Rainy Days
CFV
T
[Written with Rena]
Typical, that even Reversed, Aichi had a long way to go in dealing with the wider world. Perhaps— he had backtracked since falling under the spell.
When the heavens opened up, he'd dashed for the nearest place for shelter, managing to find a small, quiet cafe and dove inside, shedding his jacket and laying it beside the booth he'd taken to dry without the risk of catching a cold from being completely drenched.
There couldn't have been more than half a dozen other customers. Meaning he'd get the peace he wanted at the very least. The door swinging open, letting in the violent winds caught his attention, casting a bland look to the new arrival, somewhat surprised to find Miwa standing at the doorway.
. . . .
The howling of the winds, the cursing moans as the raindrops fell, almost blinding people running about, clutching umbrellas with shaking hands. One could say the blond was unlucky, in not having such a cover for his body, but – he enjoyed the soaking wetness. Cleansing as it could be it was a joy upon the earth. Where other beings flocked inside, most Reversed fighters came to take comfort in the rain, drawing out their solitude desires and just being a calming feeling when rushed upon the skin.
Completely drenched from head to toe his uniform only weighed him down, and so the tall male divested himself of his jacket, hooking an arm around it and unlaced his tie letting top buttons fall loose upon his shirt.
There, he felt better, if only slightly.
As he moved to open the door, he stepped inside, ignoring the complaints from the workers that he was tracking water inside. Shooting them a glare, they got back to their duties. As he tossed his clothes over his shoulder, the blond saw a haze of someone…familiar.
Aichi. Heh, he was here?
He wondered where Kai was, he had likely taken shelter from the rain, and maybe he was sleeping. Stepping over to the booth where the younger male sat, he leaned over the back of the seat, burying his face in the other's hair.
"Aichi, what are you doing here?" He continued to hold his position behind and above the other, draping his jacket across the part of the booth not occupied.
. . . .
Seeing the blond in such a state was surprising enough, but Aichi hadn't expected his bland hues to fall onto him so quickly, tilting his head with curiosity and easing back into his seat while the other trod towards him.
That said, he wasn't expecting Miwa's face to meet with his hair, dried out from his brief experience in the storm and sat rigid, taken back by the close proximity of the blond.
"M— Miwa… kun?"
Everyone knew that Kai was the only one Aichi felt completely comfortable around, though he was improving. His circle of trust was gradually widening once again, the scars of his Reversal were slowly, but surely, receding. Even still, he found himself frozen under Miwa's loom.
"I- I just… was hiding out from the storm. It wasn't that bad when I left, but then it suddenly escalated". The heavy thud of the jacket landing on the seat opposite drew Aichi's optics briefly, trailing back towards Miwa slowly afterwards. "Are you… sure you'll be alright? You might catch a cold, if you're so wet".
. . . .
Aichi was always wary around others, and Miwa knew for a fact that he trusted Kai the most, just he himself did. They were both loyal to the brunette, Miwa more than Aichi but it made a point. So they had something in common.
The kid was so cute, almost waiting for someone to take him away. Miwa thought him too innocent to be Reversed but it had happened after a while, and Kai had looked pleased.
"I'll be alright, it's not so bad." He shook his shirt sleeves and rolled them up, releasing water onto the floor. Again, he got some looks from cook and wait staff, but he silenced them once more, and walked around to sit opposite of Aichi in the booth.
"So, you want something to eat? I'm hungry." Miwa was trying to get away from the feeling nagging at the back of his head. As if something was telling him not to get to close to Aichi. But, he wanted to.
. . . .
It was astonishing, how lax and carefree Miwa was, more so under Reverse's influence. It was almost like he cared about nothing. It surprised Aichi each time he'd seen a display of the rapid transformation.
"Alright, but if you get sick, don't expect a shoulder to cry on. Kai-kun would probably keep away from you for days until you're definitely well again". That said, he would be stuck to the brunet's side the whole time. He was dependent on him, like a helpless child without.
"Well, we could, yeah. It might if you're warm inside to fight off any sickness," he replied, plucking a menu out from the wooden block situate at the head of the table, underneath the rain-splattered window and handed it across the booth to the blond. There was nothing to read on Miwa's face, nothing to suggest what was on his mind. He'd gotten better at masking things. That or Aichi had become impossibly dense since getting Reverse.
Or perhaps it was a combination of the two.
"I'll be alright; I'll just get a warm drink".
. . . .
Scoffing to himself, Miwa reached for the given menu, skimming it. "I'll be fine." He snapped, irritation laced in his voice. He thought he had control over his spats of emotions, but it showed through, and he picked the menu in front of his face, trying to see what food he wanted.
Honestly, it was sick how Kai allowed Aichi to hang around his space and not Miwa half the time. He didn't care much that was for sure. He could manage fine on his own if he did get sick. Who needed Kai.
Hailing a very nervous waitress to the booth, Miwa ordered, their picks, and winked at the woman as she walked away to plug in the order with the kitchen.
Placing his menu down, the sudden lash of a headache came on, and Miwa rolled his eyes, sighing quietly, while he moved to lean on the table, cradling his head in his arms. They were always after his adrenaline rushes of irritation, and they often made him loose his appetite.
. . . .
The sharp, bitter tone twisted Aichi's lips into a cold frown, pulling back immediately once the menu was removed from his grasp, arms pressed against his sides and shoulders squared. He wasn't entirely sure what it was that had triggered off the mood. Was it something he'd done? Said? Did Miwa find him caring at all disgusting?
They weren't normal people anymore, after all. He remained calm, almost unusually polite in contrast to Miwa's sudden bluntness.
The movements of the blond caught Aichi's eye quickly, drawing him away from watching the waitress scuttle away and to his companion. "Miwa-kun?" he sounded, letting his concern leak through without even trying to mask it. He pushed himself up from his seat, looming over the blonde with his hands hovering between them, unsure what it was he was supposed to do to aid the blond. "What is it? Are you alright?
. . . .
Miwa struggled, ever since his reversal at Kai's black beating, he couldn't take the thoughts of knowing how their battle really ended. He kept it hidden, and had left. Time alone, was what he needed, and he had fallen in with some bad people.
The blond had gone through a couple transformations. First of all: Aichi's voiced suspicions about being able to control and mask his emotions. That had slowly developed over the year he had been gone. And again with the snaps- they had been made known due to his 'friends' beating him nearly to death on random nights.
Miwa would then in turn go into a fit of rage, and he had even ended up killing some of them, by suffocating and punching them into walls. You did not want to make Miwa Taishi mad.
With his head down blood surged into the cavity lining his skull and brain apart. There it stayed and throbbed, creating mass pressure on his temples and making his eyes squeeze shut. "Nghhh…." He groaned softly as the waitress came with their drinks and Miwa's food. Eyeing the blond, she set the whole tray down next to Aichi upon the table and left promptly.
He wasn't feeling well – he was…
Suddenly, he shot up, running to the restroom with pinched eyes and a growl in his throat.
– There he'd stay for about 10 minutes.
. . . .
Watching the blond's condition deteriorate was painful. Aichi was at a loss over he was meant to do and crept closer.
"Miwa-kun?" he repeated. A number of times, even.
The waitress may as well have never appeared, as her presence went by unnoticed, Aichi's bland hues fixated on the crumpled blond the entire time. Aichi had been about to utter the other's name again, along with a questioning over what was wrong when Miwa shot up and took off for the toilets.
A surprised gasp left Aichi, who gave chase a moment later after debating what to do. He slipped in, standing close to the door, but never entering any of the cubicles.
Another moment of two passed before he braved treading deeper, locating the blond quickly and raising a hand to rest onto his back. Not that he made the contact, he—was still afraid to. "Miwa-kun? A- Are you alright? Do you need any help?"
. . . .
He got to the restroom.
Entered inside.
Chose a stall.
And fell.
He fell to his knees.
And began to heave dryly into the bowl, and the lip was still down.
His throat burned, his lips tingled, and his hands were fists as he clenched the side of the toilet, nails making dreadful noises.
His body had bested him. He should have known.
Walking outside would have been best after he snapped at Aichi.
Yet he stayed put. And there he was.
A voice. Aichi.
"I'm alright….really.."
Another wave of dry heaving wracked Miwa's already weakened body.
It had lead up to this.
The irritability, the headache, the pressure, the loss of appetite,
It was stupid, but that was how he had to live. If he went to off course, he'd grow sick and possibly be unable to help Kai. And that, that was a fate worse than death to Miwa.
His fingers had been gripping so hard, that they were bleeding, drawing rivulets down the bottom of the bowl. "….." He was silent, and wiped his mouth, dried his eyes, and stood, shakily.
He started for the door, but his legs gave and he fell with an uHG to the floor. For seconds, he laid there, eyes closed body slack against the cold surface. What was he to do?
He was…
He was becoming useless….
. . . .
"No… y- you're not. Like this? There's no way you can be," Aichi protested feebly. His hands fell upon Miwa's back, gently rubbing small circles into it; soothing, massaging. Just to be there while he vomited.
The horrendous noises and lurches, they made Aichi's stomach turn over and want to do the same himself. But he bit down on his lip, chewing it. Just so he wouldn't worsen the situation. His eyes wandered away, keeping the blond in sight the whole time.
When the droplets of blood spilled onto the floor, Aichi let out a shock breath and leaned forward, removing one hand to grasp the wrist closest to him.
That was when Miwa's body gave out and Aichi almost screamed in shock. With the blonde's disheveled hair out of the way, Aichi had a clear view of the bowl and it was… not something he wanted to see, to say the least. He reached up, grasping the handle and pulling down so the bowl could rinse itself, and then hunched over the blonde, sliding his hands underneath to try and turn the body over, or at least, pull him onto Aichi's lap.
"Miwa-kun? Miwa-kun?!" Miwa was one of few people Aichi could dare to let into his inner circle; he couldn't bear the thought of something happening to him. Even this cold, detached blond; he had always been someone that encouraged Aichi. "I- I'll get them to call an ambulance. Hang in there, please!"
. . . .
A small, very minuscule price to pay for his worth in Kai's eyes to shine, if only a few hues brighter. His body had gotten the way it was because he had been unable to care for his body when brutally attacked. All the time, constant. It had become part of his life for a year.
That's why he was so different. So…
Not. Miwa.
Fingers bleeding and body slack on the floor, his head pulled up, just to glance at Aichi. His face. He was worried.
Well then Miwa was likely worse off that he felt, or maybe Aichi didn't like the blood.
It was probably the blood.
When the other called out his name, he felt strengthened, though his body had just been through Hell for the past 10 minutes, he fought to straighten and sit up, groaning.
"Hey. I'm gonna be alright." There was Miwa's kind side, brought out by bodily weariness. A good thing as he laid a hand on Aichi's trembling face. "I can't leave you yet. And I can't leave Kai. We all need one another."
He was if anything, a survivor.
Aichi looked so sad. If there was anything he could do, to not have Aichi look that way. Oh Miwa would do anything to see the tears recede
"Please, don't cry."
. . . .
Aichi tried to hold back his stunned gaze down at the blonde, cradling his body shakily. He bit down, chewing his lip, trying to calm himself so he wouldn't rattle the crumpled body strewn across his lap. To see someone so important in such a pitiful state… it hurt.
"M- Miwa… kun?"
The last thing he'd been expecting was the gentler side of the blond's personality; the part of him that Aichi had grown close to over the two years of their friendship. A shuddering breath slipped out from Aichi's lips, barely apart, at the touch against his face. It was warm, gentle, comforting. He felt… safe.
Such a relief that the tears in his eyes built up more, spilling over and pressing a palm against the knuckles beside him. "U- Un!
I… I don't want to lose you… o- or Kai-kun. You two… a- are the only people that I… I…" Words broke down altogether; shoulders lurching up and down, shaking violently. He hadn't expected to grow so emotional over the incident. And yet… here they were. "What… d- do I do to help? Please… tell me…"
. . . .
He was still such a child, after a few years. All they had gone through, as friends, teammates, and rivals. Everything was to help Aichi grow. Miwa smiled, keeping his hand against the cool cheek as the dam broke and water spilled forth, almost flush like the rain that could still be heard outside.
Inching himself up, he did something unexpected. Wrapping his arms around Aichi, the blond hugged him. He wanted to do more, but for now, it should be enough.
"Hey, you need to calm down." Smiling again, there was the funny edge to Miwa's kind side. "If you stay like that, it'll be you Kai won't want to be around a while, not me."
He would help Aichi but first, they needed to get up and back out to their booth. Their orders were likely cold. "Hey. Can you help me up?"
. . . .
He'd been swimming in the thoughts that buzzed loudly in his head, frantic about what might happen to the blond when Miwa's arms wrapped themselves around him, bringing his shuddering to a sudden halt; his body locked up by the untouched touch.
Eyes enlarging, he listened to the gentle words offered by the downed blond and pulled back slowly, watching him with a mixture of disappointment in himself and concern for the older. A slow nod was the response, acknowledging that his worst nightmare had been proposed before him should things carry on in such a manner.
Adhering to the request, Aichi shuffled back, drawing his arms around so that they could help in prying the blond from the floor, helping him to his feet with an arm draped around his shoulders just to be safe. It dawned on him then how ragged the pair must have looked, but that didn't matter; the people were few in number and had seen the chaotic retreat into the bathroom. So he'd help undo that, bring Miwa back and get something to eat so he could build up his strength again.
. . . .
They had to be there for each other. That's all they could do in the Reverse.
The hug lasted until he could hold no more, and collapsed to the floor again. He wanted to get up with Aichi's help of course. "Hey don't worry! I'm fine." He was kidding even himself though, but Miwa was a fighter.
Once outside the bathroom, the shorter helped the taller back to their booth, food a little cold but on the table. Aichi's drink had come as well, steaming in front of his seat. "Chow time." He said with a forced smile. His stomach still felt twisted, but maybe food would help.
The rain was still going, drenching the town and all the scurrying people. Miwa somewhat hoped Kai wasn't in it, he'd never be himself afterwards for a bit.
. . . .
Though he'd led Miwa back to the booth, Aichi was apprehensive about staying after such a violent collapse, and the ruckus they had caused drew attention to them.
It made him uncomfortable.
"Are you sure we should stay? You should get some rest; I'll help you back somewhere safe". Not long ago, they had been subtly sneering at one another; previously unknown tensions between them surfacing, but almost immediately, they had melted away in that undying friendship.
He was uneasy with doing much, and adopted a much more leisurely pace in consuming his drink, never taking his eyes off the blond, just to be sure.
Even if Miwa had become twisted more so than Aichi by Reverse; he was someone that Aichi wanted to keep around. He hadn't been as warped as to want to do away with his friends. And that rain hammering down made the thought of escape difficult. Would they be able to get anywhere without making any illness Miwa had picked up worse?
Aichi had little to say before his glass was emptied, leaning back in his seat and continuing his watchful eye on Miwa.
. . . .
As he dove into the food, Miwa's heart felt heavy. After having to share the bathroom scene with the other, he felt awkward about answering the guy and his question.
For now though, he ate, and stuffed his mouth with food. Hopefully it'd quell his aching insides. If not, then he'd suffer till it passed.
"Really, it's fine~" He smiled, eating a little more. "You don't need to worry. We can go once the rain lets up." That was if it did.
. . . .
Trying not to stare and make the blond feel even more uncomfortable, Aichi's eyes wandered. They moved to the window, though were swiftly drawn to Miwa's reflection. A small shake and he pried that gaze away, moving to the table, the floor, his lap.
Just something so that he needn't feel that pressure.
His head shot up at the assertion made by his company, lips twisted into a frown.
"But you need to get somewhere that you can relax and rest. The air might do you well after—… that…"
He could just hope there wouldn't be any sour consequences for referring to the episode; not that it was something he wanted to bring up.
. . . .
He was always so helpful…even Reversed, it almost made Miwa sick again. Though he couldn't alarm Aichi anymore, he finished his plate of food, pushing it to the side.
Going out of his way to help people- that was who he was. The bluenette tried so hard, he couldn't see his own fall as he was slowly drifting.
"Relax." He said, leaning back in the booth. "And yeah– thanks for the reminder. Don't do it again." He snapped, sitting back up.
. . . .
That merging of his previous and current personalities seemed to be a growing aspect to Aichi; perhaps it was a sign of Reverse tangling itself in his very being, or settling altogether.
And with that, that disappointment in himself for not managing to do more for the people he was desperate to hold onto. And after he'd let them down in them collectively falling to Reverse in the first place.
Aichi couldn't help but shrink with Miwa's aggressive tone, leaning forward to close much of the distance between them. His head lowered, struggling to maintain eye contact with the blond.
"U- Un–… Sorry…"
When did he become so tame? Even Aichi himself couldn't be sure. But he was hesitant to prompt Miwa's wrath. Maybe it was that docility which had drained him.