Perhaps it should have caused more of a stir in his life, more of a craze, but Subaru instead blankly stared down at the text that Hiroto had sent him, 'I won't be able to visit in a while. Did you catch the news?'

Subaru had naturally turned the t.v. on to figure out what could have happened in Japan that would cause his friend to suddenly just not be able to visit. The house would surely go back to being quiet, and that would be a nice change of pace, just not quite what he anticipated.

The newscaster looked a little down in the dumps, and Subaru prepared himself for a very heavy topic. Usually, there could be a fake smile alighting the face of a newscaster, if a happy one wasn't possible, but this guy wasn't even faking it. Just then, he finally explained that there was a pandemic and that people should stay away from each other. More realistically, he clarified a certain six foot of distance between people, if one is out in public, and otherwise, no social gatherings.

'Just caught it.' Subaru sent to his friend, looking back down at his phone; it must have been pretty bad, if even Hiroto wasn't willing to chance it. Subaru frowned, and turned back off his t.v. There would be nothing on that he wanted to watch anyway.

'Okay. Mom says she doesn't want to risk us, kids, getting sick.' Hiroto typed in reply, and Subaru couldn't help but picture Hiroto looking apologetic and yet still smiling.

'I get it.' And in a particular way, he did. Subaru knew what loss felt like, the splattering of a new hole in the heart, the way some days were harder than others, and the way that some memories wanted to fade, while others wanted to take over. He definitely didn't want Hiroto or his family going through that.

'You do?' Even through text, Hiroto could sound surprised.

'Yeah.' It was too much to really put into words here, and something that felt far too personal to share, so he didn't bother explaining himself.

'Okay. Do you have everything you and Haru need? You tend to forget to buy food.' Hiroto reminded him; honestly, it felt like his friend had switched over to mothering him.

'I'll check.'

'The stores will be packed, however little they're open.' Hiroto told him, managing to put a nervous ache right into Subaru's heart. 'People need to pack up for staying home.'

Subaru didn't bother typing a reply as he stared into a mostly empty refrigerator and the almost empty cupboards in his kitchen. Really?

'Mom's stockpiling up online. We have enough food to get us by for now.' Hiroto as usual didn't really mind long silences.

Subaru knew that he'd have to get food at some point, and he may not be able to wait for online groceries to show up.

'Don't you prefer talking on the phone?' Subaru knew that that would only come across as an invite to call him, but he was too annoyed to be bothered about it, until he sent the message.

'I do!' And a little smiley face, of course.

Then Subaru's phone was ringing in his hand, and he knew he had to answer it. If Hiroto was determined enough, he could call many times in a row, knowing that Subaru was rarely busy enough that a call would inconvenience him.

"Yes?" He knew that his patience was running thin, but couldn't he have found out about this way sooner, so he could probably stockpile?

"Hi, Subaru!" Hiroto, despite all the stress, sounded just as excited as any other day. It might be the phone call or he somehow figured stress wasn't something he wanted to entertain for long.

"Hi." Subaru answered.

"Do you need food?" Hiroto asked right away, as if he wasn't the main person eating Subaru's food on any good day.

"Yeah."

"I could ask Mom, if it's okay if I head out and buy you some food? You wouldn't have to go out into crowded stores then." As usual, Hiroto's heart was in the matter. He may be boisterous and full of energy, but his heart's usually gentle.

"Don't worry about it." Subaru didn't really want to trouble Hiroto's mom, as she was a sweet woman, regardless. And besides that, Subaru figured it would be way worse if Hiroto or his siblings chanced getting sick, than it would be if Subaru chanced it.

"If you're sure...? I know you don't like being around people that much." Hiroto could put up a convincing argument to Subaru's anxiety, but he really didn't want to trouble his friend's family.

"I'm sure." He went to grab shoes and head out. Subaru figured Sunny's wouldn't be crowded yet, as he left for the essentials, and maybe doubling back to the grocery store on the way home would allow for the crowds to dwindle. It might make it a little easier on him anyway, though he knew he likely wouldn't be the only customer showing up right about now.

"Okay." Hiroto's voice had softened, with maybe sadness or worry or something, "Stay safe, alright?"

"I'll be fine." Subaru might need that confidence that he'd voiced anyway, hearing himself say it might help out.

"Okay." Hiroto paused, "'Bye."

"Goodbye." Subaru responded, hanging up. He needed to be responsible for Haru anyway and also for Hiroto.

Subaru was not the sort to take death lightly, even if he might be the sort to not always eat enough to survive off of.

Finally, he was home. The stores were packed, even Sunny's had more than five customers in it at a time! It was insane, and despite that, Nana was helpful and understanding, encouraged him to stock up just a bit more for Haru and shared with him some pretty affordable sites that might still ship at decent times.

"Try these, when you start to run low. Or maybe when half of what you bought are gone, because shipping might run slow." She looked worried as she stressed the point, and Subaru made sure to take the paper she handed him and to try to reassure her.

And then, when he did leave, the grocery store looked even worse, as he grabbed canned foods, mostly, and grabbed a tiny bit of fresh food. Honestly, in one day, Subaru spent way more money that he felt comfortable spending and had way more social interaction than he'd really wanted.

Yet, he's home now, and Haru's rubbing up against his legs and looking up at him, and it feels like for a moment, the world is alright. It's as if being home in his little bubble took the pressure off from earlier. He walked to the kitchen to put the food away and decided that what was really needed was a nap.

He poured Haru some food in her dish and went and laid down. Hopefully, it won't be long and this will get better.

Yet, Subaru doubts that he'll mind the time at home with Haru all that much, but this shopping trip and the weird pang in his heart don't help anything. Even though he's not the most eager to socialize, it's almost like he knows that he'll miss Nana and Hiroto and Kawase, before this is over.

If he does, surely they'll come find him, when the world is doing a little or rather a lot better and make him question why he ever missed them to begin with.

Subaru closed his eyes and within seconds was out like a light, too exhausted from anxiety and crowds and having to talk to both people he knew and people he didn't. A moment of peace and quiet is all it seemed like he needed, and in his dreams, the world isn't suffering and his friends come over way too much and Haru's purring.