Title: Reassurance
Author/Artist: Silvermagess
Theme: Five Stages of Love-Commitment
Rating: PG
Length: 500 Notes: This is the final chapter, as the challenge is now finished.

During Sakano's latest visit with his mother, these words had come up: "But, I just want my baby boy to get married." He was used to these complaints and had always assumed he would indeed be getting married, just not at that moment. This time around though, he'd been left with a strange, punched in the gut feeling. Especially when his mother asked to set him up with a nice girl who was the daughter of a friend's cousin's niece. And then he'd made the biggest mistake of all and mentioned that he was dating. Now his mother wanted to meet the "girl." Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe Taki wouldn't kill him and his mother wouldn't disown him.


"You're mental. Why would I want to meet your mother?" Taki had his arms crossed, looking up sulkily from the sofa as Sakano started to pace about nervously. "It's not like we're ever going to get married or anything like that."

Sakano stood stock still, clenching his teeth, trying to keep from throwing a tantrum. "How do you know that?"

"Because guys can't get married." Taki deadpanned, spreading his arms wide as he stretched out on the couch. Sakano convulsively pulled at his hair, trying to figure out how to say what he needed to in a way that the singer would get. "Besides, what's the big deal? What does marriage prove?"

Suddenly, Sakano's body was overcome with little tics. "Commitment! Propriety! Devotion! Tradition! A demonstration of eternal love!" Okay, the producer had to admit that he'd gone a little overboard, but he didn't know how else to explain it.

"So are you trying to say that you want a little reassurance?" Taki rolled his eyes as he sat up, causing Sakano to gulp. "Are you trying to say that I'm not giving you enough? That I'm doing something wrong."

Now, Sakano knew exactly what the singer was doing. Taki was trying to lay a guilt trip on him, by acting like he was being under appreciated. It was a tactic that would catch most people who knew Taki off guard, since they were used to him being more temperamental. Not Sakano though, since he'd worked under the master of subtly, Tohma Seguchi for years.

Walking up to Taki, he grabbed onto the singer's shoulders and pushed him against the couch, then looked him in the eyes. "I want you to act like any decent human being and make up your mind. I know what I want; now it's time for you to tell me what you want."

Taki looked up at him like he had to be kidding. Then he shrugged, or tried to. "Fine, I'll meet your mother. Happy? Or do I need to buy a ring?" Sakano decided to let the sarcasm go and be satisfied with the fact that Taki had given in.