Bloom

Sora woke up to Sunao's sleeping face. He watched him for a while until the sun made Sunao groan and open his eyes.

"Good morning." Sora kissed him on the forehead. Sunao's face flushed.

"We should slow down, Sora." He said tiredly. "Shouldn't we?"

"Sure." Said Sora. "After all, we have all the time in the world now."

Sunao gave him a hug, tangling them both more in the sheets.

"What are we doing today?"

"Helping Matsuri do clean up from the festival. And then I want to take you both somewhere."

"Where?" Sunao asked curiously. Sora smiled.

"Somewhere special."

Sora had taken he and Matsuri to a little green hill outside their school. Yellow flowers ad dandelion puffs were blooming and flying everywhere. Matsuri looked especially touched.

"Sora? You remembered even from way back then..? It was so long ago."

"I know." Sora said. "Believe me, I know. We used to pretend we were flower kings."

Sunao had laid down in the flowers, and Matsuri and Sunao joined him. He was touching the flower petals delicately, and for once, Sora knew that he was truly, finally happy. Sunao's face became puzzled as he moved a patch of flowers to the side.

"This one's different." Sunao said. He leaned over and smelled it, but didn't make any moves to grab this single, different flower, surrounded by so many others. Matsuri swatted Sora's hand away when he tried to pick it.

"Don't do that, Sora. If you leave it alone it could spread and make more."

"Then we'll have a whole palace of new flowers."

The three lay in each other's company for a long while, happy to be together. Sora was the first one to speak.

"What happens now?"

"We prepare for the next festival!" Said Matsuri. Sora and Sunao looked at him like he was mad. Matsuri rolled his eyes.

"Hello! We're the School-Do-It-All Team! Did you think we'd give up after Valentine's? We have White Day coming up!"

Matsuri sprang onto his feet and yanked Sunao up. He started running down the hill, dragging Sunao with him as they laughed. Sora smiled as he watched the two people he cared for most in the world happy like that.

We're going to be okay, Yoru. Sora thought.

Yes. Yoru answered. Life is so sweet now. I want to taste of all of it – and lick it all off of Ran, too.

YORU!

Just kidding. Said Yoru. Maybe.

Sora laughed as he ran down the hill and into the brilliant sunshine of the day, catching up.

He didn't know what the future held – but he knew that Sunao and Matsuri would always be with him to find out; one step at a time.

"Guys! Wait up!"

…and for now, that was enough.

"We did good, didn't we, Yoru?" Said Ran, admiring the ring on his finger. He felt they were free at last, and with this love of theirs, they could go wherever they wished. To a distant garden, or atop a cloud. Yoru leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Yeah." Yoru agreed. "We did."

And eventually they fell asleep over the clouds, waiting for their beautiful tomorrows.

THE END