[team three] hip hop love
rory wanted this pairing and rory adopted my kitty so she gets what she wants.
A few weeks into Gamushara filming, Juri starts to notice that something is different. Nothing has changed, of course, but he feels different. Particularly when it comes to a certain person whom he's known since they were kids (well, younger kids) and how he can't seem to look away from the slightly older junior's grown-up face.
"You want to bang Shouki or something?" Shintaro asks bluntly at lunch, and Juri chokes on his riceball.
"What do you even know about that?!" he exclaims when he can breathe again.
Shintaro rolls his eyes. "I'm sixteen, you know. I know eyefucking when I see it."
"I never want to have this conversation with you again," Juri says firmly, and Shintaro just shrugs and goes back to stuffing his face.
Unfortunately, Shintaro's words linger in the back of Juri's mind for the rest of the day, week, month. Spring turns into summer and sleeves get shorter, attracting Juri's eyes to more than just the face, to the muscular arms that aren't covered by sweaters anymore, and Juri wonders what caused him to see his friend in such a problematic light. Last he checked, he wasn't into dudes, though neither is Kotaki and that guy will kiss anyone with lips. Sexuality is complicated.
"Little bro, it doesn't matter what's hanging or not hanging between their legs," Koki says the next weekend, leaning back on his recliner with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. "All that matters is how you feel. If you have feelings for this dude, all of the rest of that stuff will find a way to fit together."
Juri makes a face at the physical implication of that statement, but his next-oldest brother claps him on the back as he takes the seat next to him on Koki's leather couch. "Feelings shouldn't be wasted, kid. They're a beautiful thing. It's what separates us humans from animals."
"How much have you had to drink?" Juri asks, and Hyouga holds up his two empties with a grin.
"Even I think you're being a moron," Subaru inputs from the floor, looking up from underneath his palm-tree bangs with a gratuitous eyeroll. "Shouki-kun is very nice to me every time he comes over."
"This isn't about you!" Juri says, tossing a couch pillow at his little brother's head. "He's nice to everyone. That's why this sucks."
"Aw, you're so cute when you have a crush," Koki teases, and Juri folds his arms and ignores all of them for the rest of the movie.
What's great about Morohoshi Shouki is how oblivious he is to things. Namely things like Juri spending more time with him, paying attention to what he says, and just generally being happy in his presence. Shouki is happy all of the time, so it makes him even happier when the people around him are happier too. He's really a simple guy.
That's the main reason Juri likes him, because they always have fun together. If Juri feels down, he goes to Shouki and it's like a shot of prozac right in his veins. Even in the midst of his whole sexuality crisis, Juri doesn't think about it when they're together. When Shouki smiles at him, which is most of the time, Juri just feels so good about everything that nothing else matters. It's already hot outside, but the warmth that spreads all throughout him isn't uncomfortable at all.
"You're a mess," Shintaro informs him, and Juri pretends he didn't hear anything.
On Juri's nineteenth birthday, he expects a huge party with family and friends, but when he wakes up on Sunday morning all is quiet. He finds a note from his parents that they'd taken Subaru out for the day, which is strange but not abnormal. Trudging down the stairs to the kitchen, where he'd hopefully been left some kind of birthday breakfast, he scrolls through texts on his phone of excuse after excuse from his older brothers and friends for being unavailable today.
"The hell," Juri mutters to himself, nearly tripping over the bottom step when he reaches the kitchen to learn that he's not alone after all. Shouki is there, with something that looks like pancake batter all over his face and hair, along with most of the kitchen.
"Juri!" he exclaims, spreading his arms in front of the counter like that hides anything. "I didn't expect you up so early."
"What are you doing?" Juri asks, blinking sleepily as takes all of this in. "Does my mother know you're messing up her kitchen?"
"Sort of." Shouki sighs and drops his arms, frowning for the first time in Juri's recollection. "I kept asking everyone what you wanted for your birthday, you know? And they all said the same thing. So here I am!"
"They told you I wanted pancakes?" Juri asks, peering curiously over Shouki's shoulder at what looks like very misshapen pancakes.
"Oh, no." Shouki gives a short laugh, like he's embarrassed, and Juri wonders if he woke up in an alternate reality where Morohoshi Shouki is the one who's weird and nervous around him. "The pancakes were my idea. I'm just apparently not very good at making them from scratch. Or whisking."
Something in Juri's chest swells as he ignores the mess for the intent behind it. "I do like pancakes, so thank you."
"Don't say that yet," Shouki rushes to say. "They could taste awful."
Juri just shakes his head and sits at the table, watching Shouki try to salvage the batter with which he'd mostly redecorated the Tanakas' kitchen. It feels scarily domestic, like having Shouki cook for him more than once is a possibility, even in the future when they're properly grown and should be cooking for their loved ones, whoever they are.
Once the pancakes are frying, Shouki tries to clean up and Juri jumps to help him, more than familiar with the chore. Shouki smiles gratefully and Juri questions nothing anymore, rinsing out the last washcloth before turning to face his friend with his whole body and heart.
"I like you," Juri says firmly, and Shouki's breath hitches. "I don't know why you're here and I don't know how you feel about me, but I'm glad our friends are meddling assholes because this is exactly what I wanted for my birthday."
Shouki sucks his lips into his mouth a bit before speaking. "They say that you wanted me for your birthday. I didn't know what to think of it, so I figured I'd just go with it and see what happened."
"Well, now you know," Juri says, the awkwardness coming back as he leans against the newly cleaned counter. "Don't let the pancakes burn."
"Oh!" Shouki exclaims, spinning around to flip the pancakes and breathing a sigh of relief. "Caught them just in time. Thanks!"
"You shouldn't need very much time on that side," Juri tells him. "They're pretty thin."
"Didn't end up with much usable batter," Shouki mumbles, and Juri tries not to laugh. "Now shoo! Go sit and wait so I can try to salvage your birthday present as much as I can."
Juri bites back the response that he already got his present, figuring that he'd already confessed and now it's Shouki's turn. If everyone he knows had told Shouki to come over today, he probably already had a good indication of Juri's feelings anyway. Since he's actually here, Juri's not too worried about this ending badly. Even if Shouki turns him down, he's not the type of guy to be freaked out by a friend's boycrush.
That doesn't mean his heart isn't beating out of his chest from anticipation, though. Shouki's wearing an apron that Juri is pretty sure came from the Gamushara set over plain jeans and a T-shirt with a dallop of batter in his hair that he must not have noticed. He looks good, like always, though that's not what has Juri anxiously awaiting Shouki's answer to his confession. The fact that Shouki is even here making him breakfast is enough to send Juri's feelings into overdrive, because Shouki is devoting his time and energy to Juri and it feels like Juri is the most important person to him right now.
"Ta-da!" Shouki announces, his hand shaking a little as he presents Juri with a plate, and Juri sees why when he reads what's written on the top pancake in chocolate syrup.
I like you too ♥
Juri looks up in disbelief, but Shouki's staring right at him with hopeful eyes. "Really?" he finds himself asking.
Shouki nods. "I want to make you happy, and if all you want is me then it's a pretty easy gift for me to give you, isn't it? I am the only one who can be me, after all."
It's the weirdest logic Juri's ever heard, but it's Shouki. Juri tries not to smile too hard, but he knows he fails when his cheeks start to hurt from the strain. Shouki sits next to him and gestures for him to eat, so Juri struggles to focus on cutting the pancake and getting it into his mouth. It actually tastes good, which Juri manages to convey to Shouki with his mouth full, and Shouki lights up like he'd just won a challenge on TV.
"Here, help me eat this," Juri says, shoving the plate between them, but Shouki shakes his head.
"You're already wasting away to nothing!" he argues with a pout. "If you get any thinner I'll have nothing to hug."
Juri blinks at that, the concept of Shouki hugging him making him feel even warmer. He polishes off the pancakes without further protest, the contentment of a full belly adding to his good mood. After the last swallow, he lifts his head triumphantly and Shouki grins at him, taking away the dishes and rinsing them off in the sink.
"What now?" Shouki asks, bounding back up to Juri like an excitable puppy. "We have the entire day. We can do anything you want."
Juri considers his options and reaches up to pick the batter out of Shouki's hair. "Anything is fine, as long as it's with you."
Shouki's face turns bright red and Juri can't help but laugh. "Don't laugh at me! I'm not used to this."
"It's cute," Juri tells him. "You're cute."
"You are," Shouki argues.
Juri shrugs. "I'm not gonna argue with that."
They're just standing there in the middle of the kitchen where Juri had grown up and often invited Shouki over for meals after work, looking at each other and likely waiting for the other to do something first. Finally it's all too much for Juri, who has what he's wanted for months right in front of him, and the next thing he knows is Shouki's broad chest against his, Shouki's shoulder in his face and faint cologne wafting into his senses, the warmth of Shouki's body feeling perfect even on such a hot summer day.
Shouki's arms embrace Juri instantly, eyelashes fluttering along Juri's skin as he's squeezed closer, and Juri didn't think he could ever experience something like this, feeling so happy and safe and loved all at once. He doesn't want to stop, probably doesn't have to being as Shouki would happily hug Juri all day if that's what he wanted, but that's not all he wants.
"Kiss me," Juri whispers, feeling braver with Shouki's weight holding him up, and the next second has his head lifting up to face Shouki directly. Their foreheads press together, Juri leaning down a bit to make up for their height difference, and Shouki's hands rest at Juri's waist.
Shouki smirks up at him. "What's the fun in it if I just do it when you say?"
"But it's my birthday," Juri whines, pouting for effect, but Shouki's not having it.
"I will do it when you least expect it," Shouki tells him, and Juri rolls his eyes as he reluctantly pulls out of the hug.
"Fine, whatever." Juri glances down at his phone, notes the time, and tries to think of places they could go. "There's that movie we were talking about the other day, or we could head out to the beach, or-"
His phone clatters on the table as his face is grabbed by two strong hands and pulled down, lips pressing against his and he doesn't even try to think anymore. He loses his balance and wraps his arms around Shouki's neck, feeling the arms around him tighten as Shouki kisses him deeply. It's all Juri can do to reciprocate, gasping when Shouki licks between his lips and rushing to catch up.
They're both rushing to catch their breaths when they pull back, just enough to break the kiss and Juri slumps back into their embrace, his knees not wanting to hold him up anymore.
"See, it's better when you're surprised," Shouki says smugly, and Juri just pulls him close again, revelling in the comfort and happiness and all of those other feelings whirling around inside him, a full circle completed with their arms wrapped around each other.
Koki was right- they fit together perfectly.
forward ho, luna_truths!
A few weeks into Gamushara filming, Juri starts to notice that something is different. Nothing has changed, of course, but he feels different. Particularly when it comes to a certain person whom he's known since they were kids (well, younger kids) and how he can't seem to look away from the slightly older junior's grown-up face.
"You want to bang Shouki or something?" Shintaro asks bluntly at lunch, and Juri chokes on his riceball.
"What do you even know about that?!" he exclaims when he can breathe again.
Shintaro rolls his eyes. "I'm sixteen, you know. I know eyefucking when I see it."
"I never want to have this conversation with you again," Juri says firmly, and Shintaro just shrugs and goes back to stuffing his face.
Unfortunately, Shintaro's words linger in the back of Juri's mind for the rest of the day, week, month. Spring turns into summer and sleeves get shorter, attracting Juri's eyes to more than just the face, to the muscular arms that aren't covered by sweaters anymore, and Juri wonders what caused him to see his friend in such a problematic light. Last he checked, he wasn't into dudes, though neither is Kotaki and that guy will kiss anyone with lips. Sexuality is complicated.
"Little bro, it doesn't matter what's hanging or not hanging between their legs," Koki says the next weekend, leaning back on his recliner with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. "All that matters is how you feel. If you have feelings for this dude, all of the rest of that stuff will find a way to fit together."
Juri makes a face at the physical implication of that statement, but his next-oldest brother claps him on the back as he takes the seat next to him on Koki's leather couch. "Feelings shouldn't be wasted, kid. They're a beautiful thing. It's what separates us humans from animals."
"How much have you had to drink?" Juri asks, and Hyouga holds up his two empties with a grin.
"Even I think you're being a moron," Subaru inputs from the floor, looking up from underneath his palm-tree bangs with a gratuitous eyeroll. "Shouki-kun is very nice to me every time he comes over."
"This isn't about you!" Juri says, tossing a couch pillow at his little brother's head. "He's nice to everyone. That's why this sucks."
"Aw, you're so cute when you have a crush," Koki teases, and Juri folds his arms and ignores all of them for the rest of the movie.
What's great about Morohoshi Shouki is how oblivious he is to things. Namely things like Juri spending more time with him, paying attention to what he says, and just generally being happy in his presence. Shouki is happy all of the time, so it makes him even happier when the people around him are happier too. He's really a simple guy.
That's the main reason Juri likes him, because they always have fun together. If Juri feels down, he goes to Shouki and it's like a shot of prozac right in his veins. Even in the midst of his whole sexuality crisis, Juri doesn't think about it when they're together. When Shouki smiles at him, which is most of the time, Juri just feels so good about everything that nothing else matters. It's already hot outside, but the warmth that spreads all throughout him isn't uncomfortable at all.
"You're a mess," Shintaro informs him, and Juri pretends he didn't hear anything.
On Juri's nineteenth birthday, he expects a huge party with family and friends, but when he wakes up on Sunday morning all is quiet. He finds a note from his parents that they'd taken Subaru out for the day, which is strange but not abnormal. Trudging down the stairs to the kitchen, where he'd hopefully been left some kind of birthday breakfast, he scrolls through texts on his phone of excuse after excuse from his older brothers and friends for being unavailable today.
"The hell," Juri mutters to himself, nearly tripping over the bottom step when he reaches the kitchen to learn that he's not alone after all. Shouki is there, with something that looks like pancake batter all over his face and hair, along with most of the kitchen.
"Juri!" he exclaims, spreading his arms in front of the counter like that hides anything. "I didn't expect you up so early."
"What are you doing?" Juri asks, blinking sleepily as takes all of this in. "Does my mother know you're messing up her kitchen?"
"Sort of." Shouki sighs and drops his arms, frowning for the first time in Juri's recollection. "I kept asking everyone what you wanted for your birthday, you know? And they all said the same thing. So here I am!"
"They told you I wanted pancakes?" Juri asks, peering curiously over Shouki's shoulder at what looks like very misshapen pancakes.
"Oh, no." Shouki gives a short laugh, like he's embarrassed, and Juri wonders if he woke up in an alternate reality where Morohoshi Shouki is the one who's weird and nervous around him. "The pancakes were my idea. I'm just apparently not very good at making them from scratch. Or whisking."
Something in Juri's chest swells as he ignores the mess for the intent behind it. "I do like pancakes, so thank you."
"Don't say that yet," Shouki rushes to say. "They could taste awful."
Juri just shakes his head and sits at the table, watching Shouki try to salvage the batter with which he'd mostly redecorated the Tanakas' kitchen. It feels scarily domestic, like having Shouki cook for him more than once is a possibility, even in the future when they're properly grown and should be cooking for their loved ones, whoever they are.
Once the pancakes are frying, Shouki tries to clean up and Juri jumps to help him, more than familiar with the chore. Shouki smiles gratefully and Juri questions nothing anymore, rinsing out the last washcloth before turning to face his friend with his whole body and heart.
"I like you," Juri says firmly, and Shouki's breath hitches. "I don't know why you're here and I don't know how you feel about me, but I'm glad our friends are meddling assholes because this is exactly what I wanted for my birthday."
Shouki sucks his lips into his mouth a bit before speaking. "They say that you wanted me for your birthday. I didn't know what to think of it, so I figured I'd just go with it and see what happened."
"Well, now you know," Juri says, the awkwardness coming back as he leans against the newly cleaned counter. "Don't let the pancakes burn."
"Oh!" Shouki exclaims, spinning around to flip the pancakes and breathing a sigh of relief. "Caught them just in time. Thanks!"
"You shouldn't need very much time on that side," Juri tells him. "They're pretty thin."
"Didn't end up with much usable batter," Shouki mumbles, and Juri tries not to laugh. "Now shoo! Go sit and wait so I can try to salvage your birthday present as much as I can."
Juri bites back the response that he already got his present, figuring that he'd already confessed and now it's Shouki's turn. If everyone he knows had told Shouki to come over today, he probably already had a good indication of Juri's feelings anyway. Since he's actually here, Juri's not too worried about this ending badly. Even if Shouki turns him down, he's not the type of guy to be freaked out by a friend's boycrush.
That doesn't mean his heart isn't beating out of his chest from anticipation, though. Shouki's wearing an apron that Juri is pretty sure came from the Gamushara set over plain jeans and a T-shirt with a dallop of batter in his hair that he must not have noticed. He looks good, like always, though that's not what has Juri anxiously awaiting Shouki's answer to his confession. The fact that Shouki is even here making him breakfast is enough to send Juri's feelings into overdrive, because Shouki is devoting his time and energy to Juri and it feels like Juri is the most important person to him right now.
"Ta-da!" Shouki announces, his hand shaking a little as he presents Juri with a plate, and Juri sees why when he reads what's written on the top pancake in chocolate syrup.
I like you too ♥
Juri looks up in disbelief, but Shouki's staring right at him with hopeful eyes. "Really?" he finds himself asking.
Shouki nods. "I want to make you happy, and if all you want is me then it's a pretty easy gift for me to give you, isn't it? I am the only one who can be me, after all."
It's the weirdest logic Juri's ever heard, but it's Shouki. Juri tries not to smile too hard, but he knows he fails when his cheeks start to hurt from the strain. Shouki sits next to him and gestures for him to eat, so Juri struggles to focus on cutting the pancake and getting it into his mouth. It actually tastes good, which Juri manages to convey to Shouki with his mouth full, and Shouki lights up like he'd just won a challenge on TV.
"Here, help me eat this," Juri says, shoving the plate between them, but Shouki shakes his head.
"You're already wasting away to nothing!" he argues with a pout. "If you get any thinner I'll have nothing to hug."
Juri blinks at that, the concept of Shouki hugging him making him feel even warmer. He polishes off the pancakes without further protest, the contentment of a full belly adding to his good mood. After the last swallow, he lifts his head triumphantly and Shouki grins at him, taking away the dishes and rinsing them off in the sink.
"What now?" Shouki asks, bounding back up to Juri like an excitable puppy. "We have the entire day. We can do anything you want."
Juri considers his options and reaches up to pick the batter out of Shouki's hair. "Anything is fine, as long as it's with you."
Shouki's face turns bright red and Juri can't help but laugh. "Don't laugh at me! I'm not used to this."
"It's cute," Juri tells him. "You're cute."
"You are," Shouki argues.
Juri shrugs. "I'm not gonna argue with that."
They're just standing there in the middle of the kitchen where Juri had grown up and often invited Shouki over for meals after work, looking at each other and likely waiting for the other to do something first. Finally it's all too much for Juri, who has what he's wanted for months right in front of him, and the next thing he knows is Shouki's broad chest against his, Shouki's shoulder in his face and faint cologne wafting into his senses, the warmth of Shouki's body feeling perfect even on such a hot summer day.
Shouki's arms embrace Juri instantly, eyelashes fluttering along Juri's skin as he's squeezed closer, and Juri didn't think he could ever experience something like this, feeling so happy and safe and loved all at once. He doesn't want to stop, probably doesn't have to being as Shouki would happily hug Juri all day if that's what he wanted, but that's not all he wants.
"Kiss me," Juri whispers, feeling braver with Shouki's weight holding him up, and the next second has his head lifting up to face Shouki directly. Their foreheads press together, Juri leaning down a bit to make up for their height difference, and Shouki's hands rest at Juri's waist.
Shouki smirks up at him. "What's the fun in it if I just do it when you say?"
"But it's my birthday," Juri whines, pouting for effect, but Shouki's not having it.
"I will do it when you least expect it," Shouki tells him, and Juri rolls his eyes as he reluctantly pulls out of the hug.
"Fine, whatever." Juri glances down at his phone, notes the time, and tries to think of places they could go. "There's that movie we were talking about the other day, or we could head out to the beach, or-"
His phone clatters on the table as his face is grabbed by two strong hands and pulled down, lips pressing against his and he doesn't even try to think anymore. He loses his balance and wraps his arms around Shouki's neck, feeling the arms around him tighten as Shouki kisses him deeply. It's all Juri can do to reciprocate, gasping when Shouki licks between his lips and rushing to catch up.
They're both rushing to catch their breaths when they pull back, just enough to break the kiss and Juri slumps back into their embrace, his knees not wanting to hold him up anymore.
"See, it's better when you're surprised," Shouki says smugly, and Juri just pulls him close again, revelling in the comfort and happiness and all of those other feelings whirling around inside him, a full circle completed with their arms wrapped around each other.
Koki was right- they fit together perfectly.
forward ho, luna_truths!