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broomballkraken · 5 months

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Title: Perfect for You, Perfect for Me

Fandom: Octopath Traveler 2

Pairing: Osvald/Partitio

Word count: 4077

Warnings: None

Summary: Now that Osvald’s quest for revenge has concluded, Partitio takes him on a surprise date, which proves as a reminder of how much Osvald has missed, and how much he still has to look forward to in life.

Written for @hforhector on Twitter as a part of the Team Asano Holiday Exchange!

The next step of Osvald’s journey with his seven companions had taken him to Merry Hills, where the Grand Gala festivities were in full swing. The town was loud and crowded with musicians, dancers, and all different manners of performers, and Osvald was keenly aware of how unaccustomed he was to this kind of merriment. However, with his mission to defeat Harvey and save Elena completed, he was willing to try and enjoy himself, and spend some quality time with the man that he had unexpectedly yet wholeheartedly fallen in love with.

“Mornin’, Osvald!”

Throwing his coat on as he descended the stairs of the inn, a small smile crossed Osvald’s face when he looked up to find Partitio waving at him as he came out of the kitchen. Partitio crossed the room with a skip in his step, quickly closing the distance between them and slipping his hands over Osvald’s neck, leaning up to press a tender kiss to his lips.

It was a surreal feeling for Osvald, having somehow managed to fall in love again after losing Rita in such a horrific fashion. However, Partitio really was a man unlike any that he had ever met before. The optimistic merchant had seen his fair share of hardship due to poverty and betrayal, but that had only spurred him on in his mission to bring happiness to everyone across Solestia, and his faith in humanity never wavered, to Osvald’s immense surprise.

During his five-year stint in that frozen hell of a prison, Osvald’s social skills had taken a hit...not that they were any good in the first place. His imposing stature and stoic manner also didn’t help matters, and most people were too intimidated to want anything to do with him. Yet, in spite of that, Osvald had managed to pick up a group of ragtag strangers who had become some of his greatest friends, and Partitio had gotten more attached to Osvald than the rest of them.

Osvald really hadn’t known what to make of Partitio when they first met. His overabundant enthusiasm and unrelenting optimism were exhausting to deal with at the time, but Partitio didn’t seem phased by Osvald’s taciturn and gruff nature. They spent many late nights around the campfire together when the others had gone to sleep, and Osvald had come to find Partitio’s voice calming as he rambled about anything and everything, especially when it was nightmares keeping Osvald awake.

Over time, Osvald grew to trust Partitio completely, and he wasn’t exactly sure when his feelings had grown into love, as bogged down as his heart had been with the weight of his quest for revenge, and then to save his daughter. It was only after he had rescued Elena and made sure that she was completely safe and sound did Osvald realize that Partitio had somehow managed to dissolve the barrier that he had erected around his shattered heart, and started to help him piece it back together.

After Partitio had thwarted Roque’s plans to break his contract for the steam engine rights, and had become the president of his own company, he had decided to continue traveling with their group until all of their quests had been completed, just as Osvald had. With both of their hearts unburdened by their own missions, it hadn’t taken long for their feelings for each other to come to light, and Osvald counted himself rather blessed to be able to call this incredible man his lover.

“Hoo-ey! You’re lookin’ mighty handsome today, darlin’!” Partitio's smile was like sunshine as he adjusted Osvald’s cravat and straightened his top hat, and Osvald felt his cheeks heat up. This kind of doting affection was something that he hadn’t been exposed to since Harvey had torn his whole world apart, and Partitio certainly wasn’t one to hold back. This would take some getting used to...

Partitio gave Osvald another quick peck on the lips and nuzzled their noses together. “Hehe, that blush on your cheeks is mighty cute too!” His hand rubbed Osvald’s neck, causing him to shiver as the sensitive skin was tickled. It was strange not having the weight of his prison shackle hanging heavy around his neck anymore, but not having that reminder of those dark days dragging him down was indeed a blessing.

“That tickles, you know,” Osvald said as he placed his hand over the one that Partitio still had on his neck. Partitio laughed and wiggled his fingers, tickling Osvald again and causing him reflexively to bend his neck over their hands.

“Oh, I know,” he said matter-of-factly, and Osvald rolled his eyes as he peeled Partitio’s hand from his neck and entwined their fingers together.

“So...What were you doing in the kitchen?” Osvald asked with an eyebrow raised. Partitio grinned and shot him a wink.

“Hehe, that’s my little secret,” he said, laughing when a deep pout crossed Osvald’s face, “But enough about that! We’ve gotta get going.”

“Going...where?”

“Out on our date!” Partitio beamed as he threw his arm over Osvald’s shoulders, “We’ve got a few days until Agnea’s performance, so I wanted to take a day to enjoy the festivities, just the two of us!”

“A date...” Osvald tilted his head to one side as he stroked his beard. It seemed like a foreign concept to him. Even before Harvey ruined his life and sent him on his long stint in prison, he and Rita did not go on dates often. That, coupled with the fact that this would also be his first date with Partitio, caused a pit of anxiety to form in Osvald’s gut, and he looked at Partitio when his arm fell from his shoulders to find him frowning.

“Er, that’s okay, right? I guess I should have asked ya first before plannin’ it all...” Partitio rung his hands together and his gaze fell to the floor, and Osvald shook his head as he reached out to take Partitio’s hands.

“It’s okay, love.” Osvald smiled when Partitio looked back up at him, and he gave his hands a squeeze. “I...don’t remember the last time that I went on a date, so I’m just a little...nervous, I suppose.”

“Aw, sweetheart!” Partitio gushed as he entwined their fingers together. “Well, I’m gonna make sure that this'll be a date that you’ll never forget!” His beautiful smile took Osvald’s breath away, and a warmth blossomed within his chest as he lifted one of Partitio’s hands to his face and placed a tender kiss to the back of it.

“I am looking forward to it. Thank you, Partitio.” Osvald’s lips curled upwards when Partitio’s cheeks flushed a bright red, and he pulled the brim of his hat down before bashfully rubbing at the back of his neck.

“Shucks, you’re a real charmer, darlin’.” Partitio snickered as he jabbed Osvald in the side with his elbow before tugging him towards the door. “Well, let’s get a move on, then!”

Osvald let himself be dragged out the door, and they walked hand-in-hand down the bustling streets of Merry Hills. Musicians were playing music for the dancing masses, street performers juggled various objects and dazzled crowds with feats of magic, and merchants manned market stalls selling all kinds of food, drinks, and souvenirs. It was a lot to take in, and Osvald was a bit overwhelmed.

“Oooh, those look mighty tasty!”

Partitio tugged Osvald to a stop, and he looked to where he was pointing. It was a stall selling some type of drink that Osvald had never seen before. He let Partitio lead him over to it, and his brow furrowed as he looked at the strange drink over his glasses.

“What is it?”

Partitio beamed as he paid the vendor and took two of the drinks. “These are milkshakes! A tasty dessert drink made by mixin’ milk and ice cream together, and these ones are topped with whipped cream!” Osvald tilted his head when Partitio handed him one, and he hummed as he rubbed at his chin.

“Fascinating…”

“You’ve never had a milkshake before, Osvald?”

He shook his head, and Partitio slowly nodded and bit his bottom lip. “Ah, I suppose that makes sense. They haven’t been around for long, and, er, well...” Partitio trailed off and busied himself with taking a drink, and Osvald was grateful that he didn’t continue. Logic would dictate that Osvald had missed out on quite a bit while he was locked up, but he was glad that he now had a chance to experience what he missed, and getting to do so with Partitio was definitely a plus.

Turning his attention to his milkshake, Osvald finally lifted it to his lips and took a careful sip. It was surprisingly thick and very sweet, but not unpleasantly so, and it was refreshing on this warm, sunny day. Osvald smiled, but that smile fell from his face when Partitio suddenly burst out laughing.

“What?” Osvald asked, and Partitio’s laughter continued as he plucked a handkerchief from his pocket.

“You’re not supposed to wear it, darlin’.”

With an eyebrow raised, Osvald glanced down and could barely see some white sticking to his mustache and the tip of his nose, and his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. His face turned a deeper shade of red when Partitio started dabbing the handkerchief over his face to clean him up.

“P-Partitio, that’s unnecessary,” Osvald stuttered, and Partitio chuckled as he shook his head.

“Aw, c’mon sweetheart! You gotta let me dote on ya at least a little bit. We are on a date, after all!” Partitio pouted and placed a hand on his hip, but his face fell and the hand that was holding the handkerchief froze.

“Unless...you don’t like it?”

Osvald blinked slowly as Partitio averted his gaze, and he quickly shook his head. “...I do, er, like it...” He was relieved when Partitio perked back up, and Osvald rubbed his arm as he struggled to find the words to explain exactly what he was feeling.

“It’s just...been a long time since I’ve felt this kind...or any kind of affection, really,” Osvald mumbled as he stared down at the ground. The time that he had spent in prison was devoid of any kind of warmth, neither from the weather nor the other people that he occupied space with. Even after he had escaped, Osvald had kept his distance from others, until a certain someone managed to close that distance whether he was ready for it or not.

Osvald’s eyes went wide when Partitio suddenly wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug. “Well, I guess I better get pilin’ it on to make up for lost time, right?” Osvald looked down at him, and the overwhelming amount of fondness that he saw in Partitio’s beautiful blue eyes made his heart skip a beat.

“But!” Partitio wagged a finger at Osvald. “If I do somethin’ you don’t like, please tell me! The last thing that I wanna do is make ya uncomfortable, okay?”

“...I will. Thank you, my dear.” A small smile crossed Osvald’s face as he hugged Partitio again and they shared a quick, tender kiss. He was always so kind and considerate, and Osvald wasn’t sure if he really deserved to be loved by such a man. Nevertheless, he would make damn sure to never, ever take Partitio’s love for granted.

They finished their milkshakes, and after Partitio had made sure that Osvald’s beard and face were completely clean, they set off to see more of the festivities. After pursuing the market stalls for a bit, they came upon a band playing music for a crowd, and many people had paired off and were dancing merrily to the beat.

Partitio turned and caught Osvald’s eye, their gazes locking when Partitio lifted Osvald’s hand to his face and kissed his knuckles. “May I have this dance, partner?”

A smile slowly spread across Osvald’s face, and he covered his mouth with his free hand and cleared his throat. “Yes...but I’m not a good dancer.”

Partitio laughed and tipped his hat as he led Osvald to the middle of the crowd of dancers. “Well, that makes two of us! Let’s show ‘em how not to do it, eh?”

Osvald let out a chuckle himself and gave Partitio’s hand a squeeze. “If you say so, my dear.”

Their laughter continued as they fumbled about together to the upbeat song, and their abysmal dancing seemed to highly amuse the cheering crowd around them. The noise seemed far away, however, as Osvald’s attention was solely locked onto the handsome face of the man that he loved so dearly.

Osvald was winded by the time the song ended, and he was glad when the beat slowed down considerably with the next one. Swaying gently to the music, Osvald let out a content sigh as the hand that wasn’t holding Partitio’s settled on his waist and pulled him closer.

“I’m having tons of fun, darlin’,” Partitio whispered, his head resting on Osvald’s chest and his free hand resting against his back, “Thanks for comin’ on this date with me.”

Osvald let out a content hum and placed a kiss on Partitio’s forehead. “I should be thanking you, my love, for planning this date in the first place. After everything that I’ve been through, I really wasn’t sure that I would ever experience this kind of happiness again. So...thank you, Partitio.”

“Aw, shucks...” Osvald smiled when he heard Partitio sniff, and Osvald gently cupped his face and brushed away his tears with his thumb, “I’m glad I make ya happy, Osvald. You sure make me happy too.” Staring deep into those mesmerizing eyes of his, Osvald slowly leaned down and kissed Partitio deeply, his chest flooding with warmth when he felt Partitio smile against his lips.

A few ‘awws’ and loud wolf-whistles reminded the pair that they were very much in public, and Osvald was quick to pull away from Partitio and busy himself with adjusting his glasses.

“Whoops, got a bit carried away there, heh,” Partitio said, his cheeks flushing beet-red as he pulled the brim of his hat over his face until the crowd’s attention moved elsewhere. His gaze met Osvald’s again, and a shy smile crossed his face.

“I can’t really help it, though...” Partitio reached up to cup Osvald’s face and gently pulled him down until their foreheads touched. “When I’m with you, it’s like everything else is a million miles away.”

“Partitio...” Osvald let out a chuckle and caressed Partitio’s cheek with the back of his hand, “That’s...very sappy.”

Partitio barked out a laugh and shot Osvald a wink. “Yeah, but I think you like it.”

“...Perhaps.” Osvald averted his gaze with a straight face, but he couldn’t stop his lips from curling back up into a smile when Partitio stole another quick kiss and took his hand.

“Let’s get a move on,” he said, tugging Osvald away from the crowd of dancers, “before we draw too much attention to ourselves again.”

“Right.”

Osvald let Partitio take the lead again, and they spent the rest of the day enjoying the many festivities. The sun was setting fast when the two men returned to the inn, and Osvald ‘s stomach rumbled, causing him to realize that they hadn’t stopped anywhere for dinner on the way.

Partitio seemed more giddy than usual, if the goofy grin on his face and the eagerness to get inside were anything to go by. Osvald raised an eyebrow at him when he let go of his hand and nodded at the innkeeper. The elderly man offered Partitio a kind, knowing smile before disappearing into the kitchen.

“Osvald, darlin’,” Partitio said, giving Osvald’s hand a squeeze as he led him to the back door, “I’ve got another surprise for ya.”

Osvald tilted his head, watching Partitio over his glasses as he opened the door and they stepped back outside. They were now in a secluded courtyard, surrounded by a beautiful garden filled with many different kinds of flowers, and Osvald closed his eyes as he took a deep breath through his nose to appreciate the pleasant scent that permeated the air.

When he opened his eyes, they went wide at the sight before him. A small table for two was set up in the center of the courtyard, decorated with a large bouquet and a few candles. Partitio bounced over to one of the chairs and pulled it out, gesturing at it with a flourish of his arm.

“Ta-da! A private garden dinner for two!”

Osvald blinked slowly a few times, before a smile crossed his face and he finally sat down in the chair, allowing Partitio to push him in.

“This is quite a surprise, Partitio,” Osvald said as he turned to him and raised an eyebrow, “How did you convince the innkeeper to set this up?”

Partitio’s tongue poked out between his lips as he shot Osvald a wink. “I just used my natural charisma and charm, of course!...and a nice, hefty sack of leaves sure did help to sweeten the deal.”

Osvald chuckled and shook his head. “You certainly are full of surprises, love. Well, what did he make for our dinner?”

“Actually...I made dinner,” Partitio said with a toothy grin as he pointed at his chest with his thumb, and Osvald’s jaw went slack, “I was up way before the sun this morning to get everything prepped, and the innkeeper kept watch over it for me while it simmered so I could take ya on our date.”

“So, you just sit tight, darlin’, and I’ll bring it out!” Partitio rushed back inside, leaving Osvald to try and process what was happening. He had been content with their date out on the town, but this intimate dinner that Partitio had made just for him caused Osvald’s chest to tighten and tears to prick at the corners of his eyes. It was a bit overwhelming, and did he truly deserve to be treated with such kindness...?

“Yeehaw! I’m back, and it smells great!”

Osvald looked up and watched Partitio walk up to the table with two large, steaming bowls in his hands. When he set one down in front of Osvald, the smell of the contents hit his nose, causing him to be flooded with a feeling of calm nostalgia.

“So, uh, I’m not that much of a cook, to be honest...” Partitio sat down across from Osvald and scratched at his nose. “I mean, I’ve only really ever consistently cooked my famous stir fry surprise, and that’s nothing too complicated and I’ve been cookin’ it ever since I was a little chickadee, but, um...I know you’ve mentioned that goulash is your favorite, so I wanted to try and make it just for you, Osvald.”

“Goulash...” Osvald breathed, and he bit the inside of his cheek as he lifted his spoon with a slightly-shaking hand. He could feel Partitio’s intense gaze upon him, and all he could hear was his heartbeat roaring within his ears as he lifted a spoonful of goulash to his mouth and took a bite.

“How is it, darlin’?” Partitio blurted out as he clapped his hands together, “I hope it’s not too bad, but I’ve got a feelin’ that I might’ve skimped out on the salt a bit.”

“It’s...good...” Osvald barely managed to swallow and choke out those words before he braced his forearms on the table and started sobbing over his bowl. He lifted his trembling hands to push his glasses up so that he could rub at his eyes, and he saw a flash of yellow pass by his blurred vision after he heard the sound of a chair scraping against the ground.

“Well...I reckon you’re gonna over salt yours now.” Partitio’s voice was soft, and when he moved to sit in Osvald’s lap, Osvald was quick to latch onto him and bury his face into his chest. Partitio’s embrace was warm, comforting, and secure, and Osvald hadn’t felt so vulnerable and willing to show such emotion to someone in years. The feeling of Partitio’s lips pressing against his forehead and his fingers combing through his hair only made Osvald sob harder. He was overwhelmed by Partitio’s thoughtfulness and the effort he had put into making this day perfect, but Osvald felt that it wasn’t wholly deserved.

Osvald continued to cry and Partitio held him the entire time, rubbing his back and whispering words of affirmation into his ear. Eventually, Osvald managed to stop, and he shook his head as he cast his red and swollen eyes downwards.

“You...You’re too good for me, Partitio,” Osvald choked out, and his eyes went wide when light laughter hit his ears. Partitio slipped his fingers under Osvald’s chin, tilting his head up until their eyes met.

“Naw, I reckon that I’m perfect for you,” he said, pausing to pluck a napkin from the table and dab the lingering tears from Osvald’s face, “just like you’re perfect for me.”

Fresh tears threatened to spill down Osvald’s face, and he gave his head a slight shake. “Y-You’ve done so much for me, and I’m not sure if I can adequately repay you-”

Osvald was suddenly cut off when Partitio’s lips roughly captured his, and he was given pause at the amount of passion and love that Partitio was pouring into this one kiss. Clinging to Partitio for dear life, Osvald returned the kiss with equal vigor, until they both had to pull away to catch their breaths. After he had done so, Osvald opened his mouth to speak again, but Partitio pressed a finger to his lips, effectively silencing him.

“Osvald, listen to me,” Partitio said, reaching out to take Osvald’s hand in his, “Don’t even think for a moment that you have to repay me for any of this. I did this because I love you, and I want to make you happy, especially after all the hell that you’ve been through. I’d do so much more to help mend that beautiful heart of yours.”

Partitio placed his hand over Osvald’s heart, causing fresh tears to well up in his eyes. “I know that love isn’t always an equal, give-and-take type of deal anyway. We’ve got our whole lives ahead of us, and I’m sure that I’m gonna have some rough times too. But I ain’t worried about that, because I know that you’ll be by my side to help me get through it. And I’ll continue to do the same for you, again and again and again , until the very end.”

Like a fish out of water gasping for air, Osvald opened and closed his mouth a few times, until he realized that Partitio was right and that he had no rebuttal to his impassioned speech. Instead, Osvald offered Partitio a smile as fresh tears fell down his face, and he pulled Partitio into a hug and pressed his face against his shoulder.

“Thank you, Partitio...Thank you. ” Osvald’s voice was but a whisper, and his arms tighten around this wonderful man that he was lucky enough to call his.

“You’re welcome, darlin’.” Partitio’s response was just as soft, and they spent a little more time wrapped in each other’s embrace, until Osvald finally pulled away, and Partitio gave his lips a peck and his shoulder a pat before slipping from his lap and returning to his own chair.

“Well, we better get eatin’ before it gets all cold!” Partitio chuckled as he dug into his bowl and took a large bite of his goulash. “Hm, this really does need more salt...”

Osvald took a second bite of his before reaching across the table to take Partitio’s hand. “Well, I think it tastes perfect. The amount of love that you put into it more than makes up for the lack of salt.”

“Daw, Osvald,” Partitio gushed as he entwined their fingers together, “Now who’s a big ol’ sap?”

“I learned from the sappiest,” Osvald said, leaning across the table. Partitio met him halfway and they shared a deep, tender kiss. “I love you, Partitio.”

“Love ya too, Osvald, and I ain’t ever gonna let ya forget it.”

Osvald believed that wholeheartedly, and as they shared another kiss, Osvald knew that he would never, ever forget this perfect date, and he would always cherish the perfect man that he had shared it with.

#octopath traveler 2 #osvald v. vanstein #partitio yellowil #osvald x partitio #fanfiction #jade writes fanfiction #osvitio

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