2022-09-10 21:26![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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oh_choutarou in the_zoneWho: Shishido & Ohtori
When: Friday, Sept 3
Where: The pool, then the garden outside the rooms
What: Date #3, pool & music
Ohtori put the finishing touches on his swim trunks, and took a moment to check that all the stitches held. Everything looked good, and he smiled. It was about darn time. That sewing machine had almost been more trouble than it was worth…at least until he quit being stubborn and actually read the instruction manual.
Finally satisfied, he took a moment to change, actually putting the trunks on, and then grabbed his towel and glanced at the time…oh crap! He was going to be late! Ohtori slipped into a pair of shoes and bolted out the door, running all the way to the pool. He just hoped Shishido wouldn't be too mad…
Shishido had gotten to the pool early. He'd been impatient, the excitement at actually getting to swim getting to him. It had been a long time since he'd gotten to swim. Long before he'd come to Yomi at the very least.
Lanes were set up in the pool which Shishido could appreciate. That would definitely make coming here later for exercise a lot easier. Taking the lane furthest from the entrance, Shishido looked around. He was early so it wasn't a surprise that Choutarou hadn't arrived yet. Setting his towel near the edge of the pool, Shishido slid into the water and started swimming laps as he waited.
Ohtori got to the pool just a few minutes late, and he took a look around as he paused to catch his breath. He didn't see Shishido…maybe he was late, too? Shishido didn't seem the kind to be late, though, at least not without sending a message that something came up, so Ohtori kind of doubted it.
His eyes landed on the towel at the edge of the pool, and he looked out over the lane. Someone was doing laps, so Ohtori walked over to get a closer look, and he smiled when he recognized Shihido's build in the water. He didn't want to interrupt, so he took his shoes off and set them by a nearby chair along with his towel, then he sat on the edge of the pool and dipped his feet into the neighboring lane.
After a few laps, Shishido surfaced, quickly noticing that he was no longer alone. Unable to stop grinning, he swam over to the edge near where Choutarou was sitting. Resting his arms on the edge of the pool, he kept grinning as he looked up at the other guy.
"I see you made it after all," Shishido teased. "I was starting to think you weren't coming. Maybe there was some sort of mishap with the sewing or something like that."
Ohtori smiled back. Amazing how just seeing Shishido made his day brighter. "Of course I made it. I wouldn't miss this for anything. Honestly, though…that was why I was a little bit late… But finally finished, and should be done well enough to hold up." He really hoped so, anyway…but worst case scenario, he should be left in just the speedo and, embarrassing as that was, at least he wouldn't be left in his birthday suit. "This will be the test run, I guess."
It didn't get old. No matter how many times he saw Choutarou's smile, it still felt like something special. Shishido wasn't sure he'd ever get sick of seeing it. "It's hard to do a test run if you hang out on the side the whole time," Shishido pointed out. Not that he was complaining about his current view.
“You just want to see me get wet,” Ohtori teased with a smirk, before reminding himself that he’d promised himself he’d behave today. But still, he went ahead and took his shirt off, turning a bit to toss it over towards his shoes. Then, he slid into the pool, going all the way under only to come up in the same lane as Shishido. “Better?”
Shishido watched, unable to tear his eyes away from Choutarou. "I'm not going to complain," he answered. "It's a good look." He swam under the lane dividers, moving over a lane before swimming closer. Hopefully the divider would help serve as a reminder not to do anything that'd get them in trouble. From what Shishido had overheard, his roommate saw just about everything and so far they'd avoided getting one of the powerpoints. Shishido was curious to see how long they could manage that.
Ohtori chuckled, taking the opportunity to admire Shishido, but he behaved himself and stayed on his side of the divider…except to give Shishido a light kiss on the cheek. "So…are we going to swim laps? Or did you have something else in mind for our pool time?"
"Unfortunately it looks like this place is only set up for laps," Shishido replied. He hadn't been here until today so he hadn't been sure. It was kind of a disappointment on the whole date aspect but as an exercise option, it was good to see. Part of him made note that this could be good for some types of injuries and injury rehabilitation. "Laps are probably safest if we want to avoid getting one of Yanagi's powerpoints."
Ohtori took a closer look at the divider, specifically where it attached to the wall of the pool. "Mmm…Looks like they could be removed, though, if we really wanted," he chuckled, doing exactly that just for show. "I promise I know how to behave…despite how our last date ended up…" That had definitely not been his intention that time…and even though he had no regrets, he also planned on no repeats for a while.
"You say that and yet you're the one playing with the lane divider," Shishido pointed out, teasing. He slowly started to swim in his lane, getting farther away but trying not to look like he was. "I can't say I've got any complaints about the last date. But we'll see if you can keep that promise."
"I was just making a point!" Ohtori laughed, putting the lane divider back in place like a good boy...Even though Shishido slowly moving away like that made Ohtori want to chase him. He did give into the urge a little, ducking under the water and pushing off the wall, swimming towards Shishido but staying in his own lane. "So. Should we race?" he asked, once he surfaced again.
"Uh-huh, sure you were," Shishido said, trying not to laugh as he spoke. He thought about just taking off in a swimming sprint but held back. Leaning on the divider between their lanes, he had to fight the urge to reach over and touch. So instead, Shishido just said, "we could. You want to?" It would definitely keep them out of trouble at the very least.
Ohtori shrugged. "I don't really know what else we could do if we're going to stay in our own lanes," he smiled, getting dangerously close to the divider. "I get the feeling you'd be faster…at least a bit because I never managed to get those turns down like you see pros do. You looked pretty good at it, though. Swim a lot?"
"It wasn't my sport growing up," Shishido admitted. "That was tennis. But swimming is a good sport for a lot of injuries so it became more of a thing when I attended university." Still, that was a good point. The pool was set up as a place to exercise, not really a place to hang out. "I guess this place is kind of a bust when it comes to a date place."
"Hmmm…it makes sense, I guess. Less impact on sore bodies, right?" Ohtori had definitely heard something like that before. But at Shishido's comment about to being a bust, Ohtori smiled. "Then it's a good thing the most important part of a date is the company, isn't it?" He asked, putting a hand on Shishido's arm.
"Less stress on joints and depending on the exercise, the buoyancy helps relie-" Shishido's voice trailed off at the hand on his arm. It took a moment for him to realize he'd stopped and an embarrassed blush burned across his cheeks. "It can help relieve the stress on muscles too," he finished, feeling like an idiot. He felt like a kid with just how much everything with Choutarou seemed to affect him and how deeply it affected him.
Ohtori noticed that pause and the redness of Shishido's face and was instantly worried. "Are you alright?" he asked, moving a little closer and putting the back of his hand to Shishido's forehead to check his temperature. "You got really red all of a sudden…" And since he certainly hadn't been trying to do that, it was concerning.
"I'm fine," Shishido replied, his words betraying him by the speed of his response. Trying to get himself under control, he pulled away, centering himself in his lane and grinned. "First one to the other side wins," he said, taking off immediately towards the other end of the pool.
Ohtori arched an eyebrow and chuckled a little, not entirely believing Shishido's hurried answer. Or the way he suddenly darted off like that. It was easy to take off after him, seeing if he could catch up…what was challenging was not just coming up behind him to pin him to the side of the pool once they'd both surfaced. But as he'd promised, he behaved and stayed in his own lane.
It took a moment for Shishido to catch his breath. He looked over at Choutarou, a sheepish grin on his face as he said, "you know, I realized afterwards that I never said what the winner got." Which meant there was only one solution. Another race, this time with some sort of prize at the end.
Ohtori chuckled, hanging onto the wall so he would behave. "What, we need to race for something other than bragging rights?" He shook his head, shaking water out of his hair, and then pushed it back to keep it out of his eyes. "What did you have in mind?"
"Well, it wouldn't be fun if I just kept winning," Shishido said, a cheeky smirk on his face as he spoke. "Maybe something else is needed to motivate you and make it more of a challenge."
Ohtori hummed a little. "What makes you think I wasn't doing my very best, just then?" he teased back, very curious. "I really do think you're a better swimmer than me. And you're more hydrodynamic, I think, so that gives you an advantage."
"What is your best then?" Shishido asked, resting on the divider between their lanes. He was curious to see just how well Choutarou could swim. How good Choutarou was at all sorts of things. "Or is there something else you'd rather be doing right now?"
Ohtori smiled. "Best what? Best lap time? Best swimming stroke? Or best activity in general?" God Shishido was cute, looking at him like that, and Ohtori couldn't help reaching out to brush a stray bit of hair away from Shishido's face. "I'm happy as long as I'm spending time with you."
Cheesy didn't even begin to describe how that sounded. Shishido couldn't help the little chuckle as that one stray bit of hair that'd been annoying him was pushed out of the way. "What are you best at?" Shishido asked, most curious about that question and what Choutarou thought of himself.
Oof. That was kind of a tough question, and Ohtori hummed a little as he thought about it. He kind of always felt like he had a lot of work to do, no matter how good people told him he was at something, so to pick something and say it was the thing he was best at kind of felt like lying. But…he supposed in a way, how often he'd been told he was good at something could sort of be used as an objective measure… "Um, well…" He chuckled a little, embarrassed. "If I had to choose, I'd say it's probably music. It's what I've been doing the longest. Some of my earliest memories are sitting next to my sister and learning piano, or playing around with Mom's violin."
"One of these days, I really do want to hear you play something," Shishido said, meaning every word of it. He wasn't really a musical person but it was clear from listening to Choutarou that the guy was. "Those sound like nice memories," Shishido went on. "It sounds like music pulls your family together."
Ohtori smiled. "They're some of my favorite memories. Dad can't play anything, but he very much enjoys listening. Even when my sister and I were little and couldn't play well, he encouraged us to put on concerts for him. It actually made us want to practice even more, so, in a way, he's at least somewhat responsible for how well we play now." It made him a little homesick to think of, though, so he shifted focus. "I'll play something for you anytime you'd like."
"Anytime you want to play, I'll be there, ready to listen," Shishido promised. "And I promise, I won't even know if you make a mistake on anything." After all, he didn't have a musical bone in his body. "It'd probably do this place some good to have some music anyways." Now that it'd been a few months, people were starting to get settled in and curious about what else there was here. At least, that's how it felt to Shishido.
Ohtori's smile grew. He liked the idea of someone listening to even his worst notes and having no idea they were bad…even though musical knowledge wasn't always necessary to tell when someone was off-key. Some notes were just cringeworthy bad to even the least musically-inclined. "Sometimes I do try to play for everyone, a bit. I'll go out into the garden outside the rooms and play something soft and hopefully soothing around the time the night cycle starts…kind of hoping it'll help everyone relax a bit before bed…" He blushed a little. "That sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?"
Ridiculous was the wrong word for it. Sweet was a better word. Thoughtful was another good word for it. But not ridiculous. Shishido couldn't see it but he had a look of pure awe on his face as he imagined the scene of Choutarou in the garden, playing something soft and soothing. If they were anywhere else, it'd only make sense to have the moon shining softly on Choutarou.
"It's not ridiculous at all," Shishido said, his voice soft and gentle as it felt like he was falling for this guy even more. He hadn't even thought that was possible but apparently it was.
Ohtori watched the expression on Shishido's face change, and it made him blush even deeper. And then, to hell with the cameras, Ohtori lowered himself to Shishido's level and kissed him, short but sweet. "It means a lot that you think so…but where did your mind go, just then? You looked far away for a little bit, there."
"Imagining you playing in the garden," Shishido answered truthfully. "It's a nice mental image but I'm sure the real thing is even nicer," he admitted, trying not to die from how cheesy it felt to say that. He could tease and playfully flirt without a problem. But cheesy, romantic things just weren't him (despite his love for actual cheese). If it wouldn't have been completely lame, he would have taken off for another few laps to give his mind a moment to stop yelling at him in embarrassment.
Ohtori chuckled. "Well…it's not too far from the time I've been starting… if you'd like, we could go there…I'd have to stop by my room to change and pick up my instrument, but I could do a little concert for you." Although having one person's entire attention on him might be a little embarrassing…talking about it actually made him kind of itch to play.
"Do you really think you have to ask that?" Shishido asked. He was okay with the plan laid out before them. "Of course." He'd want to take a quick shower himself to wash away the pool water but other than that, he was a fan of this plan. "I can do a few more laps if you need a little time to get ready and meet you in the garden."
Ohtori laughed a little. "Yes, I do, because this was supposed to be a pool date." He leaned in and snuck another little kiss before floating away. "Take your time. I might shower to get some of the chlorine out of my hair while I'm up there." Hopefully he could figure out a good playlist, too, that would be relaxing but not enough so to actually put Shishido to sleep.
"It doesn't matter what kind of date it is," Shishido replied. The important part was that it was with Choutarou. "And nothing says it can't start in one place and end in another." After all, that's how their last one had gone. Not that he was complaining about how that one had turned out.
Ohtori blushed a little, being reminded of how their second date had gone. No regrets, not complaining, but still pretty embarrassing for only date number two. Really, he should've had better self control than that. "I suppose you're right. Quality, not location." He reached the edge of the pool near where his shoes and shirt were, and pushed himself up on the edge as he climbed out. "Get your laps in, if you want, then come find me when you're ready. I'll either be in my room or in the garden just outside it."
Shishido watched, enjoying the view. "Looks like the swim trunks survived after all," he called out. Not that he'd been hoping for a wardrobe malfunction. It was just, well, he wouldn't have complained about one either. "I'll just listen for the music and follow it to you,” he promised. He’d swim a little longer, try to clear his mind a little so that he’d be able to think a little more clearly.
Ohtori laughed and grinned, wrapping his towel around him to dry off a little before putting his shirt and shoes back on. He gave a wave to Shishido, including being a little goofy and blowing a kiss, before heading back out of the pool area.
A quick shower and a change of clothes later, Ohtori carried his violin case out of his room and into the garden, making his way to the spot he usually played in. It was well hidden from passers-by, so when he played it would seem like the music was just kind of…in the air. He was pretty sure it was totally on camera though, which, for this purpose, was fine.
Shishido had to fight the urge to just run after Choutarou. So instead, he rested on his back, letting himself float. It wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do - too much muscle mass and not enough fat to help make him more buoyant but that was all part of the distraction. But when it didn't work, he turned back to laps, letting the exercise clear his mind.
After a little bit, when his curiosity got the best of him, Shishido climbed out of the pool. He took what was probably the quickest shower ever, one that was so fast that it could barely count as a shower. And then Shishido headed down to the garden in his attempt to find Choutarou.
Ohtori sat on the flattish rock and got his violin out of its case. As usual, he plucked at the strings a little, listening to see if any needed to be tightened, and made whatever adjustments were necessary. Then he held it up to his chin, running the bow over the strings for the same reason, making sure the notes were pure and accurate. Might be a little extra checking, especially since Shishido swore he wouldn't know a bad note if it hit him, but Ohtori was actually a little nervous and the extra checks were his way of burning off that nervous energy.
A drop of water trailed down the back of Shishido's neck just as he entered the garden. He wiped it away, half wishing he'd taken an extra moment to rub a towel over his wet hair. But then he heard a sound that sounded like it might have come from an instrument. That drove nearly every thought out of his brain. Right now, there was only one thing going through his mind. Find Choutarou. He kept his ears open as he slowly began walking through the garden, listening for any signs of music being played.
Ohtori stood, once he was satisfied with the tuning, and started to play through the chords a little just to warm up. Once he felt ready, and like he'd fidgeted as much as he possibly could, straightened out his posture and his grip, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and began to play.
Sound began filling the garden. Shishido couldn't quite figure out where it was coming from but that was okay. That only made this feel more fun. He closed his eyes and listened, slowly turning in a circle until he thought he'd figured out the right direction. Opening his eyes, he started walking. He had to readjust a few times. But it wasn't a large garden and so it didn't take long to find where Choutarou was. Trying to stay as quiet as possible, Shishido just watched. He didn't want to interrupt and ruin the magic of the moment.
Ohtori heard Shishido's approach, the way the ground shifted under his steps, but he kept his eyes closed, kept the focus on the music. For him, it was almost like a kind of meditation, with songs like this. Soft, gentle, slow, and warm…and when the first song came to an end, he drew out the last note until it had almost completely faded, and turned it into the first note of the next song in his mental playlist.
Shishido had been ready to say something as the first song ended but then by some work of magic, Choutarou turned that last note into the start of the next song. It was beautiful. And even though he knew he'd been invited to watch this, Shishido couldn't help but feel like he was intruding. In a way, it felt like he was seeing something he wasn't supposed to. At the same time, he was captivated by the sight and couldn’t tear his eyes away.
This time, when the song ended, Ohtori actually let the note completely fade and opened his eyes, smiling at Shishido as he lowered his instrument. He didn't want to keep him waiting too long, after all, without at least acknowledging he knew the guy was there. "I did hear you come in, just so you know."
Words were hard. Shishido stared for a moment, trying to remember how to speak. "That was beautiful," was all his brain could manage to come up with. He took a few steps closer, leaving a healthy distance between them. It just felt right to leave some space there right now. "I'm surprised you're here. On Izanagi, I mean. You sound like you could be a professional." At least, that's what it sounded like to Shishido's untrained ears.
Ohtori blushed deeply. "I'm glad you liked it." He always did like seeing the expression on someone's face when they'd enjoyed his music. "It's something I've thought about a lot. Playing professionally, that is. But…I always get caught up in things like…violin or piano? And what if I want to learn another instrument? And there's all these digital music programs out, where you don't even have to play an instrument to make a song, and I even enjoy playing around with those, when I really want something different." He gave a little shrug. "I worry that being a professional and having to dedicate so much of my life to one instrument might end up feeling stifling, and taking the joy out of it."
Shishido couldn't help but chuckle a little as he heard Choutarou go through all his reasons for not playing professionally. So many concerns that just sounded like excuses to Shishido's ears. Not that he would say as much, at least, not now. Maybe another time when they knew each other better. "So do you prefer playing alone or with other people?" He asked.
Ohtori had to think about that one, and he went ahead and sat down on the flat rock again, trying to leave as much space as possible in case Shishido wanted to sit too. "I like both, I guess, for different reasons. Playing solo is like a test of skill, because there's no other instruments to hide it if you're off key anywhere. But…playing with others…hearing the whole piece come together and knowing you're a part of it can be incredible. It can also be dreadful, depending on the chemistry of the group."
Shishido nodded, not really getting it from a music perspective but understanding from working on teams. Sometimes there were those people that just threw off the whole chemistry of a group. "Have you thought about finding anyone else to play with here?" He asked, curious. "Not that you have to or anything but just to have other people that like music like you do." Because it seemed clear that music was something special to Choutarou and Shishido knew he'd never be able to understand it like someone else who loved music would.
"Mm. I've been keeping an eye out. But so far it seems like most people here are more interested in listening than in playing." Maybe he should go back and re-read everybody's survey questions for the cards. Ohtori felt like he remembered instruments being mentioned a time or two… "It's alright though. Even if I end up being the only one on base, it won't stop me from having fun."
"You never know, someone who loves music could end up on the next shuttle here," Shishido said as he walked over, leaning against the rock next to Choutarou. "I just feel a little bad because I know I don't get it like I know someone who loves it would." He smiled, trying to show that he wasn't actually torn up and upset about this.
Ohtori chuckled. "That would be awesome. But you have no reason to feel bad about anything. Everyone has passions that aren't necessarily understood the same way by the people close to them. Like what I told you about my dad. He didn't really understand. But he accepted it and encouraged it anyway, and that's plenty." He leaned over just enough to kiss Shishido's shoulder.
Shishido gave a soft, playful swat. "I'm going to end up with that stupid powerpoint plastered all over my side of my room if you keep this up." Because unlike everyone else on base, the guy sending them out was Shishido's roommate. There would be no escape if Yanagi decided to get creative. "Shall I let you get back to playing?"
Ohtori laughed, behaving and backing away, even though he kind of felt like just resting his head on Shishido's shoulder. "It's not like we're out here taking our clothes off. Surely a little bit as innocent as that won't merit a powerpoint, right?" If it did, apparently Yanagi was a prude. "You don't have to…but if you want to listen a little longer, I don't mind playing some more."
"I'd hate to know what that'd get us," Shishido said with a laugh. He shifted, filling the space where Choutarou had been. "And you don't need to ask. I'll stay and listen for as long as you let me."
"Well then." Ohtori picked up his bow and applied a little fresh rosin, then picked up the violin and stood, taking a few steps before he turned and raised the violin, tucking it under his chin. As usual, he took a deep breath to relax himself, and then he closed his eyes and started into another song. Since it was still near the shift from day to night cycle, he stayed with the theme of soft and soothing.
Shishido could only watch, enchanted by the music Choutarou was making. It was beautiful, soft and peaceful. He couldn't look away or close his eyes. It kind of felt like this would all disappear if he did, like he'd wake up from a dream. And if this all was a dream, he didn't want to wake.
When: Friday, Sept 3
Where: The pool, then the garden outside the rooms
What: Date #3, pool & music
Ohtori put the finishing touches on his swim trunks, and took a moment to check that all the stitches held. Everything looked good, and he smiled. It was about darn time. That sewing machine had almost been more trouble than it was worth…at least until he quit being stubborn and actually read the instruction manual.
Finally satisfied, he took a moment to change, actually putting the trunks on, and then grabbed his towel and glanced at the time…oh crap! He was going to be late! Ohtori slipped into a pair of shoes and bolted out the door, running all the way to the pool. He just hoped Shishido wouldn't be too mad…
Shishido had gotten to the pool early. He'd been impatient, the excitement at actually getting to swim getting to him. It had been a long time since he'd gotten to swim. Long before he'd come to Yomi at the very least.
Lanes were set up in the pool which Shishido could appreciate. That would definitely make coming here later for exercise a lot easier. Taking the lane furthest from the entrance, Shishido looked around. He was early so it wasn't a surprise that Choutarou hadn't arrived yet. Setting his towel near the edge of the pool, Shishido slid into the water and started swimming laps as he waited.
Ohtori got to the pool just a few minutes late, and he took a look around as he paused to catch his breath. He didn't see Shishido…maybe he was late, too? Shishido didn't seem the kind to be late, though, at least not without sending a message that something came up, so Ohtori kind of doubted it.
His eyes landed on the towel at the edge of the pool, and he looked out over the lane. Someone was doing laps, so Ohtori walked over to get a closer look, and he smiled when he recognized Shihido's build in the water. He didn't want to interrupt, so he took his shoes off and set them by a nearby chair along with his towel, then he sat on the edge of the pool and dipped his feet into the neighboring lane.
After a few laps, Shishido surfaced, quickly noticing that he was no longer alone. Unable to stop grinning, he swam over to the edge near where Choutarou was sitting. Resting his arms on the edge of the pool, he kept grinning as he looked up at the other guy.
"I see you made it after all," Shishido teased. "I was starting to think you weren't coming. Maybe there was some sort of mishap with the sewing or something like that."
Ohtori smiled back. Amazing how just seeing Shishido made his day brighter. "Of course I made it. I wouldn't miss this for anything. Honestly, though…that was why I was a little bit late… But finally finished, and should be done well enough to hold up." He really hoped so, anyway…but worst case scenario, he should be left in just the speedo and, embarrassing as that was, at least he wouldn't be left in his birthday suit. "This will be the test run, I guess."
It didn't get old. No matter how many times he saw Choutarou's smile, it still felt like something special. Shishido wasn't sure he'd ever get sick of seeing it. "It's hard to do a test run if you hang out on the side the whole time," Shishido pointed out. Not that he was complaining about his current view.
“You just want to see me get wet,” Ohtori teased with a smirk, before reminding himself that he’d promised himself he’d behave today. But still, he went ahead and took his shirt off, turning a bit to toss it over towards his shoes. Then, he slid into the pool, going all the way under only to come up in the same lane as Shishido. “Better?”
Shishido watched, unable to tear his eyes away from Choutarou. "I'm not going to complain," he answered. "It's a good look." He swam under the lane dividers, moving over a lane before swimming closer. Hopefully the divider would help serve as a reminder not to do anything that'd get them in trouble. From what Shishido had overheard, his roommate saw just about everything and so far they'd avoided getting one of the powerpoints. Shishido was curious to see how long they could manage that.
Ohtori chuckled, taking the opportunity to admire Shishido, but he behaved himself and stayed on his side of the divider…except to give Shishido a light kiss on the cheek. "So…are we going to swim laps? Or did you have something else in mind for our pool time?"
"Unfortunately it looks like this place is only set up for laps," Shishido replied. He hadn't been here until today so he hadn't been sure. It was kind of a disappointment on the whole date aspect but as an exercise option, it was good to see. Part of him made note that this could be good for some types of injuries and injury rehabilitation. "Laps are probably safest if we want to avoid getting one of Yanagi's powerpoints."
Ohtori took a closer look at the divider, specifically where it attached to the wall of the pool. "Mmm…Looks like they could be removed, though, if we really wanted," he chuckled, doing exactly that just for show. "I promise I know how to behave…despite how our last date ended up…" That had definitely not been his intention that time…and even though he had no regrets, he also planned on no repeats for a while.
"You say that and yet you're the one playing with the lane divider," Shishido pointed out, teasing. He slowly started to swim in his lane, getting farther away but trying not to look like he was. "I can't say I've got any complaints about the last date. But we'll see if you can keep that promise."
"I was just making a point!" Ohtori laughed, putting the lane divider back in place like a good boy...Even though Shishido slowly moving away like that made Ohtori want to chase him. He did give into the urge a little, ducking under the water and pushing off the wall, swimming towards Shishido but staying in his own lane. "So. Should we race?" he asked, once he surfaced again.
"Uh-huh, sure you were," Shishido said, trying not to laugh as he spoke. He thought about just taking off in a swimming sprint but held back. Leaning on the divider between their lanes, he had to fight the urge to reach over and touch. So instead, Shishido just said, "we could. You want to?" It would definitely keep them out of trouble at the very least.
Ohtori shrugged. "I don't really know what else we could do if we're going to stay in our own lanes," he smiled, getting dangerously close to the divider. "I get the feeling you'd be faster…at least a bit because I never managed to get those turns down like you see pros do. You looked pretty good at it, though. Swim a lot?"
"It wasn't my sport growing up," Shishido admitted. "That was tennis. But swimming is a good sport for a lot of injuries so it became more of a thing when I attended university." Still, that was a good point. The pool was set up as a place to exercise, not really a place to hang out. "I guess this place is kind of a bust when it comes to a date place."
"Hmmm…it makes sense, I guess. Less impact on sore bodies, right?" Ohtori had definitely heard something like that before. But at Shishido's comment about to being a bust, Ohtori smiled. "Then it's a good thing the most important part of a date is the company, isn't it?" He asked, putting a hand on Shishido's arm.
"Less stress on joints and depending on the exercise, the buoyancy helps relie-" Shishido's voice trailed off at the hand on his arm. It took a moment for him to realize he'd stopped and an embarrassed blush burned across his cheeks. "It can help relieve the stress on muscles too," he finished, feeling like an idiot. He felt like a kid with just how much everything with Choutarou seemed to affect him and how deeply it affected him.
Ohtori noticed that pause and the redness of Shishido's face and was instantly worried. "Are you alright?" he asked, moving a little closer and putting the back of his hand to Shishido's forehead to check his temperature. "You got really red all of a sudden…" And since he certainly hadn't been trying to do that, it was concerning.
"I'm fine," Shishido replied, his words betraying him by the speed of his response. Trying to get himself under control, he pulled away, centering himself in his lane and grinned. "First one to the other side wins," he said, taking off immediately towards the other end of the pool.
Ohtori arched an eyebrow and chuckled a little, not entirely believing Shishido's hurried answer. Or the way he suddenly darted off like that. It was easy to take off after him, seeing if he could catch up…what was challenging was not just coming up behind him to pin him to the side of the pool once they'd both surfaced. But as he'd promised, he behaved and stayed in his own lane.
It took a moment for Shishido to catch his breath. He looked over at Choutarou, a sheepish grin on his face as he said, "you know, I realized afterwards that I never said what the winner got." Which meant there was only one solution. Another race, this time with some sort of prize at the end.
Ohtori chuckled, hanging onto the wall so he would behave. "What, we need to race for something other than bragging rights?" He shook his head, shaking water out of his hair, and then pushed it back to keep it out of his eyes. "What did you have in mind?"
"Well, it wouldn't be fun if I just kept winning," Shishido said, a cheeky smirk on his face as he spoke. "Maybe something else is needed to motivate you and make it more of a challenge."
Ohtori hummed a little. "What makes you think I wasn't doing my very best, just then?" he teased back, very curious. "I really do think you're a better swimmer than me. And you're more hydrodynamic, I think, so that gives you an advantage."
"What is your best then?" Shishido asked, resting on the divider between their lanes. He was curious to see just how well Choutarou could swim. How good Choutarou was at all sorts of things. "Or is there something else you'd rather be doing right now?"
Ohtori smiled. "Best what? Best lap time? Best swimming stroke? Or best activity in general?" God Shishido was cute, looking at him like that, and Ohtori couldn't help reaching out to brush a stray bit of hair away from Shishido's face. "I'm happy as long as I'm spending time with you."
Cheesy didn't even begin to describe how that sounded. Shishido couldn't help the little chuckle as that one stray bit of hair that'd been annoying him was pushed out of the way. "What are you best at?" Shishido asked, most curious about that question and what Choutarou thought of himself.
Oof. That was kind of a tough question, and Ohtori hummed a little as he thought about it. He kind of always felt like he had a lot of work to do, no matter how good people told him he was at something, so to pick something and say it was the thing he was best at kind of felt like lying. But…he supposed in a way, how often he'd been told he was good at something could sort of be used as an objective measure… "Um, well…" He chuckled a little, embarrassed. "If I had to choose, I'd say it's probably music. It's what I've been doing the longest. Some of my earliest memories are sitting next to my sister and learning piano, or playing around with Mom's violin."
"One of these days, I really do want to hear you play something," Shishido said, meaning every word of it. He wasn't really a musical person but it was clear from listening to Choutarou that the guy was. "Those sound like nice memories," Shishido went on. "It sounds like music pulls your family together."
Ohtori smiled. "They're some of my favorite memories. Dad can't play anything, but he very much enjoys listening. Even when my sister and I were little and couldn't play well, he encouraged us to put on concerts for him. It actually made us want to practice even more, so, in a way, he's at least somewhat responsible for how well we play now." It made him a little homesick to think of, though, so he shifted focus. "I'll play something for you anytime you'd like."
"Anytime you want to play, I'll be there, ready to listen," Shishido promised. "And I promise, I won't even know if you make a mistake on anything." After all, he didn't have a musical bone in his body. "It'd probably do this place some good to have some music anyways." Now that it'd been a few months, people were starting to get settled in and curious about what else there was here. At least, that's how it felt to Shishido.
Ohtori's smile grew. He liked the idea of someone listening to even his worst notes and having no idea they were bad…even though musical knowledge wasn't always necessary to tell when someone was off-key. Some notes were just cringeworthy bad to even the least musically-inclined. "Sometimes I do try to play for everyone, a bit. I'll go out into the garden outside the rooms and play something soft and hopefully soothing around the time the night cycle starts…kind of hoping it'll help everyone relax a bit before bed…" He blushed a little. "That sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?"
Ridiculous was the wrong word for it. Sweet was a better word. Thoughtful was another good word for it. But not ridiculous. Shishido couldn't see it but he had a look of pure awe on his face as he imagined the scene of Choutarou in the garden, playing something soft and soothing. If they were anywhere else, it'd only make sense to have the moon shining softly on Choutarou.
"It's not ridiculous at all," Shishido said, his voice soft and gentle as it felt like he was falling for this guy even more. He hadn't even thought that was possible but apparently it was.
Ohtori watched the expression on Shishido's face change, and it made him blush even deeper. And then, to hell with the cameras, Ohtori lowered himself to Shishido's level and kissed him, short but sweet. "It means a lot that you think so…but where did your mind go, just then? You looked far away for a little bit, there."
"Imagining you playing in the garden," Shishido answered truthfully. "It's a nice mental image but I'm sure the real thing is even nicer," he admitted, trying not to die from how cheesy it felt to say that. He could tease and playfully flirt without a problem. But cheesy, romantic things just weren't him (despite his love for actual cheese). If it wouldn't have been completely lame, he would have taken off for another few laps to give his mind a moment to stop yelling at him in embarrassment.
Ohtori chuckled. "Well…it's not too far from the time I've been starting… if you'd like, we could go there…I'd have to stop by my room to change and pick up my instrument, but I could do a little concert for you." Although having one person's entire attention on him might be a little embarrassing…talking about it actually made him kind of itch to play.
"Do you really think you have to ask that?" Shishido asked. He was okay with the plan laid out before them. "Of course." He'd want to take a quick shower himself to wash away the pool water but other than that, he was a fan of this plan. "I can do a few more laps if you need a little time to get ready and meet you in the garden."
Ohtori laughed a little. "Yes, I do, because this was supposed to be a pool date." He leaned in and snuck another little kiss before floating away. "Take your time. I might shower to get some of the chlorine out of my hair while I'm up there." Hopefully he could figure out a good playlist, too, that would be relaxing but not enough so to actually put Shishido to sleep.
"It doesn't matter what kind of date it is," Shishido replied. The important part was that it was with Choutarou. "And nothing says it can't start in one place and end in another." After all, that's how their last one had gone. Not that he was complaining about how that one had turned out.
Ohtori blushed a little, being reminded of how their second date had gone. No regrets, not complaining, but still pretty embarrassing for only date number two. Really, he should've had better self control than that. "I suppose you're right. Quality, not location." He reached the edge of the pool near where his shoes and shirt were, and pushed himself up on the edge as he climbed out. "Get your laps in, if you want, then come find me when you're ready. I'll either be in my room or in the garden just outside it."
Shishido watched, enjoying the view. "Looks like the swim trunks survived after all," he called out. Not that he'd been hoping for a wardrobe malfunction. It was just, well, he wouldn't have complained about one either. "I'll just listen for the music and follow it to you,” he promised. He’d swim a little longer, try to clear his mind a little so that he’d be able to think a little more clearly.
Ohtori laughed and grinned, wrapping his towel around him to dry off a little before putting his shirt and shoes back on. He gave a wave to Shishido, including being a little goofy and blowing a kiss, before heading back out of the pool area.
A quick shower and a change of clothes later, Ohtori carried his violin case out of his room and into the garden, making his way to the spot he usually played in. It was well hidden from passers-by, so when he played it would seem like the music was just kind of…in the air. He was pretty sure it was totally on camera though, which, for this purpose, was fine.
Shishido had to fight the urge to just run after Choutarou. So instead, he rested on his back, letting himself float. It wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do - too much muscle mass and not enough fat to help make him more buoyant but that was all part of the distraction. But when it didn't work, he turned back to laps, letting the exercise clear his mind.
After a little bit, when his curiosity got the best of him, Shishido climbed out of the pool. He took what was probably the quickest shower ever, one that was so fast that it could barely count as a shower. And then Shishido headed down to the garden in his attempt to find Choutarou.
Ohtori sat on the flattish rock and got his violin out of its case. As usual, he plucked at the strings a little, listening to see if any needed to be tightened, and made whatever adjustments were necessary. Then he held it up to his chin, running the bow over the strings for the same reason, making sure the notes were pure and accurate. Might be a little extra checking, especially since Shishido swore he wouldn't know a bad note if it hit him, but Ohtori was actually a little nervous and the extra checks were his way of burning off that nervous energy.
A drop of water trailed down the back of Shishido's neck just as he entered the garden. He wiped it away, half wishing he'd taken an extra moment to rub a towel over his wet hair. But then he heard a sound that sounded like it might have come from an instrument. That drove nearly every thought out of his brain. Right now, there was only one thing going through his mind. Find Choutarou. He kept his ears open as he slowly began walking through the garden, listening for any signs of music being played.
Ohtori stood, once he was satisfied with the tuning, and started to play through the chords a little just to warm up. Once he felt ready, and like he'd fidgeted as much as he possibly could, straightened out his posture and his grip, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and began to play.
Sound began filling the garden. Shishido couldn't quite figure out where it was coming from but that was okay. That only made this feel more fun. He closed his eyes and listened, slowly turning in a circle until he thought he'd figured out the right direction. Opening his eyes, he started walking. He had to readjust a few times. But it wasn't a large garden and so it didn't take long to find where Choutarou was. Trying to stay as quiet as possible, Shishido just watched. He didn't want to interrupt and ruin the magic of the moment.
Ohtori heard Shishido's approach, the way the ground shifted under his steps, but he kept his eyes closed, kept the focus on the music. For him, it was almost like a kind of meditation, with songs like this. Soft, gentle, slow, and warm…and when the first song came to an end, he drew out the last note until it had almost completely faded, and turned it into the first note of the next song in his mental playlist.
Shishido had been ready to say something as the first song ended but then by some work of magic, Choutarou turned that last note into the start of the next song. It was beautiful. And even though he knew he'd been invited to watch this, Shishido couldn't help but feel like he was intruding. In a way, it felt like he was seeing something he wasn't supposed to. At the same time, he was captivated by the sight and couldn’t tear his eyes away.
This time, when the song ended, Ohtori actually let the note completely fade and opened his eyes, smiling at Shishido as he lowered his instrument. He didn't want to keep him waiting too long, after all, without at least acknowledging he knew the guy was there. "I did hear you come in, just so you know."
Words were hard. Shishido stared for a moment, trying to remember how to speak. "That was beautiful," was all his brain could manage to come up with. He took a few steps closer, leaving a healthy distance between them. It just felt right to leave some space there right now. "I'm surprised you're here. On Izanagi, I mean. You sound like you could be a professional." At least, that's what it sounded like to Shishido's untrained ears.
Ohtori blushed deeply. "I'm glad you liked it." He always did like seeing the expression on someone's face when they'd enjoyed his music. "It's something I've thought about a lot. Playing professionally, that is. But…I always get caught up in things like…violin or piano? And what if I want to learn another instrument? And there's all these digital music programs out, where you don't even have to play an instrument to make a song, and I even enjoy playing around with those, when I really want something different." He gave a little shrug. "I worry that being a professional and having to dedicate so much of my life to one instrument might end up feeling stifling, and taking the joy out of it."
Shishido couldn't help but chuckle a little as he heard Choutarou go through all his reasons for not playing professionally. So many concerns that just sounded like excuses to Shishido's ears. Not that he would say as much, at least, not now. Maybe another time when they knew each other better. "So do you prefer playing alone or with other people?" He asked.
Ohtori had to think about that one, and he went ahead and sat down on the flat rock again, trying to leave as much space as possible in case Shishido wanted to sit too. "I like both, I guess, for different reasons. Playing solo is like a test of skill, because there's no other instruments to hide it if you're off key anywhere. But…playing with others…hearing the whole piece come together and knowing you're a part of it can be incredible. It can also be dreadful, depending on the chemistry of the group."
Shishido nodded, not really getting it from a music perspective but understanding from working on teams. Sometimes there were those people that just threw off the whole chemistry of a group. "Have you thought about finding anyone else to play with here?" He asked, curious. "Not that you have to or anything but just to have other people that like music like you do." Because it seemed clear that music was something special to Choutarou and Shishido knew he'd never be able to understand it like someone else who loved music would.
"Mm. I've been keeping an eye out. But so far it seems like most people here are more interested in listening than in playing." Maybe he should go back and re-read everybody's survey questions for the cards. Ohtori felt like he remembered instruments being mentioned a time or two… "It's alright though. Even if I end up being the only one on base, it won't stop me from having fun."
"You never know, someone who loves music could end up on the next shuttle here," Shishido said as he walked over, leaning against the rock next to Choutarou. "I just feel a little bad because I know I don't get it like I know someone who loves it would." He smiled, trying to show that he wasn't actually torn up and upset about this.
Ohtori chuckled. "That would be awesome. But you have no reason to feel bad about anything. Everyone has passions that aren't necessarily understood the same way by the people close to them. Like what I told you about my dad. He didn't really understand. But he accepted it and encouraged it anyway, and that's plenty." He leaned over just enough to kiss Shishido's shoulder.
Shishido gave a soft, playful swat. "I'm going to end up with that stupid powerpoint plastered all over my side of my room if you keep this up." Because unlike everyone else on base, the guy sending them out was Shishido's roommate. There would be no escape if Yanagi decided to get creative. "Shall I let you get back to playing?"
Ohtori laughed, behaving and backing away, even though he kind of felt like just resting his head on Shishido's shoulder. "It's not like we're out here taking our clothes off. Surely a little bit as innocent as that won't merit a powerpoint, right?" If it did, apparently Yanagi was a prude. "You don't have to…but if you want to listen a little longer, I don't mind playing some more."
"I'd hate to know what that'd get us," Shishido said with a laugh. He shifted, filling the space where Choutarou had been. "And you don't need to ask. I'll stay and listen for as long as you let me."
"Well then." Ohtori picked up his bow and applied a little fresh rosin, then picked up the violin and stood, taking a few steps before he turned and raised the violin, tucking it under his chin. As usual, he took a deep breath to relax himself, and then he closed his eyes and started into another song. Since it was still near the shift from day to night cycle, he stayed with the theme of soft and soothing.
Shishido could only watch, enchanted by the music Choutarou was making. It was beautiful, soft and peaceful. He couldn't look away or close his eyes. It kind of felt like this would all disappear if he did, like he'd wake up from a dream. And if this all was a dream, he didn't want to wake.
