Chapter Text
ichika stared at the rain that poured from outside the window. she fixed her eyes on the raindrops that clung to the windowsill, slowly dripping down. she shuddered slightly at the unrelenting sound of the deluge of rain, booming thunder, and the following lighting that failed to cease amidst the downpour. she jumped in her place at the rumbling and crackling that filled the sky. a sudden warmth enveloped her shoulders and back while she was distracted. she turned to see a quilted blanket wrapped around her and hands placed firmly on her shoulders.
“you okay?” the voice behind her asked gently. ichika couldn’t help but smile at the sound.
“i’m alright, shiho. it’s just… i’m not sure how i’ll be able to walk back home in this weather.” she whispered almost inaudibly, turning to get a glimpse of the hanging wall clock in shiho’s room.
her guitar that she had brought along with her was still hung around her body, though shiho’s bass lay next to her without its owner. the countless sheets of paper in front of her were scribbled with notes and filled with pencil smudges and marks that they could not quite seem to get off. glasses of water that were barely touched balanced on opposite ends of the table, nearly hovering over the edges to make space for the papers. pencils threatened to fall from the foldable table that stood before them, rolling back and forth before dropping with a soft clang. ichika kept her eyes trained on the clock above them, watching it in silence.
tick, tick, tick.
it was 9pm. ichika spun around to look back at the window. the rain was still as persistent as it was before, and the night sky only turned darker with time. she couldn’t keep her frown from deepening at the sight. she had never been the biggest fan of rain. the downcast weather reminded her of a time in middle school she wished to not look back on. she forced herself to tear her gaze away from the window and lowered her head, pondering what to do as she grabbed the ends of the quilt and pulled them further down her body.
“you know, you could just stay over if you want. i can get my parents to call yours.” she heard shiho mumble sheepishly. ichika felt her heart almost skip a beat at her words. she turned her head and peered over her shoulder, staring at shiho who couldn’t bring herself to meet her eyes.
“is that really okay?” she dared to ask. shiho shrugged in response, “i mean, it’s pretty late and the weather doesn’t look too good. besides, it’s not as if it’s the first time you’ve stayed over.”
“but it’s different this time…” ichika uttered under her breath, a sound so faint it would easily go unheard if she were around anyone else. unfortunately for her, it just so happened to be shiho by her side at that very moment. “different? how so?” ichika felt herself tense up at her question.
why the hell did i say that?
“it’s nothing.” she recovered quickly, shifting her weight to face the other way to avoid shiho’s presence that was now behind her. her crush on her bandmate and best friend was never really that big of an issue. they had been best friends for as long as she could remember, and playing off her fondness for the younger as simple friendly affection was easy enough. it never really convinced saki and honami, but it had always worked on the intended person.
it was when she and the rest of leo/need pledged to shiho that they were devoted to being professionals alongside her that flipped the switch within ichika. whenever the four would go out for meals, ichika couldn’t help but peek at shiho who would always be seated opposite her every once in a while. whenever they had band practice, ichika would always make use of her advantageous position to walk over to shiho during songs. whenever they were together, no matter the situation, ichika would always think to turn to her and stand by her side. ichika never realised her ever-growing crush on shiho only until she was in too deep.
her train of thought was quickly cut off by the sound of paper rustling.
“well, if you say so.” shiho responded, picking up their sheets of paper before slotting them neatly into a plastic file. “i’ve already gotten my parents to contact yours. your parents know you’re staying over, so you don’t have to worry, alright?” she added, setting the cups and pencils on her actual desk and storing the foldable table in her closet.
she mustered the courage to look back at shiho who was pulling out a futon from under her bed. she had to force herself to stifle a yawn that threatened to be heard at the sight of the soft mattress. shiho, being shiho, managed to pick up on it. her low chuckle made the butterflies in ichika’s stomach flutter for what seemed to be the tenth time that day.
“alright sleepyhead, you can get in bed.” shiho laughed, crawling onto the futon. ichika tilted her head, “why are you sleeping on the futon?” shiho raised an eyebrow at her as if she had said something out of pocket.
“because you’re gonna be sleeping on the bed?” she explained in a matter of factly tone. ichika’s eyes widened as she pulled the guitar strap over her head and scurried over to shiho’s side next to the futon, raising her hands in a waving motion.
“no, no. i couldn’t sleep on your bed. this is your room and your house. i’ll sleep on the futon!”
shiho sighed, though not in an annoyed manner. the gentle smile on her face soon morphed into a small smirk. “hm? does ichika not like the idea of sleeping on my bed? are you disgusted by it?” she teased. ichika immediately shot to her feet and scrambled towards shiho’s bed, panicking as if she had done something to offend the other. shiho couldn’t help but titter at the sight.
“i’m just kidding, ichika. but good to know you don’t mind it.” she joked. ichika huffed as she threw the quilt onto shiho and grabbed the sheets of her bed, pulling it up to cover her as she laid flat.
“goodnight, ichika.” she heard shiho say from beneath her.
“goodnight to you too.” she murmured.
as she felt herself slowly drift into a slumber, a sudden crackle of lighting jolted her awake. her eyes flew open at the sonorous thunder and resonant lighting that grew louder and louder from outside the safety of the room. the unrelenting rain continued to pour, the trickling sounds of water hitting the windowsill every second. ichika felt her heart pound rapidly at the noises. her hands instinctively reached out for the sheets, bunching it up in her fists. she caught herself trying to gasp for air, as if she was trapped underwater. as she squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to make the sensations go away, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist securely.
she whirled her head around instantly, her eyes meeting shiho’s half-lidded ones. “shiho?” she breathed out, “what are you–” her sentence was abruptly cut off when she felt shiho nuzzle her head in the crook of her neck.
“you’re going to be alright, ichika.” she whispered, her breath warm on ichika’s neck. her embrace was firm but far from uncomfortable. she was close but somehow not as close as ichika would have wished for. ichika felt her heart race for a different reason.
lighting struck yet again and ichika felt herself jump. shiho shifted even closer and her arms that were around her waist moved to her stomach. she could feel shiho on her back, a cozy warmth blanketing her.
“you’re safe.” shiho spoke softly. ichika’s hands let go of the now crumpled sheets and rested above shiho’s own on her stomach.
“thank you.” she said.
“don’t mention it.” shiho responded, her chin propped up by ichika’s shoulder.
slowly, the rain died down, and before ichika knew it, the pouring weather had come to an end. the hushed sound of shiho’s slight snores filled the otherwise silent room, replacing the once-roaring thunder and lightning that had now halted. ichika let the corners of her mouth raise in all her tiredness before she allowed herself to sack out in the hold of someone she loved.