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“Are you sure you don’t want to come play pachinko with us? It might distract you from how shitty your leg feels.” Osomatsu stood in the doorway, looking at Ichimatsu.
“Do you honestly expect me to limp all the way to the pachinko parlor on crutches? Don’t be stupid.” Ichimatsu scowled.
“I just thought I’d offer.” Osomatsu shrugged. He then looked at Karamatsu. “You coming with us or are you staying home to take care of Ichimatsu?”
“As much as I would love to grace you with my radiant presence, I must refrain. What sort of boyfriend would I be if I weren’t available to tend to my beloved Ichimatsu?! I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if he needed something and I wasn't here to get it for him!” Karamatsu proclaimed dramatically.
“You don’t have to stay home just for me.” Ichimatsu muttered, looking down at his leg. It was currently fitted with a cast from just below the knee down to his foot. He was keeping his leg propped up on the couch, laying across the green sofa in a relaxed position. “If you want to go, then go.”
“What I want is to stay home and take care of you.” Karamatsu said firmly. “With my gentle love and care, you’ll recover in no time at all! The doctor said it would take a few months for your leg to heal, but through the power of love I guarantee it’ll only need one month! Maybe even less!”
“Yeah, whatever.” Ichimatsu rolled his eyes. “I’m pretty sure that’s not how this works.”
“Well, you two have fun. The rest of us will be back in a few hours.” Osomatsu waved to his roommates before heading for the front door with the rest of the household. They all headed out, leaving Karamatsu and Ichimatsu home alone.
“So, then, my dear Ichimatsu, how is your leg feeling?” Karamatsu asked, approaching the couch where Ichimatsu was lying.
“It feels broken.” Ichimatsu said flatly.
“Well, yes, that makes sense given that you did indeed break it.” Karamatsu nodded. “You took quite a nasty fall out of that tree; it’s actually rather fortunate that the worst you came out of it with was a broken bone.”
“Somehow, I don’t feel all that lucky.” Ichimatsu sighed. “Oh well. It was worth it.”
“You really do have a gentle heart. You went to all that trouble to save a cat and you still think it was worth it.” Karamatsu smiled gently, finding his boyfriend’s priorities to be endearing.
“Of course it was worth it. It couldn’t get down on its own, so someone had to step in and save it. I just didn’t think I’d be heavy enough to make the branch break when I got up there… but the cat ended up okay, so its fine.” Ichimatsu pursed his lips, then relaxed slightly.
“Most people wouldn’t go out on a limb for an animal like that.” Karamatsu sat down on the arm of the couch, next to where Ichimatsu was laying his head. He reached out and ran his fingers through Ichimatsu’s messy hair, further tousling his dark locks. “You’re not like most people, though, and I love that about you.”
“Come on, don’t be so sappy.” Ichimatsu murmured, feeling sheepish when he received the compliment. He glanced away while he fiddled with the hem of his sweatshirt. “I just did what I thought I ought to do. That’s all.”
“Well, I know the cat appreciates what you did. She came by the window again while you were napping earlier.” Karamatsu informed him.
“She did? Why didn’t you wake me up?! I would have said hi to her if you had…” Ichimatsu looked toward the window, wishing he’d been awake to greet his feline friend.
“Don’t worry, she’ll be back. I thought it was more important for you to get plenty of rest. After all, your body will do its best healing while you’re in a peaceful slumber!” Karamatsu ruffled Ichimatsu’s hair. “The more you sleep, the faster your leg will heal. You don’t want to be in a cast forever, do you?”
“I thought you were going to heal my leg with the power of love or whatever bullshit you were talking about.” Ichimatsu reminded him, cracking a slight smirk. “Or was that a lie?”
“Hm? No, of course it wasn’t a lie! I mean every word I say, you know. If I say I’ll heal your leg with the power of love, then I will do exactly that! You can count on me to take only the best of care of you, my darling.” Karamatsu cooed, petting Ichimatsu’s hair affectionately. “Speaking of taking care of you, it’s about time for you to take more of your painkillers, isn’t it?”
“Do I have to? I hate taking pills.” Ichimatsu’s expression soured into a frown as he thought about taking medicine.
“Would you rather be in pain?” Karamatsu raised a brow.
“It doesn’t hurt that bad… at least not when I’m laying still.” Ichimatsu insisted.
“I suppose you don’t have to take the painkillers, but you’ll be in more discomfort if you don’t.” Karamatsu told him.
“The pills are so big, though.” Ichimatsu grimaced.
“How about I cut them in half so you can take them in smaller bits?” Karamatsu offered. “Will you take them then?”
“Hm… fine, I’ll take them if you cut them in half.” Ichimatsu conceded.
“Excellent. I’ll go do that. Do you want a Dr. Pepper to wash them down with?” Karamatsu suggested, knowing it was his boyfriend’s favorite beverage.
“Yeah, that sounds okay.” Ichimatsu nodded.
“I’ll be right back, then. Don’t miss me too terribly while I’m gone! I promise I’ll be back by your side as soon as the fates allow, my sweet angel.” Karamatsu ran his fingers through Ichimatsu’s hair once more before standing up and heading out of the room.
“Yeah, yeah.” Ichimatsu watched Karamatsu leave. He closed his eyes and sank into the couch, waiting for his return.
Karamatsu came back a couple minutes later with the cut-up pills and a can of Dr. Pepper. He placed both on the low table next to the couch, watching as Ichimatsu opened his eyes and sat up. As Ichimatsu shifted his position, he winced in pain.
“...thanks.” Ichimatsu quietly offered a simple expression of gratitude before opening the soda and taking the pills in his opposite hand. He popped the pieces of pills into his mouth one at a time, swallowing each one individually with a sip of soda before moving onto the next one. He took everything he was supposed to, washing them down with more soda to prevent himself from tasting the bitterness of the medicine.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Karamatsu patted Ichimatsu’s shoulder and gave him a thumbs-up.
“It could be worse.” Ichimatsu admitted. He looked down at his leg and frowned at the cast encasing it. “What a drag. I have to wear this damn thing for god knows how long. It’s only been a few days and I’m already sick of it.”
“It truly is a tragic turn of events. I couldn’t imagine being confined to a cast- it would be a disaster! It wouldn’t go with any of my fashionable threads, that’s for certain.” Karamatsu envisioned himself in a cast and shuddered.
“Of course the first thing you’re worried about is how it looks.” Ichimatsu laughed dryly. “I guess you’re right, though. This thing doesn’t really go with anything. Not that I care much about that sort of thing.”
“A plain white cast doesn’t make much of a statement; if I were in your shoes, I would have asked for a glitter cast! Or maybe one with sequins? Actually, do you think they make leather casts?” Karamatsu considered it.
“I don’t think they make casts with glitter, sequins, or leather.” Ichimatsu shook his head. “They come in a couple different colors, but I just picked white because purple wasn’t an option.”
“How dull…” Karamatsu frowned, eyeing the cast. “Don’t you wish it looked a little less… drab?”
“I mean, I don’t really like how it looks, but there’s nothing I can do about it.” Ichimatsu pointed out.
“That’s where you’re wrong, my beloved Ichimatsu!” Karamatsu’s eyes lit up and he clapped his hands together. “Have you forgotten that you have an absurdly talented boyfriend at your disposal?”
“What are you talking about?” Ichimatsu raised a brow.
“Let me draw something on your cast! With a few markers, I could turn your cast into a work of art before your very eyes! Then you wouldn’t have to lament having a plain white cast anchored around your leg for the foreseeable future.” Karamatsu offered.
“No way; you’ll draw something weird, I just know it. Or it’ll be something cringey like a bunch of roses or sparkles or whatever.” Ichimatsu shook his head.
“As fashionable as roses and sparkles would be, I know by now that those aren’t your speed. I was thinking of drawing something more in-line with your tastes.” Karamatsu told him. “For example, I could draw a pattern of cats across the cast! Wouldn’t that be fun?”
“A pattern of cats…” Ichimatsu thought about it. “Okay, maybe that would be kind of cool.”
“Right? I’ll go get the markers and then I’ll set to work on your trendy new cast!” Karamatsu declared, hurrying out of the room. He returned a minute later with a box of markers. He then pulled the table closer to the couch. “Here, put your leg up on the table and I’ll draw on the cast.”
“You better make it look good. I’m trusting you, you know. I have to wear this thing for a while, so I’ll be fucking pissed if it turns out bad.” Ichimatsu warned.
“Worry not, my love! I have artistic skills to rival the likes of Monet, I’ll have you know.” Karamatsu boasted. He uncapped a marker and set to work, starting to draw onto Ichimatsu’s cast. “You’re going to be over the moon when you see how magnificent this turns out!”
“If you say so.” Ichimatsu sat back and let Karamatsu draw on his cast. He was tempted to watch him draw, but he wanted to be surprised when it was done. Instead of looking at Karamatsu, he glanced toward the television to occupy his attention. “Can you make sure at least one of the cats is orange? I like orange cats.”
“But of course! You can have all the orange cats your heart desires. This masterpiece is dedicated to you, and I want it to be everything you could ever dream of.” Karamatsu told him, taking out an orange marker to use next.
“It doesn’t have to be that great, geez.” Ichimatsu relaxed on the couch, waiting for Karamatsu to finish his work. He figured it would take a while, though he still made sure he didn’t look prematurely. He thought it would be better to see the entire thing once it was done.
“I want it to be that great, though. In fact, I want it to be better than great! I want it to be absolutely perfect.” Karamatsu insisted, focusing intently on his drawing. He poured all of his abilities into covering the cast in drawings of cats doing various things. He made sure to include several orange cats, as per Ichimatsu’s request. He hummed to himself as he worked, eagerly anticipating seeing Ichimatsu’s reaction when it was done.
After a while, Karamatsu was finally finished with what he believed to be his finest work. He set down his marker and inspected the cast to make sure he hadn’t missed any details. Once he was satisfied with the result, he reached out and took Ichimatsu’s hand in his, interlacing their fingers.
“Would you like to take a look at your swanky new cast?” Karamatsu gave Ichimatsu’s hand a gentle squeeze to get his attention.
“Mmh…?” Ichimatsu had dozed off, but he now stirred back into wakefulness when he felt Karamatsu holding his hand. His eyes fluttered open and he looked down, seeing that his cast was now adorned with a mural of adorable cats all over. His eyes widened slightly as he marveled at Karamatsu’s handiwork. “Whoah, that actually turned out really good.”
“Of course it did! Among other things, I am an artist! It goes without saying that I would be able to spruce up that cast of yours into a work of fine art. When you’re done wearing the cast, you should submit it to a museum.” Karamatsu beamed proudly.
“A museum might be a stretch, but when they do take the cast off… I might ask to keep it, if they’ll let me.” Ichimatsu couldn’t help but smile as he admired the drawings Karamatsu had put onto his cast. He pulled his phone out of his pocket so that he could take a few pictures of it. “I like it a lot. It makes it a little less shitty to have to wear this thing.”
“If you’re going to have to wear a cast, it should at least be stylish.” Karamatsu saw the joy in Ichimatsu’s eyes and felt pleased with his work. He was happy to do something to brighten his boyfriend’s day, and he could tell that he appreciated it. That made it more than worth it to him.
“It’s not like I really care about style or anything, but it looks nice.” Ichimatsu then tugged on Karamatsu’s hand, trying to pull him closer. “Come here.”
“Hm, did you want something, my dear?” Karamatsu asked curiously, scooting toward Ichimatsu. He knelt next to the couch, beside where Ichimatsu was sitting.
“...I want to hug you, you idiot.” Ichimatsu said, feeling a bit bashful as he leaned forward and pulled Karamatsu into a hug. He wasn’t the type who usually initiated physical contact, but he was capable of doing so when he really wanted to. “Get up on the couch with me.”
“A hug from my darling? It’s my lucky day! Allow me to embrace you with all of my heart and soul!” Karamatsu practically leapt onto the couch and wrapped his arms around Ichimatsu, returning the hug. He rested his hands on the small of Ichimatsu’s back, holding him close.
“Don’t make it weird.” Ichimatsu muttered. He exhaled slowly and leaned in further, resting his head on Karamatsu’s shoulder. He closed his eyes for a moment and basked in the tender embrace, loving the feeling of being in Karamatsu’s arms. It felt safe and comforting, and it was perhaps one of his favorite places to be. “You put on too much cologne this morning.”
“There’s no such thing as too much cologne! I make a point to thoroughly spritz myself- after all, you told me you like the smell of it.” Karamatsu told him. He could feel Ichimatsu’s cowlick tickling the underside of his chin, making him crack a smile.
“I like the smell of it when you’re not drowning in the damn stuff. You only need like one or two sprays for the scent to stay on you.” Ichimatsu pointed out, pressing his nose against Karamatsu’s neck. He took a deep inhale. “Yeah, you definitely put on too much. At least it does still smell kind of nice.”
“It’s the perfect, manly scent for a gentleman like me, isn’t it?” Karamatsu squeezed Ichimatsu, pressing their bodies together while they remained in a loving embrace.
“I guess so. Maybe I just like it because…” Ichimatsu’s voice then grew quiet and meek. “...because you’re the one wearing it.”
“That’s your way of saying you like me, isn’t it?” Karamatsu had a goofy, lovestruck grin as he kissed the top of Ichimatsu’s head and snuggled him on the couch.
“I mean, I wouldn’t be dating you if I didn’t like you.” Ichimatsu pointed out. “You know how I feel by now; you’re not stupid. You know I… that I…”
“That you what?” Karamatsu prompted Ichimatsu to keep talking.
“That I love you, you dummy.” Ichimatsu murmured, his voice muffled by his face being buried in Karamatsu’s neck.
“I love you too, my beloved Ichimatsu. More than the moon, sun, and stars combined. As deep as the ocean, as high as the sky… I adore you.” Karamatsu nuzzled Ichimatsu’s head affectionately as he professed his love for his boyfriend.
They then fell into silence, simply enjoying each other’s presence as they cuddled on the couch. Ichimatsu stayed pressed against Karamatsu, though he tilted his head up after a moment so he could look Karamatsu in the eyes. He saw a gaze overflowing with adoration looking back at him, and he felt truly beloved. Ichimatsu’s cheeks grew warm as he became aware of just how much his boyfriend loved him.
As though to prove his love, Karamatsu leaned in and pressed his lips against Ichimatsu’s. Their mouths met and Karamatsu moved one of his hands to caress Ichimatsu’s cheek while they kissed. He could feel the soft, supple skin of Ichimatsu’s face beneath his palm and held him gingerly, as though he were the most delicate thing in the world. Karamatsu kept their lips locked together, savoring the moment and treasuring the intimacy between the two of them.
Ichimatsu closed his eyes and sank into the kiss, letting Karamatsu take the lead. He placed his hands on Karamatsu’s upper back as he held him tightly, being willing to show his affection. Ichimatsu sometimes had a hard time expressing himself, but he found it much easier to do when Karamatsu was with him. For Karamatsu, he wanted to show just how much he loved him. Karamatsu made him feel so cherished and precious, and he hoped that Karamatsu knew how much he meant to him.
They stayed intertwined for a long while, giving one another a dozen kisses while in each other’s arms. It was sweet and it was tender, being a moment of peace that they were able to so frequently create together. It wasn’t until they’d had their fill that either of them dared to pull back and look into the other’s eyes. Karamatsu smiled brightly at Ichimatsu, who offered a timid half-smile in return.
“You’re already starting to feel better, aren’t you? After all, I’m giving you plenty of that loving magic that’s going to help you heal up faster than any doctor could predict.” Karamatsu chuckled softly, leaning in to pepper a series of kisses across Ichimatsu’s cheeks.
“Yeah, because that’s how this works.” Ichimatsu said sarcastically, though he was laughing slightly through his words.
“Hm? You don’t believe me?” Karamatsu cocked his head to the side.
“I’m supposed to believe you have healing kisses?” Ichimatsu raised a brow.
“You are. Would you like me to prove it to you? Because I can keep kissing you until you’re completely healed.” Karamatsu grinned.
“Very funny.” Ichimatsu rolled his eyes.
“Who said I was joking?” Karamatsu winked, then pulled Ichimatsu back in for several more kisses. He refused to let go until he was sure he’d showered his boyfriend with more affection than he could handle. When he next pulled back, he planted one more kiss onto Ichimatsu’s forehead for good measure. “Do you believe me yet?”
“If I say no, will you keep kissing me?” Ichimatsu glanced away bashfully.
“I’ll keep kissing you anyway.” Karamatsu informed him.
“You’re so sappy.” Ichimatsu snorted, unable to stop himself from smiling.
“You love it.” Karamatsu said knowingly.
“So what if I do?” Ichimatsu tried to force a pout, but his expression relaxed back into a peaceful smile immediately.
“That makes me quite the lucky one, don’t you think so?” Karamatsu hummed.
“Not really, no.” Ichimatsu shook his head.
“Are you sure?” Karamatsu leaned in and nuzzled his nose against Ichimatsu’s. “Because I think I’m quite lucky to have your love.”
“You want my love even though I’m the kind of guy who breaks his leg falling out of a tree?” Ichimatsu furrowed his brow.
“I want your love because you’re the kind of guy who would break his leg to save a cat stuck in a tree.” Karamatsu chuckled and pressed their foreheads together before giving Ichimatsu another kiss.
“W-well… if you want my love… you’ve got it.” Ichimatsu whispered softly.
“I’ll treasure it with every fiber of my being.” Karamatsu promised.
Even though his leg hurt, Ichimatsu could barely feel the pain while he was in Karamatsu’s arms, being cared for so lovingly. It was gentle and sweet, and he hoped it would never end.
They would remain in a tender embrace all the way through to the evening.