Work Text:
The day was cloudy, the tinny drops of rain started to get stronger by the minute and narita taishin could only watch as everything came down though the window, she was in the school cafeteria, in silence, she should enjoying this moment of peace…but couldn't
Maybe it was the boring classes draining her energy, the cold climate making her shake a little bit, her bandaged leg for an injury she suffered, keeping her out of racing, a lot of reasons to feel like this
But she knew why she was feeling like this, a certain pair of idiots she calls friends were missing
Winning ticket and Biwa hayahide weren't in tracen at the moment, they are in summer camp, while she was stuck taking classes
It is not like she enjoys training, less under the scorching sun, the constant fireworks that people throw on the day of the festival, she disliked it, annoyed her…but doing those activities with them made it more…light?, that the only word she could use to describe it
The sound of the bell ringing bringer her back to earth, she could only drop an annoyed groan, she still needed to attend class, she stood up the chair, pick her bag and walk straight to her next class
Classes were over for today, taishin could only exhale in tiredness, the bed was calling her name but she needed to go out to the commercial district, she needed to buy school material, the humid air only made this task worse but at least the rain stop, this only made a little less annoying for her
Taishin had to carefully navigate the immense crowd of people in the place, no matter what it was always full of people, this only make her harder for the small uma, the constant people bumping into her while the shop blasting music in combination with the people talking almost screaming only, it was starting to piss her off, ticket would be gushing to check every store in place while hayahide told them to keep close to each so they wouldn't get lost…
Why is she thinking about them now?
Taishin could shake those thoughts now, she still needed to walk more to escape the crowd, she decide to up her speed even if meant bumping into more people, she could only think about how hayahide would make them hold hands to navigate and don't get lost in the proc-
WHY CANT SHE STOP THINKING ABOUT THEM!?!?
She finally managed to escape the crowd, she found an empty bench and decided to rest a bit, her legs were burning and so was her head, she could only take her hand to her face, what was all that?, why is she feeling like this?
She would be lying that she didn't miss them, they been with each other for quite some time at this point but this one is different, is not like she with them all the time, she has her periods of just being by herself but now is like she been…abandoned
She could only try to hide her blush, her pink cheeks behind her tiny hands, cursing herself, she felt like a dumb ass, is been a couple of days, is not like she isn't going to see them again, she could try to call them, even if for no real reason, just to hear their voices…
She could only curse herself, this was stupid, her reason to call was stupid, just stupid, dumb, idiotic…but she was getting desperate
Looking around while she tried to recompose herself, she found a tiny arcade place, she doesn't remember it being there, must be new
Taishin was here for the material she needed for class but playing a little bit could hurt, right?
She could only inhale before standing up and walking to the tiny arcade, the place wasn't much to brag about, some small games and two race machine, she might as well just be wasting time since everything looked boring to her
Until she notice a claw machine in the corner, it has various plushies of different umas, she didn't take much attention to them but she saw something, two particular uma plushies, it was a ticket and hayahide plushie
She could only curse herself while taking various coins from her pocket, she only had three coins, three chances, she could not screw this up
The first coin enter the machine and lights turn on in sign of the machine working, she took her sweet time aligning the claw on top of the plushie, she took a deep breath before releasing the claw down, hayahide plushie was first, the claw manage to grab her head very easily, taishin could only let a little laugh come out her mouth
The claw slowly raise and started to move to the hole out of the machine, she would never admit it but taishin was a little nervous, she was low on coins, if she fails then is likely she cant get both of them
The hayahide plushie was slowly approaching the exit but a sudden slip off almost made the claw drop it, taishin almost let a little scream out of her mouth at this but manage to cover her mouth with her hands
“Congratulations!!, here your prize” the machine loudly announce
The hayahide plushie successfully landed in the exit, taishin took and started to inspect it, the quality was good, it really looks like hayahide if she was turned into a doll but before dazzling off she took a look back to the machine, the ticket plushie was still there, taishin looked at her hand, two coins remaining
She hide the hayahide plushie on her bag and went again to the machine inserting one coin, she copy her previous action, aligning the claw on top and releasing again, the claw took ticket head and slowly rise it, taishin was getting more relax, if was dumb how these put her at ease but now she could relax a bit
Ticket fell off the claw
A big “No” almost escape from her mouth, luckily she manage to drown it, she took a look to her surrounding, checking nobody has seen her, fortunately the little amount of people in the place didn't notice
She turned back her attention to the claw machine, the ticket plushie wasn't far for the exit hole but she now resting sideways, the chances of the claw dropping her again is high but she don't giving up
She took the last coin she has and inserted in the machine, this is her last chance, she meticulously position the claw on top of the head and let it down, all she could do now is pray that the three goddesses are on her side
The claw manage to grab the plushie head and slowly started to elevate it, taishin could only observe, she stressing so much over the most dumb thing she can think off but it didn't matter now, she just needed both of this plushies
The claw finished elevating, it started to approach the exit, taishin could see how the plushie was starting to fall of already, only some centimeters left to reach the exit
“Congratulations!!, here your prize”
Taishin took the plushie, place it in her bag with the other one and walked away from the arcade, she took her time to reach the shop, it was more calmer since the crowd stayed far away from her, she didn't notice but a small smile was plaster on her face
She finally arrived, placed her stuff on her bed and went straight to the shower, she could finally relax a bit but even in that she could only relive today's events, she couldn't avoid just covering her face in embarrassment, what was all that? she just tried to ignore it while preparing to sleep, her eyelids were getting heavier by the seconds
She was already getting in a comfortable position on her bed, creek hasn't arrived yet, she told her that she was going out with her friends, that she was arriving late, so she didn't need to worry, she knows she in good hands
Taishin closed her eyes, just thinking that tomorrow will be another day
An hour has passed and taishin couldn't get any sleep, she was rolling in her head while groaning, she was getting annoyed, she is tired but couldn't fall asleep, she has class tomorrow, she got up carefully, creek had arrive some minutes ago and she didn't want to interrupt her slumber
She went to bathroom to wash her face a little bit to fresh off, she could only see her tired and angry face, she just tirelessly exhale and decide to fight again to see if she can wreck some hours of sleep
until an idea came to her, a really dumb one
Looking at the mirror she could see how her cheeks were turning red, she only let out angry groan but she is tired and everything was on table if it meant having at least some hours of sleep
She slowly got out of the bathroom and carefully went to her bag, searching them and there they were, her rivals in plushie form, she thought how stupid this was but still went ahead with her plan
She carefully entered her bed and faced the other direction, she looked over her shoulder to check if her wanky movement didn't woke up her roommate but creek was knock out, taishin breath in calm
Now, she with them, she facing her “rivals”, is not the same, that pretty obvious, this tiny dolls resembling them is not the same as facing their actual friends….but it help her relax a bit, she could only imagine how they could be doing now, they should be on the festival, going through the food stalls, playing those carnival games, having fun…without her
She could only try shake those ideas off, even if it was embarrassing for her she hugged both plushies, as hard as she could, she didn't like hugs, she found annoying, especially when ticket just balance herself over her and hayahide complies, so annoying
But…right now she would love to have one…
Taishin could feel her eyelids getting heavier, while tightly hugging the plushies of these two she call rivals, she could only wait for them to come back
“Taishin wake up” a soft voice make taishin slowly open her eyes “We have classes today” taishin saw her roommate “ok ok, im up” taishin responded, she took a minute before getting out of her bed
“Remember to wash your teeth and face” creek advise her
“Yeah yeah,im not a child” taishin responded
“I know but just in case you forgotten” creek responded, taishin only nodded to creek words, she went to bathroom to wash her face and prepare for the day
She took some minutes to check she had everything ready, she grabbed her bags and was ready until she notice the plushies, creek already went ahead so she was alone, she stood there for a second before grabbing them for a last minute hug, she would die if they ever see her doing this
She placed them inside her drawer and went straight to class
Taishin was calmly walking through the hallway until she saw more umas than normal, taking a closer inspection, these umas were supposed to be in summer camp, why are they here?
Taishin was still contemplating, she would just walk back to class but this meant one thing, they also arrive earlier
And on point, hayahide and ticket made their appearance, she would just walk up and great them but right now she couldn't, every time she looks at them her cheeks turn red
She was going to walk back, maybe she could meet them later in a more familiar setting, maybe she more calm to confront them
“TAISHIN!!!” or not, since she know the person behind that scream, she turned back and was preparing to try to at least do a half convincing greeting but her words were interrupted when she was engulf in the black haired uma hug
“We are back!!” ticket loudly announced
“I can tell” taishin responded “What happened? Why did you all come earlier?” taishin started to ask
“Some screw with the power on the camp” the white haired uma spoke “They would have took days to repair it so they decide to make us come back earlier” she said
“We still went to the festival” ticket said “Me and hayahide had so much fun” she happily said “Must certainly” hayahide accompany her black haired friend
Taishin could continue hearing them talk about, is not like she could just walk off, she still under ticket hug but hearing them having fun made her happy
But she would like to be there, the three of them, having fun
“But not having you there made things feel incomplete” the white haired uma said
Taishin ears went up at this words “Yeah…we would love to have you there with us” the black haired uma added “We had a hard time at the games, you always do good at them”
Taishin could only try to look away, their words were embarrassing but the red on her cheeks betray her, this was notice by the other two uma
“Are you okay taishin?” ticket asked “your face is kinda red”
Taishin could only continue looking away “Yeah yeah im fine, now let me free” the smaller said, ticket could laugh a little bit “What so funny?” taishin angrily said
Ticket continue laughing until she just strengthened the hug “You are so cute taishin” the black haired admitted
Taishin could feel her face heating up “Shut up, I'm not” she angrily said but her attention was diverted to her tall friend laughing “What are you laughing about?” she asked
Hayahide only smiled, she took some steps closing the gap and accompany ticket on the hug, ticket was enchanted by this “Group hug” she loudly announced
Taishin was a confused mess, she threatened them to kick them to the sun but all of her threats fell flat against them, after some more words she gave up and returned the hug, as embarrassing as she found it, she liked it
The three of them break the hug moments after, hayahide comb her hair with her hand a little bit, ticket was laughing, full of energy as always and taishin was trying to calm the blush on her cheeks
Hayahide took a look to her phone “We should start walking to out classes” she firmly announce “We are getting a little bit”, ticket and taishin nodded, the three of them started to walk to their respective classes
Taishin could only look them, knowing well they are probably staying united, for as long they can