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Everything was always so..simple to Togami. The line, ‘a piece of cake’, was rather taken from him with the way he lived his life. Nothing had ever stumped Byakuya. A peaceful life of simple and easy. Even finishing the pretentious Hope’s Peak was some of the quickest moments in life. Like a snap. Every subject, every question, could be belittled from the words of The Heir. It was almost tiring. Everything, everyone was banal. Ninety-nine percenters were passionless, as usual. Problems were barely problems.
Although his classmates were a bit of a concept. With the glare of Fukawa everytime he blinked, or the constant rumble of Yamada. Or Yasuhiro’s rambling of fortunes had Togami groaning. But maybes Celeste insights had him smirking. Kyoko’s words kept him on his toes. And the strange loyalty of Ogami to Asahina when rumors influence the two, useless relationships. He can’t deny that not all of them were..simple.
Yet, they were just a bug in the way of a path—barely, more like leaves in the wind. Although, there was one leaf that had battled Togami more than he enjoyed. The meaning of luck slipping into every thought he had.
It was embarrassing. Terrible, awful, to be in love with a..boy. Especially when he was ruled to never marry, never fall in love, born to create the perfect heir. He’s the Ultimate Heir for Gods sake, the Ultimate Affulent Prodigy. Pure perfection. How can he be bothered to look at this boy? This boy who had contradicted every belief he held so close. Who had faught ever word of disgrace Togami held for him.
If Byakuya was pathetic enough, he would even admit this boy intrigued him. Interested him in ways nobody has, he even turned down the offer of being Togami’s personal secretary.
Makoto Naegi, the truly strange boy. Switching Byakuya’s life by an inch, he still profounded his care into the company, obviously, but into Naegi as well. Even with countless arguments and striking promises with his father, he still had his heart to Makoto. Three distasteful years of highschool of longing looks, and waiting. And four perfect years of embarrassment, loving touches, and everything. Bliss from a ninety-niner, strange. A difference to his repetitive life.
Although, maybe he would’ve preferred that life if it stripped away his frustrations.
Again, and again, and again. The silly, sulking box stuffed in his pocket hidden from Makoto for about..two months. He had discreetly gotten Makoto’s ring size, took hours choosing the perfect jewel. A pure alexandrite, tinted with diamonds. A perfect silver band to match his pale skin, rounded with a flower. Although it had made more of a look into being a four leaf clover.
Yes, it was amazing. Perfect for Naegi, of course. Byakuya had planned the night he would slip into position, one knee while declaring the engagement. It seemed so perfect. A late night garden, stacked with a cave of blooming cherry blossom trees. A simple date, yet Byakuya had guards recording the scene. He simply didn’t want Makoto to know yet, but had still wanted to cherish it.
It couldn’t be ruined, yet.. it was ruined. “Oh- oh! Ohh! Naegi- is that you!?” A drunken Asahina slips in sight. Her lipstick was smothered and slipped, with Ogami smiling gripping her hand. Obviously the two had been on a date as well, and it didn’t take long to notice why Asahina’s lipstick had been so smeared. Whatever, Byakuya wasn’t here to examine the makeout session of the two. Nor how Hina’s childish giggles wondered into her actions as she tightly hugged Togami’s boy, while gripping a large bottle of alcoholic substance.
“Oh- Hina, I didn’t expect you to be here, erm, with Sakura too, huh?”
Nuisance.
Togami’s grip of a fist didn’t help the fact that it didn’t take long for Asahina to convince Makoto to get drunk. Now when he finally had gotten home, two in the morning, he was frustrated how he only obtained a failed mission and a drunken Makoto. All he needed was a fiance Makoto. Whatever, Byakuya couldn’t be deluded, one lost battle. It’ll be fine. Next time.
Next time. Except next time had been razed when one of his guards had accidentally had the camera light set too bright, that ‘click’ sound ending it all. Leading into Makoto’s curiosity and paranoia instead. “I think I heard a camera clicking sound too-Do you think we’re being..stalked, Byakuya? We should check it out if so, just in case. I’ll get Kyoko, too!” Terrible. Just terrible. He never realized the love of his life had been delusional.
His hopes and dreams hadn’t been completely shattered when his somewhat reassuring words hadn’t gotten through to Makoto. Watching him anxiously dial Kirigiri’s number, before another hour went by convincing him it was nothing. If it wasn’t for these seven years.. His frustrations went by as he chewed out that guard, never to be seen again.
Next time..it’ll be perfect. And next time was when a vehicle had collided into a tree that had stood infront of the building the couple were in. Causing the rented out place to collapse as he was proposing, it was a miracle the two had survived with no injuries. Although Byakuya had a pain-staking headache. Everytime, everytime he tried to proposed something had gone wrong. It had run this carnival for about..nine times. A robbery had happened once, wrong people at the wrong time. Distractions too. Freak accidents—it was surely Makoto’s luck that had gotten them out without a scratch.
Yet Byakuya was sure he was one with the bad luck. Always wondering how hard it can really be, he never even made it past the monologue. Everything was so simple, so easy, but it seemed it was impossible to propose to Makoto.
Years of being perfect at everything, wasted in the chance of a ring.
“Terrible..terrible. Bad luck, me? That’s- that’s just..not..” Togami’s slumber mumbling sounded like a grunt, a deep strain that never occurred held over it. Togami’s sharp blue eyes closing into his stress. His body sinks into his couch, taking in the warm fireplace that tingles to his stiff body. It was a slow day, a Friday. The awakening of nighttime dropping in. Merely any paperwork, slow minutes, but not hard. The quiet sounds of minor cars passing by, birds measly chirping, and the sounds of approaching footsteps.
“Byakuyaa..” The tender kiss of Byakuya’s cheek from Makoto has him lightly sighing, tense body steadying into relaxation, once again. His eyes open softly, looking at Makoto’s smile, his body leaning into his arm. “Makoto. You’re done writing that paper already?” Right, Makoto still has college. While Byakuya had already started with his destiny, Makoto’s dream had barely begun, which was to be a teacher for Hope’s Peak. Or rather the principal. An interesting choice..Togami had grown rather fond of that dream. “Yeah- haha, I can almost faint with how tired I am.”
His green, clay eyes fall down, his head cuddling into Byakuya’s chest. “Yes..well, papers can be tiring. Sleep, Makoto.” His husk whispers of love, own eyes examine Makoto in the interest of infinity. That warmth of comfort that shifts from the crest of the fireplace to Byakuya’s body. The days of longing and love stream to small moments like this. He cherishes moments like these, they feel so right.
His hand slips to Makoto’s smaller back, just to softly rub it while his own eyes close. The small sounds of breathing, or the ruffle of Makoto. How natural. The presence of another is more than a ring can do, but it can be just as good. The soft feeling of knowing that person is yours, shaped into a pretty ring to keep. It’s comforting. It’s almost perfect.
“Byakuya, get up.” Hm? Byakuya eyes open slowly, the strain of Makoto’s face, flickering from normal to two pink cheeks. His eyes tightly closed, his body on the verge of tense. Did he do something? Byakuya hesitantly listens, scampering up, watching as Makoto’s body settles to standing up as well. His eyes slowly open, a few seconds of silence. The two facing eachother. A stare in confusion from Byakuya as he waits in expectation, and Makoto’s own tiny sheepish smile.
“Look..I’m not good at this, and I know it’s not..a fancy place, but-“ Makoto slows, you can almost see the sweat that radiates off him. His body shifts one more time, down to the knee. Pulling a box out of his pockets, a certain box.
“Will you marry me?”
A pretty sapphire ring is throned. Yes, there’s no guards to keep the memory of it. But Byakuya will always dote on this moment, it’s just perfect.