Work Text
Bu-chi! Bu-chi! Buchimaru-kun-no-to-ki-da!The Buchimaru-kun theme continued to ring on Makoto’s phone until she rolled over and picked it up with a yawn. “Makoto speaking…”“…sorry to bother you, Mako-chan.” Haru’s voice was weak and shaky.Makoto rubbed her eyes and sat up. “Haru! It’s almost three in the morning, is everything okay?”Silence. A faint sniffle from Haru’s end.Makoto let out a sigh and sunk back into her bed. “…more nightmares?”“…mhm.”“Do you want to talk about them?”“…not really.”“Okay.”Neither of them said a word. The sound of the other’s breathing sounded through the phone, but otherwise left them in silence.“I’m sorry…” Haru finally whimpered, “I’ll let you go back—”“No, no, it’s alright,” Makoto insisted as she stifled a yawn. “I’m already awake now anyway…”Silence again.“Can…can I ask you something personal, Mako-chan?”Makoto’s heart leaped. “Of course. What is it?”“…what’s it like to…to like someone?”“…y-you mean, like…to like someone…?”“Mhmm…”Silence. Makoto felt her cheeks grow warm.“Well…” she began, “it’s like you’re best friends, but more than just that. Even if you’ve never spoken before…you just look at them and…” she paused, her hand absentmindedly brushing across her lips. “…you want them…”Haru didn’t say anything.“And every time you look at them, you just wish you could run up to them and they would reach out and hold you tight…” she continued. “You want them to hold you close and never let go, because their arms are the safest place you could ever be…”“Is it different…when it’s another girl?” Haru’s voice was barely a mangled whisper through the phone.“I-I mean, not really but…” Makoto stammered. “Where’s this all coming from?” she suddenly asked, biting her lip.“Oh, no reason…” Haru replied. Makoto knew that tone of voice. She had heard plenty of it for a while right after Haru’s father had died…“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry…” Haru continued, “I’ll let you go now…”And before Makoto could protest, Haru hung up.Makoto tried to go back to sleep, but no matter which way she turned, nothing seemed comfortable. She hoped Haru was okay, but she also couldn’t stop thinking about what Haru had asked her…Sure, Makoto wasn’t the only one she knew who was like this. Ann had dated boys and girls before, and so had Ren, and it’s not like she thought any different of them for that… So if Haru was having similar thoughts, or questions, then she’d do whatever she could to make sure her friend felt safe and comfortable.Yes, if Haru needed her to be strong right now, then that’s what she would be for her. She would text her tomorrow when she got up to make sure she was okay. And if she wasn’t, she’d do whatever she needed to to make sure her friend was happy.…because, that’s what friends did for each other. Right?* * *Makoto laid spread-eagle on her bed, her phone held anxiously near her face. Haru hadn’t spoken to her all day during classes, and she wasn’t responding to Makoto’s messages either…Maybe she was embarrassed about what happened last night? Sure, Haru had the tendency to isolate herself when she was feeling down, but Makoto hadn’t seen that happen since her father had died. Was this revelation just as overwhelming for her then?Makoto sighed.
Kon-kon-kon
“Makoto?”“…yeah, sis?” Makoto barely looked away from her phone.“Okumura-san is here to see you.”Makoto shot up. “Tell her I’m coming!…” she yelled, scrambling out of bed.As she hurried downstairs, she caught a glimpse of Sae watching her with a grin from the dining room table.“You didn’t tell me you were having someone over today…” she said nonchalantly.“Huh…?Sae just pointed to the mini calendar on the table. February 14th, Valentine’s Day. With everything that had happened the day before with Ren and the others, Makoto had totally forgotten about it.“Oh jeez sis…” Makoto sighed, “She’s just a friend… And it’s not like I called her over! I’m just as surprised as you are!”Sae didn’t say anything, but the look on her face was making Makoto flustered, to say the least.“Don’t get any ideas, sis!” Makoto protested, feeling her cheeks grow warm.“I didn’t say anything…” Sae teased, taking her laptop and heading towards the stairwell. “But just in case, I’ll be in my room if you need me…”Makoto rolled her eyes and opened the door with an embarrassed pout.“Happy Valentine’s Day, Mako-chan!” Haru stood there with a huge grin on her face, and was holding a bouquet of wildflowers from her garden.Makoto just sputtered.“Sorry, was that too much…?” Haru suddenly looked embarrassed.“N-no, no of course not-…sorry, I just-…you’ve been ignoring me all day, and now suddenly this happens…?” Makoto asked, the pout returning to her lips.Haru nodded sheepishly. “I was so excited to surprise you, I was worried if I tried to talk to you, I would just blurt it out and ruin it…” she admitted. “I’m sorry that I worried you…but I’m glad to know that you care so much about me.”“Of course I care about you!…” Makoto insisted, blushing slightly as she realized what she had said.Haru just giggled, her sorrow from before having disappeared completely. “May I come in?”“Y-yes, yes of course!” Makoto answered. “Can I get you anything?”Haru shook her head. Her grin made Makoto even more flustered than Sae’s had. “Let me get you something,” Haru insisted, “and I’ll put these flowers in a vase for you!”Makoto just nodded, and slunk over to wait on the couch. What had gotten into Haru? Was she just trying to make up for the night before? Did she know that Makoto didn’t have any plans on Valentine’s Day and just wanted to make her feel less alone? Jeez, that was an embarrassing thought…“One for me…” Haru said, setting a cup and saucer down on the coffee table next to Makoto, “and one for you!” she said, holding the other out for Makoto.“Thank you Ha—” Makoto started, her voice catching in her throat.The cup and saucer had been stacked on top of a little pink parcel. A red ribbon had been tied around it in a bow, with two little heart-shaped beads dangling from the ends.“They’re chocolates. For you…” Haru added, sitting down next to Makoto. “I made them myself.”Makoto’s mouth just hung agape. She was sure her ears were bright red.“I’ve been thinking…” Haru continued, placing the chocolates on the table in-between the two coffees. “Any time I think about being in love with another man, well…my mind just turns to how I felt with Sugimura-san…and I get scared…”“Oh, Haru…”“But…” Haru’s cheeks grew pink, “I thought about what you said last night, Mako-chan…about what it feels like to want somebody. And I realized,” she explained, turning to look Makoto in the eyes, “that…you make me feel that way…”Makoto didn’t say anything. She wasn’t sure she could say anything without making a fool of herself.“I want to be with you, always…” Haru continued, scooting closer to Makoto. “You make me feel safe when we’re together, both in the Metaverse, but also here, in the real world, and…” she paused, blushing even harder, “…you really do look good in that biker outfit, Mako-chan.”That last comment send shivers down Makoto’s spine, not to mention other places…“I know this is sudden, and I’m sorry for being so forward,” Haru apologized, “but—…”Haru’s words were cut short as Makoto suddenly leaned in and kissed her. Makoto’s hands were forceful, yet somehow so gentle, as she took Haru’s face and pulled her even closer. Haru all but melted against Makoto’s lips, the softest of moans escaping involuntarily. She wrapped her own arms around Makoto’s waist, gripping the fabric of her blouse to hold her close.Then, just as suddenly as she had kissed her, Makoto pulled away, her face beet-red. She adjusted her hairband and tucked a stray strand behind her ear, mumbling an apology.“I just…couldn’t stop myself…” she admitted.Haru just giggled, her cheeks now as pink as her lips. She snuggled up against Makoto and clung to her torso. “Does that mean this is all okay?” she asked.Makoto nodded. “I-I mean, it’s surprising, and quite sudden…” she stammered. But she wrapped her arms around Haru and nuzzled her soft curls before adding, “…but it sure is nice.”“Having a good time with your…friend, there?”Makoto froze. Haru just sat up and turned around. “Hi Niijima-san!” she said, cheerily. “I made an extra cup of coffee and left it on the counter for you!”“How sweet of you, Okumura-san,” Sae replied, grinning. “But I was just leaving to go to work.”“Have a nice day!” Haru replied, snuggling back up to Makoto, who was still frozen, her whole face burning with embarrassment.“You two have a good day,” Sae said, winking at her little sister, “and be safe, now…”“Good-BYE, Sis!” Makoto scowled through gritted teeth.Haru let out another giggle and kissed Makoto on the cheek after Sae had left. “You’re even cuter when you’re embarrassed, Mako-chan” she said.Makoto whimpered, resisting the urge to bury her face in her hands. How could she be so happy and yet still want to die of embarrassment!?“Would you mind…taking this to your room?” Haru whispered in Makoto’s ear. “We can leave the coffee and chocolates for later…”Makoto just nodded, and let herself be dragged eagerly upstairs by her new girlfriend.Sis would never let her hear the end of this, would she…?