If you need to imagine Misaki at all during this fic, use Ben J. Pierce. His mouth is what I would imagine for Misaki, and he has other features that remind me of Misaki as well, excepting his eyes. More notes at the end.

"You scare me sometimes, you know that?"

"And why would I scare you?"

"You seem bipolar, or maybe unstable."

"I promise you that I'm not bipolar..."

Akihiko had slept so soundly that when he awoke at 7:30 a.m., he wasn't angry or groggy. Nor was he angry when he stubbed his pinky toe on the side of his dresser while dancing in his room. He had attached his phone to the small speaker on the side of his wardrobe and played his music as loud as he wanted, using his Spotify Premium account for the first time in 4 months. I really should use this more, it's so convenient. Akihiko thought as he moved the speaker into the bathroom and started the shower. Plus I pay 1200 yen for it each month. He lavishly rubbed shampoo into his hair, soaped his body up and down, and danced as though everyone were watching, as if everyone could see his happiness bubbling up like water on a stove, until it boiled over and spilled onto all of the people around him. After taking care of his morning wood and dressing, Akihiko ran a block to the coffee house on the corner for a quick breakfast sandwich, and then returned to his house to write.

Words seemed to pour out of his every crevice, as though he'd learned to write yesterday and was now able to put down every word and letter, to describe the world as he saw it. The first thing that the author did was write his recollection of he and Misaki's talk from the previous night, including Misaki's little sighs and laughs and the way that they made him feel and how that feeling made him want to cry, which was strange because Usami Akihiko didn't cry. It felt like meeting your soul mate, which was a scary and very new concept. He had only met one man before who he'd thought might be his soulmate, and he had left him, like all others would eventually. Except Hiroki, and now, may be, Misaki Takahashi.

After writing what was essentially a journal entry, Akihiko wrote the last 4 chapters of his novel. The entire process of writing and rewriting and reading it over took until 1:00, but he barely noticed. During this time, he only refilled his coffee and ate 3 of the peaches on his counter. After finishing the entire thing, he emailed the document to Aikawa and sat down on his couch to watch television. Akihiko mostly watched British shows, being that he'd lived in England during his formative years, and had grown accustomed to the wry sense of humor and the tongue-in-cheek type of jokes.

It wasn't until 3:00 that he couldn't sit still anymore. He arranged his bears on the couch once, with Suzuki, his biggest, in the middle, and then on the end, and then on the side, and the other bears in the middle. He began to pace, and continued to do this until 3:10, when he considered taking another shower, but feared that he might sweat it out before left, so he decided to wait. Akihiko put away his dishes and wiped down every surface in his living room, which used up a sufficient amount of time and allowed him to leave the house at a reasonable time, 3:30.

The man arrived at the coffee shop at 3:45, after waiting in his car for 5 minutes because of embarrassment and last looks. He checked his hair and his teeth one last time as he sat in the booth and jiggled his leg impatiently. Akihiko glanced at the clock on the wall. He was way too early. This was sad, pathetic. He hadn't even told Misaki that his job might keep him, or that he had things to do today. He'd simply agreed to the time and met there, like dog might wait for its owner.

He had waited for 10 minutes when Misaki arrived. Akihiko had been sitting with his face to the door, so that he wouldn't miss the young man when he walked in. It was clear that he needn't have worried, because he wouldn't have missed him anyway. When the door chime rang, and the young man walked in, it was as if the entire cafe took a breath in. Or at least that's what it felt like to the man who sat captivated in his booth.

Misaki Takahashi was not tall, by any means. He had said that he was only 5'5, and that he'd had a 2 inch growth spurt last summer. His messy brown hair, which hung to his shoulders in the profile picture online, was in a messy half bun on his head now. A pen stuck out of his hair on one side. He wore dark jeans, a blue sweatshirt, and red sneakers. The boy's wide, round eyes were a darker green as he scanned the coffee shop, looking for his date. Akihiko felt the man's eye land on him, and he immediately raised a hand in recognition. Misaki smiled just the slightest bit, his lips turning up in a soft curve. He raised a hand back and Akihiko lowered his right away. Misaki's wave seemed so cool and young, while when he had done the gesture, he felt self-conscious and old.

Misaki came towards the table, his steps assured and his body movements fluid. Instead of the backpack that most college students seemed to carry around, Misaki had a messenger bag strapped over his right shoulder, with the large bag bumping against his left hip. Akihiko wanted to stare at his legs, which were outlined well in his fitted jeans that tapered down to the ankle. Akihiko wanted to stare, but kept his eyes focused squarely on Misaki's, the safe zone. He couldn't let his gaze fall any lower.

Misaki skipped the last few steps to the booth and raised his arms in a hug, his mouth an even wider curve. As Akihiko wrapped his arms around the boy, he felt as though he'd made some sort of promise to him, a promise to try, to work to keep him, as though with this touch, he had made Misaki his...

Misaki pulled back first, but didn't pull away. "Hi," He said, laughing. His eyes crinkled when he laughed, and he had a dimple in his right cheek, Akihiko noted. Misaki let his hands rest on Akihiko's forearms, and slid them down to hold his hands. The older man held back a shudder, and felt as though he were unfocused and prone to a fainting spell at any moment. Misaki looked down suddenly, only to drag his eyes up Akihiko's body, stopping at his stomach, until they made eye contact again. Misaki blinked and looked at him through dark, thick lashes. "It's really good to finally meet you." He said, his voice as soft and breathy as it had been on the phone, albeit a bit higher than he remembered.

"And you." Akihiko rumbled in reply. A flush came to Misaki's cheeks, as the boy seemed suddenly embarrassed. It was an adorable reaction and made Akihiko draw him into his arms once more, encircling his waist in his arms. Misaki made a small sound against him and hugged him tightly back. When he set the young man back onto the ground, it seemed as though the entire shop breathed a sigh of relief, as though the universe was correct, and these men were doing exactly what they were meant to do.

Misaki sat across from Akihiko, setting his bag onto the ground. Akihiko waved for a waiter, feeling awkward again, and took the time to appreciate Misaki's aesthetic qualities more fully now that the man was sitting in front of him. His skin was smooth and shiny with no trace of acne, save for a small zit near the side of his nose. He obviously shaped his eyebrows, which was normal for most gay men his age. Misaki drummed his fingers on the table as he looked Akihiko up and down as well. His nails were medium length, long enough to buff and paint with clear coat, but not so long as to look overly feminine. Misaki seemed to like his masculinity.

His hair, a deep chocolate brown, appeared stick straight in the places where it was not captured by the bun. His wide, round eyes weren't just green, Akihiko noted. They had flecks of hazel in them, with darker green that circled the pupil. His long eyelashes may have been lengthened with the use of mascara, but Akihiko could neither tell nor did he care. Misaki's lips were dark pink, as if he'd either been sucking on some lollipop that dyed them, or he used a lip stain. Akihiko hoped it wasn't natural, since there had to be something to take away from his perfection.

Misaki drew away from the table, and ran his hands along the edge on his side. He smiled at the older man, and Akihiko blushed under the attention. "You like what you see, huh?" He said to break the awkward silence. Misaki laughed. He didn't sound condescending or sarcastic, just happy to be with him. It was refreshing.

Misaki checked the specials, looked at the drink menu, and then looked at the specials again. Akihiko watched him shamelessly, simply happy to be on an actual date with another man. When he looked down to check his own menu, he glanced up just in time to see Misaki staring at him too, just before quickly shifting his gaze back to his own meal options. The silver haired man felt a warmth spread in his stomach as he watched the pink blush climb into Misaki's neck.

"So," He started nervously, "what kind of classes are you taking right now?"

As if he'd been waiting for an excuse, Misaki snapped his menu shut and turned toward him with a toothy grin, gushing about some writing exercise that he'd done in class to help his English. It was as if they had been dating for their entire lives and they talked easily. At some point a waitress set down two water glasses next to them, but they paid her no mind.

"I guess I just think that men should have their own version of a thong, so that they don't have to go buy them from women's shops. It's embarrassing." Misaki said, waving one hand about to emphasize his point. Akihiko chuckled and then responded thoughtfully.

"But men also have super comfortable boxers, and if men had thongs, they wouldn't fit over our balls. They'd be even more uncomfortable than they are on women." Misaki smiled at that, and Akihiko took the chance to place his hand over the younger man's. Big green eyes met his, and another blush rose to his face. He blinked rapidly and turned his hand over to intertwine their fingers. Akihiko's heart began to beat even faster, and at this moment, a smiley and annoyingly perky waitress decided to bounce over to their table.

"Hey there! You guys ready to order?" Misaki stared at her and Akihiko mentally cursed her. He put on his fake 'publicity' smile, the one that he used at book signings and award nights, and responded with his order. Misaki looked at him, bewildered, as he also recited the order for the young man.

When the waitress left, Misaki gave him the biggest smile he'd seen out of the young man, and Akihiko almost told him that he loved him. "How did you know what I wanted? I didn't even tell you..." He said shyly, shrinking away from the table and pulling his fingers away from Akihiko's.

"You've been staring at the same thing for 10 minutes. I could tell." Akihiko responded, and curled his fingers around Misaki's once more. Misaki looked at their hands and batted his long eyelashes at him.

"I like you." Misaki said during their meal, interrupting Akihiko's story about his hike in the Carribean. When Akihiko stared at him he blushed and looked down at his plate. "I'm sorry," he said softly, his voice coming out breathless and oozing sensuality. "I just-I don't know. I was thinking about it and-well, I mean I was listening but I also was-"

Akihiko threw his napkin onto the table and quickly moved into Misaki's side of the booth, sliding in next to him. The boy's hands trembled slightly as he took them into his own, and as Misaki opened his mouth to protest again, he leaned in and kissed him hard on the mouth. Misaki made a surprised sound against his lips, but kissed him back with just as much ferocity. Akihiko pulled back and kissed him softly but rapidly on his mouth, and then once on the cheek. Misaki sighed into his mouth, and even though they tasted like rice and curry and eggs, Akihiko felt his cock twitch, as if remembering the moans from last night.

Misaki pulled away first, gasping softly, and breathing out hard. Akihiko leaned their heads together, watching him breathe and giggle. He giggled again, and glanced at the wall behind Akihiko. Suddenly his face contorted in surprise and fear and he pulled back immediately.

"Shit, I've got to go, I totally forgot that I had to leave around this time." He babbled, grabbing his wallet from his bag beside him. "I have to work at 5:15 and you know how traffic is in this city, I'm totally gonna be late!" Misaki's eyes welled up with tears as he tried to count up his meal, at the same time trying to flag down their waitress for the bill.

"Misaki-" Akihiko started, but the boy was ignoring him, flailing his arms and almost getting hysterical. He grabbed his arms, pulling Misaki down to look at him. "You'll get there on time. I'll pay, you go. Now." Misaki stared at him as though he were some sort of angel sitting across from him, and then grabbed his bag and his wallet and stood to leave. Before walking away, however, Misaki grabbed Akihiko by the sides of his face mashed their lips together, kissing him recklessly and with no abandon. It was all that the other man could do but to hold on to the seat and will his erection away.

"Thank you so, so much, Akihiko! I promise I'll pay you back." Misaki whispered into his ear before hurrying out the door. Akihiko watched him leave, his round butt jiggling in his jeans as he ran.

He'd gone home alone, but Usami Akihiko was far from disappointed when he showered that night. Misaki texted him at about 6, apologizing again for leaving so abruptly, and asking if Akihiko would like to meet him for dinner the next day. He had to work in the afternoon, and then had Saturday completely free. Akihiko was flattered by what the invitation implied, that Misaki wanted to spend all day with him, and not only that, but to spend the night too. He felt butterflies in his stomach and thought about what he should wear, what he should say.

After a cleansing shower and some TV, he went to bed happier than he'd been a long time.

Friday was grocery day at the Usami house. It always had been, and always would. He shopped alone, as he usually did, picking out usually foods that could be cooked quickly and efficiently. It wasn't until Akihiko was halfway through the checkout line that he suddenly realized that if Misaki decided to stay over that night, he'd probably want to eat breakfast the next morning. Which meant that Akihiko would need to cook. Which meant that he would need eggs, and bread, and other breakfast staples. He rushed from the line, trying not to run over a mother and her son on his way, and ran about the store trying to acquire ingredients.

It wasn't until 2 hours later that Akihiko had found everything he might need, from peppers and olives and onions for omelettes, to pancake mix, chocolate chips, and strawberries, in case Misaki wanted pancakes or waffles. Most of the utensils and kitchen supplies at his home had gone unused until now, but damn it if Akihiko wouldn't try to make food for the younger man. By the time that Akihiko stopped by McDonald's for lunch, it was already 12:15.

Aikawa had called him three times that day. "What's gotten into you?" She demanded. "This is amazing, and it's the first draft! I'm only about a third through, but I'm marking it up as much as I can." He could hear her pride through the phone. "If you continue to work hard, so will I. I'll try to edit it as fast as I can."

After she pestered him again about his sudden inspiration, he indulged in some small gossip, simply telling her about the angel that he'd seen the other day, the reason why the words had poured out of him so easily. "I don't know if we'll stay together, honestly. I think we might be moving kind of fast."

"Nonsense. Who wouldn't want to go fast with you? I would, if you swung that way and I was attracted to you." Aikawa teased him, and Akihiko almost hung up on her. Hiroki also called later that day.

"So he's real real?"

"Yes."

"And how is his head?"

"It's fine- He's fine. We've barely met, could you please just listen to me?"

Hiroki laughed at him too hard, but agreed to hear him out. "I'm just afraid of how things could go, you know? I could go too fast and push him."

"You could. But it sounds like this kid is okay with fast. And besides, you're a firework, remember? People love you, they want to see you."

Akihiko snorted at that. "I'm a firework, alright. I move too fast and all I want is sex." He sniffed and took a drag of his cigarette. "Nothing will be different with me and Misaki. I like him, but we're going to start out like fire and fizzle out, like we always do, like the fireworks we are."

"Usami-san?" Came Hiroki's small voice. "No offense intended, but somehow I sincerely doubt the validity of that statement."

Akihiko groaned and flopped onto the bed behind him. "I think I love him."

"You just met him."

"But- it's like when Nowaki met you, he knew you were the one."

"Nowaki is an idiot."

They both laughed, but Akihiko thought about the truth of what he'd just confessed. Misaki was capturing him, tying him up like a string around his perfect little finger. It was then that he knew he was pretty much fucked.

Thank you all for reading my story, and I appreciate so many of your reviews. Keep up with this story by following it, and know that I take your input into account when writing. Thank you to the reviewer who alerted me to the usage of U.S. dollars when I should be using yen. Please let me know if I do little things like that, because that sort of thing helps me become a better writer.

Also, I'm sorry for taking so long to update, and not staying on a tight schedule. I'll try to update every Tuesday from now on.

Thanks again, and remember to review and let me know what you think and what I could do better.

-Stella