Chapter Text
It was the morning after their first time together.
As the first light dawned, signaling the start of a new day, Maki awoke in an unusual way, amidst the silence of a room where she was sleeping for the first time: without the exhaustion of chasing sleep and failing to find it, without nightmares. She felt aches in very specific places on her body, but they weren't entirely unbearable. The sensation of dampness from sweat and the relentless heat that enveloped her, particularly on her back, buttocks, and legs. The subtle whisper of his breath against her hair and the insistent, unbreakable grip of those arms around her waist.
She blinked heavily, taking in everything around her, recalling the events of just a few hours earlier with the person who had been embracing her from behind.
We, finally...
She resisted the urge to writhe at the thought and the images that her mind conjured up about that moment. She endured it as long as she could, even with the vivid memories of the sounds, the sensations, her gestures, and her words...
She shouldn't be ashamed of such a normal act, but she couldn't help feeling a little shy. Until yesterday, she hadn't known she was capable of making those kinds of sounds or feeling all of that. Especially him. Maki had never seen those kinds of reactions from Yūta, his face, his voice, the touch of his hands, insistent yet gentle, his urgent and deep movements...
Maki closed her eyes tightly and held her breath. She felt her temperature rising and her face growing hot. Slowly, she let out her breath, like a sigh of surrender. They had done it; there was no going back. And despite her current shame, Maki didn't want it to be any other way.
As if listening to her thoughts, the arms around her pulled her closer to him, the face that had found a place in her hair now moving closer to the nape of her neck; She felt his nose close to her ear, his chin lightly brushing her cheek, and his soft exhalation like a sigh. Maki tensed slightly.
"...Hey..." Maki tried to greet him, but her voice sounded a little hoarse, and she didn't want to dwell on why.
"Good morning," Yūta said, burying his face in her hair again, his nose this time caressing and inhaling at the nape of her neck. Maki felt a shiver run through her at his husky voice, at his warm breath against her skin. Her heart began to race, and she was sure her face was more than just flushed.
It wasn't anything like yesterday, but it wasn't any less intimate either.
"Are you feeling alright?" Yūta asked after a moment, his voice clearer. "I'm sorry if I was a little demanding with you last night. I think I got a little carried away."
She cleared her throat, regaining her composure.
"You say that as if I were made of glass," she retorted sharply, perhaps irritated by the feeling that he was underestimating her. Then, in a haughty tone, she continued, "It's not like you forced me to do anything."
Her pride outweighed her embarrassment, but that was momentarily shattered when she felt the hand resting on her waist move upward. The night before, they had explored that and more, but daylight was filtering under the curtain, and they weren't in that kind of situation.
"What are you—"
But his hand didn't stop at her breasts, didn't cup them (although the light touch of his hand on her skin sent shivers down her spine), but instead, her boyfriend lightly pressed his palm against her sternum. Yūta could feel the rise and fall of Maki's chest, but above all, the urgent beating of her heart.
Yūta let out a sigh so short and soft that, once again, it almost made Maki tremble, were it not for the smile she felt against her neck. The hand that had invaded her body withdrew, but didn't let go. On the contrary, his arms wrapped around her again, not her waist this time, but her shoulders, which were trapped beneath his embrace. It was uncomfortable because their naked bodies were too close, and it was as if he wanted to keep her still.
However, for Maki, it was so easy to break free from that grip if she wanted to... but therein lay the problem: she didn't want to.
"What's so funny?" she muttered, letting out a sullen snort at her partner's subtle chuckle.
"Huh? It's just that I'm happy."
"Because we had sex?"
"Maki-san! Don't say it like that!" Yūta reprimanded her, scandalized.
That amused her, almost expecting him to correct her with something cheesy like «making love.» Maki couldn't say it, but she hoped he would. At any other time, she would have insisted on having fun at his expense, but she wasn't in a good position for it, so she kept it to herself.
"Well, yes, I am happy about it." He admitted sheepishly, and Maki stifled a laugh. Then he continued more calmly, "But above all, I'm overjoyed that we can be like this." Waking up next to you, feeling your body against mine, feeling your heart beat beneath my palm and your breath against my chest... makes me think, «Ah, I'm grateful to be alive». For all of this, thank you, Maki-san, for making me feel this way.
He's so cheesy, she thought. Each of his words deepened the furrow in her brow and the tightness in her lips, because Maki couldn't deny how much the love Yūta poured into her affected her. Did it make her sad, hopeful, or guilty? She wasn't sure she could name everything she felt, except that she was certain she was happy—after all, they had been through so much to get there. Her mind was flooded with the complications and conflicts they had faced before starting their relationship. Yes, it had taken them time, and they had lost so much... that's why she understood Yūta so well.
Maki glanced over her shoulder, then shifted, forcing him to let go, and before Yūta could even complain, she repositioned herself, facing him. Her chest pressed against his, their faces close, their eyes meeting. Maki wasn't as good with words as he was, so sometimes she struggled to express what she really wanted to say. The expectant look on her boyfriend's face didn't help, and neither did her current state.
Maki pursed her lips briefly after opening her mouth and finding no words coming out. Seeing her inability to express her thoughts, she decided to keep it to herself for now. But for Yūta, Maki's silence wasn't enough to diminish the happiness he radiated. He understood her, and that was what mattered most.
Yūta's laughter, a little shy but quite cheerful, filled the room and flooded Maki's senses once more as she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face between his shoulder and neck.
"It's still early, and I didn't sleep much, so—"
"Heh, I'm not that sorr—ouch," he complained when she pinched his side.
With an apology, in a tone that was anything but repentant, Yūta buried his nose in her hair again. At the same time, Maki enjoyed the comforting, melodic beat of his gentle heartbeat, inviting her into a sweet sleep.
...
Yūta asked her to stay the rest of the day.
With her body strangely aching (no, seriously, she was banishing curses, how did that make sense?) and too lazy to go to her apartment to... to what? Do chores? Because they both had the day off and didn't have anything in particular to do. So Yūta's offer was readily accepted. But the real reason was that Maki didn't want to leave either.
Perhaps it was a post-coital effect, perhaps she simply wanted the day to never end, and to stay close to him. If her mood were particularly good for the rest of the day, Maki would say it was because of the sex, even though she knew very well it was due to the emotional intimacy more than the physical.
They got up late, washed up, and ordered takeout. They lazed around in the living room for a while, watching TV without really paying attention, and then, lying on the sofa, they took an unplanned nap. Yūta woke her up as evening fell.
"Maki-san, would you like to take a bath while I make something for dinner?"
He didn't get a response at first, but after a second attempt, Maki reacted. She sighed heavily at how unpleasant it was to be forced to leave the comfort of lying on him.
"No."
"What do you mean by 'no'?"
Maki lifted her face, and because of the drowsiness clouding her thinking, she had a pout on her lips and a slight annoyance in her eyes.
Taking advantage of the slight change in her body, Yūta stroked and combed the hair that fell haphazardly across her face, fascinated to witness Maki lowering her defenses and revealing herself without restraint. He summoned all his self-control to remain calm.
"I want to stay here," she said, and immediately lay back down on top of him, clinging to his body.
Yūta was naive not to be prepared for the blow those words and that simple action dealt him; it was devastating. He wanted to hold her tightly and make a long, passionate declaration, but the soft hiss of her breathing, which told him she had fallen asleep again, stopped him.
Yūta couldn't explain the vastness and depth of his love for Maki. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her gently but firmly.
That afternoon, with a soft whisper, Yūta promised her...
"Let me go."
"No."
"Yūta, let me go."
"But if I do, you won't come back!"
"That's the idea!"
It was incredibly foolish of him to be so stubborn, and Maki was running out of patience. After finally getting rid of him, another problem arose when her boyfriend stood in front of the door. She tried to pull him away, but he wouldn't budge.
It wasn't fair. He was using cursed energy to hold his ground, and she was holding back from using her own strength because if she did, she might throw him far away, rip the door off its hinges, and damage something else. And she didn't want to go through the embarrassment of explaining to the building management what had happened or endure the judgmental stares of the neighbors after her outburst. The worst part was that Yūta knew all of this and was taking advantage of it.
"Maki-san, you said you'd stay! You can't go back on your promises!"
The woman took a breath, controlling her temper (and the urge to kick him), and spoke slowly and clearly, hoping to reason with him.
"Number one: I'm not a coward who backs down. If you say that again, I'll kick you. Number two: I didn't promise anything like that. I said I'd stay, but I never made a promise. Number three: That was over a week ago! I have my own apartment, and I want to go back to it."
"They're practically the same. This one and yours have the same features, so—"
"Ha! You're crazy. Have you lost your mind?"
Nine days. That was how long Maki had stayed with Yūta. She was a fool, weak, to give in to his constant pleas to stay. Naive to believe him when he said, «Just for today.»
No, you really wanted to stay here, didn't you? Yes, of course, but she was tired of wearing the same clothes. Even though she washed them after each use and wore the clothes Yūta lent her to sleep in at night, Maki didn't want to go on missions with Nobara—or anyone else—wearing the same clothes anymore. Remembering the look her junior had given her for wearing the same outfit he'd seen her in a few days after they'd met up at school was embarrassing.
"Is it really that bad being here?"
Ah, that plaintive tone was irritating and effective against her. Losing the strength ( and the will) to push him away from the door, Maki exhaled wearily.
"It's not, but I need my things. And I can't be a burden to you for so long. I'm sure you need privacy and—"
"I don't need any of that; you're not a burden, and I don't want privacy either. Having you here makes me happy," he said it all so quickly, so sure of himself. Maki's heart felt like it was going to explode. —... But I understand what you mean, Maki-san; you have your own place, and everything you need is there.
With that, Yūta moved away from the door and stepped aside, opening it. This surprised Maki. Knowing him, she thought she'd actually have to knock him out to get out of there. Confused, she readjusted her bag on her shoulder and headed for the exit.
Just like that? Wasn't what Yūta kept saying really serious, or—
"Oh, I almost forgot my coat. Wait, I'll get it… What?" he asked with a small smile and innocent eyes, seeing her confusion.
"Where are you planning to go?"
"To your apartment for your things."
"No. I'm going there because I live there. You're staying."
Yūta was silent for a moment. Maki thought her firm tone had been enough to put an end to this ridiculous argument.
"…Are you sure that's what you want?"
"Absolutely."
Yūta nodded. "Then, can you wait a moment, please?"
Yūta headed to the room. Maki could hear him pacing back and forth, as if rummaging through a drawer. She was pretty sure he was up to something, since his reaction had been too weak and easy. And so, she waited for him, curious and suspicious of what he would do next.
Clearly, she hadn't expected that.
"Okay," he returned with a smile, but Maki wasn't focused on it, but rather on what he was carrying.
"What about the bag?" she pointed to the apparent luggage her boyfriend was carrying.
"Since I'm staying with you, I'll need a few things."
She snorted in disbelief.
"Hey, Yūta, you—"
"Maki-san, you need what you have there, and I need to be with you. And you said it yourself: that I should stay."
"Here. Stay here. In your own apartment..." she stopped. It was ridiculous. They were going around in circles, and she was exhausted.
Above all, her boyfriend's hopeful, somewhat pathetic look disarmed her. It seemed to say, «Don't you want to be with me?» Yūta was clingy and possessive, and his love was heavy, intense, and endless—she knew that well—but for the past few days, it seemed to have gotten worse. Maki doubted that intimacy had made him worse. Something must have triggered this desperation to stay, she was sure of it. But she was too exhausted even to ask why.
So she gave up for now.
"Fine, whatever. But forget about staying for that long."
His face lit up with happiness, and Maki noticed that Yūta didn't respond to what she said. Anyway, even Maki knew perfectly well that she wouldn't really kick him out.
After all, she did want to stay by his side.