AFFILIATION AND BLISS [PART 1] [ASA MITAKA] [WLW]

the midnight moon is blue

You open your eyes, seeing darkness and feel your face pushed up against something. It feels warm.

You can see a comforting light in the very corner of your eye, and you turn your head to the left. You hear a page flip, followed by a yawn. All you see is the back of an open book and two hands holding it.

The book moves, and your eyes meet Asa's. "Hey, sleepy head. Did you sleep well?" She asks, smiling and looking down on you. Your eyes widen, and you realize your head is in her lap. Your face becomes warm.

"I-I did." You whisper as your voice becomes shaky. "Okay, good. Do you have to go home? It's getting pretty dark outside." She says and looks out the window. The moon is beginning to appear in the sky.

"No.. I don't have anybody to go home to. My parents were killed by the tornado devil.." You say and plant your face back in her stomach.

"My parents were killed by a devil, too. I've been able to manage. I'm glad you have been as well."

You stay silent.

You look back up at her. "What are you reading, anyway?" You ask.

"It's one of my favorite books. It's about a girl who lives in a city that never stops raining. Although there's a lot of modifications to the city to avoid flooding, it doesn't work sometimes. When it gets really bad, at least one person she knows dies. She has to deal with it and eventually get out of the city." She rambles about the book.

"That sounds interesting, I wanna read!" You say and start to sit up. She puts the book down and holds your head, placing it back down on her lap. "You shouldn't sit up for now. You hit your head pretty hard." She says and fixes your bangs.

You blush hard and stare into her eyes. "You're probably right.. I'll stay here then."

"Good." She picks the book back up and clears her throat, flipping through the pages to the beginning. "I'll read it to you."

As she begins to read, the moonlight shines through the window. You stare into her eyes. Her expression is so soft, just like the tone of her voice. The way her lips move as she speaks and how gentle she flips through the pages.. it feels like a deep comfort.

Even though you can see constant pain behind her kind eyes, you hope that suffering will disappear.

She glances at you for a moment, looking back at the words on the page. She stops reading and looks back down at you.

Silence.

"Are you okay?" She asks.

Silence.

Then, a smile on your face.

She gives you a kind smile and looks back at the book. She continues.

After a while, you find yourself beginning to fall asleep. She notices and begins to read more quietly. As you seem to fall asleep, she puts the book down, leaning over and kissing your forehead.

"Goodnight."

She sits there for a while, seeing cars drive by on the road below. Eventually, she lifts your head and gets out from under you, placing a pillow and slowly putting your head down.

She walks over to a dresser and opens it, grabbing a sweater and some shorts.

Should I change in here? I mean.. she's asleep. I doubt she'll wake up. I guess I will.

She removes her uniform and folds it, placing it in a basket. She takes her bra off and places it. As she slips into the sweater, you look over at her. You were not asleep. Well, you're half asleep.