"I—um—well—" Takemichi stutters, his blue eyes averting away from Keisuke and onto something else. Keisuke doesn't like that. He wants those blue pools of blue to be trained on him and only him. He shouldn't be looking at anything else but Keisuke.

    "Well what?" Keisuke urges impatiently, wanting nothing more than the boy's flustered gaze to meet his own.

     "I—"

    An exasperated sigh fills the air, completely ruining the mood. Keisuke narrows his eyes and glares at the culprit, who just so happens to be Ms.Hanagaki.

    "I swear you overthink everything, baby," Katsumi teases from the other side of the couch. "Just tell him! Or I'll tell him for you~" she threatens, causing the boy underneath Keisuke to go rigid.

    "OK, OK!!! I'LL TELL HIM, JUST STAY QUIET!!!" Takemichi screams with his face set aflame. Ms.Hanagaki throws her head back and starts cackling loudly, most likely loud enough to disturb the neighbors. Takemichi turns to properly face Keisuke and heaves in a deep breath. He slowly exhales, blowing puffs of air out against Keisuke's face. Like the rest of Takemichi, the air is warm and comforting.

    "I—I want to start a picture book," Takemichi begins, his eyes still avoiding Keisuke's face. "So um...mom got me this camera so I can start one..." he mumbles shyly, the dark blush gradually turning into a light pink. Keisuke just stares at the boy with a raised brow, his interest peaked.

    What's so embarrassing about a picture book?

    "Oh, ok..." Keisuke says dumbly, not quite understanding the significance behind owning such a thing. "What are you gonna take pictures of?" He finds himself asking.

    "...Of us..."

    And just like that, with only two words, Keisuke's world tilts.

    His heart thumbs louder and louder and he swears he can feel steam pouring out of his ears like a bull.

    Takemichi...wanted to take pictures...of them? And put them in a book? Where it would be cherished for years until they're old and gray?

    "U-Us?"

    Damnit Keisuke, did he really just stutter?!

    Takemichi doesn't say anything about Keisuke's mess up and just nods shakily, his body practically vibrating underneath Keisuke.

    "Y-Yeah! Y'know, of me and you—"

    Wow, so he didn't hear wrong after all!

    "—and Mikey and Haru and—"

    And Keisuke slumps over, albeit a little disappointed, but still excited about the idea of having a whole book full of pictures dedicated to him and his friends.

    "—and I'll just take pictures of all of us at any time! That way we can look back at all of these when we're older!" He exclaims with more confidence.

    Then, finally, their eyes meet.

    Blue clashes with brown and Keisuke swears, for a few seconds, that his heart momentarily stops.

    He's hypnotized by those beautiful irises, so big and full of emotions that Keisuke can feel them. They threaten to take him under, engulfing him in waves until he runs out of air.

    And Keisuke finds that he doesn't necessarily mind.

    Not in the slightest.

    Keisuke smiles at Takemichi and ruffles the boy's curly hair. He earns a small 'hey!' from the boy, but he doesn't pull away. Takemichi leans into Keisuke's hand and pouts.

    "Have you taken any pictures yet?" Keisuke asks, wanting to distract himself from effectively drowning under Takemichi's gaze.

    "Oh uh...no...not yet..."

    Keisuke flashes him a bright smile and throws the camera at a giggling Ms.Hanagaki. The lady catches the camera and eyes the boys with a knowing look. "Ready for a picture, boys?"

    Keisuke laughs and squishes his cheek against Takemichi's, making the boy yelp in surprise.

    "Yes ma'am!!!"

    "H-Huh?!—"

    FLASH—CLICK!

    And just like that, the first picture was made.

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After they tape the Polaroid picture in an empty book and move away from the living room, Keisuke finds the strength to ask him about Haru.

    "Mom says Takeomi has been...neglecting Haru and Senju."

    Neglect? It's not a word Keisuke is familiar with, but it doesn't sound good. At all.

    "What do you mean 'neglect'? Is it bad?" Keisuke asks from beside the boy. Takemichi's face falls and, very suddenly, Keisuke spots tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

    "Yeah...I think so..." he mumbles quietly. "Haru's been getting into a lot of fights with Takeomi because of it. Haru came to our apartment a few weeks ago injured because Takeomi kicked him out of the house for talking back to him," he admits while trying to choke back tears.

    Keisuke's stomach drops. The hatred that Keisuke once had for Haru quickly transfers over to the older Akashi.

    Guilt nearly takes over his entire being as he thinks back to all the violent things he thought about doing to the blonde Akashi. How could he be so blind? Be so selfish? So—

    Keisuke's throat tightens up but he refuses to cry. He can't. Not right now. Not when Takemichi so desperately needs to be comforted by his arms and presence.

    Without a second to waste, he wraps his arms around Takemichi and pulls him in for an embrace. Takemichi immediately reciprocates the hug and shoves his face into the crook of his shoulder, crying his stress and feelings away.

    Keisuke just holds him and lets him cry it all out.

    As Takemichi continues to cry in his arms, Keisuke makes a promise—to himself, to his friends, to Takemichi.

    He'll help protect them. He'll do anything to make sure they're happy. He'll fight for them, comfort them, and keep them safe.

    Keisuke falls asleep like that; with Takemichi's tears staining his shirt and with a smile on his lips.

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