#//She only remembered it when she was stationed in Inazuma during her time with the Fatui

[oceanxveiined]

Her obsession with the sea an all things related all stemmed from her mother. On her kinder days, Morjena would constantly reminisce about her youth in Natlan, talking about her homeland near crystalline, azure waters. Of how much she missed the place itself, even while hating everyone she knew, and her lack of success and status there. The longing in her mother’s voice and, later on, the more Danae herself saw out pictures of that place, the more enraptured by the idea of it Danae became. She absorbed her mother’s love for the sea and to this day, will go out of her way to see it if given the right opportunity.

[apompkwrites]

a week or so || scaramouche

masterlist characters: scaramouche genre: fluff summary: for the past week, scaramouche has been acting... different. his little changes don't go unnoticed by his fellow harbingers. notes: i was kinda lost on how to write for dottore and la signora? i hope this is okay!

ever since the harbingers knew him, scaramouche had been... what's the best way to put it? authoritative? cunning? whatever negative word they could think of, it usually applied to scaramouche.

of course, until they started to notice the small changes in his behavior.

"he seems... happier?"

what an odd word to describe their fellow harbinger. happy... their snarky, hot-headed harbinger was oddly upbeat and (somewhat) overjoyed.

his face shows less disdain than it normally does. even to tartaglia, the very harbinger he despised more than the others, his glare seemed to soften ever-so-slightly.

word would travel fast of the infamous harbinger's change in behavior.

if the other subordinates weren't scared of him...

thus, the gossip regarding the sixth harbinger is reduced only to their other harbingers.

"haven't you noticed anything going on with him?" tartaglia hummed, crossing his arms. a few of the other harbingers looked at him, shooting him questionable stares from across the table.

"why should we be concerned with that?" la signora raised an eyebrow at tartaglia, eyeing the man up and down.

"it's just kind of weird..."

the earliest instance tartarglia could remember was about a week or so ago. the hydro user had made it his goal that day, just like any other day, to become a nuisance to scaramouche.

all he wanted to do was rile him up as per usual. but somehow, all of his attempts seemed to fail.

poking fun at his height? scaramouche just bit his tongue and left.

messing with him while he's training? he just goes right back to what he had been, this time a few feet away from tartaglia.

mimicking him after he sends off his subordinates? he shoots him a dirty look but that's about it.

no matter how long he had done it, scaramouche showed restraint in his outbursts.

dottore, ever a curious man, thought back on all of the times he had seen the shorter harbinger pass by his workspace.

during those rare moments he had taken a break in experiments, he always had a good look at the people passing by. a few subordinates here, a few test subjects there, the usual. it wasn't too often for him to see scaramouche pass by, let alone with something tucked away in his arms.

the sixth harbinger attempted to sneak past dottore's open doorway, rushing past the lab towards another room down the hallway. after another unsuccessful experiment, dottore had threatened his assistant, as per protocol, and took a deep breath as he walked towards the door.

he had let his head peek out to stare down the hallway towards the harbinger, watching as he stood beside the locked office, holding a large bouquet in his arms.

pink lotuses were tucked away in the white container, nearly blending in with scaramouche's uniform. he seemed to take a relieved sigh before leaning against the locked door, hugging the suiren close to his chest.

what an odd expression for someone so full of disdain...

la signora was not one to idle in the rabble of the "commonfolk" (as childe was so lovingly dubbed) but even she couldn't help herself when she took note of scaramouche's odd behavior.

over the past few days, his sudden disappearances always... piqued her interest.

he seemed to disappear hours on end, only to reappear without any trace of leaving the building. no disturbed doors, no reports from the guards, nothing.

and halfway into the week, she had found her answer as to where he had gone off to.

she had spotted the familiar black veil that trailed behind him vanish behind the corner. letting her curiosity get the better of her, she allowed her body to follow after him, glancing around the corner to where scaramouche had stopped.

a small key was held in his hand, unlocking the office door as he twisted it into the lock. quickly, he hid himself away inside the room, the soft sound of the lock clicking filling the hallway.

and there he stayed for hours on end, prompting signora to leave a few minutes in.

"i'm baaack!" a cheerful voice chimed as the harbinger burst through the doors. a basket was hoisted over their shoulders, hidden just out of the view.

"welcome back!" tartaglia greeted, waving happily to the (h/color)-haired figure.

"huh, how am i here before scara?" they questioned, tilting their head slightly. "man... i even brought him the gifts i promised."

"gifts?" signora echoed, lightly tapping her fingers against the table.

"oh! i'm guessing he didn't tell anyone," they chuckled, sliding into their designated seat. they slid off the basket from their shoulders, gathering the contents in their arms and placing them on the table. "see?"

the complementary colors of pink and purple stood out against the dark desk. the flowers the harbinger had brought along were all neatly tucked away into a single bouquet, held together by a white container.

"that's an interesting selection," dottore hummed, nodding his head to the bouquet.

"i needed some help picking them out," (name) laughed, rubbing the back of their neck. "inazuma still has its signature flower specialists."

"how long until you're next station?"

"um... i think--"

"(name)!" scaramouche called out upon entering the room, causing the harbinger to shut their mouth and form a bright smile.

"scara!"

"you two seem close," tartaglia grinned, shooting a teasing smirk toward scaramouche's direction.

"huh? well of course we're close!" (name) interjected, jumping out of their chair. they skipped over to scaramouche's side, looping their arm around his. "we are dating after all!"

"you're dating?!"

"ah, that explains a lot," signora and dottore hummed in unison.

"for how long?!" tartaglia shouted, looking over at the duo for an answer.

"um... a few years now."

"and why did we never know?!"

"you never asked," scaramouche commented. "i still wouldn't have told you, though."

"hey!"

"scara! be nice! remember the rule was for a week until i get back, meaning you still have to be nice for a few more hours!"

[astraaltiora]

Not for Sale

A/N: A very hearty mix of self-indulgence, crack, modern-universe with canon-parallel lore. A series of fluff, maybe some domesticity along the way. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this crack of a fic that I enjoyed writing.

Summary: With all the clamour and window knocking at early dawn, Heizou should probably start putting up signs in front of his windowsill and the front door. These potted plants--no matter their pretty exterior and well tendered soil, leaves and petals--are not for sale.

"'Zou-niichan! Zouzou-niichan!"

The affectionate nickname was accompanied by small pebbles being thrown at his window. It was most likely too early for anyone in the Police Station to wake up, but this particular 'alarm' was what Shikanoin Heizou would wake up to.

Heizou had lived in the Portside City of Ritou for as long as he could remember. The Ritou, in olden times, used to be filled with maple leaves during autumn, bustling merchants, noise and calls from fishermen and their crew on their fishing boats. It was a clamour of business in the simple days, but now--as Heizou's old man would say--times have changed and Ritou was no longer a port only for the merchants to dwell in. It had fully transformed into a city itself.

Annoyingly adorable foreign neighbours, included.

"Zou-niichan! Wake up! I want a flower today!"

A calmer and softer toned voice echoed soon after the 'request' was made. Some shuffling was made and a whine came next.

"Albedo-niichan, Zou-niichan would always give me new flowers to bring with me! Let's wait just a second longer, please?"

The two siblings came from Mondstadt, a jewel of a city in the middle of a Sweet Cider Lake. It was supposed to be continent somewhere above Inazuma, 'with lots and lots and lots of fish to bomb!', or so the sweet like elven-child had told him in one of his babysitting instances for her Alchemist brother would say. The two were neighbours to him for over a year, and he know Albedo to be a special guest of the Kanjou Commission and the Yashiro Commission. The alchemist was tasked to conduct his studies over biochemical lifeforms and the different effects each would develop, considering the different ley lines in Teyvat. His study was supposedly important to keeping the ley lines 'normal' and to avoid any convergent anomalies to develop over time, or so Heizou would assume (correctly and accurately).

When another pebble hits his window, accompanied by an echoing whine, Heizou sat up from his side of the bed and yawned. He stretched his arms up and over his head and dusted the crumbs of late night snacking and overtime off his folded Tenryou Commissioned shirt. He lazily picked a blue and white open-faced flower from vine of a potted plant that hung from the ceiling of his room, and then made his way to the window that was being massacred by small pebbles.

"Good morning, Klee. You seem to be in a hurry." He said and leaned his arms over the window pane.

He casted Albedo a small smile and waved the Kalaptus Lotus to him and his little sister in his hand. Klee visibly brightened and detached herself from his brother's hold and zoomed towards the window, where Heizou was perched with the blue and white lotus in his hand. She pets the other flowers and plants the surrounded and crowded the window's outside and reached up to get the flower from Heizou.

"What's it called, Zou-niichan?" She asked and marvelled at the well-cared for plan in her hands. "Its pretty like Albedo-niichan's isotoma!"

Albedo hummed softly and noted the features of the flower in her hands. He doesn't say much but lifted Klee up to seat her over the window pane, right in between Heizou's arms. She looked up at Heizou with the same bright sun-like smile and offered it to him.

"Is Kazuha-niichan here too?" Klee asked and tilted her head to look over Heizou. "Is he back from Fontaine yet?"

Heizou smiled and took the Kalaptus Lotus from her hands and re-tied her hair to display the lotus over her braids, tucked neatly in place. "He would be back before you know it."

"I'm sure the flowers will sell better, if Kazuha-niichan is here." Klee agreed and gave Heizou a soft pat on the cheek. "Thank you Zou-niichan."

If. Wait--

Heizou pinched Klee's cheek with a slight smirk over his face. He tuts at her and clicks his tongue, a finger wagged before the small child's face as he reminded her (previously, continuously, consistently) that--"These plants are not for sale!"

She giggled and stood up on the windowsill and gave Heizou a hug. "They should be! I'll go now, Zouzou-niichan! Hopefully Kazuha-niichan comes home soon! The plants are lonely without him!"

She jumped into Albedo's arms and went on her way. She waved widely at the dumbfounded and grumbling detective. Klee was the only child in the Ritou area and Heizou babied her for it. Much to Albedo's nonchalance and the rest of the neighbouring diplomats and foreigners living in the area (as delegated by the Tri-Commission), Klee was the only other being in the seaside village that actually brought a smile to Heizou's face.

With the exception of Kaedehara Kazuha, his currently absent roommate, whose wanderlust is much greater than anything to make him stay in Inazuma.

He sighed and looked over the potted plants around. There those set on the windowsill, the ones that were too big and had to be planted outside the house, while there were also others that hung on the ceiling by their vines, and those that crawled up on the side of the wall--they were all plants that Kazuha had brought back to his flat as a souvenir from the places he's visited. Which Kazuha had told Heizou to 'take care of them', while he was away. Heizou did not want to plant-sit, he had better things to do than till soil and water these unmoving creatures... but... What would Kazuha think, if these plants start to say that they were lonely without their real owner?

Not that they could talk.

...

They are not lonely too! Heizou argued in his head. I take care of these plants just fine!

He clicked his tongue and removed the used shirt he had on and discarded the same to the laundry basket that was brimming with dirty clothes (that he really should take care of, too, but the plants took precedence). He takes a spray bottle of clean water and started his day watering and talking (yes, Kazuha reminded him that these plants should be talked to, because they understand human feelings "and would grow better if they are read poetry too!") to the plants and told them about how annoying Uesugi had been, since his promotion, and how hardheaded Asakura had been, when he wanted to train until the wee hours of the day just to prove that he was every bit as strong as the next Yoiriki and Hatamoto.

Kazuha told him to talk to the plants, as if these inanimate things could ever take his place.

"Why ever would he think a speechless little maple shrub would take his place, I wonder." Heizou rolled his eyes and sprayed the small acer palmatum by his night stand with copious amount of water.

He stared at the red leaves, the beautifully shaped edges, and the softness that run over its pristine burgundy veins.

"Do not look at me like that. I'm just saying... I would rather have the real thing, you know." Heizou stared at the shrub with accusing eyes and sighed. "You have always been his favourite. Maybe I should take you to the window--some sunlight may do you well."

The acer palmatum only waved by the small breeze it took on the windowsill, as if a small unsaid gratitude was delivered to its keeper.

"Yeah, yeah. Tell him, when he gets home."

---

The Station was always filled characters and personas that Heizou could find some level of interest in, however... lately, they have been extremely annoying as of late. Especially, when they always ask about a certain wanderlust stricken roommate of his. Even though Heizou exuded an aura that told the world and anyone that breathed in it that he does not, in fact, want to talk about it.

"How long has he been gone now, Shikanoin, about a month?" Uesugi asked, his fingers rubbed his chin and his eyes stared at the wide Station-used calendar. "Where did he go to now?"

"Sumeru." He answered curtly and kept his head ducked down to the desk of opened case files (that he's already finished up on) and pretended to be busy. Hopefully, the newly promoted officer would get the drift and leave him be.

He did not get the drift and proceeded to bother him.

Uesugi took the seat at the front of his desk and continued to muse about the whereabouts of the wanderer roommate of his. Uesgui had concluded on several hypotheses that Kazuha may have that 'sweet, innocent, nonthreatening look' but--according to the newly promoted officer--Heizou has to watch where Kazuha's going, since people like him attracts everyone to his 'yard'--whatever that means.

"Kaedehara-done is a catch! You know this! He's from a prestigious family! He's sweet, kind, gentlemanly and all that! I truly wonder if the story about him from his past was true, but even then you have to admit some darkness is sexy!"

Heizou's brows furrowed together. His head shook away the oncoming indecently proposed thoughts and word used to describe his roommate and passive-income source. He did not want to think of Kazuha being anything but 'sweet' and 'innocent', but Uesugi made a fair point. After all, he had thought of going for the said roommate once or twice, before, but he had his heart back out at the last second, as he always found it dropped to the floor without warning.

"He is a roommate, Uesugi. He pays me extra to take care of the nursery of plants he takes home, that is all I know of him." He clarified.

It was a lie. Of course, it was a lie. No one in the Station would understand. No one would consider it believable, if Doushin Shikanoin declared that he was easily dumbfounded and rendered speechless by the said plant-hugging roommate of his. No one. No one in the Station would imagine that their surprisingly volatile, charming, headstrong, and unapologetic junior (senior) would be one to gawk at someone he truly thought to be breathtaking.

Perhaps, that was the purpose of the word. Breathtaking.

Heizou never really figured the reason for words to be so accurate in description, and he wouldn't have been so interested... had Kazuha not knocked on his bedroom and asked for a word to fit a haiku he was composing one night. In Heizou's defense, what was the difference between 'fizzy' and 'effervescent'--they mean absolutely the same thing! But Kazuha had to be exact with words, he gave words meaning and it was never just because they meant one thing or another. Heizou forgot whatever Kazuha said after, all he remembered then... was that he never felt so inadequate in his life, all because he couldn't find the right word for a simple 'haiku' and ended up being laughed at by his (then, new) roommate.

"You take care of the plants, Shikanoin?" Yoriki Owada asked with a raised brow and an obvious smirk over his lips. "Why I never took you as one with a green thumb."

Heizou simply casted him a look that reminded Owada 'who' was truly responsible for his title and position in the Station. "It's added income. My poor Doushin salary is not enough, I tell you."

"And playing gardener to a 'Young Master' surely pays well, doesn't it?" Owada snickered and gets a pencil thrown to his forehead with force that made him thankful Shikanoin Doushin used the blunt end.

Uesugi stared at the exchange and wondered what could it have been that Yoriki Owada said to have Doushin Shikanoin sent a flying projectile lethally aimed to his forehead. Far as he knew, all Yoriki Owada said were factual circumstances. Doushin Shikanoin was, indeed, caring for 'Young Master Kaedehara''s plants, what was there to be so annoyed about?

Heizou huffed and took his case files with him to get out of the suddenly 'stuffy' and 'nosy' Station. As it seems, Police work is less peace and order, but nose-into-Doushin-Shikanoin's business today. He doesn't say a word to his superior and simply up and left without a word or a passing glance. They were all in their positions because of him, after all. The least they could do was to give him his timely leaves, whenever he gets the urge to punch someone in the face.

---

When Heizou got back from the Station, he was earlier than usual. He found a crowd of women and small children back his apartment's window and immediately knew what they were gawking about.

Not a lot of plants grew in Inazuma. There were little to no floral that reap its beauty in the Electro-infused air of land of eternity. Save from the bloody Dendrobrium, there were no flowers that grew their island. Hence, the sight of several flowers from many different nations--from the bright and blossoming Sumeru Rose, the captivating Glaze Lilies, and the Kalpatus Lotuses that hung overheard--it was only natural that women and children would be attractmed to his apartment.

It was a security hazard and a hassle, but what he could never tell his dear roommate that. Nope. He would just have to take this consequence have the daily routine of saying:

"They are not for sale, ladies and kiddies. Apologies." Heizou called out as he was about to enter the apartment. Before he could hear them groan, whine, and unsolicitedly give a price, he made his stand--"They're given to me by my dearest friend, they are priceless, so move on along."

"Dearest friend?"

Heizou's head nearly snapped at how fast it turned towards the long gone and familiar voice. 'Kazuha?!'

Kazuha was tending to the soil of the batch of Cecilias that he planted there, he was watched and helped by the small group of children gathered around him--the women that surrounded them were most likely the children's mothers or older sisters. They all seemed in awe at someone doing something so mundane and ordinary, Heizou would have shooed them all away, but he could understand. It was Kazuha they watched, everything the young runaway noble did seemed like poetry. Even pushing at soil and watering plants.

"These white petals sing. In sunset and moonlight glow. Dear friend I am home." Kazuha said in his poetic stance, he gazed up at Heizou, a calm and sweet smile over his feature.

Heizou could feel an urge inside him to pull his 'dearest' friend into a hug. Kazuha had left for eight weeks and three days (he was not counting, he was just good with telling time and the days, when Kazuha was not around) and neither a note or message was sent his way. One would think it would have been possible to at least give him 'how are you' or 'are my plants doing well?' over the time, but Kazuha was as free-spirited as any wanderer. A persona of his that Heizou detested... and respected. He could understand the wanderlust that Kazuha cradled so dearly in his heart; he understood it well, since he's heard the life of the runaway noble was a free as bird in a tiny cage. To someone deprived of adventure, freedom, and the call of foreign winds, it was obvious that Kazuha would relish all that he could, now that he is free to do so.

"What are you smiling at me for, Kaedehara." Heizou said with a tone of annoyance, but the smile on his face was a tell he could never hide. "Get inside, before I drag you inside."

Kazuha lets out a breathy laugh and hummed. "Is that an order, Doushin Shikanoin?"

"Do not make me use handcuffs." He warned and entered the apartment, his heart drummed faster than he could ever think it could.

He turned to the direction of the children that crowded him and gave them a playful shrug. "I should go. I do not want to get in trouble with my dearest friend, he is a police officer, after all."

The whines of children couldn't deter him, he wanted to get inside his small shared home too. Kazuha has a love for travel and the discovery of sights yet to be known, but this love for others is not all for the destinations yet travelled. He gets homesick, too, as much as he is silently and begrudgingly missed.

"Kazuha!" A voice cut from the outside and shied by their front door sounded. "Man alive! You haven't been here for a second and you're already making me pull on my hair!"

It was Kazuha's cue to stand up and shoo the children away. He goes inside the flat to face the fiery tone and landlord of his room and the gardener of his previous nursery of foreign roots and saplings.

The inside of the flat was still the same, though a lot has changed since the first time Kazuha had moved in. There used to be rules and lines--actual red marked up lines around the flat--that Kazuha had to follow to ensure his continued stay. However, now, Heizou had crossed over boundaries. Heizou used the same side of the fridge and he would use the same pots and pans to cook them a meal. They shared things, mostly everything in the house. It has been a glaring difference now, but Kazuha would not say much else.

He sat by their dining table and waited for Heizou to cook his famous leftover deep fried food for himself, while makes Kazuha something fresh because Kazuha would not want something so haphazardly thrown together to eat. Heizou made a note of this and he would not forget.

They have are not together. They simply live in the same roof. Water the same plants. Eat the same food. At times, Heizou would be furious at Kazuha for leaving him with nurseries of plants to nurture and care for, while he left for another excursion. But... Heizou wouldn't say that he was thankful for it.

"Our house was a lot quieter without you." Heizou sets the plate of freshly cooked fish before Kazuha a light flush over his cheeks was seen. "Don't leave me that long again, or else the plants will get it."

"I think that's a crime to threaten a living thing's very life in exchange for any act to be done." Kazuha laughed and placed a hand over Heizou's. "I would not leave our place anytime soon, my dearest Doushin."

"... I knew the plants would make you consider." Heizou said with huff and glanced at the hand over his. "I... I took care of them, I'm sure you'd hear about it from these plants."

"I'm sure you did." He held onto Heizou's hand and made no move to let it go that Heizou decided to move his plate and food beside him. Kazuha grinned softly and ate with his left hand, while Heizou ate with his right—their hand holding under the table like a secret that nobody knows.

Save for the plants that were there.

No one would know.

[frozcnlight]

x | cont. from @soulcrux​

" Stationed in Mondstadt, huh? I already assumed you were not from here. But now you sound like some military from a far away land. “, she half-joked with a chuckle. It remembered her of books she read, back then in Inazuma but also here.

As if to ensure that nobody eavesdropped on them, Miran looked around. The room tavern couldn’t be considered as ‘full’, but it also wasn’t as empty as during the time when they first met. Some lonely souls sat on tables further away from the bar, drank their wine or other beverage and surely would leave, once they had finished to continue their work.

“ Hmm… I cannot say a lot in all honesty. “, she finally continued to talk, resting her arms on the counter, showing that her curiosity had peaked, “ It’s true that drunkards like to spill secrets. But I only half listen to them, don’t even understand them for most of time. It’s Charles, the bartender, who has to listen to their babbling. However, if you tell me what it is about, I can eventually try to help you after all. I do catch bits there and then. “.

[sweet-cool-twins]

InaGO HospitalTrio Fanfic

My therapist told me to start writing to slowly gain back my interest and happiness in life. So here it is. It mainly focuses on what might have been a relationship for Yuuichi, Taiyou, and Shindou (I have no clue what they’re called, I call them HospitalTrio). There is Yuuichi x Taiyou (HospitalShip, I call it YuuTai) cuz I find their relationship the purest and most supportive ever. And due to my circumstances, I felt I relate more to Yuuichi better than before. So this fic is dedicated to him and how much I wish for his happiness. The romance is mostly pining on Taiyou’s part. I’m unsure about Yuuichi as he’s oblivious yet still teases Taiyou to see him flustered. 

Yuuichi woke up at about nine in the morning on his hospital bed. It was a peaceful sleep, and it seemed he woke up to a lovely morning as well. The sun rays shone into the room from the hospital windows, inviting a warm feeling into his often plain looking room. The curtains bristled from the light breeze outside, and Yuuichi could briefly smell the scent of flowers from the hospital garden. The dark blue haired eighteen-year-old boy smiled, the mole near his lips twitching along with the movement, and his brown eyes glistened with joy.

Today seems to be a good day... He thought to himself.

"Ah Yuuichi-kun, you're awake." A certain nurse called from his room's door. The boy, Yuuichi, turned his head from the window where the voice was, seeing the familiar purple hair and blueish eyes from his regular nurse, Fuyuka. "Good morning!" She said with a smile.

"Good morning, Fuyuka-san," Yuuichi replied in greeting as Fuyuka walked pass his bed and to his bedside to help lift the top half for the dark-haired boy to sit up.

"Any plans for today?" Fuyuka asked. Proceeding to move the wheelchair stationed at the corner of the room, to have it placed at the young lad's bedside, and nearer to the door for ease of mobility if Yuuichi wants to leave the room. His legs maybe unable to move, but he is strong enough to carry himself to and fro his wheelchair.

"Not right now. I think my younger brother is coming to see me in the evening, but that's all that I have for the day. Is there something going on?" Fuyuka giggled with mirth, causing Yuuichi to blink in confusion.

"We have a new patient who just got admitted here yesterday. I think you should meet him," Fuyuka said with an air of knowledge around her. Yuuichi continued his confused blinking at her, hoping she would explain in details to clear the questions in his head. "Things come when you least expect it. It might spark something special. Enjoy your breakfast, Yuuichi-kun." With that the purple-haired nurse left the room, leaving Yuuichi to ponder what she meant by that.

----------------------------------

"I'm bored, Yuuichi-san~" Amemiya Taiyou, a thirteen-year-old boy in the same pale blue hospital clothing as Yuuichi, with orange-hair styled like the sun, whined as he stretched out his arms across Yuuichi's bed from where he sat on the visitor's chair beside Yuuichi. He then took out a pencil and balanced it on the bridge between his nose and mouth, his aqua blue eyes narrowed in concentration. It was after lunch and the first-year Junior High student sneaked out of his room to accompany the young lad who was in the room beside his. Not that Yuuichi was bored, but he appreciated the younger's efforts since he was mostly stuck in his room.

"Taiyou-kun, I understand that you want to play soccer, but you've just finished your heart surgery after that match with Raimon Junior High. You shouldn't do any intensive activities." Taiyou puffed his cheeks in a pout, amazingly still balancing the pencil.

"I know, but I REALLY want to play soccer!"

"Taiyou-kun, please think of other things besides soccer. You've really made me worried when I saw you on the field yesterday." Taiyou flinched by the young lad's words, recalling his recent match between his school, Arakumo Academy, and Raimon Junior High that caused his already weak heart to worsen. He fixed his attention to Yuuichi, watching the brown in his eyes swirl in worry and disappointment. Taiyou dropped his head and lips to a frown, his eyes focused on his fingers fidgeting on his lap. He let the pencil fall on the bed. It did a light bounce before rolling a little and stopping near Yuuichi's leg.

"I'm sorry, Yuuichi-san. I didn't mean to worry you. I just really miss soccer." Yuuichi sighed heavily from his nose, his shoulders dropped from its tensed position. The older male believed the younger knew he had done wrong and need not be reprimanded. Although this same scene had happened several times too many that Yuuichi sometimes wondered if the younger knew the severity of his illness. The navy-haired boy answered with the same phrase he always said whenever this scene repeated itself.

"Please take care of your health. We've promised each other to play soccer together in the future once your heart and my legs are fixed." Yuuichi paused as he shifted his gaze elsewhere, reminiscing something far away, "And I don't blame you. I miss soccer too..." Yuuichi subconsciously rubbed his left knee which was his immobile leg, the one that was injured by the fall. This action did not miss Taiyou's eyes. The orange-haired boy quickly grasped the older boy's hands. The other lad looked up at Taiyou and noticed he had a determined look in his eyes.

"Yuuichi-san, I'm sorry for forgetting about our promise. I'll do my best to recover so that you won't have to worry anymore!" Taiyou gave a warm-hearted smile. Sensing that confidence, the navy-haired boy returned the smile and nodded his head. He would trust Taiyou that he would set on healing his health this time.

"Alright, Taiyou-kun."

"Anyway Yuuichi-san," Taiyou diverted the conversation as he removed his hands from Yuuichi's and placed them palms down on the bed, "I've heard there's a new patient from Raimon in the hospital." Taiyou grinned with his teeth. Yuuichi blinked in confusion similar to his response with Fuyuka that morning. So the new patient mentioned by Fuyuka is from Raimon? Could it be they are in the soccer club too? He was unaware that a student from the same school as his brother was in the hospital. At the same time, what are the chances if it was someone from the soccer club? Not understanding what was going on, Yuuichi decided to voice his question.

"From Raimon?"

"The new patient is Raimon Soccer club's captain, Shindou Takuto!" Taiyou lifted his arms like he was displaying whatever was up in the sky. Yuuichi stared at his hospital friend. Shindou Takuto? The second-year Raimon captain? The team that helped his younger brother, Tsurugi Kyousuke, enjoy soccer again. Yuuichi instantly felt a sense of curiosity and felt like meeting him. He wanted to thank his brother's teammate for letting him fit in and play the soccer that both brothers love. Although, why was the captain of the Raimon soccer team admitted to hospital? He did not get injured, did he? Yuuichi was only able to watch the broadcast of the Holy Road match on television and was unaware of any other person hurt as the viewing ended once the match was over. The only ones who probably knew the outcome would be the people who were physically at the scene. His brother was unable to inform him of any updates as visiting hours were over by the time the caravan reached Inazuma town.

"Shindou-kun? Why is he here? Is he alright?" Yuuichi asked his question in concern. Taiyou returned to his previous sunken mood.

"He fainted after our match. It seemed he pushed himself too hard after getting hurt during it..." Taiyou flinched again once Yuuichi's frowned in disapproval, "I-it's isn't my fault, Yuuichi-san!"

"All you soccer freaks and your passion for soccer..." Yuuichi sighed in disappointment, in which Taiyou smiled warmly in response.

"You are one too you know, Yuuichi-sa- Eh?" Taiyou halted his teasing at his friend when the dark blue-haired boy pulled his wheelchair closer to his bedside, "Yuuichi-san?" The older of the two gave a determined smile on his face when he replied to the younger.

"Come on, let's go visit Shindou-kun."

----------------------------------

A brownish-grey, shoulder-length, wavy-haired boy was in his hospital room watching a soccer match on the television in front of him. He had maroon brownish eyes and had on a pale brown hospital gown different from the regular one due to his family status. It was then when he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in!" He called. Maroon orbs followed the two new visitors who entered the room. One, he recognises as Amemiya Taiyou, was pushing the other in a wheelchair to the bedside. "Uhm. Can I help you two?"

"Hi, Shindou-kun! I'm Taiyou! Remember me from the previous match?" The patient of the room, now known as Shindou, replied.

"Y-yeah I remember you. It’s great to see that you're alright. Uhm...and you are?" Shindou referred to the blue-haired lad in the wheelchair, who smiled back as he replied,

"My name's Tsurugi Yuuichi. Nice to meet you, Shindou-kun." The brown-haired captain's eyes widened upon hearing the familiar surname of his teammate.

"Tsurugi?! Are you related to..."

"Yes. Kyousuke is my younger brother. Thank you for taking care of him." Shindou, upon hearing the senior thanking him, felt an immense sense of gratitude and firmly replied,

"Ah, it's nothing." Shindou waved his right hand back and forth in denial. He calmly placed both his hands on his blanket and smiled in return, "He's helped us score many of Raimon's goals. Without him, we wouldn't be able to reach the finals." Yuuichi's heartwarming smile widened upon hearing his younger brother's praises.

"Thank you, Shindou-kun. I hope Kyousuke's able to help Raimon to victory." Shindou's smile widened as well, pleased with the answer.

"I hope so too."

"Anyway, we're here to welcome you to Raimon General Hospital," Taiyou piped up from his spot behind Yuuichi. "The two of us are here in the hospital most of the time, so we're glad to see another familiar face!"

"He means that he's glad to find another soccer freak in this hospital," Yuuichi teased with an innocent smile on his lips.

"That's mean, Yuuichi-san!" Taiyou frowned at the navy-haired boy, his eyebrows narrowed towards each other to show his displeasure, although his eyes twinkled in merry as if he was not offended by the older lad's words. Yuuichi ignored the burning stare behind him and turned his head to slightly address Taiyou, a knowing smile on his face.

"At least I can control my love for it by staying in my room." The orange-haired boy's cheeks turned red by that comment. 

“Yuuichi-sannn!” His cheeks puffed out more in anger and embarrassment, while Yuuichi chuckled into his hands at his successful teasing. Meanwhile, Shindou sat on his bed staring at the scene in front of him in surprise. He was indeed shocked to find the brother of his most cool teammate teasing the kind and loyal captain of possibly the strongest team his team has ever faced. It was more shocking to see the kind and loyal captain react so cutely(?) to the teasing. Shindou subconsciously opened his mouth to mumble.

"You two...are very close." That comment made both boys turn their attention to Shindou. Yuuichi blinked in confusion, while Taiyou's eyes grew to the size of saucers and the redness on his face grew to cover his whole face.

"I-it's not like that?!" The blushing boy exclaimed.

"Is that so? Well, we are the only ones here who love soccer, so we tend to spend more time with each other. Taiyou-kun is the one coming to my room most of the time though." The innocent smile on Yuuichi appeared back on his face.

"Y-y-Yuuichi-san!" If Taiyou's cheeks could flush any stronger, it was this moment. He buried his face into his hands, trying inevitably to hide his red face. Shindou, finding the Arakumo Academy's captain flustered amusing, started laughing along with Yuuichi.

"S-Shindou-san, you too?!"

"S-sorry! You're acting very differently from how you were during our match. Yuuichi-san brings this side of you very well," Shindou hinted in amusement, which flew over Yuuichi's head but caught Taiyou's attention.

"Shindou-san! Stoppppp!" Even if Yuuichi did not catch the hint by Shindou, he was still bemused by his orange-haired friend. He watched as Taiyou tried to physically force down his blush to no avail. It was funny to see his friend appear so flustered, but Yuuichi thought it was time to tone down their teasing on the first-year.

"Alright, I think it's almost five soon. Kyousuke is going to visit me later so I have to get back." Yuuichi once again rotated his head to the boy behind him. "Taiyou-kun, could you help me back to my room? We can continue talking to Shindou-kun tomorrow." A red tinge of red was still present on the orange-haired captain after he removed his hands from his face, much to the amusement to the other two. Taiyou nodded, mind in a mild blur from the constant teasing by his seniors. He quickly recovered, grabbed the handle of Yuuichi's wheelchair and pushed him towards the door. Both visitors rounded their heads back to wave goodbye to the Raimon captain. "Goodbye, Shindou-kun." Yuuichi said first.

"See you tomorrow, Shindou-san!" Taiyou followed. With that, the door closed shut, leaving Shindou alone in his room once more. The Raimon captain settled comfortably on his bed and continued watching the television.

----------------------------------

The two patients were making their way down the hall to the lifts to go down a level where their rooms were located.

"Are you alright, Taiyou-kun? Sorry for teasing you earlier," Yuuichi asked in concern, his head stayed facing forward as it was a bit hard to turn his head around to look at Taiyou while the wheelchair was moving.

"I-I'm fine, Yuuichi-san! Don't worry about me!" Taiyou shuttered out in embarrassment. Yuuichi did not believe the orange-haired boy but decided to patiently let it go.

"If you say so..."

"Taiyou-kun, Yuuichi-kun, there you two are!" The two boys looked up to find Nurse Fuyuka standing in front of them.

"Fuyuka-san?" Taiyou and Yuuichi called her with a querying tone in their voice.

"I was worried when I couldn't find both of you in your rooms, but I'm glad to see you two at this level." The nurse expressed her glee with her smile and turned her attention to Yuuichi. "You have met Shindou-kun, right? How is he, Yuuichi-kun? Did he meet your expectations?" Both boys blinked in confusion. Taiyou as he did not know what was going on, while Yuuichi had a tingling feeling he knew what she was referring to. He opened his mouth to ask,

"Fuyuka-san, the special patient...is Shindou-kun?" Fuyuka nodded in reply.

"He's your brother's teammate. I thought you might want to get to know him. Except Taiyou-kun beat me at introducing the both of you. I was thinking of letting you two meet at one of the lounges."

"I see. I'm glad Kyousuke has kind team members to rely on. It's relieving to hear that. Even if we didn't get to meet as you would've wanted, thanks for informing me about him," Yuuichi voiced what he had felt. He was indeed relieved to know that his younger brother is doing well and to have met Shindou. He's grateful towards Fuyuka and Taiyou for getting him to meet the brownish-grey haired boy.

"You're welcome." Yuuichi and Fuyuka gave each other a thankful smile.

"Eh? Fuyuka-san, why didn't you tell me about Shindou-san? I want to meet him too!" The purple-haired nurse had her lips in a frown.

"You've already met him in the match, Taiyou-kun..." Fuyuka then had her hands on the sides of her hips in an angry stance.

"Also, you found out through sneaking out, didn't you? What did I tell you about resting?"

"Hehehe..." Taiyou chuckled weekly. Fuyuka sighed before she spoke,

"Well, let's bring you two back to your rooms. Visiting hours are starting soon." Fuyuka made her way to the back of Yuuichi's wheelchair, in which Taiyou stepped aside to give space for the nurse. The three of them made their way back to their rooms. All the while, Yuuichi had a pleased smile on his face.

Today is a good day.

----------------------------------

I hope I have done the characters' justice. Let me know what you guys think! Any improvements to be made? I'll be happy to hear from you guys!

[starline148]

[KDFD FF] New Chance

Title: New Chance Couple: Kidou Yuuto x Fudou Akio, from Inazuma Eleven Words: 4112 One-shot Summary: Fudou moved to Italy with his family and lost touch with his friends, his life became grey, but who know what the destiny has for him in the end? Warnings: It can be a bit sad at first. Fudou focused. Long distance is hard. Author’s note: I wrote it a lot of time ago, it was going to be a gift for @inazumafocus‘ birthday, but well, I submit it now because I’m ill at home and I have the little time I haven’t had to do it before. I dedicate it to all KDFD lovers. If anyone wants to comment, it’s apreciated, I love reading the comments as it gives sense to the work. If not it’s fine too. Also, I don’t know where else I could submit fanfics, can someone tell me which sites are good to submit them? Thanks.

New Chance

-Don’t leave me!

Those words echoed in the crushing silence of the night like a gunshot. A frightened boy sat up suddenly in his bed, his chest ached and he sweated despite a cold breeze coming through the open window making the curtains move. It was his own scream that had woken him up.

He put his hand to his face and discovered that there was a tear in his eyes, wiped it with fury and remained stiff.

His dark brown hair fell on his forehead and his eyes narrowed in a grimace of agony. It had been a while since he had dreamed of him.

His heart took a lot to stop hurting in that rapid throbbing, when he calmed down a little he lay down again, although he could not fall asleep until much later.

When the young man woke up he still felt a strong pain in his chest, the sun was entering the room with wooden floor lighting the dust suspended in the air with some magic. The white and worn over time curtains continued to move at the mercy of the sea breeze.

He got up slowly, trying not to remember the dream, from the window it could be heard the lullaby of the sea and the screams of the seagulls. 

He dressed in a sports outfit: white cotton T-shirt, sweatpants and running shoes. He put on his headphone and left his room, he went down the stairs that creaked at every step and went to the kitchen where the smell of toast and orange juice came from.

"Good morning, Akio” an adult woman smiled, turning with a tray. “I was going to go upstairs with your breakfast.”

The young man shrugged, took the tray and sat down on a wooden table that had lived a long time, for breakfast.

The woman sighed and sat next to him, looking out the window at a blue sky that reflected in her eyes. 

Eyes like the sea, hers were a calm sea and his, a stormy sea.

“Soon you’ll start college again, are you happy to go back to classes, Akio?

He looked up from his breakfast and again just shrugged. 

“Surely you’ll make friends this year.”

The young brunette did not bother to answer that. If he had not made friends in the previous two years he doubted that year was going to be different, but he just didn't have them in class, on the football team it was different.

After breakfast he got up, washed what he had used, kissed his mother's forehead and left without saying anything.

She was left with a sigh and a haze of sadness, watching her son go down to the beach and run away, she knew that it would take him even longer to return from his morning training.

....

The suitcase as black as the thoughts that overwhelmed both of their minds was open in the middle of the room, half done. 

“Do you want me to help you, Akio?”

He shook his head, his mother kept coming in to see if he needed help and that took away the little mood he had to finish packing. The woman had interrupted him again when he observed a peculiar object with which he was ashamed to be found.

“What do you know about him ... about them?”

The boy looked down, forcing himself to show no weakness and simply said nothing. The woman said nothing either, everytime she asked about her son's Japanese friends, she didn't find an answer, like so many things. Since they had left the country her son had barely spoken.

The woman could remember perfectly the times she had heard her son speak more than three words since they had arrived in that Mediterranean country six years ago, that the University where he was studying was in the capital when they lived on the outskirts of a city by the sea didn't help their communication either.

She looked at him sadly dotted with regrets and left the young man's room. That place could have healed her wounds, that place could have been a new opportunity for her, that place could have been the beginning of a life together with a new love full of pink; but there was a dark spot in the bottom of his son's heart she felt guilty about. 

Once again she had proved not to be a good mother by not realizing that the bonds that linked her son with her Inazuma companions were as important as her relationship with her current husband.

Sometimes she tried to console herself thinking that Akio never said anything about not wanting to leave Japan; and when that thought reached her, she only felt worse, how could she blame a teenager who had difficulty expressing his emotions that she didn't know him enough because of her own bad decisions? How could she let the weight fall on him when she hadn't been able to get him out of the abyss he had fallen to before playing football and again she couldn't do anything for him? As she descended the stairs to prepare dinner for the family a tear of rage and frustration slipped down her cheek.

He put the object in his suitcase in his suitcase, after six years he still couldn't look at it without being tormented by a surge of intense emotions that shook him like a hurricane; but he could not separate from it yet knowing that that time would not return, even knowing that maintaining it did not allow him to close that chapter of his life, even knowing that he could only get harder.

But how could he do it? That object, that object reminded him that he could not fall back into darkness. That object reminded him that he had to get ahead and be a person that someday someone, perhaps himself, could be proud of.

He leaned back on the open window frame, watching the sun set by the sea, with a delicate thread of pearly thought that simply begged the sky that wherever he was, he would be fine.

........

The rattle of the train had a sedative effect on him, his elbow was leaning against the window, his head resting on his hand and his legs stretched out on the other seat where fortunately no one had appeared. He preferred it that way, he preferred to be alone while watching the landscape change leaving the coast behind, leaving his family behind, leaving the summer behind.

He arrived at the capital late at night and yawned when he left the station, stretching without worrying that he might seem uneducated. He started dragging the suitcase to the exit where he would take a taxi to reach the University Residence where he lived during the school year. The night air of late summer was cold, but instead of bothering him he managed to at least relax the grimace on his face, a frayed memory of years ago had passed through his mind like a cottony cloud through a spring sky. 

The lights of the residence welcomed him from the beginning of the street, he got out of the vehicle tiredly from the long journey from his house and directed his eyes towards the end of the road. He felt at the same time how his heart was comforting and writhing. That bittersweet feeling of familiarity.

He entered the building and the first thing he saw was several young people talking animatedly, with their large suitcases next to them. Yes, the meetings were exciting, but he would not meet who he longed for.

“Akio!”

“Hey!”

“Akio!”

Several voices called him when those boys saw him enter through the glass doors. He shook his head and approached them.

“How was your summer, Akio?”

The boy shrugged and the others laughed, as they continued talking including the newcomer in their conversation, although he barely intervened more than making a gesture.

After a long time they heard an adult voice hurry them to go to dinner, and all the boys ran to their respective rooms to leave their bags before going to the dining room and get together again.

The brunette’s eyes traveled with reassuring monotony the food options presented to them, while his noisiest friends kept talking and laughing for anything.

They were a not very large group, five boys. All of them from the university soccer team, although he knew them before, he knew them from the same time he was trying to leave behind.

But it was difficult, especially when one of them continually revived his past with his mere presence. A bistre-colored boy combed in dreadlocks that fell on his shoulders and gray eyes, a boy who once tried to be a copy of him.

He snorted as he moved the food from side to side noticing that he was really inappetent, it was a problem that had haunted him for a few years. He forced himself to eat, mentally telling himself the reasons why he could not refuse to do so.

.......

That night he could barely sleep, every time his unconscious took over in his mind it presented the image of that boy, that red-eyed boy who grabbed his hand in a desperate attempt to hold him. Why did he have to dream that again and again when in reality that had never happened? Why did he still feel so betrayed because they had let him go without doing anything? Why hadn't he been able to verbalize how much he cared before he disappeared from his life? Why couldn't he close that chapter of his story?

He covered his eyes with his forearm suppressing the tears that flowed from them, while the memory of his farewell shook him like a small boat in the middle of a storm. That day in his sea-colored eyes was hidden the plea that was never made, a plea that perhaps they never managed to decipher. Although when he grew up, he faced the reality that they could never do anything. They were only 15 years old then. 

He took off the blue rubber glasses he always wore, always except on rare and intimate occasions that they shared throughout that year together. The only and last year. The brunette sometimes wondered how it was possible that a person who was so short in his life would have had such a strong impact. He himself responded to tell himself that what they lived together was very intense from the beginning. 

They started hating each other, though perhaps it was more accurate to say that the red eyed boy was the one who hated him, the sea eyed boy had never hated him, never. Not even under the effects of that stone that strengthened the darkness in him, despite not remembering with great accuracy those moments; Or rather, not wanting to remember. He had done a lot of harm to innocent people and still did not forgive him completely, no matter how much his most rational side told him again and again that he was the first to be manipulated and hurt. But even then, all he experienced was a fatal attraction to the boy, a feeling of wanting to show himself better, that he looked at him, that he saw him, that he recognized his place in the World. 

How stupid of him.

Then they met in the nomination for the national team, after that time the boy kept hating him, and he, even without the stone that altered his behavior, felt that fatality. They went from hatred to distrust, to cooperation in the game, to personal confidence, to friendship. And then the brunette took the last step, discovering that at some point during that long process he had fallen in love.

He kept that feeling to himself, a bomb in his heart that he had, without him knowing, the countdown activated. It exploded that same day that her mother gave him the news that they were going to live in Italy, since she was going to marry an Italian man she had met years before and with whom she had been dating without the brunette knowing until shortly before that announcement. 

The rain fell on him while he wanted to drown when that boy found him. He noticed that an umbrella protected him from the inclement rattling of the drops and raised his eyes as wet as the ground around him. He lowered his glasses and opened his mouth to ask, but he was speechless when he hugged him crying loudly, desperate. The same despair that led him to put his lips together, the same despair that made him run after putting his lips together, the same despair that consumed his soul from that moment. 

The other boy never said anything about that kiss, said nothing when he followed him to his house holding him by the hand just in time and preventing him from being hit by a car without ever knowing if it would have been an accident or not, he said nothing when all the friends from the football gave him a farewell party, said nothing when he went to say goodbye to the airport with tears in his eyes with the other three boys closest to him. He said nothing, nor would he, since those two boys did not cross their paths again. 

The brunette received many goodbye gifts; but none as shocking as those glasses of dark googles at the airport, like a forget-me-not flower, like a petition that was still bleeding, like a painful memory of what it could have been but never was.

Sometimes the brunette regretted having lost touch with the Japanese boys, should he have resisted the fate that separated them? Should he have sent that letter he wrote so many times but never sealed? Should he have made an account on a social network and looked for someone he knew?

And then he wondered, for what? What would have helped to see how they continued their lives without him? What would have helped to see him grow and become a young adult? What would have helped him to cry bitterly to see that he was no longer part of them? Of him.

The presentation of the course was the next day, and that boy with wild brown hair and eyes like the sea came with the relief of knowing that he was returning to a routine that removed the most turbulent thoughts from his mind.

Although it was not until a week afterwards he began the activity he liked most, the activity that somehow embraced his suffered being with invisible hands of calm. 

.....

“This year do you have the dorsal number fourteen again, Akio?”

The boy raised his eyes to the person speaking to him, a boy with dark skin and black eyes who shared nationality with him and raised his eyebrows.

“Yes.”

It was one of those rare occasions when the boy spoke outside the matches, and the other, Hidetoshi Nakata smiled.

“Have you heard the rumors, guys?”

All the young men who tried on their new uniforms turned their heads towards the person speaking. A boy with pale skin, light hair and freckled who was eating a candy. 

“What rumors?”

“My father told me that a player who is going to play in the Professional League will enter the team too.”

There was a fuss, Luca's father was the team coach so they could ensure that the information was right.

“It is not as if we did not have level to play in a Professional League.”

The brunette grunted surprising everyone, he had not said something so long for a long while.

"But Akio is right," said a short boy with blond hair and an androgynous appearance. “Especially Fidio, Demonio, Hide and Akio. Surely you will end up entering a Professional League.”

They shrugged, the one with the most interest in that was the black-eyed Japanese.

"We're going to fill ourselves with Japanese in the Italian team," Luca murmured suddenly.

“What do you mean?” asked the one called Demonio Strada.

“The new one is also Japanese, and although my father has not told me who he is, he has said that he was Akio's teammate.”

The boy narrowed his eyes, feeling his heart soar with panic, while the other companions wondered who that boy would be.

“I hope it's Mamoru!” exclaimed the captain, that blue-eyed boy.

The others seconded it.

"We haven't heard from Mamoru for a long time," a boy with blue eyes, though lighter and dark brown hair, murmured.

"I think he is in a professional team but in Japan, Gian," said another boy with burgundy hair and olive green eyes.

"But I'm already a good goalkeeper," protested a large boy with long brown hair.

Demonio turned to the brunette Japanese to ask him something, but discovered that the boy was gone. They did not see him again until several days later.

.....

He realized how much he was disturbed and the immense discomfort generated by thinking that someone from his past would return to his life. He couldn't stand it, the news burned him inside, not letting him sleep. His short sleep time was splashed more than ever by memories he rejected. If only he had sent that letter. 

That day he went for a walk in the Historic Center of the city, full of tourists with cameras and sandals with socks up to mid-leg. He sat on a bench watching the traffic of people. Who would it be? Who among them would be crazy enough to go to Italy to play football? Maybe it was Endou. He lowered his head, what if it was him? He shook his head as a poison spread from his stomach.

His eyes widened, was that the reason? He looked up and saw a couple kissing with the Colosseum in the background. He ruffled his hair and laughed bitterly. The reason he was tortured so much by the possibility that the new team member was one of his old friends was because he wanted it to be him? He wiped the tears that flowed down his cheeks and rose.

He was never going to be able to close that chapter.

.........

The day, the important day, he woke up discouraged, that day the new player was finally going to enter the team and they would finally know his identity. The coach kept it a secret and the Professional League had not announced his name since it was scheduled to start at the beginning of the following month.

The classes that day were especially dense, his mind was not where it should, to his disgust. Memories surfaced without compassion. One time and another. One time and another. His eyes, his lips, his hair, his neck, his smile, his teasing. One time and another. One time and another. 

He walked to the training camp with steps of melancholy and despair. With mind in black and the eyes absorbed. When he arrived and saw his hand on the door handle to enter he felt his guts twist. The next thing he was aware of was that he had run away. Looking up, he found himself in one of his favorite places in the city, a tree-lined hill from which there was a beautiful view of the ruins that in another era had been majestic pride buildings of his Empire.

The cold air blowing in that place eased the burning that consumed his head, dropped on a bench and buried his face in his hands. His heart ached.

Suddenly he felt a strange nervousness in the stomach, the wind had brought him a smell as peculiar as painful. He felt his emotions overflowing like blood from a wound he had not managed to close.

-Fudou ... Akio ...

The boy's fingers twitched and he felt his own nails dig into his face. A hand landed on his shoulder and he fell apart.

Tired of running away, tired of resisting, tired of getting up every day, tired of people saying him to smile,  tired of living.

He was not able to move, he was not able to say anything. The hand was still on his shoulder, burning. The wind shook his hair, grown since they had last seen each other, so many years ago. He felt the tears slip between his fingers, losing themselves in his body. He noticed his red eyes glaring at him. He felt a strong pain in his heart.

The boy sat next to him while the brunette lowered his hands slowly and left them with his fist clenched above his knees. He was not yet able to look at him, but something in his desperate expression implied that he could run again, because he was not able to cope with that turn of destiny.

And he noticed, that boy with red eyes reddened by tears trying to surface, noticed. His hands closed around the brunette, with force, with pain, with regret and he buried his head in the chest of him. His heart ached so badly that it seemed like it was going to break, and somehow when he heard the beating of the sea-eyed boy, he knew that his was also struggling not to go out.

-Kidou ... Yuuto ... -kun ...

Saying that name was strange, hearing the name in his own voice was strange. He never thought to hear it again. He never thought to see him again. He never thought that perhaps his life could regain a meaning.

Until that moment, that moment in which he hugged him and with his head sunk in his cinnamon hair in dreadlocks came the same citrus smell of the shampoo that he remembered with the clearness of the stars on a dark night in which going hand in hand dreamed a future that for years they believed stolen.

And then their eyes met, finally Fudou Akio had the courage to look at his red eyes, his body shuddered with a feeling of agony and at the same time peace flooded his soul. They were dark eyes, in which time had left traces of bitterness and loneliness. The boy's whitish hands held that face, while his eyes still connected. Kidou Yuuto barely breathed lost in those eyes like the sea, filled with such a long time of helplessness and resentment, as a swirling wave brought to the surface a new glow of hope.

His hands, of a more vivid color, grabbed his face at the same time, thus remaining indifferent to the passage of people, indifferent of the time swirling like autumn leaves around them.

The brunette’s lips moved trying a gesture that had not been seen on his face for so many years that it only became a try; but for Kidou it was enough. The small gesture of those lips made the boy's tired face shine.

Kidou moved forward, towards Fudou. His face anxious over his, his eyes still in that unperturbed connection. 

Kidou lowered his eyebrows in anticipation of apology and then to the surprise of the brunette he finally responded to that request that the boy had made years ago.

His lips felt warm, rough and remembered the taste of a "cappuccino". And his, softer and finer, of the salty tears that had traveled his cheeks for so many years. 

When they separated and despite the fact that both had closed their eyes, immortalizing that moment in their memories, Fudou's eyes were wide open. Showing in them a profound impact.

That made Kidou burst out laughing, a laugh of relief, a laugh of engagement.

“I think we have to talk about many things, Fudou.”

The boy felt a slight blush on his cheeks, looked at him. His face reminded him of when he was planning a mischief as a teenager. A mocking smile, a roguish glow, colored cheeks. Kidou contemplated that expression with absolute enthusiasm, feared for a long time being late to see it again.

“My residence is not far. My room is a quiet place.”

Their eyes met again and they laughed. Stretching among the trees that waved their branches to the sound of a wind of change.

Their hands entwined on the way to that place. There they cried about the grey like ashes years that were reaching their end and held really close the other with fear of fading. With a blooming of light  in their hearts. With a new story full of love. They could finally close that bitter chapter of their lives.

Months had passed, bells sounded far from them while were walking to the training field, they both, hands entwined, smiled with the consolidation of a promise of love for eternity glowing in their ring fingers.