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Chapter Text

The December holidays came the day after the festival. Along with the start of the holidays, was also the arrival of the anticipated event of Paul and Aurthur’s wedding.

The event was five days long, taking up the first half of the school holidays. Atsushi had thought it’d only be a day, less than even, maybe an evening leading into a night for the entire wedding ceremony. But this wedding wasn’t just the ceremony, there was the entire lead up intertwined until the day of the actual ceremony, the said leading up days filled with typical wedding traditions. Chuuya had given Atsushi the run down on how everything would work while they were heading to the location, sitting together in the back of one of the cars Kouyou had her driver take them in, while her and Kyouka were in a seperate car, all bags packed for their long stay in the boots.

Here’s how Atsushi was informed the wedding event, not ceremony, would progress. From what he understood, the first three days were wedding preparation, while all the invited guests had the chance to mingle and have designed time for them get to know each other even further before both sides of the family become one. That would continue almost holiday like until day four, where the actual wedding ceremony would take place. The last day, day five, Paul and Arthur would be gone, off on their honeymoon, but the guests all got to remain for one day longer to have a place to stay the night and day of the wedding, assuming most people would be coming down from hangovers. 

Now, how was this all possible? How were all guests meant to be accommodated together in one area for a five day long event of a wedding. Simple answer: rich people. Atsushi knew that Kouyou was a wealthy woman, her intellectual ability had always had her admired in her field of work, working beside Mori’s company as his highest regarded business partner. But Chuuya’s family with Kouyou wasn’t where the wealth stopped. 

Chuuya explained that Arthur, the fiancé of Paul, also belonged to a wealthy family. Arthur’s family, alike Chuuya’s, was made up of self made business people in all fields of high earning work. Combine, they were two handsomely wealthy families marrying into each other. But, and Chuuya couldn’t stress it enough, the marriage was nothing less of love. He’d explained that Kouyou and Arthur’s family used to be close in business, so the families had become close themselves, growing up together closely enough to share events like family gatherings together. Money had merely been the thing that brought the families together, but love was what Paul and Arthur had.

With the wealth in mind, that very fact explained the accomodation situation. Paul and Arthur had booked out half of a hotel near the beach, all expenses paid for to give each and every one of their guests a room to stay for the five days. With being briefed on all of that, it was safe to say Atsushi was absolutely nervous. He’d be entering a whole new world the moment he stepped foot in that hotel, meeting people who came from money that he wasn’t used to. He didn’t expect he’d be able to get along with any of these people, when even from just Chuuya’s explanation he could tell how different they were. And this was Chuuya’s family and childhood friends he was talking about!

“Hey.” Chuuya nudged Atsushi from his seat across from him in the car, snapping him from his thoughts as he glanced over at the other. “You nervous?”

“Not like I’m about to meet your entire family and the people you grew up with since childhood or anything,” Atsushi exhaled sarcastically.

Chuuya raised an eyebrow, before smiling gently as he exhaled himself. Reaching his hand across the seat, he took Atsushi’s hand into his own. “There’s no need to be nervous around these people, no matter who they are.”

“Who, might I add,” Atsushi ignored Chuuya’s reassurance as he glanced back to the window, watching as the car was coming up close to their destination, the booked out hotel coming into view. Atsushi paused his speaking, eyeing the hotel from the distance. “Are rich,” he deadpanned, the hotel in the window behind him his evidence.

The hotel from just it’s outside was already beautiful, possibly fifty stories high up and wide in its width. Each widow climbing up were tinted black, allowing privacy for those inside and blocking view of those who were outside. Green vines with pink flowers twirled down the sides, occasionally wrapping around the bottom of the front balcony’s and from what Atsushi could distantly see, there was a section on the roof lined by a crystal clear balcony that looked as though it circled the entire perimeter. 

“Maybe so.” Chuuya followed Atsushi’s line of sight out the window, his expression melting into one of fond reassurance as he grabbed Atsushi’s hand, successfully pulling the younger’s attention from the hotel so they could lock eyes. “But they all gained their wealth with hard work. And you, Nakajima Atsushi,” Chuuya squeezed his hand to emphasise his point, “Are the hardest working person I know. Trust me, you are not going to be the outsider you think you are.”

Atsushi swallowed thickly, taking his nerves down with him as he nodded to Chuuya’s words. Chuuya was nothing but always honest to Atsushi and wouldn’t have put him in this situation if he truely didn’t think Atsushi was going to be okay. Atsushi could do this, five days with all the people in Chuuya’s life since he was adopted, he could do it. Chuuya’s expression smoothed, an easy smile now pulling at his lips as the car came to a stop.

“You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

Chuuya let go of Atsushi’s hand to un-buckle his seat belt and Atsushi was already mourning the loss of the comfort the contact brought him. The driver got out of the car first, strolling over to the boot to take out both he and Chuuya’s luggage, Chuuya was next to open his door and step out at the same time Atsushi opened his own. Closing the door behind him, Atsushi walked around the car to come next to Chuuya’s side as the red-head waited patiently for him.

Atsushi gazed over the front of the hotel as he and Chuuya started walking towards the lobby, inhaling deeply as the smell of the ocean invaded his nose, listening to the distant sound of waves crashing only a street away. His eyes stopped when he caught sight of two figures walking out of the lobby, making their way down the stairs to come greet them. With a glance over to Chuuya, Atsushi traced the way the older’s expression lit up, an excited grin playing at his lips as familiarity shinned within his blue eyes. Looking back to the front, Atsushi’s nerves started to crawl back up his throat as he concluded the two approaching men must be Paul and Arthur, from seeing Chuuya’s face brighten upon sight of them.

“Chuuya, it’s been too long,” said the one with blond hair, the curls tied up in a low ponytail that hung over his shoulder liken to Chuuya’s. He had bangs swept to one side of his face, covering one of his eyes, but from the eye Atsushi could see, the blue was strikingly similar to Chuuya’s. He wore a classy suit, dark vest and overthrown grey jacket around his shoulders, and Atsushi realised this must be the person Chuuya got his taste in clothes from. Which meant this must be Paul.

The two sets of people came to a stop, meeting halfway. Paul spread his arms open, bent at the elbows and resting on either side of his hips in a low and elegant gesture for a hug. Chuuya was all too eager to take the invitation, happily laughing as he crashed into Paul a lot less gracefully, wrapping his arms around the taller’s neck as Paul circled his arms around Chuuya’s middle with a calm smile on his face. 

“Way too long!” Chuuya agreed. The two stayed like that for a few moments longer, Atsushi’s time being occupied with the one who must then be Arthur greeting him while they allowed the brothers to reconnect with each other.

“Hi,” the older greeted politely as he directed his attention to Atsushi, stepping forward as he placed two grazes of a kiss on either side of Atsushi’s cheek for his greeting. “I’m Arthur Rimbaud. Please just call me Arthur, though.”

“Nakajima Atsushi, but just call me Atsushi as well.” Atsushi smiled back, unprepared for the style of greeting, but taking pride in that he didn’t stumble over his words and overtly show his slight surprise.

“Atsushi it is then,” Arthur gave one nod as he stepped back to Paul’s side, a small but genuine smile coming to his face that seemed fitting for his low and quite voice, cool like the gentle whisper of a winter’s breeze.

Chuuya pulled back from his hug with Paul, keeping one hand on his shoulder as he turned his body towards Atsushi, directing Paul’s attention onto him as well. 

“This is my lovely boyfriend Atsushi,” Chuuya introduced as he gestured a hand towards him. Atsushi tried to fight of the stubborn blush trying to stain his cheeks in the way Chuuya introduced him, smiling at Paul while silently hoping no one would notice.

“Ah, of course,” Paul said as he gazed upon Atsushi with a kind smile on his face. He stepped forward and this time Atsushi was prepared for the greeting, swiftly turning his head side to side as Paul placed mock kisses on either of his cheeks, pleasant and calm smile set on Atsushi’s face that masked his inner panic. 

“It’s nice to meet you. Chuuya’s told me a lot about you,” Atsushi made conversation as he stepped back.

Paul simply shook his head. “The pleasure is all mine.”

“Shall we,” Arthur gestured towards the entrance to the lobby of the hotel. 

Paul nodded and turned his body to let Atsushi and Chuuya start walking first. Chuuya found his way beside Atsushi again, naturally slipping his hand into Atsushi’s without much of a thought as they began to walk, Paul and Arthur trailing along side them. But he didn’t miss the way Paul’s eyes briefly fell to their hands, a glint flickering in the older man’s eyes for a moment too little for Atsushi to understand what it was.

“You don’t want to see Mum?” Chuuya inquired as he peeked over at Paul with a raised eyebrow. 

“Not yet, she’ll have me run through all the wedding arrangements for hours to make sure everything is going according to plan. Atsushi here, is my excuse for the next few hours,” Paul lightly teased as he glanced down to Atsushi walking beside him.

“Happy to help,” Atsushi chuckled.

Paul hummed, “You have good taste in men, Chuuya.”

The four of them all laughed lightly, and with every rumble of his chest, Atsushi slowly felt his nerves start to dissipate. At first glance, both Paul and Arthur seemed intimidating in their professional appearance and elegant nature, graceful in almost every movement big or small. But Atsushi had also assumed Chuuya was intimidating much the same once upon a time, but now that thought felt so far gone that it was just a tale as old as time. He had a good feeling that he might get along with Paul and Arthur just fine.

The four of them wondered into the lobby, Atsushi holding back from dropping his jaw as he took in the space, but from the amused side eye that Chuuya was giving him, the red-head definitely knew Atsushi wanted to. The lobby of the hotel was a dinning hall, a mix of rounded and rectangular, neatly table clothed tables stretching all the way from one side to the other. One clear path left directly down the middle, from the entrance to the back wall, where the wall curved in an archway that opened passage for another hallway leading towards the left.

“Just down here.” Paul continued leading them down the path, past the tables, until they got to the back wall, walking through the archway and turning the only way they could to the left. That brung them into a hall that had a set of stairs at the far back and an elevator indented into the right side of the wall. Arthur pressed the button for the elevator and while they waited for it to arrive Paul gave them a quick brief of the hotel.

“The hotel staff will have your bags taken to your prepared room via a back entrance. Guests may freely use the entrance we just walked down, though do be mindful that as the lobby is a restaurant it can get crowded with those who are not apart of the wedding.” The elevator dinged and they all stepped in, Arthur pressing the button that would take them to the fourty-second level. “We have reserved half the tables for the reminder of the five days you will be staying here, so do also feel free to eat at the restaurant whenever you see fit, all expenses paid for, so treat it like a buffet.”

“You two really went over and beyond for this, huh?” Chuuya commented.

“A two years wait and two families filled with nosy rich’s will do that to you,” Arthur smoothly responded.

“Lots to do,” Paul briefly sighed, then smiled lightly again as they stepped out of the elevator. “But for now, Atsushi, I want to know all about you.”

Chuuya had told Atsushi that this would happen. Paul had expressed that he wanted to spend some time just with Atsushi and Chuuya get to know the only person Chuuya had suddenly decided to date, right before the chaos of the wedding kicked in later tonight, so that he could give the two all his attention. How could Atsushi refuse such an honour?

“I’d be happy to tell you everything.”

Paul smiled as he guided them to the room he and Arthur were currently sharing, opening the door after tapping his key card and letting everyone slip inside. 

“I would’ve liked to get to know you not in our stuffy hotel room, Atsushi. But unfortunately this is the only place we are safe from our families coming to bombard the both of us, I’m afraid you and I quite the targets of interest right now,” Paul thoughtfully apologised.

“It’s not a problem,” Atsushi shook his head, smiling at Paul’s naturally charming nature in the way he was already finding common ground with Atsushi, even with something a simple as getting Atsushi to hide away with him for the some silly reason of overbearing family members. Atsushi didn’t know if he would call the hotel room ‘stuffy’ however, when the space was probably as large as his entire apartment, considering the attached balcony and two other doors which Atsushi could assume were a bathroom and closet.

“Hiding from the family,” Chuuya laughed as he flopped down on one of the couches in the centre of the room. “I don’t blame you.”

Atsushi took a seat next to Chuuya more sensibly, Paul and Arthur finding place on the other couch opposite the two. “Yes, I wouldn’t blame you if you were to run from our family by the end of this,” Paul teased to Atsushi. 

“He won’t take your word on that, Atsushi’s too nice. And the family will be smitten with him by the end of this that I’m not sure you’ll have a choice if you can run,” Chuuya smirked back as he looked to Atsushi.

“I’m sure I’ll love them,” Atsushi waved off both brother’s concerns.

“See, too nice,” Chuuya gestured to Atsushi.

“But enough about our family, it’s why we’re hidden away up here after all. Atsushi, tell me about you, as Chuuya so graciously did not.” Paul shot Chuuya a quick narrowed glare before smoothing his expression into kind patience as he looked upon Atsushi. 

Atsushi had to bite back a laugh, the small action of Paul shooting Chuuya a glare before looking back to Atsushi without a hint of ill-manner in the same second, reminding him exactly of the way Chuuya had that same habit. Nevertheless, Atsushi and Chuuya spent the next few hours talking away with Paul and Arthur far more comfortably than Atsushi had expected. Maybe it was Paul’s easily charming personality, or the way he reminded Atsushi of Chuuya in so many ways. But whatever it was, it had Atsushi speaking to him for hours as though it was just him speaking to his friends.

They all regretfully found themselves having to say goodbye by the time it reached sunset, however. Paul informing Chuuya that all guests of the wedding were having dinner in the restaurant down stairs tonight for them all to get together and catch up on the first day of the event. So, with an hour left to prepare until dinner, they parted ways with Atsushi congratulating the two soon to be husbands on their wedding. 

Paul gave Chuuya and Atsushi each a key to their room, and as they walked back through the halls to find it Chuuya spoke up, “So, talk to me, how do you like Paul and Arthur?”

“I do, a lot actually. You and Paul are very similar, I see where you picked a lot of things up from.”

“Are we now?” Chuuya raised an eyebrow, Atsushi nodding as he stood by his point. 

It wasn’t long until they reached their own room, and this time Atsushi could freely let his expression expose every amazed thought that was going through his head. The room was almost identical to Paul and Arthur’s, a king sized bed pressed against the back wall, wide windows splayed across the wall seen upon first entering the room and a connecting balcony in the middle of them. Off to the opposite wall, was the ensuite bathroom, and where Paul and Arthur’s room had couches was instead just a large open space for them, set out before an electric fireplace against the last wall. 

Chuuya chuckled fondly at Atsushi’s expression, making his way over to the balcony and opening the doors to let in some fresh air in. “Pretty isn’t it?”

“‘Pretty’? Chuuya it’s larger than my apartment,” Atsushi stressed as he walked over to Chuuya, wondering even further to step out on the balcony. He let his eyes wonder over the breathtakingly beautiful view of the ocean, clear as day from the height they were at.

He felt Chuuya’s arms loop around his waist as the older came and stood behind him, hooking his chin over Atsushi’s shoulder, while they both admired the view. “You’ll like the people I’ll introduce you to tonight. The family can pester you tomorrow, but tonight I’ll make sure you only meet the good friends that I grew up with.”

Atsushi sighed as he leaned into Chuuya’s hold, dropping his head to the side to rest on top of Chuuya’s, while he closed his eyes. He allowed himself a few moments to calm any anxiety trying to take the joys of tonight away from him, as he breathed in the familiar sent of Chuuya’s shampoo. It reminded him that he wasn’t thrown into this like a hurdle in life to jump through, it was an experience Chuuya was leading him into that he wasn’t going through alone. Atsushi had formed an incredible amount of trust for Chuuya, so much so that he was walking into this situation blindly, trusting nothing but the idea that Chuuya wouldn’t ever place Atsushi in a situation that would be bad for him.

Soon enough, Atsushi and Chuuya had dressed themselves appropriately for dinner and headed down to the dinning hall on the floor of the hotel’s lobby. When they arrived, Atsushi was instantly overwhelmed by the sight of how many people were sitting and crowding around the side of the dinning hall that Paul and Arthur had reserved. From little children to mature adults, each were either greeting one another, talking amongst themselves, or eating. And each and everyone one of them were Chuuya’s family, friends, or soon to be family in-law.

He hadn’t realised he must have been squeezing Chuuya’s hand a bit tighter than usual as the older guided them towards the tables. Not until Chuuya spoke up under his breath, just loud enough for Atsushi to hear, “They’ll love you.”

Atsushi didn’t respond, but they both knew the message had been received loud and clear when his hold on Chuuya’s hand loosened. Atsushi had one more moment to breath, only just gathering himself together, when he and Chuuya were suddenly stopped by a mob of young children. Okay, perhaps mob might have been an exaggeration, but Atsushi’s nerves had been up and down the entire day. 

“King Chuuya!” One of the younger kids stood before them yelled, smiling brightly as the other children looked up at Chuuya with similar smiles. Atsushi blinked unexpectedly down at them. 

“Ah, geeze, really? Still with that nickname,” Chuuya grumbled, but a smile pulled at his lips a second later. He took the hand that wasn’t holding Atsushi’s, out of the pant pocket he had stuffed it into, and ruffled the kid’s hair.

Atsushi was intrigued by the nickname, but more of his interest was in observing the children. There was ten of them in total, and their ages varied between being no younger than seven but no older than twelve. 

“Who are you, Mister?” 

Atsushi was pulled out of his thoughts as one of the little boys suddenly addressed him. “Oh, uh. I’m Atsushi,” he smiled kindly down at them 

Another one of the kids titled their head as she observed Atsushi, like he had previously been doing to all of them. “Are you from our side of the family or Paul’s? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.”

“We haven’t seen a lot of the people here before,” another little girl pointed out with a deadpan.

Atsushi watched as one of the boys in the back lowered his eyes, pausing in the space between Atsushi and Chuuya where their hands were joined together. The young boy gasped, suddenly bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“Boyfriend! You’re Chuuya’s boyfriend!” He yelled, pointing to Atsushi and Chuuya’s joined hands.

A chorus of gasps followed that statement as the rest of the kids looked to their hands, before darting their wide and shinning eyes over to Atsushi. Atsushi continued smilingly as gentle and openly as he could, not wanting to scare any of the little ones off, while Chuuya grinned amusedly.

“We’ve never met a boyfriend of Chuuya’s before!”

“That’s because Chuuya’s never had a boyfriend,” the same girl that deadpanned before, deadpanned again, and Atsushi heard a small sigh leave Chuuya’s mouth beside him.

“Guys! You know what that means don’t you?” A little boy suddenly exclaimed, looking around at the rest of them. “King Chuuya has found a partner. Atsushi is now our king as well.”

The kids ‘ooed and ‘ahhed’ an echo of hums towards that statement. But Chuuya was quick to cut that line of thought off fast.

“Hold your horses, no one is getting married,” Chuuya strictly confirmed. “And stop with the nickname.”

“Aw,” they pouted, dejectedly deflating as their small bodies slumped. 

Maybe Atsushi had a soft spot for kids growing up as one of the oldest in his orphanage and taking care of Kyouka since she was as small as the rest of these children. Or maybe he was just a sucker to play into their fun, and while he didn’t quite understand why they referred to Chuuya as their ‘King’, Atsushi couldn’t let these kids look so sad on such a happy event.

“Oh, you don’t want me to be?” Atsushi teased, his tone mocking one of offence as he raised an eyebrow at Chuuya.

“Wait, huh?” Chuuya flicked his eyes over to Atsushi, mouth flailing at a confused loss of words. Atsushi rarely got to see Chuuya stuttering, even less from him looking so lost in the conversation.

“Wow, Chuuya,” one of the kids jumped to Atsushi’s defence, slowly shaking it their head disappointedly at the red-head.

“You don’t want Atsushi to be your king?” Another one backed him up. Atsushi had to fight off his urge to smile at how quickly they’d all turned on Chuuya to support Atsushi, he needed to keep the act of offence up.

“Yeah, King Chuuya,” Atsushi applied emphasis on the nickname. “You don’t want your boyfriend to be your king?”

Chuuya’s mouth closed, then as he flicked his eyes over Atsushi’s face, noting the amusement in Atsushi’s eyes and the twitch of a smile playing at his lips. The kids waited expectedly for Chuuya’s response, folding their hands in an attempt to look intimidating. Chuuya huffed an amused breath, before plastering on a prince charming smile to cave into their fun. He took Atsushi’s other hand into his own and raised both their joined hands up to their chests.

“I would love for you to be my King.”

Atsushi broke character then, a smile splitting across his face as he laughed, Chuuya’s eyes softening as they remained fixated on him. Their moment was short lived when the children still crowded around them demanded their attention again. 

“Aren’t you gonna ask who we are?”

“Sorry, my bad.” Atsushi pulled his hands back from Chuuya as he turned to the kids. “And who might you all be?”

They all brightened at that question, standing tall as the boy in the front of the group placed his hands on his hips and proudly puffed out his chest. “We are the Sheep.”

Atsushi’s eyebrows dipped curiously as he titled his head. Chuuya, picking up on Atsushi’s confusion, cut in before the kids could continue. “It’s what they call their little gang. They’re actually a bunch of younger cousins from Arthur’s side of the family. When I was younger I used to be apart of their gang as well.”

“Yep, he was our leader!” A girl nodded assuredly.

“Uh-Huh. Because if he couldn’t be the oldest or the tallest, at least he could be our higher up,” the same girl that had made two previous deadpan statements made a third.

“Hey, you little shit stains! I’m still taller than all of you,” Chuuya argued.

Atsushi pursed his lips, reminding himself it’d be a death sentence for him to laugh at that little girl’s statement. Another point of what she said did spark more intrigue, though.

“There were more older kids than you, Chuuya?” Atsushi questioned. He supposed it made sense that there would have had to be at least some childhood friends of Chuuya that were his own age. Chuuya stopped glaring at the kids to glance back over to Atsushi. 

“Mm,” he hummed thoughtfully, a distant look taking over his eyes for a moment as he looked off to the side. However, he met Atsushi’s eyes in the next second as he explained, “That’d be Yuan and Sharise. Yuan’s my age, and the oldest out of these cousins. Sharise, though, isn’t related to any side of the families. He was just our friend by extension of his family working for Arthur’s family.” Chuuya’s eyes cast back over Atsushi’s shoulder, locking onto a specific point as a rush of recognition flooded through the blue. “Speaking of which…” he mumbled.

Atsushi followed Chuuya’s line of sight, turning his head over his shoulder to spot two teenagers that looked to be around his and Chuuya’s age, approaching them from the front entrance of the hotel. One of them was a girl with long, straight pink hair that was currently running through the other wedding guests with an elated smile on her face as she looked at Chuuya. Trailing behind her, in a casual walk with hands stuffed in his pockets, wearing strained expression on his face, was a boy with shaggy grey hair.

“Chuuya!” The girl laughed happily as she crashed into Chuuya, looping her arms around his neck and wrapping him in the biggest hug, rocking their bodies side to side.

Chuuya kept one hand in his pocket, the other patting her back with a smaller, but no less sentimental, smile of his own on his face as he held her with one arm. “Hey, Yuan. Long time no see.”

“Ugh, yes long time no see!” She pulled back, playfully smacking him in the chest. 

As the rest of the little cousins wondered back over to their relatives to give the older kids some privacy for their reunion, the boy with grey hair finally made his way over to the three and stopped. 

“Sharise,” Chuuya nodded once in greeting. 

“Chuuya,” Sharise replied. 

Atsushi didn’t know if he should introduce himself, something about the two boys greeting seemed so cold and unenthused, when in contrast to the warm hug Yuan had given Chuuya. Though, Atsushi didn’t have to worry about deciding when or if to say anything at all, when Chuuya started introducing the two for him, always knowing when Atsushi was starting to build a sense of discomfort in situations.

“This is Yuan and Sharise, two of my closet childhood friends,” Chuuya gestured to them both as he placed a hand on Atsushi’s lower back. The two turned their attention to Atsushi, only just now seeming to notice him, Yuan with wide and interested eyes, and Sharise with a gaze that carefully analysed him.

“Who’s this?” Yuan excitedly wondered, kind smile never leaving her face as she took in Atsushi’s presence.

“I’m Nakajima Atsushi,” he smiled back at her. “I’m here for the wedding as Chuuya’s plus one.”

Her gaze turned sceptical as she mulled over Atsushi’s statement, as if deciding on the possibility of something. Chuuya seemed to know exactly what that question passing through her mind was.

“Yes, Yuan. Atsushi is my boyfriend.”

No matter how many times Atsushi would be introduced as that title from Chuuya’s mouth, he didn’t think the rave of butterflies dancing in his stomach would flutter any less. Yuan’s expression lit up like the street lights automatically turning on when it reached dark outside. She made a stifled squealing sound of excitement from the back of her throat, before suddenly springing a hug onto Atsushi, not unlike her hug to Chuuya.

“Hi, I’m Yuan! I can’t tell you now excited I am to meet you, Nakajima.”

“You can just call me by my first name,” Atsushi corrected as Yuan pulled back from the hug, keeping her hands holding Atsushi at shoulders length. He’d been insisting that any of Chuuya’s relatives or friends he’d met so far call him by his given name because these people were all important parts of Chuuya’s life, it only felt right he seem as comfortable with them.

Sharise only raised his eyebrows, his expression remaining otherwise blank as he looked to Chuuya. “Huh, guess you’ve changed.”

Atsushi glanced over to Chuuya who remained silent as he met Sharise’s eyes, their gazes weighing heavy as they passed over a silent conversation. Tension had started forming since the mention of Sharise and Yuan were even brought up, but the atmosphere was starting to get uncomfortably thick now. Atsushi knew he hadn’t been imagining the way Chuuya and Sharise seemed distant, glancing between the three childhood friends faces. 

“Im hungry!” Yuan was quick to break the tension, lightening her expression as she hooked one arm around Sharise’s and grabbed Atsushi’s hand with her other free hand. “Atsushi, you must be to, with coming up here all the way from Yokohama.” She began pulling them along into the crowds of tables, leaving Chuuya to walk behind them.

Atsushi didn’t get the chance to engage in the conversation Yuan was considerately trying to prompt, when Chuuya suddenly jogged to catch up beside Atsushi and stop them by gently tugging on Atsushi’s sleeve. Chuuya nodded towards a group of older men, looking around their early twenties, that waving Chuuya over from a few tables away. Yuan peeked around Atsushi and Chuuya to spot what Chuuya was gesturing to, before she smiled in understanding as she nodded, releasing Atsushi’s hand.

“Theres some more people I want to introduce Atsushi to,” Chuuya told Yuan, slipping his hand back into its usual place against Atsushi’s palm.

“Of course! It was nice meeting you, Atsushi.” She waved her hand, tightening her arm hooked around Sharise’s elbow as the pairs parted ways.

Chuuya guided Atsushi over to a rectangular table that had four men occupying it, each sporting various types of smiles as they watched Chuuya and Atsushi come to a stop behind of the two spare chairs at the table. The men all voiced their long over due greetings to Chuuya as Chuuya greeted them back, before turning to Atsushi.

“Okay, Atsushi. This is Albatross, Piano Man, Doc, Iceman and of course, Lippmann,” Chuuya listed off while gesturing to each of the men around the table. “These are Paul’s good friends and the truely great men that I grew up around in childhood.”

“‘Truely great men’ he says, love’s made you soft, Chuuya,” Piano Man breezily commented.

“Complementing us now?” Lippman’s lips twitched up in a smirk while he looked at Chuuya, before smoothing into a mellow smile as he extended his hand across the table towards Atsushi. “Pleasure.”

“Nakajima Atsushi,” Atsushi quickly introduced himself, accepting Lippmann’s offer and connecting their hands. Lippmann swiftly slipped his grasp to hold around all of Atsushi’s fingers, gently tugging his hand forward as the older placed a chaste kiss on Atsushi’s knuckles.

“Oh, I know,” Lippmann continued smiling leisurely, while Atsushi blinked from the surprise of having his hand kissed upon greeting. He was slowly starting to come to an understanding rich people must love kissing others.

Chuuya pulled out Atsushi’s chair, before his own, subtly encouraging Atsushi to sit down. The two took their seats and Chuuya’s hand was almost immediately finding place upon Atsushi’s knee from under the table, rubbing reassuring circles over the younger’s slacks to help contain any nerves Atsushi might be experiencing. 

“It’s not everyday Chuuya introduces a boy to the family,” Albatross laughed.

“Actually it’s not any day at all,” Doc corrected. 

The table began to chuckle to themselves, even the one Atsushi recalled as Iceman nodding slightly to the comment, his face remaining otherwise blank.

“Anyways.” Chuuya rolled his eyes, redirecting the conversation to continue giving Atsushi context behind who these people were. “These men are a group referred to as the Flags that work for the company Paul runs, each of them play important roles in keeping the business as sharp as it is.”

“Impressive,” Atsushi eyes winded interestedly.

“Ah, it’s nothing, you flatter me, Atsushi.” Albatross exaggeratedly waved his hand in a gesture of bashfully brushing off Atsushi being impressed by him.

“So if you all work with Paul, does that mean all of you kind of grew up together?” Atsushi questioned, trying to grasp a deeper understanding of how close these people are to Chuuya.

“Right on the mark! Mainly babysitting Chuu-Chuu here,” Albatross grinned cheekily.

Chuuya’s face dropped, his ears burning red like the bubbling before reaching boiling point as he exploded, “Hey, you Asshole we agreed not to ever use that embarrassing nickname a long time ago!”

“‘Chuu-Chuu’?” Atsushi turned to Chuuya, trying to fight off his laugh as his chest amusedly shook. 

Chuuya snapped his eyes to Atsushi, the red in his ears then starting to seep into his cheeks as he looked at Atsushi with dreaded eyes. The younger had never seen Chuuya this flustered over something so small before, and seeing the way it increased when he looked at Atsushi was making him battle off the sudden urge to see how far he could push Chuuya until the older melted. It was just so rare Atsushi was in the position where he was the confidently collected one, with a flushing Chuuya at his mercy.

“Oh, yeah. Chuuya’s always been the baby of the family,” Doc chimed in.

“Boy do we have stories to tell for that,” Albatross snickered, resting his elbow on the table as he leaned forwards, while looking mischievously to Atsushi. “You wanna hear some embarrassing stories of young Chuuya? Because I have plenty I’ve stored up waiting for this exact moment to tell.”

“Nope!” Chuuya quickly cut in, straightening upwards as he pointed an accusing finger at Albatross with a hardened expression. “No, you will not be telling him any of that.”

Albatross cackled at Chuuya’s defensiveness, some of the others quietly smiling along. But Atsushi was too far hooked in whatever embarrassing childhood tales Chuuya was so desperate to hide. He couldn’t just allowing Albatross to tease the idea, receiving that kind of response from Chuuya, all to then not know.

“No, no. Do tell,” Atsushi grinned. 

Chuuya turned to Atsushi, no doubt about to refute him again, but he never got the chance to. Without taking his eyes off Albatross sitting across the table, Atsushi lifted his hand up to tenderly brush his fingers along Chuuya’s nape in the way he knew pacified Chuuya. And as Atsushi knew best, Chuuya melted under the feeling, his mouth immediately closing and cutting off any thoughts he had to care, when he sunk into the feeling. 

Albatross took Chuuya’s granted silence given to him like it was a miracle and jumped into telling Atsushi the first story of when Chuuya was ten. While Piano Man had captured Atsushi’s secret movement, silently tracking the way Atsushi brushed his fingers along Chuuya’s nape and the response that was elected from the usual hot-head from it. His eyes glinted with fascination, enthralled in the private exchange with a new endless curiosity forming for his interest in Atsushi and Chuuya’s relationship.

—

The second day of the wedding week came crashing in with the first offical traditional wedding event of Paul’s bachelor party. 

Paul had reserved the outdoor area on the roof of the hotel for his bachelor party later in the night. The view of the city from around fifty stories high up was absolutely incredible, like gazing out upon stars on earth with the way the lights of the city shone just as brightly as the scarce ones able to be seen in the sky. The rest of the roof consisted of an inclosed room for dancing, along with a bar somewhere inside it that had the adults laughing loudly from where Chuuya could hear them outside.

As for the guests still under eighteen or simply not wanting to dance and drink, the roof also offered a large infinity pool intended in the middle, with standing tables scattered around it. And that is where Chuuya and Atsushi ended up, standing in the pool, as they enjoyed the water and each other’s company. Today was the last day Chuuya got to stick with Atsushi, because tomorrow he became completely stacked with groomsman duties that Paul had laid on him when he made Chuuya his best man.

Which meant Chuuya wanted to enjoy tonight with Atsushi like it would be his last. He didn’t realise how content a person could be to merely stand in a pool of water, surrounded by tens other people splashing and laughing about, while he talked to Atsushi, just the two of them, off to the side of the water. Maybe Paino Man’s statement might have had some truth to it, perhaps Chuuya was starting to get soft because of Atsushi.

In any other situation, Chuuya would have been one of the most rowdy people in the party, splashing and demanding any water contests he could think of to give himself both a challenge and an ego boost when he won. But here he was, finding himself completely enchanted in doing nothing but speak and laugh with Atsushi, avoiding all the chaos going on around him like nothing else existed but the boy in front of him. 

“Oi, Chuuya! You still remember our score of Chicken don’t you?”

Just like that, the peace was broken. Chuuya and Atsushi abruptly cut off their conversation, glancing over to Albatross standing at the edge of the pool who had just called out to him. Oh Chuuya remembered his tied score with Albatross in the game of Chicken, alright. He narrowed his eyes at the older man, challenge swirling in between both of their eyes as they gazed at one another.

“You bet I do,” Chuuya retorted.

“Good! Let’s settle this once and for all, eh?” Albatross grinned.

Chuuya’s lip curved into a confident smile. “You’re so on.”

With that, Albatross loudly laughed as he reached out and tugged on Lippmann’s arm, dragging them both into the pool. “Chicken, everybody!”

Albatross’s announcement caught the attention everyone in the pool, the guests cheering and splashing about to find a partner. Chicken, the contest played in a pool where one person got on another person’s shoulders and tried to shove their opponent off the opponent’s own teammate’s shoulder. It was aggressive, it was fun and it was also a head to head battle that Chuuya just so happened to be holding a tied score with Albatross in for years now. Tonight was the night he intended to break that streak, with the help of Atsushi.

“Atsushi, let me get on your shoulders,” Chuuya said bluntly to Atsushi as he pulled them over into the line of guests starting to form.

Atsushi blinked. “Huh?”

“Chicken, do you know how to play?” Chuuya glanced back at Atsushi.

“Oh, uh, yes.”

“Great, get me up on your shoulder’s then, Sunset.”

Atsushi complied after another second, seemingly picking up on Chuuya’s naturally competitive nature, and wanting to help see Chuuya happy in whatever way he could. Atsushi dunked himself under the water as he lowered down, allowing Chuuya to slip one thigh on either side of Atsushi’s shoulders. Once Chuuya was securely on, the younger raised himself back out of the water, standing at his full height, as Chuuya found a comfortable sitting position sitting on Atsushi’s shoulders. Chuuya made sure to carefully brush Atsushi’s hair out of his eyes with gentle fingers, when Atsushi’s long dark strand ended up sticking to him when he came out of the water.

The guests had all found partners, forming two lines in the pool facing opposite each other as they waited for their cue to begin. While, Chuuya had found place on Atsushi’s shoulders, the red-head facing Albatross, who found place on Lippmann’s shoulders. Chuuya and Albatross connected both their hands together, wearing matching grins as they stared unwaveringly at one another, as Doc on the side lines started the countdown. 

“Ready? Go!” 

Chuuya gifted Atsushi a single moment of regret to process what he had gotten himself into, before Chuuya and Albatross were fiercely pushing against each other with their joined hands. Atsushi severely underestimated how forceful the two would be, as his already secure grip on Chuuya’s thighs tightened, until he was squeezing Chuuya’s thighs with both his hands like he was holding on for dear life. 

Perhaps the competition had gotten out of hand, Chuuya and Albatross seeming to never learn their lesson, as they both ended up falling off their partner’s shoulders and into the water at the same time, thus their tied score continuing. Neither had won the overall contest then, some other relative managing to be the last one standing, getting lifted up by the crowd as everyone cheered for them.

But Chuuya couldn’t find it in himself to care about feeling bitter over his remaining tie with Albatross. Not when he looked around and saw the smiling faces of his old friends and the sun rivalling grin of Atsushi. Not when he could hear the laughs of the all people he truely cared for. Even though he hadn’t won, Chuuya knew the moment was special no less.

—

On the third day of the wedding week, Chuuya made sure to leave Atsushi with Kouyou and Kyouka earlier on in the morning, as throughout all of today Chuuya was needed for his offical groomsman duties. The groomsmen being Chuuya, along with Albatross, Piano Man, Iceman, Doc and Lippmann, we’re tasked with helping Paul with his final touches before the wedding tomorrow. As of now, Chuuya was currently in the large fitting room with Paul, who getting pampered by the shop helpers for his last try on of his suit, just to be sure if any last minute arguments needed to be made.

Throughout the entire day Chuuya, along with the rest of the groomsmen, had been tirelessly working to help prepare for the wedding. And finally, now that Paul was getting fitted by the professionals, Chuuya had a moments break to make a phone call he’d been meaning to for the last hour or so when he realised he wasn’t going to be making it back to the hotel anytime soon.

Chuuya stepped off to the side of the room, putting some space between Paul and the helpers as he clicked on a familiar contact and held the phone up to his ear. He exhaled as he listened to the phone ring, gazing outside the fitting room’s tinted windows stretched across the back wall, giving view to the street outside. After a few more rings, the line finally connected as the person answered.

“Yuan,” Chuuya started, relived to finally have gotten through.

“Hey, Chuuya. Groomsmen duties going okay?” He heard her voice over the phone’s speaker, along with the distant noise of layered chatter the background. He assumed she must be out with the other family in the hotel. 

“Yeah, very busy though,” he stifled a sigh, before moving onto the reason he called her. “Listen, I need a favour from you.”

He could hear the loud noises in the background start to fade until it was quite enough to just hear her voice, Yuan probably haven moved to a more isolated area so that she could hear Chuuya better. “Sure, what can I do for you?”

“I need you to pick up some tickets for me, I had them pre-ordered for a play later tonight. But at this rate I don’t think i’m going to make it back in time to pick them up.” 

“Yeah, easy. You want me to give them to Kouyou or Atsushi?”

“No, no,” Chuuya quickly confirmed. “Don’t give them to Atsushi, just hold onto them until I get back, if you could?”

“Ah, surprise for the boyfriend, huh?” She giggled knowingly. “Yeah, all good. Just send me the details and I’ll get your tickets.”

Chuuya sighed, gratefully. “Thank you, Yuan.”

Chuuya hung up the phone after that, quickly sending her the details for where to collect the tickets via text. He huffed a moment later, shoving his phone back into his pocket as he turned back around. When he turned back around again he met Paul’s eyes who was curiously gazing at him in the reflection of the mirror he was standing in front of. Chuuya watched him silently as Paul directed his attention back onto the person fitting his tie, before Paul nodded to the helpers and they all stopped their movements, giving a small bow before leaving the room.

With the helpers gone and the rest of the groomsmen out running through details of the reception set up, the room was left to just Chuuya and Paul. The older looked back to Chuuya in the mirror reflection and cocked his head towards himself in a gesture for Chuuya to come over.

“Come help me with my fitting, Chuuya. I taught you all you know about wearing suites, after all. I think you’ll do a better job than the helpers.”

Chuuya complied, walking over to Paul and standing in front of him. He reached up and started undoing the tie the way the previous helper had put it on him. Paul was right, Chuuya knew how to fit Paul just the way he liked because it was the same way he was once taught how.

It was quiet for a few seconds, before Paul spoke up again, looking questionably down at Chuuya, “I couldn’t help but overhear your phone call. Tickets for a play? I remember you not being the biggest plan of plays.”

He wasn’t, but he wasn’t going to see this play for himself. The tickets were for a play that Atsushi had talked to Naomi about wanting to see before. Then when Naomi had discovered where Atsushi would be staying for Chuuya’s family wedding, she’d also found that the same play would be on production in a nearby theatre during their stay. So she’d reached out to Chuuya and secretly sent him all the information, telling him that he should take Atsushi while they’re there, since it’s a play the younger boy’s always wanted to see.

But as Atsushi does, he’d never found the time to go see it before. So, of course, Chuuya decided he would take Atsushi, despite his own lack of interest, because Atsushi deserved nothing but the world. With how hard Atsushi was always working, if Chuuya could offer him this one little surprise, he’d jump at the chance no matter the circumstances. Hence why he was pulling all the strings he could to make this work out on his time crunch.

Chuuya knew Paul was trying to tempt the truth out of him, but it wasn’t a big deal so he casually explained, “It’s for Atsushi.”

Paul raised an eyebrow, before nodding to himself as he looked back up in the mirror, while Chuuya continued looping his tie. “It’s unexpected and nice to see you this way about someone.”

“What way?” Chuuya glanced up at him for a second, before redirecting his attention to Paul’s tie as he started tightening it.

“Just that Atsushi does seem special.”

“Well, that’s what everyone has been telling me.”

“Is he?” Paul tested, dropping his gaze back to Chuuya, their eyes meeting as Chuuya paused his movements to look up. Paul’s gaze was heavy, staring straight into Chuuya like he could see down to his soul and know the depth of that question to Chuuya. Whenever Paul looked at him that intensely it was futile to lie.

Was Atsushi special? Atsushi, the hard working, selfless, kind and honest person he was. Atsushi, who fed an alleyway of stray cats, who went though so many lengths to look out for Kyouka because of how much he cared for her. Atsushi, who touched him with nothing but gentleness, who looked at him with a pair of sunset eyes that told Chuuya he was the only person in the world whenever they locked onto him. Atsushi, who knew his food orders off by heart, who could read his emotions in any situation with a flick of his nose, who ran out into the pouring rain to find Chuuya in an alleyway only he knew of.

Chuuya skipped school to make sure the younger had a good birthday, had let Atsushi drag him into the ocean water and hold him around his waist when he wouldn’t let anyone else handle him that way. Chuuya had brought him a real gold necklace on the urge that Atsushi would look pretty in it, painted him a portrait for his birthday and drawn a White-Tiger for him on the school festival. He’d modelled for Atsushi when he wouldn’t model for anyone else, and let the younger take care of him while he was sick when he wouldn’t let any other person sneak a glimpse of him while he was that weak.

Atsushi knew things about Chuuya that no one else did, just as Chuuya knew things about Atsushi all the same. They knew and had done things that didn’t need to be done to keep up an appearance of being in a relationship, but all of it had occurred anyway. Did all of that make Atsushi special then?

“Yes. He is,” Chuuya replied. And that was real.

Paul smiled, “Then that is all that matters.” Chuuya released a breath, and then the gentle moment was broken a second later. “Atsushi’s so nice, I can see why he’s special. But honestly, I don’t know what he sees in you,” Paul teased

Chuuya’s face dropped into a deadpan before flaring up. “Your such a piece of shit!”

And then Chuuya and Paul were disregarding his freshly fitted suit, starting to wrestle with each other. Paul rubbed his knuckles on Chuuya’s scalp, messing up his hair as he hooked the younger in a headlock. While Chuuya swiped his legs from beneath Paul’s feet to free himself of the hold, until they both came toppling over onto the floor, rolling around, until they eventually end up slouched beside each other on the couch. Chuuya and Paul panted as they calmed down from their high, staring off into the distance while catching their breath, in two disheveled states.

“Do you want to know what truly told me Atsushi was special to you?” Paul broke the silence suddenly.

Chuuya rolled his head from where it was resting against the back of the couch to look at Paul. “What?”

Paul turned his head similarly to meet Chuuya’s gaze, eyes nothing but honest. “You look at him the same way I look at Arthur.”

Chuuya found himself rendered without words to supply a response to that. He flicked his gaze between both of Paul’s eyes trying to find any hint, any trace of a lie. But their blue was as transparent as crystal clear water, and the truth was undeniable. What was he supposed to make of that, when Paul and Arthur were truely in love, and what Chuuya and Atsushi had was meant to be fake. 

But how could he be looking at Atsushi with eyes that reflected real love, if it was supposed to be fake?

—

Chuuya had managed to just get out of the car that drove him back to the hotel with around forty-five minutes to spare until the play began. He’d briskly bounded up the stairs into the lobby and scanned his eyes across all the people in the dinning hall until he landed on Atsushi. The white-haired boy had hung back with the rest of the guests for today, and was currently sitting at a table with Kouyou, Kyouka and a few other families members, while being simultaneously crowded in his seat by all the younger cousins.

Chuuya’s eyes softened fondly at the sight as he began making his way over to the table, the cousins had really taken a liking to Atsushi. He watched as they talked excitedly about whatever nonsense they were spewing, while Atsushi listened attentively to everything with a patient smile on his face. It was about when Chuuya got halfway across the dinning hall that Atsushi was dragged out of his seat by the group of cousins trying to lure him outside. Which instead worked in Chuuya’s favour of accidentally getting Atsushi to meet him halfway. 

“Hey, Love,” Chuuya quickly swooped in and took ahold of Atsushi’s arm, spinning around him as he placed a kiss on his cheek, abruptly cutting off the the cousins pulling Atsushi along.

“Oh, Chuuya,” Atsushi yelped, pleasantly startled at having Chuuya back now that he was finished with his groomsman duties. “Hey, I’ve missed you,” he smiled down at Chuuya, that smile he’d been missing the whole day.

“I missed you, too,” Chuuya briefly sighed, reaching up and tucking Atsushi’s long strand behind his ear as he allowed himself a moment of calm to glance over Atsushi’s soft, adorable face. “Came straight here after I was let off my duties,” Chuuya explained, before looking over to the cousins still standing around them waiting for Chuuya to give over Atsushi. Tonight he had to disappoint them, “I need Atsushi, right now. You all can speak to him again at the wedding tomorrow.”

“What? No fair,” one of them whined.

“But I wanna spend more time with him now, he’s nice,” another one complained.

“I know, that’s why I want my boyfriend back because I feel as though your all stealing him from me,” Chuuya teased to them.

“You get to spend time with Atsushi all the time. You’re just being greedy!” Another little cousin continued on complaining.

“Yes, I am. Because I have a surprise for him, so all you little gremlins go shoo back to your parents,” Chuuya waved them away, ushering them off and ignoring their pouting as they left.

When they were officially back over to their parents, Atsushi turned to Chuuya with question. “You have a surprise for me?”

Chuuya nodded his head eagerly as he placed his hand on Atsushi’s lower back and began guiding him through the dinning hall. “Yes, but we need to hurry since we need to be at the theatre in forty-ish minutes.”

“‘Theatre’?” Atsushi glanced over to Chuuay with interested eyes.

“You’ll have to find out,” Chuuya smiled, his eyes glinting in secrecy.

They made their way back up to their room, where Yuan had stayed true to her word of telling Chuuya she also set them both out some nice suites to wear, finding them hanging in sealed garment bags on their door handle. They had hurriedly gotten into the suits Yuan picked out, battling time as they finished getting ready, and once they were, they could do nothing but sit in their room while they waited for Yuan to come give them the tickets Chuuya asked her to pick up. 

It had gotten about another ten minutes in of waiting and still no sign of Yuan or her answering her phone, and Chuuya was starting to regret asking her to hold onto the tickets rather than just giving them to Kouyou, right about now. She could have even slipped them into the garment bags, though he supposed that was just her being cautious of the tickets being stolen that way, he couldn’t be mad at her for any of that. But he could be annoyed that she hadn’t gotten the tickets to him and he was losing time sitting around for her. So he compensated.

Running short on time, Chuuya had no other choice but to go to her. Taking Atsushi with him, the two made their way through the hotel corridors until they reached Yuan’s room, trying to see what was taking her so long. But when they got there and received now answer to knocking on her door, Chuuya tried the door handle, which in a miracle, worked.

“Wait! Isn’t it rude to intrude while someone isn’t in their room,” Atsushi stressed, making Chuuya pause from halfway opening the door.

“It’s fine, we’ll just go in, get the tickets and leave. In and out before you even know it,” Chuuya reassured, completely relaxed with entering his friend’s vacant room.

Atsushi pursed his lips, but silently followed behind Chuuya who carelessly wondered in. Chuuya started spinning around trying to spot the tickets, while Atsushi shuffled awkwardly on the spot, visibly not comfortable with the situation. Chuuya spared a glance to look at Atsushi while he searched for the tickets, beginning to pick up a conversation to help distract the younger.

“Yuan and Sharise were both my childhood best friends, she won’t mind about us going into her hotel room while she’s not here,” Chuuya attempted to quell Atsushi’s evident anxiety.

“I see Yuan, but you and Sharise seem a little…,” Atsushi trailed off. Chuuya didn’t need to hear the rest of the question to know what Atsushi’s unspoken thoughts were. So, as he looked around Yuan’s room for their tickets, he began telling him what he must’ve been wondering since the first day of this wedding event.

“Before I moved into High school, us two had a pretty big fall out.”

Atsushi paused fiddling with the ends of his sleeves to focus on Chuuya. “How so?”

Chuuya shrugged as he flipped over some scattered papers on Yuan’s desk, looking under them for any sign of the tickets. “Ended up going to a different schools, never got the chance to fix it and then honestly I forgot about the whole situation, moving on after three years. I guess now that we’re back in the same proximity it’s clear there’s still tension between us.”

Atsushi nodded his head. “Yeah,” he agreed apologetically, making Chuuya chuckle a little because of his tone. “If you don’t mind me asking, what was the fall out about?”

“Remember when I was telling you who belonged to which side of the family and how Sharise isn’t actually part of any of the families?” Atsushi nodded and Chuuya continued, starting to open some draws, “Well, since his parents work for Arthur’s family, they were invited to help out with the wedding, not exactly as guests. That was the type of thing that had him growing up always feeling insecure about his status, compared to Yuan or I, who’s partners had his working for us.”

“I can get that,” Atsushi sympathised. And of course Atsushi could sympathies with Sharise, he was too kind to everyone for his own good. Chuuya wasn’t surprised by Atsushi’s response in the slightest, it’s something he’d always been endeared by.

“Yuan and I used to be the only ones our age between the families. But then we met Sharise and we all became friends because of our similar ages. And it was good,” Chuuya considered for a moment, before getting back to ruffling through the couch cushions. “But Sharise had always been sensitive in thinking Yuan and I would one day ditch him because he was afraid we’d remember that ‘we were too good for him’.”

Chuuya sighed, moving onto the closet and leaving the door open so he could still talk to Atsushi. “Cut long story short, Mum was offered a position to leave her company and co-own Mori’s one. She did, and left her company to Paul, so I moved away in High school and left the life and all the people I knew behind. Sharise took that personally, saying that he always knew I’d leave him for some other fancy rich people.”

Chuuya came out of Yuan’s closet and saw Atsushi had perched himself on the edge of the bed, body less rigid. He was glad about that at least, but finding these tickets was starting to get irritating. “That’s actually how I met Dazai, Mori had sent him, as his youngest apprentice in the business, to help Mum with the move, wanting it to be as less stressful as possible. So he’d seen the fight go down.”

Chuuya remembered the day well. It had been overcast, but the sky refused to rain down on them and that little detail had pissed Chuuya off more than it should have. It felt like even the sky was mocking him with its grey, as if telling Chuuya that he really was the bad guy in that situation, that he was cruel for leaving Sharise behind just as his once friend had always feared.

The four of them had stood out on the driveway, behind the car that Kouyou was patiently waiting in for Chuuya to say his goodbyes before they officially took off. The four of them being Chuuya, Yuan, Sharise and Dazai. It was a messy argument, a loud one too, Sharise and Chuuya firing back at each other until their voices were so thoroughly mixed together, their yelling became incomprehensible. Yuan, on the other hand, had said nothing, just looked between them with sunken and sorrowful eyes. 

Dazai had let them scream at each other until there was a lapse in silence long enough for him to slip in his own choice words and stop the argument so he could hurry up and escort Kouyou and Chuuya to their new home as ordered. Yuan still reached out to Chuuya after he left, however. She’d send him a message every few months saying she hoped he was doing well, or try to slip in a quick phone call around Christmas, but Chuuya didn’t answer most times. 

Chuuya walked into Yuan’s hotel room bathroom, the last place he had left to check, and like a shinning light was cast down on them, two play tickets were sitting on the sink counter. With a satisfied lopsided smile, Chuuay swiped the two tickets, before heading out of the bathroom to wave them triumphantly at Atsushi.

“Look what I found.”

“You know it’s not your fault, right?” Atsushi suddenly said. Chuuya’s smile smoothed out, dropping his hand holding up the tickets as he took in Atsushi’s serious tone. “You didn’t do anything wrong by moving away, it was Sharise’s own insecurity that he needs to work on, which caused the root of that argument. You never owed him anything, because you’re not responsible for anyone else’s happiness.”

Chuuya watched Atsushi for a few silent beats, letting his words sink in. Chuuya’s shoulders slumped as he exhaled, like a unknown weight he’d been trying to deny for years, had only now been lifted off him from Atsushi’s words. Atsushi must’ve known Chuuya needed to hear that, hear someone tell him that who wasn’t just himself. It wasn’t enough to ignore the moment and move on like it had never happened, he’d pretended it had for years, but he still carried a weight of guilt around with him that he pretended wasn’t there. Atsushi knew, though, and Atsushi knew just what to say to finally set him free as well.

“Yeah, Sunset. Thank you,” Chuuya’s voice came out softer than he thought, like the whisper of flowers drifting along with the breeze.

Atsushi gently smiled at him and Chuuya’s lips began lifting up as well, before he picked up on the sound of shuffling and muffled voices getting closer from outside the door. Chuuya froze, becoming alarmed as eyes widened, while both he and Atsushi turned to look at the closed door like they were about to be caught any second now.

“Shit,” Chuuya mumbled. He rushed over to Atsushi, grabbing his wrist and spinning around, frantically looking for a place to hide. 

“What? I thought you said it was fine because you and her used to be close?” Atsushi whispered sharply, his face contorted in dismay and panic.

“Yes, but she’ll also kill me if she knows we were in here without her permission. Big on privacy and all,” Chuuya shrugged, distress flitting in his eyes as he tried to find anywhere he could shove them into, that wasn’t a large open space like the bathroom or closet.

“What?!” Atsushi whispered yelled, his face dumbfounded in horror. Chuuya did just practically confirm exactly why Atsushi didn’t want to intrude in the first place.

Chuuya winced apologetically, “Yeah, sorry about that, Atsushi. I only told you she wouldn’t care to calm you down about coming in.”
 
Atsushi was opening his mouth, probably about to quietly yell at Chuuya, when the door handle started to twist. Chuuya didn’t have anymore time to figure out the safest hiding spot, he yanked Atsushi down and they both rolled under the bed, just in time for the door to swing open. Chuuya and Atsushi held their breaths as two sets of footsteps walked into the room instead of one, along with the sound of two laughs.

Chuuya furrowed his eyebrows at that note, Atsushi recognising the same confusion as the younger turned his to the left to see out from under the bed. Chuuya had to lift his head slightly up to see over Atsushi, being the furthest away from the door. One of the sets of legs definitely belonged to Yuan, black high heals and a silky white dress that just hung below her knees. But the other set of legs had polished leather flats and long black slacks on.

Yuan and the mystery person’s laughs began to sober as they sat down on the bed, Atsushi’s breath mutedly hitching from beside him. And then the small, distinct sound of two lips meeting came from above them. The dreadful realisation hit them both at the same time, their faces scrunching in stale distaste. Chuuya dropped his head back down onto the floor, Atsushi’s head turning away so that they were both staring regrettably at the bottom on the bed.

This was not happening, out of all things that Chuuya could sit through to avoid getting his ass beat, this was preferably not one he’d like to suffer through. He knew he might’ve been able to, it really came down to the desperation of the situation, if only Atsushi wasn’t with him. It wouldn’t bring him joy to stowaway while he had to listen to one of his childhood friends make out with some stranger, but Chuuya had a hell of a lot of resolve. 

Atsushi is who he was concerned about. The white-haired boy was staring at the bed spring with his lips pulled into a firm frown and eyes decidedly vacant, as though he would prefer to be anywhere else in this moment. Chuuya could relate. They both shrunk back on themselves, Atsushi squeezing his eyes shut and Chuuya twisting his nose as he pinned his lips.

The red-head shifted his hand around until he was able to find Atsushi’s, squeezing it as a silent apology for getting them into this situation. Atsushi weakly opened his eyes upon the contact, turning his head to the right to give Chuuya a shaky smile. The bed above them shifted again and Chuuya watched as Atsushi swallowed thickly, shaking his head like he could shake away all the uncomfortable thoughts that were most likely filling in the blanks of what Yuan and mystery person were doing above them.

It wasn’t until the said mystery person’s voice started to speak, that Chuuya decided it was time to risk facing a furious Yuan and book it the fuck out of this hotel room.

“I’ve been wanting to do that all day,” Sharise told Yuan sweetly, as they pulled back from their kiss. Sharise. Mother fucking Sharise.

Chuuya’s jaw dipped, eyes blowing wide in astounding bewilderment. He was floored to hear Sharise’s voice come from the mystery person Yuan was kissing. Chuuya knew that those two always had something between them, ever since they were kids. He was glad to know they finally worked things out and were apparently already together in some way. Though, they hadn’t been acting like it, and by the sounds of it, Chuuya could assume they weren’t open about their relationship yet.

He quickly slapped a hand over his gaping mouth, catching the breath of a laugh that slipped past as he willed himself with everything he had not to burst out cackling. He took a deep breath, controlling his urge to laugh as he turned to Atsushi. 

“Time to go,” Chuuya whispered. Atsushi shot him a confused look, before Chuuya nodded towards the door. “We’ll just crawl out as quiet as possible while they’re too distracted to notice.”

Atsushi looked mildly panicked about the idea being attached to a high risk of getting caught, but the stronger part of him appeared to want to leave this room more than anything. Atsushi nodded with determination, shuffling around so he could start crawling out from under the bed, Chuuya at his tail. They made it to the door, Atsushi reaching up and twisting the handle to open the door with a sounding click!

Chuuya and Atsushi both winced at the noise of the handle and all Chuuya’s chances at life came crashing down when he heard Yuan confusedly speak up, “Chuuya?” Chuuya slowly turned his head towards her, watching as she blinked at him from the bed, before embarrassment and anger flashed across her face. “Chuuya!”

Atsushi didn’t waste anymore time, instantly grabbing ahold of Chuuya’s hand and pulling them to their feet as they rushed out of the door. Chuuya stumbled for the first couple of steps as Atsushi continued running unrelentingly, but managed to find a steady footing in pace beside Atsushi as they sprinted down the corridors.

“Chuuya, I swear to god!” They heard Yuan yelling after them.

Chuuya glanced over his shoulder to find Yuan and Sharise with matching angery faces as they chased after them, apparently not letting the little mishap slide. Ah, well, Chuuya could work with a little chase. He looked forward again, grin stretching at his mouth as he started increasing his and Atsushi speed, until the hotel room doors speeding by them became nothing but blurs. Atsushi clenched the back of his jaw in an attempt to bite down his agitation, letting Chuuya drag them speedily through the hotel.

Chuuya darted his eyes to the side when he heard the sound of an elevator ding! He began slowing their pace, watching the people filter out before Chuuya and Atsushi crashed inside it as they slid through the elevator’s door, not even a second after the last person exiting it had made their way out. The people using the elevator gasped as they placed a hand over their hearts from their shock as they began walking away. Chuuya slammed his finger against any button in a haste to get the doors to close, watching in anticipation as Yuan and Sharise were approaching closer and closer.

And with just an inch left for the doors to slip close, and another inch further for Yuan and Sharise to reach them in time, Chuuya flashed them a calm, cocky smirk, loving the absolute look of murder flaring on their faces. The elevator doors closed, right in front of Yuan and Sharise’s faces. Atsushi released a heavy breath of relief from beside him as he slumped his body back against the elevator door, Chuuya following the action against the opposite wall a moment after fixing the elevator to take them to the ground floor.

The sound of Atsushi’s panting and Chuuya quiet huffed laughs filled the space of the elevator as they gave their racing hearts a chance to settle, giving time for the adrenaline pumping through their veins to wear off. But Chuuya’s exhilarated grin was stupidly contagious and the whole situation was just stupid in itself, Atsushi couldn’t help but start quietly laughing along as well, in between his panting.

Chuuya settled his eyes on Atsushi when heard the noise, his grin widening as he saw Atsushi’s half amused, half still trying to process the situation face. Chuuya’s quiet chuckles started to bubble up in his chest again at the sound of Atsushi’s own laughing, until both of them were idiotically and uncontrollably laughing in the elevator as if they weren’t already struggling for air as it was. They managed to sober their laughs as the elevator stopped, the doors opening as they stepped out with heaving chests. 

Chuuya thought they were safe. He turned his head to the left to look down the long hallway, where he could see the light brightly illuminating one large section of the wall, from where the opposite wall opened up in the shape of an archway into the dinning hall. The loud chatter or voices layering on top of each other, along with the distant sound of clatter, were the last details that told him the archway opened up to the dinning hall. Good, they could safely and calmly exist the hotel that way, without making a scene.

But, oh, he did not know the scene he was about to make. 

The sound of Yuan and Sharise’s yelling coming not too far away from them had Chuuya looking back over to the other end of the hallway, where Yuan and Sharise had just turned a corner and were bounding down the staircase. They paused to catch their breath as they came to the end of the stairwell, eyes locking onto Chuuya and Atsushi like targets as they glared daggers though them.

“Fuck,” Chuuya cursed under his breath. They really did not want their relationship getting out, not that Chuuya had any plans to reveal the secret to anyone else, but something told him Sharise wouldn’t quiet believe him.

Taking ahold of Atsushi’s wist this time, Chuuya continued on sprinting down the only way of the hallway he could, in attempt to reach the dinning hall. The speed at which they were running at was too fast for the turn they needed to make to go through the archway, however. That when they did turn, Atsushi’s wrist was ripped from his hold, as they came to a skidding halt trying to round the corner of the entrance to the dinning hall.

Chuuya latched onto the edge of the wall to steady himself, as he looked over at Atsushi who was stumbling for footing a few paces away from him. Chuuya shot a quick look back to see Yuan and Sharise who were getting far too close for comfort. Chuuya didn’t waste time, grabbing Atsushi’s hand within his own again, interlacing their fingers as he pulled them through the corner and into the dinning hall.

“You are so dead, Chuuya!” Sharise angrily cried out from behind them.

The call had the heads of many people in the large hall turning towards the commotion. And what they saw, was Chuuya and Atsushi frantically running hand in hand through the crowds of tables littering the dinning hall. Yuan and Sharise managed to round the corner as well, but their pace had slowed into a fast walk, not wanting to draw attention to themselves, the same way almost all eyes had latched onto Chuuya and Atsushi.

As he and Atsushi sped by, Chuuya was sure he caught a glimpse of his family sitting around one of the tables and he knew there was bound to be tens of wedding guests watching them right now. Paino Man choked on his drink as he caught sight of the two racing through the hall, making Iceman tear his gaze away from the scene to pat Piano Man on the back, offering a napkin. Next to the both of them was Lippmann, who was slowly lowering his cutlery back down to his plate as he watched the moving figures with wide bemused eyes. Albatross had shamelessly started cackling as he watched Chuuya and Atsushi run from a very angry looking Yuan and Sharise.

Chuuya’s neatly tyed tie was gone for, as both ends unwrapped themselves during the chase, each side flapping with the force of going against wind while they hurried forward. Yuan and Sharise were desperately trying to avoid the stares everyone was giving Chuuya and Atsushi, instead opting to carefully speed walk though the tables, the complete opposite of Chuuya and Atsushi’s running joined at the hand.

They passed by Kyouka blinking at them with unusually wide eyes, next to Kouyou who Chuuya was so sure wanted to absolutely murder him for causing this much of a scene, that he was disturbing an entire dinning hall of people, half filled with those he knew and half filled with strangers. Chuuya had done a lot of rebellious and generally disruptive things in his life, mainly involving his short temper and bad mouth. But this moment would definitely have to take the cake for him.

And worst of all, despite the looks tens of people were shooting them, he was enjoying it. The fun of the chase with how thrilling it was, the excited rush of exhilaration he got from doing it all beside Atsushi. The idea of getting into harmless trouble while having the time of their lives, as he and Atsushi manoeuvred their way through the crowd of tables and people sitting on chairs, being careful not to bump any of them.

But then a waiter, carrying a silver tray of food, started to walk in front of their path. The waiter’s eyes widened in fear as all three of them came to realise the waiter wasn’t going to have enough time to move out of the way. Atsushi yelped, squeezing his eyes shut as he prepared to crash into the waiter and spill all the food everywhere. But instead, Chuuya gripped both of Atsushi’s shoulders, pulling the younger into him until they collided as they spun out of the way and barely missed the waiter.

The waiter sighed a breath of relief, the fear dropping from their expression, before they looked back over to the boys and had the fearful expression taking place again. Chuuya and Atsushi stumbled over each other from the force of the sudden spin of desperation, making them turn until they hit the back of one of the long black couches that were set out in the middle of the hall for the people who didn’t want to eat to just sit an converse. Chuuya’s legs hit the back of the couch first, swiping the last thread of balance he had from under his feet, sending him toppling backwards, simultaneously pulling Atsushi down with him as his hands were still securely grasped onto the other’s shoulders.

They both yelled, the hotel guests sitting on the couch hurriedly moving out of the way in time for two teenage boys to fall on top of it. Chuuya landed with his back laying on the cushions, his head dangling off the end and his legs folded over the back. And Atsushi had fallen down right on top of him. Chuuya groaned along with Atsushi, as he let his head stay freely dangling off the side from the lack of support, before he lifted it up to have his forehead touch Atsushi’s as the younger raised his head of Chuuya’s chest at the same time.

Chuuya blinked and Atsushi blinked. They stayed like that, in their fallen positions as they stared into each other’s eyes for what felt like it could have been forever. Their breaths mixed in their proximity, the feeling of their chests rising and falling against each other, with two heart beats aligned that they vibrated between both of their flushed together chests as though their beating hearts were one. 

It was utterly and all consumingly bewitching to look into Atsushi’s eyes. The spell they casted on Chuuya so strong, that even in a moment as messy and hectic as the one they were currently wrapped up in, he still managed to forget all that was around him existed. Everything apart from purple and yellow, everything apart from Atsushi. Chuuya’s eyes slipped from Atsushi’s eyes, trailing down the perfect slope of his nose until he found himself settling his gaze on Atsushi’s lips.

“Hi,” Chuuya whispered privately, softly. He tore his eyes away from Atsushi’s lips after watching them ticked up, huffing out a breath of a laugh.

“Hi,” Atsushi whispered back just as softly.

The thing about the spell of Atsushi’s eyes, were that they always seemed to have an unfortunate time limit, as the world around them came crashing back into Chuuya’s senses. He registered the commotion of people gasping and whispering to each other rather loudly, while they shamelessly stared at Chuuya and Atsushi, making his memory of the situation kick back in.

“Oh, fuck. We have to go.”

Atsushi blinked, snapping out of their enchantment, before Chuuya tracked the panic starting to make its way back onto Atsushi’s face. The younger made quick work of shuffling off Chuuya, rolling properly onto the couch and stumbling back to his feet. He held out a hand for Chuuya, fingers wiggling in a way that suggested for Chuuya to hurry up. Chuuya smiled at the hand from where his head still hung upside down, sliding his hand into Atsushi’s and letting himself be hefted back up.

Once they were both on their feet again, they were also back to running, after Atsushi had hastened out a sloppy bow and apologies to all the guests they disturbed of course. Then thankfully, it was all over as they managed to make their way outside of the dinning hall without anymore troubles, scurrying out to the front entrance to where Chuuya had a car originally waiting for them to take them to the play.

Chuuya and Atsushi quickly flung open the doors to the car before, Chuuya immediately directing the driver to the theatre once they were buckled in. The car began to take off and they watched from the car window as Yuan and Sharise stood on the steps of the hotel lobby, panting as they watched Chuuya and Atsushi drive away.

It was silent in the car for about one second, before they were both breaking out into a hit of heavy laughter, the kind that bubbled from their chests and tumbled out of their mouths, so warm and loud.

“Oh, my- god,” Atsushi panted, trying to keep his laughing on a leash. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve ever laughed like this. Or had that much fun, for that matter.” Chuuya wiped away a tear of laughter, their laughs fizzling down into stifled chuckles. Atsushi turned his head to Chuuya. “So are you gonna tell me what the surprise is now?”

Chuuya smiled and pulled out two tickets from his suit pocket, which by some miracle survived the whole ordeal. He passed them over to Atsushi with a proud smirk, letting the other scan his eyes over the name listed on them and come to the realisation. Chuuya would never get used to the way Atsushi’s face could brighten like the sun. Tonight, watching that expression pass over Atsushi as he snapped his head excitedly up to Chuuya, was no different.

—

The following day came along with warm sunlight streaming through the window, waking Chuuya up in its gentle light. It also came along with the wedding ceremony.

Chuuya woke Atsushi up with pressing two kisses to both of Atsushi’s closed eyelids, watching with a soft smile as they fluttered open, revealing those gorgeous, gorgeous eyes. The entire morning, as Chuuya and Atsushi worked around each other getting ready, there was a content feeling that stayed lingering in Chuuya chest, something warm and light about the day they had to come. Then he saw Atsushi dressed up, the younger wearing a burnt yellow long sleeved button up shirt, with a black tie. Trailing his eyes down, he gazed over Atsushi’s dark grey pants, attached to light grey suspenders reaching over his shoulders, with the finishing touch of one traditional lantern tassel drop earring hanging down to his shoulder from his left ear. 

And suddenly that contentedly warm feeling became a lot more intense.

“So, what do you think? Is it okay?” Atsushi questioned unsurely, looking down at his outfit.

Chuuya stepped forward to stand before Atsushi, who had just come out of their shared bathroom after finishing getting changed. He latched his hands onto Atsushi’s tie and began tightening just a little further, not because it was necessary, or that it needed fixing. But because it gave Chuuya an excuse to stand this close to Atsushi while he admired him. To touch and hold onto him when he looked like this.

“Perfect,” Chuuya breathed, like whispering a secret to himself that wasn’t intended to be heard by anyone else. But Atsushi had heard and Chuuya was too captivated in looking at the younger to care how embarrassingly transparent he was being, so he looked up and confidently met Atsushi’s eyes. “You look perfect, Atsushi.”

And that was what they had to part with, as Chuuya and Atsushi made their way to the wedding ceremony by different cars. Because Chuuya had certain duties to fulfil as Paul’s best man, he was driven by a specifically shared car with the rest of the groomsmen, while Atsushi went along with the rest of the guests in seperate cars. The ceremony’s location in itself was beautifully done up, white veiled chairs laced with pale pink roses decorating their backs, were lined with perfect precision either side of the aisle. With Paul and Arthur always loving the ocean, the ceremony was set on a cliff side that over looked the ocean below, the aisle leading down to the rose bush archway where the two grooms would stand as they wedded. 

All the guests settled in their places first, the groomsmen on both sides of the family walking up onto their positions at the end of the aisle next, standing on either side of the flower entangled archway. Chuuya came and stood a foot behind Paul, and a few paces away from the other groomsmen as with being the best man. He watched as Pual’s eyes stayed focused on the aisle, as though risking taking his eyes away for even a second would make him miss the moment Arthur came walking down.

It made one side of Chuuya’s lips tick up in a lopsided smile as he quietly asked Paul the answer to a question he already knew, but for the sake it it, “You ready?”

“Have been since the moment I met him,” Paul responded without missing a beat.

Chuuya fondly rolled his eyes at that, “Such a sap.”

Paul lightly smiled at Chuuya’s teasing comment, before a melody of piano music starting to play let them know Arthur was about to come walking down the aisle any moment now, and then that amused smile was softening in an instant. The little cousins came out first, throwing flowers down the aisle as they created a beautiful path for Arthur, who then revealed himself. He came walking down the aisle at the call of the piano, wearing a white tailcoat suit and grasping a mixed boquet of Elder Flowers and Italian Blue Bells to his chest. He wore a long, plain, transparent veil that trailed down to the petal covered grass behind him as he walked, only the outline of the veil styled with lace. 

The veil being placed on top of Arthur’s long dark hair that was left freely tumbling down his shoulders and back, with one single small platt mixed into his dark strands that matched Paul’s own. Arthur’s eyes focused on nothing but Paul, the yellow shinning in the sunlight until they became golden, his gaze filled with an incomprehensible amount of love. Arthur passed by all the guests, coming to stand in front of Paul as the two joined hands, two unbearably soft smiles on their faces.

But through it all, just like a year ago, when Chuuya should have had his attention focused on the main event, almost inevitably, he found his eyes straying to Atsushi. He spotted Atsushi sitting next to Kyouka amidst the guests like there was no one else in the crowd, finding him like there was nothing else to look at. Atsushi’s eyes flicked over to Chuuya, their gazes catching for only a single accidental moment to have them locked indefinitely into place.

Paul and Arthur’s voices started to fade as they began promising their vows, the world around Chuuya falling deaf to his ears as he and Atsushi gazed at each other from across the crowd. He was supposed to watching his brother marry the love of his life. But instead, he couldn’t pull his eyes away from Atsushi. Atsushi, and his sparkling eyes that had golden flakes dancing around them under the sun’s spotlight, like stars revealing themselves as the day slipped into night, his lips curling like a crescent moon as he smiled the softness of the moon’s light, all while he looked at Chuuya.

Atsushi and his eyes. Atsushi and his smile. Atsushi as a whole. Atsushi, Atsushi, Atsushi.

He felt himself being everlastingly consumed by the other, day and night, not even a single moment spared where Atsushi wasn’t bewitching him. Consumed by his thoughts, his body, his soul, his entire being. The younger was becoming his worlds turning endlessly on orbit, down every path he found himself leading back to Atsushi since the day the boy entered his life. And if that wasn’t the most terrifying revelation for Chuuya to be having in this moment.

Yet, all Chuuya could do was let himself sink fatally and indelibly further into Atsushi, not knowing where this fall would take him.  

He watched as Atsushi used his pointer finger to flick the tip of his nose at Chuuya, the glinting of tears starting to well in his creased eyes, and Chuuya knew they were nothing less of happy tears, that their signal was far from one of distress. Chuuya breathed a huff of a laugh, the sound relaying watery to his own ears, not even knowing until then that all his emotions around the wedding, Atsushi, his old friends and family, had officially caught up to him in this moment. In the moment where he had his eyes softened on nothing else but Atsushi.

Chuuya flicked the tip of his nose back with a private smile. Then the moment was broken with the sound of cheering and clapping as their guests raised from their seats to stand as they celebrated the newly weds. Chuuya watched as Atsushi tore his gaze away from him to watch Paul and Arthur share their first kiss as husbands, raising from his seat along with the rest of the crowd at the same time the tears that had welled in the younger’s eyes finally fell down onto his cheeks in two diamond streaks, as he clapped. 

Chuuya similarly ripped his gaze from Atsushi a moment later, inhaling and exhaling a shaky breath as he swallowed back down the tears that had been trying to crawl up into his eyes. Chuuya wasn’t one to cry easily, it took a lot for him to even have tears springing to his eyes, the pinprick warning that they were about to form almost foreign to him. But he had felt the rare sting of tears trying to move from the back of his eyes to the front just then. He supposed weddings had that effect on people.

Chuuya turned his head to the side, watching Paul dip Arthur in their kiss. He grinned, starting to clap his own hands as well. Unbeknownst to the knowledge that Kouyou had witnessed Chuuya and Atsushi’s private exchange, oblivious that she had just unraveled the truth as she saw the emotions that had passed over both the boys faces.

— 

The wedding reception had followed the ceremony shortly after, and Atsushi was currently at the buffet, deciding on what foods both he and Chuuya liked. His eyebrows were pinched deep in thought, scanning each food item carefully and half trying to figure out what some food even was. Atsushi was not used to the type of food that the wealthy could afford, it didn’t help that he had almost no experience in ranges of food until Chuuya came along.

“I know that face, I used to be as confused as you on what half this food was when I first met the families.”

Atsushi glanced up at someone addressing him, finding that Sharise had wondered over to him and was holding two separate drinks in both his hands. He gave Atsushi a smile, holding out of the glasses to Atsushi in a silent offer for him to take it.

“Oh, uh,” Atsushi blanked for a moment, not excepting to interact with Sharise at all during this entire event considering how distant the older had been and now Atsushi knew the story of why. “Yeah, I’m a bit out of my element.”

Sharise chuckled lightly and silence lapsed over them for a few moments as Atsushi directed his attention back to the food, feeling awkward and not knowing what else to say to Sharise. Forgetting to take the drink Sharise was offering, the other retracted it easily back to his chest.

“Chuuya tells us that your extremely hard working in both school and the job you have. In his words, you’re one of the most hard working people he knows,” Sharise continued.

“Oh… That’s sweet of him,” Atsushi glanced back at Sharise, before straight back down to the food.

“Yeah,” Sharise hummed. “It makes me wonder what you’re doing with someone like him.”

Atsushi paused, shifting his eyes back over to Sharise as his brows furrowed slightly. “I’m sorry?”

“Oh, you know,” Sharise tried to play his comment of lightheartedly. “It’s just that Chuuya comes from a family of hard earned business people who have all been successful in their well-earning and intellectual fields. And then there’s Chuuya, who decided to be the black sheep of the family and do art of all things, that’s not going to pay his bills one day. I mean, I think the rich are generally snobs, but you kind of drew the short straw of the family didn’t you?” He laughed to himself.

Atsushi was dumbstruck, completely speechless to what Sharise had just said to him. Hearing someone talk down on Chuuya like they had any right to made something flare up in Atsushi like it never had before. Similar to when he’d stopped the fight between Akutagawa and Mark in his first year, or when he challenged Kouyou on his defensiveness for Kyouka’s adoption. But so much stronger.

It was like every bone in his body was aching to contain the intense passion Atsushi had to make Sharise take back everything he’d just said. But Atsushi didn’t let his fury show on his face this time, he wasn’t impulsive, or physically strong like Chuuya and he had a far better restraint then to throw a punch. Oh, did Atsushi feel like forgetting about all his morals for a single moment for him to slip in just one harmless punch. But he didn’t. Atsushi’s strength had always been within his words.

Instead, he straightened his posture, nodding once with a faux considerate expression spread across his features, before speaking, “Alright, do you want to know what I think?”

“Hit me with it,” Sharise leered, momentarily widening his arm to emphasise his point, allowing Atsushi all he had to say.

“I think you’re jealous.”

Sharise’s cockily confident expression faltered at Atsushi’s word, clearly taken by surprise, not having expected Atsushi to say that. “What?”

“Chuuya’s actually at the top of his class in art, having both talent and skill. He also has already been offered a scholarship into one of the most prestigious school of arts for college next year, on nothing but recognition, because as you pointed out, it’s not as though he’s lacking the money. So you don’t need to waste your concerns on Chuuya failing in his chosen career.”

Sharise scoffed. “It’s sweet of you to be trying to defend your boyfriend in his ‘success’, but that still doesn’t explain why you think I’m jealous.”

“Im not done,” Atsushi said unwaveringly.

He didn’t know where his sudden confidence was coming from, like all those times people had told him about seeing his demeanour change from timid to unquestionable in the same moment. This moment was one of those moments and now Atsushi could finally understand what his friends meant, because once he started, the words did not stop coming.

“I think you’re jealous, because Chuuya is going down a pathway in his life that he is both passionate about and is already showing success at. Because you limited yourself in your options, you never got the chance to pursue whatever it was you desired since you believed it wouldn’t culminate to success. And it kills you to see Chuuya take an approach in life so different to the rest of his family and still be as successful as the rest of them.”

Sharise had gone completely silently, lips pinched in a thin line as he bit down on the back of his jaw. Atsushi didn’t relent, “The only way you then know how to make yourself feel superior is to hope that Chuuya will fail in his art, so you can feel triumphant from being proven right that your close-minded perception that success is only rooted in academic type careers. So you’re only saying this out of your own insecurity making you feel inferior when you’re surrounded by a bunch of successful individuals on a daily basis. And do you wanna know why you feel inferior?”

Atsushi paused, giving Sharise a chance to answer. When the other didn’t respond right away, Atsushi finished regardless, “It’s not because you don’t come from money. It’s because you’ve spent too much time focusing on putting the rest of these people down for their hard earned success that you haven’t bothered to get on you’re own two feet and try to work your way up yourself. Maybe you should try focusing on being more concerned about yourself than Chuuya.”

Without waiting around for Sharise to form a response, for one last show of admitted pettiness, Atsushi plucked the drink Sharise had offered him at the start of this conversation into his own hand, and took a sip. “Mm, strawberry, my favourite.”

Then Atsushi turned around and left.

Just after Atsushi had left the buffet, Albatross started laughing hysterically, having eavesdropped on the entire conversation from the other side of the buffet.

“He’s got you there,” Albatross said after calming his laugh into a chuckle.

While, Atsushi had walked off to go find Chuuya, forgetting about getting something to eat and placing the glass Sharise had got for him on a passing table, having lost his appetite. He didn’t want the happy day to be spoiled with his interaction with Sharise, though, so he took a calming deep breath and smiled when he saw Chuuya.

“Come dance with me, Love,” Atsushi said sweetly as he swooped up beside Chuuya, taking ahold of one of his hands.

Chuuya blinked up to Atsushi, realising it was just him as a small smile pulled at his lips. “Sure.”

Atsushi led Chuuya over to the dance floor, finding a space between some other guests as they got into position. Chuuya stepped close to Atsushi until their chests brushed together, gazing up at him as he placed a hand on Atsushi’s shoulder as Atsushi held him by the waist, their other free hands clasped out to the side. The music was a slow and gentle melody, so the two calmly swayed to his lull, content to just look at each other for a while.

“It was a very beautiful ceremony,” Atsushi started making quiet conversation after a while, glancing up to look around them and appreciate the interior once again.

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.” Chuuya stepped back and Atsushi picked up on the hint, similing as he naturally followed through the motion with spinning Chuuya below their raised arms, before stepping back together.

“I didn’t really ever think I’d find myself crying at a wedding, the concept of weddings always seemed kind of unnecessary. I thought it was just enough to love someone without having to marry them to prove how deep the emotion goes.”

“You don’t,” Chuuya considered easily, watching Atsushi as he rambled his thoughts with fond eyes.

“But this might have opened my mind to considering marriage in a different light. I’m really happy you took me along to this trip.” Atsushi dipped his head down and pressed their foreheads together, sliding his fingers along Chuuya’s with the hands that originally had just their palms pressed together, interlacing their fingers as he confessed,“You know, Chuuya. If I was going to be in a fake relationship with anyone, I’m glad it was you.”

—

On the last day of the wedding holiday, Atsushi and Chuuya were spending their last night cooped up in their hotel room. 

Curtesy of Paul and Arthur’s consideration, for the left over guests and family members not in a hurry to leave, they were booked to stay in the hotel one last day and night after the wedding. That’s how Atsushi, Chuuya, Albatross, Lippmann and all the little cousins from Arthur’s side of the family ended up huddled in Chuuya and Atsushi’s hotel room. They had splayed out layers of blankets and pillows on the large open space in their room, while they sat on the floor in a circle, around a board of Monopoly.

The older of the younger cousins were playing on their own team, while the younger ones partnered up for their teams. Just like how Albatross and Lippmann were a team, as well as Atsushi and Chuuya. It was a messy game, filled with a lot of yelling, too many pillows being thrown across the room at each other and a pile of half eaten snacks scattered across the floor. 

“What?!” Albatross yelled exaggeratedly at his piece just being sent to jail, his overemphasised actions almost making him spill the glass of wine he was holding.

“Don’t waste good wine,” Chuuya threatened seriously, making a few of them chuckle.

The room was lit up by the dim orange glow of the fire pit, the lights otherwise turned off. It made the entire atmosphere feel cozy, like Atsushi could slip off into one of his best sleeps he’d ever had, if only he wasn’t riled up from the dramatic effect Monopoly had on all people. Because of how emotive the reactions spread across the game were, Chuuya and Atsushi had never been so publicly all over each other, both screaming insults in synch when something didn’t go their way, and cheering happily when it did, kissing one another’s forehead or cheeks.

Like now, when Atsushi rolled the perfect number on the dice they needed to buy the property he knew Albatross and Lippmann had their eye on since the start. Chuuya and Atsushi cheered as the two older men groaned.

“Fuck yeah!” Chuuya grinned at the men they just robbed, before turning to face Atsushi, dipping in close to his ear with a teasingly suggestive tone. “I’ll have to reward you for that roll later.”

“Woah, woah! There are children present. My gosh you two,” Lippmann playfully chided as he gasped dramatically. While he also tucked the two closest children into his chest by putting a hand over each of their eyes, shielding them from the violation of their innocence. The children were just giggling the whole time, though.

Atsushi shoved Chuuya’s face away from his with as much of a deadpan look as he could muster, hoping to pass over the way his face was burning from Chuuya’s seductive tone as his earlier laughter. The night continued as smooth as a game of Monopoly could after that, all their throats  hurting by the end of it, but it was still a very enjoyable night.

If Atsushi took one thing away from this entire experience now that he was reflecting on it as it came to its close. It’d be that he didn’t know someone could feel so many different emotions over the course of five days. 

—

A few days had been and went since the trip at the wedding and Chuuya hadn’t seen Atsushi since. He knew Atsushi would be working almost all time for the rest of the holidays, since he was granted leave for Paul and Arthur’s wedding. It allowed them space to attend to their own seperate needs that they’d put off since being away for the last five days. It also allowed Chuuya to reflect on the wedding trip and all the new emotions and revelations he’d experienced over the course of each day.

And tonight specifically, he found himself laying awake in bed, trapped in an endless loop of thinking about something Atsushi had said to him at the wedding. Atsushi had told him he was glad it was Chuuya he was in this fake relationship facade with if it had to be anyone. That had caught Chuuya entirely off his guard, all his walls subconsciously surrendering under the presence of Atsushi, and he hadn’t realised the younger had that effect on him until he felt himself be stunned right down to a lack of thoughts from Atsushi’s confession.

His utter surprise hadn’t shocked him as heavily as it did by the comment itself, but instead it was the reminder that they were only in a fake relationship. For a moment, one fatally, irrevocable moment, Chuuya had forgotten it was all fake. And then it hit him, the revelation coming crashing into him and stealing all oxygen from his lungs. The reason why Atsushi’s comment had stayed stubbornly poking around his mind for a bothersome reason he could not yet understand.

It wasn’t because Chuuya disagreed with Atsushi and was unhappy about having gone through this entire journey with the other. He was bothered because he was reminded it was all fake. 

Oh.

Oh.

Chuuya was in love with Atsushi. 

Chuuya was in love with Atsushi like it was the most realest thing in his entire life.

His eyes stared unblinkingly at his bedroom ceiling, lips parting with a unstable breath slipping past them. How could he have been so blind? This entire time he hadn’t been tricking everyone else into believing he and Atsushi were in love, he was only ever fooling himself, as he had been falling in love for real.

A flurry of emotions came with Chuuya’s realisation. First there was the relief, like he finally found the key to a door that had been slammed shut and locked, waiting around in the back of his mind to be opened. Then it was the warm and gentle but so incredibly intense feeling of affection consuming his entire being as he remembered he was in love with Atsushi. He’d never been in love before, he didn’t know how powerful the emotion was until that passion now burned for someone in his life.

Then came the fear falling down on him like a shower of rain to stamp out to the flames. Chuuya had never felt this way for anyone before, he didn’t understand the was others would express their concerns about losing the person they longed to be with. But now, Chuuya was absolutely terrified at that prospect. Losing Atsushi? He couldn’t even begin to think about what he’d do. How if he did, time’s continuation would promise him a future without Atsushi.

Chuuya tossed and turned in his bed, sleep unwilling to come to him with his heart trying to fly out of his chest. After a few more minutes of futile attempts to lure sleep in, he got out of bed with an irritated huff, sitting himself down on his window seat. Chuuya tucked his knees to his chest, loosely dangling his arms around them as he titled his head up to the sky. He watched the stars and even then he could not get his mind off Atsushi. How could he, when all he saw as he looked up at the twinkling lights were the stars that shinned in those sunset eyes whenever Atsushi would laugh?

Chuuya groaned, dropping his head into his knees as he carded his fingers through his hair out of habit whenever he was extremely stressed about something. This had never happened to him before, and of all people, it should not have been with Atsushi. That was the rule. The very first rule of fake dating was that it was meant to stay fake. And then Chuuya found himself dangling off the edge of the world, tightly gripping on with his hands but slowly lifting finger, by finger throughout every moment with Atsushi, until he let go and was falling that seemingly endless drop in love.

He just had to get to know Atsushi, spend time with him so much so that he started to wish it was even more. Had to watch the younger’s adorable face light up when Chuuya did something for him, even the smallest of actions earned such genuine responses from Atsushi that it made Chuuya’s heart ache, Atsushi unknowingly pulling at his heart strings until Chuuya had started unconsciously doing things to try and see that specific expression as often as possible. He just had to be in the front row seats to see purple, like sapphires, and yellow, like gold, eyes crinkle into perfect crescents when he smiled. 

And that smile never ceases to captivate Chuuya, holding him hostage to being physically incapable of looking anywhere else in the room but Atsushi when he wore his happiness so transparently on his face. It was like the smile was telling, tempting Chuuya to look, and so how couldn’t he? He just had to go and get to know Atsushi better than anyone else, all the little things that no one else knew. Like what he did when he fidgeted, how Chuuya knew when and how to calm the anxiety he could sense. What Atsushi looked like when he was nervous, what scared him and made him laugh, what he was passionate about and what spices he liked mixed into his food.

He just had to go and fall in love with Atsushi.

The distant rumble of a car pulling up onto the driveway below him had Chuuya pulled out of his thoughts. He lifted his head, looking down from his second floor window, where he saw Kouyou had just arrived home from work, getting out of her car. Chuuya considered he for a moment, deciding that out of any time he’s needed her as a mother, now would be more than ever. Even if that meant having to tell her the truth, he figured it was about time he came clean after almost a year.

Chuuya made his way downstairs, following the sound of someone making noise in the kitchen. It was sometime past midnight, Kouyou working late like usual and she was currently making herself some tea.

“Mum,” Chuuya started, sitting down at one of the stools of the island counter.

Kouyou looked over her shoulder to Chuuya. “Why are you up so late?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Chuuya shrugged, halfheartedly. Kouyou eyed him for a few seconds with that scrutinising gaze Chuuya hated, it always made him feel like she could see straight through him and know what he was going to say next. Which, most of the time she did, but this time, surely she couldn’t.

“Something on your mind?” Kouyou asked, turning back around to stir her tea.

“Yeah, actually…” Silence lapsed over them as Kouyou patiently waited for Chuuya to find the right words. When he did speak up again, this time he had prepared himself, closely watching her back. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Kouyou merely hummed in response. Chuuya waited one more second, before the truth came tumbling out. “Atsushi and I… Our relationship, it’s fake. We’ve been faking it.”

Kouyou stopped stirring her tea and if Chuuya could see her face, he’d see the smile curling at her lip. The kitchen was deafeningly silent for what felt like hours to Chuuya, and for as much as he prided himself on not being scared of much, a disappointed mother could do it.

“I know,” Kouyou replied, voice completely calm. Too calm for this to have come as a surprise to her, but it would have had to. Chuuya shook his head despite knowing she couldn’t see.

“No, no. I’m not talking about how you paid him to try and date me- he came clean about that from the beginning. Point is!” Chuuya vaguely gestured with his hands as he rambled, his mouth spewing out words before thinking them through. “Atsushi and I came up with a deal to fake the relationship, for both our benefits,” Chuuya’s voice trailed into a murmur at the end, eyes dropping to the kitchen counter. 

Kouyou turned around, raising her cup of tea to her lips, the steam from the hot water twirling in front of her knowing eyes.

“Chuuya, I know.”

Chuuya’s eyes snapped back up to hers. “You… You do?” He winced.

She chuckled, before taking a sip of her tea. “Do you know what I’ve been seeing as I watched your whole ‘relationship’, Chuuya?” Chuuya huffed and shrugged, Kouyou taking that as her cue to keep going. “I’ve been seeing you fall in love.”

Chuuya watched her from under his long, light eyelashes. The feeling of being seen straight through was no longer uncommon when it came to his mother. He should have known better. Of course she knew.

“Being in a relationship implies that you’re already In love. But, that’s not what I’ve been seeing. What I saw was the fall,” she smiled at him softly. “And the fall only happens during.” 

Chuuya exhaled through his nose, slouching back in his chair. “You’re right,” he admitted calmly, his voice steady in a way he didn’t think it would be. But it was the truth and there was zero point in denying himself the verbal verification of it. “What do I do?” He asked, pleaded.

“What else? Confess, of course,” Kouyou stated simply.

Chuuya frowned disbelievingly, looking at her as if she had just told him to confess up to a murder he didn’t commit, it made no sense to him. “What? I can’t just do that!” 

“Why not?”

“Because,” he urged, “The whole rule of fake dating is that it’s fake. What am I meant to even say? I’m just meant to confess that; I know this was meant to be fake, but all of my feelings that started off in that boundary have broken it and I can’t even remember when. I don’t even know the exact moment where everything that was once fake became real, but god Atsushi, I know they are. And i think falling in love with you was the best mistake of my life…” Chuuya’s voice tapered out for the last sentence, calming into a hushed tone as his eyes drifted away with his thoughts. He hadn’t even realised he was speaking what started as a mock then became his true feelings seeping through, until he was so caught up that he wasn’t even tracking what his mind was saying.

Kouyou smiled at him a knowing look and gently said, “Yes, Chuuya. That is exactly what you need to say.” 

—

Atsushi and Chuuya had gone out together for the last day of the holidays. Atsushi had been tirelessly working hard at the restaurant and hadn’t found much time for anything else but his routinely visits with Kyouka. So it was nice to have Chuuya reach out to him and try and squeeze in an outing for the last day they had left before they dived straight back into school for the last term of the school year. 

The last day of the holidays also happened to be Boxing Day, while Atsushi was unfortunately packed with work on Christmas day, so much so that he didn’t get time to celebrate it. He appreciated that Chuuya wanted to use today as a late Christmas and celebrate it by taking him out and doing all sorts of fun things for the day. They’d started off with going to the movies, had walked around to look at all the Boxing Day sales in shops for a while, until they sat down and ate lunch. After lunch, Chuuya had then sweetly surprised Atsushi with buying them hot chocolate for desert. As it was still too cold outside during the winter, despite today luckily not snowing, they mainly stuck to indoor activities. 

But Atsushi could tell something had been off with Chuuya from the moment he picked him up from his house, to now, as they collected some skates and starting ice skating on the frozen river with some other public members. Chuuya had been looking desperate to tell him something, but each time he opened his mouth as if he were about to lift whatever weight had settled on his chest, he’d either change his words, or the subject last minute. 

Atsushi didn’t know what was spinning through Chuuya’s mind to have him in a torn mindset the entire day, but Atsushi was nothing if patient, he was prepared to play oblivious and not mention anything about Chuuya’s strange behaviour. But by the end of their outing, just as they stopped in the middle of the path where they knew to part when they went their seperate ways, Atsushi didn’t know if his patience was as unending as he thought.

“Okay, I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” Atsushi smiled kindly at Chuuya.

“Yeah, definitely.”

Atsushi and Chuuya stepped forward, removing their hands from their pockets to spread their arms so that the two could do their usual parting hug and kiss on the cheek. But then Chuuya stopped halfway, pulling back before they could connect. Atsushi pulled back as well, watching as Chuuya’s eyes faltered, averting his gaze from Atsushi as he pinched his lips. Too many emotions were flitting across the shorter’s face for Atsushi to decipher what exactly he was feeling during the next few seconds of Atsushi’s confused silence.

Atsushi’s stress had been perplexedly building throughout the day about what was so clearly on Chuuya’s mind, bugging at Chuuya to say, but decidedly not. Atsushi had sifted through so many possibilities on what the issue was. But now, catching onto Chuuya physically pulling back from touching him with the affections that were normal for them, Atsushi’s mind was jumping to the worst case scenario. He couldn’t help it, Atsushi had always been an over thinker. But when it came to being around Chuuya, the longer he got to know the red-head, through all they had done together, he’d found his spiralling mind starting to quiet down.

He started to let himself live purely in the moment and enjoy what was happening in his life, rather than succumbing to the thoughts that drowned him. And now, Chuuya was also the same person who brought that wave coming crashing back. Chuuya was two sides of the same coin, and what dangerous power that gave him over Atsushi’s emotions.

Chuuya offered one last wave and halfhearted smile before he turned his back on Atsushi and started walking away. Atsushi stood frozen in the street, watching Chuuya until his back disappeared into the crowd. It took a minute before he was spinning around, the sound of his heart starting to consume his ears as he pulled out his phone, clicking on a familiar contact with shaky fingers and started walking down the street in the opposite direction.

The phone rung once, twice, three times. Then it connected and before the other person could get a word out, Atsushi was speaking.

“I think Chuuya’s going to break up with me,” Atsushi choked out, his throat feeling unusually tight.

“Woah, woah. Take a second to breathe, Man-Tiger,” came Akutagawa’s voice from the other side of his phone speaker. His words were as blunt and unsympathetic as usual, but Atsushi could hear the worry creeping around the edge of his uncaring tone.

Atsushi did as Akutagawa told and took a deep breath as the street quickly passed by, his feet hurriedly carrying him to his apartment as his panic made him walk faster. 

“I think Chuuya’s going to break up with me,” Atsushi repeated his previous statement once he regained himself, it came out a lot more calmer and controlled this time, though his voice still slightly shook.

“Why? What’s going on?” Akutagawa asked patiently, keeping his voice level as to subconsciously sooth Atsushi’s as well. He’d seen more of Atsushi’s panic attacks than he used to like to admit, but if there was one person he could count on to trust when he was this panicked, it would Akutagawa.

“I- I don’t know, it’s just today he’s been- and I don’t know what’s happened. And-”

“Where are you right now?” Akutagawa cut off Atsushi’s anxious rambling.

“I’m walking through the streets now. Chuuya just left, so I’m on my way home.”

“Okay, good. Im coming to yours now, be there in five,” was the last thing Akutagawa said before hanging up, the last thing Atsushi being able to hear as the jingle of keys from the other line.

Atsushi shoved his phone back in his pocket and continued briskly walking to his apartment, rehearsing his breathing exercises while he was at it. When he finally got there, Akutagawa had arrived just in time. They both locked eyes, before immediately heading inside. Atsushi locked the door once they were both in, ungracefully dumping his bag down on the floor and going to stand in the living room. While, Akutagawa leaned back against the kitchen counter, folding his arms over his chest, as he directed Atsushi with a stern look.

“Okay, talk.”

Atsushi started rambling, pacing the living room in a need to wear out is sudden agitation. “I’m not sure if I did something to annoy Chhuya, or anything. But he looked like he wanted to tell me something the entire day, but he didn’t.”

“Okay? Why are you so sure it’s a bad thing?” Akutagawa interjected.

“When we said goodbye at the end of the day, Chuuya went to give me our usual hug and kiss. But then he pulled back and just left!” Atsushi stressed. Akutagawa nodded slowly, taking in every bit of information with a clear mind. Then Akutagawa seemed to consider something as he carefully said his next words.

“So, what would be the issue if you two did end up breaking up?” Akutagawa weighed Atsushi with a dangerously knowing look, watching the him with calculated eyes, all that suggested he understood something he wasn’t meant to.

But in Atsushi’s frantic state of mind, the question flew straight over his head. He started rambling again without thought, missing the look Akutagawa was directing at him, “It’s bad because I’m someone who doesn’t fall for people easy. No one’s ever come and swooped me off my feet. You, of all people, know I’ve never had that kind of interest in others before. But ever since Chuuya and I have been together, through everything, I’ve found myself falling before I even knew it! So we can’t break up now because I’ve only just realised that I’m in love with him!”

As soon as the words, the truth, his fate left his lips, the realisation had him frozen as his mind finally caught up to his mouth. Atsushi’s hands slapped over his mouth, muffling as gasp, with his eyes blown wide as he stared blankly, the shock settling all throughout his entire body. A satisfied smile curved its way onto Akutagawa’s face.

“I’m in love with Chuuya,” Atsushi whispered the words this time, repeating them again as if he still couldn’t believe they were true, or that he had been so ignorant to the fact. “For real,” came breathlessly after another beat.

“Yeah, ‘for real’,” Akutagawa smirked, to which Atsushi snapped out of his trance, darting his head towards Akutagawa like he’d forgotten he was in the room.

A need to backtrack his words started to cause another bubble or panic rising in his chest, remembering that no one knew their relationship was fake and what Atsushi just said probably made no sense.

“Uh, I mean, it was always real,” Atsushi stumbled a weak excuse. “I just… uhm…,” he trailed off.

Akutagawa’s chest starting shaking again as an honest-to-god laugh started rocking his chest and shoulders, dropping his head down for a moment to sober his face into a mock deadpan as he looked at Atsushi and said, “Don’t bother with even trying. I know the relationship is fake.”

Atsushi’s face slackened, staring at Akutagawa with wide eyes like a deer caught in headlights. His mouth opened and closed a few times, like a fish uselessly flopping about when pulled out of water.

“You- you do?”

Akutagawa fixed Atsushi with an unimpressed look, as if it were obvious he knew, but that made no sense because he and Chuuya had been so careful. The only person they knew from the start that would see through their charade was Ranpo, by his incredible deduction default. 

“Yeah, when I was in your room putting something away in your closet, a piece of paper fell out.” Atsushi face was starting to turn pale as he listened to Akutagawa’s explanation, putting two and two together. He formed an ‘o’ shape with his mouth, but no sound could get past the knot in his throat. “Do you want to know what the title of the paper was?” 

The question was rhetorical and definitely just to put salt in the wound, because Akutagawa was still an ass of a best friend. Atsushi looked at him with half lidded, unimpressed eyes, just waiting for the other to get it over an done with. 

Akutagawa smirked, “It said, and I quote: ‘Chuuya and Atsushi’s Fake Dating Rules’.” 

Atsushi groaned and flopped down on the edge of the couch, resting his elbows on his knees as he buried his face in his hands. 

“Not exactly smart of you to give the page a title and then hide it that poorly, dumbass.” 

Atsushi grumbled incoherently with his face pressed into his hands, then the both of them fell silent for a minute, Akutagawa taking mercy on him as he stopped his teasing to give Atsushi a moment to calm down, gather his thoughts and breathe. When Atsushi looked up again, he dropped his hands from his face, resting them limply on his knees. He looked to Akutagawa, his eyes filled with so much hope and doubt at the same time. 

“What do I do?” Atsushi whispered desperately.

Akutagawa scanned his eyes over Atsushi’s face, before sighing a moment later. Nakajima Atsushi, his best friend who he never thought was capable of falling in love, had been possessed by the one person he agreed not to fall for. Atsushi looked so lost, in the way Akutagawa hadn’t seen him like since he first escaped the orphanage, fresh to the school, without anyone by his side. Over the years he’d become more sure of himself, and his earnest devotion to his schooling, work and Kyouka had given him stability. Given him things for him to focus his attention on, value the importance of and therefore not find other things to direct his attention on that could sweep the rug from beneath his feet and all his stability would come crashing down. 

Then Chuuya had come into his life. In a blinding blaze of orange, splashed across Atsushi’s blank and lonely snow white canvas, Chuuya had added colour into his life, warmed his heart that he thought would forever stay cold. Chuuya had come crashing through all his walls without even meaning to and Atsushi had done nothing but surrender himself over.

“Tell him,” Akutagawa stated after a minute, plain and simple. Atsushi opened his mouth to refute the statement, his features already contorting back into distress. But Akutagawa interrupted him before he could, hardening his gaze to tell Atsushi he was completely serious. “Atsushi. Tell him. Think of it this way, if you don’t tell him, then knowing you, you would end your fake relationship out of guilt, feeling as though you’re taking advantage of him. And if you do tell him, and he feels the same, your fake relationship wouldn’t have to ever end, instead it’d only become real.” 

Atsushi took a deep breath, looking back into the living room to avoid Akutagawa’s heavy stare. “And if he doesn’t feel the same?” He asked quietly, but it wasn’t hesitant, Atsushi had long crossed the line or hesitance, he had already dived in head first.

Akutagawa softened his gaze only a hint. “Then things were always going to end at some point, and it’s best to happen sooner rather than later.” 

Atsushi didn’t say anything after that and Akutagawa didn’t push him to. They existed in each other’s silent presence for a while, Akutagawa quietly moving around the kitchen as he made food and Atsushi staring absently at the living room wall, lost down his trail of thoughts. He knew Akutagawa was right in everything he said and he wouldn’t be able to avoid the truth forever. No matter what he did, the fact that Atsushi was in love with Chuuya would remain. All he could do was decide where to go from here and every option seemed to lead back to the first point. 

“I’ll tell him,” Atsushi broke the silence, his voice louder and more confident than even he had expected. 

Perhaps two years ago, if Atsushi had gone through this then, he would have been a scared, hesitant and flustered mess. But when it came to Chuuya, he knew that he wanted to do this right, no matter what outcome he received, Chuuya deserved Atsushi’s truth. He wasn’t afraid to give him it. Even if that meant serving his heart on a silver platter to the one person who could brush it to the side, shattering it on the ground. Or take it tenderly, hold it close his own and protect it with all his love. 

Atsushi was willingly, and without doubt, giving someone the power to break him, because that is what power Atsushi had unconditionally given Chuuya. Atsushi wasn’t a kid anymore, wasn’t in the orphanage, hiding from shadows under a worn blanket. He wasn’t scared to face his fears anymore. 

“Good.” Akutagawa nodded. 

Then he placed his sandwich down on the counter and began approaching Atsushi. Atsushi looked up at Akutagawa, tracking his movements with intrigue as the other came to a stop a few feet away from him. Atsushi titled his head to the side in question.

“I’m going to offer you a hug now, only this once because this has been one of the hardest things to emotionally happen to you,” Akutagawa said slowly, holding out both of his arms with a twitching eyebrow. 

Atsushi blinked, before his entire face melted into delight, only serving to make Akutagawa’s eye twitch as well. Atsushi sprung from the couch and crashed into the other, wrapping his arms tightly around the taller’s shoulders. Akutagawa’s own arms came and hugged Atsushi around his middle, in a much looser hold as he awkwardly patted his back. 

Atsushi and Akutagawa didn’t hug often, the dark-haired boy never been big on touch. Akutagawa downright refused hugs from anyone else that wasn’t his sister, without question. But on occasion, he would allow Atsushi to hug him, during the rare times when the other could see that Atsushi needed him most. People were often frightened of Akutagawa and his death stares, his resting cold face and harsh comments spoken without care. But behind what everyone else saw, was a best friend, who cared about his best friend and showed it in his own private ways. Atsushi squeezed Akutagawa further, a fond smile pulling at his face.

“Thank you,” Atsushi mumbled and Akutagawa squeezed him subtly tighter back in response.

—

Snow was still piling down on the school when all students and teachers alike returned on the first day back, and Atsushi was left longing to be one of the millions of snowflakes that melted.

Atsushi hadn’t managed to see Chuuya the entire day, not a single run in, not even a single glance. By the end of the day, long after everyone had gone home and Atsushi had just finished classes in the Photography club, he knew there was still one last chance he had at catching Chuuya. He walked down the now familiar route to the art club, cautiously pushing open the door and spotting Chuuya predictably at the back of the room still working on a painting.

Chuuya flicked his gaze up from his art piece, doing a double take when he realised it was Atsushi who slipped into the room. Atsushi watched his tense expression sooth, his features becoming lighter as though he were in relief.

“Hey, you” Chuuya smiled, voice low with the silence of the late night. His eyes trailed Atsushi walking over to him, leaning his hip of the side of his desk while watching Chuuya. “I haven’t seen you today.”

“Yeah. I haven’t seen you either.” After a moment Atsushi quietly tagged on, “I thought you might have been avoiding me.”

“Huh? Of course not,” Chuuya was hastily responding, waving his paintbrush around and flicking paint carelessly onto the floor, too startled by Atsushi’s comment to realise. “I actually thought you were avoiding me,” Chuuya bitterly chuckled, his face tightening which gave his worry away.

“What?!” Atsushi gaped, suddenly reaching forward and accidentally knocking the paintbrush from Chuuya’s hands as he clasped his own around Chuuya’s smaller. The paintbrush ended up falling onto Chuuya’s lap, splattering paint onto his pants from the abrupt motion.

Both their eyes followed the paintbrush, Atsushi gasping as he let go of Chuuya’s hands to quickly pick it up. He hovered it above his pants, but the damage had already been done. 

“Chuuya, I am, so, so sorry! I-”

Atsushi snapped his head up as he felt something cold and wet brush across his cheek. He blinked at Chuuya, trialing the way the older was giving him a cheekily satisfied smile. “There, now we’re even.”

Atsushi spotted the new paintbrush Chuuya had acquired in his hands, realising that he must’ve just stroked a line of paint across his cheek. “Hey, that was on my skin. I made a mess of your clothes,” Atsushi objected, but there was already a betraying tinge of amusement in his tone.

“Oh? Come make it even then,” Chuuya teased a challenge, crossing his arms as he leant back in his chair, doubtful that Atsushi wouldn’t take him up on the offer.

But to his visible surprise, Atsushi used the paintbrush that had fallen onto Chuuya’s lap, now in his hand and flicked it with his wrist, causing droplets of paint to dot Chuuya’s face. Chuuya squeezed his eyes closed as he the paint stained his face, reopening his eyes in astonishment to see Atsushi pursing his lips in anticipation for the expected retaliation. But he wasn’t sacred, not a trace of fear could be found when his eyes shone with amusement.

Chuuya stared at Atsushi dumbfounded for one second. Two seconds. Before the both of them were moving from their positions at the same time, quickly getting up to latch their hands onto some more paint as they attacked each other. They ducked and ran around the whole art room, splattering the other with their paintbrushes as they dipped them into buckets of all colours, immediately flicking a slap of paint across the room to wherever the other stood.

They lost themselves in their laughs and the thrill they’d created, what once started as a playful argument becoming fight to the death as they made a battle field out of the art room. They covered the room, vacant of any other students, and thus careless to the amount of damage they were causing. Atsushi ended up pulling the nearest paint bucket into his possession, but instead of dipping his paint brush in, deciding it wasn’t doing enough damage, he gave up on the idea to instead favour dipping his hand into the paint and messily chuck a dripping handful at Chuuya.

That had the older riled up even further, his natural competitiveness winning him over as he splashed an entire bucket of blue paint onto Atsushi. It had them both bursting out in loud joyous laughter, so completely carefree as they drenched the art room that they knew they were going to have to clean up later, or face the school’s wrath. The only thing they were careful to stay clear of was Chuuya’s current art he was working on before they ended up like this.

They splattered each other from their hair to their shoes, in a rainbow of paint like the beauty of an entire art gallery encapsulated into two people. But then the next time Atsushi took a step forward, because of the paint covering the ground, he slipped. In a desperate attempt to gain balance, he blindly reached out and latched onto Chuuya, tugging the older down with him.

The two groaned as they collided onto the floor. Atsushi laying with his back to the floor as Chuuya crashed down on top of him. Their laughs started to simmer down, chests heaving against each other as they panted for air, letting their high come down as they stared into each other’s eyes. Chuuya’s face had landed so close to Atsushi, the tips of their noses barely brushing as the older held his face above Atsushi’s with a stabling hand pushed against Atsushi’s chests.

Their breathing mingled as Atsushi sunk further and further into the blue of Chuuya’s eyes, like the blue paint mixed along with countless others across both their bodies. He trailed his eyes along Chuuya’s face, over his purple paint stained eyelashes and down the slope of his nose, spotting the sliver of his rosy cheeks beneath the sections of paint smeared across the plump surface. It felt irresistible, the way his eyes continued dropping further, and further, until he landed on Chuuya’s lips, and Atsushi had never before felt a rush of so much desire.

Chuuya followed the movement, his eyes similarly dropping to Atsushi’s lips, as a bubble of mutually suffocating want, need for the other consumed them. They didn’t know who was leaning in first, maybe it was both at the same time, but in one irreversible instant, a pair of lips were captured in Atsushi’s own.

Chuuya kissed Atsushi with so much undying passion that it could have only been fueled from a seemingly endless amount of longing- and, oh, how long had Atsushi been truely waiting for this? Atsushi reached one of his hands up and held the side of Chuuya’s face, cupping his cheek like a lifeline and bringing their faces even further together, like the distance they had closed was still not enough. Atsushi didn’t know if it would ever be enough. It was indescribable and entirely consuming the way Atsushi felt, as their lips parted for one moment, in what started as a gentle and soft press of their lips from the very first touch, burned away in fiery passion by their longing for this exact moment, making Atsushi utterly melt.

He felt completely surrendered over to Chuuya under the tender press of his lips against his own, through each breath they stole from each other like they were their only oxygen. And none of it felt like enough. Atsushi placed one hand onto Chuuya’s waist, sliding it along the dip and up until he held Chuuya’s side as he lifted his head off the ground, and flipped their bodies over so that Atsushi was hovering above Chuuya, not separating their lips for even a second like it would kill them.

Chuuya allowed himself to be willingly shifted to the ground, hooking his legs on either side of Atsushi’s waist and wrapping them around Atsushi’s back until he clasped his ankles together. He snaked his arms around the younger’s neck, pulling them in with an unquestionable need to be closer, after being so far, for so long.

Rule number 1 of their fake relationship; No lip-to-lip kisses.

Fuck rule number 1.

Their lips parted, only to meet again, and again, and again. And through each kiss, the only message that was relayed and received from their lips to the other’s on an endless loop, was love. Honest, true, real love. All of Atsushi’s doubts had been vanished from the instant their lips met when the one emotion that stood out amidst the many others mixed in between, was the undeniable, unquestionable, distinct emotion of love.

“Atsushi.” Chuuya pulled back after a time both unknown and irrelevant to Atsushi, panting for a few seconds, before finding enough oxygen to form his words. “If I wasn’t clear enough just then, I’ve fallen in love with you and I want you, this. But for real this time.”

Atsushi smiled an uncontrollably happy grin as he looked down at Chuuya. “‘For real’, huh?” A smile started playing at Chuuya’s lips as well, nodding his head. Atsushi dipped down and brushed the tip of their noses together, before placing one last chaste kiss on Chuuya’s nose, then lips, then he was responding. “I’d like that very much, considering I’ve fallen in love with you too.”

A breath of relief escaped Chuuya’s lips, as if he still had lingering fear that Atsushi would say no, despite having their lips connected for the last however long. It made Atsushi’s grin stretch impossibly more, eyes crinkling as he watched Chuuya be unable to fight off his own grin. Chuuya let his eyes roam over Atsushi’s face and the amount of love held within a single gaze had Atsushi feeling stupid to how he could have possibly missed it before.

“Fuck, I’m so in love with you,” Chuuya breathed.

Atsushi laughed, a light, breathy, so very in love laugh, before he was ducking back down to engrave the taste and feeling of Chuuya’s lips to his own like he never would again.

And if by the time they finally pulled back, they were too happy to remember the mess that needed cleaning, completely absorbed in each other and forgetting the outside world existed. If that meant they made their way home to Atsushi’s house for the night to avoid getting questioned on the messes they were. 

If when they were clean and Chuuya was dressed in new clothes of Atsushi’s, that smelt so much like him, another wall separating Chuuya’s memory of the mess they left behind went up, because they were so comfortable and overwhelmingly happy. If that night they curled in bed together, wrapped around each other so warm and content, their eyes slipped close, like the reminder to clean up the mess slipped away. 

If that meant when morning came and they both headed to school, to be greeted by an extremely angry principle waiting for them as Atsushi walked with Chuuya to his classroom because it was closer. If they were given a witheringly stern look and knowingly asked if they knew what happened to the art classroom last night. 

If they both turned red and Ranpo, along with the rest of Chuuya’s friends in class smirked, as they realised the morning mystery that Atsushi and Chuuya were blissfully oblivious to, of the paint covered art room had now been solved with an answer better than any of them were expecting. If they were given a suspension for destruction of property and the whole day was spent with a bucket and mop in hand, scrubbing the art room clean. 

Then that was okay. More than okay, actually, because it meant despite the trouble, they got to spend the whole day together. A perfect way to spend the day after Atsushi got together with his boyfriend— who wasn’t really his boyfriend, but now was his boyfriend— if you asked them.