☆ ⁞ itogi

^{—@byersbcy​ ♡’d !}

  ^{at first he’s perched on the counter, looking down into the rapidly-filling basin, legs folded on the edge while the other scrubs leftovers from a breakfast pan. now, this is not a new thing, he’s seen this routine plenty in the times he’s been here  (  or rather, announced his presence by opening the locks and strutting in much to jonathan’s mother’s dismay  )  ,  but this is the first time he’s paid attention  to what’s going on. at first itogi slips down, as if he’s BORED with it all & ready to hightail it out, claim the forest as his nightly place for shelter — instead, a pale hand splays on the small of jonathan’s back, curling into the curve of his spine.}

                                    ^{❝ move. ❞}

  ^{his voice is soft, just as soft as the touch & way he lightly pushes jonathan to the side until he can wedge his way in front, hands dipping into the water to take over. joyce sometimes says to take a break, an expression he’s come to hear quite often, so he nods towards the chair pushed into the table behind them.}

                                                              ^{‘ sit. sit down. ’}

^{Itogi had become such a constant in Jonathan’s life; constantly at the Byers’ home, constantly ignoring personal boundaries, constantly sent his mother into a cardiac arrest over how easily Itogi could enter their home without being allowed to first. Jonathan was used to turning every corner to see Itogi distracting himself with anything. He’s really come to accept Itogi’s new role in their home - whatever it may be - and he’s come to love it.}

^{Yes, he even loved it when Itogi decided to take it upon himself to throw Jonathan off every schedule he’s ever made simply by trying to do his chores for him. It could be frustrating at times, seeing how Jonathan has followed these schedules for years, but it usually ended in him watching Itogi with that FOND smile on his lips.}

^{Today was no different when he felt the familiar touch and heard the soft voice, Jonathan already so in tune with it that he didn’t even think before he was going along with the gentle swaying, stepping away from the sink. He’d accepted that he’s going to be WEAK for Itogi for the rest of his life— take that how you will.}

^{He glances away from Itogi, only briefly enough to eye the chair as if it was the enemy, but he still followed orders.      ( Itogi’s little VOICE THING would never cease to amaze him. ) As he took a seat, hands falling uselessly into his lap, he stared at Itogi once more, feeling nothing but calm about the situation.}

^{❝ You really don’t have to do this — you know I don’t mind the chores. I like them, even, they keep me FOCUSED. ❞}