A/N: Ah. So I was on ao3 today, checking out their Tsukiuta section since though it is small, it's much bigger than FF Net's. And I found this beautiful 10k one-shot called Bet My Heart by starblossoms59. I loved it so much, the dynamics of the characters' relationships in an Apartment AU setting.

I think I may convert to ao3.

Actually, I'll probably keep my account here, but ao3 is dragging me into its depths.

Anyway! It gave me motivation to make an Iku/Rui one-shot (because they're sooooo cute and I love them a little too much)!

So, on to the actual notes: I have not listened to any drama CDs and only watched the anime when it first came out. Therefore, my memory is a bit blurry so sorry for any OOCness, though some are because of the AU nature of the story.

This is also AU, because Rui and Iku don't go to the same school in the canon (heck, Rui doesn't even go to school!), and they aren't idols in this story. Also, just in case someone doesn't know, Japanese school years start in April.

Any lyrics are credited to Ritsuki1130 on tumblr.

This story was inspired by a mix of "Rainy Moment" and "Goodbye Seasons," both sung by Rui. I swear, Rui's songs have the most beautiful and meaningful lyrics.

Songs used respectively: Rainy Moment and Goodbye Seasons.

Please. Enjoy~

~~Rainy Seasons~~

by Crystalized Flowers

"Alright, everyone! Good work today. Dismissed!"

"Whoa, he let us off early today!" A boy with bubblegum pink hair and matching eyes leans on the locker besides his, the signature mischievous smile attributed to both he and his best friend, Shiwasu Kakeru, stretched across his face. Kisaragi Koi, his classmate, friend, and fellow member of the track team, reaches up to adjust the multi-colored hairpins adorning his hair. "It's only been a few weeks since third year started, so it's not like we did anything to earn it though."

"Yeah. It's a bit strange. Why did he?"

"Well, the rain is coming down hard." The other boy peers out the window, his eyes critically examining the rain. A streak of lightning flashes overhead, and Koi presses his lips together in a firm line. "Yep, that's probably why."

He glances back at the brunet, who is still rummaging through the contents of his locker. "Iku? You ready to go home?"

"Ah, sorry!" Iku raises his head, smiling apologetically, though his face shows some worry. "You go on ahead. I think I left my bag in my classroom before track practice. I'll go get it."

He rushes out of the locker room, the call of his classmate ringing out behind him. "Hurry up! Most of the teachers left already! This storm is terrible!"

After racing up a few flights of stairs, Iku flings open the door to his classroom, 3-B on the third floor. His chocolate-colored eyes skim the desks until they land on his own in the third row - and the schoolbag hanging off the hook attached to it. Letting out a sigh of relief, he slowly makes his way to his desk. Most of his textbooks are already packed inside his bag, and as he puts the rest away, his eyes land on a hastily written note sticking out of his music theory textbook.

Hey, Iku! Don't know when you'll see this but I realized after class that I left the two mechanical pencils that you let Koi and I borrow in the music room on the second floor where they teach music theory. The green one and the purple one, right? Sorry about that (〃＞＿＜;〃)! I would go get them but you left for track practice, and I need to go to my part time job! Ja ne! -Kakeru

He feels a pang of exasperation as he finishes reading. Jeez. Those two. He checks his pencil case and indeed, there are two pencils missing. He finishes packing his books into his bag along with his pencil case, and after adjusting his coat around himself, he heads down to the second floor.

The lights are off in the school and with the darkness from the weather outside and the absence of people, Iku almost feels like he's intruding the school at night even though it's only five in the afternoon. It's a bit of a haunted house feeling and he gets slight chills when he hears a faint noise from the direction he is heading. Stop imagining things, Iku! He scolds himself, but the sound gradually grows louder as he approaches his destination.

It's a piano. Gorgeous melodies flow from it, quiet but enough to fill the silence looming in the school. The music enough would have been enough to enrapture Iku, the advanced skill of the pianist along with the perfect melody is astounding. However, Iku is simply mesmerized by the soulful scream in the music as the pianist plays, letting his emotions flow.

Iku halts in front of the music room's door, almost like he's in a trance. Now that he is close to the source of the beautiful sound, he can hear something accompanying the piano. Spot on vocals, complete with the occasional bout of vibrato and falsetto enriches the performance even more. But Iku's heart can't help but clench as he hears how pain-stricken the singer's voice is.

He stands there, unmoving, waiting for the end of the song.

"-solitude that never ends, the sound of pain that doesn't stop ringing. It was still there; that familiar voice at the gray scenery and," the soft male voice catches on the last lyrics and his playing falters for a moment before he continues, his voice shaking, "rainy moment."

The emotions that well up inside of him causes Iku to push open the door. The room is illuminated by a flash of lightning, and he finally catches sight of the mysterious musician.

They stand at a stand-still for a few moments, the brunet with emotional chocolate brown eyes and the boy seated at the piano. His hair is shoulder length and messy, his eyes a dull brown. His posture is relaxed, calm, but within his pained brown eyes lie a storm of emotions.

Emotions that were revealed to Iku through his song. Iku fights the urge to hug and comfort the boy who he doesn't even recognize. He wears the school uniform, and though it's slightly ripped, Iku can tell that he is a third year like him by the color of his uniform.

The stare is broken when the boy turns back to the music sheets propped up on the piano, raising a pencil to pen in the last few notes of the song. Iku gasps slightly as he recognizes the green pencil - it was his. A purple pencil lies precariously on top of the piano, about to fall off. Iku slowly approaches the piano and pockets his pencil, the other male not paying any attention to him at all.

"U-um. Excuse me." The boy looks up, and Iku is once again shocked at how soulful his eyes are compared to the calmness of the rest of his body. How much pain is reflected in those eyes. He swallows the lump in his throat and speaks. "I'm Kannaduki Iku from Class 3-B. What's your name?"

The green haired male watches him warily for a few moments, and when he speaks, his voice is angelically soft. "Minaduki Rui. Class 3-A." He averts his gaze immediately after he speaks.

"A-ah, Rui-san, then?" When the other makes no comment on Iku's use of his first name, he continues. "What are you doing here so late by yourself?" Iku doesn't know why he asks that instead of requesting his pencil back so that he can leave. He feels drawn to the boy after hearing his song and his curiosity takes over.

To his surprise and shock, Rui's head shoots up and his eyes fill with fear. He says nothing, but cowers away from Iku, who feels panicked like he did something wrong. He lowers his voice, trying to sound soothing. "H-hey. I won't tell anyone that you're here if you don't want me to. I was just wondering." Rui visibly relaxes when he finds genuine kindness within Iku's voice.

"I... come here to play piano. My brother gets mad when I play piano at home, so I stay late after school to do it," he replies softly. "It helps me... cope."

Iku feels a pang of sorrow for the other boy. The way that Rui says "cope," he can tell that his problems run much deeper than just school or stress. Emotionally scarring problems, even physically scarring ones. He winces as he notes the bandage on the left side of Rui's neck that's not completely covered by his uniform. And a force that he doesn't recognize compels him to ask:

"Wanna talk about it?"

When Iku leaves the school, it is many hours later, the storm has stopped, and one less pencil is in his possession.

...

Rui doesn't know why he spilled out all his feelings and problems to the stranger that he met in the music room the other afternoon. But he is glad that he did. All this time, music had been his release from reality, but that couldn't compare to the relief from speaking to another human being.

The lunch bell rings and Rui immediately tucks Iku's green pencil securely into his pencil case, smiling slightly as he remembers the afternoon before. Is this the feeling that they called friendship...?

He picks up his bento and rushes out of the classroom before any of his classmates noticed him. A couple of the boys in his class bullied him often, and he didn't have any friends, being an outcast. He heads to the roof, hoping that no one will find him until it is time for class again.

He passes by Class 3-B on his way to the staircase and through the open door, he hears an energetic voice near the door asking, "Where are you going, Iku?"

He pauses. Iku?

"Yeah, are you ditching us for lunch?" Another voice teases.

"Ah," Rui feels his heart skip a beat when he hears Iku's voice. Iku's voice, which had been soft and compassionate the day before, is positive and cheerful, full of the spirit that Rui lacks. "I met someone yesterday in the music room after you left Koi. He seemed a bit... lonely, so I talked to him. He's actual really nice. I was thinking of going to eat lunch with him."

"Eh?" The first voice - Koi - complains loudly. "You're ditching us for someone you met yesterday? Come on, he's probably eating with his own friends!"

"And why were you in the music room anyways, Ikkun?" The second voice adds.

"Kakeru, it's your fault that I was in the music room."

Kakeru seems to be confused for a moment as there is silence, but then Rui hears a sheepish, "Oh. Sorry."

"Also, I'm sure Rui wouldn't mind if I joined him."

There's a beat of silence. And then Koi's voice speaks again. This time, it's strangely serious. "Rui? Iku, you can't mean Minaduki Rui?"

There's a brief pause. "Yeah. Do you know him? I only met him yesterday."

There's a stretch of silence. Rui's heart begins to sink. Oh, no... He has an idea of what other people thought of him, but...

"Iku, Minaduki Rui is infamous around here. He's an introvert and ignores everyone who tries to talk to him. And he gets bullied often; have you seen his scars? You'll just get hurt if you hang out with him."

Rui doesn't wait to hear Iku's reply. Biting his lip harshly, he rushes down the hallway to the roof, his sanctuary.

...

Iku feels an indescribable anger rising within him at Koi's explanation. He opens his mouth to retort, but his attention is caught by quick footsteps racing past the door. He glances over Koi's head at the door, catching a glimpse of green hair as the person runs away. A feeling of dread rises within him. Did Rui hear that?

He forgets about Koi and Kakeru entirely, and dashes out of the room, ignoring their calls after him. He sees Rui disappear to the staircase leading to the roof and immediately makes to follow.

"Rui?" He calls as he emerges from the staircase, the heat of the sun a sharp contrast to the freezing rain that led to their meeting. He sees Rui curled up near the railing, a small bento cradled in his his hands though he doesn't make a move to eat it.

"Rui?" He approaches the other boy cautiously, his voice once again gentle. "Rui, are you alright?"

The green-haired male raises his face slightly, though his hair hides it from Iku's voice. He speaks, so softly, that Iku only heard because the wind carried his voice to him.

"Will you leave me too, Ikkun?"

Iku knows what he is referring to. Rui had told him yesterday, about his struggles. His talent as a music prodigy, his parents' high expectations for him, his brother's jealousy of his talents. How though he loved music with all his heart, he also hated it because it stole his kind, loving older brother who helped him through their parents' strictness away from him. The brother he knew had been replaced with an abusive one, utterly betraying all of the trust Rui had in him.

He wants to express his feelings in words. But none come to him. He finds words useless in this moment, where no amount of words would be enough to describe his emotions.

So he settles with a simple answer as he wraps his arms around the other male, gently and tenderly.

"Of course not." He promises.

It's a promise that will last a lifetime, one that will change Iku's entire life.

...

There's an undeniable attraction between the two, so much so that Kakeru and Koi do not protest nearly as much as Iku thought they would when Rui joins their small friend circle. And to their shock and surprise, Rui's bullying wears off the moment his bullies saw him with the handsome captain of the track team.

He's a happier person now. He plays piano with a hope now, a brightness shining in his future. The seasons pass and soon it is winter of their third year, contrasting the spring it had been when he had first met Iku.

"The hauled sound of the future does not change, so I won't spill my tears. Let's face above more. Everything is painted anew with your color." His voice doesn't waver this time as he finishes his song. He smiles softly as his three friends applaud him energetically. He's still a rather closed off person, but he shows emotions much easier now.

"Wow, Rui!" Kakeru exclaims, circling around the piano to look over Rui's shoulder as he finishes adding the last of the lyrics. "Your music talent is amazing! And you made this song all by yourself." Rui hands him the music sheets the moment he finishes, Kakeru shuffling through them eagerly.

"The song's genius, Rui." Iku smiles brightly at him as Koi goes to Kakeru's side to look over his shoulder. "And it's a happy song, too."

"Mmm." Rui hums in reply. "It's called Goodbye Seasons." It was a goodbye to his seasons of pain. It was time for him to start anew.

"The lyrics are amazing. What inspired you to write them?" Iku asks curiously.

Rui's rare smile is mysterious and full of hidden fondness and affection as he glances at the music sheets that Koi and Kakeru were holding. Of course, his song was influenced by his feelings for the person most important to him. He turns back to Iku, who is eagerly waiting for his answer.

Pressing a finger to his lips, he decides on his answer. "It's a secret."

"Eh?!" Rui deliberately ignores Iku's response as he receives the music back from Koi and Kakeru, all the while spinning a green pencil in his hand.

Thank you, Iku. You saved me. Now my world is dyed in your color.

A/N: I'm so sorry about this, XD. It was kind of short and not developed well enough. This is mostly friendship, perhaps romantic if you squint. It was supposed to be much longer, but I got lazy and I ran out of ideas on how to develop it further. I'm so sorry that it skips so much time.

I love everything about Rui and Iku's relationship, really, which is why I wrote this.

Anyway, if anyone enjoyed this, please review! Let's keep the Tsukiuta fandom alive, XD!

~Crystal

Note: For anyone, who is wondering about a Bloody Roses update, I've finished writing it and am now in the process of editing. Because it's so long, it will be published probably on Ai's birthday. Sorry! A while yet.