With only dim lighting emitting from closed buildings and street lights, Oliver and Fukase were almost the only people to be roaming around in the city center in the middle of the night. They often used the occasion on weekdays to find themselves alone in places that usually are crowded; it made them feel like this was their world, rather than that they had to share it with people that made their life a living nightmare.
They had just been jumping around and cackled at their teasing game of tickling one another as Fukase halted for a second once they passed a wall full of displays. A set of the latest movies decorated the greyish texture, with mainly vivdly colored posters. Oliver analyzed the posters closer and recognized the titles mostly as the typical superhero movies. Uninterested as he was, he glanced at his lover, but much to his surprise, he found the redhead's eyes glued to the bright shining objects.
"You like those kinds of movies?"
"Yeah!" Fukase exclaimed and a bright smile crept on his face. He stopped to look at the displays a little longer, staring at the protagonists in astonishment. Oliver stopped as well and followed Fukase's gaze. He was never really interested in movies per se, but seeing his lover this excited made him debate to invite him to a surprise visit to the cinema at some point.
"They all just look so amazing," Fukase sighed, his eyes still fixed on the display, "If only I could be like them...I'd love to be the hero of at least one person. Just look at them. They have so many struggles and have to fight so hard just to stay alive, but at the end of the day, they manage to keep their smug smile."
Fukase's head turned to Oliver and he chuckled. "Just like you, you know."
"Huh?" Oliver breathed out and followed Fukase only reluncantly as he started moving forward again. He pulled on the redhead's hand a little before he could get swallowed by the darkness. Fukase turned around and smiled.
"Ah well, you know...you have such a tough life and have to keep fighting all the time yourself. But even so, you always return to me, wearing a smile. You never give up and try to be strong for the both of us."
"I guess I'm trying my best," Oliver mumbled and looked away, unsure how to react to the indirect compliment. He suddenly remembered the many times he had walked up to Fukase's house in the middle of the night – just like earlier – to get the boy out to the real world every now and then. Fukase himself has always worn a smile of his own, but he hadn't seemed to notice.
Oliver flinched as he bumped into Fukase's back, who has stopped walking all of a sudden. He followed the redhead's gaze and found himself in one of the darker areas of the city. The street lights sparsely lit up the road but were almost swallowed by darkness themselves. Oliver shifted uncomfortably to be dwelling in such a place, but Fukase wouldn't budge.
"Do you feel it too?"
Trying to figure out Fukase's expression in the dark, the blond squinted his eyes even harder, but a dim cast covered his lover's face. He gave up eventually and focused on the sudden question. There was not much Oliver was feeling except uneasiness to be in such a vulnerable place. He did take his cutter knife with him that day, but he wasn't in the mood for a possible fight.
"I'm not sure," Oliver mumbled eventually, pressing Fukase's hand tighter, afraid to let it go at this point. Fukase retorted the gesture and breathed out heavily.
"This feels like home. But you know what?" Fukase took Oliver's face in his hands and leaned closer. Oliver made out a vague expression and frowned. Fukase's voice was quivering. "I'm not scared."
Fukase kissed the blond and let go again, looking back out to the darkness. There was silence for a while and Oliver almost wanted to take the opportunity to pull Fukase somewhere else, but his limbs froze. Fukase's hand was cold and stiff; something was off.
