[fic] Of Pools and Taking the Plunge
Title: Of Pools and Taking the Plunge
Author: fencer_x
Pairing: Tsujimoto/Takasaki
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Tsujimoto has to cut out early from the senshuuraku uchiage, so he and Shouta make "plans". Baba-chan realizes he should've just stayed inside and gotten more drunk.
Notes: Shouta feels a little...forward here, and Tsujimoto a little too 'blushing virgin' but...well, deal with it :D
It was only the loud vibrating buzzing of his phone against the smooth wooden table beneath it that drew Shouta's attention to the conspicuous absence of his best friend--especially since the name flashing at him on the display matched that same persona. He frowned, brows furrowing, and snatched up the phone, elbowing Ebo-kun at his side. "Ne, where'd Tsuji-kun go?"
Ebo-kun's gaze darted up and down the table, across Toshi and Akki arm wrestling to their left, Taito and Ryuuki comparing something on their cellphones to the right, Baba-chan posing for a picture with Maru at the end of the table, and he shrugged absently. "Toilet?"
Shouta's frown only deepened, and he flipped open his phone, scrolling down to open the recently received message.
[Had to duck out early--manager scheduled an interview tomorrow at 9 AM! (>_<);; Come say goodnight? By the bike racks.]
The frown melted away almost instantly, replaced now by a nervous uptick at the corners of his lips, and he hastily flipped the display shut before Ebo-kun happened to catch his swift mood shift. Shoving his bag further down the bench, he scooted out from around the table, brushing off Ebo-kun's concerned look with, "Just...gotta make a call. Too loud in here--be right back!"
Luckily no others questioned his hasty retreat, and within moments he had piled out of the sliding doors at the front of the restaurant, head twisting to and fro in a desperate search for the bike racks.
"Shouta, Shouta!" a voice hissed from behind him when he stepped towards the alley around the corner, and Shouta whirled around to see Tsujimoto beckoning him forward with one hand. "Took you long enough!"
"I didn't even notice you leave!" Shouta moaned in response as he jogged over, half in disappointment at himself for letting Tsujimoto slip by unnoticed, and half in annoyance at the other boy for not even having the good grace to mention he was blowing off the evening.
Tsujimoto laughed nervously, avoiding meeting Shouta's eye. "Well I wanted to say goodnight...just, you know. Not in front of everyone."
Shouta's mouth made a little "o" of understanding, and he nodded sympathetically. "I...see. That probably would've presented a problem. You know, depending on how you were planning on saying goodnight."
"Oh it definitely would've been problematic." He grinned, brows wiggling in implication, and now it was Shouta's turn to look away, biting his lip and crossing his arms over his chest.
"So...you gonna say it?"
"What, 'goodnight'?"
"That is what I'm out here for, right?"
"Yeah..." The grin faded into a softer, content smile here, and Tsujimoto chuckled softly. "Well, really I just...wanted to say thank you."
Shouta's brows furrowed. "For what?"
A shrug. "Just...this run. For not getting hurt, for not hurting me--"
"Oi, that was one time in rehearsals and it's your own fault for not lifting me up right, Ueshima-sensei even said so--"
Tsujimoto stepped forward quickly and grabbed him by the elbows, pulling him closer and smiling knowingly. "For giving me a senshuuraku to look forward to, even if I was sad to have it come..."
Shouta fought a smile, resolutely pasting on a pout. "Says the guy running off to turn in early because his stupid manager doesn't know how to tell the Cast Prix people 'no'..."
Tsujimoto rolled his eyes, not perturbed. "It's just a spot for the winter run, 30 minutes--maybe an hour, tops." Shouta moved his arms from Tsujimoto's grip, draping them across the boy's shoulders instead and leaning forward, skeptical. "I'm serious! Inoue-san knows we just finished a long run--she wouldn't schedule something she didn't think I could handle."
Shouta was unconvinced. "You're gonna work yourself sick, you know. We're starting Hard to Hold rehearsals Wednesday!"
Tsujimoto shrugged cockily. "Meh, I can handle that--you can give me massages during breaks and let me use that fluffy jacket you wear all the time as a pillow."
Snorting, Shouta returned easily, "You're not putting my nice jacket on the dirty rehearsal hall floor."
"Then I guess I'll have to find something else to nap on."
"I guess..." Shouta allowed with a small smile, then started playing with the tufts of hair sticking out from beneath Tsujimoto's hat, scratching at the nape of his neck. Tsujimoto made a contented little sound, and Shouta took the drop in his defenses to suggest, "Let's go somewhere tomorrow."
"Mmm, like where?"
Shouta shrugged. "I dunno. Disneyland or something."
Biting his tongue after releasing a bark of laughter, Tsujimoto caught his breath, "D--Disneyland? Geez, we just got finished with two months' worth of cross-country shows! I don't think I have the energy to even think about amusement parks tomorrow..."
Shouta was unmoved by his plea. "Mou, then where? I wanna do something before we're both utterly exhausted from even more rehearsals..."
Tsujimoto thought for a moment, then a small smile played at his lips, and he gave a short nod. "We could always...I dunno, order pizza and just...hang out at one of our places."
Shouta caught the glint in his eye and smiled slowly. "...Baba-chan, too?"
"Eh...I was thinking maybe we've been bothering Baba-chan a lot."
"Yeah, we have been bugging him to hang out quite a bit recently."
"I'm sure he'd appreciate a few days without us around."
"No reason to ruin his couple of weeks of rest before Osaka, right?"
"Exactly." Tsujimoto nodded resolutely, and they both snorted at the idea. "Geez, we're horrible."
Shouta was unrepentant, shrugging casually. "I like Baba-chan. But not the way I like Tsuji-kun. So some things..." He lowered his voice. "...I'd rather just leave Baba-chan out of."
"Hey, I never said I disagreed with the idea," Tsujimoto defended, then coughed softly, feeling an unexpected wave of nerves creeping up his spine. "So how's...how's my place, around 7? It'll give me time to...you know, make sure my apartment doesn't look like a disaster area."
"For movie watching."
"Gimme a break--I haven't spent more than a week there in the past two months." He jerked his head. "Not like your place probably looks any better."
Shouta grinned. "Fine fine, 7." He licked his lips and took a breath. "Should I...you know. Is there anything I need to...should I pick up--"
"No!" He practically jumped out of his skin, knocking the coy grin from Shouta's face. "No, I mean--that is. Well, let's just." A nod, and a nervous, forced smile. "Just, you know. I'll take care of it."
The frown marring Shouta's face now faded into one of skepticism. "...You'll take care of it."
"Yeah--I mean. I'll have time, right? Just--don't worry about anything. You're my guest."
Having trouble believing anyone older than him could possibly be this weird about this sort of thing, Shouta pressed. "Maybe I'll be your guest...but, you're sure you'll get...everything."
A confident nod, which shattered almost immediately into panic. "Wha--wait, you think there's something I might forget?" He tugged his bag around in front of him, and Shouta took a step back, looking on curiously when Tsujimoto pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. "Well--here then, let's, you know, compare notes." He pushed the pad into Shouta's hands insistently. "You write down what you think we'll need for...movie watching. And then--then I'll write down what I think we need!"
Shouta stared blankly at the writing utensils, then looked up. "...Or I could just tell you what I think we need."
Tsujimoto blinked, then stared at the paper. "Then how about...you text me?"
Shouta's lips curled upwards. "...Tsuji-kun, are you nervous?"
"Wha--" His mouth gaped open, and he smiled, abashed, snatching the pen and paper back roughly, shoving them into his bag. "You don't have to be so damn smug about it."
"Come on--I think it's cute."
"And you're not nervous?"
"Mmm, nervous is like...scared." He shoved his hands into his pockets and took a step back, taking a deep breath. "I'm definitely not scared."
"Well I'm not scared..."
Shouta reached one hand forward and clapped Tsujimoto soundly on the shoulder for encouragement. "Then stop being nervous and make sure you pick up condoms and--"
Tsujimoto stepped forward quicker than Shouta could react, bringing their faces a mere few centimeters apart, and he hissed frantically for silence. "Geez--you don't have to say it out loud."
Unmoved, Shouta added quickly, "Lube. Was what I was going to say."
Tsujimoto snorted despite himself, giving Shouta a quick shove, retorting with, "You sure know a lot about this," but his laughter faded at the abashed expression splashed across Shouta's face, and he hastily retracted his words. "That is--I didn't mean--Just, you're a lot more confident about--"
Shouta's smile was wry, and he scuffed the toe of his sneaker across the ground, clasping his hands behind his back. "You can learn a lot on the Internet, you know. How else did you expect me to spend all that free time in Fukuoka? Actually rehearsing?"
Tsujimoto smiled, then licked his lips. "So..." He cleared his throat. "I'll...I'll pick the stuff up tomorrow." He wiped his palm on his shirt, concerned at how sweaty it'd become in the short duration of their conversation. "About the...you know, the condoms...umm, what...size...?"
Shouta ran his eyes up and down Tsujimoto's frame, bemused. "...Why're you asking me?"
"Well--I mean, you're the--oh..." He blinked, then nodded a few times. "Oh."
Shouta glanced around, then stepped forward and dropped his voice. "Unless you had...some other...?"
"Wha--oh, no. No. Well not--that it'd be a deal breaker or anything, just. But you're right, I mean someone's gotta...right?"
Glancing at his friend sideways, Shouta snorted. "Right..." After a moment, he clarified, "So...you're fine with this right? It's not like it's gotta be now or never, and I know there's a lot going on right now so maybe, I dunno--maybe it'd be better if we just took it slow and--"
Tsujimoto cut him off by pushing forward and covering Shouta's lips with his own, sealing the kiss with a hand at the back of his head. Shouta was more than glad to blow off the conversation and just focus on the way Tsujimoto was sucking on his lip, opening his mouth so the kiss could deepen and rubbing mesmerizing little circles into the skin at the base of Shouta's neck. The relatively small amount of alcohol in their bodies (compared to Toshi and the others still making a racket inside) still managed to smooth their activities along, for which they were both quite grateful they'd had the foresight to entertain their "conversation" in the relatively secluded alcove they were all but making out in.
Oh, who were they kidding? There was no "all but" about it.
When he pulled back, Tsujimoto's head was remarkably clearer, and he breathed roughly, "I'm not nervous, just so you know." His mouth did a funny little upward tick when he locked eyes with Shouta, trying to shake off the fuzzy feeling that had started to work its way down his torso. "So let's just...see what happens. And go with that. And that'll be...what should happen. Because it'll be with Shouta, and I...like Shouta."
It was such a simple declaration, and one they'd made in varying levels of seriousness over the previous few months, but it was really starting to codify the precise nature of their relationship in much simpler language than either felt comfortable using. Shouta giggled, burying his face in the crook of Tsujimoto's neck and breathing in deep--he hadn't showered yet, but enough time had passed since they'd gotten off stage that he smelled more like Tsuji-kun and cigarette smoke and crisp evening air. "I'm really glad, Tsuji-kun. Really really glad."
After a moment of just standing there, calming their racing hearts, Tsujimoto reluctantly reminded, "...I really have to go, though. Inoue-san's gonna pick me up at 8, and it's already past 11, so..." Shouta pulled back with a soft whine, and Tsujimoto snorted. "Gimme a break. You're not the one who has to wake up at 6 in the morning!"
"Your own fault for having a stupid manager getting you stupid interviews you don't need..."
Tsujimoto just rolled his eyes. "I'll pick the stuff up...and see you tomorrow. Okay?" Without giving Shouta the chance to respond or make any more comments on the mental faculties of his manager, Tsujimoto leaned in quickly and left his friend with a final soft peck at the corner of his mouth. "Go tell everyone I'm sorry I had to cut out early. And try not to get caught doing anything you'll regret on Toshi's blog or something, 'k?"
Cheeks flushing, Shouta shoved him away. "I hope you oversleep. Maybe that'll teach you." But Tsujimoto just pushed past him with a laugh, offering a backwards wave, and then disappeared around the corner. Shouta contemplated stepping out onto the curb and watching him leave, but slapped his cheeks to snap himself out of such a desperate idea, instead turning on his heel and marching back towards the restaurant.
"Oh." He stopped in his tracks. "...Baba-chan."
Apparently aware he'd been spotted, Baba slowly stepped forward, glancing around as if checking to be sure they weren't being watched. "Ebo-kun...said you were out here. I came to see if you'd found Tsuji-kun..."
"Ah--yeah." He jerked a thumb behind himself. "He had to get home early--his stupid manager scheduled an interview first thing in the morning, apparently."
"Yeah I..." He hedged, smiling and nodding. "I saw."
Shouta blinked. Baba blinked. "...You saw."
"I...saw."
A resigned nod, and Shouta had pretty much no clue what to say. "You're not gonna...I mean, it's not--"
"--what it looks like?" Baba snorted, lifting his eyebrows. "Is that ever true when someone uses that line?"
Shouta gave a coughing laugh. "Fine. Maybe it was...a little what it looked like."
"I'm pretty sure it was exactly what it looked like, unless you and Tsuji-chan were giving each other entirely consensual vertical mouth-to-mouth."
Shouta crossed his arms. "Just how long were you watching?"
Baba's mouth flapped open and shut. "What--I was supposed to interrupt?" He struck a pose, coughing for effect. "'Ahem, excuse me young men. Could you kindly spare a moment from covertly sucking face to pay attention to your deeply-disappointed-that-he-wasn't-informed-of-this-covert-sucking-face-occasionally-happening third wheel?'"
Shouta pouted, offended. "Baba-chan's not a third wheel. And--" He sighed. "It's...you know, weird."
Baba-chan was uncharateristically serious, frowning. "...Don't talk like that."
Shouta rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying, it's not something we wanted to--"
"I get it if you didn't want to tell anyone but just--don't...make it because you thought I'd think it was weird." His frown softened. "You're my friends. Of course I want to know things like that."
Shouta smiled softly, pleased at the unexpected turn of events. "Baba-chan..."
Baba returned the affection with a swift, commanding nod, eliciting another giggle from his friend. . "...And now I get to tell everyone I won the pool!" He turned on his heel and marched back towards the sliding doors. "Toshi swore you guys would do it after senshuuraku, but me--" He shook a finger. "I know you better."
Author: fencer_x
Pairing: Tsujimoto/Takasaki
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Tsujimoto has to cut out early from the senshuuraku uchiage, so he and Shouta make "plans". Baba-chan realizes he should've just stayed inside and gotten more drunk.
Notes: Shouta feels a little...forward here, and Tsujimoto a little too 'blushing virgin' but...well, deal with it :D
It was only the loud vibrating buzzing of his phone against the smooth wooden table beneath it that drew Shouta's attention to the conspicuous absence of his best friend--especially since the name flashing at him on the display matched that same persona. He frowned, brows furrowing, and snatched up the phone, elbowing Ebo-kun at his side. "Ne, where'd Tsuji-kun go?"
Ebo-kun's gaze darted up and down the table, across Toshi and Akki arm wrestling to their left, Taito and Ryuuki comparing something on their cellphones to the right, Baba-chan posing for a picture with Maru at the end of the table, and he shrugged absently. "Toilet?"
Shouta's frown only deepened, and he flipped open his phone, scrolling down to open the recently received message.
[Had to duck out early--manager scheduled an interview tomorrow at 9 AM! (>_<);; Come say goodnight? By the bike racks.]
The frown melted away almost instantly, replaced now by a nervous uptick at the corners of his lips, and he hastily flipped the display shut before Ebo-kun happened to catch his swift mood shift. Shoving his bag further down the bench, he scooted out from around the table, brushing off Ebo-kun's concerned look with, "Just...gotta make a call. Too loud in here--be right back!"
Luckily no others questioned his hasty retreat, and within moments he had piled out of the sliding doors at the front of the restaurant, head twisting to and fro in a desperate search for the bike racks.
"Shouta, Shouta!" a voice hissed from behind him when he stepped towards the alley around the corner, and Shouta whirled around to see Tsujimoto beckoning him forward with one hand. "Took you long enough!"
"I didn't even notice you leave!" Shouta moaned in response as he jogged over, half in disappointment at himself for letting Tsujimoto slip by unnoticed, and half in annoyance at the other boy for not even having the good grace to mention he was blowing off the evening.
Tsujimoto laughed nervously, avoiding meeting Shouta's eye. "Well I wanted to say goodnight...just, you know. Not in front of everyone."
Shouta's mouth made a little "o" of understanding, and he nodded sympathetically. "I...see. That probably would've presented a problem. You know, depending on how you were planning on saying goodnight."
"Oh it definitely would've been problematic." He grinned, brows wiggling in implication, and now it was Shouta's turn to look away, biting his lip and crossing his arms over his chest.
"So...you gonna say it?"
"What, 'goodnight'?"
"That is what I'm out here for, right?"
"Yeah..." The grin faded into a softer, content smile here, and Tsujimoto chuckled softly. "Well, really I just...wanted to say thank you."
Shouta's brows furrowed. "For what?"
A shrug. "Just...this run. For not getting hurt, for not hurting me--"
"Oi, that was one time in rehearsals and it's your own fault for not lifting me up right, Ueshima-sensei even said so--"
Tsujimoto stepped forward quickly and grabbed him by the elbows, pulling him closer and smiling knowingly. "For giving me a senshuuraku to look forward to, even if I was sad to have it come..."
Shouta fought a smile, resolutely pasting on a pout. "Says the guy running off to turn in early because his stupid manager doesn't know how to tell the Cast Prix people 'no'..."
Tsujimoto rolled his eyes, not perturbed. "It's just a spot for the winter run, 30 minutes--maybe an hour, tops." Shouta moved his arms from Tsujimoto's grip, draping them across the boy's shoulders instead and leaning forward, skeptical. "I'm serious! Inoue-san knows we just finished a long run--she wouldn't schedule something she didn't think I could handle."
Shouta was unconvinced. "You're gonna work yourself sick, you know. We're starting Hard to Hold rehearsals Wednesday!"
Tsujimoto shrugged cockily. "Meh, I can handle that--you can give me massages during breaks and let me use that fluffy jacket you wear all the time as a pillow."
Snorting, Shouta returned easily, "You're not putting my nice jacket on the dirty rehearsal hall floor."
"Then I guess I'll have to find something else to nap on."
"I guess..." Shouta allowed with a small smile, then started playing with the tufts of hair sticking out from beneath Tsujimoto's hat, scratching at the nape of his neck. Tsujimoto made a contented little sound, and Shouta took the drop in his defenses to suggest, "Let's go somewhere tomorrow."
"Mmm, like where?"
Shouta shrugged. "I dunno. Disneyland or something."
Biting his tongue after releasing a bark of laughter, Tsujimoto caught his breath, "D--Disneyland? Geez, we just got finished with two months' worth of cross-country shows! I don't think I have the energy to even think about amusement parks tomorrow..."
Shouta was unmoved by his plea. "Mou, then where? I wanna do something before we're both utterly exhausted from even more rehearsals..."
Tsujimoto thought for a moment, then a small smile played at his lips, and he gave a short nod. "We could always...I dunno, order pizza and just...hang out at one of our places."
Shouta caught the glint in his eye and smiled slowly. "...Baba-chan, too?"
"Eh...I was thinking maybe we've been bothering Baba-chan a lot."
"Yeah, we have been bugging him to hang out quite a bit recently."
"I'm sure he'd appreciate a few days without us around."
"No reason to ruin his couple of weeks of rest before Osaka, right?"
"Exactly." Tsujimoto nodded resolutely, and they both snorted at the idea. "Geez, we're horrible."
Shouta was unrepentant, shrugging casually. "I like Baba-chan. But not the way I like Tsuji-kun. So some things..." He lowered his voice. "...I'd rather just leave Baba-chan out of."
"Hey, I never said I disagreed with the idea," Tsujimoto defended, then coughed softly, feeling an unexpected wave of nerves creeping up his spine. "So how's...how's my place, around 7? It'll give me time to...you know, make sure my apartment doesn't look like a disaster area."
"For movie watching."
"Gimme a break--I haven't spent more than a week there in the past two months." He jerked his head. "Not like your place probably looks any better."
Shouta grinned. "Fine fine, 7." He licked his lips and took a breath. "Should I...you know. Is there anything I need to...should I pick up--"
"No!" He practically jumped out of his skin, knocking the coy grin from Shouta's face. "No, I mean--that is. Well, let's just." A nod, and a nervous, forced smile. "Just, you know. I'll take care of it."
The frown marring Shouta's face now faded into one of skepticism. "...You'll take care of it."
"Yeah--I mean. I'll have time, right? Just--don't worry about anything. You're my guest."
Having trouble believing anyone older than him could possibly be this weird about this sort of thing, Shouta pressed. "Maybe I'll be your guest...but, you're sure you'll get...everything."
A confident nod, which shattered almost immediately into panic. "Wha--wait, you think there's something I might forget?" He tugged his bag around in front of him, and Shouta took a step back, looking on curiously when Tsujimoto pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. "Well--here then, let's, you know, compare notes." He pushed the pad into Shouta's hands insistently. "You write down what you think we'll need for...movie watching. And then--then I'll write down what I think we need!"
Shouta stared blankly at the writing utensils, then looked up. "...Or I could just tell you what I think we need."
Tsujimoto blinked, then stared at the paper. "Then how about...you text me?"
Shouta's lips curled upwards. "...Tsuji-kun, are you nervous?"
"Wha--" His mouth gaped open, and he smiled, abashed, snatching the pen and paper back roughly, shoving them into his bag. "You don't have to be so damn smug about it."
"Come on--I think it's cute."
"And you're not nervous?"
"Mmm, nervous is like...scared." He shoved his hands into his pockets and took a step back, taking a deep breath. "I'm definitely not scared."
"Well I'm not scared..."
Shouta reached one hand forward and clapped Tsujimoto soundly on the shoulder for encouragement. "Then stop being nervous and make sure you pick up condoms and--"
Tsujimoto stepped forward quicker than Shouta could react, bringing their faces a mere few centimeters apart, and he hissed frantically for silence. "Geez--you don't have to say it out loud."
Unmoved, Shouta added quickly, "Lube. Was what I was going to say."
Tsujimoto snorted despite himself, giving Shouta a quick shove, retorting with, "You sure know a lot about this," but his laughter faded at the abashed expression splashed across Shouta's face, and he hastily retracted his words. "That is--I didn't mean--Just, you're a lot more confident about--"
Shouta's smile was wry, and he scuffed the toe of his sneaker across the ground, clasping his hands behind his back. "You can learn a lot on the Internet, you know. How else did you expect me to spend all that free time in Fukuoka? Actually rehearsing?"
Tsujimoto smiled, then licked his lips. "So..." He cleared his throat. "I'll...I'll pick the stuff up tomorrow." He wiped his palm on his shirt, concerned at how sweaty it'd become in the short duration of their conversation. "About the...you know, the condoms...umm, what...size...?"
Shouta ran his eyes up and down Tsujimoto's frame, bemused. "...Why're you asking me?"
"Well--I mean, you're the--oh..." He blinked, then nodded a few times. "Oh."
Shouta glanced around, then stepped forward and dropped his voice. "Unless you had...some other...?"
"Wha--oh, no. No. Well not--that it'd be a deal breaker or anything, just. But you're right, I mean someone's gotta...right?"
Glancing at his friend sideways, Shouta snorted. "Right..." After a moment, he clarified, "So...you're fine with this right? It's not like it's gotta be now or never, and I know there's a lot going on right now so maybe, I dunno--maybe it'd be better if we just took it slow and--"
Tsujimoto cut him off by pushing forward and covering Shouta's lips with his own, sealing the kiss with a hand at the back of his head. Shouta was more than glad to blow off the conversation and just focus on the way Tsujimoto was sucking on his lip, opening his mouth so the kiss could deepen and rubbing mesmerizing little circles into the skin at the base of Shouta's neck. The relatively small amount of alcohol in their bodies (compared to Toshi and the others still making a racket inside) still managed to smooth their activities along, for which they were both quite grateful they'd had the foresight to entertain their "conversation" in the relatively secluded alcove they were all but making out in.
Oh, who were they kidding? There was no "all but" about it.
When he pulled back, Tsujimoto's head was remarkably clearer, and he breathed roughly, "I'm not nervous, just so you know." His mouth did a funny little upward tick when he locked eyes with Shouta, trying to shake off the fuzzy feeling that had started to work its way down his torso. "So let's just...see what happens. And go with that. And that'll be...what should happen. Because it'll be with Shouta, and I...like Shouta."
It was such a simple declaration, and one they'd made in varying levels of seriousness over the previous few months, but it was really starting to codify the precise nature of their relationship in much simpler language than either felt comfortable using. Shouta giggled, burying his face in the crook of Tsujimoto's neck and breathing in deep--he hadn't showered yet, but enough time had passed since they'd gotten off stage that he smelled more like Tsuji-kun and cigarette smoke and crisp evening air. "I'm really glad, Tsuji-kun. Really really glad."
After a moment of just standing there, calming their racing hearts, Tsujimoto reluctantly reminded, "...I really have to go, though. Inoue-san's gonna pick me up at 8, and it's already past 11, so..." Shouta pulled back with a soft whine, and Tsujimoto snorted. "Gimme a break. You're not the one who has to wake up at 6 in the morning!"
"Your own fault for having a stupid manager getting you stupid interviews you don't need..."
Tsujimoto just rolled his eyes. "I'll pick the stuff up...and see you tomorrow. Okay?" Without giving Shouta the chance to respond or make any more comments on the mental faculties of his manager, Tsujimoto leaned in quickly and left his friend with a final soft peck at the corner of his mouth. "Go tell everyone I'm sorry I had to cut out early. And try not to get caught doing anything you'll regret on Toshi's blog or something, 'k?"
Cheeks flushing, Shouta shoved him away. "I hope you oversleep. Maybe that'll teach you." But Tsujimoto just pushed past him with a laugh, offering a backwards wave, and then disappeared around the corner. Shouta contemplated stepping out onto the curb and watching him leave, but slapped his cheeks to snap himself out of such a desperate idea, instead turning on his heel and marching back towards the restaurant.
"Oh." He stopped in his tracks. "...Baba-chan."
Apparently aware he'd been spotted, Baba slowly stepped forward, glancing around as if checking to be sure they weren't being watched. "Ebo-kun...said you were out here. I came to see if you'd found Tsuji-kun..."
"Ah--yeah." He jerked a thumb behind himself. "He had to get home early--his stupid manager scheduled an interview first thing in the morning, apparently."
"Yeah I..." He hedged, smiling and nodding. "I saw."
Shouta blinked. Baba blinked. "...You saw."
"I...saw."
A resigned nod, and Shouta had pretty much no clue what to say. "You're not gonna...I mean, it's not--"
"--what it looks like?" Baba snorted, lifting his eyebrows. "Is that ever true when someone uses that line?"
Shouta gave a coughing laugh. "Fine. Maybe it was...a little what it looked like."
"I'm pretty sure it was exactly what it looked like, unless you and Tsuji-chan were giving each other entirely consensual vertical mouth-to-mouth."
Shouta crossed his arms. "Just how long were you watching?"
Baba's mouth flapped open and shut. "What--I was supposed to interrupt?" He struck a pose, coughing for effect. "'Ahem, excuse me young men. Could you kindly spare a moment from covertly sucking face to pay attention to your deeply-disappointed-that-he-wasn't-informed-of-this-covert-sucking-face-occasionally-happening third wheel?'"
Shouta pouted, offended. "Baba-chan's not a third wheel. And--" He sighed. "It's...you know, weird."
Baba-chan was uncharateristically serious, frowning. "...Don't talk like that."
Shouta rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying, it's not something we wanted to--"
"I get it if you didn't want to tell anyone but just--don't...make it because you thought I'd think it was weird." His frown softened. "You're my friends. Of course I want to know things like that."
Shouta smiled softly, pleased at the unexpected turn of events. "Baba-chan..."
Baba returned the affection with a swift, commanding nod, eliciting another giggle from his friend. . "...And now I get to tell everyone I won the pool!" He turned on his heel and marched back towards the sliding doors. "Toshi swore you guys would do it after senshuuraku, but me--" He shook a finger. "I know you better."