FIC: Love Forever
Title: Love Forever
Author: Innusiq
Rating: Totally G
Pairing: TutixNagayan
Word Count: 1597
Summary: In the end, twenty-some years later, Takashi realizes that the hard part really wasn't all that hard.
Author's note: The idea of this fic started back in January when my sister got married, and I finally got a chance to actually tackle it.
Takashi watches Tuti finish stowing their meager bags in the rack above their joined seats, somehow managing to maintain balance despite the rocking of the passenger car as the Shinkansen begins to pull out of the station. Tuti quickly takes a seat landing heavily next to him as the train begins to really pick up speed as it continues on its route, heading towards Tokyo - heading towards home. The sigh his boyfriend releases is followed by a wide yawn that reminds Takashi they are no longer the young, naïve actors of the past, but even knowing that - that their youth is more than a few years behind them, he can't help smiling. Even after all these years (correction, decades), they are still together and he knows neither of them are going anywhere without the other.
"What are you thinking?" Tuti's voice startles him, and when he focuses back in on the here and now, he meets curious and humorous eyes that make him smile.
"Nothing really," Takashi replies, dismissing with a shake of his head and a hand wave. "Crazy weekend, eh?"
It's actually hard to believe the week and weekend are really over. After all the weeks and months spent preparing for the big day, all the planning and organizing and designing, ends up being a lot of effort put into a few hours celebration, but he can't say it wasn't worth it. He somehow feels even older than when they first arrived in his hometown seven days earlier. Then again, watching Rin-chan walk down the isle in a dress he designed, eyes misty and over-the-moon happy and locked on her future, can have that effect on an aging uncle.
Tuti smiles then and laughs, not his loud look and pay attention to me laugh, but the one that tells Takashi he is stating the obvious and agrees completely. Takashi grins widely at Tuti, taking in all the subtle and not so subtle changes in the man he has known… what feels like forever and yet not long enough. The grey that is more than peppering the messy head of hair and all but taken over Tuti's sideburns; a receding hairline that technically has surpassed the stage of receding, but Takashi will never say that to Tuti; the creases at the corner of the more than familiar eyes and mouth, lines that tell more of the laughter and joy they've shared than age really, at least in Takashi's eyes; even the slight pouch of a belly, all definitely defines the time that's past, but he can't say any of that changes how he sees or feels about the man sitting next to him.
"Weddings tend to cause the craziness even the most grueling play can't come close to comparing to."
Takashi laughs and relaxes back in his seat, head tilted just enough to rest against Tuti's shoulder. "God, I'm tired."
"You aren't the only one," Tuti agrees, relaxing into his own seat, head resting against Takashi's. "But you did a wonderful job arranging everything. It was beautiful and the most perfect day any girl could have asked for."
"It wasn't all me, you know that. Rin-Chan did most of the work, with the help of her mom and Grandma, of course. Me being stuck in Tokyo most days working, left little time to actually help out in the planning."
"Well… you were put in charge of the most important part. Nothing but 'the best' for our 'little Rin-chan,' I think is what you said after many nights of no sleep and dozens of crumpled pages of unacceptable designs," Tuti says, teasing him more than anything. "The dress was beautiful, by the way."
He can't help the quiet snort that escapes. "Yeah, well that was all Rin-chan really. She can pull anything off," Takashi returns, directing the credit to his niece, cheeks feeling a little warm at Tuti's compliment.
"Just like her uncle," Tuti adds, nudging Takashi with the shoulder he is resting against. "Don't downplay your talents. You'd think after years of designing you'd have some confidence by now."
"Years of designing T-shirts and coats and bags and various accessories, all stuff that really doesn't matter, but a wedding dress… a western style wedding dress…"
"It was beautiful."
Takashi looks up at Tuti a moment, trying to gauge the truth and sincerity of his boyfriend's words. "You're just saying that because I sleep with you."
Tuti barks a laugh that makes a few people around them offer disapproving looks, but it doesn't stop the laughing, though it does quiet Tuti down a bit.
"No, I'm saying it because it's the truth. Rin-chan just added to what was already there. I saw our sweet little Rin-chan cry the first time she tried it on, remember? You truly out did yourself with that one."
His cheeks heat up again, worse than before.
"It will be the last one…"
"Now, come on. How can you deny the women of Japan a chance at a personally designed Nagayama Takashi ceremonial gown?"
"Easy - no other woman in Japan will ever know because unless you plan on telling, I'm not saying a word," Takashi returns, knowing full well Tuti is only teasing again.
Tuti snorts.
"Besides, I think my real job keeps me busy enough that I'm lucky I get the chance to design the stuff I do."
"And now that all the wedding planning is over with, what are you going to be occupying your spare time with, Nagayama-san?"
"Same old, same old," Takashi returns with a shrug. "I have a meeting with Tamaoki-san first thing Monday morning, to get back into the grove, is what Tamaoki-san said. He really can't wait. I think the time off I took was worse for him than me!"
Tuti laughs again. "When is that man going to retire?"
"Not anytime soon I hope," Takashi replies with a huge grin. "I don't think I could trust anyone else, ya know? Anyway, he loves making your life miserable so seeing as I'm not letting you go anytime soon, you are stuck with him as much as he is stuck with you."
"Figures," Tuti mutters, slouching a bit in his seat.
"Come on," Takashi nudges. "You know you love him."
Tuit gives him a disbelieving look.
"Like him?"
Tuti still stares, not giving in.
"A little?" Takashi pushes, eyes batting.
Tuti sighs. "Alright, alright. A little. I can tolerate him, just a little."
Takashi beams brightly, then settles back against Tuti's shoulder again. Taking Tuti's left hand in his own, Takashi absently begins spinning the band of silver around Tuti's left ring finger, one that happens to match his own and smiles to himself when Tuti's hand tightens around his. There were some moments, during the whole extravaganza of Rin-chan's wedding that Takashi, for at least a moment or two, wished a ceremonial expression of love was something he could have with Tuti. A day to celebrate not only with themselves, but also the world around them, how much they love one another, but then Takashi would look at the ring on his finger and remember that the people who are important to them, that love them, already know and accept what he and Tuti share being equally as bonding as Rin-chan's formal marriage. Their matching rings symbolize their bond to one another as one that isn't just a fleeing moment, but an eternity.
Love Forever.
"You're thinking again," Tuti's voice again startles him.
Takashi takes a deep breath and sighs. He is really tired more than anything, but he's not ready to let the weekend go that easily and is fighting the sleep he could catch between Kanagawa and Tokyo.
"My mind is just wandering, that's all," Takashi lies, hoping Tuti drops the subject, and he thinks Tuti has as the silence settles around them, but then Tuti speaks again.
"Do you ever wish… I mean… do you ever think… " Tuti's words drop off a moment, and when Takashi looks up he can see Tuti is trying to word his thoughts appropriately. "I mean, after seeing how happy Rin-chan was… do you even wish… you know… like… that was you?"
Even not worded as eloquently as the question could have been, Takashi understands Tuti completely, and isn't surprised that the man sitting next to him, his best friend and lover and something completely more, has been thinking his exact same thoughts.
"Maybe," Takashi replies honestly, and adds. "But ya know, we've managed not killing each other in the last twenty years… I think that might say a lot more than any vows could."
"We've come close, though," Tuti teases back, a smile twinkling in his eyes and lips quivering from a suppressed and most likely overpowering laugh, but Tuti is right, and even that proves how strong their bond is.
Their relationship began like any other couple's, a one-chance meeting, neither really looking for the love of their life to settle down with, and then it just… happened. Granted, it took a couple years, and a few trial and errors, but once they figured it all out, once they finally saw what was standing before them, what had been staring them in the face since day they met, there was no turning a blind eye or going back to simple friendship. Love is easy. It's something that happens when you're not paying attention. The hard part is accepting that love, and working at it to make it flourish.
In the end, twenty-some years later, Takashi realizes that the hard part really wasn't all that hard.
Author: Innusiq
Rating: Totally G
Pairing: TutixNagayan
Word Count: 1597
Summary: In the end, twenty-some years later, Takashi realizes that the hard part really wasn't all that hard.
Author's note: The idea of this fic started back in January when my sister got married, and I finally got a chance to actually tackle it.
Takashi watches Tuti finish stowing their meager bags in the rack above their joined seats, somehow managing to maintain balance despite the rocking of the passenger car as the Shinkansen begins to pull out of the station. Tuti quickly takes a seat landing heavily next to him as the train begins to really pick up speed as it continues on its route, heading towards Tokyo - heading towards home. The sigh his boyfriend releases is followed by a wide yawn that reminds Takashi they are no longer the young, naïve actors of the past, but even knowing that - that their youth is more than a few years behind them, he can't help smiling. Even after all these years (correction, decades), they are still together and he knows neither of them are going anywhere without the other.
"What are you thinking?" Tuti's voice startles him, and when he focuses back in on the here and now, he meets curious and humorous eyes that make him smile.
"Nothing really," Takashi replies, dismissing with a shake of his head and a hand wave. "Crazy weekend, eh?"
It's actually hard to believe the week and weekend are really over. After all the weeks and months spent preparing for the big day, all the planning and organizing and designing, ends up being a lot of effort put into a few hours celebration, but he can't say it wasn't worth it. He somehow feels even older than when they first arrived in his hometown seven days earlier. Then again, watching Rin-chan walk down the isle in a dress he designed, eyes misty and over-the-moon happy and locked on her future, can have that effect on an aging uncle.
Tuti smiles then and laughs, not his loud look and pay attention to me laugh, but the one that tells Takashi he is stating the obvious and agrees completely. Takashi grins widely at Tuti, taking in all the subtle and not so subtle changes in the man he has known… what feels like forever and yet not long enough. The grey that is more than peppering the messy head of hair and all but taken over Tuti's sideburns; a receding hairline that technically has surpassed the stage of receding, but Takashi will never say that to Tuti; the creases at the corner of the more than familiar eyes and mouth, lines that tell more of the laughter and joy they've shared than age really, at least in Takashi's eyes; even the slight pouch of a belly, all definitely defines the time that's past, but he can't say any of that changes how he sees or feels about the man sitting next to him.
"Weddings tend to cause the craziness even the most grueling play can't come close to comparing to."
Takashi laughs and relaxes back in his seat, head tilted just enough to rest against Tuti's shoulder. "God, I'm tired."
"You aren't the only one," Tuti agrees, relaxing into his own seat, head resting against Takashi's. "But you did a wonderful job arranging everything. It was beautiful and the most perfect day any girl could have asked for."
"It wasn't all me, you know that. Rin-Chan did most of the work, with the help of her mom and Grandma, of course. Me being stuck in Tokyo most days working, left little time to actually help out in the planning."
"Well… you were put in charge of the most important part. Nothing but 'the best' for our 'little Rin-chan,' I think is what you said after many nights of no sleep and dozens of crumpled pages of unacceptable designs," Tuti says, teasing him more than anything. "The dress was beautiful, by the way."
He can't help the quiet snort that escapes. "Yeah, well that was all Rin-chan really. She can pull anything off," Takashi returns, directing the credit to his niece, cheeks feeling a little warm at Tuti's compliment.
"Just like her uncle," Tuti adds, nudging Takashi with the shoulder he is resting against. "Don't downplay your talents. You'd think after years of designing you'd have some confidence by now."
"Years of designing T-shirts and coats and bags and various accessories, all stuff that really doesn't matter, but a wedding dress… a western style wedding dress…"
"It was beautiful."
Takashi looks up at Tuti a moment, trying to gauge the truth and sincerity of his boyfriend's words. "You're just saying that because I sleep with you."
Tuti barks a laugh that makes a few people around them offer disapproving looks, but it doesn't stop the laughing, though it does quiet Tuti down a bit.
"No, I'm saying it because it's the truth. Rin-chan just added to what was already there. I saw our sweet little Rin-chan cry the first time she tried it on, remember? You truly out did yourself with that one."
His cheeks heat up again, worse than before.
"It will be the last one…"
"Now, come on. How can you deny the women of Japan a chance at a personally designed Nagayama Takashi ceremonial gown?"
"Easy - no other woman in Japan will ever know because unless you plan on telling, I'm not saying a word," Takashi returns, knowing full well Tuti is only teasing again.
Tuti snorts.
"Besides, I think my real job keeps me busy enough that I'm lucky I get the chance to design the stuff I do."
"And now that all the wedding planning is over with, what are you going to be occupying your spare time with, Nagayama-san?"
"Same old, same old," Takashi returns with a shrug. "I have a meeting with Tamaoki-san first thing Monday morning, to get back into the grove, is what Tamaoki-san said. He really can't wait. I think the time off I took was worse for him than me!"
Tuti laughs again. "When is that man going to retire?"
"Not anytime soon I hope," Takashi replies with a huge grin. "I don't think I could trust anyone else, ya know? Anyway, he loves making your life miserable so seeing as I'm not letting you go anytime soon, you are stuck with him as much as he is stuck with you."
"Figures," Tuti mutters, slouching a bit in his seat.
"Come on," Takashi nudges. "You know you love him."
Tuit gives him a disbelieving look.
"Like him?"
Tuti still stares, not giving in.
"A little?" Takashi pushes, eyes batting.
Tuti sighs. "Alright, alright. A little. I can tolerate him, just a little."
Takashi beams brightly, then settles back against Tuti's shoulder again. Taking Tuti's left hand in his own, Takashi absently begins spinning the band of silver around Tuti's left ring finger, one that happens to match his own and smiles to himself when Tuti's hand tightens around his. There were some moments, during the whole extravaganza of Rin-chan's wedding that Takashi, for at least a moment or two, wished a ceremonial expression of love was something he could have with Tuti. A day to celebrate not only with themselves, but also the world around them, how much they love one another, but then Takashi would look at the ring on his finger and remember that the people who are important to them, that love them, already know and accept what he and Tuti share being equally as bonding as Rin-chan's formal marriage. Their matching rings symbolize their bond to one another as one that isn't just a fleeing moment, but an eternity.
Love Forever.
"You're thinking again," Tuti's voice again startles him.
Takashi takes a deep breath and sighs. He is really tired more than anything, but he's not ready to let the weekend go that easily and is fighting the sleep he could catch between Kanagawa and Tokyo.
"My mind is just wandering, that's all," Takashi lies, hoping Tuti drops the subject, and he thinks Tuti has as the silence settles around them, but then Tuti speaks again.
"Do you ever wish… I mean… do you ever think… " Tuti's words drop off a moment, and when Takashi looks up he can see Tuti is trying to word his thoughts appropriately. "I mean, after seeing how happy Rin-chan was… do you even wish… you know… like… that was you?"
Even not worded as eloquently as the question could have been, Takashi understands Tuti completely, and isn't surprised that the man sitting next to him, his best friend and lover and something completely more, has been thinking his exact same thoughts.
"Maybe," Takashi replies honestly, and adds. "But ya know, we've managed not killing each other in the last twenty years… I think that might say a lot more than any vows could."
"We've come close, though," Tuti teases back, a smile twinkling in his eyes and lips quivering from a suppressed and most likely overpowering laugh, but Tuti is right, and even that proves how strong their bond is.
Their relationship began like any other couple's, a one-chance meeting, neither really looking for the love of their life to settle down with, and then it just… happened. Granted, it took a couple years, and a few trial and errors, but once they figured it all out, once they finally saw what was standing before them, what had been staring them in the face since day they met, there was no turning a blind eye or going back to simple friendship. Love is easy. It's something that happens when you're not paying attention. The hard part is accepting that love, and working at it to make it flourish.
In the end, twenty-some years later, Takashi realizes that the hard part really wasn't all that hard.