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Kuro sighed, running a hand through his hair as he made his way through the streets. It had been a long time since he’s really heard from anyone—Chiaki in particular. Sure there were texts and emails, handwritten letters going over anything from birthday wishes and life updates to a “big, tough dog” he saw that “reminded him of Kiryu”. And the two would jump at any given opportunity they had to meet up, but...life had been busy.
- - - - -
Kuro’s wandering eventually brought him to a small park. He sighed again, he really had no idea where he was; his landlord selling the building without any warning was hard enough it didn’t help any that he had a frighteningly short time limit when it came to finding a new place. Muttering to himself, he pulled out his phone hoping that maybe a map would provide a familiar landmark, storefront—anything that could assist him in getting used to the city. Kuro glanced around the park, finding the name of this place would probably help, huh… Another sigh, he couldn’t see any markers.
He grumbled, sliding his phone back into his pocket. Kuro didn’t want to think it but the thought that “a guy like himself” shouldn’t be seen loitering alone in a park like this, kept lingering among his thoughts. Maybe I should start lookin’ at different areas... With that, he decided to keep walking. After all, maybe he was closer towards the further ends of the park, and the entrance along with a sign could be further down.
—- - — - —
As Kuro made his way along the path, a small ball rolled up to a stop in front of him. Furrowing his brow, he knelt down and picked it up. But, before he could even begin to look around for whoever it belonged to he found himself back on the ground, a large golden (and slobbery) dog standing over him.
“Wh…” Kuro slid out from under the dog and stood up while dusting himself off.
The dog, as if in response, barked and lunged for the ball it had knocked out of Kuro’s grasp. It’s tail wagging at a rate that honestly didn’t seem possible to Kuro as it nudged his hand with its cold nose.
“What? That some sorta apology?”
The dog barked again, this time dropping the ball at Kuro’s feet before sitting down in front of him.
Guess she wants me to throw it? He picked up the ball once again, “Look, I dunno where ya even came from. Where’s your owner, they’re probably lookin’ for ya y’know? What if they pass through here lookin’ for a mutt? It’s better you stay in one place or—”
Bark! Bark! The dog pawed at the air a couple of times before laying down, ready to shoot back up again.
“Look,” Kuro pinched the bridge of his nose, having to deal with this dog was seriously messing with his very time-sensitive task, “just lemme see your tags maybe we can call whoever—”
A sharp whistle cut off Kuro’s fruitless negotiation with the excited pup. “Peaches?”
Kuro’s eyes scanned the surrounding area trying to find the source of the call. The dog, who he assumed to be Peaches, stood up once again; her tail, wagging at such a high speed her whole body started shaking.
Another whistle.
Kuro frowned at the dog. Well, go on? Your owner is callin’ what’re ya waitin’ for?
Yet another whistle. This time it was closer.
“Hey! Uh,” Kuro called, as the source of the voice came into view, “uh, ‘scuse me?” Slowly waving a half raised arm he made his way towards the man who lost his dog, Peaches following closely behind.
“C’mere, Peaches! C’mon!” The man waved the ball launcher he held in his hand, “Where are you?”
Now a few feet away from the man, Kuro tilted his head, “Morisawa?”
“Peaches?” Chiaki replied, spinning around at the sound of his name. “Peaches! There you—Kiryu?”
— —- -
Kuro wasn’t sure how many laps they completed around the park, the only thing he knew was they had been walking for a long time.
“I remember ya mentioned movin’ out this way. Just didn’t realize this was this town.”
Chiaki let out one of his boisterous laughs, “Mhm! And I can’t believe I never introduced you to Peaches?! What else have we missed?!”
Kuro took a seat at a nearby bench; he gave Chiaki’s dog a soft smile as she ran up and placed her head on his knee. Chiaki was going off, a hundred words a minute. Something about Peaches being a mix of a Collie and a Golden Retriever. Something else about this place in town serving the best fries he’s ever had. He picked up a book at some second-hand shop and he loved it so much he’s read it four times already. Kuro smiled again; he missed this more than he thought. But as much as he missed it, he still had a new place of residence to find.
——- — -
Hmm... Kuro sighed and leaned against the doorframe. At this point, he wasn’t too sure how long he and Chiaki had been living together—had been seeing, each other actually. Obviously, it had been for more than a few years, not a decade but when it came to Chiaki, time felt...well beyond eternal.
His circling thoughts were suddenly cut short as he heard the click of Peaches’ claws shortly followed by the fumbling of the lock at his front door. Pushing himself off of the doorframe Kuro made his way towards the entrance, We really outta get Morisawa a new set of keys... He smiled, giving Peaches’ head a quick pet and a, “Scuse me,” as he slid by to let Chiaki inside.
“Kiryu..!” Chiaki exclaimed, boisterous as ever before rushing forward to give Kuro one of his trademark hugs.
“Wh--wait, Morisaw..!”
Kuro sighed softly; between the small hall space, Chiaki’s surprise hug (which in all honesty he knows he should have expected) and Peaches’ trying to get her own greeting in, it was a wonder how he kept his balance.
After leaning down to pet their excited dog, Kuro followed Chiaki around the house asking him the usual: “How was your day? Did you eat? Anything excitin’ happen?” Et cetera et cetera…
And per usual, Chiaki responded with the same excited eyes and a new (sometimes long-winded) story. “No need to worry about dinner! Some of my fellow defenders of justice and I shared a small meal on the way home!” And, “The day was fantastic!” was all Kuro could really pick up on before Chiaki started recapping the day’s adventures. He wasn’t sure how Chiaki could run around all day in a hero’s costume and put on performances with the rest of his group for a bunch of excited kids at crowded parties. Kuro knew he would probably never solve that mystery, but he did know Chiaki’s very obvious passion and commitment was admirable. It was also one of the many things he loved about him.
Soon enough, Kuro found himself once again leaning against the doorframe he had stopped to ponder by earlier. Chiaki was settling himself in under the covers, Peaches watching from her bed placed at the corner of their room.
He smiled from his place at the door, Chiaki placing his glasses on and needing to read before sleeping was a sight that he could never grow tired of.
“Uwah..?!”
“Morisawa?”
“I didn’t realize I already finished this one!?” Chiaki let out an embarrassed chuckle. He placed the book down next to himself and started to get back up, only to stop himself, “I’m actually not sure if I have any more new books…”
A small amused exhale escaped Kuro’s mouth, “I uh, actually picked ya up a new book today…”
Chiaki perked up and adjusted his glasses.
“Yeah, ah...I saw it in the window at the used bookstore today and--I dunno,” Kuro ran a hand through his hair as he made his way towards a nearby desk, “almost forgot about it, really.” Kuro reached for the book he had hidden underneath the various papers and DVDs scattered across the tabletop and handed it to Chiaki.
“Bwahaha! Thank you!” He excitedly looked over the cover and began leafing through the pages, marveling at the once dog-eared pages.
Kuro chuckled, Chiaki always mentioned finding books with folds and highlights interesting; something about each mark telling of a different adventure or something like that, “Yeah, ah. I dunno, guess it’s ‘bout a masked hero and it reminded me of ya I guess you could say…”
“Sounds exciting! And--” Chiaki paused as he noticed a thin, red ribbon placed between the pages, “A bookmark?”
Kuro took a seat on the edge of the bed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as Chiaki slowly pulled the strip out from the back of the book.
“Kiryu?”
Turning toward the sound of his name, Kuro’s eyes quickly met Chiaki’s hand; his eyes followed Chiaki’s fingers and down the vibrant red bookmark that dangled between them. At the end of the ribbon, a simple, black band wobbling from Chiaki’s shaky hand. He couldn’t have been staring for more than a few seconds but it felt as if a myriad of minutes had already passed before he took in a deep breath and looked back up at Chiaki’s intense stare. “Ah--”
“Kiryu, nn...”
Another deep inhale, “Morisawa..”
“This is such a dilemma?!” Chiaki cried, holding the ring closer to his face for inspection, “Somebody left their ring in this book..!! Do you think we could track down the previous owner?? Or what if somebody left this here as a gift for someone else?!”
Mouth agape and brows furrowed, Kuro shook his head in confusion. “Morisawa.”
“What if it was stolen and the perpetrator left it in the book until they could return for it!?” He brought the ring away from his face and held it up once more for Kuro to see. “Maybe we should turn it in..”
“Morisawa,” Kuro sighed and gently took the ring in his fingers before wrapping his hands around Chiaki’s own. “It’s for you.” He quickly glanced between their hands and Chiaki’s face. “Ah, man…” Another sigh, “This is probably uh...cliche and,” Kuro chewed his lip; he didn’t want Chiaki to think this was some half-baked approach. In fact, he couldn’t even account for how many times he’s written, rewritten, recited and called Tetora, even Kaoru for pointers.
“Kiryu?”
“Morisawa, you and I go a ways back, and…” Kuro took in a deep breath. He anticipated this being difficult but he didn’t think it’d bethis difficult, “You’re...an enthusiastic and warm person. You’re always workin’ hard to make the lives of everyone around ya better; that level of passion and determination’s rare--and admirable at that. I...I dunno if I’d be the guy I am today if it weren’t for ya…Ah, I guess what I’m tryin’ to say is, will you marry me..?”
He isn’t too sure what happened after he dropped his question. All Kuro knows is he and Chiaki somehow ended up on tangled together in some blankets on the floor with their dog excitedly sticking her nose in their faces trying to find out why the two yelped.
“Is...is that a yes?”
Chiaki let out his signature laugh before pulling Kuro and their dog in close, “Of course Kiryu..!”