Poppies & Sunflowers; A MiriTama Soulmate AU
Chapter Two
Pairings: Mirio Togata x Tamaki Amajiki
Warnings: Fluff, more happy love hours here friends
Art: Artwork by @daddyschlongleg - Permission to use this artwork was granted by the original artist.
A/N: Guys! Chapter two is here! Thank you all so much for the positive feedback on the last chapter, we really appreciate it! Remember that Mirio is written by @montressor and be sure to go and give them some love too! Feel free to reblog and leave all the comments you’d like, we love reading them! Enjoy! 💕 Find the information and masterlist for this fic here!
Mirio had no idea how touch starved he was until Tamaki’s slender fingers caressed his cheek. When was the last time he had felt someone else even hug him? It made the bright blue eyes nearly shine, from the tears and the joy radiating from his own soul.
There were a few spectators and now that he had names exchanged; Tamaki, how sweet. Mirio gives a quick glance around as if to study a way for them to escape. There was no way he could focus on anything but Tamaki - which made more of those pretty yellow flowers come up from the other’s skin. It made him giddy, made him want to bounce and cheer. But also calm and focused.
Reaching to his scarred arm, Mirio plucks one of his own flowers off, surprised that it didn’t hurt. After all, he had never felt this before. With a careful consideration of being respectful of the others space he tucks it behind one of his long ears. “I can’t believe how lucky I am.”
Tamaki took this time to look down at himself, seeing the sunflowers that covered him. He pulls his lower lip between his teeth as Mirio tucks one of his own flowers behind his pointed ears and smiles.
“I-I’m the lucky one,” Tamaki insists, looking toward the ground. A question was tugging at the back of his mind, and his feet shuffled against the petals on the ground as he became aware of some onlookers. “Hey, it doesn’t...it doesn’t bother you that I’m...”
Tamaki can’t get the question out. Obviously it doesn’t bother Mirio that Tamaki is a man, but he didn’t want him to be disappointed. Some people dream about having their own biological family, and that clearly wasn’t possible with who the universe had chosen to put together in this situation. He just hoped that Mirio hadn’t gotten his hopes up too high when he imagined his soulmate.
“Bother me that what?” Now, he was surprised. Maybe it was the fact that Mirio knew he was gay when he was younger that the questioning was falling on some confusion. If he had found a woman as a soulmate... he knew it would have been platonic only. This.. this was exactly who he wanted. “Wait.. do you mean... Oh, no. Not bothered at all. You’re everything I could have dreamed of.”
An audible sigh of relief left Tamaki’s lips as Mirio assured him that he wasn’t put off in the slightest. The flowers that continued to bloom on his pale skin were a reminder of just how true that fact was. The one thing he was focusing on the most was Mirio and how genuinely happy he felt, for the first time in a long time.
Hands start to run up and down Tamaki’s arms in a manner of protection, soft caresses to show Mirio wasn’t going anywhere. “I think.. We should get out of here for now. Find a place to talk?”
If they could share a drink or a meal, just some time together to really settle and start getting to know one another.. Mirio knows it’s going to be the best day of his life so far.
Indigo eyes followed Mirio’s gaze, becoming fully aware now of all the people that were watching and pointing. None of it was malicious, they were all happy for the two of them, but still. It was more eyes on Tamaki than he’d like.
His eyes immediately dipped back to the floor and he gripped onto Mirio’s large bicep as a form of support, the world around the two of them spinning a bit. The warmth and gentleness of the hands on his arms were all that was keeping him grounded in that moment.
He finally manages a nod, eyes flickering halfway up to Mirio’s face before he spoke again, his voice uneven and shaky. “Y-Yeah, getting out of here sounds good.” The longer he was in his presence and being calmed by Mirio rubbing his smaller, but still slightly muscular arms the better he felt.
Eye contact was made once again, Tamaki still gripping his arm for dear life. “I’ll go anywhere with you, Mirio.”
It seemed Tamaki was a nervous type, someone who would usually be hidden in the corners of assemblies while Mirio was the type to stand in front of crowds. It didn’t bother him. Mirio honestly found it endearing and even made his heart beat quicker as if wanting to support the other with sincerest need. “Come on then. Tamaki.” He loved saying that name.
The way his name sounded coming from Mirio’s lips was heaven, causing quite a few more poppies to make their appearance on the taller man. Tamaki was definitely on the verge of a meltdown, but hearing his name and feeling that large hand encompass his own...it was just enough to pull him out of it.
Blue eyes meet Tamaki’s and it’s like a lump formed in his throat - all these new sensations Mirio had never thought to have. Was this what everyone felt like when they encountered their soulmate? Gently and assuredly Mirio slips his hand against the ones gripping onto his bicep and starts leading the other down the hallway.
He still feels the poppies sprouting against his skin and he wondered how he must look - but knows if it’s anything like how Tamaki looked with those bright sunflowers, he would look charming. Out of the hall, down to the front entrance.. Mirio doesn’t even bother to look back, because what he wants is to take Tamaki somewhere the nervous man could be settled and calm.
Tamaki’s watery eyes were on the floor as they walked. On the floor, or locked on the sunflowers that covered his body. He chances a glance upwards, and when he does his heart swells in his chest. Mirio looks proud as he pulls Tamaki along through the halls. Chin up, a huge smile on his face, commanding when he walks.
“This.. isn’t how I expected my day to go.” Blue eyes cast down to observe, smile still remained and likely unable to break. The tears had stopped and he felt the cool breeze hit his cheeks as they stepped outside. “It’s far better than I expected. So much better.. I didn’t know if I’d.. find someone! Let alone someone at UA.”
Fingers tighten on Tamaki’s own. As if he would always be willing to hold them, to steady them, to give him the needed grounding point to calm any sort of ailments.
They couldn’t be more different, but the anxious man found comfort in Mirio’s confidence. Tamaki picked his head up, looking straight ahead, and dropped the arm that was digging crescent marks into his own arm to his side. There was a light blush on his cheeks, but a small smile crept its way there as well.
In the sunlight, Mirio feels as though he can really get a perfect look at Tamaki and even pauses in their stroll to do so. The flowers across their bodies seemed to revel in the light and the blonde could understand why. The sun brought life... and in this case, so did love.
Was it already love?
“Me either,” Tamaki agreed, nodding his head and squinting in the bright sunshine that seemed to surround him. Mirio was radiant in and of himself, and Tamaki felt himself returning the tight, reassuring grip that was placed on his hand. “I never thought I would. It was...tough. My parents were always worried,” he thought, shaking his head and looking at the ground before his eyes lit up in realization.
“My parents! Oh, I need to call them and tell them later. They’re going to be so relieved.” His eyes trail back upward to Mirio’s looking at his beauty in the natural light. “What...what did you want to do, Mirio?”
Flush is brought to Mirio’s cheeks as he looks over Tamaki’s face, letting the mental image of him imbed into his mindset. There was such... perfection in his face, how his eyes were narrowed and dark, his hair deep but in the light... looked as if to carry its own halo. Smitten. Mirio was smitten. More sunflowers sprouted and he reached out to brush the petals of one against Tamaki’s neck. “My Dad knew I was going to find someone, but I was ready to accept it wasn’t going to happen..”
There’s tons of questions he’s ready to ask, about the other’s family and friends. What he was going to school for. If he wanted to be a hero like him. But they had time now, and the strong blonde wanted to make sure the other was calmer than before.
He watched as Mirio blushed, felt the extra sunflowers coming to life on the surface of his skin. It was enough to make Tamaki’s perpetually blushing face blush even further, admiring the god-like man that was now his soulmate. It almost didn’t seem real.
When Tamaki had imagined a soulmate, when he was younger and still had hope for one, he had imagined someone kind, caring, preferably bigger than him, and it seemed at this moment that all of his requests to the universe had been heard and granted.
“Let’s go find a nice noodle shop for lunch. My treat. It’ll be our first date.” Maybe not jump to that so quickly. Slightly embarrassed, free hand comes upwards to rub at the back of his head. “If that’s ok. I know a really good one not far from here. It’ll be quiet too.”
He’s already walking again, but would easily change direction if Tamaki wanted.
He nodded in response to the noodle shop, squeezing Mirio’s larger hand with a smile. “That sounds good. A first date...” he near whispered the last part more to himself than anyone else. He was still in a slight state of disbelief, but there were many things to remind him that this was very real.
Date! Mirio had suggested it, but Tamaki confirming it just made the taller of the two want to skip ahead, to dance, to laugh. All he does is grin, eyes closing for a second as if he needs to see if this was a dream.
But it was real. And he had his soulmate locked on his arm and hand in his own. With so much to think on he locks onto the way Tamaki spoke. Soft. Tentatively. When he had been younger all he wanted from his soulmate was someone who would accept, would care, would be the person he could bring all sincerity and sadness to. Which was why the idea of unloading all his sad memories seemed ok to do.
Withholding it for now, he doesn’t mention the nights he laid in bed, alone, wishing to have a flower bloom on his arm. To see his friends get gardens across their skin and he left with just scarred arms with no beauty to find.
Mirio’s hand against his, the flowers blooming on both of their skin...it was all there to prove and remind Tamaki that he was loved. Love, right? He looked back up toward Mirio, letting the question die in his throat. It was too soon for all of that, wasn’t it?
“I had already accepted it,” Tamaki continued their conversation from earlier as they walked, the idea of the classes they were missing far from his mind. “I mean, I hadn’t accepted it to the point that it didn’t bother me, but I was almost certain I wouldn’t ever find you.” His grip tightens around Mirio’s fingers at this, almost ashamed that he’d given up looking for him.
“But look at us now.” Mirio tears his gaze away to study a poppy on the back of his hand, feeling like he may cry again. “And these... these are like, part of us, aren’t they? These are so beautiful. I think you are more so, but I like these just the same...”
Every time Mirio spoke it was the best sound he’d ever heard. The farther they trailed from the watchful eyes of their classmates the more and more Tamaki smiled. He knew it was something he’d have to get over, especially if he wanted to become a hero, but for now it was just a part of him.
He watches as Mirio inspects one of his poppies and feels his heart swell at the praise before realizing that it was redirected onto himself. Blushing to the very tips of his ears, he reaches his free hand up to tug on one of them.
Laughing softly, Mirio knows the flirt was likely a bit corny. He had no experience with this sort of thing after all. “But I uh... I guess that’s one of the things which make us perfect for each other. We have the same thoughts.”
The praise is new. Tamaki was odd looking, he knew that. People didn’t call him Flea for no reason. “Y-You’re beautiful too,” he managed to get out, staring at his feet and the sunflowers on his body as they shuffled along.
“Perfect. Radiant...” he trailed off, lost in the praise he was showering Mirio. He was sure more poppies were making an appearance as he talked, his mind running rampant with images of his soulmate.
His mind travels back to that laugh, and in that moment Tamaki decides that he will do anything in his power to hear that laugh as often as he can. It warms him from the inside out and he smiles, leaning his head against Mirio’s arm as they walk. “Yeah, perfect for each other.”
Like goosebumps. That’s what Mirio came to some resolution on, the sensation of the flowers continuing to grow, fall, leaving small trails of white and yellow behind the pair as they walked. Goosebumps like when your body gives a shiver, or when there’s something particularly sensational on your mind.
Another aspect of how different they were, Mirio had been praised before by some who wished he was their soulmate. But it never mattered before, it never felt like a genuine compliment until he heard Tamaki’s soft voice say it. And boy did he blush even more.
“I.. thank you. Wow.” Airy laugh comes again, muddled with the sincerity of the moment. Fingers rub at his cheeks as if he could wipe away the red tint. “I need to work on better complements if you’re going to keep me blushing like this!”
Tamaki’s eyes drift upward again, looking at the familiar color dusted across Mirio’s cheeks. It stirs an odd sense of pride inside of him, that for once *he* was the one causing someone else to blush.
Blue eyes glance forward, knowing they’d be approaching the noodle shop shortly. “Maybe I should ask first uh.. I’m not bothered at all, but are you disappointed at all? Maybe I’m not as handsome.. I’m not really wealthy either, despite me offering you lunch!”
Doubt. That’s what he was hearing from Mirio, doubt in his own looks, just in himself in general. Tamaki stopped walking, Mirio continuing on until Tamaki pulled him to a stop as well. He was quiet for a moment, just staring up at those blue eyes.
Mirio feels the other against his arm, his heart starting to race again. He’s never had someone touch him like this, not as soft and assured. It was completely warping his ability to speak as much as he may have, if only from the soft shock.
“Mirio, don’t do that. You’re...you’re amazing. You’re handsome and kind and...and I don’t care about any of that stuff. Even if you weren’t handsome I wouldn’t care. I don’t care about your money. I...” Tamaki cut himself off, getting slightly emotional as he talked, watching the poppies spill from Mirio.
Instead, he walked into the other man again, wrapping his arms around his torso and breathing in his scent. “You’re perfect. You’re more than what I imagined, more than I could have ever asked for. So please, don’t doubt yourself.”
When he’s forced to stop mid-walk by Tamaki, Mirio takes a second to watch him speak. Assurance. That was clear. Respect. He was given it. All at once the blonde felt that same skip of heartbeat and swallowed down the urge to blur out how much he already loved this other man.
Because that was absurd, wasn’t it? “You.. ok. If you say so, Tamaki. I believe you and I trust you.” Softly he wraps his arms around the smaller, muscles tightening as if he can hold the other in this place forever. Head leans downwards so he can nuzzle cheek to cheek, glad he wasn’t crying anymore if only to save them both from a wet mess.
Tamaki remained there, wrapped around Mirio. His face buried in the other’s shirt, just enjoying being held by and touching someone else. He had no clue when he had done this last, but he was sure it was probably a hug from his mom or something of the sort.
“Thank you.” He adds in as a breath, lips turned to press ever so slightly against the cheek he was so close to. A faint, hint of a kiss. Just enough to slate the desire to do more. They had time, they had so much to talk about. And now Mirio had the confidence to do so.
