We Are Never On The Same Page - Sk8 the Infinity [Joe x Cherry]

3. We Built This

Joe leaned over the counter, watching as Cherry finished his food. The pink haired man frowned, covering his mouth with the sleeve of his yukata.

"You know I hate it when you stare while I eat."

Joe smiled, shrugged, and wrapped his fingers around the edge of the bar, drawing himself nearer. When he had been younger, if ever he intentionally closed the distance between Cherry and himself like this, he would've gone redder then the tomato risotto.
There were some perks of maturity.
He had learned how to get a handle on himself.

Cherry huffed in annoyance, "Fine! It's good, of course it's good, you idiot."

Joe nodded, content, and leaned back.
When Cherry was done, Joe passed the plate back to the kitchen, and then returned to his side. They were the only two in the restaurant now. It would be some time before the dinner crowd meandered in. Joe turned to him, taking in the other man's placid face, the way his hair wound its way around his shoulder.

"How was work today?"

Cherry was always the most pleasant after he ate, he would speak softer and softer, making some kind of sleepy conversation.
It was one of the many endearing traits Joe had stored in his ever expanding database of Cherry-isms. Favorite foods, favorite colors. Morning habits. Literature, art, films. Preferred climate. How long it took Carla to charge.

"Hmmm. The same, mostly, although I did see something a bit intriguing. I had a kid coming in for the assistant application, obviously I couldn't hire him because he was too young, but after the interview concluded I saw him outside with that redhead from-"

And his voice went even quieter.

"S."

Joe nodded, "His name's Reki, the kid from Dope Sketch. I heard he had a nasty fall skating a beef with Shadow last week."

Cherry sighed, running a thumb over his own lower lip, a permanent habit left over from the ring he had worn there when they were kids. Joe watched his fingers trail over his face and thought of his own hands.

God dammit.

"I saw them messing around on his board together. Strange, how small the world is."

Joe stood up, absentmindedly grabbing a rag to wipe down the counter, "Could he skate?"

Cherry made a soft sound, like a sharp exhale, the closest he often ever got to laughing. "No, but he was looking at that redhead like he was some kind of godsend. I'm sure he'll learn."

"Reki's a good kid, from what I know. Too bad he got busted up."

"I think Shadow's doing another beef tonight. Are you going?"

Joe returned the rag, placing his hands behind his head, looking away from Cherry, pretending to think. "Hmmm... well.... there's stuff to do here, might wanna do some late gym business...."

"You'll end up with muscles for brains at this rate, I swear-"

Joe waved him off, grinning, "Of course I'm going, four eyes. Couldn't leave you alone in a place as dangerous as S."

"You're disgusting," Cherry said as he placed his money on the counter, folding his arms beneath his sleeves. "Carla and I will pick you up at ten."

And he watched Cherry go, the bell on the door ringing to a close, an infinite repetition of their ritual. Lunches, small talk, evenings.
A life that was more often than not built around the other, but whether it was out of comfort or convenience, Joe could only answer for himself.