Akihito wasn't sure what led him to walk into an adult store in his search for Asami's birthday present. Desperation or perhaps boredom. He had been walking through store after store desperately trying to find something, anything for his lover. He had been searching fruitlessly for months. Asami was always stupidly hard to buy for so Akihito was always on the lookout for gifts or ideas throughout the year.
Often he made things or organised time off with Kirishima but this year he wanted to do something different. Asami seemed just as happy with a new tie as he did with a home cooked meal or a week off work to spend time together. But he had done all those things already and while he was certain the man would be happy with just a 'happy birthday', he wanted to show the man how much he loved him.
Asami always said actions spoke louder than words.
His love and affection for the other man had been said with and without words often enough now that there was no doubt Asami knew how deep his feelings ran. Still, he wanted to show him yet again.
Unfortunately it wasn't something he could do with cheap sex toys or dirty gag gifts. Akihito smiled wryly as he wandered past the walls of sex-themed gifts to move deeper into the shop. It was quiet, no one else in the store on a weekday morning. The man at the counter had offered his assistance if required before leaving him to pursue the shelves alone with his thoughts. He couldn't help but compare the toys lining the walls with Asami's own collection. His toys and collection of leather were all high quality and durable, putting most of the shops collection to shame. But then, few people had as much money to throw around.
Moving further in still, he passed through the lingerie section with a lingering glance at the vast array of thigh-high stockings and lacy baby dolls, things he knew Asami enjoyed greatly. It stroked the man's domination side to see Akihito dressed up for him; all care and thought put into pleasing him. In return, Asami would worship his body and drown him in pleasure in thanks.
It was tempting to add to their collection, such delicate garments invariably got ripped in their passion, but it wasn't quite what he was looking for.
He passed dildos and vibrators, cock rings and butt plugs, stands of printed porn and old fashioned DVDs. Display on display of sexual pleasure and gratification surrounded him and it was odd how strangely comfortable he felt with it all. Everything felt intimately familiar to him and no longer as scary as it had once been.
Right at the back was a small side room and Akihito stopped short, face to face with a wall of different coloured leather cuffs. Above sat boxes with more complicated restraint sets and further along the wall were boxes of rope with promises of guide books to teach proper technique. He moved further into the room and spotted a display of padded leather collars and the typical fuzzy hand cuffs. Smothering a snort at seeing such a frivolous thing amongst the serious BDSM equipment, he moved onto the rack of floggers and paddles. Leather of different colours, shapes, and sizes greeted him and idea began to form in his mind.
He went back to the wall of leather cuffs and stared at the varied assortment of colours and styles. If he was new to all this, what would he pick? What would he dare to try when it was all so scary and unknown? Price would play a part, of course. He wasn't Asami with loads of money to throw at whatever he felt like. He compared the prices and styles for a while before settling on some particularly puffy black cuffs with red leather lining. They looked well-padded and much safer to someone with a little fear of the unknown still while still being in his budget.
Next, Akihito walked back to the impact toys, spotting from riding crops that he had missed previously. They interested him now but they would be far too scary for a beginner. Even the paddles would be intimidating with their size and rigidness. But the majority of the floggers were long and their tasselled ends could be equally unnerving. His dilemma was solved when he spotted a flogger that was half the size of the rest but also appeared to be nicer, higher in quality. Carefully he picked it up and examined the firm black leather handle. It was solid but light in his hands. The tails were soft red leather strips that were textured nicely under his fingers.
With the size, he knew it couldn't do more than pack a little sting, the ends far too short to add much of a bite when lashed across skin. It was a perfect introductory impact implement. Not too much pain and far less daunting to the eye than the larger versions. Perfect. Now all he needed was one last purchase to top it off.
Akihito scanned the walls until he spotted some blindfolds. There was a small selection along with some 'BDSM starter kits'. They were small and cheap though they had the same things that he was after and he dismissed them out of hand. Next to that were small sensory exploration starter kits complete with a blind fold, feathers, and a Wartenberg wheel.
With a small smile, he grabbed it and headed over to the counter to pay for his items.
Asami's birthday had been relaxed and slow. A late breakfast and much lying around just enjoying each other's company. It was early afternoon when Akihito ushered his lover into their bedroom for his birthday present.
"Are you my present this year, Akihito?" Asami asked with his trade mark smirk and a dirty leer as he reclined on their bed.
"Not exactly," Akihito shot back with only a hint of a blush. He was jittery with the sudden onset of his nerves and his hand trembled a little as he pulled out his purchases from the bottom of his draw. He snuck a look up at his lover, confusion clear on his face. "These aren't for you," he jumped in quickly as the other man opened his mouth to speak. "These are mine. I brought them for me."
Everything they had for their bedroom activities were Asami's. He purchased them and they usually showed up in their bedroom play with no prior discussion. Akihito had been shown a whole new world and another layer of himself by the man that sat before him but that wasn't what today was about.
"I brought these," he reiterated as he gestured to the three items on the bed, "for me as though I had no idea what any of it was about. These are the first sex toys I've ever brought," he admitted, embarrassment heightening as he desperately tried to convey what he wanted to. Why were words so hard? This was why they had always communicated with their bodies. "Everything we have and have used are yours. You strip me bare and we learn together without words when we each need. But this time… This time I want to start from the start. Properly. I want you to teach me."
Akihito stared desperately into his lovers golden eyes and tried to convey his feelings without words, wishing him to read between the spoken and see the meaning underneath of what he was giving. Asami had always taken, forced Akihito to be honest, to give in to what he liked and what he needed. They danced to the tune of give and take, run and chase. Their bedroom activities were wildly passionate and as much a fight as they were about giving and loving. It was exhilarating in and of itself and yet, somehow less scary than right now.
For years, Akihito had gone with the flow, rarely changing their dance.
But here, now, he was giving Asami the only gift he could think of to convey how deep his feelings ran. He was giving himself; his mind, body, and soul. He was giving his trust; not forced from him but given freely. It was premediated and infinitely more intimate than only giving in when pressed.
Asami stared back at him, eyes searching his face while his own remained carefully blank. The silence was so complete between them that he heard the other man's breathe catch in his throat as his eyes widened almost imperceptibly in surprise. Understanding flashed across his face with other emotions following but gone too fast to read. A boyish grin overtook his face and childlike wonder shone from his molten eyes before they were school away, yet it was enough to have been allowed that glimpse.
Asami patted the space next to him on the bed and they remained silent as they sat, still observing each other. After a moment, the smooth expression fell away again to reveal a warmth in Asami's face that wrapped around Akihito's very heart.
"From the start, hmm? Then we should start with safe words…"
Akihito was giving all that he had to give and Asami had removed his expressionless mask to return his gift with one of his very own.
It might not be a traditional gift but their relationship was far from traditional and it was one that he would keep giving, again and again.