Work Text:
„Niki-kyun, I’m leavin’ soon, so ya gon’ be all on ya own again!”
Those were the first words he said, after arriving back. Holding his breath, breathing somehow suffocating him more than not breathing, he looked at Niki.
Niki looked back. A look that Rinne had never seen in his eyes. It scared him, somehow. It filled him with anxiety, uncertainty. Will he even miss me?
“Why? Why are you leaving us?”
Well. That was certainly not the reaction, Rinne was expecting. Honestly, he expected Niki to be happy.
He sighed. “I did all this for ma little bro, that’s all. Jus’ want Hiiro to be free.”
That was all he ever wanted from the start. Sure, he also wanted to become an idol, but that dream was gone.
His dreams had been completely destroyed. He had been completely and utterly destroyed by the thing he aspired to be.
The thing he now hated most.
“What will happen to Crazy:B? Will you just leave us behind…?”
“I’m leavin’ both Merumeru and Kohaku-chan to ya! You’ll do jus’ fine; I believe in ya.”
He felt Niki’s cold eyes on him. Not sure if they were judging him or not. He had to look away from him, keeping all his feelings to himself, not saying a word.
“Are you being serious? I thought you wanted to stand on stage with us… with me. Wasn’t that why we founded Crazy:B in the first place?!”
Rinne shook his head. “Niki-kyun. I’m sorry but… I’m an adult now. I- I’ve been running away from all my responsibilities, as both a big brother and a monarch, jus’ for this dream, which got trampled upon by the thing I wanted to be! It’s ironic, right?”
He forced a laugh.
“Rinne-kun…” Niki looked shocked, probably taken aback by Rinne’s sudden maturity.
“I’m sorry for all the times, I called you a bad person, I didn’t know you-“
“Ahh, Niki-kyun, no need to worry ‘bout me! I’ll be fine and you’ll be fine as well! After all, I’ll come back to ya one day. As a monarch, I do need a beautiful wife after all~”
Niki rolled his eyes. “I’m not your wife, Rinne-kun. I’m not even a woman!”
“Yeah, yeah~ my husband then!”
Niki’s cheeks grew a little pink at the statement before he decided to go with Rinne’s teasing.
“Hmm, I think I prefer husband~”
Rinne smiled for the first time this evening, directing his smile at Niki. Niki still didn’t look very happy.
So, he is gonna miss me, eh~?
“Rinne-kun, are you sure about this?”
“About what? I already told ya, I’m doin’ this for my little bro and… for you as well. I force ya to do some shitty stuff and well Crazy:B’s image fuckin’ sucks anyways, and I don’t wanna pull ya guys down with me.”
“I see, so this isn’t one of your spontaneous gambles, then…?”
“No~pe. I’m one hundred percent serious, Niki-kyun. Are ya gonna miss me~? I’m sure the others won’t, anyway. But you and I went through a lot together, didn’t we?”
For some reason, Niki looked angry now. Angry at him. His eyes were narrowed, as he grabbed Rinne by the collar.
“Of course, the others, are going to miss you, Rinne-kun! What the hell makes you think they won’t?!”
“What makes me think, they won’t? Oh, I can give ya looooots of reasons~ I know, that y’all eat lunch without me and that ya feel uncomfortable around me, ya don’t need to hide it! You’re finally free, aren’t ya happy~?”
His voice sounding way too happy, for the self-deprecating, true words he was saying.
With shaky hands, Niki let go of the collar of the shirt.
“Rinne-kun I-… I can’t deny any of that, I’m sorry. But I’m not like HiMERU-kun and Kohaku-chan, you know? I know that you’re a good person deep down. After all, you did all this for your brother. It’s… admirable, really. I lo- I admire you, Rinne-kun.”
Was he jus’ gonna fuckin’ say that he loves me?! Nah, that ain’t right
Despite his thoughts, he smirked.
“Niki-kyun, I love ya too!”
Once again, Niki gave him a dirty look.
Wait a fuckin’ second, did I jus’ misunderstand him? Shit
“You say that to everyone. All the time. You don’t mean it, Rinne-kun.”
“You’re not gonna believe, anythin’ I say, eh? But I mean it, Niki-kyun! I really do! And I’ll show ya. Jus’ wait for me to return, when I’ll take ya back to my village, jus’ to marry ya. Doesn’t that sound nice?”
Niki laughed quietly.
“It does. But you will return, right?”
“Anythin’ for you, Niki. Pinky promise?”
Looking down at his pinky, Niki scoffed.
“What are you, five?”
Despite his complaints, he locked their pinkies together, smiling at Rinne.
Rinne smiled back, his smile more radiant than usual.
“I promise to return, no matter what, Niki-kyun! Ya jus’ gotta stay right where ya are, otherwise I can’t find ya! And then I’ll prove to ya, that I truly love you and I’ll take ya as my husband for my village!”
“Sounds like a nice plan. I’ll be waiting right here, Rinne-kun! I promis~e”
After exchanging their promises, Rinne intertwined their fingers together, lovingly gazing at Niki as he bought up their interlocked hands and pressing a kiss to the back of Niki’s hand.
Niki just stood there, staring at Rinne, the feeling of the lips against the soft skin of his hands… It felt right.
“I’ll be back soon, wait for me.” Rinne’s breath ghosted against his ear, as he said those words. Barely above a whisper.
He let go of his hands, smiling at him one last time, as he turned around and went.
“I’ll be waiting for you, forever.”
“Didn’t know Niki-kyun was a romantic~”
“Just leave already! I’ll be staying right here, and that’s a promise. Show me how much you love me.”
“I will.”