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Nishitani blamed his sulking mood on the grey afternoon that greeted him outside.
The heavy weather made his body ache with the countless wounds he had, and the constant sound of rain hitting his windows calmed his usually cheerful and happy go lucky attitude. He disliked rainy days, the grey sky mocking him as he unwillingly decided to stay inside that afternoon rather than go outside and splash in the pools that formed along the roads of Sotenbori’s bridge; umbrella in hand to prevent the rain from soaking all of him, fighting that feeling that threatened to drag him down the gutters of the city.
The melancholy that run through his veins was worse than any other alcohol, a downer so strong that whenever it caught him without his walls up, it would settle up deep inside his chest and fester like an untreated wound. He disliked feeling so down, his thoughts deep in their knees in unwanted memories, even if he dissuaded them in his own ways, sometimes they would creep up through his shoulders and manifest in nightmares and whispers heard in the dead of night.
He laid on his fancy bed, covered in expensive sheets of soft silk and muted champagne colors. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t sleep, eyes lingering on the panel windows in front of him, bleak grey leaking through as the pitter patter of the rain and distant thunder kept him in a trance. Nishitani was in all words, lost in thought.
“I woulda never thought ya had quiet days, Nishitani.”
A voice woke him up from the trance, turning around to see a familiar face greeting him as it peaked through the door of his room. Even with such a teasing tone, Majima’s comment hid a bit of surprise underneath. It was such a rare thing to see the usually carefree and confident Nishitani covered up in bed, lying on his side, looking as gloomy as the day itself.
“Ah, Majima-kun! Didn’t think ya’d be visitin’ me with this ugly rain outside. Yer definitely a sight for sore eyes.”
Nishitani gave away a smile, not as big or as boisterous as his signature ones, always so full with mischief. He didn’t expect Majima to appear at all, and Nishitani felt a pang of irritation at his own self, lying on his bed while looking lame and meek. It wasn’t his own self at all, and Majima figured in that moment by closely watching Nishitani for a moment, that whatever was ailing him, it wasn’t solely physical injuries.
“Brought ya some oden from the stand outside, heard from one of yer lackies that ya decided to stay in rather than go outside an’ make a scene somewhere again,” Majima set a couple of bags on top of a desk, steam making the plastic bag damp, white sticking against the box with the hot meal. “Figured yer ass didn’t have anythin’ to eat yet, if whatever has got you down is strong enough to keep ya off the streets.”
Majima would’ve never considered that the man he knew had days such as these. It was an all too familiar feeling for him, slouched shoulders and head heavy with thoughts that dragged you down to the depths of the Sotenbori river. Fighting to swim back into the surface through muddled thoughts and painful memories.
He found himself walking towards Nishitani, who looked at him with puzzled eyes and his familiar curved, curious smile. Majima was glad he left his coat on the hanger by the door, sitting right next to Nishitani, eye glued to the window where rain kept hitting against. Sighing and relaxing, he wasn’t eloquent outside of his job, always preferring to be brash whenever finesse wasn’t needed for a work or relationships, so it was nice that he didn’t have to keep up appearances with Nishitani.
They didn’t look at each other, Nishitani’s gaze fixed in the hypnotizing rain outside, the sound of the rain getting stronger, a downpour threatening to drown both of them. When Majima broke the quiet they had been holding for what felt like eternity, it was like a hit from reality itself.
“Whatever ya may be goin’ through, I’ll stay here for ya,” The manager turned to face Nishitani, his expression serious, yet kind at the same time. “it’s always easier to carry on through with someone on yer side.”
Nishitani got taken aback for a second, he would’ve refused, told the manager to get back to his business, herd his hostesses, punch some people in the face, anything but to stay there sitting next to him like a dumbass, just to keep his low-spirited ass comfortable. But the way Majima looked at him, stubborn like a mule with that serious mug, it made him realize that he wouldn’t go away.
He would have also lied to himself if he didn’t find comfort in the idea of Majima being next to him.
“Oh no!! Can’t say no to sucha serious face like yers Majima-kun” Nishitani pretended to be scared, and while his hands were raised in terrified pose, he grinned back at Majima who was rolling his eye at him. “Prepare to stay in ‘ere for a while, cause I’m plannin’ to hog ya all for myself!”
With a swift move, he hooked his arm on Majima’s side, dragging him over the bed and making him lie next to him over the soft covers, bed sinking under both of their weights combined. As the manager fumbled to turn to his side and protest out loud, he felt Nishitani hugging his back, bringing him closer to his chest. The spooning position wasn’t the best one, but Majima didn’t move an inch when he heard Nishitani scoffing on the back of his neck. He was about to call him, tell him the food was going to get cold and that they could both do whatever Nishitani wanted for the rest of the rainy afternoon. But he was cut short by the feeling of Nishitani burying his face against his back, resting close, his arms hugging him just a bit closer than the usual, hands hanging onto him as if Majima was going to drift away. The older yakuza sighed, heavy as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders in a way.
“Thanks for droppin’ by.”
“.... Just don’t squeeze me too much, I’m still on my workin’ clothes y’know.”
“Heh, noted!”
Nishitani smiled against the back of Majima’s hair, lost in the scent of the shampoo he used, arms hanging over him, bringing both closer, feeling each other’s warmth and the way chests rose with a steady and calming breathing. Majima chuckled when he felt Nishitani’s legs in between his, his hands working away at his own bowtie so he could leave it in the furthest corner of the bed. His fingers worked their way up to find Nishitani’s hand, big calloused fingers entwined with his now. A sigh left his lips, shoulders relaxing to the warmth behind him, eye closing readying for a quick nap.
Nishitani closed his eyes as well, finally feeling himself being drifted into a swift sleep, the sound of the rain now but a murmur on the back of his head while he felt a reassuring squeeze from Majima’s hands over his.
His back now turned to the grey window in his room, both of them waiting for the storm to pass and grabbing onto each other through the rain and the depths of Sotenbori.