Because it's you (Rei x Arlo)

31

After chasing a shirtless Rei around and resorting to using Luca to tackle the man, Arlo finally managed to finish wrapping his wounds in bandages. 

"You know, this is a good look on you. Makes you look like some tough guy would gets in fights all the time," Arlo commented while patting Rei in the back. "You don't think I already am one?" The blonde rolled his eyes, refusing to answer. "Have you written any new songs yet," he asked instead. As usual, Rei curled in on himself and looked away, "maybe." Arlo in the other hand lit up, "can I hear it?" The greenette huffed and slightly nudged the other away. "Maybe another time, I'm not done with it." Arlo hummed a 'sure' but let the topic drop. "How about you?" Arlo hummed and looked over at Rei. The greenette ran a hand through Luca's hair, the little boy cuddling up against his chest and idly playing with the bandages. 

"Me," Arlo huffed out a laugh, "I already told you that isn't happening." Rei pouted, before holding Luca up in front of him. "Not even for Luca?" His boyfriend lightly ruffled the kids hair before taking him from Rei's arms. "I dunno, he's a got a certain charm I might just do it." Arlo fully let out a laugh when Rei's spine dropped and he pouted even more, "but not for me?" Arlo had to duck out of the way to avoid Reis hand that came to mess with his hair. 

Luca giggles between the two of them making both of them pause and look at the child. Rei's eyes flashed between looking and Arlo, and the sight made his heart clench. 'I'll never leave them. Not Remi, not Luca, and not Arlo.' The blonde hummed before poking the tip of Rei's nose. "Someone looks a little sleepy, should we head back to bed?" The sentence itself made Arlo's face warm and he looked away but Rei's laugh drew him back and a smile made its way into his face. 

"Of course," Rei stated softly, before standing. He wobbled slightly, and Arlo reached out in case he lost his footing. "I'm fine, Arlo. Let's go get some sleep." Arlo was still doubtful, though he nodded, so he kept an arm on Rei's back as they ascended the stairs. Something about the situation just felt warm to Arlo. He was currently sick, and Rei was severally wounded. And yet, with Luca in one arm and another held around Rei, he couldn't complain about the situation. It only upset him that soon he would have to kiss this moment goodbye, return to his apartment, and to Wellston.

He shook the thought from his head, he still had a few days he could spend here until he was back to 100%. He wasn't going to waste that time dreading the future.

Free period was something Rei cherished. He had found a nice shady spot under a tree just outside the building his next class was located in. The tree was nowhere as nice as the tree he and Arlo would sit under, but it still provided plenty shade and gave him a nice place to think. He tapped the eraser of his pencil against his leg, his guitar laying neck to him with the neck on his thigh. When we told Arlo that he had written another song, he wasn't exactly lying, but it wasn't the full truth. He had actually written multiple songs, or at least he had the guitar notes, but they  were all basically the same thing. Every one of his songs had been about Arlo, or something he wanted to do with Arlo, or go with Arlo. 

Which, wasn't necessarily bad, but he didn't want to freak him out. Especially now that some walls had come down that were between them. Arlo knew about his feelings for him, and he knew Rei was a vigilante, and he was still with him. Arlo had taken it better than he expected. As much as he loved him, he was fully expecting the blonde to blow up on him. Scream at him about how stupid and dangerous that was. 

Arlo had also taken the song a lot better than he thought, though that was obvious. While Arlo was resting at his house, he found that he would sometimes read over that baby blue paper before he would fall asleep. 

Rei tilted his head against the tree and sighed. He had been pining for that blonde since he met him. Even though he was 100% certain that Arlo hated his guts at that point, he was still determined to get the boy to like him, if only as friends. And low and behold, they became best friends. And while that made him happy, he continued quietly pining in the corner of their relationship. He remembers Arlo introducing him to Holden, and at first he had panicked because he thought that they were together. That would be a funny story to tell Arlo later.

Rei smiled, all of his fears were slowly being put to rest.