Chapter Text
The months passed and no change was seen in Aoba. Koujaku left all the days to work, leaving Aoba on the sofa with Ren in lap. Beni was the only mean he had to communicate with Ren, since he was an old model. Ren was in charge of noticing Koujaku any changes in Aoba, even the slightest change.
After about 10 months, Koujaku received a message from Ren, saying Aoba had started petting him not long ago. Koujaku was in the middle of cutting a woman’s hair, but he didn’t mind and left in that instant, leaving the poor woman with her uneven hair style.
Koujaku arrived gasping for air to his apartment, he opened the door and found Aoba petting Ren. He was moving he hand around the same place over and over again, moving his fingers through Ren’s fur. Koujaku was more than happy, Aoba was moving! And it wasn’t because someone was going to hurt him but because he wanted to show affection towards someone that was dear to him. Aoba continued petting Ren all day, and so the next day, and the one that followed that, etc.
Aoba’s movement started improving, slowly but gradually. He went from moving just a hand, to moving till his elbow, until he could move both his arms entirely. He started touching everything that was around him, so Koujaku had to be careful with what he left near Aoba, if not he could hurt himself. While Aoba’s condition improved, Ren went from bad to worse. He could now barely move and his voice had started malfunctioning. Koujaku wanted to take him to a mechanic, but was afraid Aoba would react in face of this action.
After some months, when Ren’s condition was almost beyond repairing, Koujaku made the decision to take Ren for repairing. Koujaku talked to the mechanic before taking Ren to him, he asked him to fix Ren the fastest he could and to start tonight, the mechanic was a little reluctant at first, but Koujaku was a friend of his and was willing to pay a good amount of money. So Koujaku put his plan into action.
One day he put Aoba to sleep early, and when Koujaku was sure Aoba was asleep he took Ren from his master’s grip and walked calmly to the mechanic. He gave Ren to the mechanic saying he will be back in 4 days, the date the mechanic told him Ren would be ready. Koujaku thought 4 days was great, less than what he had expected, that Aoba wouldn’t miss Ren too much in 4 days, but he was wrong.
When Koujaku arrived home he found Aoba on the floor, searching for something or someone that wasn't there, he was searching for Ren.
“Aoba!” Koujaku shouted and went directly to Aoba, kneeling beside him. “What are you doing?” he said in a worried tone “You should be in be-“
“Ren” he heard Aoba said, interrupting his words. “Ren” Aoba said and patted on the floor, searching for the AllMate. “Ren” his voice was hoarse and full of fear.
“I-I'm sorry” Koujaku said with tears in his eyes “I-I took Ren to the mechanic, and…” his voice broke and he hugged Aoba. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Aoba that Ren wouldn’t be back for the next 4 days, he just couldn’t.
“Come on Aoba, let’s get you to bed.” Koujaku positioned Aoba in his arms and took him to bed. Once Aoba was laid down he said “Good night and… I’m sorry”
Koujaku turned his back to Aoba and was about to leave and move to the sofa that was currently his bed when Aoba whispered “Kou-jaku?”
Koujaku quickly turned and grabbed Aoba’s hand that was searching for him in the air. “Yes, I’m here Aoba”
“Don’t…leave me” Aoba said with a broken voice, tears falling from his eyeless lids. “Please… don’t”
“Never, I’ll never leave you Aoba.” Koujaku was about to burst into tears.
“Cl-Clear?” this was a real question, should Koujaku tell Aoba that Clear was death, that his worst nightmare had been death for months, or just that he was save.
“He- He’s dead, he won’t hurt you ever again.” Aoba’s face relaxed at Koujaku’s words.
"Stay" Aoba said.
Koujaku make himself space on the bed and sat beside Aoba.
"Don't worry, I'm not leaving."
That night Koujaku slept on his bed, beside Aoba. It was a peaceful night, no nightmares came to attack the bluenette, no memories of the past came to hunt him; both of them slept in peace, embracing each other, for the first peaceful time in a really long time.