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Stuck in a house of three hundred square feet was a claustrophobic experience. When Sayo moved around to do chores, it always seemed like she’d accidentally knock Yukina over. They tried to keep movements to a minimum but sitting on a chair all day made for really sore muscles and tendons. That was why lying in bed became the most comfortable activity, at least there was some space to sprawl out.
And so, that was what Sayo chose to do on a calm evening in 2020, at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. She was reclining against a propped-up pillow, her legs covered in fluffy blankets, her laptop resting atop them as she stared vacantly at the screen playing a drama she had been following. It was another rerun – most TV programmes were delayed given the current worldwide situation. Still, having some noise in the background was comforting, returning a small bit of normality to these extraordinary circumstances.
It was then that Yukina decided to walk up to Sayo, but instead of speaking out, she crawled under the covers and plopped an arm around Sayo’s waist, blocking her view of the screen.
Yukina was like a cat at times.
Sayo closed the lid of her laptop and set it on the bedside table. She turned her eyes to Yukina, her expression softening with endearment as she gently raked her fingers down the silky lengths of Yukina’s freshly washed hair.
Yukina’s arm wrapped tighter around Sayo. She buried her face into Sayo’s side.
“Are the lights too bright for you?” Sayo asked. Yukina was quite sensitive to her environment. She’d always comment on how all those metal buckles on Ako’s outfits were distracting, and Lisa’s favourite red colour scheme gave her a headache. The past days stuck in their apartment had been especially hard on Yukina, as there was too little space for their belongings, so living with clutter was inevitable. It wasn’t so bad before; they spent most of the day out and only returned to the house in the evening anyway. Now, Yukina’s eyes had no chance to rest unless if she closed them, as she did quite often lately in growing lethargy.
“Sayo, I want to sleep,” Yukina mumbled. It wasn’t too late at night, but with little else to do, and a lack of motivation to work on another song for their band - which could only perform through video conferencing these days - Sayo decided that it was okay to go to bed early. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.
“Let me go turn off the lights.”
Sayo got off the bed and walked over to the light switch. She could faintly hear the rain outside from the nearby window. It wasn’t coming down too hard, just enough to give the city a light rinse. It was quite pleasant actually, so Sayo opened the window a crack to let in the sound.
Yukina immediately latched onto Sayo when she returned to bed. It was rare for her to be so physically clingy, but it wasn’t unwelcome, and Sayo took the chance to snuggle into Yukina’s embrace. The drizzling outside was so calming. Drip drop. Drip drop. Mixed in was the sound of the rainwater running downhill on the concrete road, occasionally interrupted by the lone passing vehicle that splashed through the flow with its tires. The breeze that came in through the opened window carried the rain’s scent, cool and refreshing. Closing their eyes, focusing on these sensations, they could trick themselves into believing that they were in a much wider space, like an open field, sheltered by a tree, rain dripping from the leaves into clear puddles.
But unlike the wilderness, it was safe here. The chill of the breeze was kept out by their shared warmth under the bed covers. What brushed their faces wasn’t the coarse texture of grass, but soft cotton. There was no dirt beneath them, only the clean mattress supporting their weights. They were wrapped in the tender caresses they gave each other. Sayo brushed a hand down Yukina’s back, feeling the contours of her spine and shoulder blades beneath the smooth silk of her night robe. This drew a contented hum from Yukina, who nuzzled closer into Sayo’s chest. Their thighs came to touch. Yukina wedged a leg between Sayo’s to bring them closer still. There was something really comforting about this physical contact. It was intimate. It felt secure.
They stayed like that for a while before Yukina shifted, lifting her head up to look Sayo in the eyes. Sayo returned the gaze, noting how Yukina’s features had relaxed compared to before, a bit cloudy from drowsiness. They were close, their breaths brushing each other. Sayo pressed her lips against Yukina’s for a goodnight kiss. Their practised movements soon found the right angle where their lips overlapped, and they gently tugged and rubbed against each other. It didn’t feel so lonely anymore. The nagging feeling of disconnection from the rest of the world had eased a little. Some time in the future, they’d be seeing their friends again. For now, Yukina and Sayo would weather the storm in the safety of their home, finding strength in their mutual love.