Odd Jobs

Chapter 29 - My Gentle Regrets

Another four weeks since Mikaela had woken up. Another four weeks of running to the hospital on a daily basis and spending too much time in it. And frankly enough, Yuichiro couldn't be bothered.

His Mika was awake, and that's all that mattered to him. He could hear his voice again, he could feel his touch again, he could look in those eyes again... Those gorgeous, bright blue eyes, beginning to shine brighter again with each passing day. Sure, Mika was still stuck in the hospital. And sure, his vision was absolutely screwed. But he seemed the happiest he had looked in a while.

Plus, Yuu thought Mika looked immensely cute with glasses.

"You're staring again, Yuu-chan.", he said, his eyes meeting Yuu's own. He rested his hand on Yuu's.

Yuu coughed. "A-Ah! That is, uhm-!" He sighed, collecting himself. "How could I not? You're here, in front of me, alive and well. I couldn't ask for more."

"God, you're so cheesy."

"And so what if I am?! What are ya gonna do about it?!"

"Idiot...", Mika muttered as he took a bite of his sandwich. He grimaced, earning a puzzled look from his boyfriend. "I'm so tired of the food here. It's gross."

"When are you getting out?"

"Soon, I hope. It always depends on the severity of the coma, and mine wasn't that bad, so..."

"Wasn't that bad?", Yuu frowned. "Mika, you nearly died. You were out for a month!"

"There are people out for years, Yuu-chan..."

"Still! I know it was just a nap for you, but that month was pure hell! I was terrified, not knowing if you would ever wake up again, if I would lose you, if you-" The ravenette choked back a sob. "I'm... I'm sorry, Mika. It probably was insufferable for you, too..."

"Yuichiro, look at me." Yuu looked up, taken aback by the sudden usage of his full name. "I'm here. I'm here right now, I'm awake, I'm fine, I'm safe. I'm here, Yuichiro, and I'm not going anywhere." Mika cupped Yuu's cheeks in his hands, mirroring the actions Yuu would take when consoling him. Yuu sobbed.

"I-I love you so much...", he sobbed.

"And I love you, Yuu-chan.", Mika replied, reducing the volume of his voice to nothing more than a mere soft and gentle whisper. "I'm here to say it again, so listen to me, would you? For just once in your life?"

"Hey! I listen to you a lot!", the ravenette protested, quickly wiping the tears pooling in his eyes.

"Hmm, sure you do."

"I do! I always listen to what you have to say!"

Mika laughed. "Yeah, but it tends to enter in one ear and go out the other!"

"... Finish your sandwich.", Yuu grumbled.

"Awe, angry with me?", the blonde teased him as he leaned closer to him, merely inches away from his blushing face.

The raven haired boy sighed. "No..." He rested his hand under Mika's chin, placing a sweet kiss on his lips. "Finish your sandwich."

"Yeah, yeah..." The boys their attention was turned to the door when it opened. In walked Shinoa and Mitsuba.

The blonde took seat in the second empty chair, the other sitting down on Mika's bed.

"How are you feeling, big boy?", Shinoa asked him.

Yuu frowned. "Let him eat.", he spat.

"Oho, are we being an overprotective boyfriend again?"

"It's fine, Yuu-chan.", Mika muttered. He placed his sandwich down again, frankly quite glad he had an excuse not to finish it. "I'm feeling okay. The doctors can't seem to find anything off with me, either, so... I'm hoping I might be out soon. I feel like I'm going insane in here.", he chuckled.

"Has your doctor mentioned anything about going home?", Mitsuba asked.

"No, he, uh... Is worried about my headspace."

Yuichiro's eyes widened. "Your headspace? Mika, why is this the first time I hear of this?" He grabbed hold of the blonde's hands. "I-If you're struggling with anything, please, let me help, share your burdens with me-"

"This is why I didn't tell you, idiot. You'll just get overly worried again."

"I'm not overly worried, Mika. But seriously, what do you mean with the right headspace?"

"Well..." Mika sighed. "The doctor is scared I'm not stable enough to go home yet... L-Look, it's a long and complicated story, I don't want to talk about it."

"Mika..."

"Let him, Yuu.", Mitsuba spoke up. "We're all worried for him, but there's no need on forcing him to share stuff he doesn't want to. If he wants to tell us, he will..."

Mikaela felt everyone's head turn towards him, as a feeling of dread and guilt washed over him. He held his breath as he clutched the sheets of his bed. First, he had everyone worried by being stupid enough to enter a freezing river and getting knocked out. Now, he felt as if he had shared too much.

No, they didn't need to know... Yuu didn't need to know why Mika was in that river in the first place. He wouldn't hear the end of the ravenette's worries if he did. The guilt he felt reminded him of the origins of his intentions.

Had he shared already that he was expelled?

"Yuu-chan...", the blonde muttered, grabbing the attention of everyone around him.

"What's the matter, Mika...?", Yuu asked, resting his hand on his cheek. Lifting his head slightly, he was able to see the faint tear tracks covering his cheeks. "Love...?"

"I'm..."

Shinoa and Mitsuba couldn't avert their gazes from the boys, as Mika tried his hardest to choke back any of the sobs he had been holding back. Where was this coming from? Had they upset him somehow?

"I'm expelled.", he whimpered.

A frown formed on Yuu's face, as he let go of Mika's cheeks. "What?! Why?!"

"B-Because of my job-"

"What the fuck?! They can't do that, can't they?!"

"Yuu, calm down, getting angry won't help any-" He didn't let Mitsuba finish her sentence.

"No, I am angry! This is fucking bullshit! He's literally working his ass off in order to pay for that fucking tuition and you expect me to sit back and just take it that they expelled him?!"

"YUU!", Shinoa yelled. She nodded to Mika, who had his legs curled up to his chest.

Yuu's heart stopped. "Fuck, Mika... I'm so sorry...", he whispered, resting his hands on the blonde's cheeks once more. Mika sobbed. "I'm so so sorry, Mikaela... I didn't mean to yell like that. It's okay. I'm calm."

"This is all my fault."

"Shh, shh, shh... It isn't, Mika. You're here, you're alive, you're okay."

"Maybe it would have been better if I-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Mikaela Shindou." Yuu pressed his forehead against the other's. "Let me be selfish just this once and keep you with me."

"... Always, Yuu-chan?"

"Always, Meeks."

A/N:

Hey everyone! I am so sorry for how long this chapter took! It took forever to write, my, uhm, gay ass had some distractions >.<
I promise updates will be back on the regular!