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When you first hear it, you would've believed Rinne Amagi lived the life of a fairytale king. Being the first born son into the ruling family of his hometown, the next chief that many looked up to, a lot of people would have loved to be in his position. People loved him, put faith in him, and he would've had so much power just for existing. I mean, who wouldn't want to take that opportunity?
However, he knew firsthand that it wasn't what people really expected.
Vigorous training, strict deadlines, high expectations, it was so hard for him to get up in the morning. He had vivid memories of commands being yelled at, being dealt harsh punishments if he dare cried. Oh, how he remembered Hiiro's scared face when the shouts could be heard far enough into the distance where he could hear, always playing off as if he was fine afterwards. That was one of the many reasons he had to get out,
However, the torment still haunted him, even to this day.
"Stop acting like a goddamn baby!"
"Your future will always be here, got it!?"
"It's been days and you still can't master this?"
"There might as well be a special place in hell for you!!"
'I'm sorry..'
"Never, EVER defy your people again!!"
'I'm...'
"...sorry.."
...
Rinne quietly woke up, eyebrows furrowed like usual, however refused to get up. His back was fucking killing him and he knew it would take 15 minutes before he would actually sit up if he tried. Granted, it would take even longer if he waited, but he was tired and couldn't form something that coherent.
'Shit,' he thought, 'fell asleep on the table again...'
He silently observed everything around him. One of his hands were holding a bunch of sheet music, and the other had his headband, loosely wrapped around his thumb, but that wasn't that important to him the minute he felt something new on his head.
"Rinne."
A voice, soft, but still smooth, it felt like home, with the thing on his head softly stroking his hair. The contact made him notice something that intrigued him on the sheet music.
Blotches of tears, only at one corner of a single page.
"Are you awake?"
He remembered where he was, it was all a nightmare. He isn't back at his hometown, he's in a modern apartment. There's some decor on the TV stand, a few pieces of candy in bowl right by the music sheets, a blanket laying pathetically on the floor. He's at his real home.
But the first thing he does is slowly sit up and fall into the arms of the man right beside him.
He's with Niki, the person who found him all those years ago, though he couldn't bother to count. The person who cooked for him and gave his all just to make a single meal for the two of them. The person who supported him when he felt like he lost all hope.
Rinne felt like he could never do enough compared to Niki, but all he can care about at that moment are his hands, his voice, and the sheer care he exerts for Rinne.
"It's okay, I promise. You aren't back there."
Silently crying, he clutches onto Niki like his life depends on it, like he'll end up right back at his hometown if he eases his grip just a little. He never wants to lose the most important person in his life.
Niki knows Rinne more then most people. He knows he'll just go back to being the loud, chaotic asshole everyone remembers once he recovers, but he understands him. Niki feels he can connect to him in a certain way he can't with others.
When you broke down the surface of Rinne's character, you could find he was more then just someone who liked to cause trouble, but a person who is scared of getting hurt. But even at the cost of Rinne destroying his career, Niki knows he goes at extreme lengths for others, and the pain in Rinne subsides just for the people he cares about.
Of course, he still did "normal" kind gestures, like always appreciating Niki's food knowing he couldn't go back into the cooking industry, knowing he can't face it again. But enrolling Niki in competitions was something that he could simply cry over, and not out of frustration.
Because of Rinne, the rest of Crazy:B as a whole was something they all could put their effort into as another convenience in fate's direction, for the better. They may not have the best relationships, but if Crazy:B is one thing they can all put their effort into, maybe that's okay.
Maybe it's the fact they both feel like failures, or maybe it's the familial issues, but it just feels right when Niki holds onto him a little closer when Rinne starts to calm down. It's comforting to know at least one person you know is just a bit like you.
The two just stayed close until Rinne felt okay enough to come back out. But to Rinne, he wishes he could just stay with Niki forever. As the tears subsided, he seeked general comfort in Niki's embrace, and his hand ruffling and playing with his hair.
"I have to make dinner soon."
Rinne just held onto him tighter.
"You can hold onto me while I cook, I'll make an exception for today."
Rinne eventually had to move, he didn't feel like messing with Niki's dinner schedule. But before he could, not doing his usual trademark laugh and going back to their usual banter at the tip of a hat, watching him cook, sometimes calling Niki the best wife one could ever have, he instead..
"What did fate ever do t' lead me t' ya... How do I deserve ya..."
It took Niki a few more strokes of Rinne's hair and a chaste kiss to his forehead before he answered, so quietly that no one else could possibly hear, no one outside of their little space of comfort.
"Because you've always been there to guide me out of my problems, and you haven't realized it, dumbass."