Yuki
Two years ago
Neka's hands are such gentle things. They're made for thin parchment woven to old books, only her fingers calloused, victim to violin strings. When I hold them, the desire to maintain their softness rushes over me. I hold one of them now, climbing the staircase at school.
"Won't we get in trouble for this?" Neka asks, looking back to make sure no one follows us. So nervous.
"What makes you think that?"
"I'm pretty sure they said the roof was off-limits during orientation."
Always been a stickler for rules, this one. Her uniform is never creased and she bows to every teacher with grace. I've known Neka for a few months now. I know when she's using an excuse.
I send her a smile over my shoulder that's more smug than true.
"Are you afraid of heights, darling?"
She blushes when I call her that. To no surprise, even in a dark stairwell, rosy shades catch her cheeks. The smirk on my lips only widens.
"Yuki," She says under her breath, chewing on her lip.
I want to kiss her when she does that, pull her bottom lip from the tyrannic hold of her teeth, and take it between mine instead. But I should probably wait till there aren't cameras that'll catch me groping her thighs below her skirt.
"I want to show you something," I whisper with a chuckle, squeezing that fragile hand. "Just trust me."
The door to the roof creaks when it opens, sending birds that were resting on the ledge back into the sky. Neka cautiously peeks out of the stairwell, her face that of a kitten's fearful of the outside.
While I prop the door open, she eventually makes her way up the final step.
UA's on the highest point of elevation in the city. Means on the roof, it feels like you're standing at the top of the world. It also means the scenery beholding nature, downtown, and the suburbs, all the same, is unmatched.
"It's beautiful," Neka says. I find it funny that I was thinking the same thing while looking at her.
Those eyes reflect the setting sun, her hair a piece of the sky in its midnight hour, foretelling what's to come. As her gaze flickers about the horizon encumbered only by mountains, I find myself remembering the first time I saw her.
She was but a step from breaking into a run, walking through the hallway with books in her arms, face flushed, hair waving in tow.
It was supposed to be a normal day. Kaido and I were making our way to combat training, track uniforms on, hair up. But then, she appeared; some girl from the support course, who practically ran into me rounding the corner.
I still remember how profusely she apologized, how worried she seemed about her books as she dusted the spines. Me and Kaido helped her gather her things, she bowed to us, and then ran away again.
I can't explain why, but I couldn't stop staring at her. Okay, she's hot, but there was something else. I've never been in a relationship, but I've been with girls before. I've wanted girls before, it didn't feel like this.
That whole day, all I could think wasn't how her body looked, how pretty she was, or even how her body felt against mine. All I saw was the way she handled those books. Not like things to be read, but things to cherish and care for. All I saw, over and over again were those tender hands cradling her stories. And I wanted them.
As Neka keeps on admiring the sights before her, I come up behind her and slip my arms around her waist. Our clothes ruffle, my chin dropping onto her shoulder. A soft breath and her fingers fidgeting with my sleeves return the affection.
