"How's Zoey?" Asuna asks carefully.
Hikaru only shakes his head. He's still being vague concerning his exchange with Zoey in the Spirit World.
Asuna sighs.
He sits beside Asuna on the ground, their backs pressing against the sturdy large stump. The fire sways and the embers crackle. Despite the heat, the night feels strangely cold.
Perhaps it's the thick tension in the air. Like tidewater, overflowing and dense. Words aren't said but everyone knows what awaits them tomorrow.
Briefly, Asuna's mind wanders to Sumire. Is she-... no.
He can worry about Sumire all he wants but it won't change the fact that there's nothing he can do for her for now. He can only hope.
At the moment, Asuna has something far more important to worry about.
His gaze wanders briefly to Hikaru. The man's shoulders slump. Hikaru's cheeks, though a bit pale, are stained with color and warmth.
Asuna wants to brush his knuckle against Hikaru's cheek just to feel the familiar heat under his friend's skin.
An assurance that Hikaru is here and not out of his reach.
The blond continues to stay quiet.
"Hikaru?" He calls out to his friend.
Finally, Hikaru sighs, heads droop to his shoulder. He takes a deep breath once. Twice. And then he gives Asuna a small smile.
It reminds him of that moment. Hikaru's soft laughter and the gentle but certain 'I'd like you to stay by my side until the end'.
Asuna's heart pulses and his abdomen feels full, almost ticklish, fondness spills from his chest and pours from his throat like a tender whisper.
Asuna has no name for what he feels. Just yet. Maybe one day, he thinks - when the lands aren't covered in flames and stench of the dead.
Maybe one day he'll have the time to ponder what it means.
"Asuna, I-.." Hikaru starts only for him to quiet down once more. His eyes are unfocused, staring at something that's a league away. Then Hikaru's gaze finds Asuna's again and he lets out a small smile.
There are so many secrets hidden behind that small smile alone.
"I guess I don't need to unlock my Regalia's level three," Hikaru says.
Asuna doubts it. But he won't voice it out loud for now. He wants to know what are the requirements. However, it'll do no one any good if he presses for answers that Hikaru obviously won't give.
For the moment-
"There they are! Hah, told you those two would be here," Serena states cheerily.
Asuna narrows his eyes at the other man's sudden arrival. The serene atmosphere is ruined. Even Hikaru looks up to give the other an exasperated look.
Behind Serena, Lucy, and Rukia tail after him.
Lucy says something to her. Rukia's eyes twinkle. She places her arm around Lucy's shoulder and whispers in her ear. Lucy gapes for a moment before she stammers and her cheeks flush.
Asuna raises a brow at the sight. Huh. Very well then.
"So, anyway! Since tomorrow is, you know… I guess we might as well have a little bit of fun tonight. To get rid of the tension," Serena mutters sheepishly.
Fun. It's hardly the time. Asuna studies the other man. Displeasure is obvious on the former general's face. Fun, when they're going to confront Apophis tomorrow and some of them might not even make it back alive.
He glances at Hikaru. Asuna can't tell what the other is thinking but the blond looks at Lucy, then at Rukia. who meets his gaze firmly, before Hikaru's eyes finally flicker to Asuna.
Hikaru inhales. Serena squirms where he stands.
"Fine," the blond says. Serena slowly grins. Asuna blinks, not expecting the answer.
"Really?" Asuna whispers to the other. Hikaru only shrugs.
"Really, Hikaru?" Rukia harshly interrupts. "You're agreeing to this? We could use this night to prepare ourselves properly for tomorrow instead of doing whatever he wants to do for fun," she points out. "I can't believe I let him drag me out here," Rukia adds pitifully.
Hikaru raises a brow. "You don't have to be here if you don't want to. We're fine on our own," he answers easily. Like it's merely a daily exchange between those two. Maybe it is. Asuna is new here. He doesn't know how their relationship even works but Hikaru and Rukia harbor silent respect for each other. That much is obvious.
Rukia opens her mouth only to close it back. She looks at Lucy.
Lucy only smiles sweetly at her. "It's fine if you want to leave. I'll stay with them a little bit longer." Her eyes drift to Serena as she says this. Serena can only give his friend a nod.
Rukia looks torn.
And suddenly Asuna understands.
Serena is worried about tomorrow. And this is his way to loosen up, to deal with the tremor he's feeling. Lucy and Hikaru understand this.
No one is not scared of what may come. Of what might happen to them.
And maybe both Lucy and Hikaru need this just as much, too.
Eventually, Rukia sighs. "Fine. I'll stay."
Lucy beams at her and the stiffness on Rukia's shoulders disappears. She smiles back at her.
"Great!" Serena quickly throws his body to the ground, sitting across Hikaru. The fire pit is between them. The heat is calming and the crackling of the embers is naught but a faint hum.
Next to Asuna, Rukia and Lucy huddle close next to each other.
"This…" Serena produces a glass bottle from the small duffle he's carrying with him, "...is a bottle." He grins.
All he gets in return is a glare from the others and a low hiss of 'Make it quick' from Rukia.
"Ever play spin-the-bottle? You must kiss the person the bottle points to when it stops spinning." Serena wiggles his brows.
Hikaru snorts. "Obviously. I played it before when I was really young."
Asuna remembers Hikaru's first spin-the-bottle game. A ridiculous heap of moments. He also remembers the bitterness in his chest, watching Hikaru kiss someone else then.
Asuna's eyes narrow. Bitterness?
Rukia suddenly perks up. Her gaze goes to Asuna but before he can understand what it means, she's already looking at Hikaru. "You played with Asuna? Did you two kiss?"
Hikaru chokes. Asuna- well, Asuna is not sure what he's doing but he waves his hands in an attempt to stop whatever it is Rukia tries to imply. And Asuna isn't even sure she's implying anything at all.
Asuna just knows it's embarrassing and he needs to make it stop.
"No!" Hikaru cuts her off quickly. His eyes meet Asuna's but they both hastily look away. Words die on Asuna's tongue.
"No, it's-" Hikaru clears his throat and straightens his back. His eyes are clear again. "No. I was young then. A mere teenager. I played with some of my training partners."
Lucy hums. "How was it?'
Hikaru's lips purse. "Terrible, of course. No one was taking it seriously."
Lucy hums again. This time, it's her that gives Asuna a brief look, and just like Rukia, she looks away even before Asuna can return her wandering gaze with a scowl.
"It was terrible because… it wasn't Asuna?" Lucy asks too innocently with an innocent look that very much indicates that her intention isn't innocent at all.
Asuna's lips twitch. His hands curl into fists. He can already feel the pink flush smearing the tips of his ears. He wants very much to stab the other three with his Regalia but he won't risk Hikaru's wrath.
However, the ticklish pit in his chest is unbearable.
Again, Hikaru chokes. "No, it's not- No," he firmly denies.
"Hikaru kissing anyone has got nothing to do with me," Asuna says sharply. He doesn't dare to steal a glance at Hikaru even when he feels the other man's eyes on him.
Serena laughs. "Calm down. Don't let the ladies rile you up."
Rukia punches his shoulder. Serena yelps.
Lucy claps once. "Okay, let's begin."
Asuna wants to leave. He says as much to the group but Hikaru lets out a small 'oh' and he throws his gaze at the fire, his shoulders fall again. Asuna curses under his breath because he hates the beaten look on Hikaru so much.
He doesn't think Hikaru even realizes he's doing it.
So Asuna stays and Hikaru's eyes brighten again and suddenly Asuna can breathe easily. He gently pushes those intruding loose strands from Hikaru's face and tucks them behind his ear.
Hikaru jolts and blinks at him, bemused.
"What is it?" Hikaru asks, his hand going to his ear, reaching for Asuna's wandering hand and letting his fingers stay there. The touch is tingling.
The others are already starting with the game. Serena spins the bottle first and when it stops and points at Rukia, he deflates when she frowns at him.
Lucy only snickers. No kissing between those two.
Asuna tilts his head, smiling softly at Hikaru. "Nothing. Just don't let your hair cover your face so I can see your eyes."
Hikaru only hums. "I never let my hair cover my eyes," is all he says.
Lucy spins the bottle and it stops, pointing at Asuna. Lucy gasps. "Wow, okay. At least it's not Serena."
"Hey!"
Asuna rolls his eyes. "Quickly then. No time to waste."
"Okay, fine," Lucy replies dryly.
Rukia has her hand on Lucy's shoulder, eyes hard when they fall on Asuna but Asuna pretends not to see it. Lucy crouches towards him and gives him a small peck. It's barely a kiss but Asuna is fine with it.
Lucy sits back down. She gives a small smile to Rukia. And Rukia tries so hard not to pout. Asuna can tell.
But when Asuna looks at Hikaru, the man's lips curl downward in apparent distaste.
What's wrong? he wants to ask. Asuna doesn't. He's not sure Hikaru will answer him.
Rukia is next. She spins the bottle. It points to Hikaru. They only stare at each other quietly as Asuna grabs the bottle and spins it.
He knows no kissing is going to happen between those two, as well.
The bottle stops and points at Rukia.
"Urgh," Rukia groans. "I might as well not play this game at this point. I'm not kissing any men. Sorry in advance."
Asuna shrugs in response. Not his concern.
"What? That's the point of the game! You can't keep skipping," Serena retaliates.
Rukia snorts. "Watch me."
"I'm not a man," Lucy supplies helpfully. A smile blooms on Rukia's lips.
"And that's why you're the only one I'm kissing tonight," Rukia says so very fondly. Lucy makes a small indescribable noise as she hides her face in the thick scarf she's wearing, courtesy of Rukia. Asuna is sure of it.
"Come on," Serena bemoans. "I'm not getting kissed tonight. I just can tell."
Hikaru laughs. Asuna listens carefully to the sound, imprints it into his memory, and tucks it away safely where only he can cherish it.
"I'll kiss you then, Serena," Hikaru states.
Asuna's smile drops. He throws a look at Serena.
Serena's eyes widen. "Really? Really? Hikaru, you're the best-" whatever Serena wants to say quietly dims down once he looks at Asuna.
Asuna is not sure what kind of face he's making right now but Serena's cheeriness recedes upon seeing him.
"Uh…" Serena utters.
Rukia sniggers.
"What?" Asuna hears Hikaru ask. "Changed your mind?"
"Uh. Yeah, not my turn yet," Serena says weakly. The atmosphere becomes awkward. Or maybe it's only awkward between Serena and Asuna.
The girls are whispering between themselves, uncaring of anything else.
Finally, it's Hikaru's turn. He spins the bottle. Tautness is absent from him, possibly a bit glad to forget about tomorrow even just for a moment.
The bottle spins and spins but Lucy quickly shifts her leg forward and stops the bottle with the tip of her shoe.
The bottle points to Asuna.
Asuna blinks.
"That's cheating," Hikaru mumbles.
"Look at that, the bottle stops where it should. Come now, you idiot." Rukia stands up and pulls Serena with him. Lucy follows her.
"Hey, the game is not over yet!" Serena complains.
Rukia gives both Asuna and Hikaru a look. "It's over. Come, we can play cards instead," she persuades and pulls Serena along with her. Lucy waves at them as she hums, walking away.
Silence lingers again. No one says anything yet.
"You don't have to…" Asuna looks at the bottle pointing at him, "You don't have to do anything you don't want."
Asuna feels pressure pressed upon his thigh. He sees Hikaru's hand curling on his knee first before Asuna slowly looks up to find Hikaru's face so close to him, looking at Asuna's lips, curious and hesitant.
"Is it okay? Just a bit," Hikaru mutters. He's so close. So close. Hikaru's hand opens and closes on Asuna's thigh, a bit shaky. Asuna can feel it. It's so unlike the other to be uncertain.
Asuna watches those precious eyes that he's come to adore. He always adores that part about Hikaru. Especially when those eyes are molten and searing, scorching, and frighteningly bright. Hikaru carries his whole heart in the way he looks at the world.
Asuna watches Hikaru's face. Knows the contour and the shape of Hikaru's nose, his lips, his cheeks, the way he smiles and grins. The way he cries. And Asuna realizes that maybe he's been watching Hikaru a little bit too much lately. Just like in the past.
"Okay," Asuna says. Hikaru smiles at the answer.
And yet it is Asuna that pulls Hikaru closer. He palms Hikaru's nape and brings those lips to his, kisses Hikaru gently and carefully, savoring the taste and remembering the scent. You are what I treasure above all else, he wants to say. Asuna keeps that thought to himself.
Hikaru kisses him back. Eyes close. Hands touching and bodies burning with all the want want want in their veins.
They pull away. Lips red and bruised. The light from the fire spills like golden stardust on Hikaru's hair, on his face and Asuna's smile drops a little. He wants to touch him more. How are you so beautiful?
Asuna looks at the bottle. Hikaru follows his gaze.
"What is it?" Hikaru asks.
"My turn." Asuna spins the bottle. Hikaru's breaths hitch before he chuckles. Asuna smiles and he pulls Hikaru to his side until there's no space between them. Their foreheads are almost touching.
Asuna interlocks his fingers with Hikaru and he doesn't look away from Hikaru's face even when he stops the bottle with his hand.
The bottle points to Hikaru and Hikaru smiles.
"That's cheating," Hikaru mutters.
"Don't care," Asuna responds. "Let me kiss you again."
And he does. He kisses Hikaru again and again and Hikaru kisses him back again and again.
Maybe Asuna has a name for the thump thump thump under his chest and the fluttering petals in his abdomen.
It feels so drowning to be around Hikaru; a burst of life oscillates around him and the fragrance of sweetness sticks to Hikaru. So many words living inside him.
Asuna always remembers Hikaru like this. Cherishes Hikaru so much, he realizes that.
Loves that so much about Hikaru.
But Asuna doesn't dare to say it out loud just yet. Hikaru doesn't, too.
It's for the best. He's going to savor tonight; the swell of adoration he feels when he has Hikaru in his arms like this. Even just for a moment.
And if…
And if both of them survive the final battle then maybe Asuna can kiss Hikaru again.
And treat that kiss as their first true kiss.
For now, tonight should be enough.
Even when they pretend that nothing changes when tomorrow comes.