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Choji Tomiyama could count on one hand the number of times he had ever been nervous. He was strong, a force to be reckoned with, and worthy of recognition. He stood amongst the strongest of the strongest and would never back down from a fight, no matter how dire the situation was. He was very aware of this fact, and so was the team that would back him up. So why was he so nervous? Why did he hesitate when it came to Togame, his second on command? Was it because of all the time they spent acting like idiots, pretending that everything was okay when, in reality, their team was falling apart? Or was it because of how Togame would look at him in the idle hours of the night when everyone had already gone home, and it was just the two of them on the Ori's roof?
He wouldn't deny the warmth building up in his stomach every time the taller teen put him on his shoulders after a fight, strong arms lifting him with pride. His chest would be puffed up, and he would walk with the confidence of someone who knew he had everything he ever wanted in his arms. That was when Choji would feel his cheeks heating up with more than adrenaline, and his hands would pursue after Togame's shoulders, stabilizing himself to stand tall and shout with all his might, claiming the victory they earned. It was exhilarating and made him feel like he could run a whole marathon twice- No, thrice in a row! No breaks, no water. He only needed the excitement powering his small body and that pair of green eyes chasing after him, following his movements with fondness. It was so easy to get lost in that feeling and to pursue it with intensity, knowing that there would always be someone waiting for him at the finish line with open arms. And maybe that's why he was so nervous, why his enthusiasm had been substituted for sweaty palms and unsure steps. After all, he was planning his first date with Togame after their fight with Furin.
He didn't like other groups defining his actions, but the beating he took from Umemiya had restarted him and kicked him straight to fabric settings. That fight had made him change his perspective, and now that he was looking back to his past actions and how he acted toward his team and Jo, he decided that he had been acting stupid and pulling his men back. Fixing the team hadn't been easy, but not impossible. Most, if not all, the guys came around after a litany of apologies, and soon the old "Cage" was empty and ready to be used as a... Well, he wasn't exactly sure what he would do with that or the many other empty rooms in the Ori, but at least the place had lost its hunted vibe, like the room to store all his mistakes and regrets. Anyway, the team was returning stronger than ever, but Choji still felt the thorn in his side, like not everything had been fixed. There was one last thing to take care of, and that was his second-in-command: Jo.
Yes, it was true that Jo looked more energetic, or as lively as one could get to see him out of the fighting realm, but it was progress still, one of Choji's joys. Seeing his eyes light up like the morning forest with the first rays of sunshine instead of sharp, jade daggers looking down at anyone who wasn't Choji reminded him of their progress and how much they had grown. Jo had cut his hair, too, or instead, he put a pair of scissors in Choji's hands and told him he wanted him to cut his hair. The brunette tried to play off the warm feeling growing in his chest and expanding throughout his body right back to the fingertips that were making contact with Togame's hand. Of course, he failed miserably when he thought about the implications: Togame gave him the power to alter his appearance to his liking, to change him. He had felt his eyes water and his hands tremble a little under the tool's weight, unable to comprehend why or how Togame could find new ways to show just how much trust he had in Choji. The older teen only laughed softly, his eyes equally watery, and brought him towards him in a tight embrace, murmuring that he didn't mind if Choji didn't know what to do; he would like it regardless. Choji's curls had muffled the sound of his voice, but the rumble of his chest soothed him nonetheless, and that day, they spent the rest of the afternoon cutting Jo's hair, black strands of hair falling on the floor with each snip. Honestly, the brunette was proud of the result, and so was Jo, judging by the way he would show off his new haircut, rubbing the now bare back of his head when a compliment from a team member made him shy.
Just thinking about that day made him feel fuzzy, full of warmth, but did little to decrease his nerves. Knowing that Togame did so much for him only increased his anxiety and reminded him that he wanted to do something even greater to even begin to show how much Jo's feelings were reciprocated. Choji wanted Togame to feel loved and cared for, to compensate for all the months of abandonment and uncertainty. Therefore, he needed to pour all his love on this date, their very first after getting their shit together. Choji had been the one to mention it, maybe in a fickle moment of bravery, and when he saw Togame stumble for a moment, looking for the right words to reply, he knew he had to follow through and take his boyfriend on the best date ever.
"You don't gotta do all that, Cho," Togame had said, fumbling with the empty ramune bottle in his hand. Choji knew he resorted to that tactic when he was nervous, but there had been very few times when he actually got to see Jo lower his gaze with embarrassment due to the unexpected request.
"Nonsense, you deserve it, Kame-chan. I'll take you to the finest restaurant you could ask for!" Yeah, okay, maybe that was a lie. There was only so much money in his pocket, but he was sure he would spend it all, no questions asked, on whatever place Togame wanted. An amused laugh left Togame's lips, and Choji smiled in return, happy to make him smile.
"I think the local restaurants will be enough. I don't really like that fancy stuff or bein' in a stuffy suit, you know," Togame agreed, and Choji nodded excitedly. It didn't matter if Togame asked for food truck tacos; he would ensure they were the best he could offer! He had been planning the date after that, forcing his brain to focus on the details and ensure everything went according to plan. Of course, that included no fights with another gang, no matter how much Inugami seemed to pout once the guys informed him all they would be doing was training. The rest of them were happy to have a day off and followed Tomiyama's orders, even going as far as pulling out the old training equipment while their leader spent the day running around the district to buy a specific hard-to-find type of ramune Jo loved to drink.
Although they ended up settling for a buffet as their dining spot, Choji went through the effort to make a reservation despite the owner's constant reassurances that yes, he knew him and Togame, the nice young man who often played Shogi with him, and wouldn't mind setting aside a table away from customers so they could have privacy. Also, buffets don't really do reservations. Nevertheless, Choji left the place with a smile, thankful for the owner's kindness. The man smiled at him knowingly, throwing one last goodbye wave in his direction, making Choji briefly wonder what type of conversations Jo had with his little Shogi group. He didn't ponder on that for any more time than necessary, considering that he had other things to worry about, and went on about his day.
Childish excitement bubbled in his chest as the sun began to drop, knowing that the time for their date was close. He returned to the Ori, feeling his hands slightly clammy due to the nerves. His team's absence made him think they knew what was happening and wanted to offer the two leaders privacy. Choji mentally thanked them, relieved that he wouldn't have to endure the teasing grins and comments. It was just Togame waiting for him in that building, expecting him to appear through those doors any second. Choji sighed, encouraging himself to just do itand trust himself not to fuck it up again. He opened the door and walked through the quiet rows of red seats, discretely wiping his hands on his pants. Togame was nowhere in sight, so he was on the roof, probably enjoying his free time after the guys went home. The blonde went upstairs, a ramune bottle hidden in his jacket.
"Kame-chan, are ya ready?!" he tried to mask his nervousness, but when his eyes met Jo's, he felt a blush spread through his ears all the way to the tip of his nose. Togame waved at him, his Shishitoren jacket replaced by a casual attire and a smile plastered on his face.
Almost immediately, Choji felt the worry leaving his body, being substituted by giddiness that started in his stomach and expanded to his chest, ready to burst at any given moment. He beamed with happiness. The blush in his cheeks felt ten times stronger as he handed the ramune bottle to Jo, who took it carefully. Choji could see his eyes lighting up, the forest of his gaze now on full display since he stopped wearing his glasses. He looked grateful and maybe as ecstatic as Choji was but in a collected manner. Togame had always been like that, the balm that cooled Choji's burning excitement, like a cold bottle of ramune on a sunny day. However, the subtle way his eyes would soften and the slightest blush adorning his cheeks would always give away his true feelings, and Choji couldn't help but feel proud knowing that part of Togame was reserved for his eyes only, just like all his love and care was reserved for the black-haired teen.
"Yeah, I'm ready, Cho," replied Togame. He started to get up from his spot under the shade and walked towards Choji, who did not hesitate to reach out for his hand and intertwine his fingers with Togame's. He looked up at him, just to quickly pretend he didn't catch Jo staring at their hands but wondering what was going through his mind and if maybe he also had a million thoughts going through his mind, clashing and battling but so full of love and dizzying happiness. The blonde slightly tightened his grip as if letting Togame know this was real and they were in a better place. Their eyes met again; that was all Tomiyama needed to pull Jo along.
"This is gonna be the best date ever, I promise!"