A Lingering Touch (Junjou Romantica)

[12]

Nowaki watched Hiroki add more meat to his hot pot and held back his tongue from mentioning the lack of vegetables. He saw a bowl full of cabbage sitting on the counter. Untouched but washed. During the times he stood behind Hiroki, he wished he had a sense of smell. Anything to contribute to the moments they shared together. Sighing, he turned his gaze back to Hiroki who moved around the vegetables with his cooking chopsticks.

A TV show played in the background to cut through the emptiness of anyone else running through the home. Hiroki thought about calling his cousins for an impromptu reunion. He imagined his cousins would badger him over this sudden career move but he'd tell them the truth. Better than having someone else spread the rumor through the family.

Hiroki caught Nowaki's speculative look before he dumped lettuce into the broth. "I'm not going to waste vegetables. I can already tell you want to lecture about my health. You're not even my doctor...he doesn't nag me this much." He hitched his breath when the hot broth hit his hand. "Shit."

Nowaki hid his smile as he wagged his finger. "I'd put your hand under cold water right now."

Hiroki walked to his sink and put his hand under the faucet. "It's a small little spot. I wouldn't stress over this anyway."

"But you're still following what I say." Hiroki turned on the water to down out his voice. "Ah...how mean." Nowaki placed a hand on his chest as Hiroki kept an eye on his hot pot.

Hiroki turned off the faucet before he went back to his food. He lowered the flame and scooped the broth onto his bowl. "Too bad you can't eat. It's weird having you sit with me and you don't eat or drink. It's sort of uncomfortable." He set his bowl on table before he took out a few cans of beer.

"I can always simulate drinking and eating." Nowaki smiled. "I used to do that with the few kids who saw me. The little girl from a few years ago loved tea parties. She left the town to finish her schooling in Tokyo. I overheard her mother say that she married her college sweetheart this year."

"I thought you said no one talked to you in twenty years." Hiroki furrowed his brows.

"They saw me, but they couldn't talk to me. There's a big difference." He averted his eyes. "I can motion my thoughts with my hands but it's a different element when using your voice. I'm sure most of them thought I couldn't speak in general."

"That sucks." Hiroki blew into his soup and started eating, he sipped his beer in between bites.

Nowaki licked his lips. "Back then, everyone saw guardians through natural sight. The belief caused them to see us whenever we were on patrol. Throughout the years, the sight reduced down to the point where individuals saw me. I'm not sure about the rest of the towns. I have met maybe two guardians, but they stick to their own areas."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Hiroki served himself another serving of food and almost knocked it over. Panicking, he caught it before he spilled his food onto the floor. Sighing in relief, he heard Nowaki tell him in a soft voice to be careful.

"Yeah, yeah." Hiroki sipped the broth and then hiccuped. "I know."

Nowaki sighed as he watched Hiroki's every move. "You shouldn't eat hot things while drinking. You're clumsier when you're inebriated."

"Ha! I'll have you know I have the same grace as a swan!"

Nowaki doubted it. "I don't think so."

"Yeah right...there is no way you can remember the last time I was drunk."

"Maybe not but I've checked up on you enough to know you can't go past eight cans. Maybe one more if you ate a hearty meal." Nowaki sighed. "Too bad I can't remember my life before I got this job."