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[I. Late night]
Night had settled over the city like a velvet curtain
The streets below glimmered with scattered lights, tiny golden squares shining from apartment windows and distant street lights
Far below, the world still moved in muffled sounds, the occasional hum of a passing vehicle, the faint bark of a dog somewhere in the distance, the rustle of wind weaving through narrow alleyways
But up here, on the rooftop, everything felt still
Cold air brushed past them in soft, steady currents, carrying the scent of rain and of soaked concrete, the faint metallic tang of the city after dark. The moon hung low above them, pale and luminous, spilling silver across the rooftop floor
Wemmbu lay sprawled against the concrete ledge as if the world itself could not convince him to sit properly
Manepear sat beside him, one leg bent, one arm resting loosely across his knee
Wemmbu was talking
Of course he was
His voice filled the quiet night with a constant stream of thoughts, moving from one topic to the next with almost no connection between them
He talked about the ridiculous chaos of the day
About a fight that had nearly gone wrong
About someone terrible plan that somehow still worked
About the clouds
About the stars
About how the moon looked kind of suspiciously dramatic tonight
Manepear listened with quiet patience, the corners of his lips curved into the smallest smile
He always listened
Even when Wemmbu thoughts tangled over themselves, even when exhaustion made his sentences blur together, Manepear stayed there, letting his voice fill the silence
Then, slowly, the words began to fade
Longer pauses
Half finished thoughts
A yawn hidden poorly behind the back of his hand
The wind grew colder
Wemmbu shifted closer without thinking
His shoulder brushed against Manepear
Then, little by little, his head tipped sideways until it rested fully against Manepear shoulder
The words stopped
Manepear turned his head
Wemmbu eyes were closed
His breathing had gone slow and even, lashes resting softly against his cheeks in the moonlight
For a moment, Manepear simply stared
There was something strangely fragile about seeing him like this
Quiet
Unarmed by sleep
None of the usual sharp humor
None of the restless energy
Just warmth
Manepear exhaled softly and adjusted his posture, shifting so Wemmbu could rest more comfortably
He let his shoulder lower just slightly
His hand hovered for a second before carefully settling over Wemmbu, resting on the cold rooftop floor beside them
He stayed there long after the city lights began to dim
Long after the stars began to fade
Because somehow, in that silence, it felt like there was nowhere else he would rather be
⸻————~*~———————
[II. Bandages]
Rain tapped softly against the windows
The room was dim, lit only by the golden glow of a desk lamp in the corner, casting long shadows across the walls
The storm outside had turned the air cool, and the scent of wet earth drifted in through the slightly open window
Wemmbu pushed the door open with a careless grin that vanished the moment Manepear looked up
There was blood on his sleeve
Not much
But enough
Manepear expression changed instantly
The softness vanished, replaced by something sharper
Concern
Annoyance
Fear hidden beneath control
“It’s fine” Wemmbu said too quickly
Manepear stood
“It’s just a scratch”
He was already crossing the room
“Barely even felt it-“
Manepear took hold of his wrist
Firm
Gentle
Impossible to ignore
“Sit”
The single word left no room for argument
Wemmbu tried to laugh it off, but the look in Manepear eyes made him obey
The chair creaked softly as he sat down
Rain continued its quiet rhythm against the glass while Manepear knelt in front of him, unrolling bandages and cleaning cloths from the drawer beside the desk
The room smelled faintly of antiseptic and rainwater
When Manepear carefully peeled back the torn fabric, Wemmbu hissed
“Still think it’s nothing worryingly about?” Manepear asked softly
Wemmbu looked away
His hands were warm
Steady
As he cleaned the wound, his fingers brushed lightly against Wemmbu skin
Every touch sent a strange tightness through Wemmbu chest
Not pain
Something far worse
Something softer
“You keep doing this” Manepear murmured
“Doing what?”
“Making me worry”
The room fell silent, the rain outside suddenly sounded louder
Wemmbu looked down at him, caught completely off guard by the quiet honesty in his voice
Manepear tied the bandage carefully, his hands lingering for a moment on Wemmbu arm
His thumb brushed lightly over the edge of the wrap “Please be more careful”
It wasn’t a command
It was a plea
A plea
And somehow that hurt more
Because for the first time, Wemmbu realized exactly how much he mattered
⸻————~*~———————
[III. Borrowed Warmth]
Morning sunlight spilled through the windows in long golden beams
Dust motes drifted lazily through the light, glowing like tiny stars in the quiet warmth of the room
The others were scattered around the common area, half awake and still slow from sleep
Wemmbu walked in wearing Manepear hoodie
Far too big
The sleeves covered half his hands, and the collar slipped slightly over one shoulder
Someone noticed immediately “Isn’t that Manepear hoodie?”
Every head turned
Wemmbu froze
Manepear looked up from the table
For a second, their eyes met
Then Manepear smiled
Soft
Fond
“It looks better on him”
The room exploded into laughter and teasing
But all Wemmbu could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat
Warm
Loud
Unsteady
He pulled the sleeves over his hands a little more, trying and failing to hide the heat in his face
Manepear gaze lingered on him for just a second longer
And that second was enough to make the entire room feel warmer
⸻————~*~———————
[IV. The Weight of Trust]
The fire in the hearth had burned low
Orange embers glowed softly in the darkened room, painting everything in flickering gold and shadow
The group had long since fallen quiet
Conversations had faded into tired murmurs before disappearing completely
One by one, everyone drifted off
Wemmbu had insisted he was not tired
Manepear knew better
It happened slowly
A shift closer
A shoulder brushing his arm
Then the full weight of Wemmbu leaning against him
Asleep
His head rested against Manepear’s shoulder, soft breaths warming the fabric of his shirt
The room was so quiet that Manepear could hear the crackle of the dying fire
He didn’t move
Didn’t dare
Someone across the room whispered, amused “You’re trapped”
Manepear looked down at the sleeping figure against him
The softness in his expression said everything
He adjusted the blanket over Wemmbu carefully
His hand brushed gently through his hair once
Just once
Then rested on the back of the couch beside him
Outside, the wind moved through the trees, rustling the leaves in soft whispers
Inside, everything was warm
Still
Safe
And Manepear stayed exactly where he was until morning light touched the windows
⸻————~*~———————
[V. Instinct]
The alley smelled of rain and smoke
Water dripped from broken pipes overhead, splashing onto the pavement below
The neon lights from the street beyond cast fractured colors across the wet ground
The attack came without warning
A blur
A flash of movement
Wemmbu barely had time to react before Manepear stepped in front of him
Instantly
No hesitation
No thought
Pure instinct
The kind that came from fear
From care
From love too deeply rooted to be hidden anymore
After it was over, after the danger had passed and the air still trembled with adrenaline, Wemmbu stared at him
The rain had started again, light drops catching in Manepear hair
“You really do like me” Wemmbu said, half teasing, half breathless
Manepear looked at him
Rain slid down the side of his face
His expression softened
“You’re only realizing that now?”
The words were quiet
But they hit harder than anything else that night
For once, Wemmbu had no answer
Only the sound of rain
And the sudden, overwhelming warmth in his chest
⸻————~*~———————
[VI. When the Rain Finally Spoke]
The rain had not stopped for hours
It came down in a steady silver curtain, soft enough to sound almost gentle, yet heavy enough to blur the city beyond the windows into a watercolor of lights and shadows
Every neon sign outside bled into the wet glass, streaks of blue, gold, and crimson sliding downward like melting stars
Inside, the room was warm
The fire in the hearth had long since burned down to glowing embers, leaving behind a dim orange light that flickered over the walls and painted everything in soft, shifting shadows
The scent of rain drifted in from the half open window, mingling with the faint smell of smoke from the fire and the comforting warmth of old wood
Everyone else had gone to sleep
The building had settled into the quiet hush that only existed after midnight, when even the floorboards seemed reluctant to creak
Only Manepear and Wemmbu remained awake
Or rather
Wemmbu was pretending to be
He sat on the wide windowsill, one knee drawn up, absentmindedly tracing patterns into the fogged glass with his fingertip
His reflection stared back at him, blurred and ghostlike, framed by the storm outside
Manepear stood by the hearth, adjusting the last piece of wood in the dying fire
For a while, neither of them spoke
The silence was not uncomfortable
It was the kind that had grown between them over time familiar, warm, full of all the things they no longer needed words for
Still, tonight felt different
The air was heavier somehow
Not with tension
With something waiting
Wemmbu let out a quiet breath
“You know” he said, voice softer than usual, “It’s kinda weird”
Manepear turned slightly, his gaze lifting toward him “Which is?”
Wemmbu looked back out at the rain “The way you always seem to be there”
His voice almost got lost beneath the sound of water against the windows “In every fight”
He gave a small laugh, though it lacked its usual sharpness “Every stupid plan”
A pause
“Every time I mess something up”
The fire crackled quietly behind them
Manepear expression softened “I want to be there”
The words were so simple
So honest
Wemmbu fingers stilled against the glass
For once, he had no joke ready
No teasing reply
He turned to look at Manepear fully
The dim firelight caught against Manepear face, tracing gold along the edges of his features and leaving the rest in warm shadow
Something in Wemmbu chest tightened
Not painfully
Just enough to make breathing feel strangely difficult.l
“Why?” he asked, quieter now
The rain seemed louder
The room smaller
Manepear was silent for a long moment
Then he crossed the room
Slowly
Deliberately
Each step seemed to echo in the stillness until he stood in front of the windowsill, close enough for Wemmbu to feel the warmth radiating from him
For a second, Manepear simply looked at him
Really looked at him
At the tiredness hidden behind his smile
At the vulnerability he rarely let anyone see
At the person who had somehow become the center of so many of his thoughts
Then Manepear lifted a hand
His fingers brushed lightly against Wemmbu cheek
The touch was so gentle it almost didn’t feel real
But it was
Warm
Steady
Careful
His thumb traced just beneath Wemmbu eye
“Because…” Manepear said softly “You matter to me more than you think”
The words landed harder than any weapon ever could
Wemmbu stared at him
The room seemed to go completely silent
Even the rain felt distant now
All he could hear was the frantic beating of his own heart
Manepear hand remained against his face, as if afraid moving away would shatter the moment
Wemmbu swallowed
His voice came out almost as a whisper “You really mean that…”
It wasn’t a question
Manepear gaze did not waver “I do”
Something in Wemmbu broke then
Not in a painful way
In the way ice breaks at the first sign of spring
All at once
All at once, every look, every quiet touch, every moment Manepear had stayed beside him came rushing back with painful clarity
The rooftop
The bandages
The hoodie
The way Manepear had stood in front of him without hesitation
All of it had been saying the same thing
Wemmbu let out a shaky laugh, though his eyes had softened with emotion “You’re terrible at hiding things”
For the first time that night, Manepear smiled
Small
Warm
“So are you”
Wemmbu looked at him for one long, suspended moment
Then, before he could overthink it, before the fear could settle in, he leaned forward
The kiss was soft
Tentative
A breath more than a movement
Like both of them were afraid the other might disappear if they pressed too hard
Manepear froze for half a heartbeat
Then his hand moved gently to the side of Wemmbu neck, and he kissed him back
Slowly
Carefully
Like he had wanted to for far longer than either of them were willing to admit
Outside, rain ran down the glass in silver streams
Inside, the fire glowed low and warm
When they finally pulled apart, neither of them moved far
Their foreheads rested together, breaths mingling in the quiet
Wemmbu laughed softly, the sound unsteady but bright “Well” he murmured “That took us long enough”
Manepear smile deepened “Agreed”
For a while, they stayed there by the window, side by side, watching the storm paint the city in light and shadow
But somehow the night no longer felt cold
⸻————~*~———————
[VII. Extra]
Morning arrived slowly
The storm had passed sometime before dawn, leaving the world washed clean
Sunlight spilled through the windows in long, golden beams, warm and soft, catching on the droplets that still clung to the glass
Outside, the streets glistened from the rain, every rooftop and stone path reflecting the pale light of early morning
The air smelled fresh
Rainwater
Wet earth
And the faint lingering scent of last night fire
Inside, the common room was still quiet
Too quiet
The kind of quiet that only existed in the fragile moments before everyone else woke up
Wemmbu was the first to stir
He blinked slowly, his thoughts still tangled in the haze of sleep, and for a moment he couldn’t understand why everything felt… warm
Then he realized
He was not on the couch
Not exactly
He was leaning against Manepear
Completely leaning against him
His head rested against Manepear’s shoulder, one arm loosely draped across his side, their legs nearly tangled beneath the blanket someone-, Manepear, obviously had pulled over them sometime during the night
For one brief, horrifying second, Wemmbu went completely still
Then his memory returned all at once
The rain
The confession
The kiss
His face immediately grew warm
Very warm
He turned his head just enough to look up
Manepear was already awake
Of course he was
Golden morning light rested across his face, softening every line, catching in the loose strands of hair that had fallen over his forehead
His expression was calm, but there was something unmistakably gentler in his eyes now
Something openly fond
“Morning” Manepear said softly
Wemmbu stared at him
Then, because he was still himself despite everything, he tried for his usual composure
“…How long have you been awake?”
“Long enough”
“That’s concerningly vague”
The corner of Manepear lips lifted
Wemmbu groaned quietly and covered part of his face with the blanket “Oh no”
Manepear tilted his head slightly “Oh no what?”
Wemmbu peeked over the edge of the blanket, eyes narrowing with sleepy horror “They’re going to know”
Manepear glanced toward the staircase that led to the upper rooms “They probably will”
“That’s not helping”
For a moment, Manepear said nothing
Then his hand moved, gently brushing a loose strand of hair away from Wemmbu’s forehead
The touch was so soft that it stole the rest of Wemmbu complaints right out of him
His breath caught
Morning light spilled across the room, making everything feel almost unreal
Manepear gaze softened even further “Let them know”
Wemmbu stared
The words settled warmly in his chest
Not defensive
Not hesitant
Just simple certainty
A strange, unfamiliar happiness spread through him, warm enough to make his chest ache
Before he could respond, footsteps can be heard near the staircase
Both of them turned toward the sound
A beat of silence
Then someone stopped halfway down the stairs
Silence
A longer silence
Then
“Oh”
The single word carried far too much meaning
Wemmbu slowly turned his head
Standing on the stairs, very much awake and very much noticing everything, was one of the others
They looked from Manepear
To Wemmbu
To the blanket
To the fact that Wemmbu was still very obviously leaning against him
Then the grin appeared
Dangerous
“Oh, this is interesting”
Wemmbu immediately sat upright
Too quickly
The blanket nearly fell off both of them “It is not interesting”
“It is extremely interesting”
Another voice from upstairs “What happened?”
The first person turned and called back, far too loudly
“They finally figured it out!”
“No way-“
Wemmbu’s voice cracked in pure panic “Do NOT phrase it like that!”
Too late
Within seconds, more footsteps thundered down the stairs
The room, once peaceful and golden, suddenly filled with sleepy laughter and far too many knowing looks
Wemmbu buried his face in his hands
“This is a nightmare!”
“It’s adorable” someone corrected
Manepear, to Wemmbu
utter betrayal, let out the quietest laugh
Wemmbu turned toward him in disbelief “You’re supposed to be on my side”
“I am”
“You are visibly enjoying this”
Manepear smile widened just enough to prove him right
The others were relentless
Teasing comments
Smug smiles
Questions neither of them intended to answer
At one point, someone dramatically gasped “Wait- does this mean the hoodie thing makes sense now?”
Wemmbu groaned louder “Please stop talking”
But despite the embarrassment, despite the heat still rising in his face, there was something impossibly warm about it
No fear
No awkward distance
Just laughter filling the room while morning sunlight poured across the floor
And through all of it, Manepear hand found his
Their fingers intertwined beneath the blanket, hidden from everyone else
A quiet secret in the middle of chaos
Wemmbu looked down
Then up at Manepear
The teasing around them faded into background noise
Manepear thumb brushed gently over his knuckles
And suddenly, none of all the embarrassment mattered
Because for the first time, everything felt right
The rain was gone
The storm had passed
And the morning that followed was brighter than either of them had expected