A/N: Just a short fic, featuring Sumireko x Shinya. I honestly didn't really think while I was writing so it somehow ended up like this (I was aiming for Mahiru x Sumireko again but that didn't happen I guess). I wanted something happier after watching episode 9 with a broken heart. So if I overlook any mistakes, I apologize.
Disclaimer: I don't own Akuma no Riddle.
Chasing The Storm
The wind howled into the silent night, entering the lonely silence. The sheets barely cover her slim waist from the cold air. She lays in her bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling.
Cracks litter the white concrete, leaving noticeable dust particles. She counts them with integrity, as if she were hoping it would lull her restless mind to sleep. Yet, like counting sheep, it's remains ineffective.
Hours seemed to have went by and as much as she wants to doze into her own dreamland, she can't. It was the loneliness that keeps her awake, forcing her to feel the strength of this burdensome emotion. This emptiness she feels is simply insatiable.
She's been listening to the approaching storm with sensitive ears. Even the distinct breaths she takes are audible to her. If the tiniest pin had dropped at that very moment, she would have easily detected it. Perhaps, her restlessness has left her senses open.
Her blue eyes shift to focus on the bed beside her. Her gaze lingers for a moment, scanning the bed from the pillows to the foot of the bed. Sorrow reaches her eyes when she notes how empty Banba's bed is. It was already past midnight and the silver haired girl still hadn't returned from her bath.
Just the thought of the girl not returning, not uttering a simplistic goodbye, left her with a sinking feeling. It made the empty void in her heart deepen. But underneath her layer of worry and loneliness came the hint of longing. It was a distinct pull, a nagging gut feeling, that made her want to reach out and hold the girl in place.
Saying it out loud would have been embarrassing for the frail assassin. Her tongue couldn't roll off such gut-wrenching words. She was far better than that, having grown up to be a prim and proper young lady. Grace and sophistication was all she seemed to know.
Banba wouldn't appreciate her parting words if they were articulated in a cheesy way. Perhaps, a smile would do. Or maybe even a hug. If her said roommate was in a decent mood, maybe, just maybe, a kiss on the cheek.
Sumireko heaved a sigh, shaking her head. It wasn't a lie that she had feelings for the silver haired girl with two different personalities. She actually liked both parts of Banba, even if they both tried to brush her off. Plus, the two amused her to the point where being with either side wasn't boring. But sometimes, Shinya could be more troublesome than the sweet, overly anxious Mahiru.
Feelings in general were not something she was accustomed to. She wasn't supposed to have distinct emotions; she was only here for her own personal reasons. To think that she let another person into her heart was unfathomable. Especially when the said person acted as if she didn't want anything to do with her.
It made her feel obligated to become closer to her roommate. She wanted to thoroughly get to know Banba. But despite how open Shinya was about herself, Mahiru was a tough cookie to crack between the two.
"Shinya-san... Mahiru-san..." Their names left her lips in a soft whisper. There was an edge to her tone that made her longing evident.
Turning on her side, facing away from Banba's unoccupied bed, she curled into a fetal position. Her eyes were filled with a deep, oppressing loneliness that was hooded beneath a serene barrier. This was a feeling she was used to, yet she had to admit that Banba was one of the few people she had ever wanted to get to know. On most occasions, she wasn't lonely if Banba was with her.
Closing her eyes, she tried to drift into a much needed slumber. But her efforts were thwarted when her eyes ended up popping open, startled by the crash of thunder. Amazingly, nothing sounded more peaceful to her than the storm raging outside.
"Yo, I'm back!" The door swung open, slamming into the wall with an audible thud. Sumireko, with her heavily beating heart, carefully sat up. She quickly locked her emotions away before the invasive girl charged into the room.
The wild grin and the glinting amethyst eyes were the only indication she needed to know that it was Shinya. The silver haired girl was dressed in the same dark blue yukata from the previous night with her hair done in its usual long ponytail. Her bangs were unevenly swept across her forehead, giving her a more dishevelled appearance.
"Ara~" Sumireko drew out, placing a hand against her cheek. "Must you come home so late?" Though her question was worded in a polite way, there was a still a hint of hurt laced within in it.
Shinya snorted in response, stalking into the room with her brash demeanor.
"I'd like to stay and chat but I only came back for my friend." Came the silver haired girl's retort as she began to sift through the room. Sumireko had opened her mouth to question the girl, to ask her about this "friend" she was talking about. But by the time she was ready to ask, Shinya was already wielding a sledgehammer that was probably half her size.
Noting the satisfaction practically oozing from Shinya's grin, her mouth snapped shut. Biting down on the inside of her cheeks, she held back the urge to chuckle at the girl's antics. Yet, when she saw the look within Shinya's eyes, all of the humor she felt disappeared.
Knowing that this might be goodbye, a permanent farewell between them, the sorrow returned. Although the girl's presence was enough to make her feel complete, she knew by the end of the night that Banba's bed would no longer be occupied. She knew the outcomes were beyond her knowledge, yet somehow, she had a gist of what might occur. Sporting a hint of a smile, she smiled as if it would be her last.
Meeting Shinya's amethyst eyes made her heart skip a beat, giving her the satisfaction of contentment when Shinya's usually manic eyes had softened to a lesser degree. Yet when she tried to smile a little wider, a little warmer, Shinya's expression immediately went hard.
She heard the clack of Shinya's shoes as the girl began to stalk towards her. Part of her should have felt nervous, especially knowing how unpredictable the girl was. But as she sat, clutching the sheets with frail hands, she only felt the tingle within her heavily beating heart. The only thing she could do was anticipate the girl's next actions.
"Ya know, it pisses me off when I have to hear Mahiru's thoughts about you." The sledgehammer dragged across the floor, creating a rather irritating screech. It was as if the weapon was protesting against Shinya's rough actions.
"Such stupid thoughts." Thunk! Shinya dropped the hammer down on the floor without batting an eye.
Sumireko's blue eyes widened, astonished, when Shinya roughly cupped her cheeks with surprisingly delicate hands. She managed to look up at Shinya, who returned the gesture with a harsh glare. But she remained still, slowly relaxing under Shinya's warm touch.
Those wild amethyst eyes were different up close. The usual crazed look within them were overshadowed, hidden with a different emotion that she couldn't seem to name. None the less, she already had an idea about the girl's true colors. However, Sumireko could only stare, astonished and enraptured, by the girl's astounding orbs as they bore into her soul.
They had been gazing into each other's for a good minute. Neither wanted to relent and break the private connection between them. It didn't take long before Shinya broke it.
"I've got a party to attend. Join me if ya want." Shinya let go of Sumireko, abruptly.
Turning away from Sumireko, Shinya moved to pick up her sledgehammer. As Sumireko observed the girl, the hint of sorrow touched her ice blue eyes. There was a nagging feeling tugging at Sumireko's chest, beckoning her towards the oblivious girl.
Without hesitating, Sumireko moved forward and grasped Shinya's wrist. Her attempt almost felt desperate, yet she didn't waver nor loosen her grip when Shinya's puzzled eyes peered down at her. The girl's usual grin had reverted into a frown, as if to question her actions.
It was the first time in her life that she felt absolutely helpless. If loneliness was painful, then this must have been twice the amount she had felt because deep inside of herself, she didn't want Shinya to go and never come back. She didn't want there to be a moment where she would never have another chance to become closer to the girl she liked. But because she knew that this was their mission, their sole duty to accomplish, she wouldn't stop her. This was Shinya's time to shine and she wouldn't ruin that for her.
In her struggle to find the right words, the two of them had ended up in a stare down. Shinya's eyes were burning like a wildfire, as if demanding the girl to let go, yet Sumireko's eyes were caught in a lonely cloud. The contrast between their emotions interlocked them together, forcing both sides to identify each other's emotions.
Neither had anticipated Sumireko's next course of actions. The girl had moved a hand upwards to rest on Shinya's shoulder and before either could blink, Sumireko leaned in and planted a chaste kiss against Shinya's cheek. The girl could feel Shinya's body stiffen up, emitting the surprise Shinya had felt.
By the time she pulled away, Shinya's eyes were flickering dangerously. Her eyes glared holes into Sumireko's face, burning the girl with her unblinking glare. Yet, it soon subsided when the silver haired girl averted her eyes.
"That's not a kiss." Shinya grunted, impatiently, recovering first from Sumireko's sudden action. "This is a kiss." Without a warning, Shinya grabbed Sumireko by the collar of her shirt and dragged the girl forward in a rough manner.
There was no time to protest or even process the girl's words. Shinya's lips had already pressed against Sumireko's, silencing any sound that would have left the girl's lips. The usually conserved and well-mannered Sumireko found herself in a flustered state, feeling absolutely bewildered and awed by Shinya's bold action.
It wasn't exactly the most pleasant first kiss she had ever received. It wasn't gentle nor loving and lacked the care most would have dreamed of. But still, it felt magical in its own way. Shinya's lips were far softer than she had expected, yet moved in a rough, stagnant manner. Sumireko, lost in the bliss that was consuming her, moved her hand up to trace the scar that etched a path along Shinya's cheek. Her index finger gently caressed it, feeling its rough texture beneath her fingertip.
The breath she hadn't she realized she had been holding dissolved, letting Shinya steal it effortlessly. The silver haired girl hadn't relented, having held her shirt tighter as the girl pressed her lips harder against hers. Slowly, the pace began to set its own rhythm between them, letting the two enjoy their little moment.
Even when they parted, their lips found each other once more as they took another breath. It was as if there was a force pulling them towards each other like magnets, bringing them together in an intimate connection. As enjoyable as it felt and memorable as it was, they both knew that the moment couldn't be prolonged any longer. Still, they both savored it, knowing it would likely be their last.
"You'll come back, right?" It was the first sentence that left her lips when they finally parted. It would have come off as a weak and desperate plea if Shinya hadn't known Sumireko at all. Instead, the silver haired girl merely bared her teeth in a wild grin.
"Of course! I don't intend to yield." Jabbing her thumb confidently at her chest, Shinya picked up her sledgehammer from the floor, effortlessly. "I'll see ya later, Sumireko." Shinya gave a half hearted wave before turning away.
Sumireko, somewhat satisfied, could only watch as Shinya sauntered away, dragging the hammer behind her. It made a long trail across the floor, screeching its protest. She watched, silently, trying to remember the shape of Shinya's outline as the girl began to make her way out the door.
By the time Shinya had exited, slamming the door behind her, Sumireko released a tense sigh. The storm itself hadn't relented, yet as she stole a glance towards the window, she merely smiled.
Grazing her lips with her fingertips, as if she were trying to remember the kisses that had transpired earlier, a soft hue of red began to paint her cheeks. Looking down at her lap, she placed a hand over her mouth and stifled a chuckle.
Indeed, that kiss met her criteria. Perhaps, even a little better.