Disclaimer: Sadly, I still don't own.
Spoilers! The November field trip (Chapter 18 in the manga) and a blink-and-you'll-miss-it one for early December. Spoilers!
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Frozen Moment
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Minato Arisato has a photograph on his bedside table of two handsome young boys, taken by a friend when neither was paying attention. The one on the left is quite obviously himself – the same midnight hair, the same silver orbs, the same too-pale skin – but only a handful of people recognise the teen on the right. Even his former classmates have no recollection of the cheery young man with the wide smile, although they do say he seems familiar. Minato is often asked if the young man is his brother – his resemblance to him is apparently striking, despite the other's sky-blue eyes and chocolate hair.
"Me, myself and I," Minato will always laugh, before smiling disarmingly and carefully redirecting the conversation.
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"I was trying to make her laugh! It seemed like a good idea!"
"… Flashing Mitsuru-senpai seemed like a good idea to you? Ryoji, I love you, but you really are stupid."
"Well, I wasn't really intending on dropping the towel. And I didn't see you coming up with anything!"
"To hold still and accept my (undeserved) punishment like a man."
"That's not a plan!"
"It's what Junpei and Akihiko-senpai did – sort of – and you'll notice we were frozen for over four hours longer."
"Ah, I see. You're just pissy because now your cold's going to come back."
"…"
"I'll pay for the medicine, ok? I'll even come over every day to help nurse you back to health."
"… If I pay for the medicine for you, will you wear-"
"Yes, yes, I'll wear it if it'll make you happy."
"And the shoes?"
"Minato, they hurt."
"It could be pneumonia. I may die."
"… You're a bastard."
"But?"
"But I'll wear the fucking shoes."
"… If it's any consolation, I did think it was a little funny. Better with a towel though."
"Aha! The quiet and ever-stoic Minato recognises my comic genius!"
"No. I live with Junpei – my standards in comedy have nose-dived."
"…"
"And the look on Fuuka's face will remain with me forever."
The two boys leant against one another as they laughed, their trembling as much from the horrible freezing sensation that still lingered as from humour. Wet hair clung to flushed faces, and fluffy cream towels contrasted against dark hair. Two sets of lips were red and swollen as though from kissing, two noses astonishingly rosy and shiny from the arctic temperatures they had just suffered through at the hands of Mitsuru-senpai. Vivid sky-blue eyes closed to slits, unwaveringly connected to lazily hooded eyes the colour of clouds before a summer rain. Two slender, pale throats leading down to matching toned chests, both glittering with frigid water and slowly melting ice.
Almost hidden between the folds of the towels, fingers were twisted together, one set barely noticeably paler than the other.
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When Minato Arisato is hit with another wave of terminal wanderlust, the first thing to be placed into the battered suitcase is the small, framed Polaroid of two almost-men with soaking wet hair, wrapped in towels and laughing with the joyful certainty of those who know that everything will be alright, because they'll always have this.
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Written as a gift for the oh-so-sweet-and-talented mirumrotter over on LJ.
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