Work Text:
“Do you trust me?”
Those words said by Tsukishima hung in the air for a moment, making the silence that had been surrounding them in the hospital room change, and Tsukishima wasn’t sure in what direction it had gone.
That was one of the thoughts that had been running through his head since he woke up. It had been a few days since the train. Tsukishima was always resilient, so he wasn’t unconscious for long, leaving him with a lot of time to think.
A lot of time for his thoughts to spiral out of his control.
Where Tsurumi was was one of them; Koito had said he didn’t know yet; no one had been allowed out of the hospital; and whoever comes seems to either don’t know or not be allowed to talk.
That is at least what Tsukishima hopes. He doesn’t think Koito would be hiding information from him.
But also, why wouldn’t he?
From Koito's point of view, there was still the chance of him leaving to go where Tsurumi was if he knew about it.
Wasn’t it?
He was willing to follow Tsurumi to the end; Koito was the only reason he didn’t, because the younger man pleaded for him and grabbed him. Was there anything indicating to the younger man that he was going to stay once he found out where Tsurumi was?
Was that the reason he stayed by his side while he was in the hospital?
Koito rarely left the room, and that was just to grab something or because he was being called; otherwise, he stayed talking to him about anything that came to his mind, some stories he remembered, or just some gossip he heard around the hospital. Tsukishima just listened to him in silence, wondering when the younger man's voice had become a soothing sound that would help him fall asleep.
He had to admit his bedside manners had improved since Karafuto. He hasn't spilled any food on him yet.
But if he was wary of him, would he still act like this? He had seen how Koito acts around those he distrusts; was he just pretending to keep him out of the loop? He knew the younger man was a good actor; he had him fooled for a bit when his belief in Tsurumi was beavering.
He wasn’t sure what to believe.
He saw two options: either Koito trusted him or he didn't, and at this moment he didn’t know which one could be. After many days of that doubt on his mind, he couldn’t help but want to know, so he asked.
And now all he had was a silence he couldn’t identify.
“I thought that was obvious.” Koito said, crossing his arms. “I wouldn’t have told you to pull your trust on me if I didn’t trust you.”
“That was before.” Tsukishima said, looking at the ceiling. “A lot has happened since then; things change.” He had a hard time looking at the other man.
"Well, this one didn’t!” He said leaning over him, staring at him with a serious expression. “I trust you the same way I hope you trust me.”
“I gave you no reason to trust me.”
“That is what you think?” Koito looked displaced. “I think you had done enough until this moment; not many had stood around like you did around a brat like you did.” He said smiling.
“Sir?”
“I can’t say I understand what you are thinking.” He said leaning closer. “But what I know is that my trust for you hasn’t changed. Did it change from your side?”
“No, sir.” He said looking the other man in the eye, he could see the truth of his words on them. He couldn’t understand why or how, given the stuff that happened the last few days, things should have changed between them, but for Koito, they didn’t. In a way, it seemed like things had become even stronger from the younger man's side.
He would never be able to understand him.
Still, something in him feels a lot calmer knowing he didn’t lose his trust. And he will do everything in his power so it never happens.
“Good.” Koito leaned away and sat down again. “Now that this is settled, Let me tell you what the nurse that is treating the guy next door told me, you wouldn’t believe the stuff he smuggled into his room.”