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Tsukasa was looking out his classroom window when he noticed specks of white were falling from the sky. Snow? he thought. He watched as the snowflakes fell from the sky and he checked his watch. It was almost the end of the school day and as he lifted his head back to the window, the bell went off. He whipped his head around to tell Rui, whose desk was next to his and much to his surprise, the director was asleep. As the class was packing up around him, Tsukasa stood up and walked to Rui’s desk.
“Rui…” He said, shaking him lightly, “Schools over…”
Rui stirred and turned his head to Tsukasa, “Is it?” He mumbled. He blinked and looked to the window behind Tsukasa, eyes widening when he noticed the weather, and immediately perked up, “It's snowing?!?!”
“Indeed it is!” Tsukasa boasted, "And if you want to play in it, you better get up!” While he was saying this, Rui was already excitedly packing his things.
When he was finished, he turned to Tsukasa with childlike wonder in his eyes. “Tsukasa-kun!! Come on! What are you waiting for?!” Rui grabbed Tsukasa’s hand and led him to the shoe lockers. Keeping note of what Tsukasa said a few days ago, speed-walking instead of running. They got to the shoe lockers, quickly put on their shoes and coats, and headed outside.
“Brrr! it’s cold!!” Tsukasa exclaimed once they walked out, “But nothing a star like me can’t handle!” He looked to Rui, who seemed very unprepared for the cold weather. He noticed Rui only had a coat, earmuffs, and fingerless gloves.
“Rui, what are you doing wearing fingerless gloves!?”
“Oh! Ah, well, you see, I seem to have grown out of my old gloves, I think. I wouldn’t know, though. I lost them a while ago. These are the only ones I have.” Rui responded, holding up his hands to show Tsukasa the fingerless gloves with a pattern resembling a skeleton’s hands, “Aren’t they cool, though? I’m pretty sure the bones glow in the dark.”
Tsukasa sighed, “Yes, Rui, they are very cool, but they don’t do anything to protect you from the cold! And you don’t even have a scarf! You're going to get sick!!” He grabbed Rui's hand in his own and said, “We’re going to my house. I’m getting you some proper snow gear before we get to play.”
“Aww… but Tsukasa-kun…” Rui whined, “Do I have to?? Can’t you let your precious director off the hook just this once?”
“Hm… No.” Tsukasa said, going up on his tip-toes to kiss Rui on the nose, “Come on! We don’t have all day!”
☆☆
Soon enough, they got to Tsukasa’s house and the ground was now thoroughly covered with snow. Tsukasa rushed Rui inside to keep the other boy warm while he started to look for a scarf and gloves that would fit Rui. He dug in the coat closet, found gloves that used to belong to his father and an old scarf, and brought them to where Rui was standing next to the heater.
“Here, Rui,” He said, handing the gloves to Rui, “These should fit.”
While Rui put on the gloves, Tsukasa tied the scarf around the director’s neck, making sure it was tight enough to keep him warm.
“Is that alright or is it too tight?” Tsukasa asked.
“It’s fine, Tsukasa-kun.” Rui said, kissing Tsukasa on the forehead, “Thank you.”
“No problem!” Tsukasa said, slipping his hand into Rui’s “what are- erm- super awesome best friends for?”
Rui chuckled, swinging their intertwined hands, “Fufu… well can my super awesome best friend let me go play in the snow? Hmm?”
“We really need to work on that title…” Tsukasa grumbled, leading Rui outside.
“Well, I think it’s just fine.” Rui responded as they stepped into Tsukasa’s front yard.
“But wouldn’t you want to change it?” Tsukasa asked, looking at Rui “it’s kind of long, don't you think?”
“But… It means a lot to me.” Rui said, making eye contact with Tsukasa with a soft smile on his face, “It’s wonderful.”
Rui was beautiful. All Tsukasa could stutter out was: “a-alright.”
They stared at each other for a few seconds before Tsukasa snapped out of his trance. “We came out here to play in the snow, correct? Then why are we just standing here??”
Rui let go of Tsukasa’s hand with the cat-like smile on his face.
“Rui.. what are you-” then Tsukasa got hit in the face with a snowball. He brushed the snow off his face and yelled, “Y-you!! Rui!”
Rui chuckled and ran away from Tsukasa, reaching down to get more snow to pack together into a snowball.
Tsukasa quickly did the same and dodged Rui’s next throw to hit Rui on his back with his own throw.
“Hey!!” Rui yelled.
“You started it!!” Tsukasa said, chucking another snowball at Rui, who promptly dodged it.
“Hey Tsukasa-kun!” Rui yelled from across the yard, “You've got a bug on your jacket!”
“WHAT!??! WHERE!?!??!” Tsukasa screamed, turning in circles, only to be hit in the back of the head with a snowball.
Tsukasa gasped, turning back to Rui, “That was foul!!” He said as he quickly tried to get the snow out of his hair. Rui ran over to him to help him get all of the snow out, then cupped Tsukasa’s face in his hands. Tsukasa leaned into the touch, cherishing the feeling of gloves on his cheeks.
“I’m sorry Tsukasa-kun,” Rui said, dusting snow off of Tsukasa’s face with his thumb, “can you please forgive me so we can make snow angels together?”
Tsukasa grumbled and buried his face in Rui’s chest. “Rui! Don’t look at me like that!”
“Like what?”
“Like that!!”
“I'm not sure what you mean, my star.” Rui says, the pet name causing Tsukasa’s face to heat up.
“I’m sure you do!!” Tsukasa retorted, standing back up to look at Rui, “There's no way you can look at me like that and not know!”
“Oh?” Rui says, face turning pink as he buries his face in his scarf.
Tsukasa grabs Rui’s hand and kisses his knuckles. “You wanted to make snow angels, correct? Well come on!”
“Could we make our snow angels hold hands?”
“Of course!” Tsukasa replies, “Do you even have to ask?”
The boys lay down on the snow and make their snow angels and when finished add semicircles on the end of the arms to represent them holding hands. Rui walked around to where the heads were and added a heart in the middle. Tsukasa smiled as Rui walked back around and hugged him. It was starting to get dark, so the boys decided to go inside. Once inside, they took off their coats and Rui handed the borrowed gloves and scarf back.
This reminded Tsukasa that Rui was borrowing a scarf because he didn't have his own. “Rui, would you like me to knit you a scarf?” He asked.
“You don't have to,” Rui said, “I'm perfectly fine without one.”
“No. I’m making you one.” Tsukasa insisted, “What do you want it to look like?”
Rui’s face brightened and he scrambled to get his phone. “Well, I mean, there's this one scarf I've been wanting, if you’ll make it for me.”
“Of course!” Tsukasa said, “Could you send the pattern to me?”
Rui nodded and pressed the ‘Send’ button on messages, looking back up at Tsukasa expectantly.
Tsukasa inspected the pattern and surprise was evident on his face.
“RUI!! THIS SCARF IS EIGHTEEN FEET LONG!”