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It is a known fact that Kazutora is incapable of saying no to Keisuke. 

It's why he finds himself in front of a haunted house, brain working overtime to try and find a decent excuse to leave before their turn to enter. He hates the way Keisuke only has to smile and he caves to whatever impulsive decision he’s made. 

In this case it meant a drive out of the city to what claimed to be the scariest haunted house in Japan, a summer promotion for a new horror movie festival. Kazutora spends the entire drive listening to Keisuke talk animatedly about the special effects the house supposedly used, as well as all the gory details of the costumes they could expect to see. He reminds himself over and over that he loves Keisuke more than he’d loved anyone else before–it does nothing to calm his nerves, but it was a nice reminder nonetheless. 

The line is mercifully short, but there are far too many people in themed costumes for Kazutora’s liking. “This is stupid,” he mumbles. Keisuke is munching on a snack he’d tricked Kazutora into buying for him and pays no attention to Kazutora’s complaint. “Keisuke, are you sure we have to do this?”

“Yup!” 

“Ugh.” 

They follow a pair of murderous clowns inside, Kazutora trying to listen carefully to the instructions the worker gives about working their way through the house’s maze structure. 

“This is gonna be so fun!” 

Kazutora disagrees. It’s already so dark that he can barely see anything around him. “Just don’t leave my side, or I’ll kill you,” he threatens, tightening his grip on Keisuke’s hand. He hears his boyfriend’s loud laugh and pinches his arm. “I’m serious, Baji Keisuke.” 

He continues to clutch at Keisuke as they begin to make their way through the house. He screams more than he’s willing to admit to anyone, and he’s fairly certain Keisuke’s going to be bruised from how his grip tightens at every new fright. It’s almost unbearable, but they make it to the halfway checkpoint, and Kazutora thinks he’ll survive. 

But then Keisuke slips away from him somehow, and Kazutora finds himself momentarily without his lifeline. 

Then, a figure jumps in front of him at the same time dim lights start flashing. It happens too quickly. A scream rips from Kazutora’s throat and he swings his fist, fight or flight activated at the sight of the knife in his face. He connects against a cheekbone and he hears a curse. 

“Kazutora!” Keisuke grabs his arm and pulls him back, suddenly back at his side, his phone out and flashlight shining. “What the fuck?”

“I’m so sorry! I am so sorry,” Kazutora rushes out, realizing that he hasn’t punched an actual murderer, but a worker. “I hate these fucking things, I’m so sorry, I hate being scared, I’m sorry.” 

He feels like he’s going to puke. He used to fight frequently in his youth, something he and Keisuke have in common, but it’s been ages since he’s punched someone, and he doesn’t think he’s ever punched someone who didn’t deserve it. 

“You’re stronger than you look,” the masked man says, standing up straight and holding his hand against his cheek. He uses his free hand to lift his mask, Keisuke’s light catching green eyes and a shock of blonde hair. “How’s your hand? I’ve been told I have a hard head.” 

“His hand is fine, but your cheek is already bruising, hell.” Keisuke knocks his knuckles against Kazutora’s forehead gently. “Thanks for trying to protect us from a worker doing their job.”

“I didn’t want to be here!” Kazutora protests, embarrassment starting to seep through his being. He knows he’s done something wrong, but he hates Keisuke telling him. 

Keisuke looks confused. “Then why didn’t you say that?”

Kazutora is about to remind him that he did, maybe in not so many words, but the hints were definitely there, but they’re interrupted by the next group trying to come through the area. 

“Umm… you guys are blocking the passage.” 

Keisuke rolls his eyes, but they step out of the way of a group of girls dressed as dead schoolchildren, making sure to bring Kazutora's victim with them. 

"You have to let us make this up to you," Kazutora says, clasping his hands together for dramatic effect. He feels the weight of karma hanging on his shoulders and knows it'll only lessen if he can fix things. “Dinner? You can’t keep working like this, right?”

“C’mon, despite Kazutora’s stellar first impression, we are nice guys.” Keisuke grins and Kazutora knows they’re about to get their way–he doesn’t know anyone who can resist Keisuke when he turns his charm on. “Tell us your name and let Kazutora buy you dinner.”

“Chifuyu, and I’d love dinner.”

–

They end up at a packed ramen restaurant. All senses are overwhelmed with the scent of the ramen cooking, the patrons shouting their conversations to be heard, and the bright lights dangling above the tables. They have to squeeze themselves into a small booth in the back, and Keisuke tucks Kazutora into his side before he hands Chifuyu a menu. “You can order whatever you want. Kazutora owes you.” 

Kazutora nods. “Still really sorry.” 

“I told you I have a hard head, I’ll survive.” Chifuyu has a cocky grin playing on his lips and it makes Kazutora and Keisuke laugh. 

“Alright tough guy, what are you getting?”

Dinner passes in a whirl for Kazutora. They share orders of various dumplings, and three different levels of spicy ramen, while Kazutora listens to Keisuke quiz Chifuyu on his life. They learn that he’s from the same area as them, and works at a pet shop that he’d like to one day own. He tells them of his cat, Peke J, and shows them a whole slideshow of pictures that Keisuke loves. Chifuyu insists on calling them Baji-san and Hanemiya-san when he finds out they’re older, and it makes Keisuke laugh endlessly that Chifuyu thinks they deserve respect. 

When they’ve finished all their food and had people glare at them for taking up the space for too long, the three make their way back towards the haunted house to drop Chifuyu off. They part ways with Kazutora apologizing once more, and Keisuke exchanging numbers with Chifuyu. 

Chifuyu smiles at them, wincing ever so slightly when his bruised cheek raises. He gives a small wave and then Kazutora and Keisuke are off, back to their car, and on the road towards home. 

Keisuke spends the drive home talking about Chifuyu, prattling on about how they’ll have to meet Peke J, and have Chifuyu over for Kazutora’s famous apology cookies, ignoring Kazutora’s protests that those cookies are a Keisuke exclusive. Kazutora thinks it’ll be a fight for another day. 

When they’re back home and in bed, listening to the sounds of the city outside their windows, Keisuke presses his lips to the spot just below Kazutora’s jaw and yawns. 

“Thanks for punching Chifuyu,” he mumbles sleepily. “You made me a new friend.”

Kazutora is silent as Keisuke’s breathing evens out and turns into hushed snores. There’s a sense of discontent laying thick through his limbs and he fights against it to sleep, but gives up as the bedside clock turns from one to two to three. He doesn’t know how much he believes in things like omens, but he can’t imagine Keisuke being right, despite how well the evening had gone.

There’s no way a friendship can bloom from a fist.

–

“You punched a worker?” Koko sounds appalled while Sanzu cackles maniacally at the way Kazutora had embarrassed himself. 

“It was an accident!” It’s been a few days since the haunted house. Kazutora sits in Koko’s apartment, sipping on a coffee drink Sanzu had brought for him. He’s in a barista experimental phase and continues to use Kazutora and Koko as his guinea pigs. “I bought him dinner after to apologize!”

“What a gentleman,” Sanzu says. Kazutora regrets telling him anything, but years of friendship have made it impossible to keep things from him. “I knew you hadn’t really left your wild youth behind.”

Kazutora tosses one of Koko’s numerous throw pillows at Sanzu, ignoring the scolding from Koko. “Shut up! Keisuke’s already best friends with the kid, so I think we’re fine.” Kazutora hopes they’re fine. Normally he wouldn’t care if someone thought he was a terrible person, but with Keisuke claiming Chifuyu as his new friend, Kazutora knew he’d be in his life for a long while. Being friends with Keisuke was a lifetime commitment. 

Sanzu chucks the pillow back, almost knocking Kazutora’s drink from his hand. “Hope he presses charges on your ass.”

Kazutora is ready to retaliate, but Koko stops them before a full blown pillow fight begins, changing the subject to his latest project at work, and they spend the time mercifully not teasing Kazutora.

Until the twins arrive.

As soon as Smiley and Angry come into Koko’s, carrying takeout from their restaurant, Sanzu relays the Chifuyu Incident to them. Kazutora spends the time hanging his head, having no way to defend himself as Koko has taken all the pillows from him. 

"So you punched this Chifuyu dude and he doesn't hate you? I would've punched you right back," Smiley says, and Angry nods in agreement. 

Kazutora points his finger at Smiley. "That's because you're the worst,” he hisses while stealing some of Angry’s edamame. 

“I’m not the one punching strangers, so I don’t think that’s true.” 

“Alright, alright, let’s leave Kazutora alone now. He knows he’s an idiot.” Koko smirks and this time does nothing to stop Kazutora when he lunges forward to grab a pillow and smack him with it. 

When he leaves Koko’s later, promising to message when he’s made it home safely, Kazutora takes the long way back to his apartment. He thinks of his friends’ words. They’d been joking, of course, but they were still right. There was no reason for Chifuyu to have forgiven Kazutora, most people probably wouldn’t have, and some definitely would’ve punched him back, as Smiley had suggested. There’s a brief thought that perhaps Chifuyu is buying his time for revenge, but Kazutora immediately dismisses the notion as too ridiculous. 

He doesn’t know Chifuyu well, or at all, really, but he feels confident that he’s made of the same sort of good material Keisuke is, and Kazutora knows one thing with absolute certainty–

Keisuke is the best person he knows. 

–

In the weeks that follow meeting Chifuyu, Keisuke spends a lot of time with the younger; their friendship grows quickly after the apology dinner. Kazutora isn't jealous, exactly, but something like that sickly feeling of envy sits uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach.

He lounges in their bed, watching Keisuke rush to get dressed, cursing about losing track of time. Kazutora doesn’t want to ask, but he has to. “You’re going out with Chifuyu again?” 

“Yeah!” Keisuke holds up two matching socks from his sock drawer and smiles triumphantly. He never folds his socks, something Kazutora has long given up on changing. “Do you want to go with?”

Yes. 

“No, that’s fine. Have fun, Keisuke.” 

Kazutora doesn’t tag along when Keisuke gets drinks with Draken, or goes shopping with Mitsuya, or has movie nights with Mikey, so there’s no reason for him to go with him to get dinner with Chifuyu. 

He says as much to Smiley when he visits with Angry and asks Kazutora why he looks so mopey. 

“So it doesn’t bother you at all that he’s spending so much time with this Chifuyu guy?” Smiley doesn’t look convinced. “We don’t know Chifuyu.” 

“Kind of surprising we haven’t met him after all this time,” Angry says. 

“He’s Keisuke’s friend, not yours, so why would you meet him?” Kazutora knows exactly where they’re going and he finds himself growing irritated. “Keisuke’s not cheating on me. He even invited me to go with today.”

Smiley holds his hands up, feigning defense. “We’re not saying that, alright. It’s just interesting because Keisuke doesn’t have any friends who are just his. You met Draken and Mitsuya after your first date with him! Hell, he had you at Mitsuya’s family Christmas and you’d only been dating for a month. He adopted all of us as his friends as soon as he met us, and we met his friends a week later. Keisuke is all about family and togetherness, yeah?” He stops and gives Kazutora a pointed look, his usual cheerful demeanor dropping. “So when I’m telling you to take care of yourself, I mean it.”

Smiley’s words replay again and again through Kazutora’s mind, even when the twins have left and Keisuke has returned, and they’re laying together on their sunken couch, watching an old anime. He’s waiting for Koko to pick him up for their movie night at Sanzu’s, and doesn’t want to leave Keisuke after what could be an awkward conversation, but he can’t help himself.

“When you hang out with Chifuyu, is it just the two of you?” Kazutora asks, regretting it almost immediately. Stupid Smiley and his stupid speech about Keisuke and his friends. He was right, he almost always was, but Kazutora hates it. Keisuke shifts and sits up and away from Kazutora. It sets off an alarm. “Sorry, I just…” 

“Don’t apologize, I was surprised, that’s all. Why are you asking?” 

“Smiley said something earlier,” Kazutora says. “Your friends are usually my friends too, so it’s a little different to see you spending so much time with someone who isn’t my friend.”

Keisuke nods, seemingly thoughtful, before saying “Chifuyu is scared of you.”

Kazutora’s eyes grow wide. How has he never thought of that? He’d punched Chifuyu before even knowing his name, and he knew he wasn’t the best at first impressions, always too much, so even at the dinner, he’d let Keisuke handle the small talk. “Oh, that–”

“No! Not like that!” Keisuke shakes his head. “Fuck, this is why Chifuyu said we had to do this together, but I don’t want to wait if it means you’re feeling like shit.” He pauses, then holds Kazutora’s hands in his, and nods once, like he’s psyching himself up.

“Chifuyu has feelings for us.” 

Kazutora waits for Keisuke to say he’s kidding. He waits for the punchline, for the loud echoes of merriment through their tiny apartment, for the “gotcha” of it all, but Keisuke sits abnormally still, watching Kazutora closely. “Feelings for us?” Keisuke nods. “Not just you?”

Keisuke grins. “Well if he was going to fall for me, he’d obviously fall for you too! We’re a package deal, like the two-for-one yakisoba!” 

Kazutora watches Keisuke’s smile fall as he takes in Kazutora’s silence. He rushes to fix the situation, says, “If you say no, everything with Chifuyu ends. I won't risk what I have with you, and I won't let things with Chifuyu go any further. He knows that.” 

Kazutora remains quiet. He knows if he speaks now, he’ll say something he regrets. Logically, it makes sense that Keisuke would discuss things with Chifuyu, but something about the fact that he’d talked to Chifuyu before talking to Kazutora hurts. He’s always been the type to lash out when wounded, so he bites his tongue. He does so until Koko calls to say he’s waiting downstairs.

“Koko’s here. I’ll see you in the morning.” He makes sure to give Keisuke a lingering kiss, pressing their foreheads together so his boyfriend knows he just needs a little time to think. He’s been lucky to have found someone who doesn’t always need Kazutora’s words spoken aloud. 

Keisuke walks with him to the door, bringing him in for another kiss before letting Kazutora step out the door. “I love you.” Keisuke looks too forlorn for Kazutora’s liking, so he blows him another kiss, making sure to put a smile on his face, even if it feels a little forced. 

“I love you, dummy. Go hang out with Mikey and forget about this for a little bit.”

Keisuke nods, but Kazutora knows neither will be able to ignore what’s just happened. 

–

“He said Chifuyu likes me too, but I've never even talked to him for more than a few minutes at a time. He and Keisuke are usually out, or Chifuyu is leaving when I get home. He doesn’t know me.” Kazutora’s finished telling his friends all about what’s happened since the twins left and they met up again. It feels like something that should’ve happened over days, not a couple hours. Everything that’s happened with Chifuyu feels rushed. 

“Ahh, you shouldn’t dismiss his feelings like that; It must’ve taken a lot for him to admit things to Keisuke, and just as much for them to tell you,” Angry says. He has an uncharacteristically soft look on his face and Kazutora almost hates it. He knows he needs the calm reassurance of his friends, but he’s a little disappointed they’re not instantly threatening bodily harm to anyone who dares to hurt him. 

“Yeah, and we all know that Keisuke never shuts up about you,” Koko points out. 

Kazutora can’t argue with that. Keisuke is wonderfully open with his emotions and though sometimes his love feels like something Kazutora doesn’t deserve, he lets himself bask in it. “I guess.”

Sanzu giggles, already drunk on the wine they’ve been drinking. “He’s obsessed with you. It would be cute if I wasn’t single.”

Smiley chuckles, and Kazutora knows he’s about to say something annoyingly true. "Also like…you punched Chifuyu, dude. So if he says he likes you, he must mean it.” 

Kazutora is quiet, and they let the subject drop quickly. They’ve been friends for long enough to know when to let things go. They move on to Smiley’s relationship with Haitani Rindou, Angry’s highschool rival. Even though they’ve been dating for a few months, there’s little the others enjoy more than teasing Smiley about his boyfriend, Kazutora especially. He appreciates the way they’re doing their best to keep him happy and distracted. 

He finds he’s able to have a good night, drinking until sleepy, and ending the night tucked snuggly into a rolled out futon beside Koko. He stops running through all the worst-case scenarios, all the heartbreak and tears that could come from changing his relationship with Keisuke, and Kazutora hopes Keisuke is able to do the same. Part of him wants to sneak away and call a cab to go home to Keisuke immediately, but he feels Koko wiggling further into the blankets, and gives up on the thought, instead letting sleep take over.

Keisuke can wait until the morning. 

–

When he arrives home, Kazutora finds his boyfriend sitting on their rickety balcony, drinking a large bottle of electrolyte water and looking worse for wear. “Hey, you look like shit.” 

Keisuke leans back when he feels Kazutora kneading at his shoulders. His hair is tangled and there are large bags under his eyes that are a stark contrast to how pale he is with a hangover. “Fuck off,” he begins, but his voice holds no actual anger. “Mikey said if I was stressed, he’d fix it, but that just meant he kept making me take shots last night while his stupid ass sat sober as a judge. I think he just wanted to spend the night making fun of me.” 

Kazutora laughs, not at all surprised by Mikey’s antics. He’s always had a way of getting his friends to do whatever he wants. Keisuke leans his head back so he can see Kazutora. It makes him feel like he knows what he wants to do. He wants Keisuke to be happy, more than anything else. “I’m sorry you were stressed, but you have to admit you sprung that on me.”

“Yeah,” Keisuke agrees easily, “Chifuyu was right about that. We had this whole plan of easing into it, taking you out a few times, cuddling you while watching scary movies and teasing you about the punch. You’d find it cute, because as you are well aware, everything I do is cute.” He looks incredibly proud of himself and the way he has Kazutora wrapped around his finger. “Then we’d tell you, and it would have been easier.”

He can picture it perfectly, even though Kazutora barely knows Chifuyu. They would take him to his favorite restaurants, maybe to the pet shop so he could see the lizards, and though he’d complain about the scary movies, he’d enjoy being in the middle during all the jump scares. It’s this, the way he so easily envisions this future, that has him choking down any remnants of his hesitance. 

“If we,” a deep breath to center himself, “do this, this thing with Chifuyu, then I think we all should talk.” 

“Of course.” Keisuke turns in his chair and nods quickly. He grabs Kazutora’s hand, seeming shocked that he’s agreeing, and grins. “Fuck, this is exciting. I didn’t know how this was gonna go, I told Mikey last night.” Keisuke’s laugh is nervous now. “He told me to do what I always do and I’d be fine.”

Kazutora doesn’t need Keisuke to explain further. Mikey has known Keisuke longer than anyone, and knows him almost as well as Kazutora does. There’s something about him that makes you believe everything will be okay. It’s brought Kazutora comfort more times than he can count, and he supposes it’s the same for Mikey. Someone like Keisuke will always be okay in the end. 

He starts feeling too sappy, an annoying side effect of being in love with Baji Keisuke, so Kazutora brings their discussion back to its original focus. “If we’re going to talk to Chifuyu, you need to tell him to come over.”

“Yeah, okay. Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense.” Keisuke lets go of Kazutora’s hand to grab his phone. 

Kazutora can see him messaging Chifuyu (his contact is saved with a cat emoji and Kazutora finds himself wondering who chose it) and grins when he sees the way Keisuke has sent his message in all caps.

COME OVER KAZUTORA WANTS TO TALK BUT ITS GOOD DONT WORRY!!!!

Chifuyu’s response is nearly instantaneous. 

im RUNNING 🏃🏃🏃

Kazutora thinks that he really must have, because Chifuyu is at their door not long after, cheeks flushed a brilliant red. “Hi,” he says as Kazutora steps aside to let him in. “Hi.”

“Hi, Chifuyu.” Kazutora can’t help the tiny snort he lets out at Chifuyu’s nervousness. Somehow, seeing him so excitedly anxious helps Kazutora calm himself down. 

“Baji-san, you don’t look the best. Do you need medicine or something?” Chifuyu takes in Keisuke sprawled on the couch and frowns. 

“Oi, if this is just going to be the two of you insulting my stunning beauty, then I think I’m backing out.” Keisuke throws a hand up dramatically, eyes squeezed shut like he’s truly pained by Chifuyu’s words. “First Kazutora comes home and wounds me, and now you?”

Chifuyu giggles. “So theatrical in your hangover, hm, Baji-san?” he teases. 

The joking helps ease them into their discussion. The air is light, the mood lifted, and Kazutora feels hopeful as they talk. Chifuyu confesses to Kazutora, explaining that he was intimidated by how pretty the elder was, and how cool he seemed, despite their initial meeting. Keisuke explains the articles and blogs Chifuyu has shown him about polyamory, and shows Kazutora highlighted passages about how best to begin such a relationship. 

“This part!” Chifuyu taps on the phone screen repeatedly. “Safe words for a trial relationship.”

“Oh, we’ve already got those,” Keisuke says and Kazutora elbows him swiftly in the gut. 

“Not those ones, you pervert.”

Chifuyu takes the time to read the excerpt from the article, and in the end, they settle on flowers as their safe word–Easter lily for Keisuke, Madonna lily for Chifuyu, and Tiger lily for Kazutora. It’s sweet, Kazutora thinks, even if the use of them would mean the end of whatever it is that they’re about to begin. 

It’s hard for Keisuke to stay on track after that. He doesn’t want to talk about the intricacies of dating more than one person, whining that he wants to take them both out and “woo” them. 

“Not tonight, Baji-san,” Chifuyu tells him, yawning and checking the time. “It’s late, and we have more we should probably talk about.” 

“But a date.” Keisuke is pouting, looking back and forth between Chifuyu and Kazutora. 

Kazutora thinks it’s adorable and knows that Chifuyu must feel the same. It’s only another second before Chifuyu is relenting. 

“I’m free Saturday.”

Keisuke whines that it’s not soon enough, but Kazutora reminds them that they have jobs and responsibilities. The end of their discussion gives Kazutora time to breathe and take everything in. There’s a simmering of anticipation for what’s to come, but he can’t let himself be as outwardly optimistic as Keisuke.

“Saturday! We’ll figure out the details later, but Saturday we will be wooing you, so prepare yourself,” Keisuke says with a wink. 

“It’s a date,” Kazutora says, enjoying the way Chifuyu turns from Keisuke to beam at him. 

“It’s a date.”

–

It’s a date. 

Saturday arrives as it always does, despite Keisuke’s insistence that the passing of time should speed along just for him. It’s cute watching Keisuke put the effort into fiddling with his hair and making sure his outfit is perfect, while Kazutora is content to sit at the edge of their bed and watch.  

“You need to stop staring and get ready too!” Keisuke throws a handful of ponytail holders at Kazutora. He pauses and stomps over to him, taking his face roughly between both of his palms. “You’re the most beautiful man in the world, but you still have to brush your teeth, stink breath.” 

“A romantic,” Kazutora manages to say, the words muffled by the pressure of Keisuke’s hands. He relents though, putting on the outfit he’d picked out the night before after too much back and forth with Koko. His first date with Keisuke had started similarly, with Kazutora and Koko spending two hours picking out the perfect outfit to impress Keisuke. The nerves feel the same too, but this time Keisuke is beside him, holding his hand while they walk to meet Chifuyu.

They end up at a movie theater. Chifuyu is already there, smiling and waving them down when he spots them. “Baji-san, Hanemiya-san!” His hair is pushed up and away from his forehead, and Kazutora is letting his thoughts spill out before he can think about what is and isn’t appropriate for their situation. 

““You know, blonde hair really suits you. You look handsome, Chifuyu,” he says, words a purr that have other blushing.

“Good luck with this one, Chifuyu. He’s a devil of a man, but don’t worry, he’ll trip up and show you his dorky side eventually.” Keisuke’s wiggling his brows while whispering like he’s telling Kazutora’s best-kept secret. 

Kazutora pinches Keisuke’s side, grinning in satisfaction when he lets out an unattractive yelp that draws the attention of the other patrons of the theater. “Alright, go get our tickets.” 

“I can pay for mine!” 

“Absolutely not,” Kazutora says, feigning offense. “In what universe did you think we’d make you pay?”

“Chifuyu, whatever boys you’ve been seeing before us are trash.” Keisuke has the same rakishly handsome grin on his face that always makes Kazutora’s heart skip a beat, and Kazutora loves to see that it affects Chifuyu similarly, based on the way he can’t make eye contact with Keisuke and shuffles his feet.

“Thank you.” Chifuyu sounds earnest, far too much for him to be talking about only the movie tickets. 

Kazutora realizes that with Keisuke off to buy the tickets,  it’s the closest to being alone they’ve ever been. He doesn’t want Chifuyu to remain frightened by him. “You should call us by our given names.” 

“Huh?” 

Kazutora motions to Keisuke at the ticketbooth, chatting with the worker. “Me and Keisuke, you should call us by our given names. If we’re doing this, I don’t want it to feel formal in that way.”

Chifuyu nods quickly, surprisingly agreeable. “Okay, Han–Kazutora.” 

His name sounds cute coming from Chifuyu, somehow velvety despite the nervous shake in Chifuyu’s voice. “Much better. Do me a favor and call Keisuke back over here.” 

“You really are a devil,” Chifuyu jokes, but he still does as Kazutora has instructed. 

“Keisuke!” The name echoes through the area, Chifuyu ducking behind Kazutora when he realizes he’s been a little too loud. 

Kazutora snickers as Keisuke whips around, hair whipping around his shock-painted face. He returns with their tickets, easily twirling Kazutora out of the way so he can get easier access to Chifuyu. 

“Cute,” he says simply, patting Chifuyu’s head. “Alright, let’s go!”

The movie is something stupid, a comedy that’s not really funny, but Kazutora spends the time observing Keisuke and Chifuyu. It’s sweet, the way they lean over to discuss the movie and laugh at the same terrible one-liners. The bright light from the screen casts shadows across their faces, one full of strong, striking features–bold brows, sharp nose, pointed cupid’s bow and strong jawline–and the other softer, something delicate and innocent–round eyes, full and freckled cheeks, plush lips wet with drops of cola.

When the movie ends and the credits have rolled, Kazutora follows the pair out of the theater. The sky has opened in their absence, sending a light rain down that puddles on the uneven pavement. It’s still warm enough that he and Keisuke would normally still walk home, using the rain as an excuse to take the opportunity to hide under awnings and sneak kisses, and splash in puddles. Kazutora waits to see how this new dynamic plays out, to see how much it changes their usual. 

“How do you feel about rain, Chifuyu?” Keisuke has a challenge of a smirk on his face, and Chifuyu matches him easily. 

“Love it.” 

It shouldn’t take them long to walk Chifuyu home, but it does. Keisuke stops multiple times to talk to the stray cats that take shelter in the alleyways, pulling Kazutora along as he always does, and Chifuyu is right there with them, huddled in the middle and letting kittens tickle the tips of his fingers with their whiskers. 

Chifuyu is a little better than Kazutora at getting them back on their path. He forgets all of the nerves he’d displayed earlier and grabs their wrists to bring them to the sidewalk once more, insisting he has to get home to feed Peke J. They drop Chifuyu off at his building with a promise to meet again soon, and the date ends the same way it began, with Kazutora and Keisuke walking together, hands clasped.

They still stop to escape the rain and steal wet kisses, and Kazutora skips through puddles while Keisuke laughs. It’s new and familiar all at once, and Kazutora finds himself thinking that this, that they, could work. They don’t need to rush anything, and if all of their days with Chifuyu can feel like this, Kazutora thinks they’ll be okay.

He hopes they’ll be okay. 

–

“Mikey wants to meet Chifuyu.”  

“And you’re telling me why, exactly?” Kazutora stares at Keisuke waiting for an explanation. They’re supposed to be making a grocery list because if they don’t, they always end up with a mountain of food they don’t need, but Keisuke’s been distracted and bouncing around while Kazutora takes the time to scribble down the necessities. 

“Draken and Mitsuya keep bothering me about it for him,” Keisuke replies, opening and closing the fridge. He turns back to Kazutora. “So.”

Kazutora maintains his expression, willing Keisuke to tell him everything in one go, instead of in tiny bits. He doesn’t get the hint. Kazutora sighs. “So? Do you want them to meet Chifuyu?” 

“Well, yeah. I just don’t know how to explain that he might become our boyfriend.”

Kazutora chooses to ignore the unease he feels at Keisuke’s words, chalks it up to being nervous about having to ask someone out again after his years with Keisuke. “I don’t think they’re going to care about that. Besides, we’ve been on a bunch of dates with him, so they probably already realize what’s happening.” 

They’ve met Peke J and taken him for adventures to the park. They’ve painted in Chifuyu’s living room in the wee hours of the morning, drunk on sake sent by Keisuke’s mom. They’ve watched anime and argued over the best characters, and they’ve sung karaoke after long work days. 

With every date, Kazutora has told his friends more and more about Chifuyu, and he knows Keisuke has done the same. 

“I’m sure Mikey is asking because he knows you and knows what’s bound to happen,” he says absentmindedly, only realizing he’s spoken aloud when Keisuke lets out an ugly guffaw of a laugh. 

“You’re right! Let’s do something next weekend?” Keisuke switches from anxious to delighted enthusiasm easily. Once confirming the date works for Chifuyu, Keisuke calls Draken to tell him to tell Mikey he’ll finally be able to meet Chifuyu. It’s adorable really, but Kazutora knows the task of grocery shopping will be put off yet again and it dampens the mood enough that he feels restless. 

He decides to ask his friends in person about the party. Keisuke is still on the phone when he sneaks away with a quick goodbye tossed over his shoulder. The walk to the twins’ ramen shop does nothing to help calm his agitation, but the promise of food to warm him from the brisk wind outside is enough to keep him going. He’s greeted by the workers as soon as he enters and seats himself at the counter. It’s a slow time, though the delicious food and cheap prices mean that even their slowest times are still fairly busy, so it takes nearly twenty minutes for the twins to be able to sneak over to him. 

“To what do we owe the pleasure?” Smiley asks while setting Kazutora’s usual down on his placemat. Angry places a bag filled with to-go containers beside it, marked with a cartoonish drawing of Keisuke eating noodles.

Kazutora's lips curve up, finally feeling at ease again. Of course his friends have taken the time to make them food. He wonders how long it will take them to learn Chifuyu’s order as well. “Keisuke wants to do something next Saturday to introduce Chifuyu to everyone, and to meet some of Chifuyu’s friends. I need my moral support.” 

“Next Saturday?” Angry confirms. “Sanzu and Koko are going to be out of town, remember?”

“No?” Kazutora would’ve never agreed had he known the two wouldn’t be there with him. 

“They spammed the group chat about it like two days ago!”

Kazutora rolls his eyes. His friends? Idiots. “Not in my group chat, you assholes. Still can't believe you guys have a group chat just to talk about me.” It had started when Kazutora and Keisuke started dating and his friends had wanted to discuss whether or not the relationship was going to work. It had been quickly decided that Keisuke was perfect for Kazutora, but they’d kept the chat just to annoy him.  

“That’s not true at all!”

“Yeah, we also send memes.” Smiley has the proudest look on his face.

Kazutora ignores him.  “So, about the party? Can you two at least be there?” 

“Sorry, we have a catering gig,” Smiley says, face falling with an uncharacteristic frown.

“Ah, fuck.” Kazutora was hoping to have more support, even if it was only the twins. Draken, Mitsuya, and Mikey are all his friends now as well as Keisuke’s, but he wants people who are in his corner before anyone else’s. He doesn’t know why he feels like he’s preparing for a battle. 

“It’s just a low stakes night,” Angry tells him when Kazutora shares his thoughts. “Try not to worry about it.” 

Kazutora grimaces. 

Easier said than done.

–

Their low stakes night is a gathering in their apartment. Draken, Mitsuya, and Mikey are all able to come, and Chifuyu’s friends as well. They show up with Chifuyu, bringing along some snacks and in the case of the one Chifuyu calls Inupi, a heavy dose of scrutinizing stares. He stays behind to size Kazutora up while Takemichi and Hakkai move into the living room. 

“Chifuyu has been my best friend since we were kids,” Inupi says. Kazutora can hear the others making small talk and wishes desperately that he was with them. “He's always looked out for me and my relationships, but he can be a little blind when it comes to threats to his own feelings.”

Inupi lifts a brow when Kazutora remains quiet. “Hurt him and I’ll let Hakkai kick your ass.”

“Good luck making these sorts of threats to the other one, kid.” Kazutora smiles widely. “He’s not nearly as nice as I am.”

“Sure.” 

Kazutora shoots a quick text to Koko. 

off to a great start 🙃

Give it time! Don’t be so pessimistic. Now go play nice with Chifuyu’s friends.

Kazutora grumbles to himself as he reads Koko’s response, but does his best to listen to him. In the end, despite the way his insides tumbles and turns the entire time, the small gathering goes well. Chifuyu’s friends are quickly welcomed by the others, and Hakkai ends up spending a fair amount of the party trying to woo Mitsuya, who pretends not to notice, though Kazutora spots him blushing more than once. 

Chifuyu isn’t able to stay, having promised his friends more time together, but he is quick to sneak a kiss to Kazutora and Keisuke’s cheeks before he goes. The spot burns satisfyingly sweet and Keisuke teases Kazutora with the way his cheeks flame only to have Kazutora say he’s no better. 

“That went better than expected, right?” Keisuke excitedly chatters while helping Draken wash glasses. 

“Now he just needs to deal with Kazutora’s rowdy bunch,” Mitsuya quips from his perch on the floor next to Mikey. They’re still battling out some random game they’d beaten everyone else at, neither wanting to admit defeat and leave the game unfinished. 

“They’re not that bad!” Kazutora has the urge to knock every game piece from the board. “Nobody is as scary as Mikey.”

“I don’t know, I think the real test is Baji’s mom.” Draken’s words have them all voicing their agreements while Keisuke chuckles. He’s the most scared of her, having grown up with her aggressive love. She’s loud and stubborn, somehow even more so than Keisuke. 

Kazutora adores her. She’d claimed him as family from the moment Keisuke introduced him after their third date. It’s nice having another person who cares so deeply for him, especially when he hasn’t spoken to his own mother in years. 

His childhood was hell. He does everything he can to keep the memories, and all the terrible emotions they bring, locked away, but every so often, they spill out. 

His mother’s words are a clanging echo in his head. 

You can’t choose both. 

She wasn’t there, of course. She didn’t know Keisuke or Chifuyu. Her words were from long, long before them, when his father smacked her around to relieve stress, and his mother always fought with him. From a time when his father told Kazutora his mother was the devil, and his mother told Kazutora his father was evil reincarnated, and that he had to choose. 

It seems unfair now, as it had been unfair to six-year-old Kazutora. He wants both Keisuke and Chifuyu, and he thinks they want him.

You can’t choose both. 

-

“I think Keisuke likes Chifuyu more than me,” Kazutora says while watching Angry chop green onions. He’s able to make quick and uniform cuts while still looking at Kazutora and it’s fascinating. “Chifuyu definitely likes Keisuke more than me.” It’s been a couple weeks since the party and while they’ve hung out a few times as a trio, and Chifuyu has even met Kazutora’s friends, Keisuke and Chifuyu have taken advantage of their lax work schedules to spend time together while Kazutora spends more and more time at the clothing shop he manages because of a lack of staffing. 

“Well that’s because you punched him.” Smiley’s words bring Kazutora back to the present. He wills his mother’s voice away.

Angry stops his prep work and gives Smiley a warning look. “That’s not what Kazutora needs to hear right now.” 

“I’m kidding!” Smiley holds his hands up and flashes Kazutora an apologetic grin. “Kazutora, we’ve met him, and he is very clearly into you both. And don’t even get me started on how whipped Keisuke is for you.” 

Kazutora tries to smile, but his friend’s words feel forced, even if he knows that Smiley would never lie to him. “Yeah.” 

“Hey, we’re being honest here.” Angry reaches across the counter to knock Kazutora on his head gently. “Don’t overthink this one. You can have both. You deserve both.” 

It’s like his friend knows that his mother has made herself a home inside Kazutora’s mind, plaguing his thoughts with the reminders of his past that he’s worked hard to forget. “Yeah.” Kazutora nods firmly. “Yeah, you’re right. I think I’m overthinking this.”

“You should talk to Keisuke, and Chifuyu,” Angry tells him. “Nobody is going to be able to fix this but you three.”

Angry is, of course, annoyingly correct in his statement. He exits the restaurant knowing that he should go to Keisuke, call Chifuyu over, and explain his headspace, but he hates what that would mean. He walks the streets knowing they’d be disappointed, blaming themselves for not making Kazutora feel more assured. He slips through the door and finds Keisuke napping peacefully in their bed, and Kazutora knows if he speaks up, he would feel sick over making them upset. He doesn’t want to be the one to make their relationship difficult.

So instead of listening to the twins, Kazutora keeps quiet. The thoughts echo louder and louder and louder and louder, the memories seeping into the forefront. All he can hear is his mother, louder and louder and louder and louder. 

“You can’t choose both.” 

“It’s one or the other, Kazutora. You have to choose.” 

“You can’t have both.”

Keisuke is still asleep beside him, hair fanned out around him and tickling Kazutora’s cheek. It would be so easy for Kazutora to reach out and shake him awake. Keisuke would be grumpy, as he always is when his naps are interrupted, but he’d ease Kazutora’s mind in the end. He would kiss him and they’d end up fooling around like they’re still lovestruck teenagers, and Keisuke would tell Kazutora all the things he needs to hear. 

But, he’s made his choice. 

Kazutora keeps quiet. 

The thoughts echo louder.

“You can’t choose both.”

And louder.

“It’s one or the other, Kazutora. You have to choose.”

And louder. 

“You can’t have both.”

And louder.

–

Kazutora does his best to return to normal. He smiles when he’s supposed to, and laughs, and he lets Keisuke and Chifuyu take and take and take from him in the hopes that he’ll be able to have both. It’s working, he thinks. They’re spending a little more time with him, taking and taking and taking from him, wanting, wanting, wanting him. 

The relief comes in waves, but Kazutora has hope. He knows the mistakes he made before, when he had to choose and lost both, and he can avoid them this time. 

He just has to–

“This is the big test!” Sanzu shouts, wiggling in his seat. “Earth to Kazutora!”

“What do you mean?” Kazutora asks at the same time Koko scolds Sanzu to sit still or he’ll be burned by the curling wand.

They’re getting ready for a night out, a special event with everyone, something that Keisuke and Chifuyu have been looking forward to. 

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? You had the little thing at your apartment, but that was just the first test to check compatibility because we weren’t there. We’ve met Chifuyu since, but this will be the first time all three friend groups are hanging out. What if his friends hate us? What if we hate them?” 

“That’s more likely,” Koko mutters. “Remember when Mitsuya told us that we’re prickly?” He laughs. “Watch us scare Chifuyu’s friends the same way.” 

Angry sweeps into the room and pokes Sanzu’s cheek. “We’re all going to be on our best and most charming behavior tonight, right?” 

“What do I get if I behave?” Koko smiles at Angry through the mirror and laughs when his own cheek is pinched.

“Didn’t Kazutora tell you about Chifuyu’s pretty friend?” Smiley carries drinks for all as he enters. He’s apparently been playing bartender in Koko’s kitchen because every drink appears to be different. 

Koko takes a sip from the one Smiley hands him and makes a face. “Gross, what is this?” He hands the glass off to Sanzu, who downs it quickly before taking his own from Smiley. “No, Kazutora never mentioned a pretty friend.” 

“Inui Seishu, but friends call him Inupi,” Kazutora says, trying to ignore the way he still feels a sense of foreboding about the night. Keisuke and Chifuyu have been looking forward to it, and he can’t be the one that ruins it. He plasters on a smile. “Definitely your type, but try not to immediately intimidate him, alright?” 

Koko grins, eyes narrowing in delight. “I make no promises.” 

They finish getting ready and while Sanzu calls for a cab, Kazutora tries to calm himself. The drinks Smiley made help, and his mother is mercifully silent, not even a whisper. Kazutora heaves out a sigh. He can do this. He just has to–

“We’re all going to be here for you tonight.” Koko is in front of him, tucking Kazutora’s hair behind his ear as he always does. The motion is soothing. “It’s another night out, just with a few extra people. Don’t put on that tough guy act, alright? Be real tonight.” His eyes search Kazutora’s, an opening for Kazutora to share what’s on his mind, but he smiles instead. 

He just has to make sure they want him. It’s what he failed to do before, what he failed to realize. Neither of his parents had actually wanted him. Whoever he would’ve chosen would’ve resented him, but he didn’t choose, and he lost both. 

He just has to make sure they want him. 

If they want him, he won’t have to choose. 

–

They make it to their destination before the others and are greeted loudly by Pah-Chin from his spot behind the bar. His family owns the place, and it’s nice to be in a place they’ve been to many times before. The neon lights, large dance floor, and tall bar stools are a welcomed sight. 

“Draken sent me a message saying they’ll be here soon, they’re just meeting up with Chifuyu and his friends,” Pah-chin tells Kazutora as he starts making their drinks. 

“Oh.” He does his best to keep his smile from slipping. Mitsuya had said it would be fun for them to get ready separately and all meet at the bar. Kazutora loves his friends, but he would’ve loved walking with them and Keisuke through the crowded city streets even more. He wonders what he did wrong to not have been chosen. 

“They’ll be here soon, don’t worry!” Smiley is there to keep Kazutora grounded. 

He tries to have a good time. He lets Pah-chin ply him with drinks, grateful that he pays nothing, and by the time the others join them, Keisuke with his arm around Chifuyu and waving to them, Kazutora feels loose from the alcohol, floaty and less anxious. 

He’s able to greet everyone, and introduce his friends to Chifuyu’s. He spends time chatting with Takemichi, watches Hakkai get progressively more flirty with each drink, and pushes Koko towards Inupi at every opportunity. It’s fun, and Kazutora can’t remember why he’d been worried in the first place. 

Their group spreads as the night goes on, and soon Kazutora finds himself standing at the edge of the dance floor with Chifuyu, pushed together by Smiley, who’s been quick to relay stories of the many nights he’d been spun around the same bar by a drunken Kazutora. 

“Kazutora is a dancing machine!” Smiley shouts over the music, giving Kazutora another shove. “Go show off for Chifuyu!”

Chifuyu holds his hand out to Kazutora, wiggling his fingers invitingly. “Well, let’s go then!” 

Things are perfect, for a moment. Kazutora can see Keisuke eyeing them from his spot with Draken and Mikey, eyes hooded with a glint in them that Kazutora knows all too well. Chifuyu fits against him snuggly, moves his hips to the rhythm better than Keisuke can after too many drinks, and confidently sings the wrong words to every song that plays. It’s nice, and eases the ache that’s been settled deep within Kazutora. 

The moment shatters.

Drunk Keisuke is a fighter. A few of them are, unfortunately, but Keisuke remains the worst-tempered when plied with shot after shot. It takes little to set him off—someone looking at him wrong, someone trying to flirt with Kazutora, Mitsuya saying they can make ramen at home—and it’s always a multiple person job to get him out of whatever scuffle he ends up in. 

It’s a man Kazutora doesn’t recognize that ignites Keisuke’s temper this time. He’s dancing on the other side of Chifuyu and ignoring whenever Kazutora pushes him away. Keisuke’s on the dance floor in an instant, telling the stranger that if he doesn’t back off that he’ll find his broken off legs shoved up his ass. 

Draken and Mikey are at Keisuke’s side as soon as a crowd begins to form, and Kazutora groans. This is the worst possible scenario and he shouts for his own friends to come help drag Keisuke and company out of the bar. Poor Pah-chin doesn’t need damages to his family’s establishment. 

“Keisuke!” Kazutora pulls on his arm, but Keisuke shakes him off. “Damn it, let’s go, Baji Keisuke!” He doesn’t fight anymore. He doesn’t like the person who was then, and he doesn’t like the person Keisuke is at this moment. 

Keisuke doesn’t listen. It soon turns into a brawl, with everyone crowding the dance floor. Kazutora makes sure to shove Chifuyu out of harm’s way, yelling at Koko to take him outside with Inupi and Takemichi. Hakkai is trying to join in the fight, saved only by Mitsuya’s scolding. 

Keisuke is throwing punches, backed up by Draken and Mikey, and Kazutora shouts at them repeatedly, begging them to leave. He knows he’s going to go hoarse, but he wants to make sure they’re safe. He can’t let the night end like this. 

The universe is cruel, Kazutora thinks. He sees it coming, an arm swung in Mikey’s direction that’s quickly dodged, but Kazutora isn’t so lucky. The fist connects with his face and the thick copper tang of blood fills his mouth instantly. “Fuck!” he curses, bringing his hand up to catch the warm liquid before it gets all over him. 

Sanzu tries to get him out of the crowd, but even bleeding, Kazutora worries about Keisuke. “He’s fine!” Sanzu insists, yelling for the twins to help him before putting his arm around Kazutora and dragging him away. “We need to get you out of here!” 

They’re outside in the cool night air and Kazutora finally feels the throbbing of his mouth. “Fuck this shit hurts,” he says after spitting blood onto the stained concrete of the sidewalk. The red pops against the grey and black and brown. It’s sickening, and makes him feel dizzy. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Chifuyu and his friends are with Koko and Mitsuya over there,” Smiley says, nodding in their direction. They stand by the door of the bar, huddled together. Kazutora can tell that Mitsuya is still scolding Hakkai and he smiles only to quickly grunt in pain when the action causes his lip to rip open further. 

Then, Keisuke is there, being shoved out of the door by Pah-chin. 

“Baji, you’ve gotta stop this shit, man! You’re gonna kill someone one of these days! Let me handle that guy in there, alright? They’ll never be back here. Just go the fuck home and sleep this off. Kazutora’s over there bleeding out and needs you.” 

Keisuke spares Kazutora only a quick glance before he goes back to struggling against Draken and Mikey. Kazutora is about to go to haul him home, bloody face be damned, but Chifuyu is there first.

He gets Keisuke to stop trying to get back inside. Kazutora doesn’t know how. He can’t hear their conversation from his spot between the twins. Angry is dabbing at his split lip, but the pain doesn’t phase Kazutora anymore. He wants to know what Chifuyu could’ve possibly said to stop Keisuke when his bloodied face couldn’t. 

He doesn’t feel in control of his body anymore. He feels too light and too heavy all at once, unable to move but feeling like he’ll float away if he breathes too hard. Perhaps he’s had more to drink than he’d realized. 

“Hey, Kazutora, look at me.” Angry pinches his cheek just hard enough to get Kazutora to meet his eyes. “You good? I don’t think you have a concussion, but if you’re spacing out, maybe we should take you in.”

“‘m fine.” Kazutora shakes his head and flicks his tongue over the cut flesh of his lip. It stings, but helps bring him back to himself. “Drunk and sleepy.” 

Angry nods, not looking fully convinced, but Kazutora diverts his eyes to avoid further questioning. “Okay. Well, we’re taking you home.”

“We’ve got him.” Keisuke is there, finally, reaching out to cup Kazutora’s cheek, lips pulled down into a pout. “How’m I gonna kiss you now?” 

Kazutora feels like crying. It’s an urge so strong and it almost wins, but he blinks rapidly and laughs instead, distancing himself from Keisuke’s touch. 

“It’s your fault,” Smiley mumbles, quiet enough that Keisuke doesn’t hear. The last thing they need is another fight starting. 

“I want to go home.” Kazutora wishes he could rewind time and stay home. He would beg Keisuke to stay, and maybe he would, and Chifuyu could come to them, tuck himself between them and watch One Piece. They’d make fun of Kazutora’s crush on Shanks, and the way Chifuyu cries over the power of friendship. It would’ve been so much better than alcohol-induced anxiety and a fist to the mouth. 

Koko finds Kazutora before they all go their separate ways. He runs a hand through Kazutora’s tangled hair and brushes it behind his ear. “Make sure you let us know when you’re home, ‘kay? If you don't, I think Angry will have a stroke.” 

Kazutora agrees, and they’re the first to leave. His stomach heaves the entire walk. He’s between Keisuke and Chifuyu, saying nothing as they try to keep the mood light. Keisuke’s words slur together and Chifuyu has to shush him more than once to avoid complaints, especially when they’re in the hallway struggling to unlock their front door. The last thing Kazutora needs is the neighbors telling him off. 

Luckily, Keisuke is fast asleep as soon as he rests himself on the couch. Chifuyu takes the time to fix him on his side and brings a bucket in case he’s ill, while Kazutora stands idle in the kitchen, unable to bring himself to move. 

“You should ice your lip.” Chifuyu calls from where he sat himself on the floor. He’s playing with Keisuke’s fingers now, and even with distance between them, Kazutora can see how careful he is on the cuts and bruises on Keisuke’s knuckles. Kazutora’s throat burns as if he’s about to vomit. It’s back, the sensation of his limbs trying to rip themselves from the rest of his body. 

“I can’t do this.” 

“Hmm?” Chifuyu looks to him and Kazutora wants to scream. His eyes are bloodshot, but still beautiful, and it feels unfair that Chifuyu gets to look lovely in the crappy lighting of a too-small apartment and to talk Keisuke down from a fight and to let his touch skim along Keisuke’s skin while he sleeps peacefully, all while Kazutora is seconds from ripping himself apart at the new seam in his bottom lip. 

Kazutora grips the counter tight enough to hurt his palm. “Tiger Lily.”

Chifuyu's brows pull together when he hears Kazutora use the safe word. Kazutora can see the hurt wash over his face, but he can’t take it back, not when he’s suffocating. 

"I get it," Chifuyu finally says softly, reaching out to move the hair from Keisuke’s forehead. "We agreed that if you didn't feel the same that this would end, and I think dragging it out will only hurt us all more."

He stands and rubs his hands against his jeans. Kazutora wishes the knots in his stomach would untangle and quit their treacherous spread to his lungs. They're making it impossible to say anything else to Chifuyu. He has so much he wants to say, but all he can feel is a nervous anger at Chifuyu agreeing to leave so easily, even though he’s the one telling him to go. 

"Make sure you drink plenty of water before you go to bed, and ice your lip, Hanemiya-san." Chifuyu nods to himself and then takes one last look at Keisuke. 

Kazutora watches him close the front door.

Chifuyu leaves, like Kazutora’s mother warned him he would. 

“You can’t have both.”

–

Kazutora spends three weeks avoiding his friends before Smiley drags him from his apartment, threatening him with the most colorful acts of violence imaginable. The news of Chifuyu spread through their group quickly the morning after the fight. According to the texts that Kazutora reads and never responds to, Chifuyu told his friends, Hakkai told Mitsuya, Inupi told Koko, and they told everyone else. Kazutora regrets letting them all become so interwoven. 

“I thought you were falling for him,” Smiley says. They’re at an art studio that’s tucked away from the hustle and bustle, mercifully quiet and relaxing. Smiley’s concentrating on painting his mug and Kazutora thinks of the way he’d promised Keisuke they would bring Chifuyu here. He would’ve made something beautiful. Instead, Kazutora watches Smiley continue to paint what looks like a zombie version of Rindou. 

When Smiley notices that Kazutora is quiet, he pauses mixing a sickly tint of green and frowns. “Dude, what’s going on? You ended things, alright? No offense, but you're not the one who gets to be sad.” 

Kazutora knows he’s right. They haven’t heard from Chifuyu except for a long text thanking them for giving him a chance and explaining he didn’t know if they could be friends. Kazutora has offered no explanation to Keisuke, and Keisuke hasn’t asked anything, taking Kazutora’s “I couldn’t do it, I’m sorry.” and offering his own apology. The worst part is that Keisuke is trying desperately to hide his hurt from Kazutora, putting on a loud show of how okay he is.

“I know that, but I can’t fucking turn it off.” Kazutora flicks paint at his own mug. It looks stupid. He remembers a date night spent finger painting with Chifuyu and Keisuke at two in the morning and how Chifuyu had turned smears of pink and green and blue into something beautiful, if a little childish. He wonders if Chifuyu still has the picture hanging in his room, or if the memory is now tinged bitter like it is for Kazutora. 

“You’re getting your paint on zombie Rin!” Smiley slaps Kazutora’s hand. “If you’re this sad about losing Chifuyu, do something about it. Figure out what made you so scared, and tell them. I know you think Keisuke can read your mind because he’s always giving you one hundred percent of himself, but he can’t. He also can’t give you one hundred percent all the time because that’s part of your problem. You got all jealous because for the first time since you met Keisuke, he put someone on the same level as you, like you weren't doing the exact same thing. You both liked Chifuyu." 

Kazutora drops his brush into the paint, watching as it splatters on Smiley’s stupid painting. “You couldn’t have said this shit before I broke everyone’s hearts?” He knows he can’t blame Smiley. He’d done the damage himself, but he doesn’t know how he’s going to fix things. He doesn’t know if they can be fixed.

Smiley starts wiping the offending paint from the ceramic. “No, I’m a Gemini.”

“You don’t even know what that means.” Koko had tried once to get them to check their birth charts, but it quickly turned into a disaster and been abandoned. 

“True, but Rindou says it all the time when he’s complaining about me to Ran, so it must be true.” 

Kazutora chuckles. "You two are truly relationship inspiration."

"We will date Chifuyu just to spite you, so watch yourself." 

The threat is empty, but everything Smiley has said has Kazutora allowing himself to think about Chifuyu, and Keisuke, and the whole of them, for the first time. There’s so much he wants, and needs, to say to Chifuyu. 

“Just tell him everything, alright? Chifuyu is more understanding than you realize, I think. He’s not going to hate you, even if it seems like he does right now.” Smiley gives him a comforting glance. “He’ll forgive you for this.”

It’s Smiley’s reassurance that has Kazutora wandering to Chifuyu’s instead of going straight home. He tries to form a speech in his mind as he walks, doing his best to remember everything he needs to say. It’s not going to be easy, and Kazutora finds himself stopping more than once, standing in the middle of the walkway until passerbys tell him to move. 

But still, he ends up in front of Chifuyu’s door, fist knocking hard and fast before he can run away. 

“Hanemiya-san, hi.” Chifuyu’s cheeks are red when he answers. From inside, Kazutora can hear laughter and Takemichi yelling at Hakkai to not drink all the wine. 

“Your hair is black,” Kazutora blurts, forgetting the entire dialogue he’d planned when he notices that Chifuyu’s hair is no longer the pale blonde he’d grown used to. 

Chifuyu’s brows furrow and a frown forms on his lips. “I dyed it.”

“Why?” Kazutora loved the blonde. It was the first compliment he’d ever paid Chifuyu. “Everyone loved the blonde.”

“You loved the blonde, Hanemiya-san,” Chifuyu says, and it takes Kazutora a moment to realize that Chifuyu isn’t correcting him, but explaining himself. “It hurt a lot, what happened between us. It still hurts. I haven’t even had the luxury of thinking maybe I wasn’t pretty enough or smart enough or funny enough because you and Keisuke made me feel like the most special person on the planet, in your weird aggressive ways. I had to do something.” Chifuyu is clearly intoxicated. If the flushed cheeks and wide, glassy eyes hadn't clued Kazutora in, Chifuyu's rambling makes it obvious. 

He knew Chifuyu was hurting, but having to see the consequences to his actions directly in front of him makes Kazutora feel worse. 

"Chifuyu," Kazutora starts, trying to remember everything he'd wanted to confess. It feels like he owes him endless apologies. 

“What are you doing here?” Hakkai is in front of Kazutora before he can think, Takemichi and Inupi trailing after. It’s comical, the way they both hold bottles of wine and are even more drunk than Chifuyu, but Kazutora can only think of the threat Inupi made the first time they met. He wonders if it still holds true. 

"It's okay," Chifuyu says, trying to pull Hakkai back inside as he's made himself comfortable crowding Kazutora's space. 

"It's not!" Hakkai insists. His breath is fruity from the wine and it makes Kazutora’s stomach flip. 

Takemichi hands Chifuyu one of his wine bottles and lays his hand on Hakkai’s shoulder. "Hakkai, let it go."

"You led him on and you broke his heart," Hakkai continues, poking Kazutora in the chest. It takes everything in him to resist the urge to retaliate. "You acted like a jealous little child and Chifuyu made excuse after excuse for you, and I never understood it. Explain that, or fucking leave."

“He owes that to Chifuyu, not you,” Takemichi says then, eyeing Kazutora carefully. Despite Inupi’s threats of physical violence and Hakkai’s intimidating physique, Takemichi has always been the one who scares Kazutora the most. Whenever he speaks, everyone listens, even the headstrong Inupi and rowdy Hakkai. Chifuyu had said it’s always been that way. 

“I’ll be okay. Please go inside.” 

Kazutora is grateful that they listen. When they’ve shut the door behind them, leaving Chifuyu standing alone, a silence settles uncomfortably between them. Kazutora isn’t sure how to break it. Chifuyu’s friends have derailed his plans and he isn’t sure where to start again.

“What happened at the bar?” Chifuyu asks suddenly. Kazutora’s eyes snap to him and he sees Chifuyu frowning, brows pinching together. “I thought we were having a good night, before the fight at least. I keep trying to figure it out, figure out where I went wrong, but I can’t. I always had the sense that you were maybe jealous, but you never said anything, so I don’t know. I need to know. So, what changed that night?” 

“The night was off from the beginning,” Kazutora starts, hoping that Smiley is right, and that Chifuyu will forgive him for letting his anxious thoughts ruin them. “You all walked to the bar together. You and Keisuke came in and he had his arm around you and was doing that thing where he holds you so close you can barely walk.” 

“That upset you?”

“I wanted to be with you guys. It didn’t make sense that you all could meet up, but not tell me? I don’t,” Kazutora swallows and balls his hands into fists. Whenever he has to explain the way he hurts out loud, it sounds childish and he hates it. “I don’t understand why nobody could send a text to me or Sanzu or Koko or the twins. It felt like we didn’t matter. It felt like I didn’t matter.” 

Chifuyu nods. “I’m sorry.” He sounds sincere and it makes Kazutora’s heart ache. Chifuyu is too good to him, too good for him. “That was partly my fault, or Hakkai’s, I guess. He has a crush on Mitsuya and begged me to have them meet us because he said something about spending more time in the presence of an angel.” 

“That’s sappy,” Kazutora says, nose scrunched. “A crush at his big age.” 

Chifuyu laughs, the sound forced. “He’s like that.” He shuffles, arms crossed, and sets Kazutora with a look that demands more of an explanation. 

He thinks of Smiley telling him not to hold anything back. Kazutora has spread his trauma thin, showing only bits and pieces to Keisuke, and his friends. He doesn’t know how to tell Chifuyu everything, but he wants to try. “People tend to leave me. I went to a therapist for a while and he said stuff about codependency and abandonment issues because of my parents, but I guess all I got out of it is that people always leave me and it’s made me scared of losing people. When I get scared, I get mean.”

“Yeah, I’m aware.” Chifuyu subconsciously reaches up to touch his cheek. There’s no bruise there, hasn’t been in months, but Kazutora can picture it easily. Their meeting had been rife with meaning. “Why couldn’t you tell me this sooner? Or Keisuke, at least? That would’ve been a start and we could’ve gone from there.”

“It’s hard to be open about some things.” 

“Were you scared of losing Keisuke? Because you know I would’ve never taken him from you.”

“You did though.” Kazutora takes a deep breath. Of course Keisuke is still Keisuke, while he’s Hanemiya-san. The more he hears it, the more it stings, but it’s deserved. “You didn’t mean to, and it’s not anybody’s fault, but it’s still true that Keisuke’s not just mine anymore.”

“I haven’t talked to Keisuke, Hanemiya-san.” 

“I know, but you know Keisuke. He’s nothing if not the most loyal person on this stupid planet. It’s part of why I love him so much. You walking away doesn’t mean he’s going to suddenly lose all feelings for you. He clearly feels so much for you, Chifuyu. I mean hell, I couldn’t even get him to stop trying to bash that guy’s head in. I was spitting out blood and he couldn’t give a damn, but you stopped him so easily?”

“You know I never wanted to walk away, right? I know you felt something for me too, Kazutora, and I wanted to fight for you, but I’ve never been good at fighting the people I love.” 

Love. Kazutora wants to ask Chifuyu to elaborate, to say more about the depth of his feelings, but Chifuyu is already moving on, his voice rising. “And that stupid fucking fight? I got in his face and told him that you needed him. I told him to calm down and help me take you home.” 

Kazutora feels sick, bile rising and falling repeatedly in his throat. He has so many more questions, but the elevator bell dings, echoing through the hallway. He turns on instinct towards the sound and finds Keisuke stepping out of the elevator. 

“Keisuke?” Chifuyu sounds equally confused. “What are you doing here?”

“Kazutora, you were supposed to be home like over an hour ago,” Keisuke explains, looking between Kazutora and Chifuyu repeatedly. “We said we’d only use the location finder for emergencies, but you weren’t answering my calls, and Smiley said he’d left you right outside the apartment, so I figured it was an emergency. Remember that time you got into a fight with those guys and didn’t tell anyone, and just showed up to Mitsuya’s with a broken face? What if it was that all over again?”

“My face wasn’t broken, and I don’t fight anymore.”

“You needed stitches,” Keisuke maintains, “but you didn’t get them because you’re stubborn.” 

“Shocking,” Chifuyu mutters, and the argument that had been on the tip of Kazutora’s tongue disintegrates as he’s brought back to the conversation before Keisuke arrived. He thinks that maybe having them both there will make it easier. 

He steels himself for what could be both of them leaving. What he’s done would warrant it. “I owe you both an apology,” he begins, looking down at their feet. Keisuke’s in his house slippers, and something in that, the fact that he’d been too worried to put real shoes on, gives him the strength to continue. He lifts his gaze and meets Keisuke’s eyes. “Keisuke, you’re the best person in the world. I spent so long thinking I would never be worthy of you, and then I had you, and every moment since I’ve been thinking about how it would kill me if I lost you. When you told me you had feelings for Chifuyu, I think my heart broke a little bit, and even though I ended up falling for him too, I don’t think I’ve ever mended that break.”

“Oh.” Keisuke has so much sadness in his eyes when he grabs Kazutora’s shaking hands. “Fuck, I’m sorry I never noticed, but I’m a dumbass. I was really scared and then when it seemed like things were working with the three of us, I let that fear go without stopping to think that maybe you were hiding things to make me feel better.” 

Kazutora laughs, the sound filled with bitter anger at himself because that’s exactly what he’s done. He wanted Keisuke’s happiness so much that he’d forced himself to move too quickly. “It’s my fault. I couldn’t even talk to you about it because I thought you’d leave me.”

“Like he’d ever do that,” Chifuyu says and Keisuke nods fiercely. 

He hopes Chifuyu’s right. “Chifuyu?”

“Hanemiya-san.” 

“Ouch,” Keisuke snickers and Kazutora tugs his hands out of his grasp. “Oh, c’mon Kazutora, it’s funny! You have to admit that you earned that jab.”

Kazutora ignores him and focuses on Chifuyu. “I’m sorry. I know that I should’ve been more honest with everyone, and I promise I will do better.”

“You need to go back to therapy.”

It’s not what Kazutora had been hoping to hear, no matter how true it may be. “I get it if you don’t forgive me, or if you don’t want to try again.” Kazutora is doing his best not to tear up, but he is a sensitive boy, as Keisuke so often reminds him, so it doesn’t go well. “Fuck this is ridiculous, why am I crying?”

“No, c’mere.” Keisuke wraps an arm around Kazutora, but Kazutora is doing his best to keep watching Chifuyu, waiting for any indication of his feelings. 

Finally, he moves closer. “You really are my silliest boy.” Chifuyu’s voice is soft, as gentle as the brush of his fingers at the nape of Kazutora’s neck as he pulls him down into a hug. “I’m not leaving you again, Hanemiya-san.”

This time, Kazutora can laugh along with Keisuke.  

–

It’s easier. 

Kazutora isn’t perfect, not even close, but he tries his best for Keisuke and Chifuyu. He tells them when he’s feeling low. They reassure him when he needs it, and sometimes when he doesn’t, which Kazutora appreciates more than words can express. The three spend time together, and this time around, Kazutora makes a point to spend time alone with Chifuyu. He learns even more about the other, has his own special memories with him, and no longer feels like part of his heart is chipping away when Keisuke and Chifuyu are together without him. 

Most of their time is spent as a trio, though, and Kazutora loves the way Chifuyu fits perfectly in their space, like he’s always been meant to be with them. 

“The guys want to have a party,” Chifuyu says. He’s in the middle of the bed, newly blonde hair tied up at the bangs, a cute little sprout. He’s tracing at one of Kazutora’s tattoos, finger tip tickling at Kazutora’s forearm. “Some company offered Hakkai this huge house as a vacation or something, and he said we should meet there. I think he’s hoping Keisuke will invite Mitsuya.”

Keisuke laughs, a slow and sleepy sound, eyes still closed. “Mitsuya said Hakkai messages him all the time. He should just ask him out already.”

“He can only be so bold.”

Kazutora thinks it’s funny that a famous model like Hakkai is intimidated by Mitsuya of all people, but Chifuyu thinks it’s cute. “When is the party? I can ask the twins to take a night off, and I’m sure Sanzu will go.”

“What about Koko?” Chifuyu asks, but he has a knowing smile. 

“We both know Inupi will tell him all about it,” Kazutora quips. Koko was enamored with Chifuyu’s friend, though he kept trying to deny it. They were still in an awkward will they, won’t they, but everyone around them knew Koko would give in eventually. 

Chifuyu hums in agreement. “So you’ll come? It’s happening?” He pauses his movements against Kazutora’s arm when Keisuke reaches over to hold his hand. 

“Of course we will,” he answers, and Kazutora nods. “Anything for you.”

Chifuyu’s smile is bright. He places quick kisses to Keisuke and Kazutora’s cheeks and then springs out of bed. Keisuke whines about the lack of warmth and instantly scoots himself closer to Kazutora. “You’re leaving already?”

“Mhmm,” Chifuyu says. He’s pulling on his pants and stumbles a little. He begins looking for his shirt, but settles for stealing Kazutora’s sweatshirt instead. It’s a common enough occurrence and Kazutora doesn’t mind in the least, even if he’s now had to resort to borrowing Keisuke’s sweatshirts. “Peke J will be lonely.” 

“This is why you should just move in!” Keisuke complains. He sits up and pulls his hair into a bun. “You have us feeling like a booty call! Kazutora, tell Chifuyu to move in.”

Kazutora grins, watching the way Chifuyu’s cheeks turn an enticing shade of pink. “Chifuyu, move in with us. Wouldn’t Peke J be happier with three dads instead of just one?”

“You can’t! You just! How are you two so shameless? You can’t just say that!” Chifuyu is a sputtering mess, hurrying to collect the rest of his things. 

“Wouldn’t it be so nice to not have to rush around getting dressed like this? We could lounge around naked all day!” Keisuke teases, wiggling his eyebrows and tugging the blanket from Kazutora’s chest. 

He laughs and swats at Keisuke’s roaming hands as Chifuyu watches them. Kazutora catches his eye and the way Chifuyu’s smile grows has warmth rushing through his bloodstream. Though Keisuke’s sprung the idea seemingly out of the blue, it’s been on Kazutora’s mind. Chifuyu has a toothbrush, light blue, in the same chipped mug that Kazutora and Keisuke have theirs, a special set of kitten house slippers tucked into the rack by the door, and a blanket folded on the back of the couch that’s just for him during movie nights. They’re all tiny reminders of him, but Kazutora wants the real thing. 

“Just think about it,” Kazutora says softly when they’ve calmed and Chifuyu stands in the doorway, ready to leave. 

Chifuyu nods, sending them a little wave. “I’ll see you guys later.”

“Love you!” Keisuke shouts after him. “Send us Peke J pictures!” he adds after hearing Chifuyu return the sentiment. 

Keisuke falls back asleep mere minutes after Chifuyu leaves while Kazutora takes the time to message everyone about the party. The responses are as expected, various forms of Anything for Chifuyu, and Kazutora rolls his eyes when Koko ends up calling him. 

“Another party with all of us? That hasn’t happened since the night we no longer speak of.”

Kazutora hums, scratching at Keisuke’s scalp gently. “It hasn’t.” 

“You sound happy.” 

“I am.” He pauses his ministrations. “We kind of asked Chifuyu to move in with us,” he confesses, feeling like he'll explode if he keeps such a happy occurrence to himself. 

“How do you ‘kind of’ ask someone to move in with you? Also, your apartment is tiny and your couch sucks, so I hope he said no.” Koko’s words are harsh, but his voice is gentle and Kazutora knows that nobody will be happier for him than his best friend. 

“He’s going to think about it.”

“Hmm… Well I hope it works out for you this time, Kazutora. I have to go meet someone now, but I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye, Koko. Tell Inupi I say hi!” 

“I’ll do no such thing.” Koko hangs up as Kazutora chuckles to himself. 

They spend the rest of the morning in bed. Keisuke continues to sleep soundly, and Kazutora scrolls on his phone, refusing to wake him. He lets Chifuyu know that everyone is more than happy to go along with his plans, and his phone lights up with his reply instantly. 

thank you.

The message is short and simple, but something in it reminds Kazutora of their first date, and the way he’d felt gazing upon Chifuyu and Keisuke. There had been hope and desire coursing through him then, and though he’d nearly ruined them, it’s back again, stronger and more tender all at once. 

He can have them both. 

–

The trip to the cabin is the first time Kazutora has seen any of Chifuyu’s friends since the night they reconciled. Chifuyu has assured him that his friends forgive him and they’re happy as long as Chifuyu is happy, but as soon as Hakkai has two beers in him, this proves false.

“I still don’t trust him!” Hakkai yells, swinging his arm around to point at Kazutora. Beer sloshes from his can and onto the floor. “He needs to have his ass kicked!” 

“You’re not kicking his ass,” Mitsuya says while throwing a towel at him. “Clean up your beer.”

Everyone is laughing, but Kazutora can’t bring himself to join in. He’s thankful that Chifuyu forgave him and they’re doing well, but he has to admit that he can’t look the most trustworthy to Chifuyu’s friends. “What’s it going to take?” he asks. 

“He’s being stupid, you don’t have to do anything,” Chifuyu tells him quickly, sending Hakkai a withering look. 

“If it’ll help, let me do something.”

Hakkai smirks, straightening up and tossing the beer soaked rag at Kazutora. “I have an idea.”

They end up outside with Hakkai and Draken holding Kazutora’s arms behind his back. 

“Remember, don’t tuck your thumb,” Mikey is telling Chifuyu, helping him fold his fingers into a proper fist. “Step into the punch, and remember that Kazutora’s the one who broke your set of wine glasses, your favorite picture frame, and the replacement set of wine glasses.” 

“Oi, don’t make it worse for Kazutora!” Keisuke shouts, but he’s cackling along with everyone else, their friends all boisterous, their happiness infectious. 

“If you die, I’m going to date Keisuke and Chifuyu in your place!” Smiley shouts, earning him a smack from Angry. 

“I’m telling your boyfriend!” Kazutora yells back. 

“Alright, you ready?” Mikey asks Kazutora, who nods. Hakkai and Draken tighten their grips.

“This is stupid,” Chifuyu mutters. “Keisuke, tell them this is stupid.”

“I kind of think it’s hilarious.”

“Chifuyu, I’ll be fine!” Kazutora gives him a reassuring smile.

“Promise?”

Kazutora nods, ignoring the teasing shouts from their friends. “I promise.”

Chifuyu adjusts his fist one last time and steps towards Kazutora. He stops in front of him. “Hey.”

“He–” Chifuyu’s fist connects with Kazutora’s right eye before he can get the full word out. He stumbles back into Hakkai and Draken, only able to keep standing because of the way they’re still holding his arms. 

“You got him good!” Hakkai sounds delighted and Kazutora hears Mitsuya yelling at him to quit looking so smug about it. 

Kazutora pulls away from them and lets himself fall into Chifuyu, who’s cursing under his breath. He grips Kazutora’s face and inspects the area where his fist had made contact. “Kazutora, I’m so sorry! I did what Mikey said, but I didn’t mean to hit your eye.”

"I love you," Kazutora says. He doesn’t know why he hasn’t said it sooner, but it’s all he can think of as he ignores the way his head feels like it's going to explode and the burning sting in his eye. 

"You concussed him!" Hakkai accuses, as if the idea of Kazutora loving Chifuyu is something only a head injury could cause. 

Draken shushes him, but Chifuyu pays him no mind anyway. He's staring at Kazutora with wide eyes, his hands shaking against Kazutora's cheeks. He looks back at Keisuke, who's smiling brightly, his eyes curved into Kazutora's favorite little crescent shape and sharp canines on full display. 

"You're going to leave him hanging after punching him? That's rude, Chifuyu."

Chifuyu laughs, a loud and wet sound that triggers the tears that had been building in his eyes. Kazutora swipes them away with his thumbs while he waits for Chifuyu to speak. “A-a-assho-le,” he stutters out through his tears. Keisuke’s directly behind him now, helping Kazutora sandwich Chifuyu between them. 

“An absolute babe like Kazutora tells you that he loves you, and that’s all you can say?” Keisuke can’t help but continue to tease Chifuyu, who’s taken to burying his face in Kazutora’s neck. 

“Let’s give them some space,” Mitsuya says, coming closer only to pull a complaining Hakkai away. 

“Good luck Chifuyu! Speak from your heart!”

“Okay, that’s enough outta you, Takemitchy.” Draken claps him on the back. “Inside or I’ll kick all of your asses.” 

Even after they’re alone in the backyard, Chifuyu doesn’t move. Kazutora can feel tears soaking his shirt, and though Chifuyu has already told him his own feelings, he can’t help but begin to feel like he’s made a mistake. Chifuyu had been drunk that night, ranting, and hasn’t repeated it since, only saying the words to Keisuke after he says them first. His insecurity threatens to bubble to the surface, but he does his best to swallow it back down and he pulls Keisuke closer still, hugging Chifuyu tighter in the process. 

“Didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“He’s just a bully sometimes.”

Chifuyu sniffles. It’s endearing, as everything else he does is, and Kazutora runs a hand through his hair. “Did you mean it?”  Chifuyu asks. “I didn’t actually concuss you, did I?

Kazutora is going to kill Hakkai. “No! God, I should’ve told you sooner, and I’m sorry.” 

“Kazutora is known for his poor timing. Did you know the first time he told me he loved me, I was sick with the flu and puking. He was holding my hair for me and blurted it out of nowhere.” 

Kazutora groans. He’d sworn Keisuke to secrecy about that moment, but he supposes he’ll forgive him for telling Chifuyu. “That sounds like Kazutora.” 

“Hey.” Kazutora shuffles them a bit, trying to get Chifuyu to lift his head. When he does, Kazutora smiles down at him. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” 

“Hell yeah!” Sanzu cheers and Kazutora twists to see their friends gathered on the porch, whooping with laughter. 

“Kiss him!” 

“Baji, get in there!” 

“Fuck it up, Chifuyu!”

They keep on, and while Kazutora should be mad that they’ve ruined what could’ve been a magically romantic moment, he can’t find an ounce of anger in himself when Keisuke lifts Chifuyu just enough for Kazutora to press their lips together. Chifuyu giggles into the kiss, the sound breaking free and rising into the space around them when Keisuke drops him to kiss Kazutora himself. 

Everything in the moment feels surreal, almost too good to be true, but Kazutora reminds himself of how far removed he is from his childhood and his mother’s cruel words. The knowledge that she’s wrong settles pleasantly where love has bloomed in his chest.

He doesn’t have to choose.

He can have, and love, them both.