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They relationship changed into something deeper a few days after the fire at the auberge. On the brink of death, when Ron didn't think they'd survive, he confessed his love for Toto. But then they were saved last minute and a few days later Toto asked if he was really serious about the confession. Then they bacame boyfriends, in secrect at first, but ever since the word "partners" held a deeper meaning to the pair.
Now almost a year passed since that fire, and a lot had happened in that year. Until a few months ago, Ron and Toto were so busy with the M family that they didn't have time for regular dates. But after Aice's final game and Isshiki's return two months later, they made it a habit to have regular date nights.
Today was one of many dates, they would meet up at Ron's favourite café after Toto was done with work and had the chance to change at home. Luckily, Amamiya let him leave without having to work overtime and now Toto was standing infront of his closet, trying to decide what to wear for the date. It doesn't matter that much, Ron and him have both seen each other in the ugliest outfits already, but the problem was that Toto had slacked off on laundry the past week and most of his clothes were dirty. The suit he wore to work today was a no go, too, after the case they had earlier.
After rummaging through the closet for some time, he finally pulled out a t-shirt and some jeans that Toto forgot he still had there. He didn't hesitate to put them on, but then another problem occured, because Toto found himself unable to button the jeans up. Even after pulling in his stomach, there was still a centimeter or two missing for the button to close.
Strange, he thought to himself, he doesn't remember buying the wrong size. He hadn't worn this particular pair of jeans for some time, but Toto is pretty sure that a couple of months ago they fitted him well. That can only mean that he gained some weight. Toto looked at his reflection in the mirror, trying to confirm the fact.
Right, with the frequent date nights at the café or restaunrant it was bond to happen. He just didn't notice it yet, the fitted suits for work have to be replaced regularly because of dirt and tear, and his friend from the shop picks them out for Toto, he hadn't even noticed or asked if he went a size up. But now, as he was taking a closer look at his bare stomach, it was very much noticeable. At least in Toto's eyes, how didn't he see it before, he's the one who sees his own naked body most often after all?
It's no use to overthink this now, Toto thought and put the too small jeans away to search for some other pants. Luckily he did find a fitting pair in his closet and made it just in time for the date with Ron.
But this evening Toto remained very aware of his body changes, he ordered a smaller piece of cake instead of the regular one, while Ron poured his beloved brown sugar syrup all over his own dessert. One might think that Toto wasn't a fan of sweets, if compared to Ron, but that wasn't true. Toto also had quite the sweet tooth, just not the exaggerated kind his boyfriend had, he often wondered how Ron managed to stay lean with the amount of sugar he consumed daily.
A year ago, at the time when Toto was still single, he didn't often buy sweets because he had no one to enjoy them with. It's only natural that with Ron he couldn't resist the urge of the sweet tooth any longer, but he had to cut down a bit, Toto thought, or I'll end up the same way like in middle school.
The next couple of weeks Ron noticed the strange behaviour of his boyfriend. Sometimes he would order a smaller cake or smaller icecream, other times he wouldn't order anything at all, saying he already ate at home or with one of their other friends. Toto also cancelled their date twice, giving some unlikely excuse as to why, but Ron was pretty sure he figured out what the problem really is.
Ron is a very observant person, of course that's why he's a detective. He noticed that Toto's face started looking cuter a couple months into their relationship and he soon detucted why that was. His boyfriends seemed to have gained a bit of weight, making him look a bit rounder and softer and cuter. Ron didn't mind at all, but seems like Toto had a problem with it, hence his recent avoidence of sweets. But it wasn't only sweets, it looks like Toto purposfully skipped meals, which is reason enough for Ron to want to intervene, but he wasn't sure how.
Well, it's probably best to stay to his true style, which takes the pair to Ron's appartment. Toto came over to his place and is now waiting for Ron to finnish up some paper work about his own agency, Ron's cat is sitting on his boyfriends lap and getting some scratches. He struggles a little to stay focused while having a cute scene like that just infront of him. A few minutes later though, Ron wraps up his work and stretches, making his back pop loudly, which earned him a startled look from Toto.
"Toto! I have a mystery that I can't solve, I need my trusted partners help on this!" Ron then says and stands up to sit down on the armchair infront of Toto instead of the desk chair.
"Sure, what is is?" his partner asks politely, giving him that cute smile.
"Well, it started a few weeks ago, when Amamiya-san reported a lunch box on her desk that didn't belong to her. The same happend to Chikory-san, too." Ron watched Toto closely from under his long bangs and as usual, he was very easy to read, the nervousity was evident. "My deduction is that these lunch boxes belonged to you, but if you wanted to make your friends lunch, you would make them an extra. Which wasn't the case and the mystery is, why? Why would Toto give out lunches that were meant for him..."
"I just wasn't hungry that day and I didn't want them to go to waste..." Toto's smile wavers a little, an easy tell that this wasn't the whole truth. Ron was pretty sure that he had the truth figured out, but he wanted to give his boyfriend the chance to tell it himself. Though he had a feeling that it wouldn't be easy, so Ron snaps his fingers across his forhead, making his hair fly up.
"A day without lunch, is like a day without brown sugar syrup."
"Huh?!"
"Toto! Do you feel the need to lose weight?" The caught look in his partners eyes gives Ron enough of an answer and before Toto can object, he continues. "First, there is no need for that, Toto. And second, there is a need for you to have enough energy, police officers do so much physical work, you shouldn't skip meals!"
"I know that, b-but..." Toto stops, but Ron gives him a few moments because it looks like he wants to continue. "But I've gained weight, there is no way you didn't notice that..."
"What's so bad about that? I don't think it's bad, I like you just the same and I like like you very much, Toto."
"Right, it's not that bad yet, but I just don't want it to get even more!" Toto hid his face in his hands. "Truth is, I used to be a bigger kid and other kids liked to make fun of me. Ever since, I just don't feel comfortable."
Ron tries to imagine Toto as a kid, a cute chubby boy. Right, he saw some photos of him when they visited his grandparents house once. He can also understand the problem better now, given this piece of Toto's past.
"Alright, it's your body, so I don't have much say in this and I don't want you to be uncomfortable, Toto, but I can't let you skip meals. If you really want to lose weight, we can make another plan that doesn't involve skipping meals together, okay?" Ron stood up to move closer to his boyfriend and hugged him as well as the armchair allowed to do so.
"Yeah, okay, that sounds nice." Toto removed his hands. "Do you mind going somewhere else for dates, that's not the café? I don't want to eat too many sweets."
"Sure, we can totally do that! How about the aquarium for the next date?"
"I always wanted to go there with you, Ron!"
"Then let's got there together next time!"
Another few weeks have past and Toto was really glad he talked things out with Ron. Back in middle school he hadn't had close friends to rely on and he struggled alone, but now Ron was there to help him out. Toto made sure to eat all three meals and with changing the locations of their dates to not always be at the café, he didn't gain more weight but he didn't try to lose weight either. Instead he learned to be more comfortable even with the little weight gain that a happy relationship brought along.