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'Shy' isn't a word that would usually describe someone of Raito's bearing, but that's how he is—when it comes to their relationship, at least.
Three years and counting, and there's barely any difference from when they've first started going out. Raito still gets flustered easily whenever Tomoro shows him any smidgen of affection. Sometimes, it isn't even outright affection, just the regular common-sense sort of kindness.
Reina tells him that he's being very patient with his exposure therapy. He doesn't see it as such though. What he's doing to Raito is simply an expression of his feelings. If Raito finds it difficult to be honest in expressing himself, then Tomoro's going to work hard on his part.
It isn't difficult. Raito's surprisingly easy to read, though Tomoro likes to think that it's because Raito's comfortable enough with him to be a bit more open about these things. In any case, it's easy for Tomoro to sense whenever Raito would like to hold hands, or whenever Raito would prefer that Tomoro sit close by so their shoulders could press together. It's also very easy for Tomoro to sense whenever Raito thinks that they should kiss—he likes to follow 'textbook-examples' of romantic beats, as if he's spent time reading through various romance self-help books to understand what it means to date someone.
Tomoro's never been all that fond of studying. He prefers to be freer with his actions, but he sets some routines for Raito's sake. Only a brief kiss to the cheek when they meet up during the day; a longer one is reserved when they part for the day, when nobody is around to witness them being affectionate. Nothing more than a quick squeeze of hands when they're out on a joint bounty mission.
Raito's really shy—and also under the false impression that Glowing Dawn and Team 7 are somehow fooled into thinking they're just a pair of really close rivals-turned-friends.
But there's one thing that Tomoro wouldn't budge on.
"Haaaa," Raito exhales, expression pinched. "My plan failed. As expected, I really am not a genius, huh."
Tomoro doesn't check if there's anyone else in the vicinity. He nearly flies to where Raito is, grabbing his wrist with one hand and his waist with another. It's not a totally restrictive grip—a testament to how Raito's eating habits have improved over the years. But they're still pressed close together. Anyone who'd see them would surely think something is up, but Tomoro doesn't care about that. The important thing is to snap Raito out of this kind of thinking, a sense of inferiority that remains an undercurrent from that time in The Colosseum.
"You are a genius," he insists.
Raito shakes his head. "You're just saying that because we're..."
"Even before we got together, I've always thought that you're a genius," he corrects. And it's not simple lip service either. Their initial clashes have shown him the other's strength, even when he's too blinded to see it.
"If I were, the plan would have worked." Raito bites his lip, struggling to get away from his hold.
But the struggles are half-hearted—at least, compared to the relentless way that Tomoro keeps on holding onto him. Tomoro has already lived through the experience of what would happen if he lets go of Raito. He's not about to repeat history. "It just means that we're going to try again, Raito."
"True geniuses aren't people like me. It's people like you—"
"—Fine," he says. He moves his hold from the other's wrist to his cheek, anchoring them closer together. "If you insist that I'm the genius then you should listen to what I'm saying. And I'm saying that you're a great genius, and that you've always been dazzling in my eyes, and that you're the one who's going to devise the plan for our second attempt at capturing the bounty."
He doesn't mean for his tone to sound authoritative, like he's giving out orders.
But Raito flushes anyway, like he tends to do whenever Tomoro shows a more commanding side. He also tends to do that whenever they're too close to each other, like he can't help but be flustered at the prospect of affection.
"...You're saying stupid things again." Raito squirms in his hold and avoids his gaze. The fact that he's allowing Tomoro to see this vulnerability instead of his usual domineering side is good enough progress, something that Tomoro treasures a lot. "You saying these things show that you really don't control your emotions at all."
"Trust me, this is already plenty of control." He turns the other's face towards his so he could pepper his skin with alternating soft kisses and licks. He doesn't stop, not until Raito groans like he's melting into a messy puddle of emotions. He always ends up short-circuiting whenever he's surrounded by this kind of affection, after all.
Raito turns his head away with some difficulty. Three years have caused Tomoro to catch up to the other's height, so it's easy to chase his lips. "You're slobbering all over my face! This is already 'control' in your words?!"
"Otherwise, I'd want to push you down and not let you up until you admit that you're a genius worthy of praise," he admits, which he supposes could sound like a threat and a promise in one.
As expected, Raito becomes tongue-tied upon hearing his words. "Y-Y-You—!"
"Yes, me," he agrees, and gives another soft kiss to the other's nose. "It'd be nice if you'd stop thinking like this, Raito. But even if you do slip up, I'm here to remind you the truth."
"Are you threatening me," Raito asks, voice pinched.
"I'm promising my boyfriend," he corrects, and continues to embrace said boyfriend close.
—At least, until Reina's voice comes from a few meters ahead, asking, "So? How is it? Can Chiropmon scan ahead and check if those two idiots are still busy being disgustingly lovey-dovey?"
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