Our Romanesque - Chapter 3
Title: Our Romanesque
Pairing: Yasuba
Story: Shota is trapped in a violent relationship. Will Subaru be able to save him?
Christmas day. It had been a whole week since I’d received the dreadful photographs that were instantly thrown in the fire, but nothing else had come since - which was a relief. Despite still regretting the kiss last week, I couldn’t get my mind off Subaru. On the way to work I would walk past the bakery, hoping to catch a glimpse of him, but he was never there. Would he even have forgiven me for running off on him so suddenly?
Tadayoshi and I had some sort of Christmas tradition, where no matter what, whoever woke up earliest would wake the other, we’d have breakfast and sit on the floor by the tree opening our presents like kids. He opened mine first; I’d bought him a chain with encrusted diamonds in it. Little did he know that Subaru had helped me choose it.
“Oh Shota, I love it! It’s gorgeous.” he lent over to kiss me, “Now quick, open the one from me!”
I did as I was told, and reached over to start unwrapping the blue paper; the box was huge! I opened the box and inside… there was another box. And then another. And another. Until I finally finished unwrapping and the box was so small it fitted in the palm of my hand. I opened this one fast again, expecting to be an even smaller box inside.
“Oh my.” I gasped. Before me was a dazzling white gold ring, exactly my size.
“Yasuda Shota, will you marry me?” the taller man pulled my hand to his lips and kissed it.
I was stunned. Did I want this? I couldn’t possibly marry a man that I’d cheated on, and not even confessed to it. I couldn’t do that to him, I couldn’t bear the guilt either.
I realised I’d been staring into space for a good two minutes, before I’d gotten my voice back. “Can I think about it?” my voice almost pleading.
“We’ve got all the time in the world.” Tadayoshi smiled back and kissed me on the forehead.
Oh God. How was I going to say it? I knew I couldn’t marry him. Or could I?
My trail of thought was cut by a slamming of fists on the floor. “What the fuck is THIS?!” Tadayoshi shoved my face in a pile of familiar photos. Someone had sent more to Tadayoshi. “Shota?! Who the fuck is he?!”
Stunned, words were unable to come out of my mouth. And with that Tadayoshi grabbed my face in his hand, digging his nails into my delicate skin.
“Who is he?” he repeated, throwing a punch straight to my jaw.
My head smacked against the floor as I fell, and Tadayoshi stood up and slammed his leg into my stomach. The pain was so sharp, kick after kick. Was this what giving birth felt like?
“Wait” I managed to spit out, and he came to a halt.
I stood up, my knees wobbling; I felt as though I would collapse any second. “This is a misunderstanding, that was before you and I even got together! Please Tacchon, try to understand.” I lied.
“Fuck this shit. I need a piss.” And he stalked out of the room, slamming the living room door shut behind him.
I glared over at the box in which the photos had come from. I reached over, my whole body trembling, to see who it was from. I read the nametag;
“For Tadayoshi. Merry Christmas. Yokoyama Yuu.”
Everything went black. Yoko had done this. My beloved boss; whom I’d thought was the kindest man possible. But why? Why was he following me? Why did he take pictures? Why would he do this to me? The toilet flushed, and I suddenly realised what was going on. I had to get out of here.
I grabbed my coat, and ran barefoot in my pyjamas to Maru’s place.
I knocked on the door. No answer. “Maru, its me, Shota!”
“Hai, hai!” Maru unlocked the door, wearing nothing but his boxers and his hair was a complete mess. “Ah, Sho-chan?! What are you doing here on Christmas day?” he laughed, “Oh, nice…toenails! But you know, red’s really not your colour ne~” he glanced down at my red manicured toes and I felt myself blushing in embarrassment.
“Who the heck is here this early?” a familiar voice grumbled, the man staggering to the door. He was naked, with nothing covering his lower half but a towel.
“Nice to see you too, Hina!” I smirked at him. “You guys gonna let me in? It‘s getting chilly out here…”
“Of course, gomen, gomen!” Maru chimed, and the two stood aside to let me through.
“Nandeyanen!” Hina burst out after I’d finished telling the two what had happened. “First of all, why are you even with someone that violent?! And secondly, why the HECK did you kiss another man?”
“I told you, he kissed me! But I hate to say that I kind of enjoyed it. I can’t even believe I just said that! What’s wrong with me? I’ve turned into such a horrible guy. It’s to the extent that I can’t stop thinking about him!” I blurted.
Maru sighed and gazed up to the ceiling, “It must be love ne~” he chimed in as Hina gagged.
“How could it be love when the baka has only seen him twice!?” Hina whacked Maru. Typical tsukkomi.
“So how long have you guys been together?” I wanted to hear their story now.
Maru blushed. “Six months. Sorry I didn’t say anything… it’s just, Shin-chan wants to keep it quiet.”
“Why is that, Hina?” I questioned.
“If people found out about us, imagine what that would do to my reputation! How embarrassing!” the older man answered.
It was my turn to whack him then, suddenly angry. “Is your love for Maru seriously that weak, that you care more about your reputation?! Get a grip, Shingo!”
Maru gave me a thankful nod, and I continued “Can’t you see how much he loves you?” I questioned Hina again. “Oh well. It’s none of my business anyway.”
“No… you’re right. It’s just hard. If word got round to my parents, they’d never accept me. I don’t think I could handle that.” Hina looked down at his hands.
I broke the followed silence then, “So seeing as I’ve explained the situation to you guys… I need a place to stay tonight. Please?”
“Of course! Your already know where the toilet and the spare room is, right? Make yourself at home!” Maru squealed.
I nodded in thanks, and realised I was still in my pyjamas. “This might be pushing it, but could I borrow some clothes just for today?”
“Hina’s closet is on the left when you go straight into the room. I think he’s just about your size.”
Hina grunted as I climbed the stairs to find something better to wear. In their bedroom, I walked over to the closet Maru had told me about, before tripping over a box, the contents spilling out in front of me.
I sighed. This Christmas wasn’t going very well. I’d inherited nosiness from my mother, and my instincts brought me to looking through the contents on the floor. There was an old photo album, and as I turned the first page my jaw dropped.
Maru stood hand in hand with a man at a park; the scenery in the was beautiful. There was a sparkling river next to them and pretty cherry blossom trees along side their path. I gawped at the photo. Why was Maru with this man? Subaru smiled back at me through the photograph.