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“You don’t have to, Minori-chan…”
Minori was hard at work on her task at hand ; making the whole fort of blankets stand without chance of it falling over at the slightest of movement coming close to it.
“It makes me happy to, Shizuku-chan !” The uplifting declaration contrasted with her frown of focus was enough for Shizuku to finally let out a chuckle. Seeing Minori so hard at work warmed her heart that has been feeling so heavy the past few hours.
She never knew when those moments would happen. Her chest feeling too tight to properly breathe, any space feeling like closing in on herself, any movement feeling so heavy… Shizuku felt even more helpless when this happened in the comfort of her own home, of her own room that she shared with the people she loved. It wasn’t a feeling she was unfamiliar with either, but she never thought that it would show its face again, after so long.
“Done !” Minori stood proudly in front of her creation, “You can go in, if you want Shizuku !”
Shizuku nodded and allowed herself into the fort. It was made of all the blankets Minori had grabbed, without much thought into it, much to Airi despair as she said to have a special pile of blankets prepared for those emergencies, after the first time it occurred. Shizuku was unable to step, even less sleep, into their room at all without being put in a terrible state. She had managed to sleep in the living room a bit more easily. Her girlfriends had quickly come to the solution of making the place more comfortable for her, especially with the couch definitely too small for her.
It warmed Shizuku’s heart to see their familiar blankets enveloping her in this cocoon that Minori had prepared.
“Is it all good, Shizuku-chan ?” Minori kneeled at the entrance, still clearly quality checking the construction.
Shizuku wanted to thank her for all the work she put into it but- Oh no.
Her voice failed her, as her chest became tighter. Exhale, exhale, exhale. It’s so warm, it’s cold. She needed to get away but she can’t move, she can’t move, and the stares, the buzzing sound, there was so many, so many, why-
“...uku… Shizu…”
A warmth. In her hand that refused to move. A good one, not like the one overtaking her.
“.... Dogs… How-”
Dogs. She was on a blanket with dogs. Right. Right. There was a husky, and a teckel playing next to it. A labrador sleeping. A happy samoyed. Just like Samo-chan. Right. Inhale, finally, inhale. Exhale.
“...Shizuku-chan…”
Shizuku finally can focus, even if it still felt like it took so much of her. Minori was holding her hand, Shizuku could only squeeze it back weakly, but it seemed enough for Minori, whose worried face finally graced a smile.
“Thank you…” Shizuku finally managed to say, her soft voice barely escaping her.
“Don’t worry about it, Shizuku-chan ! I’m glad I can help.” Minori's bright smile could still light up so many suns still after all those years. She would never realize how much of a help she ever was to Shizuku. Her lack of words right now, wasn’t much help in that.
“Samo…” Shizuku couldn’t finish her sentence but Minori had her way of knowing all of them so well.
“Airi-chan and Haruka-chan will be back from his walk and their groceries grabbing soon !” Minori answered easily.
Soon, alright, Shizuku could manage to be better by then and this will have passed and her girlfriends wouldn’t be worried anymore and-
A hand came to her forehead. Shizuku looked at Minori who had closed her eyes and seemed even more focused than when she was building the fort they were sitting in.
“Minori… ?”
“I am !” Minori exclaimed, “Chasing those bad thoughts ! Away from your brain !”
Shizuku chuckled and grabbed Minori’s hand on her head, “...Together, then.”
“Yeah !” Minori nodded happily, came closer to put a kiss on Shizuku’s hand that was holding her own on Shizuku’s forehead. Shizuku enjoyed the softness and warmth of it, hopefully it would help her in her chasing alongside Minori.