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

Chapter 8

The headaches are getting worse. It was only two days into Sousuke's mini vacation, and I had yet to really leave my room. I'd called Satoshi, who'd told me to go to the doctor. I didn't want to go, so I've been putting it off.

Sousuke's been gone since yesterday morning. He went to see Rin and Haru, and ended up spending the night after a storm started up. I think he's been texting me, but I haven't checked my phone. That would require moving. I got up earlier to shower and eat, but then had to retreat back to my cold bed. Cold because my giant space heater wasn't here.

My phone buzzes again. I ignore it, until it does it a second time. I try not to wince as I turn over and grab it, squinting at the screen. So many missed texts from two people. I sighed, running a hand through my hair before responding to them.

[Satoshi]
-Are you okay?
-Hello?
-Munto??
-Hellooooooooo?!
-Don't make me tell Sousuke!

[Me]
-I'm trying to sleep.

[Satoshi]
-How's your head? Did you go to the doctor?

[Me]
-Hurts, and no.

After his text rant about going to the doctor, I moved on to the next one.

[Sousuke]
-Are you up?
-Seriously, get up already.
-Munto.

[Me]
-What?

[Sousuke]
-Someone's lazy.

[Me]
-Someone's head hurts.

[Sousuke]
-Your own fault for not taking anything.
-Want to go to the festival downtown later? Everyone else is planning to go.

[Me]
-Sure.

[Sousuke]
-Okay.
-Should be home in twenty minutes, just got off the train.

I don't reply, dozing off with the phone still in my hand.

>>>>>>>>

I wake to someone pinching my cheek. Fully awake, I pull away, grumbling. Sousuke smiles cheekily at me, clearly amused.

"You planning on sleeping all day?"

"Maybe."

"Get up. I let you sleep a while, so we need to meet the others in a couple hours."

I pull myself into a sitting position, nodding. I run a hand through my hair while glancing over at him as he's walking out the door. Bad idea. I snapped my gaze to the floor until I was sure he was gone, then got out of bed.

After a quick shower, I changed into my yukata. I always wore the same design, as it reminded me of my childhood. It was a dark maroon, the black sash completing a look my grandmother had once called 'sultry'. Whatever that meant. It goes well with my dark skin, in my opinion.

Then I began the complicated task of brushing my hair. Well, Satoshi calls it a mane, because my hair is down to my mid-shoulders and thick. After some mild swearing and lots of yanking, I finally got it to lie in silky waves down my neck and over the tops of my shoulders. I couldn't really do anything about how tired I looked though. I'd use concealer, but then I'd seem like a girl, soooooo.... Nope.

I went downstairs once I was completely certain I was presentable, and busied myself for another hours by cleaning the kitchen counters and dishes until they were spotless. I was so distracted that I never noticed Sousuke watching me from the couch. I turned around to look over my handiwork, and noticed him just staring at me. I stared back, feeling heat rise to my cheeks.

"How long have you been there...?"

"I don't know. When I came down, you were washing that funny pan of yours."

I could feel my face only getting warmer. That was the second thing I had washed, so he'd been watching me for quite a while. I coughed nervously to clear my anxiety, and sat down in an armchair.

"Oh..."

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Sousuke

He was almost too cute sometimes. The way his face turned into a tomato when he realized I'd been watching, the adorable expression he had while sleeping. I felt bad every time I woke him up. He really needed that sleep, with how much his head had been hurting recently. I'd never tell him this, but he's a clingy sleeper. I've woken up to him with his face pressed into my back before.

I loved the way he looked in his yukata. His dark skin and blue eyes already made him look exotic, but the dark colors only enhanced the look. He looked sexy like that. Of course, my brain was making him pull a seductive face in my mental image, one that I doubted he'd ever make. Well, maybe. Don't dancers make those kinds of face?

I couldn't help but fall for him during the time we'd been living together. The way he worried over me was nice, and it made me realize why I'd chosen such a job. I'd secretly been pleading for someone to pay attention to me. And he'd done just that. I didn't tell him this, but I'd put in two weeks notice of my quitting, that started after my week of vacation. After those two weeks, I could get a new job, one that wasn't so taxing.

One that would allow me more time to be around him. His presence was intoxicating. Twice I'd nearly jumped him.

Somehow, I tended to be the kind of person who got used a lot. Someone I knew would ask for comfort, and I'd give it to them, only to have them leave me like a piece of trash. I get the feeling Munto was used to being used as well, though in a different way. As a punching bag. Satoshi didn't tell us much, but I could tell it still bothered him. It showed in how clingy he was. He seemed to try and keep me from being unhappy in whatever way possible. Most likely because he was used to being hurt when people were unhappy.

And that made me sad.