[Multi-chapter] Mikazuki (Crescent moon) Chapter 29 (FINAL)

[tsuchi8562]

Title: 三日月 (Crescent moon)
Authors: syunikiss1990 & tsuchi8562
Bet: geminib ArigaPYON~!
Pairing: Matsumiya (main), Sakuraiba (side), Ohmiya (one-sided)
Genre: AU, Angst, Drama, Psychological
Rating: PG-15
Disclaimer: We don't own them. Not that we don't want to though...

*MASTERPOST*

Jun savored the silence in the room and the warm presence next to him. He knew it couldn't last long, but he still wanted to stay like this just a bit longer. Lazily he opened one of his eyes slightly to look at the time before sighing deeply. In just an hour they will have to leave which meant he would have to wake up the man next to him soon. As he closed his eyes again he thought back about those years a long time ago now, the memory being triggered by having to go back to the clinic today.

The day Ninomiya came out of the clinic, already ten years ago now, was a day which turned Jun's life around once again. At first he doubted if he liked the change but in the end he wouldn't have wanted in a different way. It was insane, now he was even living together with his lover while he had never imagined himself spending the rest of his life with one person. Most certainly not with someone who was still insane, even though he was released out of the clinic.

Even after all those years Jun knew Kazunari still didn't like waking up or being alone. Jun thought it became worse after they moved in together, but it was something they both could live with. They could laugh about it or be mad about it, but in the end it was just a small part of insanity that would always live in the older man. Just like a part of Matsumoto would still seek for approval of his lover from time to time, in a strange way still looking up to Ninomiya. Jun sighed deeply and reached out to the other man, shaking his shoulder softly to wake him up.

"Nino, wake up. We have to pick up Ohno soon and we still need to get dressed." He said softly, hearing a groan coming out of the older man's throat.

"I still don't understand why do we have to take Satoshi with us." Kazunari mumbled, peeking at Jun with one, half-opened eye.

"Because he was invited as well and doesn't have a car or driving license and Aiba and Sakurai are out of the town."

"He can take a taxi right?" The smaller man mumbled, pulling the sheets tighter around him.

"The prices are too high, it would be a waste of money for him."

"He is earning enough as a teacher and he doesn't have much living expenses." Kazunari said slightly annoyed. It was true, as the artist had became a teacher, teaching art in a small school nearby and lived in a tiny apartment at the campus. He was still alone, but he seemed to have peace with it. Jun knew how he had struggled with how he looked at, thinking he was not suited to be a teacher but with help and support he had managed to do the job in the end. And as far as Jun knew there wasn't a single student that didn't like the kindhearted teacher, no matter how he looked. And even after all those years they still considered him as a good friend, which was exactly why Matsumoto got annoyed by his egoistic lover.

"He would do the same for you, so stop complaining. Now get up or I'll leave you here. And you know Soejima, he might as well take you back to the clinic if you start to have a fallback." This time Ninomiya opened both of his eyes, looking at Jun with raised eyebrows.

"They won't take me back, too much trouble. And I don't have a fallback." He mumbled, but there was a slight waver in his voice.

"If you aren't there you can't prove you don't have a fallback. Maybe I'll tell them something by accident, that will make they realize you belong there after all."

"You wouldn't, you are bluffing, J." The younger man grinned but didn't say anything. Instead he got up and started his search for the right clothes for both, him and Ninomiya.

"You wouldn't because you can't live without me J." Nino said a bit stronger this time, rolling towards Jun's side of the bed and stuffing his nose in the younger man's pillow.

"Wrong, you are the one that can't live without me. I did fine without you." Matsumoto threw some clothes on the bed, on top of the other man who rolled over again with a soft groan.

"Me as well, so shut up." Kazunari said as he finally sat up, his short hair pointing in different directions and still half asleep eyes. If they didn't have to go in such a short time Jun would probably have jumped on the other man, somehow irresistible for him like this but he tried so stay calm and instead focus on their argument.

"You were doing fine? Don't make me laugh, you almost jumped off the building, you had disgusting long, half yellow hair and tried to convince Goto that you were insane."

"Yeah so? It's not like that was your doing or anything like that. I'm insane, that's what insane people do." Kazunari said smirking and crawled out of bed completely.

"You were scared of going outside and meeting me." Jun lowered his voice slightly, stepping closer and looking down on the smaller man.

"You were the one who wrote that stupid, lovesick letter in the first place." Jun could feel his cheeks heat up slightly at those words, but he still refused to give in.

"You didn't have to come if you didn't want to." He said softly, even though he didn't mean those words.

"I couldn't let you alone like an abandoned puppy. Puppies need care, otherwise they will get depressed and die." Ninomiya said, trying to look sad even though he failed miserably.

"So you do admit that you care for me."

"No sweetie pie, I love you." Jun grinned at Nino's words and leaned forward, giving the smaller man a soft kiss on his lips.

"If you wanted to hear that, you could just ask." Kazunari muttered. Matsumoto smiled, but didn't say anything. Of course he wouldn't ask for those words, even if he needed them from time to time. Just to be sure he did make the right choice. He didn't see Nino suddenly coming forward and grabbing his collar, pushing him against the wall.

"You can at least have to decency to say it back." He muttered, trying to look intimidating, but only looking like a mad Chihuahua to Jun.

"You know I do." A small mad and a confused spark appeared in Kazunari's eyes, one Jun recognized immediately.

"Say it..." The shorter man said slowly, making Matsumoto realize even more the other was somehow close to snapping. Something both didn't like as it would take too much energy from Nino to calm down and from Jun to help him. The thought of having to go back to the clinic, even when it was to celebrate Soejima's 50th birthday, probably did more to the smaller man than he wanted to admit. Just like it did more to Jun that he wanted to admit, some irrational fears crawling into his mind. Maybe they both simply needed to say it to stay sane today, or just appear sane in front of their past therapist.

"I love you too." The taller man muttered, his lips already closing the distance between them. He could feel the shorter man's fast heartbeat through it, slowly calming down with every passing second. At the same time the heat between them started to turn up, making Jun push the other away, otherwise they would never be on time to pick Ohno up.

"We have to go." He said, turning around to get changed, smiling when he finally heard the other man mutter something affirmative instead of starting to complain again.

***

Kazunari glued his face to the window glass and looked outside just as if it was his first trip. He didn't pay attention to Jun's and Ohno's chitchat, focusing on the road. He didn't want to go back and at the same time he needed it more than air. More than he needed Jun...

"Kazu say something and stop looking like some big and slimy ancistrus. Satoshi will think that you ignore him." Matsumoto poked Nino's side, at the same time paying attention to the road.

"I am not ignoring our dethroned prince. I am not in the mood for talking, that's it." Kazunari stated boringly and kept staring on the greenery that was flashing behind the window.

"It's okay Jun. Nino will talk to me when he wants." Ohno smiled and looked through the window. Ninomiya got lost in his thoughts again, trying not to panic. He wanted to go back home with every passing meter. The visit in the clinic was the last thing he wanted, but there was no turning back now. He only hoped that it will be over as soon as possible.

"We're here." Ohno smiled and jumped out the car before the youngest even managed to stop it. Ninomiya was the last one who left the vehicle.

"You didn't want to come here, right?" Jun whispered and tried to took Kazunari's hand but the older man pulled it away.

"Not here. Come on, let's get over with it." Before Matsumoto managed to reply in any way, Nino disappeared inside the building. Ninomiya looked around the building to see that nothing had changed. Maybe the walls were anew painted, but the color was the same, ugly white. The small party was held in the cafeteria where most of the guests were already drinking coffee and eating. Soejima was nowhere to be seen, but Goto was standing next to the window and chatted with Aiba. The ex-model put on some weight and looked happier than ever before. Sakurai was close by, busy with talking with Satoshi. All three of them looked calm and happy and when Jun joined them Kazunari felt he is alone. Everybody seemed to be normal, happy and enjoying their life but he still was confused and had his fears that were haunting him even after all those years. He felt tears squeezing his throat; one more second and he would escape when he felt someone's hand on his shoulder.

"Long time no see, right Ninomiya-san? How many years is it? Nine? Ten?" Soejima smiled and greeted his former patient. The younger man took a deep breath, decorated his face with obviously a fake smile and turned around to look at his doctor.

"Ten. But I feel like I left this place yesterday..." Was it only Kazunari's imagination or did he really sounded desperately? Soejima probably noticed it because he frowned and pulled Nino away and they both sat on a bench against the wall.

"Do you want to go back here?"

"What?! No, of course not..." Ninomiya snorted and leaned back, avoiding the latter's eyes. The psychiatrist let it go and started to ask about his ex-patient's life. The shorter one didn't have much to say; he was working in convenience store near his and Jun's place and liked the job. Maybe it wasn't the best work in the world, but it gave him a decent income and he was surrounded by people.

"Hmm... Quite convenient, don't you think so?" Soejima laughed from the silly pun he just made and then suddenly he became serious. "Look at them. All try their hardest to live normally. Aiba is a waiter, he works with the food, the thing he hated the most. Is he sad or depressed? Then we have Sakurai. He is a teacher and a coach. He is teaching teenagers and kids self-defense. You know how much patience and calm it requires? Now Ohno... He is a teacher and he is in the spotlight during his classes. People look at him. You know how he was when he was still inside this walls... And lastly Matsumoto..."

"What's the point of all of this? Want to prove that everybody changed and I stayed the same? If so, then why did you let me out of here, huh? I thought you were smarter than that and..."

"You did change Nino." The doctor sighed and looked at Ninomiya. "You just don't see that yet."

"Well, how the hell you know that?!"

"Because for ten years you didn't come back here." Soejima smiled and before Kazunari managed to say a word, he disappeared in the crowd of his guests. Nino felt a sting piercing his heart and went out of the clinic, heading to the old library that used to be his asylum. The building wasn't there anymore; as he later found out it was destroyed by a fire one of patients set couple of years ago.

"Hope you are still here..." Ninomiya whispered and started to look for something he left there very long time ago, when it was decided he will leave the clinic. He was moving burned wood, trying to remember where the thing he was looking for can be hidden. After fifteen minutes he saw something shiny a few meters away from his feet. "Found you..." Kazunari smiled and took a small, silver pix and opened it to check if the note he left is still there. Something invisible squeezed his heart when he opened the envelope and read words he wrote ages ago.

I won’t cry anymore
Because I’m trying my best
Because I’ll become strong
You must be watching too
This crescent moon that seems like it’ll disappear
Because we’re connecting
Because I love you
I love you J...

"Here you are... I was looking all over for you." Matsumoto's voice woke him up from his memories. "What do you have there?"

"Nothing special, just... A charm..."

"When did you become so romantic?" Jun chuckled and shook his head. "Come on or you won't be able to taste the cake..."

"Afraid that model-chan will eat my share?" Kazunari smirked, hid the note in his pocket and came closer to his beloved man, grabbing his hand when the latter wanted to walk back.

"What are you doing? We should go..." Matsumoto frowned. Ninomiya's smile disappear when he joined their lips in slow and somehow different than usually kiss. "What was that for?" The taller one whispered, probably not able to say anything louder.

"Just checking if things didn't change and your knees are still shaking when I kiss you like that..."

"Idiot..." Jun turned around, heading back to the clinic and mumbled something incoherently all the way. Just then Kazunari felt that something inside him changed and it wasn't that bad as he thought it would be. Quite opposite...