Work Text:
In which there is hurt/comfort
"Are you okay?"
"Mhm."
No.
"Are you sure?"
I'm not.
"..Mhm."
Please stay.
♡
The coffee Fauna made had just finished brewing by the time Kronii came into the kitchen, a tired yawn escaping her as she grabbed a mug and poured some. Fauna wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and hugged her from behind. She breathed in the soft, refreshing scent of the woman's blueberry shampoo as she held her. "Good morning, Kronii."
Kronii turned to place a soft kiss on Fauna's forehead before adding creamer to the coffee and taking a sip. "I'll have to work late today. I have a few meetings." Fauna nuzzled her head further into Kronii's neck, hugged her just a little tighter. Kronii had been very busy lately. And while it meant more money for them, it also meant less time together. A lot less than Fauna liked, but she didn't want to seem annoying by asking Kronii to spend more time with her, and her girlfriend was already tired enough.
Kronii had been leaving early and coming home tired and ready to sleep. Fauna prepared to say something, but was interrupted when Kronii pulled away to grab a banana off the counter. Fauna shoved down the sadness that was starting to grow in her chest. "It'll probably be around seven or eight by the time I get back." Kronii glanced over at her watch, stiffening. "I gotta go now, I love you."
Alarm spiked fauna, and without thinking she reached and grabbed Kronii's arm. "W-wait! Right now? You haven't even eaten breakfast yet! Shouldn't you eat first?" Kronii held up the banana she had grabbed a minute earlier. "I'll eat it on the way. I have to go now, or I'll be late." Fauna reluctantly let go of Kronii's arm, the fleeting touch leaving an ache in her heart. "..Okay. goodbye, I love you." Kronii stilled, searching Fauna's face. "Are you okay?" The concern in Kronii's voice was evident, and Fauna looked away.
"Mhm."
No.
"Are you sure?" Fauna tensed with the guilt of wanting Kronii to just stay home with her.
I'm not.
"..Mhm."
Please stay.
Kronii moved to place one last kiss on Fauna's lips before she left. "I love you, Fauna. I promise we can spend as much time together as you want when I get home, okay?" A tiny bit of hope flickered in her chest, and she gave a small smile. "Okay. I love you too, bye."
After the front door shut behind Kronii, the house felt so empty with just Fauna there. This wasn't good, she had to distract herself. Maybe she would go outside and work on her garden today? Fauna looked up at the clock on the wall, which read 8 AM. It was time for her to start her work anyway. Fauna sighed, a shiver creeping it's way through her body.
It's fine.
Fauna threw herself into her work, which proved to distract her for some time. She sat typing at her laptop until she got cramps in her limbs and needed to stretch. When she checked the time again, it was already 11 AM. Kronii would probably be having lunch in around an hour. Maybe she'd surprise Fauna and come home to eat? She scoffed at the thought. Kronii never came home to eat anymore. In fact, she might not even have lunch today at all, with how busy and tired she'd been.
Fauna wished Kronii were here so she could just make her lunch. What would she want? A salad maybe? A sandwich?- Just then, a buzz from Fauna's phone caught her attention, and she picked it up. Her heart leaped when she realized it had been a text from Kronii!
♡Kronii♡: Hi, I'm checking in. 💙
♡Kronii♡: Are you okay?
Fauna smiled at her girlfriend's care for her.
Me: Hi!! I'm okay. How's work? Are you going to eat lunch?
♡Kronii♡ is typing...
♡Kronii♡: Maybe
♡Kronii♡: I have to go, I love you💙💚
Oh.
Me: okay, I love you too.
Kronii didn't even see it. Fauna stared at her and Kronii's messages and sighed. She put her phone face down on the desk and turned to stare over at the wall. She felt tears starting to form, and she glared at nothing before rubbing at her forehead tiredly.
It's fine.
Fauna wished she believed it. She stood up to do some chores around the house and try to get her mind off Kronii. Fauna watered the small strawberry plant on the edge of the garden that she had been trying to grow for a few weeks now. Her efforts proved themselves to be working, judging by the small buds that had begun to grow. It just needed a little help, was all.
She moved on to her flowers, flourishing and blooming with bright colors. It made her happy to see the flowers she and kronii planted together doing so well. Fauna remembered the day they planted them. Kronii had brought home a bunch of seeds and suggested they plant them in the yard together, and of course Fauna agreed.
She remembered how happy she felt when Kronii showed a genuine interest in one of her favorite hobbies and wanted to continue gardening. They sat outside talking and working for hours until it started to get dark out. Maybe this weekend Kronii would be able to work outside in the garden with her. ..If there was enough time. Fauna watered the flowers and went inside.
Maybe she'd just try to sleep so she'd stop feeling like this. Laying down in bed, She stared up at the ceiling waiting for- Waiting for Kronii. She convinced herself it was sleep she waited for instead so she wouldn't think too much. Sleep never came though, and soon Fauna found herself staring at the TV as some romance movie played on it.
This wasn't helping her situation, but Fauna didn't feel like turning it off because then she'd have nothing to do again, and she'd start missing Kronii. She stared at the TV again. The couple seemed to be on a date at some sort of Cafe, talking and laughing, feeding each other and a bunch of other cheesy things that people usually scoffed at but they didn't in the movie, because everything is perfect in movies. After the movie ended, Fauna turned off the TV and stared at the lock screen on her phone.
It was a picture of her and Kronii on their first date. They had gone to a huge garden that was home to lots of animals, most of which had been friendly and some had even gone up to the two expecting food. Kronii had asked to take a picture in front of some fruit trees, and Fauna liked the result so much that she made it her lock screen.
..Fauna really missed Kronii. Usually when she was upset like this, Kronii was there to help comfort her. She'd hold her for hours, not letting her go and whispering reassurances to her for as long as she needed. But now Kronii barely had time to even talk to Fauna after she got home from work, having only just enough energy to shower and eat dinner before going to bed. Fauna shivered to herself in the empty room, grabbing a pillow and curling up into a ball. It was Kronii's pillow, and it smelled just like her shampoo.
Fauna buried her face into it as she felt tears form and threaten to spill down her cheeks. Everything felt awful and she couldn't understand why. Memories flooded in- bad ones, of past relationships, of being hurt, and finally, she felt the first few tears escape and land on the pillow. Fauna only hugged it tighter as she willed for the tears to stop, but she couldn't control it anymore and that only made her feel more helpless. Her body shook with hiccups and sobs that had been held back for so long she lost track.
Fauna must not have heard when the front door opened in the other room, and Kronii stepped in early. She opened her mouth to call to Fauna that she was home, but her words died in her throat when she heard sniffling coming from their room. Immediately, Kronii's mind filled with worry for Fauna, and she moved to go investigate. Slowly, Kronii opened the door as not to scare Fauna.
Her girlfriend lay with her face buried in a pillow, body trembling with broken sobs and hiccups. Kronii felt her heart sink at the sight. "Fauna.." The girl froze, lifting her head up from the pillow. Had Fauna always looked this.. exhausted? Those bags under her eyes surely hadn't been there before. Kronii stepped forward and sat on the bed next to Fauna. "Kronii..! I-I'm so sorry- I missed you, a-and I-" Fauna was interrupted when Kronii hushed her, pulling her into a warm embrace. "Shh.. It's okay. Im here now, it'll be okay."
The kirin clung to Kronii tightly as she continued to cry. She's shaking so much. I didn't know it was this bad.. After a while, Fauna's sobs calmed to just sniffles, and she pulled away. "I'm sorry.." Fauna averted her gaze as she always did when she was feeling embarrassed. "Don't be sorry, love. You didn't do anything wrong. What happened?"
Fauna started to anxiously bite her lip, which Kronii quickly stopped her from doing so she wouldn't hurt herself. "I just missed you. I really missed you." She wiped away a few fresh tears that started to fall. Kronii placed her hand on Fauna's damp cheek and examined her face. Her eyes and face were red from crying. How long had she been alone like this..? Kronii almost didn't want to know.
She pressed a long, comforting kiss to Fauna's lips. When they parted, Kronii still kept her hand on Fauna's face. "Love, why didn't you tell me?" Her voice was just above a whisper now, full of emotion. Anxiety sparked in Fauna's eyes and she looked away again. "I didn't want you to be mad.. or to think I was annoying or too clingy. I didn't want to- to bother you." "You don't bother me at all. I could never be mad at you or think you're annoying in the slightest. I promise you. I'm really sorry I didn't notice sooner.. I was worried about you since you seemed upset this morning, but I didn't know it was this bad."
Fauna held her hand over the one Kronii had on her cheek and sighed, leaning into the touch. "You've been busy and tired, it's not your fault. I know I should've told you. It's hard for me to learn that I can-.. talk to you, about these things, but I'll try my best." Kronii smiled warmly at Fauna, her fangs slightly poking out. Fauna smiled back. A real smile this time, not like the sad ones she had given this morning.
Kronii held Fauna's hands in her own and kissed them, then perked up in sudden realization. "Oh! I've been meaning to tell you, I won't have to work late anymore! That's why i came home early. Now we can go back to how it used to be, and it'll stay that way. I'm thinking I use our free time tomorrow to make it up to you, what do you think?" Fauna gasped, pale sunset eyes widening. "Really?! You mean- we'll be able to go on dates again? And watch movies, and work on the garden?"
Kronii nodded. "All of it, whenever you like." "Kronii~!" Fauna couldn't contain her happiness any longer, which was made evident when she pounced on her girlfriend and tackled her in a hug. "Gwak-! F-Fauna, I-" Fauna silenced Kronii by peppering her face with little kisses, and ending it off with a final kiss to the lips.
Fauna pulled Kronii closer to her body and rested her head on her chest. "F-Fauna, half of my body is still hanging off the bed, you know? And I'm still in my work suit." "Get up here, then. I want to hold you." The words were muffled in Kronii's neck, and she knew there was no getting out of Fauna's grasp any time soon. But was that really so bad? Sighing wistfully, she kicked off her shoes and pulled her legs into the bed. "I love you, Kronii." Kronii gave a dorky grin. "I love you too, Fauna."