Work Text:
When his eyes sting so much they start crying, Daigo decides it’s time to stop working.
He puts down his pen and leans back on the chair of his office, rubbing his face with his hands to pull himself out of his lethargic state. He’s been reading for so many hours that he sees writing everywhere he looks. Maybe it’s connected to his frustration of not reaching a satisfying solution for the night, but he checks his watch and the hands telling him it’s almost past 3 a.m. also tell him it’s time to turn in for the night.
Instead of standing up and walking out of his office, he pulls out a cigarette and lights it. He doesn’t feel like going home quite yet. His eyes wander around his office and settle on one of the cushioned couches. He could just take a nap here to knock off the travel time in the morning. The idea is not appealing but he has an urgent situation on his hands. He only just recently discovered that the Okinawa resort deal he had made was too good to be true, and now he has to fix his mistake. He can’t take his home from the Fourth Chairman, but no matter where he looks, he can’t find another land to offer to Minister Suzuki instead.
Daigo pulls on his cigarette and lets out a drawn-out sigh, watching the smoke rise and disappear in the air. In spite of the calm reigning in the Tojo headquarters at the ungodly hour, and the smoke in his hand, he doesn’t feel at peace. Not at all. He looks at the papers sprawled out in front of him with weary eyes. He spent so much time on them and he hasn’t even gone through half of them. He rubs his forehead with his hand. Maybe this is a lost cause. In spite of the promising amount of money the deal would bring the Tojo, there is no way he would sacrifice the Fourth Chairman and the Morning Glory Orphanage for it. No child’s life or happiness can be quantified with money.
He will have to make the decision to pull the plug on the whole deal, and bear the consequences. It won’t look well to be so finicky, and to lose such an interesting ally for the clan as someone like a potential future prime minister. Especially when his power as Sixth Chairman is still contested. He’s lucky he could count on the unwavering support of Majima-san and Kashiwagi-san. And most of all, his lieutenant and junior assistant Mine. He knows the former won’t be happy about his decision to refuse the deal. But he wants to lead by example, and he doesn’t want his family to be the kind who turns it back on its own.
Thinking about his own… He puts his cigarette back between his lips and pats the papers covering his desk in search of his phone. He threw it somewhere, carelessly, when its ringing was distracting him too much from his task. He should make sure that nothing too urgent happened when he wasn’t looking. He puts his hand down on a sheet of paper and it bends like a simple sheet of paper should not. He pushes it aside and takes his prize. He already sees the light flickering, showing him he was right to fear he missed something. Flipping the phone open, he sees several notifications from missed calls and text messages. Many from different clan figures that can wait until tomorrow. But one thing catches his interest.
There’s a missed call from Mine, and a voice message left with it. It’s not very uncommon for Mine to leave voicemails when he misses his calls, but Daigo checks the time and sees that it’s only from an hour earlier. Around 2 a.m. He remembers that his lieutenant was supposed to go out tonight. When he told him about his work for the night, Mine offered to help him, saying he only needed to cancel plans he had made with Hakuho clan members. To which Daigo had refused. Mine’s insight on the matter would have been greatly appreciated, but he never really saw him fraternize much with other clan members and he knew how important it was for a patriarch to forge bonds with his underlings. He had to insist that Mine go on that outing, and with persistence, he had relented.
That’s probably why he was up so late, but as for why he would call him… Daigo has no idea. Did something happen? Is Mine in trouble? He doesn’t wait any longer before pressing dial and accessing his voicemail.
“Hey, Sixth Chairman…”
Daigo immediately recognizes that Mine is drunk. In spite of the way the sound is modified by the low quality of a phone speaker, he clearly hears how deep his voice is. How he slightly slurs on his words. And also, the fact that he’s greeting him so informally. Mine’s always been so proper with him. Always in perfect control. Even when they went out for drinks, he was never more than a little tipsy, and still, he managed to hide it pretty well. He’s never heard him so loose. He’s left frozen, hanging on every word Mine is muttering on the other side of the line.
“I’m out, with my men, but I-... I should have stayed with you tonight. I… I want to see you. So, yeah… Can you-... Can I… Hey!”
Daigo hears rustling and some indistinct shouting, but he has trouble being focused on what is happening. His mind is still reeling from what he just heard. Mine wants to see him. Hearing this shouldn’t affect him like that. It might mean nothing at all. He is clearly drunk, and maybe he’s just expressing his regrets at letting him work alone while he’s out enjoying himself. Daigo has to admit, he never thought a man always appearing so professional like Mine would let loose like this. He kind of likes it. He only wishes he would let loose with him, too…
“Sorry about that.” Mine’s voice picks up in the voicemail. “I just… I wanted to call and hear your voice but… Can you reply when you get that message? Thanks, D… Daigo.”
Daigo’s heart skips a beat. Did he correctly hear Mine call him by his name? It’s never happened before. Silence falls on the line, and he can’t be sure of what he heard, but a sound reaches his ears through the phone. A sigh, interrupted by cackling. He realizes that’s Mine laughing.
“Hehe… Daigo.” Oh, so Daigo definitely heard him correctly. Mine just said his name, his given name, with no honorifics or title. Just him. “Daigo… I like-”
Daigo holds his breath, but nothing comes. He peels his ear off his phone only to realize the voicemail is over. That was it… Mine’s message at 2 in the morning after a night of drinking with his family. He checks the time again. Maybe he’s still out, but with the way he was talking and how abruptly the message ended, he can only guess he ran out of battery. Still, he considers his options, ignoring the way his cheeks warm at the memory of the message. Maybe he’s just projecting, but if he tries to focus on the actual important parts of the message and not the ones his brain wants to single out and record forever, there is something to be done here.
Mine said he wanted to see him… Maybe he needs him to pick him up? That would make sense. He didn’t sound in total control of himself, and Daigo doesn’t know if he made any plans for transportation. Was he even planning on drinking this much? When he talked about it earlier today, it only sounded like a regular night out with some men. Though he supposes that’s not something Mine did a lot, having joined the Yakuza just recently. Maybe Daigo should have warned him. Maybe he got caught up and his call was a cry for help. He scrolls through his contacts and presses call, but he gets no answer. As he feared, Mine’s phone is probably dead.
Daigo pulls on his cigarette, thinking about the thing to do. He doesn’t feel a hint of tiredness in his body after hearing this message, that’s for sure. He feels like the night is younger now. And when he thinks Mine is out drinking and maybe thinking about him… He shakes his head. Better not get his hopes up. Still, he decides to stub out his smoke, grab his coat, and head out to the streets.
.｡.｡.｡.｡.｡.
“Oh shit- I mean, Chairman Dojima!”
“Chairman Dojima? Sir, what are you doing here?”
Daigo takes in the mood of the bar he finds himself in. A cosy place, not the typical Yakuza joint. He understands why the men from Mine’s clan would choose to bring him to this place. It was just a bit difficult to find, but when he stormed inside the Hakuho headquarters demanding to know where the little shindig was taking place, he got his answer quite easily.
“Hello, don’t mind me, I’m just here for…” Daigo scans the room with his eyes. It’s almost four in the morning now, and he’s wondering if maybe Mine got his bearings back and managed to go home. But he finally spots him, sitting at a booth in the corner of the room. Well, not entirely sitting. More like leaning on the table. Though he seems to perk up when the name Daigo Dojima is mentioned. He lifts his head, and their eyes meet.
Mine’s eyes shoot open and Daigo sees him try to stand up. He only manages to sit up straight before the chairman reaches his table. He’s never seen him like this. His whole face is pink, his eyes glassy, and his hair is a mess. In Mine’s standards, at least. His usual perfectly slicked-back style now has a few strands of hair falling back on his forehead and cheekbones. He’s still wearing his suit, buttoned to the top. The only difference is his tie seems a little loose. He doesn’t look… bad. But he must have had quite a few drinks. A part of Daigo wonders why. Did he have such a good night with his new friends? So much better than when they go out drinking together? Or did he try to drink away some sorrow?
“C-Chairman…” He stutters. “What are you doing here?”
“Don't you remember calling me?” Daigo asks,suddenly wondering if he made the right decision coming here.
By the way Mine frowns and starts looking for his phone, He understands that he does not. He really must have been drinking really heavily. It wasn’t so long ago that he left that message on his phone. But by the way he’s half leaning on the table, and by the number of bottles lying empty all around, he sees he’s got enough. Even if he didn’t mean to call him and say the things he said, Daigo is here. He might as well help him out, and spare him the embarrassment of remembering what he blurted in his voicemail.
“Come on, let me take you home.” He offers, extending his hand to his lieutenant. Mine looks up to him, eyes wide and cheeks pink. Only then Daigo realizes how his words might be taken the wrong way. It’s not like it’s a really strange thing to say to a friend who’s too drunk to stand up, is it? It’s not his fault if people interpret it in a way he didn’t mean. But with the way Mine is looking so bashful, he can’t help but feel his own face heat up.
“Just to make sure you get there safely.” He quickly adds. “Did you drive here? Actually, it doesn’t matter. You’re not taking a car in this state.”
There’s a spark of defiance in Mine’s eyes, like he’s about to say something to disagree, but then he closes his lips and looks at the empty bottles scattered on his table. He mutters something Daigo can’t make out, but he takes it as a reluctant agreement. He turns around to the few clan members that are still gathered around. He wonders for a minute if he should say something to try and save face for Mine. He knows he would never want to look so vulnerable in front of his men, but he really can’t come up with a reason for the state he put himself in. For now, he can only focus on getting him home in one piece.
“Sorry to take your chairman from you.” He smiles apologetically at the men. “He should get some rest before the sunrise, and I suggest you do the same.”
He turns around and waits still for Mine to take his hand. He finally does, pulling himself on unstable legs and unable to look him in the eyes. Daigo hopes he won’t be like this the whole way, but he can’t blame him. He’s never seen him shitfaced like this, and he’s ready to bet Mine isn’t used to it either. He helps him to get stable by grabbing his arm and letting him lean his weight on his body. He tries not to focus too much on the warmth emanating from him. He swears he could feel it even through his clothes, where his shoulder presses against his arm and their thighs brush with each step.
It’s probably just because of the heating of the bar and the effects of the alcohol.
“Let’s go.” Mine nods, and with this sign of approval he leads him to the door. He gives a last look to the other yakuzas. “Have a good night.”
“Y-You too, chairman!” One of them replies and bows.
Daigo smiles and pushes the door. He doesn’t hear the next words exchanged between members of the Hakuho clan.
“Bro… I heard that right? Chairman Mine is going home with chairman Dojima ?”
“Huh… y’know, that explains a lot of stuff.”
.｡.｡.｡.｡.｡.
When they both step outside, they’re reminded of the cold weather of January. The wind isn’t blowing but the air is cold, and snow falls steadily even on this part of Tokyo. Daigo took time to prepare before going out to fetch Mine. In addition to his wool suit, he’s wearing a long coat and a scarf, but he notices that his lieutenant only has a coat he put on in a hurry before stepping out. Without thinking about it, he stops in his tracks to face Mine. He grabs his tie to tighten it, in the vain hope that it might help keep Mine's neck warm. He then takes the lapel of his coat to close it more tightly.
When he's done, he looks back at his lieutenant's face. It's still as red as before, and Daigo realizes that his futile gestures are much less efficient than alcohol to keep the cold away. He doesn't know what came over him, to mother Mine like this. Mine must think he's acting strange, too. Because he doesn't stop staring at him with eyes that make Daigo feel more and more uncomfortable. So he decides to not address it. He takes Mine's arm and starts walking again to a street where he could call out a taxi.
“Ap-appologies for the trouble, Chairman…” Mine murmurs.
“It’s alright. I’m here for you, Mine.” Daigo assures him, but still, his hushed tone and the way he uses his title makes him feel disappointed. He really got his hopes high when he heard him say his name in that voicemail. He must have really been drunk out of his mind. He shouldn’t be so disappointed that he feels better now.
As they walk slowly because of the snow and because Daigo doesn't want to rush Mine, the lieutenant leans more on him. He nestles against him, almost putting all of his weight on him, and he doesn't mind if Mine needs the support, but he wonders if he might do this because he's still suffering from the weather. He doesn't see him shivering, but he sees his hands around his arm, where he's grabbing him for stability. He's not wearing any gloves. His fingers look so pale against the fabric of Daigo's coat. His knuckles are red from the cold. Daigo isn’t wearing gloves either, so it’s not like he could lend them to him. But he can do something else to help.
His suspicions are confirmed when he puts his other hand on Mine’s. His fingers are freezing against his palm. And so tense. He’s impressed he’s not heard one complaint about it. But he knows Mine is not very vocal about how he feels. So he presses a bit tighter to keep them warm. He can feel Mine’s fingers dig in his coat in reply. He really must be freezing. He has to hurry to get him home and stop thinking about how it’s like they’re holding hands. He’s just doing this to help Mine. He wouldn’t want his junior assistant to fall ill after all. Huddled closer than before, he can manage to set a more rapid pace to their steps and bring them into a more busy street.
Stopping at the corner of the street, Daigo lets go of Mine’s hand to raise his hand and call for a cab. They’re not the only people waiting, though. They can only stand in the cold and wait their turn.
“Sorry.” Daigo says, putting his hand back on Mine’s shoulder. But before he can say anything else, he sees Mine swaying. His grip tightens to prevent his fall, but he realizes he’s not losing balance. Not entirely. He just feels something heavy fall on his shoulder. Mine… is resting his head on his shoulder. His heartbeat accelerates. His hair looks so soft, but maybe that’s just because of the snowflakes sprinkled in his brown locks. Maybe he should… brush them away.
He blinks, as a taxi stops near them to let a young couple in. Mine fists his hands tighter against his arm. Daigo finally realizes the reason why he put his head against his shoulder. He’s probably feeling the first symptoms of his hangover. His head must be hurting badly, and his eyes must be too sensitive to the light. He lets out a short sigh. What could have pushed Mine to drink enough to get in this state? Was it something his men did? Did they challenge him to a drinking contest or… He squeezes his shoulder to give him some courage. They’re next in line. The next taxi will be for them.
“Mine, are you alright?” He asks, his voice low to keep the noise to a minimum. Maybe Mine is also sensitive to that. As an answer, he only gets a grunt. “Why did you even drink so much? Did something happen?”
This time, Mine doesn’t reply immediately. And it’s not like Daigo can read his expression with his face pressed against his shoulder. But he can still see some reactions, like a flush reaching the tip of his ears. So there is a reason, but he’s just too embarrassed to talk about it. Daigo shouldn’t take this opportunity, but he suspects it would be much easier to pull answers from a drunk Mine than his usual self. It’s too good to pass on. And if something troubles his lieutenant enough to push him to drink to the point of almost-blackout, he would like to know about it. If there is anything he can do to help.
“You can tell me anything, you know that?” To drive his point, he squeezes his shoulder once again.
He hears mumbling, muffled by his own coat. But he catches one intelligible word. “... you.”
“What?”
Mine sighs, before turning his head away from him. A part of him misses the weight of his head on his shoulder. The intimacy of the position. But he has no right to think about something like that. His friend was only trying to soothe his headache. And he should be focusing on the matter at hand. His lieutenant is struggling with something, and he should be there for him like Mine has been here for him so many times. He looks at him with his hazel eyes, frustration made clear by the frown of his brows. Yet Daigo can’t help but think how cute he is like this, with the pink on his cheeks and the warm light from the lamppost reflected in his pupils.
“It’s because of-” An exasperated groan passes his lips. “You never listen.”
“I do!” Daigo contests, though with more panic than would be normal. Could it be that Mine caught him staring with something else than attention to his words? “You know I always trust your advices.” By the frown deepening on his face and the way he looks away, Daigo can see Mine is not convinced. He’s starting to seriously worry about it. Did he make his best friend doubt how important he is to him? “You… Did you drink so much because of something I did?”
“It’s-is always about the same thing.” Mine explains. With his words he seems to regain some composure. He seems more like his usual serious business type. “I told you how important this deal is. But you won’t listen.”
“Oh…” Daigo sighs. “No, I’m sorry. Like I said multiple times, I won’t budge no matter how much the clan might profit from this deal. You know Kiryu-san-”
“Tch.”
Daigo blinks, silenced by how stunned he is at Mine’s reaction. Did he just smack his lips in annoyance? He can’t mutter much more than a “Huh?”
“Kiryu-san.” Mine repeats, though without any of the warmth that seeps in Daigo’s voice when he says it. “That’s the only name that comes out of your mouth lately. What has he really ever done for the clan?”
“Well, he entrusted it to me…” The sixth chairman tries to come up with something, but he must admit that he’s completely taken aback by Mine’s reaction. He didn’t realize how much he disliked Kiryu-san. He wonders if it’s because he seems to be the only obstacle to the resort deal.
“That’s the only good thing he’s done. Delegating.” Mine points out. “And what about you, chairman? He’s not been around for you. So why… why do you still-… care so much about him?”
Daigo tries to think of something. There’s so many reasons why he cares about Kiryu, but his mind is blank under Mine’s scrutinous gaze. “You wouldn’t have to ask if you only met him.”
Mine’s nose scrunches. Daigo shouldn’t think that it’s the most adorable reaction, but still his heart swells at the sight. “Huh… I’ve seen pictures. He’s not that charming.”
“W… Oh-No, that’s not-” Daigo’s heart races. Is that what Mine thought? Does he think his admiration and respect for the Fourth Chairman is something akin to romantic affection? He couldn’t be further from the truth. He’s only ever seen Kiryu like a role-model, the only friend he’s had for a very, very long time. Sometimes, he even considered him like family. Like an older brother who wouldn’t treat him like a brat. Or… he never dared to say it to him, but sometimes he even felt like the father he never had. A man who believed in him no matter what, and in return, who he knew would protect him.
What he feels for Kiryu is nothing like tender affection or deep passion. It’s nothing like what he feels for… “Mine-”
Before he can clear the misunderstanding, he notices a group of men close to them. They stumble toward them with a lack of stability that only comes with way too much alcohol. Not that Daigo can judge them. If he’s in these streets at this time, it’s because Mine could barely get home on his own. He can’t even stand without his arm as support. So he won’t be able to avoid the men. Daigo has to act in his stead. He slides his arm around his shoulders and pulls him out of the way of the strangers by spinning them around.
But in doing so, he’s the one bumping into them. He doesn’t mind. The stranger collides with his back, and he was bracing for it. If it was Mine, he might have lost balance and fallen in the snow. Like the man is doing right now. Because of the collision and the snow, the stranger slips and falls flat on his ass. Daigo looks over his shoulder, barely concealing an amused smile.
“Hey! You asshole!”
“Sorry.” Daigo means it, and his smile turns more sympathetic than mocking. “Slippery weather, right?”
“That wasn’t the weather, that was you!” One of the victim’s friends blames him, as another helps him back on his feet. He dusts the snow from his pants with furious eyes, before pointing his finger at him. “You little fuc-”
Before he can lay a finger on him, a shadow moves between them. A hand grabs the man’s wrist, a shoulder is lodged under his arm, and in a split second he’s thrown right back to the ground with a crushing sound. Between the groans of pain and the gasps of surprise, Daigo can only stare at Mine in awe. He stands protectively in front of him, one fist raised to his front and one arm extended to the side, as if barring the way to the Sixth Chairman. He has to admit, he’s impressed. He seemed so faint a second ago, needing the lean on him just to stand, that he never thought he would have it in him to make a wrestling move.
“Are you alright, Chairman?”
“What the fuck’s your problem?!” The men yell before Daigo can say anything.
“Stay behind me.” Mine tells him, bringing his second hand back in front of him in a fighting stance. “I can easily take care of this trash for you.”
Daigo has to fight back the smile that creeps on his lips. He can’t prevent the way he feels butterflies flutter around in his stomach, though. He’s always trusted Mine with his life, but to feel so safe and protected… is new to him. He’s had too many people throw their lives away for him, but he feels like that won’t be the fate of the man standing by his side. Evidently, Mine can handle himself, even when he’s almost black-out drunk. He almost wants to step back and watch. He’s sure Mine would give him a lot to see. But they can’t make a scene for so little, and he catches a free taxi driving down the street. It’s time to lay low and go home without any more incidents.
“Mine, please… That’s not necessary.”
His lieutenant doesn’t seem to listen, and he can’t blame him with the way the other men gather with a violent look in their eyes. They must be too drunk to realize they don’t stand a chance. Especially since Daigo wouldn’t let Mine fight alone. But they’re not going to fight. He puts his left hand on Mine’s waist to bring him back to him, where he can keep a closer watch. He didn’t expect Mine to completely freeze at the contact, or to be so compliant to his touch. He settles back against him like it’s second nature. Daigo has to concentrate very hard on the situation at hand and not let his mind wander.
“Gentlemen, no one wants things to escalate. Let’s go our separate ways and forget about it, alright?”
The strangers glare at them, considering their options. Daigo does the same. He didn’t think to bring one of his guns with him tonight. He thought he would only have to pick up Mine from his outing. Not have a brawl. But he thinks he could manage four random drunks in the corner of a street. Maybe his assurance is obvious, because slowly, the men start to grunt and back away.
“Whatever.” One of them spits on the ground. “We ain’t ruining our night with those two fuckers. Let’s go, guys.”
Daigo watches them leave with a sigh of relief. For them. He was just about to invoke the name of the Tojo to really make them understand who they were messing with. Thankfully, they were lucid enough to realize their chances were slim. He turns to the road, waving the taxi over. As he waits for it to pull over next to them, he realizes he’s still holding Mine by the waist. Not that the other man is complaining. After being a badass and throwing another man to the ground like it was nothing, he’s back to collapsing against his chest. He wonders where he was storing that energy, and if it’s really gone for the rest of the night.
“Those were some impressive moves you did.” He praises.
“They were trying to bother you, chairman. I couldn’t let that happen.” Mine explains, with slurring words. Even if he tries to maintain his composure, exhaustion and alcohol seem to take their toll on him. He won’t be home too soon.
“Of course, you have my thanks, I just… I didn’t expect you to be so quick to react.”
“... It was just reflexes kicking in.”
A small smile tugs at Daigo’s lips. Reflexes, huh? Were his reflexes to be violent toward a stranger, or to do anything to protect his chairman? He prefers the second option, but he doesn’t want to get ahead of himself. Mine has always been loyal to him, ever since they swore their oaths to each other. He’s never been shy to remind everyone of it either, as if he took great pride in being dedicated to the Sixth Chairman. Daigo’s always liked that fire about him, but he’s always had a hard time to determine what was its exact nature. Was he really just that passionate about the bonds that unite men in the Yakuza, or was there something more?
The question tortured his mind more times than he liked to admit.
Finally, the taxi pulls over in front of them. Daigo opens the door and helps Mine inside, but he’s not really helped by how the other man clings to him. He still manages to sit his ass down and fasten his seatbelt, but before he can take back his hand, his wrist is caught in an iron grip. “You’re taking me home, right? That’s what you said, Chairman.”
Daigo swallows. Indeed, that is what he said, and he’s not one to break his words. He just has to stop thinking about how close to his crotch Mine is holding his hand, and how charming he looks with his blown pupils and pink cheeks and slight pout. He tries very hard to calm the wild beating of his heart. “Of course. I have to make sure you get home alright.”
Mine nods, and slowly, he lets go of his hand. Daigo closes the door and makes his way around the back, with a slower step than usual. He takes advantage of the cold to calm himself down. He can’t let his own desires influence his perception of what’s happening. Mine is drunk. He’s not acting like his usual self. There’s nothing to read in his behavior. And even if there was… He cares about him too much to let him do something he would regret in the morning.
He lets a few more snowflakes fall on his head to cool it off before he opens the door of the taxi and climbs inside. He gives Mine's address without thinking about it and they drive off, enjoying the heating of the cab. They don't exchange a word during the ride, but Mine dozes off. Daigo sees him sway from the corner of his eye. Eventually, he tips over and his head falls on his shoulder. He can’t bring himself to shake him off. He’s sure his shoulder is more comfortable than the cold window. And he’s starting to really like feeling Mine resting on his shoulder.
Though he considers pushing him as far away as possible when his hand drops from his arm and lands on his thigh. His whole body freezes. Mine’s hand burns him even through his slacks. He’s only laying his hand there, for lack of a better place, probably, but he can’t help but think that if he moves it just a bit more upward… things might become really hard for Daigo. His heart is already drumming in his chest. He’s afraid Mine is feeling it, with his head close to his chest. Can’t he see what he’s doing to him? Probably not, with how drunk he is. But why would he touch his thigh like this? And why is it affecting him so much?
Thankfully, Mine doesn’t live too far away from Kamurocho. It only takes a few minutes for the taxi to take them in front of his building. With the excuse of getting money for the driver, he can unpeel Mine from him. They climb out, with Daigo still serving as support for Mine, and then they walk to his apartment. A part of Daigo feels relieved that this whole ordeal will finally be over, but the other part of him already misses feeling Mine pressed against him. He almost lets out a sigh when they stop in front of his door.
“mah poghter-...” Mine mutters.
“Huh?”
“Keys… In my pocket.”
Right. He doesn’t have to just leave him at the door. It looks like Mine can barely stand on his own so he wouldn’t be able to unlock his own door. He just has to… open his door for him. Make sure he gets in. And then leave. At all costs, he mustn’t think about staying. About Mine asking him to stay. About letting the door close behind him and leading his lieutenant to his bedroom and letting him press against him once again and hearing him sighing his name like he did in the voicemail.
Fuck. Focus… Restraint… He only has to… get keys…
With the other man leaning against him, it’s easy to get access to his pockets. But he realizes that he didn’t specify which. He pats his breast pocket, trying to feel for his keys, but they don’t seem to be here. He reaches down to his suit pockets, but nothing here either. He feels his cheeks warm. That only leaves his pants. He puts his arm across Mine’s chest to let go of his shoulders. His hand travels down to pat his back pockets. Mine immediately tenses at the touch with a soft gasp.
“F-Front pockets…” He mutters.
Shit. “R-Right! Sorry, I-...” Now it’s his whole face that is burning. He tries to come up with an explanation why he thought to check his back pockets first, but there is no logical reason. Just him getting completely lost in the moment, in Mine’s presence, and mine’s dark eyes, and Mine’s touch, and Mine’s weight on him. He has to admit… Mine’s ass is firm. More than he imagined, with his office lifestyle. It felt toned even before he clenched. But he really can’t be thinking about what his ass feels like. He just touched him really inappropriately, taking advantage of the fact that he was drunk. What is he doing? He can only pray his lieutenant won’t remember in the morning.
Once again, he moves his arm across his shoulders to shift his weight and get access to his front. He gently pats up his leg until he feels something solid. He slides his hand in his pocket in search of his keys. He tries really hard to think only about keys. But he can feel how warm he is, with his hand so close to his skin. It’s not like he’s directly touching him, but almost. With his hand in his pocket there’s so little fabric separating him from the skin of his thigh. His upper thigh. His inner upper thigh… Suddenly, his fingers touch something cold and metallic. It shakes him out of his thoughts, and he hurries to fish out the keys from his pants pockets.
Daigo fumbles a bit with the keys, more than a sober man should. He feels like a fool, but at least, focusing on unlocking the door distracts him from the ravishing man holding his arm. The door unlocks. Before he can turn to wish Mine a good night, he’s pulled inside. He has no choice but to follow the motion, only stopping when they’re both standing in Mine’s entryway. The owner of the place is facing him, now. His face still flushed, but his eyes struggle to meet his. He wonders if… maybe he needs more help? A glass of water? Food?
“Do you need anything else, Mine?”
His eyes shoot up, finally able to meet his gaze. For a moment Daigo is mesmerized by him. By what he sees in his features. His long lashes highlight his shy eyes, the red on his cheeks is even more visible on his sharp cheekbones, and his lips look so full, fluttering the way they are with his trembling breath. Mine is so, so beautiful. Does he even know how intimidatingly gorgeous he is? How hard he makes it for Daigo not to kiss him right now? But maybe he’s perfectly aware, because suddenly, his face moves closer. His eyes drop to Daigo’s lips. His fingers tighten in Daigo’s sleeves.
“...Daigo…”
Daigo has to check himself. He’s unsure of what’s happening. It could be that he’s losing grip, throwing all caution to the wind and going for a kiss after all. But no, he’s standing perfectly still. It’s Mine who’s leaning in. It’s Mine, with an unsteady stance and glassy eyes, who is going to kiss him. His heartbeat stops. His whole body freezes. His mind is barely even capable of understanding the situation. He dreamed of this moment so many times. So many lonely nights. And now it’s finally happening, but… Mine is drunk out of his mind.
In time, Daigo manages to gather all of his strength and to put his hands on Mine’s chest to stop him. “Woah… There, there…” He breathes out.
Mine opens wide his eyes, freezing against his touch. He looks dejected, livid. Daigo has a hard time seeing him like this. He can’t have him think he’s rejecting him, though he is, in a way. He tries to explain his reaction but the drumming of his chest makes it difficult. “You’re drunk, Mine…”
“You’re right, I…” Mine gasps, and turns his face away. Daigo can still see that his flush is long-gone now. He’s paler than a ghost. “I wouldn’t have tried anything if…”
“Y-You wouldn’t?” It’s Daigo’s turn to feel rejected. And so, so glad he stopped Mine in time. If he only wanted to touch and kiss him because of the alcohol, if all his actions of the night were the alcohol talking… he’s in a terrible mess of a situation. Because how could he forget how Mine looked at him? How could he forget how he snuggled up against him? And how cute he was when he was jealous of another man in Daigo’s life?
Now that he thinks about it… He doubts that Mine is telling the truth.
“Let’s talk about this tomorrow, alright?” He offers. Cool and calculating as he always appears, Mine is probably just ashamed of his behavior. He has nothing to be ashamed of. If Daigo is being honest, he doesn’t think he would have acted much better if the roles were reversed. It probably would have been much worse, because he wouldn’t have waited to be home before trying to go for a kiss. Not in this state, at least.
At least, Mine looks back at him with expectation, and with his lips parted.
“I… Erm…” Daigo is the one who needs to look away. “Just, call me when you’re sober, alright?”
Jerkily, Mine half-nods, half-bows. Maybe he’s too stunned to speak, or too drunk. Daigo gives him a little smile, trying to be comforting, as if he didn’t feel like his heart could jump out of his chest at any moment now. He puts his hands on his lieutenant’s shoulders. They’re… firm. No, he can’t start thinking about this right now.
“Good night Mine.”
Mine is looking at him with wide eyes, and a blush spreading across his cheeks once again. But this time, Daigo knows he’s the one responsible for it. Not the alcohol. He’s never been cuter. Irresistible. Daigo can’t stop himself. He leans in and softly kisses his forehead. Barely registering what he’s doing until it’s too late. Until his lips are already pressed against his skin. He pulls back, hands shaking. He hopes Mine didn’t find it too weird. That he doesn’t see how desperate he is for him, without even needing any drop of alcohol in his blood.
But when their eyes meet again, Mine only looks at him like a deer in the headlights. He knows. Daigo’s been cruel, stopping his kiss but not even being able to stop himself. He can’t even look at anything else than his face, and his red lips. He can’t think about anything else than shutting the door of his apartment and seeing for himself how strong his shoulders really are. He needs to get out of here right now. He really doesn’t want to ruin their chance. He wants to do things right with Mine. He’s too important to him to file their potential as a one-time fling under influence. And each second spent in his apartment, with him looking at him like that, is pushing his limits.
“As soon as you’re sober.” He insists, trying not to sound as desperate as he really is. Then he lets go of his shoulders, letting him lean back against the wall in his back. He only gives him one last look before turning away and walking out of the dangerous apartment. He still makes sure to close the door behind him, as to prevent any temptation. Then, taking a deep breath, he starts the long process of going home and not getting a wink of sleep until he gets, or not, a call from Mine.
The moment he steps a foot outside, he still takes out his flip phone. He opens it and presses play on Mine’s voicemail, listening again to his deep voice stuttering on his words, saying he wants to see him, chuckling and… saying his name. He knows he’s going to save this one preciously.
Though he almost drops his phone when it suddenly rings. He answers immediately, before even reading the name of the caller.
“Daigo-san…”
“Mine?” His heart races.
“I may have, hum… exaggerated my drunkenness tonight… So…”
“...”
“Daigo… san?”
“I’m already on my way back. Almost there, Mine. Don’t move.”
Daigo almost trips with how fast he turns around in the snow, but he doesn’t care. He could run up every floor up to Mine’s apartment and know it will be worth it. The night sky is already getting clearer before he can push the door to the apartment building. In the end, it does look like he won’t be getting any sleep, but he’s not going to complain about it.