Chapter Text
Sigh.
What a pain in the bum.
Oyamada Manta did not know what actually gave him the idea to do an unannounced visit to his friend’s house at this time of the year. The skies are gloomy, the air is frigid, and the road to Funbari Hill is quite desolate during a late afternoon, mid-winter saga.
However, when his dear best friend (and his best friend’s dear blonde) suddenly decided not to show up at school today, curiosity got the better of him. After all, it is understandable that Yoh would be more than happy not to attend classes for the rest of his life, yes; but Anna being the responsible lady that she is with a sudden disappearance, no.
He frowned at the thought of not being included in the equation when all he does is worry for his friends. What if Yoh got into another bloody fight? What if he went back to Izumo again and is bound to no return?
There has got to be something going on, and the young man is now in a mission to find out.
This was not supposed to happen.
He gave himself a mental slap as he realised quite the predicament that he is currently in. It is frustrating how he always manages to carry his shoes into such awkward situations. Manta always blamed his innate prying character and his insatiable need for more knowledge. But really, finding himself in such sticky situations will almost always be the product of his own doing.
But he was worried! What was an unsuspecting lad supposed to do when he called from the foyer, but no one answered? When he practically yelled but none acknowledged?
He gulped a tremendous amount of saliva for the nth time after witnessing the scene before him as it unfolded in a slow motion-like fashion.
Adrenaline filled his senses triggering a ‘fight or flight’ response. He stood there rooted to the ground as he gaped in complete and utter shock, eyes wide as donuts and mouth opened like a gator’s pose.
Faint static sounds came from the television that was left running. Hazy mist floated from the the two ceramic cups, and a slice of chocolate strawberry cake were set on the table, indicating they have yet to be touched.
In reality, none of the details mattered. For there on the ground with only about 2 metres away from him, lay a young man and a young lady engaged in peaceful slumber, wildly proximate with each other. A mix of blonde and brunette strands were messily strewn on the floor as her forehead rested just below his chin, and his lips almost buried on her head. They both shared a steady rise and fall of their chests and the sound of their soft breaths synchronised harmoniously like lovely music to the ears.
Manta’s face felt incredibly warm as he noticed how his male friend had his right arm pillowing the female’s head as if protecting her from the cold and harsh villain known as the wooden floor, while his left arm possessively snaked around her small waist. Their lower limbs were strategically hidden beneath the kotatsu and he frantically tried to shake off his imagination of the brunette’s leg also being draped snugly over hers.
He gasped. He blinked. He gulped some more.
His brain had a sudden malfunction and he was 100% sure that it was all thanks to his nosy self.
He had to make a decision now.
Manta knew perfectly well that if he valued his life, then he would have to make a swift move of either evaporating from the scenario or letting the earth swallow him alive. He knew he will be lucky to survive case he turns his heel the other way now and swear not to leave a single trail of him casually welcoming himself inside the En Inn without being invited by its owners. He looked down and slowly stepped backwards, past the doorframe, to return to the hallway. He just… needed to…
*Squeak*
Okay, he is dead. Bye cruel world.
The male blonde’s eyes quickly darted back towards the sleeping couple when he heard the wooden floor’s betrayal, silently praying to the gods that the sound has not awoken the only female in the room. They must have heard his desperate pleas when he noted a shuffling noise and let a sigh of relief when his male friend groaned and moved.
Yoh slowly stirred as his eyes opened, drowsiness still reflected in them. His gaze immediately fell at his fiancée who was still unconscious and delicately bundled up close to him. His lips curved contentedly as an automatic response while he mused at the lass’s innocent sleeping face. A blush inevitably crept up his cheeks in embarrassment upon realising their intimate position, but his actions proved otherwise when he closed the minuscule distance between them even further by tightening his embrace and planting a sweet and gentle kiss on her forehead. He inhaled her intoxicating scent that reminded him of cherry blossoms before chuckling to himself when she remained unfazed like a well-nursed baby.
“A-ano…”
The sound of a familiar voice yanked the brunette away from his drowsy state. He turned his head as far as he can towards the direction of the doorway, which was situated at the top of his lying crown. His face showed a momentary touch of shock but was quickly replaced by a sheepish aura once he recognised the speaker.
“Yo, Manta!” He greeted cheerfully in a hushed tone, completely oblivious to his friend’s current mental breakdown. “Didn’t know you were coming.”
“S-Sorry, I didn’t say.” Manta replied. His voice slightly shaking from his current trauma.
Yoh blinked at his friend’s display of uneasiness wondering if something was wrong. “Well, don’t just stand there. Come in. Just keep it down, though. We wouldn’t want to wake the dragon up.” He chuckled at his own joke.
“Are you both okay, Yoh-kun?”
“I’m fine… but Anna’s feeling a bit under the weather. You know, that time of the month.”
“Oh.” It was the only word— no, sound, that Manta could mutter.
Uncomfortable silence passed for several seconds.
“I think… I should go.”
“Don’t be silly. Stay for dinner. There’s food in the kitchen if you’re hungry, but please help yourself… my hands are kinda full. Uehehe!”
Manta could not believe how Yoh was being so collected despite the funny position he was caught in. Never in their days, since he became friends with Yoh and Anna, have they become openly affectionate in front of others. He could not help but to wonder whether the couple was already used to this kind of affinity for each other. But then again, who was he to judge? He was the one who casually barged into their home like a squirrel hunting for chestnuts anyway.
Jokes on them.
Right when Manta was finally overcoming his nerves and was about to plop himself down comfortably on the floor to catch-up with his friend, Anna decided to stir in Yoh’s arms.
Both gentlemen froze when the female blonde simultaneously moaned, shifted her position and pressed for even more contact towards Yoh. She unconsciously slipped her right arm against her fiancé’s torso, her lips softly called out his name, then burrowed her face onto the crook of his neck; making the space between them non-existent.
A minute passed when Yoh and Manta remained unmoving while contemplating about what the hell just happened and to make sure that she was still asleep, blinking in sync with pinked cheeks and increased heartbeats.
“I- I should go.”
“Uhm, yeah, okay.” Yoh nodded nervously with an apologetic smirk.
Manta could never recall how he reached his home safely that night. He was probably dazed the whole trip.
Next day at school, Manta sat on his seat lifelessly while waiting for classes to start. His eyes lit up when he saw Yoh enter the classroom with his usual bored look.
It was when the blonde lad raised his gaze and his line of sight accidentally collided with a pair of piercing amber eyes. He got petrified on the spot upon hearing a familiar female voice.
“So, Manta, I heard you visited yesterday afternoon.”
And yes, he will never visit his friends’ house unannounced ever again.