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Another practice session was over at the wonder stage. They were practicing for some show this week. Nene was the lead so of course she was spending long nights awake practicing. Her family probably had to listen to her, but to Rui hearing her soft voice struggling on notes in the middle of the night felt sweet. He heard her from his window but decided to keep it a secret. This practice she looked extra tired, but even with that her lines were perfect.
Both Tsukasa and Emu went home already, yet here was the green-haired girl who kept practicing. Rui was still there making adjustments to robonene while being Nene's audience. After he was finished he set robonene backstage and went to fix up some other props while listening to Nene's lines. Finally after being there for too long Nene finished with her ruthless practice. She went backstage while he kept doing whatever he was doing.
A few minutes later, where the hell was she? His curiosity and worry peeked in and he went to look for her. That girl somehow managed to fall asleep on robonenes shoulder while holding the robot like it was her life. It made sense, she wasn't giving herself any rest so she was bound to fall asleep at some point. He came closer kneeling to the robot and the girl it was modeled after. He felt worried she was going to fall off the robot so he gently moved her, but Nene wasn't giving up in her grip. His hands took hers from the robot while trying to move her over a little. Somehow he managed to find himself being hugged by the sleeping girl instead of the robot. He would be lying if he said this wasn't his intention, but at the same time it wasn't.. she was sleeping on his arm so peacefully yet he sadly couldn't stay there forever despite how much he wanted to be. His cheeks blushed as he realized how much he liked her there.
"Nene, wakey wakey time"
His voice whispered to her only to find her grip tighter on him
S-shut up robonene, I don't want to hear the stupid alarm features Rui put in you
Nenes very sassy yet asleep voice replied. How she was sleep-talking, was so adorable. He felt hurt by her comment about his features, though the alarm one sounds like one he should add
"Nene I'm not robonene, its me Rui"
He smiled talking to the sleeping girl getting more and more flustered.
"No, you're not."
"Yes, I am. You're asleep~"
"I don't want to hear about your new voice-changing features robonene"
"Awh. So mean~"
He whispered in her ear hoping and not hoping at the same time it would wake her. She was fast asleep mumbling through her lips. He wanted to kiss them so much.
"I like Rui, don't tease me like that robonene. It's not nice."
"L-like Rui.. like romantic?"
His cheeks went red at the idea. Him with Nene. That would be so adorable, just the childhood friends who stayed together their entire lives.
"Hn..nmhm.. yeah I love him"
She makes a few more sleeping noises snuggling to his shoulder. It felt soft for her, so soft and comforting.
"Well, I'm sure he loves you too."
"Rui should make a roborui, so you can have a friend too robonene.."
His heart ached at the idea. She was so thoughtful of the robot he built her. Just a simple robot he built to help ease her anxiety, meant so much to her. He noted a friend for robonene in his mind. Somewhere in his mind, he thought this was just a prank, that she was awake and just joking, but knowing her sleeping habits, it's possible she just was sleepy. He remembers the times in their childhood when they would be at the park and she would fall asleep, leaving him to struggle to carry her tiny body back home. He missed those days.
After checking the hour, he realized it was getting late, but he couldn't leave Nene here, and waking her up would tug on his emotionally unstable heartstrings. He gently shook her shoulder if that would work but the girl stayed peacefully asleep. Her hair gently fell on her face and he carefully tucked it back behind her ear
"Nene.. it's wakey time"
She made a few understandable mumbles before he decided he should just pick her up and carry her home. In the moment as he stood up, her eyes shot wide open. She looked around very confused and just saw Rui holding her
"R-rui! W-what are you!?"
Her cheeks turned red like she was a tiny tomato, just adorable in his eyes. His cheeks turned pink too as he let off an awkward laugh
"A-ah you fell asleep and, uhm I figured I should just carry you home"
"You could have woken me up!"
"You were dead asleep"
He made a tiny sad puppy dog face. Her flustered and grumpy face glared at him back like he just committed the worst crime in the universe
"L-let me down!"
"Well I can still carry you home"
He stupidly smiled but she looked like she could punch him in the moment
"Rui!"
"A-ah yes yes"
He rather disappointed let her down as the tiny girl stood back on her feet. Her face was still red as he tried to cheer her up with his dumb smile.
"Shall we go home?"
"But robonene?"
"She will come with us, of course"
"Okay. You know you should really make her a friend"
"I know. You told me"
"Ah, I must have forgotten"
They both grabbed their things and started walking back. He was suspiciously coming close to her. Her face was still stupidly red from the "accidentally sleeping on a childhood friend"
After a few moments of walking his hand found hers. Nenes face turned red again as she looked back at him
"Rui..?"
"Fufu, I know, I know"
His hands found her face and in the split second, he leaned down and kissed her. Her eyes widened as her poor cheeks probably turned permanently red.
As he pulled away, she was left flustered and confused
"Come, it's gonna get dark soon, we better hurry up"
"Rui..."
She looked like a tiny confused and blushing tomato. Her expression was soft as she tried to recover from the sudden kiss
"I love you too"