Title: Under the Same Sky
Author: Musician74
Characters: Hirasawa Yui and Nakano Azusa
Rated: T

Summary: Yui takes Azusa on a date to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Under the Same Sky

The early morning sun slowly crept into the room through the thick curtains, gently enveloping the surfaces its rays touched with a welcoming and soft embrace. Slowly engulfing everything in its path with pleasant warmth, including the still body buried deep within the safe confinement of the covers, it fended off the cold and gloomy atmosphere and lit up the room until it became a brightly lit chamber.

It was a serene ambiance, until a familiar ringtone brought Azusa out of her peaceful slumber. With a soft groan, she reached over to the bedside table and glanced at the phone's screen.

When she saw who was calling, a mixture of excitement and surprise had her instantly awake. It was Yui. And Yui waking Azusa up? That was a rare occurrence.

With a hoarse and still-sleepy voice, she answered.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Beautiful! I'm so glad you're up!" Yui's carefree voice reverberated through the speaker and Azusa couldn't help but smile. It was a pleasant voice to wake up to in the morning.

"Good morning yourself, Yui," Azusa replied, unable to stifle a yawn. "You're up early today."

"Of course I am! I'm so excited, Azunyan! I just couldn't wait to talk to you. I hope the train won't be delayed. I can't spend another minute without you!"

Just listening to Yui could give someone an indescribable surge of energy, and Azusa was no exception. Yui had a way of recharging her with a few simple words.

"Don't worry, Yui. You'll get here on time. Be patient, okay? I'll meet you at the station in a few hours."

"Okay, Azunyan! I can't wait! Bye!"

Azusa closed her phone and lay back down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Yui had decided that since neither of them had classes that day, they would spend the whole day together. Azusa was not about to refuse her.

They had been dating for a year now, but their time together was limited, so spending the whole day with her girlfriend sounded wonderful. Even though she attended the same university as Yui, Azusa rarely got to see much of her because they were in different departments. In addition, both Azusa and Yui had part time jobs, which further cut into their time together.

Because of this, every moment Azusa spent with Yui was precious. Normally, she would be content with a few hours, but today she would have Yui to herself for an entire day. The very thought almost made her giddy with anticipation.

This will be our first Valentine's Day together, Yui. I can't wait…I wonder what you have in store for us today…

Seriously Yui…going home on Monday to come back Tuesday morning…

Azusa sat on one of the benches at the station, waiting for the train to arrive. When she slipped her hands into her coat pockets to keep them warm, she automatically clutched the rectangular shaped box in one pocket – Yui's present. She stared down the tracks, almost willing the train to arrive.

Azusa smiled at the thought of Yui's sudden trip back to their hometown. Leaving an important paper for class at home was a logical explanation, especially for Yui.

Her thoughts were shoved aside by the sound of the train arriving. Leaping to her feet, she watched as a flood of people exited the train cars, trying to get to their destinations as quickly as they could. Among the sea of heads, Azusa saw a mop of chocolate brown hair that was unmistakably Yui's. She smiled at the sight of the cheerful girl trying to get through the swarm of people.

With a slightly disoriented look on her face, Yui searched the crowd for the twin-tailed guitarist. Upon seeing the smaller girl, her eyes lit up, and she ran to her, throwing her arms around Azusa and nuzzling her cheek against her.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Azunyan!" Yui cried, presenting Azusa with a bright red rose, a thin satin lace tied around the stem in a beautiful bow.

"Yui, it's gorgeous!" Azusa gasped. "Thank you so much."

Azusa carefully took the rose and smelled it. The flower had a lovely light and fresh scent.

"I've missed you so much! How long has it been?"

Yui's energetic voice and radiant smile almost made it seem like they hadn't seen each other in over a year.

Azusa inwardly shook her head and smiled. "Yui, you saw me just last Thursday."

"But Thursday was a very long time ago, Azunyan," Yui stated matter-of-factly. "Almost a whole week!"

The brunette's beaming face had Azusa grinning as well. Yui could definitely put a smile on her face, regardless of the situation.

"Come on, Azunyan, or we'll be late!" the brunette cried, and before Azusa could react, Yui started pulling her towards the exit. The twin-tailed guitarist decided it was best not to question Yui, so she silently followed, listening to Yui chatter away about her very short yet very important trip home.

However, she did not mention why it was so important. She didn't give Azusa the chance to ask her, either, because right after she mentioned it, she announced that they had arrived at their first stop.

A cake shop.

"This isn't just any old cake shop, Azusa!" Yui said, as if reading Azusa's mind. "This is where I brought you the very first time I asked you out on a date."

Azusa smiled at that pleasant memory.

"I remember, Yui…you almost kissed me for the first time here, too..." Azusa reminisced as they sat in one of the available booths.

It was a year ago, right after they had gotten together, when Yui asked Azusa out on a date. Though slightly surprised, Azusa agreed, and Yui brought her here. The shop was Yui's favorite cake shop, and back then she wanted to share the delicious confections and sweets the shop had to offer.

"You were so shy. It was so cute!"

The conversation went on, and they talked about random topics while sipping genmaicha, Azusa's favorite green tea, and sampling the various cakes the shop offered. From Yui's odd yet fascinating theory on why sweets were invented to Azusa's latest musical interest, there wasn't a dull moment between them. Even Mugi's eyebrows came up during their to-and-fro.

After a delightful brunch, Yui guided Azusa out of the shop and towards the mall. Their first stop was the music shop. Yui claimed to have forgotten to buy new strings for Gitah, so she wanted to pick some up before she forgot again.

They admired various instruments and talked about them before Yui finally pried herself away from them to buy the strings. She insisted Azusa stay put and admire the various cousins, brothers, and sisters of Gitah and Muttan while she was gone.

While Yui spoke to the clerk, Azusa's gaze lingered on the focus of her affection.

She's always so good with talking to people she hardly knows. It's as if they were old friends. I wouldn't have the nerve to approach strangers like she does.

She smiled, remembering the first time they took Yui's guitar in for maintenance. The brunette was so clueless, but she was always open to change and suggestions. That day was also the first time Azusa noticed Yui's obsession with naming every object she possessed.

Well… that's what makes Yui, Yui. And that's the Yui I fell in love with…

Just then, Yui called to Azusa from the counter, motioning for her to come over. Wondering what the problem was, Azusa quickly walked towards her.

"What's wrong?"

"I forgot which kind you recommended I use…"

Yui was embarrassed, and her blushing face was so cute that Azusa just couldn't help but giggle. She told the store clerk the brand and he went to fetch it.

"Heh, where would I be without you, Azusa?" the brunette said gratefully, gently clasping Azusa's hand in her own.

"Probably just as lost as me, Yui." Azusa smiled. It was the truth. She needed Yui just as much as Yui needed her.

After paying for the strings, they continued their jaunt through the mall. Azusa had to admit she hadn't had this much fun simply hanging out with Yui in a long time. They visited various stores, including one novelty shop where Yui found a neko-maid cosplay outfit. It took a lot of persuasion, but Azusa managed to talk Yui out of buying it, which was a good thing, because she knew she would be the one who would have to wear it.

The jaunt, though very enjoyable, made the duo hungry, and they decided on a late lunch. The meal perked Yui up, and she was back to her chatty self.

She told Azusa that the next thing she had planned was for them to catch a movie, and she wanted to know what Azusa was interested in seeing. They had narrowed down their choices to two and were about to make a decision when a woman handed them a flier advertising mall bingo.

"Mall bingo? What is it?"

"I don't know…look, Azusa! It starts in half an hour! Can we? Oh please? !" Yui put on her best display of puppy dog eyes, and Azusa just couldn't say no.

"Okay, okay, we will…but, um, what is this mall bingo, Yui? Never heard of it before…"

"There's only one way to find out! Come on!"

And again, Yui pulled Azusa towards the center of the mall where mall bingo was supposed to be held. After purchasing a few scorecards and receiving an instruction pamphlet, they sat down, and Azusa examined the rules.

"So, apparently you're supposed to yell 'bingo!' when you-…Yui, what are you doing?"

"You can win prizes, so I'm trying to see what kind of prizes there are."

Azusa sighed. "Anything good?"

"Yes! I want that huge kitty head!" Yui exclaimed, pointing towards the abnormally huge cat head with a tail. There was no body attached to it. Azusa shook her head and grinned. It was just the sort of thing Yui would be interested in.

"Attention please! Mall bingo is about to start! Will the contestants please take their seats…"

And so Azusa played mall bingo for the very first time. She didn't care much for it, but seeing Yui so determined to win made her smile. The brunette was concentrating on the sheet, every so often pressing on the right number if it came up.

Yui could persuade her to do the most random things. And much to her surprise, it was always something she found enjoyable. Maybe not so much the act of doing it, but just being with Yui and doing it together was what was truly important to her.

They had tremendous fun almost making bingo and almost not. Yui provided a running sound track to the game, squealing with joy when her number was called, or groaning with frustration when someone else would win a round. It was so comical that Azusa couldn't stop giggling. Unfortunately, they didn't win the huge cat head, but they did get a pack of tissues as a participation prize.

"Let's try it again, Azunyan! This time I'm sure we'll win it!"

Her optimism always amazes me. She never gives up on anything. I'm grateful to have her in my life, and that we're together.

It was already late in the afternoon when they decided to return to the dorm. Walking close to each other, hand in hand and enjoying each other's warmth, they set out for the JWU campus.

The walk was silent, but that was fine with Azusa. She really didn't need to hear Yui talk just then; simply being with Yui was enough.

She had enjoyed their day together, and all she could think about was thanking the brunette for such a wonderful time, preferable with tender kisses. But she wanted it to be in a special kind of setting, and she still had to give Yui her Valentine's Day present.

Azusa had thought about giving Yui her gift when they were in one or the other's dorm room, but that seemed too ordinary a setting after what had been an extraordinary day. As she thought about her other options, they passed a familiar location on their way to campus, and suddenly she had an idea.

"Hey, Yui…before we head back, I want to show you something…but you have to close your eyes first, because it's a surprise." Azusa studied Yui's face, gauging her reaction. Yui did not disappoint her.

"A surprise?" the brunette answered excitedly. "What is it? You know I love surprises!"

"Do you trust me, Yui?" Azusa, asked softly, her eyes looking deeply into Yui's.

Never taking her eyes off the younger girl's, Yui immediately replied, "More than anything, Azunyan."

"Then take my hand and let me guide you…"

The steps up the hill seemed endless, and Azusa soon discovered it was difficult to guide someone with closed eyes up a flight of stairs. It was probably just as difficult for Yui, but Azusa held her girlfriend's hand firmly in her own. And while they climbed, Yui stayed with her step for step, never hesitating for a moment.

At the top, Azusa stopped and whispered to Yui, "You can open them now."

When Yui opened her eyes, they were on top a hill overlooking the entire district. The sky above them was a beautiful blue canvas. The setting sun's rays softly embraced that sea of blue above as it sank below the horizon, giving the clouds closest to it a bright and near-perfect angelic glow. The sight was breathtaking.

"Azusa! This place is so wonderful! Where did you- How did you? When-?"

For the first time today, Yui fumbled over her words. Azusa was amused by her girlfriend's reaction, and simply smiled and gently closed her hand around Yui's. They looked at the setting sun together.

"My workplace isn't too far from here. When I have the morning shift, I come here during my lunch break. I've wanted to show you this for a while, and today I finally got the chance to. And…"

Azusa fished the rectangular box out if her pocket and presented it to Yui.

"I wanted to give this to you when we got to the dorm, but I think right now is the perfect time to give it to you. Happy Valentine's Day, Yui."

Yui gently held the box in her hands, and examined it before carefully lifting the lid. Inside was a beautiful charm bracelet made of gleaming silver. There were various charms, including a cat's-head, a replica of Gitah, and various other trinkets that Azusa thought Yui would find adorable.

"Azusa…it's amazing…" Yui breathed. She held out her hand for Azusa to put the bracelet on her. The younger girl decided she liked the way the bracelet gently clung to Yui's wrist.

"I have something for you, too, Azusa," Yui began, taking out a rectangular box that was almost the same size as the one Azusa had given her. "I forgot it at home, so I had to go back yesterday to get it…"

Handing the box to Azusa, Yui suddenly blushed. Azusa admired the red glow on her girlfriend's cheeks for a brief moment before opening the box. The contents brought tears to her eyes.

It was a gold necklace, with a gold pendant shaped like a guitar pick. The front had Azusa's name engraved on it, and the back read Love, Yui.A tiny tear rolled down her face as she held her hair up so Yui could fasten the chain around her neck.

"I love it, Yui. Thank you so much."

Yui flashed a goofy grin as she looked deep into Azusa's eyes. She held the younger girl's hands in her own as they watched the sun set together. The orange sea of light was now dimming, leaving the horizon bathed in a soft red glow.

"It's perfect…" Yui quietly replied, gazing at the breathtaking sight.

"Now that you're here with me, it finally is, Yui," Azusa said, snaking her arm around Yui's waist to pull her closer, and leaning her head on the brunette's shoulder. In response, Yui placed her arm around Azusa and rested her own head against Azusa's.

"Hey, Azunyan…" Yui whispered as she shifted her head to look into her lover's eyes. "I love you."

"And I love you, Yui."

As the sun slowly set, leaving the sky to slowly turn into a midnight blue, Yui gently pressed her lips against Azusa's, the touch soft and feathery. As Azusa closed her eyes, she could feel the heat rising to her face as she pressed her lips a little more firmly against Yui's, gently caressing Yui's warm skin with her thumb. The kiss, however innocent, sent her mind soaring into bliss, and she felt a sense of serenity wash over her.

When the kiss finally ended, and Azusa opened her eyes, the sun had set. It seemed like the sky was coated with a vivid dark blue, brightly lit by stars. The sight was just as amazing as the setting sun. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Just being here with Yui, spending time with her and being together...it's wonderful to exist under the same sky with such a beautiful soul.

"Happy Valentine's Day, my beloved," she sighed happily.

A/N:

And a Happy Valentine's Day to you, dear readers! It's been a while since I've written anything new, but this is a very special Valentine's Day for me this year, so this is my VD present, although a bit short.

A very big thank you goes out to my new Beta-reader Genki Collective. Thank you so much, Genki-chan, for everything.

Also, genmaicha is green tea with roasted rice kernels. Only tasted it once, but it was sort of delish.

Reviews are welcome, dear readers!

~Musician74

(Disclaimer on my profile page)