Work Text:
Waking up with Nene was nothing short of lovely. The entire room smelling like the strawberry scented candle they had, the softest blankets Amane thinks he’s ever felt, and stuffed animals on the floor from their sleepy movements. But best of all, was getting to wake up next to Nene.
It was bittersweet to Amane, more sweet than it was bitter he noticed. Neither of them were meant to be around, Nene was meant to be dead when she was sixteen and Amane was long dead before she came into the world. It was a blessing from God, literally, that they got to still be around, Nene got her wish to live longer and Amane was around to see it all, to live with experiences he accepted long ago he’d never see.
Some mornings were a lot more emotional than others, today was one of those mornings. Amane was choking back sobs trying not to wake up Nene, so caught up in the fact that they’re both alive. He knew it would seem funny to anyone else, a grown adult sobbing over his sleeping girlfriend over simply existing. To Nene though, she knew all of what was going on. She saw how much he did to let her live longer and how much he’d given up because to him, being a school mystery was how he’d be for eternity. There were no second chances for him, and he never thought there could be. He loved her back then as well, yes, but he also wanted her to live the life he didn’t get to. Yes, he was meant to live back then so they were two fully different stories but to him it was just two sides of the same coin. One wanted to cut it short and one wanted to make it longer, it sounds similar if you don’t read too far into it.
It was around 20 minutes of his sobbing and he was nowhere near coming down, truly a new record. Normally they’d last around ten, even shorter if Nene was awake to console him. He heard her stirring and starting to slowly gain consciousness, which was not what he wanted right now. He prayed to anything he could think of that she'd stay asleep for a bit longer, but alas no one was on his side today it seems.
Nene patted the bed gently, searching for Amane. When she felt his chest where his head should be, she was really confused in her half-asleep state.
“‘’Mane…?” Nene gently muttered, her brain barely working right yet. Amane was now in a panic, if he talked or sniffled at all she’d put the pieces together. He really, really, wanted to either talk about it when he was in better shape or just cry it out. It’s what fifty years of showing close to no emotions does to you, he assumed.
“Ye- Yeah? I’m- I’m here.” Well fuck. That went terrible, he could see Nene figuring out why he sounded like he was just drowning. Amane wanted to smack himself over the head sometimes, this was one of those times. He gently carded his fingers through Nene’s hair, hoping that it would distract her just enough. He wanted to at least look put together before she realizes! Amane was well aware that talking it out was the more healthy option, but old habits die hard.
Amane watched helplessly praying she just goes to sleep as he watched her realize what was going on. The second it clicked in her mind she grabbed him by the collar and attempted to pull him down, back onto the bed.
“Love, what are you- what are you doing?”
“Mm… come down.”
“Whatever the- whatever the princess wants.”
Amane lied down next to Nene, a bit confused about what her plan was. Any thoughts about that though we’re cut off by her moving into a honeymoon hug, practically shoving herself next to him.
“We’ll talk more about it-” a yawn cut her off, seems she was more tired than Amane thought, “later. I’m tired. I love you, ‘Mane.” She tried her best to assure him without slurring her words. Nene made sure to put her wrist on his open palm. She knew what was happening, and knew that during this, her pulse would ground him. Make him know that they are both alive, and that they both deserved this.
Amane knew he’d get a talking to from Nene more later, and sure normally he’d worry, but right now he decided that it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered to him currently except Yashiro Nene.