A/N: this was one of the Prompts given to me on Tumblr (By a dear Anon!). i believe it was for an early prompt challenge but once i started typing it ended up becoming a sort of prequel to 'Unexpected Happenings'.

I promise not all of 'The year in between' is going to be romance. i plan to include a few of the other characters at some point but i do want to indulge in a bit of shipping, so expect most of that first. (It'll mostly be fluffy shipping)

They would have dates like so many others and thanks to the Professors Vision Bracelet, they could look like themselves. Yuto could look like Yuto and Ruri could look like Ruri but… even though the Solid vision made them look like themselves their bodies were still Yuya's and Yuzu's.

Yuya and Yuzu were gracious enough to let them go on Dates whenever they wanted, let them have control almost daily, let them be together whenever they could and they were beyond thankful. However, since the bodies didn't belong to them there were things they could and wouldn't do.

They could hold hands, walk arm in arm, give each other hugs, and even lean their heads on each other's shoulders… but that was as far as they would go… because that was as far as Yuya and Yuzu, Yugo and Rin, and even Yuri and Serena where willing to go.

Yuya and Yuzu were no longer denying how important they were to each other, and even Rin wasn't turning down Yugo's sudden glomps. Yuri and Serena on the other hand were just starting to get to know each other and while there was a small attraction between them, it wasn't going anywhere just yet.

No, Yuto and Ruri wouldn't make the other six feel awkward. They would hold back. No more quick kisses or lap pillows, no more cuddles on the couch or ear cleaning.

Instead, they would hold hands. They would tangle their fingers together and squeeze them like no tomorrow. At the park, at the theater, on the roller-coaster, and in the haunted house. They would hold on to each other's hands no matter what.

Once they had almost kissed, it would have been quick and harmless, but the panic from their counterparts stopped them. It wasn't right to take advantage of Yuzu's and Yuya's kindness, even if they later said they didn't mind much… Yuto and Ruri knew they weren't comfortable with that level of intimacy yet and so they waited.

They would wait and hold onto each other's hand. They would wait for their counterpart's relationship to grow, for them to be more comfortable with each other and then maybe someday…

Maybe someday… they could once again be able to share a sweet and loving kiss… but until then, they would make do with simply holding each other's hands.

A/N: As always, i would appreciate hearing what you thought of this.