Work Text:
satoru loves video games.
most people didn't know that because it was one of the three facts about himself he considered secrets.
but suguru knew that to be certain.
he knew all of satoru's secrets, like the back of his hand.
he thought it was odd, at first, that someone who was such an open book, had anything worth keeping a secret when everything else was up for grabs. however, the more he learned about satoru's strict upbringing, it made sense.
he was scared of what would happen if people knew what made him truly happy— scared they'd snatch it away just like everything else he indulged in as a child.
it was sad, really...but if it had to be this way, suguru liked being the only one who knew all of satoru's secrets.
-
he had been playing his guitar a lot recently, it was the first thing that caught suguru's attention.
satoru was actually quite skilled at playing the piano, as he was forced to take lessons as a kid and naturally excelled at them. he used his knowledge of music from those teachings to learn how to play the guitar suguru bought him in high school. the gift was intended to be an extremely overpriced joke (a client once told the duo that he didn't recognize them because: "you look like rock band rejects, how the fuck was i supposed to know?"). however, over the years, he's really taken a liking to the instrument. he'd strum it sometimes while waiting for suguru to come to bed or would take part of his lunch break to learn a new pink floyd riff— suguru found it incredibly endearing.
so he snapped a picture on his phone.
satoru giggled, offput by the loud shutter sound effect from suguru's phone, "why?"
he looked up from his phone in his lap, "you have this little smile you do when you get a difficult part right, and i wanted to capture it."
his expression fell blank so suguru turned the phone so he could see the image.
he turned back to the guitar with red cheeks, "you're so cheesy, 'guru."
two days later, he had brought home a new book from the school's library.
his blue eyes were glued to the book so much that suguru never saw it closed long enough to catch the title, author, or topic.
one night, when he was cooking dinner and satoru was reading at the table, he finally just asked.
"what are you reading?"
"'the universe that surrounds us' by william a. bradfield..." he set the book down and sat on the countertop next to suguru, "did you know that saturn's rings are actually just collections of asteroids, shattered moon pieces, and comets? they're not like gasses or anything special," he hummed.
"so... they're just rocks?"
satoru wiped the flour off of his cheek with his thumb, "just rocks. isn't that interesting?"
suguru admired the child-like joy in his gaze and the softness of his features.
his legs stopped kicking in the air after a few seconds, "what?"
he went back to shaping the dough, "nothing...just rocks," he grinned.
they both knew satoru could see through his lie like he could see through everything else, but he simply shrugged, brought his book over to the counter, and read in silence again.
every few minutes, satoru would mention a new fact he enjoyed that would inevitably fly over his partner's head for the nth time. if it was anyone else, he would've made his confusion known in an instant, but with satoru he didn't mind as long as he got to admire that look in his bright eyes again.
those were the first indicators to suguru, but he decided today that his hunch was correct.
suguru looked up from his laptop and checked the time.
"i'll be in the game room, if you need me!"
it had been five hours since he had last seen satoru come out for food or water, which meant he had probably fallen asleep playing video games again.
suguru found him curled up on the couch with his favorite black outer space blanket laying over him.
his eyes had dark circles under them making suguru frown.
"why don't you ever tell me when you're upset?"
suguru picked the gojo boy up with his blanket and carried him to bed.
satoru was trained to be the weapon the world needed and weapons don't complain. but for someone who knew satoru's secrets, it was obvious to suguru. he had known satoru was stressed and had been for about a week now, but he wanted him to tell him.
he brought his pale knuckles up to his mouth and kissed them one at a time while satoru slept.
"i thought it'd pass," he mumbled, vibrant eyes fluttering open.
suguru continue to stroke his hand, "you always do."
a few long minutes passed, the only sound coming from the bed sheets as suguru went to hold his crying boyfriend. satoru's shoulders shook unevenly against his chest with each quiet sob.
"it's hard, suguru," he said when he finally stopped.
"i know and i know you wanted to tell me,"
"but it always feels stupid."
he brought his hand to the other's hair, "it never is, satoru."
"i don't tell you this enough but i really do love you a lot."
his heart still soared everytime he said it.
"and i love you more."
his secrets were simple:
satoru plays the guitar to help clear his mind.
satoru likes to read astronomy textbooks.
and satoru loves video games.
"tell me some more about saturn," suguru smiled.