New World's Worth - Part Three: Buried Past
Title: New World's Worth - Part Three: Buried Past
Rating: G
Characters: Daisuke and Satoshi
“Yes. Yes, of course I’ll be there.” Daisuke hung up the phone and sank into a chair in shock.
“Who was that?” Riku asked from across the table. She finished her breakfast with one hand and caught Sakura’s thrown tipsy cup with the other.
“Hiwatari’s secretary. He said he’ll meet me on Friday.” Daisuke laughed softly and could hardly believe it. He’d expected to have to track down where Satoshi was staying and break in. A willing meeting? And so soon!
“Friday? Do we need to cancel with your parents?”
Daisuke rubbed a thumb along his lips absently, glancing up at the question. “What? No, no, he wants to meet at four. I can… let my last class out early and still be there by seven. You’re going over around noon right?”
“Emiko wants to buy her new dresses.” Riku shook her head with a roll of her eyes. “You know I love your mother, but is she ever going to stop?”
Daisuke snickered into his coffee. “What are grandmothers for?” He stood and leaned over to kiss Riku’s cheek. “I need to get going. See you tonight.”
Riku reached up to smooth his hair though it was a vain attempt - it was as unruly as ever, though the longer length at least kept it looking decent. “Don’t forget your lunch.”
“Got it.” Daisuke grabbed the bento, silently giving thanks Riku was a far better cook than Risa, though it didn’t keep him from buying lunch at a nearby café from time to time. He slipped it into his bag on his way out. The drive to the University took fifteen minutes and another five to get to his classroom on the third floor, during which he went over in his head all the things he wanted to ask Satoshi and couldn’t. Not yet at least. His mouth ran away from him at times, but he knew better than to start asking such bitter questions the first time they came face to face after so long. Ten years. Ten years. How had time gone by so fast? It only made things worse that, now that he knew Satoshi was alive and here, he could feel that dull ache in his chest more keenly than ever, right next to where the ache of losing Dark was.
His first class was an advanced art class and a few of his students were already setting up. It was his only non-lecture class and he settled at the desk to complete the upcoming test for his Art History class on Wednesday. The students would let him know if they needed anything and he didn’t require much other than they complete their chosen projects by the deadline, with sufficient effort applied, of course.
As he sat, the cool chain of his necklace shifted against his skin and he pulled it from beneath his shirt, fingering the tiny black feather pendant. One of Dark’s feathers, preserved with a sealing spell before it had shrunk and disappeared completely. Finding Satoshi again had made him nostalgic and he’d dug it out of his drawer where it had been the past few years. Now that Sakura was past her grab-and-chew stage, he’d start wearing it again.
Strange how finding Satoshi caused the anguish from losing Dark to swamp him again, when he’d been able to push it to the back of his mind until now. There was no way to fill that kind of void, no one in the world who could replace that relationship. It still hurt just as sharply as if they’d been separated yesterday; it was just easier not to dwell on. It was a wound time would never heal.
All day his background thoughts drifted between memories and anticipation of Friday. By the time his two-hour lull between classes came, he realized he’d flipped to a blank page in his notebook and sketched Satoshi’s face. So much for getting work done. He sighed and studied the picture. It wasn’t Satoshi how he remembered him, not quite. He’d drawn Satoshi how he imagined he looked now - not quite as malnourish-thin, face a little leaner from his body catching up with his mind. But the eyes and hair were the same, because nothing could ever really erase what Krad had done to him or what he’d suffered through for so long, and Satoshi was far too stubborn and uncaring to bother changing his hair.
He smiled faintly and pushed the notebook aside, moving on to more immediate concerns. The anticipation would kill him, but his students needed his mind present for the lectures.
Friday came all too quickly and not soon enough. Daisuke didn’t sleep a wink the night before and woke up with butterflies in his stomach. He’d been tempted to call in sick, but he knew not having anything to do would only make things worse. So he went to work and managed to focus enough the day didn’t drag, though he still found himself watching the clock.
Finally four o’clock rolled around and the butterflies returned with a vengeance. He picked up the papers needing graded by Monday and closed up his office. His hands felt cold and clammy and shook on the steering wheel as he drove. He stared at the restaurant after parking, heart pounding in his chest. Satoshi was… right inside there, or would be soon. Now that the moment was upon him he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what he should do or say. It’d been so long. What if Satoshi only wanted to meet him to tell him not to be a bother anymore? They weren’t fourteen anymore, he wasn’t so naïve to think that just by forcing his friendship on Satoshi it would keep him around. No, but he was still stubborn when it came to chipping away at the shell Satoshi tried to keep around himself. Or had tried to keep. He wasn’t sure what to expect now.
And he wasn’t going to find out sitting in his car. He took a deep breath and got out.
When he stepped into the restaurant, his eyes were immediately drawn to a very familiar shade of blue hair. “Satoshi…” His chest hurt with the force of his heart’s beating, unable to breathe as he stumbled forward. “Hiwatari-kun,” he said, the name slipping from his lips with ease. When Satoshi stood to greet him, he didn’t even take in the business suit or the fact Satoshi was half a foot taller than him. He didn’t stop moving until he had his arms around the other male and was hugging him tight. “You’re alive.”
“Of course I’m alive.”
Daisuke laughed and struggled to breathe through the relief, anger, pain, and hurt, not sure which was stronger until he realized Satoshi was just standing there. He flushed in embarrassment and quickly let go, rubbing at his chest before punching Satoshi’s arm. “What do you mean of course? You disappeared. You could have died years ago for all I knew!”
Satoshi smoothed a hand over his suit and retook his seat. “You would have known.”
Daisuke could only stare in silence, at a loss at the simple answer. Satoshi… hadn’t always been this cold, had he? He sat carefully, dozens of questions flicking through his head. Where to start? Where have you been? Why did you disappear? Why weren’t you at my wedding? “I have a daughter now.” Well, that certainly hadn’t been anywhere near what he’d wanted to say.
“I know.”
Daisuke looked up sharply. “What?”
Satoshi sighed, fingers resting around a glass of water. “I’ve been keeping track.”
“Of course you have.” Daisuke didn’t bother trying to hide the bitterness. “So you’ve kept tabs on me ever since you left and I know nothing about you. You could have at least sent a letter once in a while. Picked up a phone.” He met Satoshi’s eyes with an accusing look and was shocked to see… nothing. He’d always thought the glasses were a shield, but Satoshi sure as hell didn’t need them now. His eyes were the same unique shade of blue, but they were colder. Harder. It may have still been Satoshi behind them, but he’d built so many more barriers around himself it was a wonder he didn’t suffocate. “What happened to you?”
Satoshi shrugged. “Life. I grew up.”
“You were already grown up.”
“Being a genius doesn’t mean I was grown up, Niwa. I thought life would get easier once…” He trailed off and looked away. He didn’t have to finish, they both knew what he meant. The sealing should have solved all their problems. “It only got harder.”
Daisuke shook his head, unable to imagine how it could have gotten worse than having Krad inside. “Why did you leave?” It might have just been his imagination, but he thought he saw a shift in Satoshi’s eyes, a weakening of the barriers.
“I had my answer. There was no reason to stay.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Answer to what?” Daisuke suspected he knew what, had always known, but he couldn’t quite wrap his head around it without some kind of confirmation first.
“When I said goodbye-”
“You never said goodbye,” Daisuke said, voice sharp and bitter, but he quickly shut his mouth when Satoshi gave him a piercing look.
“The last time I saw you, I would have stayed.” Satoshi didn’t explain further, falling silent as he watched Daisuke.
Daisuke shook his head with a confused, helpless look. “Then why didn’t you?”
Satoshi lifted a shoulder and glanced away again. “You didn’t want me to.”
Anger swelled up inside Daisuke and he slammed a hand on the table, causing the silverware to clink. “I never told you to leave! Never! How-” How dare you! He bit his tongue and curled his hands tighter.
“You didn’t ask me to stay either. You were with Riku. You still are.”
Both fists hit the table this time and Daisuke found himself on his feet. “Drop the act! We were kids - how the hell was I supposed to read your mind? You didn’t even say anything, you just…” He trailed off and felt his face heating as the memory came back, much more intense and clear with Satoshi sitting right in front of him. The warmth of Satoshi’s hands, the confusion and the sensation of drowning in something he’d never be able to control. Satoshi may look calm on the outside, but inside he was as wild and dangerous as a fire, and it was contagious. “You just dropped a bomb on me and disappeared. What was I supposed to do? By the time I got my senses back, you were long gone.” He dropped back into his seat with a sigh, burying his hands in his hair and rubbing the heels of them against his eyes. “You never had any intention of staying. That was your goodbye.” He’d had ten long years to come to that conclusion, but he’d only needed a week. Satoshi only said goodbye when he planned on coming back.
Satoshi was silent for a long moment before speaking. “I didn’t want to come between you and Riku.”
“God, I’m so sick of people doing what they think is best for me.” He rubbed harder at his eyes and sat back with a pensive, curious look as a platter of sushi was brought over to them. He could see the question in Satoshi’s eyes about that outburst, though he wouldn’t let him voice it. Before the waitress was completely out of earshot, he said, “So you left because you were scared. Why come back now?”
Satoshi scowled, the expression faint, but Daisuke still saw it. “Business. We’re expanding, this was the next logical place to do so.”
“Oh.” Daisuke hadn’t really expected to be part of the reason Satoshi came back, but it would have been nice. He couldn’t explain why that answer disappointed him so much and knew better than to try. “Will you be staying long?”
“Long enough. We’re based in America, I’ll need to be back in a month or so to look over things.” He motioned for Daisuke to help himself to the sushi and filled a cup of hot green tea.
“You mean you have to breathe down their necks so they get the job done.” Daisuke smiled faintly and could just see Satoshi as owner of his own business. He’d done well enough as Commander, he could only imagine what Satoshi was like with complete authority.
A smirk flicked across Satoshi’s lips and it was almost the same expression Daisuke had seen through Dark’s eyes - that touch of arrogance behind the confidence. “Something like that.”
They ate in silence for a bit, and Daisuke couldn’t help watching Satoshi through his bangs. He looked close to how he’d imagined: face and body filled out, healthier, handsome in a way that made you have to look twice. And that darkness, the “knowledge” of things no one should ever have to experience, was still there, sharp as ever.
“You stopped wearing your glasses.”
“I didn’t need them.”
Daisuke nodded and mentally translated the silent “anymore” on the end. Satoshi may have never needed them for his eyesight, but they’d still served a purpose. The fact he’d given them up completely was just further testament to the additional barriers he’d have to break through.
It was on the tip of his tongue to ask so many things - did Satoshi still feel… that way about him? Why had he not at least sent a letter all those years? Why hadn’t he been there on some of the most important days of his life? But he choked them back; swallowed them down and drowned them in hot tea. Maybe one day, if Satoshi became more than a living ghost in his life, he’d be able to ask. “So, you’ve been doing well?” he asked instead, mentally slapping himself for being so mundane. “You look…healthier.”
Satoshi smirked again, giving Daisuke a look somewhere between amused and exasperated. “I have a cook who makes sure I have at least two decent meals a day.”
“Wow, personal cook? Must be living the big life now.” Daisuke grinned and snagged another piece of sushi. “Fancy car, nice house? Foreign girlfriend?” That last one made his heart skip a beat as he found he didn’t really want to know if the answer was yes. Why couldn’t he have just kept his mouth shut?
Satoshi paused with his chopsticks hovering around a piece of sushi, glancing at Daisuke like he knew what was going through his head. Daisuke wouldn’t be surprised if he really did. “Expensive car, large apartment. No relationship.”
Daisuke relaxed ever so slightly and then ducked his head as guilt flooded him. Here he was happily married and daring to feel… jealous if Satoshi had the same. He told himself it was more from the chance of Satoshi finding someone who wasn’t worthy, knowing it was a lie, but it didn’t keep him from using it as an excuse. “So nothing to keep you from coming over for dinner sometime.”
“Sure that’s such a good idea?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? You’re an old friend, and Riku likes to cook for others. Mom’s been giving her recipes.” Daisuke shook his head and couldn’t stop the fond smile, grateful Riku got along with his family so well - gods knew they could be a handful. “Besides, we need to catch up.”
“Isn’t that what we’re doing?”
“No, we’re making polite, mundane conversation because we’re in public and you’re likely going to bolt as soon as you’re done eating.” Daisuke rolled his eyes and propped his chin up, absently mixing a bit more wasabi into his soy sauce.
Satoshi shrugged and didn’t try to deny it. “I’ll look at my schedule.”
Daisuke snorted and snagged the last of the eel. “You better at least give me a call once in a while. You pull another disappearing act and I’m hunting you down. I know where to look this time.” It wasn’t an idle threat at all and they both knew his greatest weapon was his stubbornness without Dark around. Now that he knew Satoshi was alive, he wasn’t about to let him up and vanish again. “So, dinner at our place next week. It’s a holiday. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“Niwa.”
“Hiwatari-kun.” They stared at each other in silence, and Daisuke refused to back down on this. He couldn’t help the grin when he heard Satoshi sigh in defeat a few moments later. “Great. I’ll see you at seven then. Something tells me you already have my address.” He smiled faintly and finished his tea. “Thank you for lunch. I need to get going, supposed to be at Mom’s soon.” He stood and paused to just look at Satoshi a long moment. “It’s good to see you again.”
Satoshi nodded. “It’s been too long.”
Daisuke stared, torn between dumping water on Satoshi’s head or hugging him. Neither were really appropriate. “Just make sure it’s not that long again. I’ll drag you out of your office if you try to hide on Thursday.”
“I’ll be there.” He didn’t sound too happy about it, but it was a win as far as Daisuke was concerned. He left feeling like he was on Cloud 9 and couldn’t wait until Thursday. He just prayed Riku wouldn’t try to beat him up for not running it by her first.
Rating: G
Characters: Daisuke and Satoshi
“Yes. Yes, of course I’ll be there.” Daisuke hung up the phone and sank into a chair in shock.
“Who was that?” Riku asked from across the table. She finished her breakfast with one hand and caught Sakura’s thrown tipsy cup with the other.
“Hiwatari’s secretary. He said he’ll meet me on Friday.” Daisuke laughed softly and could hardly believe it. He’d expected to have to track down where Satoshi was staying and break in. A willing meeting? And so soon!
“Friday? Do we need to cancel with your parents?”
Daisuke rubbed a thumb along his lips absently, glancing up at the question. “What? No, no, he wants to meet at four. I can… let my last class out early and still be there by seven. You’re going over around noon right?”
“Emiko wants to buy her new dresses.” Riku shook her head with a roll of her eyes. “You know I love your mother, but is she ever going to stop?”
Daisuke snickered into his coffee. “What are grandmothers for?” He stood and leaned over to kiss Riku’s cheek. “I need to get going. See you tonight.”
Riku reached up to smooth his hair though it was a vain attempt - it was as unruly as ever, though the longer length at least kept it looking decent. “Don’t forget your lunch.”
“Got it.” Daisuke grabbed the bento, silently giving thanks Riku was a far better cook than Risa, though it didn’t keep him from buying lunch at a nearby café from time to time. He slipped it into his bag on his way out. The drive to the University took fifteen minutes and another five to get to his classroom on the third floor, during which he went over in his head all the things he wanted to ask Satoshi and couldn’t. Not yet at least. His mouth ran away from him at times, but he knew better than to start asking such bitter questions the first time they came face to face after so long. Ten years. Ten years. How had time gone by so fast? It only made things worse that, now that he knew Satoshi was alive and here, he could feel that dull ache in his chest more keenly than ever, right next to where the ache of losing Dark was.
His first class was an advanced art class and a few of his students were already setting up. It was his only non-lecture class and he settled at the desk to complete the upcoming test for his Art History class on Wednesday. The students would let him know if they needed anything and he didn’t require much other than they complete their chosen projects by the deadline, with sufficient effort applied, of course.
As he sat, the cool chain of his necklace shifted against his skin and he pulled it from beneath his shirt, fingering the tiny black feather pendant. One of Dark’s feathers, preserved with a sealing spell before it had shrunk and disappeared completely. Finding Satoshi again had made him nostalgic and he’d dug it out of his drawer where it had been the past few years. Now that Sakura was past her grab-and-chew stage, he’d start wearing it again.
Strange how finding Satoshi caused the anguish from losing Dark to swamp him again, when he’d been able to push it to the back of his mind until now. There was no way to fill that kind of void, no one in the world who could replace that relationship. It still hurt just as sharply as if they’d been separated yesterday; it was just easier not to dwell on. It was a wound time would never heal.
All day his background thoughts drifted between memories and anticipation of Friday. By the time his two-hour lull between classes came, he realized he’d flipped to a blank page in his notebook and sketched Satoshi’s face. So much for getting work done. He sighed and studied the picture. It wasn’t Satoshi how he remembered him, not quite. He’d drawn Satoshi how he imagined he looked now - not quite as malnourish-thin, face a little leaner from his body catching up with his mind. But the eyes and hair were the same, because nothing could ever really erase what Krad had done to him or what he’d suffered through for so long, and Satoshi was far too stubborn and uncaring to bother changing his hair.
He smiled faintly and pushed the notebook aside, moving on to more immediate concerns. The anticipation would kill him, but his students needed his mind present for the lectures.
Friday came all too quickly and not soon enough. Daisuke didn’t sleep a wink the night before and woke up with butterflies in his stomach. He’d been tempted to call in sick, but he knew not having anything to do would only make things worse. So he went to work and managed to focus enough the day didn’t drag, though he still found himself watching the clock.
Finally four o’clock rolled around and the butterflies returned with a vengeance. He picked up the papers needing graded by Monday and closed up his office. His hands felt cold and clammy and shook on the steering wheel as he drove. He stared at the restaurant after parking, heart pounding in his chest. Satoshi was… right inside there, or would be soon. Now that the moment was upon him he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what he should do or say. It’d been so long. What if Satoshi only wanted to meet him to tell him not to be a bother anymore? They weren’t fourteen anymore, he wasn’t so naïve to think that just by forcing his friendship on Satoshi it would keep him around. No, but he was still stubborn when it came to chipping away at the shell Satoshi tried to keep around himself. Or had tried to keep. He wasn’t sure what to expect now.
And he wasn’t going to find out sitting in his car. He took a deep breath and got out.
When he stepped into the restaurant, his eyes were immediately drawn to a very familiar shade of blue hair. “Satoshi…” His chest hurt with the force of his heart’s beating, unable to breathe as he stumbled forward. “Hiwatari-kun,” he said, the name slipping from his lips with ease. When Satoshi stood to greet him, he didn’t even take in the business suit or the fact Satoshi was half a foot taller than him. He didn’t stop moving until he had his arms around the other male and was hugging him tight. “You’re alive.”
“Of course I’m alive.”
Daisuke laughed and struggled to breathe through the relief, anger, pain, and hurt, not sure which was stronger until he realized Satoshi was just standing there. He flushed in embarrassment and quickly let go, rubbing at his chest before punching Satoshi’s arm. “What do you mean of course? You disappeared. You could have died years ago for all I knew!”
Satoshi smoothed a hand over his suit and retook his seat. “You would have known.”
Daisuke could only stare in silence, at a loss at the simple answer. Satoshi… hadn’t always been this cold, had he? He sat carefully, dozens of questions flicking through his head. Where to start? Where have you been? Why did you disappear? Why weren’t you at my wedding? “I have a daughter now.” Well, that certainly hadn’t been anywhere near what he’d wanted to say.
“I know.”
Daisuke looked up sharply. “What?”
Satoshi sighed, fingers resting around a glass of water. “I’ve been keeping track.”
“Of course you have.” Daisuke didn’t bother trying to hide the bitterness. “So you’ve kept tabs on me ever since you left and I know nothing about you. You could have at least sent a letter once in a while. Picked up a phone.” He met Satoshi’s eyes with an accusing look and was shocked to see… nothing. He’d always thought the glasses were a shield, but Satoshi sure as hell didn’t need them now. His eyes were the same unique shade of blue, but they were colder. Harder. It may have still been Satoshi behind them, but he’d built so many more barriers around himself it was a wonder he didn’t suffocate. “What happened to you?”
Satoshi shrugged. “Life. I grew up.”
“You were already grown up.”
“Being a genius doesn’t mean I was grown up, Niwa. I thought life would get easier once…” He trailed off and looked away. He didn’t have to finish, they both knew what he meant. The sealing should have solved all their problems. “It only got harder.”
Daisuke shook his head, unable to imagine how it could have gotten worse than having Krad inside. “Why did you leave?” It might have just been his imagination, but he thought he saw a shift in Satoshi’s eyes, a weakening of the barriers.
“I had my answer. There was no reason to stay.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Answer to what?” Daisuke suspected he knew what, had always known, but he couldn’t quite wrap his head around it without some kind of confirmation first.
“When I said goodbye-”
“You never said goodbye,” Daisuke said, voice sharp and bitter, but he quickly shut his mouth when Satoshi gave him a piercing look.
“The last time I saw you, I would have stayed.” Satoshi didn’t explain further, falling silent as he watched Daisuke.
Daisuke shook his head with a confused, helpless look. “Then why didn’t you?”
Satoshi lifted a shoulder and glanced away again. “You didn’t want me to.”
Anger swelled up inside Daisuke and he slammed a hand on the table, causing the silverware to clink. “I never told you to leave! Never! How-” How dare you! He bit his tongue and curled his hands tighter.
“You didn’t ask me to stay either. You were with Riku. You still are.”
Both fists hit the table this time and Daisuke found himself on his feet. “Drop the act! We were kids - how the hell was I supposed to read your mind? You didn’t even say anything, you just…” He trailed off and felt his face heating as the memory came back, much more intense and clear with Satoshi sitting right in front of him. The warmth of Satoshi’s hands, the confusion and the sensation of drowning in something he’d never be able to control. Satoshi may look calm on the outside, but inside he was as wild and dangerous as a fire, and it was contagious. “You just dropped a bomb on me and disappeared. What was I supposed to do? By the time I got my senses back, you were long gone.” He dropped back into his seat with a sigh, burying his hands in his hair and rubbing the heels of them against his eyes. “You never had any intention of staying. That was your goodbye.” He’d had ten long years to come to that conclusion, but he’d only needed a week. Satoshi only said goodbye when he planned on coming back.
Satoshi was silent for a long moment before speaking. “I didn’t want to come between you and Riku.”
“God, I’m so sick of people doing what they think is best for me.” He rubbed harder at his eyes and sat back with a pensive, curious look as a platter of sushi was brought over to them. He could see the question in Satoshi’s eyes about that outburst, though he wouldn’t let him voice it. Before the waitress was completely out of earshot, he said, “So you left because you were scared. Why come back now?”
Satoshi scowled, the expression faint, but Daisuke still saw it. “Business. We’re expanding, this was the next logical place to do so.”
“Oh.” Daisuke hadn’t really expected to be part of the reason Satoshi came back, but it would have been nice. He couldn’t explain why that answer disappointed him so much and knew better than to try. “Will you be staying long?”
“Long enough. We’re based in America, I’ll need to be back in a month or so to look over things.” He motioned for Daisuke to help himself to the sushi and filled a cup of hot green tea.
“You mean you have to breathe down their necks so they get the job done.” Daisuke smiled faintly and could just see Satoshi as owner of his own business. He’d done well enough as Commander, he could only imagine what Satoshi was like with complete authority.
A smirk flicked across Satoshi’s lips and it was almost the same expression Daisuke had seen through Dark’s eyes - that touch of arrogance behind the confidence. “Something like that.”
They ate in silence for a bit, and Daisuke couldn’t help watching Satoshi through his bangs. He looked close to how he’d imagined: face and body filled out, healthier, handsome in a way that made you have to look twice. And that darkness, the “knowledge” of things no one should ever have to experience, was still there, sharp as ever.
“You stopped wearing your glasses.”
“I didn’t need them.”
Daisuke nodded and mentally translated the silent “anymore” on the end. Satoshi may have never needed them for his eyesight, but they’d still served a purpose. The fact he’d given them up completely was just further testament to the additional barriers he’d have to break through.
It was on the tip of his tongue to ask so many things - did Satoshi still feel… that way about him? Why had he not at least sent a letter all those years? Why hadn’t he been there on some of the most important days of his life? But he choked them back; swallowed them down and drowned them in hot tea. Maybe one day, if Satoshi became more than a living ghost in his life, he’d be able to ask. “So, you’ve been doing well?” he asked instead, mentally slapping himself for being so mundane. “You look…healthier.”
Satoshi smirked again, giving Daisuke a look somewhere between amused and exasperated. “I have a cook who makes sure I have at least two decent meals a day.”
“Wow, personal cook? Must be living the big life now.” Daisuke grinned and snagged another piece of sushi. “Fancy car, nice house? Foreign girlfriend?” That last one made his heart skip a beat as he found he didn’t really want to know if the answer was yes. Why couldn’t he have just kept his mouth shut?
Satoshi paused with his chopsticks hovering around a piece of sushi, glancing at Daisuke like he knew what was going through his head. Daisuke wouldn’t be surprised if he really did. “Expensive car, large apartment. No relationship.”
Daisuke relaxed ever so slightly and then ducked his head as guilt flooded him. Here he was happily married and daring to feel… jealous if Satoshi had the same. He told himself it was more from the chance of Satoshi finding someone who wasn’t worthy, knowing it was a lie, but it didn’t keep him from using it as an excuse. “So nothing to keep you from coming over for dinner sometime.”
“Sure that’s such a good idea?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? You’re an old friend, and Riku likes to cook for others. Mom’s been giving her recipes.” Daisuke shook his head and couldn’t stop the fond smile, grateful Riku got along with his family so well - gods knew they could be a handful. “Besides, we need to catch up.”
“Isn’t that what we’re doing?”
“No, we’re making polite, mundane conversation because we’re in public and you’re likely going to bolt as soon as you’re done eating.” Daisuke rolled his eyes and propped his chin up, absently mixing a bit more wasabi into his soy sauce.
Satoshi shrugged and didn’t try to deny it. “I’ll look at my schedule.”
Daisuke snorted and snagged the last of the eel. “You better at least give me a call once in a while. You pull another disappearing act and I’m hunting you down. I know where to look this time.” It wasn’t an idle threat at all and they both knew his greatest weapon was his stubbornness without Dark around. Now that he knew Satoshi was alive, he wasn’t about to let him up and vanish again. “So, dinner at our place next week. It’s a holiday. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“Niwa.”
“Hiwatari-kun.” They stared at each other in silence, and Daisuke refused to back down on this. He couldn’t help the grin when he heard Satoshi sigh in defeat a few moments later. “Great. I’ll see you at seven then. Something tells me you already have my address.” He smiled faintly and finished his tea. “Thank you for lunch. I need to get going, supposed to be at Mom’s soon.” He stood and paused to just look at Satoshi a long moment. “It’s good to see you again.”
Satoshi nodded. “It’s been too long.”
Daisuke stared, torn between dumping water on Satoshi’s head or hugging him. Neither were really appropriate. “Just make sure it’s not that long again. I’ll drag you out of your office if you try to hide on Thursday.”
“I’ll be there.” He didn’t sound too happy about it, but it was a win as far as Daisuke was concerned. He left feeling like he was on Cloud 9 and couldn’t wait until Thursday. He just prayed Riku wouldn’t try to beat him up for not running it by her first.