Overdue Overture [Yuuto, Mirai]

A reasonable response, yet two different reasons brought them together. His hands left her shoulders, instead choosing to rub at the back of his neck. Why was he so embarrassed of that? He carried himself with grace and elegance, despite being the Captain of the division with, arguably, the most grim duties.

Many saw him as an icon to fear, some to admonish, some of respect, of mystery, and, judging from what he had noticed in many of his students at the academy, of desire. So, why, of all things, did he feel embarrassment toward that particular interest of his? He didn't really know.

"Well...I hope that discovery about me isn't a bad thing. When did you find out? How, even? Did I leave a book out by mistake or something silly like that?"

Yuuto instinctively reached a hand out as she smacked her forehead. It seemed there was some kind of miscommunication...had she been talking about something else? Did he misinterpret something? Before he could think on it more, he listened to what she said. He was surprised at such a detailed breakdown of the various idiosyncrasies that gave it away, but, it eventually turned to something warmer.

Those were such...small, frivolous things to be observing, yet she still paid attention to them. It was...flattering, honestly. So, that shade of red persisted as he looked at her, looking a bit more awkward than he had prior.

"I...didn't know you paid such close attention to such little things about me like that. That's...flattering. I- Thank you."

He couldn't deny that, to some degree, it felt nice. It made it look like she cared. A chill ran down his spine, and his eyes widened ever so slightly, but otherwise, no shift was made apparent as whispers echoed through his head. The "language," if it could even be termed as such, was nothing short of nonsense to human tongue. Yet, despite that, the meaning was firmly and soundly planted in his mind.

What if it was just an act?

No, Mirai wouldn't do that. She'd known him for decades, he knew the demeanor and tone that she took whenever he was present compared to when she was with someone else. He pushed the seed of doubt as far from his mind as he could. He was trying to be cautious, not paranoid. He didn't want to confirm anything just yet, or potentially say something that Mirai might take too closely to heart.

But, then there was what she said -- that she wanted a committed relationship. He knew that she struggled, but he also knew that wording was so, so very particular. It didn't sound like someone in love, it sounded like someone who wanted some kind of comfort in another. Then there were the promotions that she would apply for, despite not warranting it.

What if she really was lying, pretending -- just the idea, the thought, was terrifying.

He didn't want that. He didn't want someone faking it just for the sake of what he held, his position, his power, the superficial things that could theoretically be taken away at any given moment. The man that lay beyond it all was more important.

Calm down. Don't listen to it. Have faith in your own instincts, not this...creature.

With that, he took a deep breath, then reassessed. He remembered the little things she always seemed to do for him whenever he was around. Even if there was more beneath the surface, that was something that could not be denied. Cautious, not paranoid. He couldn't lose himself so easily and quickly.

"You say that you don't know how to prove that you want a committed relationship, yet...I remember all those subtle things. The new outfits or jewelry, the perfume, the makeup...those can speak just as loudly as words, you know."

Were he a man that was even easier to please than he already was, perhaps he would have believed that. But, that reaction, the situations that each and every one of those small alterations were in, they all had one common variable: him. As her face continued to light up brighter than a lantern in the night, Yuuto carefully took a few steps closer to her, his smile having returned, as if it had never left, and as if the worry and fear he felt moments ago never existed.

"Come now, Mirai. Those things were never something you did on an average, regular day. Whenever we would spend time together, either on an assignment, after work, or on days off, you always would have something new. It...always kept you in my mind."

Even as he finished, his lips remained parted just for a moment, as if wanting to say something more, before closing them, the extension remaining in his thoughts.

'More than you already are.'

Perhaps it was a bit cruel, but, as he grew closer, seeing her eyes widen a bit, her face turn ever-so-slightly more red...it was fun to tease her. But, he took a half-step back to give her some space, that knowing, lightly teasing smile never fading as his hands idly slipped into his pockets. His eyes, however, lowered, and his lips parted, retaining the silence as he considered his words carefully.

"I...didn't know what else to say besides complimenting you in a general fashion. But, I will say this, you've always been more than a subordinate to me, Mirai. You're a close friend, someone I feel I can always rely on, and..."

His hands left his pockets, lifting near his head as he tried to gather his words, his mouth still agape. He wanted to say what he truly thought, that she was beautiful, that much was undeniable. The attention to detail was flattering, something that made him truly feel like she cared, enough to make note of the small things that most people would completely ignore.

But, that cautious nature was quick to seize his tongue.

Even with all of that, he didn't know how he felt. He appreciated her, cared about her, but such a step forward in their relationship was very important for him, enough to make him hesitate. Yet, not knowing was so, so unbelievably frustrating.

"I could never just see you as a subordinate. That would be an insult to you, as well as all the time we've spent together."

Seeing her smile made him relieved. With a quiet, brief sigh, Yuuto let her take his hand and pull him toward the table where he had laid out the paper and origami pamphlets. He chuckled softly at hearing her forget the name, sitting down and taking a sheet of paper in his hands, starting to speak as he slowly folded it, eventually starting to take shape.

"Origami, Japan's art of folding paper. Known best for the crane and its symbolism toward luck, and an excellent way to perfect a nimble touch."

As the paper finally began to take shape, Yuuto would carefully fold the sheet over and over, letting it take form into a crane. As he finished and let it rest in his hand, he held it out to her with a smile.