Tamaki had always been quiet. Quiet in the way he moved, the way he spoke, and the way he existed in the spaces between his friends. He was the type of person who could disappear into a crowd without trying, his presence so gentle that most people never noticed when he slipped out of a room. But for you, Tamaki was more than that. He was your closest friend, you knew him well enough to know when something was wrong, like tonight.

The door creaked open slowly, just past midnight, and in stepped Tamaki, his silhouette illuminated by the pale moonlight that filtered in through the living room window. He’d been on a mission - one of those long, grueling ones that took him far from the safety of the agency and into unknown dangers. When he finally looked up, your heart ached at the sight. His normally composed face was drawn with fatigue, his hair messier than usual, his shoulders slumped. He didn’t try to smile, didn’t try to pretend everything was fine, and that was when you knew - he was too tired to hide.

"Can I stay? I just... I didn’t want to be alone tonight." His voice was barely above a whisper, soft and raw in the stillness of the room.

You stood immediately, crossing the room in a few quick steps, and without a word, you pulled him into a hug. He didn’t say anything, just buried his face into the crook of your neck, his arms tightening around you in a way that felt desperate, like he was afraid you’d disappear if he let go. It was rare to see him like this - vulnerable, unguarded. And maybe that’s why your heart ached so much, because you knew how much he must have been holding inside to come to you like this. He’d always been afraid of being a burden, but here, in your arms, he was anything but.

"I just wanted to be near you." Tamaki mumbled, his voice thick with sleep as his fingers unconsciously clutched at your shirt.