"Challenge Accepted" [Shichiro/Takahiro]

Shichiro however was clearly an old pro at the game. He rarely got hit, blocking the slow-moving cyborg whatevers quickly enough to retaliate with a shotgun-thrust and in a the few times Takahiro was in danger Shichi's light-foil was there to slip in and beat the creatures back. He could have been showing off, though his goal didn't seem to be to hog the glory or get the highest score. It seemed more like he was intent on keeping Taka in the game, playing with him. There wasn't much point to playing a cooperative game with your date, by yourself. With your date. Awesome. The game ended with a panting, sweaty Takahiro surprising him in a tight hug. Beaming over the top of Taka's head, Shichi returned the hug and rested his cheek on the boy's head for a moment, the smell of his shampoo tickling Shichiro's nose. His heart raced, not so much from the game (old and familiar for him) but from the amazing boy wrapped around his torso.

"I had a fun too," he said, still grinning when they separated. "Do you want to play something else? Why don't you pick the next one?"

"Okay, you're on!" Shichiro climbed onto the other bike and started putting coins into the machine. "You said you 'bet,' right?" he asked, a sly grin on his face. "Let's make it interesting. Winner gets one small request of the loser." He pulled back on the throttle of the bike controller he sat on, allowing Takahiro to pick the track and racing conditions. You had your choice of bike as well; they all looked basically the same to him, but he wasn't a racer guy. None of these stats meant anything to him. So, he picked the white and purple one.

"Ready when you are, hotshot." He may have seemed confident; he certainly wasn't worried about losing. It was probably going to happen, but he didn't care. No, not one bit. Shichiro was getting what he wanted already.

Shichiro was laughing happily when he got off the faux motorcycle. He pulled Takahiro into a loose, friendly hug with an arm around his shoulders, congratulating him on his win. "Good driving, Takun. I never stood a chance!" He sobered up a little when Taka made his request, his laughter quieting and his smile not going away, but the quality of it changing somehow. Perhaps showing a tinge of anticipation. He looked down into Takahiro's beautiful grey eyes, reaching up to cup his cheek while his other hand twined his fingers around the younger boy's. "A kiss it is then," he murmured over the din of the arcade and leaning down, angling his head a little to the side...

It wasn't perfect. Their mouths fumbled, just for a second, to find each other before he felt Takun's lips meet his own. It was a brief, isolated moment alone in a crowd and it would be one of Shichiro's most cherished memories for the rest of his life.

"I, um. I liked it too." He was just beaming. And was that the glow from the arcade cabinets or was he flushed? Shichiro maintained his grip on Taka's hand when they parted, and gently pulled him towards the exit. "It's loud here. I know where we can go take a nice walk. I want to talk to you more. It's your turn to tell me about you now!" He grinned, even wider. The top of this kid's head was going to fall off. He wanted to get out of the noise and distractions of the arcade; it was cool but he could come there anytime. He had a boy to woo.

Even better. A boyfriend to woo.

"I think they did all right," Shichiro pondered, leading Takahiro towards the university campus. "Mom and Dad aren't very strict either. "We've raised intelligent, responsible kids," he mimicked his dad's deeper voice. "We expect you'll act like it." He chuckled, squeezing Taka's hand. He led the boy towards a grassy, wooded quad in between buildings on the campus. It had a number of sidewalk paths through it that he liked to wander when he was waiting for Dad, sometimes. The conversation was easy, as they talked about their lives and their families. They had a lot in common.

"So you speak English huh? I know a little, I guess."

"Right here actually," Shichiro responded cryptically. Partway around the quad he stopped by a small side-door locked with an electronic card reader. He pulled his dad's badge from a pocket and swiped it through, swinging it open for Takahiro when the light turned green and it unlocked with a mechanical click. He ushered Takahiro inside, pocketed the badge again and began leading him up the stairs. The building was four stories, so they had a few flights before they reached his destination. "That's really amazing Takun," he said, measuring his pace to make the climb easy. "Four languages. I struggle with conversational English."

When they reached fourth floor Shichiro kept walk, leading Taka by the hand up the very last flight to a metal door. It had no lock and he pulled his date forward as he swung it open. Twilight had begun to fall as they walked the quad, and a few stars twinkled in the darkening sky overhead. This part of the roof was bordered by a corner on one side and the raised ceiling of a lab of some kind on the other, making it a secluded little access with a few of the sky and Shibuya around them. A thick blanket had been laid out over a large portion of the roof, and an honest-to-god wicker basket was tucked in one corner. A tall, thick candle sat on the ledge offering a little warm light. It had burned maybe a quarter of the way down.

Shichi looked back to Takahiro anxiously, clearly hoping to impress the boy. He really, really hoped he liked it.