5WIRL + Wanderer COLLAB!!!

Chapter 15

  "Would you like to go out with me?" Kazuha finally got the guts to ask.
  Kunikuzushi blinked at him. Then he snorted, "we're already dating, Kazuha."
  "That isn't what I meant," he took Kuni's hands, still blushing very very hard.
  "Oh," Kunikuzushi paused, "is that alright? I mean, if we're seen together-"
  "I don't think our companies will do anything about it because of the collaboration," Kazuha squeezed his hands, "besides, it would be a little silly to just assume two people are dating just because they're out and about together..."
  "True," Kuni nodded. "Then sure."
  "How about today???"
  "Hm?! Today?!"
  "Yeah! We'll be done around 3:00-ish. I already have a place in mind."
  Kunikuzushi looked down at their hands, "I'm fine with it... I just don't want to disappoint you with how, uh, inexperienced I am..."
  Kazuha smiled, "I don't think you could disappoint me even if you tried."
  Kuni sighed, "yeah, you think too highly of me."
  Kazuha smiled, "that's only because you're taller than me. My Love, I could never think lowly of you,"
  Kuni blinked. He mumbled, "that's a new one..."
  Kazuha's throat caught, "ah-" He hadn't meant to say that out loud! Now what?! "Well, I had to- uhm- improvise... you said the other names were too long..."
  Kunikuzushi squeezed his hands, "no, they're fine... I'll just have to get used to it..."
  Kazuha nodded, "right..."
  Kunikuzushi hesitated, "I'll come up with something to call you eventually..."
  Kazuha shook his head, "you don't have to. Don't feel pressured. I already melt when you say my given name."
  Kunikuzushi looked up, "what?..."
  "UHM-" he hadn't meant to say that out loud either!!! Kazuha's face got very red very fast.
  Kuni paused, "I... I know everything I do makes you... weak..."
  Kazuha groaned, "don't say it like that, you're making it worse..."
  "Sorry, uhm," Kunikuzushi sighed, "you're just *so* in love with me."
  "That's isn't any better," he whined.
  "I just don't know what to do with it..."
  "You could..." Kazuha got red, "go out with me so I could... get all my love out... I guess..." He cousins even look Kuni in the face as he spoke. He was so embarrassed of himself!
  Kunikuzushi chuckled, "maybe I will."
  Kazuha squeaked, almost jumping. He whispered, "don't... ugh... Now *I* don't know what to say..."

——————

  "Here we are," Kazuha pushed the door open.
  The bells chimed as they walked in.
  Kuni was surprised. "A cat cafe?"
  "Cute, right?" Kazuha smiled wide, though Kuni couldn't see it because of the masks they were wearing.
   Kunikuzushi nodded, "yeah, I just haven't been here in a while..."
  "You've been here before???"
  "Yup." He held his hand up, his fingers spread out. Then he started counting down from five.
  Kazuha tilted his head to the side in confusion. "What are you doing?"
  Once Kunikuzushi ran out of fingers to count with, someone spoke. Or, rather, yelled.
  "Kunikuzushi?! Is that you?!?!"
  Kazuha looked over to see a woman behind the counter smiling so brightly it was blinding!
  "It *is* you!!!" She violently beckoned them over, "well, don't just stand there!!! Get over here!!!"
  Kunikuzushi chuckled as he and Kazuha approached.
  "My goodness!" She put her hands on her hips, "you need to stop growing! How long has it been, now?!"
  Kunikuzushi smiled nervously, "a few years..."
  She pointed at him like a grandparent reprimanding their grandkid, "and *why* has it been so long? HMMM???"
  Kazuha had the thought that this woman was definitely old enough to be Kuni's grandmother...
  Kunikuzushi held his hands up, "I got really busy. I would have come by if I had the time. Honest."
  "Sure, sure," she shook her head. "Anyways! Who's this?! You've made a friend?!"
  "Uh, sort of," Kunikuzushi looked at Kazuha, not sure what to say.
  Kazuha took his hand, "a boyfriend."
  She gasped, "even better!!! Oh, Kuni, you had me so worried that you'd break so many girls' hearts! I guess I was worried for nothing, haha!!!"
  Kunikuzushi chuckled, "I guess so. Is Mochi still around?"
  She clapped, "of course he is! He's over in the window like usual! Go sit down and I'll have your drinks out in a jiffy!" She ran through a curtain before anyone could stop her.
  Kazuha blinked, "but we didn't even order..."
  Kunikuzushi smiled, "we don't need to. She just knows. It's kind of creepy, actually." Then he lead Kazuha across the little cafe to a table next to a window.
  Sitting on the windowsill was a very overweight cat. It rolled onto its back as they approached, ready for pets.
  "Kazuha, this is Mochi," Kunikuzushi introduced them as he started skritching the cat.
  Kazuha smiled, "that's such a cute name. And, how are you so close with the owner? Is she the owner?..."
  Kunikuzushi nodded, "yeah, she's been running this place for forever. When I was young, whenever my at-home nurse was around she would take me here to see the cats. Mei, the owner, had a son with a similar issue to mine. He was a good bit older than me, but he was easy to get along with."
  Kazuha hesitated before asking quietly, "was? Past tense?..."
  Kunikuzushi nodded, picking Mochi up as he sat down. "His family could hardly afford the treatment he needed. That's also one of the reasons I sorta ran away... I didn't think it was fair for me to be treated when he had it worse from the beginning. They had given him a lifespan estimate and everything."
  Kazuha slowly took his seat across from Kuni, "I'm sorry..."
  Kunikuzushi shook his head, "it's not your fault. He lived longer than he was expected to, anyways..."
  "That doesn't make it any easier," Kazuha closed his eyes. "Losing a friend isn't easy..."
  Kunikuzushi looked up at him, "have you lost someone, too?..."
  Kazuha sighed, petting Mochi's head, "yeah... I said one of my exes was the reason I started smoking, but that's only partially true. After my closest friend died, I... turned to romantic relationships for comfort. And of course that led to some really unhealthy people being in my life." He shook his head, "I have no idea how I managed to hide all those relationships from my managers..."
  Kunikuzushi grinned, "I bet they knew. They don't seem to care too much about stuff like that. They know you have your priorities in order."
  Kazuha smiled, "you're probably right. And I'm so lucky for it."
  "So am I," Kunikuzushi chuckled, "both my managers are more worried about me being a good partner than wether or not it will get in the way of idol work."
  "Okay, for real though, how is Nahida so small???"
  Kunikuzushi shook his head, "I have no clue and Miko acts like it's normal."
  "I don't mean it in a bad way," he held his hands out. "I think it's adorable, but I'm also curious..."
  "I've asked but she always brushes it off so it might be something she's sensitive about," Kuni stated.
  "Right, probably." Kazuha agreed.
  Then the older woman came over and set two boba teas on the table, "enjoy!!!" She giggled like a crazy person as she sauntered away.
  Kunikuzushi chuckled as he pulled down his mask, "she hasn't changed at all..."
  Kazuha smiled, taking the cup into his hands, "what do you think it is?"
  Kunikuzushi shrugged, "never know until you try." Then he took a drink. He smiled, "Oolong tea."
  Kazuha tried his, "it tastes like cookies and cream! It's amazing!"
  Kuni's smile grew, "see, she always knows."
  Kazuha nodded, "I'll never doubt you again."
  Kunikuzushi laughed, "you've doubted me before?!"
  "Well, a little bit..." Kazuha looked away, distracting himself with his drink.
  "When??"
  "Ah, you say you don't know how to be in a relationship and that you don't know how to love me, but you're doing so well..."
  Kuni blinked. "I am?"
  "Yes," Kazuha's face heat up.
  "You don't feel... like I'm keeping you from, I dunno, completely expressing yourself?..."
  "No. I keep saying this... Kuni, I really don't care about how much I'm touching you or even how often we talk. Quality over quantity, as they say," he smiled.
  "Oh... okay..." Kunikuzushi started to get a bit pink, himself. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound like all you wanted was to be physical with me..."
  Kazuha shook his head, "no, you're fine. I didn't take it that way."
  Kunikuzushi took a long drink. Then he asked, "I really don't know what to do at all... We've just been talking like normal, is that... all dating is?..."
  "Sort of," Kazuha chuckled. "It's not about what you do, but who you do it with." He reached across the table and put his hand on top of Kuni's.
  "Okay, that makes sense..." he nodded slowly. "Then there's somewhere I'd like to take you after this... if you want..."
  Kazuha squeezed his hands, "I'd love to!"
  Kunikuzushi glanced at his watch, flicking his wrist over on instinct.
  "Sorry," Kazuha immediately let go, "was that too much?..."
  "No, I'm fine," Kuni shook his head. "I was just checking..."
  Kazuha looked at him for a long moment, slowly getting redder.
  "What?..." Kunikuzushi asked nervously.
  Kazuha asked quietly, "did that make your heart beat faster?..."
  Kunikuzushi quickly looked over at Mochi, who was still purring happily. "No."
  "And you said you didn't like lying!" Kazuha pointed at him, beginning to smile.
  "I- this is different," he frowned as his cheeks grew pink.
  Kazuha knew he shouldn't tease Kuni... but he was just so adorable when he was blushing! Kazuha couldn't help himself!
  Kazuha laid his chin in his hands as he leaned across the table, "did my excitement make your heart skip a beat~"
  Kunikuzushi mumbled, "you're being a lot more courageous today..."
  Kazuha blinked, "oh, that's because it's been a few weeks so I know what's okay."
  Kuni kept his eyes on the cat, "you make it sound like you're walking on eggshells..."
  "You know I'm not," Kazuha took his hand back and laced their fingers. "We've been over this, I'm perfectly happy with just holding your hand."
  Kunikuzushi sighed, "I know... but what about in the future? Will you always be satisfied with just holding hands?..."
  "You think we'll last that long??"
  "You don't?!"
  "Ah- I mean-" Kazuha got red again, "well, you're kinda out of my league..."
  "Oh."
  Kazuha nodded, "I figure you'll find someone who makes you happier than I do..."
  "That got depressing fast."
  "Sorry, I just didn't expect you to..." Kazuha somehow got even more red, "want a future with me..."
  Kunikuzushi snorted, "it's not like I can imagine one with anyone else."
  Kazuha abruptly looked up, "you can't?!"
  He hesitated, "uhm..."
  "Kuni..." Kazuha buried his face in the table, "I feel like I'm going to die when you say such sweet things like that..."
  "It's true, though..."
  Kazuha ran his hands down his face in distress, "you make me feel so helpless..."
  Kunikuzushi pursed his lips, "sorry..."
  "No, don't be sorry," Kazuha shook his head. "It's really cute... I just don't handle it well..."
  Kunikuzushi paused for a long moment. Then he looked out the window, "we should go, it's important we get there before the sun goes down..."
  Kazuha smiled, "alright."
  "Goodbye, Mochi."