Disclaimer: Not mine

Notes: This takes place between parts two and three of 'Children of Tomorrow'

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He had finally found him.

Shin approached him from behind, taking him by the arm. "It's okay. I'm here. Let's go home, Daichi-san."

The man who turned around looked like Daichi, but there was something in his eyes Shin had never seen before. "Who the hell is Daichi?"

His heart clenched. "You are, Daichi-san."

"Whatever." He patted him on the shoulder before disappearing into the darkness. "Talk to me again when you can remember my name."

"No, wait! Please!" Shin chased after him, desperate. "I know it's you-- I need you!" He was gone, but he couldn't stop, he had to find him, he looked in every corner of the room--

His room.

Shin blew air between his teeth as he plopped back down on the bed. It was bad enough he had to deal with headaches and insomnia on what seemed like an everyday basis. Now he was having nightmares. As paranoid as it was, he was starting to feel like someone was out to get him.

He lifted his head up high enough to get a look at the time. School would be starting soon; unless he got up now he'd be late.

Realizing he had no choice but to push the nightmare out of his mind (as much as he could, at least), Shin sat up. After making his bed and rinsing off in the shower, he searched the closet until he found a clean uniform. It wasn't until he had finished knotting his tie that he noticed it.

The mecha Shin had bought that weekend morning with Daichi gazed at him sternly-- and all the memories he had been foolish enough to believe he could block out came crashing back.

Shin took the model in his hands, holding it so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Come back. I need you." But what good was it to need someone who didn't need you back?

He had been so stupid before. It was just... when he had seen Daichi slumped over on the bench, pale and shaking all over all he could think of was what he could do to help... and when he returned, and it was like nothing had ever happened... he had let himself believe that maybe, just knowing that Shin was there for him if he needed him had helped pulled Daichi out of whatever he was lost in.

Like Daichi always had for him.

But now he knew better, Shin reminded himself as he placed the model back on the shelf. What Daichi needed was time to mourn and then go back to his normal life, not him. He had never needed him. Both of them were better off alone.

And he had been an idiot to think otherwise.

Notes: This is supposed to take place right after Daichi's grandfather dies. I had to check my 'timeline' for this verse to make sure it would fit. My memory is so lame sometimes.