Sigh.

Aizawa should've watched the news more often in the morning. If he did, he would've seen the weather forecast that there was a high chance of rain that day and he would've brought an umbrella, but he didn't because he was in such a hurry to check on his patient. It was too late for regrets as he was looking at people passing by with their umbrellas. The sky was covered in thick dark cloud and there was no sign of the rain stopping anytime soon. He couldn't take shelter in front of this convenience store for too long, and it was just his luck that they ran out of umbrellas to sell. Going back to sleep at the hospital was not an option, he was already halfway to his place.

He was seriously considering running through the rain when a particular woman passed by the store. Luckily she noticed his presence and her face lit up like a candle in the dark. She took a little detour and stopped in front of him, when she could have just walked along after giving a polite smile but that wouldn't be the Shiraishi he knew.

"Hello Aizawa-sensei." She did not ask him what he was doing there because it was quite obvious from how he looked. His hair was damp from the rain, droplets of water visible on his skin. He pushed his hands deeper into the pockets of his jeans to warm themselves up. Despite being dense all the time, she could notice the smallest things about her friends, like right now.

"Your apartment is on the same direction as mine, right? Would you like to share?" She gestured at her umbrella, tilting it closer towards him. He knew she would've offered her umbrella even if his house was miles away from her because she was just that kind, the kindness which is rarely found in their profession where rivalry is everything but she had always been that way since day one. They were now working in different departments but they still see each other from time-to-time in the hallway, in the ICU, or occasionally in the canteen but she still treated him just as kind.

"Thank you." He slipped under the umbrella with her as she pushed it just a little bit higher than before to accommodate his height. Aizawa wanted to take over holding the umbrella but she didn't let him, saying 'let me'. It wasn't a big deal so he didn't push her about it. They left the convenience store porch and walked side-by-side through the still pouring rain.

"Don't you usually come here by car?"

"Not today, I woke up a little bit earlier so I decided to get a little exercise but I forgot to check the forecast. Luckily I had a spare umbrella in my locker." She answered. Her place was just a few minutes away by car, and took less than 20 minutes on foot. Only a little bit further from his current apartment.

"I see."

The two doctors continued walking, one feet in front of the other. Besides them there were only a few other passersby and some wild cats along the road. The yellow pedestrian light and the earthy scent of rain set up a weird mood that makes them notice each other's presence even more. The rain made the summer night just a little bit colder but the two felt each other's warmth radiating through the short distance between their shoulders.

As they continued walking, neither of them realized that another car was speeding at them. Aizawa noticed it first so he pulled Shiraishi closer to him, shielding her from the car which splashed puddle water onto his sweatshirt and jeans but apparently he was too slow since it still got on the side of her shirt and pants.

"Damn. Can't he read the signs? He's not supposed to speed at residential areas." She could hear him grumbled as he watched the car disappeared into the distance, still with one of his arm wrapped around her shoulder. Shiraishi didn't say anything, she was still processing the situation, how she ended up being in his arm in a split second. She was practically crushed onto him. At the close proximity she could hear his heartbeat, thumping lightly onto her own chest.

And for the first time she noticed an alien scent, like a mixture of pinewood and men's cologne with a note of their hospital's antiseptic. It was his signature smell and strangely she could feel her mind going blank, heart racing faster as she continued inhaling the scent. Never had she ever gotten this close with any other man beside her father before and it was making her self-conscious. With all the symptoms gathered, there could only be one explanation for her condition. She was intoxicated but in a way that made her want to unconsciously snuggle closer to him.

So she did.

Eh?

She only realized her actions once it had been done. It was too late to retreat because the other party also noticed her moving closer to his body. Shiraishi was ready to push herself away from him and prepare some strange excuse for the 'mishap' but before she could even move, his wrap around her body got a little bit tighter and he buried his nose into her still long black hair, inhaling into the sweet smell of her shampoo, honeysuckle, and a hint of something similar to his own. They were working inside the same building for hours after all, it was inevitable.

The car had long gone away but they were still stuck in the same position enjoying the unfamiliar scent even more than they should have, not until realization hit them both and made the two doctors pulled apart at the same time. Shiraishi looked flustered, trying to hide her blushing cheeks behind her bangs. Meanwhile Aizawa still looked calm as ever though his heart was still thumping heart from the recollection of her own scent. They would never admit it verbally but at that moment they felt the exact same disappointment from the loss of contact.

"Th-Thank you for protecting me earlier, but you got wet." She said, noticing his now drenched sweatshirt and jeans. He just sighed as he realized his own state. He looked just as if he went through the rain without an umbrella though not once did he regret borrowing her umbrella with the little 'bonus' just now. It wasn't as if he would get a cold the next day just from that. The air conditioner in the operating room is even colder and doctors are only protected by a layer of thin cloth over their skin, he too had already gotten used to the cold.

"Don't mention it, you still got wet in the end." Aizawa's comment made her look down to check her own state and that was when she realized something. Her white blouse added with the puddle water, you do the math. Of all days, it happened when she wore a lacy bra too. It was now visible from the side and in the speed of light she crossed her free hand in front of her chest as if to hide it from his view, but it was too late. Being the gentleman he was, Aizawa's immediate reaction was to avert his eyes and think about something else, like the blood flow in the brain. Yes, let's recite them.

Internal carotid artery, anterior cerebral artery, anterior communicating artery, middle cerebral artery, lacy things would look good on her, posterior communicating artery...

WHAT?

They couldn't stand under the rain forever but having Shiraishi walk all the way home at this time of the night alone in that state was definitely not an option. Even if it was a residential area, it was still too dangerous. As much as he wanted to take off his sweatshirt, he was wearing nothing underneath. He couldn't risk being thought as a pervert walking nude beside her, but he had another solution in mind.

"My place is close. I'll lend you something to wear." Usually Shiraishi would've said no out of courtesy but today was an emergency so she immediately nodded. He took the umbrella from her so she could cross both of her hands and move her tote bag to hide her little problem. They walked a bit faster as the rainfall got heavier that her umbrella didn't do much to protect them from getting wet.

They arrived in front of his apartment door almost fully drenched. He didn't waste much time to open the door and let her in. She was still taking off her shoes when he came out with a fresh white towel for her to use.

"Thanks." She used it to dry her face and arms and she wanted to excuse herself quickly from his apartment but mother nature had its own plan as the sound of thunder blasted through their eardrums.

"..."

"..."

"You can wait here until the rain stops."

They both looked at the clock on the wall which shows that it was close to midnight. It was far too late and he could see the anxiety in her eyes.

"I'll take you home."

"But-"

"It's fine. This wouldn't have happened to you if it weren't for me." Aizawa sighed, looking at her miserable state. She shouldn't have stopped to get him, otherwise by that time she would've been safely tucked under her warm duvet.

"No. I wanted to do it so it's my fault." The debate could go on forever and the two knew that it was pointless. Aizawa then gestured for her to get inside. While she was admiring the tidiness of his tiny apartment, he came out of his supposed-to-be bedroom with a clean sweatshirt and his old blue scrub pants on his hands since he thought she would've felt more comfortable with something that looked more familiar.

"You're drenched. They're a bit big but if you want to you could shower and change into these. The bathroom's that way." He gestured at the door near his kitchen. Shiraishi was in no state to decline so she nodded and took the pile of clothes onto her hand. Her tote bag was left at the sofa and she walked into the bathroom to change. Meanwhile, Aizawa also got changed in his own room, waiting for his turn to shower after her if the rain hadn't stopped by then.

It hadn't stopped and the thunder got even more frequent. He sighed and used the bathroom right after her. He needed some time to formulate a plan to avoid the awkwardness tonight. When he got out, he saw her standing in his living room, a towel on her shoulder as she gazed over a framed picture of him and his grandmother that was taken sometime in his university graduation day.

"How is your grandmother?" Her question made him felt taken aback. Nobody else seemed to remember about her since it had been so long since she got admitted. She was just another of their many patients, there was no need for her to remember her presence. But she did, even when she too must have had other issues to take care off.

"Good. Her memories are still foggy sometimes but I think she enjoys living in the facility. She seems to have made so many new friends with the other elders." Aizawa walked over to where she stood, looking at the picture from over her shoulder.

"I see. I'm glad you still see her sometimes."

"Yes, thank you for reminding me to." He still remembered what she said to him in the elevator a few years ago when they were both still in the middle of fellowship and he just saw his grandmother off. She was very attentive to everyone around her. Some may call her a busybody, but she had saved him from time to time with her personality.

She looked up and her gaze fell to his eyes. He was also looking at her intently as his brain tried to process the train of thoughts. They were standing so close to one another and both recalled each other's warmth from the embrace just now. He continued staring at the doe-eyed woman in front of him and saw the mutual drive. The state that she was, in his clearly oversized sweatshirt and pants didn't help with his self-control.

Neither remembered who initiated, but the next morning they were lying beside each other on his bed. A trail of clothes could be seen from the living room to his bedside. They would deal with the aftermath after the alarm rang, but for now let them breathe in each other's scent, which identically smelled like his soap and shampoo.

Author's Note: I'm soooooo sorry for the long delay. I though I had posted this chapter but apparently didn't while the draft itself had been sitting here for a long time. It's quite short but I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Let me know what you think about it and if there's anything I could improve.

One more chapter to go, and you know what it is ;)