Work Text:
Rui’s about to die.
Mentally at least, since this is the 13th time he’s looked over the current script for their new show.
He started at 4AM yesterday and now he’s chugging down his 7th red bull (not sponsored) at 7pm, practically lamenting every fucking decision he’s made today.
He’s not giving up though, he’s dedicated to finishing up this script for absolutely no reason. Heck, the deadline for the script they set for themselves is actually a few days from now.
But he wants this to be finished as quickly and as best as he can. Everyone else in Wonderland X Showtime has been working even harder for their dreams, so he wants to do all he can to support them. Which brings us back to the present, with Rui hunched over his desk like a shrimp and reviewing page 8 of the script... again.
The play should have been pretty simple, it was just a simple romance story like anything else, school setting, summer themed with a summer festival. Tsukasa and Nene play the main roles. Emu is a villain. Except they added aliens, because… well, why not?
Except romance has never really been Rui’s strong suit, sure, he’s seen the endless amounts of trashy romance reality TV but, he’s never really experienced a love life of his own. Sure, focusing the story on aliens and then just making some sort of simple confession and romance would have probably been easiest.
But Rui wants to try making something with a little bit more to the romance aspect of it.
Still, it’s easier said than done. He already texted Tsukasa to ask him to help out with the script today.
With each flip of the page and every scan of the words, his head starts to get more dizzy, and the words start to blend together into weird black blobs. Each time he blinks he feels like he's getting more and more tired, along with his limbs feeling like they're going to fall off at this point from exhaustion.
Even though he really wants to continue working...
‘ Maybe…it wouldn’t hurt to rest…just for a bit…’
He vaguely remembers his head falling onto his desk as the papers slip from his hands and his vision goes to black.
Rui finds himself walking up the stairs to the rooftop.
‘Wasn’t I at my desk earlier…?’
For some reason, the stairs feel so much longer than usual, his head’s foggy, he doesn’t really know why he’s going up here, but he feels it’s important.
As he pushes through the thick metal doors of Kagiyama high, he finds himself at the rooftop, with a Tsukasa waiting there with a small letter tucked between his hands, the sunsets light radiating around him.
Rui squints at the bright lights of the sun as he walks towards him.
Tsukasa looks different than he usually does, Rui notices.
Still standing as proud as ever, but his face seems more flushed than usual, and he sees his hands fidgeting around the envelope.
“So… Rui…! You know why I called you up here today, right?”
“I-” Tsukasa cuts him off. “Listen Rui.”
“You’re our amazing director, and you put so much effort and creativity into your designs and scripts. I can’t thank you for everything you’ve done for us.”
“Thank you for always being there for me, for helping me realize my shortcomings, being my greatest director and friend I’ve had.”
Rui looks directly up at Tsukasa, who’s looking at him with such adoration and love in his eyes in a way he’s never seen from him before,
“What I’m trying to say Rui, Is that I-”
“RUI!”
All of a sudden, he’s jolted awake by a very frustrated Tsukasa right in front of him, looming over him as he gets up from his… Bed?
This time though, Tsukasa looks the same as usual, none of the redness or fidgeting from before.
He sighs, “You texted me to come over, and when I did, I found you knocked out! Not to mention you didn’t even lock your door! What if someone robbed your house Rui? You weren't waking up so I ended up dragging you to your bed.” Tsukasa nags.
Rui just kinda sits there. Dumbfounded. Was the thing he saw really only just a dream?
“...Tsukasa-kun… You’re here?”
“You texted me to come over Rui! I just told you that! How long did you stay up to work on the scripts again? I really ought to get rid of those energy drinks you’re always having every once in a while, it’s not good for your health!”
Tsukasa glaces around his room, sighing in slight disappointment.
“I’ll help you clean later, but for now you should really get some rest, I’ll stay with you this time so you don’t get up in the middle of the night again.” Tsukasa cups his face before settling Rui back into his bed.
“Proper work can only be done with proper rest Rui! I’m sure you’ll have better ideas once you’re all well rested!”
RuI chuckles, “don’t worry Tsukasa-kun~ I’ve got plenty of good ideas already.”
“Alright, alright, get to sleep now!”
As Rui’s eyes begin to shut once again, Tsukasa’s left to his own devices.
As he’s sweeping off some dust from the shelves and desks he looks over only to see Rui slightly carrying that small cat-like smile while he’s resting.
He slowly strokes his hair gently so as to not wake him up, untangling parts of his hair while slightly blushing through the process.
‘ ...This isn’t so bad after all…’