"We're just friends!"

Episode 1 - Just the Warm Up

Sora felt like a beef steak in a kitchen freezer. She was shivering so much she thought her jaw would break and her teeth would be chipped to her gums. The chilly winds of the mountain range had to whoosh by their humble home. Of course, she should've expected that when she decided to move in with her Sensei, but being taught to master her powers by the Green Ninja? She's heard enough to know it's not an opportunity to turn down.

I'm quite a failure, though, she complained, attempting to ignore her numbing fingers. I unlock my True Potential just to forget how to do it once I get home. She gently blew on her fingers, her breath hitching when she didn't feel a thing. Screw failure, I need something warm.

Her feet led her to the wardrobe of her best friend. She could've found a sweater or a jacket from her own closet, but she came here instead. Right now, she is cold and freezing to death. He wouldn't mind, anyways, she told herself.

She carefully pulled an orange and yellow hoodie from the drawer. His favorite hoodie, she thought with a smile. He wore it every day, refrained from getting it dirty, and washed it every week. She was surprised it was still folded neatly in his dresser. I guess it won't hurt if I wore it today.

"Sora."

Sora jumped up, startled. "Oh hi, Arin," she greets, discreetly hiding the hoodie behind her back. "What's up?"

Noticing a hint of orange peeping from behind her back, Arin demands, "Hey, is that my hoodie?"

Sora glanced at the hidden piece of clothing. "Um, duh," she answered with a shrug. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Well," Arin began, "I - I don't have a problem with you wearing my stuff but. . ."

She raised her brow. "But what?"

"That's my hoodie!" he exclaimed.

"Hey, it's cold outside," she protested. "I have every right to wear something warm."

"Don't you have a jacket for yourself?" he inquired.

"Yes and no," she answered plainly. "Yes, because I do, and no because, apparently, it's small for me now."

"You know you could've asked me to go shopping for a new one," he suggested.

Sora held up his hoodie, exclaiming, "But I like this one!"

"It's my hoodie," Arin stressed. "My mom got that then oversized hoodie for me when I turned eleven!"

"Please," Sora begged, giving Arin the glossiest puppy eyes she could ever create.

Arin gazed into her shiny balls of honey brown and sighed, feeling guilty. How could he ever deny those baby eyes? "Fine! You can wear it, but only for today," he said. "Tomorrow we'll go shopping for a new one."

"Yay!" Sora squealed and ran into his arms, mumbling a shy "thank you" as she buried her face into the crook of his neck.

"Oh uh. . ."

Arin was shocked at her unexpected move. He blinked at the pink-haired girl buried in his neck, fighting the urge to hug her back. She squeezed him tighter to tempt him, and he finally gave in, wrapping his arms around her back and relishing her warmth.

When they eventually released each other, Sora asked shyly, "Hey, when we go shopping, maybe instead of a jacket, can I get a hoodie? I mean, I've been thinking of getting something to match you, so. . ."

Arin smiled brightly. "Of course! I'm sure we'll find something for you."

"Thank you," Sora replied. They both heard her stomach growl and they laughed. "Well, I'm hungry."

"Me too. Let's go to the kitchen and cook something up for lunch," he suggested.

Sora slipped the hoodie over her head as she followed Arin to the kitchen. When they arrived, a certain scrawny redhead was sitting on the counter snacking on a bag of chips.

"Hi guys," she greeted through the food in her mouth.

"Hey there, Wyldfyre," Sora greeted back.

Noticing a familiar orange hoodie on the wrong owner, Wyldfyre inquires, "I thought Arin wears that."

"He does," Sora corrected, "but he's letting me borrow it today."

"Oh. . ." Wyldfyre trails off as she leans in to observe the older girl prepping ingredients with her best friend, trying to catch a few lines of their exchange.

"You know, I think I should let you wear my stuff more often," Arin remarked in a whisper so only Sora could hear.

Sora turned around from setting up the stove. "Huh?"

"Well," Arin began, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, "that hoodie does fit you better than it does me. . ."

A light blush appeared on Sora's cheeks. "Arin!" she exclaimed, teasing him with a nudge. "I had no idea you could be so cheesy!"

Upon hearing those words, a wide, mischievous grin manifested on Wyldfyre's youthful face.

Arin and Sora's eyes widened in horror.

Oh no.

~A/N~

I will update this book every now and then. Juggling school and personal life is a pain 😭, but since I've never done a long-term writing project before, I want to get this fanfiction done this year. Thank you so much for all your support and I hope you'll enjoy this story just as much as I do writing it!

P.S. As the chapter title says, this is just a warm up, so stay tuned for the juicy stuff 😏✨ (And yes, I drew the art of Sora at the top of this chap. 😉)