#Chishiya was just never able to coherently share thoughts on a moment

[sharpsuite]

MUNDANE MOMENTS DRABBLE PROMPTS Topic: The very human experience of a poorly shared umbrella For: @cartelheir

i hope you and Pat can enjoy this drabble! ✨

Chishiya cannot fathom why anyone needs as many coats as Pat owns - and that's only from what she had brought with her and what she's subsequently acquired since being here. HE FEARS HOW MANY SHE ONCE OWNED. ( He's thankful for the fact there's limited storage in his place that restricts the amount she can bring in too. ) He doesn't think he's ever seen this one before either now that he stares at it a bit longer. The cut of it is a bit different even thought it seems similar to one she wore last week. HE KNOWS BETTER THAN TO SAY THAT. He'd made that mistake exactly one time and the painful crash course on fashion lecture had made work seem like an optimal escape for once.

He watches Pat close the umbrella as they reach the safety of the lobby of his apartment complex and he doesn't say anything when she complains about the sudden rain ruining some plans. Frankly HE is the one with every right to complain. She might have made an effort to share the umbrella, but the angle had been entirely wrong to help Chishiya. So while she's stayed dry except for a few droplets still clinging to the high-end fabric or the wispy ends of some stray pieces of hair, his hoodie is a substantially worse off victim of the weather.

It feels so NORMAL. Two people trying to share an umbrella and it going horribly wrong whether known or not. Something friends, and siblings, and so many others experienced daily across the world. There was likely someone else experiencing something like this less than a mile away.

Chiaki's waiting upstairs, probably lazily cuddled in the blankets on the couch with the gentle pitter-patter of rain against the glass windows. There's coffee waiting and he's SURE Pat is going to march right into the kitchen to make some if she doesn't decide to order a delivery of a specialty one FOR THE TROUBLE OF BEING CAUGHT IN THE RAIN. And he'll just give an amused sort of snort and scratch Chiaki's ear when she lifts her head to mew and greet them. He'll change and maybe have a drink or just burrow in the blankets and stare out the window at the rain for a bit; offer a solution for the rainy fiasco or a makeup day - check the weather app as she considers it and -

Chishiya almost wants to turn and bolt out into the steadily increasing rainfall outside. If there isn't fire, a storm will do.

It should be a comfort to have something normal. But sometimes... SOMETIMES CHISHIYA'S AFRAID. Sometimes he still doesn't know how to handle these moments to understand that he gets this. To have ordinary moments with someone who wants to be around him. Company around that understands him, ugly selfishness and flaws known and accepted. Sometimes he can enjoy the realization and take comfort in it because they're both flawed in their own ways. He can relax; sometimes they talk and sometimes they don't. He likes that new understanding. That he can feel SAFE. But there are still times when it makes him bristle and act defensive and feel like he doesn't want to be seen even though he DOES. Like it's still The Borderlands and being known is still a death sentence and he doesn't know how to handle it other than protecting himself PREEMPTIVELY.

Sometimes he wonders if he made the wrong choice when he came back. Except he'd been bleeding out on asphalt and he definitely would have died if he'd stayed, so OBVIOUSLY HE MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE.

Sometimes he wonders why Pat stays. He doesn't want her to go. ( Another alarming thought. ) But he doesn't understand it and he doesn't dare ask. Even with the potential threats, Pat has ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES and she still stays here with their silly movie night tradition that he's come to love. ( Even if there's been some HORRIBLE movies he's endured that felt like some kind of inhumane torture. ) His lip trembles slightly and it's just the cold. ( Except is it the cold from the rain, or his own iciness? ) Where she insists on celebrating despite his rolled eyes and even though he doesn't care much for celebrations, he still goes out of his way to try to celebrate for her sake or festive days for her culture despite never hearing them. ( And trying to FIND authentic foods or spices or items is both tedious and expensive but he has the time and money. IT'S IMPORTANT TO HER. Even if he doesn't understand why, even if he can't relate, he understands that much. )

Maybe Chishiya's not really afraid of the normalcy. Maybe it's not even actually being known. MAYBE HE'S AFRAID OF HOW MUCH HE WANTS THIS. How much he's come to gradually become used to this life they've built and enjoy it. It's not perfect; he's still by and by the same - but these small changes have changed a lot about his life. It's terrifying...and it's nice. It's the same way he sometimes feels after he's buried himself against her side and let her comb her fingers in his hair (and vise versa). MAYBE HE'S SCARED TO LOSE THIS.

Chishiya hates losing in general as a concept. He's too proud. But losing this, everything he has now with Pat, in a way feels like it'd be more painful than being shot. If she's one day decides her happiness is elsewhere he won't grovel or beg; he cares about her enough to care about her happiness. He'll support her in whatever way he can. But the thought feels like glass shards stabbing deep into the thin skin on his palms.

" What's that look for? "

He offers a slow blink at Pat seems to finally have succeeded in closing and wrapping the umbrella without making a huge mess of water all over the lobby.

" I don't think I've ever seen anyone struggle with that compactible umbrella as much as you. " Chishiya teases as he offers a smug smirk - the kind that always tended to PISS OFF PEOPLE in the Borderlands, but he's just teasing her. " Maybe you've set a record. " He bites back a laugh as he quickly starts towards the elevators before she potentially THOWS the umbrella at him.

" Also your hair is fine the rain didn't ruin it. " He adds with a roll of his eyes. And then promptly jabs the CLOSE DOORS button on the elevator door with a cheshire cat snicker as he tries to see if the elevator doors will close first or if she'll make it inside the elevator.