#two and a half years later and i finally write a second yhashra proposal

[nox-et-stellae]

56/90 for Yahashira! anything that isn't angsty pls

(it ended up being just a teensy bit angsty but it's all for good reason i promise!!)

***

"You need to take your shirt off."

Shigeru looked up from the book he was reading. Kenjirou was leaning against the doorframe of their bedroom, wearing only his boxers and toweling off his hair. Shigeru could smell the bodywash he had used from where he was sitting on their bed.

"What, is date night canceled?" he teased. He wiggled his eyebrows at Kenjirou's lack of clothing. "Not that I'm complaining."

The towel he got flung at his head was probably deserved.

"It's going to be if you intend on going out wearing that." Kenjirou crossed his arms, his lips curling in disgust.

Shigeru glanced down at his chosen outfit. "What's wrong with my banana shirt?"

"Everything," the response came, in the shape of a long-suffering sigh. Kenjirou narrowed his eyes at the green short-sleeved shirt with bright yellow banana pattern as if he hoped his gaze could make it turn to dust. "Don't you have something more appropriate?"

"But I love this shirt," Shigeru pouted. "And I know you like it, too."

"It's obnoxious, and if I hear you say 'it's bananas' in regards to it one more time I will set it on fire and make you watch."

His pout turned into a frown. "Killjoy. I thought date nights were supposed to be fun. This shirt is fun."

Kenjirou groaned. He stomped into the bedroom and began pulling on the set of clothes he'd picked out for the night. "Can you at least pretend to take this seriously?"

"It's just a casual night out, for fuck's sake, what's the big deal?"

Shigeru had been teased and berated for his clothing choices before -- to be fair, his peculiar style made them a very easy target. And he couldn't remember the last time Kenjirou had foregone commenting on his outfits. Part of him even looked forward to whatever Kenjirou had to say; sometimes he picked garments and made combinations he knew would get a rise out of him, just for the hell of it.

It was usually all in good fun, but this time there was a sharp undercurrent in Kenjirou's words that put Shigeru on edge.

"You'd stick out like a sore thumb in the restaurant I picked for tonight," Kenjirou was saying, buttoning up a burgundy long-sleeved shirt with slender fingers. Shigeru loved that colour on him. It complimented his eyes and his hair.

"You could've just told me we had a dress code," Shigeru said, struggling to keep the snap out of his voice.

"Well, technically, there isn't one, but--"

"Then what's the damn problem?" Shigeru slid off the bed and got to his feet, just so Kenjirou wasn't looking down on him anymore. Not that he was capable of doing that while bending at the waist to pull on a pair of slacks that were way neater than his usual skinny jeans. "We go out for dinner all the time. It's never been an issue before!"

"The issue," Kenjirou spat, stepping forward far enough that their noses almost touched, "is that I refuse to have you look like a complete moron when I propose to you!"

Time came to a screeching, stuttering halt.

Kenjirou's eyes went wide, and he moved back, clamping a hand over his mouth.

Shigeru's veins turned into ice.

"What...?" he breathed.

"You really bring out the worst in me," Kenjirou mumbled into his palm. His whole face flamed a bright red, brighter than Shigeru had ever seen on him before. "Usually I'm way better at keeping secrets."

"What?" Shigeru repeated dumbly. His chest expanded and constricted at the same time. His heart raced through its unsteady rhythm, ricocheted off his ribs. A part of him was convinded he'd heard wrong.

The rest of him begged that he hadn't.

"I was going to propose tonight, you insufferable idiot." His hand moved up to cover his eyes instead. "But I guess I've ruined it now."

Shigeru exhaled shakily. He felt like he'd just ran a marathon; leaden legs, weak knees, sweaty palms.

Looks like he won it, too.

"Kenjirou," he whispered. A plea, an answer, a love song all in one.

He waited for Kenjirou's hand to fall away before catching his warm, blushing face in his hands and kissing him like Kenjirou was his first breath of oxygen since the beginning of time. Kenjirou's hands slid into place on his waist right away, like they'd done so many times before. At some point he tasted salt, and he wasn't sure whose tears were the culprit.

"Yes," Shigeru said as he pulled back, unable to contain the grin that nearly split his face in two. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Kenjirou's eyes scanned his face dazedly, as if he couldn't quite believe what was happening. Then he grew a smile that matched Shigeru's, and he laughed, a soft, fragile sound dripping with elation and relief. His forehead came to rest against Shigeru's, and Shigeru thumbs danced over his cheeks, gently wiping away stray tears.

"Guess there's no use going out for dinner anymore," Kenjirou said eventually, after countless minutes of swaying in the world they built together.

"On the contrary," Shigeru said, "a restaurant is the perfect setting for what we have to celebrate."

He planted a kiss on Kenjirou's forehead. "And, don't worry, I'll change into something more appropriate."

Kenjirou laughed. "You'd better, or else this marriage is done for."

"Alright, alright -- give me ten minutes." Shigeru quickly collected some fancier clothes and dove into the bathroom.

Kenjirou was waiting for him at the door when he finished dressing up.

"How do I look?" He twirled, showing off the black slacks and blazer that matched Kenjirou's, and the teal shirt he chose to wear underneath.

"Miles better," Kenjirou said. "However, you're missing one essential accessory."

He held up his hand with a smile, and pinched between his thumb and forefinger was a simple golden engagement ring. With startling ease, and even more startling gentleness, he took Shigeru's left hand and slid the band onto his ring finger. Shigeru took a second to admire the way the hallway lights bounced off the smooth, polished metal.

"There," Kenjirou nodded to himself. He caught Shigeru's gaze, and his amber eyes were bright with joy, warm and soft like honey. "Well then, shall we?"

***

[Send me a number + a pairing for a ficlet]