The love lives of the Ukes

Double date from hell aftermath: Takano and Ritsu

The car ride home was uncomfortably silent with a hint of awkwardness floating around the two editors. Takano couldn't look at Ritsu without thinking of Akihiko's last words.

"Do you even love him?" It was true Ritsu never said I love you and whenever Takano did say 'I love you', Ritsu would respond with 'I know' or wouldn't say anything at all. Takano sighed to himself as he put the car in park and Ritsu glanced at him worriedly. He didn't want this to happen, but Akihiko has be hothead and open his mouth about their past relations. Not that Ritsu was ashamed of it, it just he didn't want Takano to know that he was with another man after they'd broke up and ,obviously, he didn't want Akihiko to talk about their past with anyone. They got of the car and got into the elevator, Ritsu took a deep breath before he attempted to speak but he couldn't. They remained silent until they reached Takano's door and Ritsu sighed as Takano went unlock the door.

"Takano-san, um about tonight..I um.." Ritsu started, but he really couldn't piece his words together. Luckily, more like unluckily to Ritsu's dismay, Takano started to speak.

"Onodera, you don't have to say anything. I know you don't really want to talk about your past relationship with Usami-sensei, not that I really want to hear what you have say on that subject anyway." Takano said solemnly as he unlocked his door and Ritsu blushed in embarrassment with a frown, Takano grunted sadly while he opened the door.

"I know I don't want to talk about this, but I know we have to talk about this." Ritsu said and Takano sighed as he walked inside his apartment with Ritsu right behind him. Takano took off his coat and tossed it somewhere before sitting the couch, Ritsu doing the same as he sat next to Takano.

"What exactly do we need to discuss? You dated another man after me. Not just any man, but the great lord Akihiko Usami." Takano said and Ritsu sighed, what he was about to say could do two things: make things worse or make them awkward. "And apparently he knows everything about that misunderstanding we had, seriously that's what pisses me off the most." Ritsu frowned as he could feel his temper rising.

"What exactly pisses you off?" Ritsu asked and Takano glared at his sarcastic lover.

"The fact you can talk anyone else about this topic and you can't, not even for two seconds, talk to me about it." Takano explained and Ritsu stood up.

"I don't have to talk about it with you, we both know what happened so do we need to talk about it?" Ritsu asked and Takano stood up as he looked at Ritsu with anger in his eyes.

"Because it's obvious you still have a some resentment towards me about it! Yes I shouldn't have laughed when you asked me that question, but you know you would think after someone tells you that they love you and after they sleep with you over ten times would signify that they love you!" Takano yelled and Ritsu growled.

"Oh really?! Because all I remember is someone telling me that I was irritating and I was annoying and disgusting!" Ritsu yelled back and Takano's eyes widened for a second before clenching even tighter for his anger.

"I WAS IRRITATED WITH MY PARENTS AND I TOLD YOU I WAS SORRY I TOOK THAT OUT ON YOU!" Takano screamed and Ritsu glared harder. "You know what, maybe I should get answer!" Ritsu crossed his arms.

"What kind of answer?!"

"Do you even love me now?!" Ritsu gasped and Takano started heaving heavily as he clenched his fist before calming down, breaking down with his head down. "Do you even love me now? I never hear you say 'I love you' or  you respond when I say it. I can't keep this up anymore if this just for sex." Takano whispered, barely audible and Ritsu frowned as he uncrossed his arms.

"Do you really think I'm that type of person?" Takano's fist clenched tighter as he looked up, Ritsu's anger slowly diminishing from the tears that are threatening to leave Takano's eyes.

"I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING!" Takano yelled and Takano sighed with frustration. "This entire relationship has been merely about sex, because, as far as I see, I'm the only one that actually wants this." Ritsu started to tear up before Takano shook his head as he sat back on the couch. "I'm the only one that wants this, you hate me. You don't...you don't love me." Takano whispered to himself but Ritsu could hear him and Takano walked off his couch, Ritsu looked at him as he silently started to cry.

"Where are you going Takano-san, this is your apartment." Ritsu said and Takano grabbed his coat.

"I'm going to a hotel, you can see yourself out." Takano explained and he reached out to turn the door knob before his widened at something holding onto his wrist with a tight grip. Ritsu was sniffling as the tears ran down his face and his other hand was shaking.

"Look at me Takano-san." Ritsu said and before Takano could answer, he heard Ritsu take a sharp breath. "Look at me, Masamune." Ritsu whispered as if he was in pain. Takano's eyes widened in surprise, Ritsu had never used his first name before. Takano turned around, only to be greeted by Ritsu slapping his cheek with as much force as he could. Takano groaned and held his cheek as it continued to sting, Ritsu heaved heavily while hot tears ran down his face. "Are you fucking kidding me?! You think I hate you?! Do you really think I'm that much horrible of a person?! Do you really think I would just have sex with you, only not feel anything for you?! Well you're wrong!" Ritsu continued to cry as he tried to wipe his eyes full of tears on his sleeve and he broke down. "I don't hate you. I won't lie and say I didn't hate you at one time, but that was before we cleared that misunderstanding. I'm not that horrible of a person. I do feel something for you! I LOVE YOU, YOU BASTARD!" Takano gasped as Ritsu fell to his knees and cried harder. "Do you think it's easy to tell the number one person responsible for your heart being broken for ten long years I love you?! To try and find a way to forget about them for ten years, only to think about them constantly ever since you met them?! To dream about every night and wake up, crying yourself back to sleep?! To wake up at bright, shining mornings wishing you could just hide in the rain?" Ritsu yelled before his voice got quiet, but Takano wanted to hear more. Takano got onto his knees and pulled Ritsu into a tight embrace as Ritsu continued. "Then ten years later you find out everything that was a misunderstanding and now you can't stop thinking about them? Driving yourself crazy trying to find out if they're single or are they dating someone else and playing around with you? Do you really think I don't care about you, Masamune? I love you so much that I was afraid to even say it, because I didn't want you walk out my life again. I don't want you to leave and make my worst fear come true. Please don't leave Masamune, please?!" Ritsu begged as he embraced Takano back and cried into Takano's chest while Takano held on to him tighter.

"I won't leave, I won't leave you Ritsu." Takano whispered into Ritsu's ear and the younger man of two cried into his lover's shoulder as they made their embrace tighter. The crying lasted for forty minutes, Ritsu sniffed as he rested his head into the crease of Takano's neck and sighed happily, his eyes become heavy.

"Masamune, I love you." Ritsu whispered as he smiled sleepily and he fell asleep in his lover's arms from being emotionally exhausted, Takano simply simply smiled loving before he carried Ritsu to his bedroom. He gently laid his liver into the bed and stripped (ripped off) Ritsu's dress off along with his leggings, boots, and socks. He looked through his closet and found an old shirt before he slipped it on Ritsu, which was still big for Ritsu's body frame.

'It would do for the night.' Takano thought as he undressed himself (leaving his underwear on) before climbing next to his lover and pulled the covers over them. He pulled Ritsu closer to him and found himself smiling as Ritsu, unconsciously, snuggled deeply into his chest, Takano kissed Ritsu's forehead and wrapped his arms around the smaller man's waist before drifting off into a peaceful sleep.