Stabbing and Punishment

It was 2:04 AM when Yamada emerged from his room, wearing nothing but heart print boxers and an eye mask with anime eyes where the real ones should've been. How he didn't stumble or sneeze was beyond Youji. "Sleep," he commanded. 

"Can't."

"Why?"

"Guess."

"Then at least stop smoking."

"Why?"

"The neighbors will complain. It stinks. It's bad for your health."

"Good. Hope it kills me."

Yamada took his hand to his chin. Weird that sleep deprivation didn't make that visual goofy-looking enough for Youji to laugh. Out of all of them, somehow, Yamada was the biggest. Must've been genetics or something. Youji knew he was fit, but he'd never developed as much as he would've wanted to. Must've been genetics or something. Just the bad kind. 

"Sorry," he said. "I'll stop after this one. Promise."

"Good."

"I'll leave before you go to work, too, so don't worry about that."

"Where? To whathisname's house?"

"Well..."

Yamada misstepped as he approached the sofas, rolled like a wheel, then stood up as if nothing. He sat down as if nothing. "Don't tell me you also fought with him. Am I sitting on the couch?"

"No. Yes."

"Which one?"

"The triple one."

"Oh, thank goodness."

"I guess I could go to Isao's place," Youji said. Since wasn't like Yamada could see this, he lit up another cigarette. This would be the last one for sure. "Come to think of it, I don't recall you ever dating anyone. Is that girl on the fridge y—" Fuck. He could blame sleep deprivation for this faux pas. 

Yamada pushed the eye mask up. He squinted. "That's my sister. And her daughter."

"Right..."

He stood up, paused, fumbled his way next to Youji, then snatched the cigarette away. It fell on the floor. Any fog on Youji's mind sizzled along with it. While he hurried to pick it up (lest any accident happen) Yamada said, "I'm not sure if I'll ever date anyone."

"Are you—are you stupid? What if this caused a fire?"

Yamada yawned. "I thought you were the same, honestly, until whatshisname showed up. Don't worry about the fire thing. I have insurance."

Gentle reminder to never trust a half-asleep Yamada with anything. Or himself, apparently. While not as bad as Miyo and Jun's case, Yamada had plenty of nonsense lying around, including a turtle-shaped ashtray often used for keyholding. Not tonight, though. As Youji tossed the fire hazard there, he asked, "What do you mean by 'the same'?"

"Girls."

"Uh."

Yamada tumbled onto the couch. "Wait, no... dating..." another yawn. "I don't care about that stuff. Since I never saw you with anyone, I thought you were the same, but you're normal. Good night."

Youji went and came with a blanket. It took that long to figure out what Yamada meant. "You're not abnormal," he said, tossing the covers upon his friend. "I mean, if you are, then I guess I am, too."

"What about whatshisname?"

"Shit."

"I'm still awake, yes."

He went back to his original spot, which was a blanket in its own right. "Being with someone doesn't meant i want to fuck said someone."

"Then what's the point?"

"Just... go to sleep."

Yamada slapped the face mask back on. "She broke up with me because of that. I hope he doesn't. Whatshisname. Good night."

"Good night." And now Youji couldn't sleep for multiple reasons.

***

Rima looked like how he felt. She bowed her head as she passed by on her way to the dressing rooms. There, she crashed against the doorframe. She said she was okay. She certainly wasn't. Youji brewed coffee for them both.

Once she came back, she demanded kitchen duties. She'd buttoned her shirt wrong and one of her braids had no hairtie. "Rima-chan—"

"No," she said, took her coffee, then fled to the kitchen.

Youji needed Isao. Despite him showing up late, there were no customers or Mr. Clarence, so Youji seized—that was also the right word to use—him from behind. As usual, Isao jumped at the contact. "W-what. What's. Hi."

"Hi."

"You like doing that a lot."

"Saying hi to you? Yeah."

"No... hug. Um. But that's okay."

Youji certainly hoped so. 

Rima's Touma showed up again. Isao recoiled at the sight, so it was Youji who attended him. "Is Rima here?" Asked the boy.

"What would you like to order?" Was Youji's reply.

"A Rima, please."

"Funny. If you keep harassing my co-worker, I'll have to escort you out."

Mini-Touma winced. He tried to hide it. Sometimes Youji's non-pacifist ways came back to haunt others. "I. I just. Could you tell the other guy to—"

"No."

Mini-Touma ordered tea. 

Mr. Clarence, for better or worse, showed up again. Since he brought a new sculpture, probably for worse. He might as well rename this place FRIED TACO SUSHI (GUITARS!!! JUNK!!! PLANTS???)

For better: Youji could snatch Isao along with him during their break so he could have a fourth experiment.

For worse: They'd have to be careful. Also, Mr. Clarence seemed so laissez-faire about... everything, really, that the situation between mini-Touma and RIma might worsen depending on what perspective he got first. 

It'd be quick.

Once they'd reached the back of the shop, Youji told Isao, "Kkkkhhh..."

Isao scowled at him. He complied, though. They kissed. Kissing was fine. The way Isao clumsily worked his mouth open was fine. The way he let out a breath when Youji pinned him against the wall was fine. Then? Where did 'fine' end? 

Slowly, his hands slid until they settled on Isao's hips. Still fine. With his luck, going any further would lead to someone showing up, even though he'd chosen this spot as his designated smoking area precisely because no one ever did. 

When he broke the kiss, Isao looked away immediately, flushed, his breaths heavy. "Sorry?" Youji tried.

"Ah...? Wait, w... why..."

"Did I make you uncomf—"

"No, you... wait. That's your 'something wrong'."

It could be the unintentional all-nighter, it could be Isao making no sense as usual. Either way, Youji failed to get it. 

"...that's okay. No, you didn't make me uncomfortable. So. Um. Another one?"

"We're still at work, remember?"

"True. So. Tonight?" Youji must've taken longer to answer than intended, for Isao added, "Joke. I was. Yeah. Unless."

"...sure."

"Oh! Okay. Okay." Isao bit back a smile, and, well.

...he supposed another kiss wouldn't hurt.

Another one.

Another one.

"Work," Isao mumbled, half-heartedly. 

So results were inconclusive.  

To be fair, after Touma called the police on him and filed a restraining order, it'd taken a while to even talk to people again, let alone be interested in them. He couldn't outright say that he didn't care about those things the way Yamada had. After all, there had been that second guy...

Speak of the devil—Yamada showed up again. Isao audibly gasped at the sight. How dramatic. "He looks like that, but he's fine," Youji reassured as they headed back to the counter.

"I know, I know.. You look like that, but you're also fine."

Well, fuck.

"In a good way."

Mini-Touma was still there. Mr. Clarence? Gone, probably. 

"I think. I think you're—"

"Not now, please."

"—pretty."

"Shh, Isao, please. I'm in a good mood for once."

That shut both of them up. 

Mr. Clarence walked out of the kitchen; a red-eyed, red-faced Rima followed. Youji held his tongue, for neither he nor she would answer if he—

"What happened?" Asked Isao. (Well, fuck.)

Rima paused, sniffed, then hugged him. He, again, audibly gasped. "She'll be taking a break," said Mr. Clarence. "She needs it."

Mini-Touma saw this; mini-Touma stood up. Though Youji could've—perhaps should've—shooed him off, he didn't. Upon reaching the counter, he took those stupid sunglasses off. "Told you, idiot," he snapped. "I told you."

Rima turned so that Isao (who had frozen) blocked the space between her and mini-Touma. "N-no. Go away."

"Did he call your parents?"

"Didn't," replied Mr. Clarence.

"Oh, good." Mini-Touma sighed. "Then what are you going to do? Quit?"

Rima shook her head.

"A break," said Isao. "Right?"

"Y-yeah. A break." She uncurled herself off Isao, only to hug Youji instead, who looked away awkwardly. "I'll come back, um. Soon. Once my grades are up."

"Idiot," Mini-Touma opined.

"Shut up. I know."

At this point, Youji waited for Isao to ask for context. But he didn't. Mini-Touma and Rima went to the break room to talk, and he still didn't. 

Mr. Clarence said, "She didn't want to go to school anymore. Apparently she fought with her parents over it, and wants to open her own shop. If only things were that easy."

Isao chewed on his lip to keep himself from being insensitive. "Did you tell her to, uh, take a break?" Asked Youji. 

"No, actually. It was her decision."

"Then, what happened to...?"

"I just had to explain why things aren't easy. After all, it's not like this place is making much money."

Isao nodded, then shook his head quickly, which made Mr. Clarence grin.

"See? We can only lie to ourselves for so long."

The businessman that showed up at least thrice a week walked in with somebody else for the first time—a girl. Mr. Clarence went to take their order. 

Youji knew. Isao knew. The customers knew. Everyone did, maybe. They kept the illusion going, for it was sweet, warm, and it served as solace until one day it wouldn't be able to anymore.