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It was a cold night filled with continuous drops of rain falling down onto the hard ground outside of Jewelry Étranger.
The windows were closed and yet, one could still shiver as the icy atmosphere played at their back.
Richard was laying down the thick couch while waiting quietly. A few moments passed until Seigi came into the room, along with a tray of royal milk tea. Richard's eyes immediately softened upon his arrival, while Seigi simply smiled as usual.
He put down the tray in front of Richard and placed the two cups of tea on each side of the table. Seigi was about to exit the room when Richard spoke.
"There is still quite a bit of time left before the next guest arrives. Care to join me?"
"Of course Richard-san! Let me bring along your pudding as well then." Richard hummed contentedly at his words while his glance followed the path of Seigi's back.
While Richard was eagerly eating his pudding, Seigi couldn't stop staring. Maybe it was because of his breathtaking beauty, maybe it was because of the feeling that he got whenever he saw Richard eating his food, or maybe it was the hidden fear that never left him ever since Richard went to England, but he couldn't take his eyes off of him for even a second. His blonde hair, long, pointed nose, prominent ocean eyes and pale rosy lips made his mind go blank, but he couldn't, wouldn't put a name on this feeling.
When Richard stopped eating, the corners of his lips twitched in satisfaction and his eyes met Seigi's.
"Thank you, Seigi. Your pudding has truly gotten so much tastier than before."
"I'm glad! I have been practicing hard."
See, Seigi had two problems.
Firstly, he knew that a guest is supposed to come in a few minutes, but he simply couldn't make himself leave. Seeing Richard enjoy the things he makes for him delights Seigi in a way nothing does and it only gets worse by the day. You'd think that he gets used to it coming here repeatedly, but he really doesn't.
Secondly, he wishes to leave so, so badly. He feels like if his gaze meets with Richard's once more he'll either faint or just become unable to speak.
His feelings really contradict themselves, don't they.
It wasn't supposed to go like this. He has always held immense respect for Richard and he has always cared for him tremendously, but something else was creeping in his heart. It always used to be extremely easy to just admit that he loves Richard, and he still does, so then why is it that every time he thinks of it now, his cheeks start burning and his beating heart starts making his entire body limp?
It's unfair.
It seems that his constant fleeting thoughts made his gaze look troubled, because Richard worriedly opened his mouth. "Seigi? Are you alright?"
"Ah, of course! It's just..." Seigi then starts panicking over the idea of Richard realising what he's thinking of, so he ends up blurting things at random. "...cold! It's very cold isn't it! It's raining, and all..."
This is so embarrassing-
He looks up after a few flustering seconds to see a contemplating Richard with his usual flawless, delicate expression having his chin resting on his hand and his nose a bit scrunched. Richard's face suddenly looks like he just realised something, so he gets up from his seat and looks down at Seigi.
"Richard-san..!?" Seigi yelps in surprise when Richard sits next to him and looks him in the eye.
"You should have told me sooner if you were feeling cold. I apologize because I do not have any other way to help you warm up aside from this, but, if you do not mind..." He trails off while taking Seigi by his arms gently and putting his own around his shoulders. Seigi wasn't actually feeling cold, but he would be lying if he said that the warmth emitting from Richard's embrace wasn't extremely comfortable.
...And it would've been perfect if Seigi's heart could also listen to his reasoning and stop wanting to jump out of his chest.
He was in trouble. He could feel Richard's slow breathing on his neck and his soft, almost feathery arms caressing his shoulders. His wavy golden hair was barely touching his right cheek and he could already feel himself sweating.
Richard slowly got closer and closer, his hands traveling down his back and up again, probably in an attempt to warm Seigi up. His head was a complete mess, his throat unable to form any words. He didn't actually want to, really. Richard's hands felt hot against the fabric of his shirt and that made his mind go ways he didn't intend it to, making his body stiffen involuntary.
Richard must've felt Seigi's body stiffen up, because he looked deep into Seigi's eyes, without letting go of his shoulders.
Richard's lips open slightly. He looks like he's deeply thinking about something, and he decides on speaking up.
"I am deeply sorry if I have made you uncomfortable. I shouldn't have invaded your personal space. My apolog-"
"No!" Seigi screams loudly, the knot inside of his throat finally leaving. His face feels like it's on fire, but for once he did not want to stop talking.
"I-I mean..." He takes a deep breath. "You absolutely didn't make me uncomfortable."
"Then..." Richard's face looked puzzled.
"I was... embarrassed." Seigi lets out the deepest breath he has ever held in.
"Embarrassed? Why would you feel embarras-"
"Let me finish, Richard-san!"
Richard's eyes widened for a split second, but his expression softened immediately after. Seigi's heart skipped a beat.
"I wanted to say, I was embarrassed. But not because I felt uncomfortable or weird about it. I just, really liked it. I liked it a lot."
Richard wanted to speak, but Seigi continued.
"And! And..I loved the fact that you came to hug me. I know it's because I said I was cold, even though I actually wasn't. I know it's because you are extremely kind to everyone, and care about everyone, I don't quite know what is going on with me, but I-"
Seigi shifts his position so he can look at Richard straight in the eyes, while carefully placing his hands in his.
'I really love you, Richard."
Seigi is blushing furiously, even though he has said this before, it has a different meaning now. An entire different meaning of "I love you".
Richard's eyes shot open, but then this almost sorrowful look clouds them, letting a bittersweet smile show. "I love you too, Seigi."
Maybe, his feelings are something completely different from what he thought they were after all. But, he knew what they were. He just didn't want to name them. But he knew, deep inside, that it's love. It may be a different type of love than what he thought he held for Shouko, because it's deeper, and stronger than everything he has ever felt. But it's there. And his heart won't let him keep it to himself any longer.
"Richard."
Richard now seems uncertain to look into Seigi's eyes, for some reason unknown to Seigi for now, so he boldly decides to let go of his arms, take his face into the palms of his hands and lift his chin up for his eyes to meet his own.
Their breaths tangle together so much closer than before that makes Seigi's mind dizzy, and yet his mouth continues to get ahead of him.
"I meant to say..." He leans in so that their foreheads touch.
"I'm in love with you."
Richard's cheeks start to flush and his arms start trembling slightly. The same reaction Seigi had moments ago, Richard is mimicking and that gives him a little bit of hope.
...But, his logic starts catching up to him, and he jumps back, letting go of Richard's face abruptly, almost spilling the milk tea in the porcelain cup on the table next to them.
"O-Of course you don't have to mind what I've just said! I-" Richard takes him by the shoulders and pulls him closer.
"You mean...romantically, I assume?"
Seigi's soul feels like it had long left his body before Richard spoke calmly, so he decides to respond anyway.
"Yes. Romantically." He leans in closer without even noticing. "Because it's you, Richard."
The sweet, delicate moment that they were sharing felt like an eternity for the both of them, but the painful silence is soon overshadowed by Richard's soft giggles.
"You do not know...for how long I have been waiting to hear you say that, Seigi."
Seigi's heart naturally speeds up before he could coherently form a thought. Richard somehow ended up so close that their noses were barely touching and their eyes were like knives digging deeper and deeper into Seigi's weak heart. Both of their breathing were getting faster than ever before. Seigi couldn't help himself from glancing at Richard's moist lips.
"Seigi, would you allow me to kiss you right now?"
"Yes, please."
Richard slowly dragged his left hand to Seigi's waist, pulling him closer, while caressing his cheek with his right. Seigi's eyes closed out of instinct, when he felt warm and wet lips pressed down on his own.
Soft mouths dancing together was a feeling that Seigi did not believe could feel this good. He was taken aback at first, but regained his composure and put his arms around Richard's neck, drawing him deeper than it should be possible. He reminded himself of what was happening; he was really kissing Richard, and Richard was really kissing him, and the world around them was meaningless. Seigi slowly and surely lost himself completely in the feeling of Richard's body, all that he had in his mind was to get closer, closer and closer. There was so much they had yet to know about each other, so much Seigi wanted to explore about the mystery that was Richard Ranasinghe de Vulpian.
After seconds that felt like hours, they parted, along with their flushed faces and their lips red and hot. They silently gazed into each other's eyes, like a long overdue promise made between them was finally fulfilled. They smiled and would've probably stayed like that forever, if the doorbell didn't ring and snap them out of their trance.
Breathing heavily, Seigi opened his now purplish lips. "I should...I should get that."
"Yes. Thank...thank you."
Seigi was ready to walk away when Richard pulled him by the neck and pressed a quick kiss to the other's lips.
"I'm in love with you too, Seigi." He smiled. "Let us work hard today as well, darling."
Seigi was hardly able to walk to the door.