It's Natsuki's birthday today, and while his family is busy with the baby, he fishes with Yuki and Haru and Urara and Coco instead, takes a break.

Ayumi takes them to the sea on his boat, lets them fish, Haru catches many small ones, Natsuki catches several average, and Yuki one large one, this time Haru won the contest requirements. Urara and Coco end up with nothing, though they do tangle the fishing line at random, Ayumi spends the better of his time trying to untangle their knots that Yuki swears they did on purpose. Natsuki laughs a lot though, at both the antics and the strange gift and letters from Akira, Yuki holds himself back, cautiously allows himself closer when he doesn't feel the urge to press himself against his back in minor jealousy.

He can't tell if it's just his own nerves, but there's something tense about Natsuki too, as if he's planned something, but Yuki doesn't know what. He wants to know, in a way, but Natsuki glances at him and he frets, what if he knows, and their friendship is broken, so easily, like a wrongly tied string.

He frets, under the surface, water sloshes around his feet all day, waiting for the chance to rise up and engulf him once again. It heads towards his waist near the end of the day, when they're all at the pier, sitting in the cafe, and he and Natsuki are sitting right next to each other and their hands keep brushing, once he swears their fingertips touch and he jolts, Haru laughs when Yuki falls from his chair and Natsuki looks worried, nervous. Unsure.

Yuki thinks he probably looks the same way, at this point, water sloshes, rises and dips from around him, but it's not quite swallowed him whole yet. When sunset is coming they walk back, the aliens ahead of them, noise making, while they themselves walk silently, in a not-quite-comfortable silence.

Haru suggests they fish one more time at the beach, since the sunset looks so pretty. No one opposes, though Yuki can see the wringing of Urara's hands, as if being near the ocean brings him discomfort. Natsuki fidgets as well, but agrees, and Haru cheers.

Once they're set up, the sun is about to set, they cast. Yuki and Natsuki stand next to each other, the aliens splash each other - except for Urara, who declines, sits on the beach and builds sandcastles.

Natsuki turns to look at them, says nothing to Yuki, who panics more. What if he knows, how long would he have know if Yuki just learned himself? Was he obvious? Could he be anymore-

"Yuki." Natsuki says, looking downwards. Yuki turns, his head almost snaps at the speed, he stutters, "Y-Yes?"

"I..."

There's a hesitant dip in his voice, Yuki is frozen. Does he know? What does he know?

In the very corner of his mind something whispers, "Maybe he feels the same." But Yuki pushes it away, because silly hopeless dreams aren't what he needs right now, when Natsuki seems so hesitant and different and there's a faint color to his face, Yuki bites the bottom of his lip, he's so nervous for what Natsuki is going to say.

"I, Yuki I l-"

The rod jerks, gets both of their attentions as Haru runs down, soaked, and tries to grab it before the fish gets away. Natsuki turns immediately, grabs the rod with both of his hands and pulls, and the moment is forgotten until Yuki walks home in the night with Haru.

He thinks, thinks, turns red as his hair when he pretends what the next words would be.

He can't even remember the sunset.

[[graahhhh alrighty almost completely caught up, tomorrow we should be back on schedule.

wow, only a couple more chapters to go! Seems like such a short time.]]