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"Heey~! Ritchan?" A hand gently nudged against the boy's shoulder, rousing him awake and causing him to stare blearily at the source of the commotion, a wide eyed boy with red hair messily splayed over his forehead and a constant cheery smile on his face.
"Mm... Nn...?" He could barely piece a sentence together, his head feeling stuffy and far too hot for his liking in the uncomfortably warm summer air.
"I finally found you! Why are you hiding here? Do you feel sick again? I can call the teacher over if you do!" Ever the helpful boy, Mao had listed question after question in concern as he hunched closer towards his friend, enough so that he had enough room to sit beside a curled up Ritsu, tucked beneath a wooden bench far away from the other children playing happily in the sunlight with their ball games and cheers during games of tag.
"...It's okay. Nii-chan said I need to get used to being outside or it'll make me more sick. Maa-kun can go back and play with everyone else if he wants to though." He mumbled in reply, tiny hands pressing against his forehead to quell the dull pain of a headache settling in.
Quizzically, Mao tilted his head at the older boy before shaking his head with the same toothy grin on his face.
"Nah, I wanna stay with Ritchan for today! We don't have to go into the sun if you don't want to! Here, I'll teach you how to play one of those clapping games my sister's obsessed with! Gimme your hand!" One hand outstretched, Mao's smile only grew as a tentative Ritsu offered his own in return, a shy but pleased smile gracing his own face.
Ritsu was a definitely more quiet than other kids at school, and his behaviour was a little odd, but Mao still appreciated his company nonetheless, even if his classmates never understood why he'd wander off to find Ritsu when already invited into all sorts of games.
And, well... Ritsu was just glad to have a new friend. His first friend. It was a blessing, he thought, to have one as bright as Isara Mao to guide him into the sunlight.
-
The Sakuma library was massive, to say the least, with rows upon rows of towering bookshelves packed floor to ceiling with fading hardback covers, some in languages Mao could not even identify. Clutching onto his own small pile of books that Ritsu had allowed him to borrow, he eyed each aisle of shelves for the final item on his list. A classical piece that Ritsu requested that he bring over to him, which Mao had obliged in retrieving just so he could hear the other boy play the piano for him. The notes would always flow so smoothly beneath Ritsu's fingers, creating an atmosphere like any other when he sat beside the piano, simply watching as Ritsu fully immersed himself in the piece, his usually sleepy eyes always wide open with focus on each individual key.
But it seemed this task was harder than he expected, as manuscript paper was not exactly very thick, nor identifiable when all he was staring at was walls of yellowing paper. Sighing as he walked to the end of another aisle, Mao mentally prepared himself for another painstaking search for the precious music. That is, before he almost tripped on a dark lump haphazardly laying just around the corner.
"W-woah! Ritsu?!"
Aforementioned lump let out a soft noise in acknowledgement before unfurling himself to allow red eyes to stare lazily back up at Mao.
"Maa-kun~" He drawled out as cheerfully as a half-awake vampire could, greeting him as if almost being kicked awake due to sleeping on the floor was the most natural thing in the world, which to Ritsu, probably was.
"Ritchan, when did you get in here? Weren't you in the piano room?" Mao blinked, trying to piece together how his friend managed to sneak into the echoing walls of the library and fall asleep all in the brief time that he was gone without any detection.
"Maa-kun took wa~ay too long and left me alone, so I found the music myself~ But then I felt tired so..." Ritsu waved him off dismissively, rolling over so that Mao could see the papers tucked against his chest, the cover matching the title given to him to find.
"Seriously, Ritchan? What if I didn't find you here? You would've caught a cold sleeping on the floor like that!" Mao scolded, leaning down to offer a hand so that Ritsu could pry himself off the wooden floor.
A cold, pale hand fitting into warm, tanned ones as Ritsu lifted himself up while smiling lazily, a fang poking out from beneath his lip. Once upright, Ritsu practically threw himself onto Mao, linking their arms and squishing himself against other the boy, as if absorbing him of warmth. Dark hair splayed across his jacket as Ritsu cuddled up against his shoulder, rubbing his cheek against Mao's neck.
"Maa-kun shouldn't say that~ Because we've got a special, unbreakable bond, no matter where I am, Maa-kun will always know where to find me~"
"E-eh...? I mean... Of course I'm gonna look out for you but you also need to learn how to take care of yourself too, y'know?" Mao huffed, though not unkindly, his gentle nudge towards Ritsu's shoulder being more than enough to show his affection for the older boy.
"Hehe~ But Maa-kun will always be with me so I'll be okay~ C'mon Maa-kun I want to play for you~" With a sudden burst of energy, Ritsu's eyes lit up, happily tugging Mao back for another lazy afternoon performance. And despite the slivers of golden sunlight peeking into the room, Ritsu's energy and evident passion never wavered, performing as beautifully as ever, just for Mao.
-
"Ritsuuu... You need to come out, hurry up!" Entering the Sakuma residence was now a more than familiar task to Mao, with what he considered a chore while Ritsu considered 'tradition' of forcing the vampire out of his home lasting long enough for Mao to be doing such a thing at age 15.
But Ritsu was never one to make it easy for him, especially now that he was attending Yumenosaki. Mao would think that every day would be exciting when enrolling at a prestigious idol academy, with even Mao considering it as an option for himself for next year, but Ritsu seemed to dread even stepping foot outside his room at this point for reasons unknown.
It was only the first few weeks of the school year and yet every day seemed to be a growing struggle for both Mao and Ritsu, with Mao playing a reluctant game of hide and seek to find the lump of blankets in the dimly lit and ice cold room every morning, and Ritsu being uncooperative as ever, whether found or not.
In fact, Ritsu was in a low mood every since the year began, his already frail complexion worsening to a state Mao had never seen in all of his years of knowing him. Even his home seemed to match the dreary atmosphere. The massive house felt more isolated and quiet than ever when the only life he saw within the walls in contrast to the high ceilings and stretching hallways was a pale and skinny boy who seemed to shrink into himself more and more as days went by. Ritsu wouldn't even bother touching his piano on the rare occasion that Mao would come over anymore, insisting on going to Mao's place instead, but being just as despondent. Their hangouts would usually end in Mao doing his homework while Ritsu collapses into his bed, his breathing always seeming a little more shallow than Mao would have liked.
(Was Ritsu being ostracised or bullied at school...? He always had trouble socialising with others but Mao hated to think that someone would be so cruel to his best friend just because he was a little quiet.)
"Ritsu! We're both gonna be late! I really don't have time for this anymore, you know!"
A shuffle of fabrics in the corner of the room was his saving grace, as dull red eyes peeked out, blinking tiredly from beneath a heap of previously unseen blankets.
"...Mm... Maa-kun...?"
"Ritsu! Wake up already and stop hiding in the corner! C'mon, we need to go right now!"
"...I'm not going. Maa-kun can go without me."
This was usually the precursor to a back and forth argument, with Mao ending up with a sleepy Ritsu on his back and dashing to schoolgrounds just before being late was an option. But the scratchy, hoarse tone paired with the absolutely exhausted look on Ritsu's face left the atmosphere thick with tension and lingering dread.
Did something happen while he wasn't around...? Mao had been busier with schoolwork recently, and a long weekend had passed without any contact from Ritsu whatsoever. But surely two days could not have caused such a drastic change in him...
"Maa-kun can leave. It's fine, you'll be late if you waste time here."
Ritsu had basically spat out the phrase 'waste time', as if being in the same room with him was a horrible burden Mao was forced to endure. Was that all he thought Mao felt about coming to see him every morning?
Mao's tone had instinctively softened, dropping his schoolbag onto the floor to allow him to comfortably kneel in front of Ritsu's blanket-clad figure.
"...Ritchan? Are you okay?" Mao reached out to cup Ritsu's face, wanting to check for signs of fatigue or fever. It was no big deal, as sickness was barely a rarity for Ritsu, and he would frequently whine about not getting enough physical affection from Mao anyway. Ritsu would usually chase his touch, cooing at the fact that 'his Maa-kun' was giving him affection rather than the other way around. And so, Mao's thumb grazed against Ritsu's cheek, making contact with skin that was far too cold to be at such a temperature under such a thick layer of blankets. And then he made contact with nothing at all.
Ritsu flinched back.
Red and puffy eyes widening in fear, staring past Mao and towards the door to his room as if hiding away from an invisible figure. Shaking off the redhead, Ritsu shuffled further against the wall, making Mao's heart sink as he curled away from him like cornered prey.
He expected complaints and whining with no bite to it, but not this... Not from Ritsu. Ritsu had always trusted Mao with everything, and now he was cowering away from his touch as if their years and years as best friends had shattered right before his eyes.
"I... Please don't touch me right now. It's not Maa-kun's fault or anything, I just... Don't want to be touched." A mumbled apology stumbled out of Ritsu's mouth, his reassurances thinly masking the mixture of confusion, discomfort and fear painted on his face.
"...Okay. I'm sorry, Ritchan. No touching, I got it." Don't pry. Don't pry. Don't pry. The little voice in Mao's head screamed, despite every urge in his brain to hug his best friend and uncover every single concern and issue that clearly was paining Ritsu. But he shouldn't push the matter. Maybe Ritsu would come around and confide in Mao later, as now was clearly not the right time.
"It's okay. if you're sick, you don't have to come to school today, alright? Get some rest, and I'll come by in the afternoon to check up on you. I'll see you soon, I promise."
In the end, he knew that his reasoning was nothing but empty assurances.
Ritsu was an expert at burying things he wanted hidden, and he knew that long ago.
While he could go on and on about Ritsu's favourite times and places to nap, his precise morning routines, the way he'd fidget with his ring finger and scrunch his nose while thinking and how he would cuddle up to Mao and fall asleep on him just to distract him from his work, there were so many things Mao did not know.
His parents never seemed to be around when Mao came over, and were never brought up in conversation. He knew Ritsu had an older brother, but no name, face, or age could be placed on the figure. Ritsu was sickly and physically weaker than other children, but he never identified a cause, cure or name for his symptoms.
His best friend, Ritchan, was lazy, but loyal. Someone who was a little bit spoiled and demanding for attention, but always cared deeply about those he loved, showing his affection in strange and roundabout ways, but in ways he appreciated no less.
But Sakuma Ritsu was an anomaly. A boy with so much to hide that it scared Mao how little he really knew.
The feelings of dread did not vanish when he picked up his bag and left Ritsu with a small wave and the attempt at a comforting smile, with thoughts of Ritsu and his tired and pained expressions weighing him down throughout the day. In the end, Mao had rushed to the Sakuma residence, dashing out of school grounds the second the bell chimed to signify his release. He found his friend asleep in the same corner he was left in, still curled up and still with a troubled look on his face, brows furrowed with a tiny frown etched on his face. And Mao stayed. He stayed beside Ritsu, working and reading until Ritsu finally awoke to feed him tiny bites of food and to prompt conversation out of him, hoping that it would bring some colour and life back into his deteriorating figure.
The least he could do while Ritsu was hurting was to be his Maa-kun. To continue a practiced routine, and to stay as reliable, trustworthy Maa-kun. He would anchor himself to Ritsu, and he would make sure that the boy would not drift too far away from who he truly was, even if all that meant was coming to visit every morning to play their routinely games of hide and seek with Ritsu's attendance on the line.
Some days were successful, and some weren't so much. It didn't matter though. Maybe there was a layer of truth to the 'bond' Ritsu insisted that they shared, as, without fail, Mao could always locate Ritsu's sleeping form within a minute, no matter if he was huddled up underneath his bed or even inside a closet. Attending school aside, as long as Ritsu was still here, talking to him, looking at him and just being Ritsu, he would be satisfied for now.
"Maa-kun..."
"Mm?"
"...You won't leave me, right...?"
"Ritchan... No, I'm not going anywhere. I promise I'll stick with you, no matter what."
-
Ritsu came back to Mao slowly, but surely.
His soft, lilting voice which would drawl sleepily at the end of sentences became more prominent over the mumbled and hoarse whispers that would slip through his lips if he even decided to speak at all that day.
Days of absence were slimming down, though not to the point of going unnoticed by the school administration who kept him back a year, much to the absolute horror of Mao and to the delight of Ritsu, because "Why are you upset, Maa-kun! We get to be in the same year level and graduate together~"
As much as he lectured Ritsu, Mao was just overjoyed that he could see the glimpses of his Ritchan return. He was finally allowing others to get close rather than vanishing or putting up walls, and even joining a highly successful unit where Mao could see him truly shine as himself, rather than the wounded shell of a person hiding in his room for weeks on end.
But that certainly did not mean that Ritsu had grown out of being spoiled by Mao, with the fact that they were in the same class at the same school meaning that piggyback rides to and from school were inevitable. It wasn't as if Mao could complain too much though, as he'd much rather hear Ritsu's complaints about how the sun was sapping him of strength as Mao lugged him to class as opposed to sobs muffled by blankets, or even worse, nothing at all.
In a way, carrying Ritsu meant another additional improvement: After a hesitant few weeks since the first incident, he was allowed to touch Ritsu once again, though only with his permission. While Ritsu still snapped and bristled at those who tried to rub his head or nudge his shoulder, if Mao (and only Mao) asked if he could hold his hand or brush his hair out, Ritsu would almost always oblige, giving Mao a burst of happiness that Ritsu still wholly trusted him, despite all the external factors that had originally caused him to drift away.
However, Mao's incredible patience for Ritsu as well as his consistent routine would inevitably drag him into situations such as the one he was in currently. Checking his phone after a Trickstar rehearsal revealed a single text from Ritsu.
"Maa~kuun~~~"
Sent 10 minutes ago.
He fell asleep already, no doubt.
Which meant Mao had to haul his body out of school before the faculty accidentally lock him in there for the night, once again.
Quickly excusing himself from the rest of his unit with brief goodbyes, Mao quickly listed a few locations Ritsu loved to nap while ruling out others as he glanced down the hallways.
He likely wasn't in the infirmary, as it was after school hours already, and someone was bound to kick him out. Their homeroom could be a likely spot, if it weren't for the fact that he left the room that afternoon with Ritsu on his way to practice.
...That is, until Arashi appeared out of nowhere to drag Ritsu away.
Aha. Knights practice.
Luckily he was close by to their room, as within a few strides, he was in front of a door and being given a front seat to the sound of bickering and laughing from the aforementioned members.
"Sorry for the intrusion..." Mao called out over the noise, knocking on the door, which promptly swung open to reveal a steely glare from a silver haired boy.
"Ah. Isara." He nodded, before turning around to look at the sprawled figure of Ritsu, laying spread out on the floor. "Please take him the hell out of here. I need to lock up and he refused to move because he kept insisting that you'd come find him because you have a super special bond or whatever."
"Maa-kun! C'mere, Maa-kun~ I told you he'd find me, Secchan~" Ritsu lifted his head up slightly to smile blearily at Mao, his arms reaching out as an invitation to be picked up.
Sighing, Mao headed over and crouched down, allowing Ritsu to grapple onto him while Izumi stood by the door and prepared his next snarky remark in response to the vampire crawling into his arms.
"Yeah. It took him ten minutes to find your ass. I had to wait here for you to get dragged out for ten minutes." Izumi deadpanned, looking even more unamused at the sight of Ritsu being carried like a child, already drowsily snuggling into Mao's shoulder.
"Don't be rude to my Maa-kun! Maa-kun, when did you finish practice?~" Ritsu huffed back before changing his tone to a sickeningly sweet voice, nuzzling his face into Mao's neck as Mao repositioned himself to properly carry the limp body.
"I just finished up. I checked your text while I was leaving the practice room."
"See, Secchan? That means Maa-kun found me right away~ Don't doubt the bond I have with Maa-kun!" Ritsu grinnned smugly, sticking his tongue out at Izumi as Mao passed by him on the way to the door.
"I don't have the energy for this. Get out, Kuma-kun. Make sure he doesn't pass out anywhere stupid, Isara."
Mao nodded politely at his senior before quickly leaving the premises, god forbid Ritsu decided to piss off his already moody unitmate any further.
"Fufu~ Don't be scared of Secchan, Maa-kun~ He's super grumpy but he's not mean enough to do anything bad to you. He cares, he just sucks at showing it~" Once at a safe distance away, Ritsu's soft laughter broke the silence, echoing right beside his ear and giving him chills as his warm breath hit sensitive skin.
"Mm, I'd hope so. It seems like you get along just fine with your unit, even if you still whine about having to go practice with them. Enough for you to both have nicknames for each other, anyway, right, Kuma-kun? "
"Urgh. Promise to never do that again, Maa-kun. I may be able to talk to Secchan but that doesn't mean I want to have his bitter attitude infect Maa-kun." Ritsu gagged in horror before pausing in thought, his nose bumping gently against Mao's neck.
"Besides... You'll always be my Maa-kun, right? Because Maa-kun is still my favourite. No one can replace Maa-kun."
Curse Ritsu and his insane perceptiveness.
While Mao had been incredibly proud of Ritsu for opening up to the world once more, stepping into the sunlight despite how much it drained him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of jealousy as everyone could see his Ritsu in the way Mao had always seen him. Playful, sleepy Ritsu, who used to cling onto him and only him, for protection, safety, and companionship. While he was the one to take him by the hand and guide him into the light, the one to nag Ritsu to put the effort in, to socialise when possible, and to be more independent, there was always a fear that Ritsu would no longer find Mao of use, leaving him behind for the company of others. Knights seemed closer than ever, and hell, Ritsu was even taking interest in joining a club. And though he never voiced out these fears, he should have expected that his best friend of years could pick up on anything bothering Mao without even batting an eye. Maybe it was an underlying insecurity that Ritsu also shared when Mao began student council work as well as amping up Trickstar rehearsals, but regardless, he was glad to hear their friendship reaffirmed, and he'd be sure to reassure Ritsu that nothing would change between them all the same.
"Of course. Nothing can change me being Ritchan's childhood friend after all."
"Mm... My Maa-kun, always...~" Mao could feel Ritsu smile against his neck, his lips gently nudging against his nape. And before he could respond, the already limp body on his back went completely slack, the sound of soft breathing setting a steady rhythm for Mao to continue walking. He supposed it was hardly a surprise, as they were both exhausted from practice, though Ritsu seemed to have managed to hold out longer than expected against the sunlight. Mao didn't mind though. It was just a testament to how hard Ritsu had worked to stay with Mao, to pull away from the darkness.
"I'm glad you came back to me, Ritchan."
Walking to school together, laughing and joking together, even the chore of finding Ritsu sleeping in the most random of places, from trees to lockers... He would've traded the entire world to see this reality almost a year ago, and he'd make the most of every moment now that he was happily living it, together, with his Ritchan.
Things finally felt normal again.
-
An all too familiar situation, once again. Mao was absolutely swamped with student council work now that he had inherited the title of president from Eichi, and to say the school needed reworking was an understatement.
But despite the new responsibilities bestowed to him, Mao could not neglect his other priorities. And that would be to spend time with one Sakuma Ritsu, as promised at least two weeks in the planning. The duo had been buried by deadlines and work for the past few weeks that an intervention to their minimal amounts of communication was absolutely necessary before either of them could go insane.
And while Mao didn't regret making a promise to clear up this afternoon for Ritsu, the school administration seemed to have cursed this day, piling up even more work for Mao until his bag was practically begging for mercy under the strain of thick binders and folders.
But that could be a problem for later. For now, he would throw his bag into his dorm, go and retrieve a sleeping Ritsu from somewhere, somehow, and then spend the rest of the day forgetting about work and indulging himself in precious time with Ritsu, if only for just a moment.
Unlocking the dorm door and swinging it open with a little too much force, Mao would have almost missed the boy sitting on his bed in his rush to leave to find the very person currently sharing the room with him.
Leaning against the headboard and huddled up in Mao's blankets was a sleeping Ritsu. He was clutching one of Mao's pillows to his chest, his cheek pressed against it. Despite swaying slightly in his sleep, he diligently remained sitting upright, facing the door. Was he waiting for Mao to come back?
Cute.
Closing the door much more gently and carefully placing his bag down to make minimal amounts of noise, Mao crept towards the bed to admire the peaceful face of the sleeping vampire. His eyelashes were always so full and long, making his red eyes seem even prettier and more charming, Mao mused as he sat in front of Ritsu, prying the pillow away and replacing it with his own hands. His hair was was soft and silky no matter how much damage it seemed to go through when Ritsu would fall asleep just about anywhere, including straight on the floor. Regardless, Mao loved to run his hands through the dark strands, watching Ritsu's face relax as he combed through the soft tufts. But instead his attention diverted as he reached to cup Ritsu's face, his thumbs rubbing small circles against his cheeks. They were slightly chubby, no doubt from the increasing amounts of sweets he was fed by Mika. It was still adorable though, as Mao could gently pinch and squeeze them, only adding to Ritsu's charm. Besides, he'd much prefer this soft, squishy Ritsu as opposed to the frail body that he could barely maintain years ago.
Soft. Ritsu was always soft, from his voice to his hair to his lips. Being with Ritsu, touching Ritsu, loving Ritsu felt like floating on clouds. He could stay in Ritsu's dreamy presence forever, and if life allowed it, he absolutely would. But it wouldn't be long before Ritsu grumbled softly at the contact, eyes slowly opening to blink blearily at Mao. He was still half asleep, cheek leaning against Mao's hand while regaining consciousness, vision becoming more and more clear until recognition finally appeared in his eyes, giving Mao only a split second to admire the sleepy smile on his face before a body slammed against his own, tackling him into a hug.
"Maa-kun~" Soft lips were pressed against his own as Mao hugged his boyfriend back, his arms tightening around the smaller body, pulling him onto his lap. Ritsu's voice was still coated with sleepiness, a little quiet and slurred in some places, but to hear his name in such a gentle, endearing way was going to make Mao's heart stop beating on the spot.
"Ritsu...!" Trying to appease him before he went on a rampage of affection, Mao leaned in, kissing his nose before holding Ritsu back, attempting to get a word in before his boyfriend could silence him with more kisses.
"...No."
"Ritchan."
"Mn. Maa-kun~" Ritsu's eyes lit up at the sound of his childhood nickname, managing to overpower Mao's hold for a split second to leave the remnants of a kiss on his boyfriend, a gentle, formless nudge of the lips to Mao's cheek before being restrained once more.
"No fair... I haven't seen Maa-kun in years and he won't even let me kiss him..." Wide, puppy dog eyes were already in use, paired with a pout that Mao would've immediately caved to if not for having known Ritsu long enough for such an expression to have lost some of its effect.
"It's only been two weeks, Ritsu. And, I want to catch up with you as well. So talk to me too, okay? We haven't been able to talk properly for a while, right?"
"...Fine, but only for Maa-kun."
"Mm, how kind of you. Now, mind telling me how you managed to sneak into my dorm?"
"Secchan let me in... Did you think I broke a window and snuck in or something, Maa-kun~? I could smell Maa-kun heading to the dorms so I wanted to surprise Maa-kun for our date~"
"Ah, right. Do you know if he's coming back any time soon?" Mao hummed, glancing cautiously at the door. While he didn't dislike any of his roommates, he didn't exactly want to be caught in a compromising position, sitting on his bed with an overly-affectionate Ritsu nuzzling against him and only closing more distance as seconds passed either. It didn't help that certain people were rather temperamental as well, meaning Izumi barging in was the worst outcome due to their dynamic as unitmates. He'd definitely never hear the end of it thanks to Ritsu's gift of irritating the senior in any manner possible, wherever he was.
"Hehe, Maa-kun should relax a bit~ It's not like this would surprise anyone in ES anyway, since everyone already assumed we were dating months before you even confessed~"
Of course Ritsu would choose that argument to tease him with.
Ritsu had called Mao dense before, but he didn't realise how true that statement rang until the couple had become official. The moment Mao awkwardly announced it to Trickstar, he was only met with blank stares or looks of pure confusion.
Apparently no, letting your best friend kiss your neck and utter confessions of how he loves you and wants to be with you forever was not a normal platonic thing, and yes, Mao, everyone thought you guys were already together since second year, why do you think no one bothered to say anything when Ritsu would cling onto you constantly in class and when you guys walked home when that guy wouldn't let anyone else touch him?
"You really have no shame, do you... Just because people know doesn't mean I want to broadcast our relationship to everyone."
"Ah... Maa-kun is no fun. I tell Knights about how cool Maa-kun is all the time and he wants to keep me as a secret..." Ritsu pouted, using Mao's surprise at this news to lurch closer, clinging onto his neck and rubbing his cheek against Mao's.
"You talk to Knights about me...?" Mao blinked before regaining his composure, stabilising Ritsu's position by holding onto his waist and even encouraging him to rest his head on his shoulder, petting his head as he leaned against his neck. "I... Never mind. I don't mind talking about you, but letting people see this is another thing. No one is allowed to see Ritchan like this except me."
He could feel a warmth against his collarbone, and could only assume it was due to an embarrassed and blushing Ritsu when he refused to move from Mao, burying himself further into his shirt when Mao tried to pry him away.
"...If Maa-kun really needs to know, no one is gonna be back here in a while. Secchan said he's off to Tsukipi's, and Mikarin said that Valkyrie had something to do tonight..."
That took care of Shu and Izumi, but...
"Ritchan, what about Kiryu-senpai?" Mao asked softly, his voice mostly muffled as he busied himself with pressing kisses on Ritsu's head.
"Mn... I think Anzu said something about doing organising a project with his unit but I'm not sure... If Maa-kun really wants to head somewhere else though, I'll leave for Maa-kun..."
While Mao really would rather nobody else see how cute and cuddly his Ritchan was as he curled into his arms, he'd prefer prioritising his boyfriend's comfort at the moment. Ritsu seemed to be drifting off again, his breathing becoming more steady and soft against Mao's neck as Mao continued to pet him, gently massaging his scalp to help lull him to sleep.
"It's okay, we can stay. But let's go out for dinner tonight when you've got more energy, alright? For now you can nap, and I'll be right here."
"M'kay... Cuddle me then, Maa-kun...~" Ritsu yawned, lifting his head to bump his nose against Mao's cheek, nuzzling against him. Mao hummed in agreement, leaving a quick peck on Ritsu's temple before tugging him against his chest, falling backwards so that his back hit the mattress, Ritsu following suit by slumping onto Mao's chest with a soft squeak in surprise.
Mao pulled the blankets, tucking in Ritsu as best as possible while Ritsu made himself extra comfortable in his new position laying on top of Mao. His head ended up rested on Mao's chest, ear pressed right above his heart while their legs tangled together, allowing as much contact between them as possible. Once Ritsu had settled, Mao pulled the covers over Ritsu's head, giving the appearance of an oversized hood that swallowed Ritsu up in sleep-inducing warmth, making him look even smaller and cuter than ever.
"Sweet dreams, Ritchan." Mao mumbled, kissing the tip of Ritsu's nose, disregarding the potential that Ritsu could not hear a thing now that his eyes were already closed, hidden by long lashes and tousled tufts of hair. While he assumed that Ritsu was long gone, already taken away by sleep, Mao remained cuddling the soft figure for minutes to come, whispering sweet nothings as his hands bunched up Ritsu's sweater, squeezing his waist and drawing shapes aimlessly against cotton and pale skin.
Though he couldn't wait to go out together with his Ritchan again, he'd happily stay and wait as always, until a sleepy Ritsu would open his eyes to greet him once more, and their routine would continue as it always had. Ritsu would return to Mao's arms no matter how far away he was, just as their bond promised.
-
It started with small oddities.
A missing good morning text, leaving Mao's phone screen appearing a little more empty without the heart-emoji-filled texts from his boyfriend before they started the day. It was out of the ordinary, but Mao tried to pay it no mind, chalking it up to Ritsu's well known habits of sleeping in late. Though despite that, Mao couldn't help but turn his phone on every few minutes, hoping for a notification from his boyfriend, only to be sorely disappointed each time.
Now that they were in separate classes, Mao couldn't so easily go and check up on Ritsu, and so, he trusted in the support system that Ritsu had built for himself. Ritsu had a remarkable gift of digging his way into people's soft spots to get them to spoil him, whether he realised so or not, creating quite the arsenal of those who treasured his boyfriend (though never as much as Mao did, as stated with utmost confidence by Ritsu and self assured mentally by Mao). And so, he put faith into them to keep his boyfriend afloat if anything were to happen while Mao was scrambling with student council work.
That being said, Mao was still going to worry for Ritsu until he could see him again. Years and years of friendship had built an instinctive need to look out for the vampire, and while it was unreasonable at times, Mao was always going to be Ritchan's overly-concerned best friend, and now, boyfriend, no matter what.
His concern did not waver, only increasing when instead of a belated good morning text from Ritsu, Arashi's name appeared on his phone instead.
"Mao-chan, have you seen Ritsu-chan today?~"
He would have loved to say yes, Arashi, but he was very sorry. No, he didn't tell Mao a reason why he didn't show up to Knights practice today. No, Arashi didn't have to worry, he'd go check up on Ritsu ASAP, and yes, he seemed to be okay yesterday, if not a little more lethargic than usual.
...Arashi not seeing Ritsu was slightly more alarming if they were in the same class. He could only hope at this point that it was due to exhaustion or illness, meaning Ritsu was just resting in his dorm, too tired to check his phone.
But he needed to confirm that before his brain or heart combusted in worry. And thank the lords that Mika was in his class.
The second Mao entered the room, his tunnel vision created a beeline straight towards Mika, breezing past his unitmates who were midway through greeting him to stand in front of the dark haired boy, looming over his desk which caught his attention rather quickly.
"Nnh? Ikkun, did ya need somethin' from me?" Mika blinked, placing the sewing needle down to confusedly stare at Mao, his presence noticeably more intense than Mika had remembered.
"Ah, Kagehira, did you see Ritsu leave the dorms this morning by any chance?"
Mika's face had relaxed significantly at the realisation that this confrontation was not student council related, the topic shifting to his sleepy roommate instead.
"Ritsu-kun...?" He repeated softly, tapping his fingers lightly against the wooden desk as if to help conjure up long-forgotten memories of the boy. "Well, last night he was up kinda just starin' off into space while he was in vampire mode instead of askin' me for attention, so I went to bed earlier than usual. I couldn't tell ya when Ritsu-kun went to sleep, but I tried to wake him up this mornin' and he seemed to be in a bad state, so I let him wake up at his own time instead."
"In a bad state...?"
"Well... He looked kinda tired n' pale. More than usual anyway. I managed to wake him up once, but he just mumbled somethin' about being sleepy and to leave without him. He passed out before I could say anythin' so I just let him rest. I can let ya in to check on him after class if ya want though, Ikkun?" Mika suggested, one glance at Mao's increasingly concerned expression being all it took to realise why.
"Yeah, that would be good, thanks Kagehira." Mao nodded, attempting a smile which did not reach his eyes before sliding into his own desk to join Trickstar, though his mind was only on the clock and the seconds passing before he could get an answer to what happened to Ritsu.
The bell could not have rang soon enough. Mao was already waiting at the door for Mika, who was frantically packing away his belongings to catch up.
The return to the dorms was terse despite the small talk that Mao had initiated to pass the time, with discussion about matters such as Valkyrie feeling rather unimportant when the lingering concern for Ritsu was now weighing heavy on both of them.
He hoped that all he would find was a Ritsu-shaped lump covered in blankets that would peek out to reach for Mao, whining about how he wanted to be taken care of, and how he was tired and missed 'his Maa-kun'.
And so, when Mika hesitantly opened the door, Mao's heart dropped.
The room was empty. Ritsu's bed was neatly made. Something was wrong.
Ritsu never made his bed and that was a fact. Mao knew that by heart, as it was a part of their well practiced routine together. He would wake Ritsu up, force him to wash his face or get changed while Mao made his bed, with a sleepy complaint in the background about why he shouldn't bother because Ritsu would just mess it up again in minutes.
Mao and Mika stood in silence for seconds, staring at the eerily empty room before glancing at each other with the same worried expression.
"Text me if Ritsu comes back to the dorm." Mika could barely nod before the door closed behind him, with Mao vanishing before he knew it.
It was scary. Ritsu had done this before, and Mao was terrified each time it happened. He hated that it was just as unpredictable each time, with Ritsu being just as sleepy and clingy to Mao as usual one day, and vanishing off the face of the earth the next.
Ritsu was trying, he really was, and Mao knew that. He had slowly let Mao into the more ugly parts of his life, explaining in fragments about the Sakuma clan, as well as more information about his 'brother' (Don't call him that, Maa-kun. Maa-kun is my only family now. Not that sorry excuse for one.) Pieces came together without Ritsu needing to connect them for him. It made Mao feel guilt, and it made him feel relief. Guilt came as he realised that he was not aware of so much pain, unaware of why Ritsu had to cling onto Mao so tight, unaware of why Ritsu previously refused to so much as talk about his first year alone at Yumenosaki. But there was a relief. A relief that Ritsu had still trusted him wholeheartedly, that Ritsu was able to come back to the sunlight no matter how much it had hurt him, and a relief that he was finally smiling again.
But he also knew that Ritsu would never be the same as he was years ago. Mao didn't mind that, as Ritsu would still be his best friend, his boyfriend, his Ritchan no matter what. But Ritsu still seemed so afraid of letting Mao down. He was still trying to be a Ritsu that he no longer needed to cling on to, to make others happy. To make Mao happy.
He hated to think that Ritsu was so afraid of speaking out about his problems that he'd prefer destroying himself to avoid being a burden.
Dashing outside of the dorms, Mao's phone was fished out of his pocket, already moving to secure all bases.
"can u plscheckif ritsu went bvackk home?"
While Ritsu would have been absolutely mortified at the prospect of Mao being in contact with Rei, Mao was glad that he had the other Sakuma's support. Rei was one of the only people aware of Ritsu's rare disappearing act, and Mao knew that Rei had put his full trust in Mao to take care of his little brother. No matter what happened, there was an unspoken bond between the two to look after Ritsu.
It was as if Rei had a Ritsu alarm on his phone, as within seconds, Mao had received an 'okay call if anything happens', allowing him to continue dialling Ritsu's phone while dashing to just about anywhere Ritsu had previously chosen as a suitable napping place, hoping to find familiar dark tufts of hair or sleepy red eyes staring back at him.
While he did get a few questioning faces as he sprinted down hallways, it wasn't too much out of the ordinary for the student council president to be frantically running around. It was incredibly tempting to grab anyone he could find and ask if they had seen the younger Sakuma, but Mao had to control himself and think as rationally as he could. If Arashi hadn't seen him all day, it would be unlikely for the rest of Knights to know of his whereabouts, and Ritsu was incredibly stealthy and silent when he wanted to be. Besides, he knew that Ritsu would hate to have all this attention on him, so many prying eyes and mouths ready to spout gossip when he was clearly in a vulnerable state.
Mao had to trust in Rei, and trust in Ritsu. So he kept running, and he kept calling.
The constant ringing and inevitable sound of Ritsu's voicemail was beginning to grate on Mao's ears in a way that Ritsu's gentle, silky voice would never do.
It was awful.
Mao remembered forcing Ritsu to set it up, complaining about how he wanted to at least hear his boyfriend's voice even when he wasn't going to respond in favour of taking a nap. Ritsu had sighed exaggeratedly, lifting his head off Mao's lap before holding the phone to his mouth, looking Mao directly in the eye as he hit record.
"Sorry. I'm probably asleep and won't be on my phone so if you need anything then go tell my Maa-kun. Bye~"
Mao had scolded him with a blush on his face at such an upfront demand as Ritsu giggled, throwing himself onto Mao and demanding more attention and love now that he had done such a taxing task. It was supposed to be a good memory, of them laughing about trivial things and throwing around kisses so easily.
Mao didn't feel such happiness from that voicemail anymore.
He kept hanging up before the voicemail could continue. And over and over again, he would hear it.
Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.
He hated when Ritsu uttered that word. Because it was never his fault when he said it. Because he had too many moments to count where a tear-stained Ritsu would mumble that word in Mao's arms as if apologising for rightfully feeling upset at a terrible situation. Ritsu never had to apologise like that as if Mao being there for him was a chore. Ritsu never had to apologise for wanting to be happy.
Mao ran faster. God knows where he was going, but wherever he headed would be where Ritchan was.
As childish as it sounded, a part of Mao did believe their bond, as Ritsu proclaimed it, was somewhat rooted in fact. He wanted to think he did have an innate gift for finding Ritsu, as not once has he failed to do so, no matter the circumstances, which included the few times Ritsu had run away.
Mao had to keep going.
He ended up returning near Yumenosaki, following the path that they had walked along for so many years together. It was quite a ways to travel in the daytime for someone like Ritsu, but he had remembered his boyfriend complaining about ES occasionally feeling too suffocating to remain at, as well as his home visits being more frequent than most who stayed at the dorms. Rei had not yet sent an update, likely checking the massive Sakuma house top to bottom, meaning it was not entirely out of the question that Ritsu had returned to the area.
His legs were beginning to hurt. How long had he been running for? The sky was beginning to glow orange. Fuck.
Mao found himself slowing his pace, entering the park near their neighbourhood. Something felt right about this area, whether it was his connection with Ritsu telling him so, or the hours of running that was fogging up his already panicking brain.
It was a place of memories for both of them. Mao sitting in the shade to keep a sleepy Ritsu company until the sun left and they could run around and play as much as they pleased. Multiple detours from their walks to and from school, with Ritsu on his back, complaining about how sunny it was but continuing to talk to Mao despite his exhaustion. Mao blurting out a confession on a late night walk with Ritsu, unable to hide how much he adored the other boy, basked in silvery moonlight.
Mao's journey down nostalgic memories ended abruptly as he caught sight of something in the distance. A dark figure, curled against a tree.
Ritsu.
Ritchan.
He wanted to call his name, to run over and scoop him up, hug him as tight as he could and kiss him just to confirm that this was his Ritchan, and he was still here with Mao. But he needed to be more tactful, for Ritsu's sake.
Red eyes were already blinking at him, but Mao did not try to tackle him into an embrace. Ritsu looked tired. Mao could tell he hadn't slept for a second since vanishing from ES. He looked like he had been crying for hours, his chest still heaving slightly from the amount of tears he shed. Ritsu looked far too similar to the boy who had been abandoned by the world not too long ago.
But Mao would stay. He promised he would stay. Mao walked up to Ritsu before eyeing the spot beside him, with Ritsu giving him a tiny nod, shuffling to give Mao space. Mao wanted to touch him. To hold him gently, to reassure him that he would be okay. Mao didn't even need to ask, as Ritsu immediately clung onto his arm, curling against his side and leaning his head against his shoulder. His hands were slightly shaky but that was okay. Mao put his hand over Ritsu's and squeezed it gently, easing the tension.
It was silent for a while, as Ritsu's harsh breathing slowly eased. Mao was happy to wait, leaving kisses on his head and rubbing circles on Ritsu's waist to help him calm down enough to speak.
"...Sorry."
There it was again. The broken voice, the fragile tone.
"There's nothing to apologise for, Ritchan. It's okay."
"...I scared you though, didn't I...? I know I scared Mikarin too... M'sorry."
"You did, yeah." Mao admitted, though his tone was still soft, with not a hint of accusation. "While I don't like it when you disappear, I just want to know you're safe when it happens. And I want you to know that you're safe coming to me if you feel like disappearing. Whenever."
"...Okay. Thank you, Maa-kun."
"Any time, Ritchan. I love you, okay?"
Ritsu seemed to want to say more, but his voice wasn't allowing him much more than simple sentences and single word responses. And so, he nestled up further into Mao's arms, the two of them watching as the sun slowly vanished.
It wasn't until the last slivers of light had left that Ritsu had spoken.
"I thought it would be easier." Ritsu mumbled, his voice much more stable than before, if not a little hoarse from the long silence. "To disappear. To leave before everyone else could leave me."
"...Ritchan-"
Ritsu shook his head adamantly and continued, determined on finishing his train of thought.
"It's going to happen inevitably, right? Maa-kun has Trickstar. Trickstar makes you happy. I want Maa-kun to be happy. Knights is already disjointed since Secchan and Tsukipi are usually overseas, and Suuchan can only do so much to hold things together after me and Naruchan leave. Even Anija can't stay in one place for too long. If I vanished, it would be okay. Everyone would have somewhere to go. They wouldn't care for long about someone like me. This should have been the easiest option." Ritsu tucked his knees in, curling into himself. This thought was clearly not a spontaneous one, most likely stewing for far too long in Ritsu's head.
"...Ritchan, you matter so much to everyone. Even if you don't see it, I know that no one would be the same if you were gone. Not Knights, and especially not me. I don't know what I'd do if you were gone. We've been together for so long and I won't let you leave so easily now. No matter how far away we might end up from each other, I'll always be Ritchan's Maa-kun and I'll always come back to you. I promised, didn't I?"
"...You remembered."
"Of course. I'll be here for you, so you need to stay and be here with me as well, okay?" Mao hummed, kissing his forehead.
"I'll go wherever Maa-kun goes." Ritsu said firmly, leaning into Mao's touch.
Good, because I want you right here, with me." Mao nodded, squeezing Ritsu tighter in his arms. "And, I think we both know that your brother would go absolutely ballistic if anything happened to you." Ritsu laughed softly at the thought, a rare but appreciated smile gracing his face.
"Anija would probably kill someone if I framed them well enough." Ritsu's laugh was muffled as Mao pinched his cheek, halfheartedly scolding his boyfriend for such a morbid joke.
But he supposed he couldn't complain when his Ritchan was laughing and smiling again. Amongst the soft laughter however, Ritsu had shivered slightly, taking further refuge in Mao's warmth by pushing himself even closer against his chest.
No wonder. It was getting dark, and though that meant more energy for vampires, no one could escape the chill of the night.
"Ritchan, can I stay over at your place tonight? Or would you rather stay at mine? No dorms tonight though, I think we deserve a night alone."
"My place then. Anija won't bother us but Maa-kun's sister might." Ritsu decided, crawling onto Mao before slumping on top of him, staring up expectantly for his boyfriend to carry him.
"Mm, okay. Let's go." Mao complied, moving to lift the boy sprawled on top of him, securing him easily in his arms.
There was more to discuss later, but for tonight, Mao was happy with helping Ritsu cook a low effort meal for the two of them (and willfully ignoring the little plate of leftovers that Ritsu left in the fridge for Rei), turning on the TV just to ignore it in favour of talking to each other and falling asleep cuddled up on the couch.
It didn't matter that they would get terrible back pain and sore muscles tomorrow from being so tightly pressed against each other, not due to lack of space but rather because Mao wouldn't dare to let Ritsu go, and Ritsu was just as affectionate towards Mao while asleep as he was awake. It didn't matter if Rei would catch them in the morning, with Mao awaking to Ritsu hissing at his brother as he hid Mao protectively in his arms, away from Rei's line of sight.
Everything held an air of familiarity and comfort, and that's exactly what both of them needed right now. A reminder that their relationship had not and will not drift in the slightest. Maa-kun would always find his Ritchan after all.
"Ritchan, you know you can tell me anything, right? It doesn't matter what. I'll listen."
Ritsu hummed absently, pulling the blankets up to his chin, his head pressed against Mao's chest, Mao cradling him against his body.
"I don't wanna burden Maa-kun though. Maa-kun is stressed enough already."
"I worry more when I don't get to see you then with any work I have to do. I'll always make time for you, though. It's never a burden to be with you."
"...Yeah?"
"Of course."
"I'll stay. I promise. For Maa-kun."
-
It was a cloudless night, giving the moon and stars all the room in the world to shine down on Mao on his little evening walk.
Ordinarily, a late night at school only meant finishing off student council work and exhaustedly hauling himself home to throw himself into bed. But tonight, Mao felt so much lighter as he locked doors behind him, navigating through the hallways by moonlight. He had a destination and a plan set out for tonight, and he could not wait to follow through with it after getting through the whole week.
The garden terrace was now in sight as Mao exited the main building, appearing almost dreamlike as silvery light pooled in through the windows, causing the space to ever so slightly glow and glisten.
It seemed to be void of any other person however, which was strange. It was quite easy to notice any silhouettes due to the excess of moonlight, and yet there was no one in sight. He was meant to be here by now, but it wouldn't be surprising if Mao were to find a sleeping body somewhere in-
Ah.
Two hands had wrapped around him from behind, pulling Mao into a very familiar presence.
"Maa-kun~" A warm puff of air hit his ear, nearly causing Mao to whirl around and punch the person clinging onto him if his senses hadn't immediately recognised the soft voice and comforting touch.
"Aagh?! Ritchan?!"
"Hehe~ You're finally here~" Mao could feel lips brush against his neck, trailing up his nape as Ritsu made himself comfortable pressed against his boyfriend.
"Mm, I didn't make you wait too long, did I?" Mao sighed, letting his nerves settle as he leaned back against the older boy, letting him do as he pleased.
"I would be mad if it wasn't Maa-kun, but it is, so I'll forgive you~" Ritsu said, muffled by the tiny kisses left on the back of his head. "Now come on, sit, sit~ I've prepared everything already and worked so hard for Maa-kun, so Maa-kun just needs to relax~"
Mao was then promptly shoved down onto a wooden chair, now sat in front of a tea set and a platter of incredibly grotesque-looking sweets. Ritsu slid into the chair opposite to him, grinning proudly at his little feast.
"Maa-kun must be tired from all that work, right? Haa-kun told me this tea relieves stress so I made some just for Maa-kun~"
Though it was more of a statement than an offer, Mao still nodded in affirmation, leaning back to watch his boyfriend get to work.
This was nice, Mao decided. It was something they did not have enough time for as of recently, with the amount of work he had piling up as well as Ritsu's commitment to Knights getting in the way of pleasures such as going on dates. While this was a more compromised situation then they would have liked, taking place late on a school day, Ritsu's plan of a midnight tea party worked out rather nicely.
The garden terrace had an ethereal feeling to it under starlight, as if he had wandered into straight into a fairy tale. And best of all, it was night time, meaning Ritsu looked as happy as ever.
While Mao had seen this sight millions of times before, it never ceased to amazing him how lively Ritsu would look when basked in moonlight, the contrast being quite literally as different as night and day. He was glad for it too. The night suited Ritsu, complimenting his features in remarkable ways. Red eyes always seemed to glow brighter, and his face would light up, the cheeky grin on his face with tiny fangs occasionally peeking out ever present in the starry night. Ritsu was playful, smug, affectionate, kind. He could tell how much Ritsu had grown now that these aspects of him were seen by others, and not just a childhood secret known only by Mao. But right now, in the moonlight, alone with Mao, Ritchan could be his.
It suited Ritsu, to be strong.
An amused hum snapped Mao out of his Ritsu-induced reverie, with the vampire giving him a funny look as he passed over a steaming teacup.
...Did he say that out loud?
"It suits Maa-kun too." Ritsu let out a breathy laugh, Mao's dazed expression giving all the context he needed. "Sometimes I miss the old crybaby Maa-kun but I like all Maa-kuns no matter what."
"Do you really think I've changed that much?" Mao blinked, taking a sip of the tea, (Not too bitter. A nice choice by Hajime, who he'd need to thank later.) before gently placing the cup onto the saucer.
"Maa-kun's gotten braver. More confident. I remember when you would doubt if you were even a good idol~ And now Maa-kun is student council president and performing with Trickstar~ Maa-kun can't spoil me as much now, but it's nice to see everyone realise how cool Maa-kun is. But you can't forget that I'm your first and your biggest fan when you become super famous, okay?~ "
"You say that as if Knights isn't one of the biggest units around right now! I should be asking Ritchan not to forget me instead, hm? You've grown so much and you have so many people to depend on now, maybe you won't need Maa-kun at all."
"I don't care how far I go into the sunlight. I'd rather die than leave or forget Maa-kun." Ritsu declared without a hint of his usual lighthearted and teasing tone. His eyes softened as he stood up, walking over to Mao before holding his arms out.
"Maa-kun~"
"Ritchan..."
Mao stood up to meet his boyfriend's embrace, smiling against his shoulder as Ritsu began to sway. A waltz.
One, two, three.
It was a gentle dance, amongst the moon and stars.
Ritsu hummed, and Mao followed along.
One, two, three.
"...Thank you for finding me, Maa-kun."
One, two, three.
"Thank you for always coming back to me, Ritchan."
The tempo slowed, as the couple steadied in each other's arms, their foreheads bumping together as they met halfway. They were fated to be. Bonded in a way that nothing in the world could part the unlikely duo.
From a sickly young boy and his guide to the sunlight,
To a lost vampire trying to hold on tight to his anchor,
And now, the sun and the moon, knowing they inevitably must part but always returning to one another, no matter how far away they may be.
But for now, the universe would let them hold each other for a little longer.
One, two, three.