Sherry cradled a red velvet box in her palms. She rubbed the pads of her thumbs over the soft box. She'd opted for gloveless today, firstly to better withstand the heat and secondly in hopes of holding her date's hand. Okay, she was lying to herself in reversing priorities one and two, but it was easier this way.
Glass arches towered before her. Two tickets stuck out of the front pocket of her jeans. Her maroon-and-white jacket was tied around her waist off-kilter, the fabric sagging down her right hip. She knew she didn't need it. The weatherman said the low would be eighty-five degrees at best, but dammit if it didn't comfort her to have it.
Tell-tale, rhythmic clicks sounded from behind. Sherry shoved the box into the jacket's pocket and spun around. Aki Izayoi's crimson pumps announced her arrival; her tied-up, scarlet locks swayed with her steps. Her collarbone showed through her thin crop halter top. The creme fabric wrapped around her neck. Sherry found herself swallowing involuntarily. Too much saliva all of a sudden. Happened to everybody!
Aki waved, and Sherry managed a tiny wave back without being too distracted by how her black leggings hugged her curves. Aki's pace quickened when she was mere feet away, and she threw her arms around Sherry. Their height difference meant Sherry was dragged down into the nook between Aki's chin and shoulder. She responded slowly, awestruck; her arms wrapped around Aki's torso, returning the tight embrace.
Breaking away, Aki said, "Did you get the tickets already?"
Sherry's mouth opened. Closed. She fished the tickets out of her pocket in answer. Aki smiled and snatched one away, holding it with her black clutch. Sherry gestured toward the turnstiles. "After you."
A corner of Aki's mouth quirked up. "No 'mademoiselle' today?"
Sherry's brows lifted. It'd started as a dumb joke. She'd been in Domino so long, swapping back to her native tongue required a very active-thinking code switch. Active-thinking these days simply required too much energy for Sherry to muster. Aki had thought the ordinary formality adorable when it was a slip of the tongue all along.
But today of all days was worth the effort. Sherry tucked her hand against her own abdomen and bowed dramatically. "After you, mademoiselle."
She peered up through her wheat-colored bangs for the chance to glimpse Aki's genuine smile. Warmth swept through her at the heavenly sight. Aki showed her ticket to the attendees and pushed past the turnstiles. Sherry was right behind her.
Sunshine sparkled on running water. A statue of a butterfly in flight crowned the fountain. Aki peered over her shoulder at the many bronze pennies shimmering beneath the ripples. "Wanna see me dive in for extra spending money?"
Sherry went rigid. It was a trap. She wasn't supposed to think about it or imagine her top soaking wet or-
Sherry flashed a broad smile and said, "The gardens look nice."
Aki burst out laughing, even going so far as to double over. Sherry studied the gravel path beneath her black-and-white Converses. Aki playfully punched her shoulder and started into the thick of the greenery.
A maze of hedges twisted and turned until letting them out at a springtime paradise. Blossoms of every color imaginable sprinkled bush after bush lined up and down the massive greenhouse. What overwhelmed Sherry, though, was the movement.
Butterflies flitted anywhere, everywhere like a storm cloud bursting with color. She stepped forward hesitantly. A monarch landed on the tip of her nose. All air escaped her lungs. The butterfly's wings seemed to flutter in slow motion, and she felt their tender brush upon her cheeks.
"You made a friend," Aki whispered at her shoulder. She hugged onto Sherry's arm, and the monarch took flight. "Oh! Sorry."
Sherry met Aki's eyes. The light spilling into their brown irises was ever-changing by the flapping of thousands of wings, shadows forever flickering. Sherry's hand inched upward to grip Aki's forearm. She was wearing that arm warmer, Sherry realized, the one that kept her birthmark from sight.
Aki eyed the swarm above them. A marbled white butterfly landed in her colorful hair. Aki said, "You have the best ideas. It's downright stunning."
Gazing into Aki's eyes, into the hundreds of ways the light and shadows played with the iris's chocolate shade, Sherry said, "It absolutely is."
"Hey!" Aki said, and Sherry's stare snapped away the instant Aki's landed on her. "Want to grab a snack or something? Oh, I think they have nectar too! We can see how many different butterflies we can count."
Sherry offered a brief nod while studying the bright fuschia interlaced within an azalea's petals. Aki hummed an upbeat tune as she led the way. Sherry drank in a deep breath, puffing her chest.
Now was her moment.
The automatic doors slid open. She rushed forward, all but pushing past Aki. Sherry casually leaned on the doorframe with one arm and stretched her leg out, blocking Aki's way. Except. Except that she horribly misjudged, slipped, and fell on her ass.
Aki's suppressed giggles followed her on the way down. She sat frozen for a moment. Heat rose to her face. She shoved up onto her feet, buried her face in her hands, and rushed towards the cafeteria.
The clicks of high heels chased her. "Sherry!"
She forced herself to stop but daren't take her hands away from her face. A gentle grasp on her wrist enticed her to drop her arms away. Aki had a full view of her tomato-red complexion.
Aki only smiled in her knowing way. "You know you don't have to act all tough and suave and, well, nervous on our one year anniversary, right?"
Sherry balked. She stuttered through an attempt at an answer, an explanation, anything. Aki only laughed. Her soft touch on Sherry's arm calmed her. Aki said, "It's so cute how you treat every date like it's the first."
Sherry's blush worsened. Aki intertwined her fingers with Sherry's and led her towards the counter. With a couple of sodas and a cup of nectar, they returned to the gardens. A flock of butterflies descended upon them. Sherry studied the silhouettes of wings fluttering over Aki's face.
"I have a gift," Sherry said.
Aki's lips parted. "Another? But this is the gift! It's too much."
Sherry shook her head. She pulled the velvet box from her coat pocket. She saw the subtle interest in Aki: a slight leaning toward the gift, her grip on her own leggings tightening. Sherry presented it to her and opened the lid.
Rays of sunlight glimmered on the scarlet comb's gold trim. The intricate design was like flaming clouds in the shape of a blazing butterfly. Aki's eyes shone as Sherry lifted the comb, catching every angle of light she could.
The speech Sherry had prepared involved a practiced motif for the butterflies, on how they represent the beauty of dynamism and metamorphoses. Both Sherry and Aki had suffered through their winters of sudden losses and abandonment, but those were only to the ends of their chrysalis unfurling.
She'd recited it time and time again. Hell, she'd repeated it in the mirror the night before, even.
She could not bring herself to utter a word. Rather, her panicked thoughts wondered if the gift would be coming on too strong, like giving jewelry too early. She worried Aki might take it to mean more, and she hoped Aki would take it to mean more.
What Sherry wanted was a mystery even to her, so she simply studied her partner's captivating eyes.
"It's lovely," Aki said, and the way her genuine smile crinkled her eyes caused Sherry's heart to ache with yearning. Aki glanced from the comb to Sherry's face and back again.
Aki grasped Sherry's wrist and guided it up her neck. With a tender touch, Aki pushed Sherry into tucking the comb in Aki's hair. The softness of her locks caused a tremble in Sherry. She snatched her hand back and scolded herself for being weird, weird, extra weird.
Aki lay her hand over Sherry's. A black swallowtail landed on her knuckle. Its fragile wings slowed to a stop as Aki leaned in. Her warm lips slowly shut on Sherry's jawline. She shivered despite the heat, and her fingers curled. Aki whispered, "Happy anniversary, Sherry."
