Author's Note: As always, thank you for reading.

In vino veritas: Latin for "in wine there is truth".

You never learned how to hold me right.

They hadn't seen each other in months, and as they predicted, that first time was mortifyingly awkward. He had leaned in for a hug, she had attempted a handshake and both ended up bumping shoulders and noses and muttering half-arsed apologies while silently cursing the other for being such a klutz. It was her first time back in Japan since she had left for a specialization in French cuisine and enology, and as luck would have it, he had been the only one free to get her at the airport. Mimi had appreciated the intention, but she couldn't help but think she would have been better off going by train. One look at the sour blond behind her cemented this thought.

Outside, the weather had turned ugly. The light snow that had been falling when he had arrived had by now deteriorated into nothing short of a blizzard, and Yamato groaned as he saw his car, half buried in snow. He took her luggage and hurled it in the trunk, closing it with a loud thud.

"It's pointless," he said. "We can't leave until the snow stops."

Mimi sighed, knowing she could hardly complain. It wasn't his fault that she was tired, wrinkly and jetlagged. Despite keeping herself hydrated during her flight, Mimi was feeling bloated and disoriented since she had arrived and knew it would only get better after a shower and a decent night's sleep.

"Come on then," she finally said, shifting her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "At least let me buy you some coffee."

It was, she reasoned, something to do. That was why there were open bars at every airport.

He had his coffee, though it was largely improved by the liberal amounts of Irish cream and whiskey he ordered. And thinking nothing of it, Mimi ordered herself a glass of wine — a fine Bordeaux to warm up her palate. But one glass turned into one bottle, and soon both of them were very warm and very, very cozy. Mimi had moved from her seat across him to right beside him and for a moment, it was as if the last year hadn't occurred. They were laughing as they walked to the car and he was pushing her hair out of her face and his fingers toyed with her hand and that's when she looked up at him, smile gone.

It was the way he held her, like she was something he had to put away inside a box and keep to himself. Like she would break if he held her tighter. Mimi licked her lips and delicately pulled her hand away. Before he had a chance to complain though, she snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him into a sweet but brief embrace.

"Thank you for coming for me," she said upon release. "I hope it wasn't any trouble for Sora."

Yamato looked a little taken aback, but he had always been very good at bouncing back from surprises. He shook his head as he opened the car, resisting the urge to open the door for her. "It's no problem," he said. "We're happy you're back."

She smiled and climbed on the passenger's side, falling into light, senseless conversation and he never once moved to take her hand.