Chapter Text
A cold wave washed over her spine as she turned to look at the silver haired girl, who stood clutching a hall pass in one hand. It was out of sheer unluckiness that she walked in at all. Sheer unluckiness that they chose the spot by probably the nearest bathroom to Ayame’s class. Sheer unluckiness. A common thing in Aqua’s unfortunate life.
But she was sure of one thing, they were lucky that it was Ayame of all people who overheard their conversation. If it was some random kid, they probably wouldn’t have thought twice about it.
“I-I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.. I was just going to the restroom, and..” Her red eyes hardened into a disheartening shade of betrayed. Aqua wasn't the closest to the girl, but she still hated making others upset, no matter who they were. “What’s going on, Aqua? I just want to understand.”
She frowned as she said it, but it felt genuine. She wasn’t exactly sure why, considering the fact that they barely talked outside of school. Their sole relation to one another was entirely based off of Subaru, so she just assumed Ayame was always forced to hang out with her.
She didn’t mind though, just accepted it, that was just how their trio was. So why was she being so sympathetic now?
“It’s my fault.” Shion stepped forward, biting her lip. “..I’m a witch. But you probably already knew that. I’m a witch, and I tried to curse Aqua and fucked up. And now we’re in this situation and I’m going to fix it. Once I figure out how.”
“So.. you’re not actually dating?” Ayame asked instead. She assumed she would’ve asked more about the witch thing than anything, but the only reaction she showed was an uneasy frown.
“..No.” She looked guilty when she said it. And there was a sharp jab in her ribs too, that brought her back to reality. They weren’t dating. And that shouldn’t have made her as disappointed as it did because it was the truth, but the churn in her stomach was undeniable.
“Please don’t do anything to her.” Aqua couldn’t help but speak up. She hated tense conversations like this, but she didn’t know what she would do if Ayame hurt Shion.
“I’m not going to do anything. I just..” She looked distressed, her eyes troubled as they wavered like she was trying to figure out what to do. What to say. After all, Subaru was always the most assertive of the three.
“I’d never hurt Aqua, if that’s what you’re worried about. We’re not dating, sure, but I.. I care about her.” It must’ve taken a lot of pride swallowing for her to have said that one. Though her heart squeezed hearing her admit her care for her.
They weren’t girlfriends, Shion had stated that much, and she already knew that much. But they weren’t exactly friends either. The things they did.. those weren’t exactly activities friends did with one another, were they?
So what were they? Hearing Shion say she cared for her.. the voice in her mind that she kept trying to shut out spoke loud and clear this time.
She cared for Murasaki Shion. She cared for her beyond the ‘I just don’t want you to die is all’ kind of way she convinced herself she did, and she cared for her a lot more than she realized.
Friends, acquaintances, enemies, lovers.. hell, even business partners, she didn’t know at this point. All Aqua knew was that she cared for the witch that was holding her hand so tightly yet so gingerly at the same time.
And she wasn’t sure when it started, but it was hard to deny now that it was staring her right in the face so obviously.
“And.. and what about the rumors?” Ayame furrowed her eyebrows. It was understandable why she was so concerned. Because Ayame didn’t know Shion the way she did. “..Did you really kill that kid?”
There was a slight shake of accusation in her voice, yet the witch laughed sheepishly, rubbing her spare hand awkwardly against the back of her neck.
“He caught me practicing magic after school like Aqua did. I threatened him because I panicked and then he moved out of town without a word.” The story was one she’d definitely heard before - probably passing conversation. They had been talking about how Shion killed the kid, or that he went missing or something. But her version of the story was completely different. “I wasn’t going to hurt him, really. I was just going to make sure he wasn’t gonna get me killed, but he ran off before I could even do anything. That’s all.”
It struck her that that guy could’ve been in the same position she was in right now. And in that timeline Aqua would’ve never met Shion. She couldn’t help but wonder what she would’ve been like without her in her life. Would things have been better? Worse? It was hard to tell, but oddly enough she couldn’t find herself regretting forgetting her bag that day that started it all.
“Wait.. really?” The silver haired girl looked more confused than anything now. “But everyone..”
Shion shrugged. “I’ve never killed anyone before. I’m sure some witches have, but.. the worst I’ve done is curse your friend here. And if I wanted to kill her, I would’ve done it a while ago.”
Aqua glared at the now grinning girl. Ayame just looked bewildered with the newfound information however. Was it really that surprising? Or maybe she just accepted Shion’s harmlessness too quickly and naively.
The red eyed girl contemplated for a while, pursing her lips, before she finally looked up, staring straight into the pink haired girl’s complimentary matching eyes. “Are you really okay with this, Aqua?”
To her side she could feel Shion shifting in place, and she didn’t need to look to know she had that same guilty expression again. She’d tell her time and time again that it was fine, that she didn’t mind, yet she’d always wear that painfully sorry face. She tightened her hold on her hand.
“She- She said if before.” She inhaled, preparing to suppress the already flaring embarrassment. “I know I lied to you about the dating thing, but.. I still care about her.”
Ayame briefly nodded, opening her mouth to say something before closing it again. “I trust you.” She didn’t know why she did, but it was a bit heartwarming to hear that. “I won’t do anything, don’t worry. ..I won’t even bring it up Subaru until you do yourself. I don’t have the right to do that.”
And she felt herself let go of her breath that she didn’t even realize she was holding until then.
“But if anything does happen..” The silver haired girl tacked on. There was an edge to her voice that Aqua had never heard before.
“Please trust me, just this once.” Shion spoke up. “If there’s anything else you want to know, you can ask me anytime, but, uh.. maybe after class.” She glanced at the clock, and it looked like they only had about ten minutes left. All that talking - they forgot they even had school.
The teacher was definitely going to be suspicious if she stayed out any longer.
“Ah.” It seemed Ayame realized as well. She never went to the bathroom like she intended on doing though. “I should get going. ..See you, Aqua.”
“See you, Ayame.” She waved politely, watching her slowly turn and fade around the corner. She turned to Shion, who was staring straight at her with a stupid grin when she spun around. She could feel something bad coming already.
“You care about me? Minato Aqua cares about a witch like me of all people?” She snickered, and Aqua had begun to already physically heat up like a dusty old computer trying to load eighty tabs at once. “You’re so in love with m—“
“I-I’m leaving to class!” She unlinked their hands, making her way to the door of her classroom. The walk of shame to her seat and the hard questioning she was most likely going to receive from her teacher was not going to be fun. Though a hand caught hers, spinning her around before she could barely walk two steps.
It was Shion’s. But of course it was. Who else would it be?
“I said it too.” Her face was red, her eyes askance. “..See you soon, Aqua.”
And it didn’t take until after Shion disappeared down the hallway for her to completely process the meaning of her words. An involuntary smile painted her face and she stared down at her hand. It was still warm from her touch.
»»««
The white haired girl parted from her, though her hands were still on her sloppily unbuttoned blazer, fistfuls of fabric in her small hands. Aqua leaned against the wall, panting out roughly. “Can we please.. stop doing this in the bathroom..”
Shion looked up at her, a dark shade of red dying her face with an all too familiar smirk that only made Aqua want to kiss her breathless again. “Sure, next time we can make out right in the open for everyone to see.”
“Y-You know that’s not what I meant!” She pouted, giving the snarky witch a light shove.
She chuckled, a small smile now replacing her smug expression. “Yes, yes. I’m usually in a hurry, but I’ll find somewhere cleaner next time.”
Aqua was about to open her mouth to respond before she heard a buzzing sound from Shion’s pocket. The witch frowned, pulling out her phone, and whoever it was that seemed to be calling her she did not appreciate, as the girl let out a sigh the moment she looked at the screen.
It seemed she hung up, as the vibration stopped and she put the device back into her blazer.
“Who..?” She couldn’t help but be curious.
“My father.” Shion frowned. “I muted his messages but it seems he’s finally thought to call me. Since I’ve kinda been away from home since yesterday without a word, he’s uh, kinda pissed.” She laughed slightly as she said it, but Aqua could only feel plain unease churning in her stomach.
“Can’t he use magic to find you?”
“We’re not allowed to use magic in town like this.”
“Wait..” Then that meant all that time ago when Shion was practicing magic after school.. It seemed she caught onto what Aqua was thinking as a mischievous grin popped on her face.
“I’m a hardened criminal.”
Aqua deadpanned. The other girl, who had been quietly re-buttoning her shirt had finally finished and slid a hand down to connect with hers. Their fingers perfectly laced together, though Shion still had a pout on her face.
“What? Is it that unbelievable?”
“You growing is more believable.”
“Hey, they’re not that small!” She retorted, tugging on their hands. Aqua quirked up an eyebrow however.
“They’re?” And it took her a moment before it dawned upon her, and soon enough the pink haired girl was laughing loudly as Shion whined, red faced. It was usually the other way around, so it felt extra satisfying. “I meant your height, dummy! But well, now that you’ve basically admitted it—“
“Nope, not talking to you anymore, bye!”
But she dragged her along by the hand as she said it. Out the bathroom and back into the hall.
“Well.. see you at lunch?” After this class, there would be lunch, and they had free reign to do whatever then. The only problem was the awkward atmosphere that would inevitably come when they sat down at the usual table, but lately everyone had been warming up to Shion. Or at least getting used to her.
Subaru probably thought she was annoying, Ayame was still a bit wary, but it was a start. And of course Marine was still Marine.
Compared to last time, it would surely be much better.
“You want to see me that bad?” It seemed she’d recovered, as Shion had that cocky look in her eyes again with that annoying grin.
She rolled her eyes, though offered a smile anyway, because she couldn’t stop it from tugging at her lips. “I’m taking that as a yes.”
“See you, Aqua.” Though as they parted ways, she caught sound of the familiar buzz of Shion’s phone before it drifted away, and the smile that played on her mouth flattened to an uneasy line.
Hopefully it wasn’t anything too worrisome.
»»««
“Shion!” The red headed girl grinned, waving enthusiastically as said girl did her best to discreetly walk on over to their table. Marine of course, had to ruin her attempt with her naturally loud voice.
In an instant, practically everyone was staring at the witch as she sat down by Aqua with a sigh.
“Hey.” Subaru waved, to her surprise, offering a small greeting. Shion blinked, probably surprised too, before putting a hand up.
“Hi.”
It had to be the most stiff exchange of hello’s ever, but it was still better than before. Ayame, however, kept her gaze locked onto her food as she distractedly picked at it, never once looking up.
“Don't just ignore me! Hey, hey, so tell me Shion, how far have you gotten with Aqu—“ Marine leaned slightly across the table, eyes shining with perverted curiosity. Of course this was the first thing she’d ask.
Understandably, Shion began coughing, her face deepening into a shade of red.
“Marine, you can’t just ask people that!” The short black haired girl scolded. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Why are you like this..”
“What? She’s my daught—“
“I’m not your daughter.”
“Don’t talk like that to your mother!”
And everyone laughed, except for maybe Marine who she wasn’t sure if she was legitimately upset or playing up a part again. Subaru laughed with that loud voice of hers, and contrastingly, even Ayame who had been silently listening in the entire time let out a small giggle too. To Aqua’s side, she could hear Shion, with her weird high pitched wheeze laughter, and it made the hand that rested softly on hers under the table all the more warmer.
“Okay, well, at least tell us how you guys are doing!” Marine turned her gaze to the two again, a grin bouncing back onto her face.
They sat there for a moment in silence, trying to determine the right words to utter in the moment, but before Aqua could say anything (Not that she had much to say in the first place), Shion who had her cheek resting in her palm as she faced away from her spoke in her stead.
“W-We’re doing fine.” She answered plainly, but the slight tremble to her voice gave away her flustered expression Aqua just knew she had.
“Oh come on, you gotta give more info than that! Do you think you’re gonna marry her?” Marine pressed on, a glint in her eyes. She was definitely more invested in their relationship than they even were.
Shion started coughing again, and there wasn’t anything she could do to hide her completely red face. Though Aqua couldn’t say much on that matter, as she was sure she probably looked the same. “M-Marry?!”
“Yup, I’m arresting you, say goodbye.” Subaru sighed.
“They probably haven’t even thought that far. We’re still in highschool after all.” Ayame smiled sympathetically. She continued to surprise her. Aqua hadn’t really expected too much, she was thankful that she was willing to keep silent of course, but the support was a pleasant, yet confusing surprise. She was grateful still, and offered a smile of silent thanks. “Though, Marine, you should be in college right?”
“You— I'm only a year older than you guys!” The red haired girl’s previously playful expression morphed into a furious one at Ayame’s jab. No one seemed to take her seriously though, as the rest of the table just laughed.
“Sure, grandma.” Shion chimed in, and Aqua could feel herself smiling again. The witch had only been jumping in when the others dragged her into the conversation or asked about their relationship, but this time was different. She was starting to get more comfortable being here.
It felt.. fun. Just chatting and listening to the banter. For once Aqua didn’t have anything else on her mind to worry for, nothing filled her head but laughter. Being with Shion and everyone else - it felt relaxing for once. No uncomfortable tension, just silly back and forth. So many things were going on with her life lately, and yet it wasn’t until recently that Aqua felt she was at ease for once. Felt happier.
“You too?! I trusted you, Shion!”
“Bad decision.”
»»««
“Are.. are you free after school?” She had asked the moment classes ended that day. The white haired girl had looked away with a furious blush across her face.
“Are you asking me out on a date right now, Murasaki Shion?” Aqua had responded with, because well, the answer was obvious and what was she supposed to say? And what if she was right?
If Shion asked her out on a date, what would she do? They were technically dating, yes, but they never talked about it any further than that.
“What? No!” She scowled, her face still red. Aqua inwardly felt herself sigh in relief, yet the disappointment that lingered was confusingly frustrating. “I just.. don’t want to go back home yet.”
And so that was why Shion and her were now standing around at the very hallway that started it all.
“Isn’t this nostalgic?” The witch popped a grin, swinging their linked hands before pulling her to the end of the hallway, by the exit doors. It was the place where she first saw her.
“So.. now what?” She hadn’t exactly explained anything before dragging Aqua here.
Letting go of her for a moment, the girl had reached down to one of the tiles in the middle of the floor, a slightly more worn one, and pried her nails underneath before the whole piece slid off. And beneath the tile was a leather book, clearly ragged and torn in some corners, yet Shion still held it up for the pink haired girl with a prideful grin.
She reached for her hand again after sliding the tile back.
“I like to practice before I go home. But ‘cause I stayed over at your place yesterday, I missed a day. So.. I’m making it up now.” She gently pulled her to the floor, so that they were now both sitting down and laid the book on the floor as well.
She flipped the yellowed pages with one hand, the other tightly grasping Aqua’s, who just watched curiously.
She raised a hand, once she got to what she assumed was her desired spot in the book. The page was filled with characters Aqua couldn’t read or understand, so she didn’t bother trying.
Instead, she looked to Shion’s upward facing palm, and in an instant there was a flare of a brilliant blue flame that danced in her hand and illuminated her pale skin and shone in her golden eyes. The very spell she tried to threaten her with the day they met. It seemed like such a long time ago.
Though as quickly as it flashed, the flame extinguished and died, and as the ice blue washed off of her face, Shion’s expression fell as well.
She tried again and again, but the longest the wisp of blue ever stayed alit was only a few moments. Aqua just watched, seeing the fire flicker over and over, yet never staying long enough to fully take shape.
Shion frowned, her free hand falling to her legs, defeated.
Aqua opened her mouth to speak up, but the girl beside her quickly flipped through the book again, settling on a different page with other characters she still couldn’t understand. She tried again and again, yet all the spells she tried to cast didn’t last more than a few seconds.
She flipped through the book again, slower this time.
There were several highlighted and circled portions throughout the text, all marked in bold, urgent red. This time there were small pictures drawn, but she couldn’t pinpoint what they were supposed to be. Magical ingredients, maybe? In one corner was what looked like a sketch of a small potion, the liquid inside a pale pink. It seemed like something straight out of a storybook. And in the other corner, written in the same red chicken scratch (It took her a moment to realize what it read) was, ‘Minato Aqua’. Oh.
“I’m trying, I really am. But…” Shion looked down.
“I’ll wait, Shion. Just like I said.”
“Aren’t you getting tired of me?” She asked suddenly, looking up at her. Her amber eyes shone brighter in the hues of the sunset lapping at them, but they looked sad. She didn’t give time for Aqua to think or even speak before she continued. “You’re a human, not a witch. You said.. you said we’re the same, but that’s not true. Because no matter what you do or what I do, I’ll never be accepted. And I don’t want that to happen to you too. I don’t want you to ruin your highschool years for someone like me. I don’t want you to be unhappy for someone like me. I wouldn’t ever want that for you.”
She listened quietly, staring into those glassy eyes of hers, feeling the way her hand tensed up, the way her body shook, wracked with all that pent up everything she knew she carried everyday. And when Shion finished, her lips trembled as she waited for Aqua’s answer, she finally spoke up, a patient smile resting on her lips.
“..And what do you want for yourself?”
She opened her mouth, and closed it. Then she opened it again and breathed out in that fragile voice she’d only seen her use when they were just together. “I want you in my life. I want to be selfish. I’ve.. I’ve never had someone like you before. It’s all so.. confusing. But I- I don’t want to be alone anymore. Not when you’re here now.”
‘I don’t want this to be over,’ Aqua caught herself thinking as her heart pounded hearing Shion spill her feelings out. Involuntarily, she could feel the tears start to form in the corners of her own eyes as well.
‘I don’t want to be alone either,’ a voice called from deep within her, shouting with desperation. Because for once in Minato Aqua’s sad life, she wasn’t alone - she didn’t feel alone.
For once in Minato Aqua’s life someone reached out to her and took her by the hand.
And for once in Minato Aqua’s life, she could finally admit it: she didn’t want to be alone anymore. Because if being alone meant losing Shion - meant giving her up, then that wasn’t what she wanted.
She leaned in, overtaken by raw emotion, and cupped the witch’s cheek with her free hand. For a moment they stared into each other’s faltering eyes, before Aqua captured her lips with her own. Not because she had to, or because Shion was dying or anything.
There was a sense of urgency as they kissed, their tongues danced frantically, like they were scared of losing each other. And maybe she was.
She didn’t know why she kissed her, really, there was no explicit reason. Everything in the moment just took away her common sense and told her that she just needed Shion.
Shion who liked to grin that annoying grin of hers when she teased someone. Shion who looked so helplessly broken when she cried. Shion who didn’t mind when she played with her fingers as they were laced with hers and did the same when she thought Aqua wasn’t paying attention. Shion who was a witch.
And yet, it wasn’t as big of a deal as she thought. It just seemed like a simple fact now.
Shion was a witch, and Aqua was a human. She had said that they’d never be the same, and maybe it was ignorant for her to even say that, but even so.. they were more alike than she had ever thought they’d be.
They pulled apart, gasping for air, and the white haired girl gently helped her up to her feet and over to the wall, so that her back was against the concrete now. Shion put a hand up by her head, pinning her against the wall.
“Remember this?” Of course she did. The very first time she threatened her. It was silly looking back on it now, how scared she was then. Though she supposed maybe it was because this time around Shion was smiling gently, her eyes soft as they stared at her. “It feels like so long ago. And now things are so.. different. Sorry for threatening you all that time ago. ..I was scared.”
“Shion..” Aqua mumbled, though with how close they were, she could probably hear her just fine. “Why don’t we be alone together? It’s better than being alone alone.. right?”
And a smile resurfaced Shion’s face, her heart fluttering as it lightened her features. She took her hand off the wall, bringing both arms behind Aqua’s back and pulling her close to her chest. Her face rested in the crook of her neck.
She hugged her back, letting her warmth envelop her body.
“Yeah.. you’re right.”
»»««
Her face was pale - paler than usual, despite their entwined hands, and her eyes were wide with a kind of fear Aqua had never seen her wear before. Her hands were trembling in her grasp, though not in the way that they did when she was weak and low on energy.
Shion was afraid, and that was enough to scare Aqua too.
They had only just walked out of the building when they saw him. And by him, she meant what she assumed was Shion’s father.
He wore regular clothes, to her surprise, and he looked less.. wizard-y, than she thought he would. The semblance to Shion was definitely there, however. But his face was etched with a kind of sternness Shion could never bear as he stared down at his daughter. There wasn’t a trace of endearment or attachment that should’ve been there for your own kid.
“Home. Now.” His voice rumbled. He didn’t need to raise it to emphasize his point. Shion bit her lip, giving Aqua a reluctant glance.
She didn’t need to open her mouth for her to know what she wanted to say. ‘I’ll see you later, okay?’ her face practically screamed. She turned back to the man who shared her same white hair, though it was dull and bleak in comparison.
“Okay.”
And she was gone, her back a few paces behind her father as it disappeared out from Aqua’s vision, not daring to look back.
“See you, Shion.” She called out. Though she was already long gone, like she was never even there in the first place.
»»««
Aqua didn’t see her for the rest of that day. Shion had texted her a quick, ‘I’ll try to contact you later,’ as she walked herself home alone, but she was laying in her bed, staring up at the same old grooves and bumps on the ceiling and there wasn’t a single notification on her phone.
She held on though. Maybe later, she told herself. Clung onto it because even though Shion was gone, her scent was still in the air - the pillows she used were still on her bed, the toothbrush she brushed her teeth was still sitting with all the other toothbrushes like it belonged there, and Shion was still on her mind. And if she pretended enough, her lingering warmth still held her hand.
Sitting at the table to eat dinner, her mother even perked up. “Shion not coming over today?” She had asked. And she shook her head no.
She did her homework, and it should’ve been less distracting now that she wasn’t there, but for some reason it was just as hard to focus. Forgetting to put away the stool they pulled up for her didn’t help.
Thoughts wracked her head. What if she got hurt? What if she needed her? What if something bad happened and she couldn’t contact her? Maybe she was worrying too much, but the endless possibilities still suffocated her mind, turning it dark with unease.
And it wasn't until late that night, when Aqua laid on her bed staring aimlessly around her room as she couldn’t sleep, when she heard a buzz. It buzzed once, and then again, and kept going as she frantically scrambled to her phone. The pink haired girl sat upright, and there she was, glowing on the front screen of her device.
Murasaki Shion (the love of your life) (She put that in herself) is calling, it read, and for some reason, anxiousness swiveled in her stomach. She’d talked to her hundreds of times, slept in the same bed as her, kissed her thousands of times. But she couldn’t help but feel the nervousness rise in her body.
Though she pushed through it, the genuine concern and joy getting the better of her, and picked up the call, pressing the phone to her ear.
“Aqua?” Her voice was the same as always (Though she wasn’t exactly sure why she thought it’d be different), and she could just picture her face right there in front of her as she spoke.
“Are you okay? Do you need me to come over? Are you hurt at all?” Questions fired out of Aqua’s mouth before she could even process what she was saying and before Shion could even greet her.
“Pffft, don’t you care a little bit too much about me?” She laughed like usual, and it didn’t exactly seem like anything was wrong. The strain in her voice that was usually present when she was hurting was nowhere to be seen.
Though Aqua still couldn’t bring herself to retort back like she would’ve usually. She was okay. Murasaki Shion was okay, and she was more grateful for that fact than she thought she’d ever be.
“Aqua.. guess what?” There was a bounce to her voice, a sense of light heartedness, and she seemed happy. Much happier than she figured she’d be, considering the events from earlier. And Aqua should’ve been happy too, so why couldn’t she be? Her heart sank the moment Shion spoke again, and she hated the feeling of it. The shameful disappointment she grew so familiarized to.
Because Aqua couldn’t help but want to cry when Shion spoke loud and clear to her in that pretty voice of hers. And the worst part was that she knew exactly why. It’d always been right there, staring her right in the face, so why did it have to be now that she realized?
The voice from inside of her spoke, like it had been obvious the entire time. Minato Aqua didn’t want this to end yet - she wasn’t ready, and without even noticing it, she found herself falling in love with a certain witch named Murasaki Shion.
“I’m cured.”
And then the flame blew out.