It was pretty late when Ren entered their shared dorm room this evening.

Having been playing the saxophone for hours, his lips ached from the effort. He really missed Masato with all his heart, even though he knew the other wouldn't appreciate that, even avoiding just the slightest contact with him.

Opening the door Ren peered into the room, a relieved sigh escaping his lips, when he saw Masato's sleeping form, peacefully dreaming away.

Smiling he turned over to his own bed, when he noticed the piece of cloth being held by the other man. Clutching Ren's pullover tightly to his chest, Masato appeared to have been fallen asleep still holding it, his cheeks still showing glistening trails of tears and the cloth itself was positively soaked as well.

Ren didn't know how to react, when a sudden blast slammed the door behind him shut, a loud banging sound reverberating through the room.

Startled by the sound Masato's eyes flew open and were instantly met with Ren's, who just kept starring at the other, unable to move or react in any way apart from gaping.

Masato started to move first, feeling the soaked pullover in his hands. Carefully reaching at his own cheeks he still held Ren's gaze. Realization dawning on him he got up without another word, pullover still in his hand and stormed out of the room, leaving the door wide open behind him.

Rushing down the corridor Masato's thoughts kept buzzing in his head. Why did this have to happen now? Why did Ren have to see him like this? Why did he even cuddle with a stupid pullover that wasn't even his in the first place? Why-

"Don't you just walk out on me," Ren cried behind him, both of them now standing in the middle of the corridor. "I just don't get you, Masato. You leave rooms, when I enter; you won't talk to me or even look at me, no matter what I do. I can be careful, I can be bold, I can be everything, but it isn't enough", tears were streaming down Ren's face at this point, his voice growing thick with emotion. "All I want for you is to talk to me, Masato, tell me what's wrong", Ren was panting with the effort to control his body. "I will do anything. Anything just so you will talk to me, please...", he begged, his whole body shaking ,"I miss you so much...".

Masato froze in his motion. He had never expected Ren to follow him, to be so upset about him leaving.

"Why do you do that?", he asked, his voice trembling ,"Why don't you go looking for someone less trouble and less complicated? Why don't you turn to somebody you like, Ren?". Spitting out the words Masato turned around, his features hardened, his gaze cold.

He felt like breaking down and crying, but he wouldn't show Ren how lost he really was; the other man would never see how he had broken him, that would be just pathetic and he was past the point of being naïve and pathetic.

"Just take your pullover and-", Masato stopped abruptly, his carefully built up shell crumbling down in a mere seconds.

In front of him stood Ren Jinguji, hair disheveled from running his fingers through it, eyes red and swollen, cheeks glistening with wet trails of tears, panting harshly, looking at him with an expression of pure pain and grief.

He looked as broken and lost as Masato felt.

"You... the phone...I...", Ren was stuttering, his words tripping over each other in realization and confusion; his cheeks were blushing with pure embarrassment.

Just the sight of him caused silent tears to trickle down Masato's own cheeks again and avoiding the other man's gaze, he lowered his view to the floor, nodding ashamed.

"I... I... told my brother about us...", Ren continued, his voice kept forsaking him, breaking between small sobs and coughs. "He told me how stupid I was, befriending you instead of getting myself a nice girl... He... I... He said it would be nice anyway, since... Since it could reduce the rivalry between our families...", Ren cautiously reached for Masato's hand, his own shaking badly ," I told him, I didn't like you that way... I.. I... ". Struggling with his breath he coughed again, causing Masato to raise his view.

The sight of Ren being reduced to such an emotional mess caused all the remnants of anger and despair his heart had harboured to be replaced by gnawing guilt. His heart went out to Ren and carefully stroking back some of the loose strands sticking to his tear-stained face, he rested his palm on the others cheek, wiping away the tears.

"I told him that I loved you", Ren cried out breaking down again. Masato caught his collapsing body in a nearly painful embrace, pressing the other as tight as possible to his chest, his own tears streaming down his face irrepressibly.

"I love you too", he whispered kissing Ren's head tenderly ,"I love you so much."

They lay together in Ren's bed that night. Limbs entangled, bodies as close together as possible. Ren's hair was splayed out over the pillow while Masato kept caressing the others scalp, combing through the strands again and again.

Ren scooted closer so their foreheads were touching, relishing in the others warmth, his scent engulfing him. Raising his gaze just the slightest he looked into Masato's deep-blue eyes, "I really do love you, you know."

Smiling Masato closed the distance between them, tenderly grazing the other's lips with his own ,"I love you too", he breathed between them, his tongue teasing the lips in front of him.

Humming contently Ren ensued in the kiss, feeling Masato's heartbeat beneath his palm, slowly falling asleep to the soft sound of their shared breathing.

Hey everyone,

I know the second chapter is pretty short, I apologize for that. Sorry. ^^"

If you enjoyed the story I'd be glad if you left a review or sent me a PM telling me what you liked, what you didn't like or if you even liked the story in the first place. That'd really help me to improve and I'd be pretty grateful. :)

Lots of love,

SnowWhiteSummer