Smoking cats - shinsero

Beneath the Surface

The next few weeks passed in a blur of quiet moments and unspoken promises. Sero and Shinsou had fallen into a comfortable rhythm, their time together growing more frequent, more natural. Whether it was sitting in silence as Tipi purred on the couch or sharing small, fleeting kisses that made Sero's heart race, there was a steady closeness forming between them.

But even as they grew closer, he couldn't shake the feeling that something deeper was still lurking beneath Shinsou's calm exterior. He could see it in the way he sometimes hesitated when Sero touched his arm or the way his eyes would cloud over with something distant, something dark.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and cast the apartment in a soft, golden glow, they found themselves curled up on the couch together. Tipi was lazily sprawled across their laps, her soft purring the only sound in the room. Shinsou's head was resting on his shoulder, and Sero could feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing.

It was peaceful, almost perfect, but there was a tension in the air, a heaviness that neither of them seemed willing to address.

He had been thinking about it all day - about Shinsou's scars, the ones he had caught glimpses of but never dared to ask about. He knew it wasn't his place to push, but the more time they spent together, the more he wanted to understand the parts of the boy that he kept hidden.

"Can i ask you something?" His voice broke the quiet, soft but filled with a hesitant curiosity.

The purple haired boy shifted slightly, his head still resting against Sero's shoulder.
"Yeah," he murmured with a low voice.

He took a breath, his fingers gently tracing patterns on Shinsou's arm.
"Your scars," he began slowly, choosing his words carefully.
"You don't have to tell me if you're not ready, but... I've been wondering. What happened?"

There was a long pause, the weight of the question hanging heavy between them. He immediately regretted asking, feeling the tension in Shinsou's body grow.

"I shouldn't have-"

"No, it's okay," the boy interrupted, his voice quiet but steady. He sat up slightly, pulling away just enough to look at Sero, his violet eyes filled with something deep and unreadable.
"I knew you'd ask eventually."

Sero's heart clenched as he saw the vulnerability in the boy's expression. He wanted to reach out, to pull him close, but he held back, letting the other decide how much he wanted to share.

Shinsou's gaze dropped to his lap, his fingers absentmindedly stroking Tipi's fur.
"It was... a long time ago. I was in a bad place, you know? I didn't have anyone. And... I didn't think it would ever get better."

Sero's chest tightened as he listened, his heart aching for the other boy. He had suspected that there was more to Shinsou's past than he had let on, but hearing it in his own words made it all the more real.

"I thought if I just... disappeared, it wouldn't mater," he continued, his voice quieter now, almost a whisper.
"But then... I got Tipi."

Tipi's ears twitched at the mention of her name, and she nuzzled into Shinshou's hand, oblivious to the gravity of the moment.

"She saved me," he said, a faint, almost bittersweet smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"I don't know if I'd still be here without her."

Sero felt a lump form in his throat, his heart aching as he watched the way the other gently stroked Tipi's fur. There was so much pain behind his words, so much that Shinsou had kept hidden for so long.

"I'm glad you're still here," Sero said softly, his hand reaching out to gently cup the boy's cheek.
"I'm so damn glad."

Shinsou's eyes met Sero's, and for a moment, it was like the world fell away. There was something raw and unguarded in Shinsou's gaze, something that made Sero want to wrap him in his arms and never let go.

Before he could say anything more, the purple haired boy leaned in, his lips brushing softly against Sero's in a kiss that was tender but filled with so much emotion it almost hurt. Sero responded instantly, his hand sliding to the back of Shinsou's neck, pulling him closer as the kiss deepened.

It wasn't rushed - it never was with Shinsou. There was a softness to the way their lips moved together, a quiet intimacy that made Sero's heart race. He could feel the weight of everything the other had shared with him in that kiss, the pain, the fear, the gratitude, and something deeper, something that they were both still learning how to name.

When they pulled away, their foreheads resting together, Shinsou let out a shaky breath, his hands resting gently on the black haired boy's chest.

"I don't like talking about it," Shinsou admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
"But... with you, it's different. I feel like... I can."

Sero's heart swelled at the words, and he gently stroked the boy's purple hair, his touch soft and comforting.
"You can always talk to me," he whispered back.
"I'll always listen."

For a moment, they stayed like that, wrapped in the quiet warmth of each other's presence. The weight of the past still lingered between them, but it didn't feel as heavy now. It felt like something they could share, something they could face together.

As the night stretched on, and the city outside grew quiet, Sero pressed a soft kiss on the other boy's forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment before he whispered.
"You're not alone anymore."

Shinsou closed his eyes, his breath shaky but steady, and for the first time in a long time, he believed it.

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