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As much as Pico was making some progress with his struggles with affection, he still had a long way to go. He had his moments of being a completely lovestruck idiot usually convinced out of him by Keith or Cherry being equally as lovestruck first. It was not long ago that Pico wouldn’t even get to that point, so it was progress and he couldn’t deny that. But he was still miles away from being anywhere near where Keith and Cherry were. His partners made it look so damn easy, but his past experiences still held a gun to his head whenever he tried to match their energy.
Pico wanted to. He really wanted to be able to be so forward with his feelings for them. Keith and Cherry were honestly the best things to happen to him and it was basically criminal that they weren’t getting that. His past was trying to keep him as the cold, hardened shell of a man. That didn’t stop the pining in his heart though.
He had a possible plan. Something he could try to do if he could get past the embarrassment. Pico was trying to convince his brain that wanting to be loved and being loved was okay, because the embarrassment was genuinely getting ridiculous and he knew it. Something that Keith and Cherry liked doing was asking for kisses- either from him or each other. It was cute on the bare minimum- and generally impossible to say no to. Cherry pouting for a cheek or nose kiss from Pico, begging for something more sensual from Keith. Keith mischievously asking if Pico really could kiss the shit out of him, and having Cherry prove she can.
Pico’s face flamed as he thought about it. God, this was so dumb, being all warm and fuzzy by just thinking about asking for one of those idiots for a smooch. But he also wanted that badly so he couldn’t be talking shit. Kisses were nice. They were soft and made him feel like he was flying, warming him up from head to toes and clouding his thoughts with a happy feeling not even the hardest drugs could give someone. Jesus, if he didn’t get shot for being such a lovesick freak first, the butterflies in his stomach would finish him off.
Dude, just do it, before you pussy out. They’re not going to say no and you know it. Pico thought to himself, the red of his face spreading to his ears now. With clenched fists he forced himself to walk into the other room where Keith and Cherry sat, both looking on the former’s phone for a new apartment.
Oh, yeah, that was also a thing. The three were looking to all move in together now. Whether that would prove to be a mistake or not had yet to be discovered.
“Uh… Hey.” Pico spoke up, mentally kicking himself for being so shy off the bat.
His partners turned and their eyes lit up to see him.
“Peeks! There you are, we missed you! Why are you all red?” Cherry greeted, tilting her head with the question.
Already with the pet name, damn Cherry with her cute animal-like mannerisms. “Well… I was thinking.”
“You? Thinking?” Teased Keith with his signature grin.
“Oh, like you can talk, Mr. No brain cells. Do I need to bring up the foot-pole incident again?”
“Fuck off, don’t make me come over there and shut you up.” The blue-haired man countered, playfully annoyed that his teasing didn’t work.
Say it. Just say it! Pico gulped, bunching up the edge of his sweater in a hand. “I mean… Could you? Do that?”
The absolute silence that followed his question was so thick you could cut it with a knife. A pin could be heard dropping. Pico was starting to regret his life choices, when both of them broke out in the most ridiculous grins he’d seen yet.
“Did you… did you just ask for a kiss?” Keith asked, barely containing his excitement. Cherry looked just about ready to explode, hands on her cheeks and eyes sparkling.
Maybe this was a mistake- “I thought, well, because you guys do that all the time, and it seemed like a good idea for me to try and get used to being vulnerable more, but I’m not really sure, maybe I’m not ready for this yet-”
Pico didn’t get a chance to finish his nervous ramble. Keith practically scrambled over the back on the couch, gently grabbing one of Pico’s hands in his own. Cupping the ginger’s cheek, Keith pulled him in for a sweet kiss that would end up leaving him breathless. Pico couldn’t help the giddy feeling erupting in his stomach, eyes squeezed closed in utter delight.
“I think that’s the first time you’ve asked either of us for a kiss. I’m proud of you Peeks!” Keith praised happily after they broke apart. “Honestly, Cherry and I were more than happy that you would indulge us when we asked.”
“Yeah! We never planned to force you into joining in, it’s so exciting that you’ve come to us instead!” Cherry agreed as the pair came to join her on the couch. “I’m sure it wasn’t easy to do.”
Pico rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. “I was thinking about it for a good bit. I’m not gonna lie, I’m fuckin’ struggling right now. How do you guys ask these things so easily?!”
“Aww, it’s okay Pico.” Trying to placate the ginger, Cherry gave him a head pat. “Asking once is already a victory. But, you know… you could practice right now, while you still have the resolve!”
His brain short-circuited. Practice? So he had to ask more when he was already about to explode from the first time? On one hand, it may work, and he’d get more kisses out of it. But also what the fuck!
“Only if you’re comfortable, by the way. We don’t want to kill you.” Keith added after Pico didn’t respond right away.
“No, no. I want to try, I guess? I’m not really- sure. This is new and embarrassing.”
“Why don’t you just take turns, in a way? You already asked me for one, try asking Cherry now. Maybe it will be easier because well, you know.” Keith suggested with a wave of his hand. “Maybe try using the words ‘can I have a kiss’ this time if you can?”
Fucking hell. “Um…” Pico turned to Cherry who was watching him expectantly. It was just five words, come on, he could do this! She was literally the most patient and supportive person on the planet, what was he afraid of? “Cherry? Can I- um. Can-”
Yeah, he definitely couldn’t do this. Face on fire, he shrunk a little bit and instead resorted to pointing at his cheek and looking at her with a plea. She smiled warmly at him regardless, holding his face and pressing a loving kiss to his cheek, lingering only for a little bit.
“Good try! If it’s easier for you to use your hands to ask instead we can work with that too. Remember that this is your pace. Don’t rush yourself to ‘our level’ or anything because you feel like you have to.” She reminded him gently.
Pico took a breath, emboldened a little by this. Cherry was always so sweet. His eyes trailed back to Keith now, nearly choking at the expression of smug-excitement on his face. “Stop looking at me like that you weirdo, I’ll punch you.” Keith’s grin only widened at that as he egged the ginger on to ask again.
Pico sighed. Words sucked and were stupid, he wasn’t using them right now. Fighting the embarrassment in his mind, he raised his hand and pointed again to his face- to his lips this time. Man, they were looking at him so expectantly, maybe one word couldn’t hurt. “Please?”
“Well, how could I possibly say no when you ask so nicely?” Keith teased, hooking a finger under Pico’s chin and kissing him again.
He thought about it every time, but Pico really was never going to get used to this. In the past, every time he felt anything in his stomach it usually ended up with him wanting to throw up. Keith always gave him the most pleasant butterflies. The sensation did wonders to make him feel so stupidly in love all over again, every time. He found that even Cherry’s kisses were making him feel butterflies too, stomach doing silly flips as she kissed each cheek he pointed to.
Being loved made him feel so good, why did he have to be so averse to it? Every kiss and every flutter was proving to himself how much he wanted to be loved, how much he wanted Cherry and Keith to surround him with affection and remind him every time they loved him. He wanted this, and badly. He just couldn’t vocalize that properly yet. Not with those words, anyway.
“Gee? Biff?” Pico started carefully, after a few minutes of the point-and-kiss game. They kept curious eyes on him as he steeled himself for what he was about to say.
“Can I have a kiss?”
“YES!” Both of them shouted- half in pride for him, half completely whipped.
Keith and Cherry claimed one of Pico’s cheeks each, leaving lingering kisses over every inch of the skin. Pico’s butterflies were as strong as they ever could be, signature tooth gap showing as a goofy smile finally found its way to his face. He’d won out against his aversion, for once, completely and utterly content to bask in as many kisses he could.
He’d wanted to try, and he did. Now he was fully intending to enjoy the reward.