Note: A line without an end quote means the next one is still said by the same person.
"Hey. Onodera."
"…"
"Oi, wake up." A nudge.
"…what do you want, Takano-san?" Grumbling and turning over.
"Oi, oi. Don't go falling asleep on me again."
"…"
"…it's an order from your superior."
A snort of amusement. "That doesn't work on me anymore."
"…damn. It got you up, though." A smirk.
"Shut up. What do you want?"
"…nothing."
Glaring. "If that's all then I'm going back to sleep."
"Wait, wait. I do have something."
"…?"
"…tell me a story."
"…"
"…?"
"…what."
"What?"
"Are you being serious right now?"
"Perfectly serious. Don't I look serious?"
"I don't know, considering it's 4 in the morning and my eyes are almost glued shut."
"…so, you gonna tell me that story?"
"…"
"…"
"…fine.
"…what are you doing?"
"Getting ready."
"How does 'getting ready' include holding me?"
"Tell me the story."
"Okay, okay. Once upon a time—"
"That's not how you start a story."
More glaring. "You asked me to tell you one. Now you want it or not?"
"…sorry, Ritsu-sama."
"Hmph. Once upon a time, there was a merchant who sold shoes. And everybody in the kingdom went to his shop to buy shoes. And he loved making shoes, too, so it was like the perfect job for him. Anyways, one day, a pale sickly little boy came in to buy a new pair of shoes. But he couldn't afford even one shoe. The shoemaker, who was kind and humble from his own poor beginnings, allowed the little boy to have a free pair of shoes, in exchange for part of a star."
"…that's impossible."
"…Takano-san…"
"…"
"Continuing on…the little boy agreed to the deal, even though both he and the shoemaker knew it was impossible. So the shoemaker waited for the little boy every day, to see if he would bring the part of a star he agreed on. Days passed, and weeks passed, and the shoemaker went on with his days selling shoes and waiting for the little boy. One night, as he was walking home, he looked up and saw the stars, and he smiled. Because up there, he saw that even though the little boy couldn't get him part of a star like he asked, he had become one himself. The end."
"…what?"
"What?"
"So the little kid died in the end?"
"What about it?"
"…that seems morbid. And depressing."
"You're the one who asked for a story. You didn't specify what kind."
"Yeah, but—"
"Anyways, I'm going back to sleep, since this whole nonsense is over."
"Wait—"
"…what?" Jaw clench.
"…"
"…?"
"…thank you."
Expression softening. "No problem." Kiss on forehead. Blushing. "Now I'm going to sleep."
"…"
"…"
"…I'm afraid of ghosts."
"…?"
"…nothing."
A click of tongue. "Is it that movie we watched earlier?"
"…no."
"Poor you. All afraid of ghosts that aren't real."
"…shut up and go to sleep."
"Gladly."
"…
"…
"…
"…Thanks for doing this for me, love." Closes eyes and falls asleep.
"…
"…of course."
The next morning
"Ritsu, stop that."
"Ooh, are you going to run screaming?"
"…no."
"You don't look it."
"…"
"…"
"…no breakfast for you."
"Okay, I'll make it myself."
"…no more presents."
"Never asked for them."
"…no sex for a month."
"…!"
"…?" A smirk. Raised eyebrow.
"…fuck."
A/N: Hey, I never said it'd be a love confession, did I? –grins- I had a lot of fun writing this one, to be honest, because I didn't have to worry about description. I'm a lot better at dialogue than description, lol.
And I know it's not particularly in-character, but I like to think even Ritsu sort of craves sex after he and Takano have been together for long enough.
-ChemicallyEnhanced