Chapter Text
“Shoyo, honey wake up.” Yamaguchi gently ushered him awake as he stirred from his nap.
Each of them had slept peacefully for three hours until Tobio’s phone rang loud enough to wake them, well all apart from Shoyo.
“Tadashi?” Shoyo rubbed his eyes as he honed in on the figure hovering above him.
“Come on, pizza’s ready. You need to eat hun.”
Eventually he managed to get the boy out of bed and sat at the table. His eyes still hung tiredly as he yawned, everyone thought it was adorable.
“So what do you guys wanna do tomorrow?” Tadashi asked, a smile on his face.
Friday was always they day the hung out. Not necessarily a date night, as it wasn’t always romantic. Just a day they used to have fun.
Seeing as it was also the last day before they went on summer vacation a lot of places would be open.
“The zoo!” Shoyo exclaimed excitedly, he had been suggesting that idea for a while now.
“Are you six? Why the zoo?” Kei snarked.
Everyone else looked at him for an answer.
“Oh come on, it’s not childish! Me and my mum took Natsu and there were plenty of couples on dates!” Shoyo protested, although mentioning taking his sister probably didn’t help his case.
The four of them pondered over the thought for a second. Shoyo had been nagging about this for ages, and would probably continue too if they didn’t go together. As everyone continued to think, they collectively decided it may actually be a good idea.
-x-
“Shoyo did you remember your bag?” Tadashi cooed.
“I’m not a child! Of course I remembered!” Shoyo called out, Tadashi raised his hands in defeat.
Tobio wrapped his arms around Tadashi’s waist and glared over at the smallest.
“Actually I remembered it. You almost forgot to bring it this morning.”
“Oh shut it you!”
“We’re going to miss our bus if you don’t move.” Kei pushed Shoyo out of the door as he stuck his tongue out at Tobio. The others grabbed their bags and the two began to bicker.
“It’s so unfair Tanaka! Imagine having three girlfriends?” Noya proclaimed.
“So unfair Yuu!”
They faked a whine as the boys headed out, laughing at the elders antics.
As they boarded the bus the back where they usually sat was completely filled by students from other schools. They had to settle on sitting in opposite aisles, although Shoyo did insist on having a window seat.
“Listen to this.” Kei placed headphones over Tadashi’s ears to settle him, cramped busses sometimes make him nervous. The only social butterfly out of all them was Shoyo. Sometimes Kei envied that he could initiate conversation so easily.
-x-
Of course today had to be the day there was long queue outside the zoo. To Kei’s surprise, there were other couples on dates and now just annoying children.
“Do we have to stand for so long?” Shoyo slipped his hand into Kei’s and leant against his shoulder, the other planting a kiss on his head.
“You suggested this idea.”
They must’ve been stood there for a while because by the time they actually arrived at the booth to pay for tickets, each of there legs ached. Practice was also a contributing factor. They had morning and after school practice today, so they were reasonably worn out.
The first animals they got to see were a flamboyance of flamingos, vibrant and pink in all their glory. Tadashi took a particular liking to them, he had even bought a camera, which dangled around his neck, to take photographs of his favourite animals.
“Tadashi how many photos are you going to take?” Kei sighed, his legs aching.
“Come on Tsukki I love flamingos, you know this. Look there’s a bench go sit down with Tobio okay.”
He obliged, slumping next to Tobio on a wooden bench. It was a perfect view, they could admire Shoyo and Tadashi as they smiled and happily took photos.
Occasionally Shoyo would jump in font of the camera and obstruct Tadashi’s picture. Not that he minded, but he still wouldn’t hesitate to tease him and playfully shove him out of the way.
Their laughs were so mesmerising.
“Kei?” Tobio questioned.
“Hmm?” He turned to face him only to be startled by a flashing light of a phone camera. Tobio looked at his phone and laughed, only enough for himself to hear.
“You’re cute, you know.” Kei referenced his smile, tracing a hand across his jaw and bringing Tobio to face him.
Their faces grew closer and closer until they were interrupted.
“No making out in the zoo!” Shoyo exclaimed, pointing to a sign that clearly read ‘no smoking’ but either way they got the idea.
There was a small slope, which lead to a bat cave. Tadashi didn’t take as many photos, but he did manage to snap a few of Tobio. He said he looked good in dark backgrounds like this, mysterious in a way.
Then there were the usual, hippo’s, tortoises, elephants and more.
“I can’t believe that!” Shoyo and Tadashi were laughing hysterically, Kei trying his best to conceal his smirk. “Animals really hate you!”
That’s was the moment Kei could no longer conceal his laughter.
Tobio had offered to take Tadashi’s camera from him and take photos for a while, so that he had a chance to properly enjoy the animals. But when Tobio went to snap a photo, a lion growled at him and pounced at the glass.
It startled him and the children around him, leaving him slightly embarrassed.
“Shut up dumbass!” The taller male gritted his teeth and had to refrain from shoving the smaller into a wall.
Shoyo sensed the tension yet he didn’t want to apologise for his laughter. He wasn’t the best with verbal apologies. instead he suggested something else.
“Look an ice cream van! You guys sit down over there and I’ll get us some ice cream!” He thought for a moment. “I’ll surprise you with the flavours!”
None of them were to fond of Shoyo buying them ice cream, they were certain they would be displayed with the messiest cone of cream and toppings in existence. But they couldn’t refuse that smile, they never could.
To their surprise Shoyo came back with three ice creams and one pop up ice lolly. No messy explosion of cream and toppings, he had actually put thought into their orders.
He knew that Kei like strawberry, but wasn’t one for strong flavours, so he bought him vanilla ice cream with strawberry sauce. Shoyo even took into consideration that fact that Tadashi wasn’t too fond of ice cream, he got him one of those pop up strawberry ice lollies so that he could match with Kei.
Finally Tobio’s, cookie crumble, because he was always the one to eat the cooking mixture out of the bowl when they were baking. Shoyo’s however, was just an explosion of frozen cream and toppings, you could hardly see the cream under all the sauce.
-x-
After they had finished they sat hand in hand for a while, just enjoying each other’s company.
That was until they started receiving odd glares from passers by who couldn’t mind their own business. Shoyo squeezed Kei’s hand tighter as if sensing his tension, which he probably did, Shoyo did have good intuition after all.
“Why can’t they mind their own business, I mean we’re happy right? So what’s it to them? Why can’t we just live peacefully you know.” He was cut off by a kiss on the cheek and a light squeeze of the hand from Tadashi.
“Kei, it’s okay baby, We are happy, that’s all that matters.”
The four had a mutual understanding of that, as long as they were happy and content this relationship could work.
-x-
“It’s so humid.” Shoyo pushed the net open as the rest followed in behind him.
The air felt almost moist, tropical. It was a butterfly garden, very beautiful at that. There was a mini waterfall and separate compartments for caterpillars and cocoons.
They even got the privilege of witnessing a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, Kei found it fascinating.
Tadashi took the opportunity to take many photos of his partners. When a butterfly landed directly on Shoyo’s nose causing him to squint Tadashi snapped a picture, which was now his favourite. He would definitely be getting that one printed out.
Each of them took turns telling Shoyo how cute he looked in the photo, which caused him to become an overly flustered, blushing mess.
The camera continued to capture each of his favourite moments, every time he smiled. Once college rolled around he would decorate their dorm in countless pictures of his boyfriends so that he could admire them all day.
Everything was perfect, for a moment.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, startling him at first. Everyone stopped what they were doing to allow Tadashi some quiet.
“Hello mum?”
There was a pause as concern grew on Tadashi’s face.
“Okay yes. I’ll be home very soon. Just hang on okay? I love you.”
With that, their trip to the zoo was cut short. Tadashi was a young carer, his mum was disabled and sometimes needed extra help. All four of them understood that and promised to help him through anything.
As much as Tadashi was insistent that the others should stay and enjoy themselves at the zoo, they were just as insistent on going home with him. And so they did.
They tried their best to ease Tadashi’s worries by telling past stories and singing random songs, but their efforts proved futile. All because of one couple.
The pair walked past purposefully nudging Tobio, the male uttering ‘freaks’ under his breath.
Usually these names wouldn’t have such a heavy effect, but today it did. They unraveled their hands from each other and uncomfortably walked side by side, trying their best to just look like a ‘normal’ group of boys.
“We’ll get some food. Meet you at home?” Shoyo finally broke the uncomfortable silence after what felt like forever. Tadashi nodded and headed home, anxious about the state his mother was in.
When he found her, she had fallen out of her wheelchair and was lead in an awkward position on the floor.
“Mum?”
“Tadashi, you’re home?” His mother pressed a warm hand to his face, though it was clammy. She likely had a fever.
“Yes mum. Come on you should get some rest.” He hoisted her up as they walked slowly to her bedroom. The home was accommodated for disabled living, so her bedroom was conveniently downstairs.
“Good night Tadashi, you get some rest too love.” His mum cooed as he shut off the lights.
“Good night mum, love you.”
Around half an hour later the others finally arrived. Tadashi placed a finger over his lips, signifying for them to be quiet, a common gesture when at his house.
Shoyo had bought McDonalds for all of them, extra fries for Tadashi because he knew he loved them. The mood was still dull, everyone seemed so hung up about earlier. It was just one word;
Freaks.
But it hurt a lot. Tobio seemed to take it the hardest despite his usual stoic personality.
Kei said nothing, but when Tobio was done he took both his hands a guided him carefully to the living room. Kei was accustomed to using physical affection to comfort people, especially Tobio who got touch deprived so easily.
He planted a small kiss to his lips before wrapping his arms around his waist, allowing the other to balance his head on his shoulder.
They slow danced to no music, only the beating of their hearts. But it was somehow so much more peaceful. They only needed each other.
Already, Tobio felt so much more alive. His sadness wavering away with Kei’s soft touch. He felt himself become drowsy as the two’s slow movements came to a complete stop.
They just held one another until they felt safe enough to let go.
“Movies and cuddles?” Tadashi suggested as he crept in, Shoyo following slowly behind him, a smile lifted his lips at his lovers embracing.
“Yeah.” Kei replied vaguely, manoeuvring Tobio’s tired body onto the sofa and covering him with a fluffy blanket.
Shoyo lifted Kei’s left arm and made himself comfy in the small gap provided for him. Kei ran fingers across both of their backs as Tadashi played a movie.
Tadashi rested his head on Tobio’s back, the other hummed at the sudden affection.
As the movie played, they all drifted to sleep in each other’s warmth within the first half an hour.