"His soul...?" I repeated, looking at Yuto with wide eyes from my place next to Sora on my bed. Yuto's face was completely serious as he explained, leaning against the wall next to Haruka, who sat in the rocking chair, listening intently.
"I think Sora's soul is compatible with yours, and your mark is reacting to it."
My brow furrowed, unable to understand what I was hearing. Yuto went on, trying to break it down for me to wrap my head around.
"When Sora stands close to you, your body assumes that your soul has been returned to you, and it starts to cleanse away the bruise infecting you."

"So what does that mean...?"

I felt more at ease as Sora laid his hand over mine. Yuto let out a breath, seeming to mull it over. "I think it means... That we may just be able to heal you..."
Heal me?
Sora's hand tightened over mine, instantly interested. "What do we have to do?"

"Well," Yuto went on thoughtfully, "I'm not sure how it'll effect either of you, but... We might just be able to transfer part of your soul to her."

Sora and I exchanged awed glances, the idea sinking in. Sora giving me part of his soul?
Somehow that sounded so greedy...
"Will it hurt him...?" I immediately felt the need to ask. After all, that part of it was the most important to me.
Yuto looked at me with a soft expression. "Don't worry! The fact that your body reacted how it did means that your souls were meant to be linked in the first place. Your body should be able to absorb part of it easily, and Sora's soul should be strong enough to handle the transfer."
Our souls were meant to be linked...?
Somehow that made my face feel warm. Was that just a fancy way of saying we were soul mates....??
Yuto grinned broadlyー a ray of sunshine same as always.
Sora squeezed my hand again, and I couldn't help but wonder if it was a way to get my attention. He addressed Yuto again before I could say anything.
"What do I have to do?"
Sora... You're really willing to share your soul with me...?
I blushed quietly as Yuto pondered that for a brief moment. "Mm... I'd have to look and see if I still have my old soul beads... I haven't used them in centuries."
Centuries? Yuto's old?!
Yuto continued, breaking me out of my thoughts. "Ayano's body reacts by simple contact, so you'd probably be able to transfer it by touch..."
Touch...?
My heart fluttered and Sora turned to waggle his eyebrows at me, earning him a smack in the arm. I could hear Haruka snickering in the corner and I sneered at her.
Yuto stood up and we raised our heads to look at him. "Alright! Let's get started, shall we?"

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

As awkward as it was, Sora and I sat side by side on the bed, surrounded by odd, turquoise colored rocksー presumably the "soul beads" Yuto had mentioned ー with Haruka and Yuto standing there as an obnoxious audience.
"Okay," Yuto began, gripping onto a colorful, beaded necklace. "Let's try this. Sit close together."
Ignoring the heat I felt in my face, I did as I was instructed, not daring to look at Sora, knowing that he'd be smiling for sure. I kept my eyes fixed on Yuto, who closed his eyes and focused all his energy on the beads in his grasp, which began to glow. In seconds, I quickly realized that so were we.
I looked at Sora, and he looked back at me as our skin lit up. I could feel it thenー a warmth in my chest. Was this... Sora's soul filling me?
It was just a passing thought, for in a matter of seconds, the feeling left and went cold, and I winced a slight sting in my chest. I knew Sora must've felt it too, as I saw his face contort.
And then the glowing stopped, and I let out a breath, laying a hand over my chest.
We both looked at Yuto, who looked exhausted by the endeavor, and he looked back at us.
"It didn't work..."
Yuto looked down thoughtfully.
"... Maybe you need to be closer."

"....how close...?"

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Take twoー Sora and I were now laying pressed against each other, my arms wrapped around one of his as I tried my best to nestle as close to his chest as possible.

Please work....

But it didn't. We had the same reaction as last time. What were we doing wrong...?
Finally, Yuto told us quietly.
"... I think what you need is... Skin on skin... Contact."

My face instantly reddened. "I SWEAR YUTO, IF YOU SAY WE HAVE TO GET NAKED..."

"No, no...! You don't have to go that far...!"

I smacked Sora in the arm when I heard him chuckling. But he still kept smiling at me.
"Should I just take off my shirt?"

"No! Keep your shirt on, weirdo!"

"Why? Our skin is supposed to touch. You should take your shirt off, too."

"No way! Shut up...!"

"Cmon! We have tー"

"I'll just do this...!!"

Without even thinking, I raised a hand and forced it up Sora's shirt, pressing it against his stomachー skin on skin.
Sora looked as surprised as I was at my actions, but I couldn't possibly take it back now. Then his face softened, and he grinned at me. "That'll work just fine."
Before I could respond, he took both of his hands and forced them up under my hemー careful to avoid my bruiseー pressing his palms gingerly against my sides.
I tried not to squeak.
His hands were cold!
Yuto grinned at us, reminding me that we, in fact, had an audience. "That should work! Let's try this one more time..."
I held my breath as Yuto started again, and our bodies began to glow. I felt the warmth of Sora's soul seep into me again, flooding my body. And this time... It stayed.
The glowing died down and I never felt better. All my muscles relaxed, and I felt warm and safe... Like I did in Sora's arms.
I looked up and him and smiled.
"It worked, Sora."