Chapter Text
“Yamaguchi, let’s go! We have a line here!” Takeda said from behind a large coffee machine that was clearly being overworked. Takeda meant well, he really did. He just could be a bit flustered during the morning rush.
“Sorry, sorry” Yamaguchi quickly threw his apron on and ran behind the counter.
“Non-fat latte and a blueberry muffin,” a nameless customer said as soon as he got in front of the register. Due to the rush (and the thought of starting off at the register), Tadashi’s hand started shaking. Being the quiet, shy person he was, Tadashi didn’t exactly favor large groups of people, especially when most of them were waiting to talk to him.
“Yes, sir. Anything else?” he said with a shaky voice. Instead of answering him the stranger just handed him a credit card. Apparently whatever he was looking at on his phone was more important than replying.
Tadashi was fully prepared to get the man out of line as fast as possible since he was clearly in a rush, but when he looked up to grab his card something else happened. In that moment everything seemed to stand still. The crowd behind him became quiet and disappeared. At least in Tadashi’s vision. The man had golden blond hair and the most kind eyes he’s ever seen, even when they weren’t looking at him.
Many moments must have gone by because the man finally looked up at him when he noticed his card was still in his hand. “Um… Are you okay?”
Tadashi blinked once. “...Oh! Yes! I’m so sorry!” he said quickly taking the card and swiping it. It’s not like Tadashi didn’t see cute guys in the coffee shop all the time… it was just that there was something about this one. Nice eyes. That was always Tadashi’s downfall. Sure, he was obviously handsome in other ways, but if a man had kind looking eyes he was a goner.
But after giving the card back his eyes didn’t met Tadashi’s again. He got his coffee from Takeda and was out the door, leaving Tadashi’s life as quickly as he walked in.
Or so Tadashi thought.
The next morning he was back. And the next. And the next. Tadashi got used to seeing him everyday. Or at least everyday he was working. It was probably the most enjoyable part of his day. Even when he wasn’t at the register and didn’t get to ask for his drink order. On those days it was enough to just to see him.
It was silly, Tadashi knew. But it was still special to him. For him to see the handsome stranger everyday and wish him a good day (which he starting doing everyday after that initial contact). It could never turn into anything. He was someone important, who wore a suit everyday and was always on his phone. Tadashi still worked at the coffee shop he has worked at for the past six years and was too scared to go after his dream, even with everything in arm's reach.
But still, Tadashi would think about what it would be like if maybe they did fall in love. One day he would walk in, look straight into his eyes and realize Tadashi was the one for him. Or maybe he would just ask him out one day and they would slowly fall in love over the the course of many dates. He would meet his family and they would all love him, too. They would start planning the wedding before they were even engaged. All the cliche family stuff.
But that was never going to happen. That wasn’t Tadashi’s life.
For now it was just something Tadashi could look forward to and smile about.
***
“No, no, no”
“Please?” Takeda begged (Tadashi stopped him from getting on his knees, but that didn’t stop the pleas).
“No! I worked Christmas last year!” Tadashi tried to walk away, but his boss grabbed his arm.
“Please!” Takeda said once more, but bending over to bow this time. Tadashi turned around, knowing he would say yes if he kept looking at his boss like this.
“Why don’t you just close the shop? No one will come in that day anyways.”
“Tried that. My boss's boss said it had to say open. Something about somewhere for people to go once the family fights start up.”
“Sounds like an optimist.”
“Please!” Takeda said, bowing again. Every year Takeda used this on him. If it was anyone else Tadashi would have been out the door after the first “no”, but over the years Takeda has become the closest thing to a friend Tadashi had.
Tadashi took a deep breathe. “This isn’t fair.”
“I know,” Takeda replied, standing up straight again. “But I have my in-laws coming into town. I’ve tried to ask others but they’ve already have plans and you’re the only one…” Takeda looked down, probably trying to find another way to end the sentence.
“I’m the only one without a family.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to-”
“I’ll do it.” Tadashi just wanted his boss to stop talking about his lack of relationships.
“Really?! Thank you so much! I promise you will not have to work New Year’s.”
“Aren’t we closed New Year's?” He asked, but Takeda was already walking out the door.
“Time to close up! Let’s go!” Tadashi decided just to let it go as he grabbed his stuff and walked out the door.
It was already 10:30 pm by the time Tadashi made it home, but he wasn’t tired. Instead of going to bed he walked into the tiny one bedroom apartment he’s lived in since his father died five years ago, grabbed a book, and submerged into another world.
It was his escape. Sure, he may be alone, with little to no friends, no family alive or worth his time, nor school to him distract anymore, but at least he had an escape that didn’t leave him addicted or broke, well maybe a little addicted. His life may seemed sad to everyone else, and it was hard for the most part, being alone, but he could deal with it because every second he wasn’t at work he could leave his world and travel to another, where much more exciting things would happen.
He’s been able to able to deal with everything, the death of his dad, his mother leaving him when he was three, the bullies, all because of his books. Dealing the characters’ problems seemed so much easier than dealing with his own.
Before his father got sick Tadashi started college with the hope of one day opening his own bookstore so he could constantly be surrounded by his book and share his way of escaping with many others who needed to leave their world for a little bit. But of course, that didn’t happen.
Tadashi’s father got sick at the end of his 1st year in college, but he wouldn’t let Tadashi drop out. He was determined to help his son get a college degree and open his bookstore. The winter break of his second year was spent completely in the hospital. And a few days after New Year’s his father passed away and Tadashi was officially an orphan, or an adult orphan now that he was 19 years old.
A few weeks before his father passed Tadashi seriously considered leaving college to spend as much time as he could with his dad, but after it became a welcomed distracted. He didn’t want to think about how much he missed him, or how horrible his mother was for leaving him all alone. With school and his part-time job at Takeda’s coffee shop keeping him busy he got through his last years in college and graduated with a degree in business.
But after graduation Tadashi didn’t quit the coffee shop. Instead he asked Takeda if he could start working full-time.
It wasn’t like Tadashi couldn’t open his bookstore. He had the knowledge now. And his father’s life insurance left him with more than enough to start the work. But the thought of opening this bookstore, his dream, without his father made him sick. His father played such a large part in his schooling and he was the only one who really believed he could do. He was the only person Tadashi had. And he couldn’t do it now. Not alone.
So instead of coming home to work on his plans for opening the bookstore, he grabbed a book, and escaped far, far away from his world where everything felt so much better.
***
One perk of being the only person in the coffee shop on that Christmas day was that Tadashi could read without being interrupted or fired (not that Takeda would do that). It had been open for about five hours already and only four customers have walked in, all of which were carrying presents and obviously heading to meet their loved ones. Well it could be worst. At least he was getting paid to read, which he would be doing at home anyways.
Tadashi was absorbed in a particularly good book. He had just started the book last night, but he was already close to the end. Maybe that was why he didn’t hear the door to the shop open, or the polite, soft cough of the man trying to get his attention.
“Um, excuse me?”
Tadashi jumped. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t hear-” He couldn’t finish his sentence because standing in front of him was his crush, the man he’s been silently admiring for the past two month. So of course he couldn’t talk… or think. He just stood there with his mouth slightly open staring at the stranger.
“It’s fine. Peppermint mocha please.” He gave him one quick smile then grabbed his phone from his coat. He was texting someone today, probably family.
“Yes, sir.” Tadashi got to working on his drink. It didn’t look like the man was heading to work. He was dressed casually today, jeans and a green sweater. He looked nice, Tadashi decided, cozy, comfortable, content. Anything that started with a C. Cuddlesome. Just what Christmas was supposed to be like.
Tadashi gave him his drink. He was about to “Have a good day” like always when the man beat him to the punch. “Merry Christmas” he said walking out the door.
Again Tadashi brain was left blank. He was able to give a weak “You, too” just as he closed the door. He finally talked to me, Tadashi thought. And I wasn’t even able to reply properly. He let his body slump against the register. Well at least he got to see him on Christmas. Perk number two of working today.
Tadashi grabbed him book that fell to the floor earlier and got back to reading. But before he could fully enter the book’s world he heard shouting from outside.
“Give it to me! Now!”
“Okay, I don’t want trouble.” That was the handsome stranger’s voice.
“Hey don’t move your hands! Stop moving!” Then Tadashi heard a struggle. Before he even realized what he was doing Tadashi grabbed the taser Takeda kept under the counter, hidden so no one could see it, and ran out the door. He got there just in time to see one of the masked men dressed in all black throw the man to the ground. Hard.
“Hey! Get away from him!” Tadashi showed the taser, hoping they would focus more on the object in his hand than his terrified expression.
“Grab the wallet!” One of them said.
Tadashi didn’t like the idea of them grabbing at him. “Stop!” he said running towards them.
Finally they got the idea and fled the scene. Tadashi rushed over to the man on the sidewalk. “Oh no, oh no, oh no.” His hands were starting to shake. There was blood coming from his head. That’s all Tadashi could see. Blood. “Sir, are you wake? Can you open your eyes?”
The man’s eyes fluttered open, but then closed just as fast.
“Fuck” Tadashi whispered as he got his phone out and dialed 119 with trembling hands.
***
When Tadashi got to the hospital he was still shaking, which seemed to fit the atmosphere. Doctors, nurses, injured people were all around him, moving frantically.
He dashed over the nurse’s desk. Tadashi spoke quickly “Hi, I’m looking for a man who just came in. He has blond hair and is wearing a green sweater and-”
“What’s his name?” the nurse asked calmly.
“I don’t know. But he should have just gotten-”
“You don’t know his name?”
“No, but you see I know him from-” Just then Tadashi saw him threw a glass wall that separated them. He was laying on a stretcher and seemed to still be unconscious. Tadashi gave up talking to the nurse and started to walk towards him.
“Wait, you can’t go in there.” But Tadashi didn’t care. He needed to make sure he was okay.
One doctor had other plans though. “Excuse me, but you’re not allowed in there,” he said holding up an arm to stop Tadashi.
“But you don’t get it. I need to make sure he’s-”
“Are you family?”
“No, but-”
“I’m sorry, family only.”
“Okay, but I just need to-”
“Sorry that’s hospital policy.” The doctor walked away, leaving Tadashi with a frown and hands that still couldn’t stay still.
“You don’t get it,” Tadashi whispered, thinking no was listening, “I was going to spend my life with him.”
***
Tadashi couldn’t believe there was someone as nice as the nurse leading him to his crush right now. The automatic doors to the ICU opened. “But I don’t get it, why are you doing this for me?”
The nurse gave him a small smile. “I saw you when you came in for him and well I just couldn’t let you not see him. He would want you there.”
She was an angel. She had to be. Tadashi was lead to a room where he saw the man unconscious on a bed. There were tubes and machines everywhere and a beeping sound that Tadashi knew was tracking his heart rate. It all reminded him of his father five years ago. Tadashi shook his head. No, he couldn’t think about that right now.
The nurse lead Tadashi to a chair right next to him. “He’s unconscious, but you can talk to him. I’m sure he would like that.”
“Okay, thank you.” It seemed the nurse wanted to give them some privacy so she left the room.
“Um, Hi,” Tadashi said awkwardly. He took a second to really look at him now. There was a bandage wrapped around his head and a bruise on his right cheek. Tadashi was scared for him. So he did what he would want someone else to do for him if he was in this situation. He grabbed his hand gently and softly whispered, “Everything is going to be okay.”
Everything felt content again. Of course he knew it wasn’t. The man was in a hospital bed with a major head injury, but at least he was safe now.
After a few moment another doctor walked into the room. “Hello, I am Doctor Hamasaki.”
“Um, hello. I’m Yamaguchi. I’m... um…”
“His fiancé, I know. It’s okay. I may be old but I believe love knows no gender,” the doctor said with a kind smile.
Tadashi eyes got large. “His…?” But he didn’t get a chance to question the doctor, nor calm his himself down before a crowd of people came rushing into the room.
“Where is my son?! I want to see my boy!”
“Daichi, calm down. He’s over here. Shouyou, deep breaths. If you’re going to get sick the restrooms are to the right.”
“He looks so pale! He’s not going to die, is he? I’m too young to lose a brother!”
“What’s going on here? Who are you all?” The doctor asked.
“This is our son!” A tall man with dark hair said.
“Daichi, be nice to our son’s doctor!” Another man with silver blond hair said. “Is he going to be okay?”
“H- he’s not going to die, right?” A teenage girl asked nervously. Poor thing look just as scared as Tadashi felt.
“Of course he’s not! He can’t die!” A boy with orange hair shouted, then quickly grabbed his stomach and hunched over to hide behind one of his father who softly rubbed his son’s back. Apparently this Shouyou boy couldn’t take the sight of blood, even when it was covered with bandages.
“He has a head injury and he’s in a coma.” The doctor said as calmly as possible. Tadashi tried to slip out of the room, but there were too many people here now. There was no way he could get out without being noticed.
“What?! How did this happen?!” Daichi was back to shouting.
“He was mugged and pushed to the ground. It appears he hit his head pretty hard.” The teenage girl started to sob. Daichi put an arm around her. “But his vitals are good. His brain waves are steady. I think he’s going to be just fine,” The doctor continued. Tadashi could see the relief in both his fathers’ faces.
Just then a small man with somewhat wild hair came running into the room. While he was very short, his face alone made it clear Tadashi did not want to cross him.
“Who did this to my nephew?! Who hurt him?! Was it you?!” The man said while pointing a finger at Tadashi.
Once again Tadashi was scared silent (He really needed to work on that). Instead he just stared back with large, terrified eyes. Another tall man with long hair arranged up into a bun pulled him back. “Noya, calm down. If this was the guy who hurt him he wouldn’t be here right now.”
“Then who are you?!” A man with a shaved head said, making it a point to get into his personal space. Just when Tadashi thought he was safe.
“Yea, who are you?!” Noya said.
“I’m, um.... I’m…”
“He’s his fiancé,” the nurse said walking back into the room.
Okay, just how many more people can this room take?! Tadashi thought. His anxiety was getting to be too much.
“HIS WHAT?!” both Noya and the man with a shaved head screamed.
“Akiteru’s fiancé?” Daichi said while pointing to the man in the hospital bed with a confused face. Well it’s not like Tadashi could blame him. He was pretty confused himself.
“Our son’s engaged?”
“He’s gay?” Shouyou said. Everyone looked at him. “What? Did you all know?!”
“Why didn’t he tell us?” the man with silver hair said while starting to tear up.
“Maybe he was busy, Suga. He did just start that job a few month ago.”
“Too busy to tell his family he was engaged!?”
“Wait, is he going to be okay?! What happened?!” Noya asked. At least he didn’t want to kill Tadashi anymore.
“He was mugged and thrown to the ground,” the nurse explain to the newcomers. “He hit his head hard and is in a coma now, but we believe he’s going to recover... thanks to his fiancé. He stopped the muggers.”
Okay, everyone needs to stop calling me his fiancé.
“You stopped the muggers?” Daichi asked.
Slowly Tadashi nodded. At least he didn’t have to lie about that. “Well, yes I did. But you see, I’m actually not-”
“Hey, you should not be in here!” It was the first doctor. The one wouldn’t let him see Akiteru when he first came in. “Doctor Hamasaki, he is not family.”
“He is family,” Suga said while walking over to Tadashi. All of the sudden he was in Suga’s arms. “Thank you for saving my son.”
But the hug didn’t stop with Suga. Soon he felt Daichi join in on the hug. “Welcome to the family,” Daichi said as Shouyou and the teenage girl hugged him too. Soon the hug consisted of everyone in the room, except the nurse and doctors. And all Tadashi could do was stand there and accept it.