Work Text:
She’s always so beautiful. Komaeda just doesn’t understand it - no matter what Hinata is doing, she’s always beautiful doing it. She can’t decide if she’s jealous or in love.
(That’s a lie. She’s never loved anyone or anything like she loves Hinata.)
(She’ll never tell.)
Or she says she won’t, but after weeks and weeks pass peacefully on the island, she gets closer and closer to Hinata. She can’t decide if she loves it or hates it, the sweet torture of being close to the person you love but never close enough; hyperaware of each brush of fingers and every time your eyes meet.
And as they get closer and closer, the more Komaeda’s traitorous heart longs to confess to the other girl, despite her knowing that it could only lead to heartbreak. She all-too-often finds herself lost in daydreams around Hinata, imagining holding her hand or having a romantic dinner together - disgustingly couple-y things, things she knows could never happen.
(No matter how many times she tells herself to, she never stops dreaming of her.)
One day, it all finally comes to a head. Hinata and Komaeda are both relaxing in Hinata’s cabin, both reading quietly on her bed - a regular occurrence by that point. The peaceful silence is shattered by:
“Hey… Komaeda?”
“Hm?” She puts down her book, worried by Hinata’s unusually serious tone.
“Are you alright?” At the other girl’s confused look, Hinata clarifies. “You seem kind of… off, lately. Did something happen?”
Komaeda stiffened, face flushing. Hinata had noticed, but just how much had she deduced?
“You know you can talk to me, right? I know you don’t like getting close to people because of your luck, but it seems to not be affecting you lately, so it should be safe, right? I want to help you!” Hinata clearly didn’t miss the other girl’s reaction, as she put her hand over Komaeda’s and held it; a gesture of comfort.
Hinata had never looked more beautiful.
(Another lie: no matter what, Hinata was always stunning. Komaeda knew she shouldn’t have turned to look her in the eye, because the next thing she blurted out was-)
“I love you.” Komaeda said. Her eyes immediately widened in horror, and her face turned bright red almost instantly. After all the time she'd spent trying to hide it, she'd just come out and said it the minute Hinata asked. She thought she was better at concealing how she felt than this!
“!” Hinata looked shocked, but the shock quickly melted into…. fondness?
(And as much as Komaeda loved every expression of Hinata’s, this one was undoubtedly her favorite.)
“Love you too, Komaeda.”