[ yeah that's not happening reki is grabbing the first bumper going south and daredeviling his way back home an extra five minutes early. everyone loves the surprise chaos of barking pups and sneakers getting kicked across the landing and someone trying to sound off above it all: ]
[ Reki gets exactly two steps out of the genkan before he's assaulted. Never mind Lou jumping at him (and he always does, work in progress, he'll get the whole down thing eventually), Kojiro snags Reki by the waist practically out of nowhere to drag him into the kitchen. Then come the kisses, all over Reki's face, mouth, neck, all rapid-fire and obnoxiously saccharine.
And should he be cooking in nothing but suteteko? Absolutely fucking not, but he won't be dissuaded. Welcome home. ]
[ reki would disagree with that sentiment; there's so much warm skin to squeeze and sink into, and all of it looks about as delicious as the smells coming from the kitchen. practically paradise if they could just get lou to quit all that pouncing, but that doesn't stop reki from shining like a sun under all those kisses. ]
I'll take the credit. You're welcome. Wait—
[ there's no squirming out of kojiro's grasp—reki knows better by now—but he does manage to free a pocket and fish a hibiscus bloom from it. that's tucked behind kojiro's ear so reki can beam brightly at him. ]
[ Kojiro grins with all the cheese he can muster. ]
Aww. I've always wanted to be pretty. No more Butterface Joe, I've got a flower now.
[ Reki's cheek looks so biteable when he smiles. So he gets a bite, gentle, right next to his dimple, and Kojiro snarls just before he finally lets Reki go. ]
You good with meatball subs?
[ Lou's very good with meatball subs. He's following Kojiro back to the stove as soon as he notices the trajectory.]
[ he's just surrounded by wild animals out here, one clawing at the back of his legs and the other gnawing on his face. there won't be a single complaint from him, though; kojiro gets an even bigger smile and lou gets rewarded with the leftover bite of a meatball the second reki can snatch one up and huff it cool, ensuring the cycle of bad behavior will continue into perpetuity. ]
At this point I'm good with anything. Murder it with cheese for me, though.
[ eventually, he takes a break from snack-stealing to make himself useful and grab a few plates, but not before commenting: ]
Damn, maybe you shouldn't bring food to Ma's. This could start a rivalry.
Just dessert. Not dumb enough to try and one-up your mom in her own house.
[ Etiquette. You don't bring your own entrees to meet the boyfriend's folks. That way lies danger. Except, now that the thought's occurred to him, Kojiro's frozen solid over a saucepan full of meatballs -- saucy spoon in hand -- and deeply pondering why he's just realizing this now. That Reki's-- ]
Huh. Babe. You're my boyfriend.
[ This shouldn't be a revelation, shouldn't set a grin slowly crawling onto Kojiro's face. And yet-- ]
[ there's an extra layer of relief to the revelation for reki, the bonus euphoria of having most of his worst anxieties cured in a few words, and he folds himself right up against kojiro's back to sigh about it. ]
Yeah, for real.
[ it definitely feels too good to be true. the kisses he spreads across kojiro's back are soft and tentative. ]
[ Giddy with it, really. It's practically indecent. He's two seconds away from humming a jaunty tune just to channel some of the good vibes, and that notion just keeps echoing back and forth in his wind tunnel of a head. My boyfriend, meet the family, my boyfriend, white picket fence, my--
Reki's lips feel so nice against his back. Even after Kojiro carefully loads their subs into the oven -- loaded up with enough cheese to kill a man -- he still doesn't budge. Just leans against the stove, grinning faintly and trying (failing) to remember another time he's been this happy. ]
Talk about spoiled, I'm getting dinner and a show back here.
[ there's the soft huff of laughter against kojiro's skin, reki's thin arms looping around his waist to keep their bodies nice and snug. maybe not too long ago he'd worry about getting in the way or scare himself off with the idea that no one wants to be embraced by someone who's been marinating in car exhaust fumes the whole way home, but kojiro's basically on the verge of becoming family now. no mercy anymore. ]
Thank you.
[ his voice goes lower and softer as he snuggles his cheek against kojiro's skin. ]
For doing this. It was rough, keeping something so important from them.
[ Not entirely, and Kojiro would never presume as much. Reki's closer to his family than Kojiro's ever been to his own. Kojiro and Kaoru tore up the island when they were teenagers for a few very good reasons, and most of those reasons were directly related to their families. They each coped in their own way after moving out; Kojiro's methods involved estrangement. And lonely as that could be, there are certain fringe benefits. Primarily (and especially in this case), Kojiro's beholden to himself alone. There's no one left to care that he's shacking up with a man almost ten years his junior.
Except Kaoru, but he has no room whatsoever to have any kind of opinion in the matter.
So no, Kojiro can't totally understand how nerve-wracking this is for Reki. But that's part of why he wants to make sure this goes smoothly for him. Ma seems open to it, and that's important. Kojiro just needs to prove he cares; that he loves Reki, that he'll do anything for him, that he'll keep him safe and happy. And all of that? That's a cinch. In the bag.
Kojiro hums a quiet sigh, and rests his hands -- large and warm -- over Reki's arms. ]
I didn't know you were telling them. How'd that go? You wanna tell me about it?
I didn't say shit. My aunt started working the truth outta me and I realized too late Ma had put her up to it.
[ not that he sounds particularly pissed about getting checkmated by his own mother; turns out it's a lot more comforting to think she's doing what she can to keep tabs on him, rather than losing track of him entirely.
he's starting to suspect too that he's never been half as slick as he thought he was, but one big reveal at a time, here. ]
Then Ma showed up to the shop with lunch... It was a dirty play, I didn't stand a chance. And it's been awhile since we had a moment like that, but...
[ but as good as it felt to finally clear the air of all those secrets he'd been keeping, half of them weren't his to tell. more guilt on top of the old, until he just couldn't stand it anymore. his arms tighten and he mutters glumly: ]
Hey, none of that. I told you I'm good with however you wanna play this whole thing.
[ Reki's arm gets a reassuring squeeze, and tempting as it is to turn around and wrap him up in a big hug, Kojiro has this sneaking suspicion that he's happy right where he is. No need to fuck that up. ]
They love you enough to bully the truth out of you. And it seems like they're chill with everything. That's all the important stuff. Probably just wanna make sure you're safe and happy, which I hope you are. So the rest is easy.
Sorry you didn't get to tell them in your own way, though.
Besides, I uh. Kinda drunkenly forced you out at S with that mistletoe stunt so... Call it even, if you want.
[ if only he had the cojones to just mack on kojiro right in front of everyone to begin with. would have saved him a bunch of sleepless nights and the lecture from langa about keeping things from him, again. somewhere along the way, he ought to have learned a lesson in all this.
mostly, though, it's just a relief that it's over. ]
Never seemed right, treating something really good like a dirty secret. That's—
[ he swallows down the next point. too much of a buzzkill to bring that up now. energy better spent letting himself be happy, probably. how convenient that he's in the happiest place in the world already, spoiled by kojiro's warmth and lazily toying with the luxuriously soft curls at the back of his neck. ]
I'm just glad we're here now. I'm not really sweating how it happened if it means we get to be together.
[ There's only so much a man can take, and Reki's being too sweet for his own good. Kojiro turns just enough to get an arm around Reki's shoulders, to yank him around and pull him in for a kiss that feels every bit as warm and comforting as everything else floating between them right now. ]
Me too. Together's all that matters. But you got a lot of nerve, coming in here with all that sweet stuff. Gonna spoil your appetite.
[ As if on cue, there's a timer beeping on Kojiro's watch. One more kiss, and Reki's free to move about the kitchen again. Kojiro's momentarily preoccupied getting their dinner out of the oven and plated. The subs are picturesque; rolls toasted to perfection, sauce molten, cheese all browned and bubbly. Lou is completely distraught that none of it's heading his way. ]
Uhn-uh. No. Too good for puppies. [ Kojiro passes a plated sub over to Reki. ] Babe. Take it. Your son's trying for a felony.
[ for all the messiness and strife, it really is worth it to be kissed like this. nothing in his mind can convince him that this is anything but love, pure and simple, and his heart swells with it, leaving him smiling softly in the aftermath.
he sticks close to kojiro from there, tucking himself into places he won't be in the way — which isn't difficult, considering kojiro can reach clear over his head. it puts him at a strategic advantage when lou attempts an intercept; reki's right there to finesse the plate out of reach of his whining little muzzle and catch him between his feet so that he can't jump.
it's not his first rodeo dealing with small creatures trying to get into things they shouldn't. he juggles all that as he wrestles the baby gate into place with his free hand, releasing lou from his torturous cinch the second it's snapped into place. it's only a second of mournful wailing until reki tosses a toy over the gate for him on his way to curl up on the couch, already scrolling at mach speeds the second his ass hits the cushion. ]
What are we feelin' tonight? Murder or trashy people?
[ It's always entertaining to watch Kojiro navigate the gate. For all his bulk, he's not exactly graceful; that's doubly true when he's balancing a plate, a bowl of extra grated cheese, and two cans of Super Dry, right on Reki's heels. That's almost a disaster when his pants leg catches on the corner of the gate, but a last-minute fumbled recovery just means his waistline is now riding criminally low on his hips. It's all smooth sailing once he's on the couch though, ungainly flop and legs spread so Reki can man his usual position between them. ]
What's your ma making to eat on Thursday? [ Kojiro wiggles a can of beer for Reki to take. ] I'll coordinate dessert.
[ baby gates are formidable and tricky foes even with all reki's seasoned years of experience, so he's not laughing too hard. he's faceplanted his way into the kitchen once or twice too; kojiro gets a sympathetic sweep over his chest once he's settled and reki has fitted himself into his spot accordingly. ]
Shit, didn't think to ask.
[ his first instinct — after cracking that beer and gulping from it like a man dying of thirst — is to pull up his mother's number on his phone. but. something still feels illicit about ringing his mother from his boyfriend's lap. ]
[ Kojiro's acutely aware of the newfound freedom in this. Not hiding it -- the ability to openly acknowledge what they are -- has to feel amazing. He's not about to deny Reki the chance to bask in that novelty. If he wants to call ma from right here, all sprawled and comfortable against Kojiro's chest, he's more than welcome. As long as he can deal with Kojiro idly toying with his hair while he talks, Reki will be golden. ]
Just tell her I said thanks for the invite.
[ And really, dinner is at no risk of going cold here. The sauce is still practically lava. ]
[ which, of course, is cause for immediate regret. he's not expecting his mom to immediately pick up and start gushing, "how are my boyyyyys?" before he even has the chance to swallow down the first bite of his sandwich, and he doesn't have a shot at interjecting before she starts listing off all the shopping she's done for dinner. ("you said he didn't like japanese food, right? your sister wants steak anyway, i think her iron's low, you should really get checked too, i can make an appointment, i'm worried you're not eating enough—") ]
I'm fine. We're fine. We just wanted to know what to bring.
[ which begets a new tangent: how thoughtful! what impeccable manners! reki's just glad he has a beer to nurse as his mother wonders aloud if his boyfriend will be the key to turning him into a respectable member of society after all. that's when he has to glance up at kojiro and admit: ]
I don't know what I thought was gonna come out of this.
[ Reki won't catch Kojiro saying a damn thing about it. This is too cute for words. Instead, he listens, silently scrubbing his fingertips over Reki's scalp while a grin crawls onto his face. It's perfectly clear to Kojiro that Reki comes from big hearts, and he hasn't even met them yet. That's nothing to balk at.
Be nice, he mouths, and pushes a quiet kiss against Reki's temple. He's never heard Kojiro sounding so damn respectful, though: ]
Steak sounds great. Thank you, ma'am. We'll bring you some cabernet and cheesecake.
[ traitor. at least for a moment, reki gets to experience the other side of this. his tip off is his mother's squealed, "so fancy! you didn't tell me he's fancy!" that's his cue to go back to his sandwich while his mother grills kojiro rapid-fire, inquiring about everything from allergies to his size in slippers. he only steps in again when his mother begins grilling kojiro about how difficult reki's been, to which his answer is a less than nice: ]
I'm not torturing him, he's fine. Anyway, dinner's ready, we gotta go. Love ya.
[ the first one doesn't take — nor does the second or third — but eventually, he finds the right tone and a quiet moment to jam the end call button. ]
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beefyspaghetti) wrote2021-05-08 06:09 pm
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you don't have to answer me right now but just think about it
I know we joked around before but I could buy us a house
big tub with jets, couple extra bedrooms so you can have a workshop and I can have a gym
could be nice
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i mean like not a no tho
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Babe, got you somethin'.
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[ Reki gets exactly two steps out of the genkan before he's assaulted. Never mind Lou jumping at him (and he always does, work in progress, he'll get the whole down thing eventually), Kojiro snags Reki by the waist practically out of nowhere to drag him into the kitchen. Then come the kisses, all over Reki's face, mouth, neck, all rapid-fire and obnoxiously saccharine.
And should he be cooking in nothing but suteteko? Absolutely fucking not, but he won't be dissuaded. Welcome home. ]
Shit, it is kisses, thanks beautiful.
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I'll take the credit. You're welcome. Wait—
[ there's no squirming out of kojiro's grasp—reki knows better by now—but he does manage to free a pocket and fish a hibiscus bloom from it. that's tucked behind kojiro's ear so reki can beam brightly at him. ]
So pretty.
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Aww. I've always wanted to be pretty. No more Butterface Joe, I've got a flower now.
[ Reki's cheek looks so biteable when he smiles. So he gets a bite, gentle, right next to his dimple, and Kojiro snarls just before he finally lets Reki go. ]
You good with meatball subs?
[ Lou's very good with meatball subs. He's following Kojiro back to the stove as soon as he notices the trajectory.]
Parm? No parm?
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At this point I'm good with anything. Murder it with cheese for me, though.
[ eventually, he takes a break from snack-stealing to make himself useful and grab a few plates, but not before commenting: ]
Damn, maybe you shouldn't bring food to Ma's. This could start a rivalry.
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[ Etiquette. You don't bring your own entrees to meet the boyfriend's folks. That way lies danger. Except, now that the thought's occurred to him, Kojiro's frozen solid over a saucepan full of meatballs -- saucy spoon in hand -- and deeply pondering why he's just realizing this now. That Reki's-- ]
Huh. Babe. You're my boyfriend.
[ This shouldn't be a revelation, shouldn't set a grin slowly crawling onto Kojiro's face. And yet-- ]
Like, for real.
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Yeah, for real.
[ it definitely feels too good to be true. the kisses he spreads across kojiro's back are soft and tentative. ]
You're really okay with this?
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[ Giddy with it, really. It's practically indecent. He's two seconds away from humming a jaunty tune just to channel some of the good vibes, and that notion just keeps echoing back and forth in his wind tunnel of a head. My boyfriend, meet the family, my boyfriend, white picket fence, my--
Reki's lips feel so nice against his back. Even after Kojiro carefully loads their subs into the oven -- loaded up with enough cheese to kill a man -- he still doesn't budge. Just leans against the stove, grinning faintly and trying (failing) to remember another time he's been this happy. ]
Spoiling me again back there?
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[ there's the soft huff of laughter against kojiro's skin, reki's thin arms looping around his waist to keep their bodies nice and snug. maybe not too long ago he'd worry about getting in the way or scare himself off with the idea that no one wants to be embraced by someone who's been marinating in car exhaust fumes the whole way home, but kojiro's basically on the verge of becoming family now. no mercy anymore. ]
Thank you.
[ his voice goes lower and softer as he snuggles his cheek against kojiro's skin. ]
For doing this. It was rough, keeping something so important from them.
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[ Not entirely, and Kojiro would never presume as much. Reki's closer to his family than Kojiro's ever been to his own. Kojiro and Kaoru tore up the island when they were teenagers for a few very good reasons, and most of those reasons were directly related to their families. They each coped in their own way after moving out; Kojiro's methods involved estrangement. And lonely as that could be, there are certain fringe benefits. Primarily (and especially in this case), Kojiro's beholden to himself alone. There's no one left to care that he's shacking up with a man almost ten years his junior.
Except Kaoru, but he has no room whatsoever to have any kind of opinion in the matter.
So no, Kojiro can't totally understand how nerve-wracking this is for Reki. But that's part of why he wants to make sure this goes smoothly for him. Ma seems open to it, and that's important. Kojiro just needs to prove he cares; that he loves Reki, that he'll do anything for him, that he'll keep him safe and happy. And all of that? That's a cinch. In the bag.
Kojiro hums a quiet sigh, and rests his hands -- large and warm -- over Reki's arms. ]
I didn't know you were telling them. How'd that go? You wanna tell me about it?
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[ not that he sounds particularly pissed about getting checkmated by his own mother; turns out it's a lot more comforting to think she's doing what she can to keep tabs on him, rather than losing track of him entirely.
he's starting to suspect too that he's never been half as slick as he thought he was, but one big reveal at a time, here. ]
Then Ma showed up to the shop with lunch... It was a dirty play, I didn't stand a chance. And it's been awhile since we had a moment like that, but...
[ but as good as it felt to finally clear the air of all those secrets he'd been keeping, half of them weren't his to tell. more guilt on top of the old, until he just couldn't stand it anymore. his arms tighten and he mutters glumly: ]
Sorry, man, I should have talked to you first.
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[ Reki's arm gets a reassuring squeeze, and tempting as it is to turn around and wrap him up in a big hug, Kojiro has this sneaking suspicion that he's happy right where he is. No need to fuck that up. ]
They love you enough to bully the truth out of you. And it seems like they're chill with everything. That's all the important stuff. Probably just wanna make sure you're safe and happy, which I hope you are. So the rest is easy.
Sorry you didn't get to tell them in your own way, though.
Besides, I uh. Kinda drunkenly forced you out at S with that mistletoe stunt so... Call it even, if you want.
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[ if only he had the cojones to just mack on kojiro right in front of everyone to begin with. would have saved him a bunch of sleepless nights and the lecture from langa about keeping things from him, again. somewhere along the way, he ought to have learned a lesson in all this.
mostly, though, it's just a relief that it's over. ]
Never seemed right, treating something really good like a dirty secret. That's—
[ he swallows down the next point. too much of a buzzkill to bring that up now. energy better spent letting himself be happy, probably. how convenient that he's in the happiest place in the world already, spoiled by kojiro's warmth and lazily toying with the luxuriously soft curls at the back of his neck. ]
I'm just glad we're here now. I'm not really sweating how it happened if it means we get to be together.
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[ There's only so much a man can take, and Reki's being too sweet for his own good. Kojiro turns just enough to get an arm around Reki's shoulders, to yank him around and pull him in for a kiss that feels every bit as warm and comforting as everything else floating between them right now. ]
Me too. Together's all that matters. But you got a lot of nerve, coming in here with all that sweet stuff. Gonna spoil your appetite.
[ As if on cue, there's a timer beeping on Kojiro's watch. One more kiss, and Reki's free to move about the kitchen again. Kojiro's momentarily preoccupied getting their dinner out of the oven and plated. The subs are picturesque; rolls toasted to perfection, sauce molten, cheese all browned and bubbly. Lou is completely distraught that none of it's heading his way. ]
Uhn-uh. No. Too good for puppies. [ Kojiro passes a plated sub over to Reki. ] Babe. Take it. Your son's trying for a felony.
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he sticks close to kojiro from there, tucking himself into places he won't be in the way — which isn't difficult, considering kojiro can reach clear over his head. it puts him at a strategic advantage when lou attempts an intercept; reki's right there to finesse the plate out of reach of his whining little muzzle and catch him between his feet so that he can't jump.
it's not his first rodeo dealing with small creatures trying to get into things they shouldn't. he juggles all that as he wrestles the baby gate into place with his free hand, releasing lou from his torturous cinch the second it's snapped into place. it's only a second of mournful wailing until reki tosses a toy over the gate for him on his way to curl up on the couch, already scrolling at mach speeds the second his ass hits the cushion. ]
What are we feelin' tonight? Murder or trashy people?
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[ It's always entertaining to watch Kojiro navigate the gate. For all his bulk, he's not exactly graceful; that's doubly true when he's balancing a plate, a bowl of extra grated cheese, and two cans of Super Dry, right on Reki's heels. That's almost a disaster when his pants leg catches on the corner of the gate, but a last-minute fumbled recovery just means his waistline is now riding criminally low on his hips. It's all smooth sailing once he's on the couch though, ungainly flop and legs spread so Reki can man his usual position between them. ]
What's your ma making to eat on Thursday? [ Kojiro wiggles a can of beer for Reki to take. ] I'll coordinate dessert.
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Shit, didn't think to ask.
[ his first instinct — after cracking that beer and gulping from it like a man dying of thirst — is to pull up his mother's number on his phone. but. something still feels illicit about ringing his mother from his boyfriend's lap. ]
... Should I call?
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[ Kojiro's acutely aware of the newfound freedom in this. Not hiding it -- the ability to openly acknowledge what they are -- has to feel amazing. He's not about to deny Reki the chance to bask in that novelty. If he wants to call ma from right here, all sprawled and comfortable against Kojiro's chest, he's more than welcome. As long as he can deal with Kojiro idly toying with his hair while he talks, Reki will be golden. ]
Just tell her I said thanks for the invite.
[ And really, dinner is at no risk of going cold here. The sauce is still practically lava. ]
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[ which, of course, is cause for immediate regret. he's not expecting his mom to immediately pick up and start gushing, "how are my boyyyyys?" before he even has the chance to swallow down the first bite of his sandwich, and he doesn't have a shot at interjecting before she starts listing off all the shopping she's done for dinner. ("you said he didn't like japanese food, right? your sister wants steak anyway, i think her iron's low, you should really get checked too, i can make an appointment, i'm worried you're not eating enough—") ]
I'm fine. We're fine. We just wanted to know what to bring.
[ which begets a new tangent: how thoughtful! what impeccable manners! reki's just glad he has a beer to nurse as his mother wonders aloud if his boyfriend will be the key to turning him into a respectable member of society after all. that's when he has to glance up at kojiro and admit: ]
I don't know what I thought was gonna come out of this.
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Be nice, he mouths, and pushes a quiet kiss against Reki's temple. He's never heard Kojiro sounding so damn respectful, though: ]
Steak sounds great. Thank you, ma'am. We'll bring you some cabernet and cheesecake.
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I'm not torturing him, he's fine. Anyway, dinner's ready, we gotta go. Love ya.
[ the first one doesn't take — nor does the second or third — but eventually, he finds the right tone and a quiet moment to jam the end call button. ]
You sure you wanna do this?
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