Years later...
It had been years now, decades even since Misaki had graduated college and started his career at Marukawa Publishing. Retired now at the age of sixty five Misaki was still living with Usagi-san, mooching off of him even now in his old age, considering how much the rent was. In exchange, he did all of the cleaning and the cooking as if he were a housewife from the 50's. Usagi-san still couldn't cook anything without setting off the musical sounds of the fire alarms. But Misaki didn't mind cooking since he had been doing it since his childhood. About forty-six years it had been since Misaki first met Usagi-san and since they had developed their meaningful relationship as lovers. They had been together so long it was as if they had been together forever. Just as how they both wished it, so long ago upon those tiny little marbles Misaki had somehow managed to obtain on his 22nd birthday. Even though they had been together so long, they still had so long to go before it was forever. Sadly, though not everything lasts forever.
It was a normal day for the couple, just roaming about the house enjoying each other's company with the exchange of small talk and the consumption of Misaki's cooking. Little laughs were shared along with hints of small smiles and the occasional shouts of Misaki because of something weird or harassing Usagi-san did. Being as old as they were, they still went out occasionally for errands or to see old friends like Aikawa, who hadn't been around very much anymore because Usagi-san had retired from his stories and only wrote when he felt like for his own pleasure. Today however, the couple decided to stay inside and lounge around the house. It was a perfect Saturday. The weather outside was sunny and cheerful, so much so that Misaki had opened the windows to let the light in. After lunch the couple lounged on the couch together, exchanging jibber jabber with each other, and teasing each other all the while they subtlety showed their love for each other and joy they both held in each other's company. They had been together so long that they didn't hold the flame of burning passion for each other the same way younger people in relationships did as was often displayed in public, sometimes annoyingly. No, rather these two had been together so long that their relationship had been turned into sweet little gestures used to express their love. The simplicity of their relationship was something they were both content with because it was the result of a strong relationship that had gone through multiple hardships in their time and now they were at the strongest point in their relationship that they could be where they enjoyed being around each other all the time. Basically they had become that cute, sweet old couple that everyone adores.
Eventually it came to the point in the day where the sun was setting and the beautiful day was coming to a close. It had been a perfect day. Night fell and the two of them headed towards the bedroom upstairs that contained a big bed surrounded by multiple toys and stuffed bears. It was dark outside now and the two of them lay in bed next to each other, glad to be together. But something was different this night. Misaki felt a change in the air but he didn't understand it, he could tell Usagi-san felt it too but it was as if Usagi-san knew what the reasoning behind it was. There was something Usagi-san wasn't telling him. This bothered Misaki but he let it go as Usagi-san reached for him and pulled him closer. Usagi-san wrapped his arms around Misaki protectively as they waited for the night to pass and for sleep to take over. The touch of Usagi-sans arms around his gave Misaki a slight surprise and he looked up at the old man.
Misaki smiled to himself, "Just what do you think you're doing, old man?" he asked.
Usagi-san smiled, pushed the bangs away from Misaki's face, caressing it and replied, "Ah, who do you think you're calling old? Old man yourself, Mr. sixty-five." Usagi-san teased, his eyes lighting up, simply happy to be lying next to his loved one.
"Shut up." Misaki mumbled, "You're still older! Your even starting to look old...old man..." Misaki trailed off, noticing the crease lines around his eyes, the wrinkles on his forehead, and the laugh lines around his cheeks. All the signs of aging had begun to form on Usagi-sans face, now that he was seventy-five. Usagi-san chuckled, and even after all this time together Misaki could still feel his heart race at the sound.
Afterwards there was a pause in which Usagi-san simply stared at Misaki, displaying a loving expression that softened Usagi-sans face. Misaki froze at the sudden attention, forcing himself to look away and trying with all his might to keep his heart from pounding so loudly. "Wha-what?" he asked nervously, feeling a bit too exposed at Usagi-sans stare.
"Nothing." Usagi-san softly, "I love you." he added, all truth in his voice, his face and spread throughout his entire being. Misaki blushed a deep crimson red, even after being together all this time he still got embarrassed by Usagi-sans random love confessions to him. Misaki attempted to lift the covers to hide his face but Usagi-san put one hand on top of his and lowered them so that Misaki was forced to look away, embarrassed. Usagi-san proceeded to caress his hair and kiss his face, "Even after all this time, you still aren't used to things like this." He stated softly. Misaki attempted to mumble and excuse but Usagi-san cut him off and kissed his lips instead. When they parted Usagi-san rolled back over to his side of the bed, holding Misaki close to his side still.
There it is again. Misaki thought, the uncomfortable feeling slowly crawling its way back into the atmosphere. Whatever this feeling was, it made him sad and he tried not to think about it. It was silent in the room for a moment. Finally Misaki attempted to give a proper reply, feeling it necessary to let Usagi-san know how he felt. "U-Umm," he started nervously, suddenly becoming very conscious of their closeness.
"Hmm?" Usagi-san inquired in an attempt to push Misaki further.
"U-Usagi-san...U-umm, I-I...Yo-Umm, You know I...Umm that is, I..." Misaki tried and tried to get the words out, his face flushing. Then the feeling of sadness was back, and Misaki could see subtle sadness expressed in Usagi-sans eyes, he knew something. He knew what this was. Usagi-san knew what was going to happen. It was all Misaki could do not to cry as he squeaked out in the tiniest voice, "I love you too." Then Misaki felt something wet slide down his cheek, his vision blurred by his tears. He didn't understand why he was crying, but it seemed like Usagi-san know. And deep down, Misaki thought he probably knew why to, but he was just too stubborn to admit it. As beautiful a day as it had been, the atmosphere was different, and the way Usagi-san acted all throughout that day was different too, in very subtle ways that only someone as close to him as Misaki was would be able to pick up on.
Tears kept coming to Misaki, as he cried on Usagi-sans shoulder while Usagi-san caressed his hair and tried to dry all the tears away in an attempt to calm him down. The room was filled with sounds of Misaki's sobs and Usagi-sans hushed voice telling him, "Shh," and "It's alright." Usagi-san kissed the top of Misaki's head and placed a hand on top of his and squeezed gently, in an attempting to be comforting. Crying had caused Misaki to become tired, but the thought of falling asleep filled him with dread for some unknown reason. After he let out a few more sobs, he tried to calm himself down more so that he wasn't shaking anymore. Misaki looked at Usagi-sans hand that held a place atop his own and gently squeezed back, he looked back at the face of his lover, trying to take him all in. Usagi-san smiled at him and gently stroked him,
"I'm fine." Misaki whispered his voice cracking. Usagi-san nodded, knowingly.
"Sh, it's alright. Get some sleep Misaki." He said, "I'll see you in the morning, all right?" He asked, in an attempt to be reassuring.
Misaki peeked up at him for a minute then slowly nodded, "Y-Yeah." He nodded, then buried his head into Usagi-sans shoulder, closed his eyes, and fell asleep thinking about Usagi-sans caresses as Usagi-san smoothed out Misaki's hair throughout the night.
The next morning.
The inside of his eyelids were bright, and soon they fluttered upon. Misaki yawned, and blinked the sleep from his eye. The curtains were open, revealing that outside was slightly overcast, however at the moment, sunlight that flooded the room, creating a glare effect on some of the toys that were strewn about. Misaki was still in Usagi-sans arms, and he could smell his scent-the scent of Usagi-san. It was a nice scent. Misaki sat up and stretched in an attempt to wake up for the day. He looked over at Usagi-san to see if he was awake yet. His eyes were still closed, with the tiniest hint of a smile on his face, most likely due to the happiness and love he felt last night to be able to hold his loved ones in his arms.
"Oy, Usagi-san! Usagi-san, wake up!" He yelled out, but still Usagi-san showed no signs of movement. Misaki made a displeasing sound and reached out an arm to shake him awake but to no avail. Then with both of his arms he attempted to shake him back and forth to wake him up with added speed. Suddenly, a knot formed in Misaki's stomach and the disturbing atmosphere was back again. Outside the clouds moved to cover the sun, so that room became a grayish hue. "U-Usagi-san? Usagi-san! Wake up! Wake up!" Misaki pleaded, tears flowing down his cheeks once again. He knew now. He knew what that feeling was before: instinct. And even more so he realized that Usagi-san had known it too. He had known all along, what was going to happen that night. Something, somewhere had tapped into his instincts, even Misaki had known it, and something or other had sunk into his subconscious. They both had been aware of it.
Now Misaki knew that no matter what he did Usagi-san would not wake up this morning. Misaki cried out desperately, sobbing all alone in their bed now. He didn't want to leave Usagi-san, he wanted to go with him, to be together forever with him. He was supposed to stay by his side forever. Finally, after Misaki had calmed down and faced the reality of it all he sighed and decided to make Usagi-san look presentable for the time being. He took the bed sheets and pulled them up to Usagi-sans chin, and then he took Usagi-sans hands and rearranged them so that they rested formerly on his chest. There was a lump in Misaki's throat as he sat beside Usagi-san and softly brushed his hair with his fingertips, too sad and too stubborn to think about the fact that Usagi-san was gone now. He was all alone.
A while after Usagi-sans passing, Misaki stilled lived in the house he had mooched off of Usagi-san for more than half his life. The house had been paid for and basically everything had been left to him. Misaki went about his daily life, doing chores and cleaning and cooking, but not daring to rearrange anything major, nor did he touch any of Usagi-sans possessions. He kept the toys were they were, and the only time he would go into Usagi-sans study was only when he could muster up enough courage to go in without crying about it so that he could dust and clean the place to the best of his ability. Eventually Misaki developed the habit of acting like Usagi-san was still there. Sometimes he would catch himself talking out loud, asking questions towards no one in particular and talking out loud, mentioning Usagi-sans name every now and then. Whenever he cooked he made enough for two people, and put out a plate in front of Usagi-sans place at the table. He pretended like his lover was still there, roaming around the house, whether he was in a different room or sitting right next to him on the couch. Misaki continued living life as if he still had his lover by his side. He did what he could to the best of his ability to keep his promise, that he would definitely, "be with Usagi-san forever." Misaki lived out his life, imagining his lover by his side until the day his lover could be by his side, and they could both see each other and be together again, loving each other even in death.
The End.