Work Text:
Idiot. Cherry thought, watching Joe entertain all of the girls fawning over him an his stupid muscles. He watched as they asked him how much he could lift and about the tricks he’d pulled in his most recent S run, some of the more brazen ones touching him and trying to slip him their numbers or hint that they were looking for something more. Joe’s easygoing smile and flirty demeanor led them on, he laughed at their bad jokes and teased back when they flirted with him. The whole thing was enough to make his eye twitch.
It wasn’t until they were starting to get more aggressive, one of them tugging on his arm shamelessly, trying to get him alone, that Cherry decided enough was enough. He skated over to where the taller man was standing, bypassing some of the more timid girls standing further away. His trajectory brought him nose to nose with Joe, the girls on each of his arms looking downright murderous at his intrusion.
“Gigolo Gorilla,” he said, getting in Joe’s face, “Why do you flirt with everything that moves?”
Joe got in his face right back, the girls startling at the sudden movement.
“Ha?” He responded, smirking, “At least I have the courage to talk to my fangirls.”
Cherry tsked loudly, “They’re more fans of my technology than of me,” he said angrily, “You’re just out here flaunting your body.”
Their faces were nearly touching when one of the girls at Joe’s side spoke up.
“I don’t know what your problem is.” She sniffed disdainfully, flashing elaborate fake nails “You’re killing the vibe, get lost.”
Joe’s smile dropped immediately, and she looked snottily confused. Cherry straightened up, his eyes flashing. Now he was kind of mad.
“I’m killing the mood?” He asked, frosty glare directed at the girl, who was nervously looking to Joe for support.
“I think you misunderstand,” He explained to her, “It’s you who’s killing my mood here.” Joe’s eyes widened as he suddenly understood where this was going.
Cherry reached up and grabbed the tangle of corded necklaces that hung around Joe’s neck, yanking him down to his own eye level and cupping his face as he kissed him hard on the mouth. It didn’t last particularly long, only a couple seconds, but that was all the time the girls needed for their jaws to drop. One of the ones in the back was probably videotaping. Cherry would have to have Carla take care of that later.
Cherry released Joe’s necklaces, allowing the taller man to straighten up, before looking back at the fake nails girl. She looked like she’d rather be literally anywhere else. He stared directly in her eyes before deadpanning: “mine.”
Joe laughed raucously, a light blush on his cheeks from Cherry’s sudden advances. The girls backed away slowly, inching towards other groups, other conversations, leaving the two alone. Good. Cherry preferred it that way. It was getting too fucking chummy in here.
“If I’d known that’s all that it’d take to make you jealous,” Joe said, scratching the back of his neck, “I would’ve played it up more earlier.”
A vein in Cherry’s forehead appeared. “I’m not jealous, moron, it’s just annoying with all those girls hanging off of you all the time. Good riddance. Joe sighed.
“Well now you’ve scared them all off.” His shoulders drooped a little.
“Attention whore.” Cherry said bitingly.
“Always and forever.” Joe responded playfully.
Cherry snorted.
Across the lot, Miya sat on a log with Langa and Reki, sucking dry a McDonald’s Sprite.
“Rekiiiiii Mom and Dad are being gross again.” Miya whined sarcastically. Langa rolled his board under his feet, toying with the foot brace.
“Ew.” Langa said, more as a reaction than a sentiment.
“What do you wanna bet they’re each other’s emergency contact.” Reki said, squinting at the dirty looks some of the girls were throwing at Cherry now.
“$20 Cherry gets annoyed and makes him walk home.” Langa said, noting that the two had come on Cherry’s motorcycle
“$10 he doesn’t make Joe walk home but he’s banished to the couch.” Miya countered. Shadow sat down next to them with his board.
“Whatcha betting on?” he asked,
“Joe and Cherry Blossom’s marriage.” Miya deadpanned, not missing a beat.
“THEY’RE GAY???” Shadow shouted, staring incredulously at the two, earning him a glare from Cherry. Miya, Reki, and Langa leveled him with three identical faces of “how the fuck did you not know.”
“Sorry Shadow we forgot you were straight.” Reki said laughing awkwardly.
“No gaydar.” Langa reasoned.
“Cherry is an AI Calligrapher, only dresses in traditional period garb, and has pink hair and a lip piercing. Joe owns a prominent and Italian restaurant and yet has one (1) taste tester because the only opinion that matters to him is Cherry’s.” Miya leveled.
“They call eachother by their first names,” Langa continued
“They bicker like an old married couple.” Reki finished up.
“Okay, okay, jeez.” Shadow muttered, raising his hands in defeat. “Wait. What do you mean you forgot I was straight? Aren’t all of you?”
The deadpan expressions were back.
“bi” Reki said, throwing a peace sign.
“gay” Langa deadpanned, glancing at Reki.
“Eighth grader” Miya said sarcastically.
Joe and Cherry bickered in the distance.