Work Text:
Leo strolled the streets with a frown that hadn’t left his face since the beginning of February. The window of every store, every cafe, and every restaurant was decorated with red and hearts and cutesy stuff and he wanted to vomit. He just wanted to get home and away from all the PDA that was going to drive him to murder.
He grumbled to himself at all the signs of temporary affection around him. Is this what they call love? He wouldn’t call it love. Designating a consumerist holiday to represent something that should come from within. He dodged a couple that was swinging their hands and taking up the entire fucking sidewalk. Love shouldn’t be how expensive the jewelry is, what colour the flowers are, where you made reservations for dinner. He was glad he wasn’t like these people. He couldn’t stand the fact that the holiday was taken so seriously.
He was almost home. He made it through the front door of his building and the elevator ride and he stopped at his door to dig out his keys and—
Wait. He stopped. What’s that smell? His eyes widened and panic rose as he rushed into the apartment. There were small wisps of smoke coming from the direction of the kitchen—not nearly enough to set off the smoke detector but enough to worry him. A stream of profanities flowed from the kitchen as well and Leo ran in. He found his boyfriend in there, clutching his hand, not noticing Leo’s entrance. Leo turned on the exhaust fan and Cris turned to him in surprise.
“What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here?”
Cris pouted. “I asked first.”
“Well I just walked in on you trying to set our kitchen on fire.”
“It was an accident!” Leo reached for Cris’s hand and pulled him to the sink. He turned on the cold water tap and guided Cris’s hand under the stream.
“Better?”
“Yeah, remind me to never grab something hot with a wet dish towel.”
“A wet dish towel, Cris?”
“I was rushing! The smoke was freaking me out.” Thankfully the smoke cleared pretty quickly. Leo eyed the charred remains of whatever Cris had been trying to make.
“I thought you were going to be in Madrid for the rest of the week.”
“And you weren’t supposed to be back until six. I was trying to surprise you and you completely ruined it.”
“Why were you trying to surprise me?” Cris gave him a weird look. As if he’d gone crazy. And then he rolled his eyes as if remembering who he was dealing with.
“It’s Valentine’s day and ou—”
“So?” Cris pulled his hand back and dried it with a paper towel.
“So…” Cris pulled Leo to him so their hips were pressed together. “I was hoping for a romantic dinner, and then a little something else.”
Leo didn’t say anything but his expression must have said a lot.
“What?” Cris frowned. “No to a romantic dinner, or no to sex?”
“You know I hate Valentine’s Day.”
“Actually I didn’t know that.”
“Well you do now.” He pulled away from Cris and went to throw away the unrecognizable food in the oven.
“Leo, I was just trying to do something nice.”
“I know, it’s just,” he sighed, “the whole idea of only doing something for someone because it’s a certain day is kind of a turn off.”
“What makes you think that I wouldn’t do this for you any other time.” Cris came up behind Leo and wrapped his arms around the smaller man.
“It’s not that Cris. It’s the idea.”
“Valentine’s Day isn’t the only reason I was trying to cook for us, babe.”
Leo frowned, but leaned back into Cris “What do you mean?”
“I can’t believe you don’t remember,” Cris groaned.
“Don’t remember what?!” Leo turned around in Cris’s embrace so they were face to face. Their noses brushed together and Leo glanced at Cris’s lips.
“You’re forgetting a very important anniversary, Leo.”
“I am?” He looked thoughtful. “The first time we met was during November. We started officially dating during January. What anniversary could today possibly be?”
“Think a little harder.”
“I really don’t...know.”
“Okay,” Cris pulled away, and turned around. “Well when I’m going to go shower and you can join me when you’ve figured it out.” He looked over his shoulder. “Only if you figure it out.”
Cris left and Leo wondered what fucking anniversary it could be. He couldn’t think of anything. So he decided to get a little help, shooting out a text to a bunch of people that knew him well. He cleaned up the rest of Cris’ kitchen disaster as he waited for replies. When his phone buzzed a bunch of times consecutively, he picked it up. He heard the shower turn on, and he seriously wanted to join, but he didn’t dare unless he’d figured out the anniversary.
The first text was from Xavi.
How the hell am I supposed to know what anniversary it is?
Well, he should have expected that one. Then there were five from Gerard.
AHAHAHHAHAHA
You mean you forgot?!
Aw did you get caught up in your bitter Valentine’s Day hate?
You shouldn’t even be bitter since you’ve got that smokin boyfriend.
The same boyfriend that’s probably gonna dump you if you don’t figure this out ahahhahah.
Always the unhelpful one, Leo regretted even bothering to text Gerard at all. He shouldn’t have expected anything from him. The last text was from Kun.
What do you do when you get really drunk?
Leo frowned. He didn’t know what his drinking habits had to do with this.
Is this a trick question?
The reply was almost immediate.
You profess your love for everyone you see. Even strangers. Remember how drunk you were this time last year?
Leo was hit with the memory of an amused Cris dragging him back home. He’d told Cris that he loved him, after almost half a decade of them dating, and Cris had said it back sober. And neither had regretted it the next morning. He texted Kun back.
Thank you!!!!
Leo wasted no time in rushing to the bedroom and stripping immediately when he saw that the bathroom door had been left ajar.
The bathroom was engulfed in steam, clouding up the glass behind which Cris was standing. Leo could see the outline of Cris’ tan body through the vapour sticking to the glass. He opened the glass door, releasing even more steam out into the chilly air of the bathroom, and stepped in, closing it behind him. Cris had his back turned, but Leo knew he had felt him come in.
“I love you.” He kissed Cris’ shoulder softly.
“Is that a plea for forgiveness or do you actually remember?” Cris turned around and slicked his hair back with a hand. Which was futile because the stream of water hitting him only messed it up again.
“Of course I remember,” Cris raised a brow at him, “with a little help.”
“I love you too.” Cris leaned forward and pecked the smirk on Leo’s face. “Now, who’s gonna lather who up first?”
----
Sitting on the couch later, ‘watching’ Valentine’s Day specials, Cris raised some valid concerns about the enjoyment of shower sex.
“It’s great and all but one of us is always under the water and the other is always in the cold. That can take away from the experience.”
“Don’t know why you’re complaining,” Leo mumbled, “when you’re the one who’s always hogging the water.”
“Well that has drawbacks too! I always get water in my eyes and my up my nose.”
Leo grumbled into his takeout container at that, but didn’t comment.
“So... you hate valentine’s day huh?”
“Yup.”
“How come?” Cris watches Leo’s reaction out of the corner of his eye.
“Hmm.”
“You’re not listening to me anymore are you?”
“Hmm.”
Cris nudges Leo with his elbow and Leo nearly drops his food.
“Hey!”
“Answer my question. Why do you hate valentine’s day?”
Leo scowled. “Because—”
“And don’t give me that bullshit about consumerism. I know that you only get that stuff from those ridiculous Buzzfeed articles that you’re always reading.”
“Buzzfeed makes some good…” Cris shook his head, “okay maybe they don’t. I uh, never had a valentine growing up and it was scarring?”
“Are you asking me?”
“No?”
Cris frowned. “Why don’t you just tell me the truth?”
Okay so Leo had to admit, he didn’t really hate the holiday. There was something more to it. Leo shoved food into his mouth and mumbled something, earning another elbow to the side. He let out a sound of protest and swallowed the food, “I’m shit at giving gifts.”
“Yeah I already know that. You gave me a phone call as a birthday present.”
Leo shook his head. “First of all, I did get you a real present, and it’s not my fault you weren’t in the city at the time. And second, you just don’t understand. I hate any holiday that has to do with gift giving. Christmas, birthdays, Mother's day…”
“You hate Mother’s day?!”
Leo put down his takeout container and pushed himself off the couch. He disappeared into the hall and Cris could hear him rummaging for something in the storage closet. He came back and dumped something onto Cris’ lap. A thick envelope and a box covered in wrapping paper.
“What’s this?”
“Your stupid presents, asshole.” Leo began eating again. “Just open them and be disappointed already.”
Cris tore into the package first. Well, he pulled at the wrapping but couldn’t really get it open because of all the tape that Leo had plastered it in. He had to get up to grab a pair of scissors but he didn’t comment on Leo’s wrapping skills. When he got the box open he squinted at it. There was a smaller box surrounded by crumpled paper. He opened it to reveal a watch. Leo watched his reaction closely.
“You told me your old watch was broken so…”
“Leo… that’s so thoughtful!”
“Is it?” Leo grumbled. “That’s the real present I got you for your birthday. I planned on giving it to you when you came back at the end of the week.”
Cris opened the envelope next. He was expecting a card in there but instead, there was a letter, a brochure and some stapled forms.
“What is this?” Leo didn’t reply. Cris opened the brochure and his eyes widened considerably. “T-this is from the adoption agency.” He read the letter next. “We got approved? H-how did… how did you get us approved?”
“I uh, told a little lie. That could be true if this goes right.”
“If what goes right?”
“I know that we haven’t been going out for too long,” Leo put his food down again and dug into his pocket, “and I know that when we first applied to the adoption agency, we decided that meeting their requirements would be a little too soon.”
The adoption agency had told them that couples applying for adoption together had to be married or at least engaged. Cris’ eyes widened even more as Leo got out a little black box and turned to him.
“But it’s been a while since then and I just…” he opened the box and revealed a ring, “will you marry me?”
“You’re not just doing this because the agency required us to be at least engaged if we wanted to adopt together?”
Leo scowled. “Of course not.”
“Then of course I’ll fucking marry you!”
“Really?”
“Yes really, dumbass get over here.” Cris pulled Leo into a kiss, grabbing him as close as he possibly could.
Leo pulled away after a few minutes and slipped the ring onto Cris’ finger, with Cris mumbling something about getting a ring for Leo too. “So listen, the watch wasn’t the only thing in that box.”
Cris reached into the box again and pulled out what Leo was referring to. “Oh, wow! Want me to use this on you, or do you wanna use it on me?”