A/N: Hey everyone hope you're all enjoying your year so far and thank you for your continued support of my fic! I just realized that I've been writing for this collection for a little more than a year now so I thought it was about time for an anniversary chapter to celebrate. This one kinda got away from me and I ended up liking how it came out even though I didn't originally plan this to also be something more than an anniversary chapter. Either way I hope you all enjoy it and please don't hesitate to let me know what you think! Thank you to everyone once again, for reviewing and subscribing to this fic.
Special thanks to Twinss R, Alumi, TeMueres, and a guest review from a few chapters ago. You guys are beautiful people and thank you so very much for your kind words!
Warning: Fluffy as fudge and boyxboy =)
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Chapter 13 – An Anniversary for You and Me
It had been five years since they'd been together. Nothing had changed, yet everything was different. Kise was now a full-time model and part-time student at Tokyo University. Kasamatsu was a salary man at a big corporation and when he wasn't working his nine to five he helped coach the local middle school basketball team. They lived together in a quaint apartment building two blocks from the nearest train station. Neither believed the other had changed much over the years. Kasamatsu's temper hadn't improved much since high school, at least towards the blond, but he showed a mother's level of patience while he coached the small basketball team. Kise would always sit in the stands during their basketball games and as he watched the former captain he couldn't help but think about their days on the court and how since then, he hadn't met a man worthy enough to rival Kasamatsu's leadership skills. His apt couching abilities reflected his days as Kaijo's fearsome captain. The model couldn't believe his high school days were now years behind him. He barely noticed the passing of time unless he had a rare day off and actually had the time to look around their neat apartment and think. He'd stare at Kasamatsu as he read over some documents for work or while he created new plays and strategies for his team and he'd just faintly realize that the furrow in between the brunet's brows had grown deeper. It was subtle, and to some insignificant, but any change he saw in his partner was always a surprise, always a reminder that they were growing older together. They were changing but everything was the same.
Kasamatsu noticed how much they'd grown once a month when they'd have to pay bills and the rent for the apartment. They were now independent of their parents, providing for themselves and basically building a life together. When he looked at Kise he no longer saw his immature kohai, he saw a beautiful man who, to Kasamatsu's dismay, was almost as immature as he used to be. He was responsible when it came to paying his half of the rent or being on time for his appointments but he still had his head in the clouds and acted like a spoiled brat. It gave Kasamatsu whip lash sometimes. He could be so confident and sensual in his leading roles on television and yet he would cry and whine like a five year old when he was home. Not to say that Kise couldn't be charming, but the spoiled man was a far cry from the suave men he played on television. It would make Kasamatsu irrationally happy however, when he thought of all the women who fawned over the blond beauty and how not a single one knew how much of a brat the model truly was. On days when he was left alone in their ornate apartment that thought was enough to content him. It had been a while since they started sharing the same space and yet it seemed different every time Kise was away.
Today was their anniversary of exactly five years. They had both taken the day off and even though Kasamatsu insisted it was alright, Kise would not allow him to miss basketball practice. The former Ace faithfully waited through the hour and a half long practice and not a single complaint passed his lips. He was determined to stay with the brunet the entire day no matter what he was doing.
After they returned home, they showered and dressed in cloths fit for the occasion. Kasamatsu wore the custom made suit Kise bought him for their five years; it was a medium grey and tailored to perfection. Kise wore a sleek, all black suit which fit him with equal precision. They didn't leave their apartment that spring night, merely ate dinner on their small balcony with a cliché set of long candles that illuminate their candle-lit dinner. They cooked dinner themselves; with Kise almost burning dessert because he was too distracted with clinging to Kasamatsu's waist as he cooked. While they ate the aforementioned dessert – two small vanilla and chocolate cakes that Kise baked in the shapes of hearts – the blond began to stare at Kasamatsu with an idiotic grin on his crumb-coated lips.
Kasamatsu frowned slightly, "What is it?"
The model's smile only grew, "You know, no matter how much time passes, you always tense up if I stare at you long enough."
"I'm almost positive that's a typical human response, idiot." Kasamatsu replied, unfazed by the remark.
The blond gave a mock pout, "You're no fun Yukio-chi."
"So…" He began again. "What did you get me?" The large grin he originally wore returned once again as he spoke.
"I was supposed to get you something?" Kasamatsu asked; his lips curled up into a teasing grin.
The blond pouted once more, this time his lips were in a much deeper frown, "Now that's low, you said you had something for me when I gave you your gift and that you'd give it to me once we were done with dinner."
"Oh, that gift. You must have just not found it yet." The ex-captain spoke with ease and continued to eat his small chocolate cake.
Kise's brows furrowed and his head tilted slightly to the side, "What…?" He asked.
"Try taking a bite out of the middle of your cake." The brunet said.
Kise quirked a sculpted, golden brow but did as Kasamatsu said. As he inserted his fork into the middle of his heart-shaped cake he felt something much harder than the baked good come into contact with the fork. Surprised, he slipped his fork out of the small hole he had made when he inserted it. From the small hole, the dim candle-light bounced off the glimmering surface of something gold within the small cake. As soon as he caught sight of it, his eyes looked nowhere else. Kasamatsu could see both terror and elation spread across the young models face as he gently, but shakily took the small, circular object from the golden cake. The brunet's own heart rate was now as erratic as he imagined Kise's was. He watched in silent panic as the blond inspected the tiny metal object. Kise wiped the metal clean of any crumbs and slid his thumb along the circumference of the smooth surface in awe. When he finally noticed the small inscription on the inside of the thin gold band, he froze once more. The small curved letters read, 'Love Unchanged by Time.'
One thing Kasamatsu knew about Kise, beyond a shadow of a doubt, was that the man – regardless of age – was perpetually a cry-baby. One of the blonds hands moved up to cover his quivering lips and fat teardrops began to well up in the corners of his eyes.
"Yukio…" His voice broke as he spoke.
Finally, Kasamatsu lifted himself from his petrified position on the wooden chair and walked over to Kise's side. When he reached the teary blond he knelt down in front of him and placed one hand on his reddening cheek and the other over the fist Kise had made around the ring.
"Hey, hey, stop crying. " Kasamatsu soothed as he caught one of the tears threatening to spill out of Kise's eye. "You aren't supposed to be sad right now. At least I really hope you aren't sad right now." The brunet gave a small smile.
Kise immediately shook his head, "N-no, I'm happy, I'm really-really happy." The blond sniffled and vigorously rubbed his eyes.
Kasamatsu smiled fondly at him as he tried to stop himself from crying and as the tirade of tears were coming to an end, the brunet pried the small golden band from Kise's tight fist. He grabbed the blonds' shaky hand and held the ring up to his eye level.
"Kise Ryouta, will you marry me?" He asked. And for all the composure he seemed to retain throughout the entire situation, Kasamatsu still looked scared out of his mind as soon as the words left his lips and doubt clouded his stormy-grey eyes.
At that moment, the blond would have been angry with himself under any other circumstance for the tears he had just pushed back, returned with twice the will to escape and cascade down his cheek. However, he cared not for the tears that were now streaming down his red cheeks. The love of his life was slipping a gold ring unto his finger as he shook his head 'yes' with such verve it almost made his neck hurt, what were a few tears in the grand scheme of things? What was a headache later when you had your arms around the person you cherished most and they had their arms around you?
They had not changed much over the years, but the world around them very much had. Each of their worlds had a lot more of the other in it and if change brought them closer still, so be it.
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A/N: Next one should be coming soon guys, I now I've already done a valentines chapter for this one but I still plan to update sometime in February. =)
