Taking The Next Step

-----Kaede's POV

Once we arrived back, I flew us down to the dirt track where we left this morning. I did make sure that no one was around before making the landing, trying to not bring too much attention to us. I went to bring Yui back on her feet, but the moment her feet touched the ground, her knees buckles as I'm left still carrying all of her weight. Even her grip on me can be barely considered a grip as I'm left holding her upright.

Kaede: "Can't stand?"

She gently shakes her head before leaning into me. I guess she must still be recovering from when I drank her blood...

Yui: "Sorry."

Kaede: "It's okay."

Thinking it's the only way, I pick her back up, holding her back and knees with both my arms as she takes the same position she did on our way back, burying her head into my chest. She's honestly far too cute acting this way, so I don't have any problems with it. If anything, I'm glad to see her not afraid of me like this. I forced myself on her back in the cave, yet even so, she still acted like the Yui I know. I wouldn't even be surprised if she suddenly asked if she could use herself in order to satisfy my hunger.

But with that in mind, I start walking, carrying Yui in my arms, walking back to Yui's place. Yui didn't bother to remove herself from me for not even a moment, making me think that maybe she's fallen asleep in my arms. I wouldn't mind it, but a problem soon came up as I approached the door to Yui's house.

Kaede: "...Locked."

I mutter to myself softly in case Yui had fallen asleep. I wouldn't want to have to put Yui down and search her body for the key. And so, thinking it's the only way, I gently shake her in my arms.

Kaede: "Hey, Yui."

Yui: "M-mmm?"

Kaede: "You have the key?"

Yui: "...Mm."

Yeah, she's definitely half asleep. She barely even opened her eyes as she slowly began searching her pockets. And finally, after looking through her breast pocket, she took out the key before handing it to me in an even more drowsy state, almost as if she's saying "Here, you do it. Now let me sleep." I chuckle a little as Yui places the key in my hands before moving back into a comfortable position. It's a bit awkward to unlock the door like this, but thankfully the weight of Yui is barely anything which allowed me to safely open the door without putting her down.

I slip off my shoes upon entering before moving to the kitchen table where I place the key down. I don't even need to look around to notice that her parents aren't home as I can't pick up any of their scents.

Eventually, after walking up the stairs, I enter Yui's room. Although Yui herself still refuses to move from my arms as I end up carrying her all the way to her bed.

Kaede: "We're home~"

Yui: "Mmmm."

After laying her across the bed with her legs hanging off the side, I gently take off her shoes and socks, not wanting her to dirty her bed in her sleep. But right as I was going to leave her room to put her shoes downstairs, I feel my hand suddenly get grabbed by none other than Yui. Her eyes barely open as her crystal blue eyes peak out from the cracks.

Yui: "...Kaede."

Kaede: "I'm just going to put your shoes away."

Yui: "...Don't go."

Is she even listening?

Kaede: "Pfft. I'll be back okay? I'm just-"

It was then that I felt my hand being pulled towards her. With my strength, I could easily just not budge and let her fail, but instead I let her pull be towards her as I drop her shoes on the ground before landing on the bed next to her. We're now laying horizontally on the bed which I found to be quite funny, but my eyes refused to look away from her own. Her eyes now revealed more as we just lay there, staring into eachother's eyes. Her hand gripping onto mine refusing to let go. Thinking that there's no way around it, I finally give her hand a gentle squeeze.

Yui: "Mmm."

A soft smile quickly grew on her face as her eyes began closing once more, as if she's satisfied with it. I thought that would be the end of it, but she soon moved closer to me before wrapping her arms around me.

Kaede: "Hahh~ I swear..."

It didn't take long for Yui to take her spot on top of me, using me as a makeshift pillow. Does she not realize what she's doing? The pillows are right over there, yet she's acting this way.

Kaede: "...Unfair."

Of course I want to just take her right now, of course I want to embrace her, to kiss her. But... I'm still unsure if that's the right move... Plus, she's obviously not fully aware with what she's doing. If she was properly awake, I'm sure she'd quickly get off of me, so I can't just take advantage of this situation, especially since she let me feed off of her earlier...

Just then, a buzzing sound could be heard. Realizing where it's coming from, I pull my phone out to check with my free hand, making sure to keep the light from the display away from Yui's face in case it wakes her up. It's a text from mom.

Mom: "How's things going with Yui?"

I know she has a hunch that the girl I referred to during our talk was Yui, so is she asking about it in a romantic sense? But just in case dad's with her, I suppose I'll keep it normal.

Kaede: "It went well. I feel like we've grown closer after today. How's work?"

Mom: "Not too bad today. I'm just on break right now. I'll probably be home in a few hours."

I find myself smiling as I exchange texts with mom. I'm glad that I managed to somewhat repair my relationship with at least one of my parents in this world. I also don't find it off putting to even call her "mom" anymore.

Mom: "Will you be staying at Yui's tonight as well?"

Kaede: "Probably. She's actually asleep right now though."

Mom: "Okay~ I've also gotten through with your father, so maybe one of these days, we can visit Yui's parents. Ah, but don't worry. I only told him that Yui is just a good friend to you."

Well, that pretty much confirms my little speculation. But in a way, she's not wrong thinking that. Right now, I still don't think taking my relationship with the current Yui any further than it is would be a good idea. So a "good friend" might be accurate. However, as if to try and break that line that I just drawn, Yui pressed up more against me as her breath tickles the side of my face.

Kaede: "Okay, thanks mom."

I quickly type out that reply before putting my phone down. But right as I was doing so, probably due to being too focused on my reply, I felt something soft press against my lips. It didn't take long to realize where it came from as my vision was filled with nothing but Yui, her eyes still closed and after a few moments, her lips pulled away.

Kaede: "Yu-!"

But right as I was about to try and wake her up, she planted her lips back on mine with more force than before. Her grip around me also tightened, only causing my emotions to run wild even more. Thankfully I drank her blood earlier so I'm still okay, but this doesn't change my emotions right now. Even now, my heart's beating incredibly fast as I try to figure out a way out of this. My body only growing hotter the longer this goes on.

Yui: "Pah~"

She breaks the kiss for a moment to catch a breath before immediately going back. But right as she was about to press her lips against mine another time, I manage to grab her by her shoulder, stopping her from doing so.

Kaede: "Yui, wake-"

But right as I pulled her away, about to wake her up, a couple tears streamed down from her eyes, gliding down her cheek slowly.

Kaede: "Yui?"

Yui: "Why?"

She spoke in a quiet tone, but I managed to understand what she was saying. I waited for her to continue, but she only repeated that same word again, promoting more tears to slip between the cracks in her eyes. Seeing her crying like this is too painful to watch...

Kaede: "..."

This might be the wrong move, but fuck it. I'm not going to let this continue. And so, I sit up, pushing Yui up into a sitting position as I pull her into an embrace.

Yui: "Eh?! A-Ah!"

I must've put too much force into it as Yui seems to have finally woken up, but I refuse to let her go as I tighten my hold around her.

Yui: "K-Kaede?"

Kaede: "..."

God... Having her close like this is far too stimulating for me. My emotions are refusing to calm down. Just before, I talked myself into not embracing her like this, yet here I am. I want to do more... I want to show her my feelings, but right now in this moment, I can only do this much.

Kaede: "Just doing this much is fine, right?"

Yui: "...Mm."

I wasn't expecting an answer as I was basically talking to myself, but after hearing it, Yui soon calms down in my arms as she slowly wraps her arms around me, accepting my embrace. That alone fills me with far too much happiness as I find myself refusing to let go of her.

Yui: "...I wouldn't mind you know."

Kaede: "Eh?"

Yui: "Like... You know..."

Is she implying that it's okay to go further than this?

Kaede: "You're so unfair."

Yui: "Pfft, and you think I don't think you're being unfair as well?"

Kaede: "...Not yet."

Yui: "Eh?"

Kaede: "I won't kiss you if that's what you're implying. At least not yet."

Yui: "..."

I take her silence to mean that I was right in thinking that. I didn't know I could be this happy again, knowing that our feelings are mutual, but I need to go at this the right way. It's a messed up situation, I know, but that's all the more reason to be careful. When Yui regains her lost memories, she'll also retain the memories she has here. At least that's what I like to think. So thinking like that, I don't want Yui to be conflicted after her memories return. I could be just be going overboard but-

Yui: "Then... Does that mean I can kiss you instead?"

Kaede: "Huh?!"

Yui's words however, pulled me back into reality, stopping my thoughts in it's tracks. Does she really not recall kissing me just before?

Yui: "You said that "you" won't kiss me. So it's fine if I do, right?"

Kaede: "What are you-"

Before I could finish my words, I felt the familiar soft sensation once more, only this time, it was on my cheek. It could be because we're close like this that she couldn't kiss me on the lips, but even still, in a way I feel even more embarrassed being kissed on the cheek. We soon pull away from each other, now looking into eachother's eyes once more.

Yui: "This is okay, right?"

Kaede: "...You're being really unfair right now."

She simply smiles at my words as if to say "Yeah, I know." I let out a sight at this whole situation. At this point, do I even care at this point? Not wanting to leave it as it, I move a hand up to her forehead, causing Yui to tense up briefly as I move her hair away before planting my lips onto her forehead. Seeing her blushing face is enough for me as I smile at the sight in front of me.

Kaede: "There, payba-!

But right then, Yui retaliated, pulling me closer with her arms around me as she kisses me back, this time on this lips. The kiss only lasted a few seconds before she pulled away, but the feeling of her lips refuses to leave me.

Yui: "Th-there! That's what you get."

Kaede: "..."

What are we even doing at this point? Yui was so sleepy before, but now she's acting like this? I'm starting to worry about how this night will end.