heyyy so welcome. um.

this is probably OOC but I DONT CARE!!!

trigger warnings:
- sucide/thoughts of suicide
(most chapters wont have angst and be silly I promise, feel free to skip over)

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"So we'll meet at SEKAI at seven, right?" Emu asked, somehow asking that question with as much excitement as a crowd of people at their favorite singer's concert. "And that's when you'll share that super-Wonderhoy secret surprise of yours?!"

"Yes." Rui responded calmly, while Emu practically vibrated where she was standing. "I'll see you later, Emu-kun."

"She's not gonna be able to get any rest until she finds out what this is about, you know." Nene sighed, waving at Emu as she hopped to go back home— from a school she wasn't even enrolled in, no less.

At this point, seeing Ootori Emu at Kamiyama High was less of a break-in and more of a regular occurrence.

Nene packed all her books into her bag, before following Rui out to the entrance. A benefit of being friends with your neighbour is having someone to walk home with.

"All the better. It's nice to know your ideas are met with such excitement, or, as Emu-kun says, Wonderhoy."

"How come you haven't told anyone what you're planning?"

"It's not fun to ruin the surprise, is it?" Rui hummed. "If there were no surprises, the show we live in would be boring and way too scripted out, don't you think?"

"You sound insane."

"You're the one who's friends with me, Nene-chan."

Other than Rui stopping to pet a cat halfway to their destination, the rest of the walk was much uneventful.

"Hey, Rui?"

"Hm?"

"Are you sure Tsukasa-kun is alright? He hasn't responded to any of my texts..." Even someone like Nene was unable to hide her concern for Tsukasa. His sister had had another fallback into her disability, which had left him excused from his responsibilities— both at school, and in their troupe. He had insisted that he was fine, but taking one look at him didn't really help his case. Rui had managed to convince him to stay with his sister at home— it was a miracle the hospital doctors had said that Saki-chan didn't need to spend longer than necessary at the hospital.

"Don't worry about it, Nene-chan."

"If you say so, then. I'll see you later." Nene waved as she crossed the street to her house. Rui waited for her to open the door and walk in out of habit (you never know), before walking into his own house.

As usual, his parents were nowhere to be seen. Not that he cared, anyway.

Something had been bothering him ever since he'd gotten to Kamiyama in the morning.

With that thought in mind, he took out his cellphone and searched for what was the passcode to their SEKAI; the file 'Untitled'.

He'd never get used to it. A whole entire world, a SEKAI, for them. It sounds like something he'd come up with. However, this was entirely real, even though hard to believe.

He tapped the unassuming file, letting himself be consumed in the familiar blue light that welcomed him into his second home.

---

"You're here."

"I am."

"Why?" Tsukasa didn't turn to him, sitting on the railing of the top floor of a building that had appeared in SEKAI recently. It was odd, out of place, but provided a great atmosphere to get away from the ruckus of the Wonderland if needed. "Rehearsals are at seven. You're not meant to be here until then."

"For you, Tsukasa-kun. I knew you'd be here. Up on this building, no less." If Rui had any more self-preservation, he'd hesitate before sitting beside his troupemate, legs dangling off the edge of the 3-story building. But he'd lost that a long, long while ago. "While this SEKAI may be mostly based on your feelings, you're not the only one who can tell when someone is in here."

"...You can?"

If it was any other moment, he'd probably laugh at Tsukasa's face. However, now was not the time.

"Nene and Emu-kun can't. I can. Maybe it has to do with how much time I spend here. Or with me being the director. In the end, I'm not much different from you, Tsukasa-kun. My connection to this SEKAI isn't as good as yours, but it isn't far off, either." Rui shrugged. "Did you think this building came from your feelings? Somehow, I greatly doubt you think about buildings very often."

"Did you know the high fences in Japanese school buildings are put in to prevent students from jumping off? Odd that this one doesn't have that, don't you think?"

Rui watched as Tsukasa tried to comprehend what on earth he was on about, before it seemed to click in his mind.

"...You— Rui, I— Why didn't you tell me sooner?! I—"

"This isn't about me, Tsukasa-kun. You're up here, as well."

There was silence as Tsukasa seemed to switch from surprise, to horror, to sadness.

"Ah. Why do you have to be so observant..." He muttered, uncharacteristically so. He looked down, gripping on tighter to the railing, as if he was afraid he'd fall off, before continuing.

"...Have you ever wondered what would happen if you died here? This SEKAI isn't real, isn't it? It's a dream; a Wonderland. Then... then— why do I want to know what it feels like to die so much...? Isn't— Isn't dying in dreams what wakes you up?"

This was one of the first, maybe the only time Rui had ever heard Tsukasa struggle with his words.

"It's almost like he carries a script with him. Of every conversation he has, to get the outcome he wants." Mizuki said, twirling the noodles on their chopsticks. "You know what that feels like, don't you, Senpai?"

"You know too much, Mizuki-kun."

"I have." Rui answered. "I don't want to test it, though. That is too risky, even for me. And I don't want you to test it either, Tsukasa-kun."

"Why?! Why do you still like me?!" Tsukasa snapped to look at him suddenly, eyes locking on Rui's. "I'm loud, I'm annoying, I'm selfish, I yelled at your bestfriend! You said it yourself! I'm not a star, I'll never be a star, because— I'm not good enough, I'm not perfect enough, and all of you are always so good at what you do, while I'm left behind—"

"Tsukasa."

"What?!"

"I love you, Tsukasa." Rui stated, watching as Tsukasa froze, teary-eyed. "I love you more than anything. Regardless of how annoying, or selfish, or loud you are— the former two which are entirely untrue."

"There wouldn't be a 'duo of weirdos' without Rui and Tsukasa. There wouldn't be Romeo and Juliet without Rui and Tsukasa. There wouldn't be a Wonderland x Showtime," Rui placed his hand over the other's, "without Tsukasa Tenma, world-future star. You don't need to be perfect, because you're you. You're my Tsukasa-kun."

"But—"

"Regardless of how you act, all of you is you. The loud, cheerful Tsukasa is you. The quiet, sad Tsukasa is you. And the lovely, beautiful Tsukasa-kun is always you."

"It took a while for me to realize that all of my sides, my cards, my facades, were me, too. And I love you in all of them." He finished. "I love you."

And when Tsukasa leaned into him (well, as much as he could, considering their sitting spot) and just cried, the eternal sun of the Wonderland SEKAI was replaced with rain; grey skies that dimmed the light. But Rui still sat there, holding Tsukasa's hand, making sure he wouldn't slip and fall off.

Because he mattered. Because he was loved.

---

"Emu-chan! Emu-chan! It's raining!" Miku said, eyes sparkling.

KAITO laughed as his VOC. friend and Emu stuck their tongues out to catch the rain, all the while Nene gave them an earful about how they'd catch a cold later, urging them to just get inside the tent already.

Len and Rin were playing in the rain, too; Len splashing Rin with puddle water and getting a retaliation ten times the size of his attack, and so on. They even managed to get MEIKO to join in, although she complained about having to wash their costumes later. He was happy everyone could enjoy themselves in this drastically different weather.

"Is that Rui? RUI-KUN, OVER HERE!" Emu yelled. That definitely made him turn (who wouldn't, when Emu-chan was so incredibly loud), watching the figure Emu was referring to.

It was Rui— and Tsukasa?

Tsukasa was being carried by Rui piggyback style, a singular hoodie (which KAITO recognized as one of Rui's) protecting him from the cold rain, all the while Rui got soaked.

"Rui—! God, Rui—" Nene's tone was quick to change from surprise to disappointment and she changed her scolding to include Rui as well, ushering everyone inside.

KAITO didn't miss Nene's smile when Rui made sure to take care of Tsukasa once they were in the safety of the tent, though.

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