Disclaimer: I do not own Cardfight! Vanguard
Pairing: Aichi x Kai (Kaichi/Kaiai).
Author Notes: Happy Birthday Aichi!
I wanted to write a birthday fanfic for Aichi. It kind of ended up being about Aichi and Kai-kun's relationship and them talking about what happened during Legion Mate though. In this story, Kai-kun already returned home from France and is now cardfighting in the local circuit. Aichi is doing the same. They have been going out for a few months. This information isn't that important to the story itself but I thought I could tell you guys why Kai was home and what they've been doing since the end of the series.
Set in the future after Legion Mate and during G. Established relationship of Aichi and Kai-kun. Oneshot.
I hope you guys enjoy it!
I'll Always Be With You
"Legion attack!" Sendou Aichi called out turning his two units to the left with one hand. He was currently at Card Capital fighting a green haired boy. Aichi was wearing a white long sleeved open jacket over a pink turtleneck, blue pants and black shoes. A couple of minutes later, the fight ended with Aichi's victory.
After gathering his cards and talking to the boy for a little bit, Aichi walked over to a nearby table. "Sorry to make you wait, Kai-kun," he said smiling at the brunet.
Kai Toshiki looked up as the blue haired boy approached his table. He was wearing a black long sleeved open jacket that went past his waist over a white shirt, black pants and black boots. "Aichi. You are done?"
"Un. I'm sorry to make you wait," Aichi said. He was about to sit opposite the brunet but before he could, the brunet's hand reached out and grabbed his wrist making him stop in his tracks. "Kai-kun?"
Instead of replying vocally though, Kai tugged his wrist lightly indicating the empty seat beside him with his eyes.
Aichi smiled sheepishly. He walked over to the other side of the table and sat down beside the brunet.
The brunet let go of his wrist as Aichi sat down.
The blue haired boy was confused. Didn't Kai want to fight him? He couldn't fight Kai if they were sitting next to each other. He looked at the brunet noticing the other was looking through his deck. The blue haired boy was about to speak when Kai looked over at him. The brunet raised an eyebrow in question. Aichi's cheeks flushed pink at getting caught staring and hastily looked away.
Kai looked at Aichi surprised the other looked away from him. What was that about? He thought they were past this stage in their relationship. He frowned as he pondered what to do. Should he talk to Aichi about it? If he did talk to Aichi, what would he say though? The brunet couldn't make the other look at him. Maybe it was his fault Aichi wasn't looking at him. The brunet was unintentionally ignoring the other ever since Aichi sat beside him. An idea came to him a few seconds later. It wasn't something he would normally do but this was Aichi. The blue haired boy meant the world to him.
Aichi continued to look away. Why did he look away from Kai? He didn't know what was going through the other's head when the brunet made him sit beside him. The blue haired boy thought they were going to fight each other but maybe Kai just wanted him to sit beside him? The thought made him feel warm inside. He jumped at the touch to his hand and looked over at Kai his eyes wide.
The brunet said nothing. He lifted up their hands to show the other that they were holding hands.
Aichi gaped at their hands. They were holding hands. Why? Kai usually never held his hand in public places. The blue haired boy didn't mind it that much as the brunet usually made up for it when they were alone at Kai's apartment or at Aichi's house. His cheeks flushed pink as the brunet squeezed his hand. "Kai-kun?"
The brunet couldn't help but smirk at the smaller boy's flushed cheeks. He found it amusing how Aichi blushed easily around him. The blue haired boy had blushed around him before they got together and it seemed like he wasn't going to stop anytime soon. Kai opened his mouth to speak but noticed Miwa Taishi walking over to them and quickly closed his mouth letting go of the other's hand at the same time.
Aichi couldn't help but be disappointed as Kai let go. While he had been expecting Kai to let go soon, he had been enjoying the other's touch. It wasn't often the other touched him in public after all. The blue haired boy was tempted to touch the other and see what his reaction would be.
"Oi, you lovebirds. This is a card shop. Nobody wants to see you guys kissing each other," Miwa said teasingly as he stopped by their table.
The blue haired boy's eyes widened and turned his head to look at the blond. "W-We weren't kissing, Miwa-kun. We were only holding hands."
Kai, who was looking through his deck once more, shook his head. "… Idiot," he muttered.
Aichi looked at the brunet beside him confused. Did Kai just call him an idiot? Why?
"Oh~ You guys were holding hands. That sure is bold of you. I didn't think you were that type of person, Aichi," Miwa said grinning at him.
Ah. So that was why Kai said he was an idiot. Aichi should've known the blond would tease them if he found out what they were doing. He was tempted to bury his face in his hands.
"I guess I should've expected it. I mean, can you imagine Kai reaching out and touching somebody? Aichi was always the one who was showing his love for Kai even before you guys got together. Remember all those times Aichi waited at Card Capital for Kai to show up? He was like a lovesick puppy waiting for his master. It was like he wasn't even trying to hide his love for Kai. You are lucky Kai was oblivious of how deep your feelings were back then, Aichi," the blond continued to speak.
The blue haired boy buried his face in his hands and groaned. This was so embarrassing. He was tempted to look at the brunet beside him to see his reaction to the blond's words but decided not to as that would involve uncovering his face.
Kai had enough. He couldn't stand by and watch as his blond best friend teased his boyfriend. Although Aichi was an idiot for telling the blond what they had been doing, it was Kai's fault they were in this situation in the first place. The brunet had to step in. He looked away from his deck and at Miwa. "… Were you born annoying or did you come over here for some reason other than to tease Aichi?"
A fake hurt look went onto Miwa's face. "That is mean, Kai. I know you are jealous Aichi is getting all of the attention from me but calling me annoying is a little much, don't you think?"
"… Who would be jealous?"
The blond snickered. "Don't worry, Kai. I'll make sure to tease you next. That will make you happy, right?"
"… Shut up."
Miwa raised an eyebrow. "I never thought I would see the day Kai Toshiki is overprotective of someone. It is a miracle." Before the brunet could open his mouth and speak, Miwa continued speaking. "Wait a minute. That is right. Kai always had a soft spot for Aichi. I guess it is to be expected that he would be overprotective of him. He loves him after all."
"Miwa."
The blond winced at the brunet's hostile glare. He quickly raised his hands in a form of surrender. "Calm down. There is no need to get hostile over some teasing. I thought you changed and would be able to handle some teasing."
"Are you an idiot? Nobody can change that much. I'm going to ask again, Miwa. If you don't answer my question, you'll regret it."
Miwa laughed nervously. "I understand."
"… What did you come over here for?"
"To tease you two, of course," Miwa said cheerfully. His eyes widened upon seeing the brunet about to get out of his seat. "W-Wait. I was joking. Well, actually I wasn't joking. But I really did come over for a reason. I wanted to talk to Aichi."
Aichi uncovered his face and looked up at the blond curiously. "Eh? Me? Why, Miwa-kun?"
"Your birthday is coming up soon, right? Everybody was thinking of having a party for you here at Card Capital on the day of it. I'm sure it will be a lot of fun."
The blue haired boy's eyes widened. "Eh? A party? Everyone doesn't need to go that far for me. I mean, I appreciate the thought but a party is a bit much."
The blond shook his head. "Everybody would love to throw you a birthday party, Aichi. Nee-chan already gave her approval after all. We want you to have a wonderful birthday."
Aichi frowned feeling hesitant. He didn't want his friends to go to the trouble of throwing a party for him but he didn't want to make it seem like he didn't appreciate their feelings for him either. He nodded. "Alright, Miwa-kun. You win," he said reluctantly.
Kai looked at Aichi his eyes narrowed. Did the other forget his plans for the blue haired boy's birthday?
"Really? That is great. I'll make sure to tell everybody about it. We'll throw you an amazing party, Aichi," Miwa said grinning at him.
The blue haired boy smiled softly at the blond. He looked at the brunet beside him and almost winced at the older boy's narrowed eyes. What did he do to deserve that look? Wait… His birthday? His eyes widened as he remembered something and looked back at Miwa with a sad look on his face. "I'm sorry, Miwa-kun. I just remembered I already have plans for my birthday."
"Eh! No way! With who?" Miwa said looking upset.
"… With Kai-kun. He is taking me out on a date. I'm sorry for not letting you know earlier."
Kai nodded feeling pleased his boyfriend remembered his plans.
"That isn't fair, Kai! You should let me know when you guys have a date."
The brunet raised an eyebrow as the blond immediately turned to him and started complaining. "… You should've asked him earlier. Why would I tell you that? That is none of your business."
"You are mean, Kai. I'm sure you did it on purpose. You just want Aichi all to yourself on his birthday. Everybody else cares about and likes Aichi too, you know?" Miwa complained.
"I'm not stupid. I know that. You should've asked Aichi earlier."
"That isn't the problem here," Miwa said making Aichi and Kai look at him confused. "Even if I did ask Aichi earlier, he would still refuse. You come first to him after all."
The blue haired boy's cheeks flushed pink and looked down at the table. There wasn't anything he could say in return as what the blond said was true.
Kai looked at his boyfriend and smiled. It made him feel warm inside to hear that Aichi cared about him that much. Forgetting the blond was still there; he reached over and touched the smaller boy's hand under the table.
Aichi's eyes widened at the touch and looked at the brunet.
Noticing he had the other's attention, Kai kept the smile on his face as he looked at him. "I feel the same as you, if not more."
The smile that he reserved for Kai went onto Aichi's face. "Un. I love you, Kai-kun."
Miwa raised an eyebrow at the touching scene. Did they somehow forget he was still here? He was tempted to start teasing them or make a (fake) disgusted noise but decided not to. The scene itself was pretty cute. The blond didn't want to ruin their moment. He was happy Kai could express his feelings and tell Aichi he loved him. It looked like it was effortless for him which surprised the blond as he remembered how the brunet used to be. Kai really had grown.
The blond sweat dropped as Kai and Aichi's touching moment continued. They weren't saying anything. Rather, it looked like they were trying to convey their love to the other with their eyes. The blond shook his head and turned around. They were so embarrassing sometimes. A grin went onto his face as an idea came to him. Aichi and Kai were busy on the day of Aichi's birthday. That meant they could have Aichi's birthday party another day. He started walking over to the front counter to talk to Tokura Misaki about his idea.
Miwa hoped Aichi would enjoy his surprise birthday party.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZ
The day before Aichi's birthday, Aichi walked to Card Capital with a smile on his face. He didn't know what his boyfriend had in store for him for his birthday but he was excited. It was going to be his nineteenth birthday. Maybe Kai would give him something different than normal for his birthday present? Something different than normal… His mind conjured up an image of the brunet telling Aichi his birthday present was Kai. His cheeks flushed pink. The blue haired boy shook his head. Kai wasn't going to give him… any of that stuff for his birthday.
He frowned as he continued to walk. That brought up an interesting thought. Was Kai holding himself back when it came to Aichi? He hoped not but when it came to the brunet, he wouldn't be surprised if the other was. Kai was really kind and considerate after all. That brought up another interesting thought. Would Aichi himself accept the other's feelings and agree to do… mature things with him?
The blue haired boy squeaked and started pushing those naughty thoughts out of his head lest his mind started conjuring up images again. Why was he thinking about that type of stuff? He groaned holding a hand up to his head. It was his fault for remembering that it was going to be his nineteenth birthday.
"Aichi?"
The blue haired boy jumped at hearing his name and looked to his right surprised. "K-Kai-kun." He had forgotten the brunet was walking beside him. He felt embarrassed for forgetting the other.
"… Is your head alright? You've been acting strangely for the past couple of minutes. You aren't sick, are you?"
Aichi felt warm inside at the other's concern, let his hand drop to his side and smiled at him. "Thank you, Kai-kun but I'm alright. I was just… thinking."
The brunet gave him another concerned look. After searching the smaller boy's eyes for something, he nodded and looked away from him. "… Don't think too hard or you'll get a headache."
"Un. I'm sorry."
After a couple of minutes of silence, Kai looked over at him. "You want to tell me what was on your mind? Maybe I can help you."
"Eh? It is alright. I don't want to trouble you."
Kai resisted the urge to sigh. "I'm asking because I want to help. I've heard… talking to people about your problems helps."
The blue haired boy smiled. It made him feel warm and special knowing the brunet wanted to help him and was willing to step out of his comfort zone to do it. If they weren't in public, he would've kissed the other on the cheek. "Thank you, Kai-kun. I appreciate it. But it really is nothing you have to worry about. I was just thinking about my birthday. I promise I'll tell you if there is something wrong."
"… You haven't before. Don't you trust me?"
Aichi's eyes widened at the bitterness in the other's voice and felt a pang of guilt. Clearly the other still felt bitter Aichi didn't trust him enough to tell him about the Link Joker seed inside of him and instead chose to tell Suzugamori Ren, Souryuu Leon and the ex-Quatre Knights. "I didn't have a choice, Kai-kun. I didn't want you to get involved."
"'Didn't have a choice'? Don't give me that. You could've told me what was going on. I could've helped you."
The blue haired boy stopped walking making the other stop beside him. "I do trust you. I trust you more than anyone. I just didn't want you to get involved. I didn't want you to do something reckless and try to save me."
"… Well, you did a great job showing that you trust me," the brunet said sarcastically. Aichi frowned and opened his mouth to speak but didn't get a chance as Kai continued talking. "Besides, I got involved so that I could see you again. I went to the moon to save you. I… couldn't just forget about you."
"But you already went through enough. I didn't want you to suffer anymore. It was hard for me too, Kai-kun. I didn't like having to wipe everyone's memories and having to disappear. I thought sealing it away was the only option at that point."
The brunet glared at him but instead of speaking, he grabbed the other's wrist with one hand and started walking in the opposite direction of Card Capital.
Aichi let out a surprised noise as he was forcibly pulled along. "K-Kai-kun! Where are we going? Card Capital is in the opposite direction!"
"… No more. I can't take it anymore."
The blue haired boy blinked and looked at his boyfriend worried. "Kai-kun?"
"We are going to talk about this. We can't do it here and we can't do it at Card Capital with everyone either."
"But what about everyone? They're waiting for us at Card Capital. I even heard Kamui-kun was allowed to take the day off so that he could join us for the day. We have to show up," Aichi protested. For whatever reason though, the blue haired boy didn't struggle in the other's grip. Despite his protests, he continued to walk with Kai in the opposite direction of Card Capital.
Kai stopped walking making the smaller boy walk into his back. The smaller boy rubbed his forehead and looked at the other. The brunet turned around and glared at his boyfriend. "… We don't have to do anything. The only thing we're going to do is talk." Before Aichi could even think about opening his mouth and replying, the brunet turned back around and started walking once more pulling the smaller boy along.
The smaller boy let out another surprised noise. "But Kai-kun, they might worry about us. I don't want to worry everyone."
"… Text or call somebody. Tell them we are busy for the afternoon. Problem solved, right?"
Aichi was torn between pouting and sweat dropping. While Kai's reasoning made sense, it seemed wrong to contact the others via phone. He would've preferred to go to Card Capital and tell their friends they couldn't stay. While Kai had changed a lot from when they first met, some parts of him stayed the same. His anger and stubbornness were some of those things. A smile went onto his face.
It was worth it though. He loved Kai.
ZZZ
"They are late! Where is Onii-san… and Kai?" Katsuragi Kamui complained as he stood at a standing fight table at Card Capital.
"Miwa, did you tell Aichi and Kai about Aichi's birthday party?" Misaki asked looking at the blond on the other side of the front counter where she was working.
"I did~" At the disbelieving looks directed towards him, Miwa let a fake hurt expression come onto his face. "You guys don't believe me? I'm hurt."
"But if you did tell them, they should be here by now. Where are they? What are they doing?" Ishida Naoki, who was fighting Kamui, said.
Everyone looked towards Miwa.
The blond sweat dropped. "How am I supposed to know? I did tell them about it. I feel like I'm forgetting something though."
"So you did forget?" Naoki said looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm telling you, I didn't forget," Miwa said. He didn't understand why his friends didn't believe him. His eyes widened as he remembered something. "I remember now! I didn't tell Aichi and Kai about Aichi's surprise birthday party we planned for today. I only talked to him about the party we planned for his birthday but obviously we can't do that because it interferes with their date."
"Eh! Miwa-senpai, how could you forget something that important?" Kamui said looking aghast.
"Shut up. My memory isn't the best when it comes to remembering things."
"Except for knowing how to navigate underground malls," Naoki said looking at the cards in his hand and nodding.
The blond sweat dropped. Obviously Naoki was referring to the time where he helped navigate the four of them (plus Kai) through the underground mall in their city to an entrance that would take them to Aichi's moon palace. "At least I was helpful?"
"Don't forget he knows his way around the back alleys of the city as well as the Underground Fight meeting places," Kamui said.
"Eh? No, no. I wouldn't claim that I know my way back there. Besides, that is Kai's fault! I was looking for him and he was there fighting people."
Everyone looked at him disbelievingly.
Miwa groaned. "It is true!"
"You know, that does sound like Kai though. I wouldn't be surprised if Miwa-senpai is telling the truth," Kamui said.
"See?" Miwa said triumphantly only listening to the first part of what Kamui said. The second part finally sunk in after a few moments and he looked at Kamui annoyed. "Oi! What do you mean by 'if', you damn brat? I'm telling the truth!"
"Hurry up and text or call Aichi or Kai. We can't wait all day for them," Misaki spoke up.
Everyone looked at Miwa obviously blaming him for the couple's absence so far.
The blond glared at them, took out his cell phone and looked down at it. "It is supposed to be a surprise birthday party. Why do you guys want me to tell Aichi about his surprise birthday party? I don't understand. They could walk through any moment but since Nee-chan says to contact them, I'll do it," he muttered.
Misaki resisted the urge to roll her eyes and went back to work. Naoki and Kamui shook their heads grinning fondly at each other as they continued their fight.
ZZZ
Kai ended up taking Aichi to his apartment. He thought they couldn't do their conversation in public or at Card Capital (especially in front of their friends) so why not bring his boyfriend back to his place? It was a good idea. They would have privacy this way.
"… Sit anywhere you want, Aichi," Kai said locking the door behind them and tidying up the entranceway where their shoes were.
"U-Un. Thank you, Kai-kun," Aichi said walking over to the brunet's bed. He noticed that the other's apartment hadn't changed from the last time he visited it. His thoughts from earlier came back as he sat down on the bed making him jump up from it squeaking. Why did they come back?
"Is something wrong?" Kai said walking over to him. He was confused at seeing the other's flushed face. Why was Aichi feeling embarrassed?
The blue haired boy hastily shook his head, pushed his thoughts away and sat on the bed once more.
Kai was still confused and was tempted to ask his boyfriend about it. He sat down next to the smaller boy and decided to forget about it for the time being. Their talk was more important to him. Besides his flushed face, Aichi looked to be alright. "Let's have a talk, Aichi."
The blue haired boy looked at him confused. "You said that before."
"… I thought it was alright if we didn't talk about it but I was wrong," Kai said ignoring the other.
"What do you want me to say, Kai-kun? I already told you that I trust you. I just didn't want you to get involved. Besides, like I told Ren-san; you probably wouldn't let me go through with it."
The brunet nodded. "Damn right I wouldn't."
"I… don't understand. What is there to talk about? If this is about my reluctance from earlier then I'll tell you what I was thinking. I may have to take my time telling you though."
"… You don't understand? This isn't about what happened earlier. We're talking about what happened when you disappeared and we found out a… Link Joker seed was inside of your body." It took all of Kai's willpower in order not to call the Link Joker seed something unpleasant.
"It technically still is," Aichi murmured.
Kai wisely chose not to answer. He knew snapping at his boyfriend wouldn't be fair.
"Kai-kun, please look at me."
The brunet looked at the other surprised by the request.
"Kai-kun. I love you," Aichi said with a serious look on his face. The brunet frowned and opened his mouth to answer but before he could, the blue haired boy kept talking. "Please let me finish." The brunet closed his mouth and nodded choosing to respect his feelings. "Thank you." The blue haired boy gave into his urge from before, moved closer and kissed the brunet on the cheek.
The brunet stared at his boyfriend surprised by the kiss. In the few moments it took for Aichi to kiss his cheek and move away from him, he was controlling himself. Usually whenever they were at his apartment (or not in public) and Aichi would kiss his cheek like that, he would always grab Aichi and pull him back in for a proper kiss on the lips. He couldn't help himself at times. His boyfriend was adorable and he loved kissing him. The only reason he was controlling himself right now was because Aichi was going to talk to him and he promised to let the other finish.
A spiteful part of him felt smug that he could control himself as Miwa had said once that he couldn't. What the blond didn't know was that he had been holding himself back ever since he and Aichi got together. He didn't want to force the smaller boy to have sex with him. Kai didn't even know if Aichi was comfortable doing it with him or even if he wanted to. Sometimes though, his urges and body wouldn't listen to him making him have… dreams and he would be forced to take a cold shower in the morning. The brunet never brought up the topic and just assumed that if Aichi ever wanted to do it, he would let him know. If he never wanted to have sex with him, that was alright too.
Despite wanting to talk to his boyfriend, an amused look went onto Aichi's face as he looked at the other. Was Kai… spacing out because of his kiss? He remembered other times when he had kissed Kai on the cheek and suddenly understood what was going on. Not realizing how much power he had right now, a serious look went back onto his face. "Kai-kun."
Kai snapped out of his thoughts at hearing his name. Did the blue haired boy see him space out? Did the blue haired boy know how much power he had? "Aichi."
"I love you. I have always loved you," Aichi said. It was embarrassing saying these words to his boyfriend especially when a few days ago, he had hid his face from Kai because of Miwa's teasing. This was different though. He was determined to get his feelings across and for that to happen, he had to be honest. For a few moments, he wondered if he was being too honest but decided not to worry about it. "I trust you. I always have trusted you and will continue to trust you."
"… I love you too. Why didn't you tell me if you trusted me?" The brunet was unable to keep silent despite his choice to respect the other's feelings. Unlike before though, his voice was soft as if he were afraid to speak louder and break the mood that was around them.
The blue haired boy sighed. "You already felt guilty over the Link Joker incident. The Link Joker seed entering my body wasn't your fault yet you seemed determined to accept the blame for that as well. I didn't want you to suffer anymore. I thought sealing me away was the only way."
"If I had fought the other Tatsunagi Takuto instead of you, the seed would've entered my body instead. I was already planning on disappearing until you talked me out of it anyway."
Aichi looked at him frustrated and pained. "That didn't happen and I'm glad it happened to me rather than you. Besides, we don't know how you and your body would've accepted the seed. You were still Reversed at that point."
"… I'm not glad. Aichi. I said it before and I'll say it again. I never wanted you to disappear. That is why I fought all of those painful battles in order to get to where you were. I… wanted to see you again."
The blue haired boy let out a frustrated noise and stood up. "You still don't understand."
Kai stood up and turned to look at his boyfriend. "… Then tell me."
"I've been trying to this whole time but you aren't listening to me. I love you, Kai-kun. I love everyone as well. I didn't want you to suffer. You've suffered enough already. You want to know why I didn't tell you? It is because I knew you wouldn't let me go through with it. Either that or you would insist on being one of my Quatre Knights."
The brunet raised an eyebrow. "… You were trying to turn me into one at the end anyway."
"I thought sealing me away once more this time with people I trust would be different. It was a last resort and I had to resort to it because of Sera-san's unexpected betrayal. Besides, I didn't want to put through you that. There was no guarantee you guys would find a way to get rid of or even split up the seed. You would be there looking over my body for who knows how long, Kai-kun. I don't know if you loved me back then or not but I knew you cared about me. I knew that would hurt you to do it but you would do it if I asked you to do it."
The older boy agreed with that. It would be painful. It would be horrible looking over Aichi while he was asleep and knowing he couldn't talk to him or see that smile that he loved. At the same time, it could've served as his punishment for the sins he has committed. He would agree to do it because it is what Aichi wants. The blue haired boy had a point though. If Blaster Blade (who was Blaster Joker back then) hadn't communicated with him during their fight, he would've never known what to do about the seed and they would've been stuck in the same situation except the brunet would have the seed inside of his body. Kai would've been happy to offer himself up if it meant the blue haired boy would be spared.
"Aichi. I understand your feelings. Now it is your turn to hear my feelings."
The blue haired boy had the nerve to look away embarrassed and start walking away from him. "I-I really don't think that is a good idea. Don't you think we should go to Card Capital now?"
Kai grabbed the other's wrist before he could run away, turned him around and lightly pushed him onto his bed.
Aichi let out a surprised noise as he fell onto his back on the bed and looked up at the other as the brunet climbed on top of him. "K-Kai-kun? Let me go."
"… No."
"Kai-kun."
"… No. I listened to you. Why won't you let me talk to you?"
Aichi tried in vain to break free but it was no use. The brunet wouldn't let go of his wrist and even if he did, his boyfriend was still hovering over him. He pouted. "I'll listen, Kai-kun."
The brunet smirked at the pout despite inwardly worrying he was doing something wrong. The blue haired boy looked uncomfortable. Did the other really not want to hear his feelings about it? "… You don't need to sound that resigned. We're just having a talk. It is not like I'm asking you to do something bad."
"It feels like it though," the blue haired boy murmured.
Kai leaned in and kissed the other's forehead. He couldn't help himself. The other's pout was adorable and while he really wanted to kiss Aichi on the lips, he had to make do with the forehead for now. After pulling back a few moments later and taking in the other's surprised look, a serious look went onto his face. "No more talking. You are going to listen to me."
The blue haired boy felt embarrassed by the forehead kiss but didn't respond vocally. He only nodded to show his boyfriend that he would listen.
The brunet nodded pleased his boyfriend would listen to him. How to start talking though? "… I love you. I don't know if I could say that I've always loved you but I know I love you now and most likely will forever. We are eternal mates."
Aichi pouted at him. It wasn't that he was unhappy at the other's words. It was the opposite as he felt happy Kai said those words. He just didn't like the way the other almost used the same words as him. His boyfriend wasn't creative at all.
Kai apologized with his eyes. Aichi more than likely saw the hidden amusement in his eyes and shook his head smiling fondly at him. The brunet resisted the urge to smile. He loved Aichi. This was the boy he would do everything and anything for. This was the boy who he knew he could spend forever with and not have to worry about him going anywhere. He wondered if the blue haired boy knew how special he was and how grateful Kai was for being allowed the pleasure and honor to have Aichi as his partner. More than likely, the blue haired boy didn't know. He would have to change that soon.
"I understand you didn't want me to suffer anymore. I understand you did what you had to do because you felt there was no other way. You could've told me though. All those times at Card Capital when you refused to fight me… You were silently enduring the pain. You are right. I… still feel guilty over the Link Joker incident. It is my fault you disappeared in the first place," the brunet said softly. He remembered Olivier Gaillard telling him and Naoki about Aichi. Back then, he knew he would do whatever it took to save Aichi and if he had to, he would take Aichi's place.
"Kai-kun."
It was clear Aichi wanted to say more. Maybe the other wanted to argue and tell him he shouldn't feel guilty anymore. Kai could tell the other was holding himself back from speaking and it was because the brunet told him not to speak. The blue haired boy was listening to him and giving him his undivided attention. When he was away in France, he had missed the smaller boy. Kai had missed having Aichi's undivided attention. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as when the smaller boy disappeared. When Aichi disappeared, the pain was excruciating.
"Did you know, Aichi? Besides Blaster Blade, I was the only one who remembered you at first. Why do you think that is?"
The blue haired boy shook his head.
"… You don't know? Well, I don't know either but I'm glad I still remembered you. I had to find you and talk to you. I wanted to see you again. That is why I got involved. That is why I didn't give up after Gaillard, Kourin and even you told me to stop. It took a while but I figured out you were in pain. I had to help you. Do you understand my feelings, Aichi?"
It seemed as if the brunet was asking Aichi to speak but the blue haired boy found that he couldn't speak. Maybe it was because of all the honesty his boyfriend was giving him but he found himself wanting to apologize to Kai. He wanted to apologize for so many things but his mouth wouldn't work. He nodded his head.
"… I'm glad. There is one more thing I want to talk to you about."
"I'm sorry, Kai-kun!"
Kai was surprised by the loud and sudden apology. "… Aichi?"
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for disappearing. I'm sorry for hurting you and everyone else. I'm sorry for worrying you," Aichi said. He didn't know how or why but somehow, his mouth worked again and he was taking advantage of it to apologize to his boyfriend.
The brunet narrowed his eyes. "I don't want an apology."
"Eh?"
"… I don't want an apology. All I want is a promise. We'll call it a promise for the future."
The blue haired boy blinked a few times. "A promise? What kind?"
The brunet's eyes softened without his permission. This was serious. Why were his eyes softening of their own accord? Damn Aichi's adorableness. "… That is right. I want you to promise me never to disappear again."
Aichi blinked at him. "That is it?" He was surprised Kai didn't want a promise regarding telling him everything that was wrong with him from now on. Wasn't that why his boyfriend wanted to talk to him in the first place? Because he felt like Aichi couldn't trust him?
Kai nodded. "… Ah." He was tempted to make the other promise to tell him everything from now on but resisted as it felt wrong. Even if they were together, there were some things they still haven't talked about. The brunet still hadn't told Aichi about what happened to his parents after all. He didn't feel like making the other speak if Aichi didn't want to tell him. Maybe this conversation of theirs and his thoughts helped him realize that. At the same time, the brunet knew his boyfriend wouldn't press certain topics or force him to speak. The brunet would eventually tell the other about his parents but it would be when he was ready to speak.
The blue haired boy nodded. "I promise. I promise I'll never disappear again, Kai-kun," he said smiling at him.
Kai smiled and let go of the other's wrist. Before Aichi could even think about moving away though, the brunet wrapped his arms around his waist and lied on top of him. The brunet leaned over and rested his face in the other's shoulder feeling relieved and happy. "… And no more breaking your promises," he muttered.
The blue haired boy resisted the urge to jump as the other spoke into his shoulder. Kai was too close. He remembered promising the other that he would always be by his side at the end of the Link Joker incident. A brief sad look went onto his face as he lifted his arms to hug the other back. "Un. I promise, Kai-kun. I'll always be with you."
The brunet closed his eyes and nodded. It was more of a sign to let the other know he had heard him but the truth was he couldn't find the words to thank Aichi. Just the thought of always being with him and knowing the other would never go away… It made him feel relieved. He doubted that he could explain to his boyfriend why this meant so much to him. Maybe one day but not right now.
Several minutes later, Aichi lifted his arms and started to lightly push the other off of him. His boyfriend was heavy and starting to make him feel hot.
Kai grunted as the other attempted to push him off. He was feeling tired and wanted to go sleep. The brunet missed taking his daily naps. A few moments later, he finally obliged and got off of Aichi. He lied down beside his boyfriend and pulled the other closer to him.
The blue haired boy, who let out a relieved breath as the other got off of him, was surprised as his boyfriend pulled him back in and started hugging him once more. "Kai-kun?"
"… Don't speak. I'm going to take a nap. You are staying here whether you like it or not."
Aichi sweat dropped and hugged him back. Same old Kai. He wondered if the other took naps in France and decided to ask him later. He looked at him amused. "Once upon a time, there was a king who slept on the moon."
The brunet was about to tell the other to shut up but decided against it. Aichi's voice sounded nice and he was curious where the other was going with this.
"The king didn't always sleep on the moon and he wasn't always a king. The king was once an ordinary boy and didn't like to be viewed as a king. His loyal knights known as the Quatre Knights referred to him as their king. Although the king was against it, he reluctantly gave in and let them call him their king."
"When did you become a king?" Kai said opening his eyes.
The blue haired boy looked away embarrassed. "You knew I was talking about me?"
The brunet nodded. "… You mentioned sleeping on the moon and the Quatre Knights. It was obvious." Aichi's cheeks turned pink as he murmured something he couldn't catch. "Continue."
"Un," Aichi said and looked back at him. "The king had many friends. He even had someone he loved. The king enjoyed hanging out with his friends and would do anything to help them. One day though, the king discovered something important. The king felt helpless and alone upon discovering what was inside his body. He couldn't rely on the person he loved as he didn't want them to suffer anymore. The king said nothing to his friends and asked his two Court Sorcerers for help. The king wanted them to help seal him away and look after his body. The Sorcerers refused though. They didn't want to seal their king away. They thought there was another way but there wasn't."
Kai looked at him amused. "… Ren and Leon are the sorcerers? How fitting." The brunet felt a wave of nostalgia. It reminded him of when his parents were alive and would tell him bedtime stories. Maybe that was another reason why he didn't mind Aichi telling him the story.
"With no one to help him and feeling as if time was against him, the king set off on a journey. Thankfully, the king had some other candidates in mind to be his knights. One knight was a nature lover who lived in a country famous for their bull fights. The second knight was a seasoned warrior who lived in a country famous for their well-known landmark. The king had trouble finding the third knight as the third knight kept moving around. One day, the king finally met his third knight in a country famous for their opera house."
The brunet frowned upon hearing about the second knight. Why did the second knight get to be a seasoned warrior? A few moments later, he grudgingly admitted to himself that warrior did suit the second knight. The knight was a champion after all. He continued to frown as he remembered which knight was next. "… Do you have to talk about the fourth knight? This… story is getting long."
"Kai-kun. You are being rude to the fourth knight."
"… I don't care. He got what was coming to him," Kai muttered.
Aichi shook his head and looked at his boyfriend disapprovingly. Several moments later, he sighed and reluctantly nodded. "As you wish. I'll skip ahead in the story." He leaned in, kissed the other on his cheek then pulled away.
The brunet looked at the other longing to pull him in and kiss him on the lips but resisted the temptation. He would do it after Aichi's… story. He still held the other in his arms close to his body though.
The blue haired boy pulled away so that he could look into the other's eyes. "One day after being sealed away, the king woke up and was surprised to see some of his friends as well as the person he loved at his palace on the moon. Because he hadn't been awake as well as being controlled by the thing inside his body, the king was unaware of everything that had happened. Before the king got to talk to his friends and the person he loved, the second knight requested to leave it to him. The king agreed and the second knight challenged the Dragon Warrior to a fight."
Kai smirked pleased with his title.
"The Dragon Warrior won the fight. Determined that the only way was to seal him away once more, the king challenged the Dragon Warrior to a fight. If the king won, the Dragon Warrior and his friends would be the new Quatre Knights. The Dragon Warrior agreed to the terms and they started their fight. During the fight, the Dragon Warrior was at his best game. The king was determined to win the fight but it wasn't enough. The king lost. The Dragon Warrior's avatar, comrades and feelings helped him win the fight."
"… Hurry up and finish," the brunet muttered feeling embarrassed at the other's words. Thankfully, he managed not to show the embarrassment on his face.
"Thanks to the Dragon Warrior, his friends, the Quatre Knights and the king's avatar; the king was saved. The king returned home and life went on as if the king had never left. There was one big difference though. The king was no longer a king. The king returned to being an ordinary boy. The boy finally got his happily ever after as the Dragon Warrior accepted his love and agreed to go out with him."
"… Your happily ever after, huh? What is the ending to this story?" Kai asked amused.
The blue haired boy pouted at him. "What? I'm happy you love me back and agreed to go out with me."
"Just continue the story, Aichi."
"U-Un. The boy quickly found himself becoming the Dragon Warrior's teddy bear."
"… What was that?" Kai said glaring at him. Truthfully though, he understood why the other felt that way. He liked cuddling with his boyfriend and his boyfriend was adorable.
Aichi giggled at the other's glare. "It is true. There was only one thing left for the boy to do."
"Only one?"
The blue haired boy smiled at him. "The only thing left for the boy was to promise his Dragon Warrior he would never disappear again. The boy promised he would always be with the Dragon Warrior. The end."
The brunet's eyes softened upon hearing the end of the story. "… That story wasn't bad. It was a little inaccurate though."
"Eh? Inaccurate? No way!"
"It is true," Kai muttered.
"How? Which part?"
"… Later. I'm taking my nap now that the story is finished."
"Kai-kun!" Aichi whined.
"Shut up or I'll kick you out."
The blue haired boy looked at him confused. "Out of bed or your apartment?"
"… Bed. You are staying the night."
"Eh? But I didn't tell Okaa-san yet."
The brunet grunted and closed his eyes. "I already did. I asked her earlier today when I picked you up from your house. Any more questions?"
Aichi opened his mouth to speak but decided against it a few moments later. He could always ask later. He closed his mouth, shook his head and moved closer to his boyfriend. "Let's take that nap, Kai-kun. I'm feeling tired as well."
Kai smiled as the other moved closer to him and opened his eyes. "… Before we do, there is one thing I want to do."
The blue haired boy looked at him confused. "What is that?"
Kai leaned in and kissed the other on the lips. Before Aichi could respond though, the brunet pulled back. A disappointed look went onto the blue haired boy's face. "I love you, Aichi," the brunet said.
Aichi's eyes lit up and the smile he reserved for his boyfriend came onto his face. "I love you too, Kai-kun."
"Sweet dreams, Aichi."
"Un. Sweet dreams, Kai-kun."
The blue haired boy watched as the brunet closed his eyes and followed suit. Why did he have a feeling he was forgetting something though?
ZZZ
"Miwa-senpai. Onii-san… and Kai aren't coming," Kamui said resting his unit.
"What do you want me to do about it? I texted them. I even called both of their phones. They didn't pick up," Miwa said.
"See? This is what happens when you decide to throw a surprise birthday party for someone and don't tell them about it," Naoki said moving his free hand over to his deck and checking the damage trigger. He groaned upon seeing it wasn't a trigger and moved the unit to his damage zone.
Miwa shook his head not wanting to speak up and repeat something he already said.
Misaki looked over at the blond. "We can safely say that Aichi and Kai aren't going to come today. It is almost closing time after all. They wouldn't come to Card Capital after closing time."
The blond nodded. "Ah. Stupid Kai. I'm sure this is his fault."
"It is Miwa-senpai's fault as well," Kamui and Naoki said at the same time. They looked at each other and grinned.
"… Why do I have disrespectful kouhai?" Miwa muttered looking at them. He looked back at Misaki his eyes widening as he saw her nod. "Eh! Nee-chan agrees with them?"
"I do," Misaki said.
A fake hurt look went onto the blond's face. "That is mean, Nee-chan. I'm hurt."
She ignored him and looked at Kamui. "Kamui. You don't have to work on the day after Aichi's birthday. It is going to be late but we'll throw Aichi his birthday party on that day."
Kamui looked at her surprised. "It is alright? Thank you very much, Misaki-san."
The blond started sulking. It wasn't his fault Kai decided to kidnap Aichi for the day. Why was he getting blamed for something that wasn't his fault? He took out his phone and looked at it. After turning it on and unlocking it, he looked to see if Aichi or Kai contacted him. Unfortunately, his phone let him know he had no missed calls or new messages.
The blond would make sure to scold Kai when he saw them next time. He sighed and started to help clean up the shop for closing time.
ZZZ
Aichi and Kai woke up a few hours later. They spent the rest of the afternoon fighting each other. In between games though, they talked about various subjects and Kai made sure to kiss his boyfriend multiple times in order to make up for all the times he didn't kiss the other in public.
After preparing and eating dinner, they played a few more games. Noticing it was almost midnight; Kai told him that this fight would be their last for the day. Aichi looked disappointed but agreed.
The brunet knew it was wrong but he kept getting distracted during their fight. He kept looking back at the clock to make sure it wasn't midnight yet. Something special was going to happen at midnight and he wasn't going to miss it. It is one of the reasons why he made his boyfriend stay the night. He wanted to be the first one to greet Aichi on his special day.
The fight ended and Kai felt relieved as he noticed it wasn't midnight yet. The brunet gathered his cards and put them in his deck case. He didn't know how but Aichi never seemed to notice he was distracted during their fight. The brunet felt relieved he was able to hide it from the other.
Aichi gathered his cards and put them in his deck case. He looked up at Kai confused. "Are we going to bed soon?"
"… Ah."
"What about my pajamas? I didn't bring any with me."
The brunet walked closer to the other and hugged him. He noticed it was almost midnight. "Wear some of my clothes. You've done it before."
The blue haired boy hugged him back and smiled at him. "Un. Thank you, Kai-kun."
The brunet was about to speak but closed his mouth upon looking at the clock.
It was now midnight.
Kai looked at Aichi and smiled. "Before we go to bed, I want to do something."
"What's that?"
The brunet leaned in and kissed the other on his lips. This time though, Aichi closed his eyes and kissed him back. Kai closed his eyes and enjoyed the kiss. He loved kissing his boyfriend. While he was in France, he had a dream involving Aichi and kisses. The brunet couldn't remember if it was an innocent dream or a… mature dream. Not that it mattered right now.
Aichi pulled back not too long after breathing heavily and opened his eyes.
The brunet opened his eyes and looked at his boyfriend. Aichi's cheeks were flushed and there was saliva dribbling down his chin. He had a breathless look on his face which made Kai feel smug. The blue haired boy's head was still tilted letting him see some of that delectable neck he loved to bite and make marks on.
The blue haired boy looked at him confused as to why the other was only staring at him. "Kai-kun?"
"Aichi."
"What is it?"
Kai released one arm, wiped off the saliva that was dribbling down his own chin with his coat sleeve and raised it to the other's face. He wiped the saliva off with his coat sleeve making the other smile sheepishly at him. A smile went onto the brunet's face as his hand cupped the other's cheek.
This was it. This was what he had been waiting for.
"Happy Birthday, Aichi."
Aichi's eyes widened. It was already his birthday? Come to think of it, the last time he looked at the clock; it had told him it was almost midnight. This is what Kai had been planning the whole time and why he made him stay the night. A smile went onto his face as he released one arm and covered the hand that was still cupping his cheek with one hand. "Thank you, Kai-kun. I'm really happy. I love you."
No matter how many times Kai saw the smile reserved for him and him only, he felt happy and it made him want to keep the blue haired boy to himself. A few years ago, he was alone and was determined to push everybody away from him. The brunet felt lucky and grateful he met Aichi when they were kids and decided to give him Blaster Blade. He felt lucky and grateful he got to meet the blue haired boy again. The brunet was glad he fell in love with him. He would never be alone again. Aichi would always be with him.
"I love you too. I'm glad you were born, my eternal mate."
ZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Author Notes: I hope you guys enjoyed this story. I'm leaving the date details up to you guys' imagination. I can't remember if we learned which country Neve was from so I picked one for him. If you have time, please review. I would love to know what you thought of my story.
See you next time!