Chapter Text
art by shourue
「✦」
From where she was tucked into a grimy alleyway, Yuri clutched the strap of her messenger bag hard enough to crease the leather.
She took a deep, fortifying breath. It immediately turned out to be a mistake--instead of inhaling calmness and clarity, she ended up with a lungful of garbage turned rancid. Predictably, it didn’t help with her nerves.
Yuri looked down and winced. Beneath her favourite boots was a squashed take-out container oozing mysterious liquid. Yep, that would definitely explain the smell. She quickly began to back out of the alleyway, which was narrow enough that she had to hold her bag tight against her body so it wouldn’t get dirty.
“Yuri...?”
Yuri just barely managed to stifle a scream. She spun around to find a familiar pink-haired girl standing a few feet away with one hand on her hip. Natsuki, her expression equal parts quizzical and amused, was dressed in an oversized sweater the faded pink of wilting cherry blossoms, with frayed edges that she picked at absentmindedly even now.
“Um,” Natsuki said. “Hey.” She blinked up at Yuri curiously, then peered behind her. “Why are you hiding here? Yuck, look at all this trash. What a dump.”
I can do this, Yuri told herself weakly. She stepped out from the alcove and tried to look Natsuki in the eyes. She was only partly successful; she made approximately one second of eye contact before needing to look away.
“I was just...,” Yuri began, then stopped. She fiddled with the wooden buttons on her sweater. “I was just... waiting for you.”
Natsuki bit her lip as if trying not to laugh. She turned and pointed to a set of mostly-unoccupied benches not far away. “Why not sit over there?”
The truth was, Yuri had seen the benches. She’d considered heading over to them, but every time she started forward, someone would go walking past, and she’d lose her nerve. There weren’t too many people milling around the street--considering it was downtown on a Saturday, at least--but it was still more than enough to make her retreat into her shell. Natsuki had guessed the chain of events already, judging by the way the edges of her mouth curled upwards.
Yuri blew out a breath, embarrassed. The absurdity of her decision to hide in a filthy, cramped alleyway rather than sit on a perfectly fine bench made her cheeks warm. She busied herself with smoothing down her skirt. The soft, plum-colored fabric was long enough to reach her ankles, but had blessedly remained clean.
“Shall we go inside now?” Yuri asked quietly, desperate to change the subject.
Natsuki grinned. Though she still picked at the ratty edges of her sweater in a way that betrayed nervousness, there wasn’t a hint of shyness in her face. “Yeah, let’s go. I've been waiting for this the whole week, y’know. I've never been here before.”
Together, the girls walked up to a storefront decorated with strings of lights and colourful, pastel art picturing everything ice cream related--ice cream scoops, waffle cones, rainbow sprinkles. Yuri peeked at Natsuki out of the corner of her eye and saw, to her delight, that Natsuki’s grin had widened. Yuri smiled to herself. I knew she'd like it.
The shop was just Natsuki’s style. Which was to say, cute, though Yuri wouldn't dare admit that to her face. In fact, Natsuki matched the ice cream shop so well that she looked in-uniform to start working there. Peeking out from under her long sweater was a faded denim short skirt, and beneath that was a pair of pink polka-dotted leggings that went down into her shoes.
Natsuki admired the shop’s art for another few moments before pulling open the door. A bell on the inside of it gave a cheerful little jingle. Natsuki held the door open and looked back at Yuri, who still dawdled a few steps behind. “You first, my lady.”
Yuri hurried inside, hoping Natsuki couldn’t see the blush spreading rapidly across her face.
The inside of the ice cream shop was just as welcoming as the outside. It was a small area, cluttered with mismatched tables and chairs, but it held a distinct charm. The walls were painted a pale blue, a contrast to the moody grey skies outside. There were no other customers in the shop, to which Yuri felt a guilt-tinged relief.
Natsuki went up to the ice cream cases while Yuri trailed behind, trying to calm herself. She didn't come to this ice cream shop all the time, but she had been here on several occasions, so there was no reason for her to be feeling so anxious. Even as Yuri thought it, she knew it wasn't the location that was getting to her.
No, it was the company. The adorable, snarky, pink-swathed company. Who, coincidentally, looked back at Yuri at that very moment. “What’re you doing back there for?” Natsuki teased. “Aren’t you gonna show me what’s good here?”
“I always get the same thing,” Yuri protested. She stepped forward and pointed at the cases. “Chocolate and--”
“Raspberry,” Natsuki blurted out. The two of them stared at each other for a moment.
“I...yes.” Yuri cleared her throat lightly. She realized she was still pointing and quickly let her hand drop back to her side. “You remembered. I was thinking of trying their strawberry today, though.”
Natsuki turned so that she was facing the cases. She leaned forward to peer at the bucket labeled as strawberry ice cream. The contents were a creamy pink with ribbons of a red strawberry compote swirled throughout. “Yeah, that looks really nice.”
There was a rustle of fabric as a worker emerged from behind a handmade curtain separating the employee area from the rest of the shop. “Sorry about the wait,” said the young woman, still in the process of tying an apron around her waist. For someone who was apologizing for a delay, she moved languidly, remarkably unhurried in her actions. Finally, she swept back her shaggy, shoulder-length black hair and smiled at them. “So! What can I get for you guys?” Her gaze found Yuri, and recognition dawned in her eyes. “Chocolate and raspberry today?”
Natsuki raised an eyebrow, and Yuri wanted to melt into a puddle--a sticky-sweet puddle of melted ice cream, preferably chocolate and raspberry.
“I didn't know you came here so much,” Natsuki remarked.
The worker threw her head back and gave a boisterous laugh. She smiled widely at Yuri, and the golden hoop hugging her bottom lip glinted in the glow from an overhead light. “No, not that often. I just have a knack for remembering people. Especially ones who are pretty!”
“Oh, goodness,” Yuri mumbled under her breath, flustered at the compliment. She was all too aware of Natsuki's gaze on her, sharp and searching. “I-I’m actually trying something new,” she said, hating the way her voice wavered. “Chocolate and strawberry, please.”
“Got it.” The worker nodded towards Natsuki. “And for you?”
“Just one scoop of strawberry, thanks.”
While the worker busied herself with putting together their order, Natsuki elbowed Yuri in the ribs. Yuri winced, though the striped brown sweater she wore was more than enough to cushion the jab.
She’s totally into you, Natsuki mouthed, jerking her head at the worker.
Yuri’s heart skipped a beat, or three. She shook her head as subtly as she could and squinted at Natsuki to communicate that she did not want to have this conversation now.
Natsuki acquiesced, and by the time Yuri looked back to the counter, the worker had already finished scooping their ice cream. Yuri stepped forward and withdrew a bill that she'd tucked into the front pocket of her bag in preparation for exactly this moment. She handed it to the worker, saying, “For both, please,” before Natsuki could protest.
Natsuki stiffened slightly but didn’t argue. She was quiet as Yuri took her change. It was only when the two girls settled on a table in the corner of the store that Natsuki spoke again. “You know...,” she began, picking at a loose thread on her sweater and twirling it between her fingers. “I can pay for my own stuff. You don’t have to do that.”
Yuri folded her hands into her lap and looked in the general direction of Natsuki on the opposite side of their circular table. She knew this would be coming; she'd practiced for it, even. Multiple times. “I know, and I respect that. But I wanted to treat you to this. Isn’t that what friends do? I recommended this shop, after all.”
“Why would you know what friends do?” Natsuki's eyes widened almost before she finished speaking. “Shit. Sorry, that was an awful thing to say.”
Yuri looked down at her ice cream, to where the chocolate and strawberry were already starting to melt into each other. She couldn't say that Natsuki’s comment hadn’t stung a little, but she also couldn't hold it against the other girl. Natsuki had only recently ended a long-time friendship with some other friends--something that Yuri had influenced her to do, for better or for worse.
“It’s okay,” Yuri finally said. “You’re right. I’m still new to this...this hanging out thing.”
Natsuki sighed with gusto. “You know, Yuri, I think you’re too forgiving sometimes. You’re not supposed to tell me I’m right. I was being rude."
Yuri picked up a small wooden spoon and dipped it into her ice cream. She gently swirled the two flavors together. "But you are right," she said thoughtfully. She paused in her stirring and looked up, catching Natsuki’s eye in a rare show of braveness. Ah...so pretty. “Anyway... I just wanted to do something nice. That’s all.”
She knew full well that Natsuki wasn’t well-off in terms of finances. She knew that something was up with Natsuki’s home life, though she wasn't sure exactly what. But she also knew that Natsuki was not the kind of person to easily accept help. And, really, Yuri did just want to be nice by paying for her ice cream. Ice cream that happened to be a bit on the expensive side, sure, but...
Natsuki squinted at Yuri for a moment longer, then let her shoulders fall. “Sorry,” she repeated. “I’m not doing very well at being less combative, am I?” She reached for her own spoon and brought a spoonful of strawberry ice cream to her mouth. Her entire face brightened. “Wow! This is really good!”
Relieved, Yuri took a bite of her chocolate-strawberry mix. She closed her eyes briefly, savoring the silky flavors. “Hm. I’m glad I tried the strawberry.”
Natsuki made a face and pointed her spoon accusingly at Yuri. “But you didn’t even try the strawberry by itself! It doesn’t count if you mixed it together immediately.”
Bemused, Yuri glanced down at her cup, then back at Natsuki. “I can still taste the strawberry though.”
Natsuki snorted. “No, you gotta try it by itself first.” She dipped her spoon into her cup and then held it up to Yuri’s face. “C’mon, try some.”
Heart stuttering in her chest, Yuri leaned forward and took a bite of the ice cream on Natsuki's outstretched spoon. Natsuki’s gaze was mostly averted, but there was a flush creeping up her neck. It was only when Yuri withdrew that Natsuki looked back. By then, the flush had spread to the very tips of her ears. “...So? How is it?”
“...It’s good by itself. I like how it’s as tart as it is sweet. I’m not really a fan of overly sweet desserts.”
“Hmm. You never seem to have a problem with my very sweet cupcakes, though.”
Now it was Yuri’s turn to blush. “That’s--” She leveled a disapproving look at Natsuki, who remained entirely unaffected. “That’s different... Your cupcakes are really good.”
“I’ve seen the chocolate you keep in your bag too,” Natsuki continued, a playful gleam in her eyes. She swallowed another mouthful of ice cream and sighed happily. "By the way, I can’t believe you bite ice cream. What the heck? Don’t your teeth hurt?”
“I only like dark chocolate,” Yuri said defensively, though she couldn’t help but smile. “The bitter kinds especially. Seventy percent or higher is my favourite.” She leaned back in her chair with a faint air of self-satisfaction. “And just because your teeth are sensitive and weak doesn't mean everyone else’s are.”
“Hey!”
* * *
The girls kept an easy flow to their conversation as they finished their ice creams. It was a stark difference from their first hangout a couple weeks ago, when they’d gone to a bookstore together. That time, they’d both become nervous and awkward again, and had spent more time obsessively browsing their respective book sections--fantasy for Yuri, manga for Natsuki--than actually hanging out.
Maybe it was being face-to-face that made it easier. And the fact they were the only customers in the shop. It felt as though the two of them were tucked safely within a warm, colourful bubble. Yuri dreaded the moment when it would pop.
By the ice cream in their cups were reduced to dregs, Yuri had even begun to relax. All too soon, they stood up together, and Natsuki’s eyes widened as she caught a view of the street through the shop’s windows. “Oh jeez, it's raining? The sky wasn’t that grey earlier...was it?“
As she spoke, the cloud cover seemed to grow darker and more dense. Yuri frowned as the whole ice cream shop dimmed. She stacked Natsuki’s empty cup into hers and inspected the table to make sure they weren't leaving a mess. Just as she dropped the cups into a trashcan near the main counter, the black-haired worker from earlier popped up out of nowhere. It was only by the grace of the universe that Yuri didn’t yelp in surprise.
“Your earrings are cute, by the way,” the young woman said. She leaned her elbows onto the counter and smiled at Yuri with a practiced charm, flashing her golden lip ring again. "I meant to ask where you got them."
Yuri reached up to touch the earring. Her fingertip brushed against the dull point of the small, lightweight model of a sword dangling from her lobe. “O-Oh. I bought them from an online shop, actually... I can write down their username for you, if you’d like...”
The worker grinned. “Yeah, that'd be perfect.” She herself had several piercings. Aside from the lip ring, the worker sported at least six piercings on each ear--ranging from her lobes to her cartilage--plus a bar that peeked out from under her hair, presumably where her eyebrow sat.
When Yuri finally turned away from the worker, she saw Natsuki waiting for her over by the door. There was strange, unreadable expression on her face. Yuri hurried over, nearly tripping over herself in her haste. “Sorry,” she murmured. By now, the rain was falling hard enough to drown out her words.
Natsuki held the door open for Yuri, then followed her out. They stood on the small, covered porch in silence for a few moments. The only sound was the persistent hiss of raindrops hitting the sidewalk.
Natsuki scratched the back of her head sheepishly. “I didn’t know you had piercings.”
Yuri wordlessly tucked her hair behind her ear and angled her head so that Natsuki could see her earlobe clearly. “They’re not very flashy,” she said, picturing her usual ensemble of the same small, silver hoops. “Sometimes I don’t even put anything in when I’m just going to school...”
Natsuki leaned in to get a better look. Her breath was warm and strawberry-tinged against Yuri’s cheek. “That's so cool. I’ve always wanted piercings, but my dad--well, nevermind. I still can't believe this is the first time I’ve noticed these. Are they all you have?”
Yuri was keenly aware of Natsuki's closeness. Perhaps it was what ended up emboldening her; she carefully lifted her sweater and the thin undershirt beneath so that her midriff was exposed. “I also have...um...” The chilly spring air against her bare skin made her shiver. Or maybe it was the weight of Natsuki’s gaze--which had gone suddenly intense--that did it.
“You have a navel piercing, and this is the first I'm seeing of it?” Natsuki asked, astonished. “Seriously?! You’re so cool, Yuri! I never would’ve guessed. Don’t your parents care?”
Yuri pulled her clothes back down, breathless. “A-Anyway, we should get going before the rain gets worse.” She looked down and noticed the laces on one of her boots had untied itself. “Sorry... Could you hold my bag for a moment?”
Natsuki groaned as she took Yuri's messenger bag. “Umph. What are you keeping in here, bricks?”
“One must always stay prepared,” Yuri replied, leaning down to tie her laces.
“That...is a joke, right?” came Natsuki’s voice from above.
Yuri straightened up and took her bag back. She slipped it over her head. “Of course.”
Natsuki gave a short laugh. “What the heck... It’s so hard to tell with you sometimes. Hey, you wouldn’t happen to have an umbrella in there, would you?”
Yuri shook her head apologetically. “I didn’t expect it to rain today. It was clear skies this morning...”
“Right?!” Natsuki complained. “It’s always when the weather is so nice too. Are you walking home? I'm taking the bus in this direction.” She gestured across the street.
“I’m going the opposite way, then. It’s not a long walk.” Yuri gripped the strap of her bag. She tried to remember what the results had been when she’d searched ‘what to say when hanging out with friends’ on an internet browser earlier. “This was...I had a...”
“...Good time?” Natsuki supplied helpfully. She seemed unable to meet Yuri’s eyes. “Me too. So. I’ll see you at school on Monday, then?”
They parted, neither able to fully look the other in the face. Despite the strange tension, it didn’t seem like the sort that preceded a failing friendship. Yuri didn’t dare to hope what kind of tension it could be. And yet, if she really wasn’t imagining things...
Maybe--just maybe--she had a chance.
* * *
Yuri drew a bath for herself as soon as she got home. She was soaked by the rain, chilled to the bone. And perhaps ice cream on a cold early-Spring day hadn’t been the best idea either. But as she peeled her damp clothes off and slipped into the hot water with a sigh, she couldn’t muster any regret for how the day had gone.
Eyes closed, she trailed a finger across the edge of her ornate bathtub. Through a gentle brush of her fingertips, she traced the intricate flower designs set into the metal. The layered petals of a rose here, a cluster of stalks that must lead to lavender blooms there...
The steam was almost stifling. It clung to her lashes, gathering in droplets before dripping off. She breathed in deeply, slowly. How long had it been since she last felt so peaceful?
And, more importantly, how long would that feeling last?