Happy New Years!

Glad I managed to make the day today! Sorry for the delay!

UPDATE: This has been updated! sorry for the delay! OTL I've looked it over, but it feels so rushed, best viewed on mobile for me...

'This is bad,' Masamune thought.

He hasn't drank this much in a long time. However, it wasn't as if he was going to lose it. It was at the point he was feeling unsteady... and slightly horny. The more he drank, the more he was aware of Ritsu sitting next him. Their close hands made him want to grab one, pull him away somewhere and... 'Damn it,' he began drinking another can. This wasn't the time.

"I think I can drink another..." Ritsu mumbles, annoyed with the cup of water sitting in front of him. He drank only three cans before Masamune took the fourth away from him. There were other people with them minutes earlier, but now it was just them and family at their own table.

"Ahh, I remember when you got drunk for the first time," An's father says, only a little drunk, laughing, "Asking us if it was okay to throw up."

"'Not on the carpet!'" An laughs, mimicking her stepmother, "Mom was so worried. Rittie was so loud too." Said mother was off in the ladies room.

"I want to see that!" Kazuto nudges a beer over to him. "Drink!"

"No way," Masamune pushes it back, out of Ritsu's reach. "Look at him, he's swaying."

"That's you who's swaying!" Ritsu whines, reaching out for the beer. "I can take another!" He grabs it, opening it so he can chug it.

"Look at him go!" Kazuto giggles, setting down his beer. "It's hard to stop once you start, huh?"

"I can take it," Ritsu grumbles, sipping the last of it now. "Water tastes bad."

"Good thing it's only 7," An's father says, looking down at his watch. "We still have time before they do the fireworks."

"We can go up to the roof right?" Kazuto asks, excited "Maybe we can bring up drinks with us."

"We can bring beer?" Ritsu asks.

"No, not beer," Kazuto laughs. "Maybe some hot chocolate or tea."

"That's it. You're done," Masamune speaks up, cutting him off beer with his words before finishing up his own can.

Huffing, Ritsu looks down at his empty can, swirling it a little to watch the leftover condensation. "...Jerk."

Raising a brow, Masamune smiles at him playfully, only to stop as he stared at that heated glare. He could feel it pierce right into his chest. Slowly, he felt the blood in him rush down south. 'Oh. That's hot.' Masamune averted his stare to look at his can, swallowing at a loss for words. 'Oh.'

"..?" Ritsu regards him questionably now, confused at the sudden turn away. 'Was it my face..? Did I look funny?' "Um.." He failed to get Masamune's attention. Quietly, he goes to get another can of beer from Kazuto.

'I want him,' Masamune stared down at his ring on his finger, the can in his hand lightly being crushed, unconsciously. 'I have to hold it in... just for a little more...'

'..?' Looking over after a long few minutes, he frowned at the drinking and spotted two more cans. "You need to stop before-"

"Don't wanna listen!" Ritsu continues to drink, drunk now. The brunet was swaying by the slightest, his face lightly reddened, the alcohol kicking in. "I know when to stop, Masamune!"

"No you don't."

"Yessh I do!" Ritsu sets down his can. "I know!"

"I bet you can't stop now."

"Noo! I can!" Ritsu hiccups and turns his head a way from the table, his can of beer. "I'll shhtop better than you!"

"Ha, you're so cute when you're drunk!" Kazuto laughs, finishing his own beer. "I don't get what you guys mean by loud though."

"Well, at home it wasn't this loud with so much people," An realizes, before drinking her non-alcoholic drink. "It's going to take a little while until he gets sober though."

"I think we'll go take a walk now then," Masamune decides, pulling Ritsu up. "Let's get you sober."

"Be careful," An's father says as they go.

"Oh? Drunk now?" Tsubaki frowns at her son, having bumped into them in the lobby. She hands Masamune a card, "Here. Honestly, I thought it was going to be Kazuto."

"What?"

"Just a room for a few hours- I also got a second one. We're not going to let you walk around in stupor before New Years- Ritsu?"

At that, Masamune glanced around as well as her as they realized Ritsu was no where to be seen. She sighs. "That's odd... he's never wandered around drunk before. Well, we only let him get drunk in the house once but..."

"I'll go look for him. Thank you," he adds, for the hotel room card.

"Hurry, before he falls asleep. If he's anything like his father..."

"Got it," he says, running off once she goes on her way. He too has had some memories of a drunk Ritsu.

...

"Wow! Haha~" Ritsu runs out with the snow falling, cooling down his head. It was pretty outside. When he realized there were people around, and tents with things happening, he looks around in a daze, lost. He thought this was a hotel. "Oh!" Turning around, he found it: the hotel. Unsteadily, he runs back a little before spotting something at the side of his eye. Curious, he goes to the source of the light that seemed to be blinking in three colors.

"Why did you get that?" He hears a man's voice, sounded annoyed. "All it does is flash."

"What? You don't think it's cool, Hiro?" Now Ritsu hears cooing. "See? She likes it."

"Isn't that bad for her eyes? She can't even see faces properly yet."

I remember you." A little voice says to Ritsu. Startled, Ritsu turns to see a little girl -almost up to his waist, her head cocked at him in curiosity. Still a little drunk, he didn't realize he probably seemed like a man watching her family for some odd reason.

"You do...?" Ritsu tilts his head, his eyes drooping a little in drowsiness.

"You don't remember me? Near the hospital where my Daddy works?" The girl asks, saddening a little, her eyes hiding under her bangs. She looked like a little doll, short-straight cut dark hair to her shoulders and wearing a small black kimono with red and yellow flowers.

"Sowwrry..." Ritsu says, sincerely apologetic. "I don' remember."

"..." He watches as she pulls out a necklace from around her neck and off, handing it to him.

"..?" Hiccupping, he looks down at the ring in his hands, a necklace now with tied string. "A ring...?"

"You were always looking for it on the street, even when it was raining..." She pouts, "But when I found it and went to show you, you weren't there anymore. Papa said you went up to heaven."

"O-oh..." Ritsu was confused now, as his legs were beginning to tire. "Hhuh...?"

"Let's show Papa!" The girl grabs his hand and pulls him along. Tottering, he clumsily follows, finding the small child unusually strong. "Papa!"

"What?" Ritsu looks at the shorter men of the two that he can see, the one with the annoyed tone of voice. "Who is this?" The other man- father, seemed too occupied with the baby to notice.

"This is the man who was looking for his ring!" She introduces him, "He didn't go to heaven!"

"...What?"

Ritsu shrinked a little at the man's gaze, intimidated.

"OH! Ah..." The second man, who was taller, regarded him with a smile. His hands were on the handle of a baby stroller now. He didn't seem to have heard what his little daughter had said. "You're Dr. Takano's husband! You looked familiar! Your name is Ritsu right?"

"Huh?" Ritsu blinks at him dazedly, his hiccups receding.

"What the-? Is he drunk?!" The shorter of the couple guesses, frowning as he tugs his little daughter to his side, away from Ritsu. "Shizukesa, you don't just go up to people like this." He stares back at Ritsu warily, occasionally glancing once or twice to his oblivious husband.

"That's weird..." The taller man looks around. "I heard from the other nurses that Dr. Takano wouldn't-"

"Ritsu!" Masamune calls from afar. "Ritsu!"

"Masamune..?" Ritsu turns, unsteadily falling to the ground face forward as he did so. "..."

"Ohh!" Little hands turn him over with very little trouble, patting the unconscious brunet's cheek. "Daddy, is he okay?"

"Of course not," her Papa answers instead, now trying to calm the crying baby in the stroller. "He's drunk."

"He'll be fine," The Daddy of the father pair answers, after his older husband. "He's just sleeping now. But," holding Ritsu up with his arms, he looks around again. "We just heard Dr. Takano a while ago right? He must be nearby."

...

'Where is he?!' Masamune frantically glances around, worried. 'Did he fall asleep somewhere?'

'Why did you wander off?' He wonders, lips pursed, 'He ran a little back then too when we were leaving that party, but then he just held my hand and kept swinging it like a little kid.'

"Dr. Takano?" He looks down to the little short-haired girl who had called out to him. "Dr. Takano?"

"Yes, that's me." 'How does she know who I am?'

To his surprise, the girl runs off. "Daddy, I found him!" She faces Masamune for a bit. "Follow me!"

"Hmm..?" It was dark when Ritsu woke.

'We were at the hotel...' Ritsu recalls, not being able to remember much. 'It was also snowing too, right?'

"You're up?" Startled by how close Masamune was, Ritsu looked up at the source of the voice, the darkness making it complicated to see.

"Did I...knock out?"

"Outside yeah. I brought you in this hotel room that your mom got in case this happened." Masamune's arm around him moved to reach in his pocket for his cell phone. "We got about two hours before New Years." He put his cell phone back up in his pocket.

"Really?" Ritsu was surprised, before he began to adjust to the darkness. "Were you sleeping too?"

"A little. You thirsty or anything?"

"No... Should we turn on the lights?" After a few seconds of rustling a lamp light on a nightstand was turned on, and he can see his lover at his side. "Are you mad?"

"Well, I told you to stop drinking... idiot," he flicks Ritsu on the forehead. "Scared me when you ran off."

"I ran off?" Ritsu tries to recall, rubbing his hurt forehead.

"You ended up bumping into someone I know who works at the hospital and his family, Kusama Nowaki."

"I did...?" Ritsu wonders for a moment, and faintly remembers the little girl. "He had a little girl? She was wearing black..."

"Yeah, and a baby too." Masamune brings out the ring, still in a necklace, and gives it to him. "She found this apparently."

"A ring...?" Ritsu inspects it, brows furrowing. "Is this..."

"It's yours." The brunet widens his eyes at him before looking back down at it, surprised.

"It is..?" Sure enough, Ritsu felt the faint engraving on the inside of the ring, and inspects it a bit more. 'They cleaned it...'

"Ritsu..." Masamune's brows furrow as well. "She said something to me, before they had to go visit some author friend of theirs."

"What?"

"She said she was glad you weren't a ghost."

"...O-oh?" Ritsu didn't know what to say to that. "She said that?"

"Yeah, but..." Masamune shakes his head. "I don't know- it felt like something was up. Dr. Kusama's husband seemed to know something though. Apparently, they adopted her from his husband's cousins who lived up in the mountains."

"The mountains? Like Misaki?"

"I think so."

"I see... Um," Ritsu looks back at his ring, reluctant. "Should I- so when we get home I can throw it-"

"What? No. We finally have it back. Don't lose it."

"But your ring! You threw it away in the streets for me..."

"Hey, it's okay," he brought up a hand to Ritsu's face to focus on him. "I got them for you. It's enough for me to know that you're mine. That's all I need."

"B-but," Ritsu blushes faintly, averting his gaze then. "You used your money on it, even when you didn't have to. You can't just throw it away..."

"I did though. You were there."

"You know what I mean," Ritsu huffs, much to his husband's amused smile. He looks back down at his ring, a small smile reaching his lips.

"You really like that ring, huh?" Masamune watches him intently, his brows smooth as he calmly gazed. Inside, his heart churning at the fondness Ritsu set upon the ring. He didn't quite understand what was so great about it. Now that he thought about it, trying to remember around that time, Ritsu would sometimes miss what he was saying or doing because he was always cleaning it. A part of him couldn't help but feel jealous of that crafted piece of extracted ore.

"W-well, of course!" Ritsu flusters a bit, his gaze still on it. "It was the first thing you bought for me..." he smiles shyly then, before closing his eyes and resting his head completely on the pillow. "I didn't expect you to get me anything, but you did, back then..."

"...That," Masamune begins, frowning, "You never expected me to get you anything? You didn't expect anything of me?"

"I... As long as you were with me, I'm happy. I know you weren't really into gifts and with everything that was going on back then. I just wanted to help you the best I could." Ritsu chuckles nervously, "I think I expected more from me than anything else. I'm not particularly good at anything, even now."

"Ritsu-" Masamune tried to start, before the building rumbled from the top. Ritsu is distracted as he sits and looks up, fascinated.

"Do you think they're starting something?!" Ritsu says, excited. Before Masamune could reach for him the brunet was already away from his grasp, fumbling around for his shoes off the bed. "Let's go meet up with everybody!"

"Ritsu, we have two hours. We don't have to go now," Masamune gets to the edge of the bed, sighing, staring after him longingly. "We're finally alone," he adds, reminding Ritsu such since the younger was excited to leave. After a few attempts at grabs he manages to grab a hold of his arm from the edge of the bed. He tugs the brunet back onto the bed, moving to grab all of him to himself. "We don't have to rush."

"But, you don't want to know what's happening up there?" Ritsu turns his body to face him, and looks up. "What if we're missing something amazing?"

"Maybe there are just too many people up there and the building's getting to its limit. It's a good thing we're not up there."

"Still..." Ritsu sighs, settling in to sit back and lay with Masamune on the bed properly. The pillows allowed them to lay and sit back to see the television on the side. Said television wasn't going to be used though. "Are we just going to lay here for the next two hours?"

"Not really." Masamune simply says, before turning over to rest himself atop of Ritsu. With his arms he embraces the younger man into a hug while he nuzzles his way to the crook of Ritsu's neck. "We can do this," he breathes, comfortable as can be.

"Geez..." Ritsu grunts, finding the man a little heavy. However, it wasn't as if it was suffocating. Giving up, he gradually lifted his arms to wrap around the man above him. Since the man had his arm around his waist and face tucked under chin, the brunet opted to wrap his arms around his lover's neck. Gently, he began caressing his fingers into the older man's hair.

Faintly he remembered how scared he was the first time about if he could touch Masamune's head like this.

Had he become accustomed to it when Masamune began resting against him whenever he was tired, whenever he was drunk? 'I'm glad though...' Ritsu gazes down at the dark hair, feeling warm. 'We made it to New Year's...' Softly, after a few seconds of hesitation he tilted his head to press a kiss on Masamune's head before relaxing his head back and closing his eyes, sighing. 'I'm thankful...'

...

Masamune was frozen as he stared into his husband's neck, struck with the irresistible notion to pounce. He couldn't explain why, but when his lover makes small moves like this with the mood going on, it...

He remembered well how they were interrupted last time; swallowing, he turned his head and looked up at Ritsu's relaxed face. He knew the male wasn't really sleeping.

They were alone (for now) on a holiday.

In a hotel.

On a double bed.

They could- He forced himself to stop; they didn't have lube. 'Maybe the bathroom has...' He looked to the bathroom, wondering if he could use some lotion or conditioner. 'I have to go wash my hands too.'

"Masamune?" He looks back to Ritsu, who was now watching him. "Is something wrong?"

"Ritsu... I," He tries to push himself up with Ritsu's arms around him, looking the brunet in the eyes as he loomed over him. "Since we were interrupted last time... do you remember?"

"...O-oh!" Ritsu flusters, looking up at him in surprise when he remembered. Fumbling his hands around in a loss of what to do, the brunet eventually readjusted his hold around Masamune's neck, visibly nervous. "C...can we?"

"...Why are you asking it like that?" Masamune snickers, before smiling. "Don't you want to do it with me?"

"Yes!" Ritsu answers at the opportunity, his eyes closed in embarrassment at the teasing. Masamune froze, blinking at the sight under him in stunned silence. It somewhat reminded him of something long ago.

"Oy..." Masamune's brows furrow, leaning up a little to pinch and pull a little at his husband's cheek. "Why do you still close your eyes when we get to this point?"

"Awwhawmm..." Ritsu mumbles incoherently, trying to move his head to free his cheek. His arms refused to break his hold around Masamune's neck. "Iwa...pwah," he takes a breather, after his cheek is freed. After a bit he looks back up at his husband, blushing faintly at the stare before averting it. "When... When I look at you like this, it... it's really embarrassing." 'At least, when I realize we're in such a position...'

"I know but," Masamune uses his hand again to turn Ritsu's face to capture Ritsu's attention, cupping his cheek as he does so. "Can you try not to?"

"I-I do! I..." he trails off, meeting Masamune's gaze for a mere two seconds before averting his gaze again. However, he was stopped by a small pat to his cheek.

"Longer."

Reluctant, he swallows before looking back at him, his lips slightly quivering as he realized gradually of his lover's face growing closer to his. "Keep your eyes open," Masamune breathes, reminding him.

Ritsu couldn't help but shudder at the warm breath ghosting his own parted lips, knowing what was going to come after. He tried hard to keep his eyes open to the intensity of the other's but at the moment his eyes closed in habit. 'Ah...' Recalling the deal of closing his eyes, he opened his lids slightly, only to see that those warm brown eyes were still staring at him.

"Mmm!" They part at his surprised, incoherent sound, and Ritsu pants a little before talking. "I... I thought we both close our eyes when we... I mean- you know!"

"I know," Masamune replies quietly, moving in closer again for another kiss. The mood he felt was dwindling away from feeling so sexual. "I never really told you how cute you were, have I?"

"H-huh? Why are you saying that now?!" His husband wasn't making any sense to him at this moment.

"Because," he begins, planting a light kiss on his forehead. "You're being so cute." He whispered, his lips traveling across his face to his ear. "I..." he trails off, and Ritsu shivers as soft lips tickle his ear. "I want to tell you a lot more things," he brushes, gradually pressing his weight on Ritsu so he can kiss along his neck.

"I love you," he sighs, his lips along the collarbone now. Eventually, he rests his dark head on his love's chest as he was embraced tightly. The heartbeat racing underneath him was music to his ears, and his own began echoing the same. "Ritsu..."

"I love you too," Ritsu fumbles, hugging him the best he can in their position. "I love you..." He gives in and closes his eyes, feeling very emotional. Now that he thought about it, his husband had heard nothing from his mouth of his love for three years and at the present, once or twice since he woke up. "I love you." The brunet repeats, and shifts slightly, blushing when Masamune leans up to kiss him before hugging to his chest again. It wasn't for long however, as the male got up and began tugging on Ritsu to get up as well. "W-what is it?"

"I just remembered- I think we can make it," Masamune simply stops there, smiling as he pulled Ritsu along and out of the room.

...

"Oh?" Ritsu looks out of the window of their car as they arrived to the lookout area that oversaw the rest of the city. His second time here since Masamune's birthday. "There's only a little bit of cars."

"Well, we did get here earlier than I thought," Masamune parks, resting back in his seat now. "Let's just wait here until it's almost time."

"Eh? Is that okay? To leave the car on like this?"

"Yeah. If anyone comes ask us, we'll just say we're waiting for someone."

'Is that really okay?' Ritsu wonders, before laying back himself, and gazes out at the rear view mirror on his side to pass the time. Outside, he can see the faint lights of passing cars on the nearest highway. After several minutes pass, he can feel his left hand being grabbed by Masamune. Turning to look, he quickly turns his gaze away when he felt lips on his hand.

'Ah...' Ritsu bits his lip a little, nervous. 'He's...' He tries to turn to the window on his side to distract himself, finding the darkening scenery a bit useful until he made out the reflection behind him.

His husband's staring face on the window was just as effective as if he was looking directly at him. Blushing, Ritsu looked down at his seat having no where else to look without feeling more nervous.

"Ritsu, you know what most couples do on New Year's?"

"H-huh?" Ritsu faces him now, confused. "What?" Had there been a new trend of something while he was in a coma?

"New Year's kiss." Masamune snickers at him. "What else?"

"Oh! Ah..." Ritsu laughs shyly, before fidgeting at the thought. "I-in front of other people?"

"They won't care. At that point, everyone's in their own little world. And looking up at fireworks."

"I see..." Ritsu turns back to face the front, mind wandering. He can handle holding hands and everything, but kissing with other people around...

"We don't have to if you don't want to," Masamune smiles, leaning towards him. "Kiss me now though?"

"...O-okay," Ritsu agrees; if this was one way he'll do it, surely he won't feel left out if others start kissing around them. With his lips ready, he closes his eyes and leans forward, opening them then when he heard Masamune laughing. "Wh-what is it?"

"You're the one kissing me. I'll close my eyes," the older says, eyes twinkling before they closed in waiting with a pleasant smile. Across from him, Ritsu blushed as he stared with a loss for words.

'It can't be so hard...' Ritsu began, glancing about the car space to calm himself. His sight rests back to Masamune's face, lips, and he swallows nervously once more before leaning forward. He pauses when he catches a flutter of Masamune's lashes. "Don't open your eyes!"

"I won't I won't," Masamune promises, but Ritsu could tell though that the man was getting impatient. Taking a deep breath he went forward again, and when he pressed his lips against the others he closes his eyes. 'I did it!' The brunet thought, feeling embarrassed and victorious as he kept his lips there. A few seconds pass and he opens his eyes again, yelling out in surprise when he saw brown eyes staring at him in captivation. "W-w-wh-why...?!"

"I'm wondering why too," Masamune smiles seductively, grabbing his love's hand. "Keeping your lips on mine looking so red with your eyes closed."

"T-that was- I just thought it was nice, that's all!"

"I thought it nice too," Masamune agrees wholeheartedly, watching in amusement as Ritsu grasped around for another thing to say next.

[Okay keep us on, okay?!]

"Um, okay," Ritsu says to An, having a little trouble hearing her on his cell phone's speakerphone over the crowd building around him. His family was slightly annoyed that they weren't there to countdown with in person.

Luckily, they made it to front of the group, the closest behind the safety of the railing. The rest of the city they could see was bright and sparkling before them. The brunet could've taken a picture, but it was on the call...

"Aren't you going to take it?" Ritsu turns to Masamune, who hasn't brought out his cell phone at all. "You don't want to take a picture of it?"

"Oh I will." Masamune then takes it out. "But not yet."

"Heh? But it's really pretty now! Can, can you take it for me?" He ends up asking, since he couldn't take it. "You can send me it right?"

"Yeah, but..." Masamune changes his mind and takes it for him. "There. Took it." He shows a pleased Ritsu. "You're really liking to take pictures now huh?"

"A little bit," Ritsu answers, feeling a little bashful about it. "Don't you?"

"Yes." However, his object of photo taking was another matter. He wanted to see the look on Ritsu's face after the fireworks are launched, and the thought of it softened him. "I love taking what I like to see..." he trails off, looking over at Ritsu again. His negativity couldn't help but poke at him, and he thought about if Ritsu hadn't woken up... He shakes it off. 'He's awake now. That's all that matters.' He remembered earlier today of their small trip to the nearby shrine, and he smiles gently, grateful.

'Maybe this isn't going to pretty enough yet until the fireworks?' Ritsu asks himself, wondering why Masamune didn't find the sight as pretty as him. 'Maybe he thought so when he came here the first time, and he's used to it...'

On his cell phone's speakerphone, he can hear buzzing and more animated voices blending along with the ones around him. He caught a glimpse of strange movement on his left he turned to see a couple kissing and quickly turned back to his front. Glancing back once or twice he noted how no one seemed to care. 'Are you serious? No one cares...?' He pauses, now glancing to his oblivious husband. 'It wasn't like I doubted him, but...'

'Should I..? I mean, it is embarrassing but-' "H-hn?" He was surprised when he felt arms wrapping around his waist, his husband's front to his back. Faintly he blushed upon feeling the others breathing against the side of his head. Unknown to him, his cell phone in hand had timed out of the call.

"I'm so glad we can be like this, right now." Masamune whispers softly to him; Ritsu felt a peck to his ear. "I'm so glad..." he trails off, and Ritsu startles at the tightening of their embrace. The voice so close to his began roughening with the threat of an incoming cry. What was going through his husband's mind the past few minutes? "I missed you, so much..." He repeats, "I missed you so much Ritsu..."

"Masamune..." Ritsu felt his throat aching at the sudden rush of hearing his love's vulnerable voice, and tries to look back at him despite Masamune holding him in place and keeping his head close to his. It had become quiet in their little world of two. "Masamune...?"

"Can I say some things? I..." Masamune rests his nose into his love's hair, breathing. "For the New Year. I want to..."

"...I'm sorry," he began quietly, "For storming out on you those days." His dark head bowed, resting it on Ritsu's shoulder. He tightened his arms once more as if he was worried Ritsu would try to run away from him. "I got drunk, wasted money... getting more drunk and letting people follow me home."

'Ah...' Ritsu remembers that... cringing as he remembered Takafumi punching someone who kept knocking for Masamune and trying to grope Ritsu or himself when they lied and said Masamune was out.

"I'm sorry that I hurt you a lot because of all that. And Yokozawa. I'm sorry... I, I took it out a lot on you. I directed it at you so many times..." his breath hitches, nuzzling Ritsu's shoulder, "It didn't even occur to me once that you could have left me. Even though you probably felt at times that I didn't care for you back then I... I really did," Masamune sniffs,

"I really did love you a lot. Just as I do now." He hugs tighter, before becoming surprised when Ritsu finally manages to turn around and hug him back. The younger was quiet as he snuggled his head against his lover's chest, touched.

"You..." 'Don't have to say sorry for those things,' Ritsu trails off in his thoughts, 'But you wouldn't have it any other way huh... You're not asking for me to forgive you either and I would, but that... You don't have to say sorry for anything is what I think, since what had happened back then...' He closes his eyes and sigh for a moment of calm before reopening them. 'How many times have you tortured yourself with those thoughts?'

'I love you too,' he thinks in confidence, looking up at the troubled face, shadowed brown eyes boring into green as if for an answer to a question they didn't know. 'But if I said it now would it even make sense?'

'I never thought of leaving you,' he thought, staring back. 'Even back then. Why would I? I can't say you're wrong though, sometimes I did feel that you stopped loving me- like that first time in high school. But, I knew later how you were busy and so angry you couldn't focus right... and even if it was a small thing you would do for me I was happy.' He smiles shyly before ducking his head; the brunet just realized how long they were staring at each other. As they lingered close to each other, the two mutually arrived to a comfortable silence in their small world.

...

"IT'S ALMOST TIME!" Ritsu immediately shoots his head up at the booming speaker, and he turns to face the front as everyone else did, voices jumbling up together in excitement.

"Ready?" Masamune says to him, his hands at Ritsu's sides apart from one hand holding out his camera.

"Y-yeah..." Ritsu looks back out into the city, the positive energy around him infectious. Seeing a hand out next to him on the railing, he traced it to a nearby couple and averted his eyes to the city again. Once more he was reminded of kissing after the countdown.

"We don't have to if you don't want to"

'That...' Ritsu's lips pressed together tightly in a pout, 'You could've just done it without my say but instead you...'

'You want me to feel more comfortable around you...'

'And I am... more than back then at least...' He put his hand on the railing and took a deep breath; he was going to do it. At that moment though he remembered his cell phone and panicked at the dark screen before unlocking it and calling An. However, she didn't pick up, and didn't after a second and third try. 'I guess it's really loud where she is at the hotel...'

"10!" Most of the crowd chants with the booming speaker. "9!"

"8!" Ritsu began to follow along with their shouting, smiling at some shimmering lights for signal on top of some buildings in the city before he shouts with them. "7! 6! 5! 4! 3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Hearing the sharp noises of launch Ritsu looks up into the sky as others did so as well. Cheers uproar while the fireworks brighten the sky with its bright lights. Fumbling, Ritsu gets his cell phone back on screen to get the camera on. Satisfied after three or so pictures, Ritsu checked up on Masamune, and saw that the man seemed happy with his photos too.

"Did you take the sky too?" He edges closer to him, wanting to see. "..." His eyes widen in shock however, abruptly taking away the man's phone to see more of this... this... 'W-why... is this only of me?!' Was his husband really okay?! The more he tapped for more pictures, the more he saw of him from Masamune's line of view. (Duh.)

"It's just one album of it," Masamune says innocently, gently prying his hands off to take back his phone with a grin. "I know you take of me too."

"S-still!" Ritsu huffs with a blush, before remembering that this was it- to kiss him.

Now or never.

He glances up to see Masamune looking back at his phone, distracted. He would have the element of surprise, hopefully. When was the last time his love was so surprised? That question helped fuel his plan; and so, he stepped forward and pulled on the front of Masamune's coat towards him.

...

He has never seen his husband's honey brown eyes so wide in all honesty.

Ritsu stared just as widely, surprised by this turn of events. It was sort of cute and funny... But then, the revelation that he was kissing his husband out in the open made him blush. Should he pull away now? 'Ngghh...' Ritsu thought, suddenly embarrassed. 'This is like what happened in the car! What's wrong with me, me? Freaking move!'

Seeing Masamune's open eyes distracted him from making what was supposed to be a quick, romantic moment. All he could do was stare and blush and keep his lips in place. The air was unusually warm; unconsciously he blocks out the giggling from a nearby couple making fun of 'their first kiss'.

Oh, if only they knew the truth...

Seconds after, Ritsu manages to step back once. Parting their connected lips, he found himself back forward and hugging Masamune, ultimately flushed to his core. He stiffens at the hand feeling through his hair now, swallowing in nervousness.

"H-h-happy New Year..." he stutters, breaking the silence. 'That was bad, wasn't it...' Hearing no response, the brunet peeked up in bewilderment, wondering. "Oh..." Ritsu fully looks up now, blinking at the familiar face staring at him unabashedly. Was that light dust of pink a figment of his imagination?

On his end, Masamune was stunned, still as his Ritsu regarded him so adorably. He honestly didn't expect the kiss; of course it was awkward but it... it was Ritsu. The older can feel his chest aching at emotions hitting him, enamored by the sudden development. And so, he continued to stay still in case the brunet was going to do something more, as hard as it was not to hug and squeeze him tightly.

Ritsu hesitantly brought one hand up a half a second later, touching the tinted cheek tenderly, as if it was going to wash away into the air. Was it just a mirage? He pokes it once, just to make sure.

No. It was real. IT WAS REAL.

Something new swelled up inside him. Was it that he was proud of himself? These tingling mixes of happiness and pride made him flush yet again, and he ducked his head and hugged his husband's still body.

*woosh* Startled, he tilts his head from Masamune's chest, reminded that the fireworks were still going. Snapped back into reality as well, Masamune felt a rumble in his pocket and brought back out his cell phone from his coat pocket.

"Oh." Ritsu looks back to his husband, who was reading something from his cell phone. "Everyone's still partying. Your mom and her friends are going to start making more mochi now, want to go back?"

"Really?!" Ritsu replies excitedly, and moments later they walk back to the car, ready to enjoy the rest of New Year celebration back at the hotel with their family.

Sorry this took long!

Okay, I realized I left many plot holes in this story, especially with how I introduced Egoist (Cause Misaki is like that little girl).

I only told some of you about parts of Takafumi's story that ties in with this story (and I will probably not be able to make it as long as this). So you'll see snippets of Takafumi and Misaki's side later in this story. PLEASE read my other author's notes from past chapters if you are confused.

I initially planned on making a separate story with Takafumi and Misaki but I don't think I'll have time to. We'll see.

Anon Anir: Don't worry!