Work Text:
Gao loves living alone. He didn’t think he’d been hit by quarantine lack of social interaction as say, Hirugami. His replies in their group chat were diminishing by the week, he wouldn’t take calls and if it weren’t for the occasional ‘>:| HirugamiKami reacted to your reply’ notifications, he’d have thought him abducted by aliens.
He wasn’t one to expect his friends to initiate contact. He wasn’t too great at it either to be honest but today, waking up to no new messages, not even a meme in the group chat wasn’t too great.
After a few minutes of looking at all the stories in his Instagram and replying a :vomit emoji to Kourai’s sweaty post-online zumba class mirror selfie, he got out of bed.
With a bottle of Pocari sweat in his hand, he walked to his balcony and stared at the empty street below him wondering when the quarantine could end.
Usually, Kourai replied to his emojis with an instant comeback but it had been 3 hours and his phone was yet to buzz.
He’d worked out most of the morning. It usually filled him with enough endorphins to lull him away from the fact that he hadn’t touched a real human in 4 months, and watch a new recipe video on Fit Men Cook YouTube channel that he’d try to make later in the day. Today, he decided to order a large Teriyaki Pizza from his favourite local pizzeria through ubereats.
After eating the entire thing, he fell asleep on his couch with an old EJP Raijin vs MSBY Black Jackals tape from 2016 playing on the TV.
He felt worse after a nap. His phone lock screen was still as empty as he left it. Idly, he opened Instagram just to find another one of Kourai’s pre-online yoga class selfie, posted an hour ago. He had a bright pink headband with a neon green tank top. Gao scowled at the excitement in Kourai’s face. He looked ridiculous but it fit, somehow.
Gao went to his direct messages and saw a muted gray ‘seen: 3 hours ago’ under his last sent emoji. He closed the damn app and threw it on the other side of the couch, with restrained strength.
Maybe they forgot, he thought.
Maybe.
He didn’t feel like doing much so he opted for lying down on the couch some more and tossing a volleyball high enough to not touch his ceiling repeatedly. His phone buzzed and Gao startled enough that said volleyball smashed straight into his face.
He picked up the phone with embarrassing urgency. The text read “Happy Birthday! :partyhat :cake” from Aran-kun ^^
Gao smiled wide at the message. He replied graciously thanking him “Thanks Aran-kun. Didn’t think you knew when it was.”
The reply was quick and heartwarming. “Of course, I do. Who do ya think I am? I’m taking ya for chicken and drinks after this is all over ^^”
Gao grinned “Can’t wait. You’re the best :D” He didn’t need friends. He had Aran-kun. Fuck Kourai and Hirugami. No. Actually, no hard feelings. He didn’t need their love or support. They weren-
The sound of his doorbell interrupted him. Gao wasn’t expecting any deliveries and there couldn’t be any visitors. Confused, he walked to his door and opened it to find a flimsy box on the floor.
He carried it inside and lifted the lid to take a peek.
It was a cake with pink icing and large green lettering that read ‘BITCH’.
Gao started laughing then, he was laughing really hard. He had to wiped tears out of the corner of his eyes before he noticed the small writing on the side of the cake “WE <3 U”
Gao took a picture of it and send it to the group chat.
KAMOMEGULLS 🐦🐦🐦 SEAGULL EMOJI WHERE??????
GAO-SAMA
I hate you fuckers!!!
1 image attached, 6:53 pm
HOHOHOSHIUMI THE GREAT
HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU TALL FUCK! BET YOU
THOUGHT WE FORGOT HAHAHA
6:53pm
HIRUGAMIKAMI
I’m waiting in the zoom room.
6:54 pm
https://zoom.us/j/gao-birthday
6:55 pm
HOHOHOSHIUMI THE GREAT
PARTY TIME!!!!!!!!
6:55pm