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He’s wracked with nerves. Before he’d left, Akira and Yusuke had promised they would meet here for his birthday. Then January came and things came up. He felt terrible having to cancel on him, both for his and Yusuke’s sake. Akira spent the rest of that year looking forward to the end of January, and he missed it. And the next year. And the year after that.
The snow is thick and soft on the trees and little lights lining the plowed path. He focuses on his breathing and the beautiful surroundings as he clutches the gift in his hands.
There are small groups of people here and there walking, building snowmen, taking pictures, couples holding hands…. Yusuke could be one of them. After all this time, all the apologies and missed plans and rescheduling and rescheduling again, Yusuke deserves to be one of them, assuming he’s even interested in that kind of thing.
He considers turning back even though he’s mere minutes away. The pang in his chest is his own making. Either Yusuke has waited all this time for him or he’s moved on and met someone else. Guilt or self pity, both his own fault.
He should really turn back. The odds of the other even being here are slim to none, and yet his feet keep moving up the hill. Yusuke never sounded anything less than understanding, and Akira truly had justifiable reason to miss each time; but no reason is a good enough reason to disappoint Yusuke.
There are fewer people back this way, mostly couples taking in the sights and otherwise enjoying each other’s company. Akira focuses on the small box in his hands.
The top of the hill is coming into view as a bead of sweat trails down his back. This is the place. Where the view of the city is most breathtaking. Where they’d promised to return together. Where he’d planned to….
Akira takes a deep breath. He’s standing fully on the top of the hill. There’s a small child piling snow near the lamppost beside the snack stand with the help of what Akira assumes are the kid’s parents. He can’t bring himself to acknowledge the disappointment at not seeing his old friend at their meeting place. He’s not so foolish as to believe the man would be waiting for him, especially after so long. And yet he came all this way.
He stands watching the city, wondering what Yusuke might be up to now. Is he right down there, engrossed in a painting? Is this one for work or a passion project? Hopefully, he remembers to stop to eat. Or maybe he’s not painting. Maybe he’s out with friends or… someone.
With a heavy sigh, Akira turns away from the lights below. That’s when he spots the footprints in the snow. A quick glance reveals where someone else had strayed off the main path to come to linger by this very same guard rail. Nothing better to do, and perhaps still clinging to one last shred of hope, Akira decides to follow the footprints back to the main path and further back into the foliage.
His senses are heightened as he follows the tracks, but the few little pockets of people even back here do help to ease his unease. He hears a small shriek and turns just in time to see a man springing to his feet and snatching up a woman to spin her around. Their words are indistinguishable, but it’s fairly clear they’re newly engaged. He spares them a small smile they’ll never see and continues on.
The footprints approach a rocky ledge just off the path. The snow is thinner here, and eventually he loses the tracks altogether. Confused but content to leave the mystery unsolved, he stops and takes in the view from this angle. It’s beyond words, and even the best pictures he manages to snap on his phone don’t do the real thing justice. Yusuke would love this.
That sting in his heart returns but only for just a second. He made it this time, he’ll just have to reach out and actually keep the plans next time. It’s not like they’ve completely lost touch anyway. It’s totally fine to text this picture to him, good way to start a conversation, too. He’s pulling up the messaging app on his phone when a sound pulls his attention.
From behind a massive tree came a gasp. And when his eyes finally focused on just what, who he was seeing, Akira broke into a cold sweat, his heart leapt into his throat. The man hurried as cautiously as possible away from the ledge, the small book slipping from his hand as he breaks into a run toward Akira.
He struggles to find words, his mouth opening and closing in search of them. But it ends up not mattering. The man lunges at him. By the other’s intention, pure accident, or some act of the universe, their lips meet. He’s caught completely off guard, and yet his first reaction is to wrap the other in a tight hug, their lips still locked.
For his part, Yusuke doesn’t pull away. In fact, he pushes in closer, doing everything in his power to melt into the other shy of taking him right there. They only separate once Akira feels his back hit the snow, their pent-up—apparently mutual—feelings having consumed the entirety of their awareness. They lie there staring for a long while, panting and holding onto each other.
“S-sorry I’m late,” Akira breathes. Yusuke laughs the most giddy laugh Akira has ever heard from him.
“That is quite alright. However, I must trouble you for a bit of your time,” Yusuke rests his chin on Akira’s chest. “You do have three years to make up for tonight, after all.”
“I got a lot of modeling to do, huh?” Akira laughs.
“Yes. But that will come after.” Akira’s mouth goes dry at the look in Yusuke’s eyes.
“A-a-after…?”