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When Yuuma hears Yonaga’s cellphone ring on the kitchen counter for the first time, he ignores it. It’s Yonaga’s cellphone, after all, and he’s sure Yonaga would get mad at him for touching it without permission.
The second time, he’s a little more tempted. It seems pretty urgent, for the person to call twice- and Yonaga wouldn’t be back from shopping for a while yet.
And as the cellphone rings for the third time, Yuuma finally gives into his curiosity and picks up the phone.
“Hello,” Yuuma says.
“Who’s this?” says the voice on the phone. It’s an older man’s voice, low and curt.
“Yuunagi Yuuma!”
“…Tensuke’s coworker?” the man asks, sounding a little confused now. “Is there a reason why you have his phone?”
“Yonaga-san forgot his phone at home,” explains Yuuma, “He should be back in a couple hours.”
“…at home, huh…”
“Did you want me to leave him a message?” Yuuma asks.
There’s silence for a few moments, then-
“Yeah, actually,” the man says, “Tell him that his dad and I are coming to Tokyo.”
Yonaga’s father! Who was the man on the phone then? His uncle? His brother? He wants to know so badly- the question wells up in his throat, ready to escape.
But he doubts Yonaga would like it if he did. He probably would be put out as it is that Yuuma picked up his phone at all. And Yuuma hates doing things Yonaga doesn’t like.
So he bites his tongue, even as his face fills with disappointment. Thankfully, the person on the line can’t see his expression.
“Okay,” Yuuma says, as brightly as he can manage. “Anything else?”
“Nah,” says the man, “Thanks, Yuunagi.”
And the phone is hung up without further ado.
An hour passes, two, and Yonaga comes home, bearing grocery bags and Croquette in tow.
“We’re home!” Croquette exclaims.
“Welcome back,” says Yuuma.
“Yuuma,” Yonaga calls out from the door, “Help me put these away.”
Yuuma jumps up from the sofa. “Yes, of course!”
Grabbing a couple bags, he follows after Yonaga to the kitchen- but then Yonaga pauses.
“Ah, it’s here,” Yonaga says, deeply relieved. He plops a bag on the counter to pick up his phone. “Thought I might’ve dropped it somewhere.”
“Oh, right.” Yuuma blinks up at Yonaga. “There was a call while you were gone, Yonaga-san.”
“Huh, really?” Yonaga flicks at his phone, unlocking it- then grimaces. “Ah, I see. Well, I’ll deal with him lat-”
“-I picked up.”
“You- why would you pick up a call on my phone?” Yonaga gives him a deeply exasperated look.
“They called three times in a row,” explains Yuuma. “I thought it might be urgent.”
“Guess I can’t blame you for that…”
“The man on the phone said he would be coming with your father,” Yuuma continues, and Yonaga promptly chokes.
“He what? When? Here?” snaps Yonaga.
“He said Tokyo,” Yuuma says, a little confused. “He didn’t say anything else.”
“Crap,” Yonaga swears.
Croquette tugs at Yonaga’s pant sleeve. “Yonaga’s papa is coming?”
“Since Yonaga-san is your mama too…” Yuuma slams a fist into his hand, nodding. “That means your grandpapa is coming!”
“Grandpapa?”
“No, no, don’t tell Croquette nonsense,” Yonaga groans, face in his hands now.
Yuuma tilts his head. “Do you not like your father?”
“I like him fine,” Yonaga says with a sigh, “They’re just both… a little overbearing sometimes. And also-” he coughs, “-I didn’t tell them about you. Or Croquette. Or living with you. And I may have been ignoring their calls and texts for the last few months…”
“Wha- that’s not good, Yonaga-san!” says Yuuma, heated. “You shouldn’t worry your family like that!”
“Yeah, well, it was becaus-” Yonaga cuts himself off, then shakes his head, hands falling to his side. “No, never mind. You’re right, Yuuma.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine!”
Yonaga grimaces. “I sure hope so.”
The next day is a day off for them, but Yuuma wakes as early as he always does. Yonaga tends to be getting up earlier these days as well, willing to train with Yuuma - which makes Yuuma more than overjoyed - but still, he doesn’t quite wake up as early as him.
So when Yonaga’s cellphone rings on their end table, Yonaga is still dozing away in their bedroom. Yuuma, meanwhile, is doing his stretches in the living room- but the apartment is small. He can hear it.
Yuuma pokes his head back into the bedroom.
“Yonaga-san, the phone,” he says.
Yonaga just groans and shifts in bed, refusing to open his eyes. Yuuma can’t hold back a smile. Really, Yonaga can be so cute in the mornings-
The phone rings again.
Hmm. Well, if Yonaga wasn’t going to pick it up- a good junior should help out his senior, shouldn’t he? It could be Yonaga’s poor father, arrived in Tokyo and wondering where to go. Yes.
So Yuuma boldly grabs the phone, and promptly answers it.
“Hello!” he exclaims.
“Huh?” it’s a man’s voice again, but a different one to yesterday. “Oh, are you Yuunagi-kun?”
“Yes,” Yuuma says, plopping himself down on the bed. “Yonaga-san is still sleeping.”
“Ah, I see,” the man says, “I’ll call back in an hour or so then. Sorry for the trouble.”
“It’s no problem,” Yuuma assures him.
“Thanks again. See you later,” the man says, then cuts the line.
Was that Yonaga’s father? It had to be, right? Excitement wells in his chest-
“Yuuma?” a bleary voice. Yonaga blinks up at him with a sleepy gaze and beautifully ruffled hair, and Yuuma wants to kiss him so badly it hurts.
But Yonaga isn’t his, not yet at least. They live together for Croquette, and share a bed because Yonaga doesn’t have the space to lay out another futon in this small apartment, not when Croquette needs their own space.
(That’s a lie. There’s plenty of ways they could fit two adult-sized futons even in this small apartment. But if Yonaga hasn’t noticed then, Yuuma certainly isn’t going to bring them up.)
The crux of the matter is this- Yonaga may not love him back. And Yuuma doesn’t even know if Yonaga loves men, let alone him. He’s tried testing the waters, but Yonaga never seems to notice anything, much to his frustration.
Yuuma won’t risk Yonaga pushing him out of his life with an ill-timed confession. He can’t.
“Ah, Yonaga-san,” Yuuma says, smile beaming. “Are you awake?”
“Mm… were you talking?”
“I believe your father just called,” explains Yuuma, “I picked up, and he said he’d call back.”
“I see…” Yonaga makes to snuggle back into his blankets- then freezes. “Who? What?”
“Your father-”
“Fuck, already?” Yonaga swears, jumping out of bed.
“Yonaga-san?”
“If they’re calling this early in the morning, they must be already in the prefecture,” Yonaga explains. He grabs a pair of pants off the ground, struggling his way into them. “I thought I’d have a week at least… god.” He whips his head towards Yuuma. “Do you think Asagiri would be okay with babysitting today?”
“Yuuka-chan?” Yuuma says, “I can call her.”
“Please,” Yonaga says, rushed. He slips a t-shirt over his head. “I don’t think I can deal with explaining both you and Croquette to them today… wait.”
A beautiful flush sneaks up Yonaga’s neck, and Yuuma wants nothing more than to nuzzle right into it. But he tucks that thought away for later.
“Is something the matter?” Yuuma asks.
“You picked up the phone.”
“Yes,” Yuuma says, blinking. “I do believe I mentioned that.”
“You picked up the phone, this early in the morning.” Yonaga hides his face with a hand, but Yuuma can still make out the blush behind it. “So then they definitely think- agh.”
“Are you concerned your family may assume we’re together?” Yuuma asks, “Considering we’re both men, I doubt that would be their first assumption.”
Though he can’t help but be pleased that it was Yonaga’s first worry.
“No, it’ll definitely be their first assumption…” Yonaga says- which is a little strange, but Yuuma supposes Yonaga would know his family best.
“Does that make you uncomfortable?” Yuuma can’t help but ask.
“Of course not, I just-” Yonaga’s hand finally falls down from his face, but he glances away, expression unreadable. “Doesn’t it make you uncomfortable?”
“Why would it make me uncomfortable?” Yuuma says firmly. “Yonaga-san, you’re a wonderful senior, cute, a perfect cook, and a great parent too! Absolutely anyone would be overjoyed to date you.”
“Wha-” Yonaga looks so terribly pleased, Yuuma’s chest fills with warmth at the sight. But then Yonaga pauses, looking confused. “Wait, that second thing-” He cuts himself off, shaking his head. “No, nevermind.”
“...Anyways, I should go call Yuuka-chan,” Yuuma chirps.
“Huh? Oh, uh, right…”
“Tell me if you hear from your family!” Yuuma calls out, then bounces out of the room.
Yuunagi Yuuma is no coward. He’s lived his life based on those words, to live up to the expectations his grandmother had for him.
…But in this particular case…
He really has no choice but to apologize to his granny’s soul and embrace his cowardice.
Thankfully enough, Yuuka is happy to take Croquette in for the day, and Croquette is happy to spend time with their third mama. It’s almost an hour-long train ride to Koutou City though, so Yuuma heads out to drop Croquette off- it would be rude to ask her to make the trip all the way here and back.
He doesn’t receive any texts from Yonaga during the way there, or most of the way back. But when he’s about to walk up the stairs to their apartment, his phone suddenly buzzes.
Yonaga-san: Can you stay out a little longer?
“But I’m already back home, Yonaga-san…” Yuuma mumbles to himself.
And he definitely wants to see Yonaga’s family. He’s curious! Yonaga never talks about his family, and he doesn’t think it’s strange to want to know more about the man he likes.
But if Yonaga wants him to stay out, then he’ll stay out. Sighing, he turns around-
“Yuunagi-kun?”
-only to come face-to-face with two middle-aged strangers. One looks decidedly Japanese, but the other less so- light brown hair, red eyes-
Red eyes?
“Um,” Yuuma says, “Would you happen to be…?”
“Ah, it’s great to meet you,” says the brunet, “My name is Alba. And this is my husband-”
“-Shion,” says the other man, shrugging. “Nice to meet you and stuff.”
“We’re here to visit,” continues Alba, grinning. “Could you take us inside?”
“So why are you still here?” Yonaga hisses to him in the kitchen. He slams a pot of water on the stove to boil, then opens the cupboard to grab some containers.
“You texted me too late, Yonaga-san.” Yuuma pouts. “I was already outside.” He leans in, hand resting on Yonaga’s back. “Oh, is that hot chocolate? Make me some too!”
“Yeah, yeah, I was gonna,” Yonaga says with a sigh. He scoops the mix into two mugs.
“You’re the best,” Yuuma says happily.
Yonaga’s parents have been sat down at the kitchen table a little ways away, but Yonaga dragged Yuuma with him to make refreshments- and as it seems, to demand why he was still here.
“Your parents seem nice though,” says Yuuma, “Though- I suppose I understand now why you thought they’d think we were together.”
“…It wasn’t because my parents are both men,” mumbles Yonaga.
“Hm?”
“It’s just that,” Yonaga says, a little haltingly, a little hesitantly.
“Just that?”
Yonaga coughs. “No, nevermind.”
Yuuma blinks up at Yonaga. So it was something about his parents - something that his parents knew about him? Something he didn’t want Yuuma to know?
If he put all that together-
“Yonaga-san,” Yuuma says quietly, “Do you like men too?”
Yonaga twitches, the spoon in his hand clattering into the mug- and a smile spreads wide across Yuuma’s face, because he knows Yonaga well enough to recognize a yes when he sees one.
“What a coincidence,” Yuuma says, joy blooming in his chest. “So do I!”
“Huh?” Yonaga stares down at Yuuma, blinking like a deer in headlights.
“I prefer men as well, Yonaga-san,” Yuuma clarifies, pressing happily into Yonaga’s side.
“Huh? Oh. Huh?” Yonaga’s voice is a beautiful mix of confused and pleased and shocked, and ah-
This means Yuuma has a shot, doesn’t it? It has to, doesn’t it? Because if Yonaga could see him in that way, then all the blushing and soft smiles and embarrassed looks-
They take a whole different meaning.
“Hey, you two.” A voice sounds from behind them, and Yuuma glances back. It’s Shion, leaning on the counter and looking rather exasperated. He immediately continues- “That pot’s boiling over.”
“Oh crap,” Yonaga exclaims, and the mood breaks.
“So,” Shion says, once they’re seated at the table with refreshments spread across it. “Tensuke.”
“Yeah?” says Yonaga.
“Care to explain why you’ve been radio silent for months?”
Yonaga glances to the side, sweat beading on his brow. “That is…”
“Does it have something to do with your beloved junior being plastered all over national news lately?” Shion drawls.
Yuuma perks up. “Beloved junior?”
“I never called y- he’s exaggerating,” Yonaga hisses.
“Aw.” Yuuma pouts. “But you’re my beloved senior, Yonaga-san!”
“You- shut up,” mumbles Yonaga, then turns back to his parents. “Anyways, Father-” he coughs. “It’s classified.”
“Classified or not, you could’ve picked up your phone to tell us you weren't dead or dying.” Shion sounds utterly unamused.
“…sorry.”
“And not to mention-”
“-C’mon, Ros,” Alba cuts in. “It’s all good now, yeah?”
“Alba-san, you must be aware that isn’t the point,” Shion says, and Yuuma blinks in surprise at the sudden polite speech.
“Of course not,” Alba says, “But it’s not like Tensuke is gonna tell us much either way. He hasn’t since he first ran off to Tokyo.”
Yonaga twitches beside Yuuma, looking rather guilty now. He opens his mouth- but closes it in the end.
“More importantly,” continues Alba, and grins. “I wanna hear about you two.”
“There’s nothing to talk about, really,” Yonaga hedges.
“Hm? I think there’s a lot to talk about, Yonaga-sa- mmph!” Yuuma’s mouth is covered by Yonaga’s firm hand.
“You live together,” Shion says with a snort. “I think that’s something to talk about.”
“We’re roommates,” says Yonaga, “Rent in Tokyo is expensive.”
“Mmphgh!”
“Are you gonna let him talk?” Alba asks, amused.
Yuuma finally manages to yank Yonaga’s hand down, and promptly pouts. “You’re so mean, Yonaga-san. What was that for?”
“So you wouldn’t say anything misleading,” Yonaga grumbles. “I know what you’re thinking, and we aren’t together.”
“Yuunagi-kun?” Alba turns to Yuuma.
“Yes, we aren't,” Yuuma says reluctantly, and bites his tongue before he adds on an unfortunately or a not yet like he’s so tempted to do.
“Look, can we move on from this? I’m sorry about ignoring your calls and stuff.” Yonaga runs a hand through his hair, and Yuuma can’t help but follow the motion. “But I promise it won't happen again, okay?”
“You’d better,” grumbles Shion, “Alba-san may seem calm, but he was one step away from coming over to burn down the entire Tokyo branch of the Capture Division.”
“I was not,” Alba whines, “…Maybe just the Suginami branch…”
Yuuma blinks- then laughs, a little confused. “Ha ha, is that an American joke?”
“Says the most American one in this room,” Yonaga deadpans- then moves to pinch his nose. “Dad, please. You know this is why I don’t tell you anything.”
“Sorry,” Alba says, not sounding particularly sorry.
Yonaga just sighs. “How long are you guys here for?”
“Alba-san took some time off work,” says Shion. “We’ll be here for a few days.”
“Geh.”
“What do you mean, ‘geh’?” Shion says, shooting him a withering glare. “If you just picked up the phone, you know-”
“-Don’t worry,” Alba says, “We’re staying in a hotel.” He smiles knowingly. “We didn’t want to get in your way, after all.”
Yonaga makes an unintelligible noise. “I told you already, it’s not like that.”
“Right, right,” Alba says, sounding more placating than anything else. Yonaga scowls.
“It’s nice to have family around though, right?” Yuuma says brightly.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” grumbles Yonaga.
“So,” Shion cuts in, “Tell us what you’ve been doing, Tensuke.” He raises an eyebrow. “It can’t all be classified.”
“Nothing much,” Yonaga says shortly.
“We’ve been training a lot!” exclaims Yuuma. “He’s been helping me get used to a new way of fighting!”
“More like I’ve been helping catch you whenever you collapse,” grouches Yonaga. “How about you learn to hold back a little?”
“Eh, but that’s no fun.” Yuuma flashes him a grin. “And besides, I know you’ll always be there to catch me.”
“You’re such a pain, you know that?” Yonaga says- but he looks more happy than not.
“Heh heh.”
“Sounds like you’ve been having fun,” says Shion, a knowing smirk playing at his lips.
“It’s not like I’m having fun,” Yonaga immediately grumbles. “It’s just work.”
“That so, huh?” Shion drawls. “Yuunagi, tell us more.”
A chance to talk more about Yonaga? Yuuma brightens like the sun.
“Of course!”
Yonaga lets out a loud groan next to him.
Yuuma is more than happy to sing Yonaga’s praises, especially as Yonaga slinks down in his seat and covers his face in that cute way he always does. Yonaga’s parents, on their end, seem to be just interested in hearing more about how their child has been lately.
But really, the more Yuuma chats with them both, the more he can tell- Yonaga really does both look and act so much like the two of them. They’re definitely his parents in every way. Yuuma supposes Yonaga is probably a surrogate, genetically modified from the both of them- it’s not uncommon, nowadays.
(Right now, they both have their hands full with raising Croquette, and the last thing Yuuma wants is to divide his attention away from them. But he can’t help but wonder, maybe someday, maybe if Yonaga does look at him in that way-
Maybe they can raise a second child together, and give Croquette a sibling.)
Eventually, Yonaga slips away with the excuse of cooking lunch, and Shion follows after to help. Yuuma tries to join them, but-
“Just stay there, Yuuma,” grumbles Yonaga, still looking embarrassed.
So Yuuma stays sitting, right across from Alba. They’re both quiet for a bit, but then-
“Yuunagi-kun,” Alba says suddenly.
“Ah, yes?”
“Tensuke mentioned you to us before, you know,” continues Alba.
“Right!” Yuuma says cheerily. “Good things?”
“It’s obvious he cares for you a lot,” Alba says, and Yuuma’s chest blooms with happiness.
A broad smile spreads across Yuuma’s face. “I care for Yonaga-san too.”
“Yeah, I figured,” says Alba, smile wry. “But you know…”
It’s bright outside, sun shining through the windows to fill the room with light. But suddenly, a chill washes over Yuuma’s back.
“…Tensuke said you wanted to be a hero,” Alba says, face unreadable.
Perking up, Yuuma immediately dismisses the odd atmosphere. “Yes! It’s my childhood dream!”
“I get it, y’know,” Alba continues, “I wanted to be a hero too, for a long time. But…” his eyes narrow. “As a dad, I'm kinda worried.”
“Worried?” Yuuma echoes, confused.
“You’re Tensuke’s partner, yeah? The one he trusts with his back,” says Alba, “But you wanna be a hero.”
“I will be a hero,” Yuuma vows.
“Right. Well, either way-” Alba’s voice is slightly cold. “I'm kinda wondering who you’d pick, between Tensuke’s life and anyone else’s.”
Yuuma blinks for a moment, two, still confused- then he slams his fist into his palm.
“Ah!” he exclaims. “You’re asking one of those questions, right? Like, who would you save between Yonaga-san and the world?”
“You could put it that way, yeah.”
“Well, the answer’s obvious.” Yuuma grins broadly. “I’d save them both!”
“…And if you can’t?” asks Alba.
“I’d save them both!”
“No, but-”
“-I’d save them both!” Yuuma says, insistent.
Alba appears to give up, slinking into himself and looking embarrassed. The atmosphere in the room shifts back to normal.
“R-Right…”
“Wouldn’t you do the same, Alba-san?” Yuuma asks.
“I mean, I would try,” mumbles Alba, fidgeting in his seat. “But if I couldn’t- if I really couldn’t- I’d always choose my family over the world.”
Yuuma just crosses his arms and hums. “I feel like the question is flawed.”
“Flawed?” Alba echoes.
“I mean,” continues Yuuma. “I couldn’t ever choose the world over Yonaga-san. That’s impossible.” He smiles broadly. “Yonaga-san is my world, after all.”
A choked noise sounds from the kitchen, and Yuuma glances up.
“What are you two talking about?” snaps Yonaga, face flushed a beautiful red.
“Oh, Yonaga-san, did you hear me?”
“Of course I can hear you when you’re talking that loud! Idiot!”
“It’s not like it was a secret,” Yuuma says with a shrug.
“Agh- you-” Yonaga slams a hand against the kitchen counter. “You’re a public servant! You serve the public, not any individual! How many times do I have to tell you that?!“
“I do understand that…” Yuuma pouts.
“You clearly don’t, you- argh!” Yonaga slaps a hand to his face next. “What happened to happily moving on from my death, huh?”
“If I had to, I would,” says Yuuma, “But why would I want to if I didn’t have to?”
“You…” Yonaga seems to be at a loss for words.
“Yuunagi-kun.” Alba smiles brightly. “You’re a great kid, huh?”
“No! Don’t approve of him, Dad-”
“Thank you, Alba-san!” Yuuma exclaims.
“Argh!”
By the time Yonaga’s parents leave after lunch, Yonaga looks utterly exhausted. But an utterly exhausted Yonaga is still as adorable as ever, so Yuuma, on his part, is still perfectly happy.
“Your parents really are nice,” Yuuma chirps.
“You just think that because you got Dad to like you,” grouches Yonaga. “And by saying something utterly ridiculous too…”
“I just told the truth,” Yuuma says with a shrug.
“…Yuuma…” Yonaga sighs. “You’re such a handful, you know that?”
“But that’s what you like about me, right?”
“Shut up,” mutters Yonaga, which Yuuma knows means yes. Yonaga shifts a little in place. “But you know…”
“Hm?” Yuuma tilts his head.
“…No, nevermind.” Yonaga shakes his head, looking a little embarrassed. “Anyways, should we go pick Croquette back up?”
“I told them I’d come back around dinner, so we still have some time,” says Yuuma. “Shall we train in the meanwhile?”
Yonaga doesn’t look particularly enthused about the idea. But still, he shrugs and says- “Eh, guess we might as well.”
Back when Yuuma first joined the Capture Division on a provisional basis around a year ago, it disappointed him that he couldn’t train in dungeons the way he had imagined. With monster outbreaks so rare, and the amount of paperwork needed to enter a dungeon so ridiculous, it simply wasn’t viable.
So most days, his training is fairly mundane. Stretching and jogging, swinging around his hammer and sparring with Yonaga- or Yuuka, when she’s available. There’s a few training facilities available around Tokyo for them to use- but budgets being budgets, they’re few and far between. Usually, they just find places to train near their apartment.
Today is no different than usual, and they return to their apartment after working up quite the sweat.
“Urgh,” says Yonaga, collapsing onto the sofa.
Yuuma can’t help but smile. “Yonaga-san, you should take a shower first.”
“I’ll wipe down the sofa later,” groans Yonaga. “Lemme rest.”
“That’s no good, Yonaga-san,” Yuuma chides- then steps up beside Yonaga.
Yonaga squints up at Yuuma. “Mm?”
And in a smooth move, Yuuma scoops Yonaga up into his arms.
“Wh-” Yonaga jerks around, “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Don’t move please,” complains Yuuma, “I’ll drop you. You’re pretty heavy, you know.”
“Then don’t pick me up!”
“But you need to take a shower, right?” Yuuma says.
“I don’t understand how that means picking me up,” Yonaga sputters.
“If you can’t walk to the bathroom, I can help you!” Yuuma says cheerily, heading towards the bathroom. “You help me out when I can’t walk too- it’s only right.”
“Wait wait wait, let me down- I can walk, I just didn’t want to-”
“I can still help you either way, Yonaga-san,” says Yuuma, “Shall I wash your back for you again?”
“Yuuma.” Yonaga’s voice is unexpectedly sharp, and it throws Yuuma off-kilter.
“Yes?” Yuuma says cautiously.
Yonaga’s gaze flicks back to the side, and he shifts. “No, nevermind. Just let me down already.”
Yuuma blinks down at Yonaga, and doesn’t move an inch.
“Yuuma…?”
“You’ve been saying that a lot today, Yonaga-san,” says Yuuma.
“Saying what?” asks Yonaga.
“‘No, nevermind,’” Yuuma quotes. He tilts his head to the side. “What do you want to tell me? I’m curious.”
Yonaga flushes a little. “It’s nothing.”
Yuuma waits, patient, and Yonaga flushes harder.
“It’s seriously nothing! I shouldn’t have said anything!”
“If it’s really nothing, then you can tell me then, right?” Yuuma smiles brightly. “I’m really curious now.”
“It’s stupid, okay,” snaps Yonaga.
“I still want to hear it.”
“It’ll just make things awkward,” Yonaga insists.
Yuuma's smile spreads even wider across his face, and he waits. His arms are seriously starting to ache now-
-but if Yonaga will say what he wants him to say, then really, it’s a small sacrifice to make.
“Ugh.” Yonaga buries his face into his hands. “You really don’t give up, do you?”
“Granny always said it was a good trait to have.”
Yonaga growls. “Fine. You really wanna know what I wanted to say?”
“Yes!”
“I was wondering,” Yonaga bites out, “if you’ve been flirting with me. But I know you weren’t, so it’s a stupid thing to even ask-”
“-But I was?”
Yonaga stiffens in his arms, hands falling away from his face to stare up at Yuuma with confusion and incredulity.
“I was flirting with you, Yonaga-san,” Yuuma says, smile as sparkling as ever. “I am flirting with you.”
“You… what?”
“I’m so very glad you finally noticed,” Yuuma continues, ever-so-happy.
“Flirting,” Yonaga says blankly.
“Yes!”
“With me,” continues Yonaga.
“Yes!” Yuuma exclaims yet again.
“H-huh. I see,” says Yonaga.
And proceeds to promptly bury his face into Yuuma’s chest.
“Yonaga-san, I can’t see you like this…”
“Shut up,” comes Yonaga’s voice, muffled. “That’s the point.”
Yuuma’s gaze softens. “Yonaga-sa-”
“-I guess you never noticed,” Yonaga continues, “But you’re pretty popular, you know?”
“Hm?”
“Sure, you’re pretty short, but you have a really cute face,” mumbles Yonaga, “There’s lots of people into that, y’know? Guys and girls both.”
“I see?”
“So it’s not like you need to scrape the bottom of the barrel or anything,” continues Yonaga, “Lots of people would go out with you if you just asked.”
“Does that mean you’ll go out with me, Yonaga-san?!” Yuuma exclaims, face shining with excitement.
“Huh? I mean, y- that’s not what I’m trying to get at!” snaps Yonaga, jerking back. “What I’m trying to say is-”
“-Ah, Yonaga-san,” Yuuma says brightly. “Could I put you down now? My arms are getting really sore, I wouldn’t want to drop you.”
“You- do what you want,” Yonaga says, sounding rather weary now.
Yuuma gently lets Yonaga down onto the ground, and Yonaga promptly jumps a step back, crossing his arms.
“Anyways, look,” Yonaga continues, “You get what I’m trying to say, right?”
“Not at all,” Yuuma says, utterly genuinely. “But you’ll go out with me, right?”
“That’s not the- I’m saying you can find someone better. Easily,” Yonaga says flatly. “I’m not a good person, Yuuma. I’m lazy, and I have a terrible personality-”
“-I don’t understand why that matters,” Yuuma cuts in.
“…Isn’t this usually where you’d say ‘that’s not true!’…?”
“But it is true,” says Yuuma, and Yonaga twitches like he’s been punched. It’s a bit funny, and Yuuma can’t help but smile wider. “It just doesn’t matter.”
“Doesn’t matter?”
“The Yonaga-san who’s lazy and has a terrible personality is the Yonaga-san I like,” Yuuma says cheerily. “So it doesn’t matter.”
And Yonaga flushes a rich, beautiful red.
“Yonaga-san.” Yuuma takes a step forward, gazes up at Yonaga with a beaming look. “You’ll go out with me, right?”
Yonaga’s eyes squeeze shut. “Don’t go all sparkly, geez… how am I supposed to say no to that?”
“But I don’t want you to say no!”
“And god knows why,” mutters Yonaga.
“Yonaga-san…” Yuuma wheedles.
“Argh, fine!” Yonaga’s eyes open just a crack, face still flushed. “Fine, fine. Let’s date. That’s what I need to say, right?”
And joy bursts through Yuuma’s entire being.
“Yonaga-san,” he says, voice drenched with bliss. He jumps into Yonaga’s arms- Yonaga grunts, but allows him in. Yuuma nuzzles into Yonaga’s chest. “Yonaga-san, Yonaga-san…”
“I seriously don’t get you, y’know,” Yonaga says with a sigh. His arms wrap around Yuuma, and he thinks he just might die from happiness.
“Yonaga-san…”
“Is that the only thing you can say now?” Yonaga says, exasperated.
“Yonaga-san, I like you… I like you so much…”
He hears Yonaga choke a little- then finally, squeezes Yuuma ever-so-tight into his chest.
“Yeah, well,” Yonaga mumbles. “I love you, you know.”
And if Yuuma thought he was about to die from happiness a few moments ago, it’s nothing compared to how he feels now.
They take their showers, go to pick Croquette up, and end up having dinner with Yuuka in the end. They go back home, watch kiddie cartoons with Croquette, help them get ready for bed when they start to yawn, and tell them a nice bedtime story until they fall asleep.
In other words, it’s an evening just like any other- except-
“Are you ever gonna let go of me?” Yonaga asks, a little exasperated.
“I’d really rather not,” says Yuuma, snuggling closer to him on the couch.
“Honestly,” says Yonaga- but it’s obvious from his voice he’s more happy than anything else. Still, he sighs. “I can’t believe I gotta tell my parents we’re dating after all…” he clicks his tongue. “Ugh, Father’s gonna be so smug, I know it. Dad too, actually.” He clicks his tongue again. “Imagining their faces pisses me off…”
“We can introduce Croquette to them at the same time,” Yuuma says. “They should get to know their grandpapas, right?”
“…Ah, fine. Guess you’re right.” Yonaga leans his head onto Yuuma’s, and-
Yuuma feels as though his heart is going to burst out of his chest.
“Yonaga-san…”
“Yeah?” says Yonaga.
“I’m really happy,” Yuuma says right back.
“Yeah, that’s pretty damn obvious,” Yonaga says with a snort. “But well…”
Yonaga’s arm snakes around Yuuma, a soft weight by his side.
“…so am I,” mumbles Yonaga.
And Yuuma smiles, bright as can be.