Aone looked up from unlocking the door to his classroom. Yet again Asahi was sleeping on their shared desk. This was the third time this week.

Aone walked over and opened the desk. He took out his books and set them on the floor. It was still two hours from his class starting so for now he would just work on the floor.

Asahi stirred, groaning. "Ow..."

Aone looked up. "Why do you keep sleeping here? It isn't good for you."

Asahi stared at the desk before blinking. "Huh?"

"What?"

"Do you need to see a doctor?"

Asahi sat up slowly and tried to stand. He faltered. Aone stood hurriedly and helped him sit back down. "Don't get up."

Asahi nodded. Aone looked around before leaning down and helping him stand. He put him in the storage room where Asahi slept soundly. He seemed okay sleeping but it was odd. Falling asleep like that was odd.

Aone stayed in the room, watching. Asahi woke up when he kept having to move a falling box though and sat up. "Are you feeling better?"

"Mhmm. Tired." Asahi pushed back his hair. He stared at Aone.

"Do you always fall asleep like this?"

"I sleep everywhere," Asahi admitted.

"Why?" Aone stood, flattening out his button-up shirt.

"I dunno. I've done it since I was little." Asahi took a deep breath. He tied back his hair, in a loose bun with the front strands still down. That was better.

"That isn't healthy."

Asahi hummed. He got up slowly. "No students?"

Aone shook his head. He went into the classroom with the box of supplies. Asahi followed.

"What is this for?"

"Laws of motion review. Kits." Aone looked over the desk and board. He picked up an Expo marker and started to write on the board. "You're welcome to stay if you don't feel well."

"I'll go sit in my car until then. Thank you though." Asahi started to walk to the door.

"Asahi."

Asahi turned around, alarmed by the use of his name suddenly being spoken. "Yes?"

"What color is your car? Or what company is it from?"

"Navy blue. It's an old Kia."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome?" Asahi glanced at the other male before leaving. He seemed weirder now. Maybe this is why the other teachers were scared of him. Asking the color and company of someone's car was unsettling.

He climbed into his car, curling up into the back seats. It was comfortable and he seemed to be okay.

That was until time passed and he heard tapping on his window. Aone was there, holding coffee. Asahi rolled down the window. "Hi?"

Aone held out the cup. "Here."

Asahi took it gingerly, too scared to admit that coffee made him jittery. "Thank you. Why are you giving me coffee though?"

"So you don't fall asleep while driving." Aone clasped his own cup on both of his hands. It seemed odd seeing as one of his hands would fit around the cup and yet he chose to guard it with both.

Asahi just nodded and sipped. It was sweet. He loved sweet coffee.

"I personally don't enjoy black coffee so I hope this is okay. It's not a lot of sugar or creamer but it's enough to get rid of the bitterness."

Asahi stayed silent. Aone was said to be incredibly quiet or even silent at times but here he was, talking and showing emotion that everyone gossiped he didn't have. He didn't have to be this nice. He didn't have to make sure Asahi was safe. But here he was.

"Are you alright?"

"Mhmm."

Aone glanced to the side. He sighed heavily. While his head was still turned Asahi noticed the flower petals peeking out of his collar. For a second he wondered how large that tattoo must be for it to always poke out of shirts. Aone turned back. "I need to go now."

He turned to leave and Asahi sat up. "Hang on."

"Hm?"

"I have a book for you."

Aone got close again, a hand on the top of the car as a way to stand still. Asahi fished a book out of his bag. It was a deep turquoise color with some sort of gold on the front.

"It's one of my favorites. It's well written and is worded nicely."

Aone took the book from him and read the cover. He looked puzzled.

"Achilles and Patroclus. They were lovers. It's Greek mythology, I'm having my students read it right now."

Aone nodded. "Thank you."

Asahi shrunk back into his seat and allowed Aone to leave without disturbance. He seemed like a busy man and he honestly felt bad for keeping him. Maybe he wouldn't be mad and just continue with his day though.

Asahi rolled up the window and smelled of the coffee he'd been given. The rain started to patter against the top of his car and he relaxed some. He loved the rain.

There were once days where he had sat outside and let the rain soak his clothes, hair down. That was a long time ago though and he had been surrounded by love and friends. They all had lived close together then and everyone tolerated everyone else's anxieties.

That was when one of his closest friends hadn't screamed at him to grow up and stop flinching and getting anxious. He had gotten tired of being looked at after everyone got tired of trying to calm his anxiety. He honestly couldn't help it when it happened.

Nearly his whole team turned against him right before he graduated because he burdened them. His uncontrollable feelings were a burden and they would stay that way.

****

The next two weeks were both similar. Asahi would be found sleeping and Aone would remind him to see a doctor. Then they would "share" a coffee either outside or in the storage room.

Like now, Aone reading the book he'd been given and sitting on the floor. Asahi was holding his cup, just kind of staring into space.

"Asahi what is your favorite color?"

Asahi's head jolted as he looked up. "Huh?"

"What is your favorite color?"

"Bluish gray." Asahi took a sip of coffee. He cursed himself for the action. "Why?"

"It's a conversation starter. My favorite color is yellow."

"Yellow?"

"Mhmm. Like sunflowers."

Asahi shifted a bit. "I like sunflowers."

"I have several tattooed on my back." Aone yawned. He pulled out his phone. "I'll show you."

Asahi leaned forward. On Aone's screen was a picture of his back, red and with his tattoos. They were beautiful. They were also all just black instead of color, which was understandable. He'd heard that the coloring process hurt a lot.

"Aren't they beautiful?"

"Mhmm... why did you get them?"

"Because they make me feel nice. I love beautiful things." Aone touched the back of his neck for a moment. He sat there for a moment before taking a deep breath. "What things do you like?"

"Little things." Asahi paused. "And books."

"We have the same taste in books."

Asahi wanted to tell him how he was so shocked by this information. He hadn't expected such a man to be so gentle with everything. Aone was gossiped about to no end. People said such cruel things about him. Yet... he was like this.

So beautiful.

Asahi rocked slowly. Aone looked up and watched him rock. This seemed like such a calming thing for him. He'd noticed that he rocked when he was calm and it wasn't too often. The other male had such an anxiety-stricken state most of the time that didn't make sense. There was nothing to be so anxious about.

"Would you like to walk to your car?"

Asahi shook his head. "I need five more minutes."

Aone nodded. He kept watching Asahi rock himself. He looked so calm and looked like he was starting to space out. "Asahi."

"Hm?"

"May I ask you a personal question?"

"Go ahead."

"Are you a form of neurodivergent?"

"I don't know," Asahi whispered.

Aone got up. He grabbed his bag. "Come on. It's too dusty here to sit very long."

Asahi got up and followed him. He stayed quiet and just followed, not wanting to say anything. They got to the parking lot and Aone stopped him. "What is it?"

"Would you like to go get dinner?"

Asahi shook his head. "I don't like eating in public."

"I didn't say it had to be in public. We can grab something and eat somewhere more secluded." Aone checked the time. He hummed. "We have around an hour."

Asahi nodded. "Where are we going to get food?"

"There's a restaurant down the road the students go to. They serve a lot of very nice warm foods."

Asahi nodded to himself. "Tonkotsu ramen?"

"Yes. I like the spicy curry they have." Aone started to walk the other way. Asahi hurried with him down the sidewalk. He wanted so badly to ask for him to slow down but he grew too nervous to do so. As he walked behind Aone he noticed a slight limp and kept watching. Hip injury maybe?

Aone finally slowed down and opened the door to a restaurant. Asahi walked in and looked around. Cozy. Aone walked inside and headed to the counter. A worker looked up and grinned. "Aone! How are you, man?"

"I'm alright." Aone gently led Asahi forward. "How are you?"

"I'm good. How's the leg?"

"The cold causes phantom feelings. It's not very nice. Asahi, tell him what you would like."

Asahi whispered out an order and backed up. Aone ordered dully and talked with the man in front of him. He leaned into the counter and Asahi watched. What was a phantom feeling and why did it matter?

Asahi looked it up and looked at Aone. This was a feeling in a limb that was no longer there. Meaning Aone was an amputee. Which honestly he didn't care about but it was nice to know seeing as he knew now to stop sleeping in their chair so Aone would actually be comfortable.

Aone handed him a bowl and gestured outside. They sat on a bench and Asahi regretted admitting that he didn't like eating in public. The cold was making Aone suffer and Asahi was making this happen.

"Hey, we can eat inside if it helps."

Aone glanced over. "Helps?"

"With your leg..."

Aone looked up fully. His eyes stuck to the other male. He looked a bit aggressive like this but he just looked away. "Thank you for worrying but I'm fine. I'm going to get used to the feeling."

Asahi held back from further questioning him. He didn't want to seem rude at all.

He finished before Aone did and sat there, nervous. Did he make a mistake by asking that? "Asahi."

Asahi looked up hurriedly in surprise. "Yeah?"

"Don't feel embarrassed."

"What?"

"You seem embarrassed because you asked me questions. I may be an amputee but I am not embarrassed by it. You shouldn't be either." Aone shifted his right leg, brows furrowing. Some time ago Asahi had noticed they were incredibly light blond and almost invisible. It was neat to him.

"You're right, sorry. I didn't mean to seem rude."

Aone nodded. "It's alright. Do you have any questions?"

"Oh. Um... which leg is it?"

"My left."

Asahi nodded. He fiddled with his hands.

Aone looked up and took a deep breath. "It was a hiking accident."

"Oh."

"I won't tell you what happened. But I was amputated below the knee. I am okay with how it looks and you won't offend me."

Asahi smiled. "Thank you for telling me."