Naegami - Responsible

Eight: Recovery

At 3:00 in the morning, Byakuya Togami's phone rang.

Ordinarily he wouldn't pick up. Something as trivial as a phone call wasn't nearly as important as making sure he could function the next morning. But he hardly gave his personal cell phone number out to anyone, and he couldn't imagine who would need to get in touch with him at this hour. He picked up the phone to hear Makoto's voice, panicked.

"How did you get this number?" Byakuya demanded. Despite having pretended to date him for weeks, the only number for Byakuya that Makoto had was his business number.

"You need to come quick." Makoto was clearly upset, but he was keeping himself under control. That was how Byakuya knew something was wrong. Normally that idiot was a walking waterfall who couldn't keep his emotions in check if his life depended on it. "It's Sayaka. She's awake. And I got your number from the school, by the way, which you should've guessed."

Byakuya lay back in bed, feeling inexplicably relieved. "So you're okay. Next time, preface with your actual news. I was beginning to feel a modicum of concern for you."

"Just shut up and get over here!"
Byakuya was taken aback by the forcefulness in the boy's voice. "Why should I come, exactly? I have no obligation to that girl."

"I... I need you here, okay?"

That was the last thing Byakuya had expected to hear. "You what? Don't say such ridiculous nonsense."

"You're the only one I can talk to about this," Makoto said, sounding like he was barely holding back tears. "You're the only one who knows what really happened. And I... I need you. I need someone who understands."

What sentimental garbage is this? He needs me? Give me a break. He can find someone else to cry on the shoulder of. That was what he'd think if it were anyone else, but since it was Makoto...

"It's the same hospital you wound up in after the incident with Toko, correct? I'll be there in ten minutes." He hung up before Makoto could reply and stared at the phone in his hand.

Why did he care whether that loser got emotional support or not? Why would he voluntarily disrupt his sleep cycle to do something so trivial, so meaningless, for someone else?

No. He didn't have time to question it. If he really wanted to get to the hospital in ten minutes, he would need to hurry.

When he arrived, Makoto was pacing around the waiting room, looking anxious, like he hadn't slept in weeks. The moment he saw Byakuya he ran over and embraced him. "I'm so glad you came."

"Yes..." Byakuya tried to pry Makoto away. The physical affection was touching, but he was too worried about Makoto to appreciate it. "Is this really that important? It's not as though you're carrying her life in your hands."

Makoto looked up at him, tears in his eyes. "Yeah, but... I need to know if she forgives me."

"She was the one who did this, not you. You may have inspired her actions, but you never had any malicious intent. Besides, this was what she wanted, was it not?"

Makoto shook his head. "You don't understand. Because she failed she'll need years of physical therapy. Her life as an idol is completely ruined. I destroyed her, and now she has to live with it forever." He buried his face in Byakuya's chest again. "I ruined her entire life..."

"Did you even hear me?" Byakuya snapped. "You had no ill will towards Sayaka. Thus, her actions are entirely on her shoulders for misinterpreting your words. If Sayaka doesn't forgive you, she's a fool."

"Okay..." Makoto pulled away. "I know you're just trying to make me feel better, but you really shouldn't put this on Sayaka. But... thanks anyway." He forced a smile. "You know, you're a really nice guy."

"Shut up, peasant."

The two of them sat down in the waiting room, Makoto looking around anxiously, Byakuya checking his watch every thirty seconds. Minutes passed, then hours. Makoto's yawns started getting more frequent. Every time he tried to close his eyes, though, he shook himself awake.

"What are you doing?" Byakuya demanded the third time he noticed it. "If you can sleep, there's absolutely no reason for you not to."

Makoto slapped himself in the face. "No... I have to be awake when they call us back. I can't let myself take a nap. Sayaka doesn't deserve that."

Byakuya looked at his watch again. It was six in the morning. "Oh, for god's sake," he muttered. "Makoto, there's no point in torturing yourself. You may just be a simple commoner, but you at least deserve the luxury of a few hours sleep."

"But after what I did to Sayaka –"

"Oh, shut up about that!" Byakuya couldn't take Makoto's self-hatred anymore. "You did absolutely nothing wrong, do you hear me? Absolutely nothing. You're a good person. Insufferably good, really. You're kind and forgiving, you're blissfully ignorant to the flaws of others, and you always do your best to help everyone you meet. You deserve so much more than what you're putting yourself through."

Byakuya couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. What was he saying? He'd never shown this level of affection to his parents, let alone a mere classmate. But somehow, he knew he was saying the right thing.

He looked at Makoto, whose eyes were already starting to close. "You... you really are nice, Byakuya..."

Makoto leaned his head against Byakuya's shoulder and fell asleep instantly.

"Idiot," Byakuya muttered. He thought about shoving Makoto off of him, but no – if he'd meant anything he'd said, he would let him rest. Besides, looking down at Makoto's face, peaceful for the first time since he'd arrived... Byakuya couldn't bring himself to disturb that.

Besides, it felt nice. Knowing that Makoto trusted him enough to let his guard down so completely. Feeling his weight as a nonstop confirmation that he wasn't alone.

I'm not alone...

For some reason, tears pricked the corners of Byakuya's eyes. He blinked them away. What was he doing? This kind of behavior was completely unlike him, and in a public place, no less. He couldn't explain why Makoto being by his side provoked so many emotions. He couldn't explain why every time he looked at the smaller boy his heart melted.

Byakuya sat, feeling the comfortable warmth of Makoto's body against him, and waited.