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There's a ringing in Kaoru's ear as he pushes through the crowd, the music continuing to blare no matter how far he got from the stage.
He should have been partying, losing himself in the crowd of sweat-slicken couples rubbing against each other, hands reaching for any glimpses of skin that they can.
He should, and yet he can't. Kaoru doesn’t know why he came to the live house, especially since he knew his dad would be there. It doesn’t even matter anymore, he barely remembers whatever fight that they had. The cheap beer served helped make it easier to forget, and he’s thankful that no one has bothered to check for his age before letting him pour more.
Kaoru's hand hovers over his phone. His roommates were aware that he would come home late, but he was also slowly starting to realize that he might not feel well enough to get to ES on his own. Even getting up to get a car felt strenuous, and his legs immediately gave out once he tried to stand up.
He feels useless, and helpless, and also like he wants to cry, and Kaoru's not sure why the mix of those particular emotions stirs him to call Rei, unsure whether he'd even be available to talk or not.
" ...Kaoru-kun? You chose quite the odd hour to contact me, is everything alright? "
" Um, y-yeah, shit, I… I-I shouldn't have called you, s-sorry! "
Kaoru hangs up immediately, and he can't do much to stop the tears after. He does manage to move to a secluded corner before breaking down, and Rei starts trying to call back immediately.
Kaoru doesn’t want to answer, but he also knows he'll worry Rei more if he doesn't, so he takes a deep breath before accepting the call.
He tries to talk, but no words come out, just choked breathing and half-formed syllables. Rei doesn’t speak for a while, and the silence begins to unnerve Kaoru.
" A-Are you, ngh, s-still there? "
" I am, apologies, Kaoru-kun, I was putting on my clothes. Where are you? "
" Y-You don't, have t-to, ugh, shit, you really shouldn't bother. I-I'll come on my own. "
" ...You can barely form a sentence. Kaoru-kun, let me look out for you, please tell me your location. "
" ...It's the l-live house. "
Rei pauses before responding, and Kaoru’s sure he's connected the dots by now. " ...Alright. Please drink water and wait for me in a relatively safe spot. I'll be there as soon as possible. "
There's some shuffling around, and then the line goes blank, and Kaoru can't do much but hug his knees near the closest wall.
No one's paying him any mind, thankfully, probably too busy enjoying the show. The guy on stage isn't anything extraordinary, glammed in leather pants and black hair, as if an echo of the man who would once dominate the stage.
But Rei's not the one on the stage, and Kaoru’s not a teenager averting his gaze to ignore how charming he found Rei's fanged grin and how nicely his legs looked under those tight pants.
No, instead he's an adult, sobbing drunkenly on the floor while everyone around him parties, waiting for Rei to come save him. So much for being partners and being there for Rei to rely on.
" Kaoru-kun...? "
Kaoru looks up, only to be met with Rei's concerned expression. He's annoyed at how much his heartbeat fastens at the idea of Rei worrying for him, and he tries to shove those feelings down.
Rei's clothes are hastily thrown together, and there are slight dark circles around his eyes. Kaoru doesn't say anything, so Rei gets comfortable by plopping himself next to Kaoru, opening his arms slightly with an expectant stare.
There's a huff, and it must be a true indication of how drunk Kaoru is when he quietly obliges, burying his face into Rei's chest. Kaoru can smell the slight hint of the shampoo he remembers him and Rei getting while together, and he smiles involuntarily.
Rei's arms feel nice. Really nice. It only gets worse ( better ) when Rei's nimble fingers find themselves tangled in his hair, playing gently with his locks. There's a gentle kiss placed against his forehead, and it's so fleeing that it feels unreal, like the niceness of the moment was another one of Kaoru's unacknowledged daydreams.
" Kaoru-kun… Would you like to talk about it? "
Kaoru shakes his head in dismissal and buries himself further into Rei's chest. " Mhm, not really… sorry. "
" It is of no concern, your comfort is what matters to me the most, but… is the floor truly comfortable? Would you like to relocate? "
" Your chest's comfortable though… "
The realization of what Kaoru said hits him seconds later, and his face burns at the implication. He pulls away and looks up, only to see the matching pink on Rei's face as well. He'd find it cute if the reason behind it wasn't so embarrassing.
" My… so that's how Kaoru-kun truly feels~ "
" S-Shut up, Rei-kun, I'm just… drunk. Yeah. Drunk. You're mean Rei-kun, for using my honesty against me~ "
" Oh? Your honesty? So it wasn't a slip of the tongue… I'm honored, really, to have Kaoru-kun think of me like that~ "
Kaoru looks away, and yet he's sure Rei could see the small smile that has managed to make its way on his face. His mood is somewhat better, and his body slightly more sober, and he’s starting to believe that calling Rei wasn't the horrible mistake he thought it'd be.
" Rei-kun, I might hate your cheekiness, but… thanks. "
" I don't think I've done anything to deserve your gratitude, but regardless, it was no trouble. Would you like for us to return to the dormitory?
" Yeah… I think so. '' Kaoru tries to get up but stumbles, being forced to latch onto Rei to not fall over. Rei immediately wraps his arms around him, much closer than needed, in Kaoru's eyes. Not that he minded. " Seems like I really can't stop being in your embrace, huh~?
" Kaoru-kun… Are you implying I have an ulterior motive by any chance? "
Rei seems amused, and Kaoru feels his hold slightly tighten. There's a spark in Rei's eyes that Kaoru's not used to seeing, and he likes this, whatever unnamed atmosphere they have. It makes him happy, in a weird way, to remember the evening by the soft smell of Rei's shampoo and not the routine fight he had with his dad.
" ...No, you're too nice for that. Even if I'd really want you to. "
" To have an ulterior motive? "
" Y-Yeah, guess so. "
There’s a pause as Kaoru looks up. Even while tired and sloppily dressed, Rei's still gorgeous, so it's not Kaoru's fault that his mind shortcuts as he closes his eyes before leaning in. He's stopped by Rei's hand, and the expression on Rei's face is unreadable as Kaoru opens his eyes.
" Kaoru-kun… you're drunk. "
" Not drunk enough to not know what I'm doing. "
" Perhaps not, but… I'd rather know you're in the right state of mind before proceeding with anything. I wouldn't want to take advantage of you. "
Kaoru tries to argue, but stops as Rei grabs his hands, pressing a gentle kiss against his palms. He blushes as Rei pulls away, and his flusteredness isn't made any better as Rei's hand nears his face to move a strand of hair behind his ear. Rei's hand lingers on Kaoru’s cheek, and Kaoru’s never felt a stronger desire to kiss the man.
" Kaoru-kun… I want to do this as well, more than anything. This is not… a rejection. I like you, Kaoru-kun. "
Kaoru blinks before the words sink in. He likes him. Rei likes him. His heart's racing faster than it had been the entire evening, and he's glad he'd latched onto Rei for support. " Y-You d-do? "
" Yes, so please… let us depart and let yourself rest. We can talk tomorrow. Properly. "
Kaoru nods, and lets Rei drag him out of the live house, the party still going as he grips Rei tighter as to not get separated. The outside is freezing, so he takes Rei's fingers and intertwines them with his, happy to note the newfound pink on Rei's ears that was definitely not there because of the cold.
There's a smile exchanged. A small one, like a secret or perhaps a promise, and the soft twitch of Rei's lips burns in Kaoru's mind as he lays to sleep, his dreams consisting of nothing but a familiar set of red eyes burning him with their intensity and sharp fangs around his neck.