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Contrary to popular belief, Shinonome Akito and Aoyagi Toya don’t spend every waking moment together. They are, after all, in different classes.
Which is how Akito makes it to 1 PM before realizing that Toya didn’t come to school today.
Lunch rolls around, and the orange-haired teen pokes his head into 1-B, but he doesn’t spy his boyfriend’s familiar form. He spends a few seconds looking around helplessly before a student – he wishes he could remember their name – takes pity on him and calls out,
“He’s absent today.”
Akito mutters something along the lines of,
“Okay, thanks,”
Before wandering out of the room and back into his own classroom. There’s an odd sort of franticness to his step – no, no, not that. He’s not frantic. There’s no reason to be frantic. Sure, Toya has never missed school for the entire time they’ve known each other, but he’s not, like, scared or anything.
He’s just gonna text and see what’s up, like any good boyfriend would do.
[ sms - Akito ]
wya?
It’s five minutes or so before Toya responds, which in and of itself is concerning. The guy is usually pretty prompt, unless he has something else going on.
[ sms - Toya ]
Home, sorry not feeling well
Akito frowns, a pang of concern striking his chest as he reads and re-reads his friend’s words. Not feeling well is a vague statement, probably in an attempt to keep him from worrying, but it’s too late for that.
If it were mild, Toya would be at school right now. He’s a hard worker anyway, but Akito can practically hear Aoyagi Harumichi saying, “If you’re not dying, you’re going to school.”
…Or something like that. Maybe in a way more pompous than Akito is capable of imagining right now.
Regardless, the rest of his lunch is spent plotting. If Toya thinks he’s just gonna ignore this, he’s wrong.
[ sms - Akito ]
what kinda soup do u like?
[ sms - Toya ]
…Akito, don’t. I’ll get you sick.
[ sms - Akito ]
i’m not dude just tell me what kinda soup you like
This is a lie. It’s after school, and Akito is questioning Toya whilst speedwalking to the nearest grocery store.
Akito’s pretty sure he can’t make anything better, so canned soup is what he grabs off the shelf. Besides, he doesn’t foresee the Aoyagis letting him use their kitchen long enough to make homemade soup.
Actually, will they even let him heat up the canned stuff?
Whatever, he’ll figure out the complicated shit when he gets there.
It doesn’t take long for Akito to find himself knocking on the grand door of the Aoyagi household. Mansion? Whatever. It’s a hell of a lot bigger than his apartment.
He nearly breathes a sigh of relief when Toya’s mom opens the door. He's really not in the mood to deal with the asshole side of the family today.
“Hi, Aoyagi-san.” Akito puts on his best, most gentlemanly smile. Toya’s mother offers a vague quirk of her lips in return.
“Toya mentioned that you might come by,” she says, opening the front door wider and stepping back so as to allow Akito entrance.
“Did he?”
“Mm.”
That’s about as far as their conversation gets until, as he steps into the house, the tin can in his grocery bag smacks into Akito’s thigh – a firm reminder as to his mission.
“Oh…Aoyagi-san? I’m sorry to impose, but would it be alright if I borrowed your kitchen for a minute?”
Thus does Akito find himself standing helplessly in the Aoyagi kitchen, struggling to find a bowl as the soup begins to boil in a too-large pot. He’s checked every cupboard, and at least found a spoon, but no bowl. What the hell?
He’s looking for Aoyagi-san to shamefully ask her for help when he spots them – in the fucking dining room. In a goddamn hutch.
With a long sigh – and resisting the urge to groan dramatically – Akito grabs a bowl and shuffles back into the kitchen.
Moments later, he stands in front of Toya’s door, knocks, and enters without waiting for a response.
The room is dark; the curtains are drawn. Toya is a distinct lump of blankets slumped in a large bed, and though he’s worried, Akito can’t help the half-smile that tugs at his lips.
He's just really damn cute, even now.
“You never told me what kinda soup you like, so I brought chicken noodle. Hope that’s good.”
This elicits a groan from the blanket pile, and as Akito walks closer, he watches Toya rub the sleep from his eyes and shakily push himself into a sitting position. Akito rushes to set the steaming bowl down and help raise his partner up.
They're successful, but the effort leaves Toya hacking into the crook of his elbow– a sound so rough it has even Akito cringing. His boyfriend hasn’t even said anything yet and he already sounds terrible.
“Akito…”
Okay, now he sounds really terrible. Frowning, the orange-haired boy instinctively presses the back of his hand to Toya’s forehead.
He’s burning up, unsurprisingly.
“Fucking hell, Toya,” mutters Akito as he turns back around to grab his lovingly-made soup. He carefully sets it on top of the blankets in his boyfriend’s lap.
“You’re gonna get sick,” whispers Toya hoarsely.
Gently, Akito reaches out and ruffles his hair.
“C’mon, I’d be a shit boyfriend if I let you be sick all by yourself.”
“You wouldn’t be–”
“Shh.” Akito knocks (very delicately) against Toya’s head with his knuckles. “Let me take care of you, partner.”
Toya huffs and looks down at his soup with a tiny smile.
“Thanks, partner.”
Toya doesn’t end up finishing the entire bowl of soup, but his caring boyfriend is more than happy to assist – and to wash the bowl afterwards.
When he re-enters Toya’s room, Akito is horrified to find the other standing. Not only that, but he’s headed for his backpack, which causes the orange-haired boy to surge forward and grab his wrist.
There’s no plan; no words – Akito just stares into Toya’s eyes until the boy finally answers the unspoken question,
“I have an assignment due tomorrow.”
Akito resists the urge to be affronted by his partner's dedication to academics, and focuses instead on wrapping an arm around his back and gently returning him to his bed.
Aoyagi Toya is nothing if not immensely stubborn, so the mere fact that he allows himself to be nudged back into a resting position says more than words ever could about his current state.
“Your teacher will get it if you’re a day or two late, Toya. You’re at the top of your class, man. Just relax and let yourself get better, yeah?”
“But– if my grades drop, father…”
Toya’s words fall away; Akito’s heart breaks nevertheless.
“It’s gonna be okay,” he says, running a gentle hand through Toya’s hair. The blue-haired boy lets his eyes fall shut, and Akito can only hope he’s managed to stave off some of his anxiety.
“I promise,” mutters Akito, leaning down to plant a kiss on the other’s forehead. It’s still burning hot. “It’s gonna be okay.”
A deep, weary sigh escapes Toya then, bringing out the gentlest of smiles from his boyfriend.
"You should sleep." Though, the way his eyes are already drooping says Toya doesn't need the suggestion.
Akito is ready to stand up and head out, feeling there's little he can do for Toya now, but is stopped when a pale hand grabs the end of his shirt.
"Don't go," mumbles Toya, and in that moment Akito swears he would even fight god if the guy tried to move him from this room.
"A'ight, scoot over."
"No, you shouldn't–"
"Don't want me to leave, but don't want me to get too close, huh? That's not fair, man." Akito shoots a teasing smile at his boyfriend, while simultaneously ignoring his protests and inserting himself into the blanket lump.
A fresh heat source is really all it takes to get Toya to stop worrying – in an instant, long arms are wrapping around Akito and pulling him close.
He hugs Toya in return, reaching one hand around to card through the soft hairs that fall over the nape of his neck.
Not even a minute passes before Toya's breathing evens out and he begins to snore softly. Only then does Akito let his own eyes fall shut.
Maybe it's a little selfish – maybe a tad irresponsible – but he's glad they're doing this instead of anything else today.
Oh shit, I forgot to tell An we wouldn't be at practice, is the last thing that crosses Akito's mind before he, too, falls asleep.
Akito awakens to about a trillion missed calls and a sore throat.
He also awakens to Toya's smiling face, and decides to call it a win.