We've Waited Long Enough

Part One

A/N: This was something that was originally for TakaRitsu week. Since I'm having some severe medical issues with bleeding (and it's emotional toll), my participation in this amazing week didn't exist. TT^TT So what I'm doing now is taking each prompt that the blog takaritsuweek had and incorporating them into one big fic. At least I'm trying to anyway ^^;; Here's the first part, I'm still working on it! Ah and there's slight mention of my OC from "World's Greatest 'Mary-Sue'". ^^

Onodera carried a box into his apartment. As if he needed to make his room messier than it already was… But he did want to make sure the contents of this box didn't get lost in his usual homely rubble.

His coworker and fast friend, Meiri-chan had returned from the Kansai region. One of her newly assigned authors lives in Osaka and she was there on business. But the amount of souvenirs she brought back was astounding, though she herself said the gifts were pushed on her by her author. And since she couldn't be mean or impolite to refuse them she had to take them all. It wasn't until later that they had found out that author's husband owned a gift shop and all this was pretty much surplus product from the sales back in the spring.

So six big boxes of sorely out-of-season (it was already getting cold again) sakura themed items made it's way to an already pink department with Meiri as she returned for work that morning. Apparently the author told her to share it with the rest of the Emerald department. Thankfully nobody seemed to mind and took their pick of the various items. Even the packing paper and peanuts were cut into sakura petal and flower shapes.

Onodera made a place on his sofa to go over what he'd managed to pick out. He got the bulk of the soaps, wash up things, and other various scented items. Everything from shampoo and conditioner all the way to the bath oils and…shaving cream? The rookie manga editor didn't even know there was such a thing as sakura scented shaving cream for men, but here it is in this box. He also got an incense burner with sakura incense, cologne, and he made sure to grab some of the edible items before Kisa made off with all of them.

Onodera felt a certain emotional attachment to this flower that turned the entirety of Japan pink every spring. Particularly on his birthday, which it had been at least 6 or 7 months since it had passed. Though, there was no denying the fact that he would even buy some little blossom-scented things on his own accord from time to time. Whether it was in season or not.

There was just one thing about them he so desperately tried to shove out of memory when it came to this flower. He'd fallen in love with his senpai just as the trees went into full bloom. A love that went on for three years, watching him, stalking him, then finally being given the chance at dating him and making love with him. And then…

One would assume he'd grow to hate the flower because of this memory…but for some reason, just couldn't bring himself to do that. Besides, it wasn't the blossom's fault his first love turned so sour. Back on exchange, Nao had even told him to not look at these blossoms anymore so he wasn't constantly reminded and suffer the pain of losing his senpai's love. In order to do that though, he'd actually need to remain in England for life after graduation.

So Ritsu resolved, that when he returned to Japan he would fight hard to turn the cherry blossom into having a much different meaning. Every year since then the flower took on a different meaning for different things. From it being the pride of his home country, to being something he should proudly savor as the national cherry blossom holiday fell on his birthday. This method actually did help him move on and relieve a lot of those painful memories, ultimately helping him forget. He even saw it a theme that surrounds many situations in the novels he'd read and favored.

Matter of fact, Onodera pondered to himself. Sakura seem to be the theme of the couple in Meiri-chan's BL story, he of course was still reading her most prized work, Never Getting Older. As was everyone else in their department as a way to show support for the sole female of their group. His mind then wandered into dangerous territory as he thought if this particular flower could also the theme of him and Takano.

Onodera's eyes then went wide at the thought. "Gah! Why am I thinking about HIM now?" just as he used the sakura to wash away those memories, in comes Takano taking his mind over again. "I was supposed to have forgotten him…this…wasn't how it was supposed to go…"

"Ugh, I need to relax…perhaps a shower then go get something to eat," he said aloud to himself; of course this meal would be coming from the convenience store…again. The tired editor got up from his sofa and headed for his bathroom taking some of his new sakura wash-up things with him. Though it was only meant to take a few minutes, he couldn't help staying in to scrub his scalp and body thoroughly. Not to mention the smell of cherry blossom becoming more and more permeated into his skin and hair. After finally getting out of the relaxing hot shower, he topped off with his new sakura cologne once he dressed. For some reason an image of Takano popped up in his head just then. "Urrgh! There I go again…"

He wasn't even aware that his face was beet red as he stormed out the door….where Takano himself was heading down the hall with his own box just getting off of work. Onodera's heart skipped a beat and initially wanted to back track into his apartment, but his legs just didn't want to cooperate.

"Oi…not going to get another konbini meal are you?" Takano asked his newbie who appeared to want to run away from him. Again.

"N..no! I wanted to go for a walk!" Onodera lied. His stomach growled right then to call his bluff.

"Looks like your own gut is calling you a liar… Ah well, perfect timing. It's vegetable curry tonight,"

"I'm not lying! And no thanks..you don't have to…"

/(^x^)\

Onodera sat at Takano's dinner table with a cool drink while Takano made dinner. Why can't he ever take 'no' for an answer? He mulled over in his head. Though he couldn't deny it was his own fault for not taking care of himself properly a couple of months back. He honestly didn't intend for his quest to become a better manga editor to land him in the hospital.

On the coffee table was Takano's own sakura box. He'd claimed some of the bigger artsy items so they appeared to be spilling out of the box. Including a beautiful jeweled branch. It's sparkle caught Onodera's eye and he reached for it to get a better look. Wow…I don't remember seeing this in all those boxes…he thought to himself. Upon closer inspection, it was actually a cherry blossom branch dipped in 24k gold. The petals forever frozen in time with the hardened precious metal around it. It was encased in a light glass box.

"So have you given any thought to your party?"

"Eh? A party?" Onodera was a bit startled when he was addressed again; he nearly dropped the pretty branch.

"Oi! Don't drop that, I had it made custom…" Takano said annoyed as he brought their dinner to the table.

"Ah really?!" Onodera put the precious item back down gently on the table. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know! I thought you had gotten it from one of Meiri-chan's souvenir boxes…it was in there with all the other stuff you got after all!"

"This is far from being some souvenir, don't you think? No, this I had made at the Osa-P jewelry store and I picked it up today. I didn't think you'd see it in the box before I got a chance to wrap it, though…"

"I see…so it's a gift for somebody?" Onodera just couldn't get by how pretty it was. He stared at it in a sort of wonder. He pondered how they managed to dip a fragile flower in melted metal to preserve like that. They mostly did this for roses and he heard the process was astounding.

"Do you like it?"

"It's very beautiful," he replied not taking his eyes off it.

A gentle smile then graced Takano's features, "I'm relieved. Because it's yours…"

"Eh?!" that brought Onodera out of his trance with the artificially petrified branch. This is for me?! "N..not that I don't appreciate it, but…why?" Onodera was confused. It was beautiful and obviously rather expensive. He also said something about a party, didn't he? Is there something going on?

Takano sat down after setting Onodera's dinner before him. "You really don't know what next month is, do you?" he gave him a knowing look.

"…No…I'm sorry…" Onodera did feel sheepish then. Even with how hungry he was, he couldn't even tuck into the food in front of him due to being so embarrassed. There was a celebration and apparently it was about him. It wasn't his birthday or anything so he just couldn't pinpoint what it could possibly be.

Takano just smiled. He really did figure this would happen. Kind of why he wanted to surprise him. "Onodera. The end of next month marks your first year with us at Marukawa and the Emerald department…"

"Eh?! Really?!" Onodera's mouth agape. "Ha…has it really been a year already?" he honestly couldn't tell. So much had happened in just one year that it was virtually impossible to do so.

"Yes it has. Goes by fast doesn't it?" a hint of amusement in his voice. "Anyway, the guys and I want to celebrate with you," Takano continued. They'd recently had Kisa's and Mino's party. The one for Takano and Hatori wasn't too far off either.

His first reflex was to deny Takano's attempts at throwing him a party like he usually does. But this time it just didn't seem fair to decline. Takano even had something custom made for him that was so exquisite he just couldn't take his eyes off of it. Even now as he was trying to eat. "Um…I suppose that would be okay…Though if I remember correctly, my first day fell on the last day of one of the cycles….so…wouldn't it still be around that time?" Onodera's concern was actually legitimate. Shouldn't have a party when you're literally death warmed over…

"We could always move it to a more proper day. You're…still okay with it?" Takano was of course taken back by obvious reasons.

"Y..yeah. I could do that," the not-so-newbie editor said nervously as he looked down at his food. His demeanor reminiscent of the sweet little student that Takano fell in love with.

The editor-in-chief then returned a very gentle smile that made Onodera's heart skip a beat. "Got it, I'll begin making preparations,"

/(^x^)\

Onodera made it back home with a nice full stomach and a prize worth cradling like a baby. "Well that was fairly painless…" he said to himself as he took his shoes off at the genkan. Takano didn't make any advances. He didn't make any suggestive remarks. The only thing he did was feed him and seem so amazingly happy that he had permission throw a little get together for Ritsu celebrating his first year at Marukawa.

"Why does he have to smile like that?" Onodera's heart clenched the more he thought about it. "He's…so happy about that. About a stupid party…" somehow he figured he was much better able to handle when Takano did as he usually does to Ritsu.

Putting his beautiful gift on the nightstand, he cleared his bed of clothes and made a spot for him to sleep. He was already relaxed from his shower. Now he had good food in his belly (at least 3 bowls of Takano's curry; stuff was freakin' delicious), so he was very quick to succumb to sleep. He didn't even have enough time to turn off the lamp on his nightstand.

XxXx

Howling snow could be heard from the window. The atmosphere inside however, was soft and warm. In the corner was a decorated Christmas tree with a few small gifts for friends and family they were going to meet during the holiday breakfast the next day; Onodera figured he'd show everyone how they celebrated Christmas in England. The only light in the room coming from the tinkling Christmas lights.

Onodera himself was nice and warm snuggled under the kotatsu with a cheesy foreign Christmas movie on the underused TV. Spread out before him was a small birthday cake in which a good portion of it was eaten along with a small tray of fruits, veggies and other finger foods. In his hand a refilled mug of hot cocoa.

The whole scene was very nice and warm. "Ah is it midnight already?" said a soft deep voice next to him. The person it belonged to had his arm around him to where they were snuggling under another fuzzy fleece blanket.

"I think it is…" Onodera nervously smiled. "Which means I get to officially say," he faced Takano after setting down his mug. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thank you so much!" Takano smiled gently resting his lips on his lover's very tenderly, their kisses tasting sweet from the cake and hot cocoa they were indulging in.

"Here! From me!" Onodera pulled a small gift from his pocket.

"Hmm…should I wait 'til Christmas morning or…" He teased knowing his love would want to see him open it now.

"Idiot. Just open it. This one is for your birthday, the rest are for Christmas," Onodera blushed softly, his tsundere nature showing a bit to counter Takano's teasing. Takano would open his gift to reveal a beautiful single sakura blossom dipped in 24k gold. The flower itself was rather large. Enough to cover the palm of Takano's hand.

"It's so beautiful. I'll be sure to treasure it forever…" Takano nuzzled him. "I love you so much, Ritsu…"

"I love you too, Masamune…" they then indulged in a wonderful make-out session that was enough to melt the frosty windows.

"You're staying with me tonight, right?" Takano asked when they gave themselves a break. The question sounded completely rhetorical.

"Mmm do you have to ask?," Onodera said being unable to resist planting small gentle kisses on his love's lips.

"Heh, you haven't slept at home for a couple of weeks now," he purred going in to nuzzle Onodera's neck.

"They say home is where the heart is. And my heart is in this apartment, beating in your chest…"

"That was so cheesy…I think I've been working you too hard in shoujo manga," Takano laughed softly.

"Well I do learn from the best…" the little subordinate laughed with him.

XxXx

An alarm clock screamed in the room forcing Onodera awake. His heart speeding 100kmh. "What. The. HELL was that?!" he brought a shaking hand to his heart. "What was that dream?! Did…did I actually enjoy that?"

He turned off his alarm and sat for a minute. "No no…I do NOT enjoy it. I did not enjoy it….one…bit…" his heart painfully squeezing at the lie he was trying to force on himself.

"God….who am I kidding," tears beginning to pour from his eyes. "I…I LOVED it. I loved every single MINUTE of it! I could literally feel his hands and his lips. My arms around him, kissing him…on my own…. Saying 'I love you…Ma..Masamune' like it was completely fucking normal! And all I could think about….was how happy I was," rarely did he ever curse aloud. But there was just not a gentler way of explaining the emotions running rampant at this moment. "So happy that we were celebrating his birthday and Christmas the way we should've done so long ago…"

"He was so happy…and just seeing that made me so….so…" he was holding himself. Never before had he had such an urge to be with Takano since he stalked him a decade ago. That same desire he felt as a creepy teenager who wished with all his might he could be with his senpai flooded back into him then. "Is it…possible?"

Shaking his head, he got up from his bed and wiped his face. "I don't have time for this…I need to get to work…"

End Part 1. Now that he's HYPER-aware of his emotions, I wonder how he'll start acting around Takano for the next month? Hurr…hurr…hurr..

Days until Onodera falls in love (completely): 0

Days until he confesses: 30 (I'm evil…I know)