Work Text:
"You have to kiss me."
"...Excuse me?"
The pink haired boy had intruded into the butler's room without a warning, stomping while getting closer to the desk where Yuzuru was doing his homework.
"You have to kiss me." He repeats, his eyes filled with determination as if he didn't need to give Yuzuru any other explanation.
The butler sighs. Even if usually he can more or less understand the young master's intentions, this time he has no clue what he's planning.
"Bocchama, please be more specific. Why do I have to do that?"
His master doesn't seem too happy to see that he isn't obeying as soon as he made the request, but he supposes that it's fair if he gives an explanation.
"I overheard some maids earlier... They don't believe we are dating..."
"Bocchama, you should know better than to eavesdrop-"
"That's not the problem here!" Tori interrupts Yuzuru's lecture hitting the desk with both hands, regretting the action in the same instant as he has used too much force, hurting himself in the process. He looks away from Yuzuru, pouting. "If they don't believe it, papa and mama might start suspecting that I lied when I said we are together..."
"That's because you did lie, Bocchama." Without mercy, Yuzuru stabs Tori with his words right where it hurts the most. "You reap what you sow. Not only did you lie, but you also involved me in this scheme without consulting me first."
"I do feel bad I got you into this mess..." Tori admits, still not looking at Yuzuru. "But I had no other choice! Papa and mama were talking about how good it'd be if I married the kid from some other family when we were both older, concerted marriages aren't that weird in rich families! I panicked!" Just remembering the conversation is enough to make Tori feel nervous about it again as tears dwell his eyes.
"And then you said that you can't marry anyone because you're dating me. I am aware, bocchama, I was there during that dinner." The butler takes his handkerchief and carefully wipes away the few tears that have escaped his eyes, finally getting the picture of what's happening. "You worry that if they discover the lie, they will start trying to convince you that you should marry into that family, as that would certainly bring them businesses benefit... But I doubt the Master and the Mistress are the kind of people to ignore their son's happiness. They are truly doting after all."
Tori nods, gently moving Yuzuru's arm away once he's done wiping his tears away.
"I know papa and mama care about my happiness, that's why when I said I'm dating you they stopped bringing it up... But still...!" Tori seems to have trouble explaining the reasoning of this plan, of why he's so against the idea of telling his parents the truth.
Pride and fear. Not wanting to admit that there was a better way to deal with this situation, and fearing the consequences of his actions.
Yuzuru knows that the longer they take to tell the truth, the more difficult it will become for Tori. He should stop his plan right here and right now, make him assume the consequences, stop spoiling him so much.
But in the end, Tori is his master and he's the loyal butler that would do anything to ensure his happiness, following every single order he receives is his duty.
Perhaps if he continues telling himself that, he can lie even his own heart.
"I understand. So you want me to kiss you in front of those maids that were gossiping about our relationship. Is that what you meant?" The butler guesses now that he has more information.
"Mhm, well, more or less..."
The young master seems to still have something else to request, not being able to look at Yuzuru into the eyes while he fidgets a bit, trying to find the right words.
"More or less?" Yuzuru repeats, an eyebrow raised and trying to not push him to hurry with his request, but intrigued nevertheless.
"It... Has to look natural... It can't look like that's my first kiss..."
Oh.
Oh.
Something clicks in Yuzuru's mind.
"Now?"
A shy nod. All the confidence that the young master seemed to have when he intruded his room has vanished, though it does look like his resolve isn't something that is going to disappear as easily.
Tori is stubborn, that's something that Yuzuru knows for sure.
"Bocchama, your first kiss should be with someone you truly love. It's not something you should do with me." The words leave a bitter aftertaste in his mouth, he speaks the truth, and that's why it hurts so much.
But Tori shakes his head.
"It has to be Yuzuru." He replies, this time looking at Yuzuru into the eyes. "If it's not you, I might end up forced to be with someone I really don't love, that's why... If someone is going to get my first kiss, I want that person to be Yuzuru."
The way he says it, so straightforward and full of resolve makes Yuzuru feel quite taken aback, not expecting this result at all.
He takes a deep breath, reaching his hand out and placing it on Tori's cheek, his thumb gently touching his lips, following the outline, softly, delicately... In response, the young master closes his eyes tightly, nervous but trying to get ready for what's about to come.
It would be a lie to say that he has never thought about it, about kissing his young master, so often that he can't remember a exact number. So vividly that he has sometimes found himself lost in his own little world.
It wouldn't be a lie to say that he thought that he would never be worthy of such a thing though.
"Are you truly sure about this?" He asks, a gentle voice that makes Tori open his eyes slightly confused.
Tori can see that the way he asks it is in a way to assure and comfort him that it's alright if he changes his mind, that it's still not too late, that he won't get angry if he decides he can't do this.
But the answer he gets is, once again, a shy nod.
"Don't make me repeat myself, geez..." the faint blush on his cheeks becomes more vivid and Yuzuru has to hold back a chuckle when he sees that despite being trembling with nervousness, he still wants to act like this isn't affecting him at all. But with that question, Tori realizes one thing, a mistake that he didn't take into account. "... If you aren't sure about it we can stop though."
Ah, he's having doubts now, he seems troubled, not because he dislikes the idea of kissing Yuzuru, but because he fears that it might be the other way around.
"Bocchama, my sole purpose is to support you and guarantee your happiness. There's nothing that would bring me more joy than assisting you." Yuzuru realizes as soon as he's done speaking that while his words are true, he has chosen the cowardly option. Perhaps that made him sound insincere, or perhaps Tori can sense that he's hiding something because he doesn't look convinced at all. That's not good. He has to push himself, convey his true feelings. "I would love to kiss you." I have always wanted to, he wants to add, but he's aware that such a live confession now would only complicate things.
It seems to work though, Tori looks convinced, although completely embarrassed as well.
"You sure can say embarrassing stuff with a straight face..." He complains, turning his head to look away from Yuzuru, once again having trouble looking at him.
"Says the person who said that he wanted for me to take his first kiss..." Yuzuru sighs and Tori mumbles an 'I didn't say it that way', but he's aware he can't retort that.
Yuzuru smiles fondly at Tori. The way he gazes at him once in a while, trying to look into his eyes but getting embarrassed as soon as he does, his arms crossed while he still has a pout on his face, the blush on his cheeks becoming more and more vivid...
Even if it's for this instant, for just this day, Yuzuru wants to believe that their relationship isn't a fake one.
They do say that if you tell a lie too many times, it might become true, and oh, does he wish that this lie becomes real.
Still, while lost in his own thoughts, he realizes one thing.
The young master seems too flustered for just a simple kiss.
“Bocchama, just so we are clear, what kind of kiss do you have in mind?”
“Huh!?” The question catches Tori off guard, as if he doesn't understand it. “A… A kiss? Like the ones in movies? Is there any other kind?”
“Like in movies…?”
Oh.
Wow.
Bold.
Yuzuru regrets not supervising what kind of movies Tori has been watching lately, he knows that he's a growing, healthy boy but… His romantic knowledge is akin to that of a toddler's, so he ends up absorbing everything he watches on TV like a sponge, believing that's how things are done.
He could easily play along, he really wants to, but he knows better than that.
“Bocchama, I can't allow that,” for now “such kisses should only happen between people that are properly dating, and as far as I'm aware… Our relationship is simply a pretend to.” The tease bites him back, the bitter aftertaste returning to his mouth, wondering what did he pretend with it. Is he trying to force a real confession out of Tori?
He seems to be unaware though, as he looks more confused than any other thing.
“Then…? What kind of kiss should we have…?”
“If you allow me, shall I show you rather than explain?”
Without receiving a reply, Yuzuru bends down, his arm locked around Tori's waist to keep him in place and he doesn't waste a second to place his lips against Tori's.
It doesn't last long, and yet, it feels like time stopped in that second, helping Yuzuru burn the sensation into his memory, the feeling he had longed all this time, even if it does feel like he has cheated to get this privilege, he can't be discontent with it.
When he stands straight once again, releasing Tori after the kiss, he sees that the young master's first reacting is to touch his lips with his fingertips and Yuzuru can almost hear him think ‘ah, it feels different…’ The butler, of course, finds this motion incredibly cute, unaware that his blissful smile and slight blush could be considered a similarly cute reaction.
“I suppose something like that should be enough to please the maids and stop them from gossiping.”
It's like Tori wakes up from some kind of trance when he hears Yuzuru's voice, moving his hand away and looking up to look at Yuzuru, his eyes falling on his lips, then his eyes, then looking at his lips again.
“Mhm, that should be enough…” He says and yet he doesn't sound convinced. “Then… I should let you go back to work… I have violin lesson now anyways.” Tori turns around to head towards the door, feeling like his mind is completely empty and yet full of thoughts at the same time.
Yuzuru notices this, he doesn't find it strange though. He just had his first kiss, and even though he did say that if someone was going to take his first kiss he wanted for that person to be Yuzuru, right now he might be regretting that he didn't wait until he met someone he truly loves.
“Yuzuru…” As he thinks that, Tori's voice brings fear to his heart, as if his next words are going to be the confirmation of his worst thoughts. “Just so it seems more natural… You should kiss me even when the maids aren't around… Just in case! okay?”
Yuzuru blinks, and he wonders what kind of make Tori is making. From where he stands, he can only see the back of his head, but he can notice that his ears seem to be red.
Yuzuru himself has to cover part of his face with his hand, just in case, as even he is aware of how warm it is becoming.
“Of course, Bocchama.” He manages to say, sounding as natural as possible over the sound of his heart.
“That's good.” Tori says as he finally leaves the room, closing the door behind him and Yuzuru can hear the sound of quick footsteps outside.
He was so embarrassed that he wanted to run away, and yet, he stayed long enough to request Yuzuru not only to kiss him once again, but again and again and again after that.
The butler sits down in front of his desk once again, a blush and a smile on his face as he imitates the same gesture as his young master did before, touching his lips and wondering if they will ever be able to share the kind of kiss that Tori originally wanted to have.