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Entry tags:
A Day Spent With You
Title: A Day Spent With You
Pairing(s): Ohno Satoshi / Matsumoto Jun
Genres: Romance, fluff
Rating: G
Summary: Three months into their relationship, Ohno invites Jun to spend the day with him. It's Ohno’s birthday, and Jun feels the pressure to make things perfect. But somehow Ohno has a different idea about what makes the perfect birthday.
Notes: Happy birthday Ohno-san. I hope that you are still living your best life, and that your beard has grown long enough to braid.
"Juuuun!" Ohno ran across the car park in exaggerated slow motion.
Flinging his arms wide, Jun did the same, while attempting to not drop the gift wrapped box in his right hand. "Satoshiiiiii!"
When they finally met, their hug was in slow motion as well. With arms wrapped around each other they swayed slowly from side to side. They were both laughing when they eventually pulled apart, amid stares from amused onlookers.
Jun straightened his rumpled clothes and grinned at Ohno. "That was fun, but if you expect me to skip hand in hand down the beach with you, you can forget it."
"Awww, not even a little? It is my birthday today," Ohno pouted.
"Do I look like the type of person who skips?" Jun gave his boyfriend a glare which would frighten the strongest of souls, but which apparently bounced harmlessly off Ohno.
Ohno tilted his head to examine Jun. "Wellll…"
Jun cut Ohno off by thrusting his gift at him. "Happy birthday Satoshi. Thank you for inviting me."
As Ohno carefully removed the wrapping paper so as to not tear it, Jun began to feel overdressed. Since it was a special day, he had chosen his clothes to give Ohno pleasure, but it seemed like he'd possibly gotten it wrong.
Ohno’s outfit consisted of a pair of jeans covered with mystery stains, paired with a long sleeved t-shirt with a print of a no longer existing band on the front, topped by a padded olive coloured waterproof jacket with multiple pockets and slightly frayed cuffs.
Finally, Ohno freed his gift from its wrappings. His eyes grew wide as he read the label on the bottle of single malt whiskey. "Thank you so much! How did you know that I've always wanted to taste this?"
Jun couldn't help laughing at Ohno's surprised expression. "Perhaps because you behave like a child looking at a puppy in a pet shop, every time we walk past the liquor store window where it's on display."
As Ohno packed the bottle and wrapping paper into a duffel bag which rested at his feet, Jun looked back to the car park. "What time is everyone else arriving?"
"I don't need anyone else. A day spent with you, is my idea of a perfect birthday."
The way that Ohno looked at him while he spoke, made Jun melt inside, and he fell just that little bit harder for the man. He was sure of his feelings towards Ohno, but unsure of how much they were reciprocated. As an artist, Ohno was more used to expressing his feelings on a canvas or intricate sculpture, rather than speaking them to those whom were closest.
"So what do you have planned for today?" Jun squinted at the sun glinting on the water, and slipped his sunglasses on to disguise the extent to which Ohno's words had affected him.
"We're going fishing!" Ohno looked fit to burst with excitement. He was practically dancing as he pointed to a blue boat moored at the nearby dock.
"Oh." Jun looked down with dismay at his pale blue striped shirt and brand new jeans. He'd expected the day to run along more conventional lines. A day at the beach meant a stroll along the sand while eating interesting snacks, or surfing when the weather was right. Not going out to sea on the slightly decrepit boat to which Ohno was heading.
"Don't worry," Ohno could understand what was bothering Jun. "I have something on the boat which you can wear to protect your clothes.
*****
"I kind of imagined that you had a jacket or something for me to put on." Jun looked down at himself and grimaced.
Ohno walked over to Jun and folded back the cuffs of the overly long sleeves which went past the tips of Jun’s fingers. He thought that Jun looked adorable in the oversized shiny yellow raincoat, but knew better by now than to say so. "I'm sorry that I forgot to tell you what we were doing today. I guess I got a little overexcited by the idea of surprising you."
"You're supposed to be excited on your birthday. Plus, technically I should be the one surprising you." Jun patted Ohno's fluffy hair as an apology for his complaint about the stiff rain coat which smelled strongly of fish guts. Ohno’s happiness was more important than comfort. "Let's fish!"
*****
The rocking of the boat had almost lulled Jun to sleep. After two hours of staring at the empty ocean while Ohno silently focused on the tip of his fishing rod, he was struggling to maintain an interest in Ohno’s hobby.
Despite his initial misgivings, Jun had found a quite comfortable seat on a piece of deck not covered with fishing gear. The weak November sun warmed his face but didn't burn his skin. He had noticed in the last hour though, that the swell was increasing, and had sent a video of the waves to torment his best friend Nino, who was notorious for getting seasick. In fact Jun swore that Nino once turned green after taking a bath in an overly full tub.
"Jun! Jun! Come quickly!"
Never before had Jun heard Ohno’s voice filled with such urgency. He hastily scrambled to his feet and almost tripped over a coil of rope as he dashed along the deck to Ohno, calling out as he ran, "What happened? Is something wrong?"
Ohno was quivering with excitement as Jun came to a halt beside him. "A fish! There's a fish on my line! And it's a big one!"
The tip of Ohno’s tongue poked out of the corner of his mouth as he attempted to reel in his catch.
Jun was utterly captivated by the look of sheer concentration on Ohno’s face, and the cute way his lips were pouting as he fought the fish. He surreptitiously slid his phone out of his pocket, and snapped a few candid photos, which meant that at first he didn’t even realise that Ohno had spoken, until he noticed that Ohno appeared to be jiggling impatiently on the spot waiting for him to do something.
Jun cupped his ear, and feigned deafness. "Um, sorry but I didn't quite catch that."
"The landing net, Jun! Can you please grab it and help me bring in this fish?" Ohno asked urgently. He had always dreamed of catching a bonito, and from the glimpses he'd caught of the fish on the end of his line, it seemed as if his dream was about to come true, and on his birthday, of all days.
"Oh, um, okay," Even though his knowledge of fishing was slim at best, Jun guessed correctly that the long handled net propped up against the railing was what he was supposed to grab.
"Hurry! It's really heavy!" The fish was flapping vigorously in mid air as Ohno lifted it up out of the water.
It was hard to reach, but Jun stretched his arm out and tried to help Ohno. Just as he managed to bring the net up beneath the shimmering fish, the boat was caught side on by a large wave. As the deck moved beneath his feet, Jun slipped and fell backwards. He dropped the net into the sea, and hit the deck hard.
When Jun fell, Ohno took his eye off the fish which managed to free itself from the hook and slip back into the water.
"Crap!" Jun squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to see the disappointment in Ohno’s eyes. "Does this boat have a life raft? If so, please feel free to set me adrift."
"Jun, look at me." Ohno’s voice was gentle but compelling.
Jun cracked one eye open and squinted up at Ohno through his lashes. "Sorry for losing your dream fish."
"I got to fight it and to see it up close. That's good enough for me. It's probably bad karma to kill something on my birthday anyway." Ohno held out his hand and helped Jun to his feet. "More importantly, are you okay? That was quite a fall."
"I'm fine, thanks. Although my butt will probably be a fetching shade of purple by tomorrow."
Ohno leaned in close, and whispered in Jun's ear. "Want me to kiss it better?"
Jun felt hot all over, but pointed to where the Captain of the charter boat was staring at them from the wheelhouse. He squeaked, "You wouldn't!"
Ohno said nothing, but his smile propelled Jun to hurriedly find something which urgently needed doing at the far end of the boat.
*****
"Since you know so much about spices, I just know that you would love this place." Ohno looked very pleased with himself as he held the door open for Jun to enter. "It's actually lucky that I didn’t catch anything, because it means that we can eat dinner here."
Jun took a seat and looked around at the interesting decor of the restaurant. "I know spices, but I’m definitely no expert on Indian food."
In fact spices had played a major role in bringing them together. Ohno was a regular customer at Jun's small imported food and spices store which was conveniently close to his art studio. At first Jun thought that the only reason Ohno visited so often to browse the shelves was to distract himself when one of his sculptures wasn't going well. Eventually though, Jun was pleasantly surprised to find out that he was the main attraction.
Knowing that he looked beyond windblown after the fishing expedition, Jun excused himself to go and use the bathroom. When he returned, the menus had been removed from the table, and Ohno was nowhere to be seen. It seemed as if everything was deserting him. He looked around for the waitress and she came over with a smile. Jun gestured to the empty table. "There seems to have been a mistake. I haven't placed an order yet."
The smile of the waitress dimmed, and was replaced with a confused frown. "But I was told to take the menus away."
"Oh...I…" Jun's words trailed off as Ohno reappeared in the restaurant through the door which led into the kitchen wearing a satisfied smile. He realised that the waitress was still waiting, and apologised to her. "Sorry. Never mind. The mystery has been solved."
Ohno looked back and forth between Jun and the waitress. "I thought I mentioned that I'm a friend of the chef, and he is preparing something special for us to celebrate my birthday."
The waitress looked at Ohno blankly, before excusing herself.
Jun knitted his eyebrows together. "...?"
It was a problem which Ohno knew he should work on. He often had entire conversations with people inside his head, and then forgot that he hadn’t actually spoken the words out loud. "I guess I forgot to tell you what was happening. Sorry for the confusion."
"No need to apologise. It's no big deal." Jun squeezed Ohno’s hand reassuringly. "I think it's cute when you have conversations with me in your mind. It means that you're thinking of me."
Ohno caught Jun's eye, and replied softly. "I'm always thinking about you."
Jun's heart seemed intent on leaping out of his chest, as he tried to form a reply. His brain seemed to have melted under Ohno’s intense gaze.
Fortunately for Jun, the waitress reappeared and rescued him from his brain freeze as she placed a large bowl of fragrant curry down on the table. The curry was accompanied by saffron rice, dotted with flecks of spice. Extra side dishes of chutney and condiments were placed beside the curry, and a bottle of wine in an ice bucket.
Ohno turned away to check the label on the bottle, which allowed Jun to breathe again. He hadn’t realised that he had forgotten how to, until Ohno looked away.
As Ohno dished the curry up into two smaller bowls, Jun took the opportunity to observe the way he made sure that Jun had the choicest pieces of meat. There had never been anyone in Jun's life who treated him with the same level of kindness and respect demonstrated by Ohno whenever they were together.
It wasn't one sided. Jun definitely looked out for Ohno with just as much care. When he was engrossed in his work, Ohno sometimes neglected himself. If he hadn't shown up at the shop for a few days, Jun would fill up a bag with groceries and drop by Ohno’s apartment and cook him enough meals to sustain him until he emerged from his artistic fog.
"Here you go." Ohno slid the bowl over to Jun, and handed him a spoon. "Let me pour you a drink before we eat."
The white wine from New Zealand was crisp, and tasted faintly of passion fruit and citrus when Jun took a sip after making cheers with Ohno, and once again wishing him a happy birthday.
The sauce of the lamb curry was a vibrant shade of red, and the steam wafting up from it made Jun's nose twitch. It smelled of tomato and coriander and something quite pungent.
Rather than eating, Ohno sat watching Jun expectantly. He figured that since Jun was an expert on spices, he would definitely appreciate this special curry of his own design. "Try it, and tell me what you think."
Jun scooped up a small spoonful and sipped a little of the sauce. He immediately wondered if it was possible for a human to spontaneously combust. His lips and tongue were on fire. The curry was far too spicy for him. Chili was definitely not his friend. He wasn't fond of coriander either, but at least it wasn't actively trying to kill him.
Blinking back tears, Jun nodded and whispered, "Very tasty."
Jun wasn't whispering on purpose; it seemed as if the curry had melted his vocal chords on its way down his throat.
Ohno nodded happily, and began working on his own bowl of curry with every sign of satisfaction.
The bowl was soon empty, and Ohno picked up the serving spoon to refill his dish, and was going to offer Jun a refill first when he noticed that Jun's eyes were bulging and he was looking like an over ripe tomato. Actually more like a recently watered tomato, since there was sweat pouring down his face.
The spoon hovered in mid-air as Ohno asked, "Are you okay?"
Jun nodded mutely. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, flames would come out and set fire to the tablecloth. It seemed to be getting better though; his lips were now completely numb, and he hoped his tongue would follow suit sometime soon.
"Are you sure?" Ohno half rose from his chair. Jun looked to be in some kind of distress.
"Y-ess." *cough cough cough*
As he handed Jun a tissue to wipe his streaming eyes, a thought occurred to Ohno. "Is the curry too spicy for you?"
If his eyeballs didn't feel like they were melting, Jun would've rolled them. "What makes you think that?"
"But you own a spice shop. You love spices." Ohno’s voice faltered as he tried to remember what Jun had ordered whenever they'd eaten out. Surely Jun must've had something spicy for him to think that he liked food with a bit of heat to it.
As Jun gulped down his wine and pressed the cold, empty glass against his forehead, Ohno remembered that it was his friend Aiba who ate spicy food. Once Aiba had made a mapo tofu which could have stripped paint. Aiba’s roommate Sho had sweated through his clothes, and had to take a shower before coming back to the table to eat the ice cream Aiba served up to try and numb the pain. Later on, Aiba had confessed that the difference between teaspoons and tablespoons was kind of confusing, and had major consequences when it came to chili powder.
"There is a difference between being knowledgeable about spice, and being able to eat the equivalent of lava," Jun replied with a rueful grin.
"I'll ask the waitress to bring you a menu so you can order something else."
Jun tore off a piece of naan bread and dipped it in the chutney. "Don't worry about me. There's plenty of other things for me to eat while you enjoy the rest of your curry."
"To make it up to you I'll order you a huge bowl of ice cream for dessert."
Jun decided that a little flirting was called for, to get this birthday celebration back on track. "That sounds great, as long as you share it with me. Since it's your birthday, I will allow you to feed me one spoonful without complaining."
"Really?" Ohno couldn't restrain his smile. He often teased Jun by doing cliché couple type things. Jun grumbled every time, but it was clear that he enjoyed every moment of it.
*****
The sun had already set when Ohno led Jun back to the beach after dinner, but he had come prepared with a hurricane lantern so they could still easily find their way to a smooth stretch of sand, safe from the rising tide.
A fallen tree provided a comfortable sitting place, especially after Jun draped it with a bright blue and purple checked woollen picnic rug which he kept in his car.
With extreme caution, Ohno unscrewed the cap of the whiskey and poured a measure for each of them into the paper cup Jun held in each hand.
"Cheers!" Ohno tapped his cup against Jun's. He took a deep sniff of the amber liquid. "Thank you for this magnificent gift."
"Happy birthday, Satoshi."
The stars seemed to have fallen from the sky and landed in Ohno’s eyes as he gazed at Jun, who felt himself blush under the intense scrutiny. "Thank you Jun, for making this the perfect birthday."
Jun pressed his hands to his cheeks in an attempt to cool them. He looked at Ohno with disbelief. "Perfect? How can it be perfect after the number of times I screwed up today?"
"How could it not be perfect, when I got to spend the entire day alone with you?" Ohno sipped his whiskey, and sighed happily.
"Even when I accidentally let your fish go?" Jun held his breath as he waited for Ohno's response. He still felt terrible, even though Ohno had laughed it off at the time. They had only been officially dating for three months and although he was head over heels for the artist, he was still unsure of the depth of Ohno's feelings. The man spoke so rarely.
The whiskey was not only warming Ohno’s stomach, but also apparently loosening his tongue, as he found himself speaking to Jun. Saying actual words. In coherent sentences. "I'd rather lose a fish than lose you. You mean everything to me. I waited a long time to find someone like you - someone willing to fight alongside me, someone to make me smile and someone who would truly love me. You're in my thoughts, my dreams, and every breath I take. I know that this is true love. Matsumoto Jun, from this day forward, I want to spend every one of my birthdays with you. As a matter of fact I want to spend every single day with you for as long as we both live."
Rendered speechless by Ohno’s outpouring of emotion, Jun silently moved closer and rested his head on his shoulder.
For a long time they sat together in a comfortable silence, huddled beneath the colourful blanket, sipping their drinks and listening to the waves making the music of the beach as the crescent moon tracked across the sky.
Finally Jun formulated a reply to Ohno's heartfelt confession. At first his voice was barely audible over the surf, but Jun gained strength from the solid warmth of Ohno's body pressing against his side as he responded with the same serious intention. "Being with you is the most wonderful feeling on Earth. I would rather be beside you than anywhere else. I love your gentle soul, and the way you say so much without using words. When I'm in your arms I feel a sense of security I've never before experienced. I love you too, Ohno Satoshi."
Ohno stared into Jun's eyes for a long moment, before his lips touched Jun's softly, delicately, like butterfly wings.
Heat rose in Jun's cheeks as his tongue touched Ohno's, quick and electric and delicious.
In the middle of their kiss, Jun could feel Ohno smiling.
Pairing(s): Ohno Satoshi / Matsumoto Jun
Genres: Romance, fluff
Rating: G
Summary: Three months into their relationship, Ohno invites Jun to spend the day with him. It's Ohno’s birthday, and Jun feels the pressure to make things perfect. But somehow Ohno has a different idea about what makes the perfect birthday.
Notes: Happy birthday Ohno-san. I hope that you are still living your best life, and that your beard has grown long enough to braid.
"Juuuun!" Ohno ran across the car park in exaggerated slow motion.
Flinging his arms wide, Jun did the same, while attempting to not drop the gift wrapped box in his right hand. "Satoshiiiiii!"
When they finally met, their hug was in slow motion as well. With arms wrapped around each other they swayed slowly from side to side. They were both laughing when they eventually pulled apart, amid stares from amused onlookers.
Jun straightened his rumpled clothes and grinned at Ohno. "That was fun, but if you expect me to skip hand in hand down the beach with you, you can forget it."
"Awww, not even a little? It is my birthday today," Ohno pouted.
"Do I look like the type of person who skips?" Jun gave his boyfriend a glare which would frighten the strongest of souls, but which apparently bounced harmlessly off Ohno.
Ohno tilted his head to examine Jun. "Wellll…"
Jun cut Ohno off by thrusting his gift at him. "Happy birthday Satoshi. Thank you for inviting me."
As Ohno carefully removed the wrapping paper so as to not tear it, Jun began to feel overdressed. Since it was a special day, he had chosen his clothes to give Ohno pleasure, but it seemed like he'd possibly gotten it wrong.
Ohno’s outfit consisted of a pair of jeans covered with mystery stains, paired with a long sleeved t-shirt with a print of a no longer existing band on the front, topped by a padded olive coloured waterproof jacket with multiple pockets and slightly frayed cuffs.
Finally, Ohno freed his gift from its wrappings. His eyes grew wide as he read the label on the bottle of single malt whiskey. "Thank you so much! How did you know that I've always wanted to taste this?"
Jun couldn't help laughing at Ohno's surprised expression. "Perhaps because you behave like a child looking at a puppy in a pet shop, every time we walk past the liquor store window where it's on display."
As Ohno packed the bottle and wrapping paper into a duffel bag which rested at his feet, Jun looked back to the car park. "What time is everyone else arriving?"
"I don't need anyone else. A day spent with you, is my idea of a perfect birthday."
The way that Ohno looked at him while he spoke, made Jun melt inside, and he fell just that little bit harder for the man. He was sure of his feelings towards Ohno, but unsure of how much they were reciprocated. As an artist, Ohno was more used to expressing his feelings on a canvas or intricate sculpture, rather than speaking them to those whom were closest.
"So what do you have planned for today?" Jun squinted at the sun glinting on the water, and slipped his sunglasses on to disguise the extent to which Ohno's words had affected him.
"We're going fishing!" Ohno looked fit to burst with excitement. He was practically dancing as he pointed to a blue boat moored at the nearby dock.
"Oh." Jun looked down with dismay at his pale blue striped shirt and brand new jeans. He'd expected the day to run along more conventional lines. A day at the beach meant a stroll along the sand while eating interesting snacks, or surfing when the weather was right. Not going out to sea on the slightly decrepit boat to which Ohno was heading.
"Don't worry," Ohno could understand what was bothering Jun. "I have something on the boat which you can wear to protect your clothes.
*****
"I kind of imagined that you had a jacket or something for me to put on." Jun looked down at himself and grimaced.
Ohno walked over to Jun and folded back the cuffs of the overly long sleeves which went past the tips of Jun’s fingers. He thought that Jun looked adorable in the oversized shiny yellow raincoat, but knew better by now than to say so. "I'm sorry that I forgot to tell you what we were doing today. I guess I got a little overexcited by the idea of surprising you."
"You're supposed to be excited on your birthday. Plus, technically I should be the one surprising you." Jun patted Ohno's fluffy hair as an apology for his complaint about the stiff rain coat which smelled strongly of fish guts. Ohno’s happiness was more important than comfort. "Let's fish!"
*****
The rocking of the boat had almost lulled Jun to sleep. After two hours of staring at the empty ocean while Ohno silently focused on the tip of his fishing rod, he was struggling to maintain an interest in Ohno’s hobby.
Despite his initial misgivings, Jun had found a quite comfortable seat on a piece of deck not covered with fishing gear. The weak November sun warmed his face but didn't burn his skin. He had noticed in the last hour though, that the swell was increasing, and had sent a video of the waves to torment his best friend Nino, who was notorious for getting seasick. In fact Jun swore that Nino once turned green after taking a bath in an overly full tub.
"Jun! Jun! Come quickly!"
Never before had Jun heard Ohno’s voice filled with such urgency. He hastily scrambled to his feet and almost tripped over a coil of rope as he dashed along the deck to Ohno, calling out as he ran, "What happened? Is something wrong?"
Ohno was quivering with excitement as Jun came to a halt beside him. "A fish! There's a fish on my line! And it's a big one!"
The tip of Ohno’s tongue poked out of the corner of his mouth as he attempted to reel in his catch.
Jun was utterly captivated by the look of sheer concentration on Ohno’s face, and the cute way his lips were pouting as he fought the fish. He surreptitiously slid his phone out of his pocket, and snapped a few candid photos, which meant that at first he didn’t even realise that Ohno had spoken, until he noticed that Ohno appeared to be jiggling impatiently on the spot waiting for him to do something.
Jun cupped his ear, and feigned deafness. "Um, sorry but I didn't quite catch that."
"The landing net, Jun! Can you please grab it and help me bring in this fish?" Ohno asked urgently. He had always dreamed of catching a bonito, and from the glimpses he'd caught of the fish on the end of his line, it seemed as if his dream was about to come true, and on his birthday, of all days.
"Oh, um, okay," Even though his knowledge of fishing was slim at best, Jun guessed correctly that the long handled net propped up against the railing was what he was supposed to grab.
"Hurry! It's really heavy!" The fish was flapping vigorously in mid air as Ohno lifted it up out of the water.
It was hard to reach, but Jun stretched his arm out and tried to help Ohno. Just as he managed to bring the net up beneath the shimmering fish, the boat was caught side on by a large wave. As the deck moved beneath his feet, Jun slipped and fell backwards. He dropped the net into the sea, and hit the deck hard.
When Jun fell, Ohno took his eye off the fish which managed to free itself from the hook and slip back into the water.
"Crap!" Jun squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to see the disappointment in Ohno’s eyes. "Does this boat have a life raft? If so, please feel free to set me adrift."
"Jun, look at me." Ohno’s voice was gentle but compelling.
Jun cracked one eye open and squinted up at Ohno through his lashes. "Sorry for losing your dream fish."
"I got to fight it and to see it up close. That's good enough for me. It's probably bad karma to kill something on my birthday anyway." Ohno held out his hand and helped Jun to his feet. "More importantly, are you okay? That was quite a fall."
"I'm fine, thanks. Although my butt will probably be a fetching shade of purple by tomorrow."
Ohno leaned in close, and whispered in Jun's ear. "Want me to kiss it better?"
Jun felt hot all over, but pointed to where the Captain of the charter boat was staring at them from the wheelhouse. He squeaked, "You wouldn't!"
Ohno said nothing, but his smile propelled Jun to hurriedly find something which urgently needed doing at the far end of the boat.
*****
"Since you know so much about spices, I just know that you would love this place." Ohno looked very pleased with himself as he held the door open for Jun to enter. "It's actually lucky that I didn’t catch anything, because it means that we can eat dinner here."
Jun took a seat and looked around at the interesting decor of the restaurant. "I know spices, but I’m definitely no expert on Indian food."
In fact spices had played a major role in bringing them together. Ohno was a regular customer at Jun's small imported food and spices store which was conveniently close to his art studio. At first Jun thought that the only reason Ohno visited so often to browse the shelves was to distract himself when one of his sculptures wasn't going well. Eventually though, Jun was pleasantly surprised to find out that he was the main attraction.
Knowing that he looked beyond windblown after the fishing expedition, Jun excused himself to go and use the bathroom. When he returned, the menus had been removed from the table, and Ohno was nowhere to be seen. It seemed as if everything was deserting him. He looked around for the waitress and she came over with a smile. Jun gestured to the empty table. "There seems to have been a mistake. I haven't placed an order yet."
The smile of the waitress dimmed, and was replaced with a confused frown. "But I was told to take the menus away."
"Oh...I…" Jun's words trailed off as Ohno reappeared in the restaurant through the door which led into the kitchen wearing a satisfied smile. He realised that the waitress was still waiting, and apologised to her. "Sorry. Never mind. The mystery has been solved."
Ohno looked back and forth between Jun and the waitress. "I thought I mentioned that I'm a friend of the chef, and he is preparing something special for us to celebrate my birthday."
The waitress looked at Ohno blankly, before excusing herself.
Jun knitted his eyebrows together. "...?"
It was a problem which Ohno knew he should work on. He often had entire conversations with people inside his head, and then forgot that he hadn’t actually spoken the words out loud. "I guess I forgot to tell you what was happening. Sorry for the confusion."
"No need to apologise. It's no big deal." Jun squeezed Ohno’s hand reassuringly. "I think it's cute when you have conversations with me in your mind. It means that you're thinking of me."
Ohno caught Jun's eye, and replied softly. "I'm always thinking about you."
Jun's heart seemed intent on leaping out of his chest, as he tried to form a reply. His brain seemed to have melted under Ohno’s intense gaze.
Fortunately for Jun, the waitress reappeared and rescued him from his brain freeze as she placed a large bowl of fragrant curry down on the table. The curry was accompanied by saffron rice, dotted with flecks of spice. Extra side dishes of chutney and condiments were placed beside the curry, and a bottle of wine in an ice bucket.
Ohno turned away to check the label on the bottle, which allowed Jun to breathe again. He hadn’t realised that he had forgotten how to, until Ohno looked away.
As Ohno dished the curry up into two smaller bowls, Jun took the opportunity to observe the way he made sure that Jun had the choicest pieces of meat. There had never been anyone in Jun's life who treated him with the same level of kindness and respect demonstrated by Ohno whenever they were together.
It wasn't one sided. Jun definitely looked out for Ohno with just as much care. When he was engrossed in his work, Ohno sometimes neglected himself. If he hadn't shown up at the shop for a few days, Jun would fill up a bag with groceries and drop by Ohno’s apartment and cook him enough meals to sustain him until he emerged from his artistic fog.
"Here you go." Ohno slid the bowl over to Jun, and handed him a spoon. "Let me pour you a drink before we eat."
The white wine from New Zealand was crisp, and tasted faintly of passion fruit and citrus when Jun took a sip after making cheers with Ohno, and once again wishing him a happy birthday.
The sauce of the lamb curry was a vibrant shade of red, and the steam wafting up from it made Jun's nose twitch. It smelled of tomato and coriander and something quite pungent.
Rather than eating, Ohno sat watching Jun expectantly. He figured that since Jun was an expert on spices, he would definitely appreciate this special curry of his own design. "Try it, and tell me what you think."
Jun scooped up a small spoonful and sipped a little of the sauce. He immediately wondered if it was possible for a human to spontaneously combust. His lips and tongue were on fire. The curry was far too spicy for him. Chili was definitely not his friend. He wasn't fond of coriander either, but at least it wasn't actively trying to kill him.
Blinking back tears, Jun nodded and whispered, "Very tasty."
Jun wasn't whispering on purpose; it seemed as if the curry had melted his vocal chords on its way down his throat.
Ohno nodded happily, and began working on his own bowl of curry with every sign of satisfaction.
The bowl was soon empty, and Ohno picked up the serving spoon to refill his dish, and was going to offer Jun a refill first when he noticed that Jun's eyes were bulging and he was looking like an over ripe tomato. Actually more like a recently watered tomato, since there was sweat pouring down his face.
The spoon hovered in mid-air as Ohno asked, "Are you okay?"
Jun nodded mutely. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, flames would come out and set fire to the tablecloth. It seemed to be getting better though; his lips were now completely numb, and he hoped his tongue would follow suit sometime soon.
"Are you sure?" Ohno half rose from his chair. Jun looked to be in some kind of distress.
"Y-ess." *cough cough cough*
As he handed Jun a tissue to wipe his streaming eyes, a thought occurred to Ohno. "Is the curry too spicy for you?"
If his eyeballs didn't feel like they were melting, Jun would've rolled them. "What makes you think that?"
"But you own a spice shop. You love spices." Ohno’s voice faltered as he tried to remember what Jun had ordered whenever they'd eaten out. Surely Jun must've had something spicy for him to think that he liked food with a bit of heat to it.
As Jun gulped down his wine and pressed the cold, empty glass against his forehead, Ohno remembered that it was his friend Aiba who ate spicy food. Once Aiba had made a mapo tofu which could have stripped paint. Aiba’s roommate Sho had sweated through his clothes, and had to take a shower before coming back to the table to eat the ice cream Aiba served up to try and numb the pain. Later on, Aiba had confessed that the difference between teaspoons and tablespoons was kind of confusing, and had major consequences when it came to chili powder.
"There is a difference between being knowledgeable about spice, and being able to eat the equivalent of lava," Jun replied with a rueful grin.
"I'll ask the waitress to bring you a menu so you can order something else."
Jun tore off a piece of naan bread and dipped it in the chutney. "Don't worry about me. There's plenty of other things for me to eat while you enjoy the rest of your curry."
"To make it up to you I'll order you a huge bowl of ice cream for dessert."
Jun decided that a little flirting was called for, to get this birthday celebration back on track. "That sounds great, as long as you share it with me. Since it's your birthday, I will allow you to feed me one spoonful without complaining."
"Really?" Ohno couldn't restrain his smile. He often teased Jun by doing cliché couple type things. Jun grumbled every time, but it was clear that he enjoyed every moment of it.
*****
The sun had already set when Ohno led Jun back to the beach after dinner, but he had come prepared with a hurricane lantern so they could still easily find their way to a smooth stretch of sand, safe from the rising tide.
A fallen tree provided a comfortable sitting place, especially after Jun draped it with a bright blue and purple checked woollen picnic rug which he kept in his car.
With extreme caution, Ohno unscrewed the cap of the whiskey and poured a measure for each of them into the paper cup Jun held in each hand.
"Cheers!" Ohno tapped his cup against Jun's. He took a deep sniff of the amber liquid. "Thank you for this magnificent gift."
"Happy birthday, Satoshi."
The stars seemed to have fallen from the sky and landed in Ohno’s eyes as he gazed at Jun, who felt himself blush under the intense scrutiny. "Thank you Jun, for making this the perfect birthday."
Jun pressed his hands to his cheeks in an attempt to cool them. He looked at Ohno with disbelief. "Perfect? How can it be perfect after the number of times I screwed up today?"
"How could it not be perfect, when I got to spend the entire day alone with you?" Ohno sipped his whiskey, and sighed happily.
"Even when I accidentally let your fish go?" Jun held his breath as he waited for Ohno's response. He still felt terrible, even though Ohno had laughed it off at the time. They had only been officially dating for three months and although he was head over heels for the artist, he was still unsure of the depth of Ohno's feelings. The man spoke so rarely.
The whiskey was not only warming Ohno’s stomach, but also apparently loosening his tongue, as he found himself speaking to Jun. Saying actual words. In coherent sentences. "I'd rather lose a fish than lose you. You mean everything to me. I waited a long time to find someone like you - someone willing to fight alongside me, someone to make me smile and someone who would truly love me. You're in my thoughts, my dreams, and every breath I take. I know that this is true love. Matsumoto Jun, from this day forward, I want to spend every one of my birthdays with you. As a matter of fact I want to spend every single day with you for as long as we both live."
Rendered speechless by Ohno’s outpouring of emotion, Jun silently moved closer and rested his head on his shoulder.
For a long time they sat together in a comfortable silence, huddled beneath the colourful blanket, sipping their drinks and listening to the waves making the music of the beach as the crescent moon tracked across the sky.
Finally Jun formulated a reply to Ohno's heartfelt confession. At first his voice was barely audible over the surf, but Jun gained strength from the solid warmth of Ohno's body pressing against his side as he responded with the same serious intention. "Being with you is the most wonderful feeling on Earth. I would rather be beside you than anywhere else. I love your gentle soul, and the way you say so much without using words. When I'm in your arms I feel a sense of security I've never before experienced. I love you too, Ohno Satoshi."
Ohno stared into Jun's eyes for a long moment, before his lips touched Jun's softly, delicately, like butterfly wings.
Heat rose in Jun's cheeks as his tongue touched Ohno's, quick and electric and delicious.
In the middle of their kiss, Jun could feel Ohno smiling.