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Tsukasa starts the car happily, looking almost jittery as he looks over at Rui with a sparkle in his eyes. “I promise I’m a good driver, Rui!!! You don’t need to be worried.”
Rui laughs, hesitantly getting in the car. “I’m just surprised, is all. Of course our star has the dedication to get his license before the rest of us~!”
Rui smiles his catlike smile, closing the door and buckling his seat, waiting for Tsukasa to take them onto the road.
“You can pick music, Rui!” Tsukasa smiles, his face lighting up. Rui can feel the familiar heat rush to his cheeks as he tries to suppress it, smiling back at Tsukasa.
Rui scrolls through his playlists, absentmindedly clicking on one without looking at the name.
As the first song comes on, he realizes immediately which one he picked, and rushes to grab his phone before Tsukasa sees-
“Tsukasa… with a heart emoticon?” He looks confused, his face going red, looking over at Rui. “You… made me a playlist?”
Rui nods shakily, wondering if Tsukasa will turn around, leaving him at his house, never speaking to him again. Maybe it’s for the better, Rui thinks. It would spare him the embarrassment of-
“That’s… the sweetest thing someone’s ever done for me, Rui.” Tsukasa focuses back on the road, his eyes open wide, with his cheeks lighting up with a nice blush. “Thank you.”
And suddenly, time stops for Rui. His muscles tense, almost as if he’s about to die, or so it feels.
But no, it’s just Tsukasa. Tsukasa and that damned smile… that smile could take out an army, Rui thinks.
His muscles slowly start to un-tense, and he leans back against the seat, closing his eyes.
“It’s kind of funny all of these have been love songs, Rui.”
He swears he’s imagining it. He has to be. Because there’s no way that Tsukasa noticed that.
But no, Tsukasa’s blushing harder, and he’s not yelling. He’s not mad at Rui. He’s not telling Rui to get out of the car.
He’s blushing.
“I- I guess… they are, yeah.” Rui answers before his brain can catch up with the decided words. “I thought they fit the way I felt… about you.”
And Rui wants to slap himself, because it’s basically a confession. He’s telling Tsukasa that he loves him.
But Tsukasa still isn’t yelling. He just keeps driving, humming to the music. “Do you want to… talk about it?” He mutters, shaking a little.
“Talk-“ Rui takes a deep breath. “Talk about it-?” He doesn’t want to feel pathetic. He doesn’t want to rant to Tsukasa, but the word vomit leaves him before he can stop it.
“What’s there to talk about? I basically just told you that I love you, and you haven’t kicked me out yet. You decided to keep me in this car, and have the audacity to BLUSH about it. You have no idea how much that tricks my brain into thinking I even have a chance-“
“It’s because you do, Rui.” And he stops in his tracks, looking over at Tsukasa with what could beat be described as the look of a shocked puppy.
“You have more than a chance. I’m surprised I haven’t slipped up yet and told you myself.” Tsukasa pulls over into a random parking lot, finally looking over at Rui for real.
“I don’t want you to just think you have a chance, because you should know that you do. Do you have any idea how many hints I’ve dropped-?” Tsukasa laughs, his face going redder.
“N-no-?” Rui’s flustered, unable to make eye contact with Tsukasa. “Like what? What, uh, hints?”
“Remember when our grade wanted to do a production of Romeo and Juliet with the Miya girls…?” Tsukasa waits for Rui’s nod, and continues.
“Everyone said that Shizuku should be my Juliet, but I kept suggesting you, Rui.” Tsukasa scoots closer, and Rui is hyper aware of the movement.
“You- you weren’t joking? We all thought you were- you were joking, Tsukasa.” Rui looks down at his feet, flustered. “You actually would want me to be your Juliet in a performance…?”
“Or, even better, I could be yours. We’ve already proved that you can carry me around before.” Tsukasa laughs again, even happier.
“Sorry, Tsukasa- I don’t want to- act rushed, or anything, but uhm-“ Rui tries to make sense of the whole thing, taking a deep breath.
“Would you do me the honor, my dear star, of becoming my lover?” Rui blushes bright red, fidgeting with his hands.
And instead of taking the last chance to throw Rui out, Tsukasa hugs him. His arms feel so right. Rui can’t help but feel like crying, so he does, right into Tsukasa’s shoulder.
“Rui- my lovely director-?!? Why are you crying?” Tsukasa looks worried, patting Rui’s back. Rui figures it must be the Saki instinct kicking in, but it is so soothing that he stays in it for just a moment.
“I love you, Tsukasa. I love you more than I’ve loved anything, and you’re not kicking me away from you. You’re- you’re-“ Rui sobs, feeling oh so stupid.
“You’re my everything.”
And the cheesy statement doesn’t disgust him. Instead, Tsukasa leans closer, planting a kiss on his cheek, his forehead, his eyelids- anywhere he can reach that isn’t his lips.
And Rui giggles.
And suddenly Tsukasa is struck with love, as of from Cupid himself. He slowly reaches his hand to Rui’s cheek, pulling him closer. Asking for permission.
And Rui’s eyes light up, finally. He leans in, letting Tsukasa’s lips meet his own. It’s messy, unpracticed, but it’s theirs.
“So, Rui~” Tsukasa smiles as they part. “Are you ready for our first ever beach date~?”
Rui laughs, watching Tsukasa start up the car. He feels the beat of the radio as it comes back on, the love songs swirling around them like a blanket.
“Sunflower~? That reminds you of me?” Tsukasa asks, his fingers tapping the beat to the song on the wheel.
“A bunch of songs do… but if you’re my star, that means you’re also my sun… and you’re very beautiful… so isn’t it safe to call you my sunflower?” Rui asks playfully, resting a hand on Tsukasa’s leg.
“I’ll be your sunflower, then.” Tsukasa turns to him for a short moment, staring at him softly.
“Alright, my darling sunflower~.”