Chapter Text
The sun set slowly over St. Dominic's courtyard, bathing the gardens and stone pathways in a dark fog that consumed the streetlights and fell to the ground. Students shuffled into the halls, retreating to their dormitories as the night loomed ahead, a soft stillness falling over the corridors as silence softened into the creeks. Yumeko lay in her bed, staring absently at the ceiling, humming to herself subtly as she pulled herself up and onto her feet. The hardwood floor felt cold beneath her steps as she walked towards her window, watching as soft raindrops pelted the Earth's ground below. Yumeko's eyes trailed the dark arched windows across from the building, cracking the window open as slow gusts of wind hit her face, long strands of dark hair swaying across her gaze.
A small click of her doorknob brought her out of her trance, her eyes trailing over to her door. As it opened, Yumeko saw Kira step inside her room, her eyes down at the floor as she slipped Yumeko's key back in her pocket. As Kira looked up, her eyes landed on Yumeko, standing by the soft moonlight beaming through her window. Kira clicked her tongue, stepping into the room quietly, shutting the door. "You're up," Kira murmured, pulling the key out of her pocket and placing it on Yumeko's desk. "Mhm." Yumeko hummed, turning to face Kira with a perplexed look on her face. "And you're... In my room?" Yumeko questioned, stepping over to her bed and slowly sitting down.
"I suppose so," Kira said, nodding as she looked around Yumeko's room, eyes trailing over her memorabilia scattered around. Her uniform was draped over a chair, notebooks were open on the desk, and a glass was sitting on her nightstand. Kira walked over to the cup and picked it up, taking a sip of water as her eyes continued scanning the room. "...Why 𝘢𝘳𝘦 you in my room, Kira?" Yumeko pressed. Kira continued her soft steps around Yumeko's room, her hand trailing over the soft wood of Yumeko's desk as she leaned against it, huffing softly. "I didn't know you were awake," Kira mumbled, eyes trailing the windows as the droplets of rain rolled down the windowsill.
"I don't think that makes it any better," Yumeko teased, her voice cracking through Kira's exterior. Yumeko slid up onto her feet and walked over to Kira's place by the desk. "Now I'm even more confused." Yumeko continued, "So, why are you in my room, President?" Kira glanced towards the wall, eyes landing on a small, red, compact notebook sitting on one of Yumeko's wooden shelves. Kira pushed herself off the desk and walked up to it, grasping the book and nodding as she looked back at Yumeko. "I came for this," she said, lifting it up softly. Yumeko raised an eyebrow, eyeing the notebook pressed between Kira's fingers. "You came into my room — in the middle of the night, mind you — for... 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬?" Yumeko asked, a playful smile appearing on her face. She lifted herself off the table, walking over to Kira, and took it from her hand. "You know you could've just... asked, right?" Yumeko giggled playfully, eyes raking over the deep red cover, handing it back to Kira. "It's empty, President. No secrets here."
Kira nodded, opening the notebook as she walked towards the door, flipping through the yellow-stained pages, watching as every paper passed by her fingers. The lack of writing falling under the cover, raking a soft huff out of Kira's lips. "I see," Kira closed the notebook and set it down on Yumeko's desk by her spare key. Yumeko stifled a chuckle, her steps approaching Kira slowly as she looked around her own moonlit room. Yumeko's hand reached up to stroke Kira's soft hair, strands twirling between her fingers. "What did you think was in there, Kira?" Yumeko asked, her teasing tone dripping down her words as her hand slid down Kiras's back before retreating to Yumeko's side. Kira huffed, an empty smile playing at her lips as she sat down by the desk, trailing her fingers over the cover. "A plan, a strategy, maybe an acknowledgement of what awaits us and this... 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 you've conjured."
Yumeko's features softened, a small sigh teetering off of her lips as she pulled herself onto her desk, legs dangling absentmindedly. Her hand traced over the tenderness of Kira's skin, fingers intertwining in a teasing ritual. "I know you're not that... on board with the idea." Yumeko let go of Kira's hand, pulling it back to her lap. "That's an understatement." Kira retorted, leaning back in Yumeko's chair. Yumeko laughed silently, eyes raking over Kira. "I get that— I do. But, you have to have a little trust in me if this is going to work out." Kira raised an eyebrow, her eyes narrowing as she looked up at Yumeko. "𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴? This what?" Yumeko huffed, a soft pout washing over her face, leached out by a rake of giggles. "This partnership, friendship, relationship, whatever you want to call it." Kira narrowly rolled her eyes, an empty chuckle escaping her lips. "I'd prefer not to call it anything, if there even is an it. And, 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱? Really, Yumeko? What are you, twelve?"
"You act like you're above it all, President." Yumeko slid off the desk, stepping slowly over to her door, her hands raking over the cold, metal knob. "Even fun." Yumeko smiled softly, her gaze finding Kira in the dark, narrowing. "𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶?" She asked tauntingly. Kira huffed, standing up from the desk, finding her spot in front of Yumeko by the door. "I'm not... '𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦' anything, Yumeko." Yumeko tilted her head, eyes trailing over Kira mockingly. "Then why do you act like it, huh?" Kira tensed her jaw softly, her view trickling down to the door. "I'm simply saying, you need to have some sort of idea of what you want, Yumeko." Her eyes found Yumeko's, her stare intense. "This isn't another one of your gambles where you get dealt cards and hope you win." Yumeko's body softened, her eyes studying Kira's soft features, her blue eyes, the way the vein on her neck pulsed. "It's an active rebellion against everything I've submitted to for my entire life, and the fact that you want to treat it like some... 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦, both worries and infuriates me." Kira finished, her tone softening as she noticed Yumeko's apologetic expression.
Yumeko's hand found Kira's, a tight squeeze finding its way between them. "Kira—" "I'm sorry." Kira shot out, a sigh creeping from her lips. "I'm just... This is a lot. I've spent my entire life succumbing to the scrutiny of this God damn system, and here I am willing to tear it all down with you, and I still don't understand why." Yumeko smiled, stroking Kira's arm slowly. "I know, it's... a lot. Even for me. I know it won't be easy, and we do need a plan, I just didn't expect you to be so ready for this, either." Kira nodded, her body relaxing warmly. "We'll make a plan, Kira. I promise, I won't force you to go into this blind. I know we have different ways of doing things, but you won't be pushed into mine." Yumeko said as she pulled her hand back from Kira's figure. Kira nodded, her hand reaching for the doorknob as her stare stayed on Yumeko. "Thank you," Kira murmured before leaving the room without letting Yumeko respond.
The night loomed ahead, and Yumeko felt her eyes get heavy with every step towards her bed. As she finally fell asleep, her phone buzzed, the screen illuminating the room. "Student Council room. 21:00, Tomorrow. -President, Kira Timurov." Yumeko rolled over to look at it and huffed groaningly into her pillow. "Even in text, formal as ever." She mumbled, before her eyes shut once more, and the moonlight dipped below the tree's lining the Academy's gardens, darkness settling in where it belongs, and the silence returning to its spots in the floorboards.