Title: whatever is needed
Rating: T
Fandom: Tokyo Xanadu
Relationship: Takahata Shio/Tokisaka Kou
Wordcount: 1068
Short summary: Shio was surprised by how needy Kou acted upon his return home and soon found out why. In response, he would provide whatever support he could.
Shio hummed to himself while stirring the mix of ground pork and chopped vegetables frying in the wok. Tonight’s dinner wasn’t going to be anything fancy but sometimes that’s for the best, to allow for the ingredients themselves to create the main flavor enhanced by the sauce instead of the other way around. And soon Kou would be home so… Whoa!
“You alright there, Kou?”
It was as if Shio’s thoughts had summoned his lover to his side, or more accurately to his backside. Kou’s arms wrapped around Shio’s torso as he pressed his body against Shio’s from behind.
“Just a rough day…”
Kou’s mouth pressed against the back of Shio’s neck, nibbling gently. That would have been fine alone, but then Kou’s fingers slipped under Shio’s T-shirt and started traversing upwards…
“Hey!” Shio shook off Kou’s touch. “I’ll be done with this soon. Can you hand on a little longer?”
Kou must really need some comfort if he is coming on to me like this Shio thought to himself as he turned off the burner. Kou had already withdrawn to the dining table, and when Shio brought the wok to the table to split its contents onto the two large bowls already filled earlier with white rice, he noticed how Kou was just staring blankly down at the bowl.
“It’s ready now.”
“Sorry…”
Shio smiled softly. “Let’s eat.”
Kou nodded and picked up his chopsticks. They ate in silence for a bit until Shio noticed that Kou was eating slower than usual. Shio didn’t want to bring up the obvious question in the middle of the meal, but what could he do… He reached out with his left hand, and even though it was a bit of a stretch to reach that far, he managed to touch Kou’s left hand. Kou paused eating, his right hand holding chopsticks dropping to the table.
“I’ll eat.”
Shio nodded and withdrew his hand. That’s all he needed to know right now, that Kou would eat and at least keep up his physical health. With Kou being a high teacher, there could be all sorts of mental worries related to his students or the administrators. Or it could be the Nemesis side-work that Kou still did… If anyone said something to him about us though…
Shio put his chopsticks down, having finished his meal. Kou finished soon afterwards, standing up and reaching over to grab Shio’s empty bowl and chopsticks. Kou quickly deposited those items into the sink, even before Shio moved his own chair back.
“Shio…”
Shio managed to stand up before he was embraced tightly by Kou. It felt like whatever Kou needed was being squeezed from Shio’s body; if so, Shio had no problems with providing it. But perhaps they should move to the sofa or to the bed…
“We’re the real thing, right?” Kou whispered, desperation lacing his voice. “Just because we can’t be married…”
Shio clenched his fists as anger welled up inside him. The worst of his speculated reasons turned out to unfortunately be the cause of Kou's distress. “What did they say?” he nearly shouted.
“That I shouldn’t wear a ring on my left ring finger because we aren’t actually married.”
Shio seethed. “What the hell.”
“That it’s not the same if it is between two men…”
“Kou…”
“That eventually our relationship will end…”
Shio unclenched his fists only so that he could hold Kou more tightly, press his fingers against Kou's body, ground Kou to him. “Whoever they are, they’re wrong.” He kissed Kou's left ear. “I love you Kou and I will be by your side as long as I still breathe.”
“Shio…”
“And in my heart, we are married." Shio pulled back so he could look directly into Kou's eyes before he spoke the rest of his words. "I know you feel the same way. The legal document is nice, but marriage doesn’t work if people don’t keep it up. And I will always be devoted to you.”
A moment of quiet, of just two bodies breathing and with hearts beating in time. “I love you, Shio." Kou pressed a light kiss to Shio's lips. “Today, tomorrow, ten years, twenty years, until my dying breath…”
Shio chuckled. “That’s right.” He gave Kou a kiss in return. “Do you want to do it?”
Shio had left the wording vague, allowing Kou to interpret it whichever way he wanted. When Kou's fingers gripped onto Shio's shirt and started pulling it up, Shio sucked in a breath. “Maybe a little something." Kou smiled sheepishly. "I want to feel you, but I also feel worn out.”
Shio allowed Kou to pull his shirt off completely, then returned the favor. Both now shirtless, they paused to look at each other and gauge the mood.
“How about this?” Shio had an idea and led Kou to the couch, using a light shove to encourage Kou to sit down before taking a seat to his side. He put his hands on Kou's shoulders. “Relax, Kou.”
Kou tensed up instead. “You’re not making it easy!” He moaned when Shio's hands squeezed his shoulders and the tight muscles underneath the skin.
Shio laughed. “Guess not.” He kneaded the area a few times before moving his hands lower. "A good massage will at least make it easier to face the next day with good posture at least."
Kou laughed in response to Shio's quip. "I suppose I should look tall and strong if I'm refuting their criticisms, right?" He let out a keen when Shio's hands loosened a particular knot in his back.
"You are a great teacher, Kou." Shio pressed his lips to the back of Kou's neck, softly, then across Kou's back, in worship of the man he loved so dearly. "Even if you have to take that ring off your finger, the students still know. They still understand. So do what you have to do, but always remember, I am proud of you. No matter what."
"Thank you, Shio. Your support means everything."
It's with those last words that Kou finally relaxed fully into Shio's massage, mind and body falling into restful sleep. If all Shio had to do was cook Kou meals and bring him to bed, to keep Kou happy… He would gladly do so, for the rest of their time.