Work Text:
Utena was warm and cozy, but her hand was empty.
She opened her eyes as she drifted awake. Anthy must have gotten out of bed during the night. It wasn't pitch black in the room, getting some ambient light through the window from street lights and Christmas decorations reflected on snow. Usually it was still dark when they needed to get up anyway. The snow muffled the sounds outside making it almost completely quiet in the bedroom.
She heard a faint rustling sound through the door from the living room. Anthy had probably woken up and was most likely watching one of those reality shows Utena just couldn't understand the appeal of. Now that Utena had woken up, though, might as well sleep the rest of the night on the couch.
Utena slipped out of bed and put on her sweat pants to go with her t-shirt. She found her slippers by the light of the window and went out into the living room.
The living room was a bit more well-lit, with the fairy lights they put up for Christmas, and a paper star in the window Anthy had insisted they made after she found an online tutorial. Apparently it was a German tradition.
Anthy was sitting, back arrow straight, on their couch in the soft light, surrounded by long, red ribbons. She was using the scissors they had been using to make the paper star, carefully cutting up the remains of the very red throw Utena had gotten as a gift from the temp agency she worked for. Utena stopped.
Anthy moved her head, and for a moment the light caught her eyes so that for an instant Utena thought she was wearing her glasses again. The moment passed, and Anthy's normal, brilliant green eyes were looking at her.
"Utena. Did I wake you?" she said softly, as if not wanting to intrude on the silent night.
"No, I think I just woke up and noticed you weren't there. Couldn't sleep?"
"I guess I felt a bit unsettled. I was going to watch something, but..." Anthy looked down at the mess of red textiles surrounding her and in an even smaller voice said, "My apologies."
At that Utena felt a shiver run down her spine, and went around the couch, going down on her knees in front of Anthy. "Himemiya, hey. Look at me." She took Anthy's hands in hers and looked up at her with a smile. "Remember where we are. We're here. You and me, together in our apartment."
Anthy sat quiet for a moment, gazing down at Utena. Then she slipped her right hand out of the loose grip and put it on Utena's cheek. "Thank you." She took a breath. "I guess I didn't like how it looked draped over the couch." She smiled down a bit crookedly and some of her tenseness visibly left her body.
Utena leaned into Anthy's palm and closed her eyes for a second, feeling her touch, Utena's right hand around Anthy's left, her left hand softly squeezing Anthy's knee. She opened her eyes again and looked up at an Anthy who looked far more at ease in the soft light.
Utena glanced at the cushions filled with red ribbons around Anthy, and the remaining cloth still in her lap. "How about we clean all this up and take it down to recycling? Then we can get a cup of tea and watch... athletes compete for... dates on an island?" Utena said, trying desperately to remember how one of Anthy's shows usually went.
Anthy snorted and covered her mouth with her hand. Then she looked at Utena again with a bright smile, making Utena feel warm all over. "You're very cute when you try, Utena. I will deign to be used as you pillow when you inevitably fall asleep."
They stood up, and Anthy said, "I am sorry, though, for ruining your gift."
"Nothing to be sorry for. If it's not your color, it doesn't have a place in our home." Utena replied, going to the kitchenette to get a bag.
"It is just a color, in the end," Anthy said as Utena turned back to her. "Maybe someday it will be," she continued as she bent down and gathered up a fistful of ribbons.