AN: Another short DiaYou fic. Like the other two, Almost There and Softer Than Silk, it's interconnected with one another. I suppose you can call this now a collection of oneshots now, but you don't need to read the previous two to understand the plot (although it's recommended).

I'll get around to updating Cafe Muse soon. But right now, these two have completely taken over my life. It's ridiculous. I really love them. They need to be more popular. But I digress.

Enjoy.

Ciao. c:

Dia liked the rain.

There was something so tranquil, so satisfying about the soft staccato of the raindrops that tapped against the roof. It reminded her of the code Kanan created when they were little, and wanted to sneak Mari out of the confines of the gigantic, yet empty hotel that stood lonely by the sea edge. It reminded her of the countless nights she spent alone, staring up at the barren ceiling of her room as she mulled over their loss at Tokyo, only to find herself falling asleep to continuous rhythm just outside her window.

But, more importantly, it reminded her of her first kiss, a memory that never failed to bring a smile on her face, warming her chest no matter how how cold it was.

A light sigh suddenly caught her attention.

Dia turned just a bit, glancing at the sleeping girl leaning against her shoulder. Dia smiled fondly and buried her nose in the girl's silver hair, taking in a scent that reminded her of fresh laundry. It took her back into that time, that magical moment amidst the chaotic thunderstorm that waged outside and time stood still, and Dia could only focus on the beautiful girl that was next to her.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the ongoing commotion did a crescendo. The light drizzle suddenly turned into a downpour, the rain vigorously pounding against the windows. Dia could feel You stir slightly then settle down. The latter gave another sigh and mumbled, "No, Chika-chan, no more oranges please," under her breath. Dia exhaled out of her nose amusedly; she never knew how entertaining it was to listen to You sleeptalking.

It proved to be a good way to pass the time.

The young couple had been stuck at school for several hours now, deciding to wait for the raging storm outside to pass or, at the very least, lessen. Dia had taken it as an opportunity to finally catch up on the neglected mountain of schoolwork she had left sitting on her desk for God knows how long. You, who had decided not to leave with Chika and Riko right after school, came to the student council room with hopes to find entertainment with her lover and had decided to dutifully help Dia. With her help, the brunette had been able to successfully finish all of the paperwork faster than usual. But that had left the two of them with nothing to do, and You had fallen asleep somewhere along the line.

Dia didn't mind, though; now she was able to appreciate two of her favorite things without any interruption.

Or so she thought.

The thunder outside did a sforzando, startling Dia but frightening You. The silver-haired girl jolted to attention and slammed the top of her head against the brunette's face. Dia let out a muffled scream and pulled back as she covered her mouth; the coppery taste of blood tickled her tongue.

"Ah!" You turned around, looking at Dia with a panicked expression. "S-sorry! I didn't mean to fall asleep or hit you I just got-"

"Iftsh fhine," Dia mumbled unclearly, "don'tfh vurryf abouf itf."

You visibly relaxed, her face molding into an expression of light amusement. "Can you repeat that?"

Dia forced herself to swallow, grimacing all the while, before repeating herself. "I said, 'It's fine, don't worry about it.'"

You reached out and placed her thumb on Dia's bottom lip. Dia could feel the pad of You's thumb hovering over the end of the small cut that poked out from inside her mouth.

"Does it hurt when I do this?" You asked as she slowly moved her thumb to graze the wound. The brunette winced; it was more sensitive than she thought. "Sorry," she heard You say.

"Don't be," Dia said as she removed You's hand from her face and held it. Instinctively, Dia began to run her thumb over her lover's knuckles, still taken aback by how soft and how small You's hands were despite holding them numerous times. "I told you it's fine."

Blue eyes looked over to the side, staring at the rolling raindrops sticking to the window. "I guess…."

Lightning flashed outside and Dia could feel her hand being gripped tighter. The distinct feeling of sweat began to form on the palm she held.

"You?"

"Y-yeah?" The silver-haired girl turned to Dia with a smile that was obviously pinned onto her face. "W-what is it?"

"...Are you scared of—"

An accented boom of thunder rattled the windows. You jumped in her seat and lunged forward to bury herself into Dia's chest, letting out a yelp that sounded very similar to Ruby's. Dia, surprised at this behavior, slowly released You's hand and pulled the latter closer to her body. Her lover's body trembled uncontrollably, and she could feel something wet seeping into her uniform.

Quietly, Dia ran her fingers through You's short hair, combing through the knots. Dia always found a strange sense of solace when brushing the silver strands, and apparently so did You; the latter relaxed considerably and melted into the embrace, taking a shaky breath.

"It's fine," Dia cooed, rubbing You's back. "You're fine."

Breath after breath and failed attempt after failed attempt, You finally managed to swallow back her tears. With much effort she sat up, but refused to meet Dia's eyes. The brunette brushed away a tear that lingered on You's cheek with the tip of her finger. Dia stared at it for a minute, observing it the same way she did months ago when You first approached her in the very room they were sitting in.

"It's childish, isn't it?" You said suddenly. Dia looked up and saw her staring out the window, her blue eyes highlighted with a slight red.

The brunette raised an eyebrow. "What is?"

"Me being scared of thunderstorms."

"Not really," Dia began. "It's not that bad."

"Still—"

Dia cupped You's cheek and leaned forward, pressing her forehead against her lover's. She stared unwaveringly into You's shimmering blue eyes.

"It's fine," she assured, her voice soft, yet strong enough to put You at ease for a moment. But an intruding rumble of thunder quickly put the silver-haired girl on edge again and she tensed up.

"You know," You muttered quietly, "I always get nervous during typhoon season."

Dia, being the smart person she was, connected the dots quickly. "Is it because of your father?"

You made a small movement of her head, the subtlest of nods. "I always worry that he'll get caught and never make it home," she confessed, adding a noise, one that was a mix of cynicism and twisted amusement, at the end.

Dia, however, broke into a frown and felt disappointed at this development. After all, she liked the rain.

"So, you're really not fond of it?" Dia asked as she tucked a silver strand behind You's ear.

"Not entirely."

"Not entirely?"

A sheepish smile curled You's lips. "I only like the rain because it reminds me of you."

At that, Dia set the world record for turning red under a split second. An overwhelming sensation overcame her, one that made her very aware of how close You really was, which quickly turned into the unbridled desire to kiss the silver-haired girl. The thought sent Dia's heart beating loud enough that it almost drowned out the sound of pouring rain.

But one question, one nagging little question, held her back.

"Why?" Dia asked, realizing how stupid her question really was when once her words hit her ears.

You touched Dia's lips with the delicacy of a feather, making sure to mind the cut. "Because it reminds me of the first time you kissed me. And when I remember that time I shared with you, I remembered how safe I felt, how warm, and how happy I was to finally share something so precious with someone so special to me. So when I get nervous when I'm all by myself, listening to the rain, I think back to you and that moment,. And when I do, I can almost feel you beside me,, and you being there for me is when I feel safest.

The brunette stared at You for a moment or two, her eyes wide as she let her lover's words settle into her mind. Eventually, she broke into a fit of giggles and a large grin as a familiar feeling budded in her stomach and bloomed, spreading its pollen to her chest and filling her. It was light and airy, and Dia swore she would float away from her seat if You's touch on her wasn't keeping her grounded.

"...Was that a dumb thing to say?" The silver-haired girl asked as she pulled back her fingers and her cheeks flooded red. Dia quickly shook her head no, but her grin was still in place.

"I just found it a little funny," the brunette said.

You scrunched her nose cutely. "Why?"

"That's one of the same reasons I like the rain, too."

Outside, the rain continued to fall and the wind continued to sing and the storm watched as the two girls shared laughter together. Then, wanting to see what was going on, a ray of sunlight poked its head through gray clouds and witnessed those same girls meet each other halfway for a kiss. The trees and their branches swayed, and the leaves cheered as they saw Dia and You break away mutually, looking fondly into each other's eyes with the passion only lovers could have. The girls' mouths began to move and the rain lightened their taps to get a grasp on what they were saying. In the end, the drops heard nothing, but they were positive that those words were the same words they heard all around them, words that were constantly being exchanged between friends, family, and loved ones.

And as the two girls closed in for another kiss, they noticed You relaxing considerably. She didn't flinch when the thunder came in uninvited, and the storm was impressed.

Love certainly changes people, the rain noticed, and it played a symphony, one that was light and gentle like love itself, to celebrate its discovery.

Inside, You could feel herself growing to not mind the rain and told herself everything was going to be fine as long as Dia-the one who she knew, without a doubt in the world, would never leave nor forget her, as so many other people have—stayed by her side.

And Dia, a secretly sentimental person, found herself falling in love with both You and the rain even more.