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"I didn't know you had a Switch"
Kou looked up from his position in the floor at hearing Mitsuba's voice, a wire in hand as he set up the gaming console on the coffee table next to the TV.
"I mean it's not technically mine, I share it with my brother and sister," said the boy as he plugged the wire to the TV and stood up from the floor, walking towards his friend with one joystick held in each hand.
Kou handed one of them to the pink-haired boy, and tried to ignore the tingles he felt creeping from his palm up to his shoulders as their hands brushed each other by settling down quickly on the couch and looking elsewhere, anywhere that wasn't Mitsuba's curious eyes on him.
The boy in question smiled smugly, and he looked as if he was about to say something when his attention was caught by the Nintendo Switch logo that appeared on the screen, and the cheery tune that played immediately after.
"Do you have Animal Crossing?" he said distractedly, eyes still on the screen, watching how the system booted up.
Kou could only stare at his friend's profile, his eyes gazing at Mitsuba's own, a vivid fuchsia that was so full of wonder and excitement. His visible eye crinkled up a little, and Kou couldn't help but smile in retaliation.
"Hey, did you listen to what I just said?" He was shaken out of his thoughts as the same fuchsia eye stared back at him, an acussing look on his face. The blonde boy could only manage to mumble half-formed excuses and apologies, caught by surprise as he was thinking about his friend (and wow that really did sound weird).
Mitsuba glared at him a few more seconds before a smirk grew on his face. "Don't tell me you were checking me out... were you, Minamoto-kun?"
Said boy could only manage to look away from his friend's judging look and devilish smile playing in his lips.
"Oh my god you were! I knew even you couldn't resist my cuteness!" A huge smile was on his face now, too eager to make fun of his friend. "This was your plan all along wasn't it? To bring me to your house all alone so you can take advantage of me!" He pointed an acussing finger in Kou's direction, scooting away from him to the opposite end of the couch.
"You know I would never!" He said quickly. Mitsuba only smiled and looked down.
"Anyway, before you got sooo caught up gawking at me, I had asked you something dumbass". That gave him a shove from the other boy but he paid it no mind as he giggled to himself.
"I don't have it, sorry." He said as he touched his neck apologetically.
Mitsuba pouted at that, looking away from him and crossing his arms in annoyance.
"I can't believe you have a Switch but not Animal Crossing. What games do you even have ?". Mitsuba looked at the screen curiously and saw the main screen already displaying the Mario Kart 8 logo, a LEGO game and next to it was...
"FORTNITE?!" Exclaimed the boy, turning to his friend.
"It's free okay?! I'm not gonna pass it up" he tried to explain himself but his voice was drowned out by the sound of the other boy's loud laughter, which filled every space in the room.
"I can't believe you! You even have a LEGO game! What are you, five?"
It was Kou's turn to shoot a bewildered look at Mitsuba. "Says the one complaining about the game with cute talking animals!" He was quickly flushing red.
"Animal Crossing is about living a peaceful life in a capitalistic society-".
"You're such a liar Mitsuba! I'm sure you only like it for the aesthetic!" It was now said boy's turn to blush lightly before lightly punching Kou in the shoulder.
"I can't believe how mean you are! You got the privilege of spending time with someone as cute as me and you just use it humilliating your friend."
"I- it wasn't me who started it!"
Mitsuba didn't care enough to come up with a comeback, instead turning away from his friend, returning to his usual pout. The pink-haired boy's eyebrows furrowed and he tried to hide his face under the scarf resting on his neck but Kou caught a glimpse of the small tilt of his lips and knew there was nothing to worry about.
He looked back at the screen and chose the only game Mitsuba hadn't felt immediately offended by, letting the Mario Kart 8 theme fill the silence between the two friends as the title screen appeared in front of them.
"Oh!" Kou turned to Mitsuba, who was still 'mad' at him, but at least had the nerve to look his way, "do you know how to play Mario Kart?"
Mitsuba looked more annoyed, if that was even possible.
"Of course I know, dumbass," he looked him in the eye, a mischievous smile appearing in his face, "and I'm totally winning the Grand Prix".
"How can you be so sure?" the blonde boy said, playing along his friend's antics.
"I just know I will" he said, moving forward in the couch until their bodies were pressed against each other, ignoring how Kou tensed up at the touch, "let's make a bet, okay? If I win, you'll make me bentos for a whole month".
And he didn't say that because the thought of eating a bento Kou had cooked made his heart flutter. Obviously.
"That's a lot!" He said, as if he hadn't wanted to give him a bento in the past. "What do I get if I win then?"
His friend's fuchsia eye glinted with glee.
"You get to take me out on a date."
Kou's cheeks heated up all the way to his ears, and the non-existent space between them felt almost suffocating. Mitsuba couldn't know... right?
The pink-haired boy leaned backwards, a giggle escaping his soft lips as he grinned.
"I mean, I'm so cute and you're such a big pervert, I'm sure you've thought about it before".
Oh, so he was only being cocky as usual. Crisis aborted.
(Kou failed to realize how Mitsuba's cheeks were also tinted a rosy pink, and he fiddled with the hems of his sweater nervously).
The blonde boy stayed silent for a while, wondering if it would give too much away if he did join in on the bet.
"Don't overthink it too much, I'm gonna win anyways." Said his friend off-handedly, looking sideways.
"Okay... if that's what you want"
Mitsuba snorted but didn't comment on his wording. Instead he finally picked up the joystick and chose the Grand Prix mode.
Boths boys got to choosing their characters. Kou played as Koopa Troopa, as usual. He didn't remember why, but since he was a kid he had always chosen the turtle. Maybe he thought it was cute when he was younger, he wasn't sure.
Mitsuba immediately went for Princess Peach, Kou wasn't surprised in the slightest.
When they got to customize their karts, the blonde boy started choosing parts that gave him greater speed and lesser weight, whilst his friend just customized it using the cuter looking wheels and glider.
"You do know those affect your stats right?" Asked Kou to his friend, seriously wondering if Mitsuba's previous statement had been completely out of cockiness and he actually had no idea whatsoever on how to play the game.
(He wondered if Mitsuba was intending to lose on purpose, if he really did want that date as much as he did).
Mitsuba gasped loudly. "Already doubting me, Minamoto-kun? I'm hurt".
"Well, whatever works for you I guess..." he didn't finish the sentence as he went to the next screen in which they had to choose the cup they were playing.
"Pick the Special Cup" said the boy sitting next to him, as if his kart wasn't unbalanced enough.
Kou looked at him from the corner of his eye doubtfully.
"That one has Rainbow Road at the end".
"Oh, I know".
"Rainbow Road can get very hard for begginers, Mitsuba. And the race courses before that one aren't easy either". He was seriously starting to doubt how truthful his friend was about intending to win.
"Come on, Minamoto!" He leaned closer to the other boy, a smirk drawn onto his expression. "What are you, a coward?"
"I-I'm not!"
"Then pick the Special Cup".
"Ugh, okay". He pressed the smiling crown icon and the button that said 'Start Race' afterwards with a grunt.
And somehow, Mitsuba still managed to keep that cocky smile on his face.
The game's background music started, and a giant beanstalk surrounded by a deep blue sky filled with big clouds appeared in front of them as the countdown went down from 3 to 1. Then, when the text on-screen finally announced the start of the race, Mitsuba drove forward quickly, easily sprinting between the NPCs. Taken aback, Kou hit the wheels a little bit late and started following from behind. Somehow, his friend was impressive at the game. He reached the item boxes and scattered the banana peels he got behind him, which Kou barely dodged. Mitsuba's character glided efortlessly through the air, and Kou couldn't help but gawk as he realized how much he had misjudged the other.
The boy glanced at his friend's screen for a split second- oh god he was in second place.
And Mitsuba was grinning at him.
The bastard.
He tried to catch up but it was impossible. Between the narrow roads, gliding areas and the traps Mitsuba kept leaving everywhere, it wasn't a surprise when he felt his friend jump up in his seat. A quick glance let him see he had already reached the finish line and ended up in 2nd place. At the end, the blonde boy only earned 5th place in the first race and the most shit-eating grin he had ever seen.
Kou grumbled in his seat, and quickly skipped the leaderboard and final scene (he did not have to be reminded of this round's results) to start the second race.
As the second course's dunes and canyons made their appearance, the pink-haired boy turned towards him.
"I think someone's mad". He said casually, as if he hadn't just obliterated Kou.
"How are you so good?" said Kou, frustration lacing his words, "I thought you didn't like these types of games."
"I mean they're not my favorite" said the boy, his right sleeve covering his mouth, "but I definitely like pissing you off".
Kou didn't have the time to point out to Mitsuba he hadn't answered the question because the countdown appeared once again, forcing their attention back to the game.
As they drove through the canyons littered with giant bones, the light-hearted chatter between them seemed to quiet down as the pink-haired boy talked less and less, until he stopped altogether.
Kou heard his friend's voice again when they were in the second lap of the race, although a little bit quieter than before.
"When I was younger I used to go to my cousins' house. They had a Wii so I played with them."
The boy couldn't help but notice how the playful tone was gone. But he decided to say nothing for the time being.
Mitsuba did so as well.
They kept playing in silence, with only the background music and the sound of the wheels moving through the sand as their companion.
Eventually, they reached the finish line. Kou had landed in 2nd place now, and Mitsuba in 5th after being distracted for the entire round. He was ready for the witty remark on how he hadn't managed to get 1st place despite being so close at the end but it never came. The boy looked at his right, and saw Mitsuba's fuchsia eye looking at nothing specifically, clouded over and seemingly out of it.
"Are you okay?" His voice felt like a thunder breaking the peace of the night, cutting through the heavy tension that had settled between them.
"I..." the pink-haired boy's eye looked lost in thought, "yeah just... remembering stuff about them."
Kou didn't have to ask who "them" was.
"Have you guys kept in contact?"
"No." The answer came too quickly to him.
"Why?"
Mitsuba seemed to be mulling over his thoughts as he fiddled with the hems of his sweater, his joystick forgotten between the couch's cushions.
"They decided I wasn't normal enough for them." He finally said, with no emotion in his voice.
And that phrase was extremely vague. And subjective. And Kou could ask Mitsuba what that meant, but the way his friend held himself, running his left hand over his hairclips as his right kept fiddling with his peach coloured sweater, and the way Mitsuba's beatiful fuchsia eyes scrunched up in pain as his pink lips wobbled told him enough.
And Kou didn't know how to respond to that. So he didn't. He just moved closer to Mitsuba, pressing their bodies close together, letting his friend know he was there.
His friend didn't move away from his spot either as the next race started, leaning into him as he clenched the joystick tightly in his two hands.
They continued playing as normally as they could, now driving through an obscure castle filled with stone statues. But still, the silence between them was palpable.
Kou was currently on 3rd place, and saw Princess Peach and Bowser not too far away from him in the road. He took a glimpse of the other's screen, and as he realized Mitsuba had a blue shell stored an idea came to mind.
God, the things he does for this idiot.
He used the mushroom power-ups he had just gotten from an item box to speed forward and landed in 1rd place.
Kou saw the exact moment Mitsuba's blank expression turned into one of glee as he realized who was currently in first place and pressed the L button on his joystick.
The blonde boy didn't even bother to try and avoid the flying blue shell that came his way and knocked him out for a few seconds, watching how he went from 1rd to 4th place in an instant.
It was definitely worth it when he heard giggles next to him though.
-
At the end, Mitsuba landed in 1rd place and Kou managed to overtake two NPCs and got 2nd place. His friend was quick to tease him.
"I hope you're thinking on what bentos you're gonna make for me Minamoto"
"We still have one round left, anything can happen" he was happy to play along with his friend's banter.
"Oh, are you excited about that date?" He asked, a hand on his mouth "I can't imagine all the naughty stuff you'd try to force me to do!"
Kou just groaned in annoyance. Mitsuba was definitely feeling better.
Rainbow Road appeared on-screen and it was pretty self-explanatory. The countdown went down to 1 and then the racers hit the wheels quickly, making sure not to lose their spots. Kou started moving alongisde his character on the TV, swinging from left to right in sharp movements. Mitsuba was biting his lips as he stared at the TV heatedly, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
They drove through the course fiercely, leaving banana peels and throwing shells at each other whilst also avoiding the sharp curves and falling from the map.
After a while, they found themselves in the final part of the race. Kou smiled widely as he looked at the "1rst place" written on his screen. Mitsuba was on 3rd, and they didn't have any power-ups left. He was definitely winning this one, and his heart fluttered at the idea of an actual date with the pink-haired boy, not that he thought he'd actually go through with his side of the bet, but hey, he could rub off his victory in Mitsuba's face.
Suddenly, his breath got caught in his throat as he felt Mitsuba's face, which was resting on his shoulder a few moments ago, quickly inching closer to his own, to the point he could feel soft breaths on his skin and smell the strawberry lipbalm his friend had put on that morning.
Still too shocked to process what was going on, he felt those same lips press against his cheek softly, barely grazing the skin before pulling away. His face turned bright red immediately as he scrambled around, feeling as if his heart was going to jump out of his chest any second now.
Caught up in the feeling of a near heart attack as his heart fluttered in his chest, he failed to realize Mitsuba had taken the lead when he got distracted and had already finished the race in 1rd place, while he was currently on 7th place, since he apparently dropped the joystick to the floor without noticing and stayed still on his spot as the rest of the NPCs crossed the finish line.
Kou had half a mind to turn to look at his friend, and found him grinning ear-to-ear, chuckling softly as the cheerful music played from the TV speakers. The boy could only stare at the other, at the way his eyes crinkled up in joy, shining brightly under the light coming from the window. At the sound of his soft laugh, airy and excited and so beatiful escaping through his lips. And his lips, soft and pink due to the lipbalm that he could still feel in his cheek, tilting up in the cutest smile he'd ever seen.
As the final screen announcing the winners of the Grand Prix appeared on the TV, Mitsuba finally looked at his friend, who still had a raging blush on his face.
"God, I can't imagine the amount of dirty thoughts that must be running through your head right now" he said, hiding his mouth behind his sleeve, grinning.
Kou had to process Mitsuba's words for a few seconds before he blushed even further, his ears and neck quickly turning red as he denied everything in a flurry of words.
The pink-haired boy just laughed at him, hiding his face under the yellow scarf he was wearing, as his cheeks started turning pink.
"Well... I expect my bentos from now on, Minamoto. Don't mess them up" said the boy, looking anywhere but at the other boy's face.
Kou didn't mention he actually had no problem making bentos for Mitsuba, he just nodded along.
They stayed in an awkward silence for a while, letting the award ceremony play in front of them as they avoided looking each other's faces until Tiara came running down to the living room, asking if she could play with them.
The boys kept playing like that for an hour, talking about anything and asking the little girl about school and such, but their minds were elsewhere. Kou kept rubbing his hand over his right cheek, feeling the remains of lipbalm there. Mitsuba saw him out of the corner of his eye but pretended not to notice, instead fiddling with his piercing distractedly.
After a while, the pink-haired boy had to go back home after receiving a call from his mom, and he bid his friend goodbye with a playful smile and the reminder of his bento. The blonde boy could only wave at him as he walked away, the memories of warmth and softness with a strawberry flavour still too fresh on his mind.
(And if the next day, he gave Mitsuba a paper bag alongside his bento, well, then the face Mitsuba made as he found the cookies inside was everything he could have ever wanted.)