Chapter Text
Otoya woke up to a pretty awkward situation.
For one thing, he was in Cecil's room. This was pretty common, but he'd never slept on the same bed with him. Yet here he was, clearly on Cecil's bed. The owner was still snoozing next to him, hand clasping his own.
For another, Otoya's clothes were too small for him. The shirt he was wearing rode up his stomach, fabric stretching and seams threatening to open. If Otoya raised his arms, he would surely hear a ripping noise. He didn't even dare to check the state of his pants. At least he was covered by a blanket.
And then there was the rush of memories that surged into his mind the moment he opened his eyes.
To be honest, it felt like a very long dream. That must have been it, right? He was super exhausted after… what had he been doing? A variety show where he had to rock climb, was it? Yeah, that. The physical and mental toll must have been too much, so he slept for two days straight and dreamed he was a child again. Made sense, no? People often dream about their past, right?
But then… It didn't explain why he was wearing children's clothes (from high-end brands, no less). It didn't explain why he was in Cecil's room, on Cecil's bed, when he could've dropped unconscious on his own bed (and he was sure he had). It didn't explain the dampness on Cecil's pillow… Was he crying? Why was he crying?
So, he had to accept the weird experience as his reality. Somehow, he had reverted to childhood, his mind and body going back to the time he just got into the orphanage. And then… and then ST☆RISH took turns keeping him company. Syo played soccer with him. Ren took him shopping. Tokiya sang to him. Natsuki taught him how to play music, and he willingly ate his cookies—heck, he still remembered the taste, too. Otoya held back a gag. Masato made him his favorite curry, and Cecil…
Cecil talked about his—their—mother. Then they danced together, made onigiri together, read storybooks together…
And he smiled for the first time in months.
Otoya remembered that time in his life. Losing his family, entering an orphanage, believing everyone he loved would abandon him… He remembered keeping his distance. He pushed people away. He couldn't smile no matter what. The process of regaining his happiness was very, very slow, involving the orphanage director, volunteers, and many sessions with a child therapist.
ST☆RISH achieved it in two days. On top of that, with patience, empathy, and love, they broke whatever spell made him a child.
Otoya looked at Cecil's sleeping face and felt the sudden urge to hug him breathless.
But, uh, before that, he should probably change his clothes.
He carefully let go of his hand, which Cecil had been holding. Cecil wasn't a light sleeper, but loud noises could still wake him up, so Otoya tiptoed around the bed, opened Cecil's dresser with as little noise as possible, and picked up the first shirt and pants he saw. Whether it was Cecil's clothes or Otoya's own that got mixed in after all their sleepovers, he didn't know. He'd stopped keeping track.
Once Otoya was dressed properly, he returned to Cecil's bed and began the tried-and-true ritual of waking him up.
"Cecil…" Otoya poked Cecil's cheek.
"Mm…"
"Cecil, wake up."
"Five more minutes…"
Otoya snickered. In five minutes, the poking would turn into relentless tickling. He decided to spare Cecil this morning. "Come on, wake up!"
Cecil mumbled something that sounded like a "no", but it could also be a "nya".
Otoya tried another tactic. He walked around the bed and lay on it again. Supporting his head with one arm, he lay on his side and said, "Cecil-nii."
He counted four full beats before Cecil's eyes snapped open. One look at Otoya was all it took for him to scramble up. His arms and legs were tangled in the blanket, but he could only gawk at Otoya.
"O-otoya?!" Cecil squawked, voice a notch higher than usual.
Otoya grinned. "Good morning!"
Cecil kept staring at him in disbelief. "You… you are back…"
"Yup! Good as new!" Otoya patted his chest. He scratched his cheek as his face turned serious. "I also... remember everything."
"You do?" Cecil looked flustered.
"Hey, why are you embarrassed? That should be me! The things I said…"
"No, Otoya was a very adorable child!" Cecil tilted his head and smiled at Otoya. "I enjoyed being your Cecil-nii."
Now it was Otoya's turn to blush. "Uhm… thanks? And, uh, thanks for taking care of me."
"You are welcome! It has truly been a pleasure. I am glad I got to know the little Otoya."
Okay, Otoya was sure the redness on his face deepened. "Sorry if I caused too much trouble…"
"Non!" Cecil said promptly. "It was no trouble at all. You do not even have to worry about messing with our schedules."
Gratefulness and love filled Otoya's chest and spread to his whole body, but a part of him still felt uneasy. "Still, if there's anything I can do… Like, it's not that I want to pay you back for your troubles, but I also wanna make you guys happy, you know?"
Cecil's eyes twinkled with an idea. If this was Ren or Tokiya, or even Syo, Otoya would've been more worried. But surely Cecil wouldn't ask for anything impossible?
"Then… Otoya, I want you to allow me to call you nii-san."
Otoya's eyes widened. "Cecil…"
"I know you think it is awkward," Cecil began, "and I understand you do not want me to get too used to it and accidentally call you that when we are in public. But…" He paused, wringing his hands. "Yesterday… was really fun for me, too. I… I know there is no use for me to apologize for not being there for you when we were young, but I still feel bad sometimes. But yesterday made me feel closer to you. It made me very, very happy."
Otoya didn't know what to say. Cecil kept talking. "I will be careful," he promised. "I will only use it when we are alone. And I will not call you that all the time, but it would be nice to address Otoya as my brother some—Otoya?"
Otoya had cut him off with a hug. He wrapped his arms around Cecil tightly. "Mn," he whispered, afraid that his voice would break if he said anything more. "Okay."
Cecil tentatively wrapped his arms around Otoya's torso. "You… you mean it?"
Otoya found his voice. "Yeah! After going around calling you Cecil-nii yesterday, you deserve it."
Cecil giggled. "Thank you! Then… I will be in your care, like always, nii-san."
"Ah…" Otoya's voice immediately cracked. Moisture filled his eyes, and he quickly hid his face on Cecil's shoulder.
He was no stranger to being called an older brother. He had always been "Oto-nii" to the kids at the orphanage. But finding out he had an actual blood brother, being addressed as such, and knowing that this family of his wouldn't leave him…
Otoya hugged his brother tighter. "Me, too, Cecil. Let's work hard together!"
Otoya announced his comeback to ST☆RISH by snapping a selfie with Cecil and sending it to the group chat, captioned, The sleepover was a success! He sent the message from Cecil's phone because his own was still in his bedroom, untouched for two days.
The reaction was immediate. Happy messages from Masato and Ren, a barrage of cute stickers from Natsuki, and a string of keyboard smashes from Syo. Tokiya had also read the message, but instead of replying, he knocked on Cecil's bedroom door soon after the message was sent. He was patient enough to wait for Cecil to open the door for him, but apparently not patient enough to at least drop his work bag in his own room.
"Otoya." Tokiya's voice was breathless. His shoulders rose and fell, like he was running to get here. Maybe he did run. Tokiya sometimes had a flair for the dramatics.
Otoya met Tokiya's stunned stare with a grin. "To~kiya, did you miss me?"
Tokiya huffed, quickly regaining his composure. "If that is what you want to believe, sure."
Otoya chuckled. Well, Tokiya didn't deny it, did he?
With a concerned frown, Tokiya continued, "Otoya, I will be honest. You gave us a bit of a scare."
Otoya's smile turned more somber. "I know. Sorry."
"It is not your fault," Tokiya said immediately, then looked away. "And… well, I did not say it was not enjoyable for me."
"Oh, I'm sure you enjoyed it. You sang for me! You sang with me! Aaah, Tokiya is so nice!" Otoya grinned again, watching Tokiya purse his lips. "Oh, I remember what you said, you know? About how you acknowledged me at school! To~kiya, you should've said so!"
"Oh, you remember that much…?" Tokiya was now pinching the bridge of his nose. "Please forget about it…"
"Nope!" Otoya hopped off Cecil's bed and bounded over to Tokiya, who wasn't fast enough to avoid his hug. Behind him, Cecil giggled. "We should sing in our room more often, Tokiya! I didn't know you could sing Amazing Grace so well!"
"I… well, alright," Tokiya sighed, hiding a smile of his own. "But you play the guitar next time."
"Ahaha, of course! Hm?" There was a knock on the door. Cecil went to open it, and Otoya's face broke into another smile. "Ren! Masa!"
Ren put a hand on his chest dramatically. "Oh, Ikki, you grew up so quickly…"
Masato stepped into the room. "Ittoki, I'm glad to see you're well." Then, to everyone's surprise, he reached out a hand and ruffled Otoya's head. "Shall I make more curry to celebrate?"
"That'd be awesome!" Otoya nodded, snuggling into Masato's hand. He was enjoying Masato's head pats way too much. Quickly, he pulled Masato into a hug. "Masa's cooking is always great. Thank you."
Masato wasn't one for physical shows of affection, so Otoya was glad to find out he was very relaxed today. "My pleasure, Ittoki."
"I'll help out when you cook again!"
Masato chuckled next to his ear. "I hope you no longer have to stand on a chair, then."
"Masa…!" Otoya let go of the hug and pouted to more peals of laughter. He turned to Ren, who was still at the door frame. "Ren… Thanks for the clothes. I'd pay you back, but…"
"You know I won't accept," said Ren, holding his palm up.
Otoya smiled. "Yup, I know you won't. Uhm, but the clothes I wore this morning… I think I almost tore them."
Ren shrugged. "Just a little collateral damage to get our beloved Ikki back. Besides, Hijirikawa can fix it. Won't you?" Masato only scoffed at that, but Otoya knew he would ask for the clothes later, already armed with a needle and thread.
Speaking of, what would he do with the clothes? Donate them to the orphanage? Keep them as a memento of this magical experience?
Otoya's idle thoughts were interrupted when Ren said, a bit more seriously, "Also… Well, I already got an earful from Icchi and Hijirikawa, but I still need to say it. Sorry I made you cry, Ikki."
Before Tokiya or Masato could say anything, Otoya hugged Ren. "Nah, don't be sorry. It was… nice. Cathartic, in a way. I really needed it. Thank you, Ren."
Ren laughed, patting Otoya's back. "Then, I'm glad."
Otoya hugged Ren tighter, basking in the feeling of safety and assurance that always came when he was around ST☆RISH's oldest.
"Oi, oi, what's all this?"
"Oh, is Otoya-kun giving hugs? I want one, too!"
Ren and Otoya turned to the new voices. "Syo! Natsuki, too!" Otoya exclaimed.
Natsuki was close to jumping up and down. "Otoya-kun! You're really back! Aaah, I'm so glad!"
"Ahaha, yup! Thanks for playing with me yesterda—ow, ow, ow, Natsuki…" Otoya didn't even have to initiate the hug before he was being crushed half to death.
"Oh, sorry!" Natsuki loosened his hold. "Welcome back, Otoya-kun! Oh, or do you prefer Otoya-chan, still?"
Otoya didn't miss Ren's snort and Syo's twitching eyebrow. "Uh, the usual's fine…" he wheezed next to Natsuki's ear. "Natsuki, thanks for yesterday. I'm glad we could play music together, and I'm glad you talked to me about your past. What you said really stuck with me. I felt… more assured, somehow."
Natsuki whispered back, "I'm glad it could help you." And then, even softer, "Have you found the right people?"
Otoya pulled back. "Yeah," he said, looking into Natsuki's eyes, then sweeping a glance at everyone in the room. "Yeah, I have."
The light hitting Natsuki's glasses made his green eyes look even softer. "That's wonderful."
Otoya grinned. "Natsuki, we should play more duets! With the guitar and viola."
Natsuki clasped his hands together. "That would be amazing! I'll bake us cookies right after."
"Uh, you don't have to go that far…"
"Nothing of the sort!" Natsuki beamed.
Otoya shuddered. He appreciated Natsuki baking cookies for him, but maybe he should get Masato to oversee the process. He turned to Syo for backup.
"Tch, I'm really not suited for all these gushy moments…" Syo clicked his tongue when all eyes turned to him. "But, uh, I'm glad you're back, Otoya."
"Thank you, Syo!" Otoya grinned. "And thanks for being the first to volunteer to hang out with me. You… probably had it the most awkward."
"Tell me about it!" Syo groaned. He tackled Otoya, circling an arm around his neck and pulling him down. He lightly pressed his fist against Otoya's temple and twisted it around. "Never call me Kurusu-san again, you hear?!"
Otoya laughed, his head buckling under the pressure of Syo's relentless hand. "Of course, Syo!"
When Otoya was finally released from the hug, his cheeks and stomach were sore from all the laughing. He stared at ST☆RISH with slightly glassy eyes as immense warmth seeped into his chest.
"Everyone," he said, as if they were backstage before a live, "I'm sorry I made you worry."
He bowed to the protests and cries of, "Please do not apologize," and "You don't have to feel bad!" and "It's not your fault, Otoya-kun!"
"I know, I know." Otoya straightened up. "But… still, I made you worry. It's… I still feel bad, and I gotta work on that…"
"Hey, healing isn't gradual! No worries," Syo interrupted.
Tokiya sighed with a smile. "We understand."
Otoya smiled back and continued, "But… I also feel grateful. I know I was very… different from what you're used to. But you guys accept me despite that."
"Because it is still Otoya," said Cecil.
Natsuki nodded. "The happy and sad parts of you, both are still Otoya-kun!"
"You guys…" The tears were threatening to spill. Otoya didn't know if they were tears from all the laughing earlier or new ones that formed because he felt so, so happy.
"We have established this countless times, and we will continue reminding anyone who needs it," said Masato. "If one of us is in trouble or upset, we all will lend a hand."
"No matter how big or small the trouble is, figuratively or literally." Ren winked. "Don't hesitate to come to us, Ikki."
Otoya's cheeks were officially wet now. "Mn! Thanks, everyone! Thank you so so so much!" He threw his arms out, beckoning everyone close.
Cecil was the first to hug him back, saying, "Always, nii-san!" in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. Ren and Masato laughed when they heard this. They joined the embrace, Ren messing up Otoya's hair and Masato wiping the tears from Otoya's eyes. Natsuki squealed in excitement, pulling an exasperated Tokiya and a secretly teary-eyed Syo into the group hug.
Otoya was effectively crushed by six people, but he didn't care. He didn't even register it when Natsuki tightened his hug, and everyone began yelling in unison. All he felt was the love that seeped from everything his senses could recognize. ST☆RISH's touch, their peals of laughter, their soft smiles…
Otoya's own lips curved into a smile. From now on, he would never lose it again.