of ink and brushstrokes
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Summary
“Come to think of it, I saw some guys skating in town yesterday. I hear that there’s someone who’s crazy good around here named Ada… Ada… chi? Something like that.”
Next to Kojiro, Kaoru has gone strangely still.
“...Kaoru—?”
“Is it Adam?”
Kojiro blinks. “Huh?”
“The guy you said was crazy good. Is it Adam?”
“Oh,” Kojiro says after another blink. “Oh, yeah, I think that’s it. How’d you know—?”
Kojiro’s words cut short when Kaoru’s hand moves to the cloth around his wrist—one sharp tug, and it falls off.
There’s a name on Kaoru’s wrist.
It’s not Kojiro.
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or, Kojiro's soulmate is Kaoru. Kaoru's soulmate isn't Kojiro.
Series
- Part 1 of of ink and brushstrokes
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Summary
"Hey there, beautiful. Can I help you?"
Kaoru looks up from where he was scrutinizing a purple and white cake to meet auburn eyes from a man now standing at the counter. He's fairly well-built, with bulging muscles that look like they are trying quite hard to escape from the apron he wears. Kaoru blinks, breaking his gaze, before glancing around the pastry shop. No one else is in the room. Kaoru's eyes move back to the man at the counter, who's still grinning at Kaoru.
"...are you talking to me?"
"Who else would I be talking to?" the man asks, his grin widening, and Kaoru wrinkles his nose. A flirt, then. He knew this type.
"You... work here?" Kaoru asks as an obvious attempt at deflection.
"Owner, actually. Been running this place for the better half of a decade."
Kaoru's eyebrows raise at the smugness in his grin. "Are you trying to impress me?"
The man shrugs. "Is it working?"
"No," Kaoru says shortly.
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or, wedding planner Kaoru meets baker Kojiro
Series
- Part 2 of of ink and brushstrokes
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Summary
"So," Reki starts quietly, fidgeting with his fingers and looking at the countertop of the bar. "Um, so, I think I'm bisexual."
Reki looks up only after the succeeding silence has stretched past awkward to see Cherry blink. There's no judgment in his expression, at least as far as Reki can tell, and Reki lets his shoulders relax a little.
"Ah," Cherry says after a moment of contemplation. "Well, I'm honored you trust me enough to tell me." He pauses. "Was that your... question?"
Reki shakes his head. “No, it’s just—well, I think. Is the problem.”
Cherry blinks at him again. “Come again?”
“I don’t know,” Reki stresses, tugging at his bangs. “I just think. And I don’t know how to—” He waves a hand vaguely in the air. “How to know.”
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or, four times Kaoru and Kojiro helped the sk8 gang and one time the sk8 gang (tried to) help Kaoru and Kojiro
Series
- Part 3 of of ink and brushstrokes
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Summary
“You don’t want to marry him because you like someone else.”
Kaoru slowly inhales and wills himself not to break his composed facade even though Kojiro, as he somehow always manages to do, has hit the nail precisely on the head.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“You hesitated,” Kojiro points out. “Which means I’m right.”
“You’re just making things up,” Kaoru insists, putting his hands in his sleeves.
“You like someone,” Kojiro repeats, ignoring Kaoru completely. “You like someone!”
“Drop it,” Kaoru finally snaps.
Kojiro’s lips lift up in a smug smirk. “Or what? You’ll put another centipede in my stew?”
“That was one time, and only because—”
“Yeah, yeah,” Kojiro interrupts, standing up with a stretch. “Whatever you say, Pinky.”
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or, a brief epilogue for Kaoru and Kojiro after the events of CindeReki
Series
- Part 4 of of ink and brushstrokes
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Summary
“I don’t want to spend forever with anyone like that,” Kojiro blurts out. “Not unless it’s you!”
Kaoru stares at him. Oddly, his face starts to turn the same color as his hair. After a few moments, he turns away and coughs.
“I guess,” he starts slowly, “I guess you could marry me.”
Kojiro’s eyes grow wide. “Really?”
“Not now,” Kaoru says sternly, still turned away. “Later, when we’re old and stuff. And only if you’re not annoying then.”
“Old and stuff,” Kojiro repeats. “So like 20?”
Kaoru wrinkles his nose. “No, like 30.”
“That’s too far away,” Kojiro whines. “25?”
“...29.”
“26?”
“28.”
“27?”
Kaoru hesitates. “...fine.” He squeezes Kojiro’s hand. “But only if you’re not annoying.”
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or, Kaoru and Kojiro make a marriage contract at 7 years old. 20 years later, neither is willing to bring it up
Series
- Part 5 of of ink and brushstrokes