Title: Amare
Prompt: Mazume Week Day 1 / Blush
Fandom: Hirunaka no Ryuusei
Character/Pairing: Mazume
A/N: Well, this came out better than I expected! This place somewhere in the near future.
Summary: Today, today she thinks she can take a leap, and she keeps her grip firm before he can completely slip away.
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"Summer's ending soon," Suzume comments, looking up at the clear sky. Already, the sun is starting to lower, the shadows lengthening, and she's reminded all too much that soon it will be winter.
Mamura nods his head in agreement next to her, his headphones comfortably settled around his neck. She's tempted to pick them up and put them on, to brush her fingers against his neck and watch him go supernova.
But she's not cruel and not that courageous and settles for just walking next to him. "You finish your homework?"
"Of course," he responds, looking down at her. "You?"
"Nope," she replies, a sheepish grin on her face. "I got distracted."
"By what?"
You, she almost responds, but that's a secret she's not yet willing to share. Falling for Shishio was like drowning, a quick plunge into the deep end of the lake. She dropped like a rock, unable to surface.
With Mamura she finds herself diving, slowly sinking to the ocean's depth. It's warm and it's comfortable, like a hot bath after a long day.
She doubts though her feelings will ever measure to his.
For the first time, she's fine with this.
"Fish," she says instead and it's not entirely a lie. There were so many fish dishes to try in Tokyo in the summer. Yuyuka had grumbled when Suzume dragged her along. "Lots of fish."
He chuckles at that, under his breath. "How surprising."
"Is it hard?"
"No, just long." He takes a hand to his neck, rubbing it lightly. She's eighty percent certain he's embarrassed by what he's about to say. "I can help if you want."
"Mmmm…" She looks down at the gap between them, his hand dangling next to hers. It's such a small gap, such an easy bridge to cross.
She finds herself wanting to for the first time. Is this love? This simple desire that stirs within her? With Shisio it had all happened so fast, everything was an impulse, everything felt like a firework.
Her feelings were real, she knows that. She just doesn't know what to call them—was that love?
Impulsively, her hand catches his. There's a slight tremor through them, an earthquake as his head snaps to look at hers. His eyes are so wide, his face so red.
The shaking doesn't stop but after a moment, his fingers curl around hers and he smiles.
It's such a bright thing. That smile, that smile is love.
He turns his face away now, his skin three shades darker as they continue to walk. There's a small stirring in her heart, something fragile taking flight.
She's not quite there yet. But this is another step, bigger than the ones she took before.
The crossroads where they part is up ahead, and she can already feel him reluctantly release her hand.
Today, today she thinks she can take a leap, and she keeps her grip firm before he can completely slip away.
"Wh…what?" he asks, not quite looking at her.
"I want to stay here a bit longer." She looks down at their hands and then up at him. "Weren't you thinking that?"
The words feel heavy and thick in her mouth and she tumbles over the last few. It's embarrassing, it's awkward, and she can feel her own skin burn up.
He's looking at her directly now, that shocked look on his face again. This time he crouches on the ground, his other hand covering his face as he gives a small nod. His hand grips hers a little tighter and she crouches next to him.
Humming, she waits for him to collect himself, his usual cool deserting him entirely.
No, she's not quite at 'love' yet. But she examines their chained hands, the bumps and ridges between his fingers and hers, she thinks she doesn't have that long to go.