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Shiki woke up to a familiar softness on his lips, and instinctively coiled his arms around that slender figure leaning down on him and pulled him into the bed, which incited a small yelp from the other.
“Haha-! I didn’t expect that. Good morning, Shiki.”
Rikka crawled over to Shiki’s side and graced him with yet another kiss, this time on the cheek. Shiki struggled with opening his eyes, because he was groggy from not having had sufficient rest, and reluctantly forced his body to sit up. He was always so bad at waking up, and Rikka knew he’d need a few more minutes before he could get out of the bed at all.
“Morning,” he drawled out, eyes still shut and hair at the messiest it would be; since his hair was always so smooth, it would only ever be this tousled when he just got out of bed. Rikka would never stop being jealous of that kind of legendary hair quality.
Shiki stretched a little before lifting his hands out and grunting for Rikka to pull him up. He chuckled; Shiki was so spoilt, but that was fine. He was happy to spoil him, anyway. After all, it was none other than Shiki whom he had decided to love for the rest of his life.
As he grabbed Shiki’s palms and was about to exert force onto them to hoist Shiki out of the bed, Shiki pulled harder, and Rikka ended up getting locked in Shiki’s embrace. Shiki closed his eyes again and was now burying his face in Rikka’s shoulder and taking in his scent of roses and chamomile-- the all too familiar smell of his usual shampoo.
Rikka sighed and clicked his tongue in a half-scolding, half-amused sort of manner. “Shiki, you have to get up… Did you forget what day it is today?”
Shiki perked up with his eyes now open, lifted his head from Rikka’s shoulder, and focused his attention onto a particularly interesting spot on the bed. “It’s the day I wanted to go out with you to the city,” he mumbled, trying to draw attention away from what day it was exactly, and how it was just going to be the two of them.
“Oh? That’s news to me.” Shiki could hear Rikka’s barely disguised chuckle and felt his face getting warm, and decided to opt for a pillow to hide his face from Rikka’s gaze. This was so embarrassing.
“So will you?”
“Of course I will~ It’s Valentine’s day, after all.”
Shiki buried his face deeper into the pillow, though his ears were visibly red, and Rikka thought it was so adorable how Shiki was being so bashful about asking his own boyfriend of almost 10 years out on a Valentine’s day date.
Shiki made a sound similar to a squeak when Rikka grabbed him from behind, cuddling into him with a big grin on his face, full of nothing but love for Shiki.
“We can go whenever you’re ready, Shiki.”
Shiki made a muffled grunt through his pillow, and Rikka gave him a soft kiss on the back of his neck before leaving the room.
-
“Ah, you decided to wear that tie today.”
“Of course,” Shiki gently stroked the necktie underneath his scarf, running his thumb over the pin; Rikka had given it to him as a gift on his birthday the year before, and Shiki could never find it in his heart to wear it unless the occasion was really special.
He remembered searching up the gift meaning of neckties once he was alone, after receiving that piece of silk from Rikka. Rikka’s slight blush and coyness was adorable that day, and he was bursting with curiosity as to what that gift meant, since Rikka was always a sucker for giving items with special significance.
He also recalled fretting over it, since the internet’s answers weren’t entirely satisfactory, before Shu had entered his room to talk with him for a bit. The way that Shu’s eyes had widened at what he was holding, and the pink ribbon wrapped around the box that it came from also came to mind, and he couldn’t possibly forget that awfully cheeky look Shu had gave him as well.
“Do you know what giving that to someone means, Shiki?”
“No?”
“Yeah, I didn’t expect you to.”
“Hey,”
“Gifting a necktie to someone means ‘I’m deeply in love with you’. Rikka-san sure was bold with this one, giving you that with a pin, to boot.”
“Is there a difference in the meaning if there’s a pin?”
“It’s not that it’s different, it’s just got an added meaning, you could say. The pin is supposed to mean ‘you’re mine’, if I remember correctly.”
Shu chuckled then, too, though his eyes were happy; likely glad that Shiki could find someone to care about him so much.
“Rikka-san loves you a lot, Shiki. Make sure to take care of him.”
He didn’t know what expression he had made then, but what he did know was that Shu found the face he made so amusing, that he’s been teasing him for acting like a lovesick teenager over Rikka ever since. It wasn’t like he was any better when he was with Eichi, but he digressed.
“We’ll be going out now, Tsubasa, Dai. You two have fun today. Make sure not to mess up the house.
“Have fun on your date,” Tsubasa replied with a shit-eating grin, and before Shiki could slap it off him and maybe distract them from his slightly burning cheeks, Dai had already shoved one of the couches on the cushions above Tsubasa’s face. “Idiot,” Shiki could see Dai briefly mutter.
“Enjoy yourselves, we’ll take care of the house.”
Shiki smiled. He could always rely on his youngest kid after all.
-
“So, where did you want to go again?”
“Should we drop by the cinema?”
Rikka glanced up at Shiki, an eyebrow raised.
“You hate going to the movies.”
Shiki shrugged dismissively, quietly sliding a hand around Rikka’s waist and bringing him along to the ticketing counter.
The last time Shiki ever brought him to the cinema was the first time they’d ever gone out on a date together, and Shiki had told him a few weeks after that that he actually didn’t like going to the movies but brought Rikka to them anyway because he thought it was a customary thing going on dates.
Rikka had laughed really hard at that, and he remembered remarking that “obviously, you haven’t been on dates very much” to which Shiki had answered he really hadn’t, and that Rikka was his first date ever.
Even though that was almost ten years ago, Rikka could never really forget the heat that went up to his face, as his smile wavered a little at that confession; Rikka had far more experience than he wished he did, and that innocence of not having been on a date before throughout his 18 years of living made him inadvertently swoon. To add on, it was that blunt admission of his that had drawn Rikka towards him in the first place-- he figured, some parts of people never really do change.
And recalling that made Rikka’s eyes widen, as he realized what Shiki was trying to do. A small smile blossomed on his face as they walked to the cinema together, and he clasped his hand onto the arm Shiki held around his waist tightly. Shiki was surprisingly sentimental.
He giggled. This was a rare Shiki, a Shiki he had to embrace and savour every bit of. A Shiki he couldn’t miss the opportunity of viewing in all his glory, because while he loved every side of Shiki that he was shown, he had to say this one was the sweetest.
Shiki had picked a mystery movie-- the only kind of movie he could even remotely enjoy, but he could tell Shiki’s attention was mostly on the soundtracks as opposed to anything else featured. It was rather second-rate, but it definitely was better than a sappy romance movie would have been. It’s no wonder he didn’t ask me what movie I’d want to watch , Rikka realized dimly, smile spreading onto his face as he observed the odd way Shiki tried to show his tact or lack thereof. Alas, it was that part of him that he’d fallen in love with as well-- he wholeheartedly accepted Shiki in every way and form.
He recalled with a tinge of nostalgia how back then, Shiki had asked him what movie he wanted; Rikka had pointed to a movie adaptation of a romance novel he’d been reading lately, ever the romantic. Even back then, he noticed how Shiki’s face inadvertently blanched as he did so. He wouldn’t have minded choosing something else, but somehow, that Shiki sat through around two hours of something he wouldn’t have enjoyed, just for him, was endearing.
Shiki had always let Rikka take charge and make the decisions in everything back then, ever so cautious in the way he behaved because he was still awkward around Rikka and trying to impress him. Not like he was very impressed by Shiki in that sort of manner back then; he’d found Shiki to have an odd charm and watching him try to act so…. generically, was amusing. In fact, it was what made Rikka think him to be even more interesting.
He wanted nothing more than to break open Shiki’s shell and see what he was like under all those forced formalities that he didn’t really mean; it was refreshing to see someone who was so candid; he was so used to constant praises coated in honey, with only the nastiest of ulterior motives hiding below. Compared to all that sickly sweetness, he’d come to enjoy the way Shiki was more like a cup of black tea with no condiments added and as genuine as he could possibly be.
Watching the way Shiki seemed so much more absorbed into the movie than that time when they had gone all those years ago made Rikka realize how much he had broken open that shell, in the end-- Shiki didn’t even need to take second thoughts before choosing on something he was comfortable with in Rikka’s company anymore, and the notion that he was able to weasel his way into the small bubble Shiki had made for himself sparked an emotion inside him that made his heart swell.
I’ve come really far, haven’t I?
He discreetly snuck his hand above Shiki’s on the armrest as he kept his eyes on the large screen, feeling the way the other was startled at the sudden contact, initially tense, before loosening up and lacing his own fingers with Rikka’s.
The ends of Rikka’s lips tilted upwards delicately, and he snuck a peek at Shiki. He glanced back offhandedly with a small smile and slightly flushed cheeks, which were noticeable even when washed in the dim glow of the movie’s reflection, and squeezed Rikka’s hand in his tightly.
-
Around the in-between of their workplaces was a little cafe that they used to frequent together, located on the first floor of a train station. Despite it being placed at such a crowded location, the cafe’s vibe was so vastly different from the hustle and bustle of commuters running up and about outside the shop. The ambiance it had was perfect to let anyone unwind with a light snack and a refreshing soda or hot beverage, and that was exactly what Rikka and Shiki did together there during their earlier years of dating.
Even before Rikka had met Shiki, he’d gone to that cafe several times either to spend a leisurely morning with a cup of tea and a nice croissant or to get a quick bite for takeaway when he was around the area.
He and Shiki visited that cafe enough that some of the workers there were used to their presence and they’d essentially become regulars; they loved the soothing atmosphere of that cafe and considered it a very nice change of pace from their busy lifestyles.
This same cafe had been the place that Shiki brought Rikka to on their first date after that movie they had gone to together. “I especially like the coffee here,” he had said.
It no longer stood at that same spot, however, now replaced by a popular karaage chain that Rikka hadn’t tried before but that Tsubasa had given a glowing review of; apparently, Shiki hadn’t realized that until they had arrived in front of it. Rikka didn’t miss the way Shiki’s shoulders drooped when what greeted him was no longer the dark-coloured walls of the cafe they were so used to, but the light-coloured walls of a fast food stand with bright decals meant to attract your attention and the aroma of fried chicken wafting through the air.
“Ah… It’s a pity, but I suppose it can’t be helped. I was still hopeful that it might be here, but it’s been about 2 to 3 years since we last came here together after all. It’s not surprising.”
Rikka made a sound of agreement as he bit into a piece of juicy karaage they’d bought from the stand in the end and gestured toward a bench next to a fountain near the exit of the station. Tsubasa was right with his recommendation , he noted.
“We never really visited that cafe anymore after you formed SolidS, did we?”
This time it was Shiki’s turn to nod, as he was the one eating another piece of karaage now. Shiki put a hand up in front of Rikka and another hand up to cover his mouth as he ate; Rikka waited silently for him to finish eating before he got his response.
“Yeah. The dorms are at the other end of the line, after all. And you don’t work for your old agency anymore, so we go to the areas nearing the Tsukino office and our dorms.”
Rikka hummed. He supposed so, but somehow it felt a little empty knowing that their special little place together, the cafe they frequented to loosen up and have idle chatter, was gone now. He knew it couldn’t be helped, but still, it was a precious place he associated with their initial years of their relationship.
“Hmm~ I wonder if they opened any other branches of that cafe anywhere else. You really liked their coffee, didn’t you? And it was such a special place to us too…”
“Yeah, I did. But I think it’s alright.” Rikka perked up at that, staring at Shiki curiously.
“How so?”
Shiki looked away this time, and Rikka perked up even more than before.
“What made that cafe special to me was you being there with me, so, it’s not...a big deal.”
Rikka could barely hear the last bits of that sentence through Shiki muffling his mouth with his scarf, but he got the gist of it. Shiki kept his scarf pulled up to cover his face a little more now too, just like he did during their first few times going out together when he was blushing, and Rikka thought it nothing but extremely cute.
He was bad at saying sappy things like this, always getting completely red-faced as he said them and possibly sputtering in the middle, but Rikka knew he meant every word from his heart, and he embraced that honesty. He broke into a smile as he thought about how sentimental Shiki was sometimes, and his thoughts ran to how Shiki was planning out this Valentine’s date for their almost 10th year together. It was meant to be a silent commemoration of how their relationship first started out, a small way to show how he remembered the little details all those years ago. And while he was sure Shiki hadn’t planned it out, it also shed light on how much things had changed for the two of them.
But ultimately, we’re still together and will always be, so the little differences don’t really matter at all.
“It’s really nice that you’re trying to re-enact our first date, I think.”
“Ah, I’ve been found out.”
Rikka held back a laugh, eyes smiling. “You aren’t really being subtle about it, honestly.”
Shiki shrugged. “I figured you’d think so. But I really just wanted to thank you for being with me for all these years.”
It just shows we have grown.
Shiki continued. “I appreciate it, and I’m grateful that you’ve been here to love me for so long.”
Rikka paused, staring blankly back at Shiki with wide eyes. Shiki grinned before seizing the opportunity to quickly press his lips against Rikka’s own.
God, I love him.
“That’s so sly, Shiki.” Rikka laughed wryly. “You didn’t let me recover from your words.”
“Maybe that was the point.”
Rikka could just see the ends of Shiki’s smirk above his scarf, and he made a half-sigh, half-laugh before burying his face into Shiki’s side, catching him off guard this time.
Shiki set down the now empty packet of karaage to his side before leaning down to brush away pink bangs and place a soft kiss onto Rikka’s forehead.
Rikka’s eyes met Shiki’s as he looked up, and he beamed.
“I’m glad I’ve had you to spend so many Valentine’s dates with, Shiki.”
“Me too, Rikka.”
-
It still hadn’t gotten that dark by the time they were nearing the dorms after walking out from the station, but it was getting chilly. He could see Rikka’s shoulders tense from his battling with the cold, and he helped to wrap his scarf around him tighter.
“Maybe I should have worn an extra layer after all,” Shiki heard Rikka mutter underneath his jackets; Rikka was surprisingly sensitive to the cold and always liked wearing knit cardigans and wool even in spring.
Frankly speaking, it was his sensitivity to the cold that led to some of their early interactions together-- Rikka had approached Shiki, who just happened to be walking by a shoot Rikka was at, to ask if he had any heat packs, because he had forgotten to bring his own. He winced slightly remembering how he had reacted to that, or didn’t react, so to speak.
He hadn’t known how to respond to Rikka, who he already briefly knew (which was why Rikka approached him in the first place) because he was still a little bit too shy to interact with him.
In the end, Shiki wordlessly dug around his bag and gave Rikka the last of his own heat packs before hastily bowing and scuttling off.
Shiki brought a hand to his face to subtly hide the flush that was spreading; it was so embarrassing to recall such moments when he was just so awkward with Rikka. He was sure Rikka thought that Shiki then was laughable, or amusing at the very least.
“Thanks for bringing me out on such a lovely date, Shiki. It was very nostalgic.”
Ah, what was I thinking of again?
“It was nothing. I just wanted to spend time with you today to commemorate our long years together, mostly.”
“You say that so nonchalantly, but actually you really enjoyed it too, didn’t you~?”
He looked down, slid his hand into Rikka’s, and squeezed lightly.
“I guess,”
Maybe it was because of how often blood rushed to his face, that he didn’t feel anywhere near as chilly Rikka did.
“You know, it feels so weird going out for a Valentine’s date, only to go back to the same house after that.”
Rikka hummed. “I guess it might be, but then again, I’m the only Valentine you’ve ever had, let alone gone out on a date with.”
“Well, we didn’t always live together; I still remember the days I wanted to walk you back all the way to your apartment in Ebisu, but you ended up walking me home instead because you feared that I’d stay up too late going home from there.”
“Hahaha! Yeah, those were really long ago… That apartment sure was nice, wasn’t it? We sure had a lot of lovely memories there too.”
“Lovely memories….You talk about our first time so lightly.”
“But it is a lovely memory for me!! Your face back then, so bewildered by my request was just too cute and your awkward way of d--”
“Please stop there….. It’s embarrassing to recall...”
Rikka chuckled heartily in response, and while Shiki knew that laughter was because of him, he wouldn’t have told Rikka to stop laughing. He was merely glad he could be the reason for such a lovely smile on the other, so bright and warm and genuine, unlike his cold, emotionless face that meant nothing behind it that he always wore all those years ago.
He’d come so far in giving Rikka a reason to smile, a reason to laugh and a reason to truly be happy, and the ends of his lips turned up slightly as he watched the other try to hold back his giggles.
-
“Hey, Rikka,”
Rikka switched off the hairdryer, and opened the toilet door further so he could hear his boyfriend more clearly.
“What is it?”
“For next year’s Valentine’s day… How about we just spend it at home? We can just chase Tsubasa and Dai out for the most part of the day.”
“Mhm, sure, why not?”
“Hmm. Okay then. Please remind me then, because I might forget.”
"It’s funny that you’re making plans for it a whole year before already,” Rikka giggled, “and even if you forget about it next year, we're going to have the rest of our lives to have a stay-at-home Valentines' date anyway, so i don't see why you're so urgent."
At that, Shiki swiveled on his chair to face Rikka in his bed, meeting Rikka’s gaze as Rikka beamed gently.
"There's nobody else for me but you, after all."
Shiki jumped onto the bed too, holding Rikka tightly as he buried his face into the crook of Rikka’s neck.
"Happy valentine's day, Shiki.” He could tell Rikka was smiling as he said that, with his voice laced with undertones of contentment. “I love you."
He broke into a smile; hearing those three words always tickled his heart.
"I love you too, Rikka. I'll treat you right for the rest of our lives."