[UshiTen: Just another rainy day in Paris]

Part 3

He was watching him now – he was glowing. Was he just too happy to see him? Or was he just happy full-stop? Happy here? In Paris? Happier here, than back home?

He hummed as a cheeky hand slid around his biceps, as Tendō looped his arms around his, leading the way to a café that was indeed just a block away. He listened to the happy babble, the smalltalk that rang in his ears, falling there gently, as gently as snowflakes in January. His answers were to the point, but it never stopped Satori from chirping, excited, asking him millions of questions – about the team, about his health, about his mom, about Japan, about... the team...

Wakatoshi was flushed, there was no helping it. That one amazing person, next to him, so close to him, was all ringing laughter, all scent of vanilla and rum, all red on pale skin, as smiles and cooed words, all jokes and puns in his language, in their language, all familiar, oh so close...

His heart was melting, and he was feeling a little dizzy. He rather preferred to attribute that to his lack of food for the day.

He wasn't sorry. The man who fascinated him so much was here, near.

Once in front of the new, but looking the same part of Paris, they hurried inside the warm café, as the rain started heavily. It was a grey day, but Satori never seemed to notice. He was beaming, chatting, his bright hair aglow.

Wakatoshi was in love. He loved everything about this.

Coffee arrived, and some cake arrived too, and the smell inside was so very different from anything Japanese that Ushijima was feeling a little on edge. No calming tea scent, just a mix of coffee, cocoa, chocolate, perfume, cookies... Too rich.

Was this the world in which Satori lived now? Was it better, tastier, prettier than their home?

Wakatoshi was answering a waterfall of questions, wondering when would be a good time to actually say the things he came all the way here to say.

- Ah, Wakatoshi-kun! Next time you warn me, yes? I will cook the best cake in the world, just for you! Just give me a heads-up, yea? I feel a little ashamed that I have to be treating you to somebody else's pastries!

Ushijima hummed, that was fair. He wished he had the words to express that he was not in Paris for the sweets, he was here for the hands that might create them, one day.

Quite speechless, and ashamed of the way his gaze now focused on Satori's fine fingers, he remained speechless, just nodding a silent "I promise. Next time." And then, in the blink of an eye, not really waiting up for answers from home any more, Tendō was telling him about his news, footing the whole bill, insisting on it, even though Wakatoshi tried to grunt his way through this, and hurriedly pulling at the familiar bicep, pulling him out of the stuffy café, and back to the park.

- Look! Look, Wakatoshi-kun! See? The rain has stopped!

Ushijima looked up indeed, unimpressed. The weather was extremely murky, still chilly, the skies hidden deep under layers of greasy clouds. There was no rain, but he could not say he was too happy to be in Paris.

But the warm arm around his arm was pulling him away, and he followed, reminding himself not to forget to give some money for that bill to Satori, once they said goodbye today. the park was moist, and looked quite miserable, all the benches were wet too, after the short downpour, but Satori was beaming, and Ushijima cared about very little else but that adorable smile.

And then... Then the world stopped turning, because he got to know just why his loved Satori was so happy.

No. No, it wasn't Paris. It wasn't France. It wasn't just work. It wasn't... It was...