Things best left unsaid, for now Dec 7, 2020
“This was fun, To-ya,” Yukito said, as he climbed onto the motorcycle behind Touya. “Thank you for convincing me to come.”
Truth be told, there hadn’t been a lot of convincing involved. There never was, when Touya suggested doing something together. Even if the something was Yukito working alongside Touya at one of his myriad part-time jobs.
Not that the Strawberry Village was your run of the mill part time job, for many reasons. It wasn’t in Tomoeda, for one, which meant that working there for the day had effectively been a day trip; they’d left their homes early, and night had already fallen as they were getting ready to go back.
Still, it was a beautiful place, and it had been a fun day in great company, not to mention the food was excellent there. All things Yukito enjoyed.
Touya gave him a quizzical look over his shoulder. He really doesn’t sense any of it, he thought to himself. The fact that Yukito didn’t sense the magical goings on which often surrounded Sakura wasn’t really news to Touya. Still, there were times, like today, when he was surprised anew by that fact. There had been so much magical energy, it had all seemed so obvious to him, how could Yukito really not sense any of it, considering…
“To-ya? What is it?” Yukito interrupted his thoughts.
“Nothing, it doesn’t matter. Ready?”
In lieu of an answer, Yukito leaned close against Touya’s back, wrapping his arms tightly around Touya’s waist. He really didn’t have to do that. Plenty of people rode on the backs of motorcycles without pressing themselves against their companions like that. Not that Touya was ever going to complain about it, of course. It was nice, knowing Yukito did it despite it being unnecessary.
It would have been a lie to say the idea of the long trip to and from the Strawberry Farm hadn’t been a factor in Touya wanting Yukito to come with him. Quite aside from how practical and useful it was (the original reason he’d saved up for it in the first place), getting to ride the motorcycle with Yukito fairly plastered to his back had turned out to be one of Touya’s favorite things about owning it. And getting to do it like this, riding out under an open night sky full of stars, was even better.
—
There was no one out on the street when they finally got to Yukito’s house. Touya turned off the engine and climbed off the bike along with Yukito, who smiled at him, head tilted to the side.
“Do you want to come in and have something to eat, To-ya?”
“I really shouldn’t, it’s late and I should be getting back home,” he said regretfully.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”
“Of course. But Yuki, earlier today…” he paused, giving Yukito a long, searching look. “When Sakura and her friends were locked in. You didn’t… sense anything?”
“Like what? I could tell you were afraid,” he responded, looking up at him with big, guileless eyes. “I was too for a moment, but it turned out to not be a big deal. Stuck door, probably.“
Touya held his gaze. He wanted to talk about it, to confide in him. He’d almost brought it up earlier as they stood outside watching the sun disappear behind the mountains. Yukito knew all about the things he could see and sense, and had never judged him or seemed taken aback by it. The problem was Touya didn’t know how to talk about this particular topic without it eventually coming around to the question of Yukito himself. How the magical energy Touya had felt coming from him since they’d first met, and that Yukito himself was blissfully unaware of, had only increased exponentially over time. How he was more and more certain it was somehow related to whatever was going on around Sakura.
How he was becoming increasingly certain that this was all coming to a head sooner rather than later, and how he had absolutely no idea what that would look like.
What could he say? You’re not what you think you are, Yuki. You don’t live with your grandparents, because they don’t exist. You’re not really human either.
He couldn’t do that to Yukito. He cared about him too much to strip away his sense of self like that. There was time still. If things started happening, he could always explain things to Yukito then. He would be there for him, reassure him that none of it mattered, that he’d be by his side through whatever it was.
Touya smiled, reaching out follow the line of Yukito’s jaw up into his hair with his fingers. Yukito leaned into the touch, his eyes half closing in pleasure as Touya’s thumb caressed small circles on the skin just below his ear.
“Yeah, it turned out to be nothing,” he agreed. “I’m glad you came with me, Yuki.”
Yukito smiled, turning his face so he could kiss the palm of Touya’s hand. “Always, To-ya.”
Touya’s heart skipped a beat, then hammered wildly in his chest. His free arm went around Yuki’s waist and pulled the shorter boy closer against him. Yukito relaxed into it, letting out a small sigh as he slid his arms around Touya’s back. He was just the right height so his head fit naturally against the curve of Touya’s neck. Touya barely had to move at all to kiss the top of his head, to bury his nose in soft, silvery-blond hair.
I’ll figure it out, Yuki, he thought, closing his eyes. I’ll figure it out and I’ll tell you when you’re ready, or when you need to know, and no matter what, I’m going to be right here. I’m going to be whatever you need.