Stormed In Lovers

Summary - Ai and Rina are hanging out when they're interrupted by Mother Nature.

Ship: AiRina

Rina and Ai scurried through the front doors of the pinkette's apartment complex, huddling up together to recover the warmth lost to windchill as Rina scanned them into the main lobby.

"Wow! Talk about breezy!" exclaimed Ai. "It's a good thing we didn't get hit by any... debris-ze," she punned poorly.

Rina looked to her. "Ai-san. You're stretching."

"Gotta keep limber somehow," she replied with a wink.

Rina only offered a hum as they walked into the elevator. "I wonder if it'll be this windy all night."

"I can find out. Give me your hand," offered Ai. Rina did so and watched as Ai put a thumb to her wrist. "Hmm... Yep! Definitely windy tonight," she prognosticated.

"How can you tell?"

"Because this," grinned Ai as she rubbed Rina's wrist, "...is your weather vein!"

"Better," nodded Rina.

Ai replied with a sunny smile, bright enough to shine through the overcast skies overhead and ward off the promise of inclement weather. If only reality would respond to Ai's good mood, but alas it did not. Not yet, at least. Perhaps that could be Rina's new project. Though if she succeeded, there would likely be no more nurturing rain or enchanting snowfall given Ai's seemingly perpetual sunny disposition, so perhaps that was for the best.

She said as such to Ai on the ride up.

The blonde chuckled. "I'm happy you think I'm so happy," she said. "What kind of weather do you think you would create?"

Rina considered. "Calm, maybe? With gray skies?"

"So what we have now but without wind?"

Rina nodded. "It might be boring, but I think that would be me."

"Hmm... I imagine your weather would be sunny, warm but not hot, with a gentle breeze passing through every now and then. More peaceful than boring," offered Ai.

The duo stopped to enter the apartment, bee-lining to Rina's room as per usual.

"Anyway, ready to watch the latest episode?" asked Ai as she pulled up the guest chair.

Rina was indeed ready, and the two sat to bear witness to the latest and greatest episode of Nova Galaxy Empath, a recent sci-fi anime that had premiered only a month prior. As the opening began to play, neither girl noticed the darkening sky outside, nor the ever-insistent pounding of wind against the window.

They were engrossed in the show as the weather turned turbulent, unaware as to just how heavy the gusts were becoming.

Eventually, they reached the point of the episode where the hero's plan was in full swing and the action was rising.

And then, like a sign from the heavens signalling the show's climax, the thunder rolled.

"WAH!"

Ai cried out in alarm, the sound of something hitting the floor following shortly after.

Rina paused the episode and looked over to see the blonde lying prone on the floor, half concealed by the Cardboard Box of Inspiration with legs and lower back comically sticking out from underneath as she cowered within.

Rina blinked. "...Ai-san? Are you hurt?"

"N-No, I'm not," replied Ai shakily. "I-I'm just trying to hide my belly button so the Thunder God doesn't steal it."

"I don't think it works like that," remarked Rina in an attempt to soothe the taller girl.

"M-Maybe," acknowledged the blonde, "But my grandmother always told me to hide my belly button during storms, so I'm going to follow her wisdom." A sudden clash of thunder rang out and Ai whimpered in fright.

Rina hummed noncommittally. As much as she didn't want to see Ai scared, she felt a certain fascination for the blonde's current state of fear. For Rina, Ai had always given off an aura of certainty, always acted as a promise of safety and a constant affirmation that everything would be okay. And perhaps seeing her now in such a state tarnished that image. But it also made her more human, made it easier for Rina to empathize and feel just a little bit closer to her best and most precious friend.

And now, just as Ai would act to alleviate Rina's fear, Rina would do something to alleviate Ai's fear.

She went to her computer and pulled up a playlist. "Ai-san. I need to get a few things together for the storm. I'll be back in a few minutes, but until then I'll put on a playlist of some comforting background music, okay?"

Her answer was a whimper of acknowledgement.

Rina hit play and stepped out of her room.

Her first stop was her parent's bedroom. Stripping the bed of its trappings, Rina bundled up her haul and hefted it back to her room. Rina knew she would have to remake the bed, but she considered it a small price to pay.

Her second stop was the linen closet, to drag even more softness and fluffiness back to her room.

Her final stop was the kitchen, because any good sleepover (and this was certainly looking more and more like one) needed snacks. She made sure to grab the blonde's favorites.

When she returned to her room for the final time, she found Ai still huddled beneath the Box, shivering to herself as the sound of rain lashing against the windows drowned out the music. "Ai-san, I'm back," announced Rina gently. "How are you feeling?"

"Still scared," she mewled, "Thanks for asking."

Rina gave a soft hum of acceptance and wordlessly turned the music volume up. Then, turning to the mound of pillows and blankets she'd dropped onto her bed, Rina began to build.

A few minutes later, it was done. With bedspread and linen as her brick and mortar, Rina had singlehandedly constructed Fort Stormhaven.

Dropping down to her knees, Rina leaned forward and hugged the Box. "Ai-san, I made a pillowfort on my bed, big enough for two. I also brought snacks. We can hide together and keep watching on my laptop, if you'd like," she offered. "So please come out of the box?"

"...okay."

Ai cautiously extricated herself from the cardboard shelter and rushed into the bed, hands covering her belly button all the while. After grabbing her laptop and snacks, Rina followed, Ai grabbing onto her the instant she was in.

"Don't be scared Ai-san," said Rina. She pulled up the episode from where they'd left off and opened a bag of chips. "I'm here for you."

The pinkette felt Ai relax, the blonde offering a shaky but hopeful smile. "Thank you, Rinari."

Rina gave her a comforting cuddle, feeling proud of herself for helping Ai. She hit play, and it was almost like everything was back to normal.

Sure they were hiding beneath a bevy of blankets and getting crumbs in her bed, but the familiarity and warmth of having Ai at her side was all that mattered, and Rina wouldn't trade it for the world.

~END~