#kijahak

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Hak x Kija - First Date

Wow, I’m back doing stuff for Akayona!  Request comes from the lovely angryharmonyqueen

Word Count: 2103 Warnings: None ao3 link

It was a regular autumn afternoon at Kouka University.  Calm weather, slightly cloudy skies, and a campus milling with pods of busy students. Kija had just finished his morning Thursday classes and was eating his lunch, taking what little time he had to enjoy himself before his final class of the day.  He was scrolling through missed texts, mainly from his grandmother, when he heard a noticeable whump in front of him.  Looking at the sound, he saw Hak sitting down in front of him, book bag slumped heavy on the wire table.

“So… want to go on a date?” he asked, casual, as if he hadn’t just dropped a bomb.

Kija spat out his drink.  “Wh-what?!”

Hak raised an eyebrow, his expression infuriatingly expectant.  “Did you forget you confessed to me last week?”

Kija crushed his juice box, not really caring that its contents spilled over his scales.  It was true, he had confessed in a spectacularly embarrassing fashion nearly a week ago.  But that was due to his brothers egging him on and – “I wasn’t expecting anything from it!” he protested.

For the love of the gods, Hak pouted in response.  That was nearly enough to give Kija a heart attack!  “If you didn’t expect anything from it, why would you tell me?”

Spurred on by his eager nerves and the bothersome stickiness between his scales, Kija stood up from his seat and hurried to the nearest water fountain, throwing away the juice box as he went.  Hak followed him.  As Kija ran water over his hand, Hak leaned over his shoulder, his face much too close for Kija’s enjoyment.

“So?  Will you tell me?”

Kija resolutely turned his head away.  Hak moved to lean over his other shoulder. Kija scowled.

“Why are you so angry, White Snake?”

“Y-you…!” Kija started to dry his hand with a handkerchief.  His face was burning, and it had everything to do with Hak.  “D-don’t… don’t get my hopes up.”

A noise of disbelief came from the other man. “Do you really think I would do that? I’m hurt.”

Kija squeaked.  “No!  You’re a perfectly respectable individual, very sweet and honorable!  I-i-it’s just that—”

Before he could continue, Hak took his hand.  It was perfectly dry now, but still he took Kija’s handkerchief to rub at the scales.  Through the thin layer of fabric, his thumb rubbed across Kija’s palm, and the dragon could’ve kissed him right then and there.

“Then go out with me.  I want to try with you.”

Kija stared at him.  The expression before him was as serious and steadfast as Hak could ever get. There was no denying his honesty, not when he looked so much like a loyal knight.

Embarrassment broke their eye contact.  Kija whispered, “Okay.”

~~~

They agreed to meet up at Hiryuu Park the following Saturday.  Kija arrived in a pair of tan oxford boots, light blue acid-washed jeans, and a white with black stripes open shirt, with a blue tank top underneath.  He was there first, of course, because it was only reasonable to show up to a date fifteen minutes early!  He managed to pass the time by texting his friends, almost lulling himself to a total calm by the time his date arrived.

“Hey, White Snake.”

Hak’s voice, deep, rumbling, and unbearably sexy, interrupted Kija from typing an indignant response to Jae-ha’s teasing. Hesitantly, Kija looked up to greet his date, only for his mouth to run dry at the sight.  Hak was in a rich blue button-up tucked into black trousers, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and buttons undone just enough to offer a peak at his chest.  The trousers had embroidered details along the pants’ leg—stitched in grey so they were barely noticeable except for an observant eye.  On his feet were a pair of black dress shoes—bluchers, was Kija’s best guess—and in his hands was a sizeable bouquet of pink and white flowers, interspersed with little yellow flowers.  Hak, the bastard, smirked when he noticed Kija’s fluster.

“That sexy, White Snake?”

Kija gawked, spluttered, all but threw his phone and wallet at the stupidly hot man, before he managed to squeak out, “You’re too dressed up!”

Hak stared at him, dumbfounded.

“We agreed to a simple lunch date!  I came in casual clothes!  Why are you dressed like we’re about to travel to Europe?!”

Hak pouted, the bastard.  “Yona said you’d like this…”

Kija actually screeched at that.  “Don’t bring the princess into this!  Her taste is impeccable, and she’s right, I do like it! But not for a casual date!” Before he could think twice, he took Hak’s free hand.  “Come on, we’re getting you changed!”

~~~

They ended up in a retail store nearby.  Much to Kija’s embarrassment, Hak picked out an outfit that matched his—dark blue jeans, a white tank-top with blue stripes, and a grey button-up unbuttoned to this navel.  But arguing was pointless when Hak only had to smile knowingly to shut Kija up.  With Hak’s previous outfit in a bag and the bouquet resting on Kija’s arm, the two hurried to a café one of Kija’s cousins owned.

“I-I really hope you don’t mind coming to a place my family works…” Kija mumbled as they were seated.  What he didn’t say was my grandmother insisted we come here.

Hak hummed.  “No, I don’t mind.”

The menus were laid out before them, but Kija could only stare at his hands in his laps.  He heard Hak order their drinks for them—hazelnut coffee for Hak, lemon green tea for Kija—but he couldn’t say a word until the waitress left. “Th-th-that’s good…” he managed to whisper.

They lapsed into silence.  Peaking up revealed Hak with the menu in one hand and his phone in the other.  To Kija’s chagrin, he was much more interested in the latter.

When their drinks were delivered and the waitress asked for their food orders, Kija managed to order a salad.  Hak ordered a sandwich.  The menus were returned and the unbearable silence resumed.

Just as frustration was about to win over Kija’s nerves, Hak finally spoke.  “So, um… what are your hobbies?”

That elicited a surprised chuckle out of Kija. “Why would you ask me that? You’ve known me for years!”

Hak pouted, overly adorable for such a handsome man.  “The article said to…”

Kija crossed his arms, finally sitting up straight. “The article?”

Hak grumbled and passed over his unlocked phone. On the screen was an online article titled AWKWARD FIRST DATE? HERE’S 10 CONVERSATION STARTERS.  Kija couldn’t help himself—he started laughing instantly.  “You—you looked this up?!  We’ve been friends for so long, you don’t need this!”

“That’s the problem!” Hak argued as he retrieved his phone.  “This is our first date, it should be—I don’t know—different? I don’t want it to be like every time we’ve hung out.”

In truth, their hangouts were the definition of casual.  Usually, them and their shared friend group would meet up at either Hak or Yona’s houses and watch movies or play games.  Kija tended to fall asleep before midnight and had to be carted back to his home. But on more than one occasion, Kija and Hak would spend a night alone watching B-rated sci-fi movies or forgotten action classics, since they were the only two people in their friend group who liked such flicks.  Those nights were the instigator behind Kija’s feelings as well as a treasured source of memories that he could play over and over when he was lonely.  But he had to agree with Hak—it wouldn’t be a good first date if it was at all like their usual hangouts, silence that was only interjected with jeering or laughter.  He wanted something lovely, something more like a cheesy romance novel than a movie for teenagers.  It made him happy, knowing that Hak felt the same.

Kija heard a camera snap and immediately turned to glare at his cousin from where she was peeking from the kitchen.  She only giggled and noticeably took another picture before escaping to her station.

Kija sighed before pulling on a smile.  “It’s nice we agree, then.”  Remembering the bouquet, he leaned over to the bag holding Hak’s clothes and the bouquet to pluck out one of the small yellow flowers. The tiny stem pinched between his thumb and pointer finger, he held it out to Hak.  “To a good first date?”

A dusting of pink peeked out from Hak’s tan skin. “Yeah…” he agreed as he took the flower and tucked it behind his right ear, “to a good first date.”

Things become easier, after that.  The food was delivered and quickly devoured.  A chocolate cake, “compliments of the chef”, was placed between them within minutes of finishing lunch, and the two of them split it.  Hak, of course, has more of the cake than Kija—the man was the quicker and more voracious of them, but Kija didn’t mind.  He was too enchanted by the specks of chocolate cake on Hak’s mouth, the flower in Hak’s hair, and good conversation to complain.  Thankfully, Kija’s cousin doesn’t bother them any further, and Kija paid the cheque without hassle.

They walked somewhat aimlessly after that.  A live band performance was scheduled at the park they met at, but that wasn’t for another hour.  Kija found himself enjoying the easy silence, and he kept staring at the bouquet once again in his arms.  He couldn’t believe Hak, a brute by most estimates, had chosen something so beautiful for him.  Just as Kija was about to properly thank him for the gift, Hak suddenly stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, hands dug into his pants pockets and face towards the ground, and asked, “Are you having fun…?”

Kija turned to face him.  “Of course I am!”  The sullen dip of Hak’s lips and scrunch of his eyebrows didn’t lift.  Kija stepped into his space, forcing eye contact. “I’ve had a lovely time so far.” Embarrassment flooded his cheeks and made him look away.  “I… This is better than anything I’ve imagined.”

He heard Hak snort.  “I know about those romance books you like to read.  This hasn’t been as great as those, I’m sure.”

Kija frowned, crossed his arms.  “Those are dramatic.  I don’t read them because they’re exactly what I want.” Age-old frustration rose within him, threatening to force out the wrong words.  He was never good at saying exactly what he wanted.  Instead, he took a deep breath and waited out the frustration, then the hint of awkwardness, then managed to say, “Everything I’ve imagined and everything I’ve read haven’t had the reality of having you actually here with me.”  He grabbed Hak’s wrist and kept on charging through, before humiliation and anxiety could catch up to his mouth.  “I’ve wanted to be with you for years.  You could throw me into the sea and I would still consider this the best, most fun date I’ve ever been on.”

Hak was silent.  Kija was about to take back all his words, save himself a least a little pride, when a calloused hand reached up to caress Kija’s chin and guide him to look up.  Kija followed through and barely had time to appreciate the vulnerability on Hak’s face before the taller man kissed him.

Fireworks burst beneath his lips, spread through his teeth and his gums, traveled down his throat and expanded through his entire body.  In that moment, he could lift a piano with his human hand, could run a marathon without breaks, could hold the entire world on his back.  His heart burst, and it was the most wonderful Kija had ever felt.

“I feel the same,” Hak said when he pulled back. “I-I mean…” He snaked an arm around Kija’s back, tugged him closer.  The flowers crushed between their chests, but Kija couldn’t find it in himself to care. With his hand on Kija’s cheek, their breaths intermingling, black hair tickling pale cheeks, Hak muttered, “My feelings for you are recent, I think.  But, I… I wanted to go out with you and it’s been great.  You’ve been great.  Kija, I want to be your boyfriend.  Can we?”

Kija’s smile could barely contain his joy.  This was more than he had ever dreamed of on those lonely nights.  Hak wanted him too.  Hak wanted him.  His happiness alone could power the whole city.

“Of course,” he said.  “I want to be your boyfriend, too.”  And then he leaned in to steal a kiss of his own.

#akatsuki no yona #sometimes i write #son hak #Hakuryuu Kija #hakkija #kijahak