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Rin was terrified , to put it frankly.
Romance had never come easily to him, yet he had managed well enough in the four years he’d been with Yoichi. It was tough in the beginning, having to allow himself to relax and surrender himself entirely to the older boy.
Yoichi was never anything but patient, letting Rin take things at his own pace and work through any reservations that he had about breaking himself apart and letting the other put him back together again.
He was his catalyst, if you could even call another human being that. The one that pushed him far beyond anything Rin had ever thought he’d be, more than just a soccer player with a vendetta against family, more than what he had built himself up in his head to be.
Falling in love was something Rin had tried and inevitably failed to fight against. It was like he had been plunged into freezing water, the shock and horror of waking up one day and realizing that fuck , he could not live without Isagi Yoichi.
It was gradual, from their first meeting until a year later when Rin had finally accepted that the reason he couldn’t get Yoichi out of his head wasn’t just the drive to prove that he was better; it was that he had grown feelings far beyond what he ever wanted to comprehend.
From a confession where Rin stumbled over his words, not knowing how to word everything that had built up in his mind, to the grin that had grown on Yoichi’s face after he had finished, Rin had grown certain that he was totally fucked.
It was at that moment he knew that he only ever wanted to see the other smile like that. That it made him feel more than just contempt or disdain over anything. Rin could finally breathe, could finally allow himself to fall into the depths of something he had tried to shut out of his life for so long.
He loved Yoichi. Loved him more than he had ever thought was possible, to the point where it actually hurt when they had to be apart for longer than a night.
Rin didn’t think anything like that existed beyond shitty movies, a facade built up in media to trick people into thinking that was something that’d be possible. God, how happy he was when he realized he had found that for himself.
They had their fair share of arguments, Rin never being one who was always the easiest to be around, something he hadn’t ever thought about changing until he realized that if he kept up how he was, it’d lead to an inevitable downfall of their relationship.
It got easier after that. Yoichi would sit silently as he waited for Rin to be able to verbalize what he was thinking, never backing down when sharp words slipped from his tongue because he knew that Rin didn’t mean to sound like that, that he was trying his hardest to find the words to say without coming across as bitter.
None of Yoichi’s friends were surprised when they were told about the relationship three months into being together. We saw it coming , they all said. Yoichi basically worshipped the ground you walked on from afar.
That led to a rare smile tugging at Rin’s lips, a silent satisfaction curling around his heart when he had confirmation that Yoichi was just as crazy about him. He never had to doubt the love that filled their relationship, always being able to seek comfort in the fact that no matter what happened, there was always the safety net of their own dedication.
Going public with their relationship two years in was difficult. It wasn’t easy to have an openly gay relationship in the world of professional sports. Still, they had quickly grown sick of hiding everything and having to debunk rumors that were being spread by the tabloids.
They had recently moved in with each other when they came to the mutual decision to announce that they were dating, being stupid enough to not ask their PR representatives before doing so. Yoichi had easily decided to post a photo of them after their first night in their new home; Rin still curled up in the wrinkled sheets of their bed asleep, curled right into Yoichi’s side.
The photo had blown up quickly, as to be expected. Rin woke up to Yoichi scrolling through the flood of comments appearing faster than he could even read, with Rin hooking his chin over his shoulder to read what everyone was saying as well.
The reception of the announcement was better than they had initially assumed it would be, with more comments being positive than negative. Anyone who said something nasty was immediately blocked, Rin chuckling to himself as they went through and did it together.
Rin took a more blunt approach, giving a simple yes, we’re dating. Get over it post to his social media after months of radio silence on the apps. Yoichi went into playful dramatics, saying he wanted a cute post too, which Rin just quickly shut up with a kiss.
They had found a rhythm in their years together, the days melting into something comforting. They’d wake up earlier than they had to just so they could lay in bed and cuddle before having to go to practice or leave for games, just to come right home after and fall into each other, opting to cook something simple and veg out on the couch for the rest of the night.
International games were always more of an issue, and Rin had grown far more clingy than he had wanted to be. They had opted to play on different teams to avoid any issues on the field, thus bringing up times when one had to leave for a week or two, and the other had to stay home due to his own schedule.
That did lead to Rin’s favorite thing, though. Getting to pick Yoichi up at the airport when he was coming back with his team was always exciting, even more so when the other boy didn’t know he’d be able to find the free time to do so.
Today was one of those days; Yoichi was set to return from a game in England in an hour, with Rin getting ready to go to the airport and surprise him. Rin had told the other that he would be busy with practice today, so he wouldn’t be able to come to pick him up, which was true at the time, but he decided to forego practice because two weeks without his boyfriend around the time of their anniversary was too much for him.
Rin was antsy the entire drive to the airport, something that was typical despite how long he had been doing it at this point. I hope he won’t be pissed that I skipped practice , he thought to himself as he pulled into the parking garage, shutting the car off and sliding out of the seat. Logically he knew Yoichi wouldn’t actually be pissed at him for skipping, but Rin could never entirely free himself from the little overthinking voice in the back of his head.
This place is a fucking nightmare.
Airports have always pissed Rin off, far too busy for his liking. He weaved through the crowds, already knowing which baggage claim area Yoichi would be heading down to once he got to the plane, figuring it’d be a less empty place to meet him when the time came.
He waited anxiously, his gaze stuck to his phone as he waited for the usual just landed! Text he’d typically get when Yoichi would come back from games. His hood was pulled over his head, trying to keep some attention off of him as he waited, not wanting to be bothered by anyone approaching him.
Not today.
The text came twenty minutes later; Rin perked up almost immediately when he heard the familiar text tone from his phone. Almost. He hated how dependent he had become, acting like a lost puppy whenever they were apart from each other.
Such is love, he figured. Surely everyone else in a relationship acts like this.
That’s what he’d tell himself, at least.
Rin slid his phone back into his pocket, finally raising his head as anticipation curled inside him. He was antsy, knowing that Yoichi would come down the escalators any moment, back to him, back where he belonged.
It didn’t take long for Yoichi’s team to start filing down and disperse around the baggage area. A few of his teammates noticed Rin waiting, cracking knowing grins as they motioned back to the escalator, a silent speech saying he’s right behind us.
God, were they right when his eyes landed on Yoichi as soon as he had appeared, disheveled from the long flight, hoodie pulled up, and sweatpants hung low as he made his way down. Beautiful was the first thing that came to his mind.
Fuck, he was far too enraptured by his boyfriend. Then again, if anyone else had the pleasure of being able to call Isagi Yoichi theirs, they’d have to feel the same. There was no other option.
He felt his breath hitch as Yoichi finally noticed him, the other’s eyes widening as he rushed to get off the escalator, not wasting any time throwing himself into Rin’s already open arms.
“What happened to having practice today?” Yoichi’s voice was muffled from where his face was pressed against Rin’s chest, the teasing lilt still coming through strongly.
“Didn’t want to go,” Rin mumbled, pressing his face to Yoichi’s head and taking a deep breath, the familiar scent melting away any tension that had built up. “Missed you too much. Wanted to come pick you up.”
Yoichi huffed out a quiet laugh, pulling away just slightly so he could look up at Rin. “You’re so clingy.”
“Shut up,” Rin spoke, rolling his eyes before leaning down to capture Yoichi’s lips in a kiss. The other gave in quickly, melting under Rin’s touch without a second thought, uncaring that they were still in public.
The rest of the time at the airport was a blur of Rin grabbing Yoichi’s suitcase before the other could even protest and quickly leaving so they could get back home. The drive home was smooth, full of soft-spoken words of love and an incredibly thorough recap of Yoichi’s games despite Rin having watched them on TV.
—
A few hours later, they were doing what they did best, slumped in a pile on the couch with a movie playing in the background–horror, much to Rin’s insistence. They weren’t paying too much attention to the movie, and Rin allowed himself to be far too sappy for his own good.
How could he resist holding Yoichi so close to him that the other was basically stuck? Yoichi didn’t seem to have any complaints, at least, being content pressed up against his boyfriend as he was doted on.
“You didn’t push yourself too hard while you were away, right?” Rin murmured, voice in a sickenly soft tone as he brushed his thumbs against Yoichi’s cheeks, eyebrows furrowed in concern.
“I didn’t,” Yoichi’s response was reassuring. “I’m not the one who pushes themself past the brink of exhaustion when practicing.”
“I don’t do that much anymore,” Rin pouted as Yoichi raised a hand to flick his forehead. “You won’t let me.”
Yoichi snickered, pressing his lips to the underside of Rin’s jaw before speaking again. “You don’t, that’s true,” he mused. “It’s been a while since you came back from practice looking half-dead.”
Rin rolled his eyes, gently bumping his forehead against the other’s. “Only because you get dramatic when I do.”
“A little dramatic, sure,” Yoichi’s voice was soft, fingers moving to trace against Rin’s skin. “I just don’t want you falling back into bad habits. It’s better to pace yourself and stay healthy.”
Rin hummed out a silent agreement, leaning down to kiss Yoichi again. He knew the other was always keeping an eye on him, ensuring he wasn’t getting as bad as he was when they were younger and had first met.
He appreciated it, even if he didn’t quite know how to word it.
Yoichi kissed him back easily, their lips pressing together in a familiar rhythm. Rin could live like this forever, stolen moments in the comfort of their own home as they relaxed from the day. It had grown to become one of his favorite things.
He didn’t want to ever be without it; he didn’t think he could ever be without it.
There was no stopping Rin when he pulled away from the kiss, his lips still brushing against Yoichi’s as he blurted out a simple marry me.
Yoichi paused against him, letting the words digest as he scanned Rin’s face for any sign that he was anything other than completely serious. “You’re not joking?” He finally murmured after a moment.
“No,” Rin breathed, mind finally catching up to what he had said. “I’m not joking.”
“Alright,” Yoichi spoke, a sparkle growing in the depths of his eyes. “I’ll marry you.”
Rin didn’t hesitate to lean down and kiss him again, stealing the breath from Yoichi’s lungs as he accepted the soft proposal.
There was nothing he wanted more, nothing he needed more than to make Yoichi his husband, the silent promise of forever being etched into his mind as he fully surrendered himself to the feeling that had coursed through his veins for so long.
Maybe love was terrifying, and Rin would surely still fuck it up on occasion, but Yoichi would always be there. They’d face a new chapter in their lives together, falling deeper into the irrevocable feeling of being each other’s forever.
(And if on their wedding day eight months later, surrounded by their family and friends, Rin cried, well, nobody would dare point it out).