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“is anyone else not tired or is it just me?” luca hovers over the sleepless, energetic boys who crowd around on the floor with their sleeping bags laid in a row.
“i’m not. i could go for another slice of cake!” mysta stretches his arms out, bored of forcing himself to shut his eyes.
“didn’t you already eat three? save some for the rest of us!” ike hits mysta’s head for being such a glutton.
“well, this calls for a gossip session, huh?” vox rolls over, resting his head on his two hands.
“it’s not like anyone is going to bed soon so i guess so.” shu jumps out of his bed, turning on a few lamps before joining his other four friends huddled in a circle on his bedroom floor.
after a long week of school, the five boys decided it’s time for a sleepover party at shu’s house for the group to have some fun and refuel themselves from all the countless boring assignments and quizzes. earlier, they had played some games and baked a cake, which they all had a blast at, cracking the lamest jokes and letting their true unhinged personality run wild. now it has turned dark, where the actual part of a “sleepover” commences. but when you pair five young boys in one room together, sleep is definitely not going to be the winning option for the night.
“so…” vox smirks as he looks around the room. “anyone currently eyeing a girl?”
“here we go…” ike rolls his eyes.
“i’ll tell if you tell!” mysta points a finger at vox.
vox easily admits his with no hesitation. “you know [x]?”
“ew! her? she’s so average. you can do better!” mysta puffs out his chest with dignity. “for me, it’s [y]! now that’s a babe.”
“what? [x] is totally hotter than [y]!” vox scrunches his nose.
“nuh uh!” the two begin to fight at each other, playfully punching at the other’s invalid claims.
“ugh, they’re so immature. i’m out of this conversation.” ike lays back down, currently having no interest in anyone at all. “hey, but what about you luca? you have anyone you want to date?”
“hm… well…” luca mutters as everyone turns their attention towards him. luca isn’t that transparent when it comes to his crushes or dating life, so to hear any new info from him is a story worth listening to. “i… i don’t really know.”
“aw, come on man! there's gotta be someone!” mysta shakes his head at that disappointing response.
“yeah, don’t you want to experience your first kiss?” vox chimes in.
“first kiss…” luca touches his lip. “have you guys had your first kiss? what’s it like?”
“i had mine but i regret it.” ike flops back his arms. “i wanted mine to be special.”
“i did mine on a dare. not my best moment, but at least i got to experience that.” mysta shrugs his shoulders.
“my first kiss was with my first partner. unlike these two, i had mine with someone i really loved at the time. we’re broken up now, but i still remember the feeling and i can’t lie and say that i didn’t absolutely love it.” vox gives out a sincere answer.
“well…” luca swivels his way to shu, who has been curled into a ball, keeping quiet to himself the entire time while on this intimate topic. “what about you, shu? any interests? secrets? first kiss?” he gives him a little nudge as he notices him not engaging at all.
“uh…” shu blushes. “nothing.”
“that blush on your face says otherwise.” vox poked at his cheek. “someone has a crush~”
“stop!” he throws his pillow at vox, completely embarrassed already even though he hasn’t revealed anything at all.
“this is a safe place! there’s nothing to be embarrassed of. it’s not like we’re gonna spread it around or anything.” ike pats shu’s back with reassurance.
“no…” he sinks in his knees. “i’m never ever telling! this is the first time i’ve admitted to myself i like someone… i’m not experienced like you guys!” he covers his face as he’s utterly gone ‘tomato’ on his face.
“so if you have no experience that means… you and luca are the only two who have never had their first kiss, right?” mysta brain begins to cook.
“guess so. right, shu?” luca drapes his arm by shu’s shoulder.
“hhh…” shu sighs, caught up in a mess of a lie. “yea.” he looks up at luca, oblivious as ever.
shu could think of a million reasons why he couldn’t reveal his crush at that moment right on the top of his head. one of the most obvious reasons that stands right in front of shu is already enough to not tell them, let alone the countless other ones that also pop into his mind.
and when he means the reason is standing right in front of him, he literally means right in front of him.
shu was the last person to join this amazing, comforting friend group. before all of this, he actually didn’t even have much connection… until one special being came into his life, and showed him thoughtfulness and kindness. it was the first time anyone really showed they cared for shu. is it weak to grow a crush on the first person that gives you attention? quite desperate of him if he does say so himself.
but shu can’t help it, especially when that particular person is constantly smiling at him no matter what is going on between the two of them.
and just as usual, luca smiles at shu right beside him as they find out the two have never shared a kiss between anyone before. there’s that smile that shu always finds himself gushing over with those dazzling eyes that shu can get lost in for hours.
luca always knows how to make anyone feel at home with his presence alone. it was luca that brought him to the happiest state he’s ever been during his young teenage years.
and it’s luca that has brought him to this dizzying feeling of butterflies in his stomach.
if that isn’t the definition of a crush, then what is?
“ok, call me crazy but…” mysta snaps his finger. “why not luca and shu have their first kiss with each other right now, eh? that way, you’re not left out anymore!”
“WHAT.” shu feels his stomach sink.
“kiss shu?” luca let out.
“i mean, not in a gay way or anything. it’s platonic, a homie kiss, just so you can practice it on your next partner! cause trust me…” mysta winks. “you’re gonna want to be experienced before you approach someone you actually wanna kiss.”
“ah…” shu shivers, freezing in time like a popsicle in the winter, unable to face the boy that he has been suggested to kiss. he almost finds it humorous that mysta had claimed that he is not someone he would ‘actually wanna kiss’. “i guess… i’m ok with it… i-if… it’s platonic, of course.”
shu is not gonna think of this as platonic.
“hm…” luca glances at shu, who seems to be in a nervous wreck, brushing it off as he was anxious for his first kiss, regardless if it wasn’t meant to be a true one. “no offense but-“
“it’s ok! i get it! i really do!” shu’s interrupts to overbear the fact his heart is shattering as he freaks out. “how embarrassing! mysta, what a weird, dumb, stupid-“
“i mean, it’s not a bad idea. don’t take it personally, like i said.” luca presses his lips together. “but i want my first kiss to be a special time in my life, like vox. i want it to take place at a moment where i’ll remember when it happened forever, and our little sleepover isn’t really that event as this isn’t our first time doing one, you know?” he blushes as he shrugs his shoulders. “guess i’m a bit of a romantic when it comes to that.”
“oh…” shu curses, completely making a fool of himself at that moment out of all the times too.
if he could, he would open up his window and jump out of it right then and there to end all the torture once and for all.
“when do you want your first kiss then?” ike questions.
“this might sound like straight out of a romance cliche but…” he looks out the window, the same view shu had been eyeing, but for a different reason. “i want to have my first kiss when i see snow for the first time. so it’ll be like two firsts. i’ve been dying to see and play around in the snow, and the idea that a warm kiss will toast me up makes me so…”
“what the hell, luca! what’s with all of the fluff?” vox clenches at his chest dramatically, falling to the floor from ‘heartache’.
“that is a little corny…” mysta scratches his chin.
“but it’s cute!” ike side hugs him. “that’s a good idea! taking our advice of making it special is the way to go.”
“yea.” luca wipes the blush off his face before going in to ruffle shu’s hair. “sorry to disappoint you, shu. if you’re still looking to get that first kiss in the future, i’ll help you out, homie style!”
“yea…” luca’s ruffling forces shu to land in luca’s lap, unable to move out of it from the crushed state he’s in.
“well i mean, there’s us too if you still want to get it over with.” mysta waves his arms around at himself, vox, and ike.
shu sighs. “it’s ok. i probably should make it special too.”
“that’s the spirit!” luca pinches at shu’s cheeks. “we’ll all find love eventually, yea?”
“yea!” everyone cheered in unison.
everyone except shu, that is. instead, shu gazes up at the boy who continues to rub his hand against shu’s cheek, clearly affectionate because of the great friendship they have created over time.
it’s obvious it’s a friendship if luca didn’t want to kiss him.
add that to the other million reasons why he couldn’t reveal that he has a crush on luca.
~
“are you sure you don’t want to go to the amusement park with us?” ike places a hand on shu’s shoulder. “we’re here to have fun, i just don’t want you to feel like you’re missing out.”
“it’s ok. go have fun! i have a headache after the long hours of traveling so i should take it easy.” shu assures him.
it feels like forever ago since the five had become the rag tag group they still are today back in grade school. of course with different aspirations and goals, they all had gone their separate ways after graduation, but that didn’t stop them from constantly visiting each other, planning trips, and still hanging out as the best friends they are. currently, the group has decided to travel for the winter season, no core plan or anything, but just to have the time of their lives while catching up on the things they’ve missed from each others’ well being.
“alright. take it easy, ok?” ike shoves his heels into his shoes before heading out the door.
“we’ll bring home a fresh pretzel for you.” mysta waves off as he heads to the car that vox had already buckled himself into.
“ok. have fun g-”
“i’ll stay with you.”
“huh?” shu shifts as he notices a delicate touch on his back.
“you’ll get fomo if all of us leave you alone! don’t worry, we can have fun together by chilling.” luca beams a grin on his face. “you guys go ahead.”
“what? luca, really? weren’t you super hyper to go to an amusement park though? you absolutely love them!” mysta questions his sacrifice.
“someone’s gotta be there for shu, right?”
“a-ah… i guess?” he breaks into a sweat, and it’s not because of his headache. “if that’s what you really want… don’t force yourself to stay behind though, i’ll be fine, really.”
luca does his usual hair ruffle on shu. “i’m not forcing anything. i promise i want to stay behind for you.”
“typical luca: always looking after others over yourself. you two have fun alone together then.” ike waves off as the three of them head off to the fun land of rides, food, and attractions.
the remaining two watch the car slowly drive away until it’s the tiniest spec of a molecule left in sight. shu shivers, rethinking the fact luca gave up his number one favorite place to go to, just to be with him.
it’s almost as if those feelings shu had for luca never went away all those years.
“ok! now that they’re gone, let the real fun begin! with just us two!” luca lightens the mood, teasing around at him. “do you want to go rest first, or shall we get some warm drinks at the cafe nearby? whatever you’re feeling, we’ll do it!”
“um…” shu tries to hide his face. “let’s go get some drinks.”
shu has known luca for a while alright. he’s met all kinds of people in between as well. sure he developed a few extra crushes along the way, but the one he stands in front of today never left that sensitive spot in his heart, no matter how much he tried to think of luca as just his friend. and the sweet gesture he did just now is exactly why shu still feels this way for him.
he’s always considerate and thoughtful. shu tends to hold onto the little things that goes a long way in his memory, and the amount of little things luca has done for shu is endless.
at the end of the day, though they live completely different lives as they’ve aged, luca is always there for him, popping up whenever he needed it most.
“yay!” the blonde puppy dances around while dressing himself into his big fluffy coat and scarf on for the windy weather. he grabs onto shu’s scarf as well and drapes it around shu’s neck. “make sure to bundle up! it’s pretty chilly outside and i don’t want you freezing!”
even though luca is helping shu wrap the scarf and put the puffy jacket on for shu to warm him up, shu’s body begins to heat for a different reason. he stares at luca as he finishes shu’s look off with a cute winter hat over his head. “why…” shu stutters. “why are you being extra nice to me?” shu stuffs his hands into his mittens which were located in his pockets. “i can do it myself.”
“hm?” luca jiggles at the doorknob. “extra nice?”
“sorry. that sounded kinda rude, didn’t it…” he couldn’t help but feel tugged at over these mixed signals.
“it’s ok. i’m always nice to you, shu.” he swings the door open, letting the frosty breeze hit his cheeks. “guess i’m being extra sweet because i missed you so much. is that crime really worth questioning?” he chuckles to himself as he begins to stroll down the sidewalks, heading towards the coziest cafe he knows around here.
shu waits for his heart to manage itself before sprinting to catch up to luca, who whistles along the pavement with a pep in his step. “i missed you too, you know. i…” he brings his knitted hat down to his eyelids. “i always miss you.”
“that makes two of us.” luca happily kicks some pebbles around. “it’s always nice having the five together and hanging out like that, but i do really value and treasure the one-on-one moments alone, like now!”
“yea…” he sinks into his scarf, letting his nose remain warm under the fabric. “i appreciate those times t-“
luca holds the door open for shu. “what’s that? you cut yourself off.”
“sorry.” he shakes his head. “i think i just felt a raindrop on my head.”
“oh no, i hope the rain doesn’t mess with the other three’s plans.” the two cozy up in the cafe filled with the scent of coffee and baked sweets. “it would be a shame if the roller coasters close because of the weather.”
“mhm.” shu pretends to pay close attention to the glass display of the different types of desserts: macarons, cheesecake, honey bread. “ooh, these look nice. maybe i should get a dessert with my drink.”
“since when did you crave sweets?” luca hovers over his shoulder, eyeing the chocolate brownies. “you usually never go for them.”
“i-“ he flinches. “i can change over time, luca.” he scraps the staged plan and walks to the cash register, utterly embarrassed that his foolishness never fails to slip past luca. “i’ll have an espresso please.” he orders from the barista.
“can you now?” luca teases him, stepping up to pay for shu’s drink. “add a hot chocolate to that order, and i’ll pay for both.”
“luca!” shu playfully shoves at him.
“it’s what the sick boy deserves.” he uses his hip to nudge shu back.
it’s just like the old times. their frivolous banter and their light hearted arguments; some things never change. it’s only till you grow up when you realize the habits you do back in your childhood are some of the things that’s last forever in relationships.
the jokes, the words, the promises.
once the two have received their drinks, they head towards a table by the window, luca’s favorite setting to sit at with at a cafe; he takes nothing else as a viable option.
“that’s more like it.” luca pulls up in his chair, smiling with a bit of a goof to his grin. “that’s the shu i know. your taste for sweets can change, but your drink order sure doesn’t.”
he sips on the warm liquid. “ok, but that’s only because espresso is superior. i literally can’t live without it.”
“hm.” luca chuckles before gulping down the steamy chocolate down his throat. “i see how it is.”
“what?” shu places his cup down with a confused look on his face.
“you can’t live without espresso… but you can live without me?” his eyes went from normal to puppy mode in an instant. “ouch.”
“luca,” he rolls his eyes. “why are you like this?”
“cause unlike you, i never ch-“ luca slams his hands on the table, almost knocking over the drinks straight to the floor. “OH MY GOD.”
“huh? what is it-“ shu follows luca’s eyes, which head towards the window and freezes in shock at the sight from outdoors.
white glitter. it begins to sprinkle towards the sidewalks, roads, and everything walking along it. the temperature was just low enough to begin the magical wonderland that luca had always been dying to witness.
it’s here. it’s snowing.
luca pounces out of his seat, scrambling to the exit to stop and stare at the glorious view that lies ahead. he feels the very first snowflake tickle his nose, lightly dropping onto his skin before falling down to the concrete pavement. it felt astounding; that same feeling when someone goes up to hug you for the first time - it felt just like that.
it catches him off guard, as he watches many among many movies where it snowed during christmas season to the point he grew accustomed to accepting his first snow experience to be in the month of december. but it wasn’t december. it was just another winter day while he was on vacation with his friends, specifically on a cafe outing with shu alone.
he didn’t know how to express his emotions. he almost felt like his heart could explode from the overwhelming - the positive type of overwhelm, that is - emotions rushing through his body like a firework blasting off into the sky. with this much serotonin, it’s almost like he could faint.
but his snowy dream is coming to life, there isn’t an option to black out during his first time witnessing the white powder decorating him from head to toe.
luca cups his hands together, catching a few snowflakes in his palms. “i… can’t believe it…”
“i…” shu feels the flakes against his eyelashes.
“IT’S SNOWING!” luca burst himself in the air, dancing around like a ballerina at the biggest recital of their life. white sheets of frost begin to paint every inch of the ground, not one spec missing a corner. “shu, it’s snowing!” he giggles enthusiastically.
“yea…” shu blushes at the boy who jumps freely without a care in the world if anyone was watching him. he lives in the moment, and he looked beautiful doing it. “hey luca,” shu embraces the warmth (of the mood, not the weather), scooping up the bits of snow that stick to the floor. “think fast!”
“huh-“ a snowball hurls towards luca, hitting him right on the side of his head.
“i got you!” shu snickers, letting himself loose for once to just enjoy this wondrous moment.
“snowball fight…” luca mutters before digging his hands right into the snow and clumping up a big ball to get his sweet revenge. “watch out!” he chucks it at him, laughing away at how much fun he’s having already.
“woah!” shu dodged it with a little twirl. “you missed me!”
“don’t mess with me, shu.” as the snow flurries harder, the more the entire environment dresses in the fluffy white coat. “you know i won’t go easy on you.”
“oh yea? bring it!” shu dashes in the opposite direction in hopes to lose luca from his sight, and from this battle.
“hey wait up!” luca darts after him, each footprint crunching as he runs by with the new layer of ice on the sidewalk.
they reach a hill: a perfect playing field to frolic around in during this climate; snowball fights, snow angels, building a snowman, sledding… everything you could do with the glistening crystal, luca wanted to indulge in, to his heart’s content.
“you’re trapped now!” luca waves his snowball around, aiming it towards shu’s face.
“go ahead, try m-“ shu’s sentence gets interrupted by the sudden ice shoved into his mouth.
luca cracks the loudest giggle to date. “bullseye, oh my god!” he holds onto his stomach from how it aches with happiness. “that was hilarious!” his laughter becomes so uncontrollable that he gets knocked to the ground, falling back into the snow like it was a pillow.
luca remains blanketed in the snow, scooping it up around him and flapping his limbs out in pure joy. shu hovers over him once he scrapes the snow off his face, cracking a chuckle from catching luca’s contagious flu of the giggles; something he could never be immune to. “so… looks like someone is happy.”
“of course.” he stares up at shu, whose hair flows down with the gravity of him hanging over luca. “i’ve dreamt of this for years.”
“and you know…” shu couldn’t take his eyes off the boy; the boy of his dreams. how could genuine euphoria increase someone’s attraction level? luca went from cute to irresistibly adorable with just a smile and a laugh for witnessing something small, yet so grand in his eyes’ first gaze. it’s always nice to see someone happy, but when it comes to luca, it’s something shu craves especially. to see him beam his true colors, that’s what makes his heart come back to life. “i’ve dreamt this for you as well. i know how much you’ve been dying to see snow, so actually, i’m pretty hyper as well that you got to-”
“GOTCHU!”
while catching shu off guard, luca yanks shu’s arm down to the floor, resulting in shu losing his balance and toppling into the snow, creating a messy pile around the two of them. once again, luca wails with jolliness at his little hints of trolling.
“luca! stop pushing me around!” shu tries to pick himself back up from the floor.
“where do you think you’re going?” luca swivels over and pins himself on top of shu to assert his plan to never lose against shu. “you’re not going anywhe-”
blush, rosy cheeks, a thump to his chest that stops all movement, sound, and time.
shu’s sleeve covers the bottom half of his face as he gulps in a sweat. and with the image in front of luca in this moment, it suddenly all came rushing back to him.
there was this promise luca made long ago, back when they were kids. whenever it snowed… he would want to have his first kiss.
he almost forgot about the little statement he declared during that sleepover, but he isn’t one to just say things and leave it as an empty promise; he’s not one to blurt and forget. when he says something, he keeps it to his grave.
and for some reason, the way shu reacts to their current position - which he can admit has gone a bit sensual - all struck him at once.
“shit.” luca crawls back to his knees, face falling into his palms.
“w-what… what is it?” shu bites his lip, lifting his head up just to barely notice luca sulking.
“i…” he doesn’t know where to begin. how does he bring this up to shu? it’s not just about the way he promised to have his first kiss when he saw snow for the first time, but also the certain thing he said after… and it involved shu as well.
oh no… luca’s head begins to spin. it’s all coming together now.
“shu… uh…” he stutters, unable to speak over the beating in his heart. since when could it get this loud?
“luca? are you ok?”
“um…” he shuffles himself back up on his feet, but barely keeping a steady balance. “i guess… i’m just flustered over how happy i am with the… the snow…”
“oh.” as shu picks himself back up as well, the awkwardness between luca’s pauses caught onto shu. tension begins to suffocate the air, somehow even overpowering the horrid pollution. “that makes… s-”
“have you had your first kiss yet, shu?”
the bomb has been dropped. luca didn’t know what would happen next. there’s no way shu remembers that one conversation they had together, so he must’ve been wondering why luca would even bring this up. this could go so many possible ways. but…
knowing shu, he would never judge luca for what he says. shu has always been the kind to let everyone speak their mind no matter what and give a clean perspective without looking down upon. if he knew the boy clearly, he knows one thing for sure: he won’t let this ruin their friendship.
because that’s the last thing luca wants right now. that’s the last thing he wants this to result in.
“uh…” shu takes a step back. “what?”
“i’m so sorry! just… just forget about it, ok? i don’t really-”
“no. it’s ok.” shu finds himself gravitating back towards luca in order to reassure the blonde from any damage. or maybe it was because he picked up on where this might be headed; pretending to think of it as the first option made his mind race less. “this seems important to you. what’s up?”
“ah…” luca’s body flinches. “you promise… you promise not to judge me over what i’m about to say, ok?”
shu’s eyes dart towards the floor. “i would never judge you, luca.”
“ok then.” luca takes in a deep breath in an attempt to swat the butterflies away, but it barely moves an inch. “i’ll repeat my question then: have you had your first kiss yet?” his breath leaves a fog since the temperature drops.
“no.” shu shivers quietly, and it’s not from the cold.
“then,” he wraps his pinky around shu’s. “would you like to have your first kiss today?”
“with… with who?”
“with me.” luca’s voice cracks.
“why?” is all shu lets out.
“ah, ok.” luca suddenly feels the need to ramble. “well, you see, there was this one sleepover we had together; it was with the five of us. and we got into this topic of first kisses. from what i recall, you and i have never had our first kiss yet. but i said ‘i want to have my first kiss along with when i see snow for the first time.’ you know, so i can remember many of those firsts in my life so it makes it that more special to me because-”
“luca.” shu covers luca’s babbling mouth playfully. “i get it. it’s just… do you really want to have your first kiss…with me?” his fingers stumble around after luca locks onto him. “you seem to really cherish firsts and… i just don’t think i’m the right fit.”
“well,” luca lets out a smirk, beginning to feel himself let loose. he rolls his shoulders out from the tensed state. “it will be an honor if i get to be your first. and you know, this is just a homie helping out another homie. you get to experience your first kiss and i get to have my first kiss with someone who also gets to have their first kiss… all while i witness snow for the first time. so many firsts, it aligns quite well…” he rambled again as he holds out his empty hand. “so what do you say? deal?”
the cycle… it’s happening all over again.
shu treads closely to luca, latching onto his hand. “sure. only if it’s platonic, of course.”
shu is not gonna think of this as platonic.
“great…” luca huffs his chest. “alright. let’s…” he stalls. “do you want to lean in or do i?”
shu’s eyes drift shut. “you lean in. i’m ready whenever you are.”
“ok…” luca’s face begins to move towards shu. “i’m going for it now… get ready…”
“mhm.” shu stands as still as a statue, just ever so slightly, leaving a small crack between his lips.
“yup…” luca’s lips reach right next to shu’s, one more millimeter and they would be locked in. “hm… wait!” he jumps back.
“huh?” shu lifts one eyelid open.
“i… i don’t want to lean in by myself! it’s very intimidating!” luca lifts his scarf above his head out of sheer embarrassment.
“oh! sorry!” shu waves his mittened hands around. “i didn’t know that would scare you… you know, this is my first time kissing someone too so i don’t know where to begin.”
“it’s ok…” luca coughs the blush away. “we can figure it together…” he mutters, but still tries to get the message through.
“so… let’s both lean in at the same time.” shu asserts confidently.
“right.” luca nods to the plan. “countdown from five though. so i can mentally prepare myself.”
“ok…” shu adjusts his head to face luca once more, bracing himself for the real deal; the time that has finally arrived.
luca will never have a first to witness snow ever again, so it’s now or never to do this, right?
“five…” luca begins this crucial moment by slowly wrapping his arms around shu’s back, letting his thumbs feel around the jacket material.
“four…” shu follows after luca in the countdown with a whisper, caressing his mittens on luca’s cheeks while securing his lips to motion towards him.
“three…” they continue to go back and forth with counting down as luca pulls shu forwards, letting their chests that are filled with their hearts pound against each other’s touch.
“two…” shu flutters his eyes shut, awaiting for the counter to end and the magic begin.
“one.”
with a bit of a push, luca seals the unwanted air in between their lips, savoring himself into his long awaited first kiss in the winter season. snowflakes pat against their heads as the two lock their lips together, capturing that sweet taste of affection and tenderness.
shu already yearns for more passion, but with just those few seconds, luca pulls away, completely shocked at what is even happening now.
“ok.” luca trembles while his head explodes like confetti. “that should be-”
but before his mind could process his first kiss, shu holds onto the back of luca’s neck and pulls him back in for more, going for a rougher, passionate kiss for his crush.
a three second kiss was not warm enough to keep shu’s chapped and frozen lips satisfied against the snow that falls upon them. he needed it to be longer, messier, filled with true love and emotion.
it was a risk to pounce back onto luca, possibly scaring him away from the brave attitude that supposedly comes out of nowhere…
but just as shu thought, luca falls back into shu’s arms and paces up to shu’s level, kissing him with the eager rhythm that shu plays along.
it was that simple; with their lips locked tight, suddenly their body temperature rose up, erasing the frosted tips on their noses as the hairs on their skin gracefully flows back down, in awe of the heat snuggling them nicely.
shu couldn’t help himself. he was in love with luca. and he was falling even harder for him. when will he even get this chance again to “platonically” kiss the boy who he has crushed on for all his childhood? he had to make the moment last, and he thanks the white skies for this miracle to bless him today. it feels like cinnamon and sugar; like a baked sweet fresh out of the oven from the cafe they just ran out of. he couldn’t get enough of it. shu dives deeper, taking over as he devours those plump lips he’s stared at for who knows how many times.
but it wasn’t that one sided after all. luca notices shu pushing himself, which makes the blonde smirk between their kiss and nudge him back, wanting to establish that he was in control by dipping him backwards with his arm bracing him, successfully swooning shu away to another planet where it was just shu, him, and the snowflakes that drip against their skin.
luca thought that his dream was too cliche, almost embarrassed that he dreamed of having his first kiss under the white skies, with the lights twinkling by the sunrise, and the smell of hot chocolate swifting through his nose, as if he was a main character in a christmas hallmark movie; sure they were all the same, but was it wrong for luca to want to be a part of that at least one time?
well, in this moment, he assures it wasn’t, especially as shu presses against luca’s lips, with such a wavering emotion luca has never seen from him before. there was a spark in shu’s affection; it’s subtle, but luca can tell it’s there.
“oh.” luca slips out when shu tongue begins to get caught in the action.
“what?” shu croaks, disappointed in the break of their touch, as he quite frankly has been getting used to luca’s lips continually pressed up against him to keep his body heated in this climate.
“nothing.” luca covers his mouth with his hand. “that was…”
“sorry.” shu wipes the wet flakes off his face. “sorry if that was weird.. or awkward… or even not what you were expecting for you first time…. i-”
“stop.” luca grabs onto shu’s waist for reassurance. “it’s fine. you were…” he looks into shu’s shining amethyst eyes. he realizes he never got to see those sparkling gems while they shared their first kiss, as the two were both too into sinking into that emotion of intimacy; it was more of a soul moment instead of a sightseeing moment. “you were great.”
“was i?” shu stutters as he feels luca palms melt against his hips.
“yea…” he brushes his thumbs back and forth by shu’s cotton pants. “did you… think that was a good first kiss for you?”
“um…” shu breaks eye contact with luca, resisting the urge to pounce right back into the heated obsession. “of c- yea.” he stops himself from over complimenting luca. the idea that luca might catch on to his unreciprocated feelings would devastated shu, it might even gross him out if he looks back on their first kiss and all he could think about is the fact shu took advantage of him. “you were great too. thank you for uh… sharing that with me…?” shu runs off to force himself to fixate on the pile of snow on the ground, crouching down to pat up an irregular shaped ball. “come on, there’s enough snow now for us to build a snowman! wouldn’t it be so fun if we-”
luca strolls up from behind shu and wraps his arms around the boy, hanging his head by shu’s shoulder with a looming thought rumbling in his mind. “can we take a picture?” he gives shu a light squeeze.
“ah!” shu shudders back, curling himself into luca’s arms as he tries to escape. “f-for what?”
luca twist a hand on shu’s chin, letting his eyes recapture his. “so i can remember this moment forever.”
“huh?” shu questions as the smug look on his face makes him swear that he going to go in for a second kiss. “wait-”
“smile!” luca reaches into his pocket for a small polaroid camera, catching shu off guard for his sudden skinship and photographic request.
“wait, what???” shu blushes heavily once luca presses his smiling cheek right next to shu’s.
click. luca takes the photo before his mind races too out of control.
shu blinks as luca immediately gets up, waiting for the photo to print out. “hey! wait! why are you moving so fast!” shu grows flustered. “also i wasn’t ready! let’s take a better one.”
luca’s back faces shu’s as he hides the evident crimson blush that paints all over his face. he treads along quickly in this moment to follow along the wave his beating heart follows as the adrenaline pumps nonstop. not only that, he hastily tries to capture the flustered look on shu’s face in the photo to remember how he appears right after their kiss just so he can remember…
how cute shu is after all of that.
“you mentioned a snowman, right?” luca grins to himself as he safely plants the polaroid photo in his pocket. “come on! we better get to building it if we wanna make it as tall as us!”
“o…” shu’s chest tightens with a heavy heart as he stares at luca running up to find a perfect place to start a snowman. “ok.”
shu grabs at his chest. no… oh no… just when i thought nothing could get worse…
i’m in love with him. i’m so in love with him. and he’s naivety is not making it easier.
~
“hm…” ike, mysta, and vox all huddle around the ends of the corner, peering over at the living room.
“what the hell happened while we were gone?” vox scratches his the back of his head.
“i don’t know… but ever since we came back from the amusement park, those two have been acting different…” ike whispers his analysis.
“and by ‘acting different’ you mean they’ve been inseparable and completely touchy!” mysta blurts out loud.
“shhhhh!” vox and ike hush mysta in unison.
“what?!” mysta whispers harshly. “i’m just telling the truth!”
“ok, but you don’t need to yell out loud for them to hear!” ike shushes mysta down. “we gotta play it cool… and investigate what the heck is happening…”
the three continue to watch from the corner, furthering their snoop on shu and luca, and what those two could be up to.
“luca…” shu squirms around on the couch, trying to pry out of luca’s arms. “come on, it’s getting late and you haven’t packed your things yet!”
“aw,” luca pouts. “do you want to get away from me that badly?” luca pulls shu back in a tighter embrace. “you know i’m leaving tomorrow and it’ll be a long time till we see each other again!”
“yea but…” shu curls his body in the opposite direction of where luca faces, as he doesn’t want to show his rosy expression from the fact luca’s hands squeeze around shu’s waist. “you gotta get up early for your flight… i don’t want you missing it.”
“please shu,” luca cuddles his head in shu’s shoulder. “just a little longer… please?”
shu hides his face in his hair as he concentrates on luca’s hand that slowly inches towards his thumping heart; something he desperately doesn’t want luca to feel or notice. it has been a couple of days since their kiss in the snow; after that event, nothing really changed between the two of them.
well…
except that luca has been so much more touchy while shu has gotten extremely anxious for just being around the blonde.
“alright…” shu can’t resist when luca pleads like that. “but you have to give yourself time to pack everything up, ok?”
“of course!” luca makes himself comfy with shu in his arms.
shu shuffles flusteredly as he takes in this final moments before they go their separate ways after their vacation comes to a close. is this how it’s gonna end…? sure, luca has gotten more affectionate around me, but maybe that’s because he just misses me a lot; it’s not like this type of behavior is strange for luca, he’s always been loving to others.
shu’s heart accelerates even more. but at the same time…this feels a little different.
shu gulps down his nerves, gradually finding himself squeezing luca back as he tosses over to face him. ugh, who am i kidding? did i really think luca would do something or change his feelings after our first kiss? it was only meant to get our first kiss out of the way! obviously, all it was is just a little-
shu twists over to be greeted with luca’s long eyelashes fluttering shut in front of him. just like that, luca has passed out on the couch, finding solace with the comfort of this cuddle. shu’s violet eyes glisten at the blonde sleeping peacefully in this position.
i can’t be the only one that felt something special between us and that kiss… right?
“HOW THE FUCK DID HE FALL ASLEEP ALREADY??” mysta suddenly jumps from the corner, shocked at how shu and luca have come to this without him knowing.
“MYSTA!” the other two yell out as mysta unveils their undercovered post.
“shhh!” shu shuts all of them down by brushing them. “don’t wake luca up!”
“weren’t you the one that wanted him to go pack? he still needs to do that, there’s no time for sleeping!” mysta gives up being a spy and straight up intervenes.
“so you guys were listening the entire time…” shu sinks lower into the couch while he pieces together that the other three had been observing them this entire time.
“you gotta admit, ever since we left you two alone while we went to the amusement park you guys have been acting awfully close…” ike squints his eyes.
“more like awfully strange!” vox crouches down while pointing at the way luca cuddles up to shu so easily. “i knew you guys had a special bond, but was it ever that serious???”
“guys!” shu covers luca’s ears from the noise of their friends to let him rest. “nothing is going on! we had a nice time together alone in the snow, but that’s it!”
“‘nice time’ like what…?” mysta questions.
“n-nothing!” shu blushes into a tomato.
“well, as long as luca is ready for his flight tomorrow, then have at it.” ike pats shu’s head. “i’m heading to bed.”
vox follows after ike. “i am too, but don’t think that i don’t know you’re up to something!” he glares at shu before running up the stairs to join ike to get ready to sleep.
“yea!” mysta crosses his arm with a chuckle. “it almost seems like you guys remembered that promise you made YEARS ago at a sleepover where luca said he wants to have his first kiss when he sees snow for the first time and if i'm not mistaken that would mean YOU were there while it began snowing during our trip and-“
mysta halts his sentence once he notices shu has the most floored and guilty expression on his face over the fact mysta had somehow remembered that small detail back when they were all kids. mysta’s jaw drops wide open when his little ramble he threw out there just MAYBE was somehow true…?
“wait a second… there’s no way that-“
“don’t tell anyone!” shu yaps at him. “how did you even come up with that bizarre conclusion?”
“i don’t know! it just seems like luca has some sort of crush on you so i thought-“
“he doesn’t! it was just to get our first kiss out of the way!”
“i see…” mysta tries to wipe a smug smile off his face, but he isn’t as slick as he wants to think he is. “ok… i guess i’ll just… leave you guys alone for now…” he whistled as he treads up the stairs. “wonder how it’ll be tomorrow once we all go our separated ways…” mysta leaves it off on that note for shu to ponder to himself.
ugh… that was too close… shu sighs with relief once all the commotion has vanished. he thought you were the one that had a crush, pft. shu fixes his attention on the sleeping puppy, still resting up by his shoulder on the couch. if only…
shu silently wiggles his way out of luca’s grasp, trying his hardest not to wake him up from the movement. luckily, he remains sleeping, beautiful as ever with just the two of them occupying this room.
shu reaches for a blanket by another chair. i’ve waited so long for this… he takes in a deep breath before covering the blanket from head to toe on luca’s body, tucking him nicely before calling it a night. i guess this is what i’ve been waiting for. that’s a pretty nice conclusion, don’t ya think? sleep tight, luca!
shu heads up the stairs, knowing well that his heart is not satisfied to end things off here. he wants more; he craves for so much more to explore from and with luca.
but in the back of his mind, he keeps reminding himself that he and luca are just close friends that helped each other out. it was a moment he won’t forget, and through the many years being content like this with luca, shu has learned that this is something he can’t really be picky about.
instead, it’ll always be something to treasure. because firsts are always special. and luca is really special to shu.
shu creaks luca’s room open and begins to fold up anything lying around, packing luca’s things up for him as he rests soundly on the couch.
~
“sorry again that you had to stay up and pack everything for me! i didn’t even realize i fell asleep yesterday.” luca bows apologetically. “guess i got too comfortable laying next to you, yea?” he flashes an innocent smile.
shu shakes his head at the constant ‘flirting’ (if that’s what you can call whatever he’s doing) luca unknowingly blurts out at shu. he’s still at it…
“like i said, it’s fine! you were probably exhausted, and the least i can do before you head off is pack your things,” shu pats luca’s suitcase as he stands by the escalators along with vox, ike, and mysta to say their last goodbyes to each other. “think of it as a little thanks from me to you, for helping me have a fun time on this trip though i became a little sick from jet lag.”
“ah, no need to thank me. i just love spending time with you guys!” luca grins as he looks out to his childhood friends before he boards the plane off first back to their separate lives.
“be safe, ok?” vox pats luca’s back. “continue doing great things!”
“i’m gonna miss you man…” mysta joins in with a sniffle.
“but we’ll always group up and meet again, right?” ike asks as he brings himself in a side hug.
“of course! we’ve been friends since forever, let’s not stop that now, even after years apart!” luca gives everyone a farewell before he heads off. “always keep in touch on the phone, guys! if you ignore me, i’ll be very upset!”
“of course!” the group waves their hands in the air in unison while shu remains silent, fist clenched by his side.
“alright…” luca grabs onto his suitcase as he nods his head, getting ready to lift his foot up on the first step of the escalator. “goodbye g-“
“wait!” shu tugs on the bottom of luca’s shirt.
“huh? what is-“
“goodbye luca.” shu pulls luca into a soft embrace, hugging him with all his heart he has been keeping to himself. “i’m gonna miss you…so much.”
“aw, shu…” luca gets caught off by the affection, but easily accepts it with the sweet warmth he can feel in shu’s squeeze. “don’t forget to call me when you arrive back at your home, alright?” luca’s hands tangled in shu’s hair, caressing him softly as he’ll miss being able to have shu besides him.
“but…” shu frowns, letting his heart pound without worrying if luca would hear. “do you have to go?” shu whispers as he lifts his head, revealing a crushing pout on his lips.
“h-hey…!” luca grows flustered with shu’s disheartening expression close to his face. “that’s unfair! why are you frowning like that?”
“because…” shu huffs, aching to reveal the biggest secret he’s ever kept in his entire life because when else will he have the courage to let it out? on top of that, can he even hold it back any longer? just hugging luca like this alone reminds him of how much more he wishes to do with luca. and the fact that luca just takes him in with open arms makes him wonder… “i…”
“we’ll see each other again. very soon.” luca interrupts shu by grabbing onto his hand and holding it firmly. “whenever you and i aren’t busy with our own lives, i’ll come visit you. that’s a promise!”
shu’s heart twists as he sighs back to reality. of course, they live totally different lives now. nothing is going to change because it’s always been that way. perhaps shu is too in over his head to think maybe luca’s feelings did change for him after their time in the snow. “ok…” he lets go of his plan, letting things continue taking its course. “but you have to promise very VERY soon!” he whines while puffing out his cheek.
luca lets out a chuckle, unable to smile at shu’s reaction. “i think you’re being unfair,” luca brings his other unoccupied hand up to shu’s cheek, brushing it slightly. “you know you’re being too cute right now.” his thumb gravitates towards shu’s pouty lips. “you gotta wipe that frown off that face and smi-“
luca’s eyebrows raise as it clicks to him how much shu is blushing with the most adorable pink tint painted on his cheeks and on the tip of his nose. shu quivers at the way luca’s thumb strokes back and forth on his lip, almost as if he’s conscious and sensitive of his touch now…
it’s too precious. since when did shu blushing look this sweet and adorable to luca? the way he looks at him reminds him of their snowy kiss that he admits hasn’t left his mind since it occurred. luca doesn’t know why, but that tender moment between him and shu continues to replay in his mind as it was a certain type of warmth that he’s never felt before in his entire life. the way shu’s hands pressed against his cheeks while luca fell deeper into his soft, plush lips that took him to a wonderland greater than his imagination could paint. he knew his first kiss would be great, but shu really made it unforgettable and incredible for him.
luca leans in towards shu. “shu… i think…”
“PLANE IS BOARDING NOW! PASSENGERS PLEASE LINE UP WITH YOUR TICKETS!” an announcement interrupts their intimate moment.
“no! wait i-“
“you gotta go!” shu instinctively pushes luca up the escalator, watching luca slowly move up and away from him with a little tear in his heart forming.
“shu…” luca mutters under his breath as his eyes glisten just seeing shu slowly get further from his grasp.
“bye luca!” shu’s voice cracks as he waves off.
“bye…?” luca waves back with tiny motions, unsure how to feel in the moment.
ike and vox’s jaw are left open while mysta gives off a sly smirk as they witness the interaction between their two friends.
“what…was that?” ike asks.
“since when did they…” vox never finishes his sentence, almost too stunned to speak,
but they know what’s beginning to blossom here.
“man, i can’t believe you just left it off like that, shu.” mysta clicks his tongue. “shu?”
shu couldn’t look up from staring at the floor. “it’s… it’s fine. i’m just glad i got to-“
“HOLD ON! ONE LAST THING!” luca yells at the top of his lungs as he’s nearly at the top of the escalator.
“huh?” shu’s heart stops beating as he watches luca struggle to get back down to their floor by beating the wave of the escalator’s direction. he runs against the forced movement, clumsily making his way to the bottom back to his friends.
“oh no, here it comes!” mysta pushes ike and vox back, knowing what’s about to happen next.
“luca! what are you doing?” shu stutters as luca nearly falls on his face while stumbling his way back down.
“sorry.” luca grabs onto shu’s face. “but i don’t think i can leave without giving you one last kiss.”
“WHAT-“
luca pulls shu in, pressing their lips together after thinking long and hard about how he feels towards shu. he thought that maybe it was the magic of ‘firsts’ that made him want to explore every part of shu but as he finds this new blooming attraction for the boy that flutters in his heart, whether that’s from the way he can’t resist shu’s contagious smile or the comfort his aura is against his fiery personality that gives such a perfect contrast as a pair, having to say goodbye to shu as close friends just doesn’t feel right anymore. and he had enough of pretending like that kiss was just platonic to him this entire time during the trip. he could barely keep his hands to himself after just one little touch, how is he supposed to travel back home without giving at least some closure and communication that he feels sparks flying in the air between the two?
and just with this second kiss luca attacks at shu with, with luca’s lips curving upwards as he feels shu accepting his kiss back by falling into it with just as much passion, it solidifies to luca that he’s been looking at shu wrong his entire life, and that there’s always been something extra special there; he just needed a little push to open his eyes, and it so happens to ignite during this trip while they spent time alone together.
luca pulls away, hopping back on the escalator as he blushes at shu, now waving off to him officially. “there! take that as a promise that i’ll see you very very soon!”
“WHATTTTTTTTT????” vox, ike, and mysta lose their minds, completed stunned at luca actually pulling through in kissing shu right in front of them.
shu has to gasp for air to find the courage to speak back to him. “WAIT? what does that make us?” shu has to ask before he disappears on his plane.
“hm, what do you think?” luca yells back as the escalator takes him away.
“UM!” shu takes a deep breath, surprised by luca initiating first after all this time, but knows he has to be confident back in order to make his dreams come true. “does that mean we’re boyfriends?”
“is that what you want?” luca covers his giggles with his hand, going crazy at shu’s sentence.
“o-of course!” shu doesn’t hold back anymore. “i like you luca! please, let’s date!”
luca grows giddy at the cracks in shu’s voice from nervousness, but probably in a good way. “i like you too! but we’ll talk about this more once we’re settled back!”
“you better! i don’t like waiting! cause i need to figure out what happens next.”
luca nods with his lavender eyes shining with hope. “we’ll figure it out, like we always do! alright, BYE!” he energetically shapes his arms into a heart before reaching the top to sprint off to the line where he boards his plane.
after he disappears, the atmosphere stays silent except for loud beating hearts from the adrenaline all crashing down after each event just continues to keep climbing up better and better. shu sighs with relief as he touches his lip that still remains with luca’s taste dusted on top of them.
meanwhile the rest of the group has their jaws snapped wide open, trying to wrap their minds at how shu and luca went from friends to boyfriends out of nowhere in their perspective.
“you…” ike grabs at shu’s collar. “you have some explaining to do!”
shu turns to his friends, chuckling softly at their shocked reaction. “i’m just as mind blown as you are.”
~
luca locates his spot on the plane, sliding his way through the crowded aisle until he makes his way to the furthest seat by the window. the second he lets his leg rest from standing, his face immediately falls into his palms, letting a heated rush of blush charge through his entire body.
i… i can’t believe all of that happened… i’m dating shu now…? he couldn’t help but wiggle his feet around like a little child excited to ride a roller coaster for the first time. i never thought of shu this way but…
there’s always a first for everything, huh?
the plane takes off smoothly, but all luca could focus on at the moment is the fact that shu admitted to liking luca and that they’re actually boyfriends now. it was a big jump, almost impulsively to do even, but as luca lets it sink in more, he knows for sure that this is something he wants to try. he wants to know so much more about shu and get to like him in more of a romantic way.
ah, i gotta figure out when he started liking me… i miss him already. i cant wait to hear his voice again!
luca raises his hand for a flight attendant. “uh, can i please have some water?” he asks as he notices his throat has gone dry after all the yelling and commotion.
“of course! do you have cash or a credit card?” she asks politely.
luca rummages in his backpack for his wallet, handing her some bills. “here you go.”
“thank you, i’ll get one for you shortly.” she bows as she heads to the back for an iced bottle for him.
luca peers down at his opened wallet, catching the shimmer of the plastic pocket shining in his eyes. it looks quite bare and empty suddenly… he never really thought to keep anything in it, but with his heart lighting up ten times more since his confession, it reminds him how lonely he’ll be back at home… for now at least.
luca reaches into his pocket for the polaroid he took after kissing shu, immediately cheering up as he looks into shu’s violet eyes in the picture while he wrapped him in his arms. he pets the top of shu’s head in the photo with his pinky, missing the feeling of shu’s silky hair around his fingers.
he slides the photo into his wallet, amused at how it fits perfectly in the pocket; almost too perfect.
luca always cherished his ‘firsts’ but never did he think that a first would take him to the highest peak of bliss in his life. he begins to wonder how many other firsts he’ll be able to do with shu.
he is his first boyfriend after all, so there’s a lot more where that comes from.
first date, first time, first love…
luca foolishly brings the polaroid up to his lips, giving a kiss to it as he already grows stupidly lovesick at shu with his head over his heels.
can this plane land already? i want to call him so badly…
i need to hear from shu’s voice again confirming that we really are dating…! i need to hear that shu is my boyfriend, and mines only!