Hidden Sparks

Chapter VII

The days after their conversation on the couch felt different—lighter. Neither Monoma nor Shinsou spoke about it again, but it didn't need to be said. They both knew that things had shifted. There was an unspoken understanding between them, like a quiet promise that neither was ready to break.

Training sessions were still intense, but there was an ease to their teamwork now. Shinsou seemed to relax around Monoma, and Monoma found himself becoming more attuned to Shinsou's movements. They communicated without words during battle, their quirks complementing each other like two pieces of a puzzle that had finally clicked into place.

One evening after a particularly long training session, Monoma and Shinsou found themselves walking back to the dorms together. It wasn't unusual—they'd started to fall into the same routine of leaving the training grounds at the same time. But tonight, there was something in the air. Something unspoken.

Monoma glanced over at Shinsou, who was walking a little ahead of him, his hands stuffed into his pockets. The setting sun cast a soft glow on his features, and for a moment, Monoma thought he could see a crack in the usual mask Shinsou wore—a brief vulnerability that lingered in his eyes.

"Hey, Shinsou," Monoma called out, catching up to him. "You've been quieter than usual today. Everything okay?"

Shinsou slowed his pace, turning his head to glance at Monoma. His lips twitched into a small, almost imperceptible smile. "Yeah, just... thinking."

"About what?" Monoma asked, genuinely curious. He wasn't sure why, but he felt like Shinsou was letting him in more these days, and he didn't want to push him, but at the same time, he wanted to know what was on his mind.

Shinsou didn't respond immediately. He kept walking, his gaze ahead as if the answer was just beyond the horizon. "I don't know. Just... everything. The training. This whole thing with us."

Monoma blinked, slightly surprised. "Us?"

Shinsou glanced at him again, and for a second, Monoma thought he saw a flicker of hesitation. "Yeah. I mean, it's... different. Not bad. Just... different. I'm not used to it."

Monoma couldn't help but chuckle softly. "I don't blame you. I'm not used to it either. But I think I'm starting to like it."

The words slipped out before he could stop them, and for a moment, the air between them seemed to thicken with something that wasn't quite a confession, but wasn't quite casual either. Shinsou stopped walking then, and Monoma felt his stomach tighten as Shinsou turned to face him.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Shinsou said quietly, his voice almost unreadable.

Monoma met his gaze and didn't look away. He had never been one to shy away from honesty, especially not now. "Yeah. I am."

There was a long silence. Shinsou didn't respond at first, but the way his eyes softened ever so slightly told Monoma that maybe, just maybe, he understood.

Finally, Shinsou spoke again, his voice low. "I don't know what's happening between us, Monoma, but... I'm okay with it. I don't want to screw this up."

Monoma felt his heart race at the vulnerability in Shinsou's words. He had never heard him speak so openly, and for the first time, Monoma realized just how much Shinsou had been holding back. And yet, here they were, standing in the middle of the path, their unspoken connection growing stronger.

"You don't have to worry about that," Monoma said, his voice steady, despite the way his heart pounded in his chest. "We're figuring this out, together. No pressure."

Shinsou gave him a small nod, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. He looked at Monoma, the faintest of smiles playing on his lips. "I guess that's all I can ask for."

Monoma grinned. "Then I guess we're good."

They resumed walking, side by side, the distance between them closing with every step. The conversation had shifted something in both of them—something that neither of them could quite explain.

As they approached the dorms, Monoma glanced over at Shinsou, who was walking with a rare sense of ease. Maybe they weren't ready for all the answers yet. But right now, that didn't matter.

"Want to grab dinner?" Monoma asked, casually, as if they hadn't just had one of the most honest conversations they'd ever had.

Shinsou raised an eyebrow, looking at him with a smirk. "Are you inviting me out, or are you just asking for food?"

Monoma laughed. "A little of both."

Shinsou's smirk softened into a genuine smile, one that reached his eyes in a way that made Monoma's heart skip a beat. "Fine. But only because I'm starving."

As they entered the dorm building together, Monoma couldn't help but feel that maybe this was the start of something more than just a partnership. They didn't have to have it all figured out. They didn't need to rush.

For the first time in a long while, Monoma was content to let things unfold at their own pace.

(I'm sorry, I can't hold it anymore) 

THE END