takaritsuweek

[takaritsuweek]

Day 7 for @takaritsuweek

Prompt - Future

Thanks for the event! I wanted to make an AMV (or 2) but I didn't get the time.

[3 hours until Ritsu gets lots of blöwjöbs]

[takaritsuweek]

Day 6 for @takaritsuweek

Prompt - Confession

(it was a real challenge to get this to look canon at night, in the wind 🥲)

'Because the one who loves you the most in this world is me" (Thanks to Miha for this)

[takaritsuweek]

Day 5 for @takaritsuweek

Prompt - Ring / Jealousy

Even if only for now bruises bond us.

It don't sting with a ring.

[takaritsuweek]

Day 4 - for @takaritsuweek

Prompt - Free / AU - In a parallel reality where Ritsu didn't take Takano's adolescent giggle too seriously.

[takaritsuweek]

Is this a shoujo manga style confession? Idk, but I love it ❤️

[takaritsuweek]

Takaritsu Week: Day 6 - Confession

This will be my last entry for this year's @takaritsuweek. I was a bit short on time, but please enjoy this quick ficlet.

Thank you for hosting this event again this year <3

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"Takano-san, the person who loves you the most in this world... is me!"

Awestruck by the sudden confession from the man he'd loved for so long, Takano stood frozen in place. His first thought was that he had to be dreaming, but the cold feeling of the rain pelting down on him felt too real. He stared at Ritsu with wide eyes. The other man panted like he'd just run a mile, his face bright red.

All of a sudden, they were back at the library of their high school. Takano remembered the confession so clearly, like it only happened a few hours ago. The blush on Ritsu's face had looked the same, but his voice had wavered and his gaze had shifted to the floor as soon as the words had come out. He'd appeared shy back then, innocent and insecure.

None of that insecurity showed itself this time. Ritsu had confessed his feelings in a loud and clear voice, powerful enough to be heard over the rush of the heavy rain. He hadn't stuttered or looked away, but spoken with fierce conviction.

Two love confessions from the same person, yet they couldn't have been more different.

Not long after their paths crossed again at Marukawa Publishing, Takano had realized Ritsu wasn't the same person he'd loved in high school. In his mission to make the boy who ran from him fall in love with him again, they both learned how life had changed them.

Oda Ritsu didn't exist anymore. Saga Masamune didn't exist anymore.

While that chapter of their lives may have ended, a whole new chapter had begun. Takano loved Ritsu more than he ever had, and Ritsu loved him back unequivocally.

The time for running and chasing was finally over.

[takaritsuweek]

All the times that Takano didn’t chase after Ritsu, and the one time that he did.

Day 6 of @takaritsuweek

[takaritsuweek]

When Ritsu says that he has plans for the weekend, Takano is dead-set on finding out just who he’s meeting up with.

Day 5 of @takaritsuweek

[takaritsuweek]

Takaritsu Week: Day 5 - Jealousy

Takano tries out a different approach to dealing with his jealousy.

I'm not sure whether this one is completely canon compliant, but here's my third entry for @takaritsuweek :)

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Takano was fully aware that Ritsu had built a life and a career for himself in the years before he joined Marukawa, and that in those years he'd made connections with some well-known people in the world of literature. Therefore, when he noticed him talking to one of Marukawa's most acclaimed authors, he didn't think much of it at first. He knew that his lover had edited several of Usami Akihiko's works during his time at Onodera Publishing.

Initially, it had looked like an innocent attempt to reconnect with an old acquaintance. They'd bumped into each other in the hallway and the conversation had blossomed organically. It probably started off with them reminiscing about their professional relationship as author and editor. That part, Takano couldn't complain about.

However, when Ritsu appeared to be getting a little too comfortable, his irritation flared up like a barrel of oil catching fire. Ritsu's voice pitched higher than usual as he spoke and he was smiling way too much.

It didn't help that the author took on a relaxed stance, one hand in his pocket and the other resting casually against the wall, as their conversation carried on. Like Ritsu, he smiled almost the entire time—not a full smile, but a slight curve of the lips that radiated an air of mystery.

Takano wandered over to a vending machine and pretended to check out the beverages it contained, making sure to stay out of Ritsu's sight. Unfortunately, keeping his distance also prevented him from discovering what exactly they were talking about.

Minutes ticked by, but neither of the men made any move to wrap up their conversation. Takano glanced at them every few seconds, his muscles growing tense.

'I don't care how much time Usami-sensei has on his hands, but you have plenty of work to do.' He glared at Ritsu. The shoujo editor remained blissfully unaware of his presence.

When Akihiko put his hand on Ritsu's arm, ushering him out of the way of another employee passing through the hallway, Takano's patience snapped. He marched towards them, quickly replaced his glare with a fake smile and stood next to Ritsu. The latter jolted the moment he saw him, but Takano kept his eyes trained on the author.

"Usami-sensei, what a pleasant surprise to run into you here," he greeted politely. "I'm Takano Masamune, Editor-in-Chief of the Emerald Department. I'm a longtime fan of your work."

"Oi, Takano-san! What do you—"

"Nice to meet you," Akihiko replied just as pleasantly. Although his smile didn't reach his eyes, he seemed unbothered by the sudden interruption. "Editor-in-Chief, you say? You must be Onodera's superior then."

"That's right. He was a complete newbie to manga editing when he joined, but thankfully he got the hang of it very quickly." Takano let his gaze wander towards Ritsu, not missing how his face flushed at that last comment.

"That doesn't surprise me. Onodera has always been a diligent worker."

The smirk that tugged at Akihiko's lips made Takano's blood boil. He wanted to grab Ritsu's arm and drag him away, but out of respect for the author he composed himself. Forcing out a chuckle, he squeezed the editor's shoulder.

"Though I have to admit, it's shocking to hear that there are people in the shoujo department who enjoy my works," Akihiko continued. "I thought that type of manga was all about heart-fluttering romance and innocent love."

"Do you have something against romance, Usami-sensei?"

The author chuckled, shaking his head. "Not at all, but my novels aren't exactly known for being 'romantic'. Surely you must've noticed, as an avid reader of my work."

Ritsu, who had been completely excluded from the conversation, was trembling in Takano's grasp, obviously not happy with his lover's interference. His silence ignited a spark of deviousness within Takano.

"Love may not be a common theme in your writing, but I can't imagine romance hasn't crossed your path yet. A successful man like you must receive mountains of fan letters with love confessions. It's hard to resist such eloquence... and you're not hard on the eyes either."

The trembling promptly turned into vicious shaking, and Takano could actually feel the rage pouring out of Ritsu. He smiled subtly yet victoriously. Oh, how the tables had turned.

"You flatter me. I've heard that the Emerald Department is renowned for its handsome employees, and from what I can see that's not just some baseless rumor." Akihiko raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"You're too kind, Sensei."

Suddenly, the soft buzzing of a cell phone interrupted their pleasant exchange. Akihiko sighed.

"That's my editor, no doubt. I'm afraid we'll have to cut our conversation short. It's been a pleasure talking to you, Takano-san."

"The pleasure is all mine. I'll see you around."

With a nod and a swift goodbye, the novelist went on his way. Takano removed his hand from Ritsu's shoulder and turned towards him without saying a word. Green eyes shot daggers at him, but it didn't intimidate him in the slightest. If anything, it made the whole situation all the more satisfying.

"What was that all about?!" Ritsu seethed.

"We were just having a nice talk. I don't see what the issue is."

"A nice talk? You just appeared out of nowhere and started flirting with him!"

"Sounds like you're jealous." Takano stifled a laugh at the sight of Ritsu's face turning bright red. "Don't worry, I would never choose anyone over you. Besides, you're more Usami-sensei's type: brown hair, green eyes, easily flustered..."

"I'm not easily flustered! How would you even know what Sensei's type is? You talked to him for like five minutes."

Takano turned around. "Enough talking. It's time to get back to work." He walked off, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"Wha—hey, don't ignore me! Takano-san!"

Even as Ritsu went after him demanding an answer, the the man's lips remained sealed. Takano couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. He hated getting jealous over his lover, but he sure loved it when it was the other way around.

[takaritsuweek]

Day 3 for @takaritsuweek

Prompt - Summer/Pool

[takaritsuweek]

Day 2 for @takaritsuweek

Prompt - Rain/Umbrella

[takaritsuweek]

Day 1 for @takaritsuweek

Prompt - Sweets/Flowers

PS I'm a day late but I'm on track for each day now... Blame work 🥹

[takaritsuweek]

Takaritsu week: Day 3 - Summer

Here's my entry for this year's @takaritsuweek! I wanted to draw them having some summer fun at the beach :)

[takaritsuweek]

Ritsu is excited about his first official date with Takano until he remembers that in regards to his love life, anything that can go wrong absolutely will.

Day 3 of @takaritsuweek!

[takaritsuweek]

Takaritsu Week: Day 2 - Rain

Here's a bit of domestic fluff for the second day of @takaritsuweek <3

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After a day of heavy, sticky heat, summer evening brought a forgiving coolness along. The first raindrops had fallen barely half an hour after Ritsu and Takano got to the latter’s apartment, where Takano had cracked open the windows and left them ajar. He’d taken Ritsu in his arms, crashed their lips together, and the rest of the events that evening had become a blur.

Several hours had passed, yet the rain persisted. Ritsu lay on his side, the blanket draping loosely over his lower half. With a hand resting on his hip and slow breaths tingling at the back of his neck, he listened to the gentle tapping of raindrops hitting the window, watching them slowly trickle down the glass. The sheer relaxation made it hard to keep his eyes open. Not a single troubling thought clouded his mind right then; he merely enjoyed the moment, content and comfortable.

Takano trailed a finger along the bare skin of Ritsu’s arm, perfectly in sync with a raindrop slithering down the window. The slowness and lightness of his touch made the brunet shiver in delight.

“What are you doing?” Takano asked, his voice deep with sleepiness. It had a sultry quality to it.

Ritsu didn’t move a muscle. “Watching the rain.”

An arm encircled his waist as Takano snuggled closer, the warmth of their bodies melting together. It only occurred to Ritsu now that they should’ve closed the curtains before getting in bed, but he had no energy left to care. Moreover, he wouldn’t have had the chance to watch the rain if they had.

It amazed him how something could be perceived so differently depending on the circumstances. Irritating as it was to get ambushed by a sudden downpour while walking outside, he found that the sound of rain often brought him peace when he read or lay in bed. The contrast between the aggravation and the solace it provided astounded him.

In a way, Takano was like rain. At work, he’d unleash an endless barrage of tasks on Ritsu if he as much as suspected the editor of slacking off. His voice would resound throughout the entire floor like the deafening hammering of a gushing rainstorm. However, when they were alone, his sweet whispers reminded Ritsu of the satisfying splash of a raindrop hitting the surface of a puddle, his gentle caresses of the ripples created by that very droplet.

Lips planted a loving kiss on Ritsu’s shoulder blade. Takano’s hand found his in front of his chest and rested on top of it, interlocking their fingers. The rain continued to tap against the window.

“It’s pretty soothing, huh?”

Ritsu’s eyes fluttered shut as he hummed in agreement. Yes, it certainly was.

[takaritsuweek]

While packing Takano’s belongings as the two of them prepare to move in together, Ritsu comes across the last thing he’d ever expected to see again.

Day 2 of @takaritsuweek

[takaritsuweek]

Takaritsu Week: Day 1 - Flowers

I'll be providing some short entries for @takaritsuweek this year. It's not much, but please enjoy :)

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"Good morning," Takano greeted as he walked in.

"Good morning!" Kisa and Mino chirped. Hatori, talking on the phone, simply made eye contact and raised a hand.

The editor-in-chief's gaze flitted towards Ritsu's unoccupied desk. That morning, he'd received an e-mail from the man in question, informing him that he wouldn't be at the office due to a work-related issue involving Nanako Saitou. The e-mail had carried a strictly professional tone, as expected from Ritsu.

When he read the e-mail, he'd grumbled for a bit, not looking forward to spending hours at work without seeing Ritsu's face or hearing his voice, but he'd made peace with it. It was work, after all.

He slowly passed by the empty desk, eyes still lingering, when he suddenly caught sight of something colorful taking up space on his own desk. Curiously, he glanced over, cocking an eyebrow at the bouquet of flowers standing in the center.

Flowers? Who on earth would have flowers delivered at his workplace? He didn't recall any remarkably pleasant exchanges with authors he worked with or co-workers who'd requested his help.

He took another step forward and examined the bouquet more closely. Carnations in various shades of red were mixed in with large white, medium pink and red roses. It definitely didn't look like the type of bouquet one would get out of simple gratitude or appreciation. These flowers all screamed romance, love and devotion.

"Are you sure these are for me?" he asked, disbelief dripping from his tone.

"None of us have read the card, but I'd assume so," Mino replied. "They were already on your desk when I arrived."

"Oh, do you have a secret admirer?" Kisa suggested mischievously. "I should've taken a peek when I had the chance!"

Takano ignored him. Still doubtful, he reached for the small cream-colored card lodged neatly between two roses and read it in silence.

'One flower for every year we've been apart, and one for every year we'll be together.'

The card wasn't signed with a name, but it didn't need to be. Takano kept his facial expression unreadable, but his heart did somersaults as he re-read the words. He put the card back in its proper place and ran his fingers over the petals of one of the white roses.

On second thought, maybe it was a good thing Ritsu hadn't come into the office that morning. Takano wouldn't have trusted himself around him—not after this. He sat down and put the flowers at the corner of his desk, the words on the card repeating themselves over and over in his head.

He couldn't wait for work to be over.