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“Ready?” Ren asks, squeezing Kyo’s hand.
“Yeah.” Kyo sighs. He’s spent the past month hyping himself up, telling himself that it’s not a big deal.
Ren said it himself… they all already know…
Kyo takes a deep breath and nods, quickly walking into the common area of their dorms. He’s basically dragging Ren, who stumbles, catches himself, and quickly keeps a steady pace next to Kyo. He leads Ren to the table and sits, keeping their hands intertwined. Aia and Aster are cooking breakfast and Maria has already set the table. Kyo looks around nervously and Ren squeezes Kyo’s hand again. Kyo looks up at him and Ren gives him a supportive smile. “Good morning!”
“Morning Maria.” Kyo responds and everyone else greets them. Ren’s ankle hooks under Kyo’s and he swings their legs forward. Kyo kicks his leg away and Ren breathily laughs. Scarle helps them bring food to the table and they begin to eat. Nobody mentions the closeness and soft touches Ren and Kyo exchange.
Why aren’t they saying anything?
As soon as the thought crosses Kyo’s mind, Ren stands and grabs his and Kyo’s plate. As he passes Kyo with the empty plates, he gives him a kiss on the head. Kyo’s eyes drop to the table and he listens to Ren walk toward the sink. “Awe.” Aia sounds, immediately followed by the rest hushing her. “Oh come on, it’s cute… and kinda gross…”
“We’re trying not to make it a big deal…” Scarle whispers loudly.
“It kinda is a big deal though.” Maria says, smiling at Kyo. “They’re comfortable showing their feelings for each other in front of us.”
“Maria’s right. It is a big deal.” Kyo starts. “We’re in a relationship, but nothing big is changing so… there. That’s it.”
“So… How long?” Aster asks shamelessly.
Of course he’s interested in the details.
“Long enough.” Kyo deflects and Ren laughs. He sits back down next to Kyo and grabs his hand. Everyone’s staring full force now. “What?”
“Well… We all kinda had a feeling you were going to end up together. What’s the story?” Scarle finally joins.
I’m not telling them that!
“I asked him out when we were hanging out one night a little while back.” Ren answers. He keeps it vague, much to Kyo’s relief. They ask a few more questions, but stop before they nag too much. Kyo feels like a weight has been lifted off his chest, not having to hide his feelings from the people he trusts anymore.
***
“Here.” Kyo says, holding something out to Ren. Ren had been moping around that day, his emotions getting the better of him over the past week.
“What’s this?” Ren asks, looking at the disc Kyo handed him. He looks at the abstract cover art and looks up at Kyo.
“Music. Something new. I saw it in the window of some store when I went to pick up my meds. It made me think of you.” Kyo answers, leaving out the part of him actively searching for a gift. “I’m not even sure if you’ll like it.”
“I do.”
“You haven’t even listened to it.” Kyo scoffs.
“Yes, but you got it because you thought of me. That honestly makes me feel a lot better.” Ren says, giving Kyo a soft smile. Kyo’s heart skips a beat and his eyes drop to the floor.
How can someone be so honest?
Kyo hears Ren shuffle around, then a mechanical, spinning hum. Soft guitar music begins to play. “Hmm… you did choose well.”
“Well I looked up the album to see what it was.”
“I thought you said you just saw it in a window?” Ren observes. Kyo stays silent. “Come ‘ere”
“Why?” Kyo whines, looking up at Ren. Ren has his hand extended toward Kyo wiggling his fingers as if enticing Kyo to come closer. Kyo rolls his eyes and accepts Ren’s hand, acting as if he’s doing Ren a favor. Ren giggles lightly and pulls Kyo close, rocking side to side. “What are you doing?”
“Dancing. I’ve seen humans dance together. They usually look so content.”
“That’s because they know what they’re doing.” Kyo mumbles, letting Ren rock them. It takes a moment, but Kyo wraps his arms around Ren, resting his head on Ren’s shoulder. “This is kinda nice.”
“This is really nice… Thank you so much…” Ren says. They continue for a while, rotating every so often. The soft, comfortable atmosphere almost makes Kyo sleepy. He yawns and presses his face harder against Ren’s shoulder, trying to hide it. He feels Ren lean his head down, then wetness against the shell of his ear. Kyo jerks back and glares at Ren, who laughs at Kyo’s offended expression.
Why?
“God, you’re so fucking cute when you’re embarrassed.” Ren whispers, pecking Kyo’s lips. “Your face gets so red.”
“It’s your fault.” Kyo hisses.
“That makes it even better.” Ren teases.
Fuckboy… at least he’s feeling better.
Kyo scoffs and rolls his eyes, then yawns again. “If you’re tired you should go to bed.” Ren suggests. “Or we can lay down together…”
He says that like we don’t almost every day…
“I don’t feel like walking back to my room so I’m using your charger tonight.” Kyo declares, walking to the night stand and plugging his phone in. He crawls into bed and gets comfortable, grabbing and hugging Nessie close as an afterthought. He hears Ren walk around the room, turning lights off and opening the curtain. Kyo sighs when the moon's light brushes his face, not even opening his eyes to know it’s touching him.
So much that he knows exactly what I need…
“You’re the best. Thank you again.” Ren whispers as he settles next to Kyo. Kyo finds his hand and holds it.
You’re much better than me. Much nicer… and sweeter…
***
“...and keep your head high, which won’t be too hard for you. Confidence is very important for royalty.” Ren explains. Kyo nods, trying to process the information.
Alien customs are so odd… I’m getting a headache…
“Also… I was wondering something…”
“What?” Kyo asks.
“Well… now that everyone in the group knows about us…”
“Yeah…” Kyo blushes.
“I was kinda wanting to…” Ren nervously trails off again.
“Wanting to..?” Kyo probes.
“Introduce you to my parents…” Kyo thinks for a moment and opens his mouth to respond. “...as a courtship.” Kyo’s mouth snaps shut.
Ren’s parents… Aliens… a species so different from humans, with different values and customs… and he wants to jump into introducing me as his boyfriend.
“Kyo..?” Ren calls, grabbing Kyo’s hand. “You’re kinda making me nervous…”
“How do you think I feel?” Kyo asks breathlessly, his stomach flipping uncomfortably.
“I mean… we don’t have to if you aren’t ready.” Ren reassures him, squeezing Kyo’s hand.
But…
“How different would it be?”
“Huh?”
“How different would it be from introducing me as a friend?” Kyo clarifies.
“Actually, not extremely different.” Ren answers. “Since I’m royalty, I’d have to do an “adorning” ritual with you to prove you’ve accepted my advances. Other than that, nothing’s all that different. Not unless we go to my planet.”
Adorning? That’s all that’s different? But..?
“What’s this adorning ritual all about?” Kyo asks nervously. It’s in that moment that he realises he’s been fidgeting with Ren’s rings. He can’t bring himself to stop.
“Decorating you? Like, I… It’s not makeup, but it kind of is, and I’d use it to color your face up, but it wouldn’t be like how Aster or Scarle does it… Kinda..? I guess it would be like me painting your face. Different patterns mean different things and it’ll be like a test for me.” Ren tries to explain.
“How is it a test?” Kyo asks, still as lost as he was before.
“Well, it’s like a test to show how well I know you. If I don’t do it right, I’ll basically be shunned…” Ren laughs. “We have to prove we pay attention to our special ones. Mates are life-long. My people hold that promise on a very high pedestal. If we can’t prove that we care enough, others are very quick to outcast and label.”
“They sound very judgy.” Kyo says before he can think.
“It’s for a good reason.” Ren defends. “If the next in line can’t even pay enough attention to their very special one, how could they ever properly rule a kingdom?”
Ruling!? Yeah… Ren’s destined to rule a planet… Where would that leave me..?
“I… I guess that sorta makes sense…” Kyo whispers, squeezing Ren’s hand. Ren squeezes back and leans down, trying to look at Kyo’s face. Kyo turns away slightly. Ren reaches out and caresses Kyo’s face, guiding the boy to look at him.
“We don’t have to though. Like I said, only if you’re comfortable with it.” Ren reminds him, studying the distant look in Kyo’s eyes. Kyo sighs and averts his eyes.
“It’s not that…” Kyo starts. “But I’d like some time to think about stuff… alone.”
“O-oh!” Ren stutters in surprise. “Um, yeah. I can give you time to think. Right now?”
“Yes please.” Kyo answers, refusing to meet Ren’s burning gaze. He feels Ren’s thumb pet his cheek and slide away.
“Alright then. We’ll pick this back up when you’re ready.” Ren says, standing. “Have a good night, okay?”
Thank you.
As Kyo listens to Ren approach the door, a thought crosses his mind. “Ren.”
“Yeah?” He answers, pausing in front of the door. Kyo stands, walking over to Ren. He sets his hands on Ren’s shoulders and looks into his eyes. Without warning, Kyo presses forward, kissing Ren. He feels Ren lean back against the wall, not anticipating the kiss. It’s passionate, but before they know it, Kyo pulls away.
“Goodnight.” Kyo says. He gives Ren another kiss, this time a short peck. Ren smiles and gives Kyo yet another peck.
“Goodnight.” Ren whispers, taking his leave when Kyo’s hands slide off of him. Kyo locks the door and walks back to his bed.
Why does everything have to be so complicated? Though… I think I already know my answer…
***
“Kyo. You’re freezing!” Ren comments loudly, wrapping his arms around the shivering boy. Kyo doesn’t even pretend to complain, cuddling up to the, usually colder, alien.
“Some of the ice users got out of hand.” Kyo explains between the chattering of his teeth. “The teacher already bitched them out.”
God, I’m so fucking cold! I feel like that Anna bitch from frozen…
“Your clothes are wet. Come on, let’s get you warmed up.” Ren says, walking Kyo towards the rooms. They pass by Kyo’s and go into Ren’s. Ren leads him to the bathroom and starts the water, rinsing the bottom of the tub as he waits for the water to warm up. Kyo sits on the toilet, only focusing on trying to feel his fingers again. He feels a tug on his jacket and looks up. “You should take your clothes off, you might get sick.” Kyo can physically feel his face heat up.
Take my clothes off!? He’s doing this shit on purpose!
Kyo opens his mouth to tell Ren off but is stopped by a sneeze. “Get in the bath, I’ll be right back with clothes.” Ren demands, quickly leaving the room. Kyo debates whether or not to lock the door. He looks over at the tub, seeing it full of bubbles.
He won’t see anything with the amount of bubbles in the tub… and warm clothes sound really nice…
Tired of being cold, Kyo starts to pull off his clothes. He kicks them to the side and steps into the water, the temperature stinging his skin. He hears Ren’s footsteps getting closer and quickly drops into the water, some of it almost sloshing out of the tub from the motion. He hisses quietly as his body is forced to warm up too quickly. Ren enters the bathroom without knocking and Kyo keeps his head turned away. “Got clothes.” Ren announces.
“Thanks…” Kyo mumbles. His body is almost adjusted to the water, the chill finally seeping out of his bones.
“It’s no problem. I know how easily you get cold. You must have felt like an ice cube.”
“I did…”
“Is everything alright?” Ren asks, noticing Kyo’s short answers. Kyo can feel his eyes on him. Watching him.
Like he doesn’t know…
“You’re fucking looking at me…”
“I always look at you.” Ren responds quickly. Kyo sinks further into the tub.
“I’m naked!” Kyo stammers, turning and looking at Ren from the corner of his eye. He sees Ren’s eyes widen and move to look elsewhere.
“Oh! Um… if it makes you feel better, I really wasn’t trying to look at you like that…”
“You sound like you were planning something though.” Kyo observes, not missing the odd tone in Ren’s voice.
“Well…” Ren nervously laughs. “I was wondering if I could join you?” Kyo’s stomach flutters dangerously.
“Like… in the bath?”
“Yeah.” Ren answers easily. “Not to do anything weird. Just… you know..? I think it’d be nice to share the bath with you.” Kyo can feel his heart pounding with nervousness.
“Just hurry up and get in.” Kyo decides quickly, turning to stare at the wall. Silence follows his outburst.
Was he joking? It didn’t sound like it.
The metallic sound of Ren’s belt hitting the ground snaps Kyo out of his head. He focuses on the sound of Ren’s clothes dropping to the floor, then his bare footsteps getting closer. Ren slides into the bath next to Kyo, but doesn’t touch him. Kyo is suddenly grateful for the large dorm bathtubs. He wishes, for every poor college student he sympathizes with, that earth college dorm rooms could have such nice amenities. “This okay?”
“Yeah.” Kyo says quickly. They sit in silence, the awkwardness slowly becoming comfortable as the time passes.
“Are you warm now?” Ren asks.
“Yeah, thank you.” Kyo adjusts himself, flinching when his hand brushes against Ren. “Sorry!”
“Don’t be.” Ren says, grabbing Kyo’s hand. Kyo hesitantly holds it back. It’s the last push past the awkwardness and they fall into an easy conversation. Slowly moving closer to each other. Kyo’s shoulder brushes against Ren’s, hyper aware of the feeling of his skin against his own.
This is actually really nice… comfortable.
Kyo can feel his eyes grow heavy and he leans his head against Ren. They stay like that until the water cools, causing Kyo to start shivering again. “Come on, let’s get dressed and watch a movie.”
“Kay…” Kyo responds sleepily. Ren smiles and unplugs the bath, the water swirling into the drain. Ren helps Kyo stand and turns the shower on, rinsing himself off and leaving the tub to let Kyo do the same. When he shuts the shower off, Ren is already dressed. He hands Kyo a dry towel and leaves the bathroom to let Kyo get dressed.
This was really relaxing… I kinda liked it…
Once Kyo dries himself enough that his hair doesn’t drip, he reaches for the clothes Ren brought him. He wants to feel irritated, but can’t bring himself to be. He puts on his underwear and sweatpants, then pulls on a favorite band sweater of Ren’s. It’s large on him, the sleeves going far past his hands. He looks at himself in the half-fogged mirror and blushes.
He isn’t that much bigger than me… Is he?
Images of Ren lifting things over his head to tease Kyo and Kyo having to reach to give Ren kisses cross his mind. He shakes his head and goes to leave the bathroom, pulling up the sleeves so he can grab the handle.
Don’t think about it… do. not. think. about. it.
Ren has his laptop set up on his nightstand, presumably browsing through movies. His attention snaps over to Kyo when he steps into the room, the aliens eyes look him down and back up. “The others are ordering pizza for dinner. I told them to get your regular.”
No… I’m not letting this slide.
“Thanks… you know this hoodie is really warm.” Kyo starts. “Smells nice too.”
“Yeah?” Ren smiles, looking a bit giddy.
“Yeah… good luck getting it back.”
“Huh?” Ren’s face twists in confusion. “Come on, it’s one of my favorites.”
“Well, you wanted me to wear it oh so badly, so… it’s mine now.” Kyo answers.
“How about this? You can borrow it whenever, but I keep it. That way it’ll still smell like me! Just the way you like it!”
Oh shit! Did I really say it like that?
A bit flustered, Kyo gives up the argument. He walks over to the bed and wraps himself in the blankets. “I was just joking around about stealing your hoodie.” Kyo admits. “But it is really comfortable.”
“I’m not taking back what I said about borrowing it. Whenever you want it, just ask.”
I might take him up on that…
“...you look so tiny…” Kyo hears Ren whisper under his breath.
“I. am. not. tiny.” Kyo pouts.
“Compared to my people, you are. You are very tiny.”
Compared to his people? He’s bigger in his alien form?
“I’ve never seen your alien form… How big are your people?” Kyo asks.
“I’ll show you one day.” Ren promises. “Not yet though. Things have to be perfect.”
Perfect?
“What about your parents? Aren’t they planning on visiting soon?”
“Yeah, but they’ll look more humanized.” Ren answers. “They know I’m fond of this planet and its people. They don’t want to scare anyone. They might bring a few of the little ones though.”
“Like, kids? You have siblings?”
“They’re pretty much kids, but no, I don’t have siblings. Also, I think the best translation would be little invaders.”
“Little invaders? How small are they?” Kyo laughs, finding the name a little too on the nose.
“About the size of a cat.”
“Cat small?”
“...a dog…” Ren grumbles. “Like a medium sized dog.”
How does he still have trouble after all of the KaNeko jokes?
“They’re super cute. You’ll like them.”
“Did you look like them once? Like when you were little?”
“Yep, I was a little Renvader once! I was a bit bigger than most others my age though. Still am in that form…”
He talks about his home pretty fondly. I wonder if he misses it?
“Your planet sounds really nice.”
“It’s pretty dangerous actually, but I’ll keep you safe when I take you there.”
“I’m sure you will.”
***
“Ren. I want to be introduced as your boyfriend.” Kyo says suddenly. Ren, caught off guard, plucks a wrong note on his guitar. Ren looks around, noticing that the rest of the group has wandered to different parts of the garden.
“Really?” Ren asks, sounding a bit stunned.
“Yeah.” Kyo confirms, avoiding Ren’s eyes. He feels Ren’s hand take his own, bringing it up to his lips and giving it a kiss.
“Are you just doing this because I asked you to? I don’t want y-”
“Fuck you!” Kyo snaps, quieting down to an angry whisper when a couple turns their heads. “Don’t assume things. You already know that when I make a decision, it’s a choice that I make because I want to… not just because I think it’ll make you happy.”
“I know… sorry.” Ren apologizes. “I just want to make sure you’re comfortable. I mean, we did just officially tell people here.”
“Do you want to introduce me as your boyfriend?” Kyo asks, finally looking at Ren.
“Of course! I-”
“Well I decided I want you to as well. So that’s that, there’s nothing else to discuss unless it’s about the actual meeting.” Kyo states. Ren can see a challenge in his eyes, daring him to argue. Ren smiles, squeezing Kyo’s hand and nodding.
“About a month from now.”
Huh?
“My parents are planning on visiting in about a month. I talked to them yesterday.” Ren explains.
“Then I guess that’s when I meet them.” Kyo answers, trying to hide his nervousness. Kyo pulls his hand out of Ren’s. “You should keep playing that new song. I really like it.”
And it just makes me feel better hearing your music…
“Sure…” Ren says happily, a flustered look on his face. Kyo doesn’t have a chance to decipher it before he strums the guitar. Looking around them, Kyo notices that most people have avoided their area, or at least are in their own world. Making sure he won’t disrupt Ren’s playing, Kyo leans against Ren, resting his head on his shoulder. They’re in their own peace, oblivious to the picture-taking from their peers.
***
Kyo flings open Ren’s door without a knock, slamming it behind him and making his way straight to Ren’s bed. “Kyo?” Ren calls from his desk, which Kyo ignores. He just kicks off his shoes as he walks and hides under Ren’s covers. He hears Ren set down whatever he was doing and approach the bed. It dips when he sits down but Kyo doesn’t move. “Do you have a headache?” Ren asks softly, being considerate if he did.
“No.” Kyo says shortly. A hand rests on his back, rubbing up and down in a comforting manner.
“Test day?” Ren guesses.
“No.”
“Were people being assholes?”
“...shut up.” Kyo hisses, giving Ren his answer. While most students usually mind their own, there are the few who like to pick fights. Unfortunately, they had decided to make comments towards Kyo that day, almost prompting Kyo into a fight. He refrained though, knowing how Ren would feel if he got hurt.
“I could have a talk with them.” Ren offers.
Hell no! There ain’t no way that I’m having my boyfriend talk to some stupid bullies for me!
“I’m fine… it was handled.”
“You don’t look fine. You sound upset. You don’t usually get upset by strangers' comments.” Ren observes. Kyo just sighs. “What can I do to make you feel better?”
Just being here makes me feel a bit better…
Kyo takes a deep breath, taking in the smell of Ren surrounding him. He can feel himself calm down. He feels Ren move, then weight pinning him down as Ren quickly straddles him. “What are you doing!?”
“Tickle, tickle!”
“YO!” Kyo yells, jerking back and forth, twisting around onto his back. Trying to escape the blanket to stop Ren’s attack. Giggles and laughs are forced out of him. He frees his head, but starts to panic when he realises he can’t stop Ren’s assault. “REN! S-STOP!”
“Stop being grumpy!” Ren giggles. He slows down the tickles, but doesn’t stop. Leaning down, Ren begins kissing all over Kyo’s cheerful face, blowing a raspberry into his neck when Kyo keeps shaking his head.
I’M GOING TO KILL HIM!
“REN! PLEASE! AHA! IT HURTS!” Kyo begs. Finally, Ren relents, taking his hands off of Kyo’s sides. Kyo gets out the last of his giggles out and glares at Ren. “Fuck you.”
“I love hearing your laugh. Even with all the music I’ve heard on earth, I think that it’s my favorite sound.” Ren says, a content smile on his face.
“That is the corniest shit you’ve ever said to me.” Kyo says monotonously, yet his red face betrays him.
“You liked it.” Ren teases. “And it’s not untrue. I really do love hearing you laugh and seeing you smile.” Kyo doesn’t answer, just pulls the blanket back over his face. Ren laughs at Kyo’s action.
Stupid…
“I like your laugh too… even though you sound like a fuckboy.”
“I’ll ignore that last part.” Ren laughs again, pulling the blanket down. He kisses Kyo before he can hide his face again. “Let’s go on a date tomorrow.”
Tomorrow?
“Tomorrow’s Saturday, isn’t it?”
“Yep. We can go to that cafe for lunch and go see a movie.”
“Then we could go to that music place you like.” Kyo suggests. “I know we haven’t had the chance to go together yet and I’ve kinda been browsing the bands. The one playing tomorrow sounds pretty good.” Kyo can see Ren’s face light up in excitement.
“Yeah! Let’s do it!”
“Cool… now could you get off me?” Kyo asks and Ren looks at the position they’re in.
“You know… I really like being on top of you.”
What. the. Fuck?
“Ren… you best take that back, right now!”
“I didn’t mean it like that!”
“Yeah right!”
***
Movie night with the group had always been something everyone enjoyed, but tonight Kyo is fidgety. While he’s usually making quips about the movie and engaging in a few conversations here and there, he’s sat tight lipped as Ren keeps staring at him.
It’s been so bad recently…
Kyo almost feels like he can’t escape Ren’s eyes when they’re next to each other. He had been used to that when they first got together, but it had died down pretty quickly. Now though, it’s even worse than before.
Is he even paying attention to the movie?
Kyo squeezes Ren’s hand and looks up at him, which prompts the alien to look away. “What are you doing?” Kyo whispers, trying not to disturb the others.
“Watching the movie.” Ren whispers back, now avoiding looking at Kyo.
“Liar.” Kyo pouts, turning his attention back to the movie. It doesn’t take long for Ren to continue his staring. When the movie ends Kyo excuses himself to his room. He shuts the door and waits, knowing Ren won’t be far behind. Two minutes pass and Kyo opens his door, Ren’s hand extended as if about to knock. “Come in.”
“Okay. So I’ve been studying your face.” Ren explains as soon as Kyo shuts the door.
“Oh really? I couldn’t tell.” Kyo says sarcastically, following Ren to the bed. They sit down and Ren continues.
“I’m trying to figure out how exactly I want to adorn you for the meeting. I have an idea, but I really want it to be perfect.” Ren says, reaching his hand towards Kyo’s cheek. Kyo sighs and shuts his eyes.
“I don’t care if you want a closer look.” Kyo says softly, leaning into Ren’s hand. Ren’s thumb pets Kyo’s face, which heats up with the attention. He can feel Ren’s eyes burning into him.
“I don’t think I could ever get tired of looking at you… you always have this faint blush, even when I don’t do anything…” Ren says softly.
This stupid…
“Shut up…” Kyo says back just as softly. Ren kisses his nose in response, then gently guides Kyo’s face to the side. Then to the other side. His other hand comes up and starts tracing an invisible pattern, seemingly random with no clear picture.
I wish I had an idea what the end picture would be.
“Yeah.”
“Yeah, what?” Kyo questions.
“It will be perfect. There’s no doubt about it.” Ren clarifies, giving Kyo a kiss.
If it’s that important, I really hope so…
***
A knock at Kyo’s door wakes him and he grabs his phone to look at the time. Four eighteen in the morning.
Who..? Why..?
Groggily, Kyo sits up to go check, being hurried along by another knock at the door. It sounds slightly more frantic than before. He unlocks the door and before he can turn the knob Ren bursts into the room, barely getting the door shut before hugging Kyo tightly. “Woah!” Kyo yelps, the hug nearly crushing him. His bones ache under Ren’s uncontrolled strength. “Ren… loosen up a bit…”
“Sorry…” Ren apologizes shakily and moves back, grabbing Kyo’s face in his hands. Kyo finally sees the tears rushing down his face.
Shit! What do I do!?
“I-it’s okay…” Kyo starts awkwardly as Ren pets his cheeks. Kyo grabs Ren’s arms and guides them back around him, hugging him back this time. “What happened?”
“Just um… some silly nightmare. I’m sorry for waking you up…”
“Don’t be sorry. We’re here for each other.” Kyo states. “You wouldn’t want me to feel sorry for coming to you for comfort, so I don’t want you to either.”
“Thank you… I just had to make sure you were okay.” Ren says, pushing his face into Kyo’s neck. “I’m so glad you’re okay…”
“Why wouldn’t I be? Do you… want to talk about it?” Kyo suggests.
“It’s okay… I’ll let you get back to bed.” Ren says pulling away again, or trying to. Kyo grabs him, not ready to let this slide.
“It’s obviously bothering you, so whether you want to talk about it or not, just stay here… Stay with me?” Kyo asks and he can nearly see Ren melt.
He’s so wrapped around my finger… not that I’m much different with him…
“I’d really like that.” Ren whispers vulnerably. “You can still sleep if you want.”
“I don’t think I can right now.” Kyo admits, too worked up from Ren’s outburst. He pulls Ren over to the bed and moves some things around. He leans back on some pillows against the headboard and gestures for Ren to join him. With little hesitation, Ren crawls in, nearly laying on top of Kyo. He sets his head on Kyo’s chest and Kyo can’t help but reach up and run his fingers through Ren’s hair, petting his horns every so often.
He usually starts purring… Did the nightmare bother him that much?
“So… what was it about? Your nightmare?” Kyo asks gently, yet curiously. “Only if you want to talk about it…”
“Invasions…” Ren answers softly. “I had a nightmare about if I didn’t get bored invading planets… about invading earth…” Ren reaches up and wipes away some tears. “About… killing you and everyone here…”
Killing us? I still can’t imagine Ren as that ruthless killer he says he was… He can’t even eat meat without feeling horrible!
“But it didn’t happen and it never will.”
“I know… but maybe it did happen in another reality or something…”
“Then that reality can deal with it. Just focus on this reality… where we’re… together.” Kyo comforts. Ren laughs through his nose and snuggles in closer. Kyo grabs a blanket and helps pull it around them. “Just… just us two…”
“Yeah… just us… together…” Ren repeats. He slides a hand up Kyo’s back, under his shirt, resting it between Kyo’s shoulder blades. Kyo waits for him to sink a claw in, to make him feel all weird with his strange alien powers. He doesn’t. Kyo shuffles a bit and presses into his hand, trying to let Ren know he’s ready for it. “I don’t want to overwhelm you with my emotions.”
“I’m sorry I don’t have vibrations or whatever to help you calm down…”
“Well… nevermind…”
“Ren… tell me what you were going to say.”
If it’s something that can help him I want to do it… He helps me out so much…
“Y… I can actually feel your heartbeat when we do that… along with your magic.”
“Like, the moon's magic? You can feel that?”
“Yeah. It’s like… floating on something when big waves come in. It’s really nice.”
“Then do it.” Kyo tells him. Ren looks up at him, about to protest. “If it helps you, I can handle it.” Ren sighs and sits up, dragging Kyo to lay down properly. He lays his head back on Kyo and starts rubbing his back. Kyo starts to feel the vibrations build up.
They do feel different. Just take deep breaths, I want to make him feel better, not freak him out.
“You're getting nervous… your heartbeat’s increasing.” Ren observes.
“I’ll get over it.” Kyo whispers reassuringly, letting Ren know to continue. Kyo hears him sigh and sink his nails into his back, hitting him full force with the distressed emotions. Kyo takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, steadying himself. Some time passes and he can feel the vibrations and tingles fade into a familiar pattern. “Feeling better?”
“Yes… Thank you, Kyo.” Ren says. Kyo can feel himself falling back asleep in the comfortable atmosphere. “I love you… I felt your heart skip a beat.”
“Shut up…” Kyo hisses. “...I love you too…”
***
Despite the reassurance he had received from Ren, Kyo can’t calm his nerves. Only hours left until Ren’s family and people arrive. Ren brushes Kyo’s hair back and pins it with a headband he borrowed from Scarle. “Ready? This is going to take a while.” Ren warns.
“Yeah… I’m ready.” Kyo answers.
“Alright… There’s times where you’re going to have to be completely still, but I’ll warn you first. For now though, just keep your eyes closed and relax.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier for me to stay still if I’m laying down?” Kyo asks and Ren looks up into the non-existent distance, confusion falling over his face.
“Can you lay down for me?” Ren asks when he looks back at Kyo, looking as if he’s just solved earth’s biggest mysteries. Kyo laughs, turns around and lays down. He looks up at Ren who nods. Kyo closes his eyes and waits. “Don’t fall asleep.”
“I won’t.”
“Good. Here goes.” Ren says. Kyo tries not to flinch as Ren drags a brush across his top eyelid, then again on the other.
Eyeliner?
Ren lightly pulls on his skin, giving himself better access under Kyo’s eyes. He lines his eyes from the outer corner to halfway under. Then mirrored again on the opposite side. A light swipe across his eyelashes startle him slightly, but he remains still. He then feels a dot placed on his cheek. Then again. And again. Continuing across his nose and down his other cheek. He keeps perfectly still, allowing Ren to decorate his face in dots and small shapes.
At least I know he’s not drawing whiskers…
By the time Ren finishes, Kyo has become restless. As soon as Ren tells him he’s done and pulls the headband off, he sits up and looks at Ren who has such a lovestruck look on his face that Kyo has to avert his eyes. “Ready to see?” He asks and Kyo nods. Ren helps him stand and places himself behind him, hovering his hands over Kyo’s eyes. Kyo rolls his eyes and closes them, letting Ren walk him into the bathroom. He keeps his hands out in front of him, stopping when he touches the counter. His heart begins pounding erratically.
Why am I so nervous..?
“I can hear your heartbeat increasing… you’re going to make me more nervous…” Ren whispers.
“You can hear my heartbeat?” Kyo asks.
“Not very strongly, but yeah…” Ren answers, moving his hands away from Kyo’s eyes. Kyo keeps them shut for a moment, opening them when Ren’s hands rest on his shoulders. His heart skips a beat when he looks at his face. It’s delicately painted with a glowing blue substance, the same blue lighting up Ren’s horns. “So… do you like it?” Ren asks nervously when Kyo stays silent.
I… How do I say this without sounding sappy?
“I do… T-thanks for not drawing whiskers…”
“Your personality is way too complex to be narrowed down to just being a cat. Even though we all joke about it, you’re so much more than that. I fell in love with you because even though you hide behind roasts and chaos, you’re a super kind, caring person that’s going to bring a lot of good to the people around him… That’s why I chose that constellation for the um… “fake freckles.” It’s a cluster of stars near my planet that people visit when they want to help people feel better. You help me and so many other people feel better with the laughter you bring to everyone.” Ren rants. Kyo can feel tears come to his eyes, something that hasn’t happened in a long time. He tilts his head back to try and stop them, just barely catching them. “Kyo? Did I make you cry!?”
“No!” Kyo lies, sniffling and turning away. Ren stops him, reaching for a piece of toilet paper. He gently grabs Kyo’s face and pats away the tears, careful not to smear any of the blue. Kyo takes a few deep breaths. “I wasn’t crying.”
“Okay… you weren’t crying…” Ren agrees, giving him a quick kiss. Kyo looks back in the mirror.
I was right about the eyeliner… and I can see the ends of my eyelashes glowing even without the mirror… Did he seriously replicate an entire cluster of stars?
Kyo looks down at the counter and sees a container of the luminescent blue. An idea crosses his mind. He reaches out and grabs the bottle. “Would it… would it be against custom for me to draw something on your face?”
“Mm… no? Usually you wouldn’t, but I doubt that there’s anything wrong with it.” Ren says, closing his eyes. Kyo takes it as an invitation to swipe the brush across his cheek, letting some of it drip down. He sets it down and Ren opens his eyes. He looks at himself, then at Kyo for an explanation.
“You butt into people’s lives without hesitation and run headfirst into any situation regardless of the consequences to you if it’s to help someone else. You try to keep people on a positive track but struggle to do so yourself sometimes. I just thought something quick and simple would fit…” Kyo explains and Ren gives him a sickeningly sweet smile. Ren’s phone beeps and he looks down to check it. Kyo catches a glimpse of the time and the nervousness comes back in full force.
Twenty minutes…
***
Kyo watches Ren run to his parents, giving them big hugs. He tries his best to stand still, the support behind him making it a bit easier. He hears Ren speak in his obscure language for a moment before switching back to english. He looks over at Kyo and gestures for him to approach. He does, sure to keep his steps steady and his head held high. He puts his hand in front of his face, tilting his head right and tilting his hand left to show respect to the two towering figures. Though human in shape, the sheer size of the two beings in front of him is slightly intimidating.
I hope I did it right… Ren said he’s bigger than his parents… I guess they didn’t want to shrink in human form…
“I’m Kyo Kaneko. It’s very nice to meet you both.” Kyo says.
“It is great to meet you as well.” The woman says with an eerily wide smile. “You can just call us… mom and dad.”
Huh?
The man, dad, doesn’t hesitate to pick Kyo up under his armpits, raising him into the air. Kyo is stunned, absolutely speechless. “He so small.”
“Ren said he would be.” Mom answers. Kyo can hear the group holding back laughter from behind him. “His hair is bright! Are you sure he does not possess poison?”
“No… he doesn’t.” Ren chuckles, making his dad set Kyo down. He can’t help but take a step back, overwhelmed by the positive welcome.
“I can see why you like him.” Mom admits loudly, unashamed to share her opinion publicly. “I can not wait to see how well you know him…” She continues.
That last part almost sounded like she’s threatening him…
“You will.” Ren states confidently, leading them over to the rest of the group. Kyo feels stuck in place, watching the family walk past. He stays stuck in his head for a few moments.
They’re a lot like him… yet so different… If me and Ren make it that far, how different will my life be? How-
His thoughts are interrupted by a group of small creatures swarming him. He yelps as he’s covered by the black and glowing blue mass, quickly forced to the ground. Their little claws dig into Kyo as he’s sniffed and observed. As if determining him untasty, they jump off of him and drop near his side, beginning to tear into the grass with their teeth. “DON’T EAT GRASS!” Ren calls, running over to them. He pulls Kyo to his feet and starts snatching up the small aliens, trying to stop them from their leafy snack. Kyo can’t stop his loud laughter from escaping him.
Even without music, his planet seems so lively… or is it his fault they all seem like that?
A tug at his pant leg makes him look down, seeing a small alien looking up at him. He looks over at Ren, preoccupied with rounding up the grass eaters. Kyo crouches down and reaches his hand out, the alien excitedly jumping up onto him. Kyo lets it, standing up and letting it look around from a high vantage point. He turns and meets the eyes of Ren’s mother, intently watching him. She smiles and gives him a nod before returning to the conversation Ren’s dad’s been having with Maria and Aster.
I hope that means they like me…