“Shiro,” he asked softly. The other didn’t bother to look at him. His shoulders began to shake as more sniffles left his nose. He was losing control.

“Hey, what;s wrong?” The taller sat on the bed, his hand rubbing Shiro’s arm soothingly. “”N-Nothing, I’m... I’m okay,” he whimpered. “Yeah you sure sound it,” Adam teased. “No but seriously, what’s wrong?” He wasn’t taking the apparent “no” as an answer. 

“Guess I’m just a bit homesick,” Shiro sheepishly admitted. They’d been attending the Garrison for almost a year now, and it wasn’t like they just came off of a break or anything. What was bringing this on?

“Any reason why?” Shiro wasn’t the one to break down crying. He’d normally ask his friend for a hug or something when he felt down. This was probably the first time Adam had ever seen him cry. 

“I um,” he didn’t want to tell him about the disease. “It’s just been.... stuff I guess, stress.” What it had really been was his pains from the disease. The missing of his mother’s hugs, his brothers tickles, his dad’s kisses. 

He jumped slightly as two arms wrapped around him. “Hey, it’s okay Shiro. We get to see our families at the end of the month, remember?” Ah yes, their annual break was coming up soon. It lasted for about a month. 

Shiro nodded slightly before wrapping his arms around Adam in return. The brunette blushed softly, but didn’t want to let go. He rubbed Shiro’s back slowly as he sat up, just leaning into Adam. 

That’s when it happened. Pain shot through him before a beeping sound mixed with the sound of steam came from his wrist. Tears came to his eyes again as he felt Adam’s confused stare. “Are you alright?” Black hair bounced as he nodded. He felt his sleeve being pulled up to reveal his aiding machine. 

Quickly pulling his arm away he ushered out an apology. Before Adam could say anything Shiro fled the room.

As night fell Adam grew more worried. Shiro hadn’t returned yet. The brunette hadn’t meant to be rude! He was just curious, he should have asked if it was alright to see what was on Shiro’s wrist that made the sound. 

He’d been crying softly off and on for the last two hours. He really like Shiro, and in his young boy mind, he just pushed his crush away. Maybe Amy was right, maybe he should have confessed sooner.

All thoughts stopped as the door opened again. Adam sat up in a panic, only to see a stunned Shiro. Gray met brown, both pairs bloodshot. “I’m um, I’m sorry.” Adam was the first to speak. 

“It was rude of me to um,” how was he supposed to word this? Shiro blushed slightly, the ground becoming so interesting. “Yeah um... it’s fine.” He awkwardly shut and locked the door. His brain wanted to go back to his bed, but his legs said other wise. 

He found himself sitting on the edge of Adam’s bed. Working up the stupidity courage he found himself explaining the events from earlier. He felt like he owed an explanation to Adam. It was only fair, he knew he freaked the other out. He felt so guilty!

Adam just wanted to help him, and he shoved him away. 

As he finished his story he was a little surprised to feel a hand on his. “Why didn’t you tell me about this? I thought we were friends?” He didn’t sound spiteful or snarky, he sounded truly hurt and concerned. “We are, I just.... I didn’t want you to treat me any different.”

Adam’s frown became more apparent as he pulled Shiro into an awkwardly angled hug. “Your my friend Takashi, your my best friend. I would treat you the same, I just didn’t know you were hurting.” He meant physically. 

Shiro blushed slightly, he knew Adam would treat him differently. Maybe that’s why tears came to his eyes again. This took the other off guard. Quickly letting go of the other he started to panic. “I’m sorry! Is it something I said?” 

Shiro shook his head. “No, no, I just. Adam everyone treats me like I need to be coddled, like I need to be protected after they find out,” he sniffled. Adam wanted to protect him, but not because of this. They were friends, that’s how friends are!

“Are you sure it’s not because they just care about you, aside from the disease?” The other pondered a moment. “Yes it might factor into it, but they wouldn’t be trying to protect you unless they truly cared about you.” 

Guilt from earlier flooded in as Shiro buried his face in his hands. Once more Adam panicked, practically throwing himself on top of Shiro. “I’m sorry,” he cried again. He couldn’t stop saying all the wrong things! 

“Why, you just opened my eyes to the explanation of so many things.” Wait... what? Shiro looked into Adam’s eyes. “You just gave me the reason for all my friends’ behaviors, for my... for my family’s as well I guess.” Was that it?

“Is that why you were crying before?” The other turned his head, he didn’t want to answer. It was a little embarrassing. 

He squeaked when hands started to squeeze into his sides. Leaning forward the “tango” began. The two wrestled, Adam still trying to get a laugh or preferably an answer out of the shorter. Legs kicked out as the Japanese male was pinned to the bed, fingers digging into his abdomen. 

“Nahahaha! A-Adhaham wait! Plehehease sthahap! I-I’m thahahicklish on mahahay tummy!” The other’s face heated up at the name used to describe the area. It was adorable! The other began to laugh along with Shiro, this was fun. 

“Are you going to tell me why you were crying?” Shiro shook his head before shrieking in ticklish agony. Lips found his bare tummy, leaving small raspberries over the area. “Nahahaho! Ahdhdham plehehease, it’s hahahumiliahahting!” His plead was dismissed as fingers moved down to his thighs. 

He’d heard from another classmate Shiro seemed pretty sensitive in the area. The guy would also continously annoy Shiro during gym class, well practially bully him. Shiro complained one day that Duncan wouldn’t stop touching him, maybe that’s what he meant?

Sure enough, it was. Shiro screamed so loudly Adam thought he was going to lose his voice. He bucked the other at least a foot off of him before trying to desperately get away. ‘Okay, don’t touch his thighs,’ the other thought as he permitted a break. ‘If his thighs are this bad, his feet are probably worse.’

As he pondered the next area to attack he noticed Shiro was starring at him. Half lidded, watery eyes, parted lip, flushed face, deep heaving. It was kind of funny. He couldn’t help himself. Before he knew what he was doing lips were against Shiro’s nose. 

It took a few moments after pulling back to realize what he’d done. That would explain the face of shock he received. “Takashi I’m so sorry,” he cried before being pulled into a hug. Nothing was said as the two sat in silence. Suddenly Adam started to giggle as hands played with his sides. 

“Whahat?” He wasn’t sure what to say. “Glad to see I’m not the only ticklish one,” Shiro giggled evily before pushing Adam onto his back. His fingers found the other’s ribs, making him squeal in delight. “He-Hehehehy! Thahahakahahashi!” His face turned bright red as lips pressed against his cheek. 

The fingers finally stopped as Shiro wrapped his arms around the taller, snuggling into his side. Adam was afraid to say anything, were they dating now? “Um....so...are we...you know?” He giggled again as a finger poked under his arm. 

“Um... do you want to be?” Adam blushed a bit before snuggling more into Shiro. “That um, that’d be nice.” He ran his fingers up and down Shiro’s back. “So why were you crying earlier?” The other blushed burrowing his head into the ribs before him. 

Adam giggled, trying to move away. “I guess I just missed how they made me feel about things, when they were happy for me. I felt guilty.” As his giggles calmed, the brunette presented his best face of confusion. “Guilty, for what?”

Shiro sighed. “They didn’t want me to come here, but it was the one place that would take me. So I... I sprung for it and we haven’t really been the same... ever since.” 

Arms wrapped around Shiro as he woke up screaming. “Sh its okay Takashi, I’m here.” It was just another night terror. Shiro sobbed into his husband’s chest, shaking his head. “I’m so sorry!” It always broke Adam’s heart to see him like this. “They forgive you honey.” The teacher thought he meant from his dream. 

“No Adam, I’m so sorry.” He looked dead into the other’s eyes. “Kashi you have nothing to be sorry for,” he tried to soothe. At times after Shiro awoke, his mind would still be in the dream. 

“No Adam, I left you. I just wanted, I wanted to be something,” he was cut off. “Kashi it’s okay. We’ve had this talk before honey. I’m also sorry.” Shiro cupped his face, tears streaming down his own. “No Adam you were just trying to look out for me and-- hehe! Hey,” he giggled softly as fingers poked at his ticklish tummy. 

“I’m beheheing shheherious!” Adam pushed him back down onto the mattress before peppering kisses over his face, fingers tickling gently at his tummy. “It’s okay Kashi. We’re okay, everything is getting back to as normal as it can be.” He stopped to admire the goofy face Shiro had worn every time he was tickled.