Prompt #2: It's 3am and the fire alarm in our apartment complex just went off let me lend you my jacket while we wait on the sidewalk.
A/N: Today cashbanky came to my house and it was emotional. i hugged my legs.
Nothing beats having a cup of warm hot chocolate right now. And maybe a chocolate chip cookie as a bonus.
Homura pressed a palm to her fist, the faint sound of her knuckles cracking always pleased her in a weird way, but she couldn't hear a single thing at that moment. Loud sirens, people yelling and babies crying were the only thing that Homura could hear in the dim-lit street.
She brought her arms down to her side and exhaled, a mist floated out from her mouth and disappearing into the dark night.
"When can we bloody go back into our apartment?!" A woman yelled. Homura turned to the familiar voice, immediately recognizing the lady who lived right above her. Homura hated her, along with the triplets that were currently wailing at their mother's feet. Maybe hate was a strong word. She disliked them. The three young boys always gave Homura a hard time to sleep with their endless crying and banging of things on their floor; a.k.a the ceiling above her head.
"We have to confirm that it's safe before we can allow everyone to go back in." The policeman yelled back, not in anger, but an effort used so the lady could hear him over the loud surrounding.
"It's clear to me that there's no fire! It must be a prank made by someone who doesn't have a life! My three precious kids needs to sleep!"
Homura tried not to roll her eyes as she moved away. The crying of the children isn't helping to clear the oncoming headache, much less than it's 3am and the air was so, so cold right now. She wrapped her arms around her body and closed her eyes as she sat on the side of the pavement.
"Damn it..." Homura muttered out loud. The cold was really starting to bother her and it sucks when she couldn't do anything about it. All she was wearing was a short-sleeved T-shirt and sweatpants that covered just a little below her knees. She should have wore something even cozier to bed, if she knew she would be staying outside her apartment, three in the morning, in this chilly weather, with no shelter and having to wait for more than half an hour because of a fire alarm.
Her nails dug deeper into her arms. As each seconds ticked by, her patience grew thinner and thinner...
"Hey."
She felt something warm brushed against the right side of her shoulder. Homura glanced up, to see a pink-haired girl with nice pigtails sitting right beside her; so close that Homura could claimed her personal space was being invaded. But she didn't make any movement or say anything to announce her discomfort. In fact, she actually felt really comfortable.
"Hey." Homura drawled, not really sure if she should reply in the first place.
"I'm Madoka. Kaname Madoka." The girl said enthusiastically.
Before Homura can politely introduce herself back, Madoka cut in. "You're Akemi-san! You live right above us! My family just moved in a month ago."
Realization dawned over Homura as she realized why that name sounded so familiar to her ears. She did hear that a family just moved in not long ago but Homura never bothered with the courtesy of getting friendly with her new neighbors.
"Pretty unlucky huh?" Madoka sighed as she rubbed her hands together. "Right at the time when we're sleeping so comfortably in our bed and in this nice cold weather, we're all chased out to gather outside so they can check with the fire alarms and such."
"Hmm."
"Are you cold, Akemi-san?"
Homura nodded sleepily, not bothering to hide the fact either.
"Let me lend you my jacket."
This time, Homura was shot wide awake. Her eyes flicked over to Madoka who was already tugging her sleeve of her jacket. Homura frowned at her kind gesture.
"I'm cold, yes. But if you offer me your jacket, aren't you cold too?"
Madoka pulled out the other sleeve before staring at Homura. There was not much light and Homura couldn't even see her own hands clearly, but her eyes; Madoka's bright pink eyes, were shinning brightly in the dark night.
"True." Madoka laughed. "Then why don't we share it?"
Homura blinked. She then squeezed even closer to Homura and spread the jacket over both of their legs. Madoka dug both of her arms under the wool and her right arm managed to find a way to one side of the jacket's sleeve and she slipped her arm in.
"That's better!" Madoka chirped. "You should try it too."
Homura attempted to cover both her arms with the jacket, and remarkably, she succeeded. (Although she originally thought that the jacket was way too small for them to share) She then moved her left arm and slipped right into the sleeve, wiggling her way in and her hand popped out at the end. When the wool passed her thin arms, she couldn't imagine feeling any warmer than this moment.
Madoka chuckled. "We look like some two headed monster." She lifted her movable arm and gestured her fingers into the shape of a gun. "Bang bang! WE'RE INVINCIBLE!"
Homura managed to keep her cool.
She put her arm down. "Don't mind me. I'm a little weird sometimes."
"I can get used to it."
Madoka beamed before her face fell lax and she gazed down at the pavement in slight embarrassment.
"Hey... Akemi-san...?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I call you Homura-chan?"
"... Okay."
"Really?!"
"I'm pretty sure that I said yes."
Madoka's smile grew so big that Homura's mouth ached for her. "I'm glad! We'll be the greatest neighbors and greatest friend right?"
Homura shrugged, her shoulder brushing slightly against Madoka's. "We can try."
"To be honest, my dad wanted me to visit you... from the very first that we've moved here. But usually you're not at home or you looked really grumpy that day so I didn't dare to disturb you." Madoka gave a weak laugh. "To think that a fire alarm actually brought us together..."
"Hmm..."
"I-I m-mean bring us together in a friendship manner!" Madoka blushed heavily before she looks away sheepishly and sighs. "I'm not good at this..."
Homura let out a soft chortle that Madoka almost couldn't hear even when they were sitting so close. "I get your meaning. No need to feel embarrassed." She closed her eyes and focused on her arms, legs, her entire body... "And I must thank you for approaching me today and sharing your jacket with me. If not, I'd freeze to death."
"Residence living in block B, please proceed back to your respective apartment."
"That's us!" Madoka stood up in a reflex manner
Homura felt like an iceberg just crashed her.
"Opps I'm sorry!" Madoka waved the jacket that was hanging on her arm as she took Homura's arm and pulled her up. She then wrapped most of the jacket around Homura's exposed skin and linked their arms together.
Homura stared down at Madoka.
"Let's go!" Madoka marched back to the building, pulling Homura right beside her.
.
.
Homura slipped out of her shoes and trudged back into the warmth of her apartment. The heater was still on, and for the first time, Homura felt grateful that she had forgotten to switched it off when she left her apartment in a hurry. She dragged into her bedroom and plunged right into the warmth of her comfortable bed and blanket, lying still like a starfish.
The sound of thundering steps could be heard and Homura groaned. The kids must have just reached home and it would bound to take at least an hour before they settle down and finally sleep.
She flipped her body and pushed her face into her pillow, hoping to drown the sound of the children's banging and jumping against the floorboard. Homura was super comfortable in her bed right now and the only thing that was stopping her from falling asleep was the constant sound that was echoing in her head.
Her fingers twitched and Homura lay on her side instead as she brought her arm up. She stared carefully at her hand, that very hand that slipped into the soft and woolly jacket that brought so much comfort right at that moment.
"Can I call you Homura-chan?"
The warmth she felt in her heart was something that no layer of clothes, blankets or knitted wool could ever give her.
Homura smiled.
That warmth was something she would never forget.
.
.
end
A/N:
THose AUS prompts are amazing oMG
