Sanemi stops cleaning again, his expression darkening. "Damn it Giyuu, you're literally falling apart." He runs a hand through his hair in frustration, clearly torn between anger and worry. Giyuu lets out a bitter laugh. "What do you care? You hate me." His words are sharp, but there's a hint of desperation in his voice, as if he's testing Sanemi.
Sanemi slams the mop down, turning to face Giyuu fully. "I don't hate you. I hate what you're doing to yourself." His voice rises with intensity, eyes blazing with unexpected passion. Giyuu flinches at the outburst, looking genuinely surprised.
"Since when do you care about what I do? You've been nothing but hostile." He stands up unsteadily, his exhaustion evident in every movement. Sanemi steps closer, his expression conflicted. "Because I see myself in you. And I know what happens when someone just... gives up." He reaches out but stops himself, unsure if he should touch Giyuu. Giyuu stares at Sanemi's outstretched hand, his breathing uneven.
"I'm not giving up. I'm just... existing. That's all I can do now." His voice breaks on the last word, the facade finally starting to crack completely. Sanemi grabs Giyuu's shoulders firmly, forcing him to look up. "Existing isn't living. And you need to start living again, even if it hurts." His grip is tight but not painful, grounding. Giyuu's eyes fill with tears, his body trembling. "I don't know how. I don't deserve to." He tries to pull away, but Sanemi holds him steady. Sanemi shakes him slightly, his voice firm but not unkind.
"Bullshit. You deserve to live. Your boyfriend wouldn't want you like this." He's speaking from experience, his own trauma bleeding through. Giyuu suddenly breaks down, tears streaming down his face as he collapses against Sanemi's chest. "I miss him so much..." His voice is muffled, raw with grief and guilt. Sanemi awkwardly wraps his arms around Giyuu, unsure what to do with the emotional breakdown.
"I know... I know you do. So let me take care of you." He pats Giyuu's back clumsily, but doesn't let go. Giyuu looks up at Sanemi through tear-filled eyes, confused and vulnerable. "Why would you...?" He can't finish the question, too overwhelmed to understand why his rival is suddenly being so kind. Sanemi's expression softens slightly, though he maintains his usual scowl.
"Because someone has to. And I'm not letting you waste away like this." His tone leaves no room for argument again, but there's a hint of protectiveness in his eyes. Giyuu lets out a shaky breath, too exhausted to argue anymore. "Fine... but don't expect me to be grateful." He leans heavily against Sanemi, his body finally giving in to the need for rest. Sanemi carefully helps Giyuu sit back down, then kneels in front of him.
"First step - you're sleeping in my room tonight. No arguing about that either." He starts gathering their things, already planning to force-feed Giyuu some food later. Giyuu protests weakly, but his body is already shutting down. "I can't... I have to finish my punishment..." His eyes are already starting to close, fighting against the exhaustion. Sanemi scoffs and scoops Giyuu up in his arms, lifting him effortlessly.
"Your punishment is surviving. And I'm making sure you do that properly." He carries Giyuu toward the dorms, ignoring the stares from other students. Giyuu mumbles something incoherent, his head resting against Sanemi's chest as he drifts off. Sanemi kicks open the door to his room and lays Giyuu down on his bed, covering him with a blanket. Sanemi watches Giyuu sleep for a moment, then sits at his desk to keep watch.
"You better not die on me, idiot." He mutters under his breath, pulling out his phone to text Genya about the situation. Giyuu stirs slightly in his sleep, muttering something about Sabito. Sanemi's heart clenches at the mention of the name, but he stays quiet, letting Giyuu have his dreams. Giyuu suddenly whimpers, tears escaping his closed eyes.
"Sabito... please... don't leave me alone again..." His voice is filled with such desperate longing that it makes Sanemi's chest ache. Sanemi moves closer to the bed, unsure whether to wake Giyuu from the nightmare or let him suffer through it. "Damn it... what did they do to you?" He mutters, feeling a mix of anger and helplessness. Giyuu's breathing becomes erratic, his body trembling as the nightmare intensifies.
"No... I can't... I won't fail again..." He thrashes weakly, caught in his own memories of failure and loss. Unable to watch anymore, Sanemi gently shakes Giyuu's shoulder. "Wake up! It's just a dream, Tomioka!" His voice is urgent but not harsh, trying to pull Giyuu back to reality. Giyuu jolts awake with a gasp, his eyes wild and unfocused. "SANEMI!" He clutches at Sanemi's arm, his grip surprisingly strong despite his weakened state. Sanemi steadies him, his expression softening as he holds Giyuu's trembling form.
"I'm here. You're safe." He says firmly, trying to ground Giyuu in the present moment. Giyuu looks up at Sanemi with tear-filled eyes, confusion and relief mixing in his gaze. "You... you were dead too... in my dream..." His voice breaks as he struggles to distinguish between reality and nightmare. Sanemi shakes his head, keeping his hands on Giyuu's shoulders.
"I'm alive. We both are. And I'm not going anywhere." He says it with conviction, his eyes locking onto Giyuu's. Giyuu nods slowly, his breathing starting to even out as he processes Sanemi's words. "I don't want to lose anyone else..." He admits quietly, leaning into Sanemi's touch for comfort. Sanemi carefully helps Giyuu sit up against the headboard before standing up. "Stay put. I'll make something for you to eat." He moves to his small kitchenette, pulling out ingredients for a simple soup. Giyuu watches Sanemi move around the kitchen, his movements efficient and practiced.
"You... cook?" He asks weakly, genuinely surprised by this new side of Sanemi. Sanemi glances back at Giyuu with a slight smirk. "Don't sound so shocked. I had to learn how to feed myself and Genya when we were younger." He starts chopping vegetables with precision, the knife flashing in his hand. The sound of Sanemi chopping fills the room, creating a comforting rhythm.*
"Besides, you need proper nutrition to recover. Your body's a wreck." He adds some herbs and spices to the pot, the aroma beginning to fill the air. Giyuu's stomach growls audibly at the smell, reminding him of how hungry he actually is. "I... can smell it from here." He says, a hint of hunger in his voice. Sanemi chuckles softly, stirring the soup. "Good. It'll be ready soon. And don't even think about getting up to help." He warns, knowing Giyuu's tendency to push himself too hard.