Title: Security Blanket
Pairing: AibaxOC
Rating: PG
Warning(s): It’s a little harsh and a lot random
Note:.
Ok, I wrote this just after the break up. Or the first section I did anyway. And I was wanting to write something… I dunno if this is as good as I wanted it to be. Or like heartwrenching or anything. I dunno. I dunno what I wanted, but I just wrote and the pain flowed out in the first section XD And then comfort :3
Enjoy.

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She fell into the house, drenched with rain from the storm that had barely even begun to run its course. In a daze, the shoes, jacket, purse, and keys were thrown to the side of the entryway in a heap. A peal of thunder let loose and she jumped, tripping over the step that led into the dark, chilled house. She fell without a sound, saving herself on her soft palms. She breathed hard, wide eyes staring through the floor, cropped, dark hair dripping with rain.

            Slowly, she pushed herself back to her feet on wobbly legs which seemed incapable of bearing her own weight. Her arms hung loose at her sides, swaying with each unsteady step. Her feet led her to the large bedroom, the one with the large window. Her knees buckled in the middle of the room at the same moment the lightning illuminated it, causing shadows to flicker like ghosts of an unknown past. She pulled her legs out from under her, trying not to look at that window, as if not seeing where is was coming from would keep it from coming altogether.

            Emptiness filled in around her. She drew her knees up to her chest and squeezed her dry eyes shut. Dark ambushed her. Unreal colors swirled around in her vision and disappeared at a crack of thunder and streak of lightning. Her heart skipped a beat and sounds encased her; the howling, angry wind; the pounding, fierce rain. The house creaked under the pressure.

            “S-” the syllable slithered from her cracked lips. Her arms tightened around her knees, hands white from the death lock grip. “Leave me alone,” she sobbed without tears, for the tears would not come.

            Another boom of thunder was unleashed, the sky ripping to emit another prong of lightning. A strangled, garbled gasp toppled from her lips. “I-I can’t,” she whispered, eyes open again, staring into the floor. She tried to avoid seeing the objects around her, but the room was again illuminated by the light of the broken sky. The room flashed at her and a moan of thunder propelled her to her bruised knees.

            She cried out at the impact, landing on her elbows. Her head dropped into her hands which grabbed at her sodden hair, pulling it taught. “Stop!” She gasped on no breath. She started rocking, swallowing at the next attack from the outside. The rain pounded harder, threatening to break into the house. The wind ripped at every crack and the house protested with all its strength.

            “I… I don’t…” Her eyes bore a hole into the floor, nails scraping her scalp. “I…” She bit her lip, eyes widening. Her throat tightened, fighting the scream that wanted to tear itself from her lungs and wanted to drown out the sounds of the storm.

            A door slammed. A voice chimed but her ringing ears could not perceive the words. A light switched on in the hallway, penetrating her flickering darkness. Steps made their way to where she was doubled over. Her heart sped, head swirling and pounding with heat. She couldn’t figure out what to expect. A light turned on and a voice said her name. Her eyes fell closed. Rushed footsteps made their way over to her and large hands grabbed her by the shoulders. Questions were thrown at her but she shook her head, not quite getting what was being asked. “No!” She yelled, bringing her hands up in front of her face. “No! Please, no!” She sobbed, tears finally unlocking themselves from behind her eyes. “No! Please. Please, don’t hurt me,” the words were hardly audible against her cries. “No! She wailed, hands going limp in front of her tear streaked, beaten face. “No…” Arms reached to encase her shaking, wavering frame. They were strong, protective. “No… Don’t,” She choked, throat clenching so that the words came out in a wisp of air. “You don’t want to touch me…”

            “Mai-chan,” he said. The words were filled with so much that she was scared to accept. He body collapsed along with her mind and she fell asleep in those comforting arms.

 

            The extra car in his driveway should have told him she was there, but it didn’t click until he walked into the house and saw her stuff piled in his entryway. “…Mai-chan?” he called out, slipping out of his shoes and soaked jacket. He shook his head spraying droplets of sparkling rain water. Something was wrong. She always came to his house when something was wrong. But usually some sort of commotion followed her. Like the TV or radio blaring and all his food being spread around the house. But the only noise that reached him was the intense thumping of the rain, the occasional cracks of thunder, the whistling wind, and the groaning house.

            He stepped up the entryway step and flicked on the light in the hallway. A smell wafted towards him and his nose wrinkled at its foul stench. The air was damp and the tang of blood was laced through. Carefully, he followed the fetor to the large bedroom and turned on the light. There was a girl with cropped hair on her knees in the middle of the floor. It was Mai. “Mai-chan?” Her body twitched at the sound of her name.

            Horrified, Aiba ran over to her and crouched in front of her, grabbing her tiny shoulders. “Mai-chan! What’s wrong? What happened? Why are you bleeding?” She flung her hands in front of her face and yelled at him. She told him not to touch her. His throat burned and his eyes stung. Someone had hurt her. Tears streamed down her face from bruised eyes. Slowly, he brought his arms around to encase her shivering body. “You don’t want to touch me…” She sobbed.

            Aiba tightened his grip, pulling her closer to his warmth. Her body was damp with the rain. “Mai-chan,” he whispered. He felt her body go limp in his arms. He held her while her sobbing slowed into tiny, muted gasps of air.

            Someone had hurt her, but there was no way to know who. He should’ve known, should’ve been ready for something like this. But no, thinking that way was no good. There was no possible way he could’ve known and right now, there were more important things to think about.

            He sat with her for a few slow minutes before lowering her tortured body to the ground. With a pained heart, he looked her clothed body over. Her eyes were blackened and her lips cut, though the flow of blood had ceased, leaving a cracked trail of ruby red down her chin. Her arms were showered with bruises. Aiba sucked in a breath and wiped at his nose. This was not the time for his tears.

            He stood and gathered blankets which he wrapped abound Mai. Then, he left the room and took her car keys, planning to see if she had brought any clothes along with her.

            Outside, the rain pummeled his hunched shoulders. Hurriedly, he jogged to the car and poked his head in the side door. There was a miniature suitcase in the back seat which he grabbed. Slamming the door, he ran back to the house and shook himself before making his way back to Mai. He dropped the suitcase on the floor and then took a detour to the bathroom. First, he took a towel and wiped himself down. Then, he took another to dry Mai and some bandages to wrap her bruises. He also took alcohol to clean her cut lips.

            Stopping at the door, he took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Ok, Masaki. You can do this.” With a slight flush to his cheeks, he stepped out of the bathroom and shuffled over to where Mai was laid on the floor. He kneeled next to her and tossed off the now damp blankets. “First, get her out of the wet clothes,” he said to himself. He lifted her unconscious body in his arms and carefully as not to wake her, Aiba teased her shirt from her torso. He removed her pants next, unable to take his eyes from her smooth, pallid, black and blue skin. He gulped and tore his eyes away, hand scrambling for the towel. Once it was caught in his grasp, he wiped her body down, ridding it of any droplets of water. Then he pressed her short hair, squeezing the rain out of it. He reached for the bandages and wrapped her bruised arms. He bit his lip, noticing how the bruises blossomed like ugly flowers across her waist and thighs. Hesitantly, he wrapped those, too. Quickly afterwards he dabbed alcohol on her lips and prayed she wouldn’t awaken from the sting. He couldn’t help but notice how his hands shook with nervousness and anger.

            “I’m so sorry, Mai-chan,” he said in a somber voice laden with hurt. Aiba pulled the mini suitcase towards him and took out the first articles of clothing he saw. He dressed her right away, hoping she hadn’t gotten too cold in the minutes it had taken him to clean her up. He then stood, knocking everything aside and bent, picking Mai up and cradling her tiny, frail body in his arms. He carried her over to his bed and placed her on the mattress as softly as he could. She whimpered and he pulled his hands away, fearful that he had hurt her in some way. A single dripped from her eyes and traveled down her cheek. Aiba’s throat constricted and he turned away, gathering new blankets to keep them warm.

            Before getting in the bed next to Mai, Aiba turned off the light and shut the door. He billowed out the blankets and let them fall like clouds on top of her. He crawled in bed next to her, forgetting about his own needs, and squirmed as close to her as he could without actually touching. Then he too fell asleep. By that time, without him even realizing it, the thunder and lightning had completely blown past, leaving a light, tired rain dripping from the clouds.

 

            Even before Mai opened her eyes, she sensed another’s presence. Her heart pounded in her head but somehow she knew it wasn’t him. She cracked open her eyes which throbbed painfully and squinted in the dim morning light. Her vision was blurred, obscured by sleep but she could tell that the storm was over. She blinked many times before it cleared, heart speeding faster in anticipation.

            It was Aiba next to her. Her sweet Aiba. That’s  right, she’d come to his house without even noticing. It must’ve become a habit since he never pushed her away. Her heart constricted. She was hurting him, pulling him down along with her whenever she was troubled. But the kind idiot never pushed her away. He’d always just gather her into his strong arms and whisper kind words of comfort into her ears.

           Tears spilled over her bruised eyes, causing them to sting. Her body was too sore to move. “Aiba…” she whispered, voice weak. She watched as his peaceful face came to life. His eyebrows contracted and his lips twitched. His beautiful eyes fluttered open and he looked back at her square in the eye. “Aiba-chan, why?” she questioned, choking on a sob.

            Aiba sighed and pushed himself into a sitting position. He stretched his arms, yawning and Mai watched, waiting for him to reply. “Because you were hurting. And you’re special to me,” he said simply.

            Mai bit her lip, which started to bleed again, and closed her eyes. “But the only time I come to you is when I’m hurting,” se said slowly, to see if he would comprehend.

            He just shrugged, sparkling eyes looking down at her caringly. “At least I get to see you,” he said and smiled.

            That smile was contagious. She hated it because one grew on her lips as well, though it was slightly distorted from the pain it brought. “But I just use you for comfort.”      

            Aiba chuckled. “If I didn’t want to comfort you, do you think I would still let you here? And still let you have my key?”

            Mai thought it over and then started crying again. The idiot was too nice. Aiba gently lifted her into his arms where she clung soaking up his warmth and his strength. His arms encased her like a warm, protective blanket.