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“you’re late!”
“sorry,” satoru replies, a sheepish grin spreading across his face.
suguru crosses his arms, unimpressed. “you cannot ‘sorry’ your way out of it this time.”
he means it. he really does. he’s frustrated, irritated even. satoru is never on time, he’s done it again. suguru refuses to fall for that stupid charm of his, the one that’s always there on his stupid face, the one that makes his stupid eyes do that stupid thing…
satoru turns, eyes locking with his, and does that stupid thing with his eyes.
damn it.
the thing suguru hates. the way his eyes get all soft, almost like satoru’s waiting for something from him.
and suguru feels it.
his chest tightens. his heart skips a beat. no. no, he will not fall for it this time.
“stop doing that,” suguru mutters under his breath, his resolve weakening.
satoru just smirks, all smug and carefree.
suguru rolls his eyes but it’s more out of habit than anything else. deep down, he’s already half-forgotten why he was mad in the first place.
ugh.
he’s not falling for it. he’s not… he totally is.
they’re both outside the cinema; suguru had been fidgeting with the strap of his bag, watching the people coming and going before satoru arrived. it’s a chilly evening, but he doesn’t mind. in fact, he’s kind of grateful for the cool air to distract him from how much he’s overthinking this whole first date thing.
he’s not nervous. okay, maybe a little. but he’s fine. totally fine.
it’s just that... well, he kind of had this mental list, you know? the things he wanted to happen on his first date with his boyfriend: flowers, the whole “being picked up for the date” vibe, maybe a cute outfit. he’d even hoped for a little old-fashioned romance, but instead... they’re standing outside the cinema.
not that it’s a bad spot. he likes movies. and satoru is right there, already looking like an idiot with his goofy grin. but it’s not exactly what he had in mind.
satoru shows up a little late — no surprise there. but he’s still satoru, so suguru can’t be too mad. besides, they’ve got a whole evening ahead of them.
“so,” suguru says, trying to sound casual as he adjusts his jacket, “you ready to go in?”
satoru, ever the cool guy, gives him a thumbs-up. “yeah. let’s keep it chill, right?”
suguru stifles the urge to groan. the words sound so... satoru. of course, he would say that.
“right.” suguru nods, even though he’s pretty sure he was the one who said that first. it’s fine. it’s just that... he can’t help but feel a little wistful about what could have been. the flowers. the cute gestures. the little bit of romance. things he didn’t even know he wanted until now.
but he’s not going to say anything. he’s grown past that. so instead of waiting for flowers that won’t come, he settles for the usual. they grab their gigantic bucket of popcorn and two sodas. it’s comfortable. it’s easy. it’s familiar.
and that’s the problem.
it feels like just another hangout, and that’s exactly what suguru doesn’t want. but then, it’s also satoru, and the thought of being annoyed feels impossible. because even now, when everything’s so... normal, it’s still his favorite person in the world sitting right next to him.
they settle into their seats, the plush cushions sinking under their weight. the lights dim, and the screen flickers to life, casting a soft glow over the theater. the smell of buttery popcorn fills the air, mingling with the faint scent of satoru’s cologne. suguru shifts in his seat, the sound of the movie’s opening score swelling around them, but neither of them is really watching it. suguru keeps glancing at his best friend — no, his boyfriend — every now and then, hoping something, anything, will change between them. he’s hoping for something beyond the usual: comfortable, easy, but with that extra layer. the unspoken stuff. the stuff that makes his heart race a little too fast.
satoru looks over at him too, but suguru knows better. it’s probably just for the popcorn in his lap.
when they agreed to this date, suguru had insisted on keeping it cool. they were in the middle of obliterating a grade 4 curse for crying out loud, and he didn’t want to make it weird. but now, as they sit there in the dark theater, he can't help but wonder if he should’ve asked this unbelievably frustrating charm machine for what he really wanted — flowers, the whole package.
but that’s the thing about satoru. he’s a brat who wants everything his way, and suguru knows he’d never say no.
and yet, here he is, caught in the monster of overthinking. what if satoru didn’t want those things? what if he didn’t see the little gestures as important? what if... he was fine with just this?
suguru shifts uncomfortably in his seat, glancing back at the screen. but he can’t concentrate. not when there’s so much unsaid hanging in the air between them.
the movie drones on, but suguru is not invested in it. his gaze keeps flicking back to the white-haired wonder, who’s laughing at something totally unimportant on the screen. he’s been overthinking all night but then, satoru does something ridiculous, and for a moment, suguru forgets all of it.
on screen, the hero delivers a dramatic monologue, and satoru leans over, whispering in an exaggerated, overly serious voice, “and that’s why you should never trust a guy who wears a cape. rookie mistake.”
suguru blinks, caught off guard. he tries to stifle a laugh, but it escapes anyway, a soft snort that makes satoru grin triumphantly.
“what?” satoru says, feigning innocence. “i’m just saying, capes are a liability. everyone knows that.”
suguru rolls his eyes, but the corners of his mouth twitch upward. he grabs a handful of popcorn from the bucket in his lap, tossing a piece at satoru. “you’re impossible.”
satoru catches the popcorn mid-air with a dramatic flourish, as if he’s just performed a magic trick. “and yet, here you are, stuck with me.”
and just like that, suguru feels the tension in his chest loosen. he looks at satoru—really looks at him—and realizes how much he’s been missing by overthinking everything. satoru’s here, with him, laughing and joking and being his usual ridiculous self. and for the first time tonight, suguru lets himself just enjoy it.
"you’re lucky you’re cute," suguru mutters, his voice low, almost to himself. satoru’s eyes light up, and he leans closer, his grin widening. "did you just call me cute?" he asks, his tone teasing but soft, like he’s savoring the words.
“don’t push it,” suguru says, but there’s no bite in his tone. he’s smiling too, and for a moment, he doesn’t think about flowers or romance or what could have been. he’s too busy laughing at satoru’s terrible commentary and stealing glances at the way the screen’s light reflects in his absurdly perfect eyes.
satoru leans over slightly to grab another handful of popcorn from the bucket in suguru’s lap. the usual. it’s so... normal, and yet, suguru wonders if that’s all it’s ever going to be.
he swallows, fingers curling around his soda. he wonders what it would feel like if they were more than just this — more than friends who happen to share a date. if there was a spark in the air.
satoru glances over at him again, not really looking, just casually checking to make sure suguru isn’t stealing more popcorn. suguru meets his gaze, trying to keep it casual, but that soft, maddening look in satoru’s eyes is enough to make him want to collapse right there.
“so, uh,” suguru starts, feeling the words hang awkwardly in the air, “this... this keeping it chill thing, huh?”
satoru grins, blissfully unaware of the turmoil swirling in suguru’s chest. “what about it?” he asks, popping a kernel in his mouth.
suguru hesitates. he wants to say something. he wants to ask if this is really all they could be. he wants to say he wishes satoru had been a little more romantic, that he wanted more, but the words get caught in his throat. instead, he just shrugs, a little too casually. “nothing. just... making sure i’m not the only one not making it weird.”
satoru chuckles, his attention sliding back to the movie, but not before catching a glimpse of suguru’s face. he narrows his eyes, sensing something off.
“you sure you’re alright?” he asks, voice soft, though he hides it behind his usual cocky grin.
suguru's heart skips a beat, and he feels a wave of panic. he doesn’t want to admit he’s a little... confused. but then he forces out a smile, the kind that’s just a little too bright. “yeah, yeah, just... trying to figure out if this movie’s supposed to be funny or not.”
satoru nods, turning his attention back to the screen, completely unaware of the tension in the air. he’s back to grinning at the movie, as if suguru's response had been just as casual as it sounded. and suguru... well, suguru can’t help but wonder if he’ll ever figure out how to navigate this.
the movie finally ends, and they sit there in a weird kind of silence, neither of them sure what to do next. suguru starts to get up, grabbing his jacket, but satoru lingers, stretching out as if he's stalling—like he’s trying to avoid the awkwardness that’s about to descend on them.
suguru’s stomach twists. he’s not sure how to feel about this. on one hand, he’s with satoru, the person he’s wanted for so long. but on the other... what is this? what are they doing?
they step out of the cinema, the cool night air brushing against their skin, carrying the faint scent of rain and city streets. the streetlights cast a warm glow on the pavement. suguru shoves his hands into his pockets, his mind still reeling from everything that just happened. satoru’s talking a mile a minute about the movie, and suguru can barely focus. his steps are automatic, like they’ve done this walk a thousand times before, but something about tonight makes it feel so different.
suguru’s brows furrow slightly as he listens to satoru ramble on, trying to wrap his head around something. “dude, that ending was wild, right?”
suguru blinks, almost stumbling as he tries to catch up with the conversation. “wait, you actually watched the movie?” his voice comes out a little more incredulous than he means it to, but it’s hard to mask his surprise.
satoru glances at him, giving him that grin. “of course i did. you kidding? the ending was genius. totally called it.”
suguru stops mid-step, his head tilting slightly in disbelief. he thought satoru had been too busy tossing popcorn into his mouth or genuinely focused on his soda. “you were paying attention the whole time?” he asks.
satoru, completely unbothered, glances back at him like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “yeah. i’m a man of culture. obviously.”
suguru has to bite back a laugh, but a soft chuckle escapes anyway, unbidden. his chest tightens, the sound caught somewhere between a mix of fondness and exasperation. god, this fool. he’s infuriating, impossible, and yet... suguru can’t help but feel that warm tug in his chest.
he shakes his head, fighting the grin that threatens to spread across his face. “you’re really something else, you know that?”
satoru’s eyes gleam with that familiar mischievous spark. “aw, you like me? i knew it.”
for a moment, suguru doesn’t know how to answer. the words you like me hang in the air like a subtle challenge, and he can’t help but feel the weight of it. it’s just a joke to satoru, but to suguru, it feels a little too real. he forces himself to stay cool, swallowing the growing warmth in his chest. “nah. just surprised you actually paid attention.”
satoru flashes him a grin, completely oblivious to the way suguru’s looking at him. “i’m just... that good.”
they keep walking, the quiet of the night stretching out around them, and the distance between them feels strangely comfortable, yet heavier with each step. but by the time they reach suguru’s dorm, the air shifts.
the air between them at suguru’s door feels thick—like they were two magnets, trying to get closer but just pulling away. suguru hovers, hand still on the doorknob, but his heart was elsewhere, pacing just behind his ribcage. satoru, standing a bit too far, rubs the back of his neck like he didn’t know what to do with his hands.
and then, of course, satoru ruins it all.
a fist bump.
suguru blinks, staring at the outstretched fist like it might grow a second head. “seriously?” his voice comes out quieter than he’d intended, and it annoys him more than he cared to admit. “after everything?”
satoru’s face falls immediately, and suguru turnes sharply, ready to let the door slam shut, just to end the night, end the tension. he needs a release, something to make all of this... this... confusion disappear.
but satoru’s voice stopps him, panicked and almost pleading. “hey—wait, don’t—just—"
suguru pauses, hand still holding the door in mid-swing. he does not face him, but he could hear satoru’s nervous shuffle, could practically feel the hesitance radiating from him. his heart twists, conflicted in a way that made him want to snap, to demand an answer from satoru, but he does’t. not yet.
“fine,” suguru bites. “what now, satoru?”
“i... i just didn’t know how to...” satoru rubs his temple, struggling with the words, before blurts out, “i didn’t know how to not make it awkward, okay?” he winces, already preparing for suguru’s usual playful snark. but it does not come.
instead, suguru simply sighs, and with a roll of his eyes that doesn’t hide the softness behind it, he steps back. “you’re something else,” he commentds.
satoru, back with his typical goofy grin, is quick to add, “so, uh, you wanna punch me now or let me inside first?”
and somehow—somehow—it works. the tension between them deflates like air from a balloon, leaving room for something else. suguru, despite himself, laughs. “come in.”
satoru steps inside, shifting uncomfortably as the door clicked shut behind him. he scratches the back of his neck, his usual arrogance giving way to something softer, more hesitant.
“i really don’t know how to make this not awkward,” he admitts, his voice quieter now. “i wanted to do everything right. you know, pick you up, get you flowers, all that stuff… but i thought you wanted to keep it casual. i didn’t want to mess it up. i just…” he trails off, clearly unsure how to continue.
suguru, who had been standing near the bed, watches satoru with an unreadable expression, feels a warm rush spread through him. there it is again, that tenderness in satoru’s voice that makes his chest tighten. despite everything, satoru is trying – really trying.
suguru’s lips twitches into a small smile, and the smile grows just a little bit wider when he notices how satoru is holding back his usual cocky attitude. he knows satoru isn’t the type to admit that kind of vulnerability. it hits him all at once—the weight of how much satoru cares.
“dork,” suguru whispers softly, stepping forward and rummaging through his cupboard. “you’re really bad at this, you know that?” he says as he turns around with the item in his hand.
satoru looks up, catching the glint in suguru’s eyes—a mix of affection and fondness. suguru could feel the beat of his heart quicken, and his words come out before he could stop them.
“just stay the night,” suguru said, his voice low, almost teasing, but there was a subtle weight behind it.
satoru blinks, startled by the suggestion, but the tension in the room has softened, and it feels less like an invitation to something new and more like something familiar—something that felt safe.
“alright,” satoru agrees, with a small but genuine smile. “i’ll stay. but only because you’re a terrible influence on me.”
suguru couldn’t help the small, knowing grin that curled at the corners of his mouth. “of course i am. now, let’s get you out of that shirt.”
it is strange, seeing satoru in something that clearly isn’t made for him—too wide at the shoulders, sleeves brushing his elbows, the hem falling just past his hips. but it only makes suguru’s heart do this stupid fluttering thing. he swallowes down his thoughts and smiled, standing a little too close, staring a little too long.
“boyfriender,” he sighs, more to himself than anyone else.
“boyfriender?” satoru repeats, grinning at the ridiculousness of the word. “what the hell is that?”
suguru chuckles softly, his chest tight with a mix of affection and something he can’t quite name. “you are. i swear. and i still don’t get how you pull it off. but here you are.”
satoru gives him a look—the kind that always makes suguru second-guess everything he feels, but only for a second. “yeah, well,” he says, rolling his eyes like he hasn’t just captured suguru’s heart completely. “what can i say? i’m a natural.”
it’s not the first time they change in front of each other, but this feels different. maybe it’s because satoru keeps his eyes on him the whole time—those glasses glinting with something that makes suguru feel a little warm. or maybe, just maybe, suguru lets his mind wander too much, the sight of satoru in his oversized clothes making him want to leap across the room and kiss him senseless. "boyfriender" never looks so good, and suguru hates how his thoughts start to race, his body responding to that ridiculously charming boy.
after a moment of silent tension, suguru nudges satoru toward the bathroom. they brush their teeth side by side, giggling quietly every time they bump into each other—flirtatious, playful, and still a little unsure.
suguru follows him back to the bed, watching as satoru slips under the covers, settling in like he belongs here. it feels... right, in a way suguru hasn’t anticipated. the room is quiet except for their soft breathing, the faint creak of the bed as satoru shifts closer. the moonlight spills through the window, casting a silvery glow over the room, and the cool night air drifts in, carrying the faint scent of damp grass. the night presses in, thick with something unspoken.
it takes a beat before satoru speaks, his voice lower now, a little softer than usual. “suguru,” he starts, making suguru turn his head. “i’ve been trying... trying to keep it casual. i know you said we should, but... it’s hard.”
suguru blinks, brows furrowing as he shifts closer, his own voice barely above a whisper. “what do you mean, hard?”
satoru hesitates, then lets out a breath. “i don’t know how to not want to do the things i’m dying to do for you... without making it weird. i just—i don’t want to freak you out.” his voice cracks slightly, and suguru can hear the hesitation behind every word, every breath.
suguru’s heart stops for a second. then it starts beating faster this time. “satoru...” he leans in, closer, until he can feel the warmth of his best friend’s skin against his own. “I—”
but satoru, true to form, rushes ahead, making the whole thing worse, as usual. “you’re kind of the worst, but also the best, and i can’t stop thinking about how much i want to annoy you forever.”
“wow, that’s the most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
“i can’t—i can’t stop thinking about you. i swear, it’s like... like everything i do is about making you smile, and i don’t know what to do with myself half the time.”
suguru lets the words settle before he responds, heart full of things he’s never said aloud. and finally, without thinking, he slides an arm around satoru’s waist, holding him close, just holding him like it’s the easiest thing in the world.
“you’re such a moron," suguru whispers, his voice soft but teasing. satoru laughs, the sound low and warm, and shifts a little closer. suguru tightens his grip, his fingers brushing against satoru’s back. "but i guess you’re my idiot. always have been. always will be.” suguru pauses before continuing. swallows his thoughts, and says “i want it all. please swoop me off my feet satoru. lets not be casual about it at all.
satoru turns to face him, eyes full of something suguru has only seen when they’re alone. “you mean that?”
suguru can’t help but laugh. “you’re hopeless.”
but it’s the kind of hopeless that makes his heart flutter.
satoru pulls suguru a little closer, his voice soft, teasing. "this is nice. you’re like... a human heater. no, wait—like a fresh steamed bun."
suguru lifts his head, glancing down at him with a quiet frown, not sure whether to laugh or be annoyed. "did you just compare me to food?" satoru just shrugs, the smirk on his lips warm and easy.
"well, yeah. you're warm, soft... and i could cuddle you forever."
suguru sighs, half annoyed, half flustered, and yet he can’t help the small smile that tugs at his lips. "you're ridiculous," he mutters, though his tone is softer than he means it to be.
a brief, comfortable silence fills the space between them. satoru, breaking it with his usual ease, speaks up again, though there's an underlying lightness to his voice. "wait, does this mean i’m the little spoon now? should i be worried about my reputation?"
suguru rolls his eyes, but his exasperation melts into something far gentler. "go to sleep, satoru."
satoru chuckles, fully aware he’s just ruined whatever tender moment there was, but he’s too happy to let it bother him. "okay, okay... but just so you know," he adds, the grin in his voice unmistakable, "i totally have a huge crush on you, steamed bun."
suguru can’t help the way his chest tightens at the nickname. “good night, baby,” he says, voice more fond than anything else.
satoru chuckles softly, but it’s not the usual playful laugh—it’s softer, warmer and shy.
and in that quiet moment, suguru realizes that even if everything’s a bit awkward, even if they still have no clue what comes next, there’s nowhere else he’d rather be than right here, with satoru.
the quiet hum of the night wraps around them, and they both fall into a peaceful sleep, side by side.