Days Go By | lavashipping

.*..*.

"Why did you bother borrowing my clothes when you're just going to let them get soaked anyway?" Kai said, grabbing Cole's arm and pulling him closer. "Come here."

"It's fine, I don't need-"

"Just stay under the umbrella, will you?"

"It's not even big enough for both of us, look, you're getting wet too..."

"My priority is to keep you out of the rain, all right? You were sick not that long ago. Stop trying to be some tough guy and just let me do something nice."

"You already did many nice things, Kai."

"Whatever, just... shut up."

They walked back where those two days began, back to Shintaro. Kai complained several times that he should get some more time off while Cole waved it off, trying to explain that it was fine and whatever. They avoided big puddles, Kai stubbornly insisting on keeping the umbrella over Cole. Not that Cole needed it, he was fine with rainy and cold weather but Kai didn't want to hear it and just kept on doing their thing, despite the fact that they told Cole about his dislike towards water.

Thanks to the downpour, the entire city was even louder than usual. Yet that didn't stop them from talking, even if they had to raise their voices a lot to even be able to hear one another. Cole had to adore how easy and smooth talking with Kai was. It always just happened, like letting go of a ball at the top of a hill. Gravity just took care of it.

And when they didn't talk, it was fine too, because just being side by side was enjoyable for whatever reason and it was fun to bump Kai with his shoulder while they were waiting at the station because Kai bumped him back and they were both smiling like idiots.

But it felt nice and Cole felt happy.

At first, when the Shintaro headquarters moved and Cole was picked to come along, he was pretty much filled to the brim with worries. It was a new place, a new city - a huge city. the capital city. Who knows what awaits there? Except for his colleagues, he had no one there waiting for him, he had to move farther away from everything he loved. Not to mention the importance of the project he was working on. It was all so scary.

And yet there he was, having a shoulder war with someone he would gladly consider an elemental part of his life now.

Hell, the important project he was working on was completely redone purely because of them and he was the happiest he's ever been.

And there came the door again and it was time to say goodbye for now.

He turned to Kai, who still kept the umbrella above them both, and playfully punched his shoulder.

"Well, thanks for letting me, you know, sleepover and all."

"Yeah, but remember, only the first night's free. Next time you gotta pay." Cole didn't say anything in response. He just nodded with a smile and glanced back at his workplace. It wasn't the first time this happened - when he felt like he couldn't really move. Like there was something lingering, waiting to be done but he wasn't exactly sure what it was.

"I guess... I should go..."

"Yeah," Kai nodded slowly, their eyes fixed on him.

Instead, Cole almost leapt forward, taking Kai in his arms. He stared at the other side of the street, their reflection in the glass staring back at him.

"What are you doing?" Kai chuckled and Cole shrugged.

"I don't know. Just felt like I should hug you." He felt Kai's arms wrap around him and he finally closed his eyes, nestling his head in the crook of Kai's neck.

Just like before.

The sound of rain kind of faded away. Everything, really, faded away. He just felt the warmth envelop him, he completely forgot the cold wind was slapping everyone just moments earlier. To be honest, he kind of completely blocked out the fact that they were standing in a street and he was supposed to go back to work.

"Is everything all right?" came Kai's quieted voice, muffled by Cole's own shoulder. He smiled upon feeling his head move as he spoke.

"Yeah, everything's all right." He rubbed Kai's back a little. "It just feels nice is all."

"Okay."

After a while he (reluctantly) decided to let go and pulled away, not really able to look Kai in the eyes. He cleared his throat before saying, "All right, um... bye."

"Bye."

It was like trying to separate those super-strong magnets but eventually, Cole ran over to the door where he turned back to wave to Kai. Who was still standing there under the umbrella, waving back to him until Cole was actually gone, inside the rai-less building, on his way to pick up his son from school.

He had no idea what took over him.