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Published:
2020-06-13
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2021-12-29
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Of Art, Medicine, and Technology

Chapter 18: Cuddling with the homies except one of them ain't wearing socks

Notes:

yall thank you so much for 100+ bookmarks AND 100+ subscriptions <33
AND THE 500 KUDOS YOU GUYSSSS WE HIT A HUGE MILESTONE THANK YOU SO MUCH

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

“Tanjirou,” Zenitsu croaked, blinking away the sleep. He stretched his arms over his head, huffing slightly as his bones popped. "Tanjirou," he called again, slightly louder, as he tried to wake up the sleeping boy. He sighed, realizing the younger was in too deep of a sleep to wake up, but the weight of his legs was numbing Zenitsu's thighs. He tried one last time to wake him up, only to give up when the boy didn't even flinch as he shook him.

"Yo," called out a voice from the front, and Zenitsu looked up to see Uzui making eye contact with him through the rearview mirror, a smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. "How's cuddling with Tanjirou going?" He asked, voice low so as not to wake up anyone else. Zenitsu took a moment to look around, noting how everyone had fallen asleep, including Rengoku, and Zenitsu felt a bit of pity for Uzui. The man was left alone with no one to entertain him, even forced to turn off the music due to the blond's sensitive ears, alone with only his thoughts to keep him company. 

The blond rolled his eyes, ignoring the burning in his cheeks as he flicked a dust bunny at the older man. He missed, and it ended up hitting Inosuke, who's snoring hitched before it returned to its irregular pattern. "I would say I'm enjoying it, but he's killing my legs," he replied, squirming under the heavy weight of Tanjirou's limbs. 

Uzui laughed, soft and low, comforting, like the warmth of the sun during a windy day. "Can you hold out for a bit longer? We're almost there," he chuckled. 

Zenitsu shifted, wincing as a prickling sensation ran up his leg. "Yeah, but not much longer." 

The silver-haired man smirked again, coy, a whisper of mystery underlying beneath it. "Be good and sit still Zenitsu."

The heat in the blond’s face increased as he covered his mouth with the back of his hand, breaking eye-contact with Uzui. “What’s with the heavy sexual undertone?” He hissed, still trying to regain control over the flush adorning his cheeks. 

The silver-haired man’s smirk only widened, sly like a fox, enticing, yet dangerous. “I can always count on you to give me a good reaction,” he teased. 

Zenitsu scoffed, laying his palm back down onto Tanjirou’s calf, subconsciously rubbing the the soft tan skin. “If I knew you were gonna be this horny without your girlfriends, I wouldn’t have come,” he retorted, fingers drumming a steady rhythm over Tanjirou’s calf bone. 

“No, you still would have come; you would never miss a chance to hang out with your boyfriends.” 

A beat passed, and Zenitsu heard the click, click, click of the car’s blinker as Uzui prepared to turn right. Once they were under the traffic-lights, he spoke up, saying, “Yeah, you’re right. Even if they weren’t coming, I would have still come. Who would miss a chance to hang out with hot babes at the beach?” He joked, smiling teasingly as he and Uzui once again made eye-contact through the rear-view mirror.

"Wow, and with your boyfriend literally cuddling right next to you? That’s just disrespectful,” he replied, gasping in faux horror. 

The smile fell of Zenitsu’s face, and he looked back down at the tan skin laying on his lap. He chewed on his bottom lip, observing the barely-there stubble he could feel under the pads of his fingertips. He sighed. 

“What’s wrong, Zenitsu?” Uzui asked, playful tone gone, genuine concern and worry lying in its wake.

The blond hesitated, opening his mouth and closing it repeatedly, before he sighed again and whisperer into the cool air of the van, “It hurts, you know?” He began, fingers now playing with the hem of Tanjirou’s shorts. “Hearing you call Inosuke and Tanjirou my boyfriends so easily. Like, it’s never gonna happen, and just the prospect of it even being possible hurts because...what are the chances? You know?”

Uzui sighed, drawing it out, as if he were deflating. He stayed silent for a few moments as they turned into the threshold of the beach, and he parked, pausing, before unbuckling his seatbelt and turning around in his seat to face Zenitsu (at least, to the best of his ability.)

"I do, actually. I know what you mean. But--and I want you to really listen to me here--I really think that you should confess. To both of them," he said, cocking his head in the direction of Inosuke, whose face was pressing against the window, his shallow breaths fogging up the smooth glass. "It might not seem like it to you," he continued, "but it really seems as though they both share your feelings. I'm not entirely sure if they're into each other too, but I think that, for you, they'd be willing to try. And even if they find it doesn't end up working out, you guys can always compromise, like I did." He paused, turning back to face the car's windshield as he turned off the ignition. "Basically, just take your chances, because they seem like they're in your favor."

Zenitsu snorted, pushing off Tanjirou's legs and getting ready to shake him awake again, now that they had arrived. "You better know what you're talking about, or else I'm in for a world of hurt," he replied. 

Uzui grinned, opening his door. "Does that mean you'll do it?" He asked. 

The blond chewed down on his bottom lip, sucking it in between his teeth. He sighed, releasing it from his confines, and smiled sheepishly at the older man. "I mean, yes? Just don't know when, per se." 

Uzui laughed, loud and unabashed, as he stepped out of the van. "I'm excited for you. Let's wake everyone up now, so we can finally go fucking swim."

 

 

Ten minutes later, Zenitsu found himself holding up a sleepy Muichirou while Inosuke shouted at Uzui and Rengoku to hurry up and unpack the van, arms crossed over his exposed chest, foot tapping on the ground impatiently, hair tied back and sunglasses perched atop his head. 

He turned to Zenitsu, flashing him a quick grin before turning back to face Rengoku, who tossed a few bags for him to carry down to the beach. "I'll see you down there," he said, cackling as he raced down towards the sand, choosing a spot for the group. 

"Oh, the energy of the youth," Rengoku sighed, brushing back his hair, a fond smile adorning his tan face. He glanced at the blond, who was still supporting Muichirou, and blinked. "Is he your boyfriend?" He asked him.

Zenitsu blushed, a violent red marking his cheeks as stuttered over his words. "N-no! You've got it all wrong, we're just friends. Besides, he's still a minor," he stammered, turning and hiding his face in the younger's raven locks. All the talking resulted in Muichirou groaning, blearily opening his eyes as he pushed himself off the blond. 

"Do you have to scream all the time?" He scowled, stretching his back and grunting at the pops, clicks, and cracks that resounded from it. He exhaled, pouting slightly, before shaking his head and grabbing Zenitsu's hand, forcing him to follow as they raced down to meet up with Inosuke, who was setting down the towels. "Let's go before they make us help them."

Rengoku, blinked, slightly confused, before calling out to Uzui, who was enlisting Tanjirou's help. "Are they really not dating?" He asked. 

The silver-haired man shrugged, wiping sweat off his brow as he squinted to watch the two run down the hill, hand-in-hand. "I mean, they aren't but, who knows? Maybe one of 'em's into the other." Uzui contemplated this for a moment, glancing over at an extra-quiet Tanjirou, and began to laugh, albeit a little nervously. "I doubt it, though, I'm sure Zenitsu's not interested in him anyway." 

"I guess you're right. He does often complain about Muichirou's age...Oh well, I was just wondering." Rengoku hiked a bag over his shoulder, grabbing the large cooler filled with refreshments, leaving the box of snacks for Uzui to carry and the rest of the bags with Tanjirou. The three of them made their way down to meet up with Inosuke, Tanjirou, and Zenitsu, who were sitting under an umbrella, waiting for them. 

"Sorry for the wait!" Tanjirou called out, smiling brightly as he placed down the bags, Uzui and Zenitsu setting up chairs for them to rest on. 

Inosuke walked to the maroon-haired teen's side, peeking over his shoulder as he searched for his backpack. "Where's mine," he asked, pushing aside the other bags as he continued to look for his own. "Oi, Gonpachiro, didn't you say you'd bring it down?"

"Yeah--"

"Then where is it?" He interrupted, scowling. 

"Hey," Zenitsu scolded. "Stop being pissy and let him talk. Maybe then you'll find it," he finished, rolling his eyes as he pulled his own bag towards his body. He unzipped it, ruffling through the items and dragging out his swim trunks. He smiled to himself when his hand hit a notebook, eyeing Muichirou, who was ruffling through his own bag. Zenitsu dragged out the notebook, and tucked it behind him, only looking up when a shadow loomed over him. 

"Hello," said a tall man, long hair encompassing his stoic face, eyes big and boring into the very depths of the blond's soul.

Zenitsu blinked, once, twice, three times, before nodding his head in acknowledgement. "Hello," he greeted back. "Um, you're Giyuu, right? I've spoken to you a couple times before."

"Yes," came the curt response. "You are the loud blond from the freshman floor. This is my boyfriend Sabito," he introduced, bringing a hand up to point towards a slightly shorter man with peach hair, who waved at him. 

"Uh, yeah, I remember him." A pause. "We've met before?" No one spoke. "Uzui introduced me to you guys when you kissed at the fountain!" 

"Ohh, I remember that!" Sabito exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "It's nice to formally meet you," he smiled, extending his hand out for a handshake. 

Zenitsu grabbed his hand, and allowed himself to be pulled up to his feet, greeting both of them before the couple went to greet the rest of the group. He shuffled around, watching (like a creep) as everyone undressed, Rengoku's sun-kissed thighs being revealed to the warm, humid air of the beach, Uzui's profound pecs flexing as he pulled off his shirt, Inosuke's abs glistening in the summer heat from where he exposed them, Tanjirou's surprisingly prominent back muscles bulging as he worked off his clothes, Muichirou's flat, ever-so-slightly defined stomach and long, slim legs.

Zenitsu down on his bottom lip, looking down at his body. His hand massaged the sides of his stomach, squeezing, furrowing his brows at the skin that slipped through his fingers. He prodded the skin there, frowning at the layer of pudge layered over his stomach. Zenitsu looked back up at Rengoku and Uzui's muscular bodies, abdomens flat and covered with a layer of tightened abs. 

He chose to keep his shirt on. 

"So," Uzui began, hands resting on his hips. "What do you guys wanna do first?" 

Inosuke opened his mouth to respond, but before he could get anything out, Zenitsu cut in and shouted "Beach volleyball! Teams are Tanjirou and Inosuke, me and Muichirou."

Giyuu furrowed his brows. "What about the rest of us?" He asked. 

The blond waved him off as he pulled Muichirou closer, pushing the almost-forgotten Mission Notebook they made together towards him. He ignored the younger's quiet snort in lieu of responding to the older man. "I don't care about you guys, go on whatever team you'd like." 

"Bruh." 

Uzui laughed, clapping his hand onto Rengoku's shoulder, who was silently shaking his head in mild disappointment. "Fine then, I'll be with Muichirou and Zenitsu." 

"I'll join you," added Sabito, walking over to the silver-haired man. They grinned, shaking hands, a glint in their eyes as they stood side-by-side. 

"Me and Kyojurou will be with Tanjirou and...Inosuke, then," Giyuu said, hesitating when he noticed the strong glares the younger two were throwing at each other.  "Um. Does anyone have a ball or...?" 

"Oh! Yeah, it's right here," Sabito said in response, grabbing the inflatable beach ball off the sandy ground and tossing it over to his boyfriend. 

"Okay," Uzui grinned. "Let's play!"

Notes:

the more i write, just in general, the more i realize i am TERRIBLE at ending things lmfao

(also, potentially 3 more fanfics coming out, idk when, or if i will actually post them, but look out for them, if i do)