I'm Here

Makishima sighed, seriously contemplating taking his currently buzzing phone upstairs and stuffing it under his pillow for the rest of the day. It was only noon, and Toudou had still managed to spare time for six calls and twenty-something texts.

"Go away Toudou, I'm trying to cook here." He said to no one in particular, the only other sound in the kitchen that of his phone on the counter, still buzzing. With his parents away on separate business trips, the house was entirely too quiet.

With an annoyed sigh, Makishima put down his knife and cabbage, snatching up his phone and promptly chucking it into the living room, where it landed with a poof on a couch cushion.

As he went back to his chopping, Makishima couldn't help but dread the hour he knew he would, imminently, answer his phone. Whatever had gotten Toudou worked up enough to warrant six phone calls in a row was going to take a good long while to get out of his system. …But now he was just curious.

Cautiously peeking into the living room, as if his phone were a living and very agitated creature, Makishima peered over the back of the couch. What he saw made his eyebrow twitch. With an incredulous noise, his hand shot out and grabbed the device, flipping it open and bringing it to his ear.

"Why can't you behave like a normal person and-"

"THERE'S NO TIME FOR THAT MAKI-CHAN! And besides, since when are you qualified to give people lessons on normality?"

Makishima was about .8 seconds away from hanging up, and Toudou must have realized it because he was talking a mile a minute almost immediately. "So anyway Maki-chan, how have you been? Are you sleeping okay? Eating well?"

Makishima huffed. "I would be eating if someone didn't make me wonder if the apocalypse was happening for all the times he called me in a half-hour time span."

Toudou laughed his loud, boisterous laugh. "I'm sorry Maki-chan, I just wanted to make sure you were doing well! Someone has to look after you, after all!"

Toudou laughed again, and Makishima was reduced to staring straight in front of him at nothing, asking God where he went wrong. But Toudou was talking again before he could get a word in.

"But Maki-chan! I have a surprise for you!"

"Shoh no." Makishima muttered under his breath.

"It should be there by now, so go check your mail!"

Makishima let out an actual groan. "This had better not be like the time you sent me a live canary. The poor thing still shudders when she hears your name." He looked across the table at said canary, who was perched in her wire cage near the window, softly singing.

"Maki-chan! You're going to hurt my feelings! And please! It was a one time thing!"

I sure hope so. Makishima thought wryly. "It's the truth." But he sighed, going to the doorway and toeing on his pair of cream flats nonetheless.

He still had the phone pressed to his ear as he opened the front door and came face-to-face with…Toudou.

"HOW DID HE GET OVER THE GATE?" Was the first coherent though Makishima had.

For a few seconds, all they did was stare at each other, Toudou in wide-eyed, open-mouthed shock, and Makishima in very quickly growing discomfort and apprehension.

Not only was Toudou showing up on his doorstep an annoyance on regular days, but today it was just plain awkward. The reason being that Makishima's attire for the day was a flowy cream dress, the entire outer layer comprised of intricate patterns of lace with a thin, woven brown belt around the midsection. Not to mention that Toudou's eyes seemed to be glued to his…chest?

Makishima's phone slipped from his hand and clunked on the wooden flooring just inside the threshold, and he moved to, dare he say it, hide behind the door, his eyes narrowing further at Toudou's blatant staring. "If you've got something to say, then spit it out."

Toudou made a noise of question, but his vocal chords seemed to be failing him, and that only served to fuel Makishima's sudden bad mood. "Well? Call me gross or creepy or any other synonymous adjective and then just go home."

Makishima was fully intending on slamming the door shut, but Toudou was stronger than he looked, and caught the door. "Maki-chan wait! It's not like that! I wasn't thinking it's bad, I promise!"

Something in Toudou's voice made him pause, and Makishima looked at him from around the door. The raven was frowning; not his usual pout, but an actual frown, and Makishima raised a brow in confusion, allowing Toudou to open the door a little further. "Maki-chan, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you or anything." He laid his hand over Makishima's, which was still poised on the doorframe. "I know I was staring, and I know that was impolite, but…" Toudou smiled softly. "You're wearing it…"

Belatedly, Makishima noticed the small golden chain hanging around Toudou's neck, and it was only then that he remembered the only accessory he happened to be wearing was its partner.

Makishima felt his face heating up, but he knew it wouldn't be enough to show, so instead he averted his gaze and huffed. "I just so happened to pick it out this morning, don't make a big deal out of it, sho."

Toudou was silent for another moment, and Makishima looked back towards the raven. He was still smiling that small smile, and Makishima knew then that he was officially out of his depth.

"You look very beautiful, Maki-chan."

Makishima felt the blood rush to his ears, and if he hadn't put his hair in a ponytail, he may have been able to play it off, but knowing that it was pointless, he looked away again instead.

After another slight silence, Toudou, for once in his life, quietly got his attention. "Maki-chan, you haven't eaten yet right? Would you like to accompany me for lunch?"

The cocky smirk was nowhere to be seen, in its place, a warm smile, as Toudou gently removed his hand from Makishima's and held his arm out to the other instead.

Makishima's eyebrows raised significantly, and Toudou looked suddenly enlightened. "Oh, did you not want to go out…?" In a dress. The unspoken question hung between them. But Makishima shook his head, crouching to retrieve his phone, and when he was back at Toudou's level, he was smiling. "You don't have to be so cautious. I can go change if you want?"

Toudou shook his head firmly. "Nonsense! It would be absolutely tragic if you didn't show off an outfit this beautiful!" The raven's cheeks were getting steadily redder, but he continued nonetheless. "If Maki-chan is happy, then I'm happy."

"That's my line, sho."

Toudou grinned. "So, what do you say to lunch?"

Makishima glanced off to the side, playing with a stray lock of hair. "You make it sound like a date, sho." When Toudou didn't say anything back, Makishima turned wide eyes to him.

"Er. Actually. Th-the reason I came here was…well…"

Makishima's hand stalled in his hair. "…You're kidding…" Toudou's head snapped up. "You came all the way from Hakone, called me half a dozen times, and scaled my property wall just on the off chance I would actually be home and possibly say yes?"

Toudou just flashed him a sheepish grin, and Makishima rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

He reached out and took the arm Toudou had offered him earlier, pulling the door shut behind him. "Come on, I know a nice café down the street."

He glanced over at Toudou on the walk down the driveway, and the raven's smile was as wide as it was beautiful.

"Maki-chan, do you have any recommendations?"

"Hmm…" Makishima scanned the menu quickly, deciding almost immediately. "You're fine with eating something I recommend?" He asked with a grin.

Toudou rolled his eyes slightly, but was smiling. "Of course." Makishima barked a short laugh, turning to the man taking their order. "Can we get a Jammin' Ham and a Planet Claire? And can we get some balsamic vinegar on the Planet Claire?"

"Maki-chan!"

Their server looked at him over the top of his thick-rimmed glasses, debating whether or not to intercede for the sake of the food.

Makishima laughed and waved it off. "I'm just kidding about the vinegar, I swear. What did you want to drink?"

Toudou visibly breathed a sigh of relief. "Hmm, I think I'll try the coconut oolong?"

"And I'll have a Very Berry smoothie, please."

As the cashier rung them up, Makishima produced his wallet from seemingly thin air, and Toudou yelped. "Where were you keeping that!?"

Makishima, startled, showed him his dress' pockets, then grinned. "It has pockets. There's a reason why this dress is my favorite."

"And you've sure got good taste." The cashier grinned at them, and Makishima returned the smile, only a little embarrassed.

"S-sho…"

"Anyway Maki-chan!" Toudou reached across him and paid quickly. "Who is taking who out here?"

"S-sorry?" Makishima was still flushed from the compliment, and Toudou sighed fondly, shaking his head. "Don't apologize, Maki-chan."

The cashier smiled at them. "You can sit wherever you like, your food'll be done in a few minutes."

Makishima nodded his thanks, turning to Toudou. "Where do you want to sit?"

Toudou looked around for a moment before turning back to Makishima. "Want to sit by the window? The sun isn't going to fry us."

Makishima snorted. "Sure."

Once they sat down, Toudou looked around at the place. It was small, but not cramped, and it seemed to fit the amount of clientele coming and going seamlessly.

There were small, high windows all along one wall, all the windowsills lined with small potted plants and cacti. There were art pieces made from coffee beans framed and hanging all throughout, and, don't ask why, but there were also adhesive pictures of spiders placed at random. Toudou huffed in amusement at that.

Makishima raised a brow. "What're you laughing at?"

Toudou jerked his head towards one of said spiders. "I was just remarking to myself that this is just your kind of café."

Makishima shrugged. "Those are new actually. They just popped up sometime in the past few months. How do you like it? Does it meet your interior decorating standards?" Makishima smirked at him, but Toudou just smiled.

"It's got character. I like it."

Their server appeared at their table at that moment. "Already? You haven't even tried it yet." He smiled and placed their plates and drinks in front of them, and they both thanked him. "Let me know if there's anything else you need." And he was off with a nod.

Makishima nodded at the croissant on Toudou's plate. "Give that a try, it's really good." And with that he took a bite of his own bagel sandwich.

For once in his life, Toudou listened to Makishima, and on top of that managed to take the first bite without analyzing it. "Woah! This is good!"

Makishima smirked around his mouthful. "Told you. Have a bite of this one." He offered the other half of his sandwich. "This is my favorite thing to eat from here."

This time Toudou did inspect, and he raised a brow. "Maki-chan, is that cream cheese?"

"Oh my God Toudou just eat it. It's not like I eat this every day, and you taking a bite won't kill you."

Toudou hummed, but took a bite of the offered food. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline, and Makishima grinned triumphantly around his smoothie straw.

Toudou swallowed his mouthful and huffed. "Okay, I admit it, that is a very, very good choice."

"Huh, let's switch halves since you like it so much."

Toudou shook his head. "It's fine Maki-chan, it's your sandwich anyway."

Makishima rolled his eyes, transferring half of his food to Toudou's plate. "Don't be ridiculous. You never leave Hakone if it's not for a race, so you may as well enjoy your day."

Toudou blushed. "Well, I'm not eating a sandwich and a half, so here." The raven copied what Makishima had done moments before, then resumed sipping on his tea.

"Kuha!"

Toudou pouted slightly. "Are you laughing at me?"

"Of course not, Jinpachi."

Toudou nearly snorted into his tea. "Yowch!"

"Careful, that's hot!"

Makishima doesn't know how they managed it, but by the time they left the café, the sky was already turning yellow and orange, sending long, dark shadows spreading every which way.

They were passing a nearby park on the walk back to Makishima's home when Toudou veered off the sidewalk and gestured to the swings.

Any children who had been there during the day had already gone, and the park was quiet, rabbits munching on clover in the hedges and birds singing to the setting sun.

Toudou grinned at him as Makishima sat down on one of the swings, gathering a bit of his dress to the side to keep it from being blown askew. He almost pitched forward from surprise when Toudou placed a gentle hand on the center of his back and gave him a small push, and he huffed. "I'm not a child Jinpachi."

Makishima couldn't see it from his vantage point, but Toudou just shook his head with a smile. "That doesn't mean I don't want to spoil you."

Makishima turned to look at Toudou then, his cheeks dusted with a pink that was visible even in the evening sunlight. He turned away again with a slight pout. "You say the strangest things…"

Toudou laughed at that. A few more pushes later Toudou joined Makishima on the swing to his left. There was a short silence after that, the both of them listening to the cicadas and watching the clouds make their way slowly across their field of vision.

"Maki-chan…" Toudou's voice was very quiet, and almost hesitant, and Makishima turned to face him. "Hmm?"

Toudou's eyebrows were drawn together, the way they were when something was bothering him. "Earlier, when we were still at your house…" Makishima shifted slightly in his seat as he slowed, unsure of where this was going. "…Did you really think that I would just call you gross or whatever and then just run away?"

Makishima dug his heels into the ground and stood up, slightly startling Toudou. "Jinpachi, no. I hoped you wouldn't do that, but…" Makishima sighed softly. "After a certain point, someone like me has to learn the difference between fight and flight, and how other people treat me as a result." Makishima crossed his arms, looking off to the side. "I've found that people like to think they can walk all over me if I don't fight, so all I'm trying to do is save my time and sanity."

Only a few seconds of silence followed before Toudou suddenly jolted up from his seat, and he didn't miss how Makishima's arms immediately uncrossed as he put them in between Toudou and himself, and Toudou froze in place, his heart sinking into a place inside of him that was very dark and cold.

"Yuusuke…" Makishima twitched in surprise as Toudou whispered. "…You know I would never, ever hurt you…right?"

Makishima clenched his hands into fists. "I-I know, I didn't mean to-… I just-…" Makishima bit his lip as he felt his frustration gather behind his eyes. "I'm so-"

"Don't even think about apologizing."

Makishima made a small unhappy sound in the back of his throat, but then Toudou's arms were around him and pulling him as close as he could get, and Makishima let his arms wrap around the raven's neck.

He felt Toudou turn his face into his hair, and a second later he felt the other press a kiss to the side of his head.

Toudou's arms tightened marginally around the beautiful person they encircled. He didn't like to think about how Makishima's reaction had hurt him. It wasn't that he took it personally, it was more that he wanted whoever had conditioned that response into Makishima to feel that same, deep, shaking pain. He knew Makishima wouldn't appreciate his thoughts, so he somehow managed to keep from saying so aloud, but there was one thing he definitely had to say before anything else.

"Yuusuke." Toudou pulled away only enough to face him, moving his hands up from Makishima's back to gently cup his cheeks. "I have a confession to make." Makishima swallowed thickly. "I love you."

Both of their faces exploded with color, but Toudou could not be deterred. "Before you can ask, no, it's not 'like'. What I feel for you is too strong to be shunted aside into the 'like' category. You are very special to me, and I'm so, so glad I met you." Toudou was as red as a beet, but he still managed to give Makishima a grin. "And I think it's high time I told you how I feel, so there you go. I love you, and I just want you to know that I'm here, whenever you need me, for whatever reason. I would drop anything and everything to be there when you needed me, so please just know that."

Makishima blinked owlishly, then averted his eyes from the piercing gaze of the other. "You shouldn't be so quick to push everything aside for one person…"

"Why not?" Was Toudou's immediate counter, and Makishima looked up in shock. "Yuusuke, I would walk to you in the middle of the night, all the way from Hakone, in the dead of winter if you needed me. And before you ask, the only reason I need is because I would want to. You're perfect, Yuusuke." Toudou leaned forward and pulled him into another gentle hug, whispering into his hair. "You're perfect to me."

Makishima's breath caught on his exhale, and he held on to Toudou's shoulders, his own beginning to shake. "Jinpachi…"

Toudou rested his hand at the nape of Makishima's neck, his fingers gently running over the golden links of the necklace that the other wore, identical to his own.

Makishima turned his head slowly, but the soft kiss to his temple still left Toudou blindsided and very warm inside. "Thank you; for everything. It means more to me than you know." Makishima pulled away slightly, only to come back to rest their foreheads together, one of his hands coming up to rest at the base of Toudou's throat, where his own necklace was glittering in the now-red sunlight. "I love you too, you know." He murmured, bashful.

Toudou's eyes went wide, but then his expression metamorphosed into something incredibly soft, and he closed his eyes, smiling as he wrapped the other up in his arms once again.

They stood that way for a few minutes, until the street light at the entrance to the park flickered on, and Toudou noticed that the sun had finally set, leaving them in the purplish-blue glow of after-twilight. Toudou readjusted his grip, and before Makishima had the chance to realize what he was doing, Toudou had already lifted him off the ground, cradling him in his arms in a bridal carry. "Wha-! Put me down! It's weird to carry someone taller than you!"

Toudou's eyebrow twitched. "By half an inch." He muttered. "But don't be ridiculous! Besides, no one will be able to recognize you with it getting dark."

"Somehow I doubt that." Makishima grimaced. "I won't be able to walk through my own neighborhood after this."

Toudou pouted slightly. "I'll put you down if you really want me to."

Makishima was silent, then let out a huff. "I suppose it doesn't really matter either way, sho."

Toudou grinned, readjusting his hold, and began the short walk to the Makishima residence.

Once Makishima had been gently deposited back onto his feet and the door behind him opened, Toudou took both of the other's hands in his own, bringing them to his lips with a smile as Makishima flushed red. "Thank you for coming with me today Maki-chan, I had a wonderful time. But alas, if I want to catch my train I should probably be going."

Toudou kissed his index finger knuckle of his left hand, right where there was a little mole, and Makishima stuttered out. "Y-you know…you could just stay here tonight if you wanted."

Toudou smiled, but shook his head. "I wouldn't want to impose on you or your family."

Makishima shook his head. "You're not imposing. Besides, my parents are away, and the house is too empty, sho." He pouted a little, and Toudou smiled, squeezing his hands. "Maki-chan, if you want me to stay, you should just say so."

Makishima heaved a sigh and looked Toudou in the eye. "Fine. Stay."

Toudou grinned at him and leaned up to brush his lips over Makishima's. "Of course."

That had been a few hours ago, and now Makishima was curled up under his duvet with Toudou's arm resting along his waist and his head tucked neatly into the crook of the raven's neck.

He felt Toudou angle his head to press a kiss to his crown and whisper into his hair. "Goodnight Yuusuke."

Makishima smiled and nudged his nose to the underside of Toudou's jaw, feeling the arm on his waist circle around him. "Goodnight Jinpachi."

For a moment, Makishima caught sight of his nightstand, and the two golden necklaces resting there, side by side.

As he closed his eyes, he couldn't help the grin that tugged at his lips, and felt comfortable enough to raise his own arm and rest his hand between Toudou's shoulder blades.

His best friend's warmth and scent was what eventually lulled him to sleep, but even as he slept, the smile had yet to leave his face.

A/N

Waahaaaa. Where can I submit my resignation from this fandom to spare myself the embarrassment of being kicked out? TTwTT There's a reason I don't write long stuffs, but hey, I was asked, and I tried.

Genderfluid Makishima gives me life and this has been floating around in my brain box for a while now soooo...

Tbh TouMaki is right up there with ShinAra for me, but I don't think I write them very well TT~TT I have no idea why.

(But I need to write more lil fics with these two both for practice and I just love my headcanon for them if they were ever to be in a relationship. Like, Toudou would still be annoying at times, but we would absolutely be sooo perceptive to Maki's needs and such and he would be such a sweetheart UwU )

So yea, uhm...I hope this is bearable? I've spend three days agonizing over this and I don't think my heart can take much more of it, so I know it seems like it's all over the place and I'm sorry TT~TT

(But one more thing, if you follow me on Tumblr I'm going to be doing a mini-photoshoot of Maki from this fic sometime in the next few days, because ye I totally own the dress see if I give a fUCK.)

((The only reason I'm not doing it today is because today has been shit and I tried earlier and failed so hard at makeup that I almost broke a mirror sooooo))

Okay I'll shut up now k thnx bye ;O_O