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Rio heard the opening and shutting of the front door as soon as he had finished his share of household chores. Before he could even address the person who had entered, the bassist had already collapsed on the couch he had just finished dusting.
“Hey, are you alright?” The pianist asked, only to be met with an exasperated grunt from his redhead companion, “If you’re stressed out you could talk to me.”
“Sorry for messing up the couch. I just wanna sleep right now,” replied Wataru before dozing off. Just after a few seconds he was sound asleep, even accompanied by faint snores which drew a chuckle out from Rio.
He had been harboring feelings towards his songwriting partner for some time now. It felt like they were inseparable; his melodies wouldn’t survive without lyrics, and vice versa. Though they were known for their constant arguments over the smallest of things, if either of them left the band, the sound of Argonavis would be fundamentally different.
It’s not just that, though. Aside from the band perspective, his connection with Matoba feels more personal. He isn’t just the band lyricist, but a dear someone who keeps him and the group steady. His challenging and bold tone towards Rio excites equally as it irritates him. Wataru brought color to Rio’s monotone world, and lit a spark in his heart in a time where all hope was lost. Well, there’s also the fact that the pianist found him extremely adorable in any expression he made. There’s a unique charm in him which keeps Rio willing to make any dessert he’s asked, or play along by composing tunes to Wataru’s lyrical whims.
The keyboardist silently walks to the couch to watch on his friend. He crouches beside him, staring intently at the sleeping boy’s face and its features that were bathed in the sunlight. Him sleeping looked so serene, yet Rio couldn’t help but notice his fatigue— his deep eyebags and blistered fingers from writing too much (both class notes and song lyrics). He had a scent of frosting and coffee, meaning he probably came from a cafe to have dessert. After months of knowing Wataru, he knew that he’d eat a lot of desserts when he’s stressed, and it saddened him to know that he’d rather suffer a sugar crash than let his friends know what he’s going through. Besides that, Rio felt a surge of jealousy bubble up within him, knowing that he could make sweets as good for Wataru, while also being by his side to listen to any of his rants.
In any case, it was only him and the boy he liked in the sharehouse alone. They rarely got to be together like this, so this was an opportune moment. As if in a daze, he reaches out for his soft cheek, eyes gleaming in longing whilst feeling the warm air exiting Wataru’s nose. He held a blush, showing an unexpected bashful side of himself to his sleeping partner.
I like you.
I like you so much.
“Matoba… I—“
“We’re home!” The door was slammed wide open once again, the rest of the band flooding with lively chatter as they entered.
Agh, what horrible timing. Rio could only sigh in defeat, removing his hand from Wataru’s face. He approached the door to greet the remaining three while leaving the sleeping redhead to his long slumber. He took one last glance at the sunlit couch, the feeling of butterflies in his stomach fading quickly.
“Welcome home, you guys. Would fried rice be good for dinner tonight?” Banri, Yuto, and Ren cheered in agreement, with Pon-chan jumping wildly alongside them.
As if nothing had happened, Rio snickered and got right back to work, preparing the ingredients for the meal. He gestured a finger to his lips, letting everyone know to let the bassist get a peaceful nap. Little did he know that Wataru was awake the whole time, having heard and felt everything, blushing like a madman.