思い出 ||Memories|| Two.
Title: 思い出 ||Memories||
Chapter: Two
Genre: Romance, Angst
Main Pairing: Reita x Ruki
Rating: PG-13
Warning: None for now
Disclaimer: I don't own the boys, just the idea of the story
Summary: A young Takanori is left heart-broken and alone until he mets a cold-hearted stranger who helps him many times. While the two bond together and seem to fall in love, Takanori continuously forgets things and gets lost in his own neighborhood and is finally diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The two work hard to overcome the disease and stay together as they hope for a miracle.
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| Chapter One.| Chapter Two.| Chapter Three.|
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Two.
The spring air had long since faded and took the smell of dew in the mornings away with it and summer had past just as fast leaving behind shorter days, darker nights, and a cool breeze that Takanori found himself wondering in with a smile on plush lips. The small man, brunette now since his future classes required more of a professional look, walked taking careless and slow steps, holding his leather bag in his hands, the strap held tight as it swung from left to right across the male’s path. Large wondrous eyes looked up to the night sky, stars hidden behind the dark clouds that were normally found on an Autumn night, and to the tip-tops of buildings whose lights reflected off of the clouds adding a natural ambiance to the city’s almost empty streets and walkways.
Designer shoes clicked on the stone sidewalk while legs continued to widely step forward until the came to a slow stop beside each other, the owner of the shoes paused in his musings and smiled to himself as he finished his walk home. Takanori made sure to keep quiet as he snuck in the back door, removed his shoes, and tip-toed in his sock covered feet up the newly carpeted stairs until he quietly sunk into his room, shut the door, and sat on the bed. His midterms for the second semester at his art school finished just hours before which was why the brunette male was in a happy and content mood; he had no more classes to study for as he was allowed the two-week fall break.
The small man sat down at his wooden desk, resting his leather bag underneath his chair and leaning on his crossed feet, as he flipped on a light and took out his sketchbook and began drawing. The brunette had learned a lot from his first semester classes, even the Art History he couldn’t stand helped him greatly, and said classes helped the young male decide what stage he wanted to take next for his two-year school plan. At the moment he enrolled himself in fashion design and was learning how to use a sewing machine and the different types of hems, seams, stitching, and fabrics as well as how to sew different fabrics. It was tough, but the small man worked hard and stayed the latest for his midterm and smiled at the professor as he left the class that day after making a business suit for a man.
Aside from his fashion class, Takanori also enrolled in jewelry design which he excelled at and which he enjoyed most. The small man had many ideas floating about in his head for the next necklace or over-the-knuckle ring and he just couldn’t wait to get them on paper, and often showed his professor his designs outside and unrelated to class for advice.
Night turned into day and Takanori was calmly awoken by his elder sister who rubbed a thin hand on his shoulder to stir him from his dreams and russet eyes slowly opened to see his world fuzzy until he sat up, yawned, and rubbed his eyes until everything was clear again. The elder woman welcomed him to the new day and informed him of the warm breakfast waiting downstairs for them and then joked about sleeping on his sketches again due to the lead streaks that mirrored his drawings on his pale cheeks.
After washing up and changing clothes, Takanori joined his family for breakfast before announcing that he was departing to go look around the town for inspiration. He then left the warmth of his house and shrugged at the cool morning air that welcomed him outside of the house and strolled down various sidewalks, his leather bag containing his art supplies hung from his shoulder instead of across his body for easy access to incase of a sudden inspiration which came sooner than Takanori had expected and it was in the form of a man working on a Harley bike down a small street-alley between small shops. The young man cared not in the slightest if people thought he was strange as he sat down on the corner, facing the alley, and leaned against the old-fashioned deep green lamp that had recently turned off since the sun’s rays reached almost every inch of the city by this time of morning.
Small hands easily pulled out a leather bound sketch book and rested the large book against thighs that pointed up as he sat with his heels pressing against his rear and knees bent, facing the morning sky. The brunette felt he seemed more obvious about staring at the stranger, who was wearing a black tank top with white writing in English and baggy camouflage cargo pants, because he was wearing large sunglasses. Small fingers attached to a small hand pulled down on the black beanie that covered most of the brunette hair resting on a small head before reaching back into the leather bag and pulling out a simple drawing pencil.
Russet eyes watched with interest as the man continued to work on his motorcycle with such dedication as a hand moved without being watched, sketching and drawing ideas that came from watching the man who wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of gloved hands. Time had been lost ever since the teen stepped out of the house, and still flew about unknown to the small man until the biker stood up and started bagging his tools. Takanori had expected the man to saddle up and leave, so to say, but what he hadn’t expected was for the man to walk over to him, stand beside him, and crouch down with his wrists lazily resting on his knees as he studied the brunette’s drawings and doodles, one of which was actually the man himself crouched down and working on an outlined sketch of the Harley. A now gloveless finger pointed to the picture of himself; “My hair isn’t that messy,” he stated coolly with a deep voice.
Takanori was looking at the man now, who seemed so familiar with calculating fawn eyes, but the small man just couldn’t pinpoint where he knew this man from, or why a strap of cloth covered his nose, with plush lips forming a small “o” and russet eyes stared doe-like at the man although hidden behind dark sunglasses. Fawn eyes looked over to sunglass hidden and narrowed, “You’ll catch a fly,” was stated as rough fingers pushed a soft chin up, closing the small mouth before the man stood up and began to leave.
“W-wait!” A mouth shut just as quickly as it opened and hands fumbled to throw everything back into a leather bag that was hastily thrown onto a thin shoulder, “Do I know you?” He asked boldly, stepping back once after taking a few steps to follow the man and looked down.
Thick booted feet came to a stop before slowly turning around as hands loosely hung by thumbs on front pockets, “Nope. Never seen you before in my life.” The man turned forward and stepped to return to his bike before speaking over his shoulder once more, “See you around Takanori…”
Russet eyes looked down somewhat disheartened and disappointed until widening and looking back up as small legs, hidden in black tights, stepped forward, “Wait. How do you know my name…?”
A head was tilted ever so slightly, but enough for Akira so see the obvious curiosity that radiated off of the small male standing behind him. “Dunno…” A shrug of lean shoulders was given at the same time as his reply and the mohawked man stepped forward once more, intending to arrive at his Harley until he was once again stopped by a persistent man, who this time had said nothing, but instead grabbed Akira’s upper arm before pulling himself in front of the elder man.
Takanori had by now taken off his glasses and shoved them in a pocket of his over-sized long sleeve shirt and allowed his beautiful almond shaped eyes to look directly into thin fawn eyes with nothing in-between as he studied the man’s face. This man seemed so familiar but there was nothing ringing a bell in Takanori’s memory and that piece of cloth across the man’s face was bothering him, and without a thought, small fingers quickly reached up and pulled the cloth down and off of a fine nose that wrinkled at the cold air that was being blocked by the very cloth that now hung around his neck. “I know you…” Takanori mumbled, his head tilting again as his eyes narrowed while he tried to search for a name, a place, or a date that might lead him to remember this man.
“Nope, never met me before in your life,” Akira spoke, attempting to walk around the small man who only rushed to get in front of Akira and stop his walking. This continued for almost a minute until Takanori tripped on the tool bag that the fawn-eyed man had left on the ground. As the small man stumbled Akira groaned and rubbed his face with his hand roughly, “Can you go away? I have stuff to do. You’re lucky I’m not reporting you for stalking me and drawing me without permission.” The elder man almost wished he could take back what he said when russet eyes widened with fear and the smaller man almost fell to the ground in a bow muttering words of apology and begging. “Get up, you’re making a scene.”
Russet eyes looked up, wide and innocent, before he slowly stood back up, small hand straightening out his over-sized red plaid shirt. Takanori saw the other man roll his eyes as he squatted down and Takanori’s head turned and saw the man picking up loose papers from his leather bag that was on the ground. The teen, again, practically fell to his knees and rushed to gather his belongings but stopped when the man snorted, “Do you use all of these pens or do you sell them on the subway or something?”
A blush instantly flourished over soft cheeks and Takanori bent over more to try and just pull everything into his bag that he held open, “N-No… I just lose them a lot, sometimes…” he muttered quickly after successfully shoving everything into his bag and closing it.
Both men were on their feet soon after and Akira just raised and eyebrow at the teen before sighing, “Do you really not remember?” The blonde asked crossing his arms with a grumpy look on his face as he looked at Takanori who was still trying to figure out who he was.
“N- No…” Russet eyes looked down bashfully as a head tilted down as well, “Should I?”
Akira’s sudden movement as he threw his leg over his bike startled the young brunette who stepped back while looking at the elder flabbergasted, “Get on, and we can talk somewhere.” And Takanori did just that.
And although he had never been on a motorcycle in his entire life, it was more frighteningly exciting that he could ever imagine. The engine was revving loudly as Akira took to the streets, carefully passing cars and serving around people who actually did the speed limit, the sheer terror and amazement at how close they got to the ground as Akira turned corners, and the vibrations of the motor running sent a new tingling sensation up the teen’s back. He understood how riding a motorcycle was dangerous, more so than driving a car, but he now understood why people did. The freedom you didn't get to experience in an enclosed car was what it was about. Feeling the speed of the wind blow across your face, the blurs of everything around you, and the pure excitement of just knowing you are free, not trapped must be why people drive these dangerous vehicles, and Takanori was going to learn how to drive one day.
Sure at first he was completely terrified at the fact Akira gave him his helmet, one that didn’t even cover his eyes or face, just the crown of his head scared him senseless, and the fact that Akira didn't have one for himself concerned the teen who just couldn’t help but squeeze onto the thin but firm waist of the elder blonde who expertly drove through the city on his prized possession.
The excitement left russet eyes when the bike came to a slow stop, the engine’s intense sound died down as Akira outstretched his feet and walked along the bike until it stopped completely. The kickstand was kicked out and the bike leaned to one side and Akira turned his head around to look at the disappointed teen that had yet to let go of his waist, “We’re here…” He said in monotone and when Takanori didn't move he sighed loudly, “You going to let go of me?” And those seemed to be the magical words because Takanori shook his head and quickly let go of the other before flailing about until he actually fell off the bike to which amused Akira so much he laughed out loud before un-straddling the bike.
Takanori smiled sheepishly as he stood up, as Akira laughed a bit more until his smile was replaced with a pout, “You can stop now…”
Akira snorted and rubbed his forehead with the back of his arm before getting off the bike and taking his keys and shoving them deep into his pocket as he walked into the small café he had parked in front of. Stunned that he was left outside alone, Takanori readjusted his leather bag that was still strapped over his shoulder, which he had almost forgotten that he even had it on the motorcycle, and walked forward into the café. A small bell jingled above the door as it opened and shut and russet eyes narrowed and a slight frown grew on plush lips when he saw Akira standing at the counter holding two cups. “Well don't just stand there, find somewhere to sit,” the elder stated after he turned around and saw the youth standing in the doorway.
Taking his words as a king suggestion instead of an order, Takanori walked to a booth near the large window where he could watch everyone and everything walk around and do whatever in the city street. Akira sat down and peered at Takanori who seemed absorbed by the window before placing a cup in front of the younger. This slightly startled the young brunette who quickly looked at the blonde and then down at the cup and a small hand reached out to take the cup. Once in his hands, Takanori raised it up and took a breath and the warm smell of hot chocolate filled his nostrils and made his mouth water slightly and right before he was able to put the cup to his lips, it was out of his hands. The brunette stared at the elder male stunned with wide eyes before he glared watching as Akira chugged the drink down.
After Akira placed the now empty cup back on the table he smirked and raised a brow at Takanori who was glaring at the fawn-eyed man. The two held this stare for a few seconds until Takanori blinked once, twice, and then once more and the once narrowed eyes slowly widened in disbelief and the frown on plush lips slowly formed an ‘o’. Takanori’s cheeks paled before a red color slowly filled them when small hands went to a small face and Takanori dropped his head onto the table. “I am so sorry…”
The elder male smirked at the smaller before picking up the second cup he bought, hidden underneath the table where he had it resting on the bench with him, and sat it near the other who peeked up before dropping his head back down, “Your face is going to be all kinds of red if you keep hitting your head on the table…”
“I don't care,” Takanori groaned, not caring about the cup placed near him, only concerned with the man across the table from him.
“Do you remember me?” the elder asked with his brown still raised as he watched the younger slowly looked up and out the window.
A small nod was given as russet eyes refused to break their lock outside of the café as he watched a dog walk in circles around a light pole because he was tied to said light pole, “I remember that night, it was raining… And I had gotten a hot chocolate but I left it and my wallet back at the store and I thought you were giving me my hot chocolate… But it was actually yours, because I left my wallet but that was still at the counter… I’m sorry, I felt guilty then but you were gone when I left the store and I had missed the bus… And then I saw you not long later, you work at a car repair company, right?” This time, russet eyes looked away from the window as he saw the dog’s owner come back and untie him before walking away, and russet met fawn yet again.
“I do.”
“My dad goes to this warehouse a lot, he’s got Porsche that was there for a few months, and he is kind of a car collector. I saw you one day cause I waited in the car when he went in to see his car- I remember you then and from the shop…”
“Not the accident?” Akira asked sitting back in the bench after he put his hands behind his head watching as the brunette looked down, deep in thought.
“You were there?” Takanori muttered to himself before cautiously sipping the drink set near him that was almost forgotten, “Oh! You were! You helped me because I hit my head…” the brunette mumbled loudly enough for Akira to hear as he looked down and subconsciously rubbed the back of his head, “I had to get stitches, but you sat with me at the ambulance, right?”
Russet eyes looked up and locked with calculating fawn, “Yeah. Did they say you’d have any memory loss?”
A scarlet blush covered Takanori’s cheeks once more as he hid behind the cup in his hands, “No… I’m always… Kind of forgetful…”
They had chatted for a bit longer at the café before Akira dropped Takanori off near a park where the younger was meeting a friend. Takanori watched the taillight of Akira’s motorcycle vanished, as did the sound of the engine roaring through the city before turning and looking at the park and sighed. Boots that fit his feet but grew large and loose near the top walked quietly on the pebbled sidewalk as the young man headed towards the small pond where he had been meeting a friend he made in art history the previous semster. The brunette sat down with his back leaning against a large oak tree and shivered due to the air that was growing cooler as the sun set behind the buildings. Takanori really had lost track of time today and he frowned slightly and mentally scolded himself for not bringing a jacket out in the autumn weather or checking his phone for the time. But he just couldn’t find himself to tell Akira off or cut their chat short, he still can’t understand how what seemed like a short time was actually a two hours at the café, but he was drawing the elder for a while, no one counted the time then either.
Takanori shivered again and decided against pulling out his sketchbook and instead brought his knees up to his chest and crossed his arms around his legs and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And just as the sun was completely gone and he was left alone in the cold park, he saw a familiar figure running towards him, the lamps along the walk ways of the park illuminating him every other step he took, until the figure was right beside the small chilled man. “I’m so sorry Takanori, I had to watch my little cousin, I sent you a text a few hours ago but I guess you never got it…”
Dull russet eyes looked up at the tall man before the small body on the ground allowed shoulders to move up and down in a shrug, “I haven’t checked my phone all day… I’m surprised my dad hasn’t freaked out yet…”
The taller let out a deep breath as he crossed his jacket-covered arms and rubbed his upper arms, “Come on, let’s go somewhere warmer,” to which Takanori agreed fully and slowly stood up and dusted himself off and put his bag across his shoulder, “Damn Taka! You aren’t freezing?”
“I am, I’m just numb so I feel like a zombie,” the younger shrugged at his friend again, “I could’ve checked my phone but I forgot I had it with me until you said something.”
“You have the memory of an old person!” his friend teased pulling the younger closer as he tossed his arm around the other’s neck.
“Shove off Kouyou! I’m not old!” The younger playfully tried to get free but was unsuccessful when his friend laughed and held on tighter, putting the brunette into a headlock.
“I didn’t say you were! You have the memory of like my Grandma, and she has Alzheimer’s so her memory is like- shot.” The honey blonde joked before sighing.
“Kou, you shouldn’t joke her too much, it’s not her fault.”
“I know,” the other stated dully, “It just sucks she can’t even remember who my dad is… Or my Grandpa, she thinks that he husband is her own father… And he’s been dead since she was five, I just don’t get it…”
Takanori looked up at his friend with caring eyes before hugging the taller man around his waist as the walked awkwardly out of the park. Kouyou was Takanori’s only true friend although they had only met a short time ago, but he was also the only person who understood how the small man felt about almost everything. In the few months they have gotten to know each other, someone who didn't know how long they’ve been friends would think of them as childhood friends. Takanori knew everything about Kouyou, from birth to present day and had even seen embarrassing baby photos, and vice versa with Kouyou knowing about Takanori. They never lied to each other which is a blessing to Takanori because Kouyou knows about Takanori’s sexuality and is fine with it, not long after Takanori confronted Kouyou with that, the honey blonde had told his small companion that he more or less thought himself as being bi-sexual.
The young man hadn’t realized that in the silent walk, that they had reached his house until they walked to the front door. Takanori lifted his head after having it resting on Kouyou’s upper arm, which his own smaller arms were also wrapped around, and looked at the door. One other thing the brunette loved about his honey blonde companion is that they always cuddle and display affection for one another no matter where they are, just like how Kouyou let Takanori cling to him on the walk home like a girlfriend would. The two entered the Matsumoto house in the same manor and Takanori’s mother just smiled at them from her spot on the couch where she was reading a book, “Welcome back Taka, did you find things to draw?” Her answer was a soft nod from a small head with closed eyes, “Hello Kouyou, nice to see you again,” the curly haired woman greeted.
“Hello Mrs. Matsumoto,” the honey blonde replied softly after toeing his shoes off as Takanori just kept his boots on and stepped up from the genkan to which his mother sighed and ignored it, she had tried for years to get the somewhat rebellious youth to take his shoes off when entering the house, to which he does sometimes unless he is ill or forgets. Kouyou had to pull Takanori up the stairs until they reached the younger’s room and then the brunette let go of Kouyou’s arm and fell face first onto his bed.
“So what’s bothering you Taka?” The honey blonde asked as he closed the bedroom door and moved closer to his friend whose feet were dangling off the back of his bed, “You seem so… Blah.” He then continued as his hands grabbed one boot and easily pulled it off of the smaller man before doing the same to the other boot and tossed them into the open closet.
“Nothing much, I just met someone today…” was mumbled into the bed and then repeated when Takanori sat up and faced his friend so it was more coherent.
Interested, the honey blonde sat down in the desk chair backwards with his long fingers holding onto the back of the chair as his chin rested atop of them, “Do go on.” He teasingly purred at the blushing brunette that took off his leather bag.
“Not like that!” Takanori retorted as he shoved a hand into the bag and dug out his sketchbook, along with a few pens that tagged along and landed in various places on his bed, “I mean, I’ve met him before but I forgot…”
And then Takanori told his friend the story of what happened before art school, about the train, the rain, and that strange man who was seen not much later again. Kouyou already knew about the car accident and the man who helped Takanori then, but the brunette put the puzzle pieces together for Kouyou and told him about the day and their talk and the motorcycle ride, to which Kouyou seemed envious of his adventure. The two friends scanned the many pages of sketches inspired by the biker and even the portraits of the biker himself that Takanori had taken not so long to draw. And after that the two friends spent the rest of the night talking about future classes, life, and where they want to go in the world. By the end of the night, Kouyou decided he was going to sleep over, which he wouldn’t even have to ask the Matsumoto’s permission because they have recently gotten used to the boy sleeping over, and the two laid in Takanori’s bed together, something not new to them.
Kouyou rested behind the small brunette and held him from behind, Takanori’s back against the honey blonde’s warm chest as his small hands held Kouyou’s. They were quiet for a while, both barely asleep and barely awake, the only light left in the room was from the moon and stars outside, and then Takanori got the courage to speak up one last time before he was whisked away into his dreams, and dry plush lips barely opened to whisper these words, but Kouyou had to hear them tonight, “I want to see him again.”
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| Chapter One.| Chapter Two.| Chapter Three.|
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A/N:
This took a while to write, but I got it! This one is almost 5,000words, but not quite- not yet haha. Not sure when the next one will be up, but please be patient! Finals are coming up and I'll be done with my spring semester soon so I'll be able to write more when I'm not writing essays and junk~ Please comment if you read, like I said before even a :) or :( is fine with me just so I know someone is reading, it also gives me more inspiration to know someone is waiting for the next update! It means so much!
As always...
.alexaTaylor.