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“And this is where I’ll be sleeping.”
Tatsumi smiles as he finishes spreading the futon on the floor beside his own bed.
Mayoi bites his tongue to keep himself from protesting— not when Tatsumi had already spent minutes to get Mayoi to accept their arrangements. It just didn’t feel right to be the one sleeping on Tatsumi’s bed. It was so clean, pure, and pristine, and he had no doubts that it probably smells like him. He swallows, a light flush gracing his cheeks that makes his quiet hesitation unconvincing. Deep down he knows that he’s excited to sleep on his bed… But that was all the more reason for him to be against the idea, a sick pervert such as himself shouldn’t be anywhere near Tatsumi’s sheets! He was already wearing some of his clothes. If he’d known he would be sleeping over, he would have definitely brought a change of clothing! The night was moving so fast, and he feels as if it was only a minute ago that he was listening to Tatsumi’s father boast about his wife’s cooking, and not too long after that his mother was already talking about teaching Mayoi a few recipes Tatsumi might appreciate having at ES. It’s not a bad idea… Mayoi thinks to himself, but the fact that they were already anticipating Mayoi’s future visits was certainly alarming to him. Was he that good of a person in their eyes that they’d willingly let him into his home a second, third, and fourth time?
“Mayoi-san?”
“Y-yes?” Mayoi squeaks a little.
Tatsumi sets down his pillow, and he walks closer to the violet-haired man to cup his face, brushing a thumb over his cheek. His straightforwardness causes Mayoi’s heart to skip a beat, but at this point in their relationship, he finds it easy to relax against his touch. “I told you, didn’t I? It’s perfectly fine.” He smiles, and he plants a chaste kiss against his boyfriend’s lips. “Honestly, we should count our blessings. My parents have decided to give us our privacy,” He runs his fingers through Mayoi’s hair, toying with his silky locks. “And so you won’t have to worry about my mother trying to convince you instead.”
Mayoi blinks his eyes slowly. “Your mother…?”
Tatsumi laughs a little. “She’s very persuasive, despite how she looks.”
“Ah, I see...” Mayoi says, feeling sheepish now. “Fufu, I-I suppose that’s where you got it from, then.”
“Mhm, I suppose you’re right.” Tatsumi laughs a little, and he lets his hands fall to wrap around Mayoi’s waist. “Then if you have any complaints, you can tell my mother, who has been so eager to know more about you.” He nuzzles his lips against Mayoi’s cheek, trailing ticklish kisses down to his neck to get a few giggles from him.
“Nn, fufu...♪ Tatsumi-san, that tickles.” He tilts his head to the side to allow him more room. His eyes flutter shut, and the corners of his lips lift into a smile. “...Tatsumi-san. W-would it be alright for me to confess something?”
Tatsumi pauses from his relentless flirting to attend to him, and he pulls away to look at Mayoi. “Of course, anything.” He guides him to sit with him on his bed, and there Mayoi laces his fingers together on his lap, and he fixes his gaze down on the floor.
He nibbles on his lower lip a little to mull over his words before starting.
“I... Felt so anxious before we got here. Even though you wasted so much time trying to reassure me, the moment we were at the door, I felt like I was going to throw up.”
He shuts his eyes as he pushes himself to speak his confession in full. “A-and when we finally met your parents, when you introduced me in a way I wasn’t expecting— I-I felt like I was going to faint. But they reacted so naturally… They’re very good people, as you said. I feel… Guilty for imagining the worst, as if I couldn’t just take your word for it.” He hangs his head in shame, yet at the same time he feels immense relief in speaking the tempest of thoughts plaguing his mind.
He feels Tatsumi’s warm, gentle hand on his leg, rubbing soothing circles against the fabric of his pants.
“You don’t have to feel guilty, Mayoi-san. Fear is normal, and sometimes it takes more than words to curb it. You faced them despite all that your mind was telling you… Isn’t that wonderful? Aren’t you brave for that?”
He shifts a little to turn towards his beloved, and he takes his hand in his own as he continues. “And I’m thankful you accepted my offer. I’m happy, I feel blessed that you were able to finally meet them. I feel blessed that you’re getting along just fine.”
He lifts a hand to brush the back of his fingers against Mayoi’s cheek, and he gazes into his twinkling, turquoise eyes, watching the worry in them melt away bit by bit.
“And I’m sorry for scaring you. I did want to surprise you… I just didn’t think that introducing you as my ‘boyfriend’ would have scared the living daylights out of you. I was genuinely worried...”
Mayoi buries his face in his hands, cheeks burning from embarrassment. “Uuu, I was hoping it wouldn’t show on my face! P-please tell me your parents didn’t notiiiice...”
“Well,” Tatsumi takes hold of his wrists to gently move his hands away; he wants to see his cute, blushing face. “My father did ask me in private if you were okay, he said you looked like you’d just seen a ghost.”
That’s it. I can never come back , is what he thinks to himself.
“Now now, I know that face…” Tatsumi cups Mayoi’s cheeks to cut off his thoughts then and there. “You will always be welcome here, Mayoi-san. You are family.”
“I’m—” Mayoi chokes a little at that. He’s family… He ponders the thought. At this point he’d already wholeheartedly accepted being a part of the family known as ALKALOID, but to consider himself a part of Tatsumi’s family was another topic altogether. “I’m family...” He repeats quietly, as if to confirm with himself.
“Yes, you are.”
Tatsumi says reassuringly, and he runs his fingers through his braid to gently untangle it, undoing his ribbon and holding it in one hand while he loosens his locks with the other.
“I’ve said this before, but you’re a loving mother to Hiiro-san and Aira-san. And to me… You’re an irreplaceable companion.” He moves closer, and he quietly coaxes Mayoi into an embrace. Tatsumi wraps his arms around his body and starts stroking his head. He feels him relax as he devotes every movement into displaying his affection for him, and he feels his every breath tickle the crook of his neck.
“Mmfh…” Mayoi buries his face against his shoulder, and later he pulls away a little to speak.. “E-even someone like me...” He lightly clutches the back of Tatsumi’s plain white shirt as he quickly corrects himself. “I mean, if it’s truly alright… I am happy to be a part of Tatsumi-san’s family.”
Tatsumi’s face lights up, and he’s unable to hold himself back from pulling Mayoi into a kiss as he feels his heart soar. “It’s more than alright.” He says, and he kisses him again, this time giving Mayoi enough time to return his affection wholeheartedly.
Mayoi melts into the kiss, and all the butterflies in his stomach from before seem to disappear. He wraps his arms around Tatsumi’s neck, and he pulls away to marvel at the sight of his beloved: his swollen lips are parted as he attempts to catch his breath, and his cheeks are stained with a light pink. He finds the way his brows furrow ever so slightly adorable, and he sits in stunned silence as he admires his amethyst eyes. It’s his turn then to shower Tatsumi with love, and he leans closer to kiss his cheek twice, one for each mole.
“Mayoi-san…”
Tatsumi smiles, and a content sigh leaves him. “I love you… I love you so very much.”
Mayoi hums in acknowledgement. He then pauses as an idea just begging to be entertained pops into his mind. “Since we’re a family…” Mayoi presses their foreheads together. “I love you too… T… Tatsumi…”
It takes Tatsumi moments, several worrying seconds on Mayoi’s part, until he finally registers what his lover had just said. The smile on his face widens, and his giddiness becomes reflected in his eyes as he becomes a lovestruck puppy all over again. With a ‘Wha—!’ Mayoi is pinned down on the bed, and he becomes trapped in a hug by the man whom his heart beats for. Aira had once mentioned that Tatsumi reminded him of a cute, big dog. This must be what he meant.
“Pardon me, it appears as though I’ve slipped.” Tatsumi’s lighthearted laugh is heaven sent, and Mayoi can hear his heart racing from how close they are. He pulls away to hover over Mayoi, locking eyes with him again. “One more time… Can I hear you say it one more time?”
And how can he say no when Tatsumi’s looking at him with such adorable, pleading eyes, akin to a dog begging for a treat? Unable to help himself, he holds Tatsumi’s face in his hands, and he runs his fingers through his mint-green locks. “Tatsumi…~” He coos, and his totally-human-boyfriend preens at his name being called with such a silvery voice.
Satisfied, he moves to lie down next to him, and Mayoi invites himself into his arms. Their legs tangle together as the distance between their bodies—their hearts—closes. They lay there for several minutes in silence, finding contentment and solace in just knowing the other was there with them.
A little later Tatsumi sits up, and he leans down to pick up his pillow and he sets it down next to Mayoi’s, realizing that they would both rather sleep together in a cramped bed than sleep apart for the night. Mayoi smiles at him, and to show his enthusiastic approval, he shuffles over to his side of the bed and pats the empty space next to him.
Tatsumi rests his head on his pillow, and Mayoi follows suit, pulling the sheet over them. Tatsumi reaches over to the lamp sitting atop his bedside table, and he shuts it off to allow the night to settle in the room.
“Mm, after you went through the trouble of getting the futon out…” Mayoi says, and Tatsumi quietly hushes him as he descends back to his side. “It’s my pleasure. Now…” He allows Mayoi to settle back into his arms. “Let’s have ourselves some well-earned rest.”
Mayoi hums softly, nuzzling against Tatsumi’s chest and inhaling notes of jasmine and sandalwood. If visiting meant being able to relive this moment again and again, then Mayoi would happily oblige. If God hasn’t struck him down yet, then it should be fine. If Tatsumi’s parents themselves accept him as ‘family’, then surely he shouldn’t have reason to hold himself back.
Tatsumi smiles against the top of Mayoi’s head, and he yawns as sleep starts to take hold of his body. “Goodnight, my dear Mayoi...”
My dear, the words repeat in Mayoi’s head in a loop, and he closes his eyes as he drifts off with bliss written all over his face, looking forward to seeing his dearly beloved in his dreams, too.