Dangerous Lines | Yuzuru Hanyu

37. Aftermath

Yaeko could have never really expected how that day turned out. In her mind, there had always been times when she imagined this very same scenario (most of the time excluding all of the violence endured) and none of them really lived up to the actual situation.

For one, she had never expected him to be so comfortable to ask what he did but in another one, it also made her very excited about what followed.

Because this was the first time they would be alone and it was hard to know how it would go.

Maybe it was a bit ridiculous to think about this when they had pretty much exposed themselves on camera, but it felt different when you were facing the other person in the flesh.

She was both excited and afraid of what would happen and the more she thought about it, the less she could think straight.

The priority was being checked by a doctor, something that ended up taking far longer than either of them could expect. Yaeko's body was filled with marks from the belt they used to hit her and a few of them had blood.

Now that the shock had finally worn off, Yaeko was feeling the damned pain that they had caused.

They gave her meds but it seemed like the effect would take a while to pass. She waited patiently for the skater to be done as well and with each moment that went by without news, she worried further.

The truth was that he wasn't taking any longer because the situation was severe but rather because he needed stitches in his brow. Her panic had been mostly unfounded but it wasn't surprising in the least.

After everything that had happened, it was only normal to feel a bit afraid of what could happen.

One thing was certain, once her eyes settled on him, Yaeko felt an intense relief coursing through her body. He was safe.

All of those years enduring her marriage could have never prepared her to sacrifice her own safety for another person but she didn't have a single regret.

"Are you okay?"

That seemed to be a question that she heard time and time again on that day. Every single time it was as frustrating as the previous but she didn't dare to say anything to him, not to Yuzu.

"Yeah. Glad to see you're alright."

He merely smiled and sat by her side. They didn't need many words then, just the presence of one another.

"You endured far more than me."

"I barely felt it."

It was with hesitance that he placed an arm around her body and brought her close to his, providing all the warmth and comfort that she craved.

"Have I mentioned that you're a terrible liar?"

Laughter erupted in the room. Despite everything, they both felt quite at home together, even if the whole atmosphere felt a bit awkward at times.

They were only interrupted by Agent Miura, who smiled widely once she saw them.

"The safehouse is ready. You'll be staying there tonight and I'll meet you there tomorrow to discuss our plans. For now, just make sure you get some rest and forget about what happened today."

"Thank you, agent."

"A few officers will take you there in safety and monitor the whole place through the night. We aren't risking your safety."

A simple nod and it was all settled. In just a few moments, Yaeko and Yuzuru were taken to an undisclosed location.

The safety house wasn't fancy by any means but it wasn't as if either of them needed anything more than a bed.

There was food and they weren't cold which was all anyone could ask for after a long day.

The agents went around the house before they entered, making sure everything was completely safe before allowing them inside. Once everything was deemed safe, Yuzuru and Yaeko finally had their long-awaited time alone.

One thing was certain, from the point the door closed and they were all by themselves, the awkwardness started to settle in.

It was painfully obvious that they didn't know how to act now, even after everything they had done in front of one another.

For all that it was worth, Yaeko was still a married woman and it was uncertain how far she would be willing to go, at least in his head.

What Yuzuru could have never predicted was that all Yae wanted was for him to cross the distance and finally kiss her lips.

The memory of his touch was still engraved in her brain and it was impossible to pretend like she wasn't thinking about it constantly.

"So... Huh... There's only one bed and I can probably..."

Yuzuru was so awkwardly uncomfortable that the whole situation could be laughable.

Yae just seemed to take that as a sign.

Allowing all of her fears to disappear, Yaeko crossed the distance between them, moving closer with a steady step and shutting him up with a fierce kiss on his lips.

Not too surprisingly, the skater returned it eagerly, a small smile noticeably on his face. He had been eagerly waiting for this moment and had just been a bit too afraid to act on his desires.

Her kiss just sent the message he had been looking forward to having, that she was comfortable with him and most of all, that she wanted this.

It was with a smirk that she sent her last challenge, completely unbothered by how daring it was.

"I don't think the single bed will be a problem, do you?"