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A now empty futon rests beside the couch in Chisato’s favorite safehouse. The sliding door to the balcony is open, letting in a chilly nighttime breeze. The sudden wind causes Chisato, who is sleeping on the couch to shiver and reach for a blanket that has long since fallen to the floor. With a gentle sigh, Takina, who had been laying beside her just a few minutes ago, shuts the door to let her partner rest. With the temperature of her living room back to normal, Chisato relaxes again and falls into a more comfortable sleep.
Back outside, Takina stares out into the endless night sky. The old radio tower covers most of the skyline of the city. A tragedy making way for everyone’s symbol of peace. If only they knew.
The town around her is calm and of course it would be. It’s been months since the major incident at Enkuboku and there hasn’t been any real danger since then. At least nothing severe enough that DA couldn’t easily sweep under the rug. For all intents and purposes their work, apart from small time requests from DA, was done. At least it should be, but there’s one last thing. Unfinished business Takina has left unchecked during those months. And only now does she finally have her chance to assess that situation.
With another sigh, one much more resigned than the first, she walks back into the living room. Standing over the couch she watches the situation in question. Chisato lays sprawled out in a sleeping position so horrid Takina can practically feel the crick she would have in her own neck. Regardless, Takina continues to watch her partner sleep. Chisato’s lips tilts up into a goofy smile and Takina wants nothing more than to capture them in hers.
She imagines she’s having a fun dream about their upcoming trip to Hawaii. Takina smiles fondly while grabbing the blanket off the floor and tucking her back in. Her hand lingers for a moment as she pulls it up to her chest. Sometimes, only sometimes, she wishes Chisato had a heartbeat she could feel.
Takina watches the steady rise and fall of Chisato’s chest while listening to every breath she takes. She doesn’t even notice when she starts clutching her own chest. Her breathing matching Chisato’s pace. Her heart probably racing much faster. The hand on her chest reaches up and massages her left shoulder. She massages the wire burn scar underneath her shirt. The pain from it is long gone, but it still serves as a not so gentle reminder to herself of just how far she’d go for her partner. Her hand drops to her side and she goes back to watching Chisato sleep. Takina wonders just how she’s going to finish her last assignment.
It’s been a mere three days since Takina dragged Chisato home from her little vacation, and pretty soon all of Café LycoReco would be taking another one to Hawaii. Kurumi had already gotten to work forging passports for everyone. She assured both Lycoris that even without family registers, she would be able to get them passports. They could realistically leave within the week, but everyone had agreed for one reason or another to wait until the end of the month. A fact that Takina is grateful for. Because she can’t leave Japan yet. Not until she finishes her last mission. A self-assigned one.
To tell Chisato how she feels.
The question is, how? Since bringing her home, Takina has spent every waking moment by her side. Mainly because she wouldn’t let her disappear again, but also to find the perfect way to tell her how she felt. Much to Takina’s dismay however, she just couldn’t figure out how to. That’s also how she ended up living with Chisato again. One conversation about that started with having “something important to say” dragged on and now she was here for the foreseeable future. Not that Takina minded, any excuse to keep Chisato close by was alright with her. It didn’t help her heart though.
At this rate they’d leave for Hawaii and Takina would lose her chance to tell Chisato she loved her forever. Or so Takina tells herself. With her self-imposed deadline being the end of the month, she had to act fast.
After laying back down in her futon, Takina looks over at the coffee table. On top of it is what remains from the mini celebration Chisato held for her moving back in. A huge pile of movies and an assortment of snacks. A smattering of Hollywood films, filled with lots of high intensity action that made no logical sense. Countless hours of movies that followed the “rule of cool” or whatever Chisato called it.
Takina recalls one movie that stuck out to her during their movie marathon. One where two cowboys, close friends, constantly had duels together. Their way of communicating to each other beyond just words. That’s when Takina finally gets her brilliant idea. The best way for her to tell Chisato how she feels is by literally shooting her feelings at her.
In a sanctioned mock battle at DA headquarters.
With that decided, Takina sets her plan into motion. First, and most importantly, she has to convince Chisato to come with her to DA.
“Takina’s been acting weird?" Mizuki repeats Chisato’s question back at her.
“Weirder than she normally is?” Kurumi asks absentmindedly, not taking her eyes off her laptop.
“She is! Why won’t you two believe me?!” Chisato wails as she slumps over the counter.
The early morning sun peeks through the window to greet the café a good morning. A reminder to Chisato of just how early she arrived today. The only reason they were all able to have this conversation is because Chisato woke up extra early so she could sneak out of her own house just to buy herself some time away from Takina. A feat she is particularly proud of, thank you very much.
“It’s not that we don’t believe you–” Before Mizuki can get the words out, Kurumi cuts her off.
“No, we totally don’t believe you. Your definition of weird is weird in and of itself,” Kurumi lays it out straight. “Plus it’s Takina. Whatever you think is going on cannot be that crazy. It might just be another case of Takina being Takina.”
“I’m serious, everyone! Takina is acting weird! Ever since she moved back in with me, she won’t let me out of her sight. Wherever I go she always follows close behind, even if I just step out for some air. I mean, don’t get me wrong, seeing her follow me around like a puppy is freaking cute. But everywhere? It gets to a point… And whenever I ask her about it, she gets all fidgety and avoids the question altogether!”
Mizuki and Kurumi both look at each other with knowing expressions on their faces. They’ve had an inkling as to what was happening ever since Chisato told them Takina moved back in with her a few days ago, but before they could get a word in, Chisato goes right back to her ramblings.
“And get this! Takina’s been pestering me to head with her to DA. Weird right? I told you she was acting weird! Why would Takina want to go to DA? Does she want to go back? Why? She quit like, forever ago!”
“That was only a few months ago,” Mizuki notes, but Chisato ignores her.
“When I ask her why, she either avoids the question altogether or gives me some half-assed answer about getting paperwork done for Lycoris work overseas. I know that’s not the real reason she wants to go, but she won’t tell me anything else! It's weird!” Chisato finally finishes explaining her plight to them.
“You need to expand your vocabulary, Chisato,” Kurumi deadpans, but she does ponder the DA thing. As far as she knew, Takina had decided to stay here at the café. Suddenly wanting to go to DA under the excuse of paperwork, she definitely has something planned.
“DA aside, are you sure she didn’t just miss you? You did up and vanish for months.” Mizuki’s mouth hangs open for a moment like she wants to say more, but chooses against it.
“Miss me? I mean… Maybe?” Chisato rolls the idea in her head for a moment. It’s plausible, and Takina has done something similar in the past. “But, we all know she isn’t all sappy like that. There has to be another reason for all this. Please, you two gotta help me get to the bottom of this.”
There’s plenty of reasons why she’s practically begging the others to help her. For one, while there is a certain amount of appeal to seeing Takina practically cling to her every day, even Chisato has her own limits. And for two, it’s just really bad for her heart.
Chisato isn’t sure how to describe these strange feelings she’d felt recently. Ever since Takina’s sudden insistence on spending every waking moment with her, Chisato has become much more conscious of her. Who wouldn’t? Having your closest friend, your partner in crime, the person you care for so deeply you’d actually pull the trigger suddenly start paying such close attention to you would get anyone’s heart racing. Mechanical or not.
Is it love? She isn’t sure. She never really put that much thought into having a romantic relationship with, well anyone. From her perspective, she was always living on borrowed time, and at one point was literally going to die in less than two months. Romance was never really a relevant topic in her mind. But maybe, with Takina, it wouldn’t be so bad.
The memory of Takina back at the beach in Miyako rushes to her mind. How they ran toward the ocean, how she spun her around and they both toppled over with Takina on top of her. How tantalizing Takina looked that day, her hair soaked and dripping on Chisato’s face. How close her face was, and how tempting her lips looked.
“Who knows?” Kurumi says, pulling Chisato out of her little daydream. “Maybe you’re the one overthinking it, Chisato. Is it really so far-fetched to assume that Takina would’ve missed her beloved partner after months of not seeing her?”
Chisato lingers on the word partner. It’s true that by the definition of their work, Takina is her partner. But at some point she isn't sure of, she became something much more than that. What is Takina to her? More than partners? More than friends? She’d have to ask Mika about these new feelings of hers.
“Wow Kurumi… when you word it like that it almost sounds like Takina and I are–”
“Are what?” Takina asks, having just walked through the front door.
The entire café freezes in place at the girl in question’s arrival. Chisato in particular feels an ice cold stare boring into her back. One that’s only balanced out by the heat in her cheeks after cheeks she realized what she was about to say. Chisato gulps and slowly turns to face Takina, offering her a meager smile while also trying to hide her apparent blush. Takina does not look happy. In fact it looked like Takina ran all the way here from Chisato’s house in a fit of rage. That’s the only way she could’ve gotten here so quickly given the massive head start Chisato gave herself.
“Good morning Takina-san. Did you sleep well?” Chisato asks, hoping to divert Takina’s attention away from the conversation that she walked in on along with her wrath.
“Why did you sneak out?” Takina’s question felt like a bullet straight through Chisato’s chest. Her diversion didn’t work at all.
“Whatever do you mean?”
“I’m asking why you snuck out this morning, Chisato.”
She really doesn’t want to answer that. But Takina steps closer, not willing to take silence for an answer. There’s a long pause as Takina, with arms crossed, glares at Chisato.
“...No reason?” Chisato finally answers. It comes out more like a question than an actual response, something Takina is not pleased with.
“Are you avoiding me? Are you planning to disappear again?” Takina questions Chisato. With each one she takes another step forward while Chisato, not wanting to be trapped, takes one back. This continues until Takina eventually corners her. The slamming of her hand on the wall next to her, followed by synchronized oohs from Mizuki and Kurumi, seals Chisato’s fate. If her heart could beat, it would have probably pounded right out of her chest.
“H- hold on… Takina? What’s all this?” Chisato asks, her face as red as the Lycoris uniform she's wearing. Being kabedonned by her partner was not on her bucket list. It made her legs weak and her chest tight.
“Why are you running away from me again, Chisato? Did I do something to upset you?” Takina leans in closer as she asks this. So close that Chisato can count each individual eyelash. Pretty is the first thought that crosses Chisato’s mind. Her own feelings are becoming much easier for her to read, but before she can fully figure them out she remembers the question Takina just asked.
“No, no, Takina it’s nothing like that… Okay, maybe it’s something like that…” Chisato sputters out, doing her best not to make direct contact with Takina’s beautiful eyes. “Oh, not the whole upsetting me thing! I could never be upset at you. It’s just–”
“So you admit you are avoiding me.” Takina looks down to the floor, dejected. Chisato quickly turns to the other two for help, but they just gesture roughly in Takina’s direction before going back to their own devices. Chisato swears to curse the two of them later, but for now she has a depressed partner to work on.
“I’m not avoiding you, Takina.” Chisato shoots that thought down quickly. If she had to choose between distancing herself from Takina and the current situation, the answer is obvious.
“Then why do you keep running away?” Takina’s voice is strained.
“Well, I wouldn’t say I’m running. I just want to know why you’ve been so clingy recently,” Chisato mutters.
“In that case, can you head to headquarters with me later today? I’ll be able to show you there,” Takina asks the moment she finds that opening. Chisato is caught off guard by the sudden request. Now that she thinks about it, hasn't she been avoiding answering Takina just as much? She can be such a hypocrite sometimes.
Accept or deflect? As she thinks about what to do, Takina leans even closer. Chisato can feel Takina’s breath on her lips. That paired with the position they were in, any willpower to refuse leaves her body.
“I… Okay… I’ll go, I’ll go. But do tell, why does it have to be at DA. And don’t say it’s so we can do our job in Hawaii,” Chisato asks, hoping to at least squeeze something out of Takina.
“It’s something that can only happen there,” Takina answers resolutely.
“And that something is?”
“I… can’t say.” Takina looks down at the floor again, with a light blush on her cheeks. Chisato quickly glances back at the two people lounging around on the café floor as if to say, “see?”
““Oh, it is like that.”” Both Mizuki and Kurumi said at the same time, their suspicions proven right.
“Wuh? Huh? It’s like what?” Chisato sputters out while looking between the two of them.
“Chisato. For as good as your eyes are, you sure are blind to this sort of stuff,” Kurumi states as she shuts her laptop and heads off, probably back to her little closet. Mizuki also heads into the back, muttering something about Mr. Doi and how Chisato is always mistaking Takina’s feelings. Wasn’t that whole situation over though? Chisato thought before turning her attention back to the counter.
Just as Mizuki disappears from view, Mika walks out to the counter and notices the situation the two Lycoris were in. Seeing Mika watch them, Chisato becomes acutely aware of just how compromising the position they were in looked like. Quickly slipping away from the wall Takina was pinning her to, Chisato runs over to the counter. Takina follows suit, albeit much more lethargically.
“Teach! We weren’t doing anything, I swear!” Chisato swears she sees Takina frown at that. “Ah, don’t worry about the DA thing. I’ll go with you after our shifts, but you gotta promise to fess up why you’ve been acting all weird, ‘kay? I’m honestly getting a little concerned.”
“Okay.” Takina, seemingly satisfied with that, offers a bow to Mika and heads into the staff room.
Chisato stands idly by, watching her walk away. She can only imagine what Takina has planned that requires both of them to head to DA headquarters. Did she get fed up with her after she vanished for months and wants to say one last goodbye at DA? No, that's ridiculous. Is it? It might explain why Takina’s been glued to her recently. But Chisato doesn’t like that, and therefore chooses to completely ignore that idea. Maybe it is for paperwork. For work in Hawaii? Or maybe Takina wants to go back to DA? Ohh, does she want to get officially promoted to a First Lycoris!? That would be so cool! She’s definitely up to par, and I’d totally support her in that! But then I’d lose my senior status… that’s a bummer. Would Takina still be as clingy if we were equals in rank? Wait, if she goes back to DA, then she won’t be living with me anymore. Hm, maybe I don’t support this, actually.
“Chisato,” Mika cuts her off with a wry smile.
“Yeah, Teach?” Chisato is fully immersed in her thoughts and barely registers Mika’s words.
“I’m glad you’re so supportive of Takina, but are you planning on getting changed anytime soon?”
Chisato’s head slowly turns to face Mika.
“I SAID ALL THAT OUT LOUD?!”
Their shift at the café today moves at a snail’s pace. Barely any customers to serve, and any side work has long been done. Because of that, everyone is left with little more to do other than lounge around.
Takina takes this downtime, and her break, to head into the range below the café to pass time and to warm herself up for her battle with Chisato later. Taking a breath Takina takes aim and unloads her magazine into the target, every shot deliberate. It’s easy enough to hit a stationary target, but Chisato would be far from that in their mock battle.
A one-on-one mock battle against Chisato is an almost insurmountable mountain. Takina knows this better than anyone. However, Chisato is still rusty after multiple months of inactivity. The fact that Takina nearly landed a shot on her back in Miyako is proof enough that she actually has a chance. Not to say that winning is her goal in all this, though it would be nice if she did. So long as Chisato receives her feelings, then the mock battle would be a success in her books.
Now that she thought about it, how did Chisato feel about her? Takina’s grip on her gun weakens. The whole point of this mission is to simply confess, but Takina never really thought beyond that. Would Chisato accept her confession? A thought Takina shelves for now. Tightening her grip again she loads a fresh magazine and shoots. Slightly off center.
Back upstairs, Chisato mindlessly walks around the café floor. Mika is behind the counter preparing some desserts while humming a tune. Mizuki went out for some errands, but everyone knows she’s probably getting sloshed out of her mind somewhere nearby. Kurumi meanwhile is in her closet doing god knows what. With just the two of them manning the front of the café, Chisato decides to just ask him.
“Hey, Teach?”
“Yes?” Mika looks up from the dessert platter he was working on, the dango set specifically. “What is it?”
“How do you know if you're in love?” Chisato asks. Instead of an answer, she hears glass shattering on the floor. “Teach? Teach?!”
Chisato dashes around the counter to inspect the damage. Glass shards covered in matcha sauce litter the floor. Not wanting Mika to have to lean down to clean it up, Chisato instantly gets to work on tidying the mess up.
“Sorry about this, Chisato,” Mika apologizes as he steps aside to make way for her.
“It’s nothing, Teach. Don’t sweat it.” Chisato’s quick to clean up the mess, disposing of the glass shards in a garbage can outside. Once she gets back inside, Mika has finished the original dango set he was working on and beckons Chisato closer. “Oh, is it for me!?”
“It is now.”
“Woohoo! Score one for Chisato!” Chisato plops herself down at the middle-most counter seat and starts digging on. Eating them from right to left, Chisato bites into the dango dipped in matcha sauce first. The sweet and slightly bitter sauce along with the chewy dango is a treat. Once she’s done she moves onto the middle flavor, one dipped in an ogura sauce.
“So love, huh?” When Mika brings the topic back up, Chisato nearly chokes on the dessert. “Why do you ask? Did some girl finally catch your eye?”
“Well– cough– it’s not just some girl…” Chisato gets out while swallowing the rest of the second set of dango. Mika thinks for a moment as Chisato reaches for the third set.
“So it’s Takina.” Cue Chisato choking on the final piece of kinako-coated dango.
“Drink some water!” Mika orders while handing her a glass.
“How’d you guess?” Chisato asks. The insightful glint in Mika’s eyes is all she needs. “That obvious? Man, this is embarrassing."
“Chisato, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Love is a beautiful thing. It’s a part of growing up.”
“I’d agree, Teach, but I don’t even know if these feelings are love,” Chisato says half-heartedly. She isn’t fooling anyone. Hell, she’s barely fooling herself. But still, she wants to talk to Mika about it. Just in case she might actually be misinterpretting these fresh and unfamiliar feelings of hers.
“Well…” Mika takes a breath, mentally shifting himself from Mika, the owner of Café LycoReco to Mika, Chisato’s dad. “What’s going through your mind right now?”
“A lot of things.”
“Specifically regarding Takina.” As Mika says this he glances down at his phone to ensure Takina is still in the firing range. She is.
“Still lots of things. I’m not entirely sure what these feelings for her are myself,” Chisato answers honestly. Her feelings for Takina go beyond simply liking her. She liked Takina a good bit. She was her friend. Some might even say her best friend. But recently, ever since Takina moved back in with her, something inside her changed.
“In that case,” Mika says as he walks around the counter to take a seat next to her, “let’s start with you.”
“What do you mean?” Chisato asks, tilting her head in curiosity.
“Let’s start here, do you like being around Takina?” Mika asks as he looks into Chisato’s vermillion eyes. He knows the look of someone in love, after all he’s seen himself. So he gauges Chisato, to see if he took after him.
“Of course I do! She’s my best friend!” Chisato’s face lights up and there's a sparkle in her eyes. She really is his daughter.
“Even when she’s being overbearing?” Mika prods, already knowing how this conversation was going to end.
“You heard us this morning?” Chisato grimaces. “I thought you were in the back.”
“You weren’t exactly being discreet.” Mika chuckles. “So, do you?”
“Well, it can be a little tiring, but that’s just Takina.” Chisato smiles warmly at the thought. Memories of flowing black hair fluttering in the wind beside her. Of striking lavender eyes that she wouldn’t dare look away from. Her cheeks warm up as a small breath escapes her lips. “It’s nice. Knowing someone cares about you. Oh, I’m not saying you or Mizuki or Kurumi don’t! It’s just–”
“Takina is different?” Mika chuckles a bit before getting up off his seat.
“In a way.” Chisato looks his way, wondering what’s so funny.
“Different how?” Mika grabs his cane and makes his way back around the counter.
“I guess, I don’t mind someone being overbearing if it’s her,” Chisato answers.
“Because being around her makes you happy?” Mika asks, already knowing the answer.
“Something like– Oh, I’m totally in love with her aren’t I?” Chisato facepalms before peeking at Mika through her fingers. To think she boiled her feelings down to friendship. “I mean, you don’t normally think about kissing your friends, right?”
“I suppose you found your answer,” Mika grinned as he got back to work.
“I guess I did, but now what to do with that?” Chisato
“Chisato.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks, Teach.” Chisato rests her head in her arms and beams at her dad. “Oh right, Teach. Could you call Kusunoki-san. Takina and I have a date later."
Later arrives and both Takina and Chisato are scanning into DA HQ. Surprisingly, Kusunoki didn’t seem to mind the sudden appearance of the two Lycoris. Chisato hopes to keep it that way. Especially if Takina was planning to either return or ask for a promotion, or hell, even both.
“Here’s your bag, Chisato.” Takina, who passed through the scanners first, grabbed both their bags.
“Thanks, Takina!” Chisato takes her bag and strolls into the lobby. “So why are we here again?”
If Takina wants to speak to Kusunoki she’d need to schedule a meeting, and Chisato doubts that the commander has any free time to spare. She almost never does. Not that it would ever stopped Chisato, and now Takina from trying anyway. If Takina needs to meet with the commander, Chisato will find a way to get it to happen.
“I’ll tell you at the fountain,” Takina states, picking up the pace and taking the lead. Chisato follows behind her giddily.
“Ohh, the fountain! How nostalgic!” Chisato reminisces about their first time heading to HQ together. It’s a bittersweet memory, but it’s one she cherishes all the more since coming to terms with her feelings for her partner. “Want me to spin you around again?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Takina says, doing her best to avoid looking back toward Chisato. Better if she didn’t see just how red her face was.
“Alright…” Chisato trails two paces behind her partner with one thought in her mind. When should I tell her? Takina promised to finally explain her behavior these past few days. But given what Chisato suspects is the reason, she isn’t sure if she should tell Takina about her own revelation first. If she really does want to go back to DA then that would lead to them inevitably becoming much more distant. She really doesn’t like that, but she also wants what’s best for Takina and if Takina wants to go back to DA then…
“Chisato?” Takina calls out to the spaced out Lycoris. Chisato looks back down toward Takina. She watches as light gleams off the fountain behind her. She really doesn't want to let her go. She decides then and there that she’ll tell Takina how she feels today, and if that isn’t enough to get her to stay… Then at least she tried.
“Do you really wanna come back here? To DA?” Chisato blurts out without really thinking about what to say after.
“”What?”” Takina asks with Chisato echoing her after a beat.
“What made you think I wanted to come back? I quit, didn’t I?” Takina tilts her head in confusion. She’s certain she did leave the main branch. Whether officially through request or unofficially through her disobedience of orders back at Enkuboku, her time here was done. She’d much rather spend her days with Chisato. Either helping around the café or doing work for individuals across the city.
“Wait, so you’re not here to ask Kusunoki-san to get promoted to a First?” Chisato asks, flailing her arms around in confusion. Had she misread this whole situation?
“...Where did you get that idea?” Takina asks, bewildered. Chisato’s arms flop to her sides as she gawks at her. Then, after letting out a long breath, Chisato cheers.
“That’s such a relief! I thought you were gonna leave me, Takina! I’m so glad you aren’t! But wait, why are we here then? Wait, don't tell me it’s actually for our trip?!”
“If you’d calm down, I’ll actually have a chance to explain,” Takina deadpans.
“I’m all ears! Oh, actually I have something I wanna tell you too. If you don’t mind,” Chisato blushes.
“I don’t,” Takina replies, not really noticing just how much Chisato is fidgeting.
“Awesome! Now the floor is yours.” Chisato does a dramatic bow while pretending to hand her a microphone. Takina just barely plays along by grabbing the invisible microphone but not using it.
“Okay, Chisato,” Takina starts. She makes sure she’s face to face with her. Their eyes meet and Takina nearly hesitates when she sees the look of adoration on Chisato’s face, like she’s the only other person in the entire building. Takina takes a breath, she can do this.
“Yup!” Chisato chirps.
“I want to have a mock battle with you,” Takina declares. She does her best to put on a serious expression, but one can only do so much when you’re about as red as a tomato. Luckily for Takina, Chisato latches onto the mock battle part, and not how embarrassed she is.
“A mock battle?” Chisato quizzes. She honestly wasn’t expecting that at all, but the pieces start connecting in her head. Albeit rather slowly. A mock battle is in fact something that can only happen at DA. Unless the two wanted to have a shootout in the city, which was idiotic for a number of reasons. But that still doesn’t explain one thing. “Okay, so I know why we’re here now, but you still haven’t explained your recent behavior.”
“Do you accept?”
“Hey! Don’t dodge my question!”
“I hoped the mock battle would be sufficient enough to answer that.”
“The mock battle… Wait, wait, wait. Is this because of that movie we watched? The cowboy one, where they… It is, isn’t it!” Seeing the flustered look on Takina’s face, Chisato snickers, finally understanding what’s going on. “Okay, okay I get it. Takina, forget about the thing I was going to tell you.”
“Excuse me?”
“We’re gonna communicate with our guns right? I’ll tell you in the arena. Oh, here’s a fun idea, loser has to confess!” Chisato pumps her fist in the air. She’s absolutely confident that she can beat Takina one-on-one. Getting Takina to spill why she’s been the way she was will be a piece of cake.
“Confess?!” Takina splutters, face crimson.
“I- I meant that they're hiding, o- obviously! You tell me why you’ve been sticking to me like glue and I tell you what I was gonna say here, Cool? Cool.” Chisato quickly clarifies, her face also heating up. “Uh… I’ll go ask Kusunoki-san if she can schedule a mock battle for us. See you then?”
“Right. See you then.”
As the two part ways, Takina instantly heads for the shooting range. There’s no such thing as too much warming up when your opponent is the top Lycoris. As for Chisato, she weasels her way into a chat with Kusunoki and manages, through incessant whining, to get their mock battle scheduled.
Word of the two Lycoris’s mock battle spreads like wildfire throughout DA HQ. This is the second time these two have participated in a mock battle, but this time they’d be facing off against each other. A battle between the two troublemakers. The heroes of the radio towers. This was an event no Lycoris at headquarters could miss. Not a one.
“Hurry up, Fuki-senpai! I wanna get front row seats!”
“You’re way too excited. What’s so great about watching those two idiots fight anyway?” Despite her question, Fuki’s gait quickens. Even with their pace, a huge crowd of Third and Second Lycoris has already formed by the windows. Sakura nearly shrivels up in dismay but she notices Erika waving at them. With the help of Hibana, she managed to get a good viewing position and thoughtfully saved the two of them some spots.
“You’re a real life saver,” Sakura thanks her peer.
“It’s nothing.”
“But how’d you get here so fast? It’s almost like you knew they were gonna have a mock battle before everyone else,” Sakura prods mischievously. Erika starts stumbling over her own words and Sakuras breaks out into a full belly laugh. Just the kind of reaction she wanted.
“Enough teasing, Sakura. They’re here.” Fuki approaches the window with her arms crossed and watches as the two enter the arena clad in protective gear. She’d never admit it, but she was really invested in this match. If anyone had a chance to wipe that stupid grin off Chisato's face, it was Takina. So despite her inhibitions, she's rooting for her. Only in her mind though. She would never openly admit to doing that.
Down in the arena, Takina finishes one last gun inspection and turns to face her partner and current opponent. Chisato does the same and offers her one of her signature smiles.
“Let’s have a good match, Chisato.” Takina returns the smile as she extends a fist out.
“Yeah, let’s!” Chisato gently taps Takina’s fist with hers. “Hopefully we’ll both receive each other’s feelings, eh?”
“Yes, I’m sure we will.” Takina nods as she switches the safety of her pistol off and begins walking away from Chisato. She’ll give Chisato the fight of her life, and make sure she hears the words she hasn't say.
“Are both parties ready? If so we shall begin.” Kusunoki’s voice booms through the speakers.
Chisato rounds a corner and switches her own gun’s safety off. Her hands are shaking. Funny, this has never happened before.
“Both parties, engage each other as if heading into actual combat.”
Takina turns back to face the hallway Chisato. Her grip on her gun is shaky, but she’s been mentally preparing for this moment for days. So she takes a breath and stares down the hallway, waiting.
“Ready…”
Both girls steel themselves.
“Begin!”
As the horn blares, declaring the start of their battle, Chisato jumps out from behind her cover and begins confidently running toward Takina. Her partner is ready for it and begins to fire downrange. One bullet, three, ten, all of which are effortlessly dodged by Chisato. The First Lycoris smiles as she begins to close the distance. Maybe she isn’t as rusty as Takina thought.
As soon as Chisato gets close enough to where her preferred shooting style is accurate, she lets loose a few shots of her own. Takina narrowly evades them by diving behind some boxes. Before Chisato even has a chance to grab a fresh magazine from her bag, Takina peeks out from the boxes and empties the rest of her magazine.
Chisato wasn’t expecting Takina to suddenly appear from such a low angle. She’s impressed at how gutsy her partner's being. With a slight tilt of her head, a shift of her arms and torso, and a step to the left, every bullet whizzes past her. To any unknowing onlookers it would look like Takina’s aim was terrible, but those who’ve seen her in action know that her shooting is on par with even the best at DA. It's just when against Chisato, anyone's aim can feel subpar.
Takina already knows she doesn’t have much time and kicks off the boxes and runs through a door. In that time she’s loaded a new magazine into her handgun and is waiting just opposite of the door. When Chisato inevitably kicks the door down, something Takina prided herself in knowing she was going to do, she fires a shot aimed right at center mass. Right toward’s Chisato’s heart.
This should have decided it. After all, she can’t dodge midair, or so Takina thought. The bullet misses, Chisato still managed to predict her shot timing and twisted her body midair to dodge it. How that’s even humanly possible, no one knows. But it’s Chisato, so Takina doesn’t question it. She simply turns and runs while holding her gun over her shoulder and shooting a few half-blind shots in Chisato’s general direction which forces Chisato to dodge without returning fire. Takina knows none of them hit, but all she needs is time. Adjust and reposition. She’ll get her in their next bout.
“You really do have the chops to be a First, Takina! Y’hear that Fuki? I’m saying she’s a way better partner than you!” Chisato taunts her former partner who she had a feeling was watching.
“Shut your mouth and focus on the damn match, idiot!” Fuki growls while banging her fist on the glass, she doubts she can hear her. “Takina? Better than me? Whatever.”
Chisato snickers, hoping she got a reaction out of her, before snapping back into focus. Takina has long since disappeared, and could ambush her from anywhere. But this was supposed to be fun, or so she tells herself. This isn’t a serious mock battle, but rather a friendly competition as a means of talking. And right now, this conversation has been pretty one-sided. It’s high time Chisato responds to what Takina’s been saying to her.
The arena goes quiet, save for the light pitter-patter of footsteps. Takina finds herself tucked away right at a crossroad. She leans on the left wall, trying to gauge where Chisato is through the sounds of her footsteps. Close left? Close left. Takina swings the corner and finds no one there but an open door. A door! Takina quickly turns around and Chisato pops out from a side room.
The two lock eyes and open fire. At this range Chisato isn’t sure if her CAR inspired shooting style will be accurate enough, and Takina is confident that all her rounds will be dodged. Regardless, the two take aim and fire. The clicks of empty guns signals the end of the exchange and as expected, no hits were made.
“Is your aim getting rusty, Takina?” Chisato goads her, but she can’t hide her smile. Takina really is amazing, being able to keep up with her like this.
“I could ask the same thing. Unlike you, I can’t dodge bullets,” Takina smiles back. She has to admit, so far this match has been tons of fun.
“Wanna keep going? At this rate it’ll end in a draw,” Chisato asks, reloading her trusty handgun.
“Why? Are you afraid of losing?” Takina also reloads her gun.
“Honestly, yeah.” Chisato takes this downtime to lean on a nearby pile of tires. Takina follows suit and leans back on some crates.
“Hmm, that’s surprising,” Takina remarks.
“Well if I lose you won’t fess up right?” Chisato reminds her with a grin.
“Hasn’t this entire match been me ‘fessing up?’” Takina asks while stretching her left shoulder.
“I guess you have a point. Hey, you okay?” Chisato walks toward her with worry filling her eyes. She doesn’t want Takina to push herself, especially if it’s causing her shoulder to hurt again. Reaching out to check her partner’s shoulder she’s stopped by something being pressed against her.
“You shouldn’t approach your enemy so casually, Chisato,” Takina says, holding her gun up to Chisato’s chest.
“You’d never shoot me like this,” Chisato coos. Takina hates that she’s right.
“Chisato?” Takina wonders aloud during their impromptu break.
“Hmm? What’s up?” Chisato replies after making sure her shoulder is okay.
“Wanna have a shootoff?”
“Ohh! Like from the movie? Let’s do it! One shot, winner takes all!” Chisato releases the magazine from her gun leaving just one round in the chamber and Takina does the same. “Kusunoki-san, can you give us a count?”
“A what?”
“Like from those cowboy movies. Y’know? ‘Ready, draw!’ Like that!”
“...Fine.”
The two find a long hallway and stand back to back. Chisato’s left hand reaches out and faintly touches Takina’s right.
“Good luck.”
“Loser has to confess, right?”
Chisato giggles, “Right.”
Takina’s left hand brushes against Chisato’s right before she begins walking forward. “Then I hope I lose.”
Chisato pauses for a second, not sure if she misheard her. Then she smiles warmly and takes her paces forward too. Once the two of them are about twenty twenty paces away and facing each other, Kusunoki’s voice comes back through the speakers.
“Are both parties ready?”
“Yup!” “Yes.” The two respond as their grip on their guns tighten.
“Ready… Draw!”
Two gunshots ring out across the arena.
All the onlookers are silent as they wait for the outcome. Inside Kusunoki’s viewing station, the cameras zoom in on the two Lycoris. Takina lets out a breath. No paint on her. She looks downrange. Chisato is down. A huge blue paint splatter across her forehead.
“Chisato! Are you okay?” Takina runs over to her fallen partner. Chisato offers her a weak thumbs up.
“You really nailed me there. Not bad.”
“I guess that means I win.”
“You sure do. Guess I’m the one doing all the talking.” Chisato sits up and starts rubbing the paint drippings from her eyes. “Aww, don’t look so sad Takina. It didn’t hurt at all, I promise.”
“That’s not it.”
“How hurtful! You don’t care about me at all!”
“Chisato–”
“I’m kidding., I’m kidding. I heard you loud and clear,” Chisato beams as she stands up.
“What?” Takina questions.
Chisato points to her and then to the paint on her face. “I got them. Your feelings.”
“What do you mean?” Takina asks, still puzzled.
“Geez, what I mean is… Takina, are you ready to hear my confession?”
“Right, that. Yes let’s hear– Mm!” Takina’s words are lost in Chisato’s lips. The kiss is fleeting, lasting only a moment. Chisato leans back with a smile, while gazing into Takina’s eyes.
“This is what I wanted to say back at the fountain. I hope my feelings reached you too.” Chisato’s eyes sparkle full of love for her partner in front of her.
“Chisato…” Takina stammers out, while licking her lips. “You taste like paint.”
“Don’t ruin the moment! Ahh, Takina you… Come here!” Chisato grabs Takina and starts kissing her all over while spinning her around. “‘Tastes like paint?’ Not when I’m done with–”
The feed to the arena cuts out and Kusunoki orders all personnel to leave. Best let the two of them have some privacy.
Two now empty futons lay side by side. The sliding door to the balcony is open, letting in a cool seaside breeze. The wind causes Chisato to shiver a little and lean closer to Takina. With a gentle sigh, Takina wraps her arm around her waist and pulls her closer. Resting her head atop Chisato’s. Despite her body temperature returning to normal, she snuggles even closer.
“Comfy?”
“Never better.”
The two sigh as they stare out past the shoreline of Waikiki Beach to watch the sunset off on the horizon. Its brilliance paints the two in yellow and orange hues.
“Chisato?”
“Mhm?” When Chisato turns to face Takina, her lips are quickly captured in hers. She leans into it. Savoring it, savoring her. When Takina pulls away, Chisato whines.
“When’d you get so greedy?” Chisato wonders aloud.
“When I found out you didn’t taste like paint,” Takina jokes.
“Still not how I expected our first kiss to go.” The two giggle at the memory as they settle back into each other’s arms.
The island around them is calm and of course it would be. After all, they were finally in Hawaii. For now, no more having to worry about Lycoris work. No more DA. And with Takina’s unspoken words reaching Chisato that day. No more missions. Just the two of them, enjoying these calm and peaceful days, together.