Here ya go everybody. See you Thursday. I'll probably go back to just one chapter per update just to spice things up.
Thanks for reading :)
"Uh… Kaasan?"
"Yes, Yuya?"
"Are you going to stop by to see her tonight?"
"I am."
"Can I come with you this time?"
"I don't think-"
"Please, I haven't asked not once because you said to keep my distance. But I want to see her and talk to her before she comes back to school." Yuya argues.
"Haven't you been texting back and forth?" Yoko just isn't sure about this.
"It's not the same, kaasan. I mean if I get there and she tells me to get lost, I'll just wait in the car. What can it hurt?" Yuya would hate for it to actually come to that. And he's praying it doesn't.
Yoko sighs. "You're right. It wouldn't hurt. Let her know you'll be stopping by, alright?"
Yuya: Hey, I'm stopping by with my mom tonight. I hope you're okay with that… Lemme know :)
Yuzu:
He's coming.
Why does her chest hurt? Why are old aches and pains flaring up at the thought of seeing him? What is she afraid of? It couldn't be Yuya.
Yuzu hears her duel disk hit the floor as it slides right out of her grip.
Why are you panicking?
Stop it!
But she can't.
Yuzu leans forward as the tears pour out of her eyes and pure fear takes complete hold of her system.
Just breathe.
So long as you remember to breathe, you'll be alright. It'll be over quicker.
It's not over quickly.
Yuzu finds herself on the floor gasping for air as the very process of breathing in and out becomes a difficult task. Her world is spinning as her vision blurs. At this rate she'll pass out for sure. It's never been this bad before. Yuzu feels like her heart is trying to jump right out of her body. She doesn't know what to do?
'Yuzu.' She hears Yoko's voice.
'What makes you happy, Yuzu?'
Practicing my dueling.
Hanging out at You-Show after school.
Helping the juniors improve.
Mama's lullaby.
Yuya's goofy smile. His laugh, full of happiness and warm memories.
She takes in a shallow breath. It's not much, but it's something.
'Keep going, Yuzu. What makes you happy? What makes you laugh?'
That time they went to the beach. Yuya and Gongenzaka pulled her into the freezing cold water and then the proceeded to dunk her. She hit them both repeatedly over the head with her fan, but it was incredibly wilted due to the water.
They sat on the sand and watched the sunset. It was incredible to see the sky on fire like that.
Gongenzaka carried her on his back as they made the cold trek to Yuya's. The two boys laughed as Yuzu shivered the whole walk home.
Yoko made them hot chocolate while they dried their clothes and warmed up. They watched old movies and made fun of the terrible graphics. Yuzu hadn't laughed so hard in such a long time. Despite how cold and irritated she was, that is still one of her most favorite memories to look back on. It was a beautiful day that had a calm beginning, a wild middle, and a perfect end. Yuzu can't believe she was ever okay with being cold. But then she realizes that other things were more important than whether she was hot or cold.
Being with my friends.
'Does that make you happy, Yuzu?'
Yes. It always does.
A deep breath this time. Yuzu feels the air return to her body. It fills her up along with her favorite happy memory.
She picks up her duel disk.
Yuzu: Yay! See you soon :)
Yuya didn't realize he was holding his breath until he read Yuzu's reply. He wasn't paying attention to how tuned in for her response he was.
She wants to see me. That's good. I wonder what will have changed? Can I still make her laugh? Does she still want me to help keep her safe? I guess I'll find out.
"So she said yes?" Yoko walks in to find Yuya placing his goggles on his head. He nods at his mother with a smile.
"I want to give her something." Yuya picks up a small box from his bedside drawer and hands it to Yoko. "Tell me what you think." He wants to know her opinion.
Inside the box is a pendant practically identical to his own.
"I remember when I went through a hard time, and Otosan would tell me how if I made others happy, that same happiness would swing like a pendulum back towards me. He used the pendant to tell me that laughter really is the best medicine when times are hard. I wanted to remind Yuzu of that, and to help her get back into the groove of dueling with smiles again."
Yoko carefully places the pendant replica back in its box and hands it to Yuya.
"So, what do you think?" He shrugs and seems to hold his breath as he waits for her response.
"I think that it's a perfect gift, and that she'll love it. If anything she'll appreciate the thought that went into it." Yoko smiles.
"Thanks, Kaasan." He probably wouldn't have gone through with this without her approval. But since she likes it, it seems Yuzu might like it as well.
"Let's get going. Before it gets too late. Shuzo said she's been going to bed earlier recently." Yoko leaves the room.
Yuya checks his clock. It's 5:30. The time of year has already lengthened the days and sunset is not until after 7pm at the earliest.
She likes going to bed with all this daylight? Yuya knows he shouldn't question it. Everyone has their own little habits that don't seem to make sense on the surface.
"How's my girl doing?" Yoko asks shuzo as he opens the door for her and Yuya.
"Much better now that you guys are here. She was sitting on pins and needles waiting for you!"
Earlier…
"Yuya's coming with Obasantoday." Yuzu walks into the living room with a blanket around her shoulders.
"Is he? Did he just text you?" Shuzo pats the space next to him on the couch. Yuzu slowly makes her way over and leans on her father once she sits down.
"He asked if he could come… I felt like I owed him that much."
"Yuzu, sweetheart you owe nothing to no one. Even Yuya will tell you that."
Yuzu sighs. "I know… But I've been avoiding him for a month now." She admits. "I don't know why, but I have."
"Because you've taken time to heal. He understood that."
"Well," Yuzu sighs again and pulls the blanket tighter around herself. "Maybe I don't owe him. But I think enough time has passed and i'm ready to see him now." She admits. This can only be so if Yuzu is able to remind herself of the truth. Yuya wasn't the one to make her like this. So long as she remembers that, Yuzu imagines she'll be alright.
She can't let herself forget how Yuya has always made her feel. He makes her laugh. He makes her feel safe and like everything will be okay no matter how bad things get.
This is who's coming to see her today. Her best friend. The monster that ruined her won't be anywhere in sight.
"I brought this for you." Yuya hands Yuzu the small box.
"You didn't have to!" Yuzu exclaims.
"No, it's okay. I wanted to." Yuya defends.
"Just a little… Good luck/welcome back charm." He smiles. She's missed that smile.
He looks somewhat anxious as Yuzu opens the gift.
She gasps.
It's a small pendant, very similar to the one he always wears.
"Yuya it's beautiful!" Yuzu smiles. "I love it!"
"I'm glad you like it. I wanted to give you something before you came back to help get the happy feel for dueling again. My dad always reminded me that making others happy never fails to make us happy. I'm hoping what it did for me, it can do for you plus more."
Yuzu feels her eyes burning with tears.
"That's so… So sweet, Yuya. Thank you." She reaches out to hug him. More thought and care resides in his little finger than in her entire body, she's always known that. Even though they haven't seen much of each other in this past month, he's been thinking about her this whole time. She really doesn't deserve a friend like him. Nevertheless Yuzu is glad that she knows him.
When yuzu hugs him, she feels how warm he is, and she can feel his heart beating almost as fast as her own. He must have been more nervous than he appeared.
"I'll look at this whenever I need that reminder. It'll make me think of you. Now I'll always remember to smile." Yuzu sets the box down and hands the pendant to Yuya. "Can you put it on for me?" She turns her back towards him and moves her hair out of the way.
"Was your hair always this long?" Yuya wonders.
"Well… Yeah actually." Yuzu shrugs with a smile. "I kinda ditched the pigtails for something a little simpler. With my hair down I feel a less cold." She confesses. Yuya notices how she's grown quieter. Maybe he should try to shift the subject.
"Oh, by the way, Yuya I really need to thank you for helping me stay caught up with the homework." Yuzu turns around and is facing her friend once again. "It's been so much easier to stay on track."
"Oh." Yuya laughs nervously. "It was nothing really. I guess I had a reason to focus on school a little more. So this was a win for us both."
"Yeah, I guess so."
"Yuya, let's get going so Yuzu can get her rest." Yoko has entered the living room, having dropped off her food delivery for Yuzu and talked to Shuzo about how Yuzu's doing.
"Be right there." Yuya grabs his jacket.
"I'll be in the car." Yoko kisses Yuzu's forehead. "Bye, my sweet girl."
"Bye, Obasan. Thanks for the food."
"It was my pleasure. I'll see you tomorrow at you-show. Yuya, Don't be long."
"See you tomorrow, Yuzu."
"Thanks again for the present." Yuzu smiles as she holds the pendant. "I'll see you at school." She stands up to hug him once more. Her blanket falls to the floor when she rises to her feet. Yuzu shivers almost violently. Instead of hugging Yuya, she grabs her own arms and holds herself. Yuya can see the fear in her eyes.
"Yuzu?" He's worried about her.
"It's… It's so cold." She sounds like she isn't breathing.
Yuya notices her blanket on the floor. He picks it up and wraps it around her shoulders.
Her expression is dazed, and she looks so afraid. "Cold…. Cold… Cold." She repeats with each labored breath. "Cold… Cold…"
"Yuzu, it's okay. Everything's going to be okay." Yuya sits her back down on the couch. He reaches behind him to grab another blanket and covers her up.
Yuzu is kicking herself internally. Not now! Not in front of Yuya! She can't calm herself down. She can't control this spiral into panic.
"I'm sorry!" She yells as her breathing becomes even more shallow and the tears stream down her face.
Yuya holds her close and tries to warm her up even further. He's never felt another person shake like this before.
"Don't be sorry. It's alright." Yuya whispers as he holds her tight. "You're safe, Yuzu. You're safe and warm."
She just whimpers in his arms.
"Safe and warm… Safe and warm." He repeats softly as he slowly rocks her. "Can you say it with me?" Yuya asks.
There's no immediate response. But he continues to hold her.
"S-safe…" She mumbles. "Warm." She curls up and snuggles into him.
"That's right, Yuzu. You're safe and warm." Yuya repeats. They sit in the tight embrace until Yuzu is somewhat calm. She has no clue how she ended up in his lap, or how her arms ended up nearly crushing his rib cage, but realizes that she must have moved closer and closer in the effort to stay warm. He was so warm.
She takes a deep breath when she thinks it's over.
"Yuya." She says quietly as she pulls away and sits back on the couch. Yuzu is beyond mentally exhausted. "I'm… I'm so sorry you had to see me that way. Believe me it's not always like this." Yuzu tries to explain herself. She looks so lost. "I'm really trying to make it better. I swear it's-" "Hey, hey! Wait a second." Yuya cuts her off. "Yuzu, What are you talking about?" He's shocked. "Why are you sorry? Don't ever apologize for how you feel. It won't make things better." He tells her.
"I… I just don't know why I'm so cold all the time and why I get so scared." Yuzu really does sound confused and very afraid.
"Hey, it's alright. It's okay." Yuya talks her down. He places comforting hands on her cheeks and wipes her tears with his thumbs. "It's okay." He whispers. Yuzu just starts to cry again, unsure why the cap on her emotions fell off while Yuya was here to see it. "Yuzu, you're okay now." Yuya starts. He takes her hands in both of his and places them on his chest. "Feel that? My heartbeat? Feel what happens when I take a few deep breaths."
Yuya still remembers the one and only time he had a panic attack. How his mother calmed him down has stuck with him, even three years later. It was the most frightening moment of his life. He can't even begin to imagine how Yuzu must feel.
Yuzu nods. "Mmhmm." His heart is beating fast but with every slow, deep breath he takes she feels it slow down.
"Now," he shifts her hands from his chest to her own. "You try."
It feels like there's a drum inside her beating away at her sanity. Her heart is racing at a mile a minute. "One breath at a time."
Yuzu tries, but immediately becomes flustered when she fails. "I can't do it, Yuya." She shakes her head. "Just try again. Take your time, Yuzu." His voice is quiet and gentle. After several painstaking attempts, Yuzu manages to take her first deep breath. "Doesn't that feel better." Yuya asks.
She nods, too focused on her breathing to speak. Her heartbeat is no longer in her ears. She feels it slowing down under her palms.
Yuzu falls into his arms once again. She misses his warmth. "You're so warm, Yuya." She doesn't even realize she's said it aloud.
"Glad I could help." He smiles.
Yuya doesn't leave until he is sure that Yuzu is comfortable. He'd have stayed all night if she asked.
Shuzo watched the entire scene unfold from the kitchen/dining room entrance. He practically bit his tongue to keep from yelling. He wanted to rush to his little girl's rescue. But then he saw yuya's reaction and realized, maybe I should see where this goes. See he did. Yuya was able to calm her down remarkably quick, and he did so with such patience and kindness. He was everything Yuzu needed at the exact moment she needed it.
Thank you, Yuya.