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Saiki didn’t actually know why he had agreed to this in the first place. No, actually, come to think of it, he knew exactly why he had agreed to go on Toritsuka’s Occult club summer excursion. He had wanted to keep his summer schedule as nuisance-free as possible by rejecting all invitations proposed to him by his so-called friends. He had neglected to consider just how determined Hairo was at filling in the spaces for the tennis club training camp. So, in order to expel the least amount of energy, not that he had any interest in playing tennis for an entire week, Saiki had informed the Class rep that he had already made plans with Toritsuka and the Occult club.
What he hadn’t anticipated was Toritsuka, the moron to shout out the dates of the excursion as he ran away. Probably so Saiki couldn’t back out and change his mind. Hairo had taken note of the date and assured Saiki that his Occult activities wouldn’t interfere with the tennis club training camp and ran off to sign Saiki up, despite his continuous protests about never having played tennis before and his lack of interest in anything physical. After that, his peaceful summer schedule had rapidly filled up leaving him with not a shred of free time to spend by himself.
Though he couldn’t entirely begrudge the Occult activities, just this once Toritsuka had handed Saiki the opportunity to spend more time with his crush. Something which had developed without him noticing. Initially, Saiki despised the thought of relationships and entangling feelings as, not only would it just bring more attention to himself, but he also didn’t want to get involved in such messy affairs. However, his feelings had decided to disregard his logic and developed from tolerance for one of his daily annoyances to a full-blown crush. Luckily Saiki was well adept at keeping his emotions in check otherwise he didn’t know what he would have done. This was an opportunity he wasn’t willing to give up.
“Oi, Saiki-Kun!”
Inwardly sighing when his thoughts of his disobedient feelings are interrupted by Toritsuka who is waving him over to the entrance of the temple, a wide grin stretching across his lips. Glancing around at the gathered teenagers, Saiki has to use his Cryokinesis to fend off his rising blush when he catches sight of pale blue hair and a sweet smile.
“You’re late!”
Saiki doesn’t deem Toritsuka worthy of a response as the group is quick to follow the medium into the temple for a quick tour around, though it looked more like a bachelor pad than a monk’s bedroom. Then again, Toritsuka was too perverted and focused on girls to really be considered a monk despite him living and working at the temple during his free time. Saiki rolls his eyes, Toritsuka’s thoughts were so loudly focused on Arisu, the plain creepy, even by Saiki’s standards, girl who joined the Occult club at its first meeting.
-This is my chance. A night under the same roof as Kaidou is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!-
Saiki turns his head to stare at Yumehara’s gleeful thoughts, her face flushing deeply even as a gleam enters her eyes. Saiki feels his heart clench at the thoughts, a stab of jealousy flashing through his mind at the girl’s plans. There was no way he was going to allow this girl, whose feelings were so fickle that she changed romantic targets almost every week to corner innocent Kaidou. Not if he had anything to say about it.
Continuing to use his telepathy to listen in on Yumehara’s thoughts he feels annoyance settle in his gut at the shared smirks shaping hers and Toritsuka’s lips, eyebrow twitching minutely at the mental collaboration the two of them have formed. They must have met up sometime before to come up with a plan to rig their activities.
The group didn’t get up to much for the rest of the day, merely hanging around the temple as they awaited midnight, the time in which Toritsuka had set up the main reason behind their meet-up. A test of courage walked through the woods behind the temple grounds, one which Saiki knew to house bears, wild boars, and those pesky monkeys who loved to scream and shout at passers-by. He sighs inwardly again; this was going to be tedious. With his telepathy, x-ray vision, and clairvoyance he would be able to see all dangers and jump scares before they happened, rendering this ‘test’ a moot point in his case.
“Many people go missing in this forest. In the dead of night, the members of a murder-suicide family appear and drag…”
Saiki is impressed by the story, he doesn’t believe it at all, not when he can hear Toritsuka’s thoughts on how he made it all up in order to scare Arisu into clinging to him on their walk through the forest. Though he knows for a fact that Kaidou believes it completely if his whirling thoughts of death and torture are anything to go by. It was kind of endearing in a way. How Kaidou was such a scaredy-cat inside but always tried to put on a false bravado on the outside. Not that it did much to convince Saiki. If anything, it made the psychic want to hold his hand and pull the boy close.
He smirks when Toritsuka brings the candle he is using for light, and added effect, closer to his face shifting his fingers and burns himself. It served the boy right for deliberately trying to frighten his so-called friends.
“This is not the place for games. I can feel many dreadful spirits.”
-She sounds like one of those mediums from television.-
Saiki sighs, shaking his head at the girl. If he wasn’t a psychic himself, and if he didn’t know a true medium then he might have fallen for her ‘instincts’, but he knew she couldn’t sense ghosts and spirits, not in the sense that Toritsuka can anyhow. She didn’t know there probably were spirits roaming around them at this very moment, she was merely trying to mask her own unease and fear.
“I was born in a temple, you know?”
Toritsuka attempts to reassure Arisu, holding his thumb up while winking down at the girl, Saiki rolls his eyes again. Being born in a temple doesn’t hold much weight when you decided to walk through the woods in the middle of the night. He should have bought up the fact that he can actually see ghosts and whether they wished to harm them or not. Though most of them, if not all, were incapable of harming living beings anyway.
“Let’s start the test of courage! We will walk down this path in pairs.” Toritsuka explains pointing down a pitch-black footpath leading straight through the forest with a smile on his face.
“Let’s just go with the flow and make our own pairs.” He continues sliding over to Arisu, placing a hand on her shoulder as if to keep her from moving. Yumehara follows his lead and practically jumps at Kaidou, his own eyes widening in fear at the glint in the girl’s eyes. Saiki clenches his fists by his side.
“Sounds good! It would be a waste of time not to.”
-So, I guess they are going to send me on my own? I guess that is probably easier… though I wouldn’t have minded going with Kaidou.-
“Hold on. I want to be with Saiki.” A voice breaks his thoughts and Saiki feels his mood shifting, he would rather go by himself than with Arisu, they weren’t particularly close, nor did he speak to her much, if at all.
“I want to be with him too.” Now that voice gives him pause and Saiki has to fend off a blush at the choice of words Kaidou spoke with. He could have phrased it better. Though Saiki couldn’t hold back a small smile at the double meaning behind those words.
-Oh my gosh. Why did I have to say it like that? Saiki is going to get the wrong idea and think that I actually want to be with him and not just for the test of courage. Though that thought is rather nic- No! Kaidou, stop it. There is no way someone as handsome and cool as Saiki would like you in that way.-
Saiki smiles a little, eyes softening as he listens to Kaidou’s frantic thoughts. He wouldn’t mind exploring the other meaning behind his words at a later date either.
“What? Why Saiki?” Toritsuka shouts offended that Arisu didn’t want to walk alone with him in the woods.
“Kaidou is kind of helpless,” Saiki inwardly agrees with the girl, Kaidou was terrible with anything remotely scary, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t throw himself in front of danger to protect those he cared about. Like when he had told Saiki to run when they were being shaken down by those thugs, or when the snake had gotten into their classroom. He had been trembling inside, scared out of his mind but he was still willing to risk his own safety for those around him. It is what made Saiki tolerate the other boy’s presence more than their other friends.
“and you’re a little weird. So, it was a process of elimination.”
Toritsuka brushes the shoot-down off without much thought and brings out a lot of chopsticks from his trouser pocket. Saiki frowns, if he had them with him then why didn’t he just use them in the first place. It probably would have saved them all some time, and he wouldn’t have had to stand here listening to Yumehara’s continuous schemes to make Kaidou fall in love with her.
“Then let's draw lots to decide. Those who get the sticks of the same length will pair up.”
“Then let’s do that! We have plenty of time!”
-Oi, weren’t you the one who said it would save time to pick our own pairs earlier?-
“Saiki-san, you can go first.”
Saiki glances down at the sticks in Toritsuka’s hand before his gaze shots over to Kaidou who is biting his lip, his head turned away from their group.
-I really hope I get to pair up with Saiki-san. I could protect him if he gets scared and will even have an excuse to hold his hand.-
-Saiki-san, please! Choose the one on the right!-
Saiki raises an eyebrow, Toritsuka knew that he can read his thoughts and is banking on Saiki doing as he asks just so he could rig the game and end up sending Kaidou with Yumehara and making Arisu go with him. He didn’t particularly mind going on his own, but he would rather not send Kaidou to the wolves if he would help it.
-I hate doing what he wants me to do.-
He pulls out the stick next to the one Toritsuka wished, hiding the length of the stick so it appeared the shortest, he didn’t want them to notice straight away that he had wrecked their plans.
“Okay, Arisu-Chan it’s your turn! Ah, you got the medium-length one!”
Toritsuka quickly moves on to Yumehara, their expressions fixing into ones of deep concentration as Saiki hears their corresponding thoughts, sometimes he really did think his friends were part
telepathic.
“Next is Chiyo” What will you get?” She pulls out a medium stick, her wide smile falling into a slight frown at being paired up with the only other girl in the group, Toritsuka frowns as well, he couldn’t go back on his words now, he would either end up going with Saiki or on his own.
-It is a good thing I know which stick is which, if I pick my lot now then Kaidou will have to go on his own and I get to go with Saiki.-
Toritsuka smirks in his thoughts, eyeing the sticks in his hands gleefully. He reaches out to pick one, ignoring Kaidou’s protests, and shouts out in despair at the shortest stick in the pile comes out in his hand. Glancing at Saiki, Toritsuka lets a tear fall at his friend’s smirk.
'You were getting on my nerves, so I switch the sticks.'
-Saiki-san!-
'Sorry, but I couldn’t allow you to leave Kaidou on his own. He wouldn’t make it past the first step.'
-Wait, what just- Toritsuka pulled the shortest stick… so that means… I get to go with Saiki! This is so good; I can’t believe I get to go on this test of courage alone with Saiki. He is so cool; nothing phases him at all. I wish I could be more like Saiki; I feel like I am always being protected by him.-
Saiki feels another blush rising on his cheeks, a tiny smile creeping across his lips as he glances over to Kaidou. He doesn’t manage to get rid of his flush fast enough as Kaidou meets his eyes, his own cheeks lighting up at the gentle look on his friend’s face.
-Oh my gosh, why was Saiki looking at me like that, he was even blushing a little bit and I have never seen him smile like that unless he was eating something sweet. Does this mean that I have a chance after a- No, Kaidou come on, stop this? Of course, Saiki doesn’t like you like that, he was probably just relieved that he wasn’t stuck with Toritsuka.-
Saiki stands off to the side, eyes flicking over to Kaidou ever now and again as Yumehara and Arisu reluctantly offer to let Toritsuka tag along with them as they begin their test of courage through the forest. He waits another minute or so before making his way over to Kaidou who is still lost within his own thoughts. Clearing his throat, Saiki holds out his hand for Kaidou when the shorter boy focuses on him.
-Saiki is holding out his hand, does he want me to hold his hand? Maybe he is scared already.-
Kaidou shoots a wide grin up at Saiki and slips his hand into the other boy’s cheeks flushing when Saiki interlaces their fingers and begins to lead Kaidou through the forest using his telepathy and x-ray vision to avoid the animals that could potentially do them some harm. He spends half of his time listening to Kaidou’s swirling thoughts, a mix between panic, fear, and joy. Saiki squeezes his hand.
-Saiki doesn’t look scared. I wonder why he wanted to hold my hand. He couldn’t have known that I was the one scared to walk through the woods for this test of courage. I am the Jet Black Wings after all. Maybe he does like me like that. I should just ask him.-
Saiki can feel himself perking up at that, he didn’t want to be the one to initiate the conversation about their mutual feelings but if Kaidou lost his courage then he would have no choice, he wasn’t going to let Kaidou get away from him now. Not when he was sure of the other boy’s feelings. Besides, if he claimed Kaidou here the Yumehara would have no choice but to give up. He allows a small smile to upturn the corner of his lips when Kaidou pulls him to a halt. Kaidou falters when he catches the soft expression, his cheeks exploding in a fiery red, something which endears him to Saiki that much more.
“Ummm. Saiki-kun… I… well, you see…”
Kaidou cuts himself off, causing his blush to deepen as he glances down to the dirt path. Saiki squeezes his hand gently drawing Kaidou’s eyes back up to his own.
‘It is okay, Kaidou. You know you can tell me anything, right?’
Kaidou nods his head, gunning himself up to ask Saiki about his feelings when a rustle in the trees startles the pair, Saiki inwardly berates himself for not paying attention to their surroundings when a large wild boar charges out of the overgrowth, snorting, and grunting. Kaidou shouts in alarm, ripping his hand from Saiki’s in order to jump in front of the psychic.
“Saiki, I will hold it off, you run.”
Saiki smiles at Kaidou, hearing his thoughts screaming out for himself to grab Saiki’s hand and both of them to make a break for it. He sighs, Kaidou was obviously scared out of his mind, but he was still willing to put himself at risk to protect Saiki, despite his powers not existing. It makes warmth spread through Saiki’s chest.
-I don’t think so, Kaidou.-
Saiki knows that any sudden movements will push the boar into action, and he knows that Kaidou will not be able to move out of the way quick enough to avoid being hurt, and he couldn’t have that. Saiki sighs, he is going to have to use his powers to get rid of the boar before it can attack them, though he is worried about what Kaidou will think of him once they are revealed to him. Glancing at the trembling boy in front of him, Saiki squeezes his shoulder. Walking forward slowly, Saiki ignores Kaidou’s stuttered calls for him to run, to get away from the animal, and merely smiles over his shoulder.
'It is okay, Kaidou. I will protect you. I promise.'
Saiki focuses back on the boar, gathering up all of his available strength, he throws a punch hard enough to send to animal flying through the air, landing far enough away to give them a decent chance to get away. Saiki shakes out his hand, turning to face Kaidou who is staring at him in astonishment.
-What just happened? Saiki is so strong. I didn’t know Saiki could do that; I wonder how he did that? Does he have powers like mine as well? Though I have to admit, that was pretty hot.-
Saiki blushes at Kaidou’s thoughts, scratching the back of his neck he holds his hand out to Kaidou who runs over, interlacing their fingers. He smiles up at Saiki.
“Saiki! That was amazing! How did you do that?”
Saiki blushes, turning his head away so he isn’t looking in Kaidou’s earnest expression, he couldn’t stand to see it morph onto disgust or fear. Not from Kaidou.
'I’m Psychic.'
-Saiki doesn’t seem to be joking with me right now. Then again, Saiki doesn’t really joke about a lot of things. He is usually really sarcastic and witty, but I know he isn’t this time. What does he mean, Psychic?-
‘I am telepathic, I can use pyrokinesis, Cryokinesis. I have x-ray vision, teleportation, levitation, and other powers.’
-Telepathic? That means he can hear my thoughts, can’t he?-
‘I can.’
-Oh my gosh. This is so embarrassing. This means that Saiki knows all the indecent things I have thought about him, he must know that I like him, and… oh no, he can hear this as well.-
‘Kaidou, it is okay. I have always been able to hear your thoughts, and you need to know that I like you as well.’
“You like me too?”
‘Yes, I have liked you for a long time, but I wasn’t sure if you returned my feelings.’
Kaidou stares up at Saiki for a moment, his thoughts in chaos at the information and unexpected confession from the usually stoic and unphased psychic.
-It should probably bother me that he can read all my thoughts and such but… I feel safe. Doesn’t this mean that Saiki knows me better than anyone else? No wonder I felt like Saiki was always protecting me, he has probably used his powers to help me on numerous occasions.-
“That was you. The camera that stopped in mid-air and hit the floor. You saved everyone from the snake as well at that start of the year, no wonder I couldn’t recreate that attack.”
‘I didn’t want you to get hurt, I may not have initially wished to be bothered by you all, but I have come to see each of you as my friends. Besides, I couldn’t stand the thought of you being injured when I could have stopped it.’
Kaidou flushes under the confession, he hadn’t expected Saiki to come out and state that he didn’t want Kaidou to get hurt. Then again, when push came to shove Saiki was one of the friends he could rely on the most and he adored him for it.
‘I am glad that my telepathy doesn’t bother you either, it is nice to know that someone else knows about them. Hiding them all the time is annoying.'
“They don’t bother me because they are what makes you, Saiki. I always knew that you were incredible but now I know just how incredible you are.”
-Besides, I am the only one he has told about his powers does this mean I am special to Saiki?-
‘Of course, you are special to me Shun, you are the only one I trust enough to keep this secret for me.’
Kaidou smiles brightly, his eyes sparkling as he gazes up at Saiki, adoration shining in his expression at Saiki’s words.
-Does this mean that Saiki wants to be my boyfriend? Should I ask him out on a date, we can go to that café he seems to really like, I know he has a major sweet tooth.-
Saiki smiles, reaching down to grasp Kaidou’s other hand he brings the younger boy closer, smirking in delight when his flush deepens.
‘I would love to go on a date with you and I would love to be your boyfriend, Shun but please call me Kusuo.’
-Really? You would really want to?-
‘I would really like it if we could be boyfriend’s, Shun. I like you a lot and I am not letting you go now that I have you. Besides, maybe Yumehara will back off now.’
“Yumehara?” Kaidou tilts his head to the side, sliding one of his arms out of Saiki’s grip and around his boyfriend’s waist, cuddling in when Saiki wraps an arm around his shoulder in response.
‘She has been trying to get you to fall in love with her for weeks now and her constant plots, schemes, and fantasies have been testing my patience.’ Kaidou giggles at that, tightening his arm around Saiki when he spies the small pout on his boyfriend’s lips.
-Kusuo is really cute when he is being jealous.-
“Aww. Kusuo, you know I have never seen Yumehara that way, you are the only one I have had feelings for before and I am very happy in this relationship. She doesn’t stand a chance against you anyway.”
‘Good.’ Saiki tightens his grip, leaning down to press a quick kiss to Kaidou’s forehead which brings another deep flush to his boyfriend’s face. Maybe giving into his feelings won’t be such a bad thing after all.