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Deft fingers glided over the sleek surface of the metal, feeling its indents and grooves underneath the pads of his digits. Smooth. Hard. Cool; A touch Rui’s been long since intimately familiar with from whence he picked up his craft in machinery - it brought comfort to him; a small sense of reprieve from the scrutinizing gazes and jeers of his peers.
It was to be expected, of course. Rui had always been regarded as an eccentric, after all - what with his unique thought process and bizarre intellect, but hidden in that eccentricity rests a deep-rooted sense of loneliness and detachment. From within the confines of his room, he grew accustomed to tinkering with what he had - honing his craft and exploring unconventional ideas that stewed in his mind all-day long.
It wasn’t until he met the rest of his friends where he experienced a touch so foreign - yet oh-so comforting. It was soft. It was warm. And it was for him. Rui, who had faced his life with sheer apathy, was suddenly basking in the warm glow of his dear friends’ embrace.
Instead of the coldness of metal, his fingers dipped into the crevices of the hearts of his friends along with the hearts of his audience. Instead of his tools, his hand coiled around the wrist of his precious companion - his digits grazing their skin with the lightest of touch. Hesitant. Delicate. Timid.
For all his off-handed quips and teasing remarks, when faced with the affections of those he holds close to his heart, not a single retort tittered past his tightly sewn lips. How could he speak when the warmth that surrounds him holds onto him tightly? Spreading its comfort through him until he could feel it deep within the cage of his rattling heart. Until he could feel his breath being knocked out of his lungs. Until he could engrave this very moment into his mind.
Your name slips past him quietly, golden eyes appraising you with shock - yet with the faintest hint of affection. Rui wasn’t an overly physically intimate man by any means, opting to tease you with lingering touches here and playful grazes there; He never truly initiates anything more forward than that, preferring you to take that leap for himself, but as he stands there with your arms securely wrapped around him and your warmth against him, he finds himself wishing he takes the lead more often.
“I missed you.”
Even your voice alone is enough to send his heart aflutter, his stomach to churn, and his hands to shake. Which was funny since he’s always prided himself in the steadiness of his fingers - it’s his strongest suit as an inventor, after all, but how could he ever keep his hands still when faced with the sheer affection you harbored for a person like him?
It was overwhelming. Your love for him was overwhelming. Whereas his love was akin to the gentle glow of the moon, yours was analogous to the vibrance of the sun. You brightened his life and chased the shadows of his doubts away whilst he gave you comfort and a sense of stability behind closed doors. Two halves of the same whole. For a moment, Rui thinks this was meant to be.
That you were meant to be.
Slowly, his arms coiled around your form, bringing you ever closer to him until you were flush against his chest. With a deep intake of air, he leans down and buries his nose in the crown of your hair, taking in your familiar scent.
His voice, devoid of its usual teasing lilt, murmurs against your tresses; “I missed you too.”
It was warm. Your love for him was warm, and Rui doesn’t think he’ll ever grow tired of it.