Chapter Text
3:31 am
Makoto wasn’t sure when his more-than-little crush on Ritsu Sakuma began. He figured, embarrassingly, that it had to be around when Ritsu blew on his ear during Sunflower Live. It sent chills down his entire body. Afterwards, Makoto had looked over at Ritsu with a bright red face and saw Ritsu grinning back at him. He had caught a glimpse of Ritsu’s sharp fangs, and…
Makoto remembered the way his heart skipped a beat.
…He’d never tell a soul that that was likely the moment he started to like Ritsu, though.
Regardless of when it began, in the past year he started to see Ritsu differently— as more than just Mao’s other, slightly scary, best friend.
He even used to be jealous of Ritsu. Mao gave Ritsu almost all of his attention, and for the longest time Makoto didn’t understand why. Their relationship seemed so draining.
Over time, however, Makoto realized that Ritsu is just the kind of person you want to devote your entire life to.
He now understood why Mao gave Ritsu so much of his time— and Makoto found himself wishing again and again that he was the one taking care of Ritsu instead of Mao. That instead of Maakun, Maakun~ it was Yuuchan, Yuuchan~ .
…This all was much to Makoto’s chagrin, however, because he felt terrible about feeling this way. How could he have a crush on his best friend’s best friend!
If Mao ever found out… He wasn’t sure if Mao would kill him or never speak to him again. He’d rather Mao kill him!
But the small, hopeful part of Makoto tried to believe that maybe Mao wouldn’t be upset. Maybe he’d just be surprised! And after the initial shock, maybe he would love the idea of his two best friends together… Then Mao could set them up on a date!
Ritsu and he would hit it off, fall in love, get married, and Mao would be both of their best man…
…Makoto was delusional.
He could count the number of meaningful conversations he’s had with Ritsu on one hand, how could Ritsu possibly like him back?
Makoto was the weird one for having a crush on someone who probably doesn’t even know the first thing about him— aside from the small interactions they’ve had throughout the years because of their units or Craftmonster or otherwise. And from whatever Mao and Izumi say about him, that is.
…Ritsu probably doesn’t even think twice about him. Why would he? Everyone else in Ritsu’s life was more interesting, funny, attractive, worthy of his attention…
…
Makoto let out a sigh, not liking where his train of thought was heading. When he zoned back into his surroundings, he remembered he was in the Starmory Dorm kitchen. The digital clock on the wall read 3:42 am. Why was he in the kitchen again?
His stomach growled angrily, as if to answer his question.
…Oh. Duh. He got hungry. His hand rubbed his empty stomach as he walked over to the fridge. Using his other hand he pulled the fridge door open to look inside, leaning down to take a closer look. There wasn’t much of anything in there, much less that wasn’t already someone else’s.
Makoto groaned at the lack of selection, feeling himself grow hungrier. He didn’t hear the footsteps coming up from behind him.
“...Boo.”
“Eep!”
Makoto jumped out of his skin over the sudden voice in his ear and the hands that grabbed at his sensitive hips. He whipped his head around to see who the source of the scare was.
When he met the gaze of striking red eyes, butterflies replaced any fear in his gut. Albeit his heart still beat out of his chest— just for different reasons.
“Ah, Ritsu-kun~!”
Any attempt to hide his affection for Ritsu failed miserably right off the bat, just by the way he said Ritsu’s name. Makoto’s rosy cheeks didn’t help his cover, either. Makoto averted his eyes upon realizing this and promptly turned back towards the fridge to close it. Crap.
Nervously, he cleared his throat and hesitantly turned his head back towards Ritsu, trying to not sound so giddy when he spoke this time.
“Um, I’m just glad it’s just you and not someone dangerous…!”
Makoto found it difficult to meet Ritsu’s eyes, so he found an interesting spot on the floor to look at instead.
“Don’t scare me like that this late at night, I didn’t know who you were…!”
He continued.
“Sorry~,”
Ritsu started, letting out a small giggle.
“Couldn't help it… I’m always the only one awake so I got excited… hehe.”
Then the black-haired person seemed to appear out of thin air on the other side of Makoto, making the blonde jolt again.
“Why are you up so late tonight anyway, Yuuchan? Playing games?”
Ritsu asked curiously.
Yuuchan.
Makoto loved that Ritsu started calling him that. He figured it was only because Mao had told Ritsu to stop calling him Yuukun, because of, well, Makoto’s bad associations with the name , but Makoto still liked what Ritsu came up with to replace it. It made him feel cutesy.
However, Makoto also had heard once that Ritsu only gave people he really liked a nickname. He always wondered if that was true. The thought made his cheeks feel warmer than they already were.
“Ah, yeah… Being up late gaming is kind of my usual, though, heh.”
Makoto let out a small, awkward laugh.
Ugh, why are you like this?
Makoto thought, internally scrutinizing himself as he often did.
He needed new hobbies. How would Ritsu ever find him attractive when all he does is play video games? Ritsu probably thought he was the type to have gross Doritos dust fingers!
…Wait, did he right now? With a quick glance to his hands, Makoto checked his fingers. All clean. Phew.
“I just came down here to get something to eat…”
With perfect timing, Makoto’s stomach growled again.
Makoto opened the fridge again to peek back into the depressingly empty state of it. Ritsu glanced over Makoto’s shoulder to peek inside the fridge in turn.
They both frowned at the selection.
Makoto spoke again.
“But, err… There’s nothing really to eat, and I don’t feel like cooking, so…”
Makoto pushed the fridge door closed again, sighing defeatedly.
“I guess I don’t know what my plan is now?”
He turned to Ritsu then, eyes awkwardly flitting between him and the kitchen.
“Were you going to cook something, or…?”
Makoto asked, not really thinking anything of the question.
The corners of Ritsu’s lips turned up in response.
“Why? Is Yuuchan going to ask me to cook for him, too~?”
Ritsu held his hands folded behind his back, then tilted his head cutely.
“Like a housewife? Asking a lot of someone you don’t know too well, hm?”
Makoto felt all of his blood rush up to his head like a cartoon character whose ears were about to start blowing steam.
“ W-What?!”
Makoto’s voice squeaked.
“No, no, that’s really not what I meant!”
He shook his head and hands vehemently, eyes widened.
“I promise! I just…!”
The intensity of his fluster died off as he came to an embarrassingly late realization. He lowered his hands to his sides.
“You’re… not being serious, are you.”
“Nooope.”
Ritsu singsonged.
“Poor thing. You ought to learn to notice these things faster, being so easy to poke fun at and all. Someone less kind than me might really mess with you, you know?”
…Makoto figured that Ritsu wasn’t actually lecturing him, now that he knew that Ritsu was just joking around, but he felt Ritsu’s words pierce through him regardless. Makoto laughed it all off, as he always did.
“Eheh, I know, I know…”
Makoto scratched his neck sheepishly. He wished he came across as cooler than this.
…There was a pause as he realized how important it was to change the subject before he let his thoughts sour his mood. His crush was right here, talking to him, and it was just the two of them in a room? At night?!
He could think about his own pitfalls in the darkness of his dorm room later! For now, focus on the quest at hand, Makoto! Romance him!
He felt a surge of courage after that uncharacteristic decision of his, and he took a small breath before standing up a little straighter.
…He still couldn’t look Ritsu in the eyes for more than a few seconds at a time, but progress is progress.
“Anyway, I was, um, just going to ask if you wanted to go out to get something to eat? Since there’s nothing here…?”
Makoto looked at Ritsu expectantly, not noticing how tightly he was clenching his body.
Ritsu could see that tension very clearly, though. He held back a laugh at how stiff Makoto looked, but a fond smile formed on his face nonetheless.
“...With you?”
Ritsu asked plainly, with big eyes.
“Uh…”
Makoto flustered, like he hadn’t realized that was the natural progression from his previous bold statement. This was harder than the way RPGs made it seem…
“Yes!”
He beamed with a sudden forced confidence.
“With you. With me, I mean. Come with me.”
Woah there, Makoto, too bold! He promptly backtracked— So much for the confidence.
“O-Only if you would want to, of course! I’m sure you have other dinner options, so…”
Makoto trailed off.
Ritsu shook his head, quickly denying that he had other options. Even if he did, he didn’t seem to care about them then.
“I would love to.”
Ritsu offered in that sweet, mellow voice of his. He smiled, genuine and soft, looking right into Makoto’s eyes— despite the fact that Makoto couldn’t meet his gaze for long.
Makoto felt the fluttering in his own chest pick up. It was lighter than before, though… More welcome in his body, and less nerve wracking.
Ritsu was getting food with him! It was like an unofficial date!
He felt affection swell in his chest.
Ritsu-kun wants to hang out with me alone?! I’m the luckiest guy in the world!
…Then, the object of his affection spoke up again. Ritsu’s smile turned up mischievously, unable to resist messing with Makoto some more.
“But isn’t Yuuchan bold…,”
Ritsu’s red eyes lidded. Makoto shivered at the sight.
“Asking a vampire to eat with him in the middle of the night…”
Ritsu slowly took a step forward, a sly grin forming on his lips. Makoto’s heart jumped into his throat, but he firmly held his ground. Impressed by Makoto’s resolve, Ritsu took another step further as he finished his sentence.
“Aren’t you scared that you’ll become the meal…? ♡”
Brandishing his fangs and ghosting his hands by Makoto’s waist, Ritsu leaned forward until he was mere inches away from Makoto’s neck. Ritsu was close enough for Makoto to feel his abnormally cool breath on his skin.
A cold sweat broke out on Makoto’s body. His heart tripled its pace. All functional processes in the blonde’s brain began to short circuit, and his thoughts flooded with a few different responses to Ritsu’s taunt…
…Most of which were along the lines of—
Oh god, I wish, Ritsu-kun! I wish to God! All the blood in my body is yours if you want it! Take it all! Take me!
…
…Jesus, what on EARTH was he thinking?!
Then, Ritsu pulled away. Makoto, with his hugely widened eyes, barely noticed that Ritsu’s own cheeks were rosy.
“Heh. Maakun would yell at me if he saw me messing with you like this, huh…”
Ritsu smiled to himself, amused.
“Well, let’s get going. I really am hungry.”
…
What the hell! What the hell was that?! Does Ritsu want me to pretend like that didn’t just happen?!
Makoto’s head was spinning, but he managed a shaky nod in response to Ritsu. Makoto would have to think about what just happened later. And he would for the rest of his life, probably. Even if Ritsu was just joking around…
Was he joking around? Why did that feel like flirting? That couldn’t be possible, right?
When Makoto spoke up again, he couldn’t stop his voice from wavering.
“Anyway… W-Where would you want to go? Aha… I’m not sure what’s even open right now…”
Makoto checked the digital clock on the wall. 3:56 am.
“Err… the convenience store has sushi?”
Ritsu shrugged at the suggestion, seeming pleased enough.
“Fine with me~”