Work Text:
Unji Zuma couldn't help but wonder who the fuck he'd pissed off this time to be in the situation he was in. Sure, he was sure the answer to the first half was 'lots of people'… but no one with the power to do this. Did he really do something so bad that Gods really want to waste their time on him?
And on inflicting this new form of torture that was called high levels of embarrassment and discomfort?
Plus Jiji shrieking right in his ear?
Apparently. Apparently he had. Because here he was. Unable to flee and leave the issue until he could better think about it due to Jiji having his elbow linked with Zuma's and refusing to let go.
Hence his screams being directly in Zuma's ear.
"I don't know how this can happen for three months and you not even know?"
The fact Momo was barely holding back her laughter to the point tears were gathering in the corners of her eyes just made his frown fall further. Yeah, yeah, apparently he was a real dumb-ass, rub it in.
After all, who didn't realize he was dating someone apparently three months into their relationship?
Zuma, apparently.
"I've kissed you!" Jiji shouted, face red. "Like, multiple times!"
"Mostly on the cheek!" Zuma protested, trying to pretend his face wasn't as red as it felt. "And I've seen you do that to like, everyone!"
"Not on the lips!"
"Dude, I don't know everything you do!" Zuma objected. "Maybe you do sometimes! It was so fast!"
"Well, I'll be sure to kiss you longer next time!"
The sound of Okarun clearing his throat reminded Zuma that yes, there was an audience right now. He was sure his face was twice as red as Okarun's was right now, who was making an effort to look anywhere but at the two of them. Understandable.
Zuma was where he wished no one could see him, anyway.
"You should do that, like, right now," Aira smirked. "You know, for science. Makes sure he gets the message." Rin, standing just behind her, nodded her head with a faint blush growing as the idea seemed to sink into her mind.
"Lady Shiratori! That is inappropriate of you to request!" Kinta objected, hand over his chest.
"You'd be shoving them together if they were both chicks," Momo pointed out over her shoulder.
Zuma chose to ignore the way Kinta's eyes seemed to gloss over and a drip of blood fell from his nose.
Ugh. Why was he friends with any of them?
"How did this not come up?" Kouki asked, smirking. "Maybe a few days, sure, but three months?"
"He's clearly an idiot!" Jiji groaned, dropping his head to Zuma's shoulder.
"So what does it say that you're dating him?" Momo teased.
"I already know I have bad taste," Jiji joked back, turning his head to look at Momo without removing it from Zuma's shoulder.
And fuck, maybe it said something that the contact wasn't bothering him.
"If we're all just going to gang up on me, I'm gonna head out," Zuma groaned, but made no move to shove Jiji off and leave.
Even if he felt embarrassed and… a bit stupid, as he thought about the past three months, it was also… nice, being teased by people who actually, genuinely cared about him.
But that was fucking sappy, so time to move on from that train of thought.
Instead, he found himself thinking about Jiji… which was also dangerous, but needed to be done so his brain could fully connect to the fact that he not only had a boyfriend, but had for months.
And this was easier than thinking about the fact that his immediate instinct wasn't to deny the fact and say 'not gonna happen'.
Honestly, he couldn't think of any big, monumental changes, but he could admit to the fact that he and Jiji had been hanging out more.
And alone.
And the fact that Jiji was somehow more touchy.
And… the kiss. And the second kiss.
Maybe he was stupid.
In his defense, the kissing on the cheek wasn't new. Jiji did that with everyone — even Kinta, who would just whine and complain that he wanted a girl's lips to grace his face, not a guy's.
And Aira, who would occasionally punch him in the face — on reflex, she claimed.
(There was also one noticeable time where Rin got a nosebleed and passed out, but Zuma liked to wipe moments like that from his memory, lest he lose the little respect he had for his friends. He had to erase a lot of little moments.)
The outings had also… been a little different? What was once sparring practice and kicking the ball around still happened but now… they got a meal after. The moments of silence less awkward, more comfortable.
To the point where Jiji had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Multiple times.
Now that he was thinking all these… thoughts… he realized that he'd found the act to be cute. Even when the little fucker snored and drooled on him.
Was this what a crush was like? He'd never really… had one before.
A bit terrifying, but at least by the time he realized it, he could be confident the other liked him back, considering they'd apparently been dating already.
That is, unless Jiji wanted to break up with him over this…
He only knew they'd been dating for all of ten minutes, and the idea filled him with panic.
At least Jiji was still clinging to him… That had to be a good sign, right?
Without even realizing it, he found his free hand moving to cover Jiji's, which was clinging to his arm. He felt the other freeze for a moment, glancing over just in time to see a big grin grow on his face.
"You guys are way too sappy for you to not have picked up on it," Okarun teased.
"You have no room to talk," Zuma defended with a frown.
"He has a point," Momo smirked, though her own face was reddening as much as her boyfriend's.
Zuma didn't take his eyes off of Jiji. He was still grinning at him, a normal expression to see on him and yet somehow… just a bit different. A bit more light on his eyes, smile a bit more honest.
He felt overwhelmed, this sudden rush of emotion that both wasn't new and yet he hadn't realized it until now.
"Well, if we've apparently been together for three months," Zuma teased, "I guess I've got a bit of catching up to do on my end."
Jiji lifted his head — and Zuma did not miss the contact, shoulder suddenly cold, thank you very much — and frowned, head tilted adorably.
"I guess I owe you some dates, seeing as I was unaware we had been on any."
And the grin was back, and Zuma felt himself melting.
"Well, let's go then!" Jiji said, perking up and turning to head out of the park where the group had met up.
"Wait! I thought we were going to the movies!" Aira called out after them, Zuma having let himself be dragged away.
"Aww, but they're so cute together," Vamola grinned, hands clapped together. "We can go out on our big group date later!"
"Ugh, fine, but they're paying for the snacks," Aira groaned.
Zuma just smirked, whatever else they said being tuned out, his entire focus on the grin stretched across his boyfriend's face.
It was weird to even just think the word.
A good weird.
"So, you really had no idea?" Jiji asked later, the two at Zuma's empty appartment — Bega still out at work — resting on the couch. Jiji had his head rested in Zuma's lap, who was gently brushing his finger's through the other's hair.
Jiji felt ready to sleep, more comfortable than he'd ever been.
"Nope," Zuma responded, clearly attempting to sound nonchallant, but a quick glance revealed the blush.
"Man, I'm not sure if I should be insulted that I'm apparently not suave enough for you to even realize we were together," Jiji teased, hiding the hint of insecurity — or at least, hopefully he was.
"Nah, like you said, I'm an idiot," Zuma teased, and the soft smile on his face making Jiji relax even further.
"Mm, but you're my idiot," Jiji said, lifting himself up, using an arm around Zuma's neck as leverage to pull their faces closer.
This time, he'd make sure Zuma knew this wasn't a platonic kiss.
Feeling the other smile into it, he was pretty sure he got the point across.
But just in case, he gave him one more.
Or, a lot more.