Title: it's okay to cry, but...
Rating: G
Fandom: Sakura Wars
Relationship: Amamiya Sakura/Shinonome Hatsuho
Wordcount: 574
Short summary: Sakura finds Hatsuho in tears and does her best to provide comfort.
“Well, I guess that’s it for today. Time to get some sleep.”
It was another hard day of practice for the members of the Imperial Flower Brigade. Hatsuho was seriously exhausted, having to haul props back and forth for hours. Why did her character have to do so much heavy lifting in their newest production? Ah well, at least she’d probably sleep really well tonight. Hatsuho was about to turn off the lights and slip into bed when she heard a knock on the door.
“Who is it?” Sometimes Kamiyama would visit right before bed during the days they were still getting their act together as a group, but things had been rather smooth sailing, so…
“Sakura.”
“Oh!” That was a pleasant surprise. Hatsuho rushed to open the door. “Come in.”
“Hatsuho!”
“Whoa!”
Hatsuho didn’t mind an enthusiastic hug from Sakura, but this took her completely by surprise. Sakura was lucky that Hatsuho had a strong sense of balance, only stumbling back a few steps as she caught Sakura.
“What’s with the sudden embrace?” Hatsuho asked Sakura, whose face was burying itself into Hatsuho’s neck. “Not that I mind at all…”
“I was remembering that time…” Sakura’s voice was muffled as she murmured into Hatsuho’s skin. “And I just needed to know that you are still alive.”
Hatsuho felt her whole body shudder. She would never forget that moment or that feeling, although she would never regret what she did either. She wrapped her arms tightly around Sakura. “I guess I did… ‘die’... but I’m here right now, right?”
Sakura’s breath hitched. “Hatsuho…”
For a minute they just stood in the middle of Hatsuho’s room holding each other, with Sakura sniffling into the crook of Hatsuho’s neck while Hatsuho moved her hands up and down Sakura’s back. Even when Sakura’s sniffles subsided they continued to stand together. It wasn’t like Hatsuho wanted to let Sakura go… But it was already late and they should go to sleep.
Then an idea occurred to Hatsuho. “You can stay here, if you want.”
Sakura looked up, her eyes a little red but her lips forming a smile. “In the same bed as you?”
“Yeah, of course.” Hatsuho grinned. “Anytime.”
“Thanks, Hatsuho.” Hatsuho felt Sakura’s posture relax, but her arms were still around Hatsuho’s waist. “Hatsuho, you’re the one person I can’t lose.”
“Huh?”
Sakura had said it so quietly that Hatsuho wondered at first if she had dreamed it. It was more like something Hatsuho would say to Sakura, since Sakura was the one more likely to be swept away as a superstar, right? But if those were Sakura’s feelings… Hatsuho felt warm at the thought. Maybe if Sakura could say it one more time...
“Hatsuho…”
Sakura slumped forward, her face towards Hatsuho’s chest. Hatsuho waited a minute, thinking that Sakura had something else to say that was maybe difficult to vocalize. But when nothing more came out of Sakura’s mouth, Hatsuho nudged Sakura only to hear a snore. Hatsuho sighed.
“She really did just fall asleep, like this?”
Hatsuho laughed to herself as she lifted Sakura and guided her to the bed. Sakura was always like this, always 120% when awake and burning so bright. Of course she could fall asleep so quickly too. This was one of the things that Hatsuho loved about her, one of the things she hoped would never change…
Hatsuho pressed a light kiss to Sakura’s forehead before falling asleep, basking in Sakura’s soothing warmth.