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"I don't think it's gonna stop anytime soon," Mitsuya sighed, as he re-closed the door, like it was somehow his fault that the rain was pouring out there.
Draken gave him what he hoped to be a 'It's alright, I don't mind spending more time with you' grin but when Mitsuya dropped down on the tatami, he returned it with another apologetic smile.
"I shouldn't keep you for too long. Now, you're stuck with us," Mitsuya checked the candle. "Especially with this situation."
Draken waved off his words. "Chill, Mitsuya, I've been here many times but never when the electricity is out. It's kinda fun, with the rain outside, and all of these candles. We definitely could turn this into something fun."
He turned to the other occupants of the room who were sulking because they just missed the TV program they wanted to watch.
Luna huffed. "This is not fun at all."
Mana parroted. "No fun!"
Draken pulled the candle closer to him. And he started making shapes with its shadow and his hands. "I think, the rabbit would disagree."
He started gesturing to a hopping rabbit, and the other animals.
The girls were initially skeptical about Draken's poor attempt to make everything better. Yet, the longer he monologued, the more apparent the smiles on Mana, and slowly but sure, Luna's face.
Draken made up a silly story about a rabbit, elephant, and a mash-up of giraffe and cobra. That once they were engaged, soon the silly stories got them laughing their ass off.
When Draken ended his retelling, Mana cried 'No!' dramatically.
"This can't end!" Luna begged between her tearful laughter.
"I wanna know if Rabbit-san will win the eating contest or not!"
"Rabbit-san must win!" Mana demanded.
"But, that's the story for another time," Draken teased them. Luna and Mana both groaned. "How about you girls tell me, what do you think is going to happen next?"
Luna and Mana scrambled to sit where the light of the candle hit the wall the most. Draken listened attentively as they told him their version of the tale he just created. Both were going in a very different direction, but strangely, Luna and Mana didn't compete for whose story was better or the best.
Draken offered his opinions here and there, giving another perspective to both girls. What didn't happen in Luna's fable, definitely happened in Mana's. And what was impossible in Mana's version, Luna covered it all.
The two of them just built a very interesting story together.
And without being on each other's neck, as well.
"That's really great, even better than what I thought would happen," Draken clapped his hands, while Luna and Mana beamed at him. "Good job!"
He didn't realize he had just been so genuinely invested with Mitsuya's sisters, and that he didn't realize, Mitsuya hadn't said a word.
When he glanced to his direction, Mitsuya had his arm on his chin, as if he wanted to hide his smile.
The obsidian met the amethyst, even if Draken couldn't see the smile, the crinkle on the corner of his eyes spoke volume.
"What do you think, Nii-chan?" Luna pulled Mitsuya's sleeve. "I think Giraffe-san has to go, but Luna thinks, Cobra-chan can't leave."
Mana added with a very enthusiastic nod. "Cobra-chan stays!"
Mitsuya blinked at the question, but he only managed to let out a confused, "Eh?" that got Luna and Mana moaning.
"Nii-chan didn't listen!"
Draken laughed. "Now, don't be mad at your Nii-chan. This story is very complicated."
Even with the candles as their only source of illumination, Draken could tell, Mitsuya was embarrassed to be caught not paying attention to his sisters.
"Sorry," he mumbled. "I was distracted—"
Mitsuya didn't specify what had been distracting him, but Draken had his own idea since he leaned to him to whisper playfully.
"Yeah, I can be a very much distraction."
Mitsuya pushed him on a whim, coughing. Draken didn't have time to tease him further, because Mitsuya stood up.
"I should've started dinner!" He had just turned his body towards the kitchen when he poked his own forehead. "Oh no! I haven't cooked the rice!"
Hearing that, Draken regretted to have come over to get some lunch at Mitsuya's place.
He knew, Mitsuya usually cooked rice twice.
First thing in the morning, for breakfast and lunch, and then, in the evening for dinner. Sometimes he cooked a large batch for a whole day, and that was what he did today. It would be enough for dinner if only Mitsuya didn't feed Draken as well.
Since there was no electricity, it was impossible to cook the rice in the rice cooker. Mitsuya could make it with a pot on the stove, but Draken knew, he preferred not to, since it wouldn't taste the same, that Luna and Mana most likely wouldn't enjoy it.
"I cannot cook either, it's too dangerous with no light." Mitsuya huffed. "And ordering takeout is out of the question."
As if to confirm his words, the sound of the lightning thundered outside. It was so loud, that Mana shrieked in surprise and immediately went to Draken for protection.
"We can have instant ramen," Draken suggested, as he patted Mana's hair. "You can add some veggies and eggs to it as well. It's easy to make."
Mitsuya went to the cabinet and fridge to check the said ingredients. "I think that's doable."
He turned to Draken. "Would you mind keeping an eye on Luna and Mana, while I prepare the meal? I don't want them to be around the kitchen when I can't quite see them."
Draken gave him a thumbs up. "Easy peasy!"
It took exactly twenty minutes for Mitsuya to cook the ramen.
By the time, he called Draken to help him serve the dinner, Luna and Mana had managed to create a follow-up story about Giraffe-san and Cobra-chan's complicated friendship, and somehow, Rabbit-san is now the president.
Draken left them, with a promise to tell the fate of Elephant-sensei, before he entered the kitchen.
The food smelled really good, Mitsuya had transformed the instant ramen into a very packed meal with vegetables and eggs on the sides. The steam tickled Draken's nose was so tempting, that he was close to inhaling the ramen if Mitsuya hadn't thrust a stack of bowls into his arms.
"Let's set the table first," Mitsuya warned him. Draken merely laughed, but he snatched the utensils to be brought to the table.
Luna and Mana were quick to help, fetching the water jug and glass, and even collecting their scattered toys to make their surroundings neater.
Mitsuya put the pot of hot ramen on the table, Luna and Mana had washed their hands and were ready to eat.
The dinner went pretty well.
The rain might not stop, the wind might still act out, the thunder definitely did not go easy, but in the comfort of Mitsuya's home, eating ramen, and sharing stories with Mitsuya and his sisters, Draken had never felt warmer.
Mitsuya asked the girls about the story, and they happily dumped all the lores and tales to his brother.
Draken grinned at his bowl when Mitsuya looked up to him, with a silent plea to get him out of the situation.
He was more than happy to help.
Draken jumped back to the conversation and stirred up the chattering to himself, absorbing all the attention from Luna and Mana.
Mitsuya might be the most patient person Draken had ever known, but it was normal for him to be tired, that he couldn't match the girls' energy.
Today seemed to be one of those days. And Draken didn't mind taking his role as the attentive brother once in a while.
"Oh, I'm so full!"
Luna announced, making a scene of caressing her stomach.
Mana copied her. "So full!"
Draken chuckled. "It's one delicious meal, isn't it?"
"Of course! It's Nii-chan's cooking." Luna said as a matter of fact. "It's always delish."
"Delish!"
Mitsuya cleared his throat, reaching for his glass rather quickly, but it was empty. Draken poured the water into it, smiling knowingly at him.
Mitsuya pretended he didn't see any.
"Draken-nii, tell us another story!" Mana exclaimed.
Draken ruffled her hair. "You want to hear another story, eh?"
"Yes!"
Draken indulged the girls with another made-up story, but before he could finish it, Luna and Mana apparently had fallen asleep on the tatami.
He wouldn't realize if Mitsuya didn't go and bring back an armful of blankets and pillows.
"They must really love your story," he commented with an amused smile, as he slipped the pillow under Luna and Mana's head. Draken helped him cover their bodies with the thick blanket that got the girls snuggled into its warmth in an instant.
"They never fall asleep this quickly," Mitsuya added. "Maybe you should read them every night."
Draken bumped his shoulder into Mitsuya's, grinning mischievously. "Oh wow, Mitsuya, are you just asking me to move in?"
Mitsuya seemed not to realize the magnitude of the commentaries he had just voiced out, until Draken said so.
"No! I mean—"
Draken hauled him into his arms before the other boy could escape.
"We barely graduate from high school, Mitsuya. But you know what? Maybe we can really do it someday, though," he mused.
Mitsuya was as red as boiled crab, that Draken couldn't help to pinch his flustered cheek.
"In the meantime, I'll just hope, it's gonna rain every day so that I can just be stuck with you."
Mitsuya grumbled intangibly at that, and if Draken ended up laughing a bit too loud that he almost woke Luna and Mana, well... maybe there were perks of the ongoing storm outside.
"How about we relax too?" Draken winked, taking a place on the tatami with his back against the wall. He patted the spot next to him. "Come sit, rest a bit."
Mitsuya rolled his eyes, but he compelled.
Draken was quick to make the other boy, leaning onto him.
"I wonder when the rain would stop," Mitsuya asked absentmindedly.
"You want to get rid of me that bad?"
"Yeah, if you don't shut up."
"Aw, Mitsuya, why don't you shut me up, then?"
Draken received a pretty hard blow on his ribs for that. Quite impactful, that he resorted into giving up in teasing the lilac-haired boy.
Mitsuya let out a satisfied harrumph sound, and as the reward he did lean onto Draken, letting Draken wrapped his arms around his shoulder.
The rain seemed unending, it seemed that between the cold breeze and the light of swaying candles, the time was frozen.
Trapped in this bubble, Draken shared the moment of comfortable silence with Mitsuya. They didn't feel the need to fill the quiet with talks and words. All they ever needed was the solace they found in their togetherness. And it was best listened in the form of their calm and collected breathing, their in-sync heartbeats.
The rain had not stopped.
And Draken wished, it would never stop because whatever this is, Draken didn't think it's gonna stop anytime soon too.