Second to None

13. hold me*

Note: Slightly mature content ahead

The apartment building was aged and had a particular earthy scent to it. Similar to every other building she saw before, it was built with wood that made stairs creak and groan when they walked. On the top floor, Tezuka unlocked the door to a one-bedroom apartment and led her inside.

Rain pummeled against the roof like stray bullets and thunder had grown into a deafening crescendo. Watching trees sway wildly outside the window, Mayu exhaled, relieved to have escaped catastrophe in time. Listening to the wind whistle, she wiped her face with her sleeves and said, "Seems like we should've checked the weather before going on that hike."

Looking at the rattling windows, Tezuka said, "It's probably best to stay put until the storm settles."

Mayu agreed.

Watching her comb damp hair out of her eyes, he said, "I'll bring out some towels."

"I'll do it. I have to clean up a bit, anyway," said Mayu. Looking around his apartment, she asked, "Is that the bathroom to the right?"

He nodded.

She thanked him. Inside the minimally furnished bathroom, she peeled off her soggy jacket and hung it up to dry. Using warm water and soap, she washed off the leftover grime from hiking. In the drawer, she found a hairdryer and blew out her hair a little before toweling it off. When all was done, she took a fresh towel and headed back out.

Tezuka was in the kitchen boiling water for tea. Seeing him still in a wet jacket, she said, "You shouldn't be walking around with that on."

"I'll clean up in a minute," he replied. When he turned around, Mayu noticed his expressions visibly stiffen. Without making eye contact, Tezuka tried to sidestep her, "If the bathroom's free, I'm going to dry my hair too."

Mayu looked down at herself: soaked all the way through, her white t-shirt was nearly translucent. She suppressed the urge to laugh out loud and called out from behind him, "I got the towel right here."

Tezuka paused. She walked up and stood in front of him. Standing on her toes, she started drying his hair. "Let me help you."

"Mayu," he reached out and grabbed her arm, "please stop."

"What? Drying your hair?"

He couldn't meet her eyes. "I can do it myself."

"That's too bad," she pouted, reluctantly handing over the towel, "I was only trying to help."

Tezuka didn't answer and focused on drying himself, his eyes glued to the ground. When he noticed she didn't leave, he pivoted and said quietly, "Maybe this isn't such a great idea."

"What, staying here? I thought you were going to show me around."

Eyes still focused elsewhere, he said, "Maybe I should take you home."

"Isn't it safer to stay here? You said so yourself."

"I could call a taxi."

"So you're going to make me take a bus back to France in this weather?"

"No. I just think it would be best—"

"Tezuka Kunimitsu," Mayu cut him off, stepping around to face him, an amused look on her face, "are you afraid of misbehaving?"

Still avoiding eye contact, Tezuka went on drying his hair without a word. Snatching away his towel, Mayu forced their gazes to meet. "Answer me. Is that why you're trying to get rid of me?"