Ocean Mist (Azul Ashengrotto/Yuu)

10 ~ Inadequate

"Whatever I did, I'm really sorry!" Yuu apologized profusely as she held out a package of cookies she'd baked with Trey the day before while in her panic over what she could have possibly done to upset Azul.

He blinked a few times in confusion. "What's this about..?"

"Aren't you mad at me?"

"No?"

"But you said I had loud thumbs..." She pushed the cookies into his hands. "Really, did I do something wrong? I'd like it if you told me so I can fix it."

He took the cookies, putting a hand on the back of his neck. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I wasn't myself."

"No, I'm sorry! I've gotta've offended you somehow!"

"Yuu, really, you didn't do anything. I was just in a bad mood, I promise." He wrapped his arms around her in a hug, startling her. They were in a hallway that was jam-packed with people-not one of Azul's ideal locations to be affectionate.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm sorry for making you feel like you did something wrong." He held up the cookie container. "Why don't we eat these together during lunch?"

"Okay..." She nodded, though she couldn't shake the feeling that he was still upset. But all of his actions pointed in the opposite direction-he held her hand practically all day, passed notes with her, and even gave her random kisses despite his aversion to publicly expressing his affection.

She sat next to him at lunchtime, tapping her head on his shoulder. "...Y'know, I'm glad you're not mad. But if you are, you have to tell me, okay?"

"I will." He gave her hand a reassuring kiss and she let out a soft giggle, glad that he wasn't upset.

He eyed the cookies cautiously as she opened the package. "How many calories are in those?"

"Azul, you have no need to count calories. You're super thin as it is."

"I won't be if I don't count my calories," he argued.

She shoved a cookie in his hand, repressing the urge to shove it directly into his mouth. "I don't know how many exactly, but I purposely pulled up a diet recipe since I knew you'd probably react like this. And I made them with Trey to make sure they'd actually turn out decent. Just eat them, okay?"

"...What ingredients did you use?"

"Azul!" She crossed her arms, trying her best to look stern. "You are not about to calculate the amount of calories in a diet cookie."

He crossed his arms back at her. "I don't want to exceed my daily recommended calorie intake. It takes a lot of effort to maintain this physique!"

"It's a single cookie!"

"Alright kids, break it up!" Floyd slid into the seat across from the two of them, followed by Jade. "What are you two arguing about now?"

"Azul's trying to calculate the calories in my diet cookies!"

"Are you lying about making them diet? Is that why you're not telling me what the ingredients are?"

"What kind of-do you really think I'd do that!?"

"Azul," Jade intervened, "Even if they weren't diet, one or two wouldn't hurt."

"And!" Yuu interjected, "I made them just for you because I was so upset that you seemed mad at me! And then I realized that sweets wouldn't be a good idea, but I was already at Heartslabyul, so I made these!"

"I'll eat them if you're not gonna~" Floyd snickered. "But seriously, Lil' Shrimpy came outta your office all 'waaah! Azul said I have loud thumbs!' and all that!"

Jade nodded. "She was rather distraught. She even sent me in to check on you. It would be an insult to her efforts to not have at least one cookie."

"I appreciate the gesture," Azul said crossly, "but you all know how I am when it comes to this sort of thing!"

"That's why we're trying to help you, so you're not so hyper-concerned with your food consumption anymore!" Yuu exclaimed exasperatedly.

Azul rubbed his temples, closing his eyes. "Fine, fine." He took a small bite out of the cookie he was holding. "Happy?"

"Eat the whole thing, Octoboy," Yuu said stubbornly.

He covered his mouth with his hand, awkwardly averting his eyes. "Stop staring at me while I eat..."

"Azul Ashengrotto, if you don't eat my frickin' cookies right now, I'm going to shove them down your esophagus." That got him to finish the cookie.

Yuu fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. "How was it?"

"It was good."

The bell rang and Yuu packed up the rest of the cookies, sticking her tongue out at Azul. "I'm gonna force feed you the rest of these."

That afternoon, Yuu took her chances and went to Azul's office as she usually did despite their poor encounter the day before. "Hello, Yuu," he greeted with a smile. "Would you like to make a deal?"

"Yeah, a deal to make you eat the rest of these cookies," she grumbled saltily, tossing the container onto the table.

His expression faltered slightly and he moved to sit next to Yuu. "...I didn't say this earlier, but thank you. I appreciate you going out of your way for me. I've really just been having a bad couple of days and have been managing them poorly. I'm sorry for taking it out on you."

Yuu felt any anger she had directed at him dissipate. If there was one thing he was good at, it was using his words. She wrapped her arms around one of his, cuddling closer to him. "I'm sorry for adding more to your stress. I know you're super busy."

"...I'm an inadequate boyfriend, aren't I?"

She blinked a few times. "What?"

"Ah, nothing... I just... I'm..." He trailed off. "Never mind."

"What makes you think you're inadequate? You're amazing!" She stared at him, trying to study his stiff facial expression.

He let out a dry laugh. "Today was a good example, wasn't it? I'm boring and spoiled and completely incompetent."

"Oh, Azul, sweetie..." She held his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. His heart shattered at the visible heartbreak in her eyes. "Is that what's been going on?"

His eyes flitted to the side. "Azul, you're far from any of those things. Sure, I joke about..." Yuu trailed off as she came to a realization. "Do my jokes hurt your feelings?"

"...Sometimes," he admitted, deciding to be honest. "It depends on the day." He let out a slow breath. "I don't want you to get bored of me, so sometimes, when you joke about me being boring, it hurts."

"I won't ever make jokes about you being boring or anything ever again, then," Yuu said, kissing his nose. His cheeks flushed slightly. "You-You don't have to do that..."

"When I said to tell me when I do something that irritates you so I can fix it, I meant that in general. I'll stop the joking since it hurts your feelings. I don't want you to ever think that I'm getting bored of you or think you're boring, okay?"

Azul was doted on as a child, yes, but he had never felt so emotionally understood in his life. Yuu really was his perfect match, after all.

He pressed their foreheads together, his eyes fluttering shut. "I don't deserve you."

Yuu gave him a gentle kiss. "Yes, you do. And I'll tell you that as many times as it takes to convince you that you do."