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Somehow at today's night, the alters found themselves coincidentally gathered in the same room either chilling or busy with their own thing. It was all totally unplanned, but not unwelcome as long as nobody was trying to agitate someone deliberately. Even the oil and water of their group, Rias and Kanekuro, had a silent truce by acting like they didn't acknowledge each other's existence and were busy with their own activities.
Eki and Box were having hushed, small talk in another side of the living room while the other three sat on the same couch―both Kanekuro and Rias took Hikarino's sides respectively, sandwiching the sorcerer―shared the silence as they focused on their own activities. It was a nice atmosphere without any sense of incoming trouble.
But suddenly, soft thud suddenly rang through in the middle of comfortable silent. All of them paused from their own activities and scanned the entire room, trying to find the source of the sound.
Not so long after, their ears caught a soft snore and immediately all eyes went to the source of the sound―found out that apparently Hikarino who had dozed off, completely with an opened book lying beside his feet. His head was half drowned in Kanekuro's thick jacket as he unconsciously leaned on the person sitting beside him, who was the confused but thoroughly amused mafia. The man himself didn't realize Hikarino was resting his head to him as he couldn't even feel the extra weight on his shoulder until he realized there was a purple streak peeking on the corner of his sight.
Someone cooed softly. Kanekuro couldn't catch who did it as he barely heard it, but he couldn't shame anyone who did that (except if it was Rias, of course) for accidentally doing it out loud as he was tempted to do the same if he weren't trained to control himself. The sight of Hikarino suddenly falling asleep while they're all gathered in the same room like this was really adorable; he couldn't help but raise his hand and attempt to scoot him closer.
Just when his fingers almost touched Hikarino's side, Kanekuro felt a strong killing intent. He looked at the source and found Rias was glared at him, veins popped out and hand trying to reach his hidden knife oh-so subtly. The mafia boss snorted at the sight.
Jealous, aren't you? he taunted in delight. His grin widened as he gently pulled the sleeping Hikarino closer to his embrace, indulging in the calming warmth of the sorcerer and radiating fury of his most hated nemesis. It felt as if he was killing two birds with one stone.
"...Mm."
Both of them simultaneously froze up as Hikarino suddenly shifted his position. The shorter man turned to his side facing the black-haired man, hummed in content enjoying the warm fur of Kanekuro's outer jacket, then continued asleep in a half-curling position. If Hikarino had been simply leaning on Kanekuro before, he right now was latched his entire body toward him and refused to let go.
It was, to put it in a very simple manner, adorable . It reminded Kanekuro with a cat video he once watched where the young kitten refused to leave its human's lap and kept curling at the same place. Combined with the intensifying glare from Rias, he really couldn't ask more for another blessing.
It was the best night ever, no doubt.
Just when Kanekuro wanted to infuriate Rias more, Eki broke their silent quarrel. "Stop right there, both of you," he said. "Let Hikarino sleep in peace."
The novelist glared at those two to make his point. He was the one who would scold Rias and Kanekuro other than Hikarino whenever they caused too much chaos. Lately Eki was being pretty overprotective with the Hikarino’s wellbeing ever since they managed to understand more and more about the ever-mysterious sorcerer from another world.
"Poor kid," Box walked closer and half-kneeled in front of Hikarino, moving his bangs to get a closer look on his face. He spoke in a hushed tone in order not to wake up the sleeping man. "He must've been working hard lately. Look at the dark circles under his eyes... Kanekuro?"
"What?"
"Can you bring him to bed?"
Kanekuro raised his eyebrow while Rias frowned at the words. "Why me?" Kanekuro asked. Not that he didn't want to, but usually Box always asked Rias whenever Hikarino was involved in his request.
"I don't want to disturb his sleep and your position is perfect to lift him up."
"...Good point," Kanekuro glanced at Rias. The man seemed not happy about it yet chose not to say anything. Perhaps he had found the truth in his words, even if the man was clearly against it.
Well. Loser had no right to bark.
Without any hassle, Kanekuro put his jacket to cover Hikarino’s body before lifting the shorter male in a bridal hold gently to not wake him up. He was so light; too light much to his own liking. It’s as if he was holding a bag of feathers, not a human adult.
He needs more muscle, Kanekuro thought. Compared to his counterpart, Hikarino was almost all bones and nothing else even after Rias’ attempt to introduce him to modern cuisines so he would eat other than bread and fruits only. Muscle trains won’t hurt.
Perhaps they could start with an easy one, like taking a stroll or light exercises. Maybe he could also install a personal gym here—money was never a problem and less potential annoying people getting too close to what’s not theirs. He had heard stories from his subordinates.
Choices, choices.
For his final jab, Kanekuro threw a smirk at Rias and obnoxiously drank the sight of him bristling like a cat stepped on its tail. He could hear Box sighed exasperatedly and Eki stared at the back of his head in disapproval, but he chose to ignore those two. He had a sleeping beauty—how he managed to not wake up was beyond him—needed to be escorted back to bed.
Stay mad, bitch, Kanekuro mouthed at the killer detective and walked away without waiting for the response. He didn’t have to turn back to see how angry Rias was; the killing intent was so strong it was so close to materialize from thin air and stab him in the chest.
What a damn loser you are, Rias.
The mafia boss hummed in delight as he strolled to his destination. Every so often, he would look down and admire the sleeping face of Hikarino. He knew the young man was attractive with doe eyes and long eyelashes, but there was something ethereal that made him more attractive than any woman he had encountered back in the past and in the present. Perhaps it’s because of his innocent aura—something that was so rare akin to finding an oasis in the middle of a savannah. Something that awakened his inner possessiveness, yet at the same time wanting to let him fare by his own wings like a bird flying freely in the vast sky.
It was confusing. Emotions were confusing, but he had long accepted that it’s better to not think about it too much. Humanity was a creature of complexes; he had no longer questioned what and why he wanted something, all he thought was how to conquer what’s not his yet.
He was a king. And as a king, it was his job to protect his own subjects and treasures.
(Hikarino was his treasure. Maybe one day it wouldn’t be his anymore, but even so it didn’t change the fact that Hikarino was— is —his treasure.)
Kanekuro stopped his track on the bedroom’s door and slowly opened it with his elbow, minding Hikarino’s head to not accidentally hit the door. He then brought the man inside and gently placed it on the side of the bed. After that, he took off all of his clothes until the boxer left, before throwing himself to the other side of the bed.
The man smirked at the sight of Hikarino sleeping in front of him and spooned him closer to his embrace.
He wasn’t wrong. No one said it had to be Hikarino’s bedroom, right? It could be anyone, including his own. If someone had to blame, then it’s Box’s fault for not being clear with his instruction. Kanekuro only did per his request.
Kanekuro sighed in content and closed his eyes, enjoying the comfortable warmth of another body under his arm.
Tomorrow would be very, very interesting to witness.