#also sorry for the bad drawing/quality just a fast doodle of them I had to do | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

wxyvision · 4 years

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Dear First Love {3/4}

Genre: angst, fluff

Word count: 2,106

Part 1 | Part 2

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Dear first love,

So you heard, from either Guanheng or Mark, I assume, that I wanted you to teach me how to dance. I mean, I was sort of serious, I thought it could be a good way to get closer to you whilst doing something fun. I wasn’t actually expecting them to tell you, though. I should thank you for actually offering to teach me, and for not laughing at my bad dancing. I was surprised that you bought food and drinks for me, I really wasn’t expecting you to do that. The food was tasty, thank you. You keep making me fall for you more and more with your sweet actions. It’s not fair, how do I make your heart melt? How do I make you fall for me the way I have done for you? I keep hoping maybe I’ll get really good at dancing and your heart will flutter. I can hope, huh? You were really patient with me, I appreciated that. I think I would have gotten frustrated after a while! Also, did you notice that my Mandarin improved a lot? I’ve been studying hard recently! Guanheng still doesn’t know that I’m learning for you, I think he thinks I’m learning because a lot of the boys speak the language and not because I have feelings for you. We talked a lot whilst you taught me, it was fun. Did you enjoy it too? I hope maybe we can do it again in the future, even though I’m nowhere near as talented as you are. Even if I mess up all of the steps, I would be a fun time as long as I get to spend it with you! I wish I had something to share with you in return as a thank you, but you’re already into acting, so it’s nothing new to you. What can I do?

Your little dumpling

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Dear first love,

Guess how long it’s been since we met! It’s been a whole two years!! Right now it’s nearing the summer holidays and I’m really looking forward to it. Especially since we made plans to hang out over the summer, both alone and with the boys. Just as long as we don’t go camping, I don’t want anyone to break a bone or anything. Perhaps we could visit the zoo! Or maybe the beach? Again, I would love to go to the theme park all together, but I can imagine that it would be chaos! Can you imagine a group of teens running around like kids in a sweetshop? Yeah... maybe that would be one for just us two, or us and a couple others. That would be nice, wouldn’t it? Oh, but I forgot you’re afraid of heights, aren’t you, my little chicken wing? Perhaps that wouldn’t be such a good idea after all.. I’m sure we’ll find something that everyone wants to do! Do you have any other plans for the summer holidays? I know you said something about trying to visit home for a week or two, I hope you get to spend some quality time with your family, you must miss them a lot. My summer holidays will be spent either hanging out with you and the boys or doing random little doodles when I get bored of eating ice cream in the park. Ha, just kidding, I’ll never get tired of eating ice cream. Especially if the other person is paying ;). I should do a doodle of you, but I would have to do a doodle of everyone so it doesn’t seem like I’m only drawing you. After all, I don’t want to make my feelings obvious, especially because I don’t know how you feel… Damn, why can’t I just tell you? It seems so silly to be so scared. You wouldn’t run away, right?

Your little dumpling

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Dear first love,

Summer flew by fast! I think it's because I had a lot of fun. We should be able to meet up once before school starts again, right? We got the chance to hang out a lot over the summer, which was amazing. We all went to the beach a couple of times... that was complete chaos, but it was funny when we all tried to throw Mark in the water. He still uses that against me. You wouldn't believe how many ice creams he's gotten out of me. At least YangYang managed to get us free ice cream out of the oldie hehe. Did you enjoy the little water fight? We were on the same team, weren't we? I always knew you were secretly competitive! You were a good shot, better than me at least. I wish we could do that again some time. There's always next summer, isn't there? I hope we'll all stay in contact when we leave. It's our last year here now, and then we will have graduated. It's kind of sad to think that I may never see you and the other boys after then, but I hope we at least talk sometimes, even if it's not as much as we do now. I'm just gonna enjoy this year as much as I can and make even more amazing memories with you! We made plans to hang out often, assuming school doesn't get in the way too much. I won't be doing any performing this year, I have enough on my plate with exams and that, but I volunteered to be a stagehand, so I'll still be pretty busy. Not too busy that I can't see you, I hope. Maybe we can all go bowling again like we did over the summer. It was a little difficult since we couldn't all play against one another, but it was fun to have a friendly competition. And how could I forget? You and me going to the zoo together, just the two of us. It turns out you were just as excited to see all of the animals as I was. Although I wasn't just happy because of seeing the animals, but because I got to spend time with you, too. We took many photos, didn't we? I hope we can both look back at that day with fondness. I know I will. If only it could have been a date, but I will settle for a hangout for now. Perhaps one day?

Your little dumpling

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Dear first love,

It was your birthday on Wednesday! You're another year older and wiser (and sweeter) now. I know this year it was a bit less organised than before, but everyone has been busy with school work recently so we had less time to make proper plans. It's regretful, especially since this is the last year celebrating your birthday like this. Still, it was nice to have a more relaxing celebration, don't you think? Well, apart from Lucas starting a high note battle and nearly getting us kicked out. But it's those kind of memories that we'll keep in our hearts. The two of you had two cakes (lucky!). Unfortunately one of them was allowed to be decorated by Donghyuk and Guanheng… sorry about that. They really made a mess, didn't they? Still, they were proud of their "artwork". It was cute, though… kinda. You looked really happy the whole time, I don't think I ever saw that smile leave your face, not even for one second. I'm really glad that spending time with us made you so happy. We also celebrated Halloween together, didn't we? It was pretty cool seeing everyone dress up in fun costumes. You looked super handsome as always! It probably wasn't a good idea to watch spooky movies though. All I kept hearing was someone screaming… and I could see a few of the boys hiding behind cushions. But then Johnny put on a Halloween playlist and we had a mini rave. I don't think I've ever seen anyone waving strawberry pencils like a lightstick before. It's these sort of things we learn not to question after a while, huh? It was good to spend more time with you, school has been pretty hectic recently. It seems that every class has a million and one assignments to complete and to blink would be wasting time. Still, that's no excuse not to party! ...Maybe that's why I'm so behind. I hope things are going well for you. I hope your classes aren't too crazy and that work isn't piled up high for you <3

Your little dumpling

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Dear first love,

Christmas has come and gone! How was it for you? I heard that you went home to see your family this year. I know how much you've been missing them from the conversations that we've had lately. I keep seeing photos of you and your family on your Instagram. You look absolutely adorable in that Christmas sweater! I can tell how happy you are to be home from how wide your smile is and from the twinkle in your eyes. I wish for you to be that happy always. I can't wait to hear all about your Christmas when school starts again. I wonder what sort of presents you got. I bet you got something really cool, right? Did you eat well? There was so much food for me, but I ate a lot! I mostly received money and small gifts but I treasure those gifts a lot because they were so thoughtful. Did you enjoy the presents you got from me and the boys? I know mine wasn't that much but it's the thought that counts, right? I know how much you like those. Are you flying back for New Year's Eve? Johnny is throwing a party to see in the new year. I hope that you'll be there but if not, then happy new year. I hope next year treats you even better. Time seems to fly by so fast, doesn't it? It feels like only a week ago that the year began, yet it's already ending! Are you planning on making a resolution? I never stick to mine. I always promise myself that I'll eat healthier, or procrastinate less, or sleep better but I never do. I wonder if it's the same for you.

Your little dumpling

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Dear first love,

I wasn't going to write another letter so soon but I have to get these feelings out of my head and onto this page. I'm glad you were there for the party. You looked handsome as ever, although was I really expecting you not to? You were wearing the cutest sweater I've ever seen. It looked so good on you, but then again what doesn't look good on you? That was… I'm sorry. I'm glad you enjoyed the party. It was nice to spend time with you again after not seeing you for a bit. I heard all about your Christmas with your family. It made me wish I had been there, it sounded so homely and sweet. Your family sound lovely. It's no wonder you're such a sweet person when your family is also that sweet. Still, I'm now wishing that I was busy that day. Or sick. Or for some reason I hadn't been there. As much as it kills me to say that, that's how I feel. Despite being so happy to see you and talk to you and spend lots of time with you, I wish that I hadn't been there. But we can't take back that now, can we? If you were reading this now I bet you'd be wondering why I felt like this, wouldn't you? It sounds so silly, and I shouldn't be so upset over it, but it still hurts. I had always wished that one day I'd have a new years kiss. Maybe I should have been more specific with that wish. I felt so bad. It'll be awkward to see Mark tomorrow. Actually, I don't know if I will. It depends how things go I guess, but I hope things will be okay between us, he's the best best friend I've ever had and I don't want to lose that. I feel bad that he was kissing me yet the only person I could see was you. I feel bad that I don't feel that way for him, and now our friendship is threatened by one stupid kiss. And I wish I felt that way for him because then it wouldn't hurt so much seeing you kissing someone else… I don't know if you have feelings for them or not, but either way the image still makes me heart feel heavy.

Little dumpling

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tea-and-toblerones · 5 years

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Unison Chapter 13 - Better Love

Better Love- Steel Train

Hey, remember once upon a time when I used to write fan fics? Well, I finally finished the chapter.

Here’s Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 for a refresher and if your brand spankin new, or just want to reread the whole damn thing, here’s the master list.

Enjoy guys...sorry it took a forever and a year...

You would think sleep would overtake me quick and easy, with everything that had gone down. Yet here I laid, now wide awake, my mind racing. The fallout of tonight's events playing like a skipping disc, just bursts of memories. Drinking and laughing, dancing on the floor. The guys hands on my waist...wandering down...wandering down. I flung the heavy comforter off me, a small part of me wondering if it was the reason I was covered in sweat. Ed had grumbled a little as I eased out of bed. His face buried deeper in his pillow. His pillow. The thought had pulled me to a stop. My hand hovering over my doorknob, trying to think back to when I started lumping our stuff together. When I had started splitting stuff up into my stuff and his stuff. Which, seems innocent enough, but in this moment it seemed like a huge deal.

I shook my head. I'm making too much out of it. I pushed the door open, the little whiny creak caused him to flop over. I used to hate that creak. When Nate or someone crashed on my couch, they'd wake me up everytime they would come in to use the bathroom. I was so adamant about the door remaining open. Until Ben. A lot of things had changed after that. I can almost draw a line in my life. BB and AB. Before Ben and After Ben. Ben....fucking Ben....

I scooped up the discarded trash and dirty dishes, depositing them in their proper receptacles. I pulled down a pot and began to make tea. Something normal after such a hectic night. Choosing a night time blend over my normal lemon and ginger. I hovered over the steam, breathing in the sweet, flowery scent. I scooped up the cup, and headed out on the fire escape. I let my legs dangle off the edge as I stared off, letting my thoughts run rampant.

Tonight was a complete and utter shit show. I could shame starting to creep in as the shots wore off. I buried my hands in my face, like that would just wipe it away. It's true, I had been spending most of the night avoiding him. Hearing that he was an abusive stalker was quite a shock. Why hadn't he told me? That's important information to know going into a relationship. I pushed a sigh through my lips. I guess I'm just as guilty about withholding information from him as well. I felt the urge to go in, snag my shoes and go for a walk to clear my head. Deciding against it, I laid back with a huff, staring up at the sky trying to spot what few stars you could see in the city. The little voice in the back of my mind was telling me I jumped in too fast and I wasn't ready for all this yet.

I hadn't realised I fell asleep until I heard Ed's frantic voice above me. I slowly blinked my eyes open, his worried face coming into view. The sky was streaked gold and pink, casting him in an ethereal glow. I groaned as I sat up, taking his hand to help me up. Every muscle felt stiff as I moved. Ed sat down beside me, his arm coming around my waist. His free hand stroking my hair. I expected him to bombard me with questions, yet he remained silent. Finally I broke the silence.

"I'm sorry about last night. I should have just asked you about the allegations instead of distancing myself from you and seeing how you reacted. It was childish and if I hadn't been keeping my distance, that guy wouldn't have been able to do what he did."

His concerned expression morphed into one on anger. His brow had pulled down, his hand had froze in place.

"It doesn't matter what was going on, he never should have done it period. It's not your fault. It's his," He seemed to deflate a little bit, "I'm also sorry. I acted like a child too. I should have told you about those allegations. I just...it wasn't true and I didn't want you thinking I was something I wasn't."

"Hiding it makes it seem like there's more to it than that...but I can't be too mad. I haven't shared everything with you."

"Well, let's fix that. I'll tell you everything. Everything about Allison, the fallout and the reason I'm on this break. I owe you that," He stopped, "No, I owe you more, but that's a start."

"Well, let's make some breakfast and get comfy. We don't need to add uncomfortable due to hunger."

We pitched ideas for a fabulous breakfast spread, both drooling over potential delicacies we could be eating. After 15 minutes of saying you know what sounds good...this...we settled for the high quality, four star meal of toaster strudels, because let's face it. We wanted the food, but neither one of us had the energy to cook said spread. So we settled into the couch, still giggling over the attempt at stupid doodles that inevitably turned into a giant white puddle.

"Alright, I think I've procrastinated enough now..." He stated as he placed the plate down on the coffee table, "So I'm gonna go out on a limb and say you know next to nothing about me and Allison?"

"Erm...not next to nothing." I wiped the remaining frosting off my face, "I know nothing about Allison and you."

"Okay, then I'll just start from the beginning. Looking back I can see how stupid I was. How young and naive..." He shook his head, "I thought she was perfect, made specifically for me. I couldn't believe my luck. Well...she ended up being too good to be true."

"I know that feeling..." I muttered, then apologised about cutting him off. He waved his hand, taking a sip of water.

"I met her at the market. She took the last bag of crisps and we ended up chatting a bit before going our separate ways. Ended up running into her a couple days later at my favorite take away place. Made a joke about it being fate and traded numbers so we could plan our next meeting. Took her to an upscale joint and had a typical first date, talked about typical first date things, but she did seem more interested in my touring and career than my personal life. I didn't think much of it. Most people have questions and I don't mind telling some of my more wilder stories, which she really seemed to enjoy."

I listened to him, focusing on the way his lips moved, the way his eyes looked. I thought back, about how I had asked about the places he had visited. Places I had dreamt about visiting. He had told me about some of the parties he had went to, but those hadn't really interested me. I never really saw the appeal of giant parties.

"I just brushed it off as her just living vicariously through me. A lot of people like hearing those types of stories. She'd offhandedly mention how cool it would be to go to one and so, one night I decided to surprise her invited her along. I had expected her to be thrilled, it was all she talked about. Almost to the point of accusing me of being embarrassed of her. Instead, she got angry, saying I had to give her more than a day's notice because she had nothing nice enough to wear. No biggie I thought, so I took her shopping. Let her pick out some clothes, we had plenty of time before we had to be there. We went from store to store, and not to sound like the typical male but, I was getting both bored and frustrated. Every time I'd suggest something she'd get upset and accuse me of rushing her or wanting her to look bad. Finally, she had picked something out that was pretty pricey but at that point I didn't care, I was just ready to leave."

I watched his adam's apple bob as he swallowed. I could tell he was trying to get his story in order by the expression on his face. I sat in silence, my hand resting on his knee, in what I hoped he saw as comforting. He had just started but I could already tell she was no good. I know you're not supposed to make snap judgements of people but she really was coming off as a spoiled princess. It had me wondering what Ed had seen in her. He didn't strike me as the shallow type so it had to be more than a pretty face.

"When we finally made it to the party, after she had to go home and put on what she called evening makeup." He gave me a little side eye, the corner of his mouth curling up, "I had asked her what was wrong with the makeup she was wearing because she looked gorgeous." He made a face, "Because Ed," His voice high and mimicky, "This is for day, I need a bolder look for night." He did an imaginary hair flip with a scoff. I couldn't help but chuckle. "Seriously though, I'm glad you're lower maintenance than that. Not that you're a slob, but you have more of an effortless beauty, y'know."

"Hey Ed?"

"Yeah?"

"I get what you're saying, you can stop."

He chuckled, "Right, well, We get there finally and we go our separate ways. Which I was cool with. I don't like feeling like a chaperone. So, the night goes on, a lot of drinks have been poured, a lot of joints passed and she's nowhere to be found. After searching the entire house, I find her out by the pool, in just her skivvies, waving around a bottle of booze. I had called for a ride back home and gather up all her shit and get her in the car, all while she's whinging about wanting to stay and party more. She eventually just passes out, I let her sleep it off on my couch and we continue like nothing's happened. This goes on for a couple months. Rehearsals and sound checks during the day, shows in the evening, partying at night."

"The non stop touring was starting to catch up with me. I was getting tired, I was missing home, missing my family and friends. I still had a whole leg of the tour left and I didn't know how, or even if, I was going to make it through." He paused and a somber look passed over his face, "I should have ended it with her when she first offered me molly, but I was lonely and she seemed to be the one that understood me. 'It'll help you get through, baby. You won't feel as worn down. It'll be fun.' Honestly, it didn't take a lot of persuading on her part." He let out a wry chuckle, "She knew I had an addictive personality. She did her research and she did it well. She knew I'd get hooked easy. She knew I'd get hooked on the feeling, the rush, but slowing it stopped working and I would just be numb. So she switched to coke. Line after line. It was all I could think about for months. She made it where I relied on her. Made it where I needed her."

"Stu tried to intervene, but I blew him off. I blew a lot of people off because of her. I almost lost everything. I gave her whatever she wanted since she supplied what I mistaken as happiness. I bought her so much stuff. A house, car, clothes, shoes, purses. I was stupid. So fucking stupid."

I squeezed his knee, his hand coming over mine. "I've been through dark times before. Couch hopping, sleeping on bus benches. When I first moved to America, but I made it through. This was worse. I was always angry, I lashed out at everyone. Me and her always seemed to argue and after one huge fight, I told her to go back home to give each other space. I stopped partying, finally came to my senses and officially ended things with her. The withdrawals were awful. The body aches, the trembles, the night sweats. The physical stuff lasted a couple weeks, but the mental stuff..." He trailed off, " I wanted it for months. I wish I could say I kicked it completely but I switched to pain pills, I convinced myself that was better since my whole body hurt."

"Then the public backlash began. I had managed to stay under the radar the entire time but when she went back home, she began telling the press that I was stalking her. That I was sending her unwanted gifts to try sway her. That when she found out I was an addict I tried to buy her silence but giving a house and car, but she 'Couldn't be bought' and that caused me to become violent. She was raking in even more cash by trashing my name. The tabloids loved it. I went from Music Superstar, to deranged druggie singer. My tour was over and I honestly thought it was the end of the road for good. Of course, like all scandals, it blew over and it was on to the next story."

"I wish I could blame it all on her but it was my choice and I have to live with it. I fell for her act. She pegged me right off the bat and it was my choice to stick with her. She was after me for my money and her fifteen minutes. She broke me. She broke my trust and not to sound dramatic, but she broke my soul."

I just sat in silence, trying to process everything. I didn't know what to say, it was just... a lot. I could just stare at him, his head bowed a little, his gaze directed at the floor. My heart hurt for him. I wrap my arm around his shoulders and pull him toward me. I began stroking his hair and he collapsed into me.

"When's the last time you..." I trailed off timidly , not entirely sure I wanted to know the answer.

"I had some pills the day we fought and I thought it was over," he said quietly. The remorse dripping from his voice.

"Ah..." I had a feeling but I still felt my heart sink down into my stomach.

"I'm sorry...it seems like I just keep hurting you..." His voice cracked. I could tell he was close to tears.

"I stand by what I said. I'll stay as long as you keep working on the underlying issues, but I won't put up with you popping pills."

"I'm done with that part of my life. I choose you. I want you in my life. You make it so much better and I don't want to do anything that could jeopardize that."

He pushed himself up and looked at me for the first time since he started talking. I half expected his eyes to be red and puffy because it had sounded like he had been crying. Yet, they were the brightest blue I had yet to see, with a gleam behind them that I hadn't seen. He pressed his lips against my temple.

"I just don't want you thinking I'm a magic cure, okay?"

"Of course you're not. I know it's going to be a lot of work. All relationships are, but you're worth the work Adi. I know there's gonna be hard times, but it's safe to say that the honeymoon phase is over. I'm willing to do the work and effort, the question is, are you?"

I am? He just dropped a lot of information on me that I still haven't processed. Just how bad was his usauge? Do I really want to know? I mean, that was the past right and we don't live in the past. I kinda feel like that's naive thinking. Of course it impacts the present and future. I did say I would stand by him but how far am I willing to go? Where's the line?

"Well...I do have concerns...I don't want to be responsible for your relapse if something would happen between us. That's a lot of pressure."

"It would be my choice if that was to happen. I know saying don't worry about it, isn't going to help. What I can say is, I'm getting to the root of the problem. I'm taking the steps help myself. I know things have went kinda fast and everything and that this break isn't going to last forever...but I just want that one special person that I can spend my life with. That enhances it. That makes my life better."

I just stare at him, causing his expression to turn sheepish.

"And you think that's me?" I barely whisper

"I think it could be you, yes."

"Wow..." I breathe.

"Sorry, too much?"

"Um...I guess I hadn't realised how much of a romantic you are and how much you thought about the future." I began picking at my nails, an old habit I had never been able to shake.

"You don't?"

"I think about the future, but...I guess I've been career oriented too long...I just been focused on that for so long..." The whole 'lumping our stuff together thoughts' crossed my mind again, "But...I could see us being together for a while..."

His face split into a grin, "We just had the where do you think we are in this relationship talk."

I nodded, "Yep, we did."

Ed blew a burst of air out of his lips, "Well, enough for all this seriousness. Let's go and do something fun."

I arch my eyebrow "You got something in mind?"

He smirked, holding out his hand, "Of course I got something in mind."

"Well, then after you." I said, taking his hand. A smile spreading across my face, pushing my fears to the back of my mind.

I could see a future with us, but will that last when he goes back on the road? How much is going to change then?

#ed sheeran #teddy sheeran #code ginger #ed sheeran fan fic #ed sheeran mature fanfic #ed sheeran fan fiction #ed sheeran fanfiction #ed sheeran fanfic #orginial writing #fanfic #fan fiction #celebrity fanfiction #fan fic #fanfiction #celeb fanfic #unison

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datheetjoella · 6 years

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The Sweet Taste of Tangerines

Author: DatHeetJoella Fandom: Free! Pairing: MakoHaru Rating: T Chapters: 3/5 Word count: 8,840 (total: 21,440) Chapter summary: The taste of fruit on a summer night made memories resurface, which made Makoto come to the revelation that he was, in fact, an idiot. Notes: This fic is a gift for @rosieharu for the MakoHaru Gift Exchange Summer 2018! I hope that you, and everyone else, will enjoy this chapter! ^^ (more chapter notes at AO3) Read at: AO3, FFn, or here!

Chapter 3: 15 & 16

The stars were twinkling brightly in the clear night sky, the soft moonbeams shining down to light up the darkness, and Makoto was sitting on Haruka's porch, idly swinging his legs while he was petting the stray cat that was fast asleep on his lap.

As he was running his fingers through the cat's thick white fur and scratched behind her ear, his eyes fell on the small yet incredibly detailed drawing that adorned the back of his left arm and he smiled to himself in endearment. It was a doodle of Iwatobi-chan that had gradually appeared there earlier that day, and it was obvious that Haruka had drawn it out of boredom. Nevertheless, it was beautiful, because Haruka's art always was even when he didn't put much effort into it.

'Cute! Looks amazing, Haru' was written beneath Iwatobi-chan's feet with a brightly smiling face right next to it. Although he had never had as much of an affinity for mascot characters as his soulmate, Makoto looked at Iwatobi-chan with fondness, not just because Haruka had drawn him, but also because he couldn't help but like everything that Haruka loved. His interest in mascot characters was honestly adorable, and seeing them always reminded Makoto of his other half. Therefore, he thought that they were special too.

When he recalled that he hadn't taken a picture of the doodle yet, he quickly took his phone out of his pocket and snapped a few shots in fear that it would disappear before he had the chance to catch it. This was a habit he had never been able to shake and frankly, he didn't want to shake it either; he loved everything Haruka put on their skin, whether it was a tiny doodle or an elaborate portrait, a simple response to his question or a sincere wish of good morning, so he captured all of it to be treasured forevermore. Even though he knew the lines would always live on inside his heart, he liked looking back on all the drawings Haruka had made over the past decade and reminiscing about the time they spent together as he thumbed through the pictures.

On his ninth birthday, his parents had given him a small digital camera so he could take photos without having to ask or show them first. Despite having no secrets for his parents, overtime the drawings and conversations they shared on their skin became more personal and intimate so in hindsight, he really appreciated that they gave him his privacy when it came to his soulmate and their connection.

But that didn't mean that he stopped letting his family see everything: if Haruka had drawn something beautiful, like this Iwatobi-chan, he still showed them out of pride and admiration. Haruka's talent was something that deserved all the praise in the world and whenever Makoto heard someone compliment his art, his chest swelled with appreciation as if it were his own work being talked so positively of.

Once he was satisfied with the pictures, he turned his arm, figuring that he might as well take some of the conversation they had just a couple of minutes ago while he was ahead.

'Want to come over?'

'Sure! I'll be right there!'

Earlier this year, Haruka's father was transferred back to his old office so he moved back to Hokkaido. Haruka and his mother stayed behind in Iwatobi, but as the weeks passed, living so far away from her soulmate became unbearable for Mrs. Nanase. They all agreed that it was for the best if she would move back to Hokkaido too so she could live with her husband. Thankfully, Haruka decided to stay here, because Makoto could only imagine how heart-wrenching it must be to be torn apart from your other half and he definitely didn't want to experience that himself.

Haruka had always been an independent person and managed living on his own just fine, but that didn't mean that it wasn't difficult to get used to his family being gone and it could get very lonesome at times. Because of that, Makoto took it upon himself to prevent Haruka from feeling too lonely so he came over whenever he could. He would never say anything about it, but Makoto could feel it in his very core that Haruka was really grateful and happy to have him by his side.

This past week, they hadn't seen each other as often as they usually did though; Haruka's parents had come over to visit and even though Makoto was happy to see them again, he didn't want to impose too much so he took a step back to let them have some quality time alone with their son.

Truthfully, Makoto had mixed feelings about it. He was glad that Haruka could finally spend some time with his parents, but he would be lying if he said that he didn't miss him during the hours spent apart. Ever since they met at the playground all those years ago, they had been inseparable, joined at the hip wherever they went so being away from him for more than a day stung more than it probably should have.

But Mr. and Mrs. Nanase had left this evening, which only brought along some more mixed feelings for Makoto: he was happy to bounce back into their usual routine of seeing each other every waking moment, but the knowledge that Haruka would be alone at his house again still stung a bit. Though he was sure that if he were to ask Haruka about it, he would say that he was glad to be freed from their constant nagging and fussing over him. It would be a joke for the most part, but Makoto could very well imagine that it was a little overwhelming to have his parents around every last minute after not being used to that anymore, especially since Haruka was someone who treasured solitude and even craved it sometimes.

With that in mind, Makoto hadn't intended to come over immediately after Haruka's parents left, just so he could have some time to himself. But he should have known that Haruka didn't consider his presence to be draining, because shortly thereafter, his arm started to tingle and those lovely words appeared on his skin. It was good to know that Haruka had missed him too.

When he had arrived, Haruka simply told him to sit down on the porch so he did what he had been told without question. It didn't take long before his feline friend strolled along and claimed the spot on his lap. He appreciated her company and had been petting her ever since. Together they waited for Haruka to finish whatever task he was occupying himself with so he could join them during this mellow summer evening.

"Makoto."

Speak of the devil.

The sudden sound of Haruka's soft yet deep voice startled the sleeping cat awake and she immediately jumped up from Makoto's lap and ran off into the night.

"Sorry."

"It's alright," Makoto said as he put his phone back into his pocket, knowing that it hadn't been Haruka's intention to scare her off.

Haruka nodded in acknowledgement before he held out his arm, offering Makoto one of the small bowls he had brought along. "Here."

Automatically, Makoto reached out to accept it and it wasn't until he had the bowl in his hand and Haruka sat down beside him that he noticed that it was filled with pieces of tangerine. Upon seeing them, his stomach did a backflip in combination of gratitude and guilt; Haruka knew that he loved tangerines and he really appreciated his thoughtfulness, but tangerines were pretty expensive during this season and he felt bad that Haruka had blown his money on them for him. "Tangerines?" he couldn't help but question, "You didn't have to get them for me."

"But you like them, right?" was Haruka's initial response, but the bashful side of him tried to brush his honesty off with nonchalance, "I still had some lying around and it would be a waste to throw them out, so I figured we might as well eat them now before they go bad."

That was obviously a lie; these tangerines didn't even look close to almost expiring. On the contrary, they looked really fresh, like Haruka had bought them no earlier than this morning at best.

When Haruka realised this, he quickly averted his eyes and mumbled, "Besides, I like them too," before he popped one of the slices from his own bowl into his mouth, pouting slightly.

A hint of laughter bubbled up inside Makoto because of how cute Haruka was, but fortunately he was able to swallow most of it to save Haruka some embarrassment. Well, he wasn't going to argue that.

Silence settled between them and Makoto let out a sigh of happiness. A quiet summer night spent alongside his soulmate with a refreshing piece of fruit; what more could he wish for?

With a content smile stretching his cheeks Makoto followed Haruka's example and slipped a small piece of tangerine between his lips. The flavour burst out of the skin, spreading sweetness through his mouth as he chewed. He hadn't expected the tangerines to be so sweet around this time of year, but he certainly wasn't complaining. This was how he liked them best, so he gratefully ate another piece and closed his eyes, savouring the taste on his tongue.

Inevitably, the sweetness brought along a fond memory; one of a warm sunny day a little over a decade ago, that was dyed with the sweet taste and scent of tangerines, that tingled with a school of fish manifesting on his arm and thoughts of a person whom he had never met before yet already knew that he loved with all his heart.

Makoto glanced down at his arm, turning it to look at the inside of his wrist. That particular part of his skin was blank, but if he focused hard enough, it was like he could see the outline of that first little fish even now. It was odd to think that eleven years had already passed since then, because he could remember it so vividly that it seemed like it was only yesterday. By now, all the questions he had back then were answered and all his wonders were long since confirmed.

"Haru, you know," Makoto mumbled between bites, tender smile adorning his features in reminiscence, "the first time you drew something on your skin for me, I was eating a tangerine too. Do you remember that day?"

"Of course I do," Haruka affirmed, voice muffled around his full mouth. A playful smirk emerged as he continued, "How could I forget? The blue smudges were on my arm for a week."

The enamoured smile was instantly wiped from Makoto's face to make place for embarrassment. Blood rushed to his cheeks as he turned his head, staring at his feet with his mouth hanging open in an attempt to find the right response to being called out on a mistake he made when he was four. "I'm sorry! I didn't know, okay? My mom didn't tell me that there were special pens and that I shouldn't use regular markers on my skin."

"It's alright, I thought it was funny," Haruka snorted, thinking back to the smile he had worn when he woke up the next day to find that the blue fish were still there, albeit a bit smudged out. "My mom though… not so much."

Although Haruka was chuckling softly as he recalled what happened back then, Makoto had never wanted to sink and disappear through the floor as much as he did now. He shoved a handful of tangerine pieces into his mouth to occupy himself with as he listened to the story he had never heard before, but wasn't very eager to hear either. Despite yearning to know every little detail about Haruka's life from start to present, in this scenario Makoto was pretty sure that ignorance was bliss for the sake of his own sanity.

"It was the day before the wedding of my aunt and her wife, and I was going to be the ring-bearer," Haruka started, amused smile playing at his lips. "Since I had just turned five and didn't really understand anything about weddings or soulmates, my grandmother wanted to explain it to me. She told me about the basics of soulbonds and how we have a skin link with our soulmate, and she gave me a pen to try it out. I was very sceptical about it, especially since it took some time before you drew something back. But eventually you did and by the end of the afternoon my entire arm was covered in fish."

Haruka paused for a second to take another bite of fruit, and Makoto allowed himself to enjoy the fondness of their shared memory of drawing fish on their arms before it would ultimately be shattered by the reality of what happened afterwards in Haruka's side of the story.

"When my mom saw it, she was already displeased," he continued with a rare yet wide grin at what was about to come next. "My aunt and her wife had a beach wedding, and my mother got me this neat, short-sleeved outfit for the occasion, and she didn't want our drawings to ruin the overall look of it. My grandmother told her to calm down because all the ink would be washed off that evening and everything would be fine. Except it didn't."

Dread started to fill Makoto's stomach and he tried to rinse the sour taste in his mouth away with another piece of tangerine, but it was in vain. Suddenly, it didn't taste so sweet anymore.

"My grandmother laughed so hard that she teared up but my mom didn't think it was funny at all. She was so upset that she tried to scrub the blue marks off my arm even though she knew it was useless because the ink was in your skin, not mine." Instinctively, Haruka brushed his fingers over his arm, like he could still feel it when he recalled it. "My aunt said it was fine and that it couldn't be helped because my soulmate and I were just children, but I'm pretty sure they all cursed my grandmother for telling me about soulmates right before the wedding."

Makoto honestly didn't know whether he should laugh or cry. "So you're telling me that at the age of four, I managed to ruin the wedding of two women I don't know while I wasn't even there?"

That description made Haruka snort once more. "Well, with all the attention that my blue arm got, I'd say you were there in spirit. Especially when you started to draw new things over the smudges."

Rationally speaking, Makoto understood that he never could have known that Haruka was playing an important role in his aunt's wedding. But he felt pretty embarrassed about the whole situation nonetheless and he let out a loud groan as he buried his face in his hands out of shame. The idea of it was kind of funny objectively, but he still felt bad that Haruka was troubled because of his ignorance. "Sorry."

It wasn't like Haruka had told Makoto with the intention to mock or offend him, but he just genuinely thought it was funny. It had been so long ago that there was no reason to be serious about it, especially considering they were literal kindergartners when this happened. Still, teasing his soulmate a bit was just fun because he knew Makoto wouldn't take it seriously either; it was always a mutual exchange of playful words. Because of that, it was obvious from the start Makoto wouldn't actually be upset or distraught about something like this, just a little flustered.

In order to comfort him, Haruka put a reassuring hand on Makoto's shoulder. "You did entertain me during the boring reception, so I am grateful for that," he said earnestly, though a hint of teasing was still laced through his tone, "But it did bring more guests over to me to question me about my soulmate. My grandmother was there to help me out because she knew I didn't like talking to people I didn't know very well, and whenever someone mentioned the blue marks underneath, she would jokingly say "Haruka's soulmate is not the brightest crayon in the box", and at the time, I couldn't help but agree."

"Oh, great!" Makoto said sarcastically, averting his gaze in an attempt to hide his own amusement at Haruka's anecdote, but he was unable to keep the smile out of his voice entirely. "So my first thoughts about you were that you're so amazing and talented and that I love you with all my heart, while your first thought about me was that I'm a massive idiot."

Haruka couldn't stop himself from snorting again at that statement and the way he phrased it. "I did think you were an idiot," he confirmed as he moved his hand from where it had been cupping Makoto's shoulder to weave his fingers through Makoto's instead. This intimate touch surprised Makoto and it pulled him from his feigned sulking, looking up to meet Haruka's piercing blue eyes. Haruka smiled softly before he murmured, "But you were my idiot, and I wouldn't want to have anyone else."

Within an instant the teasing atmosphere dissolved to make place for serious tension. Makoto's mouth fell open a little, completely caught off-guard by Haruka's sudden yet heartfelt words. Haruka's face was bathed in a mixture of the soft moonlight and the warm glow from the lamps inside, his gaze focused directly on Makoto, unwavering. The intensity inside his eyes stole Makoto's breath away, seeing nothing but honesty swimming in that sea of endless beauty.

Hesitant fingers reached up to Makoto's face, growing more confident as they curled around his jaw. Slowly but surely Haruka leaned closer, giving Makoto plenty of time to move away if so desired. He didn't, couldn't have even if he had wanted to, because something inside Haruka's gaze had enchanted him and thoroughly eradicated any useful thought that once resided in his head.

At last, their eye-contact was broken as Haruka's eyes fluttered shut, yet Makoto found himself to be captured in Haruka's spell all the same. And he would be forevermore; with a sharp intake of breath, Haruka closed the distance between them and planted his lips upon Makoto's in a firm yet gentle kiss. Every remaining bit of hope to one day break the spell that captivated him vanished immediately, and Makoto couldn't be happier about it; there was nothing that he wanted more than to wholeheartedly lose himself in Haruka.

But before he could respond in any way, Haruka's lips were gone again, much to Makoto's disappointment. Thankfully, they didn't stray very far, as Haruka only pulled back slightly to look at him once more, eyes half-lidded. The intensity lingered, locking Makoto in place with a single look. It wasn't necessary by any means, because there was absolutely nothing in the entire universe that could divert Makoto's attention from Haruka. Not now, not ever.

The scent of tangerines was heavy on his warm breath, ghosting over Makoto's lips so sensually as he whispered, "Because I love you so, so much."

If Haruka's mouth meeting his in their very first kiss didn't make Makoto's heart burst with overflowing affection already, then hearing the sincere words that were embroidered on their soul out loud for the very first time definitely set off the fireworks of love in his stomach, to explode in everlasting joy. As inevitable as this might have been in the grand scheme of things, scripted in their destiny from the moment they were created, it still overwhelmed Makoto with indescribable happiness and an impossibly bright smile stretched his cheeks.

Knowing that he would never be able to find an adequate response that would properly convey how he felt, for words that held that much meaning simply hadn't been written yet, Makoto decided to show rather than tell. He squeezed the hand in his lightly while he leaned in to capture Haruka's lips with his own, initiating their second kiss because he hadn't been able to reciprocate during their first.

Haruka sighed against his mouth, and every droplet of hesitance that once flowed through his veins evaporated instantly, kissing Makoto back with all he got. The feeling of it was foreign, but the emotions that drove it certainly weren't; the passion and affection that had been gradually building up over the course of the past couple of years could finally be expressed. Like the pressure that had been weighing on their chests was relieved at long last as their lips softly pressed against each other. Who would have guessed that kissing would be such a wonderful outlet for feelings too great to be voiced aloud?

The light touch was already amazing, but there was something instinctively telling Makoto to change his approach, for there was even greater pleasure to be found in kissing if he knew where to look for it. With no clue what he was doing and honestly without thinking too, Makoto parted his lips and gently brushed them over Haruka's.

Judging by the small gasp and the slight twitch of his fingers against his jaw, this surprised Haruka, though definitely not in a negative way. He followed Makoto's example and tried to match his pace. They practically melted at the astonishing feeling of their lips sliding over one another's so tenderly, making goosebumps erupt on their backs. A kiss so sweet made their skin tingle like the other's entire body was being drawn on at once; it felt downright tantalising.

In a mixed need for leverage and to feel more of Haruka, Makoto placed his hand on Haruka's waist. He had done it so naturally, with confidence that he never had under any other circumstances, that the thought that Haruka might not appreciate this touch hadn't even crossed his mind - to be fair, not a single thought was crossing his mind at that moment except for the yearning for Haruka's lips, his touch, his love… his everything.

Once more it was proven that they were so in tune with each other that Makoto never had to worry about things like this; Haruka leaned into his touch and tightened his hold on Makoto's hand, showing that the need to feel each other was just as mutual as all of their other feelings.

Although everything about kissing was new and exciting, it was honestly like coming home too. Love was a language that their souls already knew by heart, but that their minds and bodies were gradually learning together, one step at a time. The feelings had been there since the start, but they were slowly uncovering them layer by layer and discovered new ways to do so; as of right then, kissing was definitely the favoured contender on the list. There was no rush, not with the prospect of getting to spend their entire lives together. Yet they found themselves already looking forward to a lifetime of shared kisses, for they were certain they could never grow tired of this amazing sensation.

But they had to break apart at one point, much to their dismay. Makoto ended the kiss, chest aching with lack of oxygen - which wasn't surprising considering everything about Haruka was absolutely breathtaking. Between the two of them, Haruka was clearly the one who had the most lung capacity, because of which it felt to him like the kiss had ended prematurely. To solve this issue, Haruka caught Makoto's lips once more in a chaste yet incredibly loving kiss that resembled their first.

Panting lightly, Makoto pulled back and rested his forehead against Haruka's, not daring to open his eyes just yet in fear of disturbing the magical ambience that enveloped them. It felt like he was slowly waking up from a dream that he never wanted to end, so he wanted to hang on for as long as he possibly could.

Yet when he noticed Haruka's eyes opening once more, he couldn't suppress the desire to meet his gaze. When he did, it dawned upon him that his fear had been unwarranted; having Haruka as his soulmate was truly a dream come true, one that was tangible and real and didn't just depend on the current of the realm of sleep.

Naturally a smile lit up his face again, because how couldn't it? A smile as wide as his cheeks would allow was soon becoming part of his default expression, and it was all thanks to Haruka. With something as simple as a single look, he was able to make Makoto's heart overflow with copious amounts of affection that would take an eternity and a half to be expressed. His presence was so reassuring and comforting that Makoto only felt overwhelming adoration and security when he was by his side.

There was nothing but pure love and giddiness gushing in every last fiber of Makoto's body. He couldn't help but giggle softly at the uncontainable happiness that Haruka showered him in without even intending to, solely by being here for him and loving him unconditionally.

He was tempted to steal another kiss from Haruka's lips, so he did, elated by the fact that he simply could. Although he had often imagined their first kiss in the past, he had never felt the urge to rush into it, because he knew that the universe had planned the perfect time for it anyway. And now that that blissful moment had finally arrived, he didn't understand how he had been able to resist Haruka's lips for so long. Kissing him was nothing short of absolutely wonderful and Makoto would gladly indulge himself whenever he could, for he could never get enough.

It was then that Makoto realised that despite all of his sickeningly sappy thoughts about his love for his soulmate, he hadn't said it back yet - at least, not properly, how Haruka deserved. Maybe Haruka had been right all along: he truly was an idiot.

He tried to get his eyes to focus again after staring off into the ocean of Haruka's irises, because he wanted to look at him completely, just so there would be no doubt about the sincerity that was weaved through the words he was about to say. When Haruka's eyebrows were raised in question, he murmured, "I love you so much, Haru-chan. With all my heart."

For some reason, despite the nonchalance when he had said it himself, Makoto's confession made Haruka blush a deep shade of red. He quickly looked away, unusual bashfulness grasping him and tugging at his heartstrings as he mumbled, "How many times do I have to tell you to stop with the '-chan' already?"

Seeing his ever-so-composed soulmate rendered so shy all of a sudden made Makoto sigh in endearment. Haruka really was too cute. Thinking that it was his turn to tease Haruka now, Makoto innocently protested, "Eh? But you're the one who gave me permission in the first place, Haru-chan," with a playful smirk threatening to break through his demeanour.

That was news to Haruka, and he whipped his head back to face Makoto, sporting a big frown as he sceptically questioned, "When did I do that?"

"The day we first met, when I wrote to you for the first time," Makoto supplied without missing a beat, smiling in triumph, "I asked 'can I call you Haru-chan?' and you wrote back 'do what you want', thus giving me permission."

Recollection flashed through Haruka's eyes, but he wasn't about to admit it. "I don't remember that," he said as he stubbornly crossed his arms and averted his eyes once again, because he was never able to lie to Makoto's face.

"Oh, but I do," Makoto sang, and Haruka hated the self-satisfaction that was vibrant in his beautiful voice, "In fact, I have proof that you wrote it."

"Proof?"

"Yes, I have pictures of it!" Though they were never taken with the intention to become evidence, Makoto couldn't deny that his habit of snapping photos of everything they put down on their skin came in handy in this situation.

This took Haruka by surprise, and his tone morphed from fierce denial to gentle bewilderment. "You have pictures of it?"

"Hm," Makoto hummed in confirmation, "I have pictures of all of our drawings and conversations. Well, almost all." For a second Makoto feared that Haruka might find that weird or creepy, but those worries were as baseless as all the other ones that darted through his mind in times of doubt.

Haruka's eyes widened, seeming like he didn't quite know how to process that information because of the sheer unexpectedness of it all. The knowledge that the vast majority of the things they had written and drawn weren't lost forever like he had always assumed, but that his soulmate had carefully preserved them, was astounding, yet certainly not in an unpleasant way.

"…Show me," Haruka requested after a moment of silence. The softness of his voice made it clear that he wasn't asking out of disbelief or in a need for Makoto to prove it, but out of interest and curiosity; a genuine longing to see the countless of images of all those treasured memories.

"I don't have the pictures of that exact conversation with me, but…" Makoto muttered under his breath, taking his phone out of his pocket and sliding it open. He scooted closer to Haruka and held his phone between them so they could both see the screen as he looked through his folders.

He opened one called 'Drawings' with a little heart in the title, and Haruka gasped involuntarily when numerous pictures of Makoto's skin showed up. Makoto selected the first and he saw the words he had written on his skin less than an hour ago flash by, followed by the Iwatobi-chan he had drawn earlier, both of which still marked his arm at that very instance. Wishes of goodnight, reminders to get out of the bathtub before the water would turn cold, drawings of simple hearts and elaborate hydrangeas, all of it and more depicted on the little pixelated screen of Makoto's phone.

"These aren't all the pictures I have," Makoto said, tearing his eyes away from his phone to look at Haruka again, "and there are some drawings that I missed because you washed them off before I had the chance to take pictures of them, but other than that, they're all on my laptop or in old photo albums."

Haruka's small mouth was still slightly open in the wake of a gasp, hope shimmering in his eyes as he quietly asked, "So you have pictures from the start? Even of our first drawings?"

Makoto nodded. "My mom wanted to take pictures of my arm full of fish so we had something to 'remember and commemorate' our first interaction with," he explained, full of amused nostalgia as he made quotation marks in the air with his fingers. "I was glad about that, because I was really sad when your outlines disappeared when you took a bath; I almost cried because I didn't want them to go away. I thought that anything drawn on our skin was permanent."

"Thank God it wasn't," Haruka cut in, teasing smirk fighting to make its way onto his lovely features again, "otherwise I'd still have those blue fish on my arm."

"Hey!" Makoto protested offendedly as he nudged Haruka with his elbow, but he couldn't stop himself from laughing too when he heard Haruka chuckle. "Anyway, my parents told me that even if the ink disappears from our skin, the lines will live on forever inside my heart," Makoto continued, voice softening in reminiscence as he unconsciously grasped at the front of his shirt with his free hand. "But because I liked looking back at the pictures of those fish, and hated the idea of never being able to see something you drew again, I asked my parents to take pictures of everything we drew. It was probably a little annoying, considering how much we sometimes drew and wrote, but they always complied. Do you remember that they gave me a camera for my ninth birthday?"

"Yes," Haruka replied fondly, envisioning the bright, adorable smile he had worn that day, "So up until then, your parents took pictures of everything we put on our skin?"

"Almost, yeah. Sorry if that feels like a breach of privacy," Makoto apologised. Even if the subjects of their conversations hadn't been more than inquiries to play together and childish chatter about random things, in hindsight Makoto still felt bad if Haruka hadn't wanted to share that with anyone but him.

"It's alright, it's not like you had any other choice if you wanted pictures of it."

As always, Haruka was so understanding of him and Makoto's chest filled with warmth. If anything, Haruka only found it odd that over a decade of time spent together, he had never noticed it before. Makoto somehow managed to plan it just so that he was always able to take pictures before he came over or after he left; they rarely drew or wrote anything when they were together, because there was no need for it in person, when they could just say what they wanted to say out loud.

Then Haruka's gaze wandered back to the screen, smiling softly to himself as he muttered, "Besides, I'm just glad you were able to keep all of it saved up."

The implication was crystal clear to Makoto, and because he knew Haruka would never ask himself, he had to be the one to offer it. "I'll show you all the pictures I have sometime," he promised, already anticipating a quiet evening spent lying side-by-side on his bed as they thumbed through years worth of memories together. "And then you'll see that you gave me permission to call you Haru-chan all along!"

Surprised by this twist of events, Haruka huffed as he turned his head away again. "Well, I take it back. I hereby revoke your permission to call me '-chan'."

"What? You can't just do that!" Makoto objected, finding that that was definitely not in the rules of this game they had been playing since a few years back - even though he made it all up just now.

"Oh no? Watch me," Haruka challenged as he looked back at his soulmate with a determined gleam in his oceanic eyes. "Call me 'Haru-chan' one more time and I'll never let you kiss me again."

Self-satisfaction was now vivid in Haruka's expression, and Makoto simply couldn't believe how severely this plan had backfired. Instead of claiming victory as his own and being allowed to call Haruka the childhood nickname he always had without being reprimanded for it, he was now facing the ultimatum of never using it again or never being allowed to do his newfound favourite activity again. Even if this wasn't dead serious, he wasn't about to take this without protest. "Eh?! That's not fair-"

Before he was able to finish his sentence, Haruka's demeanour was demolished by a chuckle of genuine and uncontrollable happiness. "Just shut up and kiss me already, you idiot," he sighed as he stole Makoto's phone from his hand and slid it shut in one swift motion, discarding it beside their bowls of forgotten fruit. Then he wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck and pulled him in for another kiss; that just showed that if you wanted something, you had to go get it yourself.

A smile at Haruka's blunt words was still stretching Makoto's cheeks as their lips met in their fifth kiss. Rather than continuing their playful and meaningless banter, Makoto agreed that kissing each other breathless was the best thing they could possibly be doing right then. So he wholeheartedly kissed Haruka back and he wound his arms around Haruka's waist to pull him closer.

Even after sharing some kisses and steadily getting used to this wonderful sensation, it didn't become any less special or amazing. On the contrary, as the seconds ticked by, the kiss grew more and more heated and intense and it was like no amount of proximity would be enough. Like their souls were screaming for each other and every layer of cloth and muscle and affection that separated their hearts was one too many.

Haruka tightened his hold around Makoto's neck while he simultaneously leaned in his body, pressing their chests flush together. In a tentative need for more, Haruka tread further into unknown yet exciting territory and he opened his mouth slightly to lick at Makoto's lips. A shiver ran down Makoto's spine as he allowed Haruka to deepen the kiss, clutching at the back of his shirt for leverage.

The taste of tangerines was heavy on Haruka's tongue, but Makoto was sure that even without the hint of citrus, their kisses would always be this sweet. Regardless of how heated they would inevitably get in the future, it was mainly a way of expressing their pure and undying affection for each other and that would shine through first and foremost no matter what the circumstances were; though they were now gradually unravelling the pleasures to be found in shared kisses, the desire for it was yielded by their feelings for each other and that would never change.

Fingers tangled in Makoto's brown locks almost desperately, and he wouldn't have thought that the feeling of Haruka's blunt nails scratching lightly at his scalp could feel so heavenly; it was a wonderful addition to an already perfect kiss. Though at this moment, Makoto was so lost in his love for his soulmate that Haruka could do pretty much anything and he would find it just as amazing.

Haruka's lips were so incredibly soft and brushed over Makoto's so tenderly that they whisked any cohesive thought inside Makoto's head away before it could even be formed. It was like every fiber in his being had turned into sugar and he was melting straight into Haruka's arms; he didn't even feel how Haruka gently pulled him down onto himself until he felt his knuckles grazing against the wooden planks of the porch and he had to twist his wrists to support his own weight.

He didn't mind the change of position at all since Haruka never broke the kiss, so there was no room to complain even if he had wanted to. But he couldn't imagine ever complaining; in his heart he knew he would always seamlessly go along with all of Haruka's whims.

Only when that sweet aching re-emerged inside his chest did Makoto tear himself away from this astonishing kiss, but almost regretfully so. His remorse soon disappeared when he opened his eyes and saw the smile that adorned Haruka's flushed features, his small mouth wet and shimmering in the light that poured down on him. Naturally, a matching smile was etched onto Makoto's face.

Before he realised what he was doing, Makoto gently caressed Haruka's cheek with the back of his fingers and he ran his thumb over Haruka's bottom lip. For a moment Haruka's eyes fell shut once more and he exhaled deeply. His breath was warm as it fanned against Makoto's skin, and even after all those kisses, it still smelled like tangerines. Ocean blue was unveiled to meet forest green again, and Makoto could see nothing but affection swimming inside those deep eyes, reflecting the very contents of his own heart.

Haruka pulled him to himself even further, but it was not for a kiss this time. Instead, he tugged at his neck, forcing Makoto down onto his forearms to be wrapped up in his loving embrace. Their chests aligned and Makoto swore he could feel the pounding inside Haruka's ribcage, pace in sync with the intense yet composed thumping inside his own. Alas their positions prevented him from returning Haruka's hug, so he had to settle for second best; he cradled Haruka's face in his palms and pressed a long yet delicate kiss against Haruka's lips. Then the corners of his mouth curled into an infinitely loving smile as he affectionately nuzzled Haruka's nose with his own.

Happiness radiated off of Haruka's face as he removed one of his arms from Makoto's neck to grab ahold of his hand instead, entwining their fingers. Silence lingered as their gazes connected them down to the core, hearts holding a conversation too powerful to be put into words, for their meaning would slip out to vanish in thin air if ever attempted to be spoken aloud. Makoto didn't know if it was like this for all soulmates or if this was uniquely them, but he loved that they were always able to just understand each other regardless of the circumstances. It was a silly thought, but Makoto liked to believe that even amongst other soulbonds, their relationship was a little special.

Although he would have loved to stay like this forever, his arms were starting to burn beneath his weight and he didn't want to accidentally crush Haruka if the strength in his muscles crumbled. Makoto broke away from their intimate exchange at last, but not without a brief peck to soothe the pain of doing so.

There was no way he could part from Haruka's side completely, so Makoto settled for a good alternative: he turned to lie beside him, keeping their hands linked together, and placed his head on Haruka's chest. Right beneath his ear was the rhythmic beating of Haruka's heart and a surge of warmth shot through his veins as he rubbed his cheek against Haruka's shirt. In response, Haruka's free hand found its way back to his neck and he lightly tickled the small strands at the bottom of his hairline with his fingertips, coaxing a hum of contentment from Makoto's lips.

Instead of letting his eyes flutter shut to feel Haruka's touch even more, Makoto decided to take in the atmosphere that surrounded them, for it was truly adding to their little cocoon of bliss. The parts of the night sky that were visible were filled with stars, twinkling brightly and standing out from the varying shades of blue. Though the moon wasn't within sight, Makoto knew it was stunning and shining just as fiercely as it did in his mind.

He couldn't help but smile to himself as he remembered how he used to fantasize about stargazing with his soulmate, long before he even met Haruka. The endlessness of the sky had always been fascinating to him and he could dream away for hours as he stared at the beauty of the night. And without exception, the need to share this with his soulmate would well up inside of him. Even though he understood that wherever they might be, they could see the moon and the stars too, that didn't change that he wanted to experience it together with them. To be enthralled by the universe together, the very universe that created them and blessed them with each other.

This was certainly not the first time they spent the night together and inevitably watched the stars in tranquility, yet it was in a moment as heavy and meaningful as this one that all those memories came flooding back to Makoto. It really showed just how long they had been together already; a decade's worth of things that he had envisioned doing with his soulmate as a little kid that had fortunately all come true.

But there were also many other things that they had gone through together, things that had never crossed his mind when he was younger but were very important nonetheless. Many joyful happenings such as the birth of Ran and Ren, the twin-siblings who had finally completed their family. Alas there had been sorrowful times too, like when Haruka's grandmother passed away and they were all consumed by grief, but Haruka especially - and therefore, Makoto too.

Although Makoto dearly wished that their future only held happiness and that mourning was left behind in the past, he knew that simply wasn't realistic and that life was made up of a balance of positive and negative events. Yet he found that he didn't dread the prospect of that. Haruka and he had been together throughout every high and low, always there to comfort and support each other, to shoulder any burden too heavy to be carried alone. Even if it seemed like the whole world was against them, Makoto was confident that as long as they had each other, they could get through anything.

As long as he had the love and support of his amazing soulmate, Makoto would defy the universe itself if he had to.

There was no need for such dramatic thoughts though, not when the universe had guided him to a moment as lovely as this one: cuddled together with his soulmate beneath the heavens after exploring the wonderful sensations of kissing for the first time, in the comfort and safety of Haruka's home. This was truly a moment worth cherishing and Makoto knew it would be engraved into the walls of his heart to be remembered forevermore.

Struck with an idea, he tore himself away from Haruka's grasp to search for his discarded phone.

"Makoto…?" came Haruka's soft whine of protest, but Makoto only smiled at him.

"This is something that deserves to be captured too."

Haruka sighed and shook his head in fondness. This really shouldn't have come as a surprise, and though he would never admit it aloud, Makoto knew that Haruka appreciated his dedication to their love and his need to have tangible tokens of their most treasured memories. And though they were still living it right now, they both knew that today was a day that they would never forget and would hold dear for as long as they were allowed to walk the road of life together.

Once Makoto had gotten ahold of his phone, he leaned down to lie beside Haruka again. Faces close together, Makoto reached out his arm and smiled sweetly at the camera, hoping that Haruka would do the same. When the picture was taken, Makoto went to look at it to see if they were both nicely in frame and he wasn't disappointed by what he saw: the soft smile that was adorning Haruka's features was so cute that it spontaneously awoke the butterflies in his stomach.

Pleased by the result, Makoto turned his head towards Haruka and closed his eyes, pouting out his lips in a silent request for a kiss. Although he couldn't see it, Makoto could just feel that Haruka rolled his eyes as another sigh of enamoured exasperation escaped his mouth. Nevertheless, he complied and pressed his lips against Makoto's in the desired kiss; just like Makoto, Haruka would go along with any of his soulmate's whims and demands. Makoto smiled as he felt Haruka reciprocate the kiss and he lifted his arm again to snap another photo.

The kiss wasn't immediately broken after the light flashed, because Makoto had discovered that Haruka's lips were so addictive that he simply couldn't end it after a mere second. This feeling was apparently shared, for Haruka's hand came up to cup Makoto's cheek and his thumb gently stroked over his smooth skin. For good measure, Makoto took one more picture, just to be sure.

When their lips ultimately parted, Makoto's grin widened and he placed a small kiss on Haruka's cute nose as a gesture of gratitude for going along with his somewhat ridiculous wishes.

"It may not be a picture of our first," Makoto said when he was studying the image displayed on the little screen, "but I suppose a picture of our eighth kiss will suffice."

"Oh God," Haruka huffed as he looked away in disbelief. "Please don't tell me you're actually going to count them."

Although that hadn't really been his intention, when Haruka brought it up like this, Makoto couldn't help but tease him a little. "Well, maybe I will," he evoked and he put his phone down, biting his bottom lip to suppress the oncoming smirk, "What are you going to do about it?"

"I'll make you lose count," Haruka vowed and Makoto's eyebrows quirked in feigned surprise, as if that wasn't what he had wanted him to say. Still, that didn't seem to bother Haruka as he bridged the short distance between them and rapidly placed a series of chaste kisses against his soulmate's mouth, and Makoto snorted at the ticklish feeling. When Haruka pulled back, he shot him a challenging look.

Makoto had to do everything he could not to giggle as he replied, "Twenty-one."

The loud groan that sounded out through the quiet of the night demolished the barrier that held Makoto's amusement at bay and he could no longer keep himself from laughing. Haruka pouted as he shifted to lie on his other side, back facing Makoto as he crossed his arms. This only made Makoto chuckle even more and he wrapped his arm around Haruka's waist, putting his head on Haruka's shoulder and he kissed Haruka's jaw in a silent apology for his playfulness.

This action took Haruka off-guard and when he looked back at Makoto, a tiny smile shattered his demeanour. "You'll lose count eventually," Haruka stated with certainty, because they both knew that it was just a matter of time until Makoto was forced to give up and he would win this silly little game.

Well, Makoto wasn't going to argue that either. But in the meantime, he would definitely enjoy kiss number twenty-two as Haruka faced him completely and their lips met again.

Truthfully, Makoto was so lucky to have been blessed with Haruka. Of all the billions of people on this planet, he could have ended up with pretty much anyone as his soulmate, yet the universe had tied him to Haruka; the most amazing person to ever exist, absolutely gorgeous on the inside and out, the personification of utmost perfection - and Makoto was convinced that he wasn't biased. Not a day would go by in which Makoto wasn't grateful to have Haruka by his side, and he would treasure him for as long as he lived.

"Hey, Haru?" he mumbled after a little while, his soft voice disrupting the serene bubble that engulfed them. When Haruka met his eyes, he continued, "Do you think that…"

He cut himself off in an attempt to rephrase his thoughts, averting his gaze and licking his lips as he tried to find the right words. A hand grasped his, squeezing lightly and when Makoto looked back at Haruka, he nodded encouragingly at him, telling him to take his time to say what he wanted to.

Reassured by Haruka's unconditional support, Makoto felt confident enough to try again. He swallowed and scraped his throat before he said, "You know how there are theories of parallel universes? Of infinite worlds similar to ours but with small changes?"

"Yeah," Haruka answered as he slowly rubbed his thumb over Makoto's skin, eyes never leaving his.

"If there was a universe out there where soulmates didn't exist, and we were all created separately… do you think that we would still be together?"

"I'm sure we would."

Haruka's immediate response took Makoto by surprise, and though he appreciated that Haruka felt that way, he didn't know why he was so certain of that. As always, he didn't need to voice his question for Haruka to understand it, and Haruka peered around them in search for a verbal explanation of his feelings.

"I don't think we're meant to be together because we're soulmates," Haruka murmured, the intensity in his beautiful irises locking Makoto in place once more, just so he wouldn't misunderstand what he was saying. "I think we're soulmates because we're meant to be together."

Makoto's heart melted inside his chest when he processed those words. The knowledge that Haruka felt that way made affection rush through every fiber of his being, and he decided to accept that answer for himself too. It was a comforting thought that no matter what universe they were in, soulmates or not, they would always be together, and nothing could ever change the fact that their hearts belonged to each other. Looking at it from that angle, Makoto believed it too. After all, he simply knew that there could never be another person out there who fit him better than Haruka did; no one who he could love as much as he loved Haruka.

He gave Haruka's hand a small squeeze in return as an adoring smile softened his features. "I love you so much, Haru," he whispered as he raised their entwined fingers to his mouth and kissed Haruka's knuckles tenderly, "More than anything."

"I love you too… idiot."

#i'm sorry i'm stupid #makoharu #makoharu fic #my fic #the sweet taste of tangerines #if the read more is erased then i'm sorry but it's definitely there lmao #between the second and third paragraph to be exact #so if you got issues with it not showing up complain to the staff #anyway all of that aside i do hope you'll all enjoy it #you especially rosie #sorry for the delay but it's here at last #rosieharu

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