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“I thought cake might go stale, since it’s a bit early,” Kaji said, eyes sliding sideways as he shoved a hand in his pocket. “So I got you this.”
Chouji bounced on his toes to get a better look. “A lollipop! Like the one you have right now?”
“Yeah, it—”
“You got this for me?!”
Chouji felt so much joy bubbling up inside that he felt weightless, like he might bounce right up off into the sky if he let himself. He grabbed Kaji’s wrist with both hands, partly to anchor himself but mostly because he loved to touch Kaji, loved to feel how warm he was, how strong and pretty.
The green cuff of Kaji’s Furin uniform was stiff with embroidery. Chouji liked it, liked running his fingers along the stitches and structure of it, so different from his own. Shishitoren jackets meant freedom and power—Furin’s uniforms meant friendship and safety.
He slid his fingers into Kaji’s sleeve, greedy for the soft warmth of his skin and the way he inhaled audibly. Kaji’s wrist flexed under his grip, jaw tightening a little at the hinge, and Chouji smiled widely. He liked this about Kaji, too, liked that they both had something uncontrollable hiding inside. It felt like looking at something familiar, and being recognised in return. It felt warm.
“It’s just a stupid present,” Kaji muttered around his lollipop. “But… happy early birthday.”
Then he smiled, small but heartfelt, and all the bubbles inside Chouji burst as one.
Kaji grunted as Chouji leaped on him, but didn’t hesitate to catch him. Chouji wrapped all four limbs around Kaji, squeezing with all the joy that fizzed through his veins, and laughed out loud.
“You’re the best!”
Kaji’s hands were firm on Chouji’s butt, holding him up as he wriggled enough to grab Kaji’s lollipop and tug it from his mouth with a little pop. It was shimmery swirls of pink and white, and left Kaji’s mouth a deeper red than usual.
Brimming with too much happiness to contain, Chouji kissed him. Their lips smacked together, once, twice, and he felt Kaji’s breath puff out of his nose, quick and surprised. When Chouji licked his lips, he tasted sugar and warm vanilla—it was delicious, so he licked them again, and then licked Kaji’s lips, and then kissed Kaji’s lips and licked across his tongue.
It was so soft and wet and sweet, so Chouji did it again, and again, heart beating fit to burst, until Kaji finally squeezed him tight and pulled away with a shaky gasp.
“Wait,” Kaji said, and his voice was all breathless and cute. “Just… give me a minute.”
Chouji pouted. “Aw, but—”
“Here.” In an impressive display of strength, Kaji held Chouji with one arm, disentangling the other hand to take his half-sucked lollipop back. “Finish this for me.”
Chouji opened his mouth obediently, smiling at the burst of now-familiar flavour as the lollipop slid between his teeth. It was fun to watch Kaji’s eyes track the movement, so Chouji clamped down on it with his back teeth and grinned.
“This is so good,” he said, nearly biting his own tongue and marvelling at the way Kaji always managed to speak clearly with lollipops in his mouth. “What flavour is it?”
Kaji smiled again, pink and soft and sweet. “Birthday cake.”