Author's Note: A small scene in my head. Enjoy.

Summary: Yukiteru asks Akise the meaning of love.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mirai Nikki.

What Does It Mean?

Created by: x-LittleMissAlice-x

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"Love is indescribable and unconditional. I could tell you a thousand things that it is not, but not one that it is."

Duke Ellington

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Intense eyes of scarlet burn into cobalt blue, alabaster skin tinting orange in the streams of the setting sun. Firm hands hold fragile shoulders in place.

A shaky exhale escapes plush pink lips. Cocoa brows furrow in uncertainty.

"Akise, what are you-"

The boy is silenced by a kiss. It is forced. Brief. The initiator quickly withdraws.

The boy is not angry. Confusion mares his features.

"W-why did you just..."

"Because I love you. I knew I loved you the moment I saw you."

He says the words as easily as breathing air.

Hesitant oceanic eyes tear away. Frail limbs tremble under his touch.

"Yukiteru." His voice is soft, but the boy's body shakes more violently. "What's wrong?"

"I..." A minuscule whisper. "I remember Yuno said the same thing to me, then she... locked me in that room."

Pale fingers tangle in dark locks. It does not sooth the boy as intended; his quakes worsen.

"She wouldn't... she wouldn't let me leave. She wouldn't let me do anything. She was always there, watching me. Always. She could still be watching me, even now..."

Frantic eyes dart. The boy swallows hard before continuing.

"I tried to call you once," the boy confesses, "Yuno immediately found out. She took my phone and bound me to that chair..."

The boy could recall it all so vividly: a dark room without windows, enveloped in an awful stench of dust, mold and sewage; the disgusting spoonful of gruel pressed to his worn, chapped lips, its contents so disgusting even maggots wouldn't dare touch it; the psychotic girl hovering over him in nothing more than her lacy underclothes, spidery fingers possessively caressing his arms, her soft voice murmuring in his ears:

"I love you, Yuuki."

It was torture.

Her love was torture.

Her love was agonizing, sanity-eating, torturetorturetorture.

It was-

"What she did to you was wrong."

-It was wrong.

"What she did..." A shaky breath, "Was out of 'love'. She killed people because of love. She... bound me to that chair for the same reason. Love is... confining, Akise."

"But that's not the way love should be." He says this firmly.

"Then what is love? What is it?" The boy sounds frustrated. "Is it a promise to always protect the ones you care about, to make their dreams come true no matter the cost, even if it means killing someone? Is that love, Akise? Does that make hurting others OK?"

"Yukiteru..."

"Tell me you wouldn't do that. Tell me you wouldn't be fine with hurting someone for me."

"I can't say that."

"Why not?"

"Because I would do anything for you. I would even die for you. I love you."

Sun-kissed fingers curl into small, shaking fists. "That isn't love!"

He flinches. Vermilion eyes widen as the boy continues, "How can it be?! How can dying be love if... if..." The boy's arms tremble. Ocean blue eyes fill to the brim with unshed salty tears of the sea. "If dying means leaving me all alone!"

"Yukiteru..." The boy turns away from him once again, socked feet twirling on the edge of their heels towards the door.

Pale fingers clamp onto the boy's wrist. He can feel the boy struggling in his grip.

"Akise, let me go!"

"I wont."

"You're doing it now! You're confining me!"

He releases. Vermilion eyes cast downward.

"I'm sorry, Yukiteru. I just..." A pause. "I don't want to hurt you. I would never try to hurt you. I love you."

"Saying you love me is what's hurting me!"

"Yukiteru-"

"Everyone I've ever loved has abandoned me! My schoolmates left me for dead. Yuno manipulated me. And my parents..." The boy's chest tightens. "They are gone now... You will leave me too, Akise."

"I would never do that."

The boy's head shakes. Brunette locks fly. "Don't lie to me! Please, don't..."

Helpless streams of water spill down flushed cheeks. The boy looks so small, so frail and fragile. Porcelain arms pull the boy into a warm embrace.

"I will never lie to you. I will never betray you. I love you. I will say it as many times as I have to."

There is quiet sobbing in his chest. The boy speaks in small hiccups, "...How does it feel to be in love with me?"

A gentle smile. "Every day all I can think about is you. I wonder about your welfare; how you are, if you're safe and getting enough sleep. I even... think about you in my dreams." A nervous chuckle. "Every time I see you my heart races. Can you feel it now, my heart racing?"

The boy's eyelids slide to a close, silently listening, and the boy can hear the fast thumpthumpthump of his heart.

"...What is love exactly?"

"Love is... like taking care of a beautiful flower."

The boy pulls away slightly. Red-rimmed eyes gaze upon porcelain features.

"I don't understand."

"You can't neglect a flower or it will die, and you can't suffocate it or it won't grow."

Eager ears listen. Petal-soft lips quiver.

"So you..."

Pale hands cup round, pink-tinted cheeks. A gentle swipe of his thumb wipes away the boy's tears.

"Yes, I want to protect you. I want to take care of you. I want you to be happy."

"You want me to be... happy?"

"Yes. Your happiness means more than anything to me."

"..."

"Do I make you happy, Yukiteru?"

"W-well, yes."

His face inches closer.

"Do you trust me?

"More than anyone else."

Closer.

"Do you love me?"

Two breaths mingle. Hesitation is clear in the boy's eyes.

"Do you promise... to never betray me?"

"I do."

"So I can rely on you?"

"Always."

"I don't know if I love you now, but I, um..." Flushed cheeks burn brightly. Shy eyes flicker away. "Would you be my gardener if I am your flower?"

Against the boy's sweet lips he chuckles, amused.

"Until the day we both wither away."

Goal: One thousand words or less.

Status: Success

An exercise consisting of mostly dialogue and gestures.

I used 'he' for Akise and 'the boy' for Yukiteru. I tried to be consistent with this. If you see a mistake, feel free to inform me. Also let me know if you liked this piece, whether it be the context, writing style, or specific lines that had an effect on you.

If this fanfiction reaches 8 or more reviews, I will upload another oneshot for this series.

That's all then. Have a lovely evening.

xLMAx