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“If he tries anything weird, call me,” Mikey says gravely.
Takemichi sighs and hikes his bag higher on his shoulder. “Mikey-kun, Inui-kun won’t do anything weird.” He’s not you, he bites back.
Mikey gives him another long stare, makes a ‘call me’ gesture and rides away.
Inui (and Koko) live in a luxurious apartment for two, in one of the high buildings that give Takemichi anxiety just by looking at it. He takes out the keycard Koko gave him and marches into the building.
22 nd floor. That’s where their apartment is. It doesn’t take him long to find the right door. He puts in the code Koko texted him and the door makes a whirring noise before it stops with a resounding click. “Sorry for intruding,” he says as he opens it.
The apartment is spacious, is the first thing he notices. The fact that it’s bare, second. All the lights are on and the TV is playing a cooking show. He puts his bag on the sofa, takes off his jacket and makes his way into the hallway and to the only open door.
Inui is curled into a fetal position on top of the mattress, a compress by his head that has fallen off while he was turning in his sleep. Takemichi checks the clock. It’s about time for his medicine. But first, he will need food.
He goes back to the living room and takes out the porridge he’d bought on the way here. He goes to the kitchen area and finds the microwave under a stack of bread and jams. He puts in the porridge to heat before he opens the cupboard to look for anything Inui to drink. They barely have anything, but there’s an open box of tea packets. He takes that out and goes back to his bag to take out the thermos for the hot water. They might have a water heater somewhere, but he’s too lazy to find it.
He’s swirling the tea packets in the thermos when he hears something shuffling behind him. Turning around, he sees Inui blinking at him with a frown.
“Inui-kun!” he greets loudly, and immediately regrets it when the sick boy winces. “Ah, sorry. I’m glad you’ve woken up! It’s time for your medicine.”
“What…are you doing?” Inui asks.
The microwave stops with a loud TING! Takemichi leaves the thermos on the aisle to take out the porridge. “I’m making you food!” he says brightly as he presents the reheated food. He grabs a spoon and puts them on the dining table,then goes back behind the kitchen aisle to take the thermos and a cup to bring to the table.
“Sit, sit. You will need to fill your stomach before you can take your medicine. Koko-kun told me so.”
Inui blinks again, slowly, like he’s only half registering what Takemichi is saying. The fever must be bad. Which is why he needs to take his medicine on time so he can recover!
He pushes Inui carefully towards the dining table and pulls out the chair for him to sit. The sick boy obediently sits down, staring down at the steaming chicken porridge like he’s never seen anything like it. Takemichi pours him the tea and sets the cup beside the bowl.
“Eat up,” he says.
Inui keeps staring at the food. Then, he slowly looks up at Takemichi, blinking his feverish eyes at him.
It’s so rare to see him looking this unguarded. He can even call him docile, like a sleepy puppy. It would be worrying if it weren’t kinda, sorta, maybe cute. If you can call someone as intimidating as Inui cute.
Inui pulls the chair beside with his weak arm and pats it, looking at Takemichi woefully. He feels a tug at his heart at the pitiful look, so he follows the odd plea without a word. Inui smiles, takes the spoon beside the bowl and offers it to him.
He balks. ‘Inui-kun, that’s for you! You have to eat!”
“I know,” Inui says. “Feed me. My arm is tired.”
Oh. That makes sense. He takes the spoon and pulls the bowl closer. Inui shifts so he’s facing him, mouth ajar like a child waiting to be fed. Takemichi feels a wave of embarrassment about it, but he takes the spoon and scoops a sizable amount before holding it out for Inui.
It’s… not as awkward as it should be.
“Did Koko ask you to come here?”
“He did. Said your fever is bad.”
Inui smiles. “I’m glad he did. I’m happy to see you.”
They get through the meal with Takemichi trying not to look him in the eye and his ears in flames.
Inui, the former vice-captain of the Black Dragon, member of Toman, is someone you would not want to make an enemy of. You don’t want to be on his wrong side and stumble upon him in an isolated alley. Takemichi knows this as well as he knows the back of his hand.
But the Inui-kun in front of Takemichi is someone very attentive, and caring, and soft, and smiles generously. He doesn’t smile in front of anyone else. Only Takemichi, and occasionally, Koko. It’s very flattering, but sometimes he wishes he’s not the subject of it because he always ends up being flustered and flailing. And he still doesn’t know how he ended up with this level of admiration.
He has to hold this very confusing person by the arm to help him back to bed. What a strange turn his life has taken. He also ends up having to help him with his medicine, which wouldn’t be as weird if he doesn’t have to literally feed him from his palm. Eurgh.
“Hanagaki, will you stay?”
He stops by the doorway, looks back at Inui on the bed, who’s looking rather pitiful with his flushed face and glazed eyes. He feels that tug at his heart again. He smiles. “Of course. I’ll be in the living room.”
“No, stay here.”
Wow. That fever is doing a number on him. Takemichi approaches the bed and puts his hand on his forehead. It’s not that hot but it’s definitely higher than normal. Inui leans into his palm, eyes closing and a sigh escapes his lips.
“Your hand feels cool,” he says.
“You’re the one who’s heating up,” he replies lightheartedly as he pulls away.
“Mm,” Inui says. “My sister used to hold my hand and kiss my forehead when I’m sick.”
That tug at his heart turns into a full-blown pull. He’s never heard Inui speak of his sister, but he knows she’s no longer with them and the scar on his face has everything to do with it. That must be why he asked him to stay. Inui-kun must miss her a lot.
“Do you… want me to hold your hand?” he asks hesitantly.
Inui nods.
Takemichi looks around. There isn’t a chair in the room and holding Inui’s hand for an extended period of time while he’s on the floor would murder his arm. He makes his way around the bed and gets comfortable on the headboard before taking Inui’s cold hand. “Okay?”
Inui shifts to lie on his side, facing him, and nods sleepily. He opens his eyes to ask, “Lie down with me?”
Oh. Okay. Odd request, but Takemichi is a good friend, and Inui is sick, so he shimmies down to rest his head on the pillow. Inui squeezes his hand and shifts closer to him before he shuts his eyes. It’s not long before his breathing evens out.
The cool weather and the quiet in the apartment lulls Takemichi into dreamland not long after.
Lunch is delivery food from Koko. Okayu for Inui and oyakodon for Takemichi. He’s setting up the table when he feels arms snaking around his waist and he’s shrieking in fright before he can stop himself.
“Inui-kun!”
“Mm, something smells good,” the sick boy sleepily says, resting his head on Takemichi’s shoulder.
He laughs nervously. “Lunch! Lunch is ready. Why don’t you sit down?”
Of course, this means he has to feed Inui again. Eurgh. He’s lucky Takemichi is such a good friend.
“I want cuddles.”
Takemichi stares at Inui, who’s looking up at him woefully.
He has zero experience in taking care of a sick person before today, but he’s pretty sure this is going beyond what counts as taking care of a sick person. Would Takemichi do it? Of fucking course he would. Inui-kun is his friend, who is sick without anyone to take care of him and he’s probably missing his dear sister quite terribly if he asked a guy to hold his hand to sleep. Screw what anyone says. Takemichi will see this task Koko has entrusted to him through and he will do it amazingly.
And. Well. Inui-kun has always been nice to him. Maybe he feels comfortable with Takemichi. That’s why he’s asking these things. And who is Takemichi to deny a dear friend his comfort?
That’s how he ends up lying down on Inui’s bed for the second time, the sick boy tucked comfortably under his chin and his arms around him.
“This is nice. Thank you, Hanagaki.”
“N-no problem.”
It really is no problem.
“Can I have a kiss?”
Maybe it is a problem.
Takemichi stares at the wall. His mind is a static of incoherent screaming. Inui-kun! What are you saying!
“...my sister used to do it so I could sleep.”
Fuck fuck fuck fuck it. Goddamned it all. Takemichi can’t handle a sick and sad person. It’s like seeing a baby being abused. His heart feels like it’s going to split apart.
He steels his heart and kisses Inui’s forehead lightning fast. There! Don’t ask for anything more! Aren’t you sick!? Just go to sleep already!
“...she used to kiss me on my cheek.”
Dear Inui nee-san, you were probably the most wonderful sister in the world, but this is inconveniencing Takemichi quite a lot! Does Inui-kun ask this of everyone?! Did he ask Taiju?!
He shudders.
Okay. This is okay. This is nothing. He will NOT chicken out. He’s promised himself and Koko-kun. Hanagaki Takemichi is not a quitter. Not anymore.
He puts some distance between their bodies. Inui obediently accommodates him, showing him his cheek. His heart is beating like he’s just run five miles as he lowers his head and gives Inui the kiss he asked for.
The skin under his lips is warm, and pillowy soft. He pulls away immediately and goes back to their original position. Inui squeezes him for a few seconds too long. “Thank you,” he whispers into Takemichi’s shirt.
Heat creeps up on his cheeks and ears. “You’re welcome,” he replies.
They take a while to fall asleep, both hearts beating fast.
The next time Takemichi opens his eyes, the sun has set and the only light in the room comes from the living room.
Inui’s fever has broken during their sleep. It’s a relief, because that means he can go home now. Also, Koko-kun might be home soon. He tries to extract himself, but the sleeping boy has such a grip. He jostles so much that Inui is woken up from his sleep.
“Hanagaki?”
“Go back to sleep. Your fever has broken so I’m going home now.”
Instead of letting him go, Inui pulls him in tighter. “Can’t you stay for the night?” he asks. Pitifully.
Today, Takemichi has done many things he never thought he ever would. His heart is going to give out if he stays longer, because he has a feeling that Inui-kun won’t let him go that easily.
He’s right. While he was trying to come up with a solid explanation on why he needs to leave, Inui rolls himself up so that Takemichi is looking up at him while he hovers. Inui closes the distance, whispers softly into the small space between their lips, “Stay.”
HHHNGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!
He’s sick! He’s not supposed to look that handsome while begging! What a fatal blow!
Takemichi wants to spit blood.
Inui takes advantage of his catatonic state to kiss his ear, his jaw, and his neck. “I can’t be reading this wrong,” he says. “That’s why you came here today, right? That’s why you took such good care of me and slept with me, twice.”
Please mind your words! That could be taken wrongly! And please stop kissing me! Aaarrggghhhh!
Inui comes back up to look him in the eye. He averts his eyes shyly, but Inui takes his jaw and turns his head. He leans in, and if he comes any closer Takemichi’s heart will flatline. At once.
“You know how I feel about you,” Inui says, his gaze burning as his lips touch Takemichi’s own trembling ones. “You must. I haven’t been subtle.”
That doesn’t mean Takemichi is ready to confront the truth! He’s been denying what’s in front of him for months and to have it shoved in front of him like this, by the person himself, it’s too much. His heart is not ready!
“But if I must,” Inui continues, “Then let me say it to you clearly.”
“I like you.”
The words are blurted out like they can’t escape his lips quick enough. He squeezes his eyes shut and his hands grip the bed sheet until his fingers feel sore. It’s done. He’s said it.
He feels the breath on him before the lips. They’re chapped and warm, but soft. So soft. They leave far too soon.
“I like you too.”
He opens his eyes. Inui is looking at him warmly, smiling with stars in his eyes.
Their second kiss lasts for far, far longer.