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01.
Shou is... an oblivious fuck.
Ritsu decides this in the office, sitting on the ghost couch with Shou pressed up against him, phone shared between their hands as it plays yet another minecraft song parody. The two minecraft characters in the video share a simple and sweet kiss. Shou gasps and looks up at Ritsu. Uh oh. That's a bad sign.
“Smooch me, emo kid.” Yep. Shou's looking at him as if he's expecting something, and Ritsu tries to look anywhere but at him. This is not helping my crush at all, jesus christ. He sees a mischievous smile grow on Shou’s lips. “C'mon! It'll be my first!”
I don't think you realize how tempting that offer is, Shou. Ritsu shakes his head, both as a “no” and to clear his mind from the sudden thoughts of kissing Shou. He's not even sure if Shou likes him or is just… super affectionate. Probably the latter.
“Pucker up, big boy!” Shou grabs Ritsu’s head and turns it to the side - and then he gives him a wet kiss on his cheek. Ritsu can see Reigen’s eyebrows shoot up from over his computer. He's not even sure how Shou hasn't noticed how red his cheeks are.
“Shou! That's gross!” He pushes Shou off his lap and onto the other side of the couch, wiping at his face with a slightly flustered, slightly grossed out look.
“Oh come on, bro! You liked it!” Shou grins wide. “This is what friends do!” No it’s not, Shou. No, it's really fucking not.
Thus begins Ritsu's suffering, and Shou's grin only grows as he moves to tackle him again.
-
02.
The window slides open just in time for Ritsu to finish a solo match of Smash Bros, and Shou crawls in and hops onto the bed. “Yo,” Shou greets, scooting over to both steal a controller and get a better look at the screen. “Hey, I can barely see, lift your arms a bit.”
Ritsu does as asked, a little confused, and Shou slides into his lap with a smile. “Thanks!” Ritsu finds himself resisting the urge to bury his face into Shou’s hair, instead just moving it a little bit to be able to still see the screen. It's a bit late, and Ritsu has the feeling that if it wasn't late at night, he would've exploded from embarrassment by now.
“Uh, Whatcha doin’ there pal?” Ritsu asks as he looks at Shou.
“Sitting.” Shou smiles and starts the game of smash.
“Sitting…. In my lap?”
Shou turns slightly. His face is close enough to kis- stop. Gay thoughts stop now. “Yeah. What’s the problem bro?”
“Sorry, I’m homophobic.” The two muffle giggles at a joke they started back before Shou was this physically affectionate.
“Too bad. I was just going to give you a smooch.” Shou puts on a fake frown and quickly kisses Ritsu’s jaw. It would've been higher but he was cursed with being short. “Just kidding.” He stuck out his tongue and returned to the game.
Ritsu loses this match, for the pure fact that his hand keeps reaching up to brush against the spot where Shou kissed it. He's trying to keep it to a minimum but goddamn he's tired and distracted. Shou makes fun of him for the loss - “go cry, emo kid” - and they turn off the switch.
The bed is big enough for the both of them, and Ritsu tugs the blanket over them with a small smile. “Night, you dumb bitch.”
“Sweet dreams, dumb whore.”
-
03.
Ritsu idly wonders how many ghost couch spirits there could possibly be as he flops down onto Teruki's, barely a hint of a warning given to him before Shou stretches out on top of him like a particularly long cat.
“Hey! Watch the controller,” he mumbles, tugging his arms from under Shou's chest and adjusting them to be able to play. Shou shrugs, giving him a tiny little smirk.
They can both feel Teruki's stare on them before they turn, both of his eyebrows raised. “When did you guys start dating?”
“Since never.” Ritsu sighs.
“You literally share a bed with him almost every night.” Mob adds.
“And? We’re just bros. Bromos. The best type of friends.” Shou shakes his head as if its some sort or common knowledge. Teruki and Mob eye each other and Ritsu blushes, almost knowing exactly what they are thinking. “How could I turn down his offers to cuddle when he's the absolute best at it?”
“You- I never offer, you break into my room,” Ritsu mumbles, covering his face with both hands.
“You like it! You can’t live without me!” Shou smiles and places a hand on Ritsu’s cheek. Ritsu feels like he’s on fire. He peeks through his fingers only to see Shou inches away from his face, and he does not squeak thank you very much Teruki, and closes his fingers again.
Shou pouts, and tugs at his hands until he lowers them. “C'mon, admit it! You can't sleep without me! You need me!” Under Teruki's amused gaze and Mob's dead stare, Ritsu feels like he's being torn apart.
“Fine! I can't. Sleep without you, loser,” Ritsu murmurs, and Shou beams like the whole world was just given to him.
“That wasn't so hard!” Shou leans up and gives Ritsu a kiss, just barely not on the lips, before his phone starts ringing and he rolls off the couch and onto the floor.
“Hello?” Shou sings as he picks up the phone. "Oh, Serizawa!” He pauses. “Oh. Yeah, I remember! I’ll be there!” Shou ends the call and jumps up. “Sorry homosexuals,” he looks at Ritsu. “I gotta go help my dad.” Shou smiles and waves before he leaves Teruki’s place.
Ritsu is left dazed on the couch, face red as he struggles to process what just happened.
“Are you absolutely sure you aren't dating?” Teruki asks, and Ritsu shoves a pillow into his face before groaning.
Shou is so. Fucking. Oblivious.
-
04.
The office is quiet, and Serizawa taps at his computer before glancing over to Shou and Ritsu. Ritsu is dusting the top of the misused bookshelves and Shou is hopping around next to him, barely getting any dust off himself. “Ricchan! Ricchan! C'mon, take a break, I wanna cuddle!”
Ritsu punches him and Shou pretends to fall, but he stumbles a little bit over the lamp cord and tumbles to the ground, arm catching on the corner of the coffee table. “Shou!” Three people say at once, and Ritsu is crouched by his side faster than Serizawa can get up.
“Don't worry! It's just a little scratch!” Shou grins, before it falters slightly at the sight of blood. The arm that had hit the coffee table was cut up a bit - nothing too bad, but it still stung.
“Dumb bitch.” Ritsu laughs but still looks concerned. He squats beside Shou.
“Kiss it better?”
Ritsu is silent before he shakes his head no. “Sorry bro.”
“Bro!” Shou whines playfully. “Guess I have to steal one!” He leans up and gives Ritsu a little kiss on the chin. Ritsu pushes him off like usual, blushing but overall playful.
“Do you have any bandaids, Reigen?” Ritsu asks, turning to the older men in the room. Shou shakes his head no, trying to signal that he wants to talk about something, and Serizawa catches on, nudging Reigen.
“Nah, kid. Can you go grab some from the corner store? I'll give you the yen.” Ritsu agrees, snatching it off the table and leaving the office without much fuss.
Shou stares at Serizawa, mask cracking a little bit as he laughs, face flushing dark red. “How do stop making it a joke? The- the kisses, I mean. I… really just wanna… do it for real.”
“Wait, you started it as a joke?” Reigen laughs. “I thought you guys were actually dating.” Serizawa muffles a chuckle, instead crouching down to talk to Shou face-to-face.
“Just… let him know that. You don't have to do it right away but… try your best. He'll get it.”
Reigen scoffs. “Yeah, I don't think Ritsu would let just any old friend kiss him like that. The feeling's definitely mutual.”
Shou burns in embarrassment until Ritsu comes back, where he affixes the mask back on and dramatically calls him a savior. He wants to kiss him again, but he pushes that down, instead settling for a hug.
This is good enough for now. They can talk later.
-
05.
Shou walks Ritsu to school like usual but when they stop at the gate to say their goodbyes Shou speaks up.
“Dude, I love you so much.” He smiles and pats Ritsu on the shoulder. “This isn’t a joke, bro.”
Ritsu laughs and places his hand on Shou’s shoulder. “Okay. Whatever you say, bro. Love you too.” He pushes Shou away playfully.
Ritsu! No! The gay way! I repeat the gay way!
Shou laughs and smooches Ritsu on the cheek and walks away, waving goodbye. He pretends to not notice the way Ritsu freezes up, face burning as he rubs at his neck.
Ritsu watches Shou walk away and glances around, still flustered that he did! That! In! School! He can almost feel the stares on him, and he walks to school with his head down and cheeks red. The color doesn't go away even when 2 hits and it's time for the student council meeting.
“Kageyama-kun, before we start… is the boy who kissed you this morning your significant other?” Ritsu pretends like he didn't hear the question and tries to skirt around the president, to no success. “Kageyama-kun, there is no judgement here.”
“No! He isn't, I swear! He's just my best friend and he's… like that,” Ritsu protests. He tries to escape into the room but the president looks up at something - and then Shou is crashing into him, laughing loudly as Ritsu stumbles and catches himself. Shou wraps his arms around Ritsu's neck and his legs around his waist, koala-style. “Shou! You dumb bitch!”
There's a few gasps from inside. Nobody's seen Ritsu this expressive, let alone cursing. “C'mon, you love me,” Shou teases, and kisses Ritsu's head with a big grin.
You are both the most oblivious fucker ever and also super embarrassing! I love you but god fucking damn it please- “Shou please! ” Ritsu whines. He doesn't get off his back, and Ritsu carries him to a chair and unceremoniously shakes him off into it. “What have I told you about school!”
“I can't just run in here and jump on you, yeah yeah, but it's okay! I wanted to see what school is like!” And I just wanted to see you! Ritsu huffs, before shaking his head and taking his usual seat.
“Fine, you can stick around.”
The council meeting goes… okay. Shou interrupts a few times but otherwise, it's off without a hitch. Ritsu and Shou leave the campus and are on the way home when Shou stops.
I love you, for real. But the words just catch in his throat, and instead he runs forward, hugs Ritsu, and kisses him on the back of the neck like nothing happened.
(After that day, many students ask Ritsu if he’s dating that boy he’s always with.)
-
+01
Ritsu leans against his pillows as he sits up. His hand tangles in Shou’s hair as he sleeps, his head in Ritsu’s lap. He loosens it a bit from the gel and lets it fall to frame his face, smiling a little bit when Shou shifts. “You really are oblivious, huh,” he murmurs.
A soft snore is the only response he gets, and Ritsu lays his head back, fingers threading through Shou's hair even as he stares at the ceiling. “I love you so much, you know that? And every time-” he pauses. “Every time you kiss me I don't want to let it be a joke. I want to actually be dating you.”
He still gets no response, which he’s grateful for.
“But I'm too much of a coward to say it, huh? Guess your kisses for this emo kid are enough for now. Ha…” Ritsu trails off, looking back down at Shou. He leans down, shifting slightly and pressing a soft kiss to Shou's forehead. When he moves to sit up, blue eyes are staring at him, wide in surprise. Ritsu freezes in place and Shou laughs.
“You know, if you wanted my kisses so bad, you could’ve just asked.” Shou smiles.
“I didn’t know you… were awake.” Ritsu looks around his room awkwardly, his hand still in Shou’s hair. “Sorry- for saying all that.”
Shou huffs out a laugh, shaking his head. “You're not sorry, I know. I love you too, Ritsu- don't look at me like that!” Shou struggles with the words, before giving up and just shrugging. “I'm being serious. I was trying to on that day where I kissed you at the gate, but… I joke around a little bit too much, huh?”
“I don't mind,” Ritsu admits, removing his hand from Shou's hair just to lift him up onto his chest. “Your kisses are nice.”
“Thanks! But… how about you smooch me this time, emo kid?”
And Ritsu can't help but oblige.