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"Hey, Megumi."
"Hm?"
Currently, the two sit facing eachother on top of Megumi's bed. Yuji had come over because he'd been bored and came to the conclusion that Megumi would have nothing better to do than entertain him, and he was right. That's why they're sat together now, doing nothing but conversing with eachother, talking about whatever comes to mind. It's comfortable. About five minutes into this, Megumi's hand absent mindedly finds its way up to Yuji's neck, something that's been happening more often as of late. Yuji doesn't mind, he doesn't think he'll ever mind anything when it comes to Megumi, so his next question is asked out of pure curiosity, and because their previous topic has gone cold.
"Do you have a thing for necks or something?" Megumi's hand retracts from where it had been resting, at the loss, Yuji immediately continues talking "-hey I mean it's totally fine if you do! I was just curious is all, since you said you didn't really have much care for this sorta thing." As he finishes speaking, he sends a sheepish looking smile toward Megumi, scared he might've ruined something that he wasn't sure had even fully formed yet.
Hesitantly, Megumi's hand gently finds itself back on Yuji's neck. He looks into Yuji's eye for a moment, wondering if he can weasel his way out at all, considering his initial reaction, he assumes not, so he says, "It's- really stupid ." as a warning.
A small "Huh?" to escapes Yuji. As it does, the focus of Megumi's gaze shifts away from him and a small scowl forms on his previously relaxed features.
Yuji however, continues to look at Megumi, seemingly attempting to silently coax him into answering his 'silly' question, though now it seems to hold more weight than when it were initially vocalized.
Megumi's eyes return to the direction of his boyfriend, instead of returning to his eyes however, they settle on his own hand, where he is now gently stroking and massaging the small space between Yuji's neck and jaw with his thumb. His other hand sits beside him on his bed, supporting his weight as he sits before Yuji.
As Megumi does this, Yuji's eyes don't leave his, not for a second, and there's not a single sign of discomfort or judgement. At this, Megumi's shoulders relax, despite him not knowing they were raised at all, lets out a small huff, and speaks.
"I guess it's because.." he pauses, trying to formulate his words to make them sound as 'normal' as possible. It's difficult considering what he's about to say. "In the wild, the jugular—or well, the neck in general—is sorta seen as the 'kill spot' for most animals, it's the spot predators tend to go for when killing their prey. So, whenever an animal allows something else near the area, it's seen as an act of extreme trust and i guess i just..." Megumi cuts himself off. Unsure of how to continue and wondering if what he's said is okay, he chances a glance at Yuji's face to try and determine how he feels. When he does, he takes in the way his expression has shifted into something more akin to understanding, maybe even awe.
Before Megumi has the chance to dwell on this look, he feels Yuji's own hand reach up to hold his neck, sort of mimicking Megumi's own hold. He doesn't move it at all, seemingly waiting until he knows that his boyfriend is comfortable before doing anything more.
Megumi doesn't flinch, doesn't move to create distance and his eyes do not widen (well, maybe just a little, but it's only because of how bold the action is).
A small, almost silent "woah" slips from Yuji's lips, it's only heard because of how quiet the space between them has grown during this exchange. Megumi is certain he hadn't meant to let it out. His eyebrows furrow a little, and his bottom lip protrudes slightly more than usual and his face forms an almost pout, Megumi would deny that fact though. "What is it?" he asks.
The smile that is perpetually on Yuji's face grows a little, the left side of his mouth a little higher than his right, Megumi notices, before he begins speaking.
"Well, you just said it's an 'Extreme sign of trust' when something can get close like this, right? And you just.." Yuji pauses for a brief moment as understanding and realization deepen in his features. "..let me" As he says those final words, his smile evens out and widens, causing it to reach his eyes, making them crinkle into two little crescents.
"It's not like you ever protested at all, and I never even told you what it was all about either, I think that means more." By the final portion of that sentence Megumi's voice has shifted into a feeble mumble, losing the confidence he'd had in the initial points of his retaliation. He opens his mouth to continue, but Yuji beats him to it.
"That's because I love you Megumi"
He staggers a little, and his mouth hangs open around words that are already long forgotten.
Megumi has always sort of known that when and how you tell your partner you love them for the first time is considered something significant, he never quite 'understood' it though. How could three monosyllabic words possibly mean so much so somebody? This holds especially true for a couple like Yuji and himself, who have both rescued eachother from the brink more than once. Gestures as goliath as those seem incomparable to the words that float around them now, and of course, they are. Megumi has always known that Yuji loved him, and considering all they've done for eachother, it would be stupid for him not to. Despite that, there's always been a part of him that couldn't accept Yuji's love, couldn't believe it, not that he didn't want to trust Yuji, he simply couldn't control it. But when he heard those words spoken with such certainty, so passionately, after such a tender, fragile moment, Megumi couldn't do anything but acknowledge them as truth.
As stated, Megumi has just never been very good with the acceptance of affection, nor has he been very good at giving it, especially verbally.
This is why he presses his lips against Yuji's.
The kiss is short, lasting no more than 5 seconds, just a soft brush of their lips. This wasn't out of uncertainty, or how new the relationship was, this wasn't their first kiss either, it's because nothing more needed to be done. The action was intimate, full of words that were too difficult to say, but because Megumi now understands how those words sound when they fall from the lips of your beloved, he doesn't let them stay locked in the kiss. So with a smile on his face, one that crinkles his eyes in a way largely unfamiliar to him, he speaks.
"I love you too, Yuji"
And because Yuji trusts Megumi, because he never so much as considered doubt as an option, he just grins. He doesn't tense or flinch because the words don't feel like an attack on years of precariously built walls like they had for his partner. He already knows. He has known.
Moments later, they will be in eachother's arms, one of Megumi's will be loosely draped around Yuji's neck, and they will settle into a lethargic cuddle on top of Megumi's sheets as they lazily bask in the others warm presence, knowing that they are safe with the one they love wrapped in their embrace.
And soon, Megumi will ask why Yuji chose that moment to verbalize his love for him, and he will say something unconvincingly simple like, "It just felt right," with a shrug, and Megumi will believe him.