That Night - Shin Soukoku

Chapter Six

Akutagawa POV

What did he mean by "At least without asking first"?

Does that mean that if I did ask, he would say yes?

Maybe I'm reading too much into this.

As he helps me stand up, my mind is racing. I told him to go home earlier, but now I don't want to. I want to lay in bed with him again, even though him being up against my chest hurt like hell. What is this feeling?

I walk to my room and put on a new t-shirt and sweat pants. When I walk out, I see him on the couch, his back against the armrest. One leg is on the ground, while the other is on the couch, his knee in the air. He's still wearing my clothes. He's staring at the ceiling, his arms crossed. He looks like he's cold; the blanket I gave him last night being in my room now.

I quickly walk to my room and grab a hoodie. I walk back out and stand in front of him. I throw the hoodie at him and he seems surprised by my presence. Like he was so lost in thought he didn't notice me before.

He puts it on, "Thanks."

Neither of us say anything. I stand in front of him, staring. Expecting something, though I'm not sure what.

After an awkward few moments, he sighs and stands up. "You probably want me out of here by now, don't you?" He tries to walk towards the door, but I grab his wrist. He looks back at me in shock.

What am I doing?

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

Please stay.

I let go of his wrist, giving him the option to leave. He doesn't. He smiles softly and sits back down. I sit down, a foot away from him.

We sit there, not doing or saying anything for what feels like hours. Probably a few minutes.

He breaks the silence first. "What happened last night? Why was I in your room?"

Atsushi POV

While I was awake when he carried me there, I'm still not sure why.

It's all I've been thinking about.

The way he brushed my bangs out of my face. His hand cupping my cheek. Him stopping me from leaving the bed.

What was that all about?

"I thought you would be uncomfortable on the couch, so I brought you there."

I let out a small, anxious laugh. "It was very uncomfortable."

There's another beat of silence.

"Why don't you turn on a movie?" I suggest.

He reaches for the remote. "What movie?"

"I don't know. A horror movie or something."

"A horror movie? At 10 in the morning?"

"Why? You scared?" I tease.

He rolls his eyes and starts scrolling through the horror section on Netflix. I smile and stand up to turn off the lights and close the curtains. Luckily, they're blackout.

"What are you doing?"

"You can't watch a movie -- especially a horror movie -- in the light."

He seems to accept this answer, and I sit back down. Purposefully a bit closer than we were before. He doesn't move.

"What about this one?" He shows me a random movie.

"Sure, put it on."

I love horror movies. But, I also get scared very easily, so this probably isn't the best idea.

Akutagawa POV

Horror movies don't bother me, which is great, but at the same time, it also takes all the enjoyment out of them. I wouldn't be sitting here watching this movie if it was by anyone else's request (maybe except Dazai).

For someone who requested a horror movie, Atsushi looked uncomfortable and terrified the whole time. One point, during a jump scare, he yelped and buried his face in my shoulder.

I laugh. He looks up at me, his eyes wide. Not with fear, but amazement. "Are you scared?" Why is he looking at me like that.

"No- not at all." It's clearly a lie, but his tone was not focused on it. He was staring at me. I look away.

He kept a similar expression on his face, even when watching. That is, until he was jump scared again, and he buried his face in my shoulder a second time.

He sits closer to me, our shoulders touching. I'm not sure what compels me to do so, but I grab his hand and interlock out fingers.

"Come on, Atsushi. You've fought in wars to save the city- no the country. There's no way this scares you."

"Shut up."

I laugh. He looks up at me, that same look in his eyes from before. For a split second, so quick I might've imagined it, his gaze shifts a bit lower, to my mouth. Then it goes right back up to my eyes. I look away, flustered.

Somehow, Atsushi manages to fall asleep. The only reason I realized is that he didn't cling to me when yet another jump scare popped up. How he managed to fall asleep while being terrified, I will never understand.

I look down, our fingers are still interlocked, but it's mostly me holding on.

I let go of his hand and move him around so his head is on my lap. I go to reach for my phone but look down at him, sleeping. So peacefully again. I instantly forget about my phone and just stare at him, admiring every detail. I start to run my fingers through his hair.

I grab the remote and switch the movie, clicking on the first one that popped up. I couldn't tell you what its about. My mind was focused elsewhere.

Atsushi woke up about 30 minutes after he fell asleep, still laying on my lap. The second his eyes opened, I took my fingers out of his hair and looked up at the TV. I then felt another hand grabbing my own, and setting it back where it was.

I look down to see Atsushi, looking just as shocked as me. Now fully awake, he goes bright red.

He sits up, and I laugh to myself.

Why do I keep laughing?

I see him making that same face again. One of pure amazement.

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?" he replies to my question with another question.

"Making that face. You look so shocked."

"I just..." he pauses, hesitating. "You don't laugh a lot."

Damn is it that bad?

When he sees my expression he quickly clarifies. "No, no, no, I didn't mean it as a bad thing it's just..."

I lean a little closer to him. "Just what?" Now I'm curious.

His face turns red again. "I like your laugh."

(1085 words)