AN: A drabble containing fluff without plot, inspired by that one audio post floating around with Kumiko and Reina studying. Lowkey feel like Reina is sliiiiightly OOC, but I hope you enjoy regardless.
Ciao. c:
"Kumiko?"
A light snore is Reina's response.
She sighs, looking beside her. Kumiko is lying her head down atop her folded arms and assignments. "Honestly," Reina says while she shakes her head, setting her pen down, "what kind of person invites someone over to their house and then falls asleep right in front of them?"
She props her elbow on the table, mindful to avoid crinkling her paper (unlike a certain someone), and nestles her chin on an open palm. She observes the cute sight in front of her with a budding smile: Kumiko's hair is mussed as always, her askew strands framing her heart-shaped face; her shoulders rise and fall with every breath she takes, her exhales coming out as soft sighs; her nose twitches once in awhile, no doubt because of the dream she is having; but the cutest sight of all is the faint smile that pulls on the corners of her lips, the same smile she wears when she finds something mildly pleasing.
"How cute," Reina mumbles to herself as she reaches out. She plays with a strand of Kumiko's hair, watching it with mild fascination as it smoothly twines between her index and middle finger like running water, the surface of it shining brilliantly through the filtered sunlight coming through the window. As she continues her ministration, Reina catches the faint scent of caramel underneath the comforting smell of laundry. Her smile grows larger—she loves the smell of fresh laundry.
"I still can't believe we're going to Nationals, you know…" Reina finds herself saying. A part of her, her rationale, is trying to hold her rising words back, to wear the filter she always wears, but another part of her, one that Reina notices that has been growing ever since she met Kumiko, fights against it and the words slip past her lips freely. "It feels so surreal. There are times where I can't believe we've made it this far. I'm always in awe of everything that's happening, no matter what I say or do.
"And I'm always in awe of you," she adds quietly, her smile growing ever bigger.
Kumiko stirs. Reina's eyes widen, her smile fades, and her breath hitches in her throat as she takes back her hand quickly, as if she burned it. Kumiko mumbles something unintelligible under her breath and shifts herself so that more of her face is showing. Reina dares not to breathe until the light snoring resumes.
Reina sighs out of her nose, relieved. She doesn't know what she would do if Kumiko heard her.
"Ah, what's gotten into me?" Reina mumbles to herself as she adjusts to rest her chin on the table. The wood pecks at her chin, tickling it with its cold kiss, but Reina pays it no mind. The only thing on her mind right now is Kumiko.
Then again, she always thinks about Kumiko.
Reina feels her cheeks flush as she tries to push away her thoughts. However, she finds her efforts futile—Kumiko, adorable, beautiful Kumiko, is sitting right next to her, after all.
"I'm so stupid," she whispers with a scoff, "I'm not usually influenced by people and yet here you come, bounding in like a pup. There's something about you that changes people, you know?" Reina reaches out and brushes a fallen strand of woven zircon behind Kumiko's ear, and it's only then does Reina realize how close they are. From here, Reina catches the faint telltale markings of freckles, scattered on Kumiko's cheeks like stars. It's an odd discovery, Reina has to admit, but there's something about them that adds to Kumiko's charm. Reina finds herself smiling despite herself again.
It's no secret that she has been changing. Even her family noticed it. From her everyday appearance, to her speech, to even her playing, Reina knows and feels herself changing. She feels more in-tune with everything and everyone else, more relevant, more alive. The thought almost coaxes a chuckle out of her.
Surely, she thinks, Reina From the Past would have scoffed at the person she is today.
But Past Reina isn't Present Reina.
Because Past Reina isn't in love with Oumae Kumiko.
"Maybe that's why I can't blame Tsukamoto for liking you," Reina wonders quietly. "Because I like you too. No—I love you."
She hears a little noise, but Reina is positive that it's coming from her thumping heart. It's the only thing she hears, after all—its resounding bass reverberates in her skull, sending tingles from each strand of hair to the tips of her toes.
Then she hears it again. Now, Reina isn't as sure as she was before; it isn't deep, consistent, booming. It's light, erratic, staccato.
She hears it again, but it's louder. Her face turns redder and redder as she realizes where it's coming from. She sits up and stares at Kumiko with wide eyes.
"K-Kumiko?" She stammers. "Y-you were you awake?"
Kumiko's unbridled laughter fills the room. "T-the entire time!"
Reina lets out an ear-piercing screech as she covers her reddening face. "Y-you idiot! Idiot! Idiot!"
"Oh, come on," Kumiko says through giggles, "don't be like that."
"I have every right to be like this!" Reina shrieked.
Kumiko laughs even more as she gently pries Reina's hands away from her face. "I'm a horrible person, aren't I?" She asks quietly.
"You are," Reina concurs resolutely. "You really are." She tries to push Kumiko away, even adding a light blow here and there, but Kumiko is endures it and comes closer. Her scent is stronger and entices Reina to stop and melt into the warmth, but Reina forces herself to be strong and resists the urge.
"Will you ever forgive me?" Kumiko asks.
"No," Reina asserts. "Absolutely not."
"Nothing I can do will make you forgive me?"
"No," Reina confirms. "Absolutely nothing."
Kumiko straightens herself and leans in even closer, touching their foreheads and their noses together. Reina's temperature rises to feverish heights, and she swears she's going to pass out from heat stroke if this keeps up any longer.
But, of course, Kumiko is stupid and doesn't notice anything. So very stupid. So very stupidly adorable, especially when she smiles that tiny, coy smile of hers, one she rarely wears except when she's around Reina.
"Even when if I do this?" Kumiko asks, closing the distance before Reina can protest. Reina closes her eyes tightly, painfully almost. Stupid Kumiko is kissing her, with stupidly soft lips. Reina can feel Kumiko's smile that stupidly cute smile against her mouth, and Reina stupidly replies with one of her own as she stupidly pushes back.
Stupid, she thinks to herself. She's so stupid to fall in love with an idiot like Kumiko, but she can't help it.
Kumiko makes her feel so stupidly special.
And when they pull back, Kumiko is still smiling at her. Reina's pulse skitters out of control, especially when Kumiko tugs her closer.
"Have you forgiven me now?" Kumiko asks, her smile growing as if she already knows the answer.
And Reina should have said no.
But instead, Reina replies with a coy smile and a "Maybe."
It's stupid how love can change someone, Reina thinks to herself as she indulges herself for another kiss.
But perhaps being stupid isn't so bad for once.