"The flowers bloomed early this year." Akito says, despite how odd she thinks her voice sounds. Despite her secret being known, she always feels that little more vulnerable with Tohru.
Tohru looks up and the afternoon sun catches her hair, glowing a slight gold. She greets the plum blossoms, even the ones that lie fallen on the ground, with a smile sweeter than any flower's scent. How sickly, Akito thinks to herself. How sickly that she wishes to make her smile like that every time they're together.
Akito feels like running back to her room. It isn't fair to think of Tohru like that. Well, she gets told that, and she knows that, but... Besides, how is Akito meant to ignore the irony of this situation? While pretending to be a man, she had sex with men. Now that she's herself, she wishes to- She's overripe, rotten. Before, she used her body to capture people and bind them to her. What's she's feeling now is the same thing. Some things never change. A woman like Tohru, a person like Tohru...
"Tohru."
She has pale mauve bows in her hair today, like the flowers. The color matches Akito's obi, which she's trying to ignore. But it's difficult to when Tohru says: "Akito."
So sure. So simple. Because she knows that Akito doesn't always want a conversation. Times are best when Tohru travels with her in a quiet way. Akito doesn't even find her speaking to be disruptive, even though she rarely responds. Tohru's voice is like the leaves as they fall, or water droplets dancing as they hit a puddle. Exactly where she's meant to be, as brief as she and her surroundings might be. Before, Akito knows she would have clung to that impermanence. She would have locked it away, as if that would stop the moment from passing. But she doesn't want that anymore.
Tohru steps in, a little closer to Akito's side. Gently, she holds Akito's hand. Akito wants to be gentle, too. Is someone like her even capable of that?
The brown-haired woman giggles. "Your hand is so warm! It feels like I've got a mitten on."
She wants to try.
They walk the plum bloom path and the empty branches are beautiful.