Work Text:
If you were to ask Kaoru why he was single, he wouldn’t have a good answer.
He could say that he didn’t especially want a relationship, or that there was no one in particular that he had his eye on, or that he feared rejection.
All of those would be lies.
It’s hard to fear rejection when the love you hold for someone is so obviously requited.
People assume, incorrectly, that Kaoru is blind. Of course his glasses don’t help the narrative, but even with stilted vision it’s very hard to miss the way Kojiro looks at him, the way he almost breathes him in to keep himself alive. His small smiles, his fond laughs, the sheer volume of love behind his watchful eyes. With a love so grand, it’s absolutely hard to miss.
And Kaoru would be lying to say he didn’t feel the same way, even if it wasn’t as obvious.
Yet he remained startlingly single.
He wished the reason behind this was less… childish. But, nonetheless, certain things are important to him, and when these things are held of a great importance he takes them heavily into consideration.
And Kaoru hated the term boyfriend.
It was just so childish, and reminded him far too much of those bratty girls from his high school that would cling to their boyfriend’s arm and blink seductively up at him until they convinced him to go makeout behind the bike shed. Of course there were other terms, but they were equally as off-putting.
Partner felt too professional and clinical for a relationship, and lover felt far too sensual when discussing the topic of a significant other—which feels far too detached to stick to. Better half made them sound like they were in a cheesy rom-com— the point being, Kaoru would sooner call Kojiro his mortal enemy than his boyfriend.
So mortal enemies they would stay.
Well— best friends, but that sounded far too immature, at least mortal enemy is sarcastic enough to not give him the ick.
And so, when someone asked why he was still single, he would simply not comment.
Because he couldn’t lie, but the truth was a little too embarrassing to admit, so silence is what they’d get.
“Hey, Cherry?”
“What?”
“Did you ever plan to marry someone?”
A… different question than usual.
Kaoru frowned and turned to Reki, his face ablaze, burning a deep red as his eyes flicked between him and the space beside them. Sia la Luce was closing soon but no one was in the restaurant besides them, Kojiro out back doing some early cleaning jobs due to the establishment being so quiet. Of course Kaoru was usually there at that time, having nothing better to do than to annoy his mortal enemy, and sometimes one of the kids joined them if they were avoiding their homework.
Reki seemed to be avoiding something else.
Though the question was hardly different than usual, bringing about the same brand of answer as always.
Avoidance.
“Why do you ask?”
“Well— it— you, you know, must know a lot about this sorta stuff—“
“And why’s that?”
“You know—? Because you and Joe and—“
“What about us?”
And every question he asked, he raised his brow a little higher, made his voice a little more daring, and each time Reki sank further into himself, rethinking the conversation as a whole. Of course all Kaoru did was sip his wine and wait.
He knew Reki was too resilient for this tactic anyway.
“Because, you’re married.”
… well that one was new.
“That’s news to me.” Kaoru huffed, smirking as he spun the tip of his finger around the edge of his wine glass to keep himself busy, Reki unluckily now looking more intrigued.
“Is he… not your husband?”
Husband.
Kaoru paused his ministrations.
It didn’t make him want to rip his hair out or ditch his organs on the side of the road.
It sounded like sweet late-night dinners, like neverending arguments that didn’t truly mean much, like fights on the way out the front door while dodging goodbye kisses. It sounded warm, soft, easy.
“What we talkin’ about?” Kojiro asked with that bright grin of his as he walked back into the room, Reki immediately stuttering in search of words as Kaoru shrugged, meeting Kojiro’s eyes.
“I think he’s trying to find a way to ask Langa to be his boyfriend.”
Even saying it for someone else made his teeth rot.
Of course Reki hardly noticed, somehow turning redder and scratching the back of his neck, saying something Kaoru couldn’t really hear over the noise in his head.
Husband.
He glanced back up at Kojiro over the rim of his glasses, at him good-naturedly patting Reki on the back as he likely gave him some terrible advice, and thought my husband.
It fit far nicer than Kaoru would like to admit.
❀
Just to make sure, Kaoru made it a habit. Wherever they were, whatever they were doing, he’d force himself to mentally refer to Kojiro as his husband. Dumb, considering they weren’t even dating, but Kaoru needed to make sure it didn’t wear before he made any brash decisions.
And maybe this went on for weeks.
Maybe, along the way, Kaoru forgot they were anything but married.
They were at S when Kaoru remembered himself.
Kojiro was racing Reki, who had insisted he’d trained enough to be a strong opponent, and the last thing Kojiro would do would be to dull his excitement, so of course he accepted the challenge. He was just like that.
Always jumping at the chance to make the kids feel like the best versions of themselves.
When did he get so sappy?
“Uh, Cherry, you good?”
“Hm?” He replied, turning to face Miya as the kid studied his face, brows furrowed as he frowned. Something was obviously bothering him— but when wasn’t something bothering him? “Yeah, just analysing Reki’s skating style. It’s true, he has improved, his turns are more efficient and he’s using his board to its full ability— but he’s still being so reckless.”
“He told me he’s taken inspiration from both you and Joe, take the win Cherry.”
“That gorilla shouldn’t be inspiring anyone.”
My husband.
“What was that?”
“What?”
“That smile?” Miya returned, voice almost disgusted as his nose crinkled, Kaoru immediately fixing whatever was wrong with his face. “You looked… sappy.”
“I’m sure you’re mistaken.” Kaoru grumbled back, pretending to focus on the screen in front of him, on Reki as he skated, Joe right behind him, both beaming. “Sappy is an emotion for the weak. I’ll have you know that is the last thing I am.”
“You looked like an idiot, more so than usual.” Miya insisted, so Kaoru simply commanded Carla to chase him away, the kid jumping back with a yelp at her rolling towards him, leaving Kaoru alone in the crowd, disguised by the blanket of dark and the cover of light, by the loud cheers and the quiet discussions.
And it let him think.
If this… tactic was starting to show, he needed to put an end to it.
Before anyone else noticed, anywho.
❀
They were at Kaoru’s office, for once. It wasn’t somewhere Kojiro typically frequented, but Kaoru had work to complete and Kojiro had finished early, so he’d decided of his own volition to come over. Of course, much to Kaoru’s dismay, he had yet to take the gift bag home, and forgot to remove it from his desk, not that Kojiro commented on it as of yet. He did keep glancing at it, though.
Sat on the sofa on the other side of the room, tapping his foot on the wooden floors as Kaoru painted small canvasses on his desk, glancing up every now and then to watch him. He looked anxious, worried, confused, and yet perfectly calm. Picture of perfection, one defined arm draped over the back of the sofa and the other in his lap, garnet eyes watching the world move outside without complete attention, constantly redirecting his eyes to the desk, to the small white gift bag on top of it.
It took fifteen minutes for him to break.
“What is it?” He finally asked, voice a little too loud, but Kaoru was far too used to this, simply raising an eyebrow, smirking.
“What’s what?”
“That bag? What is it? Who’s it for?”
“Oh,” Kaoru replied, feigning shock as he looked at the bag, leaning back in his chair, “It’s for you.”
“For… me?”
“That’s what I said, yes.”
“But my birthday isn’t for another three months?”
“I didn’t say it was a birthday present,” Kaoru grumbled, continuing to paint. Kojiro seemingly calmed down, jumping out of his seat and walking over, trying to peek into the bag. “Stop doing that.”
“I’m curious! You never get me presents for no reason.”
“It’s not a present.” Kaoru insisted, glaring at Kojiro when he tried to look again. “It’s— just let me finish my work and I’ll show you, okay?”
“But I want to see it now.”
“No.”
Kaoru kept painting, Kojiro kept pouting. Eventually he settled for sitting on the chair at the desk and staring at the bag, as if willing it to reveal itself.
Which only worked to distract him further.
“Kojiro. Stop staring.”
“Is it cutlery? Or a mug? Oo! Is it that necklace I’ve really wanted since summer?”
“That necklace is only sold in Greece. When would I have gone to Greece to get it?”
“You can be very sneaky. I, of anyone, should know that.”
“Is it—“
“Koji.”
“Right. Sorry.” He finally let up, sighing as he leaned back, tapping his legs with his hands as he watched the ceiling, Kaoru finally able to go back to his work without prying eyes trying to unpack his every move. He’d always been that way though, Kaoru supposed. Curious to a fault, even when it got him into bad situations, like the time he figured out where Adam lived and got chased away by one of the guards.
Despite everything, it was something Kaoru had always loved about him.
He never cared about what he found on the other side, only happy he was there to find it, excited to see what it was.
So Kaoru sucked in a breath, kept his eyes on the canvas, and said, “It’s a ring.”
He was sure he’d never seen Kojiro move so fast, even out of the corner of his eye.
“A ring?”
“I was going to propose to you, but I suppose that plan is now out of the window—“
“An engagement ring?!”
“Well—“
“What do you mean was—? Are you not going to anymore?”
“You’re the one who ruined it.” Kaoru replied, though he couldn’t help his smile as he said it, looking at Kojiro over the lens of his glasses. He looked shocked, for once, but that familiar look was there, swimming in his gaze and begging to escape. They both knew what this was.
Kaoru avoiding an awkward conversation, probably.
“You… want me to marry you?” Kojiro said very carefully, likely changing his wording to avoid his head being cut off. Kaoru didn’t deign him with a reply, his best response being a hardly visible shrug as he got the ring box out, pushing the bag aside as he held it over the desk, flicking it open. The ring in question was something simple, a silver band with subtle leaves carved into the metal. It was something he knew Kojiro would wear with pride— though, he was sure that would be the case even if he proposed with a candy dummy. “Jesus. You weren’t kidding.”
“Since when did I kid?”
“We’re not even dating.”
“So? I’m not having a boyfriend.”
“Are you seriously still on that? Is that why you left me hanging for so long—?”
“Do you want the ring or not?”
“Of course I do, give it.” Kojiro immediately replied, holding his hand out and grinning like he didn’t want to be anywhere else, eyes glittering and sparkling when he looked up. “I love you so much.”
“Oh shut up.”
Then, after a pout and some puppy eyes that sadly always worked—
“Fine. I love you too.”