"So that means the value of x in this case is 13."

"Huh." Wait, what? Sousuke blinked.

"Eh? Yamazaki-kun? Are you listening?"

Sousuke almost let a curse fly from his mouth when Makoto looked up and focused those wide, beautiful emerald eyes on him. The effect on his whole being was staggering, and not good (at all) for Sousuke's heart and well, his lower body. It was the fourth time it had happened and frankly he was wondering if Makoto was doing it on purpose. 

The lack of proper response says something about Sousuke's highly shortened attention span and the length of Makoto's patience. Sousuke wasn't listening and he can count the words in one hand that he had understood from what Makoto was saying about Math or whatever subject it was since they first sat facing each other on the floor inside Sousuke and Rin's room at Samezuka's dorm.

"Sousuke's fine."

"Eh? W-what do you mean?" The shocked look on Makoto's face almost sent Sousuke flying to the other side of the room, on Rin's bunk bed, with Makoto in tow.

"Call me Sousuke. You call Rin by his first name and Rin's both our friend so..." Sousuke trailed off pathetically, unsure if Makoto will accept the lame reasoning. Sousuke just really wanted to hear Makoto say his name, even though he couldn't bring himself to say that they're friends too.

"Ah... because we're friends too, right? Then, I'll call you S-Sousuke..."

"What's with the stutter?" Sousuke did not just think that Makoto stuttering was adorable. Okay, he totally did, so sue him.

"Say it again." Sousuke lifted an eyebrow. "Say my name again."

"Sou... suke."

Damn. Even that slight pause coupled with a blushing Makoto is so damn adorable.

"Again. With less stuttering." Sousuke said softly, secretly relishing the warm feeling blooming in his chest as Makoto visibly took a deep breath, laying down his notebook on the table, removing his glasses and opening his lovely mouth.

"Sousuke..." It was a mere whisper but Sousuke felt tingles down his spine. He'd never thought of his name as beautiful but God, it sounds amazing when Makoto says it.

"Good." Sousuke cleared his throat after a few seconds.

"O-okay then..." Makoto trailed off as his gaze alternated between his notes and Sousuke who was looking at him. "So which part didn't you understand, Sousuke?"

"Hmmm?" Sousuke sat a bit straighter, which he hoped created a feeling that he was paying attention.

"It's just that... you seem to be distracted. And I know I'm bad at this..." Makoto looked at him with inquiring eyes, most probably trying to figure out if it's because he wasn't an effective tutor or he was totally messing it up.

Oh I am distracted, definitely. Totally, utterly distracted.

"No, uh... yeah. I wasn't paying attention." Sousuke scratched the back of his head. "Sorry about that."

And there was silence. But it wasn't the kind of silence Sousuke was expecting, because instead of being awkward, the lack of words between them seem to be charging up the air with something exciting, something hot and dark, something that makes the both of them highly aware of each other.

"Did Rin ever told you why we're supposed to have this group study today?" Clearing his throat, Sousuke said and then groaned internally. He's not really sure why he's asking Makoto but for some reason he wanted Makoto to know, if only it'll make him understand faster why Sousuke's been trying to burn holes in his face for the past hour and why he agreed to this study thing, because Tachibana just doesn't get it, and Sousuke's patience is wearing thin with every blush appearing on Makoto's face.

"He said you need help, and Rin isn't really one to ask for favors. Well, not often from me. I just want Rin to know that he can depend on me too, even just for things like this."

This guy is an angel. Sousuke thought, as Makoto sat there, looking somewhat expectant, probably waiting for what Sousuke was going to say next. 

Sousuke's heart was thumping so hard. He's heard a lot of things from Rin about Makoto and saw how he is with his friends and during join practice, him being kind and selfless, always putting priority on his friends and loved ones before himself, but now that he's hearing these things from Makoto himself, Sousuke finds himself falling harder.

Yep. Just admit it Sousuke, you're head over heels in love with Makoto Tachibana.

"Tachibana..." A small smile was on Sousuke's lips as he leaned over, left hand cupping Makoto's cheek as he coaxed Makoto to face him. He relaxed a little when Makoto didn't move or swatted his hand away. "You know..."

"Rin, well... Rin doesn't need help." Sousuke's thumb was now lazily rubbing the skin on Makoto's cheek as Sousuke moved closer. "He looks dumb as a tree sometimes, but he's actually smart."

"Though I worry about his choices recently." Sousuke muttered under his breath.

"You mean Haru?" So Makoto heard him. When Makoto again didn't make a move to stop Sousuke, he got a little braver and trailed his fingers down Makoto's throat, tracing the dip of his nose, the edge of his lips, just gently caressing his skin. "You sound like a strict father."

"Look, Nanase and I will never get along, that's a fact Rin has to accept." Sousuke wanted to pat himself on the back for following the conversation even when Makoto had put out his hand to touch the arm that was circling his face, instantly distracting Sousuke.

"Then why?" Sousuke watched as Makoto gulped nervously. He can tell how much effort and confidence it took for Makoto to ask the question.

"Because..." Fuck it. Sousuke almost sent the table flying as he circled around, reaching for Makoto and shoving him down the floor. Sousuke wanted to rip the buttons off Makoto's flannel shirt, but he tried to be patient, eyes locked with Makoto as he finished unbuttoning and parting the shirt swiftly, hand dipping inside Makoto's undershirt and pulling it up as far as he can.

"God, you're so sexy." Sousuke bit his lip as he released the grip on Makoto's shoulder, running both hands on his abs, feeling Makoto's stomach muscles tensing beneath him. 

"You have no idea how much I've been holding back..." It was barely a whisper, Sousuke wasn't sure Makoto even heard him, his hands busy roaming every inch of bare skin he can get his hands on, that he was slightly taken aback when he saw the look on Makoto's face when he finally looked up.

Cheeks flushed, eyes shining, lips slightly parted, his breathing shallow. Makoto looked so turned on, anticipating, waiting for whatever it is coming his way, that Sousuke had no choice but to straddle him, putting both hands on either side of Makoto's head as he lowered his upper body to Makoto's.

"S-sousuke... why...?" Makoto bit his lip and Sousuke leaned further.

"Rin took pity on me." Sousuke breathed against Makoto's lips, an inch, maybe two, of space separating them. "Gave me a chance to do something about this."

"About what?" Sousuke lifted Makoto's left hand and placed it on his chest, at that spot where his heart was, now thumping wildly.

"Said I needed to man up and confess, but I'm no good with words, so let me just show you what I mean..."

"Wha-"

And with that, Sousuke crossed the distance between them and covered Makoto's lips with his own.