I apologize in advance, because usually I have a strict policy of not adding my two cents before anything I write. Recently, due to factors out of my control, I have the strongest urge to revel in this game again. It isn't my fault, I legitimately had a dream about the game and wanted to play it some more. I guess that's as good an excuse as any to write about it, I suppose. Enough of my rambling, you have a story to read.
There are certain noises that make it damn near impossible to sleep. If it weren't for the fact that Neku was nearing exhaustion, he would have been more fit to come up with some items for that list. Actually, he could name the sound that topped the list. Tapping on glass, that was the winner of the annoyance contest Neku would've hosted, if, you know, he wasn't in a near comatose state. With a groan and a flick of the wrist, the blanket was thrown to the side and Neku was out of bed. He had every intention of figuring out what was keeping him from the sleep he felt he deserved. He knew something was tapping on glass, but what kind of glass would be fit to tap on at 2 in the morning? He paused, his half-awake brain trying to process the problem in front of him.
'Maybe a tree.' He thought. Yeah, that seemed perfectly logical. The wind could be blowing a tree branch against his window.
'Wait a minute,' he paused, silently exhaling, 'there are no trees up against the house.'
That meant Neku was back to square one. There it was again, louder this time. First things first, he had to figure out what part of the house it was coming from. Awkwardly, he left his room and began his hunt for the source. He searched the entirety of the house to no avail, and was ready to give up when he heard a voice accompany the noise.
"Eyo, Phones, you in there?"
What a stupid question, of course he was in there. After all, it was his hou-wait a minute.
"Beat?" Neku looked from side to side, thinking he was just imagining his rambunctious friend's voice.
"C'mon man, I'm tired of standin' out here." That was Neku's clue. He let out a sigh and made his way over to the window Beat was currently using as a drum.
"What's he doing here; doesn't he have any clue what time it is?"
Neku opened the window and was greeted with darkness and a hard to see blond male in front of him.
"There you are, 'bout time, yo."
"Beat, I'm all for hanging out, but you do realize it's like 2:30 in the morning, right?"
"I know, I know, but I needed to get out for a bit, thought I'd come by. 'Sides, ain't like you asleep or anything."
"That's only because you've been rapping on my fucking window for half an hour."
"Well, I woulda stopped if you got up sooner."
Neku glared in disbelief. As much as he enjoyed Beat's company, he could be a little much to handle.
"Think I could come inside, man?"
Neku felt himself force out the breath he'd been holding. Weakly, he nodded. Beat prepared to climb in through the window when Neku stopped him.
"You realize I have a front door, right?"
"Oh yeah." Beat chuckled nervously. Neku shut the window and met Beat at the door.
"Thanks, yo, I was gettin' kinda lonely out there."
"Well, yeah, not many people out at almost 3 in the morning."
"Aw, c'mon Phones, don't be like that." Beat said, swinging an arm around his friend playfully. Neku wasn't expecting the human contact and felt a shiver run down his spine. Also, Beat's arm was freezing.
"Beat, it's cold, why don't you have a jacket on?"
"Jackets are for wusses, yo. Plus, I didn't have time to grab one." It was still dark, but Neku could make out the boy's signature grin. The redhead was about to retort when he heard a rumbling noise, followed by an embarrassed giggle.
"Please, let me show you to my kitchen." Neku said flatly. Naturally, Beat obliged, and followed his friend into the other room. Neku gestured at his refrigerator and Beat accepted the invitation. It wasn't until the light of the fridge bathed the room that Neku noticed the bruising on the boy's arms and the black eye slightly hidden by his ridiculous skull cap.
"What happened to you?" Neku asked, genuinely concerned.
Beat stopped raiding Neku's fridge and turned to look at his friend in confusion. "Whaddaya mean, yo?"
"You look like YOU got beat on for half an hour."
"Oh. Ain't no big deal, yo."
"Beat, it is a big deal. Who did this to you?"
"Don't worry 'bout it." Beat said coldly before returning his attention to the appliance in front of him. Neku frowned and sat down at the table on the other side of the kitchen. Beat soon joined, along with what seemed like half the contents of Neku's fridge. Normally, Neku would have made a bigger deal out of it, but right now he was too busy worrying who practically assaulted his friend.
"Quit starin', yo." Beat said, mouth full and face unamused.
"S-sorry, I'm just concerned is all."
"Well don't be, I ain't need no pity."
"It's not pity; I just want to know what happened."
Beat put down the current piece of food he was mutilating and frowned. Neku opened his mouth to say something but he heard Beat start to speak.
"I got in a fight, tha's all."
"Well, I can see that. I want to know who it was with."
"Does it matter?"
"Y-yes, of course it does. Beat, what's up with you?"
"Nothin'. I told you to just drop it."
"Beat." Neku stopped himself. Clearly the discussion wasn't happening, better not to make the situation worse than it was. Neku continued to sit there, watching Beat eat like an actual human, surrounded by the suffocating silence. For a minute there, Neku felt himself slowly drifting to sleep, but he was brought back to reality with the sound of Beat standing up and pushing his chair in. Neku watched silently as Beat walked into the other room and flopped onto Neku's couch. Neku followed, and was soon seated next to his friend.
"You ain't givin' up, huh?" Beat asked, sitting up and turning to face Neku, who shook his head in response.
Beat sighed, looking at his friend. Neku could barely make out any emotion in those blue eyes that stared at him. He watched Beat open his mouth, struggling to make some words come out of it. Finally, Neku got something.
"I-I finally came out, yo."
"What?"
"Yeah, to the 'rents. Finally told 'em I was gay."
"How'd that go?" Neku figured he'd at least try to contribute.
"You saw how it went."
"That's how that happened?" Neku was overwhelmed by disbelief.
"Turns out pops wasn't too happy to find out that his son liked other guys, yo."
"Th-that's horrible."
"So when I started defendin' myself, he tried to "discipline" me. He swung at me, so I swung back. Next thing I knew I was covered in bruises and out on the streets."
"So your first instinct was to come here at 2 in the morning?"
"Nowhere else to go, man." Beat pulled his legs to his chest and rested his head on his knees. Neku could've sworn he heard sobbing at that point.
"That explains why you didn't have a jacket." Neku thought out loud. Beat barely nodded in response. Neku wasn't expecting Beat to scoot closer to him, but that's exactly what he did.
"Beat, what are you?"
"Hey, Phones, you know why I finally decided to tell them?" He said, leaning closer to Neku.
"N-no?"
"Cuz I figured out I really like this guy. I wanted to be able to tell them about him and have a conversation about liking someone with my sexuality in the open."
"You like someone? Do I know him?"
"Yeah. Actually, I think you and him pretty close."
'Someone that I'm close to, that also happens to be a guy.' Neku tried to think of who it could possibly be. He listed people, but never found one he thought was 'close' to him.
"I-I have no clue who you're talking about."
"C'mon, you supposed to be the smart one here."
"I thought of everyone I know, but I'm not close to any of them."
"Yo, Phones, you ain't thinkin' obvious enough."
"Beat, for the love of God, will you just tell me."
"Aight yo, but I don't know if you can handle it."
Next thing Neku knew, Beat was right up against him. The feeling of the other boy's breath on his neck made Neku shiver.
"It's you, yo."
"W-what? Me?"
"Yo, you really is clueless. You think I'm always here, always around you, makin' little gestures, those little moments of contact for nothing?"
"I thought we were just really good friends and that those times we bumped hands and stuff were just accidents."
"Man, you really are clueless." Beat frowned, leaning back and moving away from Neku.
"Beat, I"
"Just forget it, yo, I'm sure Rhyme can help me sneak in." Beat said as he got up to leave. Neku was just quick enough to grab onto the other boy's hand.
"Hold on. O-okay, I'll admit, I never really noticed all of your subtle hints, but I do know that I care about you, a lot." Neku spoke, causing Beat to stop dead in his tracks.
Beat spun around to face Neku and pulled the redhead closer.
"You really think I'd walk all the way here, by half a dozen places I coulda stayed, just because I felt like it?"
"No, but I doubt half those places would have fed you when you got there." Neku teased. The two laughed before Beat spoke again.
"Nah, it's 'cause I figured I had nothing else to lose. I told my folks the truth; I thought you deserved to know it too."
Neku smiled as he wrapped his arms around the taller boy's waist. He rested his head on Beat's chest and exhaled.
"Truth be told, I've liked you for a while." Neku spoke quietly.
"You knew I was gay, yo, you coulda told me."
"But I figured I was nothing like what you'd like."
"Man, Phones, if it weren't for Shiki and Rhyme tagging along sometimes, I think you'd be the only one I hang out with. Ain't that proof enough that you're just my type?"
"Well, I guess." Neku shrugged.
"Then maybe this'll be." Beat said. Neku looked up, confused, before he felt Beat shift his weight, leaning down a bit and pressing his lips lightly against his own. It was uncharacteristically sweet of the blond, but Neku enjoyed it. The kiss itself was short but sweet, and was broken when Neku felt the uncontrollable urge to yawn and nearly fall over.
"You aight, Phones?"
"Yeah, sorry, forgot I haven't slept yet."
"S'gettin' pretty late, or, uh, early, or whatever," Beat paused, letting out his own yawn, "maybe you should get some sleep."
Neku felt Beat's arms slowly remove from his waist as the other male prepared to exit the house.
"Where are you going?"
"I got no clue."
"Beat," Neku said, grabbing Beat's arm, "Get your ass back in this house. I know this may seem sudden, but you're sleeping here, and we have to share a bed."
Beat grinned wiggling an eyebrow, and scooped Neku into his arms. "Looks like the honeymoon suite awaits, yo."
"H-hey, put me down, yo big oaf." Neku managed to say through a fit of laughter as he was carried up to his room.