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timahina · 6 years ago

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Nostalgic Nights

Yushou has been long overdue for a date with Yoko. And no date is complete without some groveling.

Smileshipping - Yushou x Yoko

Day 1: Nostalgic

AO3 | KO-FI

Life always found a way to return to the normalcy that Sakaki Yushou had once grown so attached to. Yuzu was back at home, Shuzou was still the loud and energetic man he befriended all those years ago, and Yuya greeted him with the same smile. Perhaps a little wiser now, steps that he had missed in the past few years. Among other things. Nowadays, there were some things that had changed. The dimensions were united, Heartland was on its way to being rebuilt, Academia was slowly changing itself, and something about the City and its restructured society – he didn’t quite understand but Yuya seemed enthusiastic.

It was the little things, after all. There was the familiar of his dear son and his… ‘friend’, the closeness they shared and how it endured these last few years in his absence. Yuya and Yuzu still met up for school, both regular and duel, and sometimes, he would find them sneaking a brush of their fingers and nearly snort out his coffee. That was different!

One day, he even saw a kiss – a butterfly kiss that young and inexperienced children shared for their first loves. He thought Yuya would have the Sakaki flare and confidence and simply make Yuzu swoon but nope. Instead, Yuya rushed back inside and ran past him with the reddest face he had ever seen on his son, even in his most embarrassing moments he never thought his child could turn that shade.

Maybe that was a Zarc thing…? He and Yoko were certainly never like that.

Yushou watched as his son climbed up the pole and ran into his room, slamming the door shut. “He’s so embarrassing.” Yushou started as he sat upon the couch right next to Yoko who was reading some absurd romance novel with a half-naked man on the cover. He laid his hand on her knee, leaning in close as though whispering an absurd gossip he’d just heard. “He and Yuzu were out there kissing, and the boy doesn’t even have enough sense to finish walking her home. I dunno where he got that from.”

“… Mm-hmm.”

“We’ll probably have to talk to him about girls and romance. You’d think a lifetime of watching us, he’d get a hint or two. I mean, not to brag – but I am a romance master, he should not be fumbling.” There was a loud snort from Yoko which caught him off guard. It was almost mocking – had she read something funny? Given the fact that it was some raunchy romp book she held in her rough hands, there was probably a humiliating sequence happening and no character spoke normally. She often found those parts funny and would start shaking her head.

He leaned in, trying to lay his hand on her lap so she would stroke his hair as her eyes never left the page. The little things he had missed during his absence. But alas, perhaps he had been gone for too long and the routine was forgotten since now he bumped into her arm and her grip on the book loosened. It flipped out of her hands and onto his face, his eyes catching a phrase – something about quivering breasts, context wasn’t necessary. This was definitely in the valley of garbage she loved.

Yoko laughed loudly, shifting slightly and stared down at her husband. “Well, romance master – how goes that smooth complex of yours? You ain’t looking so hot right now.”

Yushou scoffed and leaned up, taking the book off his face and handed it back to her. Her laughter was always a treat, sarcasm and all. How he missed it. “Excuse you – I was utterly smooth the entire time we’ve been married so he should know a thing or two.”

“… uh-huh, ok.” She stood up and tightened up the scrunchie in her hair. That was it. That was what she left him with as she went off to the kitchen and the rattling of pots and pans and knives upon cutting boards filled the air as he continued to lay on the couch.

This was normal.

At least, it almost felt so.

But something was off. Yushou wasn’t an idiot. He felt something was off sync since the day Yuya turned into a pro-duelist. He thought a reunion with his son and wife was all that was needed for life to return to the way he knew it. Yuya had returned just fine and with him, Yushou felt no different in their relationship. However, with Yoko… there was a hostility when he kissed her, embraced her, touched her and it gave him pause. But she would still smile at him, there was still love in her eyes when she saw him. She would still leave a hot cup of coffee by the bed when he awoke.

Surely, she still loved him. Even a three-year absence wouldn’t stop the love they felt. Finding out the truth about their son didn’t stop their love for him so why was there this rift between them?

Would he be silly to ask?

A heavy sigh from her as he heard more turns and clicks than normal of the knobs for the stove. Yoko was clearly frustrated, and, in another moment, she’d probably break the knobs and chuck them across the room. Last time he saw her perform such a feat was when he’d returned after an overseas match which ensued a three-day long fight because she…

Oh.

Oh, now it made sense.

Right.

Yushou picked up the book that fell off his face and vicariously flipped through the pages, frowning. He needed to… fix this. He huffed for a moment before standing up and smoothing his hand through his hair. She was still at the stove, messing with it as she dumped chopped up vegetables and meat into the pot. He couldn’t help himself and approached her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing his lips against her neck.

A giggle – she was still ticklish though that may have been due to his prickly facial hair. “Back up before I burn myself – I won’t be laughing then.”

His arms tightened around her and she could feel the same prickly sensation against her, forcing down another laugh. “Oh come on, I know I’ve done worse in this very kitchen. I specifically recall you baking some kind of chocolate souffle while bent-”

A spatula whack to his fingers and Yushou let out a small yelp of pain, backing away and blowing hair on his stricken fingers – she did not let up on any circumstances. Yoko brushed back him, wiping down the cutting board. She was so focused and all he wanted to do was see that lovely smile and perhaps not feel the awkwardness again. “… I miss us.”

Yoko stopped her task, her jaw slack and fingers tight on the sponge.

Yushou only sighed, reaching out his hand to her arm and gently stoked her arm with his pointer finger. “I still remember, that day I went out. You were wearing some kind of… terrible, ratty sweater with a biker logo on it. And I told you I’d be back by sundown and that we should get dinner.” He left early that day, bright and early and Yoko was half asleep with her hair freed and unruly. She merely muttered at him, smiling after he gave her a parting kiss. If he had known he would see her again for the better half of three years, perhaps he would’ve given a more meaningful departure.

“… yup, that happened.” She was still being off-putting. It wasn’t malicious nor anger – she’d be much more obvious in that regard. No, Yoko was upset over something and he knew he was on the right path. It would be better to ask outright but he was worried her reaction once asked. He wished he could read her mind – she was an open book once. One look and he knew immediately what was up and their minds were completely in sync. And he expected that once he came back. Sure, he had to take a little detour in regards with Yuya getting his groove back but-

… fuck.

He could bang his head over and over again on the counter, what an idiot. Of course she was angry! No, not angry. Anger was something he wish she could feel and would be less detrimental than the entire loss and abandonment that probably plagued her mind. A slow approach this time, taking her hand – a little more forcibly than he would’ve liked since she was rather tense. He kissed her palm and he smelled the mix of seasoning and raw veggies, a faint scent of her lotion. “… I’m an idiot, a uh… pretty single-minded one at that. The first thing I do instead of coming straight here was go to another child that needed my help.”

“I can’t blame you on that. You’re a helpful sorta guy.”

“Yea, but… I ignored you and just expected you to just welcome me back without having to do anything. And I’m… I’m so sorry, Yoko. I didn’t mean to leave you for so long, but I guess it happened. And I don’t really have an excuse, but I want us to be happy and together and ya know… the same annoying honeymoon couple we used to be.” That earned a snort from her, this time it wasn’t mocking. He saw that as an opening of pulling Yoko against his chest and once again, he had his arms around her tight. She wasn’t so tense this time, not as he buried his face into her hair.

He was shaking, finally able to hold his wife so firmly and he lifted her up; she screamed, holding onto him with her arms around his neck. Yoko’s laughs were something of an addiction and for old times sake, he decided to twirl her around as he used to. And she would laugh and ask to be put down and he would make out nothing of it except the utter joy around them. So he tried, the slightest of effort to pick her up and immediately, a pain jolted up through his leg.

Yushou winced heavily and Yoko could tell instantly that there was something wrong and shrieked, pulling him forward and they nearly fell over the counter. Heavy breathing filled the kitchen as their hearts settled down from the potential danger of moments ago, Yoko merely swatting at his shoulder as he leaned down and buried his face against her breasts. Yushou groaned, muffling words of love against her and hoped that his actions would quickly be forgotten.

“You are so stupid!” He was hopeful to the point of naivety. “You could’ve hurt yourself or me or broken something – it’s so reckless!”

“Ok but, consider this; dying under you is a helluva way to go.”

Yoko felt the smile against her, and she pouted heavily. Her hands stilled as he moved his head up and saw the skeevy type of grin on his face, realizing exactly what he meant. “Oh my god! You gotta get buy me dinner before starting up lines like that.”

“… we can do dinner then, just the two of us. How about now? I can call Shuzou and he can finish all… this.” He gestured to the food boiling in the pot behind him. “And then um, ya know… we go from there. Maybe a nice night out, do a little drinking, some dancing-”

“With that leg?”

“I’m so positive I’m an even better dancer now. And hey, that just means I gotta hold onto you more.”

Yoko tried not to laugh, to not give way to him as she always had. But it was so difficult when he stared up at her with such sincere eyes and familiar hands, it made her nostalgic for the days before. And tonight would be the first of them back.

#smileshipping #arc v rare pair week #yushou sakaki #yoko sakaki #arc v #mine #my fics

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