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They first met during spring. Kazuma was eight, and Barok would be ten in a few more months. It was instantaneous: as soon as Barok offered him that first, shy smile, Kazuma decided that they would be friends forever.
His father and Barok’s brother were very close, and soon the same could be said about their wives. For that reason, it made sense that they were frequently at each other’s houses, or for both families to go out together.
So, Kazuma and Barok were always glued to each other—as Klint liked to say—and they stayed close like that for the following three years, playing together, sharing their interests, and talking about anything and everything that came to their minds. Kazuma knew Barok was someone important to him… He had always known. Yet, he never questioned the reason why he felt that way: he was too young, and things didn’t need to be too complicated. He just liked Barok more than he liked most people, and that was all that mattered.
When Kazuma returned from middle school that afternoon, Barok was sitting at the entrance of his house. As soon he heard Kazuma approaching, he raised his head, offering him the brightest smile.
“I was waiting for you.”
Maybe that was the moment Kazuma fell for him, though he wouldn’t fully understand those feelings until a few more years in the future. For the moment, Barok was his friend, and one of his favorite people in the entire world.
It was summer when they shared their first kiss, after over a decade of yearning from both parts.
Kazuma had been the first one to confess his feelings. Barok’s silence made him, for a moment, fear having ruined everything; however, before he could even try to apologize, he felt those slightly cold hands on his.
I love you too, Barok had said, and Kazuma’s life was never the same after that.
It took some time for them to adjust to the small changes that came from going from friends to boyfriends. There were some different touches, kisses, and a new honesty to their words, but at the same time…
It was funny: part of Kazuma had feared their friendship would change once he confessed his feelings, but things were mostly still the same. The conversations, the playfulness, the companionship they shared… Instead of changing, it was like those new things started to grow around the old ones, slowly merging together until they felt equally natural to them.
And that was nice.
They were in Barok’s house that evening. Kazuma, tired from college and his job as an intern, rested his head on Barok’s lap, while Barok caressed his hair. It was so relaxing that, every time Barok’s hand stopped, Kazuma let out a grunt of protest.
“You are like a big cat,” said Barok in an amused voice.
Kazuma opened his eyes, looking at him. “Am I?”
Barok nodded. “You are so needy, despite how much you bite and complain.”
That last part made Kazuma furrow his brow. “I don’t bite you.”
“I still have some marks as evidence.”
Kazuma wanted to protest, but knew Barok wasn’t lying. He averted his gaze with a slight pout. “It’s different.”
“How so?”
“I bite out of love.”
“Like a cat.”
He was clearly not winning that argument, so he changed the subject. “You are very witty today, aren’t you?”
“Does it displease you?”
“What do you think?”
Barok lowered his hand to Kazuma’s face, caressing his cheek. “You seem to be enjoying yourself.”
Kazuma couldn’t hold back a pleased smile. “Very much so.”
Five years into their marriage, they finally managed to move into a bigger house, with a nice yard. Fenrir and Masamune seemed to like their new place, running around, their tails wagging in joy.
“They look happy,” said Barok.
“They sure do.” Kazuma watched the dogs, amused by all that energy. “That looks fun… Want to go take a lap around the yard too?”
The silly comment made Barok chuckle. “I would love to, but I need to save my energy for unpacking.”
“Good point…”
They turned their attention to that menacing pile of boxes, then gathered their courage to start to unpack their belongings. After a few hours of work, when their backs were already complaining, they decided to take a break, preparing some tea. They sat outside, while the two dogs took a nap close to them.
Kazuma took a look around, paying attention to the small details of that place, from the small vase hanging by the door to the big tree in the back. The chilly air, the fallen leaves, the warm feeling of the cup in his hands, the sound of their dogs snoring peacefully…
“It already feels like home, doesn’t it?” said Kazuma.
Barok smiled. “It does.”
When you spend most of your life with someone, their presence becomes like breathing. Kazuma had long stopped being a single person: his joy, his pain, his dreams… Barok was part of them all, sharing his laughter and comforting him during the hard times.
Since his youth, Kazuma had difficulty imagining a future without Barok. And now, forty-five years after their first kiss, he was glad he had the chance to spend a lifetime by his side.
Kazuma had been sitting outside for a while, lost in those thoughts, when Barok approached, placing a blanket around his shoulders.
“You will catch a cold like this,” he said.
Kazuma smiled at him. “I knew you would do something about it.”
“Of course…” Barok sighed, sitting by his side, sharing the blanket with him. “Why did I marry such a troublesome man?”
That fake exasperation made Kazuma laugh. He raised his hand, showing Barok his wedding ring.
“Until death do us part, remember?” he said. “You’re not getting rid of me anytime soon.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Yes. And a threat.”
“How terrible.”
Kazuma laughed. He reached for Barok’s hand, bringing it to his lips to give it a brief kiss. Then, he intertwined their fingers over Barok’s thigh, slowly letting out his breath as he relaxed into his comforting warmth.
“Meeting you was the best thing that happened to me.”
Kazuma said those words without thinking, as if the feeling was too great to be kept inside his heart. Barok lightly squeezed his hand.
“I should be the one saying that.”
No matter how many times Kazuma heard those words, they would never fail to make him smile. He rested his head on Barok’s shoulder, while Barok placed an arm around his waist—gestures that became like an instinct to them, after being repeated countless times.
And Kazuma wouldn’t want it any other way: with Barok by his side, he would go through even the harshest winter with a content smile on his face.