Threat - Volume 2

"Are you coming or not?" Jiro snorted impatiently.

Natsuo had stopped to admire the wedding rings on display in the store's window. He was mesmerized by the detailed craftsmanship of the jewelry and the way the sunlight glinted off them.

"This was your idea, remember?" Jiro asked as he rolled his eyes.

Natsuo shook himself out of his reverie and quickly followed Jiro, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, I was distracted."

Jiro had been in a foul mood for the last few days, complaining about the pain in his back and how his medicines weren't working. He had been grumbling and grousing about it all morning and Natsuo had suggested something that might lift his spirits.

"First, let's go to the pharmacy to get your new prescription," Natsuo mentioned as they walked along the busy street. Jiro kept his hands in his pocket and his cap pulled low on his head, his brow furrowed in a scowl.

Dr. Kawahara had prescribed him stronger painkillers, opioids, to help manage the pain. He had been hesitant to take them but was starting to realize that he needed something more than the over-the-counter medications he had been taking.

When Natsuo got the opioids from the pharmacist, Jiro popped one pill into his mouth and asked for the water Natsuo carried. He quickly retrieved the bottle from his bag and handed it to Jiro, who washed the drug down with a large gulp of water.

"Are you certain about this?" Jiro asked in a much softer voice than before, referring to the other place they were going.

"Yeah. Let's go get a cat," Natsuo answered with a soft smile as they returned to the streets, shyly grabbing Jiro's hand as they strolled toward the animal shelter.

(A while later)

The two had arrived at the local animal shelter, their destination for the day. They had been walking around for a few minutes, observing the variety of cats lounging in the cages.

Jiro had been uncharacteristically quiet since taking the opioid pill, but Natsuo could sense he was starting to feel better from his relaxed shoulders and calmer expression.

He began to point out the different meowing creatures to Jiro, trying to encourage him to pick one, but he kept walking past the containers without stopping. The two had talked about getting a pet ever since they moved, and Natsuo thought they should get one now since they were both at home.

Natsuo asked the caretaker which cat had been in the shelter the longest. She pointed to a small, scruffy-looking calico in the corner of the room, explaining that she was too feral for some of the families and had been living there for almost two years.

His face softened as he watched the shaggy animal, the corners of his lips turning up in a small smile. Tri-color-coated feline hissed at him as he crouched down trying to pet her.

"I think we should adopt her," Natsuo muttered as he looked into her yellow, frightened eyes.

"I'll go wait outside," Jiro replied, leaving Natsuo to complete the paperwork, without a proper look at their new family member.

(Later that day)

As soon as they got home, Jiro immediately headed to the bedroom and was fast asleep before Natsuo finished preparing dinner. He finished setting the table and checked on Jiro, relieved to see him breathing peacefully after so many sleepless nights. He tucked a blanket around him and kissed his forehead before returning to the kitchen to complete the soup.

The cat hid under their couch and Natsuo gave her space and time to adjust, letting her explore the new environment at her own pace. He placed food and water near the sofa, along with some mice toys they had received from the shelter.

His phone rang while he was doing homework with steaming miso in front of him. It was their teacher, not the shy substitute who started their semester, but an older woman with a strict voice.

She introduced herself and inquired about his and Jiro's situation, since she had read about the crash and how Natsuo had been tutoring Jiro.

"I need you two to come to my office tomorrow. We should discuss your plans for the future," she said in a stern voice, continuing that Jiro's progress needed to be improved.

"But he is still recovering - "

"9 AM sharp. See you then."

Natsuo stared at his phone dumbfounded, thinking about what had happened. He couldn't believe how quickly the conversation had changed, leaving him wondering how Jiro could manage the additional workload when he had no energy to study in the first place.

"So you still think it was the right idea to return to school?"

Jiro was leaning against the doorframe, wearing only sweatpants and the support vest on his bare upper body. He had heard the conversation and had the same troubled look in his eyes as Natsuo.

"Well..."

"I want to drop out," Jiro declared in a neutral tone.

"What? Why? I can help you," Natsuo reassured.

"The only reason I returned was that you were too frail to go on your own," Jiro explained sighing.

Natsuo's stomach clenched at Jiro's words. He convinced him it was the right decision to return to school, and they could both make use of basic education and have normal rhythms in their lives after so many problems.

"But - "

"Damn it, Natsuo! Didn't you hear what I said?!" Jiro lashed out, letting out a gasp of breath.

Natsuo flinched, startled by his outburst. He mumbled an apology, not daring to look at his intense eyes.

"We are both millionaires. Fuck school."

Natsuo's blue eyes lingered on the numbers and letters in his math book, feeling a wave of guilt and shame wash over him.

"I... wanted to give you a normal school life, since I - "

"Will you stop talking about that?!" Jiro shouted, his voice rising with frustration.

Natsuo's throat tightened and he struggled to keep a lid on his emotions. He pressed his head even lower, knowing he shouldn't be further testing Jiro's patience anymore.

Jiro stumbled onto a bowl of cat food and water, cursing loudly as he nearly lost his balance. The water splattered along with the food and Natsuo could see him counting to ten inside his head, trying to control his temper.

Natsuo took a kitchen cloth and started to clean it up, noticing the cat's eyes on him as she hissed in protest. He quickly wiped up the mess and stepped back, carefully avoiding the cat's claws. He glanced at Jiro, who was watching him in silence.

"What's wrong with the cat? Why wouldn't you pick something else?" Jiro snorted as he grabbed his hoodie from the chair's armrest.

"She will get used to us," Natsuo tried to explain, but Jiro murmured something under his breath.

"I need some air."

"Do you want me - "

"No," Jiro shook his head and started walking away, trying to put the shirt on. Natsuo was left standing there, watching him go with an expression of disappointment on his face as he stepped outside. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the bowl and filled it with fresh water and cat food, replacing the spilled ones.

"Sorry, he's going through a rough patch," Natsuo sighed as he stayed on his knees, listening to the cat growl in the distance.

"But I'm sure you'll love him once all this is over..."

(The next day)

Natsuo and Jiro sat across from an older woman who was wearing framed glasses. She narrowed her eyes in dissatisfaction with Jiro's leisurely sitting with his wide legs after he announced he was dropping out.

"Why do you want to give up your education? At your age?" She asked, but Jiro just sarcastically smiled at her.

"Yes, ma'am," he answered without giving a proper reply to her question.

Natsuo was sitting with his hands on his knees, keeping his eyes low as the teacher scolded Jiro for giving up such a crucial part of his life.

"And you, Nakashima. Your grades are top of the class. Could you try to inspire this friend of yours?"

Natsuo shook his head. He had decided to respect Jiro's decision and not try to change his mind, understanding that Jiro had his own reasons for wanting to leave.

"There is nothing more I can say to you two. Please excuse yourselves."

Natsuo followed Jiro as he slumped away from the office, feeling helpless to do anything to ease his boyfriend's troubles.

When Natsuo and Jiro emerged from the office, their friends Rei and Hide were waiting for them in the hallway, as it was their first visit to the school since Jiro's accident.

"I wanted to give you this," Hide said and handed Natsuo a bag of fresh cherries. He smiled in appreciation and thanked Hide for his gesture, observing the bright red and plump fruits inside.

"How about a drink on the weekend?" Rei suggested to Jiro.

"Can't. I am going to be rehabilitated in Kyoto," he snorted and gave a side-eye to his boyfriend, the one who had booked it. He noticed how warmly Natsuo looked at Hide or how Hide's face lit up when he saw Natsuo smiling at him.

"Hashimoto? Can I talk to you?" Jiro asked, causing everyone to look at him.

They walked into a classroom that was empty and silent, except for the gentle hum of the air conditioner. Jiro slid the door closed behind them before turning to Hide, who was watching him suspiciously.

"Why would you give him those?" Jiro asked, looking him straight in the eye.

"He has been down lately. I wanted to cheer him up and his favorite is - " Hide shrugged as he tucked his hands in his pant pockets.

"Cherries, I know. But he doesn't need your cheerleading," Jiro said in disapproval.

"Maybe not, but have you done anything to him lately?" Hide replied.

"I have done plenty for him, so keep your bag of berries to yourself from now on," Jiro said as he strolled toward him, clenching his fists.

"He can make friends with whomever he wants," Hide reminded with a frown, and his scowl was met with Jiro's own smirk. He stopped a few feet away from Hide and slowly cocked his head to the side, his grin widening.

"You think I'm stupid? I've seen how you look at him, but he is not yours to look at," Jiro said in a menacing voice, thinking about how he had caught Hide's empty stare when he held Natsuo.

"What are you doing, Takuya? Threatening me?"

Jiro slowly took off his leather jacket, his movements deliberate and smooth as he revealed the intricate yakuza tattoos that covered both his arms. He met Hide's eyes unflinchingly, his gaze hard and unwavering.

"I'm not intimidated by you," Hide replied as he stood on his ground. Jiro laughed, amused by the way Hide was trying to challenge him and removed the leather gloves from his hands, showing the amputated finger cut by yubitsume.

"No more longing looks or sudden gifts. You got that?"

Hide refused to back down and stared at his grayish-brown eyes without saying anything.

"Good, I'm glad we understand each other," Jiro said as he turned to leave.

"You better start treating him better or he might just realize something on his own," Hide added after him, making Jiro exhale a deep breath of anger.

(Later that night)

Jiro was leaning against their ensuite sink, his bare neck dripping with water after his shower. He held the porcelain with pale fingers, his whole body trembling from the emotions that possessed him.

After returning from school he shouted at Natsuo and fled into the bathroom, desperate to escape the gloomy face that had been stuck to Natsuo's features. He had tried to contain his feelings, but the warmth of the water had released the tears that he had been holding back. He let his body slump against the sink's cold surface, feeling helpless and tired.

He took a deep breath and composed himself, leaving the ensuite. Natsuo left the opioids on his bed table, so Jiro reluctantly reached for them. He swallowed two pills and lay in the dark, hoping the pain would eventually go away.

The house was deathly silent without Natsuo, with only the sound of Jiro's labored breathing echoing in the stillness. It was as if even the walls were aware of his estrangement after Natsuo stormed out of their home.

He thought Hashimoto's earlier words hinted at him, how Natsuo would realize something if Jiro didn't start treating him better. Fear crept into Jiro's mind that Hashimoto might be right, that Natsuo would eventually understand how Jiro had been neglecting him and would decide to end their relationship.

Jiro's heart clenched at the thought of him leaving, cuddling under Hide's arm - the sudden wave of anger made him throw his smartphone at the wall, shattering it against the tiles. His heart felt like it was going to break with it, and he cursed out loud, his voice reverberating in the empty room.

His ears were alerted by the sound of the front door opening and Jiro rushed to see Natsuo returning home with a hood over his head. He gently called Natsuo's name and he slowly lifted his head, his eyes red and puffy, yet still managing to look relieved at the sight of Jiro.

He embraced Natsuo in a tight hug, burying his face in his shoulder. He could feel his own eyes welling up as he held him closer, squeezing his body as if he never wanted to let go.

"I'm sorry... I don't want you to leave me... promise me you won't..." Jiro mumbled in his ear as Natsuo wrapped his arms around him and rubbed his back in a soothing manner.

"I promise," he sighed softly.

Natsuo's trembling breaths against his naked chest sent shivers down Jiro's spine, making him feel a sudden burst of desire that had been lying dormant within him. Jiro leaned in and kissed Natsuo passionately, their lips merging together as if it was meant to be.

It was as if his soul was on fire, burning with raw emotions that had been held back. Natsuo stretched out for the kiss, his hands tracing Jiro's body as if he was trying to memorize every bit of him.

The two were driven to be closer to one another, and Jiro led Natsuo to the bedroom, their hands intertwined as they walked. Jiro pulled Natsuo into his arms and kissed him hungrily, their clothes falling to the ground as they explored each other's bodies. Intense emotions filled the room and they moved together in complete harmony, lost in a whirlwind of passion...