Title: homemade
Rating: G
Fandom: Lkyt.
Relationship: Takeru/Tasuku
Wordcount: 1283
Short summary: Tasuku wants to give something to Takeru that is simple and homemade, and decides to make some dango.
“Sorry that I’m asking you to help me with something like this.”
Tasuku stands in front of a pot with his mother at his side, hand grasping a wooden spoon. There’s a large batch of dango being boiled, some of which Fuuka will be sure to enjoy later as well, but…
The reason Tasuku stands here is simple. He wants to give something to Takeru, something that could please the other man, but something that he has made with his own hands. After all, Takeru has expressed interest in learning more about the common life, the simpler ways of living that most of his countrymen experience. And while dango is not a delicate or fancy snack, it can go well with drinks…
His mother smiles gently. “No need to worry, Tasuku. I think it is very sweet of you to think of something other than sparring.”
Tasuku laughs, his cheeks turning pink. Well, yes, he certainly thinks about sparring a lot, both in conventional ways and… alternative ways. He hopes his mother never catches onto what those alternative thoughts are; that would be most embarrassing.
“I hope so…”
Now that Tasuku thinks about it, this will technically be the first gift he is giving to Takeru without any expectation. They have no appointment to meet and Takeru is not giving him anything in return. Rather, Takeru has already given Tasuku so much that Tasuku hasn’t returned. Every visit to the palace, Tasuku has been treated too well with fine clothes, fine alcohol, fine baths, even a nice room to sleep in when he has stayed over…
Tasuku isn’t sure how he should present the dango once they are finished. Maybe he’ll just deliver them to a servant who can deliver them to Takeru later. Then, if Takeru doesn’t like it, he doesn’t have to hide his displeasure in front of Tasuku and instead can just send a curt message of polite thanks. Yes, it is probably best to deliver them with no expectations. He’ll have Kotaro send word ahead and…
“You should scoop them out now.” His mother’s voice breaks Tasuku out of his thoughts.
“Got it.”
The white balls are promptly scooped out of boiling water and dumped into cool water. Everything has stayed intact, so visually they look fine. Tasuku hopes they’ll taste fine too.
“That’s it, Tasuku. Once they are cool, you can skewer them.”
“Thanks, Mother.” Tasuku is grateful once more for his mother’s gentle guidance.
“It’s too bad we didn’t have anything to color these with.” She sighs softly. “Perhaps next time.”
“It’s my fault for making the request last minute.” Still, Tasuku is interested in the idea of coloring them… maybe with Fuuka next time.
Half an hour later, Tasuku makes his way to the palace, a small box containing dango hiding inside his clothes. Kotaro hasn’t returned with a response, but Tasuku figured he could still leave the box with a servant. He doesn’t need to see Takeru even if he would like to…
To Tasuku’s surprise, Kotaro and Takeru’s white heron both meet him in front of the palace. Perhaps Takeru had been busy and could only just now send word?
Wait here.
Tasuku frowns. Takeru’s message is too concise. Tasuku would have liked to know if he is to wait a few minutes or an hour or…
“Tasuku!”
Tasuku steps back in surprise. To be greeted by the prince himself for such a small matter… He immediately fixes his posture and bows.
“No need for that.” Takeru taps Tasuku lightly on the shoulder. “Let us go inside quickly.”
Tasuku suspects that Takeru has carved out this moment in his otherwise busy life and he can’t help but smile at that. Even though he should feel guilty about it, his wish to see Takeru being granted is… Thus he says nothing as he follows Takeru inside the palace to a small room with only the bare minimum of furnishings. Likely it is a waiting room that happened to be available.
“Sorry for the poor quality.” Once the door is shut, Tasuku takes the small box out from his clothes and offers it to Takeru. “You didn’t need to spare time for this.”
Takeru smiles as he takes the box. “I would never deny a moment to be with my bonded partner.” His smile remains even as he opens it and sees the dango that Tasuku made. “This is…”
“As I said in my message, there are dango I made with my mother.”
“Then of course I am happy to receive them, because they were made by you.” Takeru removes one of the skewers from the box and takes one of the white rice dumpling balls into his mouth. “Hmm, interesting.”
“Is it okay?” Tasuku hopes Takeru isn’t saying that as a euphemism for “bad”.
“It is good.” Takeru smiles after he finishes the dango. “Chewy and sweet… It makes a nice snack.” He points the skewer with two remaining dango on it at Tasuku. “Will you have one as well?”
“Uh…” Takeru surely knows that Tasuku tried some of these before? But then he realizes it is likely Takeru just wants to share. Because they are partners. “Alright.”
Tasuku takes one dango off of the skewer with his mouth, leaving the last one for Takeru to eat. They eat the dango in silence.
“Takeru-sama…” With the one skewer finished, Tasuku isn’t sure if they are to eat more together or if Takeru wishes to speak or do something else. There are another 5 skewers in the box, so it could take some time…
Takeru closes the box. “Unfortunately we cannot spend much time together today, for I would have liked to reward you in return.”
“No need!” Tasuku immediately protests. Takeru shouldn’t feel bad about this at all! “Any time spent with you is a reward.”
Takeru shakes his head. ‘I will make it up to you later. But for now…”
Takeru grabs onto the front of Tasuku’s clothes. “Takeru-sama?”
Any other words are swallowed up by Takeru’s mouth which presses firmly against Tasuku’s. Takeru’s tongue is already inside Tasuku’s mouth before Tasuku can respond, grabbing hold of Takeru’s shoulders to steady himself as the kiss deepens. Whatever thoughts Tasuku had in his mind have been swept away by this passionate kiss, replaced only with one word, one name, one person. Although with the way Takeru is kissing him, there is no way for Tasuku to actually convey even that thought other than holding onto Takeru with all of his strength…
And then, like a passing storm, the kiss is over. Tasuku is flushed and breathing hard when Takeru lets him go to readjust his clothes. A moment later everything is back in place; even if no one would judge harshly a pair of bonded partners sharing a brief moment of passion, Takeru still had his image as a prince to maintain. To be safe, Tasuku readjusts his clothes as well. Their time together must be up.
“Let us meet again soon, Tasuku.” Takeru smiles as he opens the door and gestures for Tasuku to exit.
Tasuku leaves as told, but a thought comes to mind that he shouts before he can stop himself. “I can make more! With colors next time!”
Takeru chuckles. “I look forward to it.”
He gives Tasuku a shoulder pat before turning and walking away. Tasuku clenches his fists for a moment as he watches Takeru walk with his usual noble carriage before taking the opposite direction. For now they must separate, but Tasuku has a new, small goal. To make more dango, with colors. And one day they might share it with some drinks at a more leisurely pace…