Miyako lied down on her bed, her eyes half closed as she swiped a drop of sweat from her brow. She knew that doing so was useless, as the rest of her body was dripping with sweat.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUNgOqVhRB
She sighed at the lack of motion on the part of the fan hanging from the ceiling. The room was dark with the exception of a few weak candles. Miyako could barely see the perplexingly smiling face of a dear friend of hers.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Vh7kdG487
Hikari’s fittingly light blonde hair still managed to shine with minimal lighting. Her eyes were the colour of warm chestnuts and were wide with innocence.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTG8syGZIL
Miyako’s smaller, icy blue eyes, by comparison, appeared cold and emotionless, and her deep brown hair almost covered those eyes, giving her the look of the grim reaper with its hood up. Her pale skin did little to prevent this appearance.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuUAsGr1Iw
Many were surprised when they were told that Miyako was half-French whilst Hikari had Japanese heritage lasting centuries. The devastatingly effective combination of hair dye and makeup was Hikari’s golden secret.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwsMNUzkFd
Hikari leaned in closer, her breath skating over Miyako’s sharp nose. “So what should we do?” she asked softly.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7sW1CQoxJ
Miyako shrugged. “How am I supposed to know? I wasn’t prepared for this.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYcbhgUQEK
Hikari unzipped her shoulder bag and rummaged around the insides until she found the object that used to always bring her and Miyako together.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1Etzz5uDV
“We haven’t played this in a while.” Miyako scrunched her nose in embarrassment as she stared at the handheld console.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkbsi4rhzR
“That thing still works?” she asked. “What would we even play on it? And why did you bring it?”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHOvFQe3D7
“I…” Hikari’s cheeks heated up. “I thought it would be fun. Look, if you think it’s stupid, just tell me and stop delaying my feelings of… of…. heartbreak!”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡ482DBqr7tV
Miyako giggled as Hikari lied down on the futon with the back of her hand pushed against her forehead. Hikari grabbed her console, flipped it open and turned it on.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6ZMcTk6Ig
“What game are you playing?” Miyako asked in a voice that suggested a lack of interest in the answer.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡYdehZ5Eskj
“Pokémon, of course.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4PER7f32G
“How old are you? Don’t tell me you became an otaku before I even noticed!”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YLkHlUUkb
Hikari’s throat tightened and her voice became hoarse with shock. “Take… that… back!” Miyako shook her head and laughed with playful cruelty. Hikari turned away from the other girl. “You’re mean. If you really liked me, you’d play as well.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡSooLWRuBys
“I don’t know where my console is. I haven’t used it in years, remember?”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXgDaP3BHg
“Well look for it. I don’t want to play this alone. And yes, I know that we can’t technically play together without internet, but we could still play together in spirit!”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQjosQGiaK
Miyako eventually stood up and carefully explored the nooks and crannies of her room. “Where is this damn thing?” she hissed. Hikari chuckled each time she heard Miyako bump into something or swear to herself.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2JMkBiXan
Miyako fumbled through her drawers in the dark but found nothing substantial. She then searched her wardrobe, where she suddenly found her handheld console, nestled next to a beanie on top of the closet’s drawers.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHIhx9pjlC
She pulled it out with triumph and smiled when she saw that it still had a tiny bit of charge left. Her next challenge hit her like a boulder thrown by Goliath. She had to complete a similar process to the one she dealt with a few seconds ago, this time to find the Pokémon game that Hikari was playing.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCetGrk6ih
“Which version are you playing?” she asked.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXHzpBxZYy
“Platinum.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Gn85wqHUS
She held each game found in the closet drawer up to the candlelight until she found the correct game. She sat on her bed and began playing.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPJtUIvWPB
“Why did I go through all that?” she wondered aloud.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWQuVJrjdb
Hikari smirked. “Because you love me.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwG1tNhOqT
Miyako’s cheeks burnt, Hikari’s words threatening to solder themselves into her brain for all eternity.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡXy44sLBXur
“L-love? Isn’t that a bit too sudden?”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnBtP57Jz2
“Why should it be? I love you, so why should you be any different?” The two played their game in awkward silence for the next few minutes. They both sweat through the game, the heat returning to the room as if to punish the couple. The shackles of quietness were broken by Hikari. “Which bit are you up to?”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxXsx0u5Gp
“I’m just walking around right now, really,” Miyako admitted. “I’ve given up on playing properly.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡGR82OHl0lU
“Have you told your parents about us?”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YUC3wyjgE
Miyako almost choked on her own spit. “What? Are you kidding me? There’s no way they’d let us have sleepovers like this if they knew.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEs0ypUUxp
“Well, maybe that’s a good thing. No offence, but this is the worst sleepover ever.” Hikari turned towards her girlfriend. “I guess it’s not your fault, though. When do you think the power’s going to come back on?” Miyako simply shrugged. “So… about before…that was a weird way of reacting to my confession.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GL36qZI1G
“Sorry. But how was I supposed to act? I’m not an expert on this.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡenKHrFDlO8
“You said you’ve dated before.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡkaLAd9bVD5
“Well, isn’t going out with a girl different?”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIafbssvIm
“I don’t know. I’ve never dated a guy before, so I have no clue what the difference is. So… now that I’ve given you my heart and soul, don’t I deserve a kiss?”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsp2qMa2O1
“You don’t “deserve” anything. I will give you a kiss, though.” Hikari waited for Miyako to sit down next to Hikari, or perhaps pull her up by the arm until the two were in an embrace. She waited.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUE3Bm5CCk
And waited.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKt62O8Dwd
And waited.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡA08Avb8bis
“Uh… when is this kiss going to happen? I assumed it was going to be now-”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjt8sTMtuK
“I’m not ready yet!” Miyako interrupted, sitting on her calves while her hands gripped the sheets of her bed. “Give me a couple of seconds. I… I don’t know how to kiss a girl.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmJ8f4bBXM
“I didn’t realise it was any different from kissing a guy. Look, if you don’t want to kiss me, that’s fine. I was just getting a little worried since we haven’t had our first kiss together yet. It’s been a few weeks and I thought for sure we’d be at the kissing stage by now.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJX1ZUpTPm
Hikari put on an understanding smile as she gazed at her lover. Miyako shook her head and slid her legs in front of her until they were dangling off the edge of the bed. She held out her hand. Hikari took it.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqzMrdtmzw
Their lips collided as Miyako gently pulled Hikari towards her. Miyako noticed that her girlfriend smelled like cinnamon and tasted like chocolate. Hikari must have not heeded to her advice about cutting the unhealthy amount of pocky she consumed out of her diet. Miyako had no idea where the smell of cinnamon originated from, though.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJ0QccHcRr
She suddenly felt embarrassed at paying such close attention to Hikari’s taste and smell, worries that she may be a creep slapping her cheeks until they became redder than ever.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rCIUPbWgt
She soon realised that kissing a girl was not the herculean task she expected it to be. The couple moved in what onlookers would see as rehearsed synchronicity had the two been kissing in public. The thought of doing such a thing made Miyako’s body tense up.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡabNShbTvDR
“What’s wrong?” Hikari asked. She gasped, her hands pushing her cheeks up. “Was I so bad a kisser that you had to stop?”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡuzs3fB0cuy
“No, uh, I was just…. I needed some air.” Hikari smiled. “Hi-chan, um… have you ever… you know… had… with someone…. I don’t even know what I’m asking!”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡj19dcd54gG
“Uh… yeah. I have. Why? Do you want to? I’m not ready for that at the moment. We haven’t been together long enough.”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0Yd6Gb2xE
“O-okay,” Miyako stammered. Her heart leapt in misplaced panic as she realised that her console had run out of battery. “Damn it. Can I just watch you play?”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHCL7KOSmR
Hikari nodded and resumed the game. Miyako sat down next to her girlfriend, wrapping her arms around her shoulders from behind. Hikari shivered from the surprise contact but relaxed into the other girls’ arms.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJlFL4OqbD
Miyako laughed with childish schadenfreude whenever Hikari lost a battle, resulting in Hikari angrily asking her if she’d prefer to play it. Miyako shut her mouth after that.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIbN5HmiBN
The duo sat in comfortable silence as the clouds gave way to a stunningly bright moon. Miyako’s attention was divided by this beautiful display of nature and her equally beautiful girlfriend.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2NFivIssF
Hikari shut the console and closed her eyes, resting in Miyako’s surprisingly strong arms. Miyako was momentarily filled with alarm but she soon became used to the light and adorable snoring from Hikari.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgswhYHYpi
While Hikari was purring in contentment, Miyako softly patted her head as if she was a cat. She pondered the possibility of “loving” her girlfriend back rather than only “liking” her. The snug smell of cinnamon that enveloped Miyako’s nostrils made it clear to her that love was a potential if not inevitable label to use for her feelings.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhAGu0lTP1
The next level of their relationship was for Miyako to return Hikari’s love, but until Miyako’s limbs no longer became painfully rigid at the thought of telling this truth to Hikari, she was forced to settle for saying the right words by herself.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5BoSj32GG
“I love you, Hi-chan,” she whispered into the darkness, a desire to keep their relationship as perfect as it was settling in her heart like soil resting over a young plant.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8CYYNMd7S
The electricity company must have decided to play a horrifically sadistic prank on Miyako, as the room was abruptly filled with white light.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2Tj34T70J
Hikari lethargically opened her eyes. “Who woke me up?” she asked in a voice garbled with exhaustion.copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpbVJEN4z8
Miyako chortled. “I can use my charger. Want to play another game, together this time?”copyright protection474ＰＥＮＡＮＡYowHW2nXBI
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