Souchi's POV

"...-pai. Senpai. It's morning." Morinaga's tapped on Souchi's door. Since he didn't receive an answer, Morinaga sighed and headed for the kitchen.

Souchi heard him.

He's been awake since sunrise, staring at the nondescript ceiling above him. Half of him wants to sink into the mattress and half of him wants to see Morinaga again and clumsily explain his behavior last night. Well...explaining would required him to actually know why he reacted like that. The answer was illusive.

Why had he reacted like that? Souchi wasn't willfully ignorant. He knew why that documentary struck a chord with him. His history with his old mentor as well as Morinaga pretty much made him a veteran when it came to sexual assault.

Souchi wryly smirked. What an awful thing to be a veteran of.

He never thought much of Morinaga's assault. He was furious after the fact but if he was being honest with himself. He wouldn't have been angry forever. Maybe a few weeks for total avoidance, a few months of silent treatment, maybe a year of reluctance and cautious interactions. But he knew, eventually, he would stop thinking about it and him and Morinaga would go back to normal. As far as Souchi was concerned it didn't even happen.

And surprisingly, that was almost what had happened. Except for the fact he ends up in a weird quasi-relationship but not relationship with Morinaga instead of reverting back to kouhai and senpai.

Looking back, why didn't things go back to the way they were. He smirks to himself, I remember. Morinaga emotionally blackmailed me into sleeping with him in exchange for his presence in my life. Should I have done that?

Souchi tried to imagine a day to day life without Morinaga. Not eating breakfast with him. Not seeing him around the apartment. Not sharing reluctance but secretly desired kisses and intimacy. He couldn't.

But for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to leave his bed.

"Senpai. Breakfast is getting cold so come out and eat it soon. I'm gonna go out for a bit. Call me if you need anything." Souchi heard Morinaga from across his bedroom door.

Another sigh. Second one in a 24 hr period. That's a record.

Deciding to stop wading in pity, Souchi jumps off his bed and began his morning routine. Walking into the bathroom, Souchi tied his hair up in a high ponytail and started brushing his teeth. Okay, he thinks to himself, no more wallowing. Be a man and confront Morinaga directly when he gets back. This isn't like you.

Souchi rinsed, shaved, and sat down on the kitchen table to finish up some last minute lab work. He stomach protested loudly thirty minutes in his study.

"Didn't Morinaga made some food…" he mumbles aloud. He scans the kitchen and sees it on the counter next to the stove. He pops it in the microwave and continued his work. The microwaved beeped and went to fetch it. Sitting down, he slowly ate his breakfast while doing lab work. Slowly, time passed.

Oh my god..., Souchi realized, "It's already 4 p.m. Where is he?"

Picking up his iPhone, Souchi began to scroll through his notification.

Facebook...facebook...snap from Kanako...text from isogai...email from lab assistance...voicemail from university...huh...nothing from Morinaga. Scrolling through his contacts, he picks Morinaga's number and began calling. The line rings a few times before Souchi hears a click.

"Hello? What's up senpai?"

"Where the hell are you?! It's been hours since you left!"

"Oh wow, sorry senpai. I didn't realize how long I've been gone. I'm heading back now, might as well do some grocery shopping on the way. What do you want from dinner, senpai?"

"Um...something with shrimp."

"Alright. See you in a bit."

Souchi hung up and started cleaning around the kitchen, removing his papers and his laptop. Okay, he thought, one Morinaga get here, I'll talk to him about what happened last night.

Tetsuhiro POV

"...Call me if you need anything." Morinaga said through Souchi's bedroom door. He sighed. Sometimes progress with senpai felt like 4 leaps forward and 10 leaps back. One day he's asking for Morinaga to stay. And then he's jerking back from every touch like it's fire. Maybe Morinaga's making too many assumptions again. Senpai needs time.

But he's not sure if hoping for a change in Senpai's attitude would change anything. It's hard hoping when you can't see a clear destination.

Stepping into one of his favorite bars, Adamsite, Morinaga greets the bartender.

"Angel! How have you been, we're about to close but I guess you can stay a bit longer." Hiroto says, "so...how are you and your senpai?" Hiroko eyes brows dances suggestively as he dried the glasses.

Morinaga, in a slight chuckle, "Haha, nothing even remotely worth sharing Hiroto." Morinaga face falls a miniscule amount and his eyes darken a shade. Hiroto, years of being the agony aunt to strangers, notices his change in expression and sighs.

"...You know you can tell me, y'know. I'll listen. Not judgement, swear." Hiroto said gently. Morinaga looks up and stares at Hiroto before reluctantly continuing.

"Senpai was acting weird last night."

"Weird how?"

"Like jumpy weird. When I got home from work, he was shaking with his hands covering his eyes. I touched his shoulder and he freaked out! He yelled 'Don't touch me!' but I don't even know what I did." Morinaga whispered in the end. His eyes were lidded, staring a hole into in long island ice tea.

"Maybe something set him off Angel." Hiroto suggested while preparing a drink for another patron. The patron bent down and whispered something in his ear that made him smile in amusement. With a nod of acknowledgement to the patron he made his way back to Tetsuhiro. "What do you think may have set him off?"

"I'm not sure...really." Morinaga contemplated. The clink of another long island ice tea being placed in front of him. As he reached for his wallet, Hiroto shook his head.

"Nope. The nice guy over there told me to 'give the skinny tall brunette another of whatever he's drinking'," Hiroto said, attempting to imitate the patron. Morinaga looked over and saw the man staring at him. Tipping his new drink in the man's direction, Morinaga smiled. Morinaga finally got a good look at his admirer under better lighting. He had dirty blond hair and looked about the same height as him.

"Cute right? " Hiroto pointed out when he noticed Morinaga checking him out.

"I guess but senpai's the only one for me." Morinaga said resolutely, schooling a determine look on his face.

The blond patron worked over and placed a hand on Morinaga's shoulder. "Hey cutie."

"Uh...hi…" Morinaga mumbled, "Thank you for the drink." He felt the hand slip off his shoulder and run down his arm. Morinaga jerked back.

"Sorry. I'm in a relationship...sort of…" Morinaga said with a slight pitch in his voice, "Anyway, sorry…Excuse me, I have to go, Hiroto, and um-"

"Mathew. Mathew Lock." Morinaga

Morinaga vaguely noticed he was American did not think too much as he made his way towards the exit.