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1.
Rei was feeling absolutely dreadful. His entire body was aching, his head was pounding, he was exhausted, and to top it all off, he wasn’t sure where he’d placed his medicine. He’d been doing good lately, so it hadn’t been important to keep track of — until he’d woken up that day and his body had decided to spite him, apparently.
He knew he wouldn’t be able to get anything done like this, with his condition deciding to act up out of nowhere. He called Kaoru, letting him know their work for the day would have to be rescheduled. At least it wasn’t a live, that he surely wouldn’t be able to pass off.
When the dorm door opened, Rei couldn’t help the groan that escaped his throat at the idea of his dark peace being disturbed. He’d kindly asked Aira to go stay with a friend for the evening so he could rest, and the boy agreed with no hesitation, but he hadn’t gotten to contact Tenshouin about his current state yet.
“Would you like me to keep the lights off?” Tenshouin spoke as he entered, closing the door behind him but… keeping the lights off. It was nice, not having any sudden brightness shoved in his face.
“Please,” Rei whined, hardly able to bear the idea of any light in his current state. He heard Eichi hum in affirmation, walking closer to Rei with… something? He heard a rustling noise come closer, which ended up being a bag that Tenshouin placed on his nightstand.
“I got you some tea, and a sandwich, so you can hopefully try to eat that, and I asked Ritsu-kun for any spare medicine he may have to help you feel better.” Tenshouin says softly.
“...Isn’t drug dealing illegal?” Rei pushes himself to sit up, joints screaming at him the whole time in protest of moving. He caved, leaning over to turn on the lamp near his bedside, just so they could both see. Hopefully it wouldn’t be for long, at least.
Eichi stares at him dumbfounded. “It’s — what? It’s not drug dealing, it’s just your brother.”
“Sounds like drug dealing to me, still,” Rei continued, tapping a finger against his chin in thought. “You likely had to exchange something to Ritsu for the medication, yes? Isn’t that the premise of a drug deal, even if not for recreation?”
“...You’re being odd once more, Sakuma-san.” Eichi laughed, pulling out the tea and passing it to Rei.
Rei held it in his hands for a few moments, relishing in the warmth of it against his cold fingers before he took a sip. Jasmine tea, his favourite, but how would Tenshouin have known that? The gesture was appreciated, but still, how did he know to do any of this? why did he do any of it, when Rei was supposed to be his rival?
(These days, their rivalry didn’t feel like much of anything, but it was easier to categorize Tenshouin as that, easier to keep him away from Rei’s heart if he insisted they were still rivals after all this time.)
“Why did you do all of this?” Rei said quietly, looking down at his lap instead of at the blonde. He hadn’t told Tenshouin anything, so why?
“Well, Shiratori-kun told me you were feeling ill, so I wanted to help out.” Eichi said, with that soft smile and that sweet tone that almost made Rei forget about everything else.
Eichi turned back, rummaging in the bag for the medicine before handing it to Rei. Rei stared at it for a few seconds, the few pills in a loose bag not helping his lingering thought of how this seemed mildly illegal.
“I don’t want you to get ill, too. This time of year is already hard enough on you.” Rei said after swallowing one of the pills.
Eichi scoffed at that, “Oh, you’re not contagious. You’re chronically ill, and I worry, too.”
Rei shrugged, unsure of how to respond back as he continued to sip at his tea. It was just his illness acting up, and he knew that, but he wasn’t used to being the sick one. Usually it was Ritsu, with Rei at his bedside taking care of his bouts of illness as his own remained manageable — it was only a short while his own condition had started to worsen, perhaps as a response to stress, or his inability to take care of himself.
It was nice, honestly, having the angel before him to take care of him when his own capabilities often fell short.
“Ah! Don’t forget about the sandwich, you’ll need nutrients to feel better!” Eichi exclaimed, pulling Rei from his thoughts. He went through the bag once more, pulling out said sandwich to hand to Rei.
Rei couldn’t help the smile that came across his face as he set down his tea and started eating it. He knew crumbs would get on the bed, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. He’d clean up later, for how, he was in far too much pain to do anything about it.
It felt nice not being the one to take care of someone else, despite his usual empathetic nature, it took a toll out of him.
“You’re being suspiciously nice… Have I kept you from sleeping? Should I go?” Eichi hummed, seeing the smile on Rei’s face, a smile which he hardly believed was actually directed towards himself.
“No, no, your presence is welcomed. It’s nice that you’re here.” Rei said, an unknown sense of urgency in his voice. “Plus, this is your dorm too, after all. I can’t possibly ask you to leave.”
Why was he so desperate for Tenshouin, of all people, to stay?
“Well, you do seem exhausted. Perhaps I should leave, if even just to let you rest.” The blonde said once more. “I’ll be back later to sleep, probably. But for now, just rest, okay?”
His words left no room for Rei to argue, despite how much he wished for Tenshouin to stay, for some reason.
“Alright, do make sure to rest eventually. We wouldn’t want you to be ill, either.” Rei said softly. “Thank you for all of this.”
And with that, Tenshouin was gone. Eichi was supposed to be his rival, so why was he suddenly feeling so alone at the lack of a certain blond by his side?
Perhaps he truly did need some rest, after all.
2.
Really, who allowed Tenshouin to be an idol if he could hardly perform?
Certainly not for a lack of ability, but the man had a poor habit of fainting during performances or even practice. Such seemed to be the case then, with how ghastly Eichi appeared from where he stood with fine across the room. Far enough away Rei shouldn’t have been able to see the signs of illness, and yet here they were.
As much as he’d enjoy a win against fine, it wouldn’t feel worth it if it was only due to Tenshouin fainting on stage.
(And because of how he worried for the man. He’d like to win, but he’d enjoy seeing Tenshouin healthy even more.)
Tenshouin was all the way across the room, and Rei was about to go on stage, there was nothing he could do but watch as Hibiki ushered the blond to sit down and preserve as much energy as possible for the live show.
It was unfair that Eichi was so easily willing to help Rei, but Rei wasn’t able to do anything for him in return. It was unfair that either of them had to be so constantly ill, yet still expected to live their lives normally regardless of their limitations.
Well, perhaps after the show Rei could try and return the favour to Eichi. They’d both put all of their effort into the show, as they always do in classic rival fashion, and then Rei could help nurse Eichi back to health back at their dorm.
Only… That wouldn't happen, since Eichi ended up fainting mid-performance. UNDEAD would win by default, but Rei wouldn’t be there to receive it, given that he was on his way to the hospital.
(He didn’t know why he felt compelled to be by Eichi’s side in the hospital, but he couldn’t allow himself to stay at the venue. Besides, a win by default isn’t as filling as a proper competition.)
There was truly no need for him to rush to be there, considering how the nurses didn’t want anyone in the room for the first hour or so, but Rei stayed there nonetheless, waiting in his uncomfortable unit outfit until he stopped counting the minutes and until desperation kicked in. Tenshouin was surely asleep, no? So, why couldn’t Rei see him?
(If anyone asked why he was so desperate, he would deny any accusations. But no one was there, no one would see him or make any accusations, so what was he making excuses for?)
Rei didn’t know how to put into words the relief he felt upon being allowed in to see Eichi. He looked peaceful, honestly, but that was probably whatever medication they’d had him on.
Rei stayed there for a while, longer than he should’ve, just sitting beside Tenshouin and hearing all of the machines go off, proof of the man’s failing health despite his peaceful expression. He was… cute, as much as it hurt to refer to his rival as such.
He didn’t notice when he drifted off, in some stiff chair pulled up to Eichi’s bedside. Only when he awoke, with the blond calling his name from the bed, did he realize. “Sakuma-kun?”
Rei sat up with urgency, mind immediately jumping to the worst. “Are you alright? Did you need me to call the nurse?”
“No, no,” Eichi huffed, chest heaving as he did so, “Why are you here?”
“I…” Rei paused. He didn’t know, honestly. Why was he here? “I wanted to make sure you were okay. Simply returning the favour, perhaps?”
(As if anything about his feelings was simple.)
Eichi nodded in return, not fully seeming to process Rei’s words, whether from exhaustion or the medication.
“Tenshouin-kun,” Rei called out, getting the blond’s attention from where he was about to fall back asleep. He got a small hum in response, and continued, “Why did you go on stage if you knew you weren’t feeling well? I could tell from just looking at you, you looked horrible.”
“You sure do know how to charm a man.” Eichi laughed softly.
“That doesn’t answer my question.” Rei huffed.
“Hm… Well, I think I just wanted to stand on stage with you, even as competitors.” Eichi said, glancing over at Rei softly in a way that nearly made his heart stop. “Does that answer your question?”
“Of course, of course. It was just pure curiosity. But really, you should take better care of yourself. There’s no fun in the competition if you faint on stage.” Rei said with a playful pout on display.
“I know. Thank you for staying here with me.” Eichi mumbled, struggling to stay awake.
“You should rest more. I’ll still be here when you wake up.” Rei said softly, pushing for Eichi to rest just as the man had done for him. Even if he was rendered incapable of helping any other way, he could help with at least that.
(He wasn’t sure when he started wanting to help Eichi, or wanting the man to be able to rely on him, but he did, and it was a frightening thought. For a man who had closed his heart off from the world, why was it his rival who was opening it back up again?)
3.
It was getting late, and Eichi had yet to return to the dorm — it was only natural for Rei to be concerned, of course. Humans needed their normal sleep schedules, especially ones with poor constitutions such as Tenshouin.
Rei left their dorm, fully intending to search far and wide for the blond in question, only for him to see a familiar head of hair perched on a stool at one of the kitchen counters.
Well, that was easy, Rei thought, huffing a small laugh to himself. It seemed like Tenshouin had moved his work into the dorms’ common areas. Why he didn’t simply stay at his office, Rei didn’t know.
He retreated back to their room momentarily, collecting a light blanket from his own bed before heading back out. He crept up silently, soft steps unnoticeable as he snuck up on Eichi, all before wrapping the blanket around Tenshouin’s shoulders. The man turned around suddenly, evidently startled by Rei’s actions.
“Sakuma-kun?” Eichi sighed with relief once he noticed who was behind him. “I’ve got a weak heart, you know. You can’t just sneak up on me like that.
He’s cute when he pouts, Rei thought, before quickly pushing the thought away. He didn’t think Tenshouin was cute, no, of course not. They were slowly becoming friends, but cute was far out of the question.
“You could come and work in our room, I’m sure that would be much more comfortable.” Rei said, rubbing his hands over Eichi’s shoulders gently.
“Ah — I wouldn’t want to bother you while I’m working.” Eichi said, shaking his head lightly.
“Have you forgotten that I happen to be nocturnal? I’d be awake regardless, you wouldn’t be bothering anyone.” Rei insisted.
“What about Shiratori-kun? He’s young and needs plenty of rest.” Eichi asked. Rei had to wonder, why was he grasping at straws?
“And I’m sure you need rest as well. Is there a reason you’re insisting on not coming back to the dorm? Have I done something to offend you?” Rei hummed, questioning.
“No, no, of course not. You’re right, I’ll come back to the dorm and work there, okay?” Eichi said, but Rei still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
Even if Eichi returned to the dorm and filled the room with the clicking of his keyboard as he did whatever important things he was always glued to his work for, Rei felt like something was off. Tenshouin had been acting hesitant to return to the dorm, and why? Things between them were going well, and they seemed to be slowly becoming friends, so what had happened for Rei to be pushed away so suddenly?
A few hours passed by as they each did their individual things in the dorm, but eventually it came time for Eichi to put away his laptop and get ready for bed. He turned off the lamp beside his bed, leaving the only light in the room to be from Rei’s corner. Blond hair splayed across the pale sheets, and breathing slowly evened out as much as Eichi’s body would allow.
“Good night, Eichi,” Rei said softly into the quiet of the room. The man didn’t respond, seemingly already asleep, but perhaps that was best for the sake of Rei’s heart.
4.
As if the other day hadn’t ever happened at all, Rei found himself being pulled outside by an excited Eichi. Both of them in their winter coats, hands intertwined through gloves as Eichi directed them into the freezing cold where snow was falling all around them.
“Where are we going?” Rei huffed seeing his breath fog up around them.
“It’s been snowing all day, I’d say there’s probably enough for a snowman.” Eichi said with a smile, turning around to face Rei as the sun set around them. Rei was nearly rendered speechless, that was what he was getting dragged outside for?
“Are you serious?” Rei said after a moment had passed.
“C’mon, it’ll be fun, I swear.” Eichi insisted, that pout once more present and Rei found that this time, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t deny how cute it was.
“You’re too much like a child sometimes, you know that, right?” Rei replied, staring into the blue of Eichi’s eyes illuminated by the fading sunlight.
“Is that a bad thing?” He asked, and Rei found himself thinking about it. They all could be childish truly, so who was he to judge?
“...Not at all, lead the way.” Rei answered, a small smile present on his face. Eichi laughed, turning around and walking further along the pathways outside of Ensemble Square, eventually leading them into a garden. A beautiful site, and something Rei found to be hilarious as the place for their childish antics to occur.
“There’s not that much snow, really, but we can probably make something small.” Eichi said as he knelt down, starting to push snow together in his hands to create a base for their snowman.
Rei chuckled, settling down near the blond to pick up some snow to create another part of the body, working silently together before placing it on top of the base Eichi had made and smoothing the edges together.
“I used to make Hasumi-kun do this with me, when we were younger. He always hated it, and complained that we would get sick.” Rei said, breaking the comfortable silence that had developed.
“That sounds so fun,” Eichi groaned. “I… Never got to do this before.”
“You’ve never made a snowman before?” Rei asked, just for clarification. Was Tenshouin truly that sheltered as a child?
“Never. I wish Keito would’ve taken me out to play out in the snow, but I was always too sick, and winter only serves to make my condition worse.” Tenshouin explained, facing downwards as he worked on packing together a final, smaller snowball for the head.
“If I knew you as a child, I would’ve snuck you out to do plenty of winter things. No kid should be holed up forever.” Rei said, having stopped his work on the snowman to stare at Eichi.
“Ah, yes. You’d give me an early death, taking me along with you to prance around graveyards. How does a child even get into that habit in the first place?” Eichi laughed at the thought, not yet noticing the red eyes on him until he went to place the head on top of their creation.
Rei startled away when their eyes met. “He’s not quite done yet, I think. Perhaps some stones and twigs, if any can be found?”
“Delightful idea.” Eichi hummed, moving to turn away before Rei stopped him, placing his own scarf around Eichi’s neck. “Hm? What’s this for?”
“We don’t want you to get sick, now do we?” Rei said, a small smile on his face before he turned away in the direction of some trees. He walked around, trying to push away all of the thoughts thrown at him regarding Eichi, anything and everything about the blond clouding his thoughts.
After a few minutes had passed of wandering the grounds, he returned to their original position in the garden, watching as Eichi pushed small stones into the snow to create a face.
“Did you find something?” Eichi asked, hearing Rei approach from the snow crunching under his shoes.
“Well, I stole a small branch from a tree. I hope you’ll forgive me for the vandalism, dear CEO, but it was for an important cause.” Rei said, stepping closer and snapping the branch into two, each half to become an arm.
“Oh? And what ‘important cause’ justifies your vandalism, Mr. Vampire?” Eichi responded teasingly, a smile adorning his chapped lips.
“I had to give our son arms, of course.” Rei said, and it became his turn to pout, looking up at the blond with the cutest face he could muster.
“So we’re parents now?” Eichi laughed.
“Of course, our son is right here. Albeit, not for long, given how he’ll probably melt soon.” Rei said with a sigh. “Shall we return back to the dorms? It’s getting dark out.”
“Oh,” Eichi said, turning to look around them. “I hadn’t been paying attention, even. Yes, we probably should before it’s too late.”
Back inside the privacy of their dorm, Rei immediately pulled Eichi’s hands into his. He pulled the other man’s gloves off, blowing warm air into his palms and rubbing them together to eliminate whatever cold had managed to slip through the fabric as he listened to a giggling Eichi at the action.
“What are you doing?” He asked amidst laughs.
“I don’t want you to get sick.” Rei stated, tightening his scarf on the other man to help solidify his point.
Eichi huffed, walking away from him to remove his winter coat, replacing it with a soft cardigan. He looked adorable; Rei’s scarf still wound around him tightly, cardigan slightly oversized, possibly even borrowed from one of his friends. The idea of Eichi wearing someone else’s clothes sparked jealousy somewhere deep within them, but those sort of thoughts were something Rei was getting used to.
“Thank you for tolerating my antics today, Sakuma-kun.” Eichi said, already sitting down on his bed as Rei continued to stand near the door, too lost in thought to move.
“Oh, it wasn’t just tolerating you. I had fun. Just try not to get sick, alright?” He hoped that the unspoken I worry was understood, too afraid to say it out of fear of revealing too many emotions in one day.
He didn’t like opening up to anyone, so why was he suddenly a mess over Tenshouin, the man who was meant to be his rival?
5.
Rei was having a horrible day. Not physically, at least. He wouldn’t have been able to handle his condition acting up like a day like this.
No, Rei was doing horrible mentally. It was exhausting, having so many people relying on you and expecting great things from you on a day to day basis, and he couldn’t handle it anymore.
He was so tired, and sleep wasn’t helping. He just needed everything to stop, but the life of an idol was a busy one, and something that hardly allowed him time for a break.
It was only natural that he’d break down eventually, and if that just so happened to be in his shared bathroom, then so be it.
He fell against the bathroom door, allowing the tears to fall silently as he curled in on himself. Knees pressed to his chest and head against his knees, he tried his best to hold in his sobs. His joke crying around people he knew was different, an act put up to feign emotional vulnerability when he was too afraid, too unwilling to open up around anyone.
His hands tightened into his hair in an attempt to let out his frustrations. He didn’t want this anymore, he was so tired, he just wanted to feel normal again. He wanted this all to stop, for his entire world to be put on pause and give him a chance to just rest. He let out a too-loud sob at his distress, immediately regretting it as he noticed footsteps approaching the bathroom door. This was a shared space, after all.
“Sakuma-kun? Are you alright in there?” Eichi called out through the door.
“Yes, yes, I’ll be out in a second.” Rei said, cringing internally as he realized how rough his voice sounded. It was obvious that something was wrong.
“Are you sure? Do you need me to come in?” Eichi asked, closer to the door now than he was before. The implications of joining Rei in the bathroom was something he would’ve otherwise laughed about, if not for the fact that he was in there crying.
“I’ll be fine, I swear.” Rei said with a sniffle as he tried to rapidly wipe away his tears, quickly snapped out of the worst of his breakdown. He stood up shakily, opening the door and smiling at Eichi. “See? I’m perfectly fine.”
“You’ve been crying,” Eichi stated, an obvious fact that Rei was hoping he’d kindly ignore.
“Nothing too serious.” Rei huffed, moving past Eichi towards his side of the room.
“I don’t like moving in circles like this. I know you don’t like me, but I want to help you just as you’ve helped me. You don’t need to trust me, but let me help, just this once?” Eichi said quietly, and Rei couldn’t be more glad that Aira was out of the dorm, no one was around to witness this display of their emotions.
Really, he wasn’t sure where Tenshouin was getting any of his facts from. He’d helped Rei plenty, and yet Rei was unable to pay back the favour.
(He liked Eichi too much, actually.)
“I’m just… simply not feeling well, I suppose. Too much stress building up for one man to handle. You probably know how busy it is being a top idol, you probably have even more work than me, so I truly have nothing to be upset over — I’ve just been feeling overwhelmed.” Rei explained quietly into the room, his voice the only noise surrounding them as he spoke, hardly even processing his words before they left his mouth.
“It isn’t fair for you to compare yourself to me in that aspect, we’re different, but that doesn’t mean I’m never overworked, even with my health getting in the way. I feel like a time bomb, so I try to get as much done before I no longer can.” Eichi said after a moment of silence had passed, taking a step closer to Rei.
Rei sighed, sitting down at the edge of Eichi’s bed as he looked up at the blond. Maybe they weren’t that different, really. Eichi gave him a sad smile, sitting down beside him on the bed and leaning his head on Rei’s shoulder.
They sat in silence, relishing in the presence of each other as Rei struggled to collect his thoughts.
“For the record, I don’t hate you nearly as much as you think I do.” He said with a low chuckle, hopefully trying to move the conversation away from his own issues.
(As if his attraction to Tenshouin couldn’t be considered an issue of itself.)
“Aha, if you say so,” Eichi laughed nervously as he stood up from the bed, “I was going to read before sleeping, did you want to join me? Perhaps a book can help calm your mind.”
It would probably bore him to death, but the idea of Eichi reading to him was a mental image he couldn’t say no to.
“That sounds absolutely lovely.” Rei whispered, a soft smile plastered on his face as he watched the blond move around the dorm.
Eichi sat back down near the top of the bed with his book in hand, gesturing for Rei to come closer. Rei shuffled across the soft sheets, leaning beside Eichi and listening intently as the words rolled smoothly from that soft-spoken voice that Rei had found himself enamored with as of late.
Soon enough, Rei found himself moving from leaning beside Eichi, to leaning on Eichi, his head against the other man’s shoulder as he was lulled to sleep by the calming voice surrounding him. Vaguely, he heard the voice stop, and he felt a soft hand running itself through his hair, but it all felt like a dream from where he was drifting on the edge before sleep took over.
It felt nice, getting to be with Eichi like this, and it made him all too aware of his own feelings. Feelings, of which he knew he should’ve repressed the moment he felt them grow. But how could he help it, when Eichi became something that caused him joy — became home?
+1.
Rei was nervous. He was a top idol, meant to be a figure of mystery, and yet here he was: pacing in his dorm out of anxiety before a mere confession.
Truthfully, everything could go wrong. Tenshouin could kick him and his unit out of Ensemble Square as a whole, leaving them with nothing. Or, he could reject Rei and they would never speak again — which would probably hurt the most, in all honesty. He cared about his unit and loved them dearly, but it was hard not to be selfish at times like this where he was reminded of how painfully human he really was.
The rustling of keys on the outside of the door only served to intensify his fears tenfold. He took a breath as he waited, oh so patiently, for the dorm door to open, the few seconds feeling like hours dragging by as all of his worries caught up with him.
He really was about to do this, wasn’t he.
“Oh? Sakuma-kun, good afternoon. I didn’t realize you’d be here.” Eichi said politely, and it took all of Rei’s self control not to point out that, well, he lived here.
“Ah, yes. You see, I’d been hoping to catch you here. I’ve had something on my mind I’d like to discuss with you, if it’s not too much of a hassle-” Rei rambled, the words falling from his mouth anxiously.
“...What is it? You’re worrying me. Did something happen?” Eichi interrupted, closing the door behind him and making his way towards the center of the room where Rei was standing.
“No, no, of course not. Everythings fine. I’m- It’s just…” Rei stopped himself for a moment, taking another deep breath as he stared at the ground. “I’m in love with you.”
Eichi didn’t respond.
“I don’t expect you to return my feelings, so don’t feel pressured at all, I just wanted you to know. You seem very under the impression that I hate you, and perhaps that was once true, but as we stand currently I find myself more and more infatuated with every passing day, by some cruel twist of fate. I simply felt I should let you know-” Rei rambled once more, trying and failing to blink away the tears that sprung from Eichi’s lack of a response. He shouldn’t be crying, he hated that he was crying. He didn’t want to show vulnerability here more than he already was.
“I never said I don’t return your feelings.” Eichi finally spoke up, silencing Rei once more. “I’ve admired you for years now, but I don’t feel I’m someone who should. You deserve so much better than me.”
Rei finally looked up, meeting Eichi’s stare with his own tear-filled one. “I don’t care what you think I deserve, all I want is for you to love me.”
“I do love you. I love you so much, and I shouldn’t.” Eichi said quietly.
“What did I just say; don’t say any of that. I don’t care for the past, truly, because in the present you’ve served to make me happier than I’ve ever been.” Rei said sternly, wiping away his tears. “I’ve tried so hard to deny my feelings, to tell myself that you’re just my rival, but I can’t deny them anymore. Please, Eichi, just let me have this.”
“If that’s what you want, then who am I to deny you anything?” Eichi laughed, and Rei pulled him closer, pressing their lips together.
He could probably taste the salty remnants of the tears that had managed to fall onto Rei’s lips, and Eichi’s own lips were chapped and he tasted sweetly of tea, but Rei found himself addicted to it, if it meant that he got to have Eichi as his, here and now. Eichi’s hands fell to Rei’s waist, and Rei moved his hands into Eichi’s hair, pulling the blond even closer as he bit playfully at the lips pressed firmly against his own.
They kissed deeply, savouring the feeling of each other's touch and never wanting to let go — until Eichi tore away from Rei with a gasp and desperate inhale.
“Sorry- can’t breathe.” He struggled out as his breathing slowly evened out as much as it could, still ragged and evidently not well.
“I’ll have to get used to that from now on, won’t I?” Rei chuckled, pulling Eichi along with him to the bed so he could catch his breath. Eichi nodded with an awkward smile, and Rei felt happiness bloom in his chest.
He felt happy, he felt at peace, and he wouldn’t trade it for the world.