Archive of Our Own

“Hmmm,” Hugo hummed as he stared at the flower bouquet he had in his hands, studying the blossoms like they were alien objects he had never seen before in his life. Blue, yellow, red, orange, purple. It was an assortment of many different flowers, a few of which he could even name, like roses and tulips.

But for the most part, he had only a little knowledge about the individual blossoms because he was far from being a knowledgeable florist. They looked pretty in their assortment, though, pretty enough that Hugo would call them beautiful.

However, that was the issue he had. They were beautiful, but not beautiful enough. They wouldn't live up to the purpose he needed them for. Hugo sighed dejectedly.

“Not those either,” he sighed, putting the bouquet back down. Looking up again, he had an unreadable expression on his face because he was standing in the last row containing flower bouquets once more.

As unsuited as his logical thinking brain was for it, Hugo still got caught up in the whirling vortex of emotions that the world knew as love. Hugo knew about it, what it was and what it meant. And he had deemed it unnecessary in his world that only followed the logical flow of one's natural destiny.

He did not need love in his life because there was no logic to it. As such, he denied it. The tall man didn't hate it, though; to him, personally, it simply meant nothing. Therefore, he stayed away from it.

Yet, destiny, always the fickle, tiny lady, decided otherwise for him. Before Hugo could wrap his head around it, he was already deeply entangled in the fabric of love, feeling comfortable in its confines.

Now that he was caught in it, escape was all but impossible. Not that he wanted to anymore. Such thoughts lost all their meaning the moment Isagi Yoichi stepped into his life, the man who was not only his boyfriend but also the man who had stolen his heart. Or rather, to put it truthfully, Hugo had given this part of him willingly to Yoichi much in the same way Yoichi gave his own heart to him in return.

It was honestly a surprising turn of events when he looked back at how their first meeting on the pitch went five years ago. Ironic as it was, they couldn't stand each other at first, loathing the other side.

Hugo thought Yoichi lived unsuitably with how he was wasting his potential to be the controlling number two of his team in his ineffective desire to be the best striker in the world. Honest as he was, Hugo pointed out that flaw and tried to convince Yoichi to live according to his natural destiny.

Likewise, Yoichi disliked him just as much, calling him a creepy, meddling jerk while refusing his entire philosophy altogether. They collided on the field, and when they met off the pitch, they collided too, always spewing insults at one another.

Thinking about it, they were fundamentally different, and had the worst possible foundation to become the couple that acted all lovey-dovey they were nowadays, always taking the first spot for PIFA's most trending couples.

Looking logically at their beginning, the best they could have become was rivals, or maybe even enemies, with benefits. A relationship that was solely based on physical relief and pleasure suited them most, the resulting heated encounters below the shades of the night, fuelled by their mutual dislike.

That was the best outcome Hugo could imagine between the two of them at that time. They were totally unsuitable for one another, unable to see eye to eye.

Yet, funny as it was, the more they collided, the more they chipped away from the other, slowly taking down the defences of one another. Yoichi began to see that what Hugo said had its value, and living according to one's natural destiny could result in outstanding results. In return, Hugo acknowledged that fighting against destiny could achieve results that were just as great and that fighting for and following one's ego was another way to live suitably, even if he had trouble understanding this way of living at first.

Once they reached that point of mutual understanding, their encounters became less heated and more civil, both seeing and discovering sides of one another they hadn't seen before. And once Hugo became aware of the other facets Yoichi had to offer, he found it hard not to call him suitable.

Still, it wasn't love at first or second sight between them. Their love was one among the kind that gradually grew, albeit at a slow and lazy pace, never speeding through the individual steps.

Enemies, rivals, friendly rivals, friends, crushes, lovers.

If someone asked Hugo how his relationship with Yoichi came to be, that was how he would describe it. It wasn't perfect. It wasn't the picture book like romance either. It was messy, maybe even somewhat of a twisted grind, but it was theirs and theirs alone. Yoichi knew what he had with Hugo, and Hugo, in return, knew what he had with Yoichi. Both were happy with what they had now, and that was counted most in Hugo's eyes.

Still, as easy and comfortable as loving and living with Yoichi was, he was also the reason for the distress Hugo currently felt. It was also the reason why he was currently walking through the third garden centre of the day and still had not found what he was looking for.

As it turned out, loving someone came with a whole bunch of mundane day-to-day activities that suddenly turned into monumental tasks of history, which gave Hugo a lot more trouble than they should. As for the current case, it felt like it was the biggest task in his whole life.

And so far, as things stood at the moment, he was failing miserably at the task he had at hand.

Hugo sighed again, his shoulders slumping in defeat. To think that finding a fitting flower bouquet for Yoichi's birthday today would be such a hard task... Hugo would have never dared to think about it in the past. But now here he was, fretting about how no assortment of flowers seemed right for Yoichi.

It was not like he hadn't granulated him already earlier this night at 0:00 sharp, right before Yoichi was scheduled to board his plane back home after finishing the business talks as Bastard München's captain in Europe. It earned Hugo a serious scolding from his better half, but what kind of boyfriend would he be if a little lack of sleep kept him away from the man he loved? Hugo knew he was tightly wrapped around Yoichi's finger, but he didn't mind one bit because that was exactly where he wanted to be.

Besides, despite his stern voice, Hugo could all too easily tell how flustered and giddy Yoichi was on the other end of the line, failing spectacularly at masking his own excitement. Yoichi was just as heavily infatuated as Hugo was, something they had in common.

With Yoichi still quite literally in mid-air, though, Hugo had more than enough time to prepare everything for his birthday. Back home, everything was already set in their shared apartment, and Hugo had the birthday present ready too.

The actual celebration of Yoichi's birthday would be in one week, though, because nobody wanted to deal with a grumpy birthday boy who was going through jet lag. This meant that this evening it would only be the two of them.

Getting Yoichi from the airport was also not something Hugo had to worry about. Meguru had insisted that he, as the best bestie, deserved at least that part of Yoichi's birthday, so he would go and fetch him there and drive him back home.

Naturally, Hugo would have preferred to collect Yoichi by himself, but he knew better than to argue with the bee man. He was just a bit worried about Meguru's driving skills, but since Yoichi trusted the bee man with his life, they should be fine... hopefully...

Hugo sighed then, unable to believe his own thoughts. A certain variety of thoughts surfaced in his mind, and suddenly, the urge to shoot Yoichi a message that Meguru couldn't fetch him after all became impossibly hard to ignore.

Call him overprotective, but one ride with Meguru as the driver had traumatised Hugo to the point Yoichi had to promise him every time he went out with his best friend that he would send him a message once they drove off and when they arrived. Otherwise, Hugo would come looking for him in pure, unfiltered panic about his well-being because what Meguru called driving would be commonly considered as racing.

Just thinking about that drive made Hugo weak in the legs. However, he had to stay strong and resist the urge seething beneath his skin. Loving another person meant trusting them unconditionally, which Yoichi made pretty simple – for the most part. Hugo had only a handful of occasions or situations in mind where he felt like he couldn't, or rather shouldn't, trust Yoichi blindly.

Meguru's driving was one of them.

Hugo shook his head, his hand driving through his burgundy hair in frustration. Love was nice and all, but sometimes it was a real pain. Not that he could do anything about it. He would have no choice but to place his trust in Yoichi's faith in his best friend - and pray that the other road users would brake in time when Meguru zoomed past them at neck-breaking speed.

Deciding there was no point in dwelling any longer in this botanical centre, the tall man left the shop and stepped back on the streets, his hood pulled deeply in his face. Being a world-renowned player who was an even match for Japan's superstar and Bastard München's star striker gave him quite a bit of popularity. Luckily, he wasn't that well-known in Japan, but there would be people recognising him if he walked around openly.

Following the passageways, Hugo pondered how he should proceed. Truthfully, everything was basically ready for Yoichi's return, but when Hugo woke up this morning, he felt like something vital was still lacking, the special finishing touch to take Yoichi's breath away.

With that in mind, he had set out, but after spending the majority of the morning browsing through three garden centres with nothing to show for it, Hugo was slowly losing hope. Yoichi's flight was not scheduled to arrive till late afternoon, but by now it was already close to noon.

Time was working against him. Hugo's face twitched as he grimaced. Maybe he should accept that he would not get any flowers and just hope for the be-

“My, my. A youthful, handsome man with such a beautiful face shouldn't pull such ugly expressions. What is weighing on your mind that brings out such nasty sights?”

Hugo was startled as he was suddenly addressed out of nowhere, missing a step, which caused him to stumble. After regaining his balance, he turned towards the source and found an elderly woman looking at him curiously. Her hair had faded into a soft white over time, yet the colour was still vibrant and spoke of health. She had collected it into a bun, revealing the knitted skin of her face, which only made her look even kinder than her first impression let on.

And still, despite the obvious kindness, Hugo became fidgety under the sharp gaze that carried the weight of many years, a wisdom he couldn't even begin to compare with. He felt like the old lady saw right through him and could tell what was currently going through his mind.

“Now, now, young man,” the old woman spoke up again, her voice light with amusement. "There's no need to worry or fret. I'm not about to gobble you up or anything there like.”

Hugo felt caught, averting his gaze, which made the old woman chuckle quietly behind a raised hand. His cheeks slightly flushed, his normally composed demeanour completely helpless in the face of the aged wisdom. Then, however, his ruby eyes widened when he caught glimpses of many different colours, each one vibrant and beautiful.

Hugo blinked, taking a step back. He realised he was standing in front of a small shop selling flowers and other greenery.

“Is this a floral shop?” he asked, although it was obvious from the display at the front.

“Why yes, although I wouldn't call it a serious business. It's more like a fun hobby for me to pass the time of the day if nothing else,” she explained with a smile and closed eyes, showing that she meant every word.

“I see...” Hugo mumbled, his ruby eyes already scanning through the display of the elderly woman had set out in front of the store. Maybe this place had what he was looking for...

“My, apologise this old woman for her intrusion, but are you perhaps looking for something special... something that you can gift to your significant other, perhaps?”

From her knowing tone, Hugo could tell the old woman had already seen through him, frighteningly easy at that. Still, he scratched the back of his hooded head, unable to meet her gaze.

“Yeah,” he mumbled for the lack of a better answer. “Have been looking all morning but didn't find anything suitable.”

Why he added the last bit, he had no clue. Maybe because this floral shop might be his last chance, maybe because the old lady probably already knew about this, too, or maybe he was simply that desperate already.

In any case, the old lady waved him over with a soft smile. “Come on in, then, young man. Maybe I have what you are looking for. I can't compete with the big corporations, but I will have you know that my flowers and plants are raised with love and are far healthier than their mass-produced weeds.”

She said that with a prominent hmpf! in her tone, and Hugo couldn't help the short grin that graced his lips. Following the kind lady inside, Hugo's nose filled with an intense fragrance that made him feel dizzy from how clean and healthy the air inside the shop was.

The shop owner was certainly not exaggerating with her earlier claim. Her greeneries were worlds above the weeds Hugo had seen so far this day.

“Now then, my son. I assume you are looking for a nice flower bouquet you can gift to our sweet Isagi-chan for his birthday, right?”

Hugo should honestly feel surprised that the old lady already knew for whom he wanted the flowers, but with everything considered, it was hardly a surprise. Pulling his hood down, there was no point in hiding who he was anymore because the old lad must know about that too already, he nodded in confirmation.

“Yeah, that's right.”

“Hmm, do you have anything particular in mind?”

“I...” Hugo began before his words fell short, his brain unable to verbalise the image he had in his head, although it was as clear as snow melt from Mt. Fuji. He knew what he wanted, but unless he saw it with his eyes, Hugo would remain unable to describe it.

The shopkeeper must have noticed his struggles because she caressed her chin in thought.

“I see... let me ask you another question.”

Her eyes opened and fixated on him with a neutral stare, one that made him feel fidgety again.

“You love Isagi-chan, right?”

Hugo answered without hesitation.

“Yes, I do. He's the man I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

If Hugo was surprised by the sincerity and softness in his voice, he didn't show it. It was simply how he felt about Yoichi, the entirety of his emotions compressed into two sentences. What surprised him, though, was the lingering proposal beneath his words.

He had thought about it a few times already, so maybe he should act on those feelings soon...

Before that thought could spin further, though, a low chuckle pulled him back to the hear and now.

“Now, now, dear. One step at a time.”

Hugo scratched the back of his head.

“Sorry.”

“Nonsense. There's no need to apologise for being in love, sweetie. I think I know what you want now, so just give me a moment.”

With that, the elderly woman slipped into a backroom from where the noises of ruffling and shuffling erupted soon after. With nothing else to do, Hugo looked around, stunned by how vibrant every plant looked. He made a mental note to come back here with Yoichi once he had settled down after his journey.

It didn't take long before the noises in the backroom quietened down, the shop keeper seemingly done with whatever she was up to back there. Sure enough, in the next moment, she appeared back in the main room.

Hugo's eyes widened not a single second later. His breath hitched, his jaw fell open, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the flower bouquet the old lady had in her hands.

It was a mesmerising and beautiful arrangement of flowers that took away Hugo's breath. A ring of red roses encircled an orb of blue hyacinths, both colours breathtakingly beautiful and complementing each other.

But upon closer inspection, Hugo felt like he was struck by lightning, setting his whole body ablaze with a comfortable heat. Red was not red, and blue was not blue.

The roses were coloured in a deep burgundy red, the same colour as his hair, while the hyacinths were not just any blue, but cobalt blue, the same shade of Yoichi's eyes.

Burgundy red roses encircling cobalt blue hyacinths. Or in other words, Hugo getting pulled towards Yoichi's gravity, becoming the protective rings that shield Saturn from anyone else.

If they should ever be reborn as flowers, this would be them. Hugo knew on an instinctual level. In his chest, Hugo's heart tightened, increasing his heartbeat tenfold.

This was right, absolutely right, perfectly right. Exactly as it should be. This was what he had been looking for.

“Oh my? Looks like I had the right impression.”

“Thank... you...” Hugo breathed, unable to formulate any other words as he was bewitched by the flower bouquet of burgundy roses and cobalt hyacinths. Then the assortment of flowers found its way into his hands, its weight and texture familiar. It almost felt like he was holding Yoichi in his hands.

“How much do-”

“Now, now, young man,” the old lady interjected sternly. “Don't sour the mood with money talks. Love can't be expressed by those annoying green bills.”

“But-”

“No buts. And if you want to repay me, you have already done so. The sheer look of joy on your face right now is payment enough for this old heart.”

Before Hugo had the chance for another response, he was already shoved towards the door. “Shoo, shoo. Off you go! Don't make Isagi-chan wait!”

The bell at the entry chimed when he was pushed outside, the old lady waving at him before going back inside. Hugo was left alone on the walkway, looking like a lost child.

It took him an embarrassingly long time to gather his wits, but when he did, he bowed deeply to the shop that had saved his day, all the while he clutched the flower bouquet of burgundy roses and cobalt hyacinths to his chest.

━━━━━━ ❖ ━━━━━━

The rest of the day passed by at a comfortably lazy pace. With the perfect flowers found, Hugo returned home and began to cook Yoichi's birthday dinner after he set up the flower bouquet on the dining table, surrounding it with a few candles for a romantic dinner later today.

Knowing Yoichi like the back of his hand, he knew his boyfriend wouldn't appreciate something overly expensive or complicated. So he settled for something simple, combining the cuisines from two continents.

As side dish, he prepared a Miso soup à la Hugo. At least that was how Yoichi always called it, although Hugo followed the recipe word by word. But when Yoichi wished to give him the opportunity to drop the “It tastes special because I seasoned it with my love for you,” line, so be it. Hugo had read enough romantic novels in his life and had a whole arsenal of sappy, corny and romantic lines he could throw at Yoichi at every given time. If that was what he wanted, who was Hugo to deny his better half this wish?

For the main dish, Hugo had something more European in mind. Chicken in a cream sauce with rice instead of noodles, peas and tomatoes, seasoned with paprika and a hint of chilli. It was a common dish in central Europe with countless variations nowadays. Yoichi was pretty down to earth, so the tall man thought those two would be a perfect match. Not to mention, Yoichi had grown rather fond of European dishes, and Hugo was more than happy to cook for his boyfriend.

He had no plans for a dessert, though. After all, Yoichi would arrive back home after a sixteen-hour flight, plus Meguru's racing right after it. A full three-course meal might be a bit hard to stomach after going through such a taxing journey.

In case Yoichi wanted sweets, though, Hugo was prepared. He always kept a secret stock of Éclairs in their apartment. It was a French chocolate that was hard to get in Japan, so he always brought a fair amount with him whenever he travelled between continents. Not that his stock lasted long, since both he and Yoichi had an incurable sweet tooth that was always itching with the desire for the forbidden sweetness.

Hugo went on with his meal preparations, his phone ringing once somewhere in the middle. It was a notification from Yoichi that he had landed and was not driving home via the Meguru racing taxi. Apparently, Charles was also in the car because shortly after Hugo received a short video from the former, which was unsurprisingly pure chaos.

Charles was ruffling through Yoichi's hair while Meguru laughed wholeheartedly in the background. Yoichi, in return, cussed and cursed at both of them. Hugo shook his head, smiling as he did. It was an unexpected outcome, but he felt a sense of relief wash over him.

Meguru was an incorrigible speed demon, but there was one exception where he drove like a normal person. And that was when Charles was sitting in the same car, Charles, who was Meguru's boyfriend.

Neither Yoichi nor Hugo knew how that relationship came to be; all their prying efforts had been fruitless so far. That left them only with vague guesses. The one they had settled on for the time being was that Meguru and Charles' chaotic sides attracted one another, and somewhere between the madness of the bee man and the contrarian love bloomed.

Whatever the case, those two were happy and that was all that counted as far as Yoichi as Meguru's best friend and Hugo as Charles' unofficial big brother were concerned.

Traffic in Tokyo would be the usual mayhem, though, so it would probably take them a while until they arrived. That fitted nicely into Hugo's mental schedule. If his calculations weren't off, dinner should be ready once Yoichi arrived.

Thus, he continued with his cooking, letting the pots and pans simmer on the stove while he occasionally stirred the contents and tested the taste. It was also his way of keeping himself occupied because beneath his ribs, his heart was doing backflips at the mere thought of seeing Yoichi soon. It had been less than a week, but still felt like a dozen eternities to both of them.

Luckily, he didn't have to wait much longer before he could enclose the man he loved with his own arms again. In the distance, he heard a car engine like any other, but his sixth sense began beeping. Moving to the window overlooking the street, he found the yellow of the bees Meguru's had painted on his car turning up the corner.

Hugo had to clench his hand to keep himself grounded, hard enough that his knuckles popped one after another. He stood a bit longer by the window, silently watching as the car pulled over right before the entrance to their apartment complex.

His heart rate exploded when Yoichi stepped outside, looking a bit worse for wear, but that was simply what a sixteen-hour flight did to the body. Meguru and Charles also got out of the car, and dog piled Yoichi into a crushing hug.

Hugo couldn't help but chuckle as Yoichi tried to get them off when he had no air left in their lungs. After a brief chat and one more hug, the chaotic duo got back into their bee car and drove off. Meanwhile, Yoichi entered the apartment complex.

For Hugo, this meant it was time to get into position. Walking to the entry door, he hid on the side from which the door would open. Then he waited, listening as footsteps and jiggling of keys appeared in the hallway of their apartment. They were followed by the metallic slide of the same keys slipping into the keyhole before the door got unlocked.

“Hugo, I'm back!” Yoichi called the moment he stepped inside.

“I swear this flight was pure hell!” he complained while kicking off his shoes. “Tried to get at least some sleep in, but this dude sitting a row behind me snored so loudly that I couldn't fall asleep at all!”

Dropping his travel back on the ground, he kicked the door shut and marched straight forward without looking back. Hugo smiled, following on silent steps behind him.

“I swear I'm gonna book another airline for the next flight, maybe even first class. I just want to sleep in peace and-”

Suddenly, Yoichi stopped his tirade, seemingly realising something.

“Hugo?” he called out again. “Are you even here?”

No response. Hugo stayed silent behind Yoichi, holding out exactly one second before he couldn't contain himself anymore. He crossed the distance between them and then...

Tup

“Welcome ho-”

“HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!!!!!!!” Yoichi screamed from the top of his lungs, terrified at the sudden presence behind him, wrapping impossibly long and strong arms around his midsection.

Whirling around in the embrace, Yoichi stared Hugo dead in the eye.

“I swear, you almost gave me a heart attack! You gotta stop pulling those stunts!”

Hugo tilted his head. “When you are so reactive to them? Seems like a waste to me.”

Yoichi pouted at that. “Big, stupid meanie...”

Hugo huffed, his heart racing from happiness as they settled into their routine comfort. “Don't be like that. We both know that you were aware of me standing behind that door with your 2.0 senses. We also both know that you let me sneak up on you intentionally.”

“And why should I do something like that?”

“So that I have to apologise to you.”

“How?”

Hugo wetted his lips. “Like this.”

The moment he finished his sentence, he leaned in, or rather, both of them leaned in because neither of them could contain themselves any longer. Their mouths met, and both sighed into the long-awaited kiss.

Contrary to their calm demeanours, both were quite touchy and physical about their affection for one another, at home as well as in public. Pats, hugs, pecks, kisses. Physical proximity was the norm between them, so being separated for almost an entire week was like living torture to both men.

Hugo pulled Yoichi closer against him while the latter slid his fingers into burgundy hair, combing through the crimson mane. Then he tugged, intending to deepen their kiss. Hugo made a noise at that and parted his lips in the process. Yoichi instantly attacked, invading through the parted mouth.

“Mmmh,” Yoichi breathed, satisfied, swallowing the noise Hugo made in the wake of the surprise attack, their tongues dancing a tango only known by them. Then all of a sudden, Yoichi's tongue stopped moving.

“Mmng?” came from Yoichi.

“Nnmg?” Hugo answered in return, their mouths still attached.

Both their eyes opened at the same time, looking at the other in confusion. Yoichi seemed confused, which in return puzzled Hugo. That stopped when Hugo was suddenly pressed against the next wall, Yoichi resuming the movements between them.

Oh well, looked like they were jumping straight to the dessert after all. Not that Hugo minded. Give and take, offer and demand. That was how their relationship worked, and Hugo was more than willing to give and offer, knowing he could take and demand in return.

“Mmmhaaah,” Yoichi breathed when he pulled away eventually, the lack of oxygen too strong to ignore.

“Gods,” he panted, pecking Hugo's alluring lips again. “You taste so fucking good. What did you eat today?”

Hugo, dazed as he was, couldn't quite understand what Yoichi meant. He was equally breathless, and his boyfriend had quite the talent to momentarily stupefy his brain. So he wasn't in a state where his normally sharp mind connected one and one.

“What is this? I swear it tastes so good on your tongue. I think it's Miso soup? But there's something else? Like some meat in... cream sauce maybe?”

Hugo narrowed his eyes, confused about what Yoichi was talking about. Miso? Meat and cream? What was he talk-

Click!

The gear in his brain turned audibly, and suddenly it dawned on Hugo. Then his eyes widened in pure horror.

“Putain! Merde!”

Fuck! Shit!

Hugo cursed as he zoomed past a startled Yoichi straight towards the kitchen where their dinner was still cooking on the stove!

He got so occupied with his boyfriend that he totally forgot about dinner! Turning off the stove, he ripped all pots and pans away from the heated circles and put them on the kitchen counter. Then he inspected what could quickly become a crime scene.

Luckily, through the workings of an unknown but merciful god, there was little to no damage to the food he could see after lifting the lids and inspecting the contents. The Miso soup looked fine, and the chicken and rice were no reason for concern either. Maybe a bit overcooked and chewier, but nothing to worry about.

Hugo sighed in relief, though it was short-lived when he felt a stare on his back. Turning around, he found Yoichi leaning against the door frame to their kitchen, looking curiously at him with his arms crossed. A bit too curiously for Hugo's tastes.

After taking in and analysing the scenery, Yoichi's lips twisted and curved into a knowing smirk.

“That good, am I, huh?”

Hugo growled, but had no way of defending himself. Yoichi knew that, so to make this all the more sweet for him, he wagged his eyebrows suggestively at Hugo.

The tall man glowered at him. “You're enjoying this.”

“Of course I am,” Yoichi admitted shamelessly. “I get to watch how my super-capable, near-perfect boyfriend almost burns down our kitchen because he's so happy that I'm back.”

Yoichi grinned then, flashy and toothy. “Of course, I'm eating this up.”

Hugo, in a moment of bratty behaviour, suddenly felt the strong urge to throw a sponge or kitchen towel at Yoichi's grinning face. But it was his boyfriend's birthday, so he couldn't do that.

“Dinner's ready,” he seethed through gritted teeth, reaching up for plates in an attempt to escape from his boyfriend's ongoing stare.

Yoichi, knowing pushing any further would be mean, said nothing in return. He had his fill, a strong sense of relief washing over him. Sometimes, Hugo felt unreachable to him on the pitch, but in moments like these, where his boyfriend showed an almost vulnerable side of himself, Yoichi remembered that Hugo also had flaws. As far as Yoichi was concerned, those “flaws” made Hugo even more lovable.

Turning around, he was about to step out of the kitchen and put his bag away, but he stopped mid-spin when he caught glimpses of burgundy red and cobalt blue. A moment later, his breath stilled.

“Holy shit...” he murmured as he stared at the dinner table in the attached living room. Their kitchen and living room were not completely separated from each other. Instead, they had a counter serving as separator between them, making it possible to look from one room into the other.

Stepping out of the kitchen and into the living room, Yoichi's legs carried his weight to the table, or rather, the beautiful flower arrangement sitting on top of it. His hand reached out, caressing the fragile petals of the burgundy roses encircling cobalt hyacinths.

Yoichi smiled. “Those are beautiful... where did you get these from?”

“From a small flower shop in town,” Hugo answered from the side, putting down the pots and their plates. “I'll show you once you have settled down after your trip.”

“I would love that...and maybe we could get some plants there that actually survive in our apartment,” he said after a brief pause in a timid voice.

Hugo snorted, throwing a glance over his shoulder at the pitiful thing in a pot that couldn't even be labelled as withered anymore. They were professional soccer players, and most of their friends were too, so plants had it difficult in their home.

“...do these have some sort of meaning?” Yoichi asked after another brief pause, his eyes still captivated by the sheer beauty. He had an inkling about the meaning, but he wanted to hear it from the man himself.

And his boyfriend certainly didn't disappoint, not when he was encircled in strong arms a moment later while a comfortable weight returned to his shoulder.

“This,” Hugo murmured, pulling an airy laughter full of endearment from Yoichi's throat. He hugged him tighter then, pulled him closer against his chest, pecking his cheek.

“Bienvenue à la maison et joyeux anniversaire, mon chou.”

Welcome home and happy birthday, my sweetheart.

Yoichi squirmed in his hold, turning so that he could answer the next peck not with his cheek but his own mouth, both men sighing into the sweet kiss, feeling fulfilled and content.

“Let's go eat before we get distracted again,” Yoichi mumbled with hazy eyes, making it hard for Hugo to move along. But then the former's tummy rumbled, breaking both men out of their spell.

“...uhm, I'm really hungry?” Yoichi wheezed, flabbergasted at how loud his belly had rumbled.

Hugo only stared blankly. Then...

“...pfff.”

“Shut up!”

“I'm not saying anything, though?” Hugo pointed out, unable to resist how easy Yoichi made it to tease him.

“Urgh, you know what I mean!”

“I'm afraid I'm not. Tell me, birthday boy.”

“I swear you're so annoying,” Yoichi bristled.

“And still you're with me. What does that make you?”

Yoichi scrunched his nose up.

“Urgh, hush now. Better tell me what you cooked instead.”

“Miso soup.”

“Delicious. What else?”

“Chicken in a cream sauce with rice, peas and tomatoes. I seasoned it with paprika and a hint of chilli,” Hugo replied, delighted by how his boyfriend's face beamed at him.

“Gods, you're the best.”

Yoichi noticed his mistake instantly.

“Don't let it get to your head!”

“Too late for that,” Hugo merely replied in return, smirking as he did.

“Anyway, sit down, mon chou, while I set the table.”

With that, Hugo left and brought the missing pots and pans, putting them on the table in front of them.

The dinner proceeded smoothly after Hugo sat down, listening to Yoichi as he talked about his talks in Germany and what else he experienced on his trip. The air around them was comfortable, almost dripping with the mutual love they felt. It was further complemented by the soft flicker of the candles Hugo had lit after sitting down, insisting that a birthday dinner without candles was a big no.

Hugo could be pretty sappy about romantic stuff like that, but Yoichi would be lying if he said he didn't love his boyfriend just a tiny bit more for it.

With the almost burnt kitchen incident resolved, nothing else happened other than that they started feeding each other at some point because that was the kind of relationship they shared. Playful banter that went back and forth with silent but deep and meaningful actions in between.

Soon, their plates were empty. What they didn't finish, they put in plastic bags and placed them in the fridge to eat tomorrow. Standing side by side, they cleaned the dishes, although Hugo insisted Yoichi should lean back and relax after his trip. But the shorter male had none of it, wiping the dishes dry that Hugo cleaned in the sink.

After that was done, Yoichi stretched, moaning softly as his joints popped into their proper places.

“Nnnggg, I think I'm gonna jump into the showers. Sitting all day long in a plane is even more exhausting than going through Ego-san's drills.

Hugo, who was currently drying his hands, jerked at the mention of the shower. He didn't react like that because he wanted to join Yoichi in the shower he did want to join him, but because this meant it was time to begin his final mission for the day: give Yoichi his birthday present.

The tall man knew Yoichi was waiting for it. That much became clear in the many pauses he had amidst his chattering, cobalt blue eyes looking expectingly at him. However, Hugo hadn't brought it up yet or reacted to the obvious demands for the birthday present for a simple reason.

The time was not ready yet, and for the hopefully best outcome, Hugo couldn't hand it over simply. But with Yoichi hitting the shower, Hugo knew the chance had come.

“I'll get your clothes, so you can already head to the shower,” Hugo said, already moving before Yoichi had a chance to react.

“Uhm, okay?”

Walking to their bedroom, Hugo opened the wardrobe and pulled out the objects he had in mind. Looking at them now, his heart began to race more than it should, but there was no turning back now. He had already bought them and washed them with their favoured detergent. It was do or die.

Shaking his head, he grabbed the clothes and went to the bathroom, putting them down on top of the washing machine.

“Enjoy the shower,” he murmured when Yoichi entered after he left the bathroom. But Yoichi, ever the daring devil, didn't close the door to the bathroom completely. He left it open by a small gap, the rustling of clothes a silent invitation. His intention was clear, and Hugo would be lying if he said he wasn't affected by it. Or, maybe this was just his comeback for earlier when Hugo told him he would get his clothes.

Hugo scoffed anyway, chucking a pillow against the door from where he had seated himself on the couch, closing the door like that.

“Don't make this harder on me than it already is, mon chou,” he almost whimpered, barely able to contain himself anymore. But he had to, no matter how hard it got. Otherwise, he would ruin the surprise he had prepared.

Looking to his side, his black eyes stared at crooked ones, a certain grinning cat-bear-rabbit looking back at him. Hugo sighed, really hoping he made the right call with this present. All he could do now was wait and see how things turned out.

He switched on the TV as a manner of distraction, but no matter how hard he tried, all of his senses were focused on the sounds coming from the shower.

The noise of rushing water soon filtered into the living room, moist heat tickling the back of his neck. Hugo listened to the soft tune Yoichi was whistling beneath the hot spray, scoffing at himself for how endearing he found it.

It didn't take long before the water stopped. His heart rate picked up then, the moment of truth getting impossibly close. Hugo heard how Yoichi dried off, his hands getting sweaty from how nervous he felt. It was any moment now where he-

“Oh my god?! What is this?!” Yoichi suddenly gasped from behind the door.

Hugo's breath hitched, his heart stopping its function. Only when he heard squealing and stomping as if someone was jumping up and down did his heart regain its functionality.

Shuffling emerged from the bathroom, unknown objects clattering to the floor as Yoichi caused utter chaos in what Hugo hoped was excited eagerness. Moments later, the door sprang open, and Yoichi emerged, smiling, giggling and beaming.

“You sly fucker!” Yoichi bubbled, his face flushed from how brightly he was smiling. “I was already wondering why you wanted to lay out the clothes for me... say something goddammit!”

“And ruin your birthday present? That would beat the point of the surprise,” Hugo said back, clutching the fabric of his pants where Yoichi couldn't see it. He had to, or else he would forget himself.

Before him stood Yoichi, clad in white socks, grey sweatpants and a long-sleeved sweatshirt imprinted with the image of Totoro from Yoichi's favourite movie “My Neighbour Totoro.”

And not only that, his boyfriend was positively drowning in the fabric because it was at least two sizes too big for him. But that was part of the present too, albeit it was a two-edged sword for Hugo. As it turned out, Yoichi loved wearing his clothes, and Hugo loved seeing Yoichi wearing them, his chest always filling with a strong sense of possessiveness.

“Thank you so much for this. Just how did I get so lucky with you? I don't even care that the size is a bit off. God, this is perfect, Hugo.”

“The size is not off,” Hugo responded calmly.

“Huh? What do you mean?” To make his point clear, he kicked out his leg and raised both arms. Hugo could neither see his foot nor his hands, only receiving a deadpanned look from his boyfriend.

“This is clearly too big for me,” Yoichi said matter-of-factly.

“That's because that's my set,” Hugo shot back.

Yoichi's expression grew puzzled. “What do you-”

“Here, catch,” Hugo called out as he threw a pair of white socks at Yoichi, who barely reacted in time.

“Whoa! What the hell? Don't just throw stuff-”

“Catch this, too.”

Grey sweatpants were hurled towards Yoichi, who almost failed to catch the fabric.

“And this too.”

Lastly, a sweatshirt similar to the one Yoichi was wearing was flung towards the shorter male, who now looked like a living clothes dying rack.

Blue eyes were fixated on him, Hugo able to hear and see how the cogs inside Yoichi's brain were turning. He looked at Hugo, then at himself and finally at the clothes similar to those he was wearing, albeit a few sizes smaller. Then his gaze returned to Hugo, and the process started again.

Yoichi did this a few times, trying to process what the meaning of this was. When it finally clicked, he gasped loudly, his heart pounding so hard that his ribs hurt.

“Y- you got me... us m...m...matching Totoro...pyjamas...?”

Hugo didn't answer that, only closed his eyes and smiled softly at his boyfriend.

“Happy birthday, mon ch-”

Before the tall man had the chance to finish that sentence, Yoichi all but jumped at him with enough force to tackle him off the couch. Hugo landed on the wooden floor while Yoichi climbed on top of him, grabbing his face and smashing their lips together.

Cheeks, eyes, the crown of his hair, forehead, ears, eyebrows, jawline, nose, mouth, teeth, tongue. Yoichi was showering him with kisses everywhere he could reach, a relentless assault of his overspilling emotions.

And Hugo? He simply surrendered, allowing Yoichi to press him into the floor and take what belonged to him.

“I love you so freaking much!” Yoichi panted between kisses, never letting up on his attack. “Is this a fucking proposal or something? Gods! Yes, yes, yes! A thousand times yes! Wanna be yours so badly! Wanna make you mine forever!”

Hugo all but melted when those words were suddenly thrown at him, his heart beating as one with Yoichi's.

“Then be mine, Yoichi, just as I'm already yours,” Hugo panted back, gripping Yoichi and pulling him close.

And when their kisses and hidden proposals led to the dessert of the evening...well, that was on them and the natural outcome of the love that had bloomed between them.