The Space Between [RanTaku] [MuneTaku]

n i n e t e e n

"God, Takuto, you're a mess."

"Is that really the first thing you say to me after you haven't seen me for weeks?" Shindou said, a faint smile on his face, relieved that the mood had been lightened. Ibuki moved towards him, sitting on the other side of the sofa.

"Am I wrong though?"' 

"Not at all. I get the jitters every ten minutes and I feel like I'm gonna be sick but aside from that, I'm not bad."

"What do you feel like doing right now?"

"Drinking. But I know I can't." Shindou said, taking a sip of water: the only thing he'd been able to keep down.

"Wow, rehab is already taking its toll on you."

"You bet."

Then all of a sudden, Ibuki looked sad, his eyes lowered and took in Shindou's state and Shindou already knew what was coming, "I heard this isn't the first time this has happened."

Shindou's head hung in shame. He felt disappointed in himself for being so quick to go back into old habits.
"No, it happened once, before we started dating."

"Why didn't you tell me? I would've understood."

"I- i didn't know how. I didn't want you to look at me differently. I don't really look like the type of person to be a drink addict. I guess I didn't want you to be put off, because I really really liked you."

"Takuto, I never would have looked at you differently, even with your flaws. You'd still be the cocky annoying teammate I fell in love with."

"Love, huh?" Shindou said, unable to hold back the smile on his face. He loved him. Loved.

"Just don't go kissing your best friend." Ibuki said, grinning.

"You're not still mad?"

"I don't think so. I think I acted a little irrationally. And it's not the same without you trying to annoy me at every moment."

"Aw, you missed me?" Shindou said, starting to sound like his usual self.

"Stop that."

"Okay, sorry."

Ibuki shifted closer to him and gave him a small kiss on his forehead and they spent almost the rest of the day cuddling. It seemed like they'd completely made up. And although Shindou still felt like he was on the verge of death, it felt bearable, even though he still felt the urge to drink.

"Does this mean we're back together?" Shindou said, tracing small circles on Ibuki's arm.

"Hm? I don't know, maybe?" Ibuki said, his voice slightly muffled and thick with sleep.

"I want to get back together."

"Mmhm? Me too."

They both sounded tired and drowsiness was slowly taking over.

"You two are so cute it makes me kinda sick." Tsurugi said, walking in on the two.

"Ah, sorry."

"How're you doing?"

"Still feel like crap." Shindou said, moving his hand to Ibuki's hair, smiling at him. "But I'm a lot better when you're here."

"I might be sick." Tsurugi said, pretending to gag. "You should get some rest. I'm gonna go home."

"Thanks for everything."

"It's no problem. You take care of him." Tsurugi looked at Ibuki, who nodded.

"I got this."

When Tsurugi left, the couple lay cuddling and talking deep into the night, almost as if everything was as it was before. When Kirino did come back later in the night, it brought a smile to his face to see Shindou sleep so peacefully. It didn't bother him that Shindou and Ibuki were together. For some reason, he was okay with it.

Deep down, he knew that he and Shindou would be just fine.

Or so he thought.