Blushing Heat

EARLY RELEASE FOR MY $30+ PATRONS!

Not my first Yagakimi fic, but it is my first Touko/Sayaka fic.

Listen, I know Sayaka gets a girlfriend in the novels (and good for her she deserves it!), I know Touko loves Yuu (and good for her she deserves it!). But I ALSO think these two deserve each other to some degree and I really love them together too.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yagate Kimi ni Naru

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														Blushing Heat

Normally, it's the soft buzzing of her alarm that rouses Sayaka for school in the mornings, though there are a few rare occasions where she'll wake prematurely, check the clock, and realize she still has an hour or two left to rest. She can only assume that's the case this morning as her conscious comes to her now, finding her curled in bed and nestled beneath the blankets.

The first thing she does is sigh as her body recognizes the signs of a very good sleep, even though she'd stayed up a bit late last night working on a few things.

The next thing she registers is the feeling of warm sunlight beaming onto her face. The heat is rather strong, enough to have her blinking and opening her eyes almost instantly, only to turn and shy away from the brightness. As her vision comes into focus, she wonders how much time she has left this morning before her alarm goes off. Placing a bet to herself in her mind, Sayaka finally glances up at her nightstand and the digital clock sitting there.

And that's when every cozy, pleasant feeling that's been encompassing her thus far suddenly shatters all at once.

The clock is totally blank. It must've run out of batteries in the night.

Now, Sayaka pushes herself up so quickly it almost makes her nauseous. She scrambles for her phone, her stomach already twisting with dread as she hopes against hope that it isn't true. But as she swipes to glance the screen, she discovers it's already 8AM, and she only has about 15 minutes to catch her train if she has any hopes of making it to school on time.

And that awful sinking feeling takes its hold on her now like a boiling stone being dropped from the top of her chest into the pit of her stomach.

She hates this feeling. More than almost anything else. This feeling of knowing she's going to be late when she has responsibilities to uphold. And it hadn't even been due to a real emergency - only because she'd gotten lazy and slept in.

Moaning in dismay, she throws the blankets off herself, something she never does, and only makes the bed half-heartedly before grabbing her phone, her school bag, and her uniform. She rushes for the bathroom, stumbling along the way and dropping her bag and all its contents. A yelp cracks in the back of her throat as she rapidly tries to gather everything back up properly, and then proceed with as many of the essentials of her morning routine as possible.

All she can afford is to freshen up, change, and brush her teeth before hurrying back out. She doesn't even have time for her hair beyond simply running her fingers back through it a few times. She already feels so disheveled, so unprofessional.

She just hates it. She hates this panic, this dread, this feeling that her reputation might be damaged all because of a failed alarm battery.

Not that anyone else would really care all that much, with her attendance already being flawless as it is.

But it isn't the rest of the school or the teachers she cares about. It's only one person in particular.

/Touko… I'm sorry!/

This kind of situation is one she'd striven to avoid the most. Because if she could end up being so careless like this, how could she ever expect Touko to rely on her?

Somewhere in her heart, Sayaka knows it's a foolish and selfish mantra, and that Touko would understand a few blunders here or there. But regardless, she just never wanted to make her worry or make her feel her faith might be better placed elsewhere.

Not only does always being presentably on-time maintain Sayaka's own image, but Touko's as well - being they're together, after all. Not that anyone else knows, but even so, the rest of the world is aware that they're inseparable as friends, at the very least.

And as Touko's friend and girlfriend, the last thing Sayaka ever wants to be to her is unreliable.

And something as major as that starts with things as minor as being punctual for class.

Sayaka shakes the troublesome thoughts away as she hurries through the empty kitchen. She can only count her blessings that her parents had already left for work, and her grandparents aren't around at the moment to see her in such a fluster. The only witness to her plight is the piebald cat lying on the floor. She can't help but feel like it's judging her.

A fretful glance at the kitchen clock tells her she has about 7 minutes now to make her train. If she runs, she can do it.

There's no time for breakfast, or even to grab her bento from the fridge. She just hurries straight for the front door, locks it, and pulls it closed behind her.

The very second she meets the outside air, Sayaka nearly yelps at the terrible and suffocating heat and humidity of the morning. She hadn't felt it indoors, but now it's like running headfirst into a sauna.

But she doesn't have time to be concerned about such strong heat in only mid-spring right now. She has a train to catch.

Without wasting another second, she takes off down the stairs and sidewalk toward the station. In only a few seconds, the oppressive heat - combined with her panic of already being late - causes her skin to sweat and her heart to pound. Her black leggings attract the sunlight and cause her legs to burn, and the long sleeves of her blazer are weighing down on her arms along with her bag, making her movements feel sluggish.

It's agony to wait for the crosswalk lights, and she has to call out several apologies for brushing past other people in her haste.

She hates this. She hates this so much. To be wearing her school's uniform and showing such a distasteful side of herself, unkempt and ragged. It's never really crossed her mind before that she's probably the only one who cares this much, though.

She runs as quickly as she can, not even bothering to check her phone for the time anymore as the station comes into view. She pushes onward, until she can hear the warnings that the doors will be closing.

If not for this awful heat and the fact that her chest quite honestly feels as though it's burning from the inside out, she probably could have gotten here with a minute to spare. But as things are now, she just barely stumbles through the doors right before they close at the ends of her hair.

She has to contain her whimper of relief for the sake of manners, since she'd already so rudely entered the train in such a fashion.

She hunches forward, gripping her knees as she pants wildly for breath until she can find the strength to reach into her pocket for her handkerchief so she may gasp into that instead. The people around her only stare for a moment before going back to their phones anyway.

Naturally, there are no open seats, or even any open handles, so Sayaka has to resort to grabbing onto the bar itself to keep herself on her feet after the enervating run. She's still panting, wiping the cloth across her forehead to clear away the sweat.

She's always been fairly athletic, but the one thing she could never handle was heat like this, how it would make her clothes and hair cling to her skin in all the worst ways and make her feel even more disgusting than she'd feel from whatever physical activity was expected of her.

But of all the sweat-inducing, exhausting gym classes she'd suffered through, at least Touko had been by her side through them all.

Part of her wishes Touko were here now to tell her she did a good job in making the train.

But the other part, which far outweighs the first, would rather Touko not be present to see her in such an unbecoming state.

She doesn't fully catch her breath until a quarter of the way into the ride, and by that point the stifling air of having so many people packed together begins to take affect, and it's made all the worse due to the unusual heat today.

The intercom - which typically gives a forecast and news in between stops - confirms it's a fluke of a day, temperature-wise, so at the very least Sayaka is thankful the heatwave won't be lasting all week.

/Just today,/ she tells herself. /I just have to get through today…/

Though she hadn't exactly had the best start to it, she's resolved not to let her morning influence the rest of her day.

By the time the train reaches her stop, Sayaka has composed herself as much as if she'd never had a single blunder in the first place.

She thought it would be a relief to finally step off that tightly-packed train. But to her regret, the world outside has grown even hotter by now without a cloud in the sky.

In spite of the fact that she hadn't eaten breakfast, she still feels heavy, as though her clothes are made of iron. It's all she can do to keep to the scarce spots of shade along the sidewalk as she begins her walk to school. Although, it isn't long before she starts to increase her stride.

It's both because she feels she needs to get there sooner to make up for waking up late - even though her train's arrival meant she'd make it to school the same time as always now - and also too because she just wants to get out of this horrible heat.

And… also because she knows Touko will be waiting for her outside the gates.

And after the morning she's had, she knows that simply seeing Touko will make everything feel so much better.

So Sayaka hurries along at a pace that would normally never affect her. But the air today has her chest aching before long, and her heart has started to pound a little harder. Maybe it would be better if Touko didn't see her in such a state after all…

But right before she can dwell anymore on the thought, Sayaka rounds the corner, and her eyes instantly go to the bench where Touko is always, always waiting for her.

This morning is no different.

All of the other students seem to vanish from her sight until only that beautiful familiar figure remains.

Touko is seated on the bench as always, though she isn't wearing the brown blazer today, just the black dress and short white sleeves. Her bag is beside her as she nods pleasant greetings to everyone passing her by, bound for the building.

Even from this distance, Sayaka can appreciate how smooth and shiny her long black hair is, how pristine her uniform is, how bright her gaze is…

She stops in her tracks, now being struck by the embarrassment tenfold. Her own hair isn't even done properly, her uniform is ruffled, and her face must be red from all the running.

/I can't let her see me like this-/

But no sooner has the thought crossed her mind than a cheerful voice is calling out for her.

"Sayaka!"

She flinches as though stung by a wasp, and yet she can't deny how wonderfully giddy it makes her heart to hear her name on Touko's lips. She's been spotted now, so she has no choice but to continue forward.

Touko leaves her bag on the bench for the moment and gets to her feet before hurrying to meet her halfway. If they could have their way - as girlfriends - Touko would've thrown her arms around Sayaka and given her a kiss.

But right now they're just classmates as usual, so they come to a halt at a respectable distance. Sayaka does her best to smile as usual, but it fades instantly when Touko's eyes widen in shock.

"Sayaka! What happened? You're a mess!"

The words deal a heavy blow to Sayaka's pride, but she'd already known her appearance wasn't the most elegant this morning. She clears her throat a little past the lump that's been lodged there all morning.

"Yes… I'm sorry. My alarm's battery died, and so I was a bit late waking up…"

Touko lets out a sigh, clearly relieved it hadn't been anything too major.

"I see…" She reaches out her hand out of habit, and as badly as Sayaka wants to accept, she can only glance a little nervously at all the people passing around them. Touko gives her a little smile and steps closer to whisper for only her to hear.

"It's not as girlfriends, remember? Just as friends."

Sayaka's feels her heart backflip, both from Touko's breath on the shell of her ear and at the reminder of this secret romance they're kindling - though they both know if they were to tell, no one would be all that surprised. She exhales, giving a nod before accepting Touko's hand.

Touko is about to smile even wider until she feels the contact.

"Sayaka! You're burning up!"

"Touko, please," she murmurs. "It isn't anything serious. It's only because I had to run a bit to make my train. I'm all right."

Touko gives her a pout and a hard stare, but ultimately seems to accept the explanation.

"You don't have a fever?"

"Not at all."

"Then let me check."

"Eh? Touko, we're at school-"

"Technically, we aren't until we've entered the gates."

With this irrefutable evidence in her favor, she reaches up to brush Sayaka's bangs aside.

Sayaka stiffens, only able to take a bit of comfort in the fact that most of the other students have gone on ahead by now to get into the shelter and shade of the building.

She closes her eyes, holding her breath in the back of her throat as Touko leans forward to rest their foreheads together. She can feel Touko's thumb on her wrist to measure her pulse as well, and at this point Sayaka already knows the results are going to be disastrous on her part.

She stays put, trying not to breathe until it becomes impossible not to, at which point she can only breathe in Touko's scent. And while that does serve to calm her down a little, it also makes her all the more distracted.

By the time Touko pulls away and Sayaka peeks her eyes back open, she isn't surprised at all to find Touko giving her a scolding look.

"Sa-ya-ka-"

"Touko, please-"

"You really are burning up! Did you run all the way here from the station?"

"No. I only ran to make the train, but I walked to school normally." She looks down, since that's only partially true.

Touko gives her wrist a little squeeze.

"Well, your heart's racing as if you've been running around town all morning!"

Sayaka sighs. "I'm sorry. It's really nothing."

"Geez," Touko whines. "It's too hot for you to be pushing yourself like this today. And why are you wearing your blazer? You didn't get the school email?"

"Eh?" Sayaka blinks in confusion. "No… I was in such a rush I-"

"Gosh, what am I going to do with you?" Touko reaches into her dress pocket to fish out her own phone to bring up an email, then dutifully reads aloud: "Due to the unprecedented and unexpected heatwave imminent in today's forecast, all students are permitted and encouraged to wear summer uniforms."

Sayaka blinks again.

"I had no idea."

"Come on, Sayaka! You've gotta know about important things like this! You must be dying! Here…" Touko puts her phone away and now reaches up to begin unbuttoning Sayaka's blazer for her. Sayaka almost recoils on reflex.

"Eh? Touko-?"

"Hold still. Gosh, I can't believe you survived all the way here wearing this! People are already passing out from heat stroke, you know!" She makes quick work of undoing the buttons, then helps slide the blazer off Sayaka's shoulder.

At this point, Sayaka attempts to maintain at least some of her pride.

"I can do this much myself." She swaps her bag to her free shoulder now before pulling the blazer off her other arm.

And she'd thought removing the extra layer would provide a sense of relief, but to her disappointment her arms are already so hot she feels as though the blazer is still on.

But she doesn't let the discomfort show on her face. Instead, she dips her head gratefully to Touko, who now holds her bag for her as Sayaka folds up her blazer.

"There," Touko smiles. "Isn't that so much better?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"Geez." Touko pouts again as she hands the bag back. Sayaka unzips it and places her blazer inside in the space where her bento should've been, then quickly closes her bag again. She jolts as Touko makes a sudden sound.

"Ah!"

"Wh-What is it?"

"Sayaka, your hair! You didn't even do your hair this morning?"

"Ah… Not exactly…"

"Geez, did you even eat breakfast?"

Sayaka flinches.

"Of course." She hopes she's convincing enough.

Luckily, Touko still seems so shocked about the fact that she hadn't braided her hair that she believes the lie.

"That's good at least." She glances back to the building and the large clock at the front of it. "We've still got a few minutes. Come on, let's go inside. It should be a little cooler in there."

With this, she takes Sayaka's hand again and begins leading her toward the building, pausing to pick up her bag she'd left on the bench.

Sayaka exhales as she follows along beside her. She'd dodge a lot of bullets within the span of just one hour this morning, from making her train to surviving Touko's concern. It's her hope that her luck will continue throughout the rest of the day.

As she walks with her now, Sayaka is sure to put on her best and most refined smile as she enters school grounds, softly squeezing Touko's hand in return.

They only let go upon entering the building, where the stifling, soupy heat of the outdoors is exchanged for a slightly-cooler temperature, though with all of the students walking around and so much sunlight filtering down through the windows, it doesn't really feel that much better.

Sayaka follows Touko to their shoe lockers to put on their proper indoor footwear. But as soon as she's finished, Sayaka feels a hand on hers again and looks back to find Touko smiling.

"We still have time," she reminds her. "Why don't you sit down for a second, Sayaka? You look like you haven't taken a breath all morning."

And now that she mentions it, Sayaka feels like that's truthfully the case. So with a long sigh admitting defeat, she concedes.

"Very well."

"The fact that you agreed so quickly tells me I'm right." Touko guides her to the little bench in between the locker aisles and has her sit down. Sayaka keeps her posture as pristine as ever. Touko stands behind her, placing both hands on her shoulders.

"Sayaka, you're always so stiff."

"I don't want to hear that coming from you."

"Hmph…"

Sayaka smirks to herself to know she'd won that round, but her victory is short-lived when she feels Touko's fingers gently massaging into her shoulders.

"T-Touko? What are you-?"

"Relax, Sayaka. We still have time before class. You're not late or anything. So just breathe for a second, okay?"

Sayaka turns her face now, and her heart flutters to see Touko looking a bit concerned for her still. Sayaka bows her head.

"Sorry. I was trying not to worry you, and yet-"

"Sayaka." Touko lifts her hands now, gently gliding her nails through Sayaka's hair on one side of her head to gather a lock and separate it from the rest. "I know we have an image and a reputation to uphold as Student Council. But sometimes it's all right to let your hair down. Figuratively. You know what I mean."

Sayaka sighs again.

"Yes. I do. I just-"

"Didn't want to let me down?" Touko guesses. "It's the same for me, Sayaka. If I ever slack off, I feel it's an insult to you, who's always working so hard to keep me motivated. But that doesn't mean you should be overworking yourself for my sake."

"I never said I was."

"Maybe not with words," Touko reasons. "But you've said it in a lot of other ways already this morning."

Sayaka folds her hands together in her lap and fidgets her fingers. She can feel Touko dividing the section of her hair into three parts and beginning to braid it for her. It feels nice.

But it isn't until the other students have all moved away to chat elsewhere when she can truly be at ease with Touko alone.

She closes her eyes, enjoying the feeling of gentle fingers threading through her hair, never tugging or pulling. Eventually, Sayaka feels compelled to tell her again.

"I'm sorry."

"More apologies?" Touko sighs. She starts to make a second braid on the other side of Sayaka's head now. "Sayaka, that's not what I'm trying to make you say."

"I know. But I feel I need to say it." She keeps her eyes closed, trying to ignore the slight stinging sensation prickling behind them. "I'm always telling you not to push yourself, but then I hypocritically do it to myself."

"Well," Touko says gently. "Sometimes people are like that, right? That's what you do when you prioritize someone else over yourself. That's what you do when you love someone."

Sayaka's eyes open wide at the word, and a small gasp hitches in her chest. Touko finishes with her braids, securing them together at the center with a small hair tie to produce the usual tiny ponytail.

"There. You should let me do this for you more often, Sayaka." Touko wraps both arms around her from behind, folding them around her shoulders and crossing them over her collar.

Sayaka can't help but cast a nervous glance around the room, but they're alone now. She feels Touko resting her chin on top of her head, and only now does Sayaka lean back against her a little bit. She closes her eyes and sighs again.

"Thank you, Touko."

"You're very welcome."

They stay like that for a moment, quiet and undisturbed. Eventually, Sayaka feels a palm on her cheek, gingerly coaxing her to tilt her head back. Touko leans forward over her and kisses her softly, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders in the process.

Sayaka kisses back for the moment it lasts, then exhales yet another sigh when it's over. She opens her eyes to find Touko blushing slightly and smiling, and Sayaka can only assume her own face is twice as pink.

She knows she should tell her the truth about how she'd skipped breakfast and pushed herself harder than she'd initially admitted. Touko deserves to know the truth, if not as her number-one supporter, then as her girlfriend.

"Touko-"

But before she can finish, the warning bell chimes, giving them both a bit of a start.

"Ah!" Touko gives Sayaka's shoulders one last pat. "We'd better get going now before we really do end up being late!"

"Yes…"

They gather their bags and Sayaka gets to her feet now. Touko walks around the bench to stand beside her once more.

"Oh," she says. "What was it you wanted to tell me just now, Sayaka?"

Sayaka goes back on her previous thoughts. While she does want to be honest, she's already made her girlfriend worry needlessly enough this morning.

"It's nothing. Come, let's get to class."

"If you're sure."

So they head off to homeroom together, where they jump into their roles as respectable Student Council President and Vice-President as always.

Sayaka finds that once classes begin, she's feeling much better than she had been now that her attendance is no longer in jeopardy, and she no longer has to do any panicked running. Though having a window seat works against her for once, and even with the blinds closed she can still feel the sunlight blazing in through the glass.

Everyone is equally as miserable all around her though, fanning themselves with papers and books. Even the teachers understand the extreme circumstances and don't ask too much of them today.

All morning, Sayaka becomes progressively more and more aware of her empty stomach. It growls a few times and she has to cover up the sounds with a few small coughs into her elbow.

She has to consider it a miracle she's able to stay focused on the lessons. Her usual work ethic is definitely being affected by her lack of energy, but she ardently pushes through it and forces herself to get her work done efficiently. Whenever the teacher asks a question, she raises her hand politely, and whether she's called on or not, she always maintains her posture and her engaged expression.

As far as she's concerned, no one would've been able to tell she's feeling a bit off today, even without the bombarding heat.

That is, no one… other than her girlfriend.

When lunch finally arrives, everyone in class cheers and sighs in relief to be able to move around a bit and start chatting. Sayaka is feeling some form of relief as well, if only because she won't have to think in terms of history and physics anymore for the rest of the day.

But as her stomach growls again, she's reminded of the breakfast she'd skipped and the lunch she'd forgotten to bring. This might be a problem…

"Sayaka!"

She stiffens again at that cheerful call of her name, turning now to see Touko making her way over.

"Sayaka, come sit at my desk for lunch. You need to get away from the sun."

"I can't argue with you there." Sayaka pushes herself up, and she's a bit taken aback by how tightly she needs to grip her chair to find her balance. But she doesn't let it show, and quickly turns to follow Touko back to her spot. But Touko doesn't go just yet.

"Sayaka!"

"Hm?"

"Your lunch."

"Ah… well, you see…" She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and glances to the floor. "I forgot to take it this morning. I was in a hurry."

"Ehhh?" Touko cries. "You don't have a lunch?"

"Touko, don't cause a scene, now. I had plenty for breakfast."

"Even so!" Touko says. "You can't go without a lunch. At least share some of mine then."

"No, I couldn't possibly-"

"I insist!" Touko takes her hand now and leads her a few steps away, then stops. "Oh, but take your water bottle."

Sayaka feels yet another intangible blow to her chest.

"I don't have it…"

"Eh-?!" Touko really shrieks a bit loudly that time, and Sayaka scrambles to cover her mouth.

"Touko, it's not-"

"Oh no-" Touko grabs hold of both her wrists now and holds firmly. "Don't try to tell me it's no big deal, Sayaka. You have to drink some water on a day like today! At this rate, you're going to collapse!"

"That won't happen," Sayaka replies calmly. "Touko, I'm fine. The heat's just making me a bit tired is all, but it's the same for everyone."

"Sayaka…" Touko whines again, swinging both her girlfriend's hands in hers. "I brought an extra water today, so you're taking that. No arguments."

"All right." Knowing a refusal will only stress Touko out even more and put herself at greater risk of actual collapse, Sayaka concedes to that much.

She follows Touko back to her desk now and pulls up a vacant chair to sit across from her. Touko brings out her bento and two bottles of water, one of which is already half empty from being sipped at all morning. But Touko pushes the full one over to her.

"No way."

"Eh?" Sayaka blinks, puzzled.

"I said no way," Touko repeats. "Even if you want an indirect kiss, you're taking the full bottle, Sayaka."

"Eh? I wasn't-"

"Sorry!" Touko smiles, resting her hand on Sayaka's. "That was mean of me. I just wanted to see you blush."

She definitely gets her wish. Sayaka can feel a searing heat in her cheeks now, and she gives a firm little flick to the back of Touko's hand.

"Ow!"

"You've got some nerve…"

"Sorry! Forgive me!"

"Goodness…"

With this, Touko opens her bento and begins picking through it. She takes a bite of a dumpling before holding out the chop sticks and offering the rest to her.

"Here, say aaah~!"

Sayaka pouts.

"I can do it myself, you know."

"Aww, humor me!"

"My goodness…"

Sayaka casts a wary glance around the room to ensure no one else is looking before swiftly leaning forward and taking a bite. She covers her mouth with her handkerchief and chews slowly, as if this isn't the first thing she's eaten all day.

Touko nudges the water bottle closer to her, and Sayaka accepts. But she doesn't want to appear half as parched as she truly is, so she only takes a few sips before putting it down.

They chit-chat about Student Council business as Touko eats, occasionally offering some things to Sayaka, who is sure to act as though she doesn't need them before ultimately accepting.

Lunch is over before they realize, and Sayaka gets to her feet. But she can't take so much as one step away before Touko is grabbing her wrist and pulling her in for a swift and secret kiss, which only serves to make Sayaka overheat all the more. She gives Touko a scolding look before returning to her own desk, though she neglects to take the water bottle with her.

The afternoon is even hotter and more oppressive than morning had been as the sun shifts directly over them. Sayaka finds her posture slouching due to a slight headache now, and she has to consciously correct herself.

She makes it through math class without a hitch though. After that it's gym, where they're given a non-exerting choice of either table tennis or personal workout. Everyone is thankful to put on their shorts and t-shirts and move to the more spacious gymnasium where the air is a bit less stagnant.

Of course, Touko wants to play table tennis, and Sayaka gladly pairs with her. But in spite of her very best efforts, she can barely return more than a few hits in a row before losing focus or hitting too weakly. Touko soaks in the glory of her her landslide victory, and Sayaka just smiles and offers her praises.

After gym class, they put their uniforms back on and head to their final language class of the day. And by this point, Sayaka can't even find the will to raise her hand for the teacher's questions.

/This is bad. I've really done it now… But I've got no one to blame but myself./

Even so, she does still want to tell Touko the truth about how awful she's feeling, and confess she'd been hiding it from her all day. The guilt's been gnawing away at her for hours now.

Therefore, when the final bell rings, Sayaka picks up her bag and heaves herself out of her seat to make her way over. She has to go slowly and use the other desks for support, but she manages to make it to Touko as she's packing up her books. Sayaka clears her throat.

"Touko…?"

"What a day!" Touko sighs. "I can't believe it was this hot soo early in spring."

"Yes. It's strange, but these sort of days happen." Sayaka waits for her to finish packing her bag and stand before continuing. "Say, Touko? If you've got time… would you like to get some ice cream on the way home? I know we're in different directions, but I can-"

"Oh? Am I being invited out on a date~?" she purrs.

Sayaka looks away.

"We do this sort of thing all the time."

"But we're girlfriends now, aren't we? It's different." Touko reaches out to lightly brush her fingers through Sayaka's hair, letting them glide down her cheek in the process. Sayaka steps back.

"Touko! We're still in school!"

"Geez, no one's looking… Don't be so high-strung, Sayaka. But in response to your date offer, of course! It's the perfect day for some ice cream! And even better since we don't have clubs and Student Council today."

Sayaka exhales in relief.

"All right. So then-"

"I just have to do something for one of the teachers," Touko says. "She asked me to do a bit of filing with papers in the Student Council room. It'll only take twenty minutes or so. Do you want to come with me?"

"What kind of a question is that?" Sayaka crosses her arms with a small huff. "Of course I'm coming with you. What else would I do, sit here by myself doing nothing while I let you do all the work before our date?"

"So it is a date~"

"I never said it wasn't."

"Sayaka, you're really cute."

"P-Pardon?"

"See what I mean? You're blushing again."

Sayaka says nothing and promptly turns around. She's had a crush on this girl for so long, and yet somehow only when they're actually dating does she find herself this affected by her.

Touko chuckles and puts an arm around her shoulders now as they begin to walk out.

"Sorry," she hums. "I don't know why I'm in the mood to tease you today."

"That's fine. You'll just be paying for both our ice creams then."

"Ehhhh? Sayakaaaaa…"

Sayaka cracks a smile and manages a soft giggle as she leads Touko out of the classroom now. They say their goodbyes to classmates for the weekend and make their way to their lockers to put on their outdoor shoes.

They run into Yuu and her friends, and Touko goes to talk for a moment, though Sayaka opts to stay seated on the bench to collect her bearings.

/I'll have to endure… just a little while longer…/

She shuts her eyes for a moment, drawing in a deep, steadying breath. Her stomach is aching terribly by now, and for some reason it feels like she can't breathe in enough air no matter how hard she tries. There's a ringing in her head as well, and the same heated weight is clinging to her all over.

"Sayaka!"

She gasps and reopens her eyes as Touko hurries back to her now.

"Sorry, I'm ready now. Let's go!"

"Yes…" Sayaka picks up her bag and tries to get up. But her vision suddenly blurs, and her balance falters. It's all she can do to angle herself toward the lockers and lean against them for support. With a gasp, Touko turns back around and hurries to support her.

"Sayaka? What's the matter?"

"Nothing," she says a bit unconvincingly. "My shoe wasn't on all the way. I just slipped a little."

"Are you okay? You didn't hit your head on the lockers, did you?"

"Not at all. I'm fine."

"You don't look fine," Touko frowns. "Maybe we should go see the nurse before she leaves."

"Don't you have a task to do?" Sayaka reasons. "We should get that done. I'm fine, Touko." She isn't as bashful to lean in and kiss her now that there's no one else in the building. She feels Touko reach out to hug her sides, keeping her close to extend the contact.

Sayaka holds out in spite of her condition, but when they part she's clearly the more breathless of the two of them. Touko nuzzles against her cheek.

"That was nice," she murmurs. "But are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes." Sayaka holds onto her arm now, both to support herself and to convince Touko. "Let's get that filing done, and then we can have our date."

"Right. Though, if you think about it, since we're alone together now, this is kind of a date too."

"A filing date," Sayaka chuckles. "How riveting."

Touko steps closer to her, and they head to the doors together now whilst holding onto each other's arms. They both pause at the exit, sharing a glance that says they're savoring their last moment indoors before braving the heat. As soon as they step out, both girls wince.

"Gosh," Touko grumbles. "It's even worse than before!"

"I was hoping it would've cooled off by now," Sayaka agrees.

"Well, at least we can stick to the shade," Touko reasons. "I guess that's one good thing about the Student Council building being in the middle of the woods, right?"

"Yes, I suppose so."

They start off together into the trees, though the shade of the foliage only does so much when the air pressure is this bad.

Sayaka feels a jolt travel through her with every step she takes, from the bottoms of her shoes straight to the top of her head, which makes the ache all the more unbearable. She has to close her eyes for a moment as she walks, clinging a little more tightly to Touko's arm in the process. She gets away with it until they're about halfway to the building and Touko comes to a stop.

"Sayaka?"

Sayaka blinks up at her curiously.

"Yes?"

Touko scrutinizes her for a moment, and Sayaka holds her breath. Touko reaches up to touch her cheek.

"You look a little pale."

"And you're flushed," Sayaka counters gently. "This heat is wretched. Let's finish this filing and get our ice cream, shall we?"

Touko can't find any arguments for that, as her face really is a bit red from the heat as well. So they continue on to the building, keeping to the shade as much as possible until they finally limp through the doors.

"Ah, geez," Touko sighs. "It's just as hot in here. Didn't we have a fan somewhere?"

She leaves Sayaka for the moment to go and search, which allows Sayaka to stagger to the table and put down her bag. She braces her palms on the hardwood, hunching over to catch her breath. She feels as if she'd just run a mile in this heat, when in reality she'd just walked for five minutes. Everything aches, particularly her head and her stomach, but so do her chest and her neck-

"Ah! I found it!"

She looks up promptly and stands straight again as Touko turns back holding a small rotating fan in her hands. She brings it over and places it on the table, then unravels the chord to plug it into the wall. Even on its highest setting, the fan only serves to push the hot air around a bit, but it does offer a sliver of relief. Both girls stand in front of it for a moment before remembering their task.

"All right!" Touko claps. "How about I look for the files and you can sort them by date?"

"That sounds like a plan."

As Touko turns to being scouring the booklets on the shelves, Sayaka has to put great effort into not collapsing into her chair. She folds her arms on the table and leans forward to bury her head for a long moment, still struggling to catch her breath properly. Her stomach growls again, and only the whirring of the fan drowns it out so Touko doesn't hear. But the fan's whirring sound also makes her head ache more...

/What a fine mess I'm in now…/

Sayaka pushes herself back up before Touko can turn around to see her in such a state. Sayaka fixes her hair as best she can until her girlfriend finally turns to make her way over with several packets of papers in her arms.

"Let's start with these. I'm counting on you, Sayaka!"

"Of course."

She knows Touko doesn't mean it in a way that might make her feel pressured. This is just a casual task, after all. But Sayaka can't help but take it to heart.

She begins reading through the papers, though half the words make no sense at all. She withdraws her handkerchief to prevent any sweat from dripping onto the papers.

Somehow, she manages to organize everything properly by the time Touko has brought over the next little stack for her to start on.

And Sayaka does her best. She really does. As she's been doing since the second she'd woken up this morning, she does her absolute best.

But by this point, she's already far past her limit.

The next time she blinks, her vision doesn't refocus, and all the words on the page blur into a massive gray smudge. She winces, whimpering softly as she lifts her head to seek out her partner.

"Tou-"

She can't even get her name out fully before the horrible throbbing in her head steals the breath right from her lungs. She's never felt this weak and miserable before in all her life.

Touko hasn't noticed her plight, and still has her back turned as she paws through some booklets. Sayaka brings a hand to her chest and tries to swallow, but it gets stuck and ends up as a cough. She tries to get up, to go to her, just to be close to her-

"Tou…ko…"

But that's as far as she gets. As soon as she's stood halfway up, her vision is instantly swallowed by blotches that blind her eyes like stinging black lights. Her legs give out, and with a pained gasp, she drops to her knees.

When it happens, Touko had been in the middle of planning out a surprise for her girlfriend. Not only is she planning on ice cream, but she also wants to take her out to dinner tonight at a new place that had recently opened up.

/Since it's the weekend now, we'll be fine stopping there on our way home from school. I just know she'll love it there!/

But as she's envisioning the look of surprise and glee on her girlfriend's face, Touko hears the screeching of a chair on wood just before it clatters and topples over. There's a loud thud, and then a moan of pain.

Touko's heart jumps as she drops the papers in her hands and whirls around.

"Sayaka-?"

Her voice rises into a panicked shriek at the sight of her, collapsed on the floor and barely holding herself up, her hair in disarray and her shoulders heaving.

"Sayaka!" Touko runs to her in seconds, dropping down next to her. "Sayaka? What happened-?" She puts both hands on her shoulders and eases Sayaka back just a little to glimpse her face. Her eyes are squeezed shut in agony, and her face is almost starkly pale all of a sudden. Her skin is beaded with sweat, and she's breathing painfully hard.

Touko can't think to do anything else but pull her close for the moment, hugging her around her sides to help keep her up, rubbing her hands up and down her shuddering back. Sayaka is shaking all over, and her weight is more or less limp in Touko's arms.

/This is terrible! How could I not have noticed-?/

"Sayaka!" Touko curls her arms securely around her, bringing her close to let her feel the support. She can feel Sayaka's pulse hammering against her chest and all through her back as well. Touko is snared by dismay as she helplessly tries to make it better.

"E-Easy!" she says. "Sayaka, just breathe, okay? I'm here." She hugs her tighter, worried it might be too tight, but even more worried that if it's any looser she might fall. She's aware of Sayaka desperately trying to return the embrace, but her fingers are so weak and her arms are trembling too much.

"I-I… I'm sorry…" Sayaka gasps thinly against her shoulder, trying in vain to swallow. "I'm sorry… I-I'm all right…"

"Sayaka!" Touko eases her away just for a second to see her eyes flutter meekly, then pulls her back into an even firmer hug. "You're not all right! Your heart's pounding! You pushed yourself way too hard-!"

"Touko-"

"You need to go to the hospital-"

"Touko-" Only now does Sayaka find a bit of her strength, enough to give Touko's shoulders a wobbly squeeze. "Please… there's no need for that."

"Then what?" Touko cries. "What can I do, Sayaka? I've never seen you like this before… You're always responsible. You always take such good care of yourself and those around you… so this is…"

By now, Touko has begun to shed a few tears as well, more out of fear for her girlfriend than anything else. Sayaka's heart is still beating roughly enough for her to feel it, and her breathing is still ragged. She's never known her to be in such pain before - not like this. She wants to help, and it's killing her not to.

"Please…" she begs. "Sayaka… what can I do…?"

And as Sayaka struggles to steady her breathing, she can feel the change in Touko's. She hears the frightened little whimpers against her neck, and is filled with prickling dread as she realizes she's started to cry, too.

"Touko…" Her heart had hurt enough already, but to know she's made Touko cry now makes the pain and the guilt ten times worse.

And it's her fault.

It's because she'd tried to be tough and hold out, and failed.

It's because she'd been selfish.

Touko's tears only serve to breed more of her own now, and Sayaka buries her face into her girlfriend's shoulder.

"I'm sorry… this is- exactly what I was trying to avoid… I didn't want to worry you… and yet… that's all I've done…"

"Sayaka…" Touko sniffles, biting her lip softly to make it stop trembling. I need to get ahold of myself. She needs me right now.

Inhaling sharply, Touko refuses to allow any more tears to fall. She turns her face to wipe her eyes on her shoulder, while continuing to run her hands soothingly up and down her girlfriend's back.

"Sayaka, you don't have to-"

"Yes I do…" she rasps. "I do have to apologize… Because I'm a hypocrite…"

"What? Don't say that!"

"But it's true… I'm always reprimanding you for pushing yourself too hard... and then here I am like this… I want you to be able to rely on me, Touko… I want to take some of the burden from you- not cause you more trouble… I don't want you to have to worry about me like this…"

And in spite of how very worried she still is about her girlfriend, Touko begins to calm herself now.

"All right," she murmurs. "I understand your feelings, Sayaka. But you're mistaken."

Now, Touko moves back again, but is sure to keep her supportive hold on Sayaka so she won't sway. Sayaka lifts her tearstained face, wearing a miserable, pained expression Touko has never seen on her before. But that misery and pain are stemming from something endearing, something that comes from the bottom of her heart. Touko offers a tiny smile.

"You're mistaken," she says again. "Because you're not a burden to me, Sayaka. You're not causing me trouble. It's natural for people who love each other to be worried about each other, right? Especially if it's the kind of love we have." Now, she brings one hand from Sayaka's back up to the side of her face, brushing the backs of her fingers along her cheek in gentle strokes. "I've never seen you like this before, Sayaka. And of course I'm worried… But a little part of me is almost glad to learn you also have this side of yourself. That even you can make this kind of expression. Though I wish you didn't have to..."

"Touko…" Sayaka is still breathing a little unevenly, but it's slowed a bit by now. Touko pulls her back in again, brushing her head against hers.

"I should apologize," she murmurs. "It's because I'm always relying on you that you felt you had to push yourself to this degree. I know I can always count on you, but I need to count on you being honest with me. And I guess it isn't fair that I hid so many things from you for so long… of course you'd want to hide some, too…" She sighs, resting her forehead against her girlfriend's shoulder. Sayaka gives another tiny sniffle.

"Touko…?"

"I'm sorry."

"Wait, don't you start apologizing now…"

"Sorry."

"I said you don't have to be."

By now, Sayaka has finally stopped trembling, and her tears have stopped for the most part. Touko leaves a kiss in her hair before pulling her into another soft embrace. She's glad to feel Sayaka's pulse isn't quite so fierce anymore, but it's still rather fast. She gives her another squeeze around her waist.

"Sayaka? Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital? Just to be safe?"

"That's the last thing I want to do," she replies. "I'm all right, Touko. It was just a dizzy spell coupled with the heat-"

But then her stomach makes a sudden loud growl, which startles them both and causes them to ease apart. Sayaka feels her face turning pink all over again, and a wave of embarrassment crashes down on her. Touko eyes her suspiciously.

"That's not all, is it?" she grumbles. "You'd said you had breakfast this morning, but you didn't. Isn't that right?"

Sayaka heaves another breath and bows her head.

"Yes…"

"Sayaka!" Touko grabs hold of both her shoulders and gives her a light little shake. "You didn't eat anything today? Just half a dumpling and some of my rice? And what about water?"

Sayaka doesn't lift her head. Touko cries out again.

"Sayaka! My gosh… it's no wonder you collapsed! I'm surprised you made it this long in this heat!"

"I'm sorry," she sighs. "I was going to tell you-"

"Never mind that!" Touko says firmly. "Tell me whatever you want later, but for right now you need to drink something! Can you stand?" Touko supports her as much as she can, holding her up from beneath her arms. Sayaka tries her best, but her legs are pitifully weak, and as soon as she tries to get up, her head starts to ache again. Touko doesn't let her get any farther. Gently, she lowers her back down to the floor.

"All right, just stay here." Touko slowly lets go of her, making sure she can at least sit up on her own before pressing a small kiss to her head.

Sayaka blinks, and her face turns pink again. She has no choice but to wait patiently now as Touko gets to her feet and hurries back to the table. She picks up the fan and places it on the floor instead, allowing it to aim toward Sayaka. She then retrieves her school bag and hurriedly brings it back with her before kneeling back down beside her. Touko rummages through it and quickly pulls out a water bottle that's still half-full.

"Here! You're drinking all of it! Now!" She holds it out to Sayaka and gives her a serious glare that no one would dare argue against. Sayaka dips her head and accepts the water gratefully. As she drinks, Touko rubs her back for her softly.

Sayaka tries not to drink too quickly. The water is just cool enough to combat the heat inside her and send a sensation of relief through her veins. She drains the entire bottle, then closes her eyes and takes a moment to breathe, focusing on the comforting touch of Touko's hand on her back. Touko shifts a little closer to her and rests her other hand over Sayaka's in her lap.

"Sayaka?"

"I'm all right," she says, opening her eyes again slowly. This time, she's able to produce a small smile for her. "Thank you, Touko."

"Oh, we're not finished yet." Touko takes the empty bottle from her and exchanges it in her bag for her bento. When she opens it there's still a bit of rice left. Touko hands her a pair of chop sticks and waits expectantly. Sayaka accepts, and eats slowly.

Touko remains by her side until she's finished, then cleans everything back up.

"Now," she says. "Will you be all right if I leave you by yourself for a minute? I'm going to run to the vending machine to get-"

"The vending machine!" Sayaka blurts out. "Oh, why didn't I think of that…?" She drops her face into her hands and heaves another sigh. "It didn't even cross my mind…"

Touko rubs her back for her a few more times.

"You weren't thinking clearly," she reasons. "I'll get you some more water and some lighter snacks so you won't upset your stomach, okay?"

Sayaka lifts her face up enough to nod.

But before Touko can get up, Sayaka takes hold of her hand. Touko blinks at her curiously.

"Sayaka-?" She cuts off with a small yelp as her girlfriend pulls her close, leaving a kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you."

Touko blushes a little, but smiles back.

"It's my pleasure."

Now, she gingerly slips away from Sayaka and stands before hurrying out of the building. She hates the idea of leaving her there alone on the floor like that, especially after what had just happened, so she wastes no time in running to the nearest vending machine and making her purchases. Touko races back and hurries through the door.

"Sayaka-?"

But Sayaka is exactly where she'd left her, still kneeling on the floor with her back as straight as possible. She's taken out her handkerchief and begun cleaning her face off a bit, and now turns back to give Touko a reassuring smile.

"Yes. I'm fine, Touko."

Touko sighs and hurries to her now, sitting beside her once again. She hands her the water first, and feels better just at the sight of watching her drink. She's cleaned most of the sweat and tears away by now, and a bit of color is returning to her pallor.

Sayaka drinks half the bottle before accepting the baggie of crackers Touko had bought for her. It turns out to be exactly what her sore and empty stomach needed; nothing too hefty but just enough to satisfy her for now and give her back some of her energy.

When she's finished, Touko has her drink some more water before pulling out her own handkerchief and gently dabbing it along Sayaka's hairline.

"How do you feel?"

"Much better. Really. Thank you, Touko."

"Next time you have to tell me right away so I can help you sooner."

"Right. I promise."

Touko nods, seeming satisfied with that. After she's done wiping the remnants of the tears from Sayaka's neck, she leans in to give her another kiss. Her lips are much cooler now after drinking the water, and her breathing is much slower and steadier. But even so, Touko isn't about to let her try and get back to work.

As they part from the kiss, she can see the intent in Sayaka's eyes and knows she wants to try and continue with the paperwork. So before she can even suggest it, Touko denies her.

"Nope."

"Eh? I didn't even-"

"No more filing for you today. You're going to rest."

"Rest? Touko, we're still at school-"

"School is over," Touko reminds her. "And you collapsed about ten minutes ago, might I remind you?"

Sayaka has no argument for that. Touko puffs out her chest in triumph.

"So you're going to rest for a little while."

Sayaka knows there can be no arguing with her on this matter, not after everything that's happened. So her only choice is to let out a long, long exhale and admit defeat.

"Very well. If you could just help me to the table-"

"Oh no," Touko shakes her head. "You can't be hunched over at a table. Plus, the sun is over there right now. You're staying here."

Now Sayaka gives her a puzzled look.

"And how exactly do you propose-?"

But before she can finish the question, Touko moves her bag aside and pats both hands onto her lap.

"Here."

Sayaka blinks, but as she processes the meaning, her face begins to heat up all over again.

"Don't be ridiculous. We're on school property-"

"And you collapsed ten minutes ago," Touko quips back.

Sayaka pouts.

"Please stop reminding me."

"I'll stop after you've rested."

Sayaka must have sighed a thousand times already today, but she makes it a thousand and one now.

"Just for a moment, then."

"For as long as you need," Touko corrects her. She pats her lap again and invites her over.

Sayaka has no other options.

So she slowly uncurls her legs a bit now and leans herself toward her girlfriend. Touko reaches out to support her and help her move, gradually easing her down onto her back. She coaxes her until Sayaka's head is resting comfortably in her lap, and Touko gazes fondly down at her.

"There," she smiles. "That wasn't so hard, right?"

Sayaka blushes and turns her face to one side.

"You're quite devious today, aren't you?"

Touko chuckles and leans forward over her to kiss her cheek and nuzzle her nose. As she sits back up again, she folds her forearms gently across Sayaka's collar to hold her loosely, feeling her exhale.

All Sayaka can do now in this position is close her eyes and huff softly as she folds her hands over her stomach. Touko taps her fingers along her girlfriend's collar and gives her a loose hug.

"Are you comfortable?" she wonders.

"Yes. As comfortable as this situation can allow, I suppose."

"I'm glad."

Touko is quiet for a moment, and only the whirring of the fan fills the room. It keeps lifting both hers and Sayaka's hair gently.

Touko leaves one hand on Sayaka's chest and now brings the other up to her face to tuck the loose locks of ash-blonde hair away, and to caress her cheek. Sayaka turns her head and can't resist nuzzling into her palm. Touko plays with her bangs for a moment and rubs her head gently.

"How's your headache?"

"Gone," she replies.

"That's good." Touko nods. "But…" She shifts her other hand a little, resting it at the center of Sayaka's chest. "Are you really sure you're all right? Your heart is still beating a bit quickly..."

Sayaka grimaces.

"If it is…" she murmurs. "Then it's not because of the heat…"

"Eh?" Touko tilts her head. "Then why-" She cuts off though when Sayaka gives her a blushing, deadpanned glare.

"I'm not going to spell it out for you."

"Oh." Touko's lips twitch into a tiny smirk. "Oh~? Then is it because of this?" she drawls, leaning forward over her once again. "Because of me~?"

"T-Touko, please-"

"But you're so cute, Sayaka!" Touko cups her cheek again and leans in for an upside-down kiss. She can feel Sayaka's pulse flutter beneath her palm, and her smirk widens. Sayaka only humors her for so long, though, before giving her a soft nip to chide her. Touko laughs and sits back up.

"Sorry."

"Honestly, you're hopeless…"

"I'm done, I promise! Just close your eyes now." Touko begins tracing her fingers in little circles along her collar. Sayaka gives another huff, but finally closes her eyes.

"Just for a moment. We still have those papers-"

"Rest, Sayaka. Don't worry about that." Touko caresses her face again and leans down to kiss her forehead. After that, Sayaka makes no more attempts at protest.

Touko watches over her now as she rests. The fan continues doing its job and stirring up the air to cool them off. Touko can already feel a reassuring change in Sayaka's temperature compared to earlier, and her skin is no longer clammy with sweat.

After a few moments of playing through her hair and running her fingers over her chest, she can feel Sayaka's pulse has also slowed down, and her breathing has become deep and steady. Her brow relaxes, and before much longer Touko can tell she's asleep.

/She must've been so tired all day today./

Touko gets comfortable like this for the time being, contenting herself with pampering her girlfriend's hair and watching her sleep. Even when she's unconscious, Sayaka looks so refined with her hands folded neatly and her soft breathing.

As the sun sinks outside, the heat lessens. Touko remains as she is and lets Sayaka sleep for a full half hour before she hears her girlfriend's stomach make a small sound again. Smiling, Touko leans down to kiss her awake.

"Sa-ya-ka? Time to wake up. I'll take you out to dinner and ice cream."

Sayaka stirs and makes a tired little moan as she opens her eyes slowly.

"Touko…" Her voice is raspy and adorable, so much so that Touko can't resist kissing her again.

"How are you feeling? Does your head hurt?"

"No. I feel much better." Sayaka manages to sit herself up entirely on her own now, giving Touko an appreciative smile. "I mean it, Touko. Though, maybe I'm still a bit hungry…" She looks away with a blush as her stomach rumbles again.

Touko laughs.

"All right, then it's time for some supper!"

She gets to her feet, then offers her hands to help Sayaka up as well. To her relief, Sayaka doesn't stagger or sway this time, and she really does look much better.

They make quick work of finishing the filing job, then leave the stack of papers to collect on Monday. They put away the fan, pick up their bags, and head for the doors.

As they step outside, the evening air is rather warm and cozy now. Touko takes her hand, and Sayaka squeezes hers in return.

As they start to walk, she keeps pace beside her, stealing glances every now and again.

"Touko…?"

"What's up? Don't apologize again, Sayaka."

"No." Sayaka shakes her head. "I wasn't going to. I wanted to say thank you."

"You already did."

"But I want to say it again."

Sayaka stops walking, causing Touko to stop, too. With a tug of her hand, she pulls Touko into another kiss, though this time it's much fuller than before. Touko slowly wraps an arm around her, keeping her close as she presses back.

Sayaka breathes against her lips, hoping to convey her sincerest gratitude. They only part when her stomach growls again. She yelps softly and turns bright red, and Touko just laughs again.

"See? You're too cute!"

"Please spare me…"

Touko giggles and loops her arm with hers. Sayaka sighs at first, but eventually joins her in her laughter.

The two girls make their way through the forest as the golden sunlight filters through. They discuss what dishes they're going to order for supper at the restaurant, and then what flavors of ice cream they're going to order afterward.

They only fall silent as they reach the edge of the tree line, and quietly come together for one more tender kiss. As they part, Touko brushes her cheek against hers.

"Sayaka?"

Sayaka leans against her in turn.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Sayaka can't contain a small sound. Touko chuckles and gives her a quick hug.

"Did your heart skip a beat?"

"It did nothing of the sort."

"Aw, be honest~"

Sayaka eventually pries her off, but she keeps hold of her hand as they continue walking toward town. But after a moment of recovery, she lifts her head proudly with a smile.

"I love you too, Touko."

Touko gives her hand a cheerful squeeze.

Together, they start down the sidewalk and begin chatting once again as the sun sets and dyes their world in a warm, blushing pink.

---------

A/N: As I said, I just... I know they get their own loves, but I really, really love them together as well. I have no excuse, this was just self-indulgence... I hope I wrote them well.