Chapter Text
[Backstage]
"Life is so boring."
The stars had stopped impressing him the tenth time he watched them through the window.
Nothing there was fun.
The same white clothes, the same green grass beneath his feet, the same tree where he practiced, the bland food in the quiet cafeteria, the shrill laughter of the children outside, and the phantom ache of the scars on his forearms. The only thing that changed were the fresh wounds on his knees.
Everything was so boring.
"Hm?"
Except for that voice.
It was so soft that he wouldn't have heard it if he hadn't been in that room, isolated from the noise outside. He had never heard anything so comforting.
He pressed his hands against the floor, hissing as pins and needles spread through his legs, then crawled toward the only window. He was too small to reach it—or perhaps it had been built too high. There wasn't any furniture nearby either, so he simply pressed his ear to the wall.
"Beautiful."
He murmured, smiling for the first time in days.
Closing his eyes, he leaned against the warm wall—a stark contrast to the cold beneath his bare feet—and hugged his knees for comfort, letting the song lull him to sleep.
[Stage]
"Get the hell out of my sight, you idiot!"
Reo felt the sharp sting the moment his fingers touched his cheek. It had been an automatic reaction. He knew he wasn't supposed to touch it, but it was already too late.
He pressed a little harder, keeping his gaze lowered.
"Don't you understand, you damn rat?"
He didn't move. His face remained slightly turned away, even when the creature lunged at him, only to be held back by another.
"Enough. We'll get in trouble if you leave marks on him."
"Why should I care? I'm going to kill him. He's just a human."
"Just a human? He's Arka's favorite pet! You'll get yourself into trouble. No. You'll get all of us into trouble if they hear about this!"
Boring.
The pain faded as he lowered his hand, replaced by numbness. The idiot must have been wearing a ring that had sliced part of his skin, leaving blood smeared across his fingers.
He needed to make sure he cleaned it off before going back to Nagi.
"You can leave now, kid. The payment has been transferred."
Reo looked up. The third creature displayed a hologram showing the agreed amount of coins. There was nothing left for him to do.
"It was a pleasant evening. I'll be taking my leave now. Excuse me."
He smiled politely, bowed, and headed for the exit, ignoring the irritating voices behind him.
The cold wind greeted him beneath the flickering sign on the neighboring street. No one ever bothered fixing it, despite how long it had been broken. The car hadn't arrived yet, so he crossed his arms, trying to trap what little warmth remained beneath his thin shirt, digging his nails into his forearms.
"What a fucking joke."
He nudged an empty can with the tip of his shoe before kicking it into a pile of trash once he could move properly again. The streetlights were dim through the car's tinted windows. Inside, only the navigation screen illuminated the cabin.
It was a long ride home.
He took a deep breath, feeling the cold air spread through his body, making the sting in his cheek sharper while numbing his thoughts. Tonight, repeating that breathing exercise four times was enough to calm himself.
"Happy birthday to me."
He murmured, loosening the fabric around his neck before sinking into the seat and stretching out his legs. He would sleep for a while. There was still another hour before they reached the building. At least he could still surprise Nagi. He had felt so guilty about canceling their plans because of Arka's sudden call.
All for a handful of damned coins.
But he was finally on his way back. He would have enough time to rinse his face, clean away the dried blood, say goodnight to Nagi, and then pick up some ointment for the bruise.
"Reo."
His plans hadn't accounted for Nagi —who usually went to bed early and sometimes even hid from Reo just so he could sleep— waiting for him outside. He was sitting on the grass a few meters from the main building, curled up with his arms around his knees, his head lifted toward him.
"Nagi, you're going to catch a cold."
Reo hurried over without even closing the car door and knelt beside him. The barrier sealed shut behind him, cutting off the freezing wind outside.
The only warm thing there was Nagi.
"What happened to you?"
"How long have you been waiting here?"
They spoke at the same time. Reo smiled at the coincidence, leaning closer to Nagi's thick white sweater. They held each other's gaze, silently waiting for the other to repeat the question. Knowing how much Nagi disliked repeating himself when he was tired, Reo gave in first.
"Why are you here?"
His hand found Nagi's soft hair on instinct, combing his fingers gently through the white strands to untangle them. He was sure Nagi had fallen asleep after Reo left.
"Waiting."
Nagi closed his eyes, leaning into the touch before lazily opening them again to stare at Reo, patiently waiting for an answer.
"A minor setback."
Nagi wasn't like him. He wasn't satisfied with a short, vague explanation. He continued staring, sleepy but stubborn.
"A difficult client. He didn't like the performance, so he got angry."
Reo shrugged before lowering his hand to the grass and resting his head on Nagi's shoulder. Nagi instinctively shifted to make space, never complaining when strands of purple hair brushed against his cheek as Reo nestled against his neck.
"I don't provide extra services, so they don't take it well."
He kept talking, even though he didn't have to. The gentle brush of Nagi's hand against his own was so comforting that he simply continued, certain Nagi was listening.
"The only good thing that came out of the rebellion was the contracts. And nowhere in mine does it say I have to satisfy requests beyond what's written, no matter how many coins they offer."
He inhaled once more, savoring the faint scent of lemons.
"Does it hurt?"
Nagi lifted a hand to Reo's jaw, brushing his thumb carefully around the cut on his cheek, trying to wipe away the dried blood without pressing too hard.
"Don't touch it. You'll get dirty."
Reo complained, but he didn't pull away as Nagi traced gentle circles around the wound. He must have looked awful. He needed to fix his face before Arka came looking for him tomorrow.
"It's swollen."
"Mm. I'll get some medicine later."
Yet neither of them moved. They sat together beneath the quiet glow of the stars. The wind didn't feel as cold anymore. Still, they should go inside before the guards found them.
Reo wished they could stay like this just a little longer.
If he could hold onto this moment, maybe he would remember the feeling well enough not to miss it so much after he was gone. Besides, ending the day beside Nagi was almost as wonderful as spending the entire day with him.
It was the only birthday gift he ever wished for.
"Reo."
Nagi stopped stroking his cheek and gently cupped his jaw instead, lifting his face.
"Hm?"
Reo murmured, his attention fixed on Nagi's gray eyes, now shimmering beneath the starlight. He still hadn't found any color that resembled them.
"Happy seventeenth birthday."
Nagi rested his forehead against Reo's with delicate care, their noses nearly touching. A brighter smile spread across Reo's face before he pulled back just enough to laugh softly against Nagi's shoulder.
"Why were you late this year? I thought you'd forgotten this morning."
Nagi leaned back, giving Reo more room to curl up against his neck again. The grass prickled against his palms, but the soft brush of Reo's lips against his cheek made it worthwhile.
"We couldn't celebrate properly this year. I'm really sorry, Nagi."
Ever since they'd met —and after Reo casually mentioned the day he was born— Nagi had made a point of remembering his age every year. To Reo, it was just another ordinary day. But hearing those words always filled his chest with a warmth he wanted to preserve forever.
"Is there really anything to celebrate?"
Nagi's gentle voice sounded lower than usual. Reo leaned forward, noticed one of his hands gripping the grass so tightly it nearly tore it free.
"Of course there is!"
He caught Nagi's attention, lifting his head and placing both hands on his pale cheeks, squishing them as he smiled once again.
"Ten years ago, on a day like this, I met the greatest treasure of my life."
Nagi stopped frowning as Reo kneaded his cheeks without the slightest restraint, squeezing them before softly stroking them.
"Reo is so mean."
It didn't hurt. But it was enough to make Reo pause, lean forward, and press a lingering kiss against the nearest cheek before finally pulling away.
"Thank you for staying by my side all this time, Nagi."
Nagi placed his hand over Reo's, tilting his face deeper into his palm until his lips lightly brushed against it, never once looking away from him.
"Forever."
Reo smiled. And as his final birthday wish, he allowed himself to hold Nagi just a little tighter. Just a few minutes longer. His arms wrapped around Nagi's shoulders, while the ghostly warmth of Nagi's larger hands rested near his waist.
He only hoped that Nagi wouldn't cry tomorrow.