#oh.

grips of death?? DEATH GRIPS HOLY SHIT

You glance up from the book you have your face buried in, a nice shoujo manga you've already gone through a half-dozen times. Something familiar, something comforting.

Kikuri watches you, one brow slightly raised. While you don't really like being watched, you know her well enough that you're not too uncomfortable with it. Her body sways slightly, her cheeks flushed, and a box of sake sits in front of her. It's late enough that you wouldn't call it day-drinking, just regular drinking, not that you care either way.

"I ain't borin' you, am I?" she says.

"Oh, n-no, you're not," you say, lowering the book just enough to reveal your small smile. "Sorry, I'm just an introvert. This is how I usually spend my free time. Just doing quiet things."

"Ah, okay. I get it," she says, scratching her chin. "Nothin' wrong with some quiet time. You got any other manga?"

You've been waiting for someone to say that to you.

"Oh, sure! What are you thinking?" you say, rummaging through your bag. "I've got Sailor Moon, Kimi ni Todoke, Bloom Into You-"

"Wow, you're stocked up. Y'got Doraemon? I think that's all I can handle right now."

"Uh, I don't... think I have any of that," you mumble, knowing full well you don't. You know of it, it's just not really what you're into.

"Eh, it's fine. Just gimme whatever you got."

You slide over the first volume of Bloom, because all the other ones you have right now are a few books in. Better to start with the beginning, right? Kikuri takes it and begins to read, and the two of you fall into silence. However, it's not much later that she speaks up again, her eyes wide.

"Ohh, this is- this is yuri, huh?" she says. "Ohhh."

"Oh, y-yeah. Is that... a problem?" you ask, fidgeting.

"No, no. I just noticed a theme is all." She gives you an odd look that you contribute to her insobriety. "Gangle, are you... into women?"

Honestly, you don't really have a preference. "Uh, yeah. Sorry, I guess I didn't really think that these were all so similar."

"Oh, ah, that's not it. I was just thinkin'..." Kikuri rests her head in her hand, looking away. "How do I say this... It's really flatterin', but-"

"It's not you," you say, your mouth moving before your mind has a chance to catch up.

She blinks at you; both of you are surprised by the bluntness. "Oh! Ah, okay, I was just worried that-"

"N-no, there's already someone I like," you say, shaking your head. "Sorry? I guess?"

"I just didn't want to think I was leadin' you on! Sorry, didn't want to make it weird," she laughs. You've literally never thought something like that.

"You're... you're fine," you say, your eyes darting to the sake. Has she had more than you thought?

"Not that it's a bad thing, though! I mean, me too."

"You... too?"

She gives you a very slow wink. "Me too."

Oh. "Oh!"