[Multi-chapter] Change (FINAL)
Title: Change
Authors: syunikiss1990 & tsuchi8562
Bet: andreja1989 ArigaPYON~!
Pairing: SakurAiba, Aimiya (friendship), Yama (friendship), Junba (friendship)
Genre: AU, Romance, Drama, School
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: They are not ours, they belong to themselves...
*MASTERPOST*
[One year later]
"I'm home!" Aiba called out as soon as he opened the door, quickly kicking off his shoes before skipping to the small living room. Not watching his feet he crashed into one of the boxes blocking his way, cursing softly when it slid against a pile of similar boxes which started to wobble dangerously. Sakurai's head peeked out from behind the pile which stopped to move, probably by the hands of the older boy.
"Careful." Sakurai said, making Aiba pout but it disappeared as soon as the smaller boy shuffled around the boxes and kissed him softly.
"What are you doing?"
"I need a book but I can't find it. I can't remember which box it's in." The older boy whined softly, turning back to the box he was searching in behind the pile. Aiba stepped over the box that had been blocking his way, seeing the whole living room was turned upside down, half open boxes everywhere and the contents of it scattered around.
"Sho-chan!" Aiba looked around in pure horror, not believing how his boyfriend could make such a mess in only an hour (Aiba knew Sakurai's classes were finished an hour before his own today) in their living room. That thought made him smile at the same time. Their living room. Last week he and Sakurai had finally moved in together in a small apartment close to their University. They had been looking for a place for the two of them for a while and when their first semester had just started, Sakurai had finally found them a place. It wasn't big, probably even smaller than the apartment the older boy used to live in, but it was big enough for them for now. And the most important was that they could be together almost all the time now, do whatever they wanted without having to worry about anyone else. The only thing now was that because University had started for both of them they didn't had time to unpack everything yet. Though Sakurai was making good progress now, if it weren't for the complete mess he made.
"I'm sorry Masaki. I couldn't find it and I panicked. I'll clean it up I swear but I need that book before tomorrow." Aiba smiled at the panicked look on the older boys face as he was still leaning over the recent opened box. Stepping forward, Aiba hugged the hunched figure from behind.
"I'll help you. Which book do you need?" Sakurai gave him the title and a description of the book but when Aiba wanted to get up to help with the search his wrist were grabbed.
"I have a better idea. Why don't you make us dinner and I'll continue."
"Sho-chan, the whole table is covered with our stuff." Sakurai looked a bit bewildered at the table, his eyes slightly widening when he saw the younger boy was right.
"I'm sorry..." He muttered, letting Aiba's wrists go so they could stand up. Aiba brushed a lost lock out of the older boys face, pecking his lips after.
"I'll clean the table and make dinner. You just try to find that book and keep the mess as limited as possible from now on." The smaller boy nodded and started to place the stuff he got out of the box neatly back in it. Masaki started to put away everything on the table, using the opportunity to place most of it in their right places. By the time the table was free again Masaki looked at the other boy, seeing the pile of boxes was shrinking more and more. He stopped getting the needed supplies for making diner, smiling at his frustrated boyfriend. It was hard to imagine that more than a year ago the same boy was a grumpy and isolated boy, feared and hated by everyone at their previous school. Only he had been brave (or stupid as some would still say) enough to break through his shell, resulting in painful memories but even more happy ones.
He sighed softly, the smile still on his face. He surely was proud of the other boy and even though it had been hard at times the past year, they were still together and happier than ever. Even Nino had finally accepted Sho as they could be in a room together now without constant glares and snarky remarks from the youngest boy. It was too much to say they are friends but in the passing time Nino had seen even more how hard Sho worked and how much he cared about Masaki.
"Masaki, is something wrong?" Sho suddenly asked, getting the younger boy out of his thoughts. Masaki shook his head and started to gather his supplies again. He could have expected the older boy wouldn't let it go so easily as he appeared behind him not long after, laying his chin on the taller boys shoulder while his arms wrapped around his waist.
"I was just thinking how fast time past since we’ve met. And I'm glad I met you Sho-chan, I wouldn't know what to do without you now anymore." The arms around his waist tightened a bit as Sho sighed but didn't say anything. For a while they just stood there, enjoying each other's presence.
"Did you find your book yet?" Masaki finally asked, gently freeing himself from the other boys embrace to continue making dinner. Sho mumbled something under his breath, turning around mockingly to continue his search. Masaki couldn't stop the small giggle, feeling like the way Sho had aged through the year had gone backwards. Masaki loved the small changes he had seen, seeing the older boy getting more carefree with passing time. It had made him love the older boy even more even though he had thought it was impossible at first. An impossibly wide grin split his face as he continued making their dinner, softly whistling a love song.
___
The sound of mumbled love song was the only thing that filled the air. Sho sighed and opened the last box, praying that he took the book with him when they moved out from Tokyo. When he was diving inside the box, having the cover in mind, his wallet fell off of his pocket. The boy didn't notice it because a feeling of great relief when the script was finally in his hand covered everything. Sakurai sat on the floor and just then he felt soft leather thing under his left hand. He frowned and opened it, looking at his ID for nth time throughout his living with his new guardian. Sho smiled weakly, seeing his new name next to his old one... Sakurai-Ohno Sho... The doctor didn't want him to add his surname, but the boy was persistent. This was the least that he could do to show his gratitude. After all, the doctor saved his life… More or less literarily. He was staring at the letters until he felt gentle pat on his shoulder.
"The food is ready..." Masaki smiled and pecked his lover's cheek, disappearing in the small kitchen. This was happiness. Being able to be with the person he loved the most, having a loving father (even though Satoshi didn't want Sakurai to call him that) and finally starting his new life. He also found new friends and even though he felt awkward at the beginning, he learned to open his shell bit by bit in front of other people, not only Aiba. Sho smiled and went to the kitchen, where his boyfriend was already eating. The older boy came closer and hugged the latter from behind, almost squeezing him.
"Thank you..."
"Eeh? Sho-chan, it's only pasta... Tasteless to be honest..." The taller boy pouted.
"Thank you for cooking for me, even if it is tasteless pasta..." Sakurai smiled, pecked Masaki's neck and sat at the table, eating in silence. Aiba, as always when he was feeling nervous or simply didn't like the muteness, rambled about his classes and new friends. Sho didn't listen to him, looking through the window without seeing anything, lost in thoughts. Why did he choose this university? Why he came to the place that he should hate? Why Kobe? He wondered about it from the day he applied here and he still couldn't find the answer. The woman set him free, let him go and didn't even try to contact with him. Few months ago she escaped from the clinic and went missing. The police looked for her at first, but then, considering her past they decided to quit. Nobody knew where Kumiko could be, not even her ex-boyfriend. With passing time his mother was forgotten by everybody, including him. Maybe this was the answer? Maybe Sho was simply feeling guilty because he stopped caring?
"Are you listening to me? Hello?" Masaki's annoyed voice brought him back to earth.
"Sorry... I just..." Sakurai sighed and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and smiling gently, when he looked again at the latter.
"Okay, just listen to me once in a while..." Aiba pouted and sighed. "I asked about the Golden Week... Are we going to Tokyo or do you want to stay here?"
"I don't know... I think we should go back, everybody here will go away on trips anyway..."
"But... but... I hoped for some time together... Just the two of us..." Aiba whined. "You have your part-time job and I have trainings... We are not seeing each other that often..."
"I know... But I believe that your mother would be really mad at me if I wouldn't let her son go home during Golden Week. But we can go back here on weekend."
"Sounds nice..." Masaki smiled and continue his rambling about the trip and plans on their weekend together. Sakurai came back to his thoughts though. So he came back to this city because he wanted to be close to the woman he hated so much? Even after she ran away, he had a hope that she will come back and… And what? Embrace him and call him her precious son?! Is he a freaking masochist? Suddenly it seemed to him that Aiba said something and apparently is waiting on his reply.
"Y-yes, do as you wish..."
"What's going on with you? I just said that I'll spend the night with Jun... What's bothering you?" The taller boy came closer and knelt in front of his boyfriend, placing his head on the latter’s thigh.
"Same old thing..." Sakurai smiled weakly and stroked the latter's hair.
"Kumiko? But she is gone... And she said her goodbye to you... Why are you still thinking about it?"
"Because I have to tell her something..."
"What’s that? She hurt you so much and you still want to talk to her? She said clearly that she doesn't want you to see you ever again, then why..."
"I need to thank her..." Sho whispered and looked somewhere above Aiba's head.
"What?!"
"I need to thank her... If it weren’t her I wouldn't be able to meet you... If she didn't hurt me like that, I wouldn't have you..." Sakurai smiled and looked at the latter, joining their lips before Masaki could react in any way.