Late birthday gift for the lovely Florencetheflowerfairy.
Movie night
For their first anniversary of living together, Taichi planned to cook a romantic dinner for Koushiro and watch with him the best animated Disney movie ever made. Sadly, his attempt at cooking by himself nearly ended in a fire. Koushiro was very understanding and appreciated his boyfriend's effort, offering to help with dinner.
Taichi didn't want to have Koushiro working in their special night, but couldn't say no when confronted with the other's enthusiasm in the kitchen. Koushiro hummed happily while preparing a vegetable soup. Taichi was responsible for cutting the ingredients, but had some trouble taking his eyes off the beautiful young man by the stove. He accidentally and inevitably cut his finger. Alarmed, Koushiro rushed to his aid, turning the stove off and forgetting about the soup.
In the end, Taichi had a band-aid on his finger, a dotting boyfriend by his side at the couch, an unfinished soup abandoned in the kitchen and a large delivered pizza on the coffee-table. Not the night he had planned, but at least they could finish it the right way.
He picked up the remote control of their smart TV and was ready to select the movie. However, Taichi felt the need to do a presentation first.
"Koushiro, I hope you're ready to have your mind blown away by the greatest masterpiece of Disney! Be prepared!" He announced.
"I've watched that movie a few times already, but I can't wait to see it with you!" Koushiro said, excitedly. "To watch a love story with the one I love…"
Koushiro turned red at his own comment. Taichi blushed as well, but smirked at the same time.
"I guess we will feel the love tonight, then." Taichi said.
"And relive a tale as old as time." Koushiro added.
"Wait, what do you mean?" Taichi asked, confused. "Is this because of those plagiarism accusations?"
"I don't think plagiarism applies to stories based on fairy tales…" Koushiro said, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm not sure I'd call 'Kimba the white lion' a fairy tale…" Taichi mumbled, frowning.
They stared at each other for half a minute before Koushiro dared to ask that question:
"What movie did you pick?"
"'The Lion King!' Wasn't that obvious?!" Taichi inquired. "It's the greatest animated Disney movie of all time! Okay, it's plagiarized, but still-"
"You think that 'The Lion King' is the greatest Disney movie?!" Koushiro was visibly in shock.
"You don't think it is?!" Taichi gasped.
"No, I mean, it's a good movie, but it isn't 'Beauty and the Beast.'"
"You think 'Beauty and the Beast' is better than 'The Lion King?' Seriously?" Taichi asked, bemused.
"Well, I-I just find the animation beautiful, there were so many technical details and-"
"It's because Belle was a nerd and you identified with her, isn't it?" Taichi teased.
Koushiro turned completely red at the comment and had to look away.
"W-What are you saying? J-Just because she was very intelligent and nobody understood her, and she dreamed about going on adventures and meeting someone who would understand her and…" Koushiro spoke nervously. Then, after a few seconds, he came to accept the truth. "Beauty aside, I'm a lot like Belle, aren't I?"
"How dare you say 'beauty aside'? You're absolutely gorgeous!" Taichi protested. "I could admire your beautiful face all day!"
"You're a lot more handsome than me!" Koushiro had an almost offended tone.
"I guess that makes us the most attractive power couple ever!" Taichi said, laughing. After a few seconds, Koushiro did the same.
"Alright, let's watch 'Beauty and the Beast,' then." Taichi decided.
"B-But you wanted to watch-" Koushiro began to protest.
"Hey, I've watched 'The Lion King' dozens of times, but I barely remember 'Beauty and the Beast.'" Taichi interrupted. "Besides, I want to watch a love story that is important to you…" He leaned closer to Koushiro, looking at the other's flustered face with adoration, "because you're the one I love."
Koushiro smiled brightly and leaned towards him as well. They shared a brief kiss and then put the movie on. Taichi kept one eye on the television and another on his boyfriend, determined to register in his memory the marveled expression Koushiro had through the entire movie.
Despite being together for so long, Taichi still felt that he loved Koushiro more every day that passed. It was a love that began in childhood and developed slowly, as they got to know each other better. They found out how similar they were and how they complemented each other perfectly. The adventures they went together, the times when they confided in each other, when they shared their vulnerabilities… all those things added to one another and built such a strong and everlasting love.
By the end of the movie, Koushiro looked at Taichi with anticipation. Taichi smiled.
"'Beauty and the Beast' really is the best Disney movie." Taichi admitted.
"Well, 'The Lion King' is excellent too." Koushiro stated. "I like how Simba overcame the guilt of feeling responsible for the demise of someone he loved and accepted that he could be a good leader and that the other lions needed him."
Taichi raised both his eyebrows. Only in that moment he began to understand why he liked that movie so much. He wondered if Koushiro had figured that out from the beginning.
"Simba wouldn't have been able to do anything if Nala wasn't there for him." Taichi said. "It was because she believed in him that he began to believe in himself as well. Because of Nala's love, he could forgive himself… she was there since the beginning… since they were just a pair of kids having fun together…"
He felt Koushiro grabbing his hand and squeezing it lightly. Those black eyes gazed at him in a way that made Taichi feel that he could float.
"You know…" Koushiro muttered, "… picking soccer for physical education when I was little was the best choice I've ever made."
"Mine was asking you to go to that camp with me." Taichi said back.
Their second kiss lasted longer and so did the kiss after it. That kept going until they fell asleep in each other's arms, on the couch. Simply like that, their favorite anniversary tradition had been born.