Work Text:
"Are you hiding something from me, Kagehira?"
…Oh.
Well, yes, Mika(*, God bless the asterisk, the only character capable of expressing the ever important nuance of his name) was hiding something. Not the type of thing he's very keen on sharing, though.
"Why d'ya ask, Oshi-san? 'S not like I'd ever keep something real urgent from ya…" Now, that was true. This wasn't a very urgent matter. Every part of his research so far had told him "wait until everyone is ready" and "make sure you're safe" and "it's always your choice". It's quite funny, as if he needed any encouragement to be closed off and secretive about something with the slightest chance of making his dear Oshi-san throw him away.
(Mika knew that wouldn't happen. Of course, Shu himself had proven time and time again that she valued Mika too much for that. And it's not like these kinds of things were a foreign idea to her, as she and Madonee had been established and open for quite some time. Old habits die hard, he supposed.)
Shu seemed to soften at Mika's deflection, apparently noticing the delicacy required for the topic at hand was greater than previously expected. "…Please, Kagehira. If there is something on your mind, I implore you to share. We both know nothing bad would ever come from you doing such a thing."
They did both know, yes. Both Mika and Shu had enough history and growth to have moved past that. But not everyone had such a luxury, sadly, and Mika could sense an anxiety bubbling somewhere deep inside his mind (or perhaps somewhere else entirely). Feeling someone else's fear was an odd experience, but an ultimately familiar one, so much so he barely batted an eye at the activity.
He could vaguely sense the thoughts, Don't share! Don't open up! It's not safe here! It's not safe here! It's not safe here! I'm so scared I could die!, whispered in his ear, and he knew that now wasn't the time. Not yet. Maybe when he was alone in his head, no one else awake to fear the impending conversation, he could comfortably speak on the matters at hand. As of the last three times this has come up, though, he hadn't been so lucky. It's alright, he tried to broadcast to whoever was awake, It's alright, we are safe, and you don't have to be scared. He'd never been the type to silently watch another in distress without trying to help, after all.
(Mika remembered, once, when Ritsu had been out of the dorm room and Shu had been off in Paris working on her studies, that he himself had been in distress. Panicking, desperately clinging to anything to stave off the fear that everything in his life would be taken away once the world discovered how disgusting he was. He heard a voice say something similar, then. That won't happen, you're safe here, these people won't throw you away, even if they did I promise you won't have to be alone. Kind words, so kind in fact they stopped him from making yet another horrid mistake.)
"Ngahh, Oshi-san, you don't gotta be so worried. I swear I'll tell when 'm ready!" Brought back to his body rather than his thoughts, again. Mika made sure to give a small smile to his Oshi-san, just to ensure she didn't push further. "What's tha phrase… 'All in due time', yeah."
He wasn't sure how long "due time" was. Couldn't be lengthy, considering how much of a coincidence having all other opportunities to share be thwarted already was.
"Alright, dear. I will wait for you, no matter what for." Mika's smile was returned in Shu's own expression, the mood lightening once more.
'All in due time', yes. Eventually, Mika(*) will come clean, and their life will likely change again to accommodate the newfound truth of his identity (their identities). It didn't have to be right then, though. Shu would wait.