"You've been acting off lately."

Oliver looked up from his bowl, finding Kazehiki to be watching him, his head leaned on his hand. He had an uncertain expression, making the blond gulp down his food uncomfortably. His glance lowered down to his coworker's yet untouched food; the steam has gone off by now.

"Don't you want to eat at some point?" Oliver said, hoping to evade the question but he only received a shrug as a response.

"Dunno. Don't feel like eating when seeing you like this."

"What's so different about me?" Oliver emptied his bowl and put it aside, and Kazehiki still didn't move. They looked at each other in silence for a while until the blond started shifting in his seat. Kazehiki's uncertain expression unsettled him.

"I can't really tell. You just act different than normally," his friend sighed and leaned forward, looking in Oliver's eyes once more, "And I get the feeling that has something to do with Fukase."

Oliver sighed and looked away, watching a group of coworkers passing them by. He and Kazehiki had decided to spend their lunch break with instant noodles in the office's kitchen, but Oliver started to hate it. The vivid movements and chatters around him shook him up only more, as if Kazehiki's pushy comments weren't doing enough of a job already.

He tried to ignore the rummaging around him, but it was gnawing on his nerves. Like that, he could neither find the right composure nor the right words to shake off his friend properly. Rubbing his temples, Oliver hoped to find back to their conversation.

"Everything's fine at home."

Kazehiki leaned back and rose an eyebrow. He figured Oliver wasn't up for any uncomfortable chatter, but he wouldn't drop the topic just yet. His friend's off behavior looked more like a chance to him to approach the topic from a different perspective.

"Well, at least you don't show up covered in bruises anymore. I'm surprised why all of a sudden but I won't question it. That's a step to the right direction."

Oliver still didn't look at him and Kazehiki sighed heavily. He looked at his bowl and wondered whether taking a break from the topic for a while would help him, however, he didn't see much hope in it. He watched Oliver put his bowl in the dishwasher, fiddling with the coffee machine a moment before sitting down again reluctantly.

Oliver raised his eyebrows, asking whether they were finished now, but Kazehiki shook his head. He stared at the blond a little longer.

"You know me. This is not enough for me. I'm still telling you that you need to find a way out of the relationship. It's just hurting you further, even if he might not be as violent anymore. Who knows for how long?"

Oliver frowned and fished his phone out of his jacket pocket, pretending to be busy with it. He had barely received a message from Fukase asking him when he'd come home but he ignored it for now.

"It's going to be fine," he grumbled and opened and closed a few more apps, hoping his friend wouldn't notice. However, Kazehiki pushed down the phone to the table, forcing Oliver to look back at him. The blond gritted his teeth, wondering how else he could evade the situation.

"Oliver, please, just listen to me," Kazehiki muttered almost desperately at this point. Hearing his shaky voice, Oliver did look up again, forcing himself to listen in a bit longer. Even though the repetitive advices started to bore him, he couldn't just walk away; both his curiosity and Kazehiki would follow him anyway.

"But for how long is it going to be fine? I'm worried, Oliver. You really don't have to go through that. He doesn't deserve someone like you if he treats you this way. You staying is not for anyone's sake."

Oliver faltered, thinking back about his own dilemma a few days ago. Realizing that his attempts to help Fukase solely through love were of no use in all these years had given him a push to try a different direction, however, it also pushed him down more than initially expected. He had wished for it to be this easy all this time, but he ended up hurting him and Fukase only more. It had taken him great strength to see past that and move on without any notice; finding Kazehiki scrape that topic as well pulled him back to his abyss of worry and regret.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Oliver hoped to keep his mind focused on the present. He was sitting there with Kazehiki and mustn't spend more time than needed on a response – it would only raise suspicions otherwise. Oliver nodded weakly, his eyes yet fixated on the table, and he sighed heavily.

"You're right...enduring it won't mean anything. It'll continue and not wear off as I first thought."

"That's right, please hold onto these words. It's not going to be better that way, you need to get out of there. I can help you if you want to, I'd really be up for it," Kazehiki said and smiled widely. He shook Oliver's wrist to make him look up, surprising him with his genuine enthusiasm. Albeit hesitantly, the blond casted a weak smile as well. Even so, it quickly dropped as soon as he thought about it once more.

"Thank you, but it's not about leaving as quickly as possible. I just want to become stronger to get to have a say again. I know the best way to make sure things will get better."

Kazehiki hesitated, surprised by the sudden confidence in Oliver's voice. Even so, he didn't want to crush what he had been aiming for, so he merely ran his hand through his hair, collecting his thoughts.

"If you say so...but don't think you have to carry all of that all on your own. I'm here for you and so many other people will too if you just open up."

"I know, thanks for being here for me. I'll keep it in mind."

Oliver smiled and put back his phone, knowing that this was the end of the conversation once again. He was more than relieved to find himself back in a normal atmosphere. On top of that, Kazehiki actually managed to make him feel energized enough to change his situation rather than dwell in self-pity because of past mistakes.

Kazehiki smiled as well, leaning back again and checking the time. He quickly pulled his bowl closer. "Well, I guess I can eat now."

Oliver chuckled, watching his friend chugging down the noodles to make it back in time to work. It had the ordinary feeling he has been seeking for. Without thinking much about it, Oliver's mouth was faster than his mind as he tried to get Kazehiki's attention back on him. The latter rose an eyebrow confused.

"How about we meet up after work? I know of a bar nearby. You can bring the others as well."

Kazehiki faltered for a moment, but soon enough a wide smile crept on his face.

"Sure, sounds great!" he exclaimed and pulled out his phone to let the others know. Oliver chuckled seeing Kazehiki this excited, though he couldn't deny he was feeling ecstatic himself to be going out with other people again, and this time, hopefully without having to worry about his partner waiting at home for him.

The time at the bar passed by quicker than expected. Kazehiki, in fact, managed to get all his friends to show up and the many of them had a great time. Especially Oliver could barely believe it himself that he had felt genuine enjoyment and laughed with others for so long. Watching a few of them give in to their intoxicated side was the cherry on top for him. However, as much of a change it was for the blond, it ended soon enough and he had to return home.

Even so, Oliver would not fret. He would usually quiver in fear knowing that Fukase would await him upset and unwilling to listen, but that was not the case this time for sure. After their conversation, the redhead has greatly changed. Oliver smiled when reminiscing about it. He slowly started to feel alive again, as if the rope around his neck loosened eventually.

Oliver pushed open the front door, not caring too much about how much noise he made. He had been doing so only quietly the past years in hopes of not upsetting the redhead too much; it felt relieving to not have to worry about it anymore. He also didn't flinch anymore when Fukase coincidentally passed him in the apartment. Instead, a small smile grew on his face as he watched his lover welcome him with a warm hug.

However, Fukase frowned soon enough, tilting his head to the side. His arms loosened around Oliver's torso and dropped back to his sides.

"What were you doing outside? You didn't have work this long today."

Oliver stepped back to put away his jacket and keys. Fukase followed him, his prior smile dropping the longer the silence went on.

"You're right, I wasn't only at work. I was also meeting up with someone," Oliver said quite unbothered while taking a look into the empty fridge. He grimaced to find barely anything to cook with in it and closed it again. Fukase blocked his way.

"Awfully blunt, huh?" Fukase grunted and rolled his eyes, "Meeting up without telling me and then you expect me to trust you more. Makes sense."

Oliver scoffed, instantly irritated about Fukase's sudden change in behavior. Even though his counterpart merely looked annoyed, he couldn't have him be upset in any way. Oliver moved Fukase's arm blocking his way, grabbing it tightly.

"You know, you shouldn't act up this way when you have no idea what you're doing."

Fukase grimaced, unsure of how to react. Oliver let go of his arm, waiting for his partner to react. He wasn't sure where the situation was going until Fukase frowned eventually, his eyes glistening with sadness.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Remember our conversation from a few weeks ago?"

Fukase blinked a few times but gasped once he recalled the event.

"Oh, yeah...I'm sorry, I lost myself a little back there."

Oliver eyed Fukase up and down a few times, sighing heavily. He couldn't suppress to shake his head in disappointment. Fukase gulped, grapping onto the ends of his sleeves out of nervousness.

"You have to try harder. It's easy to apologize afterwards," Oliver said, still not looking at Fukase. His gaze lowered to the floor and he gulped, "But you really hurt my feelings with your accusations, you know?"

Oliver locked eyes with Fukase this time, smiling gently. He reached for his lover's hands and held them tightly. The redhead looked at him worried and confused, but didn't manage to open his mouth.

"And you don't want to push away the last person that has a bit of hope in you, do you?" Oliver continued, his smile widening.

"Of course not! I'm really trying, but it just slips sometimes."

Fukase's voice broke off, leaving him staring at the floor, his face flushed. Oliver pulled him into an embrace and petted the redhead's head. Fukase wrapped his arms around the blond and sighed shakily.

"I'm just worried...Do you even love me anymore when I'm acting this way all the time? You might see someone else, someone who treats you better," Fukase rambled but Oliver interrupted him, hushing him down carefully. Fukase's breathing hitched and he clenched his fists gripping onto Oliver's shirt. The blond held him until he calmed down from his fit.

Oliver moved the chair behind him to sit down, pulling the redhead with him. Fukase followed only hesitantly until his counterpart signaled him to just sit down on his lap. The two of them stared in each other's eyes for a while and Oliver stroke his hand through Fukase's hair once more. He sighed internally to find the redhead still shaking but ignored it for now. Shifting his legs to a more comfortable position, Fukase immediately jumped up, startling the both of them. He averted his eyes.

"Sorry...I'm heavy."

Oliver stared up for a while until the situation caught up to him and he started snorting, scaring Fukase this time. His chuckles quickly passed on the redhead, however, leaving the two of them share a brief cheerful moment in the stern moment. Oliver pulled Fukase back down on his lap, hugging him tightly. Fukase giggled lightly at the touches.

"My cute dummy...you're holding back. Don't be so scared," Oliver whispered, hoping to get his lover out of his shell, and he kissed Fukase. The latter smiled weakly, his eyes shifting. Oliver's chuckles died once he noticed Fukase to be turning more reserved again. He stared at him for a while, turning his head to look back into his eyes. Fukase gulped nervously but beared the touch. He still didn't say anything. Oliver frowned and bent his head to the side, forcing a reassuring smile.

"Trusting me has become really difficult for you, huh? But I can bear it for now." Oliver kissed Fukase's forehead, hoping to cheer him back up. Fukase proceeded to stare at him with great concern and worry. "You will change soon after all, won't you?"

Fukase bit his lip, nodding silently. He stared at his hands resting in his lap; they were shaking even more now. 

"I'm really trying, I swear, but it's so difficult. I don't know what to do and at this point you're going to leave me eventually."

Oliver nodded and intertwined his hands with Fukase's, pressing them lightly. He didn't receive a response but didn't wait much longer for one either.

"I'll help you, don't worry. Just make sure to listen to me." He lifted up Fukase's face to have him look in his eyes again, a wide smile on the blond's face. Fukase's frown vanished reluctantly. "Remember, I know better what's good for you as of lately."