It was nice like this; Kiku couldn't help but think as Alfred and him stared out the ocean together, enjoying the late night breeze then as the moon shined as bright as ever. It was just perfect, them being together like this, sharing this moment with all they had...They didn't even need words for it...Really, the whole evening had been perfect; starting from the very moment they had entered the cruise ship. Dinner had been absolutely delectable, the seafood buffet served especially appealed to Kiku's senses. Not only that, during the moments of enjoying the food served then, the time that he had spent with Alfred couldn't have been more enjoyable, silly and fun- it reminded Kiku that they had so much to learn about each other, even now.... Kiku smiled at that.At this moment in time, they had a chance to do just that, as a couple.
Suddenly, an unexpected weight on his shoulders startled Kiku then out of his thoughts and for a split second, he wondered bewilderedly what it was until he realized that it was just Alfred's bomber jacket (he was secretly happy to see him wear this everyday) which made him turn to look at Alfred then curiously. However though, he didn't expect the other to be watching him at all so he was caught off guard then when brown eyes met blue and the gentleness of Alfred's smile at that moment gave Kiku such a warm and fluttering feeling then as a blush spread across his face, making him immediately look away in embarrassment, feeling shy all of a sudden at the attention. Despite that, he couldn't suppress the smile that made its way on his face then as he brought the jacket closer to his being, feeling himself shiver afterward- wow, it was only now that he realized how cold he was… which, of course, made him even more grateful for the jacket that the blond offered as he turned to look at the sky serenely.
Ah, the stars are especially beautiful tonight...
Nothing could certainly be better than the feeling of this moment.
Kiku looked up then at Alfred when the blond had reached out to take his hand, and saying those words at that instance...Kiku couldn't be any happier, blushing even more as he turned to fully look at the other then with a soft smile, squeezing back Alfred's hand then gently. "This day had been the most enjoyable for me as well, Alfred-kun, more than it ever has been....Happy Valentine's Day."
Alfred couldn't help but grin at what Kiku had told him. Then, practically bursting with happiness, he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and pulled him into a tight hug, with no intention of letting go any time soon. He bent down to kiss Kiku on the cheek, thoroughly enjoying the reaction he was getting from him. And for a few moments, they just stood there in silence. The quiet affection was enough for right now; the gentle caresses said more than words ever could. What they had- it was amazing, it was wonderful, it was…indescribable…
Alfred closed his eyes and smiled. He finally understood why Valentine’s Day was such a big deal to so many people. This was a holiday where everyone around the world took a day to focus solely on that one special person in their lives. So in order to fully appreciate the holiday, you had to find that one special person... And after 16 years, he had finally done just that. How did he know? Well that was easy: Kiku was both the person he felt most comfortable around and the only one who could ever make him nervous. It was an interesting combination of mixed feelings, but it all made sense in his mind. After all, Kiku was the first person he saw in the morning, and the last person he saw at night before going to bed… He wouldn’t have it any other way. Being with Kiku was effortless, and he felt like he could trust him with anything. And yet, he felt his heart race every time he looked into those big, brown eyes. Every touch set his nerves on edge, but they were a good kind of nerves… Because with Kiku, he didn’t always know what was coming next, and that was very exciting and new to him. In fact, just about everything about Kiku still felt new. Like how his hair was soft and sweet smelling… like cherry blossoms…
He opened his eyes back up and gazed up at the sky. Now that the sky had darkened completely, the stars appeared much brighter. His boyfriend seemed to be mesmerized by them… Stargazing… That was one thing you could do on the island that you just couldn’t do in New York City. And even if he wasn’t as into it as Kiku was (he preferred the colors and explosions of fireworks), he did have to admit that the stars did make the sky beautiful… Suddenly he saw something bright streaking across the sky. For a second, he thought it was a shooting star- he had only seen one of those twice in his entire life… This one, however, looked like it was probably just an airplane, but he still made a wish on it anyway, just in case… ‘I wish for a life time of moments like these with him… and my new family… and some way to get money for a motorbike wouldn’t hurt…’ Well, maybe it was more than one wish, but Alfred was never very good at picking just one.
“What are you looking at up there?” he asked curiously, breaking the silence. “See any constellations- cause I can never seem to find those…”
Kiku didn't think it was even possible to get as flustered as he was now when Alfred enveloped him into a warm and loving hug, blushing deeply in both embarrassment and happiness then. It only increased when the other kissed him gently on the cheek, feeling the love and sincerity pouring out of Alfred then in this moment. He was rendered speechless as usual. Strangely enough, the blond's touches never lost their effect on him even as a couple and it was perfect that way, he believed. After all, Kiku loved it- all of these small shows of affection from his boyfriend. It made him special- Alfred always made him special.
"Eto; I see a few, Alfred-kun, but to be honest, I am not really looking at constellations as of now." Kiku said demurely as he continued to stare at the night sky intently before raising a hand to point out what he was observing to the curious blond. "...Can you see them, Alfred-kun? Altair and Vega?... In Japan, there is a legend regarding those two stars actually… Altair symbolizes Orihime, the daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, while the other is Hikoboshi who is a mere cowherd."
Kiku, then, squeezed Alfred's hand as he tried to recall the tale from his childhood; luckily, he had no problem with that though since it had been engraved in his mind since the first moment he had heard it, the moment when it enchanted his younger self. He smiled at the memory. "It is a rather bittersweet tale to be honest, Alfred-kun because of its ending. You see, there was once a young and beautiful woman named Orihime who lived an unhappy life, weaving the cloths of the celestial gods… That is…until her father, the Emperor of Heaven, had found her a lover, Hibokoshi. Naturally because of this, the two soon fell in love and eventually, they married. However, both were so in loved with each other that later on, they had forgotten about their duties all together, shirking them. Of course, this irresponsibility incurred the wrath of the Emperor of Heaven and so he sent Hikoboshi on the other side of the Milky Way, forbidding the two to see each other until all of eternity. At this, Orihime was heartbroken, finding herself alone once again with her love cast away and she fell into such a state of depression that her father, broken by this, took pity on her, allowing her to meet the other once a year on the 7th of the 7th month provided that she would do her work first. Grateful, she did as she was told."
"Soon enough, on that very night, Hikoboshi and Orihime went closer, their souls aching for one another… However, the river of stars was still standing between them, separating the two. There was no bridge. At that, Orihime started to cry. She cried so much until finally, the Magpies noticed this, taking pity on her then that they flew higher and higher together at the moment and their wings became the bridge for Orihime to cross over."
"...Because of that, she was able to as planned and even if it was only for a short while, just for a day, Orihime was very happy...To be united with her lover after so long was more than she could ever wanted after all.”
"And that concludes the tale of the star-crossed lovers." Kiku smiled, looking up to Alfred with a soft and loving look, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "Actually, this story happens to be one of my favorites, Alfred-kun, since the first time I had heard it. It shows that no matter what happens, Love has no absolute boundaries and so..."
"...Alfred-kun, even with all the imperfections of life..." He turned then in the embrace, facing the other fully and tiptoeing; then, using his boyfriend’s shoulders to support himself, he planted a chaste kiss on the other’s lips lovingly before repositioning himself so he could stare into Alfred's eyes. "And I wish the same for us."
Alfred listened carefully; staring up at the two stars as the story was being told, trying to imagine them as lovers. They didn’t look very far away from each other, he noted, but they were stars; they could have been millions of miles apart, and they’d still appear to be close together… And in this story, the tale of the star crossed lovers, Hikoboshi and Orihime were in fact millions of miles apart. 364 days of the year… Out of the whole year, they only got to be together for one day… That just wasn’t fair.
And yet he smiled as Kiku finished the story with a kiss on the lips, reminding him that unlike the star crossed lovers, he could have this type of affection whenever he wanted. “I’m glad I get to spend EVERY day with you, and not just one. The whole love prevailing message is nice and all, but I can’t imagine being that far away from you for that long! One day a year would never be enough…” He took his boyfriend’s hands into his own and held onto them tightly. “I love you; you make me really happy… beyond happy, actually, and I want to be with you all the time…”
Alfred paused and took a moment to look into those deep brown eyes again. Those eyes were full of hope for the future, genuine hope that they would indeed last… Suddenly, he wished that he could tell Kiku about the house that he and Matthew would be getting in the near future. He wished he could take his lover back to the room and hand him a set of house keys as one of his presents, telling him that he loved him and that he was committed to him, and that he wanted them to live together, so they wouldn’t have to be apart during the summer… But he couldn’t do that. Not yet. The plan for buying this house was still in its very early stages, and though they had their mother on their side now, a lot still had to be done. He wasn’t sure exactly what had to be done, but the last time he checked in with their mom, she said that it would take awhile because there were still several important things that needed to be taken care of, and she left it at that. All this waiting and lack of details was making him impatient… It was hard to wait for his future, especially when it was staring him right in the face…
But tonight was Valentine’s Day, so for now, he put those thoughts aside and focused on the “right now”. Alfred turned to go back inside, silently motioning for Kiku to follow. After all, they had the whole room to themselves for the entire weekend- they might as well take advantage of it! They walked downstairs to the room together, careful not to be too loud, so as not to ruin the mood for any other couples who might already be downstairs. As they stepped inside their own room, Alfred led Kiku to one of the beds and sat him down. “Now you wait here,” he commanded with a huge grin on his face. “I’ll be right back!” He ran into the bathroom and grabbed the present he had set on the counter earlier. It was a simple arrangement of chrysanthemums, in a vase, but it held more meaning than it let on… The meaning of the name Kiku was chrysanthemum, after all, so he couldn’t help but go with the chrysanthemum instead of the traditional red roses that most couples exchanged on Valentine’s Day. He figured that Kiku would appreciate this gesture…
Alfred hurried back into the bedroom area, the flowers behind his back. “Here you go; these are for you,” he said, pulling them out from behind his back and offering them to Kiku. “This is just part one of your gift by the way; I hope you like them…”
It was rare moments like this that Kiku truly felt that everything else in this world didn’t matter, and it was just the two of them, sharing in this instant then, contrasting yet altogether- no, together blending, almost like colors. As he watched then, really watched, he didn't know what to say at all; he was too touched to say anything, hearing Alfred say those words to him... and only him. Honestly, if he could just make a thousand paper cranes then and put them all in one jar just so he could make one wish now, he would wish for where his future would be Alfred and with Alfred because nothing could compare with how much he loved him now. "Alfred-kun..." He managed to breathe out, feeling a strange mixture of awe and embarrassment then as his lover held his hands tightly.
It was surreal; Kiku couldn't help but think as he stared into the depths of his lover's eyes, how his present (and a gift it was) would be like this, drowning in the endless color of blue then as Alfred’s eyes sparkled brightly, beautifully on their own behind those glasses. Most of all, this thing he had now was with someone he loved, truly loved. He was not at all alone and it really felt surreal since he always imagined himself to be, that sometimes there were moments where he waited for himself to wake up because he feared this may all be a dream... but the more he thought about it, he realized that- no, it wasn't so odd at all and this was right, it was perfect and he wouldn't want it any other way because he hadn't been this happy with anyone else in a long time. Really... he wanted this to work; to be with this family forever- Matthew, Lars and Alfred… They were all he ever needed right now...
Kiku was snapped out of his thoughts then when Alfred suddenly turned away from him, beckoning the other to follow quietly and for a moment, he wondered what the other was up to, somewhat curious about the rather abrupt change but all the same, he didn’t asked where they were going, choosing to remain quiet, though... that may be obvious now when they made their way slowly downstairs, careful not to disturb the other couples that may be there already. After all, that would be embarrassing and not to mention rude. Once they entered the room though, he was immediately sat down on their bed by Alfred, telling him to wait and Kiku just watched confusedly as the other disappeared altogether through the bathroom door, away from his view completely much to his dismay. ‘Eh?’ Before he could question himself though on whatever his boyfriend could be up to then, the blond reappeared once again, giving him a huge grin as he walked slowly up to him, trying to hide something behind his back that earned Kiku’s sufficient attention, making him tilt his head in question and when he came up close enough..., the blond, whose eyes twinkled with hope then, pulled them from behind his back and offering it...this to him... and as soon as Kiku saw it, he almost choked on his cry of surprise unable to suppress it, feeling mixed emotions welling up in his entire being...this gift that Alfred gave him... It was a bouquet of chrysanthemums... He didn’t know how to react at all to that; after all, he didn’t know... he didn’t know at all the other knew that his name meant chrysanthemum and he couldn’t even describe what he was feeling right then, knowing that the other did now and ever so thoughtfully on this day gave it to him as a gift... Plus, it was an even greater surprise especially since chrysanthemums happened to be his favorite flowers, a true symbol of Japan... and... the chrysanthemums that Alfred gave him then were absolutely beautiful...
“Alfred-kun...” Kiku tried to say as he took the flowers into his own hands, stroking the soft petals then delicately, almost afraid that he might break it. “...You did not have to at all...” Especially now, knowing the other had more presents planned for him... but still, he couldn’t help that smile that made its way on his face then, his cheeks glowing in happiness as he looked at the other gratefully, holding the chrysanthemums close to his heart...
Alfred sat down on the bed next to Kiku, who seemed mesmerized by the flowers. “I thought you might like ‘em,” he said, beaming at Kiku’s reaction. “I know they’re not red, but they’re kinda pinkish, and pink’s a Valentine’s Day color too, plus it matches some of your kimonos I think, so I went with this color…” He had hoped Kiku wouldn’t find the color too feminine. The florist said that they were beautiful, and that they would make a perfect gift, but there’s a chance she may have just assumed that Alfred was buying them for a girlfriend, so it was a relief that Kiku seemed to love the flowers... The smile on his boyfriend’s face was a confirmation that he had done something right today.
“Anyway I’m glad you like them- And I know I didn’t have to get you a gift, but I wanted to!” He leaned in and gave Kiku a kiss on the cheek and a light hug, or what he considered to be a light hug anyway, before springing off the bed and rushing over to one of his bags. Because somewhere inside there was part 2 to Kiku’s gift, and Alfred was really excited about Part 2… After digging through the bag for a minute or two and tossing various clothes and toiletries out onto the floor, he finally found what he was looking for. It was a big, black, leather photo album, with a place for a picture on the front cover. Earlier that week, when he had received the album in the mail, he had taken out the generic photo of the beach that came with it and replaced it with a photo of the two of them. (Which they were able to get, thanks to the timer on Kiku’s camera)
Alfred chucked softly as he looked at this picture. That wasn’t the intended pose, but Alfred had tripped when he was backing up a little, and Kiku was in his arms, so he fell on top of him, just before the timer went off, so this was the picture they got. He really liked it, even if it was an accident that it had turned out like that. He felt it represented them… imperfect, a little silly… but still beautiful.
Also on the front cover, above the picture, read their names. And underneath the picture, was a personalized message that simply read: Our Adventure. He smiled at those words as he stood up to bring the book to Kiku. He took the spot next to his boyfriend once again, this time, gently placing the photo album on his lap after sitting down.
“I know how much you like taking pictures,” he began. “And I thought maybe you would want to have a special place to put pictures of us- you could just put them in here, or maybe we could do that together… I mean, if you wanted my help that is… There’s also a spot to write next to all the pictures, so maybe I could do that...” A slight blush crept into his cheeks, as he stumbled over words and trailed off, unsure of what to say next. “… This gift is for us,” he finished finally. “I hope you like the idea as much as I do.”
After recovering from being squeezed like a stuffed animal then (the flowers...they almost didn't make it...), Kiku was a little confused, bewildered, when he suddenly found himself watching Alfred digging through his bag at the moment, leaving him blinking, wondering how the blond got to the other side of the room so...quickly. After all, just one second ago...he was right there, beside him, hugging him to death even..so how could he possibly..; he almost shook his head in disbelief. However despite it, he couldn't help but find it somehow endearing though how excitable his boyfriend was, his enthusiasm practically infecting him as well.
He smiled to himself at that thought.
When Alfred stood from his spot then at the moment carrying what seemed like a rather large black leather book in his hands, Kiku tilted his head in question at that, curious to know what it could possibly be, what it may be and...definitely, found out he soon did though as Alfred happened to be beside him once again, sitting so close to him before he placed the book then on his lap gently, almost sacredly for him to see...for him to behold wholly. Indeed then, because at that instant, he saw...he saw everything there is to see and for a moment, he just stared wide-eyed, too stunned to say anything, react or oh god, breathe...However, slowly though, steadily...he raised up shaking hands to his lips then to suppress, to control, a shuddering gasp that completely escaped him, awe and most of all, absolute gratefulness on his features. This...this gift...it was...it was wonderful, from the picture to the words that top it off; Kiku even wondered to himself then why he hadn’t even thought of doing this before...but that thought didn’t matter anymore, for Alfred...his love gave him the chance to compile all of it... ‘Our Adventure…’ He traced the words with his fingers. What a perfect way to describe it... He smiled happily as he opened the album, finding more pictures of them, of their time together...
From the most absurd...
The cutest...
The rather surprising... He didn’t even know they took a photo of him at that time...
and of course, the most adorable...
To the sweetest...all of it was there for them to see...and from now on, they could add more, capture all of the moments they're going to have together..their adventure...
“Alfred-kun...” He turned to face the blond then, smiling at him softly, gently as for that moment, he looked at the other with all the love he had, raising his hand to caress the other’s face then, delicately “I love it...” Finding nothing else to say then, he leaned in to place a chaste kiss on Alfred’s lips then hoping all of the emotions he was feeling right now could be expressed in that one single contact, that one single moment ”...Arigato.”
Alfred was overjoyed at Kiku’s reaction to the photo album. It had been a lot of work gathering together all the photos and putting them in order as best as he could, but it was worth it because now it told their story… And Kiku definitely seemed interested in continuing it. He gave Kiku a loving smile after receiving his thank you kiss, and he whispered, “You’re welcome. Hopefully, we’ll make enough memories to fill up the book and start another one…” He quickly flipped through all the blank pages in the back, noting how thick the empty section of the book was. They had a long way to go… but they were off to a really good start.
Alfred turned back to the page with the picture of Kiku sitting down on the bus and pointed to the journaling area next to it. So far, this was the one picture where he had written something to go with it. He pointed this out to Kiku. “And see; I already began working on the story… I’ll write more soon, but why don’t you read this really quickly, and you can tell me if you like it…” He waited patiently as Kiku read the words that he had written in the style of a love note, or a letter. With every picture he put in the album, he wanted to have a message to go with it. Not necessarily a long message; just a little reminder of just how much he loved his boyfriend. This reminder just happened to be on the longer side, since it was his first one. It read:
Kiku,
I didn’t take this picture; I’ll admit it. Mattie did... My brother took this perfectly candid picture of you, and honestly, I’m really glad he did. It captures your eyes really well, which is the first thing that attracted me to you; those deep, dark, mysterious eyes… You made me want to find out what was behind them. And there I am, leaning in so I can talk to you about something… I don’t remember what, but I know you were listening… even though you were listening to music and staring at… well, I don’t know… What were you staring at? I like to think it was me, even though we weren’t even together when this picture was taken… But the look you had on your face that day… it reminds me of the way you look at me now. That’s why I included this picture; to remind us where we came from. There was always something there between us, even when we didn’t know it. And we waited a long time to get where we are now… But at least we got there!
-Alfred
“You’re the only thing I’ll wait for,” he added, once Kiku was finished reading. “Happy Valentine’s Day…” Alfred set the book aside on the nightstand by the bed, and then he leaned in; his sights set on Kiku’s lips. It was time to make some more memories… though this wouldn’t be going in the album. “I love you,” he breathed; just before their lips locked. He closed his eyes in the euphoria he felt from the kiss… Though they did this all the time, the first kiss of any evening; the first taste of Kiku’s soft, sweet lips, never failed to get his heart racing and send shivers down his spine. He hoped that feeling would never go away.
Suddenly, an unexpected weight on his shoulders startled Kiku then out of his thoughts and for a split second, he wondered bewilderedly what it was until he realized that it was just Alfred's bomber jacket (he was secretly happy to see him wear this everyday) which made him turn to look at Alfred then curiously. However though, he didn't expect the other to be watching him at all so he was caught off guard then when brown eyes met blue and the gentleness of Alfred's smile at that moment gave Kiku such a warm and fluttering feeling then as a blush spread across his face, making him immediately look away in embarrassment, feeling shy all of a sudden at the attention. Despite that, he couldn't suppress the smile that made its way on his face then as he brought the jacket closer to his being, feeling himself shiver afterward- wow, it was only now that he realized how cold he was… which, of course, made him even more grateful for the jacket that the blond offered as he turned to look at the sky serenely.
Ah, the stars are especially beautiful tonight...
Nothing could certainly be better than the feeling of this moment.
Kiku looked up then at Alfred when the blond had reached out to take his hand, and saying those words at that instance...Kiku couldn't be any happier, blushing even more as he turned to fully look at the other then with a soft smile, squeezing back Alfred's hand then gently. "This day had been the most enjoyable for me as well, Alfred-kun, more than it ever has been....Happy Valentine's Day."
Really, nothing could.
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Alfred closed his eyes and smiled. He finally understood why Valentine’s Day was such a big deal to so many people. This was a holiday where everyone around the world took a day to focus solely on that one special person in their lives. So in order to fully appreciate the holiday, you had to find that one special person... And after 16 years, he had finally done just that. How did he know? Well that was easy: Kiku was both the person he felt most comfortable around and the only one who could ever make him nervous. It was an interesting combination of mixed feelings, but it all made sense in his mind. After all, Kiku was the first person he saw in the morning, and the last person he saw at night before going to bed… He wouldn’t have it any other way. Being with Kiku was effortless, and he felt like he could trust him with anything. And yet, he felt his heart race every time he looked into those big, brown eyes. Every touch set his nerves on edge, but they were a good kind of nerves… Because with Kiku, he didn’t always know what was coming next, and that was very exciting and new to him. In fact, just about everything about Kiku still felt new. Like how his hair was soft and sweet smelling… like cherry blossoms…
He opened his eyes back up and gazed up at the sky. Now that the sky had darkened completely, the stars appeared much brighter. His boyfriend seemed to be mesmerized by them… Stargazing… That was one thing you could do on the island that you just couldn’t do in New York City. And even if he wasn’t as into it as Kiku was (he preferred the colors and explosions of fireworks), he did have to admit that the stars did make the sky beautiful… Suddenly he saw something bright streaking across the sky. For a second, he thought it was a shooting star- he had only seen one of those twice in his entire life… This one, however, looked like it was probably just an airplane, but he still made a wish on it anyway, just in case… ‘I wish for a life time of moments like these with him… and my new family… and some way to get money for a motorbike wouldn’t hurt…’ Well, maybe it was more than one wish, but Alfred was never very good at picking just one.
“What are you looking at up there?” he asked curiously, breaking the silence. “See any constellations- cause I can never seem to find those…”
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"Eto; I see a few, Alfred-kun, but to be honest, I am not really looking at constellations as of now." Kiku said demurely as he continued to stare at the night sky intently before raising a hand to point out what he was observing to the curious blond. "...Can you see them, Alfred-kun? Altair and Vega?... In Japan, there is a legend regarding those two stars actually… Altair symbolizes Orihime, the daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, while the other is Hikoboshi who is a mere cowherd."
Kiku, then, squeezed Alfred's hand as he tried to recall the tale from his childhood; luckily, he had no problem with that though since it had been engraved in his mind since the first moment he had heard it, the moment when it enchanted his younger self. He smiled at the memory. "It is a rather bittersweet tale to be honest, Alfred-kun because of its ending. You see, there was once a young and beautiful woman named Orihime who lived an unhappy life, weaving the cloths of the celestial gods… That is…until her father, the Emperor of Heaven, had found her a lover, Hibokoshi. Naturally because of this, the two soon fell in love and eventually, they married. However, both were so in loved with each other that later on, they had forgotten about their duties all together, shirking them. Of course, this irresponsibility incurred the wrath of the Emperor of Heaven and so he sent Hikoboshi on the other side of the Milky Way, forbidding the two to see each other until all of eternity. At this, Orihime was heartbroken, finding herself alone once again with her love cast away and she fell into such a state of depression that her father, broken by this, took pity on her, allowing her to meet the other once a year on the 7th of the 7th month provided that she would do her work first. Grateful, she did as she was told."
"Soon enough, on that very night, Hikoboshi and Orihime went closer, their souls aching for one another… However, the river of stars was still standing between them, separating the two. There was no bridge. At that, Orihime started to cry. She cried so much until finally, the Magpies noticed this, taking pity on her then that they flew higher and higher together at the moment and their wings became the bridge for Orihime to cross over."
"...Because of that, she was able to as planned and even if it was only for a short while, just for a day, Orihime was very happy...To be united with her lover after so long was more than she could ever wanted after all.”
"And that concludes the tale of the star-crossed lovers." Kiku smiled, looking up to Alfred with a soft and loving look, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "Actually, this story happens to be one of my favorites, Alfred-kun, since the first time I had heard it. It shows that no matter what happens, Love has no absolute boundaries and so..."
"...Alfred-kun, even with all the imperfections of life..." He turned then in the embrace, facing the other fully and tiptoeing; then, using his boyfriend’s shoulders to support himself, he planted a chaste kiss on the other’s lips lovingly before repositioning himself so he could stare into Alfred's eyes. "And I wish the same for us."
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And yet he smiled as Kiku finished the story with a kiss on the lips, reminding him that unlike the star crossed lovers, he could have this type of affection whenever he wanted. “I’m glad I get to spend EVERY day with you, and not just one. The whole love prevailing message is nice and all, but I can’t imagine being that far away from you for that long! One day a year would never be enough…” He took his boyfriend’s hands into his own and held onto them tightly. “I love you; you make me really happy… beyond happy, actually, and I want to be with you all the time…”
Alfred paused and took a moment to look into those deep brown eyes again. Those eyes were full of hope for the future, genuine hope that they would indeed last… Suddenly, he wished that he could tell Kiku about the house that he and Matthew would be getting in the near future. He wished he could take his lover back to the room and hand him a set of house keys as one of his presents, telling him that he loved him and that he was committed to him, and that he wanted them to live together, so they wouldn’t have to be apart during the summer… But he couldn’t do that. Not yet. The plan for buying this house was still in its very early stages, and though they had their mother on their side now, a lot still had to be done. He wasn’t sure exactly what had to be done, but the last time he checked in with their mom, she said that it would take awhile because there were still several important things that needed to be taken care of, and she left it at that. All this waiting and lack of details was making him impatient… It was hard to wait for his future, especially when it was staring him right in the face…
But tonight was Valentine’s Day, so for now, he put those thoughts aside and focused on the “right now”. Alfred turned to go back inside, silently motioning for Kiku to follow. After all, they had the whole room to themselves for the entire weekend- they might as well take advantage of it! They walked downstairs to the room together, careful not to be too loud, so as not to ruin the mood for any other couples who might already be downstairs. As they stepped inside their own room, Alfred led Kiku to one of the beds and sat him down. “Now you wait here,” he commanded with a huge grin on his face. “I’ll be right back!” He ran into the bathroom and grabbed the present he had set on the counter earlier. It was a simple arrangement of chrysanthemums, in a vase, but it held more meaning than it let on… The meaning of the name Kiku was chrysanthemum, after all, so he couldn’t help but go with the chrysanthemum instead of the traditional red roses that most couples exchanged on Valentine’s Day. He figured that Kiku would appreciate this gesture…
Alfred hurried back into the bedroom area, the flowers behind his back. “Here you go; these are for you,” he said, pulling them out from behind his back and offering them to Kiku. “This is just part one of your gift by the way; I hope you like them…”
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It was surreal; Kiku couldn't help but think as he stared into the depths of his lover's eyes, how his present (and a gift it was) would be like this, drowning in the endless color of blue then as Alfred’s eyes sparkled brightly, beautifully on their own behind those glasses. Most of all, this thing he had now was with someone he loved, truly loved. He was not at all alone and it really felt surreal since he always imagined himself to be, that sometimes there were moments where he waited for himself to wake up because he feared this may all be a dream... but the more he thought about it, he realized that- no, it wasn't so odd at all and this was right, it was perfect and he wouldn't want it any other way because he hadn't been this happy with anyone else in a long time. Really... he wanted this to work; to be with this family forever- Matthew, Lars and Alfred… They were all he ever needed right now...
Kiku was snapped out of his thoughts then when Alfred suddenly turned away from him, beckoning the other to follow quietly and for a moment, he wondered what the other was up to, somewhat curious about the rather abrupt change but all the same, he didn’t asked where they were going, choosing to remain quiet, though... that may be obvious now when they made their way slowly downstairs, careful not to disturb the other couples that may be there already. After all, that would be embarrassing and not to mention rude. Once they entered the room though, he was immediately sat down on their bed by Alfred, telling him to wait and Kiku just watched confusedly as the other disappeared altogether through the bathroom door, away from his view completely much to his dismay. ‘Eh?’ Before he could question himself though on whatever his boyfriend could be up to then, the blond reappeared once again, giving him a huge grin as he walked slowly up to him, trying to hide something behind his back that earned Kiku’s sufficient attention, making him tilt his head in question and when he came up close enough..., the blond, whose eyes twinkled with hope then, pulled them from behind his back and offering it...this to him... and as soon as Kiku saw it, he almost choked on his cry of surprise unable to suppress it, feeling mixed emotions welling up in his entire being...this gift that Alfred gave him... It was a bouquet of chrysanthemums... He didn’t know how to react at all to that; after all, he didn’t know... he didn’t know at all the other knew that his name meant chrysanthemum and he couldn’t even describe what he was feeling right then, knowing that the other did now and ever so thoughtfully on this day gave it to him as a gift... Plus, it was an even greater surprise especially since chrysanthemums happened to be his favorite flowers, a true symbol of Japan... and... the chrysanthemums that Alfred gave him then were absolutely beautiful...
“Alfred-kun...” Kiku tried to say as he took the flowers into his own hands, stroking the soft petals then delicately, almost afraid that he might break it. “...You did not have to at all...” Especially now, knowing the other had more presents planned for him... but still, he couldn’t help that smile that made its way on his face then, his cheeks glowing in happiness as he looked at the other gratefully, holding the chrysanthemums close to his heart...
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“Anyway I’m glad you like them- And I know I didn’t have to get you a gift, but I wanted to!” He leaned in and gave Kiku a kiss on the cheek and a light hug, or what he considered to be a light hug anyway, before springing off the bed and rushing over to one of his bags. Because somewhere inside there was part 2 to Kiku’s gift, and Alfred was really excited about Part 2… After digging through the bag for a minute or two and tossing various clothes and toiletries out onto the floor, he finally found what he was looking for. It was a big, black, leather photo album, with a place for a picture on the front cover. Earlier that week, when he had received the album in the mail, he had taken out the generic photo of the beach that came with it and replaced it with a photo of the two of them. (Which they were able to get, thanks to the timer on Kiku’s camera)
Alfred chucked softly as he looked at this picture. That wasn’t the intended pose, but Alfred had tripped when he was backing up a little, and Kiku was in his arms, so he fell on top of him, just before the timer went off, so this was the picture they got. He really liked it, even if it was an accident that it had turned out like that. He felt it represented them… imperfect, a little silly… but still beautiful.
Also on the front cover, above the picture, read their names. And underneath the picture, was a personalized message that simply read: Our Adventure. He smiled at those words as he stood up to bring the book to Kiku. He took the spot next to his boyfriend once again, this time, gently placing the photo album on his lap after sitting down.
“I know how much you like taking pictures,” he began. “And I thought maybe you would want to have a special place to put pictures of us- you could just put them in here, or maybe we could do that together… I mean, if you wanted my help that is… There’s also a spot to write next to all the pictures, so maybe I could do that...” A slight blush crept into his cheeks, as he stumbled over words and trailed off, unsure of what to say next. “… This gift is for us,” he finished finally. “I hope you like the idea as much as I do.”
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He smiled to himself at that thought.
When Alfred stood from his spot then at the moment carrying what seemed like a rather large black leather book in his hands, Kiku tilted his head in question at that, curious to know what it could possibly be, what it may be and...definitely, found out he soon did though as Alfred happened to be beside him once again, sitting so close to him before he placed the book then on his lap gently, almost sacredly for him to see...for him to behold wholly. Indeed then, because at that instant, he saw...he saw everything there is to see and for a moment, he just stared wide-eyed, too stunned to say anything, react or oh god, breathe...However, slowly though, steadily...he raised up shaking hands to his lips then to suppress, to control, a shuddering gasp that completely escaped him, awe and most of all, absolute gratefulness on his features. This...this gift...it was...it was wonderful, from the picture to the words that top it off; Kiku even wondered to himself then why he hadn’t even thought of doing this before...but that thought didn’t matter anymore, for Alfred...his love gave him the chance to compile all of it... ‘Our Adventure…’ He traced the words with his fingers. What a perfect way to describe it... He smiled happily as he opened the album, finding more pictures of them, of their time together...
From the most absurd...
The cutest...
The rather surprising... He didn’t even know they took a photo of him at that time...
and of course, the most adorable...
To the sweetest...all of it was there for them to see...and from now on, they could add more, capture all of the moments they're going to have together..their adventure...
“Alfred-kun...” He turned to face the blond then, smiling at him softly, gently as for that moment, he looked at the other with all the love he had, raising his hand to caress the other’s face then, delicately “I love it...” Finding nothing else to say then, he leaned in to place a chaste kiss on Alfred’s lips then hoping all of the emotions he was feeling right now could be expressed in that one single contact, that one single moment ”...Arigato.”
“Thank you, Alfred-kun.”
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Alfred turned back to the page with the picture of Kiku sitting down on the bus and pointed to the journaling area next to it. So far, this was the one picture where he had written something to go with it. He pointed this out to Kiku. “And see; I already began working on the story… I’ll write more soon, but why don’t you read this really quickly, and you can tell me if you like it…” He waited patiently as Kiku read the words that he had written in the style of a love note, or a letter. With every picture he put in the album, he wanted to have a message to go with it. Not necessarily a long message; just a little reminder of just how much he loved his boyfriend. This reminder just happened to be on the longer side, since it was his first one. It read:
Kiku,
I didn’t take this picture; I’ll admit it. Mattie did... My brother took this perfectly candid picture of you, and honestly, I’m really glad he did. It captures your eyes really well, which is the first thing that attracted me to you; those deep, dark, mysterious eyes… You made me want to find out what was behind them. And there I am, leaning in so I can talk to you about something… I don’t remember what, but I know you were listening… even though you were listening to music and staring at… well, I don’t know… What were you staring at? I like to think it was me, even though we weren’t even together when this picture was taken… But the look you had on your face that day… it reminds me of the way you look at me now. That’s why I included this picture; to remind us where we came from. There was always something there between us, even when we didn’t know it. And we waited a long time to get where we are now… But at least we got there!
-Alfred
“You’re the only thing I’ll wait for,” he added, once Kiku was finished reading. “Happy Valentine’s Day…” Alfred set the book aside on the nightstand by the bed, and then he leaned in; his sights set on Kiku’s lips. It was time to make some more memories… though this wouldn’t be going in the album. “I love you,” he breathed; just before their lips locked. He closed his eyes in the euphoria he felt from the kiss… Though they did this all the time, the first kiss of any evening; the first taste of Kiku’s soft, sweet lips, never failed to get his heart racing and send shivers down his spine. He hoped that feeling would never go away.
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