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Misaki was never good at English, unlike his partner, who speaks it fluently, having spent much of his childhood in England.
Therefore, the first time Akihiko used a pet name with him, while they were doing it, he didn't pay the necessary attention to it. His body and mind were so blinded by pleasure that he could barely process what Akihiko was murmuring in Japanese in his ear. So, he didn't even notice that Akihiko murmured a word to him in a language he hardly knew.
The second time Akihiko called Misaki an endearing nickname was in the kitchen. Misaki was preparing breakfast while Akihiko slept; only a few minutes remained before the man would wake up, according to the internal schedule Akihiko used to keep
To no one's surprise, Akihiko woke up in a bad mood. Eyes narrowed in exhaustion, he took slow steps across the penthouse staircase, trying to avoid a possible fall.
He heard Misaki wishing him good morning from the kitchen opposite and looked up before answering. Seeing him there, so engrossed in cooking breakfast for the two of them, he couldn't help but let go of much of his grumpiness, which was instantly replaced by a feeling of domesticity. His gaze softened and he answered.
"Good morning, 'Dear.’" Akihiko said. Misaki, now tense, looked up from the kitchen, gazing at him perplexed, and abandoning his task of chopping vegetables. Ignoring the look of doubt on his partner's face, Akihiko walked over to the kitchen and hugged Misaki from behind. Misaki could feel Akihiko's soothing breath on his ear and Akihiko's cool hands running down his torso. In contrast to him, who, not understanding Akihiko's words, felt overwhelmed instead of relaxed, not knowing how to react to something like this.
"Hey, Usagi-san, leave it, I'm cooking!" Misaki complained, yet he did not attempt to get out of Akihiko's arms. Akihiko rested his chin on Misaki's shoulder and smiled, staying leaning on Misaki as Misaki finished preparing breakfast.
The third time Misaki remembers Akihiko using a pet name with him, it was on a day like any other.
Akihiko hugs Misaki from behind, his chest and shoulders wrapping around the younger's back. Both relaxed, with their eyes closed, simply enjoying the sense of tranquility they provide each other. Akihiko starts kissing his cheek and ear from behind, which startles Misaki out of his reverie. He opens his eyes in surprise regretfully remembering that this is not the time for that sort of thing and directs his gaze to the wall clock. His hand comes between Akihiko's mouth and his own cheek, he breaks free from the man's arms and hurries to one of the sofas (where he had previously left his bag).
"Misaki... where are you going?" Akihiko asks, following him at a relaxed pace as Misaki practically runs towards the front door.
"If I don't leave right now, I'll be late for university!” Misaki responded from the entrance.
"I can give you a lift," Akihiko shrugs nonchalantly.
"Don't act so calm, this is all your fault!" Akihiko raises an eyebrow.
"Besides, you have work to do, you should stay here."
"Don't worry, 'Love'. It won't take long in my car" Akihiko grabbed his coat without waiting for Misaki's answer and left a confused Misaki at the entrance.
What were those words all of a sudden? I'm pretty sure I know what 'love' means.
Another of the many times that Akihiko used pet names with Misaki (in Misaki's eyes it was a strange habit that the elder had recently adopted and that Misaki didn't dare to face properly) was one day when, to Akihiko's distress, he had to go to an important event. Isaka somehow, despite complaints, managed to convince the author to attend the event.
Misaki watched intently from the sofa as his partner fixed the cufflinks on his shirt. As much as he hated to admit it, he always missed Akihiko when Akihiko went to events, but work is work. Akihiko, sensing Misaki's watchful gaze, turned to look at the younger boy. He smiled slyly at him, causing Misaki to blush and avert his gaze.
"Misaki, come here for a second" Misaki gets up and stands in front of the older one, still blushing and refusing to look him in the eyes. Akihiko takes Misaki's hands and directs them to his untied tie.
"What are you-?"
"You should practice tying a tie" Misaki with trembling hands and a frown complies to Akihiko's request. Akihiko kisses the knuckles of Misaki's hand when Misaki finishes.
"Almost perfect, 'Darling.'" Akihiko arranges his tie so it's straight, pats Misaki's head, in a silent promise to see each other later.
The subject of the English words had been on Misaki's mind for a couple of weeks. Although he didn't think much of them at first, he couldn't help but pay attention to them when they became so frequent.
Just like all the times when Akihiko acts strange, when Misaki asks about it, Akihiko answers things that throw him off or divert his attention away from the question. The only way for Akihiko to answer his question is for Misaki to unexpectedly confront Akihiko and have a serious conversation about it. But that would take courage, courage he was not sure he would find if he did not first discover the meaning of these words. So he decides to consult with Todo. After all, he knows about the relationship between Misaki and the 'landlord'.
"He keeps saying words like 'Dear, Love, Pretty, Darling, Cutie, Angel' and I have no idea what they mean. It's so annoying!" Misaki lays his head on the table. Todo's cheeks colour slightly red.
"You really don't know what it means?" Misaki shakes his head still leaning back.
"Takahashi, those are romantic nicknames in English" Todo pats Misaki's shoulder, in an attempt at comfort.
"WHAT!" Misaki exclaims with his ears red with embarrassment. Todo doesn't know whether to be embarrassed at discovering something so intimate without Misaki knowing what he was revealing, or to worry about how how low level of English his friend had.
The time when the pet name thingy finally broke Misaki's patience was when they were having dinner at Takahiro's house. (Once Misaki found out what all those words meant, he felt even more cornered and embarrassed than he expected.)
The scene is a bit fuzzy in Misaki's memory. After his brother found out that he and Usagi-san were dating, Takahiro and Akihiko began to use it as a sort of excuse to share Misaki's anecdotes. Anecdotes that on their own had nothing embarrassing about them, but the way they were told made Misaki feel so exposed.
It was nothing new that Misaki felt that Akihiko was constantly teasing him. He felt that he took him too much as an immature child and this has always been something that bothers Misaki deeply. So when he heard Akihiko laugh for the thousandth time that night he couldn't help but angrily grumble.
Akihiko laughed louder and blurted out "Don't be angry, 'Sweetie.'" Manami and Takahiro stopped laughing the moment they heard the word sweetie come out of Akihiko's mouth, even Akihiko seemed surprised by his words. Misaki's face turned red and he winced in his seat. Manami covered her mouth as she locked eyes with Takahiro with wide eyes.
"I always knew Usagi-san was a softie on the inside" Takahiro laughs.
Why does he have to tease me like this?
Once they arrive at the penthouse after the embarrassing scene at his brother's house, Misaki finally decides to confront Akihiko. In his own way.
"Aren't you ashamed to say such things in front of my brother?" Misaki throws himself on the couch grumbling.
"Say what?" Akihiko removes his waistcoat and tie, leaving the garments semi-folded on one edge of the couch.
"You know what I mean!" "The stupid cheesy nicknames you keep dropping out of nowhere!"
"They're not stupid."
"What's up with that anyway?" Misaki hides his face from Suzuki-san "At first I didn't even know what they meant, I had to ask Todo. It was too embarrassing!"
"How bad is your English level?"
"Don't make fun! I've had enough of you trying to make fun of me by calling me like that" Misaki mutters reluctantly under his breath. Akihiko frowned.
"Are you making stupid conclusions again?" Misaki feels offended at such a statement from his partner, it was a topic that had been bothering him for a long time for him to come and call him stupid.
"These aren't stupid conclusions, why else would you call me embarrassing nicknames all the time!"
"Because I love you" Akihiko sits down next to Misaki letting out a frustrated sigh. Misaki shifts nervously in his seat squeezing Suzuki-san slightly, avoiding Akihiko's gaze. Misaki could feel Akihiko's hurt expression even without seeing it.
"What does that have to do with-?"
"I told you once, didn't I? Sometimes words are not enough for me to explain what I feel. You seem to be able to express yourself even without occupying them. But for me it's not enough, not with you." Akihiko takes Suzuki-san from Misaki's hands, forcing him to look at him. "The nicknames were a crude attempt to express myself. If you don't like them I'll stop occupying them." Akihiko pats Misaki's head a couple of times.
All this time. These were his feelings?
Misaki's gaze softened at the sight of Akihiko's sad and frustrated eyes. He rested his head on Akihiko's chest and murmured.
"I'm sorry... You don't have to stop wearing them" Akihiko strokes Misaki's messy locks of hair.
"Misaki. If you don't like them I'll stop-."
"Besides," Misaki pauses gathering the courage to speak, interrupting Akihiko knowingly.
I don't want him to limit himself in something like this.
"Now that I know why you wear them, I kinda like them... I think" Akihiko's eyes widen, revealing the surprise that lit up his face. A soft smile peeks across the writer's face.
"'Darling, look at me'" Misaki's heart beats with glee at hearing one of the nicknames for the first time, this time without mistaking the intentions behind them. Akihiko takes Misaki's chin for a chaste kiss on the lips.
"You know I don't understand what you're saying" Misaki, once again, tries to look away, embarrassed by his emotions that threatened to overflow from his chest.
They stare into each other's eyes for a few seconds, mutually understanding what had not yet been said.
Usagi-san's eyes, when he looks at me like that, seem to glow.
Misaki brings his face close to Akihiko's, for the odd occasion being him taking the initiative for a kiss.
If I can keep seeing that expression on his face...I think I could get used to him using those pet names.