¢нαρтєя тняєє

✎ Look after my heart. I've left it with you.

 ༶•┈┈⛧┈♛

ᴄʜɪᴢᴜᴇ ɴᴇᴇᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ come up with a plan. He still hadn't confessed his love to Vivia! His original plan was to give him Twilight and confess, but that dashing face made his brain malfunction and he didn't. He needed to do something about it, but he didn't know what.

He stopped by the Sun and Moon Hotel before going home. He was hoping to see Vivia under the piano, just like when he first laid his eyes on him. Vivia was there, but he looked sadder than usual. His eyes were unusually darker, and he didn't have any books around him.

Chizue crouched down in front of him. "Hi, Vivia."

Vivia didn't even look at him.

He had to snap his fingers several times to get him to focus. When he did, his black eyes looked darker than before. He wasn't sure if it was his place to ask what happened.

He just sat in front of him to try to show support. Feeling too awkward, he offered his hand. Vivia took it without much thought. He gently rubbed circles on Vivia's hand. It usually calmed himself down, and it looked like Vivia was relaxing.

"Why are you here?" Vivia eventually asked. "Don't you have better things to do than be with a lowlife like me...?"

Chizue didn't mean for his voice to sound harsh, but he couldn't help it. "Don't say that. All life is precious, and you're no exception." He calmed his voice down before he said, "And, to answer your question, I don't have anything better to do. Being here with you is the best thing I can do."

He sighed. "I wanna die someday..."

"Don't say that either. Suicide isn't something you should joke about. And if you're not joking" —he squeezed his hand— "I'm always free if you need to talk."

"I wasn't talking about suicide," he paused to think, "but may I take you on your offer to talk?"

"Here? Don't you want to go somewhere more private?"

"The workers don't care."

He wasn't wrong. The hotel employees didn't have a lot of visitors due to Kanai Ward's isolation. Right now, the current hotel receptionist was taking a nap.

"If you're comfortable here, then we can talk."

Vivia opened his mouth but closed it soon. He adjusted his position and laid his head on Chizue's lap, making his heart skip a beat. Chizue forced himself to look like he liked that a normal amount. Vivia was sad, so being in love was not the priority.

Vivia stayed silent for a little longer before saying, "My boss died."

"I'm sorry," Chizue whispered.

"It's not your fault... But it is mine..."

"No it isn't."

"You weren't there."

"I know you didn't have anything to do with it."

"I did." Before Chizue could argue he didn't, Vivia continued. "I was being stubborn during the time he died. I suppose I couldn't have helped him...but I still feel like I should have tried. Everyone was asking me to help...but I refused."

Chizue stayed silent so he could continue. When he didn't, he risked running his hand through his hair. It was messy, it was tangled, it was rough, and it was the best thing he ever felt.

But he shouldn't be thinking about that.

Vivia wasn't continuing. Even though Chizue could reluctantly admit he didn't know him for long, he could happily, though not too happily, say he knew Vivia wasn't too open about his feelings. It would help him if he talked about them, so he said, "Are you here to avoid your colleagues?"

"I'm not hiding... They know I like coming here."

"I didn't ask if you were hiding from them. I asked if you were avoiding them." He waited for him to ask what the difference was, slightly panicking since he didn't have an answer.

He never asked. The only thing he did was hum quietly, closing his eyes. Chizue was fine was that, but he still wanted to help him. But, if he didn't want to talk about them, that was fine too.

Eventually, Vivia asked, "Why do you keep associating yourself with me? Someone like you...is obviously not meant for someone like me. Wouldn't it be better to be with people of your level...?"

It was the perfect moment for him to confess his love. Vivia could say he loved him back, and their story would continue forever. The opening was right there, and he would be a fool if he didn't take it.

Unfortunately, even if now was the perfect moment, it wasn't the right time.

"Why wouldn't I?" he said instead. "You're nice to be with."

"Is that it?"

"Of course not. But do you really want me to list everything I like about you?"

"You haven't known me for long..."

"Trust me, is more on that list than there are people in Kanai Ward."

The corner of his lips twitched up. He was going somewhere with this.

"You're a nice person, Chizue," he said.

"You're not too bad yourself, Vivia." Chizue glanced at the clock in the lobby. He didn't want to ruin the moment, but what would Vivia's colleagues think if he didn't show up even after his boss's death? They might be taking the day or even week off, but something told him that wasn't true.

Seeming to sense his thoughts, Vivia said, "My colleagues won't notice I'm not there."

Chizue's gaze snapped back to him. "What? Vivia, that's bad."

"It's not. They simply forget I'm in the fireplace..."

Being in a fireplace sounded exactly like Vivia, and he loved it.

With the recent death in mind, Chizue decided to try something. "Vivia, I just got off work. Do you have the day off?"

He sighed. "No..."

"Not even..." He stopped himself before he could say something to ruin whatever he had. "Do you want to go to work?"

"I guess..."

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Isn't that an answer?"

"Not a clear one."

"You're acting like a mother..."

"Well? Is it a yes or a no?"

His black eyes shined a bit brighter with amusement, taking away some earlier sadness. "Yes."

"Then go. You're friends with your other colleagues or at least get along with them, don't you? If you somehow still have work today, I can promise it won't be tiring. You'll all be there to support each other, and I promise, no one will forget you."

"You believe in them so much..."

"I believe in you. I know you can go there, support others, and even talk about your emotions. If you can talk to me, you can talk to them—and you have known them for longer, haven't you?"

"It's easier to talk to you..."

"It can be easy to talk to them if you put in the effort."

"That takes energy..."

"I believe you can do it."

Vivia didn't move. Then, he sat up, met his eyes, and nodded. "I'll do it since you asked."

Chizue tried not to let the phrase get into his head as he smiled.

"Though...in return, could we spend time together after? I know I'll want to see you after."

Chizue's smile widened as he nodded. How could he say no to his one true love?

Vivia stood up and headed for the door. Just before he left, he looked at him with a smile and said, "I'll meet you at the café."

When the door closed, the hotel receptionist, who apparently woke up from his nap, said, "Why were you under the piano...?"

Chizue went up to him with sparkling eyes. "Sir, I am in love!"

He sighed. "If you really have to be gay, could you at least do it when I'm not trying to sleep? Romance stops me from sleeping..."

Chizue ignored him and went out the hotel feeling more ready than ever. He had to go home and look good but also casual, and he also had to plan a day of relaxation for Vivia, so he didn't have to feel overwhelmed. So much to do in who knew how much time... But he was determined to help him, and if this was what he needed, then he would do it all the way.