Relationship Confessions
"So, does this mean you're my girlfriend now, Ayuzawa?" He asked as they headed down the hallway, preparing to leave the festival. Her cheeks darkened.
"N-nobody said anything about that-!,"
"So, after all this, we're just friends?" Misaki opened her mouth to say something but the words never came out. Instead, she bit her lip and squeezed his hand.
"Nobody said anything about that either." She murmured quietly.
"Then what do you suppose we do, Juliet? Think about it while you change." And for the second time that night, his hand slipped out of hers and she felt empty as he headed for the boys' changing classroom. She slid open the door to where the girls who had won the love trial were to change and found only one girl inside, picking up her handbag as she readied herself to leave.
"S-Sakura?" The girl blinked and stood up straight, her eyes wide.
"Misaki?" Her pink pigtails bounced on her shoulders as she took in Misaki's Juliet outfit and her mouth turned into a little 'o' shape, her eyebrows raised.
"Who did you-?" Both girls said in unison, pausing as they fell silent. Misaki took this chance to change and pulled her hair down, her cheeks burning as she pondered telling Sakura about her night. Had she gone with Kuuga? Of course she had, Sakura wouldn't have gone with anybody else. But was she clever enough to work out who Misaki had won the trial with? As she finished changing, a knock sounded at the door. Misaki's eyes widened. Was she ready to tell Sakura? With a deep breath she watched her friend across the way.
"I feel like you should know...," She trailed off quietly. "You can come in, we're decent." The door opened to reveal Usui and Sakura watched the two of them in silent awe. Misaki slung her shoulderbag over her body and walked up to take Usui's hand. "We'll see you at school tomorrow. Bye, Sakura." And she slid the door closed, releasing a breath. He led her down the hallway, a shy smile in the place of his devious smirk.
"Was that the right thing to do?" He asked quietly and she flexed her fingers through his with a nod.
"I didn't want to keep anymore secrets from her. It didn't seem fair."
"Again, for her sake?" The cold air hit her bare shoulders as they stepped outside and headed for the gates. She shivered and he drew her closer. "What about for your sake, Ayuzawa? Does that ever cross your mind?"
"Of course... sometimes... do you ever do anything for your own sake?"
"Half and half," He answered honestly. "Half of my actions are for my own sake and the other half are for your sake, to make up for the lack of attention you give to yourself." She felt her face grow hot.
"That isn't necessary."
"I'm afraid this is the one thing you're not getting a say in, Ayuzawa. Or, rather, I don't have a say in it either."
"What do you mean?"
"Worrying about you is second nature for me now. It's just something I do on impulse. Because I care about you." He whispered. That was it. She was going to explode at any second now. He raised their joined hands to his mouth and kissed each of her knuckles. "Is it too much to ask of you to care for me also?" She spluttered incoherently.
"I mean- I do, I guess- it's just- I don't-,"
"You don't want to be honest?" He guessed and she stopped walking. She slipped her hand from his and studied the ground. "Ayuzawa?" In one sudden, impulsive movement, she had her hands wrapped around his neck and her lips on his. In public. In the middle of the school pathway. She pulled away, completely flustered, and caught a glimpse of his rosy cheeks before she buried her face into his chest.
"How many times do I have to do that before you understand?" She held her hand up. "Rhetorical question." She murmured into his tee-shirt.
"I just want to hear it from your mouth, Misaki." Her eyes widened.
"Did you just-," She pulled away and looked up into his grinning face, her heart beginning to beat steadily faster. "Then-," She murmured quietly, her eyes conflicted. She raised herself onto her tiptoes and whispered into his ear. "I love you, Usui Takumi." He kissed her bare shoulder and before she could pull away, he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Do I have permission now to call you my girlfriend?" He whispered into the crook of her neck. She swallowed through the lump in her throat and nodded slowly.
"Only when we're alone." She realized then what it sounded like she had implied and opened her mouth to correct herself but he cut her off with a chuckle.
"I like the sound of that." He pressed his grin into her shoulder.
"Idiot."
~o~
"How did you sleep?" He asked her quietly as they sat in the student council room. Misaki groaned and looked up from her paperwork.
"Usui- I'm busy." She flourished her hand at the stacks upon stacks of paperwork in front of her, stamping an approval stamp onto the document she'd just finished writing up. "If you're bored, go play with Shintani." She teased, the corner of her lip unconsciously pulling up a little.
"Oh, ha, ha, very funny," He poked at her arm. It would've been her cheek or her lips, had the student council room been empty. But, much to Usui's dismay, Yukimura was still scribbling away on a piece of paper at the end of the room. He stood and made his way over to her, handing her the paper he'd been working on.
"That's the last one. Thanks, Prez." With a nod, he left the room and Usui, letting out a breath, leaned forward to kiss her cheek. She jumped and turned on him.
"What was that for? Anyone could come in here!" She spluttered.
"I'll ask again, how did you sleep?" He murmured and she raised her eyebrows.
"Fine, I guess. Can I get back to work now?" He gave her a smile and went to sit on the windowsill. She resumed her work, thankful for the peace, for a mere five minutes before someone shouted out 'ow!' from below the window. She glared at Usui. "What did you just do?" She asked, looking at his hand that was still poised to throw. He shrugged.
"I threw a rock at Shintani."
"How did you get a rock!?" He pointed out of the window.
"He threw it at my head." Pushing her chair back, Misaki went over to the window and leaned her arms against it, looking outside.
"Shintani." She yelled down at the brown-haired boy who suddenly looked very guilty. "Stop throwing rocks at my-," She cut herself short and gasped. "A-at Usui." Misaki pulled back from the window, slamming it shut. She was insanely flustered. She pointed a finger at Usui who was blinking. "I- um..." She trailed off as he grinned.
"Misaki, were you about to call me your boyfriend?" He asked, standing up and leaning against the window frame.
"No way- absolutely not-!" But she was cut short by the student council door sliding open. Sakura was bending over in the doorway, her hands resting on her knees as she caught her breath.
"Misaki, Usui-kun-," She stood upright and closed the door. "I- I want to know." She breathed, as if that cleared up everything. They understood but she elaborated anyway. "What happened at the festival last night?" Misaki looked, wide-eyed, over at Usui who stared straight back at her. Her eyes were pleading. He nodded.
"We kissed." Was all she said and Sakura smiled. "But, Sakura, please-,"
"Don't tell anyone?" She finished for her. "Of course." In a second, she was hugging Misaki tightly. "I kissed Kuuga." She whispered into her ear so that Usui couldn't hear. "The feeling of love, it's not something you get a say in, is it? But I know- we all know-," She winked at Usui. "That he really, truly loves you. He's never looked at anyone else." It was a speech that she hadn't expected to come from Sakura. She let Misaki go and smiled breathlessly at the couple. "Your secret's safe with me." She giggled, walking out of the student council room. She stopped in the doorway, her hand on the door handle. "Thanks, Misaki." Misaki was too stunned to thank her back. The bell echoed through the halls and Usui smiled as Misaki looked between him and her paperwork.
"I'll wait." He said.
~o~
Her shift at Maid Latte seemed exceptionally long. She wanted to go into the kitchen and talk to Usui but, everytime she caught a break, a new customer would arrive and she'd be dragged back into serving. She was rather grateful for the smiles he gave her when she entered the kitchen briefly to collect the meals. She'd smile back. Immensely relieved at the sound of the last customer leaving, Misaki let out a breath and took her time changing. Now that she had the time to talk to him, she was fretting. When she exited through the back door of the cafe, he was propped up against the wall, waiting for her.
"Is it dark enough to hold your hand in public?" He teased as she slipped her hand into his, revelling in his warmth as she rolled her eyes.
"I think I might be ready." She whispered into the cold night air, shooting him a sidelong glance. His eyebrows were raised.
"For what?" He asked, his breath clouding in front of him as he stopped walking and waited for her answer.
"For us- for us to be together... for others to know...," She trailed off and he smiled, his eyes loving.
"Are you sure?" She looked up at him through her lashes and nodded.
"I'm sure." He held his free arm out and she watched him.
"Can't I have a hug?" Never had her heart beat been so fast. She moved slowly into his embrace and laid her head onto his shoulder, her nose resting in the crook of his neck as his arm wrapped around her back and her free hand gently clutched at his shirt. He pressed his lips to her forehead and kept them there for a long, silent moment. "I love you, you know."
"Mmm, I love you too." She replied easily and smoothly, as if it were a reflex. He chuckled softly in her ear, his voice like honey.
"I think I could get used to you saying that," He murmured and she pulled her head back to look into his eyes, the hand that wasn't clasping his coming up to cup his cheek. Her smile was soft and beautiful as she raised her lips to his.
"Then I'll keep saying it. Forever."
