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“Yuma, where are we running to?”
“You’ll find out soon Astral!”
It was an average day in Heartland, where the sun is just starting to set, and people would see Yuuma running around to apparently find something for his invisible partner Astral to see.
Astral has noticed that Yuma has been acting…rather odd lately. Ever since they formed Zexal for the first time, (and when Astral got stolen,) Yuma’s face has gotten redder more often, and he paid even less attention to things than he did before.
Maybe it’s just something humans do, though. Kotori and Cathy seem to do it a lot when Yuuma is around. Yet again, they only do it around Yuuma. Maybe it spreads from people? Like a sickness? Did this sickness cause Yuuma to take Astral to this random place?
“Astral! We’re here!”
Astral focused on the scenery, and it was…like nothing he’d ever seen before.
This random place was some type of park area, but it had many flowers surrounding it everywhere Astral looked. There were also several trees with lights hanging from them. Benches were placed on a loose path. This place being with the setting sun made it look like one of the prettiest things Astral has ever seen.
“…Yuuma…why did you bring us to such a nice place?”
“Hm?” Yuuma seemed to be distracted by the view as well. “You see, I was talking to Kotori today and she mentioned this place having a nice view, so I thought we should come to see it! She really wasn’t overestimating this park though, because wow this is so nice! Right, Astral?”
Astral smiled. “Yes. This place is certainly great.” They went to bend down, like he was sitting there and not floating slightly above the ground. Yuuma then did the same, except he actually sat down.
They sat in silence for a bit. Enjoying the park, and each other’s presence.
“Hey Astral?” Until Yuuma ruined that silence, as almost always.
“Yes Yuuma?”
“You…you don’t know what romance is, do you?” Romance? Astral never heard of that word before.
“No. What is a ‘Romance’?”
Yuuma got a bit red before saying “Well, it’s like…when people like each other more than friends. They live together, they duel together, they do everything together! That’s when people are romantic.”
“I see…so then aren’t we romantic?” That seemed to not be it, since Yuuma went bright red.
“N-no!”
“But we live together, duel together, and do most everything together, don’t we?”
“Well…that’s…you’re confusing me!” Yuuma buried his face in his legs and put his hands around his face.
“Yuuma?” Astral moved to sit in front of him. “How aren’t we romantic?”
Yuuma groaned before “Well…they gotta love each other like a whole lot! And kiss each other and stuff!”
Love each other? Kiss?
“Yuuma, how do you tell if you love someone?”
Yuuma got his face back up, redder than Astral’s even seen it. “Well…you feel all happy and giddy when the person you love is around. You behave differently to them. It’s…like a soft feeling in your heart that knows the other will protect you.”
Astral feels happy and excited, not giddy but excited, when Yuuma’s there. Astral behaves differently to Yuuma than other people. Thinking of Yuuma makes Astral feel a delicate feeling of warmth. Astral knows, after Yuuma saved them, that Yuuma would protect him.
“Yuuma.” Astral glowed a bit. (Since when could he do that?) “I love you.”
Yuuma looked as red as his jacket.
“Yuuma? Are you okay-“
“I love you too!” Yuuma stood up to say that. Then immediately went back down and curled up so he couldn’t see his face again. Astral flew in front of him.
“Yuuma?”
“Since you got stolen by Kaito and III, I realized that you mean like, that much to me. I even asked Kotori what spots are good for confessions when you were in the key. You mean a lot to me, Astral.” He paused. “More than almost anything.” That was in a whisper.
Astral smiled. “You mean a lot to me as well, Yuuma.” That made him smile.
“I just wish I could touch you. Couples give each other hugs and cuddles and kisses. With you though…” Yuma reached out his hand like he was going to hold Astral’s hand, but it just went through.
“Maybe…when I get my memories through the numbers…there is a possibility I might get my physical form…”
“You think?”
“Maybe.”
“Yay!-” Yuuma went to hug Astral, but fell through. “OW! Forgot about that.” That got Astral to laugh a bit too. “Hey! Don’t laugh at your love getting hurt!”
“Sorry Yuuma…but you’re…”
“I’m what, Astral?” Kind. Friendly. Cheerful. Energetic. Sensitive. Honest. Always challenges the impossible.
Astral smiled. “Adorable.”
“ASTRAL!” Yuuma covered up his face in embarrassment. “You don’t just say stuff like that! It’s so…I don’t know but I’m not adorable when I fall!”
“But you are.”
“But I’m not!”
“How do you think that you aren’t adorable when you think you can hug me after we just discussed my transparency?”
“I don’t know! You just looked pretty!” Astral glowed at that. Why, though? How does this glowing work?
“Is your glowing like blushing?” Yuuma immediately forgot the previous topic for this new one.
“What is blushing?”
“Well, it’s like when you’re embarrassed at something, and you get red, but I guess you glow instead.”
“What has been making you embarrassed then? You’ve been blushing a lot.” Astral could guess what the answer was, but they’d rather hear Yuuma say it. Yuuma’s voice makes everything sound better. It’s nice.
“...You…”
Astral laughed. He doesn’t remember feeling happy like this. Happy just talking to Yuuma. Being with Yuuma in a pretty park, with colors he can’t remember before coming here. Before learning from Yuuma to kattobingu.
Before learning to love Yuuma.
“Astral? You okay? Did you zone out?”
“Zone…out?”
“I’ll just explain it when we get home. We probably should go though. Akari’s gonna kill me if I come back at night.”
“Alright then Yuuma.” They got up, and Yuuma ran back like how he got here.
Yuuma really was special to Astral. Even if they weren’t bonded, Astral still would’ve been interested in the boy. He’s so wild and clumsy that Astral could never think Yuuma would be able to duel as well as he has.
Observation #21: Love creates bonds, like my bond with Yuuma.