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?"

“Huh?” Mirai said, a single blink to note her confusion. “Why would it be a bad thing? And bo-…” And that’s when it hit her. Mirai slapped her forehead hard enough that a red mark stuck. That was what he focused on in that entire tirade? Clearly, he has little to no real interest then. She would have to think up another game plan, or move on. “Yes, over the years, I have definitely seen a couple of your books laying about, but it is also your reactions to certain subjects, the music you listen to and play. Your daily decisions reveal more about you than you seem to think.”

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."

Mirai did not move a single muscle. She saw that change in his eyes; she wasn’t the type to miss it. Something happened in his own mind, a worry and memory. She didn’t know what it was, but Yuuto was always a cautious man when it came to matters of the heart. He had been through enough chaos in that subject. So, she just didn’t move until he finally came out of it on his own. He always did.

She released a low breath of relief once his expression returned to normal. A moment later, it was her expression that distorted. She sucked her lips in through her teeth, her eyes went wide, both eyebrows attempted to reach her hairline, and of course… the blush. “I-I-I-I just wanted to look nice and smell nice. Who wouldn’t, right? It would be insulting to walk around smelling like a crime scene.”

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.'

‘He noticed… He never said a thing… He was watching that closely?’

The redness in Mirai’s cheeks never received a chance to lessen. It wasn’t just the blushing. As he stepped closer, her heart sped up, her eyes widened, and she held her breath just a little longer each time she drew air in. There were dozens of, if not about a hundred, kissing scenes that started exactly like this.

It was that intentional step toward her, lessening the distance between them, and that conscious decision she made not to step back no matter how much her instincts were screaming at her. It was his smile and the knowing look in his eyes as he called out the observations of her that he had made over the years.

‘But that wouldn’t happen here, right? It could. It is physically possible, but wouldn’t it be too fast? I can’t see him choosing physical intimacy so quickly. He told me he wasn’t certain how he felt… Did he change his mind?’

“I… am surprised… I didn’t know that you realized it… You never said anything. I just… I wanted you to see me as more than a subordinate.”

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."

If steam would spout out of a person’s ears, it would have exited Mirai’s the moment he stepped back. There was a mixture of regret and relief in her, and she was unsure of which one she felt more of in this moment. She would never have rejected a possible kiss from Yuuto, but she was not sure either of them were ready for that step. That assumption was confirmed when he took a step back.

‘He was teasing me again…’

Feeling her heart slow down to a normal pace, Mirai’s blush finally left her. Instead, it was replaced by a smile. “I’m glad,” she said and then stepped up to Yuuto, taking his hand in her own. Yes, a bold move! She moved over to where he set up the stuff for origami, gently dragging him along. “Now, weren’t you going to show me how to do that paper folding art,” she said, intentionally “forgetting” the name.

'It's possible. It's possible. It's possible!'

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.

Sitting next to Yuuto, Mirai watched the process ¿unfold? in front of her. Each fold was calculated, presenting an interest for Mirai as she thought of many different ways to make one of her own. She smiled at his crane came into creation and then excitedly grabbed a piece of paper, like a child that has decided it is their turn. Mirai turned away from Yuuto. Fold after fold, Mirai kept her idea hidden, glancing over her shoulder at Yuuto to see if he was peeking. When she was done, she held up a crude, but still clear, paper kunai with an oddly proud smile.

“Not perfect, but pretty good for a first time, if I say so myself.”