A return home to a new arrival

[moonsaulting]

WHO: Mukahi Gakuto (moonsaulting) and Oshitari Yuushi (fromosakawlove)
WHAT: A reunion between partners.
WHERE: Room 202
WHEN: After this
WARNINGS: Um, none for now?

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[fromosakawlove]

It was one shock after the other ever since Yuushi had been sucked through time by a sundial. Of course the change in body had been an obvious one, location another, but the change in company was what had forced Yuushi to spend a lot of time sitting down for fear of shaking too hard to stand. But where he sat wasn't any better, because it was a shared apartment with none other than the reason he was shaking.

Mukahi Gakuto. His friend and doubles partner was still alive. And well enough to use communication to prove the fact. After the continual disappearances Yuushi had become more and more worried that they weren't coming back. True, Atobe and Ohtori had done so, but they hadn't been able to say where they were, and weren't nearly gone as long as Gakuto.

But here they were, both in the future now and Yuushi was as anxious as ever, this time to see his friend. And so when he heard the click of the door opening, he stood quickly but didn't go too far, too afraid of something happening to tear their reunion away from them. "Welcome home," he managed to say in a voice that was almost too stuck in his throat to leave. His eyes roamed over his friend, noting where things had changed, where they hadn't. His gaze lingered on that dark hair before finally focusing on Gakuto's face, the shock and relief freezing him up until watching was all he could do.

[moonsaulting]

Hearing that voice, almost completely unchanged by the ten years of age, but sounding... forced, before he'd even turned around to look - Gakuto felt like crying. Then he did turn, and Yuushi was looking at him; a taller, older Yuushi with an unidentifyable expression on his face. Gakuto's eyes were watering a little already, and there was a smile creeping onto his own face that he didn't want to supress. He was happy, no matter how selfish it was.

Stepping forward to get a closer, better look at his friend, the acrobat smiled up at him, trying to mask his the full extent of his emotions. He knew he was failing hopelessly. He didn't have a poker face like Yuushi did, after all, he was so used to just being open and displaying everything. Gakuto placed a hand awkwardly on the taller man's arm, hoping to snap him out of his unmoving trance. "You're actually, actually here, Yuushi."

[fromosakawlove]

It wasn't fanfares and lights, there was no slow motion running, or epic music playing in the background, but for such a grand reunion there didn't need to be, because the way Gakuto looked at him was enough to make up for anything the movies might have used. At the cautious touch Yuushi felt like he could breathe again, because he was thinking much of the same thing. Gakuto was actually here.

His face broke into it's own smile of relief, months of worry fading away as he looked down at his friend. He wrapped his arms around the smaller man, tugging him to his chest to keep reassuring himself that yes, Gakuto was alive and alright and also right there. A chuckle bubbled up from his throat as he realized how easy it was to tuck Gakuto's head under his chin. "You haven't grown much," he teased, but the relaxed, happy smile was still on his face.

[moonsaulting]

Gakuto made an undignified but quiet noise as Yuushi pulled him to him. That hug was unexpected, but definitely not unwelcome, and Gakuto's arms wound over Yuushi's back in return. He even felt familiar when he shouldn't since ten years was supposed to change a body quite a bit. Gakuto supposed it was Yuushi, and Yuushi was going to be the same to him no matter how old they were.

"Oh, shut up," he mumbled, scowling. "Just because you're tall." He nudged his head upward, hopefully knocking Yuushi's jaw in retaliation, but not hard enough for it to hurt. Yuushi was here. It was so insane. When he'd found Shishido here, it hadn't been so weird, he was here before him. When Jirou had arrived, that had been a little different; Gakuto had been more worried than anything. But Yuushi was here sharing his apartment, and Yuushi had been worried about him... Gakuto hugged him a little tighter.

[fromosakawlove]

Yuushi chucked again at that. "I am, aren't I?" he teased, as if he hadn't noticed it himself. The hit to his jaw hadn't hurt, just amused him more, and he took in a breath as Gakuto's arms tightened around him. Not because it hurt or was unwelcomed, but because the sentiment was clearly there. Gakuto seemed just as happy to see him. "I missed you," he murmured, nuzzling lightly against the black hair.

He squeezed Gakuto tighter himself for a moment, and although he didn't want to pull away, he was anxious to talk and really make sure his friend was alright. He slowly untangled his arms from around Gakuto, and stepped back, giving him a warm smile to make up for it. His hands rested on the former redhead's shoulders instead as he looked down at him. "How have you been, honestly?"

[moonsaulting]

"I missed you, too." It was less difficult to admit than he thought it would be. Gakuto had tried to put aside how much he missed everyone, especially Yuushi, but now that he didn't need to miss him anymore he felt so relieved. When the taller man stepped back, Gakuto raised his eyes to look up at him, mirroring his smile. "I've been fine. It wasn't that hard to get used to here, and Ryou was here to help. Hey, come sit down..." He had just been out most of the day, after all. Gakuto put his bag down near the table, moving to flop down on the couch.

"...well, I did break my wrist, but that was a few months ago and it's fine now." He shrugged. Then he hesitated. Did he tell Yuushi about the world changes, or wait? "...and every second week or so, we go somewhere different. The whole apartment does." That was vague, he knew, but he was only going to tell if Yuushi asked.

[fromosakawlove]

Yuushi nodded. He could understand why it wouldn't be hard to adjust, especially if someone Gakuto already knew was there. He followed Gakuto to the couch and sat down beside him, giving a frown at the mention of the broken wrist. But true to his words Gakuto seemed to be moving it just fine, but Yuushi did notice the reluctance to tell him about the going somewhere different.

"I'll have to thank Shishido for taking care of you, then," he said, raising his hands above his head in a stretch. His body felt stiffer, likely something he wouldn't have noticed growing into it, but with a sudden change the differences in his older body were clearer. "But what do you mean go somewhere different? You don't always stay in this place?" he asked in clarification.

[moonsaulting]

Pulling his legs up onto the couch after kicking his shoes off, Gakuto nodded. "Yeah, he's been good to me, and he did take care of me when my wrist was broken." It had initially surprised him how... not-insufferable Shishido had been, but it was good and very welcome without many others around. And Shishido... had said he was his best friend. He frowned a little as he thought of that. Was Shishido his closest friend? Gakuto supposed now he was, but with Yuushi here... it was confusing.

Oh, a question. Focusing back on the conversation, Gakuto glanced away. "Um, well... kind of. You know that lots of people here are from different worlds, don't you? Well, with the Sundial Watchers messing with stuff to get us back, they're... um, sending us to everyone's worlds. All of us. And some people here had really dangerous lives." Ones with monsters and creepy abandoned cities and places that smelled of death. "Like I said, you'll find out on Friday."

[fromosakawlove]

That was good. One of Yuushi's fears if Gakuto had still been alive was that he was alone, and hearing for sure that someone had been there for him was even more of a relief. Yuushi was sure with too much more he'd end up melting from the lack of tension. Shishido was gruff but Yuushi always suspected he had a good heart under all the rough edges, and he gave a small smile.

Yuushi blinked at all the information he was given though. No he hadn't known that the people were from different worlds, but seeing as he was there with an older Gakuto and in an older body he had no choice but to accept it. "Dangerous, hm?" Well that was troubling. But at least Gakuto, Shishido and Jirou were still there. Even if it had been dangerous they must have been able to avoid it. So he had until Friday before they got taken to another world. "Ah, well besides the... world traveling and wrist breaking, what have you been doing here? You said you were at work?"

[moonsaulting]

"Uh, yeah." Right, work. Gakuto didn't know how Yuushi would react to his assigned job, after all, Shishido and Jirou had been disbelieving. "I work... teaching. Teaching high school English. At a school near here." Saying it out loud sounded odd, if he thought about it. He was Japanese, and had techinically never been to high school himself. But... "I like it a lot. I don't work every day, I mean, today I just had to do a relief class, so..." he trailed off, not going to bombard Yuushi with six months' worth of school stories.

A beat passed and Gakuto glanced up. "What are you doing, then? Aspen at the front desk gave you your job, right?" He queried, curious. "Is it something difficult?" Yuushi was smart, he could do just about anything. Gakuto couldn't begin to guess.

[fromosakawlove]

"Oh?" Yuushi asked. That was surprising; Gakuto was always good at English, but Yuushi hadn't realized it was good enough to teach a grade higher than he'd even managed to get to. Through no fault of his own. "That's impressive," he commended. "You've learned enough to teach?" Yuushi slowly smiled as he imagined Gakuto actually teaching a group of students older mentally than he. "I assume they don't know your circumstances, or there would be quite a bit of jealousy."

He crossed a leg over his knee and leaned back into the couch, "I'm to work in nursing," he answered of himself, and glanced over to Gakuto with a smirk. "Without the short skirts and heels," he added. "Although I wouldn't mind terribly much if that ends up being the attire of my co-workers."

[moonsaulting]

"I think the knowledge sort of came with the ageing." Gakuto shrugged. "I'm pretty much a native speaker now," he boasted, even though it had happened through circumstance and not hard work and study. It was still his knowledge. "And no, they don't. I don't really want to be labelled a crazy teacher." The majority of his students would probably laugh and get over it, but there were a couple who'd think he was insane and talk about it. He didn't want to get investigated by overprotective parents.

Gakuto grinned. Yuushi, a male nurse. Trying to not snicker to himself (and failing), he poked him with his foot. "Now now, Yuushi, you're twenty-five and a respectable member of society. No perving on the coworkers." Not that Yuushi would listen, but there was no harm in trying to be the mature one.

[fromosakawlove]

"Mm, that would make sense," Yuushi agreed with a nod. Otherwise none of them would likely be getting a decent job with the knowledge possessed by only a teenager. At the nudge of a foot he chucked low in his throat and adopted a put-upon expression. "But this is the perfect opportunity to do so." he protested, a smirk lightly hovering on his lips. "I'm legal and sexy, what more could they want?" he drawled, spreading his arms along the back of the couch as if posing.

"It should be interesting anyway," Yuushi continued, more serious. "It's not a field I'm unfamiliar with, even if I've never been old enough to work in it before." His family profession seemed to be that of doctors after all. "I'm supposed to start the work week on Wednesdays I believe, but I'm being given some time to settle in first so it won't be right away."

[moonsaulting]

Gakuto just rolled his eyes. "And modest, too," he jibed, tacking it on with perfect timing. Not that he was disagreeing or anything, but that deserved another poke in the side with his toe. "Don't go getting fired, we have rent to pay." Another good thing about Yuushi being here; shared rent. Maybe Gakuto could actually save up his cash properly now.

"Well, I have work tommorrow, but I have Friday off, we should go do something." Like tennis, or go out for lunch, or even just hang around the apartment and catch up on half a year of each other's lives. "I could show you 'round the place," Gakuto finally settled with, idly playing with his hair.

[fromosakawlove]

As much as Yuushi had realized he missed the banter between Gakuto and himself, it was still satisfying in ways he couldn't quite put. His smile even kicked up a knotch at the mention of rent. That's right, he and Gakuto really would be living together for as long as it lasted. And as much as Gakuto could be loud and annoying at times, Yuushi couldn't think of another person he'd rather live with.

"I'd like that," he said in return to both the offers. It was far past time to just hang out with Gakuto, especially with all the changes they'd been through. He followed the movement of Gakuto's hand though, and reached his own out to brush a lock of hair, "Lost your fire, did you?" he teased at the lack of red. But maybe that was how the future Gakuto usually wore it.

[moonsaulting]

Blinking as Yuushi reached out to touch his hair, Gakuto couldn't help but turn a little pink. People hadn't really touched him since he got here. At home, it might not have made a difference. "Um, well, that's a funny story." He again hesitated, this time to save his own pride. But this was Yuushi, it would be fine. He hoped. "It was real wild for a while, but still red... then Ryou cut it back to normal and I kept it like that for a bit, and then..." Sigh. "This American girl thought... I was a girl. So I changed it. I was thinking about it before, though," he added hastily. "...do you like it?"

"Oh!" Suddenly he scowled, and leaned forward to jab the taller man in the chest. "You missed my birthday. My sixteenth birthday." He refused to call it his twenty-sixth. Sixteen was supposed to be important, or something, and be damned if he wasn't going to milk it for what it's worth.