gift fic for watashi_wa_13
For: watashi_wa_13
HAPPY VALENTINE~
Title: Come Find Me
Pairings/Characters: Kazuki x Manabu
Rating: PG
Warnings: I didn’t focus much on their lives as college students. Sorry~
Notes: It’s been a while since I’ve written Kazuki and Manabu, so I hope I don’t disappoint.
Summary: Manabu is a freshman to a university, and Kazuki is unfortunately, his room mate.
Manabu walks through the hallway of his new university's dorm, carrying a backpack and a gymbag full of clothes and some stuff. He's also holding a guitar case with his left hand. He's really thankful to his older brother Byou driving him here or else he'll stumble with all these things especially with his small frame.
He curses under his breath with every step he takes; he wonders why his room has to be on the fourth floor and at the end of the long hallway. He also wants to hit himself for refusing his brother's offer of helping him move.
Manabu exhales deeply as he reaches the door, he puts down his guitar case and searches his pockets for the keys. He's just about to unlock the door when it swings open to a girl still trying to fix her clothes.
"Must be the wrong room, sorry." Manabu blurts out when the girl looks at him in shock, said girl shakes her head and runs away and back down to the lower floors (1st and 2nd floors) where the girls are supposed to stay.
"Get inside, roomie!" A voice calls out from inside the room; Manabu takes his guitar case and enters, kicking the door with his foot to get it closed.
Manabu finds a guy sprawled on the bed, obviously naked, his lower body covered by a blanket. Cigarette butts and beer cans litter the floor and the smell of sex lingers in the air.
"I'm Kazuki. Sorry about the mess, we kind of... Overslept." Kazuki smiles then lights up a cigarette, Manabu scrunches his nose, "Aren't we not allowed to smoke here? And drink?"
"Why do you think I'm in this room?" Kazuki asks with a smug, "Top floor, last room?"
Manabu shrugs then just proceeds to unpacking his stuff into the cabinet on his bed's side. Kazuki sits up, using his elbows as leverage, "Music major?"
"Yeah."
The shorter boy doesn't even look at Kazuki as he continues to unpack. "Don't be shy around me, kid." Kazuki then stands up, letting the blanket pool at his feet and puts on his clothes, Manabu gasps at the confident display of nakedness and he immediately looks away from the sight.
This isn't how he's pictured his university life would be - turning out to be the same thing he tried desperately to escape from in high school.
"You know," Kazuki starts as he pulls a shirt over his head, "it would be nice to actually have a roommate with a name."
"It's Manabu."
"Bu-chan!"
"Just Manabu." He insists, eyes staring at the now fully-clothed Kazuki who just smirks at him, "You're my Bu-chan and that's that."
Manabu sighs, he actually hates nicknames.
"Have you had lunch? I'm starving." Kazuki asks as the taller leans by the doorframe watching Manabu place the last batch of his clothes in the closet.
"Had a sandwich on the way here."
"That's not lunch."
Manabu shrugs, "I'm not hungry anyway. Besides," the shorter scans the small room, "there's a lot to clean here."
Kazuki scratches an imaginary itch at the back of his neck, "Now you're trying to make me feel guilty."
Manabu crosses his arms over his chest, "I'm not trying to. I'm making you."
Kazuki laughs, "You're something. But let's set the rules of this room later, okay? For now, let's eat."
Manabu sighs, Fine. It's not like I want to be rude anyway. "Can we return here after an hour though? I have tons to do."
"After 2 hours." Kazuki grabs his jacket and goes out the door, Manabu's shoulders fall in defeat. He takes his scarf and then follows Kazuki.
-----
"So, 1st year, huh?" Kazuki starts as they wait for their food inside a small diner across the university. Manabu nods, "And you?"
"3rd year, Painting."
Manabu raises an eyebrow, "Painting? I didn't notice any artsy stuff in our room."
Kazuki smiles, "I own a small studio, so all of my 'artsy stuff' is there."
"D-do you do exhibit and stuff?" Manabu asks, Kazuki sighs, "Sometimes. But never on my own. Me and some of my classmates join forces to hold one decent exhibit."
"Ah, I see." Manabu then continues to eat the remaining of his lunch, Kazuki's stares at him don't go unnoticed by the shorter one.
"How about you?" Kazuki breaks the awkward silence, Manabu looks up at him, "About me what?"
"What's your story?"
Manabu doesn't break his gaze at Kazuki; he proceeds to stare him down, until the shorter gives up, "I have no story."
Kazuki smirks, "Usually, people like you has the most to tell."
"The thing is, I'm not telling you anything."
The older leans over, not taking his gaze off the other, "But I can probably make you spill everything."
Manabu takes a sip from his soda, "Probably. But not today. Not soon, even."
-----
They live together normally, rules set that if Kazuki is planning on bringing someone over he should at least tell Manabu 3 hours prior. Manabu compromises that Kazuki won't be able to clean the room for his life so he tells the older that he's the one who'll clean once a week, and he knows Kazuki won't be able to keep it, so as long as the older doesn't mess with his side of the room, he's okay.
Aside from setting down the rules for their room, no more long conversation occurs between them. The first time they met is also the first and last time they ever ate out together.
Kazuki wonders how Manabu does it. Really, in two months that they've been sharing the room together, he rarely has his room mate talking to him. It isn't awkward, but it is a little unwelcomed - the silence, that is.
It's not like Kazuki hasn't tried. He is the older and he feels like it's his job to make Manabu feel welcomed, especially in their shared room, it's just that the younger is a little too guarded for his own good.
"Hey, Bu-chan?"
"Yeah?" Manabu looks up from the book he's reading, Kazuki smiles 'At least he's responding to his nickname now.'
"Kazuki, what?"
"Wanna come to my exhibit tomorrow night?"
"I can't." Manabu answers bluntly then returns to read his book.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Kazuki asks, annoyed and it surprises the younger a bit.
"What are you on about?"
Kazuki sits up from his bed the glares at the other boy across him, "I'm fucking trying here, okay!? It's been two months and we could have been friends already!"
Manabu drops his book on the bed and glares back, "What if I don't want to be your friend!? I don't want to be anybody's friend. If you haven't noticed Mr. Popular, I prefer to be alone."
Before Kazuki can even answer Manabu has grabbed his bag and coat then walks out of the door. The older just sighs and lies on his bed in defeat.
-----
Kazuki wakes up from a nap he didn't realize happened. After that short argument with Manabu and lying on the bed, he didn't realize he had fallen asleep. He checks the clock and it's quarter past midnight, he turns on the lamp to find the other bed empty. Kazuki sighs, it's partly his fault Manabu walked out. He could have confronted him differently with his indifference towards him, and now he isn't home yet.
Kazuki puts his shirt on and takes his phone and wallet, he needs to find his roommate before curfew at 3am and knowing that Manabu just moved 2 months ago in the city, the younger might get lost.
Kazuki walks around the area, he doesn't know anything about Manabu, but damn, how he wants know EVERYTHING. He wants to know if he prefers coffee or beer, if he likes spring over winter. Hell, he even wants to know whether he's into boys or girls. Or both, just like him.
Kazuki stops for a smoke before continuing the search, "Fuck..." He sighs under his breath, "This is bad." His heart is racing with just the thought of Manabu and he knows what it means, and this feeling hasn't visited him in a long time even after sleeping with a number of boys and girls.
Well, of course he already admitted to himself in the course of living with him that his roommate is indeed, attractive. Kazuki just didn't realize he will be attracted to him too. He sighs, his undiscovered attraction to Manabu must be the reason why he hadn't had any in the past month, although they had been open about it that Kazuki can bring someone in their room.
He cuts his thoughts and throws the cigarette butt in the trash, he walks on, looking at every window may it be a cafe or a bar, hoping Manabu would be there.
"There you are..." He mumbles after finding his roommate an hour after the search inside a bar, sitting alone in one corner of the place. "Hey, Bu-chan. Come on let's go home."
"I don't have a home." Manabu slurs, not looking at him. The younger has his eyes fixed on the table. Kazuki is about to say something when a waitress comes to him, "Sir, we're about to close, can you please take your friend home?"
Kazuki smiles making the girl blush, "That's what I'm trying to do. Anyway," Kazuki hands her his card, "Here's for everything he ordered."
"Okay." She smiles then walks away to go to the register. Kazuki looks at the table and Manabu had one too many even for his own taste, "Come on Bu-chan, you have a home."
"I only have a room with a tease of a fucking roommate."
Kazuki laughs a little, "You think I'm a tease?"
Manabu looks up with a glare, "Yes. You vain prick. It wouldn't hurt you to put on a shirt for once, right?"
Kazuki laughs heartily at this. That is, for his own defense, isn't intentional, rather he calls it his force of habit. "I'm sorry, Bu-chan. I'm often covered in paint and I got used to just walking around the room naked."
Manabu grunts and just finishes the rest of his beer, his eyes are already lidded and Kazuki thinks it's cute that Manabu's cheeks are flushed red against his snow white skin, and that the younger is having a hard time keeping his eyes open. In Kazuki's eyes, Manabu looks smaller than he is, and he actually wants to just put the younger in his pocket and carry him around.
"Sir, here's your card." The waitress hands back his card and the receipt with a smile. If this is a normal night for him, he would have taken this girl back to his room, but not tonight. With a smile, he thanks the girl and then returns his attention to Manabu.
"Let's go, Bu-chan."
"Sdhsajkeiapkfj..."
Kazuki laughs at Manabu's incoherence; he tsks then carries the younger on his back. It's easier now since the other didn't show any physical resistance and Kazuki is really glad that Manabu is lighter than he thought.
He's walking out on the streets, talking to an unresponsive Manabu just so he can entertain himself a little, "If you even dare throw up on me, Bu-chan, your dead ass will be part of my exhibit tonight."
"My parents hate me..."
"Huh?"
Kazuki feels Manabu bury his face deeper on the crook of his neck, "My parents... They hate me. My brother is the only one who cares."
The older takes his steps slower, if this is when his room mate will tell his story, fuck the curfew and his bad back later in the day.
"Uh-huh..."
The arms on his neck tighten a little, "I was in my senior year... And I was confused. I didn't know why I can't be attracted to girls as much as my brother does but I get these strong feelings towards a guy classmate..." Manabu chuckles, "Where is Yuuto now anyway?"
"Yuuto, huh?" Kazuki scoffs then pushes Manabu up a little since the younger seems to be falling off him.
"And Yuuto was confused too, I think. Or that's what I'd like to think, because this is sick. A guy should never be attracted to guys... And it's sick to kiss him in your own bedroom and how sickening it must be for my parents when they caught us..." And then Kazuki feels hot tears trickling down his neck and soaking up his shirt.
"It was a week after graduation and we were hanging out in my room, just like normal guys would..." Manabu's voice is muffled and slurred but Kazuki tries his best to understand him, "I just... Why did it happen? Why am I like this...? Why are you like this?!" Manabu punches Kazuki's shoulder before hanging on to him tighter.
"What did I do?"
"You and your fucking self. Why are you a tease? You're like the exact person I'm supposed to get away from. It doesn't help me. You don't help me... I wish Byou's here. He loves me. He understands me... He's the only one who ever cares."
"And who's Byou!?"
"He's my older brother, you ass. Why do you care, anyway?"
There's a sigh of relief there, knowing that Byou's a brother and that their building is just a few steps away.
"Stay away from me, Kazuki... Please..." There's no more sign of aggressiveness from Manabu, he sounds like he's begging and even with the plea, and Kazuki finds it amusing.
The older doesn't answer, he just balances Manabu who keeps mumbling the same plea over and over, and soft sobs keep drenching his back.
"Put me down..."
"We're almost there. You don't have to be shy about this now."
"Put me down or I'll puke on you!"
Kazuki immediately puts Manabu down who just lets it all out and the older pats him in the back, brushing the hair out of his face to help him puke better (if it's even possible) and Kazuki never minds the tiny bits that get caught on his shoes. After a few minutes, Manabu stops.
"Feeling better?"
Manabu nods, pouting like a little child before fainting, Kazuki catches him before he sprawls over his own mess.
-----
Manabu groans the moment he feels the sun's rays over his eyes and the splitting headache starts kicking in.
"Take this."
Manabu looks up to a fully-clothed Kazuki handing him some meds and a glass of water for his hang over, "Thanks..."
Then silence.
Kazuki is walking around the room, packing stuff for his exhibit that night, "Uh, Kazuki...?"
"Yeah?" Kazuki smiles at him for a second then continues to lay out the clothes he's gonna wear for later.
"Did you take me home?"
Kazuki nods, then sits on his bed and looks at his room mate, "You don't have to feel like you owe me a thing, okay? It's what friends do."
"But I said mean things before I walked out. I... I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Anyway, I'm gonna shower, I might be home late though."
"Yeah... Your exhibit... I..."
Kazuki stands and grabs a towel, "The invitation still stands - 7pm at 'The Room Upstairs'. You can come or not, it's your choice."
Manabu doesn't say anything and just watches as Kazuki enters the bathroom, but stops for a moment to tell him something, "I can't stay away from you, Manabu... For some reason, you draw me closer to you even with your guard up like that."
And the bathroom door closes.
Immediately, Manabu rakes his brain as to what Kazuki means by that. Alright, his memories of last night are currently blurry and broken but please, let even just a tiny bit of what transpired be clear.
Manabu hears the water run, and it calms him a little. It reminds him of their home by the sea, and the past.
The past.
"Fuck..."
Of course, the past. Manabu is in between shooting himself dead or just telling Kazuki that if ever he said anything about his past, it's a big fat lie. But of course, he isn't lying. He doesn't have the fluffy clouds, rainbow-filled past (nobody has) but it's not a walk in the park with an ice cream in hand either.
His thoughts are cut off when he hears the shower stop and minutes later Kazuki walks out of the shower with his robe on, "Did I...?" Manabu starts, Kazuki chuckles, "You said it bothers you when I'm always naked."
"What else did I say?"
Kazuki towel dries his hair, "If you don't remember, sometimes it's a good thing. I wasn't offended in anything, I got interested. I'm interested." He pats Manabu's head, "Bu-chan, who you are, what you are; you're not a sin, never a mistake. They will learn to accept you eventually." Kazuki smiles then goes to his side of the room, "Excuse me, I have to get dressed."
Manabu turns around and he hears Kazuki changing his clothes "Are you really this nice?" The younger asks, the other guy chuckles, "I'm always nice."
"You're too nice." Manabu sarcastically retorts.
"I'm a giver. That's who I am. But I don't give my heart just to anyone. It's more sacred to me than my body anyway."
"You're cheesy."
"Just honest."
Then silence once more. Manabu hears Kazuki sigh, "You can look now."
Manabu turns and sees Kazuki with his clothes and backpack on, "If you're hungry, well, I know you can take care of yourself, but if you can't decide, call me. I know a lot of good places to eat around. I have to go."
"Isn't it a bit early?"
"Yeah, but we have to make last minute preparations. Bye." Kazuki waves then walks out of the door.
Manabu is left there with his thoughts and Kazuki's words. It's not like he's that attracted to his room mate, but he can't say otherwise either. And maybe Kazuki's right, he has put up his guard too long a time, it wouldn't hurt to put it down and let his room mate enter his world.
It's a start. And new beginnings are always risky.
-----
The exhibit is getting filled one by one, and Kazuki roams around the venue trying to be friendly to potential buyers.
He's looking around and he smiles when a guest enters the venue.
Manabu looks around, and he can't help but smile too when Kazuki walks towards him with the same sincere smile often drawn across the older's face.
Manabu used to hide and be insecure about himself. He's still scared, but maybe in the coming days he won't be anymore.
"Found you."
Kazuki holds out his hand, Manabu is reluctant at first, but he has been found and it's not a bad thing. He doesn't feel as scared as he thought he would be.
Manabu takes Kazuki's hand - the smile and tight grip from the older boy reassures him that a new beginning with someone is good too.
And yes, it really is a new start.
HAPPY VALENTINE~
Title: Come Find Me
Pairings/Characters: Kazuki x Manabu
Rating: PG
Warnings: I didn’t focus much on their lives as college students. Sorry~
Notes: It’s been a while since I’ve written Kazuki and Manabu, so I hope I don’t disappoint.
Summary: Manabu is a freshman to a university, and Kazuki is unfortunately, his room mate.
Manabu walks through the hallway of his new university's dorm, carrying a backpack and a gymbag full of clothes and some stuff. He's also holding a guitar case with his left hand. He's really thankful to his older brother Byou driving him here or else he'll stumble with all these things especially with his small frame.
He curses under his breath with every step he takes; he wonders why his room has to be on the fourth floor and at the end of the long hallway. He also wants to hit himself for refusing his brother's offer of helping him move.
Manabu exhales deeply as he reaches the door, he puts down his guitar case and searches his pockets for the keys. He's just about to unlock the door when it swings open to a girl still trying to fix her clothes.
"Must be the wrong room, sorry." Manabu blurts out when the girl looks at him in shock, said girl shakes her head and runs away and back down to the lower floors (1st and 2nd floors) where the girls are supposed to stay.
"Get inside, roomie!" A voice calls out from inside the room; Manabu takes his guitar case and enters, kicking the door with his foot to get it closed.
Manabu finds a guy sprawled on the bed, obviously naked, his lower body covered by a blanket. Cigarette butts and beer cans litter the floor and the smell of sex lingers in the air.
"I'm Kazuki. Sorry about the mess, we kind of... Overslept." Kazuki smiles then lights up a cigarette, Manabu scrunches his nose, "Aren't we not allowed to smoke here? And drink?"
"Why do you think I'm in this room?" Kazuki asks with a smug, "Top floor, last room?"
Manabu shrugs then just proceeds to unpacking his stuff into the cabinet on his bed's side. Kazuki sits up, using his elbows as leverage, "Music major?"
"Yeah."
The shorter boy doesn't even look at Kazuki as he continues to unpack. "Don't be shy around me, kid." Kazuki then stands up, letting the blanket pool at his feet and puts on his clothes, Manabu gasps at the confident display of nakedness and he immediately looks away from the sight.
This isn't how he's pictured his university life would be - turning out to be the same thing he tried desperately to escape from in high school.
"You know," Kazuki starts as he pulls a shirt over his head, "it would be nice to actually have a roommate with a name."
"It's Manabu."
"Bu-chan!"
"Just Manabu." He insists, eyes staring at the now fully-clothed Kazuki who just smirks at him, "You're my Bu-chan and that's that."
Manabu sighs, he actually hates nicknames.
"Have you had lunch? I'm starving." Kazuki asks as the taller leans by the doorframe watching Manabu place the last batch of his clothes in the closet.
"Had a sandwich on the way here."
"That's not lunch."
Manabu shrugs, "I'm not hungry anyway. Besides," the shorter scans the small room, "there's a lot to clean here."
Kazuki scratches an imaginary itch at the back of his neck, "Now you're trying to make me feel guilty."
Manabu crosses his arms over his chest, "I'm not trying to. I'm making you."
Kazuki laughs, "You're something. But let's set the rules of this room later, okay? For now, let's eat."
Manabu sighs, Fine. It's not like I want to be rude anyway. "Can we return here after an hour though? I have tons to do."
"After 2 hours." Kazuki grabs his jacket and goes out the door, Manabu's shoulders fall in defeat. He takes his scarf and then follows Kazuki.
-----
"So, 1st year, huh?" Kazuki starts as they wait for their food inside a small diner across the university. Manabu nods, "And you?"
"3rd year, Painting."
Manabu raises an eyebrow, "Painting? I didn't notice any artsy stuff in our room."
Kazuki smiles, "I own a small studio, so all of my 'artsy stuff' is there."
"D-do you do exhibit and stuff?" Manabu asks, Kazuki sighs, "Sometimes. But never on my own. Me and some of my classmates join forces to hold one decent exhibit."
"Ah, I see." Manabu then continues to eat the remaining of his lunch, Kazuki's stares at him don't go unnoticed by the shorter one.
"How about you?" Kazuki breaks the awkward silence, Manabu looks up at him, "About me what?"
"What's your story?"
Manabu doesn't break his gaze at Kazuki; he proceeds to stare him down, until the shorter gives up, "I have no story."
Kazuki smirks, "Usually, people like you has the most to tell."
"The thing is, I'm not telling you anything."
The older leans over, not taking his gaze off the other, "But I can probably make you spill everything."
Manabu takes a sip from his soda, "Probably. But not today. Not soon, even."
-----
They live together normally, rules set that if Kazuki is planning on bringing someone over he should at least tell Manabu 3 hours prior. Manabu compromises that Kazuki won't be able to clean the room for his life so he tells the older that he's the one who'll clean once a week, and he knows Kazuki won't be able to keep it, so as long as the older doesn't mess with his side of the room, he's okay.
Aside from setting down the rules for their room, no more long conversation occurs between them. The first time they met is also the first and last time they ever ate out together.
Kazuki wonders how Manabu does it. Really, in two months that they've been sharing the room together, he rarely has his room mate talking to him. It isn't awkward, but it is a little unwelcomed - the silence, that is.
It's not like Kazuki hasn't tried. He is the older and he feels like it's his job to make Manabu feel welcomed, especially in their shared room, it's just that the younger is a little too guarded for his own good.
"Hey, Bu-chan?"
"Yeah?" Manabu looks up from the book he's reading, Kazuki smiles 'At least he's responding to his nickname now.'
"Kazuki, what?"
"Wanna come to my exhibit tomorrow night?"
"I can't." Manabu answers bluntly then returns to read his book.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Kazuki asks, annoyed and it surprises the younger a bit.
"What are you on about?"
Kazuki sits up from his bed the glares at the other boy across him, "I'm fucking trying here, okay!? It's been two months and we could have been friends already!"
Manabu drops his book on the bed and glares back, "What if I don't want to be your friend!? I don't want to be anybody's friend. If you haven't noticed Mr. Popular, I prefer to be alone."
Before Kazuki can even answer Manabu has grabbed his bag and coat then walks out of the door. The older just sighs and lies on his bed in defeat.
-----
Kazuki wakes up from a nap he didn't realize happened. After that short argument with Manabu and lying on the bed, he didn't realize he had fallen asleep. He checks the clock and it's quarter past midnight, he turns on the lamp to find the other bed empty. Kazuki sighs, it's partly his fault Manabu walked out. He could have confronted him differently with his indifference towards him, and now he isn't home yet.
Kazuki puts his shirt on and takes his phone and wallet, he needs to find his roommate before curfew at 3am and knowing that Manabu just moved 2 months ago in the city, the younger might get lost.
Kazuki walks around the area, he doesn't know anything about Manabu, but damn, how he wants know EVERYTHING. He wants to know if he prefers coffee or beer, if he likes spring over winter. Hell, he even wants to know whether he's into boys or girls. Or both, just like him.
Kazuki stops for a smoke before continuing the search, "Fuck..." He sighs under his breath, "This is bad." His heart is racing with just the thought of Manabu and he knows what it means, and this feeling hasn't visited him in a long time even after sleeping with a number of boys and girls.
Well, of course he already admitted to himself in the course of living with him that his roommate is indeed, attractive. Kazuki just didn't realize he will be attracted to him too. He sighs, his undiscovered attraction to Manabu must be the reason why he hadn't had any in the past month, although they had been open about it that Kazuki can bring someone in their room.
He cuts his thoughts and throws the cigarette butt in the trash, he walks on, looking at every window may it be a cafe or a bar, hoping Manabu would be there.
"There you are..." He mumbles after finding his roommate an hour after the search inside a bar, sitting alone in one corner of the place. "Hey, Bu-chan. Come on let's go home."
"I don't have a home." Manabu slurs, not looking at him. The younger has his eyes fixed on the table. Kazuki is about to say something when a waitress comes to him, "Sir, we're about to close, can you please take your friend home?"
Kazuki smiles making the girl blush, "That's what I'm trying to do. Anyway," Kazuki hands her his card, "Here's for everything he ordered."
"Okay." She smiles then walks away to go to the register. Kazuki looks at the table and Manabu had one too many even for his own taste, "Come on Bu-chan, you have a home."
"I only have a room with a tease of a fucking roommate."
Kazuki laughs a little, "You think I'm a tease?"
Manabu looks up with a glare, "Yes. You vain prick. It wouldn't hurt you to put on a shirt for once, right?"
Kazuki laughs heartily at this. That is, for his own defense, isn't intentional, rather he calls it his force of habit. "I'm sorry, Bu-chan. I'm often covered in paint and I got used to just walking around the room naked."
Manabu grunts and just finishes the rest of his beer, his eyes are already lidded and Kazuki thinks it's cute that Manabu's cheeks are flushed red against his snow white skin, and that the younger is having a hard time keeping his eyes open. In Kazuki's eyes, Manabu looks smaller than he is, and he actually wants to just put the younger in his pocket and carry him around.
"Sir, here's your card." The waitress hands back his card and the receipt with a smile. If this is a normal night for him, he would have taken this girl back to his room, but not tonight. With a smile, he thanks the girl and then returns his attention to Manabu.
"Let's go, Bu-chan."
"Sdhsajkeiapkfj..."
Kazuki laughs at Manabu's incoherence; he tsks then carries the younger on his back. It's easier now since the other didn't show any physical resistance and Kazuki is really glad that Manabu is lighter than he thought.
He's walking out on the streets, talking to an unresponsive Manabu just so he can entertain himself a little, "If you even dare throw up on me, Bu-chan, your dead ass will be part of my exhibit tonight."
"My parents hate me..."
"Huh?"
Kazuki feels Manabu bury his face deeper on the crook of his neck, "My parents... They hate me. My brother is the only one who cares."
The older takes his steps slower, if this is when his room mate will tell his story, fuck the curfew and his bad back later in the day.
"Uh-huh..."
The arms on his neck tighten a little, "I was in my senior year... And I was confused. I didn't know why I can't be attracted to girls as much as my brother does but I get these strong feelings towards a guy classmate..." Manabu chuckles, "Where is Yuuto now anyway?"
"Yuuto, huh?" Kazuki scoffs then pushes Manabu up a little since the younger seems to be falling off him.
"And Yuuto was confused too, I think. Or that's what I'd like to think, because this is sick. A guy should never be attracted to guys... And it's sick to kiss him in your own bedroom and how sickening it must be for my parents when they caught us..." And then Kazuki feels hot tears trickling down his neck and soaking up his shirt.
"It was a week after graduation and we were hanging out in my room, just like normal guys would..." Manabu's voice is muffled and slurred but Kazuki tries his best to understand him, "I just... Why did it happen? Why am I like this...? Why are you like this?!" Manabu punches Kazuki's shoulder before hanging on to him tighter.
"What did I do?"
"You and your fucking self. Why are you a tease? You're like the exact person I'm supposed to get away from. It doesn't help me. You don't help me... I wish Byou's here. He loves me. He understands me... He's the only one who ever cares."
"And who's Byou!?"
"He's my older brother, you ass. Why do you care, anyway?"
There's a sigh of relief there, knowing that Byou's a brother and that their building is just a few steps away.
"Stay away from me, Kazuki... Please..." There's no more sign of aggressiveness from Manabu, he sounds like he's begging and even with the plea, and Kazuki finds it amusing.
The older doesn't answer, he just balances Manabu who keeps mumbling the same plea over and over, and soft sobs keep drenching his back.
"Put me down..."
"We're almost there. You don't have to be shy about this now."
"Put me down or I'll puke on you!"
Kazuki immediately puts Manabu down who just lets it all out and the older pats him in the back, brushing the hair out of his face to help him puke better (if it's even possible) and Kazuki never minds the tiny bits that get caught on his shoes. After a few minutes, Manabu stops.
"Feeling better?"
Manabu nods, pouting like a little child before fainting, Kazuki catches him before he sprawls over his own mess.
-----
Manabu groans the moment he feels the sun's rays over his eyes and the splitting headache starts kicking in.
"Take this."
Manabu looks up to a fully-clothed Kazuki handing him some meds and a glass of water for his hang over, "Thanks..."
Then silence.
Kazuki is walking around the room, packing stuff for his exhibit that night, "Uh, Kazuki...?"
"Yeah?" Kazuki smiles at him for a second then continues to lay out the clothes he's gonna wear for later.
"Did you take me home?"
Kazuki nods, then sits on his bed and looks at his room mate, "You don't have to feel like you owe me a thing, okay? It's what friends do."
"But I said mean things before I walked out. I... I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Anyway, I'm gonna shower, I might be home late though."
"Yeah... Your exhibit... I..."
Kazuki stands and grabs a towel, "The invitation still stands - 7pm at 'The Room Upstairs'. You can come or not, it's your choice."
Manabu doesn't say anything and just watches as Kazuki enters the bathroom, but stops for a moment to tell him something, "I can't stay away from you, Manabu... For some reason, you draw me closer to you even with your guard up like that."
And the bathroom door closes.
Immediately, Manabu rakes his brain as to what Kazuki means by that. Alright, his memories of last night are currently blurry and broken but please, let even just a tiny bit of what transpired be clear.
Manabu hears the water run, and it calms him a little. It reminds him of their home by the sea, and the past.
The past.
"Fuck..."
Of course, the past. Manabu is in between shooting himself dead or just telling Kazuki that if ever he said anything about his past, it's a big fat lie. But of course, he isn't lying. He doesn't have the fluffy clouds, rainbow-filled past (nobody has) but it's not a walk in the park with an ice cream in hand either.
His thoughts are cut off when he hears the shower stop and minutes later Kazuki walks out of the shower with his robe on, "Did I...?" Manabu starts, Kazuki chuckles, "You said it bothers you when I'm always naked."
"What else did I say?"
Kazuki towel dries his hair, "If you don't remember, sometimes it's a good thing. I wasn't offended in anything, I got interested. I'm interested." He pats Manabu's head, "Bu-chan, who you are, what you are; you're not a sin, never a mistake. They will learn to accept you eventually." Kazuki smiles then goes to his side of the room, "Excuse me, I have to get dressed."
Manabu turns around and he hears Kazuki changing his clothes "Are you really this nice?" The younger asks, the other guy chuckles, "I'm always nice."
"You're too nice." Manabu sarcastically retorts.
"I'm a giver. That's who I am. But I don't give my heart just to anyone. It's more sacred to me than my body anyway."
"You're cheesy."
"Just honest."
Then silence once more. Manabu hears Kazuki sigh, "You can look now."
Manabu turns and sees Kazuki with his clothes and backpack on, "If you're hungry, well, I know you can take care of yourself, but if you can't decide, call me. I know a lot of good places to eat around. I have to go."
"Isn't it a bit early?"
"Yeah, but we have to make last minute preparations. Bye." Kazuki waves then walks out of the door.
Manabu is left there with his thoughts and Kazuki's words. It's not like he's that attracted to his room mate, but he can't say otherwise either. And maybe Kazuki's right, he has put up his guard too long a time, it wouldn't hurt to put it down and let his room mate enter his world.
It's a start. And new beginnings are always risky.
-----
The exhibit is getting filled one by one, and Kazuki roams around the venue trying to be friendly to potential buyers.
He's looking around and he smiles when a guest enters the venue.
Manabu looks around, and he can't help but smile too when Kazuki walks towards him with the same sincere smile often drawn across the older's face.
Manabu used to hide and be insecure about himself. He's still scared, but maybe in the coming days he won't be anymore.
"Found you."
Kazuki holds out his hand, Manabu is reluctant at first, but he has been found and it's not a bad thing. He doesn't feel as scared as he thought he would be.
Manabu takes Kazuki's hand - the smile and tight grip from the older boy reassures him that a new beginning with someone is good too.
And yes, it really is a new start.