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Sweat.
It clung to her skin, drawn out by the burning sun before the humidity trapped it there, soaking her training clothes.
Distantly, Maki noted that she felt horrifically dirty. That thought was buried beneath her focus on the fight before her, though.
Kugisaki was much improved since she first came to the school, but Maki still knew this fight was hers. She proved it as she knocked the feet out from underneath the younger girl, watching with satisfaction as she fell onto the hard dirt, lips opening as she gasped from the shock.
“Going down so easily?” Maki couldn’t help the smirk that accompanied her words.
“Maybe I just like having you on top of me, Maki-senpai,” Kugisaki replied.
They both froze. Maki could feel a heat unlike any summer scorch her body as she realised their position. Her knees encaged the girl beneath her, their chests nearly touching as Maki used her weight to pin Kugisaki down. Unable to move, the younger girl stared up at her, shocked by her own words.
It was just a joke, right?
Maki laughed, “Maybe you should focus on your training, Kugisaki.” She hoped no one could hear the shake in her voice or the odd pitch. As she stood, she noted that no one else was close by, focussing on their own training or seeking the cool of the shade.
Kugisaki was still on the ground, looking thoroughly chastised as she stared blankly up at Maki.
Maybe she had hit her head a little bit too hard.
Maki reached out a hand, breaking the other girl out of her frozen position. “Get up and go shower, that’s enough training for today.”
With a dirty hand, Kugisaki gripped hers and Maki pulled her up. The younger girl was closer than she expected as she stood and it triggered something in Maki, that heat rushing back in.
What was this feeling? Sure, Maki knew she was soft on the other girl, but Kugisaki was always talking about boys. She knew that, so she had made sure to push away any feelings. This was different though, this was heady – physical.
Without another word, Maki spun on her heels and did her best not to outright run to the showers.
She wasn’t running away, she was just getting some space. And a cold shower.
Yeah.
The showers were predictably empty as Maki entered. There weren’t exactly a whole lot of students around to use them, especially female students.
Alone finally, Maki was able to breathe, deep gasps as she stood under the cold water. It was calming to finally be away from the heat of the day, and her breathing began to ease as she scrubbed down her body.
Kugisaki was acting odd today. Thoughts of how she had called her senpai, the look on her face as she looked up at Maki – she didn’t know, did she? No, she couldn’t. That was paranoid thinking.
Maki stepped out from under the water and wrapped a towel around her body, making for the changerooms when Kugisaki entered.
Her face was still red from exertion and sun but as she saw Maki, she began to pale.
“You didn’t get too much sun today, did you?” Maki asked, concerned.
Kugisaki stared at her, mouthing hanging slightly open. “No,” she replied, smiling weakly before walking off.
Maki left, not wanting to interrupt the other girl’s shower.
Her mind began to spin, thoughts pulling apart the small interaction. Kugisaki was never so… brief with her, always asking questions or starting conversations, nor was she ever so reserved. Kugisaki was loud and true and bold, not quiet.
Was she mad at Maki?
The thought worried her, and she didn’t want to go through the rest of the day not knowing what was going on.
She went back to her room, dropping off her stuff before navigating the winding corridors in search of Kugisaki’s room. Maki had been there before for their designated ‘girls’ nights’, which was usually an excuse to paint their nails and watch action movies without being bothered by anyone else.
Maki knocked on the wooden door, but there was no response. She hadn’t expected there to be, but that was okay. She was prepared to wait.
A few minutes passed before Maki heard footsteps around the corner.
Kugisaki froze as she saw her, taking a small step back as if to turn away before deciding otherwise. With a straight back, she approached.
“What are you doing here, Maki?” She sounded curious and yet there was an edge of something sharper, almost irritated.
“You’re being weird, Kugisaki. I want to talk to you so we can sort this out.” Maki met her eyes in a stare, neither backing down as they stood there.
“I’m being weird?” Kugisaki’s voice rose, verging angry before she dropped her voice. “Come in then. Let’s talk.”
Maki fought her own temper as she followed her through the door.
Neither of them made to sit. The room wasn’t that small, and yet they stood as far away from each other as possible, arms crossed and stance wide.
Maki knew she was being ridiculous. There was no reason for them to fight, and yet the thought of pinning down the other girl and making her drop the attitude and talk was all too tempting.
Okay, she had to calm down.
“Kugisaki, seriously, what’s going on with you? First, you were all weird when we were training, then you were quiet, and now you’re angry? What’s up with that?”
“What’s going on with me? You were being super weird at first, and then you ran away from me. Then, to make it even better, you acted like nothing happened, and you have the audacity to make it out like I’m the one being weird?”
Maki was so sick of this bullshit, and Kugisaki was too. They stormed towards each other, face to face as they began to yell.
“What do you mean I ran away?”
“I mean you ran away! I’m sorry that I made you feel uncomfortable when we were training!”
“You didn’t make me feel uncomfortable! I was perfectly comfortable!”
“Then why did you leave? And don’t say it was because of the heat or some shit, we’ve trained in hotter weather.”
“Because…”
“Because what, Maki?”
“Because I liked it too much! I like being close to you, and I like when you tease me! Is that so wrong?”
Kugisaki looked stunned. Maki had never seen her speechless. “No!”
Maki reeled back, confused and overwhelmed. “What do you mean ‘no’?”
“I mean it’s not wrong because I like you!”
“But you like boys!”
“Obviously not!”
“OK!”
“OK!”
“I think I’m going to kiss you now!”
“Good.”
Their heads nearly smashed together as they rushed in, teeth clanging as their lips met before the shock of it made them both freeze.
Slowly they began to relax, lips moving softly as they molded against each other. Maki could taste the sweet gloss on Kugisaki’s lips – Nobara, she thought to herself. They were definitely close enough for that.
Maki dug her hands into Nobara’s short hair, relishing in the way her body pulled flush against hers. Nobara responded, reaching up to grip Maki’s shoulders, pulling the taller girl towards her. Their noses touched as they pressed in further, trying to get closer and closer until there was no space between them.
This was what she had wanted earlier, Maki realised. When Nobara was pinned beneath her on the training grounds, sweaty and looking up at her – she wanted to kiss her like this.
Her lungs burned as breathing was forgotten, so consumed was she by the taste and feel of Nobara, so enwrapped in her presence. Every thought, every spare glance, every lingering touch over the past months had built towards this moment. Stars filled her whole being, burning as they exploded with the small sounds and heated touches that surrounded them.
Maki thought to herself that if she were to die tomorrow, she would die happy.
She didn’t know how long it had been when they finally pulled away from each other. It felt like an infinity pushed into a split second, an immortal flame glimpsed for a bare moment by the naked eye.
Gasping for air, they stared at each other, still so close that each breath felt impossibly warm. Nobara’s face was redder than she had ever seen it, orange eyes on fire as they looked into hers. Maki had no doubt her own face was red, the heat and feel of rushing blood pressing on every nerve.
She could feel herself smile in a way she never had before, broad and vulnerable and so entranced by the girl in front of her.
Nobara smiled in return, happy and soft. “We should do that again.”
“Yeah.” Maki leaned down, lips brushing Nobara’s. “We should do this again.”