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It was bright and early in the morning, and Bruno was awake right away as usual. He was just used to waking up this early. It wasn't that he wanted to be up this early, he wanted to sleep in. But with his job and the camp life, he just automatically woke up earlier than “normal” the past few days. Even on days with no challenges. He could hear all the noises of the outside while everyone was asleep. The birds chirping, leaves rustling, the sound of bunnies and deer jumping around. Once or twice he swore he could just see a deer sneak its head into the makeshift shelter entrance before running away once it saw humans.
Then, he heard a rustle beside him. He turned his head immediately and saw who it was. It was Ren, curled up beside him. Well, just near him actually. Within rolling distance. Which was basically beside him. He couldn't help but just watch the sleeping genderfluid jester.
Bruno watched the faint outline of the other person, one arm bent under his own head as he stared. As he did, he realized how warm he felt in his kind of multicolored hoodie. Even despite the leaf blanket covering only half his body. He could feel how his sleeves seemed a bit too long now, his hoodie feeling like a blanket by itself. He tried not to move since the leaf could just slip off him at any point, he didn't want his legs to be cold.
He just kept watching Ren, who was curled on their side like a sleeping kitten. Their long hair was very messy and unkempt, which was usual for the person. Ren just kept their hair a mess a lot. Bruno liked that for some reason. Bruno noticed one of Ren's green suspender strap things was dangled off their shoulder. Were those suspenders? Bruno figured they were.
Ren's crop top, which kind of looked like a sweater, had slightly rolled up a bit, revealing a bit more skin than usual. Bruno wasn't meaning to stare, he also didn't mean to smile as he did so. He liked Ren a lot. Ren had always been nice to him even if the two of them didn't talk much at all.
Bruno still kept quiet as he watched and waited. He didn't want to wake Ren up, or anyone really. A few of the others tended to be grumpy when they woke up.
Not Ren though, he always seemed to wake up energized and ready to help. Which always impressed Bruno. He was usually either chatting with Dunia right away or sneaking off to climb trees after waking up, if not helping with the shelter. He always seemed to love helping.
Bruno remembered another time, when Ren just rolled over and cuddled him suddenly when they were sleeping in the cave. Sometimes Ren just did that, for no reason whatsoever. Bruno hadn't minded, he kind of liked it.
As if summoned by that thought, Ren rolled over with a noise. Bruno could feel and hear the shifting before he saw it as he glanced over. He just saw the movement of the Ren colored shape for a split moment. And then Ren fully rolled over and without hesitation, a moment later… plop.
Ren’s face pressed into Bruno’s chest, cheek warm through the hoodie. One arm slung across just below his chest, hand curling into the fabric like it belonged there. Their knee nudged between his legs, comfortable and familiar, and their forehead rested just below his collarbone. Bruno froze, for like... exactly half a second. Then his entire body basically melted.
“…Ren,” he whispered, voice barely there, more of a breath rather than a voice. Ren didn’t answer. They just sighed softly and contently, then snuggled closer, their nose brushing against the fabric of his hoodie. Their grip tightened slightly, like they’d found what they were looking for and were not letting go.
Bruno stared at the wall again, this time with a grin so wide it almost hurt his face. “You just….” he murmured, then stopped himself. There was no point. Ren wasn’t awake enough to defend himself, and honestly? He didn’t want him to. He liked the fact Ren's first instinct when half awake was to cuddle him. It made him feel wanted by someone. He loved it a lot.
He moved his arm carefully, being very slow and deliberate, and began wrapping it around Ren’s body. His hand rested just above the green suspenders straps, thumb brushing the edge of one of them in a small, somewhat absent-minded motion. Ren had hummed. It was quiet, hardly audible, but it sent something warm and fuzzy straight through Bruno’s chest. He could feel himself just relax, the last bit of tension easing out of him as he adjusted Ren against him to a more comfortable position. He adored this feeling.
They fit together so well, maybe too well. It was unfair that, as far as Bruno knew, Ren only saw him as a friend. He didn't know Ren liked him like he liked Ren. Maybe Ren would tell him soon, who knows. Only Ren did.
Ren’s sweater felt softly knitted, slightly fuzzy and warm against his skin where Bruno could feel it on his own. Bruno could feel Ren's breath, slow and calm, and it enchanted him in a way nothing else really did or could. Not the lullabies his mom used to sing, not the sound of the songs on the radio back home. Just this, only this. At least five minutes passed, maybe more. Time didn’t really matter now, not to Bruno. Ren shifted again, this time more awake. His face tilted up slightly, eyes still closed, lips parting as they murmured something Bruno could barely hear. Bruno looked down at him, heart doing something stupid in his chest again, as usual when he was around Ren. “You good?” he whispered.
Ren’s eyes fluttered open halfway under their thick, long bangs, unfocused and sleepy at first. He blinked once, then twice, then they smiled very brightly. “gooood morning, Bruno.” Ren said softly, voice somewhat rough from sleep. Bruno laughed quietly under his breath. “You literally tackled me.” Ren didn’t even pretend to that he was sorry. “I cuddled you.” “Unprovoked.” Ren shrugged as much as he could without moving away. “You were there.” “That’s your defense?” “Absolutely.” He nuzzled into his chest again. Bruno had blushed slightly at the nuzzle. “Also, you’re warm.”
Bruno shook his head, still smiling. “You could’ve asked.” Ren tilted their head just enough to look up at him, the clips on their suspenders catching the light as they shifted. Their eyes were brighter now, much more awake, "so you wouldn't have said no?” he asked. Bruno opened his mouth, then closed it. “…No... I would have said you could.” he admitted. Ren’s smile softened. “nice, thought so."
They stayed like that for a while longer, neither of them rushing to move. Ren traced random patterns on Bruno’s chest while Bruno’s hand rested comfortably at their back. Outside, the camp was waking up. Footsteps in the distance. A branch creaking in the wind above the trees. Someone was laughing too loudly for how early it was. None of it mattered. Ren yawned like a cat, then tucked their face back into Bruno’s chest. “We should probably get up soon,” he said, muffled. Bruno looked back at him and smiled. “Yea... Probably.”
Neither of them moved though. Ren adjusted his leg, hooking it more securely over Bruno’s. His suspenders had slipped back into place, the green bright against the more neutral colors of the cave. “Maybe five more minutes,” he said. "Didn't you say that like, ten minutes ago.” Ren smiled at him. “Ha! No. But if I did, I meant another five.” He sighed dramatically and jokingly. “You’re so impossible.”
“And yet,” Ren said, tilting his head up again, eyes warm and teasing, “you’re still holding onto me.” Bruno tightened his arm around them just a little. "Maybe I also want five more minutes." Ren laughed quietly, then cuddled just a little more. The morning light grew stronger, spilling across the area, catching on the brown of Bruno’s hoodie and the green of Ren’s suspenders like it was painting them into the day.
They would get up eventually. Then they’d maybe tease each other over breakfast, in a joking way of course. Along with facing whatever the camp decided to throw at them next. But for now? For now, Ren was curled against him, warm and happy, and Bruno was exactly where he wanted to be. Both felt comfortable for the first time in a while.