Love as rich as chocolate ~TodoBaku~

Chapter 21: silver lining

Akio Todoroki

It's...strange, to say the least, that I get a sense of deja vu while I'm with Hiro and someone's crying. We've met in 5 separate occasions, and cried on 2, so it's somewhat of an expectancy that one of us will break down in tears next time we meet, or the time after that at the very least. Oh, yeah, I'm waffling because he's still slumped against my shoulder. He's been still for about 15 minutes, and his breathing is steady, so it's a fair assumption to say that he's asleep. His usually well-groomed hair was less refined than I was used to, but I suppose I was just stroking my hand through it not long ago.

He looked...so different from when he was crying. His normally mesmeric face was a sheen of sadness over it, which did little to detract from his beauty, but certainly he was more handsome with a calm face. As he sleeps, he wears a small smile, and seems to subconsciously chew the inside of his cheek. It was cute, almost making him look like a little rabbit nibbling into a carrot. I really really really wanted to boop his nose, but horrible visions of Dad doing it to the Old Man deterred me from that. Instead, I just settled for being his pillow,

Although...after another fifteen minutes or so, that got quite boring, and I was starting to get quite dreary-eyed myself. So, I did my best to re-adjust so I was lying down on the couch, trying desperately to not wake the adorable sleeping boy next to me. Unfortunately, the mission was unsuccessful, and he stirred just as I was trying to raise my legs into a comfortable position. He seemed quite confused at first, until the situation dawned on him, and he leapt up from the couch like a scalded cat, nearly sending me crashing to the floor with him. I managed to catch myself, and looked up to see him awkwardly staring at the floor, obviously very ashamed of himself. Sighing, I picked myself up and stood, walking towards him as he spoke.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't realise... I just got comfortable and-"

I shut him up by slumping my face into his shoulder, muttering "I was about to fall asleep, jackass...", before trying to pull him back to the couch. He seemed reluctant at first, but eventually let me drag him over. He even listened to me telling him how to position himself, my bossy side emerging through tiredness. He lay against one of the arms on the couch, his legs splayed in just the right position for me to clamber in with as little invasive feeling as possible. At no point did he object to this, even as I rested my head on his chest, although I did feel his breathing quicken at occasional points. I stole a glance up at him to see him staring directly at me, a blush on his face. I smiled up and tiredly slumped back down, feeling sleep pull me in, like the warm embrace I was in.

...the mass seems to be confused. It doesn't quite know what's going wrong, but knows that it should be helping in some way. It seems to be looking at me with concern, so perhaps I've done something? Either way, it's worried about me, and seems to be acting quite protective. Not overly, but just enough to prove loyalty...

...which weirdly feels like something it feels it's missing. The mass seems to believe it is inferior to another, and is doing its best to impress me. It parades itself around and goofs about, and I appreciate it. Yet, it still doubts itself. Perhaps it's because of the other masses? Ones I haven't yet met? It seems frightened of them, feeling worthless and broken by comparison. I have no idea why the mass feels this. It's not something that should be happening. I get the overwhelming feeling that something that should be perfect is not, and that makes me angry.

I'm not angry at the mass, but it doesn't know that. I don't convey that. I simmer in anger at the situation of my own creation, and it is taken out on another, as only a selfish rage would be. It festers inside of me that the mass is just being silly and shouldn't worry too much, never once stopping to actually think...

...is there other masses?
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Hiroyuki "Hiro" Ando

Ok

So

Um

He's asleep on me?!

God! Fuck fuck shit fuck fuck!

How the hell has this happened?! One minute I'm crying my eyes out over something that has nothing to do with him, the next we're cuddled up on the couch like...like boyfriends! I mean, yeah, ok, can't lie, Akio is pretty damn hot, and there isn't really a counter argument for that, but...after what he's just been through...am I being too quick? Does he even want me to be doing this sort of thing? I mean, this was his idea, but...aaaaaah, why is this so complicated?!

From the first day I saw him, I've liked him. That can't be lied about, definitely not. I'd like to think I'm a nice person, but I wouldn't close the shop early for just anyone, wouldn't contact just anyone when I was sad, and most definitely wouldn't fall asleep while cuddling just anyone. He was special, of that there was no doubt. And has the most gorgeous smile in the whole world, lighting up the room whenever it broke out on his face.

...and this is exactly why I'm nervous about moving forward too quickly. I know that if I fuck this up, I'll lose that smile. And I'm not sure I can handle that, so there's a lot on the line here. I know he's not been doing so good after what happened with his two friends, but...fuck, I'm being too selfish here. I know I should give him time, I know I should let him work it out himself, but...

...I'm really just asking for trouble at this point.
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Short Hiro POV, there won't be many so savour them

Fact of the Day: fuck fuck shit fuck fuck!