Chapter Text
He didn’t know donuts could be so colorful until the day he walked into a little unassuming donut shop and met his soulmate.
Met might be a bit of an overstatement.
She works at the donut shop. Nene is the name on her gold plate clipped to her shirt. Her work shirt is white and collared. The apron she wears over it is pink and brown. Her eyes are like rubies, bright and brilliant red. Her hair is white like clouds with tips colored like the ocean but only on the clearest, most beautiful day. She is beautiful and the moment he sees her, it’s like waking up from a dream where you’re falling, dropping into a world of color. It’s jarring, life-changing, but by her reaction, or, well, non-reaction, it seems to be one-sided.
Maybe Nene had treated him like any other customer because he was with Sakura. They just had a walk and he suggested donuts, hoping donuts could give them a break from trying to fill the awkward silence. He had known from the start that Sakura wasn’t his soulmate, but he still asked her out. After all, just because someone isn’t the one in billions made for you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t spend time together, make connections. At least, that’s what Kou said, practically pushing him out the door so he and his soulmate, Mitsuba could have the apartment to themselves for the evening.
She treated him like any other customer so he acted like any other customer. Amane had ordered his donut, deviated from his plain one and ordered a fancy white frosted (and really thick) donut with a skull brooch design because he liked the color and he thought it’s cute. Sakura ordered a chocolate flavored one and spent their entire time in there, defending chocolate (“It’s reliable and always available, unlike most men I meet.”), and Amane pays attention, thoroughly amused, but stole glances at the girl behind the counter until she went on break and the room remained colorful, but colder.
After that night, Amane goes back to the donut shop almost every day. Every day she’s working, of course. He doesn’t go in just to stare at her. That would be rude. Instead, he works way through the donut flavors, the more colorful the better.
Rainbow Donut. Vanilla Frosting With Sprinkles. Lemon Cream. Strawberry Jelly. Red Velvet Donuts. He even tried the Matcha flavored one because they are somewhat colored like the tip of her hair.
This one called “Love Potion” that he thinks is chocolate donut filled with raspberry. (He turns red as he orders it and Nene is nothing, but professional. Her coworker on the other hand, Aoi according to her name tag, smiles knowingly, so either they talk about him or she’s met her soulmate and sees the color in his cheeks.)
He finds he likes pistachio covered and red velvet donuts. Still on the fence regarding this white frosted one with red, yellow, blue, green sprinkles called Star Donuts, which he thinks is probably a seasonal special, it being July. Boy, he can’t wait to see the tanzaku and fireworks in color.
On July 7th, Amane can’t decide what flavor he’d like to try and he’s aware a line is forming behind him. It’s the day of the Tanabata Festival and apparently, people want their donuts. Nene is on the other side of the counter, trying to act as professional as she always is, but he seems to be testing her patience. Is the shop warmer than usual or is the heat just on him?
“I think…no.” Amane hums and he sees her frustration, feels it in the way she’s staring at him. He really shouldn’t be thinking how cute she is when she’s annoyed, especially when he can feel the people in line behind him growing antsy. Aoi races around behind Nene and tries to help out as many as she can, slinging out boxes of colored donuts and blending coffees and teas with no help from her coworker. “Maybe… What’s that red donut again?”
“Red velvet,” Nene says a little sharply. “Which you know because you’ve gotten it three times in the last month.” She takes an exasperated breath and adds, “Sir.”
“I’ll take two of that with one plain donut,” Amane says with a sheepish smile. He’s sure to add a, “Please.”
She grumbles a little, but he’s pretty sure he sees the hint of a smile as she reaches for the small donut box.
Amane takes his donuts, strolls around near the area where people are setting up their booths and stalls. He sits on a sidewalk bench for a bit, people watching as he does. Not a bad day. He’s meeting his friends later, but it’s just been him so far today. Honestly, this is all he wanted for today, visit Tsukasa, a little fresh air and time to himself before the festival, a little donut, seeing her.
“I know what you’re doing.”
Amane almost choked when he sees a flash of white out of the corner of his eye and there she is. Nene. Hair a little wild in the breeze, sinking down beside him on the bench. Seeing her out here, outside of the donut shop, in the sun and how her eyes appear even brighter, is mesmerizing. It almost doesn’t feel real. He forgets how to speak and there’s that little smile of hers she seems so set on fighting.
“You keep coming around because you think I’m your soulmate,” she continues when he doesn’t say anything, can’t say anything. “I’ll save you the money and the diabetes, I’m sorry but I don’t have time for soulmates so you can stop.”
Amane’s eyebrows fly up and he finally closes his mouth. “Eh? Does that mean your world didn’t explode into color when I walked into the shop?”
“Explode into color? Are you always this dramatic?”
“Is that a yes or a no?”
Nene looks out over the brightly decorated stalls while Amane can’t stop looking at her. “It did.” Amane nearly jumps and punches the air at the confirmation. “But I don’t think that means we’re made for each other necessarily.”
Amane chuckles, can’t believe this girl and how stubborn she apparently is. Of course, his soulmate would be just as stubborn as he is. Amane rests his cheek in the palm of his hand as he studies her. “Then what is it supposed to mean?”
With a shrug and a flick of her wrist, she counters, “Does it have to mean anything?”
She sounds like one of his teachers, making him smile.
“You strike me as someone romantic, to be honest.” He says, between bites.
She lets out a derisive laugh. “Would you believe 7 years ago, I was the first one to believe in romance and fairytales? But it’s kind of tiring when your heart gets repeatedly trampled on. Maybe I’m too emotionally exhausted to believe in this soulmate thing.”
At that moment, Amane had to tamp down the urge to take her into his arms and comfort her. Instead he puts his half-eaten donut back in the box, wiping a few crumbs off his pants.
“Plus my ankles aren’t helping a bit in the romance department.” Her smile is self-deprecating.
Amane furrows his brows. “What’s wrong with them?”
She throws him an incredulous look “Are you for real? Look, they’re thick and huge! So unless you’re blind, you can’t exactly miss them.” She points at her ankles and scowls at them like they are the most offensive thing in the world. “Men usually look the other way around once they see these.”
His eyes sweep over her legs, making sure to do it quickly not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable.
“I think they’re cute and those men are assholes and I prefer girls with strong legs, you know~” Amane wiggles his brows playfully and wears what he hopes is a cheery, winning smile, but it feels like a desperate plea of ‘Oh God please like me you’re super cute and I’m so awful at everything’.
She ducks her head, smiling slightly as she wipes imaginary dirt on her shirt. “Oh yeah, I know.” She tries to mimic his playful voice and Amane feels a burst of warmth and determination to make every second of this chance count.
“I’ll have you know that I’m a fairly honest person and I just don’t say this kind of stuff to anyone.”
Nene quirks an eyebrow up. “Only fairly honest?”
His heart leaps. “I mean…yeah. I don’t have anything to convince you to believe in this soulmate stuff and I’m not good with words but I honestly think that maybe it’s a good thing you don’t believe in the soulmate business. I don’t exactly have the means to whisk you away from the donut shop, but I could buy you dinner. ” Amane says,with a proud little smirk.
“Smooth.” She tilts her head, purses her lips and her hair is everywhere and just gorgeous. “I’m working, if you haven’t noticed.”
“No, yeah, I don’t expect you to drop everything for me. I’m supposed to meet some friends tonight for the festival, but if you wanted to come with me after your shift, I’d have no problem cancelling on them for you.”
Nene laughs lightly, shaking her head. “This is crazy. You don’t even know me. The only reason you know my name is because I wear it on my uniform. I don’t even know your name and that doesn’t seem to matter. I feel…” She looks away, fighting it, and it just makes Amane even more eager to prove her wrong.
“My name is Amane. Yugi Amane. If that helps. ”
He wishes she could see the way she smiles just at the sound of his name and maybe she would believe again...
“Don’t cancel on your friends,” Nene insists, smoothing her fingers through her hair, pushing it back and away from her face. “We supposedly have forever, right?” She rolls her eyes and her voice carries a hint of sarcasm, but the soft yet intense way she looks at him… Gosh. He forgets his words again and she laughs to herself. “I need to get back…”
“Donuts,” Amane says when he finally finds his voice. Really, Amane?
“Yes. Donuts.” Her eyes move from his eyes to his lips and she bites hers. “This is crazy…”
“Crazy enough to give it a shot?”
“I guess you won’t take no for an answer?”
The smile that spreads across his face is out of control. “I’d like to fetch you after work so we can go to the festival together, if that’s okay.”
She brings her hand up to his face, her touch feather-like and almost hesitant. The second her skin touches his, Amane feels a jolt deep inside, like a magnet yanking him to her. She retracts her hand after, a soft blush coloring her cheeks.
“I, uh, I guess it’s okay on one condition.”
He tilts his head curiously. “Name it.”
She smiles impishly. “We don’t eat donuts during the festival.”
Amane laughs, fully feeling out the burst of warmth that starts in his chest and radiates out to the rest of him. “Deal.”
“For now, I should probably get back to work.” Nene stands, but hesitates for a second, then she’s swooping down to press a kiss to the top of his head and the feeling that shoots through his entire body is unlike anything he’s ever experienced before. Even Nene looks surprised, felt it too, whispers, “I guess it’s worth a try.”
Amane licks his lips as he watches her walk back to the path leading to the shop and when he finally finds his tongue, he shouts after her, “Donuts look better in color, don't they?”
Nene glances at him from over her shoulder, looking like some sort of mirage too stunning to be real. “Taste better too.”
.
BONUS:
And when he’s experiencing fireworks in color for the first time in his life, Amane’s eyes aren’t on the sky. They’re on her.