facing Mao. “Before UNDEAD was as well-known as it is now, we used t’ perform at this underground livehouse. A lotta people there were assholes, but it paid our bills, so. Anyway, I, uh. I can be kinda brash at times, and they didn’t really take kindly to it. Said I was too cocky, and the likes. Then they started talkin’ shit about UNDEAD. I don’t care what they say about me, but insultin’ UNDEAD is inexcusable.”

Koga pauses, glancing up at Mao as if to check if he’s following along. Mao gestures for him to continue. “So I talked back to them, and they didn’t like that at all. Challenged me to a fight, and I ain’t a coward so no way was I gonna say no. And… things just got worse from there, I guess. I stumbled across ‘em earlier on my way home, and they started sayin’ shit again, and I just acted without thinkin’.”

“Koga…” Mao breathes. “How long has this been going on?”

“Uh, a few months now, maybe? Since before Ritchii—uh, Ritsu went abroad. He used to be the one to treat me afterwards.”

“Ritsu did?” Mao wasn’t aware they knew each other, but with Koga being in Ritsu’s brother’s idol group, it makes sense. Plus… Way back in spring, Ritsu had called Mao around midnight asking what to do when someone has a sprained wrist. Mao had panicked, thinking something happened to Ritsu, but he assured him it was for a friend and not himself. Mao sees now that that friend was Koga.

“Yeah. I’d feel bad askin’ the guys in UNDEAD, and I could trust Ritchii not to tell anyone. But he ain’t here right now, so…” He gestures vaguely towards Mao.

“Well, I’m glad you trust me enough.” On instinct, Mao reaches out and takes Koga’s bandaged hands in his gently. “I get it. If anyone insulted what I was passionate about, or the people I loved the most, I’d get upset about it too. But it’s always wiser to ignore these things. Especially when you’re an idol. You’ll worry the fans going on stage looking like that.” And me.

“I know.” Somehow, Koga doesn’t retreat out of Mao’s grasp. He hangs his head like a scorned puppy, and Mao feels a pang of guilt. “I’m sorry. Just… I can’t stand by while anyone drags our name through the mud. Not after everything we’ve been through to get where we are today.”

“Hey, it’s okay.” Mao runs his thumbs soothingly over the skin not covered by bandages, not failing to notice the way the tips of Koga’s ears turn red. “We can get the makeup artist to cover up that eye, and, well, I guess we can lean into the whole bandage thing for a while as some kind of fashion statement?”

Koga laughs at that, eyes crinkling adorably. “Yeah, okay, Dekosuke. Sounds like a plan.”

Joy spreads throughout Mao’s body. That’s the first time he’s smiled all night. “Oh, I never asked. Did you win?”

A triumphant grin makes its way onto Koga’s face, and he puffs out his chest proudly. “Who do ya think yer talkin’ to? ‘Course I won.”

For a moment, they simply stare at each other in silence. If this were one of the many romance manga Mao ha read, they’d probably have kissed by now. But instead, to save it from getting any more awkward, Mao pulls out his phone to check the time. Almost 3am.

“Ah, shoot. I need to get going soon. I shouldn’t intrude any longer.” Mao doesn’t really want to leave, but he does need to go home and sleep. The thought of driving around alone at this time is a little daunting, especially considering it takes quite a while to get from Koga’s to his.

“…Dekosuke,” Koga calls, voice unnaturally quiet.

“Hm?”

It takes Koga a while to get his words out, eventually directing his gaze towards the floor before mumbling, “Stay the night.”

Mao was not expecting that, to say the least. “W-What?”

Koga’s face is cherry red, completely unable to look Mao in the eye. “I mean—it’s too late for ya to be drivin’ around, and ya must be tired. So spend the night here, then ya can go home in the mornin’.”

That actually makes sense, and sounds much more preferable than driving home at this hour. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Ya helped patch me up, ‘s the least I can do.” Koga scratches the back of his neck, uncharacteristically shy. He’s so cute—Mao is positive he’s going to die.

“Thanks a lot, Koga. This is much more convenient.” He yawns, stretching his arms out in front of him. “Should I just take the couch?”

Koga pulls a face as if Mao grew a second head. “Hah? No way, ya can take my bed.”

…sleeping in Koga’s bed, huh? It probably smells like him. Mao feels faint. “You’re the injured one here. You need a proper bed to sleep in more than me.”

“Yer the guest here. Besides, the couch is super uncomfy. I don’t wantcha sleepin’ on that.”

“Oh, and you should? With your bruised ribs?”

Koga drags a hand down his face. “Ugh… How about we both take the bed? It’s big enough for two people to sleep in it and have space.”

“Okay. Sounds good to me.” Actually, it sounds like tonight might genuinely be the date of Mao’s death. This is something exactly from one of his BL manga. How is this really happening? “Hey, where’s Leon? I kind of wanted to meet him.”

“He’s asleep in my room. He’ll wake up when we go in there, don’t worry. C’mon.” Koga gestures for Mao to follow him, presumably leading him to his bedroom. Mao’s heart pounds, ready to burst out of his chest at any moment. Surely this is just some really vivid dream. He is not lucky enough to have something like this happen to him.

True to Koga’s words, a cute corgi is fast asleep on Koga’s bed. He opens his eyes at the disturbance, perking up once he sees Koga.

“Hey, boy,” Koga cooes, crouching down to pet his dog. “Sorry we woke ya.”

Leon yips in response, licking Koga’s face before noticing Mao’s presence and turning to him instead. Hesitantly, Mao reaches down to stroke him. He’d said he wanted to meet him, but the cute photos Koga would send him didn’t account for the rows of sharp teeth. He isn’t exactly the fondest of sharp things. Blame Ritsu.

“He won’t bite,” Koga says, as if able to read his thoughts. “I trained ‘im well. Relax, he’s a good boy.”

Leon nuzzles into Mao’s hand, his little tail wagging enthusiastically. With a small sigh, Mao gives in, stroking along the top of his head. He’s soft, and really cute up close. Mao bends down properly, scratching him behind the ear. He seems to like that, leaning into Mao’s touch with his tongue lolling out. Adorable.

When Mao looks back up to call for his companion to look, he’s greeted with the sight of Koga’s toned stomach in complete view, his shirt halfway over his head. Oh, yeah. Mao’s gonna die tonight.

“W-W-What are you doing?!” Mao stammers, hiding his face behind his fingers not because he doesn’t want to see, but because he does not need Koga knowing just how red his face is right now.

Koga finishes pulling his shirt over his head. “Hah? I’m changin’ my shirt! It’s covered in blood and shit, I ain’t gonna wear it to bed.”

“B-But I’m in the room, too!”

“We’re both guys, ain’t we?” Koga furrows his brows, tossing his shirt into a corner of the room. “Ya got some kinda problem?”

Truthfully, Mao does wander around his and the others’ apartment shirtless quite often. But they’ve all known each other for years, whereas Mao has only known Koga for a month and he has a big fat crush on him. It’s expected for him to freak out.

“…no.”

Koga clicks his teeth, turning around to rummage around in one of his draws for a shirt. “Are ya gonna sleep in that, or do ya want somethin’ too?”

“I’m fine!” Mao’s answer was a little faster than necessary, but hopefully Koga will overlook it. “This is nightwear anyway, don’t worry.”

“Suit yerself.”

Mao stares intently at Koga’s bare back with bated breath. A couple of hours ago, he was fast asleep at home. Now, he’s in Koga’s room, with Koga’s dog in his lap, staring at a shirtless Koga, minutes away from sleeping in Koga’s bed. It’s such a surreal feeling.

Honestly, if you’d asked Mao if he thought this was ever possible, he’d say yes, maybe. Perhaps in an ideal world, one day a couple of years into the future when Mao works up the courage to confess and Koga returns his feelings, this would all make sense. But now, in this timeline where they’ve only been on a measly two dates and never even properly held hands, this is highly unexpected.

“Dekosuke,” Koga calls. It seems that while Mao had gotten lost in his thoughts, Koga had changed into a loose white t-shirt with a corgi printed on the front (cute cute cute cute) and shorts. “C’mon, I’m tired.”

Mao rises to his feet. “What about Leon?”

“He usually sleeps with me, but he can sleep in his own bed for once.” Koga beckons the dog over to him, scratching under his chin before gesturing towards the dog bed in the corner of the room. Leon obeys, trotting over and curling up all cutely.

Mao awkwardly shuffles over to Koga’s bed, standing at the edge as Koga climbs in and makes himself comfy. He pauses, looking up at Mao with an unreadable expression. “Ya gettin’ in or what?”

“Y-Yes!” Mao curses inwardly at how high-pitched his voice was just then, getting into bed beside Koga. The guitarist reaches out to turn the bedside lamp off, and they’re engulfed in darkness. It’s a little nerve-wracking, but Mao pulls through it and tucks himself under the covers, lying down with his back facing Koga. “Goodnight, Koga.”

“Night, Dekosuke.”

It’s silent for a long while after that—Mao can’t tell if Koga is asleep and feels too embarrassed to turn around to ask. His mind is racing, too much adrenaline coursing through his body to sleep just yet despite being exhausted. Despite knowing nothing is going to happen, he’s hyper-aware of the fact that the guy he’s insanely head over heels for is lying a few centimetres behind him, and it’s driving him crazy.

Five minutes or half an hour pass; Mao can’t tell. But eventually Koga speaks, interrupting the silence.

“Hey.” His voice is quiet, as if he’s unsure whether Mao is awake or not and trying to be careful about it.

“Yeah?” Mao whispers.

“…Thank you. For earlier.”

Mao smiles, closing his eyes. “You’re welcome.”