“I’m so sorry,” Sho pulls back. “I really didn’t mean to. I must have slipped-” Before Sho could make an excuse for himself, Aiba sighed.

 

“It’s ok,” Sho hears Aiba whisper. “I’m not going to bite.”

 

Sho doesn’t listen to him and continues to look away. But his heart was disobeying him. He could feel his own legs walking closer to Aiba, his body, flopping down on the latter. Gulping, he turned his head, and saw that Aiba’s eyes were closed. Taking one last breath, Sho closed in, taking Aiba in his lips. 

 

“Nnn…” Aiba moaned. “I never knew…Sho-chan is a good kisser…”

 

“Shut up!” Sho hisses. “Or I’ll stop.” With that said, Aiba kissed him back, his tongue his bottom lip. Sho moaned too, and pulled Aiba’s head closer so he could deepen their kiss. Never has he felt anything better in a long time, nor has he ever enjoyed a kiss so long. 

“I love you,” Sho whispers in Aiba’s ears. “I really do.” 

 

He could hear Aiba giggle under him as the latter pulled him closer. “I love you too, Sho-chan.”

 

+

 

Sho let Aiba rest his head on his arm while he pulled the blanket over Aiba’s body. His face was even heavenly while the latter slept, his face glowing brighter than before. Maybe it was the effect of being in love.

 

“Sho-chan?” Aiba whispered. “Why do you love me?”

Sho ran a finger down Aiba’s face and kissed his forehead. “Because you showed me how to love again, Masaki. You’re the only one that gave me love throughout this year.”

 

“Really?” Aiba’s eyes sparkled. “I never knew that.”

“Well you did. Besides,” He gives Aiba a quick peck on the lips. “You’re the one who saved me from being killed that one night, remember? And those many times when you pull me back from trying to hurt other people.”

 

“Oh yeah,” Aiba nodded his head. “I remember.” 

 

“Thank you Masaki. Without you, I would never be here.”

 

“You’re welcome!” Aiba piped up, and yawned right after. “Can we sleep now?”

 

Sho yawned too. Even if they barely finished their breakfast and lights were still out, he too was also tired. So he hugged Aiba closer to him and nodded his head, the two drifting off to dream land.

 

+

 

Sho woke up in the afternoon only to find Aiba missing besides him. He panicked and called his lover on the phone but he didn’t answer. He searched the obvious places if there were a note that Aiba left; there was none. Where could Aiba be that he didn’t leave a note? Sho thought for awhile and pounded his fist on the table as he already found the answer: Aiba’s home.

 

“!” Sho cussed as he slammed his hand on the steering wheel. “Why am I so damn careless?!” It’s the second time, and he let someone he loves disappear right before him. He hated himself for being oblivious and careless all in all.

 

“Pick up, pick up, pick up…” Sho chanted over his phone. “Please pick up!” But Aiba never did as he heard that annoying answering machine for the fiftieth time. 

 

When he reached Aiba’s apartment, he saw the same car parked outside the building. This is bad, Sho rushed up the building. This is really bad.

 

Before Sho could open the door, he could hear that same voice that irritated him right from the start screaming at someone in the room. “ this demon child! You were meant to give me kids! Not run off with some guy that you are never meant to be with!”

 

“But dad,” Sho heard Aiba’s voice, his hands forming into a fist. “I love him. You can’t-”

 

The following noise made Sho more infuriated that he busted the door open, only to find Aiba’s dad hitting the brown haired man harshly on the face. “ this demon child!” His father repeated. “You don’t deserve to be here!”

 

“Dad I-” Aiba’s eyes grew wide. “S-Sho-chan? What are you doing here?!”

 

The old man turned around, his eyes flaming with pure hatred. “This,” he pointed his long finger at Sho. “Is the man you’re seeing?”

Aiba slowly nodded his head, his face turning red from hits he received. Sho didn’t miss the clear teats falling from Aiba’s face, as he started off towards the latter, shoulder bumping the old man.

 

“Watch it!” The old man shrieked. “Stay away from my child!”

 

“No!” Sho pushed the old man’s hand away. “You can’t treat a child like this.”

 

“I can treat my child the way I want to! Now Masaki, get your sorry here!” The old man pointed on the ground. “Come here or I’ll disown you.”

 

Sho’s eyes narrowed as he kept his eyes on the old man. He helped his lover back up to his feet, telling him that it’s alright to choose whatever side he wanted to be in, hoping it was his. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Aiba look back and forth, obviously having a hard time to choose. 

 

“I’m sorry,” Aiba mumbled. “I can’t dad. I love Sho-chan and if you can’t accept me the way I am, I have to leave you.”

 

Sho smirked as he watched the old man’s face turn red, his eyes about ready to pop out. 

 

“Why this kid…” the old man cracked his knuckles. “You ought to come here or else-”

 

“Or else what?” Sho glowered. “Disown him? You already did, now beat it!”

 

“Sho-chan,” Aiba tugged on his sleeve. “Don’t do this.”

 

“Or else I’ll-” Before Aiba’s dad could say anything and swear to his words, two cops walked in the room. They were looking around and saw that Aiba’s face was already badly bruised while Sho held onto Aiba, and the old man on the other side of the room was holding a knife behind him.

 

“Sir,” two of the police walked not far from the old man. “Please put the weapon down and no one gets hurt.”

 

“No!” the old man shrieked. “Out of my ing way!” Pushing the police to the wall, he ran towards the couple, the knife pointed to one of the two.

 

“No dad!” Aiba yelped as he pushed Sho off to the side and closed his eyes. “Don’t do-”

 

“Masaki!” Sho yelled as he stood from the ground. “No…” 

 

Aiba turned his head to Sho and smiled before passing out as blood rushed from his open wound. 

 

+++

 

“How is he doctor?” Sho asked the man in the white coat. “Will he live?”

 

“Don’t worry,” the doctor flipped through the papers on the clipboard. “He’ll live. Lucky for him, it was just a thin cut across the chest and nothing serious.”

 

“Thanks doc!” Sho covered his face. “Thank you.”

 

“Don’t worry Sakurai-san, we’ll make sure he’s ok.”

 

Sho kept himself from crying but he couldn’t since it was a miracle Aiba’s dad barely got to put to knife all the way through. It was supposed to be him in pain instead of Aiba since he was the one who deserved it after all. He knew he was the reason why Aiba’s old man was twisted and caused Aiba to have such ugly dark marks on his body. 

 

“Masaki,” Sho called from the small opening of the door. “You awake?”

 

“Yeah,” He heard Aiba giggle. “You can come in.”

 

Once Sho had entered, he ran to Aiba’s side crying and telling him it was all his fault. He was the one who made Aiba separate from his family, blaming himself for everything bad that happened to Aiba.

 

“Sho-chan!” Aiba snapped. “Shut up!” Sho sniffed did as he was told. 

 

“I don’t care about what happened! All I care is that…” his voice was turning soft, and he took Sho’s hand in his. “All I care is that I have you and we both love each other.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Sho apologized. “I know that too. It’s just that-”

 

“Oh shut up!” Aiba pulled Sho to a hug. “Just don’t say another word and stay with me.”

 

Sho nodded his head and hugged Aiba back, receiving a thump on the head since he was hugging Aiba little to hard. 

 

TBC