#quincette

Opening your eyes to look up at him your smile grew when he pressed a kiss to your forehead. “Are we still on for dinner then this evening?”

“Of course we are. I have cleared my afternoon schedule and should be home by six.”

Sitting up gently on your elbow you looked down at him, taking in the relaxed expression upon his face. It was something you relished in, because this was something that he only shared with you.

Nobuyuki was always on that could hide his emotions behind that perfect smile of his. The smile that could charm a room. But this. This was something that you were only allowed to see. The way his blue eyes seemed to dance with mischief. Or how the corners of his lips turned upwards and his eyes gently crinkled just so with his real smile.

“I look forward to it then…” and you dipped your head, attempting to kiss the corner of his mouth.

He surprised you before you could kiss him by threading his fingers up into your hair at the back of your head to turn it gently the way he desired to kiss you properly. He moaned softly into it, sending a gentle shiver down your spine, before he pulled away.

“I could simply call out today…”

“You could, but we both know you won’t.”

“My father’s company, though it may be, would not miss me for a day.”

“Hmn, maybe, but would you feel right leaving your meetings this morning in the hands of Yukimura?”

“Saizo should be there…”

“And with those two, this idea doesn’t scare you?”

“No.”

“We both know that’s a lie.”

“…I am no match for you it seems.”

“No, you’re not,” with a bit of laughter in your voice you kissed his nose then slowly slipped from his grasp to get up from bed. Pulling your nightgown back over your head you turned your head to look back at him. “So, I’ll go get breakfast started.” and you quickly left the bedroom before that smile could tempt you back into bed.

By the time he had gotten showered and dressed, you had breakfast waiting for him on the dining table. He came up behind you and gently brushed his lips against the back of your neck, smiling against your skin at your soft giggle. You turned about in his arms and kissed him gently.

“Mmn, you’ve had your coffee I see.”

“Yes, for now I have risen,” you kissed him again then slipped out of his arms, knowing full well it was a dangerous place to be if you wished to get ready for work. “Enjoy your breakfast, and I’ll see you tonight.”

“Of course, Dear one.” he stepped close and pressed another gentle kiss to your forehead. “Please say hello to your Mother for me.”

Watching you leave the room he sighed softly. Part of him wishes that he could have spent the day in bed with you, but. He was supposed to be the responsible one. Glancing down at his breakfast he smiled. He found a small folded origami heart near his plate. Picking it up he tilted his head curious, when on the back of it he found a small note from you.

“Have a good day at work.”

With a chuckle he tucked it into his suit coat pocket, then glanced at the time. He was going to be late if he didn’t hurry. Eating quickly, he scooped up his briefcase from the seat nearby and rushed out the door.  

But that wasn’t the only paper heart he would find.

Throughout his day he found them pretty much everywhere he went.

There was one in his briefcase, tucked gently into one of the folders he needed for his morning meeting; “Good luck!”

Another, was gently tucked within his lunchbox; “I made your favorite!”

A third had somehow found its way into his desk’s top drawer; “Just because.”

Each one brought a genuine smile to his face. All in all, he found almost one hundred of them. Each having a different message written by you upon it, and all of them in places where he was sure to find them. Though he was positive he looked silly snooping about his office for them, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

Upon his arrival home he was quick to unlock the door, eager to see you and have you in his arms. Wanting to remark on the little game you had made for him, he paused just inside the door. You were waiting in the living room for him, hair and makeup done to perfection with the gown he had picked for you for dinner. And he found his breath stolen at the gentle smile you gave him.

“Welcome home.”

Dropping his briefcase at the door he made his way across the room, and gently reached out for you. And once he felt your fingers in his he drew you into his arms, burying his nose into your hair as he held you oh so tightly against him.

“I am home, Dear one.”

With a chuckle you gently pressed your hands to his chest, pushing him back just enough to look up at him and smile. “Did you have a good day?”

“Yes,” he replied simply, flashing that smile he only shared with you. “I found the small hearts you left for me.”

“They weren’t just hearts,” and you chuckled at the slight bit of confusion on his face. “You read them, yes?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Then you found almost all the ways I love you.”

His brows furrowed slightly a moment till he realized what you had done. You left love for him everywhere he went. Not so much in the ways of just saying the words that you loved him, but small things to make him smile and to remind him that you were there.

“I wanted to get you something for Valentines day, but I didn’t know what to get you,” you mumbled softly as you smiled up at him. “And I had heard about putting the hearts in a jar, but I figured, the small hunt for them might make things just a bit more interesting.”

“Interesting indeed,” he smiled. “I am positive that I must have looked half mad to Yukimura and Saizo when I was searching for them in my office.”

“They kinda helped me hide them, so…probably.”

“That explains how one magically appeared in my desk then.”

“Ah,” you chuckled softly the hummed. “Though, there is still one more to find.”

“Oh? And tell me, Dear one, where should I start looking?”

Without a word you moved and pulled one of the small hearts from inside your dress that you had tucked near your left shoulder, and offered it to him. He blinked at it a moment, before he chuckled again and gently took the small red heart from your fingers. Turning it slowly he glanced up at you, then back down to the heart, to turn it over; “I love you. Nobuyuki.”

Huffing out a soft laugh he looked up at you, and before you could say a word he gently cupped your cheek, that small paper heart still in the palm of his hand as he leaned in to kiss you. He let it linger, before breaking it to rest his forehead against yours.