Work Text:
Rui mindlessly tapped on his keyboard, staring at the script he was currently editing on the monitor.
Half finished projects were strewn across his desk, loose screws and metal pieces waiting for him to put together into his latest invention.
Though, he could barely keep his eyes open while he sat there. And boy, was he exhausted.
He'd been half asleep all day, only getting a handful of hours worth of sleep in the last… uh, few days.
Those few hours were when he'd cuddled in Tsukasa's lap on the school roof during lunch, and not when he was home…
Though it was certainly more restful than if he'd slept at home, despite how little he'd actually rested!
But now, no matter how hard Rui tried, he couldn’t sleep.
He’d promised his troupe-mates beforehand that he’d actually take the day off and rest… but… well, he couldn’t keep that promise if he couldn’t get to sleep.
Not even his sleep meds helped. He took them before dinner… which was several hours ago by now. But here he is, still awake. Well, barely awake, but he still can’t sleep, nonetheless.
With a sigh, Rui grabbed his mouse, clicking on Tsukasa’s icon in their chat window to start a call. He blinked again, staring at the screen, waiting for the call to go through.
“Rui?” Tsukasa answered almost immediately.
What a wonderful voice…
“Hi, Kasa-kun…” Rui mumbled.
“... You were supposed to take the day off from practice to sleep! Why are you awake?!?!”
“Can't sleep, Kasa-kun…”
“You're practically falling asleep right now! Just… ugh, turn your camera on-”
Tsukasa’s beautiful face showed up on the screen as Rui clicked on the camera icon, his own face showing up in the corner a moment later.
Rui couldn't help the stupid, sleepy smile that grew the moment he saw his Star, or the happy sigh he let out the moment after.
Tsukasa stared at him incredulously, his brows furrowed.
“You're not even trying to sleep!! Go lay down!!!”
Rui’s smile fell as he let out a pathetic whine, draping himself across his desk.
“I was trying! I took my meds and everything… I just can’t sleep, Kasa-kun…” He pouted, burying his face in his arms.
“Then. Go. Lay. Down-!! Ow!”
The taller lifted his head, watching Tsukasa turn to pick up a thimble and stick it over his fingertip, then pull the needle through the fabric as far as the string would allow it.
“What’cha working on?” Rui asked, resting his chin in the palm of his hand.
Tsukasa spared a glance at him, brows furrowed, his angry expression towards Rui just adorable.
“Go to bed.”
Rui puffed his cheeks in a pout. Without another word, he turned his monitor off and opened his phone, pulling up the call so he could still talk to the blond.
He stood from his chair, trudging his way across the room to drop on the couch, burying his face in a pillow.
“Now was that so hard??”
“It was impossible…” Rui mumbled, turning his head to look at his phone screen.
Tsukasa had stuck his tongue out in concentration, sewing something onto the pale pink fabric in his hand, pouring all his focus into the task.
How cute.
“Are you gonna tell me what you’re working on now?” Rui asked.
“Hm? Oh! I’m sewing the sequins we found the other day into Nene’s costume. I figured I’d get started on that tonight, since her costume will be the most tedious to get done, and I had some free time, anyway!”
“We can help with the costumes at practice, or during lunch. I might have something that could help make the sewing process go faster too-”
“I do not trust you with any of the costumes, Rui!”
“Ah, how cruel of you, Tsukasa-kun! After I so kindly offer to help lighten the work you have to do…” Rui sniffled, wiping at his eye.
“Oh, stop it! You lost your costume-making privileges when you cut holes in your outfit and made it unwearable!!”
“But you fixed it, remember?”
“After weeks of losing my mind trying to figure out how to fix it!!”
“It wasn’t that bad…”
“Yes it was!!!!”
“Nuh uh…”
Rui covered his mouth, failing to hold back a yawn as sleep called for him.
“... You’re not even awake enough to have this argument!!”
“Mhm…”
Tsukasa sighed, fondly shaking his head at Rui.
The two of them grew silent, Rui’s eyes drooping the longer he watched Tsukasa work on Nene’s costume.
“Kasa-kun…?” He mumbled.
“Hm?”
“I want kisses.”
“You’ll get kisses tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow’s so far away, Kasa-kun.”
“You’ll live!!”
Rui sat up, reaching for the other end of the couch to grab his blanket and curl up under it. He grabbed his phone and rolled onto his other side, propping it on the back of the couch so he could keep watching Tsukasa.
His eyelids grew heavier, but he still fought it, trying to stay awake longer despite the pull for sleep winning.
If it meant getting to spend a few more minutes with Tsukasa, he'd fight sleep just a little longer.
“Kasa-kun…” He mumbled.
“Yes, Rui?”
“What if we meet in SEKAI, and you give me hugs and kisses there?”
He could barely speak, who knew if he would even make it into SEKAI in the first place?
Maybe getting to kiss Tsukasa would motivate him enough to go to SEKAI. And then he could take another nap on his star!
To Rui's dismay, Tsukasa shook his head, letting out a huff as he set the costume on his lap.
“You’re barely awake, and I see you tomorrow.”
“But what if that helps me sleep-?”
“Just stay where you are, Rui. There’s no need to move, or go anywhere. Just… let yourself relax.”
“... Easier said than done…”
“You’ll be fine! … If you want… we can stay on call until you fall asleep?”
“Sure.”
“That was a fast response.”
Rui grinned, letting the silence grow between them.
The blond worked quietly, dutifully preparing their troupe-mate’s costume, sewing in sequin after sequin with as much care as he could.
The repetitive mundanity of it all lulled Rui into a sense of calm, giving him the right level of energy to finally start his descent into dreamland.
Neither said another word, enjoying the others’ company through the screen as the night continued on.
When Rui’s eyes finally closed, he relaxed into the couch cushions with a sigh, snuggled contentedly under his blanket.
“Love you, Kasa-kun…” He whispered, nuzzling into his pillow.
“I love you too, Rui,” Tsukasa murmured, sparing a glance at the screen.
“I want lots of kisses tomorrow…”
“Then go to sleep, or you get no kisses.”
Rui huffed in protest. He pulled his blanket tighter around his shoulders and grew quiet.
Tsukasa continued working diligently, but carefully, sewing the sequins in place. After finishing the twelfth row, he lifted the fabric, looking over the progress he’d made on Nene’s costume. He nodded to himself, his gaze flicking towards his phone screen. He smiled, shaking his head fondly.
“Told you, you just needed to lay down…” He mumbled.
Tsukasa gently folded up the fabric, setting it aside to pack up his sewing kit, putting everything away for when he was ready to work on it again later.
He returned to his desk, picking up his phone to find Rui lying still on the couch, breathing softly. The taller hadn’t moved or made any noise since he’d initially gone silent, so it was safe to assume he fell asleep.
“Good night, Rui. Sweet dreams,” Tsukasa murmured, muting his side of the call so he could prepare for bed without disturbing Rui’s rest, leaving it running as he climbed into bed to fall asleep himself.