Work Text:
Koutarou still couldn't believe that the Jackals had called him with an offer but there was still nothing final. His manager kept insisting not to worry too much but the negotiations kept dragging on and the transfer season was about to close.
"Kou, when are you going to come to bed?" Keiji asked, putting his glasses on the bedside table. “It's one in the morning, now you won't be able to do anything.”
“But Ji, what if they have changed their minds and withdraw the offer?” Koutarou sat on the mattress next to his boyfriend.
“They are not the only team in the Professional V League. You aren’t the first Jackals player to have worked with your manager, trust him a little.”
"I'm sorry for keeping you awake." Koutarou got into bed and snuggled against his boyfriend. They had lived together for three years now, since Keiji had decided that he wanted to find a rental apartment as soon as he started college.
"I couldn't sleep either," Keiji wrapped his arms around him and drew circles on his back. “It’s strange to think that in three months you’ll be in Osaka while I’m still here.”
"Why would you stay in Tokyo? We can look for an apartment in Osaka, the rents have to be cheaper.” Koutarou sat up a little on the bed, resting his head against his hand. Keiji was frowning as always he thought too much.
"What do you expect me to do in Osaka? You know how much it cost me to find something minimally related to the publishing world. No one would hire me anywhere else if I quit now.”
“But Keiji, you are the best! You’ll find something for sure! And it's not like I can't pay for us in the meantime!”
“And be your kept wife?” Keiji got up from the bed. “I better sleep on the couch tonight.”
Koutarou threw himself on his back on the bed and groaned desperately as soon as he heard the sharp knock of the door. No matter how much time passed, Keiji’s pride still lost him. Koutarou sighed. If he tried to do something he was only going to make his boyfriend even angrier. It wasn't like they hadn't known each other for eight years.
Koutarou had barely been able to sleep. The bed seemed too big when Keiji wasn't sleeping next to him. On the other side of the door, he could hear the noise of the news and the hum of the coffee pot heating up. Koutarou got up and took a deep breath. With Keiji it was sometimes difficult to know what to expect. Hopefully, his boyfriend would at least speak to him, but if that wasn't the case, Koutarou wasn't so cocky as to be ashamed for begging his forgiveness.
Keiji was sitting at the table in their tiny kitchen and seemed to be looking at the news feeds on his cell phone.
“If you want I can stay here, there are other teams and”
"I don't want you to give up your career for me. The Jackals have been your favorite team since you were a kid. I won’t”
"So what do I have to do? You and I are a team. I’m sure that without you I’d have ended up leaving volleyball a long time ago. The dream is worth nothing if you aren’t here with me.”
"I'm not saying it has to be forever, Kou. But give me some time, just until I can stabilize myself. But now I can’t go. You get it, right?” Keiji muttered, concentrating on spinning his coffee with the spoon.”
"Hey Ji, why don't we get married?" The words slipped from his lips before they could form a complete thought in his mind.
“Get married?” Keiji raised his face, the blush creeping up to the tips of his ears. Koutarou had missed it. After eight years together, it was getting harder and harder to catch him off guard.
“Why not? Then no one can doubt that we are a family, even if you are here in Tokyo and I’m in Osaka.”
"It would be fine." Keiji stood up, hugging his neck.
"So that's a yes?"
“Yes, it's is.” Keiji laughed.
Koutarou stared at him, convinced that he had never seen anything as beautiful as his disheveled boyfriend in pajamas, smiling as if this was the happiest moment of his life.
"I'm going to buy you the biggest diamond the jewelry store has! You’ll see!”
“The only jewel I need is already here with me.”