Title: Reluctance

Challenge/Prompt: Written for the 100 Prompts - 100 Stories challenge (prompt #77, gift) and the 5, 10, 20, 50, 70, 100 Fandoms challenge.

Rating: T/PG-14

Word Count: 1180

Characters/Pairings: Seragaki Aoba, Clear, and implied others. Clear/Aoba.

Disclaimer: This work of fiction is in no way connected to the DMMD project, the anime, DMMD re:connect, or any other such thing. This was created purely for the fun of it. No money is changing hands.

Warning(s): Spoilers for Clear's Good Ending, as well as DMMD re:connect. Tread carefully, because I hold no prisoners. Silliness :3 Canon-compliant! Yaoi/BL! Established relationship! Fluffehness! Need I go on, friends? Un-betaed =/

Lately, Aoba had been on his guard.

Lately, Aoba had been rather... paranoid.

And the reason? He'd promised Clear he could suggest anything he wanted to do, and Aoba would keep an open-mind, give him some leeway. But, really? Aoba was sort of terrified of what the silver-haired man would come up with. The ideas were astounding, once Aoba thought even the slightest bit on it. He didn't even want to think about what Clear could find on the Internet. It was a frightening place.

So, when Clear had come in through his patio from the roof - he couldn't quite break that habit, no matter how many times Aoba pointedly chided him for doing so - Aoba braced himself for an incoming idea. And, for once in the past few weeks since he'd made that same promise, Clear hadn't denied him the unspoken question.

"Aoba-san?" The robot hesitantly called, hand braced on the metal threshold. Aoba felt the inevitable coming before Clear had even stepped within the room.

"Yes, Clear?"

Clear reached within his seemingly endless pockets and brought out a perfectly wrinkle-free booklet. Aoba vowed to, one day, dig his hands into those pockets, just to abase his own curiosity.

Closing the door behind him, Clear sat on Aoba's bed. Puzzled at the older man's uncharacteristic silence, Aoba seated himself next to him and took the pamphlet when it was offered to him.

The first page advertised a custom tailoring shop that Aoba had heard recently opened in the intersection between the eastern and southern districts. It was rare for a new business to be placed anywhere near the older stores, instead of exclusively in the eastern district or just relocating to some other island in Japan, rather than Midorijima, so he had found his interest piqued.

But when he got to the "cosplay" section, Aoba knew just what had caused Clear to remain quiet, at his side.

Face warming at the examples of costumes they offered - gothic lolita, maid uniforms, sailor uniforms, nurses - Aoba cleared his throat and pointed hopefully at a new jacket they'd released.

"I like this," he smiled awkwardly, tapping his finger on the image of a short, plaid jacket made to be lightweight for the summer, and chancing a glance at Clear. The robot held a dejected expression upon his usually shining, exuberant visage, and Aoba sighed. "Okay, fine. I'll bite. What costume do you want me to wear?"

Clear's eyes watered at Aoba's acquiescence, before taking the booklet from him and flipping through excitedly. Though he felt the overwhelming urge to peek at what his lover was searching for, especially because it would certainly mean a heart attack or stroke, Aoba kept still, instead folding his legs beneath him and staring at a poster Koujaku had gotten for him. It was a blown-up photo of all of them - Koujaku, Ren, Clear, Noiz, Virus, Trip, and Mink, who the Koujaku had managed to track down somewhere, probably in a dank, dark alleyway. It had been taken last week, and given to Aoba as an early birthday present.

Koujaku had told him, rather solemnly, that it was a reminder of everything they'd been through to get to this point. Then he'd smirked slyly and told him that it was also to remind him of just how good-looking his friends were. Aoba hadn't been very impressed at the comment, rather appalled, if anything, but had gratefully rolled it up and hung it up in his room, the next morning.

"This is it, Aoba-san," Clear pronounced warily, fidgeting over the covers. A pillow fell as the bed rocked slightly, and Clear's eyes widened as he flailed to pick it up, apologizing mournfully for his most grievous mistake.

After chuckling at his lover's melodramatic behavior, grateful for the broken tension, Aoba finally looked at the picture of what Clear wanted him to wear and felt his face grow so hot, he was afraid steam was coming out his ears like some sort of train.

"T-this?" He stammered.

Clear bobbed his head and gulped, wringing his hands slightly. Aoba sighed in exasperation, feeling a headache come on just at the thought.

"Who told you about this?"

"Ren."

Aoba shook his head, knowing he should've seen it coming. Despite being humanoid, Clear seemed to feel a kinship with Ren - probably due to both their lives as robots, and as a result of being around and protecting Aoba so often. He could remember when he'd walked into the room, and Clear had been questioning Ren rather seriously on why he never called him "Master" like he did.

"So, you want me to... wear this for you?"

"Yes," Clear said clearly. "I want to see how it looks on you."

"You even thought about the fact that I probably grew out of my old uniform, huh?"

"Yes."

"You won't be talked out of this?"

"Well," Clear averted his gaze. "If Aoba-san doesn't want to do it, then we don't have to. I don't want to cause you any discomfort."

Aoba placed the booklet on his lap and leaned back, using his arms as a crutch to hold some of his body weight. Once he'd gotten enough of the blandness of the ceiling, he reluctantly nodded his head.

"Aoba-saaaan!" Clear's sobs rang true, just as Aoba thought they would. He'd already decided, long ago, that Clear's overwhelming happiness caused tears to appear when he was filled with emotion. It was weirdly endearing, as well, and he couldn't help but lean over and peck him chastely on the cheek.

"What's the number for the tailoring shop? I should call them to place the order."

"We don't have to," Clear announced proudly, standing up to reach back into his pockets. When he brought out the clothing in question, Aoba felt his temper snap.

"When did you buy that?" He kept his voice even, though he knew the fire that burned within was clearly visible in his own aqua-blue orbs. Clear seemed to grow nervous at his change in demeanor, backing away from his enraged lover slowly.

"Y-yesterday..."

"You were so sure I would say yes, you bought the costume beforehand?"

"I didn't want to waste time waiting if you said yes!"

"Don't do it again!"

"But, Aoba-saaaan!"

"I said, 'Don't do it again,' Clear."

And though Aoba was rather angry at his lover's arrogance - though could it really be called arrogance if Clear hadn't meant anything by it? - he was rather relieved they didn't have to wait for the bloody thing to be finished. And then another idea came to mind.

"When did you take my measurements?"

"Ren gave them to me."

"REN!"

It was with great reluctance that Aoba finally calmed down enough to rationally reprimand both his Allmate and lover for conspiring against him. And if he hadn't really felt any actual rage halfway through the lecture, and in fact was feeling just the tiniest bit impatient, it was to Aoba's discretion.

Author's Note:

Hopefully, I kept everyone in character? Hopefully. There were only two characters actually speaking XD

Please do leave a review with your thoughts! ^~^