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Kenma’s and Hinata’s heads rested against each other as they crowded over the grocery basket. Hinata sifted through the contents, Kenma watching closely with his phone out to read their shopping list.
“Is that everything?” Hinata didn’t wait for a response though, hands relinquishing his share of the basket’s weight to snatch the phone for himself.
The flat stare Kenma fixed toward Hinata was left unappreciated as Hinata’s fingers slipped over the screen. “Did we get any syrup?”
“Syrup wasn’t on the list.”
“Whaaa?” Hinata’s jaw dropped dramatically. “But we NEED it!”
Kenma squinted. “No, we don’t?”
“Uhhh, yes we do?” Hinata mocked back with a squint of his own. “What do you know anyway- Gaaagh! I should have been the one to write the list!”
“What do we need syrup for?”
“What do you think we need it for?” Hinata asked, head shaking in disappointment that his partner was clearly not keeping up.
Kenma rolled his eyes—they were making stir fry, so forgive him for not understanding why they needed syrup.
“Give me my phone already.”
Hinata looked at the phone in his hand almost as if he were surprised to find it there. “Sorry!”
He passed it back and Kenma quickly scanned the list once more.
“Oh.” He lifted the basket in Hinata’s direction. “Actually, I needed to grab one more thing. Check out and I’ll meet you in the front.”
Hinata took it with both hands. “Okay—but I’m getting syrup too.”
“Whatever…”
As Kenma finished, he noticed with apprehension how Hinata was clearly thinking something over.
A sly smile crept over his face. “Beat...you…” As soon as Kenma realized exactly why he should be worried, Hinata squealed out, “ tocheckout!”
Sneakers squeaking, Hinata bolted for the condiment aisle getting a head start.
Kenma clicked his tongue. Well, he wasn’t gonna let Hinata win by default.
Dashing to the frozen section, Kenma went to scan the rows of ice cream. It wasn’t a coincidence that what he was shopping for wasn’t on their list.
Red container and black lid, red container and black—there!
Kightly Ogummy-san, a chocolate-vanilla swirl ice cream imbued with brightly colored gummy chunks, named after the protagonist Okami-san in Kightly Heroes. They’d been watching it together every week since it began airing (they went to separate universities, so it was a good excuse to visit each other), and when Kenma read how there was going to be themed ice cream flavors released, he knew he wanted to surprise Hinata.
Now, all he had to do was get to the register first and beat Hinata at his own game. Or, that’s what the plan was before a stray child scampered over and helped himself to the very last Knightly Ogummy-san.
“Wow, it’s Okami-san!” the boy exclaimed in awe, tiny hands barely able to wrap around the container as he examined it closer.
No, no, no. This was not how things were supposed to turn out. Kenma spent too many days searching for a place that sold Ogummy-san for it to be ruined by a kid's whim. Put it back, put it back, putitback.
The young boy’s eyes glanced in Kenma’s direction, widening as he saw the older male’s skulking figure.
“Moooooooom!”
The child’s howl in the face of stranger danger caused Kenma to immediately break a sweat. He absolutely did not want to confront any mothers.
A woman popped out of a nearby aisle, carrying a basket in the crook of her elbow. “Yes?”
Kenma took a few steps back, head stooped as he turned to pretend to be interested in frozen fruit.
Satisfied that the scary figure retreated at the presence of his mother, the boy moved on to hold the ice cream above his head. “Mom, it’s Okami-san!”
“Uwa!” Her mouth dropped open in exaggerated surprise. “So it is!”
“Can I get it?”
Losing her surprise, the woman asked, “Didn’t I just buy you cookies?”
The boy huffed a little, “But this is the only Okami-san I ever saw!”
She made a slow shake of her head. “You know Mommy can’t buy you dessert every time she takes you shopping.”
Another huff, just barely, like he was still holding off his temper. “But Mom. It’s the only time I saw one!”
And like a hawk swooping in, the woman was there gently prying the treat away to put back. “Mommy said no. Maybe after you’ve gone through your cookies, we can get Okami-san. Okay?”
Surprisingly behaved, the boy nodded, albeit forlornly, while lifting his arms up.
Catching the hint, the mother scooped the boy up who immediately buried his head in her shoulder as she carried him away.
Such a waste of time.
Kenma tore open the freezer, gripping the icecream as though afraid some spare mother might swoop in to try and take it from him too. No need to check the time, he thought with irritation. Hinata was already going to be up there—waiting with a triumphant grin despite the fact that Kenma met an unfair obstacle. Kenma didn’t even agree to a race in the first place. Not that Hinata would accept that excuse.
And Kenma wasn’t pouting as he dragged his feet on his way to the front—he simply didn’t have a need to rush anymore.
Scanning past the crowd of people queueing to check out, it was surprising to not see the familiar beacon of orange hair. Not in line, not by the door, not by the magazine rack flipping through whatever caught his eye...
Kenma shuffled into the line with the least chatty-looking cashier, and elderly man working with his head bowed.
Maybe he was in the bathroom?
As the line moved, all the way until he reached the front, there was still no sign of Hinata.
The old man scanned the ice cream, gingerly placing it in a plastic bag.
Before he asked for payment, Kenma held out some cash.
He’d thought it was impossible but he was beginning to think...what if he was first after all? Maybe, somehow, Hinata hadn’t made it to checkout yet?
Kenma cupped his hand as he took his change and receipt.
“Thanks,” he said politely, not meeting the old man’s eyes.
Walking toward the exit, Kenma stopped to turn his back and take root on the wall nearby. He kind of looked forward to seeing Hinata’s reaction. Bet he’d try to make all kinds of excuses for why he took so long, but Kenma wouldn’t let him. Well...maybe he’d let him try.
Kenma pulled out his phone, scrolling through the latest info on the release date of the next Dragoon Trials game. After finishing, he looked around again. No Hinata. Next, he opened each of his mobile games, collecting all the daily challenge rewards with meticulous precision. Kenma looked up again. No Hinata. What was going on? Had Hinata gotten himself stuck somewhere? Kenma imagined Hinata, headfirst in one of the huge bins of watermelons, buried and feet swinging as the other customers gave a wide berth while going about their shopping.
As Kenma continued to ponder he was unknowingly approached by a middle-aged man with slicked-down hair and a name tag.
“Can I help you, young man?”
The voice was sudden, and Kenma instinctively hid behind his bangs as he realized a stranger was talking to him.
“...” Ah- no. I’m just waiting for my friend…
The man’s smile never faltered as he tilted his head. “Huh? Sorry, I didn’t hear that.”
Kenma’s shoulders hunched. “...” I’m waiting for someone…
The man chuckled despite Kenma finding no humor in the situation. “I’m so sorry, I really do have bad hearing. Say that again?”
Kenma bowed deeply at the waist. “Thank you,” he forced out a little louder.
He didn’t wait for a response—Kenma briskly made his way out of the building before he was forced to interact any longer. No big deal. He’d text Hinata to say he’s waiting outside instead.
“Kenma!”
Kenma tracked the outburst to see Hinata push himself off the wall, both hands weighed down with groceries.
“What were you doing in there? Bathroom break?”
A businessman passing by turned his head at the loud exclamation. Kenma closed the distance between them so there was less reason to shout, and also for Hinata to hear as he hissed, “What are you doing out here ?”
Hinata blinked owlishly, catching that there was something wrong but confused by the cause. “Uhhh, you told me to wait outside?”
“I told you to wait up front.”
Hinata’s eyebrows scrunched together. “Up front, out front, in front—same thing.”
Clearly it wasn’t, but Kenma couldn’t able to argue because Hinata zeroed in on the bag at Kenma’s side.
“Ooh~ whatdya get?”
Kenma moved the icecream behind his back. “Nothing that matters to someone who would leave me inside without even texting.”
Hinata perked up, bouncing on the balls of his feet—if he had a tail, it’d be wagging. “Is it for me?”
Kenma put on a scowl, clutching the bag to his chest and turning away. “Didn’t I just say that it shouldn’t matter to you?”
“KENMAAA! What’d you get for me!?”
“Nothing.”
“Kenma, please?”
Kenma looked over his shoulder. When Hinata saw he was being watched, his smile slipped into a pout.
“You’re just mad that I beat you, aren’t you?”
Kenma narrowed his eyes. “I guess you really don’t want to see that I bought you.”
Hinata gasped. “Don’t be a spoil-sport!”
“I’m not.” He was.
“But I’m right!”
“I didn’t agree to race in the first place.”
“Doesn’t matter! If you’d beaten me, you wouldn’t have cared—I won, so I get what I want!”
“That was never a rule.”
Hinata crept up, arms spreading wide. “And.. I.. Want.. ”
Oh geez. Kenma yielded begrudgingly as Hinata captured him in a hug from behind, head resting on his shoulder.
His eyes glinted with mirth as he captured Kenma’s hands.
“-to carry the groceries!”
Hinata pulled back, and Kenma felt as the bag with the ice cream was quickly snatched away.
Then, fearing the repercussions, Hinata hopped a safe distance away.
He grinned with pleasure as he swung the groceries tauntingly. “You wanna race for them again?”
“No.”
“Then I get to carry them?”
“I didn’t want to carry them anyway.”
Hinata spun before landing in a lunging crouch, nose pointed toward home.
Kenma grimaced. He knew what was coming.
“Beat you to my place!” Hinata didn’t wait for a response, again, pushing off in a sprint.
Kenma watched Hinata’s retreating back. He would almost certainly win if it was a matter of running speed—Kenma simply didn’t care to put effort toward those kinds of feats. That being said, Kenma still didn’t like to lose. (Especially when he saw Hinata was getting so riled up.) So, if it was a matter of running speed, Hinata would win, but—with a huff, Kenma put on a light jog. Good thing there’s almost always a shortcut.
Kenma had barely settled on the front step leading up to Hinata’s place when he heard the smack of feet approaching. Hinata probably expected he’d be the winner this time too. Annoying. Pulling out his phone, Kenma slackened his expression to look bored with waiting. What had even gotten into Hinata recently? Their past few visits, he seemed dedicated to making everything a competition. Kenma contained a smile. At least it’s always satisfying to see his reaction when he realizes he’s been thoroughly beat at another of his impromptu challenges.
Pretending to be occupied with his phone, Kenma watched through his bangs as Hinata reached the gate. Panting and flushed with exertion, it still didn’t take him long to notice the young man sitting on the front stoop.
“KENMAAA!”
At the sound of his name, Kenma flicked his head up. “Oh. There you are.”
Hinata looked over his shoulder and then back to Kenma. His eyes brimmed with amazement, like he’d become witness to a particularly clever magic trick.
“KENMA HOW’D YOU DO IT!?” he screeched, leaping into the air.
Kenma blushed. Was it really that special?
Hinata sped over, falling to a crouch in front of him so their faces were level. “Tell me!”
Kenma averted his gaze before his blush could burn any hotter. He was always so happy to see Kenma win...it was almost as if Hinata wanted to lose...
“Kenma.” The rustle of plastic as the groceries were put down and then two hands guided him to look directly at Hinata. “How’d you do it?”
But Hinata didn’t want to lose. Kenma saw the desire burning deep and clear in the brown eyes before him. To dominate. To conquer. To win.
Something twisted low in Kenma’s stomach, but he refused to give away his mounting awareness of their proximity. He lowered his lids in faked disinterest. “Why should I tell you?”
Hinata crawled forward, never shy of contact as he put himself between Kenma’s legs, using them as armrests as he continued to stare from an even closer distance. He was doing it on purpose, wasn’t he? To make him squirm.
“Ken-ma?” He spoke slow and melodic, the question breathed over his cheeks and lips.
Would he do anything to take the advantage? There were a couple of ways out of this situation but Kenma took the most evasive. “Your ice cream is gonna melt if we don’t go inside already.”
Hinata fell back on his heels, brightening immediately. “You got me ice cream!?”
Kenma tried to swallow down his beating heart, pushing up to stand with a hand on his hip. “Yeah. So hurry up and unlock the door already.”
“Great minds think alike!” Hinata chanted as he drizzled chocolate syrup over his bowl of ice cream.
Kenma didn’t respond, sucking on a spoonful of Knightly White Mint-ician, named after the White Magician also in the Kightly Heroes series. It was unexpected that Hinata had the same idea as Kenma when he heard about the limited line of Kightly Heroes ice cream. Like a ‘Gift of the Magi’ but with a happier ending. The syrup thing made more sense now too.
“Trade bites?”
Kenma looked away from the program playing on the TV to see Hinata had scooted himself over so their legs tangled under the coffee table. His hand held a heaping spoon of chocolate-vanilla swirl ice cream imbued with brightly colored gummy chunks.
“How big do you think my mouth is?”
Hinata giggled, moving in the spoon closer. “Say, Ahh~ ”
Kenma opened up and, sure enough, it was way more than necessary. He tried to quickly chew his way through, likely swallowing a few gummy chunks whole in order to free his airways.
“Do me now! Ahhh~ ”
Kenma scooped some up, popping the spoon in Hinata’s waiting mouth.
As Hinata chomped down, his eyebrows knit together. “Heyy, Kenma—why’d you give me such a tiny bite?”
“I gave you a normal bite—you’re the one who tried to choke me with a scoop the size of a baseball.”
“It wasn’t that big—and anyway, I want another bite!”
“Eat your own.”
“Kenmaaaa~” Hinata whined, pacifying himself with another bite of his own ice cream.
Kenma followed suit, adding with a mumble, “Should you be even be complaining? I beat you, so the least I should get is the ice cream bought specifically for me...”
Hinata put his elbow on the table, resting his chin on its perch as he looked Kenma over. “Oh, yeah!”
Kenma faced him head on this time. Hinata wasn’t the only one who could be stubborn.
“I was kinda disappointed that you beat me.” Hinata smiled, dangerously sweet in contrast with his hungry eyes. “How’d you do it? You didn’t pass me on the road.”
“If I told you, I’d lose my advantage.”
“Your secret’s safe with me.”
It was difficult to tell if Hinata consciously used intimacy to gain the upper hand or if it was something that came naturally to the redhead. Either way, even when he slid closer to coyly play with Kenma’s hand as he spoke, Kenma determinedly resisted his fluttering stomach.
“That won't work.”
Hinata stopped his treatment to throw his arms up with an explosive sigh. “ Fine~ I’ll beat you next time anyway!”
Kenma smiled subtly. “Not if you make the same mistake as you did today.”
It was supposed to be just a little teasing, but it turned out to be fuel as Hinata took his hand again, holding it up and giving a squeeze.
His eyes were alight.
“Teach me how I can improve.”
Oh god, he was really laying it on today. So much contact.
Kenma tried to wiggle his hand away, but the grip only grew tighter.
“Ken-ma.”
Fine, fine. “You took a left at the intersection.”
“Yeah?”
“You ran back the way we came, but we only walked that way because you wanted to show me the tree with the creepy face. I didn’t have to do anything special—I just took the direct route.” Hinata didn’t let go, and Kenma began to feel his insides squirm. “So that’s it. You lost because you were dumb.” Maybe dumb is too harsh. “Thoughtless.” Still mean? “...straightforward.”
Regardless, Hinata didn’t seem to mind. He smiled thoughtfully.
“Thank you, Kenma. I’ll be sure to beat you next time.”
Kenma felt his own desire to win flare at the challenge. “Don’t act so certain. You lost this time, didn’t you?”
“I guess you’re right.” Hinata released Kenma, releasing the tension as well as he began to eat his ice cream. “I wonder how they keep the gummies from freezing in the ice cream…”
“I don’t know.” Kenma joined him in eating again, taking another spoonful of Mint-ician.
Halfway through his bite, Hinata spoke up again, garbled with the spoon in his mouth. “Oh! What did you want, by the way?”
“Hm?”
“Your prize for winning the race!”
Kenma gave a leery look. “We never competed for prizes before...”
Hinata began to bounce in place. “Oh, come on—Isn’t it more fun and exciting this way? You can ask for anything! Even a kiss!”
Kenma rolled his eyes despite his blush. “That’s a lame pickup line. Is that what this was all about?”
Hinata threw his hands up, his own blush shining too. “I just want to kiss my boyfriend!”
“You could just ask . You don’t have to race me for it...”
“Yeah, I know , but…” Hinata clenched his eyes shut, face screwing up in the effort to put the right thoughts into the right words. “But, it’s exciting that way! Like, win or lose, it gets my heart going like woosh and then I really just wanna kiss you but that’s weird, isn’t it?” He held a hand over his chest. “Like, right now. It’s so fast it’s almost like I never stopped running.”
He was being so honest it was a little embarrassing... Even so, it's just like Hinata said—Kenma felt the racing too.
“It’s not weird.”
Kenma took a deep breath.
“That’s what I want too.”
Hinata looked up in surprise. “Really!?”
“...yes.”
“Okay!” Hinata sprung up, clearing the table to sit in front of Kenma in almost a reversal of how they were on the front steps of the house. He cupped Kenma’s face, tilting it up until their lips met.
Kenma expected something as hard and wanting as the hearts beating in their chests, but was unprepared for Hinata’s relishingly slow treatment. Like licking ice cream as it melted. Warm and sweet.
Once Hinata pulled away, Kenma felt his pulse fall back to normal, content if not a little unwound.
Hinata grinned down at him, cheeks rosy. “You’re all red!!!”
“So are you.”
“AHHH~ Let’s do it again!”
Eager for another, Hinata leaned down only to receive a palm to the face.
“Huh?” He muffled.
Kenma kept his hand held up as a divider. “No.”
“No?”
“No.”
Hinata’s shoulders slumped. “Why not?”
It was a matter of fact as Kenma replied with a shrug, “You have to beat me first.”
Any sign of disappointment evaporated as Hinata’s sunny disposition came back at full force. “At what!? Another race?”
“Mario Kart.” The reply was instant.
“Whaaaaaat?” Hinata’s face fell as he realized what Kenma proposed. “But you’re WAY BETTER!”
Kenma smiled mildly. “Then I guess I’ll keep getting whatever I want. Maybe instead of a kiss, I’ll ask for all your ice cream...”
The fire lit up again as Hinata considered the challenge. “No way!!! I’m gonna beat you on the first round, and I’m gonna get a kiss!!!”
Kenma won three spoons of icecream before Hinata finally won his kiss. It tasted like chocolate and mint.