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

15

"Listen, Shota," Hizashi sat next down to him on the park bench. 

"What?" Shota leaned up against the armrest to the park bench and rubbed his temple. Messy hair bun and sweatpants strike again. 

"I, uhm," Hizashi rubbed his arm and adjusted his ponytail. "I like you." 

"What?" Shota sat up straight and turned his head. His neck almost gave him whiplash.

"Will you date me?" he asked, with only the utmost sincerity. 

"Are you serious?" Shota's face was deadpanned but his heart was out of his chest and in an air balloon somewhere. 

"Sorry..." He folded his hands and looked at the ground. "I thought you-... never mind then, I'll just-" he stood up. 

Shota grabbed his hand. "Wait, no, I'm sorry, I just...why? Why do you like me? I'm not very...interesting...? No, wait, sorry," he let go of Hizashi's hand and he sat down again. 

"Shota," Hizashi grabbed his hands and faced him. "I think you're very attractive and a lot kinder than people assume. I think it's really cute you have a kind of scruffy look." He placed his hand on Shota's chin and lightly tapped his few chin hairs. "But, you haven't actually answered my question." 

"I like you," Shota blurted out. "Too, I mean, so yes...sorry, I'm acting like such a teenager." 

"You're very adorable," Hizashi smiled, grabbing Shota's face. 

"There is something I need to tell you though," Shota said. "I haven't been in a relationship." 

"With a guy? That's okay-" 

"No, like ever," Shota corrected. "I'm an adult virgin," he blurted out. "Never. Not one relationship." 

"I thought Shinso was your-" 

"Mmm, no," Shota shook his head slightly. "He is my son, yes, but not biologically." 

"Oh, well," Hizashi adjusted his hair again. "If it makes you feel better, I uhm, I haven't really had many intimate relationships either..." 

"Really? But you're so..." Shota turned to make eye contact properly. 

"So?" 

"Very beautiful." 

"Really?" Hizashi blushed. 

"I really, really like you," Shota said. "I've never actually properly admitted that to myself, you know? My entire life, I just kept things to myself." 

"You don't have to keep things to yourself anymore," Hizashi grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "I'm here now." 

Shota pulled Hizashi closer and hugged him. "You're really great, you know?" 

"Oh, I'm not that great." 

"No,  you're pretty great." 

"Thank you." 

...

"What are you doing?" Shota walked through the door to see Shinso and Denki getting their hair done by Eri. 

"We're obviously becoming beautiful princesses, duh," Shinso said, rolling his eyes. 

"Move over, I want a braid," Hizashi brushed past Shota and sat down in front of Eri. "Also, who is this cute child?" 

"My name is Eri." 

"Hello, Eri," he smiled. 

"She is our daughter," Denki announced. 

"Really now?" Hizashi raised an eyebrow in Shota's direction. 

"Yes, I've claimed her," Denki hugged her. 

"Isn't that...abduction?" Hizashi asked. 

"Hey, uhm," Shinso grabbed Shota's arm and dragged him into the next room. He closed the door. "Eri's parents are dead." 

"Wait, what?" Shota's jaw dropped. 

"She has been wandering around for months on the streets. She hasn't told me any of this but," Shinso showed him the article. 

"Oh god," Shota grabbed the article and read it, not fully believing it. 

"What do we do?" 

"We have to go to the police, or something, I don't know," Shota ran his hands through his hair. "But we are going to keep her." 

"Really?" Shinso stared. 

"Being in the system is fucked up, okay?" Shota pointed at the ground. "She can stay here but we have to go through the legal processes...somehow." 

"Okay, yeah, right," Shinso nodded. "Of course. Where is she going to sleep though? This is just an apartment..." 

Hizashi knocked on the door before opening it. His hair was done up in many different braids. "Are you two okay? What's going on?" 

"We don't have a place...for, uhm, Eri to sleep," Shota stated. "And," he closed the door behind Hizashi. "Her parents are dead so I'm going to court and getting permission to adopt her." 

"Okay, that's a lot to process, but I might have one solution?" 

"What's that?" 

"Live with me?" Hizashi laughed awkwardly. "My apartment isn't that much bigger but I do have like four rooms." 

"Are you really okay with that?" Shota crossed his arms. "You've known us like three days total and we just started-" 

"You two are dating?" Shinso gestured between them. 

"Yes," Hizashi smiled. 

"Congratulations," Shinso placed his hand on Shota's shoulder. "I'm so proud of you." 

"Why are you acting like you're my parent?" Shota frowned. 

"Because I didn't think you'd ever get this far," Shinso laughed. 

"What is that supposed to mean?" 

"I'm just proud of you, that's all," Shinso wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. 

"At least I didn't wait my entire life before asking out my childhood friend," Shota rolled his eyes. 

"Look, we got there, okay? And technically I don't think I ever asked him out I just waited for him to notice me. So you're doing much better than me already," Shinso gave a thumbs up. 

"You're hopeless," Shota chuckled. 

"I know but that's perfectly okay because I'm not single and hopeless," he grinned. 

"You're still hopeless." 

"But I'm not single."