A Whale Shark's Ray (Free!)(SousukexOC)(Boyxboy)

Chapter 6

'Are you up?'

That was the first text I got from Sousuke the next morning. Not just any time though. At flipping 5:30. Who gets up that early?!
So of course, my response was a bit snippy.

'No... How do you function this early?'

'Coffee.'

Well that figures.

'Let me guess, a donut to go along with it?'

'Maybe. You want one?'

Something tells me he's laughing at me. Or maybe he's too tired to care.

'Not really. In all seriousness, what did you want again?'

'To know about your place.'

'You'll have your own bedroom and bathroom. I probably won't leave my room much. No, we don't have a TV. I don't like them. And you can garden if you want. I don't like yard work.'

'You don't want me to pay you for me living there?'

'How does yard maintenance sound? I'll count that as payment.'

'I can't tell if you're joking.'

'Then I'm not. You can definitely tell when I'm joking.'

'Fine. When can I move in?'

'When you want to. But I'm not helping you move your stuff... I'm still on Egypt time.'

'I'll be fine. I only have a few boxes anyways. How about tonight?'

'That's fine.'

He excused himself for work after that. I stayed up for a while longer, then went back to sleep. I really should change those sheets though...

>>>>>>

It was late by the time I heard from Sousuke again. I'd gotten up, and was showered and somewhat presentable. I changed out the sheets for him, replacing them with some soft gray ones I'd found. I'd also labeled the doors by taping piece of paper to them. His had a whale shark, and mine had a manta ray. His was Satoshi's idea.

Now I was laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. My curtains were drawn and the light was off, so even though it was only dusk, my room was pretty dark. Which of course is the reason why I answered the door with squinted, fast blinking eyes.

He'd gotten even taller since the last time I'd seen him. I'm not going to lie, he looked pretty sexy in his uniform, too. His hair was grown out a bit, and he looked like a big fire of manliness. Thankfully, I only gawked once he was inside the door with his two boxes. Who has two boxes of stuff?!

Hah, says the person who moved countries with a suitcase.

He put his stuff in his room before coming back and holding out a small box to me. I, being smart, regarded it suspiciously.

"And this is...?"

He chuckled at me and set the box on the kitchen counter before returning upstairs.

"Your donut."

>>>>>>

Needless to say, it was gone by the time he returned, now in normal civilian clothes. I was sitting on the couch, staring off into space. He sat on the opposite end of the couch, almost seeming to slump into it.

"You sure you don't like TV's? You're staring a pretty mean hole into that wall."

His voice was teasing, but I could tell he was tired.

"Shouldn't you be in bed, Mr. Officer?"

"I won't have a life if all I do is go to work. Besides, I haven't seen you in 8 years, besides the occasional picture Satoshi had."

"Is that so.."

"Where'd you get that bruise from?"

"I was the losing end of an argument."

"With what, a gang?"

"No. You didn't hear from Satoshi?"

"Partly. So, he gave you that?"

"Mhm. I don't really notice it though."

"I see. You're single now them?"

"As free as an arrow in the sky."

We spent the next few hours or so talking about how we've been and things we've done over the years, until he finally crashed beside me. I somehow managed to get him to his bed before he completely left this world, and hung out in his doorway for a moment afterwards.

"Baka. That's what you get for not going straight to bed. But..... Thank you for talking with me.."

I left him alone after that, going to bed myself. I lay there for quite some time, picturing those beautiful eyes. I couldn't get enough of them. I wonder if I made eye contact too much.. Well, that's ok. I can just say I wasn't quite awake. After all, he might not even remember it himself.

But he really was a sexy man.

>>>>>>>>>>>

We've settled into a routine since then. He gets up, gets ready, shakes me awake to say goodbye, and leaves. I get up halfway into the day, make myself halfway decent, and just bum around until he gets home. I feed him, then we talk for a while, then he goes to bed. I eat afterwards, then go to bed myself.

But it wasn't a very nice routine. At least, it seemed, for him. He got up too early, came home too late. And it was starting to get on my nerves a bit, to the point where I wanted to lock him in his room or disable his alarm for just one day so he'd get a decent amount of sleep. In my personal opinion, he looks more and more tired everyday.

I remember Satoshi saying something about his dream already being fulfilled, so clearly being a policeman isn't his dream job. I think he'd make a great sports coach or math teacher..

Ah, the opportunities you miss out on due to your work schedule, my friend..

He looks up at me from whatever he's writing at his desk. I'm just leaning in his doorway like a creeper, really. Jeans and a hoodie, messy hair, with probably a somewhat irritated yet sympathetic expression.

"Can I help you?"

"Oh, trust me, I'm not the one who needs help. Take a day off and go see Rin or something. Your zombie work mode is mildly terrifying."

I left him to think over that, going to my room and crashing on my bed. Whatever he decides, it's his own life. I'm just here to provide entertainment.

Just as it's always been.