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You see, Cherry never thought things were going to turn out this way.
In an hour he was going to announce his engagement to Joe. His friends didn’t even know they were together.
He and Joe had known each other for a very long time, but he had never expected this to happen. But still, they fit together like puzzle pieces, they work best together and one is never complete without the other.
He could still clearly remember their first date clearly, He and Joe had gone out skating, because it was only fitting, and the moonlight had made Joe’s skin look beautiful. He shone in the moonlight and he didn’t even know it, Cherry thought he looked beautiful. He was all muscles, tattoos and handsome smirks, but Cherry had always known him better than anyone else.
Cherry knew the real Joe. The Joe who made him breakfast after he stayed up to late fixing Carla. He had kissed his forehead and wrapped him up in his arms after Adam completely ruined him. The Joe who sat with him and listened to him ramble for hours on end. The Joe who was all soft smiles and big hugs.
And don’t get him wrong, he loved everything about Joe, he just loved that he was the only one seeing this side of Joe.
The day they became official was a very happy day for Cherry, they had been drinking together, as always, when Cherry had blurted out his feelings. Ofcourse, immediately after, he had booked his way to the nearest room and hid. Joe had called his name over and over and over again until Cherry had opened the door and had kissed him senseless.
Yeah, he especially liked that part, not that he would ever admit that.
And until now, everything seemed pretty normal right? And it would have been normal, but Cherry wasn’t keen on physical affection, and Joe was fine with keeping the pda inside.
This itself wasn’t a problem, it became a problem when Joe and they decided it would be easier to not tell anyone, it would only affect their skating and they didn’t want their fanclubs butting into their private life, plus they would tell their friends eventually.
right, eventually.
The day of their engagement, Cherry had been making breakfast for once, he was just about to flip the eggs when he heard Joe moving behind him. He didn’t think anything about it until he felt Joe tugging at his sweatpants.
Obviously he turned around only to see the love of his life on one knee, hair mussed up and a soft smile on his face.
“Will you marry me?” This was uttered so, so soft and with so much adoration that he couldn’t keep the tears at bay anymore. He had burst into tears and hugged Joe tightly while muttering the word “yes” again and again and again.
His face had been a snotty, sticky mess and still Joe had smiled so brightly the sun was jealous, and kissed him.
Needless to say, they burned breakfast that day.
Now, exactly 2 years and 3 months later, they were engaged and their friends still had no fucking clue.
And Cherry was freaking the fuck out.
Still Cherry knows that this is what he wants in life, he knows it when he looks at Joe and sees him smiling, joy clear on his face filling every corner in the room with happiness. It feels like a blessing and he knows how lucky he is.
But now came the hardest part. Telling the others. Cherry doesn’t think he has ever felt so nervous. He can feel his stomach twist and turn inside of him and he is on the brink of a panic attack.
Because the logical part of his brain knows that his friends won’t judge him, Langa and Reki are dating for fucks sake.
The other part of him is scared shitless, he has always been sensitive to other people’s opinions and he doesn’t know what he would do if his friends would be disappointed, or if they would leave him, like adam.
Not that he wants Adam back in his life, thank you very much. Adam is very different now, firstly because when they were friends, he didn’t molest any kids, which he was still very, very pissed about, Langa was like a brother to him after all.
And secondly because when they were younger, Adam never wacked him in the face with a fucking skateboard, Which Joe was still very, very mad about.
Still, feelings like this stay with you for a long time and he was still scared.
Cherry was still deciding which shirt to wear, because what the fuck since when did nothing suit him, when Joe walked in. As always, he looked fucking amazing and Cherry was once again reminded of how lucky he is. Joe probably noticed how tense he was because he came to stand behind him, rubbing his shoulders soothingly.
“You know we don't have to tell them right now, we still have some time for you to prepare yourself better, Kaoru”
Cherry sighed softly “I know, I just-” he took a deep breath to calm himself down “I know that we don’t, it’s just that I want to share my happiness with them, they’re our friends and I want them to be happy for us”
Behind him Joe smiles softly down at his fiancé “Baby, I love you so much”
Cherry just about melts into him, he adores the way Joe says that, it never gets old, no matter how many times he says it.
“I love you to, Kojiro, so much, and that is the reason I want to tell them, tonight”
Joe chuckles before turning Cherry around, kissing him softly on the list, and this, Cherry realises, this is what home feels like, and he never wants to leave.
~~~
Soon enough it’s time they leave. They use their skateboards to get to Joe’s restaurant, because of course they are going to that restaurant, it’s where everything started. On their way there Cherry had about six mini panic attacks and he did consider throwing himself into oncoming traffic, but no, he has to do this. If not for himself then for Joe.
And then they are sitting at their table. The rest of the restaurant is closed tonight so nothing can bother them, everything is going to be fine.
He and Joe are sitting next to each other, across them are Langa and Reki, who are looking disgustingly in love and on each end of the table sit Miya and Shadow, who are having a staring contest?
It’s normal and comfortable, like always.
Cherry thinks he’s gonna die.
Next to him Joe had grabbed his hand, probably noticing how much he was freaking out, pathetic. It shouldn’t be this hard to tell his friends he’s getting married. He knows for a fact Shadow and Miya are having a betting pool for when he and Joe “Finally get their heads out of their asses and confess” It's definitely gonna be a surprise for them.
Cherry did have a plan, he was gonna tell them carefully, he even rehearsed it in front of the mirror that morning, Joe had made fun of him for that.
That plan was thrown out of the window the second he saw their faces. They all looked so happy and of course he hoped that after he told them, they would be even happier.
He took a deep breath, squeezing Joe’s hand.
He was gonna tell them, he could do this.
“ME AND JOE ARE ENGAGED”
Well… that was also an option.
Next to him Joe burst out in laughter “Real smooth Kaoru” Cherry gave him an elbow in his side before turning around to face his friend, who were all gaping at them.
Funnily enoug, they all had different reactions, Langa looked really confused, as always, seriously, that kid never knew what the hell was going on. Reki looked very happy for some reason and immediately went to explain it to Langa, who also looked at them happily after. Shadow had tears in his eyes and Miya looked really…. smug?
“You all owe me 5,000 yen” Miya laughed happily before turning to Joe and him “And congratulations, I was wondering when you guys would tell us.”
Joe looked at him confused “How did you know?”
Miya smirked “I walked in on you and Cherry last month, but you guys were to busy sticking your tongues down each other's throat to notice me”
Cherry blushed and hid his face in his hands while Joe burst out laughing “Sorry you had to see that kid”
Miya shrugged “It wasn’t as bad as the time I walked in on Langa and Reki, I’m scarred for life” Cherry could see Reki and Langa blush, huh, so they had noticed Miya.
Shadow grabbed both his and Joe’s hands “Ahhh I’m so happy for you, but couldn’t you have waited two more weeks, now i'm down 5,000 yen” Cherry chuckled “Sorry”
After that everyone congratulated them, and Cherry doesn’t think he has ever been this happy. Soon the night was over and everyone went back home. As soon as Cherry walked into their room he flopped down onto their bed “I'm exhausted.” Joe chuckled before joining in “Mhhh, now let’s cuddle”
Cherry smiled softly before slotting himself in Joe’s arms and burying his face in the crook of his neck “I’m really happy, Kojiro” Joe nodded “Me to, i’m happy we told them”
Joe kissed his head before closing his eyes “I love you”
Cherry smiled “I love you to”
That night he probably had the best night sleep in months.