The Reservation (Nanami Kento || JJK)

One Step at a Time

Getting Nanami up to my apartment was no joke. He passed out on the drive over, and when I tried to wake him, he merely grunted at me. Honestly, it could have been funny if I wasn't in such a panic.

His wounds weren't an immediate problem since Shoko saw to that, but that didn't mean I was any less at ease. After peeking under his gauze, I realized that there was indeed nothing but an empty eye socket left. He would need an eyepatch, and maybe a hat until his hair grew back. With a mirthless laugh, I thought I could put him in the cowboy hat to tide him over until we got something that suited his taste to cover the bald patch.

"What in the world happened to you..." I whispered to no one since he wasn't awake to answer.

I tapped my chin, wondering if I should take him to my Grandma's first level home, but I didn't want to deal with her screeching right now. She still didn't know I took her car.

Just think, Mae, I lectured myself. Be smart. How can you get him upstairs? You may not be an engineer, but you're creative.

When the idea came to me, I almost vomited, but it was the best plan I was going to come up with tonight.

I phoned Matsu.

The young man was all too eager to come downstairs when I asked for his help carrying something heavy upstairs. I purposefully left out the details, for when he saw the scarred, damaged, shirtless Nanami in my car, he went pale.

"What— What the hell—"

"Please don't ask questions," I begged. "He was near Shibuya, and he got emergency care. That's all I can tell you because that's all I know. Please... I just can't carry him upstairs by myself."

Matsu gaped, but after closing his mouth, he appraised the situation a little more calmly. "Alright. Yeah... Just give me a second to prop the doors open."

I blew out a strong breath of relief. He would probably lord this over me forever, but at least he was helping. At least he wasn't turning me down.

Between the two of us, we got Nanami's unconscious body to the elevator, dropping him on the floor to catch our breaths. "This guy is massive," Matsu panted.

"Yeah, I know," I panted back.

"This is all muscle?"

"Uh huh."

"Remind me never to piss him off. And maybe tell him I'm seriously not trying to steal you away from him."

I laughed wheezily. "Okay. I really appreciate this though."

"Yeah, yeah. No problem. Any time."

"Hopefully I never need your help for something like this again."

"Hopefully."

I kicked Matsu out promptly after I got Nanami into bed. Though my ex wanted to linger and chat, I needed a moment to breathe. I needed a moment alone to let out my tears and really absorb the fact that Nanami was alive.

We'd gone from breaking up to this. Honestly, the breakup seemed like the world's silliest problem in relation to this. I'd been so stupid for crying so much. For thinking it was the end of the world.

Almost losing him for real was the end of the world. A tiny break up didn't compare.

Laying my head on the side of the bed, gazing up at Nanami, I held his hand loosely. Nothing else mattered now... He was back. He was mine. And I would never let him get away again. If I had to do all the fighting, then I would. If I had to chase him down and cling to his legs, then I would.