Chapter Text
It was supposed to be a simple trip to the store.
Takumi, the night before his next competition, bought some ingredients from the local grocer. With his mind swimming with ideas, it was easy for him to forget one of the items for his creation. So, he and his boyfriend Souma needed to make a second run to the store; a minor inconvenience really. All they needed to do was pick up some flour and return home safely. That was the plan.
But something went horribly wrong.
Somebody from Takumi’s past, his father’s past, had found him. All the way from Italy. Unbeknownst to the twins, their family had accrued a number of dangerous enemies. Enemies who swore revenge against the Aldini patriarch. Enemies who searched the globe for their targets. Enemies who would do anything to make their message heard, no matter the cost.
“Souma!” The bullet was meant for him. It was meant for the oldest Aldini child. He was the heir to an enormous amount of money; money he’s never even heard of. But, no, he was forcefully pushed out of the way. Instead, the crimson-haired youth was the one on the ground, bleeding profusely from the abdomen.
The shot drew the attention of the public. The assailant underestimated the amount of people out at that time of night. It would be too risky to discharge the weapon again. He quickly stole away into the darkness, leaving the tragic scene behind.
“Takumi…” Souma’s vision began to dim, but he still searched for his lover. Takumi sprinted to his side and took his hand, fresh, hot tears streaming down his pale face.
“No…” He pressed his face into the palm of Souma’s hand. “No! It wasn’t supposed to be you!” His voice cracked and trembled. “It’s wasn’t supposed to be you!”
He watched the life leave Souma’s eyes.
Takumi inhaled sharply when he woke up. His pulse still raced, the last images of his nightmare fresh in his mind. His eyes took a minute to adjust to the darkness of his bedroom, to the reality that he wasn’t in some city street at night. He was home. He turned to face the other side of the bed, expecting Souma to be there, sleeping peacefully. Instead, the sheets were bare, a swirl of fabric in his place.
Panicked, the blond leapt out of the bed and bolted out the bedroom, almost slipping on the hardwood floor. Most of the apartment was cloaked in the darkness of the night. A single source of light radiated from the kitchen, drawing Takumi’s attention.
Souma stood barefoot on the linoleum, peering at the distressed Takumi over his glass of water. Before he could ask the Italian why he was out of bed, Takumi latched onto Souma and buried his face into the fabric of his tank top.
“Whoa, hey!” Souma almost spilt his water all over the blond. “Takumi? What’s wrong?”
Takumi murmured something into his shirt, then sniffed. Souma smiled softly before running his fingers through the blond’s hair.
“I told you to stop watching those Mafia movies before bed.”
Takumi grumbled. Souma chuckled good-humoredly.
“Did I die again?”
He heard him whine and felt him rub his face against his chest. Probably not the best choice of words.
“Hey,” Souma called out softly. Takumi looked up at him, tears pricking the corners of his blue eyes. Souma had no idea how Isami dealt with this for as long as he did. But he had to admit, it was kind of cute to see Takumi frazzled over a silly nightmare.
“I’m here, okay? I’m not going anywhere.” He tenderly planted a kiss on Takumi’s forehead. The gesture seemed to calm him down.
“C’mon, let’s go to bed. We both have work in the morning.” Souma drained the rest of his glass and, with Takumi still hanging onto him, placed the empty cup in the sink. With gentle coaxing, Takumi let go of Souma’s torso and settled for holding onto his arm. The couple returned to their bedroom, taking their spots on the mattress. Takumi curled up next to Souma and tucked himself underneath his chin. Souma stroked his blond hair and would keep doing so until Takumi fell asleep. After a brief period of silence, Souma could hear his boyfriend’s steady breathing, his ironfisted grip on his shirt loosening. The redhead let out a sigh and pressed his lips on the top of Takumi’s head.
“I wouldn’t leave this for the world.”