Chapter 12: Another Confession

The clock has passed 12 in the midnight, yet Yuki has not calmed down. He shivered even in Ryohei's arms, and his shaking worsened as Ryohei left him for a while to fetch a glass of water or such. Ryohei had no idea that Yuki would be that frightened, and he did not dare to reveal to Yuki that he was originally teasing the blind.

Ryohei took this for his punishment so that he would not take Yuki's trauma lightly afterwards.

"Yuki-kun, are you all right?"

Yuki slowly nodded while clutching on Ryohei's shirt. He trembled in fear and sobbed in between his breaths. His reddish eyes did not seem to fade soon, and he evaded Ryohei's thoughtful gaze.

"Do you want me to go get something for you?"

"No- No. I- I'm okay."

"Then, I-"

"No No! I'm not fine! Please!"

Ryohei bit his lower lips. He really could not break the hug. Yuki buried his face into Ryohei's chest, causing the latter's heart to pound almost unstable. He softly caressed Yuki's smooth hair, and hushed him.

"How do you sleep tonight? I can't seem to leave you like this." Ryohei was purely troubled. He could not imagine how frantic Yuki would be soon after they separated.

Only one option available, yet Ryohei did not dare to voice it out. It might worsen Yuki's trauma, thus it would not help at all.

"I- I'm sorry, Ryohei." Yuki murmured in between his hiccups. "I'm sorry that- I've burdened you- But- Can you please- Stay here- For tonight?"

It was Yuki's suggestion, but both of them surely had similar way of thinking. Ryohei also thought of sleeping over, but he did not see it resolving if Yuki remained alerted and scared. However, it was what Yuki asked. By himself. He assumed Yuki was not afraid of him.

Yuki believed in him.

"I can. But, how about you? Won't you be scared of me?" Ryohei asked to doubly confirm Yuki's demand.

The result was quite shocking. Yuki nodded vigorously and muttered, "I would rather have you touching me than those filthy men."

Ryohei held his breath. Was Yuki frequently harassed before this? A slight rage surfaced in Ryohei. "All right, Yuki. I wil stay with you tonight."

It was unimaginable how alarmed Yuki was all these while. Ryohei was urged to inquire about what Yuki has confronted for the two weeks of his absence in the neighbourhood, but he was aware it might hurt Yuki. Nevertheless, Ryohei's mouth did not seem to agree with his rationality.

"During those two weeks, were you sexually harassed by anyone?"

Then, Ryohei ogled at no one, utterly petrified by his own words. He was being insensitive, yet Yuki did not even flinch. Yuki responded well by nodding and replied, "My ex client aka my boss."

"Your boss?!" Ryohei's tone raised a bit. "How dare he! Did he know where you live?"

Again, Yuki nodded. "I went there to give my weekly report as usual. He noticed that I've gotten a new white cane. He was furious and he... raped me."

"He what??!"

Yuki's panting loosened Ryohei's sudden anger. Ryohei hugged Yuki comfortably. "I'm sorry that I've scared you. But, I'm really mad. He raped you? Why? What's with your cane?"

Yuki gulped. He was unsure whether to divulge everything to Ryohei. However, it was Ryohei he was talking to - the one he trusted despite their short introduction. Ryohei was the only one who did not run away or attempt on touching him when he disclosed himself an intersex.

"My previous cane... He broke it. He didn't want me to leave the house, so he snatched it away and snapped it. He was enraged when he figured out I've gotten a new one, which to him it meant I was eager to get out and walk among the commoners. So he raped me."

Words could not describe how shattered Ryohei's heart was. Yuki was having an extremely difficult time all these while, and he did not know it. "I'm so sorry, Yuki-kun. I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were being treated so harshly. I'm so sorry that I've failed to protect you."

"Ryohei, I never blamed you though," Yuki touched everywhere on Ryohei and manageably reached his face, "You didn't know. But I don't want to burden you with my problem as well."

"But you may get injured, Yuki-kun. I can't..." Ryohei ducked, and secretly cried, "I can't bear to see you suffering from those ill treatment."

It was the first time that someone shed tears for him. Yuki was stunned as he sensed droplets trickled onto his thumb and fingers. It was Ryohei's, and Yuki immediately learnt that he was crying. Like how Ryohei gently caressed him when he was sobbing, Yuki did the same by wiping away Ryohei's tears.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to worry you," Yuki said, "I'm so sorry."

"No, no," Ryohei grasped Yuki's hand - the one on his face, "I wanted to protect you, but I failed."

Yuki rested his head on Ryohei's chest. He stabilized his breaths and hummed. "No matter how long I'm in your embrace, your throbbing heart never slows down," he commented.

"Oh, uh, that's- Uh," Ryohei was caught red handed. He was just about to act cool in front of Yuki. "I, uh, think you're sweet. And cute."

Yuki hummed a song Ryohei never heard of, but he could tell it was a classical melody.

"Thank you for staying by my side, Ryohei. I've owed you very much."

Ryohei sniffed in the smell of Yuki's hair. Its fragrance was mesmerizing, and the smoothness allured him to ruffle through. Yuki did not tremble even a bit from Ryohei's touch, which unconsciously meant he gave the consent to only Ryohei. Ryohei would be the only one to be able to touch him without hindrance.

"Do you want to live with me, Ryohei?"

Ryohei gaped in disbelief. "Live w- w- with you? Why so sudden?"

Yuki shifted his position to face towards Ryohei, made the latter blush. Estimating from the shaky breath exhaled by Ryohei, Yuki physically gazed at Ryohei's teary eyes.

"I think," Yuki acted shy and fidgeting, "I begin to like you."