WARNINGS: AU, Yaoi, Language, Sexual innuendo, Spoilers for Volume 8 Chapter 5
DISCLAIMERS: I don't own Sekaiichi Hatsukoi or its characters, because they all belong to the wonderful Nakamura Shungiku and I am just another deranged fan. *sigh* Hurts to say it every time, but it's true.
Takano blinked at the photo text his phone had just received, barely able to register the image.
Yokozawa. In a fluffy white wedding dress.
He squinted at the screen. No, Yokozawa wasn't in the dress. It was just very strategically placed. Yeah, he should have known. No way did the tall, dark haired man have the curves to pull that dress off, though his legs were actually secretly gorgeous under those pressed business suits.
Takano would know.
Half the screen was taken up by the princess-like dress, and the other half by a curly haired brunette grinning mischievously over the broad shoulder of a distracted Yokozawa.
Huh. Kudos to Kirishima for pulling this stunt off.
There was no doubt in his mind that the photo and accompanying message "For your eyes only" was Kirishima's way of rubbing his newfound happiness in his face. The brunette editor was friendly enough but there was a subtle - almost imperceptible - edge of competition about him. That, combined with the feeling he gave Takano that made him feel like a little boy who got caught doing wrong, had always made Takano feel just a tiniest bit uncomfortable around him.
But not only were they coworkers, but Kirishima was a friend of Yokozawa so Takano kept his mouth shut.
Despite their conflicting schedules, Takano had noticed that his old friend seemed happier as of late. Not quite giddy, because let's face it- Yokozawa didn't do "giddy." If he did, it would be pretty damn scary. But the sales manager did appear to be perpetually flustered in a love-struck, whirlwind way and particularly around a certain brunette editor.
It was familiar, seeing as how it was Onodera's signature look.
Strange as it was, this new behavior was a nice change to the gruff, forced calm that Yokozawa used to exude. And now Takano knew who was responsible for his friend's happiness.
A hollow pang hit him deep, and Takano recognized it as nostalgia.
How long has it been since he had seen his dear friend so happy? Takano, unfortunately, couldn't think of a time to compare this to.
Yokozawa had been there for him ever since college and pieced him back together from that broken facade he used to be. He was the one Takano called during drunken fits of rage and longing, during depressed nights where only the carnal acts of bodies meshed together could fill that empty space in his heart.
He had always known of Yokozawa's feelings for him and he had taken advantage of the man's kindness for years. Takano was selfish, and frankly not a very good friend; he knew that and Yokozawa knew that but the taller man never once left his side.
Takano would never stop being grateful to him for that.
It was a melancholy and bittersweet thing to realize that he was no longer responsible for putting a smile upon Yokozawa's face.
But it was time for someone else to step up now, and Kirishima seemed more than qualified for the job.
Takano snorted, noticing that he was like a father giving away his daughter. In a way, that was the best analogy he could come up with. After all they had been through, Takano was glad that they both found someone else to lean on.
"Masamune."
Takano looked up, and speak of the devil, there stood Yokozawa holding a file. "About that proposal from the other day-"
"Yokozawa."
The man paused and looked up with a quirked brow.
Takano fought to keep the smug grin off his face and feigned cluelessness. "Kirishima-san sent me some picture saying it's 'for your eyes only'-"
With lightning quick moves, Yokozawa grabbed the phone and slammed it against the ground.
"You asshole! What the fuck do you think you're doing!?"
"Shaddup!" Yokozawa screamed and pulled out his own phone, quickly dialing in a number. When the call went through-
"KIRISHIMA! YOU IDIOT!"
The wild horse of Marakura's face was turning red as he yelled over the phone. People nearby instinctively backed away from the intimidating man, taking his red face as anger but Takano knew his friend better.
That right there was a blush, and any man who could make Yokozawa Takafumi blush like a bride was a good man in Takano's book.
Sighing, the editor turned away from his friend, who was now walking away while yelling into the phone.
With a proud contentment, Takano gave the two his blessings.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've never written a SH fic before, but hopefully I did okay. Yokozawa is my favorite! As a couple, Yokozawa and Kirishima are tied for first with Yukina and Kisa.
