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Raine and Eda had been best friends for a long while. They each had feelings for the other, and they both knew it. Raine felt ready for a romantic relationship, and wanted more than anything to begin one with her. Eda, on the other hand, was much more hesitant. She feared that if they began dating and broke up for one reason or another, that she would lose them completely. She couldn’t bear to imagine a life without her best friend.
The two had spoken about it many times before, but it always ended the same way.
“We could make this work, Eda. We could be more than friends, become, you know, partners in crime to the end of time.”
“I dunno Raine. I really like you, I do.” A pause. “But what if things don’t work out? You’re my best friend, I love you too much to risk losing you completely if we broke it off for whatever reason.”
Then one day like any other, Eda realized just how lonely she was. She decided to ask Raine for something the next time she saw them.
“Heya Rainstorm! I have a question for you.” Eda smiles at Raine.
“Sure Eda, what’s up?” Raine smiles back.
Eda hesitates. “I guess I’ll just tell you as it is.” She looks at the ground. “Honestly lately I’ve been feeling really… alone. So I was thinking, since you’re my closest friend, I figured I’d ask you for help.”
“Okay…?” Raine looks at her questioningly.
Blushing, Eda looks back up at Raine. “I wanted to know if you’d want to come over tonight. We could play music together, or work on spells, or play some Hexes Hold'em. Or just, you know, hang out and talk.”
“I’m down!” Raine smiles wide.
“Okay, cool! See you tonight then?”
“See you tonight.”
~ ~ ~
There’s a knock on the door. Eda gets up off the couch, then walks over to the door. She pauses before opening it, taking a moment to run her fingers through her hair and to straighten out her red dress. She opens the door.
Raine stands before her, carrying a cooler-type bag. “Um, hey Eda.”
“Hey Raine, come on in.” Eda smiles as they step inside. “What’s in the bag?”
“Oh, just some apple blood. I thought it might be nice to have tonight." Raine shrugs.
“Very nice idea!” Eda starts walking towards the couch, gesturing for Raine to follow.
The two of them sit side by side on the couch, facing each other. Raine places the bag on the table, within arms reach of both of them. They each take a box.
They start the evening with some cards, then music, drinking their apple blood throughout. By late evening the two of them are finished with all of the apple blood, now simply talking and laughing, having an all around good time with each other.
Giggly from all of the apple blood, Raine lets out a long yawn. “I’m having a wonderful time with you right now, but I am getting a little tired. What’s the sleeping situation going to be like tonight? Should I sleep on the couch? Or will there be a second place to sleep in your room?”
“You don’t have to sleep on the couch, though I don’t have any extra beds in my room. But … there’s plenty of room in my bed if you want to share with me?” Eda blushes.
“Yeah, that sounds nice.” Raine follows Eda as she leads them to her room. She climbs into bed first, then they follow.
They lay facing each other, with a few feet separating them. “So,” Eda starts, then pauses.
“Yeah?” Raine prompts.
“So, I’ve been thinking. I’ve been feeling sort of… touch-starved recently. While we’re here together I wanted to know if you’d want to like... cuddle?" She looks at them earnestly, then quickly adds, "But just, you know, as friends.”
Raine smiles. “If you want to ‘friend cuddle’ I’m down. But first I think the action needs a better name. How about, ‘fruddle’?” They giggle.
“Haha yeah, that works.” Eda giggles along with them. “Alright so, um, is this okay?” Eda scoots closer to Raine, wrapping her arm around them.
“Absolutely. Is this okay?” Raine wraps their legs around hers.
“Definitely.” Both of their hearts are racing, but neither wants the other to know it.
Bodies now intertwined, their faces naturally get very close. They lay like that for a while, each of them wordlessly taking the other in.
After a long, tense, silence, Raine speaks up. “I just wish there was a way to show you how I really feel,” they say.
“What do you mean?” Eda already has a strong feeling of what Raine means, and her heart beats even faster.
“What I mean is, how I feel about you.” Raine looks her in the face.
“I think I know a way.” Eda looks back at Raine, then blushes and quickly turns away.
“Oh yeah? What is it?” Raine smiles.
“Not telling.” Eda shakes her head, looking back at Raine’s face.
“Mm-hmm.” Looking deeply into her eyes, Raine leans in, now close enough for her to feel their breath, gentle on her face. Softly, they tell her, “Well I have an idea too.” They pause and take a deep breath, then blush. “Edalyn Clawthorne, may I kiss you?”
Returning and maintaining their deep gaze, Eda blushes brightly. “Yes. Yes, I’d like that very much.”
Legs still intertwined, the pair leans forward, closing the short distance between their faces. Raine places their hand on Eda’s cheek as their lips finally meet. They share a long kiss, soft and gentle. They stay locked in each other’s lips, feeling the immense tension that had built up between them begin to melt away. Their embrace feels endless. Then, both winded, they pull away, remaining close enough to feel each other’s warm breath on their faces.
Looking ever so deeply into her eyes, Raine whispers breathlessly, “I love you, Eda. I’ve loved you for a very long time.”
Heart absolutely racing, Eda sits up, gracefully shifting from her spot laying next to Raine, now straddling their lap. Looking back into their eyes, Eda whispers, “I love you too, Raine.” Then she leans down, kissing them even more passionately. The two of them hold each other tightly as they continue to kiss, feeling the rest of the tension melt away completely.
Now having let it all out, Eda pulls away, her eyes welling up as she glances at their lips, then looks into their eyes. She collapses back next to them, pulling them close. “Oh Rainstorm, what are we doing? What if things don’t work out? I love you too much to risk losing you completely.”
“We’ll figure it out. We’re in this together, we’ll make it work. I promise.” Raine reaches out, wiping her tears away.
Eda sniffles, looking back at them.“Okay. I trust you.” She lets out a small, content smile. “We’ll be partners in crime until the end of time." With that, Eda curls up into Raine, closing her eyes. “Goodnight, Rainstorm.”
Raine pulls the blanket up to cover them both. Sitting up slightly, they lean over to kiss Eda on the cheek. “Goodnight Eda.” Then, closing their eyes too, they curl up back into her.
The two drift off to sleep, safe in each others’ arms.