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Hikari liked it when it rained.
He didn’t get to see or hear it much in Ku. Any potential rainstorms always found a way to evade the desert country. It wasn’t until his journey began that he got to experience rainfall in larger amounts.
Hikari quickly learned to appreciate how much of a roadblock it could be when traveling. Flooded roads, catching colds, damage to belongings. Hikari hadn’t considered any of this when he was by himself.
But the rain came with all sorts of nice things, as well. It provided water to the plants and foliage, it ran drinkable water through a water filter, and many other things that Hikari hadn’t thought of.
There were two new benefits that Hikari was happy to indulge in. The first was a break from travel, of course. The pouring rain meant that they were stuck where they were, which luckily this time was an inn. The company Hikari traveled with were a nice addition to this break, and Hikari couldn’t think of anyone else to spend a day off with. Well, almost anyone.
The second benefit is that the rain gave him a choice of how to spend his downtime. He could either spend the day socializing with the entire group, or he could spend the day cuddling with Agnea. During this particular day stuck at the Conning Creek Inn, Hikari chose the latter.
The sound of rain hitting the window accompanied the sound of the couple’s soft breathing as they laid on their shared bed. Hikari, clad in a bathrobe, laid his head on Agnea’s chest, holding her midsection close to his. His eyes were closed as he breathed in slowly. Agnea wore a loose nightgown, cropped at the waist. She didn’t feel the need to wear anything too fashionable since they weren’t going to be outside. She looked at Hikari warmly, resting her hand on his head as she held his arm in her other hand.
Her focus shifted. “You have really nice hair,” she mentioned. Her voice was soft, flowing with the sound of the room. “It’s nice, and silky, and long.”
“Mm.” Hikari smiled. He sighed as her fingers ran through his hair, brushing against his scalp.
“Have I told you how cute you are when you get like this?” Agnea asked. She kissed his forehead. “‘Cause you are.”
“You’re cuter,” Hikari chuckled.
“Well, you’re cutest. ”
They shared a light laugh. Agnea continued to run her hands through his hair. “You really do have nice hair,” she said.
“Thanks. I must say, it’s a bit unusual for me to hear,” Hikari admitted. “I would be happy to talk about it with anyone, but most people throughout my life have refrained from such conversation. Most likely due to my status as prince.”
“That’s kind of sad. I get it, but it’s still a little sad.” Agnea planted another kiss on the top of his head. Mischief infected her grin. “I guess I just need to tell you all the time, don’t I?” She began to quickly move her entire hand back and forth across his head. His hair went everywhere. “Your hair is nice, your hair is nice, your hair is nice, your hair is- EEK!”
Hikari suddenly flipped her on her side, his hands shooting up her shirt. His fingertips danced along Agnea’s bare sides, eliciting an uproar of laughter. “HAHAHAHAH! HEHEHE, AHAH, HIKA- AAAAAHA, HAHA! KNOCK IT O- AAAA HEHEHEHEHE!” She begged between gasps and fits of laughter.
“Very well, very well.” Hikari rubbed her sides with his palms, soothing the skin before he withdrew his hands. He wrapped his arms around her abdomen, pressing his own against her back. “I love the sound of your laugh, ‘Nea.”
“Oh yeah? I can do you one better,” Agnea proclaimed. She brought their blanket back up to cover them once again, and leaned her head back to kiss him. “I love you. ”
He kissed her back, smiling. His face was warm, but he didn’t mind that with her. “I love you, too.”
Agnea covered his clasped hands with her own. Hikari pressed his face into her shoulder, and they fell into comfortable silence. He would press an occasional kiss onto her, and she ran her hands across his fingers.
The pitter-patter of the rain droned on.
Hikari paid close attention to Agnea. He observed the little differences in her body language when she felt different things. When she was uncomfortable, she would shrink and breathe a little faster. When she was happy, she stood up straight and proud, without a care in the world.
Hikari noticed her breathing pick up.
“What’s going on, ‘Nea?” He pressed a kiss into her shoulder.
“Nothin’,” she responded.
“Liar,” he whispered into her ear. It elicited a sharp breath, then a giggle. He sat up in the bed, and flipped her on her back. Quickly, Hikari grabbed her lower back in one arm, her legs in the other, and lifted her out from under the covers.
“Hikari! Put me down,” she pouted. “It’s cold.”
He dropped her back down, looming atop her as he moved the covers over them. He leaned down to kiss her. “Tell me,” he requested. He kissed her cheek. “Tell me.” He kissed behind her ear. “Tell me,” he whispered. Agnea shivered beneath him.
He peppered her neck with kisses. “Tell me tell me tell me-”
“Okay okay!” Agnea giggled, pushing him off of her. “Gimme a second.”
“I noticed a reaction from you.” Hikari fell onto the bed, lying on his side next to her. “You like whispering, then?”
“Oh, shush.”
They giggled together. “In all seriousness, Agnea, I wish to know what’s troubling you.” Hikari brushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes. “Being together means taking on troubles together, as well. Let me help you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Hikari, did you just use my own words against me?”
“Yes,” he responded.
Agnea sighed. Her face darkened ever so slightly. “I’m thinking about the music Gil gave me. I wanna write something incredible to go along with it, but I just… what if it’s not any good?”
“Look at me, Agnea.” Hikari cupped her cheek. “There’s no time limit here. You have plenty of time to figure out what you want to write.” He brushed his thumb across her temple. “Give it time. The words will come.”
“You’re so good at gettin’ my head straight.” Agnea smiled. “Thank you, Hikari.” She shuffled toward him, and Hikari laid on his back so she could hold him like a teddy bear. Her head felt nice in the crook of his neck.
He began to stroke her neck softly with his hand, one soothing motion after another. “It’s not like you to doubt yourself,” Hikari mentioned. “Anything else going on?”
“I dunno,” Agnea said. “There’s gotta be something else goin’ on, but nothing comes to mind.”
“Will you talk to me again when you figure out what it is?” Hikari asked. “I’d like it very much if you did.”
“‘Course,” Agnea sighed into him. “You’ve got me.”
Thunder boomed outside. Rain bombarded the little window to the side of the bed. Hikari couldn’t care less.
Agnea fell asleep as they held each other.
Hikari glanced at the window. A small break in the clouds allowed him insight regarding the time of day. It was barely mid-afternoon. He was going to be stuck here for a while.
Not that he was complaining.
____________________________________________________________________________
They awoke with a knock at their door. Castti had come to check on them, and let them know dinner was ready.
“Wasn’t it our turn to make it?” Agnea asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
“It was, but Partitio saw you two together and decided it wasn’t worth disturbing you,” Castti explained. “Ochette helped him take care of it.”
Hikari sat up as Agnea threw on a robe. He looked out the window. The rain had passed, and the sun was setting.
Oops.
They emerged from their room, joining the others in the communal lobby. The stew was delicious, and it was nice to talk to the others and hear about how they each spent their day off.
Once dinner had been disposed of, they decided on their next destination, Toto’haha. First of all, it was a hub of music and dance. Agnea wanted to go there and learn all she could from the people there. Second, Partitio heard tell of a master boat builder who resided there, and wanted to take a chance and see if he could secure one of his own. In doing so, they would be able to avoid paying the toll for the ferry in the future AND secure transport to Roque Island.
The plan was set.
Hikari and Agnea’s sleep schedules were not.
As it turned out, taking a nap in the middle of the day made it extremely difficult to fall asleep again. There wasn’t even a rainstorm to soothe them now. They simply stared at the ceiling, hoping sleep would claim them.
It didn’t.
“Are you awake too, Hikari?” Agnea asked.
“Mm-hm.” He flipped on his side.
“I shouldn’t have fallen asleep,” Agnea cursed. “Sorry for makin’ you sleepy, too.”
“Don’t be. It was a very nice nap,” Hikari said. “Especially so because you were there.”
“Awww,” Agnea giggled. Her smile diminished, and she stared at the ceiling once more. “This is going to be a boring several hours,” she remarked.
An idea formed in Hikari’s mind. He moved close to her, and his own anxieties bubbled up. What if it repulsed her?
He swallowed it down. She wasn’t like that. She’d say something.
One hand held her waist, and the other held her shoulder. He kissed her cheek. “It doesn’t have to be boring,” he whispered, letting his breath move across the skin of her face.
The split second it took Agnea to react was nerve wracking.
She breathed sharply. It might have been a gasp. “Like what?” She asked quietly. Her voice intoxicated him.
His hand moved across her thigh. “Plenty of things,” Hikari whispered again. She shuddered once again, and Hikari couldn’t mask his amusement.
He always did enjoy learning about her.