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Yuuta let out a long, drawn-out breath as he wearily trudged into his dimly lit apartment, the heavy door creaking shut behind him. His body was wracked with exhaustion, each step feeling like a monumental effort. It seemed like he had been slogging through the day for an eternity, his mind and body both pushed to their limits.
'Just keep up the act a little longer'
'Just keep playing the victim'
'No one has suspected anything yet.'
Despite the gloom of the apartment, Yuuta felt a welcome chill as the cool air from the air conditioner washed over him, soothing his hot skin. He leaned against the door, his eyes closed as he savored the feeling of relief, even if it was only temporary.
'He must have turned it on while I was gone..'
he nonchalantly tossed his bag onto the plush couch, the dull thud of its impact echoing through the quiet room. He then kicked off his shoes, before leisurely making his way towards his room, the floorboards creaking softly under his weight.
Yuuta hesitates before his bedroom door, his hand resting on the doorknob. He takes a deep breath and slowly turns the knob, pushing the door open with a creaking sound. The room is dimly lit by the soft glow of a lamp on his desk. As he steps inside, he notices the faint scent of lavender and vanilla from the scented candles on his dresser.
He takes a few quiet steps into the dimly lit room, his eyes adjusting to the soft glow of the moon seeping through the window. As he turns his head towards the bed, the sight of his beloved, Toge's sleeping soundly fills him with a sense of calm. He takes a moment to appreciate the details of the scene― the slow and steady rise and fall of Toge's chest, the way their hair falls softly across their face, the gentle curve of their nose and lips. He feels a rush of warmth spread through his body as he gazes at Toge's peaceful form, undisturbed in their slumber. The soft rustle of the sheets and the occasional creak of the floorboards are the only sounds that break the stillness of the night. A small smile forms on his lips, as he feels his heart swell.
With gentle movements, he carefully climbs onto the bed, his weight causing the mattress to dip slightly. He slowly moves over Toge's body, taking in the sight of his peaceful face. As he leans down, planting a soft tender kiss on Toge's nose. He then reaches out to brush some loose strands of hair away from his partner's face, tucking them behind his ear with a gentle touch. Every move is careful as if Toge's a diamond.
As Yuuta's eyes roam over his form, they come to rest on the shock collar that encircles his neck like a cruel, metallic serpent. A pained expression clouds Yuuta's face as he recalls the events of last month. The memory is vivid in his mind's eye― Toge's screams as the collar delivered its jolts of electricity, and his own impotent rage and sadness.
He still doesn't understand why Iunmaki would ever try to leave him.
"Y..Yuuta?"
As soon as Yuuta hears Toge's shaky voice, he startles and jumps, his heart beating faster. He then looks up, his eyes meeting Toge's slightly opened, mesmerizing Amethyst-colored eyes. The sound of Toge's voice is soothing and gentle, like a lullaby, and Yuuta feels his body calming down as he listens.
Yuuta approached Toge's with a soft whisper, "Ah, did I wake you? I'm sorry." As he spoke, he lifted his hand and caressed Iunmaki's cheek with a gentle stroke. His hand was so big that it almost covered the entire cheek. Toge flinched, the sight made Yuuta frown, as he continued to stroke Toge's cheek.
'Still no progress.'
"How about, I go make us some dinner, you must be hungry, right?"
Toge nods. Yuuta smiles, he gets up from the bed and starts walking towards the living room with Toge trailing closely behind him. The sound of their footsteps echoes through the hallway as they―well, Yuuta, heads to the kitchen.
Toge, instead sank into the plush cushions of the sofa and reached for the remote, his fingers brushing against the cool plastic. With a soft click, the television flickered to life, illuminating the dimly lit room. The news came on, and a weatherman appeared on the screen, gesturing at a map with a laser pointer. Toge couldn't remember the last time he had watched the news; Yuuta rarely allowed him to watch TV anymore, let alone something as serious as the news.
"Welcome to News for the Night Owls, where we bring you stories that matter. I'm your host for the night, and tonight we have an emotionally gripping story to share with you. It's a story about a person who has gone missing, and their loved ones are desperately seeking answers, hoping to find any clues that can lead to their safe return." The news anchor gracefully tucked her hair behind her ear. "As you can see on the screen behind me," She says, softly as an image of the person pops up, "this is the face of inuma-"
The tv shuts off.
Toge swiftly turned his head, sensing a looming presence behind him. As he looked up, he saw Yuuta standing tall, his eyes piercing through him. In his hand, he held the TV remote, grasping it tightly as if it could shatter at any moment. The tension in the air was palpable, and Toge felt a sense of unease wash over him.
"Dinner is ready."
As Yuuta makes his way towards the dinner table, Toge acknowledges his presence with a curt nod and follows him. He takes a seat and slides his chair up to the table, admiring he a fresh plate of steaming okonomiyaki in frout of him. its savory aroma filling his nostrils and making his mouth water in anticipation.
He hasn't eaten in so a few days.
Toge hesitates to eat the food in front of him. He feels conflicted, as he knows that if he indulges in it, he will only be fueling Yuuta's delusion. As he looks down at his lap, he can sense Yuuta's gaze fixated on him, making him all the more uncomfortable.
The few mouthfuls he had tasted incredible, and his empty stomach needed more.
But he couldn't .
"don’t like it? Did I make it too salty?" Toge doesn't answer.
“I’ll do better next time,” Yuuta reassured him, and the silence stretched across the table between them.
'Yuuta..' Toge sighed,
'Please let me go o-'
"I think it's time for bed," Yuuta abruptly cuts Toge off, his chair making the floorboards screech as he did.
Toge couldn't do anything but nod.
Yuuta followed Toge stealthily, slipping into the cover beside him. He turned on his side and listened intently as the door to the bedroom slowly creaked open, filling the room with a soft, eerie sound. Toge's heart raced with anticipation as he waited for Yuuta to join him. The bed dipped slightly as Yuuta laid down beside him, the warmth of his body sending shivers down Toge's spine.
Toge knows that he shouldn't like it, he couldn't help but feel the sense of warmth that Yuuta brings him.
Yuuta's strong arms wrapped around Toge's waist, pulling him closer to him as they both laid there in silence.
Toge could feel himself get more tired and tried, his eyelids becoming heavier and heavier.
In Yuuta's arms once more, he falls asleep.
Nuzzling into his hair, Yuuta gently kisses him on the neck.
"I love you, Toge."