Some of you might've read this story after reading Subconscious Threat, which is more or less a prequel of sorts to this one, but you can read this one fine if you're a part of the (much larger) second group whom haven't, haha.

The main character's this lil mute derp named Starra Terr (it's a bad pun and sort of inside joke) but now I'm kind of attached to the name hahahaha

anyways let the Yammy/Starra fluff ensue
i'm all about that

also if you -have- read ST and you're all like why is this not in the first person... I don't know? it's because I wanted to write in third person I guess, hahaha... also, y'know, when I think of Starra I go, yeah, he's a first person type of guy, but Yamato's more third? if that even makes sense? well whatever I think it does

Reunion

Yamato was quiet as he arced his phone high above his head and shot small but powerful bursts of energy at his foes. As they died back and shut down, he took his moment of peace and turned back to the stream of data behind him, gently stroking and compelling what appeared to be a gap in the flowing information. As he stood there turned from the rest of this glassy, miserable little world, he sagged somewhat.

Bags hanging from his violet eyes. A longing etched upon his face, pulling at him, paining. Yearning. Ah, he couldn't go on much longer like this... but his eyes worryingly traversed the stream, the gaps, the never-ending gaps, and, well. He had to.

He couldn't possibly allow a damn group of slightly-irritating savages take what mattered most away from him.

So he straightened, if but slowly. And he exhaled, if but slowly. It would come, he reminded himself, he would be done eventually. He just... had to be sure. Had to be sure that he would be safe.

The world without him was so...
He didn't want to remember it. No use glossing over the pain anyhow.

As the little monsters after him awoke and reengaged, he slinging his arm masterfully, the glowing power sending his foes to sparks... he managed to stave off the feeling again.

And then the footsteps.

He'd missed them, locked in his world. But as he heard them coming his heart beat in his chest, faster, faster, because then he caught sight of who it was running up the stairs leading to his cage and he couldn't help it, he just couldn't help it. Couldn't help the feeling inside of him.

Swinging an arm, ending another of his perpetrators, he paused, watching. He didn't know what to say. Words wouldn't come. And of course Starra couldn't say anything back, he was mute... mute. Somehow that made his chest seize, seeing the boy approach him, stop, just there, just inches in front of his eyes, slightly lower than he.

Starra pulled his phone from his pocket and thrust it open. He rushed through menus until he found the texting application, and—oh—of course—he'd given him his number—and there Starra's fingers worked until the message was sent.

Glimpsing his screen, he watched as the message popped up.

yamato!

He carefully took in their situation and took the time to type him a message in turn.

Hello, Starra. And then, May I ask why you're here with me?

The boy beside him fidgeted. Yamato glanced toward him.

While giving less attention than he should've to his opponents, one of them slung and crashed against Starra—who quickly fell—and as quick as he was the JP's chief couldn't quite catch him first. Breathing shallowly, he flipped his phone and beamed upon the monster, then scrounged his demon application for the healing function. Not until some of Starra's pallor dispersed did he finish and gently take the boy's hand, gently help him up.

death video, you were in it. had to save you. Soon after he had his reply.

Oh. Of course. He felt strangely ashamed for the disappointment in his—

didn't realize how scary it was without you until you were gone.

He didn't have a response for that one and stared blankly at his screen. As another slew of creatures sprung up toward them, he swerved in front of Starra and muttered, "We need to learn sign language..."

With the protection Yamato provided, his visitor continued to tap hard into the buttons on his phone. Once when he caught sight of Yamato's open side and one too many monsters, he swung and shot a blast of flame at the creature, and then it fell to its side and went still.

The way Starra held himself, beaming, pointing at the thing, was... cute.

Wistfully smiling, Yamato shook his head to himself.

His phone blinked. Despite himself he flipped it open and scanned his new message.

I love you.

"Ah—What?" He was blushing. He couldn't stop... blushing. With a shake of the head Yamato smeared a scowl upon his face and typed back, I thought you loved your Shijima. Hadn't he Daichi? Starra... wouldn't toy with him. That wasn't... how he was.

Then why say that? It hurt; it hurt to hear that from someone he loved so dearly and was so sure didn't feel that way in return.

Starra apparently hadn't gotten his other message first, because what he saw next was a little sickening to see. we can learn sign language together then?

Pause. The metallic clicks of—

Yamato sent out a beam of energy one way and Starra reciprocated the other. He let out a breath and turned to the boy, his blue eyes... shining.

Starra. He sent him another message, after no response to his first. Do not play with me. Your feelings for Shijima are undeniably so.

He wasn't... a replacement. And he wouldn't be a replacement if something had occurred to this scoundrel's old friend and later love interest, love or no.

His return came slowly: yeah but so are mine for you.

Yamato glimpsed him through narrow eyes. "Starra. What are you saying?" Oh... he couldn't bear this. Returning to his frigid barriers. Feeling this... overwhelming pain. It was strange, how badly he wanted to hold and yet... hurt him at the same time. He did neither, just stood there in his hurt.

Turning from his screen, Starra's eyes searched for his. He stayed like that for some time. There were feelings in there he must have been struggling to fit into the keyboard, a warmth and a burning and a pain, a pain... Shyly, Yamato glanced away from him. The feelings were... too similar to his own.

Sorry. Yamato turned his eyes to his phone again. Messages came in little threads, like beads on a string. I'm sorry. This must all be pretty confusing huh? He clasped his hand over his lips to hide his weak smile. It's pretty confusing for me too i promise. ok? let me try to—

The phone was slapped out of his hands by the resurgence of yet another of those damn monsters and he plucked his device from the ground and nailed the thing in the face, sent it flying. Then back to his message.

—explain it to you.

Somehow he found the little words... tender. Starra's attempt. His... devotion. He wasn't used to this and yet he... he wanted it all the same. Their devotion, he wanted so greatly.

Slowly Starra sent his next message.

sorry, i couldnt figure out how to tell you

"Heh..." He shook his head gently. There was a light in his violet eyes.

But i love you ok i really really love you yamato im sorry i hurt you a lot im really really sorry i hurt you a lot because i really didnt mean to

Another message burst in—i mean in the first world, im sorry, unless i hurt you in the second then im really really sorry for that too, i really love you

He bit at his lip, toying with the small smile.

Endearing.

Waiting quietly. Other footsteps became slowly apparent, crawling along the walls and the corridors, leading up to them as well. It wouldn't be Starra and himself for much longer.

In the first world. This was the third. Starra wasn't even in the second.

So they both hurt now.

He exhaled, slowly. And then he turned. He raised his gaze to the boy, and, goodness, as hopeless as he was, those big friendly eyes and the weak will and the emotional soul... his ability in battle, a strange leadership others flocked to—if not for the reason alone he couldn't lead by force and thus heard what anyone else had to say—the optimism.

He lost his smile. Stepping, faster now, he closed their distance and gently pulled Starra's phone from his hand, and he typed something into it without pressing the little send button.

I love you.

The glassy eyes turned upward, and when they did Yamato gently cupped his face, tracing his cheek, and he pulled him close. Maybe the situation was rather tedious, but... but he couldn't help it: he'd found... love. For once in his long and cold and empty life. He found love.

Starra giggled softly, and then he turned and softly, softly, breath on his face, he kissed him.

It didn't hurt anymore.