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The slow putter of a motor rumbling beneath. A slightly off-key hum from the backseat. The high beam of their vehicle fading into the vague blackness before them. To Chito, they were more than familiar sensations at this point--they were barometrics, reminders that she was still here in the now, monotony that could be focused upon and even cherished.
Yuuri, of course, wasn’t really concerned with that sort of mindfulness right now, instead cramming a flashlight under a rationed blanket to get a better look at what the two of them had procured hours earlier in an old skyscraper--paperbound books filled with pictures and words. Not that she could read any of them, but she could enjoy the stylized images just fine. Everything in the book had this light, fluffy, comforting vibe, accentuated by finely drawn flower petals and large panels of the characters looking on with wettened eyes.
Yuuri casually flipped through the pages, trying and failing to determine the plot, when she happened upon a two-page spread with exquisite detail. In it, two of the more prominent girls in the story had pressed their faces together, meeting at the lips. Yuuri hadn’t seen anything like it before, but something about the sight made her heart race. She squirmed out of the blanket and moved towards Chito, still driving in silence. “Hey, hey, what’s this?”
“What’s what?”
“Thisssssss.” Yuuri crammed the book spread into the back of Chito’s head, forcing her to brake sharply.
“Don’t bother me while I’m driving!” Chito snapped, twisting her torso around and tugging on Yuuri’s cheeks like they were made of taffy.
“Ai’m shorry,” Yuuri mewled through her embattled mouth.
Having delivered her moment of retribution, Chito squinted at the book in Yuuri’s hands. “What is it?”
“It’s two people putting their lips together.”
“Oh that? I think that’s called kissing.”
“Ohhhhh,” said Yuuri. “But why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do they do it? Kissing, I mean.”
Chito shrugged, bringing the transport to a stop and kicking her legs off the pedals to more properly face Yuuri. “I’m not sure. There must be some reason.”
“...Should we find out?”
Chito felt her blood warm all across her body at the mere suggestion. “What exactly are you implying?”
“We could always figure it out firsthand.”
Yuuri’s meaning was now crystal clear, as was the pink dusting her face. Chito crammed down the urge to bonk her on the head--it wouldn’t take long to ‘test’ it, and she had to admit she was curious herself. “A-Alright. Let’s take a pit stop and try it out, then.”
“Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay.”
The two had parked on a flat hilltop right before it was about to incline upward, and considering the hour, it looked like their resting place for the night. They unloaded their supplies with typical listlessness, ashy snow dotting their sleeping bags as they nestled them within the vehicle’s back, piling on extra blankets as they sat there facing each other while kneeling.
...So how did this work?
Were they just supposed to go for it? Or move in slowly? How far apart were they supposed to be? Should they lean a lot or be so close that they shared body heat? And what were they supposed to do with their hands? Just let them dangle? Hook them around each other’s shoulders? Wrap them around each other’s waists?
Yuuri’s inquisitive look broke up Chito’s thoughts. Right. They didn’t really have a manual for this one--aside from Yuuri’s book, she supposed--so it was better to just figure it out as they went. “Let’s get a little closer.”
Yuuri scooted forward on her knees, not shedding even one layer of her blanket cocoon as she ended up about a foot from Chito’s face.
“We should probably do this without the blankets. They might snag us.”
“Rogeeeeeer.” Yuuri cast off her wrappings in a movement both sudden and somehow lazy.
They stood stiffly for several moments, looking blankly into each other’s eyes. “Should I go ahead?” asked Yuuri calmly.
“W-Wait right there. I’ll do it.” Chito wasn’t quite sure what constituted such an action besides just mushing their lips together, but if she’d learned anything about interacting with Yuuri, it was that Chito preferred to be the one with a handle on things whenever possible.
She raised her arms robotically, stiffly clamping her hands around Yuuri’s shoulders. The rifles slung around their shoulders jostled slightly in place. Snow grazed the tips of their reddened noses. Both of their legs remained frozen in place, knees not so much as quivering. Yuuri wore her usual carefree grin, but remained suspiciously silent--whether that was due to holding one of her goofy remarks back or just nervousness, it wasn’t clear.
Gathering herself, Chito began to lean her head in.
What was she meant to do with her lips? Pucker them up? Just let them glide smoothly towards Yuuri’s? Something else? And why was she getting so warm all of a sudden? Wasn’t it supposed to be freezing right now?
Soon all her thoughts disappeared, save for how close Yuuri was.
Until they were as close as close could be.
It was a peculiar sensation.
At first it was chalky, tasting of chocolate flavor that probably wasn’t what chocolate tasted like, residue from the rations Yuuri’d been snacking on only a half hour ago. But after that it became smooth. Sweet. An indescribable softness, ever so slightly chilled by the night breeze… and the comfort in letting herself rest upon it.
When Chito finally pulled away, it was only because of the recognition of how long it had lasted. Yuuri was still wearing that dopey grin, but the foggy breath coming out of her nostrils seemed… greater, somehow. For a moment, neither said anything, the taste lingering on their lips.
“Th-There we go. A kiss.” Chito had meant to say it matter-of-factly, but it had come out frazzled and uncertain. “You happy?”
Yuuri hummed giddily and nodded.
“Good. Though I’m still not sure what the function of something like that would be… is it for raising body temperature? But hugging would be better for that…”
“Who needs a reason?” asked Yuuri. “It felt good, didn’t it? Isn’t that enough reason to do it?”
Chito stared at her face. Under the streetlamps, as the snow fell all about… Yuuri’s face seemed even brighter than usual. “I suppose you’re right. It felt good. That’s all that matters.”
“Wanna do it again?”
“I’m tired,” said Chito hastily, not lying but exaggerating the weariness in her now-slackened arms. “We can do more tomorrow.”
Yuuri beamed. “That’s something to look forward to, then.”
Chito didn’t reply to that.
They gathered blankets together in big bundles before finding positions in the back seat where they could get snug. They ended up lying down right next to each other, raising up a canopy to hide from the bad weather.
“Good night,” said Yuuri.
“Good night,” said Chito.
And all was silent, save the icy gales that cut through the air. Chito tried to close her eyes, shutting off the industrial lights that fogged her vision, as Yuuri’s droning snores began to fill her eardrums.
Something to look forward to, huh…
...She would keep that firmly in mind as she drifted off into slumber.