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The rain had started halfway through the final bow.
Not enough to stop the crowd from cheering, of course. Nothing ever stopped a Wonderlands x Showtime audience once they got excited enough. Even now, as stage lights dimmed and staff hurried to pull equipment beneath cover, people still lingered outside the stage awning, clapping and shouting praises through the downpour.
“THAT WAS AMAZING, TSUKASA-KUN!”
“RUI-KUN, THE FIREWORKS WERE SO COOL!”
Tsukasa waved dramatically despite being visibly exhausted. “OF COURSE THEY WERE! YOU HAVE WITNESSED A PERFORMANCE FROM THE FUTURE STAR OF THE WORLD!”
“You say that every time,” Nene muttered, though she looked satisfied beneath the hood of her raincoat.
Emu spun in circles beside them, uncaring about the rain soaking her completely. “WONDERHOY! The rain makes it feel even more magical!”
“It makes it feel wet,” Nene corrected flatly.
Rui laughed softly under his umbrella.
The four of them stood together backstage while the rain hammered against the rooftop overhead. Somewhere nearby, a staff member shouted about cables. Another groaned over a soaked prop cart.
Tsukasa crossed his arms. “Honestly! This weather has terrible timing. It waited until after my perfect performance to attack.”
“Perhaps it was so moved by your acting that the sky began crying,” Rui suggested.
“That’s obviously not-”
Emu gasped dramatically. “Tsukasa-kun made the clouds emotional!”
“Emu!”
Nene sighed. “I’m leaving before this gets worse.”
“You’re abandoning us?”
“Yes.”
“Traitorous behavior…”
Despite his complaints, Tsukasa looked lighter than usual tonight. Looser around the edges. The adrenaline from the show still buzzed visibly through him, keeping his eyes bright even as damp strands of blond hair clung to his face.
Rui noticed these things automatically.
He somehow always did.
“Come on, Emu,” Nene said, grabbing her wrist before she could start splashing in puddles again. “Your brothers are waiting.”
“Awwww. Rui-kun, Tsukasa-kun, bye-bye!”
“Travel safely,” Rui called.
“Don’t catch a cold!” Tsukasa added.
Then the two girls disappeared into the curtain of rain beyond the backstage exit, leaving only the sound of rainfall and distant audience chatter behind.
Silence settled strangely after that.
Tsukasa stretched his arms over his head with a groan. “Ahh… my entire body hurts.”
“You say that after every performance too.”
“That is because I dedicate my entire soul to acting.”
“How noble.”
“I know.”
Rui smiled at that.
The backstage lights reflected gold against puddles gathering near their feet. For a moment neither of them moved to leave.
Rain tapped steadily against Rui’s umbrella. Tsukasa looked out toward the park entrance. “It doesn’t seem like it’s stopping anytime soon…”
“No, it appears we’ve been trapped.”
“Hm.”
Another pause.
Then Tsukasa suddenly looked over. “Wait. You brought an umbrella?”
“I did.”
“And you only brought one?”
“Yes.”
“You villain.”
“I wasn’t expecting to escort a certain star home.”
Tsukasa huffed dramatically. “Unbelievable. To think my own troupe member would leave me defenseless against the forces of nature.”
Rui tilted the umbrella slightly toward him. “Then allow me to rescue you.”
“…Hmph". Despite the attitude, Tsukasa stepped closer.
Close enough that their shoulders nearly touched beneath the umbrella.
Rui pretended not to notice the way Tsukasa immediately stiffened afterward.
The walk through Phoenix Wonderland was quieter than usual. Most visitors had already fled the rain, leaving the pathways empty except for glowing lights reflecting off wet pavement.
Everything looked blurred around the edges. Almost dreamlike.
Tsukasa shoved his hands into his jacket pockets as they walked. “Today’s audience was particularly energetic.”
“They adored you during the final scene.”
“Well naturally... wait.”
Rui hummed innocently.
“You’re making fun of me.”
“Only slightly.”
“Tch.”
But Tsukasa’s lips twitched upward anyway. Rui had long since learned the difference between Tsukasa’s real irritation and the performative kind.
This was the latter.
Rainwater splashed beneath their shoes. The umbrella forced them close together, shoulders brushing every few steps whenever Tsukasa forgot himself.
Not that Rui minded.. Actually, he minded rather a lot. Because every accidental touch lingered too long in his thoughts.
Tsukasa kept talking, voice animated despite the late hour. “The timing during the second act almost went wrong, you know. The left stage lift delayed by half a second.”
“I noticed.”
“But I adapted flawlessly.”
“You nearly tripped.”
“I adapted gracefully.”
“You panicked beautifully.”
“I did not panic!”
Rui laughed again.
That laugh always did something strange to Tsukasa. Not that he would ever admit it out loud.
“…At least the audience didn’t notice,” Tsukasa muttered.
“No. Because you’re talented.”
The words came simply.
Tsukasa blinked.
Rui rarely sounded insincere, but compliments from him carried a particular weight. He observed everything too carefully to praise thoughtlessly.
“…Well,” Tsukasa said awkwardly, looking away, “obviously.”
“Obviously.”
Their shoulders bumped again. This time neither moved away immediately.
The rain intensified briefly, drumming loudly overhead. Tsukasa instinctively grabbed Rui’s sleeve as a strong gust of wind shoved rain sideways beneath the umbrella.
The motion was quick. But once he realized what he’d done, Tsukasa froze.
Rui glanced downward. Tsukasa’s hand still gripped his sleeve lightly.
“Ah...”
The sound escaped Tsukasa before he could stop it.
Then, far more flustered than someone of his theatrical caliber should have been, he let go immediately.
“I was merely preventing a weather-related catastrophe.”
“Of course.”
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like...” Tsukasa gestured vaguely. “Like you know something.”
Rui’s smile turned softer around the edges.
“That’s because I usually do.”
Tsukasa stared at him for a second too long. Rain blurred the lights around them into streaks of gold and blue.
Rui’s hair was damp despite the umbrella. Water droplets clung to his eyelashes. His expression, usually playful and unreadable, looked strangely open tonight.
Tsukasa’s chest tightened. He looked away first.
“You’re unfair sometimes.”
Rui blinked lightly. “Am I?”
“Yes.”
“How unfortunate.”
“You’re not even denying it!”
“I thought it was one of my more charming qualities.”
Tsukasa groaned dramatically. “See? This is exactly what I mean.”
But Rui noticed the embarrassment hidden beneath the complaining. Again, he always noticed.
The path ahead curved past the carousel, its lights still glowing despite the empty park. Rain shimmered across the mirrors and painted horses.
Tsukasa slowed slightly. “It’s pretty.”
Rui looked at him instead of the carousel.
“Yes,” he agreed quietly.
Tsukasa turned. “Hm?”
“Nothing.”
Suspicion immediately crossed Tsukasa’s face. “You definitely said that strangely.”
“Did I?”
“Yes.”
“How mysterious.”
“Rui.”
“Hm?”
Tsukasa stopped walking. Rui paused too.
Rain fell steadily around them, softer now. The world felt very small beneath the umbrella.
Tsukasa looked like he wanted to say something. Several somethings, perhaps. Rui watched emotions cross his face in quick succession, confidence, hesitation, determination, embarrassment. An entire battle happening internally.
“Today was fun,” Tsukasa finally said.
Rui tilted his head slightly. “Only today?”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do.”
“Then stop making me say unnecessary things!”
“But watching you struggle is entertaining.”
Tsukasa made an offended sound. “You truly are terrible.”
“But you continue spending time with me.”
"Well.”
The rain filled the silence he left behind. Tsukasa’s expression softened little by little.
“You understand me,” he admitted quietly.
The joking atmosphere faded at the edges and Rui went still. Tsukasa rarely said things like that directly.
“You understand,” Tsukasa continued, staring somewhere past Rui’s shoulder, “even when I’m being unreasonable. Or dramatic. Or when I can’t explain things properly.”
“Tsukasa-kun...”
“And it’s…” He exhaled sharply. “Easy with you.”
Rui felt his heartbeat stumble in the most inconvenient manner possible.
How cruel.
Tsukasa looked back at him then, eyes bright beneath rain-dimmed lights.
“So it’s unfair when you act like you don’t know what you’re doing.”
Rui’s breath caught slightly.
Ah.
So that was what this was.
“…I see,” he said softly.
For once, Tsukasa didn’t immediately fill the silence with noise. They simply stood there listening to rain and Rui wondered if Tsukasa could hear how loud his own heartbeat had become.
“You know,” Rui murmured, “you’re quite unfair yourself.”
Tsukasa blinked. “Me?”
“Mhm.”
“How?”
“You say things capable of altering a person’s entire emotional state, then look surprised when they react.”
“I don’t-”
“You do.”
Tsukasa opened his mouth. Closed it. Then narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Are you flirting with me right now?”
Rui smiled slowly. “What do you think?”
The visible panic that followed was deeply adorable.
“I- you- that’s not-”
“Relax. I’m merely asking a question.”
“You ask questions like a supervillain.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Tsukasa pressed a hand over his face dramatically. “This is horrible…”
"But you’re smiling.”
“…I am not.”
“You are.”
Tsukasa absolutely was and Rui could see it even behind the embarrassment.
Rainwater dripped from the edge of the umbrella beside them. Somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbled softly.
Tsukasa lowered his hand after a moment.
“…Maybe I wouldn’t mind if you were.”
Rui stopped breathing for approximately one second. Tsukasa clearly realized what he had admitted immediately afterward because his entire face went red.
“No, wait, that sounded—”
Rui stepped closer instinctively.
Tsukasa froze.
They were already close beneath the umbrella. Now there was barely any space left at all.
Rui could see every tiny shift in Tsukasa’s expression. The nervousness hidden beneath confidence. The stubborn refusal to retreat. The way his breath caught slightly despite himself.
“Tsukasa-kun,” Rui said softly.
That tone alone seemed to short-circuit him.
“…What.”
“You’re blushing.”
“I AM STANDING IN THE RAIN.”
“I don’t believe rain normally causes this reaction.”
Tsukasa looked seconds away from spontaneous combustion and Rui found himself smiling again, though gentler this time.
“…You’re beautiful,” he said before he could stop himself.
Even the rain seemed quieter somehow. Tsukasa stared at him like the words had physically stunned him.
“…You can’t just say things like that.”
“But I already did.”
“That’s not the point!”
Rui laughed softly under his breath and tsukasa made the mistake of looking directly into his eyes after that.
And that, unfortunately, was the final blow.
Because Rui’s expression had changed again. Less playful now.
Tsukasa’s heartbeat became unbearably loud.
“Oh,” he said faintly.
Rui tilted his head slightly. “Oh?”
“I think,” Tsukasa said slowly, “I may be in terrible danger.”
“How tragic.”
“You are the danger!”
“That sounds dramatic enough to be one of your lines.”
“It’s TRUE.”
Rui’s shoulders shook with quiet laughter.
Then Tsukasa did something unexpectedly brave. He reached out and grabbed the front of Rui’s coat.
Rui went silent immediately. Tsukasa looked nervous and determined too.
“You…” He swallowed once. “You should stop looking at me like that unless you intend to do something about it.”
Oh.
Oh, that was unfair.
Rui’s smile faded into something softer. “Is that permission?”
Tsukasa’s face somehow became even redder. “…Maybe.”
The rain continued falling around them.
Rui lifted one hand carefully toward Tsukasa’s face, giving him enough time to pull away if he wanted.
He didn’t.
Instead Tsukasa leaned forward first. Impatient.
The kiss was brief at first, awkward, only because both of them were clearly trying to process the fact that it was happening at all.
Then Tsukasa made a tiny frustrated sound against his mouth, like he was annoyed by his own hesitation.
Rui nearly laughed into the kiss.
That earned him an offended noise before Tsukasa kissed him properly this time. Warm despite the rain.
Earnest and very, very Tsukasa.
Rui’s free hand settled gently at his waist. The umbrella tilted dangerously sideways as Tsukasa grabbed his sleeve again, and cold rain immediately splashed across both of them.
Neither cared.
When they finally pulled apart, Tsukasa looked completely stunned by his own actions.
Rui probably looked similar.
“…Well,” Tsukasa said weakly.
“Well indeed.”
“We just...?”
“Mhm.”
“In the rain.”
“Yes.”
“After a show.”
“Very cinematic of us.”
Tsukasa stared at him for another second before laughing helplessly into his hands.
“This is ridiculous…”
Rui adjusted the umbrella back over them properly. “Do you regret it?”
Tsukasa lowered his hands just enough to glare at him.
“…Obviously not.”
“Good.”
“But if you tease me about this tomorrow, I’ll never forgive you.”
Rui hummed thoughtfully. “No promises.”
“Rui.”
“Kidding.”
“…Liar.”
“A little.”
Tsukasa sighed dramatically, though there was no real frustration left in it now.
Then, after a brief hesitation, he reached for Rui’s hand.
This time intentionally.
Rui looked down at their joined hands for a moment before smiling again.
The rain continued around them as they started walking once more through the glowing park lights together, shoulders pressed close beneath a single umbrella.