Work Text:
Kisuke slips out of the room he shares with Ichigo early that morning. The sun hasn't quite risen, and the other occupants are still asleep.
He moves down the hall on silent feet, headed toward the kitchen to make some tea. (The only thing he is allowed to "cook" after nearly burning down the kitchen trying to make instant noodles. He swears he was following the package instructions.) He needs an energy boost so his body can work as fast as his mind is working to solve a puzzle.
As he sits down at the kitchen table waiting for the kettle to boil, he thinks through the small problem Ichigo brought to him the night before. He understands where Ichigo is coming from, with his embarrassment. But he still wishes to help ease his lover from being in those predicaments.
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Ichigo came out of his office after a long day of translating texts into Japanese from English, flustered and clearly uncomfortable. When Kisuke asked him what was wrong, he flushed and grumbled that it was nothing.
But by the time they retired to their room that night, Kisuke knew SOMETHING was going on, and that it seemed to be work related. His lover had been too quiet all evening, and any time he was asked if he was okay, would jump, flush, and brush it off.
Whatever it was clearly embarrassed his younger partner, and he wanted to help. So he decided, once they were settled in bed and the lights were turned out, he would push Ichigo to tell him what was bothering him. He knew the darkness would make him feel more comfortable in talking about whatever it was that made him flush so cutely. (It wouldn't be the first time he used this tactic with his shy but straight forward lover.)
Once the two had finished their nightly routine and settled into bed, Kisuke wraps his arms around Ichigo and cuddles up tight behind him. But just as he opens his mouth to push, Ichigo casts a deep sigh.
"Why must American slang be so difficult?" Ichigo asks with a hint of dread in an otherwise flat tone.
Kisuke is surprised by the question, not having expected Ichigo to ask such a thing.
"Is that what has bothered you so much all evening?" Kisuke asks, with a slight chuckle.
Ichigo bolts up into a sitting position, flinging his arms out. "Why are there so many slang terms for sex?! And how am I supposed to make them make sense when I make exact translations into Japanese? I have to not only find out what the slang terms mean, but figure out the Japanese equivalent for it to make any sense in the book I am writing translations for! The author is American, and they use nothing but euphemisms and innuendos when spicy scenes come up! It's ridiculous! And now I have to worry about deleting my search history with all of the research I have to do to make a cohesive translation! And most of my searches end up pulling up…!" He stops, realizing with every sentence he worked himself to practically shouting. "Porn." He grumbles out, face burning at the admission.
Kisuke blinks up at the red head before bursting out into laughter. "Is that what has made you so flustered today, love?" He asks, after calming.
Ichigo flushes deeper, just barely noticeable in the dark. Groaning, he flops back down into the pillows.
"You are such an ass." He grumbles, before rolling to face away from Kisuke.
"And it's not like I want to seem like a pervert, because that is how this is making me feel. Having to search the meanings behind certain phrases just makes my internet history look like it belongs to a creep. I just don't want to have to keep utilizing a search engine for stuff like this." He finishes, obviously distressed and uncomfortable.
Kisuke hums, brain already coming up with a multitude of ways he can help his lover. After resituating his arms around his lover, he gives a squeeze and says, "you know I will help you with anything you need love. You only need to ask."
"Thanks, Kisuke." Ichigo replies sleepily.
"Go to sleep, love." Kisuke replies, placing a kiss to the back of Ichigo's neck.
And once he hears his lovers breathing even out, he starts to plot out the best way to help.
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Making his way down to his lab, cup of tea in hand, he makes a quick stop into Ichigo's office to grab the text his lover is working on. He needs a place to start his research, and figured the best place is to look at what caused this stress in the first place. Once settled into his desk, he starts up his computer and sets up a secure search to start his research.
Once set up, he starts reading, making notes of all of the innuendos and euphemisms that he comes across. And from there, he gets to work researching as many as he can find, and how best to translate them, giving his compiled list as many options as he can for each find, so Ichigo can figure out how best to translate them.
After a few hours, he finally finishes. It's as complete a list as he can create, what with new ones being created all the time. He decides he will update the document every so often, just to keep it up to date.
He then reaches for his cup of tea, finding it now cold. Sighing, he takes a sip, frowning at the cold tea.
Just as he goes to use a small kido to reheat the cup, Ichigo walks into the lab with a fresh cup of tea for him.
"You weren't in bed when I woke, and figured I would find you down here. I brought you a fresh cup of tea too. I figured that with whatever you were working on down here, you would forget your tea."
As he sets the mug down, Kisuke chuckles.
"Ahh you know me so well, love."
"So, what exactly are you working on?" Ichigo asks, leaning over Kisuke's back as he scans the piles of paper scattered on the desk. Spotting the manuscript he has been working to translate, he grabs it quickly.
"Is this the project I'm working on?" He asks in surprise. "What, exactly, is it you are doing, Kisuke?" Ichigo questions, a hint of suspicion in his tone.
"Nothing nefarious, I assure you." Kisuke chuckles with a flamboyant wave of his hand. "Just working on something to make you a bit more comfortable in your work when it comes down to certain projects like your current one!"
Kisuke then turns back to his computer. Opening the document he points to the contents. "Look here. See, I've made you a dictionary of the phrases and their translations! I even researched more in case you came across new ones! And I can update the document periodically for new phrases!" He continues on in an excited chatter about his research methods and the way he organized and sub organized everything.
As he rambles, Ichigo just looks at him in fond exasperation and reaches for his hand on the mouse. Grabbing his wrist, he calls his name.
"Kisuke." The excited babble continues. "Kisuke!" Ichigo calls louder in exasperation.
"Hmm?" Kisuke hums as he turns back to Ichigo.
Leaning forward, Ichigo drops a slow, deep kiss on Kisuke's lips.
"Thank you." He murmurs against his lover's lips, leaving one more kiss on the lips of the man he loves.
Standing up right, he offers Kisuke his hand. "You can send it to me later. But first, will you join me for breakfast? Tessai was already almost done with it when I came down here to find you."
With a smile, Kisuke takes his hand and lets Ichigo pull him from the chair. Entwining their fingers together as he stands, he brings Ichigo's fingers to his lips and leaves a gentle kiss to the knuckles.
"Of course, Ichi." He responds brightly.
With a smile, Ichigo tugs his hand to get him moving, and they head upstairs to eat.