Our Last Days as Children

[Zach Kaiser]

Eld gave Akizetsumei a weird look, not exactly sure what she was getting at. "Umm...okay." It was somehow less cute after she got it? He really sure how that would happen. Well, there was one way. "Did it shrink when you washed it or something?"

That was about the only way he could think of that an outfit would somehow change after buying it, at least without it being something quite obvious like it tearing or something. But he assumed Akizetsumei would have said something if that was the case.

"Anyway, I bet it'll still fit you." She certainly didn't look like she'd hit her growth spurt yet, so she probably hadn't grown significantly. It would probably be fine, maybe with some light modifications, if anyone in her family was capable of it.

[Nayt]

Akizetsumei shrugged her shoulders. "I'll try it on again sometime, I guess."

"Well, kids," Noah said, prompting attention back to him.

He and Kageko had just got done having a conversation on the side, and it seemed to them that Eld and Akizetsumei were doing the same thing.

"I promised to at least buy her an outfit, so we're gonna start headin' on to the tailors," Noah announced, "I'll see you around. For Akizetsumei, maybe a little sooner than later, assuming you decide your current boyfriend is clearly not good enough for a woman of your caliber and you feel the need to come seeking men of higher class. If I can't fill the role, I'll at least give you a good referral."

Akizets put her hand on her hips and grinned slightly. "Thanks," she replied sardonically.

"But, seriously, we're going to head out of here. It was great seeing you again, and I'll see you later, okay?"

That said, though, Akizets dropped her act and approached Noah enough to wrap her arms around the middle of his chest and buried her face briefly in his sternum. Noah returned the embrace with one arm, and she pulled away slightly, looked up to him with a pout, and requested, "Make it soon, okay? I really really missed you."

"Missed you, too, kid," Noah smiled, patted Akizets on the shoulder, and before turning around to leave with Kageko, reached his hand out to Eld. "And Eldridge-- always a pleasure, man."

[Zach Kaiser]

Normally, Eld would have told Noah just how high class of a guy he thought he was, but just this once he held his tongue. He didn't want to say anything that he'd regret again.

He stared and Noah's outstretched had for a moment when offered, and this time decided to shake it. "R-Right..." He wasn't terribly sure what to think right now, so he stuck with being civil. "Take care."

[Nayt]

"You, too. See you," Noah waved after shaking Eld's hand, took a step back, and started off. Kageko, too, waved, before turning and heading off with Noah.

---

Five months since their relationship began, Akizets was standing on the brink of coming out with it. If she didn't say this, she'd explode. It couldn't waited until the end of the month, sure. Theoretically, it could've waited for another six months after. But to her, it couldn't.

They weren't even in a particularly romantic setup right now, either-- but they'd been in such a thing before, and Akizets wanted to get out with this back then, too. Each and every time . . .

"I-- I wanna say somethin', umm . . ." she trailed off.

She felt her heart beating. She'd gone this far. She'd established that she wanted to say something, and the way she said it, too-- Eld was the kind of guy that'd get worried about her if she held it in, now. He'd start thinking something was wrong and he'd be right. Something would be wrong. She'd have been holding her feelings in for even longer and would probably go crazy sometime.

"My mom told me to wait and I was gonna wait for our six month, b-- but . . ." Akizets

[Zach Kaiser]

"Hmmm?" Eld looked at Akizetsumei curiously. It was unlike her to get so worked up about just talking about something; she usually just spoke her mind without worry. Maybe it had something to do with her mother's urge to wait?

"What's on your mind?" Regardless of what it was, he was always willing to lend an ear to her.

[Nayt]

"Ummmmm, I-- I--" she started.

But she was stalling out fast. It was like the breaks were hit on her train of thought and suddenly her mouth was trying to move, but she simply could produce no sound to hear. She quickly felt nervous. Self conscious. She felt the urge to run away and couldn't shake it.

Suddenly she wished she'd never gotten this far.

"Y-- you're not, umm, g-- gonna think I'm silly or, um, feel, um . . ." Akizetsumei was falling into stuttering, stumbling, and stalling . . ."P-- pressured, are you? 'Cause-- 'cause I don't wanna make you feel that way!"

But when she thought about why that was, she lost her doubt-- most of it, at least. She remembered quickly enough why she didn't want Eld to feel pressured by anything and why she didn't want him to think she was being superfluous and dumb. She cared about him so much that . . .

That . . .

[Zach Kaiser]

This comment caused Eld to give her an odd look for a moment; it was a rather funny thing for her to worry about. But she was worried, so he smiled reassuringly at her, though he couldn't keep a hint of humor out of his expression.

"Akizetsumei...I think the last thing you need to worry about is you pressuring me," he pointed out. A good part of the time he worried about the opposite, that at some point he was going to end up rushing her into something she wasn't ready for. But he really didn't think there was much she could suggest that would make him uncomfortable.

Well, save for wanting him to hang out with Noah. He really hoped this wasn't about her wanting him to hang out with Noah.

[Nayt]

"O-- okay," she smiled slightly, feeling a bit relieved.

Eld had given her clearance to speak, permission to say anything she wanted, yet she still felt so scared. It was almost paralyzing at times . . .

"'C-- 'Cause, um, 'cause I just want you to be happy, you know?" Akizets said.

But it wasn't Eld she was afraid of. It wasn't rejection she was so scared of, either. It was the step. Saying this would be taking a massive step forward in their relationship, and she just didn't know how prepared she was. Well, she did, actually. She wasn't prepared for it at all! How much would things change? How much closer would they become? What risks were there? Yet she wanted all of that. It was all she wanted, now. She wanted to be that much closer to him. She wanted to be an integral part of his life and she wanted him to be the same in hers.

"You're the sweetest guy I've ever known and you're so kind and you're so gentle and you're so wonderful and I'm so grateful for you and I just-- um-- I really, um . . ." She found herself looking down at her feet.

As she trailed off, Akizets could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Again and again, beating against her ribcage as if trying to escape from the prison of her body.

"I really . . ." Her voice was tiny, now . . .

[Zach Kaiser]

Akizetsumei was so nervous that Eld couldn't imagine what it was she wanted to say. He'd never seen her this hesitant, even on that night so many months ago when he'd first kissed her.

Wanting to try and calm her down, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "It's okay," he said gently. "Take your time."

He was pretty sure Akizetsumei's health history didn't include any respiratory problems, but he was a little worried all the same that she was going hyperventilate or something with how nervous she was getting.

[Nayt]

When Eld put his hands on her shoulders, Akizetsumei shut her eyes. She tried breathing normally, but it wasn't happening. She wasn't even close to hyperventilating, but she sure felt like it . . .

"I-- I really, umm, I really . . ." she stumbled over her words.

Her heart was beating so hard against her ribs that it almost hurt. She folded her hands together, placed them over the middle of her chest, and hoped that would be enough to keep it within her body. There was nothing now that anxiety could do to stop her. She'd come this far. There was no turning back. She had to steel herself. She had to be brave. She had to be strong. She had to make her feelings known-- her true feelings. And she was going to. Nothing was going to stop her from confession.

So Akizetsumei took a deep breath. She pushed back all her anxieties and disregarded the future entirely. It was the only way. She had to think in the now.

Akizetsumei opened her eyes, lifted her head up, and looked Eld in the eyes. She exhaled. Yet even then, it wasn't until a breeze passed them by, an oddly warm breeze, that she felt relaxed enough to part her lips and say it at last:

"I love you."

[Zach Kaiser]

Eld had a suspicion Akizetsumei was working up to saying those words; but even with the possibility in mind, it didn't prepare him for actually hearing them. His breath suddenly caught, and his heart began to race even as blood rushed to his head and turned his cheeks a light pink. "A-Akizetsumei..."

Even though he considered himself so much more experienced than her, and even though he'd been in previous relationships, and even though he was older and should have been taking the lead...it was still the first time he'd ever heard those words from a girl.

And it all suddenly hit him, that this wasn't just some phase either of them were going through, something pleasant to pass the time until they grew up and grew apart. It wasn't some transient dream that was going to float away if he blinked. Their feelings were real, and this was something that could last. So he did the only thing that felt right: he swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and returned the sentiment with his whole being.

"I love you too."

And then he leaned down, embracing her and placing his lips upon hers...

[Nayt]

It was the most amazing feeling she'd ever experienced. A sense of relief and euphoria washed over her all at once, filling her with light and hope that could, if harnessed, make the world a better place all at once. Just hearing those words come from Eld's lips . . .

This was something Akizetsumei would have never imagined in a hundred years. She'd never thought about boys much before she met Eld, yet even then, she had thought about them once or twice before, and she never thought that she'd fall in love--let alone have someone fall in love with her. And back then, she didn't think it was so important. But now-- now that she heard it said, now that she felt the warmth of it in her heart, she didn't think she could live without it. Being without this connection, being without Eld, was something she couldn't even begin to imagine.

She kissed him. She embraced him. She held him and didn't let go, as if the mere thought of pulling her arms away from his shoulders would suddenly let this moment slip between her fingers. And so long as she held him, she wasn't afraid of that. So long as she could return his sweet kiss, everything felt right in the world.

Because this wasn't a fling. This wasn't a temporary relationship. This wasn't a childish glance at something only adults could comprehend. This was a real relationship. This was real love. They were years behind when they should have been able to experience this feeling, but there was no wrong in maturing early . . .

---

Akizetsumei couldn't save her feelings for their six month anniversary, but she did save something special: a token of her feelings. That night, after a long day together, spent just between the two of them, filled with lunch, entertainment, dinner, and a long time together alone, Akizetsumei gave Eld one of her most important possessions:

The key to her heart.

[Zach Kaiser]

"To find love is usually a lucky thing; but for some, the one they love and the one they're fated to be with are very different people..."

It was four months since their relationship began--a month before Akizetsumei of Terra declared her love for Eldridge Tsukimono, and two months before she gave him the most important treasure he'd ever received: the key to her heart.

"Hmmm...looks like it's about a detective investigating the illicit affairs of nobility. Maybe I'll get this too."

It was not Akizetsumei that he was with today, however; instead, it was Etsu, who wanted to go shopping in Galaens. Though he had some reservations about spending the day with her, there was no one else to take her, and she wasn't familiar enough with the town to go herself.

His one condition for taking her was to stop at the bookstore, as there were a few textbooks he wanted to pick up. And while he was there, there was certainly no harm in getting a novel or two as well...

[Nayt]

"I do not under-stand your taste."

Etsu picked a book from the shelf. She'd checked only the spine thus far, but after reading a bit of the back, she concluded that it didn't sound to bad.

"A young girr-r has poor r-ruck with famr-ry. She goes from home to home but can never find a pr-race to stay. Finar-ry, she meets a famir-ry that wir-rr accept her, but there is a probr-rem: not weeks r-rater, she is caught in an emotionar-r battr-re be-tween the two boys she r-rikes the most."

It wasn't an action oriented novel to be sure, but it was much more interesting that one of Eld's silly detective novels. Etsu considered picking it up.

"That is . . . much better book."

[Zach Kaiser]

Eld was halfway through a nod of agreement, thinking that the book at least sounded interesting before he caught himself. "I-I doubt it. Sounds like a waste of time." Not that he thought it was more interesting than a detective novel, but he did have a soft-spot for steamy romances--not that this was something he'd admit to anyone.

Granted, she didn't mention if the book was supposed to be steamy or not, but he'd caught some of the books she picked out to read from what his family had at home. For someone who claimed to have higher tastes than him, she sure gravitated towards more risque books.

"Anyway, I'm ready if you are. Where else did you want to go?" They'd been to a few places already, but he'd insisted on getting his bit of shopping done before they lost track of time. The novel might've been optional, but he needed more textbooks to study, as he was down to the last few chapters on his last one, and reviewing could only occupy him so long.