fic for konfekta
Gift fic for: konfekta
From: natsudive
Title: Fix You
Rating: PG
Pairing: TegoRyo
Warnings: None.
Summary: Tegoshi meets a man who looks like he need some saving.
Notes: My original idea for this was fluffy like you'd requested, but it's my first time writing this pairing, so it came out as sort of sad... Regardless, I hope you like this, konfekta :3
"Thank you, come again," a cheerful voice chimes as his last two customers head toward the door. He waves at them and watches as they leave. Waiting...waiting...until they're out of sight.
Tegoshi slumps against the countertop. "Masuda-san, can I leave now?"
His boss raises an eyebrow. "Why are you so tired? It's not that late," he said.
"Yes, but I can only handle the fumes for so many hours in the day."
Massu chuckles at him fondly. "You did a very good thing by volunteering to take Mari-chan's shift when she called in sick. Don't complain now. It's bad karma."
Tegoshi grins sheepishly. "Is that a yes?"
Massu rolls his eyes and nods. Tegoshi is out the door in no time at all.
The reason Tegoshi hates night shifts at the restaurant is because he hated walking home at night. He hates walking home at night because he hates walking past the dingy pub right across the street from his home.
"Hey there, pretty. You wanna have some fun tonight?"
What he hates most of all are the drunken scumbags that hang around like flies around a garbage can.
Not again, Tegoshi thinks. He scoffs and keeps walking. It's always better to ignore them. They usually give up when they're ignored.
More cat calls are directed toward him. One of the men jogs forward and grabs Tegoshi's arm before he can escape. He leers suggestively. "Wait a minute, where are you going?"
"I'm not a girl," Tegoshi hisses between his terth.
"You sure look like a girl, pretty. Kind of flat, though. But you look like the fiesty type. I wouldn't mind taming you for the night."
Tegoshi shoots the man his nastiest glare. "Excuse me? What did you say?" He tries to wrench his arm out of the tight grip, but only succeeds in provoking the man into pulling him forward.
"I said I'd like to have fun with you." Too close for comfort. Tegoshi can smell the beer on his breath.
He rolls his eyes. Really, this isn't an unusual occurence, and normally he's able to defend himself, but before Tegoshi can make a move to swing his free arm at the drunk man's face, his arm is seized from behind and he's tugged away into someone else's chest.
"Gentlemen," a deep, raspy voice rumbles behind him, "I suggest you leave. Now."
Obviously in shock of being told off, the crowd of drunken men slowly begin to trickle away. The man who's grabbed at Tegoshi snorts, stumbling as he walks backwards. "Whatever. You can keep the whore."
When they all have finally disappeared back into the bar or whatever seedy alley they'd decided to take shelter in, the grip on Tegoshi's arm loosens then falls away completely. He gasps and turns around to stare at the retreating back. He has short, black hair and is not that much taller than he is, as far as Tegoshi can tell. "Hey," he shouts after the man, but the man continues to ignore him, keeps at the same pace down the sidewalk. Tegoshi tries again. "Hey, you!"
And, once again, he is ignored. Tegoshi huffs and begins to trail after his savior.
"Sir," Tegoshi says when he's almost a foot away, "it's common couresty to acknowledge a person who is trying to get your attention."
The man freezes in his tracks. He lets out an exasperated sigh. "What?" he hisses, irritated.
Tegoshi narrows his eyes at the man's back. "It's also common courtesy to make eye contact with a person when they're talking to you."
The man only turns his head to the side. "What do you want?" he grumbles. Tegoshi sighs. It's a start.
"Would you tell me your name? I'd like to properly thank you."
"I'd rather not."
Tegoshi pouts. What a stubborn man. "Fine, then," he says, then notes his completely black attire. "I'll call you Black-kun."
Black-kun shrugs. "Whatever."
"Well, Black-kun, I'm afraid I can't afford a thank-you card since I've got my mother to take care of, but is there any way I can repay you? Preferably some way that does not involve money?"
Black-kun's profile distorts into something bordering on distraught, but only for a second before it's back to it's original stony, cold exterior. "No," he says, almost whispering, "No, I don't need your thanks."
He pulls his coat closer to his body and faces forward before walking off, and Tegoshi lets him. He will probably never see the man again.
Or so he thinks.
--
Tegoshi is late.
"Shit, shit, shit," he mutters when he sees the time on his watch. It's 4:42 PM. There's no way he'll make it by 5:00.
Masuda-san is a nice boss, but he's VERY SERIOUS when it comes to punctuality, and making a late delivery would be the biggest offense. Tegoshi mentally apologizes to Massu, as well as the customer who'd placed the order in the first place. He can only pray that his pay isn't docked.
There's a sign for a cemetery ahead. Tegoshi pedals faster as soon as he sees it. He figures if he cuts through the cemetery and jumps the fence, he can cut time in half and he might be able to reach before 5:00, maybe even with time to spare. He nods to himself. Yes, he can do this.
He pushes harder and makes the turn into the graveyard. Orange and red autumn leaves flutter around the wheels of the bike as he zooms passed tombstone after tombstone.
Tegoshi can see the fence on the opposite side of the graveyard. He's almost there. If he just goes a little faster, he can--
"Watch out!" Tegoshi gasps as a figure he hadn't noticed before steps right into his path. He squeezes his handle bars and his bike comes to a stop just as the person jumps out of his way.
Tegoshi hastily jumps off his bike to help the man to his feet. "Are you okay?" he asks, holding his hand out to the man. "Forgive me, I'm kind of in a hurry, so I wasn't looking and..." His voice trails off when he notices the tear-streaked face. "Black-kun," he whispers.
Black-kun's eyes widen and he wipes his face with the sleeve of his sweater. He shoves passed Tegoshi without a word and heads toward the front of the cemetery.
"Wait," Tegoshi cries, scrambling after him. He just barely touches him when Black-kun whips around to face him.
"What?" he shouts. "What do you want from me?"
Tegoshi's eyebrows furrow when he sees tears forming in the man's eyes again. A tear slips down his cheek. Tegoshi brings a hand up to brush it away with his thumb. He doesn't move his hand from his face. He smiles softly. "Come with me?"
Black-kun follows Tegoshi to his apartment after he delivers the gyoza (the little old lady tipped him extra despite being late, probably due to the mysterious man accompanying the delivery boy offering to pick up her mail and newspaper). Tegoshi is surprised that he had actually convinced the man to stay, but not disappointed.
"Sorry for the mess," Tegoshi apologizes as they stepped into his home. "I've been so busy since Mom has been in the hospital and I haven't had time to clean. Please, sit. I'll make some tea." He gestures to a threadbare couch and disappears into the kitchen.
Tegoshi returns minutes later with two cups of tea and a small plate of gyoza on a tray. "These are some just leftovers I brought home from work yesterday. They taste better fresh, but these are still good."
Black-kun stares at Tegoshi with an unreadable expression, then looks down at his feet. He shakes his head. "You didn't have to."
Tegoshi quickly shakes his head. "No, I don't mind. I like having guests over. It's so lonely here without Mom."
The man says nothing. Slowly, he reaches out for a cup of tea and takes a sip. Tegoshi nods, satisfied.
"So," he says, "will you tell me your name now? I don't want to call you Black-kun forever. I mean, you're not even wearing black today anyway."
"Blue-kun."
Tegoshi looks him up and down - he's wearing blue jeans and a dark blue sweater - then shoots him an unamused look. "Very funny."
There's a smirk on Black-kun/Blue-kun/Whatever-kun's face. It's the closest thing to a smile Tegoshi has ever seen on the man and it makes Tegoshi wonder what he'd look like with a real smile on his face.
"My name is Ryo. Nishikido Ryo."
Tegoshi grins and holds his hand out for a handshake. "Nice to meet you, Ryo-chan. I'm Tegoshi Yuya. You can call me Tego-nyan." Ryo has a surprised look on his face. "Oh! I'm sorry! Is that too personal? I guess I should call you Nishikido-kun, then."
"...No, it's fine. I don't mind."
Ryo is surprised at his own answer. Normally, he wouldn't be so lenient toward a stranger, but there's something about the boy that makes him not mind the familiarity at all.
--
Even after three months, they never exchange phone numbers. Somehow, luck has them crossing each other's paths enough for it to become a routine. Eventually, Tegoshi begins waiting at the bus stop near the restaurant, where Ryo will meet him.
Tegoshi likes spending time with Ryo. Ever since his inheritance from his grandmother ran out, Tegoshi has had to work to pay the hospital bills for his mother. Apart from the occasional friendly restaurant customer, he has little time to socialize. It's nice just having someone there, Tegoshi thinks, even if he speaks very little.
Ryo is a peculiar character that Tegoshi can't help but to be drawn to. His face rarely strays from the same blank, nearly expressionless mask. Only an occasional smirk when Tegoshi does or says something silly, or a much more frequent pensive look when he says something not so funny, tell-tale signs of inner demons, skeletons in his closet. As much as Tegoshi wants to see him smile, he wants to know what it is that he's holding back. What is it that made him cry in the cemetery?
It seems as though every day they spend together, they become closer and closer, the familiarity Tegoshi had set on their first day together in his apartment materializing. Tegoshi wonders if Ryo will ever open up to him.
The answer comes to him sooner than he thinks.
--
It's been a few days since Tegoshi has seen Ryo, but it's also an especially busy weekend at work with schoolkids flocking to the restaurant on their school holiday. Tegoshi works late, then goes straight home, only bothering to peel off his clothes before flopping right onto his bed and falling asleep instantly. Two hours later, he wakes up to a pounding headache. Or maybe a pounding door.
He groans and buries his head underneath his pillow, hoping to ignore it, but the pounding doesn't stop. Sighing, Tegoshi grabs a robe from his closet and trudgers to the front door.
What greets him is a troubling sight. Ryo is covered in dirt, scratches and cold sweat, as if he'd run all the way across town and taken a few falls on his way. Tegoshi immediately pulls him into his apartment, kicking his door shut behind him before leading him to the bathroom. "Here," he says softly, placing a towel and a spare robe on an empty rack. "You can take a shower. I'll make some tea."
Tegoshi barely pays attention as he fills a kettle and places it on the stove. His mind is filled with question after question. What are you doing here? Where have you been? What happened?
"The water is done boiling."
Tegoshi shakes his head and looks at the tea kettle. It's bubbling, but it sounds as if the water is ready to evaporate at any second. He rushes to fill two cups and sets them on the small dining room table. He slowly pulls out a chair and takes a seat, gesturing at Ryo to do the same. "Would you like something to eat?" Tegoshi asks.
Ryo shakes his head. "No, thank you."
His voice is hoarse and there are bags under his eyes. Now that his face has been wiped clean of dirt, Tegoshi can see even more scratches. They're shallow, but they're still there.
"Come on," Tegoshi says when Ryo finishes his tea, "you must be tired." Without a word, Ryo follows Tegoshi into his bedroom. "My bed is small, but it's better than the couch." Tegoshi climbs in and buries himself under his covers. After a few minutes, he peeks his head over his shoulder and glances at Ryo. "What are you waiting for?" Cautiously, Ryo takes a seat on the very edge of the bed. Tegoshi knows he should be more concerned, but he exhausted.
"I haven't been home in two days."
Tegoshi nods. "So get some rest," he says, pulling Ryo to lie down beside him. He wants an explanation, of course, but it can wait until tomorrow. His eyes drift shut as sleep begins to...
"I killed someone."
Tegoshi's eyes shoot open. He wonders if he'd heard correctly. Surely, he's misheard. "Excuse me?" His pushes himself up onto his elbows as he tries to catch a glimpse of Ryo's face, but the man is turned away from him, facing the wall on the opposite side of the room.
"She was just there...and the car...I could've stopped it, I could've pulled her back onto the sidewalk, I could've--"
Before he can even finish, Tegoshi pulls him into his chest and wraps his arms around Ryo's trembling form. "It's not your fault," he whispers fiercely, right into his ear, but Ryo refuses to listen. He stuggles to break from Tegoshi's embrace.
"No, it is," he stammers, voice muffled by a pillow. "You have no idea."
Tegoshi grabs ahold of Ryo's shoulders and forces him to turn around. "You couldn't help it. Don't torture yourself like this. It wasn't your fault. It was her time to go." He shakes his head, still refusing to believe, so takes his face in his hands and forces Ryo to look at him.
Tegoshi studies his face. The face that is normally cool and composed, but is looking weaker than ever. He presses gently against the dark bags beneath Ryo's eyes and they slip shut. He lets his fingers travel over the soft contours, lightly brushing the tiny scratches over his nose and on his cheek, smoothing out the wrinkles between his eyebrows and around his mouth until his face is one of serenity. And before he can even think about what he's doing, he presses his lips against Ryo's.
--
The door to the balcony slides open slowly. Tegoshi find Ryo sitting outside, wearing nothing but his robe from the ngiht before. "Aren't you cold?"
Ryo glances at Tegoshi briefly, then turns back to gaze at the sunrise.
"I'm repenting for my sins."
Tegoshi smiles coyly. He pulls up another chair and sits beside Ryo. "I had no idea you were so religious. Was sleeping with me that bad?" He chuckles. Ryo doesn't smile. Tegoshi ducks his head down sheepishly. "Sorry, I went too far."
Ryo shakes his head. "Three years ago I was an idiot and decided to drive home drunk. Got into a car accident. My best friend was in the car too. He died on impact. Apparently, it was the other driver's fault, since he was more drunk than I was, but...I can't help but to feel guilty. I could've prevented it all. Could've called a taxi or a friend. I should've died in that accident."
Tegoshi shifts closer to Ryo, takes ahold of his hands, and laces their fingers. "Please don't say that."
Ryo switches his gaze to their linked hands and squeezes them together. "Everytime I see someone in danger, I can't just stand there and do nothing. I have to help them. That's why, when I met you..."
Tegoshi carefully brings Ryo's hands to his lips and kisses his knuckles. "You saved me," he whispers. He rests his chin on Ryo's shoulder and presses a kiss to his cheek. "If I told you I was God and I forgive you, would that be okay?"
Ryo turns his head, searching for Tegoshi's lips with his own. "I'm sick of repenting," he breathes.
"You can stop, can't you?"
Ryo pulls back to look at Tegoshi, then back up at the sky. He heaves a sigh. "Yeah," he nods. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."
From: natsudive
Title: Fix You
Rating: PG
Pairing: TegoRyo
Warnings: None.
Summary: Tegoshi meets a man who looks like he need some saving.
Notes: My original idea for this was fluffy like you'd requested, but it's my first time writing this pairing, so it came out as sort of sad... Regardless, I hope you like this, konfekta :3
"Thank you, come again," a cheerful voice chimes as his last two customers head toward the door. He waves at them and watches as they leave. Waiting...waiting...until they're out of sight.
Tegoshi slumps against the countertop. "Masuda-san, can I leave now?"
His boss raises an eyebrow. "Why are you so tired? It's not that late," he said.
"Yes, but I can only handle the fumes for so many hours in the day."
Massu chuckles at him fondly. "You did a very good thing by volunteering to take Mari-chan's shift when she called in sick. Don't complain now. It's bad karma."
Tegoshi grins sheepishly. "Is that a yes?"
Massu rolls his eyes and nods. Tegoshi is out the door in no time at all.
The reason Tegoshi hates night shifts at the restaurant is because he hated walking home at night. He hates walking home at night because he hates walking past the dingy pub right across the street from his home.
"Hey there, pretty. You wanna have some fun tonight?"
What he hates most of all are the drunken scumbags that hang around like flies around a garbage can.
Not again, Tegoshi thinks. He scoffs and keeps walking. It's always better to ignore them. They usually give up when they're ignored.
More cat calls are directed toward him. One of the men jogs forward and grabs Tegoshi's arm before he can escape. He leers suggestively. "Wait a minute, where are you going?"
"I'm not a girl," Tegoshi hisses between his terth.
"You sure look like a girl, pretty. Kind of flat, though. But you look like the fiesty type. I wouldn't mind taming you for the night."
Tegoshi shoots the man his nastiest glare. "Excuse me? What did you say?" He tries to wrench his arm out of the tight grip, but only succeeds in provoking the man into pulling him forward.
"I said I'd like to have fun with you." Too close for comfort. Tegoshi can smell the beer on his breath.
He rolls his eyes. Really, this isn't an unusual occurence, and normally he's able to defend himself, but before Tegoshi can make a move to swing his free arm at the drunk man's face, his arm is seized from behind and he's tugged away into someone else's chest.
"Gentlemen," a deep, raspy voice rumbles behind him, "I suggest you leave. Now."
Obviously in shock of being told off, the crowd of drunken men slowly begin to trickle away. The man who's grabbed at Tegoshi snorts, stumbling as he walks backwards. "Whatever. You can keep the whore."
When they all have finally disappeared back into the bar or whatever seedy alley they'd decided to take shelter in, the grip on Tegoshi's arm loosens then falls away completely. He gasps and turns around to stare at the retreating back. He has short, black hair and is not that much taller than he is, as far as Tegoshi can tell. "Hey," he shouts after the man, but the man continues to ignore him, keeps at the same pace down the sidewalk. Tegoshi tries again. "Hey, you!"
And, once again, he is ignored. Tegoshi huffs and begins to trail after his savior.
"Sir," Tegoshi says when he's almost a foot away, "it's common couresty to acknowledge a person who is trying to get your attention."
The man freezes in his tracks. He lets out an exasperated sigh. "What?" he hisses, irritated.
Tegoshi narrows his eyes at the man's back. "It's also common courtesy to make eye contact with a person when they're talking to you."
The man only turns his head to the side. "What do you want?" he grumbles. Tegoshi sighs. It's a start.
"Would you tell me your name? I'd like to properly thank you."
"I'd rather not."
Tegoshi pouts. What a stubborn man. "Fine, then," he says, then notes his completely black attire. "I'll call you Black-kun."
Black-kun shrugs. "Whatever."
"Well, Black-kun, I'm afraid I can't afford a thank-you card since I've got my mother to take care of, but is there any way I can repay you? Preferably some way that does not involve money?"
Black-kun's profile distorts into something bordering on distraught, but only for a second before it's back to it's original stony, cold exterior. "No," he says, almost whispering, "No, I don't need your thanks."
He pulls his coat closer to his body and faces forward before walking off, and Tegoshi lets him. He will probably never see the man again.
Or so he thinks.
--
Tegoshi is late.
"Shit, shit, shit," he mutters when he sees the time on his watch. It's 4:42 PM. There's no way he'll make it by 5:00.
Masuda-san is a nice boss, but he's VERY SERIOUS when it comes to punctuality, and making a late delivery would be the biggest offense. Tegoshi mentally apologizes to Massu, as well as the customer who'd placed the order in the first place. He can only pray that his pay isn't docked.
There's a sign for a cemetery ahead. Tegoshi pedals faster as soon as he sees it. He figures if he cuts through the cemetery and jumps the fence, he can cut time in half and he might be able to reach before 5:00, maybe even with time to spare. He nods to himself. Yes, he can do this.
He pushes harder and makes the turn into the graveyard. Orange and red autumn leaves flutter around the wheels of the bike as he zooms passed tombstone after tombstone.
Tegoshi can see the fence on the opposite side of the graveyard. He's almost there. If he just goes a little faster, he can--
"Watch out!" Tegoshi gasps as a figure he hadn't noticed before steps right into his path. He squeezes his handle bars and his bike comes to a stop just as the person jumps out of his way.
Tegoshi hastily jumps off his bike to help the man to his feet. "Are you okay?" he asks, holding his hand out to the man. "Forgive me, I'm kind of in a hurry, so I wasn't looking and..." His voice trails off when he notices the tear-streaked face. "Black-kun," he whispers.
Black-kun's eyes widen and he wipes his face with the sleeve of his sweater. He shoves passed Tegoshi without a word and heads toward the front of the cemetery.
"Wait," Tegoshi cries, scrambling after him. He just barely touches him when Black-kun whips around to face him.
"What?" he shouts. "What do you want from me?"
Tegoshi's eyebrows furrow when he sees tears forming in the man's eyes again. A tear slips down his cheek. Tegoshi brings a hand up to brush it away with his thumb. He doesn't move his hand from his face. He smiles softly. "Come with me?"
Black-kun follows Tegoshi to his apartment after he delivers the gyoza (the little old lady tipped him extra despite being late, probably due to the mysterious man accompanying the delivery boy offering to pick up her mail and newspaper). Tegoshi is surprised that he had actually convinced the man to stay, but not disappointed.
"Sorry for the mess," Tegoshi apologizes as they stepped into his home. "I've been so busy since Mom has been in the hospital and I haven't had time to clean. Please, sit. I'll make some tea." He gestures to a threadbare couch and disappears into the kitchen.
Tegoshi returns minutes later with two cups of tea and a small plate of gyoza on a tray. "These are some just leftovers I brought home from work yesterday. They taste better fresh, but these are still good."
Black-kun stares at Tegoshi with an unreadable expression, then looks down at his feet. He shakes his head. "You didn't have to."
Tegoshi quickly shakes his head. "No, I don't mind. I like having guests over. It's so lonely here without Mom."
The man says nothing. Slowly, he reaches out for a cup of tea and takes a sip. Tegoshi nods, satisfied.
"So," he says, "will you tell me your name now? I don't want to call you Black-kun forever. I mean, you're not even wearing black today anyway."
"Blue-kun."
Tegoshi looks him up and down - he's wearing blue jeans and a dark blue sweater - then shoots him an unamused look. "Very funny."
There's a smirk on Black-kun/Blue-kun/Whatever-kun's face. It's the closest thing to a smile Tegoshi has ever seen on the man and it makes Tegoshi wonder what he'd look like with a real smile on his face.
"My name is Ryo. Nishikido Ryo."
Tegoshi grins and holds his hand out for a handshake. "Nice to meet you, Ryo-chan. I'm Tegoshi Yuya. You can call me Tego-nyan." Ryo has a surprised look on his face. "Oh! I'm sorry! Is that too personal? I guess I should call you Nishikido-kun, then."
"...No, it's fine. I don't mind."
Ryo is surprised at his own answer. Normally, he wouldn't be so lenient toward a stranger, but there's something about the boy that makes him not mind the familiarity at all.
--
Even after three months, they never exchange phone numbers. Somehow, luck has them crossing each other's paths enough for it to become a routine. Eventually, Tegoshi begins waiting at the bus stop near the restaurant, where Ryo will meet him.
Tegoshi likes spending time with Ryo. Ever since his inheritance from his grandmother ran out, Tegoshi has had to work to pay the hospital bills for his mother. Apart from the occasional friendly restaurant customer, he has little time to socialize. It's nice just having someone there, Tegoshi thinks, even if he speaks very little.
Ryo is a peculiar character that Tegoshi can't help but to be drawn to. His face rarely strays from the same blank, nearly expressionless mask. Only an occasional smirk when Tegoshi does or says something silly, or a much more frequent pensive look when he says something not so funny, tell-tale signs of inner demons, skeletons in his closet. As much as Tegoshi wants to see him smile, he wants to know what it is that he's holding back. What is it that made him cry in the cemetery?
It seems as though every day they spend together, they become closer and closer, the familiarity Tegoshi had set on their first day together in his apartment materializing. Tegoshi wonders if Ryo will ever open up to him.
The answer comes to him sooner than he thinks.
--
It's been a few days since Tegoshi has seen Ryo, but it's also an especially busy weekend at work with schoolkids flocking to the restaurant on their school holiday. Tegoshi works late, then goes straight home, only bothering to peel off his clothes before flopping right onto his bed and falling asleep instantly. Two hours later, he wakes up to a pounding headache. Or maybe a pounding door.
He groans and buries his head underneath his pillow, hoping to ignore it, but the pounding doesn't stop. Sighing, Tegoshi grabs a robe from his closet and trudgers to the front door.
What greets him is a troubling sight. Ryo is covered in dirt, scratches and cold sweat, as if he'd run all the way across town and taken a few falls on his way. Tegoshi immediately pulls him into his apartment, kicking his door shut behind him before leading him to the bathroom. "Here," he says softly, placing a towel and a spare robe on an empty rack. "You can take a shower. I'll make some tea."
Tegoshi barely pays attention as he fills a kettle and places it on the stove. His mind is filled with question after question. What are you doing here? Where have you been? What happened?
"The water is done boiling."
Tegoshi shakes his head and looks at the tea kettle. It's bubbling, but it sounds as if the water is ready to evaporate at any second. He rushes to fill two cups and sets them on the small dining room table. He slowly pulls out a chair and takes a seat, gesturing at Ryo to do the same. "Would you like something to eat?" Tegoshi asks.
Ryo shakes his head. "No, thank you."
His voice is hoarse and there are bags under his eyes. Now that his face has been wiped clean of dirt, Tegoshi can see even more scratches. They're shallow, but they're still there.
"Come on," Tegoshi says when Ryo finishes his tea, "you must be tired." Without a word, Ryo follows Tegoshi into his bedroom. "My bed is small, but it's better than the couch." Tegoshi climbs in and buries himself under his covers. After a few minutes, he peeks his head over his shoulder and glances at Ryo. "What are you waiting for?" Cautiously, Ryo takes a seat on the very edge of the bed. Tegoshi knows he should be more concerned, but he exhausted.
"I haven't been home in two days."
Tegoshi nods. "So get some rest," he says, pulling Ryo to lie down beside him. He wants an explanation, of course, but it can wait until tomorrow. His eyes drift shut as sleep begins to...
"I killed someone."
Tegoshi's eyes shoot open. He wonders if he'd heard correctly. Surely, he's misheard. "Excuse me?" His pushes himself up onto his elbows as he tries to catch a glimpse of Ryo's face, but the man is turned away from him, facing the wall on the opposite side of the room.
"She was just there...and the car...I could've stopped it, I could've pulled her back onto the sidewalk, I could've--"
Before he can even finish, Tegoshi pulls him into his chest and wraps his arms around Ryo's trembling form. "It's not your fault," he whispers fiercely, right into his ear, but Ryo refuses to listen. He stuggles to break from Tegoshi's embrace.
"No, it is," he stammers, voice muffled by a pillow. "You have no idea."
Tegoshi grabs ahold of Ryo's shoulders and forces him to turn around. "You couldn't help it. Don't torture yourself like this. It wasn't your fault. It was her time to go." He shakes his head, still refusing to believe, so takes his face in his hands and forces Ryo to look at him.
Tegoshi studies his face. The face that is normally cool and composed, but is looking weaker than ever. He presses gently against the dark bags beneath Ryo's eyes and they slip shut. He lets his fingers travel over the soft contours, lightly brushing the tiny scratches over his nose and on his cheek, smoothing out the wrinkles between his eyebrows and around his mouth until his face is one of serenity. And before he can even think about what he's doing, he presses his lips against Ryo's.
--
The door to the balcony slides open slowly. Tegoshi find Ryo sitting outside, wearing nothing but his robe from the ngiht before. "Aren't you cold?"
Ryo glances at Tegoshi briefly, then turns back to gaze at the sunrise.
"I'm repenting for my sins."
Tegoshi smiles coyly. He pulls up another chair and sits beside Ryo. "I had no idea you were so religious. Was sleeping with me that bad?" He chuckles. Ryo doesn't smile. Tegoshi ducks his head down sheepishly. "Sorry, I went too far."
Ryo shakes his head. "Three years ago I was an idiot and decided to drive home drunk. Got into a car accident. My best friend was in the car too. He died on impact. Apparently, it was the other driver's fault, since he was more drunk than I was, but...I can't help but to feel guilty. I could've prevented it all. Could've called a taxi or a friend. I should've died in that accident."
Tegoshi shifts closer to Ryo, takes ahold of his hands, and laces their fingers. "Please don't say that."
Ryo switches his gaze to their linked hands and squeezes them together. "Everytime I see someone in danger, I can't just stand there and do nothing. I have to help them. That's why, when I met you..."
Tegoshi carefully brings Ryo's hands to his lips and kisses his knuckles. "You saved me," he whispers. He rests his chin on Ryo's shoulder and presses a kiss to his cheek. "If I told you I was God and I forgive you, would that be okay?"
Ryo turns his head, searching for Tegoshi's lips with his own. "I'm sick of repenting," he breathes.
"You can stop, can't you?"
Ryo pulls back to look at Tegoshi, then back up at the sky. He heaves a sigh. "Yeah," he nods. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."