Rui’s Side Stories… My Poor Heart

rui’s side stories… my poor heart </3

Rui being shocked when Tsukasa tells him he’s missing the point and that they’re saying they care about Rui *cue incoherent sobbing (ToT)*

Rui has finally found a place he belongs, with people that care about him, when all his life he has been on the outside of everything, and it KILLS me inside to know that the next event story is the start of the “disband” angst :’)

ramble incoming lol

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Rui has always been alone. people have outcasted him for his seemingly impossible ideas, and it’s highly likely he’s always just tested out inventions on his own. :(

and even when finding people who were willing to go through with Rui’s more dangerous plans, (wxs, cheer festival team) Rui has always been making sure that others are well and safe

even though he’s been rejected and left to himself, he’s never really thought of himself. all there was to think about was the overwhelming feeling of being alone, not really his well-being (like look at his room + middle school self). and at some point before the main story, he’s just given up on forming connections with people. he joins wxs for NENE’S sake, not his

and in the side story, he’s uncomfortable with “being waited on” because as someone deemed a weirdo, having people actually caring about him was a foreign idea. (ToT)

but when rui tries to brush wxs’ concern off as them overreacting, distancing himself from what he’s unfamiliar with, they still insist. because they genuinely, truly CARE.

and this side story just has such an impact on me because you can see how it really reminds rui that yeah, he’s found a home. that wxs really does care about him and it’s not some misplaced affection or done for sake of being polite. they’re being extra and making him ride the dolly (prop transport thing) because Rui really MATTERS to them

and there’s even more than just wxs lol. akito gets him ice for his sprained foot akdjskjd

it just makes me so happy to see the ourple man get some needed love and realize he can care for himself too without worrying about losing anyone ヽ(；▽；)

(we ignore the fact that this perfectly sets up the bittersweet thoughts in the disband arc :’) )

[the side stories I mention in this post are from the card “Words of Encouragement”]