The Giant and the Pocky Girl

Grief

It was early Saturday morning when we got the news. So-so (my. Soba) had passed away. I'd only been to see her was Okaasan the weekend before. She didn't look well but I didn't think she was dying......I guess no one thinks that. I remember Okaasan coming into my room and gently rubbing my shoulder to wake me up, tears were streaming down her face and her voice cracked as she spoke.

"Your So-So... I'm so sorry my little Hare" she started to cry and held me. I don't remember a whole bunch but I remember crying in her arms. My So-So was a huge part of my life, up until the last few years she was always in the grandstands cheering me on. She was the reason I started running when I was younger, we bonded through running.

I think it's... Tuesday? Maybe? The days blended together. I think I showered yesterday, I was wearing an oversized T-shirt and panties instead of sweat pants and a tank top so I must have. Okaasan called the school Monday morning and told them I wouldn't be returning that week, she called my dad who was very sympathetic. He even offered to help with arrangements for So-So's funeral. I feel like garbage, my emotions shift from feeling lost and sad to angry and frustrated. I hadn't told anyone about So-So... yet. The words we're hard to type let alone speak right now and honestly I just wanted to be alone.

My phone vibrated under my pillow, I pulled it out and saw a message from Tatsuya in our group chat. It was something about Fridays choice of movie or something. I barely read it.

'I'm out Friday, sorry.' Was the simple response. I shoved my phone back under my pillow and curled back up into a ball. A few minutes passed as I started to drift into unconsciousness when I felt my phone vibrate. I ignored it. A minute later another vibration, again I ignored it. Then the torrent of messages, my phone went off every thirty seconds. I huffed in frustration and ripped my phone from underneath my pillow. 1 message from Tatsuya in the group chat, 1 from Murasakibara in the group chat, 10 private messages from Murasakibara.

Ugh.

Most of the messages were of various 'why' gifs followed by the most recent message.

"Seriously? What is going on?"

I bit my lip as I felt the tears welling up again. Slowly I typed out the message.

'My Soba died' I hit send quickly before turning my phone to do not disturb mode. The tears quickly overtook me and I clutched my pillow sobbing again. I cried so much I fell asleep, It was the only way I could sleep at the moment so this wasn't new.

The feeling of my bed dipping stirred me from my deep sleep on the cusp of consciousness.

'No, I don't want to remember. I don't want to wake up yet'

A warm arm wrapped itself around my waist as a body slid behind me.

'Okaasan must have heard me crying again...'

It was a regular occurrence to wake up to Okaasan cuddling me . Apparently I still cried sometimes even in my sleep. The warmth and comfort of Okaasan was enough to settle me back to into deep sleep.

I woke up again, the sun was completely gone and the moonlight streamed in through my window. I had no sense of time at all. I breathed in deeply and an odd scent caught my attention.

'Watermelon?'

I opened my eyes and blinked the sleep away as the warm arm still wrapped securely around my waist came into focus.

'That is not Okaasan'

I rolled slowly sat up, the arm secured around my waist loosened and slackened as it draped across my hip as I turned to the person behind me. Murasakibara was grumbling in his sleep next to me. His giant body curled up on my bed next to me. Or more accurately, curled protectively around me.

"Go back to sleep Aya-chin" he murmured his arm regrouping around my hip, his face buried into the pillow.

"W-What are you doing here?" Murasakibara let out an irritated sleepy huff of annoyance and repositioned himself in his back, the arm around my waist now at his side while his other arm crept under my pillow sprawled out.

"Trying to sleep" he grumbled opening one eye to look at me. The moonlight streaming into my room provided me with enough light to be able to make him out in the dark. His hair was mussed from sleep and he was in his school uniform minus the jacket that was dumped on my little study table with what looked like a bag full of chocolate. And I mean a bag, like an entire grocery bag.
He watched as I looked from him to my table and back to him.

"Your sad. I don't like you sad okay" he said with finality as he closed his eye again, stretching his back to settle back into comfort. I sat there staring at Murasakibara sleeping in my bed.

'Not exactly how I thought this would go...'

He must have felt my staring and had become annoyed as his forehead creased and he opened his eyes again. Annoyance quickly changed to worry as he partially sat up the arm under my pillows was pulled out to wipe away stray tears on my cheek.

As his hand pulled away from my cheeks he inhaled about to ask me that dreaded question.

Are you okay?

Before he had the chance to ask, I sat up on my knees bending over slightly, both of my hands flew to the sides of his face as I brought my lips to his. We had kissed a number of times now but this was different, it felt different. It was soft, gentle and it felt so... raw. As I opened my eyes, his deep purple orbs were on my face, a soft smile plastered on his expression. He gently pulled me to his chest as he lied on his back again. One arm wrapped protectively around my back drawing lazy circles. My head was smack bang on top of his heart, to say the sound wasn't soothing was an understatement. Once again I slowly drifted back to sleep lulled by Murasakibara's heart beat. A small kiss placed on the top of my head.

"Go back to sleep Aya-chin"

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Cyanide here, sorry for the delay everyone. Unfortunately I've gone through something similar with losing a loved one and that put back the current chapters. In an attempt to try and pull myself out of my grieving I wrote this. Hopefully it's not too ooc or what not. I'll attempt to upload again within the fortnight. Much love.