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When Ichi has a problem he usually goes to Kumugi or Gokuraku (or Desscaras, but she's never a big help) but, this time, Ichi is pretty sure he can't go to them.
Ichi's current problem: he has no idea what to get Gokuraku for his birthday.
Yeah, he could ask Kumugi (she helps him pick out gifts all the time) but he feels wrong about it. Not because she had already mentioned to Ichi that she didn't know what to get him, but because Ichi wants to say he picked out a gift for Gokuraku all by himself. He just doesn't know what Gokuraku would even want.
Ichi knows a lot about Gokuraku. He knows his favorite color is blue, he prefers dark teas with way too much sugar, his go to scents in the bath are florals, and he doesn't have a favorite food but he prefers sweet over savory foods.
He knows Gokuraku well, which is why he's so worried about the gift. Ichi wants to get it perfect.
Ichi finds himself walking around the market alone and still surrounded by a sea of people. He meticulously looks through each and every stall for something that Gokuraku would like. He finds plenty: candies that he knows Gokuraku loves, a few interesting magic trinkets that Gokuraku would enjoy taking apart, several tins of tea leaves that Gokuraku might want to try.
Ichi leaves the market empty handed.
He ends up in Love Joe's workshop two days later. There's a constant hissing noise under the loud banging of heavy machinery being operated. It's always too hot and too humid- it has him sweating like a pig and makes his hair stick against the skin of his neck uncomfortably- which is why Ichi rarely visits.
"What should I get Gokuraku for his birthday?" He asks after settling into a stool across from where she's fixing a hoverboard.
She pauses, looking up at him with a confused look, "Why're you asking me? Aren't you two best friends forever or something?"
"Nothing I think about giving him feels..." Ichi trails off, trying to find the right words, "Right, I guess."
Love Joe hums and gets back to what she was doing before: fiddling with some wiring. Ichi sits there silently watching her work- it's not nearly as interesting as watching Gokuraku tinker. A few minutes pass by and Ichi is about to ask her again when she speaks up.
"You're probably overthinking this, boy wonder." She puts her tools down and spins in the stool once- twice- three times before she stops. "He'll love whatever you give him. Doesn't matter what- could be a fucking stick and he'd be over the moon about it."
"I don't want to give him a stick-"
"-That's not what I'm trying to say." Love Joe sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose between her index finger and thumb. "Get him something you think he might like, it doesn't have to be prefect. He's gonna cherish it because it's from you."
Ichi considers her words.
"Okay, thanks."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now get out. You're gonna break something."
Ichi decides to get Gokuraku a few things: the candies, some tea, and (most importantly) new rings.
Ichi passed by the jewelry stand on his way back home; he had never seen it before. It was a small stall, run by an older woman who made everything herself. The rings caught his attention before the stall did- two brightly polished silver rings with black iron detailing that reminded Ichi of Gokuraku's old rings- not quite the same, but they were similar.
The woman running the stall told him they were enchanted to glow when they were near each other and proceeded to demonstrate it. The black iron detailing softly glowed when she moved the rings until they were a few centimeters apart. He bought them without a second thought, the woman told him that if the rings didn't fit that he could bring them back to her to get them resized and he thanked her several times as he left.
By the time Gokuraku's birthday rolls around Ichi is practically shaking with his excess energy. The night before he runs several laps around the training room just to calm down and he still lays in bed until the late hours of the night fantasizing about the look on Gokuraku's face when he opens Ichi's gift. When he does finally succumb to his exhaustion, Ichi dreams of Gokuraku.
Ichi wakes up early- earlier than Gokuraku usually gets up at least- and swipes the neatly wrapped presents off his desk and runs down the hall to let himself into Gokuraku's room.
Gokuraku is snoring lightly while sprawled out across his bed, hair a mess, with the blanket slumped halfway on the floor. He stirs as Ichi approaches, wearily blinking awake as Ichi stops at the foot of his bed. He rubs the sleep from his eyes with a yawn and when he finally sees Ichi a smile replaces the usual grumpy expression Gokuraku has when he first wakes up.
"Happy birthday!" Ichi exclaims with a flourish of his arms.
He places the gifts on the foot of the bed making sure they won't fall off and then Ichi flings himself over the mattress and tackles Gokuraku with a hug. The room fills with laughter as Gokuraku wraps himself around Ichi, holding him close.
"Icchan!" He greets with a squeeze. "Good morning, indeed!"
Ichi pulls away to point out the gifts he brought along, "Those are yours."
Gokuraku's eyebrows shoot up and he lets go of Ichi completely to stretch out his sleep-heavy limbs. Ichi follows the movements, eyes tracing Gokuraku's body from his face to his chest and down towards his bellybutton where a shiny piercing sits. His gaze drops lower- briefly- before he feels a blush rising on his face.
Gokuraku sighs and Ichi distracts himself with the rise and fall of Gokuraku's broad shoulders as he breathes. He finally leans forward to snatch up the two boxes wrapped in a shiny blue paper with a golden star pattern. Gokuraku turns them in his hands, inspecting them closely.
"These look nice," Gokuraku comments. He holds one to his ear and shakes it lightly. "Can I guess what it is?"
Ichi sits back, leaning against the headboard as he watches Gokuraku. "Why?"
Gokuraku shrugs, "Richia and my mom always used to have me guess." Gokuraku looks wonderfully fond. "I guess it's pretty silly."
"No." Ichi states, making sure to maintain eye contact as he says so. "What do you think it is, then?"
Gokuraku hums. He considers both gifts, comparing their weights and shaking them as he tries to figure out what they might be. After a couple minutes or so, Gokuraku joins Ichi and leans against the headboard. A lightning bolt snaps through Ichi's nerves from where their shoulders touch.
"This one's heavier," Gokuraku explains, holding up the box that has his candy and tea. "It's probably snacks or something like that, right?"
Ichi smiles sheepishly, unable to lie. "Yeah, pretty much."
"And this one," Gokuraku holds up the other box, "I'm pretty stumped with this one..." He pauses to turns the box over in his hands. "Hmm... oh! Probably one of those magic toys or something right?"
"Nope!" Ichi replies easily, his smile turns sly.
Gokuraku raises a brow and sets the box down. He frees the first one from it's paper prison to reveal exactly what he expected. A jar of his favorite candies and two different teas. Gokuraku pops open the jar immediately and tosses a piece into his mouth.
"This is great, Icchan!" Gokuraku says, holding out the jar as an offer. Ichi takes a piece.
"C'mon open the other one," Ichi urges.
Gokuraku sets the jar and his tea on his nightstand in a grand, overdramatic gesture, almost knocking them over in the process. He laughs at himself and Ichi finds himself laughing along. Giddy, Gokuraku tears apart the wrapping paper to reveal a black, hinged box. He furrows his brow- still trying to piece together the puzzle- and opens the lid.
His jaw goes slack when he sees what's inside.
"Icchan, you didn't." He says, breathless.
"Do you like it?"
"Like it? Like it?" Gokuraku laughs and turns to face Ichi. His eyes sparkle and the smile on his face is infectious. "I love it!"
Gokuraku pulls Ichi into a chaste hug- box still in hand. Ichi barely has time to hug back before Gokuraku lets him go to look at his new rings again. An emotion Ichi can't place passes over Gokuraku as he gently picks up one of the rings to get a closer look at. Gokuraku holds the piece of metal like it's a priceless artifact that could crumble into a pile of dust if he so much as breathes on it wrong.
Ichi clears his throat. "They glow if you put them near each other."
Gokuraku's eyes widen and he moves the rings closer and closer together until they glow. He gasps with childlike wonder and giggles as he picks up the other ring by sliding it on his pinkie finger- they're definitely too small- barely past the second knuckle. He tosses the box to the side without care.
"This is the coolest present I've gotten." Gokuraku says, dead serious. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Ichi replies. "I was worried."
Ichi can see when an idea hits Gokuraku.
"Hold out your hand," he demands.
Ichi complies, holding out one of his hands. Gokuraku takes it gently and slides one of the bands on his ring finger. It's slightly loose and cool against his skin. Ichi is about to pull his hand back to look at it closer when Gokuraku leans down to press a kiss against the metal. It sends shivers down his spine.
"We can match," Gokuraku mumbles against his hand, looking up at Ichi.
It takes the breath out of Ichi's lungs like he's been dumped into an ice cold lake. He can only nod silently in response. Gokuraku sits up and lowers Ichi's hand so it rests in his lap but doesn't let go. Instead, Gokuraku loops their fingers together so their rings sit next to each other glowing in the dim lighting of his room.
"Can I make a birthday wish?" Gokuraku asks out of the blue.
"Sure?" Ichi answers, it comes out more like a question.
He looks up from their intertwined hands and sees how nervous Gokuraku looks. Ichi wants to grab him by his shoulders and shake him as hard as he can. He wants to tell him he doesn't ever need to feel that way around Ichi- they're best friends after all.
Gokuraku breathes in deeply, closing his eyes as he does so. When he opens them again there's a determined flame behind his eyes. He drops Ichi's hand and uses his newly freed hand to cup Ichi's cheek. Gokuraku's touch feels like a searing hot iron about to press his ownership into Ichi's skin.
Ichi's breath catches in his throat. Gokuraku glances down at Ichi's lips and he feels his tongue poke out to lick them on instinct. The moment drags on for what feels like hours (it's really only a second or two).
When Gokuraku finally leans in to kiss Ichi it's everything. The world around them falls like a curtain and all Ichi can think about is Gokuraku. Gokuraku kissing him. Gokuraku holding his face so gently. Gokuraku's soft lips and the cool metal stud in his bottom lip. Ichi's brain is all: Gokuraku, Gokuraku Gokuraku.
The kiss is over too quickly, Gokuraku pulls away, eyes wide like he can't believe he just did that. Ichi wants him to keep doing it forever.
"Do that again."
All hesitation melts off Gokuraku's body as he leans back in to kiss him again.
"This is the best birthday ever," Gokuraku mumbles against Ichi's lips.