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As the captain for the third A-rank squad and a respected member of Border it isn’t a surprise that Kazama is chosen for the Away missions. He often tags along for the smaller missions, embassies that have him trading with small allies that pass through their orbit and guiding the other squads through training for unknown triggers they might encounter.
It's under those circumstances that many find it curious how Kazama seems especially exhausted when arriving back from away missions. Not because of the paperwork, school assignments, or the barrage of questions from the directors that await him, no, that would be too obvious. It was the fact that Tachikawa was always so damn clingy afterwards.
It always went like this; the last time Kazama had come back from an Away Mission Tachikawa had perched himself right outside of the holding dock where Kazama had just exited the ship just a few minutes prior, and the month before that Kazama had nearly sliced his head off with his trigger activated for slipping inside his squad room without him noticing.
Now, Tachikawa was currently slouched across from Kazama in the tidy space of his squad room, staring at Kazama as he tapped away at his laptop. He sighed, shoulders hunched as if he had been through a major ordeal and not simply waiting for Kazama to come back from a simple three-day trip. He looked like a child who had just been told to wait by his parents before going off to play.
Kazama on the other hand had just gone through a fourth can of coffee from the vending machine down the hall, three double shots and one triple when the first three weren’t working well enough to mend the bags under his eyes. His back was straightened but Tachikawa could always tell when he was moments away from crashing and the subtle tremor in Kazama’s hands was always the first sign.
He had been awake for almost 30 hours and Kazama sighed as he finally sent his last email, freeing him from the endless paperwork for just a few hours. It was enough for him to get some decent sleep before jumping back into make-up assignments for his University classes, but thinking about that right now just gave him a headache. When the laptop closed, Tachikawa jumped at the opportunity, sliding into the seat next to him and casually draped an arm over the back of the couch. His fingers pull on the hem of Kazama’s shirt, casually brushing against the skin on his neck.
“So, you’re done? Finally?” Tachikawa asked, head tilted to the side just enough to let his hair fall into his eyes. Kazama reached up to brush a few strands out of his face, prompting a hum from Tachikawa.
“Yes, we can go now.” Kazama says simply. Tachikawa was already up and grabbing their bags before he was done talking. Kazama finally lets the exhaustion from the day wash over him as he watched Tachikawa work around him. He needed a shower, and maybe a beer, and sleep. So much sleep he wouldn’t know what day it was when he woke up.
“Well, c’mon. I bet your apartment has been lonely without you.” Tachikawa says, grabbing Kazama’s laptop to shove it into his backpack.
“You have been lonely without me,” Kazama corrects, “I gave you a key for a reason, did you use it?”
“Of course, I wasn’t going to let you come back with the AC off at your place, it’s always not in there when you’re gone for too long.” Tachikawa says. Kazama stands to clear off the rest of the table with lethargic movements. He tosses the empty coffee cans towards the trashcan and misses the lid by a long-shot. He mutters a damn it but Tachikawa is already there to pick them up in his stead.
“So, you went inside to turn on the AC? That’s it?” Kazama asks, not believing that this man, clingy as he was, would go into his apartment with just one simply goal in mind. No, that wasn’t Tachikawa.
“Yeah, but then it was so hot that I took a shower, did some laundry, got hungry. I went to that convenience store that’s down the street from your place, y’know the one with the anime figure in the window that always looks like its eyes are following you?” Tachikawa asked through his droning.
“Yeah, sure.” Kazama says, definitely not remembering what Tachikawa was talking about. He just wanted to get home
“Doesn’t matter, I got some snacks, brought them back to your place and took a nap. I might have stolen one of your hoodies from your closet.” Tachikawa said through a grin.
“You’re hoarding my things now?” Kazama asked, slipping on one of his jackets that’s small enough to avoid Tachikawa’s stealing.
“I prefer the term collecting. Anyway, after that I cleaned because I knew how much you like coming back to a clean apartment after Away Missions,” Tachikawa gestures to himself as he stands next to the door of the Operating room, arm outstretched with Kazama’s backpack for him, “and now I’m here.”
“That sounds like my place is even more infested with your things now. I was only gone for three days, how do you manage all of this?” Kazama asks mostly to himself. He lugs the hefty bag onto his back and turns off the light to the operating room.
Tachikawa had so much energy that Kazama couldn’t keep up with it. It was nearly midnight with most of the halls completely empty aside from the hum buzz that radiated from the overhead lights. The only people that might still be there were the directors, maybe a few A-rank agents that were just getting off their Defense Duty shift. Yet here Tachikawa was chattering on and on about things that didn’t really matter, Kazama wondering how much a man could talk about with just 72 hours apart from each other.
All the way back to Kazama’s apartment, Tachikawa kept chattering. It started simple, a meeting with Shinoda, a last-minute assignment he couldn’t weasel his way out by citing ‘Border duties’. Then it devolved into random topics, what he ate, how many times he had asked agents to fight him in the solo rank wars, even giving him a play-by-play of a fighting game match him and his squad members had last night.
Maybe it was to keep Kazama awake and tethered to something beside the asphalt underneath them, or maybe he was just chatting to keep the air light like he always did. Neither option mattered, Kazama didn’t even notice his eyes drifting shut until Tachikawa grabbed onto his wrist to guide him home. He didn’t point it out, didn’t need to, they had been through this song and dance too many times for Tachikawa to point out something so trivial.
Kazama kept his eyes trained down as he walked, as if the effort to keep his head up was too great. Tachikawa’s hand was warm as always, wrapped around his wrist with nails he took care of too well for the disaster that was the rest of his life. Tachikawa’s thumb would occasionally brush over the veins on his wrist and he chuckled to stop his current rant about the Border cafeteria food.
“Your skin is so soft, I didn’t expect it when we first started dating y’know? Thought you’d be all rough edges and callouses.” Tachikawa smiled and Kazama managed a huff from his nose.
“You notice too much.” Kazama simply said. He attempted to tug his wrist away from Tachikawa’s grip but it was futile in his state.
“I don’t notice enough, and I saw you almost eat the pavement back at that crosswalk,” he squeezes Kazama’s wrist just enough to send a jolt through him that woke him up more than coffee ever would, “Don’t worry, I’ll get you home safe and sound.”
When they finally got up to Kazama’s apartment, Tachikawa fished the spare key out of his pocket and guided Kazama inside with a few fingers looped on his backpack. The lights came on and Kazama examined everything in the small space that Tachikawa had cleaned. It was good, better than he expected for Tachikawa. Their shoes were organized at the front entrance without being in the way, the kitchen was spotless, the futon had even been made. The only thing off was the crab clock that had somehow migrated from the Tachikawa squad room onto the shelf in his apartment.
“You did good.” Kazama said, rubbing his eyes from the sleep that was inching closer to him.
“I’ve been better, didn’t want you yelling at me again for not putting away everything properly.” Tachikawa said, grabbing Kazama’s bag off his back to put it next to the key rack, right where he liked it.
“It’s passable.” Kazama said, eyeing the new crab clock in the corner that stuck out like an eyesore. Right now wasn’t the time to hiss about it, but the subtle ticking was already grating on his nerves.
“You can never just say I did good huh? Strict as always…” Tachikawa hums. In the space, Tachikawa manifesting even more into the clingy man that Kazama had worried about. He followed Kazama around the apartment like a puppy that hadn’t seen their owner in days, peppering kisses onto his lips and cheeks like a man starved.
When Kazama finally changed into his sweats for the night after a shower, Tachikawa was right there in the bathroom ready with his toothbrush already unpacked. Kazama grabbed it and brought it up to his mouth
“You’re a leech.” Kazama mumbled through his toothbrush as Tachikawa stood behind him in the bathroom counter, arms now wrapped around his waist tight. Tachikawa moved to his shoulder, damp hair tickling his neck.
“I haven’t seen you in so long, let me dote on you a bit.” Tachikawa moved down to grab the hairdryer that was always wrapped up underneath the sink, keeping a hand constantly on Kazama’s waist as a tether and to stabilize him. He plugged it in as Kazama washed out his mouth.
“Face me,” Tachikawa said and Kazama complied, leaning against the counter with his arms folded across his chest. Tachikawa turned on the hairdryer and kept the heat low to dry Kazama’s hair. His fingers ran through his hair that grew softer by the second, yet another thing Tachikawa wasn’t expecting whenever they first started to get wrapped up in each other’s routines. He scratched right behind Kazama’s ear and he folded, his head lolling forward against Tachikawa’s chest. Tachikawa tilted Kazama’s chin back up.
“Heyy, don’t go to sleep on me yet.” Tachikawa said, doing one more once over with the dryer before turning it off. He set it on the counter and Kazama dragged himself to the futon in the corner of the single room outside.
Tachikawa joins him shortly switching into boxers himself to curl into Kazama with the grace of a cat. His arm hooks around Kazama’s waist and Kazama melts against the touch. Tachikawa knew the futon was nothing like the beds on the away mission, all cramped spaces and walls that made it feel like someone was sleeping more in a coffin than a bed.
“We can just relax tomorrow, maybe we can go to that restaurant that you like down the street.” Tachikawa whispers, his breath tickling Kazama’s neck.
“That burger place? You like it more than I do.” Kazama scoffs, but there’s no bite in his voice.
“Maybe I do but I know you like it too.” Tachikawa hums. They stay in silence for a few moments, Kazama’s breath already evening out and the tension in his shoulders dissipating as he’s pulled into a dream. Tachikawa sighs, squeezing Kazama towards him to get the smaller man just a bit closer to him.
“I missed you,” Tachikawa says a bit quieter into Kazama’s neck, “It’s hard sleeping without you now. I got so used to this bed, your coffee machine, even you getting up so damn early in the morning.” He laughs quietly, smiley against Kazama’s neck. He already knew that Kazama was fast asleep, so he would say everything sappy that he could while he was asleep.
He gulped and let his voice drop to just a whisper. “I signed up for the next away mission,” he said into the dark, throat tightening around the words. He still listens for Kazama’s steady breathing, in and out without a break. Good.
“I can’t stand that thought of you being out there without me. You would say that I’m overreacting but I can’t help it.” He kissed the back of Kazama’s neck, barely grazing his skin. Kazama twitched, shoulder tightening in a slight protest. Tachikawa smiled, even in sleep he couldn’t stand the sappy talk.
It wouldn’t take long for Tachikawa to also drift to sleep, lulled by the familiar scent of shampoo in Kazama’s hair and the relief of knowing the sheets were wrapped around the both of them.
In the morning, Kazama would already be perched on his laptop by the small table in the center of the room, sipping coffee from the pot Tachikawa had prepped from the night before. Kazama stirred the chipped mug in his hands, eyes trained on the glowing screen in front of him.
“The next away mission is supposed to last three weeks. Think you can handle that?” Kazama asked when Tachikawa came to, simple as always. Tachikawa grinned, of course he heard everything, the bastard could never fully rest without some part of him being aware of what’s happening around him.
“Please, that’s nothing. If it’s with you I could go out into the neighborhood for years.” He flips onto his back and watches as Kazama saunters over to him, always trying to be nonchalant.
“…You’re an idiot, don’t say stuff like that.” Kazama stood over him for a beat, letting his shadow fall across Tachikawa’s chest. He bent down to brush a kiss over Tachikawa’s mouth, brief, almost unsure.
Tachikawa blinked, stunned from the sudden contact, and as soon as it came Kazama retreated. Kazama’s face hovered close enough for his breath to warm Tachikawa’s cheek.
“I missed you too, Tachikawa.” He whispered, running a hand through Tachikawa’s messy bed head, the same fingers that had trembled 12 hours ago now steady, warm against his scalp. “Now get up, I’m starving for that burger place.” Kazama says, quickly turning away towards the bathroom. His bare feet padded against the floor, a little too quick to be casual.
Tachikawa grinned to himself as he watched Kazama go, noting the small pink tint on his ears, the only sign of him ever getting flustered. It made Tachikawa’s grin stretch a bit wider, warmth burning in his chest like someone had just lit a bonfire and left it to smolder.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming,” he muttered, voice barely traveling through the room. He grabbed his jacket from the rack next to the door and tugged it on to wait for Kazama. The kiss still burned on his lips like a secret that they both shared.
And for now, that was more than enough.