by Twisted Eternal Wolvetta

To Sink

Yukino was like a little sister to her. But Bubuzuke? Haruka almost gagged at the idea. The brunette was so irritating! Haruka had to admit that she felt pity for Yukino; she had appeared so heartbroken.

But this had been a couple of months ago. It didn't change her guilt for the looks Yukino would sneak to her though. If anything, it intensified, and if she was to one day find someone…

She wasn't sure what would happen to Yukino.

If she was to allow Yukino to know who she believed she did like... Haruka wasn't sure what the outcome would be. To think she'd end up liking the one person she hated the most?

Everything about Fujino Shizuru was annoying.

The way she looked out the window of the student council room. How she would watch students pass by during lunch hour. How she would cross an arm around herself when uncomfortable. Even for how she pressed her knuckles to her lips when thinking…

"Are you thinking about that dumb delinquent again?" Sat at a table within the student council room, Haruka huffed. Of course Shizuru was by the window, watching the students outside. "She already told you she's going out with that guy - what's his name…" Disinterest caught a hold of her, and she rolled her eyes.

"Masashi Takeda." Shizuru murmured. The council president's eyes locked onto the male student, and her crimson eyes narrowed. She watched as the scarred man hurried up to Natsuki, the two walking away.

"Forget her, she's caused you enough pain." Why was Haruka even suggesting this? She lifted her pen to her eye-level, glaring at it. Scribbling it on the edge of her paper, she grumbled, throwing it aside. "Aren't you the one who said your family wants you to marry?" Picking up another pen, Haruka attempted the same with the other; again, it had also ran out of ink.

"I no longer have connection with my fa-"

"-Oh, come on!" Chucking the pen across the room, Haruka scowled. Roughly, she grabbed another pen, glaring at it.

Shizuru looked over to her, then towards the pen close to her. It was only half empty, yet wouldn't work? Taking no mind to it, she peered back out of the window.

An awkward silence started between them, the occasional grunt escaping Haruka's lips. Even as the minutes past, Shizuru never manoeuvred away from the window, simply staring out.

"...I miss Yukino." Haruka muttered, staring down to the unfinished paperwork.

The moment she had told Yukino of her feelings, she had quit being a council member. She had said it was too painful. Maybe Yukino even felt betrayed? Haruka herself was sure she would've, if she had felt the same.

"Perhaps you should speak with her?" Shizuru murmured in question. She never glanced at the blonde, only staring out the window.

Looking towards Shizuru, Haruka's violets drifted to her arms. One was folded, and even as the elder leant against the wall, she sensed…

An unsettled feeling?

"What's the point in that?" Haruka muttered. "She avoids me whenever I try and speak to her."

"She's afraid."

Yukino always did fear the upcoming truth. Whether it was positive or negative. She hated failing, and despised consequences. Perhaps this was why Yukino had become such a good student?

"Stubborn."

"Perhaps." Shizuru replied.

They sunk into another silence, but this time for longer. By the time they had realised it, the sun was already sinking downwards. The grounds of Fuuka was illuminated into a golden glow, and still…

Everything felt wrong.

"Maybe I was too blind?" Shizuru pondered out loud. "I had been so happy once the Carnival had ended. I thought that what Natsuki had told me, would mean something. But it seemed she had done so to merely comfort me."

Lifting her eyes from the paperwork, Haruka frowned at Shizuru. The president was staring at her, and for a moment, she could've swore she saw sorrow.

"I have lost her." Shizuru chuckled bitterly, directing her gaze back to the window. But even so, as she did so, her arm tightened around herself. At this point, what did she have to lose?

She hadn't thought once of her future. Shizuru had only assumed things would go their own way. But without Natsuki, her whole life had changed. Perhaps it was rather pathetic?

Even with the simple concept of a career. Shizuru had no idea what she would choose. Everything seemed far too… disinteresting, plain.

"Did you even speak to her when she told you?" Haruka rolled her eyes, shoving the paperwork away at last.

"..."

"Then what do you expect, Bubuzuke?" Haruka huffed, and heaved herself from the chair. "If you aren't going to tell her your feelings, of course you're going to lose her."

Picking up the paperwork, Haruka levelled it out. Upon the notion, she walked towards the head desk. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself and tell her, you idiot." With this, Haruka left the stack of paper, and exited.

"I am a fool." Shizuru muttered.

Yet even as the door reopened, she continued this quiet observation. Nor did she react when she heard that gruff voice behind her. Even so, when being shook out of her state by Natsuki, she wondered.

Had she sank too deep?

AUTHOR'S NOTES

I got bored, this much is obvious.

Originally I had planned to go further with the ShizHaru, but I feel this ends it well. Although there are quite a few pairings going off here, I think it flows well also. HaruKino needs so much more love, TakeNatsu especially. It is so sad to see such variety in pairings ignored simply for not being ShizNatsu.

On another note, I currently have a MaiNatsu on the way. I'm unsure how long it will take however.