Babe
We all know that Daiki hates vegetables, but if you're the one cooking them, that's okay too. 🍅🥦🥕
For this story, I wanted to play a little bit with the theme of expressing your feelings: some people are naturally inclined to share their thoughts, and some people struggle a little bit more, and maybe Valentine's Day is a good opportunity to take an extra step. 💙
I hope you enjoy it,
Vesper
You have known each other for a long time, but sometimes you still wonder what’s going on in his head.
Especially when he is so quiet and silent.
Today, however, the situation is worse than usual, as he has even offered to help you with the houseworks, without specifying the details of his reward.
The main event is to clean up the black hole he calls the 'drawer of my basketball stuff'.
Daiki's not messy, he's just lazy: he doesn't take the trouble to fold his shirts, uniforms, shorts or hang up his socks but he gets upset when he can't find what he wants to wear, especially if it's for practice or a game. He will chase you around the house yelping like a hungry puppy until you, exhausted by his complaints, plunge your magical hands into that pandemonium of technical clothing and pull out what he wants; each time arousing his amazement and unleashing an exaggerated gratitude that is both sincere and mischievous.
But today is different.
You can tell by the way he follows your instructions without distraction, you can see it in the way he meticulously folds his clothes and places his terry socks in the compartments. He doesn't complain, he doesn't find an excuse to go for his phone, he doesn’t try to lift you and throw you on the bed, claiming a sudden dizziness because of the little attention you're giving him.
He behaves well, very well, that's why you have mixed feelings.
"Are you in the mood for something different for dinner tonight ?" you ask, turning your eyes to his, busy trying to figure out if the arm bands he holds in his hands are the same colour or not.
"Your choice babe, I'm up for anything!" he replies with a smile.
"Veggie burgers and mashed potatoes?" you offer, aware of the avalanche of complaints that will soon overwhelm you. Veggies are a forbidden, dark spell in his vocabulary, especially since it was your revelation that chips are not real food, let alone vegetables.
Daiki blinks and returns your hug, running his big hand down your back before leaning in for a chaste, lip-smacking kiss.
" All right babe, gonna eat veggies if it makes you happy ! " he sighs, shrugging his shoulders in a surrender that is as easy as it is suspicious.
You tie your hair up in a ponytail, wash your hands, open the big fridge in the kitchen, arrange carrots, celery, onions, cabbage and shiitake mushrooms on the chopping board and sigh. From the kitchen window, your gaze falls on the pedestrian street where, under the yellowish light of street lamps, you see many people enjoying the cold, clear evening. They walk slowly, hand in hand, flowers and presents swinging from their arms. Some are posing romantically in front of the large maple tree, others are exchanging shy glances, while scattered singles are looking around nervously, sure that someone exciting, their beloved maybe, will suddenly appear around the corner. All that love frenzy for no apparent reason, as if Cupid himself was shooting arrows at them or there was a virulent epidemic of romance in the air.
Only then you realise what a day it is,above all you realise that you have not prepared or bought anything for him. Valentine's day was about to slip through your fingers, caught up as you were running from one end of your life to the other, trying to carve out a few hours just for the two of you. Hours you wasted cleaning your house, teaching him the useless art of folding clothes and matching socks, instead of celebrating what you achieved in your relationship. You should have told him how happy you were to turn your head and find him beside you, buy a sweet treat to share, or at least dress in something nicer than an old cartoon hoodie and leggings. Small signs of care, so unusual to someone as independent as you, but that instead came so easy from him, who isn't the best at speeches, but who affirms his feelings every day through small gestures addressed to you and you only.
You look at the ceramic bowl full of the tangerines he peeled without even asking, because he knows how much you like them; but he also knows how much the smell of orange oil on your fingers annoys you. You touch their firm slices, the white veins, the cold white surface of the bowl, lost in your thought until you sense his figure behind your back. You feel the warmth of his large frame, the good smell of his skin, his strong arms sliding around your waist, his chin resting on your head, his hands lazily caressing your womb and hips until he feels you relax against his chest.
" I forgot it’s Valentine's day" you admit, earning an amused chuckle behind your shoulders "It just slipped off my mind" you repeat, almost horrified at your own alleged negligence.
" Are you apologising for forgetting a sappy commercial festivity ?" the boy's voice adds ironically, then closes his lips on your head, on your temple, turning you gently around to look into his eyes to put your guilt at rest for good “Who cares, babe” he concludes, caressing your nape with his long fingers .
"I'm so sorry, Daiki, I didn't mean to" you confess, lowering your eyes and feeling your body wrapped by his broad shoulders, his arms holding you tightly, his nose bumping into yours just to give you a fleeting eye contact before closing your mouth with his, chasing away those bitter, meaningless words. You feel his warm hand on the back of your spine, his knee slipping mischievously between your legs, his lips leaving yours only for the time of those words.
"Let me make it simple: as long as I have you, fuck Valentine's Day! " he exclaims, shifting the attention of his incredible eyes from yours to a spot on your neck which he first rubs with his thumb and then closes between his lips, determined to give you an everlasting memory of the night. You try to answer, but all he wants is to know that you will give in. You feel your body go soft, almost liquid, under the touch of his fingers. You call his name and he moans in response, pressing you against the kitchen counter, stopping his love attack as breathless words escape your lips: "I love you with all my heart".
You can almost feel him shiver, you can see him blink, his eyes get a little moist and he looks at you with genuine astonishment, for you are rarely so brave in expressing your feelings. He smiles at you and brings his lips to yours for a second, enjoying yet another provocation he can't seem to let go of. "That’s quite a gift, babe, let me return the favour " he adds, making you sit down on the kitchen counter to thank you, peppering your smiling face with little kisses until you, bothered by all the senseless sweetness, push him away with a gentle shove.
"You’re so annoying! " you giggle, as you get some more kisses and a new set of teases. “But still, you love me with all your heart!” he fondly corrects you, caressing your cheek with his long fingers, bringing his lips close to your earlobe, never taking his mischievous gaze from your eyes.
“I definitely do” you nod, eliciting an amused look.
You bend your head towards him, letting your cheekbone rest against his skin, breathing his breath, tightening your lips, preparing yourself for the most sensual of offers, which is not long in coming.