Hibiki softly closed the door of their room. A warm fuzziness permeated his body, leaving him flushed and excited. He wanted to grab Tristan and just love him as much as he could, but he refrained from doing so. Instead he turned around to see Tristan take out a small bag from the wardrobe.

"I bought this for you. While I went out with your father." Curiously he nodded, glancing at the colourful paper bag. "They're chocolates, but you have to promise not to eat them before you get home, because... they're for when you get lonely, and I am not there to kiss you."

The words caused his heart to liquify, and the molten love clambered up to his cheeks to take a peek at the man who tormented him with such thoughtfulness. His eyes met Tristan's, who smiled bashfully and averted his gaze for a moment.

Without hesitation he darted along the few steps it took to get to Tristan, and bounced up to give him a kiss. He gently placed both hands on his jaw, letting his fingertips drift over his skin whilst he took in all the little imperfections that made him human: a few moles, the pale ridge of the scar on his cheekbone, a few stray hairs near his ear that he had missed while shaving – the smile that pushed up under his fingers. It was all so incredibly loveable, and he couldn't help but smile too.

As he pulled his hands back, Tristan took a small, elegant little box out of the paper bag. A golden bow neatly sat atop. He took it from him with care and held it close to his heart, to show that he truly appreciated the gift.

Even though they were just chocolates, it made him feel so cared for. All the gifts he had had, even the most expensive ones, couldn't weigh up against the knowledge that someone truly thought about him. He didn't want to be lonely, and as much as he didn't want Tristan to worry about him like that, it still felt amazing to have someone think of what he needed.

He smiled again, glancing down at the box and bouncing a little in excitement since he couldn't sign how much he loved it. The chocolates inside rattled softly, and he realised that wouldn't be good for them. Looking for a place to put it down, he set it aside on top of the nightstand next to the bed.

With a grin he flopped down onto the bed himself, looking up at Tristan. He patted the spot beside him, telling him to sit down next to him. Tristan smiled, and calmly sat down on the edge of the bed, half turned around to look at him. He reached one hand up, and let the back of his fingers drift over his suit.

"Your father helped me pick it out." Tristan said with a smile, and he chuckled in the knowledge that his dad finally had gotten his wish of dressing someone up in a suit.

"You should have seen him," Tristan continued as he fell down beside him onto his back. "He was going back and forth with different colours and styles, I think he was more excited than the store personnel – and that man was getting paid for it."

He giggled softly at the joke, simultaneously running his fingers along Tristan's cheek.

"I think your parents like me though? Especially after I told them about the ideas for tonight and what I wanted to do for you. Meeting them in person was nice. I can see where you got all your energy from."

He grinned, even as Tristan rolled into his side and placed a hand on his cheek.

"You're my grumpy ball of excitement."

Without hesitation he nodded and kissed him. Placing a hand on the back of his head he pulled him in to say that he didn't mind that – you're mine too babe; my sweet, timid little thing.

Grinning between the kisses, his fingers slowly snuck to the buttons of Tristan's vest. He had to be warm under all those layers, and since he was a good boyfriend he decided to help him out.

"This really is the last night. It felt like so much time at the start..." Tristan sighed softly. The bedsheets rustled from the movement.

Hibiki looked up, as he was laying on his shoulder. He saw Tristan run a hand through his own hair, before he draped it above his head. With a nod he confessed that he felt the same, placing a hand on Tristan's bare chest. It rose and fell with his words.

"I've gotten used to this already. Maybe not the hotel and the wealth but, you know, this closeness?" Tristan glanced down and smiled at him, running a hand along his cheek. He grinned in response and closed his eyes to enjoy the intimacy. For good measures he made sure to wrap one of his legs around Tristan's.

"I was worried that this would be overwhelming, diving from one extreme into the other. But if anything I feel a bit calmer."

He drew a heart on Tristan's chest, to say he was glad.

"Not at the start though, I mean, it was pretty intimidating. But then your parents were nice, and being with you was amazing. Although I don't think I would have liked any of it if you weren't here. It's doing it with you that made it valuable."

A bright smile spread on his face, and he wrote his answer on Tristan's chest, rather than bother searching for his phone.

'M A K E•H A P P Y ♡'

He heard Tristan sigh, and then felt him shift out from under him to lay on his side. Two arms wrapped tightly around him, and he immediately buried himself into his chest.

"Yes, you really do." A hand ran through his hair. "I know the next few months will probably be difficult, but I'll do my best to stay this way and not let it get to me."

He placed both his hands on Tristan's neck, as he calmly shook his head. He didn't want him to force happiness, when he'd need every bit of mental leeway to overcome the fallout of his mother's actions. Firmly he poked two fingers against Tristan's chest, where his heart was, telling him to feel whatever he needed to.

"You know, sometimes I think we both care too much about each other." Tristan chuckled, and despite letting out a disagreeing huff he still smiled. "But it's a lot better than the alternative. As long as we don't become too restrictive."

His smile faltered and he sighed, before planting a soft kiss on his lips to promise he wouldn't.

He was well aware that Tristan was probably the most responsible between the two of them. Although he didn't doubt that he could handle himself, asking for help wasn't bad, and emotional honesty went a long way in processing things.

"It feels so strange. A part of me is afraid of mum going to jail, yet at the same time I want her to go away forever. At least until Annie turns eighteen. So I'll have to fight for that."

Tristan sighed and gripped his shoulders tighter.

"I'm going to have to say and do things that will keep her locked up."

The words made him frown slightly, and he moved both hands up into Tristan's hair, pulling him in towards his shoulder instead. Softly he kissed him on the cheek, to say that whatever happened he'd help him get through it.

"She's such a horrible person she can make you believe that she isn't. And I don't know why, or what went wrong. I remember her smiling at me, and wiping my face and taking pictures of me when I rode my first pony. She loved me 'Biki, and then she went and crushed me, because I had the audacity to have my father's genes. And now I can't tell if she ever really did care, a part of me wants to believe that was all fake. So it's easier not to think about it. But I know it's not – and I just don't get it. That's the worst part."

A deep, brave breath tried to hold back his tears, but didn't stand a chance. All he could do was softly run his hands through his hair and along his back, and listen to him.

"I understand why someone would yell at me,- even why she'd beat me. But I don't understand that she never tried to stop herself. That she did those drugs and left us, and that she,- she liked hurting me. How could she love me when raising me, and then still do that to me?"

He swallowed audibly, and his mind immediately flashed back to desires that he had had before. The ones he enjoyed but didn't like. And he knew the answer as to why. Maybe on some level Tristan knew too, maybe he didn't: either way he felt he at least deserved for someone to tell him.

'P O W E R'

He drew the word on his cheek, and felt a heavy nod on his shoulder followed by another desperate sob.

"Selfishness." There was anger in the word, and he softly kissed the side of his head to calm him down again.

Yet he couldn't help but wonder if what he desired was similar: he enjoyed the thought of hurting him. Not hard, and not permanent, but as an expression of a brutal kind of love. The kind he felt only when it overtook everything else – and he wanted him to feel that, to cry out because of it. I'm just making excuses.

I don't want to harm you so,- why do I dream of hurting you? I shouldn't. Why am I even considering this right now? It's sick.

Maybe I really am like them...

Selfish. Monster.

He bit his lip and pulled Tristan in closer, trying to shake off those thoughts. It didn't matter what he was, or what fucked up things he once wanted. Not while Tristan was scared and worried. And even if he truly was a monster, he still loved him.

Slowly he ran his hand through his hair, and left gentle kisses on his cheek, until his breathing eased and he calmed down. He didn't want to let go of him, not when he knew that it would be a while before he could sleep next to him again.