A few days passed and though Saru got settled and they slowly started a routine…..things hadn't gotten any less awkward. Their conversations were short and uneventful, though at least he always got a reply now, not just grunts and nodding. That was a….good start right?
He comes home after work, stupid delivery jobs that are boring, tiring, and long but at least they pay, and goes into the kitchen, pulling his beanie off. "Saru? You in here? How are you feeling?" It's the question he asks as soon as he comes home every day as he gets water and takes out Saru's medications.
"I'm here..." Saru calls, Yata turning to see him slowly walk out from the bedroom and into the kitchen, covering his mouth with his hand as he yawns.
The vanguard gives a small smile as he brings a glass of water to the table, putting the meds out. "Tired? How are you feeling? Not too much pain today?"
Maybe his questions get a little annoying but….he genuinely cares and he'd never been too good at showing how he felt about something unless he blabbers.
"I'm fine. I just went to lay down for a bit." Saru replies before taking the pills and drinking the water.
"Any headaches, leg pain, nausea, dizziness, leg cramping, tight chest-" He lists off everything he remembered the doctor saying to him.
"Misaki I'm fine." He cuts Yata off and Yata flinches a little at the harsher tone. "I would have already told you if that were the case."
"Right, right….sorry just….trying to help…somehow since I already know you're miserable." He mumbles. "Anyway um….hungry? You have to eat something when you take all those meds."
The nods, and if Yata were to guess, Saru hadn't eaten much all day. "I'll eat whatever is easiest for you."
The redhead's face suddenly looks annoyed and he rolls his eyes. "Seriously? After we lived together for how long that's how you're going to reply? You know me better than that; I don't care how much you hate my guts. Now what do you want to eat?"
Saru frowns. "I don't care. As long as you don't put vegetables in it."
"Well what are you in the mood for?" Yata pushes a little. "I can make a lot of different things so….I don't mind either way."
"I really don't care..."
Yata sighs, exasperated, and turns his back to him to look in the fridge. "…..fine." He says curtly. "I'll have something in a few minutes." Damn, damn, damn monkey. He knows Saru has favorites, or has moods where he doesn't want certain things. He knows better than anyone! Yet….there's a wall standing between them that he can't seem to climb. Saru mutters an okay before he turns and goes to watch TV, ending their awkward conversation before it could get any worse.
When he finally finishes dinner he feels a little better and it's more elaborate than he'd intended, homemade ramen and dumplings, filling the kitchen with a delicious scent. "Saru, food's done."
It takes a moment for him to make it back into the kitchen, but he has a curious look on his face when he enters. "It smells good in here."
That fills Yata with pride and he smiles, suddenly looking a little bashful. "Ah really? You think so? It's just ramen and dumplings. No vegetables in yours like always."
Yata isn't sure why Saru's praise means so much when he knows from his friends in Homra that he's a good cook. Maybe because when Saru gives him compliments….he knows he's truly earned them.
"Good." Yata knew how much he hated vegetables. Saru never could stomach them very well. He watches as Saru gets himself a bowl of ramen and a couple dumplings and sits down to eat, small smile still present on his face as he does the same, sitting across from the blue. "So um…what did you do all day?" Another awkward question he seemed to ask Saruhiko every day though he genuinely wanted to know the answer. Saru fidgets in his seat when he's asked.
"Nothing much. I walked around the apartment a couple times, watched TV and took a nap. Same as yesterday...and the day before that..." He starts to eat to end the conversation and Yata knows that's how he tries to end conversations he doesn't want to talk about. But he won't give in.
"Really? Sounds fun. Watch anything good?" He bites into a dumpling, eyes on Saru.
Saru chews and swallows the food in his mouth first before answering, which leaves an unbearable, awkward silence in the air.
"A couple movies. Nothing special."
Aaaaand with that….Saru had shut down another attempted conversation. Yata sighs and looked back into his bowl.
"Well you're still recovering so….after dinner you should probably head to bed."
"I took a nap earlier today. I'm not exactly exhausted again just yet."
"Well lay down in bed then….either way your doctor said that even though you can walk she still wants you laying down a lot…so bed for you." His eyes narrow and he makes a face to show just how serious he was. "I'll carry you if I have to and I know in this state you can't fight me." His lips turn up a little at the thought of Saru over his shoulder and he chuckles. "That would be pretty funny actually."
He clicks his tongue, obviously irked by the previous statements and Yata's slight good mood drops immediately as he finishes up and takes his empty bowl to the sink. "Fine." he mutters before heading to the bedroom.
"Saru….Saru wait it was a….joke…" But the blue is already out of the kitchen and Yata is left sitting alone at the table. Well great…just great.
Feeling bitter and irritated, he clears up everything and heads to bed himself. Not like he has anything else to do, though he can't sleep, and he's lying in bed when he hears it.
At first the vanguard isn't sure if it was inside his apartment, but a second scream has him on his feet, moving faster than he may have in his entire life as he sprints to the guest bedroom Saruhiko is sleeping in, flinging the door open. "Saru!"
Saru's sitting up with his knees pulled to his chest, taking deep breaths to try stop his constant shaking. His arms are wrapped around his torso and Yata is stunned, unable to speak let alone move for a good thirty seconds. Something…isn't right here and Yata is afraid to make a wrong move. He slowly steps into the room, making his way to the bed.
"Saru?...Saruhiko? Are you….alright? Are you in pain?" He starts softly. Saruhiko doesn't move, doesn't budge for a long moment before he shakes his head no and Yata doesn't know if it's a 'no he's not alright' or 'no he's not hurt.' But he refuses to take any chances so he slowly crawls onto the bed, creeping towards him like he's coming towards a scared animal because to be honest….that's what Saru looks like.
"Saru…hey…you're scaring me. Please? Talk to me? What happened?" He hesitates before warily extended his hand, lightly touching Saru's arm. He can still see Saru shaking and he feels him tense up when his fingers brush his skin.
"I'm okay..." he finally chokes out and the redhead is just happy to hear some sort of sound that isn't that terrible scream. "Just a dream..." he continues, but it sounds like it's more towards himself though.
"A nightmare?" It's a rhetorical question since Yata already knows the answer and he scoots closer, hesitating again before taking a deep breath, hand rubbing soothing circles on the other's back. "It's okay….I'm….I'm here now…if that means anything."
He thinks his words and touch seem to be doing something because although he's still curled up, Saru leans into him for support. His heart leaps in his chest and it gives him the confidence to slowly wrap his arms around Saru, speaking before he can even think through the words. "I'll stay….I can….stay here for the night. I'll protect you." Though he can't really protect Saru from the dream that made him react in such a way….he can try. He made a promise after all when he was dying in his arms and Yata thought he'd be gone for good. "Because I promised. I'll stay here with you alright? Nothing will hurt you."
He's not sure if he'll get rejected and he almost expects to, but Saru nods his head and finally begins to relax in his arms. "Stay here...Please..?"
Yata tries to keep the surprise off his face, pausing before nodding himself. "Yes. Yes I'll be right here okay so….come on let's lay down." He shifts Saru and helps him get settled under the covers before he awkwardly joins him. God why won't his heart stop pounding? It's almost like when they lived together after middle school and the thunder used to freak him out so he'd crawl up to Saru's bunk and curl up there. This time though….this time he'll be the one to protect Saru. "Sleep okay? I'm here."
It's a half an hour later when Yata is sure he's sleeping, breaths finally even and deep and he keeps his arms around him, tightening them a little. "You promised." He whispers, finally feeling his exhaustion creeping up on him. "You promised you wouldn't leave without me….so I'll keep you safe."