To Be Devoted Like a Yellow Rose [Roses are Red, Violets are...Purple? Part 3]

3

"Are you here to get some flowers for your girlfriend?" Izuku asked Denki as he walked into Sophia, the flower shop Izuku's family ran. 

"How did you know about-" Denki asked, bewildered. 

"Shinso was in here a few days ago," Izuku smiled. "He asked me to give you this, now that I think about it," Izuku ran behind the counter and pulled out a single yellow rose. He handed it to Denki. "Are you two okay? It's rare to see you apart."

"Why a rose?" Denki looked at the flower, confused. Weren't roses romantic? Was this his apology? But, Denki was the one that needed to apologize and he hadn't come across Shinso recently. He was always out with his new boyfriend. It was lonely, but Denki didn't understand why. Being with Kyouka was fun and everything but...he missed Shinso. 

"Yellow roses symbolize devotion and friendship," Izuku explained. "Did you two have a fight?" 

"Not exactly," Denki sighed. "He didn't tell me he was gay...I found out about it when I caught him kissing his boyfriend in the park." Realizing just after he said it that Shinso had scolded him about it being his own secret to tell and not anyone else's, Denki slapped his hand over his mouth and his face grew pale. This wasn't going to help him patch things up!

"It's okay," Izuku read Denki's mind. "I already knew." 

"You did?" Denki felt his chest squeeze up. Someone else knew besides him? Did Shinso tell Izuku but not his best friend?

"He didn't tell me outright but..." Izuku scratched his cheek. "I can pick up on this stuff pretty well." Izuku sighed and crossed his arms. "I think if you apologize from the heart he should forgive you for whatever it was that you did. It's hard to tell people about what you're going through because people always expect you to know for certain. Sometimes sexuality is fluid, and no one knows for sure 100% what word fits them the best all the time, especially in the beginning. Don't take this too personally, okay?" Izuku's smile warmed Denki's bones. He nodded, trying to think about this more positively. 

"Now, what kind of flowers did you want for your new girlfriend?" Izuku beamed. 

...

"You look like shit," Neito observed. 

"I always look like shit, thanks for noticing," Shinso raised an eyebrow and yawned. "What do you want?" 

"I want to go on a date!" 

"Oh, was that today?" Shinso yawned again and opened the door to his house. Neito walked in. 

"You forgot about our plans? How evil," Neito snickered. "Still haven't patched things up with your beloved Denki, I take it?" 

"I don't sleep well on a good day, don't take it personally," Shinso wandered back into his room and started stripping out of his clothes. The moment he took off his t-shirt, Neito hugged him from behind and kissed in between his shoulder blades. 

"What are you doing?" Shinso asked, feeling Neito's hands move down his chest. 

"I'm not like your sweet little Denki," Neito explained. "I'm not dumb, innocent, or kind and if I want something I'm going to try and get it." 

"I don't love you," Shinso stated simply, not intending it to be harsh or blunt, he just said it because it was true. 

"I'm not asking you to love me," Neito's hands stopped right above Shinso's hemline. "I'm just telling you not to feel guilty for using me. I'm giving you permission so if you want to get rid of some pent-up desires..." Neito removed his hands and placed them behind his back. He took a step away from Shinso and grinned, staring at him. "I don't mind." 

"Okay," Shinso turned around and cupped Neito's face in his hand. He stared at his lips and moved his face closer to his. "If you really don't mind then..." Their faces were so close the two were practically breathing the same air. An image of Denki flashed into his mind. Shinso pulled away. "I'm sorry, I can't-" 

"That's okay," Neito cut off the rest of his apology. "I'm willing to wait." 

...

The two were holding hands and walking through the park. Kyouka smiled at Denki. "When you asked me out, I was completely shocked," she confessed. "I thought for sure you and Shinso were dating." 

"What?" Denki spat out his soda. "Why?" 

"Well," she began, "I guess it's just because you two always hang out together? I don't know. Something about it just felt like you two were a good couple." 

"He...actually is in a relationship with someone else," Denki confessed. 

"Really?" Kyouka's eyes widened. "You don't sound too pleased." 

"It came as a shock, I wasn't expecting it," Denki realized. Maybe he wasn't shocked that Shinso was gay. Maybe he was confused that Shinso was gay...and didn't like him...he stopped walking when this idea came to his mind. That couldn't be it, right? The image of those two kissing definitely felt weird but he thought that was just because he'd never really seen two guys kiss before. Could there be something more to this? He shook his head. Of course not, he liked Kyouka, right? Her dark hair, stoic expression, the way her eyeliner was stronger on the lower part of her eyes- wait...didn't all of these things apply to Shinso too? Except for the eye liner part but Shinso had pretty bad bags... But he couldn't be gay! He liked girls! 

"Denki?" Kyouka stared at him. "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah, sorry," he smiled. "I'm kind of out of it." 

...

Shinso could see Denki and Kyouka from where they were sitting at this cafe. The two of them walking through the park all lovey-dovey. It made his insides churn. He hated how jealous he was. Turning his attention back to Neito, he noticed some similarities in appearance. Mostly, Neito's hair was blonde but not the same shade as Denki's. The more he stared the less he could find. The two were completely different. 

"Do you like what you see?" he smiled, looking up from his coffee. 

More images of Kyouka and Denki flashed in his mind. Holding hands. Kissing. Other things...that they might or might not do. What if they stayed together? Got married? Had a family? Where was Shinso supposed to fit in in all of that? He gripped his cup tightly and gritted his teeth. 

"You don't have to hold back, I told you that, remember?" Neito smiled. Shinso hated the way his eyes looked at him as if he could see straight into his heart. He felt as if he was being dissected as if he were nothing but a science experiment. But he hated feeling left behind even more. Shinso leaned forward and grabbed Neito's shirt collar, pulling him toward himself and kissing him. He kept thinking about Denki so he tried to fill his mind with something else instead, not realizing how passionately he could do this for someone rather inexperienced. 

"S-Shinso..." Neito pushed him away lightly. 

"Sorry," Shinso apologized. 

"No, it's not that, it's just," Neito glanced to the side. "If you kissed me any longer we might have a problem," he glanced down at his own crotch and avoided eye contact. 

"Oh, oh, sorry," Shinso backed away, slightly flustered. 

"What do you say we go back to your house?" Neito grinned. 

"I'd rather not. I have some things to think about," Shinso sighed. 

"Okay," his smile never wavered which only made Shinso uncomfortable.