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Ibara hated storms, Kinoko noted.
Rain was alright. Rain was refreshing, and Ibara had living vines growing out of her scalp and probably had gotten her blood replaced with chlorophyll by virtue of genetics, if the green tinge to her skin had anything to say about it. Rain seemed like it was nice for her, and Ibara would run outside and just dance around in the drops whenever there was any semblance of a drizzle. Kinoko would always smile, watching her girlfriend enjoying herself outside, and would make sure there was a nice pile of pillows and blankets for when she came back inside. Kinoko was nothing if not an absolute sucker for cuddles.
But there was a difference between rain and storms. Rain could come down hard, but it was nurturing for plants nonetheless. Storms, on the other hand, were made of violent winds and crashing thunder that ripped the ground (and the plants) apart. Storms were frankly a bit terrifying, even to Kinoko– although the aftermath was wonderful for all the fungus growth, and it made Kinoko’s training fights a lot easier to win, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that it was currently storming to all hell and back and Kinoko wasn’t anywhere near the dorms, having gone for a walk before it had all started. Which meant Ibara was alone in there.
Which meant that Kinoko was now running as fast as her legs would take her to get back to the dorms.
The thunder was genuinely rattling the window panes of the buildings she passed by, and Kinoko winced with every flash of lightning that lit up the sky. This was probably Ibara’s worst nightmare– there had never been a storm this bad, not that Kinoko could remember, and knowing how Ibara reacted to storms far smaller than this…
Kinoko ran faster.
By the time the dorms were at last within view, Kinoko wasn’t sure if she was panting from sprinting so hard or from panic at the thought of what Ibara must’ve been feeling. Through the doors, up the stairs, and into the common room with dripping hair she went, kicking off shoes and ripping her coat off to race down the hallway. Ibara’s door was closed. She didn’t bother knocking, instead throwing the thing open as one more clap of thunder rattled the world.
Ibara looked distraught.
She was on the floor, shoved into a corner and curled into a ball with hands clasped together in a white-knuckled grip. Her hair was everywhere, wrapping around every solid object in the room almost to the point of breaking things, thorns poking out at odd angles and shining in the flashing lights. The lights were off in the room, but with every flash of lightning, Kinoko was able to see just how pale her girlfriend was. She barely managed to close the door behind her as she stumbled over, dropping to her knees beside the taller girl and throwing her arms around her. Ibara was full-bodied shaking like a leaf (hah) in a storm (hAH) and Kinoko could hear her muttering under her breath. She held her tighter.
“Ibara. Ibara, please breathe, I’m right here. I’ve got you, darling, I’ve got you…”
“This is punishment upon us for our sins, it’s–”
“Ibara, you need to breathe.” Kinoko adjusted herself on the floor, pulling Ibara more into her. “Come on, darling, deep breath inwards. I’m right here with you, okay?”
“Alright…” Ibara whispered back. She was still shaking, flinching with every loud noise, but Kinoko could feel her chest expand as she gulped in air. She smiled. “Would you like music?”
“Yes, please…” Ibara whispered back. Kinoko shifted, keeping close while she reached for the headphones that were normally left on the bed. Carefully, she placed them over her girlfriend’s ears and pulled her phone out of her pocket, plugging them into the headphone jack and pulling up the playlist she’d made specifically for times like this. Soothing music began to pour into Ibara’s ears as Kinoko resumed rubbing her back. The two were breathing in tandem soon, Kinoko mentally counting the seconds as they passed to make sure Ibara wouldn’t hyperventilate and to calm herself down as well. Soon, she felt the taller girl relax. With a smile, Kinoko glanced up.
Ibara’s hair had relaxed its grip on the room by now, unravelling from bedposts and table legs to lie gently around the space. The thorns looked far less sharp by now and seemed to be smaller, which made Kinoko heave a sigh of relief.
Something tickled her cheek.
Slowly, Kinoko turned around to find a soft pink flower as the culprit, petals unfurled proudly to show the yellow center. She looked up curiously at more movement, watching as another one bloomed. Then there was another, with blue petals this time. Another, purple. Kinoko watched in amazement as Ibara’s hair bloomed in a myriad of colours, petals unfurling from tiny green buds. Yellow, blue, pink, red, even a few shining white ones. Ibara seemed blissfully unaware of what was happening with her hair, humming along softly to whatever song was playing with a slight smile. Kinoko grinned, hugging her tighter and making her look up.
“What is it?” Ibara asked, moving one side of the headset back from her ear. Kinoko could hear the gentle melody flowing from the speakers now. She shook her head, giving the girl a quick kiss.
“Just forgot how beautiful you are, that’s it.” Ibara blushed green, covering her face with one free hand.
“You flatter me too much.”
“No I don’t!!!” Ibara whined at the words, burying her face in Kinoko’s shoulder. Kinoko adjusted herself to a more comfortable position, still rubbing tiny circles into her girlfriend’s back. They lapsed into a comfortable silence for a few minutes as Kinoko watched the storm slowly subside. She was tired, she realized. Maybe from the running or maybe from the stress. Whichever it was, it was warm in here and Ibara’s weight was comforting, so she was slowly teetering on the edge of falling asleep, the longer the two sat there. Idly, she counted raindrops as they raced down the window pane, feeling Ibara turn her head slightly.
“...thank you.” The girl mumbled. Kinoko hummed gently, leaning more on the girl.
Later, Kendou would find them like that, asleep and with limbs tangled together with Ibara’s still-flowering vines wrapped around them like blankets. She just smiled and shook her head, leaving them be.
Ibara hated storms, and Kinoko knew that full well, but she couldn’t bring herself to hate them as much. The rain always brought the most beautiful flowers, after all.