Storm
: - set after the series finale
Disclaimer I do not own Prêtear or any of its characters though if it comes up for sale please notify me immediately and I'll check my piggy bank
Himeno Awayuki lay curled up as small as possible in the corner of her room facing the double doors leading out to her balcony. Another flash and a clap of thunder, the girl whimpered as the rain continued to fall and the wind rattled her windows. Storms always scared Himeno but she didn't know why exactly. It was late, very late. She should be in bed peacefully asleep but she couldn't sleep she was far too frightened.
That's it she thought to herself it's time to stop being afraid of the weather and go to sleep. With a very determined look on her face, Himeno rose to feet and walked steadily over to the French doors. She quickly drew her curtains and got changed into her blue silk nightgown.
Himeno had just slipped in between the silk sheets and closed her eyes when she gasped and leapt out of bed.
"Mum" she whispered. She was about to draw back the curtains when she noticed a silhouette on the windows. Himeno stepped back horrified. There was someone on her balcony, no doubt spying on her. There was a soft knock on her window.
"Himeno, it hissed, it's me open the door I'm getting soaked out here." She knew that voice, but did she really want him in her room although she had little she either let him in or he would use his power over the wind to unlock the doors and let himself in like he had done many times before. Himeno was in love with the man standing on the balcony but she wasn't sure if he felt the same way. It was because of this that she went to the door and unlocked it allowing him to enter her room. Once the door was shut he held out a small terracotta pot to her, it had small pink flowers growing in it which looked rather worse for wear from being left outside in the storm.
"I thought you brought your mum in during storms tulip-head" the man said as she took the plant from him and placed it lovingly on her desk because this plant was all Himeno had left of her mother.
"Don't call me tulip-head. Thank you for bringing mum in for me, Hayate but why are you here in this terrible weather?" Hayate remained silent for a minuet before speaking.
"I knew that you were scared of storms so I came to keep you company tulip-head." Himeno saw a faint blush rise in his cheeks as he said it. Hayate blushing? This was most unusual. Could it be? Could Hayate really care about her the way she cared about him? Himeno dared not hope for it so she simply said
"Thank you Hayate for being so kind to me." He smiled looking down into her eyes, which were soft red in colour. Himeno raised her face to look directly at Hayate and was drawn immediately to his eyes. She sunk down into those two beautiful pools of sapphire blue light, feeling her cheeks heat up under his gaze she looked away. It was then that she noticed that water was dripping off his long blue hair onto her carpet. He soaked through and it was all her fault.
"Oh no, Hayate your soaked come on we had better get you dried off before you catch cold." He felt the warm concern in her voice and blushed as she took hold of his hand and lead him through to her en-suit bathroom. She clicked on the light, turned up the radiator and tossed him a fluffy white towel. Hayate noticed it had Himeno and a tulip embroidered on it in the corner.
"Take off your wet clothes and dry yourself off with that I'll be back in a minuet" Hayate did as he was told feeling very nervous about being in Himeno's personal bathroom and even using her towel. I am so perverted he thought to himself.
Himeno went to her chest of drawers and started to rummage around inside. She knew it was there somewhere. "Ah-hah, I found it" she cried, pulling out a large sweater of her dads that she liked to curl up in on cold evenings.
Upon returning to the bathroom Himeno went as pink as a strawberry having walked in to find a very good looking Hayate standing in her bathroom wearing nothing but his boxer shorts. Now if Himeno was pink then Hayate was so red that he looked like he was about to explode.
"Umm…s-sorry about that… umm…here you can have this for now." She handed him the sweater and he pulled it over his head smelling Himeno's irresistible aroma all around him and he blushed more if that was at all possible. "Right ok, umm well you can't go anywhere in this weather so you'll have to stay here the night. You can have my bed and I'll take the sleeping bag ok?"
"Sure…thank y-y-you" Hayate stuttered feeling very awkward. Himeno turned and walked back into her room, removed the sleeping bag from her wardrobe and laid it out on the floor next to her bed. She got in and zipped it up around her. Hayate followed behind and seeing her lying there got into her bed feeling the luxurious silk sheets on his skin. He was surrounded by the scent of Himeno.
Outside the storm raged on. His eyes drooped shut, a clash of thunder. He heard Himeno whimper below him. Carefully, he edged over to look down on her. She looked so distressed, with her eyes scrunched shut and her hands over her head. Hayate pulled back the covers and got out of bed he carefully unzipped Himeno's sleeping bag, lifted her up and placed her gently in the bed. Her eyes opened in shock as she felt Hayate climb in the bed beside her. He pulled the covers up over her and planted a feather light kiss on her forehead before settling down next to her. His hand came up to stroke her hair as he whispered in her ear
"It's ok, Himeno. I'm here with you, nothing can hurt you now." Himeno turned over and nestled herself against his chest. She fell asleep there with Hayate gently stroking her hair and the storm raging in the background.
When she awoke Hayate had gone. If it weren't for the sleeping bag on the floor, the still damp towel in the bathroom and sweater carefully folded at the end of her bed she may have believed it was all only a very nice dream. However she knew otherwise.