A/N: interlude: the calm before the storm

we're out of the angst now for a bit! the next few chapters are going to be less angst and more plot

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The school felt so empty.

Sure, Rui could go on about how it only felt empty to him because Tsukasa was nearly always near if not directly beside him, but it was just fact. Without Tsukasa, it just wasn't the same.

While Rui was the one with the matches, Tsukasa usually acted as the spark— you couldn't start a fire without one or the other, as strange as that metaphor was.

However... it seemed like Tsukasa wouldn't be any sort of spark anymore.

As he stared into Tsukasa's eyes, he felt shivers down his spine. It was just so uncanny, so... unnerving.

He sighed, fiddling with some sort of contraption in his hands during his recess. It helped take his mind off things. Stop thinking about the bad things and start thinking about the things he liked.

There were a few things Rui liked. Firstly, Tsukasa, but that was the thought he was trying to avoid. Secondly, robots. Thirdly, plants. Fourthly, Shinonome Akito, who he'd only really thought of as an experiment to poke for reactions until recently. He did that a lot with people he didn't know, he realized. Think of them more like science fair products than actual living beings with an interest in him.

Maybe I should start studying myself instead, huh, He thought, knowing damn well that was never going to happen.

"Oi, Rui-senpai!"

Speak of the devil.

Hearing his actual name come from Akito was a very recent development, and Rui certainly didn't mind. It was kind of cute how easily Akito had started to take comfort in him after that night in his room; and well, more recently, that period on the rooftop.

"Ah, if it isn't my favorite kouhai~" Rui said with a sly smile, and Akito only huffed, taking a seat beside him on the rooftop bench and opening his lunch. Rui eyed it curiously.

Akito noticed, and shot him a disappointed look back. "It has vegetables, don't even think about it."

At the mention of those horrifying, hellish food items, Rui's face scrunched up in disgust, and Akito snorted.

"Eat your own lunch, loser." He grinned, and Rui's smile morphed into something more gentle at how openly Akito expressed this side of his personality around him.

However, since the universe hates him, nice moments don't last. Can't he get one break, in this economy? One second to spend without being reminded of the troubles in his life?

"Where's Tenma-senpai, by the way?" Akito asked, in blissful ignorance of what Rui had presenced the day before. "Normally you two are attached at the hip, it's strange to see you without him."

Rui hummed, attempting to pretend to not having cried himself to sleep because of what had happened already, "Tsu-kun's in the hospital. It's... not really my place to tell what happened, you should ask him yourself."

"The hospital?" Akito blinked, in disbelief. "Tsukasa's in the hospital?"

"Yes. But, like I said, you should ask him yourself." Akito raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing. Rui understood.

It's not like him to be like this. If there's something that worries him about other people, he'd most likely call them out on it; or find others to help them be better... however...

It horrifies him that Tsukasa, lovely Tsukasa, would do that to himself.

Because of him.

Somehow, it horrifies him even more that Akito can tell just by looking at him. Is his facade really falling through that much? Or maybe...

"I think we've connected more than I had anticipated, huh." He thought out-loud, and Akito shrugged.

"It's just... easy to guess what you're thinking, I guess. Maybe my Touya-reading abilities are finally coming into play." He said, taking a bite out of his now out-of-lunchbox sandwich, before continuing, "But it's not your fault, Senpai. Whatever happened. Even if one of your contraptions blew up on stage or whatever, it won't solve anything if you're just blaming yourself like a loser, right?"

"...well, Nene-chan definitely won't be happy."

"See? I don't even know Kusanagi that well, and I still don't want to see what she's like when she's angry."

"You really don't." Rui laughed, only a tiny bit forced, but Akito frowned.

"Senpai..." He put down his food, turning to fully face him. "Stop blaming yourself, alright? You're already enough of a sad, lonely loser without doing that shit."

"How nice of you."

"I mean it! It's probably not your fault, anyways! How do you want me to prove it to you?"

Rui smiled. "Akito-kun's determination is certainly something. You don't even know what the problem is..."

"Still!" He huffed. "If I see you all mopey-mopey again, I'll choke and kill you and then your gravestone will say that you died like a loser."

Rui snorted. He made this too easy, really...

"What if I want that, hm~? 'Kamishiro Rui, choked to death by his adorable, tsundere kouhai'?" He snickered, patting Akito's head. "What a heavenly way to die~"

"Pervert."

"You make it hard not to be one."

"Fuck you."

He burst out laughing, genuinely, this time, and he didn't miss Akito's smile. He definitely was something, and Rui felt like him and Akito would certainly spend a lot more time together from now on.

—

Amiamia - 3:46 pm

o/

Kamiroooo

Rui ♡ - 3:54 pm

Yes?

Amiamia - 3:55 pm

Geez finally

Can u meet at rftp?

Rui ♡ - 3:56 pm

Sure? When did you get to school?

Amiamia - 3:57 pm

Less questions, more walking, Kami-chan~

See you there ♡

He shut off his phone with a sigh. Guess he's not going home so soon, hm?

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