Just as the sun started to break the morning, birds chirped awaz nighttime and the last breezes fought with the first sun rays. Oliver can't remember the last time he paid attention to it. He was sitting on the balcony, his legs pulled up to his chest due to the cold he was not willing to cover with a blanket.
This was the first time he had gotten up right away once he couldn't fall asleep anymore, and he didn't regret it. The occasionally broken silence was almost therapeutic. The cold breeze sweeping across his face shook off the tiredness and he could feel his body soak in the boost of energy. He needed that.
Particularly the last days have been straining, but he could not tell until now. He was kept busy enough between work and visiting Fukase in the hospital that there was barely any time to focus on himself. Merely his sleep-deprived mind and its consequences set as a reminder to listen to his body more.
Oliver watched a sparrow landing on the railing and jumping up and down on it. He froze in his movement, trying not to chase away the avid creature but it flew off by itself soon enough. The sudden urge to hold the bird in his hands, petting across the soft feathers and worry about the fragile light-weight made him sigh. Maybe he should get a pet bird once times were shining brightly—if they were ever again.
He took the day off today to pick up Fukase from the hospital, and as much as he waited for this day, he dreaded it both at the same time. Being in the apartment all by himself has torn on his nerves but he has also had enough time to think in peace. Once the melancholic nighttime reached out for him he hated the silence, but he longed for it whenever the sun was forcing its ways through the heavy clouds. Oliver huffed, annoyed at himself to feel this wistful.
After his limbs have seemingly frozen down to ice, he went back into the apartment. He passed by Fukase's room and checked whether he had forgotten anything in there. The stench has worn off by now and there were new sheets on the bed; that was probably more than enough for his partner to notice.
Overall, he has used the remaining bits of his energy to clean back up the apartment the past days. Not only did it keep him busy but it eased his mind. Now that there wasn't anything to do anymore, time was flying by quicker than needed. Oliver put on a jacket and took all the necessities with him, while making his way outside. It was still a bit too early to pick up Fukase, but he could just wait in the car.
Even so, Oliver's movements were stiff and unwilling. His worry about what was expecting him in the hospital wrapped around his legs and weighted down every step. During the past visits, Fukase has been acting fairly passive with barely reacting nor speaking up by himself. Oliver waited it out patiently, but he wasn't sure how this was going to change once Fukase would be back to his familiar surroundings.
Oliver also couldn't come up with a solution on how to continue with their path to a better life. His ideas had proven wrong, and now there were at a halt. All of it unsettled him more the longer he thought about it. As much as he managed to push these thoughts aside with work the past days, he knew he couldn't ignore them any longer once his partner was back and served as a constant reminder.
A short shudder crawled down his spine but Oliver ignored it. He knew he couldn't run away and hide form the problem once again—especially not now when he was expected to pick up Fukase. He held his breath, looked at the door handle and sighed internally. The final step to a new page in their life was the hardest.
Just as Oliver was about to open a door, he startled at the sudden ringing of the doorbell. He stepped back, surprised by who could be showing up, and opened the door only reluctantly. Oliver jerked back once he spotted two officers on his door. Shock has dazzled him but he made sure to open the door wide, not giving the men room for suspicions.
