Depression
Some Context: I originally meant this to be a resolution to a different timeline in The Baker's Daughter and would have been used if Takeshi had continued to be weird about Daiki's reveal and, as a result, Daiki convinced him they should not break up but see other people - introducing Yomi. But since that's not what happened, I've written a couple of alternative scenes and this has become redundant.
Timeframe: A month post-Future Arc
Characters: Daiki, Takeshi, minor Ryohei (mentioned OC)
Word Count: 6,822
"What do you mean?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows as I stared down at the Sky and Storm. "Two days and no word?"
"Yeah," Tsuna nodded, Gokudera lowering his head a bit. "He doesn't answer his phone, and we've called him a few times. Maybe four or five?"
A long breath left me as I looked to Ryohei, his arms crossed and teeth worrying the corner of his lips as he glanced between me and the Vongola two. Giving myself a moment, I cast my gaze around before sighing and running my hand through my hair, an unsettlement coming to my stomach.
"Have either of you gone to his house? Checked up on him?"
"We tried yesterday, but-" Tsuna glanced to his Storm for support, the Italian boy scowling softly as he leant back in his chair.
"The freak's dad shooed us off. We were kind of late, I guess."
I thinned my lips, before putting my hands on my hips and sighed, foot tapping in increasing worry.
"Hibari!" I called, spinning on my heel and intercepting the Skylark as he strode past the door to 2-A.
"What, handler?" he grunted, pausing to look up at me through slanted eyes.
"I'm skipping the rest of school-"
There was a flash of eyes and I stepped back to let a tonfa scrape through the air.
"To check on the wellbeing of a Namimori student who has been unable to attend scheduled classes," I finished.
A breath of relief hissed out as the Cloud eyed me before nodding and stalking off. Putting a hand over my heart, I heaved before returning to the desks of the Vongola, the three of them giving me startled looks.
"You're going? Now?" Tsuna gaped.
"Are you sure that's a good idea? You and Takeshi aren't- well…"
"It's fine," I hummed, glancing to the clock. "I think...Yeah, I'll go. Can you watch my bag for me? Jun-kun will take it after school."
"Alright," the Sun nodded, before watching me go.
. . .
Peering into the store I ignored the looks of disapproval I was receiving, focusing my attention on trying to spot the owner of TakeSushi. The door to the kitchens swung open, and I gulped when our eyes met, nearly shrivelling when two separate emotions flashed through the swordsman's eyes.
It was the anger that made me was to book it out of there, but it was the faintest flicker of relief and hope that made me step in.
"Hey, Tsuyoshi-san," I coughed, hands clasped behind me as I withered under the man's eyes.
"Hello Daiki," he gritted, leaving me to simper under his glare.
The father narrowed his eyes for another moment, before shaking his chin towards the door of the residence, a gruff sound leaving him as he did.
"Get going then. It took you long enough."
"Yes sir, sorry sir," I murmured rushedly, before speed walking out of the sushi bar, closing the door firmly behind me.
Giving a loud whoosh of breath, I slumped against the door and groaned, knowing for a fact that I would never not have a healthy fear of that man. Shaking myself off, I stood and made my way over, pausing at the familiar sticker-outline covered door.
I bit my lip as I shuffled unsurely, fingers curling and uncurling in my palm as I glanced from the knob to the rest of the plain.
Should I be...Yeah. Yes, Takeshi, my lover or not, was still someone I cared for on an unfathomable level. If he was feeling so...unwell that he couldn't attend school or even respond to calls, I should definitely check on him.
Tsuyoshi had given me the go ahead.
I reached out and rapped my knuckles against the door in soft yet sounding notes. There was shuffling from within the room, like someone turning over in their bed, before a tired voice called out.
"Yeah?"
I opened my mouth but found myself unable to utter anything.
"You can come in."
He must have thought I was his father, with how willing he was to open himself. I thinned my lips and steeled myself, before pushing the door open and locating the little Rain.
The curtains were drawn, and it cast the room in a hazy darkness, thin strips of sunlight tossed carelessly across the floor alongside clothes and other articles. A lump in the sheets caught my attention, and my face fell in a kind of helpless woe as the flat, dark hair of the Rain poked out the top.
Walking over, I stepped around discarded baseballs and magazines, a bit of homework here and a sock over there. As I came to a stop beside the boy's bed, I paused, the flash of his phone catching my attention.
Glancing between the two, I reached out and flipped it from its face-down position and opened it.
4 missed calls from Tsuna.
4 messages from Tsuna.
1 missed call from Gokudera.
12 messages from Gokudera.
"Oh, Takeshi…" I breathed, looking them over.
The sheets shifted suddenly, and then dark mocha eyes peeked out from within, unsure and more than a little drained.
Not tired, no. Drained.
"Daiki?" Takeshi whispered like he wasn't sure that I was there.
"Hey," I smiled, closing the phone and lowering myself to sit on the floor, eye level with the Rain. "How are you? You've been missing from school."
Eyes flickered.
"I'm just a bit sick is all," he laughed, the sound like injected silicon.
"Really?" I asked, not believing, but not showing that. "Did you catch it from someone?"
"Maybe…" he started, "Maybe another student."
"Mm," I agreed softly, nodding my head a little. "Can I feel your forehead? Is it bad?"
"Not really, just a bit annoying, you know?" the Rain murmured, watching my hand as it rose like some sort of threat.
I stopped at the look, before lowering it onto the bed, letting my hand rest just beyond his den, where he could see it.
"Have you been in bed all day?" I asked, leaning forward to rest my chin on my arms.
"Mm," he nodded, and I swore he squirmed to be closer.
I smiled at him, taking in how his face shone in certain parts with oil, his hair pressed flat and his lips pressed tight.
"Takeshi," I started, this time, letting the worry pinch my brow. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Takeshi didn't answer.
I took a breath and stood slowly before moving away from his bedside. Takeshi jumped the slightest bit at that, and I looked over my shoulder at the sound, hissing when I saw him clutching his blankets in a threat to rip the threads.
"I'm not going anywhere," I assured softly, taking off my blazer and unloading my phone from my pocket. "I'm just getting settled."
Humming a low tune that I knew we both recognised, I walked back over to the Rain's bed and pushed him the slightest bit. Brown eyes blinked at me before he moved back, and I crawled into the newly vacated space.
"You're not feeling too happy right now, are you?" I breathed, sitting up against the headboard.
"Not...Not really," he murmured, looking off.
I gazed at him for a few more moments, before glancing to the pictures on the wall, stalling when I saw a frame I didn't recognise. It was bright pink and possessed plastic hearts tacky with glitter, making it clear that Takeshi wasn't the one who bought it himself. My lips thinned when I saw the faces cramped uncomfortably into the frame, Yomi grinning with teeth from behind a layer of admittedly well applied gloss.
The sudden reminder made me rethink where I was, and if I should have just mentioned it to his new partner instead, but a small tug at my pant leg drew my attention from my inner workings. Tanned fingers pinched the material the slightest bit, and my heart lurched when I saw how knuckle were worried raw, red with irritation.
Looking to the curled up mass, I sighed, before reaching out, a bit unsurely, and slowly pulling the boy up onto my chest, his head falling onto my shoulder. Takeshi stiffened, but that only lasted until I dragged the blankets of his sanctuary over him again, fitting the soft wrapping around his frame, before securing him with my arms. He seemed to shudder despite how near unbearably warm he was and pressed closer as I pressed my cheek to the top of his head.
"Takeshi," I sighed, "Be kind to yourself."
The Rain blinked at the far wall, but his hand came to grip at my shirt.
"Do you want to tell me what's wrong? Really?"
Lips became pressed together as the swordsman coiled, making me pause and rethink my approach. Squeezing the swordsman gently, I felt the other inhale from my collar, a soft little action that I would usually miss. A hand came off his side, and I used it to softly card his hair, combing the locks out of his eyes and allowing me to just gently tap my nose against his brow.
"Friend, you make me worry," I murmured, patting the puffed blankets that curled around his hip.
Takeshi moved groggily and I sighed as I cuddled him to me, feeling the boy accept, and perhaps even mould into the embrace.
We stayed like that until the sun had shifted its position in the sky, tainting it peach as I breathed into the Rain's ear, just remaining in the quiet company. He had probably fallen asleep at some point, his eyes shut and his face peaceful as he curled in my chest, hand never losing its hold on my breast pocket, threatening to rip it off with a great grip.
At one point, the door cracked open, and Tsuyoshi peeked in. We glanced to each other, before I turned my attention back on the boy in my arms, softly dragging my fingers down the length of his spine, making croaked little croons come from his vocals. The father looked between us, before nodding and closing the door behind him as he vanished again, leaving me to lie with his son who slowly roused at the soft click of the door.
"Hey," I greeted quietly as mocha eyes blinked up at me blearily, my hand touching at the shell of his ear in a familiar manner. "Have a good sleep?"
Takeshi gazed for a few seconds more, before nodding slowly, the corners of his lips quivering into a fragile smile. He lowered his head until his cheek rested on my chest as he looked up at me, still rather subdued, but seemingly in a lighter mood than before.
I smiled and grazed his cheek with my knuckles before carding his scalp.
"When was the last time you took a shower?" I asked, not offensively, just another conversation starter.
He thinned his lips.
"I think...Monday morning," came his careful response.
Today was Wednesday.
A long breath flowed from my lips, and I carefully slipped him from on top of me, laying him on his side and touching at his crown. Tilting my head down at him I smiled softly before getting to my feet, screeching to a halt as a hand bound my wrist.
"Don't..."
"Just give me a sec, yeah?" I urged, fingering at his hand, before grabbing my blazer off the back of his chair.
Flapping it out, I wrung it to make it firm before offering the material to the boy, watching as he eyed it, before dragging the piece into his den. The way he hid his face in the back of my blazer made me smile, and I lightly trailed my fingers along the rise of his cheek, before stepping back and leaving the room slowly.
Finding the bathroom a couple of doors down, I grabbed a plastic bowl from the rack and splashed down the bath quickly, getting any hair or dust that remained gone from the sides, before wrestling the plug free from a pile of sponges and filling the tub with steaming water. As it rose, I grabbed two towels and hung them over the screen of the shower, leaving them to sway with one another as I checked the water temperature and manipulated the knobs to lessen the heat.
Returning to the Rain's room, I leant forwards and carefully dislodged the boy's blankets, humming a tune to him as he curled with the reveal.
"Come on, Takeshi, let's go now," I urged, offering him my hand.
Takeshi stared at me for a few moments, before sighing, and unfurling his long body with a kind of creaky sluggishness. His warm hand slid into mine and I tried to ignore how much I paid attention to the weight and heat that came with it, instead, tugging him up and out of his bed with a few coaxing smiled and laughs.
"Oh, don't make that face!" I chuckled, seeing the way he created a miffed pout as he was fully drawn from the realm of his room.
His cheek puffed the tiniest bit, and I pulled him a step closer to me as we continued down, passing Tsuyoshi who glanced at us from the resident door and closed it behind him.
"Here we go," I hummed, feeling the water again before spinning the knobs off. "I think that's warm enough."
Takeshi kept looking at me, not having moved from where I had left him just within the door, fingering his own hand in an almost absent manner.
"Come now, friend, you know how to do this," I laughed, coming up and lightly touching his biceps in a familiar manner.
He glanced up to my eyes before dropping them to the side.
"Don't...Don't call me that."
I blinked, head cocking the slightest bit.
"Don't call you…?"
"'Friend'," he uttered, this time, holding my gaze. "Don't call me 'friend'. Please. I am a lot of things but only your friend isn't...Daiki."
He stepped forward and grabbed at the end of my shirt, looking imploring as my hand automatically took up his cheek in a soft manner, thumbing long his cheekbone. My lips pulled into a worried frown as he slid his hands to settle on the low of my back, trying to press me closer, but I kept my ground.
"Remember to make room for Yomi-san," I breathed.
And in an instant, I knew I had hurt something within him.
He seemed to shrivel at the name alone, eyes and hands falling as his head bowed in quiet acceptance of the refusal.
It was painful. My heart was being crushed in a vice-
I coaxed him to undress and led him to the steaming bath, hand offered as assistance, to which he took and refused to let go of afterwards. A sigh escaped me at the action, but as I set myself down on a stool beside the bath, I pressed my cheek to the back of his hand, exhaling into the raw mounds of his knuckles to sooth them.
"I don't like Yomi-chan."
I looked up from the soft attention at his confession.
"You're dating her though," I uttered, blowing cool air onto his wounds. "You must like her to an extent."
"No," he denied, still looking at the rippling surface of the water. "I don't."
My fingers danced across the crimson hills of his knuckles slowly, and I only watched with a quiet acceptance as his hands rose free of mine and wrapped around my shoulders. He was as strong as he was fragile, and my resistance was as brittle as it was sturdy, causing our brows to rest against each other at the porcelain border between us, mute puffs of steam rising and brushing out cheeks as we sat in silence.
"I love you."
My arm came up and wrapped around him, pulling the Rain against the edge as he spoke again softly.
"I love you."
"You need to take better care of yourself," I sighed, rubbing circles into his shoulder blade with my thumb, letting him bump to tips of our noses together. "C'mon, let's get you clean."
"You love me, too,"
I pressed my lips tightly together and began to mutely wash water across his back, feeling him cling to me for comfort. Comfort I was all too willing to give.
"You love me too. That's why you came."
A hand slid from my back and dragged until my cheek was forcefully turned, amber-earth meeting mocha. Takeshi looked tired but determined to get his point across, and by this point, I was already weak in heart and mind.
"You love me. Don't you?"
"Takeshi-"
"You love me," he insisted, cupping my cheeks with damp hands to draw me from a protective curl. "You do. You love me."
"Takeshi, stop," I tried again, wavering when he cared my hair in a soft scrape. "Takeshi."
"You're not denying it," the Rain uttered slowly, touching and playing with my earing, rolling the silver knob in his fingers. "You're not denying that you love me, Daiki."
"What do you want me to say?" I breathed, a bitter tone coming as my brow pinched. "Do you want me to say 'no, I don't love you anymore'?"
My arms came and wrapped around his chest, collecting him to the porcelain edge as he tightened his claim.
"Do you want me to say that I've given up on you? That the devotion I had for you has faded? I've grown bored?"
"Stop that."
"I'm sorry."
Takeshi shivered, before sighing and shook his head.
"You're doing this to punish yourself, Daiki," he said, drawing my eyes back to him. "You're punishing yourself, and you're hurting me in the process. Didn't you say you wouldn't hurt me?"
"I'm trying to get you to free yourself, you've given yourself to me for so long,"
"You're being selfish, shujin-chan."
I thinned my lips at the title, but nodded against him, not denying what he had said.
"Yeah, I know."
"I don't want to leave you, I'm happy with you. Don't my feelings matter too?"
"Of course they matter, but-"
"Then why can't you let us be happy? Why do you have to blame yourself for everything? You self-centred idiot."
A huff of humour burst from my lips, and I felt him draw his nails through my shirt in a shiver-inducing manner.
"Just tell me the truth, okay?" he asked, pulling back slightly so we could see each other out of the blur.
I tilted my head minutely, expression one of soft acceptance as I gazed at the Rain, seeing him patient.
"I love you, Takeshi. I love you, my shujin-kun."
He smiled, slow and pure and I hated myself.
"I love you too, so much."
I muttered curses as I buried my face in his shoulder, feeling him kiss at my temple warmly.
"I'm sorry, I love you," I apologised, nuzzling into him desperately. "I love you so much. I do."
"I know, I'm happy," he sighed, cuddling with a vengeance. "I love you, you self-centred, short-sighted dummy."
"Come and bathe with me?"
I blinked and looked to the door, before nodding with a weak smile, face flushing a bit at his nervous excitement. Standing, I stripped myself of my clothes in a shaky manner, shivering when a damp hand touched my thighs as I worked off my binder with unsteady motions.
"Shh, I'm here," he urged, seeing my hesitation.
I smiled as I tossed aside the restrictor and stepped out of my boxers, sliding my hand into his and lacing our fingers affectionately as he helped me step into the bath. A hiss escaped me at the sudden warmth, and Takeshi guided me down until I was laid on my back against the wall of the bath, letting him shuffle until he could drape himself on my chest and relax against me.
"I'm sorry, I love you," I repeated, wrapping an arm around his waist as he settled between my legs, letting them frame his.
"I'm happy," he smiled, and I kissed his cheek softly.
Coiling my arms around him when he settled, I pulled him against me and pressed my nose into his hair, inhaling the scent that I had missed - and nearly given away. Breathing deep, I squeezed my beloved tightly, hearing him give puffed humour, head falling back to gaze at the ceiling, touching at the hand pressed to his heart in an effort to feel the beat.
"I love you," the Rain breathed, pushing back into my chest until he slotted under my chin and gathered my higher face in his hands. "I love you, Daiki."
"I love you, Takeshi," I promised quietly, the sound bouncing off the water surface to spin around us.
His cheeks flushed a mild hue, before he grasped a cloth and wet it, taking my hands into his. I remained quiet as he cleaned off the day's work and his own oils from my palms and fingers, scrubbing firmly, but gently, before letting me take it and do the same to his arms.
Takeshi exhaled deeply and relaxed into me as I brought the cloth to his collar, following the rough rag with my other hand, smoothing and feeling him. He smiled and dropped his head back on my shoulder, exposing his neck to the water and soap, letting me to press my lips into his cheek.
We stayed like that until the water had lost its searing nature, and the soap had fallen into a lacklustre foam that spread thinly across the surface. We dried and dressed in loose, warm clothing before curling together on that little couch in the Yamamoto's living room, his cheek laid upon the swell of my breast as he listened to the sound of my heart and the domestic movement in the kitchen.
The smile on his lips made me warm as I stroked along his side, tucking my hand under his shirt in a loving manner, thumbing his navel as he purred. Pressing a few kisses to his crown, I nuzzled into the crest of his skull, feeling him mould his lips lazily to the side of my neck. Takeshi smiled and curled into my shape more as I matched our breaths, following the beats of his heart until my own slowed to bounce off his in time.
I grunted as the morning singed my eyes from the window, making me stir and press my face into the deep breathing chest, causing Takeshi to groan at the disturbance. Nuzzling closer, I murmured a sleepy morning greeting, making the Rain huff in indignant denial, arms coming to wrap around me and keep me down in the bed.
"We have to get up," I hummed, turning my nose into his firm bicep, inhaling his sleep's scent. "Time to get up for school."
"No," he murmured, squeezing me tighter and curling. "No, I don't want to."
"Takeshi," I sighed, gently taking myself out of his arms and sitting up, leaning on my hand. "You've missed two days of school already. Your friends are worried about you."
The Rain dropped his gaze from me and clutched his blankets tighter, making me frown slightly, and bow to press a kiss to his temple.
"I'm gonna get changed and start breakfast. Try to get yourself up, yeah?"
Takeshi whined and turned his head to mould our lips together for gentle yet insistent kisses, trying to convince me to stay as he wrapped his fingers around my wrist. But I only sighed and pecked each fingertip as I carefully pried off his grasp and climbed free from the bed.
I quickly washed before shrugging on yesterday's clothes, spraying myself with a generous amount of Takeshi's deodorant to disguise any odour that may have clung to the material. A bit of a smile came to my lips when I realised I smelt like the young swordsman, before shaking off the giddy daze as Tsuyoshi strolled into view, frying pan slanted to tip grilled fish onto a plate.
"Good morning, Tsuyoshi-san," I hummed, before falling short as he latched his gaze onto me, expectant. My teeth touched my lip before I caved to his glare and hunched. "Good morning, Tsuyoshi-tou-san."
"Good morning, Daiki," he huffed finally, and I nearly missed his smile as he walked back into the kitchen. "How's Takeshi-kun doing?"
"He's doing better than yesterday, I think. He's moving around more and is more responsive. He still doesn't want to get up, though."
"Well, try to coax him out, yeah? His exams are coming soon and he can't miss out on important stuff."
I nodded slowly and cast my eyes to the clock, sighing as an hour and a half stood between us and a prompt arrival at Nami-chuu. Fixing my tie, I let myself drift back to the room, knocking twice as a warning before I let myself in, a noise of worry and affection coming from within me when I spotted Takeshi still curled in his bed.
"Oh, darling," I murmured, reaching my hand under his sheets to drag him closer to the edge as I sat down, bringing him close against me. "Oh, my darling."
"I can't today. Not today," he groaned, nuzzling into my thigh as his hand found mine. "I just...It'll take a bit. For this to calm down. So, maybe tomorrow?"
"Shh, shh, come here,"
Takeshi whimpered something small as I gathered him to my chest, his arms coming to wrap around my neck as he hid himself away against me.
"Can you just try today? Even if it's only for the attendance," I pressed gently, kissing his shoulder as he inhaled his own deodorant. "If it's too much, I'll come get you and take you home. Even if it's in the middle of class, just text me a blank message and I'll come."
The boy whined quietly, tightening his hold on my neck as his breath came out light. We stayed like that for a little while, just holding onto one another, before he sighed and slipped his arms off me, though he kept his head on my clavicle.
"Okay," he uttered, small-voiced. "Okay, I'll try, Daiki."
"Takeshi," I hummed, taking his face in my hand and angling it up, caressing his cheeks until he had to squint one eye out of reflex. "So brave, so strong. I love you, I do."
"I love you too, Daiki," Takeshi smiled, before dragging me down for another round of indulgent kissing.
"Come on," I breathed, getting to my feet after at least a solid minute or so of lightly sucking on the Rain's tongue. "Get changed and we can go and have breakfast."
"If you carry me to the table," he pouted, already pulling off his shirt with sluggish arms.
A smile spread as I pressed a kiss to his pectoral before taking his shirt from him and going to find his uniform. He dressed with some help from me, his hands running through my hair in a manner that made my eyes droop while I buttoned up his shirt and fixed his tie.
I crooned into his ear as I bent down and grasped him by the back of his thighs, coaxing him to sit on my pelvis and hips before I stood straight and lifted him from the bed. I listened to him hum into my ear as I carried him into the dining room and set him down at the table, rubbing his arms with my hands until he reluctantly let go of me, turning to his plate with a disinterested expression.
"I'm not hungry, though."
"You may not feel it, but your body wants to eat. Just try, half at least, please?"
Takeshi glanced to me, before sighing and taking up his utensils, spooning a small mound of rice into his mouth. He hummed as I brushed his hair from his face and tucked it behind his ear, crooning affection at him as he leant against me, spoon hanging from his mouth as he chewed slowly.
I smiled and kissed the crest of his skull before turning to my own breakfast, eating it slowly, as to not pressure Takeshi more than I already was, murmuring about Lambo to him now and then, making the corners of his lips turn upwards. My heart hurt when he ground to a slow halt, lost in thought as he stared blankly down at his bowl.
"Shujin-kun?" I asked, touching his hand.
He blinked, logging back onto reality at the contact, and turned to me, eyes wide. The Rain thinned his lips after a moment, before shuffling his chair closer to mine and leaning against me, taking another spoon of rice to his pallet as I wrapped my arm around his waist.
The walk to school was quiet, though I tried to fill in the void with chatter, feeling him hold on to my arm and hug it to his chest the closer we got to Nami-chuu. Waves of guilt swamped me as he tried to hide how he shied away from his peers, not at all in the mood to stitch on his smile, but had to anyway because he was there now.
"Remember," I murmured, leaning against the shoe lockers as he slowly toed his outside shoes off and swapped them for the inside ones. "Blank text if you need me, and I'll take you home, no questions asked."
"Okay," he uttered, closing his locker.
I thinned my lips at the quiet voice, before sighing and stepping forwards, uncaring about the curious eyes that turned on us, and stooped to press a kiss to the top of his head, letting him curl into my front, nosing at my throat. Small noises of affection came from within me as I rubbed his back, thumbing at his nape to try to urge out the tension from his muscles.
"I'll come to you at break and we can eat together. You don't need to bring your friends, and I won't bring Ryohei. Just you and me, okay?"
"Mhm."
Class was spent with my knee bouncing and chewing irritably on my pacer, Ryohei giving me looks of concern but remained silent under the glare of the teacher. I stood as the bell rung and pulled out my lunch box, before turning to my brother Sun and smiling a little.
"Sorry bro, I'm gonna spend lunch with Takeshi. He's...not the best right now."
"Oh, okay. Call if you need help, yeah?" he nodded, making me do the same, before striding from the room and making my way down to 2-A.
The class was rioting as usual during the break, and it didn't take me long to find where the majority of the students had coalesced, a grimace coming to my lips when I saw them crowding the Rain's desk. I sighed and pushed the door open before making my way over, breaking the mass easily and seeing the pained gleam in Takeshi's eye.
"Hey, Takeshi," I greeted, hearing the group fall silent as the 'ex-boyfriend' initiated public contact. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah," he uttered, nodding, before standing and stepping close to me, remaining so as we fled the classroom in a seemly manner.
I bit my lip as I sat myself down in a patch of warm sunshine and immediately found myself with a lapful of my love, my arms coming to wrap around him as I peppered kisses along the side of his head, crown to jaw splatterings of affection as he pressed against me with a soft noise that made my heart throb.
"Takeshi," I breathed into his ear, making him turn to me before I tucked him under my jaw and squeezed firmly. "My beautiful Takeshi."
"I'm tired," the Rain murmured, wrapping his hand around my arm as he spoke, settling against me more.
"Are you not hungry?"
"Not really...Not now. Just sleep."
"Okay," I sighed, leaning back against the fence, holding him close as he relaxed. "Sleep, sleep. I'm here."
A low croon came from him as he dozed in my arms, making a smile come to my lips as I carded his locks and kissed around his hairline, loving his softly. Deep inhales brought me his scent and I nosed into it, wanting to submerge myself in his warm smell, having missed Takeshi so dearly from my self-imposed exile.
"I love you," I whispered into his scalp, kissing it twice. "I love you, my shujin-kun. Let me stay with you."
The Rain murmured and rolled in my arms until his chest was pressed to mine, legs splayed out over my own as he cuddled into me again, lips curling upwards in the corners as he settled back down.
"I love you too," he grumbled quietly, slow and sleepy, and my heart swelled almost beyond reason as I squeezed the poor boy in the tightest hug I could conjure against him. "Oof."
"Sorry, sorry."
. . .
Class rolled around, and I was reluctant to part with Takeshi again, kissing around his grumpy face as the bell shrieked through the school while he whined at the wake-up.
"No, don't leave," he groaned, burying his face into my chest in rebellion against the school.
"I have to, my darling," I sighed, drawing his face back out and latching our lips together. "I don't want to go either, but I have to. I wish I could just cuddle with you and not have to do anything but that."
Takeshi murmured something as he hugged me again, and I wrapped my arms around him too, running my hand along his spine to soothe out the tension that had welled within it.
"It's okay," I hushed, kissing his cheek. "It's okay. You can do it. It's just another couple hours, then you're free."
"Blank text," he muttered.
"Or the blank text, if you want to get out."
The Rain looked at me from under his lashes, and I tried to smile at the dark circles underneath his eyes. He leant forward and took another kiss, like he was gathering up courage, before allowing me to help him stand, gathering our lunches as we made our way down to the classrooms.
"I'll see you soon, okay?" I hummed, settling his hair as he stopped at my classroom.
"Okay. I love you."
"I love you too."
He scampered off, and I sat down just as the teacher walked in, Ryohei casting the Rain a worried look, which I gently approved of, feeling him touch my shoulder. Class dragged on, notes were taken and rapid pleads for the teacher not to change the slide were yelped. Then my phone buzzed, and I looked at it from under the table.
From: Favourite Stalker
I tapped my brother's hand before bolting from my desk, not caring how the teacher called after me angrily as I was already halfway down the hall. The sign for 2-A came into focus as I lept from the stairs and burst into the second year's level, feet catching the ground in an effort to stop as I came to the door and yanked it open.
Breathing heavily, I disregarded the Nezu's whining to find Takeshi, heart lurching when I saw his shoulders shaking, head down in his arms. I made my way over quickly, cutting through the desks until I came to kneel beside my Takeshi, listening closely as his breath whistle from a clogged nose.
"Takeshi," I whispered, "Let's go. Let's go now,"
The Rain peaked up from his arms and I felt my heart sear when reddened eyes landed upon me, my lips parted, but I had no time to speak before I found myself with armsful of the young Yamamoto, the boy already latching onto me to hide in my shoulder.
"Okay, it's okay," I hushed, standing up and settling him to sit on my pelvis, legs wrapped tightly around my hips to hold himself up while I cupped my hands around his thighs. "Let's go home, love."
Takeshi panted into my shoulder as I left the baffled classroom, pulling strength into my limbs to make the journey swift for my lover. He refused to lift himself from his sanctuary even when people sent us looks of judgment, either for being students out of school or because of his positioning, but I paid them no mind, pressing a kiss to his crown now and then.
"Almost home, shujin-kun," I breathed, seeing the TakeSushi store appear from around the corner.
He shifted in my arms, cuddling me more until I felt a shiver-inducing brush of lips scant across my ear, a flush blooming on my cheeks and making me squeeze him tighter.
I rapped on the door with my foot, silently apologising for the rather rude knock, before one of the kitchen hands came and slid it open, blinking in surprise when he saw who it was.
"Eh? Yamaguchi-kun? Is something wrong with Boss' kid?" he asked, getting out of the way as I stepped in.
"He's not feeling well, so I brought him home," I answered, watching his face slowly morph into understanding.
"Kay, I'll tell the Boss you're here," he grunted, before looking to the heavy breathing boy. "Get better soon, kid."
Takeshi nodded into my shoulder, and I smiled in thanks, before I quickly carried him to his room, our shoes clumsily discarded at the inner door. I tried to lay the Rain down in his bed when we had arrived, trying to free my hands so I could go about settling him down, but he had refused to release his full body hold on me, squeezing tighter when I made to unhook his legs.
"Darling," I sighed, wrapping my arms around him as we sat in the bed, swaying slowly to calm him down. "My darling husband, the one I love so dearly."
I felt him shake before a sniffle reached my ears.
"It's okay, it's okay, my love. You can cry. I'm here," I turned and smiled softly when I saw watery mocha peering up at me. "I'll protect you from all that will hurt you. So it's okay, come loose. I'll hold you."
Tears bubbled up in the corners of his eyes as he continued to gaze at me, before they spilt over and a whine slipped from his throat, making my heart crumble in on itself as I watched him cry, refusing to look away as he sobbed against my chest. I smiled down at him as he continued to observe me through his blurry vision, bringing the blankets close and wrapping us up in it, hiding us away in the warmth as he coughed from a clogged throat and whimpered, his hand bundling the back of my shirt.
I cooed sweetly down at him and wiped away the tears with my thumbs, all the while never losing eye contact just as I had promised.
We stayed like that for maybe an hour; the emotions welling up in intervals between quick kisses and tissue breaks. His nose and eyes were red from it in the end, as he breathed through his lips against my chest, the bin by his bed stuffed with soggy tissues.
"I'm sorry," I sighed finally, burying my nose in his hair. "I shouldn't have pushed you."
Takeshi was quiet for a few moments, before he turned his head and pressed his face to my chest, showing that he didn't want to speak anymore. He made a noise when I tried to move away, however, and it reassured me he wasn't upset from my behaviour.
"Come, love, let's settle down for a rest."
I kissed the shell of the Rain's ear softly as he nodded before reaching around and worked off his belt and tie, doing the same to myself and smiled with a laugh as the youth shoved his face into my exposed collar greedily.
"You're going to cuddle me a lot, aren't you?" I huffed, pulling the sheets down from their tucked in state, the smell of detergent and fabric softener wafting up, showing that Tsuyoshi had come in after we had left.
I toed off my socks before working the both of us under the sheets and hummed as Takeshi squirmed his way to my chest, ear pressed firmly to my breast to hear my heart and breath whilst I combed his hair. I felt myself relaxing with the repetitive motions and only liquified further as my darling fell into an untroubled sleep, his expression soothed if not still tear-tacky.
"I won't make you go to school tomorrow if you're not feeling up to it," I assured, brushing his hair out of his face. "...But I'm going to have to talk to your Yomi-san."
I felt him twitch, and I kissed his crown before silencing both our phones and settling down to sleep in his company again.