Disclaimer: I don't own Strawberry Panic. If I did, well, things would have turned out much different.
Author's Note: Oh, the unbridled joy. It's Chapter II. I wouldn't really say free time was used to write this segment, as I pretty much ignored an entire lesson while typing it up. I doubt I'll ever graduate. Well, it's my loss. Tamao and Nagisa have had their moment for the time being. Now, it's time for a little look at Yaya.
Review Responses:
Whitley (Chapter I): Thanks for favoriting. Hope you'll continue reading ahead.
Kaizer20 (Chapter I): I'm honored! Hope I don't blow expectations…
RomanticVulcanolight (Chapter I): Thanks. Chikaru's one of my favorite characters. Personality and talent wise, she's got everyone else beat.
Here's Chapter II. Enjoy.
STRAWBERRY PANIC: AFTERWORD
A PLACE FOR WARMTH: CHAPTER II
"…"
It had been quiet in the small room, almost for much too long, and only the sound of the ticking clock mounted to the wall uttered any sort of life from it. Not a single event of the day mattered to the contraption; regardless of what went on outside of its walls. It only had one goal, to please time, and it would continue to do so by swinging its pendulum without the slightest care in the world.
Nanto Yaya hugged her legs to her body and buried her face in the crook of her knees. It was freezing. Even though the months of winter only recently began, the cold grew into her. She would have used the blanket sitting underneath her for some warmth, but the ravenette had little desire to ask the other girl to move at all.
There wasn't a need on her part to make any eye contact at all; she knew the first year was there, sensing her on the same bed to the side of herself.
"…Isn't there someplace else you'd rather be?" Yaya asked, her voice sounding very strained and muffled by the placement of her knees. Her chest felt heavy. It almost hurt to talk, but she didn't care. With any luck perhaps, maybe it'd hurt so much, she'd never be able to speak again.
There was no immediate response. The bed sheets wrinkled from the subtle movement.
"…N…no," the girl finally said to her, a mixture of hesitation and nervousness layering her voice, "This… this is… where I want to stay right now…" She continued to keep her eyes fixed on the window ahead, giving little attention to the bright fireworks display outside.
Yaya buried her head even deeper, raven hair covering her forehead and eyes.
"…Do whatever you want."
She didn't understand the point of the girl subjecting herself to unsettling company. But if it was what she wanted, then so be it. Yaya wasn't going to object to her in the slightest. Whatever she did was of little consequence to her.
"I will," the pink-haired girl replied.
Yaya didn't respond. The words she had been looking for seemed to escape her. If she replied, she might have said something she shouldn't. There were a lot of things Yaya held regrets for, and she certainly didn't need any more of them flooding her plate.
She felt a lot like the pendulum on the wall: uncaring, continuing to swing despite the everyday activities. Just like it, she held a single goal in mind. And to reach it, she would sing from that special place. She would sing her soul out, with a voice pure as white, and with all her heart… just for her.
It all felt so pointless now.
She hadn't budged an inch from the bed since the others departed. By now, the Etoile election must have already commenced.
It didn't matter to her who would win the election this year; because whoever did, they'd still be together. In the end, that's all that would really matter.
Nagisa and Tamao. Still happy, still the best of friends. No situation would ever be awkward between either of them, unlike her own.
Maybe, if the saints would allow it, they'd grow even closer. Tamao wasn't fooling anyone if she had been trying to, and she certainly couldn't fool her. Yaya could picture Nagisa's bubbly smiling face, and she was happy for them. Bless them both; they deserved each other more than anything.
She should have tried harder like them. If she did, then things might have turned out different. But… would it have been right?
Kaname's voice pierced her mind.
"Do you have the right to interfere with the love of others?"
"…"
No.
It was selfish. She had no right. The girl confided in her, trusted her. She was her friend. It was wrong of her to want any more than that. But why were her feelings so strong towards her? She found herself beginning to choke up.
The bed ruffled once more. She could feel the movement much closer to her, and her weight made the mattress sink a little.
"…Y-Yaya-sempai," a soft voice whispered into her thoughts.
Yaya shook her head. She was hearing things now. Wasn't it she herself who pushed the princess to be with her prince? That was what she wanted for her right? To be happy? Just like herself, her friend had a goal… and she… that was Yaya's goal. She was supposed to be the one to help her get there, not to be a hindrance…
Yaya was supposed to be her best friend. And that was all.
She had cheered her on herself…
"I'll be rooting for you…"
She had supported her…
"Do your best…"
And she had tied the ribbon to send her on her way.
"…Cute. Just like an angel…"
She was her angel, and she gave her the warmth she'd always longed for. But she lost that warmth; no matter how much she wanted to keep her, she knew she couldn't.
After all, angels aren't meant to be locked up.
Someday, they have to fly away.
She began to shiver again, and honestly, she wouldn't have minded freezing to death right then. At least then, maybe she wouldn't have to feel so cold anymore.
Delicately, a pair of arms encircled themselves around her body from behind, and a head of sweet scented rosette hair placed itself on her shoulder, strands of it intertwining with her own.
"…Tsubomi-chan."
Somehow, it just felt so much warmer.
FIN
Author's Note: Mmm. Delicious.
That's the end for now. A sequel may be in the works, broken from this story due to a different writing style of my choice. We'll see how it goes.
Anyway, I'm sure you know the drill, review if you'd like for me, blah blah. I accept snide comments, deep intellectual thoughts, raging criticism, and angry finger points from close friends. (Oh my god, you're writing yuri! Die in a fire!) They're all like candy to me. I just eat them up either way. Yum.