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It's 11:48 pm.
Rinne should be home soon-- after all, he opens the door every night at around 12, cackling with his gambling adrenaline purely flowing through his soul, not yet dying down as he sees the bedroom door and mutters a small 'oh shit' because he wouldn't want to wake up Niki.
The smallest detail of that even brings a small tug to the corners of Niki's lips, just finding it a bit pleasant that Rinne would even care at all.
Niki gets tired of scrolling on his phone finding no content, instead sliding it onto the table beside him and choosing to stare at the wall. At this point, he'd rather just try to doze off. Sometimes, waiting for Rinne was tiring.
He fidgeted, played around with his hands for a bit before turning to close his eyes. The loose, unkempt hair covering his face, blocking most of his sight, though he didn't mind. He heard the rough sound of clacking-- the familiar sound of the key opening the door.
How pleasant.
The gray-haired male heard more shuffling, the sound of a jacket hitting the floor, but the zipper had clacked on the ground. It was quiet, a little too quiet.
He heard footsteps pass the bedroom, and enter the bathroom. The light flicked on, which Niki almost groaned out loud from the large burst of light beaming in from the doorway. A few minutes pass that Niki spends staring at the digital clock, the bright red glow fills his eyes, reading a proud "12:04".
The man just sighed, gripping his pillow tight as he shuts his eyes and attempted to sleep once more.
Just as he did that, Rinne entered. The quiet pit-pat sound of his feet against the hardwood floor, along with the soft creak, shot warmth and familiarity in Niki. He was home once again.
He was half dozing off when he felt the mattress dip from Rinne's extra weight, though there was something off, something not right.
A feeling of worry buried itself into Niki's gut-- though he had no idea what the worry was originating from. He didn't know-- not a single thing-- where this worry was coming from.
He felt the heavy, rough hand slump on his waist under the sheets, and the oh-so warm body from behind him come closer. Rinne's messy hair tickled his neck a bit as he leaned in, burying his nose into his nape.
Whatever was bothering him, he desperately tried to fight it off. The feeling that something was wrong, everything seemed alright and--
Drip.
..Huh?
Drip. Drip.
What..?
Something wet..?
The feeling in his gut had only seemed to get worse. It went deeper. The uncomfortable feeling..
Something was wetting his neck.
Drip.
Was he crying?
Crying.. Rinne-kun..
Niki tensed at the thought. Rinne-kun never cried-- maybe once or twice in the entire time he's known the Amagi. And even so, it was because of something rather dumb, no? But now.. Rinne was trying to keep himself together. He could hear-- and feel-- it. The wet tears that stained his neck, a bit of his air and the back of his shirt, and the shaky breaths. This was the feeling in his stomach. It seemed to get deeper the more he realized it.
Rinne needed help. The careless spending, idiotic, admirable Amagi Rinne, who slanged his words more often than not, who did lots of stuff for people he loved. This Amagi Rinne was the one who needed the assistance. It caved into his chest.
Niki raised an arm to grasp the one on his waist, feeling the redhead freeze up immediately.
"R.. Rinne-kun?" he whispered, loud enough in a tired voice.
Rinne's voice was stuck in his throat-- mixed with the sobs he tried to keep down for the past minute.
His voice-- Rinne didn't want to talk either. Knowing that if he opened his mouth, he'd take in so much more air, a sob or something else racking his body. He didn't want to worry the Shiina. As much as he'd love yelling and yapping about in the morning in the apartment, at the cafe or in the practice room, he wasn't feeling up to ruining someone else's night.
"Answer me? Rinne-kun?" Niki's voice was more clear, a tone of concern and genuine worry.
The gray-haired male turned around, his hand still grasping the others, their warm fingers almost tangling.
The sight made Niki want to cry himself. Rinne's playful grin replaced with trembling lips, his evil-scheming eyes suddenly into teary teal orbs. This was a side of Rinne he's never seen.
Rinne's breath got caught in his throat. The million thoughts that had struck him today, now disappeared. He didn't want this to happen.
He didn't want Niki to see him like this.
Rinne though, knew it was too late. The moonlight beams right at them, and he can see Niki's eyes soften with genuine concern and care, studying his hurt expression.
Rinne took his other hand to wipe his eyes, the tiniest whisper he could manage without breaking down spoke, "’m fine."
They both knew that he wasn't fine. A red haired man, who was ready to burst, wiping his teary eyes saying he's fine.
Niki felt his heart shatter. He knew he wasn't fine- more like Rinne didn't want to talk about it.
What Rinne wanted to do, whether to open up or keep it quiet, could wait for the morning.
Niki hated it.
He hated seeing Rinne hurt like this.
The Rinne Amagi he first met, on the streets. The Rinne he knows would press a random track on the music box and expect the rest of the unit to just dance along with him. The Rinne he knows that would tug on his hair like a tail, with a stupid dorky grin on his face. The Rinne he knows that would laugh super stupidly, like "Gyahahaha!~~".
Just this broken, lost expression on his face wasn't what he wanted for the redhead. He wanted Rinne to be happy, even after all he'd been through.
What was he supposed to do?
Niki swallowed his gut and followed what he thought was best.
His hand leaves the one seated on his waist, taking both of his hands to shakily cup Rinne's face.
Rinne was expecting a scolding, that he shouldn't cry. Something about how he's weak, or worthless. Rinne was expecting the last thing he loved, to come crashing all down on him.
But what came out of Niki's lips, took him to a new set that he couldn't describe how it felt.
"It's okay, Rinne-kun."
Rinne didn't know what was so damn special about those words that it made him choke on a sob. The warm, soft hands that cupped his cheeks. The soothing tone that make Rinne feel like all his past mistakes and screw-ups were gone. He felt so at ease-- like he was at home. It felt like he belonged.
The hands that caressed him, pulled him closer. The soft lips that pressed against his cheek, gave him a spark of love. The affection touched his heart, an emotion he could only feel with the man right in front of him. Warm arms pulled Rinne closer, until Niki's head rested right next to his neck.
A warm assurance. A guidance that Rinne had been needing all this time.
Maybe, maybe Rinne could open up in the morning, but he felt so warmed by the actions Niki did. Niki really loved him, as Rinne loved Niki. Sniffling once more, exhaling a shuddering breath, he trailed an arm to Niki's back and pulled him closer.
The warmth that spiraled in both of them at this moment. They were truly in love- and caring for the other.
Niki really loves Rinne.
And Rinne really loves Niki.
The night consisted of them, laying in each other's arms. The feeling of the heat given by your partner released a special emotion that they would do anything in the world to feel. To feel each other's love and passion, the comfort.
This was the side of Rinne that Niki desperately wished he couldn't see. But maybe, just maybe, he'd always be there to care for the oh-so-annoying Rinne-kun the next time he breaks down. Because, after all, that's what love is.
The couple had an incredibly comfortable rest in the others' arms.