#//It's always had to do with Kae's emotional state the mornings of or nights before

[dutybcrne]

Sometimes Kaeya loathes to look at Diluc, growing so sick to his gut at a mere glance. Some days Kaeya can hardly stand to look at him, to the point of avoiding him each and every way he can, subtleties and dignity be damned.

Because some days, all Kaeya can see is the very spitting image of Crepus in him.

[komahinasecretexchange]

Title: Waiting For Dawn

Author: Kae @kaedeakamatsu

For: Philip @slickandsolangelic

Rating/Warnings: Parental Death Mentioned

Prompt: Flowershop AU. Bonus points for bedsharing, angst with a happy ending and hurt/comfort.

Author’s notes: I hope you enjoy!^^

AO3 LINK

Hinata is pulled away from watering the hydrangeas by a familiar little dog that careens into his legs with no warning and nearly knocks him to the floor.

Dropping the watering can — and dumping the water all over himself in the process — he tries to catch his balance, looking down at the adorable little Shiba Inu with wide eyes. “H-Hey, Koro, what’s got you all excited??”

Another familiar thing, this time a small laugh, rings out behind him. “Sorry, Hinata-kun. He was just so eager to see you, I had to bring him along.”

Hinata glances over his shoulder and rolls his eyes exaggeratedly. “Riiiiight, he’s the one who wanted to see me. Sounds like an excuse if you ask me.”

His boyfriend chuckles once more. “Oh, have I been found out?”

Hinata can’t resist smiling as Koro begins to settle down. “It’s nice to see you.”

The quaint little flower shop where Hinata worked is where he’d first met Komaeda, where the two of them had become friends, and then later… much more. He’d been enamored with the mysterious stranger who was covered in band-aids and bruises, the one who remained cheery no matter what new misfortune had befallen him. The pretty boy who remembered his name and took his suggestions on which flowers to buy. The one whose eyes reminded him of the ocean on a stormy day, the one who’d shown so much kindness and warmth and light …

What was once a hint of a feeling had blossomed into something much more.

And he was still so grateful that Komaeda had felt the same.

But nevermind that.

“It’s nice to see you too, Hinata-kun…” Komaeda squats down next to him and pats his dog’s head. “…For myself and for Koro here…” He’s close enough that Hinata can smell his cologne, and he has to remind himself not to lean closer. ‘ Not while you’re on the clock.’

“If you don’t mind waiting, I’ll be done in just a moment,” he says instead of cuddling up to his boyfriend in the middle of the floor. “And then we can get going?”

Komaeda nods, still petting his pup. “Can I help?”

“No, no, you’re fine.” Hinata stands, abruptly pulling off his apron. “One sec.”

It doesn’t take long for him to finish up, and he meets Komaeda outside the shop with a new burst of energy in his step. “Ready?”

“Sure.”

They begin the walk to Hinata’s apartment, Koro trotting in front. Usually, this is the point where Komaeda would launch into a story about his day, or ask Hinata how he was doing, or start telling him what he’d learned in class. Usually, he would act as though he’d be bursting at the seams with thoughts and jokes and questions, so much to hear and so much to say that it had all built up and was ready to come tumbling out of his mouth the moment he had Hinata to himself.

But today, he was quiet. He looked at the sky above with a smile on his face, but it seemed… sad, almost. Wistful.

Hinata cleared his throat. “Are you, uh. Are you alright?”

“Hm?”

He hadn’t even heard him? This could be bad. “I asked if you were doing alright?”

“Oh, yes, of course! No need to worry about me.” Komaeda assures him with a bright smile.

…He doesn’t buy it. “Komaeda.”

“What?”

“I know you better than that,” Hinata insists, frowning. “There’s obviously something bugging you, so please just tell me what it is.”

Komaeda hesitates. “Well, I… I don’t want to make a mountain out of a molehill.”

“It doesn’t have to ‘be’ anything, it just… is what it is,” Hinata said lamely. “We’ve talked about this. I know you’re used to smoothing everything over, but you have to work with your emotions instead of pretending they aren’t there, right?”

“Just like Yui said, you mean?”

He nods. “Just like Yui said.”

Yui was Komaeda’s therapist. Although it had taken a while for Komaeda to open up to Hinata about his mental state and past trauma, it’d been a huge relief when he finally got it off his chest. And now? He even had Hinata come with him to a few sessions. Who was immensely proud of all the progress his boyfriend had made, even though he’d insisted it’d been baby step after smaller baby step.

“Fine,” Komaeda said suddenly. “Can I stay the night with you?”

“W-What?” Hinata almost choked on his own saliva.

“I-It’s not for what you think —” Komaeda started to blush. “I want to sleep with you, n-not… sleep with you. Although I can’t lie, I would like to do that too, someday—”

“Komaeda!”

“Right, right, off topic,” his face is even more flushed now.

“I’m lost. What does that have to do with…?”

“I’ll tell you later,” he said. “Please?”

He feels as though he’s missing something. Or a lot of somethings. How did the conversation get from whatever was bothering his boyfriend to this?

But he does know Komaeda, so he thinks he’s figured out at least this much. “You want to talk about it when we have some privacy. Right?”

“If you don’t mind…” Komaeda faltered.

“Of course.” Hinata takes his hand then, and gently changes the subject. “You know, there was this really weird customer earlier today…”

They’d had dinner, given Koro his bath, and watched their movie. Komaeda had remained somewhat subdued, but Hinata was understanding, and he didn’t mind filling in the silence when Komaeda needed him to. He even coaxed a few smiles and some laughter out of his boyfriend here and there.

But now, with the movie over and the credits rolling, Hinata could feel the conversation coming. Because Komaeda was not getting ready to leave as he usually did during the credits. Instead, he remained next to Hinata with his legs hugged to his chest, chewing his lip as though he was preparing to speak.

Finally, Komaeda sighed and looked at his boyfriend. “I… hate being alone.”

“You’re not alone.” Hinata reminded him. “You have me now, and my friends really like you—”

“That’s not what I mean.” Komaeda bit his lip again.

“Sorry… I’m listening.” Hinata gently urged him on. “You hate being alone…?”

“My house is so huge, but it’s always just been me. Ever since I was little, anyway…” And then, quietly, he adds, “Today’s the anniversary of my parents’ deaths.”

“Oh.” Hinata’s mind goes blank.

“It’s a bit presumptuous of me, but I thought if you were willing, it would be nice to… not be alone right now.” he keeps his tone light and casual, but his eyes stay downcast.”I’ve been out all day, and the thought of going back to that huge, empty space makes me feel… very empty inside, too.”

“Thank you for telling me,” Hinata wrapped his arm around Komaeda and pulled him closer. Komaeda leaned into his chest and buried his face in the crook of Hinata’s neck, closing his eyes. Hinata rubbed his arm with his thumb and waited in case there was more.

There was. Murmuring into his partner’s neck, he continued on. “It’s silly, because it happened so long ago… I barely remember them. But before I met you, I was truly alone… so, so alone. And it’s been better because of you, but today —” his throat tightened painfully. “I started feeling alone again, and I thought— there’s no guarantee you’ll stay with me, either.” he was trying to hold back tears.

Hinata took his shoulders and maneuvered Komaeda to face him. “Hey… There are no guarantees for the future, that’s true. But no matter what happens, you and I will always be friends.”

Komaeda swallowed thickly and met Hinata’s eyes. “…Promise?”

“I promise,” he vowed. “And just so you know? I have absolutely no plans of breaking it off. Of— of breaking us off. I know we’ve been taking it slow, but… I just want to savor what we have while we have it. I… I should have said it before, but, Komaeda… I love you.”

His eyes widened. “You— You do?”

Hinata nodded seriously.

“I-I—” Komaeda stuttered breathlessly. “I love you, too.”

A grin slowly stretched across Hinata’s face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Komaeda was smiling back, his eyes now glistening with happy tears.

Hinata laughed quietly before poking his forehead. Then a thought occurred to him, and he looked serious once more. “There is no cycle,” He said firmly. “If something happens to me, it’s not a result of your bad luck, and it wouldn’t be your fault. So don’t even go there.”

“I won’t,” Komaeda promised. “‘Choose what you can do instead of focusing on what you can’t,’ right?”

“Exactly,” he agreed. “Feeling better?”

“I am,” Komaeda’s genuine smile was so beautiful to Hinata it was almost cruel. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me,” Hinata leaned in and kissed his forehead. “I’m always here for you.”

Komaeda, unsurprisingly, insisted he should sleep on the couch, but Hinata flatly refused, threatening to sleep on the floor if Komaeda wouldn’t stop being dramatic and just go the hell to bed already. So Komaeda gave in and the two of them laid in bed talking until they finally drifted off to sleep, Koro snuggling up to their legs. The next morning they would wake up to find Komaeda’s leg in between Hinata’s, and Hinata’s arm draped over Komaeda’s waist. Komaeda would laugh, Hinata would blush. They would make tea for Komaeda and coffee for Hinata before eating breakfast together. And then they would have their whole day— their whole lives—  in front of them.

But for now, they slept peacefully. Waiting for dawn.