One month

4|away

It's a month after Saki was hospitalised and Tsukasa has almost completely wasted away. While Saki remains the same, albeit with a few differences, Tsukasa is being leeched of colour, and even Rui can't stop the nightmares that run through his head after darkness falls. Yes, Rui- he's still there. He went back to school, back to planning wonder-shows, and back to work at the cafe. He's doing quite well in life but always makes time for Tsukasa.

Nene had an argument with Tsukasa, and Emu took her side, so Tsukasa's struggling more than ever. But Rui won't leave him. Never. Except.....

"You need to resume your life! Get outside!! Touch grass!!"

"No! Saki needs me!!! Her mother and father won't be there for her! Her girlfriends are busy with school work!!!! She. Needs. Me!!"

Saki just watches, interested and neutral. Her and the others never fight like this. Maybe her and Shiho will have different views from time to time, but Honami usually sorts it out.

"Tsukasa, I know you want to take care of Saki, but you need to make some time for yourself too. Look in the mirror, you're slowly wasting away and it hurts me to see you like this."

"THEN GO AWAY!!!!!!!"

Rui shrinks inside from the force of Tsukasa's yell, and Saki watches dust fly down from the ceiling. It looks like fireflies, catching the light that comes from the wide, floor-to-ceiling windows. Not that any of them have ever seen fireflies, they're a bit too south for that. Rui and Tsukasa watch them spiral, down, down, down- until they hit the floor.

A bit like Tsukasa had been, Ruikasa both thought. Then a lightning strike of inspiration hit him. Rui opened the window and the winter breeze wafted through. It cast the dust up and swirled it up, up, up.

Tsukasa looked at Rui, and smiled. Then Rui said,

"Kasa, if you're going to smile- please let it be fr."

"I suppose you know me too well, Ruru."

Then they looked at each other, and Rui replied.

"I suppose I do, and it's been wonderful every second of it."

They left the hospital.

After a day of hot chocolate, ice-skating (Tsukasa wasn't very good,) sledding, shopping for mittens, etc winter things.

Tuska was curled up by the fire at Rui's house with a book and as Rui looked at him, his look full of tenderness and warm, melty, romantic mushy peas, Tsukasa emerged from a mountain of blankets. He held out a hand, inviting Rui to join the new clubhouse of wxs. Needless to say, Rui accepted, pulled out his phone and called Emunene. They came over and played a couple of games. Nene won Ludo, Rui did amazing at Monopoly, Emu did surprisingly well at Suicide draughts. It must be the pink hair. She just channelled her inner Sayori. Tsukasa won at Guess who, which he explained, his kindergarten teacher was obsessed with.

Then in the dark, when Tsukasa woke up screaming, Rui was there to hold him through the night.

"knock knock." 

Rui raised his head blearily, squinting against the bright light that filtered through the crack between the curtains. Mizuki and Ena were on the other side of the door, waiting for Rui to drive them back to the house which they stayed at for most of the time. Akito and Toya would arrive the day after, back from their vacation. Rui put on his driving, and reading glasses to get ready, they got dressed, and Rui dropped them off, because Mizuki's car was still at the mechanics. Then when they had done that, Rui said to Tsukasa (who had been trailing around after him, like a little lost kitten,)

"Let's go home, Tsukasa."

Instead of responding through words, Tsukasa kisses Rui, tenderly.

Then they walk off into the rainbow.