Chapter Text
“I love you.”
Rui stirs awake at those words, not remembering any of the dream he was having, though he was sure it was one he’s had before. He slaps his face to wake himself up. He had a job to do.
Rui was a part of a group and it was his turn to keep watch. He had argued that he could set up traps but the others believed even so, someone needed to be on the lookout at all times. It was Rui’s least favorite job in this new world.
Right. The new world. Things aren’t how they used to be. Mother Earth was taking over what used to be a bustling metropolis. Rui was young when it happened but he could still remember the lights going out. Rui thought it was bound to happen one day or another.
He found himself getting lost in thought, on the verge of dying from boredom. A sound kept him from completely slipping away, directing his attention to the noise and ready to fire if necessary.
He patiently waited for whatever danger was approaching only to be met with an unarmed person. He had blonde hair that faded into peach and eyes that Rui immediately compared to a sunset . Rui cringed at the thought afterwards.
He shook his head, focusing on the man wobbling towards him. Rui dared to stand up but was cautious. What if he was faking? Rui studied the other as their eyes finally met.
“Please… please help… me,” the man whispered. He stumbled and fell onto Rui. Rui almost pushed him off before realizing the other had gone unconscious. He sighed and rested his hand on the man’s head. It was about to be a long day for him.
- - - - -
“We checked him over twice and he doesn’t have anything on him,” Taniyama said as he took a seat next to Rui. Rui had carried the unconscious man inside and was met with a mix of reactions which he ignored all of them. He got the man to a cot for someone else to deal with.
“It looks like he probably got jumped recently. He’s got some bruises and scratches,” Taniyama continued. Rui just nodded. “He’s well built but if it was more than one person, he probably didn’t stand a chance.”
“Make sure he gets hydrated when he wakes up,” Rui said. “Miyake’s watching him now, yeah? I’m sure Hayashi will question him once he’s awake.” Rui closed his eyes and rested his head on his hand. “I’m pretty sure he’ll want you to question him. You brought him in afterall,” Taniyama said. Rui groaned in response.
“Aren’t I supposed to be on lookout duty? Shouldn’t I be doing my job?” Rui questioned. “I’m sure someone has already taken your place,” Taniyama smiled as he patted Rui’s back. Rui sighed. He guessed it wasn’t too bad to get switched out.
“You seem a little out of sorts today,” Taniyama said, though his face didn’t show much concern. Everyone knew that everyone was tired. Rui looked at him wondering if he should even answer. Before Rui could even decide, their time together was cut short.
“He’s awake,” Hayashi said, approaching the other two. Rui stood up knowing that was his queue, giving a smile to his friends. “Has he said anything?” he asked. “No not yet,” Hayashi answered. Rui closed his eyes for a second as he stretched, preparing himself.
He made his way to where he had taken the stranger. Miyake was still next to him, waiting eagerly for Rui to shoo him away. Rui humored him and signaled him to leave, trying not to chuckle as his friend bolted out of there. The others of the group always knew how to brighten his day even when he was on the verge of passing out.
“You were scaring my friend there,” Rui said as he approached the man. The other looked in Rui’s direction and perked up from his slump state. He seemed in better condition but could definitely use more sleep. Don’t we all at this point.
“Are you the one who brought me here?” the man asked. Rui smiled lightly as he took a seat next to the other. “I am indeed. I thought you might need some help considering you collapsed right into my arms.” The man coughed and tried to hide his face. Rui chuckled.
“No need to get embarrassed. It’s rough out there. I’m surprised you even made it this far,” Rui said. The other gained his composure as he sat up straight and looked at Rui. “Where exactly am I?” he asked.
“A bunker. Somewhere near Tokyo, not sure how far,” Rui answered. The other hummed. “I know it’s not just you here. Is it a whole group? How many people?” he asked. Rui sighed a bit which made the other flinch.
“There’s about 10 of us. And don’t worry. We wouldn’t have taken you in if we weren’t friendly,” Rui answered. The man calmed down again. Rui wondered what he had gone through out there to be like this. The man began to open his mouth to speak again but Rui beat him to it.
“My turn to ask questions,” he smiled. The man closed his mouth and grimaced a bit. “What’s your name?” Rui asked. “Tsukasa Tenma.” Rui nodded as he continued. “Well Tsukasa, what’s a pretty thing like you doing around these parts?”
Tsukasa didn’t give Rui a reaction this time, simply pushed for an answer of his own. “I want your name too,” he said. Rui smiled and obliged. “Rui Kamishiro.” Tsukasa muttered the name to himself, trying to see if he knew the other. Rui chuckled.
“I don’t think we’ve met if that’s what you’re trying to figure out,” Rui said, making Tsukasa completely pause. Rui wasn’t sure if that was completely true but it would’ve been a long time since if they had. Yet Rui still felt like he was forgetting something.
Tsukasa sighed and went on to answer Rui’s question. “I’m originally from Shibuya and I was trying to get back. I’ve been trying to find my sister.”
Rui hummed. “Well you aren’t too far off Tsukasa. We could point you in the right direction and you’ll be on your merry way.” Tsukasa brought his knees up to his chest, deep in thought. Rui stared at him. He meant it jokingly before but he really did think Tsukasa was pretty. Maybe the cringe thoughts he had weren’t far off from what he really thought.
“You’ll have to wait until tomorrow though. The sun’s already down,” Rui continued. Tsukasa looked up at him, eyes widening a bit. “Is it really that late? How long was I under?” he asked.
“Not long. It was already evening when I brought you in,” Rui said, standing up. He dusted off his pants and started to leave the room. “I’m going to talk with the others about getting everything ready for you tomorrow. Feel free to go back to sleep. I’m sure you need it.”
“Wait!” Rui stopped in his tracks as a hand pulled on his arm. He looked back at Tsukasa who had rushed over to him. Tsukasa flustered and let go of Rui’s arm as he realized. The flustering died down quick though and he went back to being bold with his words.
“Would you mind staying in here tonight?” he asked. Rui smiled lightly at him though on the inside he wasn’t sure what to think. “How forward of you,” he said, trying to play it off as a joke. Tsukasa refused to fluster again. “I just don’t want to be alone. I don’t feel completely safe here.”
“And you’d feel safe with me in the room? I’m probably the most dangerous person in this bunker,” Rui rebutted. Tsukasa looked at him with determination in his eyes. Rui was going to lose this fight. “Of course.”
Rui sighed. “Let me at least tell them what we’re planning for you and I’ll be back,” he said. That was a good enough answer for Tsukasa to smile brightly, his biggest smile since they met. “And feel free to sleep in one of the other cots. I wasn’t insinuating more than that,” he whispered, though Rui caught on to it and chuckled. “Sure thing.”
- - - - -
When Rui made his way back to Tsukasa, the other was already snoring up a storm. Rui sighed as he entered the room. He was actually looking forward to the task, hoping to actually get some sleep. Now he wasn’t sure that was going to happen.
Rui made his way up to the other and almost froze in place as he reached a hand out. He almost took up Tsukasa’s offer that he definitely wasn’t insinuating but his body stopped him. He sighed and rubbed his temples.
Instead of joining Tsukasa in the same cot, he tucked his blanket in more snugly. He dared to sit there and watch the other for the rest of the night, taking in his beauty, even with all the snores.
He instead made his way to another cot, hoping that even with the noise he’d still be able to sleep. Rui moved the cot closer to the other’s. He decided to kill two birds with one stone: look at Tsukasa until he could fall asleep.
Tsukasa would probably find the action endearing anyways, like Rui was actually looking out for him and not just looking AT him. Rui made his way under the covers and looked over the other again. Pretty was starting to not be enough for Rui’s vocabulary.
Handsome? Beautiful? Ethereal? Ethereal might be going too far but Rui didn’t care. Despite everything, he was already drifting off to sleep and it was getting harder to focus on his thoughts. He closed his eyes and hoped to finally feel normal once he woke up.