𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐓 ➛ ryusae

chpt 18 ➛ shidou

The soft hum of the evening enveloped the house, the earlier chaos having mellowed into a calm. A golden glow filtered through the curtains, painting the living room in warm hues as Sae and Shidou finally emerged from their room. Both carried the unmistakable ease of those freshly showered, their damp hair and the faint scent of body wash evidence of the time spent recovering from earlier.

They walked into the living room, the quiet shuffle of their steps breaking the calm. Sae moved with his usual composed grace, dressed in a loose, well-fitted sweater and joggers, while Shidou followed, his casual tank top and shorts a stark contrast. Though neither said a word, the subtle tension between them spoke volumes, as if the earlier intimacy still clung to the space around them.

In the living room, Rin and Isagi were nestled comfortably on the couch. Isagi was half-curled into Rin's side, his legs tucked beneath him as a shared blanket draped over them. Rin, ever composed, had one arm draped loosely around Isagi's shoulders while his free hand held a book he wasn't even pretending to read.

The sound of footsteps drew Isagi's attention first. He glanced up, his usual warm smile brightening—until his eyes landed on Sae and Shidou. Specifically, the faint but undeniable marks that trailed along their necks. Bite marks. Hickeys. Scratches. Isagi blinked once, then twice, his smile faltering into a mix of surprise and barely contained laughter.

Rin, noticing his boyfriend's reaction, followed his gaze. His sharp eyes immediately zeroed in on the evidence decorating both Sae's and Shidou's necks. For a moment, Rin's expression was unreadable, but then a slow, knowing smirk crept across his face.

"Well well well," Rin drawled, setting the book down. "Looks like someone had an eventful afternoon."

Sae, to his credit, barely flinched. He sighed, brushing a hand through his damp hair in a vain attempt at nonchalance. "Don't start," he said, though the faint pink staining his cheeks suggested he wasn't as unfazed as he pretended to be.

Shidou, on the other hand, was completely unbothered. "What, you think you can keep up?" he teased, his grin splitting his face as he casually plopped down onto the couch with Sae. He threw an arm lazily across the headboard, as if daring anyone to comment further.

Isagi tried to stifle a laugh, covering his mouth with his hand. "You couldn't even bother to, I don't know, cover those up?" he asked, his voice filled with amusement.

Rin leaned back against the couch, crossing his arms with a look of mock exasperation. "Seriously, at least make an effort to not look like walking crime scenes," he added, though the teasing glint in his eyes softened the jab. "Even we try to make a little bit of an effort."

Sae pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something that like "Oh my god,"  Beside him, Shidou grinned wider, entirely unrepentant.

"You're just mad we're this good-looking," Shidou said, throwing a wink in Rin's direction.

"Right," Rin deadpanned.

"Damn right, I am," Shidou replied, leaning back with a smug look.

As the teasing died down, Sae felt a wave of fatigue creeping in, a reminder of the day's earlier activities. His usual composed exterior remained intact, but a subtle heaviness settled in his limbs as he leaned further into the couch. The thought of spending the evening simply lounging, surrounded by the quiet hum of conversation and laughter in Shidou's arms, was exactly what he needed. For once, the idea of doing nothing, seemed like the perfect way to unwind.

Just as Sae was beginning to let his tired mind settle, Rin's voice broke the tranquility. Flipping a page in his book without so much as glancing up, he said with deliberate nonchalance, "Oh, by the way, we're inviting people over tonight."