Work Text:
crepuscular (adj.): of, relating to, or resembling twilight
“I wish we had met earlier.”
When Anzu felt Kazuki return her hug and bury his tear-streaked face into her shoulder, she tightened her grip on him, her own tears of frustration and sympathy squeezing out of the corner of her eyes.
Knowing what he went through, she couldn’t imagine both how touch-adverse and touch-starved he was. She knew what it meant and what it took for him to willingly embrace her.
Anzu took to rhythmically stroking the back of his head, soothing him. The sun had set by the time Kazuki’s breathing evened out and his arms relaxed to wrap loosely around her waist as he fell asleep.
Everything was quiet as she continued to hold him. The only sounds she could hear were the hum of the appliances around her and the occasional car passing by outside the kitchen window.
They stayed like that for what seemed like hours and as much as Anzu loathed to move, she knew having Kazuki sleep in the kitchen wasn’t the most practical or comfortable. Biting her lip in hesitation and still cradling Kazuki’s head to her shoulders, she shook him gently.
“Kazuki-kun,” she whispered. For some reason, she didn’t feel right disturbing the quiet atmosphere that had since settled over the house.
He stirred but didn’t wake. He unconsciously buried his face further into her neck instead, causing Anzu to blush.
“Kazuki-kun,” she tried again, louder this time.
Kazuki groaned quietly, taking a deep breath, and then he slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head back from Anzu.
He blinked a few times to clear the haze of sleep before his eyes widened. “I’m sorry, Hoshino. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.”
Anzu smiled in understanding, their faces close. “Don’t worry, I don’t mind. But you must be tired after everything that’s happened. Why don’t you go take a bath and I’ll heat up some leftovers for you to eat. You should rest after.”
“I…don’t think I have an appetite,” Kazuki said in a low voice, his hands palming his eyes hard.
Anzu reached over to stop him from his rough ministrations. “That’s okay then. I’ll go prepare the bath for you instead.”
When she moved to get up, he stopped her with a hand on her arm. “You don’t have to–”
“I want to,” Anzu interrupted not unkindly, her other hand giving his wrist a squeeze.
They shared eye contact for a moment before he gave a nod. “Thank you.”
Kazuki heaved an uncharacteristic big sigh as he towel dried his hair. He felt a lot better after his bath and shower, but his chest still felt tight from the overwhelming anxiety he was feeling.
He squeezed his eyes shut to stop his mind from racing and forced himself to remember how it felt to be in Anzu’s arms. How she had held him tighter when she heard him cry quietly. How her fingers felt as she ran her hand softly through his hair. How she smelled of her apple shampoo as he buried his face in her shoulder.
I’m fine. I’m safe.
He exhaled slowly as he felt his fists gradually unclench.
Knock knock.
Kazuki instinctively tensed before he heard Anzu’s voice through the door.
“Kazuki-kun?”
“Come in.”
Anzu walked in with a cup of water and a cool towel, setting it on the nightstand and then sitting down on the bed next to him. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” Kazuki responded, “Thank you for running the bath for me.”
“Stop thanking me already,” she teased, smiling. She hesitated for a moment, unsure if Kazuki had hit his limit for physical touch, but seemed to come to a decision and reached over, patting his hand gently. “Drink some water and rest. I brought a cool towel to help relax you a bit more. If you need anything, I’ll be right next door, okay?” She stood up, ready to leave the room.
“Hoshino.”
Anzu stopped when she felt Kazuki grab her hand and squeeze. The moment felt like deja vu as she turned around to face him.
“What’s wrong, Kazuki-kun?”
He didn’t say anything immediately, his head bowed and his bangs covering his eyes. His hand stayed in hers, gripping tightly.
Anzu’s eyes softened and she knelt down in front of him, her hand shifting from Kazuki’s grip to lace her fingers through his. She squeezed his hand back in reassurance. “What do you need? You can tell me.”
“Can you stay with me?” Kazuki asked softly, his words a parallel to their moment in the kitchen. “Please,” he added a moment after, “I…don’t want to be alone.”
“Of course. I can set up a futon on the ground–”
“No.”
“No?” Anzu asked, confused.
Kazuki patted the bed he was sitting on, avoiding her eyes. “Here.”
Anzu’s eyes widened and then she felt her cheeks warm. She’s never once slept in the same bed with another person – even Saki – let alone another boy and she couldn’t help but wonder distantly if Riri had set this up too.
‘Don’t be stupid,’ she scolded herself mentally. Kazuki-kun needed her and this wasn’t the time to worry about Riri and her stupid manipulations.
“I’m sorry,” Kazuki hurried to say when her silence stretched on for longer than she realized, his eyes downcast, “I shouldn’t have–”
“Kazuki-kun.”
He looked up and met Anzu’s crimson eyes, gentle with understanding.
“Let’s get some rest.”
Kazuki was stunned for a moment before he nodded, sliding into the inner side of the bed while Anzu switched off the light. She slipped in after him and then they were facing each other in the dark, the only light being the dim moonlight from outside the windows.
As her eyes adjusted, Anzu observed Kazuki’s stiff form, his hands fisting the blanket tightly and his brows furrowed as he tried to sleep. Her heart ached seeing him like that, the normally stoic and calm boy feeling like a distant memory now.
“Kazuki-kun,” Anzu whispered.
He blinked his eyes open slowly to look over at her and then his breath hitched.
Anzu had her arms open in invitation, a soft smile on her face that he could see even in the dark. “Come here.”
Seeing his hesitation, Anzu scooted in closer to him and grasped his arms gently to wrap it around herself. She then wrapped her own arms around his shoulders and hugged him to her chest, resting her chin atop his head and decidedly ignoring the blush warming her face.
Kazuki was stunned for another long moment, a rosy tint staining his own cheeks, before he exhaled shakily and tightened his hold on her, pressing their bodies close together. He buried his face into her neck and inhaled the smell of her apple shampoo deeply, finally feeling his body relax.
“Good night…Anzu,” Kazuki whispered.
Anzu’s heart skipped a beat at his use of her first name for the very first time and unintentionally brushed her lips against the top of his hair.
“Good night, Kazuki-kun.”
Kazuki woke to sunlight streaming through the curtains the next morning, surprisingly feeling well rested. It was the start of the weekend and he couldn’t be more grateful that he didn’t have work, knowing there was no way he could focus with everything that's happening now.
He found his arms full of a certain redhead, her back to him and her crazy hair and the comforting smell of her shampoo under his nose. Instinctively, he tightened his hold around her waist and nuzzled his head into her hair.
Having felt Kazuki move, Anzu stirred and slowly blinked her eyes open, turning her head slightly to face him. “Kazuki-kun?”
“Morning,” he whispered in her ear.
Anzu ignored the shiver that ran down her spine. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah, thanks to you.” He squeezed her once to show his gratitude.
Anzu turned fully in his arms, facing him and smiling. “I’m glad. You’ll be safe here, no matter what.”
Kazuki returned her smile with a small one of his own and then closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers, surprising Anzu. She blushed again and cursed mentally at her lack of control over her bodily reaction.
“I’m terrified,” Kazuki admitted quietly after a while. His frown deepened. “I’m a pathetic man.”
“No, you are not,” Anzu said firmly, reaching her hands up to cradle his face. “We will call Arisa later today when you are ready and then we will contact the police. You are not alone.”
Kazuki opened his eyes to gaze into the determined ones of Anzu, his heart full. He reached a hand up to cover one of her own on his cheek. Here in his bed where the sun was warming them, with Anzu in his arms, her forehead touching his own, and so much trust and confidence in her eyes, he never wanted this moment to stop. He wanted to be right here, forever.
“We will deal with this together,” she finished softly.
The feelings in Kazuki’s chest spilled over with her words and in a moment of courage, he leaned in to kiss Anzu on the forehead. He reveled in her surprised squeak and then pulled her close to him to save her from her embarrassment.
“Together,” he whispered.
And as Anzu slowly returned his embrace, Kazuki thought with a small smile that with her by his side, he could overcome anything.