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yellowcanna · 5 years

Text

Two Parts of a Circuit

Summary: Yuusaku didn't know why Takeru is making it such a big deal. Takeru begs to differ. After all, how could anyone be dating for months now and hadn't even gone on a single date! Only these two workaholic couples can pull that off and still somehow manages a stabilized relationships.

Pairings: Datastormshipping (Yuusaku x Ryoken)

Genre: Shounen-ai, some fluff

Rating: T

Status: Complete

Author: Yellow_Canna / Canna

“What?!” Takeru spat out a mouth full of juice he has been sipping on. “You two gotten together for months now and you’re telling me you haven’t gone on a single date?!”

“…Yeah.” Yuusaku mumbled as his brows furrowed lightly, not seeing why the other was making such a huge deal about it.

“Then what do you two do?”

“Do what?”

“Things! Couple things!” Takeru elaborated. When he was met back with silence, he decided to change a method of asking. “What do you two do whenever you’re together?”

"Work," Yuusaku replied as if it’s the most obvious answer.

After all, there is a lot to be done.

Despite AI and human has come to a mutual understanding, that doesn’t mean everything is over. For months, everyone is taking part in fixing the damages left from battle. Ryoken has established his company, Hanoi, to replace the fallen SOL technologies, gaining the rights to Link Vrain. Kusanagi is now working at Ryoken’s company as a programmer. While the humans worked on reconstructing Link Vrain, the Ignises worked on reconstructing Cyberse World.

Once completed, they will create a bridge connecting these two vastly different worlds together. It was the first step to their seemingly endless journey towards a world where human and AI can co-exist.

“I can’t believe you two!” Takeru let out a long, deep sigh that seemed to have taken every last bit of air out of his lungs. “After all this time, you two—do you even know the meaning of dating?”

Yuusaku was about to open his mouth but Takeru swiftly held up a hand to stop him. “I don’t mean the dictionary meaning, I meant actual dating. You know what I’m talking about, right Jin?”

Takeru turned to Jin who had been quietly listening the entire time and sipping on his juice box. When hearing his name called, he looked up and blinked in confusion. Takeru rubbed the bridge of his nose as he turned away. That’s right, there’s another one as clueless as Yuusaku right here.

“Look, you two need to go on at least one date. Why don’t you go around and ask where people go for those things?”

Yuusaku’s brows furrowed even more. He took another bite into his food. Despite being together, nothing seemed to have changed between him and Ryoken. Yuusaku never really thought about it before, since they’re always so busy every single day—especially Ryoken. None of them have the time to think about anything else. Now that Takeru has pointed it out, he couldn’t help but get a sinking feeling that perhaps he messed up something in this relationship…

“Date?” Aoi Zaizen blinked. “…Maybe an amusement park?”

“Definitely amusement park!” Miyu said cheerfully.

“Of course you go to an amusement park!” Naoki Shima exclaimed. “It’s summer after all and they have—hey wait! At least wait until I finish before leaving!”

“Amusement park is a pretty good dating place for young couples these days. Never thought you’d come to me for advice.” Emma Bessho winked.

“EEEEH?! DATE?!” Ai screeched, attracting the attention of the other Ignises who were discussing on where to build a Ferris wheel. “Playmaker-sama—I mean, Yuusaku-sama! You’re going on a DATE?!”

“It was a mistake to ask you.” Yuusaku closed the screen without even giving a second glance to Ai whose face is plastered to the other side of the screen. Just when Yuusaku thought he’d get some peace and quiet, something suddenly came into his view.

He looked down at two pieces of paper waving in front of him. His eyes followed the owner of the hand until he saw Kusanagi.

"Two tickets to the amusement park," Kusanagi said with a wide smile on his face. “I heard from my brother and Takeru. You two should go out and relax sometimes, overworking isn’t good.”

Yuusaku slowly took the tickets and stared at it for a long, long time.

It was late in the evening by the time he got home. Even before their relationship changed, Ryoken had offered Yuusaku to live with him and Yuusaku had agreed. He didn’t have anything in his small apartment or any attachment there after all, and Ryoken had a home too big for one person. It was also more convenient for work.

That was what he had told himself at the time, but the truth was, neither of them could stand the loneliness. In his darkest times and even until now, Ryoken was his light. He wasn’t a blinding light, just a small speck drifting in the darkness. The light was too small to give off any warmth, but the soft glow coming from it was all that Yuusaku ever needed.

To him, Ryoken is that small speck of hope in the endless darkness. While Yuusaku knew what Ryoken is to him, he doesn’t know what he is to Ryoken. Their relationships had come together so naturally that Yuusaku didn’t think much of it until now.

"You're back," Ryoken stated when Yuusaku walked through the front door.

Yuusaku looked up to see Ryoken walking to the large dining table and placed down two dishes of food steaming with heat.

“Yeah…” Yuusaku mumbled, closing the door behind him as he pulled off his shoes and went to help set up the table.

They ate in silence.

Usually, they would talk about work. Their topics would fly all over the place, from coding to how things are going in Ryoken’s newly established company to the reconstruction of Cyberse World.

But tonight, the two of them were oddly quiet. Both of them were never much of a speaker, but even Yuusaku was beginning to feel awkward under this weird atmosphere. He wanted to tell Ryoken about the tickets in his pockets, but he wasn’t sure how to do that.

What was he supposed to say?

Would Ryoken even want to go to a place like that?

He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to go, let alone Ryoken.

Yuusaku took a deep breath, his hands on his bowl and chopsticks tightening as he finally looked up to his boyfriend.

“Ryoken—”

“Yuusaku—”

Both their eyes met at the same time as their words left their mouths. Both of them were taken back by each other’s action. Ryoken was the first to recover as he set down his bowl and looked at Yuusaku with those light blue eyes.

“I realized that perhaps we didn’t spend as much time together outside of work.” Ryoken began slowly. Although his voice was uncertain, his eyes were firm and never leaving Yuusaku’s. “I want to ask if you want to go out with me this Saturday.”

Yuusaku watched as Ryoken slowly pulled out two tickets from his pockets. The tickets are crumbled around the center as if being gripped tightly in a hand for a long time. When Yuusaku saw the familiar tickets, he couldn’t help but smile.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out the tickets Kusanagi had given him and showed them to Ryoken. When Ryoken saw the identical tickets in Yuusaku’s hand and bearing similar wrinkles, he smiled as well.

Saturday came surprisingly fast, yet agonizing slow at the same time. Yuusaku couldn't decide if he prefers the former of latter. He stood in front of the mirror and stared back at his own reflection. When he finally admits to Takeru that he and Ryoken are going on a date, the other boy practically dragged him into the mall, stating how he needed something other than the two sets of clothes he had aside from his school uniform. Since girls got more tastes in clothing, Miyu and Aoi came at Takeru’s request. As for Jin…he was just dragged along.

Yuusaku stared at the black leather vest, white shirt, skin-tight jeans, and black boots. He wasn’t really sure about any of this. He looked down at the black stringed pendant handing over his neck, then to the black wrist band on his left wrist and the silver bracelets on his right. Just when he thought about removing some of the accessories, a light knock on the door stopped him.

“Yuusaku.” Ryoken’s voice came from the other side.

Yuusaku looked up at the clock and realized he probably took so long that the other was beginning to worry. He usually only needed a minute to change after all.

"I'm coming," Yuusaku said, jogging over to the door, the accessories on his wrist making small jingling noises. He walked over to the door, opening it to see Ryoken standing there in his usual light gray blazer and V-neck purple shirt.

Seeing Ryoken dressed so normally made Yuusaku feel really out of place. He shouldn't have listened to others and just wear his normal clothes. When he saw the small surprise on Ryoken’s face, he wanted to slam the door and hurriedly change out of this getup.

“Does it look weird?” Yuusaku questioned, not expecting any answers as he was already turning back to his room. “I’ll change—”

“Wait.” Ryoken grabbed his forearm and stopped him in his track. The chains around his wrists jingled again at the abrupt action as Yuusaku looked back to Ryoken.

“You look…good.” Ryoken said after a while. “I didn’t think about—…it was insensitive of me to wear my usual clothes, I will go change into something more appropriate.”

“Wait.” This time, it was Yuusaku who grabbed onto Ryoken before he can leave. “I think you look good already.” He said, and Yuusaku truly felt that way. Ryoken had always looked fashionable and got better taste in clothing than him.

“…Then, shall we go?” Ryoken asked, his head turned away so Yuusaku couldn’t see what expression he has right now. Though that also means Ryoken can’t see the small arch that lifted Yuusaku’s lips.

They rode to the amusement park on Ryoken’s white bike. The drive was smooth. Since it was early, there isn’t much traffic either. When they arrived at the amusement park, they were able to find a pretty good spot to park.

Yuusaku looked around at all the attractions. He had never in his life been to an amusement park before. Nor did he ever think he would. He was abducted before his family could take him there. After he was saved, the amusement park wasn't something that was on his mind anymore, as he got other issues to deal with.

“I got the map, let’s go.” Ryoken’s voice snapped him out of thought as Yuusaku glanced over to his boyfriend. With a nod, the two of them began wandering around the place.

While their expressions betrayed nothing, their eyes were looking at everything like the gazes of lost children. They walked by food stalls and rides, but neither expressed any desire to get on one and try. They acted more like they came for sightseeing than playing.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Yuusaku steeled up his nerve and finally broke the silence.

“Do you want to try going to that one?”

Ryoken stopped and glanced to the roller-coaster they were passing by.

“Sure.” He replied, and that was how the couple got in line for their first roller coaster experience.

Since there aren’t too many people at the moment, the line for the ride was short. They soon got their turn and even gotten the front seats. The beginning when the roller coaster was climbing up the track was slow, and the sudden drop was almost ninety degrees from the sky. They went through three loops and many twists, but neither Yuusaku or Ryoken were the slightest bit fazed.

They had it much worst in Link Vrain, so this was nothing to them.

By the time they got off, neither of them knew what to feel. Should they be happy? Excited? The people around them certainly seemed that way, but Yuusaku can’t make himself purposely act like that.

“Perhaps there’s a better roller coaster around," Ryoken said, knowing that Yuusaku also didn’t feel anything particular from that ride. Yuusaku nodded as the pair walked away, not knowing the weird looks the staff gave them or the warning sign that says, “Steepest and Fastest in the Park”.

Just as they exit, they were called over by a lady at a photo booth. It was then that Yuusaku realized they had their pictures taken on the ride. Ryoken already knew though. Apparently, his lover saw the cameras when they whizzed by, which explains why Ryoken in the picture was looking straight at them.

Yuusaku stared at their stoic faces, then to the people wearing horrified looks behind them. When Yuusaku’s eyes drifted from himself to Ryoken, he noticed something he never thought about.

They had never taken photos together before.

Ryoken seemed to have realized the same thing as he ran his finger over their images on the screen. Then without any more words, he turned to the staff and paid for their photos—both digital and physical copies.

Yuusaku stared at their photos as they left the photo booth. A small smile unknowingly crept over his lips. He closed the photo book and carefully tucked in his bag.

It was at that moment that he heard someone crying. Yuusaku stopped and turned to a game stall where he saw a boy that can't be older than ten crying with some kids around his age trying to comfort him. From the bits and pieces of the conversation he could hear, it seems that the boy spent all of his coins on the game stall trying to get a toy.

Although Yuusaku has never been to these game stalls before, just one look and he could already tell these games are rigged. He wanted to ignore it, but when he looked at that child, he found himself slowly thinking back to when he was around that age. It was shortly after his rescue…he remembered seeing many things he wanted, but could never vocally voice it out like that child and instead kept it bottled up inside his heart.

Crying so openly like that…it was a luxury he didn’t have. The purpose of crying was merely to seek comfort from others, but there was no one around Yuusaku that can provide him such comfort, so he knew that crying wouldn’t get him anything.

Yuusaku was about to leave when a hand fell onto his shoulder. He jumped slightly turned to see Ryoken standing behind him.

Ryoken didn’t say anything. He just took him by the wrist and pulled him along until they stood right in front of the kids. Perhaps it was due to their height differences or perhaps it was how Ryoken had almost no expression on his face, the kids looked a bit nervous. Even the boy that had been crying his heart out stopped the second he saw Ryoken coming over to them.

Without a word, Ryoken dropped a few coins onto the counter. At first, the worker just stared, but when met with Ryoken’s gaze, she quickly realized that Ryoken is paying money for the game.

She blushed and hurriedly placed a basket of red rings in front of the young man.

The game was simple really. All they have to do was to toss the red rings onto the glass bottles. While the instruction is simple, the process is very difficult. Or at least, to normal people, it's seemingly an impossible task.

Ryoken just picked up one a red ring and hurled it out seemingly casually.

The ring landed perfectly onto the bottle’s nozzle, spinning a couple of times around before it went still.

The staff gaped, staring at the bottle with wide eyes. She looked back and forth wondering if it was just luck or something else…

“Which one do you want?” Ryoken asked the boy.

The tear-stained kid looked a bit scared of Ryoken, but still, he pointed to the red Linkuriboh hanging over their heads.

“Give him that one.” Ryoken nodded to the staff.

Yuusaku watched Ryoken the entire time from the sideline. Ryoken's face was indifferent, but Yuusaku saw warmth in his eyes—along with small a hint of guilt. At that moment, Yuusaku knew Ryoken wasn’t looking at the boy anymore, but at them—the children that were kidnapped eleven years ago.

The kid that got the Linkuriboh immediately became attached to Ryoken—his fear all but forgotten. The other kids, seeing this, immediately swarmed around them they looked at the two older boys with glittery eyes.

“Big brother, can you get one for me too?”

“I want one too, big brother!”

“Can I have one too? Please!”

They chirped one after another.

Yuusaku reached over to the basket, picking up a red ring as well. He glanced around the bottles before throwing it out, successfully hooking the ring over a green bottle.

Another red ring immediately followed after, hooking onto the very same bottle Yuusaku just got. Yuusaku glanced over to his lover, letting out a small chuckle as he grabbed another ring and tossed it onto the bottle Ryoken that first got.

They soon made it into a game, tossing rings one after another while onlookers stared, stunned by the display. Some passer-by even pulled out their phones and started to record the scene. The staff wore a conflicted look on her face after getting over the initial shock while the kids screamed and cheered each time the tiny red rings hooked onto a bottle.

By the time the pair left, a group of happy children waved at them, each holding an armful of colourful plushies.

Yuusaku didn’t say anything about the children—neither did Ryoken. They both knew what’s going through each other’s mind, but neither of them stepped over that invisible boundary. They just continued their sightseeing as if nothing had happened.

After a while, they stopped to rest on a bench in a large garden filled with flowerbeds. This garden was meant to be used for picnics with fast food restaurants on the other side. Yuusaku watched as Ryoken came over to him with two hot dogs in his hand. He thanked the older boy as he took the hotdog and in return handed over a bottle of water.

Yuusaku unwrapped the foil and took a bite into his food. He looked up just as a couple walked by—hand in hand.

“…What’s wrong?” Yuusaku distantly heard Ryoken’s voice. He immediately shook himself out when he realized he had fallen into a daze. He hastily swallowed the food in his mouth and shook his head. Ryoken didn’t question his strange behaviour and continued to eat.

Yuusaku couldn’t help but snuck a quick glance at Ryoken—or to be precise, onto his hand. Now that Yuusaku thought about it, they had never held hands either. Yuusaku looked back at the couple and found that the girl was pretty much leaning all of her weight onto the boy’s side. The pair were laughing happily at something before the boy leaned down and kissed his girlfriend on the cheek, earning himself a playful slap.

Takeru is right.

The two of them don’t do a lot of things normal people in a relationship would do. With that thought stuck in his mind, Yuusaku lost his appetite. Nevertheless, he still forced himself to finish his food before tossing the trash into the nearby garbage can.

Yuusaku was about to continue their walk when a hand suddenly grasped his. He flinched in surprise as he looked down at the larger, tanner hand wrapped around his. He slowly looked up to meet with Ryoken’s light blue eyes mirroring the colour of the sky. Ryoken didn’t say anything as he started pulling Yuusaku along. Yuusaku stared at his lover’s board back.

Yuusaku suddenly remembered back to when he had first heard Ryokn’s voice calling out to him during his most vulnerable and desperate times. The voice that had given him strength and hope…this hand had the same feeling as back then.

He slowly gripped that warm hand back.

Despite neither of them speaking, the silence had become calming rather than awkward. Yuusaku could feel Ryoken’s pulse through their connected hand—like a circuit connecting the two of them. Everything just felt right, as if this was how it was supposed to be.

As the sky slowly darkens, Yuusaku and Ryoken sat in the ferries wheel gondola. The space was wide for two people, especially when they sat opposite of one another. Yuusaku gazed out to the city as did Ryoken.

It was a long time until Ryoken spoke.

“Have you been on one before?”

“…Yes.” Yuusaku replied, recalling when he had met Takeru for the first time and Flame had insisted on coming to one. He briefly explained it to Ryoken before asking, “have you been on one before?”

“Yes," Ryoken replied as he turned back out to the window. “It was shortly after my father was arrested. Kyoko and Aso brought me to an amusement park to cheer me up. This was the only thing I ended up going onto.”

At the mention of his deceased father, Ryoken’s gaze darkened, but his eyes didn’t hold as much pain as before. Perhaps it’s because everything is over now. He no longer needed to keep on fighting.

“I see," Yuusaku said quietly. There was nothing else he could say.

After another short moment of silence, Ryoken finally heaved out a light sigh.

“Let’s go home.”

Home.

Under normal circumstances, Yuusaku would feel something inside him warmed at that word because it meant he wasn’t alone now—he has a place and person he can return to. However, now hearing it, he couldn’t help but think that this date may have ended a bit disastrous. They hadn’t done anything and Ryoken had suggested in going back. Does that mean he didn’t enjoy the date?

Yuusaku thought back to what they had done the entire day. Truthfully, most of the time had just been…awkward. Neither of them is the talkative type outside of programming and duels. He couldn’t blame Ryoken for wanting to go home.

When they had gotten back, Ryoken told Yuusaku to go take a shower first, so Yuusaku did. He stood under the water raining down his head as he thought back to everything that happened today. He sighed, squeezing out some shampoo and began rubbing it over his hair. He took his time showering, uncertain of how to face Ryoken at the moment.

Today’s awkwardness was a little too much.

He stepped out of the bathroom wearing a black shirt and gray shorts. He was rubbing a towel over his wet hair, looking around to find that there weren’t any lights on.

“Ryoken?” He called out but got only silence in return.

Yuusaku felt his heart sank, but he didn’t show it on his face. He walked into the living room where bright moonlight was shining through the wide balcony, lighting the place up in a silvery blue light.

When Yuusaku looked out the balcony window, he found Ryoken.

The older boy was standing outside the balcony, elbows resting on the elegant railing as he stared at the glowing lights glittering over the surface of the ocean.

Hearing his approach, Ryoken turned and straightened himself. But Yuusaku’s attention wasn’t on him anymore. He was staring at the thick futon laid out on the balcony with two pillows and one blanket.

Yuusaku’s heart skipped a beat as a thought came to him, but he had to make sure…

“Ryoken, this is…?”

“The last part of our date," Ryoken smirked. He held out a hand, palm facing him for him to take. Yuusaku felt another skip in his heart as he slowly took it. He kicked off his slippers as the older boy guided him onto the soft futon.

He sat down, his right shoulder just lightly brushing with Ryoken’s with a larger hand overlapping his on the futon. Together, they gazed out at the beautiful sight before them.

The Stardust Road.

“When I thought about how to spend time with you, this was the first thing that came to mind," Ryoken explained, bright blue eyes glued to the ocean. “No matter how many times I see it, I never get tired of this sight.”

Yuusaku grinned in silent agreement as he stared at the ocean.

The sound of waves filled his ears as the salty wind caressed his skin.

“…I know you still have nightmares of the past.”

Ryoken’s sudden statement caught him off guard.

Yuusaku looked at his boyfriend, unsure of what to say to that. Yes, even after everything has been settled, the nightmares aren’t that easy to get over. It was something that haunted him nearly all his life. It’s not going to go away that easily. He hadn’t expected Ryoken to know.

How did he find out?

"I was always on the other side of the door whenever you woke up in the middle of the night," Ryoken said, easily reading his lover’s thought without even sparing a glance at him.

“What?” Yuusaku’s eyes rounded at the information.

“I’ve told you many times that I regretted saving you," Ryoken said softly. Yuusaku nodded simply in response. “But I had never told you that I have envisioned many times of what could happen had I not save you. My father wouldn’t go to jail. He wouldn’t have died the way he did. I would still have a father who would continue to do his experiments with innocent children. Had I not stopped him, will they die instead?”

Yuusaku stared at the stars above.

Despite how many years had passed, the memories of pain and desperation to live…along with a sense of loss and will that was slowly burning out from inside of him little by little. Yuusaku knew the answer to Ryoken’s question, but he didn’t say anything because he’s sure that Ryoken knew as well.

“I became conflicted. I knew what was right, but I chose to believe that what I had done was wrong. In the end, my father was more important to me than the lives of children I don’t even know.”

Ryoken raised their overlapping hands into the air and pulled. Yuusaku fell into his embrace without any resistance. Those long legs stretched out from either side of him as Yuusaku lay against Ryoken with his back pressed into that firm chest. Through the thin layers of fabrics separating their bodies, he could feel the strong heartbeat pulsing against his back.

He couldn’t help the sigh that slipped from his mouth as he leaned into Ryoken’s touch. Ryoken wrapped his arms his younger his lover, noticing for the first time how perfectly the other fits in his arms. He slowly rested his chin on top of Yuusaku’s head and closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Ryoken apologized, his voice deep and sincere. “I’ve said many cruel things to you. I don’t regret saving you, Yuusaku. I’ve never did.”

Yuusaku smiled.

It hadn’t ever bothered him whenever Ryoken told him he regretted saving him, because he knew the other was blinded by hatred so he said those words. But hearing Ryoken say it out loud was different than knowing.

Yuusaku slowly reached up and placed his hands over the man’s forearms folded over his torso.

“How did you know about my nightmares?” Yuusaku asked quietly.

“…I was always on the other side of your door.” Ryoken replied and was immediately met with a pair of bewildered emerald eyes. Ryoken slowly unwrapped an arm and placed his hand onto the soft cheek of his lover. He stroked his thumb lazily across the tender skin under the eye. The darker colour of his skin made Yuusaku’s look pale in comparison.

“When I close my eyes, I would dream of the day when my father was taken away from me. But occasionally, I would dream of the cries of those children lock away.” Ryoken said as he slowly drew his hand back and stared out to the sea. “One night when I woke up from these dreams, I felt the need to see you—to know you’re still there. Yet when I arrive at your doorway, I heard your pained cries on the other side of the door.”

“So you’ve been out there ever since?” Yuusaku raised a fine brow. Ryoken didn’t reply, but his silence was the answer Yuusaku needed.

“You could have told me.”

“I’m telling you now, aren’t I?”

"You know that's not what I mean," Yuusaku said, twisting his body around in Ryoken’s arms so that they are face to face. Ryoken’s arms loosened because of Yuusaku’s movement. As if not knowing where to put them, Ryoken just settled them onto his lover’s slender waist.

"I still have nightmares, yes, but in all of my nightmares, the only reason that I can keep moving forward was that you're in them.”

Ryoken didn’t say anything. He just watched Yuusaku tentatively, waiting for him to continue.

“You were always there, reminding me to find three reasons to keep on going. It’s because you’re there that I know I have nothing to be afraid of anymore. You’re always the light in my darkest time, Ryoken.”

"Light…huh," Ryoken muttered lightly as he tightened his arm around Yuusaku, drawing the other body back against his. “But to me, you are my darkness.”

Yuusaku’s breathing stopped momentarily, but the way Ryoken held him tighter calmed him back down. He leaned his head against Ryoken’s shoulder, waiting for him to continue.

“Your existence is a crossroad to two different futures. To choose one path, I have to forsake the other.” Ryoken said solemnly. “Whenever I see you, I would think back to that little boy crying in desperation. I can still remember the way those green eyes dulled with barely any will to live. Whenever I thought of what if I had chosen to save my father and turned blind eye to your sufferings, I became afraid. I’m afraid to lose you, Yuusaku.”

Yuusaku turned a bit in Ryoken’s arms, just enough so that he can also wrap his arms around Ryoken.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Yuusaku asked.

“…Yes.” Ryoken answered after a while. “Do you remember when I asked you to be with me, Yuusaku?”

“You said to be with you," Yuusaku replied, smiling at the memory. That was literally the three words that Ryoken had said to him that changed their relationships.

“And you said alright.” Ryoken smiled as well at the memory.

The way they came together was so outrageous that it made anyone that heard choked on either water or food. They were having lunch at a fast food restaurant at that time, with the rest of their friends and companions.

Ryoken was eating a burger when he said it offhandedly as if he was talking about the weather. Yuusaku was eating a burger as well. He hadn’t even looked up, and just muttered out a response and continued to eat. The two of them didn’t say anything after that. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said to the rest of the table. Even the AIs that were present stared at them as if they had lost their minds.

“I don’t understand the concept of dating. I don’t understand the concept of love either.” Ryoken said softly, remembering back to when Kyoko criticized him on his way of confessing. Ryoken never took it to heart. After all, what’s important isn’t the process, but the result. But after today, he realized that the process is just as necessary—perhaps even more important. “In terms of a lover, I have failed at many things. Even so, will you continue to stay by my side, Yuusaku?”

“I don’t understand love either," Yuusaku admitted. “A year ago, I even reject the warmth of other humans, because I had no need for such things, but meeting you—meeting AI and everyone else changed me. I have three reasons as to why I want to be with you, Ryoken.”

"What a coincident," Ryoken smirked. “So do I.”

“One.” They both said in union with Yuusaku holding up one finger in Ryoken’s face. “With you by my side, I can continue to fight.”

“Two.” Yuusaku held out another finger, but Ryoken gently took his wrist and move his hand away. Yuusaku didn’t mind as he continued, “As long as you’re with me, I won’t stray from my path.”

“Three—?!” Yuusaku’s eyes flew wide when Ryoken suddenly gave his arm a hard tug. Yuusaku only had time to register a hand wrapping around his nape before Ryoken’s lips collided against his.

“Hm!” Yuusaku couldn’t help but let out a moan when the hand on his nape applied pressure. His jaw fell loose, opening up in order to relieve some of the pressure, but Ryoken took that opportunity to push his tongue in.

Ryoken’s kiss was dominating and forceful, just like Ryoken himself. However, there was also tenderness in his movement. While the kiss was hard, it wasn’t hard enough to hurt. While his movement may seem forceful, he was, in fact, being very careful so that he wouldn't hurt him.

Yuusaku pushed forward, not willing to lose to Ryoken as their tongues started a battle neither of them is willing to stop.

“Three.” Ryoken grasped both of Yusau’s hands; their fingers intertwined. “You and I are two parts of a circuit.”

Yuusaku’s eyes dilated only for a split second before a wide smile stretched across his lips.

Icy blue and forest green eyes met.

Under the moonlight, both eyes seemed to glow with sparkles dancing within, reflecting the stars in both the sky and the sea. Yuusaku leaned forward, resting his forehead against Ryoken’s as he whispered out the last word as if completing some sort of sacred ritual.

“Only together can we be complete…the circuit that draws the future.”

#yusaku x ryoken #yusaku fujiki #ryoken kogami #fanfiction #datastormshipping

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