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Chapter Text

Kashima had been naïve to believe that at the end of the day he could finally relax. Kamitani and he had been packing up the toys and various previously airborn objects when the bell had rung, symbolizing the end of their shifts and the day.

They were already 2nd years and unspeakably inseparable. Even Usaida had commented recently that it was amazing just how weirdly bonded they were. Kashima had to shrug to himself, obviously the bond had flourished from the shared pressure of taking care of their baby brothers, if he didn’t have Kotaro he would never have been able to get even close to Kamitani.

Kamitani was unbelievably reserved to others, something Kashima had only picked up after one of his classmates had pointed out, and preferred to let his actions speak for himself. When he did speak it was succinct and blunt, usually insulting. It did make Kashima slightly jealous, Kamitani was so masculine and self-assured. That didn’t mean Kashima resented Kamitani at all, on the contrary it was one of the many qualities that attracted him.... as a friend. Plus Kamitani supported Kashima in everything. Like the time a girl confessed to him and he didn’t know what to do so Kamitani offered to speak to her for him. Sure the girl won’t step in a 6 meter radius of him now, but it was sweet of Kamitani to try, he can’t help his brash nature!

Also there was the time Kashima tried out for the art club, Kamitani had waited for him the whole time, skipping his baseball practice. Every time he had messed up the curve or the shading Kamitani would come over and encourage him. And when Kashima had to model for the students (he was nominated, why, he couldn’t grasp) Kamitani had supported him through it.

Although at the end all the art students had acted weirdly? They looked like they were going to go over to Kashima but seemed to decide against it, instead approaching Kamitani and clapping him on the back and stuff. It was odd cause Kamitani got this weird look on his face and went bright red, but he seemed to be agreeing with them. Kashima had never seen Kamitani go red, or even be slightly flustered before.

Wasn’t Kamitani meant to be cold and unfriendly? Kashima didn’t quite understand why they chose Kamitani over him. He got that Kamitani was the firm hand in teaching the children and that he couldn’t do anything without him but Kamitani was never angry for too long, Kashima found placing a hand on his shoulder or just talking would calm him down immediately no matter the offense, so it was confusing why people were scared of him anyways. After the modeling shoot Kashima hadn’t noticed how Kamitani rested a hand loosely on his waist, making sure Kashima was never too far from him, it also served as a visual reminder to anyone passing. In the end the compassionate brunet had quit the art club, it was taking far too much time away from the babysitting club and Kamitani kept on getting these... looks. The looks didn’t sit didn’t sit right with Kashima.

Nevertheless, it’s the end of the day and Kashima was holding Kotaro in the same style Kamitani was holding Taka-kun, close to his chest. Both children were screaming and crying. At first Kashima thought it was just a separation break down, strange seeing as they were about to play round each other’s houses later.

“Ryu-Chan... kiss Onii-chan bye bye!” Was what was dribbled out of Taka-kun’s Mouth after losts of encouragement from a worried Kashima. Both teens froze.

“W-what?” Kamitani stayed silent, eyes wide, “Kotaro?” No help from his brother who was nodding furiously, snot dangling dangerously from his nose.

“Kiss... goodbye.”

Slightly panicking Kashima spun on the unmoving Kamitani, looking for support against two weeping children, “Kami-“

“I get it. Taka has seen mum and dad kiss goodbye before, he’s probably trying to get us to do that.” Kashima’s mouth unhinged at Kamitani’s nonchalant analysis.

“B-b-but,” Kashima stuttered helplessly, red blossoming in his pale cheeks as he searched uselessly for an excuse out of this.

But it did make sense. Taka-kun had been asking Kashima to make him lunch, he refused to eat anything Kamitani made him. Or when Taka-kun had accidentally called him Oma a few times, or hidden behind his legs from Kamitani’s irritation. It may have been a monster of Kashima’s own making in all honesty, he had brushed Taka’s hair before and he was guilty of pampering the boy almost as much as his own introverted brother.

“Onii-chan stop being a loser, you’re a man aren’t you!” Taka screamed between sobs, tugging furiously on Kamitani’s apron.
“Wait a minute I’m not the wife!” Kashima shot round, ready to defend his case before he was stopped. By a pair of lips.

It was quick and chaste but enough to stop Kashima mid sentence.

“See you tomorrow Ryuichi.”

“H-Hayato!”

This was only the beginning of it. The kisses goodbye became a habit far too quickly to be normal and longer each time. After 3 weeks of insistent begging and crying, the kissing became so instinctive that they would no longer second guess it. Kashima would angle himself to help Kamitani get to his lips easier and Kamitani dutifully leaned in for the offering.

Kashima being the air head he is just chalked it up to another one of their quirks, just like how he would correct Kamitani’s collar or Kamitani would give him his shirts to sleep in at their sleepovers.

They had mindlessly done it in front of Usaida when Kashima was calming Kamitani down, who had smirked but ultimately hadn’t even questioned it. Scarily Midori-chan also smirked in time with Usaida, making Kashima immediately worry about the sleepy-babysitter’s growing influence over the child. The problem with this new tradition was that it was branching outside of the babysitting club.

By branching outside of it meaning Kamitani kissed Kashima goodbye at lunch. Kashima had only frozen when he had turned around to see 30 shocked faces. He clapped a slender hand over his mouth, staring at Kamitani horrified. Kamitani shrugged, resting a hand on Kashima’s waist, only this time Kashima noticed it and how scarily familiar it was. Just like that the shock was over and everyone resumed like what had just happened was a regular occurrence. Kashima wanted to cry.

“Hey Kashima you going to eat that?” The red head clapped a hand on Kashima’s shoulder, a foreign feeling for someone other than Kamitani to touch him, Kashima almost shrugged it off. The realization made Kashima’s brain spiral. The hand was calmly brushed off by another, whose hand tightened a little around Kashima’s waist, drawing him closer.

“I don’t understand.” The red head tilted his head a little, completely ignoring the way his hand was brushed off irritatedly, with matching confusion, “Kamitani just k-k-kissed me, why is everyone so...?” Kashima tugged lightly at Kamitani’s shirt.

The red head looked on in confusion before answering, “because it’s you and Kamitani.” Silence.

“Well you are dating aren’t you?”
“Dating?!” Students around them spun, mouths hanging loose.

“YOU’RE NOT DATING?!” Students screamed, unable to believe their ears.

“You thought we were?” Kashima the air head didn’t quite realize how comical the statement was when he was standing practically body to body against Kamitani, who was watching the scene with amusement but loud eyes.

Stuttering and murmuring took over the class, until students saw Kamitani’s eyes, the situation was then understood. It only took a lunch time for the news to spread, that the married couple of the year wasn’t actually a couple, but hell if you even try the self aware half of the couple would take steps to stop you just as he had before. Not that the rival would have a snowballs chance in hell to even touch Kashima.

Innocence beamed from Kashima as he announced the misunderstanding solved and exited the classroom with his husband in tow. Embarassingly now everyone knew of the oblivious wife.

The rest of the day Kamitani received a lot of pitying but understanding nods and pats from fellow students. Not that he needed them, he liked Kashima just the way he was. Although he had to tell the teen sometime, which was what weakly went through his head as he kissed Kashima again.

Chapter Text

Exert:

A group of boys lounged on the halls, their piercings shifting uncomfortably and cigarettes pressed against their skin ungratefully. The new addition to the group stood anxiously, eyes darting tensely over the bustling crowd of students. They were in search of a new victim.

It was only when a slender grey eyed boy curved round the corner did his tension evaporate. Perfect.

“That one.” He had been searching for approval from the group, he knew the boy he had chosen would be an easy target, the response was unexpected.

“No. Don’t touch that one.” The leader, who had been silently crooning over his large group of subordinates. The atmosphere shifted painfully, it was obvious the boy was never going to be an option.
“Kashima-san,” the respectful formality from a punk made the newbie raised an eyebrow, “should never be harmed.”

The newbie urged silently for him to go on. To overlook such a perfect target was such a waste, there must be a good reason.

“I heard this from a teacher when I was in detention, but he heads the babysitting club to pay for a scholarship ‘cause his parents are dead. He only has his little brother left, who he looks after.” Gloom settled over the group as they watched the cheery babysitter grin sunnily at passing friends, only now did the newbie see the tiny ball of human nestling on his arm, “and he’s too... nice.”

A mumbled consensus went around the group, eyes diverted, one boy murmured, “he gave me his ruler cause mine broke.”
“His little bro needed help climbing the stairs.”
“I once saw his bro cry, i nearly cried with him.”
“He went to my house to give me sheets. No ones ever done that for me.”
“He bought me a new rubber after he saw mine fall in a gutter.”

This gang was the most vicious in the neighborhood, they were why the newbie came to the school. But here they were whittling sweetly about this boy. To be honest, the soft air around the boy was so thick it was impenetrable.

“Actually there’s another reason why we shouldn’t go near Kashima-san...” as if on cue a baseball player swung round the corner, in hot pursuit of the soft brunet. His eyes landed on the narrating group of punks and immediately turned to ice. His walking was fluid, oozing a confidence that could only be achieved by dominating others but with a down to earth humility. This combination was enough to make the newbie, a seasoned fighter, scuttle backwards. The glare already made him feel like a cockroach, insignificant and disgusting.

The message was clear.

“Kamitani-san and Kashima-san are -“ the newbie held up a hand, he didn’t need the explanation, just seeing the way Kamitani regarded them and how he regarded Kashima was incomparable. A cockroach trying to describe a god, a deity would be impossible.

And so they watched the longful doting of a feared king and the lovely oblivious queen all day.