Just To Be In Your Hands

Surprise date

(Heyyyyy y'all 🤡 I didn't die dw n Im so sorry for the wait but hey at least u get a long ahh chapter!! Dunno if that's a good thing or not so y'all can decide)

Emptiness, an all-consuming feeling that dragged on. After days and days of grief and ignoring loved ones as well as personal needs, that was all Rayne could feel, emptiness.

Like the thin white walls surrounding them that they swore they'd paint the moment they moved in which was over 2 years ago now, or like their stomach after not being able to work enough due to their depressed state and only having enough to live off of instant noodles for the week and possibly most of next week as well.

They lay in bed, smothered underneath strawberry-printed sheets that they haven't had the time to wash in a good while nor cared to do so. Their phone was filled with dozens of messages from Val and Ingrid, hoping to check up on them, only for Rayne to put it on silent as they set it aside to do nothing but laze the day away in bed.

They were tired of it, but they were also tired of all of the other emotions they faced whenever they tried to do anything else, just staying in bed was much easier after all.

Suddenly, they felt something else, not eating anything since waking up finally caught up to them only to realise that there's nothing left in the house. They sighed to themselves as they picked up their phone, hoping to order some more cheap snacks since they couldn't bother to get out of the house to get them. Right as their hand grasped the phone lying flat on their bedside table, they saw the screen light up as the phone silently buzzed in their hand.

They dragged the phone closer to their face as they saw that the person ringing their phone was no other than Ash.

"Hello?"

They sat up in bed and spoke as they answered the phone and pressed it against their ear.

"Rainstorm! Hi, it's so nice to hear your voice again! Um, how have you been holding up?"

Ash said, barely keeping his excitement at bay before nervously asking them the long-awaited question.

"Well, it hasn't really been that easy, I told my other friends about it and they all reacted about the same. I don't know, it's been hard to do anything lately."

Rayne answered honestly, not wanting to get into the specifics and especially not about Lana in order to not have him worry about them but enough to let him know what's been going on. They just wouldn't be able to handle seeing another potentially dead friend.

"Oh you poor thing, I figured as much. You know, maybe it's too early for this and I would most definitely take it with the utmost respect it if you didn't want to, but aside from checking up on you I also wanted to know if you would like to perhaps go out with me? It might hopefully help to clear your head a little at least."

Rayne paused to think for a second, considering whether it'd genuinely feel good to go out or not, the dragging anticipation not helping Ash's nervousness either.

"Sorry, Ash, don't think I can really do that yet. I just have to figure some things out for myself and hopefully I'll feel better soon."

They said, involuntarily causing Ash to pout at the other end of the call. He sighed and spoke again in disappointment.

"Aw, that's a shame, I was hoping I could have you over at my place at the end of the day so I can cook you up something but, I suppose you wouldn't like that."

"Wait, you want to cook for me?"

Rayne asked in astonishment, the mention of real food immediately piquing their interest after all the sodium and carbs they had to force down their throat this week.