Makoto sighed. "Oh, right. You want me to stay the night."
He shook his head, smiling despite himself. "Back when we were sophomores, I was so excited that first time. Thought it was going to be Netflix and chill. Turned out to be a Code Geass marathon. No touching, no cuddling. Just you yelling at the screen."
Ayane barked out a laugh. "Hey! Code Geass is a masterpiece! And you cried at the end, so don't even try to deny it."
She unfolded herself from the floor. "For the record, I was saving myself for marriage back then." She paused. "I'm more flexible now."
She grabbed her keys. "Fine. Let's get groceries." Her hand landed on his lower back. "But if you think I'm letting you sleep on the couch this time, you're very mistaken."
The Gundam parts lay forgotten on the rug. Ayane's fingers traced a slow circle on his back. "So. What are you in the mood for, Makoto?" She paused. "Besides me, of course."
Makoto grunted as they headed out. "I'm not sure what brought on this change of mind, but we can talk about it over dinner."
He glanced at her. "How does egg-fried rice and grilled pork sound? I can make some karaage for you to heat up tomorrow, too."
Ayane linked her arm through his as they walked. The lipstick marks on his neck, Yuna's crimson smeared with Mika's pink, looked ridiculous against this quiet, domestic scene.
"Egg-fried rice and grilled pork?" She leaned her head against his shoulder. "You're trying to seduce me with comfort food. Classic move, but effective." A small sigh escaped her lips. "And karaage for tomorrow? You're a keeper."
They walked in silence for a moment, just the sound of their footsteps on the pavement.
"As for my change of mind," she said, her voice quieter now. "Let's just say I got tired of waiting."
She looked up at him. Vulnerability flickered across her face, quickly replaced by determination. "I saw you with them. At the cafe."
She took a breath. "And I realized something. If I didn't make a move, I was going to lose you to your own fucking stepsister and her friend." Her grip on his arm tightened. "I'm not letting that happen."
Makoto giggled as he put rice, eggs, and fresh meat into their basket. "Come on, if getting a girlfriend was that easy, I wouldn't have been single all these years."
He looked at her. "You've always thought of me as just your weeb friend who cooks for you and lends you stuff, haven't you? So why now?"
Ayane stopped in the middle of the brightly lit aisle. She turned to face him, her usual teasing gone. "Because I was an idiot." Her voice came out raw, honest.
"I thought we had more time. I thought you were just my dorky, safe weeb friend. The one who would always be there."
Her hand came up to touch his cheek, the one without pink lipstick smeared on it. Her thumb traced his jaw. "I didn't realize how much you meant to me until I saw you with them. The way you looked at them."
She paused. "The way they looked at you." A self-deprecating smile touched her lips. "And I realized I was jealous. Stupid, right? Being jealous of your stepsister and her weirdly intense friend."
She took a breath, her eyes locking onto his. "I don't just want to be your weeb friend who borrows your manga. I want to be the one you're whispering to in cafes. The one leaving marks on your neck. The one you come home to."
Her fingers curled into his shirt. "So, yeah. It's now."
Makoto chuckled embarrassingly as he turned away, pushing their cart toward the cashier. "Why me, though?" He glanced back at her. "You know I'm just a pervert who drools watching girls in cosplay. A weeb with no social skills."
Ayane followed, catching up to him at the checkout line. Her hand found his in the cramped space between the candy rack and tabloid magazines. "Don't be an idiot. You think I'm not a pervert? I literally run an X account dedicated to 2B's ass from Nier:Automata."
She squeezed his hand, forcing him to look at her. "And you're not just some weeb. You're kind. You're funny, even when you're not trying to be. You're the only person who gets my obscure Gundam references."
Her voice dropped. "And you make the best fucking karaage I've ever had."
She let go of his hand. A faint blush crept up her cheeks. "When you talk about something you're passionate about, your whole face lights up. It's the cutest and most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
She turned her attention to the conveyor belt. "So, yeah. I want you, Makoto." She shoved a bag of chips onto the belt with too much force. "You big, fat, clueless, perverted, beautiful idiot."
She paused. "Now pay for the groceries, my harem king."