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They had been dating for nearly two years, but Ryuji still hadn’t said those three little words.
“I’m in love with you, Ryuji” Akira had said, meaning it with every fiber of his being.
Ryuji responded with a kiss.
“I love you” he had tried on another day
Ryuji would just grin back at him.
“Ryuji, I love you”
“Yeah! Now let’s hurry up or we’ll be late for the movie!” he gave such a callow response.
It was a good thing Akira was so skilled at hiding his emotions, the heartbreak he had felt the first few times had nearly destroyed him and their relationship. It took him a while, but eventually Akira realized the blond just had his own unique way to express his love.
He had noticed Ryuji’s desire to show him affection as much as possible pretty early in their relationship. It began with small things, a lingering touch or a smile when their eyes locked across the room. As they grew more comfortable with each other and Ryuji overcame his fear of the judgment of others, the blond had become more bold.
In the early stages, when they were still getting comfortable with one another, Ryuji was always hesitant to hold Akira’s hand in public. These days the reverse was true, it was always him who sought out Akira’s hand first, always him most hesitant to let go.
“How are we supposed to eat our lunch if you don’t let go?” Akira laughed
“We’ll feed each other! It’ll be romantic and shit.” Ryuji would reply
When hanging out with the rest of their friends and Ryuji thought no one was looking, he would sometimes surprise Akira, quietly walking up behind the boy and wrapping his arms around him, burying his nose in the raven’s hair and giving the back of his neck a quick kiss before slipping away like nothing had happened. A stolen moment of intimacy just between the two of them.
“Couldn’t help myself” Ryuji beamed
Akira wasn’t the blushing type, but that would do it for anyone.
During their frequent study sessions he would often catch Ryuji just staring at him with an expression of contentment on his face instead of working.
“Ryuji, how are you going to pass your entrance exams if you aren’t paying attention?” Akira would chide him
“I can’t help it, you’re more interesting” Ryuji grinned
Distractions aside, with a lot of effort from both of them the two were finally able to attend the same University. Ryuji endlessly thanked him for his tutelage.
“Dude, it’s only ‘cause of you that I have a future,” Ryuji would say “and I mean that in more ways than one” he added with a look in his eyes that conveyed everything he felt.
Laying in bed with Ryuji as he was now, the blond haired boy would rarely allow a night to pass without the two of them cuddling. Even on the warmest summer nights in their cramped apartment with broken air conditioning, he would still pull Akira into his embrace.
“But it’s really hot” he would complain.
“So let’s cuddle naked” Ryuji would insist.
Ryuji always got his way when it came to cuddling. Even if it was a little too hot sometimes, Akira had to admit he always slept much better while wrapped in the other boys arms.
Akira loved Ryuji. And he knew Ryuji loved him. He didn’t need to hear the actual words to know that, not when Ryuji was making that declaration to him every single day through his actions.
As Akira finally drifted off to sleep in his lovers arms, the last thing he heard was Ryuji sigh
“I love you”