Archive of Our Own ^beta

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  You sigh frustratedly at your brother, a student at Samezuka academy. "Y/n, you have to come to swim practice with me to see how much I've improved! Please?? It would mean a lot!" He had been begging you to watch him swim for a while now, and you didn't have any plans that day, so you decided to agree this time. He quickly enveloped you in an excited and grateful hug.

  Later on that week, you showed up to see how he had gotten better. You had to admit, it was quite impressive. It was also quite enjoyable to watch all of your your brother's friends, including Rin Matsuoka. After practice was over and the people began to leave, you ran in the direction of your brother to congratulate him on his betterment. On the way however, you bumped into Rin, causing you to fall over into a somewhat large puddle caused by the large number of swimmers exiting the pool. You weren't soaked, but the moisture was enough to be very cold and uncomfortable, and patches of your clothes clung to your damp skin. The setting sun and cooling temperatures were not in your favor, either. You and Rin began to laugh hysterically and he helped you stand up, offering you a hoodie because neither you nor your brother had brought one. "You can borrow this to stay warm and to cover up the water, just return it to me as soon as you can," he offered with an apologetic smile. You gratefully slipped it on and gave him a hug in thanks. Turning to your brother, you told him how fantastic he'd done today and, with a quick goodbye to Rin, you were on your way.

  You had planned to have your brother return the hoodie to the redhead, but as it turns out he had fallen a bit sick. You sighed in frustration and called Rin. He picked up saying he was out at the moment but his roommate would meet up with you outside the dorms to pick it up if that was okay with you. You agreed and hung up, setting out towards Samezuka.

  When you arrived at the dorms, you looked around for the roommate you'd seen at practices and the like before. He was rather cute you thought, with his silver hair and blue eyes, though you didn't even know his name. He was only about an inch taller than you but that only added to the charm in your opinion. You quickly spotted him walking towards you with a shy smile and you waved, grinning back. You half skipped up to him, clutching the giant hoodie. He gently waved, seemingly distracted by something. The awkward silence was too much to bear, so you laughed a bit and chirped a quick "I've seen you around at my brother's practices, what's your name?"

"O-oh, sorry! My name is Nitori Aiichiro! May I ask yours?" You giggled at how formal he sounded. "My name is Y/n! It's cool to meet you!" He blushed, albeit too lightly for you to notice, at your words. Your hair was covering one of your eyes, (hiding behind it was something you had grown to do subconsciously when meeting new people,) and you jumped a bit when he reached out gently to push it back. "Sorry, I'm sorry, I just wanted to see your whole face beca-" he stopped himself when he realized how creepy that had sounded. You smiled shyly and responded with an "Oh yeah, I'm sorry, I mean, here-" and tucked the hair behind your ear. Once again, an awkward silence ensued, so you decided to do something about it. You thought this guy was pretty cute, and you didn't want this to be the last time you get the chance to talk to him. "Hey, you seem cool, and you're a pretty good swimmer! C-can I have your number?" His eyes widened and he almost looked confused. However, he nodded happily and you handed him your phone. He then offered you his and you quickly filled in your name and number. "I'll text you later, I mean, if that's okay with you," he internally cursed his awkwardness but stopped talking before he made things worse. "That sounds great! I look forward to it!" You reassure him with a cute grin. You quickly held out the hoodie, almost forgetting why you were here. He reached out to take it, hands lightly brushing your own.  "Well, I should be going, um, have a good afternoon Nitori!"

"Oh, you can just call me Ai if you want! A-and, I hope you have a good afternoon as well, Y/n!" Y/n... He liked the way your name felt when he said it.

  Almost as soon as you got back to your room, you sat your phone next to your pillow and made sure the ringer was on, waiting for Ai to text you first. You didn't want to seem annoying. Eventually your mind began to wander, and you thought about how sweet he seemed and how cute it was when he stuttered, how much you loved his hair, and how pretty his eyes were, and how crazy you were for fawning over a boy you had just formally met. You took a deep breath and closed your eyes, about to drift off, when you heard a chirp from your phone.

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You started a bit at the sudden noise and hurriedly looked at your phone screen. 'I just wanted to make sure you got home safely' along with Ai's name was displayed there. Immediately you set to typing a response. 'I did, that's very kind of you to ask! :)' Send. You got your reply almost equally as fast. 'Oh, it's no problem.' He then followed it quickly with another message, 'Do you want to go get lunch with me tomorrow? I mean, if that's not wierd to ask.' You giggled a bit and felt butterflies in your stomach. Did he just ask you on a date? Well, tomorrow WAS a weekend and you didn't have any plans. 'Sure! But only if you answer one thing for me.'

'Okay, what?' 

'Is this a date? :)'

The response took slightly longer this time. 'Do you want it to be?'

Now it was your turn to be at a loss for words. 'Yes!' You hit send before you could talk yourself out of it. His response made you squeal with joy. 

'Okay, then it's a date!'

You drifted off to sleep that night thinking about what the next day could have in store.

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You woke up the next day far earlier than normal. Making the most of this time, you made your hair look nice and put on a bit of makeup. It was springtime and you were going to a casual café, so you reached into your closet and chose a cute yellow sundress with a floral pattern. Looking yourself over in the mirror, you decided that this was the perfect look. You just hoped that Ai liked it! Checking the time, you saw that you had finished getting ready right on schedule.

You show up at the cute little café, a place you enjoyed going before you met Ai. As it turned out, he also liked this particular place, so you had agreed that this is the perfect location  to meet for your date. 'Date.' You loved the way it felt to think about that. He showed up only about two minutes behind you, at exactly the time you had agreed to meet. He smiled even wider then before when he saw the dress you were wearing. 

"I really like that dress on you! Y-you look very cute!"

He said you looked cute! Your cheeks turned almost as red as his at the compliment. "Thank you! You look very nice yourself!" He turned more scarlet, if that's even possible. "So, shall we go in?" You giggled as you realized you two had been standing on the sidewalk without even making a move for the door. 

"Of course!" Ai jumped and opened the door for you, grinning politely. You thanked him as you walked through it and into the cozy and welcoming café, where a few other people sat about with coffee and chatted about this and that. You both ordered and sat down, enjoying each other's company. 

"So Ai, um, how did you get so good at swimming? I'm sure my brother would love to be as fast as you are!" 

"Really?! You think I'm fast? I- Thank you! Lots of practice I guess! I practice every day so I can be as fast as Rin-senpai!"

You laughed gently at how he turned red yet again. You began to wonder if he'd ever return to his normal color! "That IS the best way to get good at something I guess! So, why did you start swimming, then?"

"Well, I have asthma, and swimming is a good sport for me because of that. It builds lung capacity! Anyway, tell me more about you! What do you like to do?" He quickly changed the topic from himself and waited eagerly for your response.

"Um, let's see. I like drawing, but I don't think I'm very good at it. I also like movies, anime, and I love to read.."

"How about your brother? He goes to Samezuka? Who is he?" After a bit of conversation, you were beginning to see that Ai was a bit of a chatterbox.

"Oh, yeah! He's a second year, B/n!"

"L/n-senpai is your brother? Rin talks about him! How cool!"

"Yeah, B/n and Rin are friends. Maybe we can all hang out sometime!" 

He excitedly reached across the table and took your hands in his own at the indication that you would want to see him again. "That would be great!" 

You reciprocated, gently squeezing his hands, and he turned the color of a tomato once more when he realized the contact. You then happened to notice the grey clouds forming in the afternoon sky, smiling. You had always found this weather calming somehow. "Hey Ai! Look at the clouds!"

Instead of watching the sky with you, he watched your face as your eyes lit up in happiness. He loved the way your smile grew when a light rain began to fall. You then looked back to him, excited about the drizzle, when your eyes locked and you saw the loving gaze he had directed towards you. You shift your stare downwards in embarrassment. "W-what?" 

Ai then caught himself, and laughed nervously, still holding your hands. Neither of you had moved your hands the entire time. He giggled, stating "It's raining, do you think we should stay a while longer?"

"Yeah, I do."

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After sitting in the café for what you both felt was not long enough, it was almost closing time and the rain had not let up. The sunset through the clouds was a sight that took your breaths away. The sky was painted a fantastic pink/orange, and the rain was like small sparks falling to the streets. You both had sat at your table holding hands, neither wanting to let go of the other. When you were the last ones left, you stood, still holding hands, and started towards the door. You laced your fingers together and leaned closer as you walked. Once you got outside the door, you put a hand out to feel the rain and tilted your face upwards to enjoy the feeling of the warm droplets hitting your face. Ai laughed and spun you around, the two of you ending up in a hug. Your faces instantly turned red, and you giggled at the cuteness of the situation, burying your face in his now damp shoulder. He froze before hugging you back and laughing as well.

"Hey Ai, my parents have been out of town visiting a relative for a few days, and they come back the week after next. I really hate being alone, and I always get really scared of the dark, and what I'm saying is: would it be odd to ask if you would stay with me? I-I'm not implying anything! I just don't want to be afraid of my own shadow again tonight-"

"Oh! Uh, sure! We can watch movies if you want to, or we can make cookies or something! I'm excited!"

"How about both!" You start toward your house hand in hand with your new best friend and... Boyfriend? "H- Uh, hey Ai?"

"Yes, Y/n?"

"Are we dating now, then?"

"W-well, um, I guess we are!"

"So, so are you my boyfriend? I mean- can you be? ..My boyfriend?"

"Absolutely!" His face lit up. "Um.. Hey Y/n? Do you believe in love at first sight?"

To be completely honest, you were surprised. You didn't believe in love at first sight, but you had never met anyone you felt this comfortable with before. Not to mention the fact that you thought about him every waking moment since you had first spoken to him.

"Yes, I think I do."

Ai smiled at your answer and quietly replied "Me too."

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When you arrived back at your house with Ai, unlocking the door quickly, you jumped a bit at the sound of thunder. The two of you began to laugh at how startled you had gotten, making your way into the kitchen.

"So, cookies and a pillow fort then? I have this great recipe for chocolate chip cookies somewhere!"

"Yeah! That sounds perfect!"

You find the recipe card and set to work gathering the ingredients. Ai asks where you keep your bowls and you point it out, setting down the foods you'd gathered onto the counter. The two of you started mixing and measuring and finished the cookie dough in a short amount of time, chatting the whole time you made it. You then started putting scoops of it onto the cookie sheet, making the cookies much bigger than normal. Ai put them into the oven and you set the timer. You grabbed his arm, smiling, and dragged him into your living room.

"Now it's time to build a pillow fort while we wait! But make sure there's a gap to see the TV, because I want to watch a movie in it!"

"Oh, okay! Let's make it the best pillow fort ever!"

"Yeah, that's the spirit!"

The two of you got to work using anything you could find, including chairs and couch cushions. You even managed to find some fairy lights and strung them around the inside, making the fort light up with a gentle glow. The floor inside was covered in a thick layer of soft pillows and blankets, and you thought you'd probably never get up if not for the cookies. You jumped out to take the cookie sheet out of the oven when the timer went off, impatiently bouncing while you waited for them to cool. Ai reached out to touch one, testing the temperature, and jumped a bit.

"They're still hot," he laughed.

"Yeah, no kidding!" You pushed his arm playfully, giggling. A few minutes later, they were cool enough to eat. You put them all on a plate and took them into the awesome pillow fort.

"Okay Ai, what movie should we watch?"

"Oh, well, I don't really mind. I'm sure I'll like whatever you pick!"

You smiled at the sweet response and chose your favorite movie from the selection of movies you had, putting it in and pressing play. The two of you watched intently from within the fort, munching on the cookies. You accidentally touched Ai's hand when reaching for one and you looked over at him, grinning as you laced your fingers together. That was the moment when he lost focus on the movie. He instead watched your face as you reacted to your favorite parts, smiling at your cuteness. By the end of the movie you were only about an inch apart. He hadn't moved away or let go of your hand, so you decided to take a chance and scooted closer, leaning your head on his shoulder. You switched the TV off and pulled a blanket over the two of you, laying back on the plush pillows. Ai followed suit, facing you but staying back, you assumed out of respect.

"I really liked that movie, Y/n," he stated, starting conversation.

"Yeah? It's been my favorite for so long!"

"I can see why! It was great! Also, I feel like I should mention that you make some amazing cookies!"

"Ai, why are you so sweet?" You gently nudge his shoulder and place a quick kiss on the tip of his nose. 

"W-well, I mean, you deserve it! You're a great person! Everyone should be sweet to you, Y/n!" To emphasize his point, he pulled you into a hug, tucking his face into your shoulder to hide his blush at his forward actions. He sighed contentedly when you tangled your legs together, hugging him back.

"You're a great person too, Ai. I've never met such a sweet guy in my entire life!" You squeezed him tighter to emphasize your point.

"R-really? I mean, I don't think I'm /that/ great. At least not as great as Rin-senpai!"

"Hey now! I've known Rin for a few years now and I definitely prefer you. Rin is nowhere near as caring, and I'm sure he's not as cuddly!" You kissed his cheek.

"I-I.. Um, I, I think.."

"Hmm?" You wondered what he could possibly have such a hard time saying. Before you could elaborate on the question, he quickly pressed a kiss to your lips. Laughing, you kissed back. The two of you fell asleep in the fort, you wrapped in his arms with your head resting on his chest, legs tangled together.

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The two of you woke up wrapped in each other's arms. Ai had a small smile on his sleeping face. You pecked his cheek and he slowly opened his eyes. The soft light filtering in through the blankets of the fort caused you both to appear to have an almost angelic glow. The rain had stopped in the earlier hours of the morning. You stretched out, yawning, and he did the same. 

 "So, do you want to go see a movie or something today?" You thought of an activity to do, hoping your time together wouldn't have to end. 

 "A movie sounds nice! What do you want to go see?" You mentally cheered at the response. 

 "I really want to see ((movie)), if that's okay!" 

 "I've really wanted to see that too!" You then proceeded to get ready and the two of you headed towards the dorms at Samezuka to let Ai change clothes. You bumped into Rin on the way in, and he looked questioningly at your hand, which was intertwined with Ai's. Before you could explain, Ai happily squeezed your hand and said "Y/n and I are dating now!" Rin then looked Ai over and asked, "Why were you gone last night? And why are you in the same clothes you left in?" Before Ai could answer, you stopped him. Knowing Rin, he would jump to rather perverted conclusions.

"It was too rainy and I was worried about him going back here alone, so he stayed in the guest bedroom at my house," you lied. He probably didn't believe that story either, in all honesty, but it's less incriminating than the truth. You didn't need Rin gossiping with your brother about your relationship. Those two were like teen girls, you swear. 

"Hm. Well, congratulations on finally finding a girlfriend, Nitori." After the short encounter with Rin, Ai got ready for your movie date and you set off to the theatre.

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After your movie, the two of you walked out of the theatre and into the afternoon heat hand-in-hand. Ai's thumb was moving back and forth over your hand gently and you were resting your head on his shoulder as you headed for home. He had forgotten his cellphone at your house, and whether that was because he was so wrapped up in his plans or because he wanted to spend more time with you you didn't know. 

Once you arrived back at your house, Ai quickly located his phone and started to walk towards the door when you heard a knock. Puzzled, you quickly answered it, only to be greeted by your brother with a smug smile on his face. "Rin told me the news! Congratulations, Y/n! I never thought you'd finally get a boyfriend." He jokingly stuck out his tongue. "Oh, and there he is now," he laughed as Ai peeked out from behind you. 

"Please don't do the thing where you threaten to kill him if he hurts me or whatever, that's super overdone. Also, I think he might cry." You giggled and reached back to grab Ai's hand. He relaxed a little at that.

"I don't think I need to. My crazy intimidating appearance does the talking for me, huh?" B/n flexed his arms in an exaggerated way, making Ai smile a bit. "But seriously, I am glad you have a reason to hang out with me at swim practices and stuff. You and Nitori here should go do something with me and Rin sometime!"

"Yeah, that sounds like fun! What do you think, Ai?"

You could tell he was excited to get to hang out with Rin and your brother, especially since he idolized Rin so much. "I think so too!" He squeezed your hand tighter and smiled brightly.

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After a bit of discussion, it was decided that you, Ai, Rin, and your brother would all meet up at the beach the next Saturday. Until then, you were all swamped with homework. You were looking forward to getting to see B/n a bit more, and obviously to spend more time with your boyfriend. You sat out your favorite swimsuit, ignoring how far in advance it was, and got to work on the schoolwork for today.

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You rose a little early on Saturday morning and got together your beach towel and sunscreen, as well as some food and water. You threw it all into a beach bag and quickly slipped on the swimsuit you had set out last week. It took you almost no time at all to make it to the beach, greeted by a sharp toothed grin from your favorite shark boy and a tackle hug from B/n. Ai was the last to show up, greeting you with a sweet hug and a kiss on the cheek. You grinned and gave him a kiss on the nose, and he blushed a lot as per the usual. You took his hand and set off towards the water, setting up your towel and putting on some sunscreen. You shared some with Ai as well, because he forgot his at his dorm. (Rin blamed it on his messy desk.) Soon enough, your brother and Rin were having a race to see who could make it the farthest offshore the quickest while you and Ai "spectated," but mostly you were just building a sandcastle while your boyfriend watched in awe as Rin swam through the waves. You stuck seashells in the sides of the sandy walls, making little windows and doors, and put a bit of wood you found over the moat to make a drawbridge, before a particularly strong wave caused the water to reach the sandcastle and demolish it. You sat with your mouth hanging open as your hard work washed away with the tide, cursing yourself mentally for not building it farther away from the water. Ai noticed just as the wood was trying to float away, pouncing on it before it could leave the beach. He then proceeded to collect all of the shells that were on the castle and then some, setting them all next to you before beginning to rebuild the castle walls. You smiled a bit and started to help him, digging out the moat again so that it filled with salty water and a few tiny crabs. Before you knew it, the castle was even better than it was before the wave incident. Ai held up a tiny flag made from a twig and some seaweed, smiling, and the two of you put it in the top of the masterpiece together. Before you knew it, Rin and B/n were returning, a triumphant grin on Rins face as they ran through the shallow water. Your brother took a moment out of his dramatic walk of shame to compliment the "nice sandcastle" before moping back over to where you had set up your beach towels. You decided to snap a quick photo of it, so you quickly fetched your phone from the bag and did so before returning to get some food. You pulled out a sandwich and a can of your favorite soda, and all of the boys looked at you mournfully because they didn't have a place to prepare a proper lunch like this, unless you count a school desk. You laughed and pulled out three more sandwiches, knowing in advance that this would happen. You also grabbed a few water bottles and soda cans from the bag, not knowing which the athletes would rather have. Rin was the first to finish eating, and he noticed that you had packed one extra sandwich just in case. He quickly snatched it out of the bag just as B/n finished his, and the latter stared at Rin pitifully as he laughed a little and broke the food in half to share it. They both finished the sandwich off before you and Ai had even finished your first. They took off again, probably to have a rematch, and you waited until they were out of sight to pull out a container of cookies from the bag that you had made to share with Ai. The seagulls were loudly squawking above you and you shielded the food from them with the end of your towel. The cookies were all eaten within minutes of your brother and Rin taking off, so you grabbed Ai's hand and laid back on the towel, with him following suit. You rested your head on his shoulder and dozed off waiting on Rin and B/n, only to be woken up by the feeling of sunscreen being applied to your shoulders. You blinked a little before trying to sit up, and the blue eyed boy quickly started apologizing for waking you.

"I'm so sorry! It's just- I saw your shoulders turning a little red and I wouldn't want you to end up with a sunburn so I decided to put a little more sunscreen on you," he pointed to your shoulders which were, as he said, a little bit burned looking.

"Thank you for doing that, you precious little angel," you both giggled as you nearly tackled him to the sand with a hug, quickly pressing a kiss to his lips before he held up the still open bottle of sunscreen, mentioning that he wasn't done with your shoulders. He quickly applied the cold liquid to your skin before putting it back into the bag, smiling.

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Just then Rin and your brother came galloping up the beach, your brother shoving the other occasionally until they made it to the towel, huffing and puffing. "He beat me AGAIN!" Your brother shouted in frustration.

"What even are the rules for that race??" You don't see how a fair race could be conducted if the ending point was 'the farthest you could swim'.

"Never mind that. How about we all go swimming together," Ai squeezed your hand and smiled up at his senpai.

"Sounds good to me," your brother looked over at Rin and took off towards the waves, turning about halfway there to shout "RACE YOU TO THE WATER!" You giggled and stood up to walk over to the salty ocean as the shark boy sprinted away, a small bit of sand being kicked up in his wake. You tentatively dipped a toe in the edge of the cold tide and started to walk deeper. You picked up a few shells from the sandy floor as you waded farther offshore, admiring the colors and patterns. Ai quickly joined you and started a splash fight, which ended with you accidentally hitting Rin. "Uh-oh," you muttered as you let out a bout of laughter and hid under the water's surface just before a huge splash hit you. Ai joined you, sheltering himself behind your back as you rose for air. You would've been hit by another splash attempt if your brother didn't tackle Rin, shouting for you and your boyfriend to "Save yourselves!" You both swam for shore at full speed, laughing the whole time, until you made it safely to your spot on the sand. You and Ai rested with your backs together on the towel, still smiling, as Rin and your brother joined you. "I'll get you next time!" Rin laughed slightly.

"In your dreams, shark boy!" You gently shoved his shoulder and then fell back into Ai's lap. The way his blue eyes sparkled with love when he looked down at you had your stomach filled with butterflies, and his wet hair with droplets falling own onto your skin made your heart skip a beat. You were brought out of your thoughts by your brother nearly yelling "Anyone home, lovebirds? Helloooo!" You sat up giggling and pushed his shoulder, just hard enough to knock him off balance. The blush on your boyfriend's face was more than evident. Rin snickered at the scene before you shoved him as well. He almost fell onto your brother and it was your turn to snicker. You gave Ai a kiss on the cheek before asking if everyone was ready to go home. They all agreed, and on the way off of the sand you asked Ai if he wanted to stay over again. Since it was the weekend he agreed, deciding to gather his things and meet you back at your house. This was the last weekend you had without your parents home so you were glad he said yes. If they were home they'd almost certainly say no to a boy staying over. You gave each boy a parting hug before rushing home to rinse the salt out of your hair before your favorite swimmer arrived.

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Ai got to your house about the time you were getting dressed, and you rushed to the door while pulling up your most comfortable sweatpants. Hair dripping, you greeted your favorite swimmer and invited him inside. You shut the door behind him and jumped into his arms, with him spinning you around and grinning from ear to ear. He carried you to the couch and sat down, still holding you. You kissed him, able to feel his grin as you did, and he then started tickling you as you fell back onto the pillows and couch cushions. You howled in laughter as he mercilessly prodded your sides, begging for him to stop, until you weakly kicked him in the stomach and he gently collapsed onto you, feigning a "fatal injury." He giggled and curled around you, burying his face in your neck as he sighed contentedly. You grabbed onto his hand and arm lightly as you leaned into him.
"I missed you," he mumbled into your neck.
"For the whole twenty minutes we were apart?" You started laughing with him as he nodded in confirmation. "It must be uncomfortable to have your face in my wet hair."
"How could I be uncomfortable when I have the privilege of cuddling with the cutest person in the world?" You kicked your leg out, sort of pushing his leg with it as you giggled out a "stop that!"
"I'm serious!" He almost whined as he hugged your torso tighter. He had become noticeably less shy around you the more time you spent together, and he was much less nervous about telling you what he was thinking.
"How can I be the cutest person in the world when that position is already filled by a certain little duck?~" You turned to kiss him on the forehead. His smile grew at the nickname and he started rubbing his thumb back and forth over your hand as you held it. "So what do you want to do tonight?" You loved just sitting and cuddling, but you didn't want to waste away an entire night doing nothing when there was so much potential!
"I don't know, do you want to go to the park or something?"
"That sounds like it could be fun! Let's go!" You pulled him off of the couch and ran to your room to throw on some shorts and tennis shoes. The sun was still setting as you headed towards your favorite park with your favorite person.
By the time you got there, it was nearly dark, with the lamp posts glowing in the diminishing sunlight. You were grasping Ai's hand, your steps matching his as you walked near the water where the ducks usually swam. They were already tucked into the bushes, going to sleep for the night. You smiled as you watched some water striders flit about the surface. There were hardly any people in the park, aside from the occasional runner. It was getting sort of cold and you questioned why you chose to wear shorts. Ai had brought his Samezuka jacket along, and he wrapped it around your shoulders as you denied being cold in the slightest. He insisted on sharing it, saying you looked very cute in it regardless of whether or not you thought you were cold. You blushed a bit at the compliment and snuggled into the jacket, warming up almost instantly. You cuddled up to Ai more as you walked, surrounded by the smell of him while you enjoyed the beautiful night sky, the stars beginning to shine.

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You continued your stroll through the night air as you made your way back home. The conversation drifted towards swimming and you asked him how his breaststroke had improved. (You knew he had been working very hard to be able to compete with the rest of his team.)

"Oh, um.. I've definitely gotten faster! I'm not quite there yet, but I'm only a few seconds slower than my goal!"

"I'm so happy for you! At this rate, you'll be the fastest one on the team!" You squeezed his hand.

"Well, I don't know about that, but-"

"Oh, shush. You're the hardest worker I've ever met! That's why I love you!" Before you could realize what you had just confessed, Ai turned beet red and his grip clamped down on your hand.

"You- you love me?" You jumped and stuttered a bit.

"...Yeah, I do! I love you, Ai!"

"I love you too, Y/n! I love you so much! Even though we've only known each other for a little while, and I know it sounds crazy but... I can't imagine life without you."

"Don't worry, if I have any say in it you won't ever have to." As soon as you finished speaking he turned and kissed you, wrapping his hands around your waist. Your fingers played with his hair and you wanted to stay like this forever, kissing Ai in the cold night, warmed by love and his jacket still wrapped around your shoulders. 

Chapter Text

This chapter is going to be written in the perspective of our favorite duckling, Ai! Don't you all want to know what he's thinking? Of course you do! It takes place on just a regular date, nothing special, and after the plot of the last chapter. I haven't had much time to think of how the plot will go, but I can't leave you wonderful people hanging for so long so I hope you enjoy this!!
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  (Y/n) was excitedly chattering about a movie she had just watched while I marveled at how beautiful her smile was. She never believed me when I told her that but it didn't change a thing. We were sitting in the coffee shop where we had our first date, only this time it wasn't cloudy and the sun shone through the windows. It made her face seem to glow like the angel she was. I had never been happier than I was just listening to her perfect voice and admiring her perfect grin.

"Ai? You zoned out a little there!" She was asking me if I had read any good books or seen any good movies lately.

"Actually, I have been reading a pretty good book recently." I explained the plot to her and the more enraptured she became in my storytelling, the more I fell in love. I always think loving her more is impossible, but somehow my heart finds a way to prove me wrong every day.
"You know I love you, (y/n)?" I reached across the table and held her hands in mine. I was the luckiest person alive.

"You tell me every day, Ai." She laughed. "But of course you know I love you too." She squeezed my hands.

"You're so beautiful. I don't know what I did to deserve you..." I got quieter as I finished the last sentence. She giggled because I was blushing.

"Don't be silly. I'm the lucky one! You're such a hard worker and you're so kind and polite and selfless... I really do love you." I found myself blushing even harder. Glancing at her lips as she finished her statement, I leaned across the small table and kissed her. I can't ever get enough of kissing her. When she kissed back, I felt my love for her grow for the umpteenth time. Even now, it grows every day and I'm afraid one day I may just burst. Ever since we first said "I love you" I've told her every day. No day feels complete without it. She always giggles and says she loves me too, and it's like a tradition. I don't know what I did without her for so many years. Another thing I always tell her is how pretty she is and how much I love to talk to her, because it pains me when she seems self conscious or unsure of herself. I can't let such a priceless human being ever have delusions that they aren't perfect to me. I remember asking her after our first date if she believed in love at first sight. I never did until I met her, but after that day I had no doubt in my mind. I believe.

Chapter Text

Today was the day! Your parents were finally coming home and you couldn't wait to introduce them to Ai. He, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. Your brother assured him at he would be home to defend him if worse came to worse. You had texted your parents about him a little bit when they asked how you were doing, but of course the sleepovers would stay secret. This was agreed on by all parties involved.

(B/n) was already home and the two of you were eagerly waiting. With a sudden creak of the door handle, your parents finally came through the door, setting down their stuff and giving you both a huge hug. Ai wouldn't be over for a little while so they would have time to settle back in.

After everything was put away and everyone looked presentable, there was a timid knock at the door. You rushed to open it with a smile. Ai was wearing a button-up shirt and nice pants, looking as adorably shy as ever. You said your greetings and grabbed his hand, leading him inside. The two of you sat on the couch with your brother, with Ai in the middle. He appreciated the both of you making sure he felt secure more than he could express, and got a little bit less tense. Your parents sat on the other chair.

"So you're the boy we've been hearing so much about! It's good to finally meet you!" Your mother smiled gently.

"Y-you've heard about me?" He looked over at you, eyes full of love. You smiled back.

"Only good things! And it already seems that they're all true."

"Thank you, ma'am! It's very nice to meet you as well! Oh, you too sir!" Your dad seemed as though we was trying his best to seem intimidating but, faced with the timid and anxious boy in front of him, wasn't doing very well. Not that much intimidation was needed in this case.

Your brother spoke up to help ease Ai's nerves some more. "This kid is the most kind and hard working person I've ever met in my life. Only the best for my sister." Hearing this from (B/n) gave Ai the biggest smile you've ever seen.

"I-I... I really do love (Y/n). I promise I would never do anything to hurt her." He tried his best to convey his feelings. All he wanted was approval from your parents, not that disapproval would stop him.

Gradually, Ai turned into his talkative and adorable self. The conversation with your parents went on for hours, all of you laughing and smiling. Everyone was getting along perfectly and it's all any of you could've hoped for. Eventually (B/n) checked the time and realized with a loud "OH CRAP" that he and Ai needed to get back to their dorms. You hugged them both goodbye before they rushed out the door, leaving you with your parents.

"(Y/n) I hope you never do anything to hurt that boy," your mom warned. "I don't knew if I've ever seen someone so genuinely in love before." She smiled at the last part.

"As long as it's up to me, I'll never let that happen."