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‘There’s no way,’ is the first, and the only words that come to Rui’s mind as he runs from the faction knights. His mind is overwhelming and also underwhelming at the same time, a dull headache echoing each time he gains the courage to look behind him.
In all honesty, he’s not this stupid, not this unaware, especially when it comes to situations similar to these. This isn’t anything new; Rui’s been escaping the kingdom protectors ever since he was just a kid who knew how to wield magic– he stopped counting the instances long ago when it surpassed the fifty milestone, for SEKAI’s sake.
Never, not once had he ever come this close to being caught. It’d always been a fun after-party activity Rui found himself looking forward to. An eventful end to a show that brought further joy to those who’d believed it to be apart of the performance. A final thrill. The activity practically as easy to him as a native language.
The story goes like this; while performing for the children of the faction, he’d been too out-of-his-head to register the yell of “THAT’S HIM!”, leading to an unfortunate sequence of: packing up, bidding the audience farewell, somehow slinking out of the barrier of knights that circled him, and then running far enough away from the offenders to safely catch his breath.
Cartoonish stuff, really.
For what’s brought him so off-guard, maybe it’s a lack of cardio training– though his shortage of stamina had never been a problem until now, always relying on his abilities for fast travel. Possibly a problem with the performance itself– did he overdo it? Push himself too far? Has the ungodly number of sleepless nights finally caught up to him after all? Is Mizuki owed an apology for all the deflections about his sleep schedule? Or, has the impossible become possible, did the security in the VIVID faction actually get… better?
Endless possibilities at the end of the day. But, alas, it’s always the love of his life found at the root of it all.
Earlier the week, when he’d scolded Akito for recklessly volunteering for dangerous missions. He’d stormed out and sworn to distance himself from Akito and any place he frequents, to give him a week or two to think about his actions. A thought born in the spurr of the moment, or however the phrase goes.
‘Distancing himself from Akito… easy in theory, a lot harder in practice,’ Rui dwelled, opening the door to the Shinonome residence.
Akito, the most talented knight Rui’s ever met, being out the house didn’t surprise the sorcerer one bit, probably on a mission of some sorts. Was he treading on a thin line, for him and Akito, to be here? Obviously. Rui would be locked away and Akito would probably be demoted at best.
Did he care? Of course not.
With the earlier ordeal draining everything out of Rui, it wouldn’t matter if he woke up to an annoyed knight shooing him out, or prison bars. Noting the, distinct lack thereof, a particular Akito Shinonome, he collapsed on the couch and promptly passed out.
…
Rui, outlaw and infamous insomniac amongst those who knew him personally, has to be an extreme light-sleeper. That’s how he’s survived past twenty without even glancing at the rustic inside of a jail cell, awareness making up for lack of physicality. Not mentioning the incident keeping him on high alert for, at the very least, the next few weeks.
Which is why it isn’t a surprise when he’s woken up to the sound of the front door creaking, footsteps on wood, light breeze hitting his face. Either Akito’s home or he’s going to be behind bars for the rest of his life.
Blinking himself awake till he’s fully aware of his surroundings, Rui turns to the right and sees a– probably pissed– Akito Shinonome, frozen at the doorway. The two of them stay there in silence, not awkward or comfortable, for a couple minutes, not moving or breaking eye-contact. Rui knows Akito is aware of his presence, and likewise for the other.
Akito breaks the silence with a cough and a turn of his head. That’s Rui’s cue, he supposes, averting his eyes to the floor.
“I’ll take my leave, don’t worry about it. You won’t need to force me out, or anything.” Rui starts, defeated, picking up his glasses and sliding it into his pocket.
“Just don’t rat me out, ‘kay?” Rui quips, a half-joke that falls short at the lack of response. Tragic, really, and kind of pathetic; like a missed high-five.
After averting his eyes from Akito, Rui’s been avoiding even looking at his lover, shame for entering the Shinonome residence without permission kicking in his stomach. Which is why it catches him off guard when he finally notices the near-silent sound of footsteps approaching, nearly in a hurry, when a sudden weight knocks the sorcerer back into his previous position.
Truly, not only has the air been knocked out of Rui’s lungs, his sides are being squeezed so hard he barely registers the embrace as a hug. For all that the inventor prides himself on his prescience, this outcome isn’t something he could ever predict, not in a million years.
“...what?” is all that comes out of his mouth.
With an undertone of certainty, like he actually means what he says, Akito responds to his rhetoric. “Don’t go. I won’t kick you out, I never will.”
Before Rui can question why or what he even means by that, the knight continues. “I heard about what happened earlier. Really, it’s funny how you can always outrun them, but I’m sure you’re shaken up about it. You know you’re always welcome to stay here, right?”
A confession disguised as an offer, authentically Akito in every way possible, and it makes the performer’s heart warm, smiling like a little kid with a crush. Because that’s exactly what Rui is, what Akito meshes and molds the young, lonely kid inside of him, who had a lot more than a crush to worry about, into.
What could Rui possibly have done to deserve this treatment? A question asked a million times over, finally in a positive light.
Arms finally free to cuddle Akito back, he’s tangling the two into a position where they could probably melt into one if at the right temperature. He can feel himself drifting off into the realm of dreams once more, this time with a smile tucked into the crook of Akito’s neck instead of a pillow, and now with the warmth of his dearest instead of a too-thin blanket.
...
Rui wakes up, significantly warmer in his chest, but significantly colder in the space next to him, really, if it wasn’t for the fact he was clearly not in his room, he’d assume the night before was a dream.
He sits himself up against the headboard, blanket pooling at the hips, evaluating his surroundings. The room is brightened by natural light, sun-high gleams through the window with the lack of blinds – which have been oh so inconsiderately fully rolled up.
Strangely enough, he hadn’t woken up while being, supposedly, moved from the couch to Akito’s room. For all that the outlaw prides himself on being a light-sleeper, can’t refute that even expert’s have weaknesses. Nonsense out of the way, the lack of Akito is what’s confusing him. Sure, Rui’s dating a morning person, but Akito isn’t the type of person to just leave. He’s not that kind of guy, asshole-ry doesn’t suit such a genuine person–
His train of thought is cut off when the door is opened just enough for Rui to spot orange and yellow peeking through the crack, and the man himself opens the door fully, a plate of pancakes in one hand. Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
“I’ve cooked you something to eat.” Akito murmurs, setting the plate onto the empty space on the right, and perching on the bed left of Rui. The man in question smiles, leaning against the ginger, gratitude shining through his blind trust.
“Thanks. Don’t you have work, though?” The sorcerer questions instead.
“Mm, called in sick. They have enough experienced guards there, they won’t miss me for one day.” Akito answered, meddling with the edge of the blanket.
Rui lets out a breath, half a chuckle, half a scoff. “You played the sick card to care for me? I don’t need this treatment, I’m not going to die if you keep me out of your sight, you know.”
“Consider it me taking a free day then, let me be selfish if you don’t want to be pampered.” Akito quipped back, reaching over Rui to sneak a strawberry off the plate.
Rui watches but doesn’t act on the theft, dramatically putting a hand over his heart in feigned-shock, to which Akito rolls his eyes at.
“...I really appreciate this, Akito. All of it.”
“It’s what anyone would do. Don’t sing my praises.”
Rui huffs and slinks an arm around the other’s’ shoulder, reeling him in closer. “Come finish these pancakes with me, I’m not that hungry.”
That in itself is a declaration of love for Akito, enough to rival exchanging wedding vows, so he only gets closer to Rui and cuts a portion.