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A deep breath in, then out. Again, and again.
He’s fine. He reminds himself that he’s fine, that nothing can hurt him right now, because he’s safe here, in his room.
Akito picks at the sore where the cuffs were and tries to calm himself. He’s scared of nothing, a half-remembered nightmare that obviously featured her but nothing else specific.
It’s not enough to call Toya, to wake him up and make him worry.
So Akito is fine . Really! He has to be.
The next day at school, everything’s a blur. He’s tired now, never did get back to sleep.
“Hey Shinonome!” One of the guys from the soccer team pats him in the back and Akito leaps out of his skin.
Stupid, he’s jumping at shadows. How long has it been now, six months? He’s a second year now, he’s older, he should be over it.
He feels An and Kusanagi’s concerned gazes drilling into the back of his head like a hole, and he knows soon others will notice and follow suit.
Because if they, the ones who saw, who rescued him were worried, then something serious must be wrong.
Akito curls his hands into fists so tightly his knuckles are paper white and he focuses on the literature passage in front of him.
Get through the period, then the day, then the week and eventually he’ll be over it.
Tsukasa-senpai stops him in the hallway and asks something, and Akito doesn’t listen because he can see the concern in his eyes and knows he’s trying to cheer him up, which he doesn’t need.
He eats lunch on the roof alone.
Three hours left.
The rest of the day is easy, he answers questions when he’s called on, the teacher looks at him like an idiot a couple of times, but he genuinely doesn’t care if he’s right or wrong, he just needs the day to be over.
Some of the guys from the soccer team ask him to help as he’s walking briskly towards the gates at the end of the day, and Akito smiles and waves them off but it’s not right, something’s wrong because now they look bothered.
Whatever, he’s not going to think about it, he just runs home and curls back in on his bed and now he’s really fine. He’s really actually fine and safe and can calm down and wait for this stupid scared animal in his chest to leave him alone and stop screaming about him to watch every corner in case she’s behind it.
The door opens.
Akito’s breath stops but he swallows. He’s not stupid it’s fine.
He looks up and it’s just Toya and he leans back against the bed. Toya wordlessly climbs next to him and wraps his arms around him.
“Want to talk about it?” he asks.
“No. ‘S stupid.”
“This about singing or…”
“Her.”
“Yeah, ok. Wanna take a nap?”
“Stay?”
“Of course, why do you think I’m here?”
“Thanks, partner.” And for the first time all day, Akito feels relaxed.