Heavy Rain: Chapter 2- Comfort

The chatter of Josephine's house keys sounded as she fumbled with the keyhole. Eventually, the tip of the key pierced through the slit, and she twisted it. Rainer followed the woman inside and began to glance around the room. A nice, comfy black couch that looked as though it could swallow a person if one dared to sit on its cushions, a giant white rug that was made of fur, a lamp that was perched on a stand, and to top it off, a flatscreen television that stared back at the scenery with its glassy pool of darkness. The curious Rainer continued to stand in place, marveling at the room until Josephine walked up behind her.

"You act like you've never been here before," she chortled.

"Oh, uh...sorry..."

"Why're you apologizing? Just make yourself at home!"

And that was exactly what Rainer did, or at least tried to do so. She slowly started towards the couch and slumped her body onto the cushions. The welcoming feeling of the soft, black cover that brushed her fingers had been a feeling that was absolutely foreign to her...no, maybe mot foreign, but forgotten. A light, cheery hum was heard in the kitchen behind her but eventually became closer and more audible. Rainer raised her head to the melody and found Josephine carrying a paper plate with chocolate chip cookies stacked like cards.

"Want one?" she offered, plopping down next to her.

"Nah, I'm good," she replied.

Josephine turned to the small sugary dessert and took a bite from its rounded edge.

"So, whatcha wanna talk about?" the red-head asked.

"Mmm...I don't really have anything to say," Rainer admitted.

"Well, I do. Why do you wanna act like a superhero so much?"

The woman next to her rolled her eyes.

"We're back on this again?" she groaned.

She swiftly rose to her feet, irritated, and stalked around the sofa. Josephine stood up almost matching the speed and followed her.

"What're getting so defensive for?!"

"I'm not! I'm just annoyed!"

"With what?!"

"With that question! With this topic! Why do I wanna act like a superhero so much?! Isn't the answer obvious?!"

"That Layton's a corrupted soldier?! Yeah you told me! Screamed it at me, in fact!"

Rainer covered her hands with her face. She wanted to capture Layton so damn badly, but she also knew that this determined behavior was becoming an obsession. A comforting touch had perched itself on her shoulder. Though her eyes stung with threatening tears, she turned her head to study a hand then trailed her gaze to Josephine whose stern face had softened.

"I know you wanna stop him. Trust me. Braxton and I do, too. But you're still a person. Sure, you're strong, and yes, you're very brave, but you're not invincible. No one is."

Hearing her honeyed voice and examining her kind-hearted expression made Rainer's emotions trickle the spill out like an overflowing bottle of water. Before Josephine could react, she was already pulled into a desperate hug. She felt her friend's hair mixed with her racked breathing tickling her neck; ashamedly in this situation, this did turn her on. The red-head's lips glided across her cheek. She hoped that the affectionate gesture would go unnoticed.

"Oh, Rain..." she cooed, "just let it all out. It's just us. No one else'll hear you."

A suffocating feeling that had been billowing inside of her finally freed itself in the form of stifled whimpers then cries. Josephine smiled as she rubbed her back, her hand becoming wet from the rain clinging to her jacket. Eventually, her sobs ceased, and she just stood there, holding onto her friend.

"You okay, now?" she asked.

"Mm-hm," Rainer confirmed tearfully.

"How about," Josephine pulled herself up from her shoulder, we head off to bed it's getting a little late, ya know."

The other woman nodded her head. Maybe she was right. Maybe she did need rest, especially after her emotional breakdown, and not just that. It has been quite a while since she actually held someone so dearly in her arms the way she held Josephine. Another feeling she seemed to have forgotten. Comfort.

The hissing of warm water from the shower head echoed into Rainer's ears as she sat on Josephine's bed. She looked down at her lap and trailed her eyes along the sheets red pattern stitched into the blankets. The overwhelming scent of french vanilla that was deeply buried within the sheets tangled with Rainer's nose, and she sighed. This scent, without a doubt, had belonged to Josephine. Without thinking, she lifted the sheets and held them to her nose, breathing in the sweet aroma.

"Hey, you sure you didn't want to use the shower?" Josephine asked, popping her head around the door frame.

Rainer jolted, making laughter spill from her friend's lips. Alert, she frantically turned her head to face her, whose hair was stringy and thin from water with a towel enveloped around her body. The nervous woman gulped at the sight as her eyes traced her figure. She was beautiful, graceful, even. Just downright stunning. Josephine took note of her prolonging stare and strolled towards her, rousing lust in her her chest. She sat next to her friend and gave her a sultry look accompanied with a daring smirk.

"Like what'cha see?" she said while gripping the towel to her chest.

Rainer's voice was latched in her throat. Her bottom lip was slightly unhinged as she struggled to organize her thoughts.

"I-uh...you're..."

"Beautiful?"

"Well, uh..."

"Sexy?"

The woman turned her head away to face the pillow that lay next to her as it watched the scene unfold. Her face felt as though she had been staring at the sun while her heart thumped deafeningly loud in her ears. A hand was felt on the side of her cheek near her shoulder, then another hand caressed her jawline.

"Look at me," she commanded in a titillating tone.

Blushing heavily, Rainer hesitantly did as she was told. Slowly, she rotated her head to see a face. A face that belonged to a painting, it seemed. Her towel's grip around her bust began to weaken then fell, revealing a pair of giant, perky breasts.

"Whoops," she whispered impishly, her gaze unwavering.

Rainer tugged at the covers, trying to remain in control. She was pushing her buttons, mashing them in fact. But why? For her own pleasure and enjoyment, or does she actually have feelings for her? Only Josephine knew the answer to that, in which Rainer would be delighted to hear.

"L-Let's" she stammered, "go to sleep. We have a lot to do tomorrow, remember?"

"Still trying to be the tough girl, huh?"

"What? No, I-"

Like a starved predator ambushing its prey, Josephine pounced on her. She watched her thrash and reveled every strained grunt that rumbled from her. After seconds of fruitless struggling, her body melted with fatigue.

"Is that all you got?" she asked teasingly.

"C'mon!" Rainer pleaded, "let's just sleep!"

Josephine studied her face before a smile graced her face.

"Alright," she gave in.

The nude woman straightened her legs and lay comfortably on top of her friend. Her bare breasts were squished against Rainer's while her arms were encased around her waist. She nestled her lips in the crack of her neck, placing delicate kisses on her most sensitive spots.

"'night," she mumbled.

"'n-night..." the flustered Rainer said.

She felt Josephine breathe in her scent and immediately, a bouquet of lustful emotions blossomed in her stomach.

"Rainer," Josephine spoke.

"Hm?"

"Do you love me?"

"...I...I don't understand."

"I'm asking," she explained with a tinge of hesitation, "do you see me as a friend or someone you's wanna spend the rest of your life with?"

Rainer stared blankly at the ceiling with no answer.

"Let's just go to sleep, alright?" she suggested.

"No. Answer the question."

"Jo-"

In response, the nude woman squeezed her arms tighter around her waist, her insides crying in pain.

"Gah! That hurts!"

"Then I want an answer."

"It's not importa-AH!"

The tightening squeeze made Rainer's hips feel as though her body could snap in half at any moment. Seeing as though her friend would not free her, she broke down.

"Yes!" Rainer cried out.

Puzzlement was written on Josephine's face as she lifted her head, her arms still roughly constricting Rainer's lower body.

"Yes to what? You see me as a friend?"

"N-no...as someone...I want to protect."

Josephine only stared at her face before softening the hold she had around her. Rainer felt the pressure in her waist let up and groaned in pain.

"As someone to protect?"

"Yeah...you mean a lot to me. You're my first friend. M first REAL friend. A friend who's still breathing with me."

Josephine remained silent. A friend who's still breathing...just how much pain are you in, Rain? After wondering this question, she buried her face into the dip of her neck again.

"I'll take your answer," she said.

Rainer smiled and held her close.

"Thanks."

The nude woman laughed.

"You're welcome. Now," she yawned, "we should probably head to sleep.

"Which is what I've been saying."

"Yeah, yeah. Just shuddup and sleep."

Rainer chuckled and felt sleepiness take a hold of her. Shortly, her vision dimmed to black and succumbed to drowsiness.