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Hitoshi is not a photo kind of guy. He doesn't like holding a pose; waiting awkwardly as someone tries to take his photo. The only exception is Denki - who manages to take photos of him all the time, whether or not he notices.
It's part of their relationship. Photo-taking definitely holds sentimental value to them. Not to mention it was how their relationship began in the first place.
They have over five years worth of memories together now, and Hitoshi is certain that Denki is His Person. The One. Or, whatever people were calling it these days.
Between his patrol shifts and spending time with Denki, he manages to find the time to make a private appointment in jewelry shop in the next town over on a sunny April morning. Thankfully, Midoriya is happy to help out and provide some excuses.
It’s that, or get Kirishima, Sero or Ashido to distract Denki; but who knew how many minutes it would even take before one of them accidentally spills the beans.
The appointment ends in success an hour later, with Hitoshi picking something simple, but not too plain. He hopes Denki likes it.
Of course, his main worry was how exactly he was going to propose.
It all starts on the 7th day of April.
Denki is leaving for his shift at the agency, and Hitoshi is waving him off from the front door; coffee in hand.
As his future-husband-to-be turns his back and begins to make his way down the hall, it hits him. He nearly drops his cup of coffee in his haste as he rushes back into the bedroom.
Pulling out the ring, he snatches his phone from the bedside table and opens the door to the balcony - shivering at the feeling of cold concrete beneath his feet.
Looking down, Denki is almost at the door of their car and Hitoshi quickly holds up the ring against the small blond figure three floors down.
He takes the picture, a soft smile slipping onto his tired features.
Perfect.
After that, he starts taking the ring everywhere with him when Denki’s there.
April 18th
They go out to a quaint little café for brunch, holding hands as they head down the sidewalk. Hitoshi is dressed lightly for the warm spring weather, as no one is likely to recognise him, but Denki is suffering from the extra few layers he dons to hide his identity. Instead, for Hitoshi, the weight of the ring in his pocket is a constant reminder of his ‘proposal plan’.
When they reach the café doors, Denki pats him on the back and opens the door for him, “You first.”
They’ve been to this café a few times, and they’re soon ushered into a more private corner upon entering, allowing Denki to remove the thick scarf that helps to cover the lower-half of his face. His cheeks are flushed from the extra warmth of the accessory and Hitoshi reaches forward to pinch them teasingly.
“I told you just to wear a surgical mask.”
Denki pouts, reaching to grab the menu, “It wouldn’t match my outfit though!”
“Yeah, but that scarf of yours isn’t doing you any favours, either. You look like you’re carrying a cloud on your shoulders,” he says back playfully, “Plus it’s harder to kiss you on the cheeks when you’re looking especially cute.”
“While I’m glad you appreciate my natural youthfulness, I’m still offended that you don’t like my scarf.” Denki sticks out his tongue, turning his attention to the menu. “So, are you getting the usual?”
In the end, they end up getting two dishes that Denki wants to try; Hitoshi being far too weak to say no to that hopeful gaze. He’s not disappointed though.
The food looks and smells delicious, and digging in offers an explosion of flavours that could rival Bakugou’s quirk. Denki is immediately trying everything off both plates, shovelling food into his mouth with childish vigour.
Hitoshi doesn’t mind though, and is instead watching his boyfriend closely - waiting.
When Denki looks away for a brief moment, Hitoshi quickly fishes the box from his pocket and opens it up against one of the plates of food, facing toward him. It's well hidden from Denki's sight.
He takes out his phone, and softly calls out his boyfriend's name.
The man looks up, eyes blown wide and cheeks full of bacon. Hitoshi snaps the photo, making sure you can see the ring right at the bottom.
He lowers the phone and Denki simply blinks and gives a toothy smile before going back to eating.
April 21st
A few nights later, Hitoshi finds himself free from a night shift at the agency and takes advantage of this by cuddling up with Denki and Coffee in their bed until late evening. They play catch up with their favourite TV series until Denki is too exhausted to really keep his eyes open.
The blond whines at his own exhaustion, “I just want to spend more time with you.”
“It’s okay. Sleep,” Hitoshi urges, “I’ll still be here in the morning.”
Amber orbs stare him down unnervingly, but eventually they droop closed as Denki surrenders. He shuffled down so he’s no longer propped up and immediately pushes his way further into Hitoshi’s arms.
As he snuggles in - breaths evening out - Hitoshi carefully inches out the ring from under the pillow, the other reaching out to grab his phone.
He holds the ring up and snaps a selfie; the corner of his lips pulling at the hilarity of the situation.
The picture is perfect. A small gleam emanates from the amethyst embedded in the gold banded ring; a contrast to the Denki's fluffy blond hair where his head lay. He himself holds an expression full of mirth as he holds up the ring that is nestled between his thumb and index finger placed in the shape of a heart.
Hitoshi is sliding the ring back into its hiding spot when suddenly, Denki tilts his head up and presses his lips softly against his jaw line.
"Love you, 'Toshi," he mumbles - half asleep.
The purple-haired man can barely suppress a sigh of relief.
Denki doesn't even suspect a thing.
May 3rd
Denki's gaze is glued to the TV, even when he extends his arm to place a warm hand on Hitoshi's back. "Hey, 'Toshi?"
"Yeah?"
Golden eyes tear themselves away from the screen for less than a second as he looks at him pleadingly, "Can you get snacks?" he asks, already turning back to refocus on the show.
Hitoshi contemplates the idea of having to get up for a brief moment before he sighs in resignation. “Sweet or savoury?” he questions, already halfway off the couch.
Denki doesn’t even miss a beat as he replies, “Both, of course!”
Hitoshi suppresses a chuckle - he should’ve expected that. He makes his way to the kitchen, mentally going through what they had in their pantry. He was fairly sure they still have microwave popcorn and candy somewhere stashed away.
Rummaging through, he huffs triumphantly when he sees that they do in fact have popcorn and skittles. He puts the snacks in separate bowls, and pauses when he considers the colours of the candy.
Taking out the ring from his pocket, he carefully places the ring in the bowl of skittles. It kind of blends in, even though the gemstone is a much lighter purple.
His heart flutters at the anticipation of possibly getting caught, but he takes the bowls out to the couch without removing the ring despite himself.
Denki looks at him like he was his saviour when he returns, taking the popcorn first. “Thanks ‘Toshi! You’re the best!”
The photo ends up with Denki's hand reaching into the bowl, the rest of him in the background focused on the TV. If the blond had been paying an inkling of attention to something else, he probably would've noticed how the texture of one of the skittles was a little cooler and the shell of the candy a little harder than the others.
Instead, Denki’s fingers drag through the bowl and leave the ring inside. It had been dangerous of Hitoshi to put it in there in the first place. But somehow, he'd just known Denki would remain oblivious.
He’s proud that he knows Denki well enough to expect that. As Denki munches upon handfuls of popcorn, Hitoshi quietly sneaks the ring back into his pocket.
May 22nd
Meetings are draining. Especially when they run until late into the night. Hitoshi is practically dragging his feet when he gets home, entering quietly in case Denki had already gone to bed.
Instead, he hears the tell-tale sound of the shower running, and Denki humming to some soft rock music.
The tension from his shoulder melts a little at the familiarity of the situation. He beelines through their bedroom, stopping at their ensuite and cracking open the door a little to let Denki know he’d returned home.
The bathroom is filled with steam, slightly obscuring Denki’s figure, but he could still see the man facing away from him; hips swinging to the music emanating from the speakers. Hitoshi knows he’s grinning fondly at the sight. Denki never failed to cheer him up - whether he was aware of it or not.
It’s almost a habit now, as he pulls out his phone to record the moment. But this time, he pauses for a second. His mind drifts to the ring that sat in his bedside drawer; his hiding place for when he went to work.
Without a second thought, he grabs the ring and makes sure to take a photo. The shiny ring gleams in the forefront of Denki’s half-visible silhouette.
Although Hitoshi means to take the picture as a joke, it does turn out quite nice. Probably because Denki has a great butt. He stares at the photo for a looong, appreciative moment.
When he looks back up, Denki had moved on from the hip-swaying and was now attempting to because the next best air-guitarist. He chokes back laughter at the endearing sight.
Denki pauses, but doesn’t turn around. “Hitoshi? Is that you?” he calls, ”Did you want to join me?”
Hitoshi blinks, the rest of the exhaustion in his bones fading. Turning back to the bedroom, he quickly stashes the ring in is usual hiding spot and begins to strip.
“Babe?” Denki’s voice drifts from the bathroom again.
“Yeah, coming!” Hitoshi replies, smiling when he hears Denki giggle and tell him to hurry.
Honestly. He couldn’t wait to be married to this man.
June 16th
He gets a little cocky. As Denki has his back turned to fix himself a cup of tea after dinner, Hitoshi whips out the ring - phone already set to camera mode in the other hand.
Tapping the screen impatiently, he waits for the camera to focus on the ring itself, with Denki’s figure framed as a blur through the otherside of the ring.
Hitoshi doesn’t even spare a second to check if the photograph turned out okay. He ends up shoving his hands under the table, fumbling to put everything away just as Denki turns around with a steaming mug clasped in his palms. What a close call.
The blond blinks at the flustered sight of his lover, “You alright there, ‘Toshi? Why are you still sitting at the table?”
“Nothing, I was just watching you,” He quirks the corner of his lip, hoping his expression isn’t too strained.
As expected, Denki’s own face lights up - cheeks turning the slightest shade of red. “Aw, babe!” He shuffles over, leaning down to peck his lips and rub his back endearingly. When he pulls back, he’s still smiling, but in a slightly more devious manner, “You should take a picture, it’ll last longer!”
Denki’s joking, of course, but the blond doesn’t quite know how close to the truth he already is in saying those words. Nonetheless, Hitoshi stands as the blond gestures for him to go into the living room first, “Why take a picture when I can have the real thing?”
June 29th
It’s Denki’s birthday.
Time had passed by so quickly, and Hitoshi is only now realising that today was the day he’d planned to propose.
Denki’s birthday itself is actually a very quiet day. They wake up late, and stay in bed even longer, sharing kisses and Hitoshi whispering happy birthday in his lover’s ear.
Due to everyone’s busy schedules, the two of them had simply begun celebrating their birthdays on the 30th with all their friends. There was no point in taking up everyone’s free time by celebrating separately.
They’re sitting in the living room, with Denki completely focused on winning Mario Kart, when Hitoshi decides it’s time.
There’s no elaborate gesture, or a heartfelt speech that he’s thought of coming into this. He knows that his intent is simply enough.
Hitoshi throws his own controller off to the side as Denki begins his third and final lap of Bowser’s Castle. He reaches behind him, delving into the couch pillows where he’d placed the ring - properly in it’s box. He grips it in his hand, observing as Denki rounds the final corner and crosses the finish line, cheering and throwing his hands in the air.
“Did you see that?” Denki turns to face him, bragging, “I think I might’ve beat a personal rec - Hitoshi?” He trails off when he realises that the purple-haired man isn’t even playing the game anymore.
“Denki,” he whispers, suddenly nervous, He takes a deep breath and shuffles across the couch so that their knees are touching. He tries to control his shaking hands, but there’s a visible tremble to his grip on the box as he pulls it open, “Will you-”
“No!” Denki cuts him off with a gasp, and physically jumps away from him.
Hitoshi’s mouth drops open, just as his heart drops to his gut, “W-What?”
“No you can’t do this!” he exclaims, “ Your birthday is in two days! Two days ! Why couldn’t you wait!?” He’s buried his hands in his hair, his expression exasperated, “I worked so hard, too!”
“Denki, what’re you talking about?” He mutters, quietly, not trusting his voice.
The blond huffs and picks up his phone from the coffee table, “I’ve been planning this for so long!” Hitoshi peeks over the man’s shoulder to see Denki aggressively scrolling through an album.
Each photograph depicts Hitoshi himself as the main figure - but only from the back. Except, there’s also a small orange square on the centre of his back in all of them.
Sticky notes.
Denki clicks to zoom in on one of the pictures - from the time they’d gone out to brunch with him wearing the thick scarf. They’re only just entering the café, the moment captured being when the blond had let Hitoshi through the door first. And the sticky note? Well it reads just as he suspects at this point.
[Marry me?]
Hitoshi feels his heart jump all the way to his throat now; choking on emotion. He shakes his head at the sheer absurdity of the situation - it was like déjà vu. “I - I’ve been doing basically the same thing this whole time.”
They turn to meet each other’s gaze, silence filling the room before they both burst out into laughter, pressing their foreheads together. Denki grins, full of affection, “I guess our minds are one of a kind!”
Hitoshi smiles back, brushing Denki’s hair from his eyes as he brings the ring box back into his line of sight. Amber orbs flicker down, now enamoured by the ring. His mouth slowly drops open in awe. Hesitantly, Hitoshi asks, “So… it’s a yes?”
Denki looks back up, as if surprised the taller man even had to ask. “Of course!” His arms snake around Hitoshi’s waist and pulls him into a hug - the next sentence coming out muffled, “It’s a million times yes!”
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[They get the pictures framed. The one with Denki’s figure making tea captured through the ring Hitoshi holds on the left, and the one with Hitoshi entering their favourite café on the right.
In the center, the pair are donning suits; backs turned and hands intertwined - walking through a field of sunflowers.]