reika what are we
“ what are we ? ” reika echoes — not quite mocking, but neither is it quite as sober as she should be. though her cheeky smile doesn't belie the sudden storm of conflict she feels, the question makes something in the pit of her heart twist painfully. she takes note of it, but pushes it down. something for future reika to worry about.
she comfortably sidles herself next to mello, who was absently plucking the strings to his guitar when he first interrupted the comfortable silence between the two with his quiet words. it's just the two of them right now, the rest of the band having gone out for ice cream in an effort to beat the summer heat, leaving the vocalist and guitarist to their own devices in the meantime. she offers him a lop - sided grin. “ don't say it like that. you make it sound like there's some sort of tension between us ! ” she laughs, lightly nudging him with her elbow.
but he wouldn't be wrong, she thinks. she feels it, too. the way her heartbeat picks up in speed when he even spares an appraising glance her way … the way she feels her eyes lingering on his form, even when there's no reason to look … she likes him as a friend, obviously, but she also —
shut up. you know he doesn't like you like that. he's just trying to make a joke, even if it's not funny. don't even let yourself pretend.
swallowing down the lump in her throat, reika leans her head against mello's shoulder for a brief, fleeting moment before jumping back to her feet and wagging a finger in his face. “ anyway, nice try at distracting me, but i gotta finish what i'm writing before i can goof around with you too much. ”
these feelings … they're just for her alone. that's how it's always been.