Our Union Is A Secret That I'm Hoping, Dreaming, Lying To Keep

Ribbons

The heat bore down in simmering waves as Tohru and Kyo made their way down the boardwalk hand in hand, Tohru’s sandals clacking against the wood with every dainty step as she worked on finishing her ice cream.

Kyo had ordered her multiple scoops after she’d been unable to choose between flavours. He himself had gotten a simple vanilla for himself, but unlike Tohru he had finished his within minutes.

The pair were quiet as they passed between the beach and cliffs, taking in the beautiful scenery around them - although Kyo was a little more distracted with his own thoughts to appreciate them to their full extent.

The last time he’d tried to voice the thoughts circling in his mind to Tohru, he’d clamped up and lost his nerve. But as his gaze shifted to the roiling waves in the sea beyond, the same thoughts pushed against the fringes of his mind, searching for a way out towards freedom.

He glanced towards Tohru as if she could hear the words in his mind, but she was too engrossed in her ice cream to notice his turmoil.

At least for now.

The girl had an uncanny ability to know when something was up with him, and if he didn’t work up the courage to speak soon, she’d notice something was wrong. So with an inconspicuous inhale, he squeezed his girl’s fingers and she turned to him with wide eyes that almost held an ethereal glow in the daylight sun.

“The last time we were here,” he started slowly, trying to feel out the words before they left his mouth. “It was when I first realised how I felt about you, the first time I let myself even think about you as anything other than just you.”

His gaze shifted back to the sea, the rise and fall of the water settling his spiking nerves. He could feel Tohru’s eyes on him, but if he wanted to get his words out he couldn’t be looking at her.

“At the time, I never thought …” He swallowed the uncomfortable lump in his throat. “I never thought I’d ever be back here again, but I was happy. I was happy that my first and last time would get to be with you because I finally knew that-”

He stopped as he heard a sniffle from beside him, turning to see Tohru with melted ice cream dripping down her fingers and tears streaming down her cheeks. He let out a strangled sound of surprise before rushing to wipe at her tears and stare helplessly at her sticky fingers.

“Uh, I’m sorry Tohru. I shouldn’t have said any of that. You’re supposed to be having a good time on your honeymoon and I’m just upsetting you instead.”

“No,” she said with a shake of her head, her voice light and watery. “I’m not sad at all. I’m so happy right now. I’m so happy that you’re sharing all of this with me.”

“You are?” he said, surprised by her response. “Hey, you’re gonna … the ice cream …” he started, sighing in defeat as she wrapped her arms around him. “Oh what does it matter,” he finished, giving in and squishing her back.

“I’m so happy, but you didn’t finish what you were saying.”

“I didn’t? I … forgot what I was saying,” he said with a frown, unable to recall anything beside Tohru’s tear stained face.

“You said you finally knew. What did you know?”

“Oh, that.” Tohru pulled away and looked up at him expectantly. “It was nothing,” he said instinctively, even though he did want to tell her the truth.