Don't go It’s a silent plea. Silence is what Saito does best, and he recognises it, acknowledges its overwhelming power over him as David’s hand gripped tighter and tighter, creasing the sleeve of his otherwise immaculate suit jacket.
He doesn’t want to see David like this. David doesn’t want him to see him like this. But David manages to be relentlessly stubborn even whilst relying on bandages and band-aids to hold his body together.
Saito can’t always be there for him. There will come a day…
“Takashi.”
Everything grinds to a halt as the silence is pierced and shattered by a single word. He turns and stares at David, incredulous.
The boy-not-quite-man averts his gaze and hesitantly lets go. For a man-not-quite-boy who sleeps with a gun under his pillow, at this very moment, with weak fingers curled into the white sheets instead, he only seemed vulnerable.