Chapter Text
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“Owwww…” Momo let out a low groan, applying pressure to his head, a nasty migraine had been plaguing him all day. Normally the navy haired boy would try to take some pain killers or take a moment to get some water, but he was on shift. Sighing Momo lamented to just work through the pain.
Shelving new stock wasn’t an ideal job for the average person but Momo didn’t mind, it paid some of the rent. Right now though, he would prefer to be doing literally anything else. The pulsating sting protruding from his noggin wasn’t something he was partial to either.
These headaches have been coming and going over the last several weeks, but in the past few days they’ve been particularly more frequent. At this rate if it kept getting worse, he might need to take a few days off to get it checked. That was something he really couldn’t let happen, his partner needed as little stress as possible and the duo already had enough on their plate.
The thought of Yuki made Momo’s heart feel a pang of sadness, it had been about a week since they last really got to see each other. His partner was constantly either asleep or too exhausted from song writing to pay attention. As for Momo himself, he had been too busy working to really see Yuki.
Momo went to reach for a heavy box next, but as he went to lift it up, a wave of vertigo hit him. Just as the shorter man nearly fell forward his younger coworker, who had taken notice early on, ran over and managed to catch him, “Woah there Sunohara-san!”
It took Momo a second to realize what had happened, when he snapped out of it he noticed who had caught him. The coworker in question was this rather brawny high schooler with brown hair which went to about his ears, but aside from his build and orange eyes nothing else was really remarkable about him appearance wise. Thankfully this average boy had come just in the nick of time. His name was Akihiro, just some kid that often ended up on the same shifts as Momo.
Nervously chuckling to himself, Momo looked up to his coworker with a tense smile. “Thanks Akihiro-kun.”
Akihiro took the box out of Momo’s hands, making sure that his coworker could regain balance. Putting it up on the shelf, he glances Momo with a worried expression, “Are you okay? You look really worn out.”
Seeing his younger coworker’s distress made Momo feel anxious. Despite the migraine he didn’t really want to stress out anyone else, Yuki was already constantly having to deal with him anyway. Forcing his usual happy go lucky smile, Momo reassured Akihiro, feigning the actual pain he was currently dealing with, “Doing just fine! Don’t worry about Momo-chan!”
Aki wasn’t buying it but he didn’t press further, walking back towards the mop and bucket he had so carelessly left behind further down the aisle, “If you say so Sunohara-san, but when your shift is over get some rest.”
“Aye sir!” With that he ushered Aki away to return to his own work. Once his coworker had moved to the next aisle, Momo turned back to the stock he still had to shelve. Scratching his head, the navy haired man let out a heavy sigh. Relenting himself, Momo went to his task, letting the migraine continue its quest in pressing against his skull.
He just hoped his shift would be over soon, it was nearing the time after all. Then he could qualm his coworkers worries and also go back to his apartment to see Yuki. Just as he felt all hope was lost the sound of a familiar tune hit his ears.
miiikansei na~!-
His prayers had been answered!
There was an abrupt end to the song as he pressed the power button on his phone. Momo made that his timer ringtone for his during work hour alarms, it was about the only time he could listen to it worry free. He quickly checked his phone, looked at the time, and breathed in relief as his shift was now over.
Letting out a long sigh he rolled back his arms, letting the tension of work wash away. First though he had to finish up stock, then he could head on out. This meant rushing to put it up and move to the back before his manager could try to pile something else on. After quickly gathering up his possessions and waving goodbye to his coworker, Momo left the store.
Checking the time, it was about 14 past noon, one of the few points of the day Momo had a chance to unwind in between jobs. Akihiro’s request sat in his thoughts, though he was quick to push it aside. He didn’t have time to rest right now, he and Yuki really needed the money. His partner was getting really desperate to find Banri, and that made Momo only further lament his goal to help.
He had about three hours before he had to go to his next job, and despite that obligation, Momo decided to head back to the apartment. Maybe he could finally see Yuki.
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There was a dead fish in the re:vale apartment this day, it looked pale and seemed very emotionally empty inside. That fish was named Yuki. Sitting beside this dead fish was piles of crumpled paper covered in scribblings of music notes and lyrics.
Yuki blankly stared at the mess in front of him, another failure. Nothing was coming to mind.
This situation has been repeatedly pestering the older Re:vale member for more than a month at this point.
Everyday after Momo left for work, Yuki would get up late, barely eat, sparsely drink, and just sit at the table all day writing and chipping away at the randomized notes he could think up. Nothing really felt special in those dozens of attempts he’s made to write a song.
Banging his head on the table, Yuki thought back to his missing partner, the times they’d sit down and work on music proved to always yield some form of result. It just wasn’t something he could do on his own anymore, ‘Ban….what would you do…?’
His gaze went to a random stain on the old cabinets in the kitchenette. It was slightly dark with remnants of something red, implications to its origin was best left being taken to the back of the mind. Despite it possibly being cursed, Yuki just blankly stares at this stain for what felt like forever. The isolation must be really starting to get to him….or perhaps…
a light bulb went off.
Yuki wasn’t alone, the old routine involved him AND Banri. Maybe he could have Momo help him in some capacity. Sure the latter was very musically inept when it comes to writing songs or coming up with lyrics, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t assist at all. Yuki’s current partner could at least say personal opinions on his unfinished music sheets.
The now slightly less dead fish Yuki rushed to check the clock, a meek grin followed. Momo’s shift at his first job was up by now, there would be a brief period of time before Momo had to go in for the next one. Perhaps he could drag him home for a bit.
Opening his phone he fidgeted with it to find the sms app, quickly opening it up and going to his message logs with Momo. Yet as Yuki was about to text him, the sound of a key entering the front door knob put an abrupt halt on his plans.
When the door opened the older man perked up in restrained excitement, too much might send Momo into a frenzy of compliments from the sudden appearance of his idol. “Momo-!”
As Momo stepped through, he lightly grunted in pain, mostly holding back a longer grimace.
Yuki paused at the sound, frozen stiff.
Momo gave no indication that he had seen or heard him, slowly leaning down to take off his work shoes. In that action the younger ends up falling on his rump rather harshly, as if he couldn’t support his own body. Yuki watches on cautiously.
Momo sluggishly discards his shoes to the side and tries to stand up. Only that attempt ends with Momo clutching his head and falling back down, he tried again, yet found himself with the same result.
Momo sat there a good few seconds trying to help himself up. Yuki merely eyed him in that time with hopes that Momo would call out his name for help. No such cry came about.
For a moment, Yuki thought he had heard Momo utter the word ‘damnit’ beneath his breath during those futile attempts.
Unable to watch any further, Yuki walked over to his partner, “Momo.”
Momo’s head whips around faster than what was probably good for him, as he was quick to grab at his head when the sudden movement triggered a particularly rough twinge of pain.
Yuki darts to Momo’s side, anxiously placing a hand to his partner’s back
Despite what Momo views as a rather awful display on his part, he tries to play it off, smiling through and looking at Yuki with soft eyes, “Yuki! I missed you!”
Yuki frowned at the overly positive tone he had just heard. He puts his hand to the back of Momo’s head, looking over it carefully. “Did you fall on the way back?”
Momo softly shakes his head, turning up the sweetness in his voice, “Just a migraine! Momo-chan is just fine!”
He tries to reassure Yuki with another smile, but his senior wasn’t buying it. The older Re:Vale member glints at his younger’s head, then back to his gaze, there is a soft glare in his eyes, “Momo.”
Momo jolts and tries to look away. On top of the pain, Yuki being this close in proximity was getting him all flustered.
He looks down and softly exhales, “Yuki…”
Momo’s thumbs circle slowly around each other, “I’m okay, I just want to get out of the doorway.”
Yuki sighs and stands up, extending a hand, “Do you need help?”
Momo tries to get up on his own one more time and yet once again is unable. Blushing at his own inability, he nods and takes Yuki’s outstretched palm.
Normally whenever Yuki has to pull up Momo for any reason, the man is usually met with a typically heavy and hard gripping mass of slender muscle.
However what greeted him when he went to pull up that expected weight was a weaker hold. Momo’s grip felt more shallow, almost fragile compared to normal.
“What’s wrong Yuki?” Momo is standing next to him looking on in worry.
Yuki looks directly into Momo’s eyes, his resolve strong and determined, there is a slight tremble of his lip before he asks a question he dreaded to even utter….
“When did you eat last?”