Work Text:
There was ten minutes left before the New Year.
It was complete chaos inside the Otori Mansion. The entire place was left to Emu (and Wonderland X Showtime for the most part), and with the holiday season in session, she got the bright idea to throw a party to celebrate.
Which meant that if Ena was doing the math right, there were about twenty people or so in this very house.
About half the invitees were on the karaoke machine, screaming out the song lyrics whether they had a microphone or not, a good bit of people were playing “soda pong” on the other side of the living room, the Leo/Need members were focused on cooking… something, and as for anyone else that was left, they were either eating, people-watching, or talking amongst each other.
Well, except for Ena.
Okay, she guesses this counts as people-watching, but in reality, she’s been feeling awful since all the noise and chaos made her feel like she was about to pass out any second. But don’t get her wrong, she’s not drunk or anything (she would never taint a sacred place like Emu’s home for the sake of wanting to get fucked up!), it’s just that Ena was not used to… parties.
Call her a loser all you want! She knows!
She could barely make out the blobs of color that were jumping up and down to the beat of the music. With everything sounding so muffled, she couldn’t even tell what was playing.
She groans.
Tonight was supposed to be super fun and a great way to socialize with the other bands, but it’s a shame her body just had to start acting up.
Ah, she’s really done it now.
Her head was pounding and her eyes were growing droopy. The feeling was similar to when she would stay up for much longer than intended when working, only to get sick the day after.
Maybe a change in scenery is a good idea. She thinks to herself.
Mustering up all her strength, Ena pulled herself up from her seat and wobbled her way to the hall. She was silently grateful that it seemed like none of the others noticed her presence, judging by how the singing never stopped and instead, only seemed to grow louder. She continued onwards until she was in sight of one of the mansion’s many bathrooms. Practically lugging herself inside, she flipped the switch, only to get completely blinded by the bright lights and the pristine white marble surrounding the entire bathroom.
That… was not helpful in the slightest.
She groaned before shutting her eyes, nearly slamming the door shut. The sound made her stop for a second, scared that she might’ve almost caused a scene, but after noticing no difference in the sound outside, she continued on.
Ena tapped mindlessly at the switch, realizing there were other settings available. Wow, turns out the Otoris really just had everything.
Eventually, she flipped through the different colors and settled on a reddish-pink light. It dimmed the bathroom a lot and she was finally able to open her eyes properly.
Ena let out another groan as she plopped herself down on the floor, the act of standing up too dizzying for her. She could feel her eyelids grow heavy again. This was nice. There was nice lighting, she could still hear the party going on, yet she was able to get away from all the noise—
“Ena?”
Her eyes snapped open.
Curse my life.
Just when she thought she could get some shuteye in a luxury bathroom, the gods just had to send her one of the noisiest people she knows.
The “intruder” knocked on the door, receiving a very displeased and audible groan from the artist. If only she was able to swing open that door and give them a piece of her mind—
“Ena, are you okay?”
God, she lo—hated that tender voice.
(She knew she was only saying that because she was already in a bad mood, but she knows damn well she doesn’t mean a single word of that.)
“Come in,” she manages to say, just barely loud enough.
The door slowly opens and just as Ena thought, it was none other than her music partner.
“Hey,” Mizuki softly smiles, her face just barely visible in the dim lighting. Ena only offered a small smile in return as the other girl closed the door behind her. “Mind if I invade your space?”
Ena looked at her, pretending to be annoyed. “You’re already here.”
“Great!” Mizuki cheered before plopping down next to Ena. Their shoulders were knocked up right against each other, and Ena was already feeling comforted by the warmth next to her, despite her protests.
“Something up?” Mizuki asks softly, not wanting to scare Ena as it seemed like she was lost in her own thoughts.
The brown-haired girl shrugged. “Just felt dizzy and wanted a breather.”
Mizuki perked up at that, about to get back up. “Dizzy? Do you need water or som—”
“I’m fine,” Ena interrupts before Mizuki could leave their little space. She lightly clutches her arm. “I’m feeling better already.”
Mizuki let out a relieved sigh at that. “That’s good.”
Ena only hums. “Mm.”
Their silence continues, basking in each other’s presence. Ena doesn’t remove her hand from Mizuki’s arm, a sense of comfort washing over her with each part of Mizuki she’s able to feel.
She dips her head down and rests it on the other’s shoulder. With the frilly clothing they’re wearing, it serves as the perfect pillow. She could already feel the cloudiness in her head and dizziness slowly disappearing. This was perfect.
“Man, Enanan’s clingy, isn’t she?” Mizuki teases. Ena could feel a blush forming on her face. She’s silently grateful she changed the lighting in the room, or else Mizuki would become even more insufferable if they caught a glimpse of her face.
“Shut up,” she grumbles, only to move closer. Mizuki’s laughter shakes their body and she finds herself smiling at the sound.
It was no surprise that Ena fell for Mizuki. She should’ve seen it coming from miles away. It wasn’t a groundbreaking discovery, nor was it scary or shocking. It just felt right.
Ena was never in denial about her feelings, not once. She knew that Mizuki meant more to her than she let on, it was just a matter of figuring out what exactly it was she felt. She knew that her clinginess was a product of recent events that took place towards the end of the year, but at the same time… she may have been letting her emotions influence her actions more often than she should.
“Countdown in two minutes! C’mon everyone!” they could hear people shouting from outside. Ena realized that the music was no more and instead, they were playing a national broadcast of the New Year’s countdown.
“Looks like they’re counting down,” Mizuki states the obvious. “You wanna head out?”
She weighs her options for a moment. Ena was half tempted to leave because as nice as it would be to celebrate with everyone, being with just Mizuki sounded way more appealing.
Here she goes again, letting her emotions take over.
She shakes her head, “I’m okay with this.”
Mizuki’s breathing stutters for a second.
Ena curses to herself. Was that too much? Was she getting too bold?
“Me too.”
Huh?
Ena’s heart begins beating faster. A question at the tip of her tongue, ready to ask the other just what exactly she meant by that, but in true Mizuki fashion, the subject is changed before anyone can say anything.
“I can’t believe it’s already gonna be a new year,” she ends up saying, a melancholic tone in her voice. “A lot has happened this year.”
Ena swallows down her unasked question and ends up nodding against their shoulder. “Yeah.”
She couldn’t help but think about the incident that just happened not too long ago. The one that changed their entire relationship. Every time she thought about it, she couldn’t help but feel so many emotions. She was mostly over it now since, well, look at them. They were practically cuddling on the floor of Emu Otori’s mansion bathroom.
And despite all that they endured, everything that happened afterward made it all worth it.
She could feel Mizuki’s head slightly tilt to look at her. “Hey, don’t fall asleep on me before the new year.”
Ena snapped her head up and glared at the other. “I won’t!”
A boisterous laughter leaves their lips as they bring their free arm around to slightly push Ena’s head back on their shoulder. The action was so unexpected that the artist just… let her.
She’s filled with warmth again.
“I learned a lot. I learned to stop being so scared of… everything, learned that experiencing bad can lead you to experience good…” she begins to ramble. “I learned to… finally take that step I’m always scared of taking.”
Ena recalls the moment she finally approached Mizuki after two weeks of nothing. Two weeks after that incident. She remembered all that was said from the core of her soul.
They’ve both really grown, huh?
Mizuki continued. “I learned that it’s better to take that risk instead of cowering in fear, because you’ll never know what the result will be unless you try.”
She finally turns to look at Ena, which happened to be the same moment Ena decided to lift her head from their shoulder.
Just outside of their little sanctuary, the sound of the others counting down to the new year was almost deafening, but with Ena’s eyes locked with Mizuki’s, it slowly faded into nothing.
“Ten!”
There was a certain something in Mizuki’s eyes.
“Nine!”
Ena could feel her chest tighten, almost painfully.
“Eight!”
She could see Mizuki’s gaze flicker between her eyes.
“Seven!”
Left.
“Six!”
Right.
“Five!”
Down…?
“Four!”
Ena couldn’t believe it.
“Three!”
“Mizuki…” She couldn’t even recognize her voice.
“Two!”
Mizuki’s lips trembled. “Ena—”
“One!”
Ena surged forward with all her regained energy and pressed her lips against Mizuki’s.
She poured everything—all her feelings, all the unsaid words—into the kiss. And to her luck, Mizuki instantly kissed back.
It was like she could feel everything the other girl was feeling.
Forever. With you. Please stay by my side.
The kiss was short, though, no matter the length, it was enough for the two of them.
The artist pulls back, eyes searching Mizuki’s. She looked just as exhilarated, her eyes wide and her lips slightly parted as she caught her breath. The sight made Ena’s chest feel so tight.
“E…Ena…?” Mizuki sounded confused, but there was a hint of a smile forming on her lips. “You… like me?”
Ena ducks her head down slightly before letting a shy nod.
Mizuki’s breath slowly transitions to a small chuckle, and Ena has half the gall to snap back at the other girl and defend her honor, but this… wasn’t so bad.
She was never one to get like this, in fact, she refused to ever get like this, yet here she was, folding like a lawn chair as she confessed to the girl of her affections.
“How could I not?” she mutters lowly, head lifting just enough to meet Mizuki’s eyes. There was a softness in them that she’s grown familiar with.
Then, her face contorted to a complicated one, as if she was hit with the harsh realization of something. Fear shot through Ena’s body as she recognized that expression.
(“And that on the next day, and the next day, and the next day, everyone, won’t ever change!” Tears fell from Mizuki’s eyes. Pain and hurt consuming her entire being.
“You’d have me ‘think’ that!”)
Ena spoke before Mizuki could.
“I want forever with you,” she confesses, watching Mizuki’s eyes instantly go wide from shock. She ignores how grammatically incorrect her confession is, and begins letting the words spill from her lips.
“Like you said, despite all the bad that happened this year, it… taught us things… and changed us. We’re… better now. And it makes everything worth it.”
Ena didn’t know if this was even all that she wanted to say, but she just needed to say something. Something to reassure Mizuki before she runs again—if she runs again. Ena won’t make the same mistake.
(Part of her is filled with guilt as she realizes she should be giving Mizuki more credit, but her fear outweighs all other emotions.)
Her face was practically burning from embarrassment as the hazy clouds of fear finally cleared. “And with the… first kiss of the year… I just wanted to show that I’m bringing you from the last year to the next. That you’re a constant presence to me as each year passes.”
Ena kept her eyes locked with Mizuki’s, heart hurting as she notices the tears threatening to fall from her beloved’s face. She clears her throat and thinks of a way to lighten the mood, even just a little.
Her gaze darts to the side, looking away shyly. “I-If you let me.”
A pause.
Mizuki stifles a small laugh, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. Ena lets the embarrassment consume her yet again, as for this time, it’s worth it. Mizuki’s always worth it.
“You can’t just say all that and then lamely say something silly like that!” Mizuki manages through laughs. Ena rolled her eyes before nudging the other’s shoulder.
“I learned from the best,” she quietly says, secretly smiling as she listened to the beautiful sounds leaving the other’s lips. Soon enough, Mizuki’s laughter dies down, her expression back to that fond one Ena loves.
“I want forever with you too.”
This time, Mizuki leans in, bringing a hand up to lift Ena’s chin enough to capture her lips in a soft kiss.
And Ena kisses right back.
Outside, the loud cheers of the others celebrating the new year went on with the fireworks cracking in the night sky, yet here, on the floor of some mansion’s bathroom, kissing like the world didn’t mean a thing to them, was Mizuki and Ena.
And for them, a forever like this doesn’t sound too bad.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
“Well, they’ve been gone for a while,” An playfully nudges her orange-haired friend. He narrows his eyes at her.
“Don’t get any funny ideas,” Akito grumbled.
“I’m just saying, you never kn—”
“Shut. Up.”