It Was Only One Night

Kei smiled as he mixed drinks for his customers. Bartender persona fully engaged as he handed each drink over. The bar he worked in was busy tonight, oddly enough. Normally, Sundays through Wednesdays didn’t have that much traffic. Tourists, locals, and people just coming in for a nightcap after work. It wasn’t much different from the bar he’d worked at in Sendai, not really. But, it still felt different. He’d lived in Tokyo for three years, and he was still acclimating.

“One Paloma, comin’ up!” he said loudly, and slid the drink into the customer’s hand.
“Thanks, Blondie,” the customer said with a wink.
Kei rolled his eyes and snorted, turning to his next customer. “What’ll it be?”
“White Russian,” the next guy ordered, with shy but keen interest in his eyes. Kei ignored it, nodded politely, and began to mix the drink.
“Hey, Blondie,” the Paloma guy tried to get his attention. Kei flashed him a look, but continued making the White Russian. “You’re hot! Need some company tonight?”
Again? Really? Kei had to give him props for directness. And persistence. But then, the Paloma wasn’t his first drink. More like his fifth. Dude was drunk off his ass.
“No, thanks,” Kei replied with a smirk, and he flashed his ring.
“Aww, come on!” Paloma wasn’t going to take no for an answer, it seemed. Again. “Just a couple hours. No one will know.”

Back in Sendai, he’d had to fend off the more… persistent types every so often. Usually, once they realized he wasn’t interested, they left him alone. The same applied for the business men who left their cards for one-night stands. Although, one such man managed to catch his interest… and so much more. Kei grinned as his ring glinted, catching the light from above the bar. But here in Tokyo, he kept getting unsolicited offers nearly every night. And for them, ‘no’ was clearly a negotiable answer. If he didn’t love mixology and being a bartender so much, he might’ve decided to stay home, or try a job from another of his interests.

He was about to refuse, again, but another customer came in the door, and Kei smiled for real. Not the friendly, reserved smile he offered to each customer, but the bright, gentle, always-in-love one reserved for one man, and only one man. He vaguely heard Paloma’s wolf whistle, and White Russian’s smitten sigh (two in one night, good grief). All he saw, all he cared about, had just walked in and was smiling back at him.

Well, if Paloma wasn’t going to take no for an answer, and if he wanted to head White Russian off at the pass, there was only one clear way to do so: he leaned over the bar and kissed his newest customer on the mouth, long and deep.

“Well, damn!” Paloma cried from his chair. “You could’ve said…”
Kei grinned and winked at Tetsu, and then looked back at Paloma, flashing his ring again. “Pretty sure I did.”
“People wear fake wedding rings all the time…” he started saying, but Tetsu was looking at him now, and not in a friendly way.
“He’s mine, buddy,” and he flashed his own ring, the match to Kei’s own.
“Okay, okay! Fair enough.” Paloma levered himself off his stool, stumbled around a bit, and pawed at his jacket until he found his wallet. “How much?”
Kei went to the register and pulled up the tab. “3000 Yen.”

Paloma grumbled, but threw his money down on the bar, and unsteadily made his way out of the bar. White Russian also paid for his drink, and left. Kei smirked at Tetsu and went to collect the money, pulling up the tabs in the register and cashing them out, putting the money in the drawer. Then, he got the attention of his fellow bartender, gestured toward his husband, and then went on his break. He passed his replacement on the way out from behind the bar. He came around to where Tetsu was sitting, took his hand, and led him back to the employee area.

~*~

Their kiss was hot, heavy, and full of promise for when they got home later. Tetsu had unbuttoned his black shirt further, and his hands were everywhere on Kei’s skin, leaving fire in their wake. Overwhelmed, but not to be outdone, Kei had managed to get Tetsu’s belt, button, and zipper open, reaching his hands in and pressing against Tetsu’s hard-on. The kiss broke abruptly, and they panted against each other’s necks.

“If we go any further, you won’t be able to go back to work,” Tetsu managed to say, and then groaned when Kei pressed again, lightly curling his fingers around the shape of him. “Not playing fair, Moonshine.”
“Why would I do that? I’ve had enough, anyway. Let’s go home.”
“But, your shift started only a couple hours ago…”
“It’s a Tuesday night, and not that busy. They don’t really need me.” He smiled wickedly, toyed with the elastic waistband of Tetsu’s underwear, and then shrugged nonchalantly. “I mean, we can do it here, but I can’t guarantee we’ll be left alone.”
Tetsu smirked at his husband, breathing hard, and really not caring anymore who might walk in. “If you don’t care, neither do I.” He loosened Kei’s belt, unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, and stroked his hand against his husband’s hard length. At the same time, he barely grazed his lips up the length of Kei’s neck, stopping right behind his ear, making him shiver and pulling a deep moan from Kei’s throat. He chuckled when Kei’s eyes rolled to the back of his head and he mindlessly rocked against his hand. “We’re right in front of the door, though. Have somewhere else in mind?”
“B-bathroom,” Kei stuttered after another long, slow stroke. “In the bathroom.”
“How long is your break?”
“Twenty minutes.”
“Plenty of time.”
“Tetsu?”
“Yeah?”
“Stop talking. We’re wasting time.”
“So demanding,” Tetsu teased.

He backed away, and Kei took a moment to recover before dragging his husband to the employee bathroom. If anyone heard the door slam shut, or not-quite-stifled moans, they kept their mouths shut. For all that Tetsu and Kei had been married for three years, they still acted like newlyweds.

~*~

“Everything alright?” Tetsu asked as they settled in bed around 3am, with Kei draped across his chest. He was quiet, and listened with concern when Kei just sighed and said nothing, just started tracing invisible doodles over his skin. “Kei?” Still no answer. “As much as that feels good, babe,” he said as he gently took Kei's hand in his own. “Something’s bothering you. Talk to me.”
“It’s late,” Kei finally said. “You need to sleep, love.”
“No. Something’s been bothering you. I can pull an all-nighter…”
“Tetsu…” Kei pushed himself up, and gave him a tired smile. “I’m fine. It was just a really long night.” He leaned close, and kissed him. “Get some sleep. We can talk later.”
“If you’re sure?”
“I am. Now, quit talking, or it’ll be 6:30 before you know it.”
“I love you, Moonshine.”
“I love you, too, Captain.”

Tetsu stayed awake for a little while longer. Lately, Kei hadn’t been as happy as he usually was, and he had a feeling he knew what it was, though Kei would deny it. His husband was not only homesick, even though they visited Sendai regularly, but he still wasn’t used to the extraordinary fast pace of Tokyo. Even though they lived in Nerima ward, it was still close to Tokyo’s center, which meant life was crazy fast. The part of Sendai where Kei lived was considerably smaller, and much slower paced, at least in comparison to Tokyo.

There was also the fact that when Tetsu dropped by the bar after work every evening Kei was working, he’d find out his poor Moonshine had refused several advances, some blatant offers, and at least one or two who wouldn’t take no for an answer. Tonight was no exception. He figured that was why Kei made a show of kissing him over the bar, and why he practically dragged him to the back. Tetsu might not particularly care for the reason for the sex, but he wasn’t going to complain. Kei was his match in every way.

Still, the more this happened, the more it affected Kei, and the more he became disillusioned with life in Tokyo. It was slowly draining his soul, and the light in his beautiful golden brown eyes was fading. Tetsu decided he was going to do what he could to prevent his Kei from becoming just another jaded city dweller.

~*~

When he came home later that day, Tetsu found Kei on their balcony, a plate of veggies and fruit on the table in front of him, some of it already gone, and his head turned to look out over the city. It wasn’t the first time Tetsu had found him like this, but it was since realizing what might be bothering Kei. Quietly, he laid his briefcase down on the hall table, slipped his shoes off, and hung his jacket on the coat rack. He saw Kei respond to the little noises he made, and when he stepped out onto the balcony, his husband turned to smile at him. And it wasn’t his usual smile. It was something tired, almost melancholy, like it was something he was trying to do for him, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

Tetsu bent and kissed the top of Kei’s head, lingering just a little more, and then sitting down across from him at the table.

“You’re home early,” Kei said, turning to face him, and shoving the plate closer to him. “This is all I was in the mood for. I don’t have anything else prepared for lunch.”
Tetsu shrugged. “It’s fine.” He took a tiny tomato and popped it in his mouth. “I’m home for the rest of the day. You’re off tonight, right?”
Kei nodded. “And tomorrow. Supposed to go back on Friday.”
“Right.” Clearly, Kei was feeling worse than before, and it was going straight to Tetsu’s heart. He leaned forward and put his arms on the table, playing a bit with the veggies before looking up at Kei. “What’s wrong, baby?”

Tetsu grew alarmed when he noticed a few tears slip down Kei’s face. But his husband quickly wiped them away. For all the good that did. More fell, and Kei was breaking down in front of him. Without a single thought other than to go to his husband, Tetsu quickly went to Kei, and wrapped his arms around him. He crooned soft, gentle words and rubbed his back while Kei cried almost inconsolably into his chest.

“What can I do?” he half-whispered to himself. Tetsu was very nearly in tears himself. “I want to help you. Tell me what I need to do. Please.”
Kei shook his head. “I don't know. I wish I did.”
Tetsu nodded. “Come on. Let’s go inside.”
“Okay.”

Tetsu went into full care mode, even though Kei put up his half-hearted protests.

A shower: “I already took one.” But he didn’t protest further as Tetsu slowly rubbed his body with soap, working at the tense muscles. Kei hummed with relief the more he loosened up. When the water started running cold, he helped Kei out and wrapped him up in a towel. “I can do this myself,” Kei reminded him.
Tetsu just smiled and gave a little peck on the mouth. “I know.”
Comfy clothes: Tetsu led Kei to their bedroom and let him finish drying off while he rummaged around for the softest clothes he knew Kei owned. “Sweet!” he triumphantly dug out Kei’s old flannel night shirt, complete with tiny little dinosaurs all over it. Another successful dig, and out came the matching flannel pants. “Pajamas? But it’s in the middle of the afternoon!”
Tetsu just smiled and winked as he dressed his love. “I’m aware,” was all he said as he bestowed another butterfly kiss.

Blanket roll: “Was this really necessary?” Kei said sarcastically, though there was a twinkle in his eye and he was smiling gently.
“Completely,” Tetsu answered, making sure Kei was tucked into his favorite fluffy blanket on the futon in their living room. He’d tried to be a knight (or something) by attempting to carry Kei and gently placing him, but it got really awkward because Kei’s just a wee bit taller, and Tetsu wasn’t fully prepared. Still, Kei was where he wanted him, and Tetsu kissed him again. “Don’t move.”

Cuddle: When Tetsu came back, he was dressed in his favorite black t-shirt and red sweatpants. He also brought his tablet, a bag of popcorn, and two bottles of soda. “Got room for one more?” he asked playfully, and Kei chuckled, scooting over to make room. When he was settled, he handed over the tablet.
“What do you want…” Kei started asking, but Tetsu put a gentle finger to Kei’s lips.
“We’ll watch your favorite show.”
“But… you’ll fall asleep, and then I’ll fall asleep.”
“I am not opposed to the idea of a nap.”
“The idea of one, or an actual nap?”
“Both? Both is good,” Tetsu said, cuddling up to Kei.

This time Kei laughed, and Tetsu was relieved to hear it. He knew Kei’s problems weren’t gone, but he could at least do this until Kei felt comfortable talking about what was wrong. Even so, Kei put the tablet on the coffee table, along with the popcorn, and turned so that he was snuggled up against Tetsu’s chest. Tetsu smiled gently, wrapped his arms around Kei, and settled down. Both were asleep in minutes.

~*~

Their little apartment became their entire world for those two days. Kei hadn’t yet spoken about his problems, but he knew he had to. Tetsu stayed with him the whole time, even going so far as to call out of work for a day. His husband was worried, and until Kei said anything, he’d continue to be worried.

And if he were totally honest with himself, this wasn’t like him at all. Kei usually faced his problems head on, finding solutions that worked for him. It really shouldn’t be that different. Yet, he had to consider Tetsu in his decisions now; what worked for him might not work for Tetsu, and it was harder to just unilaterally make a decision.

So, by Thursday night, after dinner, Kei took Tetsu’s hand and led him to their bedroom. They sat in the middle of their bed, Kei’s back to Tetsu’s chest, and Tetsu’s arms wrapped around him. This was his most favorite place to be.

“I think my past caught up to me,” he said into the silence.
“Someone you knew?”
“Not so much that, just… what I did.” When Tetsu remained silent, patiently listening, Kei nearly started crying again. He’d be forever thankful to whatever powers brought him into his life when he needed him most. “You remember how we met, right?”
Tetsu nodded. “At the bar in Sendai.”
“Right. I think I fell just a little bit in love with you then,” Kei told him.
“Same. But I didn’t know until after…” and he paused, then sighed. “After our one-night stand.”
“Yeah. Do you remember your question before we started?”
“It wasn’t much of a question, but yeah, I do.”

"Do you usually wait this long?" Tsuki asked.
"No, but now I'm even more curious."
"How so?"
Kuroo squinted at him. "You've done this before." It wasn’t a question.
"Yeah. Why? Does it matter?"
"Yes. And no," Kuroo told him.

Kei took a deep breath. “I had done that sort of thing before. For two years. Partly as a way to earn a little extra money, and partly because I needed to forget.”
“Forget what?”
Kei shrugged. “A failed relationship that ended at the altar.”
He felt Tetsu’s lips as he kissed his temple. Felt Tetsu’s arms tighten just a little more. “Anyway, it was mostly with guys who came in from out of town, and weren’t going to be there long. Maybe a few locals who were looking for a good time. I never asked, and they never told me. The only thing that remained the same was the money, left in an envelope at the bar the next day.”
“Oh god…” Tetsu connected the dots, just maybe not the right dots. “I did everything the same way. I’m so…”
“Don’t you dare apologize Tetsuro Kuroo,” Kei said, breaking his hold enough to turn around and face him. “Yours was different. You were different.” Kei gently cupped Tetsu’s face in his hands. “You didn’t leave money, just a note. A note that said you wanted more. I was already in love with you by then… but also a little scared.”
“I’m glad we figured it all out.”
“Me too,” Kei said, running his fingers back into Tetsu’s hair. “When we moved here, for a while, everything was great. My job was fun and I really like my coworkers. But then, the offers started up again. No one knew me here, at least not that I was aware, so when that first one came, it kinda startled me. I did what I usually did when I refused an offer; I tore up the card and burned it. Not answering was a form of answering, and that usually put a stop to it. In Sendai. Here, it’s just another part of the game. And when I showed them my ring…”
“That didn’t stop them, either.”
Kei shook his head. “No one really takes my refusals seriously, and I have no idea how to stop them.”
“Well, until I show up.”
“That’s part of it. I’ve had a few that refused to acknowledge even that.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What can you do about it? You can’t always sit at the bar and be my guardian angel. I’m not about to make our marriage into a peep show, because you and I both know there are people out there who will simply watch, jerk-off, and ignore everything else. I just… I want it to stop.”
“Any ideas on how to make that happen?”
“You ask as if you haven’t already thought of any.”
“I have a few. But, I want to know what yours are.”
Kei smirked. “Can one go into the witness protection program without actually having witnessed anything?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” Tetsu replied, his own smirk appearing as he caressed Kei’s face. “A little drastic, though.”
“Maybe so,” Kei chuckled, leaning into Tetsu’s caress. “Aside from quitting my job, or moving to another city, I can’t really think of anything else.”

Tetsu was quiet for a little while, and Kei watched his face. He was thinking about something, and Tetsu was not only an animated talker, but an animated thinker. His eyes flitted from one thing to another, he’d nibble on his lips, and sometimes scrunched his nose if an idea wasn’t particularly appealing, or if something just wouldn’t work. His head would tilt to the side, or to the back, and he’d either tap his cheek with his finger, or put his hand on the back of his neck. Since his hands were currently busy on Kei, that wasn’t an option.

Soon, he found himself on his back, white tank top thrown off somewhere, and Tetsu currently working his boxers off. Kei gasped when Tetsu’s open mouth slowly dragged along his inner leg. Just when he thought his husband would stop, he moved up and continued making a hot trail upwards, over his abdomen, chest, collarbones, and finally his neck.

“Can you give me a few days?” he heard Tetsu whisper.
“For what?” Kei was amazed his brain worked enough to even form words.
“I have a few things to wrap up at the office. I’ll tell you then.”
“Tell me what?”
“It’s a surprise.”
Tetsu rocked hard against him, and Kei swore he could see stars. His hands grasped the back of Tetsu’s shirt and he moaned, his body arching against Tetsu’s.
“Surprise me later, Captain.”
“As you demand it, Moonshine.”

A long time ago, a friend of Kei’s had once told him that once the novelty of marriage wore off, once the magic was gone, things would become so ordinary and mundane that it was borderline boring. And maybe it had been that way for his friend. After three years, none of that came close to what Tetsu and Kei shared. And he hoped it never would.

~*~
“Hey, Mai!” Kei called out as he entered the bar. They weren’t open yet, but he wasn’t there early to get ready for his shift. “Is Hajime here, yet?”
“He just came in a few minutes ago. He’s in his office. Why?”
“Tell ya later,” he answered, grinning as he left to go back to his boss’s office.
He knocked on the door, and when the bid to enter came, he almost slammed the door open. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly as he shut it behind him.
“No worries, Kei. I’m glad you’re here, actually.”
Kei’s good mood almost dimmed, but he smiled anyway. “What’s up, boss?”
“First, wanna tell me why you’re so excited?”
“We’re going home,” he said immediately. “Tetsu had some vacation time, and it was approved today. We’re leaving for Sendai…”
“Tonight or tomorrow?” Hajime said with a slight grin.
“As soon as we can, to be honest. That’s why I’m here now.”
Hajime looked like he was going to tell him no, but instead, he slid a paper across his desk at him. “Read that,” he ordered gently.
Confused, Kei looked down at the paper and read what looked like not only a pair of complaints, but also the demand for his immediate termination. Both were similar in their statements that he led them on in a promise of his… favors, and then refused their generous advances.
“Is any of that true?” Hajime asked gently.
“Let me guess: Paloma and White Russian?”
Hajime quickly looked up the tab numbers on the complaints and then nodded. “What happened?”
Kei told him. “What’s going to happen now?”
“Don’t worry. You’ll still have your job when you get back. That’s if you still want it?”
“Why are you asking me that?”
Hajime sighed. “You haven’t said anything, but even I know you’ve been having a rough time here. Go on your vacation. Spend time with your husband. Think about where you want to go from here. If you decide to come back, the job is still yours. You’re one of our best mixologists. But, if not,” he stood up and offered his hand. Kei rose and took it. “It was a pleasure working with you.”
“Thank you,” Kei said. “We’ll only be gone for a week.”
“Let me know, okay?”
“Yeah. I will.”
Hajime let go, sat back down, and then looked up at Kei. “Why are you even still here? Get out of here.”
Kei shook himself and smiled. “Right. See ya, boss!”
He practically skipped back out to the bar, and told Mai he’d see her after a week or so. Since she also was aware of his difficulties, all she did was smile and wish him a happy time. Kei thanked her, said goodbye, and left the bar.

~*~

Their week in Sendai turned into a sort of reunion while they were there. Once Kei’s friends and family found out he was back in town, they came to see him and Tetsu, and insisted they stay with them. Politely declining, the two of them readily spent as much time as they could with everyone, but still spent time with each other at the end of the night.

Through it all, Tetsu watched Kei. He looked remarkably more relaxed, slept much better, and overall was definitely happier here. They went to local tourist attractions, spent time strolling around Kei’s favorite park, and even visited the bar he used to work at; everyone there welcomed him back with hugs, pats on the back, and fond gazes. It was plainly obvious they missed him, too. Even some of the regulars welcomed him back, and Kei was genuinely happy to see them.

It didn’t take them long to get him back behind the bar, and he was mixing up drinks for everyone as if he’d never left. Tetsu took a seat at the bar and watched his husband in his element. His entire demeanor had changed, from very nearly jaded and broken to the Kei he fell in love with. His beautiful golden brown eyes, which had once been in danger of fading, were now shining as bright as when they first met.

"What'll you have?" he heard the bartender say; his voice a strong tenor. Tetsu blinked out of his reverie, and smirked at his husband. "If you're just going to sit and stare, I don't mind, but I have work to do," Kei spoke again, voice heavily laced with sarcasm.
Tetsu chuckled. “You pick. My brain’s been scrambled recently.”
“Too much work?”
“You could say that.”

Kei squinted at him, and then mixed his drink, setting the whiskey glass in front of him.

“Old Fashioned.”
“Hmmm…” Tetsu took a sip and then smiled. “You’re good.”
“That’s what they tell me.”
“Wonder what else you’re good at, Blondie?” He replied, and he picked up the cherry garnish, ate the cherry, and stuck the stem in his mouth. A minute later, he took it out, a little knot tied in the middle.
“You’ll find out. Later.”

They continued like that, flirting heavily back and forth, while Kei mixed drinks for his customers. He also chatted with Yukie, and Kiyoko, who were still the reigning queens of the restaurant bar, breaking hearts left and right. They were there until they closed the bar (which was new), and then went back to their hotel room, which (ironically) was just an elevator ride away.

~*~

“Admit it, you’re happy to be back here,” Tetsu said as he held Kei close. His husband was straddling his lap, half-dressed, and arms draped over his shoulders.
“I’m not going to deny it was great seeing everyone again,” Kei said, running his fingers playfully through Tetsu’s dark hair. “But you made it so much better.”
“How so?”
Kei shrugged. “Anywhere is better when I’m with you.”
“Even Tokyo?”
“Even Tokyo.”

Tetsu tightened his hold, and took the opportunity to tickle Kei. Only he knew this little secret of Kei’s; he was ticklish, especially his sides and his feet. Kei squirmed, trying to get away, but unable to do so, ended up leaning back and laughing. Tetsu rested his chin on Kei’s chest, his eyes half-closed, with a splash of color and a goofy grin on his face.

“Ohmigod, Tetsu,” Kei panted, reaching up to wipe the tears from his eyes. Happy tears, this time. “I love you so much!”
“I love you too, Moonshine.”

That night, as they lay in bed, Kei fast asleep beside him, Tetsu made a decision of his own. Tomorrow, they needed to talk, and since it was their last day in Sendai, they were going to stay in.

~*~

“Sheesh,” he heard Tetsu say as he came back into their room. “It’s pouring out there.”
“You didn’t have to go out,” Kei chided gently, tossing a towel at his love. “They have delivery services here, too, ya know.”
“I wanted to select the wine myself.”
“They have that at the bar.”
“Okay. You got me. I had something else I needed to do here before we leave, so I had to go out.”
“What did you have to do that sent you out into this maelstrom?”
Tetsu grinned, put the bag of wine down on the little bar in their kitchenette, and sauntered over to stand in front of him. “I had to select the wine,” he said lightly. And then he burst out laughing as Kei retaliated with tickles of his own. “Okay! Okay, I surrender,” he sighed, grasping Kei’s hands and holding them still on his body. “We need to talk.”
“About what?” Kei started to back away, but Tetsu still held on. “Tetsu?”
“First, let me dry off.” He leaned in for a lingering kiss, and then let Kei go. “Order us some food, will ya?”
“Tease,” Kei muttered as Tetsu went to the bathroom and he went to the kitchenette. He took the wine out of the bag, looked at each one, and raised both eyebrows. “Beaujolais Nouveau and Champagne.” He chose the former, and searched for a corkscrew. “If only we had something to decant this in,” he said to himself as he popped the cork to at least let it breathe. Then, he perused the room service menu, and ordered their meal.
“What’d ya order?” Tetsu asked when he came back out. Kei turned around from his search of the cabinets for a pair of wine glasses.
“Steak, steamed veggies, and salad,” Kei replied.
“Dessert?”
“Chocolate cake.”
“Whaaaatt?”
“They didn’t have strawberry cream cake, and you know that isn’t the only dessert I like.”
“But it’s your favorite,” Tetsu countered, hugging him from behind.
“Yeah, well, chocolate will go better with the wine.”
Tetsu kissed his cheek and let him go, fetching the open bottle of wine and the wine glasses. “Come on,” he said, tilting his head and moving toward the table. “Let’s talk while we wait for our food.”
“Okaayy…” Kei followed him and sat down, waiting for Tetsu, who poured them both some wine, and then sat down beside him. “What are we going to talk about?”

Kei watched his husband as he took a long sip of wine, leaned a bit forward, and put his arms on the table. He reached out his left hand invitingly, his wedding band catching the light, and Kei placed his hand in Tetsu’s. This wasn’t going to be just any conversation.

“What would you say if we had the opportunity to move back here?”
Kei was speechless. Tetsu squeezed his hand and waited patiently.
“Can we?” he asked quietly, almost to himself. But then, “your job…”
“They have temporary offices here that just opened up. A new building is currently being built. They needed people to relocate.”
“And you asked?”
“At first, and only for more information. The job remains the same, but there will be a moving bonus, and a little bit of a raise.”
“Sounds really good, but… Why?”
“You weren’t happy in Tokyo, and it felt like I was losing you.”
“What? Tetsu, I will never leave…”
“No, I know. I didn’t mean it that way. Just that,” he stopped for a moment and started playing with Kei’s fingers. “You weren’t happy, not sleeping well, and you weren’t used to city life, even after the three years we lived there. You tried, but it was slowly eating away at you, and I couldn’t bear seeing the light in your eyes fade. When we came here, everything changed after a day. Not even that long. You were yourself again, the man I fell in love with.”
“Tetsu..”
“I thought that, if we moved back, you’d be happy again.”
“When?”
“I put in for a transfer a couple months ago, when they first put it out that they were expanding. I finalized the paperwork while I was out today.”
“No, I mean… When can we move?”
Tetsu sighed, but he was smiling. “Not for another month, but I figure that will give us time to find a place to live, pack up our stuff, and all the rest. Think you can hold out for that long?”
Kei nodded rather enthusiastically. “Yeah. Yeah, I can.” He leaned over and kissed his husband happily, and then he leaned back in his chair, rather pleased with the blush on Tetsu’s cheeks. “But you know, Tetsu, my husband, love of my life, my reason for living…”
“Yeah?”
“I’m happiest when I’m with you.”
Tetsu blushed again, and brought Kei’s hand up to his mouth, bestowing a kiss to his palm. “Sap.”
“I learn from the best.”
“Smartass.”
“You love me, though.”
“I do. I love you… and your ass.” He leered at Kei and leaned toward him. “Do we have time to…” A knock on the door interrupted him, and Kei burst out laughing.
“Dinner time, sensei.”
“We’ll be eating it cold if you keep that up.”
“I mean, we do have a microwave…”
“Just remember, it’s all your fault.”
“I’ll take full responsibility for my actions.”
“I can’t wait.”

~*~

When they returned to Tokyo, Kei went straight to the bar, and talked to Hajime. They decided it would be better for him to work one week so they could find and hire a replacement, and then he was free to go. That week was the easiest he’d ever had, and while he was there, he said his goodbyes to his coworkers, and to the customers he actually liked.

After that week, he began the arduous task of packing their stuff. Tetsu helped as much as he could, but he’d be working almost all that month until time to move, so he did the legwork on finding a place to live. It was a good thing they didn’t really have all that much, because Kei was finished with the majority of packing after another week. They sold or gave away what they weren’t taking, and all that was left was a few pieces of furniture and the boxes. They’d be renting a moving truck when they decided on an apartment.

The next week, they poured over apartment listings and chose a few each night. Tetsu would call the next day, and get more details on each one. On the weekend, they went through the ones that fit what they both wanted, and then Tetsu called the manager of the complex they both really liked. Located in Rifu, they’d only have to commute thirty minutes, barring any traffic hassles, and the apartment was located in a quiet, peaceful section of town.

They took a day trip up to Rifu to check out their new place, and meet the manager and maintenance workers. They also met several new neighbors, who were almost as excited as they were to be moving in. The apartment overlooked a large, pretty park, and Kei immediately fell in love with it.

Another week, and one move later, the two of them spent the rest of the leave Tetsu had to get their place set up how they wanted it, and used the rest of the time settling in, and exploring their new town. They found a grocery store nearby, along with a mall, and several restaurants. Nearly everything was within walking distance, so their car was pretty much only used for the commute to work and home.

The night before they both had to go back to work, they spent at home. Tetsu cooked dinner, and they ate out on their spacious balcony, admiring the sunset. Kei sighed, and felt Tetsu looking at him. He turned and faced his husband.

“What?”
“Nothing. You sound happy.”
Kei fluttered his lashes. “I hope I look happy, too.”
“Smartass.”
Kei stopped his antics and reached out to take Tetsu’s hand. “I am happy. Thank you.”
“You needed this, and I need you. Win-win, if you ask me.”
“Yeah.”
“Promise me something?”
“What?”
“If you ever start feeling overwhelmed, or restless, or like you need to… get away, come to me? Talk to me. It doesn’t matter if I’m working or whatever. Okay?”
“Okay. But, you promise the same, too.”
“Done.”
“Help me clean up? You have an early start tomorrow.”
“Right.”

Later, after Tetsu collapsed on the bed next to Kei, they fought to catch their breath and were lost in each other’s eyes.

“It’s 4am. You’re not going to make it in time,” Kei chided, but he was smiling. “Tsk. Late on your first day in the new office.”
“I’ll just tell them I’m still in the honeymoon stage of my marriage.”
“After three years? Think they’ll buy that?”
“Who cares? I’ll just stay a bit later to make up for it. Besides, I have to pick up my husband when he gets off work.”
“I’m sure he appreciates that,” Kei replied sleepily. “He’ll make you dinner when he gets home. What do you want?”
“Whatever you want to make. Or we can bring home something. I’m not picky.”
“I know.” Kei was already half-asleep.
“Goodnight, my Moonshine. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Captain.”

//end