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Mine cherished Daigo for all he was. His soft breathing, his gentle touch. The way his fingers curled around his jaw and cupped his face in his hand. His warm, welcoming eyes that turned from brown to hazel in the sunlight, dripping like warm honey. Mine cherished him, finding comfort in every single part of him. His.
“Daigo,” he breathed out, breaking their comfortable silence. The other shifted, the hand in his hair moving gently. Mine could feel his scalp stinging from where his fingers moved, welcoming the feeling.
A soft yawn escaped Daigo. “Yeah…?” his voice was thick with sleep. He sounded like he’d barely been awake for long, soundly asleep while Mine lay awake, hand splayed softly across Daigo’s back, pulling him close. He rarely got to be this close to him, so why waste it on sleep?
A sudden doubt finally pounced in his mind; it had been creeping up on him all night, claws unsheathed and sharp, glinting like a blade in his head. He figured, finally, now that Daigo was awake, that he should voice this malicious thought before it managed to sink its ungues into his heart and poison everything he knew.
“Do... Do you really love me?”
Daigo shifted. The hand in his hair came away, and instead fell to his waist. And then, at last, his eyes met his, gentle and confused. Like he’d been silly. Foolishly, Mine blushed, though he could not look away, embarrassment burning in his chest and his lover’s gaze scalding even hotter.
“What makes you think I don’t?” He was patient. A patient man, the first to name him an equal. The first to do things without expecting anything from him in return. The first to trust completely.
Mine thought. Why wouldn’t he love him?
“I’m… I’m not sure.”
“Hm.. maybe you should think more before you ask silly questions like that, Yoshitaka.” Daigo’s voice was light - teasing, yet his chiding stung like a slap across the face. His hand rose to his face, thumb gently caressing his cheekbone. Mine could already feel himself melting, his brain already clouding over with his affection. “I love you, okay? There’s no reason I shouldn’t, nor never would.”
Mine could barely breathe. His lips parted as if to say something, but it lodged in his throat. Daigo being this close was dizzying, even as he was laid down. His stomach knotted with nerves and butterflies and he felt like a teenager again - forming small, affectionate crushes on those he barely knew. It was like this with Daigo, even though the feeling was requited.
At last, he finally pushed the words out, rough on his tongue. “B-but… the roof? Did that not..?” His voice was high.
“No. I know you’ve worked hard to gain my trust back. It’s okay. We’re equal, and I couldn’t thank you enough for everything you’ve helped me with.”
Mine took a moment to soak the words in. He let them spread over his skin, sizzling gently in his ears. A satisfying warmth dwelled in his stomach - he could feel Daigo’s sincerity.
“Can… you show me?”
A smile. And then Daigo pulled him close, close enough to diminish the space between them.