Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Zuma had been having an off day - maybe it wasn't obvious to most people, but it was obvious to Jiji. He liked to think he was an expert at speaking Unji, the rare language that it was.

So, yes, he was certain that his amazing, wonderful boyfriend wasn't feeling in tip top shape today. Not quite a 'bad day' but… enough that Jiji's mind went to it's natural state of 'how do I fix this'.

He'd been working on that reflex recently, thanks largely in part to Zuma calling him out on it, actually. But his agreement had been to not help someone else at the cost of his own well being.

Getting Zuma to smile was good for Jiji, too, if you thought about it. His smile was contagious - though it wasn't common, it was so earnest, gentle. Loving.

Jiji loved it.

Besides, he knew exactly how he could go about his task, and it would be no hardship to him what so ever.

Jiji knew a secret about Zuma.

Zuma loved corny shit. Dad jokes, bad puns, silly gags, you name it, it had Zuma cracking up. He liked to think he was above them, but… Jiji knew the truth.

His boyfriend was a corny bastard.

And Jiji loved it.

Especially on days like today, where his main goal was to get Zuma to laugh.

So, just in case of days life this, he always had some kind secret weapon in his back pocket. Or, more accurately, in his backpack, as he'd have crushed these specific ones if he sat on them.

Zuma was complaining about his latest class assignment while sitting on the couch in Jiji's living room when Jiji decided it was time to act. He started digging into his backpack for his hidden treasure, still listening yet focused on his task.

"Jiji? What're you doing?"

Jiji slipped the gaucho glasses onto his face and turned to Zuma, smirk on his face.

"Who is this 'Jiji'?" he asked, hand stroking his chin, sticking his tongue out as he finished his question.

Zuma stared at him for a moment, blinking once before turning away. He was too late, though - Jiji saw the look on his face. Biting his lip, doing everything in his power to keep from laughing.

Perfect.

"This 'Jiji' boy sounds like a total cyutie," he went on, reaching forward and resting his chin on his boyfriends shoulder. "I mustache you if he's a total keeper."

The crappy pun worked.

Zuma lost the war with himself, shoulders shaking uncontrollably and bouncing Jiji's chin off of them, but it was worth the slightly painful impact for the laughter that followed.

Zuma tended to chuckle - and honestly, mostly at Jiji's own expense. So when Zuma laughed like this - a fully-bellied laugh that brought tears to his eyes, Jiji couldn't help but fall more in love.

"You're ridiculous," Zuma finally said, turning back toward Jiji and wiping the remnants of tears from his eyes.

"And you stick with me," Jiji pointed out, poking his boyfriend on the nose. "So, really, I think that says more about you than me."

"Guess I just like stupid," Zuma teased, causing Jiji to pull off the gaucho glasses for the full look of betrayal to be expressed.

"How dare you! And after all I did for you!"

"You put on some cheap-ass glasses and made a bad pun," Zuma pointed out.

"Ahh, but it worked," Jiji smirked. Zuma just sighed.

"You're a dork."

"Love you, too."

Chapter Text

Jiji's mind was a bit… broken, in that moment. Or, at least, that was the best way he could describe it right now. It was like an old CD that kept skipping and playing the same part of the song on repeat, again and again.

Except Jiji wished it was just a catchy line of a song being stuck in his head. Instead, it was a scene from the other week playing over and over.

A scene from the plane. The sharknado. The fight on top of a plane.

The fight with Zuma.

One part of the fight with Zuma in particular.

He could still feel Zuma's hand on his shoulder, the other following down the length of his arm, to his wrist, until he could reach out between Jiji's own hands to summon Futa.

The warmth he felt as he unleashed the Evil Gun - he was used to feeling a surge of power in the moment, but this had been different. His attack had weaved with Zuma's, the umbrella spinning at an unnatural speed to enhance the blast of the Evil Gun. The spin of the umbrella had him feeling trapped in the moment, the rotating inner spines playing like a hypnotic spiral.

It felt as though Zuma's own essence had flowed through him as it passed toward his umbrella - Futa - using Jiji himself as a conduit. If he'd been asked earlier what that would feel like - feeling Zuma's energy of all people's - he'd have guessed sharp, cold, overall a terrible experience to endure. And yet…

The opposite had filled him. Warm, free-flowing energy that left him feeling… safe, protected. Strong and capable in his own right, a boost to his own belief in himself somehow.

It gave him a renewed determination with his own Evil Gun. Despite the failure of his previous attempt, he had felt sure in that moment that he could do it - that they could do it.

And they did.

Back then, he didn't have much time to dwell on it after - he'd been holding onto the death worm for dear life before losing control to Evil Eye. He'd come to mentally (having been knocked out within his own mind due to the struggle for control) a bit before the fight with the Red Baron, but by that point, he couldn't think about those feelings.

Now, though, all he could do was think about them.

He felt like he should be more worried about Momo right now. But, if he was being honest, thinking about Momo hurt right now, too. For a few reasons.

The fact that she had so clearly picked Okarun already. And while he could concede to that fact, happy for his two best friends, the fact that she'd lost all memories of the boy she'd chosen over him… somehow felt worse? Knowing he had 'lost' (as much as he didn't like to think of Momo as a prize to be won, he couldn't think of a better word in that moment), and yet seeing one of his closest friends, who had won her heart, suffer still.

So… not his favorite topic to think about.

Leaving him with nothing to think about but Zuma. Somehow easier - or at least more pleasant - despite the confusing feelings it flooded him with.

He knew… he had a bit of a crush.

He'd known from the first time he saw him that Zuma was hot - he had eyes, after all - but… he'd also thought he was a dick.

It kind of made him angry, how quickly he was proven wrong.

Even knowing he had a crush, though… this was still confusing. The way their attacks had weaved together so seamlessly, amplifying each other despite never having even seen the other fight before, let alone fought side by side.

The fact that, as they went to attack, there wasn't even a doubt in his mind that it would work. A weird level of confidence considering that normally, he'd have at least a hint of doubt that it'd blow up in their faces. Yes, he'd have tried it anyway, but the fact the thought didn't even occur to him…

Very weird.

He sighed, staring up at the ceiling of his bedroom and knowing what he'd have to do tomorrow.

He'd go find Zuma. Talk to him.

If he was lucky, maybe kiss him.