Chapter Text
Ritsu was not expecting anyone to give him chocolates on Valentine’s Day. In fact, he had completely forgotten about it until the day before when a few members of the student council began teasing him about his supposed fan club.
“I bet you’ll be receiving quite a bit of chocolate tomorrow, Kageyama-kun. I overheard your fan club making plans while I was walking over here.”
“You really are popular, aren’t you? Girls seriously do love the cool, quiet type.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle at that. He never believed himself to be anywhere near cool, compared to his brother at least. Popularity was superficial, bland. No one seemed to appreciate people’s true characteristics, Ritsu knew that he would lose to Shigeo every time in that aspect.
“I don’t think anyone will give me chocolates.” He replied. It would be nice to get some candy, considering his sweet tooth, but the implications of it would make it taste bitter and ultimately, unenjoyable.
“Just don’t make any bets on that.” One of them teased. The topic was beginning to get on Ritsu’s nerves, so all he did was hum in reply. It seemed like this meeting was going to be a long one.
When Valentine’s Day hit, the heart-shaped boxes came flooding in.
He assumed that most of the girls that had come up to him were apart of the fan club he had heard about the other day. They seemed incredibly flustered, their faces beat red and their eyes doing their best not to look directly at Ritsu. Irritation kept making itself known with every confession and tiny box of chocolates. He couldn’t deny that it was a little humbling. It didn’t make the situation any better, though.
“Thank you for the offer, but I’m not sure if I can accept these.” He would say to each one of them with a small, apologetic smile. They all insisted that he keep them. Some would look a little heartbroken, their smiles becoming more strained and sadness lacing their voice. Others were understanding, either it was a friendly gesture or they understood they didn’t have a chance. Those were the ones Ritsu’s appreciated most.
There was only so much he could fit in his bag, maybe five or six boxes. He still had a lot more to deal with, too many to take home. The plan was to give them to Shigeo when he got home, but it seemed like it would be a better idea to carry a few to the Body Improvement Club’s room so he could at least enjoy a few after his workout. He grabbed five more, eyed the room to be sure no one was around and had the rest of them float by his side as he made his way.
“What!? Did girls really give these all to you?” Tome looked up from her 3DS when she saw the few remaining boxes. “Isn’t it awful of you to be giving these away?” She picked up one of the boxes and opened it, shock taking over her. “This one’s made from scratch! You monster !” Her actions didn’t seem to match her words, however, as she began popping them in her mouth. “They’re good, you should at least respect them enough to eat them.” She grumbled, eating the last of whatever she was griping at him for.
“Those were meant for Nii-san.” He grumbled, not all too happy at being scorned at. Let alone by someone who was the president of the sketchiest club in the school.
“Actually, they were meant for you.” She retorted, onto batch number two.
He wasn’t in the mood to argue, so he decided to leave. There was no reason for the student council to meet this afternoon, he took the quickest route home.
The whole day had been uncomfortable and he was exhausted. It was a lot easier watching people on television indulge in these sorts of things. Not today though, he witnessed it enough at school. Ritsu considered playing a video game before he started on his studies, something he could lose himself in for a little while.
He let his mind wander until he saw hints fiery orange hair appear out of the corner ahead. Shou’s hair really fit him, Ritsu mused. It looked like a flame, appropriate for his powers. A flame held the same warmth as he did too, always making the room more inviting just by being there. Maybe that was just his powers at work, maybe pyrokinetics acted as furnace, their body heat a little more extreme.
Shou made eye contact with him and waved with one hand, the other held something behind his back. Ritsu didn’t have a good feeling about what it may be. The last time he had accepted anything from Shou, it was a toad he had picked up off the sidewalk.
“Ritsu, hey! Funny meeting you here, huh ?” Shou tried to appear casual, there was something almost mischievous in his tone of voice though.
“You know this is the route I walk home. What’s behind your back ?” He deadpanned. He wasn’t in the mood for games. If there was something slimy behind his back, Shou was a dead man.
The smirk on Shou’s face turned to a sheepish grin, eyebrows turned downward, losing most of his confidence. He drew in a little on himself, the hand he had been waving with placed itself at the nape of his neck. Ritsu’s irritation faded, more confused than anything. He hadn’t seen Shou like this before, it was strange.
He seemed to muster up whatever bit of courage he had left and held out the hand he had been hiding behind his back. He managed to make eye contact with Ritsu, what he held in his hand made Ritsu’s eyes widen in surprise. "Here, I know how much you love sweets, and these things are all over the place." He held a heart-shaped box of chocolates for Ritsu. He could hear the attempt to make it nonchalant, but Ritsu could tell he was nervous. The box was delicately wrapped, shined a metallic red. The ribbon around it was white, a cream-ish color if he were to be picky about it, tied into a little bow off to the top left holding it in place.
Shou’s eyes held the same determination as the girls who had given Ritsu chocolates earlier. The same hopeful glint, marked with the pride in himself for being able to muster up the courage to walk up to him in the first place.
Ritsu knew that Shou had bought the expensive chocolates, just by looking at the box. He knew that Shou hadn't just passed it while at the market. He didn't know how to feel about it, he couldn't seem to look away from Shou, who's cheeks were now peppered a light pink. "Thank you," he decided to say and accepted the box from Shou.
He didn't realize Shou was actually frowning at that point until it was replaced with a blinding smile, his teeth white and dazzling. His body relaxed, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket. The light pink that had once been easy to ignore now turned into an obvious red, making the freckles that kissed his skin pop out even more. Ritsu's breath hitched.
"Just remember to get me something on White Day. I want something sweet too!"
Ritsu flushed a pink of his own, finally being able to look away from Shou and down at the chocolates he now held in his hands. "Depends on how good these are." His bitter reply didn't match the endeared smile he wore and didn't sound quite as nasty when touched with amusement. It made Shou laugh, a small one that was more nervous than anything.
The two of them walked to Ritsu’s house together, Shou talking about all the hassle he had gone through trying to finish up cleaning his dad’s mess. He talked about a few trips he had taken around Japan in the few weeks they hadn’t spoken, making it an excuse and an apology as to why he hadn’t been in contact with him.
“That’s no excuse,” Ritsu huffed. “You’ve pestered me all around the globe. I can’t even count on both of my hands how many times you’ve woken me up in the middle of the night just to tell me what new words you’ve learned where you’ve stayed. Bad words, I might add.”
There was something about the way they bickered that, despite the frigid February weather, made Ritsu feel warm inside. It was hot and uncomfortable in his stomach, but spread more comfortably throughout the rest of his body. His heart beat a little faster, laughed a little easier with every snide mark he received and every joke Shou landed. He felt as if he could express himself easier around the other boy. His words didn’t have to be so calculated, Shou could lean on him, put an arm around him, pat him on the back, it wouldn’t make Ritsu uncomfortable. He felt like he was at home with him.
Maybe that was why he felt so let down when Shou rejected his offer to have dinner with him. His face had gotten red again, tried to not make it look obvious that he didn’t want to look Ritsu in the eye by looking at something near him instead. “I’ve got some stuff I need to take care. Next time.”
They parted at Ritsu’s doorstep, Shou giving final a wave good-bye as he walked away. When Ritsu got in the door he already felt himself wanting to be with Shou again. That weird, hot feeling in his stomach didn’t seem like it would go away anytime soon.
After putting his bag away and setting out the chocolates from within it in the kitchen for his family to share, Ritsu made himself comfortable on the couch and decided to watch a show before dinner. All the negative energy that had wanted to release through a few rounds in a game left him when Shou had popped up.
He kept the box of chocolates that Shou had bought him at his side, in case he got impatient waiting for his mother to finish making their meal. He didn’t bother to open it just yet. He told himself that it was because he wasn’t in the mood for sweets right now, but he couldn’t help but feel somewhat nervous looking at them.
Did they have the same implications that the girls at school had given him? Did he accept Shou’s feelings by accepting Shou’s chocolates? If they really are store bought, does that mean that his feelings aren’t as strong as if he were to have made them? Was it even a bad thing if Shou liked him? Did Ritsu like him back?
These questions kept swirling around in his head, he wasn’t sure for how long. All Ritsu knew was that Shigeo was home by the time he managed to suppress whatever crisis he was currently having. Shigeo sat on the cushion next to him, away from the chocolates but still eyeing them, as if he knew something. Ritsu’s face began to heat up.
“How was work, Nii-san?” He decided to ask, better to not bring up the subject.
“It was fine, Shishou let me leave early. Tome told me you brought chocolates into the club room.”
“I did, she ate them all didn’t she?”
“Yes, were they from girls?”
“Yes. I didn’t accept their feelings, but they insisted I take the chocolates. I ended up having too many to carry home.”
“I see.” He hummed seeming a little relieved. He paused for a moment before asking “Who are those from?”
“They’re from Shou, he said they caught his eye while he was walking past a shop.”
“He told you he bought them?” There was something in Shigeo’s voice that made him sound surprised almost. Ritsu raised an eyebrow. “It’s what he implied...Do you know something, Nii-san?”
Shigeo refused to look him directly in the eye, sweat beginning to bead up on his forehead. “N-not really. Not a whole lot.” He decided on. It wasn’t technically lying, but Ritsu knew that there was at least something he was holding back. Ritsu knew Shigeo wasn’t going to spill though, he was going to have to start making assumptions.
“...Did Shou actually make these himself?” Shigeo gave a ghost of a nod, looking a little disappointed in himself. “Why didn’t you want to tell me?” It wasn’t as if he were upset, but he didn’t know why it would mean so much for him not to tell Ritsu.
“I just thought Suzuki-kun would have wanted to tell you himself. He...he put a lot of work into them. Maybe he was shy. I didn’t want to be the one to say anything.” Ritsu nodded in understanding. There was something twisting in his gut. Not anger, nor frustration. It was something...good? It made the burning sensation in his stomach a little worse, as if he were to erupt at any moment. His ears burned as well, the back of his neck and cheeks getting uncomfortably hot.
He really did have feelings for Shou.
“I-I see…” He mumbled, looking back down that box of chocolates. “But...he told you about all of this?”
“He called me and asked if you prefer milk or dark chocolate. After that, he told me that he was going to make chocolates for you. I’m glad he ended up doing it. That was very sweet of him.”
His was surprised he hadn’t caught fire yet. “Yeah...it was…”
At least that explained why Shou was so flustered earlier. He didn’t really understand why Shou would act so strange if they were just store bought chocolates, he came to conclusion that he really would have just bought them while grabbing a snack. But if what Shigeo said was true and not only did Shou make these with his own two hands, but even make sure with his brother that he would like them, then….he had a lot more to think about. His questions weren’t hypothetical anymore. He watched enough dramas to know that much.
There was a knock at the door that made Shigeo straighten up in his seat. “Ah, that’s Teru. I promised him that I would have dinner with him.” Ritsu wasn’t the only one blushing now, how cute.
Teru and Shigeo hadn’t been dating for too long, but it sure did take them long enough to start. They had been friends for a year, and then really close friends for another. It was Shigeo that ended up confessing to Teru, much to everyone’s surprise. Ritsu was just glad that he didn’t have to watch them dance around each other any longer. It was also nice to see his brother so happy.
Shigeo had gotten up to open the door to find Teru with a bouquet of red roses and a large box of chocolates. It was...quite the display. It made Ritsu want to gag, so he got up, grabbed his own box of chocolates and told Shigeo to have fun before leaving to his room.
He plopped down on his bed, not at all interested in the homework that patiently waited for him inside his bag. Too much was going through his head at the moment to worry about academics. It shouldn’t be as big of a deal as he was making it, but Ritsu was one to overthink things. He picked at the meaning of one’s tone and diction, analyzed people’s patterns to decide how to act and when. It was something he learned from all the times he had to dance around his brother. It helped him become popular, being able to know what the right thing to say was and when it was appropriate.
That wasn’t going to help him here. He had no idea what to say. What to do. Eating Shou’s chocolates would probably a good first step. He seemed to have put effort into them, from what Shigeo had just told him. Waiting this long to try one seemed more like an insult. Maybe he was a bit of a monster.
He sighed and opened the box. He could see now that they really were handmade. At the very least an amateur made them. Most of them were lumpy, awkward looking. There were some more decent looking ones were in there as well, but less so. It was...endearing, to say the very least. It seemed as though Shou intentionally put in his worst batch in with his best, sprinkle in the few in between. There didn’t have to be so many chocolates, disorganized and tossed in there haphazardly.
Did he run out of time? Did he not know how many would be an appropriate amount and just decided to toss them all in? Did he want Ritsu to see how he improved? How he worked so hard to make sure that Ritsu would enjoy at least one of his chocolates? Ritsu was thinking too much. It was Shou, he probably ran out of time and tossed in whatever. That suited his personality best, even if it didn’t match what Shigeo told him, how Shou acted when giving these to him…
He picked the worst looking one in the bunch, better to start from the beginning. He popped it in his mouth and was instantly hit with a horrendous amount of sugar, almost canceling out the taste of chocolate. He coughed, choked it down, giggled a little at how ridiculous it was.
Staying away from any that looked like it was from the same batch, he grabbed another and took a small bite. This one was better, a little more bitter than sweet, but not necessarily bad.
He ate a few more, some incredibly bitter, he came across the disgustingly sweet again, the better ones, ones that actually tasted really good. He could have finished the whole box if his mom didn’t come in and tell him dinner was ready.
Without Shigeo there, dinner was uninteresting. It was fun to be able to unbend his brother's spoons with his own powers, even if he didn’t have to do it as often. Instead, he had to talk about school and listen to his father talk about work. He excused himself when he was done, cleaned his dish, and made his way back to his room.
Too full to finish the box, Ritsu decided he should tell Shou he liked them. He picked up his phone, ignored all the other messages he received (except the one Teru sent him. It was a selfie of him and Shigeo, both of them blushing like lovestruck fools, but having fun nonetheless,) and was shocked that he hadn’t received a message from Shou yet. Usually, the messages that would pop up on his screen would all be from him. He was probably nervous as to what Ritsu thought of the chocolates, a good thing he was about to put him at ease.
To pyrokinetic homeboy: i enjoyed your chocolates
It took a while before Shou responded, which was strange. Typically, he would respond almost immediately. It made Ritsu a little anxious, so he decided that it would be a good idea to at least get his work out of his bag and start on it.
It wasn’t until he had done a handful of problems that his phone went off. He put everything down and went to take a peak.
From pyrokinetic homeboy: even the ones that were rlly bitter ??
To pyrokinetic homeboy: the ones that i had a problem with were the ones that were too sweet
From pyrokinetic homeboy: so you didn’t enjoy all of them :p
To pyrokinetic homeboy: i did. they just didn’t taste good
From pyrokinetic homeboy: lmao ur one weird dude ritsu
To pyrokinetic homeboy: takes one to know one ;)
From pyrokinetic homeboy: whatevs
From pyrokinetic homeboy: <3
Wait...hold on a second.
Ritsu’s cheeks began heating up again as he stared down at his phone. The only other person who has sent him a heart through text was his brother. Even when Shigeo sent him one it took him a moment to swallow his pride and send one back. Was Shou being playful? It was weird. Still, he couldn’t stop the smile that was taking over. He began to wonder if this is how Shigeo felt when he talked to Teruki.
To pyrokinetic homeboy: <3
He was going to have to talk to Shou about their relationship.