Chapter Twenty-eight - Some good vibes
Even through the closed door, he can hear their amused voices, the clacking of the dice, and their happy laughter.
Urushihara sighs, turns off the faucet, feels for one of the towels hanging on the wall and dries his hands. Then he rubs his eyes. It's strange: he can't see anything anymore, but still his eyes are getting tired. Or maybe it's just time to go to sleep.
He really longs for some rest.
Gradually, it's all getting a little too much for him.
Ever since that power outage, they've all been treating him like their very own hero. It's really embarrassing. The only thing he did was to flip the fuse again and thus provide electricity.
The DVD-Player, however, didn't react and thus they had found the cause of the short circuit.
Alas-Ramus was sad, of course, because she couldn't finish her movie, but they quickly consoled her with a board game.
A board game that Urushihara unfortunately couldn't play in - well, he could, of course, but then someone else would have had to set the pieces for him, and what would have been the point? But since Alas-Ramus urged him to please roll the dice for her papa, and he of course couldn't refuse her this wish, he ended up sitting on the floor with them after all.
But he didn't feel any real fun in this game. Or at this social gathering.
Because no matter how nice they all are to him now, it doesn't change the fact that it seems wrong to him. But fine, he'll play along for a few more rounds and then gracefully retire.
He takes one deep, sighing breath and then takes the three steps that lead him to the bathroom door. He's really proud of himself when he finds the handle the first time. And this time he doesn't slam the door against his nose because he remembers to dodge it in time.
The light scent of lily of the valley enters his nose and saves him from a heart attack when she suddenly addresses him.
"Urushihara-san..."
Polite as always, but the suffix tells him she wants something from him.
"Oh, Chiho." He finally steps over the threshold and politely leaves the door open behind him. "The bathroom is free now." He hopes it's just because even if his gut tells him otherwise.
And it doesn't fool him, because Chiho has been wanting to tell him something all evening, just hasn't found the courage to do so until now. Embarrassed, she bites her lower lip.
"I don't really have to go," she finally admits quietly. "I just wanted to... Can I give you a hug?"
"What?" Automatically, he takes a step back, but by then she's approaching and carefully wrapping her arms around him.
"Yes. Ah. Thank you." Urushihara freezes inwardly and pats her back awkwardly after the initial moment of shock. "For what-?"
Just as quickly as she hugged him, she lets him go. Her cheeks flushing bright red, she takes another step back.
"I admire you," she gushes hastily. She talks so fast she almost trips over her own words, but she suddenly feels strangely self-conscious in his presence. "You're so brave. It was so dark during that power outage and I was really scared. But you live in that complete darkness every day, and I'm just now realizing how awful that is."
"It's okay..." He really doesn't know what to say in response, but she's already talking.
"Besides..." she hesitates for a moment, gives herself a jolt, and then continues, "I've noticed that you're reticent about Maou-sama, and I want to assure you that you don't have to be. Not because of me. I... I don't want to be in your way. It's not easy for me, I admit, but I have to get used to this sight and I should start right away. It's not your fault after all and it's not mine either, no one can help the way they feel and I don't want to be to blame if you're unhappy because you think you have to hold back because of me."
"Wow. Chiho." Involuntarily, he reaches out to place his hands reassuringly on her shoulders. In doing so, he lets her voice and his intuition guide him, and he just barely misses. Instead of her shoulders, he catches her upper arms.
"Slow down, Chi-chan. Just take a deep breath."
Though it's not meant literally, she takes his words as advice and takes one deep, audible breath and then exhales.
Urushihara does the same. While it's true that he and Maou have kept a certain distance from each other since the blackout, that's only because they've regained their sense of propriety. At least temporarily, and at least as long as they're all sitting together playing a board game.
To Urushihara, this is normal, never did he think anyone could take it so wrongly, and he smoothly feels a little guilty.
"Listen, Chi-chan." Insistently he looks at her and it's really amazing how much life sparkles in his blind eyes. "You really are the kindest, sweetest human girl I've ever met. And believe me, I've met a lot." He doesn't have to look far for the right words that will make her feel better. He's heard - and said - similar ones often enough. The difference is that he means every word here honestly.
"I thank you for your magnanimity. I thank you for releasing Maou. You are a true general."
Touched, she casts down her eyes. His words are like a balm to her uncertain heart. She wants to say something, but she can't get a word out. He can literally feel her embarrassment. Hell, it's starting to get really awkward.
"Will you excuse me?" He forces a small smile. "And will you please tell the others I'm tired and going upstairs?" As he asks, he makes a move to walk past her and she instinctively avoids him.
"Yes, of course," she murmurs, "G-good night."
"Thanks. And you have a good time," he wishes her still kindly.
As he makes his way to the stairs and up the steps, he tries to be extra confident, not wanting her or any of the others to come after him to help.
He really needs time for himself now.
One hand on the railing, he slowly climbs the steps. Behind him he hears the voices of the others, no more than a background murmur, a whisper, because he is fully occupied not to lose count. He doesn't know these stairs well enough yet, he hasn't internalized them like the ones at their home, and it's important to him not to embarrass himself by stumbling. The way they are on it now, they might actually want to help him and he really can't handle that niceness.
At moments like these, he wishes they were still as clueless as they were thirty-six hours ago. He's just reached the top and has taken just three steps into the small hallway when he hears him hurrying up the steps.
Sighing, he stops.
"Yes, Jacob?"
Maou falters in surprise. "How-how do you know-"
"I recognize you by your footsteps."
"Oh. Of course." Maou grins sheepishly, and though Urushihara can't see it, he hears it.
"You don't have to stop your game because of me. Alas -"
Maou quickly interrupts him. "She sent me after you. You forgot your knitting." Meaningfully, he holds out the wool and knitting needles to him, then lowers everything as he meets Urushihara's blank stare.
Then a proud smile twitches around Urushihara's lips.
"A clever child."
Maou's eyes hang transfixed on those promising lips.
"Yes," he then says pensively.
Carelessly dropping the knitting, he crosses the distance separating them with a single big step, grabs him by the shoulders and kisses him.
Urushihara gives a startled grunt when he feels his back pressed against the wall so unexpectedly, but in the same second he willingly opens his lips and readily welcomes Maou's brash tongue.
Satisfied, Maou hums into their kiss, eagerly diving for Urushihara's taste, while his hands are already creeping under Urushihara's hoodie and T-shirt as if by themselves, leaving fiery marks on his skin there.
Instinctively, Urushihara wraps his arms around Maou's neck and pulls him even tighter against him and into this maddening kiss. He has long forgotten where they are, all he cares about is more of Maou's tongue on his, that incomparable taste, his breath on his skin, his touch, his warmth and closeness, the butterflies in his stomach and his growing arousal.
This has to be real. Oh please, let it be real.
And if not, don't let it end so soon.
For a moment, the fear flickers in him again, but then Maou growls once more, deep and dark, and presses his groin firmly against Urushihara's, and every clear thought dissolves into air.