Sweetly biting

18.

Izuna:

Our life together continued amicably. Tobirama kept working, and I kept working on my album, too, despite not being able to sing. I sung in my head, in my soul, and kept playing. Just kept playing.

I had no idea what to do when I had finished all the songs.

One day, about one month after I lost my voice, Tobirama came home and sat down opposite me, a serious expression on his face.

"What?" I wheezed. My voice had become even weaker.

Tobirama's voice, however, had softened out, and was now close to his true one. It was amazing and I loved it.

"I don't want to play anymore."

I had been expecting it, ever since that concert where I had worn the red dress, really, but it still took me aback and saddened me.

"I have felt it for some time now. I think you have noticed too." I nodded. "I will always be a pianist. I will always keep playing. But I don't want to do concerts anymore. I want to play for you only. For us."

'I support you. Of course I do. What do you want to do?'

Tobirama frowned, leaned forwards, pressed his fingertips together. He didn't look at me but at the floor beside me, as if frightened I would be judgmental.

"I have a lot of money, Izuna. A lot of money. I've been wanting to donate it to some cause but have never found an organisation I trust. But I've realised I can set one up myself. I want to create a house for youths that need a safe space from abusive parents."

I just stared. When I thought I couldn't be any more in awe of this man...

'Tobes...'

"I want it to be good, you know? Like a home with everything you need to thrive. With educated staff." He dared  a glance at me. "I want it to be non.-profitable, and if the concept works, I want to expand and create more such houses across the country. I will supervise everything myself. With your help, if you'll do it.."

He looked shy now, insecure even. I smiled softly. 

Me: 'Tobirama, of course. Of course I'll help.'

He took my hands then. 

"Thank you", he said mildly. "I've already bought the grounds. They're starting to build on it next week."

I stared. Wow, that's fast.

"So... What do you think?"

I stood up and went to hug him.

It was all the confirmation he needed.

After only one month, the house stood ready. Tobirama was there twice a week to look everything over, and the rest of the time he sat at our kitchen table, going through paperwork. He also took two online courses, one about management and one in children's psychology.

"I won't interfere, but I want a basic understanding."

I was beyond impressed by him and found I started to really enjoy this new life of mine, despite everything. Yes, I had no voice, but I had a lovely partner that lived with me and who was doing so, so much for a good cause.

I helped with the paperwork. And from my own bank account, I bought two keyboards, two acoustic guitars, an electrical one, one bass and one set of electrical drums for the house. I wasn't short on money myself after all the concerts I'd made after the charity concert me and Tobirama played together, and I wanted to contribute. When Tobirama found out, he hugged me so close, I felt our souls merge together.

We were very, very happy.

But then, tragedy would hit.

Tobirama:

It had been scary in the beginning. The guilt had eaten me up. You are lying. You are lying to Izuna. But now a few weeks had passed, my nerves had calmed down. 

I walked along the aisle to the front door and rang the bell. It was the tenth time we were meeting up. We had arranged to meet every Wednesday, one of the days I told Izuna I was at the house being built. He will not find out...

Every time I was so eager, I could hardly contain myself. I literally sprinted the last steps to the front door, my entire body tingling with the anticipation.

It was all so new, but I loved it. I loved each and every aspect of it. It was so different from what I was used to, and I thought this might be something I would hold on to.

The door opened up.

"Hi!"

"Hello", I said with a warm smile and gave Melissa a bone-crushing hug. God, this woman was changing my life.

"Bedroom?" she asked.

I just smirked. 

Izuna:

It was Wednesday, and I was out on a walk in the rain while Tobirama was at the house. I loved walking in the rain as it felt like my mind was being cleansed. Usually, it helped me create new music. But now, my mind was elsewhere...

The album was pretty much finished, and on my weekly meeting with Melissa tomorrow, I would ask her what the hell we should do with it. But now, I was thinking about the house that was soon to be opened.

"Thank you, Izuna", Tobirama had said only yesterday. "I couldn't have done it without you."

'This is your work. And I'm so, so proud of you.'

I had hugged him and whispered in his ear. "You have given my life purpose. You have given my life purpose again."

"You are the purpose of mine", he'd said. I had looked away and blushed at that.

My feet had taken me to a part of town I loved and had spent a lot of time in since Melissa lived there. It was full of picturesque little terracotta tile houses with rose gardens, and my guilty pleasure was looking into the houses and trying to conjure up a story about the people who lived there.

I passed Melissa's house and saw the window to her bedroom being lit.

And I just stopped dead.

In the window I saw Tobirama.

My first reaction was happiness. Tobirama!

But then...

What in the Goddamn fuck? Wasn't he supposed to be at the house?

And then, I saw something that caused my heart to freeze over. Melissa came over to him, and he embraced her and crumbled up his face in a way it only did when he got very, very emotional over something.

I stared for a few seconds.

Then I turned and ran away back home.