Smoking cats - shinsero

Closer Than Ever

It was late evening, and Shinsou was sprawled on his couch, flipping through channels on TV while Tipi dozed on the windowsill. Outside, the sky was dark, the stars hidden by a blanket of clouds. He wasn't really paying attention to what was on - his thoughts kept drifting to a certain black haired boy.

They'd been spending more time together, and it was starting to feel... different. Shinsou wasn't sure when it happened, but there was warmth that came with Sero's presence now, a kind of comfort that settled into his chest whenever they were together.

As if on cue, there was a knock of the door.

He glanced at the clock. It was almost 10 p.m. Who the hell... He stood up, half-expecting a neighbor or maybe a package delivery, but when he opened the door, Sero was standing there with a sheepish grin on his face.

"Hey," he said, holding up a plastic bag.
"I brought takeout. Thought maybe you could use some company."

Shinsou blinked in surprise, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"At this hour?"

The other shrugged, his grin widening.
"What, not happy to see me?"

"Shut up," he muttered, but be stepped aside to let Sero in.

The warmth that filled the apartment was instant. Sero set the takeout on the kitchen counter, pulling out containers of noodles and dumplings, while Shinsou grabbed plates and chopsticks. They sat together at the small kitchen table, eating in companionable silence.

Tipi not joining us tonight?" Sero asked, glancing toward the windowsill.

"She's out cold," Shinsou sat, nodding toward the softly snoring cat.
"Guess she wore herself out jumping on every piece of furniture in the place."

The black haired boy chuckled, taking another bite of his noodles.
"I swear, she's like a tiny, fluffy tornado."

The other snorted, shaking his head.
"She has her moments."

They fell into an easy rhythm again, the conversation flowing naturally between bites. And as the night wore on, Shinsou felt the tension in his shoulders easing. There was something about the other boy that made everything feel... lighter.

After dinner, they migrated back to the couch, where Shinsou flipped on a random movie. Tipi had woken up by then and immediately settled herself on Sero's lap, much to Shinsou's amusement.

"She's replaced me already," he said dryly, watching as Tipi purred contentedly in the other boy's arms.

Sero gave him a playful grin.
"What can I say? She knows who the fun one is."

The purple haired boy rolled his eyes but didn't protest when Sero scooted closer, the warmth of his body seeping into the small space between them. They sat like that for a while, watching the movie in comfortable silence, their shoulders brushing.

Eventually, Sero's hand found its way to Shinsou's arm, his fingers brushing over the sleeve of Shinsou's shirt as if testing the waters. Shinsou's heart gave a small, unexpected jolt, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he let the boy's touch linger, feeling the soft pressure of his hand, warm and steady against his skin through the soft fabric.

It was a small gesture, but it felt... intimate. More than Shinsou had expected.

Sero's voice broke the quiet.
"You okay with this?"

The other glanced at him, surprised by the softness in his tone. He could see the uncertainty in Sero's eyes, the way he was holding his breath, waiting for Shinsou's answer.

The purple haired boy's gaze softened, and he gave a small nod.
"Yeah. I'm okay."

The boy's smile was small but genuine, and his hand relaxed, resting lightly against Shinsou's arm. The closeness between them felt natural now, as if they'd always been like this - comfortable in each other's space.

They stayed like that, quiet and content, until the movie ended, the credits rolling across the screen. Tipi had long since fallen asleep again, curled up in a little ball on Sero's lap.

He stretched, his arm brushing against Shinsou's side as he moved.
"I should probably head back before it gets too late."

The boy felt a flicker of disappointment at the thought of Sero leaving, though he tried to hide it.
"Yeah, right."

But before the other could get up, Shinsou reached out, catching his wrist gently. The movement was instinctive, and when Sero looked down at him, he hesitated, unsure of what he was even trying to say.

Then, in a soft voice, he asked,
"You don't have to go, you know."

Sero's eyebrows lifted, his lips parting in surprise.
"You sure?"

Shinsou nodded, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Yeah. Stay."

For a moment, the other just stared at him, as if he was trying to make sense of the offer. Then, slowly, his face broke into a smile.
"Okay," he said quietly.

"I'll stay."

Shinsou felt his chest loosen with relief as Sero leaned back into the couch, their shoulders touching once again. It was a small moment, but it felt like the beginning of something bigger - something neither of them had quite figured out yet, but were both willing to explore.

———

The chapters are probably gonna be about this length, I just think it fits better to the story right now, if that makes sense. Sorry if they're too short.

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