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Yui was, admittedly, nervous.
One wouldn’t be able to tell if they saw her, even those that knew her wouldn’t have been able to read any nervousness from her.
Tsunotori surely wasn’t able to detect any of it when she had wandered into the kitchen area to find Yui stood frozen in front of a counter where a variety of fruit sat. The horned girl had poked her head into the taller’s vision, big eyes looking up at her with innocent confusion.
“Yui, what are you doing?” she asked, tilting her head cutely at the end.
Yui blinked, released from her stupor, as she focused her vision onto the smaller girl’s face. “Tsunotori-san, you’re supposed to address others with an honorific and or their last name,” she lightly reminded.
Tsunotori’s features scrunched up for a moment as she thought over the sentence before finally nodding in understanding. “Kodai-chan, what are you doing?” she asked in the same tone, now with a satisfied smile on her face.
Amused, Yui turned her head and let out a breath. “I’m preparing some food for a picnic,” she explained, still having a hard time getting herself to start preparing the food.
“That sounds like fun!” Tsunotori cheered loudly. “Pony would like to go on a picnic. Who are you picnicking with?”
Before she was able to reply, Tokage heckled from the staircase, racing down it towards the kitchen. “Tsunotori, hold your horses!” she joked while slinging an arm around the blonde’s shoulders to jerk her away from the counter.
Grateful to have her personal space returned again, Yui turned around to look at Tokage as she spoke. “Kodai here is probably going on a date with her girlfriend,” she drew the word out, obviously trying to rile up the stoic girl.
The warmth she felt on her face was hardly visible, making the green-haired girl deflate at the lack of reaction.
“Are we all not girlfriends?” Tsunotori asked, eyebrows furrowed and looking mildly upset.
Tokage immediately burst into a bray of laughter, her arm squeezing good-naturedly around the horned girl’s neck as she threw a hand out to smack Yui’s shoulder.
“No, Tsunotori-san, we are all girls and friends. However, none of us here are dating.” Yui explained as Tokage hung off of Tsunotori, still hacking out choked laughs.
Her eyebrows were furrowed as she repeated the sounds, parsing out the words as she worked through understanding it. Yui relaxed, fondness blooming as she watched the process, reminded of watching her little sister watching educational programs.
“Oh!” The horned girl seemed to finally make the connection, hitting her fist on an open palm. “Kodai-chan is going on a picnic date with Tsuyu-chan!”
Tokage screamed in laughter, falling off of Tsunotori and spilling out onto the floor, smacking a palm against the ground as she wheezed. Amidst the raucous noises, more members of Class 1-B trickled into Heights Alliance from the main entrance.
Admittedly, Yui gawked at this conclusion. Her mouth parted and eyes widened slightly, hands raised and waving in front of her. “No, that’s not-”
“Is Yui-chan finally going on a date with Asui-san?!” Komori squealed from the entryway, stepping over Tokage’s laughter-stricken form to wrap her arms around the girl she interrupted.
“I didn’t say-”
“I’m glad you finally got the courage to ask her out, Yui-san!” Itsuka smiled as she enlarged her hand to scoop Tokage off the floor, knowing the girl would pop off her foot if she were grabbed by it- just to get a reaction out of others. Yui took careful effort into asking for Itsuka’s assistance whenever rowdy members of their class, such as Tokage-san or Monoma-san, were acting up.
“No, I didn’t-”
“So then Asui-san asked you out, Yui-san?” Reiko questioned into the girl’s ear, a hand grasping her shoulder. “She seems the confident type.”
“Well, no-”
“Oh, were you finally able to confess your feelings to her, Kodai-san?” Shiozaki asked with a polite smile as she pulled out a bar stool to sit on.
Everyone paused for a moment, looking to Shiozaki who was situating her long vine locks to rest in front of her chest, beginning to detangle them. At the silence, she looked up to give a quizzical look to the other girls.
“You were honest in your intentions for proposing an outing with Asui-san, correct?” Her tone grew sharp at the thought of lying by omission. “Deceit is the root of all sin, you must ensure that you are being truthful to yourself and all others, Kodai-san.”
Yui took a deep breath, nerves doubled due to the interrogative tone the religious girl took on. She hadn’t explicitly talked about her attraction to the frog girl to anyone, really. She didn’t really display it outwardly at all. She preferred it that way, to keep all her cards held close to her chest, because you never knew if things would work out. Hoping for the best wasn’t what she wanted to do, she wanted to wait and make sure that things would work out the way she wanted them to.
But perhaps her patience worked against her, because her affection was apparently “plainly obvious to anyone looking” according to her classmates during the School Festival.
Monoma had bemoaned that their performance was not to its full potential, ruined by Yui’s gaze being focused on the crowd instead of on him, before going on his usual tirades about how they “could have suffered a great loss to the insufferable pricks of class 1-A”.
(This rant happened despite the fact that he was the one who elected to poll students on which performance they preferred. And they had outwon them by two votes. Those details didn’t matter to Monoma though as he was “most sure that class 1-B is superior in all aspects, thus the equal distribution was an indication that they had not performed to their fullest capabilities”.)
She hoped that people would dismiss the detail of her absent-mindedness as part of his typical ramblings, but Tetsutetsu had made a bemused comment saying how she seemed to be looking towards where class 1-A was grouped. Monoma began to go on a tirade about how members of class 1-A were “cruel, tempting mirages distracting from their true purpose” before Itsuka had hit the back of his neck to make him slump over.
Much like in the current moment, the more gossip-prone of the class seemed eager to crowd into Yui’s space and ask prodding questions about who had taken her focus. As always, she was tight-lipped- but her lightly flushed expression told more than she would have disclosed herself. In the face of Yui’s immovable facial expressions, the unstoppable force of gossip-seekers had to relent in the end.
It was only days later, when she was walking with some of her female classmates to the cafeteria, that it was revealed what- or who- she was focused on during their performance.
After all, it was quite odd for a class 1-A member to call a class 1-B member by their first name, right? (Well, aside from Kendo and Yaoyorozu, but they are; dating- so, moot point.)
“Yui-san!” A voice shouted from behind her group, making Yui stop in her tracks. Reiko walked into her back, letting out a monotone ow before stepping away from her as she turned around.
Tsuyu Asui was waving a hand in the air as she jogged towards the group of 1-B students, eyes only focused on Yui. When she was close enough to be in normal speaking distance, she slowed to a stop in front of the taller girl and let out a quiet kero.
“Hello, Tsu-san,” Yui greeted, actively fighting the blush threatening to show on her cheeks.
“I wanted to let you know I’ll be leaving campus later this Saturday,” Tsuyu informed her. “I’m covering dinner duty for Kouda-san who has been ill lately.”
Yui nodded, a bit downcast at the information.
Tsuyu tilted her head, resting it on the finger poking into her cheek. “Would you still like to take the same train together on Monday?”
Yui nodded again, making Tsuyu smile with a lopsided grin.
“Sounds good, kero, see you then.” She said, waving as she passed by the group of students to head into the cafeteria.
Humming, Yui turned around to see three faces with interest clearly painted on their face.
Itsuka was mouthing to herself, thinking over her own interactions with Tsuyu. Reiko had a hand over her mouth, pretending to act scandalized. Kinoko’s face was glittering with excitement, the small girl bouncing on her toes before she jumped out to wrap her arms around Yui.
“Yui-chan! Is that who you were looking at during the school festival?” she squealed, clearly ecstatic to find the truth as one of the more determined gossip-seekers.
Despite her best efforts, Yui’s face burned with a blush at the confrontation. Kinoko made an incomprehensible high-pitched noise as she squeezed tighter, spores releasing into the air as she gushed about how 'cute it is to see someone serious like Yui-chan blushing!'
Yui started to move towards the cafeteria, disregarding the fact that Kinoko was currently latched onto her and was being partially dragged in her efforts. Before she could get any further, Itsuka’s large fist made her halt by blocking the way forward. At the same time, she felt phantom hands pick her up and bring her face-to-face with the other two witnesses of the scene.
“Tsuyu-san insists that most people she meets call her Tsuyu-san anyways,” Itsuka mused with a cocky lift to her grin, “but she called you Yui-san.” Her lips fully shifted into a smirk, letting the silence speak for herself while staying locked in eye-contact with Yui. It was a challenge, surely, to refute what she said- but any attempts she’d make to explain the situation would be only more incriminating.
“You told me that you go home every weekend to spend time with your siblings,” Reiko commented, an analytical spark in her eyes. “It seems you also spend time with Asui-san while off-campus.”
With three sets of eyes intent on wringing the truth out of her, Yui indulged in a sigh before she grabbed Itsuka’s and Reiko’s wrist and pulled them away from the cafeteria. If they were going to learn about her crush, she was going to do so out of the hearing range of any other nosey class 1-B or 1-A students.
What she didn’t account for was Kinoko immediately spreading the word around to the other girls in their class once the lunch period was over.
Of course, with the exception of Shiozaki who gave the mushroom-quirked girl a poisonous glare when she attempted to share the news- saying that the act of gossiping was sinful due to its betraying nature of sharing another individual’s information without permission.
Yui had been grateful at the time for the vine-haired girl’s refusal to listen, admittedly nervous about what her reaction to the news would be considering her religious views, but…
It led to this current moment, the air in the common room now stifling due to the tension suddenly occupying the space.
“Yui-san, it’s not what you think it is,” Itsuka started to speak to ease the tension, placing a hand on Yui’s shoulder to provide some comfort. “You see, Shiozaki-san-”
“Kendo-san.” Shiozaki cut off their class president, her hands easily threading between her vine locks. “I am asking Kodai-san if she can be honest with herself.”
Itsuka hesitated, looking between the two girls before nodding. She kept her hand where it was, providing warmth and support to the girl who needed it.
Everyone was still silent, Komori and Tsunotori keeping quiet while sparing confused glances as Tokage seemed to be holding her tongue to let out any brash statements to break the tension. Reiko was quiet and contemplative as always, the calm and collected energy something Yui wished she could achieve in that moment.
Yui was, admittedly, nervous.
She pulled the black ring off of her right hand, letting it sit in the palm of her closed hands as she repeatedly increased its size then returned it to normal. It was a habit she had grown accustomed to while growing up, discretely fidgeting with an object in a way that couldn’t be seen by others. She just didn’t enjoy people knowing what she was feeling, learning to keep a blank face as she quieted her breaths until they were at a normal pace again. She felt sweat collect at the back of her neck, a slight chill running through her body as she steeled her nerves.
Yui opened her mouth to speak before a breath got caught in her throat. She coughed, ears flushed at the embarrassing display. Swallowing another breath down, she lifted her head to look Shiozaki directly in the eyes with determination in her own.
“I like Tsu-san,” her tongue felt heavy in her mouth as her voice shook to the tiniest degree, “romantically.”
Shiozaki was still looking at her, no sign of disgust on her face nor recoiling at the possibility of same-gendered attraction- in fact she looked... not bored, but like she was expecting more.
“I’m aware of that, Kodai-san,” Shiozaki said after an extended pause when Yui didn’t continue speaking. “While I’m glad you could confess your feelings to us, I’m asking if you’ve confessed your feelings to her.”
Yui felt like a fish out of water with how her mouth was agape (truthfully, her lips were only parted by a centimeter). She didn’t react when Tokage’s detached hand crawled up her body to click her jaw back shut, still stunned at how accepting the religious girl was of Yui’s attraction to another girl.
Out of the corner of her eye, Itsuka made some hand gestures towards Shiozaki which seemed to convey some sort of message because the girl’s posture and expression changed into something softer, kinder.
“There’s nothing wrong with who you love, I would never judge you for that.” She stood up from the kitchen stool, pushing it back in place before moving into the kitchen. Shiozaki was closer now, this imaginary distance in Yui’s head now shattered as the other girl stood only a few steps away, a smile on her face. “What’s most important is that you are true to yourself, Kodai-san.”
Yui felt tears prick at her eyes, a small smile on her face even thought it felt unstable and wobbly. She could only bow her head to Shiozaki bashfully, wiping the tears from her eyes and smacking Tokage’s hand off her head where the lizard girl was mockingly petting her.
Shiozaki’s vine strands organized themselves into a neat braid as she washed her hands and then pulled out cutting boards and knives, sliding them on the counter until they were next to where the array of fruits laid. She nudged Komori out of the way where the small girl had taken to leaning against the counter when detaching herself from the flustered girl.
“I believe you need to be much more clear with Asui-san,” Shiozaki said as she pulled up her sleeves. She was composed standing in front of the cutting board, shoulders and elbows pulled back as she looked to Yui with a lightly teasing smile. “Cutting the fruits into heart shapes would be helpful for that cause, yes?”
Yui let out a tiny affronted noise in her throat, having a difficult time coinciding these two sides of Shiozaki she was bearing witness to.
All the other girls around her seemed to not have the same issue though, as Tokage burst out into laughter once again, her detached hand slapping Shiozaki’s ankle before the girl kicked it into her direction. With all her limbs back in place and tension settled, she stomped out of the kitchen with a shout challenging Monoma to a spar. Itsuka sighed and followed after her, ready to neutralize the boisterous boy when he inevitably got out of hand.
Reiko patted Yui’s arm once before floating towards the other side of the kitchen island, pulling her school bag to her as she situated herself onto a bar stool to passively observe and lend a phantom hand if needed. Kinoko and Tsunotori still hung around in the kitchen, curiously watching Shiozaki’s knifework as she started to cut a peeled kiwi.
Kinoko made a happy little noise when she saw how the vine-haired girl got several heart-shaped kiwi slices, the black crosses in her pupils impacting the efficiency of the puppy-dog eyes she aimed towards the taller girls. She cheerily bounded towards the sink to wash her hands when Shiozaki said she could get the fruit scraps if she helped with preparation such as peeling or washing the fruits.
Tsunotori oooed at the handiwork, looking contemplative before she turned to shuffle through some of the kitchen drawers. She let out a triumphant noise as the sounds of clinking metal stopped, pulling something out before slamming the drawer shut and bounding back towards the three.
“Me and my family enjoy making cookies. I have not had the chance to use my cookie cutters since coming abroad, but look!” Tsunotori showed off a set of cookie cutters, pointing excitedly at the heart-shaped one. “If she has your heart fruit, you can have her heart, fruit!”
Yui was still coming back to Earth, letting a soft smile sit on her face as she scrunched her eyebrows in confusion and looked to the horned girl. “What do you mean by that, Tsunotori-san?”
She blinked at the question, tapping a finger to her lips as she thought of how to answer. She seemed to have a realization as she gasped and pointed the finger into the air in accomplishment. “In America we say that people are fruits,” she explained before turning the finger towards Yui herself, “because you are a homosexual!”
With cheeks flushed and surrounded by laughter from her classmates, Yui’s chest loosened and she felt a pleasant warmness. Her siblings were the only family she felt close to, but she wondered if this is what family could feel like too.
Tsuyu had insisted on meeting up at the park, with her picking up Yui’s siblings on the way there, despite Yui’s protest to the idea. It would mean that she would have to be the only one watching all four of the younger children. Both of their parents didn’t have issues when either one of them stopped by alone to pick up the kids for a playdate, so it’s not like that was an issue but.. it felt like she wasn’t showing herself as being a dependable partner if she allowed Tsuyu to do so. Not that they were even together at this point but it still felt wrong. Yui could admit that their delayed meeting time did help with the anxiety she felt drumming under her skin.
She tugged on the collar of her turtleneck, the fabric clinging tightly to her skin and making the sweat crawling up her back feel more visible than it likely was. She smoothed out the length of her plaid skirt, tucking the cut out section into place, and played with the woven rattan pattern of her picnic basket.
The longer she stood near the park entrance though, the more nervous she started to feel. Whenever she and Tsuyu walked to and from school together, they would both be dressed in their school uniforms. The times that they would hang out at one another’s place with siblings in tow, they would be dressed in casualwear. However, her outfit now felt quite dressed up in comparison to her usual wear around the frog girl.
It was somewhat embarrassing, really, to be wearing a nice outfit when she wasn’t even on a date (no matter how much she wishes it were one). Shiozaki’s words had struck a chord with her though, so Yui stood in front of her closet for a long time before reluctantly sending a message to Itsuka for advice. The redhead had come into her room with Yaoyorozu in tow, picking pieces from Yui’s closet and straying them about like a tornado had run through the girl’s room. It didn’t take her long to find the pieces she was currently wearing, before turning to class 1-A’s vice president and asking her to recreate them to be more form-fitting for Yui.
They had both been a bit flushed about the request, but Itsuka reminding Yaoyorozu that it was for the sake of Yui getting with Tsuyu made an interested gleam show in the creation girl’s eye. She nodded resolutely before quickly getting the dimensions to make the clothing in. When the pair went to leave later, Yaoyorozu had given her a knowing smile before leaving the room without a word.
In an attempt to cool her nerves, Yui pulled her phone out from her skirt pocket and checked the notifications. Tsuyu had sent a message about twenty minutes ago saying she was on her way and hadn’t sent another one since. She was likely occupied with making sure everyone behaved while walking together.
She clicked into the group chat consisting of all the 1-B girls, her classmates pinging her with well wishes of luck before she muted the conversation until later. Her cheeks flushed when she saw that Tokage was hypothesizing if Yui wasn’t responding because she was ‘too busy locking lips with frog girl’. She shut her phone off and tucked it away in a rush.
The timing was perfect, as she recognized a boyish voice shouting ‘nee-chan!’ remarkably close to her. In an instant, a smaller body flung itself at her. Her big-sister instincts, strengthened by her hero training, allowed her to easily envelop her brother in a hug. Kikaeru laughed quietly, the sound making her melt as she squeezed him tighter.
She looked up in the direction he came from, trying to locate where Kisabo would be. She would likely be in Tsuyu’s arms, the young girl preferring to be held in general but especially by the other girl ever since they started hanging out together. Feelings mixed oddly in her chest at the thought, wanting her siblings’ affection focused on her only- but fawning over how the blunt girl was able to win over her siblings’ hearts too.
When she finally spotted the rest of the group, Yui felt like her breath was stolen- she looked on at Tsuyu with her lips parted in surprise.
The girl looked absolutely stunning. She was wearing a flowy off-the-shoulder knee-length dress, in a mint green color with dark polka dots. It was cinched at the waist with a belt, leggings traveling down to a nice pair of flats. The whole outfit was accessorized with a lilypad beret, a lotus flower blossoming at the top.
Tsuyu spotted her as well, her free hand waving as she tilted her head to the side, the bow at the end of her hair swaying with the movement. Kisabo was held in her other arm, the tulle of her newly-favorite frilly dress bunching up from the way she twisted around to wave as well.
Yui’s lips pulled into a smile at the sight, ignoring how dry her mouth felt in the moment. She greeted her crush and sister when they approached, kneeling slightly to greet Samidare and Satsuki with a light wave.
As her head spun, she took note of everyone else’s outfits out of habit to see if there were any layers she would need to shrink and store later on.
Kikaeru was wearing one of his video game hoodies over a simple pair of sweatpants and his usual sneakers. She tucked some of his hair aside to check that his hearing aids were in place, waving her hand in front of his eyes to grab his attention. She tapped both sides of her chest with the tips of her fingers before extending the hand out palm up.
He deliberated on it for a moment, before reaching for the hearing aids and pulling them off. When they were placed in her hand, she turned it around to see that it was getting to low battery. She smiled fondly as she ruffled his hair, handing it back to him. It’d last long enough for the rest of their outing, but a spare charger always stayed on her person at all times for occasions like this.
She then looked to Satsuki, who was wearing a green long-sleeved shirt dress paired with pink leggings and blue sneakers. The mascot on her dress was a franchise friend of Ganriki Neko, and there were small blue frills along the trimming. It was a nice day out so she wouldn’t need any extra layers, although based on the fullness of the elementary student’s backpack there was likely another change of clothes just in case.
Sumidare was wearing a graphic tee with sergeant frog posed on the front. The boy had on shorts and a pair of blue sneakers, a set of swimming goggles adorned on his head despite the fact they would not be swimming at the park today. They’d need to keep an eye on the boys whenever they got nearby the pond.
Finished with taking in everyone’s outfits, Yui took a quick breath to calm herself before she finally greeted Tsuyu as she actively fought the flush trying to rise to her cheeks.
“Good morning, Tsu-san,” she said quietly, still internally panicking about why the frog hero student had dressed up nicely for their not-date. Well, she wanted it to be a date but that didn’t mean it was one- she dressed up to show that if they dated she would put in the care to look good for the other girl. It still didn’t explain why the other was dressed up as well. “I like your outfit,” she added, nervously.
Tsuyu smiled even as Kisabo started to tug on the lilypad beret. “Good morning, Yui-san,” she greeted back while taking the proffered fidget toy handed to her and placing it in the young girl’s grasp instead. “You look cute in that outfit.”
If Yui were any weaker of a person, she would have squeaked at the compliment from her crush. Instead, the corners of her lips turned just slightly upwards in a smile as she reached for her sister. “Thank you. I can take Kisabo off your hands?” She offered, hands ready to pick the small girl up.
Tsuyu frowned slightly, tongue peaking out of her mouth. “You’re carrying the picnic basket, though.”
Without a word, Yui shifted her hold on the basket to balance only on an index finger before shrinking it down until it sat snugly like a ring. She motioned with her hands again to grab her sister, expectant to be allowed to do so now that she cleared the issue. In response, she received an amused kero before a weight was deposited into her arms.
Kisabo whined quietly at being taken away from Tsuyu, wiggling in her new hold as she grumbled out a 'Tsu-nee' while looking mournful with big wet eyes. Both teenage girls laughed at the dramatics, a fondness in them at the close connection already.
Kikaeru and Samidare ran ahead of them into the park, one of the boys sporadically beginning a game of tag out of boredom from the prolonged greetings. Satsuki grabbed Tsuyu’s hand and started following after them, the rest of the group finally entering the park.
They all spent some time leisurely walking around the park, the two oldest sisters keeping an eye on their rambunctious little brothers chasing one another around. They were content to let them be for a while, until they suddenly took a turn towards the pond. In sync, Yui grabbed hold of Satsuki’s hand in Tsuyu’s stead as the girl rushed in as well before capturing both boys with her tongue. Depositing them alongside the group, they whined about not being able to have fun in the water.
Even as Tsuyu was reprimanding and reminding them of how unsanitary the water was, Yui just felt so incredibly fond. Seeing the attention and care from the other girl to kids made her heart swell with affection. She was still scared of losing this friendship but couldn’t help how badly she wanted to hold the girl’s hand.
Kisabo noticed the way she was looking at the other teen, moving around in her hold so she could speak directly into Yui’s ear which she cupped with her hands.
“Tsu nee-san is very pretty, right nee-chan?” She whispered loudly, but luckily not loud enough for Tsuyu herself to hear.
Yui tried her best to not react, instead electing to tickle Kisabo’s stomach and make the young girl devolve into a fit of giggles. She kicked out and squealed to be put onto the ground, her laughter so infectious that Satsuki laughed as well next to them. Yui relented to her pleas, carefully lowering Kisabo and only letting go when her sister fully had her feet under her.
Seeing that Tsuyu was returning with the two boys in tow, Yui looked around the park for a good spot to set up the picnic blanket. It’d be best to go somewhere far away from the pond so that the boys couldn’t try to sneak away for a swim. When they rejoined the group, she finally spotted a large tree with plenty of shade.
“Tsu-san, we could set up the picnic blanket by that tree over there?” Yui suggested, eyeing how Kisabo already seemed like she was getting tired from standing. She reached for the side pocket of her backpack to pull out a small matchbox, taking the car out of it and placing it on the ground. Pressing a hand to the hood, she increased the size of it to fit the small child. Her younger sister smiled up at her before climbing into it, using the pedals they had installed to move forward on the path.
Satsuki giggled as she followed behind the car, both Kikaeru and Samidare whining about having their wrists held by Tsuyu still. She let out a little kero before conveniently loosening her hold enough for them to wiggle out when they wanted to. As if on cue, Kikaeru smiled wide and turned to Samidare with a challenge to see who could reach the tree first. They shot off in a sprint, Yui letting out an amused huff at their antics.
She stiffened when fingers touched her wrist, looking down to see them circle around it. She looked back up to Tsuyu, who was keeping an eye on their younger siblings, and felt infinitely thankful that the girl wasn’t able to catch her slight blush at the touch. It was perfectly platonic and normal for friends to have physical contact like this, as evidenced by Kinoko’s tendency to wrap arms around anybody she saw fit, but her feelings for the girl made it so different. Yui couldn’t help but wish she had the courage in that moment to lock their fingers together instead.
But she didn’t. She would soon though, thinking about all her friends’ encouragement to confess her feelings. For now, she let herself be guided to the tree she had pointed out earlier.
After a bit of time, Yui finally increased the size of all the items she shrunk down for convenience and set them up on the picnic blanket she laid out. She had flushed when she looked at all of the plates of fruit cut out into hearts, having the sudden realization how odd it was to do so without making it clear to Tsuyu that she wished for this to be a romantic outing. She persevered though, setting them out along with the dango, sandos, and charcuterie board she had prepared the night before. Her lip twitched in amusement when she saw the Ryukyu water bottle get placed down along with Kisabo’s sippy cup and some other drinks for the rest of the kids.
Yui was glad that the other girl didn't comment on it, their whole group starting to snack on all of the food as they settled in. She easily took to wiping any messy faces, pulling out her pack of wet wipes to clean Satsuki’s face and hands before giving the girl a thin sketchpad and some crayons that she asked for. When the boys started wrestling near the blanket, she handed them bubble wands and said she'd refill it if they stayed away from the pond. They happily ran off after nodding and accepting the bribe, Kisabo’s imminent fussing quelled with an offered lollipop.
It was a good day. Seeing her siblings happy always made her happy, and her soft spot for them easily transferred onto other young kids. The fact that these kids were the younger siblings of her crush only meant she paid just a little bit more attention. It couldn't hurt to make an impression on them, even if confessing to the girl she liked felt scarier than fighting villains.
“Yui-san.”
Tsuyu’s voice made her blink out of her contemplation, turning her head to the left to see the object of her affections looking directly at her. She startled at the unexpected attention, blinking twice before leaning a bit against the tree trunk with a nod.
“Yes, Tsuyu-san?”
She lifted her right hand to poke into her cheek, tongue poking out of her mouth from the touch.
“You would say that we're close now, yes?” She asked with a tilt to her head.
Yui’s mouth felt a little dry as she nodded, biting back the urge to spill the feelings she's had building in her chest for months now. Her heart skipped a beat seeing the smile cross the girl’s face.
“Then, kero we should drop the honorifics shouldn't we?”
Tsuyu’s eyes crinkled with what seemed like amusement as she dropped her hand back down, her pinky sliding across cotton and slipping underneath Yui’s resting palm. She didn't see that expression though, too busy looking down to see where their hands brushed together.
“I…” Yui trailed off, heart beating fast in her chest. She lifted her head to lock eyes with Tsuyu, swallowing harshly from nerves. “I agree, T-Tsuyu.”
She laughed, leaning close enough that Yui could feel her breath fan across her cheek. “Yaomomo-san told me something interesting this morning.”
Yui’s stomach twisted into knots, feeling alarmed for not considering how Tsuyu’s friends would also spread gossip. She opened her mouth to explain herself, but no words escaped her when another mouth was pressed to hers.
Her eyes fluttered shut as she pressed closer into the kiss, lips parting in eagerness. This was foreign to her, but she wanted to commit the feeling to memory. Her heart was beating so fast, she felt like it was going to burst.
“Eww, you’re going to get cooties!”
The two of them jolted away from the other, startled by one of their brothers playfully making grossed out noises. The heat in her cheeks cooled down just enough for her to feel laughter bubbling in her chest, and she couldn’t stop it from escaping her. Yui laughed softly, pressing her forehead to Tsuyu’s shoulder as she devolved into quiet giggles. Elation over the whole situation washed over her, giddiness making her feel brave for the first time in weeks.
“I like you,” she whispered into the other girl’s skin, linking their pinkies together.
She heard an amused kero erupt from her crush- girlfriend?- before a kiss was pressed to the top of her head.
“I like you too.”