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Bachira was having a bad day.
Not the type of bad day where it’s ruined by one bad thing and you mope around about it for a while. No, bachira was having a /bad/ day. A day that starts right when you wake up, or in his case, even before then. It started with a nightmare. He was thrown back into the worst days of his life, when he was lonely, when the kids at his school would spread rumors about him to the point he almost stopped showing up at all. Those years of his life were hell. Reliving it wasn’t fun, especially when it felt so real in his dreamscape. He’s lucky he’s not in that place anymore, he’s lucky he is now surrounded by friends who love him. But even still, that nightmare sent him back and it threw his emotions all over the place.
He had woken up in a cold sweat, the bitter feeling of helplessness settled in his heart. The echoes of their voices and their teasing and their words bounced around in his head. It was an awful, awful feeling. Bachira hadn’t felt this like in such a long time it was almost foreign. But the more it set, the worse it felt. It was a festering feeling, now that it was rooted in his heart it would not budge, an invasive species that refused to go away. It was too early for this, way too early, Bachira hated waking up early. But every time he closed his eyes to go back to sleep he saw them and their hateful smiles and pointed fingers. He heard their scornful laughs and sharp words.
Bachira drew his arms around his own body, pulled his legs up, and covered himself with a blanket. He was trying to simulate warm to combat all the cold feelings sweeping him up. He knew it was really bad when the tears started springing up. His heart hurt, everything hurt, and he just wanted it to be over. But bad days are long days. Bachira knew that the hard way. So he rested his chin on top of his knees and let a sigh leave his lips. He sunk deeper and deeper into his covers and tried to forget, even if he knew he could never. Even bad days end though, he knew that in the best way he could, but with the way he ached right now, it felt like this would last forever.
Bachira was having a bad, bad day and he didn’t think anything could stop it.
-
Isagi knew something was wrong. He knew the moment his phone buzzed with a text from Bachira and there were no emojis in the text.
‘I’m not coming today, sorry, something came up.’
It was the most un-Bachira-like text Isagi had ever received from the other boy. There were no exclamation points or emojis in sight and immediately, Isagi knew something was wrong. The two of them were supposed to meet up with the rest of their friends for a fun outing at the new mall that opened up. Bachira was the most excited out of all of them for the day, considering they haven’t all seen each other in a while. It was different for Isagi and Bachira though, they hung out together a lot. Isagi spent some of his best time passing soccer balls in the yard of his house with Bachira, just chatting and having a good time. Even thinking about it brought a smile to the black haired boy's face, a blush too.
But this text, this text meant something was wrong. Isagi didn’t know what it was, but he could feel it. This wasn’t a text from the Bachira he knew, the Bachira he… Well that’s a different story for a different time. So Isagi decided he’d do something about it.
He quickly texted all his friends, told them there was a change of plans. Instead of meeting at the mall, they’d meet at Bachira’s house. Once everyone realized something might be wrong with their favorite yellow-highlighted haired friend, everyone was immediately ready to change plans. Everyone knew Bachira had a rocky past and that he was very good at masking any negative emotion with a smile. So they were all incredibly ready to go and see what might be wrong with the other boy. It made Isagi smile, knowing just how good a group his friends were.
If Bachira was having a bad day, Isagi was ready to do anything to fix it.
-
Bachira has barely gotten out of bed all day.
He got up once for water, his throat was dry for the crying he did all morning. He tried not to, he really did. But the image of his classmates leaving the soccer field the minute he showed up to play kept running through his head. The feeling of absolute loneliness he felt that day resurfaced, and Bachira can handle his emotions really well usually. Usually he can push them down, but today just really wasn’t his day. And since he cancelled on his friends and his mom was out of town for the week he just, let himself cry. It was a good cry, the therapeutic kind. Fat tears rolled down his cheeks and sobs wracked his body and he cried and cried until his cover was soaked in tears. He put every negative emotion and every hateful thought into this cry, and it felt good. It felt good not to hold back for once. So he got to get water for his raw throat from the cry, but by the time he reached the kitchen, the good feeling subsided. It was pushed away quickly by the reality that was, he was still alone right now.
He had cancelled on his friends hastily because he wasn’t sure he would be able to even handle a day out feeling this he did. He told Isagi, but the other boy hadn’t even responded. It had sent Bachira into a spiral. ‘Maybe they don’t care about me, maybe they’ll leave just like everyone else.’ Exhausting thoughts like that plagued him and they were the reason he went back in bed again. In his bed he was safe, surrounded by warm fluffy blankets, soft comfy pillows, and cute stuffed animals. His favorite was the small blue dolphin sat right next to him, a gift from Isagi. He hugged it close to his chest when he sunk back down into the bed, it reminded him there was someone out there who really got him.
Isagi was unlike anyone Bachira had met. He made friends everywhere he went, he had this thing about him that just made people want to be around him. He was like a pretty planet and Bachira was just one of the many moons that got caught in his orbit. Through Isagi Bachira had made so many more friends. People who he cared for unconditionally. Isagi was so precious to Bachira, in more ways than one. Bachira wished he didn’t cancel, he’d give anything to have his friends here with him. But instead he was alone and all those familiar old feelings were settling back into him.
Bachira had made the final decision to just settle in his bed the rest of the day and watch something mindless on his TV. Maybe he would get up to get something to eat, but he had snacks in his room he could survive off of. What he hadn’t expected, was for the doorbell to ring just as he sat back down. He had no idea who could be at his house at this time of day and he had the idea of just not answering, but then it rang again and he knew he couldn’t ignore it this time.
So Bachira stood, his eyes were still red from crying, hair a mess from being in bed, and he was still in his sunflower pajamas from last night. He looked like a mess, but whoever was behind the door would just have to deal with it.
He slowly made his way down the stairs when the doorbell rang for the third time. It was getting annoying at this point, Bachira was tired and he was sad and he just wanted to be sad and tired alone in his room, was that too much to ask for? Apparently it was for whoever couldn’t stop ringing his damn doorbell. When he finally reached the door, he opened it quickly, ready to yell at whoever was bothering him, until he saw who it was.
Standing in front of him was Isagi. Behind Isagi stood, Chigiri, Kunigami, Rin, Nagi, and Reo. All his friends were standing, crowding around his door. His friends were the one obnoxiously ringing his doorbell multiple times. His friends had come to check up on him when he said he wasn’t coming. His friends really cared about him.
Tears started springing up in his eyes again.
“Bachira? Are you okay?” Isagi said, worry written all over his face. Worry was written all over everyone’s face as they stared at him. And it hit Bachira in that moment that, even when he was by himself, he was never alone. He had people surrounding him who cared about him now. People who, if asked, would come and be there for him no matter what. It warmed up his heart and he wanted to cry. But these weren’t sad tears, no, they were tears of unbridled joy. He was usually good at hiding his emotions but with all his friends here just for him, just to make sure he was okay, he couldn’t hold back.
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Kunigami spoke up, all of them now looked even more worried. Even Rin seemed upset at the fact that Bachira was crying, and Rin barely ever showed any emotion at all. It made Bachira feel warm, just knowing there were people who were there and that they cared.
“I’m fine, these are happy tears I promise.” He managed to reply, wiping the tears from his cheeks. “I’ve been having a really bad day, but you all made it so much better just by being here, so thank you.” He said, smiling brightly now. He met eyes with each of his friends to reassure them that yes, he’s okay now. He’s okay because they were here. It seemed to put them all at ease. Especially Isagi, who couldn’t take his eyes off Bachira the minute the door opened.
-
It had been hours. Hours since his friends had showed up at his door. An hour since one of the worst days for Bachira turned into one of the best.
First he had let them all come inside and make themselves at home. This seemed easy for Nagi who immediately stretched out onto his couch like he was going to nap. It took Reo dragging him off so there would be more room to sit for Nagi to even think of moving. The rest spread themselves out accordingly, Reo joined Nagi on the couch, when Reo sat down Nagi threw his legs over the others lap. It made Reo roll his eyes but the other was secretly very endeared by the actions of his best friend. Kunigami and Chigiri took the two bean bag chairs in the corner. They pretended no one saw them push them together so they could sit closer with their pinkies secretly locked. Rin and Isagi sat next to Bachira on the floor. Rin wouldn’t say it outloud, but this was his best attempt at trying to comfort Bachira. He wasn’t good with words and he knew this, but he also knew Bachira felt extra calm in his presence for some reason, so Rin would at least try. He let Bachira rest his head on his shoulder if he wanted or throw himself against him when he laughed. Bachira was the type to laugh with his whole body, Rin found it adorable (another thing he wouldn’t admit. Isagi did the same, even with all of Bachira’s assurance that he was fine, he still wasn’t fully convinced. He wanted to stay at the other’s side, be someone he could lean on. If Bachira wasn’t leaning on Rin he was on Isagi. None of the three noticed but everyone else did and they all shook their head in the process. It was quite obvious just how much the three cared for each other, it would be easier if they just admitted it already.
When everyone was settled, Bachira had first opened up about how he felt. It was hard at first. He had never spilled so much to anyone ever. But his friends made it easy. Rin kept a steady hand on the small of Bachira’s back, a constant reassurance that kept him grounded. Isagi held his hand, rubbing small patterns into the back of his hand with his thumb, a small comfort that kept Bachira going. Reo, Nagi, Chigiri, and Kunigami listened. They listened intently and when he was done gave him words of encouragement. Kunigami told him that no matter what, they would be there to help him if he needed it. Chigiri said that if Bachira ever needed to rant he would happily listen. Nagi told him to forget the losers who ignored him because they were missing out on having an amazing friend in Bachira. Reo said if he wanted he would have his bodyguards find the bullies and beat them up. That made them all laugh and from then on, that’s what they did all night.
They ordered food, played games, had a mario kart tournament (Nagi demolished them all) and then watched a movie together. Bachira hadn’t laughed as hard as he did tonight in a very long time. From Isagi’s overreactions to being beaten by Nagi three times in a row to Kunigami and Chigiri arguing over minuscule things until one of them caved to Reo threatening to sue each one of them if they kept beating him in games. It was fun, so much fun. Bachira spent all day having an absolute blast with the people he loved the most in the world. He got extra pampered by Rin who kept complaining he wasn’t eating enough, Isagi who kept extra close all night with the excuse that he was cold and Bachira was a human heater (he was but Isagi just wanted to cuddle).
By the time it got late, everyone had just decided to stay over. Nagi was the first to fall asleep as usual. This meant free reign for the others to draw all over his face and post it all over social media. Even Rin had to laugh at the ridiculous whiskers and glasses Chigiri drew on Nagi’s face. Reo tried to stop them, truly he did, but this was the price to pay when you fall asleep first and there was no stopping Chigiri once he got going. Kunigami was quick to follow after, passed out on the bean bag chair. For some reason (not some reason, everyone knew the reason) Chigiri didn’t feel like drawing on his face though. Reo was next, falling asleep on top of Nagi who took up the whole couch. It wasn’t the first time Nagi and Reo fell asleep cuddling though, it certainly wouldn’t be the last either. Chigiri was quick to follow, but he went to Bachira’s bed upstairs. He’d sleepover but not at the expense of his own comfort, Bachira just giggled at him and said to go ahead.
Bachira himself was too caught up with very heavy heads on his shoulder. Rin on his left, Isagi on his right. They had fallen asleep on his at some point in the night, Rin was holding on tightly to Bachira’s hand, head fit perfectly in the crook of his neck. Isagi had his arms wrapped snugly around Bachira’s waist, his head also fit in the crook of the others neck. Rin mumbled in his sleep and it took everything in Bachira not to coo at the other. Isagi snored slightly in his sleep, some might find it annoying, Bachira thought it was just extra cute.
Bachira didn’t fall asleep until the second movie ended, he was still too excited from the events of the day. Ever since his friends showed up, there was a permanent smile on his face. What started as one of the worst days, ended in him being the happiest he had been in a while. He was filled with warmth and love. Surrounded by his friends and the two boys who held his heart, Bachira thought whenever he felt sad again, he knew he would have someone to call. The bitter feelings that rooted themselves in his heart when he woke up had been uprooted and destroyed by happiness. Bachira fell asleep that night with a smile on his face and pure joy in his heart.
Whenever he told the story of today, he would recall it as one of his happiest.
-fin-