#kaneato

Ayato knew what was coming, but his heart still skipped a beat as he unlocked the lock to his apartment door. His eyes widened when he saw Santa Claus staring back at him. The foot he used to gently kick the door shut wobbled. This is going way too far...

“Merry Christmas, Ayato-kun! Hohoho!” In his boyfriend -- Ken’s -- outstretched arms there was a poorly wrapped gift. It was clear from the wrapping that it was a body sized plush bunny.

Still, Ayato was happy. It was more than he had expected; he had casually mentioned that he really wanted a huge bunny from Santa who he’d never met before (hell yes, he believed in Santa!).

Cheeks turning a little pink, Ayato accepted the gift. “Thank you,” he mumbled. He knew Ken would have a goofy smile on his face now, and it’d totally ruin the moment, so he kept his head burrowed in his new best friend.

“I’m glad you like it, Ayato. There’s more inside.”

There’s more? Ripping the wrapping apart so he could sink his fingers into the soft fur of the bunny (he loved it; he’d name it Shittyneki), Ayato silently strolled after Ken, wondering when would be a good time for his own gift.

There was a feast today; from turkey to his favourite dessert to wine (Ayato had just turned legal this year). The layout was another thing he’d mentioned ages ago; how did Ken remember all of them? It was a little too much for his heart to bear.

“How is it? ...Ayato? Is something the matter?”

“...” You’re so unfair, dammit. 

“Ken, c’here.” Ayato settled his bunny on the ground,  its ears tickling his neck. He was sure his face was red as a tomato by now. Ken did as he said -- slowly, for he was unsure of what to expect.

Then Ayato just pulled him by his fake beard for a quick kiss before hugging him by the neck, tight enough that it was hard for Ken to breathe, not that he minded.

“Umm, what I have isn’t something as grand as any of these... but it’s something you said you wanted...” God, his heart is beating so quickly... Or is that mine?

“So, uh, Merry Christmas, and, um... er, Iloveyou.”

#1: let’s date (because i think you want to)

it started off as short messages left in his shoe locker.

words like “i like you, shitass.” or “go out with me, motherfucker.” the person had even gotten the kanji for ken’s name wrong. even though the handwriting was more of messy scribbling, each message was ended with a drawing of a cute bunny.

then one day they switched to text messages; ken had no idea how they got his phone number. they said roughly the same thing (except now in neater, digital text), and ended with a bunny emoji.

about a week later, ken saw his “admirer” in his university. they -- he -- was easy to spot; he wore a bunny shirt, had two bunny clips keeping his hair from covering his face, and was publicly... stalking ken after class.

even though the boy -- ken asked and learnt that his name was kirishima ayato -- had the appearance of a fluffy-dressed delinquent, he didn’t dare approach ken and instead tried to poorly blend in with the students.

for some reason, ken found that cute and in the end, it was ken who went up to ayato and outstretched his hand:

“hello, cute bunny-kun. i take it as you’re my secret admirer? won’t you please go out with this shitass/motherfucker?”

#2: let’s kiss (because i think i want to)

ken looks up; he catches ayato staring.

“...what?”

refusing to look ken in the eye, ayato mutters a “nothing”. frowning, ken returns to reading, then feels ayato’s eyes on him again.

ken tears his eyes away from his book again, this time his expression more stern.

“what?” he hisses lowly; they’re in the library and ken didn’t want to attract anymore attention. it was already the talk of both his university and ayato’s high school that they’re dating.

“ -- ... shit,” ayato ruffles his already messy hair. ken had recently learnt that it was a natural purple and not dyed, which was a wonder in itself.

“it’s just, well, you... you just looked so damned cool when you’re studying.”

the blush on ayato’s cheeks had ken turning scarlet himself. maybe he’s actually more in that he thought.

at the thought, ken found himself sighing in defeat. “hey, ayato. c’here for a bit,” he gestures with his hand.

“...? what is it, you bastard...”

shielding them from view with the help of his textbook, ken kissed ayato. it was only a quick, light peck; he pulled away immediately.

the look on ayato’s face said it all. ken chuckles. “i just had a feeling that i had to kiss you is all.”

#3: let’s move in together (because we love each other)

in the blink of an eye, three years had passed. 

ken had graduated from university and ayato is finishing his final year. ken hadn’t thought they’d actually last this long together.

as he drives ayato to his graduation exam, ken can’t help but think back to the past three years. it had been fun.

“fun.” a word ken wasn’t accustomed to using with people. his idea of fun had always revolved around books, and now it included ayato. in fact, ken could easily see himself in the far future with ayato.

has he become such a large part of my life? 

ken chews on his lips, the way he does when he’s deep in thought. ayato notices, and nudges his elbow.

“focus on the road. don’t worry; i’ll be fine. i may be stupid, but with all your teaching, there’s no way i can fail.”

“...yeah. yeah, that’s right. hey, ayato?”

“mm?” ayato was already busy reciting formulas, which ken found cute.

oh my god, i’m really in deep, aren’t i?

ken clears his throat. “you know... after you graduate, why don’t we move in together?”

silence. ken risks a peek at ayato after a minute. then he found himself grinning.

Ayato was a trained killer. He probably knew 100 ways to break one’s neck even without his kagune. So when a guy like him starts going “GAHHHH!” in the middle of the night, isn’t it normal for Ken to go running to his rescu—

“What the fuck?” Ken’s hands broke the door of their room down while his kagune reached for the boy in the kitchen, too concerned to care what each part of his body was doing as long as they got to Ayato.

“Don’t just stand there! Help me!”

But still Ken remained frozen. How was he to react at the sight before him? Ayato was on one of their dining chairs, hands grabbing onto its top rail, shaking in what could only be fear. His kakugan pupils were focused on something eerie…

“…A cockroach?” Was Ken meant to scream as well or to roll his eyes or to cry at the fees he’d have to pay for the repair of his door later? Ayato the cold blooded ghoul was afraid of a cockroach? It ****** and ****** (censored due to the horror on Ayato’s face), and Ayato jumped, almost falling off the chair.

“HURRY UP AND GET RID OF IT!” it was the look on Ayato’s face that did it after all. With a not-so-well suppressed laugh, Ken picked up the cockroach by its antennas and flung it out of the kitchen window, earning a shriek from Ayato as it flew past him.

They stayed like that for a few moments; Ken with his arms open in case Ayato falls off the chair, and the latter evening his breathing as the embarrassment catches up on him. At last Ayato jumps off the chair silently, face a shade of scarlet. Even his footsteps as he scurried to wrap his arms around Ken were gentle.

“…Forget all that,” Ayato muttered as he squeezed Ken so tightly he felt his organs might spill out (fortunately for him, he was used to this treatment).