FicWad

…As a Sign of My Love…
Shiira Megumi



Part Four


His eyes had always loved him.

Hisashi knew he'd never get tired of looking at his beloved, not with all of the expressions he had seen flashing across that cupid-like face. Those emotions visible would often change with his company and they never escaped Hisashi's vigilant eyes…although Jiro may never know it.

Hisashi loved watching Jiro during practice when he would be particularly serious. Jiro had admitted to him before that it was all out of respect for Takuro and Hisashi believed it. After all, Takuro’s words were the rules inside the studio. During those times, he'd see the bassist put all of his concentration on playing. Jiro would keep his eyes on the music sheet then close his eyes as if to take everything into memory. He'd sink his teeth into his lower lip while a little crinkle between the bassist's brows would appear.

Hisashi loved watching Jiro during lives. With Teru, Jiro was different. In the company of the vocalist, the bassist would become one bouncing ball of energy. Anybody who'd seen one of their concerts would be crazy not to notice. Jiro was fun to keep an eye on whenever he'd get all playful and stuff, especially around Teru. The bassist never failed to bring out the kid in the vocalist whenever they're together. It wasn't once that Hisashi had gotten a little jealous of their closeness but Jiro would only smile at him one that silently spoke of his love and the guitarist knew that there was nothing to worry about.

Hisashi loved watching Jiro during PV shoots. Those times, they were the closest, much to the joy of Takuro and Teru who wouldn't have to put up with their petty rivalry. Though the final cut often didn't make that closeness clear, Hisashi felt it was what had transpired behind the scenes that mattered. After all, their relationship was exactly like that.

Hisashi loved watching Jiro during TV appearances, when the bassist would keep as quiet as he was and just let Teru do all the charming and chatting. Concert-goers actually had a difficult time believing that Jiro, in real life, was actually as shy and as reserved as the guitarist with the ever-changing hair color.

Hisashi loved watching Jiro on his Mac during /Digital Buggy Crash Night/. He loved watching him during beer nights. He even loved watching him—in pained silence—when Reiko was with him. He loved watching him play with his twins. He loved watching him every chance that he could.

Hisashi especially loved watching Jiro sleep.

Fingers brushed away some hair off of Jiro's closed eyes with much care as though afraid the touch might wake the bassist up. Oblivious and naked under the blanket after they had made love, Jiro was lying on his stomach, his face turned towards the guitarist. His arms were on the pillow; one on top of the striped pillowcase and the other tucked underneath. Lovingly, Hisashi skimmed his eyes over the creamy expanse of Jiro's back, just slightly muscled at the right spots. The guitarist winced a little upon seeing the raw scratches that marred Jiro's smooth skin, knowing he had caused them but unaware of that fact while he was creating them in the last throes of ecstasy. Blaming himself for forgetting to clip, he was so sure the bassist would feel the bite much later, perhaps during his shower. He wondered if joining him under the tap would keep the sting of the wounds from hurting as much.

Setting his cares aside, Hisashi removed his head from the support his hand and propped-up elbow were giving and contented himself with sitting up and hugging his knees. He tugged at the quilt to cover himself, leaving just enough for Jiro to be modest. Hisashi knew there was nothing but skin under the covers and he was almost tempted to take a peek. Yet, he turned his own thoughts down. After all, Jiro did need to rest and recover after their shared night.

Sighing, Hisashi's gaze crept back to Jiro's face, studying the other man's features, ingraining into his mind the bassist's profile. He noticed the smile on Jiro's face, something that wasn't there earlier. It made Hisashi smile as well.

"Are you awake?"

"Yes." It was almost a whisper.

"Why aren't you opening your eyes then?"

"Because I know you love watching me sleep."

Hisashi shook his head, chuckling. Jiro can be too blunt sometimes. "Get up, Yoshi." The command was punctuated by a playful pinch on Jiro's side. "It's time for breakfast, you hear?"

Jiro didn't move one bit. Hisashi poised himself for another, much stronger assault but before his hand could land on the Jiro's skin, the bassist's arm struck out and clamped down on the guitarist, pulling the smaller man to him on the bed. Giggling, Hisashi tried to break free but the more he attempted, the tighter came Jiro's arms around him.

Finally, Hisashi gave up. "Yoshi, I need to get up," Hisashi said between gasps, eyes straight at the ceiling. "I need to make our breakfast."

"Why do you always have to fix breakfast whenever we're together?" came Jiro’s muffled query has he had already concealed his face in the guitarist's soft hair.

"First of all," Hisashi began, counting off on his fingers, "any idiot can make toast, fry eggs and brew coffee. Secondly…" Hisashi turned his head to the bassist and grinned. "I hate cleaning up the kitchen." He finished off his sentence with a kiss on the corner of Jiro's luscious mouth. Without waiting for a reaction, Hisashi wriggled out of Jiro's grasp and got to his feet. He padded his way towards the dresser to check himself up, smiling as he caught the reflection of Jiro looking at his naked body hungrily. To curb his lover's desire, Hisashi reached for Jiro's favorite football jersey draped on the settee and put the red shirt on. He smiled one last time to Jiro before heading into the kitchen.

Jiro got out of bed as soon as Hisashi had made his exit. Stretching himself up, he ambled towards the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. Then he went into the walk-in closet and pulled his chosen undershirt over his head. After some consideration, he opted for an old faded pair of blue jeans to wear over his jockeys.

With as much excitement as a kid about to show his parents his first painting, Jiro trotted his way to his bag and retrieved the velvet box where he'd kept it out of Hisashi's view, at least for the night. It hadn't been the time then. He opened the case again, delighted in the slightly identical pieces it held. Gathering up his bravado—he couldn’t remember the last time he had been this nervous and giddy—he closed the box, took in a deep breath and followed Hisashi into the kitchen.





Hisashi's sweet smile was what Jiro first saw when he came into the kitchen. "Breakfast will be ready in a few," the guitarist said to which Jiro only nodded. The bassist was much more interested in Hisashi himself, wearing an apron with the quote 'KISS THE COOK' printed on the front pocket. Jiro suppressed a snicker, remembering that the apron had started out as a joke. 'So we'll both cook and be rewarded for being one,' Hisashi had said when he bought it a few years back. It was now a bit faded, the apron, since they'd had it for a long time now and only the two of them were allowed to wear it. Even Reiko never knew such existed.

"Well?"

Jiro blinked out of his reverie at the sound of the guitarist's voice. He must've been standing beside the counter that separated the kitchen from the dining for a long time. "Well what?" he asked.

"Aren't you going to sit down?" Hisashi queried in the middle of transferring a cooked egg from the pan to a plate. "I made your favorite."

Jiro approached the breakfast counter but didn't sit just yet. His eyes scanned the eggs that Hisashi had prepared for him. "Overeasy," he mumbled, smiling.

"I know you hate scrambled eggs," Hisashi replied matter-of-factly. The guitarist spun around, pan in one hand and spatula in the other, and headed off to the sink to wash the soiled utensils.

"Aren't you going to eat with me?"

"In a minute," came the slightly muffled reply. "I'll just wash these off."

Hisashi must've been too immersed in getting the vessel clean that he hadn't noticed Jiro creep up behind him until the guitarist was already washing his hands ready for their first meal of the day. "What?" It was his turn to ask.

Jiro didn't answer. He remained standing close behind Hisashi, his hands reaching around for Hisashi's, somewhat embracing the other man. Jiro washed the guitarist's hands himself, giving the slim digits a gentle massage. Then Jiro turned off the tap with one hand, the other supporting both of Hisashi's. Jiro reached for a towel, turned Hisashi to him and wiped the smaller one's hands dry. In all of those, Jiro hadn't said a word.

"This is really sweet," Hisashi commented, wanting to break the silence.

Jiro hurled the spent towel onto the kitchen counter then focused his full attention to Hisashi's hands, staring at them. "You're not wearing your ring," Jiro finally said.

"I stopped wearing it a long time ago," Hisashi replied, a little surprised. The face that went along with the emotion didn't register in Jiro's mind as the taller man never left his eyes off Hisashi's hands. "I thought we've talked about it, Yoshi."

"I know."

"You're not wearing yours either."

"I know." At last, Jiro lifted his face up, eyes meeting Hisashi's. "Sashi, I want you to wear your wedding ring."

The comment startled Hisashi and it showed in his eyes. "I don't understand." Hisashi knew Jiro liked it when he had stopped wearing it. Why was Jiro asking him to wear the gold band that Izumi put on him years ago? "Yoshi, I—"

Jiro planted a quick, tender kiss on Hisashi's lips to muffle out what he assumed was a protest. "Sashi," he said at the parting of their lips, "I don't want you to wear Izumi's wedding ring." His hand reached into his pocket and produced the box he had been wanting to show Hisashi all night. "I want you to wear this."

Hisashi couldn't believe his eyes at what he saw: two gold bands, identical to what he had claimed to his wife he had lost a long time ago. With trembling hands, he took one out of its holder and examined it. Almost breathlessly, he said, "It looks like the one I used to have."

"I know." Jiro took out half of the pair, discarding the box onto the counter. "When you and Izumi got married, I had decided to copy what your wedding band looked like and had the same thing made for when Reiko and I got married." Before Hisashi could verbalize his question, Jiro cut him to it, already knowing what the guitarist was going to say. "I wanted for us to wear something identical and not have anybody else notice."

"But it's still the same thing," Hisashi protested.

"No, it's not."

Upon the answer, Hisashi eyed the gold band more closely…and there he saw the difference. Inscribed in fine cursive was Jiro's promise: /As a sign of my love, Yoshi/. Even without looking at the other half of the set, Hisashi knew what message the ring in Jiro's hand was.

"I know we really can't get married," Jiro put in, taking the piece of jewelry from Hisashi’s hand, "at least not publicly. And I'm sorry for that."

"You don't have to apologize, Yoshi. It's not your fault." Hisashi sighed audibly. "I guess my only regret is that I can't get to be with you every night. You have Reiko and she has you."

"She has my name but not my heart. How can she? You have it."

Hisashi kept silent, allowing his embrace to be the statement of his own feelings for the bassist. Jiro welcomed Hisashi in his arms, likewise silently pouring out his emotions. They parted a little later, Jiro holding Hisashi's right hand.

"I'm going to put this here," Jiro said, stroking the middle finger between his own digits, "because I won't have you don this in the one Izumi put it before."

"But you know that's where I always wear my skull ring."

"It doesn't matter. You can hide it under that ring, or any other big ring. I just want you to wear it here so it won't bother whenever we play."

"I understand," Hisashi nodded.

Jiro lifted Hisashi's hand to his chest. He poised the ring at the tip of Hisashi's finger and looked into his beloved's eyes as he professed his love. "Sashi, wear this ring as a sign of my love and loyalty to my feelings for you. We may not always be together, but you know that deep in my heart, there's no one else but you." He finally settled the ring onto Hisashi's finger. "I love you, Sashi. Happy anniversary."

It was Hisashi's turn to do the same. "Yoshi, wear this ring as a sign of my love and loyalty to my feelings for you. What we have may be wrong, but the gods know how sincere my feelings are for you. We've had this love for ten years now and if this is a sin, then I'm willing to burn because I know loving you is the best thing I'd ever done in my life." With the band in its place, Hisashi looked deep into Jiro's brown orbs. "I love you, Yoshi. Happy anniversary."

Right then and there, in the middle of the kitchen, Jiro and Hisashi shared their first kiss as partners for life, married in their own way, loving each other as they always had.