SLEEPING AT LAST | bajifuyu

fourteen

"I thought of it as an immediate death, falling into endless nothingness. I was scared of it, to the point I sacrifice my sleep to feel safe,"

Mouth zipped while onyx eyes scanned the teen in front of him, Chifuyu unraveling at the autumn morning. His sunken eyes, forsaken of their color before, glimmers even at the cheap bulb of the convenience store. The flesh started filling his cheek, causing plumpness with its rosy color, and his color, resembling the dead sea, is now abundant of warmth and liveliness.

He's rather captivating with life glowing upon his eyes, Baji thought,

"It started with night terrors, common nightmares every night where I would wake up screaming or crying." Chifuyu said, "Until hallucinations happened. The dark bodies started inhibiting my space, staring at me while I lay in bed. Sometimes, they would come and stare until dawn. There were days where they would walk, sit beside me or say these inaudible words."

Baji didn't know what it is, but something in him cracked. He didn't know if it's because of his stupidity to comprehend how grave Chifuyu's problems are or that Chifuyu has been dealing with them for his whole life. He can't choose nor knows how to feel in the situation.

"Did you go to the doctors?" Baji questioned, losing his appetite for the yakisoba.

The teen chuckled, taking the yakisoba to eat, "We did, and they're pretty common with kids."

"They gave me medications and whatnot, but there's only much a child could bear." Chifuyu said, "So, I choose to stop taking them,"

Baji pursed his lips, crossing his arms while his ears listened to Chifuyu's story. His face was unreadable, feeding Chifuyu's anxiety. However, he chooses to continue and tell his friend everything.

"I told my mom about the range of my hallucinations and how they, sometimes, mixed with my perception of reality. It was the last thing I want to do again," Chifuyu smiled, a bittersweet one, relishing in the image of his mom in front of him.

"Just like you, I never want to see my mom cry because of me,"

Life started bustling in the city of Shibuya, and the two teens flowed with it like usual. The horizon glows, bearing the sun's glory, illuminating the streets they walked on while silence shushes the banters they usually have.

Chifuyu was never one to share, and if he does, the person must be someone he trusts. In this situation, Baji has been sticking with his sleep depravity, and he thinks it's only fair for the latter to know his story. However, he did not expect this kind of reaction from the boy.

"Your depressing thoughts are rubbing off of me, Baji-san," he said, elbowing Baji in the ribs.

"Yeah, right. I am," Baji scoffed, "Maybe,"

There was a pause, afraid to snap the tension that hangs heavily on their shoulders. Baji's feet cease to move, stopping in his tracks while the blond continued, engrossed in his self-deprecating thoughts. Chifuyu's face was pale like he'd seen a ghost despite the broad daylight.

"Don't think of the opposite, Chifuyu," Baji said, "I'm mad for getting ahead of myself,"

Chifuyu stops as he heard the boy's words, looking back to blink, eager to hear those words again, "What?"

"If those fuckers come to bite you in your sleep again, tell me," a small smile adorns Baji's face, glowing in the sun's mercy.

"And, I'll beat them to death,"

"You can't beat something intangible, dumbfuck,"