Chapter Text
The two cats were running outside and flying their kites. It had been a while since Mike and Amaya actually hung out and maybe it’d be great to make the most of this fun day.
Mike felt like he was hanging out with Lucy but even with Lucy, she’d probably ruin it by shit talking him and just overall repeat JERKFACE for the entirety of them flying kites. With Amaya it felt too different, for one she doesn’t talk and two, Amaya never does anything to hurt a person’s feelings.
The kites went up and up to where it seemed that either Mike or Amaya would let go due to how strong the wind was getting every time they ran. No matter what, neither would give up letting go of their strings. Finally both stopped running to catch their breath under the tree that somehow Mike loved sitting at.
Mike and Amaya sat down under the tree and decided that looking at the clouds would seem a little more relaxing. The korat laid on his back and watched, though something occurred to him. Amaya seemed like a good friend compared to his group of friends, and Lucy might not be part of it anymore due to her being a pain in the ass to everybody. Why did she come back? All she ever really did was be an asshole and give me the cold shoulder…
Suddenly, Mike looked at Amaya distracted from the clouds. Now the memory of when he rejected her offer to the dance back in 8th grade flashed before his eyes.
What would have happened if he said yes? It wouldn’t really mean that much since Lucy would just be all over and that dance will easily be forgotten.
He spoked up. “Amaya.”
The Tabby turned her head to Mike and nodded.
“Do you ever remember that time in 8th grade? The dance?” She once again nodded her head though confused on where Mike was going with his question.
He hesitated a bit but continued. “When I said no to your invitation… Did it hurt your spirits?”
She understood, this time her smile didn’t match the nervous expression that started appearing on her face.
Mike noticed, he too started getting nervous. Both cats' faces were red as the two faced away from each other.
It was getting pretty late for Mike, he got up and told Amaya he was heading home. He asked Amaya if she wanted him to walk her home, now realizing, Mike started apologizing for saying that knowing he and Amaya didn’t even live closely to each other. Amaya gently got up and accepted Mike’s accidental offer though for Mike he didn’t want to be rude and just declined his own offer.
So they started walking away from the hill where the tree stood. Mike carried his kite while Amaya carried hers, and at first nothing too awkward happened.
Amaya remembered when Mike first joined the mmo, and picked a Flower Mage as his character. Embarrassing yet funny since Mike acted so much like his character. Stacy didn’t like the idea of having Mike join, luckily Mike got the swing of things and back to the way the game goes.
A memory of when she had feelings for Mike rolled in. Amaya really wanted Mike to go to the dance with her but he didn’t like dances either way. It did hurt a bit for her, though Sue being a best friend managed to cheer themselves up by looking at skateboards and such. It interested Amaya a little too much that she had bought her own and now loves spending extra time rolling those wheels when she’s not working at the Theater or has somebody covering for her.
Halfway to Amaya’s house, Mike stopped. Amaya caught notice of him, walked over and wondered what was wrong?
There, a thought came to Mike. After he broke up with Sandy, he and Amaya started getting close, to where Sue considered them a couple which he only shrugged it off though it was true. They sat next to each other at lunch, David managed a bunch of jokes of Mike wanting him to invite her in the Janitor closet. The lunch table went quiet only for Paulo to jokingly encourage it, only making things even more worse.
It took a lot of convincing for him to take Amaya out on a date from Sue. That’s where Mike started falling in love again with her, he realized Sue was watching the date by sitting at a table next to the window.
Another thing that happened where Mike ended up falling on Amaya after David ran off with his phone. While running, Paulo was there waiting for Mike and stuck out his foot, Mike tripped but Paulo didn’t know Amaya was in front of Mike so when he fell, it looked like they were about to have tongue to tongue. David hurried back, seeing Mike on top of Amaya. “Have Sex!”
He returned back to his current mindset, seeing Amaya standing there waiting for a response. “Sorry, just remembering the project due next week.”
They continued walking until Amaya’s house was in view. Finally Mike confessed. “Amaya… I have something to tell you.” Amaya’s eyes widened after ‘Tell you’ got out. She nodded for him to continue, so Mike went on.
“After me and Sandy broke up, I really appreciated you going over and making me feel like a person. I never thought of you that way until we started going out together. Today felt as though me and you were really something… Memories started flowing over, how much everybody saw us as more than friends.
“What I’m really trying to say is, thank you for being there.”
Mike lowered his head a bit to hide his blushing face. She stood in front of him, not knowing what she could say to him due to her never really speaking.
That’s where Mike decided to finally say the words, only everything else trying to stop him from doing so.
Even with that, it just couldn’t fully stop Mike. “What I’m trying to say is…. Amaya, I love you.”
Finally Mike said it, after all those days it finally came out. He never thought the day would come, now that he confessed a bigger question was what will the other person say to this?
Mike didn’t expect anything else to come out. Maybe Amaya will just walk home, leading to the two feeling uncomfortable with each other. A light voice spoke.
“I love you too.”
There, the Korat stood with eyes wide and his gray tail standing straight. Not too long, Mike's face started to blush a tart red. Sandy said "I love you" all the time to Mike, even when she made her little mistakes. She claims they were little mistakes, with Francis… He felt no emotional attachment towards Sandy after that. Everything she tried to tell him felt meaningless. Amaya's sudden words meant more.
"A-Amaya…I never heard you speak before." Mike said nervously. Amaya smiled brighter, almost as bright as the sun itself. She continued. "I don't feel comfortable showing my voice. But with you Mike, maybe that can change. If you don't mind."
She felt a bit ashamed, her eyes looking down with embarrassment. Mike instantly responded "NO! No, don't be. Being completely honest, You have a very cute voice, Amaya."
She looked back at Mike, feeling a bit better. Amaya had her fingers crossed, trying to control herself. Her feelings felt overwhelmed. She had always wanted to express herself but couldn't. Without speaking, it proved difficult to her friends. All she could rely on was the minimal expressions in her face. It could be different. Just once, once I can be myself. Will they reject me? Will I have to hide my voice forever? Amaya began shaking a bit. I don't want to be a nobody. Please, let this be different. Just please. She begged for a new life, a better life. Finally, she couldn't keep Mike standing there. Amaya ran towards Mike.
Mike felt Amaya embracing him. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, refusing to let go. His eyes watered. He needed a hug. Mike hugged back. He closed his eyes as he laid his head on Amaya's shoulder. Fully letting his guard down. Both of the cats felt like they could finally breathe. Their own kind of stress being lifted off their shoulders with each other's company and love. Further apart and the weight of their stress could just crush them.
Neither wanted to let go of each other's brace. Everybody needs a hug. Everybody.