Work Text:
-7:00 AM-
The loud ring of the alarm invaded Kotetsu’s peaceful sleep, making him frown as he felt annoyed right away. How could it be morning already? It felt like he’d just gone to sleep. It couldn’t possibly be time to get up!
The ring kept going and going. Kotetsu wondered why no one stopped that thing as it kept on, making him more aware that he was awake. If it had been shut off quickly enough his brain could have played it off as a momentary intrusion on his ears and coaxed him back to sleep.
It wasn’t going to be that way, he finally realized. He threw his arm out enough to find the alarm. He nearly whacked it right off the nightstand – Kotetsu had gotten to where he very much preferred an actual ringing clock instead of some setting on his phone. His phone would have been harder to knock on the floor and break, something he’d almost done several times with the clock. Barnaby never ceased to lecture him about his morning clumsiness.
Barnaby…
Kotetsu remembered what he liked about waking up in the morning as soon as he began to think about Barnaby. He smacked the clock three times before actually finding the button to turn it off and rolled over to where Barnaby was laying, eyes half open and looking completely disinterested in the idea of waking up at all.
Of course he didn’t want to, who would? The warmth of the bed surrounded them both and protected them from the cold outside the covers. It was early December – December 8th to be exact, and the month had started off incredibly cold. Usually the city felt a little warmer going into it, but instead the temperatures had hit record lows.
That was a good thing, for Kotetsu. Criminal activity was way down because not a lot of them were interested in the cold wind slapping them in the face when they tried to steal some kid’s candy or start a gang war. That meant less reasons to show up at work, less paperwork, less having to deal with the day. Sometimes both he and Barnaby failed at that, coming home as moody sullen messes due to their own, personal thoughts.
However they always managed to soothe each other and make it better, and Kotetsu found that on his mind a lot.
“Hey,” he said, voice sounding thick and throat feeling funny since he had not had anything yet to eat or drink.
“Hey,” Barnaby answered, staring at him as he struggled to wake up. The cold had rendered him lethargic. The old Barnaby used to be so fueled by ideas of revenge and pleasing Maverick and being someone he just wasn’t that lounging in bed even a minute after the alarm had gone off was unacceptable.
Since moving in together he had slowly lost that habit - even before the truth about Maverick had been discovered. Barnaby had someone to stay in bed for, Kotetsu knew that was the big decision changer.
“You ready to get up?” Kotetsu asked.
“Yes.”
“I’m not,” Kotetsu said and pulled blankets closer to him before pulling Barnaby over as well.
Barnaby huffed but didn’t fight it. He let Kotetsu hold him as they both huddled in their little cocoon of blankets. Kotetsu didn’t say anything. He was too tired to come up with anything to say and they didn’t need to break the silence anyway.
After about five minutes, Barnaby insisted that they get up and get ready. Kotetsu complained a little just to do it and Barnaby playfully smacked his butt before vanishing into the bathroom as usual. Kotetsu just smiled and hauled his tired, cold body downstairs. His robe was down there somewhere, and a hot cup of coffee would warm him up. Warm food sounded good too.
When living alone he didn’t really eat meals in the morning. The apartment was too empty for him to have much of a desire to stick around making breakfast. That changed pretty fast. It actually changed before they moved in, it changed their very first morning….
————-
The first thing Kotetsu noticed upon waking up was that he wasn’t alone. It felt good, but he didn’t expect it. He never woke up with anyone.
He was wrapped up in a cage of arms, still in his clothes from work. They both were, he noticed slowly. That’s right…he’d fallen asleep with Barnaby.
They hadn’t done anything. That much was clear, unless ending their silly game of dancing around each other for weeks with intense looks and sudden long hugs counted as something. He supposed it did. The night before, he’d kissed Barnaby for the first time. Barnaby had willingly – eagerly! – snuggled up next to him like a cute little bunny and fallen asleep right there.
Okay, so something did kind of happen.
Kotetsu nuzzled Barnaby gently in an effort to wake him up and it worked faster than he had expected. Barnaby’s eyes flew open wide and he looked panicked as he stared at Kotetsu. He stayed still, but Kotetsu didn’t know if that was because he was comfortable or scared.
“Morning, Bunny.” He kept his voice as level as possible. He didn’t want to scare him. The last thing he wanted was to make Barnaby uncomfortable. He needed him.
“M-m-morn…” Barnanby continued to stare, unable to speak.
Kotetsu couldn’t help chuckling and kissing Barnaby’s forehead. He expected him to leap back, but Barnaby just blinked and kept staring. “You’re adorable, Bunny. You okay?”
“I’ve never woken up with anyone before.”
That could be stressful. Kotetsu understood. “It’s nice. You’ll get used to it.”
“I will?”
Kotetsu paused, backtracking to realize what he’d just said. It didn’t take him long to realize yea, he meant that. “You will. Yes, you definitely will.”
“But we just – is it normal to sleep together before uh, asking one another out?” Barnaby asked, cheeks red as he fumbled. “I don’t know this stuff.” He sighed and then pulled away to sit up.
“Sometimes.” Kotetsu sat up too. “And who needs to ask who out? I think…the feelings are mutual. We both know, we’ve known for a while now. So it’s not really-“
“-too soon,” Barnaby finished for him and nodded. “Yes. I have to admit, something about it felt natural.”
“Don’t examine it too much, Bunny. Just embrace it.” Kotetsu couldn’t resist leaning over to kiss his cheek, and then his forehead again. If it was up to him the entire day would be spent kissing Barnaby. “Just let it happen.”
“Hey, hey!” Barnaby laughed, his face still red. “I’m new to this all and, I just, I don’t know,” he finished rather pointlessly. “It’s so weird.”
“Hmmm. I know.” Kotetsu smiled and kissed Barnaby on the lips gently. “Never thought when we met that I’d be waking up with you someday.” He kissed his neck.
“Same, definitely the same. But now I feel as though it’s all I want. It’s confusing to me, Kotetsu.”
“Why?” Kotetsu leaned back against the wall behind his bed and put an arm around Barnaby. “I mean, I know why, but…I actually don’t know how to phrase this. It’s strange, its new, but confusing doesn’t seem to fit. Confusing was when I didn’t quite grasp why seeing you made my day so much brighter. I certainly know now.”
“Y-you’re such a sap, Kotetsu.” Barnaby’s smile was nervous, but still obviously genuine. “I get it, but I still am wondering how I’m supposed to feel and all that.”
“How do you feel at this moment?”
“Happier then I have ever been. I feel like I’ve been pulled out of some dark hole in the ground. Everything just seems better, I don’t know how to describe it.”
“Then let yourself keep feeling that. I don’t know what you think you’re supposed to feel anyway, but I’d say happy is it.” Kotetsu was on cloud nine himself. He never dreamed he would make Barnaby so happy…he never dreamed he’d actually have him.
“I guess I should. Why are you looking at me like that?” Barnaby said slowly, as Kotetsu was watching him rather intensely.
“I just want to kiss you all morning. Can we do that instead of work? Can I just smooch you up?”
“Kotetsu, stop, that’s embarrassing!”
“No one is watching!” Kotetsu said, proceeding to shower his face in small, delicate kisses while Barnaby giggled. Barnaby still protested too, but he didn’t shove Kotetsu off for a few minutes. They really did have to go to work after all.
Down the stairs they went, joining hands at the bottom. Kotetsu paused, feeling like he had to do something else…but what? Well, they should change their clothing at some point, but Barnaby didn’t have any work appropriate stuff there. That could wait.
“Um, want coffee?” he asked awkwardly.
“Sure. I’m kind of really hungry too, if you keep breakfast food here. I don’t.”
“I do, because sometimes I eat it for dinner.”
“…”
“Easier to fry some eggs than bother cooking a whole steak, okay!? So uh, eggs and bacon…?”
“No waffles?”
“No…”
Barnaby finally initiated a kiss, a soft lingering one pressed to the top of Kotetsu’s hand. “I’ll bring my waffle maker next time. I do have one, I just never use it.”
“Right.” Kotetsu grinned. “Next time.” He couldn’t wait.
“I like my eggs over easy.”
“Eh?”
“I said over easy. Now, you going to cook for your guest or what?”
“Oh, I’ll do more than cook for him! I mean yes, eggs.” Kotetsu laughed at Barnaby’s returning blush before squeezing his hand and walking to the kitchen.
******
-12:00 PM-
Kotetsu leaned back in his chair, looking at the stack of papers he’d barely gotten through. Much like that morning, he had become lost in his thoughts. Barnaby had been worried he knew, from the way he looked at him during breakfast. Kotetsu looked back, a stupid smile on his face the whole time, and he carried that smile to work.
Kotetsu had been thinking about a lot of things, and he periodically fumbled with the little box he carried in his pocket. Why he’d brought it to work, he wasn’t sure – perhaps to think about it more.
He’d been thinking about it a lot, turning the fond and even not so fond memories over in his mind. He-
“Will you get a move on!?”
Kotetsu jerked his hand out of his pocket so fast he nearly slapped himself in the face. “Huhwhat!?” He looked up to see Barnaby positively glaring down at him.
“I spent the other night catching up on your paperwork, why are you so distracted lately? I’m not doing it again tonight! I want to enjoy tonight and have some wine and get some sleep!” Barnaby growled and Kotetsu blinked.
“I’m sorry, Bunny.” Well, he felt bad. He hadn’t meant to cause Barnaby extra stress. He’d just been so focused lately, focused on his decision. “I’ll get on it, okay?”
Barnaby glared. “Will you? You better be ready to work through lunch, then!”
“But Bunny! I…okay. Okay, I will.” He didn’t know when else he’d really be able to catch up. He was hungry but that meant nothing in comparison to Barnaby being upset with him. “Can you bring me something to eat?”
“So you can get mayonnaise all over the papers? I don’t think so.”
Barnaby was not a good person to irritate. “No, Bunny, because I’m hungry okay?” Kotetsu said, his voice steady. He didn’t need to get pissed off in return.
Barnaby closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and seemed to relax a little. “Okay. Okay, I’m sorry, you should eat otherwise you’ll be whiny later.”
Kotetsu frowned. “Yes, I will be.”
“I’ll go get you some sort of salad, eat healthy.”
Ew. “Okay. Fine.”
Barnaby just began to walk away without a word. Kotetsu leaned back in his chair. “Hey!”
Barnaby stopped and looked over his shoulder. “What now?”
“I love you!” Kotetsu said, loudly, though the receptionist didn’t look up. Then he waved at Barnaby, who blushed and hurried out of the office.
————
“I can’t believe you! More damage fines! Why do you do this Kotetsu?” Barnaby lectured him and Kotetsu shrank back like a frightened animal. “I don’t understand why you do these stupid things! You broke a pretty important statue!”
“I’m sorry, Bunny I’m so sorry,” Kotetsu said, trying not to cry.
“You better be! I’m so fed up with this!”
Kotetsu raised an arm as if he expected to be hit, but Barnaby had already turned and stormed out. He lowered his arm and looked at the doorway to the office, nearly breaking down. He was almost shaking he was so upset by what was really not a huge deal – to him anyway.
That day marked sixth months since they’d been together. Sixth months since they had woken up in that bed together and Kotetsu’s life began that upward climb towards the fabled light at the end of the tunnel.
Six whole months.
Just six months.
Kotetsu was still very much in that zone where his heart fluttered every time he simply looked at Barnaby, when every day revolved around whatever look Barnaby might give him, whatever he might say. All he thought about was Barnaby, Bunny, Barnaby, Bunny…
And so, when Barnaby was mad at him it felt like a knife to the heart. He had trouble handling it. What would happen if Barnaby left him? He’d waste away, after him and Tomoe, Kotetsu was sure he’d be done for. Maybe he’d do better than he thought but he didn’t want to think about it.
Slowly, he pulled himself together and left the office as well. There was no point in hanging around, it would just be a dark empty building in a matter of minutes. The day was over. His fines were totaled. Barnaby was mad. He just wanted to go home and pass out. And if he was lucky, Barnaby would be there.
He wasn’t lucky. Kotetsu arrived home to an empty apartment. Barnaby had gone to his own. It made his heart ache. What if he called him? No- he couldn’t call him. He needed to let him cool off. He was just going to plop himself down in front of the television and deal with it, and stop being a baby. Barnaby would come back around, because he loved Kotetsu.
….Right?
The apartment felt cold. The weather outside was warm, spring in the air, flowers blooming. With winter over and a nice hot summer on the way most folks were in high spirits. Kotetsu would have been too if he didn’t feel so unhappy over the argument. The world seemed like a cruel place.
He sighed as he put a kettle on the stove for tea. He’d been home a half hour by that point and didn’t feel any better. By some miracle he didn’t feel worse, but that wasn’t much of a comfort. Perhaps the hot tea would be. Kotetsu itched to grab a beer but he didn’t want to be that kind of person anymore, someone who used the alcohol to drown out his issues. He’d gone too far down that path before Barnaby and it had scared him. A number of days where he couldn’t wait to go home and drink until he lost consciousness – no, he was done with that.
By the time he sat down with his tea he did feel a little better. Everything still hurt, but he could grasp onto some hope that Barnaby would forgive him. Barnaby wouldn’t truly hold that day against him for good – would he?
His thoughts were interrupted as the door to his apartment opened.
Instead of feeling scared or worried, he was excited. Only one person just walked into his apartment like that and he turned to look over his couch to see if he was right. He was.
Barnaby was there.
“You look terrible,” he told Kotetsu almost right away.
So much for a heartfelt greeting. “I feel terrible,” Kotetsu muttered, unsure of whether or not Barnaby could even hear that.
Barnaby took his time undoing his boots and getting out of them. It was an awkward silence, since Kotetsu didn’t know what to say and Barnaby clearly had no intentions of just talking to fill the air. Once his boots were off he walked up to the couch and stopped behind it, over Kotetsu. Kotetsu leaned back and looked up at him, worried.
Taking a deep breath, Barnaby shook his head and started to comb his fingers through Kotetsu’s hair. It was so unexpected that Kotetsu startled a little. Barnaby paused briefly but continued. “I’m still not happy with you.”
“Okay.” What was he supposed to say?
“But I saw the date on my calendar where you’d written ‘six months!’ with a smiley face and realized I needed to come over.”
“Just to be mad at me, though?” Kotetsu sighed, closing his eyes as Barnaby’s hands worked through his hair.
“Your carelessness makes me so angry sometimes. Why don’t you think more? You act like a child.”
“That’s…” Kotetsu didn’t know what he was really going to say so he just trailed off.
“Despite all that, there’s a reason I’ve been with you this long and have no intentions of leaving. I’ve thought about this relationship a lot, before and after it started. I’ve never been happier and even though you can be troublesome, it’s worth it.”
Kotetsu had hoped he would be hearing something a little more romantic, something sweet, but he still felt very down, like Barnaby had ‘settled’ for him. “I, ah, I see.”
“If you’d like to have dinner or something, we have time.”
“It’s okay.”
“Huh?”
Kotetsu opened his eyes and half-heartedly smiled up at Barnaby before sitting forward again. “It’s okay. You came to tell me you’re still mad at me but won’t break up with me. You can go home now if you want. I feel better.”
The silence told him Barnaby was thinking about his words, turning them over and over in his mind. Kotetsu had confused him slightly. “You’re not okay,” Barnaby said, an accusatory statement.
“I never said I was okay. Just…better. But overall it’s okay.”
Barnaby made an annoyed sound and walked around the couch finally to sit down next to Kotetsu, studying him. “I can’t leave with you upset, especially not on this day. “There’s something on your mind.”
Kotetsu bit back a smartassed ‘oh wow you’re observant’ and looked at the ground. “Did you settle for me?”
“What?”
“Did you decide to be with me because I was there and you knew I’d do anything for you? Because I was convenient and good enough?”
“What the hell!?”
Barnaby was pissed. But Kotetsu didn’t really care. When Barnaby was so stiff and withdrawn it was hard to understand him. “You don’t seem happy to be here. I get that I pissed you off today, but if this is just something you thought about and decided is ‘worth it’ – that sounds…odd.”
“Oh.”
Kotetsu looked at him. Barnaby had gone from looking angry to looking a bit bewildered. “No, no, I never settled. You know me better than that!” Kotetsu shrugged. “Kotetsu, come on. I’m in love with you. You know that.”
“I do…”
“I never meant to make it seem like I was just here because I felt I had to be or with you simply because I could be. I’m sorry.”
Kotetsu just watched him. It was all his fault, why was Barnaby apologizing to him? He knew why when he thought rationally, but he still felt as though he ought to be borderline groveling. He was still thinking that when Barnaby edged forward and reached for him, pulling Kotetsu to him. Kotetsu went easily, letting himself be pulled or pushed anywhere by then. He let out a breath of relief as his head met Barnaby’s chest and his partner pulled him down onto the couch.
He felt safe in his place on top of Barnaby, being hugged tightly. “I came home and I hoped you would be here. I was so worried when you weren’t.”
“I’m not always here.”
“Right, and that’s when I go to your place. We see each other every night after work, Bunny. I don’t know what I would do if there was a night you didn’t see me.”
“That’ll never happen,” Barnaby said, immediately dismissing it.
“What if it does?” What would that mean? That would be the end of it all, he felt sure. He tried not to think about it, better to focus on sinking into Barnaby’s chest as the strong arms stayed wrapped around him.
“Well…Kotetsu?”
“Yes?”
“Let’s live together.”
“W-what?” Had he heard that one right?
“Live together. This business about ‘your place or mine’ – that’s silly. And if we have an argument, then we HAVE to talk about it. It would be better for us, and, well, I’d like to live with you.”
Kotetsu lifted himself up enough to look at Barnaby’s face. He was serious! Kotetsu’s mouth slowly morphed into a grin. “Bunny!”
“I understand if six months is too s-“
“Bunny yes! I want to live with you!
“You do?”
He sounded so surprised! Kotetsu was surprised by that itself. “Yes Bunny, I love you! We should have a big bed and a bathroom – two bathrooms, because you’re in there a lot…pink curtains? You want pink curtains? Because I’m okay with that! And we can have a couch with a lot of blankets-“
Barnaby laughed. He laughed! “Yes yes, all of that! I’m just happy that you want to, even after today when I’ve not been pleasant.”
“Pffft. Bunny, I haven’t been either. It changes nothing about how I feel. I want to live with you.” He dropped back down against him, nuzzling into his chest. “If tigers could purr, I’d be doing that right now!”
Barnaby laughed again. “Okay okay. We start looking tomorrow? It should not be hard to find a place we both agree on.”
“If you’re there, it’ll be perfect. I don’t care as long as you’re there,” Kotetsu said as he stopped moving and sighed. “It’ll be perfect,” he repeated as Barnaby stroked his hair again.
********
-7:00 PM-
Kotetsu returned home alone, but the home didn’t seem empty and cold like it had that day months ago. It was a warm place. A welcoming place. His stuff mingled with Barnaby’s, what few items Barnaby had anyway. They had the household things they had bought together and a few precious possessions tucked next to and around each other, their lives intertwining throughout the apartment.
They held so much between them, and yet, Kotetsu needed more.
He checked throughout the apartment to see if Barnaby was home anywhere, unsurprised when he found him asleep in the bed they had so reluctantly left earlier that morning. Sometimes Barnaby was just tired and Kotetsu had found it wasn’t something to worry about. He napped too sometimes, and once in a while they both had a nice evening cuddle and nodded off together.
Barnaby had finally begun to relax.
He had learned after work he didn’t need to get right on his Ouroboros research or immediately prepare for some event. He didn’t have to be even remotely productive if he didn’t want to. He could just go at his own pace. And sometimes his own pace was taking a snooze in the softly lit bedroom, much unlike when he used to sit in that chair in the dark.
Kotetsu watched him for a minute. He wanted to go in there and kiss him, but he didn’t want to disturb him. He wasn’t so worried about their little tiff over the paperwork. Those happened. He wasn’t mad and since he’d done his work, Barnaby wouldn’t be either. They both had learned to become more patient.
He eventually tore himself away from the bedroom and ventured to the living room, where he had begged and begged Barnaby to allow him a mini Christmas tree for the month. Christmas was still a tough time for Barnaby but Kotetsu was determined to show him he could still enjoy it. He would make it wonderful, but for that to happen Barnaby had to give a little. He finally did and even agreed the little tree with its silver tinsel and little multicolored bulbs, with its mini nutcracker ornaments and sparkly reindeer wandering the branches, was pretty. It made the room feel welcoming.
Kotetsu passed by it and went to the kitchen to put on a kettle for water – but not for tea. He pulled two mugs out of a cupboard in their almost too-large kitchen. One mug featured a snowman, a generic seasonal mug for Barnaby, while Kotetsu had himself a mug with Santa. As the water began to boil he grabbed a box of hot cocoa packets. He set those on the counter and went to the living room to arrange blankets on the couch and make it a nice cozy place for them to cuddle up together.
He took the box from his pocket and stared at it. It was a little red box. Nondescript. He placed on the coffee table that Barnaby had so carefully decorated with candles and of course, coasters. He didn’t have to worry about Barnaby waking up quite yet, and he wanted to have it out there. Satisfied with the set-up, Kotetsu wandered back to the kitchen. He thought back to a recent conversation they’d had, how sad Barnaby sounded…
He wanted to fill his head with nice memories year round, which meant going to special lengths to quiet the bad ones. Those special lengths, however, were not troublesome.
—————
“Your birthday is in three weeks Bunny! What d’ya want?” Kotetsu asked, sitting at the table and flipping through a magazine of shiny things that he’d found at work.
“Eh…huh?” Barnaby was staring off into space in the kitchen. He was tired from the day. It had been a long one, full of particularly obnoxious smalltime criminals.
“Birthday. Listen, don’t fight it this year. I’m going to make it good for you. I’ll let you be on top and everything.”
“You’ll ‘let’ me?” Barnaby smirked.
“…Anyway, let me know what you’d like!”
“I don’t know, Kotetsu.” He sighed. “I don’t celebrate my birthday. October through to January is a rough time for me. I’d rather just get through it and try to feel better.”
“I understand that Bunny. But…I want to do something for you, please? I love you! Let me show you that. I want to celebrate the day my honey-Buns was born!”
Barnaby made a face. “Don’t call me that…”
Kotetsu laughed. “You understand, though? It’s a special day, the day you came into the world, and I feel thankful every moment that goes by that you’re with me.”
A blush spread over Barnaby’s cheeks. “When you put it like that…I suppose we can do something.”
“Yay! Bunny you’ll love it! Even if I screw up on a gift, I swear I’ll make it the best day you’ve ever had.”
“Impossible.” Barnaby snorted. “The best day I’ve ever had is the first day you told me you loved me.”
It was Kotetsu’s turn to blush and he nearly hid his smiling face in his hand. He was too happy. “Well…second best!” He turned back to the catalogue, flipping through it. “What do you want? A shiny watch, a necklace, a crystal duck, a…” He turned a page to rings.
Engagement rings.
The page was covered in silver rings, with mostly oval shaped diamonds. Most had petals coming out, somewhat tacky as they were obviously meant to look like flowers. Kotetsu would never buy those ones, but those rings…
Marriage. Now there was an idea.
The idea had been kicking around in his head, sure. But he’d been married before and having lost Tomoe, he found it hard to consider such a thing again. And marrying a man? Well…it was legal in Sternbild. He could actually marry Barnaby, give him his last name and everything if he wanted.
Barnaby could be his husband.
The rings blurred before him as his thoughts drifted. Barnaby had been talking, saying something, coming over…coming over! Kotetsu hurried to turn the page, landing on a spread of multicolored sapphires and diamonds. He couldn’t turn it again before Barnaby reached him. “Diamonds?”
“Ahaha, yea, just flipping through the book,” Kotetsu said as he laughed casually (he hoped) and looked up at Barnaby.
“That’s a bit much for a birthday…but under the right circumstances I wouldn’t mind.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you were proposing, or something like that,” Barnaby said quickly.
Kotetsu’s jaw dropped a little and he tried to speak, but nothing came out. Had he been that obvious…?
“But, yes, for just a birthday, that is perhaps over the top,” Barnaby said even faster, cheeks burning as though he had been caught saying something bad.
Kotetsu nodded as if to hint he was glad the subject was dropped, but the excitement he felt rushed to his head.
Barnaby wanted him to ask. He could see it in his eyes, in his blush, the way he shuffled awkwardly and went back to the kitchen – he would say yes. It was a sure thing.
The problem was, he likely expected it on his birthday. Well, Kotetsu would do something else for that. He’d surprise Barnaby with a proposal when he needed it most, during the months that always made his world harder to deal with. Then Barnaby would always have that bright memory to outshine the ones that made him sad.
Kotetsu couldn’t wait.
*****
-8:00 PM-
He was ready.
Kotetsu was ready.
During the weeks prior he’d thought about it over and over, approaching his doubts and realizing they weren’t the obstacles he thought they’d be. He wanted to be married again. And he wasn’t betraying anyone by doing it. Tomoe had never been a vindictive, possessive person. If she could see him, if she did see him, he was sure she would understand and encourage it to happen.
Kotetsu’s life had been rocky in the time between her passing and meeting Barnaby. His days blurred into nothing and often he wanted to sleep and never wake up. He protected the citizens and he spoke to his daughter, his mother, and he had friends. Regardless there had always been that gaping hole in his heart. A need for someone to love again. He excused it as pathetic, needy, and even a part of grieving.
He met Barnaby. As he came to know him better he realized Barnaby filled that place inside him. Barnaby gave him the urge to press on and try to make his life better even if progress had been slow in the beginning. Kotetsu refused to help himself, Barnaby was slow to warm up, but after Jake things changed. Barnaby pushed him to get help and kept an eye on him. He showed Kotetsu he cared about him. Kotetsu hardly dared believe there was someone so involved in his well-being.
Barnaby was his other half. Perhaps it was more correct to refer to him as his other third, considering Tomoe, but as things stood he was his half.
Kotetsu took a deep breath and retrieved a silver chain he’d bought a few days ago. He carried it to the wall that hosted photos of his family – including Tomoe of course. Under them was a shelf of various treasures such as a card Tomoe had given him during her last year, a little stuffed tiger she gave him one birthday, a little Legend statue…
He had placed a little stand there as well featuring an angel at the base. He studied it and raised his hand in front of his face, studying his wedding ring.
He would never feel right wearing two, and he knew it would always be a reminder to Barnaby that he was second, that they would have never come together had Tomoe lived. It was also a reminder of the happy life Kotetsu had during the years Barnaby remained so so miserable.
He removed the ring.
Kotetsu placed it on the chain, letting it hang gently as he looped the chain around the angel stand. Once it was set he stepped back and let out his breath. It was done. He’d taken off that ring for the first time since they had stood in the chapel reading their vows.
Something inside him settled, oddly at peace, and he retreated upstairs to wake up Barnaby.
********
“Cocoa?” Kotetsu offered the sleepy Barnanby as he led him to the living room.
“Mmm? Oh, yea,” Barnaby answered as he dragged his feet toward the living room. Upon waking up he had complained it was cold and Kotetsu managed to get him into a thick red sweater, though he had to put on the brown one that made him look ‘pathetically cute’ in Barnaby’s words. He’d slipped on his slipper socks while Barnaby got on his classier black house shoes.
Barnaby went to the couch and plopped down, staring across at the tree and completely overlooking the little box settled on the coffee table as Kotetsu knew he would. He knew his sleepy Bunny, and he knew the way he was drawn to the Christmas tree. Kotetsu smiled as he watched him and then hurried up with the hot chocolate. Marshmallows in his, none in Barnaby’s, more milk in Barnaby’s, spoon in his own cup to eat the marshmallows with – he picked up the mugs and nearly froze when he looked out the kitchen window.
It was even snowing! Perfect.
Kotetsu walked over to the couch and set the mugs on their coasters. He lit two of the candles Barnaby had sitting there, apparently they were to smell like ‘ginger peach’. Then he sat down.
Barnaby was giving him an odd look.
“…What?” Kotetsu asked, pulling the blankets onto their laps.
“You seem ah…I don’t know. Like you have something planned.”
“Ah, Bunny, just wanted a nice evening with you.” Kotetsu turned himself toward Barnaby as much as he could and smiled. “You doing alright?”
“Yea, I’m fine.” Barnaby continued to look at him oddly even as he picked up his mug and sort of sniffed at the cocoa. “Mmmm.”
“Bunny? I love you.”
“I know. I love you too.”
“I…Bunny you…” He suddenly couldn’t find the words. Shit! He was feeling so nervous and so emotional all of the sudden that he couldn’t spit it out! “I…”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m more than okay. I’ve been…fantastic for a while now. Been feeling really good.” Barnaby raised an eyebrow and set his mug back down. Kotetsu reached for him, his fingers lightly stroking Barnaby’s cheeks and brushing back the stray hairs that escaped the perfect curls. “It’s all because of you, Barnaby, all because of you.”
Barnaby stiffened. He always did when he heard his real name, because he knew it was going to be important. “Kotetsu?”
Kotetsu took in the sight of him, soft and sweet in his warm sweater, eyes bright as he watched Kotetsu with worry and anticipation. His face was filled with a warmth that did not exist a year ago, even when they became a couple there was still tension and sadness in Barnaby’s expressions. None of that remained now.
“Barnaby…” Oh, wonderful – his eyes were tearing up! Kotetsu had to concentrate. “I know, maybe you would have liked this to be over an expensive dinner, or after dancing, or, or…well anyway. I chose this time for a reason, this day to have a bright spot, I…” He sort of squeaked and touched his eyes as they watered too much.
“Kotetsu? Just spit it out,” Barnaby said gently as he touched Kotetsu’s arm, running his hand down it.
Kotetsu caught that hand in both of his and lifted it to his lips. “I’m trying,” he said, lowering Barnaby’s hand to the blanket with one of his own covering it – the one without the ring.
Barnaby looked down at their hands and he noticed immediately, eyes going wide. “Kotetsu, your ring…”
Kotetsu nodded. He then looked at the table and found the red box. He picked it up and was looking at it, knowing Barnaby was too and knowing he knew exactly what was happening. He swore he could feel Barnaby’s heartbeat picking up speed. “Barnaby, I’m ah, I’m sure you know…”
“Ask me anyway.” Barnaby’s voice came out in an excited whisper, his eyes wide.
Kotetsu opened the box to show him a ring. It was a fairly simple silver ring, with the band darkened to black at the top and twisting slightly as it approached the center stone – a red square sapphire seemingly hanging from the black ends. He’d had a hard time deciding between a yellow gold band and a silver one – in the end, he knew Barnaby would find the gold tacky.
He could find the silver one tacky too, actually…
“Barnaby, will you marry me?” It slipped out. He planned to say it, of course, but it still sort of came out without control.
Oh well.
“Will you spend the rest of your life with me as my husband?” he asked, his breathing a little fast, a little anxious, a little excited.
Barnaby did not take long to answer. “I will. Kotetsu you know I will. So yes, yes, yes!” His voice hit that excited peak that Barnaby rarely ever hit. His smile was huge – unusual, wonderful. “Kotetsu yes!”
Kotetsu smiled back and fumbling, reached for Barnaby’s hand. “You have to, have to-“
“Put it on? Yes!” Barnaby held his hand out. It was shaking like crazy.
So was Kotetsu’s. He realized it as he tried to slip the ring on Barnaby’s finger but had some issues. He got it on there though and stopped, looking at his hand in awe.
Barnaby had said yes.
Kotetsu was engaged.
It happened so quickly – not that he was complaining. “Bunny.” He looked at his face again. “Bunny, you said yes.”
“I know.”
They stared at each other and then laughed. Kotetsu surged forward – as much as he really could on the couch, and took Barnaby’s face in his hands as he kissed him. Barnaby’s hands were on him in an instant, his hair, his back, his arms, his hand, his face, back to his hair…Barnaby kissed him back hard and forceful.
Kotetsu knew that Barnaby had just been waiting for him to ask. That fact filled him with more joy than he thought possible in that moment and he broke the kiss just to look at him again.
Barnaby was his.
Kotetsu kissed him briefly again and then practically gathered Barnaby into his lap. He hugged him tightly.
He said yes.
Kotetsu’s world was finally perfect once again, made better only by the fact that Barnaby’s was as well.