As dawn approaches, the sun begins to filter through the tent fabric, casting a warm glow on their intertwined forms. Giyuu stirs slightly, still nestled against Sanemi's chest. Sanemi wakes up first, groggy and disoriented. He looks down at Giyuu's peaceful face and sighs, knowing he needs to wake him for the morning hike.
"Oi, Giyuu. Time to get up."
He shakes Giyuu gently, trying not to disturb him too much but also not wanting to be late. Sanemi frowns and shakes him harder, growing impatient.
"Wake up, sleepyhead. I'm not carrying you down the mountain if you don't wake up now."
He says in a louder voice, poking Giyuu's cheek repeatedly. Giyuu stirs again, his eyes fluttering open slowly. He blinks up at Sanemi with confusion and annoyance.
"Five more minutes..."
He mumbles, trying to burrow back into Sanemi's chest to escape the sunlight.
Sanemi rolls his eyes and pushes Giyuu away slightly, sitting up in the tent.
"No more minutes. Shinobu will be here any second to drag us out if we don't show up."
He starts gathering their things, throwing Giyuu's jacket at him. Giyuu catches the jacket and sits up reluctantly, rubbing his eyes.
"You're so mean in the morning, Sanemi."
He complains, his hair sticking up in all directions from sleeping on it. Sanemi smirks at Giyuu's disheveled appearance, clearly enjoying his suffering.
"And you're even more annoying. Hurry up
and fix yourself, I can hear footsteps."
He says, pretending not to find Giyuu's messy hair cute. Shinobu's voice calls out from outside the tent.
"Hey lovebirds! Time for breakfast and the hike!"
Sanemi freezes, his face turning red with embarrassment at being called out by Shinobu. Giyuu can't help but chuckle at Sanemi's flustered expression, quickly fixing his hair and standing up.
"Coming, Shinobu!"
He responds, then turns to Sanemi with a teasing grin.
"Lovebirds, huh? She's not wrong."
Sanemi grabs Giyuu by the collar and pulls him close, glaring daggers at him.
"Don't push your luck, Giyuu."
He growls, but there's no real anger in his eyes, just playful irritation. Shinobu pokes her head into the tent, a knowing smile on her face.
"I'll give you both two minutes before I drag you both out by your ears."
She says sweetly, tapping her watch.
Sanemi releases Giyuu and quickly grabs his backpack, shouldering it with a scowl.
"We're coming, damn it."
He mutters, stepping out of the tent first. Giyuu follows behind, trying to hide his amusement at Sanemi's grumpiness.
The rest of the group is already gathered around a campfire, eating breakfast. The atmosphere is lively as students chatter excitedly about the trip. Some are taking pictures of the scenery, while others are stretching and preparing for the hike. Sanemi spots the two classes mingling together and sighs heavily, already dreading the social interactions.
Giyuu stands beside Sanemi, observing the students with his usual calm demeanor. He notices some of the students staring at them and whispering.
"They're talking about us."
He says quietly to Sanemi, his voice neutral but observant. Sanemi grunts in acknowledgment, his eyes narrowing at the gossiping students.
"Let them talk. They're just nosy brats."
He crosses his arms defensively, feeling uncomfortable with the attention. One of the students, a bold girl, approaches them with a sly grin.
"Mr. Tomioka, Mr. Shinazugawa! How was your night in the tent together? I heard some... interesting sounds."
She winks, clearly trying to embarrass them in front of the whole class. Sanemi's face turns beet red, his jaw clenching in anger.
"That's none of your business, brat!Get back
to your group!"
He snaps at the student, his voice harsh and threatening. Giyuu remains composed, though his eyes darken slightly. The student giggles and runs back to her friends, who are all laughing and pointing at the teachers.
"Sanemi, you shouldn't yell at them like that.
It only makes it worse."
He says in a low voice, trying to calm the situation before it escalates further. Sanemi growls in frustration, running a hand through his hair.
"I don't care. They need to learn respect. And I'm going to have a word with whoever told them about us."
He starts walking towards the students, his fists clenched tightly. Giyuu quickly grabs Sanemi's arm, stopping him from marching over.
"Sanemi, stop. You're acting like a child."
He says firmly, his grip surprisingly strong.
"We're teachers, remember? We need to set
an example."
Sanemi glares at Giyuu but doesn't pull away from his grip, his anger slowly subsiding.
"Fine. But I'm watching them all."
He mutters, still scowling but no longer making a scene. Shinobu walks over, having witnessed the whole exchange.
"Boys, play nice. We have a long trip ahead."
She says with a knowing smile, clearly enjoying their predicament. Sanemi shoots Shinobu a glare too, feeling ganged up on by his colleagues.
"I am nice. Just not to disrespectful students."
He grumbles, finally relaxing his stance a bit. Giyuu releases Sanemi's arm, satisfied that he's calmed down.
"We should start the hike soon. The sooner we move, the less time they have to gossip."
He suggests, already heading towards the trailhead with his clipboard. Sanemi follows after Giyuu, still grumbling under his breath about the students.
"I swear if they start singing that
annoying song about us..."
He trails off, remembering the rumors about their relationship. As they begin the hike, the students form groups and start walking behind the teachers. Sanemi can hear them whispering again, but this time it's about the beautiful scenery and not their personal lives.
Sanemi glances at Giyuu, who's leading the
way with his usual stoic expression. The path becomes narrower, forcing Sanemi to walk closer to Giyuu.
Their shoulders occasionally brush against each other as they navigate the steep incline.
"This better be worth it. My legs are already tired."
He complains, though he secretly enjoys the closeness. Giyuu looks at him with a slight smirk.
"Weak. You're a math teacher, not a couch potato."
He teases, picking up his pace slightly just to mess with Sanemi. Sanemi's eye twitches at the taunt, his competitive nature flaring up.
"Who are you calling weak? I could outrun you any day!"
He speeds up to match Giyuu's pace, determined to prove himself. Giyuu kiss the cheek of his boyfriend. Sanemi freezes mid-step, his face turning bright red again as he touches his cheek in shock.
"W-what the hell was that for?!"
He stammers, completely caught off guard by the public display of affection. The students behind them erupt into excited whispers and giggles, some even taking out their phones to snap pictures.
"You did that on purpose, you bastard!"
He hisses, trying to maintain his composure despite the flustered state he's in. Giyuu turns to face Sanemi with an innocent expression, though his eyes sparkle with mischief.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Maybe you should focus on walking instead of standing there like a statue."
He says innocently, continuing his walk with a slight spring in his step. Sanemi snaps out of his shock and storms after Giyuu, grabbing his arm.
"You're gonna pay for that later, Tomioka. Just wait until we're alone."
He growls lowly, making sure only Giyuu can hear him. The path becomes more treacherous, with steep drops on one side and loose rocks on the other. Sanemi's protective instincts kick in as he notices the students struggling to keep up.
"Everyone, stay close and watch your step! This isn't a playground!"
He barks out orders, his demeanor shifting to that of a concerned teacher. Giyuu nods in agreement, his expression becoming serious as he assesses the terrain ahead.
"We'll take a break at the next clearing. It's not safe to continue with the sun setting soon."
He points to a relatively flat area up ahead where they can rest and regroup. The students look relieved at the mention of a break, their faces showing signs of fatigue from the steep climb.
"Move quickly and carefully! No unnecessary chatter!"
He commands, keeping a watchful eye on each student as they make their way to the clearing.