Work Text:
Airi felt the warmth on her back, seeping through her loose, light t-shirt and into her skin. Basking in the sun and sitting down on a sandy beach, leaning back onto her hands, hills rising behind her while she faced the sea. A light and warm breeze with a scent of salt ran through her hair as she watched the glittering waves Infront of her, sending the sound of the shore to her ears. She sat alone, the dry sand on her palms, her gaze fixated on the girl who had shallow waves lapping at her ankles with a white summer dress over her figure. Dark blue hair against a sky of pale blue and a earnest smile, her hands beckoning for Airi to come and join her, wanting her to get up, dusting the sand away from her shorts, and come into the waves.
She did just that, the sand coming off her shorts and back on the ground. She took off her sandals, holding them in her left hand before she walked over the dense, wet sand and felt water wash over her feet. Cold as the sea is but it felt good with the summer day heat.
A hand clasped around her right hand, decorated with a bracelet that Airi had given her, and led her further into the water. Smiling, laughing, and Airi was sure she was smiling too as she felt the lips of Kiritani Haruka press against her forehead.
"I'm glad this end of the beach is practically empty" Airi's right hand rested on Haruka's arm as she spoke. She could feel how the sun had warmed it, where she hadn't rubbed her sunscreen in enough and a thin layer still remained.
"Me too. How did you know about this beach?" Haruka took her hand again and continued to lead her deeper so that the water was around their calves before stopping.
"Shizuku told me about it and I thought we might as well check it out before driving to the hotel" Airi grinned as she felt the barely sun warmed sea and the sand shifting beneath her feet.
"I'm glad we did. It's so beautiful" Haruka looked out toward the sea while Airi looked at her, their hands firmly locked together.
'not as beautiful as you' she had wanted to say before stopping herself. Since when did she say such love bitten words? She laughed at herself then. She must have really fallen deep into the bottomless sea that was her love for Kiritani Haruka.
"Hm? What's so funny?" Haruka's gaze fell back onto Airi, a smile on her face.
"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe....this?" Before Haruka could question her Airi had let go of Haruka's hand and was delving it into the sea, the coldness on her fingers. She splashed Haruka, hearing the water patter on her clothing.
The girl beside her stumbled back before a expression of playful defiance formed on her face and she was soon splashing back at Airi with both of her hands cupping the water. Airi laughed in delight as she continued to splash back at her. However it seemed that Haruka had the advantage as Airi still had one hand holding onto her sandals which only led to Airi having to run back as she was splattered with salt water.
"That's not fair...! I'm one handed!" She laughed as she tried her best to make her way to where the waves only came to her ankles and fight back.
"You shouldn't start fights you can't win Airi" It seemed that this was a competition Haruka was fully planning on winning as she followed her. More water was mercilessly thrusted towards Airi and she had to shield herself with her arms and hands but she wasn't going to give up just yet.
They continued splashing eachother underneath the afternoon sun, salt water landing on skin and clothes that were mostly Airi's. The coldness felt good however Haruka was unforgiving and soon water was relentlessly being splashed upon her. She tried to shield herself but it was of little use and yet still her laughter rang out in the air.
"I surrender..! I surrender!" She stumbled back as she managed out her words. She laughed and Haruka laughed too, now having stopped spraying water. Airi gestured toward her shirt and shorts while she tried to look as annoyed as possible. " Shit, look at my clothes"
Airi could feel water droplets slide down her skin, she wasn't incredibly soaked but it would take time for her to dry off in the sun. Haruka had a satisfied look on her face, not triumphant or proud, but pleased. It made Airi pleased too in a way. Seeing Haruka happy made her happy she supposed, even as she could feel some parts of her shirt cling to her skin because of its dampness.
She stepped toward Haruka, holding her close, tucking her hair behind her ear and cupping her face with her right hand while she was clinging onto her sandals with her left. She felt Haruka's hands on her back and her barely wet dress against her damp clothes with not a single drop of water on her face. As she felt the water slide down her skin and back into the sea she felt her feigned annoyance go with it. She remembers at first she had simply thought Haruka looked like a dream but she soon found out the problem with dreams is that one way or another they have to end, no matter how good they were. Now, looking at her and her flowing dark hair, knowing the beautiful way she treats people, she knew there was no way she could ever let this end. Even with cold water gliding down her back.
"What have you done to me? I can't even pretend to be annoyed" Airi said before she kissed her and Haruka kissed her back. Sweet and warm. The feeling that enveloped her was bright and colourful like fireworks and just as loud and exhilarating. She felt her face flush as they parted, Haruka with a slight smile on her lips.
"Did you know that..." Airi felt Haruka trace her lower lip with her thumb before resting on the side of her face. "That no two lip impressions are the same? So when you kiss me, it really is something no one else can give me. Both literally and in feeling"
She tilted her head to the side when she spoke, a laugh escaping her lips. Airi felt how her lips hung slightly apart, how her heart beat faster, the pink deepening on her face. She couldn't think. Such sincere words spoken for her ears and her ears alone. She felt her words get stuck in her throat with only a couple of stutters coming out until she gave up, smiled helplessly and leaned to give Haruka a kiss she wouldn't forget.
Arms around her waist and her arms around shoulders. She felt Haruka's dress flow with the breeze around her legs as she ran her hand through her hair. She smelt the sea in the air and Haruka's perfume and immersed herself in the scent. She kissed with passion, trying to tell her all the words she was too hesitant to say, before at last parting. Smiles on both their faces.
"You know, I'm going to need help drying my clothes" Airi raised her eyebrows at her.
"Oh? What are you suggesting?"
"Hmm...a race?" This made Haruka chuckle before answering.
"You're on"
On a sun baked beach they run, lifting up the sand with the soles of their feet, chasing one another. Not wanting this summer day to end, not until the last sliver of sunset.