Touch
written by: A Lucky Penny
Summary: A snowstorm. One bed. And a troubled Obi.
Disclaimer: I don't own Akagami no Shirayukihime.
Author's Note: This is the first fanfic I've written about AnS that I was really willing to post. I hope you like it. ^^
Slowly, he stirred in his sleep. Bits of what happened before started to invade his thoughts. Someone smiling. Mixtures of chemicals in a lab. Books on top of one another. Snow.
He opened his eyes, which still felt heavy from the deep sleep he had. Turning to his side, he couldn't stop himself from smiling when he saw Shirayuki lay beside him sleeping quietly. He stared at her for what felt like hours, still not believing he was actually sleeping in the same bed as her.
Unbidden, a memory came to him – the night where all five of them came together to enjoy each other's company. His mistress was the first to fall asleep, his master soon drunkenly sitting by her side saying he would be protecting her. The next thing he knew, he was asleep as well; only woken by a pressing weight on his knee and a warm sensation on his hand.
He never forgot what that warmth felt like. Her hand absentmindedly so close to his own. He could only stare at the gentle contact then and feel a smile forming on his lips as he watched her sleep. He made no move to pull away his hand. He would allow himself to have this moment even if just for tonight, he thought then.
Now, it took all of his strength not to push aside the strands of hair that fell on her face as she breathed. She was too close for comfort but he couldn't pull himself away. He wanted to be there. To be this close to her was a luxury his master would have never allowed him, now that he knows about his true feelings. He would have to apologize for this someday.
But where was the harm in this anyway? The day had been long away from the halls of Lyrias. They had no choice but to stay at an inn when a snowstorm suddenly swept through the land. And as if fate had either been too cruel or too kind, there was only one vacant room… that had one bed and no sofa or chair.
There was no complains coming from his mistress though. She was tired and so badly needed sleep. It didn't matter anymore to her. When he thought about it, it felt like his mistress trusted him enough to allow themselves to share a bed. He insisted on sleeping somewhere else, actually. But protests from his mistress were much too powerful. He gave up on arguing and decided to retire for the night.
This brought him back to internally panicking how close she actually is. He tried, as stealthily as he could, to turn to the side and fall asleep again but sleep never came. When he stopped shuffling, he felt his mistress move beside him. She was now lying on her back; her arms sprawled at her sides.
With her right hand covering his.
At first, he stared. Just like that night so many months ago. Then a smile spread once again on his face. Fighting what he wanted to do all along was useless. In the end, his mistress still defeated him.
Carefully, he intertwined his fingers with hers. The warmth he felt from holding her hand was enough to lull him into sleep again. Soon, he would have to wake up before his mistress to take his hand away and make arrangements to leave. Soon, they would have to return to Lyrias to update their pending research with the day's findings. Soon, they would be in different beds, far from each other.
But tonight, he has this moment with her. That was enough.
Even if just for tonight, he would allow himself the words he could never say to her to burn at the faintest touch of their fingertips.