Work Text:
Rokka was cute.
She had these big green eyes that lit up every time she was excited, these tiny hands that she would clench into fists when she was angry, and she was so small.
Masuki was not what one would call cute.
To be fair, she had two different images and neither of them was what she would think was cute.
To her classmates and all the other fellow students at Shirayuki Private Academy, she would be a big sister, well-behaved, elegant. To her bandmates and the other band girls, or just any time she was out of school and able to switch her school uniform for her casual clothes, she looked more like a delinquent. She had a sharp gaze and her mother had teased her once about how she had the same deep scowl her father had even when they weren’t angry or pissed.
But Masuki liked cute things. She liked baking, be it cookies, muffins, cupcakes, or cakes, and she liked reading and drawing manga. She was especially a fan of romance manga, anything that would make her heart flutter from how cheesy and sweet it was.
What she liked the most were stories about Soulmates. They were just… everything she wanted and more. Of course, there were those stories about finding your soulmates and them dying, or it not be romantic at all, or the other person already being married— but there were tons of other stories that made up for it.
And Masuki was raised by two people who were soulmates and loved each other dearly. Her mother would always tell her stories about how they met, how they’ve found out they had matching marks. They started dating and decided to show each other their marks on a mark of three at their third date and had been both so exciting when they found out their marks matched.
Her father would be flustered, averting his gaze but have a small smile on his lips.
Masuki wanted exactly something like that.
"Are you reading that manga again?" Rei asked, entering the room.
Masuki was lounging on the couch, shoes off, legs propped up to rest the manga on her knees. "Hmm," she hummed.
Their vocalist sat down next to her, crossing her legs and stared at the cover. "Hana-chan reads it too."
Masuki flipped the pages. "It’s good."
"What is it about?"
"Soulmates."
Rei leaned her head back and Masuki watched her. She had found her soulmate years ago, but both of them didn’t actually know until now that they were soulmates. You don’t casually show off your mark— at least most people. It was changing now, more people wouldn’t even bother to cover their marks anymore. It used to be something personal, something you didn’t share with people and hide, and those that would wear it on the open were considered inappropriate. Not that Masuki needed to think much about it, her mark was on her upper thigh and she never wore something above her knees anyway.
"How did you find out?" Masuki asked. "I know you and Hanazono are soulmates but you never told me."
Rei smiled. "Ah… Actually, it was when she got changed into her outfit as our temporary guitarist. I spotted her mark in her back when she asked me to zip it up for her and I didn’t say anything and…" She laughed, putting a streak of her long dark hair behind her ear. "She was like 'Oh that? It looks kind of like a bunny, don’t you think?‘"
"It does? What weird coincidence."
"No, it doesn’t." Rei extended her arm and pushed down the wristband she always wore that covered her mark. It didn’t look like a bunny at all. It looked more like a flower, a rose with intricate interwoven thorns and leaves.
"That’s not a bunny."
"No, it’s not. But yeah, that’s how I found out. I couldn’t say anything and she turned around and I showed her my wrist. She just laughed and then she, ah. She kissed me." There was a slight blush on her face.
"That sounds nice," Masuki said.
Rei smiled. "I’ve always known it was her."
"You did?"
"I just knew. From the moment I met her, I knew she was different. The mark is nice to confirm it, but I would’ve been with her regardless."
Masuki clicked her tongue and sat up. "Ah, going all cheesy here."
The door to the practice room opened and Chiyu entered first with Rokka and Pareo following her. Chiyu, of course, had her beloved Jerky in her hand and poking out at the corner of her lips.
"Oi, what’s with the atmosphere here?" she asked.
"We’re talking about soulmates," Rei explained.
Chiyu sat down at her swivel chair, her short legs not even reaching the ground. "Ugh. What a waste of time to discuss." She pulled up her headphones.
"What, you don’t like the concept of soulmates?" Rokka asked.
Chiyu narrowed her eyes. "I didn’t say that. It’s just stupid how people make such a big deal of it."
Rokka sat down next to Masuki. She fit right next to her as always.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Soulmates this, soulmates that. All songs are about that or movies. People go out of their ways nowadays to put in their marks in mark databases to find their soulmates!" Chiyu rolled her eyes. "Is it that interesting? I don’t care about that!"
"You’re right, master!" Pareo agreed.
Rei laughed. "I don’t believe you."
"Look at us," Chiyu said pointing her jerky at Pareo behind her. "We’re soulmates but that didn’t change a thing!"
"To be fair, you’re like thirteen," Masuki replied.
Chiyu huffed. "Are you saying I’m a child?"
Well, yeah. Masuki had no idea what she would’ve done if she had found her soulmate at such an early age. She would probably just stay friends as well.
"I think…" Rokka cleared her throat and flattened her skirt on her lap. "I think soulmates are a great thing. But I… I also think it’s a sacred thing? I know this is a bit old-fashioned but I guess it was because I was raised like that. I want to show the person I love my mark, and no one else. I don’t want to show it around."
"So, you want to date someone and then show them your mark and then both of you are disappointed because it doesn’t match and break up?" Chiyu asked. "Nah, I pass."
"You literally already found yours, you don’t need to pass on it," Masuki pointed out. She turned to Rokka. "I understand that."
"Really? You don’t think it’s old-fashioned?"
"Nah."
Rokka smiled at her brightly.
"Cute," Masuki whispered.
"Eh?"
Oh, she said it out loud again. Rokka’s face was bright red and Chiyu broke the moment. "Pareo! Jerky!"
"Yes!"
Masuki had no idea when they started getting so close to each other. Sure, she was casual with other people but it was different with Rokka. They drove together to practice, with Rokka on the back. She wouldn’t cling as tightly to her as the first few times anymore because she wasn’t as scared, but she would still put her arms around Masuki’s mid.
Masuki didn’t think much of it at first, but recently, she was so conscious of it. Of Rokka’s arms around her, her head resting against Masuki’s shoulders. When she took Rei or anyone else with her, they’d never lean against Masuki like that. It was just Rokka. When they were at practice outside the recording studio and Masuki would just read again, she’d lay her head on Rokka’s lap and Rokka would play with her hair. They’ve invaded each other’s personal space so often that they were now one.
And Masuki liked it.
Girls were cute, girls like Rokka and Ako. But Rokka was cute in another way. Not in the way she’d look at little kittens, but in a way that made Masuki want to reach out for Rokka and not just put her arm around her shoulders but actually take her hand. She wanted their palms pressed against each other, and she wanted to comment at how tiny Rokka’s hands were compared to hers, and feel how calloused they were from how much she was practicing on her guitar, and she wanted Rokka to intertwine their fingers together.
And then she realized it.
When they were after a long practice at the Ramen shop again and Masuki cooked a new meal for her, with Rokka smiling brightly at her.
"It’s so good!"
"Yeah?"
"Hm! A bit spicy though." Rokka darted out her tongue and Masuki laughed and quickly poured her friend a glass of water.
"Here."
"Thank you!" Their hands touched for a short second when Rokka took the cup and that’s when Masuki realized.
She liked Rokka. She wanted more than to be just her friend.
God, she had been so blind all along.
"Hey—"
"Ssh!" Masuki put her index finger to her lips and then pointed at Rokka who had fallen asleep on her shoulder.
"Oh, sorry." Rei raised her hands. "She must be really tired if she fell asleep."
"Worked at Galaxy today before coming over," Masuki replied in a hushed tone.
Rei squatted in front of them. "Want me to help put her on the couch?"
Actually, Masuki didn’t want it. She liked Rokka resting her head on her shoulder, she was so close to her, and Rokka looked even cuter up close. Her lashes were so long, and she’d sometimes furrow her brows. Masuki wanted to know what she was dreaming about so badly. But she still had to practice.
"Yeah," she said.
Rei got up and they both tried their best to be so gentle to not wake up Rokka up to put her on the couch, her head now resting on a pillow.
"Thank you," Masuki whispered, her eyes still on Rokka. Was it creepy that she was watching her sleep? She quickly turned away and grabbed her drum sticks.
"I’ll tell Chu2 and Pareo to not be too loud when they get out," Rei said. "You go practice."
Masuki hummed and glanced one last time at Rokka. The other girl turned in her sleep, her shirt lifting. Masuki quickly grabbed a blanket and threw it over her.
"What is it?" Rei asked.
"Did you see it?"
"You mean… her mark?"
Masuki blushed and nodded. "Yes."
Rei hesitated. "I didn’t get too much of a good look at it. You reacted quickly."
Good. But Masuki would know the mark immediately, even if she had only seen it for a second. Because she’s stared at it so many times, and would still sometimes look at it when she changed. "It was mine."
"Huh?"
"We have the same mark."
Rei gasped and Masuki quickly stomped out of the room. Rei followed her towards the practice room.
"What’s the problem?" she asked when Masuki sat down behind the drums. "You like her."
"What? How do you know?"
Rei laughed and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "It’s obvious."
Masuki scowled and gripped the sticks tighter. "I do," she admitted. "But remember what we talked about a week ago? She didn’t want others to see, she wanted to show the person she loved the mark on her own terms."
Rei’s face dropped. "So. Are you going to pretend you didn’t see it?"
"Yes."
"Are you kidding?"
"No." Masuki shook her head. "You gonna stay here and sing while I drum or…"
"No, no. We need to talk about this. What are you going to do? At least tell me you’re gonna ask her out now."
"I can’t just ask her out now because I know she’s my soulmate!"
"Yes… You actually can."
"This isn’t how it was supposed to happen." Masuki had thought about it so many times and she was happy, god she was so happy, the person who had the same mark as hers was Rokka. Someone she liked as well. But it wasn’t supposed to be like this.
"Life isn’t a manga."
"I know that." Masuki sighed. "What if she doesn’t like me back?"
"Are you kidding? You two are tied to the hip." Rei stepped to the microphone and took it out of its stand. "Fine. Do what you think is right, but you know I’m cheering for you. And I think you should tell her."
"That I saw her mark?"
"No, about your feelings."
Masuki pressed her lips together. Right now she didn’t want to think at all, she just wanted to go ham on the drums.
"Do you want to go to practice together?" Rokka asked.
Masuki looked up from her drums. Rokka was in her Galaxy work shirt, her broom tight in her hand.
"'Course."
Rokka smiled. "Okay! Give me five minutes!" She scattered to hurry up with her work and bumped her broom against some chairs. Masuki reacted quickly and held them against the wall before they could fall on Rokka.
"Eek!" Rokka yelped.
"Be careful," Masuki said.
"Thank you." Rokka looked up to her. God, she was so close to her. Her face was only inches away and Masuki had to just lean down… Masuki quickly turned away.
"I’ll wait outside." She picked up her bags and got out. No, it was almost impossible to not just kiss her out of nowhere. It was actual torture.
Now that she knew they were soulmates, having Rokka around her all the time was so hard. She was always there and Masuki felt so bad because she saw someone she wasn’t supposed to see and she didn’t have the heart to tell her but she also couldn’t keep quiet any longer.
Masuki started to avoid her, and she also ignored Rei’s judgmental looks. She wished she had never told Rei.
Avoiding Rokka was hard though, and when she was at the Ramen shop alone without Rokka, everyone immediately asked for her girlfriend.
"She’s not my girlfriend," Masuki said.
"Oh? I thought she was. My bad."
The other day, Masuki came to practice without Rokka because she went after school, and Tae was there with Rei.
"Yo," Masuki greeted her.
"Where’s Rokka?" Tae asked, looking behind Masuki as if Rokka would always hide behind her. Which she often did…
"Not here, probably still at work," Masuki replied.
"Ah." Tae nodded and Masuki looked to Rei.
"You told her?" She raised her eyebrows.
"Do you mind?"
Masuki sighed and shook her head. She wished it would be so easy as it had been or Rei and Tae. Then again, it had taken them about six years. "No."
"You should tell her," Tae said. "She told us how you’ve been avoiding her."
"What?"
"Told Kasumi and me. She’s been down. Thought maybe she had done something wrong?"
Fuck. Masuki kicked her bike. She didn’t want to make Rokka sad and now she ruined everything. She held herself back from cursing. "What do I do now?"
"You tell her," Rei said. "How is it so hard?"
"Would you have told her?!"
Rei looked at Tae. "Uhm. Thank god she kissed me first."
Tae laughed and kissed her cheek. "I have to go now. Have fun at practice!"
"Tell Chiyu I’ll come later," Masuki said and put her helmet back on.
"Are you telling her? Oooh!" Tae clapped her hands with an expressionless face and Rei snickered.
"Ugh." Masuki gripped the bike’s handles. "I have to." Even if she didn’t like her back, at least she wouldn’t be sad. She’d know it wasn’t her fault but Masuki’s.
"Good luck, but I doubt you need it," Rei said.
What did she know?
Rokka let out a long sigh. She was only slowly sweeping the floor with the broom and made a long face.
"Maybe you know why she’s acting like this. Been like this all day," one of the co-workers whispered to Masuki.
Fuck, it was her fault. The other woman left.
"Oi."
Rokka flinched at Masuki’s words. "Ah, Masuki! Sorry, I was just… caught up in thoughts."
Masuki took big steps towards her, and with every stroke, Rokka flinched back until she was against the wall. "Why are you trying to escape me?" Masuki asked with a scowl on her face. She put her hand next to Rokka against the wall, towering over her.
Rokka clung onto the broom. "Are you mad?" she asked, making herself even smaller than she already was.
"Hah?!"
"I don’t know what I did but I’m sorry!"
"I’m not mad at you!"
"You’re not?"
"No!"
"But you look really scary right now."
Masuki stepped back and lowered her arm. "Sorry, I…" She rubbed her temples. "Didn’t want to scare you."
"I’m not scared at you! I’m just worried. You’re really not angry?"
"No."
"Oh, thank god." Rokka let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "I really wouldn’t know what to do if you were angry at me!" She smiled.
Masuki put her hands in the jacket’s pockets because she had no idea what to do with them. "I could never be angry at you."
"Really? Good. But… you’ve been avoiding me lately. Or I’m just thinking too much into it. If something is troubling you, please tell me!"
Masuki hesitated. "No, it’s fine," she lied. She patted Rokka’s head. "So cute…"
"Masuki!" Rokka pushed her hand away.
"Woah, are you mad now?"
"No! I mean, yes but no! Can you stop doing that?"
"Doing what?"
Rokka blushed. "Treating me like that… always calling me cute and touching me!"
"Do you hate it?"
"No, but I get my hopes up," Rokka murmured, looking down at her feet. "I know you like cute things but—"
"It’s not just cute things I like! I like you."
Rokka gasped. "You like me?!"
Masuki felt her face heating up and she put her hands in her palms. God, that came out of nowhere. How uncool. "I wanted this to go differently. The confession I mean."
Rokka gently put Masuki’s hands off of her face but Masuki instead turned her face away. She didn’t want Rokka to see her like this, all red and flustered. "I— I like you too."
"You do?"
Rokka nodded. She was blushing too. God, she was so fucking adorable.
"Can I kiss you?" Masuki asked.
"Yes, please," Rokka whispered. She had her eyes squeezed shut and was on her tiptoes. Masuki tried not to laugh, but she couldn’t help it. "Don’t make fun of me!"
"Sorry, you’re just so cute," Masuki apologized and then leaned down and placed her lips against Rokka’s. Her lips were so soft and she wasn’t sure what she was doing but she knew it was just right. Just like every time Rokka was under her arm, or behind her on the bike or Masuki was resting her head on Rokka’s lap, they just fit right against each other.
It was just right, marks, or not.
When they parted, Rokka had her eyes closed for a short while still before she opened them. "Woah."
"Yeah," Masuki agreed.
"Can I show you my mark or is that too early? I have no idea how this works." She fumbled with the hem of her shirt and Masuki hesitated.
"If you want to."
"Oh… Okay." Rokka turned to the side and slightly lifted her shirt. There it was, the mark. It was pretty simple compared to Rei and Tae’s, sharp straight lines forming a geometrical symbol. "So?"
"Sorry. I knew it already," Masuki apologized. "I have the same."
"What?"
"I… I found out like two weeks ago."
"You knew all along?! And you didn’t tell me?"
"You said you only wanted your lover to see!"
"Don’t think too much into my words!" Rokka shouted. "Let me see yo2urs!"
Masuki rubbed the back of her neck. "Okay." She pulled up her skirt. She had never felt so naked in front of another person before, even if it was just showing Rokka her thigh.
"Can… Can I touch it?"
"Yeah, feel free to."
Rokka touched the mark and Masuki held her breath while the other girl’s fingers slid over the naked skin. "It really is the same."
"Yeah." Masuki let her skirt go again.
"Two weeks." Rokka shook her head. "You avoided me."
"I’m sorry, I didn’t know how to tell you."
Rokka pouted. "You better make up for it!"
Masuki grinned and pinched her cheeks. "Promise." She leaned down and kissed her girlfriend again. Girlfriend and soulmate— Rei was right, life wasn’t a manga, but this was actually so much better.
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