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Ritsu sits at the kitchen table with multiple text books and handwritten school notes spread out around him. His parents aren't home and the small desk in his room has proven insufficient to study properly, forcing him to move somewhere with more space.
He makes sure his planner is close by, diligently crossing off subjects and tasks he finishes before moving on to the next one. With midterms approaching, Ritsu has to pay close attention to not miss any of the important topics that might be relevant. Therefore structuring his studying properly is important to keep his grades the way they are right now.
Currently, his focus is solemnly on the math equation he's working through and his pencil is tapping the paper rhythmically as he goes over it in his head. He's so fully devoted to it, that he doesn't notice Shigeo approaching until he speaks up.
"Ritsu?"
The sudden interruption of his train of thought startles him and he jumps in his chair ever so slightly. Wide eyed he looks up at his brother to take him in. To say that Shigeo looks nervous is an understatement. He stands relatively withdrawn, his hands close to his chest and fingers picking at loose pieces of skin around his nails. The expression he wears is conflicted and Ritsu wonders how long he had stood there before speaking up.
"Yes?" He turns properly to his brother now, his elbow leaning on the backrest of the dining room chair. The hand still resting on his notes twirls the pencil in its fingers. Shigeo's eyes jump to the motion for a second before looking back at him. Ritsu decides that he doesn't like the look on his brother's face, something about it rubbing him the wrong way. "Is everything alright? Did something happen?"
"Not really. There's just something I'd like to talk about." Shigeo sounds relatively determined even if he's obviously anxious about it. There's a moment of hesitation before he pulls out the chair next to Ritsu's to sit down, the both of them facing each other properly now. His brother takes a long and deep breath, placing his hands on his knees and leaning forward. "I'm worried."
That makes the pencil fall out of Ritsu's hand and he sits up straighter now.
"So something is wrong!" He gasps and the sudden exclamation makes the other ESPer lean away a little in surprise. Ritsu follows him however, eyes now narrowing as he tries to figure out what could be bothering his brother. There’s only so much he can think of and he doesn’t necessarily like any of the thoughts that cross his mind. "What did Reigen do this time?"
"N-no. Shishou didn't do anything." Shigeo says and he shakes his head rather rapidly, obviously not wanting to get Reigen involved. For a moment Ritsu thinks his brother must be lying about it, but when he elaborates it's rather easy to tell that Ritsu's first hunch had completely missed the mark. "It's about you, actually."
Between them is a moment of awkward silence, Ritsu's head slowly tilting sideways in confusion. Reading Shigeo's expression becomes much harder all of the sudden and he tries to remember if he had done anything that could have upset the other.
"Me?" Ritsu asks eventually, not able to come up with anything in particular that happened recently. Unless finishing Shigeo's ice cream in the freezer counts, but he isn't positive that his brother has noticed that yet.
In response to his question, the other nods firmly, one of his hands now playing with one of his hoodie strings, twirling it a little. "It's about something I heard at school."
Oh.
Suddenly, Ritsu has a sneaking suspicion what this might be about and he feels his throat close up a little. Trying to be casual about it, he shifts on his chair.
When he doesn't answer, Shigeo continues, eyes filled with concern and worry. "I think there's rumors about you. I heard some girls in my class talking today."
"Oh? I-is that so?" Ritsu's voice is less steady than he wants it to be, but Shigeo seems to identify it as genuine cluelessness and curiosity instead of discomfort.
"I- Yes." His brother confirms, his cheeks dusted in a small blush now. When he keeps talking it is less confident and more cautious and Ritsu knows that it's mainly because he doesn't accidentally want to hurt or upset him. Little does Shigeo know that he already has a pretty good idea of what he’s going to say. "They were saying that you - "
For a second the other ESPer interrupts himself, considering his words carefully before continuing. "They were saying that you like boys."
Of course. Out of all the things his brother could have caught up on, it had to be that particular rumor. Ritsu feels himself squirm a little under Shigeo's gaze, his socked feet rubbing against each other on the footrest of the chair. The smile that spreads on his face is the same forced and perfectly crafted one that he gives the teachers and his classmates.
His own cheeks are red at this point and his heart hammers against his chest.
"Oh. I know about that." Ritsu says in an attempt to reassure his brother and to maybe brush the topic off the table immediately. "The other's at the student council already told me about it. Don't worry. I don't really mind."
After another moment of silence, his answer makes Shigeo relax visibly and he gives Ritsu a small and happy smile in return. "That's good."
With that, Ritsu is under the impression that the conversation is over. However, his brother stays put and does not move from his spot on the chair. There's still something bothering him - he can tell with how Shigeo’s small smile grows a little unsure and his eyes scan over Ritsu’s features as if looking for something in particular.
The air around them grows a little thicker and while he knows he should, he doesn’t quite dare to ask Shigeo what's wrong. In the end, he doesn't even have to because his brother eventually decides to speak up again.
"Uhm- so do you?" Shigeo's voice is barely audible but it resonates in Ritsu's ears as the only sound in the entire house. "Like boys, I mean."
He is unable to tear his eyes away from his brother, studying even the smallest detail of his expression to figure out what Shigeo is thinking or what answer he’s expecting. Ritsu can’t find any sign of judgment, but there’s a certain something shimmering in the other's eyes that's quite hard to place. He’s giving him his full and undivided attention and Ritsu can’t remember the last time he had felt so seen and exposed.
There had been times at which he had considered telling Shigeo, simply feeling the need to confine into someone close to him. With how comfortable the relationship between them is these days, he doesn’t mind his brother knowing. There had never been an intention to hide it in the first place but Ritsu simply hadn’t had found the right moment to let Shigeo know. With the added pressure of the other asking however, he does find himself feeling put on the spot rather uncomfortably. In all honesty, he had never really considered himself to be someone who would mind if anyone found out but now that he does have the chance to mention it, he feels incredibly anxious after all.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, Ritsu.” Shigeo says, snapping him out of his thoughts. Softly and understanding, his brother smiles at him and it’s so honest and reassuring that it causes some of the tension in Ritsu's gut to uncurl. Silently, he reasons with himself that while he doesn’t have to tell Shigeo, he still knows that he wants to. He hadn’t quite imagined it going this way, but after a few seconds of back and forth, Ritsu decides that this moment is as good as any.
He takes a long and deep breath, steeling himself a little to make sure his voice is steady. “I guess, I do. I mean, yes, I do.”
Saying it out loud is equally as nerve wracking as it is exciting and the emotions swirl in his chest violently, making his heart beat a little faster as they morph into a single one he can't define. Instinctively he pulls up his shoulders in a shrug, giving Shigeo the best smile he can manage and he starts to play with the edges of his notebook, moving the thin paper between the tips of his fingers. The wait for a reaction is a little panic inducing, but he doesn’t have to wait for too long before Shigeo’s slightly surprised expression is replaced with another gentle smile. Ritsu can’t help but return it, his chest feeling a little lighter. It makes him feel much more comfortable all of the sudden, the tension in his body releasing slowly but steadily.
“Actually-” he dares to continue, his brother’s attention now comforting instead of unpleasant and without the uncertainty of judgment hanging over them, there’s quite a lot he finds himself able to confess. If anyone asked him about it in the future, he would not admit how giddy he feels about what he’s going to confine his brother in. “I think the rumors might have started after some third years saw me and Shou holding hands recently.”
He can’t help the small chuckle that escapes him while he waits for Shigeo to process the information. At first, his brother's expression shifts to something rather dumbfounded, but it soon makes way for a much larger smile than before, Shigeo beaming all of the sudden.
“Oh!” He gasps and leans forward into his space once more. This close Ritsu can see his brother’s aura engulfing him ever so slightly and he picks up on how the tips of his hair float. “I-I’m really happy for the both of you. I didn’t know you and Suzuki were that close.”
The statement makes Ritsu’s cheeks feel warmer than before and he’s not going to pretend that he doesn’t know how red they are. However, his brother’s excitement is quite addicting and he can’t help it when his lips pull up in a smile as well, even if he can’t quite meet the other’s eyes.
“Ah- Yes. He’s pretty cool.” He settles on, not quite sure if Shigeo actually wants a proper response to his statement. With how truly happy he is, Ritsu can’t help but feel a little guilty about waiting so long. “Sorry we didn’t tell you earlier. Never really found the right moment to tell you.”
“Don’t apologize. I’m just glad you have someone to make you happy.” Shigeo says, his words dripping with honesty and radiating a positivity that Ritsu isn’t quite prepared for. He admires his brother for his ability to affect everyone around him like this, his emotions almost contagious in a way that is hard to explain. Still, one of Shigeo’s hands plays with the cuff of his sleeve, rubbing the fabric a little between his fingers and palm. There’s a flash of nervousness that crosses his face and he shifts on his seat once more. “Actually, can I ask you another question?”
The request perplexes Ritsu a little, but he certainly doesn’t mind answering whatever his brother wants to know.
“Sure. What is it?”
At first, Shigeo opens his mouth as if to say something, but he does close it just a moment after. While the seconds tick by, his cheeks grow redder and redder, hands soon coming together to play with his fingers a little. With the way his eyes jump around the room, it’s easy to tell that he’s the one nervous this time.
“How did you know that you like Suzuki?” He asks eventually and if his previous question had been unexpected, this one catches Ritsu completely off guard.
This isn’t something he had ever found himself thinking about too intensely. Everything between him and Shou had progressed so naturally and in a way that made it simply feel like this is how it should be, that Ritsu never really had taken the time to consider when exactly he had realized that his feelings for the other had changed. It almost feels as if one day they had simply sat next to each other to look at silly videos on Shou’s phone and the next he had to deal with the other’s arms wrapping around his middle to annoy him while studying. Deep in thought, he bites the inside of his cheek, worrying it between his teeth for a moment as he tries to find a satisfying answer for Shigeo.
“I think I just…” For a split second his voice trails off as he tries to figure out the right words. “I-I think I just really enjoy spending time with him? It’s easy to talk to him too and I feel like I can tell him things I can’t tell others? When hanging out with him I don’t really feel the need to do much either. We can just kind of… chill.”
Ritsu's own answer doesn’t quite satisfy him and he rubs at his cheek a little, fingers finding a strand of his hair to play with now. The longer he thinks about Shou, the more his heart flutters and the warmer he feels inside and if he didn’t try to explain these feelings to his brother, he’d probably be a little annoyed at how much it is all of the sudden. Usually it only makes itself known as a nice presence in the back of his mind and trying to think about it thoroughly is almost a little overwhelming.
“It’s fun to be around him? Like he- ah. He makes me laugh a lot and I am happy when he shows me stuff he likes.” Ritsu adds, cheeks still incredibly hot and he almost feels like one of the girls from his class talking about their newest crush. Though, if anyone ever accused him of behaving that way, he would go out of his way to give them the meanest glare he could manage and be upset with himself for being so obvious for at least a week. “I guess, when I’m by myself I usually think that I’d like to spend time with Shou instead.”
He decides that this is as good as it gets, not sure how else to describe how he feels towards Shou. Admitting it all is rather embarrassing even if he knows that Shigeo doesn’t judge him and is truly interested. Now that he thinks about it, his brother’s sudden nosiness does strike him as somewhat strange.
“Why are you asking?”
Shigeo goes ridgid at his words and his entire body tenses.
“N-no reason.” He blurts out and jumps up from the chair so quickly that Ritsu has to pull back a little to not get knocked off of his own. His brother’s cheeks are on fire, and his eyes look anywhere but Ritsu. “I actually have something to do, I think. I shouldn’t keep you from studying anymore. See you later, Ritsu.”
Before Ritsu can say anything else or demand a different answer, Shigeo is already too far, quickly hurrying back to his room, the door closing after him loudly much to Ritsu’s confusion.
~♥~
About a week later, Ritsu finds himself sitting on Shou’s bed. His legs are draped over the other’s lap and his head is propped up by most of the pillows so he’s able to comfortably read through the book he has to for school.. Shou himself is on his phone, tapping away on whatever app has caught his attention this time, his free hand resting on Ritsu’s knee casually.
The more pages he gets into his assigned reading, the less interesting it gets and he finds himself unable to pay attention. After reading the current page for the fourth time and retaining nothing of it, he decided to close it with an annoyed sigh. The other seems to be too entranced in what he’s doing to notice, his tongue sticking out a little in concentration. Ritsu feels embarrassed when he catches himself thinking that the other looks rather cute doing it.
His head falls heavier into the pillows then, pressing down the fluff in them.
“Have I ever told you that people at school talk about us?” he says unprompted and it finally catches Shou’s attention enough for him to click the small button at the side of his phone to shut off his screen. There’s a smirk on his cheeks now, but it doesn’t hide the slight blush on his pale and freckled cheeks.
“For real? What are they saying?” he asks, leaning over to Ritsu now, his head cocked and blue eyes wide.
“I don’t know. I don’t really pay attention to that stuff.“ Ritsu admits and shrugs where he is laying, Shou’s weight now resting somewhat uncomfortably on his knees. “I think they just saw us holding hands and-”
“And started talking about how the proper and honorable student council member got involved with a rowdy and extremely cool guy?” Shou interrupts, his tendency to exaggerate showing. “We must have disappointed so many of the girls liking you.”
Ritsu can’t help but to roll his eyes, pushing himself up on his elbows now. “Firstly, nobody thinks that when looking at you. Secondly, I don’t think there even are any girls to disappoint.”
“You can’t be serious, Ritsu! Of course there got to be some girls - or boys - that think you’re cute. Guess you’ll just have to tell them they are too late, though.” Shou laughs a little again, the blush on his cheeks deeper now and it causes Ritsu to smile back at him in amusement. The sound of his boyfriend's laughter never fails to make his own heart flutter. It’s a nice feeling, even if he would never admit to it - or at least not to just anyone.
For a moment they just look at each other, Shou obviously waiting for the usual snippy reply or teasing shove. However, it doesn’t come and instead Ritsu sits up even further to get a better look at the other. His own hands are now resting on Shou's arms, fingertips tracing one of the seams of his jacket.
“I told Shige, actually.” he says and it seems to surprise the other ESPer a little, nose scrunching up for a split second and eyebrows creasing. He relaxes soon enough, though, and one of his hands begins to play with the fingers on Ritsu’s.
“So…what did he say?”
Ritsu shifts a bit on the soft mattress, head falling forward to rest on Shou’s shoulder, his bangs hiding his hot face now. “Nothing, really. He said he’s happy for us. I don’t think he really minds.”
At that the other grabs his shoulders, pushing Ritsu away. He smiles brightly at him. In his excitement, Shou begins to shake him slightly, their position making it rather uncomfortable and yet Ritsu can’t help but laugh truthfully at the other’s display of joy.
“That’s awesome, Ritsu!” He exclaims and stops his shaking, hands squeezing his shoulders tightly now. Shou leans in before Ritsu can react, pressing his lips against his cheek for a small peck. “Does that mean we can finally sit in your living room and don’t have to watch shows on my laptop anymore? Nothing against your futon, it’s just not ideal for cuddling.”
“My futon is just fine, I’ll let you know.” Ritsu huffs in response. However, he does find the idea of simply sitting in his living room with Shou right next to him quite pleasant and maybe it wouldn’t be all too awkward with how well Shigeo had responded to everything. “I guess we can now - but just when only Shige is at home I don’t know…”
“How to tell your parents, mh? I mean I think they would be cool with it, but there’s no rush. I’m your problem now and you’re mine, so you won’t get rid of me that easily.” Shou promises and this time Ritsu does push at him. It’s without any actual malice though, the small gesture only making the both of them laugh and he knows his cheeks are even redder now. When he doesn’t say anything, Shou simply keeps on talking. “We have to tell my Mom too! She’ll be so glad. She keeps on telling me that you’re a good influence.”
The loud laugh that escapes Shou at that resonates through the room and Ritsu’s chest feels fuller than before and this time it’s his turn to lean in to press his lips against the other ESPer’s freckled cheek. The laughter doesn’t cease and for a moment they simply look at one another, Shou’s hand having moved to hold onto Ritsu’s at some point.
He gasps after a few moments of silence however, his free hand reaching for his phone and Ritsu raises one of his eyebrows in a mixture of interest and concern, a bit worried what had the other so excited.
“I need to show you a video! It’s like these two guys- no actually that’ll just spoil it. It’s about being gay and rumors though-”