Shadow Of Akihito (boy x boy) COMPLETED

Confessions

We do all we can over the next few days. We move all the bodies, clean up all the blood, fix everything that needed to be repaired. We can fix the buildings, but we can't fix all the ones we lost. We'll bury them in a special graveyard next week. Any family members the dead have will be allowed to take their bodies back. The rest, the ones who have no one, we'd bury them all together. We'd been working tirelessly.

I watch the new while I work. Finally, I see something. I turn up the volume as the female reporter starts talking. "It seem that students from Nishimura Academy have finally returned home. We already know, from previous sources, that Headmaster Nishimura was not what he claimed to be. These tearful reunions are touching the hearts of everyone across Japan." The camera zooms in to someone behind the reporter. I vaguely recognize the boy. He runs into the arms of an old man and woman. All three of them are crying. 

"One of the largest scandals in Japan's history has been uncovered. There's no telling just how much damage Headmaster Nishimura has wrought. Police are still looking for him. More on this story later." 

"Feels good, doesn't it?" a voice asks. I turn around to find Suguru leaning in the doorway.

I stand up, setting the brush down in the bucket of water. I'd been hand scrubbing the blood stains. They still wouldn't come up. "Yeah, it does. I'm glad they finally got to go home. It had been four or more years since they last saw freedom."

"What happened in there? You can't lie to me. I already know we've seen part of it. But there was more, wasn't there?"

I'm silent for a minute as I tear my gaze away. "I don't know if I'm ready to talk about that."

He walks over and places a hand on my shoulder. "I understand. But, when you are ready, I'm here for you. You're not alone, Aki."

That last part makes tears sting my eyes. "I know. You don't even know how grateful I am for that."

He wraps his arms around me suddenly and pulls me close. "Don't mention it." My heart squeezes in my chest and I hug him back. Since the very beginning he's always been different. I could never explain why. But, as we stand there holding each other, I finally understand. I'm in love with him. I don't know when I started to fall for him. I was at the bottom before I even knew I'd slid. My friends are what kept me strong, sure, but it was Suguru I kept thinking about all the time. It was always Suguru who I wanted to see again.

I have his smile imprinted in my mind. His laugh rings in my ears when everything else is silent. His scent always sneaks into my nostrils when I'm occupied with something else. He's always the first thing I think of when I wake up and he's the last thing I think about when I fall asleep. He's always been there for me, no matter what. He understands me as no one else does. Thinking of him give me more strength than I know what to do with. When Nishimura was about to kill him, my power was stronger than I've ever seen it. I've never felt like that before. I never knew I could move that fast or use so much power. I didn't even feel it when Nishimura hit me. Suguru's everything to me.

I gently pull back and stare into his silver eyes. "There's something you need to know."

"What is it?"

I take a deep breath, readying myself to pour my heart out. "I'm not sure when it happened, or even when it started to change. You were always there for me. Always by my side. You were my strength, more than anyone else. Anytime I felt weak, I'd think of you and immediately feel invigorated. The thought of you makes my heart race. It was harder to turn away from you than anyone else."

"What're you saying, Aki?"

"I'm in love you, Su," I admit. 

He blinks. "But...we're both guys."

"I know, but that doesn't matter to me. I love you for who you are, not what gender you are. You're confidence in me pulled me back from the edge. I would've given up without you. You've always been so kind and understanding. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I-"

I interrupt him. "You don't have to say anything back. I just thought you deserved to know. After all, it does concern you."

"Akihito, may I talk to you out here for a second?" Yoji wonders. 

I turn to face him, wondering how long he's been there. "Of course. Can you finish up in here, Su?"

"Uh..."

I follow Yoji out. "What did you need, Yoji?"

"Walk with me?" He takes off and I walk beside him. "You've changed a lot since I sent you to Nishimura Academy." I don't respond. "I should've realized what kind of man he was. I'm sorry for everything, Aki."

I stop him and he faces me. "Don't. It's not your fault. No one knew what that man was really like. Only his students. You couldn't have known what would happen."

"Maybe not. But it's my job to protect you and I failed." He looks more sad than I've ever seen him. There's so much pain in his eyes. "I look at you now and see more guilt than you should have to deal with. I don't know what he did to you, but you'll never be the same, will you?"

I glance away. "No."

"I just wanted you to know how sorry I am. How much a disgrace I am as your guardian."

My eyes lock with his again. "Don't say that. You're not a disgrace. You're my father."

His eyes widen and tears slip down his face. He hugs me. "You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that. You'll always be my son, Akihito."

"I know. And you'll always be my dad." We pull away and I see Suguru standing there.

"I'll see you later, Akihito." Yoji waves and departs quickly.

Before Suguru can speak, I say, "I know I kinda dropped a bombshell on you. I'm not expecting anything. After all I've done, it's a wonder I still even have friends. I'm not who I used to be. That's not an excuse, I know. If you don't feel the same way, I don't blame you. I'm just a shadow of my former self and-"

He places a finger on my lips. "You talk too much." He smiles gently. "You're still Akihito. What happened before is in the past. I don't care about what you've done. I care about what you do now. Whatever baggage you have now is also my baggage because....I love you as well, Aki. I remember the exact moment I fell for you. I've known for a while, but I didn't know if you felt the same. So, I was happy just being your friend."

"You remember?"

"It was the moment when you save that mother and her son. You said I was kind? You're wrong. It's you who's kind, Aki. You have the biggest heart of anyone I know and you talk all the blame, whether or not it's actually on you. I'm in love with you exactly for who you are." We smile at each other. I lean forward and press my lips to his. He gently pulls the tie from my hair and runs his fingers through it. I'm happier than I've been in a long time.