Work Text:
After the day Taishin had, she wanted nothing more than just to go back to her dorm and crash into a dreamless sleep. A full day of classes, a long-winded supplementary lesson- all thanks to Ticket because she considered Hayahide’s study group before their midterm exam the perfect time to go over plans on how she’s going to win the upcoming Derby instead of their assigned literature work for the 37th time, and of course, late training due to her extremely packed day.
Her trainer did have the foresight to walk Taishin back to the dorms, however, knowing Fuji was doing final dorm attendance checks for the evening and not wanting her to get in trouble for getting back just under the wire. Usually, Taishin would argue she didn’t need to be escorted like some princess, but knowing she didn’t want to add “getting in trouble with the dorm leaders” to this already awful day, she remained uncharacteristically quiet as Trainer bid their farewell to the two Umas and left Taishin to her own devices.
A short flight of stairs later, and Taishin reaches her shared dorm with Creek. Considering the time, she could only hope that Creek was starting to settle in for the night and hopefully wouldn’t fuss over her too much. A rattle of some keys, a dull click of a lock, and a squeaking door alerted the woman on the other side.
Creek had been worried that Taishin hadn’t been back yet for the evening. Not seeing her with Hayahide or Ticket at dinner hours and not being aware of any upcoming races the other girl would’ve had to travel for did cause some slight concern. Thankfully, it seemed she had no more to worry about as her roommate quietly entered the shared space.
Tired, beat down, and disheveled was one way to put it. Taishin would more accurately describe it as “looking and feeling like absolute shit.” The shorter Uma— covered in a sheen of sweat and dirt, bags forming under her eyes, and her hair, ears, and tail an absolute knotted mess— gave a small “hey” as she dropped her bag on her desk.
The two were definitely one of the more odd roommate pairs— the caring, kind, and motherly Umamusume paired with the more blunt, independent, and hard-headed counterpart may not have been the most fitting coupling at first. Slowly— though, the two have learned to make the best of their situation, even learning to like each other’s ways.
Taishin would gladly go to the grave, not letting anyone know she secretly loves the small things Creek does to make her life just a bit better. Ensuring her bedding didn’t get left in the communal washer and get that nasty mildew smell, casually picking up an extra shampoo for her when shopping because she ‘noticed she was running low and wanted to save her a trip,’ she even grew to secretly love their shared tea drawer that Creek always somehow kept stocked with both of their favorites, as well as extra things like hot chocolate packets, electrolyte powder, or lemonade mixes.
Taishin has always chalked it up to just Super Creek being Super Creek. She always had to remind herself that she wasn’t truly getting special treatment. Whenever the passing thought of a possible crush developing came up, she always shut herself down, although it was getting harder and harder with each passing day.
Anyone else in Tracen could room with Creek, and she’d do the same things. It was just in her nature. Taishin wasn’t anything special, and she definitely did not deserve anything special from her roommate.
The taller Uma quickly jumped out from under her covers, already dressed in her night clothes and halfway through her bedtime routine, and took long strides towards her roommate.
“Taishin! I was getting worried about you! You look a mess—you’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”
Taishin strips herself of her training jacket and lazily tosses it towards the hamper at the end of her bed as Creek begins to attempt to look her over for any glaring cuts or bruises. Maybe a while ago, she would’ve told her roommate to back off, leave her alone, or just straight-up ignore her until she eventually gave up. If anyone asked, she'd blame it on the day for beating her down, but Taishin truly didn’t want to argue anymore.
She’d grown used to Creek’s tendencies at this point and frankly, wanted and needed the pampering. Call her selfish, but it’s hard not to become slightly infatuated with the girl who still seemingly chases after you despite wall after wall being built up.
Taishin sighs and slightly pushes her away. “No need to fuss over me like a kid, Creek. I’m fine, just having a real crap day. Do you plan on sleeping soon? Because I’ll be out like a light the second these nasty clothes are off.”
Creek can’t help but admire her roommate in this state. She must admit she’s also grown quite attached to Taishin as well. Slowly receiving more ‘thanks’ and small praises for the things she’s done for Taishin instead of a typical grunt or sarcastic comment.
Watching her work herself to the bone daily in preparation for the last legs of the classic races starting soon, and simply learning to enjoy each other's silent company in the evenings, Creek has slowly lowered Taishin’s walls and wants nothing more than to break through them entirely.
But she somewhat relents.
She’s secretly terrified of ruining what little of a calm, friendly relationship they’ve developed. It’s a near-daily struggle not to admit she’s gone out of her way specifically to dote on Taishin in a less-obvious way in an attempt to get closer to her.
Before Creek can even come up with what to say next, Taishin has somehow slinked away from her immediate reach and has headed towards her dresser, grabbing a pair of pajamas. With no time to think, Creek blurts out, “You can’t go to bed like that! Let me run you a bath!”
Taishin gives her roommate a small smirk before continuing, “Creek, we don’t have a bathtub in the dorms.”
“Oh, you know what I mean! Let me get the shower prepared for you! I’ll be quick, I promise.” Creek practically lunges towards their shared bathroom door, entering the small, tiled space.
Quickly bending down under the sink and pulling out Taishin’s shower caddy, and getting the hot water started before double-checking she has all her needed hygiene items. As the room fills with steam, Taishin leans against the door frame, waiting for Creek to finish up.
“See? Nice and quick, I told you!” The taller Uma hands the other her shower caddy before exiting the now too-humid space, leaving Taishin to shut the door behind her and begin her routine.
Creek now enters their quiet shared space with a hint of anxiety blooming in her stomach.
Did she do too much? Was that forceful? She walks over to Taishin’s hamper and flips the sleeves of her jacket hanging out of the basket inwards.
It may be a bit cliché, but Creek pulls out her tail care kit from her nightstand before sitting back down on her bed. It’s somehow always relieved what little stress she had. Pulling out a leather-bound roll with shears, a larger paddle brush, a smoothing brush, some oil, and a small pocket for clips, bands, and accessories, she can’t help but fall victim to her daydreams as she begins to gently de-tangle herself.
Since entering Tracen, tail care has become a solo task for Creek. Most girls without moms or sisters to help manage fine. However, it’s turned into a little tradition around racing academy campuses all over the globe for the girls involved in a relationship to help each other with theirs. Suddenly seeing small bows, braids, beads, small dyed strips, or even something simple like a split-end treatment could spark rumors around some of the more gossip-prone girls of their classes about who was suddenly dating whom.
It’s hard not to blame them for questioning though— it’s always sweet seeing young love bloom! Sharing such a sensitive and intimate task with a lover in a way for the whole world to see could be such a beautiful thing for those aware of its significance. As a young girl herself, Creek would daydream about how it would feel to have her brunette tail gently cared for. Adorned with dainty clips, soft and silky, made by her lover's hand. As well as sharing the favor and ensuring her love's tail was always trimmed and braided, like a beautiful cascade down their body.
Hearing the bathroom door open and close suddenly jostles Creek from her daydream. She watches Taishin place the rest of her dirty clothes in her hamper before flopping unceremoniously onto her respective bed, belly down.
Creek looks over as she finishes oiling her own tail ends with a small giggle before noticing the other tail in the room. For a girl who just showered, she must truly be that beat! While her body was far cleaner, her tail was definitely neglected. The damp hair still dripped excess water onto her sheets and floor, clear knots could be seen in the fine hairs, and the ends were ragged and thinned from weeks, maybe even months, of less-than-stellar, if any, care. Creek couldn’t help but feel almost sorry for her roommate. She’s clearly been prioritizing other things above self-care. A pang of sadness passes over her, seeing Taishin in such a state, clearly just needing someone to care about her more than she would typically care for herself.
She watches from her own bed as Taishin slowly begins to get comfortable and ready for sleep. She has to say something, right? She can’t just watch her roommate go to sleep in this state! It wouldn’t be crossing a boundary to ask if she combed her tail, right? And if it was, she would probably just get told off by the other Uma and slink back into her own covers for the evening. Hearing Taishin shift in her sheets broke her from her rumination as the girl faced Creek.
“Are you finished over there? I’m going to turn off my lamp if you don’t mind…thank you, by the way. You got the water temperature perfect.” Taishin’s voice quiets at that last part, almost embarrassed to admit such things to Creek.
“Oh! Yes, yes, I’m just about all set over here. Although I think you might be forgetting something, though.” Creek gulps as she watches Taishin raise an eyebrow at her, clearly confused at what she might be missing.
She knows she is tired, but is it that obvious? Creek watches Taishin go through her mental checklist before she clears her throat.
“Your tail is still wet! You can’t fall asleep like that. It’ll just be a bigger mess to deal with in the morning.” She takes a breath before continuing with a fake air of confidence. “Would you like me to dry it for you? And…maybe take care of one or two of those dead ends?”
She freezes as she waits for Taishin’s response. Expecting a smart comment to be flung her way or a slightly condescending laugh before giving her a firm “no,” but she’s…pleasantly surprised.
Almost too quiet to hear, Taishin mumbles out, “I…yeah, sure. Go ahead. If it makes you happy.” Creek almost can’t believe her own ears!
In Taishin’s mind, not only is she too tired to protest, but deep down, she’s also secretly wished for this day to come. While she truly doesn’t believe she is worthy of such care from Creek, it would be a lie to say she’s never thought of it. The budding crush getting harder and harder to ignore has made these ideas a more common occurrence in the shorter Uma’s mind. Taishin realizes this is the perfect opportunity.
If the feelings aren’t mutual or she gets questioned about it, she could easily blame it on her current state. Besides, it wouldn’t be completely out of character for someone like Creek to offer this to someone. She cares about everyone! It’s not taking advantage of her kindness if she’s offering.
Creek makes a mad dash for the bathroom to grab Taishin’s towel hanging from the door as her mind races even faster.
She said yes!
Maybe Taishin is too tired to argue— she could be half asleep and barely lucid when talking to her anyway. Is it wrong to practically take advantage of her in such a state? If anyone asks, she was just looking out for her roommate and friend! That wouldn’t be too weird, right?
Taishin has since turned over onto the side facing the wall, her tail unceremoniously hanging off the side of the bed. Creek quickly makes her way back and grabs her kit from her bed before setting it down on the floor as she kneels in front of the other girl’s tail. She gingerly wraps the towel around the hair and gently squeezes out excess water.
Almost nervously, Creek can choke out, “P-Please tell me at any point if it hurts or if you want me to stop.” In response, Taishin gives a small “mhm” before adjusting her pillow one last time.
What feels like hours is a mere 10 minutes tops. Creek continues to towel-dry Taishin’s tail before gingerly beginning to detangle the tail in front of her. Only being twice interrupted by a small flick as she works through a more gnarly knot or snag.
She continues on, replacing her detangler brush with a softer-bristled smoothing brush, giving long, smooth strokes as Taishin’s breathing begins to slow down. Once finished, she grabs her shears and cuts away a few centimeters of the thinner, unhealthier ends, making Taishin’s tail look much fuller and thicker with just a few snips.
By the time she reaches for her hair oil, she's stopped by a soft snore coming from the girl above her. Creek knows it’s due to how drained Taishin is, but she can’t help but almost selfishly take the claim for helping her relax enough to sleep. She begins to oil the ends as Taishin continues to sleep soundly.
Creek can’t help but be proud of herself as she admires her finished handiwork. She was able to help her friend and do something so intimate with her that she’s craved for a while now. She gently strokes her fingers through the now-tamed tail with a small smile on her face. Reaching out her other hand to grab her supplies and put them away, her nail gets caught on something soft and rubbery.
In her haste to grab her supplies, she must have accidentally opened the small pocket that held her smaller pieces, making a small scattering of rubber bands, clips, and pins on the floor. She removes her other hand from Taishin’s tail and begins to pick up the small, loose pieces before an idea hits her.
It wouldn’t be bad to add a tiny braid to it, right? Just something small. She could always just say she wanted to practice before executing it on herself if Taishin questions her about it. Besides, it’s just a braid! Easy to take out in the morning, and no one besides them would know anything about it.
Creek begins to wonder how often she would get this opportunity, if ever again. She can’t help but feel some sadness knowing this might be the first and last time Taishin lets her do this. She sits up slightly to check the sleeping girl one more time, ensuring she’s still out cold before quickly setting aside a small pile of the rubber bands. Settling down, she begins to create a mini braid from a little below the base of Taishin’s tail.
It's like running her hands through threads of gold. Soft, strong, smooth, and absolutely beautiful. Just like Taishin is in her eyes. One braid turns into two, and two braids turn into three. Creek just can’t help herself. It’s almost addictive. Once all three braids are completed, she takes the three single braids and weaves them together, creating an intricate pattern down Taishin’s tail before tying the final creation off with a fourth rubber band. She can’t help but feel a bit guilty, doing this to Taishin while she sleeps—she agreed to basic care; drying, combing, and a trim— not this!
She gingerly runs her fingers through Taishin’s tail a final time before putting away the leftover rubber bands, rolling up her kit, placing the towel in a hamper, and shutting off Taishin’s lamp. She places her kit back into her nightstand drawer and crawls back under her covers for a final time that night, hoping that she didn’t go too far.
The next day, Taishin has partner training with Hayahide and Ticket in the early afternoon. After her much-needed rest last night, she’s more than ready to take on what this day brings. Jogging out of the locker room to meet the two girls on the track, she turns around to set her bag and water bottle down. Before the items could even hit the bench, a squeal from Ticket disrupts Taishin.
“TAISHIIIIIIIIN!!!! Oh my goddesses, your tail looks so PRETTY TODAY!!!! Did you do that this morning???? IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL!”
Taishin sighs as the slight surprise wears off, turning back around to face the louder girl with a small scowl on her face.
“Geez, could you keep it down?! It’s just a braid. Nothing crazy. Creek actually did it for me last night.” Hayahide’s ears perk up from where she’s stretching a few steps away, quickly turning her head and raising an eyebrow to the brunette.
Before she could even get a word out, Ticket decides to open her mouth again.
“CREEK??? Like your roommate, Creek? THE Super Creek? TAISHIN, I HAD NO IDEA. HOW COULD YOU KEEP THIS FROM US???” She begins to wail as she reaches towards Taishin, picking her up in a crushing hug before the smaller uma has a chance to protest.
“I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU! Oh, you have to tell us, WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST DATE? Who asked whom out first? WAS THIS A SUPER LONG SECRET RELATIONSHIP LIKE A FORBIDDEN ROMANCE MANGA?” The now trapped Taishin can do nothing but flail and protest.
“It’s just a braid, calm down! It’s not that deep! Can you put me down already?!”