Chapter 10: Interlaced

TW: Language, Brief mentions of abuse.

They both stood there, enveloped in that moment together until Akihiko heard the distinct sound of his front door opening and closing. He instinctively took a step back, 

"U-um, my dad's home." He said. 

Yuki looked at him and nodded, as if he understood but you could tell he was saddened. Akihiko unlocked his door casually while Yuki stood there, awkwardly gathering his things.

He could hear footsteps up the stairs and his heart beat anxiously once more. His father knocked and he felt a wave of nausea come over him. 

Oh fuck. 

Yuki picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder, but he didn't move. Akihiko opened the door and his father stood there, immediately locking eyes with his guest. 

"Oh, you're here again." He studied him curiously, "I need to speak to my son." 

"R-right. Of course, I'll go." He stammered, looking at Akihiko with fear in his eyes. 

"B-bye, Araki." He said, too scared to address him less formally in front of his father. 

Akihiko sighed as he watched Yuki leave, his father stepped into his room as he heard the door shut. 

"Who is he?" His father said, unexpectedly. 

"He's my friend. He's been teaching Kanada and I to cook." Akihiko replied, his stomach still twisting from anxiety. 

"Teaching you to cook in your room with the door shut?" He asked, curiously.

Akihiko scoffed, "I'm not allowed to have my friends in my room?" He said, "And besides, why am I getting the third degree? You haven't been home in days." 

"I'm an adult I can do as I please." His father spat back at him, "And did you find a job yet?" 

"You know you're still supposed to support this family, right?" Akihiko reminded him, but he walked to his dresser none the less and fished out some yen, slapping it down into his fathers hand. 

"The rest I'm keeping, for food." He said. 

His father just nodded, turning around and leaving him standing in his room alone. He sighed, opening his phone and instinctively looking at local jobs. 

I really need to find something more permanent....

After what felt like hours scrolling endless opportunities, he put in a few applications for local retailers and decided to message Issei, just in case. 

今週末は何か仕事はありますか?

Any work this weekend?

His phone beeped a few minutes later, 

まだ何もありません.

Nothing yet.

He clicked it off angrily and tossed it to his bed. 

Fuck.

Akihiko paced around his room for a while, he swallowed nervously thinking about how his afternoon went. He almost couldn't believe he said the things he said, or that he kissed him. His heart thumped thinking about telling anyone else that, and a sense of shame overcame him once more. 

Mom, I wish you were here.

He finally summoned the courage to pick up his phone again and he pulled up Yukis contact, his finger hovering over it anxiously. Eventually, he found some words, 

お父さんにはごめんなさい.本当にそんなに早く出て行ってほしくなかった.

I'm sorry about my dad. I didn't want you to leave so soon.

He watched it eagerly, awaiting his reply. A ping finally came through and he immediately opened it, 

大丈夫です.

It's okay.

Akihiko stared at the reply and another message came through almost instantly, 

緊張しすぎて居られませんでした.

I was too nervous to stay.

He pondered his words for a few moments, 

君を緊張させるつもりはなかった.

I didn't mean to make you nervous.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, awaiting that familiar ping. When it came he lurched up in his bed, clutching the phone in his hands, 

君の周りではいつも緊張してるよ.

I'm always nervous around you.

He admitted, which made Akihikos face flush. Before he could respond Yuki sent another message, 

あなたが言ったことは本当に本気でしたか?

Did you truly mean what you said?

His fingers trembled as he replied, while he was sure he meant every word he still worried. Worried what others might think if they found out. His friends. His father. People at school. He tried to force the shame down in a moment of confidence, 

Don't let fear control your life.

It took him a few minutes to type out the words, he finally found his courage, hitting send, 

はい,そしてすぐにお会いしたいです.

Yes, and I want to see you again soon.

Akihiko sighed, an internal war commencing in his head. He knew he liked Yuki, more than a friend. But he'd never been with a boy before. He'd never even thought about it until he met him. He dated plenty of girls in the past, and he certainly wasn't a virgin, but whatever he felt kissing Yuki was different. His stomach lurched at the very thought, and he found himself flustered as he couldn't get that image out of his head. 

My dad would kick me out, or worse...

He thought about his fathers hands wrapped tightly around his mothers neck, how she writhed in his strong grasp as him and his sister watched, defenseless. While his dad hardly remembered most of the altercations because of the alcohol, those memories were seared into his head. He watched himself in the mirror, stroking his own neck with a sense of discomfort and fear. Tears welled up in his eyes again as he thought about just one of the many times his mother had been the object of all his fathers rage. He pondered just when that rage would find a new outlet, certain that it was always searching. 

A ping from his cell phone brought him back to this plane and he picked it up, 

明日.

Tomorrow?

Akihiko swallowed nervously before typing out his reply, 

放課後に迎えに来るよ.

I'll come get you after school. 

Immediately he responded, 

私のことも忘れないでください.

Don't forget about me. 

He said, Akihiko could sense the fear even through his text. 

一度もない

Never.

Aki clicked his phone off, both satisfied in his responses and anxious about their next meeting. He went downstairs and helped Kanada prepare dinner, while it wasn't perfect, he noticed taste slowly returning to his daily life. He couldn't help but smile at the dinner table, even in his fathers presence. 

The next morning Akihiko woke up encased in that familiar sweat, he sat up in his bed and caught his breath, immediately picking up his phone instinctively. 

Nothing. 

He dressed for the day, taming his locks in the mirror before spritzing on his cologne again. He'd been wearing it ever since Yuki mentioned something, and he felt good taking more pride in his appearance. He shuffled down the stairs, his father was actually in his bed for once, the living room void of life. 

He prepared breakfast and then walked Kanada to school as usual. 

Issei was waiting for him around the corner from Kanadas school again. Akihiko felt a sense of nervousness as her remembered Nomis words. They echoed in his head as he walked up to his friend, who didn't say anything. 

"So..." Akihiko said nervously. 

"So what happened?" Issei said suddenly, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it, per tradition. 

"Nothing happened." Akihiko assured him. 

"She told me she loved you." Issei said, taking a long drag. 

"And I told her were just friends." Aki admitted which caused his friend to shoot him a shocked look. 

"You turned her down?" He questioned. 

"Of course I did, Issei. I only see her as a friend." He admitted, only revealing half the reason.

"Fuck man. She's likely devastated." 

"Are you?" Akihiko said, looking at him with a hint of sadness. 

Issei took another drag before offering it up, "I'm sad, sure. I think we both knew how I felt about Nomi. But it's good to know that maybe, when this blows over we can all go back to being friends, like we used to."

Akihiko took a drag of his own, "Yeah well, I'm not sure when she'll forgive me." He admitted to him, thinking back to her last words. 

Who were you expecting Aki, tell me that at least. 

He shook the words from his mind, handing back the cigarette to Issei. 

"She'll come around man." Issei said in a promising tone. "At least this means I can officially move on." 

Akihiko laughed a bit while Issei tossed the cigarette out into the street. They walked through the gates of school, Nomi could be seen hovering on the sidelines, deeply concentrated on her phone. 

"Maybe I should go talk to her, smooth things over." Issei suggested. 

"Yeah, good luck with that." Aki replied as he jogged over to Nomi. 

Akihiko could see Yuki sitting in the courtyard alone. He was mindlessly flipping through a book. His hands started to sweat as he approached him, an unsettling nervousness overwhelming him. 

"Hey, Yuki." He said. 

He looked up from his book and smiled at him, "Good morning, Akihiko." He said. 

Aki plopped down next to him, "What are you reading?"

 "Oh, this it's nothing." He said, closing the closing the book quickly and putting it face down next to him. 

"Now I have to know." Akihiko said, quickly snatching the book from his side. 

"H-hey!" Yuki exclaimed. 

Aki read the cover, "The Sound of Waves." 

"A..romance book?" He said, thumbing through the first few pages. He read the synopsis on the back in an alluring accent, "A love story between a fisherman and the daughter of the richest man in town. I didn't know you liked this kind of stuff." Akihiko said. 

Yuki just blushed, "Well...I've never dated anyone." He admitted, looking over at him with those same expectant eyes. 

N-never?!

Akihiko reminisced in some of his past affairs, while none of them were particularly serious in his eyes he still had formed a few relationships in the past. 

"I find that hard to believe." He said, suddenly. 

"I've been sick since my preteen years." He admitted, "I never thought I would get the chance." 

This saddened Akihiko, he could see the loneliness in Yukis eyes. 

"Well, you will get the chance. I promise." Aki said, confidently. The sound of the bell cut their moment short, "Can I walk you to class?" He asked. 

"Of course..." Yuki said. 

As they rounded the corner towards the stairs leading to the second floor Akihiko felt fingertips brush against his, he felt his face grow hot as Yuki attempted to interlace their hands together. He panicked and ripped his hand away, his heart beating uncontrollably as he looked around the hallway. It was empty, only Yuki stood there, confusion and sadness staining his face. 

Fuck. You stupid idiot. 

"I'm sorry." He said. 

"I understand." Yuki replied. 

They walked together in silence, Akihiko could feel the disappointment not only from Yuki, but from himself.