Love is Blind: a Jouno and Tetchou story

At least there was popcorn

The next thing on Teruko's checklist of doom was a visit to the planetarium. "Just stay close, okay." Tetchou said. He was anxious, Jouno could tell. Tetchou didn't like big gatherings with lots of people. Today, it sounded like the planetarium was crowded. Jouno wasn't sure if going to a planetarium was the new thing to do as a couple or what, but it sounded like it was packed.

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to." Jouno said. Tetchou shook his head. "I don't want to give Teruko a reason to set something on fire again. That would be irresponsible." Jouno sighed. "The only irresponsible thing here is the fact that someone let her be second in command."

Tetchou pushed open the doors. Without saying anything, for the second time that day, his hand closed around Jouno's. "I don't want you to get lost." Tetchou said seriously. "And you also don't want to get lost?" Jouno asked. Tetchou nodded. "Once, when I was a kid, I got lost in an IKEA for a whole day. I had to sleep in one of the staging area bedrooms, and they didn't find me until the morning."

Jouno had to hold back a laugh. Coming from anyone else, he would have thought this was a joke. Coming from Tetchou, not so much. Tetchou didn't really make jokes. He was always dead serious when he told a story. "I'm sorry to hear that." Jouno said, trying to sound as serious as he possibly could, but he was sure Tetchou could hear his amusement.

"I also got lost in a grocery store once. It took you half an hour to find me." Tetchou continued on as if Jouno hadn't said anything. "I was in uniform and everything. I know I stand out, but it still took you forever to find me."

Jouno frowned. "I was talking myself out of getting kicked out because 'my sister' started eating out of a box of popsicles she hadn't paid for." Jouno put air quotes around 'his sister.' As much as Teruko wanted the hunting dogs to be one big family, Jouno would never even pretend to be related to her if his life depended on it.

"I got lost in the lab." Tetchou said. Jouno sighed. "Yeah, I know. You were supposed to be watching my back, but you instead let me literally walk into the king of assassins." Jouno paused for effect. "While holding the kid." Tetchou wasn't always the greatest at reading emotions, so he made sure he sounded extra annoyed here.

Jouno sighed. "That's not one of these 'it's not what it looks like' situations. I mean, we were pretty obviously orchestrating a jailbreak." Tetchou frowned. "You're going to bring that up whenever you get a chance, are you?" He asked. Jouno nodded seriously. "I don't think any mistake you make will ever top that."

"Excuse me, can you take our picture?" Asked a young woman who sounded like she was Tetchou and Jouno's age. "Sure." Tetchou said, and took her phone. Jouno waited off to the side and tapped his foot against the ground impatiently. "Thank you so much." The young woman said, with way too much enthusiasm. She'd better not be hitting on Tetchou.

The thought would have surprised no one more than Jouno himself. What did he care if Tetchou was being hit on by random women? It wasn't like they were on a real date anyway. "No problem." Tetchou said. "I'd better go back and check on my boyfriend."

Jouno didn't even take in the young woman's disappointed grumbling. "Your boyfriend?" He asked. Jouno was sure Tetchou was smiling. "I say that to stop potential romantic advances by straight women." Jouno smiled back. "Seems like a good enough plan. Now, how about you escort your boyfriend through the planetarium?" He looped his arm through Tetchou's. Tetchou laughed softly, and led the way towards the first room. "At least I'm not giving a piggyback ride."

*

It was when Jouno and Tetchou were exiting the main observatory (in which Jouno just stood there while Tetchou read some of the signs to him) that they got seperated. One minute, Tetchou was right beside Jouno, and the next, he was gone, as if he'd never been there in the first place.