Paradise (MikaYuu)

39

(Yuu)

I helped Mikaela intro the elevator of his apartment complex and leaned him against the wall. He looked like shit. I should've guessed his insomnia would catch up to him at some point. He was exhausted and probably dehydrated.

"Hand me your keys." I reached my hand out and he gave them over without a word. He hasn't said a word since the phone call, it was starting to annoy me. He just kept staring at me.

I gently grabbed onto his hand, he flinched hard and switched that hand out with another. That was the hand that was hurt. Shit, he definitely had an infection.

I rubbed my thumb soothingly over his knuckles, "Mika, is your hand-"

"It's fine, I'll deal with it. I already scheduled an appointment for next week." He cut me off and stepped out of the elevator, dragging me with him.

"Whatever," I grumbled while fumbling with the keys and opening the door, "go shower, I'm gonna change and then I'm gonna make sure you actually sleep."

Mika let me go and started heading upstairs, holding his head and gripping his hair. I hoped he wouldn't pass out in the shower.

...

"You good now?" I asked as Mika walked back in, gray sweatpants and white T-shirt that was wet around the shoulders, but I don't think he cared. The color of his gloves seemed to matter though, black as night, no way to see through

"Yep," He crawled under the covers clumsily and stared up at ceiling, "what did my mother tell you?"

"I don't want to get smothered with a pillow tonight, so we'll talk about it tomorrow, which ironically follows what she said." I chuckled.

"What about Asher?" He questioned further.

"Doesn't matter," I shrugged, "I was questioning my own sanity for a moment, wondering if everything everyone was saying was just talk and you were incapable of violence. But you're not. And I am genuinely worried about that pillow thing."

"I don't know what you want me to say to that." Mikaela huffed.

"I know you won't hurt me. I just want you to sleep, we'll talk tomorrow." I responded, it was a fucking lie, but a response nonetheless.

"Are you thinking about leaving?" He asked.

Yes. What the hell? Of course yes! "No," I smiled, "now let me ask YOU a question, and I want you to answer honestly, have you hurt someone recently?"

"Yes." He answered without missing a beat.

"Was it for a good reason?" I had some misplaced hope that wanted him to lie.

"No," Mika responded and held onto his head again, "fuck, my head is killing me."

"Well, you're kind of killing your body, so I'm not really shocked," I shrugged, I noticed his hand had started to swell and decided I needed to see it, I didn't think he would be ok for it to wait another week, "show me your hand."

He froze, "What?"

"Show me your damn hand, Mikaela." I persisted.

"No." He said.

I grabbed his wrist and held it with all my strength. He shot me the same daring stare and I shot one back,"I need to see it."

"No, you don't," he sneered, "what happened to respect?"

"Well for one, there's a difference between respecting your privacy and doing what needs to be done to make sure you're healthy. Secondly, I don't respect you right now. You completely lost all the respect I had for you. Now be an adult and show me your hand." I asserted.