"Whew!"

Kurisu tosses herself into the side of her bed as we walk into her apartment, throwing her arms across her face.

"That was so embarrassing." She grumbles.

I begin to pace, shaking my head. "It wasn't right." I growl. "This cannot be the choice of Steins;Gate! What kind of worldline is this…"

I take out my phone.

"Yes it's me. We've been sabotaged."

I halt suddenly, opening my eyes in shock.

"What?! Continue the mission anyway? Do you know dangerous that is?! I can't agree to-"

I'm actually surprised as Kurisu leans forward and grabs my arm, gently puling me unto the bed.

I resist, refusing to fall unto my back and instead sitting on the edge of the mattress. She doesn't let go of my arm.

Is she ok?!

Kurisu snakes her hand around my phone, taking it from and placing it to her ear.

What?!

"Yes." She says into my phone, mocking my deeper voice for this greeting to a phone that's turned off. "I know. I can take care of it. You don't need to worry about him or the mission." Her eyes are glittering with mischief as she turns to me, expression deadly serious.

"El. Psy. Kongroo." She says, snapping the phone shut and handing it back to me.

My mouth is agape. I can feel the blush spreading across my cheeks, reaching all the way to my ears.

How dare she mock me!

Even so, that… was strangely fantastic.

That look she's giving me… it almost seems familiar.

Even as the image is kind of hazy…

I remember Kurisu lunging towards me, body unsteady with alcohol, eyes gleaming almost just like this as she nearly assaulted me for some PDA.

Wait a minute… that never happened… or did it? This feeling…

But Kurisu is sober right now! The adrenaline must have gone to her head!

She places a hand to her mouth, face red. "I can't believe I just did that." she breathes, gives a snort of laughter. "I'm hopeless."

"Uhhh..." I stall for time, trying to think up a clever response.

"I'm really hopeless." she says again, and leans up to peck me on the lips.

I nearly melt into the bed with surprise.

It's like that time, but a little less scary… I think this is okay...

She bends away, drawing her hands to her chest in embarrassment. But I'm not one to be outdone, so I lean in and kiss her back.

That was a little clumsy. Damn. Still felt nice.

The next one lasts a lot longer.

I'm not used to having this kind of conversation with my body, but my brain is clouded with so much dopamine that I figure I'm too high to pull out of it.

We're still fully clothed, so hopefully nothing out of hand will happen…

Still, I'm starting to feel bolder and more practiced with each kiss. I try to mix it up and go for her neck.

"Eep!"

I pull back in alarm as Kurisu gives a tiny squeak and strengthens her grip on my shoulders.

Oh shit, whoops!

"Sorry!" I pull away, feeling guilty. "Sorry, Sor- "

Kurisu shakes her head, not bothering to brush the tousled hair out of her eyes.

"Don't stop…" she murmurs, so quite I can barely hear her. Before I can organize my muddled thoughts, Kurisu rushes forward and plants her own kiss on my neck, sending a lightening bolt through my body and mind.

Point taken.

I breathe in and repay the favor, brushing her neck with my stubble before I tease her soft skin with my lips.

"Yeah." she says quietly. "Just like that."

Nice. Good. I'm learning.

I am exceedingly careful not to fondle her in any fashion that might be deemed ungentlemanly, but the perverted genius girl seems to have less qualms as she sneaks her hand underneath my shirt.

Suddenly a jolt runs up my torso, and I give an involuntary gasp. Now it's Kurisu's turn to pull back, crying out in surprise.

"Sorry!" she squeals, and buries her face in her hands.

I've placed my hand own in the spot where hers was a moment ago, heart pounding.

"I-it's fine." I stammer. "You wanna see it?"

I lift up my shirt a little, revealing the twisting mass of scar tissue that her curious hands accidentally discovered. It's all that remains of the stab wound that I accepted in order to reach Steins;Gate.

I was shot and stabbed and punched and run over many times while I was racing through all those wordlines… but this is the only scar I've kept. I've never thought about that before.

Kurisu slowly peeks one eye out from behind her fingers, finally taking her hands away and studying the scar.

"It looks terrible." She breathes. "Okabe…"

"Y-you can touch it if I want, it's fine." I say, sounding a bit like a kid on a middle school playground, trying to get his peers to touch a scary wound on a dare.

I really want her hands on me again. Maybe I shouldn't…

She gently places her fingers around the hand that's holding up my shirt, lowering it back over the scar. She brings her face close to mine.

"You're an idiot... but I'm so glad you survived that." She sighs. "So glad…"

She brushes my cheek before locking her lips to mine again.

We continue exploring like this for what must be an embarrassing amount of time, although my perception of time is predictably shattered.

15 minutes or 15 years? It's all relative, who cares…

Eventually, we part. Kurisu gently pulls me down, and we lay close on the mattress in that dopamine cloud of pleasure. We've finally started to settle down, breathing becoming slower and more even.

Distantly, I hear some kind of weird sound. Like a drumming or something…

Oh.

Slowly and reluctantly I lean up a little, glancing out the sliding glass window.

It's rain.

That reminds me of something… Wasn't there something I was supposed to ask? Time… it was something I was worried about running out of…

Why? What was it…

"Kurisu!" I cry suddenly, looking down at her as she brushes her hair away from her face and uncurls her arms a little. Her hair is still spread out across my hand, her body close to mine.

"Mmm hmm?" she says drowsily.

"Do-" I swallow. The words are still catching in my throat, even as my brain has all of that help from those feel-good chemicals.

"Do you wanna go out with me?"

It doesn't seem possible at this point, but I watch as even more blush spreads across her already flush face. I'm fighting the urge to dash out of the room.

I should have just texted it or something. I hadn't even planned to ask her today... what have I done?

Regret floods into my mind, and with it anxiety.

Is this too soon? Did I ask at an inappropriate time? If she says no, can we still be friends?! Why would she say no?! Well, plenty of reasons! I ruined it! I'm such an idiot!

She shakes her head in a noncommittal gesture, sitting up. "B-but I'm… I'm flying back to America in a few days!" she declares. "Okabe, I'm shocked!"

Oh no. Ohhh nooo...

I don't say anything, but she clearly reads the crushing disappointment my face, drawing away from me. "You waited to ask that when I was in vulnerable position!" she wails. "You really are terrible!"

I shake my head dumbly, and reply honestly.

"I was just too nervous to ask until now."

She's looking away, one hand grasping the other arm across her chest. I suddenly realize that both her jacket and my lab coat are missing, cast aside in the heat of the moment.

"It'll be hard to be in a long distance relationship." she sighs. "We can't have moments like this, for example… and I'm always so busy in America… we'll be even more lonely…"

It's difficult to have your emotions go from dancing on a cloud to being plunged into the Marianas Trench, but I still manage some words.

"Ok…" I mutter. "You're right, I guess."

This feels awful.

Kurisu finally turns back, eyes bright. "No, that's not what I meant!" she gasps. "It'll be challenging, and rationally it's a very bad choice, I..."

Kurisu gets up off the bed and begins to pace in earnest. She covers her face with her hands, and I can't tell what she's trying to hide. Tears? Her blushing face? A smile? My heart is pounding in my ears, and I'm starting to feel kind of sick.

I know this is Kurisu we're talking about, but just this once... give me a straight damn answer!

She makes some kind of squeak, suddenly wrapping her arms around my shoulders. I'm still in shock, so I sit like a stone as she hugs me tighter than ever.

I feel her whole body take a deep breath. Her voice is scarcely a whisper.

"I guess we can give it a try. Let's think of it... as an experiment."

My whole body involuntarily slumps as I feel a rush of vertigo on par with an actual worldline shift.

I answer her hug, burying my head into her shoulder. Since I'm seated on the bed, we are about the same height. It might be the hair that's tickling my eyelids, but I feel the sting of tears behind my eyes.

Of course it's enough for Kurisu to just be alive. But... maybe it's selfish... it feels so much better to have this chance at sharing my life with hers.

"Can I…" I begin. "I mean, you'll always be my loyal assistant, but what if I called you my girlfriend, assistant?"

I mean it, but the words sound so bizarre passing my own lips that I can't keep the sarcasm out of my tone.

Kurisu leaps away, flustered. She quickly rubs her eyes, but not fast enough to hide it from me.

She comes back with a glare. "N-no! I mean, maybe! I- ask in a few days, pervert!"

I open one eye and glare back at her. "How can I be a pervert if I'm your-"

"Ahhhh! You'll always be a pervert!" Kurisu waves her hand at me. "This is going to take some getting used to… can I take it back?"

I smile wearily. "No…"

Kurisu's expression is flat, but her reply is affirmative.

"Good. I need to shower now. Sayonara, pervert."

I call after her. "You can call me "boyfriend" now if you must insist!"

She vanishes into the bathroom, covering her face again. Soon I hear the squeak of the shower as she turns it on. I'm too exhausted to do anything but lie there and embrace the dizziness brought on by recent events, listening to the rain.

What's happening to me? I feel so afraid and so happy at the same time. What's the word for that... sublime?

Eventually, she returns, damp hair clinging to her shoulders. She's wearing that girly pink nightgown in its entire splendor; no frumpy robe to cover it this time.

"You're still here?" she scoffs.

I shrug my shoulders and gesture to the glass doors and the rain outside.

"Where am I gonna go?" I say.

She sighs and strolls past me to stand in front of the doors. Slowly, I gather myself and my lab coat, getting off the warm bed and going to stand by Kurisu.

She looks rather cold in just that short nightgown…

I take my lab coat and place it over her shoulders, expecting a protest. Instead she accepts, actually placing her arms through it to put it on. It's comically large on her, but she seems happy to have it.

She really is my girlfriend now?! Wow...

We stand side by side. Kuirsu speaks first.

"I wonder what I should do about America..."

"Huh?" I reply. "Nothing. You have important work to do there, assistant. You can't let me hold you back in a dull place like this."

Kurisu shakes her head. "This place isn't all that dull, really. There's lots of sightseeing that I haven't done in the rest of Tokyo, and..."

I cross my arms. "I really don't want to hold you back." I say again, with more confidence.

"Oh, shut up!" Kurisu growls. "What do you know about my work schedule in America anyway? I'm not worried about you "holding me back," don't give yourself that much credit."

Whew. As scary as ever.

"Ok then." I say. "Do whatever you want."

"Thanks." Kurisu chirps. "I will."

We stand in silence again, and I must admit I'm feeling a bit ruffled.

Would Kurisu really spend more time here just to be with me? I know it makes sense, but... it seems too good to be true!

"You know…" I begin, still feeling awkward and keen on changing the subject. "I had a déjà vu back… there."

Kurisu gives me an incredulous glance.

"What? But how? You…"

I cross my arms and place a hand to my chin.

"It must have been recently… from the only time you used the Time Leap machine. It was in the stairwell of…"

Kurisu gives a squeak, covering her mouth.

"Oh my god!" She gushes. "You remember that?! Don't you ever talk about that! Don't you dare!"

She hugs the huge arms of the lab coat to her chest, pouting angrily.

"B-but…" I stammer. "Isn't that weird? I don't remember anything else from other timelines where I took different actions from the first! Just that one!"

Kurisu's voice is softened by curiosity.

"Hmmm… maybe…" she blushes. "Maybe it's because I was there? Maybe déjà vu really does have a lot to do with proximity to those you spent time with in other worldliness."

I shrug. "I mean, we don't have anything to disprove that. These conclusions really aren't scientific at all..."

Kurisu doesn't disagree, and the conversation fades.

I watch streams of rainwater drizzle down the glass, caught in the contours of the door. I enjoy observing the flickering light of my city through the gentle fog of rain. I steal glances at Kurisu now and again, but she seems lost in thought.

She's so beautiful when she gets that distant look… I've been thinking that a lot. It's probably just because she's always beautiful.

Carefully, haltingly, I inch my hand towards hers. To my surprise, she grabs it firmly and leans into my shoulder.

Together, hand in hand, we watch the rain pass by.

"I'm glad…" Kurisu says, squeezing my hand. "I'm glad we got to make some new memories in this worldline. I was getting tried of relying on déjà vu."

We are not bound to déjà vu unless we choose to be.

I squeeze her hand right back as I work through a sense of surprise at her statement.

"You're… right." I reply. "And hopefully we can make a lot more…." My voice trails off, choked by uncertainty and surprise at my own boldness.

Kurisu smiles.

"The future is unknown, but we have every right to make it ours." she sighs, continuing.

"Memory is a fantastic phenomenon. But you know what…"

"Being here, in this exact moment of time, with you… is even better."

~fin~

Thanks for reading!