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Hiori has started to have these recurring nightmares lately.
It started ever since he moved in with his friend, Rin. They've been friends ever since high school and briefly discussed moving in with each other when Hiori stated he wanted to get away from his parents after he graduated. It was a complete coincidence when Rin expressed that he also wanted to move out after high school. Hiori only joked about moving in with each other, but Rin was serious. The two of them settled on an agreement to move in with each other.
In Hiori’s head, Rin would most likely make the best roommate that he could get. He values his personal space as much as he did. They both shared the same boundaries and knew when to leave each other alone. Their friendship really didn’t need many words to be described. They were just them.
Everything was going well until Hiori started to have nightmares.
It started to happen every night he slept in his new apartment with Rin. Every time he closed his eyes in his own bed, he would wake up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily and trying to process what had happened. He would wake after midnight, unable to go back to sleep.
He even tried to eat gummies to fall asleep better, but nothing worked. Each night he attempted to get rest, he’d jolt up every time, his heart beating out of his chest. He would pass the whole night on his phone or play video games on his computer. He would stay up so late that the sun would rise and he could hear Rin getting ready for his classes.
Sometimes his nightmares would vary. Often, it would be about his parents. That wasn’t very surprising. He assumed that was only because he was just getting used to his new surroundings and getting out of a bad environment. However, it kept happening. Even when he was completely comfortable with living without them, he still couldn’t shake off the overwhelming nightmares that plagued his mind.
Living with Rin was nice. It was more than nice. He stayed in his space and Hiori stayed on his own. Rin would make breakfast for him lots of the time. He would actually make all of the meals, but Hiori repaid that favor by doing the dishes. There was nothing that Hiori would change about how they live.
He just really wishes he knew what stemmed these nightmares. He didn’t even have this many nightmares when he was living with his god-forsaken parents and they were much worse.
“Couldn’t sleep?” A voice came from behind him. Hiori only glanced behind him tiredly, already knowing the owner of the voice.
He shook his head, sighing as Rin sat next to him on the couch. “Did the TV wake ya up? I wanted to turn it down, but I couldn't find the remote.”
“I was already up,” Rin replied. “The TV didn’t bother me. I couldn’t even hear it. For the remote, I don’t know where it is either.”
Hiori nodded. “I talked to my therapist about my sleepin’ problem. I think I have an issue.”
Rin snorted. “I could’ve told you that.”
“The thing is that I don’t know what’s causin’ it.” Hiori groaned, rubbing his eyes. “I want to sleep, but I know I'm gonna have another nightmare and wake up again, so what’s the point?”
“Some sleep is better than no sleep.”
“True, but I don’t want to be haunted with nightmares every time I sleep.”
“What are your nightmares about?” Rin paused after a beat. “If you want to tell me.”
Hiori shifted under the fuzzy blanket covering him. “It’s a clump of things. Sometimes I’m being chased by a killer or my parents are torturin’ me.”
“Terrifying,” Rin said sarcastically.
Hiori snorted and kicked him with his heel. “Don’t be a jerk.”
“Now you’re stuck watching some stupid show on the TV in complete darkness because you can’t sleep.” Rin inhaled sharply in a very dramatic way. “Do you regret moving in now?”
“As if. I’d rather be stuck here with nightmares every day than with my parents still.” Hiori chuckled, scooting closer to Rin.
Rin didn’t say anything when Hiori covered Rin’s legs under the blanket. He let their legs brush against each other beneath it, not pulling away once. “How long have you been up?”
“For a few hours.” He answered calmly. The two of them continued to stare at the TV blankly. It was playing some medical drama on the screen that neither Rin, nor Hiori were a fan of, but it’s not like they could change the channel.
“If only there were a horror movie playing.” Says Rin. He feels Hiori’s leg shift against him. He still doesn’t pull away.
Hiori shook his head, giggling. “No thanks. I don’t need any more nightmares.”
“It’s better than watching a medical drama.” He scowled. “It’s always so overdramatic. If this were realistic, half of these doctors would be fired from season one.”
“Y’know, for someone who claims to hate medical dramas so much, ya sure know a lot about them.” He nudged Rin’s shoulder playfully. “And why are you up, anyway? Don’t ya have to be up early?”
“I have to get up early every day.” Rin reminded him before growing quiet. “I just didn’t feel like sleeping.”
Hiori began to get curious, but he let it slide. Rin didn’t look like he wanted to talk about it. Maybe he had a nightmare too and was too embarrassed to say something about it. Either way, Hiori just nodded. “We’re going to watch this dumb medical drama till we drop dead then.”
“Seems like a productive night.”
Hiori didn’t remember much about what happened in the show. He didn’t pay attention to a lot of it. He was fading in and out because of how tired he was. He forced his eyes to stay open, focusing on the bright TV screen in front of him. He couldn’t go to sleep. There would be no point in that.
It didn’t help that Rin was sitting next to him. Hiori didn’t know what was in the air, but the moment Rin sat down next to him, he started to feel drowsy. More drowsy than he was before. He wanted to curl down on the couch and drift off instantly, but he kept snapping himself out of it.
The two of them aren’t strangers to spending all-nighters with each other. They used to stay up late on calls, playing whatever video games they agreed on. It was safe to say they’re experienced in staying up throughout the night. Hiori wouldn’t say getting no sleep was the worst part about this. It was just the nightmares that haunted him.
The nightmares with his parents stick particularly the most.
He wonders why it bothers him still. He wonders why they bother him. He’s not even near them anymore. Why is he still left shaking after every single dream about them? He’s out of their house and away from their neglect. He’s safe with Rin. He’s comfortable. He doesn’t have them on his back, pressuring him with all of their expectations anymore, so why does he still think about them?
No matter how many times he tells himself that he’s fine and never going to see them again, his reassurance does nothing to ease the nightmares.
All he wants to do is forget.
He just wants to move on-
There’s pressure on top of his shoulder. Something is tickling the side of his neck too.
When Hiori glances down, he sees Rin sleeping. On a normal day, Hiori would snicker and take a picture on his phone to laugh at him later. Except his head fell onto Hiori’s shoulder and all of his body was leaning completely on him. His dark green hair was poking him too.
Definitely not normal for Rin to do.
At first, Hiori thought Rin was joking and waited for a bit, but the moment he started to hear the soft snores coming from Rin, he tensed up.
He definitely wasn’t faking or joking.
Hiori thought to himself for a second. What was the right course of action for this? His friend, Rin, who he cares so deeply about, has fallen asleep on his shoulder and has become quite peaceful there. So peaceful that he’s even snoring. It's a very gentle sound that can only be heard up close.
Unfortunately, Hiori was close enough to hear it.
It’s kinda cute…
No. Focus.
Rin is asleep on his shoulder.
Hiori almost wanted to laugh. He really wished he were awake, so he could tease him about this. On the other hand, Hiori was a bit upset. If Rin was so tired, he shouldn’t have forced himself to stay up just to keep him company. Rin should’ve just gone back to his room and slept.
Now Hiori’s facing a predicament because of him.
Should he slowly slip away and leave Rin on the couch with the blanket to sleep soundly or should he just sit here, paralyzed the whole night to not disturb him?
Hiori doesn’t have to think much about his options. The first one seems much better, but not the easiest. Rin is a light sleeper, he wakes up to the quietest of noises. When Hiori slept over at his house back in high school, Rin woke up just to the sound of the door opening.
Unlucky for Hiori, but Rin’s entire body was pressed and leaning on Hiori’s side. That made it impossible for Hiori to move without causing Rin’s body to fall, ultimately waking him up.
Hiori didn’t have much of a choice.
He wasn’t going to move out of the way and risk disturbing Rin. He also didn’t want to wake him up and tell him to move.
So he sat there.
Rin must’ve been tired too. Hiori could sympathize with that.
He could no longer hear the medical drama anymore. All he could hear was Rin’s soft snores going inside his ear. Hiori didn’t know what it was, but somehow, he yawned.
He started to get tired too.
It probably wasn’t a good idea to sleep. He didn’t want to have nightmares again, but as Hiori gently settled his head on top of Rin’s and closed his eyes, he drifted off.
_______
Hiori was woken up to the smell of Rin cooking breakfast in the morning. He groggily rubbed his eyelids, stretching his limbs before slowly sitting up. He only started to process now that he was on the couch instead of his room. That’s why he could smell the food so clearly. Why was he even on the couch-
Oh.
He fell asleep with Rin on it.
He fell asleep and didn’t have a nightmare.
“Holy shit,” Hiori mumbled to himself, his dry voice catching Rin’s attention.
“Morning.” Rin greeted him.
Hiori stood up quickly, adjusting to the bright lights in the room. He turned around and squinted at Rin, trying to get rid of the blur. It looked like Rin was making eggs and bacon and there were two plates ready. “I didn’t have a nightmare.”
“I know.” Rin placed a fork on Hiori’s plate. He grabbed the plates, walking over to the couch where Hiori was still registering his breakthrough. He placed their food on the coffee table in front of them. “You didn’t wake up clutching your chest and screaming.”
“Why didn’t I have a nightmare? Am I better now?” Hiori sat back down onto the couch cushions, feeling around his face. “Am I healed?”
Rin nudged Hiori with his foot. “Go brush your teeth and eat. Then go back to sleep.”
“Right. Breakfast.” He clocks back into reality. “Thank ya for the breakfast.”
Hiori hurries into the bathroom, splashing water onto his face. He's still so tired, but this is better than nothing. He fell asleep and actually didn’t have a nightmare! He slept calmly for once! He didn’t wake up sweating or screaming. He woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs and the birds chirping outside the windows.
It almost felt like he was reborn. Call him dramatic, but he has never felt more relieved to finally be able to sleep.
He could finally let this go and live in peace.
After brushing his teeth, he found his way back to Rin on the couch. The TV was still on, except it wasn’t playing the medical drama they fell asleep to last night.
“Didja find the remote?” Hiori asked, sitting down next to him and grabbing his plate.
Rin nodded. “It was underneath the cushions. I found it when I woke up.”
Right.
They had fallen asleep together.
Hiori glanced over to Rin. He wondered if they should talk about it. He doesn’t know if it was awkward or not. The morning started off normally. Rin wasn’t gone when he woke up. He even stayed to make breakfast.
All he knows is that Rin isn’t that much of a touchy person. He sure wouldn’t have fallen asleep on him if he knew he was doing it. He would’ve been insanely embarrassed about it as well, but Rin didn’t look like he was stressing over it much.
So Hiori shrugged it off. If Rin wasn’t bothered, Hiori won’t be bothered by it either.
What he did wonder was why he didn’t get any nightmares that night. Maybe it had something to do with sleeping somewhere else that isn’t his bed. He had been sleeping only in his room ever since he moved in with Rin. Maybe he just needed to sleep somewhere else.
“I think I’ll sleep on the couch for now,” Hiori said as he poked his food with his fork and shoved it in his mouth.
Rin looked at him briefly. “Because of the nightmares?”
“I think the problem is my room. I don’t know what it is, but the couch might be better.”
Rin only nodded.
When they eat breakfast, it’s not usually the most talkative part of their day together. The two of them had just woken up, so there wasn’t much to talk about. They didn’t have that type of relationship where they would find awkwardness in silence. They wouldn’t try to fill the silence in with small talk. They just let it exist.
Everything was easy with Rin.
When Rin leaves to go do his morning workout, Hiori places their dishes into the sink. He tells himself he’ll wash them once he wakes up from his nap. He yawns when he’s alone and lies down on the couch. He had brought a pillow from his room onto the couch, lying his head on it. It was a good thing the blanket was still there from last night because Hiori covered himself with it, finally feeling at peace to fall asleep.
The thought of a good night's sleep brings a smile to his face.
However, that dream of his shatters completely the moment he drifts off.
He ends up jolting awake an hour later, clutching his chest as his heart runs marathons inside his body.
“Are ya kiddin’ me?” Hiori mumbles to himself in disbelief, breathing heavily. He rubs his eyes, taking in his surroundings.
His room wasn’t the problem. Sleeping in another room wasn’t the solution. He was still having these heinous nightmares.
Hiori groaned into his hands in frustration.
Why did he sleep peacefully that night with Rin? Why was that the only night he didn’t gasp awake, terrified out of his mind? There had to be a reason.
Hiori tries to think.
What stood out that night? What was so different? What made me relax so much?
Hiori remembers Rin falling asleep before he did. That was the only thing he could think of that stood out. He’d always gotten out of his room when he had nightmares to stare at the TV. That wasn’t different from the norm. What was different was the way Rin came and sat next to him, even falling asleep on his shoulder.
Was that it?
Did he need someone to fall asleep next to him?
Hiori shakes his head. He didn’t have this sort of problem before. He slept fine when he was still with his parents. Why now? Why is this happening to him now?
Either way, he had to sort this out.
_______
“Y’know, when ya called me, I never thought it’d be for this,” Karasu muttered.
Karasu lay on the hard floor of Hiori’s bedroom, his head resting on a pillow and his body covered with a fuzzy blanket. His hair wasn’t covered in hair gel for once, lying nicely on his face.
Hiori, comfy in his bed with a soft mattress, smiled as he peered down at his friend. “Thank ya for your help.”
“I don’t understand why ya don’t just go to a doctor about this.” Karasu sighed, turning onto his side.
“Pay for my appointment.” Hiori snarkily replied. “Besides, I know there’s a loophole. I’m just gonna use ya as my guinea pig.”
Karasu scoffed. “You’re a grown man. Aren’t ya too old to have sleepovers?”
“It’s not a sleepover, it’s a test run.” Hiori clarified, rolling his eyes.
“Look at you, usin’ grown-up words. Thinkin’ like a true adult.”
Hiori threw a pillow down at Karasu’s face. “Be quiet already.”
“Hey, I’m doin’ ya a favor!” He yelped out, launching the same pillow back into Hiori. “The least ya can do is treat a house guest nicely!”
Hiori laughed. “Oh, please. You’re not that special.”
“You’re lucky I’m even doin’ this for ya in the first place. When I walked in, Rin stared at me as if I had broken all of his plates!” Karasu scratched his head at the awful memory. He shuddered. “Didja not tell him I was comin’? Do ya know that’s terrible manners?”
“Oh, shut up, you’re bein’ dramatic.” Hiori couldn’t help the grin lifting upon his lips at the thought of Rin trying to intimidate Karasu. “Of course, I told him you were comin’. I guess he just doesn’t like ya much.”
“I didn’t even do anythin’. Why isn’t he doin’ this for ya instead? Ya literally live together.”
Hiori shrugged, lying back down onto his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. “As I said, it’s a test run.”
“Video games are rotting your brain cells. Why are ya talkin’ like you’re doin’ a science experiment?”
“You’re just jealous I didn’t move in with ya instead.”
Karasu laughed. “You’re the one who agreed to move in with Rin. That’s your death wish.”
Hiori leaned over, turning his lamp off. “Go to sleep.”
“Everyone knows ya like him, anyway-”
“Aren’t ya tired?” Hiori huffed with a faint blush dusting over his face.
It was true that he did have a slight crush on Rin back in their early stages of friendship, but that was long gone. He never told Rin about it and Rin never found out.
It wasn’t anything serious. Hiori never acted on it, he just found Rin adorable. He was exactly his type. It made it even better that he didn’t have to observe him from afar anymore.
There’s not much to say about it. Hiori doesn’t like to make a big deal over it considering those days are long gone. Everything was just… good with Rin. They understood each other and became what the other loved the most. Sometimes, Hiori used to think there was a glimmer of Rin liking him back, but he shook that thought out of his head.
Anyway, his attraction has pretty much faded away by now. There are still some remnants of a crush now and there, but Hiori chooses to ignore that.
What they have now is good. He wouldn’t want to ruin a beautiful friendship over something that occurred during high school.
He heard Karasu mumble something else under his breath before going quiet. He assumed it was another insult, but he was too exhausted to care. He closed his eyes with a heavy sigh, sleep pulling on the edges of his consciousness. He felt himself slipping away little by little until everything went blank.
It didn’t last very long.
Hiori jerked awake violently. He sat up instantly, gasping. He blinked back the tears in his eyes, trying to get a hold of himself. He glanced around him and immediately caught sight of Karasu’s worried face standing in front of him, holding onto his shoulders.
“What the hell, Hiori,” Karasu said with a tense tremble in his voice. His grip on Hiori’s shoulders was strong. “Are ya okay? What the fuck was that?”
Hiori ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “I’m fine. Just another nightmare.”
“Ya were screamin’. Rin even ran in here because he heard ya!” His expression changed into upset. “Is it that bad? Don’t ya think ya need to get this check out professionally?”
“I don’t have the money for that. It's easier to find out how to stop it instead.” He inhaled sharply. “What time is it?”
“It’s way past midnight. Ya even woke me up.”
Karasu didn’t work.
That didn’t leave him with many options. It only left him more confused.
All of the answers point to Rin.
For some reason, that scares him.
_______
Throughout that night, Hiori watched Karasu fall back asleep. He felt almost envious that he could do it so easily. He ended up giving Karasu his bed instead, it’s not like he was going to get much rest in it, anyway.
He slipped out of his room, quietly opening and closing his door. Even if Karasu was snoring his head off, Hiori didn’t want to wake him up.
Hiori stood in front of his bedroom for what felt like hours. He knew what he had to do, but he wasn’t sure how to go about it.
He had to ask Rin to help him out with his dilemma.
It's the only choice. That's all Hiori has been left with.
He’s honestly desperate and doesn’t care about his self-image right now. He’s so incredibly sleep-deprived, he feels like he’s seeing stars. He felt like a zombie as he walked to Rin’s room.
Rin is his friend. He even offered to let him move in. He wouldn’t make a big deal out of this whole thing, right?
It was still late at night. He didn’t know if Rin would still be awake, but there are some moments when Rin strays away from his normal sleeping schedule.
He lightly knocked on Rin’s door, hearing a muffled ‘come in’ from inside. He drew in a deep breath to release the tension in his body before twisting the doorknob open.
Rin was awake, sitting in front of his study desk with his computer being the only source of light in the room. He had his bulky headphones around his head, his entire body facing the screen.
Hiori closed the door behind him as he stepped in. “I didn’t expect ya to still be up.”
“I mean, I did hear you screaming.” Rin shrugged, shifting around in his chair to place his attention on Hiori. “Do you need something?”
Hiori flushed slightly. He had forgotten that Rin heard him. “I just had a favor to ask of ya.”
“A favor?” Rin repeated, furrowing his eyebrows at Hiori who looked suspiciously nervous. He took his headphones off, letting them rest around his neck.
“Ya don’t have to say yes.” Hiori awkwardly fidgeted, standing in front of the closed door of his room, his back nearly pressed against it.
Rin looked him up and down. “Why are you standing there?”
“Y’know my nightmares?” Hiori started, ignoring Rin’s question. “I’ve been tryin’ to find different ways to stop it, but nothin’ has been workin’, right?”
“The crow clearly didn’t help.”
The crow- Oh. Karasu. “No, he didn’t, but that’s not his fault-”
“What do you need me for?”
Hiori forced himself to swallow the lump down his throat. “Do you remember last night when we fell asleep next to each other and I didn’t have any nightmares?”
Rin paused for a beat before hesitantly nodding. “Yes…”
“If you’re okay with it, I wanted to try it again.” Hiori found the confidence to look into Rin’s eyes, attempting to guess what he was feeling. He didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable in any way because of this. “If you want to.”
“Why are you acting so serious?” Rin scoffed, looking to the side. “I thought you were asking me to hide a body.”
Hiori’s eyes widened as he began to smile. “So you’ll help me?”
“I’m not heartless.” He rolled his eyes. “You do realize I’ve heard screaming in your sleep several times ever since this started. It’s beginning to affect me too. The walls aren't that thick. What do you need me to do?”
“It’s kinda an odd request, but your bed can fit two people, right?”
Rin hesitated for a moment, slowly scanning Hiori from head to toe once again. “It does.”
“Could I sleep on your bed with you? Just for tonight?” Hiori begged, bringing his hands together in a pleading motion.
Rin glanced over at his bed, Hiori following his gaze. It was indeed big enough for two people. Hiori and Rin were both pretty tall, but they’d probably be able to squeeze in next to each other.
Back in high school when Hiori still had a crush on Rin, he would dream about moments like this. Being able to share a bed with his crush, move in with him, and live a quiet, domestic life.
He's pretty sure he only made up that fantasy to cope with the fact that his parents were such pieces of shit, but whatever.
If he still had a thing for Rin, this would be incredibly awkward. Of course, it was a bit nerve-racking bringing it up at first, but Hiori realized midway that he's not in high school anymore. He graduated, he’s an adult. He moved out of his parents’ house ages ago. Rin’s more mature than he is. Surely, he wouldn’t judge him for this, right?
“Okay.” Rin agreed calmly.
Hiori beamed immediately, smiling from ear to ear. “Seriously? You’ll do it?”
“I already said yes, didn’t I?” Rin took his headphones off, standing up from his chair and stretching his arms above his head. “Which side of the bed do you want?”
Hiori felt as if he was filled with tons of butterflies. “The one closest to the wall. Thank ya for helpin’ me.”
“I’m losing sleep over it too, so don’t bother thanking me.”
Surprisingly, being in the same bed wasn’t as awkward as Hiori expected it to be. Their limbs brushed occasionally as they tried to maneuver into a position that seemed comfortable for both of them, but he didn’t feel anything. They settled for sleeping back to back, not looking at each other which made sense. The bed did fit the two of them, but they really had to place themselves in the right position to relax.
Hiori spent a few minutes staring at the wall.
He was actually sharing a bed with his former high school crush.
It was as if he was living inside a dating sim and he finally reached the ending where they kiss-
Hiori bit his own tongue hard to erase every thought in his head.
God forbid his sleep-deprived, rotting brain.
He shuffles a bit, turning to face Rin who is facing away from him, prior to their arrangement before. With the way he’s breathing, his chest rising and falling softly, he’s already fallen asleep.
Hiori finds himself sighing as he gazes at Rin’s back.
There are restless nights Hiori spends lying wide awake, wondering what would’ve happened if he had confessed his feelings for Rin in high school.
Would things turn out the same?
Would Rin even like him back?
Would they still have moved in together or would they have grown apart because of how uncomfortable it was being near each other after?
Or would Rin have reciprocated his feelings?
He knows he shouldn’t think about it a lot. It’s not like he has a crush on him anymore, but it’s still a bummer when you can’t have something you wanted.
All of the different scenarios run through his head.
It’s always been weighing on him that he never got to tell Rin how he felt during the first few months of their friendship.
If he told him now, how would he react?
“Are ya asleep, Rin?” Hiori whispered, keeping his voice as quiet as possible.
He was met with silence, the calm breathing of Rin being the only thing to fill the air.
Hiori’s lips quivered into a mute smile. Still studying the way Rin’s shirt covered his back, his eyelids started to flutter closed. “To be honest, I used to have a crush on ya back in high school.”
He isn’t sure why he’s confessing this now. Maybe the lack of sleep is getting to him because he’s starting to realize things that are just hitting him this second.
“I think I still do.” He mumbled to himself, his body aching. “I thought I didn’t anymore, but I do. I still like ya.”
Hiori felt himself start to drift off, feeling lighter now that he admitted it.
All he wanted to do was sleep.
Until he heard a sniff.
Hiori forced his eyes to open, not daring to move a centimeter. He hadn’t even fallen asleep yet.
Rin hadn’t moved either. He was still in the same position Hiori saw him in. However, there was something a little different. Something that Hiori noticed immediately.
The tips of Rin’s ears were bright red. Hiori could see it as clear as day.
Rin was awake.
He was awake that entire time.
He heard the whole thing.
“…Rin?” Hiori uttered nervously in a hushed tone. His heart wouldn’t stop beating. “You’re… you’re awake, aren’t ya?”
He prayed that Rin was still sleeping.
Please don’t let this be the day my friendship ends. I won’t ever ask for anythin’ else!
Hiori’s heart sinks to his stomach as Rin begins to stir. Suddenly, Rin is moving his body to turn and look deeply into Hiori’s eyes.
Rin’s face was pinched up in an expression Hiori wasn’t able to describe. That single moment was terrifying. Hiori could always tell how Rin felt just by looking into his eyes. But now? He wasn’t able to pinpoint anything. Was he angry? Was he upset? Did he feel betrayed that he never told him?
Hiori didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t say anything.
His throat was beginning to get dry as he and Rin stared at each other in complete silence. Even his hands were starting to get sweaty.
Was Rin waiting for him to say something? Should he be the first one to say something? But what does he say? Should he apologize and take it back? It’s too late to do any of that now!
Rin’s eyes never left his, a dust of red bouncing off his cheeks. “You should’ve just told me.”
“Huh?” Hiori stared, feeling as if he was about to get thrown out this second.
Rin’s expression started to twist into annoyance. “Why wouldn’t you have just told me that from the beginning?”
“Are ya serious?” Hiori laughed. He was relieved that Rin wasn’t angry, but he was still a bit confused about where he stood on the situation. “You’re upset because of that?”
“Are you that stupid?”
“I just confessed my feelings for ya, the least ya could do is give me some grace,” Hiori muttered, slightly embarrassed. Rin’s reaction made him feel a little better, but either way, he felt humiliated.
“Grace, my ass,” He scoffed. “If you opened your eyes, you would’ve noticed how I feel about you too.”
Hiori felt his soul leave his body. Rin couldn’t be implying what he thought he was implying, right? “What are ya talkin’ about?”
“You’re not the only one who had a crush back then,” Rin murmured, the blood rushing to his face.
Hiori bit his tongue nervously. “…And now?”
Rin responded by staring into Hiori’s eyes, not saying a single word.
Hiori understood him immediately.
A surge of confidence ran through Hiori’s body. He pressed himself closer to Rin, his hand coming up to cup his jaw. He could feel his pulse against his fingertips.
Hiori leaned in first, finally bringing both of their lips together. He sighed against him as he felt Rin tilt his head slightly to the side to make it easier for both of them.
It felt as if Hiori was in heaven. No, this was better than that. He was floating.
Rin sneaked his hands around Hiori’s waist as they kissed. Hiori could feel the harsh thud of their combined heartbeats as he threaded his fingers through Rin’s hair. Warmth blossomed in Hiori’s chest when Rin tightened his grip on his waist.
Hiori felt like he couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t believe this was happening.
Kissing Rin was addictive. Hiori couldn’t get enough. He wanted to kiss him until his lips fell off his face. He wanted to kiss him until they were both bloodied and bruised.
They both pull away multiple times to catch their breath, but end up flushing against each other instantly again every time. Each movement caused more desperation. It made sense that the two of them wanted this moment to drag out as long as possible. Their crushes on each other have been pitiful for both of them. Hiori would like to say they deserve this. They spent years pining for each other in silence, this was a long-deserved make-out.
Hiori smiled into the kiss.
He didn’t think he was going to have a problem sleeping anymore. He already found the cure.