Chapter 23

Ten years later…

Outside the room, when the noise inside had finally quieted down, Yamamoto pulled his silver haired lover back. Gokudera was scowling and mumbling about bullying of his boss. Yamamoto tugged the unwilling man back to their room down the long corridor and up a flight of stairs.

Gokudera sat on their bed and sulked heavily. He just heard the ex-prefect proposing to his boss and tickled him for an answer. Somehow he wished the baseball idiot he was in love with could be romantic at times. He sighed and started undressing. Once in the shower, Gokudera allowed himself some time to think about his current position in his relationship. It was a predicament. Every time he wanted to spend some time with his boyfriend someone would show up and because he was afraid of exposing their relationship publicly he would always push the swordsman away and deny their relationship. He knew it hurt Yamamoto greatly but he could not help it.

While Gokudera was in the shower, Yamamoto was pacing their room nervously. He fiddled with the small box. He was going to tell his lover how he feels honestly and ran through in his mind the possible reactions.

"It will be fine…" he tried to convince himself.

Gokudera turned off the shower and Yamamoto immediately hid the small box beneath their pillow. Gokudera stepped out of the bathroom and Yamamoto sat on their bed stiffly. Gokudera's damp hair and bare torso made Yamamoto even more nervous. "At least now he doesn't have his dynamites in case he rejects me…" the baseball lover thought and grimaced slightly at the cold comfort.

"What is it? You have been staring at me for a while already. You can shower now, the bathroom is free."

Yamamoto gulped and forced his nervousness down as he approached the Italian man. When Yamamoto held both the bomber's hands gently, Gokudera felt a slight blush coming up. "What?" he whispered and regretted immediately for looking into those attractive eyes.

Yamamoto looked determined and Gokudera felt vulnerable under his penetrative stare. "Hayato," the man nearly growled out. Shivers made their way across Gokudera's skin. In a fluid motion, Gokudera was sat on the bed across Yamamoto who was kneeling on the floor.

"I know how you dislike acknowledging our relationship," the man began. Gokudera wanted to deny but knew that he was right. He let Yamamoto speak his mind. "So I decided to give our relationship a name. Not as lovers or as boyfriends or anything of that sort relating to homosexuality. I know you dislike being judged by your sexual preference when you are with me so I decided to come up with a solution."

Gokudera's mind was processing at a hundred thoughts an hour. He still could not figure out what his lover was driving at.

"We started off as classmates then progressed to the same high school as schoolmates. I almost thought that when we graduated we would not be together but I'm glad you proved me wrong. I'm really happy our relationship isn't purely work related. So I can say that we could be mates. They say a mate is a friend, a good one maybe. I thought we could be something like that, our relationship now."

At this Gokudera lost it. "Don't screw with me! You want to break this off just because I refuse to acknowledge it?!"

He grabbed Yamamoto's shirt and Yamamoto pried his hands off. Being stronger than Gokudera was an advantage that Yamamoto was thankful for. He pinned the struggling and thrashing silverette on the bed and pulled out the small box from beneath the pillow.

Gokudera ceased the struggles at the sight of the small box. He frowned in confusion. Yamamoto released the man on sensing his lover has calmed down and knelt at the foot of the bed.

"Hayato, we have been through much together. We started off as barely friends and were as different as day and night. However through the years we prevailed and the feelings we have although unable to make known to the world, I wish to preserve it. Now I want to make a vow to you as your mate. Not just friendship or classmate relationship. I, Yamamoto Takeshi, am now proposing to you as your mate: soul mate. I want to be the keeper of not only your heart but also your soul. I want to share with you everything I have and I hope you can do the same if you accept these rings."

Yamamoto opened the small box which revealed a matching set of silver rings. He took out one and asked Gokudera "Will you be my mate?"

Gokudera covered his mouth to suppress the sob. "Idiot!"

He then held out his left hand and Yamamoto happily slid the ring onto Gokudera's ring finger. "Shall we announce this new relationship in future, my mate?" Gokudera hit Yamamoto's head lightly. "Idiot! Don't be too conceited, just because Hibari that bastard proposed to the boss does not mean that I will react the same when you propose to me."

Yamamoto laughed and kissed the bomber. "Of course. I'm really happy that you accepted me despite all this."

Gokudera blushed. "Go shower already. I won't be waiting for you."

Yamamoto chuckled and whispered lowly in the other man's ear "I'll make sure I'll catch up. You better get ready to catch your breath because when I start tonight I'm not stopping."

Gokudera made a strangled noise when Yamamoto pried open his lips with a tongue. When they broke apart Yamamoto smiled. "I will make you cry again and I won't stop. I love you Hayato. This is going to be punishment for always denying our relationship. Now that I finally have you I won't be letting you go so easily."

The bathroom door closed just in time as Gokudera hurled the pillow at Yamamoto. Inside, Yamamoto laughed to himself. Sometimes the man he loved could prove to dangerously cute. The ring had been worth it. Owing Hibari for the idea was not too bad. He just needed to keep his promise to not have a threesome with his boss. "I could always invite Mukuro. He seems interested but I think Basil would cry if he found out."

With that, Yamamoto Takeshi finally successfully captured his lover.

To be continued…

Author's Note: This is a special bonus and early update for the kind people who reviewed last chapter despite me saying not to. Yes, this is 8059. I don't write this pairing usually and I am unsure how they are. I hope this is good enough. Next up after my exams would be Mukuro x Basil. Please look forward and thank you for all the support!