heartbreak on your face

III; Centre of Attention – Jackson Waters

–

"Hmm?"

Iridescent eyes blink prettily, lashes fluttering in conjunction with her wrinkling nose. Indigo orbs widen with curiosity, but she remains unmoving, poised underneath the tree, hands clasping her knees. Her head tilts enquiringly, and pink lips shimmer into a smile.

"Are you…" Slightly bemused, slightly amused, Momo asks him, unsure how to start. "… is that thing on?"

"Yeah." Izuru nods, pressing the 'record' button. This is what she wanted, after all, and he can't refuse her anything. "Ready?"

She laughs, carefree, and her toes curl, her sign of consent. Reclining on the tree, she straightens her clothes, smoothing out the creases of her t-shirt and dusting her blue jeans. "Mmhmm. Let's do it."

"Okay then." Uncertain how to prompt her, his free hand flails, gesticulating wildly in order to serve as a hint for her to proceed. "When you're ready, Momo."

It surprises him how easily he can call her by her first name. From Hinamori-kun to Momo-san to Momo. Sometimes he forgets, and she gently reminds him, a teasing tone of amusement written on her face.

"'kay." Bashfully, she bites her bottom lip, while a coral pink flush taints her skin. Then she smiles, because she's enjoying this: this is something she wants to do.

"Hi. I'm Hinamori Momo." Giggling at her introduction, without the slightest reason, her laughter fills the silence, and Izuru chuckles alongside her. Because this feels ridiculously odd. "I'm…" She stops, and starts again. "… I… this is weird. Really, really weird. And… I have no idea what to say."

"Um." Neither does he, but adjusts the camcorder to buy some time to think. Steadying his hand, he tries to relax. Breathe; in, out. It's going to be fine. It's just a little memento for later. "What about your age? You might forget, later." Taking a stab in the dark, he advises her something that may or may not be useful. "Or… you can say whatever comes to mind. We can redo this later, if you want."

Full lips widen, pearl white teeth shine, before puckering into a pout. Its little moments like this, these gestures of gratitude that will be recorded and remembered, even if they're withered and grey. This is their pebble, forgotten in the abstract, but able to capture this one moment, out of many. Because they wanted to.

"Alright." She smiles once more, she's thought of something; and there's a mixture of embarrassment and awkwardness and vulnerability and a thrill that sends shivers to the insides of her bones. "I'm going to try again."

A pause, the brunette composes herself once more.

And the camcorder keeps rolling, inscribing this data for some future nostalgia.

"My name is Hinamori Momo. I'm fifteen years old." A thoughtful expression passes as she inhales and exhales, her body shifts once more, unable to stay still. "We – that is, myself and, how can I forget, my best friend, Izuru Kira, the camera man – are in Karakura Park. This has to be one, if not my favourite spot, that I hang out with my friends, out of school." Her head tilts, and Momo can't resist. "Isn't that right, Izuru?"

"Yeah." Mumbling slightly, he hadn't expected that Momo had intended to include him. Heat rises onto his cheeks, and he's embarrassed, even though it's him who guides the camcorder's lens. "Actually, we're missing Renji, but he'll turn up sooner or later."

"I bet he's mooning over Rukia-chan." Nodding to herself, Izuru thinks she's probably right. "He seems to really like her." And then she moves, trying to pose somewhat enthusiastically, no doubt meant to be a figure of inspiration, and later, as they'll both reflect, an icon of utter cheesiness. "Abarai Renji. Future Renji. Best of luck; um, try not be a hothead, and I hope you're happy."

Stretching out her legs, Momo's sandals seemed to have slipped of her feet, but the teenager doesn't appear to mind, as long as the grass is green and soft.

"Right now, I want to be an actress. Current me, at least." Grinning, both know how easy she is liable to change, whether it's five seconds or five days. Her path is not set in stone, and she likes dabbling in possibilities. "Future me, if you're something different to what I aspire to be now, like… um…"

Her nose crinkles, a plea for help.

"A dentist." Helpfully, the blond supplies, and she flashes a grateful smile.

"Yeah! If you're a dentist, or an accountant, or a lawyer or a community service worker… if you're something completely unrelated to even that…" Her brows knit together, trying to recall where she was going with this angle. "… I forgive you. Um, that sounds odd. But you're me, so you should understand, right? Right." She doesn't wait for a response, and continues. "So long as it's something you want to do – and have a fun time doing it – then it's okay."

Cerise lips glisten. Violet eyes flutter.

Moments like this – he really doesn't want to forget.

"And hey, future me, I want you to remember this."

Wind bursts forth, blowing past them as it pleases, breezing through the branches and plucking off the leaves. One leaf falls into her waiting hands, and she examines said leaf diligently, fascinated for some reason. She sees something that he does not.

Then, just as the wind leaves, it returns once more and takes that leaf from her unresisting hands. And Momo, wistful, watches it in flight, its delicate body threatened to be torn into shreds, twisting and turning by puffs of air.

But by now, it's too far away, and she cannot distinguish this one leaf from another, try as she might under sun dappled skies.

Still she searches, though both know it's in vain.

Murmuring something, Izuru is never sure if he hears her properly, because her lips move, yet no sound is produced. Stolen words, taken by the wind. Only later remembered by the camcorder.

"… can we be in love again?"