Archive of Our Own ^beta

Head cannons: Sakaki is Asexual, and Kagura is Demisexual/Demiromantic. If you don't know what these mean, I would  recommend  Googling them because explaining here  correctly  would take too long.

I don't own anything. Like, seriously. Don't sue.

Sakaki wasn't sure when things had changed.

At first they walked home together. No big deal; they lived in the same area, so walking together wasn't saying too much.

Then they walked to school together. She had an inkling that Kagura did that on purpose, but up until then didn't have a reason to ask.

Of course none of their friends noticed anything off. Sakaki and her so called 'rival' just happened to show up to class at the same time. Kaorin didn't seem very pleased, but Sakaki could never bring herself to confront the poor girl. She was too... Clingy, for the taller girl. The things Sakaki wanted out of a relationship were unconventional, to say the least. Hanging out, sure. Holding hands, sure. Kissing, maybe. Anything past that, or anything more serious than that, just didn't appeal to her.

However, one day while she was walking with Kagura, she wondered if she would ever change her mind.

Looking back on that moment now, she wasn't sure who initiated the contact. One minute they were walking side-by-side on the sidewalk, shoulders about a foot apart. Then they drifted closer to each other. Kagura was going on about her mountain bike (She said she was leaning towards the green one, but Sakaki had the firm belief that she would get the blue, she was just delaying it) and Sakaki was listening with earnest for once. She had a fluttery feeling in her chest as she saw Kagura's face beam at the thought of the bike. A few minutes later their shoulders were almost touching (Kagura shrugged and Sakaki felt their forearms brush, blushing slightly) and, finally, they walked shoulder to shoulder, Kagura's arms limp by her side and her smile maybe a bit bigger than before.

She couldn't remember who reached for whose hand first; If it was her, she would have done so hesitantly, finger by finger, ever fearful of rejection. Would Kagura have done it the same way? Or would she have boldly grabbed Sakaki's hand, rejection be dammed?

Sakaki couldn't tell you this because, in all honesty, she wasn't paying attention when it happened. She just remembered Kagura emphasizing something, and suddenly there was a pressure on her hand. The feeling was new, and maybe somewhat uncomfortable, and Sakaki found herself amazed and in awe of the simple gesture.

It only lasted for a few moments, though, and then Kagura let go. Sakaki almost asked why, but then she saw the school in the distance.

So it's like that. She thought, equally understanding and irritated. She couldn't find fault with Kagura, but all the same this feeling in her chest was so new and she couldn't show off the cause of it.

Not yet, she vowed, But one day. One day she would hold Kagura's hand and walk right up to the school.

Just not that day.

It became a regular thing after that. They walked justa bit closer on the way home, and their good bye's were justa little bit longer every day. Kagura would lean on her gate and they would talk about a few more things before leaving: Kagura with a grin on her face, and Sakaki glad for the company.

Then, in the mornings, they would hold hands up until the last block before school. And, if she really thought about it, Kagura was pushing it doing that. There was just the chance that someone would see and someone would assume that things weren't as they seemed.

Actually, when she thought about it, what exactly was the relationship?

She wanted to ask, but she had never done something like this. Was it okay to ask bluntly? Or did she have to ease into it? What if she scared Kagura away by assuming they were more than friends? Sure they held hands, and she thought she had seen Kagura contemplate kissing her good-bye, but maybe she read too much into it.

God, she really hated the idea of a relationship. But, somehow, being with Kagura didn't seem too bad. At least in this way. She knew her, trusted her.

"Kagura-chan?" She asked gently one morning while Kagura was ranting about Tomo stealing a book of some kind.

Kagura glanced at her, "Hmm?"

"What..." She mentally groped around for words, "What, exactly, are we?"

Kagura gulped slightly, looking to the ground. "I... I'm not sure." Her brows furrowed and Sakaki blushed at the cute expression.

"What does this mean?" The taller teen asked, gesturing to their linked hands.

"It means... I like you, Sakaki." Kagura blushed and looked up at her.

Sakaki smiled and squeezed her hand. "I... I like you, too, Kagura-chan."

And Kagura's face lit up so bright, Sakaki was sure it was true, even if she had a thought in the back of her mind that she didn't know what Kagura wanted out of a relationship.

It only kind of surprised her when Kagura let go of her hand near the school again. She wanted to ask, but she knew why. Kagura had a reputation, and so did she, actually. The team captain and the lone wolf, to each their own. What would everyone think of... What ever they were? Dating? Lesbians? What would they say?

"Please, don't... think less of me." Kagura grimaced as she looked up to Sakaki, "I just... I can't tell anyone yet. I want to be sure..."

So Sakaki nodded-because, really, what else could she do?-and Kagura gave her another smile.

This was okay, for now.

Sakaki's patience was running thin, to be perfectly honest. She wished Kagura would get over what ever was holding her back. It wasn't that Sakaki wanted to be known for dating her, but the fact that she some kind of secret, that their friends didn't even know, that bothered her. She didn't like secrets, and she felt like they were lying to their friends.

There was also a nagging in her gut, that once they were out Kagura would expect more from her, that things would escalate, and she didn't think she could handle it.

She had just opened her mouth when Kagura stopped her.

"I know what you're about to say." Kagura sighed, "When are we going to tell the others? I don't know."

Sakaki sighed, and Kagura shook her head, "I do know, though, that I want you to be happy. Do you want to tell people?"

"...It would be nice, at least, for our friends to know."

Kagura was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, okay. We tell the people who matter, for now." She looked up and smiled at Sakaki tentitively.

The taller girl smiled down and nodded, pleased.

Kagura hesitated for a moment, "What... Do we tell them, exactly?"

Sakaki gulped slightly, glancing around uneasily. "Well... What are we?"

Kagura considered this. "If we were to come out to everybody... Would you want to go on a date with me?"

"That's... Normal procedure, right?"

Kagura did something between a scoff and a giggle, "That wasn't the question, Sakaki!"

Said girl blushed and looked down at her feet, noticing their steps were in sync. "Well... I wouldn't mind... Hanging out some time. I don't know about dates..."

Kagura nodded like she knew this all along, "You don't seem like the kind to date."

Sakaki shook her head, so Kagura continued, "So if we're not dating, we're not... Girlfriends?"

They both considered this, but it didn't seem right. "I don't think so..." Sakaki said hesitantly, "And... I don't think I'd be a very good girlfriend."

Kagura looked surprised at this, then confused. "You wouldn't?"

"I'm... Not interested in a physical relationship. This-" She held up their joined hands, "Is good enough for me, honestly."

Kagura nodded as she digested this new information. Sakaki watched as her face switched between curious and contemplative.

"So, we're just... Together, then?"

"Hmm..." Sakaki hummed, "We're... Together."

"We're together." Kagura smiled, and Sakaki felt a bit of pride swell up in her. They both nodded, and looked ahead. They both realized they were close to the school.

"So," Kagura blushed, "Maybe, since we cleared all this up, we should just tell everyone?"

The taller girl considered this, but shook her head. "We tell our friends, first... They shouldn't find out by gossip..."

"Oh! That's a good point." Kagura nodded, letting go of her hand (Sakaki almost mourned the loss of contact), "I hadn't thought of that."

Sakaki merely nodded, looking ahead. She bit the inside of her cheek before turning to Kagura.

"The reason... For me not wanting more."

Kagura looked up expectantly (Sakaki knew she had wanted to ask, but Kagura actually understood privacy, unlike most people), and Sakaki continued, "It's called being... Asexual."

Kagura's face twisted up and Sakaki prepared herself for the questions, but Kagura only nodded.

"Okay. You don't want a physical relationship, because you're asexual. I get it." She nodded, and was going to say more, but they were already at school.

"So... Today?"

"Today."

Kagura sighed but nodded. They continued their walk and it wasn't long before they were in the classroom. They decided that day at lunch, when everyone else left the classroom, they would tell them.

The flow might be a little choppy, but that's because this was originally going to be a drabble and I got carried away... Story of my life xD

A One-Shot for now. If people request it I might post more.