[WRITTEN]Aftermath- Suegiku

Nine- Memories

[ 1 Year Since Jōno's Death ]

It's that time of the year again.
Summer.
The time of the year where the heat blazes— the sun shines bright, and it's awfully humid.
The time of the year for Hanabi, festivals, snacks, and break time.
The time of the year to celebrate— despite the ravaging mosquitoes that bite at your flesh.

It's summer.

And Tetchō's getting better. It's nighttime. He's taking some time to himself— sitting in his bathtub, Jōno's favorite candles lit in the dark— a warm summer breeze blowing through the windows.

He's still a bit closed off— hates holding hands with people, new recruits added.

Jōno always told him to take breaks.

He was never very good at it— always trying to be active.

One year—
Tetchō thought it would take longer to get better.

He's never going to move on— nor forget—
He'll always hold onto it.

In his office at headquarters— he has countless paintings and sketches of Jōno. Whether memories he'd had with him in the past—
Or his imagination.

Jōno in a yukata— Jōno sitting there— Jōno laughing—

Whenever he drew Jōno—
He'd see his hand on his shoulder
Just encouraging him.

He's getting better.
Those sleepless nights are almost gone— he sometimes has nightmares—

But they're not too bad.

His dreams are usually sweet.
His favorites always have Jōno's smile spread across his face—
His laughter like music to his ears.

Tetchō can hear Jōno's voice again. It's come back— watching and replaying those small recordings he'd taken in the past.
Jōno's face, so dear to him, coming back to his mind.
The shape of his face—
The frost white of his hair
And the tips of them that faded into that beautiful, ruby red.
The earring that donned his right ear
That dark red, stringing through that golden embellishment.

Tetchō's brought some of his art into Jōno's apartment—

Or now his.

No, not his apartment—

Their apartment. It was theirs— even if Jōno wasn't there anymore.

He has Jōno's memory there. The smell of his lover is still alive in that home. It lingers everywhere— like nostalgia.

Tetchō hopes that it won't ever fade.

The paintings are hung up— some on his altar.

Just like Jōno's earring, Tetchō keeps the engagement ring on too.
Little pieces of Jōno
That he can keep with him at all times.

Tetchō's wound from his birthday has scarred over— he doesn't have to wear bandages anymore—

He takes it as a step of recovery.
It's nothing to be ashamed of, right?
He should be proud
That he got past it.
That he overcame it
And got help.

Tetchō sinks deeper into the comforting warmth of the bath, water rising slightly as he does so.

There's a feeling of hands in his hair
That feels so comforting.

"Using my favorite candles, Tetchō?"

Tetchō leans further back into the water, eyes moving up to the figure that sat in front of him.

"Yes."

He smiled.

The hallucinations didn't bother him anymore.
He'd come to accept them.