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Oniwaka woke with a groan. He read the digital clock on his bedside table: 11:03 AM. Today was Monday, March 3rd. His birthday. What’s normally a jubilant celebration of life for most was another typical day of struggles and potential death for him. As such, the monk didn’t approach the annual occasion with as much enthusiasm. The stakes weren’t nearly as high after meeting Masashi, however. Speaking of...
Oniwaka and Masashi had been dating for nearly a month; since a few days before Valentine’s Day. The past few weeks had been the greatest in his short life. They often frequented the other’s living quarters, talking, laughing, hugging and kissing. Oniwaka even lent Masashi a key to his apartment, so his love could stop by whenever he pleased. Their busy schedules prevented them from going on an official date, but they used whatever time they could spare to enjoy each other’s company.
Masashi had spent the night in Oniwaka’s apartment a few times, mostly on the weekend to not interfere with school time. They’d watch TV and play games, watch funny and cute videos, and finally snuggle in bed for the evening. On their first night together, Oniwaka sheepishly told his lover that he preferred sleeping nude and, as expected, his love didn’t seem to mind. What shocked the monk, however, was the revelation that Masashi did the same. Since then, the topic of sex had invaded his consciousness once or twice. He dared not to address it to Masashi, though. He was willing to wait as long as necessary until both parties were comfortable enough to talk about sex, let alone actually perform it.
Masashi, however, was not on his side of the bed when Oniwaka peered over his shoulder. It was a Monday, so the young summoner had certainly left for school. He normally walked him to school, though. He had been complaining about a slight lack of sleep the night before, so the summoner must have allowed him to sleep in. Oniwaka’s growing worry was stamped out by the love swelling his heart at the simple gesture. With a skip in his step, he got out of and remade his bed, plucked some boxers from his dresser drawer, placed them on the closed toilet seat in the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and stepped into the shower.
Oniwaka always enjoyed showers. He felt that people took them for granted. The hissing of the shower head and warm water cascading down his giant frame cleared his mind and forced a content sigh out of him. He began to ponder the day’s events as he scrubbed himself. Work normally took the majority of his time, but he was off today. He could cook—it’s too late for breakfast, but not quite time for lunch. Brunch, he supposed—and simply relax until Masashi got out of class. His birthday was just another day to him, so like always, he had no special plans. Come to think of it, Masashi hadn’t mentioned the monk’s birthday at all. He knew it was today, and would certainly make a grand spectacle of it with his cute smile and warm gaze. Was he planning something? Did he assume that Oniwaka didn’t want anything given his past birthdays? ...Did he forget? Oniwaka’s worry resurfaced with a vengeance as he stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. Whether people remembered his birthday didn’t normally matter to him but, as with just about everything else, Masashi was... different.
Oniwaka had just slipped his boxers on when he heard movement from outside the bathroom. He froze; classes weren’t even close to finished, so that can’t be Masashi, and he hadn’t given a key to anyone else. The landlord would never breach someone’s apartment without their knowledge or consent. Whomever was on the other side of that door was unwelcome. They must’ve broken in while the shower was running (and while he was lost in thought), otherwise he would’ve heard them. The oni cursed under his breath. Cu Sith said that this was a safe neighborhood, though nothing was without impurity. Home invasions was nothing he wasn’t used to anyway.
He pressed his ear to the small wall beside the door and listened for footsteps. It sounded like two individuals were out there. He could probably take them. If they had guns he could break for the front door and think of a strategy from there. He performed well under this kind of pressure. His naginata would make too wide a slash in the small apartment; a katana would have to do. He began to summon his artifact.
“Role of the Stalwart. Rule of Appropriation,” he quietly chanted. “I, Oniwaka Houzouin, engrave my name unto thee. Ravenous Hunter!” A silver blade with a brown hilt materialized in his hand. Oniwaka faced the door, took a deep breath, and kicked it open.
The scene before him was nothing he would have ever guessed.
A bundle of colorful balloons floated on the ceiling, circling a giant, star-shaped one with “Happy Birthday” written on it. Platters of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, fruit, crepes, and poutine decorated the coffee table. Masashi and Cu Sith stopped short of placing a large pink teddy bear on the couch and were staring at Oniwaka with mortified expressions. No one moved nor spoke for several seconds.
Oniwaka freed the katana from his grasp, and the blade fell on the floor with a loud klang before vanishing.
“Uh...,” was all he could manage.
“Happy... birthday?” Cu Sith stuttered.
“Oniwaka, what are-“ Masashi gaped.
“What the hell are you two doing?! I thought you were some crooks!”
“Crooks? There’s never been anyone like that here,” Cu Sith defended. “Didn’t I tell you that this was a nice neighborhood?”
Oniwaka couldn’t resist the sneer from smearing across his face. Casually throwing the word nice around. Have they met him? “I’m not used to nice. And you,” he pointed at the young summoner. “I thought you had school today.”
“Classes were cancelled because of plumbing issues. Which somehow led to light and air conditioning issues. I think Shiro’s D-Evils got stuck in the toilets again? Anyway, I would ask you to come sit but...” Masashi drifted off as his eyes traveled down the monk’s figure.
Oniwaka followed his love’s gaze and realized that he was still nearly naked. Right. Pants. His flush was so intense his hair gained a shade of red. He turned to produce his signature robes from his closet. Cu Sith tried and failed to suppress his giggles. The oni glared daggers at the dog therian, shutting him up as he returned to the bathroom to change.
Masashi didn’t have school, so he and Cu Sith were just plotting a surprise for the monk. How silly. The last “surprise” he received was a knife jabbed in his gut from one of his old “friends.” He knew that the two in his apartment would never dream of doing such a thing, or anything similar, but past experiences left him uneasy. Oniwaka’s stomach grumbled when he finished fastening his hoodie. Those crepes did look good though... Plus, this WAS Masashi. They’d been dating for nearly a month now, and during that time he’d been learning to loosen up again. Cu Sith had been a key factor to his change as well. He was so fluffy besides... Anyone that fluffy could only be looking out for him. He would never admit that though. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
With newfound positivity, Oniwaka headed back out to find his friends talking in hushed whispers on either side of the couch. The huge teddy bear had been moved to the side of the bed. They stopped short on sight of him, wearing frowns. Masashi beckoned him to sit between them, and he obeyed with no fuss.
“Well...” the summoner began after a beat of awkward silence. “Firstly, we’re sorry for giving you a scare. I was going to start my birthday plans for you after school, but once I found out I didn’t have class and started my way back here, I ran into Cu Sith and-“
“Wait,” the oni interrupted. “What are you sorry for?”
“It was my idea,” Cu Sith lamented. “Masashi said that you would either be in the shower or still asleep, so I suggested that we surprise you with breakfast.”
“I know you’re not used to...,” his love flailed his hand around the table and bear. “All of this. I doubt your surprises before meeting me were very pleasant either. This was all spur of the moment and we didn’t consider any of that, so sorry.”
“Masashi...” Oniwaka looked to the both of them and gave a small smile. What a Masashi thing to say. “Yeah, I get it. You two just wanted to do something nice for me, today being my birthday and all. It’ll take some getting used to, but if it’s you two, then it’s fine. So, my bad for snapping earlier. And thanks.”
The young summoner visually brightened in color and wrapped his arms around him for a hug. As he pulled away, he pressed his lips to the scar on his forehead—he loved it when he kissed him there—and whispered a soft and endearing “Happy Birthday.” Cu Sith perked up when Oniwaka turned to face him. The oni held his hand out and the therian graciously leaned into it, tail wagging excitedly. “Good dog,” Oniwaka said happily.
After a few pats on Cu Sith’s head, the monk gestured to all the food still on the table. “So, what’s all this?”
“Oh! Let me get plates and stuff,” Masashi chirped as he got up and dashed to the kitchen area.
“Takemaru, from the Kamata Crafters, is hosting a woodwork workshop at the academy,” Cu Sith explained. “Choji is cooking food for the guests, and we asked if he could whip something up for you!”
Oniwaka’s nostrils flared at the mention of the oni Crafter. He knew that their transgressions had long passed, but couldn’t help himself. Cu Sith either didn’t notice, or decided not to respond.
“I was a bit worried that we were overworking him, but he didn’t mind at all!” Masashi added as he returned with plates, forks, and napkins and tongs. “He says happy birthday, by the way.”
“Mm. Well as long as you’re not being a bother just for me...,” The monk accepted the offered plate and tongs and helped himself to some crepes and eggs.
“Hey, what time did you wake up?” Masashi asked his love after his his 3rd mouthful of fruit.
“About 11. I hopped in the shower right after,” Oniwaka answered.
“Wow. We were on our way up at 11.”
“Did you hear us setting up?” Cu Sith inquired mid-sausage bite.
“Not until after I got out the shower.”
“Which was after we were pretty much done...,” Masashi glanced over to the bear by the bed. “Do you like the bear?”
“...It’s cute.” It was the most adorable thing Oniwaka had ever seen.
His love chuckled, as if knowing his true feelings. “Glad you like it.”
The monk flushed and grumbled the next strip of bacon into his mouth. It was sometimes scary how well Masashi could read him. Being this vulnerable was usually a danger for someone like him, but was weight-lifting with the summoner. He may never truly get used to letting his guard down and being happy like this, but he’ll try for his love. He at least deserved that much. They both did, he ventured.
The trio’s collective appetites managed to finish all of the food. After everything was cleaned up and put away, Cu Sith’s phone chimed.
“Oh!” The dog therian exclaimed as he read what was on screen. “The workshop’s starting soon, and I have to help setup!”
He gave Masashi a hug, who graciously reciprocated, and wrapped Oniwaka in a giant squeeze. The oni was too stunned to move, and his heart was thumping so loudly he was afraid all of Tokyo would hear. So... Fluffy...
“Bye guys, and happy birthday Oniwaka!” Cu Sith waved as he dashed for the front door.
And just like that, he was gone.
Masashi grabbed a jacket from the closet and beckoned his boyfriend to the front door. “We should get going too.”
“Huh?” Oniwaka half-expected them to spend the rest of the day cuddling or something.
“I told you I had plans for you when I got out of school,” his love replied with a wink.
The monk shoved his hands in his hoodie’s pockets and followed attentively. Today was already the best birthday he’d ever had. It was a worthy contender of the best day he’d ever had, but it would be difficult to trump the day he and Masashi got together. Now his love was telling him that there was more?
They rode the elevator down and exited the building in comfortable silence. Oniwaka’s habit of predicting the unforeseeable kicked in as they strolled through the busy streets. Where were they going? Dinner? A movie? What sort of scheme had Masashi cooked up? He couldn’t remember the last time someone did anything for him, so he was at a loss. It was Masashi however, so it was bound to be something unforgettable.
“You know...,” Masashi pulled the monk out of his thoughts. He didn’t even notice that his boyfriend had wrapped his arms around one of his. “Now that I think about it, a lot of things could’ve ruined the surprise. You could’ve been out of the bathroom, or you could’ve left while we were still setting up...”
“I was going to cook something when I got out.”
“I figured as much...”
“And I thought you were a burglar and nearly attacked you.”
“I know...”
“You really didn’t think that through, huh?”
“I told you it was spur of the moment! It all worked out in the end anyway so it’s fine! Everything is fine.”
“Hmph. If you say so,” Oniwaka ended the exchange with a smirk. He found Masashi rather cute when flustered, with his flushed face and higher voice. He began to wonder what other reactions he could get out of his love, but quickly dismissed the thought. Not now. Not yet. Not ever if that was Masashi’s wish. He was more than content with what they currently had.
After five more minutes of weaving through traffic, the couple finally stumbled upon—Oniwaka’s jaw dropped.
Spring Breeze Bunny Cafe.
Oniwaka had heard of bunny cafes—little touches of heaven where one can enjoy tea, desserts, and the adorable company of bunnies—but had never been to one. He didn’t even know that there was one so close to home.
“This place opened just last week,” Masashi stated, as if he’d read the oni’s mind. “I assumed you hadn’t heard about it, since I KNOW you’d have been all over this. Another gamble, I know, but judging by the look on your face, this worked out too!”
And there it was. Masashi never forgot his birthday. He was covering this huge surprise for him. Oniwaka mentally kicked himself; how could he ever doubt Masashi like that? Overcome with emotion, he pulled Masashi in for a kiss, not caring who the hell saw.
“Sorry,” he muttered as he pulled back. “I don’t know what came over me. I’m not-“
“I know. Happy birthday,” the summoner squeezed his arm put his biggest grin on, and Oniwaka fell in love with him all over again. “Now then, why don’t we head inside?”
The inside of the cafe was much larger than the outside suggested. The walls were colored pretty pink with large olive green circles. People and transients alike were seated on round tables and stools of varying colors dotted the area. Around the tables stood tall fencing, enclosing cute bunny rabbits of different colors and sizes. Some were cradled in the arms of patrons. Oniwaka felt his knees grow weak; he wanted to hold them and protect them from all the 23 worlds’ evils.
Oniwaka and Masashi walked up to a counter and were greeted by someone’s hunched backside. Masashi cleared his throat and the person shot up, hitting their head under the counter and muttering an “Ow! Son of a-“ They recomposed themselves and turned to the couple with a wide grin.
“Hello! And welcome to Spring Bre-“
Upon recognizing whom he was looking at, Andvari immediately dropped the facade on his face and replaced it with a scowl. “Oh. It’s you. You’re here early.”
“Yeah, school was cancelled. Are we clear to do it now?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah... Follow me.” Andvari exited the counter and headed for the stairs in the back, muttering something along the lines of “Why did I let him convince me to...”
Oniwaka was slightly on edge as he and Masashi followed. How many businesses does this swindler own? And what was his deal with Masashi? He acted as if the monk wasn’t even there.
“I still can’t believe he went along with this,” Masashi said. Andvari was within earshot but didn’t seem to hear; he seemed too absorbed in his own upset thoughts to listen.
“You’re telling me. What was that all about?The dude’s a crook and he didn’t charge us?”
“Andvari made the mistake of explaining birthdays to Chernobog. When I told him that I wanted to bring you here for your birthday, Chernobog insisted that he let us in for free, and you know he can’t ever say no to Cherno.”
“Unbelievable...”
They followed Andvari’s lead and ascended the floors until they were at the door to the terrace: the most expensive floor in the store.
“Alright,” the dwarf stopped at the door and turned to face them. “You get one bunny each, thirty minutes on the terrace, and all the tea and cakes you can stomach. Any more time you have to pay.”
“Fair enough,” “Mm,” Masashi and Oniwaka nodded and replied in unison.
Andvari opened the door to reveal a cream and pink tiled rooftop with a beautiful view of the neighborhood. The edges of the terrace were lined with white fencing, laced with multicolored lights. To the left stood another enclosed space filled with bunnies and an open play area. Chairs and tables on the right were arranged to surround a tray of tea and plates. A single layer chocolate yellow cake with a single lit candle stood in the middle.
“You couldn’t have gotten a better cake?!” Masashi whispered hotly.
“You said don’t overdo it!” Andvari snapped back.
Oniwaka rolled his eyes—He didn’t mind the cake. Just getting one was a step above all of his other birthdays.—and headed for the bunnies. The cute little things were doing what they do best. Two were eating. Three were lazing around. One was... trying to copulate another.
“Heh heh, they don’t normally do that,” Andvari tried to reassure as he walked up and flipped through his key ring for the gate key. He found the key and opened the gate to separate the heated couple. “Well then, take your pick.”
Oniwaka wanted to have all of them, but was limited to just one. His eventually pointed to a pure black bunny in the corner. It seemed distanced from the others, and he wanted to comfort it. “That one.”
Andvari followed the monk’s finger. “That one? She’s kind of a loner. Fitting, I guess.”
“What did you say-“
“Oh! Can I have that one?” Masashi—how long had he been standing there...—pointed to a white bunny with a brown spot over one if its eyes. Andvari scooped both bunnies up and handed them to the waiting couple.
The bunny felt so warm and alive in Oniwaka’s arms. He swore he could hear her heartbeat. She snuggled into his arms.
“Huh. She warmed up to you pretty fast. Normally takes a bit with others,” the dwarf observed. “Well, I’ll leave you to it. Play area is over there, so help yourselves, and remember, thirty minutes. Oh, and happy birthday. Chernobog says so too.”
Andvari exited the area and Oniwaka sat by his cake, cradling the bunny like a caring mother with her baby. He stroked her fur and she dug into his bosom. He wanted to take her home and raise her as his own, but he hadn’t the proper space nor disposition for that sort of thing.
“Aww he’s so cute!” Masashi exclaimed when he walked up to his love. He was rubbing his nose against his bunny’s. The bunny began to lick the summoner’s nose and he let the sweetest laugh out. He noticed how the monk was bonding with his bunny. “You two seem to be hitting it off.”
“Yeah...,” he held the bunny as if she’d break into a million pieces if he dropped her. She began licking the wrist of the non-stroking hand and his heart threatened to burst from his ribs. He was mesmerized; in a dream he never wanted to wake from. He was so hypnotized that he didn’t notice the slice of cake and cup of tea that Masashi had prepared for him. He came to when the plate was plopped in front of him. The slice Masashi had cut for him had the still-lit candle burning atop it.
“You’ve been spacing out a lot lately,” Masashi said as he cut his own slice. His bunny was relaxing on a cushioned seat beside him.
“I have you to thank for that,” the monk japed.
“Should I be concerned that my bodyguard could be seeing stars while I’m being attacked?”
“You’re not totally useless. You can hold your own long enough for me to save you.”
“Hah! Tell me how you really feel, huh?” After letting out a hearty laugh, his love leaned in and pressed his lips to his. “Happy birthday, Oniwaka. I know that’s, like, the third time I’ve said it, but I really wish you had a good day today. Go on. Make a wish.”
The oni stared at the flame and put on a genuine smile. He blew it out, but not before a faint whisper:
“It already came true.”