Hello to all my readers of Hatori's Case. I am so honored that there are many people who appreciate what I am writing. I thank everyone who has reviewed; whether they like/appreciate the stories or not. I respect that everyone has an opinion, but I wanted to let people know that if anyone feels threatened or bullied by any of the anonymous reviews that people (one person, maybe) are leaving on this series, let me know and I will remove them. If not, then they can stay since I am not bothered.
That being said, here is another chapter. This one does leave off with a little bit of a cliffhanger, whereas the others are able to be read independently. Cheers and enjoy.
/GG/
Always Come Back
Usually, not always, but usually when it rained and the hyperactive mangaka was forced to stay indoors he'd have all but driven Hatori bonkers with his incessant chatter about anything and everything under the sun. In truth, Chiaki hadn't aged much mentally since he was in middle school, thanks to being holed up all time because of deadlines and pure procrastination. On that particular day, when Hatori had to stay at his house and not return to work because of a sudden rainstorm and flooding, Chiaki was quite somber and seemed rather depressed about something.
Yoshino sat on his sofa with his back to Hatori, who leaned on the kitchen counter and watched as his lover just sat and sighed every time the thunder rumbled in the sky. The stoic man was at a loss as to why his boyfriend was so depressed. He wasn't stuck alone during such weather and it wasn't as if Hatori wouldn't talk to him about whatever was on his mind.
After watching the man for over half an hour stare out the window, Hatori wandered over and sat down next to the quiet man. He placed a hand on Chiaki's head and gave the smaller man's hair a little ruffle before removing his hand and placing it in his lap. Yoshino usually filled the silences, so with no one talking the lack of speech was deafening to the editor's ears.
Without warning, Chiaki leaned down and rested his back against Hatori's shoulder. Another audible sigh escaped his lips and it was enough to make Hatori speak, finally.
"Yoshino, are you okay?" he asked with concern.
"I don't know, Tori," Chiaki said softly. "I have a lot on my mind right now and I don't know how to sort it out, I guess."
Hatori's eyes grew wide as his lover moved position again so he was all but lying with his head in the taller man's lap. Not that it bothered Hatori in the least to have Yoshino being as lovey-dovey as all that, but it was a little out of character for him. Obviously something or some group of things was weighing on the man's mind.
"We can talk about it," Hatori said, offering his ear of support.
Yoshino looked up and locked eyes with Hatori. The stoic man let down his guard, which only happened when he was together with his lover, and showed a face full of compassion and love. All the trust in the world was in that one glance.
"Mom sent me a package."
"Oh…and," Hatori started, but Chiaki wouldn't let him finish.
"It was a package of girl's pictures. She wants to set me up on an arranged date toward marriage. I don't know how to respond." The look on Chiaki's face was heartbreaking as Hatori could tell it was heavy in the mangaka's mind. Hatori knew immediately how he would respond; it was how he always responded.
"Why don't you tell them the truth?" Hatori suggested.
Chiaki blushed and hid his face under his hands. "How can I do that when we haven't even admitted to people we know that we're together?"
"Yoshino, I know how difficult it will be to tell our parents, I've explained that before. I still think we should wait until we are ready to set them down together and tell everyone as a whole. If you would rather tell your family now, then we can do that, along with my family."
"But Tori, what happens if they make us break up?" The fear in Chiaki's eyes was real. It was the same fear Hatori had felt for the first months of their relationship. Chiaki was just as afraid of losing Yoshiyuki as Yoshiyuki was of losing Chiaki.
"We are both adults, Yoshino. They cannot make us do what we don't allow them. The outcome may not be favorable, but we will at least be together," he stated with conviction. "I am willing to lose what I have to keep you, Chiaki."
Hatori leaned down and placed a kiss to the other's lips. Chiaki was quivering under him, so he wrapped his arms around the slight man and pulled him into a sitting position for better support. In that position they stayed until Chiaki was willing to speak again.
"Me too," he said softly, as if admitting something.
The pair sat on the sofa and ignored the downpour outside by cuddling one another and swapping an occasional chaste kiss. Just being with one another was enough to make all problems disappear into the night time sky. It was when the rain finally stopped that Chiaki became talkative again.
"Tori," he started as he turned to face the man. "You should move in with me."
This was a common conversation between the pair and was probably another of the issues weighing on Yoshino's mind. Even though they were trying to cohabitate on a week and a half basis at one or the other's places, it hadn't really worked out in their favor. The call of one's own bed and one's own room kept beckoning for return.
"If I recall correctly Yoshino, it was you who decided last week that you needed to sleep in your own bed," Hatori said as he stroked Chiaki's dark brown hair.
"That's because you weren't in your bed, you were at work."
Hatori wanted to laugh, first it was marriage pictures, which was obviously just a ruse to get to the bigger issue Chiaki had, now it was the real problem; Chiaki still wanted Hatori to move in with him.
"You never had issues before sleeping in my bed alone."
Chiaki scoffed and pouted. "That was before we were…together. It's hard to sleep without you anywhere now, but I can fall asleep in my bed easier knowing that you won't be coming to my place."
The editor knew that problem all too well since he faced it quite a bit as well. If they did move in together that would make it a little difficult for either to sleep if the other wasn't around. Hatori didn't want to do anything to upset his lover's creative muse, especially keep the other man from sleeping.
"I'm guessing this was the problem, and it had nothing to do with dating photos."
Chiaki nodded. "Those are real, but mom sends one a month. I always send them back without telling you," he answered sheepishly.
This did cause Hatori to chuckle; Chiaki was so cute when he was being stubborn.
"Then what is the real issue, Yoshino. Tell me straight."
Hatori watched as Chiaki turned to face him and look into his eyes. He admired the man for finally admitting the whole truth of his depression. Maybe one day he could be so brave and admit what was eating at him as well.
"Every time I have to watch you leave," Chiaki began as he started to blush a brilliant shade of scarlet. "It makes me feel very weird, like I shouldn't have to watch you walk away from me…" he mumbled.
This confession was similar to how Hatori felt at times; he hated leaving or seeing Chiaki walk off and leave him at his house. In a word, it was heartbreaking. Hatori just did a better job of covering up his feelings.
"I always come back, Yoshino."
"Yes you do!" Chiaki shot. "Like today; but you only came today because I withheld the manuscript. If I hadn't done that then you wouldn't have come and I wouldn't have seen you."
Hatori was gobsmacked. Had Yoshino just admitted to intentionally delaying the release of his newest chapter because he wanted to see his editor? No, not his editor, he wanted to see Hatori. The thought flattered him, so he didn't even have the energy to get angry. Instead he pulled his lover in for a deep kiss and a bone crushing hug.
"I love you, Chiaki," Hatori whispered as he held his boyfriend's face with his hands. "Just don't keep hold of materials like that again or you may find yourself in a world of hurt." He said that last part with love and devotion, so it didn't come across as a threat to the mangaka.
"But Tori," Chiaki said, tentatively reaching up and cupping Hatori's face the same way Hatori was cupping his. "I miss you too much when I can't see you every day."
The look on Chiaki's face was like that of a little lost child and Hatori knew he couldn't keep dancing around the issue. He wanted to move in with Chiaki, but he had repressed emotions about the issue. To put it plainly, Hatori was scared of what moving in together might do to their relationship. He was already scared enough about losing the man because of the past, but he didn't want to ruin the future before it even had a chance to occur.
