EosGentaro awakens to Ramuda's arms wrapped around his waist, the rumble of Dice's snoring, and gentle fingers running through his hair. Tempting is it to keep his eyes shut, to nestle into that strangely familiar warmth caressing him, but the pounding in his head refuses to relent. Try as he might to return to the land of dreams, sleep has forsaken him.

So he forces his eyes open. As much as he possibly can when the morning light stings, that is. His bones creak as he stretches his sore limbs, careful not to rouse Ramuda all the while, and he rolls over to trudge to the bathroom — only to find a block in the path.

The scent of the night's vices and fresh roses hits him. Gentaro's heart thumps. He shoots up, aches and drowsiness dissipating as he realizes who's there.

"Morning, Sleepyhead"

Hair as golden as a field of flowers, a face that bears a jewel's beauty, and a laugh that's filled with sunshine, there sits his beau in the flesh — his beau whom he hasn't seen in over two weeks.

"Hifumi," Gentaro asks more than says, "what are you doing here"

"Visiting you, duh" is Hifumi's answer. Comforting as his cheer is, it does little to alleviate his headache.

"/Shush/, will you You'll wake up Ramuda and Dice."

"Sorry~" Hifumi says, not sounding sorry at all. At least he has the decency to lower his voice. "Why're you guys sleeping in the living room anyways Actually, what the heck even happened here It's like a tsunami passed by"

Early it may be, with a hangover on top of that, nothing can stop a storyteller from telling stories. "We were celebrating Ramuda's birthday," Gentaro says with the impending dread of the plot twist, "when, suddenly, we were assailed by extraterrestrials. They had planned on dissecting us in order to research humanity, but we managed to break out of their prison and make it back to my apartment safely. In fact, we arrived but an hour ago."

"Uh-huh, and you bought all this beer while on the run" Hifumi says, nudging a stray beer can on the floor. It clinks as it joins its brethren beside Dice.

"Of course," Gentaro says, giving him a coy smile. "We had to disarm our captors somehow."

To that, Hifumi giggles. Obtuse he may seem, but he knows when to play along with his tall tales. "Sounds like you guys had a fun night You have it in you for one more celebration, though"

With a flourish of his hands, Hifumi presents to him a bouquet. Gentaro hesitates. Yet, somehow, he can’t help but count. One, two, three, ten, twenty, forty — forty-four red roses, each one as bold and vibrant as Hifumi himself; forty-four red roses that pledge an unchanging and constant devotion. While he’s busy making sense of it, Hifumi pushes the bouquet into his arms for him and says, “Happy Valentine’s~”

Heavy is the bouquet, as if its wrappings were made out of genuine gold. Still, Gentaro cradles it gingerly. "It's the fifteenth."

"Like, barely." Hifumi waves him off, the rising sun proof that the day has just begun.

"I told you that you needn't do anything for me." Gentaro settles for the old and tried excuse then, masking selfish desires — "stay with me" — with modesty.

"But I wanted to What kinda boyfriend would I be if I didn't do anything for you on Valentine's Day"

"The kind who fulfills his responsibilities as a host dutifully," Gentaro says, ensuring that his lilt is as playful as can be. While the holiday had never meant much to him, he'd be lying if he said that spending not one second with his lover on the day of love didn't sting.

Yet Hifumi's beautiful face twists, as if offended by the very notion that they needn't celebrate love — that they needn't celebrate /them/. "Hmph So maybe Shinjuku's number one host is pretty busy on Valentine's, yeah, but not Yumeno Gentaro's boyfriend"

Amused as he is curious, Gentaro raises a brow. "Pray tell, what exactly is the difference between 'Shinjuku's number one host' and 'Yumeno Gentaro's boyfriend'"

"We~ll, Yumeno Gentaro's boyfriend is for Gen-chan and Gen-chan only" Hifumi says like it's the most basic of facts. "Sure I've had a lotta clients to see, but you're all I’ve been thinking about Heck, I couldn't stop thinking 'bout you so bad I /had/ to see you ASAP"

Blunt as Hifumi tends to be, the pure honesty in his words will always send Gentaro’s heart racing faster than sweet nothings can. Not that he would ever admit it. Rather, he teases him, "It sounds to me like you should be putting more focus into your work."

Hifumi pouts. "How can I when my Gen-chan's missing me"

"Do I miss you" Gentaro says, though they both know the answer to that. "That's quite presumptuous of you."

"You do You do, 'cause you get all sulky like this." "This," as Hifumi demonstrates, is a pointed frown, a narrowed gaze, and furrowed brows.

Gentaro stifles a snort. In his humble opinion, Hifumi might as well be on the verge of one of his puerile fits. Nonetheless, he humors him, he puts on his best pondering pose, he judges this subpar impression with as much effort as Hifumi has put into it.

"Is this to imply that those wrinkles of yours are as deep as mine" he says, rubbing Hifumi's brow line.

Acting as though a few seconds of frowning would tarnish his beauty, Hifumi scoffs and quickly relaxes his face. "Nope Nope, nope, nope You must be imagining things ‘cause there’s no wrinkles on perfection, mister" An afterthought, he adds, "But we should get you a new moisturizer. Your skin dries out so fast in the winter."

Here, Gentaro readies a quip to shoot back, this back and forth a language all their own, but the clouds that hang over Hifumi’s head distract him. Though conversations naturally rush from one thing to another with Hifumi, even this catches Gentaro off guard.

"But really..." Hifumi says in a rare instance of sorrow that doesn't suit him. "Sorry I couldn't be with you yesterday, Gentaro."

For someone who always weathers a storm with a bright smile, it's certainly a sight to see Hifumi wilt at something as simple as time apart. Embodiment of brilliance that he is, Hifumi showers him with more luxuries than he could ever care for, with more opulence than he could fathom — but Gentaro hadn't fallen for him because he can bestow him all the wonders of the world. He'd given Hifumi a chance because, despite everything they had done to each other, he had shown him kindness.

"There's nothing to apologize for," Gentaro reassures him. Gesturing to his beloved posse, he continues, "I had other things to attend to myself, after all."

"But, but, but..."

Gentaro cups Hifumi's cheek then, a loving touch for a loving soul. Whether it be the spirit of the holiday or how gloominess fits not the sun incarnate, Gentaro tells him the truth. "Hifumi, you being here is already so much more than I could ask for. There's no need to dedicate a whole day to our love when you're always giving it to me."

Hifumi's lips quiver, his features crumpling the way it does after he’s read a particularly emotional draft, and he envelops him in an embrace that locks him in place.

"You" Hifumi says as he peppers pecks upon him. "God, you're so cute when you're honest"

Usually this would be where Gentaro shoves him off, feigns exasperation at his overwhelming passions and watches him squirm, but just this once, he accepts every kiss without a complaint. Consider it a mercy for his effusive beau as much as he wants, it's been much too long since he has indulged in Hifumi's affections.

As if reminding him that there are others in the room, Ramuda begins to stir. He breaks through their moment with a groggy "Ugh, what's all that noise"

Grip on Gentaro ever tight, Hifumi says, "Hiya, Ramu-chin"

Ramuda blinks, before his eyes widen at their unexpected guest. "Aha Hifumin, hi~"

"It was your birthday, right Happy belated birthday" A gasp. Hifumi brightens like a light bulb. "Why don't I whip up breakfast for you as a gift"

Sniffling, Gentaro wipes away non-existent tears as he cries, "My goodness So my beau barges into my home to spout nonsense about his undying devotion, then /dares/ to offer himself to another in front of my face Woe is me"

"C'mon now, you're not the birthday boy" Hifumi boops his nose. "Besides, I was gonna make a lil’ something for you too." Turning back to Ramuda, he asks, "So, Ramu-chin, what'll it be"

Ramuda hums, tapping a finely manicured finger to his chin with each note. "How's~ about~ pancakes~ The extra fluffy ones With chocolate chips and strawberries Oh, and maple syrup"

"You got it If Gen-chan's got anything besides watermelon, that is."

Opting to ignore Hifumi's snide remark, Gentaro instead decides to treat his still slumbering teammate. "Ah, Hifumi, don't forget the omurice. You know how much Dice enjoys your food."

"Ochazuke for Gen-chan, pancakes for Ramu-chin, and omurice for Dicchi The Fling Posse Special coming right up~"

With one last kiss to his cheek, then another and another, Hifumi heads to the kitchen, and as soon as he's gone, Ramuda slumps onto his lap. He whines, his head digging in as deeply as possible, and while he is in no position to get up, Gentaro pats Ramuda in lieu of pain relievers. Beside them, Dice shifts closer in search of the warmth he'd been clutching onto.

Gentaro smiles to himself. The sound of groaning, snoring, and clattering pans makes for a cacophonous harmony — but to him, it is home.