Trips to the supermarket were always the same, either Kuro would lazily request something unhealthy from atop his perch on Mahiru's shoulder. Or he would try to sneak some snacks in the basket on his Eve's arm in his humanoid form. But this trips to the store was different. This time Kuro didn't do anything to try and procure his treats. This time, he was too distracted by his own thoughts.
At first he was only thinking of his future, about what he would do concerning his partnership with the brunet. Would he stay until his Eve died of old age? That would be painful, seeing him go and knowing when his partner passed would be a real pain. But running away like a coward to avoid the pain of the teen's death wasn't good either. It would hurt to leave the boy. Not as much as it would hurt to see him die, but it would not only pain him, it would upset Mahiru as well, and that was something he definitely didn't want to do.
That is when his thoughts shifted their focus onto the boy himself. About how kind he was, and about how happy Kuro was with him. He thought about how important the boy was to him, and that made him begin to question just how deep their bond ran and why. Why did he feel so strongly about the young man? The obvious answer was their contract, but you could have a contract with someone and not care about them at all, Lawless was proof of that.
The contract did not manipulate your feelings for the being on the other end of the chain, it gave you a deeper connection, but it was up to you to truly bond with your partner. Kuro knew that. So he couldn't blame his attachment to the boy on that. Somehow, he knew it was more than that, that it was because of Mahiru and everything that he was.
Yes, it was all Mahiru's fault. It was his fault that Kuro started to really enjoy his life. It was his fault that Kuro had people he could probably call friends. It was his fault that Kuro was happy. It was his fault that Kuro was so protective of him. It was his fault he was so attached. It was his fault...it was his fault that he fell in love with him.
Love. Yes, that seemed to be the right word to describe the intensity of his feelings for the adolescent. He did so much for the immortal. Mahiru was there for him whenever he needed someone. He gave him food and shelter. Mahiru dove into his mind to try and pull him out. He gave him everything he needed, and more, even video games.
How could he not love the boy? But was he really IN love with him? Perhaps he saw as younger brother? No. It wasn't the same. He cared for Lily, Hyde, Jeje and the rest of his siblings of course, but it was different than how he cared for Mahiru. Of course he would help his siblings if they needed it, but there were limits to what he would do for them, certain lines he wouldn't cross.
With Mahiru, there were no lines. Every barrier he set up the boy promptly knocked back down. He didn't keep anything from him because his Eve did everything he could for the vampire and he didn't have the heart to deny the same to him. There was nothing he wouldn't do for the lad, he had long since come to terms with that bit of information. But the reason as to WHY he was willing to do that for the teen, wasn't as clear cut as he thought.
He was, indeed, irrevocably in love with his partner, his Eve, Mahiru Shirota.
It was quite the shock, but also it wasn't. For a second he couldn't believe it, but a second later it was as if he had always known. Somewhere deep down, he had known all along and accepted it. He was content with the thought, in fact, he was more than content. He was happy.
He was happy, excited and he wanted to share his revelations with the one person he told everything to, Mahiru.
Said brunet was currently comparing the prices of two cans of french cut green beans. Completely oblivious to the thoughts of the icy blue haired male, standing next to him. Finally he chose one and put it in his basket, while placing the other back on the shelf, turning to begin walking down the aisle.
Snapping out of his observations of the boy, Kuro shot out a hand, grabbing the Eve's wrist in his tight grip. This shocked them both, as Kuro had not intended to grab the youth's wrist so suddenly, he just didn't want him to walk away, he wanted to tell him how he felt. Mahiru was surprised just as much, but recovered quicker than the vampire. Smiling gently and turning to face his partner, he addressed him carefully.
"Yes? Was there something that you wanted Kuro?"
"U-um, no, I just, uh, I-I love you."
Kuro wasn't exactly sure how he expected to deliver the news, but that shakey confession definitely wasn't how he wanted it to go. His Eve seemed to take it well though, blinking a few times before giving another small smile.
"Okay, I love you too Kuro. Was that all you needed?"
Said immortal was floored. His mouth agape, eyes blinking owlishly and his hand releasing the teens. Taking this as a sign the vampire had nothing else to say, the boy turned around to continue walking, only to have his left hand once again captured. Only this time around, it was enveloped in both of the blunette's hands instead of just one.
"No, I mean it. I really love you Mahiru, like I'm IN love with you, kind of love you."
Once again, the brunet blinked a couple times, and with a completely straight face said, "I know. That's what I meant too." before turning around again and pulling a grocery list from his right pocket.
Poor Kuro, blinking as if he was a 7 year old trying to understand and answer a trigonometry problem, gives Mahiru a hopeful, yet disbelieving look. "Really? You mean it? How could you say that so easily?"
This causes the teen to laugh and point out the fact that Kuro was the one who started it, coming right out and confessing in the middle of a grocery store. Of course this causes the immortal to blush and look toward the ground. Refusing to meet his Eve's smiling and laughing face.
Taking pity on his older partner, the teen pats the immortal being's head and suggests that the two finish their shopping and talk things out once they arrive home. He gets a nod of agreement and soon after the pair are shuffling around the store once more. Kuro refusing to relinquish his hold of the adolescent's hand, and Mahiru shopping while letting his Servamp hold onto his left hand.
It takes a whole half an hour of Kuro watching the ground they walk on silently and Mahiru picking up things and putting them in the basket, before they are finished and proceed to check out and walk home. The crisp, autumn night air, rustling their bags and hair as they pad slowly down the sidewalk toward their apartment. Mahiru notices that his usually quiet partner is even more silent than normal, but allows the silence to remain until they make it back home.
Upon arrival, the Servamp releases his master's hand. Allowing the teenager to put the groceries away without having to drag him around with him. Said brunet makes quick work of organizing all the things they bought, putting them all in their proper places before waltzing back into the living room, only to find that his cat his missing. He had expected Kuro to transform into his black kitten form and curl up on the couch, but he hadn't.
Instead Kuro was just standing at the entrance of the room, looking unsure of what to do with himself. Smiling at his partner's awkwardness, Mahiru walked over to the couch, took a seat, and patted the spot next to him in invitation to the red eyed male who lazily stalked over and plopped down next to him, hands in his pockets.
"Well, what would you like to talk about Kuro?"
Without missing a beat, the boy starts opening the can of unspoken issues and feelings. As if a bomb went off in their living room, the older male starts firing off uncertainties.
"Are you sure you love me? You're not confusing it with, like, brotherly love or something? Or maybe you just THINK you love me because I save you all the time and I said I loved you and you feel indebted to me. How can you be so sure that you're in love with me back?"
Ah, I see. This all stems from your self-worth issues. Oh Kuro, if only you could see yourself the way I see you. Thought the teen before he surged forward, wrapping his arms around the boy in the blue coat. Pulling him flush against himself and running a hand through the icy locks on his partner's head.
"I'm sure Kuro. More sure than I've ever been about anything else. I love you in every way possible. You are my friend, my partner, and my lover. Believe me, I am grateful for all the times you protected and saved me, and it probably did contribute some to how I feel about you now. But I'm not saying I return your feelings in some attempt to pay you back for all that. As I see it, I cook for you and clean up after you, I help you in every way I can and I am training to get stronger so that someday I can protect and save you. It doesn't make up for all that, I know, but it's a symbiotic relationship all the same. I help you, you help me. And do you know why we do that Kuro?"
Without even giving the vampire a chance to answer his query, he continued.
"It's because we love each other. I love you for who and what you are. All your good points and your bad ones, they are all YOU, so I love I love them all the same. Where you fail, I pickup and vice versa. We're a team in every sense of the word Kuro, don't forget that, okay?"
He finished by pulling back just far enough to place a soft kiss on the immortal's forehead, while shocked and slightly moist scarlet eyes gazed up at him silently. After a couple minutes of silent staring, Kuro finally asked "So you're sure then?"
This brought forth laughter from the youth so bright and cheery that Kuro blushed at the purity of the sound. After his laughter subsided, Mahiru murmured a quick, "Yes, I am 100% sure Kuro." only to receive a "Good." in response, before a pair of arms wrapped themselves around him in return.
Pulling the young male closer to himself and flipping them both on their sides, Kuro laid them down on the couch, relishing in the feeling of laying in Mahiru's embrace and being able to embrace the boy right back. An unknown amount of time passed, the two just enjoying the others warmth in silence.
"You know Kuro, you're a really great person. I know you don't see it, but I do. So if you really love me, then promise you will try to see yourself the way I see you, okay? I hate it when you put yourself down and act like you're not important. You hide behind a lazy and apathetic facade, but you're really sweet, protective and caring. So please try, for me Kuro."
Whispered the brunet, all the while running a hand up and down the blunette's head in a petting motion, and for a minute, he could have sworn he heard a low rumbling sound that resembled purring.
"I will try for you Mahiru, but I can't promise anything."
Smiling gently at the blue haired, forever 18 year old, the Eve of sloth squeezed his boyfriend a little bit tighter.
"Trying is all I can ask for. The rest is up to me, but no matter how long it takes, I will prove to you that you are a good person who is worthy of loving."
He heard Kuro scoff but decided to ignore it because he didn't want to ruin their moment with an argument. So the two lapsed into silence once more, lying comfortably on the tiny sofa, both refusing to move to the bed to cuddle.
Eventually the pair fell asleep there, in the dark of night, with the apartment silent. Neither knew who fell asleep first, nor did they know that they both had identical grins on their faces as they slipped away into a peaceful slumber.
And the next morning, when they both woke up, still in each others arms, neither the Eve or the Servamp wanted to get up. Instead choosing to remain where they were, just for a few more minutes, even if did make Mahiru late for school.
It was all fine, because Mahiru vowed to prove to Kuro that he was worth everything Mahiru put into their relationship, that included getting in trouble at school. Because love was worth it, and so was Kuro, even if he hadn't realized it yet.
Back when Kuro had been alone, he must have hated himself even more. Because he hadn't found that person who would make him see how great he was yet. But no matter how long he had to wait, Mahiru liked to think that they were destined for each other. Destined to find one another because everyone had someone out there that cared about them, and loved them in one way or another, even if they hadn't found them yet.
So Mahiru would never give up on Kuro, because he loved him and he was more than worth any trouble he caused the teen.
THE END