Work Text:
They've known each other since they were both young. They found their love for music together, playing by those white clovers in the park they would always frequent when they were but a pair of young children, still disillusioned of the real world and carrying innocence so precious.
So of course. With so many years of having spent time by each other's sides, Yukina would know everything about Lisa. It's natural for her to be able to have such knowledge.
She doesn't pride over it the same way her friend does, rather, she displays it in many discreet ways that Lisa would always find joy in teasing her about. Her favorite foods, novels she loves, her very own schedule. Those are some of the things that Yukina is well aware of when it comes to her best friend but she doesn't really try to flaunt it every chance she gets. She'd rather indulge Lisa as a prize if she did well but that doesn't mean she turns a blind eye to some other things either.
It's another productive day for Roselia, the band having just finished another day of rehearsals for another live show they were holding by themselves with the assistance of their agency. Their road to the top has been full of struggles and difficulties and Yukina is guilty of having caused so much problems and frictions within her own band but she is eternally grateful that they were always ready to welcome her back with open arms.
“Ah~ I'm beat~” Lisa says as she stretches her arms over her head, a satisfied hum on her lips. “Nice that I finally got the part I was havin' trouble on down!”
The walk home is always a bit relaxing for Yukina, their steps falling into sync with each other as they go their separate ways from the other three with how they both live in the same direction— they both live right next to each other. It's time that they can spend just with one another, the setting sun illuminating their backs and if Yukina falls behind just a step from Lisa…
Lisa looks so beautiful as sunlight paints her back, her hair swaying alongside the wind. There's a skip to every step she makes, and Yukina doesn't doubt that the bassist is smiling brightly without even herself noticing.
Lisa is very pretty, that much Yukina knows and admits to. A dependable and charming person appreciated by everyone, always attracting admirers wherever she goes.
But…
Lisa stops in her tracks as she notices that her companion has fallen behind, tilting her head with brows furrowed in confusion. “Yukina? Is something wrong?” She asks, already making her way to her friend, “Did you forget something back in the studio?” There is genuine concern in her voice, a hand already reaching out to grasp Yukina's.
Yukina looks down at their intertwined hands, at how Lisa brushes her thumb over her own, gently squeezing Yukina's to try and ground her because she's well aware that the silver-haired girl has once more become a captive to her thoughts.
Lisa's hands…
Lisa's hands have always been beautiful, especially before Roselia formed. It seemed as if she paid more attention to her hands, to the state of her nails more than anything else that Yukina would always notice her with a new color of nail polish on, little adorable designs on them. She placed great importance on them, and Yukina's always seen how much she preens whenever some of Lisa's other friends come up to them just to compliment her nails.
And yet, as she feels her try to bring her back to reality (to her), she instead focuses on the feeling of her calloused fingers rubbing against her skin. She can feel where the nails Lisa once treasured (now bare of any decorations) has now become chipped with Lisa's dedication to playing and honing her sound, to a satisfying level fit for Roselia.
It's something that makes Yukina's chest constrict in a painful way because was it not mostly for her?
“Yukina…” When she lifts her gaze to meet Lisa's, she knows that the bassist has realized what is going on the vocalist's mind. Hesitantly, Lisa lets go of Yukina's hand and hides her hands from her view, a strained smile now on her face. “Do you want to talk about it?” Softly, Lisa says as she settles herself beside the vocalist, their shoulders brushing against one another and it's almost comforting if not for the fact that Yukina's throat has suddenly gone dry and her voice gone.
The topic of Lisa's sacrifices weren't something they haven't talked about before. Once, Yukina had tried to fix her mistakes by buying Lisa more nail polish and the girl readily accepted it but even then, the guilt lingers and threatens to consume Yukina's entire being here and then the moment she lets her mind wander.
If not for her, then Lisa wouldn't have had to sacrifice what she so treasured, what she had put so much importance on—
“If I were made to pick between everything else and you, you know that I'd always pick you, right?” Her words break through the haze of self-blame that clouded her mind, anchoring her like how she's always done.
Ah.
Devotion… was it?
She remembers gentle green eyes. She remembers words full of determination leaving those lips that always bore a smile. She remembers a promise, made underneath the sun and amongst white clovers. And above all, she remembers Lisa.
Sweet, devoted and so so kind Lisa who would do anything for her. Without reservations nor hesitation.
Yukina doesn't know if she even deserves her.
(The same could be said for her dearest Roselia, the band she had formed. She's hurt them far too much and broken their trust time and time again and without fail—)
(Without fail, they would always tell her that she is Roselia, their heart, their soul, the beginning of it all. Her imperfections and shortcomings, as much as she loathes them, are part of their Roselia. And now, they swear themselves to her. Ako and Rinko would never let her stray from what Roselia is now and Sayo would never allow her to avert her gaze and run away like a coward because she is Minato Yukina, the prided leader and beloved vocalist of Roselia.)
“I know.” Yukina says, her voice steady and thank the gods that it is because she does not want to show her weakness in front of Lisa like this. Lisa would fuss over her, worry so much and Yukina doesn't want to trouble her anymore than she already has.
“Lisa.” So she speaks up, the name rolling off her tongue naturally like it belongs there.
(She hopes she can keep calling her name like this.)
Her companion for a long time turns her head to face her.
Yukina reaches out for Lisa's hand.
“If… If you are really certain that you'd choose me every time. Then I hope you know that I feel the same way.” Yukina confesses, her hand (smaller than Lisa's, softer and smoother than Lisa's) tightening around the bassist's own calloused one. “If you can't choose yourself, I will. That much, I swear to you.”
And while Yukina notices the ways Lisa shows her devotion to her and Roselia, she also notices the moments in which the sun makes way for the moon.
Where the joy and happiness dims and the sadness and melancholy appears. A side that only Yukina knows about, having seen that Lisa as they shared a silent shoulder for one another with the night skies dotted with stars bearing witness to such a moment of vulnerability.
(—As the one who has become my sun and my moon, and illuminated me
My strong person, my sunkissed rhodonite.)
They were both full of insecurities, of the feeling of not being good enough and Yukina knows that Lisa thinks she doesn't deserve her either. They were broken and cracked in ways that they had picked up each other's fragmented pieces and made themselves feel complete together. A little bit fragile, like a house of cards threatening to fall off any moment and Roselia was the glue that keeps them together. But that was in the past. Now, Yukina likes to think they've become better. That the cracks are now slowly mending themselves and that the pieces from each other are slotting themselves more naturally now.
Just like the way Lisa eases her hand against hers before returning a squeeze to Yukina's own, their fingers entwined like puzzle pieces falling into place.
Yukina doesn't need to look to know that Lisa is holding back tears, she can hear it with how Lisa takes in a deep shaky breath but Yukina doesn't turn to look. Lisa had turned a blind eye just moments ago when she tried to keep her voice from breaking as she answered her even if the brunette would always be able to tell if she was lying or forcing herself. This is something that Yukina will give to Lisa too.
And then the first of the tears dropping fills the silence that settled on the two, the hand in Yukina's own now shaking and Yukina smiles at the ground.
She's really made her cry now.
Yukina rubs circles on the back of Lisa's hand, leading the two to their way back home, but never letting the distance between them grow. Not again, never.
“Lisa.”
Yukina places her head against Lisa's, a small yet soft smile gracing her face.
“Let's go home.”
The sniffles slow to a stop, Lisa's eyelashes fluttering open before their eyes meet each other. A similar smile forms on her face too, the girl basking in this moment they shared together.
“Mmhm. Together.”