Uxorious: excessively fond of one's own wife.

Words: 1693

*****

It started off alarmingly enough.

"Teach me what love is," the senior demands softly, his gaze commanding but gentle in the moonlight.

Haruka was flattered but she was also flustered out of her mind. The unbelievable pressure was followed by the implications of showing Ai what love was. She could be the one he decides to fall in love with. She argues, it's like a mother imprinting on her children – I'm the first to be a target of affection once he starts realizing that feelings are infectious and plague anyone that touches it. But then again, she might not. Ai could fall in love with someone else. There's a distinct twinge in her chest. She should not get involved. He is trouble.

But the scary part was, she liked the idea of having a future with him. She liked it far too much. Her head throbbed with the overflow of thoughts, possibilities, outcomes, concerns. So all she could do was smile and dismiss it as she bid him goodnight. She knows he watches her leave.

****

It's a long while later when Haruka was being told Ai short-circuited in the rain. She could only assume that meant he passed out or spazzed. The last thing on her mind was that he actually rebooted.

When Ai opened his eyes, the first one he saw was her. The first thing he thought was, "I could get used to this." He relished her concern, reveled in her care though he didn't show it. His face has always been too stoic; it was as if it didn't know how the express the feelings he knew he had.

Haruka seemed undeterred by his lack of reaction, oblivious to the subtle stirrings in Ai. Every time she brushed his hairs back in place, every time she checks his temperature, every time she looks at him like he's any normal person, deserving of love and affection just like anyone else, the itch to smile becomes more and more urgent.

Ai keeps his smile to himself. This is what the beginnings of love feels like.

*

Haruka had just come back from a confrontation with rival group Heavens, having separated herself from the Starish members to mill things through. She was brimming with unsaid words and was barely staying sane. She planned to vent her anger and concerns to Tomochika, but she texted with an apology that she was out at a contract meeting. Haruka understood, she was happy for Tomo with all the offers she was getting, but now what was she to do with the thoughts crashing around in her head?

Concurrently, Ai was coming back from brunch with Camus. Other than his frosty demeanor and occasionally egocentric remarks, the man made for good company. If he remembered correctly, his schedule was rather free today so he expected that the rest of his day would be mundane and slow. He turned for the practice rooms. If he was going to have a boring day, might as well make it a productive, boring day.

The last thing he expected was for a head of bright amber hair to crash into his chest. Looking down, his eyes met the shocked ones of Haruka, who flitted her gaze away as she brought her head down for a bow. Ai wasn't sure whether it was in greeting or apology.

"Sorry senpai, my head's in the clouds today, I can't think straight."

Indeed, she looked conflicted, a worry crease tightening between her brows. Something was bothering her, and that'd be bothering him until he got his curiosity sated.

"Well, I'm not busy, if you want someone to talk to." Ai offered genuinely, his tone objective despite the wisps of longing inside him hoping she'll agree to spend some time with him.

Haruka seems to ponder the invitation before looking gratefully up at him. Her shoulders relax as she sighs, "Actually, that'd be great. Would you mind?"

He shakes his head, trying to let a small smile show on his expression, but he expects that, as always, his stone cold features don't budge. Surprisingly, Haruka seems to get the message and grins back. This time, a smile really does make its way onto his lips.

"Lounge?" He offers, knowing that was where they could comfortably sit and discuss whatever was eating away at her.

She nods, falling into a slow stroll besides Ai. They walked the rest of the way in a comfortable silence.

.....

"So what's wrong?" Ai asks almost monotonously as he takes a seat on the sofa. He tried to express the concern in his eyes to compensate for his tone.

"I just need to talk it out. I'm not really seeking any advice, but would you mind just listening to me?" Haruka asked, getting restless with the outbursts she was surely holding back.

Ai nods, his face of almost imperceptible adoration. She looked like she was about to implode. He shifted his body towards her, indicating to her that he was ready for anything she's got. And so she began.

Haruka ranted about the narcissist of a leader who took every chance to insult her friends and their talents, the audacity of them to disrespect fellow idols, the lecherous gaze he set upon her that would give her nightmares indefinitely. She rattled off about the underhanded ways of Heavens' manager and Saotome's desperate rival, Raging Otori, how he was tainting the raw beauty of music with his greed. She had everything to say, and nothing to gossip.

Ai quickly noticed she had not once said anything to tarnish their name, despite her fierce disapproval of their behavior. He smiled to himself. What professionalism. He could appreciate that. He watched as her eyes brightened with a flame, darkened in anger and frustration, scrunched in distaste. Her expressions were so animate and drastically different every time that it pulled him into her vivid emotions in compensation for his lack thereof.

She fidgeted in her chair a lot, which Ai found impossibly endearing. She reminded him so much of a small child, but her feminine charm was no doubt strong in a way only a girl as oblivious as Haruka could pull off.

He didn't realize she was speaking to him until her hand grazed his in an attempt to get his attention. Her touch left goosebumps on his otherwise cold skin, but he ignored the localized shudders and directed his focus to her.

"Thank you for enduring that," she said sheepishly, sounding breathless and looking embarrassed. Ai's eyebrow twitched. His lips nearly curled into a smile. He was first to get up, patting her head as he walked past. He looks away just in time to miss the small smile she sends his way.

He had to get away from there quick. He felt his system overheat. She was a dangerous one.

**

He had to just go for it. So he did. His calculations told him there was a low probability that his moves would be rejected, but the less technical side of him pounded away, wary of her every move, scared that she would back away and never meet his gaze again.

He kept his eyes open to observe the expressions that flittered across her features as his breath fanned her lips, parting them ever so slightly. Her eyes widened just a fraction, pupils dilating, irises darkening, cheeks reddening, breathing shallow.

And finally, her eyes fluttered shut. Taking it as incentive to close the gap between them, Ai leaned in the last inch and meshed their lips together in a brisk mind-blowing explosion of sensations and gentle passion. Their bodies melded into each other's instinctively, hands lost and roaming, curious tongues, and heavy breaths.

That was their first kiss.

Their second and third followed shortly after the first. Whether it was Ai or Haruka that initiated all the other kisses became an arbitrary detail. There were a lot more to come than anticipated.

Some were sweet pecks, gentle affection and caution in the movements, but others were rushed and timeless like they had something to catch up on all while losing themselves in the abyss of mindless love. Neither knew how whatever they had would go; Haruka was inexperienced but eager, Ai was cautious but willing to throw it to the wind if it was with her.

***

It had happened so fast. It seemed only days ago that he requested her to teach him to love. Neither had completely expected that it meant she would be the object of his newfound affections. He was sure she hadn't planned on making him fall for her so hard. Heck, he would bet that she was just being the ditz she always was, yet she still wrapped him around her finger like a sucker.

She slipped through the wall he had erected brick by brick and conquered him. He wasn't as rigid or unfeeling anymore. But sometimes, he doubted whether these emotions were all they were cracked up to be. The twinge of pain when he dwelled on a future without Haruka, the stab of jealousy when he realized Starish was close to her in that platonic way he could never replicate because the thoughts he had about her were anything but platonic.

It got to a point where his friends no longer shot him questioning or stunned glances when he smiled because Haruka had tried teasing him, or glared at the guys for getting a little to handsy during practice.

But it was when he could no longer fathom a happy future without her that he decided to finally pace himself with the rest of the world. It was about time he let himself enjoy the splendors of life.

****

"Go ahead." Ranmaru clapped him on the back, a glint of amusement and something like nostalgia shone in his heterochromic eyes.

Ignoring the sting from the act of encouragement, Ai cleared his throat. His nerves were sparking with uncontrolled adrenaline. His fingers fiddled with the small velvet box in his trousers. He wasn't nervous. He was sure by now that his feelings were fully reciprocated by Haruka.

No, he was just excited.