Of bratty demons and mushroom heads

CHAPTER 24

Hiyoshi woke up to warmth, and the smell of alcohol. It didn’t take much deduction to figure out where it was coming from. Akaya’s arms were comfortably wrapped around him. After turning in his arms, on closer inspection, it looked as if he’d just collapsed on the bed with his clothes on. Yawning, he idly ran a hand up and down Akaya’s arm that had settled on his chest, the other predictably tangled in the ebony mess of hair. Hiyoshi might have been angry at Akaya’s state and/or about what happened the previous night, but was instead just glad he’d come back before he had to leave. Not wanting to move, he stayed where he was and stared up at the ceiling. He didn’t need to get up for a while anyway.

Akaya looked around his empty room and watched his things slowly disappear one by one. It made his heart ache to watch all of his favorite games disappear, but the thing that bothered him the most was that he couldn't find his boyfriend. Everywhere he looked slowly started to burn and, amongst the flames, he saw his lover reaching out to him and calling out to him, but the sound of the flames drowned his cries out.

In the real world, Akaya whimpered and held onto Hiyoshi tighter. "W-wakashi..." he whispered as a couple tears ran down his face.

“Akaya?” Was he awake? Hiyoshi saw the tears running down his boyfriend’s cheeks from his closed eyes and sighed. Akaya’s nightmares were nothing new to him, and they tended to happen more whenever Akaya drank too much or went to sleep upset. He continued what he hoped was soothing motions and gently shook him. “Akaya. Hey, brat. I’m right here. Wake up.”

The fire burned his fingers as Akaya reached out for his boyfriend’s hand and he screamed, but kept moving his hand forward, trying to reach his burning lover. Just as their hands touched, his eyes shot open and he saw Hiyoshi looking at him worried. More and more tears flowed down his face and he hugged onto his boyfriend, only to sob into his chest. "You're alive," he sobbed, "I'm so glad you didn't burn to death."

What the hell? Hiyoshi’s eyes widened, but wrapped his arms around him in return, squeezing him tightly. “I’m fine. How many times have I told you that they’re just stupid dreams? They don’t mean anything.” He ran his hand through Akaya’s hair again and even kissed the top of his head. “Stop crying. You’re such a brat.” He never knew what to do when Akaya was like this. If it was him, he would rather die than cry in front of anyone, so he didn’t know what to do when others cried in front of him.

Akaya sobbed a bit longer and clung tightly to Hiyoshi. "I-I'm not a brat," he mumbled and finally started to calm down. His body still twitched occasionally as he slowly composed himself and looked up to Hiyoshi with puffy, red, teary eyes. "I'm sorry I got mad Wakashi, I'm really sorry," he said quietly, "Please don't die."

Hiyoshi felt the need to slam his head against a hard surface. But he didn’t want to cause any more damage, so instead just sighed again. Akaya had been like this ever since the earthquake. No matter how many times he told his boyfriend he wasn’t planning on dying anytime soon, it didn’t make a difference. “It doesn’t matter anymore. You’re allowed to get mad. Though… I missed you last night...” Trying to change the mood and distract Akaya from his train of thought, Hiyoshi pulled away from him enough to look at his face. He brushed his tears away with his thumb and gave him his usual smirk. “Good morning, bright eyes.”

Akaya’s eyes got a little wider, then he smiled as a few more tears rolled down his face. "Morning," he said and kissed Hiyoshi slowly. Bad dreams or not, as long as Hiyoshi was there with him, he knew everything would be ok. Ever since the earthquake his dreams had gotten worse and he knew the next two weeks would be torture if he had to face the nights by himself. Maybe he'd spend the nights with his senpai? They wouldn't turn him out would they?

Hiyoshi lay there contentedly, letting Akaya kiss him, answering only with tiny nips. It seemed Akaya was starting to calm down and turn back into the usual brat he was no longer afraid to admit he loved. He didn’t want to tell Akaya that he was leaving in a few hours instead of the next morning. He mentally cursed his father as he moaned softly against Akaya’s lips.

Akaya kissed his boyfriend long and slow, and when he finally pulled away for air, his heart was racing in that nice way that it only did around his boyfriend. "I love you, Wakashi," he smiled and hugged the other man close, "I really do."

“I love you, too.” Hiyoshi answered, slightly breathless from the kiss, and now having the air squeezed out of him. A slight flush was on his face, but he was happy. It felt almost like a relief, finally saying it out straight like that.

Akaya looked up at Hiyoshi with wide eyes. That was the first time he'd ever been so straight forward about it, and it left his face red and his heart pounding loudly in his chest. "Say it again?" he asked as a grin slowly spread across his face.

The teasing reply was automatic. “Say what again?” The flush on Hiyoshi’s cheeks was not going away.

"Say you love me again!" Akaya demanded with a glare, pouting, and moved to sit up and straddle Hiyoshi’s hips.

Hiyoshi promptly rolled them over so he was on top between Akaya’s legs, pinning him to the bed. He nuzzled the brat’s neck and breathed in his scent, which still smelled vaguely of stale bar, but right then he didn’t care. “I love you,” he whispered into his ear conspiratorially, as if it was some grand secret.

Akaya shivered and wrapped his arms around Hiyoshi’s neck. "Mmm… again," he purred happily, loving the way the words rolled off the other man’s lips.

Laughing deeply, Hiyoshi hoisted himself up and raising an eyebrow down at his lover. “How many times would I have to say it before you’re satisfied?”

Akaya loved that sound too, he didn't hear it nearly enough. "A billion times," he said with a big grin and played with the soft hair at the base of Hiyoshi’s neck.

Hiyoshi’s grin stretched across his face. He loved it when Akaya looked at him like that. Feeling happier than he had in a long time, if ever, Hiyoshi couldn’t get the smile off his face.

"I'm gonna be bored after you leave tomorrow..." Akaya mumbled and curled a strand of Hiyoshi’s hair around his finger. He honestly had no idea what he was going to do while his boyfriend was away. He'd have to keep himself busy so he didn't fly off to Singapore after him. Maybe he'd reorganize his room?

“You sound like a bored housewife.” Hiyoshi laughed again teasingly and brushed Akaya’s bangs out of his face. “I’m sure you’ll find something to keep you entertained.”

"Hnn... I guess..." Akaya mumbled and kissed Hiyoshi again lightly. "Maybe I'll go to Disneyland or something..." he teased and stuck his tongue out at his boyfriend, "I'll get you a shirt that says 'dopey' on it or something."

“Disneyland? Isn’t that for little kids and couples? Of course, considering your mental age, it makes sense. I’ve never been there.” A family vacation for the Hiyoshi’s comprised of visiting other dojos and going over seas to visit friends in other dojos.

"No! It's for people of all ages!!" Akaya pouted up at his boyfriend, "You've never been? My parents and I used to go every year! My sister and I would always run off and do our own thing until our parents got those little leashes when I turned twelve..." He reminisced and let out a little nostalgic sigh. "It was so much fun! You'll have to go with me sometime. You'll like it if I take you!"

Hiyoshi seriously doubted that, but he wasn’t going to argue. Tired of holding himself up over Akaya, he settled down onto his chest, his head nestled below his chin. Akaya may act like a five year old, but he certainly wasn’t built like one. He thought this as his hands lightly brushed over Akaya’s defined muscles on his abs and stomach through the shirt he’d worn to bed. “I got a call from my dad last night after you left. I have to leave today instead of tomorrow morning.”

"Eh?!" Akaya’s eyes went wide and he tightened his hold on Hiyoshi. "Why do you have to leave early?" He pouted and glared up at the ceiling. It wasn't fair. Hiyoshi’s dad was trying to kill him. It was official.

“I don’t know. Maybe there’s something he wants me take, or maybe he wants to discuss something before I leave. Whatever the case, I don’t have a choice.” He felt Akaya’s grip on him tighten but only nestled more comfortably on top of him. “What time is it now?” He didn’t want to turn his head to look at the clock on the nightstand.

"Hn? I dunno." Akaya looked over at the clock and blinked a couple times to make the numbers more clear. "Uh... Nine?" he guessed. He couldn't really tell. Maybe it was eight?

Hiyoshi sighed and turned to look at the clock. It was almost nine-thirty. “I should probably leave in about three hours. I haven’t finished packing either.” He knew that meant he needed to get up and start getting ready, but he didn’t want to get off the bed and leave Akaya just yet.

"Damn, this sucks," Akaya mumbled and removed his arms from around Hiyoshi so he could get up. "Can I help at all?"

Hiyoshi frowned when Akaya let go of him. Grudgingly, he sat up and moved to the side of the bed thinking about what Akaya could do. “Yes. You can get up and take a shower with me, you smell like a bar. Then you can stay with me and not leave my side until I have to go.”

Akaya raised an eyebrow and pulled his shirt up to sniff at it. Ew, he did smell like a bar. A nasty mix of smoke and alcohol. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it in his hamper before smiling at Hiyoshi. "Alright, I think I can handle that."

“Good,” The grin returned to Hiyoshi’s face and he grabbed their shower supplies, which was conveniently all together, before they walked out towards the shower rooms.


When it came time to leave, Hiyoshi took one last glance around the room to make sure he wasn’t forgetting anything. It was odd and almost depressing how empty the room suddenly looked. Due to the earthquake, a lot of his stuff had been trashed, not that he cared since it was easily replaced and half of his belongings had been at Akaya’s anyway. Everything had been packed, a bit messily thanks to Akaya’s help, but it was done and he was ready to go. Now the room looked virtually stripped of all traces of his stay there.

It was hard to believe he’d be going two weeks without seeing his brat. It was also a little daunting. The last time they’d been away from each other for an extended amount of time was for only a week during the last vacation, and neither of them had handled that very well. He could only hope it would be easier this time since they were in a better place with their relationship now than they were then.

Picking up his suitcase, he made his way towards the door. “I’m heading out now.”

Akaya, who'd been standing surveying the depressing sight of his room, nearly fell on his face at Hiyoshi’s abrupt announcement. "Just like that?! You're not going to say goodbye or anything?" he exclaimed, his voice cracking halfway through.

Hiyoshi stopped at the door. He wasn’t very good at goodbyes like this. Putting his suitcase down and pasting on his usual smirk, not wanting to show how miserable he actually was, he turned back towards his boyfriend. “Then come over here and say goodbye to me.”

The sentence wasn't even all the way out of Hiyoshi’s mouth before Akaya’s arms were wrapped around the other man. He held him close with his face against Hiyoshi’s neck. "You better come back to me," he said threateningly, but even to his own ears it sounded more like a plea than a demand.

“Idiot...” Hiyoshi murmured fondly, reaching up to thread and run his hand through Akaya’s hair, the other going around his waist to hold him closer. He didn’t want to think about how much he was going to miss him. Damn it, it was only two weeks! “I’ll call you when I have time.”

“Okay..." Akaya murmured back and nodded a little. He hated that Hiyoshi was leaving him again, but it was only two weeks, right? What kind of loser was he if he couldn't handle two weeks away from his boyfriend?

The martial artist had been determined not to get sappy, and then Akaya had to get all cute on him. Not knowing what else to say, his hand moved from Akaya’s hair to his chin, directing his lips to his. He kissed him hungrily, feeling very possessive, wanting to show Akaya without words whom he belonged to. Then he pulled back long enough to look at Akaya’s face before leaning back in to this time kiss him softly, and even lovingly. He was never very good with words, but he hoped he could at least get his point across through actions.

Akaya let out a little groan at the possessive kiss, and felt like crying at the soft gentle kiss. He'd never been good at understanding subtle, but he knew his boyfriend well enough to understand loud and clear. He pulled away from the kiss after a couple minutes reluctantly. "You gotta get goin' don't you?" he smiled a bit and patted Hiyoshi on the hip. "Come on, I'll walk ya out. You takin a taxi or the train?"

“Taxi. It’s easier with luggage and faster.” If he’d taken the trains, he would have had to leave an hour earlier. Letting go of Akaya, Hiyoshi backed away reluctantly and picked up his suitcase again. “You don’t need to walk me out. You should try to take a nap or something since you didn’t get much sleep last night.” He also didn’t want to watch Akaya standing on the sidewalk as he drove away. The whole scenario left him feeling like there was a lead weight in his stomach.

"I'm fine," Akaya mumbled and shoved one hand in his pocket while the other rubbed at his neck and tangled in his hair. "I wanna walk out with ya. I'll sleep later." He opened the door for his boyfriend and waited expectantly.

Hiyoshi sighed and gave in to the inevitable. It wasn’t worth arguing over since he knew he wasn’t going to convince Akaya otherwise. Walking out the door and into the hallway, he checked his phone to make sure the taxi service had arrived. It had.

After closing the door behind them and walking out of the dorm, it only took a minute to reach the taxi and load his luggage into the trunk. Hiyoshi gave Akaya’s hand a small squeeze while the taxi driver wasn’t looking before getting into the back seat.

Akaya didn't realize he was holding his breath until Hiyoshi sat down in the back seat and his lungs burned. After taking another breath he found he was shaking a little. "I love--" he paused when he noticed the taxi driver looking at him oddly and rubbed the back of his neck, "mushrooms." He forced a little laugh and the driver looked away like Akaya was just another crazy college kid. He just prayed his boyfriend knew that he would always be his favorite mushroom.

Hiyoshi couldn’t help a small chuckle and shook his head. He mouthed the words “I love you too, brat” as they pulled away from the curve and drove away.

Akaya watched the car with a little smile and waved lamely until it turned the corner. He looked at his hand that was still waving stupidly and let it fall to his side, his little forced smile long gone. "Two weeks, huh?" he mumbled and started toward the dorms. What the hell was he going to do for two weeks?