Fandom: Hyouka

Characters/Pairings: Satoshi/Mayaka

Words: 318

Summary: Satoshi stares at his phone for the longest time.

notes: just a little something for that phone conversation satoshi and mayaka had in episode 21. here's hoping canon doesn't throw all my speculation out the window again lol

Satoshi stares at his phone for the longest time.

He looks up, down, up, down, but the name is still glaring at him, bright and unrelenting, much like the person herself. Satoshi almost laughs, but Houtarou and his fist are only ten minutes away, and the bag in his hand is a weight he can't shrug off forever.

He takes a deep breath and presses 'Call'.

"Hey, um," he starts, and there is shuffling on the other end. He waits. "I need to talk to you about something."

"...Sure," is the reply, except it sounds anything but, and Mayaka holds her phone a little tighter, presses her palm against her chest a little harder. "Go ahead."

Satoshi looks down at his feet, digs his hand into his pocket. There is a pause before he speaks, a crunch in the snow, a breath against the receiver. "I'm sorry, Mayaka, but I can't—"

Mayaka's breath catches in her throat. "D-Don't be," she tries, voice shaky, heart in a frenzy. "It's—"

"I can't answer you right now," he admits. "I know you said a year, but I'm just…going to need a little more time."

"Oh," she whispers, her hand unclenching its hold on her shirt, her shoulders easing into her frame. There is a silence, a million thoughts all unsaid. In the end, "This isn't something you can keep putting off forever, you know," she says, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I'll get an answer from you eventually, one way or another."

Satoshi laughs, but it comes off harsh, like broken glass. "I know," he says, softly, and smiles a small smile of his own.

Mayaka sees a small box on her desk a month later.

There is no note, no grand declaration of love, no paper hearts, no frilly lace.

There is only the fact is that it is there, and for now, that is enough.