This is... nothing but pure fluff... I love it!
Also: me, craving romantic affection desperately and writing something ridiculously self indulgent? It's more likely than you think.
(P.s. I have to take finals this week, so I honestly don't know when my next update will be. I'm sorry! I'd much rather write about these idiots than study but sadly that's not an option. I hate studying!)
Ritsu Onodera is sincerely worried about the state of his heart.
You see, it's been doing this thing recently, where it will just stop with no warning whatsoever.
"I love you, Ritsu."
Thud.
See, there it goes again! Maybe he should think about seeing a doctor.
Okay, fine. Ritsu's not completely clueless about what it is that's going to lead to his early death, but it's not something he likes to talk about.
He'll be the first to admit that he is hardly the most experienced person when it comes to dating.
And by that, he means that he's only seriously dated one person in his entire life. Or two, if you count Saga and Takano as separate people.
Thinking about that is confusing, and it makes Ritsu's stomach hurt; so he doesn't.
Anyways, the point is: he doesn't really know how to be in a relationship. Ergo, whenever he receives romantic affection of any kind… he panics.
Masamune is less than sympathetic to his plight.
Every time the man randomly declares his love, Ritsu swears that he gets one step closer to full-blown cardiac arrest.
Ritsu makes dinner?
'I love you.'
Thud.
Ritsu wakes up cranky and downs eight cups of coffee?
'I love you.'
Thud.
Ritsu makes flimsy excuses to stay late after work so they can walk home together?
'I love you.'
Thud.
Ritsu pulls yet another all-nighter, and has deep bags under his eyes the next day because somebody distracted him from finishing his work at a respectable hour?
'I love you.'
Thud.
Ritsu does literally anything?
'I love you.'
Thud.
It's a miracle that he's still alive.
Ritsu… doesn't not like it; but if Masamune doesn't tone it down, he's going to explode.
The mattress suddenly shifts, and a squeak of surprise escapes Ritsu as a pair of arms snake around him, and he's yanked back into a firm chest.
"Why," Masamune's voice is thick with sleep, and it sends shivers down Ritsu's spine. "Do you insist on staying up past unholy hours almost every night," he complains.
"I wasn't even doing anything." Ritsu retorts defensively and prays that his heartbeat isn't really that loud.
Masamune scoffs. "You think way too loudly, you know? Turn your brain off," he orders.
Now it's Ritsu's turn to scoff. "If it was that easy, don't you think I would have done it already? Besides it's your fault anyway." he declares petulantly.
"And just how do you figure that?" Masamune asks incredulously.
"Everything's your fault!"
Masamune sighs heavily. Why is Ritsu so damn weird?
"Whatever you say." it's way too late, or early, for this. "Any chance you want to tell me what I did this time?"
Ritsu seals his lips firmly.
"Fine then."
Ritsu's breath hitches in his throat and his eyes widen as he's suddenly rolled onto his back and a heavy, but oh so familiar weight settles on top of him.
Thud thud thud.
Yup, it's official. He's dead.
"I guess that makes me responsible for getting you to stop thinking."
Ritsu fails to suppress a shudder at the pure suggestiveness in Masamune's tone.
"Any ideas?" Masamune whispers, leaning closer and closer and closer to brush his lips against Ritsu's neck.
Ritsu's skin burns.
Oh, so many ideas.
He squeezes his eyes shut, and desperately draws in a ragged breath. "N-no. No ideas whatsoever."
Masamune chuckles at Ritsu's predictability. "You're an idiot. I love you."
Ritsu's eyes fly open.
Thud.
He brings a hand up to his chest and lays it flat. Just as he expected, his heart is racing entirely too fast to be healthy.
"Hey, what's wrong? Does something hurt?" Masamune leans back slightly and stares at Ritsu in concern.
"You keep saying… that." Ritsu starts, looking anywhere but directly at Masamune.
"Saying what?" The worry in Masamune's eyes fades into confusion.
"That you… love me." Ritsu's cheeks warm. "No one's ever said it to me as much as you do. I guess I'm still not used to it. I don't think I'll ever get used to it," he admits quietly.
Masamune's eyes soften in understanding. No longer able to resist, he leans back in and kisses Ritsu deeply.
Not a word is spoken, but it doesn't have to be. The 'I love you' is heard loud and clear.
Warmth fills Ritsu's chest, and he melts.
'I love this man way too much for my own good.'
A small, almost inaudible whine of protest is drawn from the back of Ritsu's throat when Masamune pulls away.
"H-hey, why did you stop?" even to his own ears, Ritsu's voice sounds thoroughly displeased.
Masamune laughs. "Because I wanted to tell you that I love you," he says affectionately.
Thud.
Ritsu's cheeks aren't just warm anymore. They're an inferno.
"I guess there's no choice," Masamune says, his tone shifting to mischievous. "I'm going to start saying it even more, now."
Oh no.
Yeah, Ritsu's a goner.
"Please don't." he requests weakly.
"Okay." Masamune agrees easily.
"Really?"
"No. I love you."
Thud.
Ritsu smothers his groan into the pillow.
Masamune snickers, definitely enjoying his boyfriend's torment.
"I hate you."
"I love you."
Thud.
"You're going to kill me." Ritsu declares flatly. He attempts to smother himself with his pillow, but sadly, it doesn't work.
"Love is going to kill you?" Masamune snorts in disbelief.
"Yes." his reply is muffled. Ritsu can't see him, but he can hear the eyebrow Masamune raises skeptically.
"That's too bad."
Cold air hits Ritsu's flaming face and he gasps as Masamune removes his pillow shield.
"Because I'm going to keep telling you I love you."
Ritsu's eyes widen, and his breath stutters in his chest.
"After all," a note of anguish enters Masamune's voice now, and Ritsu can tell he's desperately trying to hide it. "I wasn't able to say it for ten years."
Oh.
Misunderstandings and wasted time suddenly weigh heavily in Ritsu's stomach.
"Masa-" Ritsu is cut off by lips pressing firmly against his own. And even though a kiss between the two of them is hardly an unfamiliar sensation, It feels different this time.
It feels like a promise.
Ritsu's eyes are still closed a few moments after Masamune pulls away just slightly.
"So I've got a lot to make up for," Masamune says, tracing along the side of Ritsu's face with his finger reverently.
"Masamune…" Ritsu whispers breathlessly, unable to think properly and come up with any other response.
This does not escape Masamune's attention. "Well, would you look at that? Told you I could get you to stop thinking," he says quietly in fond amusement.
So it would appear. Ritsu simply nods absently in agreement.
What is thinking anyways? It sounds awful.
"Ritsu…" Masamune once again closes the distance between them.
As always, Ritsu's very skin catches fire, and he melts; completely helpless to resist.
But that's okay. He doesn't want to.
"I love you."
Thud.
Ritsu Onodera is still sincerely worried about the state of his heart. So for now, he'll leave it with Masamune for safe keeping.
S o self indulgent.