BELOVED BY THE TWINS

CHAPTER 22

"BELOVED BY THE TWINS"

by: Dark Flame Master

Once they finally left Juri’s apartment the three of them headed to the car. As usual, Luca took the driver’s seat while Ruka and Shin sat in the back. The car was quiet and the night air still and peaceful perfect for a late-night drive.

Luca adjusted the rearview mirror and noticed Shin yawning, his eyes barely staying open. Shin was clearly still tired and it didn’t help that the dim lights from the passing street lamps created a relaxing atmosphere.

Without saying a word, Luca reached over and turned on some soft music. It was a gentle melody. It was something calm and soothing meant to help Shin relax even more. As they drove, Shin stared out the window completely lost in his thoughts. His head swayed slightly as if he was fighting the urge to sleep again. He had already slept at Juri’s apartment but he was still struggling to keep his eyes open.

Ruka noticed this and without hesitation, reached over and grabbed Shin’s shoulder. With a gentle push he made Shin lay down with his head resting on Ruka’s lap.

“Wha—what are you doing?” Shin was surprised by the sudden movement. He was about to sit back up but Ruka firmly placed his hand on Shin’s head holding him in place.

“Just sleep if you’re still tired,” Ruka said softly, running his fingers through Shin’s hair in a relaxing motion. He didn’t seem to care if Shin resisted.

Shin blinked up at him, confused. “But I already slept enough at Juri’s place. I’m fine,” he tried to argue though his voice lacked the energy to back up his words.

However Ruka wasn’t taking no for an answer. He continued to stroke Shin’s hair. “It’s fine. Just sleep,” he repeated, his voice calm and gentle almost like he was talking to a child.

From the front seat, Luca glanced at them through the rearview mirror catching sight of Shin’s tired face. “Shin, be careful, okay? Don’t just fall asleep at random places,” he said, his tone slightly more serious than usual.

Shin sighed and still rested on Ruka’s lap. “But Juri’s a friend. Nothing happened,” he replied, his voice soft and a bit defensive.

Luca smiled faintly, his eyes back on the road. “I know. But just be cautious, okay? You never know,” he said. His words carried a protective tone though he wasn’t exactly worried about Juri. He just didn’t want Shin to be vulnerable.

Ruka continued to play with Shin’s hair, his fingers moving in gentle circles. He was enjoying the feeling of Shin’s soft hair between his fingers when all of a sudden Shin shifted. Turning to face Ruka he looked up at him. Shin's eyes are half-closed but still clear enough to focus on Ruka’s face. The sudden movement caught Ruka off guard and he felt his heart skip a beat as their eyes met.

For a moment neither of them spoke. Shin’s face was so close to Ruka that he could feel the warmth of his breath against his skin. Ruka felt his face heats up. Shin’s sleepy expression and the way he was lying so comfortably on his lap. It was all too much.

“You’re red,” Shin said with a small teasing smile, his voice soft and almost playful.

Ruka swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and he cursed silently to himself. "Fuck....It's bad for my heart, really," he mumbled under his breath though he wasn’t sure if Shin could hear him.

Shin tilted his head clearly confused. “What is?” he asked, his eyes still locked on Ruka’s.

Ruka leaned down bringing his face closer to Shin’s ear. His breath was warm against Shin’s skin as he whispered, “Nothing.”

The moment felt heavy like something important had just passed between them even though Ruka had only spoken a single word. When he sat up again he could see the look of surprise on Shin’s face. Shin was blushing now and his cheeks flushed a light pink. His eyes were wide and he quickly turned his face away because he was embarrassed.

“N—nothing,” Shin stuttered, his voice flustered. He turned back to face the other direction and no longer met Ruka’s gaze. But inside, his thoughts were racing. "I thought Ruka would kiss me?" he wondered, his mind spinning with confusion. He wasn’t sure what had just happened but his heart was beating faster than before.

Meanwhile, Ruka was trying to calm himself down. "Why does he keep getting cuter and cuter?" he thought, his hands trembling slightly as he continued to run his fingers through Shin’s hair.

It was taking every ounce of his self-control to not let his feelings show. With Shin lying on his lap so close, Ruka was struggling to keep his emotions in check. It didn’t help that Shin had just turned those big innocent eyes on him a moment ago completely unaware of the effect he was having.

In the front seat, Luca watched the entire exchange through the mirror grinning to himself. He could practically feel the tension between Ruka and Shin and it amused him.

The rest of the drive was quiet. The soft music filled the car while everyone got lost in their own thoughts. Shin closed his eyes again trying to calm his racing heart. "I hope they can’t hear my heartbeat" he thought, embarrassed by how loud it seemed in his ears.

Ruka, on the other hand was trying to keep himself from getting too worked up. Shin’s presence and the way he was lying there so peacefully was driving him crazy. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep himself calm. "He’s so freaking cute" Ruka thought, feeling his face heat up again. He shifted slightly in his seat trying to relax.

As for Luca, he couldn’t help but find the whole situation amusing. "Two little cats, playing with each other," he thought with a grin, happy to watch the two of them from a safe distance.

When they finally arrived home, Shin was the first to get out of the car. He stretched his arms above his head yawning again and still not fully awake. The twins followed him inside and as soon as they were in the house, Shin headed straight for the bathroom to take a shower. The warm water helped him relax washing away the tension from earlier though his thoughts were still a bit jumbled.

After his shower, Shin joined the twins for dinner. He wasn’t particularly hungry since he had already eaten at Juri’s apartment but he sat with them anyway picking at his food. The atmosphere was calm and comfortable though Shin noticed that Ruka was unusually quiet and barely said anything throughout the meal.

Once dinner was over, they all went to their own rooms. Shin was about to head to bed when out of nowhere both twins grabbed him pulling him into a tight hug. It wasn’t unusual for them to be affectionate. They had hugged him plenty of times before but this time, something felt different. Before he could pull away, both Ruka and Luca leaned in and kissed him on the cheek one on each side.

Shin froze, completely taken by surprise. They had never kissed him before. Sure, they were close and they always teased him but this was new.

“Goodnight, Shin,” the twins said in unison, their voices were soft and almost sweet.

“G-goodnight,” Shin stuttered, still processing what had just happened. His cheeks were bright red and he could barely make eye contact with either of them.

As Shin hurried off to his room, his heart was pounding in his chest. The twins watched him go, grinning at each other. Once Shin was out of sight. The twins both went to their room.

Ruka turned to Luca, his eyes filled with a familiar intensity. “I can’t take it anymore,” Ruka muttered under his breath, his fists clenched at his sides. “Let’s do it.”

Luca raised an eyebrow, amused by his brother’s obvious frustration. “Do what?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.

Ruka pushed Luca onto the bed, his patience completely gone. “You know what I mean. I can’t stop thinking about him. He was so cute earlier. I need to get this out of my system.”

Luca grinned, lying back on the bed and watching Ruka with lust. “You’re all worked up, huh?” he teased, though he couldn’t blame him. Shin had been undeniably adorable earlier and they had both felt it.