Title: First bike ride
Rating: G
Fandom: Tokyo Xanadu
Relationship: Takahata Shio/Tokisaka Kou
Wordcount: 862
Short summary: Kou gets a motorbike.
It wasn’t a secret that Kou was getting a motorbike, but Kou hadn’t actually spread the news himself. Of course his parents knew because they had to approve of him actually taking the license test and buying the bike. While they still didn’t really understand why Kou wanted a bike, they allowed it because Kou had the money to buy one and promised to take care of the bike himself. Shio knew because Kou had consulted him about the process and on which bike to buy. Shiori knew because she was still the best at keeping track of Kou and his happenings. Jun, Ryouta, and the X.R.C. knew because Shiori told them. Specifically Shiori told Jun and Ryouta one day while Kou was busy with Shio, and Shiori told Asuka some other day while Kou was out with Shio and Asuka told everyone else in X.R.C. Kou didn’t mind; actually since he and Shio were semi-dating but not really public about it, the whole bike-buying process made all the time they were spending together alone easy to explain away.
It was a balmy August day when Kou and his parents had finally visited the bike shop and Kou had purchased a used red bike. His parents had driven behind him as Kou made his first bike ride the ride home from the bike shop. It had been awkward but his parents had seemed satisfied with the way that he drove, letting him know it was fine if he wanted to go out after dinner to drive around some more.
Kou went up to his room and checked the time. It was just around 8 PM. He took a deep breath and decided he might as well go for it now. Shio knew he had bought the bike today; Kou had sent him a photo earlier. Kou decided to text Shio, simply writing, “Hey Shio? Are you free?” A few moments later, his Siphon rang.
“Hey Kou, what’s up?”
Kou smiled. Some evenings Shio was really busy helping out the soba shop, so things were sounding good if Shio could call him right now. “I wanted to drive out somewhere. Would you like to come?”
“Sure. I can be over in a few.”
“No!” Kou panicked a bit. One of the reasons he wanted to get a bike might be considered “silly” by most people, but Kou had been looking forward to this for months. “I mean, I can pick you up?” He immediately added, “you can…you can make sure I’m doing it right?”
Kou felt his heart pounding as he waited for Shio’s response. Finally he heard Shio sigh. “Kou, what are you thinking?”
“Shio?” Kou was taken aback. He didn’t expect to be scolded.
“If you just wanted to ride together on your new bike, you could have just asked.”
Kou relaxed. Shio wasn’t actually mad. Still… “…embarrassing…”
“Kou?”
Kou knew he was blushing; thankfully Shio couldn’t see him right now. “I-I’ll be over in a few!” he shouted into the phone.
“See ya-“ That and a bit of Shio’s laugh was all Kou heard as he hung up rather hastily. Kou went to the bathroom to wash his face, trying to cool it off a bit, and double-checked his clothes. After feeling more normal, he left the house, helmet securely on his head.
The drive over to the shopping street took longer than it could have, but Kou was still trying to slow down his racing heartbeat. What he had been thinking about for over a year…it was going to happen soon!
Kou blushed when he saw Shio casually leaning against the wall outside the soba shop, a helmet already secured on his head. Kou made sure to think only about reaching Shio safely, slowing to stop in front of Shio as smoothly as he could. Kou turned off his bike and stepped aside, allowing Shio to take a closer look at it.
“You got quite the deal,” Shio mused as he inspected the bike. “She’s a real nice one.”
“Yeah.” Kou smiled awkwardly at Shio. What was he supposed to say at this moment?
“Let’s get going?” Shio motioned for Kou to get on the bike first. Kou nodded nervously and took a seat, gripping the handles tightly. His heart pounded as he waited for Shio to settle behind him. When the strong grip around his weight and the warmth of Shio’s chest finally came, Kou almost relaxed backwards into it.
Shio chuckled. “I see how it is.”
Kou blushed. “I…”
Shio pressed a light kiss to the back of Kou’s neck. “It’s nice, isn’t it? Being able to ride together like this.”
Kou allowed himself this time to lean back into Shio’s arms. They remained like that for a minute or two. Realizing it was awkward to just be sitting on a bike outside where anyone could see them, Kou regained his posture and started up the bike. “I was thinking about heading to the beach maybe? What do you think?”
“Sounds good.” Shio’s hands pinched Kou’s waist lightly. “Anywhere with you is good.”
Kou grinned. It was time to really start enjoying this first bike ride together.