Chapter Text
“Well …” Adachi sighed, nervously rubbing his palms against his thighs. “A lot has happened. And you’re right, I am happier, but I also think … I mean, I think I’ve been happier ever since Kurosawa came into my life!”
“That was noticeable too,” Tsuge nodded, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. “So is it his fault again?”
“Uh … yes. Tsuge, Kurosawa and I … we are in a relationship now.”
For a moment, Tsuge’s expression didn’t change. It was as if Adachi’s words were still hanging above the table between them, carving their way through the air molecules at a painstakingly slow pace.
But then his eyes widened, shoulders tensing up as if he was waiting for something more.
His mouth opened halfway, and closed again. His eyes darted around, glancing behind Adachi and to either side of him, as if trying to cover all bases where Kurosawa possibly could be. It was like a circle, repeating in slow motion several times before his gaze finally settled somewhere else - Adachi could only assume that was where Rokkaku was standing.
He opened his mouth again, only then realizing he should probably face Adachi before he talks to him. But when their eyes met again, he still seemed somewhat shocked.
“Do you mean … that kind of relationship?”
“Yes,” Adachi nodded, feeling himself blush. “I know it’s only symbolic and … well, still, I’ve asked him to be my husband.”
“... and he said yes?”
“Oh, well, yes, but he told me his feelings first.”
Another glance aside, to the same spot as before but nowhere near as long.
“He did, huh … well that makes sense,” Tsuge nodded, his gaze falling to the empty plates on the table as he scratched his chin. “I didn’t know you were- I mean, not that it’s- well, it doesn’t matter anyway.”
“I didn’t know either, if it helps … that I like men, I mean. Yuuichi is the first one. I would have told you otherwise!”
“You wouldn’t have to. It’s okay.”
“Still, I would. You’re my best friend after all!”
“... thank you. Well, I am happy for you. And I can see, I mean … I wouldn’t exactly think of an angel, but … you’re a great guy. I knew it was just a matter of time,” he sighed, his expression finally relaxing as his lips turned into a slight smile. “He, uh … well, I don’t really know what to ask. He treats you well, right?”
“He does!”
“And … and, uh … you like him?”
“I really do. A lot!”
“That’s good. I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you! I was really excited to tell you! Haha, but also nervous of course …”
“Have you told anyone else?”
“... I had to clarify some things at work,” Adachi sighed, biting his lip. “But that’s different.”
“And your parents? Kazuya-kun?”
“Haven’t really gotten to it yet … I mean, we do text sometimes. Mom calls every now and then. I send some pictures of how the store is coming along. But I don’t really know … I feel like I’d want to share this in person.”
“Makes sense. I hope they- I mean, I don’t know why they wouldn’t … I hope they will support you. Have they met Kurosawa yet?”
“No … that makes me a little nervous too. I’d usually visit during the summer, but, well … we’ve been here. It’s just been a busy year.”
“I get you. I haven’t seen my folks in ages either.”
“But you got a whole book done in the meantime! That’s amazing, Tsuge. Can I come to the signing tomorrow?”
“... you would? We were going to take the train this evening, my agent already arranged a hotel for me.”
“That’s okay! We can come tomorrow morning. Will you send me the address?”
“Yeah … and please don’t buy the book this time! I have a copy set aside for you …”
“That’s not fair,” Adachi laughed. “If I invite you to the store opening once we’re done, I know you’ll buy something too!”
“But that’s not the same, it’s just one store and I have a lot of books …”
“Well I better get to it then! One store every year or two? I can do that! … No, honey that was a joke, I won’t actually- oh come on, you know I wouldn’t!”
Kurosawa still couldn’t stop himself from jumping in and taking care of Adachi. It was so cute, he didn’t even want to know just how hard he was blushing in front of Tsuge.
“Good thing you stopped him,” Tsuge gave a nod of approval in Kurosawa’s presumed direction. “Otherwise I would. You work too hard as is!”
“I’ll take some time off once we’re done. We’ll have to handle the move, and a new apartment, and I want to get rings for us as well.”
“Oh … you’ll- I mean, rings to wear?”
“Mhm! Oh, nothing too expensive … but I want to share rings with my husband!”
“That’s what they’re for, isn’t it … I just hope, uh … well, I suppose you don’t have to tell everyone … but I don’t know how that will go down with people.”
“So far it’s gone well. I know three people isn’t much, but everyone has been really nice.”
“They kinda have to, don’t they,” Tsuge chuckled. “Or else who knows what Kurosawa would do to them … joking, of course.”
“No, he agrees,” Adachi rolled his eyes. “And you really shouldn’t! Don’t get yourself in trouble over me, please … you still have to go back to heaven eventually, don’t make them kick you out.”
“I’m happy for you,” Tsuge repeated for the third time, watching half of their exchange with a soft smile. “And I’ll be putting this in a book, just so you know. Also, Rokkaku, your matchmaking services are really shit in comparison!”
“Ehhhh? Masato, do you want to go on a date?”
“Absolutely not! But don’t you have any lady friends you could set me up with?”
“.... most of them I already asked out and got rejected.”
“Whelp, guess it’s just us then - forever.”
“Ain’t that bad, is it?”
“Nah. You’re alright, Rokkaku. And I sure as hell aren’t finding any dates on my own.”
“Taking a vacation might help,” Adachi chimed in. “Otherwise you’re either writing in your apartment, or recovering from writing … still in your apartment.”
“Well I thought I could ask out my editor once I got popular enough … and once I managed to stick to enough deadlines.”
“You did mention that! How’s it going?”
“Well the deadlines are alright …but I also got an invite to her wedding.”
“Oh …”
“It’s next month. I think I’ll go … I didn’t like her that much anyway, it was just a crush … gaah, I’m horrible at this. Why is it never as easy as I can make it in the books?”
“I still think you’re great and you’ll definitely make someone’s life a fairytale!”
“... since when are you that cheesy,” Tsuge sighed with a smile. “Relationships, huh …“
“Y-Yeah … maybe. It feels a bit weird sometimes, being in love. But it’s nice! I hope you find that with someone too.”
“Thanks. It’s not the end of the world, but … I’ll keep trying. And maybe I do need to get out more. Not sure where though. Who would even be interested in someone like me …”
“Another artist maybe?”
“The illustrator who did my last cover was kinda cute … maybe I should write something that needs more pictures.”
“That’s a good idea! But you should take a break first … don’t exhaust yourself!”
“Don’t worry, I have like ten ideas on the list and I don’t even know what to work on next. Think you could look them over?”
“Can I? Yes please! Wait, let me move the chair so I can sit next to you … Yuuichi, we definitely need a big couch in our apartment! Large enough for all four of us!”
“... we’re included in your apartment plans?”
“Of course you are! I hope you’ll come visit whenever you can! Especially since your place is so tiny, Yuuichi’s wings don’t even fit in there …”
“Yeah I was thinking of moving lately … always thought I’d do it once I’d need more space with someone, but … well I probably shouldn’t wait for that. Anyway, tell me what you think of this! I have some notes on my phone … also something in my notepad … and there’s a napkin here somewhere, I don’t know where I put it …”
“A napkin? Tsuge, don’t you take your phone with you when you go out to eat?”
“I forgot that time.”
“But you had a pen?”
“No, I borrowed that from the guys at the table next to me. Then they left before I was done writing, so I accidentally stole a pen …”
“That’s amazing. You’re so dedicated, it’s so cool!”
“Is it, huh …”
“Yes! I wanna see the napkin idea first, it sounds intense!”
“I’ll find it … this bag only has so many pockets after all …”
“... looks like they’re having fun. I think that went well, eh?”
“Rokkaku, you’re a terrible liar.”
“... sorry about that.”
“What was that?”
“Are you upset?”
“I don’t know, what was that?”
“I don’t know, I can’t tell either.”
“But I wasn’t imagining it, right?”
“No. I think even Adachi could tell there was some awkwardness there … but I don’t know. Masato can get jealous sometimes, but not that jealous!”
“Will you ask him later?”
“I kinda have to, that negativity was way off the charts. Should I report back to you?”
“Yes, I want to know imme- … no, wait …”
“Kurosawa?”
“I’m trying to think this through … I didn’t even realize this could be a problem, this is terrible … I don’t want to get in Kiyoshi’s way!”
“Right …”
“Okay … if Kiyoshi had a human partner, they wouldn’t know Tsuge was really upset by this news. So they couldn’t tell him. And they couldn’t ask you about it either. But I’m an angel, so I noticed something was off … and I could ask you to tell me what that was. And I could tell Kiyoshi about it. But should I?”
“... I don’t know.”
“I think I should? Tsuge said he was happy, he said it three times and he definitely wasn’t happy! I think Kiyoshi should know that his best friend just lied to him! But if I weren’t angel, I wouldn’t have that information, so should I? Am I supposed to get in the way like that? But if I don’t, aren’t I then lying to Kiyoshi? No, no. No, I can’t lie to Kiyoshi. I can’t keep things from my husband. I have to tell him. I have to ask him at least. Right, that’s what I’ll do - he said I need to ask for help more, I’ll ask him to help me figure this out … he’s so great, I really love him, I don’t want to do anything wrong ever.”
“I think even if you did, he’d forgive you. But okay, then I won’t tell you anything … I’ll still have a conversation with him though, because this was … ooof, this was a lot. I don’t think I’ve seen him have such a negative reaction to a relationship in years! Even when he got that invitation to his crush’s wedding, it wasn’t that bad … I don’t know what’s going on here. Some kinda rivalry maybe? I don’t get it. Objectively, this is good for him! Nothing really changes - I mean, obviously it does for you guys, but I know Masato was worried about Adachi moving on and forgetting him, which he obviously won’t … we’ve been friends the whole time since you arrived and that’s been fine, so what’s the issue now? Damn, humans … come on, why are you like this!? Kurosawa, this is so exhausting sometimes … am I really cut out for this?”
“You’re doing great, Rokkaku. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks!”
“Also, we should change the subject. Adachi’s been looking at me and I think it’s written all over my face that I’m worried about something … do you have anything else we could talk about?”
“Hmm … ah, sure! My friend is doing her first sunset painting next month, a few time zones over so our guys should be asleep anyway- ah, but that probably doesn’t matter for you anymore, does it?”
“Not for work, no … but I still can’t sleep when he’s awake, I tried and it’s just not working. Well, I guess I still am his guardian one way or another … perhaps it makes sense.”
“I see. Well, anyway, I got an invite for the viewing and afterparty, I could probably add a plus one!”
“... what, me? I don’t know about that …”
“I’ll introduce you as Masato’s best friend’s husband.”
“Really?”
“Sure!”
“... maybe I’ll go. If Kiyoshi says it’s fine.”
“Aww, you guys sound so much like a married couple already, it’s mega cute! I’m sure you’ll be super popular at the party, you’re so cool!”
“Are you popular, Rokkaku?”
“Naaah, not me. I’m super duper average! But I get by alright, don’t I?”
“You do, of course. So if you’re not popular … what do your friends like about you?”
“Hmm … I don’t know, I guess. We have fun together, and we support each other, and you know … I think I’m a good friend. I try to be at least. I want to do my best at work so that I can continue to face my friends properly even though I gave up on my dream career … I’m not there yet, but I’m trying! I’ve already learned so much from you, Kurosawa! I’ll introduce you as my senpai too, you’re so knowledgeable and all that. And you can talk about the human world, they love those stories! They don’t visit that often, so it’s all new to them.”
“I don’t have that many stories about other humans I’d like to tell … can I talk about Kiyoshi?”
“I don’t think it would stop you even if I said no. But yes, you should! Most of us are single anyway, you should give us relationship advice too!”
“Well I’ll try … thank you, Rokkaku.”
“Can’t get your eyes off of him, huh?” Tsuge chuckled under his breath, catching Adachi staring away again.
“Eh? No, sorry! I’m paying attention, I swear! He just looked a little nervous before … I’m so curious what they’re talking about. I wonder if he’s gushing about me again …”
“It’s strange, right … angels, I mean … I can’t imagine dating one.”
“I couldn’t either! But I’ll do my best for him!”
“... that’s a good way to look at it, probably. I wish you all the best.”
“Thank you! Will you really write a book about us?!”
“Sure. I think an angel-human romance is a pretty daring concept! But where do we rank that on the list?”
“Second at best!”
“You only put number one up there because it’s ancient anyway …”
“But I know you have a draft of it already! I was there, remember? You burst into my dorm to borrow my charging cable because your laptop almost died … man, that takes me back. I really liked that first chapter!”
“It’s a mystery though … I don’t know how that will go. I’d rather write something else, I think.”
“That’s fine too! Write about us then! Yuuichi, we’ll really get a book about us! Tsuge is totally serious, I can tell! This is amazing!”
Adachi’s bright and beaming smile was almost contagious.
“I’m really happy for you,” Tsuge mumbled to himself for the fourth time.