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Everything felt peaceful.
Sure- it’d be hard for anyone to feel anything but that right now. The sleepy Shibuya night was enough to make anyone feel at ease. The inky sky stretched for miles, a thin veil of stars and a gorgeous full moon bathing the entire city in a beautiful golden glow.
But Rui Kamishiro didn’t need the vast night sky to feel as tranquil as he did at this moment. In fact, the source of his good mood was mere inches away.
He still looked stellar. Even with hair sprawled in every possible direction and lips slightly parted, he outshone even the brightest of stars.
It just proved to the Director that there was never a moment when the Amber-Eyed boy didn’t capture every ounce of his heart.
-----
If you had told Rui Kamishiro a decade prior that he’d be lying beside someone who cared for him this dearly, quirks and all, he’d ask if you’d gone mad. That Rui had fully mapped out how he would spend the rest of his days- off in his eccentric little world, perfectly content with withdrawing away from anyone who attempted to knock his walls down.
But now, his script has been completely flipped, and the director was unable to imagine a world without those he had the pleasure of calling “friends.” He had Wonderlands x Showtime- the thing he treasured more than anything he’d ever known. He’d saved his childhood friend from drifting into the same lonely void as he had done years prior. He’d made people smile, smile at the same tricks and mechanics that others used to judge and jeer at.
He felt… happy. Something he hadn’t had the pleasure of feeling in quite a while.
And it was all because someone- with wheat-colored hair and deep-orange eyes, decided to give him a chance. Yes, Tsukasa Tenma. The man who was subjected to all of Rui's whims, time and time again.
Yet- no matter what the Purplenette did, the Blonde would never stray from his side. Rui would tease, torment, and tire- yet Tsukasa would still appear at his side the very next day. Even if Tsukasa’s name was dragged through the mud time and time again as a result of Rui’s own hubris, he stayed. He’d always make the director feel exceptionally special, no matter what.
Maybe that’s what originally lit a spark in Rui’s heart. He’d always viewed the boy as beautiful, but the more time the pair would spend in each other’s company, the more Rui felt himself falling head over heels for the Starlet. He’d planned to just… bury the emotions deep down inside his soul- dreading the mere concept of losing someone like Tsukasa should he reject him.
However, Rui was merely human. And some emotions that humans experience are designed to not be hidden away. And so, Rui held onto that chance, that sliver of hope, that Tsukasa might entertain the mad idea.
Rui could replay that scene again and again in his head for all eternity. The pair softly perched on the roof of Phoenix Stage- cuddled up in blankets under a starry night sky. Rui waxed poetic to Tsukasa, capturing him in an endless net of compliments as the latter tried to hide within the blanket. The Director remembered the confession.
The Following Silence- where mere seconds became an eternity. The moment when Tsukasa grasped Rui’s hand- squeezing it so tight, Rui could’ve sworn his fingers would shatter into tiny pieces. Their first embrace, where the two felt as if they were the only two left on earth…
Even to this day, Rui could never find the words to describe how overjoyed he felt at that moment. And that held true for most of his memories alongside the other boy. Their graduation- where Rui launched fireworks off the roof mere minutes after the pair collected their paperwork. Finally buying their house- after the pair had worked several side jobs alongside acting so they finally had a place to call home. The countless anniversaries, birthdays, and Valentine's Days- where the two often fought endlessly about who would pull off the best celebration plans for the other…
And who could forget when Rui took Tsukasa back to where it all began, proposing to his Star upon the very same roof where he had confessed many moons ago? Where they laughed and screamed and kissed the night away, practically bathing head-to-toe in their joys…
-----
Rui finds himself snapping back to reality, distracted by just how peaceful and adorable the man beside him appeared to be. Sure- his hair was a little longer, and the freckles that dotted his face had spread, lightly dusting his ears with faint brown dots. But deep down, he was still the same Tsukasa Tenma who he had met on that rooftop all those years ago.
Despite the clock beside his bed showing “00:20” in big purple letters, the young Director’s mind is far too active to rest. And so, Rui’s eyes darted around the room, desperately searching for an activity to occupy himself until he was ready to rest.
Soon, Rui’s fluorescent eyes landed on the neon stars covering every inch of the surface above them. They’re the type you’d get as a kid- the ones you’d stick on your walls and ceiling with Blu-Tack so you had something to stare at on restless nights. Rui remembered fighting with Tsukasa tooth and claw when the pair found them on sale at the hardware store.
However, looking at the faint, translucent glow above his head does give the latter an idea of how he can spend his evening. The only problem was that it was an activity much better suited for two.
Rui bites his lip. As much as he’d love to pry the Starlet beside him awake, he hates the idea of disturbing Tsukasa while he’s off in Dreamland. He decides that the best course of action is to return there himself- after all, he wouldn’t want to appear sleep-deprived in the morning and make his dearest Star worry.
But Rui shuts his eyes. He tosses. He turns. And alas, nothing works. The clock flashes “00:57”, and he is still well and truly alert.
And so, the Purplenette decides he will execute his plan after all. And, despite his heart twinging with guilt at the thought of disturbing his sweetheart, he was determined to bring Tsukasa along with him.
And so, with a heavy heart, Rui placed a gentle hand on Tsukasa’s shoulder. He gently begins to shake the other awake.
“Tsukasa? Darling? Wake up…”
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“Tsukasa? Darling? Wake up…”
Tsukasa's heavy, tired eyelids begin to flutter open, his body still processing the sudden disturbance of his slumber. Upon awakening, he’s met with the cat-like stare and the gentle smile of his beloved Rui, the faint neon glow of the stick-on stars above giving him a particularly mysterious appearance.
“Mmhhh? Good Morning, my Angel.”
“Ah… well, I wouldn’t quite say Good Morning, my Star…”
Furrowing an eyebrow, Tsukasa glances at the clock beside him, eyes widening as he reads the digits “01:02.”
“RUI?! WHY DID YOU-“
“Shhhh…” Rui cooed, his smirk widening by the second. “All will be explained, sweetheart.”
“Mmmmph… what were you so desperate for that you felt the need to disturb a star’s Beauty Sleep?” Tsukasa grumbled, attempting to turn over and drift straight back into slumber. That plan didn’t last long, however, as Rui cruelly tore away the pair’s duvet and flung it to the other end of the room. Tsukasa let out a yelp at the sensation of cold air hitting him from every direction.
“Tsukasa-Kun, come and watch the stars with me.”
“Mmmffff?”
“Pleaseeeee?” The Purplenette pleaded. “We don’t need to go outside if that’s what you wish… but I didn’t want to look at them without having my star beside me…”
Tsukasa watched in defeat as the other boy’s eyes widened more and more by the second. His expression was akin to that of a kicked kitten. Sure- his entire body felt as heavy as a ton of bricks, and his eyelids stung with drowsiness, but how could he deny a request from his beloved director?
“Mmmph, fine…” Tsukasa sighed- watching as the director’s face lit up at the approval. “But only if you bring a blanket out.”
“Of course, my little Starlet. Anything you request.”
-----
“And that’s Aquarius if I’m not mistaken!”
“Rui, my love, how long have you spent reading up on constellations just to impress me?”
The two had decided to take residence on the window seat in their living room, with Tsukasa curling himself up in Rui’s lap. They had begun by just talking about the stars themselves before Rui had decided to show off to the Blonde beside him.
It was meant to be subtle, but Tsukasa could read Rui’s true intentions like a book.
“Hmmmmm…” Rui replied, looking away in mock embarrassment, earning himself a laugh from the other. “Anything to earn your praise, my Prince.”
Now, it was Tsukasa’s turn to look away, the choice of pet name catching him off guard.
“Hmmm, is ‘Prince’ a little too much for you, Tsukasa-Kun?” Rui teased, marveling at how Tsukasa’s face darkened by the second. “Would you rather I call you ‘My Hero?’”
“Mmph…” Tsukasa mumbled, burying himself into the other’s shoulder.
“How about ‘My Sunshine?’”
“Rui…”
“My Starlight?”
“Hey…”
“My Snuggly Wuggly Booboo Bear?”
“Okay, what the fuck.” Tsukasa said- before the pair dissolved into a fit of laughter.
“My bad, Tsukasa-Kun. I must admit it sounded less horrendous in my head.”
“LESS?”
The pair took a second or two to calm down, before turning their attention to the inky sheet of blue in front of their eyes.
“My Sunflower?”
“Rui Kamishiro, you are on thin fucking ice,” Tsukasa muttered.
“Hmmm… I think I can live with that.” Rui responded. “If it means that I get to name all the wonderful things in this world that remind me of you, then that’s all that matters.”
Finally admitting defeat, Tsukasa simply huffed as he shuffled around in Rui’s arms.
“Although, I suppose that if I was to choose any flower for you, it would have to be a Tulip.”
“Hm? How come?” Tsukasa asked, twinges of drowsiness becoming apparent in his voice.
“Well… Tulips are used to convey “Perfect Love.” But there are also different secondary meanings depending on the color of the tulip. So for example, purple tulips represent Royalty, while yellow has evolved from representing Hopeless Love to general feelings of happiness and sunshine…”
-----
At some point, Tsukasa found himself getting lost in the other man’s words, seeing from the faint reflection in the mirror how his eyes sparkled while explaining the meaning of each and every flower that came to his mind: Rose, Orchid, Peony…
It wasn’t a rare sight, not by any means. Rui would often spill fact after fact about whatever niche thing had piqued his interest. Tsukasa would attempt to listen- to keep up with Rui’s enthusiasm about the discussed subject, but would often end up spacing out, entering into a state of relaxation like no other as he listened to Rui’s voice Wax Poetic in the most incredible ways.
He couldn’t believe he was lucky enough to call himself the boyfriend- no, the fiancé of such an incredible individual. With a heart and mind as rich as a palace, Tsukasa found it hard to put into words just how much he cared for the Purplenette. He was an enigma- but for as wild and wacky as life with him could be, Tsukasa knew for certain that he’d never get tired of it.
The world was their oyster, after all. And neither of them had any intention of letting that freedom go to waste.
-----
Tsukasa felt himself beginning to drift off- a combination of his relaxation and contentment causing him to snap in and out of consciousness on a dime.
Staring at the man behind him, who was still rattling on about flowers, something rang a bell in Tsukasa’s groggy brain. Something he’d heard about in passing a while ago.
“Don’t… Carnations represent fascination and distinction?” Tsukasa asked, slightly tilting his head. “Because if so… then you remind me of a Carnation…”
Tsukasa’s filter was mostly gone now- his entire brain going into auto-pilot due to his sleepy state. But when Rui blushed and affectionately ruffled his hair, he couldn’t bring himself to care.
“Ooh! If we can see Aquarius, then I can probably show you my favorite Constellation of all time!” Tsukasa suddenly said, desperately tracing the infinite lines of tiny white dots in front of him. “There it is! It’s called the Pega…”
One look back would reveal to the Starlet that Rui had drifted off to sleep- his head slightly slumped against a cushion leaning idly on the window seat. Tsukasa giggled, planting a quick kiss on Rui’s head before the latter was swept up into the Former’s arms. Tsukasa placed Rui on the bed, taking just a second to appreciate just how precious and tranquil the other appeared to be. He grabbed the duvet from its place on the floor, gently draping it over the bed before climbing in beside his lover. Taking one last second to admire him- the man who he’d gladly travel to the end of the world with, Tsukasa shut his eyes, slightly parting his lips to say one last thing to the man beside him for that night.
“Sweet dreams, my darling Carnation.”