"Morning", Ken said as he carried an overgrown fern to the shop, taking every step very carefully, fully knowing that if he fell over, it'd take the whole day to clean the mess.
Aya gave him a bit worried glance over his shoulder and continued watering the irises. Ken placed the fern in its place and walked over to him.
"I said good morning", he insisted, leaning on the nearby shelf.
"I guess asking what's up with you would be a stupid question", Aya smiled primly.
For Ken, this was a small victory. However, when he leaned over for a kiss, Aya dodged it skillfully.
"Work. Work, work, work."
"But there's no one in here. And will probably not be for at least an hour."
Ken made his best attempt to look cute.
"You're just paranoid, Ayan."
"Well, there should be someone in here", Aya dodged again. "Omi. He still hasn't made that arrangement which you made him do. If your football game caused Shinkichi-san to pay for flowers he didn't get, I'll - "
"Ooh, you'll what?"
Aya held his head.
"Can't I say anything without you taking it as an innuendo?"
"Nope."
Ken jumped on the desk and grinned from ear to ear.
When he could almost hear Aya growl, he shrugged cheerfully, "So I've got it bad for you, can you blame me?"
"You've certainly made it clear to the world around you", Aya said, but with a considerably amused tone.
"I got you amused." Ken leaned over again. "Can I get that kiss now?"
"Nothing else shuts you up", Aya growled, pulled Ken roughly down from the desk and gave him the thorough kiss he kept asking for.
"Bitch, bitch, bitch." Ken breathed the words, and laughed in his mouth.
"It wasn't this hard...mmh... to get a kiss from you last night..."
They both heard a door open and footsteps coming from the house. Aya gave the door a quick look.
"It better be Omi."
He let go of reluctant Ken and walked over to the door. He opened it and leaned over in order to see to the kitchen, expecting to see a just-got-out-of-bed Omi there.
"Omi!" he called.
"Not so loud this early", Youji winced, after spinning around, startled, to face him. He was holding a glass of water and looked like he had just slept for a century.
"It's 9.30", Aya said rigidly.
"Yeah, and it's Saturday. Now what do you want with Omi?" Youji yawned.
"A flower arrangement. We were supposed to finish those big orders today. And you are going to help, too."
Youji scratched his hair miffedly. He was only wearing his boxer shorts.
"Right."
"Go wake Omi up and tell him to hurry", Aya told him and closed the door, returning to the irises and his overzealous boyfriend.
Omi buried his face in the pillow when Youji opened the door and let some light in the room. Youji chuckled and leaned over to give Omi's neck a little bite. The boy jumped awake in seconds.
"Hi", Youji said in his ear.
"Nnh... Youji-kun...?" Omi turned around to face him. He was scowling irritatedly.
Youji's smile died on his lips. As Omi scrambled up and started hunting for his clothes without saying another word, Youji could feel a cold hand creeping closer to his heart and gripping it, burying its nails deep.
"Omittchi?"
"Where are my pajama pants?" Omi muttered to himself.
"Omi, you okay?" Youji tried again.
"Ugh, I really need to go brush my teeth..." Omi muttered on and started to pull on his clothes, fully ignoring him.
When Youji reached out a hand to touch his shoulder, he dodged it, getting up and pulling on his shorts.
He started to walk out of the door, but Youji got up and grabbed him.
"Stop ignoring me! I'm not air and I asked you a question!"
"Let go of me!" Omi snapped, tearing himself free and finally facing him.
His blue eyes were shimmering with tears.
Youji took a shaky breath.
"I suppose you hate me now. Is-is that it?"
Omi bit his upper lip and looked torn.
"Yes... No. I - I don't know!"
He tried to calm down, to take a deep breath, but failed miserably.
"I want to. But I can't."
"Yes, you can."
Youji leaned down to meet his eyes and took a gentler hold of Omi's shoulders.
"You have every reason to hate me for what I did."
Omi shook his head slowly, tears silently streaking down his cheeks.
"I know. It would be so easy if I hated you. I wouldn't be so confused, and shaken, and hurt, and - "
"Shhh."
Youji let go of Omi's shoulders to wipe the tears from his eyes. Omi twined his arms around Youji's waist and held him tightly. Youji held him back, running one hand along his back and soothing down his hair with the other. For a while they just stood there, neither one daring to move.
Finally Omi raised his head to look at Youji.
"It's funny, isn't it."
"What?"
"I had just convinced myself that you could never want me."
Youji chuckled softly.
"That's funny alright. For your information, Omittchi, I don't know how anyone could possibly not want a pretty little thing like you."
"Pretty?" Omi almost smiled. "Really?"
"Okay then, beautiful."
Omi laughed and buried his head back to Youji's chest.
"You're making fun of me. Bastard."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"Not."
"Youji-kun! It's not funny to tease me like this!"
"It isn't? You laughed anyway."
Omi sighed and let go of him.
"Be serious. I don't like to be tossed around. I'm not just your pretty little plaything, you know!"
"I know. I'm sorry." Youji looked away and ran a hand through his sleep-mussled hair. "I'm really sorry."
"Sorry for what?" Omi emphasized.
"For making you confused. And unhappy. And hurt."
Youji turned his serious emerald eyes back at him. He couldn't help raising a hand to cup Omi's tear-striped face. Omi leaned on his touch and didn't pull back when Youji brought his lips to Omi's. The kiss was short and sweet and held no passion.
When they came apart, Omi twined his arms around Youji's neck and pressed his forehead against Youji's.
"I...I'm..." he searched for words.
"Yeah", Youji smiled, "me, too."
He could almost feel Omi beaming.
"Oh, Youji-kun."
"I suppose I'm forgiven?"
"Mmmaybe. I had a few good ideas for your punishment, though."
Omi tilted his head and blinked his big blue eyes innocently.
"Why you little minx!" Youji purred, leaning over to kiss his neck, and Omi giggled.
Eventually, they got to the shop, although it was a good three quarters later than Aya most likely had intended.
"I know, I know, I'm late", Youji sighed as he walked down the stairs to the shop, earning angry stares from Aya and Ken.
"I'll start working right away, so save your comments. And don't give the kid a hard time either, all of us sleep late sometimes."
Omi gave him a quick glance and blushed slightly.
"Especially you", Aya couldn't help muttering grumpily.
"Yes, yes, I know... You wake up every day with the sun, jump up from the wrong side of the bed and hop to work", Youji rolled his eyes, picking up a bunch of flowers dutifully.
"Some of us have better things to do at night than sleep and dream of yet another day at making bouquets."
"Youji-kun!" Omi laughed, kicking him.
"Ouchie!" Youji complained, giving him a weird look. "What did I do to deserve that?"
Aya and Ken exchanged meaningful glances. Aya put his lilies on the table. Ken dropped the wedding bouquet he had been making. Both of them got up and silently took off their aprons while Youji and Omi stared.
"Where are you guys going?"
"Well, we've done our share of work for today", Aya stated and threw Youji the bunch of lilies.
"You'd better start working to catch up before dinner", Ken added from the doorway.
"Hey, but that's not fair!"
"Aya-kun, Ken-kun, you left us almost all the arrangements!"
"This should teach you to wake up in the morning", Aya told them before the impatient Ken slammed the door closed.
Youji and Omi looked at each other, and then at the piles of flowers around them.
It was going to be a long day.