Because it's you (Rei x Arlo)

17

It was a while before the two saw each other again. 

Not because one was avoiding the other, they were just busy. After all, they both still had school and a life to handle, they couldn't just us the spend all of their time with each other. They wish they could though. Alas, it would be about a week before they got to spend time with one another again, though, it wasn't under the best circumstances.

Arlo huffed as he checked his phone again. He'd texted Rei about an hour ago asking if he wanted to grab a drink, and had gotten no response. Which was unusual, because Rei was usually very quick to answer text messages, and if he couldn't, he would state what was keeping him busy as to not worry others. The blonde groaned pressing the call button, maybe he was being desperate, he didn't know why he wasn't leaving this alone. Normally he would've assumed that the older male was busy and would text him later, but he just wouldn't let this go.

Rei would've told him if he was busy...right?

The static on his phone dispersed replaced with a very groggy and scratchy voice. "Hello?" Arlo nearly flinched from the octave of that voice. Now, Rei voice was naturally deep, and Arlo was semi jealous of it, but it had never been that deep, or nasally, or quiet...Rei was never quiet.

"Are you alright?" Was the first thing to leave his mouth. A prominent flush covered his face, but thankfully the other wasn't there to see that.

"Yeah I'm...fine." Arlo frowned, "you sound anything but fine. What's wrong?" He heard a faint attempt to chuckle but it was replaced with a cough that through the phone sounded like it hurt. Arlo concluded that Rei was sick, and had likely been sleeping. Which is why he wasn't answering his text. Arlo inwardly flinched at that thought, he didn't mean to disturb the other. "Uh, just a bit congested, that's all." 

"Uh huh."

"Honest-" another cough. Arlo frowned listening to his friend suffer. "Do you want anything? A donut, maybe some boba? Waffles?" 

"I appreciate it. But I can't really eat right now, nothing's staying down." Arlo could practically hear the whine in his voice and it caused his heart to clench. "Have you taken medicine?" Of course Rei had taken medicine, he wasn't dumb. Arlo still wanted to ask though. "Yeah, about an hour ago, then I took a nap, and then you called." Arlo flinched once more, "yeah...sorry about that." This time Rei was able to actually laugh without being cut off by a cough. "Don't worry about, I like talking to you." Arlo wasn't sure if it was the medicine, Rei's sick state, or Rei actually talking, but that made his face warm up and he hated it.

"Would you mind if I came over?"

"I don't wanna make you sick."

"I'm sure it's fine." Arlo grumbled as he stood from his couch. Rei sighed from the other end with a quiet "suite yourself" which Arlo chuckled at. The blonde left his apartment and set forth toward Rei's own house.

While he was on the train, he was left to his thoughts. It had been a while since he'd been there, and Rei's parents were likely to be there. That wasn't an issue though, Rei's mom loved him and she was a sweetheart, and he's never met Rei's dad, but Rei never talked about him. It was likely that the dad would just ignore him, so Arlo was gonna ignore him as well. It would be weird without Remi there, because usually the three of them would play some sort of game or watch a movie and eat junk until they felt like throwing up.

Arlo smiles softly to himself. They were the only ones he had that made him feel as though he could relax. That he could have fun for once without being judge. And they were fun to be around. For a number of reasons.

When the train finally came to a stop, Arlo had to look at his phone to remember the address, it had been truly been a while. But when he came upon the pale yellow Victorian house that could almost resemble a doll house, it felt like he had just been here. A small smile settles on his face as he opened the white wooden fence and stepped into the yard just as a small Labrador came running at him. "Abel." The blonde smiled crouching down to scoop the puppy in his arms. "I'm shocked your still so small." The black pup licked at his cheek as Arlo continued toward the house. 

He assumed she had heard the barking, because soon Rei's mother opened the door with a confused look that soon broke into a smile. "Arlo!" She smiles welcome him with open arms. "Hi Mrs. Pierce." Arlo said returning the hog as he set the puppy down. He heard someone call for the puppy before it ran excitedly into the house. "What brings you here?" Arlo hummed, attention brought back to the woman in front of him. "Oh, I came to visit the sick dog who I think has more than a hit of congestion." Rei's mom laughed as she beckoned him into the house. "Glad to see someone else thinks so." She chuckled before returning to the kitchen. 

Arlo softly smiled liking how the house had an ever present scent of vanilla to it. It was warm, calm, and pleasant. It made his own home feel cold in comparison. He removed his shoes, leaving them at the front and just walked around in his socks. The house hasn't changed much since the last time he's been there, except for maybe a few pictures. Arlo always liked looking at the pictures in this house. There were a lot of pictures from when Rei was a kid, and for some reason they always made Arlo smile.

Maybe because it made him feel taller for once.

Arlo rolled his eyes before he continued past the living room. He briefly peeked in and found a man with light pink hair settled on the couch watching the T.V. He payed Arlo no mind, so the blonde gave him the same treatment and just went up the stairs. After turning around the rail of the stairs Arlo gently knocked on the door to Rei's bedroom hearing a muffled bark telling him that it was Rei who had called the puppy. 

He let himself in, Abel barking at him but staying in Rei's lap. Rei looked up at him and smile before waving. "Damn, you look like shit." Arlo commented. Rei huffed but laughed nonetheless. "What, I think it's cute." Arlo dolled his eyes settling in Rei's computer chair and turning it toward the bed. "Oh yes, the eye bags and pale skin it's totally the new look." Rei chuckled covering his mouth when he started to cough. He ran a hand through his hair before he sat up and place his back against the headboard. 

"How have you been?" Arlo shrugged, "bored. Which was the main reason I wanted to talk to you." That was a lie, the main reason was that he missed the greenette, the second reason was because he was bored. Rei hummed smiling softly. "Well I'm sorry I couldn't answer." Arlo frowned waving the other off, "I'd prefer you slept then talk to me." Rei huffed brushing a strand of hair out of his face. "Your hair is a wreck as well." Arlo pointed out. "Okay I get it, I look terrible." Rei giggled causing Arlo to do the same. "I'm just waiting for you to sneeze, you have kitten sneezes you know?"

"Yesss, and I hate them." Rei sighed. Arlo hummed, "I dunno I think they're-" he cleared his throat, "funny...I think they're funny." Rei looked at him for a moment before looking back at the bed. "Right." Arlo sighed leaning back against the chair. "Is there a movie you wanna watch? I didn't come here just to make fun of you." Rei smirked, "oh really, sure had me fooled." Arlo scoffed flicking the other on the arm. "Fine, I'll pick a movie." Rei just smiles at him as Arlo got up to go set the movie up.