[to say he's surprised is an understatement. seeing Keigo back was one thing, seeing him back with flowers was quite another. and they were...for him? truth be told Nika didn't get flowers much if ever, and he's for once left without a clever remark. actually, if someone was looking, it'd be clear that he's a little flustered - roses, usually, meant only one thing. though it was just a kind gesture, right?
(later, he'll get the news, and laugh, and understand in full.)
but he takes them after that second of being off guard, trying to recover.]
I'm....thank you.
[they're pretty, and he's sure his aunt won't mind flowers in the house.
[ keigo, too, felt the raw embarrassment radiating off of the entire situation. roses certainly did imply something more than just a friendly gift, but he was pointedly trying to ignore that. keyword: trying. wasn't going very well.
after nikkari took the flowers from him, keigo shifted, still having difficulty keeping eye contact. he rubbed at his neck, trying once again to ignore the way it felt warm against his palm. yep. this was hell. ]
Yeah, sure... Sorry, though. It's unexpected and I wasn't really sure where else to find ya...
[ coming to his place of work to drop off a gift like this was probably... even more embarrassing, honestly. ]
[no, really. he's surprised, and maybe he's going to get joked at by his coworkers for this, but....he's delighted, actually, if he had to put a word to it.]
They make me happy. Thanks.
[very faintly, there's a slight flush on Nikkari's face, more pronounced against his dark hair. he'll get over this in a minute, he knows. he hopes. a host should be better than this, probably. he'll have to talk to Majima about it.]
[ this was the side of nikkari that keigo was most interested in. getting a taste of something more genuine, less manufactured, was a thrilling adventure. he didn't know him very well yet, but the desire to learn was very much there.
what really made it stand out was the way nikkari blushed. you couldn't fake that. it was as comforting as it was embarrassing, really, and keigo actually managed to smile a little, despite the way his face remained flushed. ]
Yeah, no problem...
[ a soft chuckle soon followed. ]
Do you not get flowers often? I'd think someone like you would get showered with gifts all the time.
[look, he's used to this talk on the job. when people are paying for it and he knows how to deflect. but even though he's in his work clothes and standing in the club, he's not technically on the job. this is Keigo being Keigo - well, he really needs to talk to Majima, if this is still on his mind tomorrow.]
I think people'd assume that since I'm a guy I wouldn't like flowers, which is kind of stupid. I do like flowers.
[what's stupid is his answers right now. but he manages to smile still, laughing inwardly at himself.]
But in general, not me. I don't expect anything from people anyway - just their company's enough.
[he's low maintenance, compared to some. all he ever took was a drink or two and time, and in return, people got whatever they needed. talk, laughter, teasing attraction. it's what a host does. but this is just for Nikkari. not the face he puts on - unless he's reading this wrong.]
[ keigo exhaled softly at that response. well, that was fair enough. most people wouldn't get guys flowers... but speaking as someone who had gotten flowers as a gift before, keigo guessed it all depended on the context.
...what was the context here?
keigo could easily blame baren for it; he was the one who had suggested giving the flowers to nikkari in the first place. but instead of doing that, he was struck with a stubbornness unlike anything he was used to: he found himself not wanting to give baren the credit for the idea. which was stupid; it wasn't a competition in any sense of the word.
all of this was stupid, actually. keigo had taken a shine to nikkari, that much he could admit to, but really, switching gears like this was a hurdle to overcome. ]
Well. I think you deserve it. You're a really nice person.
[ that was the truth, irrespective of nikkari's job. ]
And everyone should get spoiled now and then! That's what I think!
[it's easy to make Nikkari laugh for whatever reason, but how he laughs is as important as the sentiment. in this case, he laughs, but half covers his mouth with the roses - sincere, but trying to hide it. he doesn't even know what to make of all of this other than that if this is the start to his month, he's convinced it's going to be a pretty good one.]
Hard to not agree with that.
[and he'd go on, except one of his coworkers calls out to him and says they can plan their date when Nikkari's not on the clock, because people are coming. glancing over his shoulder, Nika practically snaps off the words.]
Relax for a second, would you?
[but turning back to Keigo, he tries to chuckle and laugh it off.]
[ keigo could only laugh in kind, softly and sort of shyly, mirroring nikkari's soothing chuckle. hearing him laugh eased his tension, though it wasn't meant to be a permanent fixture, it would seem.
keigo's eyes were immediately drawn to the shout from within the club and nikkari's coworker. guilt was the first reaction, but if that wasn't enough, when he'd heard the words that were spat out and actually realized what had been said, keigo's face turned a dark red all over again.
plan their date...
when nikkari turned back, he would see that keigo was staring at the ground, burning from ear to ear, trying his best to mask it with a nervous laugh. ]
S-s-sorry! I'm disrupting your w-workplace, aren't I?
[perhaps a little too quickly, but he sees Keigo's reaction and this is getting messy fast and he has no idea what to do other than to shift the roses to an arm, getting his phone and pulling up Retrospec - within a minute Keigo's going to be getting a private message.]
That's my number. You can call or whatever you like, I don't care about the time, I don't sleep much.
[ of all the times to get the nervous stutters. keigo was certain he was painting a horrible picture of himself... he glanced up when he felt his phone buzz, seeing nikkari with his own out. did he just...
...he did. ]
Oh!
[ he offered up another laugh as he worked through the odd combination of excitement and shame. ]
Okay, I'll do that, then. But, ah... I'm...
[ his smile softened a little. ]
I'm glad I got to see you again, too. I'll message you, okay?
[as long as he does it before Nikkari has to go message him on Retrospec to ask what's up. it's a promise, a validation that Keigo doesn't look like a fool - and hope to see what's in the future. with luck, more opportunities to see him smile.
and maybe to make him blush a little, just to see if he can.]
[ keigo made a small noise of affirmation, his smile as gentle as ever. what a rollercoaster... but that all being said, he glanced back into the sunshine and then at nikkari, sighing softly. ]
Well, I guess I'll, uh. Let you get to work, then!
[ because hadn't he taken up enough of his time? ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
(later, he'll get the news, and laugh, and understand in full.)
but he takes them after that second of being off guard, trying to recover.]
I'm....thank you.
[they're pretty, and he's sure his aunt won't mind flowers in the house.
is saying thanks enough in this situation?]
It's really sweet of you, Keigo.
no subject
[ keigo, too, felt the raw embarrassment radiating off of the entire situation. roses certainly did imply something more than just a friendly gift, but he was pointedly trying to ignore that. keyword: trying. wasn't going very well.
after nikkari took the flowers from him, keigo shifted, still having difficulty keeping eye contact. he rubbed at his neck, trying once again to ignore the way it felt warm against his palm. yep. this was hell. ]
Yeah, sure... Sorry, though. It's unexpected and I wasn't really sure where else to find ya...
[ coming to his place of work to drop off a gift like this was probably... even more embarrassing, honestly. ]
Uh, so...
[ ... now what. honestly, keigo wanted to bail. ]
I'm... glad you like 'em.
no subject
[no, really. he's surprised, and maybe he's going to get joked at by his coworkers for this, but....he's delighted, actually, if he had to put a word to it.]
They make me happy. Thanks.
[very faintly, there's a slight flush on Nikkari's face, more pronounced against his dark hair. he'll get over this in a minute, he knows. he hopes. a host should be better than this, probably. he'll have to talk to Majima about it.]
no subject
[ this was the side of nikkari that keigo was most interested in. getting a taste of something more genuine, less manufactured, was a thrilling adventure. he didn't know him very well yet, but the desire to learn was very much there.
what really made it stand out was the way nikkari blushed. you couldn't fake that. it was as comforting as it was embarrassing, really, and keigo actually managed to smile a little, despite the way his face remained flushed. ]
Yeah, no problem...
[ a soft chuckle soon followed. ]
Do you not get flowers often? I'd think someone like you would get showered with gifts all the time.
no subject
I think people'd assume that since I'm a guy I wouldn't like flowers, which is kind of stupid. I do like flowers.
[what's stupid is his answers right now. but he manages to smile still, laughing inwardly at himself.]
But in general, not me. I don't expect anything from people anyway - just their company's enough.
[he's low maintenance, compared to some. all he ever took was a drink or two and time, and in return, people got whatever they needed. talk, laughter, teasing attraction. it's what a host does. but this is just for Nikkari. not the face he puts on - unless he's reading this wrong.]
no subject
[ keigo exhaled softly at that response. well, that was fair enough. most people wouldn't get guys flowers... but speaking as someone who had gotten flowers as a gift before, keigo guessed it all depended on the context.
...what was the context here?
keigo could easily blame baren for it; he was the one who had suggested giving the flowers to nikkari in the first place. but instead of doing that, he was struck with a stubbornness unlike anything he was used to: he found himself not wanting to give baren the credit for the idea. which was stupid; it wasn't a competition in any sense of the word.
all of this was stupid, actually. keigo had taken a shine to nikkari, that much he could admit to, but really, switching gears like this was a hurdle to overcome. ]
Well. I think you deserve it. You're a really nice person.
[ that was the truth, irrespective of nikkari's job. ]
And everyone should get spoiled now and then! That's what I think!
no subject
Hard to not agree with that.
[and he'd go on, except one of his coworkers calls out to him and says they can plan their date when Nikkari's not on the clock, because people are coming. glancing over his shoulder, Nika practically snaps off the words.]
Relax for a second, would you?
[but turning back to Keigo, he tries to chuckle and laugh it off.]
no subject
[ keigo could only laugh in kind, softly and sort of shyly, mirroring nikkari's soothing chuckle. hearing him laugh eased his tension, though it wasn't meant to be a permanent fixture, it would seem.
keigo's eyes were immediately drawn to the shout from within the club and nikkari's coworker. guilt was the first reaction, but if that wasn't enough, when he'd heard the words that were spat out and actually realized what had been said, keigo's face turned a dark red all over again.
plan their date...
when nikkari turned back, he would see that keigo was staring at the ground, burning from ear to ear, trying his best to mask it with a nervous laugh. ]
S-s-sorry! I'm disrupting your w-workplace, aren't I?
no subject
[perhaps a little too quickly, but he sees Keigo's reaction and this is getting messy fast and he has no idea what to do other than to shift the roses to an arm, getting his phone and pulling up Retrospec - within a minute Keigo's going to be getting a private message.]
That's my number. You can call or whatever you like, I don't care about the time, I don't sleep much.
[let him fix this, let him do something.]
And I'm glad I got to see you again.
no subject
[ of all the times to get the nervous stutters. keigo was certain he was painting a horrible picture of himself... he glanced up when he felt his phone buzz, seeing nikkari with his own out. did he just...
...he did. ]
Oh!
[ he offered up another laugh as he worked through the odd combination of excitement and shame. ]
Okay, I'll do that, then. But, ah... I'm...
[ his smile softened a little. ]
I'm glad I got to see you again, too. I'll message you, okay?
no subject
[as long as he does it before Nikkari has to go message him on Retrospec to ask what's up. it's a promise, a validation that Keigo doesn't look like a fool - and hope to see what's in the future. with luck, more opportunities to see him smile.
and maybe to make him blush a little, just to see if he can.]
no subject
[ keigo made a small noise of affirmation, his smile as gentle as ever. what a rollercoaster... but that all being said, he glanced back into the sunshine and then at nikkari, sighing softly. ]
Well, I guess I'll, uh. Let you get to work, then!
[ because hadn't he taken up enough of his time? ]
I don't want you to get in trouble 'r somethin'.