Familiar Stranger: CH 12

Chapter 12: Tangled

 

He woke up to dim, warm light and someone's soft breathing. As usual he couldn't really tell the time in here, it could've been midday and he wouldn't know. As if time itself cease to exist.

He tried to shift into a sitting position but was stopped by the arm slung across his midsection, firmly holding him in place. Looking downward he can somewhat make out his companion's silver hair. Apparently, the man had snuggled up to his chest in sleep.

 

He's more or less trapped - torn between moving away (and risk waking him up), or staying there (and deal with these, waves of emotions he doesn't know what to do with).

 

Their relationship has improved, somewhat. Though improve sounds like an understatement, considering what they just did and the aftermath. Despite everything that Rian had told (taught) him about this kind of thing, it still felt foreign. Supposedly it should only happen when both parties know and trusts each other well. Likely after much consideration and time. But then he got reminded of how Takeru used to do it. And he was told it's quite a common thing. Then he got confused so he decided to not think about it.

If so, what are they? Including tonight it's definitely no longer a onetime thing. They certainly have spent quite some time together, though most of it gone to being hyper aware and extremely cautious of each other. Do they trust each other? Maybe, to some degree. He can safely say that Mikage is not him, and he's willing to bet on that. Albeit not without issues of his own.

 

(Of course, he doesn't know what Mikage thinks of him. At least no attempts were made on his life, and he suppose that's a good sign. Not even mentioning how he seems to drop his guard around Ryuga whenever it's just the two of them.)

 

It feels like an unspoken something had passed in between them, some sort of mutual agreement. Over what, he has no idea. But whatever it is, it sure doesn't feel casual. Not at all. But it wasn't that he wants this to happen, more like he was carried away by the currents. Like it was inevitable.

 

(Unconsciously, they seek each other out.)

 

Shifting again, he let his arm fall around the other's shoulder, half returning the hug.

 

"..Don't leave-"

 

So he heard the other man muttered in his sleep, once. He still doesn't know what to make of it. He needs to go back to his place, to his friends. Now there's a small part of him that doesn't want to. He can't bring himself to leave.

 

 

Everything is still frustrating.