My Demons

Chapter 37: Second Chance (Part 2)

Hello everyone! It has been WAY WAY WAY too long! I blame school and then a lack of inspiration and motivation after school ended.

To recap: Usagi and Misaki are back together in their house. They've talked (A LOT) and Misaki seems to be very understanding of everything that happened. In the last chapter, Usagi called his father and talked about how accepting Misaki was. So Usagi's father decided to let things go (for now). But there's still two more people to deal with: Takahiro and Misaki himself.

Chapter 37: Second Chance (Part 2)

Misaki came out of the shower shortly after I had hung up the phone. His chestnut hair was still slightly soaked and dripping onto the towel he had hung around his neck. His white t-shirt and soft cotton sweatpants seemed to be sticking to his still wet skin. He had obviously hurried out of the shower for some reason. He rushed past me and into the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" I asked curiously as he began banging pots and pans around.

"I just realized you probably haven't eaten a proper meal since I left!" he cried as he turned on the sink faucet to fill up a pan. "Sorry, Usagi-san! I'll make you a nice big brunch. Is there anything in particular that you'd like?"

It was true that I hadn't eaten a decent meal since I had left. Misaki's cooking sounded like the best gourmet meal in the world the whole time I was away from him. While I was thrilled that he was so eager to cook for me and look after me, I was surprised by his wording. Since he left, he had said. That wasn't right. He may have left the penthouse, but I was the one who left him in the first place. I was worried about what sort of thoughts were spinning through that mind of his.

I walked up to the counter and leaned on it, my eyes piercing into his. "Misaki, what are you talking about? I was the one that left."

A blush formed on his cheeks before he turned to the stove to hide his face from me. "W-Well, you know... It was probably something I did to make you do that, maybe."

My eyes widened and my heart sank. He was blaming himself for me leaving him, for my actions. How could he even think that for a second? I had explained everything to him and he had forgiven me. Why would he even think that it was his fault that I left? Clearly, he was still hurting inside, and that hurt me just as badly if not worse.

Without even knowing exactly what to say, I walked around the counter towards him. I grabbed the ladle from him with one hand and turned off the stove with the other, making him gasp in surprise. My chest pressed firmly against his back as I wrapped my arms around him. He tensed up, not letting his arms drop to his sides or around mine. I could feel his heart racing on his back.

"Misaki, please don't think that," I whispered. "It wasn't at all your fault. I was the one that let my past and insecurities get under my skin too much." I paused, but quickly spoke again before he could. "I'm sorry. No matter the circumstances I shouldn't have left like a coward. I hurt you and I'm so sorry."

"N-No," he whimpered, on the verge of tears. "It was my fault. I should have been more accepting towards you. Then you wouldn't have though that you had f-forced me. Then you wouldn't have had to relive your past. I'm s-sorry, I've caused you trouble."

Squeezing him tighter, I pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his head. "No, Misaki, you're perfect." I gently grabbed his shoulders and turned him so that he faced me. His face was flushed with embarrassment and his eyes were watery. He tried to turn his head away from me, but I held his chin in place. "Without you, I'd truly be nothing. I love you. Whatever did I do to deserve you?"

A tear finally escaped his eye and I rubbed it off his cheek with my thumb. The vulnerability inside of both of us was beginning to weigh down my heart, as it probably was Misaki's as well judging by how emotional he was. With nothing left to do except love the boy standing in front of me, I leaned in to kiss him for the first time in over a month. His breath caught in his chest, but he didn't pull away.