"I love you, Inori. And if it's up to me we'll pair and, and get married and have a family together—"

"Then bite me!!!!"

"—I want you to love me first!"

He pauses, then turns to look over his shoulder to the limit of his current constraints. "What does that mean?"

"You said you don't know if you love me. Fair enough. But I want to know. I don't—don't want to be with you if you'll never fall in love with me, that would be... too sad. For both of us."

Inori pushes Tōkan off of him and scoots over to a corner of the sofa, hugging his knees and glaring at Tōkan.

"How am I even meant to know?"

Welp, mood truly killed. He sticks his dick back in his pants and crosses his legs, turning to face Inori.

"You just... kinda do."

"I don't! I don't know these things people 'just kinda do' know, they're weird and confusing and make no sense and I don't know them."

"...Inori, love..."

"You said it's the thing that's different between Kuroharu and your parents, right? But we're not married yet, how am I meant to know if we have that or don't! How do you know? 'You just do'?"

"...kinda. Um. I'm not sure how to explain. It's... different. Very different from other things."

"All of this is different from other things! It's all different. Which part is love?" He looks down at his feet. "Why do you love me?"

"Because... because you're great. Because you don't just accept things as they are and you fight them and you never give up. Because you're strong. Because you're smart and thoughtful under your hard angry exterior... Many reasons. I don't, don't know how to make a list."

"Well that doesn't help!"

He hops off the couch and storms off upstairs to Tōkan's room and slams the door behind him.

Aaaaaaaahhhhh he's so in love.

It is, objectively, kind of dumb to find his boyfriend being angry at him and storming off incredibly endearing, but honestly he feels like that might be a necessary requirement to date Inori. Being angry is his thing.

Tōkan decides he'll occupy his time by making something fancy for dinner, something that'll take a while. It'll give Inori time to cool off and then at the end he'll have a nice thing to eat. The way to Inori's heart is not just his stomach but it's a good shortcut, he's found.

Inori does indeed come sniffing after the meal that is almost ready, still looking somewhat grumpy.

"Hi, love."

Glare.

"Food will be ready in five minutes."

Tōkan is content to remain quiet while he does the dishes as he waits, and even hums a bit to himself.

The food is soon ready and he starts serving it on the dining table. He hangs his apron and then sits across from where he served Inori's plate. He doesn't start eating, though, and waits for Inori to come.