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It’s nearly nine thirty in the night when it happens.
A spoonful of noodles is on its way into Ajax’s mouth before he hears the most familiar chime from his phone — a cute little sound he’d handpicked of a cat’s meow for Kunikuzushi’s messages.
His mind blanks for a moment, staring at his lit up screen that slowly fades to black again, mouth wide open, along with his wide-eyed stare.
Kunikuzushi never texts at this time.
Usually, he says his goodnights by eight, in the usual form of “gn”, or a full “goodnight” if he’s feeling good. Not that he actually goes to sleep, Ajax knows this, but rather… to take time to himself.
So, receiving a message over an hour past that time meant trouble. And Ajax isn’t about to sit around to find out.
Quickly, he shoves the spoon into his mouth, picking his phone up to answer the text.
kuni 9:19pm
hey
ajax 9:21pm
i’m coming
He shovels the rest of the noodles into his mouth at an nearly alarming pace for anyone but him, mind already wandering even as he lifts the bowl to his mouth to finish the soup.
He leaves the mess in his sink, deciding he can clean up later, or whenever he comes back from Kunikuzushi’s place, picking his bag up and stuffing two cup noodles and his bottle into it. He glances at the half-finished papers strewn over his desk, hesitating with a hand on the doorknob… but decides against it, closing the door behind him.
And soon he’s running for the bus as it nearly passes him by, seating himself somewhere at the very end as he fishes his phone out and opens Kunikuzushi’s chat again.
ajax 9:34pm
have u eaten?
kuni 9:34pm
no
He then opens the food delivery app and orders a medium sized pizza from the nearby pizza store for them both.
It doesn’t take long for him to spot the place Kunikuzushi lives in, alighting once the bus stops and he makes his way to the building, jamming his fingers into the elevator buttons as soon as he’s in the tiny lift.
Sixth floor. Fourth door down the left.
He’s memorized it by heart.
Or, well, it could be more of a motor skill, actually, as he instinctively walks by, unconsciously counting before he makes a stop at Kuni’s door.
He rings the doorbell, mostly to tell his boyfriend that he’s here now — though he has the keys stuffed into the zip of his bag. Then he rings it a second time, and then a third in quick succession, hoping to probably piss the little man on the other side.
The door swings open, and as expected, someone greets him from the inside. Yet he falters, his small smile falling off his face when he sees the wet glare Kunikuzushi delivers, almost lacking its usual intensity and harshness as he steps back and lets the door close in his face once more.
Ajax pushes the door open on his own and is met with Kunikuzushi’s retreating back, huddled in a blanket wrapped tightly about his shoulders as he returns to his sofa to sink into it.
He closes the door and quickly makes his way over to his boyfriend, heart clenching with a pang when Kunikuzushi buries himself tighter into his blanket.
“Baby,” he tries, dropping his bag onto the floor and then blinking when Kunikuzushi glares at him for that. Right. Oops, he forgot he doesn’t like when he leaves things lying around.
Obediently, he leaves his little bag lying against the side of the couch before trying to gather Kunikuzushi into his arms. His boyfriend looks away, avoiding his gaze as he leans in to press their cheeks together.
“Asshole,” Kunikuzushi mumbles, huffing. “Didn’t you bring your fucking keys?”
“I did.” Ajax answers, hands already roaming, patting at his mussed violet hair, smoothing over his shoulders, arms wrapping around his waist before his face buried into the side of his neck. Kunikuzushi tolerates the attention, his breathing shallow but slowly evening out as his boyfriend rubs encouraging circles into his back.
Ajax presses kisses to his head, whispering quiet repeats of “Breathe, baby, breathe,” as he feels the erratic thud of Kunikuzushi’s pulse beneath his lips.
Kunikuzushi merely shakes his head, sagging against him after a few moments of stiffness, reluctantly seeking the affection Ajax showers him with as he tries to calm down.
Thumbs swipe under his eyes, catching the few tears gathered there and he tries to beat his despair back, the growing pit in his chest only turning more and more hollow by the second when he finally feels it.
Kunikuzushi turns his head and presses his face into Ajax’s shoulder, surprising the both of them as he tries to breathe deeply, though the air doesn’t fill his lungs the way it’s supposed to and he’s left gasping for breath as he loses his ability to speak.
“I’m here, I’m here,” Ajax murmurs, unwinding the blanket to settle it more comfortably over them both. “I’ve got you, Kuni.”
His heart aches and he isn’t able to reply, to snap back like he usually does, to fight with Ajax like they normally do, see his blue eyes glow with danger and feel his own irritation prick at him.
Instead he feels desperate as he spirals, his stomach turning and he feels the need to heave. “Ajax,” he tries to say but it comes out more like a breath, a gasp, than anything else, and his boyfriend catches him, sweetly kissing at his nose and tear-stained cheeks, brushing at his hair to press one to his forehead as well.
He doesn’t realize he’s crying again until Ajax makes another cooing baby noise and wipes at his cheeks again. The younger hums an old Snezhnayan lullaby, one he’s been told that Ajax’s mother used to sing to him as a child before he’d been pushed out of the country for further education in fighting techniques.
“You’re… so bad at this,” Kunikuzushi rasps after awhile, and it’s the biggest lie he’s ever told — because there’s nowhere safer than to be in Ajax’s arms.
Ajax’s chest rumbles with a small laugh, fingers running through his hair almost softly. He feels tiny, like Ajax is the sun with all his warmth and stupid smiles, in his warm embrace, his little whispers of praise. “You little shit,” Ajax says, and Kunikuzushi feels like he’s gotten some resemblance of normality back.
The pizza arrives a little after Kunikuzushi calms down enough that Ajax deigns it alright to have him huddle on the sofa alone to answer the door.
He fishes a few notes out of his wallet and tells the (thankful) delivery person to keep the change as tip as he retrieves the box and closes the door.
Kunikuzushi’s dining counter is clean and free of mess, as always, and Ajax sets the box down on the table. A curious Kunikuzushi approaches the food warily, raising his brows at him.
Ajax shrugs. “Pizza seemed like the only viable option.”
Then he takes the noodles from his bag, and Kunikuzushi eyes those as well. “I have these, though. Your favourite.”
He goes to look through Kunikuzushi’s admittedly poorly stocked cabinets and fridge for food, and ends up making a cup of tea for him, then preparing the cup noodles himself.
He returns to a Kuni who munches on a slice of pizza in silence, though this time it’s a much more comfortable one than a quietly brooding Kuni. He looks like he’s lost in savouring the taste of the pizza, though Ajax will never let slip that he recognizes the content expression on his face.
His blanket is folded neatly and placed to the side in favour of having an admittedly late dinner, and he watches as Ajax settles opposite him and grabs a slice for himself.
They eat, mostly in silence, occasionally broken by Ajax’s random chatter before they trail off into silence, and then Ajax offers a cup of steaming hot noodles to a salivating Kunikuzushi, whose resolve to stay unresponsive withers at the scent of his favourite instant ramen, chopsticks haphazardly stabbed into the pile and Kunikuzushi has no mind to tell him off about doing that.
He eats the noodles, almost entirely unaware of the way Ajax stops eating just to gaze at him with an almost sickeningly lovely smile.
“Stop that,” he says after finishing a few mouthfuls of the ramen, but it’s half-hearted because he doesn’t actually care. (It makes him feel embarrassed. And… flustered. But only a little bit. Really.) Then he’s too busy helping himself to another few bites of noodles to really make sure Ajax doesn’t continue looking at him like that. Of course, he doesn’t forget his manners. The way he eats is still every bit dainty, and Ajax feels the need to laugh at the sight of his clearly starving-for-ramen boyfriend taking his time blowing at the noodles and trying to remember his food etiquette.
You’re so cute, Ajax wants to say, in the honest way he always is, but he bites the words on the tip of his tongue back, in case Kuni flares up and refuses to eat altogether just to avoid further scrutiny from him.
He eats his own noodles, and Kunikuzushi sighs as he finishes his cup, drinking some of its soup and smiling slightly.
The sight makes Ajax want to laugh again in pure delight, because the older doesn’t often grace him with genuine smiles.
When Ajax is done with his noodles, Kunikuzushi is standing right next to his chair and picking the last slice up. Ajax raises a brow at him. “What?”
Kunikuzushi shrugs. “I can’t finish this,” he retorts, almost defensively, and prods at Ajax’s sealed lips with the tip of the pizza. “That means you have to.”
Ajax wraps his arms around his waist to pull him closer with a shit-eating grin, careful not to touch his clothes with his dirty fingers. “Aw, do you want me to feed you through an open mouthed kiss? How cute, Kuni— hmmgh!”
Kunikuzushi stuffs the slice into his mouth without mercy and then wrestles out of his grip to pack the table, leaving Ajax pouting after him.
“You’re fucking gross,” his boyfriend calls out as he goes to discard the trash, and Ajax sulks in his seat.
No going onto the bed without a shower, rule number one.
No touching anything with your hands dirty, rule number two.
No leaving belongings messily around, rule number three.
Ajax rinses his hands with water and lathers it with soap, trying to make sure all the oil from his fingers are cleaned off as Kunikuzushi busies himself with wiping at the table.
He’s so lost in his thoughts that Kunikuzushi’s sudden reappearance beside him makes him jump.
“Hey.” His short little baby scowls, switching the tap he’s been letting run off. “I’m charging all that you’ve wasted on my water to your account.”
“Okay,” Ajax agrees without a second thought, and Kunikuzushi slaps at his arm. It doesn’t hurt at all, and they both know this, causing the older to storm away as Ajax smirks.
“Do you have classes tomorrow?” Kunikuzushi asks from the doorway to his bedroom, and Ajax stares longingly after him.
Are you staying the night?
Yes, Ajax has classes tomorrow. And they’re all in the morning.
But the vulnerable look from before doesn’t leave Kunikuzushi’s eyes — his blanket is wrapped around him again, and his expression is dark, quiet in a way that’s different from the uptight, snarky and stony boy he’s always known, and Ajax reflectively says, “No classes tomorrow.”
Kunikuzushi visibly sags with relief.
Or, it’s only visible to Ajax himself, because Kunikuzushi doesn’t bat an eye, merely giving a short nod and going to his room to dig for Ajax’s belongings.
Ajax comes by to sleep sometimes, when they’ve been apart for too long, or when Kunikuzushi needs his company, which is why he gave him a key to his house, and Ajax did the same in return. Kunikuzushi pops in at random times occasionally, usually with a message in advance — or more specifically when he’s already at the door, with obscure things such as:
kuni 4:48pm
i’m outside
ajax 4:48pm
outside????
kuni 4:48pm
outside your door dumbass
ajax 4:49pm
HUHWHAT
And then Kunikuzushi would unlock the door and enter to see a dumbfounded Ajax. He would then make himself comfortable around the house and tidy some of Ajax’s things for him. Before deciding whether he wanted to sleep over or not. Without Ajax’s explicit permission, by the way.
(He didn’t need it, because both would allow either to sleep over at any point in time — it is merely their unspoken agreement of sorts, built upon the steady foundations of their relationship.)
So yes, they keep a few belongings in each other’s homes.
Ajax takes a shower.
He scrubs himself clean of any dirt and unwanted negativity, ready to spend a night with his beloved in his arms… even though the situation seemed to be quite dire, seeing as Kunikuzushi had reacted so strangely, there are barely any options to consider as to what could have triggered such an onslaught of anxiety and panic in him.
Ajax has more than an inkling as to why.
He finally steps into Kunikuzushi’s room, which is already darkened in preparation to sleep. Ajax crouches next to Kunikuzushi’s head until his boyfriend blearily opens his eyes to blink at him, before nodding slightly; giving him permission to sleep in his bed with him.
Ajax smiles and presses a kiss to Kunikuzushi’s nose, to which the latter grimaces and draws back slightly to hide under his covers.
The ginger climbs into the he bed and slides himself into the blanket next to him — a truly difficult and challenging task for someone as tall as him, for Kunikuzushi has stolen most of the soft blanket for himself — but he manages, an arm wrapping around the smaller to pull him against his chest with a leg thrown over his hip.
Kunikuzushi breathes, and Ajax sighs and nuzzles against his head as a Thank you.
Cold fingers land on his arm, tracing over a scar of his lightly, almost absent-mindedly, and Kunikuzushi pulls the blanket tighter against them both.
When it becomes obvious that neither of them are going to sleep, Ajax tentatively asks, “Want to talk about it?”
Kunikuzushi scoffs, before breaking off into a mocking laugh. But he doesn’t say anything, and Ajax rubs at his chest soothingly. Kunikuzushi grips him back, his hold tight, as if he’s afraid to let go. He doesn’t turn to face him, doesn’t turn to look at him. Ajax feels his heartbeat trip over itself in its haste.
It takes a while before Kunikuzushi opens his mouth again.
Ajax can feel his bitterness, his anger — his hurt, his fear, as he struggles to speak.
“My… she called.” He says, voice not soft but quiet, so extremely quiet even the silence of the room seems louder than the timid way he’s speaking.
Kunikuzushi doesn’t look at him.
“In the afternoon,” he clarifies. “I was… completing my work. I didn’t realize she’d called me until I checked my phone a few hours later.”
Ajax hums in understanding.
“That vixen messaged me after. She told me there would be a family dinner for an Inazuman custom… they want me back home for it.”
The grip turns stifling.
Ajax hears the tremor in his voice before he feels the silent sob tear through Kunikuzushi’s chest.
“I don’t want to go.”
He finally turns around, and Ajax welcomes him in a tight hug and strokes his hair softly as Kunikuzushi cries in silence.
“Ajax. I…” He breathes, pressing his face into his shirt, “I nearly… changed my number because they’d gotten to me, this afternoon. But if I did, you wouldn’t be able to contact me, so… please.”
He doesn’t know what he’s asking for.
“Please,” Kunikuzushi says, the word long erased from his dictionary rewriting itself in such a time. “Please.”
“Phone,” Ajax says, and Kunikuzushi wriggles around and digs under his pillow for it before handing it over to him.
It’s easy to find the archived chat, and Kunikuzushi hides his face in Ajax’s collar as he taps at it and the chat bounces up, almost as if eager to meet him.
“I’m not going,” Ajax says aloud as he types the exact words into the chat box, “I’m busy with work and Childe and I have plans.”
Kunikuzushi peeks at the screen.
“How’s that?” His boyfriend asks, still stroking at his hair, and he nods tiredly.
The message is sent, with Ajax staring at the unread message for a while, counting the time difference between Sumeru and Inazuma in his head.
Then the bright screen flicks off and they’re thrust into darkness once more, Kunikuzushi’s tears staining Ajax’s shirt as he tries to quell both his panic and relief.
“I’ve got you, sweet,” Ajax mumbles, holding him tightly, and Kunikuzushi thinks, Don’t you ever dare let me go.
Kunikuzushi stares at his breakfast in horror.
Ajax looks defensive at his choice of food.
“It’s just sushi,” he says, a frown marring his face, and Kunikuzushi glares at him.
“No one eats sushi in the morning!”
Ajax sputters. “Well- I’m sorry, okay? I just thought that it's from Inazuma, and you liked it whenever we ate that, so why not—?”
Kunikuzushi sighs, taking Ajax’s phone. “Next time, tell me when you’re about to order breakfast. You can’t be trusted with such tasks.”
Ajax protests.
They decide to keep the sushi for lunch instead, and Ajax sighs forlornly as Kunikuzushi orders something else for them both.
“And here I thought I could surprise you with more good food,” Ajax mumbles.
“Idiot.”
“You were sleeping so well! I couldn’t wake you up!”
“Okay, and?”
“You’re so mean,” his boyfriend sighs.
Kunikuzushi hums an agreement, clicking on the order button and putting the phone down once the message that the restaurant has received the order pops up on the screen.
Ajax is still muttering unhappily when Kunikuzushi grabs at his face and presses a kiss to his lips.
Then he cups Ajax’s ears tightly as the younger gives him a bewildered look, and says with his most menacing look and glare, “I love you.”
“What did you say?” Ajax grabs at his arm when he lets go, shaking him. “Say it again!”
Kunikuzushi flicks his forehead.
“Ow!”
“Stop being such a busybody. And you should stop lying about not having classes too.”
“Look, I skipped them just for you, and- wait, how did you know that I have classes—?”
“I’m not stupid. Not unlike a certain other someone in here.”
“The teddy bears of the building have heard your malicious speech and are now coming for your soul. You will pay for that.”
That earns him a blank stare.
Ajax laughs, giddy with delight.
“I love you too, Kuni.”