Chapter 7

The rain still hadn't let up. The sound of it pounding against the windows had become a steady rhythm, and the time on the clock now read just shy of midnight. Sky fidgeted on the couch, glancing at the window as though hoping for the storm to pass. But it didn't look like it would anytime soon.

Sky cleared his throat. "I... should really get going. It's already late." He'd been here for hours now, and despite the warmth of the food and Nani's hospitality, there was something inside him telling him it was time to leave. He didn't want to overstay his welcome.

Nani, however, didn't seem to share that sentiment. He looked over at Sky, his expression unreadable. "It's still pouring outside. You're not going anywhere in this weather," Nani said simply, his tone firm.

"But it's really late, Nani... I don't want to be a bother." Sky hesitated, glancing at the window again.

"I said you're staying." Nani repeated, his voice leaving no room for argument. His eyes met Sky's, and in that instant, Sky felt the weight of the unspoken command in them. Nani wasn't giving him a choice.

"I... okay, fine," Sky muttered, glancing down at his feet. "But I can't let you be uncomfortable because of me."

"I'm not uncomfortable. You're staying," he said again, his gaze still steady.

After that, the two of them stood there for a moment, the tension lingering, both unsure of what to do next. There was the matter of where Sky would sleep. Nani's bed was big enough for them, but it would be weird for Sky to sleep there but the living room wasn't much better. Sky will feel uncomfortable sleeping on the couch with his big frame.

After a few moments of indecision, Nani moved to a his bedroom and pulled out a mattress out, placing it on the floor. "This should work." he said, unrolling it with a swift motion. "You'll sleep here. I'll be fine on the couch."

Sky looked at the mattress for a moment, still unsure. "You sure? I don't want to take your space."

Nani raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to argue with me until morning?" Sky shaking his head and laid down on the mattress, staring up at the ceiling as he tried to get comfortable. Nani settled down on the couch. The faint sound of rain and the quiet hum of the city outside filling the space between them. It was strange, sleeping in the same room like this—so close, yet so far.

The silence between them felt different now, less tense, almost peaceful. Sky turned his head toward Nani, watching him for a long moment. Nani, for his part, didn't seem bothered at all.

As the minutes passed, Sky found his thoughts drifting again. But before he could spiral into overthinking, sleep finally found him, pulling him under, his body relaxing against the soft mattress. In the dim light of the condo, Nani glanced over at Sky one last time before closing his eyes.

It was almost morning when a sharp, unexpected sound broke the quiet of the condo, glass shattering on the floor. Nani shot up immediately, his heart racing as the noise echoed in his ears. Nani turn on the light, his eyes frantically searched the room, settling on the figure standing in the kitchen.

Sky was frozen in place, looking at Nani with wide, guilty eyes. "I... I didn't want to wake you," Sky muttered quickly, his voice apologetic but also filled with panic. "I thought if I just... turned on the light, I'd be able to get some water without disturbing you, but I couldn't find the glass... and—" he cut off, staring at the broken pieces scattered across the floor.

"Sky" he said, his voice rough "you should've just turned the light on. It's not like it's the middle of the night." He tried to sound stern, but his tone was softer than usual, the exhaustion from a restless night hanging over him.

But then, as he walked over and check on Sky, something sharp dug into his foot. The pain was immediate and blinding, and Nani let out a quick hiss of discomfort. His body jerked back in surprise.

"Damn it..." Nani muttered, gritting his teeth.

Sky's eyes widened in alarm. "Nani! Are you okay?" His voice cracked with concern as he rushed over to Nani's side.

"Stay still." Nani said, a bit more sharply than he meant. He didn't want Sky stepping on any more glass, but his own words got lost in the moment as his foot throbbed. He tried to take a step but winced.

Sky's eyes darted down to the blood slowly oozing from Nani's foot. His face paled. "Nani, Are you okay?" he stammered, his voice full of guilt. Nani tried to walk but winced. Sky immediately bent down, gently lifting Nani's foot.

Nani was caught off guard by the sudden motion, his eyes widening in surprise.

And suddenly Sky was already lifting him, carefully supporting Nani's weight. "I'll help you to the couch. Just hang on" Sky said, determination in his eyes.

Nani opened his mouth to protest but then realized there was no point. Sky's expression was set, and his grip on Nani was surprisingly gentle but firm. Nani, unable to argue, allowed himself to be carried to the couch, where Sky carefully lowered him onto the cushions.

Sky quickly grabbed a towel, still flustered but focused, and pressed it to Nani's foot to stop the bleeding. "I'm so sorry," he repeated, his voice quieter now. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

Nani let out a soft sigh, his gaze softening as he stared at Sky. Despite the pain in his foot, a strange warmth spread through him.

"Next time, just turn the light on, okay?" Nani said quietly.

Sky suddenly burst into tears. He didn't expect it, but hearing Nani's words made him feel so overwhelmed. He knew Nani wasn't scolding him, but still, he couldn't stop the tears from coming. Nani's eyes widened when he saw Sky crying.

"Why are you crying?" Nani asked, his voice soft with surprise.

Sky shook his head, not saying anything. Nani's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and he gently cupped Sky's face with both hands, trying to get him to look up.

"Okay, okay... It's my fault. I shouldn't have told you to turn on the light. I shouldn't have stepped on the glass, alright?" Nani said, his tone softening. Sky didn't say anything, but he looked at Nani, his mouth pouting a little.

"Stop crying. You're a grown man." Nani said softly, his voice almost tender. He gently wiped away Sky's tears with his thumb, his touch light and comforting.

Sky's tears slowly stopped as Nani's soft touch lingered on his face.

Sky blinked, his heart pounding a little in his chest. "I didn't mean to make a mess." he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I didn't want to bother you."

Nani shook his head, giving Sky a small, reassuring smile. "You're not bothering me."

Sky felt a tightness in his chest, but this time, it wasn't the usual sadness. It was a warmth, something comforting and safe.

Nani nodded, still gently rubbing his thumb across Sky's cheek. "stop crying, alright?"