As they neared the apartment, a quiet weight settled over Ayaka's shoulders—a mix of relief and something far more nerve-wracking.
The reality of Akihiko staying with her pressed at the edges of her thoughts, a complicated tangle of comfort and disquiet she couldn't quite untangle.
The soft click of the door unlocking echoed in the quiet corridor.
Akihiko stepped inside first, flipping on the lights with casual ease as he set their bags on the table. He glanced back at her, voice smooth.
"We're here." he murmured.
Ayaka sank into the couch, a heavy sigh escaping her lips as the lingering fatigue of the hospital clung to her. Somehow, now that they were alone, the air felt heavier, more charged.
Akihiko shrugged off his coat, rolling up his sleeves effortlessly. "I'll make something to eat. What do you want?"
She perked up weakly, thinking. "Maybe… hamburger steak?" she offered, almost shyly.
His lips quirked into a soft smirk. "As you wish."
The low timbre of his chuckle sent an involuntary shiver down her spine as he turned towards the kitchen, leaving her heartbeat fluttering stupidly.
While he moved fluidly through the kitchen—focused, controlled, sleeves pushed to his elbows—Ayaka tried distracting herself with a manga left on the table.
But her eyes kept flicking up, catching glimpses of him: the effortless way he handled the knife, the occasional glance he threw her way, the quiet confidence that lingered in the room like a scent.
By the time he finished, she had barely registered how long she'd been pretending to read.
"Come. Let's eat." he called, setting down two steaming plates on the table.
Ayaka sat down eagerly, eyes widening at the presentation. "Wow! This looks so good, Akihiko!" She took a bite and practically melted. "This is really delicious!" she exclaimed between mouthfuls.
Akihiko's expression softened, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. "I'm glad."
He leaned over casually and, without asking, scooped some stir-fried vegetables onto her bowl. "Eat your veggies too."
The gesture was so small, but intimate in a way that made her breath catch.
"T-thank you…" she muttered, cheeks heating before she could stop herself.
He said nothing, but the glint in his blue eyes didn't miss her flustered reaction.
When they finished, Ayaka stood to gather the dishes, heart still thudding as she busied herself at the sink.
Trying to focus, she made a passing comment, "Oh, by the way… the guest room's finally clean. You can sleep there tonight."
She barely finished her sentence before she felt him behind her.
Akihiko's presence was close—too close—his breath warm near her ear as he leaned in, effectively caging her between him and the counter. Her heart jumped.
"H-hey… careful!" she sputtered, trying to act nonchalant despite the soap still clinging to her fingers. "Do you want to get wet?"
But Akihiko didn't move away. Instead, he casually reached past her to turn off the running faucet, his other hand lightly grazing her waist in the process.
He made her turn slightly to face him, his eyes glinting as they searched her flustered expression.
"You've been meaning to tell me..." he murmured, voice low, "That you have a perfectly fine guest room… yet we shared your bed before?"
His lips curved into a grin. "Is that how badly you wanted me to stay with you?"
Her eyes widened, mortified. "D-don't be ridiculous!" she stammered, frantically shaking her head. "T-that room was full of storage back then! It's only now clean because… because Kai was supposed to sleep there! But then I was admitted to the hospital, so—"
"Mm, I see..." Akihiko hummed, but the wicked glint in his eyes remained.
Before she could recover, he reached up and lightly brushed his fingers over her flushed cheek, his thumb lingering a second too long.
"Still..." he teased, voice dipping lower, "Why is your face so red, Ayaka?"
Her pulse thundered as she looked away, desperate to escape the cage of his arms and that intense gaze. "I-it's not!" she protested weakly, though even she didn't sound convinced.
For a moment, the only sound between them was the faint drip of water from the sink.
Then, with a satisfied little smirk, Akihiko finally pulled away, casually grabbing his bag.
"I'll place my things in the guest room." he said, voice light but his gaze was sharp. "Unless you change your mind."
Ayaka stood frozen, heart racing as he left the kitchen, her mind reeling.
'T-that guy…! He really enjoys messing with me!' she thought furiously, pressing her palm over her chest in a vain attempt to calm herself.
------
The night settled quietly around them.
The two lounged on the couch, half-watching some drama as the sound of heavy rain began pelting against the window.
Thunder rumbled low and distant, soon followed by closer, sharper cracks.
Akihiko glanced at the window. "Looks like it's going to pour all night." he murmured.
The later it got, the heavier the storm became. Eventually, they retreated to their respective rooms.
Ayaka lay on her bed, trying to steady her nerves, but the dark pressed in thick around her. "The power's out!"
Her phone lit up dimly in her hand as she checked it, teeth worrying her lip.
'Maybe I should call Akihiko… but what if he's already asleep?' she thought, heart fluttering with unease. The thunder rolled again, rattling the windowpane.
Suddenly, she shifted awkwardly and her elbow knocked a book off the edge of her nightstand.
*THUD.*
Ayaka's breath hitched sharply at the sound.
"Okay! I can't take this!" She exclaimed as she couldn't take the oppressive darkness and the flickering shadows anymore.
Before she knew it, she was padding down the hall, barefoot, standing uncertainly in front of Akihiko's room, about to knock.
But the door opened before she could.
Akihiko stood there, flashlight in hand, his gaze immediately falling on her. His expression softened slightly, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.
"I was just coming to check on you." he said, voice quieter than usual. "I heard a loud noise."
Ayaka gripped the hem of her shirt tightly, her nerves and embarrassment twisted together. "I… um… I-I was wondering…"
She hesitated, then blurted, face burning, "C-can you… s-stay in my room? Just like… b-before…?"
Akihiko's lips quirked, clearly amused. "So you finally admitted, you want me to sleep with you again?" he teased, stepping slightly closer.
"N-no! I mean—just until the power's back!" she sputtered, turning her face away to hide her blush.
He chuckled low, voice dipping. "Alright then."
They returned to her room, slipping beneath the covers in silence.
But unlike before, there was no pillow barrier this time.
Ayaka kept herself pressed to the wall, trying not to tremble, but she couldn't stop the way her fingers fidgeted or how her heartbeat felt deafening in the dark.
Akihiko noticed her every restless movement.
Without a word, he shifted closer and gently wrapped his arm around her, pulling her flush against his chest.
She stiffened momentarily, but the warmth of his embrace melted the tension almost immediately.
"It's alright..." he murmured, voice soft against her ear. "I'm here."
The words, simple as they were, made something tighten in her chest. Slowly, her trembling eased, her breathing falling into rhythm with his.
Even in the pitch black, she felt the steady beat of his heart against her back, his arm firm around her as if shielding her from everything outside.
Ayaka swallowed thickly, knowing that as soon as the lights returned, so would the distance.
But for now… she allowed herself to lean into the moment, wishing it could last just a little longer.
In the darkness, wrapped safely in Akihiko's arms, she drifted to sleep—never noticing the faint smile tugging at his lips as he listened to the sound of her even breaths.
------
The Next Morning...
The soft patter of rain still lingered faintly against the windows when Ayaka's eyes fluttered open.
It was lighter now—a quiet drizzle, the kind that made everything feel slower, softer.
For a moment, she felt a warm weight around her and blinked in confusion.
Akihiko's arm was still draped lazily over her waist, his steady breathing brushing against her ear. She stiffened, awareness dawning all at once, heart racing wildly.
She dared a glance over her shoulder.
His silver hair was slightly messy, eyes closed, features relaxed in a way she rarely saw—so effortlessly handsome, it made her chest tighten.
'Oh no… how long have we been like this?!'
Carefully, almost painfully slow, she tried to shift, wanting to slip away before he woke up.
But before she could, the arm around her tightened slightly, pulling her back with a low, sleepy murmur.
"Where do you think you're going?" His voice was rough, deep from sleep, making her entire body freeze.
"I-I…" she stammered, face burning. "I thought you'd be more comfortable if I got up."
Akihiko's chuckle rumbled quietly against her back. "I'm comfortable enough." he murmured, voice almost teasing but with a lazy edge. "You kept clinging to me all night, after all."
Ayaka's eyes widened in horror. "I-I did NOT—!"
"You did." he replied smoothly, the voice still husky with sleep. "Shivering, pressing close… It was cute."
Her face flamed as she desperately stared at the wall. 'I'll die. I'm going to die.'
Before she could sputter out another denial, Akihiko shifted, finally pulling away from her.
She felt a sudden, ridiculous sense of cold where his body had been.
"I'll go check if the power's back on." he said, voice returning to his usual calm but with that faintly satisfied undertone.
He left her there, still half buried under the blanket, heart pounding uncontrollably.
-----
A little later, the soft hum of appliances returning to life echoed through the apartment.
The power had returned. Ayaka scrambled to get herself presentable, splashing cold water on her face in a vain attempt to cool the blush still lingering stubbornly on her cheeks.
When she finally emerged from her room, she found Akihiko already in the kitchen. He had rolled up his sleeves again, hair still slightly messy, moving around like he owned the space.
She bit her lip, forcing herself to act normal.
"Um… good morning!" she greeted, voice a little too high-pitched.
Akihiko glanced at her, blue eyes glinting. "Morning."
Without asking, he slid a glass of water across the table toward her. "Drink. You were sweating a bit in your sleep."
Ayaka blinked, swallowing hard as she took it. "T-thank you…"
He moved around easily, preparing breakfast like it was second nature—like he'd done it a hundred times in her kitchen.
There was something oddly domestic about it, something that made her chest feel tight.
As he plated the eggs and toast, he spoke casually, "You should take it easy today. Don't overdo it just because you're home."
Ayaka frowned slightly, trying to hide how her stomach fluttered at his quiet concern. "I won't… you're not my babysitter, you know."
Akihiko leaned in slightly, sliding the plate in front of her, his voice low. "No… but maybe I don't mind looking after you."
Her eyes shot up to meet his, heart leaping.
But his expression was unreadable as always, a faint smirk playing at his lips, as if daring her to read more into it.
------
Later That Morning...
After breakfast, Ayaka insisted on tidying up, wanting to distract herself from how flustered she still felt. But of course, Akihiko didn't make it easy.
While she stood on her tiptoes, reaching to put a mug back into a high cupboard, Akihiko appeared behind her without warning.
"You'll hurt yourself like that, do you want your stitches to open?" he murmured, reaching over her shoulder and plucking the mug easily from her hand to set it in place.
She startled, nearly dropping it, hyper-aware of how close he was. His breath ghosted over her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.
"I-I could've managed…" she mumbled, stepping away quickly.
Akihiko only chuckled, watching her with that same knowing glint in his eyes.
By midday, the rain had finally lightened, and Akihiko gathered his things, ready to return to the hospital.
Standing by the door, Ayaka tried not to fidget as he slipped his coat back on.
"Will you be okay?" he asked, voice quieter now.
She nodded quickly, forcing a bright smile. "Yes! You've done enough already, really… Thank you, Akihiko."
For a moment, he didn't move. Just stared at her, blue eyes sharp, unreadable.
Then, unexpectedly, he reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering a second too long.
"You're too careless with yourself. Just relax for a while..." he murmured, voice soft but something in it unspoken, almost frustrated.
Ayaka's breath caught in her throat, lips parting—but she didn't know how to respond.
Before she could form words, he let his hand drop, slipping effortlessly back into that cool, composed mask.
"Rest well." he said, turning toward the door with a faint smile. "I'll be back tonight."
And just like that, he was gone—leaving Ayaka standing in the quiet apartment, heart pounding, stomach in knots, wondering why she suddenly wished he hadn't left so soon.