Hi guys! Oh my god! I thought I'd never finish this. This took longer than usual because something horrible happened, something that I wish would never happen to anyone. Let's just say that what I've worked in did not get saved and I had to start over. Sorry! Also, sorry for all the fluff, I kinda need it to survive. I would also like to thank Chie for helping me with this chapter.

Again, thank you for all the favorites, follows, and reviews! Please feel free to leave a review.

P.S. I had to make Makoto an LOTR nerd because I just want to, no excuses. We have to have that one thing in common.

The piercing sound of the alarm cut through the morning air, much to Sousuke's annoyance. This has always been a part of his routine. Wake up at 4:00 AM, turn off his alarm, call the supplier for the stuff that will be delivered, take a quick shower, go to the market for the things he had to get himself, wait for Jun to arrive so he could give him his instructions, prepare the things they need for the restaurant, clean the restaurant up, then open for business. He's been doing this for a couple of years now, he'd feel incomplete if he missed a single one of them. Everything happens as he expected. He needed this routine for his own sanity.

What he was not expecting upon waking up was finding a man snuggling at his chest while he's lying on his side, an arm casually draped on his waist. For a few seconds, whatever he was seeing did not register to his brain and he had to stare while he gathered his thoughts. Right beside him was not just a man, but more like a divine being laid on his bed by the heavens itself. When he finally realized that he woke up beside Makoto, he felt like he just won the lottery.

Makoto's hair smelled of his own shampoo, his clothes clung to his body. The edge of the t-shirt he was wearing was slightly hiked up, showing his muscular side. At that very moment, Sousuke felt that he was able to successfully claim this angel as his own. It took him a few minutes to recall and understand what was his current state and how it came about.

Makoto had a very subtle smile on his lips while sleeping, making Sousuke curious of what he was dreaming of. Is he playing with his fellow angels? Or is he laughing with his friends from Iwatobi? Perhaps he's happily eating cake. He resisted the urge to plant a kiss on his lips.

Makoto giggled in his sleep and hugged him tighter, warming the chilly morning air. "Sou-chan...no..."

Sousuke froze. Did he just say my name? Did he just call me Sou-chan?

Heat rose on the most disconcerting areas in his body. His imagination fluctuated from Makoto laughing innocently with angels to Makoto smiling alluringly while taking his shirt off.

Sousuke's face burned in embarrassment despite the cold, morning air. I have to get out of here before I do something stupid. He did not trust himself being within dangerous proximity of Makoto.

Holding his breath, he slowly and gently moved the arm which Makoto was lying on and swapped it with a pillow, praying that his actions would not wake him up. He got out of bed and picked up the pillow on the floor. After hitting and dusting it with his hands, he placed it under Makoto's arm which was hugging him earlier. He also raised the blanket up to Makoto's chin. He was only able to release the breath he was holding when Makoto snuggled against the pillow and sighed.

Sousuke went to his kitchen and grabbed the cordless phone. He checked the little notebook on his counter and dialed the number of the suppliers. Because of the damages by the typhoon, the suppliers wouldn't be able to deliver again. He also called several people he knew in the business that could help him buy ingredients to no avail. Everyone had the same problem; there weren't enough vegetables and meat available, most were already hoarded by bigger restaurants. Everything may possibly resume tomorrow. He felt disappointed and relieved at the same time. He felt mostly disappointed because it was another day without business, and he hates losing his momentum. However, he was a bit relieved because somehow, he wanted to spend his day having fun with a certain someone.

It was 4:45 AM before he was done with all the phone calls. Since he was already up, he decided to make breakfast for Makoto. Nothing is going to be more impressive that waking up to a warm, tasty breakfast made with love. He may be grumpy, unapproachable, and a neat freak, but can he make a hell of a meal. It's his one redeeming quality, he believes. He better use that if he wants to impress Makoto.

He went to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. He then went downstairs to get some ingredients for breakfast and also to check the restaurant. There were puddles on the ground outside and the air was cold, but none of it dampened Sousuke's spirit. After making sure that everything was fine, he went back upstairs, ingredients in hand.

Last night, he had quite a dream. It was embarrassingly sappy. He dreamed that he was submerged under the deep, blue sea, desperation and hopelessness consuming him. He knew he couldn't swim anymore, there was no point in trying. He just stared as the surface of the sea got farther and farther, knowing that he will never be able to save himself. Slowly, he was consumed by the cold water and grim darkness. Just when everything had gone dark and he can feel his last breath being squeezed out of his body by the water's pressure, a pair of strong, steady arms looped around his torso. He was then forced to swim upwards, his savior never letting go. When they broke the surface, he suddenly felt the warmth of the sun shine on him, he savored the feeling of air entering his lungs, all the negative feeling left to sink at the bottom of the sea like iron shackles. He looked into the eyes of his savior. He found himself staring into glimmering, emerald eyes. It reminded him of hope. It showed him that there is somewhere else he could be, instead of wallowing in defeat. He once read that the color green means life and renewal. It was never truer than at that moment. Has his old self died underneath the water, and his new self emerged from the deep blue sea? And was he privileged enough to look straight into those wondrous eyes?

Wordlessly, he leaned towards the lips of the one who brought hope back to his life. However, even before his lips could touch the angel before him, he woke up.

He almost had a heart attack when he realized what he done in his sleep. He was already hugging Makoto and his lips were pressed against his nape. He made as little movement as possible, out of fear of waking Makoto up. All he could think about was that he was hopeless. He was a bigger pervert when he's asleep than when he's awake, he just realized. He planned his escape while staying as calm and as still as he could. Or maybe a part of him didn't really want to part. He thought that it would be best to slip out and possibly sleep on the couch to save him from further embarrassment. Before he could do anything, as he was just about to move away, Makoto held his hand and pulled it close to his chest, pressing their bodies closer to each other. He even raised the covers on both of them. He did that in his sleep, right? Makoto's body warmth, muscled back, and note-worthy ass meld against his. Sousuke could feel Makoto's heartbeat in his hand. He wondered what Makoto dreaming about to have cause his heart to race. He stayed still, trying to feel if Makoto had actually woken up, hearing every tick of the wall clock and the pouring rain outside. But it seems that he was sound asleep, thankfully. That's when he surrendered and closed his eyes. There's nothing else he could do but to enjoyed the warmth and savor every last minute with Makoto before falling back to sleep.

Now, the only thing that worried him was if Makoto had woken up around that time and found themselves entangled. What would he have done if he found out?

Just when he was thinking of all the possible scenarios (most of them dramatically horrible) that could happen when Makoto woken up, he heard footsteps coming from the bedroom which brought him back to reality. His back straightened in anxiousness. Out came Makoto with a smile that could disperse a ravaging typhoon. "Good morning! I could smell whatever you're cooking from the bedroom." He stopped and stood by the kitchen counter, raising both his arms towards the ceiling to stretch his back.

Sousuke looked at Makoto and his heart skipped. His rumpled clothing, tousled olive hair, and sleepy green eyes in the morning made him 10 times more desirable in Sousuke's eyes. He thought to himself that he would be the happiest person in the world if he woke up to this view every day. He turned away and focused on what he was cooking. He was going to burn the bacon if he didn't pay attention, and burnt bacon never failed to piss him off. "Hey, you're just in time." He started piling the bacon on a plate.

The pancakes were already laid out on the dining table, catching Makoto's attention. "Oh wow! Pancakes! Oh now you're really making me hungry!"

"Yeah? You can start eating, you know? I also cooked bacon. You're good with bacon, right?"

Makoto laughed. "Of course! Who says 'no' to bacon? I'm not used to breakfast like this. It's too...extravagant? Anyways, I'm not going to start eating without you."

Sousuke chuckled. "Jeez, makes me worry about what you have been eating before you started working here. C'mon, we can start with breakfast. I've already made you a mug of hot chocolate. You can go ahead and sit down if you want."

"Just give me a sec, I'll just go clean up real quick." Makoto turned and headed for the bathroom.

Sousuke smiled. Is this how it felt to be with someone he liked on a daily basis? Honestly, he rather liked it. He could get used to this.

After breakfast, Makoto insisted to clean up the table and wash the dishes. Sousuke was sitting on the dining table, checking updates about the typhoon through his phone. There wasn't a lot of damage and the rain had weakened, but the sky was still gray and gloomy.

"Hey Makoto, do you have anything to do or planned today?" Sousuke asked as casually as he could. Every second that passed increased the growing dread on his chest. He looked at Makoto while he was washing the dishes, facing away from him.

Makoto's head tilted. "Hmm... Not really, I checked my email and my professor said to just read up the lecture she sent. I've also done my homework for my other subjects."

Sousuke gently released his breath, trying to calm himself. "Would you like to hang out here today? I mean I could take you back to the dorm and pick up some things, then go back here. It's just that I've never had a day off since the restaurant started. I don't know what to do. Maybe we could watch a movie or something." Well, he could fix the chair he just abandoned yesterday, but moments with Makoto were top priority right now. He'll just make Jun fix it as payment for his unreturned futon.

Makoto looked towards Sousuke's direction with a shocked expression, "Really? Never? You mean you've never had a day off?"

"Yeah, I mean for the longest time it had always been just Jun and me so I didn't really have the chance to have a day off. Anyways, I hate being idle." And to be left to think about how much of a failure I am. Sousuke placed his phone on top of the table and stretched. Well now that he though about it, he never really wondered, not even once, if he would need to have some days off.

"You shouldn't do that to yourself. You should rest since your body needs it to heal, ok? But back to what you said, I mean about me hanging out. I think it's ok. I'll have to go back to my dorm, though. I just want to bring some stuff home and maybe pick up some things." Makoto said while wiping his hand on a towel. He walked from the kitchen to the dining table, joining Sousuke.

"Well I think we'll be open tomorrow so you can just stay here before your shift, right? You'll have another 'extravagant' breakfast." Sousuke wiggled his brows.

Makoto blushed and smiled, "Yeah, I think I can do that."

"Alright, we'll leave for your dorm later." Sousuke said with finality.

Makoto and Sousuke got ready and left for the dorm at 9:10 AM. They couldn't use the motorcycle since Makoto forgot his helmet in his dorm, and there was still the threat of the rain. He initially insisted that he'd go by himself back to the dorm, but Sousuke wouldn't have it. He said he was coming as well, saying that he might need an extra hand for the stuff he'd bring. End of discussion. Truth be told, he was just afraid that Makoto would change his mind once he got home.

Sousuke enjoyed the commute going to Makoto's dorm. They took a different route from when he drives him home, so he was not familiar with the sights. Makoto, of course, was more than willing to act as his tour guide, telling him about places that he liked to frequent, or places he wanted to visit. He also enjoyed sitting beside each other on the train, simply enjoying having someone beside him. Eventually, they had to give their seats away. But they were still close to each other while standing, holding on to the bars on the train. Maybe he enjoyed the commute because he had the perfect excuse to be right beside him.

When they reached the dorm, Sousuke was allowed to go inside since it was morning. He was finally able to get a glimpse of Makoto's everyday life. His room was surprisingly neat yet homely. He had a single bed with a plush orca. He had a couple of posters on his wall, mostly of cats and anime. His study table had books and supplies neatly arranged, with a framed picture of his family.

"I have a game console here. I got it after I graduated high school. But I rarely used it after I went to college. Can I take it over to your place? I still have a couple of new games here I have barely touched. " Makoto said while rummaging through his stuff.

"I mean I'm fine with it. Aren't you going to use it here in your dorm?" There was no explanation if he would be taking it back with him once he leaves. Or would he be leaving it with him with plans of staying over and playing again in the future? It brought Sousuke's hopes up.

"Oh, it's ok. I haven't played games with anyone in years! I kinda miss that. This is going to be fun! Or, we could have a Lord of the Rings marathon. I've always wanted to do that. I have the DVDs' here. I was finally able to buy the set after saving up." Makoto said while perusing the DVDs on his cabinet.

Sousuke said, shrugging his shoulders, "Well I guess we can."

Makoto smirked. "Are you physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared, Yamazaki-kun? What I have is the extended version. So that's 3 movies, and they're 4 hours long each."

Sousuke's brows shot up,"What?!"

Makoto laughed, "Just kidding. Well we could watch one DVD per weekend if that's too much."

"Dude, you scared me, I didn't plan on staying at home for a whole week just watching Lord of the Rings." Sousuke exhaled in relief.

What is this? Is Makoto sure of what he's implying? Well, not like he's complaining.

Makoto hurriedly said "Uhm, that's if it's ok with you, I mean. Like if it's ok that we watch on weekends? I wouldn't want to be bothering you so much at home."

Sousuke smiled. "Hey, like I said, it's ok."

"Uhm, ok. I'm actually really looking forward to it." Makoto bent his head and focused on stuffing things in his backpack, his cheeks pink.

For almost 2 years that he's been managing and cooking for his restaurant non-stop, Sousuke realized how badly he needed some days off.

When they left the dorm, they planned how they were going to spend the day during the commute back. First, they would watch The Fellowship of the Ring, then they're going to play games with the game console. Their conversation moved from their plan to games to Makoto's love for The Lord of the Rings.

"Honestly, I think the best character in The Lord of the Rings is Samwise Gamgee. He's the epitome of true heroism!"

Sousuke smiled with amusement. He had never seen Makoto make a statement with such passion. "Really? How come?"

"Well, he never really went on the quest because he was burdened to be in it. He came because he cared for Frodo, and he had to stick to a promise he made to Gandalf until the end. He's really a generous-hearted hobbit who never wanted anything more than to have a nice home and a beautiful garden. Another thing; in the book, he was not even tempted to take the ring for himself, they made it look like he did in the movie, which kinda annoyed me."

Sousuke smirked. "Based on your description of him, he sounds kinda like you."

Makoto opened his mouth, as if to protest. But it seemed that embarrassment got the better of him, so he closed his mouth and bent his head, hiding his flushed face.

"But you're too tall to be a hobbit, though." Sousuke added.

Makoto looked at him and burst into laughter.

When they got back to Sousuke's place, Makoto dropped his stuff off in the living room and headed for the door. "I'll just go buy some ice cream. Do you want anything?"

"Maybe some chips? I still have some microwaveable pop-corn here." Sousuke pulled out his wallet and took out some bills.

"I'll pay for them, it's fine." Makoto protested

"No you're not. You can pay for your ice cream, but I'll pay for my chips." Sousuke said, handing Makoto some bills.

"Fine." Makoto huffed in defeat as he headed out the door.

Makoto was walking back from the convenience store with a plastic bag in one hand and his phone in the other. He was checking through his mail to see if any of his professors sent any follow-up emails. He could be paranoid at times. When he was close to the restaurant, he heard a tiny meow. His head jerked up from looking at the phone and started looking around. He was close to a busy street and he wanted to make sure whoever owned that voice would not be run over.

He searched close to a corner in the street where the trash was placed. He found a small box that was soggy because of the rain. He could hear a faint mewl coming from it. Carefully, he opened the box to find a calico kitten. Makoto was surprised with how odd the cat looked. He looked like 2 different cats merged into one, for half its face was back, the other dark orange.

"Oh, why are you here? You poor thing! Were you out here during the typhoon?"

With the tissue he kept in his back pocket (in case anyone would need one). He wiped the kitten dry, then picked it up. He had to make sure that the kitten was dry since he's wearing Sousuke's jacket. The last thing he wanted to happen was to be scolded for being careless with someone else's property. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the cat had 2 different eye colors. One of its eyes is green, and the other is teal. The bluish teal eye was on the black side of its face. It reminded him of Sousuke. Despite being picked up by a total stranger, the kitten was surprisingly calm around humans.

The cute charm of the cat melted Makoto's heart into a puddle. "Now I can't just drop you off to the shelter when you're that cute, can I?'

He placed the kitten inside the jacket he was wearing. "I'm going to warm you up and take you home." He walked back to the restaurant with a smile on his face.

Sousuke crossed his arms and frowned while looking at the small, mewling bundle in Makoto's jacket.

Makoto's smile disappeared.

"What the hell is that?" Sousuke raised a brow.

"It's a cat. Look it's so cute!" Makoto smiled nervously and brought the kitten up to his face.

Sousuke rolled his eyes, "I know it's a cat. What's that doing here? You said you're only going to buy ice cream at the convenience store. I don't think they give away free kittens for every tub of ice cream."

"Well I was walking back home and I saw this little girl..." Makoto paused as if realizing something. He took the kitten out of his jacket and cradled it like a baby, and then peeked between its legs. "I mean boy in a box by the trash, and I just couldn't leave it. He was close to the road. He might get run over.""

Sousuke wanted to laugh at Makoto's action but did his best to keep a straight face. "How are you going to keep that? You live in a dorm. I highly doubt they allow students to keep pets there."

Makoto's brows furrowed. "I-I...it's just that..Can I keep it here?"

Sousuke almost shouted in shock. "What?!"

Makoto's shoulders slumped and his lips curled, patting the kitten's head. "I know I live in a dorm, and they don't allow pets. I was thinking maybe I could leave it here? You need a companion, you know?"

"I thank you for your concern with my well-being, but no."

"Please?" Makoto asked while his puppy-eyed look intensifies.

Sousuke sighed, "Makoto, you know how busy I am. I can't take care of that cat, I can't barely take care of myself."

"But cats aren't that hard to take care of. They are also good mousers."

"Sorry, I really don't think I can take care of that. We also don't have a problem with mice here." Sousuke shook his head.

"Please? I'll help you take care of it, I'll take 70% of the responsibility. I'll even pay for the litter box and some cat food."

Sousuke looked at Makoto, then the cat. One of its eye was as green as Makoto's. For some reason, he did feel a little bad for the kitten, and for the man who's holding him. Was this Makoto's effect on him? The kitten also behaved quite fine so far, as if showing him that he was indeed a good pet. Dammit, his resolve was starting to break.

Sousuke exhaled loudly. "If I'm keeping that here, I have one condition. You better stick to it"

"What is it?" Makoto eye's suddenly brightened.

"You promise to help me take care of that cat. You better come here to my place as much as you can because I have no fucking idea of how to raise it. You're going to be its owner, OK? I'm just letting it stay here."

"Of course! You wouldn't mind me sleeping here once in a while? I'd love to be beside this little kitty here." Makoto smiled, barely containing his excitement.

Sousuke perked up with that statement. If that's how I could have Makoto over again, so be it. Even if I have to deal with that damn furball!

Now he learned that he just had to dangle the cat in front of Makoto, and he may be able to get what he wanted. It's an evil plan, but it's a good plan.

"Fine!" Sousuke said, accepting utter defeat.

"Yey! Thank you!" Makoto jumped with joy and hugged Sousuke with one arm, squishing kitten between them. He immediately pulled back, perhaps out of embarrassment or worry for the kitten. "Ah, I'm sorry!" His cheeks started reddening in embarrassment.

Sousuke cleared his throat. "Uh yeah, it's nothing. What are you going to do with that thing now?"

Makoto thought for a moment. "Can you hold him for a minute? I'll just prepare the water in the bathroom. I have to give him a warm bath, he must be cold from the rain. He's also kinda dirty. Can I borrow a kitchen towel? I also have to put the ice cream in the freezer before it melts." Makoto placed the kitten into Sousuke's arm.

"Yeah, just grab the one on top of the counter. Oi, you didn't ruin my jacket, did you?" Sousuke said while eyeing the clothes Makoto was wearing. He lent him his clothes since his were still drying.

"No, I wiped him with tissue before I carried him. I got the towel, thanks." Before entering the bathroom, Makoto look back, his eyes shimmering, his lip gently curved into a fond smile. There was something in his smiled that showed how happy he was.

Seriously, how would I say 'no' to that? Sousuke watched Makoto go in the bathroom. When he was sure Makoto was no longer within earshot he whispered to the kitten while pointing his finger on its nose. "Oi, you need me for food and shelter, I need to you to keep that man in this house. You better work with me or I'll throw you out the street. Deal?" He said before the realization that he was talking to a cat dawned on him.

The kitten just swatted at his finger.

After giving the kitten a bath and drying its hair, the kitten fell asleep on one of the pillows in Sousuke's couch, much to his chagrin. He didn't want to have cat fur all over his furniture. Makoto, as if sensing this, suggested that they buy supplies for the cat before it wakes up and starts making a mess. They used Sousuke's motorcycle this time, looking for a pet shop that was open. Thankfully, they found one.

When they entered the shop, Makoto suddenly became a predator hunting for its prey. All Sousuke could do was follow him and watch how serious Makoto was about getting the right stuff. To be honest, it was quite amusing.

Whatever the things Makoto picked up looks alien in Sousuke's eyes. He didn't understand what they were for. Curious, he asked "What are those?"

Makoto answered, "Litter box, litter sand, a dish, a cat bed. I think we may also need a scratch post. Are we going to a grocery store? I need to get some baking soda."

Baking soda, are we going to bake the cat now? "What for?" Sousuke asked.

Makoto giggled, seeing the confused look on Sousuke. "I'm looking at the price of the litter box deodorizer. It's just too expensive. But baking soda can do the same thing for half the price. It's an effective deodorizer. Speaking of litter box, we need to find a good poop scoop. Ah, we also need a lint roller."

Sousuke frowned. "Poop scoop? What the hell? We're going to have to take cat shit out of the litter box? I am not doing that!"

"Don't worry, it's going to be covered by the litter sand. I'll take care of that, too." Makoto smiled.

They walked around until they reached the section where the pet collars were displayed. "I gave him a bath and it seems that he doesn't have fleas. So I guess we can give him a regular collar." Makoto said as he checked one of the tags which could be engraved with the pet's name. "What should we name him?"

Sousuke looked up and scratched his chin as if he were thinking. "Cat."

"That's...quite creative." Makoto chuckled.

Sousuke smirked. "Jeez, it isn't going to matter. It wouldn't even look at you if you call it by its name. You know how cats are"

"But a name is important. He's going to carry it for the rest of his life. We have to give it a decent name. Someday, he'll meet a girl cat, and he wouldn't want to have an embarrassing name. How would he be able to impress other cats if he's name Cat?" Makoto protested.

Sousuke laughed at Makoto's silly imagination. "We're not naming our child, Makoto. Don't fuss about it too much. Just give it an ordinary name."

As soon as he realized the implication of the words that came out of his mouth, he felt his face flush, wishing he could take his words back. Beside him, Makoto wasn't faring any better.

"W-Why don't we pay for these stuff." Makoto smiled nervously and walked hurriedly towards the counter.

During the ride home, he could feel how tense Makoto was. Sousuke repeatedly cursed himself for embarrassing him. He should really be careful of what he's saying.

They stopped by the supermarket to buy some things. Makoto bought the baking soda, and Sousuke bought some ingredients for dinner. He just found out something about Makoto a few days ago from Jun, so he was thinking this is the best time to use his "secret weapon".

After getting back from the supermarket, Makoto set up everything the cat needed like its litter box and the scratch post. He also started to brush the kitten's fur, and removed the cat hair from the sofa with the lint roller while Sousuke made the popcorn in the microwave. Sousuke watched as Makoto cooed and played with the kitten. He's still amazed at how a giant like him could be so cute sometimes.

Placing the popcorn and chips in a bowl, he brought it to the living room and placed it on the coffee table. "Ready for the movie?"

Makoto sat on the sofa with the kitten on his lap "Ready!"

Sousuke set up the DVD before sitting down on the sofa. Before he could sit comfortably, Makoto transferred the kitten to his lap. "I'll just get the ice cream. Sorry." He said, then stood up.

"Now what do I do with you?" Sousuke whispered while the kitten creepily stared at him.

Makoto got back from the kitchen with the ice cream in one hand and a spoon in the other. He picked up the bowl of chips and placed it in Sousuke's hand, then plopped right beside him, close enough for their shoulders to touch. Sousuke raised the bowl a bit to his chest to move it away from the kitten who was curiously sniffing it.

Makoto opened the ice cream and placed the lid on the coffee table. He scooped up a spoonful of ice cream and ate it, humming in delight. He looked at Sousuke. "Want some?"

Sousuke smirked. "I would, but I got my hands full." He showed his hand holding the bowl, while the other was stopping the kitten from jumping into the bowl.

Makoto laughed. "Here, I'll feed you." He scooped up some ice cream and carefully brought it to Sousuke's face.

Sousuke's stared at the spoon. He really didn't know what to think. First, Makoto's feeding him. Second, they're sharing a spoon which was more or less an indirect kiss.

"Hurry, it might drip if it melts." Makoto moved the spoon closer to his mouth.

Sousuke ate the ice cream. He looked at Makoto and saw the satisfied smile on him. Seriously, do you have any idea what you're doing to me?

Makoto reached for the chips from the bowl, never taking his eyes off of the TV. Since the bowl was in Sousuke's left hand while Makoto was on his right, Makoto had to lean across him just to reach the chips. Their closeness made Sousuke's heart jump.

"You know I've always loved the soundtrack of The Lord of the Rings. I'm thinking of buying the CD. Maybe I'll buy the book first." Makoto said while nibbling on the chip.

"I thought you've read the book?" Sousuke turned his head to look at him

"I did, but I just borrowed them. I want to have my own copy. I want to read it every year." Makoto turned his head toward him.

"Why would you want to read a book you've already read?" Sousuke asked, never breaking their eye contact.

Makoto tilted his head and thought for a moment. "A book is like a person. You'd think you really know everything about the story after reading it once. But once you take a moment to read it again, you'd realize there are so many things you disregarded before that were actually important, making sense of the things that you initially did not understand. It's like meeting that person again, only to realize that there are more things to learn about them."

Sousuke nodded. "That makes sense." They shared a gentle smile both turned their heads towards the TV.

While watching the movie, Sousuke thoroughly enjoyed watching Makoto out of the corner of his eye. Sousuke found how cute he looked when he was completely engrossed with the movie. He would also scoop some ice cream and eat, but he would never fail to give Sousuke some. He continued this despite the fact that the kitten had already moved to his lap.

Out of extreme curiosity, Sousuke ate a chip just show Makoto that he's eating (although to be honest, Makoto didn't even turn to look). While chewing, he picked up a chip and brought it close to Makoto's lips. Makoto turned his head and looked at the chip, somehow confused. He looked at Sousuke and understood his gesture. He then bit on the chip and ate it.

Sousuke felt that was such a stupid gesture from him. But he couldn't deny the fact that his heart danced for joy. He felt that somehow Makoto accepted something from him, even if it was just a chip. He also couldn't deny how sexy Makoto looked with his eyes looking at him and his mouth open. Sousuke pushed aside whatever dirty thought he would come up with and focused on the movie.

He continued feeding Makoto chips, he continued to eat the ice cream being fed to him. They did this until they ran out of food.

It was already 5:47 PM when they finished the movie. Sousuke thought his whole body had fallen asleep. But he had to start moving so he could begin preparing dinner. He stood up and picked up all the bowls.

"I'll clean that up." Makoto tried to stop him.

"No, I'm going to the kitchen, so I might as well take it. You should take a shower while I prepare dinner. Prepare a warm bath water for me, ok?"

"Sure" Makoto said as he stood up from the couch, placing the kitten on the cat bed. Sousuke noticed that the kitten is actually quite lazy, which he liked.

Sousuke started chopping the vegetables. It was silly to feel that he is really excited to cook for someone. Usually, when he cooks for the restaurant, he feels really calm and would only be grateful if he receives compliments from the customers. This time, it's different. He wanted to see how happy Makoto would be.

He didn't have to wait long to get the reaction he wanted from Makoto. As soon as his "surprise" started boiling, he immediately heard footsteps towards the kitchen.

"Sousuke, are you cooking…." Makoto hurried walked towards the kitchen, sniffing the air.

"Cooking what?" Sousuke playfully smirked. He was stirring the contents of the pot.

"Oh my god, that's green curry!"

"Yeah, what about it?" Sousuke said while biting his lips, trying not to laugh.

"That's my favourite!" Makoto said while his eyes shined with excitement.

"Yeah, I heard from Jun. Excited?"

"Yes, very excited! I haven't had home made green curry in months. Since you're the one who cooked it, I know it's going to taste good"

Makoto's compliments warmed Sousuke's heart "Well dry your hair first and this should be ready."

"Okay!" Makoto seemed to have ran towards the bedroom.

When Makoto came back, there was already rice and curry prepared on the table.

Sousuke slid into one of the chairs at the dining table.

Makoto slid in the other chair and stared at the food, then looked at Sousuke, his eyes moist.

"Hey, are you crying? What's wrong?" Sousuke panicked.

Makoto smiled and shook his head. "No. Nothing's wrong." He sniffed. "Sousuke, you're way too good to me. You're spoiling me and I'm scared of getting used to this."

Sousuke reached across the table and touched Makoto's hand. "Hey, I'm going to spoil like this as long as I can. You're never going to miss it, because it wouldn't go away."

"But why are you so good to me?" Makoto observed him.

"Well…." Why is he so good to Makoto? He never thought of it. He just wanted to see him happy. He just wants to make sure everything is fine. Can he tell Makoto that?

Sousuke cleared his throat. "We should start eating before the food gets cold." He avoided Makoto's eyes which he could feel were on him. Not yet, He couldn't tell him yet.

"Makoto, just let me spoil you. I'll tell you why, but not now. Will that be ok?" Sousuke added.

Makoto looked at him, a bit surprised. He smiled, but there was sadness in his eyes. "Okay."

After dinner, they played a racing game using Makoto's game console. To Sousuke's relief, Makoto was in a better mood. They played until 10:00 PM. That's when they decided to hit the sack.

They were less nervous on their second night sleeping together. Feeling bold, Sousuke didn't even bother putting the pillow between them. He slipped under the covers and laid on his back, Makoto followed suit after turning the lights off.

While lying down and staring at the ceiling, Sousuke listened to Makoto's breath.

"Sousuke, can I ask you something?" Makoto asked, which made Sousuke jump.

"Sure, go ahead."

"Do you miss Rin?"

Sousuke didn't not speak for a few minutes before answering. "Yeah, I guess I do."

"Why don't you contact him? I mean he still tries to reach you, right?"

Sousuke swallowed before answering. "It's hard."

"Really? Why?" Makoto asked.

"I feel resentful. It's just complicated" Sousuke mumbled.

"I see." Makoto whispered.

"How about you, do you miss Nanase?"

"Yes, but not as badly as I did before. I tried to contact him a few days ago, but I haven't heard from him." Makoto said in the dark.

"Maybe you should stop contacting him. He needs to make an effort too, you know." Sousuke gently scoffed.

Makoto chuckled, "I guess you're right."

"How about the guys from Iwatobi?"

"I was thinking of contacting them. I feel a little responsible for making our friendship just fade away." Makoto said while sighing.

"Well, I'm thinking of replying to Rin one of these days."

"Really? That's good, maybe I should contact my other friends, too." Makoto answered.

"Yeah. Well, I better get some sleep. I need to get up early tomorrow." Sousuke said, then yawned.

"OK. Good night."

"Goodnight."

But Sousuke didn't immediately sleep. He laid on his side, facing the wall. He was listening, waiting while Makoto shifted in bed. Minutes passed, as told by the ticking wall clock. He listened to the rhythm of Makoto's breath, waiting for it to slow and even out. When he felt that Makoto had relaxed and had fallen asleep beside him, he turned around. Makoto was lying on his side, his back facing him. Slowly, Sousuke placed an arm around him and move closer until their bodies were pressed against each other. He inhaled his scent and enjoyed the warmth coming from his body. Makoto didn't budge.

For just one more night, he wants to pretend that Makoto was his.