Work Text:
The hiss of the coffee machine and the hum of caffeine addicted college-students reached the break room like as faint background noise. Kyojuro was taking a break between shifts, tapping away at his phone with the straw of an employee-bonus free smoothie caught between his lips.
“Gooooood morning!” The door burst inward and Mitsuri came trotting inside, her face lit with what seemed to be a permanent blush.
“Morning.” Kyojuro greeted shortly, eyes still glued to his phone.
The girls pink and green braided pigtails swung as she dropped her bag into her locker and pulled out the uniform button up shirt hung inside. She kicked the door shut and slid off her lime green sweater, hanging it on the hook recently vacated by her uniform.
“How’s semester been?”
“Good. You?”
Such small talked carried through as Mitsuri buttoned her shirt up over her undershirt and lifted her backpack, setting it in the locker.
Once she shut the locker door, she turned to look at Kyojuro, who in the past two minutes had completely drained the nearly full smoothie.
“Geez, you really knock those things back, huh?”
Kyojuro shrugged as he delivered a final swipe to his phone before tucking it in his apron pocket. “They’re free.” He said, as if that explained everything.
And frankly, it did. Broke college students as they were, Mitsuri was well aware of the allure of surviving off the free drinks and day-old baked goods of the cafe.
“Huh, tight on rent this month?” She prodded as she trailed him out the door into the hall behind the kitchen and front counter.
“Well, it’s nothing terrible. Could always be worse.” He replied, succinct as usual.
After that, the workday proceeded. Kyojuro worked both the early shift and the morning rush, and some days in the afternoon when he didn’t have classes. Mitsuri worked at the cafe a lot too, but even she didn’t take as many shifts of her fellow omega. There were several other omegas who also worked during the same shifts of them, including Tokito who was handling the register.
He’s so friendly with everyone, and we’re both in our first year, so I feel like I should get to know him more. It’s weird, I feel like we’ve talked a lot but I still don’t know much about him…and he never wants to go out or do anything! He must really be broke…
Mitsuri thought to herself as she loaded dirty dishes from a table into the bin on her hip to carry to the kitchen. The morning rush was just starting to slow, so she was moving a bit more casually as she turned towards the register.
Things developed pretty quickly after that.
“My purse!” One of the lowers who had been waiting for his drink near the door collapsed to the ground, having been shoved by a tall, skinny perpetrator. The man rushed for the door, obviously intending to bolt out and make a quick get-away.
Unfortunately for him, Kyojuro had been cleaning off one of the tables by the door. Mitsuri felt she’d hardly blinked before Kyojuro had seized the thief by the wrist. “Hey! Give that back!”
Without a thought, the ill-prepared thief whirled to throw a punch, which Kyojuro responded to with an easy dodge.
He then promptly flung the man over his shoulder into the far wall of the cafe.
Mitsuri shrieked as he crumpled to the ground, unconscious, and the abstract painting hung nearby rattled from the impact.
The entire building was quiet for a second, then the remaining customers broke into uproarious applause. Between Kyojuro helping the fallen omega up and someone else dialing the campus police, Mitsuri came down to her realization all over again.
I really don’t know anything about Kyojuro, huh?
Later
“So you were a national champion in judo!?”
“Not champion, my best was 3rd at the national tournament. But I was on a team, I didn’t do it on my own.” Kyojuro replied nonchalantly, yet again fixated on his phone/smoothie combo from where they sat at a picnic table in a courtyard on campus. The owner of the cafe had arrived to help clear up the purse-snatching incident and had insisted all of them take the rest of the day off, still paid of course. The omegas on shift had taken the offer and after some heavy convincing, Mitsuri had dragged Kyojuro to join them for snacks before they went their separate ways.
Tokito had played a non-zero part in the convincing, but Mitsuri had still carried the weight.
“You don’t seem to realize how impressive that was.” Tokito finally contributed, and at last Kyojuro raised his golden eyes from his phone screen. Setting the device face down on the table, he looked between the three of them.
“Did you not do sports in high school?”
“Not throwing-people-across-rooms sports.” Tokito muttered between bites of the muffin he’d selected as his snack of choice.
Mitsuri gestured at him. “Exactly! You’re like crazy strong!”
“I suppose. I did enjoy judo. I’m glad I haven’t fallen to far out of practice.” Kyojuro had the same steady smile on his face as usual, and Tokito gave a weary sigh. “I’ll say.”
“What sports did you all do in high school?” Kyojuro flawlessly got the attention off himself, but Mitsuri let it slide as she threw her hand up.
“I was in gymnastics!”
“Volleyball.” Tokito said, and his two companions immediately fixed him with suspicious looks.
His expression soured. “I played libero, and my school wasn’t that good.”
It was at this point that Mitsuri’s phone went off with a cheerful whistle, and she fumbled it from her pocket. After taking one look at it, she groaned. “Not again!”
“Is something wrong?” Kyojuro cocked his head in a strange mix of threatening and curious puppy.
Mitsuri flopped face first onto the picnic table. “My date tonight just flaked on me…”
“Oof…third time this semester.” Tokito didn’t seem particularly sympathetic, and Kyojuro set his now empty smoothie cup down in order to deliver a comforting pat to Mitsuri’s pink hair. “If they were so rude as to cancel this late, they’re not worth your time anyway.”
Mitsuri almost immediately shot up, throwing her arms up. “Yeah! See, Kamado’s got the right idea about this stuff!”
Tokito gave a non-committed hum. “I’m single and currently uninterested.”
“Hey! You’re a liar!” Mitsuri pointed in Tokito’s face with a ferocious snarl.
Or, well, as ferocious as she could be while still choking back tears. She was definitely riding a mood swing and a half.
“How so?” Tokito challenged, and Mitsuri scowled.
“You have Lighter AND Buzz downloaded on your phone don’t even try to lie!”
Tokito sputtered with no defense. “We all know you’re a romantic disaster, can we not go dragging me into it?”
“Shut up! Single lowers should band together on this!” Mitsuri whined, and Kyojuro glanced between the two of them again with a new found hesitance.
He picked up his phone from the table and checked the screen again, before taking a breath. “Actually, I’m…”
“THE WORLD IS CRUEL! I JUST WANT LOVE IN MY LIFE!”
Tokito groaned as he watched Mitsuri roll off the picnic bench and onto the soft grass, flopping around like a child throwing a tantrum.
“Don’t worry, she gets like this sometimes.” He contributed up to Kyojuro, who had a smile quirk on his lips.
He set his phone onto the table screen-down once again.
“I suppose it’s fair if she’s this unlucky. Besides, it’s fun to carry on sometimes.”
The Next Month.
Tokito came into the break room, yawning and reaching back to tie up his hair for work and was immediately ambushed by Mitsuri.
“I think we need to help Kamado loosen up!”
“What?” He responded flatly.
Because sure, after the whole purse-snatching incident where they all found out Kyojuro had super-strength (or maybe he was just actually good at judo) they’d been slowly managing to drag him into more and more of their meet-ups outside of work. By ‘more’ it was like, study sessions at the library or brief lunches at the campus food hall, so it wasn’t that much, but it was something.
Something Mitsuri and Tokito had gathered was that Kyojuro was busting his ass almost every second of every day. He’d given a brief anecdote that suggested his father wasn’t the most supportive parent on the block, and from that they’d surmised he was working so much and studying so hard to keep up with tuition and scholarship.
His continual friendliness and dependability also meant Mitsuri got an A on her mid-term paper and Tokito actually passed his math exam, but finding out their otherwise single-minded co-worker was smart was lower on the list.
“Look, if he’s busy don’t bug him. He’s already hanging out with us a little more, leave it at that.” Tokito grumbled tiredly, and Mitsuri sighed.
“I know, but I feel like he’s gonna stress himself half to death. He’s been acting so tired lately, too!”
Tokito shrugged. “I mean, sure, but that’s up to him. I’m more surprised you haven’t pestered him over his love life.”
Mitsuri let out a comically long gasp. “I haven’t! I just assumed there’s no way he has time for one!”
Tokito was questioning where exactly Mitsuri’s priorities were half the time, and as if by fate footsteps came at a clipped pace down the hall.
“Good morning!” Kyojuro greeted as he leaned into the doorway, and Mitsuri rounded on him.
“Oh! Perfect timing! I was just talking to Tokito, we were wondering if you’ve met anyone interesting on campus?” The excessive eyebrow waggle should have made the implication obvious, but Kyojuro returned it with a confused stare.
“Interesting? Some of the history professors are rather strange, does that count?”
Mitsuri groaned. “No, not that! I mean like attractive!”
“Attractive and interesting are the same thing now?” Kyojuro asked in a tone that dared to be teasing. He sidestepped her and went to his locker, dropping his beat-up backpack in front of it.
“Now you’re just playing dumb!” Mitsuri pouted, and Tokito rolled his eyes.
Kyojuro set his phone down on the shelf in his locker and turned back to them again. “And besides, I haven’t been paying any particular attention.”
“Yeah, yeah, too much work, too little time.” Mitsuri grumbled, slouching in the doorway.
Kyojuro blinked quizzically, before a sideways smile came to his face, much less confident than his usual one. “Well, actually, it’s because I’m already…”
A timer loudly buzzing from the counter cut him off, and Tokito spun on his heel. “Come on, let’s just go. The front opens soon, we need to unlock the door and switch the signs on.”
“Fiiiine…we’ll finish this talk later!” Mitsuri warned him she wasn’t giving up as she left, the door swinging shut behind them.
Kyojuro felt somewhat exasperated as he watched them go. He clicked his locker open and pulled his uniform shirt off the hanger. Setting it on the shelf, he stripped off his tee shirt and hung it up. As he went through this same morning routine, reaching back to tie up his hair, his phone buzzed with a familiar sing-song tone, set to be different from any other ringer he used. The screen lit up where it sat on the shelf next to his shirt.
Tanjiro: So your co-workers are still pestering you?
A smile rose on Kyojuro’s lips, and still standing in his jeans and undershirt he picked up the device.
You: I was trying to tell them again just now and got interrupted. Again.
Tanjiro: They sound like chaos. Not much different from judo club then?
You: I dunno I haven’t gotten locked in any closets yet
Tanjiro: ONe tiME iT waS OnE TiME!!! 川*￣д￣*川
A snicker broke from Kyojuro’s lips as he set his phone back down and grabbed his button up. At this rate it was more of a miracle none of them had been in the room while he was changing his shirt yet. The circular bite mark that stood out plain as day on the juncture of his neck and shoulder would have clued them in pretty quickly to his relationship status.
But, well, they’ve interrupted me a few times now that I’ve tried to tell them, so I might as well just let them carry on. It’ll be funny to see how long it takes them to figure it out.
Kyojuro made no great effort to hide the fact he was mated. He was texting with Tanjiro on breaks more often than not, and had never made any reference to seeking romanic relationships around campus. But, Tanjiro was still in high school, and they’d gotten mated right before he left for college. It’d been a bit spur of the moment, but the omega didn’t regret it for a second. He’d been equally as fast to take his alphas surname, leaving behind his fathers name that, for all his mixed feelings, had always made him feel belittled. It wasn’t as though he avoided talking about Tanjiro either, it was just that he didn’t talk much about himself or his personal life at all to start. He had somehow not once mentioned martial arts, which had been his lifelong passion though high school, till a purse-snatcher gave him good reason to show off a judo throw.
So it might be partly my fault…but if they asked me, I’d tell them. They just haven’t asked.
Ponytail in place to keep his wild blonde hair from his face, he tossed his button up around his shoulders and made quick work of doing up the front. His bond mark vanished beneath the collar, and he straightened it in the mirror by the door before picking up his phone again.
Tanjiro: Any big plans for the weekend?
You: Studying. Maybe going to the campus gym if I have time
Tanjiro: yeah, gotta keep your thief-throwing arm in good shape
You: very funny
Tanjiro: At least try to get some sleep, will you?
You: I sleep!
Tanjiro: Of course you do (￣ω￣)
Kyojuro felt a bit called out, but before he could plot a possible reply to save face his eye caught the clock on the wall about to hit the top of the hour.
You: My shifts about to start, I’ll call you when I’m done for the day
Tanjiro: I’ll be counting the minutes (∩❛ω❛)⊃━♡
Kyojuro snorted. Mainly because Tanjiro was only so romantic over texts. Whenever he’d try saying something smooth to his face, well, that would usual end in him stuttering and blushing up to his ears before all the words got out.
That was cute, too, though.
He set his phone back on the shelf in his locker and closed the door as he stifled a yawn. A near permanent weariness had been weighing on his eyes as of late, but he hadn’t mentioned it to anyone. Especially not to Tanjiro.
He hadn’t seen his alpha in nearly three months, and that was pretty long for a bond to be stretched. He knew it would take a toll on Tanjiro as well, likely making him more antsy and irritable as the days went by, but it wouldn’t damage his day to day life to terribly.
Kyojuro wasn’t one to fall asleep in class, but in last weeks lectures he’d been so close his eyes had closed of their own accord a few times, but he’d managed to catch himself.
I promised him I’d mention if I was struggling…but I can’t make him drop everything just to come visit. Besides, I’ve only got a month left before break, I can push through that long.
Tanjiro had begun working at his father’s company, which as the eldest son he was likely to take over. His parents were very kind, but they were pretty traditional, and as such now that he was seventeen (and mated already to boot) they’d been easing him into more responsibility.
Between work, helping at home, school, and judo, Tanjiro was probably just about as slammed as Kyojuro was. So the omega wasn’t about to start whining about a little tiredness at this point. They were both working hard to realize an eventual lifetime together, a couple years spent mostly apart wasn’t going to break them.
It certainly wasn’t going to break Kyojuro, who’d spent his post-presentation years before meeting Tanjiro fairly certain he’d be strong-arming him way through life alone. The stream of emoticons and supportive texts he got every day regardless of other troubles would do. They would more than do.
And if Kyojuro was checking the days off his calendar bit more eagerly now, well, sue him.
Friday.
“Almost home free!” Mitsuri declared to the other two omegas keeping her company. The cafe was a few minutes from closing time, and no other customers seemed to be coming in. So they were busing the tables and cleaning up, preparing to close for the day.
To Mitsuri’s excited cry, Tokito gave no reply.
The tinkling of glass knocking together rang out as Kyojuro straightened with a tub full of dishes for the washer in his arms. “Have you got anything fun to do this weekend?”
Mitsuri threw her arms up, waving her dishtowel. “Who knows? But I’m sure gonna catch up on some sleep! You look like you could use that sometimes, Kamado.”
Kyojuro raised an eyebrow at her pointedly. “Are you saying I look bad?”
“She’s saying you look tired.” Tokito lent, his voice quiet as usual.
“Well, the semesters nearly done anyway. It’s a final push, I suppose. Don’t worry about it.” He flashed them his typical steady smile and then carried the tub of dishes into the back to load into the washer.
Mitsuri watched him go with a disgruntled expression. “He’s such a workaholic.”
Tokito’s eyes, meanwhile, were drawn to a brunette in a green hoodie approaching the doors at a near-run. “What time it is?”
Mitsuri groaned. “Seven minutes left…maybe he just wants a to-go order.”
She replied before putting on her service-ready smile.
The young man entered, slowing his speed to a quick walk, and his eyes darted around almost excitedly.
“Hi! We’re almost closing so we can’t seat you, so sorry! Can I get you a to-go order?” Mitsuri greeted.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m not actually here to buy anything…Kyojuro works here, right?” His voice carried through the cafe and a loud series of clattering noises erupted from the back.
Tokito jumped at the sounds, and then a door swung open from the kitchen and Kyojuro’s head leaned out, eyes owlishly wide.
“Ah, Kyo! Surprise!” The alpha who’d just entered broke into a beaming smile, waving.
That was about all he got out before Kyojuro was across the room and throwing his arms around him, nearly knocking him over. He was about half a head taller than the alpha, but the way he seemed to fold into himself in the embrace looked incredibly natural.
As it should, he’d reached for this upper plenty of times before, after all.
“…when did you get here?” He demanded, but his voice was muffled in the alphas hoodie, and it was distinctly obvious his shoulders were shaking a bit.
Kyojuro had never been one to show excess emotions when they weren’t happy or confident, and it had only taken this alpha’s arrival to send all of those carefully constructed facades flying out the window.
“Um, like ten minutes ago? You think I couldn’t tell you were having issues? I’m sorry I couldn’t come sooner.” The young man replied, returning the embrace and pressing a kiss to the side of Kyojuro’s head. His arms held him just as tightly as Kyojuro’s initially had. A hint of relief, a hint of slowly receding desperation.
They stayed like that a few moments, and Kyojuro finally let go of him.
He glanced over his shoulder at his co-workers, his cheeks splotchy and red. He quickly wiped at the uninvited tears and straightened himself out with an expression that could almost be read as sheepish.
“Um, sorry.” He managed, and the alpha he’d just released stepped forward.
“Yeah, sorry for interrupting! My names Kamado Tanjiro, I’m Kyojuro’s mate. I was planning to wait till he was done work but I guess I got ahead of myself when I actually got here.”
Mitsuri and Tokito exchanged glances, then turned their eyes back on the couple again.
“You’re mated!?” Mitsuri seemed to at last catch up with what she was hearing.
Kyojuro covered his mouth to hide his snickering. “I’ve tried to tell you like three or four times now…you always interrupt me.”
“You were messing with them a little bit.” Tanjiro pointed out, but he had an amused grin on his face as well.
Tokito was also sporting a shocked look, something very unfamiliar on his typically stoic face. “That…actually explains a lot.”
Mitsuri slammed her palms onto the counter. “So that’s why you refuse to go out with us!?”
“No, I refuse to go out with you because I actually want to get some sleep.” Kyojuro replied flippantly, folding his arms across his chest as Mitsuri fumed.
“How could I never have noticed!?”
“I’m more impressed you’ve never been in the back room while I was changing my shirt.” Kyojuro commented, hooking a thumb into his collar and pulling it out far enough to show the bond mark that was plainly obvious on his shoulder.
Mitsuri sputtered upon the sight of it. “I-I never…w-well, you avoid me!”
“I do not.” Kyojuro shut her down as he glanced to Tanjiro again.
“How long have you been planning this?”
“Awhile. Don’t worry about it.” Tanjiro replied with a smug grin, and Kyojuro gave him a fond eye roll.
“You’re so intense, where did you find time to date?” Mitsuri was still not letting this go.
Kyojuro shrugged. “We met in Judo club, so it wasn’t like I was putting in any special effort.”
“Ouch.” Tanjiro faked a wince, and his omega cracked another smile far more genuine than anything he’d shown around the cafe.
“As if you were planning on finding a courtship the first month of school.”
“I’m not saying I was, but still, Kyo, you’re gonna break my heart.”
“I suppose you’ll have to survive.” After saying this, Kyojuro took a few clipped strides across the cafe and then called back. “Well, since you two have always offered, I think today…”
He darted into the backroom and came back out moments later with his backpack slung over his shoulder and his phone in hand.
“…you can close without me!”
Tokito gave an amused huff. “So your alpha shows up to break your workaholic streak?”
“I’m not complaining.” Tanjiro said bright, before turning to Mitsuri and Tokito again.
“Nice to meet you, have a good night!”
With that Kyojuro grabbed him by the hand and all but dragged him out of the cafe.
Mitsuri saw through the window as they retreated both of their faces were lit up with the fondest expressions she could imagine.
She folded her arms and leaned up against the counter. “So where do I find an upper like that, huh?”
Tokito heaved a sigh as couple rounded a corner, out of view.
“Judo club, apparently.”