Work Text:
Winter, first snowfall of the year.
Sandrone awoke at a jump, sitting herself up hastily on the bed.
"Ngh, what time is it...?" She mutters weakly as she reached for her phone on the nightstand. Ten in the morning. She was about to be the most panicked she's ever been her whole life, until her eyes landed on the day. It was Sunday.
"Ugh... thank god." She calms herself down, turning to sit at the side of the bed, her legs dangling near the floor. Looking out the window, she sees snowflakes decending slowly out of view, it looked really cold out.
"Snowing, huh..."
Usually, she'd already be up by seven, even if it's a slow Sunday. It was a little weird that she woke up at ten, but not weird enough to rack her brain on after she literally just woke up. Instead, she forces herself up, groaned at nothing in particular, and sauntered to the bathroom.
Once inside, she rests her hands on the sink, standing in front of the mirror and giving herself a once-over.
She was a mess. Her hair, usually tidy and well-kept, is a mess of beige like she had just been struck by thunder. Lower down, she was still in her white button-up she wore to work yesterday, same pants too. Was she really that tired last night to the point of not bothering to change clothes? Now that she thinks about it, she doesn't remember much after walking out of the office last night... what the hell?
Sluggishly, she washes her face with a rinse or two and tried her best to fix her hair. After making sure her hair looks at least a little presentable, she starts brushing her teeth. As she brushed, she started wondering on what she should have for breakfast, was there even anything in the fridge? She's not one to cook food much because she believes it to be a waste of time when she could be putting more time into her projects. Well, if the fridge really is empty, she wouldn't mind going to that food stand she's been wanting to go to… wait, would it even be open? It's snowing really hard after all-
"Good morning, Sandrone."
"?!" The sudden voice of another made Sandrone jump. After regaining control of her limbs from the scare, she quickly turned around to find… Columbina, with her side resting by the bathroom doorframe… wait, Columbina?! In her apartment?! What was she doing here?! Did she sleep here?! And what's with the clothes she's wearing?! She's using her shirt?!
Despite the scare, Sandrone still caught herself staring at the other woman, because even though Columbina didn't look her best, the woman still looked as angelic as ever… wait?! WHAT IS SHE THINKING?!
"Sandrone…?" Columbina asked again as Sandrone was mentally cursing herself. The black and magenta haired woman was rubbing the sleep from her eyes, yawning as she does so, calm as usual. Like the idea of her being in Sandrone's apartment is a norm that Sandrone had forgotten herself.
Sandrone turned towards the sink, spitting the remaining toothpaste she had in her mouth, then quickly turned back at Columbina and asked in a very high pitched voice that's so on brand for her, "W…what are you doing here?!" The toothbrush she's still holding is now being held like some sort of weapon, extending her hand and pointing it at the other woman.
Columbina didn't answer instantly, the look in her eyes made it seem like she had forgotten too, but not long after, she answers the question.
"…you were drunk last night, so I helped brought you back home." She answered, calm. Too calm that it irritated Sandrone.
After a small pause, she continued. "But then I figured since it was already late anyway and you seemed like you'd be lonely. I decided to stay the night… and slept next to you on the bed."
...
…Ignoring the fact that Columbina made an assumption of her feelings AND decided to stay the night AND slept on her bed with her, Sandrone doesn't remember being drunk last night. She isn't the type to just drink out of the blue. She didn't remember any of this…
Until she did.
Yesterday, it was supposed to be a normal day for the beige haired girl. It was past work hours, tidying up her desk precisely, the way she always had it before going home, not wanting to have an untidy desk in the morning.
"Good evening, Sandrone." Suddenly, a voice besides her can be heard, a voice she's been hearing so much recently, that it's kind of irritating how she's gotten used and welcoming to hearing it. Columbina, a new hire for a few months now. On her first day here, Sandrone was tasked to help show the woman around the company and helping her get settled in. That's why she, Columbina, feels as if they're close or whatever.
"Evening." Sandrone answered flatly, not bothering to look at the other woman as she continued to tidy up.
"…Rude." Columbina commented, yet not sounding annoyed at all, like she's used to it.
"I'll just get straight to the point, can you accompany me to the outing that was arranged by our coworkers today?"
"Haah?" Not quite believing what she's heard, Sandrone finally looked at Columbina, already looking like she's about to pick a fight with her. "Not happening. Why would you even need me there anyway?" Sandrone continued, crossing her arms in front of her, putting her body weight on one foot.
Sandrone was never one to "socialize". Especially not with the group of weirdos she's had to call coworkers for the past few years.
"Well, I thought about going and familiarizing myself with the others, but then I realized, if Sandrone wasn't there, there was no point."
…Sandrone found herself reddening at the admission, what the hell was she supposed to say to that?!
At the silence, Columbina decided to add onto what she said. "So you'll go with me right?'
"What?! No!"
No, she said, yet here she is, in some shady looking family restaurant with the smell of booze already filling her nostrils. Ugh.
"Sandrone!" The loud voice from beside her can be heard, then an arm around her shoulder. "Glad you decided to come with us today! You never do!" The man, Tartaglia, grinned, with a glass of beer on his other arm.
She'd scoot herself further from him, swatting his hand off of her shoulder. "Please, don't flatter yourself. I am simply joining tonight because of…" Why was she here again?
Before Sandrone could place a finger on why she's here. Tartaglia was already running his mouth. "I get it, I get it. I mean, when your crush is joining us tonight, you can't help but feel protective, right?"
"E-Excuse me? W… what are you saying?! She's not- what are you saying?!?!" Sandrone instantly went bright red from her face down to her neck. She instantly looked over at Columbina on the far side of the table, looking very happy as she's chatting with their other coworker, Arlecchino. "I'm not... it's not... like that." She continues, sounding smaller and smaller the more she continued.
"Yeah? I didn't even mention her though?" He smirked mischievously.
"UGH, you-!"
Getting rage baited by him must be the one of her lowest points in life, and from there, she started drinking to wash away his stupid blabbers and to stop thinking about how much fun Columbina looked chatting with Arlecchino.
"Why did you even invite me to come you cheat..." She muttered to herself, grumbling as she drowned herself with more alcohol.
And now here they are. Two women who's relationship status is up in the air. In one apartment. Lightly clothed and just got out of bed. Sandrone wants to throw herself in a ditch, filling it, and never be dug up again.
Wait…
"Um, did… anything happen… last night?" Sandrone decided to ask the question.
"Sadly, no." Columbina sighed, then answered with the shake of her head.
Sandrone sighed with relief evident in her voice. "Thank archons… and what do you mean 'sadly'?!"
"I wonder, what did I mean by it?" Columbina teased with a chuckle.
"Ugh… get out, Columbina!"
Sandrone basically screamed at the other woman as she pushes her out of the bathroom, then quickly closing the door and locking it.
...
"Sandrone?"
"What?"
"Are you seriously working on a day off?" Columbina asked, standing behind the couch Sandrone is currently sitting on, looking over at the laptop on the woman's lap.
"…what about it?" Sandrone tried to shrug her off, but ultimately getting distracted from her work. In truth, she drowns herself with work to stop having anything to do with Columbina and her stupid smiles.
"Well, when Arle said you were a workaholic, I didn't know it was this bad…" Columbina said, as she rested her head under her folded arms on the backrest of the couch, focusing her gaze on Sandrone.
"Well, sorry for disappointing you. Just leave me alone, you're lucky I haven't thrown you out in the snow." The older woman stated, trying to sound angry, yet only earning a giggle from the younger woman. Whatever, Sandrone will keep drowning herself in her work!
…It's been a few minutes, yet it feels like it's been hours. Sandrone desperately tried to get back to her work, but Columbina… her face is still right beside hers! How is she suppose to work when Columbina is staring at her?!
"…Co... Columbina." Sandrone spoke, trying to speak normally.
"Mmm?" The other woman answered, not backing away, not looking away, still there, besides Sandrone, gazing like she had struck gold.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing..." Columbina voiced. Still stargazing.
"You've been staring."
"Can I not?"
Sandrone found herself at a loss for words… this woman is truly something else. "I-I mean… just… don't bother me."
"Mm, no promises."
"Ugh."
Two women who's relationship is still a work in progress, in a cozy cold apartment, with each other being the only source of warmth.