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cyberaxolotl · 7 months ago

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Hinata’s Confession

SoS:3oT Romance/Fluff

Warnings: None

AO3 Description: With enough love in his heart to push him into action, Hinata gets ready to take the first step, wanting a relationship with Yuzuki, with just a little bit of help.

Words: 3.9k

Illustrations: 0 in fic, 1 cover art

See AO3 version for more specific tagging

Fic and cover art below the cut

It had been a quiet Thursday in the boarding house. Hinata was taking his day off in a slow way, cooped in the kitchen by a cookbook, studying several recipes.

The nearby door slid open, grabbing his attention. “Sumomo! How was school?” He greeted his young housemate, watching her drop an overflowing backpack onto the floor nearby.

“School was really good today! Miss Kasumi said that it seems like handwriting has “clicked” for me!” The young girl pulled out a few papers, held together by a paper clip. “She said that if I can do this test really well, I can move on to the next subject!”

“Hey, that’s what I like to hear! Good job.” He smiled at her as she came up to the counter.

“Are you getting ready for dinner? Ooh, can we have oden sometime soon?”

“Hm… If you pass this test, I’ll be right on it! But not tonight, I’m figuring out the recipe for yomogi dumplings.” He turned back to the book, making mental note of the ingredients he’d need to pick up.

“Then I’m definitely gonna pass this test, and I’m gonna pass it good!” She cheered, then paused. “I didn’t know you liked yomogi dumplings.”

“I don’t. Or, no, I don’t dislike ‘em, they’re just not my favorite.” He put the book down, pulling a notepad from his belt to actually write the ingredients down. “But they ARE Yuzuki’s favorite!”

“Ooh, is Yuzuki coming over sometime?” Sumomo looked excited at the notion of having someone over.

Suddenly, Hinata closed the book. “I needa talk to you about that, actually.” He turned around and walked up to talk to her. “Y’know when a couple of people really love each other, they start dating? Being boyfriends, girlfriends, or boyfriend and girlfriend?” He got a confirming nod. “Well, I’m gonna ask Yuzuki to… be MY boyfriend.” He struggled for a moment, realizing it was his first time saying it out loud.

The young girl gasped. “You are!? Oh, my gosh, yay!”

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a confession pendant. “I wanna ask him on my next day off, but asking someone to be your boyfriend is something that’s gotta be done in private, just the two of us. Would you be able to hang around in the store or with Tatsumi and Yaichi until we’re done?”

“I can! I’ll ask Tatsumi and Yaichi if I can spend Monday after school with them!” She nodded excitedly, beaming. “You and Yuzuki are gonna make the perfect boyfriends!”

He reached forward and petted her head. “I’m glad you think so. Now get to that test, I’ve got an actual dinner to make us!”

Sumomo happily turned and walked off, letting Hinata prepare to actually start cooking. He could feel her excitement bouncing on him, and felt a bout of confidence for what he’d do in a few days. And he was really going to need it- the anxiety was worse than any show he’d ever done before.

~~~~~~

Monday, approaching 5PM. Having yesterday asked Yuzuki to come by, and knowing that he would be there soon, Hinata nervously set up two bowls of chirashi sushi. There were fresh yomogi dumplings beside him as well, sitting out from their new creation, but it was time that he turned his attention to them.

Setting aside the chirashi sushi bowls on the counter, he pulled over a small box, and felt like he had to act fast. Pulling out the confession pendant, he placed it at the bottom, then covered it with a thin sheet. Tying a string around the stick of one of the dumplings, he poked a hole in the sheet, tying it through. Finally, he laid the dumplings down with the tied one on the right, and the stage was set for a surprise confession.

Just in time, too. A knock at the door made his heart start to pound, and he walked over to open it.

“Yuzuki!” He greeted happily, succeeding at acting nonchalant.

“Hinata, hello. Thank you very much for inviting me over for dinner tonight.” Carefully pushing his rollator aside, Yuzuki accepted a gentle hug, stepping into the boarding house. “It smells delightful here. What’s the occasion?”

“Eh, no occasion.” He lied, “Just wanted to have a good dinner with my best friend!”

He smiled softly. “I see. Will Sumomo be with us tonight?” Bringing his rollator in and slinging a bag over it, he followed Hinata inside, watching him grab the bowls of sushi.

“She’s having dinner with Shizu’s family tonight, so we’ve got this to ourselves. Have a seat and relax- you look kinda tired.” Bringing the bowls over, he placed them on the table, inviting him to sit down.

“Do I? I’m sorry, it’s not because of you or anything. I’ve just been a bit slow today.” Yuzuki brought a bowl closer to himself. “But, this looks delicious. There's nothing quite like a filling meal to make me feel better.”

“I made yomogi dumplings too.” Hinata blurted out with a smile. When he realized how specific it sounded, he cleared his throat. “‘Cause I thought it’d be nice to make something thatcha really liked when I’m inviting ya over.”

The other’s eyes had lit up. “You made- Hinata, are you sure there’s no occasion?” He chuckled, “Yomogi dumplings are my favorite dish in the world, I’m overjoyed that you’d think to make them for us!”

The joyful smile on his face made Hinata’s heart pound. “It was no problem.” He said, finding that it came out more blunt than kind. “If I can get you to feel better, that’s more than enough!” He quickly added.

“Ah- heh.” It was Yuzuki’s turn to blush. “You’re always so very kind, Hinata. How has work been?”

“Work’s good! There’s gonna be a shipment of goods from waaaay up north soon, Moriya wants me to make sure they’re all sold by the end of fall. The theater started preparing for a new play this weekend too.” The two started to eat at that note. “How’s everythin’ with you?”

“It sounds like you’ve been busy recently, though I can’t say the same.” He hummed softly at the taste of the sushi bowl. “I’ve been feeling as though my designs are all very similar as of late. I want to stop that, but I can’t fix it until I find what I’ve been doing the same.” He sighed, sounding a bit defeated.

“Hm… Want some help?” Hinata asked through chewing. “A pair of fresh eyes?”

“I couldn’t ask that of you when you’re so busy. Though, my grandparents haven’t been able to help…” Yuzuki thought aloud, then saw the other’s determined expression. “…Hah, okay. If I haven’t figured it out by the next time you’re off, I’ll come find you.”

“Great! How are your grandparents, anyway?”

“Grandfather is working to make this month’s harvest extra large, which I’m very excited about, and grandmother has been feeling better than usual. Apparently she’s been spared some supplements by Megan, and they’re helping quite well. It’s soothing to see her so upbeat.” He relished a deep breath, “Aside from the artistic struggle, and a few rough flare-ups, everything has been very smooth. How is Sumomo?”

“Sorry to hear about the flare-ups, ‘n glad Omiyo is healthy! Sumomo’s doing great,” Hinata nodded, “Her handwriting got a lot better recently, so she’s doin’ better in school, and I’ll be makin’ her oden tomorrow if she passes a test today.” He glanced away, “Well, that’s what I told her, anyway. I’m actually gonna make oden either way. She deserves it.”

Yuzuki made no attempt to hide a warmed smile. “Sumomo is truly lucky to have someone like you looking after her. I can confidently say that, if you have one, you’d be a wonderful father to a child of your own.”

“Heey, I’m just givin’ her what I woulda wanted when I was still training here! Moriya can be rough, and Shizu and Ittetsu didn’t have much time to help me when I was young, so I want Sumomo to know she has an adult she can lean on. It’s the least I can do when I live with her.” He fidgeted with the sushi bowl, “And, wow- the thought of bein’ a dad? Hm… Hah! I haven’t even thought about being a husband, much less a dad!”

“I wonder if I’d be a big part of a child of yours’ life… Would I be like a fun, artsy uncle? Except, no-“ The jeweler winced at the notion, “That would imply that I think of you as a brother. I don’t think of you like that at all.”

“I hope you'll be a big part of my future kid’s life. I can’t picture my own life without you, so I can only hope that my family would like you too!”

“I’d like that. I’d want only the same from my family.�� Yuzuki placed his hand further out on the table, “I couldn’t picture my life without you either- truly, you are one of my most valued people.”

“…” Hinata looked at his hand, a temptation pulling at him. Acting smoothly, he put his hand over the other’s, able to feel how cold he was. “Same here.” He couldn’t tell if it was obvious that he was blushing or not, but he smiled boldly anyway.

Yuzuki’s blush was obvious on his dull complexion, his eyes softening in the moment. It was impossible to tell whether he caught the gesture or not, but even if he didn’t, it still made his face flush. “…Ah. It looks like we’ve both finished our sushi.” Carefully, he pulled his hand out from under the other’s, bringing it to his chest.

“We did? We did!” Anxiously getting up, Hinata took his empty bowl, reaching out for the other’s as well. “Do y’wanna bring out the dumplings now, or wait a bit?” He tried to brush off how fast his heart was racing.

“Mm… I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t resist yomogi dumplings.” He handed up his bowl, “Would you mind getting me a glass of water? I’d like to take my nausea medication before eating more.”

“Got it!” He winked nonchalantly as he took the bowl, turning around. Putting the bowls by the sink, he could see his hand shaking as he reached for a cup. That was it, it was time.

Coming back with the box of dumplings and a glass of water, he could see two red pills in Yuzuki’s hand. His face lit up as the glass was handed to him, watching the box be placed on the table. “These dumplings look wonderful. I’m sure they’ll be all the tastier when they’re made by you.” He smiled, then popped his medication into his mouth.

“It’s my first time makin’ it, so tell me if it needs improving. Gotta make sure it’s perfect when a real occasion comes around!” Hinata sat back down, his voice coming out a bit tightly.

“I’m no harsh judge of sweets, Hinata.” He smiled softly, taking the first stick of yomogi dumplings with his left hand. “Please, take one as well. I couldn’t stand to have all three myself.”

Smiling nervously, the actor took the middle stick. He knew Yuzuki well enough to know his dominant hand, and that was part of the plan. He couldn’t bring himself to say anything as he watched the other rip the first piece off of the stick.

“…Mmh~!” He hummed sweetly, cupping his cheek with his free hand. “It tastes just as good as what’s served at the teahouse, and I thought I didn’t see any syrup on these. Did you bake the syrup into them?”

“…Y’know, I thought it was weird that the cookbook listed syrup as an ingredient but didn’t say what to do with it. I really should’ve put two and two together.” Hinata managed to snap out of his anxious daze just to be flustered, putting his hand on his forehead. “Thaaaat was an accident. Uh, whoops!”

“Hah- hahaha!” Yuzuki laughed, “You accidentally made a less messy way for me to enjoy my favorite food. It’s a little tougher than it would’ve been otherwise, but it’s nothing that I mind, hee.” Tucking away his laughter, he ripped another piece off, immediately distracted by the taste again.

His heart did a flutter at his laughter. Glancing between him and the box, love was mixed with anxiety, much worse than stage fright. He knew for certain that the confession, a relationship, was something he wanted, and he was too far to back down now.

“Hinata?”

“Whuh?”

“You’re staring.” Yuzuki said, “And you haven’t eaten at all, is something wrong?”

“Ah, sorry. You got me thinkin’ about the future.” He played into daydreaming, leaning onto his cheek. “I’m ready to date someone, but it’s hard to take a step, y’know?”

“I see. It seems like both of us are waiting for the right person.” The jeweler nodded, “Although, I am nervous at the idea of a relationship with someone new.”

“Yeah?” Hinata prompted to continue.

“It’s just… I feel as though entering a relationship would be putting the burden of taking care of me onto somebody else. I love my grandparents, and I hate being dependent, but I know I could never be fully self-sufficient.” He held his arm, “I have no idea how much I’d be able to give to a relationship.”

“I think if someone loves you, they aren’t gonna mind.” The actor blurted out, “Everything else about you makes up for it, and you should be able to be happy like anyone else. A lot of us love you anyway, Yuzuki, so why should romance be any different?”

“…Thank you. That makes me feel much better.” Yuzuki pulled the last dumpling off of the stick, “You really would be a good boyfriend.” With that, he popped it into his mouth.

Hinata gulped nervously, smiling. “So would you.” He said softly, finally eating a dumpling. “Hrk-“ He winced. It was harder to eat than what he’d had in the past, in a way that was less enjoyable to him. “I think the syrup made these too tough for me. Are you sure you like ‘em?”

The other put an empty stick down. “A little mishap couldn’t make me dislike yomogi dumplings. And, now you know for next time, so I’ll consider it good either way.”

“Well, I’m happy that you do. Last one is for you, though.” He motioned, crossing his arms with his stick in his hand. “I’ll see if Sumomo wants the rest of this one.”

There was a lump in Hinata’s throat as Yuzuki smiled at him, reaching for the last stick. “I hope- hm?” He noticed the string as he picked it up. “…Ah-!” He gasped as he pulled it away, smooth paper coming off to reveal the confession pendant, glimmering in the light.

Looking away, Hinata flushed red. “That’s for you. It- ugh-“ He cleared his throat, “Some of what we talked about today occurred to me a while back, about wantin’ to make sure we’d be friends for a long time. But then I realized, I didn’t just wanna make sure my future wouldn’t be without you- I wanted it to be WITH you.” Covering the side of his face with his hand, “We’ve been with each other since we were teens. I’ve seen your best and worst days, you’ve seen mine, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Now, I want those days to be ones we go through together.” He made a glance of eye contact, trying to gauge the other’s expression. He was surprised and blushing red. “I’m goin’ to care about ya a lot no matter what happens. But now, I want to care about you as your best friend, and your boyfriend.”

“…” Yuzuki was bright red, his eyes wide and his hand over his mouth. Seeing the other’s expression start to turn to worry, he held a finger up, suddenly taking his bag off of his rollator. Digging through it for a second, there was a jingle of metal, and then he pulled something out.

“-!”

A second confession pendant.

“I would’ve asked you weeks ago, but I was worried that you were too busy with work or life to want a relationship with me.” His face turned into a heartfelt smile, “Every moment I spend with you feels like a dream. You make me happier than I thought anyone would be able to when I was little, and after what you’ve said tonight, I trust you with all my heart. You confessing first has eased my worries- I love you, and I would LOVE to be your boyfriend, if you would honor me by being mine.”

“Yes-!” There was a gleam in Hinata’s eyes, putting the stick down and standing up. Stepping around the table, he got down to Yuzuki’s side, wrapping his arms around him. “Tonight was scarier for me than any play. Findin’ the recipes, cooking, setting it all up, and now I know I had nothin’ to worry about. I love you.” Arms wrapped around him as well, locked in a gentle embrace.

With a short giggle, the jeweler kissed the bridge of the other’s nose. “You did a lot to make sure tonight would be good for me. I am beyond lucky to now have a lover like you.”

The actor couldn’t stop himself from smiling, looking lovingly into each other's eyes. “…Hey, where’d ya get your pendant from, anyway? I don’t remember you ever gettin’ one at the store.”

Yuzuki bashfully looked away. “I knew you’d suspect something if I got the pendant from you, and I didn’t want you thinking I was about to confess to somebody else- it was Komari that helped me, actually. She supported me while we went to Westown and got it.”

“Komari?” Hinata’s eyes widened. “She’s the one I asked a couple a’ weeks ago what she thought you’d find romantic. I was wonderin’ why she was so confident in tellin’ me that it’d go well!”

“Oh, really? Aha~!” He laughed, “It seems like she knew we’d get together before either of us did. We’re… bound to get teased a little.”

“Hm…” The actor thought about something for a moment. “…Let’s make sure nobody tells her. See how long it takes for her to figure it out!”

Yuzuki was laughing with amusement, the two relishing each other’s presence, when there was a knock by the door. “Is that..?”

“I think I know. Come in!” Hinata called out.

The door slid open, and a little girl peeked in. “Hello? I’m not interrupting, right?” Sumomo asked, then her eyes landed on the pair. “Oh-! Oh, I am, I’m sorry-!”

“Don’t worry about it, Sumomo, come in! How was dinner with your friends?” Letting go of each other, Hinata watched the doorway.

She hesitantly stepped in, putting her backpack down. “Dinner was yummy, Mrs. Shizu made oshinko rolls and castella!” She glanced at the table, seeing the two confession pendants out. “Did it… happen?” She whispered loudly at him, a sparkle in her eyes.

He smiled at her. “It happened!”

“Yaaaaaay!” Her nerves washing away, she walked around the table, getting to Yuzuki’s side. To his surprise, she hugged him. “I’m so happy for you two, you’re perfect for each other!”

“Hah, thank you, Sumomo. I promise to make Hinata very happy.” Warmed by her blessing, he accepted her little hug. “I’ve got a bit more time before I need to go, if you’d like to help us finish these dumplings.”

“Really?” She stepped back. “I already had dessert with Tatsumi and Yaichi, I can have a second one?” She looked past him at Hinata.

“Hm… That depends. What'd you get on that test today?” He said, planning on giving it to her either way.

“Oh!” Sumomo’s face lit up, turning and skipping over to her backpack. She pulled out the binded papers with a smile, then showed it to them. “A minus, I passed!”

“I knew you’d be able to do it! Alright, get over here.” Hinata stood up, but not before Yuzuki got his attention for another moment.

“Psst-“ He called up, “Watching you and Sumomo like this makes me feel like I’ve become part of a new family.” He said, smiling warmly.

The actor smiled back, blushing. Picking up the stick of dumplings that he hadn’t finished, “Try this, see if ya like it.” He offered it to her.

Taking it, she looked at Yuzuki first. “Will I get to see you more now that you’re dating? Hinata’s my elder, so now that you’re dating, is it gonna be like you’re my elder too?”

“I can see about it, and I’d hope that now, if Hinata needs someone to look after you, I’d be his first choice.” He looked over at him, getting a nod of confirmation.

“You’d be willing to do that?” The actor asked.

“I think that it’s something I could bring to the relationship, yes.”

“Yaaaay!” Sumomo cheered softly, then ripped a dumpling off of the stick, excited. “…Mmhf! It’s chewy!” Her expression downed.

“Oh, yeah, I think I made it wrong. Is it too bad to eat?”

“Mmmh… Nn-nn!” She shook her head, continuing to eat it. “They’re not my favorite, but sweets are sweets!”

“I see that we have that in common.” Yuzuki happily agreed, taking off a piece of his own. Hinata stepped past Sumomo and sat back across from them, the little girl sitting down to join. “Oh, and, congratulations on your test today. Writing was not easy on me when I was a child either.”

“Thank you! Miss Kasumi was so proud of me, and we’re gonna have oden tomorrow to celebrate! Oh!” She gasped as she realized something, turning to her elder, “Can I help with the cooking? Please? Tatsumi has a friend that’s really good at cooking, so I gotta get good like him!”

“So long as you eat whatcha make, you can help.” He reached out and patted her head.

“Hehe~!” She squealed, her face bright.

Yuzuki couldn’t help but visualize the two as a father and child, watching how lovingly they interacted. Part of him was very excited to be part of their little family as well. Looking past them as he finished his stick of dumplings, his face dampened. “Oh, my apologies. It’s getting late, and I need to get home before it gets dark.” Putting the stick down and picking up the confession pendant, he held it tightly to his chest. “Thank you for the wonderful evening.”

Hinata stood up, walking around the table. “You’ll come by the shop tomorrow, yeah? I'll seeya then.” With a smooth motion, he leaned forward to kiss his boyfriend on the cheek.

The jeweler giggled and kissed him on the nose, grabbing his rollator. “I’ll come by, most definitely. I’ll see you as well.” He gave Sumomo a quick goodbye as he walked up to the door.

“Goodnight, Yuzuki!” She sang, sharing a smile with him as he left.

Turning around, Hinata picked up the second confession pendant. There were intricate differences between it and the one he’d given, the gem made with a ruby rather than an emerald, and carved into a different pattern.

“…The pendants are super pretty. I wonder if I’ll get one from someone someday.” The young girl said quietly, a smile still on her face.

“Heh, I’m sure you will, Sumomo.” He smiled at her, then stretched his back. “I’m gonna wash the dishes and then get ready for bed, we’ve got work tomorrow.” With that, he picked up the gift box, gently placing the pendant into it. His chest felt very warm, and the redness and smile wouldn’t leave his face.

A confession that made him more nervous than any play ever could, gone so dreamily right.

#tori’s writing tag #tori’s art tag #trio of towns #story of seasons #3ot hinata #3ot sumomo #3ot yuzuki #hinazuki #this fic turned out a bit lackluster for my usual standards but hey. i wrote <3

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