title: A Birthday Spectacle for Kaede
author: Ginnie
genre: sap, as always. =Þ
rating: G
STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY.
"So... Akira."
"Hn?"
"It's New Year's Day."
"And?"
Hiroaki sighed. "Akira, have I ever told you that you're so hopelessly dense?"
Akira grinned goofily at his best friend. "So many times already, Hiro-kun. I lost count more than a year ago."
GLaring at Akira, Hiroaki threw a balled-up tissue at him. "Baka. You were so psyched about it yesterday, and now you're acting as if there's nothing important today."
Silence.
Akira was staring thoughtfully at the malt shop across the street.
"Akira?" Stare. "Akira?!" Stare. "Oi!" Jump. (1)
Well, that was effective, Hiroaki thought amusedly.
When he was convinced that Akira's heartbeat had slowed down to normal, he returned to his Triple Chocolate Decadence Fudge Brownie Sundae [A/N: yum!!!]. Taking a gooey spoonful of ice cream, he fixed Akira with a pointed look.
Akira sighed, misery in his deep blue eyes, and Hiroaki softened a little. "I know, I know. But... I haven't got a clue as what to do for his birthday. It's his sizteenth, dammit, I want it to be as perfect as it can be."
"Why don't you just go bonk him like you always do?"
At this, the ever-cool Sendoh "Mr. Suave" (2) Akira blushed heatedly. "Don't you dare think it hasn't occured to me, Hiro-kun." He absently swirled the melted remains of his All-Berry Float [A/N: yum again!!]. "But that's not really... um..." *blush*
"Hopeless idiot."
"Ah, Hiro, I am but a fool hopelessly in love with Kaede," Akira declared dramatically, complete with thespian gesture.
*bonk* "Come on, Akira. I've seen what you can do for birthdays. Remember my sixteenth?"
Hiroaki stood up and tossed another balled-up tissue at Akira. "Ja ne."
And he left the ice cream parlor, leaving our poor Akira to his miserable thoughts.
********
List of ideas for Kaede's birthday
Akira stared at the list, chewing at the end of the pen which Kaede had given him last year.
1. Buy him a present
"Too ordinary." He crossed it out.
2. Take him out on a date
"Too usual." *scratch*
3. Throw him a party and invite everyone
"He probably wouldn't want that." *scratch*
4. Chinese take-out dinner at home?
"Common."
5. Bonk???
Blushing profusely, Akira hurried to erase that particular item.
6. Cook for him
"Possible." Akira circled the number.
7. Beach
"Maybe." *circle*
8. Skywriting (look into cost)
"I do have the cash, after all."
Akira looked the list over, taking note of the last three.
"Cook, beach, skywriting..."
*PING!* A lightbulb went off in his head.
"That's it!!"
*******
Knock knock knock.
Kaede grumbled and cursed under his breath. Yep, our dear boy was having a rotten day. It was nearly 5:30 in the evening, and nearly everyone he knew had already called to wish him a happy birthday -- even those pesky cheerleaders who practically threw themselves at him (he made a mental note to request for a new number).
NEARLY everyone.
The one person whom he had expected to call him at the crack of dawn didn't. Not even a text message.
And now he was being bothered by some ahou who was probably coming to complain about the loud bangs on the wall produced by the various objects that Kaede kept throwing at it.
Knock knock knock.
"I'm coming!" he muttered.
Taking a deep breath, he took hold of the doorknob and yanked the door open. He opened his mouth, fully intending to release a garb of cold apologies at the caller...
... and the words were lost in the back of his mind when he saw Sendoh Akira standing in the hallway, car keys in one hand, a casual smile playing on his lips, and looking oh-so-damn gorgeous. Kaede felt a lump forming in his throat; he swallowed it down, all the while thanking the gods that Akira came, after all.
"Ne, Kaede," Akira began in a slow drawl. "Tanjoubi omedetou."
"Hai... Arigatou..."
Akira offred his arm in a gentlemanly gesture. "Shall we?"
*******
Nearly two hours later found them sitting by the dunes at Taipon Beach, gazing out over the clear, dark blue water.
"You never told me you could cook."
"I can't do ordinary stuff. But that lobster and the salad --"
"-- were great. Thanks, Akira."
Akira kissed Kaede's forehead, then whispered into his ear. "Don't thank me just yet."
"Why?"
"You'll see." Kaede couldn't help but smile ever-so-slightly (in true Rukawa fashion) at the expression on his koi's face. He was practically jumping up and down in excitement that he could hardly contain, and his eyes had a twinkle in them.
Akira glanced at his watch. 7:11 pm.
"Kaede?"
"Hn?"
"Look up."
There, visible among the twinkling stars, a plane was writing in the sky:
Tanjoubi omedetou, Rukawa Kaede
Aishiteru yo.
Akira.
All across the sky, for the whole of Kanagawa to bear witness.
Kaede was speechless, stunned, and extremely touched. "A-Akira..."
He felt Akira's hand slide into his, and he turned to face him.
Eyes brimming with heartfelt passion and sincerity, Akira looked deep into Kaede's eyes, those which so mirrored his own.
And, with all the love he had inside, he murmured soulfully to Kaede.
"Honto ni aishiteru yo, Rukawa Kaede." Ever so gently did he touch his lips to Kaede's in a sweet kiss.
Kaede could've sworn he heard fireworks, but couldn't quite make up his mind if they were real or just in his head. Ah, whatever. He curled an arm around Akira's neck and pulled him closer.
"Arigatou, Akira."
"Happy birthday, Kaede. And..."
Akira stood up and walked a short distance away. After watching him for a while, Kaede followed, slightly puzzled.
When he reached Akira, a lit Roman candle was in his hand, which he aimed at a small pile of fireworks waiting to be launched.
He lit the wicks (3) in quick succession, and a colorful show brightened the night sky above them.
"Here's to another year for us. Happy New Year, Kaede."
And as Akira pulled him close for another deep, searing kiss, Kaede knew that his birthday couldn't have been any better.
Author's Blahs:
1.) I got this from Sarah Geronimo and Mark Bautista's video of "Broken Vow". La la la... back
2.) Oi, pinoys!! "Ako si Mr. Suave... Oh-oh, grabe... Habulin ng babae... Araw man o gabi..." ha ha ha... back
3.) I'm not entirely sure if those things that you light on fireworks are called wicks. I've never lit a firework in my life.