Title: Kazuma's Shadow
Rating: G
Fandom: Tokyo Xanadu
Relationship: Takahata Shio/Tokisaka Kou
Wordcount: 1435
Short summary: Akihiro runs into Kou at Cafe bar N and finds that Kou wants to learn more about Kazuma.
Akihiro was warming himself up with a hot coffee at Café bar N when a familiar-looking brown-haired teenager slid into the seat next to him. Akihiro hadn’t seen Tokisaka in like half a year, or since that day in July. The owner apparently knew Tokisaka pretty well, though, offering the teenager a coffee for free.
Tokisaka waited until he had his coffee and Inui’s full attention. “Inui, is it okay for me to bother you for a bit? I wanted to ask a few questions.”
Akihiro shrugged. He hadn’t come here for conversation but he had no reason to refuse it. Besides he was curious about what Shio’s boyfriend wanted to ask him. Maybe he wanted to ask Akihiro about Shio’s likes and dislikes? Christmas was coming soon and maybe he needed an idea for a gift? At least gifts were the main topic of conversation among his social circle.
Tokisaka leaned in close and spoke surprisingly quietly, as if he didn’t want anyone else to possibly hear. “Inui, can you tell me more about Kazuma?”
Akihiro’s jaw immediately dropped in surprise. He quickly realized, though, that of course Tokisaka knew of Kazuma, and only as Kazuma, because of Shio. “Why are you asking me, though? Shio was way closer to him.”
“I want to know about him from a different person,” Tokisaka replied. His gaze shifted towards his coffee cup. “Am I really like Kazuma?”
Akihiro bit his lip to prevent himself from laughing out loud. This skinny teenager being the same as Kazuma, who was built like a bear? There had to be a reason that Tokisaka asked him this question. Still, Akihiro figured he’d answer Tokisaka’s question as best as he could. “Not at all, at least appearance-wise. Or personality-wise, as far as I can tell. But maybe… You both can’t leave any of your friends alone and will do whatever to protect them. I guess you share that aspect.”
Doing whatever necessary to protect him… Akihiro was never going to stop hating himself for what happened that day, but at least he knew now what he had to do to keep Kazuma’s spirit and wishes alive. He was not going to break this promise.
“Inui?”
“Oh, sorry. Did you say something?” Apparently Akihiro had been lost in thought for a while.
Tokisaka took a deep breath. “I was just wondering how we are different?”
Akihiro would have answered normally except he couldn’t ignore the twitchy fingers, the shifty gaze, the quieter than usual voice anymore. His gut was telling him these questions were truly about something else. “Why are you asking me about Kazuma again?”
It was Tokisaka’s turn to be surprised. His cheeks were a bit red too. “Well…um…Shio talks about him all the time so I was wondering…”
Akihiro burst out laughing. This was why Tokisaka…? “You’re jealous!”
Tokisaka blushed harder. Akihiro took pity on the teenager and covered his mouth until his urge to laugh subsided.
“For serious? Shio talks about you all the time. Though I guess it wouldn’t be directly to you. That’d be weird I suppose.”
Tokisaka perked up at those words. “What does he say?”
Akihiro just shook his head. “Why don’t you ask him directly?” Tokisaka seemed hesitant so Akihiro added, “Seriously, man. Kazuma was and still is a really important person to Shio, but Shio’s over the moon for you.” He patted Tokisaka lightly on the shoulder, earning a smile out of the teenager.
“Alright, I’ll try.”
When Tokisaka left, Aki typed a message on his Xiphone for Shio. He looked forward to Shio’s response.
*_*_*_*_*
“Aki? What’s up?”
Shio was laying on his bed after his shift at the soba shop. Earlier he had received a message from Aki. Normally Shio would pay Aki a visit in person, but Aki’s message intrigued him too much to wait.
“Not much man.” Aki’s jovial voice made Shio smile. “But I’m sure you’re calling about something else, right?”
“Yeah.” There was no need to beat around the bush. “What did you and Kou talk about?”
Aki chuckled. “He was asking me about Kazuma.”
“Kazuma?” Shio almost dropped his Xiphone. What was…why was..
“You apparently talk about him too much and are making your boyfriend jealous.”
The next thing Shio knew, his Xiphone had bounced onto the floor. He heard Aki ask whether he was fine and could only laugh. He returned with his Xiphone back to his bed but sat upright this time. “I can’t believe it.”
“Me neither. The amount that you talk about Tokisaka to me is…” Aki trailed off. Shio suspected he was stopping himself from teasing Shio and getting repaid two-fold. “Well anyway, you guys should talk.”
“Yeah.” Shio was already mentally going over his schedule to figure out when he could talk to Kou alone. “Thanks, Aki, for the heads up.”
“No problem. Make me some ramen next time I stop by, alright?”
“You know I work at a soba shop?” Shio teased.
“Yeah, I know. Later, Shio.”
“Night.” After hanging up, Shio looked at his calendar to see what days would be best for him to talk to Kou. He noticed, though, that it was getting close to Christmas. That was something else he needed to worry about, but he’d do that later.
*_*_*_*_*
Kou didn’t understand why he had felt uneasy whenever Shio would talk about Kazuma, but thanks to his conversation with Inui he now understood why. Kou wasn’t one to feel jealousy often, but he supposed he hadn’t really liked anyone like Shio before. Inui’s words certainly boosted his confidence about Shio’s feelings. Maybe Kou would ask Shio sometime what type of stories he told others about Kou…
Last night, right before Kou was about to go to bed, Shio contacted him and they arranged to meet after school before their respective part-time jobs. Because it was end of the year shopping season, Kou had no shortage of part-time work. He enjoyed working these jobs, despite now knowing why he started doing these jobs in the first place. Besides, Shio had to work and couldn’t just hang out. Kou didn’t really need the money from working, though. Even once he and Shio started dating, Kou barely saw a dent in his wallet. They mostly stayed in, sharing a meal that Shio made and cuddling together on Shio’s bed watching videos on Kou’s Xiphone. Besides Kou already had a present picked out for Christmas Eve…
“Kou?” Shiori was waving a hand in front of Kou’s face. Apparently Kou had spaced out thinking about the future. Whoa, was that Shio standing at his desk?
“Yo. You okay there?” Shio was leaning down inspecting Kou’s face.
Kou blushed. “Yeah, sorry. Let’s go.”
Shiori gave Kou a wink before Kou left with Shio. Kou hadn’t told Shiori what was going on but she always had a good sense for what he was feeling. He would let her know how things went later.
Their first choice, or the rooftop, was luckily empty. Kou and Shio sat down next to each other against the fence, Shio grabbing one of Kou’s hands.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s my bad-”
Shio put a finger to Kou’s lips with his free hand. Kou let Shio have his way. “I didn’t realize how I was making you feel, talking about Kazuma so much. He’s just a really important person to me, so I wanted to share that with you.”
Kou tried to respond but Shio kept his finger pressed against Kou’s lips and continued, “I’m not here without him. But I’m also not here without you. You are the most important person to me now. And I never loved him the way I love you.”
Kou blushed at Shio’s last words. When Shio’s fingers left his lips, Kou had only one thing to say. “I love you too.”
Shio chuckled and Kou felt his heart swell. Kou would ask about Kazuma some other time because right now he just really wanted to kiss Shio. Kou used his free hand to pull Shio towards him. Shio allowed Kou to guide him, to turn him so that he was on his knees facing Kou, to bring his face closer to Kou’s so that their lips could brush over and over again.
Later that evening Kou looked at the mirror, looked at his lips. These lips were the only ones that Shio had ever kissed. He couldn’t help the grin that formed at that thought. He might have thought at one point that he was covered by Kazuma’s shadow, but this thing, at least this thing, was his alone.