[ An easy thing about the household's transition from roommates to datemates was their bedtime routine. It was a little awkward at first, sure, full of nervous giggling and flushed faces at all the new implications, but Haruaki and Akira are nothing if not adaptable. The morning routine was much the same: Haruaki woke up first, and Akira sleepily trailed after him around an hour later.
Which is why it's strange when Haruaki wakes up to an empty bed.
Empty-empty. Hana isn't in her usual spot at the foot of the bed either. With the chaos of merging realities right outside their door that might be a frightening thing, but what Haruaki would notice isn't the sound of panic--or worse, silence. It's shuffling in the nearby kitchen, the telltale sound of pots and pans colliding while whoever's handling them is trying to be quiet about it. A normal soundscape for a normal morning.
...If the only other person in the house wasn't Akira, who's had the majority of his cooking practice in the months he and Haruaki have spent together. He tries for the sake of learning, but has never made anything more complicated than scrambled eggs for the two of them.
Still, should Haruaki come out and investigate, he'll see the small dining table fully set with a traditional breakfast. At first glance it's easy to see the fish is overdone, and the tamagoyaki is a bit misshapen, but Akira still beams bright and proud when he turns from his spot cleaning up the cooking dishes and notices who's up and awake at his usual time. ]
[ It is strange to wake up alone, especially today. It's the first birthday of his entire life that he's spent surrounded by anyone more than just his parents and Ame, and for weeks he's wondered on and off what it will be like. He doesn't want a big party, and he doesn't need any gifts. It would be enough just to be close to the people he loves... well, and if they wanted to wear sailor uniforms for a day, that wouldn't be so bad either...
But as soon as the sound of someone bustling about the kitchen reaches his ears, the strangeness takes on a new meaning, and Haruaki's springing out of bed. There's no grogginess to be seen, as ever. He's bright and bouncy as he makes his way out to see the full spread on the table, both hands coming up to slap over his cheeks, eyes huge and round and sparkling as he gasps and grins. ]
Akira-kuuuun! Good morning, good morningโ is this really all for me!?
[ He doesn't care that the food isn't perfect!!!! The gestures is so touching, he could cry!!!!!! He will cry in just a few seconds, in fact!!!! ]
Aaaaaall for you! [ Thankfully his hands aren't too busy with cleaning, so he can raise them for proper emphasis when he says, ]
Happy Birthday, Haruaki!!
[ Hana, who'd been loitering in the kitchen, seems to pick up on the energy and gives a whuff as she zooms to Haruaki's side, tail all a-waggin'. We're very happy about papa! ]
Instantly, fat tears begin to well up in Haruaki's eyes and his chin trembles. He should reach down to give Hana her good morning pets, but all he can do his wind his hands in front of his chest in a futile attempt at keeping himself together. He's very audibly holding back a veritable geyser of tears. ]
Th-thank you, Akira-kun, it's... it's the nicest thing a-anyone's ever done for meeeee...
[ Ope, time to immediately leave the sink. His hands might still be a little damp, but that's not gonna stop him from wrapping them around Haruaki without hesitation. ]
It's the very least I could do for you. Were we back home, with all the resources at my disposal, I'd be doing even more and it wouldn't even come close to evening out everything you've done for me.
[ The second Akira's arms begin to encircle him, Haruaki flings his own around the good doctor, tugging him in closecloseclose and burying his teary face down against his shoulder. His words come out wet and muffled. ]
Don't say thaaaat... it's not about evening out anything...
[ He knows that's not really what Akira meant, at least not for thisโ he isn't doing any of this because he thinks he has to repay Haruaki. He's doing it out of the endless, loving goodness of his heart, just because he wants to celebrate today and see Haruaki happy, andโ that's worse, actually! That just makes his tears flow faster!
Perhaps concerningly, Haruaki isn't dramatically wailing his way through them. Besides the occasional sniffle, his tears are silent as he squeezes Akira tight. ]
[ His hands move on instinct, the social ritual of comforting someone when they're crying one he's had to practice enough times in his career that it's second nature now. Gentle pats and circles drawn on the back, quiet shushes, this is what he's learned most people find comforting.
But. Hm. This is off, enough that he isn't sure a script will work. Haruaki is vocal with his emotions, loud enough with them that he practically wears them on everyone else's sleeves, so this--what Akira can only describe at the moment as 'restraint'--feels.
Wrong.
Wrong enough to stop the practiced motions for now, but not to pull away. ]
[ Immediately, Haruaki shakes his headโ wait, no! That makes it seem like he isn't okay!!! He starts nodding instead, face still shoved into Akira's shoulder so hard that when he starts to speak, his words are too muffledโ
Which means when he raises it to look Akira in the eye, he'll see just how stunned Haruaki is by this simple birthday gesture, teary-eyed expression cracked open like he's just seen one of the wonders of the world. ]
I'm alright! I'm better than alright! I'm so happy...
[ He draws a huge, shuddering breath as he tries to get it together, practically attempting to suck the tears back up into his eyes. ]
I'm not used to anyone making a big deal for my birthday, and you must have spent so much time on this! It just... it means a lot to me, that's all...
[ It's an inadequate explanation for why this hits so hard, in such a sensitive part of his bleeding heart, but Haruaki's never quite sure how to talk about it. The way his life is so full now only makes those lonely years stand out starker in contrast.
His hands squeeze anxiously where they're wrapped around Akira, and he ducks in to press a kiss to his cheek, nuzzling his final words there. ]
Thank you so much. I really, really mean that, Akira-kun.
[ He's not entirely sure he gets it, not as concretely as he'd like, but there are a lot of things he doesn't get the privilege of understanding the way he wants.
He knows Haruaki has lived a lonely life, strange and foreign as the idea of him not being surrounded by people who adore him is. And he knows Haruaki has large reactions even to small gestures, in ways Akira can't accurately predict, so he already wasn't sure what to expect for this morning. But putting those two things together, and this new information of birthdays being included in that trend of having to endure a life with few others...
Well. It paints a good enough picture.
He brings a hand up to pet at Haruaki's hair, the smile and so, so much fondness clear as day in his voice. ]
And I'll do it again next year. And the year after that, no matter where we are, I'll be making a big deal about your birthday if it makes you this happy.
[ Oh, that just makes the tears want to flow even harder, but noโ Haruaki sucks it up, focuses on peppering Akira's cheek with kiss after kiss until he's smiling too hard to keep doing it. ]
Waaah, I'm so lucky to have you...
[ And then he begins tugging Akira toward the table, insistent. ]
Come on, I don't want it to get cold! You'll join me, right? You should get to eat some too, you worked so hard!
[ He doesn't need much tugging at all to follow, smile wide and dopey after an onslaught of kisses--he'd do just about anything right now if Haruaki asked. ]
If you want me to, I will! [ Was. Was the original plan to sit and watch him eat...? Yeah. Probably. ] It's your birthday, after all!
akira that's a nightmare scenario. that's worse than the vivisection
[ Yay!! Haruaki even pulls the chair Akira usually occupies over to his own side of the table so they can sit next to one another, the breakfast spread out before both of them. ]
Everything looks so beautiful!!
[ Not because it's immaculate, no, but because it's clearly so lovingly prepared. Haruaki claps his hands together, thanks given for the food, then looks over at Akira as he picks up his chopsticks. ]
What do you want to try first? I know it's my birthday, but you cooked it! You get to choose which one you think is best!
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2/21 ๐
Which is why it's strange when Haruaki wakes up to an empty bed.
Empty-empty. Hana isn't in her usual spot at the foot of the bed either. With the chaos of merging realities right outside their door that might be a frightening thing, but what Haruaki would notice isn't the sound of panic--or worse, silence. It's shuffling in the nearby kitchen, the telltale sound of pots and pans colliding while whoever's handling them is trying to be quiet about it. A normal soundscape for a normal morning.
...If the only other person in the house wasn't Akira, who's had the majority of his cooking practice in the months he and Haruaki have spent together. He tries for the sake of learning, but has never made anything more complicated than scrambled eggs for the two of them.
Still, should Haruaki come out and investigate, he'll see the small dining table fully set with a traditional breakfast. At first glance it's easy to see the fish is overdone, and the tamagoyaki is a bit misshapen, but Akira still beams bright and proud when he turns from his spot cleaning up the cooking dishes and notices who's up and awake at his usual time. ]
Ah! There you are! Good morniiiiing! โก
no subject
But as soon as the sound of someone bustling about the kitchen reaches his ears, the strangeness takes on a new meaning, and Haruaki's springing out of bed. There's no grogginess to be seen, as ever. He's bright and bouncy as he makes his way out to see the full spread on the table, both hands coming up to slap over his cheeks, eyes huge and round and sparkling as he gasps and grins. ]
Akira-kuuuun! Good morning, good morningโ is this really all for me!?
[ He doesn't care that the food isn't perfect!!!! The gestures is so touching, he could cry!!!!!! He will cry in just a few seconds, in fact!!!! ]
no subject
Happy Birthday, Haruaki!!
[ Hana, who'd been loitering in the kitchen, seems to pick up on the energy and gives a whuff as she zooms to Haruaki's side, tail all a-waggin'. We're very happy about papa! ]
no subject
You made me breakfast for my birthday...?
[ One.
Instantly, fat tears begin to well up in Haruaki's eyes and his chin trembles. He should reach down to give Hana her good morning pets, but all he can do his wind his hands in front of his chest in a futile attempt at keeping himself together. He's very audibly holding back a veritable geyser of tears. ]
Th-thank you, Akira-kun, it's... it's the nicest thing a-anyone's ever done for meeeee...
no subject
It's the very least I could do for you. Were we back home, with all the resources at my disposal, I'd be doing even more and it wouldn't even come close to evening out everything you've done for me.
no subject
Don't say thaaaat... it's not about evening out anything...
[ He knows that's not really what Akira meant, at least not for thisโ he isn't doing any of this because he thinks he has to repay Haruaki. He's doing it out of the endless, loving goodness of his heart, just because he wants to celebrate today and see Haruaki happy, andโ that's worse, actually! That just makes his tears flow faster!
Perhaps concerningly, Haruaki isn't dramatically wailing his way through them. Besides the occasional sniffle, his tears are silent as he squeezes Akira tight. ]
no subject
But. Hm. This is off, enough that he isn't sure a script will work. Haruaki is vocal with his emotions, loud enough with them that he practically wears them on everyone else's sleeves, so this--what Akira can only describe at the moment as 'restraint'--feels.
Wrong.
Wrong enough to stop the practiced motions for now, but not to pull away. ]
Oniisan...? Are you alright?
no subject
Which means when he raises it to look Akira in the eye, he'll see just how stunned Haruaki is by this simple birthday gesture, teary-eyed expression cracked open like he's just seen one of the wonders of the world. ]
I'm alright! I'm better than alright! I'm so happy...
[ He draws a huge, shuddering breath as he tries to get it together, practically attempting to suck the tears back up into his eyes. ]
I'm not used to anyone making a big deal for my birthday, and you must have spent so much time on this! It just... it means a lot to me, that's all...
[ It's an inadequate explanation for why this hits so hard, in such a sensitive part of his bleeding heart, but Haruaki's never quite sure how to talk about it. The way his life is so full now only makes those lonely years stand out starker in contrast.
His hands squeeze anxiously where they're wrapped around Akira, and he ducks in to press a kiss to his cheek, nuzzling his final words there. ]
Thank you so much. I really, really mean that, Akira-kun.
no subject
He knows Haruaki has lived a lonely life, strange and foreign as the idea of him not being surrounded by people who adore him is. And he knows Haruaki has large reactions even to small gestures, in ways Akira can't accurately predict, so he already wasn't sure what to expect for this morning. But putting those two things together, and this new information of birthdays being included in that trend of having to endure a life with few others...
Well. It paints a good enough picture.
He brings a hand up to pet at Haruaki's hair, the smile and so, so much fondness clear as day in his voice. ]
And I'll do it again next year. And the year after that, no matter where we are, I'll be making a big deal about your birthday if it makes you this happy.
no subject
Waaah, I'm so lucky to have you...
[ And then he begins tugging Akira toward the table, insistent. ]
Come on, I don't want it to get cold! You'll join me, right? You should get to eat some too, you worked so hard!
no subject
If you want me to, I will! [ Was. Was the original plan to sit and watch him eat...? Yeah. Probably. ] It's your birthday, after all!
akira that's a nightmare scenario. that's worse than the vivisection
Everything looks so beautiful!!
[ Not because it's immaculate, no, but because it's clearly so lovingly prepared. Haruaki claps his hands together, thanks given for the food, then looks over at Akira as he picks up his chopsticks. ]
What do you want to try first? I know it's my birthday, but you cooked it! You get to choose which one you think is best!