Fate's Game ~HARULAS

As the days went on in the quiet seaside town, Harua found himself bubbling with excitement over everything. It was the kind of enthusiasm he'd never really allowed himself to feel before—like the world around him had suddenly opened up, and he was free to enjoy it, to feel every moment deeply. Even the little things, like the way the sand felt between his toes or the sound of seagulls calling overhead, made his heart race with a kind of childlike joy.

It was one of those mornings that felt perfect, the air fresh and crisp with a cool ocean breeze. The sun had barely risen, casting soft golden hues over the water. Harua practically bounced out of bed, throwing on a hoodie and grabbing his shoes before rushing to the window.

"Look at this!" Harua exclaimed, practically glowing as he pointed out the view of the beach from their room. "It's even more beautiful than I imagined! The colors in the sky, the way the waves break against the shore... this is like something out of a movie!"

Nico, who was still lounging on the bed with his head propped up against a pillow, raised an eyebrow at the outburst but smiled fondly. He had seen Harua get excited about things before, but this level of enthusiasm was a sight to behold.

"Yeah, sure. If by 'something out of a movie,' you mean a commercial for sunscreen, then absolutely," Nico replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm, though his eyes were soft with affection as he watched Harua's excitement.

Harua shot him an exaggerated, mock-offended look, still bouncing on his feet. "Okay, okay, I get it! I'm a little too excited. But look at that view, Nico! It's perfect! I've never seen anything like it!"

Nico chuckled, letting himself relax into the pillows as he observed Harua's pure joy. He leaned back, his arms folded behind his head, and shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure, whatever you say. Just try not to get too lost in the magic of the moment and trip over your own feet, alright?"

Harua shot him a playful glare before turning back to the window with a grin. "I swear, I'm going to be so annoying on this trip," he said, his voice full of playful mischief. "I'm gonna be all 'ooh, look at the sky! Ooh, look at the water! Ooh, look at the birds!' and you're just gonna have to deal with it."

Nico raised a hand in mock surrender, his lips curving upward. "Oh, I'll survive. I'm just here for the show." He stretched lazily, his eyes lingering on Harua for a moment longer than he probably intended. "Besides, it's cute watching you get excited over things like this."

Harua turned back to him, his eyes lighting up even more at the unexpected compliment. "You think it's cute?" he asked, his voice tinged with genuine curiosity, even though he tried to play it off coolly.

Nico gave a lazy grin, his tone light and teasing. "Of course. But don't get any ideas, okay? I can only handle so much cuteness."

Harua scoffed, turning away with a dramatic roll of his eyes. "I bet you say that to all the people who get excited about the view."

"Only the ones who don't mind being teased about it," Nico replied smoothly, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Now, what else do you want to freak out about today?"

Harua grinned mischievously. "Oh, we're going to the beach, right? And you know what that means... sandcastle building contest. I'm gonna win, by the way."

Nico raised an eyebrow, clearly amused but unimpressed. "Uh-huh. A sandcastle contest. You think you can beat me?"

"Absolutely," Harua said without missing a beat, a spark of competitive fire in his eyes. "I've got creativity, Nico. You've got, well, sarcasm. Let's see who comes out on top."

Nico leaned forward, propping himself up on his elbows and giving Harua a skeptical look. "You're on. But if you lose, I want a detailed explanation of exactly how a sandcastle contest became your life's calling."

Harua laughed and threw him a thumbs-up. "Deal. You'll regret underestimating my skills."

A couple of hours later, they were walking along the beach, the sun now higher in the sky, painting everything in bright golden light. Harua couldn't help but look around like he was seeing the world for the first time, constantly pointing out things that caught his attention. Nico, for his part, seemed content to let Harua bask in his excitement, though he couldn't resist teasing him every chance he got.

"Look at the clouds, Nico!" Harua exclaimed, his voice full of wonder. "They look like giant cotton candy! Do you think they're edible?"

Nico glanced up at the sky, then at Harua, and deadpanned, "Sure, I'm sure that would be a great idea—cloud-flavored cotton candy. Just what this beach needs."

Harua pouted, crossing his arms as they continued walking. "You're no fun, you know that?"

Nico chuckled, his voice low and fond. "Oh, I'm fun. I just have a different idea of fun than you. Besides, watching you lose your mind over the smallest things is more than enough entertainment for me."

Harua rolled his eyes again but couldn't suppress the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. It was moments like these—when Nico was being sarcastic but still clearly enjoying himself—that made Harua feel like they were really, truly connected. It wasn't about the grand gestures or the perfect moments—it was the small, seemingly insignificant moments where they could just be themselves, joking around and finding comfort in each other's company.

They found a spot on the beach and immediately got to work on their sandcastles. Harua was serious about it, squatting in the sand with his sleeves rolled up, looking like he was preparing for the artistic battle of his life. Nico, on the other hand, casually leaned against a nearby rock, his arms crossed, clearly giving Harua more than enough space to create what he assumed would be a "masterpiece."

"You know, you're supposed to actually build the castle, not just stare at the sand like it's going to do the work for you," Harua teased, shooting Nico a sly look as he scooped up sand with determination.

Nico smirked, not bothering to move. "I'm just observing the fine art of sandcastle-making. I'm letting you do all the hard work. Besides, if I built something, it would put yours to shame. And I wouldn't want to embarrass you."

Harua scoffed, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Keep telling yourself that. We'll see who wins this contest."

As the sandcastles took shape, their playful banter continued, but there was something undeniably peaceful about it. The tide crept up, lapping gently at the shore, and the day stretched on without a care in the world. For once, it felt like they had all the time in the world, like nothing else mattered except the moment they were sharing.

When they finished their creations, Harua beamed with pride, even though Nico's sandcastle was... significantly more impressive. Nico, for his part, gave Harua an exaggerated, mock-sympathetic look.

"You tried your best," Nico said with a chuckle, giving Harua a playful pat on the back. "But let's just call it what it is. I'm the sandcastle champion."

Harua shot him an exaggerated, dramatic glare. "You know, for someone who acts like he doesn't care, you sure love winning."

Nico grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You know it."