Work Text:
Ryusui lay in bed, trying and failing to fall asleep. He shifted under the covers, tossing and turning discontentedly. But he just couldn’t get comfortable. Not without Sai.
They hadn’t exchanged goodnights yet. They wouldn’t say good night, or I love you or see you in the morning ever again. Because Sai had left. He ran away without even saying goodbye. The worst part was that Ryusui could feel his absence. Like when he would lose a tooth, and his mouth just felt wrong for a while.
That was how he felt now, without the silent presence. Without the soft clacking of keys or scratching of a pencil. Without the soft laughs or the excited rambles. Sai wasn’t always loud, far from it, but he was always there.
And normally, Ryusui was fine with sleeping on his own; he was practically in junior high! But the thought of sleep, while his older brother, his family, was who knows where? Safe to say it felt impossible. So he threw off the covers and left. He began to wander the halls aimlessly, keeping to the less popular walkways. As he walked by, he peeked his head into whatever rooms he came across. After a while of this, he found himself in front of Francois’s kitchen.
He stopped in his tracks; a midnight snack would be nice, he decided. When he entered, Francois was diligently preparing for the next morning’s breakfast, humming to themself. They paused when they noticed his presence before regaining their composure and greeting him with a nod. He returned it, taking a seat at a small table pushed against the wall.
They sat in comfortable silence as Francois finished their work and set about making a mug of… something. Whatever it was, he knew he would enjoy it, so Ryusui didn’t pay much mind. Soon enough, they were making their way over to him, holding two steaming mugs.
The first one smelled of chocolate and was topped with a considerable amount of whipped cream. The second was rather plain, the string of a teabag dangling over the edge. They set the first mug down in front of Ryusui before removing their apron.
They sat down across from him before taking a sip of their tea. It was comfortable. It was familiar. It was surprisingly unprofessional, actually. As far as Ryusui knew, they were breaking several rules of etiquette. But, in all fairness, it was late. Maybe Francois was just tired?
“May I ask what brings you here? It’s practically the morning.” They asked after a moment. Why was he here? He had gotten so lost in the comfort of the kitchen that he forgot why he went there in the first place. It was then that he remembered what was so painfully missing.
“Sai’s gone.” He breathed, trying to wrap his head around the fact. “He’s gone.” Sloppily, he wiped the tears from his eyes. When had he started crying? Francois was kneeling in front of him, soft hands tentatively cradling one of his. It was all he could do to throw himself into their arms.
“Ryusui,” they attempted. He only cried harder at that, clinging tighter to them. They let out a nearly imperceptible sigh, holding him close and running a hand through his knotted hair. “Ryusui.” They tried again.
He sniffled, wiping his eyes and looking up at the butler tearfully.
“None of this is your fault.” They said. “While it may seem that way now, there were many factors far outside either of your control.” Ryusui hummed, averting his eyes. He didn’t believe them, not even a little bit. But he would listen to them anyway, because being comforted by someone was infinitely better than crying alone in his room.
“Why did he leave then?” He finally asked, his voice breaking. Francois took a moment before answering, most likely collecting their thoughts. It was a habit they were trying to teach Ryusui. To think before speaking.
“I don’t know.” They began. They opened their mouth to continue before closing it. They blinked, staring at the wall as if lost in thought.
Francois doesn’t know what’s happening either, he realized. They can’t fix it. Why couldn’t someone just fix it? Ryusui cried harder at that, the second wave of his grief hitting him hard. Francois pulled him closer, rocking back and forth gently. A gloved hand traced circles into the small of his back, and he buried his face in their side. It was a pitiful attempt to muffle his sobs, but an attempt nonetheless. He may be privileged, but he knew when he was causing a scene.
He was in double digits now, far too mature to be acting so childishly. But when he stated as much, apologizing to Francois for being a bother, their brow furrowed.
“You have every right to be upset; emotions seldom come from nowhere. Besides, the absence of a loved one is never easy.”
Ryusui nodded absentmindedly, wondering if they were speaking from experience. He certainly didn’t miss his father when the man locked himself in his study. Nor his mother, when she would leave for a business trip and not return for days on end. But on the rare occasion Francois was forced into taking a day off, their absence was palpable. A distinct feeling of someone who should be there, but wasn’t. It was a miracle they did so much without it taking a toll.
It was then that it dawned on Ryusui just how tired he had become. His limbs were heavy, like they were weighed down by anchors. He was comfortable here, in Francois’s lap. He closed his eyes, pushing away the distinct beginnings of a headache in favour of sleep.
“It seems to be time for bed,” Francois stated, maneuvering him off their lap. He whined, already mourning the loss of their touch.
“Use your words, Ryusui.” They gently chided, brushing the hair from his face.
“I don’t wanna,” he grumbled. “If I go to bed, you’ll leave.” His words were slurred with sleep, a deep pout on his face.
“If I stay with you, will you return to your room and have some water?” They asked, their tone soft but firm. Coming from someone who was more than used to his antics. He nodded in agreement, content to make his way back to bed with Francois on his heels.
When they made it to his room, he climbed onto his rumpled sheets, pulling them over him. Francois was at his side in a moment, a fresh glass of water in their hand. He took it, muttering a quick thanks and deciding not to question the fact that he didn’t even notice them leave.
He placed the cup on the bedside table when he was done, catching Francois’ attention before they made to leave. Calmly, they took the chair from his desk and brought it next to the nightstand. Better, he decided, but not good enough. He stuck out his arms, making grabby hands, his eyes pleading.
With a long-suffering sigh, Francois stood and made their way to the other side of the (frankly massive) bed. Ryusui grinned, scooting a bit closer to them. While he did want to cuddle like he used to with Sai, he knew Francois’s limits. Knew that this was breaking enough rules as is. It was infinitely better than being alone, despite the distance between them.
Francois gave him a look, as if asking Happy? He nodded, extending an arm closer to them. It was comforting, just knowing that they were there. They placed a hand on his, affirming their presence. He let out a contented sigh, allowing sleep to claim him.
“G’night.” He mumbled, barely conscious enough to process his words. “Love you.” And with that, he was out.