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It was a pleasant afternoon in the small city. Small gatherings of people walked down the sidewalks or clustered around little cafe tables, all enjoying the pleasant warm weather the day brought.
Kiyotaka was no exception, though he was in much more of a hurry than most. His walk was brisk as his eyes remained fixed on his nearing destination. Kiyotaka was a man of plans and schedule, and today was no exception.
No, today, things had to go exactly to plan.
The little bell over the door jingled as Kiyotaka stepped inside. The shop was quiet, managing to block out the hum of the city pretty well. A woman came around the corner of an aisle. She smiled at Kiyotaka as she approached the clerk desk.
“Hello! Welcome to Petcetera! Do you need help finding anything today?”
Kiyotaka smiled in return, gently tugging on the leash beside him. “Yes! I read online that you offer do-it-yourself dog washes. Is this true?”
“It most certainly is, sir! Would this little cutiepie be the one in need of a bath?”
The woman cooed over the counter as she looked down at the small white puppy beside Kiyotaka’s leg. The puppy barked up at the woman, his whole behind wiggling happily with his tail.
“Yes,” Kiyotaka scooped up the puppy, holding him to his chest, “Am I able to bathe him here?”
“Absolutely, sir! Riiight this way,” the woman motioned with her arm as she lead Kiyotaka toward the back of the store.
The bath area was rather large, with two tubs on two different ends of the room. Some products were ready to be used beside the tubs while others sat on shelves. A laundry bin was kept in the corner of the room.
After a brief tour and explanation of how to use the tubs, the woman’s attention wandered back to the little puppy.
“What is this adorable little boy’s name?”
“Kyoudai,” Kiyotaka replied with a smile.
“Aww, you’re just the sweetest little Maltese baby boy aren’t you? May I pet him?”
“Ah, s-sure?”
The woman continued to coo as she pet Kyoudai. He didn’t seem to mind much, his eyes closing as he leaned against her palm, his pink tongue hanging out as he accepted the pets. It was a moment Mondo would have certainly snapped a photo of had he been there.
Mondo.
Kiyotaka was reminded of his strict schedule he must adhere to in order for his plan’s success. Though not wanting to come off rude, he flailed briefly while trying to find the words to tell the woman politely to let him begin bathing the dirty puppy.
Luckily, the woman let go of Kyoudai on her own and just gave Kiyotaka a smile.
“Don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything, sir!”
She spun on her heel and left with a pleased smile. Kiyotaka breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at the still-happy puppy in his arms.
“Now, Kyoudai, you must behave for me. I know I am not Mondo, but I need your help in doing something for him. Please, cooperate with me. Alright?”
Kyoudai licked Kiyotaka’s nose with his tiny pink tongue as his tail continued to wag away behind him. Kiyotaka decided he could accept that as an agreement.
Kiyotaka set Kyoudai on the floor and stepped on the end of his leash, allowing the puppy to explore without getting too far away. He perused the wide assortment of shampoos and conditioners available, grabbing the ones he had seen most recommended in all the videos and tutorials he’d seen.
“Alright, Kyoudai... let’s get you all cleaned up, now.”
Kiyotaka set all the supplies beside the smaller tub. He turned on the water and allowed it to warm up while he gently picked up Kyoudai and removed the tiny harness. Kyoudai still happily panted away, and Kiyotaka was impressed by how well the little puppy was cooperating.
That cooperation would soon hit a bumpy road.
Satisfied with the warmth of the water, he began to ease Kyoudai into the tub.
“There we go. It’s alright, Kyoudai! You’re being a very good boy,” Kiyotaka attempted to reassure the puppy. Mondo made it sound so much more convincing.
Kyoudai insisted on keeping his front paws in Kiyotaka’s hand throughout the whole venture. He had not planned on having only one hand to clean with, but he made it work. Additionally, if Kiyotaka’s hold on those paws ever waivered, or his hand left Kyoudai’s back for just long enough, Kyoudai would attempt to wiggle free of the bath. He would splash water out of the tub, struggle to climb the wall if given the opportunity, all while making little whines that pierced Kiyotaka’s heart.
With constant reassurance, Kiyotaka proceeded through the bath. Shampoo, conditioner, all carefully worked through Kyoudai’s fur. Kiyotaka showered Kyoudai in praises and reassurances throughout the bath that yes, he was a good boy and yes, this all would be over soon. Kiyotaka was sure the puppy didn’t truly believe him, but he praised Kyoudai nonetheless.
He was surprisingly quite pink underneath all that fluff. Had he not been shivering and whimpering, Kiyotaka would have found it rather adorable.
Kyoudai was ecstatic once the rinsing ceased. The little wag in his tail returned as he stared up at Kiyotaka with large black eyes. Handling him like glass, Kiyotaka lifted the dripping puppy into a towel and immediately bundled him up. He scrubbed the towel over Kyoudai, small surprised barks being muffled as the towel ran over him.
“You’re almost dry now! Almost done! You’re doing so well!”
Kyoudai poked his head out from beneath the towel and barked. Kiyotaka gasped.
“Please, hold on just a moment... I would like to take a photo to send to Mondo...”
Kiyotaka nearly dropped his phone from grabbing it so fast with slick hands. He managed to get a few pictures in before Kyoudai climbed into his lap, bringing the towel along with him.
“Alright, Alright, we will be all done soon. You’ve been a very good boy!”
After a quick brushing, a little blow drying, and a snip of fur here and there, Kyoudai was all finished. Kiyotaka smiled proudly at the now much fluffier puppy. This was his first time washing a dog and he didn’t do too bad!
With Kyoudai’s harness back on, Kiyotaka held the leash as he leaned up the space. Bottles back on the shelf, any excess water on the floor dried, and towel disposed of in the laundry.
“Excellent! Now. Are we still on track...?”
A glance at his watch confirmed they were a few minutes behind, but forgivable. Kiyotaka carried Kyoudai out of the bathing area and up to the counter, where the woman from before’s whole face lit up at the sight of Kyoudai.
The woman’s voice ascended multiple octaves as she spoke. “Ohhh!!! Why look at you!!! You’re all clean!!!”
Kyoudai barked back and began to squirm in Kiyotaka’s grasp. Panicking, he set the wiggly puppy on the countertop with a relieved sigh.
“Don’t you squirm like that while I am carrying you,” Kiyotaka scolded, “I am terribly afraid of dropping you.”
Kyoudai opted to ignore Kiyotaka in favor of the belly rubs he was receiving from the woman. She giggled and nuzzled against Kyoudai’s nose as she spoke to Kiyotaka.
“Will the bath be all for you today?”
Kiyotaka, who had been eyeing the small carousel of dog tags, looked back at the woman.
“Ah, No. No, um... do you offer tag engravings?”
The woman nodded. “Machine is right there by the door. Pick a tag and I will add it to the bill!”
It didn’t take Kiyotaka much time to slide a pink heart shaped tag across the counter.
“One more question, if that’s alright,” Kiyotaka watched the woman finish ringing him up.
“Is there a character limit on the engraving?”
Everything was still going according to plan, though now Kiyotaka was second guessing that plan.
They’d arrived back home with plenty of time to get changed. Kiyotaka dressed in one of his nicer outfits, though worried if it still came off as “too nice”. He loosened the tie around his neck and tucked it back under his sweater as he paced about the apartment.
On the stove, Mondo’s favorite meal was cooking away. He continually walked over, checked on it, then walked off, only to return to it moments later.
Was this really the best move? Kiyotaka held his chin in his palm as he paced, his forehead creasing as his nervousness and anxiety grew. When would Mondo notice things were different? Probably immediately. Mondo was quite keen on picking up Kiyotaka’s mood changes, though he thought he kept them hidden well.
Kyoudai sat on the couch, just happily chewing on his newspaper toy with the occasional squeak. Kiyotaka sat beside him with an exasperated sigh.
“I don’t know, Kyoudai,” Kiyotaka bit his lip as he spoke, “Do you think Mondo might get overwhelmed?”
Kyoudai just sneezed, then looked up at Kiyotaka with a little tail wag. He picked up his squeaky newspaper and climbed into Kiyotaka’s lap.
“I’ll put the new tag on you after dinner, that way Mondo doesn’t see it too early,” Kiyotaka murmured to himself mostly, allowing his hand to rest on Kyoudai’s back.
Kyoudai squeaked the newspaper and Kiyotaka took it as a sign he agreed.
With a loud click, the front door unlocked. A surge of adrenaline poured into Kiyotaka’s heart. Kyoudai leapt off his lap and took off for the door, allowing Kiyotaka a moment to brush himself off and check again on dinner.
“Hey, baby boyyyy! Daddy missed you!”
Mondo laughed as he lifted Kyoudai off the floor and was met with an assault of puppy kisses. The sound was enough to push Kiyotaka’s anxiety down a little, smiling at hearing Mondo so genuinely happy. The door shut and Mondo carried Kyoudai into the kitchen area.
“Welcome home, Mondo! How was work today?” Kiyotaka hoped he sounded normal as he smiled at Mondo.
Mondo raised an eyebrow. “Uh, it went fine. We’re workin’ on a nice dining room table for this rich old dude.”
Kiyotaka swallowed hard. Maybe he wasn’t coming off as natural as he had hoped.
“Did Kyoudai get a bath today? He’s so soft,” Mondo smiled as he nuzzled the puppy in question.
“A-Ah, Yes! Yes he did, we Ah... we went to the shop where we get his food from and I did it there! Quite convenient!”
Mondo’s smile faded as his face turned incredibly stern. He narrowed his eyes and leaned close to Kiyotaka.
“You got pictures of him?”
Kiyotaka stammered, “B-But Of course! I have.. I have them to show at dinner!”
A quick kiss was planted to Kiyotaka’s forehead with a grin. “Thanks, baby. I was just messin’ with ya.”
Kiyotaka had not been so sure he was. He nervously laughed as he fiddled with the hem of his sweater.
“AHAHA! Yes! I understood! A joke! Yes!”
Mondo’s expression was nothing short of ‘what the hell are you talking about?’. He stared at Kiyotaka with widened eyes, ignoring the little white paw scratching at his cheek.
“Are... you ok?”
“Certainly!”
Mondo frowned, but shrugged it off. He gave into the paw on his cheek and nuzzled Kyoudai as he smiled.
“N-Now please wash up and be ready for dinner in about 15 minutes,” Kiyotaka leaned in and kissed Mondo’s cheek, “I’d love to hear about the table you’re working on!”
As Kiyotaka turned to go back to tending to dinner, Mondo’s arm snaked around his waist and pulled him right back to his chest. Kiyotaka gasped.
“Thanks, Taka, you’re the best,” Mondo purred.
Mondo kissed Kiyotaka for a good, fairly lengthy moment. His anxiety fell by the wayside briefly as he felt Mondo’s thumb on his hip. He tilted his head with a sigh, eyes fluttering closed.
When they pulled apart, Kiyotaka felt his face flush. Mondo chuckled.
“Too damn cute.”
Kiyotaka huffed a little and rolled his eyes as he unwound himself from Mondo’s arm. “I am not cute, love. Please finish getting ready!”
Mondo just laughed as he walked back into their room.
Dinner was going smoothly for Mondo, but not so much for Kiyotaka.
He had truly wanted to hear about this table Mondo worked on, but could only really focus on the mounting anxiety of what came after dinner.
Trying to push those thoughts aside, Kiyotaka opted to focus on Mondo. He watched how happy Mondo looked describing these carpentry techniques. Though Kiyotaka had no idea what those terms meant, what mattered was how downright thrilled Mondo was to be using them.
“...and we did some stain tests on the little extra bits from the legs,” Mondo said between mouthfuls of food, “This wood is fuckin’ gorgeous. The stain brings out the grain so well, if this guy doesn’t like this table, I’ll take it. An-.... what?”
Mondo’s abrupt stop in the story made Kiyotaka concerned. He tilted his head a little. “Hm? Something wrong, Mondo?”
“You had this... look... you were just... starin’ at me, like... like this...”
Mondo mimicked how Kiyotaka had apparently been staring at him. His eyes were lidded and he had a little smile on his face. He batted his eyelashes, which Kiyotaka rolled his eyes at. He was positive he did not blink that many times.
“Well, I enjoy hearing you talk about your carpentry! You look so happy doing so,” Kiyotaka hummed, “I love seeing you so passionate and excited about something you love.”
Mondo’s face reddened and he coughed. Kiyotaka closed his eyes and was quite proud of making Mondo flustered. He finished his dinner and was about to clear his plate when Mondo’s voice stopped him.
“So,” Mondo cleared his throat again, “Can I see the pictures from Kyoudai’s bath... please...?”
Kiyotaka walked over to Mondo’s side of the table and pulled his phone out. “Of course! I’m sorry I forgot to send these to you.”
“S’alright. I was workin’ all day and wouldn’t be able to look at it until now anyway.”
Mondo smiled as Kiyotaka showed him the photos. He softly “aww”ed as he saw the picture of Kyoudai peeking out from the towel.
“He’s too damn cute,” Mondo murmured as he handed Kiyotaka his phone back, “What made you decide to give him a bath today?”
Kiyotaka felt that bundle of nerves arise again, his throat tightening.
There was no way to avoid it, no use in dodging the question.
It was time.
Kiyotaka took a deep breath. “Well, Kyoudai needed one. On top of that, I wanted him to look nice for a little... something else I picked up for him at the shop.”
“Oh, yeah? What did ya get?” Mondo was grinning.
“Well, we’ll show you,” Kiyotaka said as calmly as he could. He looked at the puppy curled up at Mondo’s feet and whistled, “Kyoudai! This way.”
Kyoudai barked and trotted after Kiyotaka. As he entered their room, Kiyotaka caught a glimpse of Mondo’s excited grin. He’d seen it before, when he’d given in and let Mondo buy Kyoudai a little sweater.
This, however, was far different than any tiny dog sweater. Kiyotaka helped Kyoudai up on the bed and removed his collar. He opened a little drawer and pulled out a small, black bow tie. Mondo had gotten it some time ago for a fellow Diamond’s wedding. With a deep breath, Kiyotaka sat on the bed and grabbed the little bag containing the new dog tag. He turned it over in his trembling hand, fumbling to clasp it on the little ring of the collar. He looked over at Kyoudai, who sat happily beside Kiyotaka. He placed a tiny white paw on Kiyotaka’s thigh.
Kiyotaka took it to mean that things would be alright.
Another deep breath exhaled as he slipped the bow tie around Kyoudai’s neck.
“There... you look... very nice, Kyoudai.”
Kyoudai just panted and briefly closed his eyes.
Before exiting the room, Kiyotaka reached into his nightstand drawer and grabbed another small box. He slipped it into his pocket.
It was now or never.
His heart rattled in his rib cage as he opened the door.
“M-Mondo, he’s in the living room! Come-Come take a look!”
Mondo stood and made his way from the dining room toward the living room. Kiyotaka placed Kyoudai on the floor and have him a little boost to go find his other owner.
Perhaps the boost was a little too much, as Kyoudai had started doing what Mondo had called “zoomies”. Kiyotaka watched, his chin in his hand again as Mondo laughed.
“What’s gotcha wound up, buddy? Huh?” Mondo made many a half-hearted attempt to scoop up Kyoudai, earning little barks in return.
Kiyotaka managed a smile as he watched, despite his nerves.
With ease, Mondo swooped in and lifted Kyoudai from the ground. He spun in a little circle, beaming all the way.
“HaHA! I gotcha,” Mondo chuckled, “Now. What did you get at the store today, my baby boy? It’s not this bow tie.”
Kiyotaka moved to stand behind Mondo, struggling to maintain his steady breaths. He slipped a hand into his pocket.
Mondo tilted his head as the light glinted off the pink, heart-shaped dog tag. His eyes narrowed as he grasped the little piece of metal.
“What’s this? New tag?”
Kyoudai’s tail wagged as he watched Mondo’s expression shift from confusion to utter shock. He barely registered the little tongue licking his nose as he stared at the tag.
Fastened to his bow tie, the pink heart had four words engraved in simple font.
“Will You Marry Me?”
Mondo whipped around and saw Kiyotaka behind him, down on one knee, holding up a little box with a silver ring inside. Kiyotaka watched Mondo, watched him stare from the tag, to the box, to him.
“M-Mondo, darling, you are... my best friend, my first friend, and... I-I don’t want to know my life without you. Ever again. I love you, so much more than I thought my heart could! And just when it seems like... like I’m at the most love I could have, I find myself loving you deeper. And I know I’m rambling a little at this point,” Kiyotaka laughed, “but... I want to spend my life with you. I hope... I hope you want to do the same...s-so,” he cleared his thought, “Mondo Oowada, will you marry me? Ah... please?”
Mondo was still silent. The whole room, even Kyoudai, was dead silent. Kiyotaka swallowed as he felt his heart slamming against his chest. He waited for something, anything to happen.
Then, Mondo set Kyoudai on the couch. The puppy, quite pleased with himself, curled up on the nearest pillow.
It was another moment before Mondo turned. When he did, he had tears in his eyes. His fists were clenched as his form began to shake.
“T-Taka?”
“Yes?” Kiyotaka leaned forward.
Mondo smiled. Mondo smiled, and Kiyotaka could feel all the stress begin to dissolve into joy.
“I can still propose to you too, right?”
Kiyotaka giggled. “But of course! Well, only if you... say yes to mine. It would be quite awkward if you said no, and then a little later you propose and-“
“Kiyotaka,” Mondo interrupted, taking his hands and helping him stand back up.
“Yes?”
“Shut up for a sec.”
Mondo’s hands cupped Kiyotaka’s face as he pulled him into a surprisingly tender kiss. Kiyotaka held Mondo around his waist, his eyes closing with a pleased hum. It wasn’t until he felt Mondo’s thumbs moving across his cheeks that he realized he had begun crying. He was so happy. Kiyotaka was happy! Mondo dipped him back slightly as an arm circled around his shoulders.
When they broke the kiss and opened their eyes, they were both teary. Kiyotaka giggled as he, for once, wiped away Mondo’s tears.
“So,” Kiyotaka’s voice was soft, “Is that a ‘yes’?”
Mondo grinned. “Hell yeah, it’s a ‘yes’. Gimme that fuckin’ ring.”
Kiyotaka helped Mondo slip on the engagement ring, trying not to allow himself to be too distracted by the kisses Mondo was leaving on his cheek. They both were still smiling, still as giggly as school kids as Mondo pulled Kiyotaka into his lap on the couch.
“You picked out a nice ring, baby,” Mondo hummed as he kissed the back of Kiyotaka’s neck.
“Thank you, I was concerned you might not like it... or ah... you’d... reject the proposal altogether.”
The arms around Kiyotaka tightened as Mondo shifted to look him in the eye. He looked serious, making Kiyotaka squirm a little.
“You, the goddamn love of my life, just proposed to me with our puppy. How could I say no?! You’re both so fuckin’ cute!”
Kyoudai trotted up to Kiyotaka and was promptly picked up and used as a place to hide one’s face against. Kiyotaka peeked out to see Mondo still grinning away. His hand ruffled through Kiyotaka’s hair with a chuckle.
“I love you, you... cute as fuck little nerd.”
“I love you too,” Kiyotaka nuzzled against Mondo’s chest. His smile grew more as he said the words Mondo was waiting to hear... and the words he was waiting to use.
“My fiancé.”