Reki’s always been prone to something akin to hyper-fixation, always thinking about whatever had his attention in a moment, whether it be an interest or a case. As of late, though, all he could think about was one thing.

You. His partner, ‘in crime and in the sheets’ as he had very loudly exclaimed to you one day, earning him a playful shove and an annoyed ‘Reki!’, which made him laugh.

Reki thought love was a fickle thing. It was too hard to keep track of, always changing. To him, love was him being shouted at for breaking his skateboard. job when he was only in middle school. Love was his friend being in the hospital because he was too ambitious. Love was him having a job at 16 because his mother was finding it hard to take care of him and his sister alone. Then you came and changed everything. All of it.

Sure, he’d said the three sacred words to other people before - though he thought he had never really meant it as much as he did when he said it to you.

Love didn’t come easy to him. But with you it did. He said the words without thought, and he felt like he could melt whenever he heard you say it back. You were all Reki could want, if he were being honest. And he made sure you knew it.

The two of you were laying on his bed, just relaxing with you scrolling through your phone and Reki cuddled up to your side, watching.

“Mm, I love you,” he mumbled sleepily, his hands absently playing with your hair as he smiled into your shoulder, lifting his head to pepper your cheek with kisses. “Love, love, looove ya.”