#riojyuto

This was not what Jyuto thought would happen that night.

Rio had suggested a nice and calm stroll in the forest after their dinner at the soldier’s camp and Jyuto had gladly accepted the offer (he’d do anything to forget what he had just eaten). Even if the sun had already disappeared behind the mountains, leaving the forest in complete darkness, Rio had shown Jyuto the way with no problem. 

The officer had no idea for how long they had walked, but at some point they had reached a small clearing and Rio had pointed at the sky. He told the other man about stars and constellations as they had intertwined their hands. It had been a tender moment, interrupted by a sudden strong wind. Dark clouds covered the starry sky in an instant as the temperature dropped slowly.

“An unexpected storm… It happens a lot during the summer.” Rio had commented while looking around the clearing.

“We should go back to the camp then.” 

The soldier had just shaken his head. “It’s too far away and we don’t have time.” Without letting go of Jyuto’s hand, he had started to move in the opposite direction of the encampment. “There’s a place where we can wait for the storm to pass.”

And now there they were, in a hidden cavern on the side of a small mountain. The wind was still howling as the first lonely raindrops were starting to fall from the sky.

“Are… are you sure there are no wild animals here?” Jyuto asked, as he sat down on the pebbly ground.

Busy trying to light a fire with branches he had collected while walking towards the cavern, Rio nodded. “Don’t worry. It’s completely abandoned.”

Jyuto sighed loudly and grabbed his knees in a way to feel a little warmer. Looking back, he should have taken at least a hoodie before leaving the camp as Rio had suggested. He silently cursed his overconfidence for once.

Thankfully, after a few minutes, Rio triumphed and a fire started to warm that small area. With a soft smile, the soldier sat down next to Jyuto. “At least, we already ate dinner…”

Jyuto mirrored his smile before looking outside the cavern. “How long will it last?”

“Some minutes, some hours… summer storms are unpredictable.” Rio stifled a yawn and leaned against the wall. “I think we’ll have to sleep here tonight.”

Another sigh. “As if I’ll be able to get some sleep in a place like this…” He needed months to get used to Rio’s tent. A cavern in the middle of the wilderness would take him years!

The soldier waited an entire minute before talking again. “Do you think it would be helpful if we were cuddling?”

“Huh?”

Without any warning, Rio put an arm around Jyuto and moved him closer to his broad chest. “Maybe you’ll be able to relax…”

“Oh… well, it might help a little…” A faint blush appeared on Jyuto’s face as he took off his glasses. He then let himself rest against Rio’s body. By now, he knew the skin of the other man was naturally warm, so warm he could feel it through his clothes, but it was always a pleasant surprise. 

As the sound of rain and wind became distant and his eyes felt suddenly heavy, he heard the soldier chuckle. A pair of lips touched his forehead for a brief moment.