Chapter Text
Shuriken didn't have a whole lot of people he considered his friends.
Well, he had Vine, Sling and Katana, and thats all a guy like Shuriken needs! But theyre pratically are his family! Its kinda sad—in his eyes—to say that your only friends are your family. Even then, why would he need to have friends? After all, a (self proclaimed) master vigilante has no need for friends. He’s a busy inphernal yknow!
However, Vine Staff and Slingshot did not share the sentiment. In their eyes, having no friends at Shuriken's big age of 22 was "sad."
"Shuri, why dont you come with me to go hang out with Skate? It wouldnt hurt to get an actual friend yknow." Sling remarked.
Shuriken really didn't want to, but having friends would probably make his life just little more... exciting? After all, theres only so much you can really tell the only 4 people you talk to.
Shuri liked Sling's friends, as they (mostly Skate, but all of them did) matched his energy almost all the time they hung out.
However, there was one inphernal that stuck out to him in that group the most.
Boombox.
The day they met was definitely one of the more influential in Shuriken's life.
He acted quite different than most other playgrounders Shuri saw in New Crossroads sometimes. Always smiling, and almost everyone seemed to either know and or like the guy.
Boombox was generally the most approachable of the 3 friends Sling introduced him to anyways. As Coil acted pretty corny, and Skate looked like he was permanently higher than a kite.
"Hey! Shuriken, right? its nice to meet you. Im Boombox!"
"Uh.." Shuri nervously shifted were he stood. "Yeah... nice to meet you too." He couldn't help but notice the very enthusiastic smile Boombox gave, clearly way more confident in making friends than Shuri was.
Shuri unfornately sucked at actually talking to an inphernal despite having a very extroverted personality. Thats one aspect of himself that he can say is pretty "pathetic", to be honest.
Shuri awkwardly sits down into the couch that Boombox was currently sitting down on. Man, if its one thing he wasn't a master at, it was talking to someone who wasnt the same 4 people he talked to everyday.
Despite that, the two green inphernals got along very well and very quickly. They talked about their favorite genres of music, their favorite bands, and their favorite interests.
Shuriken noticed that this guy was no stranger to music. Any music genre you like, he's got it. No matter how obscure or specific, They have one or two CDs of it. It honestly felt like this guy knew more about music than the word itself.
But.. he was fun to talk to. Shuri pretty much groaned when he and Sling had to go. It was a shame he couldnt talk to him for a little while longer.
After that day, they exchanged phone numbers and talked basically at every given opportunity. Talking to them eventually became something that Shuri looked forward to everyday.
Their friendship grew and grew the longer they knew each other
Any chance Shuri found to hang out with Boombox, he took the chance instantly.
Well, it wasnt SOLELY because of Boombox.. He thought the others were fun. Skate taught him how to well, skate. and how to do some simple tricks with it. And Coil was pretty funny to be around. Even if he was kinda corny, but Shuri thought that part made him more funny to laugh with (and at).
But Boombox and Shuri just naturally bonded together. Like they were born to be buddies. Maybe because his horns were a similar color to his. Or it probably was the fact that Boombox was generally just a kind and funny guy.
Those several months bonding with Boombox felt fun. They hung out with the others, they texted each other pretty often as well. The two become closer, like he was one of the few people who Shuri could consider a best friend.
Boombox was nice, he had a welcoming feeling around him that made Shuri feel at ease. His kind and giving personality, their curly hair, the visor that made him all the much more recognizable. Not to mention how pretty he—
"SHURIKEN!"
"GAH–!"
"Are you even listening to what im saying? What is SO important that you space off mid conversation?" Vine Staff cut off his train of thought before those said thoughts trailed off into something NOT related his friendship with Boombox.
"Why do you care about what I was thinking about?" Shuri muttered.
"I wouldn't be, but something’s clearly on your mind." Vine pointed her non-cursed arm at his forehead, continuing her sentence. "You've been slacking a lot lately. Well... more slacking than you already do. What I'm saying is that you've been doing it everywhere! Not to mention the fact that you started to blush when you do!"
"And what does that have to do with anything!? You cant exactly read MY mind." Shuri swats her finger off his forehead, his expression stiffening. "I could be thinking about... something embarrassing i did! Or I could be thinking about something stupid!! You dont know that!"
Vine basically scoffs. "Yeah right...I doubt that.
Shuri scoffed back in her face, turning his head up to face her.
"Whatever. Youre clearly just trying to pry anything and everything im thinking about. Im just gonna go in my room where my thoughts WONT be interrupted by my SUUUUUPER nosey sister." Before getting up and walking away to his room.
As much as he hated to admit it, her doubts were true. Someone, that someone being Boombox, was a persistent thought in his mind recently. He hasn't gone a day without that thought leering in the back of his mind.
He thought it was because they just didnt hang out together recently but... Even when they hung out, the thoughts stayed there, even more prominent during then. Those thoughts constantly praised Boombox, always speaking about his kindness, their smile, and almost every aspect Shuri had noticed and witnessed.
After that interaction with Vine, the lovey-dovey thoughts in his head were getting harder and harder to ignore. It was really getting to the point that Shuri basically blushed at these very praising thoughts about Boombox. His heart almost beat out of his chest of the meer thought of him.
Okay. This was seriously getting to a head.
Shuri slumped over the kitchen counter.
"Hey Shuri," Sling said, turning around to notice the very disheveled looking Shuriken slumped down on the counter adjacent to him. "Um.. Is something the matter? I dont think i've seen you look like that before."
"Yeah actually. I... uhm... think I might—no, I DEFINITELY have a crush on Boombox." Shuri cupped his face with his hands, feeling it get hotter by the minute.
Slings eyes almost bulged out of his head. "Oh wow! I thought you'd never have a crush on someone at all to be honest with you."
"Well I CAN have a crush on someone mind you." Shuri muffled back half-heartedly.
"Well... Boombox's a nice guy. He's one of the kindest playgrounders I know, so I wouldn't blame you for falling in love with the guy." Sling casually remarked, like it was the easiest thing to do in the world.
"But thats the thing! Hes nice to everyone! EVERYBODY likes him! I just—uuugh.. I think im just outta his lane."
"It's not a bad thing that you like someone because theyre nice, Shuri."
"I knooooow.." Shuri groaned drooping his hands away from his face and to his sides.
"Why dont you just... ask him out?"
Ask him out. Like it's that simple. Theres like a million different things that can go wrong with that! Like what if he ends up HATING him? What if he spits in his face and never speaks a peep to him again?? Shuri's whole body shuddered at the very thought of losing his best friend like that.
Shuri propped up his hands against the counter before quickly sputtering out, "What if he says no?! What if I look like a fool and he never wants to talk to me again?! I don't wanna lose my best friend because I wanted to go on a date with him!"
Sling narrowed his expression to a look of unamusement. "I doubt he's gonna say no, and no less is he 'never going to talk to you again.' Just go ask him out."
"But what if-"
"He's known you for like 7 months Shuri. He's not gonna tell you no."
As much as Shuri wanted to argue about it, he had to admit that Sling was right. Still, that lingering feeling in the back of his mind still remained. He slowly slumped down to the floor. He slowly grabbed his phone from his pocket and hesitantly started typing.
s: hey boombox
b: hi Shuriken! :D
s: okay i have something to ask
s: its reallt important
s: do you wanna like
s: hang out this weekendb: of course! with skate sling and coil right? there was this place i know every1 would like
s: no no no not with them
s: i mean
s: just us 2b: oh (o_O) ?
b: r you inviting me on a date?s: well yes
s: wait no shit
s: i mean
s: do you want to go on a date with me
s: its totally fine if you dontwanr to or youre busy this weekend butb: no man of course id be glad to go on a date with you shuriken
b: when do you wanna meet up?s: at 6 meet me at the bridge to thieves den
b: okay ill see you then! ^^
OH GOD.
OHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGOD
Okay, now this HAD to be one of his worst ideas he acted on yet. Shuri didn’t think they were ACTUALLY going to say yes, or agree on even going in the first FIRST place. He felt his face heat up instantly, drooping his head down into his body.
He had no doubt that he was definitely was as red as a beet right now.
Sling walked towards Shuriken, glancing down with a grin that barely stopped a giggle from coming out.
"Sooo... he said yes, right?"
Shuri mumbled a pathetic "yeah." under his breath.
Sling let out a chuckled response, "See I told you!"
"Shut up."