Mio

She woke to something pressed against her back, warm and soft and spreading heat throughout her body. Mio didn't need to turn around to know it was Ritsu snoring away.

She found Azusa reading and irritably pushing away Yui, who, while still asleep, persistently clung to a foot. The other girl tilted her head in a greeting and gave her leg another tug, annoyed face lit by the morning sun. Light seeped softly through the silky curtains, filling the room with an orange glow.

Ritsu mumbled incoherently when Mio gave her a gentle shake, but otherwise did not respond. Mio frowned a little, persisting in her efforts.

"Ritsu, Wake up. Ritsu –"

The blonde did a 180 degree turn, neatly flopping over and flinging an arm over Mio's waist. Mio felt heat flush through her cheeks, and she automatically wriggled for escape, hissing.

"Get off, Ritsu. Come on, wake up."

It only succeeded in causing the arm to tighten as the other girl buried her face into her side, curling up into a ball and snuggling up close. Mio was positively crimson now, and frantically shot uncomfortable glances in Azusa's direction; all she received in return were sympathetic looks, and no forms of help.

"Get up, Ritsu, or I swear –"

Giggling interrupted her mid-sentence, and Ritsu lazily cracked open a hazel eye before grinning mischievously. She stuck her hand out for a thumb up, "Did you really think the great Tainaka Ritsu would remain sleeping for so long? Oh, how you have been fooled! It is much too beautiful a day –"

Thwack.

"Idiot!"

Mio leapt up from the mattress and turned away, right hand rolled into a fist. Despite her annoyance, the familiar scene brought a strange sense or reassurance, and she felt her lips lift a little. Her hands drifted to the small of her back, where Ritsu had tucked her face, and lingered in the residual heat. Sleeping all on the floor really wasn't the best idea, but…

Long term club sleepover, right. Mio shook her head; trust Ritsu to come up with this ridiculous thing just because it's the holidays. Trust Ritsu to be ridiculous first thing in the morning.

The scent of pancakes wafted from the open door and Mugi's voice ascended the stairs, calling for breakfast. Yui woke finally, smudging her cheeks on the pool of drool that has managed to pile at Azusa's feet. The younger girl recoiled immediately.

"Yui-sempai! That is so disgusting and unhygienic! You could –"

But Yui was already out the door and sprinting down the stairs. Azusa shook her head in exasperation and followed. Mio smiled.

She allowed her eyes to wonder, her gaze landing on an old photograph stuck on the wall. The colours were faded with age and a corner hangs off the wall lifelessly. It stood out against the multitude of posters and photos Ritsu had collected across the years, a faded yellow against vibrant hues.

Mio stretched out her fingers to touch the surface. It was rough and lumpy. Unease rose in her throat.

"Ritsu, what happened to this?"

Ritsu stood up with a stretch, and then darted her eyes around the room with exaggerated suspicion. She bent down, narrowed her eyes and whispered, "It's waging a war against me."

"Be serious."

"You think I'm not? How dare you think so lowly of –"

"Ritsu."

"You're so boring, Mio-chan." Ritsu sighed at the sight of the fist emerging from Mio's sleeves, "What is the world without some humour? What is the world without creativity? You will fade away before you even pass your prime!"

"Ritsu."

"Fine, fine." The brunette pouted, "We had an argument – I tried to replace it, it refused to budge. So now we're at a standstill."

Satisfied with the answer, Mio rubbed her finger against the photo's edge. The paper stubbornly stuck to the wall, "I'll get it off."

"It's not too bad, "Ritsu shrugged, and then a grin crept over her face, "What is important now is the food! Pancakes! Come Mio, a world of paradise awaits us downstairs!"

But Mio couldn't just leave it there. She couldn't place her finger on the feeling – a mixture of hollowness and discomfort, a sense of wrongness like a break on a sheet where the pen has broken the paper and ink seeped through. It felt as if it didn't belong. The photo needed to go.

"It's a blemish in your room. I'll get it off for you."

Mio didn't see Ritsu's eyes widen a fraction, but she did hear the squeal when Ritsu threw her arms around her and rubbed her cheeks against Mio's own, "You do have a heart! Oh, the dangerous Mio-hime cares about this lowly Ritsu after all! Oh I can feel the love already!"

Heat crept back to Mio's cheeks, but she covered it with an annoyed scowl and shrugged off the shorter girl, "Go have your breakfast, idiot, or Yui will eat it all."

Predictably Rio jumped up with a howl. The outraged shrieked made her flinch, and Mio turned away when Ritsu flew down the stairs in pursuit of the rapidly decreasing pancakes. Her eyes were fixed on the photo, so she didn't see the other girl pause in the doorway.

She didn't see the concern dimming Ritsu's face before she turned away.