Feodora smiles but Yuuto knows there is more to that smile. He loves Feodora very much. He appreciates everything she has done for him, every sacrifice. Without her, he wouldn’t know what family truly is. Feodora begins to look like herself again. She goes to check on the meal firing off many questions causing Yuuto to feel flustered. He doesn’t even know where to start as Feodora sets the meal down in front of him. Whenever he thinks of Shouta he constantly thinks of what he could have done differently.
“This meal has great presentation,” replies Yuuto looking up at her smiling. He dislikes when people just toss a meal onto a plate. Give the food some love and care. Yuuto can’t help himself but to grab a bit onto his fork blowing on it before taking a small bite. He begins to smile.
“Feodora, this is delicious,” he chuckles before smiling and eating a few more bites.
“Thanks for preparing this. I needed a nice loving meal.” Yuuto begins to think about where to start with Shouta.
“To answer your question yes, my mind is on Shouta,” Yuuto blushes looking down at his plate as that didn’t come out in the way he wanted.
“I ran into him looking for you a few weeks ago. I walked in on Shouta's friend and business partner Sadie putting her foot up Tatsuya *ass*.” Yuuto smirks at the memory.
“Not seriously but she definitely showed him he is not to disrespect her or Shouta. I’m glad she stopped him from whatever his true intentions were.
We both know how he is I'm sure no good would have come of it.” Yuuto takes another bite as the events are coming back to the forefront of his mind. Not that he can ever forget Tatsuya trying to touch his friend in any manner.
“Shouta wouldn’t even look at me…… Soon as he realized it was me he avoided eye contact.” Yuuto feels sad because even now he feels that Shouta hasn’t truly forgiven him. He didn’t mean to hurt him. He truly thought he was doing the right thing at the time.
“If not for Sadie I don’t think he would have even spoken to me,” he continues.
“I didn’t know my actions upset him so much. I explained to him why I ended our friendship. How it was not completely my doing. It didn’t matter to him.” Yuuto shovels more food into his mouth to gather his thoughts.
“A work contact informed me that Shouta graphic artist was out very last minute. Shouta would need someone to step in until they returned. I could use more practice and the bonus is I get to work with Shouta.” He sighs unable to hold this one in.
“He set up a meeting at Melody Café,” Yuuto explains.
“Soon as he laid eyes on me, I could see him tensing up. He didn’t want to hire me even though I do good work. My work speaks for itself. Shouta said me working for him is a conflict of interest. I can separate work from personal. I was in the process of trying to convince him when we were interrupted by heat, post heat, something.” Yuuto sits his fork down unable to focus on his meal as all the emotions he felt come rushing back to him.
“It’s complicated. Something is different about Shouta and I don’t know what. He wouldn’t go into details. Rightfully so….he doesn’t know me.” Yuuto goes quiet as he recalls how things ended with them. He slides his right hand through his hair trying to relax. Shouta has every right to feel the way he does but a part of Yuuto doesn’t feel that way. He feels that Shouta should be more welcoming considering how close they were.
Yuuto decides not to inform Feodora how he almost went into rut. It was the first time ever he had taken suppressants and they didn’t work. Everything worked out since he told Shouta to leave before things could go any further. Shouta's scent continues to linger in his apartment but he doesn’t mind. Shouta's scent gives him a sense of calm he can’t explain.
“Um I haven’t spoken to him since I completed the project for him. I have his number, we could text, but I feel like I would be overstepping somehow.” Yuuto finally looks up making eye contact with Feodora.
“I’m afraid he will hate me forever. I want Shouta in my life again.” Yuuto rubs his eyes as he feels them water up. He breaks eye contact feeling silly busying himself with eating more of his sister’s delicious meal.