#old.

It’s been about two months since the two decided to get into a fake relationship. Yuu was dealing with a creepy ‘admirer,’ one that wouldn’t leave them alone. As a last resort to get rid of them, they made a deal with Azul.

The contract is due to terminate next week. Yet, whenever they mention this to Azul, he has a dejected look that lasts for a second before switching subjects.

“Hello, angelfish,” he greets Yuu with a soft smile in the morning, holding their hand like usual.

“Hi, Azul,” Yuu murmured, pursing their lips as they gave his hand a soft squeeze. They needed to properly talk to him about the contract for once.

Azul squeezed their hand back gently, his cold hands contrasting with their warm ones. He noticed the pouting on their lips, and the corners of his mouth quirked up into a smile.

“You seem to be in a sullen mood. Anything the matter, angelfish?” he asked softly, his voice as smooth as silk. He knew Yuu so well.

“...Azul. You have to promise me something first.”

Azul’s eyes widened a bit at their words, and a flicker of curiosity crossed his face. He nodded slightly, a hint of seriousness in his eyes.

“I promise. Anything for you, angelfish,” His voice held a note of genuine sincerity, and his grip of their hand tightened ever-so-slightly. “What do you want me to promise you?”

“Don’t change the subject again. Promise?”

Azul’s smile faltered slightly, realizing that Yuu knew him too well. He knew he had a tendency to avoid subjects that made him uncomfortable, and it seemed like they were calling him out on it. 

He exhaled quietly, his grip on their hand tightening once more. 

“Fine. I promise. I won’t change the subject again. You have my word.”

“Thank you,” Yuu swallowed to wet their dry throat, “because I wanted to talk about the contract.”

Azul’s smile fell, his eyes widened slightly. Just as he had expected, the topic he had been both dreading and anticipating had finally come up.

“The…contract,” he muttered softly, his voice betraying just a hint of trepidation. His mind began racing, wondering what they were going to say. “What about the contract, angelfish?”

“The termination.”

Azul’s grip on their hand tightened, a clear sign of his nervousness. The topic of the termination of the contract made him feel anxious, which he tried his best not to show it. He tried to maintain an even tone as he spoke, yet he failed to hide even the slight quiver in his voice.

“The termination…Yes, it’s next week, is it not?”

“Mhm. You said we’d break up then. But…”

“But…?” he repeated softly with bated breath.

“I can tell you don’t want to. Why is that?”

Azul felt a pang in his chest at their words, his heart squeezing as he realized that Yuu had seen right through him He was both impressed and terrified by how well they knew him.

He looked away, avoiding their gaze as a flush of red spread across his cheeks. It was hard to lie to them, especially when they were looking at him like that. He exhaled quietly and spoke softly, his voice barely above a whisper. 

“Because…”

“Because?”

“Because… I’ve grown to have feelings for you. Because I don’t want this to end. Because I’ve started to cherish you.”

Yuu blinked twice, looking at him with slightly wide eyes. “You like me?”

Azul’s face turned redder by the second, the flush spreading all the way to his ears. He chewed his lower lip nervously as he held their gaze, and he gave a nod, his voice a bit shaky.

“Yes,” he whispers softly, “ I do. I… I like you. More than I should.”

Yuu was silent for a moment. Then, they smiled.

Azul’s heart skipped a beat as Yuu smiled, the silent moment lasting just a second too long. His mind was in a state of disbelief, wondering if he had heard them correctly. His heart thumped against his chest, relief and hope washing over him.

He squeezed your hand even more, his voice barely more than a whisper. 

“...You’re not…repulsed?” 

“Of course not. You’re a dork. You could’ve just asked me out for real, though.”

Azul’s eyes widened, his shock at their words clear on his face. A mixture of surprise, relief and embarrassment washed over him. He chuckled softly, the tension in his shoulders releasing ever so slightly at their gentle taunt. 

‘A dork, you say,” he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Maybe I am a bit foolish, but… would you… would you give me a chance then? For real, this time?”

“I’d be delighted,” Yuu hummed, giving him a kiss on the cheek. 

Azul’s cheek immediately turned redder, the blush spreading to his ears. He let out a small surprised gasp as he felt their lips on his skin, and his heart thumped against his chest, the warmth and softness of their touch leaving him both flustered and thrilled. 

A wide smile spread across his face, the corners of his mouth lifting up into a genuine, happy smile.

“Delighted, you say?” He gently pulled you closer, wrapping his arms around their waist.

“Very.”

Azul pulled you even closer, his arms encircling their waist as he pulled them flush against him. He could feel the warmth of their body against his, and he relished in the feeling. He rested his head on top of theirs, his heart racing in his chest as he held them tight, a mixture of happiness and relief coursing through him.

He let out a contented sigh, his voice soft and affectionate.