Sweet Dreams

Rei took off the headphone and hesitantly pressed the answer button.

What he did not expect was to see Carol’s face. “Rei-chan—! Took you long enough to pick up!” She whined. 

“Um…uh, sorry?”

“He picked up!” Carol said cheerily, shoving the phone in front of Kazuki.

“Hey, Rei, hehe,” his drunk face under the neon lights was stupidly stupid. “My bad…I had one too many!” His foolish grin was stupidly stupid. Rei rolled his eyes. 

”I’m coming home now!”

“Just don’t be so loud when you do.”

“Okie-dok, Rei-chan—” The video went blurry then dark. He must’ve dropped his phone. Idiot. Serves you right. Rei leaned his head back and exhaled audibly. Kazuki had an obnoxious, rowdy tendency when intoxicated. Not that he’d ever awoken Miri with his drunken shenanigans. But still.

An unfamiliar face appeared on the screen; Rei only knew of Carol and Dorothy. “It’s fine! It didn’t break!” She announced, and a cheering choir of girls could be heard in the background. “So this is Rei-chan? He’s so cute!” She exclaimed, “Kazu-san, you never told me he’s this cute!” 

Girls swarmed in front of the camera, squealing and giggling, “What a cutie!” “This is the pretty face you go home to? Kazu-san, you sly dog—” “Rei-chan, Rei-chan! Tell us what Kazu-san is like at home!” Rei felt his face go hot. What the hell? “Aww, he’s blushing! We’re embarrassing him! How adorable!” “Don’t worry, we don’t touch Kazu-san! He’s all yours!” The girls laughed.

What the hell?

────

2:07 am

“Rei—the door won’t open,” Kazuki whined over the phone. He’d finally made it back to the apartment building, but he was long gone. Rei sighed as the elevator arrived at the building lobby, “Coming.”

Upon seeing Rei, Kazuki happily draped himself over Rei’s slimmer frame, crying about forgetting how keys work. He smelled of booze and some tacky cheap perfume that made Rei’s nose itch. He cursed under his breath. Seriously. 28 years of age, behaving like a fucking hot mess. As they exited the elevator on their floor, Kazuki started humming off-key and mumbling some lyrics to himself.

Five minutes later, Rei was standing at the bathroom door, watching Kazuki puking his guts out. Between the dry heaving and whimpering, Rei’d hand him a tissue. He didn’t feel an ounce of sympathy toward his miserable roommate. Why does he like drinking himself into oblivion? Getting a bit tipsy, sure, but Rei absolutely hated the feeling of being wasted. 

At the very least, a blacked-out drunk Kazuki still practiced personal hygiene. He crawled into the shower; Rei passed him his toothbrush and toothpaste. He grabbed a fresh towel and hung it on the door before closing it.

────

2:46 am

Rei made some cup noodles. Kazuki came out and stumbled across the living room with the towel around his waist. The steam coming from the bathroom told Rei that Kazuki took a boiling hot shower if his red-as-a-cooked-lobster body didn’t give it away. Traces of minty tea tree scent of his shampoo lingered; somehow, Rei always thought it smelled like mint chocolate. Kazuki dropped himself onto the couch and curled up. Rei pinched his brows.

“Oi,” he said as he chewed, “sleep in your own room.” Kazuki retaliated with inaction and started humming and mumbling again. Rei couldn’t risk letting him fall asleep on the couch like that. The bathroom was damp and nasty; no way he was going to sleep in there tonight. 

“Get up,” he towered over Kazuki, who was making noises like a complaining 4-year-old would. “You’re gonna get a cold.”

────

3:11 am

Kazuki finally made it into his room, but not without Rei basically dragging his ass. “Clothes,” he ordered; Kazuki reached into the dresser obediently. Rei figured his job here was done. He wanted to finish his cup noodles, which were probably soggy and cold by now. 

As Rei was about to close the bedroom door, Kazuki turned around and muttered something sing-song-y.

“…small waist…”

“What?”

“You.” Kazuki pointed. 

“What about me?”

Half clothed, Kazuki waltzed over and took Rei for a dance as he hummed. They stumbled around the room if it could be called dancing. Rei was too tired for this shit. Kazuki’s eyes were half closed and hazy, “…big boobies…small waist…”

Rei snickered. What the hell?

“Wait, no,” Kazuki halted all actions and frowned as if he was thinking hard—if he could even think with that soupy brain. 

“Small waist…pretty face.” Kazuki figured out his drunken logic and resumed his shenanigans. 

Quickly losing his patience, Rei maneuvered out of Kazuki’s grasp. “You’re gonna wake Miri.” 

He pointed again, “That’s you,” Kazuki said with a smug grin, “Small waist, pretty face.”

The four words hit Rei like a tsunami of utter embarrassment. Devastated by the increased heart rate and full-body goosebumps followed by a shudder, he was blank. 

While Rei was momentarily immobilized by the sheer humiliation, Kazuki seized the opportunity, launched himself at Rei, and gently grabbed hold of that small waist he wouldn’t shut up about. Then he planted a quick and clumsy kiss right on Rei’s gaping lips, knocking his own teeth on his. 

They toppled over and fell into bed. Kazuki clung to Rei and snuggled in. His hand crept up to cup that pretty face of Rei’s as he let out a satisfied sigh.

Rei’s eyes widened. 

What the hell?

────

Days went on as usual. For Kazuki, at least. 

Trapped under an arm and a leg that night, Rei didn’t dare move a finger until the lousy drunk began snoring. He sneaked downstairs and curled up on the couch, with a mind so loud and noisy that he was wide awake until daybreak. 

“Papa, what are we eating?” Miri’s relentless poking forced Rei to get up at around 9:30 am. Lethargic and hungry (he didn’t get to finish his late-night cup noodles,) he dragged his feet into the kitchen and poured themselves some new cereal Miri insisted on buying the other day. They sat at the table. His head was spinning and his body felt heavy; this sensation was akin to a hangover.

The door upstairs creaked open, giving Rei a heart attack. He could hear Kazuki’s footsteps and the loud groans. He started to panic, which was totally unbecoming of one of the organization’s top assassins. Rei had three seconds to hide, yet he wasted that precious time sweating bullets holding a spoon. Pathetic. 

“Good morning, Miri and—“ Kazuki paused, and so did Rei’s heart. Kazuki stretched audibly. “Good morning, Rei.”

“Papa is so late!”

“Hehe, my bad. Went to bed late.” Kazuki stepped into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. “Hmm? Did I make cup noodles and didn’t finish last night?” 

Rei stared at his bowl of rainbow cereal, thinking he might be dying of anxiety. “…no, that was me.”

“Then clean it up, man. I don’t want to get bugs in here,” Kazuki nagged. 

“Like unicorn stag beetles?” The daycare had a field day at a museum and Miri had since been obsessed with various shiny cool bugs. 

“No, Miri, no… the gross ones. Like roaches.” 

“Lame.”

“Language, young lady.”

“But lame isn’t a bad word! Taiga-kun said so.”

“Well, Taiga-kun isn’t your papa. Or Anna-sensei.”

“Anna-chan said **** is a bad word,” Miri muttered under her breath.

Rei wasn’t sure of anything anymore. 

────

Of course, Kazuki didn’t remember shit, nor did he have a hangover. 

“Just a bit tired. Why do you ask?”

Rei swallowed nervously. “You threw up last night.”

“I did? Shit, man. Did you have to deal with it?”

“You threw up in the toilet.”

Kazuki scrunched his nose, “Sorry you had to see that.”

That was the least of what I had to see, “I’ve seen worse.”

The blonde man groaned and put his face into his hands. “Please. Don’t. I don’t want to remember that.”

“You don’t even remember shit.”

────

It had been a week since.

Since what? That dipshit was drunk out of his mind, making up some songs about big boobs, small waist, and pretty face. He said Rei was the last two things, kissed him on the mouth, then promptly fell asleep on top of him. 

What the hell even happened. It all felt like a fever dream. Rei couldn’t get himself to act like himself. Kazuki had blacked out, so he went about as if nothing had happened. Rei couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing. On the one hand, they didn’t have to talk about anything or pretend to be normal; on the other, he had to pretend to be normal. 

Everything that wouldn’t cause Rei to bat an eyelash became weird.

Kazuki walking down the stairs in the morning.

Kazuki returning home after walking Miri to daycare. 

Kazuki complaining about the cold (it was not that cold.)

Kazuki’s wordless pat on his shoulder while he watered the plants. 

Kazuki folding his boxers (well, clothes, but particularly boxers) neatly. 

Kazuki’s hands when he picked up Miri.

Kazuki handing him his preferred furikake at dinner. 

Kazuki nagging him about the pile of wood ear mushrooms he picked out.

Kazuki’s hair, still wet after a shower. 

Kazuki’s pink sweatshirt. “Millennial pink,” he said. 

Kazuki saying good night. To Miri.

Kazuki laughing at his epic in-game death that happened immediately after he sat down next to him with two beers in hand. 

Kazuki leaving a light in the kitchen on when he plays games past midnight; not too dim and not too bright. 

Kazuki’s presence. 

Kazuki. 

Kazuki’s very existence. 

What the hell is going on?

────

After waving Miri goodbye at the daycare front gate on a cold, rainy day, Rei made a detour. 

“Please help me, Kyuutarou-san.”

“You scared me for a second, Rei-kun,” Kyu said as he prepared a hot milk tea for an unlikely visitor. “Given that Miri-chan had a fever last time you came to me like this.”

“Sorry.”

“So what is it this time, if she was fine?”

Rei started at the cup. It had a delicate, curvy handle. It had the same curly pattern on the side, too. It was emerald green and rich mahogany—

“Rei?”

He looked up, fixing his gaze on the shelves behind Kyu. He swallowed. 

“How is… Kazuki?”

“Why are you asking me? You two live together.”

Shit. “Uh, um, was he weird when he came here last week?”

“No?” Kyu was getting frustrated with this roundabout nonsense. “What is this about? Shoot. I don’t have all day.”

Rei felt like he was going to explode. He was filled with thoughts but no words. No words at all. He fidgeted on the bar stool while Kyu habitually polished an already spotless glass. 

“If you’re not gonna—“

“Okay, okay,” it’s spilling. Rei’s face was all scrunched up. Pretty face. 

“Kazuki kissed me.”

A brief silence followed the crisp sound of glass shattering; it slipped out of Kyu’s usually steady hands. 

“…alright. And what do you need help with?” Kyu said with a deadpan. 

“The glass…” Rei got up from his seat, only for Kyu to stop him with a show of hand. He sat back down as ordered. 

“I, uh, don’t know what to do,” Rei said to the cup of milk tea that had gone lukewarm. 

Never in Kyu’s criminal career had he thought that a fellow associate would come to him for personal advice. He took off the glasses and rubbed on the bridge of his nose. 

“Are you fine with it?” He asked. 

“Huh?”

“I said are you fine with it.” He is flustered. My word. Kyu thought to himself. 

“I mean, we’re partners—work partners. And there’s Miri. We take care of Miri, together. I don’t know. Is this fine? But, like, he was drunk. And he doesn’t remember. This is really weird. I don’t know…” Rei took a sharp breath, “Is this okay?”

“I can’t tell you that,” Kyu leaned back against the shelves, arms crossed. “You didn’t answer my question.”

Rei wanted to come up with an answer, but it was all just white noise in his head. 

“It didn’t feel, um, wrong. I guess.”

“Then there you have it.”

“But it feels really weird—“

“Drink your tea now. I have work at 10.”

“He also said I’m small waist—“

“You’re pushing it. Out. Now.” Kyu took away the untouched tea and dumped it in the sink. “The weird part, you’d have to figure it out. The two of you.” Kyu said to Rei before shutting the door of Yadorigi. 

────

9:37 pm

Rei figured working out and watching something might clear his head—or occupy his mind.

Kazuki came out of the bathroom with just a towel around his waist. “Rei, you’re acting weird,” He glared. “Why did you go up and stay in your room this morning?”

And whose fault is it? Rei narrowed his eyes. “Nothing.”

“Eh, whatever.” He shrugged and resumed busily typing on his phone. Rei glanced over. It’s either the moms in Miri’s class or the girls at Fairy Lips. 

“Alrighty! Going out later.” Kazuki tossed the phone on the couch and sat down in front of the TV. “Tsk. I just showered.”

“Huh?”

“I said I’m going out.”

“…with who?”

“Dorothy. Why?”

“Nothing.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

The sound from the TV filled the otherwise awkward silence. The ice skater jumped but fell on landing. He then picked up the pace and nailed the remaining jumps flawlessly. He stood in the center of the rink, arm stretched in the glory, eyes searching for his coach in the crowd. 

And he found him. 

Kazuki gasped as the tender-eyed coach tackled the skater and both fell onto the ice. “They so just kissed. They totally kissed. No?” Kazuki turned around, eager to confirm with Rei what he’d just seen. 

“I’m going.” Rei released his hands and straightened his torso; his skin was dewy with sweat. It took Kazuki a few seconds to realize what he had just heard. 

“Wait. What?”

“I’m going out, too.”

He almost couldn’t recognize this man. 

────

“Then I said,” Kazuki slammed down the beer stein and wheezed, “Girl, what if you float in the ocean because of your fake boobs!” Dorothy cackled and punched Kazuki’s bicep. “So that’s why she was talking about taking them out!” Rei sat and watched the two in hysterics, wondering if it was a mistake tagging along. 

But he had to know. 

“Okay, okay, whew.” Kazuki fanned himself, “All that laughing almost made me piss myself.”

“Gross. Go.” Dorothy jokingly slapped Kazuki’s behind as he stood up. 

“Hey! Hands off the private property.” He turned his head with a dopey grin. Dorothy giggled and shooed him away. 

“Sorry about that, Rei-kun. We were just talking about one of the girls.” Dorothy took a drink of water, “She’s retiring and moving to Okinawa to get married.”

Rei nodded politely, then down the beer he’d been clutching. “Dorothy-san…”

“Dorothy. Dorothy is fine. Don’t san me, makes me feel old,” she chuckled, chin resting on her hand. Rei had no idea how old she was. He couldn’t tell. 

“So, Dorothy.” He cleared his throat, “had Kazuki, uh, ever said anything about me?” 

“Oh, hun, he wouldn’t shut up about you,” Dorothy looked at Rei’s rather serious face, “My, he still hasn't done it, huh?” 

“Done what?”

“I thought that you came along tonight because—“ Dorothy paused, narrowing her eyes, studying Rei’s face as if he was a rare and fascinating specimen. “You two are some very funny people, you know that?”

“Eh?”

Dorothy flashed a knowing smile and leaned in. “I’m just going to tell you. I’d be doing that idiot a favor, anyway.” She gestured at Rei to huddle closer and put one hand next to her mouth. “He adores you.”

────

2:03 am

“Dude, you were pounding it! What the hell?” Kazuki laughed, “Who were you trying to impress?” They were walking home, slowly, with Rei’s arm over Kazuki’s shoulder, and Kazuki’s arm around Rei. 

Rei pouted, eyes closed. “Nobody.” 

“And you got along so well with Dorothy! I mean, you’ve met before, but it’s not like—Hey! Keep those legs moving.”

Rei felt fuzzy and warm. He felt safe walking with his eyes closed. It all made sense now. 

2:35 am

Kazuki made his drunk roommate brush his teeth and change clothes before he collapsed on the couch. Too lazy to take another shower, Kazuki retreated into his bedroom. 

Then a knock on the door followed by it cracking open. It was Rei, wrapped in his blanket. 

“What’s up?” Kazuki asked. 

And somehow Rei took it as an invitation; he promptly waltzed in and climbed in bed next to him. 

“Hey, what the hell?”

“I’m sleeping here.”

“Huh?”

“I’m sleeping here tonight.” Rei burrowed in. 

How was Kazuki to say no to this face? He stared at Rei for a while, then settled back in bed. Only now he lay wide awake. After a bit of toss and turn, Kazuki glanced over; he could just make out Rei’s sharp features under the brightness of a full moon seeping through the blinds. He could hear him breathing, even and calm. 

“Pain in the ass,” he whispered, pulling the blanket to cover Rei’s shoulder. He remembered bits and pieces of the night when they had a going away party at Fairy Lips. There was a stupidly catchy song stuck in his head. He remembered dropping his phone, the hot shower, and Rei’s stunned face. 

In his fuzzy memory, Rei’s face was dangerously close. So close that he would’ve brushed his lips against his it if he’d stretched his neck just a little. Kazuki hoped that he didn’t. But he also wished he did. 

A petty face, under the moonlight. So hazy yet so clear. 

Some cold toes brushed against his ankle. Kazuki held onto that thought and carefully hooked his leg around Rei’s. Kazuki moved closer, and gently wrapped an arm around Rei’s slim waist, bringing their warm bodies closer together. 

Kazuki rested his eyes. 

Ah. What the hell. 

[The End]

Thank you for reading! This was so much fun for me to write!

Yuzuko’s death once separated them. Parentless and raised by her elder sister, young Karin went to live with a distant relative up north, while Kazuki remained in Tokyo. He believed that she resented him for taking her only family away. Then they reconnected again, and she fitted right into his newfound family. Miri and Karin adore each other, and Rei warmed up to her quickly, too.

Kazuki feels the tears well up. Don’t cry, don’t cry, they’re taking photos. He looks at her; Karin is beautiful in the gown she designed herself. She looks right back at him, the way she squints when she smiles, the same quirk Yuzuko had. I’m walking her down the aisle, Yuzu. Can you believe it? He presses his lips together, but a blink lets the droplets fall.

“Aw, come on, you’re such a cryer,” Karin says, with a smile so dazzling that he almost misses her misty eyes. “You’re gonna make me cry, too.” The two giggles at how silly they look trying to fight back tears.

────

After retiring from their previous careers and moving out of the city to a seaside town, Kazuki and Rei (mostly Kazuki, really) made local friends and were invited to weddings a couple of times. But this particular wedding is unlike anything they’ve experienced. For starters, the celebration is hosted at a chateau—or what Miri excitedly called a castle. Karin’s husband is an award-winning chef specializing in Japanese-French cuisine, so the food is bound to be exquisite. Not to mention, French weddings are an all-day affair, as they’ve been warned that dinner will be served at 9 pm, and the party after will last till dawn.

As her first trip outside of Japan, or perhaps just as a 9-year-old, Miri is having the time of her life. “We’re staying at a castle!” Their room is furnished with one king-sized bed. Kazuki and Rei looked at each other and shrugged.

In the four and a half years they’ve left their old lives behind, the family of three had had a few living situations. After the loft apartment, they moved into an old unit with a tatami floor in the only bedroom. Much to young Miri’s delight, the three of them slept together for an entire year.

It wasn’t an easy year; stuck in a shoe box, between assimilating into civilian life, parenthood, and Rei’s disability, Kazuki and Rei had disagreements. Many. Never fighting in front of Miri was the one thing they could agree on from the start.

But it was also that year when they grew much closer. The reality forced them to communicate, and to face issues head on. Ultimately, Kazuki and Rei wanted the same thing: a safe, happy childhood for Miri. Every time they fought, it was to protect that vision. In that same year, they began to truly mold and fit into each other, consciously or unconsciously. From Kazuki walking on Rei’s right side, Rei’s ability to maneuver in the kitchen alongside Kazuki, to the way they sleep in the futons on tatami.

────

The day of the wedding, Kazuki stood before the armoire; a black suit for him, a navy suit for Rei, and a satin and tulle dress Karin had made for Miri in a shade of sage green that flatters her eyes and hair. She’d even hand sewed her name, in cursive, on the inside of the dress.

“Reminds me of the night before her first day at daycare,” Kazuki said in a tone reminiscent of something like nostalgia.

“A much better job than we’ll ever do,” Rei took a glance then chuckled.

“Can’t argue with that.”

Kazuki zipped up the dress then fluffed up the wrinkled tulle skirt. Miri twirled excitedly. “Can I go? Can I go?” Her eyes sparkled.

“Don’t run too far, be back here in 10 minutes, okay?” She nodded then disappeared behind the door. By the sound of her heels, she was skipping down the hall.

Kazuki combed and tied Rei’s hair into a sleek low ponytail. Rei had kept it at mid length, after discovering his strands form loose waves with the right haircut, instead of a puffy, frizzy mess. Though Kazuki never called it a mess; he’d say it was fluffy while ruffling through it.

“I can do it myself,” Rei said. Kazuki fastened the necktie just right, then smoothed down the collar. “I know. But I like doing it.”

“Hmm.”

────

After the ceremony, it’s the cocktail hours. When the blonde man finally returns with a plate of hors d'oeuvre and two flutes, Rei snares. “Done harassing your brother-in-law?”

“This is the time! A real, living Michelin star chef. I had to.”

“So what did you steal from him.” Rei takes a sip as he watches Miri playing with other children across the room.

“He said we should try using baguette instead of milk bread for French toast.”

“We could test with baguette on the next day off. What else?”

“Something about olive oil… I’m not sure. His Japanese isn’t fluent. And a lot of the food terms were in French,” Kazuki pauses to enjoy the finger food. “You have to try this.”

Rei studies the little piece of toast with various toppings, “Nah. It has olives.”

Kazuki picks out the olive, eats it, then offers Rei again by shoving it directly in front of his face. Rei reluctantly eats off Kazuki’s hand.

“Not bad.”

“Right?”

────

The dinner was a feast. Multi-course, modern Japanese-French cuisine with wine pairings. Rei swears that Kazuki was nearly brought to tears, again. “The miso? The miso in the sauce? Brilliant. Gosh. I wish I was Karin.” Kazuki gushes.

“Don’t even think about stealing my husband, Kazuki,” the tipsy bride waltzes over with a wine glass in hand. Her pretend stern face turns into giggles as soon as she sees Rei. “I don’t think Rei-kun would be happy with that either!”

“Why wouldn’t I be—“

Karin shushes him. “Stop it. Stop. It flew right over you again and I’m not explaining.” Rei closes his gaping mouth in confusion.

“Go get Miri! I’m doing the bouquet toss in a bit!” The giddy bride says before hopping away towards the groom, who waits to take her hand with the fondest look on his face.

“What was that?” Rei asks. Kazuki puts a hand on his back and shakes his head.

“Figured.”

────

Kazuki and Miri wait with a group of women who are participating in the bouquet toss.

“This is so fun,” She says as she yawns. Too much fun, perhaps. It is getting late. “When you and Rei-papa get married, can I be a flower girl again?” She looks up at Kazuki and asks nonchalantly.

“Eh? Why—“

“Kazuki! Get outta there! You’re not getting this bouquet!” Karin shouts and swings her arm dramatically. Her cheeks are flushed and her steps are slightly unsteady. She looks so happy.

“My bad, my bad…” Kazuki holds up his hands as he moves out of the way. The guests laugh at their sibling banter.

The excited crowd gathers. This is where the real fun of the night begins. Karin turns around and does a couple of swings before her toss; the guests watch attentively in anticipation.

“Three… two… one!” The bride jumps and hurls backward, sending the bouquet across the ballroom. In front of the group, Miri realizes the bundle of flowers isn’t coming their way. It’s going completely sideways, towards the wine table. Everyone’s eyes follow the flying bouquet.

Rei flexes his left arm and catches it backhandedly. He turns around, prosecco in one hand, flowers in the other, utterly flabbergasted. The guests go wild; several women swarm him. That man wasn’t even looking!

Miri weaves through the traffic, throws herself at Rei, and squeals. “That was so cool!” She beams and hugs his waist tightly. “My papas are getting married!”

“Eh? What do you mean—“

“Congratulations!” The guests cheer, making him even more flustered. What is Miri saying? He scans the crowd in a panic, but couldn’t find a single familiar face.

Then he sees it. Strawberry blonde, a pair of bright, tea-brown eyes, and a crooked grin. Kazuki swims through the crowd and makes it to Rei and Miri.

“Rei-papa and Kazuki-papa are getting married!”

“Wow, haha, um, nice catch!” Kazuki says awkwardly. Damn it, my nerves! Rei doesn’t say anything, eyes wide like a deer in the headlight. “Um, you all right? Rei?”

“I saw something in the corner of my eye and… this.” He holds up the bouquet, “That wasn’t very normal people of me.” Rei mutters, ears still hot from all the attention.

Kazuki chuckles slyly, “Sure was very assassin of you.”

Rei dishes a side eye and chucks the flowers in his face.

────

They finally coaxed Miri into going to bed. The condition: she gets to hold on to the bouquet when she does. The two men step out to the garden for some fresh air. Rei takes out a brand new pack of cigarettes in French packaging.

“Haven’t seen you smoke in a while,” Kazuki commented.

“Well, it’s for the occasion.” He lights it up, takes a drag, and promptly coughs.

“Can’t handle it anymore?”

“Shut up. I just wasn’t expecting it to be this strong.”

The lively music flows out from the chateau, a stark contrast to the serene and sleepy countryside.

“…would you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Sign the papers.”

“Sign what papers?”

“Gosh, Rei, do I really need to spell it out?”

“You know the answer.”

“Fine.” Kazuki sighs, wishing he’d had a drink before this. “Like, getting married or whatever. Hypothetically, of course.”

Rei takes a long drag and exhales. “I mean, you’re the one who was married.”

“That was different.”

“How so?”

Kazuki pictures the day he and Yuzuko got married at the city hall. She was in a sundress, and he was in a shirt and tie that were sold as a set. But that wasn’t really it, was it? Marriage is… what comes after. Though their marriage barely lasted, and it wasn’t their fault. Kazuki reaches his hand over, Rei passes the cigarette.

Kazuki coughs.

“Told you.”

“Yeah, thanks for the warning.” Regaining composure, Kazuki continues. “You know she died six months later.”

Rei remains silent.

“But it was easy—the decision to get married. It was just the thing to do, you know? If I could do it over, I’d marry her again. She was what I needed. At the time. I… loved her. I really did. And I still do, I think.” He pauses, looking back at the chateau. “Like how I love Karin and Miri. I’d do anything for them—I’d die in their place, if I could.”

The thought of Miri or Kazuki dying sends a chill down his spine. Rei turns his head away. “That’s grim. We’re at a wedding.”

“I know. But—and then there’s you. And I’d do the same for you, too.”

“I can handle myself.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Then what do you mean, Kazuki? You asked me a hypothetical question and went on about… about the people you love. What’s that got to do with each other? I can’t understand you when you go roundabout like that.” Rei pauses, filling his lungs with brisk air. “I need you to tell me exactly what it is.”

Kazuki traces the outline of the man before him, then puts his arm around his slim frame. Rei leans in and rests his head on his shoulder. “We’re not fighting though, are we?”

“Of course not, dummy,” Kazuki says softly.

“Idiot.”

“Jerk.”

“…it’s warm.”

“Hmm.”

“I like you.”

“What did you just say?” Kazuki pulls away, “What are you, a teenager?”

“I didn’t like anyone when I was a teenager.”

“Don’t get smart with me,” he fixes Rei’s crooked tie, “I love you.”

Rei brings them back together and burrows his face in the strawberry blonde.

“I love you, too.”

────

The guests circle the newlyweds as they open the dance. Kazuki and Rei watch from a safe distance, sipping on drinks.

Rei finishes his dessert wine. “This is delicious, why do they serve it in such a small glass?”

“Probably because only an ant like you could drink it,” Kazuki scrunches his nose, “It’s sickly sweet.”

“No, it’s not, it has… layers.”

“I think it’s too sweet.”

“Can we stock these at the diner?”

“Absolutely not.”

“You suck,” Rei pouts, “I’m going to get more.”

10 minutes later, Rei is visibly tipsy. “I learned,” he says as he puts his hand on the small of Kazuki’s back, “these are called dessert wine.” His eyes twinkle. Oh no. Kazuki knows this look.

“Let’s go!” Rei tugs on the lapels.

“You don’t even like dancing!”

“Yeah, but, Karin says we have to.”

Kazuki glances over, Karin is in the middle of the dance floor, picking up her floor-length skirt, laughing and twirling to the poppy music. Kazuki hesitates. He can’t dance to save his life. A happy drunk Rei is mesmerized by the joy spilling over from the dance floor.

Then the music changes. It’s a slower instrumental piece; anyone can tell that it’s a love song. The crowd slows down. Then the groom waltzes in, Karin takes his hand. Cheek to cheek, they step and sway to the rhythm. The guests pair up and follow their lead.

Rei looks at Kazuki, eyes twinkling. He gives in. Then Rei smiles the only way he can: a thin-lipped, strained smile. But Kazuki knows better than anyone else. This is Rei’s happy face. He takes his left hand, and he places his right on his heart. He pulls him in with an arm around the waist.

“Is your arm okay like that?” Kazuki asks, in a voice only Rei can hear. Rei hums. They move with the music; knowing nothing about dancing, they just follow their instincts. Rei puts his head down on Kazuki’s shoulder and closes his eyes.

“Don’t fall asleep on me.”

“Hmm.”

────

Daylight breaks into the ballroom, the partied-out guests sit around, nibbling hot onion soup.

Rei’s glossy, wavy, raven-colored hair is down, draping over his shoulders. Kazuki’s shirt is stained with wine. Their ties are missing. The two huddle together, eating soup.

“If it’s possible, it’d be nice.”

“What?”

“To get married. To you.”

“I see.”

“Tsk. That’s it?”

“You want me to propose now?”

“Maybe.”

“Then I propose to—add French onion soup to the menu.”

“Okay.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. It’s delicious.”

“That’d be nice.”

“Hmm.”

“To get married. If it’s possible. That is.”

“Okay. What about dessert wine?”

“No.”

“Fine.”

Kazuki warps Rei into his arms and rests his chin on his left shoulder. Their cheeks touch; slightly sticky with sweat, wine, and maybe a little bit of happy tears.

[ The End ]

Thank you for reading! Fun fact: the baguette French toast is a secret menu at this little cafe run by a French couple near where I used to live. The best French toast hands down. I want to thank the anon who sent in the lovely idea of a KazuRei story at Karin’s wedding.