Second Chances || Saiouma

Chapter 7

Shuichi wasn't sure what time it was when the taxi finally arrived to take him home. After Kokichi left with Miu, he had lost track of time. His mind was a swirly mess of confusion and regret, with enough thoughts to keep him distracted for hours.

Shuichi squints at the oncoming lights of the Taxi and begrudgingly pushes himself off the wet grass where he was laying. His pants and hoodie clinging to his body, perfectly showcasing the gross way he feels.

He was wrong. He thought putting some distance between himself and Kokichi would be good. That he could finally stop having all of the uncomfortable thoughts, but it only managed to hurt the friendship they'd been building. Shuichi's not even sure if Kokichi would accept an apology from him.

Would Kokichi want to move out? He knows at some point it will be inevitable and one of them will have to move out, but so soon? The thought sent shivers of fear up his spine. He's not ready to be alone, and even if it's Kokichi, his company wasn't so unwelcome anymore.

Sleep tugged heavily on his eyelids, almost falling asleep multiple times in the car ride home. His legs felt heavy walking up the steps to his apartment. Kokichi is probably already home and asleep. So he took extra care to be quiet as he entered the apartment and crossed over into the bedroom.

Kokichi is sleeping, as expected, sheets wrapped around him, covering him completely. A small tuft of hair peeking through the crack at the top. Shuichi stared for a moment watching the sheets move as Kokichi breathed.

He peeled off the grass damp clothes and threw them hazardously into the corner. His pajama pants were still on the ground from the night before, but getting a clean shirt would mean pulling open the drawer that squeaks, and possibly waking up Kokichi. So he settled on going to sleep without one.

He felt cold now without a shirt, he's not sure how Kokichi does it. Every night Kokichi goes to bed wearing nothing but his boxers, and if he does wear something it's very light. Shuichi gets cold too easy for that.

He pushes back the covers slightly and slides quietly into bed, trying to keep his movements to a minimum. If he woke up Kokichi it would be an awkward mess.

Despite how messy his head was, he could feel sleep pulling him in as soon as his head hit the pillow. He has to make a plan. It's his fault that this fight between them happened in the first place, and tomorrow he's going to fix it.

Kokichi's not going to accept an apology, he made that clear. He said that he wants him to show he's sorry through his actions. Maybe Kokichi knew then that he was trying to distance himself, and wanted him to apologize by going back to normal? God he really messed that up then. He had been so sure that Kokichi wouldn't notice him distancing himself. He thought it would help.

***

A cry broke loose in the still room, a sweaty shoulder shoved against Shuichi's sleeping body, rousing him somewhat. Shuichi scooted over away from the body and mumbled incoherently.

Another cry, this one louder.

Shuichi's brain caught up to the noise, his eyes cracking open.

"Oh no, not again." It was a nightmare again. Although this looked ten times worse than last night. Was that because of him?

Kokichi had tears running down his cheeks, his chest shuddering with each fast breath. He was tossing back and forth viciously, his hoarse cries following him.

Shuichi jerks forward onto his knees, hovering over Kokichi. This is awful he looks like he's in so much pain.

"Kokichi wake up, you're dreaming!" Shuichi grasps onto Kokichi's shoulders and shakes, unsure of any other way that could wake him. Kokichi's mouth parts, letting out a sharp scream that makes his skin crawl.