Barriers (A World Trigger fanfiction)

The Long Way Around

Konami opened her eyes. Her neck smarted, and her eyes were blurry.

She was laying in her bed in the ship's room, which, to be perfectly honest, she still wasn't adjusted to.

She blinked a few times, before everything came into an agreeable focus.

"Karasama?"

Kyosuke stood above her, looking down at her, his face red.

"What happened?"

She sat up, slightly stiff back giving its complains, and he shuffled his weight about.

"Sorry, I mean, you fell asleep in the common room, and I carried you back because we were the last ones out there, besides Tachikawa and Usami and it would be wrong to make them do it..." He was visibly embarrassed. His voice portraying the tone of "This isn't what it looks like, I swear," to her.

Instead, she nodded understandingly.

"No, I get it, it makes sense, really."

"Really? I know it's awkward I just..."

"What?"

"I don't know..."

He genuinely seemed at a loss, and Konami twitched in confusion.

"Here, sit down..." She said, patting the side of her bed as a mutual invitation to sit.

He obliged, still looking slightly shaky.

"I think we need to talk." Konami admitted. As his eyes slid back and forth.

"About what?" His voice was uneven, as if he knew what exactly, but wanted to ensure they were on the same page.

"About us."

He nodded. "Yeah, I think that's in order."

"Well, I think so too..."

...

There was a silence.

Kyosuke was more than uncomfortable, and Konami looked at him as if she expected the words to come like magic to them.

"So...." She began, after the watery sound of nothingness had traveled on for a bit to long.

"Yes?"

"What do you think we should do?"

Kyousuke sighed. He was afraid she was going to ask him about this, because frankly, he hadn't the slightest clue what was in order to keep her happy. He wasn't entirely sure what he wanted himself.

"I'm not sure." He admitted. "I don't know, I want to make you happy, I guess, but like, it's not that big of a deal to me? Not like that, you know that you matter a lot to me, I just... I don't want anything serious. Personally, I think just getting my confession off of my chest is enough for now."

One look at her indifferent expression, and Kyosuke was set on edge.

"And I know that you probably want something out of me, I guess it just depends on what it is... Personally, I just... I think I'm satisfied staying as just 'friends who admitted their crushes to one another'... I don't think we're at the 'dating' stage yet."

Konami took a moment to contemplate his offer, and nodded.

"I think that sounds reasonable... yeah."

"Wait, you're really okay with that?"

"I mean, yeah, I think I am. Love is kinda counter productive, and it'll be nice to not try to force anything big just yet... I like the idea of just... not having to worry. It may even spoil what we have if we try to force a big show."