Chapter Text
Kokomi rested her chin on the table as she looked at the girl across her. Sara seemed focused on her homework, not sparing Kokomi a glance. They had fallen into the habit of studying together after school on days where the archer had no practice.
Initially, they’d meet in the library to do so since the silence allowed them to focus. It seemed like a good idea, but only for the first 2 hours. By the third hour, Kokomi’s attention span broke and she began inching closer to Sara. It didn’t take long for Kokomi to turn Sara’s shoulder into her pillow, and arm into her cushion.
Sara didn’t mind letting Kokomi use her as her personal pillow. What she did mind, were the looks directed their way. As much as Sara wanted everyone to know that Kokomi was hers, she wasn’t keen on being the center of attraction in the library. Her concentration slipped from her textbook to the watchful eyes that would occasionally pass them.
The archer brought it up on their walk home and suggested studying somewhere more private. Kokomi had offered to go over to Sara’s home, but the latter refused and offered to go over to Kokomi’s instead. After some going back and forth, they settled for alternating homes every week.
This week, they were in Sara’s room.
“Tired?” Sara asked, still writing on her exercise book.
“A little,” Kokomi mumbled.
“You could take a nap.”
Kokomi hummed in thought and straightened up. Instead of flopping onto the futon behind her, she crawled over to Sara’s left. Wordlessly, she lowered herself onto her elbow, ready to make Sara’s thigh her pillow.
Sara touched the shorter girl’s head and scooched back, turning slightly to give Kokomi access to her legs and space to lie down. She waited for Kokomi to get comfortable before getting back to work.
“I think this is better than the bed,” Kokomi giggled, looking up at Sara.
“You just like me as your pillow,” Sara rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. She stroked Kokomi’s crown with her left hand and moved to settle it on the girl’s abdomen.
“Can I get cuddles?” Kokomi asked, idly playing with Sara’s fingers.
“When I’m done.”
“And how long would that be?”
“Half an hour?”
“That long?” Kokomi tugged at Sara’s hand with a pout.
“Well, I’ll let you choose. You can get cuddles now for an hour and then I get back to work, or we can cuddle till you have to go home after I’m done,” Sara looked down at Kokomi who seemed to weigh her options seriously. The archer couldn’t help but laugh as she put her pen down, bringing her thumb to smooth the crease between Kokomi’s eyebrows.
“It’s not that serious, Komi.”
“It is!” the pastel-haired girl whined. “Fine, I’ll wait half an hour.”
Sara tapped the tip of Kokomi’s nose and got back to work, leaving her left hand in the latter’s grasp as a peace offering of sorts.
Listening to Sara’s breathing and the scribbles of pen against paper, Kokomi found her eyelids getting heavier.
A short nap wouldn’t hurt.
When she roused, she felt movement around her waist. She then realized her head was resting on something softer and so was the rest of her body. Forcing one eye open, she found herself with a clear view of the ceiling.
“Sorry, did I wake you?”
Kokomi turned to the voice by her side and was greeted by a faceful of Sara; literally and figuratively.
“Not really,” Kokomi croaked. “Did you carry me here?”
“Just like a child,” Sara laughed lightly. “You looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you.”
The shorter girl hummed and buried her head in Sara’s chest, tangling their legs under the covers.
With Sara gently stroking her head, Kokomi found her eyelids growing heavy. She drifted off for a second but jolted herself awake. She rubbed her eyes and tried to blink her fatigue away.
“Hmm? Don’t wanna sleep a little more?” Sara asked, shifting back slightly as Kokomi shook her head.
“No no… I uh… Uhm...” the smaller girl mumbled drowsily as she repeatedly patted Sara’s chest.
“You wanna get up to do something?” Sara guessed as she combed the disheveled pink bangs out of Kokomi’s face.
“I guess,” Kokomi pushed herself to sit up. “Felt like we should be a bit more productive than just napping.”
“What do you have in mind?” the archer asked, stroking her girlfriend’s back.
“Ugh, I don’t know,” the pastel-haired girl flopped onto Sara. “Maybe I just want to be awake so I can remember spending time with you.”
“Oh you…” Sara laughed, knuckling Kokomi’s head. Moving her hand down, she settled her fingers by the base of the latter’s skull, gently caressing the back of Kokomi’s neck.
“What time is it?”
“About 6? At least that’s when I last checked.”
“I’ll go around 7 then,” Kokomi shifted to get comfortable atop the girl. “Have to be home for dinner.”
“Mmhm. Mm, I have to stay late tomorrow for group work,” Sara tapped her index finger on Kokomi’s shoulder blade.
“Means I won’t be seeing you tomorrow?” the shorter girl looked up at Sara.
“Only for lunch.”
“You’ve got practice the day after too.”
“If you’re still around when my practice ends, I’ll find you and we can walk home together.” Sara traced her finger down Kokomi’s spine, making the girl shiver. “Sounds good?”
“I guess I’ll have to charge my Sara-meter real full today,” Kokomi grinned. She inched up, trailing kisses down the archer’s jaw to her neck.
“Dessert before dinner?” Sara asked breathily, tilting her head to give the girl more space.
“I prefer calling it an appetizer.”
“Text me when you’re home?” Kokomi asked, giving Sara a hug.
“Even though it’s a 10-minute walk home?”
“We’ve watched enough documentaries to know better.”
“Touché.” Sara laughed. “In you go, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Kokomi squeezed the archer’s hand before letting go, entering the lift. Sara waited till the doors closed before turning to walk home.
“Lunch tomorrow…” Sara mumbled to herself in thought.
The crisp spring breeze washed over her as she strolled. Just like that, almost a year had flown by since she first met Kokomi. They were already juniors and Sara could only wish for time to slow down. She wanted to savor every second she could with Kokomi while they were still in high school; the time in life that most people romanticize about falling in love and all that.
Then again, there was a certain thrill about being able to spend their remaining teenage years together. Time waits for no one but Sara could live with that.
Snapping out of her musing, she realized she was at the foot of her apartment block. Fishing out her phone, she typed up a text to let her girlfriend know she was home. She decided to take a shower before preparing dinner seeing as it was still early by her standards.
As she entered the shower, something in the mirror’s reflection caught her eye; a dark red mark just below her left clavicle. Her lips curled into an uncontrollable grin as her heart thumped wildly.
“Archons, I need help,” Sara slapped her hands over her face and entered the shower.