Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Stargazing

"Alright, I say that's another successful rehearsal done!"

"Well done, everyone!"

"Good job!!"

Another day of practice has finally ended and everyone was ready to head home for the night. Everyone except Rui, that is. He was always the last one to leave as he took on the responsibility of cleaning up the props on his own despite all the others offering to help. He simply prefers to do it by himself.

As he was in the middle of cleaning up he hears rushed footsteps coming up from behind him.

"Hmm?" He turns around and sees his beloved troupe leader running back towards the stage, looking both worried and confused.

"Tsukasa? Is everything alright? Why are you running?"

"Hey, sorry. I just realized I left something here... think you could help me find it?"

"Hm? Sure, what did you forget?"

"My clothes bag, I was halfway through the park before realizing."

"Clothes bag... Oh! I know where it is, give me one~ second."

"Really? Thanks!"

Rui starts heading backstage to grab his leaders bag, walking slowly as he doesn't quite want Tsukasa to leave just yet. He enjoys being around Tsukasa, and he would do anything to keep him around forever. He knows that it's a selfish desire, but he can't help it, he loves his leader. He always has. Since the day they met a year ago. 

"Rui! Did you find it? Do you need help?"

Tsukasa voiced pierced through the directors ears, snapping him out of his trance.

"Huh? Oh! N-No! I got it! I'm coming back now!"

"Okay..! Just making sure!"

'Right... get his bag... he leaves... and I go back to cleaning... thats all.'

Rui sighs while grabbing Tsukasa bag and heads back to the main stage.

"Here you go, it was by the extra props." Rui says with a kind smile.

"Really? Well, thank you! You're a lifesaver!" Tsukasa replies with an even bigger smile.

Rui loves that smile. He never wants Tsukasa to lose it. He wants to see it forever.

"Hah... It's not that serious, I just grabbed your bag."

"It is! I can't go home without my beloved duffle bag!"

"Is it really that important to you? It's just a bag..."

"Of course it is! It was a gift from you, after all!"

That's right, Rui had given him that bag for his birthday the year before. How could he forget?

'He thinks my gift is... important to him?'

Rui smiles at that thought.

"Hm? What's got you all happy all of a sudden?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. Just thinking about a new show ideas, that's all."

"Hah! That's Wonderlands × Showtimes director for you! Always thinking of ideas! What would we do without you?"

"Oh, come on... Stop with that..." Rui covers his face, trying to hide his red cheeks that appeared after that comment.

"I'm serious! WxS wouldn't be the same without you!" Tsukasa yells with his hands on his hips.

"Okay, okay... I get it!" Rui laughs.

"Well, I've got to get home before Saki gets worried. See you in class tomorrow!" Tsukasa turns and begins walking away.

He's leaving. Rui doesn't want him to leave. He wants to see him longer.

"Uh— Tsukasa! Wait—!" He yells without a second thought.

"Hm? Something wrong Rui?" Tsukasa tilts his head, waiting for an answer.

"Uhm... Do you— uh— maybe want to... look at the stars for a bit... together?"

What is he saying? Look at the stars? No. Tsukasa has to go home... there's no way he'll want to stay with Rui.

"Look at the stars? Hm..." Tsukasa looks at his phone for the time. "I suppose I can stay for a bit, sure!"

"Wait, really?!"

"Sure, why not? Where shall we sit?"

Rui can't speak. He is still trying to process the fact that his leader actually agreed.

"...Rui?"

"Wha— oh, uh... let's sit here!" He gestures to the edge of the stage.

"Sounds good!" Tsukasa sits down.

Rui follows, sitting next to Tsukasa, making sure not to sit too close. They sit quietly for a while, simply staring up at the stars.

"I didn't know you liked the stars, Rui." Tsukasa breaks the silence.

"I do, I love the stars, actually." Rui says while stealing a glance at his leaders face. "I think they're beautiful."

Tsukasa face. God, how Rui loved it. His amber eyes. His confident smile. He loved how soft his hair looked. He wanted to touch it. Is it as soft as he thinks it is? Would Tsukasa let him touch his hair? Wait, no. What is he thinking? Of course he won't. That's weird. He's weird. Tsukasa would never love him back. Never.

"Rui? Did you hear me?"

He did it again, he got so distracted by his own selfish thoughts he completely forgot he wasn't alone.

"Sorry, could you repeat what you said?" He says in a half whisper, trying to not let his emotions show.

"I asked you what your favorite star is."

Oh how badly Rui wanted to answer 'you.' He wanted to let Tsukasa know how he felt. He just couldn't bring himself to do it. He looks down, trying to hide his childish smile.

Upon the realization that saying "you" would probably freak Tsukasa out, he simply replied with the first thing he could come up with. "My favorite star? I'm not sure i have one, I've never thought about it."

"Really? I like the North Star! I like how it can be used as a compass for those lost in the wilderness and stuff!"

"The North Star, huh? Yeah... I like that one too." Rui replies, once again glancing over at Tsukasas smiling face. His smile is captivating. It's almost addicting. Rui could stare at it forever.

In the midst of Ruis trance, Tsukasas phone chimes, bringing him back to reality.

"Oh crap, it's late! I've got to get home! Sorry Rui!" Tsukasa jumps up in a panic, rushing to grab his things in the process.

"Oh— It's alright ! Maybe we can do it again someday!" Rui follows, still coming back from his dazed state.

"Definitely! Bye-Bye! See you in class!" Tsukasa runs off with one last smile, heading home.

"Right! Bye!" Rui watches until Tsukasa is no longer in sight.

"See you... tomorrow." He says quietly with a heavy heart.

'Back to cleaning, I guess...'

Rui continues his cleaning in silence before heading home for the night.

He's falling deeper and he's falling fast. He's not sure how much longer he can hold back. Unfortunately, that's all he can do for now.

Chapter Text

My Star

"Good morning Rui!"

Rui looks up from his desk and sees Tsukasa standing above him, beaming as always.

"Oh, morning Tsukasa." Rui replies with a smile.

"You feeling better today?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Rui tilts his head in confusion.

"Oh— Well... last night you seemed pretty down, so I just kind of assumed you were upset... were you not?" The leader asks.

"No, well— I don't think I was... I'm sorry if I worried you."

"No! No, it's fine, I shouldn't have assumed, huh?" Tsukasa awkwardly laughs while scratching his neck in embarrassment.

'He... was worried about me..? Why? Wait, it's normal to worry about friends... right? Yeah... I'm overthinking it. It's nothing... He wasn't entirely wrong, however. Wait... did he only stay with me because of that? I'm so stupid... of course he did... Why did i even think him wanting to spend time with me himself was a possibility? Damn it... I'm such an idiot...'

"Rui, are you.. sure you're alright? You look like you're about to cry."

Rui comes back to reality to notice that he is, in fact, holding in tears.

"Uh... y-yeah...! I'm good, just... allergies, you know? Heh..." Rui lies.

"Oh yeah, totally! It's that time of year after all! Try to take care of yourself more, okay? We can't have you getting sick before our show!"

Right, the show. They have a show tomorrow. Nene would definitely get on his case if he were sick. He should take better care of himself, but... how can he? He can't possibly think of anything other than his leader, his love.

"Yeah, you're right... Sorry, I'll try to be careful. Thanks, Tsukasa." Rui smiles once again, trying to take Tsukasas worries away.

"No problem! Hey, shall we look at the stars again after the show? I actually really enjoyed that last night!" Tsukasa suddenly asks.

Ruis heart skips a beat.

"You... want to watch the stars again?" Rui repeats, hoping he heard his leader correctly.

"I do! It was nice. Very calming, it's a good thing to do after all that hard work!"

"Oh— uh... sure, we could—"

"We could invite the girls too, I'm sure they'd enjoy it as well!" Tsukasa cuts him off.

'Oh yeah, of course he would want to invite them... that only makes sense... we are a group of 4, after all... I shouldn't have assumed he meant just us...'

"Yeah, definitely. We can ask during practice today." Rui responds sounding almost defeated.

"Perfect! Oh, class is about to start! Talk to you after!" Tsukasa beams, not seeming to notice the tone in Ruis reply.

Class goes on as it always does. However, Ruis mind won't stop running. There's so many thoughts, too many. He just can't figure out how Tsukasa feels about him. Friend? Lover? Maybe Tsukasa doesn't even like him at all. Maybe hes lying, just like everyone else was. No. Tsukasa isn't that type of person. At least, Rui doesn't think he is. He's not... right?

Before he knew it, the end of the day had come.

"That's all for today, get home safely and remember to study."

"Yes, teacher."

Class has ended. Rui couldn't focus at all. He's got no idea what the class was even about. He just couldn't stop... thinking.

"Alright, I'm going to get changed, meet you at the stage later, yeah?" Tsukasa puts his hand on Ruis shoulder.

"Y-Yep! See you there..." Rui replies, startled by the sudden touch.

'Damn it... why can't i act normal...? It's not like he's doing anything new... this is how it's always been. So why. Why is my heart beating so fast?'

An hour later, Rui arrives at the stage. He always arrives early to sort the props, but today, someone beat him there.

'Huh? I put these props away last night... why are they back out? Did someone get here before me? But who—'

He sees Tsukasas bag lying on the table.

'If this is here, then... are we... alone? Shit... i was hoping we wouldn't be... I don't think I can handle this right now...'

"Oh hey, Rui! I hope you don't mind I started sorting the props! I got here a bit early and thought I would help you out!"

Rui turns to see Tsukasa with a box of props in his hands.

"O-oh uh, no th-thats fine... I just... wasn't expecting anyone to be here yet... heh..." Rui was beyond flustered. "Thank you..."

"Oh, it's no problem at all! A star must be willing to help his crew, no?" Tsukasa says in an overly confident manner while placing the box next to the other props.

'Right, his crew. Again, of course he's doing this as a star and friend... not just for me. I'm sure if one of the girls were here he would help them just the same. I've got to get over this. Act like we used to.'

Rui takes a deep breath to calm himself before speaking. "I suppose that is true, yes. Here, let me give you a hand, my star." He says while picking up some extra items for the show.

Tsukasa freezes.

'My... star? He's never called me that before... It's just a nickname but... why did it make me feel so... strange?'

Before Tsukasa could think about the new nickname any further, he hears some familiar voices approaching.

"Hello~~! We're here~!"

"Hey you two. You're early, Tsukasa."

The girls have arrived, practice can now begin. And it did. Rui seemed to have forgotten about the nickname entirely while practicing, but for a certain blonde, it's all he could think about.

Chapter Text

Like You Did For Me

During a short break, Tsukasa can't seem to stop thinking about the new nickname his director has given him. Unfortunately for him, one of the others seemed to have taken notice of this.

"Hey, hey Tsukasa~!" Emu projects. "Somethin' up? You seem less.... 'HAH!' than usual...?"

Lost in his own thoughts, the blonde took no notice to Emus shockingly accurate impression of him.

"My... star... his...? his?!" He mumbles under his breath.

'What am I thinking... He says stuff like that all the time... I... I think...? Ugh... why did it feel so... different this time..? Maybe I'm overanalyzing this... yeah! Yeah, that's it... He didnt mean it like that at all...! Either way, i can't worry about this right now... We have a show tomorrow... I can't focus on this.'

"Tsukasaaaaaa!!!!" Emu yells directly next to his ear, trying to get his attention for the 5th time.

"GAH— EMU—! Don't yell into peoples ears like that!" The blonde scolds, jumping back and holding his ear as if he were about to go deaf.

"Well, i wouldn't have had to if you answered me the first time!" She replies while crossing her arms and putting on a fake pout.

"Sorry... i guess I didn't hear you... What do you need?" The leader questions with a hint of guilt.

"I was gonna ask if you're okay! You're not as focused as usual... I was worried."

"Oh... uh..."

'Shit... Emu noticed? Was i really being that obvious...? Okay... Its fine, just breathe, everything's normal. Completely. Normal.'

"...I'm perfectly fine! Just excited to put on the most wonderful of shows tomorrow!" He says in his usual confidence-filled tone.

"Hmmm... I don't really believe you... but..! I trust you! Just... talk to us if you're not happy... okay??" The shorter girl asks in a reassuring tone.

"Of course! A star never lies!"

But he is. He's lying right to her face. To Emu of all people. The one person who simply wants everyone to be happy. He's lying to her.

'I'm sorry Emu... I'll tell you the truth when i figure out what the truth even is...'

"Okay~! I'm going to go see what Nene is up to!" She says with a wide smile before skipping away to the other girl.

Tsukasa sighs, his smile instantly disappearing when he was no longer in her line of sight.

'Ugh... who can I even talk to about this... Obviously not Rui... it's his fault after all... Nene will surely make fun of me... Emu would only worry... Saki? No, she doesn't need to worry either... Maybe... maybe I can talk to the others in SEKAI...? Yeah... yeah I'll do that tonight.. ugh... this is so embarrassing...'

Practice continues for a few more hours, the actors making sure to put their all into their roles for the following day.

"Alright! I think we're ready!" Tsukasa yells in his most leader-like voice.

"Let's do our best tomorrow, everyone..!" Nene yells to the best of her ability.

"Yes, let's!" Rui and Emu beam in sync, followed by a few giggles from the duo.

The girls pack up and head back to their respective households, leaving the boys alone once again.

"Tsukasa, are you heading home?" Rui starts the conversation.

"I was planning on it, yes. Why? You need something?" Tsukasa asks, hoping the other says no.

"Ah, I was just wondering if you wanted to look at the stars together again... it's totally fine if not..."

Despite it being a dark night, Tsukasa notices Ruis face suddenly turn red.

"Actually— nevermind, you can go home... I... should make sure tomorrows props are ready... sorry for keeping you..." The purple haired boy says while covering his face to prevent Tsukasa from seeing how embarrassed he is.

Unfortunately, he already noticed.

'Crap... how am I supposed to answer... I was going to talk to the guys in SEKAI... but... I'll feel like a jerk if I dont stay...'

"Uh... I can stay for a while... Not too long, though."

Ruis head jerks up in surprise.

"Oh! Uh— that's fine! Let's sit where we sat yesterday... yeah?"

"Sure!" The blonde replies, trying his best to ignore whatever feelings the two are trying to hide.

After a few moments of silence, Tsukasa decides to ask a question that might help him figure out these confusing feelings.

"Say, Rui... If i was an actual star, which do you think I'd be?" He asks, weirdly fearing the possible answer.

"A star? Hmm..." Rui thinks, putting his finger up to his chin. "...probably the... North Star."

"North star? What makes you say that?"

'Please have a normal reason... don't make this any more confusing for me...' The blondes heart begins to race.

"It's your favorite, no? Plus, you have the ability to help guide the lost, much like you did for me." The directors says with a kind smile, looking up to the sky.

"Like I did... for you?" Tsukasa questions.

'What the hell does that mean... I've never done anything like that for him... have i? In what sense does he mean... 'guide the lost'...?''

Rui jolts in shock and realization of what he just said, face becoming even redder than before.

"Uh— Just— forget i said anything; you should go home and rest...!" Rui hastily replies, holding his neck and laughing in embarrassment before standing up.

'What did he mean by that...?'

Before Tsukasa could think any more, Rui ushers him to go home.

"You... should go rest up... we have a big day tomorrow... right?" The taller boy says while walking towards the props to prepare them for their performance.

"R-right... uh... goodnight, Rui..." Tsukasa watches as his teammate stands by the props, looking down, seemingly embarrassed. He turns around and begins his walk home.

"Yeah... goodnight..." Rui whispers, refusing to turn around.

"What the hell was I thinking... that was practically a confession, no? Geez... I'm such an idiot..." Rui slams his fist on the props table in frustration.

'I did it again... I screwed up... How am I supposed to talk to him after that...? Tsukasa... please don't hate me...' He begins to get lost in his thoughts once again.

After eventually coming to his senses, he continues his work just like any other day. He's not sure how much longer he can keep doing this, but he can't risk losing his best friend over it. He's got do whatever he has to in order to keep Tsukasa around for as long as he possibly can, even if that means hiding his true feelings.

Chapter Text

A Little Help

Upon arriving home, still dazed about what his teammate said, Tsukasa heads to his room and flops down on his bed with a hefty sigh.

'Ugh... that was... unnecessarily stressful. What the hell did he mean by that?'

"Ughhhhh! I can't deal with this! I don't get it!" He yells while shooting up into a sitting position, hands running through his hair in frustration.

"Tsukasa! I'm trying to do homework! Can you please keep it down?!" Yells his sister from the living room.

"Ah! Sorry Saki! I'll try to be quieter..." He responds, letting a small laugh escape at the end.

'Maybe I'll go to SEKAI finally... I've been meaning to talk to them about this anyway, and Saki can focus in silence.. Yeah, I'll head over.'

The blonde grabs his phone and selects his troupes first song, being blinded by the white flash as always. Seconds later, he opens his eyes, welcomed by his brightly colorful Wonderland SEKAI.

He begins looking around for any of the Virtual Singers that reside in the still mysterious world, noticing that some areas seem to have changed. Some more colorful, some lacking color entirely, new flowers, new plushies, and a suprising amount of... purple?

"Has this place always had this much purple?" He mumbles to himself while looking around.

"Ah, There you are! I had a feeling someone was here."

While roaming, Tsukasa hears a very familiar robotic voice of one of the Virtual Singers. He cautiously turns around to greet the singer, still preparing for the conversation he plans to have.

"Hello, KAITO! Sorry I came over so late, did I disturb anything?" Feeling slightly guilty.

"No, of course not! However, Luka seemed more energetic than usual." He looks the anxious teen up and down. "Hmm... by any chance, is something bothering you?" The blue haired singer questions.

Right, Luka cant sleep when someone's upset. Of course it would be obvious if something was wrong.

"Ahh... haha... I guess you got me there. Can't argue with Lukas strange sleeping habits." The blonde laughs, holding his neck. "There is... something I wanted to talk to you about..."

KAITO tilts his head. "Oh? Well, I'm all ears. Come, sit by me." He pats the bench next to him, signaling the teen to sit down.

Tsukasa slowly walks over to sit by the singer, still nervous about talking about his problem. He sits down and stays quiet for an awkward amount of time before hesitantly asking his question.

"If you were to suddenly learn that your close friend likes you... what would you do..?" He says, hands shaking.

"A close friend, you say?" KAITO puts his hand up to his chin in thought. "Has this friend actually told you that they like you?"

'Wait... Rui never actually told me... did he? I'm just... assuming... aren't I? Could I actually be wrong?'

"Uh... well... no. Not exactly, but—"

"You should ask them first," KAITO cuts in. "Panicking over something you're unsure of is never good, especially if there's a chance you're wrong, no?"

Tsukasa stares at the ground, thinking about what the singer just said.

"I... I guess you're right... but... how am I supposed to do that? What if I'm wrong and I make things awkward between us? I don't even know how I feel about hi— that friend."

He almost slipped up. Can he even tell KAITO it's another boy? Surely he wouldn't care, right? It's his SEKAI after all... But... if he knows it's Rui... he might worry. No, nobody else can know who it is. Not until it's confirmed.

"I may not know much about love, but I can tell that this is troubling you. I say you try to confirm this friends feelings then come find me, okay? I'll try to figure out a way to help you out on your end, no promises it'll actually help though, haha." KAITO suggests, laughing as he completes his sentence.

"Yeah... I'll try... thanks, KAITO." The blonde expresses his gratitude with a small bow.

"Ahh, I didn't do anything... Oh, by the way. Did you notice all the changes here recently? Do you think they were caused by your current dilemma?"

'Huh...? Could they..? The purple... No-no— that's not— it has nothing to do with him. Nothing at all... I... think.'

"There are some new plushies, and for some reason, a lot more purp—"

"No! No— I— uh... I mean. No, I haven't noticed anything. Maybe I'll take a look around later..." Tsukasa interrupts, stopping KAITO from continuing.

The Virtual Singer stares at the blondes beet red face hidden behind his hands for a few seconds, realizing that his suspicions may be correct after all. Until the boys confirm it however, he decides to wait and not meddle any more than necessary. Though, he remains cautious, just in case things don't go the way he hopes.

"Alright then, was there anything else you'd like to talk about?" He asks, trying to change the subject for Tsukasas sake.

Tsukasa takes a deep breath, trying to fix his face.

"No, I think I'm going to go back home, it's late after all, and I've got a performance tomorrow." He says while standing up and pulling out his phone, preparing to head home.

KAITO follows, putting his hand on the other boys shoulder.

"I believe you can get through this, just like you always do. Goodnight, Tsukasa." He says with a reassuring tone and smile.

"Thanks, KAITO. Goodnight." Tsukasa responds with a similar smile but a tone that doesnt quite match the one of someone smiling. He pauses the song and heads back home.

As Tsukasa disappears from the SEKAI, KAITO lets out a sigh, worried about the boys.

"KAITO? Is everything alright?" Questions a certain high pitched voice.

"Ah, Miku. The boys seem to be having some trouble and... I'm not quite sure how to help them." He says with a troubled expression.

Miku worriedly looks at her fellow blue haired singer, having never seen him so concerned.

"The boys? Are Rui and Tsukasa having a fight?" She asks, voice full of worry.

"Not exactly... it's complicated. I can't exactly confirm if I'm even right at the moment, however. We can only wait."

Miku hugs her fellow singer, trying to cheer him up.

"I'm sure they'll figure it out! They're best friends! Nothing can break them up!" She beams, her smile as wide as it could be.

KAITO returns her hug, calming himself down.

"Yes, I believe that as well, thank you Miku. Let's return to the others, yeah?"

"Okay~!" She begins skipping back to the others, humming a cheerful song along the way.

"Yeah, they'll be alright." KAITO whispers to himself before following Miku.

Back in the real world, Tsukasa completes his nighttime routine before laying in bed, attempting to sleep. He needs to sleep well tonight, they have a very important performance the next day after all. If he can't perform to the best of his abilities...

"Ugh! I can't sleep. Ask Rui? What is KAITO thinking..!? How can I just ask him!? That's... embarrassing. What if I'm right though..? How do I... even feel about him..? I don't dislike him, obviously... but... romantically...? No, I don't... at least, I don't think I do... Not because he's a guy, I dont really care, I liked a few guys in middle school, but... he's... a close friend... yeah... that's all... a close friend..."

He continues to spiral in his own thoughts and feelings before realizing something. He forgot to ask the girls to join them for stargazing after the performance. As he reaches for his phone to message them he begins to question that idea.

'It would be fun, but... it's been nice just Rui and i... It's calming with just the two of—'

"What am I thinking?! Though... it's true... it has been lovely to hang out with just him after practice... maybe i could just... 'forget' to ask the girls... maybe i can ask him if he really does... like me." He sighs, setting his phone down on his nightstand. "Yeah, I'll do that. I'll ask him tomorrow."

He proceeds to slowly drift off to sleep, preparing for the day ahead of him.

Chapter Text

Overthinking

Rui begins making his way home, still frustrated about his interaction with Tsukasa hours prior. He walks with his hands in fists gripping his school bag, refusing to look away from the sidewalk below him until he returns to his house.

When he arrives home, he enters his bedroom garage, slamming the door in the process. Not loud enough to wake his parents or neighbors, but hard enough to make the walls shake.

He throws his bag down onto the floor before flopping onto his bed with a heavy sigh and staring at his star sticker covered ceiling. However, instead of calming him down like it usually would, the stars only reminded him of his leader. This only stressed the boy out more. He throws his hands over his eyes, groaning in frustration, and sits up.

"Ugh... I can't believe I said that. What's wrong with me? I know it wasn't an actual confession, but... surely he knows now. Tsukasa isn't stupid... he definitely knows. He wasn't supposed to know. He was never supposed to know."

The boy stands up and walks over to his desk, once again flopping down into his seat. He places his elbows on the desk and leans into his hands.

"What am I going to do now? Is he going to ask me about it? What do i do when he does?! UGHH I dont know what to do... I'm such an idiot."

This type of overthinking wasn't unusual for Rui. As a matter of fact, this happened more often than he would like to admit. Tonight, however, was different. These thoughts lasted much longer than they normally do, and they were... painful.

'He's never going to speak to me again. He wants nothing to do with me. He never did. He's just like everybody else, he's going to leave me behind.'

All of a sudden, Rui no longer felt as he was in control of his body. It was as if his thoughts were no longer his, but someone else placing these thoughts into his mind.

'You're nothing to him. He's embarrassed. You can never have a normal relationship after what you did. He hates you. He hates you. He hates you. He. Hates. Y-

"STOP!"

Rui yells as he comes back to reality. He was holding his ears in a desperate attempt to block out the voices, to no avail. He's breathing heavily, feeling as if he was going to collapse any second.

"Stop... please stop..." He sobs, not even sure who he's speaking to.

He continues to sit at his desk, sobbing into his arms. Just as he was coming down from his sudden episode, his phone flashes. Through the tears still fogging his vision, he sees a silhouette of a small, yellow haired boy peeking out of his phone.

"Rui...? Are you alright??" The hologram asks.

"L-len?? What are— What are you doing here?" Rui responds, frantically trying to clear away his tears, not trying to worry the Virtual Singer.

"Something felt... off over here. I went to ask the girls but they're asleep, and Tsukasa is already here so I wanted to check on you too..!"

"Ah, yeah, I'm alright.. Thank you for worrying though... but, why is Tsukasa over there?" It pained Rui to lie to him, but there's no way he's telling another soul about what happened.

"Ahh, he wanted to speak to KAITO about something, they seemed serious... but KAITO won't tell anyone what it was about... such a mean guy!" The singer exclaims, crossing his arms with a pout.

"Hah, is that so..?" Rui chuckles a little at the boys expressions, but remains curious about the reason Tsukasa was in SEKAI.

"Well, maybe you were all just feeling Tsukasas emotions, you said they seemed serious, no?" He continues.

"Maybe... but, you sure you're okay, Rui? You seem... different." Len questions.

"Yes, I assure you I'm alright. I suppose I'm just tired from practicing." The director responds while wearing a fake smile, trying to convince Len to leave.

"Alright... I won't pry... but, please remember we are all here for you if you need to talk, okay?" Len reassured with full sincerity.

"Will do. Thank you, Len."

With that confirmation, the yellow haired singer disappears. Rui continues to sit in silence, thinking about what Len had told him.

"Tsukasa is... upset..? Is that... because of me?"

He begins spiraling once again.

'I upset him. He really does hate me, doesn't he? He's going to kick me out of the troupe. He's going to move classrooms. He's not even going to walk in the same hallway as me anymore. He's going to... erase me from his life...'

A sudden sharp pain snaps Rui back into realizing he was still at his desk. He examines where the pain was coming from to find his left arm covered in blood along with the nails of his right hand.

"Huh...? Oh... I... I did it again... That... really hurts this time..." He mumbles to himself while staring at the bloody scene he had created on his desk and all over his blueprints.

'I'm ridiculous. Overreacting all the time. I just can't do anything right, can i? Maybe one day I'll go deep enough to just let me bleed out and die. Maybe then I'll—'

A knock on his door causes him to jolt up, almost falling out of his chair.

"Rui...? Are you awake...? I heard a scream and... I got worried."

It was Nene. He begins to panic, what is he supposed to do? Does he ignore her? No, she'll just ask again in the morning. Should he open the door? No, he can't let her see him like this, not again.

"...Rui?" She repeats.

The boy quickly tries to throw away all the bloodied papers before rushing over to the door with his arm behind his back.

"H-hey, Nene... everything alright?" He asks calmly, despite the stinging feeling of the newly opened wounds exposed to the cold air of his room.

"Oh, sorry if I woke you... I heard a yell coming from over here, so I was wondering if you—" She glances over to his desk, eyes widening as she notices a paper Rui had failed to throw away before opening the door. It was covered in blood.

At first, she assumed it was from an accident while working, but the lack of tools in the area told a different story. She knew exactly what happened.

"Rui... did you..? Not again..." Nene asks, suddenly panicking, finally seeing the arm hidden behind her neighbors body.

"No! No, I..."

It's no use lying to her. She sees right through him.

"I... I'm sorry..." He sobs through a broken voice, falling to his knees, unable to hold his emotions back any longer. His arm falls beside his leg, confirming her worries.

Nene joins him on the floor, examining the damage. She stands him up and brings him to the edge of his bed, sitting him down.

"Wait here, okay? I'll get something to help." She ushers Rui to wait as she rushes back to her house to retrieve her med-kit.

Rui sits in silence, the voices gone, he hears nothing at all. He feels nothing, not even the open wounds covering his arm. He's empty.

Nene returns to see her friend in the same position he was when she sat him down. He hadn't moved an inch. She sits in front of him and carefully grabs his arm to start cleaning off the injuries.

"So, wanna tell me what happened this time...?" She hesitantly questions, remembering that Rui hates being asked that, especially right after doing something like this.

"I..." He struggles to speak. "I... no. I can't... s— I'm sorry, Nene." He whispers through the occasional wince of pain.

"I know you are, it's alright. I won't force you to tell me, but if it's bothering you enough to do this again..." She pats down the blood, exposing the scratches "...then you should try to talk to somebody. I worry, you know?" She utters softly, trying not to set the boy off.

"I...know. I just— I can't tell you... I don't know if you'll... still like me if you knew..." He says in an empty voice.

Nene stares into her friends eyes, noticing how hollow they seemed at that moment. She finishes wrapping his arm with some bandages and sits next to him on the bed. She places her hand on his wrapped arm and let's out a sigh.

"Hey, look at me." She grabs his face, making him look at her.

"I will never, I repeat, never hate you. I will never run away from you. Trust me, if I wanted to I already would have. I'm your childhood friend, right? I stayed with you this long because I believe in you. You will always be important to me. Not just me, Emu and Tsukasa too. So please, try to be nicer to yourself, okay?" She says sternly, making sure her words got through to Rui.

Rui stares at her, tears forming once again.

"I just... I'm so frustrated... there's too much going on, Nene, I don't know if I can deal with it anymore... I can't... I just can't... please..." He sobs, aggressively rubbing his eyes.

Upon hearing that confession, Nene pulls him into a hug.

Rui gasps in surprise. He can't remember the last time he was hugged. His tears fall harder, head pounding.

"Let's do our best tomorrow, okay?" Nene reassures the other while patting his back for comfort.

"Thank you... Nene." He mumbles, letting himself melt into the warm embrace.

He wakes about an hour later, not seeing his friend anywhere. He doesn't even remember falling asleep.

"Oh... I guess she went home..." He whispers.

He curls into the fetal position and brings his arm up to his eyes, staring at the neatly wrapped bandages in disgust and embarrassment, with a hint of remorse.

"Thank you, Nene. I'll tell you when the times right..." He hugs his own arm and returns to his sleeping position.

'You can do this, Rui.' His thoughts return to him, no longer controlled by a string for the night.

He falls asleep once more, recharging his energy for the very, very long day ahead of him.

Chapter Text

Hesitation

After a not so ideal sleep, Rui wakes up. He's still exhausted and in pain from the events of the night prior. Before sitting up, he blankly stares at his arm once again.

"I guess I'll have to find a way to hide this from the others... luckily my costume has long sleeves..." He mumbles to himself.

He finally gets out of bed and gets ready for school. As he puts his shirt on, he notices that it may be more difficult to hide than he thought.

"I normally roll my sleeves up... someone might get suspicious if I have them down... I guess I can wear a cardigan."

He grabs his favorite blue cardigan and throws it over himself. He sighs as he grabs his school bag and reluctantly gets ready to leave. As he opens his door, his eyes immediately meet a familiar face.

"Good morning, Rui. Want to walk to school together today? We haven't done that in a while." Nene cautiously asks.

"Oh... uh... well, I guess since you're already here... we might as well." Rui answers, avoiding eye contact.

The two begin their walk in silence, both afraid to say the wrong thing. This is not the first time this has happened. It happened multiple times before during middle school. Every time it was the same thing. They meet the next day, walk to school together in silence, part ways before class, and never talk about it again.

"Rui... aren't you hot in that...?" Nene breaks the silence, referring to his cardigan.

"Ah... a little bit, but... I didnt know how else to..." He doesn't finish his sentence, but Nene pieces together what he was going to say as he rubs his wounded arm.

"Right... Hey, are you gonna... be okay during the show?" She questions, gripping her school bag, nervous about his answer.

"I... don't know, but... I have to be, yeah? I can't let this ruin our performance..." He quietly chuckles under his breath.

"Yeah..." is all Nene could say. She never knows how to act when Rui is in this state. She looks over at his face to see the same eyes she saw the night before, hollow.

They continue their silent walk until reaching the school gate. They head their separate ways to their classrooms on different floors.

Rui sits at his desk and immediately lays down on his arms, his eyes threatening to close.

"Ah, there you are, Tenma! You got a minute? I wanna talk about the group assignment real quick." A classmate yells, waking Rui up.

"Ah, sure! What's up?" Says a very specific voice.

Rui peaks through his arms to see Tsukasa talking to a classmate. Normally, this wouldn't bother him, but it's the first time Tsukasa doesn't speak to him before anyone else. Their mornings typically include Rui arriving first, Tsukasa showing up minutes later and immediately talking to Rui about anything he can think of. With this in mind, Rui feels his heart suddenly squeezing.

'Why does my heart have to be so weak...? I wonder if he's okay... I hope i didn't cause him too much pain...'

He continues laying in his arms until hearing slow footsteps approaching his desk.

"Hey, Rui, isn't it a bit hot for a cardigan?"

Rui immediately recognizes the voice as his leaders. He slowly looks up to respond, but is unable to meet the others eyes.

"Oh, uh, I'm quite cold, actually..." He mumbles, not sure if Tsukasa heard him.

"If you say so... uh... Rui? Are you... okay?" The blonde hesitantly asks.

He's getting tired of hearing that question. The same damn question over and over.

"I'm fine." He says in a stern tone.

'No, wait, that came out wrong... I didn't mean to sound like that...' He begins to become stressed. He finally looks up at the other, only to be met by a frightened expression on his face.

"I-I'm sorry Tsukasa— I didn't mean—" He stumbles over his words.

"No, it's alright. You're clearly tired, I shouldn't have bothered you. Let's talk after class, yeah?" Tsukasa suggests in a worried yet slightly bothered tone before walking to his own desk without another word.

Rui watches as the blonde walks away with a quiet "I'm... sorry..." escaping his lips.

The bell rings and class begins. Neither of the boys could properly focus during their lessons, they were both too bothered by the interaction they just had.

As Tsukasa was speaking with his group mates for an assignment, he looks over at Rui, noticing that he isn't speaking to his group like he normally is. He's just... staring. Tsukasa begins to worry as he sees the other constantly rubbing his left arm, as if it were hurting him.

'Why does he keep doing that...? Did he hurt his arm? I hope it doesn't affect his performance later...'

"Tenma! Are you listening?" One of his group mates yells.

"Huh? Y-yeah! Sorry! I was just thinking about the show i have later." He replies, still looking at Rui.

He eventually returns to his assignment until the class ends.

As all the students leave the classroom, the two boys are left alone. Tsukasa takes his chance to ask his director about their after show plans. However, before he can, Rui speaks up first.

"Tsukasa... are you... mad at me?" Rui asks, staring at the floor.

Tsukasa stares at his friend, shocked by the sudden question.

"No, why would you think that?" He questions, unsure as to why the other would think such a thing.

"Well... I... I don't know... I just... after last night..." Rui grabs his arm, desperate for any feeling. He winces in pain after accidently grabbing too roughly onto his wounds.

"What happened to your arm...? Did you injure it while working...?" Tsukasa approaches the other and reaches for his arm to examine it.

"Don't!" Rui slaps the blondes hand away. "Don't... I'm... I'm alright... I'm sorry... I'll... see you at the stage..." Without a second glance, he grabs his bag and runs out of the classroom, leaving a very confused Tsukasa alone.

"What... was that about...? Maybe we should have a more... serious conversation later..." He mutters to himself.

Tsukasa grabs his bag and exits the room. Instead of going home to change first like he usually does, he heads straight for the park, hoping to meet Rui there and calm him down before the girls arrive.

'We need to settle this today. The show needs to be perfect. What's going on with you, Rui?'

Chapter Text

Feelings

Tsukasa finally arrives at the park and heads directly to the stage. As he gets closer he sees Rui sitting on the edge of the stage.

He cautiously approaches his teammate, not wanting him to run away again.

"Hey... can we talk?" He hesitantly asks.

Rui looks up and meets his leaders eyes. They're full of nothing but worry. The complete opposite of his empty eyes.

"About... what?" He utters quietly, so quietly that Tsukasa almost didn't hear him.

"About... uh... well... about yesterday... and in the classroom..." The blonde gulped, hoping that the other would agree.

"Could it wait... until after?" Rui begs, not wanting to be reminded of anything from the past 24 hours.

"No. We need to do this now. If not... neither of us will be able to give the show our all... right?"

"I... suppose so..." Rui tries his best to keep himself calm, knowing this conversation was going to be one of the hardest ones he's ever had.

"So... uh, I have a few questions... if thats okay?" Tsukasa asks nervously.

"...Yeah." Rui mutters just loud enough for the blonde to hear.

"First... I know I said we would ask the girls but... could we look at the stars tonight...? Just the two of us. I have something important to ask you after the show..."

Rui stares at Tsukasa in shock.

"Just... us? I... I don't think—"

"Please, Rui." His leader cuts him off, almost begging him to say yes.

"...Okay, just us..." He eventually agrees.

"Thank you. Second... your arm..."

Rui quickly grabs his arm and hugs it close to his body, afraid Tsukasa will try to touch it again.

"What happened to it...? If it was just a simple injury you... you wouldn't be hiding it from me..."

"I... I can't... I didn't want to... it... it was an accident..." Rui begins tearing up, remembering the events of the night prior. He can't breathe. It's as if someone has a hold on his lungs and won't let go. It's getting harder to stay awake.

"Rui? Rui wha— ...oing on? Rui!"

As his vision and hearing fade out, he collapses. He falls forward being caught by Tsukasa, who was now panicking.

"Oh no, wh-what do I do!? Rui?! What's wrong?! Wake up!"

He lays Rui on one of the audience benches and reaches for his phone. He hastily calls the park medical center, urging them to come as fast as they could. As he hangs up, he checks the time. 4:47pm. Their show is at seven. He tenses up at the thought that they may have to cancel the show if Rui is unable to perform. He continues to worry as the medics arrive.

They do a quick examination at the stage and diagnose the cause as heatstroke from his cardigan. They move him to the air conditioned backstage room and explain to Tsukasa how to help when he wakes up before heading back to their offices. Tsukasa sends them off with a bow and returns to Ruis side.

"Let's take this off, it should help..." He grunts as he lifts up his director and begins to take off his cardigan. As he reaches the left arm, he sees them. He stares at the bandages wrapped around his teammates arm. Blood seeping through many of them as Rui couldn't change them before school.

Tsukasa stares in shock and worry at the others arm, still processing potential reasons for the bandages. Given the way Rui had been acting the past few days, he could only assume the worst.

'Did he... but why...? What the hell happened... Rui?'

A small gasp snaps him back to reality. Rui had woken up. They sat there in silence, just staring at eachother for a few seconds.

"Rui—"

"I'm sorry..." Rui whispers.

"For what?"

He lifts his left arm, "Not... telling you something was wrong... I just... didn't want you to worry before the show... I was going to tell you... eventually."

"So... those are what I think they are...?" Tsukasa hesitantly asks.

Rui nods in response, hands trembling.

Noticing this, Tsukasa decides to not pry any longer.

"Hey, it's okay. We don't need to talk about this right now. Let's save it for after the show, okay?" The leader reassures. "You're okay to perform, yeah?"

"Yes, I'm alright... I'll do my best..."

"I know you will. You always do. We'll finish this conversation later, okay? The girls should be arriving soon." The blonde says in his usual leader tone.

"Right..."

"Oh, and... I won't tell them about this. I'm sure you dont want them to know, am I right?"

Rui looks up at Tsukasa, seeing his warm expression. The expression that always puts him at ease. "Yeah... thank you."

Tsukasa responds with a soft smile before heading to the changing room to make sure all of the costumes are ready.

Upon seeing that smile once again, Ruis heart feels warm. All his pain suddenly disappears, he feels as if he could perform ten shows straight. He stands up and begins working on props as he usually does.

The girls soon arrive and begin to get ready as well. As Emu is going over the script with Tsukasa, Nene approaches Rui.

"How are you feeling?" She asks.

"Better, thank you again for... you know." He gestures to his arm.

"It's fine, really. That's what friends are for, no? I'm just glad you're doing better. You ready for the show?"

"I think I am, yeah." Rui states with a small yet warm smile.

Nene smiles back, happy to see her friend is feeling good enough to smile again.

"Okay everyone! One final practice!" The leader yells from the other side of the stage.

"Okay!" The neighbors yell in sync before heading over to the others and beginning practice.

The boys had put their issues aside for the next few hours, determined to put on the best show they possibly can.

Chapter Text

Curtain Call

The time is 6:55PM and the show is about to begin. The troupe huddle together one final time and do their signature 'WONDERHOY' catchphrase.

"Let's make this show our best one yet, okay team?" The leader announces.

"Let's do this!" The rest of the team respond in perfect unison.

They get into their places, the starting buzzer blares, the curtain opens, and the show begins.

Despite the heavy hearts that the boys were carrying, they were able to completely immerse themselves into their characters. The immersion seemed to have been a proper distraction, because as the show came to a close, they had almost entirely forgotten about the events just hours prior.

"Thank you all for coming! Don't forget to visit us again!" The troupe thanks the crowd with a final bow as everyone leaves their seats and returns to other sections of the park.

"So many smiles! We definitely outdid ourselves!" Emu yells, voice full of excitement.

"Indeed we did, good job everyone!" Rui congratulates his troupe members with his typical sweet after-show smile.

Nene and Tsukasa nod in agreement, not wanting to strain their throats after all the singing and yelling their roles required.

The team changes out of their costumes and return to the stage to begin cleaning up like they usually do.

"Hey, you girls can head home. Rui and I can handle things from here." Tsukasa suggests, trying to get Rui alone.

"You sure...? There's still quite a bit left..." Nene protests.

"Yes! There's nothing a star like me can't handle! Plus, Nene you should go home and drink some tea, your throat hurts, no?"

"It does... fine, we'll go. Try not to stay out too long though... Come on, Emu." The singer gives in and heads towards the exit with Emu, leaving the boys alone.

After making sure the girls were fully gone, the blonde gathers his confidence and calls his director over.

"Hey, Rui. You remember what I asked earlier... right?" He hesitantly asks.

Rui faces Tsukasas direction but refuses to look at his face.

"I... I do. You... wanted to ask me something... important?" He questions.

"I do. Come, let's sit where we did before." The leader sits at the edge of the stage, just like the day before. He pats the area next to him, telling Rui to sit next to him.

Rui sits down, making sure not to sit too close just like the other times. This time, Tsukasa notices.

"Why are you sitting so far away? I'm not gonna bite you, you know." The blonde sternly yet jokingly asks.

"Ah... uh, well.. We're all sweaty, you know? Thought I'd... leave some space.. thats all."

"...Right."

Tsukasa can tell he's being lied to. This only pushed his suspicions closer to being correct. After a few minutes of an absolutely deafening silence, Tsukasa finally pulls himself together enough to ask Rui the big question.

"Rui... the thing i wanted to ask you... uh... well..." He's getting nervous. They both are. Their hearts begins racing even harder than they were before. Tsukasa takes a deep breath and finally...

"Do you... like... me? Like... more than a friend... or... something like that...?"

He turns to look at Rui, who was frozen in place. His eyes completely wide. He was holding onto his chest as if his heart were going to fly straight out of it. Tsukasa begins to worry. Was he too straightforward? Did he scare him?

'Come on Rui... say something... please...'

"I..." He barely hears Rui. He's never been that quiet before. "I... I'm... sorry..." He mutters.

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong..."

"I... do... I have for so long... I... didn't want to... ruin our friendship by telling you..." Ruis gaze remains fixed on the floor beneath him, absolutely terrified as tears begin to fill his eyes.

Tsukasas eyes widen. He said it. He just confirmed everything he was curious about. What does he do now?

"Ruin our...? No, no you didn't ruin anything..."

"You don't feel the same... do you?" Rui finally looks up and meets his leaders eyes, well, through the tears, that is.

"I... I... well, im not... I dont... you... ah..." He throws his hands over his eyes. He can't form a sentence. He doesn't want to destroy everything they had worked so hard to achieve over the past year. He can't just lie to his best friend, either. He doesn't know what to do.

"I'm... sorry, Rui... I... dont know how I feel... about you. You're an amazing friend and teammate, but..."

'Friend. Teammate. Right, that's all I am to him... I should've expected this...' Ruis thoughts flood his mind once again, but only for a moment. Then, as if someone had flipped a switch, he's empty. He feels nothing, just like the night before.

"It's fine. I'm not gonna force you to like me back or anything... At least... now you know. Sorry." Rui stands up and silently heads to the backstage area to grab his things.

Tsukasa removes his hands and stares at the floor in shock of the sudden switch in tone, unsure of what just happened. Unsure of how to respond. Unsure of his own emotions. By the time he noticed his teammate had disappeared, he was already staring to leave the park. He jumps up and runs to stop him.

"Wait! Rui! I... GAH—!" He yells, voice full of desperation, falling onto the floor as he trips over his own foot.

The thud of him falling causes Rui to turn and look back at him, his eyes just as hollow and lacking emotion as they had been that morning.

"I... I dont know right now... but.. if you maybe.. I dont know... give me some time... I'll figure it out...!" Tsukasa pushes himself up so he's seated on his knees.

"Give you... time?" Rui questions, tilting his head.

"Yes... just... I dont want to lose you... as a friend or... anything else... So please... just give me some time to... think this over... please?" Tsukasa faces the floor, unable to continue looking at the piercing eyes of boy in front of him.

Rui walks over and kneels to Tsukasas level. He hesitantly places his hand on his leaders shoulder. Feeling this, the blonde looks up to meet the others eyes.

'His eyes... they look... different. They're empty but... there's so much emotion at the same time...'

"Take your time... I can wait..." Rui says with a sweet smile. A smile that Tsukasa is unsure he's ever seen before. A smile full of... hope? No... happiness? No, not that either...

'Heartbreak...?' Yeah... that's the one.

Rui holds his hand out to help his leader off the ground. Tsukasa gives him a quick thanks before Rui dissappears once again.

"And... he's gone... again." He sighs. "Now what...? I can't have things be awkward between us... UGHHH what did I get myself into..." He ruffles his hair in frustration. "Well... at least it's been confirmed... I guess. You happy now, KAITO? Ugh... Why did I listen to him... I should've just—"

"I'm not sure if 'happy' would be the correct word." Says a muffled robotic voice.

Tsukasa yelps as he realizes the voice came from his pocket. He grabs his phone to see KAITO peeking out of the screen.

"KAI— Wha— How long have you been here?!" The blonde yells.

"Long enough. I guess I was right after all." KAITO states, crossing his arms.

"You can't just eavesdrop on peoples conversations like— Wait... what do you mean... you were right..? Did you—"

"Yep, I had a feeling. I mean, how else would you explain the new... Rui-esque decor around here? The cat plushies, the flowers, the purple?"

Tsukasa stares at his Virtual Singer in silence for a few seconds.

"How... how long have you known...?" He questions, slightly embarrassed.

"Longer than... well... probably longer than both of you." The other answers.

"Longer than... both of us? But how—"

"I'm a part of your emotions, Tsukasa. While yours make up 90 percent of the SEKAI, the remaining 10 percent are the emotions of the other 3 involved. In fact, Rui takes up more space than the girls do because of just how close you two are. All of the new additions over here is Rui wanting to be part of your thoughts more, he wants you to see him and his feelings. That being said, I feel what all of you are feeling, sometimes even before you do. That's what I'm here for, helping with those feelings to the best of my abilities." KAITO explains in the softest tone he can produce, trying not to confuse the teen any more than he already was.

Tsukasa was dumbfounded. He couldn't believe what he just heard. As he's trying to wrap his head around it, KAITO speaks up once again.

"Well, what are you going to do now? Now that you know, of course."

"Ugh... I don't even know. I don't know the first thing about love... especially when it's with a close friend... You got any advice for me... anything at all?" Tsukasa begs.

"Unfortunately, no. As a Virtual Singer I don't know too much about love either. Sure, I understand other human emotions to an extent... but love, especially teenage love, is much harder to understand. Though, I'm aware that it can be very stressful."

Tsukasa groans at his unnecessarily honest hologram.

"Do you have any friends in relationships? Perhaps you can ask them? Preferably friends in the same... type of relationship?" KAITO suggests.

"You mean, like, two guys?"

"Yes, I believe they will be able to help the most in terms of what you specifically are looking for help with, no?"

"Yeah.. I guess you're right... but who— AH! TOYA! I completely forgot!" The teen yells, making KAITO jump in surprise.

"T-Toya? I assume they are a friend of yours?" KAITO laughs at the sudden burst of energy.

"Yes! I completely forgot he recently started dating his teammate! They're both guys, too. I'll try to ask them!" Tsukasa exclaims in excitement, having now found a, hopefully, useful resource in his friends.

"Well, I wish you the best of luck then. You should head home, no? I'll be here if you need anything. Oh, and I haven't told the others about this yet. I don't think they've quite figured it out either."

"Oh, thank you... I'll let you know if I need anything, KAITO."

"You're very welcome, goodnight Tsukasa." The Virtual Singer says before disappearing back into SEKAI.

"Okay! I'll ask those two to meet up tomorrow... Hopefully they can help me..." Tsukasa says to himself before grabbing his things and beginning his walk home.

Tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow, Tsukasa will try to fix Ruis heart he had broken. Tomorrow... he learns more about being in love.

Chapter Text

Phone a Friend

Rui slowly walks home, once again staring at the sidewalk the whole time. His head was empty. He no longer wants to think of Tsukasa. His beautiful blonde hair, his bright star-like eyes, his perfect voice, his... Wait, no. He can't be thinking of him right now. It only hurts him more.

Due to the boys current lack of attention, he feels something hit his shoulder, knocking him over. He had run into another person on accident.

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorr— Oh? Rui? Is that you?!" The other person exclaims.

Rui wipes off his hands, now covered in dirt from falling. He looks up, trying to figure out how this person knows his name. He meets the eyes of someone very familiar.

"Oh? Mizuki..? I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention..." He says, feeling guilty for running into his old friend.

"Nah, it's all good! How have you been?" The girl helps him up, wiping off his uniform as he stands.

"Ah... you know... theater... typical things... how about you?"

"Same, just the typical things. I was just heading home from Enas house, she's got class."

"Oh, that's nice. You two seem close..." Rui states, voice tinted with envy.

"Yeah, I mean... she's the only one other than you who knows... ya know." Mizuki let's out an awkward laugh.

"Right... hey, uh... I've got a question... if that's okay..?"

"Hmm? Sure, what's up?"

"I know... she didn't exactly find out the way you wanted, but... how did... uh... how did you talk about it... afterwards?" Rui hesitantly asks, knowing this was a sensitive topic for her.

"Well, we met up on a weekend... and we just... talked. There wasn't much to it... I mean... there were tears, but... it all worked out in the end... why do you ask?" She tilts her head, starting to get concerned.

"No, it's... well... I... uh..." Ruis hands begin shaking.

Mizuki grabs his hands in an attempt to calm him down. It helped him a lot in middle school.

"Chill, take your time, Rui. Take deep breaths, yeah? What happened?" She reassures him.

"I... told Tsukasa that I like him... He— he asked me to give him time to think about it, but... I don't know how long I can wait... and— Nene... I need to tell Nene... and Emu... but— I... I-I don't —" His breathing suddenly becomes sporadic and heavy.

"Hey, hey... it's alright. Calm down, I'm right here." Mizuki says, helping Rui breathe properly, just like back then.

His breathing slows. He takes a deep breath and continues speaking.

"I just, I'm not sure how to... tell them. I don't know how they'll feel..."

The designer listens intently to her friend until he looks at her signaling that he was finished speaking.

"I'm sure they'll love you the same as they do now. I'm also sure you'll feel much better after getting it off your chest, no?"

Rui nods.

"How about you... hmm... meet up at your stage? Or someone's house? Somewhere you feel safe. Sit them down and just... well... just tell them. I know, it's easier said than done, but... it's your best option."

She rubs Ruis hands as a form of comfort, glancing into his eyes to figure out how he's feeling. She recognizes those eyes. The same eyes he had through the entirety of middle school. She begins to worry more than she already was.

"Hey... this is really weighing on you... isn't it? Your eyes... they look the same they did back then, when we first met." She asks, maintaining her gaze on his eyes.

"Yeah... it's been... a rough few days... I even..." He rubs his arm as he refuses to finish his sentence.

Her eyes widen. She knows exactly what that means. After seeing it multiple times in middle school, how couldn't she?

"Oh dear... does it hurt? Did you clean it??" She remains calm, but is clearly concerned.

"A little bit, yeah, but... Nene helped..." Rui mutters, still feeling guilty about Nene having to see it again.

"Oh, well that's good... You've got yourself some good friends, you know that?"

Rui looks up, meeting Mizukis eyes. He tries to process what she said.

"What do you mean..?"

"Well, Tsukasa didn't exactly... reject you, right? He's thinking about it. About your feelings. As for Nene, she took care of you. I don't know much about your other member... but I've seen that she tries very hard to make everyone smile, especially her friends. They would go to the edges of the world for you, Rui." Mizuki smiles, hoping her friend understood what she was trying to say.

Rui continues to stare at her for a few seconds.

"Right... they... they would... I... guess you're right... maybe they won't hate me... even if I'm..." His eyes fall to the floor.

"They won't. They love you, Rui. They will continue to love you no matter what." She places her hand on his shoulder to reassure him.

"Thank you, Mizuki... I'll... well, I'll try my best..." The director smiles at the shorter girl, letting her know he appreciated the help.

She pulls him into a tight hug, rubbing his back as if to say 'I've got you if nobody else does.' He knows Mizuki would never hate him for who he is. They're both misfits after all.

She pulls away from the hug, looking him in the eyes once again. "Well, what are you gonna do, lover boy?" She laughs, trying to lighten the mood.

"Don't— don't call me that..." He sighs, trying to hide his own laugh in the process.

"Okayy~ Honestly though—" Mid sentence, Mizukis phone rings.

"Oh! That's my sister.. sorry I've gotta run... I'll text you later, okay?"

"Sure! Bye! Thank you again...!" They give each other another quick hug before heading home in opposite directions.

Rui turns and continues his walk home, thinking about what Mizuki told him.

'They'll love me... no matter who I am... even if I am a... freak.' He let's a small smile form on his face, thankful he, quite literally, ran into his old friend, even if it was just for a few minutes.

Just as he opens his bedroom door, he gets a text. It's from Mizuki. He sits himself on his bed and opens the message.

Mizu🎀
'Hey~ You home yet? You get there safely?'

◇Rui◇
'Yes ma'am 🫡'

Mizu🎀
'Good, good~'
'So, tell me dear, is there anything else troubling you~?'

◇Rui◇
'You sound like a shrink... lol'

Mizu🎀
'Maybe i am! Who's to tell?'
'That'll be $100'

◇Rui◇
'How expensive 😒'
'Take everything ive got 🙂‍↕️'

Rui laughs at the ridiculous statement. He's missed talking to Mizuki. They have been each others biggest supporters since they first met, even after they broke up. They dated until Mizuki came out to him as a trans woman. Rui, only being interested in men, lost all romantic feelings for her. They were able to remain best friends, however. Since then, she's vowed to make sure he gets the boyfriend he deserves.

Mizu🎀
'On a serious note, tho... you really like Tsukasa, dont you?'

'Oh, that's a sudden change of moods... how scary.' The boy giggles to himself.

◇Rui◇
'I do. I'll try my best to let him think it over for as long as he needs... Hopefully thats not too long though...'

Mizu🎀
'It better not be!'
'Or the last thing he'll see is my sewing machine.'

◇Rui◇
'Oh dear... how frightening'

Mizu🎀
'Yessir.'
'Sorry man, I've gotta go... good luck!'
'Let me know how it goes...whenever you do it, lmao'

◇Rui◇
'Will do 🫡'
'Thank you again'

Mizu🎀
'Nah.. I didn't do much..'
'but, you're welcome 🩷'
'Bye~'

◇Rui◇
'Bye-Bye 👋🏻'

Rui turns off his phone and places it on his nightstand with a heavy sigh.

"She's right... I've got myself some good friends... I'll tell them soon. I've got to."

After sitting and staring at absolutely nothing for a few minutes, he springs up and gets ready to go to bed.

Sunday. He'll do it on Sunday. He'll tell them all the truth.

Chapter Text

What "Love" Means to Me

The next day rolls around and Tsukasa is determined to figure his emotions out. He immediately sits up and grabs his phone to message Toya and Akito.

✨️My Beloved (very gay) Juniors✨️

☆Tsukasa☆
'Good morning my lovely juniors!'

Toya 🍪
'Good morning, Senpai'

Akito 🥞
'yo, it's really early'
'why are we in a group chat'
'and that name is absolutely wild wtf man'

☆Tsukasa☆
'Well, I was wondering something...'
'I'm having a bit of a... dilemma'
'and I was hoping I could ask you two for a little help...? 😅'
'Also dont make fun of the name! You're just mad that I'm right 😤'

Toya 🍪
'A dilemma?'
'Did something happen?'

Akito 🥞
'you think we can help?'
'what kinda issue are you having man'
'and yeah fine whatever'

☆Tsukasa☆
'Well, I'll tell you if you agree to help me first'
'Just know... you two are really the only people I can ask'

Akito 🥞
'ugh'
'Toya, I assume you're gonna agree'

Toya 🍪
'Of course!'
'I would be happy to help!'
'Come on, Akito... He's clearly distressed.'

☆Tsukasa☆
'Pleaassseee Akito?'
'🥺'

Akito 🥞
'fine, since Toya seems so... eager'
'also stop using that dumb ass emoji'

☆Tsukasa☆
'THANK YOU!'
'Think we could meet at my place later?'
'Sakis going out so it'll just be me'

Toya 🍪
'Sure.'
'Akito, i'll pick you up and we can walk there together.'

Akito 🥞
'alr'
'see you later ig'

"I'm so lucky to have such nice juniors...!" Tsukasa exclaims while stretching his arms.

"I should get ready. I really hope they can help me out..."

Tsukasa stands up and begins getting ready for his friends to arrive.

An hour later, he hears a knock at his door. He jumps up to open it, but... his heart starts racing. He's scared. He doesn't know how to even talk about this. His hand hovers over the doorknob for a few seconds before another knock is heard.

"Yo, we're here! It's hot as hell, open the door!" Akito yells from the other side, knocking even louder.

Tsukasa flinches at the banging, but it brings him back. He grabs the doorknob and lets the boys in.

"Sorry about that, I was in the bathroom." He apologizes with an awkward laugh.

"No worries, Akito just really hates the heat." Toya replies.

"I do not!" Akito scoffs, lying through his teeth, trying not to lose face in front of Tsukasa.

Toya softly laughs at his partners embarrassed tone.

"Well, what's wrong with you? You need our help with somethin'?" Akito gets straight to the point, not wanting to stay longer than he needs to.

"Right... uh... I don't really know... how to start talking about it..." Tsukasa becomes quiet.

Toya begins to worry, having not seen this side of his senior since they were kids. Even back then, he tried to hide it the best he could. This time was different, he was being so... transparent.

"Is it that serious..? You seem... scared..." He asks.

"Ah... well... yeah it's... it is pretty serious... I guess..."

Akito and Toya glance at each other for a second, both becoming slightly concerned.

"Well, uh, I'm not really the helping type but.. it's kinda.. weird seein' you like this, so... we can try our best if you tell us whats up...?" Akito tries to reassure the older boy to the best of his abilities.

The couple sits on the couch, eagerly awaiting their Senpais confession.

"Ah.. well... okay, so pretty much... ugh! I don't know how to say it!" Tsukasa yells in frustration, running his hands through his hair.

"Did something happen at school?" Toya begins cycling through potential issues that may have occurred, hoping to get a 'yes' out of the blonde.

"No..."

"Hmm... did you mess up during a show?"

"No... I didn't..."

"Somethin' happen with one of your teammates?" Akito joins in on the questioning.

"N—" Tsukasa freezes. The others notice this and realize they've figured it out. They decide to question further.

"Did someone get hurt? Quit? Mess up a show? Confess their lo—"

"Stop...!" The blonde yells, stopping the ginger in the middle of his sentence.

"That's the one, then?"

Tsukasa nods, hiding his face in the palm of his hands.

"Who? Otori?"

Silence.

"Kusanagi...?"

Tsukasa shakes his head.

Upon hearing— well— not hearing— the olders answers, the couple look at each other in shock.

"Kamishiro?!" They yell in unison, looking back at their senior.

The sudden yell causes Tsukasa to jump. He stares at the younger boys for a second before slowly nodding his head in confirmation.

"Is... that why you specifically asked us to help you? Because it's another guy?" Toya asks.

The blonde nods once again, this time, staring at the floor.

"I just— i don't know how I feel about him and... well... I don't even know what love means... especially to a close friend... and... well, you two were close friends before you started dating so... I thought maybe... you could give me some advice... or something..." Tsukasa sits on the floor, hating the thought of feeling so weak in front of his juniors.

The three of them sit in silence for a few seconds, thinking of what to say. None of them know how to approach this calmly. Almost every solution will be stressful in some way.

"Well... I guess..." Akito breaks the silence. "I mean... I think Toya would be more helpful here... I was the one in Kamishiros spot when it came to us."

"Really? What... uh... what were you thinking about... back then? After you told Toya, I mean." The blonde questions.

"Ah... I mean, it was stressful, that's for sure. There were times I felt kinda... mad? I guess? Waiting for an answer was one of the most stressful things I've had to do. Obviously it was worth the wait, of course, but... it definitely wasn't a fun time." The ginger admits with a red face, avoiding eye contact with his partner.

Tsukasa begins feeling guilty for asking Rui to wait. He doesn't want him to feel any more stressed than he probably already was. He looks over to Toya.

"What about you? You were in my shoes, right? What did you do..?" He asks, hoping to get any type of guidance.

"Hmm, well I was shocked at first. Like you, I wasn't sure how I felt about him. I spent weeks thinking it over. I began sort of... overanalyzing all of our interactions, though. Part of me felt like I was forcing myself to like him back so he wouldn't be upset, but... as time went on I realized I genuinely did like him. I'm not exactly sure how I figured it out, though. It just kind of... happened? Sorry, I'm sure this is not helpful at all..." Toya answers.

Tsukasa looks back at the floor, still as confused as he was before.

"What did it... feel like...when you realized it?"

"It definitely wasn't like in the movies, I'll say that. Everyone's version of love is different. Some people might suddenly realize it after a certain action or word the other person says, while others might struggle to ever figure it out. It may also just come naturally, slowly developing along the way." The blue haired junior states, grabbing a hold of his partners hand. Akito blushes in response, but soon returns the action.

Tsukasa sighs, feeling as if he's not getting anywhere.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is... you've got to figure out what love means to you, to both of you." Toya suggests.

"What... love... means to me..?"

"Yes, when you think of love regarding Kamishiro, what do you think of? If you can figure that out, maybe it will help you put together the rest of your feelings."

'Love... regarding Rui...? I... can't think of anything... do I really not like him back...? No... I've got to think about this more... he'll be devastated if I immediately rejected him...'

"Dude? You there? You've been silent for like... five minutes." Akito chimes in, breaking Tsukasa out of his thoughts.

"Huh— oh, sorry I was just... thinking about what Toya said— wait— where did he go?" He questions, noticing Toya had vanished from the living room.

"Bathroom, you seriously didn't see him leave?"

"No..."

Akito sighs and leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees. "Look, man. Let me tell you something. As hard as it may be knowing that Kamishiro is waiting for an answer, don't rush yourself. When you're in our position... it's easier when you take your time to genuinely think about it. Saves us the stress of learnin' you only agreed out of pity, ya know? I hated waiting for Toya to answer me, but when he finally did... I was glad he took as long as he did. It really helped me realize just how much thought he put into it. So seriously, don't stress 'bout it too much."

Tsukasa stares at Akito, shocked that he just gave him genuine advice. He's never seen this side of his junior. Toya definitely got lucky with someone like Akito.

"R-right... Thanks, Akito..." He replies, still in shock.

"Don't act like I just saved your life, it's weird." Akito quickly looks away, avoiding eye contact in embarrassment. Tsukasa let's out a small laugh, glad to have the Akito he knows back.

"Oh? You two seem to be getting along." Toya says as he returns to the couch.

"Never." Akito snaps back.

"Oh come oonnn~ You were giving me some great advice just now. Like you actually care about me~" Tsukasa teases.

"Was not!" The ginger becomes flustered and hides in his partners shoulders, causing the other two to let out surprised laughs.

"Oh my... there, there... you big softy." Toya pats his lovers head to comfort him while... making fun of him? That's just how they are. This is their version of love, it's what love means to them... having fun with each other.

Tsukasa smiles at the sight of his juniors being so deeply in love. He can't help but be happy for them. He can tell teasing was their love language. This reminded him of his new task at hand, figure out what love means to him. What it means to Rui. What it means... for both of them.

The blonde suddenly speaks up. "Well, uh... thank you both, really. You actually helped quite a bit. I'll think over what you guys said. Thank you." He says with an appreciative smile.

"It's no problem at all, Senpai. I hate to see you stressed, and as much as Akito says he doesn't care, he thinks the same. He was actually worried about you the entire w—" Akito covers Toyas mouth with his hand, face even redder than before.

"OKAY! Well, we're done here, right? Let's go, my love. Good luck, Tsukasa!" He practically drags Toya out of the house, awkwardly laughing the entire time, trying to hide the fact that he was, very obviously embarrassed.

"Oh— Okay! Bye! Thanks again..! And...! Please don't tell anyone!" Tsukasa watches, laughing as the couple leaves his house with a distant "We won't!" coming from one of the boys before the door shuts.

He sits himself on the couch and suddenly hears his phone chime. The opens his messages to see who could have texted him to see... Rui.

Rui ⚙️
'Hey...'
'I was thinking about'
'I guess'
'coming out?'
'to the girls tomorrow'
'do you think you could'
'maybe'
'join me?'

"Man, why can't he just say all this in one message? Anyway... coming out, huh? I forgot that's a thing people like us usually do... He wants me to join him? I already know, though... well, I do now, anyway..."

☆Tsukasa☆
'Join you?'
'I already know, though'

Rui ⚙️
'I know'
'but'
'I think I would maybe, idk'
'feel better?'
'if you were there?'
'I know its a lot to ask after...'
'you know'
'but... please?'

"What is he going on about...? Why would me being there help him in the slightest? After the way he walked off yesterday... I thought he wanted nothing to do with me. Should I go..? Maybe it could be a chance to figure out what Toya told me..."

☆Tsukasa☆
'you sure?'
'you seemed pretty... upset yesterday'
'wont seeing me just... make it worse?'

Rui ⚙️
'trust me, I thought about that'
'but... I just...'
'I really want you there.'
'please, Tsukasa?'

Tsukasa hear skips a beat seeing the way Rui was practically begging him to join him. He can't say no now, can he?

☆Tsukasa☆
'tomorrow, right?'
'when? where?'

Rui ⚙️
'so... you'll join?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'yeah. if it'll help you, I will'

Rui ⚙️
'thank you..'
'thank you so much, Tsukasa'
'my house'
'like... noon?'
'I just told the girls the same thing, so...'

☆Tsukasa☆
'alright. I'll be there.'
'😊'

Rui ⚙️
'Thank you, see you then.'
'😸'

'Heh.. thats cute..'

.
.
.
.

"HUH?! What did i just think?! The emoji... yeah.. that's what cute.. not him... not at all..." Tsukasa grips his chest over his racing heart. He just... called Rui... cute?! Will he be able to survive tomorrow?

Chapter Text

Even if You're "Different"

It's the next day. Sunday. Rui's going to tell them today.

"Noon... they'll be here at noon... all of them. I can't chicken out now... can I? No... it's too late for that." Rui sits up in his bed, not ready to tell his members his biggest kept secret.

"Maybe it really won't be that bad... I'm sure Nene has at least the slightest idea, she's known me forever, after all. Why, though... why did i invite Tsukasa?! I'm such an idiot! In what world did i think him being here would make this easier?!" He throws his face into his hands & inhales deeply to calm himself.

"Okay. Okay, it's fine. I'm overreacting. I need to clean up a bit... maybe that'll help me stop thinking for a while."

And help it did. He cleans up his room enough for four people to sit comfortably. Before he knows it, it's noon. As soon as the clock hits 12, he hears a knock on his door. Only one person would be this punctual.

'Don't tell me... he's here first?! Why does he have to be on time all the time?! Please don't be alone... please don't be alone... please don't be—'

He opens his door to see Tsukasa... '—alone...'

"Oh, uh... Hey, Rui. Am I the first one here? Even before Nene?"

Rui just stares at him, regretting even inviting him in the first place.

"...Rui?"

"Wha— oh! Yeah— yeah, you're here first. On time, like always ...heh. Come in, sit... anywhere I guess..."

Tsukasa enters the room and sits against Ruis bed. It's awkward. It's quiet. It's... painful. Not a single word was said after the initial greeting.

Before it got any more strange, another knock. "Rui~! We're here!!" The girls had arrived together. It's time.

Rui quickly welcomes the girls in and everyone but him takes their seats, preparing for the 'important conversation' Rui invited them over to have.

"Uh... hey guys. Thanks for agreeing to meet, even though you're probably still tired..." The director starts.

"Is everything okay, Rui? It's not like you to suddenly call us all here for something like this." Nene asks, having a feeling she knows where this is going.

"I... uh, well.. I'm not exactly sure how to say this..."

"Are you leaving us?!" Emu yells, sounding almost... frightened.

"No! No, I would never...! It's got nothing to do with us... as a group. It's... about me." It becomes hard to breathe. He looks over at Tsukasa, who is avoiding eye contact. This hurts him even more.

"I... uh... fuck... I don't— please don't hate me..." Is all he could utter before his emotions got the best of him. He falls to the floor, tears flooding his eyes.

Nene immediately rushes to his side. "Hey, what's going on? We're all here for you. None of us hate you, right?" She looks at the others for confirmation.

"Right! You're our best friend! We could never hate you!" Emu exclaims.

Tsukasa remains silent. His mind had become focused on his own feelings and didn't hear the commotion.

"Tsukasa?" Nene scolds.

"Th-They're right! We don't hate you, Rui. You're essential to our troupe!" He manages to blurt out, still not fully... there. His mind comes back to him and realizes Rui was now crying on the floor. Though, he's not sure why.

Through his tears, Rui speaks again. "Even if I'm... different.. than most people..?"

"Yes, even if you're different. We've all got our things, yeah? No matter what it is, we still love you all the same." Nene reassures the boy sitting in her arms.

"I..." He begins unconsciously scratching his already wounded arm, desperate for a distraction. It isn't working. It's not enough.

While Nene doesnt seem to notice, Tsukasa does from the corner of his eye. He needs to stop him, but... he's not sure how. He needs to think of a solution and he needs to think of it fast, before it gets out of hand. He looks around for something, anything.

Seeing as he couldn't find anything, his last choice was to say something. Without a second thought, he speaks.

"Rui, no matter what happens, I want you to know that you're very important to us. All of us. You know that, right?" He says, almost praying that it worked.

It seemed to have helped, be it a small amount, but Rui instantly stops scratching upon hearing his leaders voice. Tsukasa sighs a sigh of relief seeing his director stop hurting himself.

"I... know..." Rui beings to speak again. "The thing I wanted to tell you all... is... well... I... I like men... I'm... I'm gay." His tears continue to fall out of fear that his friends will get up and leave him behind, just like everyone else did.

The room goes silent for what felt like hours to Rui.

"I had a feeling. You never seemed to have been interested in any girls before, and when I asked about a crush you brushed me away... I've known you for so long, how couldn't I know?" Nene calmly states while rubbing his back, not wanting him to feel worse than he already does.

"You like boys? That's okay! That's not something to be ashamed of! Just make sure your boyfriend treats you right!" Emu gleefully exclaims, glad it wasn't anything more serious. She gets a faint laugh out of the tall boy.

Rui slowly lifts his head to look at Tsukasa who, once again, remains silent. Sure, he already knows, but it would still be nice to hear at least a 'good job' from him.

"I'm... proud of you, Rui. I know this isn't.. an easy thing to talk about..." He quietly states, wondering if he should tell the others about himself as well. He eventually decides against it, not wanting to ruin his teammates moment. "You should be proud of yourself, too." He looks at Rui with a fond smile.

That smile made all of Ruis worries disappear in an instant. He didn't want to look away. He wanted to keep that smile for himself.

"Thank you, guys... I knew you would support me, but... in the back of my mind..." He stops crying, but stares at the floor, still slightly embarrassed for making a scene.

"Don't worry, something like this won't break us apart. So you don't like women, that's not an issue at all. I'm just glad you felt safe enough to tell us." Nene says in her typical soft voice.

"Do you... feel better now?" Tsukasa asks.

"I do... thank you." The director responds.

Emu gets up and joins Nene in embracing Rui. He feels warm. He should've known it would all be okay. Part of him, however, wishes Tsukasa were hugging him as well. Instead, he remains seated. He was watching the girls comfort Rui, wondering if he should do the same. He ends up staying in his spot, thinking there wasn't enough space for him to join anyway.

As the girls pull away from the hug, Emu tries to lighten the mood. "So! I think our show was a big success! We didn't really talk about it after... let's do that now!" She simply changes the subject, but it works. The four of them proceed to happily talk about their last show for a few hours, losing track of time.

Nene eventually checks her phone only to see it was almost 9pm.

"Oh, its really late... Emu and I should get going." She says as she grabs her bag and stands up. Emu follows.

"Alright, thank you again, girls. Get home safely." Rui gets up and see them out, waving until they were no longer in sight.

He turns to see Tsukasa still sitting. It's not like he wants him to leave, but... shouldn't he? It's late...

"Tsukasa.. aren't you going to head home too? We have school tomorrow."

Tsukasa remains silent for a few seconds before responding.

"I... well, I... I was talking to some friends... about... about us, yesterday..."

The mood suddenly shifts, the air feels heavy. Ruis eyes widen. He doesn't know what to say. He doesn't know what to feel.

"I didn't exactly tell them it was you, they just... kinda figured it out... but..! They won't tell anyone... don't worry about that! I was just... I wasn't sure what to do after you... confessed to me. I needed help from people who... you know... understand things like this..." Tsukasa rubs his arm, not sure where he's even going with this conversation. He wants to look at Rui. He wants to see what expression he has. How he's feeling... but he can't bring himself to.

"They told me to put some genuine thought into it... but... but it might take me a while to figure it out.. so... if you don't mind waiting just a bit longer... I promise I'll figure it out... eventually... I really want to be sure when I tell—"

He's cut off by a sudden hug.

"Rui—"

"Thank you... I'll wait... I'll wait however long I have to... I'm just glad you're thinking about me..." Rui confesses.

Tsukasas frozen body slowly melts into the warm embrace, hugging his director back and letting his head rest on the taller boys shoulder. He feels Ruis hands running through the hair laying on his neck and he loves the feeling. They remain in that position for almost an entire minute before pulling apart. They finally make eye contact with eachother, sharing smiles full of contentment.

"Thank you, Tsukasa." Rui says once again.

"What do you keep thanking me for?" The blonde questions.

"For... you know... caring about me all the time. That's why I said what I did that day. The day you asked me what star you would be."

"You said I... guided the lost... guided you? I've been meaning to ask what exactly you meant by that, actually." Tsukasa says, hoping to finally get the answer to something hes been thinking about for days.

"Ah... well... you know about my arm already... and that I... like you... and, well... I've... gotten better... since meeting you. I didn't feel the need to... hurt myself as much as I used to..." Rui shifts his gaze to the floor. He's never told this to anyone. Not even Nene or Mizuki.

Tsukasa stares in disbelief. "There's no way... I helped you that much...? I doubt that..."

"You really did... you made me feel... seen? I guess..? A lot of my childhood was spent being ignored and shunned for being different and I often felt lost. With you, however... I finally had some direction. I knew where I was going, and that was... wherever you are..." Rui chokes up saying that final sentence, not able to believe he just admitted that. He looks up at Tsukasa, who was... tearing up?

"I... I had no idea. I'm... I'm sorry I never noticed... but... I'm glad i was able to help you... even a little bit." The blonde says, seemingly unaware of the tears falling out of his eyes.

Without thinking, Rui reaches his hand out and wipes his leaders tears with his thumb, holding his face in the process. They make eye contact as Tsukasas face heats up. Rui realizes what he was doing and immediately jumps back into his desk, frantically apologizing.

"Oh my god— I'm— I'm so sorry— I wasn't thinking—"

Tsukasa brings his hand up to his face, hiding his red cheeks.

"N-no... it... it's fine... I just... wasn't expecting that... that's all..."

They both remain still, completely flustered by the scenario that just unfolded.

"I... uh... I've got to get home... sorry... I'll... see you tomorrow, yeah?" Tsukasa stands up and rushes towards the door.

"R-right... yeah... see you..." Rui follows and sends him off before slamming the door in embarrassment. He slides his back down the door as he falls to the floor, hands covering his face.

"What... the hell... did i just do..." He stares at the hand he just, basically, caressed Tsukasas face with. He brings both of his hands to the back of his neck and sits there for for a good few minutes, trying to calm his heart. It eventually calms down enough for him to get ready for sleep. He's so not ready for tomorrow.

Tsukasa on the other hand, was running home. He has no idea what this feeling is. He feels... weird. Out of breath, he stops at a park and sits against the fence. He brings his hand up to his face and feels the area Rui held. All he can think of is Ruis face at that moment. The look he had in his eyes. The look of pure love. Part of him was afraid of that look, but the other... wanted to see it all the time. He didn't necessarily... dislike.. the feeling of his face being held. He just really wasn't expecting it. Though, he wouldn't mind it happening again.

'His hands were... so rough...yet, so... gentle. He... has he always looked that... pretty?'

A bark from a nearby house snaps him back to reality. Despite his racing heart, he continues his walk back home. He too, is so not ready for tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Can't Hold Back

As Rui is waking to school the next day, Nene catches up to him.

"Hey, how are you feeling today?" She suddenly speaks, accidentally scaring Rui as he didn't see her next to him.

"Huh—?! Oh... it's just you... don't just sneak up on people like that!" He scolds.

"Ah, you seem fine then." She laughs at her neighbors overreaction.

"Yes, I'm fine. Well— kind of. I'm not ready for class today. Not in the slightest." He admits.

"Huh? Why? You've never had a problem with school before."

"Ahh... well... I kinda... sorta... told Tsukasa I liked him the other day... which isn't the problem! The problem is... after you guys left last night—"

"Did you kiss him?!" Nene cuts him off.

"No! I'm not that kind of person!" He yells back. "I... well, he was crying and... I kind of... held his face. I don't know... it was really awkward and I don't want to see him today... I'm too embarrassed." He hides his face in his hands, his face as red as the stop sign they walk passed.

"That's your issue? Geez, you're helpless." The girl rolled her eyes, removing Ruis hands in the process. "Don't do that while walking, it's dangerous."

Rui suddenly realizes something and stops walking.

"Wait. You didn't sound very shocked when I said I confessed to Tsukasa..." He dramatically gasps, "DID YOU KNOW?!" He grabs Nenes arms.

"Well, yeah. We've known eachother for... what... like, ten years or something like that? Plus... you're not necessarily the... best at hiding things like that, if I'm being entirely honest with you. And— let go of me!" She shakes of the boys grip on her wrists.

"Oh, my bad... also... If you knew, why didn't you say anything?!" He whines.

"I don't know, I just wanted to wait for you to tell me yourself. Just incase I ended up being wrong." She shrugs and continues walking. Rui follows.

"This is so embarrassing!" He exclaims as he runs his hands through his hair out of frustration.

Nene chuckles once again, glad to see her friend returning to normal... well... semi-normal.

They eventuality arrive at school and head to their classrooms. As Rui approaches his, to his surprise, Tsukasa had gotten there before him. He lets out a hefty sigh and enters the classroom.

"Morning Rui!" Tsukasa says with his typical wide smile. Rui's glad to see he's no longer being awkward with him, even after last night.

"Ah... good morning, Tsukasa." He replies and he takes his seat.

"Rui, we don't have practice today, do you... maybe... want to come over to my house later? We could make snacks or something... if you want.." The blonde asks, suddenly becoming shy mid sentence.

Rui notices the switch in tones and wonders if he might actually have a chance after all. He smiles at that thought.

"Sure, I would love to." He agrees, receiving a quiet "cool, sounds good" from the other in response.

Somehow, Rui finds it easier to talk to Tsukasa after the night before. He's not sure if it was the fact that he's hopeful that he might have a chance, or what... but he's enjoying every second of it.

Class ends and everyone packs up. Rui notices Tsukasa standing by the door.

"What are you doing? Aren't you going home?" He asks.

"Ahh... well... I was thinking we could... maybe... walk there together? I mean, you're coming over anyway... right?" Tsukasa awkwardly chuckles.

Rui takes a moment to process what the other boy said.

"W-well, yes that's true. I... guess that makes sense... just— uh— hold on." He begins packing his bag faster and the two leave the classroom together.

They were silent the entire walk to Tsukasa house. The silence was so awkward that it was almost painful.

They finally arrive at the Tenma household and walk inside.

"I'm home!" Tsukasa announces. Nobody replies. They're... alone?! Rui suddenly regrets agreeing to come over.

"When... uh, when does everyone usually come back?"

"Saki's staying at a friend's house tonight and... my parents usually come back really late..." Tsukasa realizes what he done. He completely forgot that today he would've been alone until late... and now... he's alone... with Rui.

"Oh, is that... so...? Rui slowly takes off his shoes, internally panicking at the thought of being alone with his star.

The two of them head to the kitchen to grab the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies. As Rui grabs a pan, he notices Tsukasa struggling to reach the sugar on the top shelf of his pantry. He walks over and reaches over the shorter boy, grabbing the sugar for him.

"Here, just ask for help next time." He says while handing Tsukasa the bag.

Tsukasa turns to grab the sugar from Rui but due to his height difference, the first thing his eyes meet is Ruis exposed collarbone. His heart skips a beat. It's almost like he's become hypnotized by it, he can't look away.

"Uh... Tsukasa..."

He regains his thoughts and looks up to see a very red faced Rui.

"Oh! Uh— sorry! I... uh..." He pushes his way past the taller boy. There's no way of getting out of this one... is there?

Rui brings one of his hands up to his face, trying to hide it from the other.

The stand there for a moment in silence, both of them trying to gather their feelings.

"Uh... should we... continue the cookies...?" Rui asks.

"Y-yeah...!" Tsukasa is beyond embarrassed.

'I can't believe I just did that... and he saw it?! Well, of course he did... still!'

They eventually forget about the entire interaction and finish baking their snacks as if nothing happened. When the cookies are completed and finally cooled down, they sit at the dining room table and decide which ones to eat first.

They make their decisions and eat the cookies in silence for a while. After what felt like hours, one of them decides to break the ice.

"So, uh... what do you want to now? Want to watch a movie or something...?" Rui asks.

"Actually, I was thinking we could work on our next script... if that's okay with you." Tsukasa suggests.

"That works for me! As your director, I can't say no to scriptwriting." Rui chuckles as he agrees.

They put the cookies to the side and head over to the couch, preparing to get to work.

They do, in fact, get a lot done. They manage to get halfway through the details before getting tired and deciding to take a break.

"Uggghhhh... well... I'm tired!" Tsukasa dramatically exclaims while stretching his arms over his head.

"Mhm, me too~" Rui lays on the floor just as dramatically. He closes his eyes for a moment, letting them rest after staring at a paper for the past few hours.

Tsukasa glances over at his director. He's beautiful. The way his hair falls over his face, the red tint under his eyes, his cat-like smile... he's absolutely stunning. How has he never noticed these things before? He leans on the couch to get a closer look at the other boy.

"Rui, you're so pretty, you know that?"

Hearing this, Rui springs up in shock.

"HUH?!" He yells.

Tsukasas face heats up.

'There's no way I just said that out loud... right? RIGHT?!'

"No! I— I mean—! uhm..." He stumbles over his words, unable to form a proper sentence.

"You... think I'm... pretty?" Rui shyly asks, dying for a confirmation.

'Oh no... now what!? He definitely heard that... what do I do...? Just admit it?!'

"I... ah..." He sighs in defeat. "Yeah... I do..." He looks up to see Ruis face just as red as his.

"T-thank you..."

"For what?"

"I've never been called... pretty... before... and for it to come from you... it... feels nice..." Rui confesses.

Rui wants to touch him. Nothing invasive or anything. Just... hold him. Can he? Would Tsukasa allow that? Probably not, right?

"Oh... uh..."

"Tsukasa... can I ask you something... kind of... selfish?" Rui cuts him off.

"Selfish...? Sure? I guess?"

"From now on... could i... maybe... pursue you...?"

"P-pursue me...? You mean... like... as a love interest?

"Yes... please?"

Tsukasa turns away from the other for a moment.

'Pursue?! That means he'll like... flirt with me and stuff, right?! What does flirting even mean to him?! He's always been a very... physically affectionate person... would he do that?! Not that I would necessarily mind or anything but... I did tell him I would think about it...I guess It wouldn't hurt to try...'

"Y-yes. You can." He looks back at Rui.

"Really?! A-are you... sure? You don't have to force yourself..."

"I'm sure... just... don't get carried away... okay?"

"I won't...! In that case... could I... start now?"

Tsukasa gulps.

'Now? As in... right this very second now?! I am curious about what he'll do though...'

"I... suppose so... sure."

Upon that confirmation, Rui approaches the couch and sits down next to Tsukasa.

"You said you're tired... right? Here..."

He grabs a pillow and places it on his lap. He gives it a few pats, signaling the blonde to lay down.

"Y-you sure? Won't that be... uncomfortable... or something?"

"There's only one way to find out... right?"

After a few seconds of awkward stuttering and staring, Tsukasa lays his head on the pillow. He doesn't know where to look, what to do, what to say even.

"You okay?" Rui suddenly asks.

"Y-yeah! I've just... never done this before... that's all... I don't really... know what to do..."

Rui giggles at this side of his star. The side nobody else gets to see but him.

"Just rest, close your eyes or something."

Tsukasa takes his word and does just that. He closes his eyes, trying to get comfortable in the awkward position. Without warning, he feels a hand on his head. Rui begins running his hand through Tsukasas hair as if he's petting a cat. It was strange at first, but Tsukasa soon found himself melting into the touch and actually falling asleep.

He wakes up an hour later. He takes a moment to gather his surroundings and comes to the realization that he was still on his directors lap. He jumps up, worried about his teammates legs. He looks at Rui to see he had also fallen asleep.

He examines his directors sleeping face up close this time. He notices just how long his eyelashes were, and how clear his skin was. Without thinking, he tucks one of Ruis blue streaks of hair behind his ear, exposing more of his face.

"You really are beautiful... How did someone as perfect as you fall for someone as... useless as me...?" He whispers to himself, not wanting to wake the other up.

'You don't deserve him.'

That thought pierces through Tsukasa mind like a knife.

'You see him... he's the perfect man. But you? You're just a wannabe celebrity who will most likely never achieve your dream. A loser. He hurt himself because of you, surely you know that? You're only going to hurt him more.'

"Tsukasa...? Are you alright...?" Ruis voice causes him to snap out of his thoughts. He woke up.

"Huh...? What do you mean...?"

"You're... crying."

Tsukasa brings his hands up to his face. He really was crying. How embarrassing.

He aggressively wipes away his tears.

"Y-yeah! I just... ah..." He can't think of an excuse.

"You can tell me... I won't judge, I promise." Rui reassures his leader.

"I was just... lost in thought... I guess..." He mutters under his breath. His eyes search for a place to look, and for some reason, they land on Ruis arm. His sleeve had rolled up, exposing his scarred wrists.

Rui notices this and immediately pulls his sleeve down, not wanting Tsukasa to see. Unfortunately, he already did.

"Was this..." Tsukasa grabs Ruis arm and slowly rolls the sleeve back up to examine the wounds. "...because of me?"

Rui begins to panic.

"Uh... I... no— well... uhm..."

"Please don't lie to me."

Rui looks up and locks eyes with the boy in front of him. He was dead serious.

"Not... not entirely..." Rui confesses, shifting his gaze away from the blonde.

"But... I was part of the reason?" Tsukasa begins caressing the scars, sending shivers down Ruis spine.

"K-kind of... It was after that night you asked about... your star... I... I just got really frustrated, and..."

Ruis speech was halted by a sudden kiss on his wrist. He stares at his leader in surprise, mind completely blank.

"W-what are you doing...?!" He gasps.

"Comforting you." Tsukasa says as he lays another kiss on the boys arm, and another, and another. Until he had kissed each one.

Rui thought he was going insane. What happened? Why is Tsukasa suddenly so... whatever this is?!

"H-hold on... you don't have to..." His heart was racing, threatening to rip out of his chest.

"Rui... can I ask you something?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Why... do you like me...?"

His heart skips a beat. How can he just ask that out of nowhere?! Plus... while he was doing... whatever he was doing!?

"I... well... you... uh..." He stumbles over his words.

"Please tell me... I want to know..." Tsukasa begs.

"Well... you're... you're a really kind hearted guy... and... you've helped me through a lot, you know...? Plus... I think you're... well... really attractive..." Rui hides his face with his free arm.

"Even after this...?" Tsukasa asks, referring to the scars he had caused.

"Yes... And... you didn't cause all of those... many of them were from before we even met..."

"...Why?"

"W-what?"

"Why did you do this...? Can I ask that...?"

Rui becomes flustered. Nobody had ever asked him why he hurt himself, at least... not about the healed ones.

"I... uh..."

"Sorry... that's an insensitive thing to ask... isn't it?" Tsukasa worries.

"No! No, it's fine... but... why do you want to know...?"

"I just... realized that I don't know as much about you as I thought and... if we're considering... becoming a couple... maybe I should."

'Becoming... a couple?! He's... actually thinking about it?!'

"R-right... that... that makes sense."

Rui takes a deep breath, not sure where to start. He looks up at Tsukasa who was still holding his arm, but had shifted positions to listen to his directors stories.

With a heavy heart, he begins telling Tsukasa about his experiences before they met.

Chapter Text

Life Before (U)s

Rui hesitates before speaking. He hated talking about his scars, let alone the reasons for them. He felt pathetic every time he thought about them.

"Well... as i mentioned... a lot of them happened before we met, middle school specifically."

Tsukasa listens intently, wanting his director be completely transparent with him.

"I mentioned this yesterday... but as a kid, I was often pushed to the side by the other kids. They thought I was... some sort of freak. After a while... I started to believe them. I didn't do... this..." He gestures to the arm his leader was holding close to him. "...until middle school."

"Say, Kamishiro, is it true? Do ya actually like guys? Are you a fag?"

"What...? How did you—"

"So it is true!? Oh my god! That's disgusting! I would be so embarrassed."

"What are you saying...? Why are you being so... mean?" Rui clutches his arm. Why are they suddenly being so harsh to him? He didn't do anything wrong... right?

"You're a freak, you know that?"

Freak.

"I... did nothing to you..." He locks his gaze onto his desk, feeling frustration fill his body.

"Everyone stay away from Kamishiro! You'll catch his gay disease!" Laughter fills the classroom. Everyone's staring at him. His head starts spinning. What's going on? He's never felt like this before.

The laughter gets louder, blocking his ears isn't stopping it. It's almost as if the sound was embedded into his brain. He's struggling to breathe. He grips his chest in a desperate attempt to catch his breath. It's not working. His hand slides down his chest onto his arm. Without thinking, he begins scratching. It's still not working. His movements become more aggressive, nails digging into his skin, drawing blood.

"Kamishiro! What are you doing?!"

His teachers voice puts a halt on his movements. He looks at the bloody scene he had created, tears streaming down his face. It hurts. It hurts so badly.

"Oh dear... go to the nurse, right now!" The teacher yells, frantically trying to help the boy.

Rui slowly stands up. He's dizzy. His legs feel as if they could give out any second. His mind is empty, he can't comprehend what he's just done.

"I'm... I don't...know... what happened..." He whispers.

"It's alright, just go to the nurse before it gets worse, okay?" He teacher practically pushes the student out of the classroom and into the hall. He slowly makes his way to the nurses office, leaving a trail of blood on the white floor in the process.

He arrives at the office and opens the door. The nurses immediately gasp at the state of the boys arm, rushing to grab the proper tools to help. One of the women sits him on a bed, telling him to stay put until she comes back. He does just that. It's not like he wanted to move anyway.

She returns and starts cleaning his arm.

"What in the world happened to you, kid?" She questions, concerned about how he could've possibly become this injured.

"I... I don't know... sorry..." He can't help but apologize. He's troubled someone who didn't ask for it. He's the worst.

"That's okay, you don't need to apologize. Though, we'll need to contact your parents."

His eyes shot up and met the woman's in front of him.

"No! Please don't... I don't... want them to worry..."

"I'm sorry dear, it's school policy. I have to."

His breathing speeds up for the second time. They can't know. They cannot know.

"Hey, hey... calm down... it's going to be alright." The nurse places her hand on the boys knee, trying to calm him down.

It helped. His breathing slowed and he apologized once again. She finished wrapping his arm and headed over to the phone, dialing the number of his mother.

He's never felt so humiliated. He hated every second. He wanted to just... dissappear.

"Kamishiro, dear, your mother would like to speak with you."

He gulps, reluctantly standing up and approaching the phone. He puts it up to his ear.

"H-hello—"

"Sweetheart! Are you okay?! What happened?!" His mother was frantic.

"I... I don't really know... it just... happened... I'm sorry.."

He hears his mother sigh on the other side.

"Okay... I'll come pick you up and we can talk about it then."

No, no, NO! She can't see it. She can't see him like this.

"Rui? You there?"

"Wha— yeah.. but... you don't need to—"

"I'm picking you up, Rui."

She's serious. She's afraid. She's worried. He can't change her mind.

"O-okay..." He hangs up the phone and returns to the bed.

"I'll have a classmate bring your stuff, okay?"

He nods in response, lacking the energy to speak.

A few minutes later, a classmate arrives with his bag. Rui heard the boy let out a small giggle before handing the bag to the nurse, but pays no mind to it. The nurse takes it and places it in front of him.

He remains seated, anxiously waiting for his mother to arrive. Minutes later, she does. She rushes into the office and throws her son into a hug, she was on the verge of tears.

"Oh my sweet boy... what happened to you...?" She questions, eyes falling onto his arm.

He doesn't respond. He doesn't know how.

"Okay... let's go home... maybe you'll feel better there, yeah?"

He nods and they walk to her car and drive home. The ride was silent. So... very... painfully silent. It almost drove him insane. Even so, he couldn't speak.

They finally reach their home and head inside. Ruis mother urges her son to sit on the couch as she grabs some glasses and fills them with water. When she finishes, she sits next to him, unsure of how to start the conversation.

She hesitantly places her hand on his thigh, trying to keep him calm.

"Dear... what happened...? Please tell me."

"I... don't... I really... I don't know... I'm sorry... sor— I'm sorry... please don't hate me..." He stumbles over his words as his emotions take over him, he's a crying mess and he doesn't even know why.

His mom panics, she's never seen Rui like this before.

"I would never! I could never hate my only child! Why would you think that?!" She pulls him into a hug.

"I— they... they all laughed... called me a freak... I— I couldn't stand it..." He doesn't even know what he's saying at this point. He's just letting out whatever words he can put together.

"Your classmates? They said some bad things to you, didn't they? You... did this..." She touches his arm, gently enough to not cause any pain. "...to yourself, am I right?"

He nods. That's all he can do. Nod.

She rubs his back, the only thing she's sure will help him calm down. And it does. After a few minutes, he's managed to compose himself.

"You okay to talk now...?" She hesitantly asks.

"Yeah... I'm sorry.."

"Please, stop apologizing... none of this is your fault."

"I just... I don't know how they figured it out..."

"Figured... what out?"

Shit. He hadn't come out to her yet. He has to now... right?

"That I..." He takes a deep breath. "I'm... gay..."

She's taken aback by the sudden confession. She was, as expected, shocked at first, but realizes that now was probably not the time to talk about that.

"Were they harassing you because of that...?"

"Yeah... they said I was... some kind of... disgusting freak.. they wouldn't stop laughing...I wasn't thinking straight and..." He assumed she could figure the rest out on her own.

She thinks of a response for a moment, not sure how to carefully approach this.

"Rui. Listen to me... I don't think you're a freak. Sure, I'm a bit... shocked to say the least, but... you are not a freak."

Rui looks up at his mother's tear filled eyes. He worried her. What kind of son does that? Seeing her expression, he begins to tear up again. He just feels so... sorry.

He jumps into her arms, searching for any form of comfort.

"Thank you... I'm sorry..." He sobs into her shoulder.

"It's okay... really. Please, if this happens again... tell me... we could try and get you help, okay?"

He nods, making a promise. ...A promise, huh? It would... be wrong to break it... right?

After they both calm down, Rui heads to his room and changes out of his uniform.

He sets his bag down and opens it, reaching for his homework.

Somethings wrong. Very wrong. Something... cold touches his hand.

He lifts his hand out and tries to figure out what it was.

Glue.

The giggle from earlier...

They filled his bag with glue, ruining all of his materials.

"Seriously? The blood wasn't enough to stop them...? Do they want me to just disappear entirely?!" He groans and flops onto his bed, running his non-glue covered hand through his hair in frustration.

He brings his arm up to his eyes and just... stares at it. It still hurts. Blood had started seeping through the fabric bandages. Disgusting. He was utterly disgusting. Maybe his classmates were right after all.

His thoughts are interrupted by his mother calling him for dinner. He wipes his hand off before going to the table and eating his food in silence, refusing to mention the glue. She doesn't need to worry any more than she already was. He'll just leave early tomorrow and go to the school store to replace everything... she doesn't have to worry."

"...Since then I became kind of... I guess... used to the feeling... I used it as a sort of... escape? It hurt... a lot... but it's all i knew..." Rui looks up at his leader, all light had faded from his face.

"Hey... what's wrong?" He asked in a panic.

"No— it's just... I had no idea... I'm... really sorry that happened..." Tsukasa stares at Ruis arm again, more upset than before.

"Sorry... I should've... probably warned you... or something..."

"It's alright... If you don't mind... could you tell me another story...?"

"W-what? But why...? You're already upset..."

"Please..? I want to know everything about you that I can... Rui." Tsukasa begs. He still seems to be in whatever daze he was in before Rui told the first one.

"If... if you're really sure... then I can... just one, though... I don't think I can talk about any more after that..." Rui agrees.

"I'm sorry for asking so much... I know it probably hurts... right?" Tsukasa asks, concerned.

"It does... but... I guess sometimes talking about it... helps a little bit?"

"That's good..." Tsukasa tightens his grip on his directors hand, trying to comfort him even more.

"Well... I guess I'll tell you about the time I met Mizuki." Rui begins his final story.

It was a year after the first incident and Rui had turned 14. He had become reliant on the pain. It cleared his mind, be it only temporarily, but it worked. It was the only thing that did.

The harassment became worse. Much, much worse. It had started to become physical. Whether it was a kick to the stomach or even forcing him to kiss and make out with other guys in the bathroom. Despite being so young, the other boys were relentless.

He broke his promise to his mother, too. He never told her any of this was happening. They threatened him not to. He believed he deserved it. He deserved everything they were doing to him. He was a freak after all, right?

Although he had that belief, he still tried to protect himself as best as he could. He tried to fight back, but he couldn't. He was constantly angry, but couldn't bring himself to lash out on others, even those who deserve it.

After one particularly bad day of harassment from his classmates, he runs to the roof to escape it all. He wasn't going to jump or anything, despite how tempting that sounded. He just wanted to be... alone.

That's not quite what happened though.

He opens the door with all the strength he could muster up and ran onto the roof. He rushed towards the gated off edge and punched the fence, partially wishing it wasn't there to stop him. He let's out frustrated cries which came out hoarse from the crying he had done minutes prior.

Through his sobs he hears someone calling out to him from behind.

"Hey... are you... alright?" An unusually high pitched voice asked.

"I'm... fine... ah— fuck.." He tries to turn and reply, but falls onto his knees, clutching his ribs. They hurt. Badly.

"Woah— I don't think you are! Let's go to the nurs—"

"No. I said I'm fine. Leave me alone, would you?" He struggles to get up, but somehow manages. He begins making his way to the door, leaving the other student behind.

"Wait! Okay, I get it. You don't wanna talk right now... but... I come up here during lunch if you... ever want to join me... you can."

Rui turns to look at the kid. He was much smaller than Rui. Slightly... feminine. He had short pink hair that suited him a bit too well. He seemed to genuinely mean what he said, too... given the worried expression on his face.

"I'll think about it." He replies and leaves the roof.

And he really did think about it. Lunch rolls around the next day and he hesitantly walks up the stairs, praying the other student was being serious.

He opens the door and walks back to where he was yesterday. To his surprise, there he was. Right where he said he'd be.

"You actually came! Come, sit down." The smaller boy says with a smile.

Rui hesitates, but eventually gives in. They sit in silence for a while, neither of them touching their food.

"I'm Akiyama by the way. You are...?"

"Uh... Kamishiro..."

"Oh? Why does that name sound familiar?" The pink haired student questions.

"I don't know... everyone's always talking about me... so that's probably why..." He glares at the floor, refusing to meet the others students eyes.

"Wait... that's you?! You're... gay, right?"

Ruis eyes widen. Of course this kid would know... everyone knows. For some reason though... he's scared of him knowing.

"I... I am... I understand if you don't want to be around me... I'll leave." As he picks up his lunch and prepares to leave, the shorter kid speaks up.

"Wait! I don't mind! I mean... I am too..."

Ruis head jolts up to look at the other student.

"You... you are?!"

He nods.

"Sorry... I just... assumed you were going to hate me... like everyone else. If you hang out with me though... they might go after you, ya know...?"

"That's alright... I'm just glad to have a friend now... wait... we can be friends... right?"

Friends...? Rui's never had a proper friend before... other than Nene of course. Maybe this will be good for him.

"Uh... sure... I guess."

With an excited gasp, the shorter boy throws himself on Rui, hugging him tightly.

"Ow—! Fuck—!" Rui yells, pushing the other kid off of him.

"Ah! I'm so sorry! I completely forgot about that...!" He begins frantically apologizing as Rui grabs his ribs in pain.

"No— it— it's fine... you didn't mean to."

They remain on the roof for the rest of lunch. This becomes their daily routine. It was a nice break from the torment that was the rest of the day. They got to laugh and smile for the first time in what felt like forever. Months later, they start dating. They were inseparable. Well, until Akiyama started avoiding him.

◇Rui◇
'Hey Mizu...'
'Is everything okay...?'
'I feel like you've been avoiding me for a while...'
'Did I do something wrong??'

Mizu♡
'No.. its not you'
'There's just... smth on my mind'
'thats all'

◇Rui◇
'You know you can tell me about it... right?'
'We're boyfriends, are we not?'

Mizu♡
'That's exactly the problem...'

◇Rui◇
'...huh?'
'what are you talking about?'

Mizu♡
'boyfriend...'
'boy.'
'Rui... im gonna tell you something'
'but... you cant get mad'

◇Rui◇
'...ok?'

Mizu♡
'i... don't think...'
'I really am a boy...'
'ive been doing research and...'
'I think im trans'
'a woman'

◇Rui◇
'oh'

Mizu♡
'im sorry...'

◇Rui◇
'No it's fine'
'im just... kinda shocked I guess'
'like... I knew you liked being feminine and stuff but...'
'I didn't think this was the reason'

Mizu♡
'do you... still love me?'

◇Rui◇
'well... ive only been interested in guys...'
'but... im willing to try, see if things stay the same'

Mizu♡
'thank you...'
'I love you..."

◇Rui◇
'I love you too, Mizu ♡'

Another month goes by and things start to change. Mizuki becomes more and more feminine. Growing her hair out, she's even started wearing skirts. Although she gets bullied for that, it doesn't seem to phase her too much.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Rui. Now that he sees her as a girl, he's started to lose romantic feelings for her entirely. During lunch that day, he decides to tell her the truth.

"Hey, Mizu... can we talk?"

"Hmm? Sure, what's up?"

"Uh... well... it's about... us..."

She starts to grow concerned.

"Oh..? Did I do something...?"

"No... not exactly... but... well... now that you're... well... a girl... I don't really... feel... romantic feelings anymore..."

Mizuki stares in shock.

"I'm... I'm really sorry... I do love you... I really do... but... just... not like I used to... I want to but... I just can't..." He chokes back a sob. He feels terrible.

Almost as if it was an instinct, his hand reaches for his arm. He can't help but scratch it. Somehow, Mizuki doesn't notice.

"Oh... uh... well, I mean... that's... that's okay... we did say we'd...  try didn't we? This was... definitely always an outcome..."

Mizuki looks down at his arm, finally noticing what the taller boy had been doing.

His sleeve was drenched in blood.

"W-wait! Rui, hold on! You don't have to do that!" She pulls his hand away from his arm before it gets worse.

"I'm so sorry... I feel like an asshole... you don't deserve this... all because of my fucked up brain... it's not like you're a different person or anything! It's still you! But just because you're a girl... I'm so sorry Mizu..."

She pulls him into a hug, letting him sob into her shoulder for as long as he needs. She's not mad. She partially expected this to happen sooner or later. After all, you can't force a gay man to like a girl, even if that girl used to be a guy herself.

"Here, let me clean you up, okay?" She pulls him away and rummages through her bag until she finds the medkit she had put together specifically for Rui when he got hurt, which was more often than either of them wanted to admit.

She pulls out some antiseptic spray and wipes and begins cleaning his arm.

"I'm sorry..." he mutters again.

"My dear, please stop apologizing. I understand, I really do. We can still be friends, no?"

Rui nods. He's glad she doesn't hate him, but part of him wishes she did. He wishes she would just push him away like everyone else. He deserves to be alone.

But she refuses. She stays by his side throughout the rest of middle school and even into highschool. He was so lucky to know someone like her. He truly does love her, no longer as a lover, but it's love regardless. She eventually lost feelings for him as well after meeting this girl in high school. Turns out she's bisexual, who would've guessed?

"The harassment ended when I transferred to our current school. Then, of course, I met you. Things have been... nice since then. I think I've smiled more in the past year than I have in my entire life." Rui finishes his story with the warmest smile Tsukasa had ever seen.

"I'm glad it stopped... that seemed... horrible. I'm really sorry..." Tsukasa said, feeling slightly guilty for making Rui relive those moments.

"It's alright... it doesn't happen anymore so... I try not to dwell on it more than I need to. Of course I'll think of those moments from time to time and... well... lose myself... but, really... it's been better since I met you. I mean that." Rui locks eyes with his leader, who had a few subtle tears falling from his golden eyes.

Much like a repeat of the night before, Rui brings his free hand to Tsukasas face, wiping away his tears once again, holding his face after. Unlike the first time, however, Tsukasa lets himself melt into the feeling, closing his eyes as he nudges his face into Ruis hand. He was... comfortable.

It takes Rui every ounce of strength he has to not kiss the blonde right then and there. He knows he can't, that would be wrong... but he really, really wants to.

After a few seconds, Tsukasa lifts his face away from Ruis hand. He brings his directors other arm that he was still holding up to his mouth, kissing each and every scar once again.

Rui simply lets him. The touch hurts his newest scars, but for his leader... he can deal with it.

"Tsukasa... this isn't fair..." He mutters under his breath.

"What isn't?" The blonde responds in a genuine yet slightly teasing voice.

"You know what you're doing... don't you?" Rui asks with a chuckle.

"Not a clue." Tsukasa teases as he kisses the tallers wrist one last time.

Rui reaches his breaking point. Without a second thought, he grabs ahold of Tsukasas collar, pulling him closer.

"That's not fair..." He mutters before pulling his leader in and locking their lips together. Not aggressively, but not exactly... gently either. He couldn't think straight. He's wanted this for so long. Tsukasas lips were dry yet somehow extremely soft, exactly how Rui had imagined. He thought he was going insane.

A sudden harsh grip on his shoulder snapped him back to reality. He loosened his hold on the blondes collar, realizing what he had just done. Tsukasa pushes away, nearly falling off of the couch. He wipes his lips and coughs as he tries to catch his breath.

Rui stares at him in complete shock and regret.

"I-I'm... Tsukasa, I'm—"

"Please... leave..." Tsukasa mutters.

"I'm— I'm really sor—"

"Get out!" The blonde yells, tears in his eyes again, this time... from anger?

Rui does as he's told and runs out of the Tenma household. He races back in the direction of his house, frustrated and embarrassed. Instead of going to his house, however, he finds himself at Nenes. He harshly knocks on the front door, begging to be let in. Luckily it was Nene who opened the door.

"What are you— hey... are you alright?" The girl asks.

He falls to his knees, sobbing into his hands.

"I fucked up, Nene! I really did it this time..! He's never going to speak to me again!"

"Hey, calm down... tell me what happened." She joins him on the floor.

"I... I kissed him! I didn't mean to—! I was... I don't know...! I don't know what to do now..." He can almost feel his heart shattering.

"Oh... that's not very good..."

"I know! It was all going so well, too! He was actually considering... becoming a couple... but... I doubt he still is now... I don't think he'll ever want to see me again..."

Nene helps her neighbor up and they sit on the couch together.

"Calm down, I'm sure we can figure out something... somehow..."

The two of them think of potential options. Eventually they think of the only thing they know might help... the SEKAI.

Chapter Text

Talk it Out

Following the surprise kiss, Tsukasa remains on his couch. He's not sure what to make out of what happened. It was mainly his fault after all. He was teasing Rui. Though... he's not even sure why he was doing that in the first place.

He falls back, laying flat. He stares at the ceiling, trying to think of something, anything other than the kiss. Unfortunately, it doesn't prove to be very successful.

All he can think of was the feeling of Ruis lips on his. He didn't necessarily dislike it, he just really wished it hadn't happened right then. They're not even dating yet.

"Ughh... I really fucked that up didn't i... It was my fault anyway! Right after he spilled his heart out too... I just told him to leave?! I didn't even let him say anything... God, I'm the worst... Rui... I'm so sorry..." He brings his fingers up to his lips, reminding himself of the fading feeling of his first kiss being stolen by his director.

He let's out another frustrated groan before sitting up again.

"Now what..? We still have school tomorrow! There's no way I can avoid him... we literally sit next to each other..."

He decides to pull out his phone and message the only people he can think of.

✨️My Beloved (very gay) Juniors✨️

☆Tsukasa☆
'GUYS'
'Please answer :('
'Something happened and I do NOT know how to deal with it'

Toya 🍪
'Hello Senpai.'
'What happened?'

Akito 🥞
'seeing as we're the ones you're texting... Kamishiro?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'🔔🔔🔔'
'yes'

Akito 🥞
'alright man just get to the point... the emojis aren't necessary'

Toya 🍪
'Aki, be nice.'

Akito 🥞
'ugh'
'fine'
'just tell us what happened'

☆Tsukasa☆
'well.. Rui was over'
'and we were having a... serious conversation about his past and stuff'
'and I was kinda... i guess... messing with him a little bit?'
'and he... well'
'he kinda... kissed me'

Tsukasas phone starts buzzing, Toya was calling him.

He hesitantly answers, only to be greeted by Akito yelling on the other end.

"HE WHAT?!"

"Aki, calm down. You don't have to yell." Toya could be heard in the background.

The yell causes Tsukasa to move his phone away from his ear in pain. Akito was... really loud when he wanted to be. He eventually brings it back and continues the conversation.

"You saw my message... I don't want to say it again..."

"Dude, why did he do that? And what do you mean by you were 'messin' with him'?" Akito questions.

"Uh... well I... ah..." Tsukasa quickly becomes embarrassed, slightly regretting telling his juniors.

"Well... let's just say... I was... kissing his hand a bit... for comfort, you know...?" He tweaks the story a little. He can't tell them about his scars. That would be messed up.

"Wait... you were kissin' him first? So... why're you shocked he did it back?"

"I wasn't exactly expecting him to just... grab me like that, you know? It was my first kiss and... I didn't know how to react so I... I just told him to leave..."

"Bro... are you serious right now?" Akito says, absolutely dumbfounded.

"Look, I was freaking out, okay!? It's not like I was mad or anything... just... confused..."

"Senpai, I completely understand you." Toya takes over.

"If I'm being completely honest, Akito did the same thing to me once—"

"Toya—!"

"Hush, let me speak, Aki." Tsukasa hears Toya cover Akitos mouth, cutting him off.

"Anyway, like I was saying. The same thing happened with us. If you're anything like me, you didn't exactly... dislike it, did you?"

Tsukasas never heard Toya this... serious before. It was kind of scary.

"I— well... I... I guess that's true... yes."

"I thought as much. You said you were just confused, right? About what specifically?"

"How... I felt. I think... I actually do like him... but... I'm still not sure... and now that he probably thinks that I hate him... I don't know how to confirm it..."

"I see... Well, you are in the same class, yes? Why don't you try talking to him tomorrow?" Toya suggests.

"I could... but... I'm scared it'll be... weird."

"That's fair. However, there's something else you need to consider."

"What's that?"

"Your theater troupe. If you two dont make up one way or another, your group may fall apart. I'm sure you dont want that, do you?"

Tsukasa freezes. He's right. He had completely forgotten about that. He can't have this affecting their performances.

"Right..." He mumbles under his breath.

"I'm glad you agree. As much as it may kill you to bring yourself to talk to him again, you have to if you want your group to continue as you have been."

With that, Tsukasa makes the decision to try his best to confront Rui the next day. Key word— try.

"Got it... thank you, Toya..."

"Hey what about me?!" Akito yells from the background.

"You too, Akito." Tsukasa laughs.

"You're welcome, senpai. Don't be afraid to contact me if something happens." Toya replies.

"Will do. See you guys tomorrow." Tsukasa says as he hangs up.

He opens his messages once again and prepares himself to text Rui.

☆Tsukasa☆
'hey...'
'im... really sorry'
'do you think we could... idk'
'talk about it after school tomorrow..?'

Rui doesn't respond. Tsukasa fears the worst now that he knows how Rui usually ends up responding to stress.

He tries calling, nothing. He begins to panic.

"Come on... pick up... please?!" He begs.

His phone chimes, but it wasn't from Rui. It was Nene.

Nene 🎮
'Rui can't answer right now.'
'He's in sekai.'
'If you want to reach him, you can go there yourself.'

☆Tsukasa☆
'Oh... is he? Thank you.'

He quickly switches to his music app. Just before his finger pressed their song, he pauses.

'Is this really a good idea..? What if he's having a serious conversation...? Surely he doesn't want to see me...'

His phone chimes again.

Nene 🎮
''sekai"
"now"

He's never pressed play faster. Why did Nene say it like that? Was Rui in trouble? He needs to find Rui and he needs to find him now.

30 Minutes Earlier at the Kusanagi household:

"You sure I should talk to them...? I don't think Virtual Singers would know much about love, Nene..."

"It's worth a shot, okay? Just go, I'll wait here, sound good?"

"...Fine..." Rui reluctantly hops over into SEKAI and begins searching for anyone.

KAITO finds him first.

"Hello Rui. Something the matter?" The singer asks.

"Oh, hello KAITO..." Ruis suddenly embarrassed.

"Hmm... judging by your expression, something... not so ideal happened?" KAITO read him like a book. It was honestly creepy.

"Ah... yeah... Nene told me to come talk to one of you about it... so... here I am... heh..."

"You don't exactly seem like you want to... but if you decide otherwise, I'm all ears." KAITO says with a comforting smile. He already knows what Rui could possibly be coming to him about. Well, nothing specific, but he knows it has to do with Tsukasa.

Rui gives in and thinks about how to begin.

"Well... okay then... So... ugh... I cant believe I'm saying this..." he mumbles "...so i... like Tsukasa... and... well... we were at his house and... long story short... I... may or may not have.. kissed him... without his consent... geez I'm the fucking worst..." He falls to the floor with that last sentence.

KAITO sits in front of him, processing what to say.

"Is that so? What happened after...? The reason you seem so... broken right now..?"

Broken..? Yeah... that's the right term... He definitely feels broken.

"He told me to leave... understandably... but... now I don't think he'll ever want to see me again... I messed up, KAITO, I really did..."

The blue haired man places his hand on the teens shoulder, gently rubbing it.

"It's alright. I'm sure Tsukasa will forgive you. You two have school tomorrow, right? Maybe he'll talk to you then." He tries to reassure the boy, despite actually having no idea what Tsukasa will do.

"I'm just... I'm so pathetic... I messed up this relationship just like I did with Mizuki... I just can't do anything right... can I...?!"

"Rui... that's not true..."

"I'm tired, KAITO... I'm so fucking tired." The boy whispers.

"Hey, Rui it's oka—"

"It's not! Honestly, I'm starting to think everyone from middle school was right! I really am just some sick freak after all!" Rui snaps, yelling loud enough to get the attention of the other Virtual Singers who come running along with multiple plushies.

"Rui?! What's going on?! Please calm down..." Miku joins her fellow singer and Rui on the floor, trying her best to help.

Rui curls in on himself, sobbing profusely. He starts clutching his sides, suddenly being reminded of the hits he would take back then. His nails begin digging in far enough to break skin. His white uniform slowly becomes stained with blood in multiple spots along his waist. With his hands in the way, nobody seemed to notice. It wasn't until his hand made its way to the same spot it always does, his arm, that the singers were made aware of how serious the current situation was. He starts scratching, much harder than he usually would, his nails digging deeper. His wounds from the other night being ripped back open. Despite how badly it hurt, he couldn't make it stop. He hasn't felt this desperate and reliant on the pain since before he met Mizuki.

"Rui! Please stop!" KAITO is becoming frantic. He doesn't know what to do. He attempts to pry Ruis hand away from his arm, but fails. It's getting worse.

"Len! Get Nene, now!" He yells. Len sprints to Nenes phone, popping out in a panic.

"Nene! Help! Rui! He—"

"I'm coming." Nene can already guess what happened.

Len disappears and she messages Tsukasa, hoping he joins her.

Just like that, they arrive in the SEKAI at the same time, instantly seeing a crowd. Assuming thats where Rui was, they ran as fast as they could towards them.

"What's going on?!" Nene yells.

"I— I don't know! He just... started doing this! I can't get him to stop!" KAITO replies, just as panicked as the others.

"Rui! Stop!" Nene runs in front of her neighbor, pleading.

It's as if Rui was possessed. His eyes were completely empty. He couldn't hear anyone.

Tsukasa tries to figure out a solution.

"KAITO! Did he say anything before he started doing that?!" The blonde asks.

"He said something about middle school and... something they used to say to him? He was just spitting things out, I couldn't really understand what he was saying, I'm sorry...!"

Remembering the stories Rui had told him earlier that day, Tsukasa knows exactly what Rui said. He knows how to fix this.

He rushes over next to Nene, asking her to back up for a moment.

He calmly places his hand on his directors shoulder and gets closer.

"Rui. Listen to me." He says quietly enough that nobody other than he and Rui could hear. He doesn't want them to.

"You are not disgusting, and you are not a freak. There is nothing wrong with you. Do you hear me?"

Ruis movements come to a halt. He slowly lifts his head to see his leader in front of him.

"...kasa?" His voice is almost entirely gone.

"Yes?"

"I'm... so sorry..."

"I know... and I'm sorry I yelled like that. You've got to calm down, okay? I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere." Tsukasa moves his hand from the boys shoulder to his head, softly running his fingers through his hair.

He uses his other hand to slowly move Ruis hand away from his arm, signaling the Virtual Singers behind him to find any sort of bandage. Luka and MEIKO notice and do just that.

The life slowly returns to Ruis eyes as he sees the crowd he had attracted. In all honesty, he doesn't even really know what was happening.

"...What happened...?"

"There was a bit of an... incident... but it's alright now."

A stinging feeling suddenly shoots throughout his arm, causing him to wince in pain.

'Oh... I did it again... in front of everyone...'

He lowers his head, attempting to look at the damage. Before his eyes could land on his arm, Tsukasa stops him. He places his hand on Ruis chin and gently raises his head back up.

"Don't look... please?" Tsukasas voice was calm. It was a specific tone that people almost never heard from him unless he was extremely serious or cautious about something.

Rui locks eyes with his leader once again. His eyes were full of worry. There was another emotion mixed in... but Rui couldn't quite figure out what it was.

"...Okay."

Luka and MEIKO return with bandages they luckily had stored in their tent and hand them to Tsukasa. Nene also approaches with an antiseptic spray, knowing they likely didn't have one in that world.

"I'm going to patch you up, okay? It will probably hurt quite a bit, just hang on." Tsukasa warns before spraying the medicine on his directors arms, making him jump. The mix of the cold spray and the stabbing pain was almost overwhelming.

"I know, I know... just a bit longer." The blonde wipes away the excess blood and gently but tightly wraps the bandages around the new scars.

"All done. Feel better?" Tsukasa asks, rubbing Ruis head again.

"Y-yeah... thank you..." Rui replies, still in a slightly confused daze.

"His sides... they're bleeding too!" Rin suddenly yells.

Tsukasa tilts his head to the side to see that his waist was, in fact, bleeding.

"Can i...?" The blonde asks, moving his hands to the hem of Ruis shirt.

The director simply nods in response, not having the energy to deny. He feels Tsukasa lifts up his shirt to examine his wounds. Normally, he would be ecstatic that his star was touching such a sensitive spot... but not right now. Not when it's because he's gone and hurt himself again.

Tsukasa repeats the process from Ruis arm on his sides. He looks up and down his directors body, making sure there are no more injuries. Once he confirms there isn't, he returns to his spot in front of Rui.

KAITO cautiously approaches from behind the blonde.

"Rui... are you alright...?" The singer asks.

"I... am now... I think. I'm sorry, everyone. You didn't deserve to see that..." He apologizes.

"It's alright. We're all just glad you're okay now." Miku says from behind Rui.

"Why did this happen?" Nene asks as she sits next to Tsukasa.

"I'm not sure..  last thing I remember was telling KAITO about... what happened earlier... with Tsukasa." His eyes fall to the floor. "Next thing I know, Tsukasa is talking to me... it's like I blacked out... but obviously i didn't..."

"I'm sorry, Rui. This is all my fault..." Tsukasa mutters quietly. He's finally figured out exactly how he feels about Rui.

"No it's not... I shouldn't have done that... it was inappropriate."

"I'll admit I was shocked... but I was the one basically leading you on... I apologize." Tsukasa bows, he's never felt this sorry.

"Tsukasa... please get up..." Rui begs. Tsukasa listens.

"How about we all head back and let the boys talk things out... yeah?" KAITO suggests.

The other Virtual Singers agree and they all return to the tent. Nene also goes back to the real world, leaving the boys alone.

The teens sit in an awkward yet strangely comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"Rui... I've been thinking... and... I have an answer for you..."

Ruis eyes shoot up meet his leaders.

"Y-you do? You can think for longer... you don't have to—"

"No, I'm sure about this."

Rui gulps, terrified of what the blondes answer will be, especially after the scene he just created.

"Okay... what... uh... what is—"

Before Rui could finish his sentence, he's pulled into a kiss, just like he had done earlier. This time, neither of them were fighting it.

Tsukasa pulls away and looks into his directors eyes.

Love. That was the second emotion Rui had seen earlier. It was... love.

They were both as red as the flowers surrounding them. They let out satisfied smiles and laughs as they throw each other into a hug.

"I'm sorry i took so long." The blonde says into Ruis shoulder.

"I'm just glad you made it to me."

They break the embrace as they take one last look at eachother, smiling like idiots.

"Rui... would you like to go out with me?"

Rui becomes more flustered than he had been previously. He can't believe he was just asked that... by his star of all people... It seems to good to be true...

"Pinch me."

"H-huh? Why?!"

"I need to make sure this isn't a dream."

Tsukasa giggles at his director. 'He's so cute...'

He places his hand on Ruis head, bringing it closer to his. He lays a small kiss on top of it before whispering. "I can assure you, you're not dreaming."

With that confirmation, Rui hastily replies.

"Yes..! I... would love to go out with you... my star."

That nickname rung through Tsukasas ears. He loved it now. It no longer made him confused.

They fall into an even tighter and longer embrace, melting into each others arms.

They can finally be together. They can finally hold each other the way they want. They can finally... love eachother.

"When we leave, you'll be at Nenes place, right?"

"Oh right... yeah i will. Why?"

"Ah... just... sad you won't be with me..."

Ruis heart skips a beat. His star is finally his. All his.

"We'll see each other tomorrow, remember?"

"Ughhhh that's too far away~!" The blonde dramatically lays down, placing his head on Ruis lap like he had done before. Rui plays with his hair yet again.

"How about... we hang out after school? I have no plans, do you?"

"Hmmmm... no I don't think I do... So that works for me!" Tsukasa beams, smile wider than Rui had ever seen before.

He's happy. Happier than he's been in a very, very long time.

After a few moments of simply enjoying each others company, Tsukasa yawns, finally getting tired.

"Let's head back for today, yeah?"

"Mmm... but I'm comfy..." Tsukasa sleepily replies, Ruis heart almost ripping out of his chest as a response. His star is adorable.

"But we can't just sleep here, plus I've got to go back before Nene gets worried."

"Hmmmm... finee..." Tsukasa slowly sits up, stretching his arms.

"Goodnight, my star." Rui says as he pulls out his phone, getting ready to return home.

"Goodnight~" Tsukasa replies, doing the same.

Both boys return to their world, still processing the fact that they were quite literally officially dating.

Tsukasa heads upstairs and immediately collapses on his bed and falls asleep, not even changing out of his uniform.

Rui returns to Nenes house and sees her sitting next to him, playing a game.

"Welcome back. How'd it go?" She curiously asks.

"Ahh... well... he agreed... we're dating now..." The boy awkwardly confesses.

"Seriously? That's great! I'm happy for you, really."

"Thanks, Nene... honestly... I don't think it would've even happened if you didn't convince— well— force me to go to SEKAI... so... thank you."

"Just doing my job as your childhood friend." She nods and returns to her game.

Rui laughs and gets up to go to his own house. He makes his way to his room and changes out of his uniform, throwing out the blood stained one. Luckily, he has replacements.

He looks at his damaged waist in the mirror, fingers grazing over his wounds. Normally, he would gag at the sight of his own body. Not anymore. Now he has someone who would never degrade him for his looks. Someone who loves him for who he is. He has a star.

For the first time since middle school, he smiles at himself. He finishes changing and lays on his bed, falling asleep minutes later, no longer afraid of his nightmares.

Chapter Text

What A "Boyfriend" Really Is

The morning finally comes as Tsukasa wakes up to his alarm blaring. He reluctantly grabs it and turns the alarm off. He lays in his bed for a few more minutes before finally getting up and getting ready for the day.

He cringes as he realizes he had fallen asleep in his uniform.

"Geez, how tired was I? I've never slept in this before... Why was i so tired anyway...?"

Tsukasa recalls the events of the previous day, the good and bad. He let's out a dramatic gasp as he realizes how the day had ended.

"We're really dating now... aren't we...?! What do couples even do...?"

His thoughts are halted by a ping from his phone. He hastily grabs it to see who messages him. Rui.

Rui⚙️
'Good morning, my star'
'😸'

Tsukasas heart skips a beat at the message. He finds himself shy at the nickname

☆Tsukasa☆
'Morning!'
'Hey, uh... ive got a question'

Rui⚙️
'Hm?'
'What's that?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'Ahh...'
'Last night...'
'Did all of that... actually happen?'
'Are we... dating now?'

Rui takes a while to respond. A bit... too long for Tsukasas liking.

☆Tsukasa☆
'Rui?'
'You okay?'

After five minutes, Rui finally answers.

Rui⚙️
'Sorry'
'I had to do something'
'But uh...'
'Yes'
'We are'
'You... did want to... right?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'Well, yes...'
'But... you see...'
'I've never actually'
'y'know'
'been in a relationship before...'
'I dont exactly... know what couples do'

Rui⚙️
'really?'
'thats quite shocking actually'
'someone as beautiful as you never had a boyfriend before?'
'Well, im honored to be your first ♡'

Beautiful. Tsukasas never been called that before. His face is heating up. He loved it.

☆Tsukasa☆
'You think im beautiful?'

Rui⚙️
'extremely'

Tsukasa can't help but smile at that confirmation. He's never felt this way for anyone else before, especially another boy. Sure, he's had crushes, but that's all they ever were... crushes. He's never been this in love with someone before. 

☆Tsukasa☆
'ive never been called that before...'

Rui⚙️
'oh? did you not like it?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'No, no...'
'I did...'

Rui⚙️
'well then'
'ill call you that more often then'

Tsukasa finds himself giggling like a kid. He didn't know nicknames from a lover would feel so different from those from a friend.

☆Tsukasa☆
'I look forward to it'
'I'll see you at school :)'

Rui⚙️
'yes, see you later ♡'

After contemplating for a moment, Tsukasa decides the gears were no longer the proper emoji for Ruis contact.

'☆Tsukasa☆ has changed the contacts name to ♡Rui♡'

♡Rui♡
'oh?'
'hey, no fair'
'hold on'

Tsukasa tilts his head at the message.

"Is he going to change mine too?" He questions with a small giggle.

'♡Rui♡ has changed the contacts name to ♡My Star♡'

☆Tsukasa☆
'What's your obsession with that nickname?'

♡Rui♡
'What? It's true'
'You are my star, Tsukasa'

☆Tsukasa☆
'Whatever you say, mr. director'
'okay for real now... ill see you later'

♡Rui♡
'hehe, you love the nickname'
'but yes, see you at school 💜'

Tsukasa hurriedly gets ready and leaves the house. He was both excited yet nervous to see Rui. To see his boyfriend.

He arrived at the gate and is immediately approached by another couple, Toya and Akito.

"Yo, you gonna talk to him today?" Akito starts.

"Huh? Oh, right, I forgot I told you about that. We actually managed to talk about it last night." Tsukasa says with an awkward chuckle.

"Oh? How did it go?" Toya chimes in.

"Uh... well... we—" The blonde is suddenly cut off by an arm snaking its way around his shoulders. He jumps at the touch and turns to see Rui at his side.

"Hello boys, how's your morning going?" The taller boy asks with his typical cat-like smile.

"Good morning, Kamishiro. I see the answer to my question." Toya laughs at his seniors now red face.

"Hm? What's that mean?" Rui questions, turning to face his star.

"Ah— well— They kinda... know everything... heh..." Tsukasa answers, refusing to look at the boy next to him.

Rui let's out a quiet chuckle. He couldn't be happier. He can finally act how he's wanted to for the past year.

"Is that so?" Rui questions his juniors. "So these are the friends you mentioned the other day? It was these two?" Tsukasa confirms with a embarrassed nod. 

"Yeah, he wouldn't stop talking about you for the past week. Maybe he'll finally stop." Akito teases, his voice laced with a hint of happiness for his seniors.

The school bell rings and the boys head to their floors and into their classrooms. Class proceeds as it usually does, with the slight kicking of each others feet every now and then.

The bell rings, signaling the end of the day. All the students are quick to leave, except for the couple. They remain seated for a while, simply gazing at each other. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Rui speaks up.

"Well, my dear. What do you want to do? We agreed to hang out last night, no?"

Tsukasa puts his fingers on his chin, thinking hard about what their plan should be.

"Hmm... do you... maybe...  want to come over to my house again?" He suggests.

"You sure? Even though yesterday—"

"That was yesterday. Now... well... we're actually a couple..." Tsukasa cuts in, becoming quiet at the end of his sentence.

Rui smiles at the sight of his leader becoming red.

"Alright then, let's head to your house." Rui stands up, holding his hand out for Tsukasa to grab, which he gladly does.

They leave the school hand in hand and stay like that until the reach Tsukasas house. They enter the house and sit on the couch.

"Welcome home~! Oh, hi Rui!" Saki yells from the kitchen.

"Ah, hello Saki. I haven't seen you in a while." Rui smiles, greeting the younger girl.

"I've been practicing a lot! We finally have a break today!"

"As do we, hence why im here."

Saki giggles "Well, you two have fun! I'll be in my room. Mom and dad won't be back until later tonight, so dinners up to us."

"Okay, just let me know if you want anything specific, I'll see what I can do!" Tsukasa exclaims, ready to learn any recipe for his dear sister.

Saki agrees and heads to her room, leaving the boys alone yet again.

Tsukasa turns to see Rui smiling at him.

"What's up with that face?" Tsukasa laughs.

"Well, I really admire the relationship you have with your sister. You know I don't have siblings, so it's nice to see."

"It's really nothing serious. I'm just glad to see she's healthier now, you know?"

"Oh, yeah. She was sick when she was younger, right?"

"Yeah, she was in and out of the hospital. It was hard for all of us... at some point I began believing that no matter what i was going through, she had it worse..."

Tsukasas gaze falls to the floor, recalling all the memories from those times. He let's out a heavy sigh.

"That's why I don't really show my 'bad' emotions. I don't think i really, I guess, deserve to? Even though she's healthier now, she's still not entirely... healed, so those thoughts still affect me."

Rui slowly places his hand on top of Tsukasas.

"You know, I don't mind if you showed those emotions to me. If anything, I would prefer if you did. Even if you refuse to show anyone else, please show me. I'm your boyfriend, aren't i? I'll be there for you during those times." He reassures, rubbing Tsukasas hand.

Tsukasa raises his head to meet his directors eyes. They were beautiful. They were full of love and worry. His eyes were telling Tsukasa that he meant every word he said.

He hesitantly agrees to try to let himself show more emotions around Rui.

After a few more minutes of sitting, the heavy air becomes light once again. The boys decide to head up to Tsukasas room to get more comfortable.

They lay on the bed together, trying to find a comfortable position. They eventually find one, which includes Rui laying on his back, and Tsukasa laying to his side with his head on Ruis chest and his arm around his waist. It was warm, but not too warm. They felt as if they could easily fall asleep like that.

Rui brought his arm up and began running his fingers through Tsukasas hair. He learned from the night before that his star seems to enjoy the feeling.

Tsukasa could hear Ruis heartbeat. It was beating at a steady pace. It was fast, as if he had just finished performing. He could feel the others chest rising and falling with every breath he took. He never wanted to move. He had never been more comfortable than he was in that moment.

"Hey, were you being serious earlier? You've really never been in a relationship before?" Rui suddenly asks.

Tsukasa tilts his head up to look at Rui, confused about the sudden question.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"I mean, it's just genuinely shocking to me. You're just a loveable person... how could you never have dated anyone...?"

"Ah... it's because I never told anyone when I liked them back... I've had people tell me they had a crush on me, but even if I had one on them too... I could never tell them. I'm not sure why."

"Oh? That's interesting... but, you told me?"

Rui feels Tsukasas hold tighten around him and his head fall back down, leaving his gaze.

"Well... yeah... I don't know... it was... different with you.. I guess..."

Tsukasa could feel Rui trying to hold back a laugh.

"Don't laugh at me..." He pouts.

"I won't, I won't. You're just... so adorable, you know that?"

Tsukasa hums in response, too embarrassed to form a verbal response.

The blonde repositions himself to be on his back, head resting on Ruis shoulder. He grabs the other boys injured arm and brings it into view. 

"How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?" He asks, softly caressing his directors bandages arm.

"A little, yeah. I really did it this time, didn't I? Tell me, how bad was it? You didn't let me look, remember?"

"Pretty bad... any deeper and you probably would've needed stitches..."

"Ah... I see... I'm still very sorry about that... to you and everyone else..."

"Hey, it's alright. We all understand. I'm just glad it wasn't anything... permanent." Tsukasa mumbles the final word, not wanting to speak it into reality.

Rui feels bad. Very bad.

"I won't. I promise. I'll stay."

Tsukasa looks up at Rui again, examining his facial expression. He was being genuine.

"I believe you, I just worry." He looks back at his directors arm. He brings it to his lips and leaves small kisses on it, just as he had done the day before. Rui flinches at the sudden touch, but soon calms down, letting his star continue.

The kisses began trailing up the rest of his arm. Tsukasa turns over to face Rui, continuing to leave kisses on his shoulder. He looks up to see what Rui was feeling, his eyes were closed.

"You alright?" The blonde asks, concerned he had made his lover uncomfortable.

"Y-yeah... It's just, nobodies ever done that before..." The taller responds, face becoming beet red.

"Is it... okay?"

Rui takes a minute to think of an answer.

"It is..."

With that confirmation, Tsukasa continues leaving small pecks along his directors arm over his school uniform.

He suddenly moved to Ruis exposed collarbone, causing the other to jump in surprise with a small gasp. Tsukasa chuckles at his reaction, smiling as he places another kiss higher up on his throat.

Ruis breath hitched at the feeling, his arms instinctively pushing Tsukasa away from him.

Tsukasa stares at Rui in surprise, worried he had hurt him.

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Rui attempts to calm his breathing, embarrassed by his own actions.

"N-no, you didn't... my throat is... just..."

"Sensitive?"

Rui nods. Hiding his face in his arm.

"Sorry, I should've asked first..." Tsukasa pouts.

"No, no, it's fine...I just think maybe... it's a little... fast? I mean... we haven't even been together for more than a day..."

"Right... I-I'm sorry, Rui..." Tsukasa returns to his laying position on Ruis arm, feeling guilty.

Rui notices his leaders emotions and grabs his hand.

"It's okay, really. Let's just... take this slow, yeah?" Tsukasa nods in response. Rui interlocks their fingers and moves their hands to lay on Tsukasas chest.

After a while, the boys end up falling asleep in the warmth of each others embrace. They probably would've ended up sleeping through the night if they haven't been startled awake by a knock on Tsuksasas door.

"Tsukasa! It's time for dinner~! Wake up sleepyhead!" Saki yells from the other side.

Tsukasa shoots up and runs to the door. He quickly opens it to stop the knocking from waking up Rui.

"I'll be down in a second. Did you make something?" He questions.

"No, mom ordered some food for us since she's not here."

"Ah, okay. Just give me a few minutes and we'll come down."

Saki leans to look behind her brother and sees Rui fast asleep on his bed. She pieces two and two together and heads back downstairs.

"Okay~! Don't take too long, loverboy." She teases and she walks down the stairs.

Tsukasas face instantly turns red, shocked at how fast she figured it out. He was too embarrassed to reply. He closes the door and heads back over to the bed. He sits down and leans over Rui, staring at his face.

He smiles at every little detail his eyes find. After a full 'examination', he tucks some of Ruis blue strands behind his ears, gently rubbing his head in the process. He can't believe the stunning man beneath him is actually his.

Rui groans as he struggles to open his eyes.

"Oh? Good evening sleepyhead." Tsukasa chuckles at the sight of his sleepy lover.

"Mmm... I fell asleep? What time is it?" Rui asks with a yawn.

"Time for dinner, you wanna come down and eat with me and Saki?"

Rui sits up and stretches his arms, wrapping them around Tsukasas shoulders.

"Hmm... dinner? I usually don't eat dinner..."

Tsukasa dramatically gasps, unable to believe what the other boy just said.

"What?! Rui, you need to eat!" He scolds.

"I know, I know... but... it's hard." Rui pouts like a child, still too tired to be entirely serious.

Tsukasa sighs. Rui had briefly mentioned having body image issues before, but... Tsukasa didn't think that meant that he was practically starving himself.

"Rui, if you keep doing that... it could kill you."

Rui stays silent. He knows this.

"So, please? For me?" Tsukasa lifts Ruis chin up with his fingers, forcing the other to look him in the eyes.

He's worried, and Rui knows it.

"Please, my love?" Tsukasa begs.

Hearing that phrase causes something to switch in Rui. He's wide awake now.

"O-okay... I'll try... for you..." He shifts his gaze away from Tsukasa as his face heats up from the sudden name.

"That's good. It's a start, yeah?"

"Mhmm... a start..." Rui looks back up at Tsukasa, whos eyes were still fixated on his.

"Kasa..."

"Hm?" Tsukasa tilts his head, acknowledging the new nickname.

"You're so... perfect, you know that?" Rui says while moving his arm and placing his hand on Tsukasas head.

"I'm really not. Nobody is, and that's the fun part."

"Oh, but you are. If you're not perfect to anyone else, then you are to me." Rui begins running his fingers through his lovers hair.

"Rui, what are you trying to do right now?" Tsukasa teases.

"Nothing. Nothing at all, my star." Rui chuckles as his arm returns to Tsukasas shoulder, wrapping him tighter.

"Aren't you the one who just suggested 'taking this slow'?"

"Yes, but... how can I do that when I have a star like you infront of me?"

Rui leans closer to Tsukasa, their eyes never leaving the others.

"Just this once, yeah?" Rui asks, his eyes switching between his lovers and his lips.

Tsukasa let's out a quiet laugh at those words.

"Just one?"

"Just one."

"Alright then. After that, you eat, okay?"

"Promise."

Rui spares no time in pulling Tsukasa closer and locking their lips together. His hand gently tugs on his lovers hair. He feels one of Tsukasas hands wrap around his waist while he grabs Ruis neck with the other. Tsukasa let Rui take the lead, as he had very little experience when it came to kissing. However, Rui seemed to be getting too desperate, too... aggressive. Tsukasa was struggling to breathe. He felt like he was going to pass out.

He quickly pushes Rui away, breaking the kiss. He takes a moment to catch his breath, letting the life come back to his face.

"A-are you okay?" Rui frantically asked, afraid he went too far.

"Y-yeah I'm good.. it was just... too much for me... sorry." The blonde mutters between coughs.

"I-I'm sorry! I got a bit... too carried away... I'm sorry..."

Tsukasa sees Rui beginning to tear up and becomes worried.

"Hey, what's wrong? I'm fine, really."

"I didn't mean to do that... I don't want to see that face again... not because of me..."

"What face...?"

"You looked... so scared just now... I don't want to make you feel that way..."

Tsukasas eyes widened. He looked... scared?

"I wasn't scared... just... shocked... that's all. I'm not upset with you, I promise." He brings his hand up to Ruis face and caresses his cheek in an attempt to calm him down.

"I'll... try to stick to what I said... we'll take things slow..." Rui lets himself melt into Tsukasas hand.

"I believe you. Let's go have dinner, okay? You promised." Tsukasa moves his hand and gets off the bed, holding his hand out for Rui.

"I'll try my best. For... both things." Rui grabs Tsukasas hand and follows him off the bed and fo the kitchen.

Saki was sitting at the table, happily eating her food. The boys take their seats and choose the food they want. Tsukasa keeps a close eye on Rui as he eats. He examines everything. From the amount he eats to the time in between each spoonful. He notices his hand shaking each time he brings the utensil up to his mouth. Rui really was trying his best, and Tsukasa knew that.

He places his hand on Ruis thigh, trying to show any type of comfort. Luckily, it seemed to work. Not perfectly, but it worked nonetheless. His hand stopped shaking, and he was eating at a steady pace. He was getting more comfortable. Slowly, but it was a start.

They finish their dinner and clean up. It was time for Rui to go back home for the night. He grabs his things and heads to the front door to put his shoes on. He stands up and faces Tsukasa.

"Tsukasa, about earlier—"

"I already told you, it's alright, seriously." The blonde brings up hand up to Ruis head and fluffs up his hair.

"Hey! What was that for?" Rui asks, pouting as he fixes his hair.

"You need to stop worrying so much. If I have an issue with something you do, I'll tell you. I'm not going to lie to you." Tsukasa chuckles, despite his tone being serious.

"Okay... I'll try."

"I know you will. Now, you've got to get home before it's too dark."

Tsukasa pulls Rui into a hug, not wanting him to leave. Rui returns the hug, his head snuggling into the others shoulder. They stay like that for a minute before finally pulling away. Rui turns and opens the door.

"See you tomorrow, my star." Rui waves with his fingers as he exits the home.

"Goodnight, my love." Tsukasa replies, doing the same from the door.

Rui makes his way home, thoughts of the day replaying in his mind. He brings his fingers to his lips, reminding him of his leaders lips on his. He can't help but smile. That boy is his. All his.

As he reaches his home, he enters his room and immediately changes into his sleepwear. He lays on his bed, attempting to sleep. He moves his hand up to his collarbone, then his throat. He remembers the strange sensation of being kissed in such sensitive areas. Part of him hated the feeling, but another part... wouldn't mind it happening again.

He shakes himself out of those thoughts, he can't be thinking like that. Not when he said they would take it slow. He doesn't want to ruin everything before it even starts.

He curls into his bed and lays there in silence, trying to fall asleep despite the disgusting thoughts he was trying to get rid of. After what was probably hours, he finally managed to get some rest. He needs to learn to calm himself. He can't have that happen again. He can't.

Chapter Text

Getting To Know Each Other Better

Rui wakes up to his alarm just like every other weekday. He sleepily sits up and checks his calender.

"Wednesday...? It's only Wednesday?! Ugh... why isn't it the weekend yet..." He complains as he flops back into his bed. As he lays there, staring at the stars he and Tsukasa put on the ceiling together, he's reminded of the day prior.

"Did I seriously do that...? It's only been a day and I'm already trying to go further?! I didn't know I was so damn impatient..." He covers his face in shame.

"I need to chill out... I can't scare him again. I don't need him leaving me because I can't control things like that... he probably doesn't even want to do anything like that— ...wait. Did he even tell me what his sexuality is..? Why am I just assuming hes gay because he agreed to date me..? What if he's only attracted to guys romantically... not sexually..? " He sits back up, thinking of everything he knows about Tsukasa other than things everyone else knows. It's safe to say... it's not much.

"I really know nothing about him... huh? Maybe we should do that today... get to know each other as lovers rather than friends...? Yeah.. yeah I'll ask him!" He hastily pulls out his phone to text Tsukasa.

◇Rui◇
'Good morning my love'
'ive got a quick question for you'

♡My Star♡
'hello~'
'im getting ready for school rn'
'but what's up?'
'everything okay?'

◇Rui◇
'yes everything's fine!'
'sorry to distract you'
'but I was wondering if you would like to hang out after school again'
'this time just... talk?'
'yknow like get to know each other'
'as boyfriends..?'

He cringed at his own message. He felt like a little boy who just got his first girlfriend.

♡My Star♡
'yeah, totally!'
'I think thats a great idea actually'
'ill think of some questions ☺️'

◇Rui◇
'perfect!'
'I'll do the same 😸'
'ill let you get back to getting ready now'
'thank you~'

♡My Star♡
'of course my love'
'see you later ♡'

◇Rui◇
'♡♡'

"Okay! That wasn't so bad. I knew he would agree, but... am I gonna be okay? Last time we were alone... well— yesterday... hmm... Oh! Wait! We have a whole SEKAI! How did I forget? We can talk there! I've been meaning to properly apologize to all of them, anyway..." He rubs his arm, remembering how scared all of the Virtual Singers looked that day.

"Yeah... I'll apologize before we talk..."

He was abruptly cut off by his second alarm, signaling him to leave his house.

"Huh?! Oh crap... I'm not even ready yet..!" He yells as he jumps out of bed and throws on his uniform faster than he ever has. He quickly makes sure he has everything before running out the door, trying to get to school before the bell.

Luckily, he made it just in time, bursting through his class door just as the final bell finished tolling. Out of breath, he slumps into his chair with a heavy sigh.

"What happened? Why did you get here so late?" Tsukasa whispers, nudging him in the arm to get his attention.

"Lost... track of... time... had to... run..." He replies between attempts to catch his breath.

Tsukasa lets a small chuckle escape at Ruis response. "You? Lose track of time? What were you doing? Thinking of me?" He playfully teases.

Rui responds with a small kick to his leaders desk, prompting yet another laugh from the blonde.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I was." He replies as he digs through his bag for his workbook.

"Wait, seriously?" Tsukasa asks in shock. "I was just joking..." His face becomes red.

"Hehe, but i was not." Rui grabs his book and sees his lovers embarrassed expression.

"Tenma, Kamishiro, thats enough. Class is in session." The teacher scolds.

"Sorry..." They respond in unison and lock their eyes onto their books, both trying to hold in their laughter.

They manage to successfully get through class, and even got to work together on an assignment, much to their enjoyment.

After class, Rui decides to ask Tsukasa about his idea as they pack up.

"By the way... I was wondering if we could talk in SEKAI today."

"Hm? Why? Not that I have an issue with that, I'm just curious." Tsukasa questions, surprised at the others suggestion.

"Well, first off, I would like to properly apologize to everyone. Second... I don't think being alone is a great idea after the last... two times we were." Rui admits, still feeling guilty.

"Rui. I told you yesterday, it's fine... but if it really upset you that much, then I understand. We can go to SEKAI if you really want." The blonde says as he finishes clearing his desk.

"Thank you... and i know you said it's fine but... I don't like making people uncomfortable, especially someone I love..." Rui mutters under his breath, eyes stuck on the floor.

He hears Tsukasa sigh before seeing his shoes stop in front of him. He looks up to meet the blondes eyes, tilting his head in confusion.

"Like I said before, if I'm uncomfortable, I'll tell you. I would appreciate it if you did the same, okay?"

Tsukasa bends down and leans over Rui, arms on either side of him, trapping him in his desk until he answers.

Rui continues to stare at the blonde, trying to process the situation hes suddenly in.

"Hey— Tsukasa... what are you doing? We're still in—" Tsukasa cuts him off with a sudden peck on the lips. "...school..."

"Are we? I didn't realize." Tsukasa chuckles. He loves the sight of Ruis shy expression. "Well, answer my question, my dear."

"Question? What question?"

"If you're uncomfortable, you'll tell me, yes?" He moves his hand from the desk to Ruis head, petting it as if he were a small puppy.

Rui wasn't sure how to respond. He was slightly uncomfortable in the moment since they were still in school. Despite that, he wanted them to stay like that forever.

"Rui? Where are you, my love?"

"Huh? Sorry, I spaced out... but... yeah... I'll let you know..." He whispers.

"Thank you. Now, shall we go? They're probably going to lock to doors soon." Tsukasa stands straight once again as he holds his hand out for Rui.

"Yeah, let's go." He grabs Tsukasa hand and they begin making their way to Ruis house.

The finally arrive and place their bags down on the floor, making themselves comfortable.

"Do you want to go now or wait a bit?" Tsukasa speaks up as he seats himself on Ruis bed.

"Um... one moment. Let me change shirts real quick, the long sleeve bothers my arm." Rui replies, searching through his drawer for a short sleeve shirt. He only wears those when he's home alone, where nobody can see his scars. Though, he doesn't mind if the Virtual Singers see them. They did witness the creation of a few of them after all...

"Sure, do you... want me to turn around or leave? Or something like that...? I know you don't really like changing in front of others."

With that question, Rui realizes Tsukasa seems to know more about him than he initially thought. Was Rui really the only one who didn't know basic information about his lover?

"Ah... you can stay. You've already seen all my scars at this point, so... I see no reason to kick you out." Rui admits as he begins unbuttoning his uniform. He hears a quiet "fair enough" from Tsukasa.

He can feel Tsukasas eyes on him the entire time he was changing. Normally he would hate his body being looked at, but strangely, he didn't seem to mind all that much.

He throws on a tee and joins his lover on his bed.

"Okay, we can go now."

"Perfect, let's go!" Tsukasa beams as they pull out their phones and select their song.

They are immediately greeted by a small yellow haired Singer.

"Hello~! What brings you two here~?!" He questions as he spins around, happy to see the other boys.

"Ah, hello Len! We're just here to talk today. I thought being here would be a nice change of scenery." Rui answers, leaning to match the boys height.

"Talk? About what? To one of us?"

"No, just to each other. Though, I would like to say something to all of you before. Where is everyone?"

"They're all at the tent right now! Come on, we can go together!" He grabs the boys' hands and drags them behind him, heading towards the tent.

"Hey— Len! Stop pulling!" Tsukasa yells, but lets himself be pulled anyway.

"Everyone~! The boys are here!" The small boy exclaims as he opens the fabric door of the tent.

The other singers immediately turn to face in their direction, instantly stopping what they were doing. The trio heads up to the stage to meet the others.

"Oh, hello boys. How are you doing today?" KAITO cautiously asks, still thinking about the other day.

"Good, thank you... I wanted to say something to you all..." Rui struggles, but forces himself to continue looking at the singers.

"Hmm~?" Miku hums.

"It's about... the other day." He grabs his arm, scared to bring it up again.

Tsukasa softly rubs his back, trying to calm him down.

"Ah... I thought it would be something like that.. " KAITO mumbles.

"Yeah... I'm... really sorry. I know I already said that, but... I really mean it. You all must have been scared... This place isn't supposed to make you feel that way, it's supposed to be a happy place...So, I'm sorry." He deeply bows to the singers, praying they forgive him.

KAITO slowly approaches him and places his hand on his shoulder, standing him back up.

"It's alright, Rui. We know you didn't mean for any of that to happen. Yes, we were scared at first, but we're also very sorry we couldn't help you more. That is what we're here for after all. We're all just glad you're doing better now." He reassures the teen, giving him a warm smile. He hears the other singers hum and reply in agreement.

"Thank you... I'm glad you're not upset with me or anything."

"We have no reason to be! We're always here to help, you know that. If you ever feel like that again, come to us and we'll try our best to help you." KAITO rubs his shoulder, making sure the teen knows he's being genuine, he receives a small nod in response.

Letting the duo finish their conversation, Tsukasa chimes in.

"Well, where did you want to talk?" He wraps his arm around his director.

"Oh, right. I guess... by the harbor?"

"Sure! That works for me. If you'll excuse us..." Tsukasa snakes his arm down to Ruis hand, holding it tightly. The boys turn around and head towards the tents door, waving to the Virtual Singers as they exit.

"Bye-Bye~!" Len yells, the others following with their own farewells.

They make their way to the harbor, leaning against part of the deck rather than sitting on the edge.

"So, what did you wanna talk about?" Tsukasa questions.

"Ah, well... I was thinking about it this morning and... I realized that I don't actually know that much about you. Nothing that everyone else doesn't already know, anyway..." Rui admits.

"You think so? Well, if it's bothering you that much... what do you want to know? I'll see if I have some answers for you." Tsukasa smiles, making Rui feel a bit better. "I've got a few questions for you, too! They're a bit... personal though, if you don't mind..."

'Personal...? He'll probably ask about my... issues, right? He seems to be really curious about all of that. I guess... I wouldn't mind him knowing.' Rui nods with a sigh and lays down, resting his head on his lovers lap.

"Oh? Usually its me doing that." The blonde giggles, his hand instinctly rubbing Ruis head.

"I wanted to try it myself. I can move if you want..." He tries to lift his head, but Tsukasa gently pushes it back down.

"No, it's fine. You look cute like this. Now, what's your first question?"

Ruis face becomes red, embarrassed after being called cute. "Ah... um..." He clears his throat, calming his heart.

"I was wondering... what exactly is your sexuality...? I just kinda assumed you were gay when you agreed to date me, but... I don't actually know what it is."

"Hmm... I never put much thought into it." The blonde moves his free hand to his chin, thinking about the answer. "I mean, I've liked guys before... but I've also liked girls... so... bi? I guess? I never really put a label on it." He shrugs.

"Is that so...?" Rui mumbles.

"Yesterday did make me realize something, though. I'm not sure how... far... I want to go with things like that at the moment... I mean, I don't mind kisses and stuff but... every time I think of going beyond that, it's like my whole body panics. Is there a word for that?" He looks to Rui, hoping he knows.

"Asexual? I think? That's good to know too... I'll keep that in mind."

"Is that it? I wouldn't say I'm completely against it, but... definitely not any time soon. I think the furthest I'm willing to go right now is... maybe... making out...?" The blonde shyly chuckles, not trying to hurt Ruis feelings.

"Gotcha..." Rui mutters under his breath.

"Hey, what's wrong? Are you upset about that?"

"No, no... it just makes me feel bad... I hope I'm not the reason for that..."

"You're not, my dear. It's not your fault. I'm pretty sure it's just because I've never been with anyone before. You have nothing to worry about." He grabs Ruis hand, holding it tightly.

After a moment of comfort, Rui breaks the silence.

"So... what's your question?"

"Well... like I said, it's pretty personal... you don't have to answer it if you don't want to, okay?"

Rui nods, giving Tsukasa his confirmation.

"How long have you... you know... had these issues with eating?"

Rui remains silent for a moment. He knew it would be a question like this. He hates talking about things like that, but... it's Tsukasa that's asking this time.

"...A while, I guess...? I don't remember exactly when it started, but... it was during middle school I think."

"Can i... ask why?"

"Why...? Ah... I don't know. It just... happened one day. Things like this aren't necessarily easy to control. It fluctuates sometimes, too. One day I could be perfectly fine, eating, snacking, not minding the sight of myself. Other days though... I can't stand even think of food without gagging. It sucks, but... I can't exactly control it." He wraps his arms around himself, today was one of the bad days.

"I'm sorry... I don't know much about eating disorders so... I don't know how I can help you..." He hears Tsukasa sniffle as he tries to keep his tears from falling. He quickly turns his head to look at the blonde.

"Hey— No, its fine! You don't need to do anything, really." He shoots up from Tsukasas lap, sitting next to him.

"But... I should at least try...! I'm your boyfriend, aren't I? You shouldn't have to deal with that by yourself anymore. If I can't at least help with something like this..." His voice breaks as he continues to fight with his emotions.

"Tsukasa..." Rui whispers. He's never had someone care this much about his issues. Not to the point where it affects them too.

"You are helping." He wipes away Tsukasas tears with his thumbs. "Yesterday during dinner, you had your hand on my leg, right? That small touch helped. Just... knowing that you're next to me... supporting me regardless... it helps. Sure, it might not be a cure, but it's definitely a start, yeah?" He cups Tsukasas face in his hands, forcing the blonde to look at him.

"What if... you never get better?"

"Will you leave me if I don't?"

"No! Of course not!"

"Well, then that's an issue we'll deal with when the time comes. For now though, I know I'll be alright with you here." He gives Tsukasa a warm smile, hoping to get one back.

"...You promise?" He sniffles.

"I promise, my love. You should really give yourself more credit. You're a great person, Tsukasa. I wish you could see that the way I do. Believe in yourself a bit more." Rui rubs the blondes head to comfort him.

"I'm... really not... " He mumbles.

"You are. I told you yesterday, you're allowed to be weak with me, tell me when you can't hold your emotions in anymore. Let it all out with me... please."

With that, Tsukasa finally breaks into a sobbing mess.

"I'm scared, Rui. Scared you won't love me anymore if I show you everything. If I'm not... perfect. That I'll be forgotten if I'm not loud and over the top with everything i do. I don't want that. I don't want to be forgotten. Nobody likes the stars they can't see. Please... don't forget me, Rui... please." He pleads, crying into the taller boys shirt.

Rui... no... nobody has ever seen Tsukasa like this. He never lets anyone see him so weak. Not until now. Now that Rui's by his side. Rui would never judge him for showing his emotions.

Rui immediately brings Tsukasa into his arms, holding him tightly as if he could disappear any moment.

"I won't. I'll never forget you. I promise you I won't." He feels Tsukasa return the hug, continuing to cry into his shoulder. Rui rubs his back and head, knowing it helps calm the other down.

When Tsukasa finally calms down, he breaks the hug with a few staggered breaths, wiping his tears as he stabilizes himself.

"Feel better?" Rui asks, helping his lover wipe away his tears. Tsukasa simply nods in response.

"That's good. Hey, look at me real quick." He lifts Tsukasas face, making eye contact.

"I love you so much, Tsukasa. So, so much. I just want you to know that."

"...love you too... Rui." The blonde replies through small sniffles and gasps of him trying to catch his breath.

Rui leans over Tsukasa and lays a small kiss on his forehead, to which the boy lets out a small giggle at the ticklish feeling.

"There we go. There's that smile. You want to head back home now?" Rui suggests.

"Yeah... my head hurts..."

"Okay, let's go." They grab their phones and leave the SEKAI, returning to Ruis room.

As soon as they get back, Rui stands up.

"Wait there for a moment, I'll be right back." He ushers Tsukasa to stay in his spot, and he does, it's not like he felt like moving anyway.

Minutes later, he returns with pain relievers, a bottle of water, and some crackers.

"Okay, I'm back. Do you want some— oh?" He closes his door and turns to see Tsukasa fast asleep on his bed. He places the items on his desk and sits by the blondes side.

"I'm sorry, your head hurts because of me... Even though I know if you were awake you would disagree." He runs his fingers through the boys hair, moving some of the blonde strands behind his ear.

"Tsukasa? Wake up for one second to take some medicine." He whispers, not trying to startle the other.

"Mmm... head hurts..." He mumbles as he grabs his head.

"I know my love... but you can go back to sleep after taking something... Come on..." He gently lifts Tsukasa up so he's leaning against the wall. He gets up to grab the pills and water and quickly returns to his lovers side.

"Here, take this." He hands Tsukasa the pills and water. He takes a while to take them, but he eventually does.

"Perfect, do you want some crackers?" Rui asks as he takes the bottle and puts it back on his desk.

"No... thank you..." He yawns.

"Okay. It's pretty late... but I don't think you can get home like this..." Rui thinks of how he could get Tsukasa home before his parents worry.

"I'll just stay here then..." Tsukasa leans into Ruis chest, his body threatening to fall asleep again.

"But— your parents... and we have school tomorrow..."

"Here... please..." Tsukasa weakly hands Rui his phone, urging him to call his parents for him.

"Are you... sure? I can just ask my mom to take you—"

"Don't bother her... let me sleep here with you... please, Rui?" Tsukasa looks up at Rui, his eyes only half open.

Rui reluctantly gives in, deciding there's no point in fighting him anymore. He grabs the blondes phone and searches for his mother's contact. He hesitantly presses the call button and moves the phone to his ear.

"Tsukasa? Where are you?" His mother starts.

"Uh—" He clears his throat out of nerves. "Hi, this is Rui..."

"Rui...? Oh, his troupe director, right? Hello dear, is Tsukasa there? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, it's just... he suddenly got a bad headache and... was wondering if he could... sleep here tonight? I don't think he can make it home in this state..."

"Hmm... is your mother okay with that?" She questions.

"My mom? Well—" Tsukasa grabs the phone out of Ruis hand.

"She's fine with it... please mom." He begs, his voice getting quieter with every word.

He hears his mother sigh on the other end.

"Okay, just... be careful, okay? Let me know if you can't get to school tomorrow and I'll come get you."

"Mhmm... I will... thank you."

"Give the phone back to your friend please." He brings the phone back to Ruis ear, holding it for him.

"Ah— Uh— Hello?"

"He can stay. Please look after him for me. Thank you, Rui." She says in a greatful tone.

"Y-yes ma'am. I will. Thank you."

"Okay, goodnight dear."

"Goodnight..."

She hangs up, leaving them alone.

Tsukasa tosses his phone to the side, clinging onto Rui once again.

"Happy, sleepyhead?" Rui sighs.

"Mhmm~ Very." The star giggles, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend.

"Okay... let go for a second, I'll get you something to sleep in, okay?" Rui gently pushes Tsukasa off of him, receiving a childish pout in response.

He gets up and rummages through his drawer for some clothes. He finally finds some and walks back to Tsukasa.

"They'll probably be a bit big on you, but... here." He hands Tsukasa the clothes and helps him stand to put them on.

He lets Tsukasa change while he looks for his own pajamas to wear.

"Rui... can you help? I can't do the buttons..."

Ruis head jolts up. He turns to see Tsukasa back to sitting on the bed, struggling with his uniforms shirt buttons. He takes a deep breath before walking over to the blonde and bending down over him to help.

"Do you normally struggle with this?" He asks as he nervously takes a hold of one of the buttons.

Tsukasa shakes his head. "No... but my head... is spinning... can't keep a grip..."

Ruis never seen him so weak before. He starts to worry he may be sick. He can't help but feel bad for him. Tossing those worries aside for the time being, he finishes the final button and helps Tsukasa take his arms out of the sleeves.

"Do you need help with putting the other one on?" He asks as he hands the blonde the t-shirt he picked out for him. Tsukasa denies and successfully wears the shirt. He already changed his pants, so luckily there was no help needed with that.

Finally wearing his pajamas, Tsukasa lays back onto the bed, ready to sleep. Rui quickly changes his own clothes and joins his boyfriend.

The second he lays down, Tsukasa cuddles up to him, throwing his leg over Ruis and grabbing onto his arm as tight as he can without hurting him. Rui can only chuckle at how cute Tsukasa seemed in that moment, despite being in pain.

"Goodnight, my love." Rui gives Tsukasa a small kiss on the head before grabbing the remote to his lights.

"Mmm... night" Tsukasa mumbles, returning a kiss on Ruis arm.

Rui turns his lights off and they fall asleep almost immediately, comfortable in each others arms.

Rui learned a lot about Tsukasa that day. Things that only he knows now. Things that make him truly his boyfriend.

Chapter Text

Sick Day

Tsukasa wakes up the next morning to Rui rubbing his arm.

"Hey, it's time to get up..."

Tsukasa groans and opens his eyes, being greeted by the sight of his love.

"Hmm...? Rui..."

"Yes?"

"Time...?" His head is pounding. He can't seem to form a full sentence.

"Seven. We need to get ready for school. Are you feeling any better?" Rui questions.

Tsukasa shakes his head. If anything, he feels worse.

"Oh no... that's not good... Is it still just your head? Does anything else hurt?" Rui starts to worry.

"My body hurts... all over..." Tsukasa whines, curling into himself.

Rui puts his hand to Tsukasas head, he was burning up.

"You have a fever... you can't go to school like this. Want me to call your mom?"

"Mmm... can't you stay...?"

"As much as I would love to, I can't..." Rui thinks for a moment for a solution. "How about this? You go home, and I'll come and see you after school, does that work?"

Tsukasa pouts, but agrees. Rui searches for the blondes phone and calls his mom.

"Good morning, dear." She answers.

"Hello, this is Rui again. I'm sorry to call so early, but Tsukasa seems to have a fever..."

"No need to apologize, and... does he? That's not good... I'll come get him, if you could just send me your address, I'll head over there as soon as I can."

"Will do, thank you... and sorry again."

"No worries dear, thank you for letting me know."

They say their farewells and hang up. Rui sends her his address, and he puts the phone to the side.

"She will come and pick you up, okay? I promise I'll come by after school." He runs his fingers through the sleepy boys hair.

"...'kay."

Rui stands up and continues getting dressed and ready for school. Before he puts his shirt on, however, Tsukasa speaks up.

"Wait... my bag..."

"Hm? What about it?"

He waves his hands, gesturing Rui to bring his bag over. So, he does just that. Tsukasa slowly sits up and and digs through it, searching for something. He pulls out a roll of bandages and pats the bed next to him, telling Rui to sit.

He sits next to the blonde, still confused by his actions.

Tsukasa weakly grabs Ruis arm and begins unwrapping the old, blood stained bandages.

"What are you—?"

"Gotta change 'em..." The blonde mumbles.

Rui stares at his arm. Despite Tsukasa himself being sick, he still took the time to help him. He got so lucky with him.

He looks at the scars he wasn't allowed to see the day they were caused. They really were worse than the other times. They probably won't go away any time soon, if ever.

"Have you always carried those around with you?"

"Mm-mm..." He shakes his head to deny. "Recently... just incase."

"Just... incase?"

The blonde nods. "Incase you get hurt... don't want it getting infected..."

He's reminded of when he first met Mizuki. She did the same thing for him. He can't decide if he feels greatful or ashamed. Both? Yeah... both.

Tsukasa finishes wrapping the new bandages, tossing the old ones into the trash.

"Done..." He says as he falls back onto the bed.

Rui examines the perfectly placed wrapping, smiling at his leaders kindness.

"Thank you, my love." He bends down and leaves a gentle kiss on Tsukasas temple as an expression of his gratitude. He gets a small nod in response.

"I have to go now. There are some crackers on my desk if you get hungry. Your mom should be here soon, okay?" Rui grabs his bag and heads towards the door.

"Rui..."

"Hm? Yes?"

"You... eat some first..."

"But— I've got to go."

"Please...? I'll worry if not..."

Rui sighs. Today was another he didn't want to think about food. He couldn't leave Tsukasa worried though, could he?

"...Okay. Just a few though... Today..."

"Don't wanna...?"

"...Yeah."

"Sorry... but you didn't eat since lunch... yesterday..."

Tsukasa really paid close attention to everything, didn't he?

"Right..." Rui walks over to his desk and grabs the pack of crackers. He opens them and grabs one out. He takes a deep breath before taking a shaky bite. He wanted to get it out, he couldn't do it.

In the midst of his struggles, he looks over at Tsukasas worried face. He has to do it. He can't let his star down.

It was difficult, but he managed to successfully eat three crackers, enough to satisfy Tsukasa.

"Good boy..." He hears the blonde mutter before closing his eyes again.

"Wha— huh?!" Ruis head snaps behind him, absolutely baffled by what he just heard.

'Did I hear that correctly? Did he just call me a... good boy?! I'm not a dog! But... I didn't... hate it...? Why didn't I hate it?!'

"What did you just say?" He wants to hear it again.

Tsukasa giggles before answering. "Good boy..." He opens his eyes enough to see Ruis reaction. He definitely liked the name.

"R-right..." He takes a deep breath to settle his heart. "I... I'm gonna go now... I'll see you later, okay?" He heads towards the door once more.

"Bye-Bye..." The blonde mumbles with a cheeky smile.

Rui leaves and begins making his way to school, heart still racing from the pet name.

"Hey, you." Nene nudges his arm, getting his attention.

"Oh— H-hello Nene, good morning...!" He fails to control his voice.

"Why is your face so red?" He raises her eyebrow, worried something happened.

"Ah— nothing... heh..."

"Oh? Something definitely happened... what is it?" She teases.

"Since when are you so nosy?" He chuckles.

"Since you went and got yourself a boyfriend. Now, what did he do?"

"Nothing, nothing. He's sick today and he... isn't thinking straight, that's all..."

"He's sick? How did that happen? And... what do you mean he 'isnt thinking straight'...?"

"So many questions... but yes, he is." He can't tell Nene hes sick from crying, can he? No, Tsukasa wouldn't want her to know. "He just woke up with a fever, I'm not sure why."

"...How did you know that?" She dramatically gasps. "Did he spend the night?! You haven't even been dating for a week!"

"It's not like that..! He just... had a headache last night and I didn't want him passing out on the way home or something..." He faces away from Nene, refusing to look at her.

"Really...? Alright, well I hope he feels better. Also, answer my other question, what did you mean by that last part?"

"He... said something to me... and I'm not sure how I feel about it..."

"Oh? What's that? A nickname or something?"

"Something like that..."

"What is it?"

He remains silent. He can't just tell Nene he liked being called a good boy, that would be... humiliating. She would never let him live it down.

"I can't tell you... it's... embarrassing." He mumbles.

She furrows her brows. "Fine... I won't bug you about it anymore." She lets out an over exaggerated sigh and they continue walking in silence.

They reach the school and split up to their classes.

School felt much, much longer than it usually does without his star by his side. Even during lunch, on the roof with the girls, he was simply bored. He couldn't wait for the day to end so he could see Tsukasa again.

During lunch, he receives a message from the blonde.

♡My Star♡
'm homee'

He giggles at the messy text. It seems he can't quite press the letters properly.

◇Rui◇
'That's good'
'Try to get some rest, okay?'
'It's only the lunch period now...'
'So... a few more hours'

♡My Star♡
'oka'
'okay'
'ill sleep'
'lov ou'

◇Rui◇
'i love you too, my dear'
'ill see you later ♡'

♡My Star♡
'🌟'
'wait no'
'💛'
'therw'

'He's so precious... I can't believe I finally get to call him mine...' He smiles to himself before turning his phone off, returning to his friends conversation.

After what felt like forever to Rui, the final bell rings, he can finally go help his love. He stands up faster than he has before and hurriedly walks towards Tsukasas house.

Over at the Tenma household, Tsukasa is fast asleep. However, he's not exactly having sweet dreams.

'Wait, Rui, hold on! You don't have to do this!'

'What do you expect me to do, then?! I don't know what you want from me! All you do is make demand after demand, I can't take it anymore!'

'Look, I'm sorry if I upset you, but isn't this going too far?! Please, just get down from there...'

'Sorry? You're sorry?! Hah... I don't think you understand... I don't need your apologies... I just... need everything to stop.'

'I know, my love, I do... but please... we can try something else...'

'I'm sorry, Tsukasa... but i just can't do this anymore... I'm sorry.'

'Rui... Rui please don't... RUI!'

He shoots up in his bed. His heart was racing, he's covered in sweat, it's hard to breathe, he can't stop shaking. He grips his chest, trying to come back to reality. It all felt too real.

He grabs his phone with a trembling hand to check the time. School should be over, Rui should be on his way.

☆Tsukasa☆
'wherw are you'

♡Rui♡
'Im on my way now'
'You okay?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'pleas hurru'
'hurry'

♡Rui♡
'Did something happen?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'yes'

With that, Rui picks up the pace until he was practically running.

Still trying to calm himself down, Tsukasa hears a panicked knock at the front door followed by the sound of Saki and Rui greeting each other. Moments later, his bedroom door swings open.

Rui closes the door and immediately runs towards the blonde, more worried than he was that morning.

He was instantly pulled into a tight hug, Tsukasa sobbing into his shoulder much like the night prior.

"Hey... what happened?" Rui wraps his arms around his star, rubbing his back as he tries to figure out why Tsukasa was in such a bad state.

"Dream..."

"Dream...? Did you have a bad dream?"

He feels Tsukasa nod into his shoulder.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

Tsukasa lifts his head, trying to catch his breath.

"You... you—" He struggles to speak. He's afraid if he says what happened, it will come true.

"Take some deep breaths for me, okay?" He speaks softly, trying to help Tsukasa through his sudden breakdown. He guides Tsukasa through taking proper breaths, finally calming his breathing.

"There we go... Now, tell me what happened."

"We... were arguing... and you..." He tightens his grips on Ruis sides. "You... jumped..."

Ruis eyes widen. "I... jumped...? You mean..."

Tsukasa quickly nods his head, wanting to forget every moment of the nightmare.

"Oh... I'm so sorry my love, that must've been scary..." He's not sure what to do. All he can think of was rubbing Tsukasas head, hoping it helps.

"That won't happen... r-right?" Tsukasa begs, his eyes fixed on Ruis.

Rui can't promise anything like he did the day before, but he can't just... say no, right? Not when his lover is absolutely terrified like this.

"It won't. Don't worry, I'm right here."

With the confirmation, Tsukasas face returns to its resting state, his body finally relaxes. "O-okay... I'm sorry..."

"What are you apologizing for? You did nothing wrong."

"Worrying you..." Tsukasa looks down at his legs, he can't help but feel guilty.

"No, no. It's okay. I understand, I know how you feel. Nightmares are never fun, especially when you're already sick."

Rui brings his hand to Tsukasa forehead to feel his temperature, he still has a fever.

"Hmm... your fever is still high... I'm sure the nightmare didn't make it any better. Here, lay back for me, yeah? I'll get you some water." Tsukasa listens and leans against his headboard. Rui leaves the room and goes to the kitchen to get some water.

He returns to the room and sees Tsukasa fidgeting, he looked very, very uncomfortable.

"You alright?" He sets the glass down and sits next to the blonde.

"You... should go home..."

"What? Why?"

"You might get sick..."

"My love, you slept in my arms last night. If I'm going to get sick then I already would have. Plus... if I get sick, you can come over and take care of me, right?" He chuckles at the final sentence.

"Mm... guess so..."

"Here, drink some water." He reaches over and grabs the cup, handing it to Tsukasa. He takes small sips, but eventually finishes the whole thing.

"Were you able to eat?" Rui asks as he puts the cup to the side. Tsukasa nods, his mom practically forced him to eat the crackers on the way there.

"That's good. Do you need anything else? If not, I'll let you go back to sleep."

"I should change... my shirt's wet..."

Rui looks down at the boys shirt. It was drenched in sweat. That nightmare must've been horrible.

"Good idea, let me go look for one." He stands up to walks to the closet. It still surprises him just how neat Tsukasa was. Every inch of his room was spotless. He searches through the perfectly hung up shirts, and grabs a clean one.

"Here, you need help again?" He hold the shirt in front of Tsukasa, waiting for an answer.

"...Please? My arms hurt..." Tsukasa slouches, slightly embarrassed to be so weak.

"Sure, come here." Rui leans over to Tsukasa, helping him sit up. He gently grips the hem of the blondes shirt and lifts it up and off.

"Let me dry you off real quick, where are your towels?" Tsukasa points to a small drawer in the corner of his room. Rui grabs a towel and starts wiping the sweat off of his star. He tries his hardest to control himself at the sight of Tsukasas shirtless body. Part of him was greatful the other was sick, he's not sure what would happen if he wasn't.

He notices Tsukasas eyes looking away every time he wipes the towel. He assumes he's feeling shy, so he finishes quickly as to not drag it on longer than needed. He helps Tsukasa put the shirt on and lays him back down.

"Thank you... Rui..." The blonde mumbles.

"You're very welcome, my love. Do you need anything else? Other than sleep, of course." Rui chuckles.

Tsukasa weakly grabs a hold on Ruis arm.

"Can you... stay here... for a while..? At least until I fall asleep..?"

It's not like Rui had any other plans that day, so, there's no harm in agreeing.

"Of course i can. Though, I'll need to leave eventually... Will you be okay if I'm not here when you wake up?"

"Probably not, but... you're here now... so I'm happy..." Tsukasa leans into Rui, searching for warmth.

"Alright then. You want me to lay with you?" Tsukasa nods as he moves over, giving Rui room to join him.

They lay in the same position as the night before, Tsukasa clinging to Ruis arm with their legs intertwined. Rui softly runs his fingers through the blondes hair, helping lull him to sleep.

After an hour of struggling, Tsukasa finally falls asleep. Rui waits a bit longer before moving, being in love with the sight of his sleepy boyfriend.

"Love, you asleep?" Rui whispers, not trying to wake him. When he doesn't answer, Rui carefully escapes his grasp and pulls the blanket over Tsukasa. He pets the blondes head for a little longer before grabbing his bag and heading home before his mother worries. Sure, he could've stayed. In fact, he wanted to stay. Unfortunately, he wasn't doing too good himself. He wasn't sick or anything, but he hasn't eaten since that morning. He didn't want Tsukasa to see him like that, not while he's sick.

He doesn't want Tsukasa to hurt any more. He's already having nightmares about him. He doesn't need to make it worse by showing him his issues.

Chapter Text

Just Like Me

Rui wasn't able to sleep much that night. The mix of hunger, pain, and worry for his lover were preventing him from falling asleep for any longer than an hour. Luckily for him though, it was finally Friday. One more day. He just needs to get through one more day, then he can properly rest—well— attempt to, anyway.

He sits up as his alarm goes off, shutting it off immediately. As per his new routine, he texts Tsukasa.

◇Rui◇
'Morning :>'
'How are you feeling?'

After his messages send, he tosses his phone side, knowing Tsukasa was likely still asleep. Rui does set his alarm earlier than him, anyway.

Unlike the past two days, he's feeling good. Other than the lack of sleep, of course. He's not exactly at one-hundred percent, but he's okay enough to at least look at himself in the mirror again.

For once, he actually feels like eating. So, he makes his way to the kitchen to see what he can find. Instead of food, however, he finds his mother drinking coffee with a not so thrilled expression on her face.

"Oh, good morning. Is everything okay?" He carefully asks.

"Rui... I've got a question for you. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"Oh... um... okay? Sure... What's your question?"

"That one friend of yours you keep talking about. 'Tsukasa' is it? Is he your... boyfriend?" She asks with a curious yet stern tone.

His heart sinks into his stomach. He knows she already accepts him for being gay, but... why does she sound so... disappointed?

"Ah... uh... would you... be upset if I said... yes?"

He looks away from her, scared to see her reaction. He hears her sigh along with the sound of her hand falling into the table.

"No, not upset... just... worried."

He lifts his head to try to figure out what she could possibly be feeling. She looked completely opposite of how she did when they started their conversation. Her body had relaxed and she seemed almost... relieved?

"Worried...? About what..?"

"You. Well, both of you. You know I don't mind you being gay and everything but... part of me... knows you're going to struggle because of it..."

'She's... been worried... this whole time? How have I not noticed?'

"Oh... I... im sorry..." Is all he could say. He doesn't know how else he's supposed to respond.

"It's fine, dear... I'm sure I'm just overreacting anyway. Does he treat you well?"

"He... does."

"And... you're sure about this? He's the one?"

His face heats up at that question. He cannot believe he's having this conversation.

"Y-yes... I'm sure..."

His mom chuckles at his reaction. She can tell he really loves Tsukasa.

"You really love him, don't you?" She asks with a warm smile.

"Come on, mom... stop..." He hides his face in his hands, he's way more embarrassed than he needed to be.

"Hehe... just answer me. Then I'll leave you alone about this, yeah?"

He nods his head hesitantly but quickly. "Mhmm..." He mumbles, answering her question.

"Well then, I wish you two a long life together." She giggles as she stands up and grabs her things. She makes her way to the door to get to work, but before she could open it, Rui speaks up.

"Mom..?"

"Hm? Yes?"

"...Thank you."

She walks up to her son and wraps him in a tight hug. It scared him at first, but he returned it after a few seconds.

"My dear, I just want you to be happy again. And if that boy is the key to that happening, I'm more than willing to accept it."

He hugs her even tighter upon hearing that. He got so lucky to have a mom like her.

"I love you, Rui. I know you won't say it back, but I know you love me too, right?" She feels him nod into her shoulder as a response, giving her all the confirmation she needed.

"Now, I've got work. Have fun at school, okay?" She breaks the hug and returns to the door. She throws on her shoes and exits the house, giving Rui a small wave as the door closes.

Luckily, the conversation didnt affect him too badly. He still felt like eating. He starts searching for something to eat, unfortunately, he couldn't seem to find anything that wouldn't take too long to make. Since he had school, he didn't exactly have the time for that.

He decides he'll try to grab something on the way to school and returns to his room to finish getting ready. As he's finishing the final button of his shirt, his phone dings.

♡My Star♡
'Morning~!'
'I feel much better today'
'Thank you for taking care of me...'

He smiles knowing that his star was no longer sick.

◇Rui◇
'That's good'
'and you're very welcome my love'

♡My Star♡
'by the way...'
'I didn't... say anything weird... did i?'
'I have a habit of saying really strange things when I'm sick and just... not remembering it'

"...Do i tell him about... that? He'll be embarrassed... won't he? If I don't tell him though... he'll probably never say it again... I kind of want him to..." Rui sighs, giving in and tells Tsukasa about his new nickname.

◇Rui◇
'you... well'
'you said something to me...'
'it's a bit... strange, I guess'

♡My Star♡
'ah geez...'
'what did I say?'

◇Rui◇
'you said...'
'well'
'you called me a good boy...'

♡My Star♡
'I WHAT?!'
'oh my goodness Rui im so sorry'
'That must've felt really awkward...'
'unless...'
'you... didn't hate it...?'

Tsukasa seemed to have read him like an open book.

◇Rui◇
'ah... haha...'
'I... uh...'
'I suppose you're...right about that...'

♡My Star♡
'oh?'
'is that so...?'
'I guess ill have to say it more often then'

Ruis face was so hot that he could've sworn he would burst into flames any second. He was fully convinced he was more embarrassed than Tsukasa was. If Tsukasa even was.

◇Rui◇
'...seriously?'

♡My Star♡
'well... you liked it, no?'
'so of course ill be calling you that again'
'🙂‍↕️'

◇Rui◇
'well then...'
'I guess i dug my own grave here, didn't i?'

♡My Star♡
'yes'
'very much so'

Rui sighs, refusing to believe there's a possibility that Tsukasa was going to call him that again.

◇Rui◇
'by the way...'
'sorry, changing the subject'
'but... I told my mom about us'
'well— more like she found out'
'somehow'

♡My Star♡
'oh'
'and... how did it go...?'

◇Rui◇
'Good actually'
'luckily, she's alright with it'

♡My Star♡
'thank goodness...'
'im glad'
'I should... probably tell my mom too... shouldn't i?'

◇Rui◇
'I mean'
'you dont exactly have to'
'not until you're ready'

♡My Star♡
'i dont really think my mom will be as accepting as yours...'

◇Rui◇
'Why not?'
'She seemed very nice every time ive seen her'

♡My Star♡
'she is nice'
'but'
'I dont know how she'll be knowing her only son, and healthiest child, has a boyfriend...'

◇Rui◇
'right...'
'well, if you need me to, I can be there whenever you do it?'

♡My Star♡
'you sure?'
'I cant exactly promise that she'll be too happy about it...'

◇Rui◇
'well'
'whenever you decide the time is right, just let me know'
'if you want me there, I promise ill be right by your side'
'☺️'

♡My Star♡
'thank you ♡'

◇Rui◇
'of course dear'
'now, ive got to finish getting ready'

♡My Star♡
'oh right'
'I should do the same'
'see you later'
'💛'

◇Rui◇
'see you ♡'

Rui shuts off his phone and finishes getting ready with a smile on his face, overly excited to see his lover in a healthy state once again. He had completely forgotten about the fact that he hadn't eaten in almost a full day. With his second alarm going off, he leaves his house with a small pep in his step.

As he approaches the same intersection he always does, he glances past a bakery and familiar yellow head of hair catches his eye. He slowly enters the bakery and quietly calls out.

"Tsukasa...?"

The blonde jumps up in surprise before quickly spinning his head behind go see who was calling him.

"Huh? Oh— hey Rui!'

"Hello. What are you doing here...? This isn't your normal route..?" Ruis eyes fall down to Tsukasas hands, he seemed to have bought something from the bakery.

Noticing he'd been caught red-handed, Tsukasa sighs in defeat.

"Ah... it was supposed to be a surprise..." He pushes the bag into Ruis chest, urging him to take it. "I... kind of assumed you probably didn't eat after those crackers yesterday, so..."

Rui stares at Tsukasa in awe as he grabs the bag to look at the contents.

"You didn't have to—"

"I did! Just... consider it a thank you... you know, for taking care of me yesterday... and the day before. .."

"Well... thank you, my dear." Rui chuckles as he sees the pastry Tsukasa had bought him.

"A star donut, huh?"

"Of course! Now, be a good boy and eat it for me... please?" Tsukasa teases.

"I should not have told you about that." Rui lets out a regretful sigh as he takes a bite of the pastry, happily humming at the sweet taste.

Tsukasa watches as Rui finishes the donut, overjoyed to see him willingly eating again. When he's done, they leave the shop and head towards the school hand in hand.

The blonde doesn't seem to notice the gazes from others until they arrive at school, in which the simple glances turned into quiet murmurs.

"Are they...?"

"That's kinda weird..."

"I knew they were close but..."

"Look, the weirdo combo is holding hands..!"

Tsukasa immediately freezes in place, letting go of Ruis hand. Rui stops walking at the sudden release and turns to the blonde, concerned. He reaches for Tsukasas arm, trying to get his attention.

"Tsukasa? What happened? Are you—"

"Don't...!" Tsukasa pushes Rui away, refusing to let the boy touch him. Upon realizing his harsh reaction, he quickly looks up to apologize. "Ah— wait— I'm..." Ruis face was no longer full of concern. He looked almost heartbroken, and his hand was... bleeding?

"Rui—"

"It's alright. I understand. We can talk after school, yeah?" Rui forces a smile and leaves Tsukasa without another word, slowly walking to their classroom.

Tsukasa stares at his hands in shame. There was a small amount of blood covering one of his fingernails. He hurt Rui. He hurt the person he loves. What kind of boyfriend is he?

"Oh, what happened to them...?"

"You think he heard us?"

'Stop...'

"If they weren't a dangerous duo before... they sure are now.."

'Stop talking...'

"Isn't it kinda weird though? Two guys—"

"Shut up!" Tsukasa snaps, almost instantly slapping his hands over his mouth. Everyone was looking at him now.

"Woah, Senpai... What happened? You never yell like that..." Tsukasa was startled by Toya tapping his shoulder from behind.

"Wha— Oh... Toya..."

"Hello. Is everything alright? You seem... upset."

"It's nothing... sorry, I'm... gonna go." Tsukasa lowers his head before turning around to heading inside of the school. He hears Toya yell at him to wait, but he simply brushes him off.

Tsukasa tries to ignore the eyes on him the entire walk through the school, but it's getting too much. He's getting overwhelmed— fast.

He gets to the room and sees Rui sitting at his desk, eyes glued to the paper resting on top of it. Tsukasa wants to say something. He wants to apologize, but decides to listen to what Rui said before. They'll talk after school.

He sits at his own desk with a sigh, pulling out his assignments and waiting for class to begin. When it does, the boys don't say a word to each other, not even sparing a glance. Even when they were asked if they would like to be a pair for work, Rui chose to work alone. It hurt.

During lunch, they still sat together. However, much like in class, no words were said. Despite Rui saying he was feeling alright that day, he didn't touch his food even a little. He just sat there... staring at it.

'That's my fault...' Was all Tsukasa could think of. It was his fault Rui wasn't eating anymore, even though he was fine that morning.

When they return to the final hour of lessons, the whispers start again, flooding Tsukasas ears.

"Looks like they're fighting or something."

"Normally they're all chatty with each other."

"Do you think they even actually like each other? We all know Kamishiro eventually pushes everyone away."

"Totally, and Tenma isn't exactly the most... likeable person all the time."

Tsukasa shoots out of his desk, his chair falling behind him.

"Tenma, what's was that about? Sit back down." His teacher scolds.

"Stop. Just... stop talking... please..." He begs, his fingers curling into fists on the desk beneath him. He didn't even notice Rui staring at him with concern.

"What are you going on about? Come on, you're disturbing the class."

'Right. You're being a distraction. First you hurt your boyfriend, now you're messing up your class? What kind of person are you? You don't deserve Rui. You dont deserve anyone.'

"God... DAMNIT!" He yells as he pounds his fist against the hard wood of his table. He pushes the desk onto the floor before sprinting out of the room, making a run for the nearest bathroom with his tears nearly blinding him. Students from other classes watch him, only making him move faster.

Back in the classroom, Rui jumps up and tries to catch up with the blonde, running out of the room right after him as he yells his name. Unfortunately, Tsukasa was much faster than him. He was already out of sight. Rui begins to panic, he has no idea what Tsukasa could be thinking or... planning. He reminded him too much of when he was in middle school, and that thought was terrifying.

Tsukasa makes it to the bathroom and immediately locks himself in a stall, falling onto the floor against the toilet. His breathing was fast and unsteady, he couldn't see clearly. His head was spinning just like the day before. He doesn't know whats going on anymore. He just wants everything to stop. Without thinking, he grips his thigh— hard. It hurts. It hurts so badly. Even though the pain was unbearable, he couldn't stop. He continued clawing at his leg until he had torn a hole in his uniform, but that didn't stop him.

Then, a voice was heard from the other side of the door.

"Yo, you alright in there?" It was Akito. He didn't consider the fact that there would be other people in there.

The familiar deep voice of his junior brought him back to reality. Tsukasa stares blankly at his leg for a moment with shaky breaths. He doesn't remember doing any of that. It stings.

"Aki...to...? I'm... I'm not..." He mutters, not sure if he should tell the ginger what he's done.

"Huh? Tsu— uh... senpai? That you? What's with that voice? Are you okay? Toya said somethin' was up with you this morning." Akitos tone shifts from curiosity to concern. He doesn't know what's going on in there, but he knows it can't be good. Not when Tsukasa sounded like that.

When his senior doesn't respond, he bangs on the door.

"Hey, Tsukasa! What's going on? Why'd you go silent?!"

Nothing.

"Shit... I'm gonna break down the door if you don't answer!"

Ten more seconds go by, no response. With that, Akito was putting his whole weight onto the door, trying to force it open. He was starting to panic. He didn't know if Tsukasa was even awake or not, all he knew is that he needed to get into that stall and he needed to do it fast. After what felt like forever, he falls forward through the now broken door, catching himself on the side.

He looks down to see Tsukasa on the ground. He was awake, but was staring down at something. Akito starts to kneel down to talk to the blonde, but sees his leg before he could get very far.

"Oh fuck... what... what the hell happened!?" He falls backwards, terrified at the sight infront of him.

"I... I don't..." Tsukasa starts, but Akito cuts him off.

"Okay, okay, uh... fuck... what do i do..?" He mumbles under his breath, trying to figure out a solution.

"Uh... just... hold on! I'm gonna get a nurse or something!" Akito jumps up and runs out of the bathroom. In the midst of his panic, he bumps into someone, sending them both to the ground. He's quick to stand back up, all he can focus on is getting help.

"Damn it— I'm sor—" He looks to see who it was. "Kamishiro?" He examines Ruis face, he looked frustrated and afraid.

"It's oka— Oh? Shinonome... Have you seen—"

"Tsukasa? Bathroom. Sorry, I'm in a hurry!" Akito resumes his run, but pauses for a moment.

"Kamishiro!" He calls out. Rui should probably know... right? "Senpai... he... he's hurt." He yells before continuing to the nurses office.

Upon hearing Akitos words, Rui runs as fast as he could to the bathroom. He has a feeling that he knows what he's going to find, and he's praying that hes wrong.

He arrives at the bathroom and was instantly greeted by the broken door. Assuming that's where Tsukasa was, he rushes towards it.

He was right.

"Oh... Tsukasa..." He feels his knees give out at the sight of his terrified lover, letting himself fall to the floor.

"Rui... I don't... I don't know..."

"I know, dear... I know. It's okay... you're okay." Rui carefully reaches over and moves Tsukasas hand away from the wounds, seeing how bad the damage was. It's safe to say it wasn't good. He quickly but carefully grabs some toilet paper and presses it onto Tsukasas leg, making him curse under his breath from the pain.

"I'm sorry..." Tsukasa whispers.

"You did nothing wrong, it's okay." Rui rubs Tsukasas other leg, squeezing it a few times just to let him know he's there for him.

"I... I was so mean to you... this morning..."

"I won't deny that, but I shouldn't have brushed you off and ignored you all day like that... I should've let you explain... I'm sorry."

They sit in silence for a few moments. After Rui successfully cleans up the blood around Tsukasas wounds, the blonde speaks up.

"Rui...we're not... wrong... are we?"

"...Wrong...? Where did you—"

"All day... everyones been talking about us... saying it's wrong that we're together... that it's weird... just because we're both guys." Tsukasa grips Ruis hand.

"Oh, my love..." Rui can't believe he didn't notice any of that. He could've prevented this if he had just been paying attention. "Of course not. Sure, people may think that way, but... do you?"

Tsukasa quickly shakes his head.

"Well, then why should it matter? Even if everyone else thinks we shouldn't be together, as long as you and i do, thats all that matters, right? That we know we belong together. Do you agree?"

Tsukasa nods, his breathing finally starting to slow down.

"Shinonome should be back soon with some help, okay? Just a bit longer. I'm sure it hurts..." All Rui could think of was the first time this happened to him. He didn't have anyone to help him. Sure, he had his mother and the nurse, but he had nobody else to lean on. It wasn't until a whole year later when he met Mizuki. Now, he can be there for Tsukasa, and that makes him very happy.

"Mom... what am I supposed to tell her...?" Tsukasa worries. He knows his mother is extremely health conscious when it comes to sicknesses. Though, he's not sure if she's the same with mental health.

"The truth. I know how scary that may seem, but it's the best option. I don't know how she'll react, but she should know when you're struggling. You're her son after all. You don't need to tell her everything in detail, just tell her how you're feeling."

As Tsukasa nods his head in response, Akito returns with a nurse. Rui moves out of the way so she can do what he needs, but watches everything closely.

Focused on Tsukasa, he's startled by a hand suddenly touching his shoulder.

"Hey, what's going on with him...?" Akito questions.

"He's just... stressed... that's all." He doesn't was his junior to worry too much.

"Stressed, huh? Well... I hope he's alright..." The ginger admits quietly.

"Yeah, me too..." Rui sighs, refocusing his gaze on his lover.

The nurse takes Tsukasa to her office with the help of Rui, letting Akito go back to class. They sit Tsukasa on a bed while Rui sits himself on a chair next to him. As they sit there waiting for the nurse to call Tsukasas mom, the blonde notices the bandage on Ruis hand. He gently grabs the wounded hand it and brings it up to his mouth, leaving a small peck on top of it.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you earlier..."

"It's alright. I forgave you hours ago. If I'm being honest... I didn't want to treat you the way I did today... I was just scared you would be... I don't know... uncomfortable around me or something... so, I ignored you. I guess I kind of fell back into my old habits... I'm sorry, Kasa." Rui lowers his head onto the bed, resting it on his arms.

"It's okay, I don't really blame you after I quite literally pushed you away from me... I thought I was fine with showing affection in public, but... I guess the thought of having to tell my mom about us just... really stressed me out. Of course all the other students talking about us definitely didn't help either..." Tsukasa puts his hand on Ruis head, running his fingers through his soft purple hair.

Rui closes his eyes at the touch. "I understand... but you're not required to do anything. You don't need to tell anyone if you don't feel comfortable or safe enough to do it."

"I know, and im still trying to figure out when that'll be. Oh, by the way, Rui... you were... strangely calm back there... in the bathroom, I mean... why is that..?"

"Ah..." Rui sits back up. "I guess... I've just seen things like that a lot between me and Mizuki. Maybe I've just gotten used to it...? Trust me, I was pretty freaked out because it was you, but I know from personal experience that panicking never helps."

"Gotten used to it...? Rui, that's not—"

"Not a good thing, I know. It shouldn't be something someone our age, or anyone for that matter, should be used to seeing as if it was some stray animal walking along the road, but... I just am..."

As Rui finishes his sentence, Tsukasas mother bursts through the door in a panic, making both of the boys jump, backing away from each other.

"Mom—"

"Tsukasa what happened?!"

"Mom, i—"

"Let's go home, yeah?"

"Wait— mom—!"

"Let's go." She grabs Tsukasas arm and practically drags him out of the office.

"We'll talk later okay?!" The blonde yells to Rui as he dissappears from sight, receiving an "Okay!" from the other.

Rui sighs, worried about what Tsukasas mother was going to do. She seemed really upset.

"Are you okay, dear?" The nurse asks.

"Me? Oh, yes, I'm alright." He answers.

"Alright, then go on back to class, okay? The day will be ending soon." She smiles.

"Right, thank you for helping my b— ...my friend." He almost slipped up.

"Of course, dear. That is my job after all. Now, run along."

"Yes ma'am, goodbye." He bows as he exists the room, returning to his classroom.

When he enters, it was quiet. Nobody would look in his direction. Tsukasas desk and had been put back to normal, and his bag was still there. He grabs Tsukasas bag and puts it with his, he'll have to return it over the weekend. He quietly sits at his desk and waits for the day to end.

'Any minute now... please hurry up... I don't want to be here any more... I'm tired...i can't be around these people. They hurt Tsukasa.' He sighs. He puts his elbow on the table and rests his head in his hand. He can't wait to go home.

Chapter Text

Never Perfect

"Well, what happened?" Tsukasas mom sternly asks as she drives down the all too familiar route to the hospital.

Tsukasas gaze remains on his leg. He doesn't know how to tell her.

"I... I don't really know..." He mumbles.

"Yes you do. Please, Tsukasa, tell me what happened to you. Did you fall? Did someone hurt you? Why are you hiding it from me?" He hears her voice tremble as she struggles to keep a calm temper, not wanting to yell at him.

Tsukasa shudders at her tone, he was terrified.

"I'm... sorry." He whispers. She sighs when she realizes he's not going to be telling her what happened any time soon. The rest of the car ride was silent.

They arrive at the hospital and Tsukasa is taken to one of the rooms as his mother remains in the waiting room.

"Alright, so what seems to be the problem?" The doctor asks with his clipboard in hand.

"Uh... well, I got hurt..." Tsukasa weakly lifts his leg to show the doctor the now bandaged wounds.

"Can I take a took?" Tsukasa nods. The doctor cuts through the fabric of his already ripped uniform pants to get a better look. He removes the bandages to see just how bad the injury is.

"Oh wow. How did this happen, exactly?"

"I tripped into a fence..." He lies, hoping the man doesn't notice.

"Son, you can't lie to me. I can tell this was in no way caused by a fence. I need you to tell me the truth so I can treat you properly." The doctor scolds.

Tsukasa sighs as he prepares to tell the man what he's done.

"I... did it to myself. I don't... exactly know why..." He hears the doctor take a deep breath before speaking.

"Alright... have you done this before?" His tone had changed. He sounded more worried than curious. It was like he was trying to be cautious about what he was saying.

"No... no i haven't..."

"And what did you use?"

"My nails... I think...? I don't really remember... but my hands had blood on them after, so... I guess it was that..." He looks at his hands, some of his nails were stained from the incident despite washing them, and they still hurt from the constant grip they had on his leg. It doesn't help that he likes to keep his nails fairly long, it makes him feel prettier. He's not so sure about that anymore though.

"Okay, let me grab a few things and I'll be right back." The man stands up and exists the room to get some supplies, leaving Tsukasa alone. While he's waiting, his phone lights up with a small ding.

♡Rui♡
'hey...'
'how are you feeling?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'well'
'im at the hospital at the moment'

♡Rui♡
'huh?!'
'why?!'

☆Tsukasa☆
'mom insisted I get my leg checked out...'
'doctors grabbing some stuff rn'
'Im pretty sure hes going to tell my mom...'
'he's required to since im still under her care, even though im 18 now...'

♡Rui♡
'oh my love'
'im sorry'
'im sure it'll be okay'
'just let me know if you need any comfort, ill call you or something'
'and... your leg... I know it hasn't been long, but how does it feel?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'it hurts'
'a lot actually'
'and ill let you know if I need anything, thank you 💛'

♡Rui♡
'of course'
'also, your bag was left in the classroom'
'I grabbed it for you, so ill try to stop by or something later to return it'

☆Tsukasa☆
'omg I totally forgot about that'
'thank you!'
'and... I would definitely love to see you... I really need a hug'

♡Rui♡
'and I would absolutely love to give you one... if we weren't so far away 😕'

☆Tsukasa☆
'maybe this weekend?'
'if mom goes easy on me...'

The door clicks open once again, startling Tsukasa. The doctor had returned, arms full of equipment.

☆Tsukasa☆
'doctors back'
'I gtg'
'text you later'
'love you ♡'

♡Rui♡
'okay'
'good luck my love ♡'
'lmk how it all goes'

Tsukasa turns off his phone and places it to the side.

"Okay, I'm going to disinfect the cuts now. It'll probably hurt a bit."

Tsukasa nods, letting the doctor do what he needed. He was right, it really did hurt. Nothing he couldn't handle though. The doctor properly wraps his leg, making sure everything was covered.

"There we go. How do you feel?"

"Fine... thank you, sir..."

"Good. Now, I'm sure you're aware... but I'm going to have to inform your mother about the cause of the wounds."

Despite already knowing that, Tsukasa starts to panic.

"Do you... really have to? I don't... I don't want her to know..."

"I'm sorry, but I do. You're still under her care, so I'm required to let her know. Plus, seeing as they're self-inflicted... you could eventually end up being a danger to yourself if anything gets worse, she needs to be aware of that."

"Okay..." The blonde mumbles in defeat.

"I'll go get her, wait right here." The man leaves the room and returns shortly after with Tsukasas mom.

She sits in the chair next to Tsukasa, eagerly waiting for an explanation.

"Well, would you like to tell her? Or would you prefer if I did?"

Tsukasa thinks for a moment. He thinks he can tell her, but when he opens his mouth to speak, his body refuses to let him. He shakes his head, giving up. He looks to the doctor, letting him tell her.

"Alright. Well, Mrs. Tenma, the wounds on his leg seem to have been... well, self-inflicted." He explains.

"...What?" She stares at Tsukasa in disbelief.

"Is that true?" She asks. The blonde hesitantly nods, scared of what she'll do.

"Tsukasa... why didn't you tell me?"

"I... didn't know how you would... feel about it..." He grips the bedsheet next to him.

"My dear..." She sighs. "Why... did you do it?"

"I can't... tell you right now... I'm sorry..."

"Why not...? If you're over here hurting yourself, surely it's something serious, no?"

He tries to fight off his emotions, refusing to cry in front of the adults.

"I'm... not ready yet... please, mom... just wait for a while..."

She sighs again as she started to get frustrated.

"Tsukasa, you know how I get when my children are sick. I already worry about Saki, I don't need to worry about you too. So just tell me whats going on."

'Sick...? I'm not sick... at least, I don't think I am... and would it kill her that much to give a shit about both of her kids...? This is why I never tell her anything...'

"Then just don't worry about me. You never have before, why start now?" He says, his tone much harsher than it was seconds ago.

"Excuse me? What are you going on about? Why wouldn't i worry about my son—"

"Exactly! I'm your son, your child! Ever since Saki got sick, you just... stopped caring about me and how I was feeling! Even when I was actually sick yesterday, you didn't even ask what happened! You just told me to eat some crackers and stay in my room! Not once did you check up on me! No texts, no calls, nothing! I'm only better today because of Rui! To me, it feels like he cares about me more than you, my mother!" He snaps, letting her know exactly how he feels about her. He was shaking in anger and pain. He couldn't hold his emotions in any longer and burst into tears, aggressively trying to wipe them away.

His mother sits there in silence, trying to process what Tsukasa just said.

"Is that so...? Well... I'm sorry you feel that way. And, I will admit. I don't worry about you as much as I do with your sister. That's only because I trust that you can take care of yourself—"

"You're wrong... I can't..." Tsukasa cuts in, voice breaking with every word. "I'm not... I'm not perfect like you think i am..."

"I never thought you were, my dear. Nobody in this world is perfect and you know that. Look, I'm sorry if you ever felt like I don't care about you. I do, I really do. It's just that, because Saki was so sick all the time, I didn't have time to focus on anything else but her. Even though she's doing better now, I can't help but worry about her. I should've started focusing on you more... and I'm sorry it got to this point... I really am." She was crying now. She truly meant every word she said, and she needed Tsukasa to realize that.

"Let's all calm down, okay?" The doctor chimes in. "I can see this is a very sensitive topic for the two of you, but I have other patients scheduled..." He tries his best to calm the duo down, urging them to leave and continue this at their house.

"Right, I'm sorry. Thank you for the help, sir. Let's go home, Tsukasa." His mother stands up and heads to the door with a very disoriented Tsukasa following behind.

Much like the ride to the hospital, the ride home was just as tense, if even more.

When they return home, they're greeted by a overly happy Saki making snacks.

"Welcome home! Do you guys want— hm? What's wrong...?" He smile instantly fades at the sight of her upset family members. Her eyes land on Tsukasas leg and she was quick to become worried.

"Tsukasa! What happened?! Are you okay?!" She runs towards him, gripping onto his shoulder in a panic.

"I'm fine... excuse me." He carefully shakes her off and goes to his room without another word.

His mother was going to follow him, but decided it probably wasn't the best idea at the moment.

"Mom... what happened?" Saki turns to her mom, who seemed equally as upset as her brother.

"I don't think he would want me to tell you... but I'll just say... please keep an eye on him when I'm not here... please?" She begs to her daughter, wrapping her in a hug.

"Okay...?" Saki mumbles into her mother's shoulder.

Tsukasa watches from his open loft wall, internally punching himself for saying what he said back at the hospital. However, as harsh as it was, she needed to hear it.

Tsukasa throws himself onto his bed and grabs a pillow, desperate for any type of embrace. Then he remembers... he has a boyfriend now. So, he grabs his phone to text him.

☆Tsukasa☆
'Rui...'
'can I come over?'
'please?'

♡Rui♡
'I have to ask my mom... but im sure she'll say yes'
'is everything alright?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'I just really need a hug...'
'from you specifically'

♡Rui♡
'ah...'
'I take it things didnt go very well with your mother?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'no... they didn't...'

♡Rui♡
'okay, let me ask my mom real quick'
'one moment'

As he waits for Rui to respond, he changes out of his ruined uniform and tosses it to the side. He throws on his casual clothing, knowing he was most likely going to Ruis house. He thinks for a few minutes and realizes he really didn't want to be home. Not now, and not for a good while. He grabs a bag and throws some extra pairs of clothes in it, just incase he decides to stay over with Rui for a few days. Just as he zips the bag closed, his phone dings.

♡Rui♡
'she said yes'
'I also sort of explained whats going on and she said you could stay over this weekend if you want'
'of course you would need to tell your mother though...'

☆Tsukasa☆
'thank you..'
'ill head over now'
'I really dont want to be here right now.'

♡Rui♡
'okay love'
'ill clean up a bit'
'see you soon'

Tsukasa puts his phone in his pocket and leaves his room. He sits by the door and puts his shoes on. As he finishes tying them, Saki calls out from behind him.

"Tsukasa...? Where are you going...?" She carefully questions.

"Ruis. I'm probably going to stay there this weekend... sorry Saki."

"Why are you apologizing...?"

"For brushing you off earlier. I'm just... not doing too great right now. I said some... not so nice things to mom." He stares at the floor, he's starting to regret saying anything at all.

"It's alright, we all have bad days. Did you tell her you're leaving..?"

"No... I'll text her later. I just... really need to get out of here... I'll be back after school on Monday, okay?"

"Okay... stay safe..." Tsukasa could hear the worry in her voice. He stands up and turns to face her.

"I will. Thank you, Saki." He pulls her into a hug, holding her tightly as if it would be the last time they would see each other. She returns the hug, seemingly feeling the same.

After almost twenty seconds, Tsukasa breaks the hug.

"Alright, I'm leaving now. I'll see you on Monday." He turns around and leaves the house.

Saki remains standing in the doorway, worried after what their mother had said just minutes before. She hears footsteps behind her and quickly turns to see their mom behind her.

"Was that...?"

Saki nods. "He said he's gonna stay over with Rui over the weekend... What happened today? He was in a great mood when we left for school..."

"We got into a bit of an argument... though I can't exactly tell you why. You'll have to wait until he wants to explain it to you." The mother sighs and moves to the couch.

"Saki... have you noticed anything... different about your brother recently?"

"Different...? Like what?"

"Like... has he seemed more emotional or anything? Suddenly being in a bad mood? Anything like that?"

"Hm... no, not that I know of... why?"

"Just curious..."

As she sits down, she receives a text.

Tsukasa✨️
'im staying at a friend's house this weekend'
'im sorry'

Mrs. Tenma
'Alright, be safe'
'And its okay'
'Im sorry too'
-Read 6:52pm-

She takes a deep breath and stands up, stabilizing her emotions. Much like she does whenever she's home, she goes to the kitchen to make dinner.

Meanwhile, Tsukasa had finally arrived at Ruis house. Instead of going straight to Ruis room, he decides to go through the front door this time. He knocks on the door and waits for someone to answer.

After a few seconds, the door opens and hes greeted by a woman, which he assumes was Ruis mother. He had never actually met her in person before.

"Oh, uh... hello, ma'am."

"You must be Tsukasa. Here, come in dear. I'll get Rui for you."

Tsukasa enters the house and sits on the couch, waiting for her to return. When she does, she's alone.

"He's in the shower right now, so you can just wait there."

"Oh, okay... and... it's nice to meet you..." Tsukasa bows to the woman as she returned the greeting.

"Same to you. Would you like anything to eat? Rui said he didn't see you eat all day, he was very worried." She said with a warm smile. Her and Rui had the same smile, it was very calming.

"Oh... that's right... but you really don't have to—"

"I do. Plus, I was about to make dinner anyway."

"Ah... well, sure. I would appreciate it... thank you."

"No worries. You allergic to anything?"

"No, I'm not."

"Perfect! I'll make something real quick. Also, my husband should be home soon, so don't be scared when a random man walks in." She laughs.

"Oh, uh, okay..." He chuckles as well. It seemed like such a lively family, despite it only being the three of them. It was the complete opposite of his family.

He sits on the couch and waits for Rui to finish his shower. Just as Ruis mom had mentioned, his dad returns home.

"Oh, hello there! You a friend of Ruis?" He asks.

"Oh, I... uh..."

"That's Tsukasa, remember?" He's cut off by his lovers mom.

"Oh! So this is the boyfriend?"

Tsukasas body tenses up. He completely forgot they knew. Even though Rui only told his mother that morning, the word had spread to his dad. Luckily, they don't seem to dislike him at all.

"Y-yes..! It's nice to meet you!" He quickly stands up and bows to the man.

Ruis dad laughs at the sudden reaction. "There's no need for that! You're welcome here anytime! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go change." He makes his way to his bedroom.

"Dear, there's no need to be so formal. We're not going to bite you." He hears Ruis mom laugh from the kitchen.

"Ah... right... okay..." He sits back down and tries to get himself together.

After a few minutes, the awkwardness slowly disappears as he finds himself in the kitchen having a conversation with Ruis mother.

"So, how long have you two known each other?"

"Just since last year, when he first transferred to our school! I was the one who actually talked to him first, practically begging him to join my theater troupe."

"Really? We didn't talk too much last year..."

"Oh...? Why not?"

Her smile fades.

"Wait— I'm sorry... thats probably personal—"

"No, no it's alright. He just wasn't doing too well back then. I had no idea how to handle it so... we just... didn't talk. I thought maybe I would let him get through it on his own. Luckily, it seems that after meeting you... he's gotten better. We talk much more now. So, thank you, Tsukasa."

"I didn't do much..."

"You did. You made my boy happy again. I'm sure you know middle school was very difficult for him... I thought I would never see that smile again. Since he's known you, I've seen it more often. I really do appreciate all you've done for him." She bows as a sign of her gratitude, which Tsukasa quickly stops her from doing.

"You really don't need to do that..! But... you're welcome. It is definitely nice seeing him happy, even if he's going through hard time... he tries his best to stay positive. I really admire that about him." Tsukasa smiles, realizing just how much Rui meant to him.

"You really love our boy, don't you?" She asks.

Tsukasa nods. "Yeah... I do."

"Thank you for loving him." She rubs Tsukasas arm, thanking him yet again.

Tsukasa simply nods with his wide smile still plastered on his face.

"Sorry I took so long. What were you two talking about?" Rui puts his arm around Tsukasas shoulders and places his head on the one closest to him.

"You, actually." Tsukasa teases.

"Wait, really?" He lifts his head up and looks back and forth between the other two, shocked about the answer.

"Mhmm, I was just thanking him for making you smile again." His mom responds, finishing up her cooking.

"Oh... is that so..." Rui awkwardly chuckles at the response.

"Yep. By the way, I brought some clothes... I can stay over... right?" Tsukasa hesitantly questions.

"Of course! You can stay for however long you need. Well, as long as you still go to school."

"Thank you. I was planning on staying until Monday. I brought a uniform too, so..."

"That bad, huh?" Rui sees the defeated expression on Tsukasas face.

"Yeah... I feel really bad, but... I didn't know what else to do, you know?"

"I know, my love. We can talk about it later, okay? Let's eat first, I'm sure you're hungry." Rui rubs Tsukasas back, receiving a nod in response.

The boys help set the table as Ruis mother finishes up the last of the food. Ruis dad soon joins them at the table as they each grab their food.

During dinner, Tsukasa notices Rui eating properly again, much like that morning. He lets out a sigh of relief that he wasn't too upset anymore. The small conversations between the family members with him occasionally chiming in made him happy. He had almost completely forgot that he was even upset in the first place.

As everyone finishes their food and clears the table, the boys thank Ruis parents and make their way to Ruis bedroom.

"So, what did you think of my parents?" Rui asks.

"They're so nice..! I'm honestly jealous..." Tsukasa pouts.

"I'm glad you all got along. I knew you would, but i was still a bit worried." Rui smiles, overjoyed his parents liked him.

"Thanks again... for letting me stay here." Tsukasa grabs Ruis hand.

"Of course, my love. Do you want to talk about what happened? Both at school and after?"

"Later..." Tsukasa pulls Rui close to him and rests his head on his chest, wrapping his arms around the taller boys waist.

Rui brings his hand up and rubs the blondes head, leaving small kisses on top of it as his other arm wraps around Tsukasas shoulders. As they stand there for a moment, Rui hears small sniffs coming from Tsukasa.

"Hey, what's wrong? Are you crying?" He quickly leans down to look at the blondes face.

"I was so mean to her..."

"Who? Your mom?"

Tsukasa nods, regretting everything he said to her.

"Come here... sit down, okay?" Rui moves Tsukasa to his bed, sitting him down. Rui kneels on the floor in front of him.

"It's going to be alright. It'll be difficult at first, but once you get passed that, it'll get better." He puts his hand on Tsukasas knee, gently rubbing it for comfort.

"What if... what if she hates me..?" Tsukasa struggles to speak, not wanting to cry for a third time that day.

"Oh, my love... she won't hate you..." Rui starts to worry that Tsukasa was worse off than he thought.

"Even after I... said all those things..?"

"I'm sure. Now, I don't exactly know what you said, but... she's your mother. I know she loves you, I've seen it. When you go home on Monday, you can talk to her. That should give you both enough time to cool off, yeah?"

He receives a nod from the blonde, but he can tell something was still bothering him.

"What's going on up there, hm? What are you thinking about?"

"Rui...is this how you felt...?"

"What do you mean?" Rui tilts his head.

"The first time you... hurt yourself... Is this how you felt after...?"

Rui stays silent for a moment. He completely forgot Tsukasa had done that earlier.

"Well... tell me how you're feeling, and I'll give you an answer."

"I don't know... I just feel so... overwhelmed. I don't know if I want to cry, yell, or both. I'll be fine one second and the next I'm right back to where I started. Every time that happens I just—" Tsukasa struggles to finish his sentence.

"You just...?"

"I... find myself wanting to do it again."

Rui immediately stands and pulls Tsukasa into a tight hug. He was terrified of this happening. The blonde continues speaking through a broken voice.

"My hand almost instinctively reaches for my leg whenever I get upset... I have to force myself to move it away, to not do it again, but... it's so hard, Rui... I don't know what's going on anymore..." Tears start falling again, despite how much Tsukasa tried to fight them.

"Shh, shh... it's okay..." Rui comforts his boyfriend the best he could. "This is never an easy thing to go through, I know...you're so strong, my love..." Rui rubs Tsukasas back until he no longer hears crying.

Rui pulls back, hands on the other boys shoulders. He examines Tsukasas face, it was redder than he had ever seen before.

"Look at me, please?"

Tsukasa slowly looks up at Rui.

"You are a very strong person. You'll get through this, I know you will, and I will be right by your side the entire time. I know you're probably scared... right?"

Tsukasa nods. "I'm... so scared..."

"I know sweetheart... I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have to deal with any of this..." He rubs Tsukasa arms, unsure how he could comfort him any more than he already was. He knows how he's feeling, and he doesn't like it.

"Thank you... Rui." Tsukasa sniffs a few more times before finally starting to calm down.

"You don't have to thank me for anything. I'm your boyfriend, I'm supposed to be there for you."

"I'm... sorry about this morning..."

"You already apologized for that, you don't need to do it again..."

"I do... I feel terrible..."

"I know... but you can't beat yourself up over it. I've already forgiven you. It's fine, really."

"...Okay."

"Thank you. Now, you've had a very long and stressful day. I'm sure you're tired, yeah?"

Tsukasa nods, trying to stand up to grab his bag of clothes with the help of Rui. The second he stands up, however, his legs betray him, sending him to the ground. Luckily, Rui manages to catch him before he could get too hurt.

"Woah... okay, sit down. What happened?" Rui sits Tsukasa on the floor against his bed.

"I don't know... My legs just... gave out..."

"Did you feel dizzy or anything?"

"No... I didn't."

"Okay... I think your body is physically exhausted as well..."

"Yeah... me too... Sorry, you've been taking care of me a lot these past few days..." Tsukasa apologies.

"It's perfectly fine. I enjoy taking care of you." Rui smiles, trying to get rid of Tsukasas worries. "Now, do you want me to help you change, or do you want to sit here for a minute to see if you get your strength back?"

"Sit here..."

"That's fine, let's wait for a bit." Rui sits beside the blonde, waiting alongside him.

The second Ruis sat next to him, Tsukasa lets his head fall onto his shoulder with a heavy sigh, finally feeling comfortable.

"Rui..."

"Hm?"

"I love you..."

"I love you too, my star." Rui pets his lovers head, letting him rest for a while.

Chapter Text

Later That Night...

A few hours later, Tsukasa wakes up. He looks around to gather his surroundings, not even remembering falling asleep. He was still on the floor, he even had a blanket draped over his legs,  but he was alone.

"...Rui?" He calls out, no response. He was scared. He didn't like being alone while he was in such a vulnerable state.

"Where did he go...?" Tsukasa stands up, his body feeling less exhausted than before. He uses all his strength to slowly make his way to the main part of Ruis house in search for his boyfriend.

When he reaches the living room, he hears Ruis voice. He sounded serious. He peeks around the corner and sees Rui on the couch with his parents having a conversation. Rui seemed nervous for some reason. Instead of interrupting, Tsukasa decides to listen in.

"So, Rui... I've been meaning to ask..." His mom starts. "What exactly... happened with Tsukasa today? I couldn't help but notice his mind kept drifting off at times."

"I'm... not sure he would appreciate me telling you without him knowing... I'm sorry..."

"I understand, but... it's more than just 'having a bad day' like you told me, isn't it...?"

Rui nods. "Yeah... He's not... doing too great... I'm worried..." He lowers his head. "I can't tell you exactly what happened, but... he reminds me of... myself."

"In what way?" His father asks.

"Back in middle school..."

His parents give each other worried glances before pulling Rui into a hug.

"Oh, Rui... I'm sorry. Whatever it is though, i know he'll get through it, just like you did."

"How... how can I help him...? I could barely help myself back then..."

"You do whatever you think is necessary. However, from what I saw earlier, you just being there is enough. Whenever I saw him start to get upset, he would look at you and his smile would come back." His dad says, rubbing his back.

"Really...?"

"Mhmm, he really loves you, Rui." His mother grabs his hands, holding them in hers.

"I... really love him too... which is why I want to do my best to help him."

"And you are doing your best. I can see that, and I'm sure he can too. Don't stress too much about it, alright?"

Rui nods, trying to convince himself that he really is doing all he can.

"Rui..."

The trio snaps their heads back to see Tsukasa standing in the hall behind them.

"Tsukasa! I'm sorry, did we wake you up?" Rui gets off the couch and quickly walks up to the tired boy.

"No, you didn't... but... I'm sorry. I was... kind of eavesdropping..." The blonde admits.

"Oh... were you..? How much did you hear?" Rui questions.

"When you started talking about me..."

The parents look at each other, worried they upset their sons lover.

"I'm sorry, dear... we were just worried about you." Ruis mom joins him by the blonde.

"I know... and it's okay, really. Today was just... very hard for me." His hand unconsciously moves to his leg, gripping the fabric of his pants over the scars he had made hours prior.

"Would you... like to talk about it? I know we're not your parents, but... we're more than willing to listen. If you want of course."

Rui looks at Tsukasa, trying to see how he's feeling about his mother's idea. He notices Tsukasas hand and carefully grabs it, moving it away from his leg.

"...Yeah." Tsukasa agrees and the three of them return to the couch, joining Ruis father.

"Well, you can start whenever you're comfortable."

They sit in silence for a moment, giving Tsukasa all the time he needs.

He takes a deep breath, and starts talking.

"So... this morning..." He tells them every event from moment he left his house up until the current conversation. He talks about the incident in the school bathroom, the visit to the hospital, and even the things he said to his mother. The family let him speak for as long as he needed, not chiming in until he was done. Rui held his hand tightly the entire time, making sure Tsukasa knew he was there. Tsukasa felt safe talking to Ruis family. Unlike how he was feeling when his mother asked the same thing just hours before.

"Oh wow... I'm... so sorry, dear..." Ruis mother was speechless. The last time she heard anything like that was when her own son was in middle school. "I don't know if this will help at all... but you know, Rui and I have had our fair share of arguments as well."

Tsukasa looks up at the woman, shocked by her response. "Really...? But... you seem so... close."

Rui nods and looks at his mom. "Yes... but we weren't always like that..."

"I didn't even know anything was wrong with him until his first year of highschool. He never told me about the abuse he suffered in middle school after the first time... not until the day he was on his knees begging me to transfer him to a different school. He completely broke down and told me what those boys had done to him, and that they were trying to continue it in highschool... Up until that moment, we barely spoke. After he had finally gotten it out of his system, though, we were able to get closer."

She gives Rui a quick hug before continuing. "I think... you and your mom will be the same. From a mother's perspective, dealing with your kids mental health is a very difficult thing, especially when you didn't even know they had issues. Sure, she might find it very shocking and hard to deal with at first, but... I'm sure she'll come around when you explain to her exactly how you're feeling."

"But what if... she doesn't?"

"Then, you can always come here, to us. We want this place to be a safe space for you, for everyone our son loves." The woman puts her hand on top of both her son and Tsukasas.

"I'll always be here for you, my love. I might not be able to help all the time, but I will always be by your side if you need me to be, okay?" Rui places a small kiss on Tsukasas temple.

"...Okay. Thank you guys... really..." Tsukasa thanks the trio, a smile slowly forming on his face.

"Of course, now come here, kid." Ruis dad was quick to grab everyone in his arms, hugging them tightly, prompting a few giggles from the teens before pulling away.

"How are you feeling now, by the way? Did the rest help at all?" Rui asks.

"Oh, yeah it did, sorry for falling asleep suddenly though."

"That's fine, you usually sleep early anyway. I'm the one who stays up all the time." Rui chuckles.

"Speaking of time..." Ruis mom checks her phone. "It's almost ten, why don't you two head to bed now? Get a good night's rest and you can continue everything tomorrow."

"Good idea!" Ruis dad stands up and stretches his arms. "You two run along now. Goodnight, boys."

"Goodnight, and... thank you again. For listening." Tsukasa thanks Ruis parents as they make their way to their room.

"You're very welcome. Sleep well~!" The woman sings as her bedroom door closes.

The teens remain on the couch for a little longer, enjoying the quiet.

"Your parents are so nice..." Tsukasa leans into the cushions, getting comfortable.

"You wanna share them?" Rui teases.

"What...? What do you mean?!"

"I mean... when we get married... they'll be your parents too."

"Marri— Huh?!" Tsukasas face turns red at the ridiculous sentence.

"What..? You don't wanna marry me?" Rui pouts.

"I— Rui— We're still in school." Tsukasa scolds.

"Oh? So... that's the only thing stopping you?"

Tsukasa was absolutely dumbfounded. There's no way Rui just brought up marriage. They've only been together for a week!

"Are you seriously thinking about that? We haven't even been together that long..."

"Yes, but I already know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Whether we get married or not. Do you?" Rui starts slowly inching towards the blonde.

"I..." Tsukasa noticed the distance between them closing, his heart began to race. "I do..."

"Wonderful. Then..." Rui carefully put his hand on Tsukasas shoulder and gently pushes him onto his back, hovering over him. "You wanna prove it?"

Tsukasa stared at the the boy above him, slightly panicking at whatever situation he was in. He instinctively put his hands on Ruis shoulders to push him off, but for some reason, he didn't want to. He looks up at Ruis eyes and could almost immediately feel himself drowning in them. They were intoxicating to look at. He could swear he saw hearts in them.

"Prove it...? What do you—" The blonde was cut off by Rui suddenly kissing him, much calmer than last time. He was startled at first, but he almost immediately felt his body relax as his eyes closed. Instead of fighting it this time, he kissed back. He felt Ruis lips curl into a smile at his response. Tsukasas hands move from the taller boys shoulders to around his neck, pulling him in closer until their chests were just barely touching. One of Ruis hands slides down to hold Tsukasas waist while the other remains holding the side of his head, occasionally grazing across the blondes ear, receiving a small reaction from the boy every time.

Rui suddenly feels Tsukasa trying to break the kiss, which he quickly does.

"Something wrong?" He worries.

"N-no... it's just... we're still in the living room..." Tsukasa says as he catches his breath.

Rui looks up and around the room. "Oh, that we are. Would you... like to continue this in my room?" He says with a playful tone.

"Don't ask it like that...! But... yes... I just.. don't want your parents to walk out..." Tsukasa admits, hiding his blushing face.

"Hehe... yes that would be bad." Rui stands up and holds out his hand. "Well, lets go then, beautiful."

Beautiful. Oh, how Tsukasa loved being called that. He quickly grabs his lovers hand and follows him into his bedroom, immediately being pushed onto the bed.

"One moment." Rui walks over and locks the door, just incase. He quickly returns to the blonde, hovering over him once again.

"You know, I think you're absolutely gorgeous, Tsukasa." He runs his fingers through the blonde hair, tucking multiple strands behind his ear.

"You're not too bad yourself, Rui." Tsukasa teases, he was starting to get more confident.

"Oh? Is that so? Tell me, what do you find attractive about me? I'm curious."

"You really like being praised, don't you? Just like a little puppy." Tsukasa chuckles, he's having way too much fun with Ruis new... enjoyment of praise.

"I never said that. You're the one who decided to call me that name yesterday. It's your fault, you know?" Tsukasa sees Ruis becoming flustered, but was trying his best to hide it.

"You're saying that as if you hated it..." Tsukasa brings his hand up to Ruis face, gently running his thumb across his lips. "...and we both know you didn't."

There was something about the way Tsukasa said that last part that caused something to switch in Rui. He was right, he really did like receiving praises and compliments. In fact, he didn't just like it... he loved it.

"Well then, since you know so much about what I like, why don't you do something useful with that information? Hm?" Rui waits for Tsukasa to say something, anything in response.

After a few seconds, Tsukasa opens his mouth.

"Alright then. How about you..." The blonde wraps his arms around Ruis neck much like before and pulls him close. "...be a good boy, and kiss me already?"

Rui chuckles. "Yes, sir." He quickly did as Tsukasa asked, kissing him as if his lover were about to disappear any moment.

They were back to the routine they had created on the couch. Ruis hands on Tsukasas waist and neck, Tsukasas around Ruis neck, locking him in place.

Without much warning, Ruis lips leave Tsukasas and move down to his jaw, then his throat, leaving small kisses every few centimeters. As if on instinct, Tsukasa shuts his eyes and turns his head to the side, offering more skin for his director to use, which Rui gladly accepted. The room was silent, apart from the quiet heavy breaths Tsukasa would occasionally let slip.

Then, Ruis movements stopped. He lifted himself up, looking down at the stunning boy beneath him.

"Kasa..." He whispers with a slightly seductive tone.

"Y-yes?" Tsukasa turns to face Rui, shocked by the tone, it was a new voice only he gets to hear.

"The other day, you mentioned that you're not sure how... far you're wanting to go with things like this, right?" Rui asks as he draws circles on the blondes waist with his finger.

Tsukasa takes a moment to remember that conversation, but eventually does.

"I did... why?"

"Are you still set on what you said? No further than this?"

"W-why are you asking—"

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable. So please tell me, how far do you want to go...?"

Tsukasa settles himself and takes a few seconds to think of an answer.

"Just... nothing below the waist... please?"

"You're sure?" Rui waits for a confirmation before doing anything else.

"Yeah... I'm sure, and... thank you..."

"What for?"

"Respecting that..."

"My love, of course I would respect that. You're very precious to me, after all. I can't have you being uncomfortable."

"What about you...?"

"Personally, I wouldn't mind anything you do to me. So, I don't really have any limits. Well, just be careful around my arms of course."

"I'll keep that in mind..." Tsukasa faces away from Rui again, slightly embarrassed by the first thing his lover said.

"Are you alright if I continue?" He feels Ruis breath on his neck as he speaks, making him shiver. He nods, Ruis lips almost immediately making contact with his skin once again. He slowly makes his way to Tsukasas collarbone, leaving harsher kisses along the bone, causing the blonde to squirm ever so slightly at the foreign sensations, small gasps and whines leaving his mouth. Every noise sounded like music to Ruis ears.

He feels Tsukasas hands make their way to the hem of his shirt, pulling it up. He takes the hint and sits up to help him, taking his shirt completely off.

Tsukasa stares at him for a moment, absolutely loving the sight in front of him. Yeah, he's seen Rui shirtless before, but not in this type of setting, with these emotions and thoughts flooding his mind.

His hands slide up and down Ruis waist, feeling his soft yet somehow rough skin under his fingers. He suddenly feels Rui flinch, snapping him out of his daze. He looks at his hands to see he had accidentally touched the scars from the other day. They've almost completely healed, but it seems that the skin was still sensitive.

"Oh! I'm sorry...! I wasn't paying attention..." He quickly apologizes, moving his hands away.

"I-it's alright. I just... wasn't expecting it... that's all."

Tsukasa examines Ruis face, he didn't seem upset at all. In fact, it almost looked like...

"Wait, did you... like that?"

Rui immediately hides his face. "N-no! I didn't! I..."

"You definitely did..." Tsukasa teases, he moves his hand back to the scars and presses slightly. Ruis body jolts again as he lets out a small whimper, which he immediately covers his mouth to hide.

"Tsukasa! Why did—" Rui starts, but was abruptly cut off by the blonde snickering at his reaction.

"Did you know about that?" Tsukasa teases. "About you liking things like this?"

"N-no... I didn't..."

"Do you want me to stop?"

He sees Rui slowly shake his head, giving him permission to continue. The director carefully lifts Tsukasa by the waist, taking his shirt off as well. Once it's tossed to the side, he returns to kissing his star. This time, on his chest. Tsukasas hands remain on Ruis waist, occasionally toying with the sensitive skin to get a reaction out of his lover.

They continue like that for a few minutes, Rui making sure no part of Tsukasas torso was left unkissed.

Then, Tsukasa felt something. Something he didn't like very much.

Ruis hand slowly slides down his stars stomach, not stopping until it reaches the waistband of Tsukasas sweatpants. Tsukasa didn't notice the touch until Ruis hand made its way underneath the fabric, continuing further. Feeling this, Tsukasa starts to panic.

"Ah— Rui— S-stop..!" He yells, pushing the taller boy up. Rui didn't seem to realize what he was doing either until that second. Looking down, he sees where his hand was positioned and quickly moved it away.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't— it was an accident!" He was panicking more than Tsukasa at this point.

Tsukasa takes a moment to take some deep breaths calming himself down.

"I-it's alright... but... I think we should stop for now..." He calmly suggests.

"R-right... I'm really sorry... I guess I got carried away..." Rui moves off of the blonde, sitting next to him instead.

Tsukasa sits up and fixes his pants, pulling them up properly. "It's alright... I know you wouldn't do that on purpose."

He looks at Rui. He looked upset, very upset.

"Hey, seriously, it's okay." He cups Ruis face, rubbing his cheeks.

"But... I made you uncomfortable... again."

"Did you do it on purpose?"

"No! I would never!" He quickly answers, shaking his head.

"Then it's perfectly fine. I understand. If it makes you feel any better... you did a very good job with everything else." The blonde says with a teasing yet genuine tone, knowing the other enjoys the praise.

"R-really?! I'm glad... I've never actually... done any of that before..."

"Well, I would sure hope not! Considering you've only been with one other person when you were, like, what? Fourteen?" Tsukasa scoffs.

"You've got a point..."

The blonde laughs. "I know I do, silly. Wait here for a second, okay?"

Rui nods and Tsukasa gets off of the bed and puts his shirt back on. He unlocks the door and leaves, coming back a few minutes later.

"Here, let's calm ourselves, yeah?" He hands Rui and cup of water, which he gladly takes. He drinks his own water, letting his body relax after what they had been doing minutes before. Rui does the same.

"Feel better?" Tsukasa asks.

"Yeah... thank you." Rui nods as he puts the empty cup to the side.

"You're very welcome." Tsukasa walks over to the desk and grabs his clothes bag. "I'm going to change into my pajamas real quick, okay? You should do the same."

"Oh, okay, yeah. Good idea." Rui stands up and starts searching for something to sleep in while Tsukasa decides to change into the bathroom.

Even after Rui was fully changed, Tsukasa still hadn't returned. He was starting to worry, but decides to just wait a little longer.

Almost ten minutes later, the door finally opens. Tsukasa puts his bag down and makes his way to the bed. Rui notices Tsukasas face seemed more flushed than it was before he left.

"Oh? What were you doing in there?" He teases as Tsukasa sits down. He noticed the blonde instantly becoming flustered upon hearing the question.

"N-none of your business! So nosy..." Tsukasa scolds.

"Hmm...? You sure~? You weren't doing what I was hoping to do to you... were you~?"

Tsukasa dramatically gasps at the question and slaps Ruis shoulder.

"Rui! Don't just ask that!" Rui was definitely right, and they both knew it. Tsukasa didn't even need to admit it.

"Hehe~ okay, okay, I'll stop. You're just so cute when you're embarrassed, I can't help it." Rui throws himself on top of Tsukasa, cuddling into his chest.

"You're so— ugh, you're lucky I love you." Tsukasa chuckles, he couldn't be mad at Rui, not when he looked so cute at that moment.

"But... on a more serious note... I really am sorry about that." Rui lowers his head.

"I already told you, it's alright. I guess I'm just... not ready. I mean, we're only seventeen, you know? Well, I'm eighteen— but thats besides the point." Tsukasa pets Ruis head, comforting him.

"I know, I know... I still feel bad though."

"What can I do to make you... not feel bad about it?"

Rui lifts his head and opens his mouth to speak, but Tsukasa recognizes that cheeky grin anywhere and cuts him off.

"Without letting you actually do it."

"Ugh, you're no fun." Rui flops his head back down. "No, but, honestly, just laying like this. You're so comfy..." He mumbles.

"We can sleep like this if you want?" Tsukasa feels Ruis head quickly nod, he absolutely loved that idea.

He's never seen Rui so clingy before, and he thought it was the cutest thing in the world.

"Get up for a second, let me lay down more, okay? So we can both be comfortable." He pokes at Ruis head until he moves, letting Tsukasa lay more properly. Once he's good, Rui is quick to return to his previous position.

They lay there in silence, simply enjoying each other warmth and presence. The only sound filling the room being their soft breathing. As they start to doze off, close to falling asleep, Rui quietly speaks up.

"Kasa...? Are you still awake?" He whispers.

"Hmm? Barely... but, what's up? You okay?"

"Yeah, I just... wanted to tell you goodnight."

Rui feels Tsukasas chest move as he quietly laughs.

"Goodnight, my love."

"And... I love you, so much."

"I love you too... you sure you're okay?" Tsukasa tries to stay awake the best he can until Rui answers.

"Yeah, I just wanted to let you know. I didn't tell you earlier, so... just thought I would do it now." Tsukasa feels Rui shift to hug him even tighter, getting more comfortable.

"You're adorable, you know that?" Tsukasa rubs Ruis arm, feeling more comfortable than he ever has before. He hears Rui hum in response before they both drift off to sleep for the night. It's been a very, very long day.

Chapter Text

Healer

The following morning, Tsukasa is the first to wake up. The boys somehow managed to stay in the same position they fell asleep in throughout the whole night.

The first thing Tsukasa does is pet his lovers head, still enjoying the warmth of their bodies pressed together. As he fully wakes up, he realizes something.

"Oh, crap. I never apologized to Akito..." He glances around for his phone to do just that, luckily it was right next to the bed.

☆Tsukasa☆
'hey'
'im really sorry about yesterday'
'you didn't need to see all of that...'

Akito 🥞
'you mean the thing in the bathroom?'
'its alright'
'are you... like'
'okay?'

☆Tsukasa ☆
'yeah, im doing better now'
'thank you for getting help for me'

Akito🥞
'well I couldnt just leave you there man'
'but you're welcome'
'and... hey'
'ive got a question'

☆Tsukasa☆
'yes?'

Akito 🥞
'now'
'you dont have to tell me'
'but... what happened?'
'like... did you have a panic attack or smth?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'if im behind entirely honest...'
'I have no idea'
'I dont exactly remember what happened'
'I mean, I know what caused it'
'but I have no memory of actually doing it, you know?'

Akito 🥞
'really? weird...'
'what caused it?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'ahh...'
'well..'
'let me answer that with my own question...'
'how do you and Toya deal with... other people?'

Akito 🥞
'huh?'
'wdym by that'

☆Tsukasa☆
'like'
'their opinions and views on you'
'and... your relationship'

Akito 🥞
'oh'
'thats what it was'
'someone said smth about you two?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'yeah...'
'I just got really overwhelmed i guess'

Akito 🥞
'I get that...'
'that shit gets real annoying after a while, ill admit'
'when we first got together, it was really hard for me to just ignore them and not confront them'
'cuz you know me'
'I would've punched them right then'

☆Tsukasa☆
'very true'
'what about Toya...?'

Akito 🥞
'he was actually the one who DID confront those people'
'well, I mean, it affected him a LOT at first, like you'
'it hurt him more than it hurt me honestly'
'we even considered just staying friends because of it'
'I guess after a while though, he saw how upset it was making me and he told them off'

☆Tsukasa☆
'seriously?!'
'Toya?! confronting people?!'

Akito 🥞
'shocking, I know'
'but, honestly...'
'people aren't gonna stop talking shit'
'thats just how it is unfortunately'
'at some point we just gotta learn to block those people out'

☆Tsukasa☆
'right...'
'thanks, akito'

Akito 🥞
'nah I didnt do anything'
'oh by the way'
'can i... tell Toya what happened?'
'hes been worried about you since yesterday morning'

☆Tsukasa☆
'oh really...?'
'I mean, you can if you want'
'if you think it'll help'

Akito 🥞
'thanks'
'ah sorry hes waking up'
'gtg'
'and... I really do hope things get better for you'

☆Tsukasa☆
'thank you'
'see you Monday ☺️'
'and, please tell Toya im sorry for brushing him off like that'

Akito 🥞
'will do'
'see ya'

"I'm glad he's not too upset...he looked terrified yesterday...." Tsukasa lets out a relieved sigh, glad his junior wasn't affected too badly.

As he puts his phone down, he feels Rui squirming around.

"What are you doing...?" He laughs.

"I don't wanna get up... I wanna stay like this." Rui mumbles into the blondes chest.

"I cannot be that comfortable."

"You are~ You very much are." Rui finally looks up, meeting Tsukasas eyes.

"Morning, sleepyhead." The blonde smiles.

"Good morning, beautiful." Rui sits up and cups Tsukasas face with his hand, using the other to hold himself up.

"Your hair is a mess, you know?" Tsukasa teases, using his own hand to fluff up Ruis hair even more.

"Hey! That was mean..." Rui pouts as he attempts to fix his hair.

"Well, I did say you were like a puppy last night. I was just testing that theory." Tsukasa snickers, he really loved teasing Rui.

"No fair! I don't have an animal to compare you too..."

"A Pegasus, obviously!" Tsukasa beams.

"A real animal, my love." Rui laughs. "What about... hmmm." Rui furrows his brows, putting much thought into his decision.

Tsukasa simply watches and waits to see what his very creative director can come up with it.

"Oh! How about... Since I'm a puppy with a cat smile... you can be a cat with a puppy smile?"

"A... what? What does a puppy smile even look like? And— I thought you were thinking of a real animal... That's even less believable than a Pegasus!" Tsukasa was genuinely confused by the answer he was given.

"Bright and full of teeth, much like yours! Plus... that means we're a perfect match!" Rui lets out a proud chuckle.

"In what way, exactly?"

"Well, like ying and yang, except..." Rui leans in, his lips getting dangerously close to Tsukasas, his thumb resting on his chin, forcing his lips apart slightly. "...You can have my mouth, and I can have yours." He snickers, waiting for a response. He can feel Tsukasas face heat up. Instead of answering with words, however, Tsukasas body answered for him.

Without warning, he pushes Rui back, switching their positions from the night before.

"Now... who taught to you speak like that? Hm?" Tsukasa asks, slowly lowering himself towards Rui.

"Myself, thank you very much." Rui laughs.

"Hmm... is that so?" Rui notices a smirk form on Tsukasas lips. He has something planned, something he's not going to be telling him. "And... do you know what happens when puppies speak like that to their owners?"

'...Owner...?!' Rui feels his entire body heat up from the sudden... roleplay? Where did Tsukasa get all of this from?! Either way, he doesn't give in. He wants to see where this will go.

"No, do you wanna tell me?" Rui shows a grin of his own, letting Tsukasa know he refuses to lose.

Tsukasa lowers himself until his head was to the side of Ruis, right next to his ear. "They get punished." He whispers, softly licking Ruis ear, causing the boy to flinch in response.

Rui hears Tsukasa chuckle at his reaction.

"Tsukasa! What are y— hah—!" Tsukasa does it again, just to see what would happen. Rui immediately covers his mouth, embarrassed by the noise he just let out.

Tsukasa slowly moves down Ruis neck and up to his throat, leaving small kisses every few centimeters, just like Rui did to him. Except, he remembers Ruis throat was more sensitive than his, and he uses that to his advantage. He moves slower than he was before, specifically targeting the other boys adams apple, getting a reaction each time his lips made contact. He could hear Rui letting out small whines and heavy breaths in an attempt to keep quiet, all while his body was squirming around under him as his hands gripped Tsukasas arms.

Tsukasas mischievous grin returns as he starts the second part of his initial plan. His hands slowly slide down Ruis chest and make their way under his shirt, touching every inch of his stomach and chest, prompting even more noises and twitches from the director. They eventually get to his waist, and stop.

Rui lifts his head to question Tsukasa.

"W-what are you doing...?"

"Like I said, I'm punishing you."

Rui chuckles, deciding to tease his star even further. "By... doing what exactly? Because, personally... I'm very much enjoy— Hey!"

Before Rui could finish his sentence, Tsukasa starts... tickling him?

"Wait— wait, stop!" Rui yells through laughs, trying to catch his breath.

"Are you gonna say stuff like that again?" Tsukasa continues.

"Oh, come on— you liked it!" Rui tries to push Tsukasa off with very little success.

"Maybe i did, but I'm never letting you know~. Now, are you going to say something like that again?"

Ruis chest was hurting from the sudden attack, as much as he was loving it, it was about time it stopped.

"Okay— okay! I won't! Spare me!" Rui was practically begging.

"Good boy." Tsukasa smiles and stops his movements, letting Rui finally catch his breath.

"You're... so mean to me..." Rui says, finally getting to relax his body and breathe properly.

"Hehe, I hope you've learned your lesson." Tsukasa throws on a confident smirk.

"Maybe I did, maybe it didn't. Guess we'll have to wait and see." Rui shrugs.

Tsukasa scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Well, I'm sure you're awake now, yeah?"

"Definitely. You planned that from the start, didnt you?" Rui sits up, Tsukasa still on his lap.

"Of course i did. I thought it would be fun." Tsukasa laughs, wrapping his arms around Ruis neck.

"And? Was it?"

"Oh, it very much was. Thank you for asking." A very satisfied smile appears on Tsukasas face.

"You're ridiculous, you know that?" Ruis places his hands on his stars waist, holding him tightly.

"But you love that, do you not?" Tsukasa teases.

"Indeed i do." Rui nods.

They sit there for a few seconds, simply staring into each others eyes. Their eyes were full of love, nothing else. Just pure love for the person infront of them.

"Hehe, good morning, Rui." Tsukasa leans in and places a small kiss on Ruis forehead.

"Let's go get some breakfast, yeah?" Rui suggests, to which Tsukasa quickly nods his head in agreement.

The two leave the room and head to the kitchen where they see Ruis mother already cooking something.

"Oh, good morning~!" She sings, she seemed to be in a very good mood.

"Morning, what are you making?" Rui stands unnecessarily close to her, just for fun.

"Omelets, and will you back up? Goodness, you're never this clingy." She laughs.

"Well, I am today! Because..." He pauses. Then, almost as if he flipped some sort of switch, he was suddenly in full actor mode. "...Tsukasa was being so~ mean to me, mom!" He was... whining? Trying to get sympathy?

"I— Huh?!" Tsukasa knew exactly what Rui was doing.

"Is that so...? What did he do?" His mom did too, but she decided to play along.

"He was trying to kill me! Doing such horrible things~! Can you believe it? He... he was... tickling me!" Tsukasa was honestly more impressed than we was annoyed, Rui would be perfect in a melodrama.

"I did no such thing!" Tsukasa denies, dramatically crossing his arms.

Naturally, Ruis mother took her sons side, and decided to join Rui in the teasing.

"Oh my! How terrible! I can see how afraid you are, my child!" She pretends to wipe away Ruis tears that were nowhere to be seen. "I cannot believe you would do something so treacherous to my son!" She declared. It was almost like she was getting more into her role than Rui.

"I— He— What?! You're ganging up on me?!" Tsukasa complains.

"Whatever do you mean?" Rui smirked, he knew he was winning.

"That's not fair! You can't have your mom help!"

"Oh? Since when were there rules, my love?"

Rui got him there. Tsukasa sighs in defeat. "Ugh... fine..."

With that, Rui returns to Tsukasas side and whispers. "Looks like I win, owner."

Tsukasa jolts, hitting Rui in the shoulder much like the night before. "Rui! I cannot believe you..."

Rui lets out a victorious laugh and begins setting the table for breakfast, Tsukasa joining him shortly after.

When everything was ready, Ruis father finally joins them, the four of them sitting at the table together.

"So, you boys have plans today?" His dad questions.

"Nothing as of now. We didn't exactly plan on being together this weekend. Why?" Rui answers.

"I think there's some music event going on at the park, I thought maybe you'd be interested."

"A music event? What kind?" Rui tilts his head.

"Street music i think. There's a few groups performing, I think some of them are around your age. What was their name again... uhh... Vivid... something?"

Tsukasa gasps, nearly choking on his food. "Vivid Bad Squad?!"

"Yes, them! You know them?"

"Mhmm!" Tsukasa nods enthusiastically "Three of them go to our school! Also, one of them is a childhood friend of mine!"

"Really?! That's pretty cool! You two should go cheer them on!" His dad suggests.

"Rui! Can we go?! Please?!" Tsukasa grabs Ruis hand, begging him to say yes.

"I don't see why not, sure. Plus, I would like to talk to Shinonome if I can." Rui agrees.

Tsukasa lets out an excited "Yay!" before continuing his breakfast, causing Rui to giggle at the childish reaction.

The group finish their food and clean up. Once they're done, the boys return to Ruis room to find more information on the event. They sit at Ruis desk, using his computer to search for music events in their area. After a moment of searching, the find Vivid Bad Squads performance schedule.

"Hmm... looks like they won't be up until two... it's ten now. The park isn't that far away, so we still have a while until we should leave. What do you wanna do until then?" Rui waits for Tsukasa to give an answer, wanting to do whatever he chooses.

"I'm not sure... what do you typically do over the weekend?"

"Work on my robots usually. If I'm not doing that, I'm with you or Nene. Sometimes Emu, not often though."

"Do you have any projects you need to finish?"

"Not here right now... but Nene said I should take a look at Robo-Nene. Something about her arms not moving properly. Why?"

"I can keep you company while you do that! I never told you, but I actually really love watching you work on your creations." Tsukasa shyly admits.

"Really? It's not like I do much of anything though... I barely even talk, and if I do, it's to myself." Rui questions Tsukasas interest.

"Exactly! You're always 'in the zone' I guess? I like seeing how passionate you are about it!" Tsukasa beams.

"Oh... well, won't you be bored? I'm not sure how long it'll take. Of course, I'll stop before the event, but still." Rui worries. He doesn't want Tsukasa to be bored when he was over there for comfort.

"Mm-mm!" Tsukasa shakes his head. "I really do enjoy watching you work. I could watch it forever honestly."

"Ah... okay then..." Rui clears his throat, slightly embarrassed. "I'll go get her then. Would you like to come with me? I'm just going next door to Nenes house."

"Sure! I'll say hi since I'm here anyway." Tsukasa jumps up and follows Rui out the door and over to Nenes.

Rui knocks on the door and waits for an answer, which he eventually gets.

"Hello Nene~ I'm here for Robo-Nene." He announces.

"Oh, right. Come— Huh? Tsukasa? What are you doing here?" Nene asks.

"Hey Nene! I'm spending the weekend with Rui, so I thought I would say hi since I'm already here!"

"Okay then, uh... Come in. She's in my room right now." She lets the boys in and they head to her bedroom.

"So, you said her arms aren't moving like they should be?" Rui immediately started examining the robot.

"Yeah, maybe they just need to be tightened or something? I'm not sure."

"Hmm... one second." Rui toys with the arms for a few seconds, trying to figure out what the problem was.

Tsukasa watches as Rui works, absolutely entranced by the look on his face. He found Rui extremely attractive when he works on his gadgets and robot friends.

"Ah! There it is! I see the issue. It's a simple fix, but I'll need to bring her back to my house, just incase. Plus, I might as well see if anything else needs tuning or replacing." He explains to Nene.

"I'm glad it's nothing serious... Thank you, Rui."

"Hehe, of course! We can't have shows without our lovely Robo-Nene! Kasa, could you help me move her?" Rui calls out for Tsukasa.

"Oh, sure!" The boys carry the heavy robot out of their friends room and outside the house. Sure, they could've turned her on and had her walk, but it would've been quite loud, and it's not like they were going very far anyway.

"I'll return her when I'm done~!" Rui sings as they bring the robot over the Ruis garage room.

"I'll be working on this, so... just... do whatever you want, I guess." Rui immediately starts working, leaving Tsukasa to his own devices.

"Will do~" Tsukasa flops onto Ruis bed and just... stares at the other boy.

He watches everything his boyfriend does. Every small move, every time he stops to think or whisper to himself, every bolt or screw he tightens, everything. He wasn't lying, he really could watch Rui work forever. He found it so admirable how he could just come up with something and make it real with no problems. Rui truly was a genius. He was feeling so comfortable at that moment, in fact, that he didn't even realize he fell asleep.

"Tsukasa? I'm finished working~."

"Hmmm?" Tsukasa opens his eyes to see Rui kneeling in front of him, rubbing his head with a warm smile. "Wha... huh!? When did i fall asleep?!" He quickly sits up.

"No idea, but I did warn you that you would probably get bored." Rui joins him on the bed, sitting infront of him.

"No, no i wasn't bored in the slightest! I was... very comfortable actually. I guess that's why."

"Comfortable? Well, I'm glad you weren't bored out of your mind. I just finished fixing her, so I'll bring her back to Nenes house real quick, okay?"

"You want me to come with?" Tsukasa gets ready to stand up, just Rui forces him back down.

"No, you stay here. I'll be right back~!" Rui takes the robot and heads to Nenes house, leaving Tsukasa alone.

While he waits, Tsukasa checks his phone for the time, only to see missed texts from his juniors.

Toya 🍪
'Akito told me about yesterday'
'How is your leg feeling?'
'Also, I already forgave you for what happened, you were upset, I shouldn't have bothered you.'
-9:47am-

Akito 🥞
'idk if Toya told you, but we got a performance later if you and senpai wanna come'
'its at 2'
'[1 attachment]'
-11:15am-

The time was already almost one-thirty, Rui had been working for over three hours. He realized how long ago the messages were from and quickly responds in their group chat.

✨️My Beloved (very gay) Juniors✨️

☆Tsukasa☆
'im so sorry I never messaged you guys back!'
'I barely touched my phone after texting you earlier, Akito'
'but! Rui and I were actually planning on going to your event!'
'his dad mentioned it earlier, and we have nothing else to do'
'plus, Akito, apparently Rui wants to speak to you? not sure why... but if you can, lets try to meet up after you guys perform!'
'and Toya, im glad you forgive me... I felt really bad about that..'
'as for my leg... it still hurts, but its not unbearable anymore'

Toya 🍪
'You're coming?!'
'That's so exciting!'
'I look forward to seeing you both!'
'Also, you dont need to feel bad, its really fine.'
'And im glad your leg is feeling better.'

Akito 🥞
'oh, sick'
'also yeah I can talk after, I think i know what he wants'
'see you guys there'

☆Tsukasa☆
'yes!'
'see you there!'
'and good luck!'

As he sends the final message, Rui returns.

"Hmm? Who are you talking to?" He makes himself comfortable, latching onto Tsukasa from behind, resting his head on the blondes shoulder.

"Akito and Toya, they texted me earlier and I didn't realize. Also, how'd you work go? What was wrong with Robo-Nene?"

"Ah, some of her bolts had come loose. Well, that was the arm problem. Some of her sensors weren't responding properly, so I had to replace them too." He explains.

"Really? Well, I'm glad she's all fixed now, thanks to you!" Tsukasa nudges Ruis head with his, sort of like a cat. "Oh! Wait! How far away is the park? It's almost two!"

Rui shoots up, he completely forgot about the show.

"It is?! Oh my... I wasn't paying attention... We should go now if we want to see them perform!" Rui stands up and grabs whatever he needs and waits by the door for Tsukasa. The blonde does the same and they quickly leave the house and head to the park to see their friends.

As they're walking, Rui realizes something.

"Wait... would this be considered... our first date?"

Chapter Text

Cinema

"Our... first date?"

"Yeah... I mean. We're going out together to go do something fun... that is what a date is... right?"

"I guess it is... yeah! So yes, this could indeed be our first date..!" Tsukasa beams, smiling up at Rui. All his worries from the past few days had seemingly went away.

"Well then... let's enjoy today, yeah?" Rui smiles back.

"Let's!" Tsukasa grabs Ruis hand and the two continue on their way to the park.

Although they were cutting it close, the boys made it just in time to see their juniors performance a few minutes later. They shuffled through the crowd to try to get as close to the stage as possible, they managed to get into the third row.

The group performed three songs in total. The boys sung 'Aun no Beats' and the girls did 'Odo'.

Tsukasa was cheering on his juniors and smiling the whole time, until they got to the final song, Cinema. He doesn't know why, but something about that song always made his heart feel close to breaking. Despite the song being an upbeat beacon of hope, a story about finding your place and confidence, it made him... sad? It's been like that since the day Toya first showed it to him. He's not sure if its the lyrics he relates to, or the emotion the group uses while singing them, but all he knew is that he felt close to crying.

That was, however, until he felt the grip on his hand get tighter. He looks up at Rui who was giving him the same warm smile he does every time hes sad.

That's right... he's not alone anymore. He has people who truly love him in more ways than one. People who are helping him achieve his dream. Seeing Ruis smile brought back his own, and he was able to continue enjoying the Vivids performance.

The song shortly came to an end, and the whole crowd was full of cheering and smiling faces as the team said their farewells. As the group leaves the stage, the couple leave the crowd to follow after them.

After a few minutes of rest, Akito and Toya join up with them.

"Senpai! I'm so glad you two could make it!" Toya beams, all his tiredness suddenly dissappearing.

"Yo! What did you guys think?" Akito questions.

"You guys have gotten so much better since the last time I saw you perform! I'm sure you heard me cheering... heh..." Tsukasa awkwardly chuckles, realizing how loud he probably was.

"I'm glad! We're sure to surpass RAD WEEKEND soon!" Akito declares, voice full of confidence. Toya calmly nods in agreement next to him.

"Oh, right. You wanted to talk to me, Kamishiro?" Akito looks at Rui, tilting his head.

"Ah, yes I did. Will you two excuse us for a moment?" Their boyfriends nod and they walk off together, far enough to not be heard.

"Do you know what he wanted to talk about?" Toya asks.

"Not a clue... they seem pretty serious though. Akito doesn't usually willingly speak to either of us." Tsukasa furrows his brows, trying to figure out what their boyfriends could be speaking about. After giving up, he and Toya sit over to the side to have a conversation of their own.

"So, what's up? I'm assuming it's got somethin' to do with yesterday?" Akito starts.

"Yes... I wanted to thank you. If you weren't in the bathroom at that time... I don't even want to think about how much worse everything could've been. So... thank you, Shinonome." Rui bows his head, meaning every word he said.

"I mean... I didn't really do much. Yeah I found him, but—"

"Exactly." Rui cuts him off. "Things like this... they can go from bad to worse in a matter of seconds if nothing distracts us. Trust me... I know." He looks down at his arm, rubbing it as he spoke.

Akito notices the actions and tone of voice his senior was using, and realized just how serious the scenario was.

"Ah... so, you also..." He lowers his head. "Is he... doing alright? I mean... he told me why he did it, but... I can't help but feel like it was more than that, you know?"

"He's been struggling lately, I'll say that. Obviously I wont go into detail, but he's really struggling with... acceptance? I guess? There's a lot of things he just can't bring himself to do because he's... afraid."

"It's about bein' with you... right?" Akito cautiously asks, not wanting to sound rude.

"Yes. Not me specifically, but... just being with another guy in general. I want him to be happy, but if he's constantly worried about how others will react—"

"Let him be."

"...What?"

"Let him be worried." Akito repeated. "Sure, it'll be stressful as hell for a while, but give him time. Knowing him, he'll eventually learn to block everyones opinions out. He'll realize that he'd rather be happy in his relationship than worry about how others view it. Trust me, he'll be alright. He just needs a little longer. It's not like you've been together very long anyway, right?"

Rui nodded, still processing what his junior said.

"Toya was like that at first. He would walk far away from me, be scared to touch me around other people, and sometimes he would be overly cautious with the way he spoke to me in public. When we were alone, though, he was a completely different person. He wouldn't leave my side, he would laugh more, and sometimes wouldn't let go of my arm." He chuckles, remembering the start of his own relationship.

"As you can see, though... he's gotten better. He doesn't shy away from me in public anymore. Yeah, he's still nervous, but slowly... he's caring less about how others see us. If anything, he's the one tellin' those people off half the time. Those two are shockingly similar when it comes to things like this... so I know he'll come around eventually. Don't worry too much." Akito puts his hand on Ruis shoulder, reassuring his senior.

"Thank you, Shinonome. I'll keep all of that in mind. You know, you seem to care a lot about the two of us, despite always saying the opposite." Rui snickers.

"Well... yeah. I mean, you're my seniors after all. Not to mention... Toya really likes you guys, especially Tsukasa. I can't hate the people my boyfriend likes, can I?" He brings his hand to his neck, rubbing it in embarrassment.

"I suppose that's true. Let's go back to them, yeah?" Akito nods and they make their way back to their lovers.

"What did you two talk about?" Toya questions, immediately clinging to Akitos side.

"Nothing serious. He just wanted to thank me for yesterday." Akito says, patting Toyas head.

"Yes, he was a great help. You're very lucky to have him, Aoyagi." Rui smiles at his juniors.

Toya shyly smiles, nodding his head in agreement.

"Toya! Akito! My dad's waiting for us!" An calls out.

"One second!" Akito yells back. "Looks like we gotta go. Thanks again for comin'. And, Kamishiro... I really meant what I said."

"I appreciate it, Shinonome. Thank you again. You two should go before Shiraishi yells at you again." Rui chuckles.

"Right, let's go, Toya. See you guys on Monday."

"Thank you for coming, Senpais. See you at school!" Toya bows his head before turning to join the rest of their team. Rui and Tsukasa wave as their juniors leave, until they're out of sight.

"Was that really all you talked about...?" Tsukasa questions, grabbing Ruis sleeve.

"Why? Are you getting jealous?" Rui teases, receiving a slap in the chest as a response.

"Hehe, I'm joking. There were some other things mentioned... but it's nothing to worry about, my love. It's just past three now, how about you and I go do something?"

"Hmm... if you say so. Also, do something? Like what?"

"Well, what do you want to do? I mean, you're staying with me because you needed comfort, so..."

"Yeah, but... if its a date... we should do something we both want to do..." Tsukasa mumbles, getting shy at his own words.

"I suppose that's true. Hmm..." Rui puts his finger to his chin, deep in thought. "What do you think of... taking a walk?" He suggested.

"A walk...?" Tsukasa tilts his head.

"Yeah. We can walk around the park and just... talk. If you want... if not, we can do something else."

Tsukasa thinks for a moment. "Hmm... sure. That works for me!"

"Lovely! Let's go, then." He holds his hand out, offering it to Tsukasa if he wants. The blonde looks around first, then hesitantly grabs the directors hand. They smile at each other before starting the second part of their date.

They walk in silence at first, just enjoying the scenery together. After a few minutes, Tsukasa notices Rui spacing out, thinking about something.

"Is there... something bothering you?" He nudges Ruis arm to get his attention.

"Hm? Why do you ask?"

"Since you and Akito talked, you've been kinda spacing out. Like you've got something on your mind. Wanna tell me what you're thinking about?"

"You sure? I don't want to ruin the mood or anything."

"Rui, I would rather you 'ruin the mood' than be upset about something all by yourself..." Tsukasa stops walking, making sure Rui knew he was serious.

Rui sighs, realizing his lover isn't going to give in any time soon. "Alright. Let's sit down first." They make their way to a park bench and take their seats.

Tsukasa faces Rui, holding his hand while he waits for him to speak.

"So... yesterday. You asked me if i thought we were... wrong... for being together." He starts.

"Are you... changing your answer...?" Tsukasa worries, slowly letting go of Ruis hand.

"No! No, I'm not!" He quickly grabs Tsukasas hand and places it back into his. "It's just... you said that all day people were talking about us, and... I didn't hear any of it. I've gotten so used to blocking out everyones opinions of me that I completely forgot to consider how it would affect you. I forgot that our relationship isn't exactly considered... normal here, and that there will be people who make their views very clear. That's what I was asking Shinonome about... I wasn't sure what I should do to help you with this."

"Oh..." Tsukasa lowers his head, he wasn't expecting that conversation. "Sorry, I don't know how to respond..."

"No, it's alright... I've just been worried about this. Sure, I expected everything to be a little awkward at first, but... if it's affected you this much..." Ruis gaze falls to Tsukasas injured leg.

"...What are you trying to say?"

"Are you... really sure you're comfortable being with me?" Rui starts to tear up, trying to keep himself calm. "I mean, you could easily get a girlfriend... you wouldn't have to worry about any of this..."

"...Are you serious?"

Rui shudders at Tsukasas tone. He sounded furious, but also... almost heartbroken.

"What do you—"

"Rui. Why in the world do you think I would want that over what we have now?"

"I... I don't know. You wouldn't be looked down upon... be pushed away... you could have a normal relationship—"

"I don't want that!" Tsukasa yells, making Rui jump back slightly. He takes a deep breath to calm his temper. "Yes, it's hard to ignore the people who talk shit about us, but at the end of the day... I'm happy. I'm happy because I get to be with you. I get to love you, Rui. I wouldn't trade that for the world, even if it meant being 'normal' in everyone else's eyes. Do you get what im trying to say?"

"But... your dream—"

"I love you, Rui. And if loving you is something that stops me from achieving my dream, then that dream isn't worth spending my time on. I can become a different type of star, one that shines on my own terms, one that can't be dimmed down by others opinions. No matter what I end up doing, I just know that I want you by my side. Do you understand?" He wipes away the tears Rui was unable to keep in, holding his face for comfort.

Rui slowly nods. "I'm... I'm sorry..."

"It's alright... I know you only said that because you care about my well-being. You... still want to be with me... right?"

Rui quickly throws himself into Tsukasas arms, hugging him as if it was the last time he would ever be allowed to. "I do...! Please... don't leave me... I didn't really mean any of that... I don't want you to leave me for someone else..." Tsukasa rubs his back, no longer caring that they were in a public park surrounded by people. People who were staring at them. Maybe they were worried, maybe they were disgusted, but that didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that Rui needed comfort, and Tsukasa needed to give it to him.

"I know you didn't. I'm not going anywhere, don't worry." He rubs Ruis head, doing his best to calm his emotions. When Rui finally pulls away, Tsukasa speaks up again.

"You wanna go back home? Or do you want to continue this date a little longer?"

"Date... I probably ruined it... didn't i?"

"I don't think so. Dates are about spending time with your lover and learning new things about them... and i think we did just that. Yeah, it wasn't exactly... ideal, but hey, we aren't exactly known for doing things by the book, are we?" Tsukasa chuckles, lightening the mood.

"I... guess not." Rui quietly laughs, thinking of an answer. "Can we... sit here? Just for a little while longer."

"Of course we can. It's very pretty, so i don't mind that in the slightest." Tsukasa sits back in the bench, slumping over to rest his head on Ruis shoulder.

Rui smiles at the feeling, maybe he really doesn't have anything to worry about. They'll go at their own pace, just like Akito said. He rests his head on Tsukasas, desperate for touch. Before he could reach his hand over to his lover, Tsukasa beat him to it, holding Ruis hand in his, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. They definitely needed this.

In the midst of their comfort, Ruis phone rings. They both spring up, it was his mom.

"Hello...?"

"Hey, dear. I'm at the store right now, and was just wondering... does Tsukasa need anything? For his leg, I mean."

"Oh, um... let me ask him."

"Kasa, do you need anything for your leg...? Mom's at the store."

"Oh, uh... The doctor did say I should make sure I change them for the first few days... so... bandages...? I forgot to get more after changing yours the other day." He scratches his head with an awkward chuckle.

Rui nods, returning to the phone.

"He said bandages, if we don't already have any."

"Perfect, I'll pick some up. Thank you~."

"You're welcome, and thank you too. See you at home." He hangs up.

"She'll get some. Are you going to be able to change them on your own...? It's not exactly in an easy spot..." Rui questions.

"I can try... but, if not... you might need to help me."

"That's fine by me~. Let's head back, yeah? I think it's supposed to rain tonight." Rui stands up, waiting for the blonde.

"Really? Okay, let's go back then~!" He hums, jumping up to join Rui and starting their walk home.

"We're back~" Rui sings while taking his shoes off.

"Ah! Welcome!" His mother runs up to him, shoving a bag into his chest. "Here you go~."

He grabs the bag, confused. "What's all this...? All we needed were bandages..."

"Yeah, but I thought maybe you'd want some snacks and stuff, so I got some of those too!" She beams, hoping they liked her choices.

"You didn't have to do that...!" Tsukasa says. "But... thank you anyway."

"It's no problem at all! Dinner should be ready soon if you two would like to join us." She returns to the kitchen, continuing to cook.

"Oh, yeah sure. We'll just change his bandages first." Rui agrees and the boys head to his room.

"So... you can change them on your own...yes?"

"I'll try. I'll let you know if I need help. But, uh... I'll need to take my pants off, so..." Tsukasa says, his face becoming flushed.

"Oh! Right! Sorry! Just... call out if you need me." Rui quickly turns around, sitting at his desk to give Tsukasa privacy. He hears the rustling of the bag, followed by Tsukasa taking his belt off. He was trying his hardest to remain focused on something, anything on his desk, and not the fact that his boyfriend was alone with him in his room with no pants on.

After a few moments of quiet movement sounds, Rui hears Tsukasa click his tongue.

"Tsk... Uh... Rui... Do you... you know... think you could help...?" He asks, sounding slightly defeated that he couldn't do it on his own.

Rui jolts in his seat, taking a deep breath before turning around. "Y-yeah..! Yeah, I can help..." He carefully makes his way to Tsukasa who was sitting on the bed and kneels in front of him. "Can I... have those...?" He holds his hand out, asking for the bandages.

"Yeah... here..." Tsukasa hands them to Rui with trembling hands, refusing to make eye contact. "Sorry... this is just... a very awkward position to be in..."

"No, no... I understand..." Rui looks at the wounds on Tsukasas leg, frowning as he recalls the events from the previous day. "Do they... still hurt?" He asks.

"A little... yeah... since they're not covered..."

"I'm sorry..." Rui traces the marks with his fingers, causing Tsukasas leg to jolt at the touch.

"Rui! Why did—" Tsukasa tries to scold his director, but was cut off by Rui suddenly kissing his thigh. 

"W-what are you doing?!" He pushes Ruis head away from his leg, extremely embarrassed.

"You did this to me when I got hurt... no? I'm just... returning the favor..."

"Y-yeah, but...! Those were on your arm! These are— you know...!"

"Would you like me to stop?" Rui asks, patiently waiting for a response. Tsukasa could see the love-drunk look in his eyes, he wanted to continue, to do more. And as attractive as Rui looked in that position...Tsukasa wasn't ready for any of that.

"...Yes. I'm sorry..." He answers, feeling slightly bad.

"That's alright. Here, let me wrap these, yeah?" Rui smiles and continues wrapping his leg like nothing happened.

"Thank you..." He finishes securing the wrapping and Tsukasa puts his clothes back on properly.

"You're very welcome. And, I'm sorry about what I just did... I couldn't help myself... being so close to you like that..." Rui lowers his head, he really did feel bad.

"It's okay, I think I can understand this one... it was pretty... suggestive, I guess." Tsukasa chuckles as he pats Ruis head. "Let's go see if your mom needs help, yeah?"

Rui nods as Tsukasa grabs his arm and drags him into the kitchen.

The rest of the night goes much like the day before. Well, with less kissing this time. Their weekend together is quickly ending, and Tsukasa doesn't know how he feels about that.

Chapter Text

Beautiful Now

When Rui wakes up the next day, Tsukasa was nowhere to be found. He sits up and looks around his room, there was no sign of his lover.

"Kasa...?" He gets out of bed to search the house. As he approaches the kitchen, he heard a quiet conversation between three very familiar voices.

"You're sure he'll like this?"

"Trust me, we do this every year."

"Yep, it's almost like a ritual honestly."

"Really? My family doesn't do anything like this for our birthdays..."

'Birthday...?' Rui quickly turns to look at the calendar on the wall. June 24th. His birthday. How did he forget something like that?

Realizing this, he knows exactly what the conversation is about. Their family has this... tradition. On the morning of someone's birthday, they make pancakes covered in compliments and wishes written in chocolate sauce for breakfast.

Seeing his parents introduce such a special part of their family to Tsukasa made him overwhelmingly happy. Even happier than the fact that it was his birthday at all. They are three of the most important people to him, and he's glad they seem to love each other as much as he loves them.

He watches as they finish up decorating his pancakes, his smile only getting wider. As he hears them make their final additions, he takes it as his chance to join in.

"Morning~ Look at you all getting along without me." He wraps his hands around Tsukasas waist from behind, resting his head on his shoulder.

"Oh! Rui! Good morning~!" Tsukasa quickly turns around, throwing Rui into a short hug.

"Hmm? You see awfully happy today." Rui laughs at his boyfriends sudden embrace.

"Well~" Tsukasa turns to grab the plate he and Ruis parents worked on. "Happy birthday!" He holds the plate infront of Rui, letting him read the messages.

'We're proud of you!'

'We love you!'

'Let's stay together for a long time~! ♡'

As he reads the messages, he can feel himself start to tear up. They didn't do this last year since he didn't have much contact with his parents. Plus, he could tell which ones Tsukasa wrote himself, those ones felt extra special.

"Are you okay?" Tsukasa worries as he puts the plate down and cups Ruis face.

"Yeah... I'm just... really happy right now...! Thank you guys..." He smiles, he's missed this feeling.

"Happy birthday, Rui." His parents join Tsukasas side and throw their son into a hug, much like Tsukasa did minutes prior.

"Thank you... so much..!" He wipes his face, highly embarrassed to be crying over something so simple.

"Oh, dear..." Ruis mom laughs, helping him dry his tears.

"Well, we've got pancakes to eat!" His dad exclaims.

The family laughs and makes their way to the table, happily eating the birthday pancakes.

"Well, is there anything you want to do today, birthday boy?" His mom speaks up.

"Hmm... I'm not too sure actually. If I'm being honest, I forgot it was my birthday, so... I didn't exactly make any plans." Rui chuckles, feeling embarrassed for the second time in that hour.

"Oh? Well... you and I could just hang out! I mean, yeah thats what we did yesterday, but... still." Tsukasa beams.

"That's fine with me~. If anyone reaches out wanting to do something though... I'll likely go do that."

"Sounds good! If you do go out, just be back for dinner of course." His dad says, stuffing a pancake into his mouth, causing the others to laugh.

"Yes sir!" Rui playfully salutes in response.

After a few giggles, the family finishes their breakfast. Ruis parents offer to clean up to let the boys go back to Ruis room and get ready for the day.

"So~ How did you end up doing that with my parents without me noticing. Hm?" Rui grabs the blondes waist from behind, much like he did in the kitchen.

"Hehe~ I just left to use the bathroom, and they asked me to join them. And as fun as it was, though... it did kinda ruin the surprise I had for you." Tsukasa sighs.

"Hmm? Suprise? What would that be?" Rui turns Tsukasa around, holding the blondes chin with his fingers.

"Well... If you really want to know..." Tsukasa pushes Rui backwards onto the bed, immediately sitting on his lap.

"When you woke up, I was going to sit you just like this..." He leans over just close enough that their lips were just barely touching. He sees Rui close his eyes, expecting a kiss.

"Then... give you this!" He suddenly sits back up, shoving something into Ruis face, scaring the other for a moment.

"W-what?" Rui questions as he tries to focus his eyes in the item in front of him.

"Happy birthday!" Tsukasa giggles.

Rui uses his arms to sit himself up against the wall, Tsukasa still on top of him.

"And what could this be?" He grabs the bag, carefully examining it.

"Open it and find out, silly."

Rui opens the bag and pulls out the surprise present.

"A... platypus?" He asks, immediately falling in love with it.

"Yep! And... there's little stars on its tail... I added them myself..." Tsukasa gets quieter as his sentence goes on, getting slightly embarrassed.

Rui looks at the tail of his new favorite plush, there were tiny hand-stiched stars at the tip of its tail. "You did this yourself?!" He looks back up at the blonde.

Tsukasa nods. "Do... you like it?"

"Like it? I love it! Thank you so much...!" Rui quickly wraps his arms around his lover.

"Hehe, I'm glad." Tsukasa returns the hug, relieved Rui likes his gift.

"Now..." Rui pulls away and puts the plush to the side, hands still holding the blondes waist. "About that first thing you did..." He looks up at Tsukasa.

"What first thing? Nothing happened." Tsukasa quickly denies, looking away from Ruis puppy eyes.

"Oh? Would you like me to refresh your memory?" Rui teases.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." The blonde playfully scoffs.

"Hehe, let me remind you then." Tsukasa feels Ruis hands make their way to his shoulders.

"Wait— Ru—" A second later, their positions were flipped.

"Rui, what are you doing?" Tsukasa raises his eyebrow.

"I'm simply doing what you were doing. There's no harm in that, is there?"

Tsukasa sighs, he should've seen this coming. Either way, he doesn't hate it, so... why not play along? Plus, it's Ruis birthday, he might as well give him a... second gift, right?

"Well, if that's the case, you should stop right there, no?"

"Hmm... what if... I wanted to change the ending? I am your director after all." Rui puts his hand on Tsukasas chin, rubbing his lips with his thumb.

"Change the ending? To what, exactly?"

"Not sure yet... why don't we start rehearsal and I'll figure it out as we go?" Rui smirks.

"You've been dying for a chance to say that, haven't you?" Tsukasa chuckles.

"Oh, you have no idea. Well... what do you say, my star?"

"Not sure, I don't exactly have a script to memorize. What am I supposed to do about my lines, hm?" Tsukasa brings his hand up, lightly rubbing Ruis ear.

"Adlib them, of course. After all, you are a star actor, no?"

"Well, director. I trust you'll guide this star through his role properly?" Tsukasa traces his hand down Ruis face and chest to grab a hold of his collar, bringing him closer.

"Hehe, I wouldn't dare let my beloved leader down, would i?"

"You never have." Tsukasa tugs on the others collar, getting close enough to finally push their lips together.

After a few moments, Rui pulls away. "You taste like chocolate." He whispers, his lips lingering just above the blondes as he licks them.

"So do you. I thought dogs couldn't have chocolate. Won't you get sick, puppy?" Tsukasa teases.

"Neither can cats. I guess..." Rui puts his hand on Tsukasas chin, forcing his lips apart. "We're both a bit sick, don't you think?" He smirks.

"I suppose so." Tsukasa runs his fingers through Ruis hair. "Though, I don't mind. Let's be sick together, my dear." 

Rui chuckles. "Gladly." His lips return to Tsukasas. He decides to try something new as he licks his leaders lips, his tongue asking for permission. Tsukasa hesitates at first, but Rui can soon feel his lips open, letting him in. Rui takes his time exploring every inch of his stars mouth, tasting the chocolate from breakfast as their tongues intertwined, trying to get used to the foreign sensation.

He eventually feels Tsukasa trying to break the kiss with a gentle push on his shoulders. He breaks it slowly, wanting to savor the feeling that he was now obsessed with. Rui pulls away, a string of saliva connecting their tongues as their heavy breaths fill the room.

"Was that okay?" Rui asks.

"Yeah, just... a bit... much for right now..." Tsukasa steadies his breathing.

"Can i continue without it?"

Tsukasa nods, and Rui quickly reconnects their lips, this time without his tongue, returning to how they were before.

Ruis hands gently glide up and around Tsukasas throat, tilting the blondes head back ever so slightly with his thumb. His lips leave Tsukasas, making their way down, leaving small kisses and licks on the open skin. He felt almost drunk on his own emotions, he wanted to do everything he could to make sure people knew Tsukasa was his. All his.

As he gets to the side of Tsukasas neck, he pauses. He lifts his head and stares at the perfectly smooth and clear skin.

"Say... Kasa..." He speaks up.

"Yes...?"

He traces a small area of skin with his finger. "What's your opinion on... marks?"

"Marks? You mean like... kiss marks?"

"Yeah... are you against that at all...?"

Tsukasa stays silent for a while, he's never actually thought about that.

"Uh... well... I've never, you know... gotten any..."

"Would you like to...?" Rui looks up at Tsukasas face, trying to read his emotions.

"I mean... I'm not... exactly... against it... but..."

"But..?"

"Aren't they... painful?"

"They can be, yes..."

"Hmm..." Tsukasa furrows his brows, putting genuine thought into his answer.

"If you don't want to—"

"No no, you can..." Tsukasa cuts him off.

"Are you sure?" Rui questions, wanting to make sure he doesn't feel pressured.

"Yeah... just... not anywhere that would be hard to hide... I don't want anyone questioning me..." Tsukasa turns away, face more flushed than it was seconds before.

"Fair enough..." Rui lowers his head and gently pulls Tsukasas collar down, exposing his collarbone. He softly licks the bone, making Tsukasa twitch at the touch. "How about here...?" He looks back up at the blonde who nods his head in agreement.

"Tell me if you want me to stop, okay?" He asks, almost demanding. He needed to make sure Tsukasa wanted it as much as he did.

"I... I will."

With that, Rui brings his mouth back to the sensitive bone, leaving small pecks along it at first until he finds a good place for his mark. When he reaches a specific part, getting a much stronger reaction out of Tsukasa, he decides it's the perfect spot. He kisses the area a few more times, letting Tsukasa get used to the feeling. Once the other boy had seemingly gotten used to it, he latches his lips onto the skin, gently sucking on it to make sure his artwork is perfect. As he works, he can hear Tsukasa making noises he's never heard before and he was loving it. He could feel Tsukasas nails digging into his back, normally something he would hate, but he almost wishes it never stopped. He could tell Tsukasa was enjoying the feeling just as much as he was.

"Rui... nghh— fuck..." Tsukasa whines between shaky breaths, his head falling back into the bed. Rui could feel his entire body heat up. Tsukasa just...moaned his name?! Dear god, he thought he was going insane. He would do anything to have Tsukasa make those sounds again. Only he gets to hear them. And he's the reason for them. Knowing that, he was over the moon.

His actions get rougher, letting out a hum of his own as he lightly bites the spot as he kisses it. Tsukasa squirms around underneath him, his whines and quiet moans growing louder as Ruis cold hands explore every inch of his torso under his shirt. After almost twenty seconds, he lets go and immediately licks the bruise to ease the pain, leaving smaller kisses around it. He pulls away to examine it, softly rubbing it with his finger. Tsukasas body relaxes, throwing his arm over his eyes as his heavy breathing calms down.

"Perfect..." He whispers, looking back up to look at Tsukasa, who looked exhausted. "You okay?" He worries.

"Mhmm... fine..." He... whimpers?

"Oh? What's with that voice?" Rui teases, lifting himself over Tsukasa face.

"It's... nothing..." Tsukasa tries to cover his face even more, but Rui quickly moves his arms, pinning them to either side of the blondes head.

"Hmm~? What was that?"

Tsukasa tries to free his arms with very little success.

"Hehe, you look so pretty like this, Kasa." Rui smiles.

When Tsukasa finally gives up on trying to hide, he decides to play along once again.

"I'm always pretty, Rui."

"I'm glad you're aware of that. Now... what did you think of that? Hm?" Rui questions.

"It felt... weird..." Tsukasa admits.

"Weird...? Well, I guess that's expected. But... did you like it?"

Tsukasa hesitantly nods, still embarrassed by the noises he let out.

"Lovely! I'll keep that in mind~." Rui beams as he finally releases the blondes arms and sits up on his lap, careful to avoid putting too much pressure on the blondes thigh.

"Thank you for the gift, my love." He grabs the plush from before and stares at it as if it was the most precious thing in the world.

Tsukasa sits himself up and smiles at the sight. "You're very welcome."

"By the way... when did you even have time to make this?"

"I actually started it the day before the first time you asked me to look at the stars with you."

"Seriously?! Was that... as a friend.. or..?"

"I mean... at first, yes. But... after that day, I was... strangely determined to make it perfect. So... maybe I really did like you then... I'm still not entirely sure." Tsukasa shrugs.

"Well... no matter how you felt about me then... I still appreciate it. I'll treasure this little guy forever!"

"Are you gonna name it?"

"Name...? Hmm... Oh! How about... North?" Rui suggests.

"North...? Why?" Tsukasa tilts his head.

"After your favorite star, the North Star!"

"But— Rui, it's your plush, not mine..."

"Yes, but you gave it to me. Therefore, its our child."

"Chi— Huh?!"

"Hehe~ This is now our son, North!" Rui puts the plush in front of Tsukasas face.

"Isn't North a girl though? Males have claws or something on their legs, don't they?"

"One, they're called spurs and they are extremely dangerous. Two, yes they do, but gender is a social construct anyway. North can be whatever North wants to be! And... hm? What's that?" Rui brings the plush up to his ear, as if it were talking to him. "You're a boy? Mhm, of course. He said he's a boy! So, say hello to our precious son!" Rui exclaims, putting the animal back in front of Tsukasa.

Tsukasa sighs into a laugh, as ridiculous as it sounded, he found it adorable.

"Alright then. Hello, little North." He pats the stuffed animal as if it were real. All while Rui was giggling behind it.

"You cannot be the same man who was practically trying to eat my collarbone five minutes ago." Tsukasa jokes, moving the platypus and fluffing up Ruis hair.

"I very much am! Why? You need me to do it again to prove it?" Rui teases.

"No! No, I do not need you to do that, you absolute heathen."

"Heathen?! Ouch, that hurts." Rui pouts, hugging North for support.

"Oh come on, stop sulking. It's your birthday, remember?" Tsukasa rubs his head, playing with this hair much gentler than before.

"Right! I forgot..."

As if on cue, Ruis phone rings. He quickly bends back to grab it, remaining on his leaders lap.

"Hello, Nene~!" He answers, keeping the phone on speaker.

"Morning, happy birthday!"

"Thank you, my dear neighbor. You know, you could've come over and said that."

"I could've, yes. But, I didn't feel like it. Anyway, do you and your little boyfriend have any plans today?"

"Hey! Who are you calling little?!" Tsukasa scolds.

"Oh, hello Tsukasa. You heard me."

Tsukasa hears Rui choking back a laugh and gives him a slap on the shoulder.

"Sorry, sorry. But, as of right now... no. Why?" Rui continues the conversation.

"My mom wanted to know if your family wanted to do dinner together or something like we did when we were little."

"Oh, uh... I'll ask my mom. We haven't done that in a while. I'm sure she wouldn't mind though. I'll ask her and call you back when I know whats up."

"Sweet, thank you. Talk to you later."

"Yep, bye-bye~."

As he hangs up, he sees many missed messages and calls from other friends.

"Oh, I should probably respond to these..." He laughs.

"Yes! It would be rude if you didn't." Tsukasa agrees.

He spends a few moments to reply to everyone. Mizuki, Emu, and a few other friends and family members.

"Alright~ That's everyone. I'll be right back, I need to ask my mom about what Nene said." He says, finally getting off of Tsukasa, letting the blonde properly stretch his legs.

"Okay, I think I'll go take a shower." Tsukasa searches through his bag for some clothes as Rui tosses him a towel.

They both leave the room and do their own things.

"Oh mother dearest~ Can i come in?" Rui sings as he knocks on her bedroom door.

He hears her say yes, and he enters the room.

"Hello~ I have a question."

"Hm? And what would that be?" She tilts her head.

"Nene called me and was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with her family. You know, like we used to do on our birthdays." He explains.

"Oh! That would be so fun! I don't mind. What about you, honey?" She turns to her husband.

"Sure! We haven't spoken to the Kusanagis in a while. I don't see why not!" He agrees.

"Okay~ Thank you~. I'll let her know." He leaves the room as quick as he entered it after getting his confirmation. He calls Nene back to tell her the plan and sits on the couch, waiting for Tsukasa to finish his shower.

Over in the bathroom, Tsukasa looks at his new... decoration in the mirror.

"Oh wow... okay... That's bigger than I thought it would be... hmm... shouldn't be too difficult to cover up though. Just gotta be careful with what shirts i wear..." He gently pokes at the bruise, flinching at the touch.

"I can't believe I let him do this the day before I tell my mom about—" He pauses. "No... I can't be thinking about that right now. It's Ruis birthday! Okay. Let's make this the best day of his life!" He nods to himself and gets into the shower, careful not to hurt his leg with the soap.

When he finishes, he joins Rui on the couch, who was very much enjoying some television.

"Oh hello. Your hair is still wet, my love."

"I know, I was hoping you would... dry it for me?" Tsukasa hands Rui his towel.

"Oh? Sure! Come, sit on the floor."

Tsukasa sits between Ruis legs on the ground, letting his director dry his hair. He finds himself getting sleepy at the touch, he was extremely relaxed.

"I'm done~ Hm? Are you sleeping?"

Tsukasa jolts up, he almost really was asleep. "No! Well... kinda. I was so comfy..." He pouts.

"Hehe, maybe I'll do it again someday." Rui smiles, leaving the couch to put the towel away. He quickly returns to the couch, getting back into his previous position.

"So, what did your parents say? About Nenes idea." Tsukasa looks up at Rui.

"It's a plan! They'll come over around... five? It's almost noon now, so... we still have time for other things~"

"Other things..? You better not be planning on biting me next or something!" Tsukasa scolds.

"I would never! Unless... you want me to?" Rui smirks as he leans down to Tsukasas level.

"No! I do not! You really are an animal..."

"You love that and you know it."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't. Either way, you'll never know~" Tsukasa shrugs, eyes returning to the television in front of them.

Rui sighs and lays on his side behind Tsukasa, playing with his freshly clean hair. He suddenly gets an idea and smirks, leaning up to Tsukasas ear. "Well... the way you were cursing and whining my name underneath me earlier told me everything I need to know." He whispers.

Tsukasa jolts up, turning around fast enough that Rui was worried he would break his neck. "Rui! We do not speak of that!" He scolds, his face becoming more red than his shirt.

"Why not? It was extremely attractive. I would love~ to hear it again sometime." Rui teases.

"You—! You're ridiculous..." Tsukasa sighs, absolutely defeated.

"Why did you do that, by the way...? Were you trying to tell me something?"

"No... it just... came out..."

"Oh? Does that mean... it felt good?" Rui questions, both teasing and genuinely curious.

Tsukasa doesn't answer, but his gazes shifts to the side, a slight smile creeping onto his lips. That's all Rui needed to answer his own question.

"It did?! I'm glad~ I'm learning so much about you this weekend. Who knew you were so..." He pauses, smiling before even saying the end of his sentence.

"...So what?" Tsukasa questions with a raised eyebrow.

"...Kinky."

"Kin— I— What?! I am not! You're the one with a praise kink!" The blonde stumbles over his words.

"Right... whatever you say, owner. And, at least I admit it when I like something~" Rui chuckles, reminding his lover of the previous day.

"...Leave me alone." Tsukasa sighs turning back around to face the TV.

"Awe~ Are you sulking? Oh my poor baby, come here~" Rui hugs Tsukasa from behind, reaching down to tickle his sides.

As much as Tsukasa tried to stay upset, there was no way he could. He tries to push Ruis arms away, but failed... very badly.

"Wait— stop! Ru—" He tries to fight the tickles, but eventually— accidentally... somehow... sends them both to the floor, Rui landing on top of him.

"Oh dear, how did we end up like this again?" Rui caresses the blondes face with a slight chuckle.

"Because someone doesn't know what personal space is." Tsukasa scolds.

"You're saying it's my fault?"

"Maybe. Who knows?" Tsukasa shrugs.

"Alright then... Let's find out just who you're referring to, yeah?" Rui grins, lowering himself to Tsukasas level.

"You're obsessed with this, aren't you?" Tsukasa laughs at the ridiculous situation.

"Very." Rui opens his mouth again, as if he was going to speak, but instead he... licks Tsukasas lips? Sort of like a dog.

Wait... what?

"Rui!" Tsukasa pushes the director up, instantly wiping his lips. "That was gross!" He whines.

"Hehe~ I just wanted to try it out. I take it you don't like it very much?"

"No! I don't! Who would?!" Tsukasa scolds.

"Oh well, I tried." Rui shrugs, sitting up properly.

"Boys...?"

Ruis head shoots up to see his parents staring directly at them.

They stare at each other for a moment of very awkward silence. Then, he looks at Tsukasa, and back to them.

"Oh! Uh—! We weren't—" He stands up, trying to come up with any excuse he can think of. Tsukasa quickly stands as well, trying to straighten up his clothing.

"Sorry!" Tsukasa was quick to apologize for causing a disturbance.

"No, no... It's not my business what you two get up to, you're at that age, but... try to do it in your room next time, yeah?" His mother chuckles, almost equally as embarrassed as they were.

"Right... okay..." Rui mumbles.

"And Tsukasa, darling..." She starts. "You can use my makeup if you need to."

"Makeup...? For w— OH!" He quickly fixes his collar, hiding the mark on his chest.

Rui hides his face in his hands, he doesn't know how much they saw, but he was extremely embarrassed either way. Not only that they saw them in that position, but they saw the hickey?! Of course they had to see it! Just his luck.

"Heh... uh... well..." Tsukasa tries to change the subject, but can't think of anything.

"Well, since you two seem so... eager to do something." His dad starts. "Do you feel like going to the store for us?"

"Wh— Huh? The store? For what..?" Rui looks up, still shocked by what happened.

"Since our neighbors are coming over for dinner, we need a bit more food. Wanna grab it for us?" He suggests.

"Uh... sure? We can do that..."

"Y-yeah! That's no problem!" Tsukasa answers.

"Wonderful! Here's the list. Thank you~" Ruis mom hands him a list of a few items.

"We'll... uh... we'll be back, I guess?" The boys return to Ruis room to grab their wallets and shoes.

As soon as they enter the room, Tsukasa shoves his head into Ruis chest.

"I cannot believe that just happened..." He sighs, not knowing if he should laugh or cry.

Rui rubs his head. "Me either... sorry about that... At least they already know we're dating though, right?" He tries to find some good in the embarrassing situation.

"I guess..." Tsukasa lifts his head and dramatically groans, shaking himself out of his emotions. He takes a deep breath before speaking. "Okay! To the store!" He yells, his normal leader voice beaming throughout the garage.

"Hehe, yes. Let's go." Rui chuckles and grabs the items he needs, and they make their way to the store.

-After the store cuz I aint writing all that ♡-

On their way home, they see a familiar head of green hair in front of Ruis house.

"Oh! Hello, Nene! You aren't supposed to be here yet...?" Rui checks his phone for the time, it was only two.

"I know, and I'm not. I was actually looking for Tsukasa." She says.

"Huh? Me?" Tsukasa questions.

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Me? Not Rui? Or both of us?"

"Nope, you. Do you have a minute?" She seemed serious. Tsukasa has no idea what she could want, but there's no way he would deny when she sounded like that, right?

"Uh... yeah, sure. Rui, you can bring these in, right?" He looks at Rui, who was already grabbing Tsukasas bags as he nods in response.

"Thank you, uh... where do you want to talk?" He walks to Nene and follows her over to her house, disappearing from Ruis sight.

"Hmm..." Rui furrows his brows, thinking about what those two could possibly by talking about. After not being able to think of anything, he sighs and enters his own house with the groceries.

"Oh? Where's Tsukasa?" His mom wonders.

"Nene wanted to talk to him... for some reason. She didn't say what about, so..." He puts the bags on the counter, clearly distressed. 

"I'm sure it's fine. Friends talk all the time, no?" His dad notices his sad expression and rubs his back.

"I know, but... why wouldn't she want me to know...? What if... it's about me?" He starts overthinking again, something his parents know all too much about.

"Honey, I'm sure it's nothing like that. You can ask Tsukasa when he gets back, or even Nene when she comes over later, okay? Don't worry." His mom tries to comfort him. It's his birthday, he doesn't need to be upset.

"Yeah... okay." He reluctantly gets up and helps put all the items away, trying to distract himself.

Over at Nenes house, Tsukasa finally speaks up.

"So, uh... whats up? What did you want to talk about?"

"Have you talked to your sister at all this weekend?"

"Saki? No... why?"

"According to Emu... she seems really sad at school."

"What? Why?!"

"That's the thing... She won't tell anyone. Emu assumes it has something to do with Friday though. I kinda... sorta... told her about it."

"Oh..." Tsukasa lowers his head. Nobody in his family has said anything to him since then.

"Yeah, so... if you can... at least text her or something? I think she's worried about you."

"Yeah... yeah I'll message her tonight... Thank you, Nene..."

"You're welcome. Also, since you're already here..." She stands up and walks over to a gift bag, rummaging through it for something. When she finds it, she returns to his side. "Do you think Rui will like this? It's from both Emu and me."

It was a gorgeous set of yellow star-shaped earrings. The color perfectly matched Ruis eyes.

"Woah... Nene, these are beautiful! He's gonna love them!"

She breathes a sigh of relief. "Okay... that's good. Thank you." She puts the jewelry back into the bag.

"By the way... why didn't you just say that first thing in front of Rui?" Tsukasa questions.

"Well, I just thought it would be better to tell you before anyone else. Plus, I didn't know if you would want him to know. You can tell him if he asks, but I needed to tell you first." She explains.

"Ah... I guess that makes sense..."

"Well, that's all I needed, so..."

"Right! Thank you again for telling me. I'll see you in a couple hours!"

"Yep, see ya." She walks him out and he returns to Ruis house to see a very... dull looking Rui sitting at the table.

"Hey... I'm back. Is everything oka—" Before he could finish his sentence Rui throws his arms around Tsukasa.

"Woah... what's wrong?!" His eyes dart between both of Ruis parents, hoping for an answer.

"He... was overthinking again. He didn't like not knowing what you and Nene were talking about, and... as you can see, he's a bit... gone." His mom explains. "We tried to bring him back, but I think he just really wanted to see you first."

"Oh... Rui, baby..." Rui lifts his head at the new name, trying to keep his tears in. "It wasn't about you, you don't have to worry..." He grabs Ruis face, rubbing his thumb across his cheeks.

"What was... it about...?"

"Saki. Apparently she's been looking sad at school. Nene told me to check up on her."

"Oh... that's not good..." He could almost feel Ruis energy fading away. He will not let that happen. Not today. Not on his birthday.

"She'll be alright, don't worry! She's my sister after all! I'll text her later and ask whats up."

"Okay..."

"Hey... really, It's fine. Come on, it's your birthday. We've gotta be happy, yeah?" Rui nods, but his emotions stay the same.

"Hmm... one second! I know how to cheer you up!" Tsukasa sits Rui properly in his chair and runs to his room. He returns with a familiar object.

"Here!" He shoves the item into Ruis face. It takes him a moment to realize what it was.

'What is that...? A platypus...? Where have I seen that before...? It has stars on its tail... Wait... is that...'

"North...?" He weakly grabs the platypus, a small smile forming on his face as he slowly comes back to his senses.

"There we go... come back to me, my love.

"Sorry... I don't know what happened..." Rui awkwardly scratches his neck, returning to how he was before they left.

"It's alright! We can't have you being sad on your special day, can we? Come here!" Tsukasa cups his face once again, leaving small pecks scattered around every part of it.

"Okay, okay! I'm alright now!" Rui laughs, pushing Tsukasa off of him.

"Good! Now! We've got three hours before everyone gets here!" Tsukasa beams, standing Rui up.

"Did you want to do something?" Rui questions.

"Nothing specific... your parents told me they don't need any help with the food, so..."

"Go do whatever you want. We can do everything out here." Ruis mom waves her hand, almost shooing them away.

"Okay~" Rui sings as he jumps up and drags Tsukasa into his room.

"Have fun~!" Tsukasa hears Ruis dad yell before Rui shuts the door behind them.

"And... what was that for, exactly?" Tsukasa raises his eyebrow at Ruis sudden actions.

"Nothing~ Just wanted to cuddle. That's all."

"That's all...?"

"Yes, that's really it this time. Promise."

"If you say so." The boys make their way to the bed and do just that. Cuddle. They were both on their phones, occasionally glancing over at each others screens. They didn't talk much, but that didn't matter. They were just taking time to enjoy each others company.

"Oh, by the way." Tsukasa starts. "There is... one more suprise I have for you."

"Huh? What is it?" Rui looks up at him, tilting his head.

"Hehe, you'll see. You have to wait until dinner for it! However, to not spoil it, you need to stay in here until your parents call you to come out, okay?"

"Now I'm curious... can I have a hint?"

"Nope. You've gotta wait."

"Please~? Not even the tiniest hint?"

"Nope! Just trust me, you'll love it!" Tsukasa ruffles Ruis hair.

"Hmph, fine. I'll be patient." Rui lays his head back on Tsukasas shoulder.

"Good boy. Now, let's rest up until you're called, yeah?"

Rui nods into his shoulder, slumping over to get more comfortable.

Tsukasa is confident that Rui will love his suprise. After all, he's been planning it all day. With the help of... many others.

Chapter Text

The Calm Before The Storm

After a while of laying down, Tsukasa notices Rui had fallen asleep. He takes this as the perfect chance to make sure his final suprise is going just as planned. He carefully gets off of the bed and makes his way into the kitchen.

"Hey, how's it going?" He asks quietly to not wake his lover up.

"Good, any word from the others yet?" Ruis mom responds.

"Yeah, they should all be here around the same time. I'm glad they were able to come, especially on such short notice."

"Me too, I know Rui will be happy to see them too. Thank you, Tsukasa."

"Hm? For what?"

"If you hadn't asked our boy to be in your theater troupe last year... I'm not sure he would've been able to make so many new friends."

"Ah... well... You're welcome. I'm glad he was able to meet new people as well. Connections seem to be extremely important to him, but he subconsciously believes he doesn't deserve them... I want to make sure he knows that isn't true." Tsukasa nods, a determined smile flashing on his face for a second.

"Well, it seems to be working so far. I really do appreciate everything you've done for him up until now." Ruis mom suddenly pulls the teen into a hug, she was overwhelmingly greatful.

Tsukasa, as surprised as he was, returns the hug. "I don't plan on going anywhere any time soon, so you don't have to worry about that. I'll stay by his side for as long as I live." He pulls her away, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Thank you, really." She takes a deep breath. "Now. Let's finish this party set up, yeah?"

Tsukasa nods and begins helping. He would occasionally stick his head into Ruis room to make sure he was still asleep.

One by one, other people start arriving, quietly joining in on the decorating.

"Ruis waking up! I'll be back!" Tsukasa yells in a half-whisper. The group nods and he disappears into Ruis room.

"Where were you...?" Rui sleepily asks through a yawn.

"Just in the kitchen. Did you sleep well?" Tsukasa sits on the edge of the bed, running his fingers through Ruis hair.

"Mhmm~ Very well." Rui smiles, still struggling to open his eyes. "What time is it?"

"Almost five now."

"Five...? Shouldn't Nene be here?" Rui slowly sits up, remembering what day it was.

"She's not here yet, but should be soon. Remember, you gotta stay in here until we tell you to leave, no spoiling the suprise~!"

"Yes, yes, I remember." Rui stretches his arms and wraps them around Tsukasas shoulders. "Did you text Saki yet?"

"No, I'll do it after dinner. Are you really that worried about her?"

"Yeah. I mean... she doesn't even know what happened at school... All she knows is that you somehow got hurt and ran over here for the weekend..."

"I guess that's true... but don't worry, I promise I'll message her later. Okay?" Tsukasa pats Ruis head as he nods in response.

As they sit there for a moment, Tsukasas phone dings and he quickly grabs it. It was a message from Ruis mom. He angles the phone just enough to where Rui couldn't read it.

Ruis Mom 🌱
'Come out here for a moment'
'We're almost done'

☆Tsukasa☆
'Okay!'

"Love, I'll be right~ back." He gently pushes Rui off of him, getting a confused hum from the other.

"Just wait right here." Tsukasa quickly leaves the room and joins everyone else. Everyone was finally there. Perfect.

"Okay, we're just about done. You ready?" Nene asks.

"Yes! I'll go get him. Remember, everyone stay quiet until I uncover his eyes." Tsukasa quietly announces. Everyone gets into position and waits.

Tsukasa returns to Ruis room. "Okay~ Come on out."

"Hm? Should I be afraid?" Rui raises his eyebrow as he stands.

"Of course not! However, I will need to cover your eyes." Tsukasa explains.

"Cover my— ...Why?"

"Just trust me. Come here."

Rui prepares himself for whatever was waiting for him in the kitchen and lets Tsukasa cover his eyes as they walk.

"Almost there... okay! Ready, my love?" Rui hesitantly nods as Tsukasa slowly removes his hands.

Just as he opens his eyes...

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Followed by popping noises can be heard in front of him.

He jumps back at the sudden noise at first, his eyes not yet adjusted to the light. As his vision focuses he can see... three? No, five...? Nine people?! All surrounded by confetti falling from their poppers.

"Wh— huh?!" He looks around, seeing all the familiar faces of all of his friends and family members.

He looks at Tsukasa who had his typical wide and proud smile plastered on his face.

"When did you...?"

"Invite everyone? Today, actually."

"Today?! When?! We've been together all— wait."

"Yep! It was when I was making breakfast with your parents while you were sound asleep!" Tsukasa playfully pokes Ruis nose.

"Wait... so... Nene, you already knew about this?!"

"Yep. I only asked about my family coming so you wouldn't be suspicious if you saw your parents making so much food."

"Happy birthday, Senpai!" Toya and Akito say in sync as they walk up to the other couple.

"Thank you... Sorry, I'm still a bit shocked..." Rui chuckles, scratching his neck in embarrassment.

"Fair enough, I wasn't exactly expecting to come here today either." Akito shrugs. "But... Toya and Tsukasa insisted, so..." He wraps his arm around Toyas shoulders, holding him close.

When Ruis mom approaches the group, Akito was quick to let go, unsure if the woman was okay with it or not.

"Don't worry dear, I don't mind." She gives the ginger a warm smile.

"Ah... r-right...! Thank you...!" He stammers, grabbing onto his boyfriend again, small laughs coming from the others.

"RRUUUIIIII~" Was all the boys could hear before a small pink haired girl latches onto Ruis left arm, followed by a slightly taller pink haired girl grabbing onto his right.

"Hello there girls." Rui giggles.

"Happy birthday~!" They sing in sync.

"Hehe, thank you very much."

"Well!" Tsukasa starts. "Now that we've all said our hellos... we have a party to put on!" He announces, receiving many nods and yells in agreement.

The group makes their way to the dinner table and enjoy the food Ruis parents spent hours putting their hearts into.

After many conversations, laughs, and plates of food, it was time for gifts. Everyone sits down in the living room, Rui and his parents on the couch.

"Since I only knew it was your birthday today... I couldn't really take my time in getting somethin', but... here." Akito awkwardly hands Rui a small box. "From me and Toya."

"Oh, thank you. I wasn't exactly expecting you two to get me something..." Rui admits. He carefully opens the box to see a silver necklace. He pulls it out to see a gear shaped charm on the end of it. "Woah... this is beautiful...! Thank you boys."

"I'm glad! I was worried you wouldn't like it." Toya smiles, happy his senior likes his gift.

They continue and he receives Emu and Nenes earrings, along with a handmade purple bow-tie from Mizuki. He gets a few small items from his parents which he also falls in love with. After gifts, everyone returned to their own conversations and activities.

As much as he was enjoying the company, though... he was starting to get a bit overwhelmed. Everyone had been there for about two hours already, and he was exhausted. The constant noise, bright colors scattered around the living room, the multiple different conversations happening at the same time... it was all too much, and his head was starting to spin. Sure, he's always surrounded by things like this at Phoenix Wonderland and during shows, but he usually has time to prepare himself for that beforehand. Not this time.

"Uh... ex-excuse me for a m-moment..." He stutters, having trouble focusing on his words. He carefully gets up and walks to his room, struggling to stand properly. He was so quiet in speaking, that nobody seemed to notice that he even left, nobody but Tsukasa, anyway.

Tsukasa follows closely behind, making sure to not draw too much attention. When he gets to Ruis closed door, he hears a thud from the other side and immediately swings to door open to find Rui on his knees on the floor. He calmly closes the door and sits at Ruis side, placing his hand gently on his back. Rui was breathing heavily, almost like he was trying to catch his breath.

"Hey... what's going on..?" He uses the calmest voice he can.

"...Too much." Rui says through forced, shaky breaths.

"You getting overwhelmed?"

Rui quickly nods, and Tsukasa starts feeling terrible about his plan.

"Oh, love... I'm sorry..." He rubs Ruis back. "I just wanted all your friends to celebrate with you..."

Rui shakes his head. "N-no... it's okay, just... a lot..."

"I'm sorry... here, wait a second." Tsukasa grabs his water from the desk and places it in front of Rui. The other boy tries to grab it, but his trembling hands made that... very hard. So, Tsukasa held it up his lips and helped him drink it, leaning his head back slightly to make sure he actually gets water into his mouth.

"There we go... Come here." Tsukasa puts the water to the side and holds his arms open in front of Rui. He lets Rui calm his breathing for a bit longer until the purple haired boy finally shuffles towards him and weakly leans into his chest, his head resting in the blondes shoulder. Tsukasa hears Rui let out a shaky sigh of relief when his arms finally wrap around him, the directors body melting into his leaders.

"Feel better?" Tsukasa asks, running his fingers through Ruis hair with one hand and rubbing his back with the other. "Mhmm..." Rui nods, still letting out deep breaths to calm his heart.

"I'm sorry, Rui..." He apologizes again, he felt horrible.

Rui finally lifts his head up, meeting his eyes. "It's okay. I know you just wanted me to enjoy today... I'm not upset." He weakly smiles before letting his head fall back down.

"Let me feel bad for once!" Tsukasa playfully scolds. He feels Rui laughs as a response, a good sign.

After resting there for a few minutes, there was a soft knock at the door. "...Rui? Everything okay?" It was his mom.

She carefully opens the door and sees the boys on the floor. "Oh dear... did something happen?" She questions as the door quietly shuts behind her.

"He got a bit overwhelmed with everything going on out there." Tsukasa explains.

"Is that so? Are you okay now...?" She crouches down to their level. Rui nods, not looking up at her.

"Alright...I was originally coming in here to tell you that we were getting ready for cake, but... if you're not feeling well..." She worries.

"Mmmno..." Rui mumbles as he lifts his head up. "No... I'm okay... Just tired..."

"Do you still want to come out and join everyone? If not, I can bring both of your plates in here."

"No no, I will... just gimme a second please~" He sits himself up, using Tsukasa for support. He takes a deep breath, before suddenly standing up. "Okay! Just a bit longer. I can handle that...!" He tells himself before turning to the other two and smiling. They could tell he was absolutely exhausted, but admired his determination. They both stand up and the trio walks back into the kitchen as if nothing happened.

"Oh, there you are!" Emu yells. "Did something happen?" She tilts her head.

"No no, I just needed to grab something. I had some trouble finding it." Rui lies, trying his best to stabilize himself yet again.

"Hmm? Okay! Come! Let's have cake~!" She beams as she drags him to his chair.

"Has this happened before...?" Tsukasa asks Ruis mom.

"Yeah. We stopped having people over when he was in middle school because this would happen each time we did. It seems that it's gotten a bit better now though." She faintly smiles at the sight of her son sitting with his friends.

"Better? So, it used to be worse..?"

"Much worse. Back then, he would start crying, and I mean sobbing his little heart out... it absolutely destroyed his dad and I..." She sighs. "But... he's slowly getting better thanks to all of you. You have no idea how happy this sight makes me."

"Why didn't... you tell me about that...?" Tsukasa asks, slightly upset at her.

"Because you wouldn't have done this if I did. I know, it sounds selfish, but... I knew this would be good for him. Yes, we had that incident just now, I know. But this is the first time anyone has been able to calm him down enough for him to leave his room afterwards."

"...Really?"

"Yes. I can tell, Tsukasa... you're perfect for him. You've helped him in ways we, his own parents, haven't been able to. Thank you for loving our Rui." She squeezes his arm, both as a form of comfort and thanks.

"Thank you for letting me." He smiles.

"Mrs. Kamishiro~! Tsukasa~! Everything's ready~!"

His mom laughs. "Coming! Let's go finish this party, yeah?" Tsukasa nods and they join everyone at the table.

After cake, the crowd slowly dies down as everyone says their farewells and return home. As Nene as her family leave, being the last of the group, Rui lets out a heavy breath, finally letting his body relax.

"You did well, my love." Tsukasa rubs his shoulder. "Again, I'm sorry... I had no idea that would happen..."

"Like I said, it's okay. You didn't mean it. Plus, i had fun otherwise, don't worry." Rui smiles, patting Tsukasas head.

"Well, I'm glad you managed to have some fun. I'm sure you're tired, though... right?"

"Very." Rui chuckles, he swears his body could fall asleep any second.

"Alright, well... we have school tomorrow anyway, so we should probably sleep early tonight." Tsukasa suggests, Rui nods in agreement.

"Ah... I need to wash up first though..."

"Oh yeah... me too."

"Hehe..." Rui giggles. "We can take a bath together~?" He teases.

"Rui!" The blonde scolds.

"What? I'm serious... plus... I'm too tired to do anything like that anyway. You're the one thinking dirty, you perv."

Tsukasa checks his phone for the time. It was already almost nine, and they had school tomorrow. So, it was either bathe together, or not at all. He sighs before answering. "Alright then. Let's do that." He agrees.

"Lovely~ Let's get our clothes~" They head to Ruis room to grab clothes and before they knew it, they were in the bathroom together waiting for the tub to fill up.

"How exactly... do we do this?"

"Much like if you were alone, just... with me~"

"That... was not very helpful." Tsukasa sighs.

"We just sit there, my dear." Rui chuckles as the tub finally fills.

Without much warning, the very sleepy Rui starts undressing.

Tsukasa quickly turns his head away in embarrassment. He soon hears the splash of water and Rui hum with comfort.

"You coming?" He questions.

"Y-yes! Just... give me a moment. We haven't exactly... seen each other naked before... and now we're going to be sitting in a bathtub together... naked."

"There's nothing to be worried about. Here, I'll look away."

"Thank—"

"If..." Rui interrupts.

"...If?"

"You sit behind me... I wanna lean on you... can i?"

"Behind... you?"

"Mhmm... please?" Rui begs through tired eyes.

"Yeah... yeah, okay... just— turn around."

Rui does as he's told and sits up, waiting for Tsukasa to join him. He hears the rustling of fabric before soon feeling the water behind him shift, followed by the feeling of Tsukasas legs on either side of him.

"Okay... I'm good now." Tsukasa says, voice still sounding nervous.

"Hello~" Rui immediately leans his back against Tsukasas chest, getting comfortable.

"Just how tired are you...?"

"Extremely. I could probably fall asleep right here..."

"Please don't."

"I won't, I won't... but i could. You know... you're very comfy." Rui hums.

"You say that a lot... am I really?" He asks, receiving a nod in response.

Tsukasa was slowly getting used to his current situation, finding himself also slightly comfortable.

"You want me to wash your hair?" He offers.

"Yes! Very much yes... That would be nice." Rui sits up, nodding aggressively. "I was gonna ask you myself but wasn't sure if you'd be okay with it."

Tsukasa chuckles at the cute reaction and reaches for the soap. He puts some in his hand and carefully spreads it through Ruis hair.

"Kasa... can I turn around?" He asks.

"...Why...?"

"I wanna look at you... can i?"

Tsukasa mentally prepares himself, and agrees.

Rui carefully turns around, sitting cross legged in front of Tsukasa.

"Hehe... hello, beautiful." Rui giggles. "Oh...?" He leans over, getting closer to Tsukasas chest. "Does that hurt...? It's gotten a lot darker..." He asks gently poking at his mark from earlier.

"A little, not as bad as I thought it would, and— sit still, I'm trying to wash your hair." The blonde scolds, Rui instantly stopping his movements with a pout to let him finish. When he finally washes out the soap, he puts his arms on Ruis shoulders.

"What about your leg...? Doesn't the water hurt it?" Rui looks down and gently places his hand on Tsukasas knee, making the blonde flinch.

"A little... but it's okay..." Tsukasa says between attempts to keep his breathing calm at the sudden touch.

"You know... if I wasn't so tired... i might just have you as a little late night snack~" Rui giggles as his hand slides further up onto the blondes thigh.

"Rui... what are you doing?"

"Nothing~" Rui pushes himself up so his face was nearly touching Tsukasas. "Just... admiring my star."

"I thought you were 'too tired to do anything like that'." Tsukasa raises an eyebrow.

"I am... but I also have the most beautiful boy sitting in front of me. Please~ Kasa?"

"Hm? Please what?" Tsukasa tilts his head.

"Just one kiss~?" 

"Huh?! Like this?!"

"Is that a no?" Rui pouts at the blondes reaction.

"It's not a no... just... not right now. Maybe another day, yeah?"

Rui sits himself back down properly. "Okay..." He frowns.

"Hey, I didn't say never... just not today." Tsukasa rubs Ruis head to cheer up the sleepy boy. "How about we finish up in here and get some sleep, okay?"

Rui nods his head as Tsukasa finishes up with cleaning his hair and face. "All done~"

"Thank you~" Rui pulls Tsukasas face closer to his, leaving a small kiss on his forehead. "Want me to wash yours?"

"No, it's alright. I'll do it in the shower afterwards." Rui nods. "Now, you look like you're gonna pass out any second. Let's go to bed, my love."

"Good idea..." Rui mumbles.

Tsukasa drains the water and sits to the side as Rui washes himself off in the shower, him doing the same when he's done.

They soon get dressed and move to Ruis room, almost immediately falling into the bed.

Just before Rui falls asleep, he remembers something.

"Ah! Kasa!" He yells startling the blonde.

"W-what?!"

"Saki! You didn't text her!"

"Oh, shit! You're right..! I'll do it right now, thank you!" Tsukasa quickly grabs his phone to text his sister, Rui falling back into his chest. He takes a deep breath before messaging her, scared of what she'll say.

☆Tsukasa☆
'Saki'
'So, uh... Nene told me that you've been kinda... sad at school?'
'Is everything okay?'

Saki🌸
'Sorry...'
'I've been worried about you'
'but... I wasn't sure if i should text you or not...'
'you really seemed like you didnt want to talk to anyone when you left, so..'

☆Tsukasa☆
'im sorry...'
'I will admit, I was... very stressed on Friday.'
'I didn't mean to worry you...'

Saki🌸
'its okay'
'could you... maybe'
'tell me what happened?'
'mom hasnt said anything because she doesnt think you would want her to'

☆Tsukasa☆
'I'll explain everything after school tomorrow'
'I promise.'
'if i dont do it then... I probably never will.'
'also... how is mom?'
'is she still upset with me...?'

Saki🌸
'okay...'
'and, she never was'

☆Tsukasa☆
'she wasnt...?'
'it sure didnt seem that way..'

Saki🌸
'well, she was for a little while after you left, but..'
'if anything, she's been worried that you may never come back'

"Oh... God, I'm the worst..." Tsukasa sighs, he could almost feel his heart shattering.

"What happened?" Rui worries.

"Apparently my mom was worried that I would never go back home..."

"Oh... really?"

"Yeah... geez, I'm a terrible son..."

"Hey, no! Don't say that!" Rui quickly sits up, all of his tiredness suddenly dissappearing.

"But it's true! I go and hurt myself in a school bathroom, lie to her about it, yell at her calling her a bad mother in public, and just disappear for a weekend without even asking?! What kind of son does that?!"

Rui could see the tears forming in Tsukasas eyes that he was struggling to keep from falling.

"Kasa..."

"Sorry... I didn't mean to yell. It's just... reality is finally starting to catch up to me, I guess...and it's so, so frustrating..."

"Hey..." Rui puts his hand up to Tsukasa face, rubbing his thumb across his cheek. "It's gonna be okay. If you want, I can come home with you and be there when you talk. Would you like that?"

"...Please." Tsukasa begs.

"Okay, I can do that. I'll be there as long as you need me to be. You have nothing to worry about." Rui gives Tsukasa a reassuring smile.

"Thank you..." He takes a deep breath and returns to his phone to reply to his sisters message.

Saki🌸
'you there..?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'yeah sorry'
'ill be back tomorrow, dont worry.'
'but... ruis coming with me'
'I dont think I can do this without him'

Saki🌸
'thats fine!'
'im just glad you're okay'
'I need to go to bed now though...'
'see you tomorrow?'

☆Tsukasa☆
'yeah'
'Goodnight Saki'

Saki🌸
'Goodnight 😊'

He turns his phone off and plugs it in, putting it back on the desk.

"I really have to do this... don't i?"

"I won't say you necessarily have to... but you seem like you really want to."

"I do? I sure don't feel like i want to..."

"The fact that you're even questioning if you have to or not tells me that, subconsciously, you want to. Because you know that if you don't, things might only get worse. Am I right?"

Tsukasa stares at Rui with wide eyes, Rui staring back at him. He read him like a book.

"Listen..." Rui starts. "I know you're probably telling yourself that nothing good will come out of this. That... your mom won't be supportive, or that maybe she'll even hate you, and I can't exactly promise you that won't happen, of course. I don't know her that well. What i can tell you, however, is that... she loves you. Saki loves you. Your family loves you, Tsukasa. If something this simple changes that? You have me and my parents. You have Shinonome and Aoyagi. Hell, you even have everyone over in SEKAI. No matter how it goes with her, you have others to rely on. So... don't worry. Whatever happens, I'll be right there. If it goes wrong, you can stay here for however long you need to. Okay?"

Tsukasa nods, processing everything Rui said.

"No no, verbally answer me. I need to make sure you actually listened and understand."

"...Okay."

"Thank you." Rui kisses Tsukasas nose. "Okay! We have to get up early for school. Let's get some sleep before it gets too late. We have a big day tomorrow." Rui says as he lays back down beside Tsukasa.

"Yeah. I can do this."

"I know you can. Now, come here." Rui opens his arms, waiting to hold his lover.

Tsukasa lays down and puts himself in Ruis arms, wrapping one of his own around his waist. All his tiredness hit him at once. As he was drifting off, he could hear Rui faintly humming the melody of one of their songs while patting his head like a mother comforting her baby, lulling him to sleep. He fell asleep almost instantly in his arms, he never wanted to move.

The next morning, he wakes up to Ruis alarm instead of his.

"Mmmm... already...?" He mumbles, not wanting to wake up.

"It's just my alarm, I set mine before yours. You can sleep until yours if you want." Rui says, already out of bed.

"Mm-mm I can get up now... if you help me." The blonde says through a yawn.

"...Help you... how exactly?" Rui raises an eyebrow.

"Hehe... I won't wake up unless you... gimme a kiss." He teases, dramatically pursing his lips with closed eyes, waiting for a kiss.

"Really?"

Tsukasa nods.

Rui sighs. "You're ridiculous." Despite sounding annoyed, he does it anyway. Only a peck though, they do have school after all.

"Alright, now get up sleepyhead." He chuckles, brushing Tsukasas bangs away from his eyes.

"Okay~" The blonde sits himself up, rubbing his eyes to adjust them to the light. He takes a few minutes to fully wake up before getting up and rummaging through his bag for his uniform.

The boys put on their uniforms in silence, not quite awake to have a full conversation yet. After Tsukasa finishes buttoning his undershirt, he hears Rui hum and leave the room, as if he remembered something. He hears Rui talking to his mom, and he soon returns to the room with a bag in his hand.

"Kasa, come here real quick." He says, sitting on the bed.

"Hm? What's up?" Tsukasa sits in front of him as he watches Rui dig through the bag.

"Hold on... ah, here it is." He pulls out... makeup?

"Undo your last two buttons please." He requests, Tsukasa does just that.

"Turns out... it's a bit more obvious than I thought... heh... sorry." Rui puts some of the makeup onto a sponge and starts patting it across Tsukasas collarbone. The blonde still hadn't fully figured out what he was doing until he felt a slight sting when he used a bit too much pressure.

Oh.

"You said it wouldn't be visible!" He scolds.

"I'm sorry~! I thought it wouldn't be...! I mean, it's not really when all your buttons are done, but... one wrong move..."

"Rui... I'm never letting you do this again."

"What?! Noooooo... please~?!" Rui whines.

"Do you promise they won't be visible?"

"Promise! They'll just have to be... somewhere only I'm allowed to look." He smirks, finishing up his task.

Tsukasa doesn't even fight him, he honestly agreed, but there's no way he would admit that. He simply redoes his buttons and continues getting ready.

When Ruis second alarm goes off, they grab their bags and head out the door, being sure to say goodbye to Ruis parents. Tsukasa gave them both a hug and many thanks before finally leaving.

As they get to the school gate, Tsukasa freezes up, remembering Friday.

"Hm? What's wrong?"

"I... don't know. I think I'm... just scared. Last time I was here..." His hand reaches towards his leg, which Rui quickly stops.

"Hey, it's alright. If you hear anyone say anything, you tell me. I'll deal with it, okay?" He smiles, calming the blonde down.

"Y-yeah... yeah okay." He takes a deep breath. "Okay! Let's go!" He yells, grabbing Ruis hand as they make their way to class together.

It's just school. How bad can it be?

Chapter Text

My North Star

During school, Tsukasa could hear the occasional whisper about him and Rui. He tried to ignore it the best he could, but he was, once again, starting to get overwhelmed much like Friday.

During group work in their final class of the day, he could feel his patience wearing thin. He thought he would be able to force himself to endure it until the end of class, until...

"I heard that Tenma hurt himself in the bathroom 'cause of Kamishiro."

"No way, seriously? Why are they still together after that?"

"Right? I don't think I could be with someone like that..."

He freezes in his seat.

'How do they know about that...? Only a few friends are supposed to know... None of them would've told anyone... right? No, no they wouldn't... so... how did they know...? Unless... someone else was in the bathroom with Akito...? Fuck... no, no no no...they're not supposed to know.'

"Tsukasa...?" Ruis voice and cold hand on his snapped him back to reality.

"Huh?"

"Did you hear me...?" Rui tilts his head.

"No... no sorry I didn't... what did you say?" Tsukasa shakes his head, trying to remember what they were doing.

"I asked if you've figured out what this translates to yet."

Right... English class.

"Oh, uh..." He stares at the paper in front of him, but the words kept... moving? Wait, no, that's not supposed to happen. "I... uh... sorry." He rubs his eyes, trying to focus.

"You okay...? What's wrong?" Rui worries, Tsukasa was never usually like this.

"They... they're talking again..."

Tsukasa wasn't looking at Rui, but he could feel his directors expression switch from worried to furious.

"Who?" He asks coldly, sending a chill down Tsukasas spine.

"I... I'm not sure. But... whoever it is... they know about Friday..."

"What? How?"

"I don't know... I didn't think anyone else was in there other than Akito..."

Rui looks around the classroom for any sign of someone talking about them, but he couldn't find anything.

"Do you hear anything now? I can't see anyone looking or anything."

Tsukasa shakes his head, but before he could verbally answer...

"I think they can hear you, be quiet! You know how Kamishiro can be when he doesn't like someone."

He shoots his head back, staring directly at where he heard the voice, and finally sees them. It was a group of students what was notorious for talking bad about anyone slightly different.

"Them..."

Rui looks where Tsukasa was faced and sees the same people. He instantly recognizes them as some people he's had a run in with before when they wouldn't stop harassing Mizuki.

"Ah. One second, Kasa." Rui stands up as he glares down the group of classmates. Instead of talking to them, however, he heads towards the teacher.

Tsukasa watches as he faces away from the students, making sure nobody can try and read his lips. He sees the teacher glance between him, Rui, and the other students. The teacher nods and sends Rui back to his seat, immediately going onto his computer and typing quickly.

"That should do it." Rui returns, still glaring at the other students until he sits down.

"What... did you do?" Tsukasa asks.

"I'll tell you later. Let's finish our worksheet, yeah?" Rui smiles before grabbing his pencil and continuing to jot down notes.

"Why can't you tell me now?"

"You'll see."

Tsukasa furrows his brows, confused and slightly agitated. As he gives up on guessing in his mind, the door slides open.

"Sorry for the interruption, can I please have..." It was the principal. He calls out for the students Tsukasa pointed out.

"Rui...? What did you do?"

"If they're going to act like children... I'm going to respond like one. I simply told the teacher on them." He innocently yet slyly smiles.

"You... told on them...?" Tsukasa didn't know if he should be embarrassed or impressed at Ruis decision.

"It got rid of them, did it not? Now... they might not like us very much afterwards... but I'll deal with that when the time comes."

"Rui, they're just gonna get worse. You know that, right?" Tsukasa scolds.

"Oh, no they won't. Don't worry. They won't be saying anything after this."

"...Why? What do you mean?"

"This will be their last strike. I've already reported them multiple times for Mizuki. They won't be able to do anything else if they want to graduate this year."

"Wait... you've dealt with them before?"

"Yes. They are very well known for dehumanizing anyone who doesn't match with the way they think people should live. There's no way I'm going to let them go after me, especially when it involves the person I'm in a relationship with."

"Rui..." Tsukasa felt his heartbeat speed up. He could hear the possessiveness in his voice, and it only made Tsukasa fall even harder for him. He wanted to leap over the desk and throw Rui into a hug right then and there. If they weren't in school though... that probably wouldn't be all he would do, but that's a story for another day.

Rui gives Tsukasa a warm smile before lowering his eyes back to his paper. Tsukasa soon mirrors his actions, and they finish their assignment.

As the final bell rings, the students return to grab their bags, Rui and Tsukasa being the only two left in the room when they enter. It was silent for a while as they all clean up their items and close their bags. After a minute of awkward silence, one of the boys approaches the couple.

"....m sorr..." He mumbles under his breath.

"What was that?" Rui asks, forcing him to say it properly.

The kid groans in frustration being speaking again. "...im sor..."

"My apologies, I didn't quite catch that." Tsukasa sees a small grin forming on Rui face. He's been waiting for this moment for months.

He hears the student curse under his breath. "I'm sorry, alright?! Geez..."

"For what?" Ruis voice was rough. It was a tone nobody heard very often. Not unless Rui absolutely despised a person or object.

"Seriously man? Can't you just accept that?" The kid complains.

"No. What did you do wrong? Why are you apologizing to me and Tsukasa, hm?"

"You—" The boy grabs Ruis collar, pulling the taller boy towards him, his arm back as if he were going to punch Rui. Tsukasa stands to intervene, but sees Rui put his hand out behind him, telling him to stay back.

"Go on. Do it. We all know you want to, what's stopping you?"

Rui feels the boys hand begin to shake before he lets go of his collar and pushes him to the floor, instantly being held by Tsukasa.

"Come on man, just apologize properly so we can go home." One of the other boys say.

The boys fists remain balled up as he swallows his pride.

"I'm sorry...for talkin' about you."

"Talking about what specifically?"

"Sayin'... y'all were weird... and stuff."

"And how do you know about what happened on Friday?"

"I was there."

"Did you tell anyone else about it?"

"Just... these two." He points to the boys behind him with his thumb.

"You better not tell anyone else. If I find out that you did... I won't simply be telling a teacher next time, I can promise you that. Do you understand?" Rui threatens, waiting for a response.

"...Yeah." The boys agree, realizing their graduation is on the line.

"Thank you. That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Rui says, standing up with the help of the blonde.

"Whatever. I'm only apologizing 'cause I wanna graduate, alright? You're lucky we're on our last strike, Kamishiro."

"And who do you think gave you all those strikes, my friends?" Rui smiles.

The boys stare at Rui in disbelief. Until now, they had no idea who kept ratting them out.

"Now, do me a favor..." Rui bends down to grab his and Tsukasas bag in one hand, getting close to the boy as he stands back up. "...and mind your own fucking business." He warns in a half whisper before he turns to grab Tsukasas wrist with his open hand and leave the classroom.

"Wait— Rui! Hold on..!" Tsukasa finally frees his arm after being practically dragged through half of the schools nearly empty hallways.

"Sorry. I... got mad." Rui apologizes, not turning around.

"It's fine... but... why did you get so reckless like that..?! You could've gotten hurt..!" Tsukasa complains with a hint of worry.

"They hurt you. I refuse to let that happen again." Rui finally turns around and walks towards Tsukasa.

"I understand that, but..." Tsukasa starts, but was quickly cut off by Rui throwing him into a hug.

"I'm sorry, but I don't regret a thing i said. I will not let anyone upset you like that again. Not when you're with me." Rui says into Tsukasas shoulder.

"O-okay... I get it..." Ruis possessive tone makes Tsukasas heart beat like it wanted to jump out of his chest, for some reason, he found it extremely attractive.

"Now..." Rui pulls back, looking into Tsukasas eyes. "...Are you ready? To go back home?"

Tsukasa takes a deep breath, preparing himself. "Yeah... I can do it... since you'll be there." He smiles and grabs Ruis hand, interlocking their fingers as they leave the school and make their way to the Tenma household.

When they arrive, they were immediately greeted by Saki and his mother sitting on the couch. They take off their shoes and join them in the living room.

After a very awkward silence, Rui speaks up first.

"Uh... sorry for the intrusion... but Tsukasa asked that I be here, so..."

"It's alright. Now... want to explain what's going on with you lately?" She gets straight to the point and turns to look at Tsukasa, who was staring down at his legs, refusing to look at her.

"I... well, I... ah..." Rui could see Tsukasas hands shaking as he tried to speak. He puts his own hand on the blondes back, reminding him that he was there. "I'm... sorry, mom.."

"I'm sorry too. I've had time to think, and... I shouldn't have pressured you into telling me what happened when you weren't ready."

Tsukasa finally looks up at her, he could tell that she was being genuine. Her expression was full of remorse.

"So... what exactly happened...?" Saki chimes in, the only one who wasn't aware of the events prior to Tsukasa leaving.

"Saki, you... want to know what happened to my leg... right?" She nods. "I... did it to myself. I just got overwhelmed, and..." He lets her finish the sentence on her own, not wanting to relive that moment.

"Oh... does it still hurt...?" She worries.

"No... not really. Rui helped me treat it properly, so... it's healing fine."

"That's good..." She mumbles.

"So... are you ready to explain... why you did it?" His mom questions.

"Well, uh... mom... can you... promise me something first?"

"Promise... what?"

"Don't... hate me... please?"

"Hate... you? Tsukasa, why would I hate you?"

"Even if... I'm not the perfect oldest child...?"

"We went over this, there's no such thing as a perfect person... what would possibly make me love you any less than I love your sister?"

"Maybe... the fact that..." He inhales deeply, forcing himself to just spit the words out. "I have a boyfriend...?" His gaze shifts away again, scared to see her reaction.

"Oh... uh..." She looks between Tsukasa and Rui. She sees Rui trying to hold himself back from holding Tsukasa close, unsure if she would allow him to. Judging by her sons expression, she could tell this was something he never wanted to tell her. He looked terrified.

"Mom?" Saki grabs her arm, urging her to speak.

"Well... I'm... shocked." She clears her throat. "Is it you, Rui?"

Rui hesitantly nods.

"Alright..." She's not sure how to confront this properly. She doesn't want to hurt Tsukasas feelings, but... a boyfriend...?

"How... uh... how long have you been together?"

"Only just over a week, but..." Rui speaks for him. "We plan on being together for a long time... if you'll let us..?"

"You're... sure about this?"

"I am..." Tsukasa forces himself to speak. "...and, I know... you've always wanted me to eventually be with a girl and start a family because you're worried that Saki might not be able to because of her health, and I tried to do that for you... to make you happy, but... I don't want that..."

"Is... this why you always shut me out when I asked if you had a girlfriend...?"

Tsukasa nods. "I still like girls, but right now... I dont see myself being with anyone but him..." He looks at Rui.

"You're happy with him... right?"

"I am..."

She sighs, making Tsukasas heart almost stop beating for a moment. "Okay then..."

The boys look up at her. "I'm... sorry, Tsukasa. I didn't know you were so stressed out by this...You shouldn't be scared to tell me things like this..."

"Are you... okay with it...? With me and Rui... dating?"

"I'll admit... I still don't entirely... understand it, but... if he makes you happy, then... I'll respect your choice. You're not a kid anymore. I trust you to make your own decisions."

Tsukasa feels his chest immediately get lighter, like all the things that had been weighing him down were finally taken away. "Really...?"

"Yes. I'm sorry it got this far... Next time something stresses you out to... that point, please tell me." She asks, looking down at his legs. She hears quiet sniffs and quickly looks up to see her son crying.

"W-why are you crying?!" In a small panic, she gets up and kneels in front of him.

"I was so mean to you... I'm so sorry... and thank you...!" He sobs as Rui hugs his shoulders.

"Tsukasa... it's okay... If this is what makes you happy, then I have no right to take it away from you." She gently grabs his hand.

"Thank you..." He calms his breathing just enough to give her a smile.

"Well, are you boys hungry...? Why don't you stay for dinner, Rui?" She stands up and changes the subject, knowing food usually makes Tsukasa feel better. They both nod and she suggests they go and rest while she makes dinner.

They make their way up to Tsukasas room. Rui sits on the edge of the bed as the blonde changes out of his uniform. When he's done, Rui tells Tsukasa to sit on his lap, which he does and immediately wraps his arms around Ruis shoulders and buries his head into his neck with a heavy sigh. Rui rubs his back, humming a calm melody as he comforts him.

After sitting like that for a few moments, Tsukasa brings his head up, looking into Ruis eyes.

"Oh, my love... your face and eyes are all red." Rui holds Tsukasas face in his hand, the blonde quickly melting into the touch. "I'm glad it all worked out... are you?"

"Mhm..." Tsukasa hums, a small smile forming on his face.

"You tired? Wanna take a nap before dinner?" Rui suggests to which Tsukasa quickly agrees to.

Tsukasa gets off and the boys lay on the bed, the blonde latching himself onto Rui from the side. They fall asleep almost immediately, it's been a long day after all.

They didn't even budge when there was knocking on Tsukasas door. Not hearing a response, the door creaks open, it was his mom.

"Boys? Dinner is— Oh..." She sees them fast asleep and carefully walks over to wake them up. She looks at the boys peacefully sleeping and feels a smile forcing itself onto her face. They looked so... comfortable. Tsukasa was clinging onto Rui, his arm wrapped around Ruis shoulder while his head rested on his chest. Rui had his arm around Tsukasas back, holding his waist from behind.

Seeing her son happy after what happened just days before warmed her heart. She was scared he would never talk to her again. As peaceful as they looked however, it was time for dinner. She gently shakes Tsukasas arm, trying to wake him up.

"Mmm..?" He slowly opens his eyes, letting them adjust to the light. As soon as he sees his mom, his body jolts up, waking Rui up in the process.

"I'm sorry..! I was just coming to tell you that dinner was done."

"O-oh... uh... right, okay... thank you. We'll be right down." Tsukasa says, making sure he didn't hurt Rui when he moved.

She nods and returns to the kitchen, leaving the boys alone.

"That scared me..." Tsukasa sighs. "I didn't mean to scratch you again... I saw her and freaked out..." He pouts, feeling apologetic as he rubs the scratch he accidentally gave Rui.

"It's okay, as long as im not bleeding it's not a big deal. Let's go eat, yeah?" Rui smiles and gets off the bed, Tsukasa following close behind.

"Wait..." Tsukasa suddenly pauses, grabbing Ruis hand from behind.

"Hm? Something wrong?" Rui turns and tilts his head at the action.

"Come here..." Tsukasa gently tugs at Ruis arm, pulling him close.

"Kasa...? What's wrong?"

"Nothing... I just... wanted to do something real quick."

"Okay...? And what's that?"

Without warning, Tsukasa puts his hand on Ruis neck and pulls him down to his level, getting a suprised hum from Rui in response. He tilts Ruis head to the side and leaves a gentle, apologetic kiss on the scratch mark he accidentally left on the directors neck.

When he pulls away, he's met by Ruis calm yet slightly confused gaze. "What was that for?"

"Just... wanted to apologize for the scratch." Tsukasa smiles.

"Awe~ Thank you, sweetheart." Rui wraps Tsukasa into a short hug as a thanks.

"You're very welcome. Now we can go." Tsukasa grabs Ruis hand and they finally head downstairs together.

The start of dinner was awkward, not much was said. Slowly though, everyone got comfortable with each other again. Rui even found himself talking about Tsukasa with his mom. It was nice.

After dinner, Rui decides to head home before it gets too late.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Rui says as he finishes tying his shoes.

"Mhmm! Oh! By the way, there's something I wanted to show you after school tomorrow. Well, you and the girls. I have a show idea."

"Oh? That sounds exciting! I can't wait to hear it. Now, I've got to get going. Goodnight, my love." Rui pulls Tsukasa in for a short but sweet goodnight kiss before turning around and leaving the house.

Tsukasa skips back up to his room and texts the girls the same thing he told Rui, and goes to sleep.

-After school the next day cuz I dont wanna write a bunch of fillers about their school day 😁 (plus I just can't think of anything that isn't repetitive)-

The group met up at Ruis house, eager to hear Tsukasas idea.

"So, what did you come up with?" Nene asks.

"Well~ Here, I wrote it down." Tsukasa hands them each a paper with the general outline of the play.

As they read through it, Rui notices that a lot of it seemed very... familiar.

"Tsukasa... is this...?"

"Yep! It's a play about us!"

"Did all of this actually happen?!" Emu asks.

"Yep! Well... for the most part. I had to change some things around for privacy and sensitivity reasons... but yes."

"I assume... you want us to play the leads?" Rui questions.

"Of course! We have to keep things the way they happened, right?"

"But... just a few days ago you hated the thought of people knowing... are you sure you want to—"

"I'm sure. If anything, it'll help me get over that!" Tsukasa declares, overly confident in his words.

"If you're absolutely positive... that's perfectly fine with me. What about you two?" Rui looks over to the girls.

"That's fine, yeah."

"Yes~! I'm so excited! This is gonna be so fun!" Emu beams. "Tsukasa! What are we gonna name the play?!"

"I was thinking... 'My North Star'. How does that sound?"

The girls let out a synchronized "Good."

Rui chuckles. "I think that's perfect, my star."

"I'm glad you agree, director."

"Alright lovebirds, can you two stop flirting? We've gotta write an actual script now, remember?" Nene scolds.

"Oh dear, how harsh you are, Nene." Rui pouts, leaning on her like a child.

"Lean on your boyfriend!" She shoves him off and onto Tsukasa, who decides to play along.

"Nene, you're so cruel! How could you hurt my beloved director?!" He gently pats Ruis head while he fake cries into Tsukasas chest. "Oh you poor thing, here, let me ease your pain."

"You two are absolutely helpless." She sighs.

"Ah! I wanna join!" Emu yells as she springs up, helping Tsukasa 'heal' Rui from his sadness.

"Emu! Not you too!"

The playful trio laughs as Nene scolds them.

"Okay, okay. We'll stop. Let's get working, shall we?" Rui announces, returning to his spot on the floor.

"Yes!" Emu and Tsukasa respond in sync.

And just like that, they created a proper script for Tsukasas play. They performed it a month later, receiving a lot of positive feedback. Of course, there were the few people who didn't enjoy the fact that the main couple were both guys, but they didn't seem to mind. There will always be people who look down on them for their relationship, but slowly... they'll learn to block them out. As long as they're together, they will be happy, no matter what anyone else thinks.

They will become stars together.

Chapter Text

Two Years Later

"Rui~! I've come to visit~!"

"Oh hello Tsukasa!" Says a familiar feminine voice.

"Hi mom!" He pulls the woman into a short hug as a greeting. "I brought you all some bread~!"

"Ooh thank you! You had some left over today? That's unusual."

"No, actually! I made it specifically for you all." Tsukasa beams.

"Did you?! Oh how nice, thank you dear. I'm sure my husband will love this!"

"You're very welcome! Also, is Rui even home?" Tsukasa looks around in search of his lover.

"He is, he's taking a bath right now. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you, apparently things didn't go so well at work today."

"Oh? Did he say what happened?"

"No, he was exhausted when he got home, so I was letting him rest for a while before telling me."

"Ah, alright. Thanks for letting me know. Maybe I'll try to talk to him while he's in there."

"Okay~. Good luck! And thank you again for the bread, it smells amazing!"

"You're welcome~. I'll go talk to Rui now!" Tsukasa smiles and heads to the bathroom and knocks on the door. He hears a quiet "Yes?" coming from the other side. Rui really did sound upset.

"It's me, can I come in?"

"Oh— Sure! The doors unlocked."

Tsukasa carefully opens the door and enters the bathroom, sitting on the floor next to the tub where Rui was.

"Hello my love." Tsukasa says, giving Rui a small kiss on the forehead.

"Hey there beautiful. What brings you here?"

"I brought you all some bread from the shop. Also, mom said you had a bad day at work?" Tsukasa worries.

"Oh, thank you. And... yeah. I got yelled at by one of the cast members." Rui sighs, resting his arms on the side of the tub, his head ontop of them.

"Really? For what?" Tsukasa rubs Ruis head, watching as his eyes close at the touch.

"Ah... I made one of the set pieces wrong and she got really~ upset about it."

"That's it...? That's normally not that serious to most people."

"Well, it was for her. She's... very particular about how her set looks."

"Were you able to fix it?"

"Yeah, it wasn't anything big. I fixed it and she was happy, but I'm still upset that I got yelled at in the first place."

"I understand... I'm sorry that happened, sweetheart. Do you feel better now?"

"I do~."

"Because of the bath, or me?" Tsukasa raises his eyebrow.

"Hehe~ Both." Rui giggles as he sits back up and stretches his arms. "Wanna join me in here?"

"Not today, I didn't bring any clothes with me."

Rui pouts. "Awe why~? You can just wear mine."

"I came straight from work. Plus, I told my mom I wouldn't be home too late, we've got plans tomorrow."

"Fine..." Rui sighs dramatically.

"Don't start! You did the same thing to me last week!" Tsukasa scolds.

"Yeah, but that was last week. This is now!"

"Rui..."

"Okay, okay I'll stop. You're so mean to me..." Rui frowns, trying to get sympathy.

"And yet, you let me do it."

"Of course I do, it's extremely hot when you talk like that." Rui smirks, leaning his face closer to Tsukasas.

"Is that so?"

"Mhmm..." Rui moves his head to Tsukasas neck. "You smell good~"

"I do work in a bakery."

"Why did you start working there, anyway?"

"Because a certain someone loves~ eating sweets."

"Hehe, I know that's not true, but you sure know exactly what to say, don't you?"

"Of course." Tsukasa smirks, he loves when Rui gets like this.

"If you're not careful... I might just eat you on accident, sweetheart." Rui runs his tongue up the side of Tsukasas neck to just under his ear. Tsukasas body shudders as a response.

"What if I wanted you to?" Tsukasa teases, receiving a chuckle from Rui.

"Oh darling, you know that's a bold thing to say when I'm already naked." Rui slides his hand up from the tub to Tsukasas shoulder and pulls the collar of his shirt to the side, immediately latching his lips onto the soft skin of the blonde, biting gently every few seconds. His other hand softly wanders around his stars throat and neck, occasionally playing with his ear.

"Mnhmm... Rui... You— ngh... You're playing dirty..." Tsukasas scolding words quickly turn needy whines as his hands instinctively reach for Ruis wet hair, gripping onto it tightly and making him bite harder. It was something that Tsukasa learned just recently that he's incredibly turned on by, so of course Rui always used that to his advantage. Rui continues attacking the boys shoulder for a little longer before letting go and licking his new marking. He smiles at the subtle teeth marks left surrounding the red skin as he lets Tsukasa regain control of his breathing.

"You taste as good as you smell." Rui pulls back, lustfully gazing into Tsukasas eyes. "Are you sure~ you don't wanna stay over tonight?" He tucks some of the stars blonde hair behind his ear with one hand while the other slowly trails down Tsukasas stomach, stopping just above the waistband of his pants.

"Oh, I would love to after that." Tsukasa chuckles. "But, I promised my mom. Stars never break their promises, remember?" He continues as he fixes his shirt and moves Ruis 'naughty' hand.

Rui sighs and slumps back into the water. "I know, I know... What time do you plan on going back?"

"I need to be awake by six tomorrow morning, so I'm planning on sleeping by ten. It's around six now... so... maybe in two hours or so?"

"Hmm... okay. How about you wait here for a moment for me to finish up and we'll figure out something to do until then, yeah?" Tsukasa nods and lets Rui finish his bath.

————————————————————————

"Oooh? Is this the bread you made?" Rui opens the bag, deeply sniffing the sweet food.

"It is~! I changed the recipe a bit since the last time, but I think it tastes better this way."

"I'll have a taste~." Rui hums as he takes a hearty bite of the bread. His eyes immediately widen at the taste. The second he's finish eating, he speaks. "So good! You've really outdone yourself!" He beams, taking another bite.

"I'm glad! And— slow down before you choke!" He scolds.

Rui takes his time with the second piece, pouting between bites at his lovers harsh tone. When he finishes, he closes the bag and the boys head to his room.

Since Ruis gotten the job he has, his room has only gotten messier. Tools, robots, wood, and many other items were scattered around the floor. Despite the mess, it's strangely organized. He has multiple piles of different items, each pile being labeled with a different project he has to work on.

"Sorry, we've been really busy lately, so... the mess is... pretty bad."

"It's all good, you know I never minded it."

"I know~ but I still feel bad. It's a tripping hazard, but I don't exactly have anywhere else to put everything."

"If it makes you feel any better, this is what the kitchen at work looks like half the time. Well, just with food instead of hardware."

Rui chuckles. "That does help a bit actually, thank you. Oh, by the way, what are these 'plans' you keep talking about?"

"For tomorrow? Saki and her band are going to tour an agency interested in taking them in and she asked us to join them."

"Wait, really?! Another agency wants to take in Leo/Need?! That's amazing!" Rui beams.

"Right! They've come so far... I'm so proud of them!" Tsukasa shows a proud smile before flopping backwards onto the all too familiar bed, grabbing their beloved son North and holding him tightly on his chest. Rui lays back, joining him.

"What's everyone else up to? Do you know?" Rui asks.

"Hmm... I think Shiho mentioned something about Shizukus group going on tour soon."

"Ooh, that's fun! You haven't been able to talk to her much lately, have you?"

"Nope, they've gotten busier since getting so popular."

"I could imagine... How about Aoyagi and the others? I haven't spoken to him in a while."

"I remember him saying something about finally surpassing that event they were trying to, so they starting doing more performances in different places. He also moved in with Akito and his family when they graduated after yet another fight with his dad. I'm not sure about the girls though."

"I thought his dad stopped caring about all that?"

"He did. This one was about him dating Akito..." Tsukasa sighs, still frustrated about that day.

"Oh... that's no good. I hope he's doing well now."

"He is! We spoke yesterday actually, he stopped by the shop. He came to get some cheesecake for Akito and his sister. He said he's been much happier since moving in together."

"That's nice, I'm glad he's doing better."

"How's Mizuki and her group doing?" Tsukasa questions.

"Well, it's funny that you mentioned Shinonome, because she's actually dating his older sister."

"Seriously?!"

"Yep~! I thought he would've told you about that."

"He might have? I'm not sure, we haven't talked in months since hes been helping Toya settle in."

"That makes sense. As for her other friends... I'm not sure what they're up to. They're still making music, I know that. I think Mizuki mentioned something about Asahina moving in with Yoisaki permanently."

"Yoisaki...? Oh! Kanade?"

"Yes, her. You know her?"

"Ehh kinda? She knows Honami, so I've heard of her before."

"Ah okay, makes sense."

Tsukasa checks his phone for the time, only to see that it's passed eight, almost nine. "Huh?! How is it so late?!" He shoots up. "I was supposed to leave an hour ago!"

"Oh... does that mean you're leaving now?" Rui asks.

"I have to. Do you have work the day after tomorrow? Maybe we can meet up somewhere after i get off work?"

"That's Saturday, right? Yeah, I'm off! I don't work on the weekends. I would love to see you again~" He leans towards the side of Tsukasas head. "Maybe we can finish what we started in the bathroom earlier, hm?" He whispers before licking the stars ear.

"You...!" The blonde sighs. "I'll think about it, 'kay?"

"Okay~!" Rui chuckles.

"For real now, I've got to get going." Tsukasa stands up and grabs his bag.

"I'll walk you out~!" Rui follows, and they head to the front door.

Tsukasa finishes putting on his shoes and opens the door.

"Goodnight, my love." He says before giving Rui a hug and kiss.

"Goodnight~!" Rui sings as Tsukasa leaves, slowly disappearing into the dark street of his neighborhood.

———————————————————————————
(Two days later, Tsukasas work)

"Welcome in~ What can I— Oh, Akito! Hello!"

"Yo. Toya told me you worked here, so I thought I'd stop by before goin' home. The cheesecake was really good by the way."

"Oh, thank you! It's nice to see you! How are things?"

"Good, good. Toya's finally settled in, so things are going smoothly now. How're things with Kamishiro?"

"I'm glad! Things are good with us as well, I'm actually going to see him after work today! Also, since you're here, would you like to purchase anything?"

"Hmm..." Akito looks around the display of multiple different sweets, making his choice. "Oh, yeah. Can I get... three chocolate chip cookies? Toya's been wantin' some."

"Yep~! Anything else?" Tsukasa asks as he grabs the cookies.

"Um... nah, that's it."

"Okay~! Your total will be... six dollars please."

Akito pays and grabs his fresh cookies.

"Thank you~! Come again! It would be nice to see both you and Toya again one day!"

"Maybe we can meet up on a day we're all off work."

"Definitely! I'll let you know my schedule later."

"Sweet. Thanks again for the cookies, see ya."

"Bye~!" Tsukasa waves as Akito leaves, overly happy that he got to see him after so long. After seeing his precious junior, his energy was through the roof and he finishes his shift with a smile.

———————————————————————————
(After work, at Ruis house)

"Welcome~" Rui throws Tsukasa into a hug when he finally arrives.

"Hello~ What did you do today?" Tsukasa starts the conversation as he puts his bag of clothes on the floor and leans against the wall.

"Worked a bit on one of our projects, but that's really it." Rui holds up the small prop, showing Tsukasa his work.

"Ooh nice. Did you eat?"

"Ah..." Rui adverts his gaze, which only means one thing.

"Oh... bad day, huh?"

"Yeah..." Even after two years, Rui was still affected by his eating problems. It's not as often as it used to be, but he still has times that they refer to as 'bad days'. They've figured out a way to help with those times, but only Tsukasa has been able to do it. Ruis parents have tried, but had very little success, and he can't do it himself.

"That's alright. Since I'm here now, do you wanna try?" Rui nods and Tsukasa grabs some of the extra bread he took from his shop, handing it to Rui.

Now, what exactly is the solution they figured out? Singing. Humming to be precise. They learned it entirely on accident one day. Rui was struggling to eat, and Tsukasa was having a stressful day, so he started humming to calm himself down. For some reason, when he did... Rui was able to eat again. It can only be Tsukasa, nobody else. It doesn't always work perfectly, but it's better than not working at all. If Tsukasa can't physically be with him at the time, phone calls sometimes work too.

Tsukasa begins humming their favorite song, as Rui takes a few seconds to prepare himself before taking a small bite. When he makes sure he's okay, he finishes the full piece.

"There we go~" Tsukasa pats Ruis head, glad their plan worked this time.

"Thank you, love." Rui smiles.

"Of course, I gotta make sure you're eating."

"Yes, yes. Oh, by the way..." Rui starts. "Are you spending the night?"

"I am! Why? You busy tomorrow?"

"No, no I'm not. I was just asking since I saw your bag."

"Ahh gotcha. Also, I think I'm gonna take a quick shower, I smell too much like cinnamon... for some reason everyone wanted cinnamon rolls today." Tsukasa sighs.

"Weird... and yeah go ahead. You want company~?" Rui teases.

"And by 'company' you mean...?" Tsukasa raises a brow.

"I can sit in there with you. Unless...? You said you'd think about it~"

"And I did. I'm not sure about in the shower though, that's dangerous, my dear." Tsukasa pokes Ruis nose.

"Okay..." He pouts. "How about after? Hmm?"

"Only... if you be a good boy until I'm done bathing."

"Oh, yes sir." Rui smirks, ready to be on his best behavior.

———————————————————————————

Two hours later, the only noise filling Ruis room was their heavy, satisfied breathing as they lay in each others arms on the bed.

"Happy?" Tsukasa chuckles.

"Very." Rui hums, nudging his head into Tsukasas chest.

"You know, those marks aren't gonna dissapear anytime soon... you don't need to keep making more."

"Yes, but they look so pretty on you~." Rui giggles, tracing his finger over the newest marks on the blondes stomach. "Why? You don't want me to anymore?" He pouts.

"No, I'm not saying that... You know I love them as much as you do, but they get sore, you know? I move around a lot." Tsukasa rubs Ruis head.

"Sorry..." Rui frowns. "I'll try to hold off for a while~."

"Thank you. Also... I think we need to take another shower now..."

"We could've avoided that if you agreed to do it when we were already in there~" Rui teases.

"Rui, we're not having sex in the shower." Tsukasa scolds.

"Why not?!"

"Because it's dangerous! Now, are we gonna get cleaned up or not?"

Rui sighs in defeat. "Fine..." He slowly moves off of the blonde, letting him get up.

"Let's take a bath, how about that?" Tsukasa suggests.

"Fine by me~" Rui sings and they make their way back to the bathroom.

———————————————————————————

"How was work today? I just realized I never asked." Rui asks as his back rests on Tsukasa chest, just like the first time they took a bath together.

"Good, actually. Akito came in to say hi." Tsukasa smiles.

"Really? That's nice of him!"

"Mhmm~ I need to let him know my schedule... he said we can try to find a day for all four of us to meet up."

"Ooh, that would be fun. Oh! Right! Speaking of 'four', the girls came over earlier, I completely forgot to mention that."

"Did they? What did you all do?"

"Emu mainly talked about how Phoenix Wonderland has been, while Nene helped with my project a small bit."

"That sounds like it was a fun time~ I wish I could've seen them..." Tsukasa frowns, resting his head on Ruis shoulder.

"Maybe another day? Emu is usually pretty busy... and Nene only works on the weekends... so..."

"We'll figure something out! Winter is coming soon so we need to plan a show anyway."

"True~ Can't forget our annual Christmas shows~!"

"Yep yep~! Here, let's finish getting cleaned up so we get ready for bed." Tsukasa says before getting a generous amount of soap on his hands and spreading it around Ruis back for him.

"Thank you~" Rui hums, washing the front of his body himself.

After realizing Tsukasa had been a bit... too quiet for a minute, Rui gets concerned.

"Kasa..? You oka—" He tries to turn around, but Tsukasa turns him back to the front, holding his head forward. "Hey— What was that for?"

"Revenge." He could hear the smirk on the blondes face before suddenly feeling the all too familiar sensation of a tongue running up his spine and over to his ear, ending with a small nibble to the lobe.

"W-what are you— Ah—!" He quickly covers his mouth and squeezes his eyes shut at the abrupt feeling of Tsukasa harshly biting down on the back of his neck. It's no surprise that Rui was also extremely into that sort of thing, but he wasn't expecting it out of nowhere.

During his attempts to muffle whatever noises that were threatening to come out, Tsukasa moves his hand away from his mouth, holding it tightly at his side. "Don't shy away from me now, darling~" He teases before biting down on a different spot.

"K-kasa... hahh... w-wait..."

"Hmm?" Tsukasa lifts his head, moving it to look Ruis face the best he can.

"I thought... you didn't want to... do it here..." Rui says between heavy breaths.

"No, I said not in the shower. I said nothing about the bath."

"But... we just... did it..."

"Like I said, my dear..." Tsukasa wraps his arm around Rui, softly running his hand up and down his stomach, getting dangerously low, then moving back up. "Revenge."

"F-for what?" Rui whines, desperate for the blondes hand to land a bit lower.

"All this teasing you've been doing." The blonde slides his left hand up to Ruis overly sensitive throat, holding it gently and tilting his head up.

"You— ngh... you say that like you don't like it."

"Oh, you know I do. But... where's the fun if it's just you enjoying yourself, hm? I haven't had my fun with you yet~ You did all the work before... let me take over for a bit, yeah~?" Tsukasa feels Rui nod and swallow under his hand, allowing him to continue. It wasn't often that Tsukasa got like this, so Rui throughly enjoyed it every time it happened, even if it makes him act a bit out of character. That was the best part.

Of course he knows that Tsukasa would've stopped immediately if he told him to. The blonde tends to get a bit... aggressive during things like this, so Ruis permission is always important first. However, they haven't done it this way in a while and if he's being honest, Rui could already feel his mind becoming dizzy with need. It hasn't even been an hour since they finished last time, but he was already becoming a whining mess. He wanted nothing more than to be touched. Unfortunately, Tsukasa really enjoyed toying with him. There's no way he would get what he wanted that easily, he's going to have to work for it.

With all the consent he needed, Tsukasa moves his right hand back down, stopping just below Ruis stomach, causing his lovers body to twitch as he slowly traced circles just above Ruis crotch with his fingertips.

"Kasa... please...?"

"Hm..? Please what? Use your words, pretty boy." Rui bites his lip at the name, Tsukasa rarely used it, so when he did...? Oh, Rui went insane.

"Y-you know what I mean..." Ruis body starts moving almost on its own, craving touch.

"Mm-mm. I won't know unless you tell me~" Tsukasa teases before licking Ruis neck, stopping just below his ear.

"Fuck... Kasa... just— nngh...please..."

Tsukasa knows Rui can never verbally ask him to touch him, but whenever he can mess with him like this? He dives at the chance every time.

"Hmm? You want me to do... this?" Tsukasa whispers as the hand that was resting under Ruis stomach slides down ever so slowly below the water as Rui nods his head in response, his breaths becoming even more desperate.

"Why didn't you just say so? Good boys know how to use their words." Just to mess with Rui a bit more, he ignores Ruis rapidly growing problem and glides the tips of his fingers along his inner thighs.

"I... I can't..."

"You can~ You've got to learn, my dear. Now what do you want?"

"Mmm... please... t-touch me.. hahh... please Kasa...?" Rui squeezes his eyes shut once again, embarrassed by the words he just spat out.

"There we go~! You're such a good boy~" Tsukasa moves his hand one final time as it finally wraps itself around the already very sensitive Rui, forcing a pleasure-filled whimper to escape the directors mouth. 

Tsukasa releases his other hands hold on Ruis throat and uses it to turn Ruis head to the side, muffling his lovers moans as their lips and tongues quickly intertwined.

The blondes lower hand speeds up as he both heard and felt Ruis whines become faster and less controllable in the kiss.

Just before Rui could reach his limit, Tsukasa lets go on both ends, prompting a whine from his director.

"W-why?" Was all Rui could mutter as his hips jerked up, trying to chase Tsukasas hand.

"You have to tell me what you want. I want you to beg for me, my love~" Tsukasa teases.

"Mmm... Come on... d-don't make me..." Rui says, nearly on the verge of tears from the lack of touch.

"If you don't tell me... I guess you won't get to finish~" Tsukasa chuckles as he attempts to leave the tub.

"N-no! Wait!" Rui grips Tsukasas thighs under the water, forcing the blonde to remain seated.

"Well?" Rui could just barely see Tsukasas lust-filled eyes, but he could hear in his tone that he was being serious this time. He really had no other choice...

So, he finally swallowed his pride and opened his mouth to speak. "P-please, Kasa... l-let me finish..." He begs, his teasing personality completely fading away at the moment, overly desperate for Tsukasa to continue. 

He really hated saying that word, any variant of it. It felt so... dirty. Luckily for him, Tsukasa was feeling nice enough that day to accept his begs how they were. Sometimes, he makes Rui say it multiple times, just to fuck with him.

"What a needy puppy you are~ I think you deserve a reward for that, no?" Tsukasa returns his hold between Ruis legs, getting an even higher pitched cry from his lover as he immediately starts with a fast pace, not letting Rui prepare himself for the touch beforehand. Just to add fuel to the fire in Ruis body, Tsukasas free hand slides around Ruis chest, toying with all of the most sensitive areas. The sudden overstimulation only made him squirm around more with louder, uncontrollable noises as tears forced their way out of his shut eyes. "That's it my love, let that pretty voice of yours out~ Nobody else is home~"

"Fuck... Kasa... I-I'm... mhmm... c-can I...? P-please? I-I'll be a good boy... I— nghh... I promise I will...!" Ruis cries as his head falls backwards onto Tsukasas shoulder, praying that he answers quickly.

"God, you sound perfect, Rui. You're being so well behaved for me~ You look gorgeous like this, you know that?" The blonde whispers directly into Ruis ear, watching as he shudders and whines in response, the heat in his stomach getting even higher. The praise and compliments only pushed Rui further as he harshly bites down on his finger in a desperate attempt to control his voice, still waiting for Tsukasa to give him permission.

"Go on my love, I think you've earned it~" Tsukasa answers with another— slightly more painful— bite on Ruis neck, finally pushing Rui over the edge. Within seconds of Tsukasas answer, Ruis entire body jolted with a suppressed whimper as his back arched against his will. He was almost worried he would take his finger clean off from how hard he was biting it.

Tsukasa slowed down but continued for a few seconds, finally stopping when Ruis hand leaves his mouth as heavy breaths fill the room. Ruis body falls back against his lovers with small twitches every few seconds. Tsukasa soon releases his teeth as well, licking the spot to ease the pain before leaving a small apologetic kiss in the center.

"You okay, love?" Tsukasa asks as he carefully grabs Ruis hand to make sure his finger was okay. He leaves a few small kisses on it as he tries to softly rub the pain away. He always checks to make sure he didn't go too far after things like this. "You did so well, my good boy~"

"Y-yes... I'm okay... th-thank you, Kasa..." Rui answers between attempts to calm his breathing as his eyes close. That took... a lot out of him. After trying his best to ease the pain of Ruis finger, Tsukasa carefully turns Rui to face him and gently kisses his tears away, he felt pretty bad about that. It wasn't often that Rui cried when Tsukasa took control, so he always worries when it does happen. 

Tsukasa chuckles at the sudden thanks, but accepts it nonetheless. "I know you're probably tired now, but..." Tsukasa hooks his finger under Ruis chin and lifts his head slightly, making eye contact. "I don't suppose you have just a... bit more energy... do you, darling?" 

As Rui sleepily processes the question, he realizes why he was asking. He could feel the reason on his lower back.

It was only fair that he return the favor, right? Sleep can wait. With a chuckle, Rui turns his body around to face Tsukasa. "Of course I do, sweetheart." 

"Perfect." Tsukasa quickly pulls Rui closer and brings their lips together once again before carefully lifting his body out of the water and sitting on the edge of the tub against the wall, leaving Rui to gaze up at him from between his legs, his hands on Tsukasas thighs. Of course, Tsukasa made sure to make very good use of Ruis... enjoyment of praise throughout it.

———————————————————————————
(After their... bath...)

"You're so mean to me. I can't believe you made me say that..." Rui hides his head in Tsukasas shoulder as they lay on the bed.

"Oh you liked it and you know it." Tsukasa teases as he pets Ruis head, both in adoration and to apologize for the... very harsh grip he had on his hair just minutes prior.

"Yeah, yeah..." Rui coughs, his throat was still pretty sore. "I'll get you back for that." He warns, his playful side was back despite being exhausted. Three times in one day was very rare for them.

"I'm sure you will. I look forward to it~" Tsukasa chuckles. "Also, do you want some tea? Your throat probably hurts... right?" He asks, worried he went too rough on him.

"It does, but I'll be alright. Thank you, though~" Rui places a small kiss on Tsukasas shoulder.

"Okay... I'm sorry, I guess I may have... overdone it a bit this time. You just looked so beautiful, I couldn't help myself..." Tsukasa lets out an embarrassed laugh.

"It's alright, Kasa. Don't worry, you know I enjoyed it~" Rui chuckles and smiles into the blondes shoulder, trying to reassure him. "Oh, right— Sorry, changing the subject..." He lifts his head up. "Didn't you need to message Shinonome?"

"Ah! I forgot! Thank you~" Tsukasa leans over to grab his phone.

Star Boy 🌟
'Hello!'
'I forgot to send you my schedule, sorryyyy'
[1 attachment]

Akito 🎤
'oh sweet, thanks'
'uh one sec'
'[1 attachment]'
'here's mine'

Star Boy 🌟
'looks like we both have next Saturday off'
'what about Toya?'

Akito 🎤
'im not sure'
'hold on'

-Incoming Call from 'Akito 🎤'-

"Oh! I wasn't expecting that." Tsukasa laughs as he picks up the phone. "Hello~! Why are you calling?"

"Thought it'd be quicker to just talk since we're all technically together right now."

"Hello Senpai!" Tsukasa could hear Toya yell enthusiastically on the other end.

"Hi Toya! Rui is also here."

"Hello boys~." Rui sings.

"Perfect. Toya, Kamishiro, when are you two off work next?"

"Hmm... let me check." Rui turns to look at his calendar as Toya does the same. "Looks like... I'm off next Saturday."

"Me too!" Toya says.

"That's great! We could make plans! Maybe a double date?" Tsukasa suggests.

"That could be fun. How about... hm... Why don't we go to a café or something? Catch up on things?" Akito suggests.

"I think that's a wonderful idea. How about everyone else?" Rui looks up at Tsukasa for his answer as Toya lets out a sound of agreement from the other line.

"Sounds good! We'll discuss where we should go during the week and we'll see each other there!" Tsukasa says.

"Sweet, sounds like a plan. See you both next Saturday then." Akito tried to sound uninterested, but his seniors could tell he had a smile on his face just by hearing his voice.

"Perfect~ Goodnight boys." Rui says, getting similar farewells from the others before Tsukasa hangs up.

"How exciting! This will be fun~!" Tsukasa sings.

"It will be nice to see them again..." Rui yawns as his exhaustion finally catches up to him. He snuggles closer to Tsukasa, if that was even possible.

Shortly after, they drifted off to sleep excited to see their friends after what felt like forever. 

———————————————————————————
(Next Friday, at Ruis work)

"Kamishiro! Can you help real quick? One of the props is too heavy to lift on my own."

"Sure!" He runs over to help his coworker.

"Just be careful, it'll be bad if this falls." The other man warns.

"You too. Alright, you got that side?"

"Yep, one... two... and up!"

When the duo lifts the prop, it goes smoothly, that is... until it doesn't. As Rui was securing the part in place, the other man starts to lose his grip.

"Shit, Kamishiro, my grips goin', hurry up!" He panics.

"Almost done...!" He tries to hurry as best as he could without breaking it.

Just before he could finish the final screw, the man's hand gives out, sending both Rui and the prop to the floor with a loud bang. The heavy piece of solid wood lands directly on Ruis arm, forcing him to yell out in pain loud enough for people rooms away to come running.

"Shit! Kamishiro! I'm— oh my god— I'm so sorry! Someone call an ambulance!" The man yells, trying to pry the item off of Ruis arm with the help of anyone nearby.

When they finally get it off, they make sure he's not hurt anywhere else.

"Are you okay?! I'm so sorry!" The man panics, almost in tears.

"I'll be—fuck— I'll be alright..." Rui slowly sits up, holding his very clearly broken arm. "Ahh... this isn't very ideal... heh..." He weakly chuckles, he was starting to get dizzy. Did he hit his head? Maybe... he's not too sure.

"I'm so sorry..." The man bows on his hands and knees, begging for forgiveness.

"It's okay, really. It was an accident..." He tries to calm the man, but was absolutely livid deep down. Yes, it was an accident, but it was an accident that could've been avoided. Plus, he has a date tomorrow!

"He's over here!" He hears his coworkers yelling, followed by two medics rushing towards him.

———————————————————————————
(At the hospital)

The entire ride there was a blur. They did some tests, and he definitely had a mild concussion from hitting his head, but it was— luckily— nothing too serous. They told him to expect some dizziness and sensitivity to multiple things for a while.

"Do you have anyone you would like to call? Anyone we should let know?" The nurse asks.

"Uh... yeah, my bo—" Should he just say it like that? His boyfriend...? Fuck it, he's in the hospital. "My boyfriend, if you can..?"

"Sure, what's his number? I'll give him a call." She smiles, she didn't seem to mind, putting his mind to ease.

"Thank you, it's..." He gives the woman Tsukasas number, already knowing he would tell his mom for him.

An hour later, the door slides open.

"Rui?!" Tsukasa runs towards him, still in his work uniform. "What happened?!" His parents follow closely behind.

"Work accident, a prop fell on me... heh... it's... very broken... my brains also a bit fuzzy~"

"Oh... that's not good..." Tsukasa mumbles. "And— what does that second thing mean?!" He panics.

"Indeed, it is not... I also have a little~ concussion... the day before our date too... I'm sorry love..." Rui apologizes.

"Don't worry about that. We can still go if you want, at least it's nothing life threatening..." Tsukasa has had a concussion before, following an accident during a show, so he knows exactly how Rui feels.

"I do want to go... but... you might need to help me with a few things until it's better..." Rui felt bad, he hated asking for help.

"Of course! Did they say how long it should take?"

"Ahh... six... seven... weeks...?"

"Oh wow... that's... a long time. Okay, uh... I don't know if I'll be able to be there all the time..." Tsukasa looks at Ruis parents.

"Don't worry, we can help out when you can't. We are his parents after all."

"Thank you..." He turns back to Rui. "Does it hurt...?"

"Not right now... they put me on some good~ pain meds, hehe~." He was suddenly giggling like a child.

Tsukasa chuckles. "That's good. Did they say when you're able to go home?"

"Today~ They were waiting for someone to come get me 'cause I can't walk very well at the moment~"

"Okay, I'll go process everything then." His parents exit the room in search of his nurse or doctor.

Before she returns, someone else enters the room.

"Excuse me...? Oh, perfect, this is your room." The man says.

"Oh, hello. You didn't have to visit..."

"No, no I did.. I caused this, so... it only makes sense that I make you're okay."

"Oh, you're a coworker?" Tsukasa asks.

"I am. And you are...?"

"Tsukasa Tenma, Ruis... uh..." He looks over to Rui, unsure about what to call himself.

"He's my boyfriend~" Rui shamelessly admits, receiving a small suprised gasp from Tsukasa.

"Boyfriend? I didn't know you were gay, Kamishiro."

"I am~ Why? Do you hate me now?" Despite being injured, Rui still managed to be the teasing man everyone knew and loved.

"No! No, I'm fine with it. I don't mind. Also... your arm... is it...?"

"Broken~ So I don't know how helpful I'll be at work for a while... sorry~"

"That's fine, I already told the boss what happened, so he'll find something else for you to work on. Painting, most likely."

"Mmm... okay." Rui sighs.

"Again, I'm really sorry..."

"It's fine, really. I'm ambidextrous anyway~" Rui sings, wiggling the fingers of his other hand.

"Oh, well... that's good, I guess. Also, here... I was going to get you a fruit basket, but... everyone knows you don't eat those, so..." He places a small bag of sweets on Ruis bed, prompting a childlike smile to form on his face.

"Oh my... thank you my friend." Rui chuckles.

After a few minutes, the man leaves and Ruis mother returns with a staff member, ready to discharge him.

———————————————————————————
(Ruis house, later that night)

When they get back home, Rui was still pretty dizzy from both the fall and the meds from the hospital, so he needed a bit of help walking.

"Almost there... and... down you go." Tsukasa carefully sits Rui on the bed.

"Thank you, beautiful~"

"Of course my love. Were you able to have lunch today?"

"Mmmno... happened before..." Rui mumbles, he was both exhausted and starting to feel the pain of his arm.

"Are you hungry? Want me to get you anything?"

"Uhmmm~ I dunno what we have..."

"I'll go look around then, okay? You stay here until I'm back." Rui nods and Tsukasa heads to the kitchen. He soon returns with a plate of strawberries, one of the only fruits Rui enjoys.

"I'm back~! This was all I could think of that didn't require cooking a whole meal."

"Ooohh~ Strawberries~."

"Yep, think you can eat them on your own, or do you want me to help?"

"I got it, thank you though~."

He quietly eats the fruits, occasionally humming a song between bites. Tsukasa sits to the side, letting their juniors know what happened.

'Precious Juniors 💚'

Star Boy 🌟
'okay so'
'i have both good and bad news'
'which do you want to hear first?'

Toya 🐰
'Oh dear'
'Bad news first?'

Akito 🎤
'yeah'
'what happened?'

Star Boy 🌟
'Bad news is... Rui broke his arm'

Akito 🎤
'wait seriously?!'
'how?!'

Star Boy 🌟
'a prop fell on top of him during work'

Toya 🐰
'Oh no...'
'Is he alright?'

Star Boy 🌟
'[1 attachment]'
'as you can see, hes enjoying some strawberries rn'
'his meds are wearing off though... so he probably wont be very happy in a few minutes.'
'he also has a slight concussion...'

Akito 🎤
'fuckin hell man'
'what's the good news?'

Star Boy 🌟
'good news is, he doesn't wanna cancel tomorrows plans'
'as long as you two dont want to, of course'

Toya 🐰
'Of course we would still love to go'
'Will he be okay, though?'

Star Boy 🌟
'he should be'
'if not, I'll deal with it, so dont worry'
'hes been more excited about this than I have, so... i dont want to cancel the day before.'

Akito 🎤
'if hes still up for it, we can do it'
'just dont let him force himself yknow'

Star Boy 🌟
'of course'
'well, thats all I needed to say'
'just thought i should let you both know whats going on.'
'ill let you know how hes feeling tomorrow too'
'for rn though, i think hes starting to feel the pain, so... im gonna help him out'

Toya 🐰
'Thank you for letting us know.'
'Hopefully we will see you tomorrow.'

Akito 🎤
'yea thanks man'
'see ya'
'and good luck with him'

Star Boy 🌟
'Goodnight you two ☺️'

"Is it starting to hurt?" Tsukasa puts his phone to the side, focusing entirely on his injured boyfriend.

"Yeah... Also... when did we get back?"

"Not long ago. I assume your pain meds finally wore off?"

"Mhmm... fuck— this hurts... what did they say about the meds they gave you?"

"They said to take them when necessary, but you should only need two a day at most since the relief is supposed to last a good while."

"Alright..."

"Do you need one now? Or are you okay?"

"Uh... maybe before bed... I don't think I'll be able to sleep if it hurts this bad... Are you staying over?" Rui looks at Tsukasa with pleading eyes.

"I wasn't going to, but... since you're hurt... I might as well, just in case. I'll need to steal some clothes though."

"That's fine... thank you. About tomorrow... can we still go?"

"We'll decide that tomorrow. I told the boys what happened, so they'll understand if we can't."

"Okay..." Rui sighs.

"I'm gonna take a quick shower since I wasn't able to after work, do you wanna join me?"

"Mm-mm... I'll take one in the morning." Rui denies.

"Alright." Tsukasa grabs some of Ruis pajamas from his dresser. "I'll be back soon, come get me if you need anything, okay?" He gives Rui a small kiss on the lips and heads to the door.

Rui nods and Tsukasa leaves to take a shower.

While hes in there, Rui suddenly hears a familiar voice.

"Rui~? Ah! Your arm!"

"Hm?" Rui looks to the source of the sound, it was KAITO. "Oh, hello there. What's up?"

"I can ask you the same thing! What happened?!"

"Just a little accident at work, that's all."

"A 'little' accident...? Does it hurt?"

"Oh yeah, like hell. I'll be okay though, don't worry. Anywho, what brings you here?"

"I just wanted to check up on everyone. I just finished talking to the girls, so I thought I would come see you next." He smiles, glad to see Rui after a while.

"Ah, is that so? That's very kind of you. Tsukasa is also here, but he's showering right now, so he'll be back soon. How's everyone else doing?"

"Everyone here? They're good. They miss you guys, maybe you all could stop by one day?" KAITO suggests.

"Maybe... we have our Christmas shows in a few months... so maybe we'll find a day to practice with you all."

The two take some time to talk and catch up on whatever they've missed since last seeing each other. After a short while, Tsukasa returns from his shower.

"Oh! KAITO!" He beams, running up to Ruis phone.

"Hello! It's great to see you, Tsukasa."

"Same with you! Sorry we haven't been over there in a while... we've been busy." Tsukasa pouts, he missed his virtual friends.

"It's all good! I'm just glad to see that everyones doing alright." KAITO smiles.

The trio spends a few hours simply chatting. Then, it was time to attempt to get comfortable enough to sleep.

Rui takes his pain meds along with some sleeping pills and tries to position himself properly like the doctor said.

"Okay, do you remember how they said you should sleep?"

"Uh... kinda? They said to keep it elevated... right?"

"Yep, here." Tsukasa grabs one of Ruis pillows and puts hit under his injured arm. "There we go. Comfy?"

"About as comfy as a man with a broken arm could be." Rui jokes.

"Well... that's better than nothing. I'll lay on this side, different than usual, but I can't exactly lay how I normally do." Tsukasa lays on his side, snuggling up to Rui as carefully as he can to not hit his arm.

"Thank you love." Rui gently kisses Tsukasas head.

"No need to thank me. You're injured, and as your boyfriend, I need to help as much as I can." Tsukasa lifts himself up and kisses Ruis cheek before returning to his prior position.

They try their best to sleep, but Rui seemed to be struggling.

"Kasa...?" He whispers.

"Hm? You okay?"

"Yes~ I juss wanted to tell you somethin~."

Tsukasa raises an eyebrow at the tone and slurred words, it seems the sleeping pills were taking effect.

"What's that?"

"I love~ you~. An' you're so nice to me~ 'm so glad you're my boyfrien~ 'm so~ lucky... Thank you~" Rui giggles, shutting his eyes to sleep.

Tsukasa tries to hold back his laugh, not wanting Rui to get distracted by it. "I love you too, sleepyhead. Get some sleep, yeah?"

"Mhmm~ Goodnight~"

"Goodnight, my love." Tsukasa smiles, nudges his head into Ruis shoulder, and shuts his eyes, finally getting some rest.

———————————————————————————
(Next morning)

"You sure you'll be alright today?"

"Yes, Kasa. I'll be fine. I really want to see those two, I'm not going to let a broken arm stop me from doing that."

"Alright... Sorry, I'm just worried..."

"I know, but you don't have to be. I'll be fine, especially since you'll be there if anything happens."

"Okay... Well, we already took a shower, so what do you wanna wear? I'll help you put your shirt on." Tsukasa changes the subject.

"I dont mind. Just grab something."

"M'kay~." Tsukasa grabs a nice shirt and helps Rui put it on along with his pants before getting himself changed.

"Alright! We got everything? You got your pain meds?" Rui nods, holding the bottle up to show Tsukasa.

"Perfect! Let's go!" Tsukasa beams and they make their way to the chosen location for their double date.

———————————————————————————
(At the café)

"Looks like we're here first... let's get a table while we wait." Rui suggests, and they wait to be seated.

When they finally get a table, they scan the menu as they wait for their juniors.

"Hey! Sorry we're late..." Akito says, out of breath.

"It's fine, but... why do you two look like you just ran a marathon?" Tsukasa worries.

Akito sighs and the couple take their seats. "Just as we were about to leave, Toyas dad called. So, we had to deal with him. Then Ena needed help with something. THEN after we finally left, I realized I forgot my phone at home, so I had to run back to get it, so we ended up running here... that's why." Akito finally catches his breath.

"Oh dear... that sounds eventful." Rui says, trying not to laugh.

"It was... but at least we got here in the end." Toya smiles, equally as out of breath as his ginger haired partner.

"True! That's all that matters." Tsukasa nods.

"How's your arm?" Akito asks, gesturing to Rui.

"Broken." He jokes. "No, but... it definitely hurts... Sleeping is... very annoying." He complains.

"I could imagine... I'm glad it wasn't anything more serious though." Toya says.

"Me too. It's going to take a while to heal though, so... that'll be... fun."

"Good luck with that, man." Akito says, slightly joking but also genuine.

"So, what's new with you two? Other than moving in together of course." Tsukasa asks, overly curious.

"I started working at Kens shop with Shiraishi." Toya says.

"Ken? Oh wait, thats her dad, right? He runs that coffee shop you all used to meet up at doesn't he?"

"Yes. I mainly make coffees while she does the serving."

"Ooh, that's fun. What about you? You still working at that clothing store?"

"No actually. I work at a music shop at the mall. The one that literally everyone knows."

"Oh, really? I was just thinking about going there the other day!"

"Yep. It's usually pretty busy, but I don't mind it all that much. Plus, I get to see a lot of people from school, so that's fun." Akito explains. "Oh, speaking of school... whatever happened to those guys you told me about a few years ago?"

"Which guys? The ones Rui told off for talking about us?" Akito nods in response.

"They stopped, their graduation was on the line after all. I don't think they messed with anyone after that day because of that fact." Rui says, still proud about that day.

"Damn, really? Good on you, Kamishiro." Akito says, genuinely impressed.

"Thank you, thank you."

The four of them continue chatting until they order and receive their food. Then came the hard part... eating it.

"Hmm... how should I... do this exactly...?" Rui mumbles to himself, trying to figure out how he should eat his food.

"Need help?" Tsukasa asks.

"Ah... maybe? If you could... I guess... cut it for me? That would be greatly appreciated."

"Yeah, sure." Tsukasa slides Ruis plate over to him and cuts up his food, making it easier. "There you go~ Will that work?"

"It should, thank you Kasa." Rui smiles and attempts to finally eat, which he successfully does despite the nausea from his head injury.

When the group finishes their food and pay, they stay seated for a bit longer, continuing their conversations. After a while, Tsukasa notices Rui suddenly go quiet.

"Love, you okay?" Tsukasa gently runs his hand through Ruis hair, trying to comfort him.

"Yeah, I'm alright... just... my arm..."

"Is it hurting? Did you take your meds?"

"I did... I'm just... waiting for them to kick in... heh..." He sighs, laying his head on the table, holding his arm underneath it.

Akito and Toya had rarely ever seen Rui hurt, so they sat silently, unsure of how he deals with pain. Akito saw him injured once, and that was only a sprained ankle. They assumed Tsukasa would know how to help, so they let him, simply watching from their seats. It was a side of their seniors they didn't get to see often, so it was slightly fascinating to them.

Tsukasa starts speaking quieter, knowing loud noises usually make Rui more upset when he's already in pain. Not to mention the concussion probably made that even worse. He bends down to Ruis level, asking him questions.

"When did you take it?"

"When I went to the bathroom..."

"That was a while ago... it should've taken affect by now, right?"

"Mhmm... not sure why it hasn't... but it better soon..." Rui was getting extremely frustrated.

"Do you want to leave?"

"But... the boys..."

"I know, but if you're in pain..."

"Let's just... wait..." Rui cuts him off with an unintentionally harsh tone.

"You sure?"

"Mhmm..."

"Alright..."

Tsukasa sits back up. "Sorry, his meds haven't kicked in yet for some reason..." He explains while rubbing Ruis back.

"That's no good... are you two leaving?" Toya asks.

"Not as of right now, he wants to wait a bit longer. He's been really excited to see you both, so..."

"We shouldn't be stopping you, though..." Akito says.

"Mm-mm." Rui brings his okay arm up, waving his finger side to side before sliding it back under the table. "Just gimme a minute." He mumbles.

"O...kay...?" Akito says, unsure if he should laugh or not at the sudden action.

After a few more minutes, while the other three were talking, Tsukasa hears Rui start mumbling to himself and tries to make out what he's saying.

"Rui—"

"This is ridiculous." Rui stands up, clearly agitated. "I'll be right back. Tsukasa, come here real quick." He grabs Tsukasas wrist and drags him into the bathroom where Rui lets go and throws himself against a wall, sinking to the ground.

"What's going on? Why did you—" Tsukasa looks down at Rui who was... crying?

"Woah, hey... Rui... what happened?" Tsuksasa panics and quickly kneels in front of his distressed lover.

"It... it really fucking hurts... I don— I don't know why they're not working..." He sobs, the pain was getting unbearable. "The lights are too bright, it's loud... my head hurts..." Rui brings his arm up to his head, gripping tightly onto the side around his ear, trying to silence everything.

"I'm sorry love... I don't really know how to help..." Tsukasa rubs his shoulder. He lets Rui cry it out, knowing he probably needed it. After a moment, Rui moves his hand from his head to his side and digs through his pocket to pull out the bottle of pills, harshly shoving it into Tsukasas chest.

"Why are you—"

"Take it. I am so close to just downing all of them." Rui says, urging Tsukasa to take them away from him before he does something he would regret. He hasn't felt this desperate to do anything to that level since that day in SEKAI. Sure, since then he's had moments where he ended up relapsing and harmed himself again, but he hasn't felt suicidal in nearly two years. Not until this very moment.

Hearing this, the blonde quickly takes the bottle and puts it in his pocket, away from Ruis view. "Let's not say things we don't mean..."

"I'm serious, Tsukasa." Rui looks up, his eyes had become empty again, something Tsukasa hasn't seen since highschool. 

"Rui..." Tsukasas heart almost shattered at the sight.

"I'm sorry... I just— I don't know what to do... I was so excited for today and I just had to go and fuck up my arm and head the day before... I'm just frustrated... sorry..."

"It's okay, sweetheart..." Tsukasa cups Ruis face in his hands, rubbing his cheeks in an attempt to calm him down. "I know you're upset. I don't blame you, either. I would feel the same way if it happened to me. Are you sure you don't want to go home?" Tsukasa asks one more time, just incase Ruis answer changed.

"But— the boys..."

"They'll understand. At least we got to see each other and eat together, right? We can try to do this another day."

"Okay..." Rui reluctantly agrees.

"Alright. Let's fix you up real quick though." Tsukasa stands to grab some tissues and damp paper towels and begins wiping Ruis face. "There we go, back to your beautiful self." He gives Rui a kiss on the forehead. "Come on, let's go." He helps Rui up and they leave the bathroom.

"Hey guys... sorry, but... Ruis pain is getting worse, so... I think we're going to leave." Tsukasa explains.

"That's alright. We already got to eat and everything, so it's not like we're cutting it short or anything like that." Akito says. "We can do this another time when you feel better." He smiles, reassuring his senior.

"Agreed. I'm sorry you aren't feeling well..." Toya says.

"...Sorry boys..." Rui mumbles with his eyes glued on the floor, he felt terrible.

"Really, it's okay. We'll do this again some time. Plus, we can always call and stuff. Don't worry too much." The other couple stands up. Rui nods and they all leave the café.

They all say their goodbyes and return to their homes.

———————————————————————————
(Back at Ruis house)

"How do you feel?"

"Like shit."

"Hmm... Do you wanna call the doctor and tell him about the pills?"

"I'll do it tomorrow."

"Alright... Do you—"

"Oh my god— Can you stop asking me so many fucking questions?!" Rui yells before falling onto his bed and running his hand through his hair in frustration.

"Rui, I'm just worried about you—"

"I get that, Tsukasa, but I just really need you to be quiet right now."

A painful silence fills the air for what felt likes hours. Tsukasa takes a deep breath before responding.

"Alright. What do you want me to do, then?" The blonde asks with an equally as harsh tone and crossed arms, waiting for an answer.

"Just— leave me alone for a while." Rui says as he lays back onto the bed with a heavy sigh.

"Okay... I'll be in the living room if you need me." Tsukasa lets out a sigh of his own and leaves the room, giving Rui his much needed space.

———————————————————————————
(A few hours later)

While Tsukasa was in the living room, he hears a door open and watches as a very sad looking Rui appears from the other side of it. Rui slowly walks up to Tsukasa and sits on his lap, leaning into his body in search of warmth.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you..." He apologizes, leaning his head on Tsukasas shoulder.

"Are you feeling better now?" Tsukasa asks, bringing his hand up to pet Ruis head.

Rui nods.

"That's good. I made cookies, you want some?"

"Mm-mm... no..." Rui wraps his arm around the blondes waist, something he does every time they fight or argue. "I'm so sorry Kasa..."

"It's okay, Rui." Tsukasa lifts Ruis head, making his lover look into his eyes. "I'll admit, I was definitely asking too many questions, but I just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed, you know?" Tsukasa calmly explains and he runs his finger through Ruis hair, trying to get his original point across.

Rui nods. "I know... I was just upset about my arm and everything was getting overwhelming... I've been overly sensitive to everything since I hit my head... it was all too much..." His head returns to Tsukasas shoulder as he attempts to nestle it even further into the stars neck, if that was even possible, leaving a small apologetic kiss on it. "I love you..."

"I love you too, and I forgive you. Do you wanna take a bath? Maybe it'll help a bit." Rui nods and they get ready for a bath.

———————————————————————————
(After the bath)

"Did that help at all?" Tsukasa asks as he dries Ruis hair.

"It did, thank you Kasa."

"Of course, my love. Do you work tomorrow?"

"No, it's Sunday. Plus, they're giving me a week off to get used to moving with my arm like this and to let my head heal a bit more. Why do you ask?" Rui leans his head back between Tsukasas legs, looking up at him.

"I don't either. Would you like me to stay with you tomorrow?"

"Sure. That'll be nice... I'll try not to yell at you again..." Rui chuckles but still feels horrible about it.

"I would appreciate that, yes. Though, I wouldn't be mad if you did, I understand that you're probably stressed right now." Tsukasa finishes drying Ruis hair and tosses the towel into the clothes basket.

"...Thank you."

"You're very welcome. Now, let's get some sleep." Tsukasa smiles before helping Rui up and onto the bed. They get into the same position from the night before and give each others small kisses before closing their eyes for the night.

———————————————————————————
(Two months later, the day Rui gets his arm checked for the final time.)

Since the day of the accident, Tsukasa tried to be around for Rui as much as he could between his shifts. They got into a few arguments due to Ruis pain, but they always made up in the end. His concussion went away after a few weeks since it wasn't as bad as it could've been. Then, it was simply a waiting game for his arm to heal.

They've also finalized the script for their Christmas shows, and now that Ruis arm should be better, they can finally get to practice.

Right now, he's in the hospital to see how he was healing.

"Looks like it's healed properly, the cast can finally come off. Of course, you still need to be  careful for a while, but you should be able to go back to work and do shows now, I know you've been worried about that." The doctor says. 

Rui lets out a sigh of relief that he was finally free of the restrictive cast. The doctor gets his tools and cuts the wrapping off, letting Rui stretch his arm.

After a few more tests, Rui was ready to go home all healed up.

———————————————————————————
(One hour later)

Instead of going home, however, he went to the Tenma household.

"Ah! Rui! Hello!" Saki beams, she hasn't seen him in a while.

"Hello, Saki. Is Tsukasa home?" He asks after giving the girl a small hug.

"He is! He's in his room, so he should've heard you..." She looks back, there was no sign of the blonde peeking down into the living room like he would usually do. "...at least, I think he's in his room? You can go check." She suggests. Rui nods and heads upstairs to Tsukasas room.

"Kasa? You in there?" He asks, leaving small knocks at the door. When nobody answers, he quietly opens the door.

"Love... Oh?" When he enters the room, Tsukasa was fast asleep at his desk. He smiles at the sight before walking up to him. Before he wakes the star, he peeks at what he was working on.

"Hm? 'strawberry filled star donut'? He's making new recipes? That sounds fun." He reads a bit further and sees something he wasn't exactly expecting in the footnotes of the paper. "'Rui would love this ♡'? Oh... how sweet of him..." Rui chuckles and spends a few more moments adoring his precious baker boy.

After a few minutes, he finally decides to wake him up. He gently puts his hand on the blondes head, petting it softly. "Kasa~?" He whispers.

"Mmm? Rui..?" Tsukasa mumbles as he slowly opens his eyes.

"Hello beautiful~" Rui smiles.

"Hi my love~" Tsukasa slowly sits up, yawning as he stretches his arms. "Hm? Huh?! Your arm!" He yells, grabbing Ruis previously broken arm.

"Yep~ All better!"

"That's amazing! When did you get it checked?"

"I came here from the hospital actually."

"Really?! Why?"

"Hehe, I wanted to tell you the good news in person."

"You're such a sweet boy~ You want a prize or something?" Tsukasa teases.

"Only if you're willing to give me one~" Rui plays along.

"Oh darling you know I am. However... We've still got to be careful with this arm of yours..." Tsukasa lifts Ruis arm up.

"Hmm... that is true... what if you help it recover faster then?"

Tsukasa knew exactly what he meant by that, and chuckles at the idea. "What's with you being obsessed with me kissing your arm?"

"You did it that day and I swear I went insane."

"Even though we weren't dating?"

"Especially because we weren't dating. It was very exciting, you know? I mean... I ended up kissing you for a reason..." Rui admits, his voice trailing off at the end. He still felt bad about that.

"You're so strange..." Tsukasa laughs. "But... I can do that if you want." Rui happily nods in response.

Tsukasa carefully brings the arm up to his mouth and leaves small kisses scattered around on it. Whenever he does this, he tends to focus on kissing Ruis healed scars, reminding him that he doesn't find them unattractive or disgusting, no matter how much time goes by. He always gives those areas extra love, making sure Rui knows Tsukasa loves every part of him, including his scars.

Ruis arm was overly sensitive that day due to not being touched for two months, so every touch sent shivers down his spine. He lets out a few small breaths of pleasure, simply enjoying the feeling. He whines when Tsukasa stops, wanting him to continue.

"Mm-mm." Tsukasa shakes his head. "We agreed not to go further at my house, remember?" He says, gesturing to the open wall behind him.

Rui sighs. "I know... but that felt nice..."

"I'm sure it did, it hasn't exactly been touched in a while. However, we made an agreement, did we not?"

"We did..." Rui pouts.

"You're such a child." Tsukasa laughs while fluffing up Ruis hair. "Now...!" He springs out of his chair. "I made a new recipe, care to join me while I try it out?" He smiles, holding his hand out. Rui nods and grabs his hand, making their way to the kitchen together.

———————————————————————————
(Two hours later)

"It turned out better than I thought! What did you think?" Tsukasa says, turning to Rui.

"Agreed! It's very sweet." Rui smiles.

"Perfect! I'll show it to my boss and see what she thinks~!" Tsukasa sings, extremely proud of himself.

Rui watches as he dances around happily, admiring the dedication he has in his work.

"Oh right!" Tsukasa abruptly yells, startling Rui. "Toya's working today! Akito's off so he's spending most of his day there... if you wanna go see them?" He suggests.

Ruis face lights up. They haven't seen eachother since the double date, and now that he's healed, he won't have to worry about his arm being in pain. "Yes! That would be very nice." He agrees, immediately jumping out of his seat.

They grab their things, and head to Weekend Garage.

"Welcome in~ Oh? Kamishiro? Tenma? Is that you?!" Yells the all too familiar voice of a certain previous hall monitor.

"Indeed it is~! Hello Shiraishi!" Rui beams.

"I assume you're here to see Toya?" She asks as she guides them to a table and hands them a menu.

"We are~ We haven't seen him in a while." Tsukasa sings, dying to see his favorite juniors.

"I'll go get him, he should be going on break any minute now." She smiles before disappearing into the kitchen.

While they wait, Akito finds them. "Yo." He says, joining them at the table.

"Hello, Shinonome." Rui gives him a welcoming smile.

"Hey guys. Your arm's all better?" Akito asks.

"Yep! Just in time, too. We have rehearsals soon."

"Rehearsals? For what?"

"Our Christmas shows!"

"Oh, right. I forgot about those. Toya's probably gonna end up dragging me to go see it..."

The trio spends some time catching up while waiting for Toya. A few minutes later, he joins them as well.

"How's work going?" Tsukasa asks.

"Good. We're not overly busy like usual, so I don't have to rush or anything. Also, I see your arm is healed?"

"Mhmm~ Good as new."

"That's good!"

After a few hours of catching up— Toya returning to work after only half an hour of that time— the couple make their way to their own homes.

Star Boy 🌟
'Goodnight Rui~'

My Love ♡
'Goodnight~'
'Remember, rehearsals start on Saturday~!'

Star Boy 🌟
'Yes yes I remember'
'And you! Don't overwork yourself tomorrow! 😤'

My Love ♡
'yes sir 🫡'
'hehe~ Goodnight Kasa'
'I love you♡'

Star Boy 🌟
'love you too~'
'sleep well ☺️'

———————————————————————————
(Saturday, at PXL)

Although they don't perform at the Wonder Stage very often anymore, they are still allowed to do rehearsals there. So, that's exactly what they were doing.

"Okay! We're all here, let's begin!" Tsukasa announces, glad to be back in leader mode.

The group shared agreements and practice finally begins. Everything goes smoothly aside from a few mistakes and tweaks here and there.

After hours of practice, the usual fireworks go off, signaling the clock striking eight and the end of their rehearsal.

"Alright, I think we've got pretty much everything down. Good job everyone! I'll write down the changes we made so we can work on them again tomorrow." Rui smiles as he starts jotting down notes.

"You all did great today! I'll see you girls tomorrow! Get home safely!" Tsukasa yells as the girls say their farewells and leave the stage. Like always, Tsukasa stays back to help Rui clean up the props.

"Thank you~ I'll put these backstage and I'll be right~ back." Tsukasa nods and Rui disappears backstage.

Tsukasa looks up at the stars and remembers all the time he and Rui had spent sitting on the stage and staring up at them. A smile creeps onto his face thinking of all those moments. He makes his way to the area they used to watch them at and sits down. They haven't done it since leaving the Wonder Stage, so he was feeling bittersweet.

When Rui returns, he sees Tsukasa at the edge of the stage looking up and sits down to join him. "What're you doing over here? Hm?" He questions.

"Say, Rui... if I was an actual star... which do you think I'd be?" Tsukasa asks, smiling as he turns to meet his directors eyes.

Rui was immediately reminded of the first time he was asked that. At first, his body wanted to panic because of what happened later that night, but then he remembers... there's nothing to be scared of anymore. Tsukasa was his boyfriend now. His soulmate, even. He has no reason to be afraid to answer. With that, a smile of his own forms on his lips.

"Hmm... maybe... the North Star?"

"And why's that?"