Chapter Text
“a blind date?! shu have you lost your mind!?” ike’s eyes bulge wide open as his hands grip onto the shirt of his best friend from behind the diner counter. shu has an awkward smile on his face whilst he scratches the back of his neck.
“well uh, you mentioned you weren’t doing well lately, and how lonely you feel when i ever bring up luca in the slightest, and i think you would get along an-”
“i have no idea who this mystery person even is!! isn’t that just the slightest bit weird!?” ike released the iron grip on shu’s shirt as he sighed a breath of relief and resumed wiping the counter with a cloth. ike gripped the side of his head with one hand, pulling his hair while his other hand gripped at his heart to make sure it was still beating.
“if it makes you any less mad at him, it was my idea! he just broke it to you,” petra came out from the door that led to a kitchen, reaching for the stack of dirty dishes behind shu, “and i know i’m right! it took you days to even leave your house and come see us at work again!”
“i know petra, and i’m sorry. i wish it was as easy as getting up and opening the door but lately it's been harder i guess. i don't know. ugh, you are right! i’m a mess!” ike’s arms fall to his side as he slams his forehead into the counter and groans. shu jumps and gasps, turning his attention to him. petra chuckles a bit, and moves closer to the pair, dishes in hand.
“see? point made,” petra takes on a smug look as she walks back to the kitchen. ike lifts his head with minimal effort and looks at shu, his best friend looking back at him with a worried look.
“i think you really should trust us on this one. we’ve been best friends since we were kids, i know you better than you may think,” shu has leaned down onto the counter with folded arms to look ike in the eyes, “i don’t wanna sound too pushy or anything, but you’ve been this down for months and it hurts to see. i hope you don’t take any offense to our idea,” ike lets out a long sigh.
“no no, i see what you two mean. i’ve been out of it lately, and you guys are right. maybe this will be good for me,” ike finally sits up and rests his elbows onto the counter to prop up his head, “just, maybe ask me next time?” shu nodded in understanding with a small mhm.
“sorry for springing it onto you like this, you know how petra can be,” shu whispered that last part, and the two friends chuckled at the remark.
“can i at least ask where you know this person from? like you didn’t just pick the first person off the side of the road did you?” ike joked and shu giggled in response.
“of course not, that would be silly,” shu grabbed the towel again, wiping at a tough spot on the counter, “well, i guess it doesn’t hurt to tell you that it's my half brother.” ike’s eyes widen for the second time that night, mouth opening in shock.
“you guys have a half brother!? since when!?” ike voice raised louder than before, so shocked by this revelation. luckily since it was closing time, nobody but the three were in the diner so his loud tone was understandable to shu.
“it's, a long story for sure…” shu’s eyes started to shift around the room, “but he's around the same age as us, and we share a father. we don’t know him too well but in the last year or so he reached out to me and my sister wanting to get closer to us,” his breath was a bit shaky, but he smiled anyways. ike had a curious expression on his face as shu continued.
“petra was skeptical at first, reasonably so, but he seemed prepared and had dna tests and sure enough it was the truth. it took a lot of grappling, but i think we’ve gotten to know him pretty well, and he's great! he’s really funny, kinda loud, but well meaning,” he perked up a bit while saying this, and ike sighs.
“sounds like a headache,” he mutters jokingly, and shu laughs.
“i'm sorry for not introducing you two, i just haven’t gotten the chance to because, well, he’s been over very sporadically until the last few months, and uh-“
“i get what you’re trying to say, don’t worry. you don't have to be sorry,” shu’s shoulders loosened in relief at ike's words.
“we’ve told him about you though, and he thought the date was a great idea. it’s funny, he seems in love with you or something and has never even seen you before,” petra comes through the kitchen door again, inserting herself back into the conversation.
“he’s not lying! he always asked about meeting you at least once during his visits, like damn i thought you were here for your siblings and not to pick up on cute guys we’re friends with!” she throws her hands in the air as she raises her voice a bit, but not at all in a serious manner. ike’s face begins to turn a shade of pink as he curls in slightly from embarrassment. a guy, wanting to meet me? being in love? surely this is an over exaggeration or something…
“i, uh, wow-” he was at a loss for words, truthfully. although he was openly bisexual, he had never actually tried being with a man before, as it scared him still. he wouldn't lie that the idea did sound nice, though. before he got too ahead of himself, he shook his head.
“i don’t know guys, are you sure? you sure he doesn’t think i’m a girl or something? maybe it's all a prank,” he said half jokingly, looking out the window to his right. petra laughed at his statement as if it were the funniest thing she’s ever heard.
“of course not! we wouldn’t set you up like that!” she comes from around the counter to take a seat next to ike on the other side, “we just think you might hit it off well, you trust big sister petra don’t you?” she asks while reaching her arm around ikes shoulder. she struggles a bit, because despite being the oldest of the three, she is very short in comparison. ike lets out a small laugh.
“obviously i do, maybe staying inside all this time has made me more paranoid than usual,” he mutters this mostly to himself, but the siblings hear him loud and clear. shu sets down his towel and comes from the other side of the counter on the other side of ike, wrapping both arms around him lightly. the embrace feels warm and comforting, and ike relishes in it while calming his breath. this is the most relaxed hes felt in months, ever since this wave of tiredness and exhaustion hit him. maybe shu was right, they do know him better than he thinks they do.
“thank you, guys. you really are the best friends i could ask for,” the siblings backed away from the hug and smiled at ike warmly, and he smiled back.
“so when is this date then?” he asked, the siblings getting up to finish up their closing duties whilst continuing the conversation.
“during his next visit, which is next weekend,” petra states, “trust me, i’d know with how much he’s talked about it in the group chat. its all he seems to be able to say like a fucking parrot who wants a treat or something,” she makes a mock face of disgust while grabbing a broom from the corner of the room. ike's face reheatens while shu chuckles in amusement.
——
as soon as ike closes the door to his apartment, he runs to his bedroom and flops onto his bed, kicking his feet and screaming silently to himself. a date, a real date! he hadn’t done this since he was a teenager! he had a fluttery feeling in his stomach and his face and ears burned in embarrassment. why am i acting like this? i don’t even know this guy! am i really that desperate that just the idea of some handsome prince is enough to make me swoon?
he sighed heavily, pushing himself up and taking a deep breath. he needed to chill, he can’t be acting like a teenage girl in his room by himself. his room… full of hatsune miku figurines and posters. maybe i don’t have the best priorities… ike thought as he slipped his shoes off and changed into his pajamas (which, yes, also miku themed of course) and went to brush his teeth. he hadn’t had the motivation to do that in weeks! maybe this really is for the best just like shu and petra claimed.
after finishing, he took a good, long look in the mirror. his eye bags stared back at him, as if a big flag to the world that you were horrible at taking care of yourself. ike turned on the faucet, cupped his hands and splashed his face with cold water, which honestly did make him feel a bit better. he dried his face off, and looked at himself in the mirror again, this time with a smile. he was gonna turn his life around!
as he marched to bed and tucked in, he relaxed himself for the first time in a while, shutting his eyes very gently. he could actually sleep well tonight, with a smile on his face. wait… ike’s eyes shot open in realization.
i never asked for his name.