Chapter Text
On a slow Wednesday afternoon, Minegishi couldn’t think of a more unwelcome sound than the telltale squeak of leather pants. They leaned on the counter in the empty flower shop, studying some azaleas across one of the aisles and wishing time would move faster so they could go home.
The front door didn’t chime, Shimazaki of course never used the front door like a normal person when he dropped by Minegishi’s work to “surprise” them, therefore Minegishi didn’t even look up when he appeared in front of the counter.
“Hey.” Shimazaki leaned his elbows on the counter. The sleeves of his t-shirt were rolled up, showing off toned shoulders and upper arms.
“What do you want?” Minegishi asked, annoyed.
“When are you done? I have a crisis,”
Minegishi still avoided looking at him. They knew exactly what this ‘crisis’ was about. It was always the same.
“So things didn’t work out with so-and-so?” They guessed. Remembering the names stopped a long time ago.
Shimazaki shrugged, “she wasn’t interested in casual.”
“I thought you weren’t interested in casual.” Minegishi said. Last they talked to Shimazaki about his romantic issues he said he wanted something to last, but they couldn’t really be sure.
“Well I didn’t wanna be exclusive with her.” Shimazaki said.
“So your wants were different, it happens.”
“I know but it still sucks,” Shimazaki whined, “When are you done? I wanna drink my sadness away.”
They’d been over this before. Upon his return to Seasoning City, months after Claw initially dissolved, Shimazaki proceeded to date around. A lot. It had to be a distraction, from what Minegishi could only guess. He only worked part-time at a Sakurai’s convenience store and definitely had too much time on his hands, so the likely answer was that he was just bored.
Minegishi let it bother them until it happened enough to numb them. Shimazaki kept seeking them out as a shoulder to cry on when things didn’t work out with the person of the week, and eventually they became too tired of it to care. Shimazaki could jump from person to person and he’d always land right back on Minegishi’s couch, getting drunk and whining about how nobody loved him. Minegishi would tell him he was wrong, and Shimazaki would always ask how they knew that, how they could possibly know that.
Minegishi never answered that question.
They pushed some hair out of their face and sighed, finally looking up at the pleading expression on Shimazaki’s face. He’s obnoxious; Minegishi is fairly good at ignoring obnoxious. That is, in anyone else. Unfortunately when it came to Shimazaki they found they couldn’t ignore him, at least not in the same way.
“I’m off at five. Go get some wine.”
Shimazaki teleported into the apartment just as Minegishi closed the oven door. They’d bought frozen chocolate lava cakes, figuring they’d need sugar if they were going to get through another night with drunk Shimazaki.
“I got rosé! Your favorite.” He announced, a pink bottle in one hand, a bag of chips in the other. There were already wine glasses set next to a few potted plants on the coffee table.
“Great.” Minegishi swallowed back the little bubble of happiness in their chest from Shimazaki not only bringing them their favorite wine, but also the snacks they liked. He remembered things like that about them.
Shimazaki wandered into the kitchen to get the bottle opener, as a regular guest at the apartment he needed no direction or permission.
“Ooh it smells like chocolate,” he said, leaning toward the oven, “What’cha making?”
“I’m warming up some lava cakes.”
“Yum! Chocolate and wine, what a good day,” Shimazaki said, “I mean other than dumping someone.”
“Other than that.” Minegishi said, tone as flat as possible.
Shimazaki popped the wine bottle open and grinned. He grabbed a straw from the silverware drawer and teleported back on the couch. Minegishi joined him, flopping down on the cushions heavily. There was some distance between them, Minegishi made sure of that.
“Yup, here ya go.” Shimazaki said. Minegishi accepted the wine glass handed to them without a word.
“Ayy, cheers!” Shimazaki clinked his glass against theirs, making the clear pink wine slosh up the sides of the glass.
“Cheers.” Minegishi took a long drink.
For a moment they sat together in silence. It was a humid summer evening, Minegishi rolled up their sleeves to their elbows and undone the top buttons of their shirt, trying not to stare at Shimazaki too long. The pothos plant hanging in the corner extended its vines down to the floor, heart-shaped leaves curling together.
Shimazaki sighed.
“So I ended things with Akemi,” he started.
“So you did.”
Shimazaki looked disappointed.
“I should have known. Her brother was clingy too.”
“You dated her brother too? I’m shocked it didn’t work out.” Minegishi said sarcastically. Shimazaki drained almost half of his glass before speaking again.
“To be fair, I dated them separately this time.”
“Thank goodness.” Minegishi rolled their eyes and took another sip of wine.
They determined long ago that Shimazaki didn’t really have deep feelings for any of the people he dated. He’d be sad for a day after things went south and then he’d be back to normal. None of it even seemed real, it’s not as if Minegishi met any of these people. Only the ‘serious’ ones, which meant they dated for maybe two months at the very most, but then they’d break up and Minegishi never really saw them again.
The only person Shimazaki always came back to, who he’d always meet up with for lunch or for drinks, the person he remembered things about and bought gifts for was Minegishi. They’d known each other for years now, even after Claw when they never needed to associate ever again. They wanted to. He chose to.
But he was just Minegishi’s friend. This they had to accept, even if it frustrated them beyond belief.
Once the rosé ran out and they’d eaten the lava cakes, Shimazaki grabbed beer from the fridge. He handed one to Minegishi without even needing to ask.
“I’m just not sure what I’m doing wrong,” he said.
Minegishi opened their beer, the sound of carbonation fizzing filling the room.
“Maybe you’re looking in the wrong places,” they offered.
Shimazaki tilted his head, seemingly deep in thought.
“People meet at bars all the time.”
He was missing the point, as usual. Minegishi set their drink next to the empty wine glasses.
“Sure they do, but not always for something that lasts,” they said. Then against their better judgement they continued.
“People can meet anywhere and instantly connect, or maybe they’re just friends first and they catch feelings later. I don’t know, something to consider.”
Shimazaki raised an eyebrow.
“I guess. I never thought of that really applying to me though.”
“Yeah, because you can just attract anyone at a bar,” Minegishi failed to not sound bitter. Shimazaki could probably feel the way their aura was shifting. Some of the plants in the room rustled their leaves.
“What’re you so riled up about?” asked Shimazaki.
“Nothing.”
“Come on, that’s not true.” Shimazaki said, “What’s going on?”
Minegishi finally faced him with an exasperated huff.
“You’re so clueless, it’s incredible,” they said.
“Hey-!”
“You’re so busy looking for some fiery passionate romance with some stranger but you never even like it,” Minegishi raised their voice, “You don’t know what you want!”
Shimazaki’s mouth hung open for a moment, and Minegishi felt a little seed of regret.
“You don’t know what I want.” Shimazaki said.
“I know it’s not whatever you’ve been having,” Minegishi retorted. “It’s so fucking frustrating having to listen to you complain all the time about how you can’t find a partner and nobody wants to be with you, when it’s simply not true. I’ve had enough! You could have that if you got your head out of your ass!”
It was too late, the regret had taken root and Minegishi cursed themselves internally for letting a little alcohol ruin their impulse control.
Shimazaki frowned, crossing his arms across his chest.
“Why do you even care? It’s my love life.”
“Because I’m in love with you, you asshole!” Minegishi exclaimed. Then their eyes went wide with the realization of what they just said, and they felt their entire face flush a deep red.
Shimazaki just sat in silence, lips pressed into a thin line. The moment that followed seemed to last an eternity, even the many plants in the apartment seemed to shift with the palpable tension in the air.
Minegishi covered their face with their hands. They’d fucked up, they’d fucked up so badly.
“I…”.
The sentence could fill itself in. Minegishi had always been ready for a rejection.
“Don’t bother, Shimazaki,” they said firmly. “Spare me the humiliation, for once.”
“No… no. Minegishi...”
“I know I should have said something sooner.” Minegishi’s voice shook as they forced their tears back, “I have no right to be upset.”
“Hey...” Shimazaki reached toward them. A vine from the pothos plant wrapped around his wrist and forced his arm down.
“Forget I ever said anything.”
“Toshiki.”
Minegishi blinked, looking up at him with an order for him to leave the apartment sitting at the tip of their tongue.
“I’m not gonna forget you saying that.” Shimazaki said, “I can’t remember the last time someone said that to me and meant it.”
“I should’ve kept my mouth shut.” Minegishi grumbled.
“No, I’m glad you said it.” Shimazaki said, voice uncharacteristically soft, “I’ve always- This sounds bad, but I’ve always really liked you.”
“That makes no sense.” Minegishi said, “Unless you mean as a friend.”
“I mean, yes, but also in a way no- I mean-” Shimazaki seemed flustered for once, gesturing wildly with his hands like he just wasn’t sure what to do with them, “I thought dating would make me move on. That still sounds shitty, huh?”
“Kind of.”
He took in a deep breath, steadying himself as he scooted a little closer to them.
“Can I just show you how I feel?” Shimazaki asked.
“Do your worst,” said Minegishi with a forcefully apathetic eye roll. They didn’t expect Shimazaki to lean forward, his hand moving to cup Minegishi’s cheek, thumb under their chin to gently tilt their head up. He leaned forward and kissed them, his lips pressing against theirs for a moment before he pulled back.
Minegishi felt dizzy, like they were waking up from a dream that felt as if they hadn’t even been asleep. The way Shimazaki was smiling seemed real enough, and they did love his smile. They wrapped their arms around his torso and pulled themselves in, face fitting against his neck as perfectly as they’d always imagined it in their own embarrassing daydreams and breathing in the musky spiced scent of cologne.
They felt Shimazaki chuckle, bringing a hand up to run his fingers through their hair.
“You okay Toshi?”
Minegishi nodded against his shoulder, a small laugh escaping them in what could only be called catharsis. They’d talk about this later when their head cleared, but for now they just snuggled closer, breathing in the comfort of Shimazaki’s embrace.