With A Cup of Coffee, Please

Hazy

"We're almost there, just one turn away," said Miya.

The pair walked through the city streets, avoiding the rain by walking under covers and ledges from the nearby houses. Except for the cars occasionally whizzing past and causing splashes, the sound of rainfall was uninterrupted.

"Here we are," she said as she stops by a gate, a keypad next to it. Inputting the code, Miya swings it open, allowing the two entry to the building. "Good evening, Miss Laurier," greeted the guard. "I told you, Miya's fine sir," rebutted an embarrassed Miya, only to receive a laugh in return.

Entering the elevator, Miya nor Raine said a single word, the awkwardness between them building higher. Miya, now fidgeting, opened her mouth to say something, only for no words to come out. "I'll just stay until the rain passes, then I'll be outta' your hair," said Raine.

"Let's hope the rain never ends then," muttered Miya, not realising she'd judt thought out loud. The response brought up a giggle from the other girl, confusing Miya.

"Too cheesy," she said. She then repeated her words in a goofy manner, embarrassing the nervous girl, but breaking the ice between the two.

As the elevator halts and its doors open, the two walk through the apartment hallways, reaching a door labelled '19505'. "Oh my god, it's like that one Antarctic Chimpanzees song," pointed out Raine. "Har."

Miya opened the door to reveal an elegant and tidy studio apartment. The walls were white, two wooden shelves full of books lined a portion of the left wall. To the right was a vintage looking desk, with a pin board full of sketches right above it.

Raine was busy observing the room, the earthy tones filling her sights. "Dry yourself up, then take a seat," instructed Miya as she handed Raine a towel to dry herself with. Thanking her, she did as she was told and sat down.

In a few minutes of getting settled, a sizzling noise was heard from the kitchen, accompanied by a sweet aroma. Paired with the comfort of the bed and the rainfall right outside the balcony, Raine felt like she was dreaming. "Here, have some," Miya said, dragging Raine back to the present.

On a foldable table were two plates of spaghetti. Miya dragged the desk's chair to the table and began to eat, whereas the other girl felt uncomfortable. Miya noticed the girl's discomfort and joked, "Don't worry, I didn't poison it. Give it a try."

Raine decided to accept the food and put some of the pasta in her mouth. Instantly, Raine fell in love with the harmony of flavors present in the dish. "So, any poison?" joked Miya. "Not sure, but it's surely addictive," said Raine with a slight smirk. The response made Miya blush. "Thank you," muttered Miya.

After finishing their meal, Raine insisted on helping her clean the dishes. Miya couldn't resist the girl's puppy eye act and conceded. "I'll go take a shower first, be right back," said Miya as she walked towards the bathroom. Unbeknownst to her, the announcement flustered Raine, who nearly dropped a plate. "S-Sure!"

Finishing up, Raine plopped back down onto the bed, still bewildered by the situation. Filled with doubt, she pinched her cheek. "So this is real huh..." she thought. She lied down on the bed and took a deep breath, bringing herself to the present. "Rain...cold air from the AC...lots of plants too...water in the pipes..." she let her mind wander, observing everything present...

"Hey, Earth to Raine," called out Miya as she waved a hand in front of the girl's face, bringing her out of her trance. The girl sat up, facing a fresh Miya drying her hair. "There's a towel inside the bathroom, along with a change of clothes," said Miya, rubbing her hair between the towel.

Raine, however, didn't hear a single thing. She was lost in her own world, only able to see Miya as this divine idol in front of her. Awestruck, she just kept staring at the beautiful girl, not replying. With a sigh, Miya stands up and grabs the girl's hand, leading her to the bathroom.

"Get washed up, you're gonna get sick at this rate," said Miya, finally receiving a nod in return. "I'll be right out here. Call me if you need anything," she said with a smile and closed the door.

-

"What the hell am I doing here?" thought Raine with a sigh. As the warm water trickled down her body, she felt herself loosen and relaxed, yet her thoughts couldn't be eased. Despite accepting the invitation, Raine couldn't help but feel intrusive in Miya's home.

"I'll leave as soon as the rain subsides," she said. Stepping out of the shower, the water began to gather at her feet. Just as she was about to take a step out, her feet slipped under her weight, causing her to fall against the tub's wall with a loud thud. Groaning in pain, a knock came at the door.

"Everything alright there?" asked a worried Miya from the other side. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry," reassured Raine, hiding the pain in her voice. Gathering herself, she put on the change of clothes and unlocked the door.

"Hey, how's the...shower..." trailed off Miya as she saw the girl emerge from the bathroom. She adored clothes that were comfortable and easy to get into, hence her wardrobe of home clothes was 80% oversized; Raine's change of clothes was an oversized grey shirt and shorts that went down to her knees.

"I prefer being wet from the shower than wet from the rain," remarked Raine as she rubbed her hair, straight and spiky as opposed to her usual fluffy and flowy wolf cut. "Do you have a hairdryer?" asked Raine, only to be interrupted by Miya, scurrying towards a box. Revealing the box to be a first aid kit, the girl pointed to Raine's elbow.

"Oh shit, I didn't notice that," said Raine as she glanced at her elbow, red with blood making small drops on the floor. "Come here," instructed Miya. "I'll be fine, don't fuss-" began Raine, only to be met with a stern look from the girl. With a sigh, she sits down opposite to the girl and hands her arm to her.

Wiping the blood, Raine winced from the wiping opening the wound slightly. "You fell down and scratched your arm against the tub didn't you?" asked Miya. "Yeah, but I don't think it's a big deEEAL-OW FUCK!" swore Raine, snatching her arm back. Miya hoped to distract her as she applied alcohol, but ended up failing. "Done. Just bandages left," said Miya as she took out a roll of bandage from the box.

"Be careful, okay?" asked Raine as she reluctantly handed her arm back, pouting. With a smile, Miya nodded and applied the bandage with care. Miya mumbled something under her breath, stimulating the injured girl's curiosity. "What did you say?" asked Raine. "Nothing... just thought you looked...bonny, pouting like that," answered Miya. Finishing up, she repacks the first aid kit and returns it on the shelf.

For the rest of the night, the two did their own thing to pass the time; Miya continued her homework, while Raine fiddled with a Rubik's cube. By coincidence, the two finished their respective goals simultaneously. "Hah, take that!" said Raine as she solved the puzzle. "You totally used a tutorial for that," remarked Miya jokingly. "Did not! And may the gods smite me if I am lying," she jokingly said, only for lightning to strike right after.

The two were shook by the loud boom that came from outside, Miya freezing up while Raine let out a squeak. Coming back to the present, Miya felt pressure on her hand, only to see Raine's hand grabbing hers tightly. The girl blushed, seeing their hands together. However, as she looked up, Raine was frozen with fear, her face left staring at the window.

"Hey, you alright?" asked Miya, bringing Raine out of her daze. Noticing her grip, she released it and took her hand back. "Sorry, I just... I'm not fond of thunderstorms," replied Raine with a nervous laugh. Miya saw past the façade and saw her discomfort. "Oh wow, would you look at the time," pointed out Miya, hoping to change the topic and distract the poor girl.

Since Miya's apartment only had a single bed, despite her opposition, they came to a compromise: Miya slept on the bed, while Raine slept in her futon. Just as Raine was about to get in the futon, she noticed Miya frantically going over her groceries, constantly mumbling swear words. "You uh...you good?" asked Raine. "My pills. I think I forgot to put them on the cart," she replied, her focus on finding the bottle unbroken.

"Oh, you can uh...you can...hm...funny."

"What's funny?"

"I forgot to buy mine too."