Love Story
Disclaimer: I don't own Fujimaki Tadatoshi's Kuroko no Basuke or Taylor Swift's "Love Story".
Kise Ryouta has always wanted a big wedding, a beautiful and extravagant affair where he spent a boatload of money but didn't really care because he has always wanted to feel such a deep love that he sometimes doesn't notice everyone and everything around him. Celebrating that kind of love in front of all of his friends and family and his lover's family, with cake and champagne and fancy clothes and flowers (yes, flowers everywhere)—that is his ideal. But now that he has that kind of love, that absolute and unwavering devotion, why have he and Midorima Shintarou not had that wedding?
They've been together for more than ten years, have known each other for more than fifteen, have lived together for more than five. So the next logical step would be to get married, right? Or is that not something they're doing? Yet another of their friends, however, is getting married. Murasakibara met his new fiancée after Kise moved in with Midorima, but they still haven't brought up marriage as a possibility. It's the conversation that keeps on not happening, that they tread carefully around. Why are they so afraid to touch it, to even get near the subject? Kise knows that if Midorima were ever to propose, he wouldn't have to hesitate before saying yes. But Midorima is Midorima, so he won't propose. That's not his thing. After all, it was Kise who expressed interest first (although it was definitely Midorima who kissed him first) and who told everyone about their relationship (though that could be attributed to his big mouth) and who decided they should move in together and who basically took the lead most of the time in their relationship, and still does.
But what if Midorima doesn't want to get married? What if Midorima is happy just living together like this? He certainly seems happy (though he takes great, unnecessary pains to hide it) and he seems to love Kise. But marriage isn't for everyone; Kise's own older sister has been cohabiting with her boyfriend for many years without as much as a hint of ever getting engaged to him. They have two children together, but no rings or official documents. But that's just who Kise's sister is; she and her boyfriend are entirely different people from Kise and Midorima.
It's an engagement party; he should be happy for the couple. But yet again, Kise is too caught up in his own drama. He supposes he's got a (flimsy excuse); people keep coming up to him, Murasakibara's fiancée's friends, because he's a famous model. He moves on autopilot, greeting and smiling and letting them take pictures when he's too preoccupied with himself. But then, these girls are all about themselves, too, aren't they? They pose with him, upload the pictures to their social media sites, are rubbing elbows with him to try and boost themselves. So it's okay; it's justifiable.
Finally, he spots a familiar face coming up to talk to him. "Kurokocchi!"
"Ah, Kise-kun." Kuroko looks happy. He always does; he's escaped simply being a shadow and now stands on his own as a preschool teacher. His lack of presence doesn't seem to cause trouble in that regard; he's a calming force for the children. Unfortunately, it doesn't help him get dates, but he doesn't mind being single for now.
"It's a nice party, isn't it?" It is quite nice, when you think about it, which Kise really hasn't. The atmosphere is pleasant; the food is good; his friends are here. "I can't believe they're really getting married. It seems like they just met a few months ago."
Kuroko nods. "But Murasakibara-kun is happy, I think."
"Yeah…" Kise trails off, a wistful look on his face.
"Are you happy, Kise-kun?"
"Huh? Me?" Kise's honestly not sure. He's okay with the way things are, more than okay, but…
Kuroko stares at him with that unnerving gaze. "He's not going to ask you, you know."
Damn. Somehow, he always knows these things. Kise buries his rapidly-reddening face in one hand. "I know…I just…I can't. I don't know how."
Kise peeks out from behind his hand. Kuroko blinks at him, still with the same deadpan expression on his face. Kise drops his hand. Kuroko pats him on the shoulder. "You can do it."
And then he disappears. So typical. Yet the gesture is somehow calming.
"Ryouta?"
Somehow, Midorima has appeared without Kise noticing. Again, he's too wrapped up in himself. He really shouldn't be, not when he's got a man who looks this good standing in front of him, and said man is his boyfriend. Kise snakes an arm around his waist and pulls him closer. "Enjoying yourself?"
He shrugs, a commonplace gesture that on him somehow looks refined. Midorima's not a party type of person, but he'll go to support his friends, and he'll go because Kise wants him to. "Are you?"
"Yeah, I was just talking to Kurokocchi."
"Mm?" Midorima's tired. (Of course he is; he's a doctor.) He's leaning on Kise, almost imperceptible to anyone watching, especially those who don't know him well. But Kise supports him easily, still quite strong (besides, Midorima doesn't weigh that much more than Kise does).
"He said it seems like yesterday that they just met."
"Kuroko said that?"
"Okay, okay, I said it seemed like a few months ago. But Kurokocchi agreed!"
"Uh-huh," Midorima says. Kise can't tell if he's trying to further provoke him or if he's giving in and believing him, but settles on the latter. At any rate, Midorima's not taking the bait and clearly doesn't want to have this conversation any more now than he has wanted to in the past.
Well, Kise reasons, he can't propose without a ring, and he doesn't know Midorima's ring size so he can't buy a ring and he can't propose right now! Unfortunately, the logical side of his brain is battling back hard. After all, Midorima doesn't wear rings. Even when his lucky item is some type of ring, it goes on a chain around his neck or in his pocket. Plus, even assuming Midorima would make an exception for an engagement ring (which he probably wouldn't), Kise knows one person who would know his ring size.
So he calls up Momoi Satsuki. Please don't answer…please don't answer…please don't answer…Oh, fuck. She picks up. "Ki-chan?"
"Hey, Momoicchi. I need a favor."
"How big is it and how immediate is it?" she asks.
"Can you tell me Shintarou's ring size?"
There is only silence at the other end, and then a crash. What the hell? "Momoicchi?"
A few seconds later, she shakily replies. "Ki-chan, are you…proposing?"
Kise breathes in. It's too late to back out now, once he's told someone. Might as well follow through. "Yeah."
After about ten minutes of squealing about how she knew it would happen someday, she tells him that Midorima wears a size thirteen.
"Do you want to come and help me?"
"Oh, no; I couldn't do that!" she replies. "This is so personal. I can't intrude. You know Midorin way better than I do."
It's true, he does. But that's to be expected. What about second opinions? And he has no idea how to do engagement ring shopping. Kise's experience in actual jewelry stores is limited; he gets necklaces and earrings and watches for free from his modeling gigs. Jewelry stores are like a foreign environment. Still, he does have to do it alone. He's the one who's waited all this time and not proposed before.
The jewelry store people are very unhelpful. They keep trying to measure Kise's hand, and he keeps explaining that the ring is not for him. No, he's not looking to buy one of those engagement rings with a huge diamond on top, just a simple band with a nice inset, no, not that one with all the pearls. Most of the things they're trying to sell him are hideous and overpriced, and once or twice he almost walks out. But, no, he's not starting this ridiculous process all over again. He's seeing this one through, damn it.
And then he sees it, a very thin white gold band with a small diamond inset, very simple and understated but still catching the light and his eyes. "I want that one."
They try to discourage him again and again, to sway him toward one of the ostentatious, heavy bands, but Kise won't have any of it. Even this simple one is ridiculously expensive, anyway, though he can definitely afford it with his model's salary. It takes too long, but eventually the ring is his. It weighs very little sitting in his palm, and inside the box it doesn't weigh that much more.
Momoi has requested a picture, but Kise wants to wait until he's actually put it on Midorima's finger. There's no way of knowing for sure if this will work out, and he doesn't want to jinx it.
Shit. He just actually thought that ridiculous thought. I really have been living with him for too long, Kise thinks. Of course, he doesn't send the picture, anyway. Just in case.
It's a week until he finds an opportunity to propose. He's been working weird hours, and when one of them comes home the other one is either dead asleep or out already. Midorima's schedule is still the same but that doesn't mean anything when Kise has all these night shoots. Finally, he has a free afternoon and evening, and he waits for Midorima to get home.
He's been planning this proposal for a week. He'll be sitting on the couch, in his most attractive and seductive modeling pose. Midorima will ask him what's up, and he will stand up and pull out the box and open it. It's incredibly cheesy, but then again Midorima is always talking about how Kise should be quieter (though most of the time, he's just grumbling to grumble and doesn't really mean it all that much). Plus, the how doesn't really matter here. It's the what. He just needs Midorima to know he wants to marry him.
Kise's got time to kill, so he takes a shower, rigorously scrubbing shampoo and conditioner into his hair and scalp, and body wash all over. He shaves, making sure not to miss any spots. By this time, his hair is dry so he gels it into place. He pulls on a pair of jeans and makes sure to take the box from its safe place inside his coat pocket in the hall closet and stick it in his jeans pocket. It's a lovely day, sunny and warm, so Kise opens the French door to the small terrace and steps outside.
The trees across the street sway in the breeze, and the shade from the terrace one floor above is lovely. The wind picks up speed and slams the door closed. Kise's not cold yet, even without a shirt on. The wind lessens, and the trees are still. After a few minutes, Kise reaches into his pocket to check his phone but realizes he left it on the bedside table. With a sigh, he makes his way over to the door, only to find himself locked on the deck.
Fuck. He always forgets that these are self-locking doors, and it's usually not a problem because Midorima will laugh at him but let him back in, plus he almost always has his keys. Not this time, though; all he has is the ring.
How long until Midorima comes home? He's not wearing a watch, so he can't really tell. Fuck, fuck, fuck. At least there's nothing cooking on the stove or in the microwave. But still, how long is he going to be out here without a shirt?
The clouds start rolling in half an hour later, by Kise's approximation. It's a quick gathering, and all of a sudden it's raining sideways and no matter how far he backs up the raindrops pelt him and soak him like he's drowning in a river. Can this get any lamer? Damn it, maybe he should start paying attention to that Oha Asa person. What's today's lucky item, again? He pounds on the door. No one answers.
Well, so much for looking sexy. Unless the sun comes out right about now and dries him off…but no, he'd be in the shade, anyway. And the rain shows no signs of letting up. Kise sighs and continues to pound on the door. He may have to resort to breaking the glass, but cleaning up the carpet and paying for a new door, plus exposing the room to the elements for a few days doesn't seem worth it.
Finally, Midorima arrives, home from work and more than a little bit perplexed with Kise's combination of attire and setting. Kise doesn't give him a chance to ask anything; he flings himself into Midorima's arms. He's cold, tired, and wet, and all he wants right now is someone to take care of him.
Midorima holds him, fingers shying away at first from the cold, wet back, but soon firmly holding it in place. Kise's wet body is fucking up Midorima's suit but he doesn't care all that much. Kise's been out there for maybe forty minutes in the pouring rain, and he's obviously suffering for it.
"What did you do that for?" Midorima mumbles, half-rhetorically, into Kise's wet hair (all the efforts concerning the hair gel had been for naught).
Eventually, Kise pulls back a little. "I was trying for sexy," he says, winking.
This gets a snort from Midorima. "That was your attempt at sexy?"
This is all going terribly wrong. Kise doesn't know how he's ever going to propose, but he can't take off his jeans without Midorima noticing the box in his pocket (if he hasn't already; hopefully he thinks it's Kise's wallet or something). He just buries his face in Midorima's chest again, trying to soak up enough endorphins to give him the courage to ask.
"Although it was pretty cute when you jumped into my arms" Midorima says as a bit of an afterthought, almost under his breath. But still, he says it.
He might not get a good chance like this for a while. Kise reaches into his pocket, all the way to the bottom where the rainwater sticks the pocket walls to the soaked black box. He pulls it out, and Midorima gives him a curious glance.
"Shintarou?"
"Yes?"
Kise opens the box. "Will you marry me?"
Kise looks ridiculous, soaked and shirtless and dripping and holding the crushed, wet jewelry box. But he also looks dead serious as he gazes into Midorima's eyes. One second, two. Three.
"Yes."
Kise collapses to the floor in a faint.
There isn't anything seriously wrong with Kise, luckily. He's dehydrated from sweating earlier and then not having any water for a couple of hours, and combining that with being cold and completely overwhelmed with emotions, of course he's going to pass out. Luckily, he awakens a few seconds later and Midorima carries him to bed. Kise is still clutching the box, but Midorima takes it and slides the ring on. It's very tasteful and it suits him well. It's not flashy or very noticeable, but it's still there.
"You really want to marry me?" Kise murmurs. He's still a little feverish.
"Only for…six or seven years now," says Midorima, sitting on the edge of the bed and clasping one of Kise's hands in his own.
"So why didn't you propose to me?"
Midorima shrugs. "I thought you'd want to do a grandiose proposal, and I didn't want to rob you of the moment. When it happens doesn't really matter in the scheme of things."
"I tried really hard to make it special enough…"
Ah, fuck, he's crying now. Midorima cups his icy cheek with his hand. "Ryouta?"
Kise breathes deeply, but does not sob this time. "Hm?"
"I said yes, didn't I?"
"I love you," says Kise, and he pulls Midorima on top of him. The bedcovers are between them, but they don't really care. Midorima puts his lips on Kise's gently, lightly.
"I love you, too" says Midorima.