Also on AO3 and Tumblr under Shiny_the_Strange. Enjoy!
Kanan wasn't afraid of storms, but she didn't particularly enjoy them either. They made it harder to do the things she loved; while running or swimming in rain by itself was refreshing, it was too dangerous to do so when it was accompanied by lightning. There was no fishing, no stargazing, no outdoor activities period during a bad storm. Hail and wind made it even worse. If there was anything that Kanan didn't like, it was being forced to be cooped up inside. It was frustrating.
Frustration was the last thing she felt, however, when she watched Ruby vibrating ever so slightly, struggling to keep her composure as a rumble sounded in the distance.
"I hope sis is okay…" said Ruby, hands pressed against the rain soaked window.
Taking a seat on the couch, Kanan nodded. "Hopefully she made it to the store before it started raining."
They were silent. Kanan listened to the gentle patter of rain as it hit the roof. The sound of rain, though it was a reminder of her inability to do the activities she wanted to do, was rather relaxing when it was slower like this. It was as if there wasn't a storm afoot.
Seconds later, the rain began to come down in a torrent. Ruby recoiled with a squeak as it pounded against the window.
A buzzing sound came from Kanan's pocket.
"Oh, I wonder if that's her?" Kanan checked her phone:
-[4:29 PM] Dia: Sorry, Kanan-san, I'm going to stay in the convenience store until this storm lets up. It's too heavy. You'll just have to wait a little longer for the food. How bad is it there? Take care of Ruby for me, please.
She sent an reply to Dia, explaining that the rain was just as bad and that she would comfort Ruby if she needed it. Which, as each minute went by, seemed quite likely.
Ruby turned to Kanan. "Was it sis?"
"Yeah. Sounds like she's buying the snacks," said Kanan. "She's stuck at the store until the rain stops, though."
"Oh…" Ruby's crestfallen expression made Kanan's heart lurch. "A-At least she's okay if she messaged you, right?"
"I'm sure she's doing fine," said Kanan. Poor Ruby. Lately, Kanan had found herself feeling blue whenever Ruby was upset. While certainly she had experienced sadness at Ruby's discomfort in the past, it seemed like she experienced it every time now. She wasn't entirely sure how it had become more frequent. All she knew was that one day she had seen Ruby crying at the pier, desperate for comfort. In that moment, Kanan wanted to hug her harder than she had ever hugged anyone before.
Ruby looked outside once more. "Maybe the storm will end soon?"
Lightning flashed brightly; its thunder crackled so loudly that the house shook.
"Eek!" Ruby bolted to the couch. She shivered as she nestled up to Kanan.
"Wow, that was a close one," said Kanan. Looking down at the girl shaking against her, she felt her heart warm. Not because of Ruby's fear –that still hurt her- but from the idea that Ruby genuinely wanted Kanan to comfort her. That had been happening far more often, too. Ruby had recently begun to run to her for comfort nearly every time, even if she were standing closer to someone else. Kanan always seemed to be Ruby's choice, unless Dia or Hanamaru were in the same room. She found herself a little envious that if Dia were here, Ruby would surely run into her arms instead. It made sense, seeing as they were siblings, but…
Why did she want to be Ruby's number one choice?
Ruby cuddled closer when another clap of thunder sounded.
"It's alright, Ruby-chan. I'm sure it'll blow over soon enough," said Kanan, rubbing Ruby's back.
Ruby's lower lip trembled. "B-But…"
"We'll be okay. Don't worry." Kanan took Ruby's hand. "How about a hug?"
"S-Sorry Kanan-chan, R-Ruby's trying to get better at not being a scaredy-cat, so not this time—"
The entire house suddenly lit up, then went completely dark. The lights went out as thunder burst through the air with a deafening crash.
Delivering a similarly ear-shattering noise, Ruby's arms gripped Kanan as tight as they could. Which, as it turned out, was tight enough to take Kanan's breath away. But was it from Ruby's strength, or…?
"Aww, Ruby. It's just a power outage. There's nothing to be afraid of."
"W-What if there's a tornado?"
"Then we'll run down to the basement." Kanan hugged Ruby back. "Just relax. I've got you, and I won't let go until you want me to. I'll protect you from the storm, okay?"
"O-Okay…"
Once again, there were no words between them. There was one sound, however, that stood out above all the rest. Despite the rain pounding against the window, mixed with the occasional sound of thunder, Kanan heard Ruby's ragged breaths. She tightened her hold on her.
Ruby snuggled against Kanan's chest. The scent of lavender in Ruby's hair – was it shampoo? - made Kanan breathe deeply. Her heart began to beat faster; she wondered if Ruby felt it. Kanan had always loved the sensation of having another body pressed against her own in a hug. The warmth of the other person, especially if it was during powerful hug filled with love, was the world's greatest feeling. Ruby's hug was so real, so sweet…Kanan wasn't sure if she wanted this moment to end.
Maybe the storm was a blessing in disguise.
"I-I'm so happy you're here with me," suddenly said Ruby. She stared up at Kanan, tears in her eyes. "I don't want to be with anyone else right now."
Kanan felt heat rising in her cheeks as she gazed back at Ruby's face. She wasn't sure how to respond, so she said the first thing that came to her mind: "Not even Dia?"
Ruby smiled. Her face practically glowed with redness. "It'd be nice if she were here, but…I like you, Kanan. I like you a lot, so Ruby doesn't really mind right now."
Kanan was momentarily unable to speak. She was so precious, so cute…"Oh, Ruby-chan…I don't think I want to be with anyone else right now, either."
"D-Do you mean that?" Ruby brought her face closer to Kanan's.
Goodness, Ruby's eyes were downright adorable. Before Kanan knew what she was doing, she leaned forward and planted a kiss on Ruby's forehead. Her heart stopped; she had never done that to Ruby. She stammered an apology—
Ruby stopped her with a kiss on the cheek. She giggled as she buried her head back into Kanan's chest. Truly, it was music to Kanan's ears. "That means yes, right?"
This was it. Kanan was going to die from heart palpitations today. "Of course."
They were quiet in their embrace. Kanan brought her hand up and stroked Ruby's hair. It was surprisingly soft, and very easy for her to run her fingers through. How she wished she could do this more often. Even more so, she wanted to hold Ruby's hand whenever they next went out. She wanted to show her off, to tell everyone how incredible she actually was. Ruby was fashionable, friendly, and above all a kind girl. Kanan was going to make everyone realise how wonderful her girlfriend was, whether people liked it or not.
…Girlfriend? Was that what she wanted Ruby to be? Kanan's cheeks were hot at the thought. It would explain more than a couple things, at least. She grinned as she noticed Ruby's breathing slow somewhat.
The rain gradually slowed. After some time, the sunlight poked its way out through a small gap between the clouds. A rainbow sprawled in a perfect arc across the sky, illuminating the blue that started to emerge. Nature sure had a way of matching the mood sometimes.
Checking to ensure Ruby hadn't fallen asleep, Kanan pointed out the window. "Ruby-chan, look outside!"
Turning her head, Ruby glanced at the rainbow. She gasped. "It's so beautiful…"
"It's just like you," said Kanan. "Not only is it pretty, it also brings smiles to people's faces, like you've done for me this afternoon."
"K-Kanan-chan…" Ruby yawned as she turned back to Kanan. Her face lit up with a massive smile. It was even more beautiful than the rainbow, Kanan thought.
"You look like you're feeling much better now."
"I am, thanks to you!" said Ruby. A moment later, her smile faltered. "But…if it's stopped raining, doesn't that mean sis will be back soon?"
Kanan's heart sank. She had been so caught up in the moment that she completely forgot that Dia was coming back at some point. "Oh. Yeah, that's right."
"We won't be alone anymore…" said Ruby.
Her sad face prompted Kanan to rub her cheek. "Why don't we run away, just the two of us? We can go to wherever the end of the rainbow takes us."
Ruby giggled before yawning once again. "Okay. Ruby wants to take a nap first, though."
Kanan chuckled as she lied down, pulling Ruby along with her. "Let's nap together, then."
"Good idea," said Ruby, grabbing a pillow from the end of the couch and putting it under their heads.
It didn't take long for both to fall asleep. Kanan never let Ruby go, not for a moment.
"Ruby! Kanan-san! I'm back!" said Dia, entering the room. Upon seeing their position, she dropped the bag she held.
The two were sprawled on the couch, Ruby wrapped in Kanan's arms. One of Ruby's arms dangled off, just short of touching the floor.
No, this wasn't right. How could either of them do this to her?
Sneaking over, Dia took Ruby's dangling arm and moved it so that that it was around Kanan's waist. She reached under the couch and brought a blanket out, throwing it over the couch's occupants and tucking them in.
There. That was better.