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Being able to spend a peaceful afternoon in Cafe Porthos is rare these days but Nirei has already geared himself up. Palms brace atop the table to steady him as he stands on quivering legs. He gulps down a lump anxiety decided to lodge in his throat and he speaks sincerely—with passion!
"Sakura-san, I—I like you!"
Customers don't turn their heads. This noise, (hardly even that to them) doesn't compare to the violent ruckus they hear too often. The ambience of clinking cutlery, plates being set, cash register ringing, and idle chatter all continue.
Nirei is on a momentum. "I like you a lot! Just as you are! I think you're really cool!"
Sakura's mouth is stuffed full of omurice as he looks at him, wide eyes and skin flushing.
Short and simple is the best way to communicate with him and Nirei thought he had been. So why does it seem like Sakura is already spiraling? Like he just saw a couple kiss in public?!
Suo's cup of dark tea settles with a rattle on its saucer, and he smiles in a way that makes Nirei dreadfully think oh no! "Nirei-kun just confessed to you, Sakura-kun. How sweet. Congratulations."
Sakura spits his food out in comical timing and coughs violently behind an arm he actually thinks hides his face. His cheeks are hot, eyes blown wide and brows rising with every passing second.
"Wh—What—WHAT are you saying?!" He frantically asks.
Suo starts, "That you're his type—"
"NO!" Nirei shakes his head and waves hands around sporadically, "Nononono—that's not what I mean!"
"Ahh, that's too bad. You got rejected."
"I said that's not it!"
"My mistake! Looks like there's still a chance for you two."
"For us to what?!" Sakura asks.
"Sakura-san, please, just listen!" Nirei pleads. "I think you're amazing just as you are! I'm saying you don't need to change!"
Suo nods agreeably. He thinks Sakura shouts too much and can stand to think before running into fights, but he generally agrees.
Sakura's head turns back and forth between them. What the hell? Is today a secret holiday of embarrassing your friend or something?!
"Sakura-san, I saw you yesterday."
"We see each other every day."
Nirei bites his lip. That's true enough but—"I saw you. Looking at those boxes. For hair dyeing..."
He went to the store and happened to see Sakura in the hair products aisle with boxed dye in both hands, looking at them with such intensity.
Nirei isn't presuming to know a thing about Sakura's past. Sakura hasn't detailed anything but has hinted enough here and there for everyone to suspect discrimination and possible abuse. The chip on his shoulder and his snappish ways are bold signs, too.
People aren't commonly born with two hair colours. Anyone would feel compelled to change to fit in. To feel normal. Nirei would; he would change his hair too to feel stronger, braver, better.
But Sakura already is strong. Brave. Better—by miles in comparison.
In all the ways Nirei has felt too pathetic to measure himself. And because Sakura radiates with all of those things already, seeing him consider changing himself doesn't sit right with Nirei.
It hurts right in the depths of his stomach and bottom of his heart.
It hasn't been that long since they met. Still, not saying anything about how he feels—running away to pretend everything's okay when they're friends? It's not what Bofurin's about.
Sakura would say it's lame.
"So you were spying on me."
Nirei bows his head. "I didn't mean to! I just...saw you. I'm sorry! A-And—And I know it's your hair and your choice but dyeing it will be like a punch in the face to all of us who already accept you the way you are!"
Sakura argues, "Considering we've all literally been punched in the face, I call bullshit."
"You're right. It'll hurt more. As if you're rejecting how we feel about you. Please, Sakura-san!" Nirei begs. "Your hair is different but so are you! All of us at Furin are glad to know you and we don't want you to change anyth—"
"You've got it wrong..." Sakura's eyes shift around the table—looking anywhere but directly at his friends. "I was helping this old lady who couldn't go to the store herself because of a bad knee. She wanted hair dye for her granddaughter and asked if I'd get it in her place."
And because Sakura is Sakura, vulnerable to being praised for his kindness, turning her down was near impossible. So he'd gone for her and in wanting to make sure he picked the right shade of black, he would've looked like he was browsing for himself.
"Really?!" Nirei asks.
"The fuck would I lie for?"
"So that's what happened."
Suo says, "What a relief, then." He too was a little concerned.
It actually makes sense. The Sakura they know is too cool to be influenced in to changing a harmless and rather iconic part of himself.
Sakura has thought about it before, dyeing his hair for a trial of what's 'normal'. Then he thought 'fuck it' and didn't change a damn thing. Since people were already sure he was a delinquent, he thought why not play in to it for a laugh.
And yeah, it sucked.
It was lonely.
Would've been way loneliner, though, to be around people who only liked him while he fit their expectations.
Sakura says, "You guys freak out too fucking much. But thanks. Or whatever."
Nirei smiles over at Suo in a mutual nod at a job well done. A worry put to rest.
Sakura's glad to put this misunderstanding to bed finally. Now he can enjoy the rest of his omurice.
Suo sips his tea in suspected contentness for a time, then says, "If it's any consolation, your hair makes you look like a cute Dalmation puppy."
Nirei chokes and water spills from his mouth pathetically.
Sounds like bait. Sakura passes a sideways glare in warning, "It's not. So keep shit like that to yourself."
"Now, now, it's not like I called you Cruella."
Sakura smacks the table. "You just fucking did!"
"Oops~" Suo says with an unapologetic smile. "Guess you're only used to Othello."
"Don't piss me off," Sakura warns because he'll literally kick Suo's ass. It might not be easy going up against Suo but it'll be fun as hell to give it his all trying.
"Or if you dye it fully white, you'll resemble a young Umemiya-san!"
Nirei says. "I see it!"
Sakura growls.
'Shit!' Nirei thinks and covers his mouth. He should've just sat here and drank his water.
Whether looking like a young Hajime Umemiya is meant to be a compliment or another bout of teasing, Sakura doesn't care. He doesn't want to look like Bofurin's strongest!
He wants to be the strongest!
"...But," Nirei's head tilts with a different perspective. "I've always thought of Sakura-san as more like a cat. A Tuxedo cat."
"Meeoow~" Suo coos with a shameless grins.
"Should've just fucking dyed my hair," Sakura sulks.