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“Airi-chan! Look how cute these mugs are!!” Shizuku held up two matching mugs, a cat and a dog. The cat had a grumpy expression to it, while the dog was cheerful.
Airi sighed lightly. “We already have so many at home, Shizuku.. Not to mention, we already have 5 other cat and dog sets; 3 of the 5 being the exact same concept as these; grumpy cat and happy dog.”
The two of them were currently at an outdoor market—looking at trinkets, clothes, and other such things.
Shizuku had a habit of collecting matching mugs for both of them. Just last week, she had bought a frog and toad set from a gift shop at a nature exhibit they visited.
“Ah, but!” Shizuku turned the mugs upside down, revealing engraved letters on the bottoms.
A and S.
The taller woman giggled and gave Airi a grin. “It's you and me!”
Airi immediately started blushing—how was Shizuku this hard to deal with but so insanely lovely at the same time?
“W-well, if you want them so badly, we can get them, I guess..”
Shizuku cheered and cupped the side of Airi's face to give her a kiss on the cheek before walking off happily to pay the vendor.
Airi touched the cheek Shizuku had kissed and pursed her lips. She watched as her lover gave the vendor the needed amount of money.
“What am I going to do with you..” Airi continued to watch Shizuku fondly.
Airi is worried.
She's pacing around the kitchen like a maniac; trying to concentrate on baking her first batch of cookies, watching the window for the weather, and keeping her ears open for a knock on the door, or jingle of keys, or the door opening.. anything.
If someone were to see her right now, they'd likely assume she was in some horror movie—with the way she furrowed her eyebrows like it's permanent and played with her earrings non-stop.
No one is out to get her (at least she hopes not.)
Shizuku had left their apartment to go fetch Airi some more sugar—they had recently run out and considering this batch of cookies was larger than their normal share, it called for much more ingredients. They had the perfect amounts for everything else, except sugar.
The pink haired woman suggested that she go with the other… Or that she just went by herself, while Shizuku stayed home.
But no; Shizuku insisted.
And forgot her phone.
The forecast did not look very pleasant, Shizuku is terrible with directions, and Airi is a worried girlfriend.
“It's been 45 minutes already.. Where the hell is she?” Airi muttered to herself as she placed the tray of cookies into the oven.
‘Maybe I should've just waited until tomorrow to bake the rest… After all, we don't need to give the cookies to Minori and Haruka yet… Shizuku would be here, not potentially lost, not potentially in the rain… Arrghhh! What am I going to do? Think, Airi, think!’
And just then, a knock at the door.
Airi instantly stopped her train of thought and rushed to the front door.
She opened it, revealing a mildly soaked Hinomori Shizuku carrying a plastic bag filled with what looked like much more than just sugar.
Airi took the bag from Shizuku's arms and ushered her inside.
Shizuku smiled, ever so gracefully. The slight crease of her eyes while doing it made Airi's heart thump a little louder.
“I got the sugar for you, Airi-chan~”
Airi peered inside of the bag—she saw the sugar.. and two new matching mugs—a pink and teal set.
That said ‘Best dad in the world’ on both of them.
“I can see that… Shizuku, what's with the mugs?”
Shizuku's smile widened. “I bought them! Aren't they adorable?”
‘Does she even realize what the text says…? Did she even notice it?? Probably not.’
“Very adorable,” Airi said to her, placing the bag on their drawers near the door, walking off to the bathroom and grabbing a towel for Shizuku. “We need to get you dried now, though.”
“Oh! Yes, you're right, Airi-chan~”
As long as Shizuku was happy, she was too.
Shizuku has been out of the apartment a lot more lately.
Not that she's been shut-in—she regularly takes walks, as it's one of her favorite things to do. Shizuku has gotten particularly good at remembering a regular route to walk on (it just took a couple years to get down.)
Airi has been observant and Shizuku does not notice.
While Airi is off teaching baking classes at the city center to people, Shizuku often goes to do her own things. Sometimes, she'll stay behind and help Airi with her classes… but it seems though recently she's stopped entirely.
It didn't seem too weird to Airi at first, but then Shizuku started leaving the apartment on her own more, aside from just taking walks.
She'll often come back really dirty too, as if she played in mud or something similar like it.
The laundry load has gotten a bit more full due to this.
Airi doesn't ask about it—she figures it's something Shizuku is working really hard at.
Or maybe she enjoys rolling in mud now… it wouldn't be too far-fetched since Shizuku used to eat rocks… (She truly only stopped eating them when Airi told her they were actually bad for people.)
It still can't help but make her worried, though.
…
It's only when Shizuku comes home late one particular night that Airi can't help but want to know.
“Shizuku? Are you home now??” Airi calls out while rounding the corner to the hallway leading to the front door. She sees Shizuku standing there, clothes not muddied this time, with a box in her hands and her bag slung around one of her shoulders.
Shizuku lights up when she sees the familiar pink hair she loves, though she instantly turns apologetic. “Sorry, Airi-chan! I didn't mean to be this late.. I got a bit lost on the way back…”
Airi shakes her head and inches closer to Shizuku.
“It's okay, Shizuku—as long as you're fine.”
Airi eyes the box Shizuku is carrying. She waits for Shizuku to perk up and tell her about it; what was inside and all of those details.
But it never came.
The two of them stood in silence for a bit. Airi observed Shizuku some more; she looked nervous. Her eyes were darting around everywhere.. specifically back towards the digital clock they had on the drawer.
23:57 PM
Almost midnight.
‘Does she not want to show me what's in the box? Did I do something wrong? Usually she's excited to show me anything and everything..’
00:00 AM
March 19th
Shizuku holds out the box for Airi to grab, with a determined look in her eyes.
Airi is a bit startled by it all, but takes the box anyways. It's a bit heavier than she expected.
“Please open it!”
And Airi does.
Inside is a mug; it has a stick figure of a girl who looks awfully similar to Airi carved on it, with hearts surrounding the doodle.
Airi carefully lifts the mug up and notices the bottom engraving; ‘For my dearest Airi-chan! ♡’
She might just break into tears now, actually.
“Happy birthday, Airi-chan!” Shizuku's hands cup her face and a kiss is given to her.
Her lips are so soft on Airi's.
(“So you've been taking a pottery class this entire time? Just for me??” Airi asks Shizuku.
They're sitting on the sofa now, cuddling against each other. Shizuku tightens her hold on her love just a little.
“Yes.. I wanted to learn how to make you an extra special mug.”
Airi laughs softly and leans against the other. “Thank you, Shizuku—I love you so much.” She kisses Shizuku's hand.
“I love you too! More than anything else.”)
…
(“Hey, what about your mug?”
“Hmmm? What do you mean, Airi-chan?”
“Oh- Well.. I figured since you made me a special mug, you would also make yourself one to match… Since we always match mugs.”
“Oh! I hadn't thought about that!!”
“Huh…? Really??”)