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Apparently, time goes by faster when you’re happy or having fun.
Iori had a hard time believing it before. Time was time. There was no way to make it go slower or faster.
But that was before. Now… He wasn’t so sure anymore.
It’s been four years since a blond man approached him on his way to school to ask him if he would be interested in becoming an idol. He was seventeen at the time, and the only thing he thought about was “It could be a perfect opportunity for nii-san.”
He didn’t think much before responding that he would be only if they scouted his brother too. He didn’t even think about himself that much.
Did he really want to be an idol ? He didn’t know, and didn’t actually care, really. He would go where his brother led him.
It is now clear that he was having way more fun than he thought he would.
He made friends, friends his age even, that didn’t approach him only because he was a serious, somewhat good looking teen. Maybe for the first time in his life.
He even… Met someone.
He was never really interested in romance, to be honest. He never even asked himself if he would be more interested in men or women. He simply didn’t care.
Until… Him.
He had those eyes that captivated him, and was always so cute that Iori couldn’t help but bother him sometimes, making him no different from a five year old trying to navigate his feelings. “Your crush on him is so painfully obvious, I’m almost surprised no one has talked to you about it yet.” Mitsuki said to him once.
Iori guessed it was quite painfully obvious. He just couldn't say no to him.
But, well. That was a long time ago. He was now twenty one. He wasn't living in the dorms anymore, since last year.
The first week living without his brother was quite strange, but he got used to it quickly. Thankfully, he wasn’t alone.
“I’m hooooooome !”
“Welcome back.” Iori smiled gently, resting his book on his lap to turn around towards the door, where his boyfriend was enthusiastically ( and quite clumsily ) kicking his shoes off to come and greet him. Iori could almost see a tail wagging. So cute.
He jumped on Iori’s back, hugging him tight from behind, leaning over the back of the couch.
“Iori~ Did you miss me ?”
“Of course.”
A smile so bright it would bring shame to the sun itself illuminated Riku’s face. He hugged Iori tightly again and his usually shy boyfriend let him, smiling gently, resting a hand on the bright redhead’s arm, squeezing softly.
“I’m gonna take a bath !”
Riku straightened up, still smiling. Iori offered him a slight smile and a nod. “Dinner’s ready. I baked a cake for dessert.”
“Really ?!”
Again, Iori could imagine a tail wagging behind his boyfriend without even trying. He smiled fondly, pink dusting his cheeks. “Yes. Go clean up, I’ll set the table.”
“Okay !”
Riku was almost skipping the whole way to the bathroom. Of course a cake would have this effect on him. Iori set the table, then he didn’t resist opening the fridge to check the cake again, as he did all day.
Everything had to be perfect.
Riku was ecstatic to discover tonight’s dinner.
“Did you spend the whole day in the kitchen ? That’s a feast ! You know you don’t have to cook for seven anymore, right ?”
Iori chuckled and nodded. “I know. But, today was the last day of filming for your drama so… I guess you deserved a little treat.”
Riku threw himself into Iori’s arms to give him a kiss, very visibly excited. Iori could only smile at that. Cute…
Dinner went very well. Riku was starving after a full day of filming and was very glad to share a big meal with his boyfriend, even though he wished Iori would talk a bit more.
He seemed… A bit tense, today.
Riku understood why when he brought the cake out.
“Is this…?”
“Yes. It’s one of those cakes you have to burn to reveal the design you’ve been showing me all the time lately.”
Riku was amazed, glancing at the cake excitedly. The icing was dark blue and red, their colours. It was piped carefully, in the vintage style Riku loved for cakes when he saw them on social media. The wafer paper was simply white, resting on top, waiting to be burned.
“Can I burn it ?”
“Sure.” Iori handed him a barbecue lighter, so Riku would not burn himself, of course. “Just wait a second, I’ll fill a glass of water, just in case it burns too much. I would much rather have to throw a cake away than burning our home down.”
Riku smiled. As expected of Iori. He heard him fill up a glass and waited patiently for Iori’s green light before lighting the paper, eager to see what his boyfriend hid underneath it.
Maybe a dumb picture of him. Iori’s phone was filled with dumb pictures of him.
Riku watched as the paper burned, smiling like a child.
Underneath was a simple sentence.
A question, pipped in blue and red, in Iori’s perfectly neat handwriting.
“Will you marry me ?”
Riku took a while to process what he was reading, and when he did, he turned around to look at his boyfriend, one knee on the ground, face flushed to the deepest shade of red he ever saw on his skin, presenting a small box containing a ring to him.
Riku almost couldn’t even see the ring through the tears.
“Iori…”
“I… I thought about it, you know…” His hands were trembling, but Riku couldn't see it through the tears filling his eyes. “I thought about… This. Everything. My life… Our lives. And… I…” He was so nervous he could feel his throat and mouth becoming drier with every single word. “I don’t think I can even imagine my life without you. The time we spent together so far was by far my favourite. I… I love you, and I want… I want to wake up next to you for the rest of our lives. My life is better because you’re by my side. So…” He couldn’t stop now, he needed to say it ! Really say it ! “Will you… Marry me…?”
What was warming Iori’s face so much ? Was it his own blush, or the wonderful smile glowing on the face of the light of his life ?
Riku didn’t wait even a second more before getting on his knees to kiss Iori, as hard as he could. He couldn't care less if their teeth clashed accidentally or if they ended up with almost bruised lips.
“Iori… Iori…” He whined. “I love you… I love you I love you I love you I love you…”
The younger one shivered. He looked at his boyfriend, trying to catch his breath after so many kisses.
“Of course I’ll marry you…”
…
Iori was trembling as he slipped the ring on his fiancé’s finger. If said fiancé noticed his tearful eyes, he didn’t say anything as they hugged and kissed again and again on their kitchen floor, with no plan to get up anytime soon.