Smoking cats - shinsero

New Beginnings

The late evening sky was painted in deep oranges and purples by the time the ground wandered back to the UA dorms. Their laughter echoed down the hallways as they reminisced about the day's antics. Sero and Shinsou walked side by side, their shoulders brushing occasionally. It felt good - right, even - to have everything out in the open, no longer needing to tiptoe around what they had.

When they arrived back at the common area, the others peeled off one by one, each calling it a night after the excitement of the day. And after a while, it was just Sero and Shinsou left, now standing at the edge of the hallway where their paths diverged.

Sero glanced down at the other, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"So... what now?"

The purple haired boy raised a brow.
"What do you mean?"

"Well, now that everyone knows... I guess it's just us figuring things out." He shrugged casually but there was a glint of something more serious in his eyes.
"Where do you want this to go?"

Shinsou paused, his gaze softening as he thought about it. After everything - the vulnerable conversations, the late nights - they had come a long way. And now, after telling their friends, there was something more solid between them. It wasn't just a secret anymore. He wasn't hiding behind walls or pretending like he didn't care.

"I think," he began slowly, searching for the right words,
"That I want this. Us. For real. No hesitations."

Sero's smile widened at that.
"No hesitations, huh? I like the sound of that."

They shared a look that said more than words could. It wasn't about secrets or keeping anything under wraps - it was just them, being honest about what they wanted.

Sero's dorm room was the perfect place to unwind after a long day. It was as messy and relaxed as ever, clothes strewn over a chair and random posters plastered across the walls. Shinsou sat down on the bed, leaning back as Sero moved around the room, grabbing two bottles of water from his mini fridge.

He handed one to Shinsou before sitting next to him on the bed, their legs brushing.
"You tired?" He asked, his voice softer now that they were alone.

"Not really," Shinsou replied, his eyes tracing the familiar patterns of Sero's room.
"Just... thinking."

The black haired boy took a sip of water before setting the bottle down.
"About?"

He turned his head slightly, meeting Sero's gaze.
"About us. About how... I didn't expect any of this to happen."

The boy's expression softened as he leaned closer, his hand brushing against Shinsou's thigh.
"Neither did I. But I'm glad it did."

Shinsou felt his breath catch for a second, the warmth of the other's touch sending a small rush through him. It was moments like these that made him feel sade - like he could let down his guard and just be.

Without thinking, he leaned in, pressing his lips gently against Sero's. The kiss was soft at first, tentative, but quickly deepened as they fell into each other. Sero's hands moved to Shinsou's waist, pulling him closer as the kiss grew more intense. There was something raw and real in the way they kissed, as if all the emotions they had kept hidden were finally bubbling to the surface.

Sero broke the kiss first, breathing heavily as he rested his forehead against the other's.
"You're sure about this, right? Us?"

Shinsou nodded, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Yeah, I'm sure."

The boy smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair out of Shinsou's face.
"Good. Because I'm not going anywhere."

They stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each other, the world outside their small bubble fading away. There was no need for grand gestures or declarations - just the quiet comfort of knowing they were both in this together.

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