When you are ready

A man with teal hair strolled through the streets in the late evening, enjoying the gentle spring breeze on his face. He was lost in his thoughts, taking slow steps with his hands tucked inside his jacket.

His roommate had been on his mind all day - and practically every day for a long time.

He had finally admitted to himself that he had strong affection for another man, something he had denied for years. The thought of confessing his deepest feelings to his housemate made him shudder, even though the other had been nothing but kind and supportive.

His feet stopped as anxiety gripped his stomach. It was his first time in such a situation and he wasn't sure what to do - he had never been used to dealing with emotions and wasn't sure if he was ready to share his feelings yet.

The memory of their heated kiss gave him a hot flush. He cautiously peered around while squeezing his pockets, hoping nobody had noticed him standing there for so long.

At first, he had been too stunned to respond to the mouth-to-mouth contact and had remained motionless. He had been too nervous and did not know how to answer it - when his attempts to retreat failed, another man had just become more passionate, extending and intensifying the kiss.

The teal-haired man was embarrassed and ashamed of his reaction, feeling clumsy and foolish at the time. He wanted to respond but was scared of the consequences, so he stayed still and let the other man take the lead.

His steps were hesitant, almost as if he was trying to delay the time when he found out his housemate was home. He tried to steel himself for the conversation to come and prepare for whatever outcome it might bring - it was clear he couldn't keep running from Jiro for much longer, and he would have to deal with the outcome, no matter what it was.

(A while later)

Natsuo's breath caught in his throat as his attention landed on the leather shoes at the entrance - and then he saw the male figure standing in the doorway.

The tattooed man approached him, looking worried and concerned, almost as if he had been waiting for the other. He stood barefoot in the hallway wearing a plain white t-shirt and faded blue jeans.

"Where have you been?" Jiro asked, smelling faintly of alcohol. There was a bit of stubble growing along his jawline, giving his face a rugged appearance.

Natsuo opened his mouth to explain, but a pair of hands embraced his cheeks and a familiar gaze swept over his features.

"I was afraid you would leave again," the man murmured.

Natsuo stood frozen, his arms awkwardly hanging by his side. Their lips were just a breath away from touching as they stared into each other's eyes.

His heart told him to give in, but his mind kept instructing him to back down when the yakuza pressed his lips to his, softly at first, then lingering as if trying to imprint the moment onto his memory. He felt the opposite person's tongue brushing against his, begging for entry, but he bit his lip and pulled away.

He kept his eyes downcast, unable to look his housemate in the eye. Even though his body yearned to run away, he forced himself to stay still.

Natsuo took a slow breath, searching for the right words to describe his inner conflict.

"I'm sorry for leaving like that. I just wanted to... take some time to think and figure things out."

His fingers nervously fiddled with his charcoal hoodie's fabric as he avoided looking at the brown eyes in front of him.

"I'm still not sure if I'm ready for... this," he said, gesturing between them with a wave of his hand.

He swallowed, his throat feeling tight and dry as the words finally left his lips, not knowing what would happen next.

"But... I'm working on it."

A buzzing sound spread through the room when the intercom rang. The penthouse owner answered the call without a single expression on his face.

"What's wrong with you? Why won't you answer me?" a woman in a high voice snapped from the other side.

"Go home, Izumi," Jiro said in a calm, steady tone.

"What?! I answer your sex calls all the time, so now that I want you to - "

The man frowned as he muted the device. Natsuo stood stiffly further away, but was strangely relieved when his roommate ended the conversation like that.

"It doesn't happen all the time, you know. Especially not recently."

The teal-haired man cast a glance at him with a small smile on his lips.

Jiro nodded toward the living room, gesturing for him to take a seat. Natsuo followed him, observing him every step of the way.

They sat on the couch, leaving enough distance between them to avoid touching each other.

"I will play the show we watched earlier. You can come as close as you like or stay there - or you can decide not to watch at all," the white-haired one said with a slight smile, but continued in a more serious tone.

"I won't force you to do anything against your will. I want you to be comfortable with me."

Natsuo gulped, fidgeting his fingers as he digested the situation. He had never expected the opposing man to be so understanding and patient with him, so he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events.

The television lit up and the action series they had been watching started playing on the screen, accompanied by the sound of gunfire and explosions. Jiro leaned back on the sofa, his arms on his thighs, staring forward. His expression was composed and relaxed, as if he was completely at ease.

Natsuo didn't know what drove him to do so, but he slowly shuffled toward the man next to him, shrinking the gap between them until they touched. His heart beat faster anticipating what the other would do - however, Jiro simply shifted a bit, his focus still directed at the television.

He rested his head on the taller man's chest, settling into the moment with minimal effort. He curled up in a comfortable position, letting his cheek rest against the other's warm, toned body.

The tattooed arm hesitated as it tried to settle around his roommate's shoulder, clearly not sure if the gesture was okay or not - but the smaller man timidly cuddled up to him, snuggling into his side.

"Sorry if I reacted too strongly before. I won't do it again," Jiro apologized and stroked the shoulder gently, moving his fingers up and down in a soothing motion.

"That's fine..."

"I'm here for you when you are ready," the older man said quietly.

Natsuo's eyes closed when he basked in the other person's warmth - suddenly he felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from him.