Chapter One:

It was crazy when Akihito Takaba thought that it had been over two years since he had met the man who had literally kidnapped his heart, Asami Ryuichi. Time flew by so quickly, even though in the moment of it all life was slow. It felt like only yesterday he was being kidnapped and tossed around like a piece of meat, yet when that actually happened it was like the time couldn't go fast enough. Life was just funny that way.

These thoughts weren't running through Aki's mind without reason, no. Today would be the third birthday he spend with Asami, and every year he was left unknowing of what to expect. Every year since his twenty third birthday the bastard always upped his game and made it more spectacular and surprising than the last! It wasn't fair, not when Aki didn't have the money to do those things for Asami in return. The stupid bastard!

Aki sighed as he rolled over in the bed he now shared with Asami, his light blue eyes tracing over the area where Asami should be laying, an annoyed grunt leaving the blonde's lips.

"Didn't he say he was taking off today?" Aki mumbled under his breath as he sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Well, I did tell him not to bother…maybe he actually listened to me for once.

There was something about the idea of Asami actually listening to something Aki said that made the younger male grin, an almost accomplished feeling coming over him as he hopped out of the very comfortable and posh bed that he and Asami shared. His arms raised above his head as he yawned, stretching high until he heard his lower back let out a satisfying Pop!

"Ah, that's better! I wonder what time it is…" He mumbled as he started moving things aside on the side table to try and find the alarm clock hidden somewhere under the half eaten bags of potato chips and empty cartons of Dunhills.

His slender fingers soon rested on the smooth surface of the black digital alarm clock that they had, a satisfied smirk crossing his face. Gotcha. Aki lifted it enough so he could read the bright blue numbers on the screen. 10:32 am?!

Aki groaned and rubbed his forehead, shaking his head at himself. Over the past few weeks he had just been without his usual energy, and had been falling asleep earlier and sleeping in later and later every day it seemed. At first he thought he was just starting to come down with a cold, but now he was starting to think maybe it was a vitamin deficiency or something along those lines. Nothing to be too concerned about.

A wonderful smell whiffed into the room without warning, making Aki's cheeks redden as he closed his eyes to inhale the ambrosial aroma. There was definitely some smell good food down stairs, and Aki was now determined to go find what it was and probably devour it.

Aki slipped on his white bunny slippers and headed out of the bedroom, walking down the short hall into the dining and living area of the condo. He half expected to see Asami there, either sitting on his usual spot on the couch smoking or outside on the balcony.

"Asami! I thought I told you not to skip work!" He called out as he stepped into the room, his tone holding a slightly scolding undertone, but Aki couldn't actually be upset. Not when he was actually very excited for today. But he wouldn't show it! Like hell he would give Asami that kind of satisfaction!

That aroma from before was now much stronger, and it only took a slight turn of the head for Aki to see what it was. On the small round table sat one of Akihito's favorite desserts, still fresh and hot from whatever gourmet bakery it had to come from knowing Asami. An orange ogura cake, already cut into small and cute sized square pieces.

In the center of the table there was an elegant bouquet of flowers consisting primarily of white roses and blue hydrangeas. They were sitting inside a decorative grey vase, a dark blue ribbon tied off into a perfect bow around the front. There was a plate at Aki's usual seat, and on it was a piece of paper folded up to look like a Chinese paper crane.

"Damn…Asami can be…kind of romantic when he wants to be." Akihito said incredulously, shocked at the beautiful display before him, shocked that Asami would go through such trouble. Speaking of Asami, where was he?

A voice came up from behind Aki, making him jump. "Asami-Sama stepped out an hour ago to go handle some business while you were asleep, but should be back soon. I picked up the cake he ordered so eat it." Came Kirishma's voice, sounding annoyed about the fact he had to go pick up a cake like he was some kind of errand boy.

"Oh? What is he taking care of?~" Aki asked with a grin, batting his eyes innocently at the taller man.

"Those looks don't work on me, Takaba. You should know that by now." Kirishma said in that "don't be an idiot" tone of his.

"Ah come on! Don't be such a stick in the mud and stop ass kissing to Asami!~ Give me the goods! What's he planning for my birthday?" Aki sat down at the table as he said this, moving the perfectly folded note to the side so he could get himself a slice of the cake.

Karishma scoffed and shook his head. "Insulting me makes me not want to tell you that much more, brat." Despite saying this in an irritated tone, he ruffled Aki's messy bedhead affectionately as he walked past him.

"I have to return to work, Takaba. Please behave yourself until Asami-Sama returns," He said as he reached for the door, turning his head to give the boy one of his very rare smiles, "And happy birthday." After that, Kirishma was gone.

Akihito smiled, his heart feeling warm from the brief kind interaction he had with the man. Where it was true usually the two couldn't stand one another, Aki supposed they had gotten better with one another over the last couple years. They weren't close by any stretch of the imagination, but they could better stand one another and could occasionally have some small talk. He's still an ass kisser though.

As he ate his small slice of cake, he opened up the crane and started reading the note that Asami wrote.

Akihito,

Happy Birthday, I'm sorry I wasn't there to wish you this when you first awoke. I had business to attend to concerning the plans for the evening. Karishma will be over to bring you your breakfast if it hasn't already arrived. I'll be home soon, so be dressed.

-Asami

P.S. Don't even think about trying to get Karishma to tell you the plans. I might have to punish you if you do.

The paper soon ended up crumpled in Aki's hands as his cheeks blushed over in a strawberry red. "How did that bastard know what I'd do that?! Am I really that predictable?! Agh, whatever!" He yelled into the empty condo, getting very flustered over this, and nervous over the possibly punishment Asami mentioned. Surely it was just a tease?!

Aki shoveled the last bit of the cake into his mouth as he pouted, one knee pulled up to his chest as the other hung down to the floor. He grabbed his cell phone from its usual spot on the marble counter beside the table, opening it up to see his inbox was getting filled.

Smiles and soft chuckles rang from the boy's mouth as he read and responded to the Happy Birthday text messages he received, happy to hear from his friends and family.

"It's been a while since I've gone home and visited…maybe I should sometime soon…" Aki mused to himself as he finished sending the last thank you message before getting up and going to the bedroom to get dressed.

The outfit he ended up choosing was one of his recent favorites. A pair of dark wash jeans with decorative rips that showed off skin from his knee all the way up his thigh. They were also Asami's favorite pair on Aki because of how well they hugged his ass. For his shirt he wore a black tank top that had "Trouble Fallows Me" written across the chest in a sassy font. The neckline went pretty low, showing off his pale pretty skin. A simple silver necklace was put on with this, followed by a short sleeve red and black flannel.

After he got dressed and made his way back into the living room to wait for Asami, Aki found himself yawning as that tired and just weak feeling came over him again. He found himself moving towards the couch to lay down.

"I'll just rest my eyes a bit. That should help.." Aki trailed off, and before his head even hit the pillow he was out.