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Hizashi is a bit of a movie buff, if he does say so himself. People tend to think he’s only good with music, only cares about music and podcasts, but he’s a complex, multidimensional being, okay? He can like lots of stuff. For example: he loves doing his podcast, but he also loves reading. He loves being a hero but he also loves to put his hair down and go to the store unbothered. He loves parties and being around people, but sometimes he just wants to curl up by himself with tea and a good book.
Back to the point! Hizashi loves movies. He’s seen all the classics, both Japanese and American. He loves Seven Samurai, cried at Titanic, had an existential crisis after Citizen Kane. But his favorite type of movie is the genre that never gets enough attention or awards: horror. He especially loves cheesy American horror films where you yell at the screen because the characters are so dumb. But his favorite thing about horror movies is what they do to people. He loves that when Shouta watched The Babadook, he insisted on cuddling Hizashi all night. He loved when Nemuri watched The grudge, she was glued to his side for days. Scary movies mean lots of cuddles and comforting, and Hizashi is down for that.
So when he gets home before either of his boyfriends, he puts his plan into motion. He grabs all the blankets and pillows he can find, arranges the living room furniture just right, and make the blanket fort to end all blanket forts. At least, that’s his intention. In reality, it comes out more like a blanket shack, a blanket hut, crooked and a little droopy. But it’s got tons of pillows and just enough room for the three of them, so it’ll have to do. He gathers some snacks, popcorn and hard candy for him and Shouta, applesauce packets and pudding for Toshinori. He puts water on to boil for tea and dumps all the snacks in the fort. He’s not sure when the two of them will get home, but he hopes it’s soon so the tea doesn’t get cold. Those two sometimes got so caught up in apperwork and grading that they’ll be at the school until the sun goes down. But usually they only do that on Fridays, and it’s a Wednesday, so they’ll likely be home soon.
Just as he’s starting to fret about the tea steeping too long, the door opens and his boyfriends enter. Shouta looks dead tired, but then again, when doesn’t he? He immediately moves to flop down on the couch, but stops when he sees Hizashi’s blanket creation. He lets out a snort.
“What are we, six?” he asks rhetorically.
“I like it,” Toshinori counters, running a hand along one of the blankets, “looks comfortable.” Hizashi had built it so that they could lean back against the couch, knowing Toshinori can’t sit up straight for too long.
“Nice to see you guys too,” he says, sarcasm dripping from every word, “Welcome home, I missed you.” The “I missed you” may have been a little less sarcastic than intended, Hizashi’s genuine feelings pushing through. Though they all work at the same place, they have so many classes and so much work that they barely see each other outside of quick brush-bys in the the lounge or halls. It’s nice to have them home at a reasonable time, so he can actually interact with them before they all crash into bed. Spending time with them is his favorite thing to do, even when Shouta is grumpy or Toshinori is self-conscious. They’re still his boyfriends, and isn’t that nice to say? The relationship is only a few months old and it still feels new and exciting to call someone else his own.
“You got me pudding,” Toshinori states, a small smile breaking out across his face, “Thank you.” Hizashi had run to the store on the way home to get some, knowing it was Toshinori’s favorite treat. He says “no problem” when he wants to say “anything for you, love”. Briefly, he wonders how Toshinori would react to him saying the latter. Would he blush and shy away? Would he get self-conscious and embarrassed? Is it too soon to say things like that? To call him love?
Oh shit, he oversteeped the tea.
He puts on some more water to heat, intent on dumping what he has and making new cups. But before he can execute his plan, Toshinori grabs one of the cups and takes a cautious sip. He flinches and makes a face.
“Too hot,” he says, holding the cup with both hands to warm them. Toshinori’s always cold, what with his nonexistent fat content and messed up body. Hizashi knows his feet will be like ice when they get into the fort, and he intends to massage some warmth into them.
“That one’s oversteeped,” he says, dumping the other two cups, “i’m making more, so you don’t have to drink that if you don’t want.” He doesn’t want Toshinori to have to suffer through shitty tea just to flatter him.
“I like it this way,” he replies, taking another sip and exhaling harshly through his mouth to cool his tongue, “I’ve never made tea right in my life,” he continues, light hearted and gently smiling, “So I always drink it like this.” Hizashi laughs because, comeon, who doesn’t know how to make tea? But it’s not a mean laugh, just an entertained one, and Toshinori huffs a small laugh of his own.
“You guys coming or what?” Shouts asks, and when Hizashi looks, he’s curled up in the fort like a cat. He can’t help but smile at the sight, loving the way affection bubbles up in his chest. He pours the water over the tea and brings both cups over, having Toshinori carry an extra cup for them to put their tea bags in once they finished steeping properly. He sets the cups down on the conveniently places table to their right and goes to work getting the movie set up. He’s got a fairly nice TV, so they don’t have to move any closer to see properly. He’s chosen an American movie this time, one called It Follows . It’s pretty scary, he knows, because he’s seen it before with Nemuri. Since he’s seen it before, it’s not going to scare him this time, which is perfect because his plan is to be on the comforting his scared partners, not the other way around.
Things don’t go according to plan.
Turns out knowing what’s going to happen is somehow worse . Before every jump scare, he tenses up, waiting for it, and then jumps at it anyway. Shouta is unaffected, probably too tired and full of snacks to pay attention. Toshinori, on the other hand, is enraptured by the movies, though he doesn’t seem scared so much as fascinated. No one but him is jumping or startling at all.
Hizashi closes his eyes and takes some deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart, when he feels a hand on his shoulder. He startles at the touch, gasping as if the monster is real and he was about to be the next victim. When he opens his eyes, he sighs in relief to find it’s Toshinori and not the woman. Toshinori nudges him and gets up, crouched in the fort due to his stupid height. He gently moves HIzashi to his place next to Shouta, settling down in Hizashi’s spot. Immediately, Shouta moves so his head is resting on Hizashi’s lap, and he headbutts Hizashi’s hands until he gets the message and starts running his fingers through Shouta’s hair. It’s always less greasy and stringy than it looks, and Hizashi enjoys the texture of it slipping through his fingers. His head snaps to the left when Toshinori reaches out and grabs his hand. He starts running his thumb along the back of HIzashi’s hand in a soothing motion, but keeps his eyes fixed on the TV. They’re both comforting him in their own ways without even pointing out that he’s scares. They don’t tease him about it, don’t even say a word, and Hizashi is grateful. He was supposed to be the one doing the comforting and is a bit embarrassed that is’ gone the other way. But they don’t make fun of him, even silently, and Hizashi has never felt so lucky to have them.
He’s zoned out when the next jump scare comes, so he flinches so badly he almost knocks Shouta’s head off his lap. Toshinori just rests his head on Hizashi’s shoulder while Shouta headbutts him gently like a cat until he starts petting his hair again. Shouta usually doesn’t even like his hair touched, but he’s so insistent on it now that Hiashi knows it’s more for his sake than Shouta’s The gesture is calming, the simple up and down of his fingers through Shouta’s hair matching the pattern Toshinori is rubbing into his other hand. He jumps less as they calm him, but the fear and anxiety still gnaw at his insides.
The movie finally ends and Hizashi tears himself away from his boyfriends to snatch the remote and change the TV to cartoons. He’s gonna be exhausted at work tomorrow, cause he sure as hell ain’t sleeping tonight. They watch random cartoons for a while, some kids shows that people argue about online. When he feels Shouta’s breathing even into a pattern that definitely means he’s asleep, Hizashi turns off the TV and shakes Shouta.
“Hey,” he says, more gently than many would think the Voice Hero capable of, “Go to bed. We’ll meet you there.” Shouta grumbles in assent and pushes himself up off the floor. He starts stripping on his way to the bedroom, carrying his clothes rather than throwing them on the floor like he knows Toshinori hates. Hizashi collects the discarded popcorn and candy bowls, balancing both his and Shouta’s cups in one hand. He should’ve used mugs with handles, ti would have been much easier. Toshinori grabs his empty applesauce pouches and pudding cups and takes his tea cup and the cup with their tea bags in it and makes his way to the kitchen behind Hizashi. Having someone behind him after a movie like It Follows makes his heart race and his breathing come just a bit shorter. Toshinori puts his load on the counter, takes the junk from Hizashi’s arms and puts that next to it, and draws Hizashi into his arms. Hizashi’s hair is down and it tickles his face, but he’s not willing to let go of Toshinori to put it back.
“So what did you think of the movie?” he asks after a few beats of silence. Toshinori chuckles.
“Well I didn’t understand much since I don’t speak English, but I think I got the gist of it,” he says, and Hizashi peels himself back to look at Toshinori incredulously.
“You don’t speak English?” he asks, dumbfounded. The “Plus Ultra” hero, the guy with move names like “Detroit Smash” doesn’t speak English?
“I mean, a little, I guess,” Toshinori scratches the back of his head, “Not enough to understand a movie like that though.” No wonder he hadn’t been freaked out! He had no idea what was going on! Hizashi smacks his shoulder lightly.
“I could’ve put subtitles on, you know,” Hizashi says, smiling wide at Toshinori’s ridiculousness.
“I didn’t want to bother you,” he shrugs,. Hizashi just shakes his head, unbearably fond.
“You can ask me for anything,” he replies, looking Toshinori in the eyes, “Never keep quiet because you’re worried about bothering me.” he pauses a moment and adds, “Or Shouta.” He understand where Toshinori is coming from, ahs listened when he explains his feelings of inadequacy, of worthlessness. But if he can’t “bother” Hizashi with the little things, how will he stand up for himself with big things?
“Okay,” Toshinori agrees, eyes maybe shining a bit in the low light of the kitchen. He finally turns away, tossing out the garbage while Hizashi rinses the cups and puts them in the dishwasher. As they leave the kitchen, Toshinori takes Hizashi’s hand and shoots him a smile. They walk to the bedroom hand in hand, only to find Shouts in his boxers sprawled out face-down on the mattress. The bed was brought over from Toshinori’s old apartment, so it’s big enough to fit the three of them, but somehow Shouta takes up almost all the space with how he’s laying.
Shouta grumbles again when Hizashi prods him rolling over to give them space. They all like being against the wall, because it feels safer to the hero parts of their brains, but Hizashi minds being on the open end the least, so he tries to let Toshinori take his place in the center. But Toshi has a different idea, silently removing Hizashi’s shirt and slacks. He’s pushed down onto the bed and you don’t have to tell him twice to take the middle. He spoons up against Shouta’s back, wrapping his arms around his waist. Toshinori strips himself and climbs in, pressing up against Hizashi’s back and pulling the covers up over the three of them. He lays one arm, bent, on Hizashi’s side, the other shoved somewhere between them.
Hizashi feels… warm. Safe. Sure, Toshinori can’t be Al Might anymore, but he feels like nothing can get him here, between the two men he loves. And isn’t that something huh? Finally having people he loves like this. And who love him back.
When he wakes up from the inevitable nightmares, Shouts has him pet his hair again, and the rhythm of the night lulls him back to sleep. He doesn’t wake up feeling refreshed, but he wakes up knowing he wants to spend the rest of his life with the two men wrapped around him.