It was getting late and both boys were starting to feel the effects of exhaustion. The room was quiet except for the occasional sound of pages turning. Sanemi yawned widely, rubbing his eyes. He glanced at the clock and groaned. "It's 1 AM already? I should probably get some sleep." He stretched, his back popping from being hunched over for so long.
Giyuu yawned too, setting his book down.
"You should. You've been studying hard. I'll turn off the lights."
He stood up and walked to the light switch, casting a shadow over Sanemi. As Giyuu reached for the switch, Sanemi suddenly spoke up again.
"Hey, Tomioka... thanks for helping me with this. I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with." He said quietly, surprising himself with his gratitude. Giyuu paused, his hand still on the switch. He turned to look at Sanemi with a slight smile.
"You're welcome. And I don't mind dealing with you. We're roommates, remember?"
He flicked the lights off, plunging the room into darkness. Sanemi chuckled softly in the dark.
"Yeah, roommates. Who would've thought we'd actually be studying together one day?"
He climbed into his bed, pulling the covers over himself. Giyuu settled into his own bed, the only light coming from the moon outside the window.
"Life is full of surprises. Goodnight, Shinazugawa."
He whispered, closing his eyes. Sanemi's breathing slowed as he drifted off.
"Goodnight, Tomioka..."
He mumbled before falling asleep, the tension in his body finally easing. Hours passed and Sanemi began to toss and turn in his sleep, his expression troubled.
He mumbled something incoherent, clearly having a nightmare. Giyuu, who was a light sleeper in the night, heard the disturbance and sat up in his bed, concerned.
"Shinazugawa?" He called out softly, not wanting to startle him. Sanemi suddenly sat up with a gasp, panting heavily as he woke up from his nightmare. "No... not again..."
He whispered, his hands shaking as he clutched the sheets. Giyuu quickly got out of bed and walked over to Sanemi's side, kneeling beside him.
"You were having a nightmare. It's okay, you're safe now."
He spoke in a gentle, calming tone. Sanemi looked at Giyuu with wide, fearful eyes, his chest heaving. "It was... about my family. They were all... gone. I couldn't save them."
His voice cracked as he spoke, tears forming in his eyes. Giyuu placed a comforting hand on Sanemi's shoulder.
"I understand. But they're not gone anymore. You're not alone, Sanemi."
He reassured him, using his first name for the first time. Sanemi leaned into Giyuu's touch, the tears now streaming down his face. "I miss them so much... I keep seeing their faces in my dreams."
He admitted, his voice breaking with emotion. Giyuu sat down on the edge of Sanemi's bed, pulling him into a gentle hug.
"Let it out. I'm here."
He held him as he cried, not saying anything else, just being there for him. Sanemi clung to Giyuu, his body shaking with sobs. He buried his face in Giyuu's shoulder, letting all the pent-up grief and pain come out. "Why did they have to die? Why did I have to be the one left behind?" He sobbed, his voice muffled. Giyuu stroked Sanemi's hair soothingly, his own heart aching for his roommate.
"Life is cruel. But you're strong, Shinazugawa. Stronger than you think." He spoke softly, continuing to hold him as the tears subsided. Sanemi slowly pulled away from Giyuu, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "I never thought I'd say this... but thanks, Tomioka."
He looked at Giyuu with a mix of vulnerability and gratitude. Giyuu gave him a small smile, his eyes showing genuine concern.
"You don't have to thank me. Just remember that I'm here to listen whenever you need to talk." He stood up, still looking at Sanemi with a gentle expression. Sanemi nodded, feeling a strange sense of comfort from Giyuu's presence. He hadn't expected to find solace in his sworn enemy. "Can you... stay a little longer?"
He asked hesitantly, his voice barely above a whisper. Giyuu nodded again and sat back down, this time sitting beside Sanemi on the bed.
"Of course. I'll stay as long as you need." He leaned back against the headboard, creating a safe space for Sanemi to rest. Sanemi let out a shaky breath, feeling the weight of his emotions slowly lift.
"You're different than I thought, Tomioka. You're not as cold as you seem."
He admitted, glancing at Giyuu with a hint of realization. Giyuu chuckled softly, a rare sound coming from him. "People often misunderstand me. I guess we both have our walls up."
He glanced at Sanemi with a knowing look. Sanemi let out a humorless laugh, rubbing his temples. "Yeah, walls built from pain. But maybe... maybe we don't have to keep them up around each other."
He looked at Giyuu with a newfound understanding. Giyuu turned to face Sanemi fully, his expression serious but kind.
"Maybe we can start over. No more fighting, no more rivalry." He extended his hand to Sanemi. He looked at Giyuu's hand for a moment before taking it firmly.
"No more fighting. Just... us." He squeezed Giyuu's hand, sealing their unspoken truce. Giyuu smiled warmly, feeling a sense of relief wash over him.
"Just us. And who knows, maybe we'll become friends." He said with a hint of playfulness. Sanemi laughed a bit, still vulnerable about the nightmare and pulled Giyuu down. He hugged him tight and Giyuu feel that he was still trembling Giyuu wrapped his arms around Sanemi again, holding him close and secure.