4.30.2020 Update

Been a while huh? Here is some of their after story!

'Work separate from private life...' Ritsu muses, staring down at his edits. He was trying hard not to glance over at Masamune's empty desk; said man was at a meeting.

It's been a few weeks since they officially started dating, and Ritsu couldn't help but feel a little bothered. Since it was work, they had to keep up appearances and such but... 'Would it kill him not to hit me anymore? Or maybe... would someone get suspicious about us if he didn't do it anymore?' His brows furrow. 'He tells me work should stay at work, but I have many complaints about the head pain...' However, he understood that he shouldn't be getting any special treatment- although wouldn't that be normal treatment? People shouldn't hit others at work.

Oh. "Separate..." Ritsu mumbles, looking down at the little heart on his lap. He had fallen in love with Masamune through work, and he wouldn't have met him otherwise... to just act as if nothing was going on between them at work was...

*Smack* "Get to work Onodera!" Masamune had come by, having smacked him with a paper roll on his way back to his desk.

"Ack, yes!" Ritsu says in surprise, before trying to focus on his edits. 'He said that he didn't like that sometimes I treat him like a co-worker at home so maybe I should... treat him 'separate' from the him at home. I can at least try...' His little heart seemed to be pumped up with determination at his thoughts, and he smiled softly at it.

...

His younger lover seemed to be thinking of something deeply, and that worried Masamune. Even though it's been a few weeks since they've officially decided to be together, nothing much has happened due to work. The brunet at least was getting more comfortable with him, and he was grateful for that.

However, if Ritsu was insecure about anything or bothered by something, he wanted to be able to help somehow. 'If it's hitting him it can't be helped. He clearly gets distracted once in a while so I have to snap him out of it.'

Hmm? He looks at his unusually still heart on top of a stack of reference material. It seemed to be staring over at Ritsu. 'Did something happen?'

"Is something wrong?" Masamune asks, seeing that the younger man was quiet on their way home after leaving the train station. Ritsu really seemed to be contemplating something, and he had a bad feeling about it.

"Oh, um..." Ritsu stares at him for a moment, hesitant. "I'm okay."

The older man frowns. "You sure?"

"Yeah, just..." Ritsu bits his lip and focuses his sight forward, clearly bothered. "My boss won't stop hitting me at work any chance he gets. My head still hurts."

"What?" Masamune says, confused. 'He means me, right?'

"...I know he probably means well, but it can get pretty annoying."

"..."

"So, how was your day?" Ritsu asks, and Masamune simply stares back with a loss for words. Seeing his blatant confusion, Ritsu sighs, not wanting to explain his reasoning. Perhaps he should change the subject? "What should we do for dinner?"

"Wait, Ritsu... What's wrong?" Masamune asks, addressing him by his first name with concern. "Tell me- by boss you mean me right?"

"Yes and no. Right now... You are Takano-san, my neighbor ahnn-" The brunet flusters, not able to finish with 'and my lover.'

However, Masamune was just dumbfounded by this turn of events. "Neighbor?" He prompted, wanting an explanation.

"Well, y-you said a few times, not to treat you outside of work like a co-worker so I'm trying to separate work you and home you."

Masamune pursed his lips, wondering how to answer that. It was clearly not a good idea. "Ritsu-"

"I'm sorry," The brunet interrupts, seeing that the older man was bothered. "It's just... I understand your reasoning on why you have to hit me. When it happens though I know I'll just keep complaining about it and annoying you, so I thought that maybe... If somehow I can get used to both of you separately, I'll be able not to feel anything for the work you." Masamune tenses at that, not feeling reassured in the slightest- in fact, it felt rather ominous after what had happened last time (refer to last few chapters).

However, Ritsu seemed oblivious to his wording as he looked up at him earnestly. "Can't we just try it until the end of the month?"

"HELL NO," Masamune instantly replies, concerned for his lover's track of mind. He had to think of how to turn this flow of conversation around.

Their apartment was in sight and he sighs, deciding to distract the younger from those thoughts with what he himself was feeling. "We already don't have much time together after work as it is. We never even got to making out yet. It's killing me." He looks to see the younger man's face slowly bloom red to his ears. "Ah, that's right," He begins, as they enter the elevator, "We never really even kissed yet huh?" Normally, it's just him kissing Ritsu on the forehead or a peck on the cheek.

With this, Masamune had successfully distracted the brunet from his ominous thoughts.

"Ah..." Ritsu seemed to realize he was the one on the receiving end of kissing, as he looked up at the older man feeling ashamed with himself.

"Don't worry about it. After all, it's only been a few weeks since we got together." '-Even though we've known each other for about a year, and I've been in love with you for about half of it.' He wasn't going to say that aloud though- he understood that Ritsu liked him for a longer length of time. It was just that Masamune himself was more proactive about it.

'Oh,' His mind began to drift as he was reminded about something similar that happened with one of his exes. 'She said something like that to me didn't she? Passive aggressively wanting me to return her gestures.' He was never the one to give affection back in the days, growing colder as the other wanted more.

How the tables have turned. 'I already forgot her face.'

"Ritsu," Masamune began, as they arrived in front of their apartments. "How about for the rest of this month, I won't hit you- so be sure not to get distracted."

The brunet seemed happy at the surprise suggestion. "I-I won't! I'll stay focused!"

The older man smirks. "In return, at the end of it you have to give me a proper kiss."

And there it was, that familiar blush that graced the face with the lively green eyes. "A proper kiss..?"

"Yup." He couldn't help but grow confused at the brunet beginning to look disheartened. He looked so happy before. "What's wrong?"

"A kiss? That's all you want? At the end of the month?"

Masamune didn't see anything wrong with the wager ratio. Since Ritsu was still getting used to him, he didn't want to push too much. "...? Yeah."

He looked on, perplexed as Ritsu set down his work bag against his door before walking up to also put aside the other man's work baggage to his door. "Ritsu?"

His thought process froze as Ritsu gently grasped the sides of his face, letting himself be pulled down firmly to meet the younger man's. His honey-brown eyes widen as soft lips generously pressed against his own, processing the sensations as he realized what was happening. The plump feel of Ritsu's bottom lip on his to the hand slowly moving past his cheek to softly grasp the hair at the back of his neck felt electrifying. He held back a groan when he felt the shy tease of the younger man's tongue against his.

Before he could make a move himself Ritsu pulled away, breathless and shyly looking away from him. The blush of his face had faded slightly, seeming to have spread down to his neck and chest. It made Masamune want to strip him down to see how far it spread.

"Yo-you..." Ritsu stammers, struggling a little to breathe properly, "Y-you don't have to do th-that for just a kiss..." He leaned forward and set his head against Masamune's chest. "I am doing my-y best, so at..." The brunet sighs, his heart feeling calmer, "At least just hit me more gently, or figure out another way when you think I'm distracted... Okay?"

The older man let out a shuddering breath before giving a small smirk, amused at this turn of events. "So what you're saying is I can ask you for a kiss anytime, and still discipline you at work?"

Ritsu leans away, regarding him cautiously before pressing a small kiss to the side of his mouth. "You can be such a jerk," He mutters quietly, before giving him a heated glare that waned as he went to go grab his bag. Both were startled at the couple of huge thuds coming from the inside of Masamune's apartment.

"Shit," Masamune mutters, a hand over his mouth as he looks away in embarrassment. Ritsu couldn't help but stare in surprise, before flinching at the thud coming from his own apartment. It looks like they were going to have to deal with even more hearts now.

"Wa-Want to eat out today?" The brunet asks sheepishly, as he watches Masamune grab his own bag.

"Yeah." As they walked back to the elevator, the older sighs. "If we stay anymore, I just might take you on the couch."

"Hh-huh?" Ritsu blushes, gripping on to his work bag tighter.

"Oh, but we're going to have to work on your stamina, and breathing while kissing..." Masamune muses, "Not to mention your sensitivity to me. I just can't wait to see how you are when I lick-" "AaaaaaHHHHHhhhhAaahhhh!" Ritsu interrupts anxiously, limit reached as he whipped out his phone. "Where!? Where should we eat at tonight, Takano-san?! Didn't you say you missed eating ramen? Or we can go grill meat or eat skewers or eat at Pandaway or-or..."

And so, Ritsu was out of breath by the time they reached their destination. Feeling a little guilty, Masamune decided to take it easy on him and stop talking about lewd things for the rest of the night.

I'm quite fond of this story still. I can keep adding when the writing juice flows since the main part is completed. I love this couple but writing... writing it out is... OTL

Also got into Animal Crossing New Horizons! So so very fun! （╯^o^)╯