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Shuichi had never seen anything more beautiful than it. The scene is etched into his memory, everytime he closes his eyes he can still see it perfectly. Oh, god, how he wishes he had any skill in painting, or even sketching.
If he could, he would put that scene onto a canvas, or paper. To immortalize it, to immortalize him. Even days after that battle, he can still see it with nothing less than sublime, blissful clarity.
The sky painted with a variety of the earth’s colours, each stroke made with careful affection. The sun just sitting on the horizon; sitting with his promises to a new world. It will be a long war, a long time until they can reach the end of the game, but they could do it. Shuichi sees that now. A world where he could walk on equal ground down the street and feel comfortable in his own skin. Without even a trace of that out of place feeling, the one telling him he’ll never belong.
He knows it’s achievable because right here, right now, with this king before him that smiles to the same horizon with it’s whispered promises for a better tomorrow. Spinner’s heart is overflowing with a feeling of what he can only call ‘home’. And it isn’t in some dark, trashed room that drowns him in loneliness, self-resentment, and depression. It’s here where he feels listened to, appreciated, and cared for. He feels valued.
Shuichi’s breath hitches as Tomura throws a smirk over his shoulder, a playful look gleaming in his eyes, as if to say “Does this answer your question?”
The setting sun hits Tomura’s hair, the contrast of colours creating a halo around the man. Shuichi’s heart begins to race as a revelation is made.
His purpose in life… is to help Shigaraki Tomura achieve the future he envisions.
Spinner swears to himself that he will devote his life to that cause. To a sun that sets on a brighter future.
“-nner. Spinner. Shuichi!”
The young man almost snaps the pencil he’s holding in half when a blonde yells at him.
Spinner physically shakes his head as he’s brought back down to earth. “Huhat?”
Toga puffs her cheeks out. “I was asking what you were thinkin’ bout.”
Thank whatever holy entity there is that his blush doesn’t show easily because he can feel the warmth flood his face. “Art.” Spinner immediately replies. “I was thinking about art. I wish I had some talent in it.”
Spinner can feel the scales on the back of his neck fuckin flex as Himiko’s innocent smile turns downright devious. “Oh? Tell me more Shu-chan. What would you pour your heart and soul into if you could create a masterpiece?”
Keep it cool, Spin. She can’t read minds. “Sunset. I would paint a sunset.”
Himiko’s grin is all fangs as she muses for a moment. “A sunset with a person- oh I dunno- Shiggy staring to it?”
As Spinner begins to sputter, trying to form the question of how the fuck she knew, Dabi interjects from the otherside of the table, eyes squinting to try to read the book infront of him. “Dude, you’ve been writing the boss’s name all over your notebook for the past hour. And a half.” The bastard looks up to meet Spinner’s gaze, lazy amusement glinting in his cold eyes. “But, hey, who’s counting here.”
Spinner steals a glance down to his book, ready to call Dabi’s bluff, because surely he wasn’t- And yes he was. Shigaraki Tomura covers every inch of two pages, many times overlapping each other, and the cherry on the cake is that it’s finally written in larger, bolder kanji across the entire two pages, on top of the rest of it.
If his blush wasn’t noticeable before, it was now.
“Shu-chan has a crush!”
Spinner’s voice cracks as he tries to deny it. “I do not! He’s just- Admirable.” Spinner wants to fuckin die. “He’s a good leader!”
“Dude.” Dabi finally abandons the book, throwing it across the room of the luxurious place they’re living in now. “Denial is not a good look on you.”
Spinner knows that. But it doesn’t stop him from trying. Spinner’s eyes narrow. “Says the man who dresses like a hobo.” His fingers mindlessly glide across the page, gently caressing the edge of the notebook.
The other man merely shrugs. “At least I own my ‘hobo-ness’. You have a bit of an obsession with him.”
Spinner is about to argue when someone else speaks up, causing a yelp to escape his mouth.
“An obsession with who?”
Spinner instantly slams the notebook shut, in the process accidentally causing it to slide across the table into Dabi’s hands.
The fire wielder just gives him a cheshire grin.
Please. No. Spinner begins to pray to whatever god or goddess or goddex is out there. Please have mercy on him.
Spinner jumps from his seat, causing the chair to tumble backwards, as he puts himself between Shigaraki’s line of vision and Dabi. “Stain!”
Shigaraki’s nose scrunches in disgust. “Still?” Shigaraki’s eyes scan the room before nodding. “Forgot. This must be the meeting of the Stain fanatics.” Their boss turns away, walking back to the door. “Count me out. Lemme know when you actually pick a topic that would interest me.”
Himiko just giggles as she begins to speak. “I know something that you’d be interested in Tomu-chan!”
Spinner’s eyes go wide as he watches Shigaraki stop and turn his head in slow motion. His hair has gotten longer since all that time ago back at the bar…
“Hm?”
Spinner scrambles to clasp a hand over Himiko’s mouth. “A beach day! Later! In celebration of our success over the army!” Spinner just gives Shigaraki a toothy grin as he resists the urge to draw his hand back in disgust at the fact that Toga is fucking licking his palm.
Shigaraki’s gaze travels to the side for a moment, eyes narrowing for a moment before quickly returning to Spinner with a smirk. “I think that’s a great idea Spinner. Meet me in the kitchen after your Stain Conference to go over the details. Alone.”
And with that, Shigaraki hums as he leaves.
Spinner throws a death glare at Toga first, instantly withdrawing his hand to wipe it off on his shirt. She only gives him a shit eating grin as she skips off, singing some stupid kindergarden song about him and Shigaraki. His second death glare is to Dabi, who’s innocently staring off into space, his fingers drumming against the top of his notebook. Spinner snatches it from him to go toss it in the room that was given to him, scream into a pillow, and then go face Shigaraki.
He is very much aware that his feelings towards the man is far past, far more than anything he ever felt for Stain. The devotion, the admiration, the adoration.
~~~
Soon enough, Shuichi finds himself trying to work the courage to walk into the kitchen. He breathes in and out a few times, the final time turning into a squeak when Shigaraki calls out to him.
“Shuichi, in here, now.”
Spinner rubs the back of his neck as he slowly steps in view of the doorway. When his eyes land on Shigaraki, he feels his entire body freeze.
Shigaraki is sitting on the counter, a knee pulled to his chest to prop his arm up, his chin resting there.
Spinner can’t tell if it’s his devotion to Shigaraki or his adoration for him, or some beautiful mix of the two, but the pose, the aura around the man makes him seem like royalty. Even in the most ordinary settings.
He feels trapped in place, the man’s gaze exploring and analyzing every inch of Spinner. He resists the instinctive urge to hide himself away. Because unlike the other times he’s been trapped under the speculation of others, this one is… different. He can’t place a label to it, but it feels different. Unjudging.
Eventually, the other relaxes against the wall behind him and motions for Spinner to come closer. He gulps as he takes the first step. Spinner suddenly gets the feeling that Shigaraki didn’t request this meeting to talk about the beach, never had the slightest intention.
Spinner stops a few feet away from Shigaraki, which causes the other to roll his eyes and motion for him to come closer. Spinner nods as he takes another couple steps before stopping again. Shigaraki seems to accept it before leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, a smile playing his lips.
“Tell me more about this obsession of yours, Shuichi.” Shigaraki reaches a hand out past Spinner’s face to gently take hold of one of the tails of his scarf, bringing it slowly towards himself to toy with as he leans back again. “I want to hear about your more recent obsession that has taken over your focus and devotion.” Shigaraki stares at the fraying ends of the scarf, not meeting Spinner’s eyes to allow him a bit more comfort to speak.
“I-” Spinner tries to bring his gaze away from the other to search for some way to approach this topic, but he just can’t. He can’t draw his eyes away from the destructively beautiful man before him. Watching as those careful and calculated hands touch and caress his scarf as if it’s sacred and valuable.
Spinner collects his thoughts before he speaks. “A few days ago, I came to a realization, of sorts.”
The smile never leaves Tomura’s lips, chapped and scarred. “Is that so?”
Spinner nods for a moment before remembering that Tomura isn’t looking at him. “Yeah. I, uh…” the man trails off for a second before picking the sentence back up. “I wish I were the slightest bit inclined in the arts, in painting.”
Tomura muses, gently running his fingers over the damaged ends of the scarf. “And why is that, Shuichi?”
As Tomura’s eyes gently meet his, the crimson eyes roaring in intense emotions, Spinner gains more confidence. “Because I would paint the most beautiful horizon.”
Tomura leans forward slowly, eyes partially lidded as they leer to him with pure captivity. “Is that so?”
Spinner barely registers that he leans close as well as he whispers back. “Yeah, the most enchanting one I’ve ever had the privilege of seeing.”
Tomura’s whispers ghost over Spinner’s lips, sending a shiver down his spine. “If I were an artist, I would paint the sturdiest of mountains. Mountains laced with so much spirit and power, that they hold up the sky, single handedly becoming the pillar of which the horizon is able to lean on and caress.”
Spinner hums, feeling the warmth flood his face again. Tomura’s words of praise send his heart racing. “You really think so?”
“Shuichi, I know so.” Tomura tugs the scarf to finally close the gap between their lips.
The kiss is soft and chaste, but also intense and filled to the brim with love and utter devotion.
Spinner has to brace his palms on either side of Tomura’s thighs to support himself, feeling his legs go weak and his knees beginning to buckle.
The tender and loving kiss goes on until noise from behind Spinner causes him to yelp.
Giggles from Toga and a wolf-whistle from Dabi are the first to come, followed by the clapping of Sako and commentary from Twice.
Spinner can’t bring himself to turn around, opting to hide his face in his scarf.
Tomura, on the other hand, protectively wraps his legs around his waist, locking his ankles together, successfully trapping Spinner in place. His arms wrap around Spinner’s shoulders as the younger man hisses. “How long have you all been standing there? Jin- stop crying.”
Sako plays with a couple marbles between his fingers. “We’ve been eavesdropping since the moment Spinner stepped into the kitchen. I told you that you should make a grand declaration of your feelings for him, didn’t I? It worked.”
Spinner feels the heat of his blush reach up to his ears as he buries his face further into his scarf, and now into the nook of Tomura’s neck.
“Nah old man, it was the page dedicated to him that confirmed it for him. Lover boy over there is head over heels for the creep.” The smugness in Dabi’s voice bleeds into the air.
Jin and Toga chant the kindergarten taunt about trees or whatever. Tomura grabs the nearest thing to him on the counter and chucks it at their audience. The salt shaker causing the crowd to disperse.
Once they leave, Tomura instantly relaxes and tugs lightly at Spinner. The scaled man peeks up at him, still embarrassed from the fact the rest of the league was there the entire time. Tomura just gives him a soft and affectionate smile. “How bout we take this back to my room. Cuddles and video games. I have everything you could think of in there.”
Spinner smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of his neck. “Animal Crossing?”
Tomura’s smile widens. “That’s the best shit ever created. Let’s go.”