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Toge is at the konbini. His favorite konbini. The one that's only five minutes away from his apartment. The one that has onigiri better than any other konbini's onigiri. The one he always goes to get said onigiri after a night at the club where Nobara makes him drink his weight in liquor. Like tonight.
So Toge is drunk. Very drunk. Drunk out of his mind and he can barely see straight. Not that Toge ever sees straight, a perk of being a homosexual.
Haha gay joke.
Anyways.
There’s a guy. Standing outside the store, leaning against the bike hoop parking thingy that Toge just can’t remember the name of. From what Toge can tell, the guy’s looking at the ground. And his shoulders look tense and even just from looking at his back, Toge can tell that the guy is just tired.
Toge looks down at the tuna mayo onigiri in his hand then looks back up at the display of onigiri. And decides to take another. The next steps Toge takes are almost mechanical in fashion, a routine. He walks up to the cash register, taps his card to pay, thanks the cashier with a polite nod of his head and exits the store.
This next step is not part of the routine.
Emboldened by the vodka in his veins and the onigiri in his hand, Toge approaches the tired-looking stranger. As he gets closer, the stranger looks up and Toge’s step falters.
Despite his blurry vision, loss of common sense and his blood alcohol level of…pretty fucking high, Toge can recognize that the stranger is very pretty (Another perk of being a homosexual). Tall, muscular in a way that isn’t gross to look at, with long-ish black hair and blue eyes. Or grey? The point is that the guy has eyes, they’re a certain color and they’re very pretty.
The stranger is watching him now, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Toge shakes his head and continues to walk towards the pretty stranger with the blue or grey eyes.
Toge stops right in front of him and the stranger is still watching him with furrowed brows. From this distance, Toge can see that his eyes are actually a dark, stormy blue. Almost grey. And they’re even prettier up close. He can also see the deep eyebags under those pretty eyes.
They both stare at each other, no words exchanged. Then the pretty stormy-eyed stranger tilts his head and Toge’s heart skips just a bit.
Toge wordlessly holds out one of the onigiri.
The stranger looks down and looks back up at Toge, “For me?” he asks, in a low voice that makes Toge’s heart beat a little louder in his chest.
Toge nods and the stranger takes the offering with gentle, hesitant hands. Then he does something that almost sends Toge into cardiac arrest.
He smiles.
“Thank you,” he says in a soft, gentle voice that matches his soft, gentle smile and his soft, gentle hands.
Toge steps closer to the pretty stranger, gingerly grabbing his arm and leans in.
Now, this next part you can’t hold against Toge. Especially not Sober Toge. The actions of Drunk Toge do not reflect upon Sober Toge’s flawless character. Sober Toge has critical thinking skills and a sense of shame. Two things that Drunk Toge leaves at the bottom of a liquor bottle.
Toge kisses him. On the cheek.
The stranger lets out a small gasp and Toge leans back with a drunken smile.
And walks home.
˚₊‧✧ . ˖ .🍙. ˖ . ✧‧₊˚
The next day, Toge is dealt a terrible hand.
He wakes up.
And even worse, he remembers.
(This is not a perk of being a homosexual.)
He remembers everything. Every stupid, embarrassing thing he did last night. He remembers the club and Nobara and the questionable amount of liquor the two of them drank (he should check to make sure Nobara’s alive). He remembers Nobara’s girlfriend picking her up and he remembers taking the subway and walking home. He remembers stopping by the konbini and buying onigiri and, and-
And the stranger. The tired-looking stranger with the stormy eyes and heavy eyebags.
He remembers walking up to him and the furrowed brows. He remembers handing him the onigiri and the confused tilt of his head. He remembers the gentle hands and soft smile and the ‘thank you’ in a low voice.
He remembers leaning in, leaning closer. And he remembers the kiss.
Fuuuuuuuck.
Nobara will never let him live this down.
It’s probably best that Toge doesn’t tell her.
He’s gonna tell her.
Toge
Girl
Nobara
Girl
Toge
oh good ur alive
half expected u’d get alcohol poisoning
Nobara
nah
i got a hot masc keeping me hydrated
maki says hi btw
Toge
hi maki
Nobara
hi toge - maki
Toge
anyways
i uh
i did a thing
a stupid thing
Nobara
Elaborate.
Toge
so u know the konbini near my place
Nobara
the one u swear has better onigiri than any other konbini even tho theyre all the same?
Toge
FUCK YOU IT IS BETTER
anyways, i was there to buy onigiri
and uh
there was a guy
Nobara
likely place for a guy to be
Toge
he looked rlly tired?
and so bcuz im such wonderfully kind person
Nobara
sounds fake
Toge
BCUZ IM SUCH A WONDERFULLY KIND PERSON
i gave him one
Nobara
boo. you bore me.
Toge
IM NOT DONE
the guy
Pretty.
Nobara
gay
Toge
arent u literally in bed with ur girlfriend rn?
Nobara
never said i wasnt gay
then what happened?
Toge
okay so
i was very drunk so u cant hold this against me
Nobara
i most certainly can hold this against u
but proceed
Toge
i was drunk bcuz of u
Nobara
UNIMPORTANT
WHAT DID YOU DO?
Toge
i uh
mightve kissed him
on the cheek
Nobara
YOU KISSED HIM?
Toge
ON THE CHEEK
Nobara
YOU KISSED A STRANGER
Toge
IN TBECHEEK
Nobara
YOU KISSED A STRANGER AT THE KONBINIDJDJDJDJDJDJ
Toge
IT WAS KHYHE CEHEK
AND HE WAS VERY ORETTY
I WAS DRSNK
Nobara
IM WHEEZINGEUDUJDJDJJD
CACKLING
Toge
FUCK YOU
Nobara
hey toge, this is maki
nobara fell over from laughing and now she's rolling on the floor
also why would you kiss a stranger?
Toge
ON THE CHEEK
HE HAD PRETTY EYES
AND A PRETTY SMILE
YOUR GIRLFRIEND GOT ME DRUNK
SHES TO BLAME FOR THIS
Nobara
FUCK YOU NO I AM NOT - nobara
nobara’s stomach hurts from laughing
so you’re stuck with me
Toge
maki, your girlfriend is mean :(
Nobara
yeah, that’s why she’s my girlfriend
anyways, it’s not that big of a deal
you were drunk and you’ll probably never see him again
Toge
:(
you’re probably right
thanks maki
Nobara
just try to forget about it
cause we both know nobara won’t let you
HECK YEAH I WON’T - nobara
Toge
fuck you <3
Maki’s right. It’s really not that big of a deal. He was drunk, the pretty boy was just a stranger that he’ll never see again.
He was just a tired stranger and Toge was comforting him the only way drunk Toge knows how. Through onigiri and physical touch.
Toge just needs to forget about it.
˚₊‧✧ . ˖ .🍙. ˖ . ✧‧₊˚
Unsurprisingly, Toge does not forget about it.
It’s been a week. A whole week. Toge has had a whole week to forget about it and he is nowhere near forgetting. If anything, he’s actually been thinking about it every night even more.
It’s also been a week since he’s been to the konbini. He had vowed to never go there again out of fear of running into the man again.
But it’s midnight and Toge really wants those onigiri.
It must be safe, considering Toge has never actually seen the stranger apart from that one time which must mean that the stranger doesn’t live close by and was just there that one night completely by chance.
This is what Toge tells himself when he walks to the konbini. As he enters, he looks around cautiously for any signs of the stranger. All clear. Toge breathes a sigh of relief and walks over to the display of onigiri, even humming to himself as he browses through the options.
“Onigiri boy!”
Toge stills. He makes no move to respond. If you don’t move, they can’t see you. Like in those American dinosaur movies that Yuuji made all of them watch.
It’s probably not him.
Sure, Toge is a boy. And he is standing in front of onigiri. And he eats such a large quantity of onigiri that even his friends save him on their phone with the emoji at the end of his name and Toge wears that emoji like a badge of honor.
But it’s probably not him.
‘It’s not me. It’s not me. It’s not me,’ Toge chants in his head like some cowardly mantra. Then a presence. A very tall, man-shaped presence stands next to Toge and he finally looks.
It’s the stranger. The one with the stormy eyes and deep eyebags. The one Toge gave an onigiri to. The one Toge kissed.
Toge lets out a small whimper. For he is a scared puppy in the face of a giant wolf.
“Onigiri boy? Right? You gave me onigiri, like last week?” The stranger asks.
Toge nods, unable to speak.
Haha mute joke.
Anyways.
“I just wanted to thank you. I was feeling really down and that made me feel better. Oh! I’m Okkotsu Yuuta, by the way. Sorry for not introducing myself. And sorry for calling you ‘onigiri boy’ but I never really got your name. I mean, you did just kinda walk away without saying anything…which is fine! You’re not obligated to talk to me, it just would have been nice to get your name, especially since you, uh, kissed my cheek…” The stranger, no, Yuuta trails off. He scratches the back of his neck nervously and Toge can see a flush blooming on his cheeks.
Toge lets out a small giggle at the sight. Yuuta’s eyes widen at that.
Toge holds up a finger, telling Yuuta to wait a moment before taking out his phone. Yuuta stands in waiting, watching as Toge types something into his phone. Once he’s done, he turns his phone for Yuuta to read.
Hi Okkotsu-san. I’m Inumaki Toge and I’m mute.
“Oh! I’m so sorry! That’s why you didn’t say anything that night. And I was so rude about it just now, I’m really sorry,” Yuuta apologizes and bows his head. Toge lets out another giggle.
Despite the man’s intimidating build, he’s about as dangerous as a golden retriever. Cute.
But then, Yuuta does something unbelievable.
He lifts up his hands and signs.
‘It’s nice to meet you.’ Yuuta signs, his hand movements a little stiff but understandable.
“Sorry, I haven’t signed in a really long time, I took JSL as an elective back in uni and I was pretty good! But clearly, I’m out of practice now. I should pick it up again, practice it again. So we can…talk to each other.” He finishes a little awkwardly and offers Toge a nervous smile.
Toge was wrong. This man is dangerous, extremely dangerous. His true nature hides behind a nervous smile and pretty stormy eyes but this man is very, very dangerous. Especially for Toge’s health.
He signs. He wants to. Toge’s mutism is usually met by a disappointed ‘oh’ from strangers or an invasive ‘why don’t you talk?’. But this man, who doesn’t even know him, just said he would practice JSL so he could communicate with Toge. Toge, a drunkard he barely met once last week.
Toge doesn’t know how to respond so he just nods and Yuuta smiles in a way that leaves him breathless.
“Sorry, could I just-” Yuuta reaches a hand out towards him and Toge’s eyes widen before he squeezes them shut, not sure what to expect.
Yuuta lets out a small laugh at Toge’s reaction and the silver-haired boy cautiously opens one eye. He sees Yuuta's arm reaching behind his shoulder.
Toge blushes as Yuuta shows him the two onigiri he had taken off the shelf. “Shall we?” The taller nods toward the cashier before walking first. Toge wordlessly (haha mute joke) follows him.
“My treat this time,” Yuuta tells him, winking. Which would be smooth, if Yuuta could actually wink properly.
Yuuta pays for the food and they walk out of the store together. They walk towards the bicycle rack and Yuuta leans against it. The sight of him is almost identical to the night they (sort of) met. The only difference being the smile on Yuuta’s face.
“Can I ask?” Yuuta starts, unwrapping the onigiri and handing it to the other. “Why’d you…approach me that night?”
Toge looks down at the snack in his hand then looks back up at Yuuta.
“Hmm? Oh, shit, wait. Sorry, you can’t sign, let me just-” Yuuta moves to take back the onigiri but it seems that his brain and his hand are moving at different speeds, not sure which is faster, because he promptly smacks the onigiri out of Toge’s hand.
The two stare silently at the fallen onigiri.
Then at each other. Then back at the onigiri. Then back at each other.
Toge lets out a snort. And that makes Yuuta laugh. And Yuuta’s laugh makes Toge laugh. And now they’re just two people laughing their asses off in a convenience store parking lot with a fallen riceball on the concrete between their feet.
“Oh, I needed that,” Yuuta says, once their laughter dies down. He’s wiping a tear from his eye and Toge is rubbing his own cheeks, sore from laughing. “It feels like every time I see you, I end up with a smile on my face.”
Toge, flushed from laughter and Yuuta's casual compliment, then signs, ‘That night, I saw you and you looked so...tired. I was drunk and I wanted to make you smile. That’s why I did it.’
Yuuta blinks slowly at his answer, mouth still agape as his face reddens. Then a smile makes its way onto his face. That same gentle smile from that night.
“I think you might be an angel.”
Toge blushes even harder at that because God damn, this man is dangerous.
And the worst part? He doesn’t even know it.
Yuuta doesn’t know that his words have magically created a swarm of butterflies fluttering in Toge’s stomach. Yuuta doesn’t know that Toge’s head is spinning from his smile and he’s dizzier than he’s ever been on alcohol. Yuuta doesn’t know that Toge’s heart is hammering a hole through his ribs, threatening to burst out of his chest and into Yuuta’s hands, waving a white flag and yelling “take me!”.
Yuuta doesn’t know that with just an onigiri, some nervous rambling and one sentence in JSL, he’s managed to make Toge feel more than Toge’s ever felt his whole adult life.
No amount of crushes, flirting, dates and hook-ups have made him feel more than this very moment.
And now you can blame Toge for this. Because this time, he is as sober as a judge and as stupid as…well, as stupid as a man in love.
Toge grabs onto Yuuta’s arm and leans up, standing on his tippy toes. Landing a kiss square on his cheek. When he pulls away, Yuuta is staring at him with wide eyes and a dropped jaw.
Realizing what he's done, Toge does the only logical thing he can think of.
He runs away.
˚₊‧✧ . ˖ .🍙. ˖ . ✧‧₊˚
Toge
hi bestie
Nobara
What Did You Do?
Toge
who says i did anything
cant i just text my best friend?
Nobara
oh my god
did u kiss another stranger
Toge
no i did not
…
it was the same person
AND HES NOT A STRANGER ANYMORE
I KNOW HIS NAME
Nobara
U KISSED HIM AGAIN?
Toge
ON THE CHEEK
Nobara
HOW DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING
WHY DO U KEEP DOING THIS
Toge
HE'S CUTE
ITS NOT MY FAULT
U CANT ME BLAME FOR THIS
Nobara
wait
were u drunk again?
Toge
…
no
Nobara
SO THIS WAS A SOBER DECISION?
IT IS ABSOLUTELY YOUR FAULT
I CAN ABSOLUTELY BLAME YOU
wait a min
Toge
why
Nobara
you kissed this dude again? - maki
Toge
MAN FUCK YOU
WHY WOULD U TELL MAKI
Nobara
SHES MY GIRLFRIEND WE SHARE A LIFE
Toge
WELL CAN U NOT SHARE MY LIFE?
Nobara
CAN U JUST TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED
Toge
i was at the konbini again
and he came up to me
Nobara
HE APPORACHED U?
Toge
apporached
Nobara
FOCUS
Toge
he came up to me and introduced himself
he mostly rambled at first
like nervous
like a giant puppy
also he's a Giant
Tall. Broad. also Eyebags.
Nobara
HOW DID THIS LEAD TO U KISSING HIM
Toge
i told him im mute
and then he
he signed
Nobara
IN JSL?
Toge
what the fuck else
Nobara
CONTINUE
Toge
so he signs
cuz he took a class once but he said hes rusty
and he said he would practice again
so he could talk to me
Nobara
wait thats actually so sweet
Toge
RIGHT?
and then he bought me onigiri :(
and we went outside to talk
then he asked me abt the last time we met
Nobara
and what did u answer?
Toge
i didnt
Nobara
what u mean u didnt
Toge
i was holding the onigiri
and he realized i couldnt sign
so he tried to take it back
but he just kinda
slapped it outta my hand
Nobara
NOOOOOO
he sounds kinda pathetic
Toge
I Want Him.
Nobara
yeah i can tell
Toge
and we just started laughing
then he said that every time we meet, he gets a smile on his face
Nobara
oh my god thats so smooth
Toge
but he just says it yknow?
like hes not flirting or being sleazy
its so
genuine?
then i told him about why i did what i did last time
Nobara
gay
and what did he say
Toge
he
he uhm
hecalledmeanangel
Nobara
HE CALLED U AN ANGEL
IS THAT WHY U KISSED HIM AGAIN
Toge
…
Nobara
OH MY GOD
THEN WHAT DID U DO
Toge
i
ran away…?
Nobara
WHAT
U IDIOT
WHAT
Toge
WHAT ELSE SHOULD I HAVE DONE
Nobara
NOT BE AN IDIOT
DONT RUN AWAY
KISS THIEF
Toge
IM NOT A KISS THIEF
Nobara
KISS THIEF
TWO CHARGES OF ROBBERY
ARREST THIS MAN OFFICER
inumaki toge, you're under arrest - maki
Toge
OFFICER NO IM AN INNOCENT MAN
Nobara
sounds like smth a guilty person would say - maki
Toge
MAKI NOOO
I WANT A LAWYER
For someone who absolutely dreads being made fun of by Nobara, Toge sure does give the girl a lot of material to work with.
But it's nice, helps keep his mind off…things. Unimportant things. Unimportant things with pretty eyes and soft smiles and dark eyebags. Unimportant things that know JSL and buy him onigiri. Unimportant things that may have smacked said onigiri out of his hand. Unimportant things that call him angel. Unimportant things that he's kiss-
NOPE. Not gonna think about unimportant things.
It's time to think of far more important things. Like his upcoming deadline. Or maybe that gift he needs to get for Megumi's upcoming birthday. Or maybe he needs to start thinking about a different konbini to go to because clearly his usual one is no longer an option.
It hurts but Toge has to move on from that place. He's embarassed himself too many times. It sucks considering he's built a great sense of comradery with the night shift cashier who never tries to talk to him and that he never tries to talk to.
Toge doubts that any place will have onigiri as good as that konbini but he simply can't risk running into Yuuta again. Who knows what might happen if he does? Yuuta could yell at him, accuse him of being a pervert. Or what if Yuuta has a girlfriend and she confronts Toge at the konbini? Or worse, what if Yuuta just laughs it off and smiles at him and makes Toge's knees weak and Toge tries to kiss him again?
It's too risky.
It's time to say goodbye to the konbini and their incredible onigiri.
˚₊‧✧ . ˖ .🍙. ˖ . ✧‧₊˚
He's at the konbini again.
Not by any choice of his own. Oh no, this is all Nobara's doing. Toge himself had done an incredible job of staying away for a good two weeks. Surviving on onigiri from the konbini five streets down in the opposite direction of his usual.
But Nobara had insisted on going to this one because she wanted watermelon ice cream and the ones here are, as she says, "more watermelon than anywhere else". Which Toge says is absolute bullshit cause they all use artificial flavoring unlike his onigiri.
But Nobara's statement proves him right that this particular konbini just has better tasting products than any other konbini. He is validated. He is affirmed. He is vindicated.
He is also very drunk.
He's drunk and he's standing in front of the onigiri display in absolute wonder. This must be what people feel when they're looking at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This irresistible need to reach out and touch.
And touch he does.
Toge takes and takes and takes until he has a grand total of thirty onigiri in his arms, pockets and even two in his teeth. While Toge is fighting to hold them all and grab more at the same time, a basket suddenly appears in front of him.
That basket is being held by a hand. Which is attached to an arm. Which is attached to a person.
That person is Yuuta.
Toge drops all of his onigiri.
"Oh, let me help you," Yuuta says, dropping the basket and kneeling down, already picking up the onigiri and putting them in the basket. Toge panics and drops to his knees, shaking his head and hands so Yuuta will stop. But Yuuta being Yuuta, continues to help him. "It's fine, really!" he says, smile on his face. Curse this man, he must know what that smile does to Toge.
"TOGE WHAT HAPPENED?" Nobara's drunken voice suddenly booms through the air, followed by Maki's much more confused but equally drunk, "Why is the floor covered in onigiri?"
Then, the night shift cashier Toge considers his comrade, quietly walks into view.
What a sight they must make.
Toge and Yuuta kneeling on the floor surrounded by Toge's dragon hoard of onigiri. Nobara, barefoot with a watermelon popsicle in hand. Opened, half-eaten and unpaid for. And Maki, holding onto Nobara's heels as well as her own dragon hoard of watermelon popsicles.
(They're best friends for a reason.)
The night shift cashier shakes her head and as quietly as she came, returns to the counter.
Nobara and Toge exchange glances. Nobara looks over at Maki while Toge turns to Yuuta.
The four explode into a fit of laughter.
Toge's shoulders shake as he tries picking up the onigiri and Yuuta's eyes start tearing up in laughter as he puts the onigiri into the basket. Nobara joins them on the ground in a fit of giggles. Even Maki struggles to hold onto Nobara's things as she laughs.
Yuuta wipes a tear from his eye and looks at Toge. "Three for three. Told you, you're an angel," he says, smirking.
This man needs to be arrested. This feels illegal. It must be. Lock him up. Lock Toge up too actually. Separate cells would be best. Putting them in the same cell would be risky. Toge might kiss him.
He should do that.
The next part feels like the world is moving in slow-motion.
Toge crawls over, closing the short distance between him and Yuuta. He rests a hand on Yuuta's knee and the other on his shoulder. Toge pulls him down, just a tiny bit so Yuuta is leaning just that bit closer to him.
Toge, sitting on his knees on the floor of his favorite konbini, surrounded by a surplus amount of onigiri, leans up to kiss Yuuta's cheek. Yuuta, the boy with stormy eyes and a gentle smile, who knows how to sign and makes Toge's heart beat so hard it hurts.
Yuuta lets out a gasp at the contact and Toge can feel Yuuta's cheeks grow hot, feels the blush on his lips. Nobara and Maki fall silent at the sight, eyes wide and mouths agape.
Toge pulls away and Yuuta just stares at him.
Suddenly, the panic kicks in and Toge scrambles away from Yuuta. He moves to get up, to run away as fast as he can but Nobara is faster.
She grabs onto his legs, weighing him down and forcing him to stay in place. Maki walks over to them and drops all of Nobara's ice cream into the basket before pointing one of Nobara's stilettos at Yuuta.
"You're the boy!"
"I'm the boy…?"
"The kiss boy! Toge's kiss boy!" Maki yells as Nobara points an accusatory finger at Yuuta.
"Kiss boy…?" Yuuta grows impossibly redder at the statement.
Toge continues his attempt to escape while Nobara has dedicated her life into being an anchor around his feet.
Maki continues to point. But it seems the alcohol is finally catching up to her as she starts to sway. When she loses her balance, Toge moves to wrap his arms around her so she doesn't fall flat on her face, then he slowly lowers Maki onto the floor and Nobara finally lets him go, in favor of holding her girlfriend.
Funnily enough, it seems that Nobara anchoring him was the only thing helping him keep his own balance.
Toge squeezes his eyes shut and braces himself for the fall and…nothing?
When he opens one eye and sees that he is very much still standing, Toge lets out a sigh of relief.
But when he looks down to see a pair of (deliciously) strong arms wrapped around him, he kind of wishes he was on the floor.
Almost as if Yuuta hears his wish, he gently lowers Toge to the floor, sitting him next to his friends.
Yuuta pats his head gently before kneeling onto the floor to continue cleaning up Toge's onigiri hoard. Toge silently watches as Yuuta puts away his onigiri and Nobara's watermelon ice cream and walks over to the cashier with a much more reasonable amount three of each. As well as some water. Toge watches as he pays for all of it (including the ice cream Nobara had already eaten) and apologizes to the cashier for the trouble.
Yuuta walks back over to them and opens up a bottle of water for each of the three. He unwraps one onigiri for Toge to eat and even cleans up the ice cream Nobara had finished.
This man is just far too dangerous. Doesn't he know that if he keeps this up, Toge might die?!
Toge won't survive if he keeps being so nice and kind and sweet and gentle and, and, and so fucking perfect?
If he keeps being everything Toge wants.
Yuuta watches over them, making sure all of them drink water and Toge finishes his onigiri. Once Toge is done, he helps all of them get up, leading them slowly outside. He bows slightly towards the cashier, another apology on their behalf.
After he gets them all outside, he asks Toge, "Can you all get home on your own?"
Toge nods and takes a step forward.
Only to almost eat concrete if it weren't for Yuuta catching him.
"Guess not then, mind giving me an address? Wherever that's close by."
Toge nods and opens his phone. Through blurry eyes, he opens up his notes app where he has a memo of his address saved (usually reserved for when he's especially wasted and needs to take a cab home).
Yuuta reads it through and nods, "Okay, I'll take you guys home now, that okay?"
They all nod at him, all three getting sleepier by the minute. Yuuta asseses their conditions. Maki's a little more sober now and so is Toge but Nobara is still swaying. Yuuta takes a moment to think then walks over to Nobara.
"Is it okay if I carry you?" he asks. Nobara, who at the moment can barely understand the only language she's ever spoken in her life, simply nods. Yuuta turns around and crouches, patting his back so Nobara can get on.
She does, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and he hoists her up, a little too easily for Toge's sanity. Once he feels that Nobara's secure on his back, he calls over Toge and Maki. Yuuta reaches a hand out to Toge, asking him to take it.
Toge takes it.
Yuuta squeezes his hand and tells him, "Hold your friend's hand too."
Toge nods and grabs Maki's hand.
It's a short walk from the konbini to Toge's apartment. A short walk that could've been a lot longer if not for Yuuta leading them, like a mama duck leading her intoxicated ducklings/ Thanks to Yuuta, they all get there safe and sound.
Thankfully, Toge's apartment is on the first floor, which makes Yuuta's task a whole lot easier. He sets Nobara down and pulls Toge over to take his keys. Once the door's open, he herds them all inside.
Nobara and Maki immediately flop onto the couch, curling over each other like cats while Toge simply waits for Yuuta at the doorway. Yuuta tilts his head, confused and Toge simply looks down at his feet.
"Oh." Yuuta smiles and kneels down, helping Toge take off his shoes before taking off his own. He grabs Toge's hand and leads him into the kitchen where he starts putting the shopping way. He sets out some water and medicine that Toge didn't realize he had bought.
"Mind if I go in your bedroom?" Yuuta asks. Toge only nods and shows him where it is.
Yuuta enters with Toge following close behind, then he stops to turn to Toge. He reaches out towards Toge and tugs on his jacket, taking it off his shoulders. Toge blushes at the action and Yuuta lets out a small laugh at his reaction. "Go get some sleep, Inumaki-kun," Yuuta tells him, in that gentle voice of his. He watches as Yuuta walks over to his closet, grabbing a blanket and return to the living room. He drapes the blanket over Nobara and Maki who are dead asleep on the couch.
As Yuuta moves to leave, Toge can't help but follow him. Yuuta lets out a small laugh as he puts on his shoes, seeing Toge's eyes follow his every move, almost like a kitten. He rests a hand in Toge's hair, just barely touching.
"Sleep," Yuuta whispers with that soft, gentle smile.
And Toge, oh Toge, he just can't help himself.
He grabs Yuuta's shoulders and stands on his tiptoes, kissing Yuuta's cheek for the second time that night.
When he pulls away, Yuuta just stares. Then he lets out a sigh and shakes his head.
"You really should stop doing that."
And Toge's heart breaks.
˚₊‧✧ . ˖ .🍙. ˖ . ✧‧₊˚
Toge is at home.
Not at the club, not at Nobara and Maki's place and certainly not at the konbini. Tonight, he's at home. Where he's been every night for a month.
Embarrassment was not enough to keep him away from the konbini but a broken heart is more than enough.
And Toge feels silly. Being so heartbroken over a boy he's met all of three times.
His friends have all tried cheering him up. Nobara and Maki buy him onigiri from his usual konbini and they even let him thirdwheel on their dates. Megumi and Yuuji come over a lot too, they bring Megumi's dogs and Yuuji's been making him homemade onigiri that he swears is way better than anything store-bought.
(It is better but it's just not the same.)
But everything's been leaving nothing but a bitter taste in his mouth.
Seeing Nobara cuddled up with Maki or Yuuji flirting with Megumi, just reminds him of how alone he is. And he knows, a relationship isn't everything. He's got plenty to be grateful for. A job he loves, great friends, his own apartment and a mostly able body.
But Toge can't help it. Something about Yuuta just…lit something in him.
Because Toge is Toge. Quick to fall, even quicker to get his heart broken.
Truth be told, Toge has never been much of a touchy person, even when he's drunk. Usually when he drinks, he just gets kind of sleepy, he might sign a little sloppier than usual and his vision blurs and he loses his footing sometimes but he's never been much of a nuisance. Nothing like Nobara's yelling or Yuuji's dancing or Maki's clumsiness or even Megumi's clinginess.
He just keeps to himself.
So he has no idea why he kissed Yuuta that first night. Drunk Toge isn't to blame. Neither is Sober Toge. And definitely not Nobara. The only person at fault is Toge himself. He saw a handsome, tired-looking stranger, decided to take a risk and blamed it on the alcohol.
He can't use alcohol as an excuse for the second kiss though. He was drunk on something else that night.
Drunk on stormy eyes, nervous smiles and an act of kindness without an ulterior motive behind it. Drunk on a half-assed wink, gentle hands and a dropped onigiri. Drunk on a passerby's promise to learn his language. Drunk on someone wanting to understand him. Drunk on the idea of being someone's angel.
But Toge has to forget about him, he met the guy three times. Sure he's kissed him four times but still. Yuuta is nothing more than a stranger, no matter how much Toge wanted him to be more.
And Yuuta is to blame for this too because how dare he? How dare he be so sweet and handsome and kind? How dare he buy Toge onigiri? How dare he take care of him and his friends? How dare he be everything Toge wants? How dare he bulldoze his way into Toge's heart?
Stupid Yuuta. Stupid Yuuta who probably isn't even thinking about him. Stupid Yuuta who's probably forgotten about him. Stupid Yuuta-
Oh. There's a knock at his door.
If it were Nobara and Maki, he'd hear yelling. And if it were Megumi and Yuuji, he'd hear barking. And also yelling.
But he hears none of that. Just knocking.
Toge doesn't want to open it. He really doesn't. He really doesn't want to. Doesn't want to see someone who he might have pretend in front of.
But it feels like he should.
So he walks to the door and his hand hovers over the handle, braving himself to pretend like he's okay.
"Inumaki-kun?" A muffled voice calls through the door.
Toge's eyes widen at that voice.
"It's me, Okkotsu Yuuta. I, I don't know if you remember me but we met a few times at the konbini. You kissed me. On the cheek! Uhm, anyways, I ran into your friends yesterday and I asked them about where you were cause I haven't seen you at the konbini. But I don't think they remember me? Wait, oh, I must have looked like such a creepy stalker. Wait, am I? Oh, fuck, I just showed up to your house completely unannounced, oh shit you probably think I'm such a creep. I'm so sorry, I'll just go. I got you onigiri! By the way, uhm, I-uh, I'll just put it here."
Toge hears him put something down, a plastic bag. He hears the scuff of shoes. He hears the door open.
Oh.
Oh.
That was Toge. He opened it.
"Inumaki-kun?"
‘Why are you here?’ Toge asks, hands trembling as he signs.
"I…I, uhm. Would you believe me if I said I missed you?" Yuuta answers, "It's silly, right? We're pratically strangers, I can count the number of times we met on one hand. But…I just can't stop thinking about you. Is that bad?" Yuuta looks at him, hoping for an answer.
Toge doesn't answer. Instead, he opens the door wider and asks Yuuta to come in.
Yuuta lets out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding in. He smiles at Toge. That gentle smile. And walks in.
Yuuta walks in and Toge shuts the door behind them. He waits as Yuuta takes off his shoes then leads him in to the living room where they sit together on Toge's couch. Yuuta takes out the onigiri and offers it to Toge, who takes it with gentle fingers and puts it aside.
He signs, 'You missed me?'
"I did. I think I still do," Yuuta answers.
'Why?'
"Why do I miss you? I'm not sure." Toge frowns but Yuuta continues, "I just know that every time I go to that konbini, I look for you. I hope you're there. I hope I get to see you. I just know that every night we don't meet, I feel disappointed. And that my cheek feels…cold," Yuuta trails off, his hand touching his own cheek, pressing slightly as if to warm it, to get rid of that cold.
Toge smiles, just the tiniest bit and he closes the distance between the two of them. He pulls Yuuta's hand away from his face so he can press the softest kiss on his cheek. And Toge feels the blush blooming on Yuuta's face. And it's oh so warm.
He pulls away, only for Yuuta to pull him back in. Yuuta presses their lips together and he kisses Toge like a man starved, wrapping his arms around Toge's waist and pulling him into his lap. Toge is no better, arms wrapping around Yuuta's shoulders, pulling him impossibly closer.
They eventually pull away, reluctantly of course, but unfortunately humans do need to breathe.
Foreheads resting against the other's, heavy breathing and the silence between swollen lips.
Then Toge asks, 'Why did you say that I should stop? That last night?'
Yuuta's hands rest on his hips and he lets out a small laugh of disbelief. "I just didn't want to get my hopes up. You would kiss me then run away, I just thought maybe you were messing with me?"
Toge frowns, 'I don't usually kiss people I don't know. You're the first…and only,' Toge signs, 'You called me an angel, why?'
Yuuta lets out a sigh. "That night, when we first met, I was feeling pretty shitty about my life," Yuuta starts, "I moved to Tokyo almost six months ago and my life hasn't been going the way I imagined. I don't love my job the way I thought I would and I honestly have no friends here. And let's just say I'm not exactly a big hit in Tokyo's gay scene."
'You're gay?' Toge asks, as if he's not currently seated in Yuuta's lap.
Yuuta looks at him incrediously. "I basically just told you I have a crush on you, we literally just had the hottest kiss of my life and you're not even sure if I like men?"
'You have a crush on me?' Toge asks again and Yuuta sighs once more before pulling Toge into a bone-crushing hug.
"Inumaki Toge, that night we first met, you quite literally changed my life. I was feeling so shitty about myself and my life and you just walked up to me, gave me onigiri, kissed my cheek and I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since. I've been going to a konbini half an hour away from where I live every night just hoping I get to see you. Hell, I've been walking past your door for the past two and a half hours, trying to work up the courage to knock. Of course I have a crush on you. Hell, I might even be falling in love with you."
Toge pulls away, just a bit, not like Yuuta plans on letting him go. 'I like you too.'
Yuuta smiles, that gentle smile. "Good. Do you wanna go on a date with me?"
Toge nods. 'Konbini date?'
"Konbini date."