The room was—in a sense—cluttered. Baskets of clean, unfolded laundry waited for their chance to be worn; tall stacks of books— ranging from textbooks to novels—were chaotically arranged around the rather cramped living area. However, if one really looked, a clear path could be seen, winding its way through the mess to a sort of clearing that encompassed a large, black piano. The importance of the instrument was obvious by the way its condition stood out from the surroundings. The ivory-colored keys looked as if they'd never before been played and not a single fingerprint could be found anywhere on its surface. Beside the grand instrument sat a bland, rectangular case—slightly beaten and exhausted but still functioning just fine. Only on certain, special, occasions would the lovely instrument inside be brought out to see the light.
The alarm sounded, attacking with horribly loud beeps that echoed in my ears. Without thinking, my hand shot out to shut it off but instead came in contact with the fleshy warmth of someone's cheek. He groaned slightly and shifted positions but the terrible screeching of the clock seemed to bring about no change in his sleeping patterns. He was nocturnal through and through, sometimes slipping into bed at absurd hours of the night and planting a kiss on my forehead, assuming I'm asleep. Often, I find myself waiting for him until my eyes become too heavy to possibly keep open any longer. I don't really have a problem with his ways though; I trust him completely and have almost always accepted those behaviors as being just another part of him. The small period of our lives where I had doubted him was something we had long since buried in our past, along with memories of the families we'd lost multiple times.
Reaching out again, my fingers brushed against the cold metal side of the culprit and I let the entire weight of my hand press firmly against the raised button. Five more minutes couldn't do that much harm. A yawn escaped from my lips and I stretched my back, getting a satisfying popping sound. Sneaking one last glance at his face, I proceeded to settle back into the spot beside him and rested my head comfortably on his chest.
Sleep quickly went to work and pulled me into some sort of dreamed reality. Nothing was very different from the normal, everyday routine I went through but the wistful fantasies were ripped harshly away again as my five minutes were soon up. Angrily, I got hold of the cord and yanked it from the wall. Unfortunately, I pulled too hard and the stupid machine tumbled from its perch and landed with a deafening crash. This racket, managed to finally wake my sleeping partner. His cat-like eyes opened abruptly and widened before settling on my face and letting out a relieved sigh.
"What're you doing? Trying to bring the whole house down on us?" he chuckled, now very amused by my failed attempt to get any sort of rest. My cheeks burned and I pushed all of my drowsy energy into glaring at him.
"Oh, shut up…" I huffed, not enjoying his early morning teasing, and sat up, managing to wrap my legs further in the heavy mass of blankets. I groaned as I gave a futile attempt to untangle myself. This seemed to only amuse him more and he watched me with a mischievous grin. Finally, I gave up and he reached over to help, tormenting me more so in the process. When my feet were freed and I slipped out of bed, the cold wooden floor made my feet sting softly.
Even if it was only fall, the temperatures had been chilly this year and often there was a wind-chill far below freezing. I sometimes worried that he'd end up getting sick during one of his nightly walks because he refused to wear any heavier coat than a parka. I shook my head, trying to clear some of the thoughts from my head, and glanced over at the boy still lying under the sheets.
His eyes were closed but he wasn't asleep. He rested with his arms behind his head, propped up slightly on the headboard of the bed. The thin sheets were a wrinkled mess and I could just barely see the elastic band of his boxers sticking out above where the blankets were strewn. He'd gotten into the habit of sleeping like that—not that I'd necessarily complain—and somehow was never cold. I pursed my lips and studied him a little more but his eyes fluttered open a fraction before closing again and when his smirk grew, I knew he'd caught me staring.
I huffed and turned away, my cheeks burning as I stood up and made my way to the closet. I rifled around inside for a minute, trying to find something suitable to wear. As I grabbed one of my more comfortable sweaters, I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist and a body pressed against my own, giving off a wonderful heat.
"I really need to get dressed, Shuuya…" I could feel him press his face into the back of my neck and as he shook his head. "I don't wanna be late…" I continued to try and convince him to let me go although I didn't really want him to. Reluctantly, he unwrapped his arms but stayed where he stood. I turned and looked at him, pressing a quick kiss on his lips and then sidestepped around him. I quickly changed and headed to the kitchen, trailed by the still undressed Shuuya.
"Can't you like… take a day off today?"
"No."
"Well why not?"
"Because I still have to write a five thousand word essay for my literature class."
"You can do that here with me…"
"I need the resources in the library." He sighed deeply, sounding defeated, and slumped into one of the two chairs at the small dining room table, leaning his head on his hand while his elbow held him up off the tabletop. I grabbed the milk and my cereal from the fridge and cupboard and filled a small bowl for myself.
I took my breakfast and sat across from him at the table, getting to work on my cereal so I could have maximum time in the library before my afternoon class. I picked my phone up beside my bowl and pressed the center button. I watched as the screen lit up and took note of the time. If I made it out of the apartment within the next few minutes, I'd have a few solid hours to research and another hour or two to put it all together in a rough draft. When I looked up from my phone, I saw a pair of bright golden eyes staring at me.
"How long are you gonna be at the library today?" he asked, not giving any indication as to why he wanted to know.
"Probably until after lunch…" I shrugged, "Then I have a one o'clock class so I may not be back until later… you know that…"
He nodded and got up, stretching his arms above his head and wandering to the cupboards to find himself something to eat.
"Okay… I'll be here when you get back…"
I smiled at him but he didn't see it so I stood, grabbed my bowl set it in the large sink basin. I didn't really have enough time to wash the dish so I quickly rinsed it, pecked a kiss on his cheek and began grabbing my things. I pulled on my worn-out sneakers, woolen jacket, scarf, and slung my laptop bag across my chest before heading out with a 'See you later' and then locking the door behind me.
The bus ride to campus was about a twenty minute commute but since Shuuya and I couldn't afford a car, it was the next best thing. As my stop was called, I exited into the cold autumn air and hurried across the campus square to the large stone faced building that was the school's library.
I sighed, burying my face in the textbook that sat in front of me. The library was completely silent and I groaned softly as I attempted to work on my midterm paper. It wasn't as though the subject was difficult for me… I was just far too tired to concentrate on anything and my mind kept wandering to other topics. I lifted my head again, staring at the few, simple lines I'd written on the paper. Then, I again hid in my book. Another, almost inhuman, sound escaped my throat as I lamented quietly followed by a familiar chuckle that startled me and I sat upright in my seat.
"Not going so well?" he asked in a hushed voice. He leaned against the table that I was sat at and he held a disposable coffee cup from the shop on the other side of campus.
I frowned and shrugged, resting my head in my hand and watching him. He smiled and held the cup out to me.
"Think this'll help?" I took it gratefully, sipping it while making sure to not burn my tongue.
"Thanks…" I mumbled as I set it down on the table. At this, he pulled out the chair beside me and sat, casually scooting closer to me as he scooted up. I sighed, almost chuckling as he glanced at me playfully from the corner of his eye. Our shoulders were touching and he made it a point to position himself so that our thighs did also.
I shook my head and smiled at him, "You'd better not distract me from my work, Shuuya…"
"Me? Distract you?" he feigned innocence, "Surely, I'm not capable of distracting anyone~" I couldn't help but smile a little wider—he was just so stupid…
I reached for my pencil that I'd set down and pulled my paper back in front of me, rereading what I'd gotten done. Finally, I figured out what to write and just as the lead had touched the paper, my right hand was snatched away and the pencil was once again set on the table, being replaced by a warm hand with fingers that interlaced with mine. I rolled my eyes and turned to him again.
"I can't write like that, you know…" He shrugged and kept his playful grin.
"Well… Maybe you should take a break then…" I gave him an unamused look.
"I'm pretty sure that'd be considered distracting me, dear." I added the pet name sarcastically and he seemed to like it.
"Hmm… then I don't give a damn if I'm distracting you, darling~" At this, he wrapped his left arm around my waist—while maintaining his hold on my hand with his other hand. He was careful to be quiet but I shifted out of his hold, serious about getting something done on my essay. He pouted, handing my pencil back to me with reluctance. I took it and proceeded to write down the sentences that he'd previously prevented me from getting down. I heard him hum softly, a melody I'd played for him recently.
"You know…" he muttered, "I think you should play tonight…" I glanced at him and nodded gently, acknowledging his comment.
"Maybe…" I replied, "What would you want me to play?" Finally able to start my essay, the words seemed to just flow out onto the page in the form of sentences and soon I was through almost an entire page of the dreaded assignment. He shifted position and crossed his arms on the table, rested his head on them so he could watch my face.
"Whatever it was you were playing the other day… I liked that one, it was nice." I nodded again, continuing my work and finding it surprisingly easy with him beside me.
"Alright, then I'll play that one." He smiled and closed his eyes, beginning to hum again so that only the two of us could hear.
An hour or so later I'd found myself at a stopping point, my rough draft was halfway done and it was an hour until I needed to be to my class. I looked over at the blonde that slept silently next to me, head resting on the table now and arms down by his side. I smiled and gently nudged his shoulder.
"Shuuya," I whispered so as not to disturb the others that had sat down at a table a few feet away. He stirred and brought his hands up on the table beside his head. "Shuuya," I whispered again, shaking his shoulder for the second time, "You need to get up…"
He groggily turned his face towards me and blinked open his eyes.
"Nngh…?"
"I'm done for the day…" I mumbled to him, "Let's go." It took him a moment but he pushed himself up so he was sitting and stretched, rubbing his eyes. I collected my books and put them back into my bag, pulling my phone out and checking for any missed texts. Nothing. I mentally laughed; it wasn't really as though I associated with too many people anyways. I've never been a people person, unlike Shuuya who had always been good at telling people what they wanted to hear and making friends—though almost all of those friendships were built on flattery and lies; Kousuke and I being the first exceptions.
When he'd finally stood and we'd left the building, he suggested we head to lunch and though I'd planned to decline, my stomach sold me out and I gave in.
The waitress had seated us near one of the front windows that stretched the length from the floor to the ceiling and the glass was fogged so much that those walking on the sidewalk just looked like large, colorful blurs. They ordered and at first I'd been tempted to get another coffee but since I'd just finished the other, I went with a simple club sandwich and Shuuya ordered something similar.
We ate and he walked me across the campus to where my class was being held.
"When will your class get out, do you think?" he asked as I carefully climbed the first few slippery stairs of the building.
"Hm?" I blinked, not having fully processed the question. He laughed softly and smiled up at me.
"Lemme rephrase that… When do I need to be here to pick you up?" I stared at him for a moment; he never picked me up from school… Then again, he rarely came to the campus at all since he so often worked while I was here.
"Oh… uh, my class will be out in an hour or so but you don't need to worry about picking me up, I'll just meet you back at home, okay?" He shook his head and sighed, smiled still on his face.
"But I want to pick you up; it's not often that I get to." My face flushed and my cheeks were quickly a deeper shade of pink than they'd just been from the cold air."
"O-Okay…" I made my way back down the steps to him and smiled slightly, kissing him quickly and then pulling my heavy scarf from around my neck and tying it around his. Again, he wasn't wearing nearly heavy enough of a coat. He began to protest the addition of the scarf but before he could hand it back to me, I turned and climbed back up the steps, heading inside to the lecture hall.
As I opened the outer door, the cold air gusted in and blew my hair back, making me shiver. The other students poured out of the building and down the steps but in the middle of the crowd I saw a hand waving to me. His cheeks were a rosy pink from standing outside and I scolded him as I made my way beside him. We'd gotten almost to the bus stop when he reached over and grabbed my hand. I didn't bother resisting, the extra heat felt nice in this weather.
The bus was unusually crowded and the only two seats together were at the very back so we headed there. He slid in first and took the window seat, not letting go of my hand and instead rested his head on my shoulder. I chuckled thinking about how even after so many years, we were still both very close in height—him being just shorter than me.
"Tsubomi," his voice was quiet and I barely recognized my own name.
"Hmm?"
"I changed my mind." I could feel my brow furrow in confusion and I looked down at his fingers interlaced with mine in his lap.
"About what?" I found it hard to not tense up; I was confused as to what he could've changed his mind about—nothing in recent memory that they'd spoken about came to mind and though I tried not to let it, my thoughts wandered to the worst possibilities.
"What I want you to play tonight…" I let out the breath I'd been holding and tightened my hold on his hand.
"Oh? What did you decide on?"
"It's been a long while since we played together…" The smile that spread on my lips couldn't be hidden. I loved his playing and if he was offering to play for me, I wouldn't give up the chance.
"I'd like that, Shuuya." He opened his mouth to say something more but the overhead speaker announced our stop so we exited the bus and made our way back to our apartment.
I fumbled with my keys, nearly dropping them when I accidentally grabbed the wrong one. This of course, caused him to tease me.
"Having trouble, Tsubomi?" he chuckled, "Do I need to help you?" He was shut up when I forcefully jabbed my elbow into his gut. Finally, I pushed the door open and it swung in with a soft whine. We stepped in and stripped of our heavy coats, hanging them on the coat rack behind the door. I was carefully slipping out of my sneakers when I heard the clicking sound of a case opening.
To say I was excited wouldn't be quite the right word. Elation? Maybe. I couldn't help but smile as I walked over and sat down on the piano bench—my piano bench. It'd been a while.
I heard strings being tuned and when it stopped, I rifled through the sheet music that sat permanently on the piano to find the right song. I could feel as Shuuya stepped closer, instrument at the ready on his shoulder and bow in hand. When I'd gotten the pages in order, I positioned my fingers over the beginning chord. I took a deep breath and let myself fall into the music as I began the introduction of the piece.
I had no problems playing this piece, it was fairly easy music but it was still absolutely gorgeous sounding and was possibly my favorite piece of all time. However, I nearly stumbled over a note when I heard the beautiful, resonating sound of the violin as it made its entrance. The two counter-melodies drifted and weaved around each other, dancing together as though long time dance partners. It was soothing and the sound could easily wash away a long, tiring day.
When I hit the last chord, I let it sustain for just a little bit longer and when I released the note, I exhaled softly. I listened to the silence that followed for a moment before the blonde behind me chuckled gently.
"I suppose I should thank you for indulging me, hm?" I rolled my eyes, twisting on the bench to see him.
"You could thank me by playing more often."
"Oh really?" he laughed now as he carefully replaced his instrument in its case and zipped it closed. "Would that be a good thank you?" I nodded with a slight smile.
"I'd appreciate it." He set the case back in the proper place beside the piano and extended his hand to me. I took it and stood, stepping over the piano bench to be next to him. He pulled me into a hug and made a comment about being hungry. I laughed and we walked into the kitchen, deciding it would be better if we played our instruments together just a little more often.
Behind the clutter in the room, sat a large, black piano that looked as if it had never once been touched—the owner taking great pride in the instrument—and beside it, black rectangular case in the odd shape of the instrument it contained—no marks scuffed the surface.
A/N: Sorry the two of them are so OOC/cries/ I'd been working on this one for a while but I was stuck in the car yesterday as we were heading back from vacation and decided to work on it... It's pretty rushed and for that I apologize... Also, I'm not used to first-person writing so this was kind of a test to see if I could write in Kido's POV. This was really challenging for me and I hope that it's alright.
As always, thank you for reading!