#queue're on fire.

Of all the days to forget her umbrella--but at least her bag was treated to be waterproof. She wouldn’t have to fret over her phone or the proofs for her latest shoot, thank God. Even if a few years had passed since she’d set foot in the Metaverse, however, one thing that was still true was how she loathed being cold. And even if the stranger with a colorful coiffure was trying to be a gentleman, well... there’s only so much he could do.

“Right. I, ah--”

Blues cast their gaze over their surroundings, the Lovers straining to see in the dark--a hand raising to shield her eyes as if it’d help somehow. Sighing to herself, the blond shook her head before speaking anew.

She expected him to seize her wrist, to forcibly remove her fingertips from that perpetually-healing wound--even if she wasn’t as intimately familiar as some assumed, she knew how strongly Saruhiko felt about having control of his personal space, especially that spot in particular. The story behind it wasn’t something she was privvy to, but it didn’t take a genius to see that the wound was more than physical. Why else would he pick at it? The compulsion had to come from something stronger than the sense she knew he had. He was incredibly smart, after all, so he had to be refusing to follow the logic that drove his ascent up the ranks of Sceptor Four... and there was his temper, burning bright even as he cast her hand aside.

If he wanted her to retreat, then the flinch he earned at first might not be a disappointment to him--but ultimately, she held firm, not backing down from sharpened words he hurled her way like knives. For all that many feared his wrath, after all... those flames were nothing to one who walked with fire in a literal sense. Someone had to question him lest he stop thinking, and she was willing to throw herself on the bonfire to do it. A firm shake of her head.

“It would if you stopped picking at it like that, and we both know it. So why, Fushimi? Why not leave it alone?”

That hug continued to linger--she was practically snuggling him, as a matter of fact, without caring just who saw them. As much as she missed her Emperor, well...it’d take a herd of Shadows to drag her away at this point. Even the mentioning of school wasn’t enough to ruin her mood, though she did playfully roll her eyes at the question he posed.

“I think I got a B, which is good enough for me. I hate history, y’know?” 

A contented sigh and she was drecting the conversation back to what he first mentioned.

Pensive, the blond sat to one side as the other Phantom Thieves idly chit-chatted amongst themselves. Ordinarily, she’d be doing the same thing--but the stress of the  facade of the Fool’s ‘demise’ was weighing heavily on her mind. Even if she knew that Akira was fine and that the lie was integral to the success of their greatest trial as a team, well... deceit on such a grand scale wasn’t something she was remotely good at. If she didn’t have moments where she could drop the act, she probably would’ve broken by now.

...actually, scratch the probably. She would’ve cracked and it all would’ve failed.

A sigh escaped the Lovers as she slumped in her seat, ample space beside her should anyone deign to join her. She doubted that anyone would, though, considering how everyone was seemingly caught up in the banter between Morgana and Ryuji. Not that she minded--she’d rather have a moment to collect herself, to get back to being the cheerfully teasing friend they all had come to know.

"I... didn’t? No one told me. I figured it out for myself."

Something had nagged at her mind when she saw them together in those brief moments, the subtleties of their interactions. She couldn’t say what the tipping point was but, once she’d realized it? It’d been so, so very obvious. Before he could worry, hands were held up with palms facing outward--her tone reassuring.

“I haven’t said a word to anyone--I didn’t want to be like the girls that spread rumors about me, y’know? So I thought I’d just ask. And I won’t say anything if you don’t want me to.”

A pause; there was an important question she had to ask before she’d drop the subject.

“But--you’re happy with him, right? He treats you well?”

It’s so cold.

While most of the Phantom Thieves were likely enjoying the cooler weather that autumn brought, the Lovers was miserable as she sat on the couch in Akira’s bedroom. Even with the blanket she snagged for herself before the meeting began, she was freezing. Drawing her legs up close to her chest helped, but she was still a little chilly by the time they reached a break--and as soon as she looked up? What she saw was enough to make her sigh softly.

Was it her, or did Sayu always seem to be so unhappy?

Azure eyes blinked as she observed the Priestess as she sat off to one side, the darkling frowning... but that wasn’t all. She was shaking, and the Lovers didn’t need three guesses to place why. There was no hesitation in lifting a corner of that blanket--and releasing a bit of that warmth--before she spoke, her voice quiet but kind.