Obito eyed the flower arrangement critically in front of him. He had just placed the last finishing touches to it and wanted to make sure that it looked the way he pictured it. He inspected each placement of the flowers, made sure that the colors would be fresh and bright, and that there were no petals and stems out of position.
He smiled when he was satisfied with the finished product and then moved it aside to begin work on the next one that was a part of the order.
He was glad the day was very slow at the flower shop. It helped that the rain outside was coming down like a tsunami. It batted hard against the building and the thunder shook the windows.
Save for the storm, it was very quiet. His friends and fellow co-owners of the shop, Rin and Kakashi, were off for the day. And because they were so slow, Obito had sent Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko home before the rain really started to pour.
The silence was very soothing and welcome to the Uchiha; he needed this. He had been dealing with all sorts of crazy orders this past month.
He sighed a little with a small pout as he began to cut some of the flowers to length. 'All I need now to make this afternoon perfect is a visit from Hashirama,' he thought wistfully.
Just then his phone went off with text message notification.
Placing the flower and scissors down, he quickly wiped his hands on his apron before he reached into his back pocket and pulled the device out. His eyes widened a bit and he grinned broadly at seeing it was a text from his boyfriend.
When he opened it, the message made him huff a little in exasperation. /You busy at the shop?/
/No,/ he messaged back. He bit his bottom lip, eyes glancing at the pouring rain and added. /But you shouldn't stop by with how heavy the rain is pouring./
He was about to put the phone down and go back to work when he got an immediate response. /But I want to see you!/ Obito rolled his eyes when he saw the crying face emoji at the end and how he could practically hear Hashirama pouting in the message. Another text followed.
/I haven't seen you since I got back!/ It was immediately followed by three teary eyed emojis.
Obito's eyes softened before he shook his head. Hashirama had been gone for nearly a week and a half for an out of town tattoo convention. And it was true that they hadn't seen each other since the Senju's return but that was mostly due to scheduling conflicts because Hashirama had to check in with the multiple tattoo shops he owned around Konoha, and Obito had been staying late at the shop to fulfill orders.
/I don't want you driving in this rain!/ Obito texted back. He was about to put his phone away again when Hashirama messaged back.
/But I am at The Will of Fire today!/
The scarred man blinked before he turned his head to look out the stores glass window again. Although he couldn't see anything well, the blurry neon lights of the tattoo shop across the street could be made out. Obito sighed as he dropped his face in his free hand with a shake of his head.
When he pulled away, he texted back. /Well why didn't you say something before! I thought you were at a different one!/
He waited for a moment, lips pressed firmly together, when he got an answer back.
An emoji of a pouty face with, /I wanted to make sure you weren't busy.../
The message made the dark haired man roll his eyes but he didn't stop the soft smile that spread across his face. /You idiot,/ he messaged back quickly. /You know you can come over any time, even if I'm busy./
After that one, he sent a follow up one. /Just don't complain when you get soaked on the way over!/ He added a playful winky face with its tongue sticking out at the end before he put his phone off to the side.
He smirked when he heard it chime again but didn't pick it up to open it. Instead, he left to go get a towel from the back.
He returned just in time to hear the bell over the entrance door ring. His feet carried him towards the area to see a tall, muscular, tanned man with long, dark locks that fell to his waist and wearing a brown leather jacket, was struggling to close an umbrella. Walking toward him, the Uchiha watched with an amused smirk and a heavy warmth in his chest as he teased, "At least you remembered to use an umbrella this time."
Hashirama's dark eyes lit up when he finally closed the umbrella and he turned toward Obito. "That was one time!" he laughed as he placed the umbrella by the door.
In a few long strides, he met Obito halfway and the Uchiha did nothing to stop him when he wrapped his arms around the florist's waist. Obito was only thankful for his full body apron he wore, since even with the umbrella, the front of the Senju's jacket was still soaked.
Obito wrapped his own arms around the other man's shoulders. One hand thread itself into the top of the tattoo artist's surprisingly dry hair to massage the scalp while the other still held the towel. They met halfway as their heads leaned close together and pressed their lips firmly against the other. Obito savored it with a deep sigh, having missed the feeling of his partner for the past few weeks. Text and phone calls were fine, but nothing could beat the sensation of finally being able to hold Hashirama again.
When they did finally pull away after a few seconds, the sound that escaped Obito's throat was a mix of a longing moan and a happy chuckle. With half lidded eyes, he hummed, "Mmm, missed you," before he pressed up again for a quick kiss.
He felt Hashirama's chest rumble from a chuckle, before he pulled back just enough to speak. "Missed you too," the other man murmured against the florist's lips. He then pressed forward and sealed their lips again.
They breathed in each other's presence with soft, languid kisses. Any customer could have walked in at that moment and Obito wouldn't have cared. He was more enthralled with trying to practically absorb Hashirama into his being.
When they did finally manage to pull away for more than a few seconds, Obito sighed happily with a soft smile as he just admired his handsome partner. The florist's muscles felt more relaxed than they had been in the past weeks and his head not so bogged down by the number of orders that needed to be fulfilled. 'Amazing what a hug and a few kisses can do,' he laughed to himself.
Hashirama watched him with a lopsided grin as he squeezed Obito tighter to him. "How has your day been?" he asked as he gently began to sway them.
"Very quiet and slow," the scarred man responded, going along with the movement. "And yours?"
"Busy." The tattoo artist pouted a little. "Making sure the other shops were doing okay with supplies and business, and then today I had one of our regulars for a session that lasted nearly all morning." As he spoke he slowly began to slump against Obito, much to the younger man's amusement. "The feels like the first break I've had in ages!"
"Aw, poor baby," Obito teased before he kissed his partner's cheek.
The act made the other man perk right up with a content smile before he began nuzzling his face against the Uchiha's, along the scars that covered the right side of Obito's face. "Luckily," he said as he did, "I finally got to see my boyfriend and he always makes me feel better."
Obito hummed. "He must be really something then," he quipped.
"He is!" The tattoo artist kissed the corner of Obito's mouth. The kiss was quickly followed by another one to Obito's cheek, then another right next to the corner of his eye, until Hashirama was peppering kisses all over the florist's face. "He's wonderful... The best!... The most handsome... The most perfec-"
"Alright! I get it!" Obito abruptly laughed when the other man hit a particularly sensitive spot under his left ear. His face was hot from the praise and only got more red when Hashirama pulled back with a happy and pleased smile. "So perfect," he finished before he proceeded to kiss the florist's nose.
Obito rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the smile that spread across his lips. "You're impossible," he muttered exasperatedly. But he made no move to pull away and instead leaned forward for another quick kiss.
Hashirama laughed loudly when they pulled apart. His dark eyes were bright with mirth and crinkled around the edges. "But you love me," he stated as if it was the simplest fact in the world.
The Uchiha chuckled. "I do," he agreed as he squeezed the other man and leaned in for another kiss. "I really do."
When they pulled apart, Obito made to disentangle himself and allow his boyfriend to dry off the wet areas while the florist went back to work. Only when he tried, Hashirama's arms refused to budge. He gave the tattoo artist a deadpan stare and got a pout in response. "I have to get back to work, Hashirama," he asserted as he tried to move again.
"Can you take a break?" the Senju asked- close to a soft whine- while he rubbed the side of Obito's face with his nose.
"I already took my break," the scarred man argued and continued to struggle. He tried his best to push his partner away by the shoulders. Hashirama's grip only tightened as he went on pouting. "And you need to dry off!"
"But I'm not even that wet!"
"You're getting me wet!" Which really was a lie since only the sleeves of the coat were soaking the back of his shirt from where Hashirama held him.
Obito sent a glare but fought back the urge to smile at his boyfriend's antics. He really didn't need to encourage this behavior.
"Can't we cuddle a bit longer?" the tattoo artist begged. "Please."
"No!"
The struggle Obito put up soon devolved into a wrestling match as the younger man tried to escape. There wasn't much heat to it but Hashirama refused to let go even as their feet, guided by the florist, moved them back to the work table further into the store.
Throughout the exchange, Obito couldn't stop his smile or jovial laughter as he tried to wiggle free. And he loved to see the playful twinkle in Hashirama's eyes and the raining kisses the man continued to give all over the Uchiha's face.
But soon it came to an end when Obito managed to free himself. Before his boyfriend could try and capture him again, Obito threw the towel he had held onto at Hashirama's face. "Now dry off!" he playfully ordered while he scurried around the work table to put some space between them.
He watched with a crooked grin when Hashirama pulled the towel away to reveal an adorable pout. On such a big man like Hashirama it should have looked ridiculous but he managed to pull it off. But it only served to make Obito snicker at how cute it was.
"Tell you what," the scarred man decided to offer as he could practically see his partner fall into of his infamous sulks. "If you behave, I'll let you hold me while I work."
The other man's whole demeanor changed as he lit up. "Really?" he asked excitedly.
"Yes." He pointed a strict finger at the other man. "But only if you dry yourself and behave."
Hashirama winked as he stuck out his tongue playfully. "I always behave," he laughed with a huge smile.
Obito rolled his eyes. "Only when you want to be." He stuck his tongue out at the end which only made his significant other laugh more.
The younger man moved to get back to his work spot while the tattoo artist removed his jacket. Obito turned his back towards his boyfriend and got back to work just as the other man used the towel and started drying the ends of his long hair.
After a time, the Uchiha had just finished cutting the lengths of the flowers needed for the base of the arrangement when a pair of tattooed arms wrapped around his waist. His eyes softened and he smiled when he felt Hashirama's lips right between his neck and hairline before the older man sighed contently. The florist made no move from his work though, even when Hashirama placed his chin on his shoulder to watch him.
Yet Obito did jump a little when one of Hashirama's tattooed hands brushed against his side. He paused and sent his boyfriend a sharp look in warning.
Hashirama just gave him a sheepish smile. "I've behaving," he promised as he kissed Obito's cheek. He returned his head to where it was previously and added with a snicker, "Not my fault you're so ticklish."
The florist only huffed with a roll of his eyes as he turned back and picked up his work.
Both of them then remained quiet as Obito worked. The only sound that filled the room was the rain and the snips of scissors.
As the time went on, Hashirama began to gently and casually rock the two of them from side to side. The Uchiha found he didn't mind the movement. In fact, it gave him a warm feeling that sat in his chest that made his smile grow. He didn't even realize that during that time, that even their breathing had subtly fallen into sync.
At one point, one of Hashirama's hands reached out and started to play with some of the uncut flowers. Obito imagined his partner wore an admiring expression as he gently twirled the stem between his fingers. And if the florist needed the flower, all he had to do was hold out his hand, the other man relented it over easily before he would pick up another one.
Finally, after a bit, Hashirama asked quietly, "So what's this for?"
Obito answered with a hum, "An engagement party."
"Don't people usually like red roses for something like that?" Hashirama inquired.
The Uchiha huffed. "Yeah well, your brothers didn't actually give me much to go on in the way of flowers."
He felt his boyfriend stiffen before he pulled his head away. "My brothers?"
Obito stopped and turned his head to look over his shoulder. He saw the other man's eyes were wide with his head tilted to the side. "Yeah, all of them got involved," the florist nodded before he looked back to his work. "Itama, Kawarama, and Tobirama. Said something about them being for a family member."
The arms around his waist suddenly tightened as he heard a sharp wheeze. Obito stopped abruptly and looked back over his shoulder again with a raised eyebrow. It formed into concern at seeing the other man's face.
Hashirama's eyes were wide and hyper focused on what would have been the back of Obito's neck with his lips pressed firmly together. Even when the florist moved the tattoo artist seemed to be lost in his own little world, unaware of what was going on.
"Hashirama?" Obito asked worriedly as he turned in the other man's arms. It was a tad difficult at first with the other man's strong grip but when he became more forceful, his boyfriend jumped slightly at the movement and loosened his grasp.
He blinked like he was trying to comprehend what was happening when Obito grabbed either side of his face.
"You okay?" Obito demanded with a frown. He still tried to remain soothing as he rubbed his thumbs comfortingly over the other man's cheeks. "What was that just now?"
The tattoo artist just stared at him with wide eyes before they softened and a slow, if weak, smile filled his face. His body relaxed, weight almost all the way pressed against Obito.
"...I'm fine," he promised softly, voice just a touch bit high from whatever he experienced before. "Just surprised that my brother's would be willing to all get involved." He chuckled, a touch bit hysterical, at the end, as if to laugh at his own private joke.
Obito let his hands fall away and crossed his arms over his chest. He eyed his boyfriend, still frowning.
Hashirama looked back at him inquisitively with his head tilted to the side but the crease in his forehead still there as he wasn't completely relaxed.
The florist pressed his lips together. "Is it really," he spoke slowly, gauging, "so hard to believe your brothers would plan something for Touka and Mito?"
He watched as his partner's eyes widened. "Touka and Mito?" he asked.
The scarred man narrowed his eyes. "Yeah," he confirmed with a nod. "They recently announced their engagement. Makes sense to have a party for it."
Hashirama continued to stare at him and it rankled on the florist's nerves. "What?" he snapped.
Then, very slowly, a huge grin crossed the tattoo artist's face. At the same time, his shoulders began to tremble until they were shaking uncontrollably while Hashirama threw his head back in laughter.
"What?" Obito snapped again but his boyfriend kept laughing. The older man even had to lean on the Uchiha for support with how hard he was.
The younger man snarled as he took two of his fingers and jabbed them into Hashirama's side.
As to be expected, the tattooed man flinched hard, curling into himself until his face was pressed into one of Obito's shoulders. It did start to make Hashirama's laugh die away though.
The Uchiha huffed and waited it out, arms crossed over his chest as best he could. He was not pouting, but it was a near thing.
When Hashirama finally pulled away, he wore a fond smile with dark eyes bright and warm. "I'm sorry," he apologized as he used his hand to wipe away a few stray tears.
"Well if you're done," Obito bit out with a raised eyebrow. "Maybe you would like to share with the class what's so funny."
"Nothing," Hashirama assured with a shake of his head. His cheeks turned a little red. "Just thought it was cute how my brothers were helping with my cousin."
It spoke to how long their relationship was when Obito could detect the inflection in Hashirama's voice that meant the man wasn't speaking the whole truth. A tad too high at the corner of his smile, too sheepish for it to be genuine happiness. Then again, his boyfriend had a terrible poker face when he really wanted to confess what was bothering him.
"You're a terrible liar," he called out with a deadpan tone and expression.
The other man pouted, giving away that Obito suspicions were right.
"But it is the truth!" he tried to argue.
"Not the whole truth," the florist easily countered as he used one finger to poke the tattooed man's chest.
Hashirama bit his bottom lip, looking torn. But the Uchiha waited patiently, even if he was annoyed.
Then the tattooed man licked his lips before an uneasy smile formed on his face. "Can we talk about it later?" he begged.
Obito pressed his lips together. 'What aren't you telling me?' he pondered as he studied the other man. But nothing in his expression gave away what the Senju was thinking for once, and that set him a little on edge.
Obito took a deep breath while he closed his eyes and gathered what he knew in quiet contemplation.
"Is it really that bad?" he finally asked when he opened his eyes again.
Hashirama's expression softened, even with some of the uneasiness still there, as he shook his head. Obito could feel his boyfriend's hands began to move soothingly up and down his back.
"Not bad," the tattooed man promised. More red filled his cheeks. "I just...," he grimaced apologetically, "don't know how to bring up the topic yet."
'So it is important,' Obito quietly noted. He bit his bottom lip, took a moment to study his partner more, before he nodded. 'Better not push it just yet.'
"Alright," the scarred man sighed. He watched as Hashirama's face and body loosened even as he looked apologetic and guilty.
Obito reached out and cupped his boyfriend's face. "Hey," he reassured as he ran his thumbs comfortingly over Hashirama's cheeks. "It's alright. I know you'll talk to me about it sooner or later, right?"
The Senju smiled, small and fond. "Or else you'll coerce it out of me," he teased. They both knew that he was being nice by using a polite word for it.
This time the Uchiha did pout. "Only because I care."
Hashirama just giggled. He brought up one of his own hands and took hold of Obito's. He turned his head and pressed a firm kiss into the florist's right hand, right into the scars. He then tried to lean down for a kiss.
Stubbornly, Obito turned his head to the side out of petculanence. From the corner of his eye he saw his significant other pause with wide, blinking eyes.
"That doesn't mean you're off the hook," the florist explained before Hashirama could question him. "I'm still annoyed, so no kisses on the mouth."
Immediately, Hashirama began to whine in protest and pulled Obito tighter to him.
The younger man smirked when his boyfriend began to nuzzle the side of his face. "I said," he emphasized before the tattoo artist could open his mouth to apologize, "just no kisses on the mouth."
He nearly cracked up at Hashirama's adorably confused expression before it all clicked in his head and his eyes lit up with a huge smile. It did make Obito laugh when the other man then proceeded to rain kisses all over his face and neck.
'My big idiot,' Obito thought affectionately as he basked in Hashirama's ministrations. The florist let his hands linger on his boyfriend's shoulders but didn't wrap fully around since he didn't want to encourage the other. He really did need to get back to work but found the other man's kisses just too addictive.
When he felt Hashirama's mouth go towards the more sensitive areas on his neck, Obito decided he needed to stop it. He opened his mouth only to let out a loud squawk as his partner not just kissed the area but blew a raspberry on it.
"I said behave!" he reprimanded even as he shrieked with laughter and tilted his head to the attacked side while he tried to pull away. It left the other side of his neck completely exposed.
Hashirama wasted no time in trying to get at his unprotected side. Obito then suddenly switched his head to protect himself when he saw where his boyfriend was going, which only made the tattooed man giggle at him. As he did, his partner suddenly swerved his head and tried to kiss the other side again.
The florist sent him a heated sharp glare which made the other man pull his head back when he saw it. He wore a sheepish, but completely unapologetic, smile. "Sorry, sorry," he tried to say even as he continued to giggle and not sounding the bit sorry for what he had done. His eyes were bright and warm, crinkled around the edges. "Saw the opportunity and couldn't resist."
Obito huffed and rolled his eyes. He lifted his head up slowly, eyeing his boyfriend to see if he would pull a fast one. But when the tattoo artist did nothing, the Uchiha rolled his head around to loosen the tense muscles that had developed. Satisfied, he sent his partner one last warning look before turning in Hashirama's grasp again to get back to work. He chose to ignore the amused, little smile the other man wore.
As he went to pick up his scissors, he felt a hot breath on his back of his neck. He tilted his head back to protect it and managed to send a sharp look at the tattoo artist.
His boyfriend still looked amused, but there were no hints of the playfulness in his dark eyes that was there before. "I did promise," he reminded with a little chuckle, "to behave."
Raising his head back up, Obito raised an eyebrow at him. "You still promise?"
Hashirama nodded. "Promise."
Obito slowly let his body relax then. He didn't allow it fully at first as he turned his attention back to the work table. He nearly tensed again when he felt a reassuring kiss on the back of his neck, and only when Hashirama finally placed his chin back on the Uchiha's shoulder did the younger man finally loosen his muscles all the way. He was rewarded by Hashirama pulling him closer to his chest.
"So what do these flowers mean?" the Senju asked, instead of allowing them to lapse into silence. He picked up one of the uncut flowers, small purple blossoms in tiny clusters on one stem. "I've never seen you use these before."
Obito smiled as he set down the last cut flower for the base.
"It's a Heliotrope," he explained as he grabbed the vase that the flowers would go in. "One of their meanings is eternal love." He added the foam to the bottom of the base that would keep the flowers up as he further expounded, "Plus it's a better color scheme than red roses."
"And the rest?" Hashirama continued to inquire as he placed the Heliotrope down and returned his hand to Obito's waist.
The florist hummed as he picked up another, a yellow one with one long trumpet shaped structure set against star shaped background of petals. "A yellow Daffodil," he informed, "means new beginnings." He combined it with a flexible but sturdy wire before sticking it in the foam.
He picked up a white stock flower, the petals bunched together at the center and gently overlapping as they spread out from there. He did the same process as he had done with the previous flower. "Gillyflowers mean a happy life and a content existence."
Before he grabbed another daffodil, he waved a hand at the delicate looking blue- almost purple- five petaled flowers that lay close by. The petals were spread wide to show off white center. "And blue violets mean loyalty, devotion, and faithfulness."
"They're lovely," Hashirama complimented. "And have such great meanings behind them."
Obito hummed in agreement as he worked, adding bits of greeny at the base to make the colors pop out and for the arrangement to appear fuller.
"What made you choose there flowers?" the tattoo artist continued to question.
Here, the Uchiha paused for half a second in his work. When his hands began to move again, he bit his bottom lip. 'I could fib,' he thought as he debated how to answer. He felt his cheeks become a little warm. 'But then again... I have been wanting to talk about it for a long time...'
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a pair of lips through his shirt on his shoulder. Pausing again, Obito looked out of the corner of his eye to see his boyfriend with a content smile and closed eyes as he placed his chin back on the florist's shoulder.
When Hashirama opened his eyes, they briefly made contact. Even after seeing them so many times it always took his breath away at how those dark orbs were so honest and warm in their quiet moments. So inviting and understanding. Those eyes were the first thing that Obito had ever noticed about the man when they met so many years ago. It reminded the florist that this man reverently held almost every secret that the scarred man had. There would be no judgement about the biggest secret Obito had been refusing to tell for the past two years.
'Fuck it.'
The florist took a deep breath and turned his attention back to the arrangement. His heart was beating hard in his chest as he picked up where he left off. "I chose these," he confessed quietly, "because these would be the flowers I would want to use at my wedding."
The words hung in the air as silence filled the room. Obito stubbornly kept his eyes forward and continued to work even when he felt Hashirama tense up and pull his head away. The florist found it promising when his boyfriend didn't pull away fully.
Still Obito didn't say a word. But his heart still pounded in his chest as he waited patiently for a response. Instead of words though, Hashirama's tattooed hands reached out and cupped his own which stopped his fingers.
The Uchiha bit his bottom lip when he allowed them to be pulled away from the vase. To keep his mind distracted the younger man studied the two large, black kanji against wooded bark backgrounds on the back of each hand. One of them meant for love and the other stood for peace. But when they disappeared from his line of sight, he casted his eyes further down as Hashirama turned him around so they could be face to face again.
He stared resolutely at the graphic tee in front of him, hands coming to rest on his boyfriend's chest and play with the fabric. He only dared to look up through his lashes when he felt Hashirama's hands settle on his lower back.
He expected to see the surprise. And indeed, the other man's eyes were wide and shocked. But they were also very warm, almost hopeful, and he even wore an almost timid, excited smile.
The look made Obito's face go red and he looked back down at his hands again.
"So...," the tattoo artist began quietly, "you've thought about it? Thought about... us?"
Though phased like a question, there was a definitive and awed tone to it. Like he was going to burst out at the seams. It made Obito warm deep in his chest and he smiled giddily. No uncertainty about what Hashirama was referring to, the unspoken subject that now lay between them.
It gave him some courage to look up and he studied his boyfriend's face shyly. "Who else?" he joked with a weak laugh that was just a bit too high.
Hashirama's smile grew impossibly bigger with his dark eyes getting brighter. It made Obito duck his head again as he struggled out, "I- I mean- we've been dating for what? Nearly, like, 5 years, right?" He knew his words were rushed but he found he just couldn't stop. "And-and if I've never changed my mind in that time, then- then..." He grimaced because he had no idea where he was going with that thought so decided to change it.
"I just... never really knew how to bring it up...," he finished lamely.
They had only brought up the subject of marriage twice before. Once when they were friends before they started dating and another time about a year into their relationship. It wasn't so much about themselves but more on what their views on marriage were. Both times Obito had been vehemently against it.
So when his views began to change, after he realized he really like the idea of marrying Hashirama, he was just never able to bring it up again. He knew his boyfriend wouldn't mind that Obito changed his mind, the florist just wasn't sure if the Senju minded marrying him.
He winced at the thought, while at the same time he just wanted to run away and hide. 'Gods why am I such an idiot?' he berated, his face impossibly hot and heart pounding so fast he worried that it would burst out of his chest.
Hashirama had not said anything yet which ate at Obito's insides. 'But that smile means something right!?'
He opened his mouth to almost demand for the other man to say anything when his partner suddenly moved.
Obito's eyes widened as he let out a surprised noise when Hashirama's lips pressed fiercely against his. With his mouth already slightly opened, the tattoo artist dove his tongue into the younger man's mouth and began to twist and taste him. As he did, one of his hands came up and held the back of the Uchiha's head firmly in place.
It took a moment for Obito to even understand what was happening. It allowed his boyfriend to explore his mouth even more and only when his tongue enticed the florist's to join did everything click.
Obito closed his eyes and moaned deeply. His tongue began to press back, giving as good as he got, as he wrapped himself more firmly against the other and his partner responded in kind by holding onto him more tightly.
Their lips moved against each other- strong, sure, and breathless. It matched the movement of their tongues, wrestling playfully. There was a slow burn that started to build in Obito's gut as a certain part of him became very interested in what was happening.
But just as things were getting more interesting and heated, Hashirama broke away.
Obito opened his eyelids halfway to see his boyfriend's flushed face and dazed look. His mouth was parted slightly from soft pants and lips were slightly swollen. The Uchiha highly doubted he looked any better if his own hot face was anything to go by.
He whimpered because he knew he needed to get back to work, but there was the lingering questions he still had about what he had said before. If the kiss was anything to go by then maybe he did not have to worry so much.
Hashirama bit his lip to suppress a smile, looking like a kid about to receive a birthday present. "I want to show you something," he pronounced and Obito blinked a moment, caught off guard, before he scrunched his face up.
"Huh?" was the ineloquent response but it only made Hashirama hold onto him tighter as he practically vibrated now.
"I want to show you something," the tattooed man repeated again. "Well... two somethings, depending on how you like the first one."
Blood was slowly coming back to Obito's brain as he now caught up with the conversation. He pressed his lips firmly together as his eyebrows furrowed, and wanted to demand why the sudden change of subject when Hashirama still hadn't responded on whether he liked the idea of marrying Obito too. But he stopped at seeing the imploring look the other man wore, silently begging for the younger man to go along with him. There was also something else there that he couldn't quite place, but shined deeply in the other man's eyes.
The florist eyed his boyfriend, just for a moment, before he slowly nodded.
Hashirama practically shined then when he smiled. "I got a new tattoo at the convention," he blurted out. He then tittered as he untangled himself from Obito.
The Uchiha, still feeling a bit put out, crossed his arms and leaned against the work table, watching.
Hashirama smiled, one part encouraging and the other part soothing, as he grabbed the bottom of his shirt and lifted it over his head.
The first reaction the florist had was to blush and glace over at the front door. Luckily no one was coming in and it made him relax a bit. It helped that when he looked back, Hashirama still wore a black tank top.
As the tattoo artist put his shirt on the work table, Obito took a moment to admire his boyfriend's arms. Not only to admire their strength and firmness but the art. Both arms were covered in a twisting wood and vine designs that the florist knew covered his entire body. They started from the back of his hands and shifted up both arms and shoulders where more were showing on his chest and neck from beneath the tank top.
His right arm was also covered in numerous flowers. Flowers were a continuous theme all over Hashirama's body as well- just like the wood and vines- but the favorite ones were the ones located on his right arm, mostly Sunflowers. There was also a yin and yang symbol that stood out boldly on his bicep that was formed out of the flowers that were tattooed there.
On his left was a large scroll design with names on it that started from his shoulder and down to his forearm. Obito knew if he looked he would find not only his name but names of all of Hashirama's friends and family- those that he considered the most important in his life.
When the Senju made eye contact with him, it made Obito smile at seeing his excitement. The florist's eyebrows knitted together though at seeing a white patch peeking out from under the tank top on the left side of the tattoo artist's chest.
Before he could ask about it, and before he could stop his partner, Hashirama then grabbed the bottom of his top and lifted it over his head.
Obito about yelled at him about being shirtless in his business (and because he was a little jealous of others seeing his boyfriend's chest) but stopped when his throat suddenly became tight. His lips parted slightly and his eyes grew wide.
Hashirama's wood, vine, and flower motif covered his entire body, even going further down past his jeans. But there were more tattoos as well: on the right side of his chest there were an assortment of cards and a set of dice. The most prominent tattoo was on his abs and a little on his chest, a burning flame with a green jem in the center of it with the kanji for 'The Will of Fire' embedded on the crystal. It was supposed to represent the philosophy that the Senju clan had lived by for generations- one of love and peace toward everyone like they were family.
But he had seen all these before and weren't the things that just made his world halt. It was the large white patch that really caught Obito's attention. Over an area that the younger man knew was blank before the convention and held a very special meaning to the Senju.
Every tattoo the older man had always held some sort of significance to him. The full body one down to the tiniest of tattoos he had. But there was always a large blank spot on the tattoo artist's left chest, right over his heart. When they were friends, Hashirama admitted to being a romantic and was going to be a place for a tattoo that represented the person that he loved with everything he had, and was going to marry.
So when they did get into a relationship and Obito realized that he would love to marry the other man, he watched the area over the years. But nothing was ever added and it only worsened the anxiety that maybe the tattooed man didn't feel the same.
'Apparently, I've been wrong,' he thought as he snapped his jaw shut but continued to stare.
Hashirama smiled softly even as he bit his bottom lip. His hands then came up and gently peeled back the patch.
The new tattoo glistened from the antibacterial ointment but that didn't take away the beautiful colors of the flowers. Two types of flowers intertwined and looked like they bloomed out of the older man's chest and spilled over onto the other tattoos. Both were Obito's favorites.
One set of flowers were bright red. They were in a small round cluster of flowers on each stem with spider like tendrils coming out of from in between the petals that curled upward. The other ones were vertically blooming along the stem. There was an artistic licensing involved since each flower was a different color that the flower was known for but nonetheless spectacular to see.
Long ago, during his teen years, Obito had been in an unfortunate accident that had left scars all over his right side. During and after his recovery from it, he had developed a morbid fascination with death. And with it, came his favorite flowers, the Red Spider Lily. He found a weird sense of beauty in its odd shape and bright red coloring as well as it's close association with cemeteries and funerals. He thought them oddly appropriate for what he had been through in his life.
As he got older and overcame many obstacles in his life, the Gladiolus was added with the Spider Lily. It wasn't because of an association with a particular event or even how it looked, but rather one of its meanings: strength of character. After everything he had gone through, the scarred man had thought that it pretty much fit him for overcoming everything and becoming a better person for it.
Obito stared at the tattoo, almost forgetting how to breath. He observed the various vibrant colors of the Gladiolus and how it mixed well with the bright red of the Spider Lily. The thin stems of the Lily intertwined around the Gladiolus' stems, combining the two flowers into one. And while the design did spill over into the other tattoos, whoever did them blended it all seamlessly together, as if the newer tattoo had always been there.
"I've been trying to get in touch with the artist for some time," Hashirama spoke quietly and made Obito jump a little.
Reluctantly, Obito tore his eyes away to look up at his partner. The other man had a bright, if shy and uncertain, smile as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Some time?" the florist managed to choke out.
"Well..." Hashirama casted his eyes aside as his face became very red. "Maybe for a couple of... years."
The noise that came out of Obito's throat sounded like a strangled cat.
Hashirama looked back at him worriedly, but all the Uchiha could do was stare at him dumbfoundedly. With the silence, the younger man watched as the tattoo artist shifted on his feet while he bit his bottom lip.
"Do you like it?" the older man finally asked with clear nervousness in his voice.
When the florist didn't respond, Hashirama laughed a little, a touch too high as he held his big uneasy smile. "I know you said these were your two favorite flowers," he began to babble. "And give you own a flower shop and how much we love to garden, I thought it would be perfect! I know I should have hinted at something but I really wanted it to be a surprise! And Mei- the artist- was willing to do it for so long but our schedules never matched up until the convention! And-"
Whatever words Hashirama was going to say was sharply cut off when Obito covered the small space between the two of them, grabbed his partner by the back of the neck, and kissed him with everything he had.
Sometime during the Senju's adorable ramble, amongst the shock and awe the florist felt something warm slowly unfurled in his chest. 'God, I love this man,' was the only thought that came to his head as a slow smile tugged at his lips.
But the words seemed stuck in his throat so just decided to show his boyfriend that it was all fine. That it was wonderful.
Mindful of the tattoo, Obito pressed himself against Hashirama as best he could, just like they did before. He nearly giggled when the tattooed man placed one hand securely around the back of the scarred man's head and the other squeezed Obito's hip tightly.
When he felt the muscles in his throat loosen, the Uchiha pulled away.
The both breathlessly stared at each other. Obito smiled fondly at the adorably mixed expression the other man wore- eyes bright and warm but eyebrows furrowed together.
"I love it," Obito blurted out before he leaned up and firmly sealed his lips back against his boyfriend's. He let it linger there for a short time, before he moved to the corner of Hashirama's mouth, then cheek, and soon he peppered the other man's face with them.
It was hesitant at first, but Hashirama began to giggle loudly and held Obito tighter to him by wrapping one arm securely around the younger man's waist. As he did, the tattoo artist's body slackened as all the tension left his muscles and leaned against the florist.
At one point, when the Uchiha's mouth was close to the Senju's, Hashirama turned his head and captured his lips. Their mouths moved against each other, deep and playful. Obito could practically taste the relief and contentedness his boyfriend poured into it.
When they pulled back to look at one another, they weren't nearly as out of breath as their previous kisses. Obito loved to see the content smile and warm eyes on the other man's face. It was made even sweeter as it most certainly matched his own.
"I'm glad, " Hashirama whispered as the hand in the florist's hair massaged the scalp, "that you like it."
"I said I loved it," Obito reminded teasingly.
His boyfriend giggled. "So you did!"
The Uchiha smirked before his gaze drifted down to the tattoo in question. He licked his lips as butterflies jittered in his stomach. He back up at his partner though his lashes and asked, "Can I touch it?"
He was disappointed when Hashirama shook his head. "Still needs time to heal," the tattoo artist explained.
Obito frowned but understood.
At seeing his look though, Hashirama ducked his head and captured his lips in a brief kiss. When he pulled away he added, "But I promise, that when it's healed you can touch it all you want." He rubbed their noses together as if to seal the promise.
It made Obito grin and chuckle, liking the sound of that.
He leaned in for one more firm kiss before he pulled back to see Hashirama beaming at him fondly. "Help me re-apply the patch?" he asked. The florist just nodded.
With quick and careful moments, they placed the patch back on. As they did, Obito noticed his boyfriend's face become pensive again. He watched out of the corner of his eyes as a battle seemed to be going on inside his partner's head. He left it be until the patch was nearly back on but then the older man's face relaxed and set firmly. He nodded, seemingly coming to a decision.
Once finished with the patch, Obito took one more look at the area with a fond smile before he gazed up at the tattoo artist, waiting to see if he would say anything about what he was thinking. Instead, Hashirama grinned at him and leaned down to seal their lips together.
The Uchiha savored it, their mouths moving over each other. When they pulled away after a brief time, the Senju still didn't say anything but his smile had become nervous again. Obito raised an eyebrow which made his partner blush.
The other man took hold of one of the florist's hands while the other raised to rub the back of his neck. "So, um," he began, a little flustered. "Given how much you lik- loved this." He lowered the hand from his neck and used it to indicate the tattoo patch. "Would you, um, mind the other thing I want to show you?"
Obito blinked, remembering that his boyfriend had said that he had two things to show him if he liked the first surprise. "Sure," he replied with a tilt of his head. He gave a teasing smile. "But can it really top the tattoo though?"
Hashirama only giggled as his face grew redder. "I think it really can," he rushed out. "It's one that I've equally kept secret for as long as the tattoo."
The Uchiha's head jerked back a little from the confession as he blinked rapidly again. But before he could probe more, his boyfriend gently pulled away from him.
Rather quickly he turned around and reached for his jacket. Obito remained quiet, as he watched, eyebrows creased together and arms folded over his chest. When Hashirama turned back around with the jacket in hand, the florist tilted his head to the side at seeing the darker blush and how his partner was biting his bottom lip. He worried that it might start bleeding. The younger man also noted the white knuckled grip on the jacket and how it was even shaking a little.
Obito opened his mouth to ask if he was okay, when the Senju raised his free, shakey fist and coughed into it to clear his throat and suddenly seemed unable to look at Obito. "Th-this will seem... sudden," he began as he shifted on his feet. "But I have been thinking about it for..." He grew silent, eyebrows coming together in quick calculation before they smoothed out when he sighed heavily. "God, it feels like forever!" he muttered.
He took another heavy sigh and this time did he did look at the florist. His eyes were wide, almost pleading- full of bright hope that warred with the desperate worry and utter fear. It stole the breath right out of Obito since he had never seen that look before from the other man. "Just...," Hashirama finished, trying to keep his voice calm even if it was strained, "why wait?"
Obito knitted his eyebrows together as he processed what he heard. 'We were just... talking about how we wouldn't mind...' His eyes then suddenly grew wide while his mouth dropped open. Heart pounding in his chest, he tried to see a hint of dishonesty or playful trickery in Hashirama's face.
But there was none. All he saw was earnest honesty in his face that highlighted all the other emotions. He leaned back on the table, using it as support, as he grew weak all over.
A flash of a different type of worry filled Hashirama's eyes as he closed the space between them. He reached out with his left hand, the one that wasn't holding the jacket, and took hold of Obito's right. "You okay?" he asked breathlessly.
The florist wheezed out a sigh, nearly in high pitched laughter. His mind was completely blank for a moment and tried to catch up with what was happening. That this was happening!
"You seriously...?" he finally managed out weakly.
'Of course he is!' he yelled at himself even as he saw a determined edge that came to Hashirama's eyes when the man nodded. It made the younger man grasp his partner's hand unbearably tight.
He watched the tattoo artist swallow. "You okay with this?" he asked, voice high and tight.
The Uchiha found his throat growing tight at his boyfriend's worry, but he managed a jerky nod regardless.
Hashirama then took a deep breath but never broke eye contact. Not even when he stepped even closer and gently placed their foreheads together.
They stared at each other as their breaths mingled between each them. Obito couldn't look away even if he wanted to. He needed to catch every expression his partner bore; not wanting to miss a single moment.
"Where do I begin?" Hashirama finally spoke softly and hoarse. His eyes had gone soft, emotions mixed in those dark orbs, with a small and warm smile and dark cheeks.
He closed his eyes and brought their joined hands up to his mouth.
A pleasant heat went down Obito's spine as he felt the other man's lips against the back of his hand. He was enraptured when the tattoo artist opened his eyes partially and gazed at their interlaced fingers.
"Where do I begin?" he asked again, voice stronger, as he spoke to them. He then looked up, dark orbs strained but still warm. "To describe how I feel about you?"
Obito's throat was tight, leaving him unable to respond. That didn't mean he couldn't understand, since he felt the same. He squeezed the tattoo artist's hands encouragingly as his eyes began to sting.
It seemed to embolden the other man, who swallowed before he began to speak again. "You... are everything I have ever wanted." He smiled shyly, but brightly.
"We've... been through so much together these years, even before we started dating. We've laughed. We've cried." He chuckled softly. "We've driven each other crazy."
This made Obito also give a low laugh, because of how true the statement was.
"But through it all," Hashirama continued with a squeeze of their hands, "we've stuck together." He let go of Obito's hand and cupped the right side of the florist's face gently.
It made the Uchiha's face grow red as the tattoo artist's thumb rubbed across his scarred cheek.
"But I want more," Hashirama confessed. "I want everything we have now and more. Where we can go to our home together at the end of the day." He paused to look meaningfully at Obito right in the eyes. "And where each morning I will wake up and be able to see your face as the first thing I see."
That statement made the younger man choke up a little with a jolt as it painfully struck a chord in his heart. During their first conversations, he had made a self deprecating joke about who would want to wake up every day to his scarred face. 'He remembered that...,' he thought as an indescribable emotion washed over him, making his chest tight. He bit his bottom lip to stop a sob from escaping as he closed his eyes tightly to fight back the tears that wanted to fall.
He opened them again when he felt Hashirama's hand leave his face and watched when the other man used it to reach into one of the deeper pockets. His breath caught when the older man then slowly pulled out a small, square velvet box. Well, only a little velvet; most of it seemed to be worn off.
Hashirama fidgeted with it for a moment before he looked back to Obito, biting his bottom lip.
At seeing the florist's wide eyed face, he smiled nervously, tossed the jacket on the work table, and knelt down on one knee.
They both maintained eye contact as Hashirama held up the box between them, it slightly shaking in his hands. "So will you, Obito Uchiha, please give me the honor," he opened the box to reveal an engagement band, "and marry me?" He was breathless by the time he finished his question.
By the end of the sentence, Obito was shaking all over but wore a bright smile. A few tears escaped and ran down his face. "Yes," he whispered. Louder, he cried, "Damn it! YES!"
Without thought, he dove forward and wrapped his arms around his partner's neck, guffawing. Hashirama responded with bellowing laugh of his own but it turned into a squawk when he lost his balance when Obito collapsed on him.
The two of them were sprawled out on the floor. Undeterred, the florist's mouth quickly sought out his fiance's. He had every intention to kiss his boyfriend senseless as soon at their lips touched but when he laid his body fully against the other man, Hashirama winced and hissed. 'Shit!' he cursed, forced to tear his mouth away to sit up.
"I'm sorry!" he gasped as he straddled the tattoo man's waist. "I forgot about the the tattoo!"
Hashirama merely chortled before he tugged Obito back down, more to the right side this time. "It's alright!" he promised with a blinding smile. He then proceeded to capture the florist's mouth.
More mindful, Obito pressed back heatedly. Their kiss was heavy and intentful but not without its softness. One of Obito's hands went behind the other man's head while the other stroked the firm chest against him. He loved when Hashirama moaned and shivered when he did.
The Senju's hands weren't idle either. One mimicked the younger man's by holding him firmly on the back of the head. The other moved to Obito's back and brushed against the skin where his shirt had risen up. It made the florist tremble and moan back in response.
Touches and kisses turned playful and teasing. If he wasn't preoccupied with other things, Obito would have laughed as they made out on the floor of the flower shop. He couldn't find it in him to care at that exact moment.
He only pulled away when a certain part of him was getting more interested in the events. And no matter how the idea of sex in the flower shop seemed appealing (and something they had indulged in the past), he didn't actually feel like going at it right now.
When he did, he just stared at Hashirama. The man's face was flushed and he was softly panting. His dark eyes were half lidded with a radiant smile on his swollen lips.
Obito licked his own mouth, a blazing and light feeling sitting deep in his chest. "My fiance," he whispered, trying it out.
The tattoo's artist's irises widen as they flashed with mirth and his smile grew more.
"My future husband," Obito went on, just to see the look of utter bliss on the other man's face.
Hashirama did not disappoint as he laughed in pure delight- deep, hearty, and warm- before he leaned up to kiss the florist again. When he pulled back, he grinned so wide the edges of his eyes began to crinkle and said, "And you're my future husband too."
It made Obito chuckle, loving how that sounded, and leaned in for another short kiss. "Damn right I am," he giggled before he sealed their lips.
He felt Hashirama giggle against his lips before they pulled away again. They just stared at each other, completely in bliss with content smiles.
Then one of Hashirama's hands moved and Obito looked to see him pick up the fallen engagement box.
In their exchange, the box had snapped shut. But the florist knew what the Senju wanted, so waited with a bated breath as the box was opened again.
Only it was empty. Obito blinked a moment, knowing he hadn't imagined the ring there before. When he turned back to Hashirama, the man's eyes were wide with eyebrows furrowed together. A heavy feeling formed in the pit of Obito's stomach, began eating away at him, when they made eye contact and the realization hit them.
"THE RING!" they both cried as they scrambled to get up.
One frantic search later, they managed to find it, it having flung underneath one of the many floral display stands. When they did finally managed to get it, they rolled in laughter and embarrassed blushes as Hashirama slipped the ring onto Obito's left ring finger.
The florist took a moment to admire it on his finger before he and Hashirama had to lean against each other in their hesterics. It was a silver band but the inside of the band was a layer of dark wood. In the center, a clear circular diamond was inlaid into the the wood.
In between glancing kisses and laughter, they somehow managed to calm down enough that Obito could get back to work.
His stomach muscles hurting but with a dazzling smile in place, he set out arranging the flowers before him in the vase. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hashirama put on the black tank top again. The tattooed man left the graphic tee off though, leaving it on a nearby stool.
When the older man returned to the florist's side, Obito welcomed it when the man wrapped his arms around his waist.
Hashirama's were tight around his torso, tighter than before but not hindering or hurting. He could practically feel the grin his partner wore even though the florist didn't need to see it. He just knew it was there and matched his own.
'It's funny,' he marveled when Hashirama kissed his neck, 'how we were just doing the same not long ago.' He glanced at the ring that now rested on his finger and bit his lip to stop himself from giggling. 'But it is different now.'
He was pulled back from his thoughts when his partner hummed and craned his neck over Obito's shoulder to look at the flower's critically. "Do you think we should change the flowers?" he asked when he turned his head to the florist.
The younger man raised an eyebrow as he looked at his fiance. "Why?"
Hashirama giggled and squeezed Obito. "Because though I love Touka and Mito," he explained, "but I would rather not have them use our flowers for their engagement party."
Obito blinked and when he did finally look at the arrangement, really look and see it, a deep blush crossed his cheeks. He closed his eyes with a groan and rested his head back against the older man's shoulder. He nearly wanted to bang his head on against the table because Hashirama was right, and he felt ridiculous for not seeing it until now. But that would have to leave him back at square one and the arrangements were due tomorrow.
"Or you could leave it be?" Hashirama continued to suggest.
"Of course not! These are our wedding flowers!" Obito snapped as he suddenly lifted his head and glared at the other man.
Only to see Hashirama grinning at him, and the florist knew he had been caught in a joke.
Hashirama laughed as Obito rolled his eyes with a huff and looked back at the table with a scowl. He was thinking of the flowers he could use when he felt a kiss on the side of his neck.
"Maybe I can help?" Hashirama offered.
Obito huffed as he glanced at his partner, nearly grinning at the excited look the other man wore. "Only with my supervision," he snipped as he wiggled away out of Hashirama's grasp. He snickered at the other man's pout before he pressed forward and kissed the tattooed man's lips. When he pulled back, giggling at the man's slightly exasperated but adoring expression, he grabbed his partner's wrist and pulled him so they could go to the back.
"And if you do choose anything terrible," he added teasingly, "you will at least be useful to help bring the flowers the table."
He glanced over his shoulder with a wink and the tip of his tongue sticking out. Hashirama's booming laugh and delighted face made Obito's heart soar. It made him look forward to seeing it more, for the rest of his life, and he mentally wondered just how early he could close the shop for the two of them to celebrate, properly, the new chapter of their life.