Hey guys! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry I haven't updated like since the dinosaur age. My computer like started to fail on me. Suddenly the mouse and the keyboard didn't work and then the sound didn't work and I thought I was gonna die! Then recently I tried it out and my sound doesn't work but my mouse and keyboard do! Horray! So without further ado, I give you the second chapter in my ABC's series, baka! I have to say I really like this one! I hope you enjoy it!
Baka
Hiroki's POV
Hiroki could only pretend that he was interested in grading his student's papers right now. Usually he gave his student's work the utmost attention, but today, his eyes were glued to completely different piece of work. A completely different work of art.
Nowaki.
He could see it in the way Nowaki stared with only mild interest at the meal he was cooking.
He was exhausted.
Nowaki's POV
Nowaki had been taking up extra shifts at the hospital lately, sometimes working over 16 hour shifts. On top of working at the hospital, he still worked for the flower shop whenever they were shorthanded, and then insisted on cooking and cleaning at home. He intended to propose to Hiroki, and he wanted the best ring imaginable after being together with Hiroki for almost 10 years now. But all this work was getting to him, he was tired, exhausted, and in desperate need of sleep.
He could see the dark bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. His posture hunched, his head nodded every now and then, his face looked tired, defeated even.
Hiroki's POV
This had to end.
Silently Hiroki walked over to the stove in the kitchen, Nowaki was so dazed he didn't even notice his sudden movements. He stood right next to Nowaki staring at him; he didn't even bat an eyelash at Hiroki's presence. Hiroki watched as Nowaki's head fell silently and then rose again in an attempt to keep himself awake.
Breathing a heavy sigh, Hiroki reach over and turned the flame off on the unfinished curry. It was only then that Nowaki noticed him and scarred by the sudden presence jumped a little out of shock.
"Ah! Hiro-san! You scared me." He looked from the now not cooking curry and then over to Hiroki. "Is there something you needed Hiro-san?"
Without saying a word, Hiroki took Nowaki by the hand and dragged him into the bedroom, blushing all the way of course.
"Hiro-san? What's the matter?"
"Be Quiet Nowaki."
"But Hiro-san, the curry-"
"Forget the dammed curry; there are more important matters to attend to."
Entering the bedroom Hiroki pushed Nowaki onto the bed making him sit on the edge. He was going to fix this.
POV now switching back and forth.
Noticing Hiroki's serious and worried expression only made Nowaki nervous, Hiro-san was never this silent when he was mad at him or scolding him. What was he doing?
Hiroki was upset with himself. He looked at Nowaki's poor health. He was losing weight, he was pale, and just plain run down. Was he such a poor partner that he couldn't even recognize when his lover was over worked? He let a sad laugh out. Half laugh, half sob.
Nowaki recognized the sorrow in Hiroki's voice. He was confused. What was wrong? He watched as Hiroki lowered his head to shield his eyes from his view. He watched as he saw tears start to decorate his face. Why? What did he do wrong?
"….Hiro-san?"
No he would not break down in front of Nowaki. He would not. He was here to comfort him. Not the other way around. He was supposed to be reprimanding him for making him worry so damn much. And here he was, crying. God, he could just feel that he couldn't talk to him. Why the hell did he just feel so, so…sad?
He looked over to see Nowaki with a worried expression. Fantastic, I'm supposed to be easing his burden and still all he managed to do is make him worry. Silently Hiroki walked over to Nowaki and brought his hands down to the bottom of his shirt.
"Hiro-san? What's the matter? What are you doing?"
Hiroki didn't answer as he lifted Nowaki's shirt over his head and threw it on the ground, Only muttering to Nowaki as he lifted, "baka."
"Hiro-san?"
Hiroki continued, he kneeled on the floor removing Nowaki's slippers. First the left one
"Baka."
Then the right.
"Baka."
He moved to Nowaki's belt, unclipping the metal clasps.
"Baka."
He reached over and pulled on Nowaki's pants, successfully gliding them down his never-ending legs. With Nowaki only left in his boxers, his mission was almost complete, and yet he couldn't stop crying.
In broken and barely understandable words, Hiroki finally managed to get across a weak "lay down" to Nowaki. Nowaki obediently crawled to the top the bed, and sat against the headboard waiting for his beloved Hiro-san, albeit still confused and worried.
Silently and slowly, Hiroki removed his clothing one by one, piece by piece. And if Nowaki weren't so worried and exhausted the sight would have no doubt aroused him. Finally finished Hiroki walked to the side of the bed and sat down. He motioned for Nowaki to lay his head in his lap. Nowaki didn't hesitate to agree.
Laying his head in Hiroki's lap, he felt Hiroki begin to brush his fingers through his hair. It was soothing, relaxing even, and it left them in a comfortable silence that he could only ever find in his bed with Hiro-san. Hiroki's tears had stopped, and for a while, the only sound in the room was the sounds of their breathing.
"You've lost weight Nowaki."
Nowaki was surprised at the sudden deceleration. This couldn't possibly be what was on Hiro-san's mind right?
"Hiro-san?
"You've lost weight, your skin has become pale, and you have bags under eyes."
Nowaki felt a tear drip onto his face. He turned his head and saw Hiroki's troubled eyes, crying. His face trembled in concentration.
"Hiro-san are you-"
"Your posture is hunched, you barely eat anymore, you've grown quiet. You walk right out the door without even kissing me goodbye anymore."
Hiroki felt himself breaking down. With every word he felt the tears fall from his face. He couldn't even look Nowaki in the eyes anymore.
"We never see each other apart from eating dinner together anymore. You don't send me sappy love text messages while I'm working-"
He was practically bawling at this point. God, what a joke. What kinda man was he anyway? Hr had to get this out one way or another. Finally sucking up his tears and wiping them off his face he looked Nowaki in the eyes, who looked just as exhausted as he was before but now looked guilty, sad, and worried as all hell.
"You promised me after your internship and resignation at the hospital that you wouldn't work more than you had to. That you and I live well enough and make enough money that you don't need to take so much overtime. That you would take less hours and make more time for us, More time for me, Nowaki."
Nowaki was in shock. Did he really look so terrible? He known he had taken more hours recently, but had his health become so poor that he caused his beloved Hiro-san to worry to such a degree? Had he really neglected their relationship? Then meekly, in a voice, barely above a whisper, Hiroki weakly said
"I miss you Nowaki…"
Nowaki shot up and crushed Hiroki in a bone-crushing embrace. He had never realized how much time he had spent away from his Hiro-san, and how much pain he cause him. He needed Hiroki to know that he needed him, loved him.
"Baka Nowaki I can't breathe."
Nowaki laughed and pulled back, holding Hiroki's face in his hands as he spoke.
" I love you Hiro-san"
"…Baka…"
"I promise I won't work as much anymore, I missed you, more than it is even imaginable or sane to be able to miss someone Hiro-san."
"Baka stop saying embarrassing things."
"I promise to send you a love message every hour on the hour, to be around more, and to always be here whenever I can to warm you when you're cold at night. I'll take better care of myself from now on Hiro-san."
"…Baka."
"But I'm your baka Hiro-san."
"Shut up and go to sleep!"
Hiroki flipped over on the bed and laid down pulling the covers all the way up to his chin facing away from Nowaki the whole time a cute bright red dusting his cheeks. Nowaki watched in utter amusement as he laid down and joined Hiroki under the covers, wrapping his body around Hiroki's lithe figure.
As he drifted off to sleep, the smell of curry still wafted in the house, and Nowaki smiled. He really was stupid; he hadn't even realized that his own neglect to his health had affected Hiroki so greatly. But these long hours and never ending shifts will soon prove fruitful. He had already put the ring for the future Mr. Kamijou Kusama on layaway, and would soon pay it off. It will be a hard next month, but it will be worth it soon, he just had to let Hiroki think he was a "stupid baka" for a little bit longer.
