Something as simple as chocolate should have been easy, but Yukiko didn't want to just go with something plain. For days she had looked through different recipes, both online and in books they had at the inn. She had talked to the cooks, asked the maids what they thought, but finally the perfect idea came to her. How cute were chocolate covered cherries? And easy, from the sound of it!
But was that a little too plain as well?
A trip to Junes had her coming back home with much more than was necessary, and perhaps it was a bit of luck that she began her experiments while someone else was in the kitchen. Yukiko insisted on making the little confectionaries by herself, but a little bit of supervision wasn't going to bring about the end of the world. Several more exotic ingredients didn't make the final cut, but eventually Yukiko turned out a batch of cherries that didn't look completely terrifying. And that meant they were a success.
Taking care not to ruin any of her hard work, Yukiko packed the delicate chocolates into a beautiful little lacquered box adorned with deep red cherry blossoms. As it was their first Valentine's Day really together, Yukiko wondered if she had done enough. Maybe she should have Chie come over for dinner as well? There were plenty of interesting things left in her shopping bag. She would make sure to ask Chie if she was interested; surely she could make something romantic.
After school (and after handing out obligation chocolates to their friends), Yukiko asked Chie to walk home with her, inviting her to the courtyard once they had arrived back at the inn. Already the sun had begun to set, casting the garden into a soft golden light. Evening birds had already begun to sing their songs, calling softly above the sound of gently running water. For the moment they were alone, afloat on a tranquil sea in the middle of paradise. Together.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Chie." Smiling, Yukiko brought the little box out, placing it in Chie's hands with a gentle kiss against her girlfriend's cheek. "I wasn't really sure what I should do, but...I worked hard on these. I hope you like them."
EXTREMELY overdue Valentines ask that I’m finally replying to orz ( @arcanalight )
She’d overthought it, stressed out over it, pulled her hair out, and almost gotten sick off one of her attempts. Valentines never held much meaning. She would give chocolates out to her friends, but there’d never been someone she wanted to explicitly make something for. Guys always wanted chocolate, and while she was used to the teasing jokes her friend’s made, it didn’t stop her from biting back at their jabs. If they didn’t want her kind gesture, she’d give it to someone who DID, or eat it herself. Always sticking to the standard store-bought variety. It would have been safer than all her FAILED attempts. She’d found cute little molds at Junes, looked through her mother’s cook book, and even asked her for assistance when she felt she was at the end of her rope. One ruined pot later there was something CLOSE to presentable. It tasted sweet, anyway. Not as good as their Christmas cake, but there was a lot of love and tears poured into the tiny square box. Bound with green and gold ribbon to match the emerald green and gold speckled container.
❝I tried really hard too.❞ Fire lit up her face, a smile involuntarily stretching her thin lips. She couldn’t help reaching up her hand and pressing her calloused fingers to her cheek. Why was she so nervous? Yukiko was Yukiko, and she’d known her practically all her life. But gestures like that, soft affection, made her feel completely lost and a total mess.
❝My mom helped me with mine,❞ she admitted with a sigh, shoulders slumping. ❝I mean I REALLY wanted to try and make something special on my own. I even found these cute little molds at Junes? They looked like little dogs! But they didn’t come out so good... Actually I kinda melted the plastic because I set it too close to the burner. I tried to fill the molds with caramel and, OH MAN, was that a mistake. I left it alone for too long and it burned into the pot, totally ruined.❞
Her mother had wanted her to be fair, ladylike, a good homemaker just like her and finding a husband to support her. But Chie didn’t fall into her agenda. She preferred martial arts to ballet. She liked seeing what her cousin would work on with his motorcycles and refurbishing car parts. She never minded getting dirty or ruining her clothes. In fact, when she was younger and her mother would force her into frilly dresses and bows, Chie made an attempt to go and play in the mud with them. It was fun, and spiteful. Her mother was always steaming mad, dragging her back inside the house. Chie didn’t want to FIND a husband, settle down with a man, all she ever wanted was to be with Yukiko and she wasn’t about to share that space with some guy.
❝You DON’T have to eat them. They’re pretty average looking too. But I just... wanted to do something nice, so. I’ll hope you’ll accept them. A-And I really love you so...❞ God, could her face get any redder. It matched Yukiko’s sweater. ❝You’re important to me. When we’re together, everything just makes sense.❞
