Archive of Our Own

Rooftops.

Staring at the sunset, Waiting out the weekend, the grooves of their shoes so worn that they’re just barely stopping them from slipping off the rooftop. Ritsu overthinks. It’s a thing he does, he doesn’t really question it, overthinking about overthinking doesn’t really sound that good, does it?

He finds himself overthinking about the red-head next to him. How did this reckless, can-and-will-burn-your-house-down-if-they-so-pleased Type of person work their way into Ritsu’s life? Throwing Ritsu so far out of his comfort zone that he doesn’t know where he is anymore? How did someone like Suzuki Shou make his way into Ritsu’s cold icy heart; melting it down until Ritsu’s emotions are left a gooey-mushy mess to the point he doesn’t know what to do with them anymore? Ritsu’s head spins around that. Never really finding out the reason why.

As the sun slowly dips down the horizon, mixing the golden sky with a deep blue scattered with stars, Shou stands up, leaning back as to not slip off the roof, his shoes struggling to latch on the worn roof tiles, “It’s dark,” He says pointing out the obvious, staring out into the suburbs where Ritsu lived.

Ritsu hummed, not really having anything else to say. Staring up at the boy who beat him unconscious, and yet somehow turned into one of the most important people in his life. With that, Ritsu stands and kicks off the roof, just barely catching himself with his powers before his shin hit his balcony railings. Well, you couldn’t really call this a balcony, it was a sliding door with, give or take, an inch or two of space just right outside of it, with rails that Ritsu was sure were gonna pop off from how many times Shou would perch there whenever he visited.

He floated in his room, almost bumping his head on the door frame, and Shou followed suit.

Suzuki Shou, he’s the type of person who talks, alot. Need someone to hold up a conversation? Albeit a one-sided one? Shou’s your guy. Ritsu lost count of the times Shou would have a one sided conversation with him whenever he came over. With that knowledge- “The sun's pretty from your roof,” Shou started, Dusting off his pants, Making his way onto Ritsu’s bed, treating it as if it was his own. Ritsu sat down on his desk chair, Swiveling it to face Shou, who was comfortably resting back-to-wall on Ritsu’s bed.

“You can barely see it from where I’m staying,” He continued, scooting closer to the edge of the bed sitting cross legged now, “It’s all buildings.”

Shou swayed side to side, looking at Ritsu as if waiting for some sort of reply. “Alright. What’s up?” he exhaled, shuffling to face Ritsu better “You’ve been acting more emo than usual.”

"I'm.. Fine." Ritsu said, hugging his knees, "It's just... Do you think we'll stay like this?"

"Like what?" Shou tilted his head.

"Like.. Friends?" Ritsu pressed his face against his knees, squishing his cheeks.

Ritsu could've barely finished his sentence when Shou shot up, legs untangling from it's previous position to hang off the edge of Ritsu's bed "Ofcourse!" Hands pressing on the bed leaning forward, "You can't get rid of me. Even if you wanted to." Shou gestured at himself proudly. You could barely hear his reply, face tucked into his knees whilst his hair fell over his eyes, Shou could barely read his expression.

"Why do you ask?.." Shou's voice toned down a bit, sounding more concerned than anything. Pushing a few strands of hair out of Ritsu's face. His eyes were dark like an endless void. But, Sometimes they would sparkle, like Ritsu's eyes held an entire galaxy right in them. "You know I can't hear you when you mumble," Shou smiled timidly.

"Since I'm going to college and all. I don't wanna lose you as a friend." The corners of his eyes crinkled, there was a somber look in his face.

"We're gonna stay friends." Shou patted Ritsu on the shoulder, "Obviously. I'm like, the best friend you could ever wish for!" Shou places his hand on his chest, smirking.

And there, Ritsu smiled. A smile that revealed his Galaxy-Eyes that Shou would gladly drown in.

*

Wind blowing through his silky black hair, crumbs of strawberry filled donuts being carried away by the breeze, legs hanging off the rooftop of a donut shop they would regular together. Shou, glancing at Ritsu who was making his way through one of the donuts they  bought. Gakuran tied around his waist, since Ritsu just got out of school. Well, since Shou dragged him out of school to get donuts.

School’s almost over, Ritsu's moving soon, to a new city, a new room, a new life. And Shou would be lying if he were to say he wasn't scared. Having someone as close to him as Ritsu go away for what, a few years? That's terrifying.

This was his first relationship (if you don't count the endless amount of "baby-sitters" his dad gave him while claw was still formed). It was one he made himself, despite the questionable first meeting. It was pretty important to him, Ritsu was pretty important to him. So to see him go and leave him behind? It hurt like hell. But he wasn't going to let his own emotions screw up the future Ritsu was planning, and him leaving doesn't mean they won't be friends anymore, right?

"I'm gonna miss this." Shou turns to Ritsu, who's staring off into the distance, "I'm gonna miss these donuts" Ritsu says, his smile was barely noticeable, biting into one of the mint-chocolate-chip donuts that he had to force Shou to get, it even had an entirely different box because Shou didn't want his donuts to be "contaminated" by them. Which was utterly, stupid.

"If you're gonna miss these donuts that much, I'll eat them on your behalf," He smiled, giving Ritsu a pat on the shoulder. "Except," he added "Those god awful mint donuts you like." Ritsu was sure Shou would never forgive him for his taste in flavors. It was on the top of the list of things Shou would never forget nor forgive about him. But that was okay, it makes for a pretty good Shou-repellent sometimes.

"What's so scary about mint, Huh?" He dragged and exaggerated the 'Huh' as he slowly moved a mint donut closer to Shou's mouth. "Dude- no." Shou laughed as he playfully shoved Ritsu's hand away. But Ritsu wasn't playing. Grabbing Shou's shoulders and pushing him sort of down onto the dusty flat roof, trying to get the donut into Shou's mouth, they where basically wrestling now, with the added bonus of Ritsu trying not to drop the donut and shove it into Shou's mouth, and Shou, trying to avoid it like the plague.

Finally, Ritsu manages to get it partially into Shou's mouth whilst trying to tell Ritsu to stop, which backfired horribly. Ritsu did stop though, when Shou bolted back rubbing his mouth making a face.

It was that horrible, but Shou would never admit that to Ritsu, the taste was still weird though. "Disgusting." Shou scrunched up his face, making a disdainful look. Ritsu smiled, enjoying his victory. He got up, dusting his pants off to make his way to Shou, reaching a hand out to help him up. "Ritsu : one, Shou : zero" He smirked.

Shou almost punched him in the arm after that.

*

Graduation. a room filled with a bunch of teens more or less ready to go to college, with their respective parents, friends, guardians. Loud, booming with mostly excitement from families proud of their children, or teens wanting to escape from their home-town life. And Ritsu? He just wanted to escape from there. It was suffocating to say the least, this sort-of auditorium was way too small to fit, give or take, 200? 300? people.

His wish of wanting to get out of there, came true, somewhat, when he felt someone grab him by the arm, pulling him through the crowds of people, bumping into so many families. He could barely make out the person who was yanking him out of graduation, but hey, he wasn't complaining.

Finally out of the auditorium, Ritsu finally sees it was Shou who pulled him out. Right as he tried to thank Shou for saving him from probably suffocating to death with the amount of people all crammed together in one room, Shou's grip on Ritsu's arm tightens as he starts to bolt again, through hallways, up stairs, they didn't need to run, no one was there to catch them atleast, but they made it. To the rooftop of Ritsu's school.

Finally letting go of Ritsu's arm, sort of wrinkling his sleeve, They make their way to the ledge of the roof, Dangling their legs off the edge. Shou leaned back, hands pressed to the rooftop concrete, which isn't all that clean but he didn't mind. Ritsu sat, Leaning his arms on the railings, chin resting on the back of his hands.

"Thanks," Ritsu sighed, "For getting me out of there." 

"No problem." Shou smiled, Ritsu turned around, to partially face Shou “Looked like you were dying in there anyway." You could see his breath, with how cold it was. "How long were you in there?" Ritsu rested his cheek on his arm.

"Give or take.. An hour?" Shou moved his hand, gesturing a bit. A habit he sort of picked up from Reigen after hanging out with him a few times. "I don't know how you do it," He made a face "Dealing with that. All those people."

"It's not that hard," He paused. "For me atleast, I grew up living like this." Thinking of it, before Shou, all Ritsu had in mind was graduating and getting the hell out of there. A part of him hates Shou a little for that, coming into his life and all. Giving him a reason to stay, being a light in his life. At the same time though, he was thankful.

"And you're.." Shou went silent. "You're leaving here to deal with that all over again." His tone was bittersweet. As if he were trying to be happy for Ritsu, happy that Ritsu can finally live his own life now. But it still hurts.

They sat there, in silence, as they'd usually do. But this time it was sort of somber, like something you've always known is coming to an end soon and you're trying to cope with it. But it's hard, you don't want to make a big deal over it. But it is a big deal, Shou hated Ritsu as much as he loved him.

He hated him for wanting to leave.

*

Ritsu doesn't really remember how they got here, Sitting ontop of the train station. 7 hours before he was set to leave for college. He had a firm grip on his own hands, Trying to stop them from shaking. It wasn't that cold out, albeit it was 5 in the morning. Maybe it was fear? He'd been studying and preparing for this moment for years now. So why was he so scared?

Pulling his knees up and hugging them, tucking his hands into himself, trying to think of what's scaring him so badly.

Turning to the right, he finally figures out why. There sat Suzuki Shou, legs sprawled out on the slightly curved roof, his breath visible, like he was some sort of ice dragon. It was him, Shou was the reason he was too scared to leave.

Ritsu was unsure how to feel about that. Unsure how to feel about him. Why was he questioning this now? Of all times, why now, when he has to leave him behind? What horrible timing his thoughts come on, huh?

"You're really leaving." Shou exhaled, shifting his head so he could barely see Ritsu at the corner of his eye. Wind blowing strands out of his fixed strawberry blond hair. It sounded more like he was telling himself. Like he wasn't ready to come with the terms Ritsu was leaving.

Ritsu hummed, a soft one. He couldn't really believe it either.

College was a big thing, living 5-6 hours away from home. in a dorm with someone you've never met before, and pray to god they aren't a slob.

"You.. Better stay safe, Okay?" Shou fixed his legs to a cross-sitting position, Turning his body fully now to face Ritsu. "And- If anyone, anyone tries to hurt you or get in your way, beat their ass-" Shou made a fist with his hand.


“Alright- Alright.” Ritsu gently pushes away Shou’s fist, “I’ll be fine.”


Staring into Shou’s eyes he noticed a small glisten. He never really noticed that before, how his eyes would sparkle and shine a slight lime green against the sun.


It was morning now, the cold breeze still lingering, brushing through his hair, he’s truly going to miss this. Why is it you start to appreciate things when they’re gone? Shou was still right next to him, for now atleast.


“Yknow what would be funny?” Ritsu faced Shou, pulling his knees up to lean his cheek against them. Shou hummed, “If you rode ontop of the train, maybe I could hide you in my closet in college” Ritsu smiled, ofcourse that would never happen but, it’s fun to dream.

“..You’ll call, right?” Shou asked.


“Ofcourse.”

*

Staring at the sunset. Waiting out the weekend. Who knew someone could be this lonely?

With Ritsu always by his side, Shou forgot what it was like to feel lonely. The only thing he could think of was getting rid of the rest of what was left of claw, yet part of him felt a bit of distaste for it. Maybe he doesn’t want to do it alone? He wasn’t sure. For this entire thing, he wasn’t sure- he had no idea. Ritsu was like his anchor, without him Shou feels like he could just float away into space, guts exploding everywhere like those old sci-fi movies.


Normally Ritsu would knock some sense into him, stop him from doing things that weren’t so legal per-se. As the chaotic dumbass he is (and that’s putting it lightly.) What the hell was he going to do? Probably burn another house down atleast, it got him a friend last time! What then now?


That actually seems like a bad idea.. Shou thought to himself, adjusting his position on the roof directly above Ritsu’s room. He didn’t know how he ended up here, neither of the Kageyama brothers live here anymore, they’re both off to college, so is Hanazawa. They all have their futures planned out for themselves.


To say he felt left behind would be an understatement. It was more of a constant sinking feeling, of all of your friends going on without you. Shou never thought of his life beyond disbanding claw and being Ritsu’s friend, his dad was gone, his mom was trying her best.


He couldn’t really go to school either. Since all his father and the people who took care of him were only interested in keeping him alive and teach him how to use his physic powers.

He never really understood trigementery- whatever that was.


Trigonometry. a voice in his head said, sounding almost like Ritsu. Either he was missing his best friend so much he could hear his voice, or Ritsu learned telepathy. Most likely the former.


Damn, what was he going to do without him?

*

It’s been a year since he’s been back home. His feelings were a mix of anxiety and excitement, his leg bouncing, he couldn’t help it, anxious to see what has his home come to, his family, to Shou.


He put a hand over his mouth leaning on it as his elbow was starting to ache leaning onto the train’s windowsill for too long. I wonder how they’ve changed. He thought, staring at the scenery flowing past him like an endless waterfall.





Standing outside of his own house, the door swung open “Oh, Ritsu!” his brother smiled, letting him in. Inside he counted, Nii-san, Hanazawa, Mom, Dad…. No sign of that familiar fiery red aura, not even in the area. “Where’s.. Shou?” Ritsu asked, looking around.


“He said he’ll be running late,” Ritsu’s mom replied, “But he’ll be here soon!” She smiled.


“Ah..” Ritsu exhaled, excusing himself to go upstairs. Walking into your childhood room after not seeing it for roughly a year was a bit somber, opening the balcony door, reminiscing his barely two inches of balcony, he flew out onto the rooftop. Trying to avoid the commotion downstairs.


Enjoying the afternoon breeze, it felt bittersweet to be home, like he was missing something. “Still emo after all this time?” Ritsu heard someone say, it was a familiar voice, he turned around to see Shou, floating down to gently land on the rooftop. He looked different, older even, his spiky hair now reduced to something resembling a buzz cut, almost resembling his dad’s, his letterman jacket still intact after all this time, even after Shou almost burnt it to smithereens.


Standing up, almost tripping down in the process he ran over to Shou, with a bit too much force causing one of the roof tiles he was stepping on to slide off and fall to the ground, but that didn’t matter to him. He clasped one of Shou’s shoulders and yanked him into a hug.



“Missed me much?” Shou asked, melting into the hug. He felt Ritsu hum against his shoulder. Pulling back, holding Ritsu by the shoulders, taking in a good look of his best friend. His hairstyle was roughly the same, a bit shorter though, you could actually make out his eyes now.


Flicking Ritsu on the forehead, “Looks like with all that college-knowledge your forehead grew bigger” Shou teased.


“Oh- Shut up-”' Ritsu smiled, pushing Shou away who was delighting in the fact he could still make his best friend smile.


“You going back inside?” Shou gestured inside the house, to which Ritsu shook his head and sat back down on the roof. Shou joined him.


Indulging in the silent company of each other, Ritsu smiled, he missed this. He missed Shou, who was going on about things he did since Ritsu left.


“Do you… Want to get out of here?” Ritsu asked, partially cutting off Shou since he was mid-story.


“Hm?” Shou hummed, “Why? Are my stories not entertaining enough for you?”


“No- It’s not that, I’m just not feeling it here.” Ritsu sighed.


“Alright,” Shou stood up, “Where to, then?”


Ritsu hummed and closed his eyes, “Oh-” He blinked “Do you want to see my school?”


“Your school?” Shou looked excited, “Wait- Isn’t it like 6,000 hours away?”


“It’s 6 hours. And, I was kind of betting on you learning how to teleport, or learning how to fly faster, since I didn’t have time to learn how to do those in school” Ritsu shrugged and looked up at Shou.


“Well you’re in luck, I had all the time in the world to, since someone was off learning math with extra steps,” He teased, “But, I still haven’t got teleportation down, I think I might end up sending us to canada.” Shou reached out to Ritsu “But, I think I can fly us there in an hour.”


Ritsu grabbed his hand and got up, “How do you even know where it is?” He smiled.


“I totally did not look it up and tried to teleport there and ended up in canada.” Shou replied, leaving Ritsu to question if he was being serious or not. “Anyway, let’s go?” He smiled, to which Ritsu nodded.


Shou, still holding onto Ritsu’s arm, walked back and off the rooftop, catching both himself and Ritsu before they reached the first floor and flew straight up into the clouds.


Holding Ritsu by the wrists, a couple dozen feet above the kageyama household Shou smiles "Don't Tell me you forgot how to fly Ritsu?" He teased.

"I'm just a bit rusty-" mid sentence Shou threw him up in the air, "SUZUKI-" Ritsu yelled right before Shou caught him in his arms,

"geez. you're heavy" Shou smiled looking at a frazzled Ritsu who was scowling at him.

Ritsu gained his composure and finally got a hold of his flying powers. "Alright," Ritsu pushed away from Shou's chest and grabbed a hold of his hand, "Can we go?"

"Hold on," Shou smiled, lacing their fingers together, "Okay, let's go."

*



Eyes tracing from laced fingers to the blurred cities below them, looking only like splotches of color and light from how fast they were going just to reach his school before sundown. Looking back up, staring at their fingers intertwined together, almost exactly the same as how Shou would pull him to the next hole-in-the-wall places he'd find when they were kids, the only difference is that they're now hundreds of feet up.


Staring at Shou’s nape as his hair so short it barely reacted to the wind blowing through it, the sun making the color of his hair pop even more than it already did. Ritsu always had goals or plans for his life, finishing school, getting into a good college, living life like a normal samaritan, but once he met Suzuki Shou it all changed. He never truly realized how Shou lit up his life until he left.


“How come you never visit me?” Ritsu asked. Breaking the silence was mostly Shou’s thing but his curiosity was suffocating, “I’m only an hour away for you.”


Shou stared straight ahead, “Dunno, I guess I didn’t wanna bother your ‘big brain’ life.” He said jokingly, it was true though. Even though he missed Ritsu so much it hurt, he’d feel like a burden to Ritsu trying to live a normal life. He hoped his tone of voice didn’t reveal too much of that.


Ritsu was his anchor, stopping him from flying away into the endless void.
But Shou felt like his shackles, weighing him down from greatness.




Slowing to a stop, Shou looks down and gestures at the college below them “We’re here!” he chimed, still holding onto Ritsu’s hand even though he could hover on his own.


“This is…” Ritsu paused, “The wrong school.” he looked up at Shou, looking disappointed.


“Wait- Really?” Shou asked “I thought I-”


“I’m joking,” Ritsu smiled, “Let’s go down?”


“I-” Shou furrowed his eyebrows, “I can’t believe you.” He pouted, letting go of Ritsu’s hand and floated down onto Ritsu’s college’s Rooftop.




Legs crossed, backs leaning against the stairway, staring at the sunset, history repeats itself. Sitting next to the red-head, Ritsu overthinks, It’s a thing he still does. He finds himself thinking about Shou. Letting the idea of Shou being there in his future in, he doesn’t know why he hesitates. Maybe it’s because he’s a follow to the letter type of person, while Shou is spontaneous. But this wasn’t an out of the blue possibly life changing decision, he’d been dwelling on this for months now.


Feelings come into play in all of this, Ritsu would be lying if he didn’t say he spent way too long dwelling on it, how he felt about Shou, washing his hands clean of the sticky mess that were his feelings, and finally realizing what they are.


He stood up, standing right infront of Shou, who was staring up at him with his sea blue eyes. The sunset behind Ritsu covering him in shadows, meeting his gaze with his galaxy eyes. He took a deep breath.

“I love you, Suzuki Shou.”



Shou’s eyes glistened, “What?..” he whispered, a smile creeping up on his face. Slowly getting up to meet Ritsu face to face, “Could you say that again? I didn’t catch it the first time,” He asked, watching his cheeks turn a bright red.


“I love.. You.” He said sternly, trying to control his facial expression.


“One more time? I think I’m going deaf..” Shou smiled, leaning closer.


Ritsu looked disgruntled, and sighed “I-”


He pressed his lips against Ritsu’s, cutting him off.


Ritsu was stunned at first, but slowly let himself melt into the kiss.


Breaking apart, eyes fluttering open, with bruised lips and eyes that shine like the milky way staring back at Shou’s sea blue eyes.


“Woah.” Shou exhaled. “That was..-”


“We..” Ritsu put a hand over his mouth and turned away from Shou, “Should get going back now.”


Did I do something wrong?- Shou thought, until Ritsu reached his hand out towards him, still looking away. He tried to hold back a stupid grin when he caught a glimpse of Ritsu’s beet red cheeks, he let himself ease into the unbearably stupid-happy he felt as he took Ritsu’s hand.

On their way back to Ritsu’s house under the stars, it was silent. They were going slower than earlier, was this on purpose? Ritsu stared at the back of Shou’s head, then down to his shoulders, then their interlocked hands. Was Shou trying to savor the moment? (despite how weird that sounds,) or was he trying to torture Ritsu?


Staying in the sky in silence, leaving Ritsu to wallow in his thoughts, his thoughts about Shou. Shou who just shut him up with a kiss to his confession, was it even an answer? Did he even like him back?


Ritsu washed his hands of the sticky gooey mess that were his feelings for Shou, but the residue was still there.




When they arrived back home Ritsu’s mother questioned them on why they were so late, before either of them could respond Teruki smirked and said “They were probably catching up” in a teasing tone of voice, Ritsu glared at him, cheeks ever so slightly flushed, while Shou on the other hand was fighting back a grin.

*

Standing by the train, Ritsu hugs Shou goodbye. It’s a stiff hug, Shou could tell something was bothering Ritsu, he probably didn’t want to talk about it but it was now or never, he was leaving again, “Are you.. okay?” Shou asked, pulling back from the hug, still holding Ritsu’s arms in his.

Ritsu looked behind Shou, at his parents, brother, Teruki, then back to Shou, “Yeah… I’m.. Fine.” he forced a smile.

The train came to a slow stop behind Ritsu, “I guess, I’ll see you in a few months?” Shou smiled, feeling the sting of Am I doing this right? at the back of his mind.

“Mhmm” Ritsu hummed walking towards the train, still holding onto Shou who was standing in place until it was just their finger connected, Ritsu hesitated a moment before he let go and made his way inside the train, turning around to wave at them before the doors shut.

Hastily making his way to the top of the train station’s roof, Shou watched the train slowly disappear into the sunset. Shou knows that Ritsu loves him, so why does it hurt? His breath hitched, he’s left before, why does it feel so different now?

Staring out the window, watching the sunset. He doesn’t know if Shou loves him back, or atleast, he isn’t sure. Was the kiss an answer?

Ritsu overthinks, praying to get the sticky residue that is his feelings off his hands.

*

It’s winter break and Shou is laying down on Ritsu’s bed, staring at his friend who was sitting on the chair beside him, a foot firmly pressed on the ground slowly swiveling back and forth. A familiar feeling flushed over Shou. It felt the same as that time Ritsu asked if they would stay “like this”, Shou wasn’t sure if things did stay the same, they were still friends ofcourse.


But Ritsu loves him, So why does it feel like there’s such a gap between us? Shou thought, shifting his position to lay on his side. Reaching a hand out towards Ritsu, who subcontiously clasped his hand around Shou’s.
“Do you want to go somewhere?” It was an out of the blue question, Ritsu, unlike Shou, was never the type to propose ideas, especially at 10pm.


“Like what?” Shou perked up, “It’s 10pm, the only places to go are convenient stores.” Half playing along with their mini-role reversal.


“What if… Instead of you kidnapping me to god knows where,” He looked at the date. “I kidnap you to my school?”


Shou practically hopped up, his hand still gripping Ritsu’s, he gasped “You? Kidnapping me?”


“Yeah-” He looked at Shou, “I could show you around.”


“Oh, how the tables have turned Ritsu,” Shou smiled. “Have I FINALLY rubbed off on you?”


Ritsu playfully hits him with his other hand, “God, I hope not.”


Shou laughed and Ritsu grinned, noticing their interlocked hands and shifting his gaze to it. “We’re taking the train this time though, I think having this much time to be absolutely reckless with your powers made you forget what non espers traveling is like.”


“But aren’t you an esper too?” Shou’s eyebrows furrowed, “Are you just making me ride the train to torture me?”


“Yes.” Ritsu said bluntly, looking at Shou before trailing off, “Since we’re taking the train, if we leave in the morning I can show you around for a few hours, then you can arrive home around.. 2 am?”


“What do you mean ‘then you’?” Shou tilted his head.


“I mean, my enth goodbye party is in a week anyway. If I go home tomorrow I’ll have time to prepare for classes and…” He trailed off, his train of thought continuing inaudibly in his head.


Shou sat there, slowly swaying side to side, letting the invite to visit where Ritsu’s been spending his past few years simmer in his head.. A big grin spread across his face “Let’s leave now!” Shou said, standing up, gripping Ritsu’s hand tighter.


“SuzuKI IT’S 10 PM–” Ritsu almost shrieked as Shou took advantage of their intertwined hands by yanking Ritsu out of his chair and forcing him to speedpack, Ritsu would panickedly say “what about your clothes??” as Shou would harp on him to pack faster, ignoring the question.



Shou flies them to the train station, despite Ritsu obviously fake-fail flying, causing Shou to basically drag him mid air, they manage to arrive, buy the tickets, and manage to get there before the last train leaves at 11pm.


“What if,” Shou smirked and turned his whole upper body to face Ritsu who was sitting on the same bench next to him, “this time, we ride on the train's roof.”


“No fucking way, It’s like, a 6 hour ride Suzuki.” Ritsu furrowed his eyebrows, “I’d rather wear hanazawa-kun’s entire wardrobe for a week than do that.”


“As much as I want to see that,” Shou chimes back, “We’ll ride inside the train, only because I like you so much.” Shou pouts and looks away before the both of them could realize what he just said.


Shou immediately grabbed a map pamphlet and pretended to read (and understand) the map system, while hiding the blush that was slowly creeping up his face.


Luckily enough! The train arrived, unluckily enough, they have to sit next to each other for the next 6 hours. Shou obviously took the window seat, chiding to Ritsu that It’ll be my only happiness this entire RIDE of HELL.


Surprisingly, Shou wasn’t as fussy as Ritsu thought he’d be, (if you don’t count the first 10 minutes he constantly asked “are we there yet?” just to piss off Ritsu.)


Who knew windows don’t just keep children occupied? They keep annoying gingers preoccupied as well. Ritsu thought, leaning on the headrest, staring at Shou who was either asleep or concerningly peacefully looking out the window.


Shou started sliding down slowly til his head was resting on Ritsu’s shoulder. Definitely asleep. Ritsu thought, heat rising up to his cheeks and softly smiling as he leaned his cheek on Shou’s head, falling asleep too.

Ritsu’s eyes droopily opened, reaching his hand up to wipe his eyes when he felt a weight on his shoulder, and his hand. Shou was still leaning on him but now also half hugging him, it was a bit awkward since there was a divider between them, it was impossible to push up now since Shou was leaning on it then him.


Ritsu shuffles his arm out from under Shou’s and lightly nudges him, “We’re almost there.” he says gently. He noticed, Shou’s hair outgrew his buzzcut, he reached out and played with and twisted around a strand of Shou’s hair that had fallen on his face.


Shou wiped his eyes and sleepily asked, “What are you doing?...” Before Ritsu, panicking, Shoved Shou by the forehead causing him to fall back and lean on the wall of the train. “What the heck?--” was all Shou managed.


“You were leaning on me, also we’re almost there.” Ritsu said, trying to hide the fact he was blushing.



Leaving the train and taking the one bag they brought with them, “What about your clothes?” Ritsu would ask again.


And Shou would just confidently say something along the lines of “I’ll just steal some of yours, we’re practically the same size anyway.”


Walking around the place Ritsu has decided to call home for the past few years… The only way Shou could describe it was just, Ritsu. He couldn’t explain how exactly.


That feeling only amplified when they arrived at Ritsu’s apartment.


Shou was overwhelmed with the amount of, just, Ritsu there was. He knew basically all the ins and outs of Ritsu’s room, it was pretty small, a perfect amount of Ritsu to analyze and know. But this was a whole apartment.


“Make yourself at home,” Ritsu took off his shoes and rolled his bag in, “I’d doubt you’d have a hard time doing that, though.” Ritsu teased.


Shou took off his shoes and made his way in, staring at the photos, some of his brother, parents, he noticed some of him and Shou too. “My roommate moved out,” Ritsu paused, “We have the whole apartment to ourselves.”


“So I have you all to myself then?” Shou smirked and looked at Ritsu, who turned away before he could give Shou the satisfaction of a reaction.


“You had me to yourself, basically our entire CHILDHOOD.” He rolled his suitcase into his room.


“It’ll never be enough!” Shou shouted, as Ritsu scoffed walking into his bedroom to most likely unpack.


Shou starts looking around Ritsu’s apartment, So this is where he’s been, huh? He thinks to himself. Walking through the kitchen and looking at, interestingly but unsurprisingly, a spoon collection, he smiles as he picks up one, analyzing it.


It’s a spoon Shou “borrowed” from a restaurant because he thought Ritsu would like it. He didn’t know he kept it all this time, Shou reminisces on how Ritsu berated him for stealing, he isn’t sure if that memory was over the spoon or something else, he’s done so much that all the times Ritsu lectured him has blurred together. He wonders how Ritsu even deals with him.


Out of curiosity he opened one of the cupboards to be faced with more mint flavored snacks than he expected. Shou swore the day he’d forgive Ritsu about his tastes is the day he dies.


“Sorry it took so long, I was unpacking.” Ritsu walked in, wearing new clothes, “I put clothes for you by the couch.”


Shou put back the spoon and muttered a thank you,


“Do you wanna do anything?..” Ritsu asked.


“Can I see your room?” Shou tried not to sound too eager.


“Sure.” Ritsu said, leading him to his room.

The first thing he notices is another photo of the two of them, right on Ritsu’s side table. Cute He thinks to himself, Looking around Ritsu’s room and noticing a closet. He promptly went inside it, “See look, you CAN hide me in your closet” he snickered slowly closing the door.


“Suzuki- get out of there-” Ritsu smiled, “How did you even remember that anyway?”


“Itsa secret” He says, making his way onto Ritsu’s bed.


“..my bed here is way bigger than the one I have back at home. So is my balcony” Ritsu pulled up a chair and sat on it adjacent to Shou. (even though there was enough room on the bed for the both of them and then some.)


“Doesn’t this feel familiar to you?” Shou played with the crinkles of Ritsu’s blanket, half looking at Ritsu.


“Before you left for college, we were in your room, I was on your bed,” he gestured to himself then Ritsu, “you on your chair, yeah?”


Ritsu nodded.


“And, you asked me if we’d stay like this.. Like, as friends.” He paused, “And we did!” He sat up, proudly gesturing at himself. “I told you, I’m the bestest friend you could ever have.”


Ritsu could only smile.

*




Staring at the sunset, waiting out the weekend. Ritsu and Shou are on top of some restaurant, eating pork buns and talking.


“You’re going home in a few hours.” Ritsu says, stating the obvious.


“Yeah…..” Shou paused, taking a bite out of his bun, “I had fun-”


“What if you didn’t?” Ritsu cut him off. Shou turned to Ritsu tentatively.


“What?” He asks.


“What if you stayed the night–”


Shou jumped up, ignoring his half-eating pork bun which is now on the dusty concrete roof, “YES PLEASE-” He practically yells before fake-coughing, “I mean, yeah. That’d be cool.”


Before Ritsu could reply, a worker who overheard Shou pops out of the stairwell and was about to tell them to get off before Shou grabbed Ritsu by the crook of his elbow and waved at the worker with his signature 3-finger-wave before turning himself and Ritsu invisible.


Shou could have sworn that worker shat himself when he saw that happen, they burst out laughing when they got far enough, turning themselves back-visible, still holding Ritsu’s arm as they walk back to Ritsu’s dorm.




It’s nighttime now and they’re sitting on opposite ends of the couch Ritsu set up for Shou to sleep in. “I’ll message Nii-san that you’re staying the night and I’ll bring you back when school starts.” Ritsu said, typing on his phone as Shou nodded, flipping through the array of shitty movies that Ritsu’s old roommate discarded and left with him.


“I’ve never seen or heard of these movies my entire life.” Shou snickered looking at the movies, “Are you sure these aren’t yours? I mean they do line up with your shit taste in everything-”


“Oh shut up- just pick a movie already.” Ritsu threw a pillow at him and Shou laughed as he use telekinesis to slide in a shitty romance-horror movie into the DVD box.


The movie was horrible, it was more funny than scary. Shou forced Ritsu to replay the same scene 3 times, when the woman was about to be murdered and the camera angle changed 5 times in the span of 10 seconds.


They managed to get through the movie taking 20 minutes longer due to Shou begging Ritsu to replay scenes that he just had to watch again to make sure that really happened.


As the main protagonist and love interest share a kiss to fading-in credits, It’s silent besides the movie's horrid taste in music (Shou would argue it isn’t AS bad as Ritsu’s taste in donuts but, still.)


“That was,” Ritsu paused to exasperatedly exhale.


“Amazing.” Shou replied, Skipping back to that same scene where the camera changes angles 3 different times.


“GOD- NOT AGAIN–” Ritsu said, scrambling his way to grab the remote out of Shou’s hand while laughing.


Shou manages to grab it back before Ritsu pushes him back down and pauses the movie again, “Oh. It’s ON” Shou said, grabbing a pillow with one hand and trying to grab the remote with the other.


The movie was, pausing, unpausing, fast forwarding, pausing, rewinding, unpausing. Until Ritsu finally manages out of all the chaos and wrestling with pillows, press the off switch. Shou groaned and fell back onto the couch in defeat, dropping one of the pillows on the ground and looking up at Ritsu who was kneeling on the couch, still holding the remote.


“I win.” He was gasping, he placed the remote back down on the table and they both looked at each other in silence.


Before they burst out laughing, Shou got up and sat in front of Ritsu, knees almost touching, “How- How dare you not let me play that-” He said mid laughs.


“How dare you choose that awful movie!--” He lightly shoved Shou “That’s 2 hours of my life I can’t get back-”


“You WOUND me Ritsu-” Shou says dramatically, putting a hand on his chest as if Ritsu just broke his heart.


They sat there, the laughing dying down.


“Hey…” Shou’s grin slowly falls to a smile, “What.. Are we?” He looked up at Ritsu, who was looking at him with innocent curious eyes.


They’ve been dancing around their feelings for the better part of a year now. At surface value it didn’t seem that complicated, Ritsu loved him, Shou was pretty sure he liked Ritsu, even so it felt like there was still a gap between them.


“Are we friends?” Shou continued, “Are we best friends?- Are we…” Shou paused, gathering his thoughts, “Boyfriends?....” He said that slowly, unsure, it felt weird saying it outloud.


Ritsu shuffles closer, knees now touching.


“I mean, we did kiss–..” Shou tried to explain, his thoughts were getting tangled up in the line between his thoughts and his mouth.


“What does that have to do with anything?” Ritsu asked.


“Wha- Are you implying you kiss other friends Ritsu? Where you cheating on me?” Shou sounded affronted, a mix of a joking tone of voice but at the same time serious and curious.


Ritsu was taken aback with Shou’s reply and immediately replied with, “Nonono- I- the only person I’d ever kiss is you–uu-u aah, anyway. Um” Ritsu trailed off.


Shou fought back a smile, as the room went silent, the only thing you could hear were birds chirping and the ambient noise of traffic.


“Could.. I be your..--” Shou paused and mumbled “crap this sounds so cheesy..”


Ritsu stared at Shou, dilated white eyes, like he’d been anticipating this question and eager to hear Shou finish it.


“Oh..” Shou whispered when he saw how Ritsu was looking at him, He looked away for a second “Fuck it.”


He looked at Ritsu, and inhaled, “Can I be your boyfriend Ritsu?”


Ritsu smiles, a big smile, with teeth. And Shou just dies at the sight. “Yes.” He says, with zero hesitation.


Finally washing every last bit of his sticky uncertain emotions, leaving them behind in the messy sink he calls his thoughts.


“But one thing though.” Shou put his hands on his hips. “Since we’re– dating. Now. God that still feels weird to say.” he paused, “you have to call me Shou now, none of this Suzuki crap you’ve done, for years”


“Fine.. Su- Shou.” Ritsu forced himself.


Shou Patted Ritsu on the shoulder, “There you go!” He smiled.


Reaching out arms, and pulling Shou into a hug that they both melt in, staying there for what feels like not enough time, Ritsu breathes and says, “I love you, Shou.”.


Shou pulls back, staring into Ritsu’s dilated galaxy eyes. Hesitating for a second before leaning in, pausing so close to Ritsu’s lips that he could almost feel them.


Ritsu responded by closing in the gap, their lips meeting each other as Shou pushes Ritsu back on the couch and kisses him as many times as he can, not giving Ritsu a chance to reciprocate.


Pulling back and looking down at Ritsu, lips kiss-bruised and face as red as Shou’s hair, he grins, then smiles, then laughs as he plops his head down, resting his chin on Ritsu’s shoulder, cheek to Ritsu’s neck.


Ritsu’s hand made its way to Shou’s back, gripping Ritsu’s shirt that Shou stole from his closet. He could feel Shou still laughing. Even with Shou on him, he felt lighter, like some emotion that was weighing him down finally left him.


Shou sighed. “I’m still never forgiving you about your shit taste.”


“That’s fine.” Ritsu smiled and patted Shou on the back.





*





Staring at each other, the sunset casting shadows on them, Shou smiles and looks at Ritsu, the boy he’s been dating for 3 years now. “Is this roof good enough for you?” He teases, as he spreads his arms open, standing atop their apartments rooftop.

“It’s perfect.” Ritsu smiles, looking at Shou, who was staring back at Ritsu like he’s the world.

“Y’know,” Shou paused, softly smiling at Ritsu. “This entire time i haven't said I love you back and– I'm sorry I haven't said it, It was just– I was just too scared to open up or– or something but I,” He inhaled, “Really really do love you Kageyama Ritsu.”

A squeaky “I love you too, Shou.” was all Ritsu could muster as he wrapped Shou around his arms and kissed him.