Another trip to the grocery store, all because he forgot the umeboshi Gin had added to the shopping list last minute. To be fair, she did text, but he was too busy being insufferable and emotionally-constipated to pay attention to his phone,—
—and, apparently, to where he's going.
Atsushi rolls his eyes. "I thought you're done already? Missed me so soon?"
Ryuunosuke glares daggers at his boyfriend. "Forgot to buy something. Got a problem with that?"
"Not at all." Atsushi happily clings to his arm, letting Ryuunosuke navigate the trolley for them to the condiments section, which is as sorely under-stocked as the rest of the aisles in this goddamned useless place.
Nevertheless, Ryuunosuke lets himself smile as something catches Atsushi's eye, and he quickly reaches for a jar from the shelf.
"Umeboshi," he shows it off, as if it were a prize trophy or something. Ryuunosuke leaves the trolley for a while to get a jar for himself, as well— only to find the shelf as empty as the day it was built.
He turns to Atsushi, a ferocious, desperate glare in his eyes. "W-What?"
"Et tu?" he meant. Not again.
Atsushi holds the umeboshi close to himself, like a tiger protecting its hoard. "I-I got this first."
Ryuunosuke feels his nostrils flare as he bites back his argument. You don't know how scary Gin can be, he wants to reason— except Atsushi does, and had been on the receiving end of it, once. Left him mildly traumatized for it, even.
So he tries another approach. Atsushi's not the only one not above using underhanded pity-acting tactics to get what he wants. "Please, my love," he implores, "I really want umeboshi. Won't you indulge me?"
Atsushi's eyes crinkle as they melt in earnest, as expected, but he still doesn't let go of the jar. "I hate to say this, but Gin-san's a better actress," he comments. "Did she tell you to say that, too?"
Yes, Ryuunosuke is tempted to say. "Of course not, love."
A blatant lie.
It makes him lose by default.
He only smiles ruefully as they check out Atsushi's groceries, pushing away thoughts of Gin's impending wrath in favor of this extra time with his boyfriend. It's not like they don't see each other at school, but he enjoys it all just the same.
Ryuunosuke deploys a last comeback as they get into his car: "Come have dinner with us, jinko. I"ll drive you home later."
He's proud of himself for thinking of this compromise, but he doesn't tell Atsushi that.
Atsushi knows what's up, of course, but he smiles anyway. "I'd love to, Ryuu. What are you having?"
"Chazuke with umeboshi," he shrugs. He has no idea, actually, but's easier to convince Gin later. She's always been supportive, anyway.
Today's result: Everyone wins. (Dinner was delicious.)