Yuichi had expected Ookurikara's arrival after returning home, but rather than fully approaching his desk, the uchigatana seems frozen in place, with what Yuichi can only describe as severe apprehension. Fear.
And that is not normal, not from Ookurikara, and definitely not at home, in the citadel, with him.
"Ookurikara?"
Yuichi puts down his things and stands, rounding his desk to meet the toudan where he's standing. He hesitates to touch him, but he does gently take his hand in both of his, channeling just a small wave of what should be some tranquil energy through him.
"That's it... relax, I've got you..."
When Ookurikara seems to relax some, Yuichi lets go of his hand, but remains close as his wide eyes search his expression in concern. He starts to ask if he's alright, but worrying that he might just say yes, he phrases it differently.
Yuichi is cursing to himself as he frantically gathers his papers into his arms and scurries out of one of the common buildings on campus.
His roommate was still asleep, so he'd left considerably early this morning for his English class that didn't start for another hour and fifteen minutes. To kill the time, he'd just picked up a coffee and parked at a table in that building and worked on an assignment due later in the week.
But he had lost track of time and was now running late, and the thought of having to enter the classroom in front of everyone else already sat down has him actually jogging to get where he's trying to go.
Yuichi gets to the large building his class is in, and slows down-- but not nearly enough to avoid colliding with someone turning a corner.
He's so surprised that a not-quite-small yelp escapes him as he stumbles back a bit from the impact. He manages to remain on his feet, but when he finally gets a proper look at just who it is that he's run into, he thinks he might just actually drop dead right there.
Saseki. Harumasa Saseki, if he remembers right, from his required history class.
Handsome, pretty, so full of charisma and creativity, those bright green eyes, and the way he seems to be so kind yet go through without a worry in the world...
Of course, this is all just his impression from attempting to not watch him from the other side of the classroom, for 90 minutes three times a week.
Since their first day in that class, Yuichi has found himself so smitten with him, to the point of trying to avoid being on his radar at all just out of the sheer fear of being perceived or saying or doing something stupid or weird or embarrassing--
But this, oh god, this is mortifying. He's just slammed into Saseki, and he wants to apologize, ask if he's okay, but he's frozen, stuck in place while he feels his face and ears grow hot, panting just a little from both his dash to the building and his own rising stress.
Yuichi feels sick to his stomach. It's been tied in such an awful, anxious knot in the days since he learned of his fate.
He's heartbroken, he's scared, and most of all, he feels like he's betraying Yuji-- the one he really wants to be with. The one who makes him happy, feel safe and secure, the one his heart really desires.
"I..." He cuts himself off, gathering himself of hopes that he won't cry as he continues. But the waver in his voice is unavoidable.
"I'm so sorry... I have always known that my family have not survived easily, so I never voiced my own wants to them until now. I begged and pleaded with them, but..."
Yuichi still can't look Yuji in the eye. His hands are tucked in his sleeves, and he stands away from him, out of his own arms' reach.
"I don't know what else can be done. I... I want to be with you, more than anything, but..."
With Saseki busy taking time to prepare for his exhibition, Yuichi had decided to brace himself and do some grocery shopping for him. It's an odd thing, shopping for food when by now he's almost forgotten what a lot of it truly tastes like. Sometimes he gets tempted and tries some for himself, but at best, it tastes weird or bland; at worst, even a taste makes him sick-- all of this, of course, with the exception of tasting through blood.
But he knows what Saseki usually gets, and he tries to be mindful of what in the kitchen is low, most often so he can bring it home from work.
The shopping was done, and he'd made it back to the apartment and started putting everything away. But as he pulled out the bag of rice from the bottom of the sack, the sound of grains landing on the table had him zeroing in. There had been a hole in the bag, and now, about a third of the bag had spilled across the table... and every corner of his mind had set on counting each and every piece.
He's at 'one hundred and seventy-three' when he vaguely hears Saseki enter the apartment. 'One hundred and eighty-five' when he barely senses Saseki come into the kitchen, and 'one hundred and eighty-seven' when he feels Saseki's hands and lips on him.
He's so aware, but still, he can't stop, even to reciprocate or acknowledge his seemingly frisky boyfriend at his backside, nor the hand slipping under his skirt. He's almost in a trance, counting aloud under his breath as he moves each grain aside to its 'counted' pile.
"One hundred and eighty-eight... one hundred and eighty-nine..."
After the Awataguchi's performance (and some others, which eventually devolved into some very lively karaoke), Yuichi and Kogitsunemaru walked their guests back to their room (complete with "please, don't hesitate to wake me up if you need something" and "join us in the dining hall in the morning!") and then each retreated to their own respective rooms to get some sleep after the long day.
Yuichi slept much easier than he had the few nights before. The antsy excitement and anxiety of meeting and hosting someone new was gone, and in its place the relief and pleasant surprise of indeed a new friend.
He rose early, though, and made sure to join Kasen in the kitchen to prepare a breakfast and tea for himself and Saseki to share-- much to Kasen's delight.
However, through the preparations, the ambient shhhhhhhhhh of the rain outside gradually grew fainter and fainter, until suddenly... It was quiet, save for just a few faint 'tap.....tap.......tap....' every so often.
Yuichi looked up from the broccoli he was chopping, and out the window. The rain seemed to have reduced to just a sprinkling, and the dreary gray that usually cloaked the citadel was brightening, just so.
"Oh," he smiled, then looking to Kasen, Shokudaikiri, and Ookurikara who had come to prepare breakfast together. "I think Saseki-san's gift has been saving its power for today..."
After a quick moment of contemplation, Yuichi set his knife and broccoli down and stood up. "Excuse me, guys. I'll be back shortly."
And indeed, he was back, after a few moments of checking and talking with Konnosuke.
"Once we're done with breakfast, you guys take the day off. I'll let everyone else know too, when it's time to eat-- I think everyone deserves a chance to enjoy the day, hm?"
"Oh? Are you sure, aruji?" Shokudaikiri inquired. "What about lunch and dinner? I don't mind, really--"
Yuichi raised a hand to pause him. "I've just checked our expenses, and we've been doing pretty decently on our spending for the most part. We have some money to play with, including enough to order something delivered... If you like, you can help me sort that out later, but I want you to get out of the kitchen and relax or have fun, okay?"
---------------
By the time everyone is in the dining hall, the sun is out in full, with only a few drip-drops scattering about. ("A fox wedding~," Kogitsunemaru remarks fondly.) Yuichi announces to everyone that today shall be a free day-- no chores, no field work, just... a day to enjoy the sun.
"Everyone, it tends to get awfully foggy out in our honmaru this time of year, so... Please be careful, especially when it gets darker, and if you venture further out! I don't want anyone to get lost out there..."
It is... out of the norm for Yuichi to visit someone unannounced, much less someone with whom he was mostly unfamiliar. It compounded the usual anxieties of visiting someone's abode for the first time, and made the ball of nervous energy inside him feel more tense.
But he had heard, briefly, of Oharae's additional function as a shrine, and it had stirred up the strange feeling of homesickness he'd felt a couple pangs of lately.
Back when he lived in early 21st-century Kamakura, one of his favorite places to go outside the house was Meigetsu-in, and while these fellow saniwa's citadel may not sport the many hydrangeas and cute bunny statues he'd come to love as a small child and into adulthood... He felt compelled to visit and perhaps get a glimpse of a similar familiar peacefulness he'd always sought from it.
Of course, he hoped to befriend the heads of the place themselves as well-- he only hoped they wouldn't mind him showing up...
Which doesn't seem to be an issue, as he's greeted warmly by who he's pretty sure is the older of the two brothers.
"Oh-- thank you." Yuichi gives a fairly polite bow upon approaching. He looks around at the scenery for a moment as he speaks, before finally looking properly at the other. "I'm Yuichi-- Kitawaki Yuichi, of Nagame honmaru. I... I was curious to see your citadel, to be honest, I hope it's alright that I've stopped by..."
Yuichi stays curled up in bed-- dying, if one were to ask him. He is currently piled under blankets, but every so often he kicks them away, only to pull them back on a while later and repeat the process. He's not going anywhere or doing anything today!
