Kaito was half-asleep in his bed, eyelids slowly becoming dry and heavy due to tiredness, and his hand almost numb due to his head resting on top of it. He was close, close to finally fall asleep for the night, completely relaxed and calm. But a sound startled him slightly, ruining his perfect moment, and making his heart race.
Still he didn't move, or made a sound, too tired to even do that.
"Kaito-nii," It was a faint whisper, so so light. With all the strength he had in his body, Kaito finally lifted his head, releasing his numb hand and wrist. His eyes too tired to successfully focus the figure behind the half-closed door in the dark. "Yes?" His voice thick and raspy, completely tired, wondering what's the time.
"It's Len, um," He heard the sound of clothed feet shifting on the carpet behind the door, and even the sound of his painted nails hitting softly the wood of it. "Can I, can I sleep in your bed tonight?"
Before he could answer he heard the door opening a bit more. "But like, with you. If you don't mind though." There was a slight wavering in his voice, it could be clearly heard, even if Kaito could barely hear him at the end of the phrase, due to Len lowering his voice, as if he was speaking too loud when it was already too soft.
Kaito preferred to not ask why he sounded so upset, or why he, always wanting to seem a bit older, cool even, wanted to sleep with him. It was okay.
"Sure, come here." He lifted his blanket, inviting him to come finally. As he did that, he heard the door being closed softly, and feeling a weight on his bed shifting it, accompanied by then cold hands touching his arm, lowering it and startling him a bit. At the end, he managed to cover himself and the other successfully.
He now couldn't really fall asleep now, though.
His mind with racing thoughts and lids heavy but awake. Thinking, thinking profusely on how his day could be tomorrow, on what to cook for the rest of the kids, and maybe why Len was here. He could've just sneaked in his sister's bed if he wanted to sleep with someone, or maybe just cuddled a bit more with her, the majority of the time when he came to their room to wake them up they were all cuddled together, legs messily interwined and one bed empty.
Maybe Rin wasn't in their room now. It sometimes happened, when she wanted to stay up a bit more to play with Miku, videogames and stuff. He really wondered what time was now, if he needed to get up and tell them to sleep as if he was some kind of parent even if too young. He sometimes felt like one. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Finally his thoughts stopped a millisecond to rotate slightly his head, seeing Len's half-closed eyes wandering in the darkness of his t-shirt. Barely awake but barely asleep too. Just so absent and inattentive with his surroundings, probably lost in his thoughts. Seemingly so lost that when his voice whispered his name he got scared.
"Kaito-nii," His tone of voice seemed so upset. His hands shifted a bit under the blanked too, touching his arm, hands warmer than before but still cold, making Kaito shiver lightly.
"mm?"
"Can we hug?" His voice broke halfway, from a whisper to a weird strangled sound. He didn't even answer, just putting an end to the distance between their bodies, embracing between his arms Len's petite body, feeling the faint start of small sobs on himself. He didn't ask. He just didn't really know what to ask. As if a "Why are you upset?", "Something happened?" would make him cry.
He just let the boy rest his head on his chest, maybe waiting for him to say something too. His chest was starting to become damp with tears, and it was saddening, because all he could do at the moment was caressing him lightly, thoughts starting again, soothing him up between the desire of fall asleep and staying awake.
It was upsetting.
Cheerful and happy little Len completely falling apart as his sobs started becoming more noticeable, so much that his petite body began to shake everytime. And even if he became sufficiently brave to ask what happened, Kaito doesn't think that he would answer without tripping on his own words, all sound would be just a crying mess.
It wasn't the first time he has seen Len cry. It just was the first time he was relying completely on him.
Kaito had to wait five minutes for him to calm down a little, and it was okay, he would wait as much as he needed. Now his sobs turned into him sniffling and hiding in his chest. It was okay.
"um, sorry." Voice muffled reached his ears, as he extended his arm to switch on his lamp. Same lamp that curiosly was gifted by Len two years prior.
His eyes suffered a bit as the light made its presence, watering a bit and stinging. Struggling, he saw Len's face being lifted and peeking, revealing puffy cheeks and eyes watery and rimmed red from crying, all slightly hidden by messy bangs. His lips frowned in a pout. He always did that. If he was happy, angry, or upset, it was quite endearing.
"It's okay, don't worry." He rubbed circles in his warm cheek, seeing how that soothed him and made him rest a bit more relaxed on his chest. He was worried, but wouldn't force him to speak.
"Whatever happened, it's okay. You don't have to say it, just know that me and the others are here to help you," Kaito felt his chest warming up from endearment as Len's lips puckered a bit, feeling them on his chest. He was pouting again. "okay?"
"okay."
Kaito rotated his head a bit to finally see the time, now capable thanks to the light. He wondered why he didn't just buy one of those digital clocks.
5:00 A.M.
He switched off the light, petting Len's hair softly and covering them both a bit better.
"Good night." His eyelids felt heavier than before, now realizing how tired he really was.
"Good night." His whisper was slightly slurred as he sneaked even more in the blanket. Kaito's thoughts began to slowly switch off, completely tired, heart worried but content with having someone near.