Archive of Our Own ^beta

"You're dead." 

Rin looked over from Sousuke's window in that same nonchalant way he had when the real him, the flesh and blood one had still been in the apartment. 

He looked like him too. The monster Sousuke had conjured up in his head was just like the real thing. Leaning in the window sill as he gnawed on a toothpick, a chuck taylor on his prone foot pressed against the opposite wall. The cool light from the street lights outside illuminated those deep red eyes and gave a cool overtone to his deep red Kurt Cobain hair, making it appear soft and ethereal. 

"Thanks Captain Obvious, next would you like to comment on the weather?" Rin handed the reply back as he slouched just a bit more. The fact he was dead didn't seem to worry him all that much, Sousuke observed.  

Standing in the dark hall way, Sousuke gave a snort before continuing in through the living room and collapsing back on his couch. 

"Let me guess, rough night?" Rin asked as he looked back to the window. 

Sousuke laughed. "I wonder who's fault that is..." he murmured off to himself. He leaned his head back up on the couch, staring blankly up at the ceiling. 

It was quiet, eerily quiet as they both just sat in that room. The street light outside flickered and made Sousuke blink to adjust his eyes. In his bedroom, he'd covered the window with thick curtains to keep the unnatural florescent light out. But he couldn't stay in his bedroom any longer. Every time Sousuke closed his eyes all he could think about was warm skin, a sharp bite at his neck and the high pitched whine Rin would give just before came--

"I think I need a new apartment." 

"And yet--" Rin was already saying.

"I like this one." Sousuke finished. 

Usually that kind of synchronicity made him feel some how edified. When Rin had been here, REALLY here, Sousuke had always let a happy smile slip every time the sentence finishing had occurred. It had been reinforcement that he was with the one person in the world that got him, so fucking perfectly. 

Now on the other hand... 

It hurt. It was like another grating, cloying feeling. It felt trapping. 

"I want to move on." He said suddenly. He startled himself by saying it. 

Rin looked back over at him. "Well it is--" he looked at his empty wrist playfully. "About fucking time." 

"You're not helping." Sousuke huffed as he slid over on his side, resign the back of his arm over his forehead, still staring up at the ceiling. 

"Dude," Rin looked over at him like he was an idiot. "The fact I'm here at all should be setting off a few alarms up there in your thick skull." 

Sousuke just chuckled. The vodka was already out on the table so he pulled over a glass and poured. 

Maybe this was a bad idea. Sousuke looked down at the ticket in his hand. Was New York even really a vacation? Why the fuck had it sounded like such a brilliant idea? Sousuke was from Montana for fuck sake! And he'd spent the last decade of his life in Seattle. What the crap made him think New York had been such a brilliant plan. 

"We should go get pizza when we get there!" 

Sousuke almost jumped out of his skin, stumbling a step even. The people around him gave a look but all walked on. Knowing none of them could see the boy currently looking at Sousuke expectant. He was smirking now. 

Pursing his lips together, Sousuke just looked back at his ticket. Rin was playing that fucking game again. And this time around Souskue wasn't cracking. 

"Also I want to see Yankee Stadium." Rin went on, stepping up closer to Sousuke. He was in the same outfit he was always in--the one Sousuke loved the most. White v-neck shirt, red flannel tied around his hips, dark wash jeans hugging his ass just enough and those staple red Chuck Taylor's. "And we should try a hot dog from the street and maybe go to Long Island. How do you feel about the Statue of Liberty? It would be an all day thing I think since there's some travel time involved, but I don't know it's an American classic and all, could be cool." 

Sousuke turned away and started walking towards his gate. He was extremely early, but at least he wouldn't miss it this way. 

Rin was quickly catching up to him, even spinning around to walk backwards as he rambled on to Sousuke. "I heard there's a fucking legit Harry Potter exhibit in Time Square too! We have got to add that to the list! And the Lion King, god we gotta go see the Lion King!"

"You're dead!" Sousuke suddenly snarled. 

The closest passerby stopped, looking at Sousuke a bit shocked. 

Right. Sousuke frowned as he straightened up. "Sorry," He grumbled to the person as he stalked away towards a seat. He dumped his duffel on a seat and flopped back into one himself. 

Across from him, Rin snickered as he lounged across a couple seats. "Oh that's right, they don't know I'm here!" he crowed. "Man, making you look like a crazy person is fun--oh wait, you're the one seeing me, you are a crazy person!" He turned his head to give Sousuke a goofy grin and a wide eyed, pointed look. 

Sousuke just growled under his breath again and scrubbed the palm of his hand up over his face. 

"Could you not?" Sousuke quietly, under his breath as much as he could manage. He gave a sigh. "I just want to be able to move on." 

"Right," Rin nodded. "Which is why we are going to New York, so you can run away." 

"I'm not running from anything." Sousuke hissed. 

"Sure, pumpkin." 

"How the fuck did you get more annoying when you died?" Sousuke suddenly shot back. 

The person sitting in the row of seats behind him looked up sharply. They eyed Sousuke a bit suspiciously after looking around for whom every he had been speaking to, after a few seconds they promptly got up and shuffled a few rows away. 

Sousuke hid his face in his hand, breathing out in a huff. 

"I want to get on that plane and for once I don't want this--this fucking feeling strangling me!" Sousuke hissed.  He looked at the projection of all his grief and fear and former loss and the empty void that was now filling it. "It's been six fucking years and I want to get on that plane and be able to be a regular guy. I want to find someone else. I want to never speak to myself again and I want--god, I want to have a fucking life again!"

Rin just gave him a sly grin, crossing his arms over his knees. "Is that really what you want, Sousuke?" 

Sousuke let both of his hands down limply, moodily looking down at his feet. "No," He said venomously. "I want you back." He glared up at Rin. "But since that's not possible, I want to step on that plane and just--be someone else for a while. Someone happy and stable and --I don't know, someone who has some sort of purpose." 

Looking up, Rin wasn't smirking this time around. Sousuke gave another huff. 

"I can make that real." Rin commented. "Would you truly want that?" 

Sousuke sighed, leaning his head on his palm, rubbing over his forehead and down over his eyes. "Sure," he groaned, not bothering to look up at Rin. Anything to make his life easer at this point. 

Not hearing a reply, after a few seconds, Sousuke looked up. His eyes went wide when he realized, Rin wasn't there. He looked around a bit apprehensous. This hadn't happened in a good long while. It had been--fucking years since Sousuke had managed a moment alone. 

He gave a sigh again, resigning to the fact he probably managed to chase away the only thing that acknowledged him anymore. He pulled out his phone, plugging in a set of head phones and turned on something calming as he waited for his boarding call. 

It hadn't always been like this. Sousuke had stood in that god-forsaken deserted graveyard for hours looking down at the pile of dirt his best friend was buried under and there wasn't a trace of Rin anywhere. Sousuke would have given anything at that moment to see his best friend again. 

Honestly it had all lasted about a week. A blissful week of fucking and cuddling and breaking every rule that was written for being partners at work--but being lovers at home had been so sweet. 

And then Sousuke was standing here, standing in the black suit, black tie and as he looked down at his friends tomb stone he felt like he'd had something stolen from him. All the possibilities had been ripped right from under him and in its place was a void. It was a dark empty void that made Sousuke feel inhuman. 

He fidgeted in the arm sling, his shoulder already starting to ache from the cold. His mind was still replaying the scene. Over and over, even though it was weeks ago, even though Sousuke couldn't go back. 

There was nothing he could do, everyone had told him that, and he knew it--that just didn't make it better. And the bargaining in his mind was still on in high speed, twisting the possibilities. It was just a low risk call, something that shouldn't have even required their attention. 

But Rin had walked out first, strode out of the house confidently, unaware the person they'd just questioned was indeed quite guilty. 

Guilt is a funny thing, it can lead to panic of unimaginable consequences. Like the decision to shoot a man just as he walks out the door... 

Guilt gnawed at Sousuke too. He'd been taking down a name from the witnesses relative in the home and by the time he heard the shot fired it was too late, but he'd still pivoted and drawn his own weapon, charging out of the house with out a second thought. The sight that met him was his partner turn best friend and just newly christened lover terrified eyes and prone bleeding figure on the small cement front porch. He lingered just a moment too long, longer than he should have, and the second fire of the assailants gun had hit Sousuke in the shoulder. But as Rin would say, it would take more than that to bring down Sasquatch. 

Sousuke had managed to tackle the gunman--and his fists were red with his blood by the time the other agent had gotten out of the house. He fought his coworker, pounding the assailants head against the asphalt of the driveway. 

It had all happened in a rush, and Sousuke couldn't remember much of the details after that. He remembered sitting on the side of the road, he remembered as the adrenaline started to wear off and he realized Rin wasn't the only one shot. He remembered watching as the paramedics poured out around Rin, he was on a stretcher in another instance and a women in a dark blue paramedic coat was kneeling over him, her hands on his chest as she pressed down with force. 

Sousuke had stumbled as he tried to stand and someone finally seemed to surmise all the blood over his crisp white shirt wasn't just form the Man's face Sousuke'd ruined. 

At the hospital, Sousuke woke up the next day, the Assaliant woke up a few days later--and Rin never did. 

The steward standing a the gate ushered Sousuke forward and Sousuke handed over his boarding pass. The steward checked it before nodding for Sousuke to continue forward. 

He had pushed his headphones back in to his duffel bag when he had heard the boarding call. So he stuffed his hands back into the packets of his jacket, tucking the ticket back into his pocket as well. Sousuke couldn't say his airport attire was exactly flattering. A plain white shirt, comfy, baggy jacket and sweat pants were topped off with skaters and a bored expression. Fuck anyone who managed a seven hour flight in jeans. 

Sousuke stepped through the threshold of the boarding ramp and stopped for half a second. He slid the boarding pass into his duffle bag, shifting it up on his shoulder more. He breathed out and continued forward. Right, New York. 

There was that feeling though, that one that someone got when their personal space was--Sousuke looked over. The guy behind him had stepped up, following after Sousuke surprisingly close. 

The guy perked up a bit as Sousuke looked over his shoulder at him, looking to Sousuke expectant. 

Okay, so he probably looked like he was going to say something, and the grump default face didn't help. "Sorry," Sousuke mumbled, thinking the guy just stepped up a bit close not expecting Sousuke to stop just a second ago. 

The guy blinked at him, a tick of his head just a fraction giving the impression he didn't understand, before a surprisingly attractive smile broke. "It's fine." 

Clearing his throat, Sousuke looked forward with a frown and continued onto the plane. ...and the guy behind him followed literally less than a step behind him. It wasn't like there wasn't room. Sousuke slid over to the side of the boarding ramp, making room just incase the guy wanted to pass and slowed down walking just a fraction. 

The guy behind him--slowed his walking as well, sticking strictly to Sousuke's heels. Right, so that was weird. 

Knowing he was wearing an intimidating expression this time, Sousuke looked back over at the guy. He had cinnamon hued hair in a bit of a shaggy cut, framing his face, long fringe. It matched the honey toned warm skin and when those eyes flicked up at Sousuke. They were a very startling green. Like an evergreen of pinyon pines. Okay, so the guy was quite attractive--He took another step closer to Sousuke, looking up at him. 

The tilt of the guys head was askance, before he frowned and asked. "Something wrong?" 

Yeah, you're tailgating me. Instead Sousuke just stood there a bit awkwardly. "Uh--no." He huffed shaking his head and started forward to the end of the long ramp. 

The guy of course followed way too close like some sort of puppy and Sousuke tried to ignore it. He kept his gaze stalwartly forward as he pulled out his pass and checked for the seat number. 

He found the seat quickly, flicking the over head compartment open and sliding his duffel bag in. Sousuke made sure to snag his headphones and phone before he turned--

And there was Mr. Evergreen eyes, looking like he was waiting for something. He spotted Sousuke looking at him and turned his head, smiling. 

"Uh, excuse me," Sousuke pardoned himself. 

The guy tilted his head at Sousuke, blinking again like he didn't make sense. "You're fine." 

He didn't move though. Sousuke glanced around. There was no one exactly waiting on them, but still--what the fuck was this guy doing? 

"Is your seat near here or something?" Sousuke finally decided to asked. 

The guy looked up at him, a startled look. He looked unsure for a second before he laughed. The sound was--well it was quite pleasant. He smiled and looked at Sousuke as the laugh faded. "I hope so!" He said rather light heartedly. He gestured towards the row of seats. "Get in. I know you snagged the window seat again." 

...what? Sousuke furrowed his brow. Was the guy trying to be flirty? Or just creepy? Sousuke slipped his boarding pass back out of his jacket pocket and double checked--what was this guy also psychic?! 

Already starting to gnaw on his cheek in frustration, Sousuke slid into the row and into his assigned seat--next to the damn window. 

The guy reached up securing his bag in the overhead before he slid in easily in the row and plopped down into the middle seat--right next to Sousuke and a bit too comfortably about it. He at least didn't look at Sousuke, pulling the in-flight ads out from the seat before him instead. 

Hopping the whole thing was just some wildly bizarre interaction that was over, Sousuke rested back into his seat a bit more comfortably. he rolled his shoulders and rested his arms down--and almost immediately bumped into the guy next to him. 

"Sorry," Sousuke said looking up. 

It looked like it startled the guy next to him those green eyes turned to him questioningly, but as was usual he didn't say anything, only smiled before gesturing with his hand in a waving motion. "It's alright, I know you prefer the arm rest." 

Wha--? Fucking psychic! Whatever, Sousuke looked away moodily. He got the armrest that's all that mattered. 

Well at least till he felt an arm --no a long hand. It snaked through his arm and down and suddenly long fingers were intertwining with his own--"what the fuck--?!" Sousuke shot back against the window, yanking his hand back against himself. 

The guy looked up very startled and wide eyed as he look at Sousuke. He opened his mouth, trying to form words, but it seemed nothing was coming out, His eyes ran over Sousuke for a moment before he managed out. "I'm sorry-- I thought," he paused. "You're usually so comfortable with it, I just didn't think." 

"Dude," Sousuke found slipping between gritted teeth. What the fuck was okay with just reaching for another guys hand? 

"I'm sorry," the guy repeated looking down--honestly like he didn't understand. 

What was up with this guy? Did he just have no social experience what so ever? Sousuke looked over that the guy, this time really looking him over. He was pretty normally dressed, wearing a dark blue plaid button down and khaki pants, he had on simple sneakers, a coulpe of leather wristband on his right arm as well as it looked like a pretty simple silver wedding band on his left hand. 

It was then those green eyes turned back to him. They looked hesitant, like he wasn't sure if he was alright to talk to Sousuke, but it passed and he opened his mouth, speaking rather hushed. "When we get in, Haru wanted to go to the MET with me. If you don't want to come, you could go get our Hotel and rest till we go to dinner." 

Okay--weird as fuck was just switched back on! DId he--did this guy think they were together? How--? Sousuke looked around, before speaking what his confused expression was already making clear. "what?" 

A look of worry was flashing in the guys face as he spoke on. "You just seem off." He shook his head. "I thought you'd want to maybe take the first night off and just relax." He shrugged , those green eyes still so fucking trained on Sousuke. "I mean I understand, you've been working so much lately." 

How the hell did this guy know that? 

"Who the fuck are you?" Sousuke finally lost it, blurting out. Rin had made him adapt at one thing, and that was blurting out what ever came to mind and right at that moment that was exactly what he'd been thinking. 

"Sousuke," the guy said, his brow furrowed as he looked at Sousuke like he didn't understand, there was a moment before he went on, "really this isn't funny." 

Sousuke raised his brow. The dude knew his name? Sousuke's mouth dropped open as he shook his head. "I'm quite serious. I don't know who the fuck you are." 

The guy siting next to him sat back, and what crossed his face--

It was wounded. He actually looked hurt. Like Sousuke had insulted him. He blinked several times before his brow furrowed. "Makoto." He murmured. "Your husband." 

What the actual freaking fuck? Sousuke just stared. The look in the guys face was so sincere and hurt and--

Sousuke stood up. "I've gotta go to the restroom." 

The guy--Makoto- oh for fuck sake the psychic that had stalked him onto the plane--next to him looked like he was about to cry. His eyes were looking at Sousuke so deeply and he had his mouth open, like he wanted to say something but he wasn't sure what and he just looked so sad and then he was nodding, looking away from Sousuke in a way that seemed he wasn't so sure of himself anymore. 

Sousuke nearly bulled over the flight attendant on his charge back to the bathroom. All he had to do was glare at the woman at the curtain and he was quickly allowed access. 

He jammed the door shut behind him. He slammed into the tiny sink, looking himself closely in the mirror. 

"How's it going out there?" 

Sousuke's head shot up and he let out a yelp as he caught sight of the red head standing behind him in the tiny space. Sousuke pivoted and latched on to the little twerps shirt. 

"What the hell is that out there?" He growled. 

Rin just gave a devious smile a first. "You said you wanted to be someone else, someone happy and all that." 

"I never remember saying married!!" Sousuke fired back. 

Rin gave a shrug. "Married people seem pretty happy to me." 

"Have you seen married people?!" Sousuke hissed. "They're all miserable!" 

Rin gave an over reacting eye roll. "Well howdy, Miss Debbie Downer!" 

Sousuke gritted his teeth before tightening his grip and making his mind up and narrowing his eyes. In the next second he smacked Rin up against the wall. The red head let out an unmanly squee as he found his feet no longer on the ground. 

"Change it back!" Sousuke barked. 

"Gahhh!" Rin just let out a gagging sound. 

"You little son of a bitch!" Sousuke howled. "You're changing this back!" 

Rin just waved his hands helplessly. "Can't breathe!" He squeaked. 

"You're dead!" Sousuke bit out. "Dead people don't need to breathe!" 

Point goes to Sousuke! 

"Let go!" Rin changed tactics.

"Not till you change it back!" Sousuke smacked Rin against the back wall again for emphasis. 

God only knows what the rest of the plane thought was going on in the bathroom. 

"I'll bite you, motherfucker!" Rin threatened. His hands clawing in to Sousukes arms. 

"Just try it, bastard!" 

Well he did. 

Sousuke let out a yowl as Rin sunk his teeth into the fleshy part of his hand and released him with one finally push into the wall. "You little bastard!" 

"Everyone's little when compared to Sasquatch!" Rin gave a snarky reply, wiping his mouth over his arm. 

Point goes to Rin!

Sousuke scowled up at Rin, glancing at his injuries hand. "How the fuck did you leave teeth marks?! You're dead!" 

"Do you keep repeating that to remind me or your self?" Rin growled. then shrugged. "Then again technically I'm a projection of your own construct of me so--you. It's all off-your-rocker you." 

Sousuke have a huff, glaring at his hand before snapping back to the point. "Change it all back! Right now!" 

Even in the small space Rin managed to look surprisingly comfortable. "Can't, too late." 

"What do you mean it's too late?" Sousuke said brows narrowed. 

"You said yes." Rin said. He squared his hands on his hips. "I asked if you really wanted a different life, you said yes, and you--" Rin jammed a finger in Sousukes collarbone. "Stepped through that door way." Crossing his arms Rin let out a sympathetic sigh. "I hate to break it to ya budzers, but this is still all YOU." 

Sousukes brow stayed furrowed and it was accompanied by his mouth dropping open in confusion and skepticism. "That doesn't even make sense!"

"Look dude, I had no idea really what would happen! I just opened the door." Rin tilted his head in a nod to Sousuke. "You're the Yeti that went and strode right through it." 

Sousuke pressed his lips together tightly. With gritted teeth he pinned Rin in a glare. "Change. It. Back." 

"No. Can. Do." Rin mimicked the slow speech pattern. 

Sousuke shot back, giving a growl. "Well what the fuck am I supposed to do then?" 

There was a huff from Rin as he rolled his eyes at Sousuke. "Maybe enjoy your self?" He jabbed a thumb towards the door. 

"Nuh uh!" Sousuke shook his head. Not with that situation. "Fuck, Rin! I never wanted to get married!" 

"Well why don't you go try getting to know the guy that convinced you otherwise?" Rin suggested. 

Sousuke gave an exasperated sigh. 

"Oh come on ya grumpy old man!" Rin growled "go give that nice piece of ass out there a shot!" 

"Hey!" Sousuke barked back. "Don't talk about my husband like that!" 

Beaming, Rin gave a playful punch to Sousukes arm. "That's the spirit!" 

Sousuke looked to the door, his expression bleak. When he looked at Rin again he made sure to give him a harsh look. "For how long?" 

Rin gave a shrug. "Who knows? Maybe a day. Maybe the next thirty years!" 

Sousuke narrowed his glare at Rin. 

With a huff, Rin gave in. "Alright, fine." He shook his head. "You've got three days to decide, Cinderella." 

Wait, what? Sousuke felt as his eyes went wide again. "Decide what?" 

It appeared that wasn't exactly the tid bit Rin should have slipped. "Uh--what?" 

"You said I was deciding something at the end of this, what is it?" Sousuke growled through gritted teeth. He never liked surprises. 

"Uhhhh--is that what I said?" Rin parrotted back rather cheekily. 

Sousuke narrowed his brow. "Will I get to decide if I wanna go back after this?" 

At that, Rins face went it's own shade of bleak. "I can't do that, Sousuke." He shook his head. "Nothing can change the past like that." 

"Then what is the point of this?!" Sousuke hissed. 

"Exactly what you said, moving on!" Rin shouted back. 

"I was moving on just fine!" Sousuke shot back a look of disgust on his face. 

"Bull shit!" Rin called. "You see your dead partner, dude!" Rin jabbed at Rin again. "And you've been telling me, your dead partner, for the past three years how you wanna move on! And yet there hasn't been much change!" 

"I bought a fucking plain ticket to New York!" Sousuke sneered back. 

"Alone!" Rin pointed out giving Sousuke an incredulous look. "In fact you're always alone! Since the damn morning I left that fucking apartment you've been alone!" 

"That doesn't give you the right to just pick someone for me!" Sousuke snarled back. 

"Well you weren't picking anyone your own damn self!" Rin gave a huff. "Besides, it wasn't me who picked him out there." Rin pointed to Sousukes chest again. "It was you, Bigfoot." He went on it seemed just to rub it in Sousuek's face. "None of this is of my choices--It's of yours. Makoto is your choice, this plain ticket is your choice, just because I crossed the wires doesn't mean it isn't still you." He sniffed. "Or you know, a version of you." 

Sousuke frowned. Glancing at the door, he mulled over the cinnamon haired boy waiting out there for him to come back. "He seems like a push over." He grumbled. 

Rin shrugged. "Well at least ya don't gotta fight him for the arm rest."

Sousuke huffed. His brow was still a flat line over his eyes, but he gave a deep exhale and zipped up his jacket, pocketing his hands. "Fine..." He growled. 

"Atta boy!" Rin clapped. 

Sousuke rolled his eye and on the way back through the door, pushed Rin hard back into the wall! 

"Wahh! Ow!" Rin squawked. "Ass ho--" 

Sousuke yanked the door shut on him. "Git." He muttered under his breath.

With his hood up, Sousuke stalked back to his seat. 

Of course two worried green eyes met him on the way and--what was his name again? Oh, fuck. Who forgets their husbands name?! Well technically he'd only met him once so far... 

"Uh," Sousuke stalled as he looked at those bright evergreen eyes. "Hi." He muttered. 

The guy--Midori maybe?-- blinked a couple times seeming to process. "Hi." He mumbled in return.

"Sir if you could please take a seat," a flight attendant spoke to him. "We are going to be taking off soon." 

"Right," Sousuke said and ducked his head as he slid past--uh Momo?--and down into his seat. 

Next to him he noticed how--fidgety the guy---for heaven's sake what was his fucking name again? 

"Uh," Sousuke started looking over. "Hey--" How do you ask your husband his name?

Then those green eyes looked up at him and they were just so worried. How was anyone that worried about anyone? like was that even natural? 

"Uhhhhh--" Sousuke's mouth stalled out further, lacking the proper drives to just shut the fuck up. 

At least the guy was fast on the uptake, though his eyes widened a fraction. "Makoto," He repeated his own name looking at Sousuke like he hoped his husband really hadn't forgotten his name. 

Well this wasn't going well for Sousuke so far. He tried to smile. "Makoto." What the fuck was up with giving your kids the wrong name? 

God Damn, those eyes were so green. And this felt like the worst first meeting ever. He'd basically called the guy a creeper before and now here he was trying to just talk to him an Sousuke wasn't sure what to say.  Makoto wrung at his hands, looking like he didn't know what to do with them. 

"Excuse me, both of you need to buckle up." another flight attendant reminded. 

"Oh, sorry." Makoto murmured before looking down at getting his seat belt on. 

Sousuke gave a huff and buckled up as well. Settling in for take off. 

There was an uneasy fidgeting next to him though. looking down mostly at his lap, there was no way the rather helpless expression on Makoto's face couldn't draw Sousuke's attention. 

"You--" Mkaoto started not lifting his eyes. "You'd tell me if something was wrong, right?" 

Oh great, he was already fucking up his marriage and it'd basically been twenty minutes. 

"I--" wait, would Sousuke tell his husband if something was wrong? The answer was a rather resounding, no. and it startled him. But looking at those green eyes-- "Of course I would." 

There was a partial smile. "You always say that..." Makoto replied. His eyes lifted though with a spark of skepticism as they narrowed at Sousuke. "But I'm not sure if you mean it." 

Right. Sousuke sat back a bit more. Rin was right. It was all him. And somewhere along the lines he must have chosen the bright sunshine next to him. He felt less like he was sitting next to a stranger at that moment for some reason. 

"Nothings wrong." Sousuke reassured. It was the least he could do after all. 

Why the hell had he signed up for this?! Sousuke pinched his fingers at the bridge of his nose. Next to him it was clear that Makoto wanted to touch him. He'd already reached for Sousuke's knee once, lightly touching it until their eyes had met and Makoto pulled his hand away mumbling an apology. 

How had Sousuke forgotten this? It happens every time! Every take off, every landing he got an ear splitting head ache and now--after he'd boarded the plane he remembered. God it had been so long since he'd gone anywhere on a plane, it hand't even occurred to him when he had purchased the ticket. 

Okay so he also hadn't considered that he might cross into the loading ramp and all of a suddenly be married as well. 

"Can I get either of you anything?" a stewardess approached. Her fake smile physically hurt to look at. 

"Do you have any Tylenol?" Makoto asked. 

Fuck Tylenol! "Scotch." Sousuke growled. 

Makoto's head shot back to look at Sousuke. His eyes wide and face shooting almost ashen. 

Right, maybe he should ask for things versus demand them. "Could you please get me some scotch?" 

Those green eyes next to him only got wider. He shot back to the waitress. "That's a joke. He does NOT mean that."  

Oh for heavens sake, did Sousuke join some non-alcoholic cult as well?! "No, I meant it." 

This time narrow eyes met his and Makoto gave a brisk shake of his head. ...maybe he wasn't so much of a push-over as Sousuke had previously thought... He turned back to the stewardess. "Could you give us a moment?" He said surprisingly polite despite his now very rigid expression. 

"Uhm--Of course!" The stewardess and her plastered smile quickly went on to the next row of seats. 

Makoto immediately turned to Sousuke. 

But Sousuke beat him to the punch. "My brain hurts, I want a drink." 

The way Makoto was looking at Sousuke suggested he wasn't quite computing properly. He shook his head. "Sousuke..." he started drifting off. 

"Look I'm not going to get plastered," Sousuke tried to explain, "I just want something to take the edge off. Trust me, we will both be happier after I have a drink." 

Makoto still wasn't speaking, though his mouth was open again. His brow creased as it lowered and he turned his head to Sousuke like he didn't quite understand still. 

Okay, fine he could show him if that was better, Sousuke moved to flag down the stewardess. His arm was almost immediately caught by Makoto and the guy roughly kept Sousuke firmly in place. 

Sousuke own brow lowered and he growled. None of this was making his head ache any better. 

"You're three years sober." Makoto finally hissed under his breath, leaning close to Sousuke to look him straight int he eye. 

Sousuke balked. What?! Sousuke? This Sousuke was sober? The Sousuke who complained that his job interfered with his drinking? The Sousuke who considered vodka a food group? The Sousuke that the Doctor commented at his last physical that he'd found traces of blood in his alcohol stream for once? That Sousuke sobered up? Like completely sober? That--he did join an nonalcoholic cult, didn't he?! 

The laugh Sousuke let out was just a bit mocking. He shook his head. "Alright seriously, let's not joke about the alcohol." He said before trying to stand. "I'm going to go get a shot of something."

Makoto grabbed him again, pulling him back down into his seat. "Trust me, this is not a joke!" He pleaded as he managed to get Sousuke back into his seat. 

Why in God's name had Sousuke, whose favorite past time was bullying people around #drinking, managed to marry someone the same size as him? 

"I love you," Makoto hissed at him, though for a first time confession in Sousuke's case, it was said a bit viciously. "and because of it there is no way I'm letting you break your sobriety for a take off head ache." 

Sousuke tried to remind himself that the boy next to him was his husband, so at some point in his life he must have been rather fond of him. Besides killing Makoto over a fifth of whisky wouldn't be all that great of a prison story. 

It took a second of both of them exchanging stalwart looks before Sousuke held up his hand in surrender. "Fine, no fun for me!" Sousuke seceded. 

Makoto did retract into his own seat though as he looked at Sosuek it was clear he was still quite weary. 

"What?" Sousuke barked. 

There was an extra second before Makoto shook his head and spoke. "What is going on with you?" 

That was a question several minutes over due in Sousuke's opinion. "Nothing." Sousuke growled. 

"Look I get it, You don't like to tell me when things aren't just dandy, but seriously Sousuke, I'm not stupid!" Makoto said back, his tone was plenty aggravated though he kept it under his breath. "You've been off ever since we got on this plane!" 

Yup!

Sousuke bit his lip, not quite sure how to break it to Makoto he wasn't exactly the same Sousuke that had planned this trip. "I'm just--not--feeling like myself." He tried. 

Makoto raised a brow at him. "Right. Which is why I had to remind you of very key points in your life." 

"I spaced a few things on accident." Sousuke tried to play it off. He gave a sigh and a bit too awkwardly patted at Makoto's knee. "Look, I'm just running a bit behind, help me out a bit if I look lost and trust me I'll be fine. In three day's I'll be back to my old self." 

"Three days?" Makoto repeated. "You mean when we plan on going home?" 

Oh, that was a tad bit of a specific number. 

"Everything's going to be fine." Sousuke reassured. "Just give me a few days. I'm not quite myself." Like at all. 

Makoto frowned and sat back, still eyeing Sousuke though. He sighed. "alright, love." 

Well that was rather intimate. Sousuke chose to ignore it and a bit more awkwardly just looked away to the window. This was going to be one hell of a long few days. Especially with out a beer.