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nyandereneko) wrote2019-07-15 08:00 am
nyandereneko) wrote2019-07-15 08:00 am
Entry tags:
Starlight
Word Count: 1,739
Summary: Nova let’s an unexpected compliment slip out without realizing it, and in the midst of trying to salvage her blunder Yuki can’t help but find the entire exchange endearing and amusing.
*Author’s Note*: This is so cheeeeeeeesy but that’s okay, that’s what selfship writing is for, right? Well, anyway, it’s my brand and I’m trying to get back into it a little lol. Just a comical little exchange between Nova and Yuki based on a line from one of my fave movies (I’ll let people who read it guess, although I’m sure most of you will instantly know what it is) because I was thinking about it in regard to Yuki and just couldn’t help myself. I hope you enjoy!
Ayame had stepped out for a bit, offering them a much-appreciated period of peace and quiet, and Nova got caught up in admiring her companion without even realizing it. Not just his appearance, but the way he held himself, the aura he exuded that he previously resented as a barrier of reservation. He hadn’t given her that kind of impression during their first encounter, but perhaps that was to be expected, considering he was far from the same person he’d been back when he was so preoccupied with self-loathing. He’d overcome many obstacles both internally and externally, and she could tell that he tended to present himself in a much more authentic light now. And just light in general…he was beaming with it. Gleaming brightly like a star, glittering like a jewel, he was radiant in every way and she usually had to stop herself from blurting such embarrassing observations out loud. Much to her regret, today wasn’t one of those days.
“You know, your hair kind of looks like starlight.” Aside from being sappy, she couldn’t believe she’d just stolen a classic quote from the camp of overused and predictable lines. Backtracking in her mind, scrambling for anything she could use to make up her fumble, her panic slowed as she took in the unexpected smile he gave her in response. Tender, amused, it was wholly him and embodied everything about the statement and thoughts she’d just been so thoughtlessly preoccupied with. How she’d allowed such a man to have this kind of control over her was a mysterious and inexcusable slight on her part, but she continued to indulge such behavior regardless of the risk…as if she’d ever had any kind of control to begin with.
“I should think a comparison like that would be more fitting for you, considering your name.” He turned the tables on her in an instant and she was back on the defensive, spiraling in a frantic bid to recover or retaliate.
“No one could know that just by looking at me,” she finally grasped some words to reply. “Anyone could see what I’m talking about at a glance with you, though. But I know none of that really matters, and I should actually apologize for saying something so…uncalled for…”
“In what way?” his tone was playful, hooking her with an unexpectedly strong undertone of sincerity. “You think I don’t appreciate compliments? Especially from someone as wonderful as you?”
That was the second blow, and she was desperately struggling to maintain any modicum of composure. Face flaming, fur fluffed up, she hadn’t even intended for things to go this far. She’d spoken without thinking and ended up digging herself a hole, one where she was cornered by his earnest kindness and subsequently drowning in it. She wanted to get back at him, to spar with him on his level, but moments like this highlighted just how much she was out of her depth compared to him. Without even trying he’d gotten her all out of sorts, although part of that was her own fault for surrendering to his will so easily.
“Look, just…can you just be nice and pretend to forget it? Even just for the rest of the afternoon. Don’t remind me that I just said something so ridiculous…”
“Not to be rude, but I think you’re being more ridiculous right now,” he pointed out, reaching over and absently pinching a lock of her hair. “It was just a silly compliment, why are you so self-conscious about it?”
“Well, because it’s you!” she asserted with a startling bout of vehemence. “And saying something like that…it was silly, it makes me look childish, and stupid…”
“You’re jumping to conclusions like it’s an Olympic sport,” he remarked, adjusting his hand to cradle her cheek. Her skin burned against his, and he couldn’t help feeling a little guilty for teasing her to such a degree…but he also wasn’t convinced there was anything he could have done to avoid it. Just saying what she had seemed to have set off a reaction in her, and since he couldn’t have known whether it was better to acknowledge or ignore it, this kind of outcome was seeming more and more inevitable in his eyes. “Calm down, alright? And cut yourself some slack. I don’t think you’re any of those things, and I never would, even if you said the most preposterous thing in the world. And I think you’re forgetting that you’d have to compete with both my brother and Kakeru for that…compared to them, whatever anyone else says can never be anything but tame.”
Gripping his hand, she kept her eyes glued to the floor. “I’m sorry. For overreacting. I just…you just make me feel this way. My feelings for you make me feel this way. You’re just so spectacular sometimes, I can’t—”
“I’ll concede to that description if you let me say the same about you,” he bargained, and she finally mustered the strength to lift her eyes. “And thank you for saying what you did…I don’t think you realize how nice it can be to hear things like that sometimes. Well, aside from it being a little funny, but don’t take that the wrong way. I just mean that in general it can be hard for zodiac members with unusually colored hair to accept how they look.”
“Unless you’re Ayame,” she added, and they shared a laugh.
“Yeah, unless you’re him. But I’ve actually never had anyone say something like that to me. I mean, using that specific analogy. Not that it matters if anyone’s ever actually thought something like that about me before…but I’m glad if I had to hear it from anyone, you were the first. And I am truly touched to hear you say something so kind.”
“Please, it’s not like I did anything amazing or revolutionary,” she lamented with a slight curve to her lips, and he was relieved that she appeared to be lightening up a bit. “You’re going too far—”
“Remember, I can never go too far compared—”
“Ah, yes, I know! But you can certainly go too far in using him as a scapegoat,” Nova groaned, and this time Yuki was left laughing on his own.
“Will you try to be a little less harsh on yourself about saying things like that?” he changed the subject, and her ears flattened like he’d flipped a switch.
Silence lingered between them for a few moments as she gathered her thoughts. “I suppose if I have to, if it would make you happy.”
“I think it’ll make you happier in the long run, too,” he assured. “Besides, I’d like my girlfriend to be able to say such things without combusting eventually, considering the basic conditions of being a couple.”
“Maybe we’ll just be a couple that’s always picking on each other.” She couldn’t help ruminating on the possibility. “Actually, scratch that, I hate it. You’re too good at that, and we’d just be like this all the time, so I guess I’ll agree to your terms. I’ll do my best to not be so overdramatic…”
“Even if you can’t help feeling that way, it’s okay to admit it,” he explained. “And it’s still okay to feel that way, too. But it couldn’t hurt to let me help you when you’re struggling, so you don’t get so overwhelmed. That’s acceptable, right?”
“Always so reasonable,” she teased, reaching up to ruffle the side of his hair. “But I suppose it’s only fair for me to take that practical advice of yours, since you’re being generous enough to share it.”
“That’s the price you pay for getting to give me compliments,” he chuckled, and despite her willpower she still turned a shade redder at his words. “Oh, and you have to be okay with me saying things like that to you, too. Even if it takes a little bit of getting used to, a rocky adjustment period.”
“I get the feeling that’s going to last longer than you expect.” She smiled and he pulled her into a comforting hug. “And what’s up with you being so bossy all of a sudden? Making such extensive demands…”
“What can I say?” He brushed his nose against her temple, whispering the next words into her ear. “I guess those two are rubbing off on me.”
Summary: Nova let’s an unexpected compliment slip out without realizing it, and in the midst of trying to salvage her blunder Yuki can’t help but find the entire exchange endearing and amusing.
*Author’s Note*: This is so cheeeeeeeesy but that’s okay, that’s what selfship writing is for, right? Well, anyway, it’s my brand and I’m trying to get back into it a little lol. Just a comical little exchange between Nova and Yuki based on a line from one of my fave movies (I’ll let people who read it guess, although I’m sure most of you will instantly know what it is) because I was thinking about it in regard to Yuki and just couldn’t help myself. I hope you enjoy!
_____
From the very beginning she couldn’t help being captivated by his presence. She scolded herself for acting so foolishly after learning the truth of how he viewed himself, the kinds of things he’d struggled with for most of his life. Being revered often led to being lonely, and she never wanted to make him feel that way…but she also couldn’t keep herself from seeing him as extraordinary. Handsome, kind, willing to put up with her and all her anxieties and eccentricities. Even if all of that seemed to make for a pretty low bar, he was one of the only ones that’d ever been able to meet it, much less exceed it. He exceeded everything in her eyes, for himself and for her, and as much as she wanted to share such thoughts with him, she often lacked the means of how to communicate them without making him uncomfortable. At least, that was her impression, and making him uncomfortable was the last thing she wanted to do.
They were spending the afternoon at his brother’s shop—that’d become an unfortunately common occurrence since they’d met. Yuki usually felt it prudent to avoid Ayame’s presence as much as possible, and after seeing what they were like together, Nova understood why. But she’d already become a sort of staple of this place before they’d even had the pleasure of meeting, adopting a position as an occasional assistant without even realizing the connection she was making. She had Kagura to thank for that, as well as her big mouth for admitting that she was partial to the idea of spending time around someone who made fancy clothes. The details of his creations were slightly more bombastic than the initial impressions she’d formed, but her interest had remained pleasantly and steadily piqued even after she’d experienced this place firsthand. While Ayame’s presence could be overwhelming to handle, she was rarely left to endure such a hardship alone. Passing hands from Kagura to Yuki, now she just did her best to act as a kind of diffuser between the two considerably contrasting siblings.Ayame had stepped out for a bit, offering them a much-appreciated period of peace and quiet, and Nova got caught up in admiring her companion without even realizing it. Not just his appearance, but the way he held himself, the aura he exuded that he previously resented as a barrier of reservation. He hadn’t given her that kind of impression during their first encounter, but perhaps that was to be expected, considering he was far from the same person he’d been back when he was so preoccupied with self-loathing. He’d overcome many obstacles both internally and externally, and she could tell that he tended to present himself in a much more authentic light now. And just light in general…he was beaming with it. Gleaming brightly like a star, glittering like a jewel, he was radiant in every way and she usually had to stop herself from blurting such embarrassing observations out loud. Much to her regret, today wasn’t one of those days.
“You know, your hair kind of looks like starlight.” Aside from being sappy, she couldn’t believe she’d just stolen a classic quote from the camp of overused and predictable lines. Backtracking in her mind, scrambling for anything she could use to make up her fumble, her panic slowed as she took in the unexpected smile he gave her in response. Tender, amused, it was wholly him and embodied everything about the statement and thoughts she’d just been so thoughtlessly preoccupied with. How she’d allowed such a man to have this kind of control over her was a mysterious and inexcusable slight on her part, but she continued to indulge such behavior regardless of the risk…as if she’d ever had any kind of control to begin with.
“I should think a comparison like that would be more fitting for you, considering your name.” He turned the tables on her in an instant and she was back on the defensive, spiraling in a frantic bid to recover or retaliate.
“No one could know that just by looking at me,” she finally grasped some words to reply. “Anyone could see what I’m talking about at a glance with you, though. But I know none of that really matters, and I should actually apologize for saying something so…uncalled for…”
“In what way?” his tone was playful, hooking her with an unexpectedly strong undertone of sincerity. “You think I don’t appreciate compliments? Especially from someone as wonderful as you?”
That was the second blow, and she was desperately struggling to maintain any modicum of composure. Face flaming, fur fluffed up, she hadn’t even intended for things to go this far. She’d spoken without thinking and ended up digging herself a hole, one where she was cornered by his earnest kindness and subsequently drowning in it. She wanted to get back at him, to spar with him on his level, but moments like this highlighted just how much she was out of her depth compared to him. Without even trying he’d gotten her all out of sorts, although part of that was her own fault for surrendering to his will so easily.
“Look, just…can you just be nice and pretend to forget it? Even just for the rest of the afternoon. Don’t remind me that I just said something so ridiculous…”
“Not to be rude, but I think you’re being more ridiculous right now,” he pointed out, reaching over and absently pinching a lock of her hair. “It was just a silly compliment, why are you so self-conscious about it?”
“Well, because it’s you!” she asserted with a startling bout of vehemence. “And saying something like that…it was silly, it makes me look childish, and stupid…”
“You’re jumping to conclusions like it’s an Olympic sport,” he remarked, adjusting his hand to cradle her cheek. Her skin burned against his, and he couldn’t help feeling a little guilty for teasing her to such a degree…but he also wasn’t convinced there was anything he could have done to avoid it. Just saying what she had seemed to have set off a reaction in her, and since he couldn’t have known whether it was better to acknowledge or ignore it, this kind of outcome was seeming more and more inevitable in his eyes. “Calm down, alright? And cut yourself some slack. I don’t think you’re any of those things, and I never would, even if you said the most preposterous thing in the world. And I think you’re forgetting that you’d have to compete with both my brother and Kakeru for that…compared to them, whatever anyone else says can never be anything but tame.”
Gripping his hand, she kept her eyes glued to the floor. “I’m sorry. For overreacting. I just…you just make me feel this way. My feelings for you make me feel this way. You’re just so spectacular sometimes, I can’t—”
“I’ll concede to that description if you let me say the same about you,” he bargained, and she finally mustered the strength to lift her eyes. “And thank you for saying what you did…I don’t think you realize how nice it can be to hear things like that sometimes. Well, aside from it being a little funny, but don’t take that the wrong way. I just mean that in general it can be hard for zodiac members with unusually colored hair to accept how they look.”
“Unless you’re Ayame,” she added, and they shared a laugh.
“Yeah, unless you’re him. But I’ve actually never had anyone say something like that to me. I mean, using that specific analogy. Not that it matters if anyone’s ever actually thought something like that about me before…but I’m glad if I had to hear it from anyone, you were the first. And I am truly touched to hear you say something so kind.”
“Please, it’s not like I did anything amazing or revolutionary,” she lamented with a slight curve to her lips, and he was relieved that she appeared to be lightening up a bit. “You’re going too far—”
“Remember, I can never go too far compared—”
“Ah, yes, I know! But you can certainly go too far in using him as a scapegoat,” Nova groaned, and this time Yuki was left laughing on his own.
“Will you try to be a little less harsh on yourself about saying things like that?” he changed the subject, and her ears flattened like he’d flipped a switch.
Silence lingered between them for a few moments as she gathered her thoughts. “I suppose if I have to, if it would make you happy.”
“I think it’ll make you happier in the long run, too,” he assured. “Besides, I’d like my girlfriend to be able to say such things without combusting eventually, considering the basic conditions of being a couple.”
“Maybe we’ll just be a couple that’s always picking on each other.” She couldn’t help ruminating on the possibility. “Actually, scratch that, I hate it. You’re too good at that, and we’d just be like this all the time, so I guess I’ll agree to your terms. I’ll do my best to not be so overdramatic…”
“Even if you can’t help feeling that way, it’s okay to admit it,” he explained. “And it’s still okay to feel that way, too. But it couldn’t hurt to let me help you when you’re struggling, so you don’t get so overwhelmed. That’s acceptable, right?”
“Always so reasonable,” she teased, reaching up to ruffle the side of his hair. “But I suppose it’s only fair for me to take that practical advice of yours, since you’re being generous enough to share it.”
“That’s the price you pay for getting to give me compliments,” he chuckled, and despite her willpower she still turned a shade redder at his words. “Oh, and you have to be okay with me saying things like that to you, too. Even if it takes a little bit of getting used to, a rocky adjustment period.”
“I get the feeling that’s going to last longer than you expect.” She smiled and he pulled her into a comforting hug. “And what’s up with you being so bossy all of a sudden? Making such extensive demands…”
“What can I say?” He brushed his nose against her temple, whispering the next words into her ear. “I guess those two are rubbing off on me.”