Ocean Mist (Azul Ashengrotto/Yuu)

2 ~ Greater Profit

A smile rose to Yuu's face as she saw a bouquet of her favorite flowers sitting on her bed. A small note was attached to it and she flipped it over to see her boyfriend's name with a heart next to it.

'Azul Ashengrotto ♥︎'

His habit to send her flowers for no reason always made her heart flutter. She closed her eyes and hugged the flowers close to her chest, breathing in their scent and reminiscing.

It was only a couple of months ago that she had asked Azul out. After they had spent so much time together the year prior because of their deal, Yuu's feelings had only grown for him, and Azul's as well.

It had gotten so obvious that they themselves had grown aware of the other's feelings and existed in a strange in-between state of more than friends but not quite lovers, yet their relationship hadn't officially changed until Yuu decided to pursue him in their sophomore year.

"Hey, Azul," Yuu remembered asking him one day during her swimming lessons freshman year, "I know you're smart, so you must've noticed that I'm pretty decent at swimming by now."

Azul silently nodded, his pants rolled up as he waded his feet in the pool water. "So how come we're still continuing with the lessons?"

He glanced over to her as she paddled over to him, grabbing onto the side of the pool. "Would you like to end them, then?"

'Ugh, Azul, that's not what you're supposed to say!'

"N-No..."

"Then I don't see any reason to end them," he answered plainly, smiling down at Yuu.

She raised an eyebrow, pressing him to try and get more out of him. "Isn't this a waste of time for you, then? I'd hate to distract you from netting a greater profit."

"I find that I profit more from being with you," he said quietly.

"Hm? And why's that?" she teased, grinning coyly at him.

He glanced away, his cheeks turning a subtle shade of pink. "I... I quite enjoy being around you."

"Do you, now?"

"What's all of this questioning for?"

"You're very easy to fluster, you know that?"

"I'm not," he protested, brows knitting together.

She moved so they were closer, resting her arms on the ledge as she stared at him. "Hey, Azul?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for teaching me how to swim. And for all of the help with everything. Like letting me make tips off of being a waitress. And giving me homework help for no cost."

Azul blushed deeply as he realized all of his subtle actions to help out the girl he loved didn't go unnoticed. "O-Of course. I'm happy to help."

"Why are you so nice to me? I know you're not like this with the rest of your friends."

"As I said earlier, I enjoy being around you."

"So you don't enjoy being around your other friends~?" she simpered, enjoying the way his face shifted as he tried to make sense.

"That's not-"

"You like me, right?"

Azul's face turned ten times redder. The question combined with the way she tugged on his pant leg as she stared up at him and asked completely ruined any capacity he had to think clearly.

"I-I... I'm not answering that."

It was obvious from the way he refused to look at her, how red-faced he was, and how he'd started fidgeting with his gloves that he did indeed have feelings for her. Yuu was thriving off of seeing his nervous reaction, of the confirmation that he liked her back.

"Well, I like you, too."

"Wh-wha-!?" he spluttered, almost falling into the water himself. She smirked at him, moving her hand on top of his. "I didn't think you'd be so surprised. Wasn't it obvious?"

He curled his legs to his chest, burying his face in his knees. "Aw, am I stressing you out~ Should I stop talking for a bit?" He nodded and she pulled herself up out of the water, sitting next to him.

After about five minutes, she glanced at him out of the side of her eye. His face didn't show a hint of returning to its normal color anytime soon.

"Are you not planning on saying anything?"

He glanced at her and his eyes widened again, as though she'd confessed for the second time. "Do you... really?"

"Jeez, is it really that unbelievable? Yeah, I like you. A lot. Actually, that's why I asked for you to teach me how to swim, not Jade and Floyd. I even enjoyed coming to work cause I knew I'd get to see you."

His expression contorted even more adorably in embarrassment. Azul didn't view himself very highly, so for his crush to like him back... well, it seemed simply unreal. He had to be dreaming.

"Why?"

Yuu turned to see him staring at her with the most serious expression, and she couldn't repress the childish impulse to wrap her arms around him and jump into the pool, ruining the serious moment and drenching the both of them.

He let out a few choked coughs as he brought himself back up to the edge, glaring at Yuu. "It was a serious question," he hissed, wiping at his glasses with a dry towel.

"Sorry, sorry, it's just..." She climbed up to sit next to him again. "Your expression when I mess with you is so adorable."

That brought Azul back to his lovestruck, embarrassed state. He buried his face in his hands and Yuu grabbed a towel to dry herself off.

"Well, I just thought I'd let you know~" she sang as she headed for the exit. "I'm heading back to my dorm, but feel free to pick this conversation back up whenever you're ready."