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"Man, they almost found out about our relationship yesterday!" Nendou chuckled, dangling his backpack of his shoulder. "Good that they didn't though, right?"
Kaidou might have a history of acting like a detective, but Kuboyasu seemed so serious— it was almost funny to watch the pair of them scamper around and piece together clues about Hairo. They asked in a dramatic accusation accented by light reassurance— was Hairo gay?
He denied it, laughed it off, but like, yeah. He was. He was pretty gay. And he even had the boyfriend to prove it.
But they'd agreed people didn't need to know about it yet.
"Yeah, that's right." Hairo paused, taking a second before he spoke again, reserve etched on his face. "But I really wanted to say it to them," he took a step closer, clasping Nendou's hand in both of his own, "that our relationship is what it is."
"Pfft— Man, you're joking, right?" Nendou blushed, which made for a strange look on his already strange face, reminiscent of a proboscis monkey. Hairo didn't notice, though— to him, Nendou was amazing, from appearance to personality.
"No, I'm serious!" Hairo held the other's gaze with startling intensity, grip on the other's hands growing tighter as he grew more passionate. "I'd even be willing to come out for your sake!"
"Hey, you're being too loud!" Nendou floundered around for a second in panic before clasping a hand over Hairo's mouth, leaving him unimpressed.
"... Let's just pretend we didn't hear that." Kuboyasu's voice echoed from around the corner, as did Kaidou's murmured agreement.
Uh oh.
Nendou grabbed Hairo's face, concern etched om his caveman brow. "Eh? Dude, you're burning up, do you have a fever?"
Hairo was just blushing. He'd been told he ran hot.
So, those two definitely realised.
"Eh? Did those two hear?" Nendou dropped his hands, peeking his head around the corner. "... Well, they're my friends. Maybe it's good they know."
"... So, would you be cool telling people?" Hairo's eyebrows furrowed, his head tilting.
"Hah! I've been keeping it to myself because I don't want people to get jealous. I always said I could get whichever babe I wanted, but no one believed me, and I didn't wanna make 'em feel stupid just because I got one." Nendou shifted quickly from nervous to affectionate, slinging an arm around his shoulder.
"I thought you were worried about people knowing you're in to dudes?"
"Eh? Why would that matter?" Nendou blinked, head tilting, utterly clueless.
Hairo thought he was so, so brave. Though PDA was discouraged at school, and Hairo would never initiate it, Nendou didn't seem to mind, giving him a squeeze and kissing his cheek.
"I have to catch up with my buddies! I said I'd take them for ramen. I'll call later, let me know when you get home from tennis."
Hairo grinned, giving him a quick, shy embrace before they parted.
Nendou jogged up to greet his friends, bringing his hand down on Saiki's shoulder. Kaidou and Kuboyasu exchanged a look— they must have misunderstood. This was a comedy manga, after all. Well, technically a fanfiction about a comedy anime based on a manga. It must have just been a joke. At least, that's what the author decided to allow for plot progression. Don't question it.
Saiki greeted him with a nod, continuing to walk along with his friends. For someone who generally avoided people, the friends he walked home with were quite the crowd. It started with Nendou and Kaidou, then Kuboyasu joined, then Akechi. Sometimes Mikoto or Hairo would join them, but they had jobs and afterschool activities, so the days their group had more than five people were rare.
"Ah, Nendou!" Akechi grinned— the pair of them got along suprisingly well— Nendou was too dumb to get annoyed by Akechi's condescending intellect. "Did something interrupt your routine? You're usually the one waiting for us!"
"Ahah, sorry, little guy! I was caught up talking to someone. I'll get you guys ramen to say sorry!" He grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Guess what? I can't hang out with any of you this evening—"
No one offered, Saiki rolled his eyes.
"Because I have a date!" Nendou crossed his arms, tilting his head up smugly.
A noise of confusion rang out from the group, a '!?' symbol appearing over each one's head, save for Saiki (who didn't care that much) (don't tell him I told you, but he actually found himself quite happy for his friend) and Akechi, who gently smacked Nendou's chest. "Congratulations! Honestly, I was wondering when you were going go let us know!"
"You knew??" The group uttered in suprise.
"Of course! The signs have all been there— he's no longer simply just not paying attention in class, but instead actively daydreaming and smiling in class. He's also been using a scented antiperspirant, and he hasn't been saying 'oh wow' when he sees Teruhashi! So, who's the lucky gal?"
I don't know if lucky is the right word.
"See?" He cast a smug glare in Kuboyasu and Kaidou's direction, wiggling his eyebrows. "I told you I could get any babe I wanted to." He twirled his weird mohawk around his finger, smirking to himself. "I got with the most popular babe in school!"
Kaidou gasped, hair sticking up like hackles on a dog. "Teruhashi Kokomi?! No way she'd go out with a guy like you!"
"Huh? No, what do you mean?" He tilted his head in confusion. "I'm talking about Hairo."
That made sense to Saiki. Hairo had practically been in love with Nendou ever since he'd saved him, and continued to grow more and more obsessed with him. Besides, Hairo didn't care about how someone looked on the outside, but on the inside, it was undeniable Nendou was a good guy. Good for them.
However, it seemed to take everyone else by suprise. "How did you get Hairo to date you?! He's way out of your league!" Kaidou gawked, eyes big.
"Eh? What do you mean, little buddy? He asked me on a date, I didn't have to do anything." He winked. "Except be my charming self."
"That doesn't make any sense— someone like you would have to bend over backwards to get a partner—"
"Yeah, well, I'm not taking advice from someone who hasn't even been on a date before."
Kaidou deflated, pouting and sniffling as Kuboyasu wrapped a protective arm around him. "Hey, you're right, but you don't have to torment the poor kid about it."
He barely mentioned it.
"Saiki, how are you not surprised?" The ex-gangster asked. "He's your best friend, surely something like this would catch you off guard!"
Saiki sighed. Simple— I just don't care.
"Pfft—" Akechi laughed, arms folded neatly in front of them. "At least admit to being happy for them, Kusuo! It's like adopting another high-energy dog to keep a high-energy dog company! The pair of them will improve each other."
Kaidou paused for a second, before nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense— they'll be less intense to others since they'll wear each other out."
"Hey, little pervert" Nendou snickered.
"Ahh! Not like that!"
Nendou felt a little lighter. It was nice to be able to tell his friends. He didn't even realise that it was something he'd wanted.
-
Midori Nendou got home late after her hostess job, finding her son still awake and sitting on his bed, on his phone and swinging his legs. He'd always been a sweet kid. "Riki," she knocked twice, offering a smile. She'd been working so much lately that it felt like she hadn't seen him in weeks.
"Oh, hey mom!" He signalled at her for just one second to finish his phone call. "Yeah, mom's home— you should come over sometime, she works pretty late so we can make dinner together." He smiled at the response on the other end, eyes sparkling. "Yeah. See you tomorrow."
Midori gave a long sigh— there was no doubt in her mind that her baby boy was in love. She sat down with him, smiling softly. "Who are you talking to? Have you met a pretty girl? It sounded like you were planning a date."
Riki frowned for a second, forehead creasing. "I do have a date but it's not with a pretty girl."
"Riki, I hope you aren't calling your girlfriend ugly—"
"Mom, no, it's with a pretty boy instead."
Midori seemed taken aback for a second, then snapped back to normal. "Ah, of course— when will you introduce him to me?" Riki would always be her lovely son, no matter who he ended up dating.
Riki was excited to tell her everything about Hairo, grinning ear to ear like a little kid. She considered herself lucky to have such a sweet son.
--
Nendou, the next day at school, wasn't even a shred shy to show his affection for Hairo— he practically bounded up to him like a puppy when he saw him, kissing his cheek and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Hairo was nervous, but he wouldn't let it show! As he said, he'd come out for Nendou— it didn't matter what anyone thought!
"Hairo, is Nendou harassing you?" A generic classmate frowned, stepping towards the pair of them.
"... Um, no?" Hairo leaned in to his boyfriend, giving an awkward laugh. "No, we're— we're a couple." Oh. So he'd have to explain it to people. He kind of thought it would just be straightforward—
"Like, a couple for tennis? Like for doubles matches? That makes sense, I should play you after school— you two must be training together right now, you take your sports so seriously you'll even kiss your teammates! Hairo, I really admire your dedication!"
"No— well, thank you, but he's my boyfriend." Hairo laughed again, only to be met with an awkward glance.
"Really..?" Generic classmate squinted at the pair of them. "... I didn't know you were gay. Well, that explains some things."
"!?!?"
"Plus, it makes sense you'll date Nendou— you must be lonely and dating the only other gay guy in the school—"
"Hah. No, I like him. He's the bravest guy I know, he's so strong and passionate, and he has this fire inside of him for justice and kindness more than anyone I've ever seen!" Hairo grinned, looking at generic classmate with his signature intensity, seeming to break through to them a little.
"Oh, well... I guess I can see that. Yeah, if I don't look at him, I can see why someone might date him! Well... Good luck, I guess! It's good they finally wrote some gay characters in to this anime that aren't incestuous! Well, I'll see you at tennis this afternoon— you two might make a dream team, but I'm motivated to beat you!" Generic character kept rambling as rumours spread quickly, mutating like some sort of virus that makes people talk about gays. Hairo was completely oblivious to this gossip, dividing his attention between hyping up his fellow sports dudes and admiring Nendou, who had remained suspicisly quiet.
Nendou had been distracted looking at a butterfly outside the window. Cute.
Hairo was used to eyes on him, but not in such a critical way. People had a lot of thoughts to share, and some of them were unkind. People kept telling him how ugly Nendou was, and Hairo could never see it! Sure, he looked different, but looking unique meant he looked all the more pretty in Hairo's opinion. Besides, it wasn't what was on the outside that mattered. Why did he have to keep explaining that?
"... Hairo, it would be better if you just dated a girl." A different generic classmate, glanced at Nendou, who was across the room. "I get it, gay couples are what's in in sports manga, but it's gross. Just find a sporty girl and date her instead."
"I'm gay."
"You're choosing to be gay."
"No, I'm choosing to be proud of it, I'm just gay." His eye twitched— this was possibly the first day he hadn't been highly energetic for the full day.
"... I don't believe that. I'll introduce you to my cousin, she's cute, sporty, single, AH!"
Kuboyasu smacked that dude in the jaw.
"Hell. Punks like that get on my nerves." Kuboyasu huffed, glaring around. "You doin' okay, Hairo? Ain't right for people to talk so much smack."
Hairo chattered in concern over the guy who'd just got smacked, before realising, "but it seems more people are minding their businesses now... Thank you."
"Hey, us queers gotta stick together. Plus, I owe you one. You helped me get settled in." Kuboyasu nodded. "It's brave of you to be out. I know a lot of people are feeling inspired—and you didn't even have to pep talk them. It's cool how you're just being yourself."
Yeah. It was pretty cool.