recolle | (Closed) Let's see where this goes...

(Closed) Let's see where this goes...

WHO: Iwai and Fai
WHERE: Fai's apartment and Yamazaki's Paris
WHEN: 10/1
WHAT: Two guys go for an adorable dinner together and figure things out...
WARNINGS: Will update as needed but none so far.

Iwai sat in his car for a minute or two as he wondered why he was doing this. He'd pushed people away for so long that it had almost become second nature. Yet here he was getting ready to pick Fai up. For a date. Running his fingers through his hair, he looked at his reflection in the rear view mirror.

Even in this other life of his he'd been a criminal. A former criminal but that part of his life was just something that kept following him. Should he really drag Fai into that kind of a mess?

Guess he really was a selfish guy.

Pushing fingers through his hair again to fix that short mess that wasn't going to be fixed, he got out and finally went up to knock on Fai's door. He was dressed casually but still with slightly nicer casual clothes. It was a date. He could at least look presentable even if he didn't really own nice things these days.

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"I work out sometimes. It keeps me in decent shape anyway. I need to be able to lift boxes if I'm the only one in the shop. The kids aren't always around."

He likely didn't cook anything fancy like Fai probably could and he certainly didn't go out of his way to work out but he still knew he was doing well despite that. He'd just decided ages ago that if he was going to have sweets all the time he wanted to do so without regret. Which meant doing the healthy stuff to counter it.

That was his theory anyway. So far it was working out. He even smirked as a result of that look Fai gave him.

"Guess now I have to keep it up so I'll be able to sweep you off your feet instead."

And there it was. Fai was right back to blushing like a schoolgirl.

"Hopefully you don't have to work out too much to be able to do that~" he replied with a laugh. He wasn't in the kind of shape he'd been in when he was dancing ten years ago, but Fai knew he was still rail-thin and generally tried not to be self-deprecating when it came to weight. Or to mention his weight at all, really. No sense in making other people feel ashamed when they had no reason at all to feel that way.

(But none of that really applied to Iwai, so he was probably safe with a little joke here.)

"Hm." Fai took a long sip of wine and then rested his elbows on the edge of the table, lacing his hands together under his chin so he could look over at the other man. "So you cook, and you work out. What else does my grumpy hermit Iwai do in his spare time? Writing the great American novel, maybe?"

"I mod the guns in the shop. Usually I keep those in the back though. Only sell them to customers who know what they're talking about or who impress me."

He was almost done with his meal when he paused a second. Setting his spoon down, he thought a second then decided that, yeah, he wanted to share this with Fai.

"Munehisa."

A minor thing really but...

"Iwai's my family name."

Well that didn't sound like any fun. Not that Fai was going to say that out loud, though! (At least not on their first date.) But he was seriously going to have to introduce Iwai to some better hobbies. Visiting the cat cafe and maybe getting together to watch musicals at Fai's apartment sounded like a good start.

He was just opening his mouth to suggest... well, something (although a second later the thought was gone), when Iwai surprised him with the name.

Ostensibly Fai knew Iwai's whole name. They worked together occasionally, and Fai had paperwork with Iwai's full name printed on it. Nothing high level, of course, but the kids who worked at Unstoppable had their employer's name printed in their records along with a contact number should something need to be verified or something go wrong.

But everyone called him Iwai, so Fai reasoned that he hadn't been rude by calling him the same. So if he wasn't being corrected, then....

Fai grinned. "Munehisa," he echoed, trying the name out. "I like it! It's very long though, isn't it? Is there a cute nickname version of it?"

"Is it? I mean a lot of names are around that length in Japan."

Sure there were some shorter but he knew he wasn't the only one with a name that length at least. He figured it wasn't that hard really. Though if Fai wanted to use a nickname then he could?

"It's just something where when you get closer to someone you let them use your given name instead."

Just to...explain why he was changing the name Fai could use.

"I know, but it's still really long! I mean, what if something bad happened and I needed to yell for you? The bad thing would have already happened by the time I got through your name!" From Fai's expression and the tone of his voice it was pretty obvious he was only teasing. He took a sip of wine while he eyed Iwai thoughtfully, a small, mischievous smile on his face.

"What about Mune-chan? That's the obvious one, right?" Hey, Fai might not be Japanese, but he'd dated enough Japanese guys to know a thing or two.

A moment later he had to fight to keep his smile teasing instead of just... stupidly happy, that Iwai thought they were close enough now to trust him with his given name.

"Thank you."

He slowly lifted a brow at him.

"...you know Mune-chan is exactly the same length as Munehisa, right?"

Just...saying.

"No it's not!" Fai protested, giggling. "It's shorter! Munehisa. Mune-chan. See? Shorter!" Honestly when Fai set his mind on something like this there was very little dissuading him. Iwai had probably better learn that sooner rather than later.

"Besides, it's easier to remember, and it's really cute. Or maybe... Mune-tan? Mune-nyan?"

Fai was very clearly having way too much fun with this.

"...It's the same number of letters..."

He tilted his head, somewhat baffled. Fai looked like he was having the time of his life though so Iwai didn't want to complain about it too hard. Probably why he only had mild protests to this.

"You could just call me Mune."

It was short so it counted?

"Hmm~" Fai eyed him critically. "Well, it's shorter, and it's cute, but I don't know if it's as cute as Mune-chan." Fai tapped his chin with one long finger before lighting up again.

"Ah, maybe I'll just rotate between them! And maybe I'll ask Majima or Kiryu if they know any other cute nicknames. I'll bet Majima knows lots of them! He's the one who tried to teach me a Japanese pick-up line. Let me see if I remember it--"

There was a brief pause, with Fai's face scrunched up rather comically as he tried to remember the line, before he blurted out something in what was ostensibly Japanese. The pronunciation was atrocious, but it was vaguely recognizable as: "Do you know what my shirt is made of? Boyfriend material!"

Iwai was taking a drink of wine when that line came. And he choked a little. That was really bad and he actually ended up laughing a little as he used a napkin to make sure he hadn't made a mess everywhere.

"We need to work on your pronunciation. It's very...French."

He didn't mean that as an insult, really. The fact that he was smiling said as much. "I think I managed to understand what you said though."

Let's face it: Fai knew his pronunciation was hideous. He'd only practiced the line a couple of times with Majima and that had been back before August, so likely he'd only gotten worse at it. But the fact that Iwai seemed amused was a big plus, and the fact that he might have even understood it was better! Fai beamed, looking quite pleased with himself.

"Yes, let's do it! You need to teach me all the dirty words and the terrible pick-up lines so I can use them on you! And I can teach you all the naughty things I know in French~"

A little forward for a first date? Maybe. But this was Fai, and he'd had just enough to drink and they'd been having such a great night that maybe it was okay to be his usual shameless self for a bit. As long as he didn't throw himself at Iwai when the date was over. No ruining this one, Fai.

"As private as Japan is about intimacy, yeah I know the good stuff." People with his background tended to after all. And only some of it from hearing his mother saying things to the guys she brought up when he was little.

"Alright. You got a deal."

He'd probably be worse at French than Fai was at Japanese but sure why not. If nothing else they'd have a good time sounding stupid together or something.

"Though I'll tell ya now that pickup lines weren't ever my thing so I don't really know those so well."

"Yay!" Fai clapped his hands together lightly, just for show mostly. "It'll be fun! Especially if I can get that same kind of a reaction out of you every time~" He winked.

"Aw, but pickup lines are the best! I love to use them, because it's so much fun to actually succeed at flirting with them even though most of them are so terrible! Besides, everything sounds sexier in French~ At least if you ask Americans!"

Fai leaned forward conspiratorially, since they were in a French restaurant after all. Who knew how many people in here actually spoke French and might catch what he was saying? When he spoke he kept his voice low and sultry, practically purring. "Don't repeat this one, but: je peux faire une bonne pipe~"

And if Iwai knew that one already, well.

Oops?

[ooc: standard apologies for internet translations/gendered words/etc]

"Well I guess it sounded nice but I ain't got a clue what you said."

Something sexual probably. That was what most pickup lines were used for from his experience. Especially the worst ones. Smirking some, he leaned forward all the same.

"I got a line that could work on both of us."

It was definitely for the best that Iwai hadn't recognized that line. Not exactly the kind of line you used on a first date with a guy you wanted to be involved with for more than just sex.

(But maybe he'd get a chance to try that line again some other time. And actually translate it. Ahem.)

"Oooh, what is it?" How they'd managed to progress from confessing their dark secrets to bitching about cooking shows to teaching each other naughty phrases in other languages Fai had no idea, but hell if it wasn't fun. Iwai was just really easy to talk to!

Iwai didn't even bother to switch languages. He just got this cocky look on his face that clearly said he was about to do something sexy. (He wasn't.)

He just said two words.

"Want dessert?"

It was so absurd, Fai didn't even remember to try to twist 'dessert' into some sort of lewd innuendo (as he'd done just yesterday with Iwai about his 'candy'). Fai stared at him for a second and then burst out laughing, and had to clap a hand to his mouth to keep from disrupting the whole damn restaurant.

Dessert was a must, with the way they both adored sweets, and Fai ended up suggesting that they both get their own desserts rather than try to share. Sharing would have been cute, and it would have saved a little money on the bill, but--as Fai joked--trying to share might end their relationship before it even had a chance to start. Fai ordered a slice of chocolate cake and polished off the last of his glass of wine along with it, and by the time the bill had arrived at the table he was pleasantly warm and happy. But then again he'd been happy all evening.

As promised, Iwai paid for everything, not even blinking as he did so. He did well with his shop. You could make a killing if you knew what hobby people wanted to be a part of. Obviously he'd picked the right one.

Which meant it was time to get them back to his car for a ride that proved to be as nice as the one going to the place. Enough so that he decided to hell with Japanese ideals about affections on first dates when he got Fai to his front door. Smiling at the guy, he actually went to cup his chin gently.

"Thanks for tonight. Probably the best date I've ever had honestly."

Certainly the most real.

And he decided to go for it, leaning in so he could give him a soft kiss goodnight. Nothing crazy. They weren't even official yet. He just...thought this felt right.

Fai would have been lying if he'd said he wasn't hoping for some sort of kiss at the end of their date. As they entered his apartment building he took his heels off to carry them, his clutch tucked under one arm, so that when Iwai held his chin they were just the perfect height for each other. The touch on his jaw left him holding his breath, only to melt into the kiss a moment later.

It wasn't anything deep or passionate, they weren't making out in the hallway outside Fai's apartment, but it was perfect all the same.

(And oh from that little bit, Fai could definitely tell he wanted more.)

He was smiling as the kiss broke, face flushed once more, and he bit his lip and reached up with his free hand to tuck a flyaway piece of blond hair back behind one ear.

"Good night."

"Good night, Fai."

He almost wanted to come in but he knew that he shouldn't push that hard that fast. It might work on Fai but he actually wanted to do this the right way. For that reason, he headed off to drive back to his place, still amazed that someone could know his history and still want him like this.

Just...wow.

He was really glad now they both wanted to keep doing this to see what would come of it. Because this had been great.

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(Closed) Let's see where this goes...

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