#on the plus side that new fic with the awkward beginning finally hit its stride

[mimicteruyo]

Me: That’s one chapter done! ...but I have no memory of how the next chapter was supposed to begin so I’d better check my notes.

The planned chapter opening in the notes: *fucking sucks*

[its-love-u-asshole]

Unbound [Ch. 2]

Pairing: Fushimi Saruhiko/Yata Misaki

Rating: T

Summary: Summer is Yata’s favorite time of the year in his town, a place where it normally rains nonstop nine months out of the year. It doesn’t help that the town is marred by old legends and tales which do nothing to make it less creepy and drab. Essentially, summer is Yata’s chance to forget superstitions and finally hit the beach. Apart from deciding what he wants to do with his life, all he wants is to enjoy it with his friends and maybe get to know Fushimi Saruhiko, a stranger who Yata can’t help but feel drawn to. However, the summer has more in store for him than usual, and he’s never been one to back down.

Note: I was really surprised by the support I got on this fic, so thanks to everyone who commented and showed interest in this story! Also it’s Yata-chan’s birthday! My sunshine child ; ; I hope this is enough of a celebration for him lol. Enjoy! 

AO3

The waterfront near the mall was barren, a huge contrast to the large crowds not even a mile away from it. The sun reflected off the water, shedding light on the old and rusted oil drums and pipes littered about the glistening body. There weren’t any animals, not large ones anyways. Yata could hear crickets though, and various other bugs along with the rustling in the low brush. The sand was tarnished with unidentifiable black gunk and cigarettes, a picturesque scene which was left to rot by civilization as industry took its toll on the land.

Or at least, that was what he’d heard a teacher say once in elementary school.

Saruhiko led him away from the water and around an imperceptible bend by the large rocks, placing them in front of a large tunnel Yata had never seen before in all his years of skulking around the place.

“Whoa…where does it go?” Yata’s voice was laced with childlike wonder as he peered into the seemingly never ending tunnel. Normally he may have felt frightened despite his bravery, after all, people were rumored to have died here, eaten up by monsters and legends from old ghost tales. Other rumors told of real villains, murderers and killers that let their victims decompose or sink into the waters nearby. But having Saruhiko there, who seemed rather knowledgeable about the place, made Yata feel strangely calm and relaxed.  

The taller smiled. It was a small kind of grin, one that was both amused and…something else that sent Yata’s heart racing despite his best efforts to keep it under control.

“I’ll show you,” Saruhiko said, gesturing for Yata to begin strolling down the path. The redhead nodded, an excited grin forming on his face as he trailed his fingers along the frigid walls of the tunnel. Saruhiko followed, almost right by his side, but lagging a step behind.

Ever since leaving the mall, they hadn’t talked much, but it had been far from awkward. Yata had barely noticed the lack of small talk, and was actually sort of grateful for it. The short walk from the mall had seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, and it was a strange sense of comfort he’d never had with anyone before.

Despite the relaxed silence from before, now Yata was buzzing with questions, and he was sure his excitement showed.

“How did you even know this was here? It’s awesome!” Yata looked at the other, and Saruhiko fixed his glasses in thought. It was a cute habit, in Yata’s opinion. As he waited, he swung his hands at his side, only stopping when he happened to brush against Saruhiko’s hand several times. He was suddenly thankful for the dim lighting. The only source were the streams of the day’s last sunlight which managed to drift in through the cracks of the tunnel, giving the space an otherworldly feel.

“The streets in the city are pretty bad, there’s accidents all the time,” Saruhiko began with a shrug. “It’s just less dangerous this way…”

The other seemed to hesitate after that, and Yata could tell the sentence wasn’t meant to end there, but the other had purposefully halted before providing an ‘and’. Like some weird type of insurance…

He wondered for a second if it was alright to ask. After all, sometimes people had super personal reasons for why they did the things they did. However, Saruhiko was someone Yata couldn’t help but wonder about, and so he figured it’d be worth it.

“What?” Yata raised an eyebrow, his question echoing throughout the tunnel along with their footsteps.

The other didn’t respond, only making a nervous, humming noise, as if that would appease Yata. Wrong.

Yata spun around, blocking the other’s path. The echoing on the walls stopped as they ceased walking, and Yata eyed Saruhiko warily. Come to think of it, maybe walking down a dark tunnel with a reserved and total stranger hadn’t been the best idea. But the boy was so frail and laid back Yata doubted he was a threat. No, he was eyeing him for other reasons. Saruhiko wasn’t acting suspicious…he was acting embarrassed.

Yata spotted the subtle fidgeting of Saruhiko’s hands, the repeated fixing of his glasses. And then the real sign, the light shade of red dancing on his cheekbones.

Yata smirked then, peering at Saruhiko with eyes that seemed to say, ‘spit it out.’

Saruhiko clicked his tongue, rubbing his eyes under his glasses. “I was thinking I could show it to you. In case you and your hoodlum ways got you into trouble again.”

The last statement almost felt tacked on, spoken a tad faster than the previous. It was so slight, but Yata noticed. Saruhiko’s eyes were averted to the strange markings on the tunnel wall, and that was when it clicked.

A curse began and quickly died on the tip of Yata’s tongue as he processed the response, and he stood still, blinking stupidly for several moments. Saruhiko clicked his tongue, taking the opportunity to maneuver around Yata and continue walking down the path.

That seemed to bring him back, and Yata turned with a stumble, catching up to the other boy in a few quick strides. “E-eh? You’ve…I mean…hm…”

Yata flushed at his loss for words, since when did he hide what he was thinking? But he didn’t feel confident in voicing his assumptions, no matter how obviously correct they probably were.

You’ve wanted to show me? Since the other week?

Yata couldn’t help the pleased feeling which ran through him, even despite the embarrassment.

“B-but you just met me and—”

And we’re technically not friends, not yet.

His friends’ teasing from before flashed through his mind, but now it seemed suddenly more plausible. Was Saruhiko actually interested in him for real?

That pleased feeling involuntarily intensified.

The other groaned, and his shoulders tensed, like he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t have. “I frequent the Eastside Park.”

Yata’s internal crisis was put on hold as those words sunk in, and he squinted in confusion as he watched Saruhiko absentmindedly trace over some weird symbols on the wall.

Okay, what the hell? The park?

“And…?”

Saruhiko rolled his eyes, like Yata had completely missed some obvious conclusion from the poor excuse for an explanation.

“And, you and your thug friends hang out in that park a lot,” Saruhiko grumbled, still stiffly walking in front of Yata.  His feet, clad in ratty, faded converse, dragged, and the mild scrapping bounced off the curved walls.

“Hey my friends aren’t thugs! We just—”

“Graffiti public property?”

“Spray painting isn’t what I would call a dangerous crime, who c—”

Yata stopped suddenly, connecting the dots.

“I frequent the Eastside Park.”

The park. The park where he hung out with his friends at least once every week.

What?

The lightbulb went off, and Yata felt his stomach explode with a garden’s worth of butterflies.

Wait, no! That’s weird!

“Y-you’ve been watching me?” Yata sputtered, slowing his pace.

“I never said that, I just happen to see you…often,” Saruhiko muttered the last of his sentence, shoulders tensing another degree, having Yata vaguely wondering if his back was in pain. Stand up straight idiot.

“The fuck? You’re my stalker now then?”

Saruhiko actually scoffed at that, turning to face Yata as he walked backwards. His face was flushed, Yata saw as Saruhiko passed through a beam of light, but there was still an unbearably smug smile on the taller’s face. “Yeah right. My…friend, I suppose, owns a house on the edge of the park, therefore I’m there a lot. And, it’s just hard to ignore someone so loud.”

Yata scowled, quickening his steps once more until he was close to the other boy again. Who knew how long or fast they’d actually been walking. Yata had stopped paying attention. “Oh, but you were thinking ‘bout showing me this place huh? I still say you’re a stalker!”

Another scoff, and Saruhiko was pouting, giving Yata all kinds of weird rushes of feeling which he did not want to think about.

“I’m not a stalker moron, I only noticed you about two weeks ago. It’s not like I’ve been staring at you for months or anything,” Saruhiko mumbled.

“Doesn’t explain why you’d be staring at me for two weeks either,” Yata supplied, eyeing the other with caution.

Well, no, Yata wasn’t that stupid. He somewhat knew why the taller would’ve been looking at him, but entertaining the idea had Yata flushing something fierce. It was obvious that Saruhiko wasn’t the type to come out and own up to it either, so Yata was forced to stew in his own awkwardness.

He hated to admit it, but this strange form of flirting was surprisingly easy…if it was flirting. It felt like it, but maybe it was only from his end. What did Yata know though? He didn’t have experience with this shit.

In all honesty, Yata had never thought about…girls before, or even guys. He figured no one had sparked his interest yet, and that was why crushes weren’t on his mind. But now, having the tall, slim form of Saruhiko swaying in front of him was making him feel a whole new realm of emotions. Not that he had a problem with…with…being like that with someone, but he’d rather think about it alone than with the possible object of his…affections…only a few feet in front of him. Plus, admitting that his stupid friends were actually right was a serious hit to his dignity.

“I happened to be people watching, and you were more entertaining than my associate’s old stories,” Saruhiko explained as he faced forward, though not very convincingly.

“Uh huh…” Yata squinted at the other’s back. “And you wanted to show me this because? The real reason I mean.”

Well shit, that was bold, even for him. Yata couldn’t help it, and anyways, he didn’t like people giving him bullshit.

Saruhiko huffed, his demeanor suddenly annoyed at the turn of the conversation. Gotcha. Yata smiled smugly, a light feeling of triumph coursing through him.

Saruhiko fixed his glasses again, his pace slowing until they were walking side by side. “Don’t ask questions you apparently know the answers to,” he muttered, and Yata’s heart skipped. What the hell? He’d just met this guy, it shouldn’t feel like such an achievement to get that kind of admission.

“Plus,” Saruhiko went on, his face becoming clearer as more sunlight began to shine down on him. “I don’t really like nature, but this shortcut ends at the park, and it’s not too bad.”

“What do ya—”

It was then Yata realized they’d reached the end of the tunnel, and he was shocked at how he hadn’t even noticed, too focused on the other’s voice. It had almost felt too fast, how had they made it this far only on foot? The tunnel really was a shortcut…

The sun, now harsh and blinding, made him squint as he walked out onto the grass. He was taken aback by the chilling breeze that greeted him, for it had been absent in the shelter of the tunnel. He gasped, staring at the beautiful, open field which was part of Eastside Park. It was a more desolate section of the area, the kind where children rarely frolicked due to the lack of playgrounds and benches. It was untouched, flooded with flowers and vibrant foliage.

Whoa.

Yata had been feeling pretty ‘whoa’ all day it seemed. He withdrew from the tunnel completely, taking in the landscape. The faint sounds of traffic reached his ears, and he turned to his right, noticing the main road just in the distance. The main road that would take him right to his home if he followed it. Awesome.

Even with the lush land, Yata still noted the complete lack of animals. No birds, no squirrels or rodents. Lucky for Yata though, since he could totally see himself lounging around the area for a nap. Dusk would soon be settling on the park, and the vivid blues and pinks of the common flowers would lose their brightness. A shame, but Yata had no doubt that he’d be spending a lot of daylight hours there now anyways.

Yata looked to Saruhiko then, who was now leaning against a tree in the field, staring at Yata with that same, serene smile from before. Yata grinned, approaching him.

“You’re gonna have to show me more shortcuts, I’m going to hold you to it!” Yata couldn’t believe how much faster the walk home would be now that he knew about the secret path, and he was extremely grateful for meeting Saruhiko in that moment.

“Even though I’m a stalker?” Saruhiko smirked, pushing away from the tree and inching closer to Yata. Despite the cold, Yata could feel the warmth just a few inches in front of him, it had Yata leaning forward slightly with its enticement.

“You just gotta make it up to me dumbass!”

Yata didn’t know what compelled him to make such an invite to see the other again, but Saruhiko seemed cool, and he caused Yata’s curiosity to spike. Teasing from his friends and internal panic be damned, he didn’t see the harm in hanging out again.

Saruhiko gave a pleased hum, sidestepping Yata and beginning his trek in the opposite direction of the road, and Yata figured he or his friend must live more towards the inner part of the neighborhood.

As Saruhiko walked off into the distance he turned, calling out to Yata one last time. “When exactly will I be making it up to you?”

Really, Yata wished Saruhiko could stay longer, but he’d settle for any other time if it meant more exploring.

However, Yata suddenly remembered he had a few errands to run on Sunday, as he traditionally did for his mother. The shops where she got her ingredients were nearer to the center of town, at the border right before the richer suburban neighborhoods started.

“How about tomorrow? We can go to central?”

Saruhiko bit his lip, and Yata thought he saw an uncharacteristic flash of worry in those usually neutral eyes, but it was there and gone before he could make much sense of it.

Saruhiko nodded, gesturing to the surrounding area, silently suggesting they meet back at the same spot. Yata nodded, and then they were both off in their separate directions, leaving Yata feeling giddy in a way he never had before.

--

“How did it—”

“Shut it,” Saruhiko interrupted, slamming the door to Douhan’s house with no regard for the old structure’s protests. He’d been expecting this. “You shouldn’t know about any ‘it’ in the first place.”

But she always did. He also didn’t know why she bothered to ask how it went. She tended to have a way of reading him, and right now he couldn’t hide the aura of stupid bliss which was no doubt radiating off him.

All because of a stupid meetup, because of a promised next one. Whatever.

Douhan smiled at him knowingly, proving his suspicions. However, there was a limit to the things she should’ve known. He hadn’t told her about going anywhere today.

Saruhiko wouldn’t give her so much credit as to say the skill was born from natural intuition or social prowess either. Slowly, he let his eyes drift over to her living room, catching sight of the coffee rings staining her table and the old photo albums she insisted on keeping. He never understood why.

Among all the mess though, there were two chipped mugs, half full. Fresh.

He thought it was strange for the door to be unlocked. It meant she hadn’t had time after the home’s previous visitor had left. Judging from the partial spill on the table and the tripped over side stand, they’d left rather hastily too.

That’s mature.

Douhan followed his gaze, not at all bothered about the obvious discovery. She was a private person, but when it came to sharing things between them, she preferred to not have any blind spots.

“Gossiping again?” Saruhiko asked as he walked towards the guest room. He was tired, more so than usual, but he wouldn’t think about why that was. Absentmindedly, he drifted his hand over one of the blonde’s bookcases as he walked, noting how it was in desperate need of reorganizing.

Douhan shrugged. “Not so much gossiping as listening. Fuse came over here to vent about how childish you’re being, but I’m sure you already suspected that…”

The silent question didn’t escape him, but he wasn’t exactly in the mood to deal with his social problems. It was hardly his fault that before he’d gone to the mall, Fuse had approached him, infuriated about things which didn’t matter.

It had erupted to nothing less than a full out fight, and he didn’t know how to go about resolving it. He was hardly used to having any disagreements with the other, at least not anymore. Regardless of the issue, he wasn’t exactly ready to share any of that with Douhan yet.

Well, she probably already knew. Still, hopefully simple answers would suffice.

“We had a disagreement, nothing more. He should mind his own business,” Saruhiko grumbled, moving to open the bedroom door, his only chance of relief from all this. “You all should actually.”

Douhan actually snorted at that, and he sent her a flat look. Why did these discussions have to be uselessly prolonged every time?

She shook her head, finally moving to begin picking up her living room in a rare show of care for the decaying property. It was a normal thing to do after the end of a conversation, but Saruhiko was compelled to stay. After all this time, he knew when the blonde had said her piece, and he also knew when he could afford to not hear it.

This was apparently not one of those times.

“You know that’s not possible when it comes to you,” she said, but her voice was softer, fonder, and he neither had the will nor the energy to scorn it. So instead he clicked his tongue, and finally moved inside the room, refusing to acknowledge how deep down, he probably appreciated it. Maybe.

As he took a step, a sharp pain shot through his side, and he wasn’t fast enough to hide his instantaneous wince. Great…

He clutched his hip, closing his eyes tightly as the pain took its course through his bones and muscles. Saruhiko tried not to groan when he was relieved from the agony after a few moments. Cautiously, he stood up straight again, testing for any aftershocks. When there were none, he gave a relaxed sigh which was completely short lived.

Now he had another issue to deal with.

Saruhiko’s hand was frozen on the door handle, and he could feel Douhan’s eyes boring into his back, searing. He scolded himself for not hiding the reaction faster, for letting her keep him out in the open, but maybe that had been her plan all along.

He was ready for the lecture, for the advice which normally came with stuff like this. It was his own fault sure, but he didn’t need people meddling in his affairs. He was ready with his counter arguments, ready to ease her of any worry, to tell her he was fine.

But he didn’t have to.

After another beat of the strained silence, Douhan just sighed deeply behind him, continuing to pick up her littered coffee table. She only paused one more time afterwards, and he was grateful. “This is why we worry. Don’t overdo it.”

And that was all that had to be said apparently, and the tension between them dissolved as if by magic. Funny, how she could do that.

Saruhiko sighed, not seeing any cause in fighting the demand for now. Right then, he preferred to be alone with his own thoughts of Misaki, and the butterflies swirling obnoxiously in his stomach. He turned back to walk into his room, when one last teasing, sugary statement hit his ears.

“Have fun on your next date.”

--

“Home early again?” Yata’s mother’s voice drifted to his ears as he walked through the door, and he took a seat at the kitchen table idly, triumphant. It had been a good week.

“Yeah, I took a quicker way home someone showed me,” Yata replied with a smile.

“Someone?” His mother paused in her task of looking through the mail, her gaze questioning. Right, his mother always had to be nosy.

Yata rubbed the back of his head, trying his best not to look embarrassed. The last thing he needed was his mom meddling in his personal life.

“Yeah, just this friend I ran into at the mall an—”

“Misaki! You didn’t tell me you were going to the mall!”

Yata flinched at the higher tone of voice, and he held up his hands defensively. “W-what? Did you need something from the mall?”

As he spoke, he was aware of his younger brother skulking into the kitchen, his face pouty and annoyed.

“Well, there was that construction accid—Minoru! I told you, you aren’t allowed to have any sweets tonight!”

Yata laughed from his position at the table as his brother sighed, having been effectively caught. He felt sort of sympathetic, but better his brother get scolded than Yata himself. “What did you do now Minoru?”

“Nothing,” Minoru mumbled, kicking at the floor. “Just broke a few cups…”

“A few? You broke a whole case of them!” His mom had her hands on her hips now, continuing to reprimand her younger son. Again, at least it saved Yata. “If you don’t watch out, the shadow beast will get you!”

Minoru seemed to pout more at that, and Yata was sure the younger would’ve rolled his eyes if he wasn’t afraid of getting in more trouble. “Mom, c’mon! I’m way too old for that story. Plus, the shadow beast only comes when you’re about to die remember?”

His mother hummed, nodding slowly, her expression marred with struggle to remember details of the story she’d told them throughout their childhoods. “Oh, you’re right. I used to have that story down too…to think one day you’d know it better than me.”

“Kind of a brutal story to tell kids don’t ya think?” Yata jumped into the conversation with a laugh. “Even I remembered being terrified when you told it to me as a kid.”

“Past tense? You know the old legend would still scare you if I told it,” his mom said with a smirk. “In fact Misaki, you’ve always been against any kind of scary st—”

“Mom! Stop okay? It’s embarrassing,” Yata protested, yet it was for nothing as his mother’s loud laugh carried throughout the house.

--

Central always made Yata a bit uncomfortable. It was closer to the rich neighborhoods, meaning more snobby and better dressed kids roamed about, sometimes giving him the once over and laughing. It caused Yata to want to sink into the ground. Not that he really cared what they thought, he couldn’t give two shits. Those people didn’t know him anyways, it was more the unwanted attention which got to him.

Central was fun however, given that it had nicer shops, large parks, and tourist spots. It also got the best produce brought to the grocery stores, so Yata’s mother often sent him there to pick up prime ingredients. When he was younger, Yata and his friends would hang out around the supposedly haunted spots in the area, mostly against Yata’s will, as he was usually forced there. Though he wouldn’t admit it, Yata despised going near anything considered paranormal. It was hard to avoid though, since central was the historic hotspot of the area.

Yata had been worried initially about going there with Saruhiko. Maybe the other would be into that kind of thing, and Yata would have to pretend to not be freaked out about going on graveyard tours and shit. He felt lame about it to this day. What kind of grown man actually believed that stuff anymore?

Luckily, Saruhiko had been pretty against the idea, staring at the fancy, historic homes with disdain as they passed them on the way into town.

"You don't think they're cool?" Yata quirked a brow, trying for the hundredth time to not automatically lean in Saruhiko's direction. The walk hadn't been uncomfortable, in fact, they weren't even in town and Yata was having fun. Saruhiko listened to him talk about his favorite games and movies, even his friends' stupid adventures. In between, they took to bickering playfully in a way which made Yata laugh and flush occasionally. It was hard to resist his weird urge to grab Saruhiko's hand when their fingers brushed, or nudge the other with his shoulder when he strayed too close...

Stop it, you just met him! This isn't even a date...

Regardless, Yata couldn't ignore the magnetic pull between them, and he'd been mindfully making sure he was at least a feet or two away as they walked side by side. Yata had originally asked Saruhiko to take them through another shortcut, since the usual way to central was pretty congested, and it was the first time he'd seen Saruhiko look unenthusiastic about the prospect. The taller had clicked his tongue, but had relented in the end upon seeing Yata's perplexed and mildly disappointed face. Yata didn't understand the dislike for the neighborhood they were in, but then again, he couldn't say he loved the place.

It was the historic district, the street lined with old mansions with plaques in front of them, telling when it was constructed and who had lived there. It wasn't deserted, summer was the tourist season after all, but it was far more peaceful than the typical way.

The mansions, white and beige and grand, towered over the small tour groups as he and Saruhiko walked by. Yata shivered when he caught the words "haunted" coming from one of the guides. Yeah, no way did he love these homes. They were pretty though, he was sure his mom would love them. The intricate designs and restored pillars almost made it seem like they had been transported to another time.

"They're just houses," Saruhiko mumbled, scowling at the obnoxious neon signs which directed people to pay good money for a house tour. "I don't see what the big deal is." It was almost cute how pouty Saruhiko sounded, and Yata grinned as the other busied himself with staring at the sidewalk.

Yata thought about that as they passed though, admiring the flowerbeds and wide lawns in front of each house, barred off by black iron and 'no trespassing' signs. "Maybe it's the haunted thing, or people are just history nerds," Yata snorted, and he was delighted when Saruhiko did too. His skin felt hot when Saruhiko grinned in amusement, and damn, damn your face Saruhiko. Yata loved being able to pull new reactions out of him. They'd only been hanging out for a while, but every grin or smirk was a personal triumph and each had Yata's heart racing.

"Only idiots believe those houses are actually haunted," Saruhiko went on, not bothering to look both ways when he crossed the street. Yata had half a mind to scold him, but didn’t want to interrupt. Be more careful...

"They act like serial killers lived there, when it was just old fat aristocrats,” Saruhiko finished, his eyes sharp.

Yata tried not to be too offended, given he did believe in the paranormal, mostly because he'd never shook off the childhood fear, but whatever. He could work with this to his advantage anyways. For whatever reason, he wanted to see if Saruhiko liked being challenged.

"How do you know? Have you ever been inside?"

"I read the plaques," Saruhiko shrugged, and Yata smirked openly.

"So you don't know if it’s not haunted..." Yata hummed, his gut twisting a little at how badly this could go. His goal was to simply play around, maybe embarrass Saruhiko, but if Saruhiko actually wanted to prove him wrong by going inside..."Maybe you're just saying that because you're scared and don't want to go inside."

Yata was surely screwing himself over. Oh god what have you done. You'll never survive.

Old stories started to flood his brain, the one about the ghost bride in the adjacent house, or the missing girl from house 210, and oh god the rumors about the abusive father in house 204...

They were stupid myths, meant to scare grade schoolers and make money, but Yata felt goosebumps even thinking about them. I'm gonna die.

Saruhiko's response surprised him though.

"No way," he said quickly, glaring one last time at the large, tinted windows of one of the bigger homes. "And it's not because I'm scared. I don't need to hear a tour guide talk for hours about the restoration of wallpaper."

Yata blinked, letting the relief wash over him as Saruhiko eyed him critically, as if there was more he wished to say. He does that a lot, Yata realized, and all feelings of stress were replaced with amusement. Saruhiko really was a loner...

"If you say so," Yata said smugly, walking ahead of Saruhiko with confidence. It felt nice to win, even if it was a complete sham. "Sometimes listening to people talk is nice though."

There was a beat of silence as Yata's sneakers dragged on the sidewalk, and he halted, looking back to see Saruhiko with that same torn expression on his face, light flush gracing his features, and Yata choked up. Damnit, stop doing that.

Just when Yata thought he was starting to familiarize himself with Saruhiko’s personality, he did this shit. "Um..."

Saruhiko scoffed, catching up in a few brisk strides as he recovered, refusing to meet Yata's eyes even when their hands brushed together. When Saruhiko finally spoke, Yata felt like he was on another planet.

Or well, maybe cloud nine was more accurate. Fuck.

"Why listen to them? You’re here."

--

And Saruhiko did listen to him, in his own weird, grumpy way. When a group of wealthy college students threw Yata dirty looks because of how he'd been dressed, Saruhiko sneered at them something fierce, and proceeded to indulge Yata's whole rant as they piled groceries into their cart. Then before Yata knew it, he was babbling about everything.

How he didn't want to finish school, how much he loved his mom, how mischievous his siblings could be, all aspects of his life slowly laid bare as if Saruhiko was a lifetime friend, and not the mysterious boy Yata had spent roughly two days knowing.

"Yeah but, that's why I want to move out soon," Yata said, checking a few things off his list and praying Saruhiko wasn't terribly bored with him. "Not super far away but just...getting my own place would be nice."

"Mm," Saruhiko hummed, glaring menacingly at the bag of vegetables Yata loaded into the cart. Yata laughed a bit, pushing the bag towards Saruhiko's face teasingly as the other swatted it away. Cute.

Sparing Saruhiko, Yata looked over his cart again, nodding to himself. That should be everything.

"So, you don't like the guy your mom married then? Is that the issue?" Saruhiko asked, and Yata was quick to clear things up.

"No, not at all! He's great..." Yata said, letting his features fall into a fond expression. His mom...she was so happy now, having a complete family, even if his stepfather was out of town a lot. But... "He's really good to her, to all of us. But, I don't know, I feel like I kinda don't fit in there? My siblings belong with their mom and dad, but the picture looks off when you toss me in there. I don't mind it exactly but--"

Yata thought about his life, his goals for the future, making it on his own and proving he could be something. It was important to him, and the pride began swelling in his chest.

But I want to make a home for myself too.

He wondered how Saruhiko felt about that kind of stuff. The taller did come off as apathetic at times, but Yata could tell there was more drive in him than he let on. Saruhiko was smart too, observant. What did he want to do in the future? What was his family like? Yata didn't realize how badly he wanted to know.

I want to know more about Saruhiko.

Yata looked up after it took the other a while to respond, worried he'd somehow overshared, but Saruhiko's eyes were full of nothing but...well, Yata didn't know how to define that emotion, but he knew the hints of fondness and hesitance in those eyes made comfort crash over him in waves. "Mm, I see."

Yeah...

He coughed, not really sure how to deal with the giddiness swirling in his stomach, and chose instead to act on his urges. "Uh...what's your family like?"

Saruhiko frowned at that, looking away as if to think about his response. It was strange to Yata, he never had to think about how to describe his family. His family was great, but he knew it wasn't the case for everyone. Maybe he shouldn't have asked, but then again, Saruhiko had asked about his, so he thought it was okay.

"I'm not close to them." Saruhiko's shoulders were tense, and Yata decided to drop it after that for sure, but Saruhiko surprised him by continuing. "My...father w--he just wasn’t around a lot, so I got to do as I pleased. I’m used to having a lot of free time."

Yata noted the past tense but didn't press, no matter how much he itched to. He knew better. For whatever reason, even the little tidbit of information about Saruhiko made him happy anyway. It made him want to make Saruhiko happy too. 

Well, you can be close to other people then!

"Lucky me then heh..." Yata coughed, pushing his cart towards the registers in a way that hopefully looked normal. He practically felt Saruhiko's gaze boring into his back.

"Why do you say that?" Saruhiko's voice was edged with playfulness, and the smirk Yata had come to find rather attractive was no doubt plastered on his face. But, well, Yata never backed down from a challenge.

"I get to be around you more then, is all, right?"

He turned around, and the blush he saw was worth his own.

Their hands brushed not so accidentally as they took the groceries out of the cart and loaded them onto the conveyor belt. Sometime after, Yata squawked stupidly when the cashier had to get his attention after he zoned out staring at Saruhiko, and he thought then that he was definitely in trouble. He paid quickly, trying to even out his breathing as Saruhiko stepped forward, brushing against his side to grab some of the bags with irritation.

It was really warm outside, summer had begun after all, but Saruhiko was still wearing a jacket, and Yata glared at the offending material. He wondered what Saruhiko's bare skin felt like as they left the store, not bothering to mind the space between them.

--

They took the long way this time, through the city, an unspoken excuse to talk to each other more, though Yata noticed Saruhiko always made an effort to be a few steps ahead of him.

"Ugh, I can't believe the first time you saw me was when I fell out of that tree," Yata groaned as he cursed Bandou, who had a habit of getting his frisbee lodged in the trees at the park. Yata had a habit of plummeting to the ground in an effort to retrieve them.

"I told you, I knew you would need my help," Saruhiko sighed, eyes darting around the corner as they crossed the street to make sure cars weren't coming. Vigilant now huh?

Saruhiko shook his head in mock disappointment. "Someone who can't even climb a tree..."

"Hey those things are tall!"

"Oh? Are you admitting you're short then Misaki?"

Yata choked, beaten once again. Damn, why did Saruhiko have to be so fast with his comebacks? Not fair. Nevertheless, as annoyed as Yata tried to seem, the grin wouldn't leave his face. "Whatever, you still admit to wanting to help me even after seeing me fall."

Yata's palms felt clammy, because really, what he should've said was 'but you still like me,' but it was too out there, even for him. Plus, he wasn’t fully certain if Saruhiko had been joking before, in the tunnel, or under the freeway. Either way, Yata was content like this, for now.

Well, his arms kind of hurt from carrying the bags for so long, but whatever.

“So—”

Suddenly, Yata was yanked back violently, nearly slipping and dropping the groceries as his feet scuffed against the concrete. Yata's breath was knocked out of him, and he heard a light screech as he was forced back.

"Watch it!" Saruhiko's arms came around his waist, pulling him further onto the sidewalk as a car sped by, honking loudly at them even though the walk sign was clearly on. Yata's heart raced, partly from the shock of the car running the light, but also Saruhiko's body pressed against his, the smell of something vaguely floral flooding his senses as he started to relax.

Saruhiko clicked his tongue, not moving away as he watched the car speed off. "Honestly..."

"Um...Saru..."

The other tensed behind him, which caused his hold to tighten as a result, and Yata tried so hard, so hard not to fall into it. "Ah, right," Saruhiko whispered, clearing his throat as he pulled back, a little too slow to be considered normal, as if...

As if he didn't want to.

No. No, not going down that road. Yata scolded himself, shaking the thoughts away to be dealt with at another time. Preferably when he was at home, in his room, not with Saruhiko.

"Uh haha that was a close one! Yeah." Yata coughed, clutching his bag a little tighter than necessary and hoping he hadn't ruined any of the contents. He glanced down the street as Saruhiko picked up his own bags, glaring at the direction the car had gone. "What an asshole."

"Yeah, I'm surprised how many idiots don't know how to drive." Saruhiko walked past him, continuing their journey home, and Yata followed after a moment of confusion.

Man, come on, it wasn't a big deal.

Well, no. Saruhiko had majorly saved him there, and he'd felt so nice--stop. Later. Home. Bed.

Surprisingly, even after the tense incident, the atmosphere between them returned pretty easily, the comfortable silence and easy mood making Yata forget his near death experience. But, he felt like he needed to say something.

"It was lucky you were there ha," Yata said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks."

Saruhiko shrugged, his usual response, but Yata didn't miss the small grin threatening to grow on his face. "It's whatever."

--

Douhan held the phone between her cheek and her shoulder as she reorganized her book case, the faded covers and tattered pages threatening to fall off as she moved them.

“Are you going to apologize?” She said, and she meant the question as less of a suggestion and more of a command. She was too old for this.

She glanced outside as the sun hit her back through the blinds, strong enough to make it through even the densest of foliage. She glanced to her coffee table in boredom, eyeing the official letters from the city which advised her to clean up her yard. She never paid them any mind.

On the other end of the line, she could hear Fuse sigh loudly, his fingers pausing as he typed on his computer. “Why would I do that?”

Douhan smiled at the childish tone. Fuse was unashamedly blunt, but rational, and hearing him pout was always a treat. It was almost as amusing as when Saruhiko did it.

“You’re the one who started the fight,” Douhan reminded, then continued with a smug smile. “Does Enomoto know about this? Maybe I should tell him to scold you.”

It was an overused trick of hers, bringing up the other’s boyfriend, but it had a high success rate.

Fuse groaned into the receiver, the sound choppy due to a poor connection, and Douhan’s lips quirked in triumph. “Don’t pull that, what I did wasn’t wrong and you know it.”

“Do I?” Douhan grimaced as a book fell apart in her hands, the binding worn and damaged after one too many uses. “Who are you to decide that?”

Douhan’s voice was a touch more grim now, both from her book dilemma and the conversation, and she heard Fuse sigh in defeat after a few tense moments.

“I was just worried about him…that’s all,” he finally whispered, the silence shattered even from the gentleness of the statement.

Douhan’s eyes softened as she stared at the scattered pages on her floor, a light hum leaving her lips as she admired the reasoning. Well, she couldn’t exactly fault him for it.

They all worried about Saruhiko, and each other.

But…

“Yes, I understand,” she said, bending down to collect a page littered with symbols and sketches. “But you know…despite that…”

Despite everything…

“Saruhiko deserves to be happy sometimes.”

The silence was stifling, broken only by Fuse making a choked sound through the phone. She gripped the phone in her hand, tapping her nail on the hard surface as she waited. While Douhan doubted he’d agree right away, she hoped the words would sit with him. Again, they were far too old for this.

The response she got was the dial tone, the harshness of it ringing in her ears as she crumpled up the page in her palm.