When you give them some consideration, epiphanies are funny things.
They come when you least expect them, they're caused by nothing in particular and suddenly, your thinking is no longer the same, altered so fast and successfully it can knock the wind out of your lungs.
It's on a day like any other when she has one. An epiphany.
Quite possibly the epiphany of her life.
Like with any other epiphany, it's not like they are doing something all that different at that moment. It's summer, the sun is high overhead and the weather is absolutely sweltering. In these conditions, Touou's basketball team is having practice in the gym. Aomine is attending practice for once and he's already regretting choosing to get out of bed that day. Even in his drenched jersey with loose sleeves and shorts, he feels like he's being boiled in his own skin.
So he goes outside to splash some cold water on his face and head, hoping it will help him cool off at least a tiny bit.
Satsuki meets him at the sink. She's just coming back from having bought some refreshments for the team. When she sees him shoving his head under the running water, she giggles and decides she'll wait for him so they can head back inside together.
He shuts the water off and runs a hand through his wet spikes of navy hair before he notices her presence. She can see that his hair is getting somewhat out of hand as his bangs are starting to reach his eyes and irritate them. The look suits him, though, she decides with a small smile.
It's then that it hits her. The epiphany. She's watching him stretch his stiff limbs with an exasperated expression, droplets of cold water running down the sides of his face and outlining the fine features of his toned body as much as the jersey allowed to be seen. He was grumbling something to himself—probably complaining about the overbearing heat and having chosen today of all days to come to practice.
She watches him and suddenly, she feels enlightened. Changed. Altered incorrigibly within just a single moment of crystal-clear clarity.
The epiphany overwhelms her and compels her to share it aloud. She complies before she can stop herself.
"I love you, Daiki."
The unusual use of his full first name throws him off-pace much more than her confession itself. He's used to being Dai-chan, Idiot-mine and all sorts of variations of those, but not Daiki. Never Daiki.
He pauses only for a heartbeat until he gets back on track in his usual pace.
"Yeah, I know," he says with a wolfish grin and turns to leave.
She makes a grimace at his retreating back. Satsuki doubts he knows. After all, she hadn't known until just now either. How could he know something she didn't?
The pink-haired manager sighs deeply and jogs up to fall in stride with her childhood friend. Her earlier frown is replaced with a bright smile as she peers up into the face of her team's ace.
He misunderstood. It was clearer than the sky over their heads.
That's okay though, she decides. She has all the time in the world to make him understand.
She gives him his drink from her cargo and he thanks her, sincerely grateful for the refreshment.
He doesn't pay any heed to the way her fingers brush against his, nor to the way her hand lingers just a bit longer on the bottle before she hands it over to him.
Satsuki thinks of the countless years they have spent side by side, of her inability to be anywhere but where he is. And she knows.
She's sure they will have all the time in the world indeed.
A/N: I don't even know what this is. But I liked it. Especially at the beginning. I dunno. I hope you like it, too!
100 Situations, Table One; 054: Patient.
7th January, 2013.