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Bruno was listening to everyone at the moment, he had noticed something. Someone was missing. An important someone. Well, important to him. It was Ren, there was no typical Ren noises of him climbing the vines or rocks around the campsite. It worried Bruno as he liked watching him while everyone just discussed random stuff. Ren's smile while they did all this climbing lit up Bruno's day and made him smile too. It was pretty and bright and combined with when Ren had his bangs up, it just made Ren so much more gorgeous and now Bruno couldn't help but think of Ren's eyes.
The camp's noise was … different without Ren right there. The arguments, the fire, everything. Just random talks of strategy that Bruno occasionally tried stepping into. Ren usually just…was there and was playing. Never missing the talks, usually only interjecting when needed. But now… no Ren noises. No Ren voice. Bruno got up and went looking for him.
Outside the shelter, it was late afternoon. Bruno walked around the area before finally spotting Ren down on the beach. Which was slightly odd, given Ren was usually up in the trees. But Bruno went over anyway and sat next to him. As if on instinct, Ren leaned over and laid against Bruno, his head on Bruno's shoulder. Bruno made sure his breathing wasn't too loud, even though it was obvious it wasn't. His heart felt loud though since Ren was basically cuddling him. Ren pretended not to notice, his own breathing very quiet.
Ren's hair was still wild and loose. All messy and weirdly soft looking. Bruno really wanted to put his hand in their hair to see if it was as soft as it looked. He loved how it looked. It looked long enough to braid even. Bruno really really wanted to ask if he could touch it. The hair framed Ren's face, his bangs covering his eyes like a curtain over windows. Bruno liked that for some reason. It made Ren look and seem more interesting than usual.
Bruno slowed his breaths without realizing it. He had a habit of doing that around Ren, being weirdly softer, quieter, like the wrong sound might startle Ren. Which was ridiculous, of course, Ren wasn’t fragile like some kitten. He was a full grown man, slightly older than Bruno himself. Bruno just couldn't help himself though. He wanted to be nice to Ren, nicer than he was usually to anyone.
“Hey,” Bruno said gently, his voice seeming to be a few feet away. Ren glanced up, eyes flicking around Bruno’s face before dropping again, a small smile tugging at their mouth. “Hey.” was all that came out of Ren's mouth back at Bruno.
Silence settled between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It rarely was, Bruno sat beside him, close enough that their shoulders almost touched, close enough that he could feel Ren’s warmth through the thin fabric of his sleeve. They watched the water ripple for a while.
Bruno’s gaze kept drifting back to Ren’s hair. It was longer than Bruno usually noticed, soft, slightly wavy, catching the sunlight in a way that made it look almost unreal. There was something intimate about seeing it so wild like this, just a weirdly romantic moment.
Before he could mentally convince himself out of asking, Bruno spoke. “Can I… do something kind of stupid?” Ren chuckled, a quiet laugh while glancing over. “That depends. What are you going to do and is this a yes or no question?” “well.... Yea, it's a yes or no question” Bruno said, smiling. Ren studied him for a moment, eyes warm, curious. “Okay. Go ahead, but I still need to know what it is.”
Bruno hesitated, then gestured vaguely. “Your hair. I just… want to braid it. I mean, only if you’re okay with it. I used to braid my cousin’s hair all the time. I just…thought it might be nice.”
For a second, Bruno worried he’d overstepped. That Ren would pull back, politely but becoming distant, like Bruno himself sometimes did when things got too close too fast. Instead, Ren blinked, surprised, and then their shoulders relaxed with a big smile.
“…Yeah,” Ren said softly. “That’d be nice.” Something in Bruno’s chest loosened and his heart went beating fast again. Ren shifted, turning slightly so his back was to Bruno, then paused. “I’m warning you. It doesn’t always behave.” Bruno smiled, gentle and fond. “I could still try.” He reached out slowly, giving Ren plenty of time to change his mind. Ren didn’t move away.
The first time Bruno’s fingers brushed through Ren’s hair, he felt it everywhere on his hand. The softness surprised him. It was silky but thick and warm from the sun. He gathered a small section carefully, separating the locks with ease.
Ren breathed in and then out slowly, like he’d been holding his breath without realizing it. “Is this okay?” Bruno asked quietly. Ren nodded. “Yeah. It’s… relaxing.”
Bruno worked slowly, being gentle. He made a few small braids, neat and careful. He made sure not to move too fast. There was something calming about the motions. It felt like he was petting a cat just by braiding this person he likes hair. It felt really nice.
As he braided, Ren started talking. Not a lot, just small, little things. A comment about the way the lake looked at sunset. A passing thought about how weird it was that something as small as a pebble from something or another making a lake or something. Bruno listened a bit. He always did. But this time felt different, more intimate, Bruno and Ren both felt it, both also loved it.
“You know,” Ren said after a while, voice quieter, “I don’t usually let people do this.” Bruno’s fingers paused for half a second before continuing the braiding. “oh?” Ren nodded. “Yea. It feels… personal, you know? Letting someone touch you like this, so much. I guess.” Bruno swallowed a breath. “I won’t take it lightly.” Ren smiled softly and sweetly. “I know.”
The breeze picked up, carrying the scent of pine and water. Somewhere behind them, someone laughed loudly, the sound distant and not at all important. Bruno finished one small braid and moved to the next, careful not to tug since he didn't want to hurt them. Ren’s head tilted slightly, unconsciously leaning into the touch. The sight made Bruno’s chest ache in the way it only would when one is really in love.
“You’re good at this,” Ren murmured. Bruno chuckled. “Thank you. My cousin used to say I braided like I was defusing a bomb or something.” “That explains the carefulness.” Bruno smiled to himself. He added another braid, then another, small and subtle, framing Ren’s face. When he was done, he let his hands linger for a moment, smoothing stray strands back.
“All done,” he said softly. Ren turned around, their eyes staring into Bruno’s face for a moment. He then touched the braids and smiled. His fingers traced them gently, like he was confirming they were real. “They’re really nice,” Ren said. His voice was warm, maybe a little shy. Bruno felt heat creep into his cheeks again. “I’m glad.”
Ren hesitated, then leaned closer, kissing Bruno’s cheek before resting his head against Bruno’s shoulder. The contact was light, soft and careful. Bruno didn’t move, he barely breathed for a second. They sat like that as the sun dipped lower, the sky shifting from gold and pink to something deeper, calmer and darker. Ren’s weight against him felt like heaven to him. Bruno loved it and wanted to cherish this forever.
“Bruno?” Ren said quietly. “Yeah?” “…Thanks.” Bruno smiled, soft and sure. “Anytime.” For once, Bruno actually felt at peace at the camp. Like nothing could go wrong now. As long as Ren didn't leave his side that is.