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Endo lets out a quiet groan, the aftermath of his fight with Sakura making itself known to him with stinging aches and forming bruises all over.
But, despite losing their war against Furin, Endo had never felt more like a winner.
“ … Yamato Endo. ”
Oh, his name had never sounded sweeter on anyone else’s lips.
He sighs, almost longingly, wanting to hear his name be called once more, before kicking off his shoes and carrying a half asleep Takiishi into their home.
Endo exhales a quiet breath as he slowly and gently lowers himself for Takiishi to sit on their couch. He lets go of his hold on the other’s legs and pries his hands off of his neck before getting up.
“I’ll run ya a bath, just warm yourself up in the mean time, okay?” Endo says with a smile, picking up the clean towel he left on the backrest of the couch and wrapping it around Takiishi’s body.
He’s quiet today, well, quieter… and compliant , Endo thinks, watching Takiishi wrap the towel tighter around his body with distant eyes, his thoughts probably elsewhere.
Probably about Umemiya’s words , the teen thinks bitterly for a moment before turning around to make his way to their bathroom.
“I’ll be back—!?” Endo yelps, feeling a harsh pull from the back of his tank top and toppling backwards on to their couch. He turns to the other in question, “T-Takiishi…?”
Takiishi doesn’t look at him, his eyes trained on his own hand still clutching on to the other’s shirt. He lets go of it and turns his back to Endo, mumbling, “… Hair extensions.”
Endo blinks for a moment before realizing, “Oh! Ya want ‘em off?”
The minute nod is enough confirmation for Endo to get up and head to their bathroom. He starts the bath while he’s there, then takes the hair extension remover from the cabinet and brings it back with him to their couch.
He sits down behind Takiishi and reaches for the other’s synthetic hair, “I’ll start now.”
Endo doesn’t wait for a reply as he glides his fingers through the extensions, down until he reaches the ends. He smiles quietly to himself, bringing one close to his lips and giving it a light peck; a little secret ritual he does before he removes each extension— whether Takiishi is aware of it or not, well, he hasn’t been beaten up once so far.
He’s familiar with the procedure by now that he could get it done in a few minutes.
But he doesn’t.
He takes his time, takes it slow.
Endo handles everything about Takiishi with absolute care. Like a devoted follower to their one and only god— his care is his form of worship, among other things.
There’s a silence between them as each synthetic hair is removed— their quiet breaths fill the hush as the smell of dried up blood and sweat clog their noses, but still, it was comfortable.
It’s only when he’s halfway through that Takiishi breaks the silence, “You’re quiet today…”
Endo hums, getting another hair extension out before he replies, “I don’t know what to say, to be honest…”
The silence envelops them once more and Endo thinks that’s the end of it.
“…thing.”
Endo blinks, thinking he’s hearing things, “Huh?”
Takiishi turns his head enough to look at the other, “Anything. Just talk about anything. It’s boring.”
Boring? Endo hides a smile, That’s a first.
He breathes out a satisfied smile, twirling his finger around Takiishi’s synthetic hair thoughtfully, “Y’know when ya said you’re gonna find more interesting people?”
Endo didn’t expect a reply, but he hears a quiet hum of assent from the teen in front of him and smiles, “That kid that was with me on the rooftop earlier might pique your interest.”
“How so?”
Takiishi’s reply was almost instant, making Endo’s smile grow wider and wider, reaching his ears if that were possible.
First, he calls his name. Now, this.
This is a rare. He’s ecstatic!
Endo quickly begins to ramble on about his fight with Furin’s first year.
“Man, ya should’ve seen him, Takiishi! His eyes… he looked at me, ready to kill me!” he laughs, shaking his head, “After that, when we were on our way to ya, he said that I can come by and chat, what a weirdo!” he ends his chatter with a wistful sigh, “But he’s a real charmer…”
There’s a lull in their conversation after that, though it’s not like Endo has anything else to add. He doesn’t ask about his fight with Umemiya either, seeing as he’s witnessed most of it, especially the end of it.
“What’s so interesting about that?”
“Uh, hm,” Endo stammers as he keeps his grin at bay. He wasn’t expecting the conversation to keep going. Never in his wildest dreams did he think Takiishi would want to keep talking about something he started.
He scratches his cheek with his free hand, “He reminds me of you… a little bit.”
“… What’s his name?”
Endo pauses, rubbing his fingers on the extension he’d just pulled out.
He hesitates.
It’s just a name , he thinks.
But it’s Takiishi saying that guy’s name , he reasons.
Ah, whatever , there’ll be more names comin’, anyway , he gives up on thinking.
Endo bites at his lower lip before saying, “Sakura… Sakura Haruka is his name.”
Takiishi hums, but doesn’t say the name himself, “Okay.”
“Yeah?” That’s it?
The teen turns his head again, looking Endo in the eyes, “If he’s interesting to you… I want to fight him, too.”
“Fight him?” Endo couldn’t help but huff a laugh, “I mean, he’s-“
“He’s interesting to you.” Takiishi cuts him off, his golden eyes piercing Endo’s as he repeats himself, “I want to know... what you see in him.”
What you see in him that reminds you of me.
Endo flushes at the statement and flusters at unsaid words, hiding his smile as he works on the last hair extensions, “Uhm, yeah?”
Takiishi nods, turning away, “… Are you done?”
Endo hums, kissing the last extension as he pulls it off the other’s hair, “Mhm, yeah,” he says with a quiet sigh, placing it on their table along with the rest of the synthetic hairs as he hears a chime from the bathroom, “Just in time for your bath, Takiishi,” he adds, “Let’s get ya— Uh- h-huh?!”
Before he could move to get up, Takiishi leans backwards, resting on Endo.
The teen bites his lips, trying to stop his already growing smile, “… Takiishi?”
Takiishi sighs, leaning further in and putting all his weight on the other, “Shut up.”
Endo wraps his arms around the teen’s body, “Your bath will go cold, Takiishi,” he says in a low whisper, his hold on Takiishi loose enough that the other could elbow his chest to get out.
“… cold.”
“Huh?”
“You’re cold.” Takiishi says, but sighs contently as his eyes flutter shut, “But I want to stay like this for a bit… Yamato Endo.”
Endo hides his smile behind the other’s red hair, his arms holding Takiishi closer and tighter, “As you wish.”
“… Yamato Endo.”
The teen in question blinks his eyes open, not knowing how long he’s kept them closed.
“Yes?”
“Yamato Endo.” Takiishi repeats.
“Yeah?” Endo answers.
“… Endo.” Takiishi says quietly.
“I’m here.” Endo replies breathlessly.
“Endo.”
“Takiishi?”
It’s quiet after that as they take it all in; this moment, this quiet, this feeling they share.
It’s just them in this small world.
Their world.
”… Your heart is beating loudly.”
“Ah,” Endo chuckles at that, “Sorry, can’t help it.”