Chapter 53 – Friends

Rain walks beside Tess, thinking fondly about their movie outing. 

'Damn...that popcorn was delicious...'

Of course, while that was a big boon to the day, he also thoroughly enjoyed being out with a friend, enjoying new experiences. It's not something he's ever gotten to enjoy before, and Tess is especially pleasant company. It's been a great day for him. 

Rain's reflection is interrupted by Tess stopping suddenly next to him. Glancing at her, he sees that she's facing one of the doors in the hallway. This must be her room. As Tess opens the door to her room, Rain prepares to say his goodbyes and continue to his own. However, Tess turns around after she steps into her room, then hits him with a sweet smile as she runs her fingers through her dark brown hair. 

"Hey, Rain...can we talk for a few minutes? I don't have any tea, but you're welcome to come in and take a seat."

Surprised by the request, Rain's eyes widen in confusion, but he's quick to respond in a pleasant tone. 

"Uh, yeah. Sure thing."

Rain steps inside her room, closing the door behind him, and quickly glances around the space. It looks more or less like his, except there are some personal blankets and pillows on the bed, and headphones and a music player on her desk. He's sure there are more personal items stored out of sight. He looks back at Tess, who has taken a seat on her bed and is patting the spot next to her. 

Joining her in a seated position on the bed, he directs a friendly smile at her. 

"What's up?"

She smiles back appreciatively, her tone lighthearted. 

"Well, first things first..."

As she trails off, she leans over on the bed and wraps him in a hug. The scent of feminine soaps and shampoo hits his nose while she wraps her arms around him and squeezes against him firmly. He...enjoys the sensations. 

Hugs aren't something he initiates, since he didn't really get the practice as a kid, even though he knows it's normal. He also thinks it would feel a little awkward with Nik or Ronin. Even Bright isn't bubbly enough for it to feel natural, though he wouldn't consider it awkward. But Tess is different, sociable – the person he's most comfortable around – and it feels amazing to have someone he considers a friend hug him so affectionately.

Still, he's a little startled by the suddenness of the hug, though ultimately not embarrassed or uncomfortable. He can't help but wonder what the unexpected display of affection is for, and he keeps his tone nonchalant as he asks. 

"Hey, Tess...uhm...everything okay? Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the hug, and you smell nice, but it does seem like it's out of nowhere."

He feels her squeeze him once more, then pull away and face him. She's wearing a white smile that's shining radiantly against her caramel skin, her emerald eyes seeming to sparkle happily. She nods at him reassuringly. 

"Yes, everything's okay. I just...really enjoyed getting to do this today, and I appreciate you coming with me. That made me feel like hugging you...was that fine?"

Rain's tempted to make the non-joke that beautiful, agreeable, nice-smelling women are always welcome to hug him. However, when he remembers how awkward his nonsense 'hot date' comments made things, he decides it's best to keep that to himself.

Plus, he'd not an idiot...he knows that she was feeling isolated only a couple of weeks ago. He intentionally involved himself to remedy it, and now after all the time they've spent together as a result, he genuinely considers her his best friend his age. So, he doesn't want to make her hug seem impersonal by lumping his acceptance of it in with his general affinity for women. 

He gives Tess a wide, genuinely pleased smile. 

"I'm glad you had a good time, and I appreciate you inviting me. Also, yes, my friend is welcome to hug me anytime she wants...I'm only human, after all."

Relief washes over Tess's face, and her smile only grows brighter. Then, though her expression remains happy, it adopts a more serious undertone, reflected in her voice. 

"I'm glad to hear that, and...I was wondering...do you really feel that way? You considering us friends, I mean."

Rain directs a puzzled stare at her, responding in a confused tone after several seconds. 

"What? Of course I do. I mean...if I'm being honest...I don't think there's anyone I'm closer to in the whole Academy. Even if I got to pick one person to be in that survival class with half of my days, I'd still want it to be you. Hell, I even trust you more than Nik or...any of the others. Why would you doubt that I consider us friends?"

He almost said 'or Ronin', but remembered that their association is not common knowledge. Nik knows, so he doesn't see any problem with Tess knowing, but he still doesn't think that's something to just blurt out. 

Tess's eyes widen in surprise, and the faintest coloring comes to her cheeks. When she speaks, she sounds a bit embarrassed. 

"Well...uhm...I didn't know that you felt so strongly...about me. I know you enjoy my company and everything, but I thought you considered our relationship pretty surface level. You know...someone you like but don't think to trust with things that are important to you."

Tess looks away from him briefly, struggling to maintain eye contact, her expression and tone a bit apprehensive. Meanwhile, Rain's lips part and he feels compelled to speak, but his mouth shuts when no appropriate words come to mind. 

'I mean...I trust her. Don't I?'

He's certain that, when it comes to having his back in a survival situation, she's above any other student. Similarly, he trusts her with at least as much information as Nik. Ronin, of course, is aware of something very personal about him...the impact machine score, and by extension, his strength. But it's not like he chose to tell her about that. 

He can't say that he trusts Tess enough to tell her about his Bloodline or Lineage specifics, but that's a pretty high bar. With just about anything else...he thinks he'd trust her. It's hard to say exactly why. Before learning the truth about his relationship with Bright today, which he would still rather keep out of the public eye, he has no proof that she'd keep important secrets for him. But the way she interacts with him...the way he's seen her behave since their first class...he's just convinced that he can trust her. He's sure that she genuinely values his friendship. 

So, yeah, other than the life-changing, paranoia-inducing information about his Lineage and Bloodline...he thinks it's fair to say he trusts her, whether it's rational or not. Relative to other students, and even in an absolute capacity. However, he supposes that it may not be evident to Tess that's how he feels. 

'I guess I should just ask then...'

Rain adopts a serious expression, and he waits until he catches Tess's gaze. Then, he laces his voice with polite concern, studying her emerald eyes as he speaks. 

"Tess, can I ask why you think I don't trust you? That's not an accusation, I just want to understand. Personally, I'm sure that I trust you, but it occurs to me that's all based on my own internal thoughts and feelings, which you aren't aware of."

Tess's expression becomes conflicted...apprehensive...and she stays silent for several moments. Eventually, reluctantly, she speaks in a hesitant tone, her eyes watches his nervously. 

"Well...I guess because our interactions seem friendly, but...inconsequential. First, until today, we've never spent time together outside of class...even you and Nik do that, and all the other nameless students I've seen you with at lunch. Second, we don't really do any extracurricular Crucible preparation together like you and Nik, or talk about the important things allies typically would. Third, I know basically nothing about your abilities. I get not sharing Quirks, and maybe Bloodlines, but...I don't even know your Lineage or Talent, even though you know mine."

Rain's eyes widen in shock. 

'Gods...when she strings it all together like that...she's right. It sounds like I was slapping the term friend on a friendly acquaintance just to be polite. It wasn't intentional...I mean, Nik and Ronin don't know more about my abilities than her. Not really. She didn't really strike me as a combat expert, which is the only reason Nik and I spar. My lunches outside of class are mainly used for networking potential allies, since that's less restrictive. I don't hang out with anyone outside of classes without a pragmatic goal in mind, not even Ronin.'

Sighing internally, and quickly weighing what to do about the situation, he decides that he wants to take steps to remedy this. He really does value his relationship with Tess...if for no other reason than it makes him feel appreciated and happy...something precious to him.

Meeting Tess's nervous gaze, he nods and tries to smile reassuringly. 

"Okay, Tess...I agree, it doesn't really sound like I'm your friend when you put it all together like that. So, let's fix it, shall we?"

Tess's eyes go wide in surprise, and her voice becomes cautiously excited. 

"Fix it..how?"

He flashes her a breezy smile. 

"Well, for starters, let's exchange contact info and start spending time together outside of class. If you don't mind it being sometime between sunset and falling asleep, we can do it every day if you want. Plus, there's off days. If you want us to prepare together more for the Crucible, tell me what you have in mind and we can do it during our extracurricular time together. I'm also more than happy to help each other with networking for allies and information. As for my abilities..."

Rain pauses, looking at the completely dumbfounded Tess, then continues in an apologetic tone. 

"Well, you're not imagining how secretive I am about my abilities. I can't tell you as much as you'd probably like, but...I'll try. Ask me any question you want, about my abilities or otherwise, and I'll answer it if I can. At the very least, I promise to tell you anything that any other student already knows, including Nik. How's that?"

Tess stares at him with a blank expression, her voice full of disbelief.

"Just like that? You'll do all that...because I asked?"

Rain rolls his eyes and smiles back at her in amusement. 

"You make it sound like it's just some favor on a whim. There's no just like that or because you asked. If another student asked, I wouldn't be so accommodating. It's more, because you asked – my friend, who I want to feel trusted and valued – and because I also would like to change the things you mentioned."

He finishes his semi-teasing rant with a smirk, watching the still blank-faced Tess. After a few moments, her entire face lights up in a radiant smile, and before he knows it, something is slamming into his chest at breakneck speed.

It's Tess ambushing him with another hug, as she nearly squeals. 

"Rain...that's...I appreciate it!"

He's knocked onto his back on the bed as Tess falls on top of him, her arms wrapped around his neck, her face buried in his chest. As before, after the initial shock wears off, he doesn't mind it, and an amused smile comes to his face. 

'Well, I guess this means she feels like I trust her.'

As he chuckles at the affectionate display, Tess props herself up to look at him. There's a massive smile on her face, her emerald eyes sparkling erratically as her wavy brown hair falls forward, brushing against Rain's cheeks. That's...when the discomfort sets in. 

With the way she's propped up, several things have now changed, compared to a normal hug. First, her face is inches from his, to the point that he can feel her warm breath on his face. Second, she's pressed firmly against him, practically sitting on his waist. Third, and most importantly, the green blouse she opted to wear is dangling quite loosely off her neck, just in front of his face. Tess is wearing a bra, and not quite as busty as Bright, but she's still pretty endowed.

So, the majority of her...assets...are very much on display to Rain right now. He's always thought of her as exceptionally beautiful, but in an objective, removed way, not where he's used to thinking about how sexually appealing she is. He feels the same about Bright's beauty, admittedly with some exceptions. Now, though...he is definitely not thinking about Tess's physical appeal in an abstract or objective way.

Realizing he's one stray thought separated from Unhinged absolutely destroying his favorite relationship with a person his age, he quickly looks away, flushed profusely, and clears his throat. He glances towards Tess's eyes periodically as he speaks, his tone very flustered. 

"Ehem...uhm...Tess?"

Her smile becomes a bit more affectionate, but she doesn't move or seem to realize the issue. Her tone is pleasant and curious.

"Yeah?"

Rain gives her a nervous smile. 

"So, you remember how you're...like...exceptionally attractive? Well, I don't know how else to say this, but...uhm...I can see and feel a lot of you right now, and I'm very much not immune to that. So...can we sit back up soon?"

He sees Tess's eyes go wide in shock, glancing down at the opening in her own blouse. He expects her to immediately leap off him with a mortified expression and awkwardly bumble out apologies for giving him the wrong idea. However, when she looks back at him, he feels her entire body tense, and he sees a conflicted expression on her face, and something intense in her eyes.

After a few moments, the tension in her face and body relaxes, and she gives him a relatively calm, reserved smile as she climbs off him. Her voice comes out apologetic, but with a trace of...satisfaction. 

"Oh? Sorry...I'll definitely keep that in mind from now on."