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It was early January, snow falling silently about the streets, leftover Christmas lights strung up between haggard trees. The stone-brick walkway that Satoru walked upon had been cleared and salted, the minerals crunching under his shoes. Darkness had settled over most everything, tall electric lamps lighting up his path.
In his gloved hands, Satoru carried a small, slightly heavy box of white cake that he’d just purchased. It had been on the expensive side, though he didn’t mind spending a little extra when it came to Kenya.
He paused as he reached an intersection in the path. There were three buildings, one on either of his sides, and one large white alabaster building in the center. It was a college campus - Kenya’s college campus - young people milling about despite the cold weather, sharing misty breath in the cold winter air.
“I think it was…” He trailed off, looking again. He’d never visited Kenya’s campus before, though he’d been told enough stories that he could figure out the area of his now boyfriend-of-three-years’ dorm room. “The left building,” he finally decided, continuing his pointed trek forward.
It wasn’t like him to go somewhere so unprepared, Satoru was aware of that, but he’d been hoping to catch Kenya by surprise. The two of them went to different colleges, separated by cities. With school and work, they hadn’t seen one another in a matter of months. Satoru couldn’t deny it - he’d become desperate and decided to come on a whim, hoping to catch Kenya when he couldn’t refuse.
He reached the left building, glancing around before making his way up the steps, keeping his head down as he passed a few groups of strangers. There had been a time in his life when he’d found things more interesting than his own feet to look at, though that time was long forgotten. Satoru was afraid of people, afraid of their piercing eyes.
Satoru turned around as he reached the door, pushing it open so as to not disturb the cake. Warm air settled into his chilled skin as he entered, snow melting in his hair. He looked up briefly, finding himself standing in a common area, a fire roaring in the brick fireplace, friends and couples gathered on the various couches and chairs. Kenya wasn’t there, of course, likely up in his dorm studying.
Looking around, Satoru realized quickly that he wasn’t sure where to go next. There was no directory clearly posted anywhere so…
“Excuse me?” Satoru whirled, finding a girl, about his age, standing next to him, a concerned look on her face. “Are you looking for someone?”
“Y-Yeah,” Satoru nodded, keeping his head down, eyes averted. “Kenya- Kobayashi?”
The girl’s brown eyes brightened. “Oh, Kenya! He’s on the second floor, the door at the very end of the hall.” She tilted her head. “Are you a friend of his?”
Satoru swallowed. “Yeah.” He tried to still his beating heart, fingers fidgeting in his gloves. He knew that it was not, but in his mind, second thoughts began to swirl. Meeting with Kenya would never be a mistake, but he couldn’t help but feel doubtful. There were so many strangers.
After searching his face for a moment, the girl’s face broke out into a smile. “That’s great!” She stepped aside, revealing the elevators behind her. “Have a good time.”
Nodding, Satoru stepped forward. “Thank you…” He mumbled in return. What was she so happy about? He shook his head, walking pointedly toward the elevators. He pressed the button, waiting before the sleek silver doors, foot tapping on the ground.
Satoru kept his head down, though he could hear the voices of people behind him. The girl he’d just spoken to was talking to her group, laughing about something. The doors opened before he could think on this for too long, and he stepped inside, sealing himself in the wooden interior. The ride up to Kenya’s floor wasn’t long.
As the doors opened once again, Satoru exited, nodding silently to a person who had been waiting. He glanced up, finding that, sure enough, there was a single door at the end of the hall. Kenya’s dorm room.
He paused for a moment before reaching up to knock briskly on the door. It was late, almost six. Kenya would be home, doing homework or eating a quick dinner. This was around the time they usually called or texted anyhow.
A few seconds passed before the door opened, revealing Kenya, wearing a long green sweater and black jeans. His violet eyes widened as Satoru was revealed, standing in the hall. “Satoru!” He threw the door open, aiming to hug Satoru.
Stepping away before he could be wrapped up, Satoru smiled lightly. “Sorry,” he said, holding up the box, “Cake.”
Kenya grinned. “Oh, whoops.” He ushered Satoru inside, remaining behind him to shut the door. Satoru looked around, slightly surprised at the size. There was a small living room area and a kitchenette. Much better than his own dorm room, and likely better than the others on the floor.
Kenya caught Satoru from behind as he aimed to enter the kitchen, his arms wrapping around his waist. He kissed Satoru’s cheek lightly. “There.”
Satoru flushed but turned his head to the side all the same, allowing Kenya to press a sweet kiss to his lips. His warm hands slid into Satoru’s coat, secretly searching. “I missed you a lot,” Kenya said, his breath warm against Satoru’s lips.
“I missed you too,” Satoru returned. He opened his mouth slightly, aiming to kiss Kenya again when he was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat in the kitchen. His head whipped forward, and he found that there was someone sitting at the counter. A guy with black hair and dark eyes.
Satoru blinked, suddenly frozen stiff. How long had he been sitting there?
“Ah, sorry,” Kenya said, pulling back. Phantom imprints of Kenya’s touch remained around Satoru’s waist. Kenya took the cake box from Satoru’s still hands, placing it on the counter. “This is Rikuto, I share the dorm with him, and another person. Rikuto, this is Satoru.”
Rikuto waved, grinning. “Hey, Satoru.” He stood up from his seat at the counter, standing in front of Satoru. He held out a hand, presumably for Satoru to shake. “This guy talks about you all the time, it’s great to finally meet you.”
Satoru looked at Kenya warily. He wondered what exactly Kenya had revealed. What had just been revealed, and why Rikuto was acting so natural. He’d heard a bit about Kenya’s roommates, though not enough that he could point out any characteristics or hobbies of the person sitting in front of him.
Kenya smiled. “It’s okay, Riku knows we’re dating.”
Rikuto nodded in confirmation. “Yep!” There was no sense of malice or confusion on his face. He truly… didn’t seem to care. “I have a girlfriend though, so don’t worry about me stealing your man.”
Satoru nodded, unsure of how to answer. Kenya’s hand appeared at his shoulder, reminding Satoru of his steadying presence. “So, you brought cake?”
“Yeah,” Satoru dipped his chin, lifting his arms as Kenya helped him out of his winter coat. Rikuto perked up at this, setting his phone down onto the kitchen island counter. Satoru stepped toward the box, opening it as Kenya went to hang up his coat. “White cake, since I know you like it.”
He opened the box, happy to find that it was undisturbed, white frosting still perfectly smooth all the way around. It was simple and small, though more than enough for the both of them. They’d never been the type of couple to seek out frivolous things.
Satoru turned in Kenya’s direction to inquire about plates and forks when Rikuto interrupted his movement.
“Think there’s enough for a third?” Rikuto asked, looking somewhat like a puppy, sitting at the other end of the island. He had a wide smile and bright eyes, a goofy sort of expression.
Satoru glanced at Kenya, who shrugged. There was no reason not to offer some to him. Especially since he was being so hospitable. “Sure,” Satoru answered. In retrospect, it had been rude to not offer any to him in the first place. He’d been sitting there the entire time.
“I’ll get utensils,” Rikuto hopped down from his stool, walking around the island into the kitchen. Satoru watched him with curious, hesitant eyes. At his own school, miles away, he’d had a great deal of trouble making friends. Many students from his high school had followed to the college, as it was the easiest transition. Not everyone could get into a school as great as Kenya - though Satoru had certainly tried.
His old classmates had spread talk and rumors, about Satoru and who he’d been in high school. Satoru had feared this, feared other people and their staring eyes and distanced himself from everyone. He still lived with his mother, not wanting to share a dorm with someone. He didn’t participate in sports, never spoke to his classmates, because he truly had no interest in them. He’d always thought people looked at him with malicious intent and yet…
Satoru now looked upon this person - Rikuto, his boyfriend’s roommate - and saw that there might be kindness in others. Saw that not everyone was like those students from his high school.
He swallowed, looking down at the counter, at the little white cake sitting there in front of him. Perhaps it was finally time to branch out.
“Satoru?” It was Kenya, who had come to stand behind him. Kenya’s hand was placed securely at the base of Satoru’s spine, comforting and warm. Bringing Satoru out of his deep thoughts. “Everything alright?”
“Y-eah,” Satoru nodded. Kenya rubbed circles on his back, disarranging his white collared shirt. He looked over, meeting Kenya’s eyes with a bright smile. “Everything is perfect,” he answered, because it was.
The three ate Satoru’s cake, sparse conversation smattered between them. Rikuto’s mood remained ever-pleasant, and he sat, cracking jokes and contentedly eating his cake. Despite his jokester-like attitude, Rikuto seemed incredibly smart, though that was to be expected for someone going to the same school as Kenya.
Kenya seemed happy too, chatting with his friend, sitting at Satoru’s side. Satoru sat back for a good deal of their conversation, satisfied with watching his boyfriend smile. He looked different, attuned with his surroundings and blended perfectly in with those around him.
He’d changed since the two had been apart, though Satoru didn’t mind. Seeing Kenya happy brought fluttery feelings to his heart.
A buzzing sounded from the opposite end of the counter and Rikuto picked up his phone from the brown marble countertop, straightening. He placed down his fork, tapping a message onto his phone. He hopped down from his stool, giving both Kenya and Satoru a sheepish look. “Hara’s here, I’ve got to head out. Sorry guys.”
“That’s okay,” Satoru answered. Though he’d only just met Rikuto, he felt strangely discouraged that he was leaving already. He didn’t have many friends at his own college, perhaps that was part of it.
Kenya waved, turning to watch as Rikuto threw on his coat and shoes by the door. “Stay over at her place, if you can.”
“What? Why- Ohh,” he cut himself off, figuring something out as he was speaking. Satoru himself wondered what Kenya was getting at when he felt his boyfriend’s presence appear close behind him, two arms snaking around his waist. He blushed, nearly dropping his fork.
“Will do,” Rikuto gave Satoru a double thumbs-up, grinning. “See you two later!”
He turned, hustling out of the door. It slammed closed behind him, sound reverberating through the now-silent room. Both Satoru and Kenya put down their own forks, looking at one another. Satoru could already feel his heart beating faster now, as he anticipated what was coming next. They hadn’t been together, alone in a long time, there was no telling what Kenya was thinking about.
Kenya slid down from his stool, pushing his cake plate back. He’d eaten his entire slice, along with a bit of the cake that was left in the box. “Let’s sit on the couch.”
Standing up, Satoru nodded, following obediently after his boyfriend. The living room and kitchen were connected, one giant room, separated by carpet and tile. There was nothing more than a painting attached to the wall. No TV, though Satoru assumed there was some form of community lounge, in another room on the floor.
He sat down on the end of the couch, folding his legs to his chest, turned so he could face where Kenya would sit.
Sitting down Kenya made a surprised face. He adjusted his sweater, reaching into the pocket. Satoru watched him with questioning eyes. “I forgot,” he said, a nervous look suddenly appearing on his face. “I have a gift for you.”
A gift? Satoru remained silent, waiting for Kenya to elaborate.
“I- um, got it for you a while ago, but we haven’t had a chance like this until now…” He began to pull the gift out of his pocket, Satoru’s heartbeat picking up as his eyes settled on what Kenya was holding in his hand. A small, black box with gold hinges at one side.
Satoru swallowed, knowing exactly what this was. His mind raced though no clear thoughts would come to him. He didn’t know what to think; didn’t know what to say. “Kenya…”
Kenya opened the box, the lid blocking Satoru’s view. He began to turn it, speaking as he did so. “It’s not- a proposal, these are just…” He trailed off again. Satoru hadn’t seen him like this in so long, stumbling over his words, cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment. He turned the box fully around and Satoru’s breath caught as he saw the two silver bands nestled in the black velvet.
“Promise rings,” he continued, finishing Kenya’s sentence.
Kenya nodded, then took one ring from the box, holding it out in his palm. Light from the kitchen shone across its surface. It was so simple though breathtaking. Perhaps because the person holding it was like no other. “Do you like it?”
“I love it,” Satoru breathed. He loved it; that was the only explanation he could manage to make out. His mind was so full of thoughts, happy and surprised. The two of them had been together for such a long time, he’d always thought that perhaps Kenya would eventually leave him, though this was perfect proof that… they could be together for the rest of their forevers.
He reached for the other ring in the box with his right hand, holding out his left. Kenya did the same, taking Satoru’s hand carefully in his own. The room was completely silent as they slipped the rings onto one another’s fingers.
“Thank you,” Satoru murmured, flexing his fingers. The metal was warm against his skin, and he held his hand to his chest. He was beyond shy in this moment, but tried to meet his boyfriend’s eyes all the same. He wanted him to know just how much this meant to him. “It’s really beautiful.”
“Anything for you,” Kenya tilted his head, light hair shining. He reached out with his left hand, ring finger encircled in silver. He touched Satoru’s cheek lightly. “I love you so, so much.”
Satoru blushed, turning his hand to admire the silver band in the low light. He was afraid of what people might think, he always had been, and yet… Satoru knew that he’d never take the ring off. He feared people’s eyes and he feared their thoughts, but he’d never be ashamed of Kenya. He would wear the ring with pride, no matter the situation.
“Thank you,” he said again. He moved his body so he hold the side of Kenya’s face, capturing his boyfriend in a passionate kiss. His arms slid around Kenya’s neck, and he closed his eyes, trying not to focus on the embarrassed burn that had ignited across his face. Instead, he focused on the taste of Kenya’s mouth, his tongue that was still sugary with cake, lips sweet with remnants of frosting.
Kenya smiled against Satoru’s lips, pressing him slowly down onto his back. His hands slipped effortlessly underneath the hem of Satoru’s shirt, trailing against his stomach, curling around his waist. The collar of Satoru’s shirt had come unbuttoned, exposing his neck.
“I love you,” Kenya whispered between kisses, “I love you so much.”
Satoru felt his face redden further and turned slightly away. He felt Kenya’s teeth graze against his neck and jolted forward, hands pushing back against Kenya’s shoulders lightly. “Not- there…” He murmured, embarrassed. “Someone will see.”
“Sorry,” Kenya returned, Satoru letting go of his shoulders. It wasn’t that Satoru didn’t want to be marked by Kenya, it was mostly that… he was still afraid, even after all this time. Afraid of what other people might think, even when so many seemed to be accepting.
His arms wrapped around the back of Kenya’s neck, fingers gathered in Kenya’s green sweater. He hid his face, saying quietly, “You can bite where- people won’t see…”
Satoru could feel the smile in Kenya’s voice as he leaned down, kissing then nibbling at his exposed collarbone. “Okay,” he murmured into Satoru’s skin. He remained there for a few seconds, nipping at the skin, purring loving words as he did so.
Kenya finally pulled back, gently kissing Satoru’s forehead. He hovered there for a moment, the room quieting besides the sound of their breathing. Satoru allowed his eyes to flutter closed, his hands slipping silently behind Kenya’s head, fingers interlacing with his light hair. Moving him down, Satoru pressed his lips against Kenya’s, his head tilting slightly to allow for a better angle.
Their kiss was deep; deliberate. Slow hands and silent lips, warmth blanketing them filling their quiet forms.
Kenya pulled away first, breath sharp. His eyes flicked between Satoru’s, his light brows rising slightly. “Tears?”
Satoru blinked, feeling as tears stuck to his lashes, clouding his vision slightly. He hadn’t noticed, so enveloped in being together that he’d lost sense of self.
He cracked a smile, arms tightening about Kenya’s neck. “I’m just so happy,” he murmured, dropping his left hand to wipe away his tears. Hovering in the back of his mind, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this scene was mirroring something from their past. “That’s all.”
“I’ll make sure you’re happy for a long while,” Kenya took Satoru’s hand in his own, their fingers intertwining, identical rings tapping together. “As long as we’re together. As long as I’m around.”
Satoru stared into Kenya’s eyes, the rich, wine-purple glowing like stars. He’d always marvelled at them, when they’d been in high school and even now, years later.
“Forever,” Kenya finished, smiling before he leaned down to kiss Satoru once again.