The Binding Vow of Lazarus

Chapter 90

"My stupid technique wasn't good enough for them," she continued, "I wasn't strong enough to be at an honorable position, so the next best thing? Just sell her to the Zen'in or something!"

Her eyes darted up to Suguru, caught the sympathetic look on his face, then focused back down on the cup. "So that's why. I hate it, that is," she mumbled, unable to look at him again, "… because I know you'll keep asking."

They both paused, one waiting for something and the other clearly waiting for their opportunity. At the first little half sob, Suguru was already on her and holding her to his chest.

She was fighting the tears back, buried against his soft gray sweater with her arms down at her sides. He said nothing, just letting her do what she needed, keeping her close. His hand rubbed gently along her back and he leaned in to kiss the top of her head.

"How about we just bleach it a little?" He whispered, "Make it brown rather than such a deep black?"

She scoffed and swatted at his chest and pulled back, but he wrapped the other arm around her to hold her to him with a grin. She shoved and huffed, her face scrunching up and her brows furrowing lower as she got annoyed.

"Don't be stupid! We can just bleach it after dying it that's ridiculous!" She scoffed, "You don't know anything."

"Well… can't you just let it rest a few days?" He asked, finally letting her wriggle away from him.

"It's like a month, idiot!" She spat, walking back towards her room.

He followed her as usual, watching her change out of the ratty t-shirt she used to get the job done. She scooped up at different shirt, but instead he said, "How about you pick something nice? Let's go out tonight. Just you and me."

"Pff, why?" She scoffed, and yet she walked over to the closet and looked through her shirts.

"We'll go eat, get some drinks maybe," he suggested, pulling off his gray sweater and stepping into her closet beside her. Neither one of them seemed ready to acknowledge an awful lot of his clothes were in there too. He gave her a sidelong glance then said, "Maybe some udon?"

She paused then tried not to smile. "… Can we get some fried shrimpies in it?"

Suguru laughed, holding up a nice button up shirt and checking the wrinkles. "Sure, that sounds perfect to me."

Boe paused then sighed dramatically then pointed at him, "Well then you need to shower and I gotta get ready."

"Do I stink?" He asked, lifting his arm preemptively, only to get it swatted down.

"No, you never stink," she huffed, "But if we're going out we're going out."

"Oh?" He smirked over his shoulder, "So is this our first official date then?"

Everything stopped and Boe almost dropped the dark dress in her hands. Her fingers wound into the fabric for a moment, fidgeting and unsure as she considered things. Then she turned to him.

"Yes. Let's call this a date."

Suguru was taken aback for a moment. He didn't expect that, actually. Not at all.

"Well, alright then," he said, keeping his face turned away from her.

If she caught him smiling like that she might change her mind…

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Suguru Geto didn’t do nervous. Not for curses, not for fights, not for anyone.