#modulo maru

Here is the story I promised you all, a short Yuka and Cross fanfic I’m finally starting now. After everything they’ve been through, this one is softer, quieter, and filled with the kind of feelings they never had the chance to face before. I hope you enjoy this small, heartfelt journey with them 🤍

The sun dipped lower, painting the field gold. Yuka caught the ball one last time awkward, but proud.

"Teach us more about Earth," Maru said again, still breathless and his hands on his knees. "And… all of you." He glanced between Tsurugi and Yuka.

"Like….what do you do when there's no war? No curses? " Yuka tilted her head and smiled softly and passed again the ball to Cross.

"Same goes for you." She stepped closer to Cross sneakers crunching dry leaves.

"What do Simurians do when they're not fighting?" Cross didn't answer right away. He just looked at her, really looked like the question had snuck past his guard. Then, quiet: "We… drift."

Maru laughed, loud and bright. "He's lying. We stare at stars until we fall asleep. Or argue about who gets the bigger blanket. Something silly like this hahaha."

Cross shot him a glare that didn't land and said. "Shut up." Yuka smiled small and real. "Sounds nice." She reached out, not quite touching his sleeve.

"Wanna try it? Staring at stars, I mean. No blankets. Just… us." Cross blinked once and then twice. Like he was translating the words from human to whatever language his heart spoke. He needed a moment to realize what she meant by that...but then he said.

"Fine lets do it…." He didn't move, but he didn't leave from her side. Maru whooped, already jogging toward the edge of the field. "I'll get snacks! Ramen….real ramen! And maybe Tsurugi if he stops being a grouch."

Tsurugi muttered something from the sidelines, probably "I'm not coming" but he followed anyway.

Left alone, Yuka nudged Cross with her elbow."You know… you don't have to catch every ball. Or every question." He exhaled slow and almost relieved.

"I know." She held out her hand not for the glove and not for the ball. Just open, her palm up, like she was offering him the last quiet thing left in the world. He stared at it like it was a star he wasn't sure he could reach. Like if he touched it, everything he'd ever lost might finally stay gone.

Then slow, trembling just enough to betray him, he slid his fingers into hers. The sky bled pink above them, soft and stupidly beautiful.

Far off, Maru hollered about "extra spicy!" his voice was cracking with joy. Cross didn't roll his eyes and he didn't pull away Yukas hand. He just held on.

Like he'd been waiting his whole life to feel something this small and this real.