Tenmiko One-shots

I'm here for you

AU: POST-GAME

Himiko is sitting on the couch of her living room, listening to the TV noises and looking outside the window with a concerned look on her face.

Today she was supposed to visit the new Cat Cafe that opened recently in town with Tenko. The aikidoka had to help her parents with chores, so they decided to leave for the afternoon, but it started raining heavily in the early morning and not a single call or message had come from the brunette.

As the rain continued to beat stronger and stronger against the windowpane, Himiko can't help but feel worried, her concern overshadowing her disappointment for their cancelled outing.

Himiko was going to call Tenko when she heard the doorbell ringing. The redhead rapidly put her phone down, got off the couch and hurried towards the front door. As she opened it she was greeted by a soaking-wet Tenko. Relief washed over Himiko.

"Tenko! There you are" Himiko exclaimed as she ushered the brunette inside, sheltering her from the rain. The aikidoka remained silent, she looked exhausted and upset, one hand was holding a small bouquet of flowers, now damp and bedraggled.

"And these?" Himiko asked pointing them.

"I bought them for you, but they're all ruined" Tenko replied, her voice barely above a whisper. Himiko reached out and took the bouquet from Tenko's hand, the delicate petals still managing to exude a faint fragrance.

"They're still pretty, thank you dear" the redhead commented as she leaned in and pressed a small kiss on Tenko's cheek, "You look exhausted, you need to dry up and change your wet clothes before you catch a cold again".

Himiko turned to place the flowers in a nearby vase on the coffee table when she noticed that her girlfriend still standing there, in complete silence.

"Tenko... are you okay?" Himiko asks, her voice filled with genuine concern. The brunette looks up, she's trying not to cry.

"Yes ... I'm... I'm sorry Himiko. I didn't think it would rain so hard today".

"Don't worry, we can go there another day. Meanwhile, we can still have fun here. Are you sure nothing else happened?" she walked closer to the other girl, taking off her jacket. Tenko isn't this upset only for the bad weather.

"It's just...not been my day..." Tenko took a deep breath, forcing herself to talk, "like... at all. I started good this morning with the chores and then... it started raining hard while I was going to buy groceries, I didn't have an umbrella with me and couldn't do anything else. I couldn't reach the convenience store in time and if this isn't enough I also had to deal with rude people...they watered me down with their cars... my phone ran out of battery-".

Tenko stops herself, her voice quivering as tears start to run down her face. Himiko's heart sinks at the sight of Tenko's distress, she doesn't remember seeing her girlfriend like this. She wraps her arms around the brunette, pulling her into a warm hug.

"Oh Tenko, I'm so sorry. You've been through so much today".

"I feel... I feel like such a failure, Himiko. Not just today... the whole week has been so rough... I tried my best I swear, but nothing went right" she sobbed, her head leaning over Himiko's shoulder.

"That's wrong, you are not a failure. You did good today Tenko, as well as the other days of the week" she reassured the poor brunette, holding her closer, "You did what you could, and those rude people were just lucky that I wasn't there with you, I would have turned them all into ugly toads!" she jokes, managing to make the brunette giggle.

They hugged each other until Tenko felt better, wiping the last remaining tears.

"Now now" Himiko started, "go take a warm bath, there's a spare pajama you can wear and when you'll finish we can have some green tea and watch a movie together afterwards. Sounds good?".

"Yes, that would be great... thank you, Himiko".

-

It took Tenko a few minutes to finish drying her hair and changing out of her wet clothing into the spare pajama Himiko gave her. It was a bit too small for her, but she didn't mind; Tenko found it cute anyway.

With the soft fabric clinging comfortably to her skin, she walked back to the living room where Himiko was pouring some green tea she had prepared in the meantime.

The redhead turned to look at the brunette and smiled warmly at her. She got up from the couch, her arms enveloping the taller girl.

"Nice pajama" she teased playfully.

Tenko rolled her eyes, flashing a warm smile at Himiko, who rewarded her with a small kiss on the forehead.

"Oh yes, while you were bathing I charged your phone and your dad called."

"Oh, I'm sure he was worried for me".

"Yeah he was, but I reassured him that you are okay and here with me".

"Did he say anything about the chores?".

"He just said not to be worried about them, he went to buy the groceries for you".

Tenko just nodded, but she couldn't help but feel guilty for leaving all her work to her father.

"He also said he'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon, which means more time to enjoy ourselves" Himiko added with a mischievous wink, causing Tenko to snort in amusement, distracting her momentarily from her thoughts.

They settled comfortably on the couch, sipping tea and watching the movie Himiko had chosen earlier. The redhead would occasionally play with Tenko's fingers, creating a soothing atmosphere.

Tenko felt much better than before. She loved Himiko immensely, she's so grateful to have such a lovely and caring girlfriend like her by her side, however, she felt guilty sometimes for making her worry.

"Tenko, is something wrong? You're so quiet" Himiko's voice broke Tenko's train of thought, and the brunette snapped out of her reverie with a slight blush.

"No! Nothing's wrong!" Tenko replied hastily, trying to hide the fact that she had been zoning out. Her words, though, sounded unconvincing to Himiko, who narrowed her eyes and tilted her head slightly. Tenko stayed silent, her hands fidgeting nervously with each other.

"Are you sure? Do you need anything else? If you don't like the movie, we could watch something else" Himiko asked once more, maintaining an intense gaze, waiting for a response.

"Oh no Himiko, I'm enjoying the movie, really. It's just... I guess... I can't help but think about all the things that happened today... during this week. I wish I could stop bothering you with my problems, I'm sorry".

"It's fine, don't apologize" she said, brushing her girlfriend's cheek "You never bother me. After all, it's you who says to always express our emotions and feelings".

"Yeah..." Tenko admitted with a sigh "I guess I've been a bit of a hypocrite, haven't I?".

Himiko's expression softened, her fingers tracing patterns on Tenko's cheek.

"It's not about being hypocritical. As you always say to me, we all have our moments of vulnerability and strength and we should never be ashamed of showing our feelings. It's what makes us human. You can always share what's on your mind. I'm here for you, just like you're here for me".

Himiko's words resonated with Tenko, and a faint, self-deprecating smile crept across her face. She had always been the one pushing for emotional honesty and vulnerability, and now, in this moment, she found herself hesitating.

"I taught you too well, huh?".

Himiko chuckled softly, "Maybe, you've helped me grow, and now it's my turn to support you. So, no more holding back, okay?".

Tenko's smile widened, and she nodded appreciatively. "Okay, I promise I'll try not to keep things to myself anymore. Thank you for understanding and being patient with me".

Himiko beamed with pride, her fingers caressing both Tenko's cheeks. "That's my Tenko" she whispered before connecting their lips in a sweet, lingering kiss.

They keep cuddling, wrapped in the warmth of each other's embrace and sharing sweet kisses until both fell asleep. The rhythmic sound of the rain blended with the occasional murmur of the TV, created a soothing serenade that accompanied their dreams.