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neko_kirin3104Not Like This
[Ohno/Aiba] [PG-13] [AU]
The Satoshi he remembers will not say ‘I love you’ one hundred times in a day.
But this Satoshi does, and Masaki can’t be happier.
The Satoshi in his memories will never last a minute holding his hand without grumbling, “This is so embarrassing,” with each step.
But this Satoshi proudly shows him off without wincing, whispers sweet nothings into his ears, and never fails to make him smile with impulsive kisses he doesn’t even ask for.
The Satoshi in his mind once pushed him into a swamp just to see if he’d turn into a frog, like in that story their old folks told them to keep them away from what has been claimed to be an enchanted forest at the farthest edge of town.
But this Satoshi has already promised him all the angels in heaven and all the ones still on earth, to protect him from any harm, and even told him, without blinking, that, Yes...—
“Yes, Masaki. I’ll kiss you, If you ever turn into a frog. I won’t hesitate. I’ll do anything for you...”
Such sweet words. Such sweet lies.
Because Masaki’s quite sure now that Satoshi will never say those things.
Because the Satoshi he knows is far too much of a boy to ever be charming like that—
“What if I DID turn into a frog, huh, Satoshi?! What would you do then?!” he remembers his seven-year-old self screaming at the top of his lungs as Satoshi doubled over in laughter at the swamp’s edge.
“But you DIDN’T, Masaki! Stop whining, okay?!”
“What if I did?” he asked again, softer, quieter. His voice, his tears finally catching up to the fear gripping at his heart. “What if you’re looking at a frog right now instead of your best friend?”
Satoshi stopped laughing, waddled into the swamp and slumped beside him with a sigh and a careless splash. “Then, I’d just follow you in. And we could be frogs together forever! Frog best friends for life, right? Ribbit! Ribbit!” Satoshi held his fist out for a friendly bump.
Masaki ignored it, his lips trembling with a spurned maiden’s poorly held-back disappointment. “You won’t kiss me...?”
Satoshi’s eyes grew so big that Masaki almost lost his breath drowning in them. He looked away, flushing at his own candidness.
He conveniently missed the way Satoshi’s eyes softened with another sigh and a telltale smirk—
“Only if you promise not to give me frog cooties...”
But Masaki heard those words very clearly.
And he knew those were the sweetest words he could ever hope to hear from his best friend.
Not this sickeningly perfect imitation the Elf’s been feeding his dreams with.
But the real, un-charming one that still owns his heart.
