𝐬𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐚𝐝𝐞 | 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑷𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆 ✔️

shatters

A hand grasps her bicep, droopy eyes staring up at her and she feels her heart drop but then the sparkle that had faded for just a second returns and her fists clench tightly.

"M... Masayoshi... Can we dance again?"

"But, your body is too tired." She's never really denied him this past month, every single time she walks to his house and grabs the back of the moving chair, taking William to the field of flowers and teaching him how to dance. 

Even as he's sick he's a quick learner, had he been able to stand and move on his own the young captain is positive he'd have led their dances more than once.

"I know," His lips curl up into a smile that she wants to enjoy but can't. Not because of the suffocating feeling in her chest nor the raging thoughts in her head that surprisingly have not once consisted of her father in the past month and instead have all been replaced by his laughter, his voice, his kindness, his smile, his everything. 

Not a single minute, hour, or day passes that she doesn't think of him and Masayoshi loves it. It's like she's taking some kind of drug that she can't get enough off, feeding off of this love without stop and encasing her heart with it.

A hand shakily reaches for her cheek and the reaction is almost instant, grabbing onto his hand and pressing it against her face as a thumb softly and lovingly strokes the skin beneath it.

Masayoshi doesn't realize when she leans forward but William doesn't mind, instead he copies her until their noses are touching. It's silent, with Masayoshi leaning over his chair, her hands on either side of him while the marine coat she wears drapes over him to keep him warm. 

The cap on her head is slowly removed by feeble fingers, and had it been any other month Masayoshi would of never dreamt that the cap so proudly displaying the word 'justice' would be at her feet on the ground.

Somehow, she doesn't care.

The captains voice is gentle-- so gentle she doesn't even recognize it herself, and yet William does.

"You're beautiful," Her lips hover over his own, and Masayoshi finally closes the small distance between them.

William's fingers twitch, his face burning red but soon relaxing into the kiss and holding her face as long as he can. His eyes flutter closed, edge of his lips lifting until he can feel hers doing the same.

It's a quick kiss but no less meaningful and William isn't patient enough to ask for another one so he pulls her with the strength he has left to connect them once more-- this time with more passion.

If his brain can't remember this, then he hopes his body will.

When they finally part, Masayoshi simply stares at him with her hands delicately stroking his face, fore-finger tracing the outline of his red lips before the digits suddenly pause.

Masayoshi smiles at him, and it isn't so small like he thought it would be. It's warm, genuine, and he's so happy to be the first one to experience such a look- and to be the first to receive it. It brightens his smile until his teeth are showing.

"I trust you, Masa. Dance with me."

"I wont let you fall," And she simply presses their foreheads together. "I promise, my love."

Their dance is quiet yet loud, birds chirping around them in trees and offering them a tune to dance along to. Masayoshi is grateful for it, it just makes the scene even more perfect and everything just keeps coming together. 

The ground below them is soft today, the rain from the past few days keeping the land fresh and leaving just the greatest smell for them to inhale alongside the flowers. The careful gust blows strands of hair out of Williams face and as they finally complete their last twirl, the two lay on the ground.

Masayoshi lets out a laugh, it's quiet and soft and could be mistaken for a chuckle but William gets it. Golden hues shift over to stare at the ravenette, tied up hair released slightly at the front with sheaths of sweat running down her temple from the dancing. 

Her slightly red lips parted in hearty laughter and shoulders shaking along, slowly calming down until she lets out a soft sigh and turns to him. Silver eyes mix with gold and he shifts closer to her, resting his head on her chest and the ravenette doesn't try and push him away at all.

When he falls asleep she fears he wont wake up, so she tells him how her heart feels if that happens to be the case.

"William,"

Masayoshi places her cap on his head to protect it from the heat.

"I love you."

And he hears her.

'I love you, Masa.'

It's almost the end. Like 5 chapters I think, maybe less. Expect much angst.