Close Encounter (Drift x Brite Bomber)

Ch.28 Waking Up

○Drift○

Even with the laughing faces of everyone else I couldn't help but feel a bothersome heat engrave itself deep into a place in my chest that I wish could be untouched. I admit it, I made an assumption that things would be simple. Kinda stupid of me to think that things with Brite would be so easy, huh? When we're alone she shows all of her affection, but around Cuddle and Rex she'd rather be secretive or pretend we're not together at all.

To be fair I did intrude in on their normal lifestyle, and due to me I could only assume that Brite had started to act distant to her friends. Really, I never wanted that, and most of all I don't want to hide the connection we have. It's not like I know too much about relationships, but I'm sure that couples aren't supposed to hide the truth. I could feel that she was scared for it to be known. I had never expected Brite to have an ounce of fear in her heart, yet here she is, showing it clear as day to me.

Looming above us all, a sky of darkened purple gave me the chills. Why do I feel out of all days that this storm is worse? I guess I hadn't had much time to experience the damn thing, and in the end it's what ensured my death.

It's probably the fear.

As we continued back to the ATK I came to the conclusion that watching is always bittersweet. It encourages a person to obtain information without consent unless one were to try hard not to focus on it. So here I am, behind everyone else with the obligation to hear their laughter, the conversations and body language. All of it I valued, thinking that maybe I would figure out how to fit in better with Rex and Cuddle.

Our ride wasn't any better, my mind was aloof and I seemed to be prone to zoning out the entire time we talked about what to do next or what we discovered in Tomato Temple. It occured to me that something about the day wasn't hitting me right, the way Brite continued to act distant, the sky and the soft thunder muting everyone out. I can feel that unpleasant aura, but nobody else seemed to notice. Soon, time became lost on me along with everything else, smooth tires crunching pebbles on a generally easygoing road was my focus. The sound kept me from leaving, it kept me from parting with the world.

"The sky is looking dark today, isn't it?"

Rex.

"I think it looks scaaarryyy."

Cuddle.

"Maybe we should head to Paradise? I heard rumors about more strange things happening there."

Brite.

I wanted to reach out to her again, maybe attempt to hold her hand so I knew that she wasn't just a figment of my imagination. Just that touch would suffice, it would be enough to let me know that she really felt the same affection towards me that I did with her. All of these thoughts are a problem, they're a step closer to me losing my mind. This affection I'm feeling doesn't seem rational, I hadn't known her for too long and she managed to make me this way. Expressing my frustration out loud, I placed a hand on my kitsune mask, dragged it down to the side of me and allowed an exasperated sigh to escape.

Not too shortly after this a feather graced the tips of my fingers. It snuck, struggling to hide under my palm. The light feeling traveled, floating upwards to carress between my fingers. It gripped, a reassuring one that tugged me back into reality. Back from the clouding thoughts.

"Are you okay?"

It was her, the whispered hush in her voice let me know for sure- she was still hiding behind that cover of fear. I didn't want to speak, for my throat had not allowed it and I thanked my body for reacting in such a way. The feather, the tickle of her skin all the same and my gruff hands were scared of ruining its unique pattern. With a gentle notion, my thumb went to touch, it grazed over her skin in a benign manner. I was sure, though, that Brite was trying to assure me that she was there. Even with her hand feeling as if it'd fade away any second, I kept my thumb there to keep telling myself that this was real. I didn't answer, I only stayed deep within my mind to process what to tell her. She kept her distance at a respectful amount to not bring up any suspicion.