Kaito felt better by the afternoon. Not great—his fever had broken, but his body still moved like it was underwater. He shuffled around the apartment in socks, sipping lukewarm tea and trying not to think too hard about what had happened.
Which was impossible.
Ren had kissed him.
And stayed.
And now he was still here, sitting cross-legged on Kaito's bedroom floor, flipping through the old manga collection stacked under the window.
The late sunlight spilled through the curtains in honey-colored streaks, brushing Ren's hair in soft gold. He looked completely at ease.
Kaito, on the other hand, felt like a wire stretched too tight.
"I forgot how good these were," Ren said, holding up an old volume of Blue Exorcist. "You've had this since middle school?"
Kaito nodded. "It's kind of embarrassing."
Ren smiled. "It's kind of cute."
Kaito's heart stuttered.
He looked away, sipping his tea just to have something to do. His mind kept circling the same quiet loop: We kissed. He stayed. This is real. This is happening.
Ren set the manga down and leaned back on his palms. "You're quiet."
Kaito huffed. "You always say that."
"Not like this." Ren's voice softened. "You're thinking too loud."
Kaito glanced at him, the corner of his mouth twitching. "That obvious?"
Ren didn't answer. He just got up, moved closer, and sat beside Kaito on the edge of the futon. Not touching. Just close enough that the space between them felt intentional.
"Earlier," Kaito began, "I didn't know what to say. I still don't."
"You don't have to explain anything."
"I want to," he said quickly. Then paused. "I'm just… still figuring it out."
Ren nodded like he understood. And maybe he did.
"I'm scared," Kaito admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "Not of you. Just… of what this means. Of ruining it."
"You haven't ruined anything."
Kaito finally looked at him. "Not yet."
Ren tilted his head. "You think being close to me is going to mess everything up?"
Kaito's throat tightened. "It already has. In a good way. That's the scary part."
Ren didn't say anything right away. Then—quietly—he reached out and brushed his fingers against Kaito's. Not holding. Just enough to be there.
"Then let's not name it yet," he said. "Let's just… sit in the same place for a while. Doors half-open. Hearts still beating. That's enough."
Kaito swallowed. Nodded.
He didn't move his hand away.
Outside, the day was slowly fading to dusk. The world wasn't asking them to define anything yet. Just to breathe. Just to stay.
And for now, that was enough.