Saburouta "San-chan" Bandou (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
chickshades) wrote2014-12-06 02:47 am
chickshades) wrote2014-12-06 02:47 am
Entry tags:
Writing Club - Never leave me again
This is a continuation of the piece I wrote for the prompt: CHOICE/CHOICES, that Caitling then continued with their submission for the prompt: DEFEAT.
Shouhei shifted to his side, adjusting the tiny pillow beneath his head just a bit. The couch San-chan had wasn't very big or comfortable, but it'd make do until he was able to find a new job and get back on his feet again. He was just happy San-chan had said yes and let him stay over. Not that he thought he would say no, but he knew how upset he'd been and...
Shouhei sighed, shifting again to roll onto his back. Okay so, the couch wasn't really all that uncomfortable, but if so, why was he having such a hard time falling asleep?
"Weird," he said aloud, but then quickly hushed himself when he heard the creak of footsteps in the hall, and a click of the bathroom light sent a flood of yellow across the living room ceiling.
---
Bandou paused, hand on the light switch. Why had he gotten out of bed again? Oh right, the bathroom. No wait that wasn't it. He hadn't been able to sleep and...
He looked up, seeing the illuminated back of his living room couch. From the hallway you couldn't tell there was anyone sleeping on that couch.
He's there, right? He came back? Of course he did, you saw him, idiot. You opened the door for him and he came in. You gave him a blanket and everything.
Bandou glanced into the bathroom briefly before looking back at the couch.
Maybe just go over and check...
---
Shouhei had been holding his breath, staring up at the light shining across the ceiling.
San-chan turned that light on 37 seconds ago. Now it's been 39 seconds and he hasn't gone in the bathroom yet, what is he doing and... Wait, have I counting this entire time?
He breathed out slowly and quietly. Why didn't he want Bandou to know he was still awake, anyway?
Maybe I should sit up and look over the couch? Maybe he needs something...
There was a huff, and the light suddenly flicked off. Heavier footsteps than had came into the hall, suddenly exited. Alone again, Shouhei relaxed into the couch, turning to see if sleeping on his right side would work.
---
Bandou flopped face-down onto his bed. If he could just fall asleep, he'd wake up tomorrow and Shouhei would be there eating breakfast at the kitchen table and everything would be fine and normal. He wouldn't have to think about the past and remember that day Shouhei had told him he was moving away with his parents. Or all the days that followed where he'd needed someone to lean against and there had been no one.
But Shouhei was here. He'd come back from Sopporro and was asleep on the living room couch, so why couldn't he just fall asleep, himself?
"Uggghhh!!" Bandou groaned loudly into his pillow.
Just go out there and look. You'll see him, you'll know he's there and you'll feel better and then you can sleep. Okay? Alright.
---
Laying on his right side hadn't helped. Shouhei'd been staring at the reflection on the blank T.V. screen for nearly ten minutes now. He sighed. Had he really upset San-chan that much by leaving? His old bosses said he'd been emailing them nearly nonstop. He hadn't meant to hurt San-chan, just wanted to help his mother out, but...
"I'm sorry..." Shouhei whispered to the silhouette of Bandou that slowly appeared on the screen's shiny surface. His eyes widened suddenly when he realized that really was Bandou, who had emerged from his room yet again and was standing in the kitchen.
Apparently, Bandou hadn't heard Shouhei speak, and he bit at his lip wondering if he should repeat his apology. He sat up, slowly, peering over the back of the couch. Bandou was getting a drink of water from the sink.
"San-chan, are you okay?"
"Nothing!" Bandou jumped, answering all too quickly. "I mean, yeah I'm fine! Just getting water..." He choked down the rest of his water before hurriedly shuffling off back to his room.
---
45 minutes later and Shouhei was still restless. After Bandou left the kitchen, Shouhei had laughed and thought, "Same old San-chan." But something was still bothering him. It must have been, because he was still lying here, mind abuzz with concern.
Is San-chan having a hard time sleeping, too? Maybe he always gets up for a drink of water at night. I could go check on him, but... I don't want to wake him if he is asleep. Maybe I'll just talk to him in the morning and--
"Move over," Bandou was standing over Shouhei with two giant pillows in hand and a long comforter trailing behind him.
"Ah! San-chan?" Shouhei startled. He hadn't noticed Bandou enter the living room at all, this time.
"I said move over."
"It's a small couch, San-chan," Shouhei gave his signature smile and laugh, despite his confusion at his friend's request.
"Well, then sit up and make room."
Shouhei obliged and Bandou tossed a pillow into his lap before nestling down next to him and tucking the blanket around them both.
A heavy silence fell between them and Bandou slowly drew his knees up to his chest. Even though he was seated right next to him, if he closed his eyes, it pretty much felt like Shouhei was still gone. He shook the thought out of his head. He had to say something.
"Don't ever do that to me again."
"Ah?" Did Shouhei really need to question what Bandou meant? Probably not, but the silence was broken so abruptly that the expression came out without him even thinking.
"Leave."
"Oh. I don't want to. I missed everyone too much," he paused, smiling his usual smile. "I missed you, San-chan."
Bandou blinked a few times and quickly looked to the side. He was in his pajamas, not covered up like he usually was and well, everything he was feeling was just written all over his face.
Shouhei's smile slipped at Bandou's reaction. He couldn't quite see his face, but he could sense the unease. Was this way San-chan wore those giant sunglasses all the time?
"San-chan...?"
"Shut up--" He knew Shouhei was trying to see the expression in his large, dark eyes, but that said too much; that said everything. But he had to show him something. So, Bandou turned just precisely enough to lean his head dependently against Shouhei's shoulder, "...just don't go anywhere, okay?"
The smile returned to Shouhei's face at the contact. "I won't. We're comrades, remember." That's something San-chan had taught him, all that time ago.
Bandou blinked. That wasn't exactly what he needed to hear but--
"No," Shouhei pondered, and rested his own cheek against the top of Bandou's head. "More like family."
It was silent for a good moment before Bandou finally responded.
"Go to sleep, idiot." It was a typical San-chan response, but Shouhei could tell that he'd said it with a smile.
Shouhei shifted to his side, adjusting the tiny pillow beneath his head just a bit. The couch San-chan had wasn't very big or comfortable, but it'd make do until he was able to find a new job and get back on his feet again. He was just happy San-chan had said yes and let him stay over. Not that he thought he would say no, but he knew how upset he'd been and...
Shouhei sighed, shifting again to roll onto his back. Okay so, the couch wasn't really all that uncomfortable, but if so, why was he having such a hard time falling asleep?
"Weird," he said aloud, but then quickly hushed himself when he heard the creak of footsteps in the hall, and a click of the bathroom light sent a flood of yellow across the living room ceiling.
---
Bandou paused, hand on the light switch. Why had he gotten out of bed again? Oh right, the bathroom. No wait that wasn't it. He hadn't been able to sleep and...
He looked up, seeing the illuminated back of his living room couch. From the hallway you couldn't tell there was anyone sleeping on that couch.
Bandou glanced into the bathroom briefly before looking back at the couch.
---
Shouhei had been holding his breath, staring up at the light shining across the ceiling.
He breathed out slowly and quietly. Why didn't he want Bandou to know he was still awake, anyway?
There was a huff, and the light suddenly flicked off. Heavier footsteps than had came into the hall, suddenly exited. Alone again, Shouhei relaxed into the couch, turning to see if sleeping on his right side would work.
---
Bandou flopped face-down onto his bed. If he could just fall asleep, he'd wake up tomorrow and Shouhei would be there eating breakfast at the kitchen table and everything would be fine and normal. He wouldn't have to think about the past and remember that day Shouhei had told him he was moving away with his parents. Or all the days that followed where he'd needed someone to lean against and there had been no one.
But Shouhei was here. He'd come back from Sopporro and was asleep on the living room couch, so why couldn't he just fall asleep, himself?
"Uggghhh!!" Bandou groaned loudly into his pillow.
---
Laying on his right side hadn't helped. Shouhei'd been staring at the reflection on the blank T.V. screen for nearly ten minutes now. He sighed. Had he really upset San-chan that much by leaving? His old bosses said he'd been emailing them nearly nonstop. He hadn't meant to hurt San-chan, just wanted to help his mother out, but...
"I'm sorry..." Shouhei whispered to the silhouette of Bandou that slowly appeared on the screen's shiny surface. His eyes widened suddenly when he realized that really was Bandou, who had emerged from his room yet again and was standing in the kitchen.
Apparently, Bandou hadn't heard Shouhei speak, and he bit at his lip wondering if he should repeat his apology. He sat up, slowly, peering over the back of the couch. Bandou was getting a drink of water from the sink.
"San-chan, are you okay?"
"Nothing!" Bandou jumped, answering all too quickly. "I mean, yeah I'm fine! Just getting water..." He choked down the rest of his water before hurriedly shuffling off back to his room.
---
45 minutes later and Shouhei was still restless. After Bandou left the kitchen, Shouhei had laughed and thought, "Same old San-chan." But something was still bothering him. It must have been, because he was still lying here, mind abuzz with concern.
"Move over," Bandou was standing over Shouhei with two giant pillows in hand and a long comforter trailing behind him.
"Ah! San-chan?" Shouhei startled. He hadn't noticed Bandou enter the living room at all, this time.
"I said move over."
"It's a small couch, San-chan," Shouhei gave his signature smile and laugh, despite his confusion at his friend's request.
"Well, then sit up and make room."
Shouhei obliged and Bandou tossed a pillow into his lap before nestling down next to him and tucking the blanket around them both.
A heavy silence fell between them and Bandou slowly drew his knees up to his chest. Even though he was seated right next to him, if he closed his eyes, it pretty much felt like Shouhei was still gone. He shook the thought out of his head. He had to say something.
"Don't ever do that to me again."
"Ah?" Did Shouhei really need to question what Bandou meant? Probably not, but the silence was broken so abruptly that the expression came out without him even thinking.
"Leave."
"Oh. I don't want to. I missed everyone too much," he paused, smiling his usual smile. "I missed you, San-chan."
Bandou blinked a few times and quickly looked to the side. He was in his pajamas, not covered up like he usually was and well, everything he was feeling was just written all over his face.
Shouhei's smile slipped at Bandou's reaction. He couldn't quite see his face, but he could sense the unease. Was this way San-chan wore those giant sunglasses all the time?
"San-chan...?"
"Shut up--" He knew Shouhei was trying to see the expression in his large, dark eyes, but that said too much; that said everything. But he had to show him something. So, Bandou turned just precisely enough to lean his head dependently against Shouhei's shoulder, "...just don't go anywhere, okay?"
The smile returned to Shouhei's face at the contact. "I won't. We're comrades, remember." That's something San-chan had taught him, all that time ago.
Bandou blinked. That wasn't exactly what he needed to hear but--
"No," Shouhei pondered, and rested his own cheek against the top of Bandou's head. "More like family."
It was silent for a good moment before Bandou finally responded.
"Go to sleep, idiot." It was a typical San-chan response, but Shouhei could tell that he'd said it with a smile.