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The sky is a burning, blazing red outside the windows of their apartment by the time Saya wakes up that afternoon, hair tousled with sleep and Tomoe’s shirt slipping off her shoulders as she sits up from their bed.Even after all these years, the sight of the oranges and reds bleeding together in the horizon still remains to be one of her favorites. The way it slivers through the curtains and basks their shared bedroom in a warm, calming glow brings a smile to Saya’s face, her eyes drifting to the still-sleeping Tomoe by her side.Affection, love, and a feeling of home all swell up within Saya’s chest as she gazes at Tomoe: one arm thrown over her forehead, the cast shadow hiding her closed eyelids from plain sight, and lips parted slightly while she breathes nice and easy. Her hair, a deep scarlet – as scarlet as the sky beyond the four walls of their apartment – is fanned across the pillows, a stark contrast to the bright colors of the sheets.Smile growing wider, Saya stretches out her fingers to run them through Tomoe’s hair, the strands soft and silky and tickling her skin. For Saya, it’s enough to bring her back to that afternoon in her own bedroom back home in their bakery, back when they were still in high school and everything still so fresh and new between them.Tomoe’s head falling onto her lap, a lazy sort of grin toying at her lips as Saya lets out a light, somewhat hushed giggle. The sky outside, the same color as it is now. The smell of bread wafting in the bakery below and drifting up the stairs and into her bedroom.Saya, leaning forward and Tomoe cupping the back of her neck to guide her head the rest of the way down. Their foreheads touching, noses brushing, stuttered breaths mingling and the sleeve of Tomoe’s blazer pinched between her thumb and index finger.Her own heartbeat, loud and fast, much like the way Tomoe plays the drums – much like the way Saya has learned to play the drums from then on because of Tomoe.Even now as they’re navigating through college together, it’s still how Saya plays sometimes. A lot of changes have happened in their transition from high school to college, and one of the things Saya struggled to adjust with the most was the fact that she was going to be away from her family.There would be no Jun and Sana to wake up to with their loud ruckus, nor the heavenly smell of freshly-baked bread being pulled out of the oven to greet her when she rushes down the stairs of their house. During the first few months of being away, Saya had found herself missing and aching for her family, especially since she had never been separated from them before for more than a few days.Barely a day would pass by where she wouldn’t call to check in on them, until her parents and even Jun and Sana finally put their foot down and firmly reassured her that they can take care of themselves. Of course, it wasn’t easy for her to accept right off the bat, but after a while and with Tomoe’s tireless assurances, Saya had begun to acknowledge that Jun and Sana, too, aren’t going to be little kids forever.In their own way, they’re growing and maturing faster than the blink of an eye, enough for Saya not to worry as much as she used to.And if it weren’t for Tomoe, Saya is sure she would have given up and gone back home long ago. They’ve known each other for so long and grew up together in the same place, after all, and if anyone could get Saya’s feelings of homesickness and longing for her family, it would be Tomoe.It’s reassuring, comforting, to have her heart belong to someone who understands that part of her.In her sleep, Tomoe sighs deeply, a telltale sign that she’s about to stir awake. Sure enough, her eyes soon crack open, fixing onto Saya’s with a glassy quality. Again, as always, Saya’s heart skips a beat.Smiling still, Saya brushes Tomoe’s bangs aside and whispers, “Good morning. Sleep well?”“Mmm…” Tomoe hums and rolls over onto her side, then slings an arm around Saya’s waist to draw her close. “How long have you been awake?” she mumbles sleepily, nose buried into Saya’s hip.“Not long,” Saya answers, hand drifting down to tap at Tomoe’s shoulder. The beginnings of a sleepy grin that Saya adores forms at the corners of Tomoe’s mouth as she lifts her head, recognition lighting up her eyes at the rhythm Saya forms against her skin.Another beat, skipped. That wouldn’t be any good at all if it were the drums. Not that Kasumi ever noticed during their practices.“Scarlet Sky, huh?” Tomoe flops onto her back, bedhead more apparent now that her arm is out of the way.With an affectionate giggle, Saya smooths it out with her palms, or at least tries to, because Tomoe’s hair can be pretty stubborn sometimes. Then, briefly, gaze flickers to outside of the windows, the sky still a deep red though faint this time. “Mmhmm.”When she tries to draw her hand back, Tomoe is quick to take it in hers, calloused fingers tickling the inside of Saya’s wrist as she curls them around it.It’s then a thought strikes Saya.“Hey, Tomoe?”“Yeah? What’s up?”“Do you remember how nervous you used to be when you tried to hold my hand?”Ears turning pink, Tomoe lets out a groan of embarrassment at the reminder. “I don’t think I’m ever going to forget that.”At that, Saya giggles, causing Tomoe’s ears to grow a shade darker. “It was really cute.”Another groan, followed by Tomoe lightly poking her side.“Really, Saya? Again with calling me cute? I bet you’re just trying to get me flustered again, aren’t you?”Saya playfully swats Tomoe’s hand away and gives her forehead a light flick. As revenge, Tomoe tugs down on her wrist, and Saya falls onto the bed with a squeak of surprise. A blush spreads across Saya’s cheeks upon being caught off guard, Tomoe laughing at her reaction.“Well, it worked, didn’t it? I mean, you blushed, didn’t you?” Saya grins up at Tomoe, chin tucked against her chest.“How do you know? Can you even see my face properly from there?” Tomoe retorts.Grin growing wider, Saya touches her hand to Tomoe’s warmed cheeks. “Your face is pretty hot, Tomoe. Are you sure you’re not blushing?” she teases, a mischievous glint in her eye.In protest, Tomoe buries her face into Saya’s hair and mutters, “Jeez, Saya, you never knew how to play fair.”Despite that, Saya feels Tomoe smile against the top of her head, and she just-She melts. Melts into the arms that have held her countless times before in their warmth, those very ones she calls her home every time she sinks into this quiet, familiar embrace.“Sorry,” Saya laughs, legs coming to tangle with Tomoe’s. “It’s just- I can’t help myself sometimes around you.”Tomoe chuckles, any and all traces of sleep gone by this point. “Yeah, yeah, you like teasing me. Gotcha.”“And you always let me get away with it.”“With how cute you are?” Tomoe grins at the way Saya’s mouth falls open in shock. “’Course I’ll let you get away with anything.”Saya playfully pushes at Tomoe’s shoulders, coaxing out another laugh. “Now who’s being unfair?” she giggles, just because Tomoe makes her do that a lot.It’s hard to do anything that isn’t smiling or laughing or falling in love again, and again, and again when it’s Tomoe who brings all those feelings to the surface. And over the years, it only becomes easier and easier for Saya to let them flow out of her the same way the beat flows out of her when she’s sitting behind the drums.And she’s glad, she’ll always be comforted by the thought that it’s Tomoe she chose to feel this way for.For Tomoe, Saya would love nothing more than to feel this way forever.Tomoe just smiles and moves closer, the beginnings of nighttime dawning over their entwined bodies in the background.Closer. Closer. Tomoe’s breath hitches, head lowering to brush her lips along Saya’s exposed shoulder. Eyelids fluttering shut, Saya releases a content sigh as she allows Tomoe’s lips to wander up the slope of her shoulder to where it meets her neck.Then, a kiss on her cheek. Another on her nose, which Saya scrunches. And then one on her hair.A pause, their foreheads touching. Saya circles her arms around Tomoe’s neck, once again finding herself falling deeper into those kind, loving eyes that gaze down at her.A second passes, then another, stretching out into a quiet moment before Tomoe dips her head at last and kisses Saya, soft and as easy to get lost into as ever. Somewhere along the way as their lips continue to meet, Saya feels Tomoe tapping out a beat against her waist.Her face breaks into a smile the moment she recognizes the song.
Star Beat.
It reminds Saya of what her mom once told her about being kind to herself.And right now, more than anything, she’s glad she took those words to heart by entrusting part of herself to Tomoe.Because if anything, it’s Tomoe’s own kindness that allowed Saya to be more honest about her feelings.If it’s Tomoe, because it’s Tomoe, Saya will always let herself be enveloped by that blazing red sky she has come to find in these same arms she’s drawn into.