Started: 08/01/2014

Finished: 08/17/2014

Mood Music: Cough Syrup by Young the Giant

Notations: Alternate Universe.

I ask myself if I will ever be good at writing Midousuji and the answer is:

No.

Please put up with me until then!

Yeah, Thanks.

This is only possible with the help of my wonderful Beta, Prince. All praise Prince-Sama!

WARNINGS: Midousuji is really weird in this one.

Repletum

Chapter 04: Bewitched

'Captivated, forever am I. Lost in your soul is where I want to be. You've Bewitched this heart of mine, Please, never let me go free.' ~Author Unknown

Onoda Sakamichi was the type of person that always tried to think the best of people. He tried to look at a person's intention rather than their actions. If they meant well, he always would understand, and even if they meant bad, he would also try to understand. He knew that no one, Onoda being at the top of that list, was perfect.

It was sometimes hard though, to want to think the best of everyone. Onoda felt bad for wanting to blame his co-workers for getting him lost, but the instructions in his hands were a jumble of words and lines and not helpful at all.

"Maybe…this way?" He said, eyes drifting to the the top of a steep hill.

The delivery in his basket was cold by now. He wanted to go back and perhaps get a new one, but he really had no idea which direction to go to get back to his work place. Besides, if he went back, he would have to face those co-workers; the ones that had sniggered and giggled as they handed him this map, and report his failure.

'Cheer up!' He thought, 'This is a challenge! I have to challenge myself!' He thought about the protagonist of his favorite show, Kotori, the princess of love, and how she would approach this. Of course, she had a friend with her almost all the time…

Onoda shook his head, and gripped the handlebars of his bike tightly. He would find this place! Or he would die…No, die was a little extreme. He would... fall from exhaustion trying!

With renewed vigor, Onoda began pedaling hard once more.

The city was oppressing, the wind always strong as it swept in between the skyscrapers and buildings, through the streets. Onoda could feel every slight gust in his very bones. It was very different from the roads in Chiba, his home city. There were no rolling hills, no wide open fields, and definitely no mountains to climb.

He sighed and then shrieked, as a car zoomed by, missing him by inches. He should know that this was dangerous, because he had ridden to Akihabara hundreds of times. He was just being nervous.

It took time, but finally, Onoda believed, oh how he wished with all his heart, that he was at the right place. It was on top of a hill; a small shop with giant glass windows.

The food was cold, and as he approached the store front, he became nervous because he was always afraid to talk to people. He really hated to bother people, and truth be told, he was already really late, and he was scared that the person who had ordered would be mad. He wanted to run away all of a sudden, flee, not back to work and not back to his little apartment, but back home, back to his mom and his friends, in Chiba, like a little homesick boy.

He was eighteen! He had to grow up, and he knew that, but anxiety still gripped his heart, and made him break out into a cold sweat.

"What are you doing?"

It was a low growl, with all the undertones of the city in his voice. Onoda quickly glanced up, and kept tilting his head because the man, for it was a man, was tall. He had wide shoulders that sloped down into a narrow waist and hips. Onoda barely reached his chest.

"Ah!" Onoda yelled out, stumbling back and off the front steps of the store, "I'm sorry! I- I- uh! Food!" He took advantage of the excuse to look down at the bag in his hand, "I'm supposed to deliver some food to-"

"You are fifteen minutes late." The man snapped at him.

Onoda felt his entire face heat up. His failure was unacceptable, and he was afraid and ashamed. "So-sorry! I-I got lost and my map was…" It was wrong to make excuses. He should have tried harder, pedaled faster, been bolder in confronting his co-workers' prank.. He felt like crying. He didn't want to live in the city. It had been a terrible idea to leave his nice, comfortable home and live here.

"Idiot." The man said, and he leaned over and shoved his face close to Onoda's, invading his personal space.

The man's face was long and pale, had almost a haunting quality to it. His eyes were wide and black, like the pupils were dilated, and his mouth was twisted into a disgusted sneer, Straight beautiful teeth clenched in his direction. Those dark eyes scanned him from head to toe, like the robots in the animes Onoda loved, looking for flaws.

Onoda was intimidated. The man was frightening, and overpowering, and from his proximity, his presence only seemed larger. Onoda flinched as the man's mouth opened, and a tongue, long and pink, poked out, "Are you going to give me my food or are you going to stand there like a moron all day?"

He was a little mean, Onoda thought, but he deserved the harsh words. He was late and this man was the customer after all. Onoda slowly lifted the cold food to the man.

The man snatched it from him and stood straight again. Or perhaps not straight, he sort of sagged, as if he was carrying heavy weights around his wrists. He dug a hand into his pocket and then extended it, money clenched in his palm. His fingers were long and thin, the fingernails short and clean, and Onoda stared at the hand outstretched to him, not understanding what it was for.

"Take it." The man hissed, pushing his hand near Onoda's face.

Onoda realized with a start that the man was paying. It felt so wrong though. Onoda had been so late, and he wasn't being very friendly now. Terrible customer service.

"Uh… No! You don't have to!" He glanced up and met the man's hard eyes, narrowed at him, "I mean, I was late. I'm sorry. I should have-"

There he went again, making excuses, "I mean, you shouldn't have to pay for… ah cold food." He had no idea what he was talking about, and he realized that his boss probably wouldn't be very happy in not getting money from the delivery. It would probably come out of his paycheck., but that didn't matter. It felt so wrong that he wasn't going to pay the consequences for failing here. The man had wanted hot food and instead he was getting this. "Ah, So… uh Sorry! I won't be late next time. I promise!" He said, but then blushed, "I mean, if you order food again, and if I deliver… I don't know if you want to, but I'll- " He was rambling endlessly again, something he tended to do when he was nervous and stressed.

The man just watched him, his jaw tight.

"Gross." He said in a growl, after Onoda had finished his long winded stupid ramblings. Onoda blinked at him, wondering if he had something on his face or something of that nature. The man didn't elaborate and turned around, leaving without another word.

Onoda was still, just standing there for a moment and then let out a sigh of relief, heading back to his bike. That hadn't been as bad as he had thought it would be. The man was a little angry, but Onoda couldn't blame him. He had called him gross though. Onoda couldn't remember ever being called gross before. Was it his face? Did he look gross? His thoughts raced as he mounted his BMC. He suddenly stilled when he felt the pinpricks of eyes on him and glanced around, trying to figure out where the stare was coming from. He looked back to the store, and caught black wide eyes staring at him from the window. Onoda's eyes widened as he made eye contact, and he lifted up a hand, waving uncertainly. The man did not return the gesture and left the window. Onoda frowned but tried to not let it bother him. He took off, already trying to think of what to tell his boss.

He did not expect to be delivering to the man's store again, so when a coworker called for him, he was surprised.

"Onoda, take this to the store across from Shinjuku Hotel. The one you were late to yesterday? Think you can find your way today?" He was frowning at him, like he was an annoying pestering child.

Onoda nodded and took the bag, wondering why he was being sent when their fastest deliverer was sitting in the back, moaning about not getting enough deliveries these days, but he wasn't going to argue. "O-okay."

This time he knew his way, mostly. He raced up the hill, and parked his bike against the store's front windows, and a little more confidently, but not entirely without fear, he walked inside the store.

Yesterday, he had been too worried for all sorts of reasons that he hadn't bothered to look at what the store sold. Now that he was a little more put together, he saw that the store sold books; all kinds of books. It was clean and organized and Onoda's heart skipped a beat when he saw a sign that hung over a bookcase, the word Manga shooting straight into his heart. He stopped himself from racing over there, just barely, and remembered he was working. He was early this time, and he wanted to feel proud, but yesterday's incident was still a looming cloud in his mind.

"Over here."

Onoda jumped, and he turned to look at the man sitting on the floor, looking comfortable against the bookshelves, his long legs crossed. Onoda cleared his throat, "Uh… I have the eel and.."

"I know what I ordered." The man interrupted. Onoda nodded, "Of-of course. Sorry!" He beamed suddenly, smiling down at the man, "Uh! I made it on time today! I want to thank you for buying from us again! I was hoping that my… tardiness didn't make you… uh not want our food anymore."

"What? Do you want a medal? That's your job." The man replied and stood up. Onoda had forgotten how tall the man was, and swallowed when he stood in front of him, digging into his pocket once again pulling out money. Onoda was ready this time, and accepted the money, feeling accomplished as he counted it out. It was exact, and Onoda carefully put into a money bag in his pockets.

He supposed that it was time to leave, but the desire to run over and devour the set of mangas on the shelf behind him was gluing his feet to the floor.

The man didn't like Onoda's lack of motion, "Well? What?"

Every word he had said to Onoda was coated in this mocking sneer, and Onoda frowned. He had definitely made a bad impression yesterday for the man to dislike him this much.

"Ah, nothing!" He desperately wanted to ask about the books, but his tongue was heavy in his mouth, "Ah...see you!"

He left the store, quickly running down the steps to his bike, and just like yesterday, he felt a hot gaze on the back of his neck. He turned again, ready to see the black eyes staring at him, so he waved, smiling at the man and mounted his bike and left.

Onoda assumed that he probably wouldn't see the man again for awhile and wanted to leave a good impression.

The next day, when his boss shoved a bag at him and told him to deliver to the Himawari Bookstore, Onoda was starting to catch on. It was becoming a routine. The man always ordered the same thing, always waited with the same blank expression, and always paid in exact change. It took Onoda five deliveries before he dared speak more than the polite thanks yous and goodbyes.

"My name is Onoda Sakamichi."

The man briefly glanced at him as he dropped the money in his waiting hand. Onoda hesitated a little, but he really wanted to make these…interactions less awkward. "Ah… You have a lot of books here…"

"It's a bookstore, idiot."

Onoda felt like an idiot. Of course, there was a lot of books. Why had he said that? He didn't always think when he was trying to talk. He blushed, his embarrassment reaching up all the way to his ears. "Yeah…Haha, I mean…" What did he mean? He retreated that day, but Onoda was nothing if he wasn't persistent. So the next day he tried to get something other than an insult from the man.

"Have…. Have you read all the books in here?"

The man gave him a bored look as he took the bag and didn't answer. Onoda shifted uncomfortably. "Do…Do you mind if I buy something?"

The man raised a thin eyebrow and sneered, "Do you ask permission for everything?"

Onoda dropped his eyes to the floor. He never seemed to say anything right around the man, always making himself sound stupid. "No… I just…." He sighed, his shoulder sagging.

Maybe the man was annoyed with him and didn't want more than the two of three words exchange between them. Onoda himself didn't know why he wanted more than the quick interactions. He didn't make friends with his other deliveries. Although, the reason he didn't was because they didn't order every weekday.

Something about the man made Onoda want to get closer, make some sort of bond, or connection. Maybe it was his loneliness speaking. His coworkers seemed to not like him, and he had only managed to get friendly with his landlady. It had been only a couple of weeks since he moved to the city and classes would start in a week or so, and Onoda was so alone. He thought that maybe if he made friends with the man, he could see someone that he knew everyday of the week.

"Sorry…" He muttered miserably, and retreated. He didn't quite make it to the door when the man called out to him. "Are you going to buy something or what?"

Onoda turned around, surprised and looked at the man. He briefly glanced at the bookshelf full of manga titles, before hesitantly answering, "Ah..what do you have…?"

The man smiled a grin that was full of evil mockery, "Don't pretend that you don't know. I've seen you looking at those," He jerked his head to the blessed bookshelf, "with your gross eyes."

Onoda felt guilty for some reason, and he fidgeted under the man's accusing gaze. "Ah, yes...well, I like… "

The man walked over and plucked a book from the shelf, and literally tossed it to Onoda, who missed the throw and was smacked in the face. The man was not apologetic at all, and for the first time, as he rubbed his face from the hit, he heard a gleeful mocking laugh. It was shrill and stabbing, but oddly enough, Onoda didn't feel insulted. He felt so accomplished. He had gotten laughter from the man. Onoda leaned over and picked up the book, and looked at the cover. There was a girl on the cover, bright shining blue eyes staring at him, and a dinosaur in the background. It was strange that the man suggested this one. He quickly read the premise on the back. His eyes widened at what it said. It was definitely his type of story. A time traveling magical gir, defeating enemies through time with the power of friendship and love. He glanced back at the man.

The man was watching him with a calculating expression. Onoda couldn't help the smile that grew on his face. "I'll take it! I actually really like these types of stories."

The man cocked his head in a way that shouldn't be humanly possible, "Gross."

Onoda just beamed and stuck his hand in his back pocket, " How.. How much?"

The man snorted, "Take it. I don't like to owe things."

Onoda blinked at him. Owe? The man went back to his counter, pointedly ignoring him. Onoda stood there, trying to understand. What did the man owe him? He wanted to ask, but had an inkling that the man would not answer.

"Oh-okay…" He said and started to the door. "Uh! Thanks! I will definitely read it!" He called out, clutching the book to his chest. He felt so much better than earlier and after turning to look at the man watching him through the window, and waving happily, he mounted his bike and left.

That day had changed everything.

In the next visits, Onoda was much more bold. He loved the series that the man had suggested, and went back the next day, food in hand, and bought another book. He made sure to buy it this time. He quite happily chatted about how he loved the protagonist and how it was inspirational until the man had quite rudely told him to shut up. Onoda tried, but his bottled up enthusiasm kept forcing him to speak. The man looked annoyed, but he continued handing him books. Onoda found himself using the man as a wall, talking to him about things other than the manga he had bought, about his school and his mom, and his mean coworkers. It took awhile before the man acknowledged him in conversation besides the occasional grunt, hiss or 'gross'. It happened when Onoda had mentioned signing up for the University cycling club.

"It seems really intimidating, though! I bet it's nothing like high school." Onoda had said.

The man stopped and turned to him, "You're gross, but you're not bad."

Onoda blinked at him. Was that…Was that a praise?

"You…You seen me?"

The man was backpedaling, "No! Gross! You climb the hill everyday. You have a BMC. You're a climber. It's obvious you're a cyclist. I'm not stupid." Onoda leaned over the counter, "Are you a cyclist too!? DId you do it high school?"

The man glared, "Go away."

Onoda bit his lips, but didn't press further, understanding the man's tone.

Their interactions were less awkward now and everyday Onoda looked forward to seeing the man. He felt bad that he didn't know his name yet. It was going to be a month since he started his daily delivery and he wanted to seal the deal in this acquaintanceship and turn it into a friendship.

"Uh… My name is Sakamichi… Uh Onoda Sakamichi." He said one day, as he was leaving. The man was in a bad mood today, and Onoda read the air effectively, coming and with practiced ease, giving him his food. The man clenched his teeth at him, not responding. Onoda left that day, but came back the next, instead of saying good bye, he merely repeated his name. The man didn't responded. Again.

It became habit after that. He didn't have any idea why, but he knew somehow, the man would not answer if Onoda asked him for his name directly. The whole thing became ritualistic. Onoda came, chatted during their exchange of food over for money, he would announce his name as his departure and leave, turning around to the man that watched him with black deep eyes, and take off.

At least that was the way it happened until the man finally had enough with his shenanigans, "Will you stop saying your name every fuckin' day?"

Onoda shouldn't have been surprised. It could be annoying, he guessed, after a while.

"So-sorry! I… I just… I don't know your name, so-" Now that he thought back on it, why did he ever think that saying his name everyday, was a good idea.? Was he insane?

"If I tell you my name, will you stop?"

Onoda nodded his head, his glasses jumping a little. The man leaned over, invading Onoda's personal space, inches from his face. He did that when he wanted to be intimidating, Onoda had noticed.

From the distance he could see the man's full blown irises, they weren't black as he had always thought. There was a lighter brown, a pretty soft color there, and his eyes were framed with slightly long eyelashes. Not as long as the ones on Onoda's eyes, of course, because he was cursed with those, but they were delicate. It was weird that the man's closeness was doing the opposite of intimidating him.

"Akira. Midousuji Akira."

The man, no, Midousuji said, his breath sweeping over Onoda's face. Onoda blushed at the feel of it, and then smiled so brightly.

The man flinched and leaned away, as if stung. "Midousuji-san " He exclaimed, feeling the name on his tongue, tasting it. It fit him, a powerful, mysterious name. "Midousuji-san.."

Midousuji looked at him disgusted, "Gross. Stop that."

Onoda looked up at him, an innocent smile on his face, " Stop what, Midousuji-san?"

Midousuji shoved a hand in Onoda's face, forcefully pushing him away, "That! Stop. You're gross!"

Onoda laughed, feeling giggly, and started for the door, this time saying, "Bye, Midousuji-san! See you tomorrow!"

The weeks went by. Onoda entered University, his mind weighed down with his classes, his schedule, and his work, but he was always happy to see Midousuji. He was like a staple in his infinitely changing world. Every weekday, exactly at one, he would visit Midousuji-san, who he hoped was his friend. In his heart he was, at least.

But on this particular day, nature seemed to be against their daily meet.

"You won't get far." His boss told him, giving him a side eyed glance. Onoda was fidgeting as the food was being made. "You'll get soaked."

Onoda's brow was furrowed with worry lines, "I… I think I should try."

His boss huffed, and looked back out the window.

It was pouring, not raining, but pouring. The spring rain was drenching everything. It had been clear about an hour ago, but as twelve o'clock rolled around, the storm clouds invaded with a vengeance, covering the City in a dark black shadow.

Onoda wished that it would magically stop. He wanted to see Midousuji. He didn't want to disappoint him. He would do anything to make his delivery today. It was his only connection to his friend.

"Foods up!" The cook called and Onoda snactched the bag from the counter. He smiled forcefully at his boss, "It looks lighter now." He said, trying his best to convince both his boss and himself. His boss shrugged and left. Onoda knew that his boss wasn't convinced but let him do as he wanted.

The downpour was unforgiving, and the road was slick. Onoda had to stop several times to wipe off his glasses, and one time to take off his raincoat to cover his basket at the front of his bike, carrying the food. He was soaked anyways and he didn't want to arrive with soggy food.

The cold wind was biting, and the wet roads didn't let him ride up the hill to the bookstore, so he ran up, feeling his lungs fill with ice cold air. He was sneezing when he got to the store. He didn't go in, because he was dripping, and knocked at the glass door. It looked warm in there, but Onoda wouldn't go in.

Midousuji came to the door, his eyes wider than Onoda had ever seen them. Then, they turned into slits. "You! You gross idiot! What are you...!? Why are you here! God! You're so stupid! Freakin' moron!"

Onoda could only laugh, and he handed the bag of food to Midousuji. "Sorry! It's a little wet."

Midousuji was fuming, but Onoda didn't really understand why. His voice was hard to hear over the torrential rain.

He realized with a start that he had been late by just a couple of minutes, but late nevertheless. His face heated up, but he wasn't all that sure that it was from embarrassment, because he shivered violently.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Midousuji-san!"

Midousuji hissed at him, "Idiot! You're soaking wet. Get in here!"

Onoda shook his head, and stepped away, dodging the hand that reached out to grab him. "No! I don't want to get your store wet!" He stumbled over to his bike and started riding away. His blurry sight making his pedals slip. It wasn't until he was halfway back to his workplace that he realized that he hadn't turned to wave goodbye.

The next day, he couldn't get out of bed. He tried, oh did he try mightily, but his body refused to do anything, but quiver and shake. He called his boss and told him he wouldn't be in today. His boss sounded smug, not needing to say the 'I told you so' he wanted to. Onoda didn't really care. He was cold and sweating and his head ached. He laid in his bed, feeling miserable, missing his mom, his friends, and Midousuji. The thought of the man made Onoda's heart clench. He wasn't going to see him today. It felt like he was breaking some sort of promise, ripping apart the thin bond they had. What if Midousuji didn't want Onoda to deliver to him anymore? Onoda felt tears gather in his eyes. He wanted to blame it on his sick state, but he knew that it was more than that.

He felt so utterly alone.

He drifted off to sleep, quietly crying into his pillow.

He woke to a knock on his door. Onoda started at the the sound and then groaned. He instantly felt bad for doing so.

"Ah…" He croaked, his unused voice shaking, "Yes? Who…" It was rude, he thought, to just yell at whoever was knocking, but he felt miserable. He was hot and cold and his head spun at raising his voice. He moved slowly, halfway crawling to the door. He wondered who it was. Mrs. Yamada, the landlady? She often checked up on him, because he reminded her of her grandson in middle school, whatever that meant.

He hauled himself up and clutched the doorknob, steadying himself. He wiped at his face, hoping he didn't look as miserable as he felt, and plastered on a smile as he opened the door.

The person there was a towering individual, dressed in all black. Onoda had to crane his head back, and he gasped when he saw who it was. Despite the white surgical mask, the dark narrowed eyes were easily recognizable.

"Mido-Midou-!"

He could not believe it! Midousuji from the bookstore! Was here! At his apartment! Right now! Onoda was very confused, and was almost sure he was hallucinating, so he reached out and pressed a clammy palm to the man's stomach.

It was hard and real, and Onoda gasped again.

So he was here? Onoda suddenly thought he was in trouble. Did he do something wrong?

Of course, he did something wrong, as usual! He skipped work today, and Midousuji needed his food. So, of course, Midousuji had every right to be mad. The other workers at their shop were too scared to deliver to Midousuji, and Onoda remembered the man saying that he didn't like them at all.

Still, that didn't explain why he was here, at his apartment,

Thinking so much made his head ache, and the shock of the unexpected guest was making his nerves worsen. He tried to focus on Midousuji, because he wanted to be a good host, but he felt so weak all of a sudden, his knees were buckling and the hand clutching the door knob was slick with sweat.

"Ah…" He started out hoarsely, his voice trembling, "Midousuji-san, I…"

He wasn't even sure where that sentence was going, but fortunately he didn't have to finish it because he was attacked by such a fierce shiver that his whole body shook, and his knees gave out and he dropped like a sack of potatoes.

He didn't hit the floor though. In a very quick and brave gesture, Midousuji reached out and grabbed him by the collar, snaking out the other arm around his waist to steady Onoda against him. Onoda was suddenly aware of how incredibly warm the man was, and in his fatigued mind, he wanted to cuddle into the man's warmth. Inappropriate, yes, but it sounded like such an appealing idea.

"Gross…" Midousuji said, his first words to Onoda today. "You are such a gross idiot."

Onoda didn't feel offended by the insult, because he really was a 'gross idiot'.

"Sorry, Midou...Midousuji-san." He murmured against the black cloth of the man's shirt. He felt the man stiffen, but Onoda couldn't care. He just wanted to be warm, and sleep. He wanted to rest so badly.

He pulled away, making sure he could stand and dreaded what he was about to do, "Ah… Midousuji-san, I… I don't feel… I do- feel too well, so… c-can." His mind was fogging up and his words were probably incoherent, and Onoda felt so bad for being so rude., "come...come back anot…. her day? I want, I wanna, I want to slee-"

He glanced up at Midousuji, feeling terrible for dismissing him, but he was exhausted because of this little excursion, and he just wanted to curl up in his bed and sleep.

Midousuji had a look on his face, one that Onoda had never seen before. There was anger, worry and distress, and something… soft, an expression that ranged so dramatically, that Onoda thought that most likely he was also hullucuanting it.

Midousuji let out a noise, like a defeated animal, and reached out and picked up Onoda as if he was a small toy. "You are so stupid, it's incredible. Where is your room?"

Onoda's weak state worsened, and his confusion made his head want to explode. What was going on? Why was this happening? "Fris- door."

He was a limp vegetable as Midousuji leaned him over his shoulder. Onoda felt like a child; like he was five again, wanting to watch his favorite Anime on tv even when he couldn't' see straight, and his mother carrying him back to his bed in the late night.

"Midou…suji-san." His voice was as weak as he felt and probably looked, and he was fading fast, but he had to say something, "Sorr...sorry...for… not...deliv-de-delivering today." He felt the arm carrying him tense and then squeeze him tight adding pressure to his already sore body. He was loosened just as quickly, before he could even make a protest.

"Just shut up. You are gross and sick. Don't talk."

Onoda managed to smile at that, "Hah… I know. Thank...Thank...Thank you for coming."

He said it because he really was thankful. This was the first time that he was sick away from home, away from everybody he knew; his mom, and his friends. Imaizumi and Naruko would have come down to the house to make sure he was not dying, and his mom would have made him his favorite noodles if he was back home, but here, in Tokyo, he was alone.

So, Midousuji being there was so nice. It was so kind of him.

'I like Midousuji-kun' Onoda thought as he sank into exhaustion, the world turning black. 'I'm glad we are friends...'

He awoke with a start, eyes blinking open in a dark room.

Onoda stared at his familiar ceiling for a moment, collecting his wild sporatics thoughts.

He was warm, incredibly warm. He could feel a slightly heavy weight of several soft blankets tucked in under his chin. On his face there was a cool, moist rag, covering his forehead. He didn't remember putting that on.

Onoda blinked, shifting under the sheets, as he looked around the room.

He froze when he saw an odd shape at the side of his bed.

It looked like a mass of limbs wrapped around themselves, folded over the back of a chair. Onoda blinked again, trying to make the shape out.

He thought it was a person. A person uncomfortably, half laying over a folding chair.

The more he stared the more the mass of appendages started to look like Midousuji, the man from the bookstore, but that was… impossible. Right?

Onoda sat up, stretching out sore muscles in his back and the bed creaked. The sound must've wakened the creature because eyes, wide and dark, opened and narrowed on him. His assumption was right. The thing was a person.

Onoda blinked at the eyes, really wondering what was going on. A pale hand reached up and pulled down a white mask, exposing perfect straight teeth curved in a grimace. The entire thing was so strange that Onoda really believed he was dreaming.

"You look gross."

Onoda bit his lip at how real this dream Midousuji sounded. His dream world had perfectly replicated the growl and intonations of Midousuji's voice. The hand that had pulled down the white surgical mask suddenly reached out. Onoda felt the fingers, long and thin, softly touch his forehead, brushing back moist bangs.

"Your fever is gone." Dream Midousuji said.

Wait!

Not a dream!

He could feel a hand on his head, real and solid. In an instant, he remembered that Midousuji had came to his apartment earlier and had quite literally carried him off to bed.

"Mido-Mido-Midousuji-san!" He said, his cheeks reddening at… well everything at the moment.

Midousuji narrowed his eyes, and pulled away his hand. "It's -kun. Midousuji-kun. "

Onoda nodded and bit his lip again, his nervous habit revealing itself. "Oh! I didn't know. I'm sorry!"

He felt so embarrassed in his state of sloppiness, with his first friend from the city, that he wanted to hide himself under his sheets.

Midousuji was here! It was so unexpected, so strange. Onoda didn't know what to say. How to react. He wanted to ask what he was doing here, but didn't want him to go away either. He didn't want to be alone. His body was sore, and his throat dry, but he didn't want to annoy the man, lest he leave.

Midousuji read his mind and pressed a bottle to Onoda's cheek, almost roughly but with a gentle undertone. "Drink. You're dehydrated."

Onoda gulped down the water, quickly relieving his parched throat, before Midosuji snatched it away from him, hissing at him. "Not so much!"

He was being too stern, and Onoda gave him a grateful, fond look. "Thank you… Midousuji-kun...for…" He tried to stop the tears that were filling his eyes, and he covered them, "I was… I was…"

'I was afraid no one cared about me.' was what he wanted to say, but the words wouldn't leave his throat.

Midousuji snorted. "Shut up. I don't like to owe people things. Besides, I'm good at taking care of sick people." There was something almost gentle in his usually rough tone, but Onoda didn't ask about it.

"Go back to sleep, Sakamichi."

Onoda blinked at his name, his given name being said, making his heart leap joyfully in his chest, something, like a flower blossoming in his stomach, butterflies coming to fluttering. Was this still his sickness affecting him? His face was red, but he didn't know if he could blame the fever.

He thought about the command, and wanted to refuse. "Ah.. I don't want to sleep when you're here, Midousuji-kun."

Midousuji scoffed at him, not looking happy at his answer. He revealed his straight perfect teeth, and Onoda secretly thought they were beautiful. "Stop being so disobedient, Sakamichi. Sleep." He adverted his eyes, something almost like a blush staining his usually pale face, "I'll be here when you wake."

Onoda couldn't stop the smile that exploded on his face, and he settled back under the covers, believing his friend's words completely. His eyelids were heavy and he fought them, but he was losing quickly, sleeps' embrace was so luring.

He felt something touch his face, it felt like fingertips against his temple, sweeping back his too long bangs, but he could have been imagining it.

"Thank you, Midousuji-kun." He whispered into the night as he surrendered to sleep.

And in the comfortable black , he heard that low, now pleasing tone.

"Gross."

Notations:

And they lived happily ever after..

Sorry for the fluff and the OOC-ness. I was going to expand this story but Midousuji is so hard for me to write! And he started off being a little too weird in this one and so I gave up. But, its cute…. right?

Chapter 05: Heavy

Summary: In which Midousuji knows that his heart is heavy

Mood Music: Heavy in your Arms~ Florence and the Machine