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Rin.
The most perfect name Aryu had ever heard. A perfect name for a perfect man.
The love of his life. The reason that he breathed, and the sole reason his heart kept on beating for them every single day.
To be here for this. For Rin. To see him smile and grow and be happy in the life he had developed for himself. The life he had graciously allowed Aryu into, after some quarreling and acceptance of course.
He was everything that Aryu had ever dreamed of when he first pictured his future love as a young child. Tall and handsome and smart. Talented and devoted and loyal, with eyes for two things only, because Aryu could never expect to completely replace the love Rin had for football, nor would he have wanted to. He is much more content to be the one Rin came home to every night after his games. To celebrate his victories. To mourn his losses. To be counted within the most important things in Rin’s life was more than enough, and a grace that he did not take lightly at all.
Rin. The man that was now the subject of all of his dreams. The man he also awoke to every morning, and admired in great detail until he noticed his pretty lashes begin to flutter as he woke. The man he fell asleep beside at night, with their arms and legs tangled together in a knot that he never wanted to come undone, so tonight, he hoped to begin the process of tying the knot formally.
“There’s so many people here, Jyubei…” Rin mumbled, adjusting the blanket he was carrying in his arms. He stuck close to Aryu’s side, and every so often, lightly bumped into him as he stepped over something or someone on the ground. The sun was in the process of setting, and Rin squinted his eyes at the harshness of the light. Even as he was making a face, he was still so handsome, bathed in the warm light of the evening sun.
Aryu nodded his agreement, hoisting the bag he was carrying over his shoulder, making more room for his arm to wrap around Rin’s lower back.
“Let's sit away from the crowd then, my love,” Aryu suggested, nodding his head towards the far edge of the clearing. A few people had taken up camp there, but were not so closely pressed together that it would affect their experience, or alter the plans Aryu had been devising for weeks. Months really, if you considered the months it took to pick out, order, and wait less than patiently for the ring. Then, it was just a waiting game, as Aryu looked for the perfect opportunity to arise. An event, or a gathering, or just an anniversary. Their fifth anniversary was on the horizon after all, and that was his backup, last resort plan, until he found this event. It just seemed perfect, and it was being held on a weekend where they were both unoccupied.
Now, their fifth anniversary in a couple months would have quite the different tone, as they would be reaching the milestone as something other than simple boyfriends or partners.
Aryu was not nervous in a conventional sense, because it was impossible to doubt the strength and love in their relationship. He and Rin had talked about this before… the desire to one day be married and have a family of their own, but he wondered if Rin had any idea that this was coming tonight. Aryu often dragged him to different festivities, simply because he thought they looked fun and glamorous, a perfect opportunity to take a few photos for their social media and their fans. So likely, he did not expect a thing, while the anticipation was positively eating Aryu up inside.
The ring, perfectly arranged in a small, midnight blue velvet box, was safely tucked away in his coat pocket, and when he had a free hand, he found himself patting his pocket, just to ensure that it was still there. That it had not fallen or been pilfered by a random pick pocket. Upon his last check, it was still there, and he could not wait until the moment that the box was empty, tucked safely back into his pocket, and the golden band was wrapped around Rin’s finger.
Aryu noticed himself smiling again at the thought of the inevitable proposal. A soft smile, full of fondness that radiated through his body whenever he thought of Rin. It was going to be a lovely night, he decided, fully intent on leaving this field with no regrets and excitement for the future. He pressed his hand against Rin’s lower back, just to have an excuse to touch him for a moment, before pointing with his opposite hand to an empty spot of grass, perfectly sized and perfectly located for the evening.
“You’re smiling weirdly again…” Rin commented as they arrived at their destination, away from the heavy din of music playing in the center of the field. Here, it was almost peaceful with the thrum of music and conversation, mixed with the sounds of the light breeze and insects scuttering around in the grass. Aryu set the bag he was holding down, as well as their lantern they had been given upon arrival to the festival. By the end of the night, the sky would be dark and littered with hundreds of lanterns decorated with pictures and words of hope and love and healing, floating up to the heavens with the wishes of all the participants below.
“Am I?” Aryu responded, standing at his full height and holding out a hand. Rin responded by handing Aryu a corner of the blanket, unfolding it as they tugged on opposite ends. They oriented themselves as the blanket reached its full length, grabbing their other corner, before fluffing it with the air once, twice, and then lowering it to the ground. Rin sat on his knees, flattening out the fabric before crawling on to it, waiting expectantly for his boyfriend to join him. His aqua eyes tracked him as he grabbed his bag and the lantern, walking across the fabric to sit beside Rin, hips nearly touching, but still room so that Rin would not feel the box in his pocket. “I suppose I’m just happy to be here with you. Our schedules have been keeping us apart too much for my comfort, and I just want to focus on the person who makes me happiest of all.”
Rin averted his gaze, cheeks burning pink as he looked down at his hands, turning his thumbs around each other. He did not lean away as Aryu kissed his cheek, his cheeks only burning brighter as Aryu smiled. His cheeks could have rivaled the lanterns that would be burning later, and Aryu was touched when Rin picked up his hand, bringing his knuckles to his lips to return Aryu’s kiss. Very rarely did their lips meet in public, lest they end up on the front page of some old gossip rag that couldn’t leave professional athletes alone, even when they very clearly wanted to be left as such. Kisses upon the cheek or hands had become their go to as a result, and Aryu loved that most of all, because he was happy that they were still able to share in their affection for each other, despite Rin’s shyness around prying eyes.
“Are you happy too, my Rin?” Aryu asked as Rin released his hand, allowing Aryu to reach for their bag. Out he pulled a small bento, prepared especially for this occasion so they had something to snack upon while they waited for the sun to set. Inside the bag was also two glasses and a small bottle of champagne, but that he would save for later.
Rin nodded his head, watching Aryu’s hands as they set about laying out their spread of snacks. Nothing large, of course, because they had had dinner a couple hours prior, but dessert had been reserved specifically for this moment. Chocolate covered strawberries and blueberries speared through with tiny decorative swords, paired with raspberries and marshmallows and streaked with dark chocolate. A final compartment with unadorned fruit, grapes and apple slices and peeled nectarines, just in case their sweet teeth ran out and they wanted something fresh. Aryu offered a strawberry to Rin, and he was surprised (honestly, Rin seemed surprised too by how his eyes went wide) when Rin accepted the strawberry with his lips rather than his hand.
Chewing through the aforementioned fruit, Rin quickly swallowed, rubbing the back of his hand over his mouth to dab away any juices. He coughed once, embarrassed by his instinct to allow Aryu to feed him, and looked away into the distance, gaze shifting from person to person before finally looking back to his boyfriend, seemingly satisfied that no one had caught him or seen the fleeting intimacy.
“You know I’m always happy with you…” Rin mumbled, keeping eye contact just long enough to say the words, but shyly looking away once again. But, to ensure that he did not make Aryu think he was lying, he leaned to him, resting his head upon his shoulder. Aryu smiled to himself, sliding his hand around Rin’s waist, holding him loosely until Rin mimicked this action, his own arm nervously adjusting itself to curl around Aryu as well.
Aryu did know that he made Rin happy. He knew that better than most. Rin, when he first met him as a teenager in Blue Lock, was so incredibly unhappy. He did not love himself, and he did not love football. A shell of a child who had been hurt by one close to him. He was bitter and angry, though that visage had started to crack as the pair of them became closer.
Initially, Aryu’s intentions were nothing short of innocent. His only interest was in a platonic friendship, fueled by similar interests in football, and forced proximity. But, with time and patience, a second, ulterior motive made itself known.
Aryu found that he quite liked Rin. He liked to be near him. He liked to watch him perform. Liked to look at the delicate contours of his face, and the strong, lithe outline of his figure, and picture all of the different ways Rin might look if he was somewhere else. If he smiled, genuinely and truly smiled from his heart. A grin cracked upon his face just once while they were talking about something related to a franchise of movies they both had an interest in, and in that moment, Aryu knew.
He was smitten. Completely and totally infatuated. Rin was more to him than just a teammate. Significantly more to him than a friend. He wanted Rin in his entirety, but Rin was so stubborn. So difficult to pick apart and crack and see what was underneath.
But one day he found it… if only by happenstance.
Rin began to seek him out. Sitting near him during meals, hanging behind at practice to spend a few minutes with him alone. He was so completely oblivious to the fact that he was being truly obvious, but Aryu did not address this fact because he loved it. For someone like Rin to be pursuing him like a lost puppy who just needed some attention and affection was magical… and Aryu would not sabotage himself by addressing that fact with a boy who wasn’t ready to accept himself.
He had to wait until Rin was ready, and when he was, he accepted everything. From himself and his own sexuality to the love and affection Aryu had offered to him. He accepted it all with open arms and returned Aryu’s first kiss upon his mouth with a fervor that burned and bruised his lips. Aryu would never, ever forget that moment, when something became everything, and his everything was Rin.
Pressing his luck and returning to the present where he and Rin sat upon a blanket in a grassy field, Aryu plucked a round, red grape from the stem, and held it out to Rin, pressing it against his lips in the hope that he would take it. Rin frowned, eyebrows dipping in mock frustration, but opened his lips even so, accepting the grape and licking the tip of Aryu’s finger. Aryu so wished to kiss him then, but decided that like the champagne, that would have to wait for a little bit longer.
They didn’t speak much, simply enjoying the evening and the company. That was all well and fine, because it gave Aryu a chance to participate in one of his favorite pastimes of admiring his boyfriend’s face. His perfect nose and soft lips. Gorgeous lashes that anyone would be jealous of, and eyes that saw deeper into Aryu’s soul than they did into his own. Rin knew he was staring, and didn’t flinch when Aryu reached out to brush his bangs out of his face, revealing more of his beauty.
“You are beyond the definition of perfect, darling,” Aryu stated, matter of fact and self-assured. Rin rolled his eyes, and did not respond, but returned the gesture by plucking a stray piece of grass from Aryu’s hair, currently in a high ponytail atop his head.
After some time of enjoying each other’s company and the music playing in the distance, the sun dipped below the horizon. An announcer’s voice reached them, voice static and crackling through the speakers on the stage, letting all participants know that now was a perfect time to prepare the lanterns before it was too dark to see what they were writing. Packing away the last of their snacks, Aryu grabbed a marker from the bag, and brought the lantern to sit between them. Aryu already knew what he would write, as he wanted to lift his hopes and dreams to the heavens, but he waited for Rin to ponder before writing.
“Do I have to write something?” Rin asked, twirling the marker in his fingers as he frowned. Rin was never one for fancy or elaborate words, so it didn’t surprise Aryu that he was having difficulty now.
“Anything will do, dear. We’re not being graded.” Aryu contemplated, tapping a painted finger against his chin as he thought up suggestions. “You can write anything, really. Anything you are hopeful or thankful for…any wishes that you hope might come true.”
Rin huffed, uncapping the marker with his teeth before writing his message. His cheeks burned red, but he showed Aryu what he wrote even so.
A simple heart, shaky and a bit lopsided, with their initials in the middle.
AJ + IR
Aryu Jyubei and Itoshi Rin.
“That’s perfect, my love.” Aryu smiled, accepting the marker and the lantern back from Rin. He quickly wrote his own message, before taking a picture of it with his phone. He set the lantern to the side, hiding the message from Rin’s view, which earned him a pinch on the side and a pout from his lover.
“I don’t get to see yours?” Rin asked, voice accusatory. Aryu shook his head, a secret smile playing out on his lips as he covered Rin’s hand with his own.
“It’s a wish. If I show you now, it won’t come true.”
“Sure…” Rin retorted as he rolled his eyes, adjusting their hands so that their fingers laced together on the blanket between them.
“I swear I will tell you what I wished for once it comes true.”
Rin eyed him with suspicion, but nodded his head anyway. He knew Aryu only spoke the truth, and would not fight him on this one, though his curiosity was eating him alive inside.
He would not have to wait long to have his curiosity satiated, as soon, the sky fell dark and the music faded. The crowds around them began to stand, but in their own little pocket of the field, they still felt solitary. It was perfect, and Aryu’s heart began to race as he patted his pocket one last time before standing.
Holding a hand out, he waited for Rin to grasp it before hoisting him to his feet. Aryu took advantage of the opportunity to have Rin in his arms briefly, kissing the top of his hair before letting him go to lift the lantern from the ground.
It was light, made of thin paper and bamboo, and the words they had written faced Aryu as he held the lantern in his hands. A countdown ensued, the other patrons of the festival cheering as the count began.
3…
2…
1…
Aryu watched as the tip of Rin’s tongue protruded from his lips in concentration. He flicked the lighter once, and then again, before the candle within the lantern caught flame, setting the white paper aglow with the orange of the flames within. Together, they watched the lantern expand just slightly as it filled with hot air, though Aryu found himself watching Rin more, as his eyes sparkled and his face glowed with the numerous lanterns alight around them. A few already dotted the dark night sky, mixing with the stars galaxies away, and Rin was mesmerized, watching their own lantern with rapt curiosity and anticipation.
A countdown of their own followed, and soon, they were lifting their hands to guide their lantern into the sky, letting it go to join the hundreds of others.
Standing side by side, Rin wrapped his arm around Aryu’s waist, once again resting his head on his shoulder. Aryu embraced him as well, squeezing his shoulders tightly to communicate that he would never let him go, even when he was no longer physically holding him.
They watched their lantern lift into the sky, dancing and twirling with their messages for the gods and their hopes for the future, both near and far. They watched until they could no longer discern which lantern was theirs, lost amongst the others, a million dreams and wishes and hopes decorating the sky.
“Marry me.”
He could not hold it in any longer. He heard Rin gasp as he heard his request, said more as a statement than as a question. This was intentional, though less delicate than asking for permission, because he had not a single doubt in his mind that they were meant to be together forever. He knew in his heart that Rin felt the same way, so there was no need for questions, simply a declaration of love that would be reciprocated by the shocked man at his side.
“What?” was Rin’s response, almost feigning as if he hadn’t heard. As if the request hadn’t been whispered right into his ear.
Pulling the box from his pocket, Aryu dropped to his knee, knowing now they would have passerby’s attention, whether they wanted it or not. He had eyes for one man only at this moment, and he looked up at Rin with anticipation of his response. Opening the box, he presented it to Rin, who covered his mouth with one hand, and reached for Aryu with the other, trying to coax him to stand.
“Marry me,” he stated once more, refusing to stand until he had his answer, and this box was empty.
Rin’s eyes screwed shut, and Aryu smiled as he knew Rin was about to cry. He caught the sharp nod of his love’s head, and rose to cheers of their nearby fellow festival goers as they congratulated them on their engagement. Rin still covered his face with his hand, but luckily, the one that was clinging to the shoulder of Aryu’s coat was his left. Gingerly, he pried it away from the fabric, holding his hand gently in his own. The ring was perfectly sized, a thin golden band, adorned with a golden star with a diamond embedded in the middle. It was not gaudy or extravagant, but rather ornate and delicate, and it suited Rin’s hand perfectly.
Next to be pried away was the hand covering Rin’s face. A single tear slid down his cheek, and Aryu dove in to capture his lips, cupping his face with one hand to wipe away the tears. Rin’s ringed hand grasped his, squeezing his hand so tightly that it almost hurt, but Aryu did not seek to shake his touch away.
After a few moments, Rin pulled away with a gasp, out of breath, and rubbed at his eyes to scrub away the tears. He could not hide the smile that was on his face.
“I love you, Jyubei,” Rin spit out, unable to catch himself as the anticipation and excitement that Aryu had been having all day finally filled his bones. Aryu smiled, pulling Rin to him once more, embracing him fully. Rin’s face pressed against his neck, and Aryu could feel his shaky breath on his skin, Rin desperately trying to regain his composure.
“I love you, too, Rin,” Aryu responded, as if that fact wasn’t already obvious. He swayed them gently, rocking Rin from foot to foot until Rin had had his fill, now desperate to be out of the eyes of their crowd of spectators. They quickly packed their things and dashed off to their car, sharing one last kiss behind the trunk before slamming it shut, and another over the center console of the car, desperately clawing at each other, as if this was their very last kiss, and they would not be sharing a million more that night as soon as the front door of their apartment was locked.
Aryu drove, holding Rin’s hand tightly between them, feeling just as desperate to get home as the man beside him. He could feel Rin’s eyes on him, a question on the tip of his tongue, still wondering about his question from earlier.
“My wish came true,” Aryu stated, sparing Rin a quick glance and a smile before shifting his gaze back to the road. “The wish I wrote on the lantern.
Rin shifting, sitting up straighter, as he waited for Aryu to continue. Aryu just smiled, knowing that Rin knew already what was written there. Even if the exact words escape him, the meaning was still the same.
He will say yes.
And while Rin didn’t specifically say yes, he still agreed. With his nod, and his eyes, and a kiss.
He said yes, and agreed to marry him. To be his husband, his partner. The love of his life.
He said yes.
And now Aryu’s dreams of Rin in a white suit and a veil to match did not seem so incredibly farfetched.
He said yes to forever, and Aryu could not wait until the day they would say “yes” in front of their friends and family and loved ones.
He could already picture it now, now shifting his dreams to their wedding.
It might be nice to release the same lanterns after they said their I dos, Aryu thought.
But for now, he shifted his gaze back to the present, and squeezed Rin’s fingers to answer the question on his lips.
“He will say yes. That’s all.”
Rin huffed, as if that was a silly thing to write, but the smile on his face did not fade until he fell asleep in Aryu’s arms.
Maybe it was a silly thing to write though, because Aryu knew that his wish would come true.