Toya had been standing by the front door for quite some time.

It was because he knew today was the day Akito would be discharged. Normally, he would have waited quietly on the sofa, but today he simply couldn't stay still.

He checked the clock repeatedly, peered out the window, and snapped his head up at every faint sound of footsteps in the hallway. Then, finally, a familiar stride drew near.

Click.

The front door opened, and that familiar orange hair appeared. It was Akito, dressed in civilian clothes instead of a uniform.

His shoulders were a bit broader than before, and his once-slim frame now carried the lean muscle naturally built during his military life. But to Toya, those changes mattered far less than the fact that the face he had missed for years was finally right in front of him.

Before Akito could even take off his shoes, Toya ran to him. Without a moment's hesitation, he threw himself into Akito's arms.

Small, cautious arms wrapped around Akito's waist, and Toya buried his face in his chest. Toya didn't say a word. He just gripped Akito's clothes tightly, as if confirming that he really was back.

Akito also looked down at Toya in silence for a moment. This was the moment he had waited for countless times in the army.

During training, before falling asleep, and on the hardest days, Toya was the first person to come to mind. The reason he had to return safely was always right here.

Akito slowly raised both arms and pulled Toya deep into his embrace. His arms, now a bit firmer than before, wrapped around Toya's back, and his palms gently patted him.

...I'm home, Toya.

In those few words were all the things he hadn't been able to say for so long. That he missed him, that he was grateful for the wait, and that he wouldn't leave again.

Resting his chin lightly on top of Toya's head, Akito closed his eyes. Only now did it feel real that he was home.

Leaving behind the gunfire, the sound of combat boots, and a life filled with tension, he was finally holding the warmth of the person he loved most.

You've gotten a bit thin.*