Thin Walls ~ SakuAtsu Short Story

3. Eight

In the morning Atsumu knocked on the door to Sakusa's apartment, a mug of warm tea in hand. The door cracked open and two dark eyes stared back at him. "Hey there…" 

Sakusa shrunk back, still slightly visible. 

"I got you some tea to see if it would help with your cough." 

Sakusa looked to the side and then grabbed something. A gloved hand reached out and Atsumu gave it to him. "Thank you."

Oh, what a soft voice. "It's no problem. If you need something, come knock on the door if we're both at home."

"I don't leave here…"

Atsumu smiled at him. "Alright. Maybe I'll bring you something to eat when I switch jobs this afternoon. Would you like that?" 

Sakusa looked around. His eyes avoided Atsumu. "I don't eat very much but if it doesn't bother you that would be alright."

"Of course."

"Thank you."

Atsumu gave him a thumbs up. "I'll be back at three. See you then Omi." 

Sakusa nodded. Atsumu got a peek of the mask he was wearing and became a bit curious. That was odd. 

He headed to work where the women tried to hit on him again. He reported them this time, tired of being touched and flirted at. 

He was gay for God's sake. 

His desk partner gave him his extra breakfast sandwich. He would save that for Sakusa. The poor boy seemed sick and he needed something to eat or he would just stay hungry. 

When he got home between jobs Sakusa opened his door a bit. "I washed your mug. The tea was nice."

"Ah! Thanks." Atsumu handed over the sandwich and a bottle of cough medicine. "I hope that this is okay with you." 

"Thank you." 

"No problem. Are you sick? Is that why you have a mask on?" 

Sakusa hid with the door more. "You could say that, yes." 

"The flu?" 

"No um… I uh…" Sakusa gulped he looked around some more. "Please don't stop talking to me. But I have cancer and um… I have to be careful."

Atsumu's eyes widened. "Oh no, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

Sakusa closed the door and spoke through it. "It's fine." 

"Are you okay?"

"I'm okay."

"What type of cancer do you have?" 

"Lung."

Atsumu's pocket suddenly felt heavy. His pack of cigarettes was right there. 

"I'm going back to practicing." 

"Alright…" 

Sakusa's steps sounded quiet as he walked to his room. Atsumu went to work and when he came back he heard Sakusa playing something. Something sad. Something filled with grief and anger. 

Sakusa's fingers were practically slamming into the keys. Atsumu waited until it ended and sat down at his piano. Sakusa was crying loud enough for him to hear and Atsumu picked up his phone. 

He only typed out the word listen before starting a piece. 

It was something he'd loved for years and was six or seven minutes long. 

He played the song, smiling and thinking of those beautiful dark eyes staring back at him. When he finished there was a knocking on his door. 

"Are you okay Omi?"

"Teach me that piece. Please." 

Atsumu stared at the male who was ever so slightly taller than him. He was wearing a mask and a thick black hoodie with jeans. He had two little freckles above one brow and he had dark eye bags. Atsumu smiled. "Come in." 

Sakusa followed Atsumu and spotted a pack of cigarettes on his nightstand. "Oh…" 

Atsumu grabbed the pack and tossed it into a trash can. "The name of the piece is Novule Bianche. It calms me down sometimes."

Sakusa nodded. He stood there, watching Atsumu teach him the basics of the song. It wasn't hard at all. He was sat down and Sakusa rubbed his hands with sanitizer. He played part of the song before doubling over, coughing. 

"Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"My lungs don't work right. I already told you I have cancer." 

"Okay. It's okay." Atsumu went in for a hug. Sakusa flinched away. 

"I just want to learn piano. It'll hurt you if you become close with me."

"It really won't. I've got you." 

Sakusa stopped and just held himself. "You're too nice…" 

"Eh. Kinda." Atsumu sat down. "How'd you learn piano?"

"My mother taught me."

"Oh, that's nice." 

"Mhmm." 

Atsumu hugged him. He was thin. Very sickly. Was his body giving in already? "Are you doing chemo?" 

"They said it wouldn't help. I'm terminal."

Atsumu held him closer. He'd known Sakusa for about three days now and he wanted to protect him. "Omi would you like to keep playing?" 

Sakusa nodded and turned to the keys. He started on a soft melody that Atsumu had never heard of. 

"What song is this?" 

"This is my song." 

Atsumu watched and listened. "What did you name it?" 

"This is the ninth song I've made. I named it Onism. It means the awareness of how little of the world you're going to experience." 

Atsumu nodded. "Do you have sheet music for this?"

"I do."

Atsumu nodded. "Are you working on any others?" 

"I'm making my tenth one."

"Which is?" 

"Elegy. A poem of serious reflection and a lament for the dead." Sakusa paused his words as his hands moved. "So anyone who styles upon my music knows my story. That I died peacefully."

"How long do you have?" 

The music ended. "Eight months."

Atsumu stared at his piano. Sakusa's hands lingered over the keys before he cleaned his hands with sanitizer again. He took one of Atsumu's hands in his. He placed his hand near middle C. 

"I'll teach you how to play Life. The one song about everything." 

Atsumu smiled. "Omi how long have you been making music?"

"Since my mother died. Seven years ago." 

Atsumu nodded and pressed the E note. He slowly but surely learned Sakusa's life. His low points and the beautiful parts where he grew.