Chapter 1: Dawn
Summary:
Hello, welcome to this little experiment to get me back into writing.
I took the opportunity from this year's Mayblade on Tumblr and built a fic through some of the prompts.
It's already posted on Tumblr but I will leave it here as well.
Enjoy :)
Chapter Text
Mugginess engulfed his bare skin while he regained consciousness. The sheets under him moved with a slight rustle. A quiet “fuck” was murmored at his side.
Kai’s eyes opened sluggishly, focusing on the glimmer of light from the half-drawn curtains. The night sky behind it was slowly and relentlessly giving way to the pale yellow light of the sun, catching up warmth as it invaded the rest of the sky.
Another sigh made him concentrate back on the bed. The room was still dark, and his eyes tried to adjust to the figure beside him. Kai was still too numb to bother reaching for his glasses somewhere in the room. He made do with the blurry outlines of Yuriy’s hands rubbing tiredly his face and the red blotch of his hair.
Kai adjusted himself on his right side, his left hand reaching for the pillow under his cheek.
At that, Yuriy seemed to finally realize he was awake as well.
“I fell asleep.”
Kai just produced an affirmative noise, trying to guess how much Yuriy was furrowing his eyebrows: to admonish him for letting him sleep, or himself for failing the task to stay awake until midnight.
“I’m sorry,” Yuriy sighed again.
Kai’s hand left his pillow and reached forward until he could entangle his fingers in the messy red hair. The gentle pull wasn’t necessary, but it felt like clearance for both to reach forward.
“Stupid,” Kai gladly sacrificed more of his clarity to have that proximity, any point of contact between them - the hand in the hair, the tip of their noses - giving him a shock of electricity directly to his heart. He looked for more, closed his useless eyes, and savoured their lips, tasting and exploring.
With no sight, he welcomed the cold fingers brushing both his chin and his side, until they gripped him, absorbed his warmth, and burned hot against his skin.
Another sigh anticipated the “Happy birthday” murmured against his lips.
Kai couldn’t help but smile, hoping that Yuriy could catch his reaction, either with his perfect eyesight or through the wrinkling of the skin under his touch.
Chapter 2: Apple
Chapter Text
“Really, you should have woken me up.”
It was Kai’s time to sigh at the stubbornness. Honestly, Yuriy had an awful week, and when the not-so-great movie they were watching got him to fall asleep, Kai couldn’t bring himself to disturb him. He didn’t care about midnights and such; he was content with that awakening.
“Stop talking,” Kai summed up, leaning in to claim his lips once more.
The open window let in a welcome, mild breeze. Perhaps that first day of August would be bearable after so many days of constant heat and sun.
Their pace slowed until they settled forehead against forehead, wrapped in an embrace of soft caresses. Kai felt he could drift off right there.
“I’ll make you coffee,” Yuriy cheerfully interrupted the peace, getting an annoyed grumble in response.
Kai tightened his hold around Yuriy’s body, keeping him put. “Why can’t we just sleep?”
“Stay,” Yuriy giggled, pressing a kiss on Kai’s head before gently pulling away. “Coffee will make you human again.”
Knowing there was no point in debating his boyfriend’s morning nature, Kai let him go, then rolled onto his other side to follow his movements to the kitchenette. In times like these, he was grateful for the teeny tiny Tokyo one-room apartment the BBA had provided Yuriy.
Kai alternated between dozing off and checking Yuriy’s meticulous movements: his tall figure - finally at the right distance to have him see clearly - expertly worked to make both tea and coffee. His bare legs barely shifted to reach easily for what he needed. In one smooth motion, he could reach the top shelves, check the kettle, set the coffee maker, grab the apple in the fruit basket on the table to give it a careless bite.
As Yuriy had predicted, the scent of coffee drifting to his nostrils was enough to pull him from the edges of sleep.
Chapter Text
“Here’s your potion.”
Yuriy handed him the steaming cup while getting back on the bed with his tea.
Kai breathed in the aroma of the coffee before taking the first sip. Yuriy had quickly mastered exactly how Kai liked it. His brief stint as a barista in a Moscow café after the fall of the Abbey had revealed an unexpected talent for brewing drinks.
“You’re magic.”
They sat in the quiet for a while, only the occasional sip and the soft clinking of ceramic cups filled the space. The first full rays of sunlight began to cast a delicate glow across the room.
“Could we stay here all day?” Kai murmured suddenly.
“We could,” Yuriy answered, setting his cup on the bedside table. “But you are going to complain about the absence of AC pretty soon.”
Kai huffed loudly, aware of the truth of those words, and climbed him over to set his own cup down beside Yuriy’s.
“This is annoying,” Kai pouted, resting his arms on Yuriy's shoulders, half of his weight still leaning on him.
“You are annoying.”
The tone was flat and cold, without a hint of inflection. There had to be some shift in his features to signal it as a joke, maybe a twitch of eyebrows or lips. Kai’s eyes couldn’t catch it, though. He squinted his eyes, pulling back slightly, letting his forearms slide but keeping them in place.
That’s when Yuriy burst into laughter. A shaky, convulsive laugh, so full it made him snuggle in the crook of Kai’s neck.
When he finally reemerged, a chuckle still in his voice, Yuriy cupped Kai’s face in his hands.
"You can’t see shit, right?"
“Fuck you,” Kai deadpanned, unamused.
Yuriy ignored him, scanning the room until his eyes landed on what he was looking for.
“Let me,” he said, slipping the glasses onto Kai’s face. “Bet that’s better, Krotik.”
Kai winced at the nickname but welcomed the sudden clarity. Once the lenses slipped into place, every inch of Yuriy’s face went back into focus. The freckles scattered across his nose, the small scar just above his right eyebrow, the shadow of his ginger stubble starting to grow on his jaw. And his ice blue eyes.
Eyes Kai could drown in. Like a glacier lit by the sun on a flawless winter day. Quiet and steady.
And yet, the only thing he felt looking at those eyes was pure joy, comfort, and warmth.
Notes:
Notes: "Krotik" is "little mole" in Russian (the animal). If in English you can say "as blind as a bat", in Russian it would be "as blind as a mole" (gladly, it is the same in Italian, so my mental association made total sense, hope you can see it too).
Chapter 4: Galaxy
Chapter Text
“I have an idea!”
After lingering in comfortable laziness for a while, they had started their day with a proper breakfast and a proper shower. Kai had eagerly put on his contacts and was now getting dressed when Yuriy took him by surprise and sent him back sitting on the bed.
He then moved to the window, trying to block the rays of sunshine getting through. Closing it was not an option, so he had to be satisfied with what he managed.
Wondering if the Japanese summer heat had finally taken the final toll on his boyfriend, Kai observed the craziness unfold.
Yuriy smirked back at him, sporting the confidence and resolution Kai had fallen for months before, and kept igniting his curiosity and interest.
“What now?”
“Close your eyes.”
Yuriy lifted his index finger, blocking any possible discussion, and repeated the order. Kai did as told and made sure to exaggerate the movement. Yuriy’s once rare light chuckle confirmed he was successful.
A few soft thumps betrayed Yuriy's movement toward the desk. Kai didn’t even think twice about sneaking a peek, his eyes drifting to the curved figure, watching as he fiddled frantically with something. A socket, maybe?
“No peeking!” Yuriy suddenly turned and caught him red-handed. Defiant, Kai closed his eyes again while Yuriy kept rummaging through his things.
The footsteps got closer again, a single thud of something being set down on the bedside table, until the mattress dipped next to him.
Kai instinctively began to open his eyes, catching a brief glimpse of Yuriy’s resigned yet amused smirk before his vision was blocked once more, this time by Yuriy’s hand.
Kai sighed loudly amid his laughter and waited for Yuriy’s continuous rummaging.
“I promised,” Yuriy spoke, his tone suddenly serious as he finally raised his hand.
Yuriy’s skin shimmered with a blend of blue and purple hues, merging seamlessly with his natural complexion. A scatter of white dots mingled with the pattern of his freckles, like stars woven into his skin.
Kai had seen before the full effect of the galaxy lamp, now a bit lost in the incomplete darkness.
“What is that for?” Kai asked, eyeing the little astronaut projecting the images around the room, a fitting gift from Boris for Yuriy’s last birthday.
“It’s midnight once again,” Yuriy responded matter-of-factly. “So, I can wish you a happy birthday as planned.”
Kai felt a tightening in his stomach.
“Why is that so important?”
A flush rising in his ears.
“Because I promised.”
And a warmth blooming in his chest.
Chapter 5: Wings
Chapter Text
Once Yuriy had started working for the BBA, the teeny tiny apartment wasn’t the only perk provided. He was granted the use of a car when needed, he just needed to book it in advance.
Kai didn’t know much about cars, but even he could tell this one was neither powerful nor fancy. It was a small, grey utilitarian that had seen better days, but as long as it brought them to their destination, he wasn’t about to complain.
“Come on,” Yuriy urged him with an encouraging pat on the back.
They moved together and both stalled awkwardly next to the left car door.
“Don’t tell me you want to hold the door for me,” Kai scoffed unimpressed, while Yuriy softly cursed in Russian, glancing inside the car.
“Why do you people have to drive on the wrong side of the road?”
Yuriy groaned exasperated and marched around the car to get to the correct door. Kai couldn’t help but smirk at the display as he slid into the passenger seat.
A blend of musty and vanilla hit him when he sat down, and looking around, he was faced with a hideous glittery cream-colored heart-shaped car freshener swinging from the rearview mirror.
“What…” His expression must have said it all, judging by the puzzled look Yuriy gave him as he dropped into the driver’s seat. “Oh, that! I think Keiko-San bought it.”
Keiko-San was Yuriy’s supervisor at the BBA. She was a practical woman in her forties with a bizarre sense of humour who had taken Yuriy under her wing, even though he was twice her height.
“Start the car,” Kai commanded, already jabbing the window button. Once the engine rumbled to life beneath them, the window started to lower with a pitiful whine.
“So,” Yuriy started, fastening his seat belt and checking all the mirrors were in the correct position. He always took a minute to recalibrate; the reversed layout of Japanese cars threw him off, from the gear shift to the wipers. “Family duty first?”
Kai met his eyes and nodded.
“Family duty first.”
He sat back on the seat, adjusting his seat belt.
Now that they were moving, the warm air was covering the smell of the freshener. Kai got a whiff of the sun cream Yuriy had applied copiously before going out and, automatically, reached out, resting a hand on Yuriy’s thigh, his gaze drifting over the city as it slipped past.
Chapter 6: Science
Chapter Text
The GPS indicated they would take just over an hour to arrive at their destination.
They had chatted for a while. Kai had taken out his phone to send his mother their ETA, and then Yuriy had motioned towards the dashboard, where a burned CD stood out. Kai had inserted it into the radio, and Yuriy had turned up the volume.
Apparently, it was another complimentary gift from Keiko-San, so they ventured into her musical selection - a mix of international pop and pop rock with some addition of Japanese bands here and there.
Outside, the city had given way to the countryside. It was a windy day, the sky was scattered with dense white clouds moving fast through the blue sky, and the sun was coming and going behind them while they drove east. The windows were halfway down, Yuriy's aversion to the AC was bearable that day.
Yuriy had grown more confident, quietly singing some of the songs he knew, leaving Kai to wonder if he already knew them all or if Keiko-San had subjected him to this playlist multiple times.
A familiar piano melody introduced the beginning of a ballad, but Kai couldn’t pinpoint the title.
Come up to meet you, tell ya I'm sorry
Once the lyrics started, Yuriy sang along with the first line and continued humming the melody of the part he didn’t know by heart.
The singer continued, and Kai tried to remember the name of the band, failing miserably. It must have been a band, though.
Runnin' in circles, comin' up tails
Heads on a science apart
Once the chorus was built in, Yuriy started singing again, and there he listened.
Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
He wasn’t sure what threw him off. If it was the melody, the words, or the fact that it was Yuriy’s voice pronouncing them. It hit way too close to home.
Until then, he wasn’t paying attention to the lyrics, so he wasn’t sure what the song was about, but that line haunted him.
Yuriy looked oblivious to his torment and carefree; he probably just liked the song.
While Kai felt a grip at his stomach, one that was completely different from the one he had earlier.
Indeed, it would have been a shame for them to part.
Chapter 7: Hope
Chapter Text
Sometimes, Kai thought they were destined to that. As if all those months of pure bliss had been just a crude joke life played on him: offering everything he didn’t know he wanted and then taking it from him.
He had clear goals all his life. In Beyblade, it was to defeat Takao. In school to be accepted to London's King's College. While the former still kept escaping him, the latter had transformed into the big letter of acceptance received back in May. On paper, he was living the dream.
But Yuriy had happened. They had happened. And Yuriy had shifted the core of his desires further than he could imagine. Maybe it was on them for stubbornly trying even if all the odds were against them. They should have left it at that kiss in the hospital after BEGA.
But no. They pushed for Yuriy's recovery in Japan, for the job at the BBA, and for them to meet on weekends when Kai was home from school.
They had been navigating their growing relationship, week after week, calibrating their personalities, expectations, and desires. They built a trust neither of them knew they were capable of. They learned to laugh and feel in ways neither of them knew they were capable of.
Until the letter.
Were they going to part? Or would the BBA have accepted Yuriy's request for a job in London?
Kai had asked himself countless times if it was fair of him to let Yuriy be the one adapting. Adapting to Japan had been rough, now how could he ask him to adapt to a new country once again?
Yet Yuriy had been so adamant in asking and accepting to change his life plans. But was it really what he wanted? He could just hope.
Then it clicked.
That morning, the promise. Was it that important because Yuriy already knew the answer was no? Were they going to find a way to long-distance? Were they going to make it?
Spiralling into the darker depths of his subconscious, the switch to an upbeat tempo and an electric guitar solo from the radio felt like an outstretched hand to help get back into the damp August day.
Kai looked back at Yuriy, his vulnerability helped by those blue eyes, leaving the road for a quick second to meet his gaze. This time, it was Yuriy’s hand to squeeze his right thigh, his attention back on the straightaway, and his voice starting to sing along yet another song.
“Should I bring you to Karaoke?” Kai chimed in, relieved by the mood shift.
Yuriy shook his head slowly, savoring the effect his next words would make.
“Keiko-San did.”
“Should I be worried?” Kai struggled to keep his tone neutral, his mind flashing him scenes of the two of them at Karaoke.
It was Yuriy’s turn to look startled by Kai’s reaction, asking silently for an explanation.
“Are you cheating on me with Keiko-San?”
The joyous, infectious guffaw that erupted got Kai to lose his stoic front.
Chapter 8: Beach
Chapter Text
The last few kilometers were spent following the jagged coastline, to their left the ocean, to their right the green countryside. A threatening dark cloud was getting closer from the horizon, while some rays of sunshine still peeped out on the mainland.
They drove through a small village until, as the building started to grow sparse again, Yuriy checked the car's GPS and followed the instructions into an uphill sideroad.
“You can park right there,” Kai indicated, pointing to the space next to a white pick-up once they passed through an open green gate.
“This is nice,” Yuriy glanced around, turning off the engine and leaving them in silence.
Kai guessed the surprised look on his boyfriend's face was par for the modest detached house in front of them, given that he had seen both his grandfather’s villa and his mother’s polished condo back in the city.
“Here it is all about the ocean,” Kai felt the need to explain while the only sound around them was waves crashing on the small beach across the street.
“It suits your mother's style,” Yuriy added before answering the stare he was faced with. “She once mentioned her love for the ocean.”
The seatbelt clicked open, the car door opened and closed with a thud, until their shoes dragged over the pebbles into the driveway.
Kai reached Yuriy by the picket fence overlooking the beach.
“I like it here.”
“That’s exactly what I said the first time I came here.”
They both turned towards the porch, where Misaki Hiwatari was watching them with a polite smile. The strands that escaped her bun were dangling in the breeze as she walked towards them.
“Happy birthday, Kai-kun,” she gently wrapped her arm around his shoulder and tiptoed to give him a peck on the cheek. “I can’t believe you’re already nineteen.”
“Thank you, kaasan,” Kai squeezed her back before letting go.
“And you,” Misaki extended her arms towards Yuriy to entrap him in an embrace. “You get more handsome every time I see you.”
There was some casual chatting about their journey, while she linked arms with each of them to invite them inside.
Kai took in her smile radiating through the high cheekbones and the dark almond-shaped eyes he had inherited, and listened to Yuriy conversing politely, at ease with her manners westernized by the years spent living abroad.
He was often amazed to see their kindred spirits, and couldn’t deny he felt at home.
Chapter 9: Tea Party
Chapter Text
"It was marvelous,” Misaki took the last spoonful of cake from her saucer, detailing that memory for Yuriy’s amusement. “A delightful tea set, midnight blue with silver patterns over the rims.”
Kai couldn’t say he fully remembered asking for that gift for his sixth birthday, but his mother’s precise storytelling was so vivid he couldn’t find any way to contradict her.
“Why did you need a tea set at six?” Yuriy remarked with a teasing smile, his caring gaze smoothing the mockery.
Kai shrugged nonchalantly. “Having tea parties, I guess.”
“With whom?”
“The guest list included Mother and some selected stuffed animals,” - that part he clearly and painfully remembered.
Yuriy lost it, laughing hard as he automatically reached to squeeze Kai’s arm with his hand, resting his elbow on the back of the chair, and leaving them in that semi-hidden embrace.
“That’s on us for sending him to British School,” Misaki gushed, the now-empty spoon circling the air while she rejoiced in her quip. “He never requested any other gift as much as that tea set!”
The laugh Kai had joined in faded, leaving behind just the hint of a smile. He reckoned that, after his sixth birthday, everything went overboard for their family. It was more correct to say that it was the last gift he ever requested, for reasons.
The instinct to correct her grew strong in his vocal cords. Yet Yuriy’s hand, still hooked to his arm, steadied him. The chuckles still in the air were infused with the warmth of family and happiness that had engulfed him for the entire length of the lunch.
His mother had ordered from the town’s meal market all of his favourite dishes. She had carefully chosen the lemon cake he appreciated. She had welcomed Yuriy as family instantly, and she had seen them from the beginning.
There was no point in letting out his frustration on the past, he well knew that it always backfired making him feel like shit and not resolving anything. Being resentful never brought him anything good.
The topic was changed, and Yuriy recounted the most hideous gifts Boris ever devised. When Misaki turned to clear the table, Yuriy stole a kiss on his temple, while Kai’s hand settled just above Yuriy’s knee.
“Did your father write to you?” Misaki’s voice beamed while the water from the sink started flowing. Kai instinctively squeezed Yuriy’s leg. “He told me he would.”
Recollecting from the surprise of his reaction, Kai didn’t dwell much on the thought. Hearing from him was something he learned not to expect from his forgetful father.
“I haven’t checked my phone since we arrived.”
It wasn’t a lie, but his tone must have sounded definitive enough to leave no room for any follow-up questions.
Chapter 10: Friendship
Chapter Text
T: Happy birthday, sourpuss.
After helping his mother tidy up, Kai first retrieved his phone from the table in the corridor where he had left it.
He found a handful of SMS from the Bladebreakers wishing him a happy birthday. He wasn’t surprised to see that nobody else wrote to him. For sure, he wasn’t surprised to find radio silence from his father. Maybe he could expect something later in the day from the rest of the Neo Borg when the time zone allowed it.
The last message was from Hiromi, who had been the first to contact him that morning, and he had replied to her when they were still in the car.
H: Kai, can you please tell Yuriy to answer Takao? I know you already know about tonight, but he doesn’t and he is freaking out. Also, PLEASE act surprised.
If there was anyone less keen than he was on the cellphone, it was Yuriy. It was perfect for them, but horrible for the rest of the world, who wanted to get hold of them. That thought never failed to amuse Kai.
He took Yuriy’s phone, which had been discarded next to his, and brought it to his boyfriend.
“Apparently, Takao is freaking out.”
“I have no clue how you could befriend such exhausting people,” Yuriy replied with a smirk. He liked the Bladebreakers, especially Takao, but they were too high-maintenance for his quiet personality.
“At what time do you reckon we can be there?” Yuriy asked once he had checked what Takao had written.
“Never?” Kai joked, more to remain in character than otherwise. He didn’t mind finding out they were organizing a surprise party at the Dojo after he had refused to organize an official birthday.
He stalled to think about their day planning, he wanted to spend some time alone with Yuriy, just being together, but the ride back to Tokyo would take at least an hour. “I guess 8 PM?”
Yuriy nodded, but was stopped again.
“Tell them 7:30, they’ll be late otherwise,” Kai added knowingly. “And I am already bad at faking it as it is.”
“Seven, thirty,” Yuriy said, spelling out the words as he typed them. “Don’t worry, Kai is clueless.”
“Poor boy,” Misaki chimed in, looking at them exchanging a knowing look. “Make sure to act surprised.”
“I know,” Kai replied with a sigh. He had been reprimanded countless times in the last few days. “We should go.”
They exchanged their goodbyes, Misaki inviting them to come by the coast some other time before the end of the summer, and dispensing each a warm hug.
Outside, the sky had darkened, but some rays still reflected on the surface of the choppy ocean. It reminded Kai of that silver pattern on the blue tea set. He wondered if it still existed somewhere in that beach house.
Chapter 11: Rain
Chapter Text
Voices echoed in the cramped cafè, filling every corner. All the tables were taken, as were the chairs at the counter. All the Sunday strollers of the small summer village had taken cover as they could, some late comers got the bell at the door dingle while they checked if there was any way they could fit inside.
The rain gently drummed on the window and Kai returned his gaze to the outside where a few prevident passersby walked under their umbrellas.
“I’d gladly lace our fingers together and play with that ring of yours.”
Yuriy’s voice was sultry and his gaze intense, in contrast to his slouched posture, with his elbow resting on the high table by the cafe window and his head propped up in his hand.
Kai narrowed his eyes, his finger absentmindedly playing with the said ring. He sighed impatiently, surveying once again the rest of the cafè and trying to suppress the sudden urge to have that contact.
No one was paying them any attention, though they were likely sitting in the most visible spot in the entire room. The high stools elevated them above the rest of the tables, and they were literally on display for the outside as well. There was no way they could let go of any sign of affection, aware of the eyes that might be lurking around.
On the other hand, being in that isolated village, far from the usual tourist routes, allowed them to speak a language that wasn’t Japanese relatively in peace, sure that the chances of being understood were almost absent.
It had become their way to compensate for the lack of touch they desperately needed in such public situations. That and other fleeting acts of rebellion to norms, integrity, and whatever kept them from just being the lovestruck gays they were.
They did so when the rain had caught them by surprise and they had run for cover. Kai had spotted the cafè and had firmly grabbed Yuriy’s hand, guiding them across the street.
They did so when the distressed waitress had placed their order wrongly in front of them, so they had swapped the cups, fingers touching, thumbs caressing the skin of the other.
They did so when their knees brushed as if by mistake when one or the other shifted on the stool.
“And I really, really, really,” Kai started, not knowing how many more reallys he needed to convey his desire. “Really need to kiss you.”
“That’s inconvenient,” Yuriy pouted, fiddling with his linen overshirt. “But mutual.”
Chapter 12: Box
Chapter Text
A narrow path linked the village’s harbour to a small lighthouse perched on the southern rocky cliff. Kai remembered walking it as a child. It had been a familiar routine - him, his parents, and their dog Hana. Somehow, no matter what they talked about, those walks always circled back to their favourite story: the first time they’d come to the lighthouse, just days after he was born. Mother would always begin by recalling the sweltering heat in Tokyo, and father would inevitably end it with the tale of his bold drive to the beach house, where they spent the first month as a family of three. Kai would then chime in, “That’s when the picture was taken.”
The three of them, puppy Hana, and the lighthouse. It was all captured in that photo, still framed in his mother’s condo in Tokyo. Although Kai deliberately avoided looking at it these days, Yuriy had seen it when he was there.
A shiver ran down his spine, causing Kai to shake his shoulders at the memory.
They had been walking in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds around them the crashing of the waves against the rocks and the squawking of seagulls circling overhead now that the rain had stopped. Kai was contemplating two of them fighting over some food when he felt fabric draping over his shoulders.
“Wet hair and air conditioning are not good for you,” Yuriy said, offering him his linen shirt in a silent request to wear it.
Kai laughed softly but accepted the offer, slipping his arms into the sleeves. Earlier, his hair had been damp after their little run in the rain, and he had indeed been under the direct stream of the AC in the cafè. And that combination, according to Yuriy, was practically a health crisis. That’s why he always carried an extra layer, even on the hottest days.
Yuriy watched him with that familiar, amused look he always had whenever Kai wore something of his. The fit was always a bit off. Sleeves too long, fabric pulling slightly across the shoulders. Kai might have been shorter, but his frame was a touch broader, giving Yuriy’s clothes an odd mix of loose and snug.
Kai rolled up his sleeves and took a few steps to catch up with Yuriy, who had started walking again. Yuriy’s hand swung loosely at his side, open and within reach, an easy invitation that made Kai’s fingers twitch with the urge to take it. The impulse grew stronger, but instead he shoved his hands roughly into the shirt’s pocket, trying to ground himself.
He might have ignored what was inside if only his fingers hadn’t grazed the edges of a small box and the unmistakable shape of a ribbon.
Chapter 13: Affection
Chapter Text
He had gotten him a gift. Yuriy had gotten him a gift.
Kai slowly pulled his hand from his pocket, picturing the small box. Black, a bit scuffed, held together by a dark blue ribbon.
He could have expected it, it was his birthday, after all. And really, what was more predictable than getting a present from your boyfriend? Kai had gotten Yuriy three gifts for his birthday.
Still, Kai couldn’t shake the feeling of surprise. He didn’t know why it caught him off guard.
Maybe because they had spent the whole day together, and that alone felt like a proper gift. Maybe because he wasn’t used to receiving them at all, save for the expected gestures from his mother. And the reason wasn’t only the fact that he wasn’t good at making friends, but mostly his birthday being in August and he’s habit of not advertising it around. Even the Bladebreakers had found out after years of their friendship purely by mistake - said mistake was Rei eyeing his passport while going through security at the airport.
Kai could imagine them getting him a gift at the surprise party, he had been happy not to discover what it was either, at least there would be something he could be really surprised about tonight. Not as surprised as he felt now, though.
Yuriy had gotten him a gift.
Yuriy had thought about getting him something, had taken the time to retrieve it, wrap it, or have it wrapped, and carried it all day in his pocket.
Kai reached a range of emotions he didn’t know he could feel in such a short amount of time.
He felt stupid, naive, and silly. He felt guilty, unworthy, and doubtful.
He had stopped, his gaze lowered towards the box, until he looked up and found Yuriy looking back at him. Hesitant, expectantly, careful.
“I wasn’t sure how to give it to you,” Yuriy explained, lifting his right arm to nervously rub the back of his neck. “I was planning this at midnight, but then, you know.”
Yuriy’s rumbling was unexpected, but sweet.
“Sorry, I am not good at this.”
Except he was. He was anything Kai could ever want or desire.
Kai felt warmth radiating in his chest. His cheeks were getting flustered.
He felt suddenly alive.
He felt loved.
Chapter 14: Dusk
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Aren’t you going to open it?”
Kai had been stalling for way too long. Indeed, he needed to pull himself together and act. Turning his full attention back to the box, he gently tugged at the ribbon until it slipped free.
Lifting the lid, he stared inside, uncertain what he was looking at. There was metal and some charms - was that a UK flag?
It didn’t quite make sense at first until he hooked his finger in the two key rings and lifted them. The charms swung lightly. Each ring held a flag and a letter: a Y on one, and a K on the other.
Kai looked up, the revelation going through his mind, but not delivering a full reaction yet. He searched Yuriy’s face for confirmation.
“I guess we’ll need those in London,” Yuriy shrugged, his words hanging awkwardly in the air, clearly not met with the response he had hoped for. He began to ramble, unsure, “I know it's cheesy, but…”
The box and its lid hit the floor with a soft thud as Kai launched into Yuriy’s arms. The push knocked Yuriy off balance for a moment until he steadied them both, wrapping his arms around Kai’s body.
Kai’s face was buried in the crook of his neck, the red hair tumbling messily around him. The key rings were still looped around his finger, the shapes pressed between his palm and Yuri’s shoulder.
Could somebody see them? Who cared anymore?
They were going to London. Together.
They were going to have their apartment as they messily mused over a few late nights. Together.
As much as Kai would have stayed like this for centuries more, he pushed back a little, just enough to make eye contact.
“You sure you want to do this?”
He knew how hesitation looked on him, uncharacteristic, maybe even weak, but he couldn’t help it.
A teasing smile was twisting Yuriy’s lips, but his gaze was soft and loving.
“We’ve talked about this already. I’m still figuring out what I want to do in my life, and I don’t think it can hurt to do it with you.” His hands, still resting on Kai’s back, moved in a slow, reassuring caress. “Actually, I find it very inspiring that you have such clear goals. Makes me want to find my own.”
One hand slid up to Kai’s nape, the thumb drawing circles, as Yuriy leaned in to press a gentle kiss on the bridge of Kai’s nose.
They stalled for a few seconds, until Kai decided uncertainty didn’t suit them and reached for the kiss he had been craving for all afternoon.
They took their time. It was exactly what they needed, falling back into such simple acts of love.
Around them, the sun had likely slipped behind the clouds, and soon dusk would have faded into darkness, an unwelcome reminder that they’d have to get back to the car soon.
“You know,” Kai reluctantly pulled back from the kiss, earning a low, disappointed sigh in return. “They drive on the left in the UK as well.”
Yuriy let out an ungainly guffaw that quickly softened into a warm chuckle as he squeezed Kai again in a tight embrace.
With his lips close to Kai’s ear, Yuriy whispered, “I guess with you, I am stuck going against common sense.”
Notes:
And it's done!
I am sorry it took that long, but - hey - I finished it! It's an accomplishment lol
I hope you liked this little experiment :)
See you at the next one!
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