~~~

"So Akari, how's it going with Oogaki-senpai? Any progress yet?" Natsuki asked. Yuu and Koyomi simultaneously ugh'd with rather annoyed expressions. "Huh?! What'd I say?!"

Akari gave a soft laugh before answering. "No, the whole thing with Senpai... that's all over now."

"C'mon, enough about that loser already. More importantly, how are things with Doujima-kun?" Koyomi interjected.

"There's nothing going on there yet! We just went out with some friends, that's all!"

"Who the hell's Doujima?!" Natsuki yelled, leaning over the table.

"You said 'yet' just now, didn't you?" Koyomi teased.

"Would you please shut up already?!" Akari whined. She leaned back in the booth with a dejected expression, but Natsuki wasn't ready to let it go.

"C'mon, you gotta keep me updated on stuff like this! Don't be a stranger!"

While Natsuki nagged and Koyomi teased Akari, Yuu laughed as she settled back into the booth. I wonder if someday I'll be able to tell them about me and Senpai.

Filling the Circle

by @okaminuki

Yuu felt something poke at her cheek and looked down. She was lying in bed on her right side using her arm as a pillow. Nestled below her was her girlfriend, Touko, who had a small smile on her face. The dark-haired girl poked Yuu's cheek a couple more times.

"Your hand stopped. Something wrong, love?"

Yuu blinked and wiggled her left fingers; they were stopped in Touko's hair, paused mid-stroke. She giggled and resumed stroking her hair. "I think you like this more than I do. No, nothing's wrong. I was just lost in thought."

Touko nestled back into Yuu's chest and hummed contently, happy that the redhead continued playing with her hair. "I think I might. Ever since you did it the first time, before the election speeches, it's made me feel safe." She paused, enjoying the light tug of Yuu's fingers.

Koito Yuu and Nanami Touko were cuddled in bed on a Friday evening, a spare futon going unused on the floor. Touko, a year ahead of Yuu, had originally visited Yuu's home on the pretext of tutoring for exams next week, but that had upgraded into a sleepover after the weather took a turn for the worse. After nearly being caught not studying by Yuu's mother, the two decided to finish up their homework seriously after dinner. Afterwards, they played games for a few hours (Splatoon for Yuu, and later Mario Kart for Touko). Yuu's sister, Rei, brought up some cookies she baked for them to share and, after they cleaned the plate, they decided to call it a night.

"What were you thinking about?" Touko asked.

Yuu squirmed and adjusted her arm that was under her head; she had been lying there for more than a while, so it was starting to get uncomfortable. She instead opted for an actual pillow and used her now-free arm to pull Touko in a little more tightly. She heard Touko squee a little, then waited for her to snuggle in and get comfortable before continuing to stroke her hair.

"Last year after Koyomi won her rookie novelist award, she, Natsuki, Akari, and I all went to a family restaurant to celebrate. We hadn't told Natsuki about Akari and Doujima-kun yet and she asked how it was going with Oogaki-senpai. It led to a big fuss with Natsuki not knowing what was going on and Koyomi wanting the latest news about Doujima-kun." Yuu chuckled lightly at the memory and smiled. She took a moment to feel her fingers go through Touko's hair; it was so soft and so long, it always felt like she would never reach the end. Stroking her hair like this, just as it did the first time, Yuu felt like she was telling Touko she accepted and loved all of her. She could feel Touko's smile as she told the story. "I remember wondering if I'd ever be able to to tell them about us." Her words got softer and trailed off at the end.

Touko moved her arm from in front of herself and wrapped it around Yuu's waist, giving her a squeeze. "I'm honestly surprised you haven't told them yet. Do you think they'll react badly?"

"Hmm... I really can't imagine they would. It went pretty well with Rei-chan, didn't it?"

Touko laughed as she remembered it. "I think that went really well. Those childhood photos of you were so adorable!" Touko heard the redhead grumble at the memory. "How did she get those photo albums in her purse anyway? She had a few and it looked like her purse wasn't that big."

"Right?! I asked her after we left the café, but she never told me. There were a few times last semester where it would've been nice to have a magical bag to haul around all of that student council paperwork. I hope the next councils appreciate all of the effort we put into digitizing everything." Yuu harrumphed while Touko laughed again.

The conversation lulled and Yuu looked outside. There wasn't much light out, but she could make out snow falling. Large flakes floated into and out of view, a little piling up on the window sill outside. The room was noticeably getting colder, but Yuu didn't mind it too much, as she effectively had a portable heater right up against her. "The snow is definitely heavier than earlier."

"Hmm... describe it to me. I don't want to move." Touko nestled her face deeper into Yuu's chest, muffling the last few words.

Yuu laughed and kissed the top of the dark-haired girl's head. "Don't forget to come up for air." Touko pulled her head back and made an exaggerated gasp for air before diving back in, causing Yuu to laugh again. "I can't really see much from here, but I can tell it will pile up a lot. Almost everything I can see is white, though. I'm glad Mom let you stay the night and insisted that Rei-chan and Hiro-kun stay as well."

"I'm a little excited for breakfast. I haven't had it with so many people in so long, especially with you there, Yuu." Touko peeked up and smiled.

Yuu smiled back and shared her gaze. She couldn't think of another moment where she was so comfortable and happy as right now. After months of thinking she was different, thinking she was unable to love, she was with someone she could call special; someone with whom she could reciprocate all of the love she received. That didn't stop Yuu from wanting to tease her, though. "And here I thought you were excited to sleep with me again," she said in a pouting tone.

"I'm excited for that, too!" Touko's eyes widened. After seeing the redhead switch to a grin, she rolled her eyes and nestled back into Yuu, a smile on her face. "But it will be breakfast with your whole family this time. That's really special to me."

Touched, Yuu squeezed her girlfriend even tighter. Touko made some muffled noises and patted at Yuu's back, so she loosened her grip and laughed. "I love you so much, Touko."

"And I love you." Touko's smile beamed as she leaned up and kissed Yuu. She moved to deepen the kiss, but after a few moments, Yuu pulled away breathing heavily.

"Whoa, we better stop there before we get too crazy." Yuu caught her breath and wrapped her arm around Touko. She still squeezed her body a little closer, though.

"Aww, we'll be quiet," pouted Touko.

"Says the noisy one," Yuu shot back flatly.

After a moment of quiet and pouting, the two burst into quiet giggles. Touko pulled away and scooted up until she was eye-level with Yuu, pulling the covers up to both of their shoulders. Gazing into Yuu's eyes, she brushed away a strand of the redhead's hair and rested a hand on her cheek, using the other to hold Yuu's hand under the covers. She touched her forehead to Yuu's and closed her eyes.

Yuu covered Touko's hand with her own and closed her eyes as well. "Besides, Rei-chan has a weird sixth sense about these things. She even caught me after our first time. I don't want her to get suspicious in the morning."

"That's fine, love. You'll just have to make it up to me some other time."

Yuu snickered. "Yeah, I think I can do that."

The two enjoyed each others' warmth for a time. The quiet home and the quiet, snow-covered street beyond the window meant they could only hear each others' light breathing. Yuu focused on Touko and felt herself sink a little further into her bed.

"Are you going to tell your friends?" Touko asked softly.

Yuu didn't answer immediately, feeling a little rush of anxiety bubble up inside. "I really want to, but it's different than when I told Rei-chan; she already had her suspicions and she's family." She lightly squeezed Touko's hand under the covers. "Koyomi, Akari, Natsuki; they have no idea. I really can't imagine they won't accept it, or us, but it's still really nerve-racking."

Touko's thumb moved lightly across Yuu's cheek. The younger girl held her hand tighter and turned her face to nuzzle it, giving Touko's palm a light kiss. Touko raised her head and kissed Yuu's forehead. "I'll always have your back, Yuu. If I can help you in any way, please let me know."

"I know you will, love. Thank you." Yuu paused a moment, feeling Touko brush her cheek again. "I should just do it and get it over with. I should do it next week!"

Touko smiled, her eyes still closed. "I'll support you the whole way."

"... Er, maybe next month?"

"Oh, you're slipping there."

"... I mean, do they really need to know?"

Touko laughed and opened her eyes. Yuu's face had a nervous expression and she held Touko's hands tighter. "Yuu, they're your friends."

Yuu's eyes slowly opened and met her gaze; Touko could feel her relax, her hands loosening their grip, so she leaned in for a small kiss. "Hey, how about this: you can keep trying to find the time to tell them in the meantime, but you have to tell them by your birthday."

"Eh? Why my birthday?" Yuu recoiled back a bit with wide eyes. "Seems kind of like a big bomb to drop on my own birthday."

Touko chuckled, nudging Yuu to come back before answering. "It's just an idea. I'd like to celebrate your birthday with everyone else. Of course, we'll have our own little... party." She poked Yuu's belly with the hand that was under the covers, causing Yuu to smile. "But I want to see you with your friends, too."

Yuu hmm'd her acknowledgement. "Well, I suppose it would be a decent excuse. Maybe I can think of it as a birthday present to myself; bringing my friends into our circle. And Koyomi does ask about you from time to time." She gripped Touko's hands with slightly renewed resolve. "I'll do my best to tell them by then."

Touko beamed her smile. "I'll take my payment in kisses, please. Eeep!" Yuu tickled at her sides, earning the louder-than-expected squeak.

"Hai, hai, Senpai." Yuu closed her eyes with a smile and leaned in.

~~~

("Ahhh, I slept like a rock! Last night was really cozy, right Yuu?" "Rei-chan!")

~~~

"Remember, everyone, what we just went over will be on the quiz next week. Dismissed." The teacher quickly packed up and left the classroom. The students were already packing their bags or leaving the room, some heading to clubs and others heading home for the weekend. After glancing outside to confirm the weather, Yuu began packing her things as well.

Three weeks passed before Yuu knew it and it was now late February. With Touko's help, her exams went well, particularly in math. Now that those were over, she could focus more on Akari and Koyomi. She tried a couple of times to invite them out, but Akari was often busy with basketball practice and Koyomi was often leaving early to work on her writing. She was a bit peeved that her resolve kept getting rejected, but she couldn't really blame them; student council often took up her afternoons as well. She was at least proud of herself that she was taking the steps to tell them about her and Touko, though!

Touko mentioned the day before that there would be little work today, so she suggested everyone take the day off. The past month was particularly busy with less-than-interesting paperwork, so Yuu was all too pleased at the opportunity.

Yuu zipped closed her bag and looked over to Akari. She was still packing, so Yuu shouldered her bag and wandered over. "Are you free today, Akari?"

Hyuuga Akari looked up and grinned in response. "I actually am! The captains are having a meeting to discuss the teams since the third years are retiring soon, so they called the day off. Do you want to go do something?"

"I was thinking we could go visit Echo. It's been a while since we've all done something after school together. I'll go ask Koyomi."

"Cool! Let me finish packing and I'll meet you over there."

A little wave of nervousness crept up on Yuu, but she tried to ignore it and walked over to a yawning Koyomi. "Hey, sleepyhead. Do you want to hang out with Akari and me?"

Kanou Koyomi rubbed her eyes and looked up at Yuu. "Hmm? No student council today?"

"Nope! We're starting to catch up on our digitizing work, so Nanami-senpai gave us today off. Same with Akari."

Koyomi set her bag on her desk to start packing her things. "Then sure. I know I've been turning you down lately, sorry. I keep getting new ideas that I want to get written down, but I think my brain has shut down today."

"You don't have to worry about that," Yuu laughed. "We've all been pretty busy lately." She leaned down in front of Koyomi with a smug grin. "And I know you've been super motivated after the stage show's reception and the contest award."

Koyomi blushed and looked down to her bag. "I'm sure that has nothing to do with it."

Akari hopped over next to Yuu, a cheerful look on her face. "Koyomi! You coming with us?"

Koyomi zipped closed her bag and stood. "Yup, I'm ready to go. Where are we going?"

"I was thinking we could head over to Echo," Yuu answered as she turned to leave.

"Let's get something sweet we can share!" Akari suggested excitedly.

"Sure. Maybe the sugar will give me a boost." Koyomi followed Yuu and Akari followed after.

The trio left school grounds chatting idly. It was a bright, clear day with a few white clouds in the sky. It was still rather cold and snow from the snowstorm a couple weeks prior still covered the ground. Yuu shivered, but she wasn't sure if it was from the cold or her anxiety.

It looked like today could be the day she tells Akari and Koyomi. She was reasonably confident she could tell them if the opportunity came up, but the problem was getting the opportunity to come up. She tried thinking through various conversations, but nothing really seemed to naturally flow into "hey, I'm dating a girl who also happens to be the most popular girl in school!" Yuu let out a quiet groan as they approached the train tracks; they got unlucky and had to wait for a train to pass. She shook her head and looked toward Akari and Koyomi to see what they were talking about.

"How's your writing going, Koyomi?" Akari asked.

"I think it's going pretty well, but I'm not making too much progress on an actual story," Koyomi explained, starting to talk faster and raising her fists to her chest. "I keep getting these great ideas, but they often don't work together. I think I've started three outlines for different stories at this point. First, I want to write the scenes that are clearest in my head and see what comes out the best. Maybe you can help me with that, Yuu. That'll give me more ideas and I can fill in the gaps in my outlines. After that, I can start solidifying the overall stories and get details on the characters." Akari and Yuu laughed at her excitement and Koyomi blushed, lowering her hands. Akari reached over and gave her a reassuring hug. The train passed and the gates rose, allowing the small crowd of students to resume their journeys.

"You're not going to continue the story you entered to the contest?" Yuu asked.

"I thought about it, but I don't think so," Koyomi answered, talking at her normal speed. "As much as I enjoyed writing it, I don't feel like I could continue the story for very long. I wrote that specifically for the contest, so I think I'll leave it at that."

"At least you have no shortage of ideas, Koyomi," Yuu said with a smile. "I'm really looking forward to what you come up with!"

"Thanks, Yuu." A ways before the three got to the corner to turn toward Echo, Koyomi perked up and narrowed her eyes. "Is that Nanami-senpai?"

Yuu was looking at the sky and, after a flinch, looked down to where Koyomi indicated. Touko was turning right at the corner toward the train station. "Ah, it is."

"I haven't talked to her in a while," Koyomi mused. "And it's been a while, but I never asked what her thoughts were about her character in the stage show. Would you two mind if she joined us?"

Yuu blushed a little and looked away from Touko's direction. "Uh, sure, I don't mind."

"I haven't talked to Nanami-senpai very much, but I don't mind," Akari answered. "Something wrong, Yuu?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing!" Yuu made an awkward laugh and jogged forward. "Nanami-senpai!"

Up ahead, Touko stopped and turned toward the voice. Yuu was waving, but stopped short; the way Touko turned caused her hair to flare out. Yuu's eyes sparkled, but she quickly shook her head and waved again. How does she keep doing that?! "Nanami-senpai! We were going to head over to Echo. Would you like to join us?"

"Yuu! Oh, um, I didn't have any plans for this afternoon." Touko fully turned to face the group. "Good afternoon, Kanou-san, Hyuuga-san. Would that be okay with you?"

"Good afternoon, Senpai," Koyomi, catching up to Yuu, returned the greeting. "I was the one who suggested it; I wanted to talk to you about the stage show."

"And I'm fine with it," Akari smiled. "I know you and Yuu are close."

Touko smiled at the two. "Then I'd love to join you! Thank you for the invitation."

Koyomi and Akari turned the opposite corner toward Echo. Yuu moved to follow, but Touko caught her fingers. When Yuu glanced back, the dark-haired girl had a concerned look on her face and spoke quietly. "Yuu, will I be interrupting? Were you planning to tell them about us?"

A gentle, loving smile grew on Yuu's face. "Of course you're not interrupting. The plan is to tell them, but I'm getting more nervous as we get closer. I can't figure out how I should bring it up, so can you help me if you find a good opening?"

Touko beamed and gave Yuu's fingers a squeeze. "Of course! I'll always have your back, love!" She let go of Yuu and walked to catch up to Akari and Koyomi. A gust of wind caught her hair, causing it to stream behind her.

Yuu paused a moment, then shook her head and started walking. Geez, why does my heart skip a beat every time that happens?

~~~

Kodama Miyako was closing a cabinet when she heard the bell to her café ring. She turned to find a familiar group of high schoolers entering. "Ah, welcome, girls. Please sit wherever you'd like." As the door closed, an outdoor breeze rushed past her, making her shiver. "Brr! It must be freezing out there! Can I get you something warm started while you settle in?"

Koyomi was the first to enter and answer. "Good afternoon. Coffee would be great, thank you!" Akari and Touko answered the same, while Yuu opted for tea (to help calm her nerves).

Warmth flooded over Yuu as she walked through the café and some of her nervousness was pushed away by it. More than she was happy, she was relieved they came across Touko. Not only was she great at helping Yuu calm down, but she felt having Touko's physical and emotional support with her would make breaking the news to Akari and Koyomi that much easier.

As Koyomi led the group toward the last table by the windows, she turned her head to address Touko. "How has school been, Senpai?"

"Ugh, it's been rough," Touko answered dejectedly, drooping forward a little and letting her arms hang. "Sayaka and I tied on the last exams. Tied! That's such an unfulfilling result."

Following behind Touko, Yuu laughed and patted her on the back; Touko had complained to her about it multiple times since the results came out. "Poor Senpai. You'll just have to get her next time."

Koyomi and Akari took their seats on the far side of the table and Touko and Yuu filled in on the other side. Miyako stopped by their table a few minutes later with their drinks. The high schoolers huddled around menus with their partners, quietly discussing what to order. After a few minutes, Miyako returned and took their orders. Their cakes came out soon after and she left them to their conversation. Koyomi had asked how Akari's date was the previous weekend, the latter answering how she and Doujima went bowling and saw a movie.

"Wait, you're the one Doujima-kun keeps talking about, Hyuuga-san?" Touko exclaimed with surprise. She did already know about them, but since she could have only gotten that information from Yuu, she decided to feign ignorance.

"Eh? He talks about me!?" Akari put her hands to her cheeks to hide her embarrassment.

"I've never heard him talking about it?" Yuu looked over to Touko as she laughed.

"Hmm? Oh, maybe it's because he knows you and Hyuuga-san are friends," she answered, wiping a tear from her eye. "He'll wander into the student council building, talking about how much fun he had on his dates until he notices Sayaka's glare. He never mentioned who it was, though."

"Sorry about that, Nanami-senpai." Still blushing a little, Akari gave her a small bow.

"You don't have to worry about that, Hyuuga-san," Touko said with a dismissive wave. "I think it's entertaining. And I'm happy for you two! Please take good care of our Doujima-kun." Touko smiled and gave her own bow, which Yuu mimicked.

"Please, stop that!" Akari laughed and waved her hands.

Touko, still smiling, leaned onto the table. She looked over to Yuu, resting her head on her hand. "So, Yuu, do you have any love stories?"

Akari calmed down and leaned back into her seat. "Nah, Yuu's never been the type to..." and trailed off.

Yuu was looking down at the table with a blush on her face. She squirmed a bit, hesitating before opening her mouth to speak. "Actually... I kind of... do."

Akari's and Koyomi's expressions immediately shifted to excitement. Akari suddenly grabbed onto the table and leaned forward. "What!? Are you in love!? Finally?! Koyomi!"

"This has never happened before!" Koyomi also leaned forward. "Who is it? Did he confess first? When did it happen? Is it Maki-kun?"

Yuu glanced up and waved a hand in front of herself, "no, no, no, it's not Maki-kun. It's a little embarrassing talking about it, though." She chuckled lightly, her blush deepening.

"What's he like? We know him, right?" Akari asked.

Yuu looked to the side, away from Touko. "Um, they're tall. They have long, black hair. They're, um... they're really, really cool."

Koyomi, looking upward, leaned back and put a hand to her chin. "Hmm... Doujima-kun?"

"Doujima-kun?!" Akari's face turned sharply toward Koyomi with an expression of mixed surprise and confusion.

Yuu laughed. "No, it's not Doujima-kun, Akari." The light-heartedness of the conversation so far calmed her down and made her smile.

"Isao-kun?" Koyomi mused. "You were close with him back in middle school."

Yuu shook her head. "Not Isao-kun either, although he did confess, but I turned him down." She paused a moment and took a sip of her tea. She felt the warmth flow down her throat and settle in her stomach. "They confessed right after the first term started. Actually, they helped me when I decided to turn down Isao-kun. Oh, that was before the confession. After they did confess, things got really weird for a long time; at the time, I was convinced I couldn't fall in love. After I figured out that I did love them, I confessed... and it got really weird again, but I'd rather not get into that."

Touko suddenly started coughing and pounded on her chest. "Sorry, wrong pipe."

After making sure Touko was okay, Yuu turned forward again and put her hands around her tea cup, staring off into its contents. "We're really happy now."

Akari was drooped all over the table with sparkles in her eyes and a cheesy little grin, poking at her coffee cup. Koyomi was smiling and leaning on the table with her head on her hands. "Have you gone on any dates?"

"We've been going on dates for a while now," Yuu answered. "I don't know if it counts as a date, but our first date-like thing was going to the aquarium. That was a lot of fun!"

Akari perked up at that. "Oh! Is that where you got your charm?"

Yuu laughed and grabbed her bag, setting it on the table to show off the manta charm. "Yeah, that's where I got it. We got matching ones."

Akari, eyes still sparkling, poked at the manta. "What did he get?"

Yuu glanced over to Touko. Touko returned a cheeky smile and set her own bag onto the table, pointing to her dolphin charm. "I got this!"

Akari and Koyomi both leaned in and poked at the charm. ""Ah, it's so cute!"" Then they both suddenly paused. After a moment, they looked up, glancing between Yuu and Touko. Yuu's shoulders were hunched up and she was blushing more than ever. Touko's hand was resting on the table so Yuu, somewhat awkwardly, reached over, resting her hand on top of Touko's.

"Oh?! Ohhh!" Akari was repeating that in a high voice as she sat up straight, bouncing in her seat and softly clapping her hands in front of herself. Koyomi was still sitting with her finger poking the dolphin.

by @hasukeii

"Nana-, er... Touko-senpai and I are dating." Yuu was still looking down at the table and Touko had a bright smile on her face. Akari's voice got higher and started clapping and bouncing faster. Yuu looked over toward Koyomi, who had since moved her hand to her head and furrowed her eyebrows. "Ko-Koyomi?"

"Mrr, why do I feel like I should've seen this coming," she mused with a scowl on her face. After a moment, her eyes widened and she sat upright. "Ah! I'm sorry, Yuu! I'm not upset! Some things just started to click and I started thinking about that. I'm happy for you, really! For both of you!"

Yuu looked back to her tea cup and smiled a little. "You guys aren't weirded out that I'm dating a girl?" Her eyes peeked back up at Akari and Koyomi.

"Are you kidding? I'm excited that we can finally have girl talk!" Akari responded, taking Yuu's hand from the cup and into hers, holding it tightly. Koyomi nodded her agreement emphatically. "And everyone knows how great Nanami-senpai is. All that really matters is if you like it and are happy."

Yuu exhaled deeply and leaned back in her seat. She looked over to Touko and gave her hand a loving squeeze. "Yeah, I'm happy." Touko smiled back and placed her other hand on top of Yuu's, returning the squeeze.

"Ahh! This is so exciting! I'm so happy for you two!" Akari finally settled down and placed her hands on the table, smiling widely at both Yuu and Touko. "Does anyone else know?"

Yuu looked up to think about it, counting on her fingers. "Um, a few people do. My sister knows, one of Touko's classmates knows, Maki-kun knows..."

"Eh?! How does Maki-kun know?" Touko recoiled with surprise.

Yuu made an embarrassed grin and put a hand to the back of her head. "Uh, he kinda caught us kissing in the student council building way back when. He's known about us almost the whole time."

""Omigosh, you've kissed!?""

Laughter rang out from the other side of the café. Akari and Koyomi's exclamation was rather loud, so they apologized to Miyako, who dismissed it with a smile and a wave; the group were the only customers at the moment, so she appreciated the liveliness.

The four sat back and collectively sighed. Yuu and Touko shared a warm gaze while Koyomi took a bite of her cake. Akari leaned back onto the table, resting her head on her hand and smiling. "So, Yuu, tell us about your girlfriend. You said something about Nanami-senpai being 'really, really cool'?"

"Ah! She's so cool!" Yuu shot back excitedly. "Like, she was always cool, but after we started going out, she's been, like, really cool! The first time I saw her in a play, after the stage show, you could tell everyone's eyes were drawn to her as soon as she stepped out. And she played the part so amazingly! You couldn't even tell she was acting! She was so cool!"

"Yuu, stop it!" Touko's face was in her hands hiding her embarrassment and Yuu, Akari, and Koyomi started laughing. Yuu did not stop, though.

~~~

Yuu sat back in her seat with a tired smile. Quite some time had passed and she was a little surprised at how exhausted she was. But she was happy and relieved. Akari and Koyomi were telling stories from middle school and Touko was all too happy to take it all in.

Yuu heard a quiet clatter and looked down at the table to find a slice of cheesecake. She looked over and found Miyako smiling at her. "Huh? But I didn't..."

Miyako's smile gentled. "It's on the house. You needed a lot of courage for this, right?" Yuu paused looking up at her and Miyako placed a hand on Yuu's shoulder. "Good job."

When Miyako took her hand away and left, Yuu felt like a heavy weight was taken with it. She had ignored the anxiety that's been building over the past few weeks; the nervousness of telling Akari and Koyomi, the fear of them possibly not accepting her. All at once, it was gone. She looked back to the cheesecake, but her vision started to blur. "Huh?" She raised her hands to wipe away tears.

Touko noticed and scooted closer to Yuu, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Yuu, what's wrong?" Akari and Koyomi both paused with concerned expressions.

"I don't know," Yuu said back, her voice shaking, "I think it's just relief flooding in. I was so nervous about telling you about us, Akari, Koyomi. I felt like I knew you would accept us, but in the back of my mind, I was still scared you wouldn't. I think it's sinking in that I did it and don't have to be worried anymore. I'm so happy you accepted us."

Touko gave Yuu a tight hug while she wiped away tears. Akari and Koyomi put their arms around each other and leaned together with smiles on their faces. Akari raised a finger to her eye as if to wipe away a tear. "Sniffle, our little Yuu is all grown up."

"What's up with that?" Yuu's voice was still shaky, but she started laughing.

~~~

("Nanami-senpai, please take good care of our Yuu." "H-Hai!" "Aww, Touko-senpai is blushing." "Yuu!")

~~~

Yuu and Touko were headed toward the train station hand-in-hand after parting with Akari and Koyomi. The sun was well on its way to setting; a red glow in the sky and long shadows on the ground. Yuu's anxiety was completely gone and she felt like she didn't have a care in the world (aside from Touko). It took a while, but she didn't feel like she was keeping secrets from her friends anymore. She had a big smile on her face and was swinging their arms back and forth, taking big, bouncy steps.

"You're in a really good mood," Touko laughed. "You're practically skipping!"

"Well, part of it is because I'm with you." Touko lightly swatted Yuu's shoulder. "I'm really glad I was able to tell Akari and Koyomi about us. I think I would've been able to tell them either way, but I'm really happy you were with me. Thanks for the assist!"

"Of course!" Touko gave Yuu a bright smile. "I got a lot out of it, too. I feel like I get along well with both of them, which I'm happy for, and I got a ton of stories about you! I feel like my 'loving Yuu' meter is almost filled up!"

"Oh?" Yuu stepped in front of Touko, stood on her toes, and gave Touko a deep kiss. Touko sank into it, squeezing Yuu's hand tighter. After several moments, Yuu broke away with a heavy breath. "Now is it filled up?"

"Yuu!" Touko had a happy smile on her face, but she started swatting Yuu's shoulder again. She quickly looked around to see if anyone noticed, but the street was empty apart from the couple. Touko cleared her throat, assumed an aloof expression, and resumed walking, although she was the one swinging their arms now. "Sorry, but my 'Yuu' meter has no end. Even if you kiss me again, it will never be filled!"

"Challenge accepted, Senpai." Yuu reached up with both hands to Touko's face and pulled her down into an even deeper kiss. Touko's shoulders drooped a little and she completely melted into it, slowly putting her arms around Yuu. After several moments, Touko made a squee noise and tightly hugged Yuu.

by @AimableManahira

Yuu broke the kiss and laughed. "How about now?"

Touko let go of Yuu and stumbled back a step. She had to take a deep breath, shaking her head before she started walking again. "Nope, not even close."

Yuu laughed and caught up to Touko, taking her arm this time. "I love you, Touko."

Touko rested her head on top of Yuu's. "And I love you, Yuu."

The two continued walking down the quiet street, enjoying each others' presence. Someone would occasionally walk past, but Yuu and Touko ignored whatever looks they may have gotten; all that mattered were the two of them for the time being.

"I still need to tell Natsuki," Yuu commented quietly.

"Hmm, I haven't met her yet." Touko put a finger to her chin in thought.

"Yet?" Yuu giggled.

"Of course it's a 'yet'!" A light blush rose on Touko's cheek. She continued in a proud voice. "It's a given that I'll meet her someday."

Yuu hugged her arm a little tighter. "I like how you put that. And you're right."

"What's she like?"

"She's like Akari, but more tomboyish. We were in softball club together back in middle school. She continued that in high school and takes it really seriously. I feel like she's going to go really far someday."

"I'm looking forward to meeting her." Touko smiled, enjoying the sound of Yuu's voice. "She goes to a different school, right? How are you going to tell her?"

"I think I'll send her a message tonight," Yuu answered quickly. "She's sometimes hard to get in touch and meet up with. I want to ride this confidence and resolve while I still can."

Touko slowed to a stop and rested her head on top of Yuu's. "It'll go well, Yuu. All of your friends love you."

Yuu let out a satisfied sigh, a smile on her face. "I know. I'm not as worried about it anymore."

They stood for a few moments longer, but they had reached the station. Yuu let go of Touko's arm and Touko took a few steps, turning to face Yuu with a big smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, love."

"Bye-bye," Yuu waved.

Touko turned to head into the station; the way she turned caused her hair to flare out. This time, Yuu let herself be mesmerized. After zoning out for a bit, she shook her head and turned to head home. Every time...

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( Hey, Natsuki, are you free? I want to tell you about something important. ) 20:34

( Hey! Yeah, I just got out of a bath. What's up? ) 20:47
( Wait, is it something good or not so good? I need to prepare myself. ) 20:47

( Um, it should be a good. ) 20:48

( Okay, hold on... alright, I'm ready. Hit me! ) 20:48

( Do you remember back when we hung out before the student council's training camp? ) 20:51

( Oh yeah! The one where you kept complaining about your senpai? That was fun. ) 20:52
( You should start running with me again! ) 20:52

( Haha I might take you up on that. ) 20:52
( So yeah, it's about that. About that senpai, I mean. ) 20:52
( She's my girlfriend now. ) 20:53
( Her name is Nanami Touko, by the way. ) 20:53

< Natsuki is typing... >
< >
< Natsuki is typing... >
< >
< Natsuki is typing... >

( Natsuki? ) 20:54

< Natsuki would like to start a call >

"What?! This has never happened before! Really?!"

"Hahaha! Yeah, really. I'm really happy."

fin