For as long as he could remember, Hyuk-jae had dreamed about his own place. Somewhere with plenty of windows for sunlight, a place he could paint sky blue and have window boxes. His parents' house was tiny and cramped, in a bad part of town. All the apartments he had ever lived in since — with the exception of Nagisa's — were worse. And for the first time in his life, he had money. He had a steady job. He would be able to afford the rent on a place like he dreamed about.

It might take a while to find it, of course. Having gone through at least six ads already, Hyuk-jae knew that. But he didn't mind the searching, because he was sure it would work out. It had to! The place he interviewed today was promising. The ad was short but the price was right. He could see it clearly in his mind:

FOR RENT
1BR 1 BATH, STUDIO, Y500 / MO.
UPPER _____ DISTRICT

The leasing agent was very nice, dressed conservatively and eager to show him the place. Hyuk-jae walked in, noting immediately the large windows on one wall. The agent mentioned that they could be drafty, but he waved her concerns away. Drafty was nothing! The kitchen was decent, small enough but with one opening window over the sink. Perfect for window boxes of herbs! Bedroom? Small, but cozy, with a Murphy bed. Hyuk-jae liked it more than anything else he'd looked at. The neighborhood wasn't the best, and it was an old building — that accounted for the price. He didn't mind all that, though. The place would be available to move in immediately, which gave him time to paint.

"I'll take it," he said proudly, eyes shining. He couldn't wait to tell Nagisa. It was like a dream come true! He practically skipped back to his friend (?)'s place, heart hammering in his chest. He couldn't wait to paint! They could go look at furniture! Wouldn't Nagisa love that? Hyuk-jae entered the apartment in high spirits, eager to share his news — but it seemed very much like his friend was not interested.

Glancing at the comic, Hyuk-jae raised a brow. "You've been reading that one a while," he said. Nagisa wasn't really looking at him. "... What's wrong?"

Squirming, Nagisa refused to look him in the face. Hyuk-jae blew a piece of hair out of his eyes, waiting silently in front of the other man. For a second he thought he would have to force it out of him, but finally he confessed.

"I forgot you weren't staying here. Permanently, I mean. It... it made me sad."

"Oh," said Hyuk-jae, as Nagisa began to cry. "No." He sat down next to Nagisa, putting his hand on top of the other young man's. "It's not silly. And it's not that I don't love staying here with you." He leaned forward, trying to meet Nagisa's eyes. The shorter man avoided his gaze. "But I've been dreaming about my own place since... god, since I lived with my parents." Tenderly he brushed a piece of fluffy hair off his friend's face. "It — I thought you would be happy for me..." His angular face was concerned, eyes dark. Didn't Nagisa understand? It was so, so much more than 'just' moving out. "I wanted to share this with you."

Truth be told, he really wanted to have Nagisa come in to a place he owned and find it charming. He wanted to give him a key, a drawer to keep some clothes. Hyuk-jae imagined washing his sheets in lavender and having Nagisa smell like his soap. Didn't the shorter man want that too?

He sighed, leaning back. "You were so nice to bring me here," Hyuk-jae said, "truly. To share your home with me. But — I want to do it, too." Still, Nagisa wasn't looking at him. It was frustrating! "Nagisa." Hyuk-jae nudged him with his knee. "Nagisa-ya. Can you not look at me when I'm talking to you, huh?" It was chiding, but not angry. "I'll still make you dinner and stuff, c'mon."

"I'm going to need your help looking for furniture. And painting — do you like painting?" This sad, heavy mood wasn't like Nagisa, and Hyuk-jae didn't like it. He sighed.

Finally. Shopping always excited the shorter man, and Hyuk-jae was pleased that mentioning it worked. After all, Nagisa would find shopping fun, right? And Hyuk-jae would need a lot of things. He almost winced thinking about it, knowing he'd be buying a lot — but the studio had a built-in bed and built-in shelving, so he could probably do okay just getting some seating and things for a kitchen.

Gosh, he had a lot to think about. Maybe he should start making lists.

"Mmmph?" Hyuk-jae poked his head around his corner, bootlace in his mouth. He had been re-lacing them and he wasn't sure he had heard correctly. Taking the laces out of his mouth, he grinned. "A date? Are you asking me out?" Like, in public?

Nagisa wanted to go out in public with him? The Firebender only had to think for a moment before agreeing. Where would they go? He'd never been on a date before. They agreed on their next night off, and in curiosity, he picked up one of the fluffy-haired man's comic books the next day. Maybe it would give him some ideas?

Flipping through the pages was quite a shock. Was this… was this what Nagisa was thinking of? Hyuk-jae opened one of the books — something about a Princess — to a pink, light-and-sparkle-filled page. The boy was gazing longingly at the heroine, having just confessed his love. He was wearing a waistcoat.

Hyuk-jae did not own a waistcoat.

He found himself worrying for days about what to wear. Nagisa already knew what all his clothes looked like. Normally he never cared. The night of their date he ended up in the royal blue, fidgety and uncertain. He just looked the SAME! Would Nagisa think he didn't care? In all those comics the boys looked perfect for their dates, with sparkles and things around them. Hyuk-jae was not sparkly.

He sighed, tugging at his earrings, waiting while Nagisa spent an hour in the bathroom.

Hyuk-jae had no idea what they'd be doing. He'd been a bit busy scrubbing the studio apartment and going to a few second-hand shops without Nagisa. Paying the deposit and first month's rent got him the keys immediately, which meant he could paint and everything else before moving his things in. The young man spent one whole day by himself cleaning it from top to bottom, excited the entire time. He wanted to wait to show Nagisa until the place was clean and ready to paint, after all!

It might be fun to paint it together. He could imagine them having snacks and painting and it seemed like a nice time. Since there was already a bed, Hyuk-jae could just buy some furniture for seats and a kitchen table or so. It was a nice deal, if he said so himself.

Waiting with the front of his hair falling slightly over one eye, Hyuk-jae looked down at his boots. Maybe… maybe he should buy some new shoes. The boots were great, and he'd had them a long time — but they were a little worn around the edges and scuffed at the toes. When Nagisa finally emerged from the upstairs, wearing clothes Hyuk-jae didn't think he'd ever seen before, he smiled a little.

Of course he'd used it as an excuse to buy a new outfit. It was Nagisa, after all.

The younger man asked if he was ready to go and he just shrugged. This was Nagisa's idea, wasn't it? He had no idea where they were even going! "Where to?" Hyuk-jae asked, opening the door.
Apparently, to the park. Appreciative of not being asked to take a cab, the taller man followed without a fuss. They soon reached the street performer square. Hyuk-jae rarely found time to notice what was happening. It was a shock to see how good some of them were! A couple of dancers were putting on a very detailed performance that captivated both young men. Clapping enthusiastically, they moved on once it was over to look at sidewalk art. Some of it was very impressive.

By the time Nagisa's stomach growling got loud enough to make him blush, they'd been holding hands quite a while and Hyuk-jae felt comfortable. Once the fluffy-haired host told him where they were eating, however, his expression became a bit dismayed.
"The Tower?" Wasn't that a supremely expensive place? Hyuk-jae didn't have that kind of money! Wasn't he supposed to, y'know, pay? He sighed a little, uncertain. What about his diet? Wouldn't it be annoying to an establishment to have to cater to him?

But his friend wouldn't hear of it. Insisting that since he had asked, he would pay, Nagisa dragged Hyuk-jae to the fancy locale while regaling him with promises that fancy people places expected to put up with finicky eaters. Not thinking himself the finicky type, Hyuk-jae grit his teeth and said nothing.

The way the maître d' looked down at his shoes made him want to sink through the floor. The Tower was absolutely not his kind of place. What was Nagisa thinking of, picking somewhere like this? Self-conscious, Hyuk-jae took his seat and stared at the menu. His jaw just had to be on the floor due to the prices. Looking up with panicked eyes, he noted that Nagisa didn't seem flustered in the least.

What must that be like?

"It's very pretty," Hyuk-jae agreed. He couldn't just forget about the price, though. When Nagisa thanked him for coming, he laughed. "Of course," the young man said. "Why wouldn't I?" He wasn't an idiot. Even though he and Nagisa had not expressly stated their feelings to each other, Hyuk-jae knew he'd been overheard at work in the bathroom. He knew Nagisa heard him.

Leaning his chin in his hand, he gazed at the young man across from him. "What are we doing after dinner?" Hyuk-jae asked. He was, by now, fully aware of Nagisa's little crayon plan for their night. It amused him. "Did you plan everything?" Down to the minute? It was adorable, though not spontaneous. When their food arrived, Hyuk-jae ate his and exclaimed over how very good it was. Nagisa seemed happier when he looked like he was enjoying the fancy place. Hyuk-jae made a mental note to plan a second date for them that didn't involve Kuang's.

They shared berries and cream for dessert — summer's harvest provided perfectly sweet fruits, and the Firebender admitted that the cinnamon in the cream was amazing. The two of them could stare down at the sparkling city, sharing a bowl, and it was romantic. Just like Nagisa's comic books.

As they left the restaurant, Nagisa's quickly-consulted plan showed them having a carriage ride. A bit wary of horses, Hyuk-jae let Nagisa step into the carriage first. The inside was red and sumptuous. Obviously, this was an activity meant for romantic dates. Which was what they were on, he reminded himself. Tucking the shorter man close to his side, the Firebender let his hand gently rest on Nagisa's hip. It was a bit of a possessive gesture, and as the horse clopped along he stroked his thumb softly against the slight ridge of the man's hip.

"Is it working out?" Hyuk-jae asked quietly.

Nagisa should really know better than to kiss him. It ignited the fire in him, made him care nothing about privacy in coaches or people who might see. Hyuk-jae wound fingers into soft, strawberry-scented hair, pulling him closer. Pulling in a soft breath he nearly sighed, letting his hand slide down Nagisa's back to press them together. Tracing the contours of Nagisa's mouth was maddening, sweet with the cream and fruit of their dessert, soft and warm. Very nearly sliding his hand under Nagisa's shirt, it was only the younger man's quiet sound that made him pull back. This is probably not on his itinerary. Pushing Nagisa away, Hyuk-jae sat on his hands and took a new, deep breath, looking out at the city streets and drawing his tongue along his bottom lip.

"Sorry." It was just so frustrating! Or did Nagisa think that Hyuk-jae wasn't a physical person, that he didn't crave that kind of contact? Perhaps he thought, given the Firebender's previous… situation… that he would find that kind of thing unnecessary? Or worse, that he actively did not want it? Ruffling his hair with one hand, he let out a groan of annoyance, mostly with himself.

There was a ninety-nine percent chance that this was not how Nagisa had pictured this going. The younger man had clearly worked up nerve to ask him out in the first place! He was supposed to be respectful and understanding.
Both of which he was, of course. He got it, even if he wasn't sure what the reason was. And he would never — well, he respected the other man's wishes. He just... ah, who was he kidding? Hyuk-jae hadn't the foggiest idea of what dating was like. Physical affection was the best he could do, all he had experience with.

He was supposed to be romantic, right? Nagisa wanted a date like his comics... whatever that meant, surely. He should've paid more attention when he was looking at the princess one! But he couldn't figure what else there was. They'd already done the fancy restaurant, carriage, everything. Determined to oblige Nagisa's wish, Hyuk-jae smiled. "What's next, then?" he asked, keeping his voice light. "On your itinerary?" Not that a carriage ride wasn't great, but he didn't know how much of this close, romantic proximity he could deal with.

"Or didn't you plan that far ahead?"

Trying to catch sight of the shorter man's face, Hyuk-jae leaned forward. He wasn't upset with him, was he?

Relief filled the Firebender as the carriage circled 'round and their ride ended. He took a deep breath as he stepped out, filling his lungs with clean, fresh air. Yes. It didn't smell like strawberries and make him crazy. Glancing at Nagisa and his little colorful paper, he found himself laughing when told it was the last activity. He'd thought the whole evening would be planned 'til midnight! No dancing?

"You know, we could always um... go home."

Heck yeah they could — wait, what? Surely not. Blinking, Hyuk-jae sorted through his thoughts. There was no way in the nine hells that Nagisa meant go home the way Hyuk-jae was thinking about, was there? He had already proven himself to be uncertain. Even if he did mean it that way, it was probably just because… because he thought that's what Hyuk-jae wanted. Frowning at the thought, the taller man laced their fingers together and started walking toward Nagisa's flat.

"Sure," he said. "You must be tired. And we work tomorrow, right?" He could just avoid the topic. That would be fine. Even if it came up later, there was no reason they couldn't, you know. Everything but. That was probably the best compromise he could think of on the spot. Nagisa was still blushing as they walked, his face a bright, tomato-y shade of red.

Yeah. Hyuk-jae should be a gentleman, like the comic books. "You know, soon we'll go home separately. It'll be weird." Finding that he didn't like that thought, Hyuk-jae frowned again. Maybe they could work something out? It was hard to think of sleeping by himself after weeks of company…
Reaching the front door, he waited for Nagisa to unlock it.

"New shirt?" The question was light and airy, meant to keep Nagisa from thinking too hard about anything else. He could always be distracted with fashion and shopping, after all. It worked every other time.

Gosh, but he was adorable. Hyuk-jae sat down to take off his boots, setting them neatly to the side and putting on slippers. As he had surmised, Nagisa was pleased by his noticing the shirt. The shorter man took such pains with his appearance — compliments were easy, cost him nothing. Except…

Noticing the hesitance in Nagisa's voice, Hyuk-jae reached out to him. He pulled them both to the sofa, wrapping them up in his red blanket and snuggling close. It wasn't cold, but it was nice to be tucked together. "We'll have to do it more after I move out," he said softly. "How else would I manage?" Pressing a sweet kiss to the shorter man's forehead, he smiled. This was probably the part in those sparkly comics where the hero would confess.

Hyuk-jae had no illusions about love confessions. He'd seen enough unhappy marriages to know that love didn't really conquer all, and was hesitant to put that word on his feelings. "I really like you, you know," was the best he could manage, though it did come out with a smooth and unwavering voice. And he did, he really did like Nagisa. More than just a friend. Love did hover at the edge of his consciousness, but he was loathe to say it.

Turning the younger man's face toward his own, Hyuk-jae kissed Nagisa again, trying very hard to make it undemanding. The hard planes of his lips opened gently to hesitant exploration, gasping a little when the other man touched him first. Nagisa's hands were just a little chilly as he slid them under the untucked edge of his shirt, splayed tentative fingers over his skin. It seemed a bit hot under the blanket just then, and he pushed it away, letting it puddle around their legs and laps on the sofa.

"Can I —" he brushed his fingers over the buttons of Nagisa's shirt. They were infuriatingly tiny and brand-new. He couldn't imagine Nagisa being okay with it if he damaged them, even if a moment of passion. Curse his obsession with clothes. Hyuk-jae's own shirt was already fully untucked by now, and he would not have cared even a little if it got ripped. He wanted them both off, and kissed Nagisa's neck just near the jaw. It wouldn't do to get impatient, would it? Better to let the younger man run the show.

Nagisa smiled widely. Date number one: success! He snuggled into Hyuk-jae on the couch, feeling immensely pleased with himself, with his planning, and with the night as a whole.

I really like you, you know.

He blushed, startled and pleased. "I really, really like you, too." Nagisa looked down at the red blanket, wondering if his face matched its hue. What was all of this, all of a sudden? Not that he wasn't absolutely thrilled, but it seemed out of the blue. It was very pleasant though, and Nagisa squirmed, full of happy thoughts.

Hyuk-jae touched his face; Nagisa turned to face him, giving into the gentle pressure. "Yes?" Without a word, Hyuk-jae leaned in to kiss him, gently at first, then his lips parting for something a little less chaste. Feeling warm around the collar, heart pounding in his ears, Nagisa returned the kiss, shyly brushing his experimentally across Hyuk-jae's lower lip. Suddenly feeling bold, he reached for the other man, slipping his hands under his untucked shirt. Hyuk-jae gasped a little, and Nagisa moved to pull back, wondering if he had done something unwanted.

Instead, Hyuk-jae touched the buttons on his new shirt.

"Can I —"

Feeling the heat rush into his face and his heart pounding so loudly he was sure Hyuk-jae could hear it, Nagisa gave a little nod. He swallowed, feeling very, very nervous. "Y-yes," he said, moving to help him with his buttons. The shirt was new, after all, and Nagisa wanted to take care of it.

Feeling very self-conscious, he averted his gaze and stared at the back of the sofa, his hands shaking just a little as they unbuttoned his shirt, acutely aware of Hyuk-jae watching him. When it was finished, he reached up and tugged Hyuk-jae closer. "Um..." he whispered. "I've... I've never... never... you know." Nagisa looked up, his golden eyes pleading that Hyuk-jae would understand what he meant.

As Nagisa moved to help him, Hyuk-jae sat back, deciding to enjoy watching instead of accidentally snapping buttons off a brand-new shirt. The younger man wasn't particularly muscular, but he cared about his appearance and that was obvious. He was softer to the touch than Hyuk-jae was, likely due to a somewhat-easier life. Letting Nagisa pull him close, he leaned over him slightly, a smile hovering about the corners of his mouth.

"Um..." he whispered. "I've... I've never... never... you know."

Pulling his own shirt off without undoing its buttons, Hyuk-jae tossed it aside without fanfare. It didn't matter, really. He wasn't concerned with Nagisa's level of expertise — was he worried about that? "I sort of figured that out." He curled a lock of brown hair about an index finger. "I don't mind if you don't," he said, voice like honey. He pulled the shorter man closer, sliding a hand around his waist to press, palm flat, against the small of his back. The skin was soft and warm beneath his fingers, silken to the touch. The next kiss was considerably less chaste than the last, and the Firebender rolled the surface of his thumb across Nagisa's spine.

In between kisses, he tried to be reassuring. "We don't have to do anything," Hyuk-jae said, in the process of kissing Nagisa's neck, "that you don't want to do. Okay?" Gentle and careful, he pulled hands across skin, testing his partner's limits. Before long they moved upstairs, tangled together in shy exploration and patient tutelage. Satisfied with just pleasing Nagisa, Hyuk-jae was content to focus on the younger man and leave his own gratification for later, once his partner was asleep. He knew he was good enough with his mouth that Nagisa wasn't likely to object... though the younger man's shyness did pose a few interesting problems. As he had decided on his own before, he left the fullest of intimacies for another time, preferring instead to simply crack the door of desire. There would be time enough for stepping through it together in coming months.

Or so he hoped.

The sunlight filtering into the room revealed them curled up together, sleeping deeply. The Firebender woke first, lazily showering and, for once, using Nagisa's fruity shampoo. He made a complete and traditional breakfast, roasting fish and cooking rice, putting everything together in a painstakingly correct manner. After putting tea to steep, he went back up the stairs, lightly kissing Nagisa on the cheek. "Hey. C'mon, it's two in the afternoon already —" Apparently they'd both been able to sleep quite well after their date night. While Hyuk-jae didn't need to be up at two in order to be ready for work, he knew Nagisa took hours.

Insistently, he shook the man's shoulder. "Wake up, sleepyhead. I made you breakfast and everything."