The night air was cool and thick with rain, the kind that seemed to soak through every layer of clothing. Y/N tugged the hood of her fuzzy brown jacket up, more out of habit than actual protection. The driver was late, and she had been standing outside the rehearsal building for what felt like forever, watching the downpour with a mix of frustration and exhaustion.
"You're just going to stand there?" a voice called out, smooth and teasing.
Y/N turned, blinking through the rain to see Lara standing a few steps away under a sleek black umbrella. Her dark red hair was tucked behind her ears, and there was something almost amused about the way she was looking at her.
"I don't exactly have options," Y/N replied, making a frown. "No car, no umbrella... just me and the rain."
Lara tilted her head, her gaze softening as she stepped closer. "Lucky for you," she said, stepping even closer and extending the umbrella. "I'm not a fan of seeing someone get drenched. Come on."
Y/N hesitated, caught off guard by the sudden closeness. "Are you sure? I don't want to-"
"Get out of the rain," Lara interrupted with a small smirk, tilting the umbrella further toward Y/N. "Don't worry, I promise I won't charge you for it."
Y/N laughed softly but couldn't stop the slight shiver that ran through her as a gust of wind hit her. She pulled her jacket tighter around herself, hoping the rain would ease up soon.
Lara noticed the shiver and without a word, slipped her arm around Y/N's shoulders, pulling her a little closer into her warmth.
Y/N's heart skipped a beat, her breath catching for a moment as the warmth from Lara's body wrapped around her,the scent of her perfume so strong that it lingered on to Y/N's jacket. She hadn't expected the sudden closeness, but the gesture felt surprisingly comforting. Y/N didn't move away, not even when she realized how close they were now.
They continued walking, the rain falling heavier now, but Y/N felt warmer next to Lara. Their bodies brushed lightly as they moved, and Y/N couldn't ignore how much more aware she was of Lara's presence.
"Long day?" Lara asked, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, rehearsals," Y/N replied, clutching her notebook tighter. "You?"
"Same," Lara said with a soft sigh. "Though, if I remember correctly, someone once said they'd take me out to dinner if they had the chance. Should I expect that offer to come up again?"
Y/N stopped mid-step, her face instantly heating. "You saw that?"
"Did I see it? It was trending for days," Lara said with a teasing grin, leaning slightly toward Y/N. "I mean, I didn't want to be rude and bring it up, but... here we are."
Y/N tried to play it cool, but her voice came out higher than she intended. "That was just a joke. Totally casual."
Lara raised an eyebrow, eyes glinting with mischief. "Casual, huh?" She tilted her head, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "So, no dinner plans, then?"
Before Y/N could respond, her notebook slipped from her grip, landing with a soft thud on the damp pavement.
"Of course," Y/N muttered, crouching to grab it, but Lara was quicker. She picked it up, shaking off a few drops of water before handing it back with a teasing smile.
"Careful, you might lose something important," Lara said, her voice light, with a little more than just concern in it.
"Thanks," Y/N replied quickly, clutching the notebook. But as she did, a few photos slipped out and scattered onto the wet ground.
Lara bent down, grabbing them before Y/N could. She paused, holding up one of the strips. Her eyebrows raised slightly as she looked at the photobooth pictures. "These are... mine?"
Y/N's face turned hot. "Oh, um... I didn't mean to keep them..!" she tried explaining. "They must've gotten mixed up at the awards."
Lara glanced at the photos again, her lips curling into a smile. "You kept my photobooth pictures?" Her tone was amused, and there was something teasing in the way she raised her eyebrow.
"It was an accident!" Y/N said quickly, her nerves making her ramble. "I didn't even realize I had them until-"
"Well, if it makes you feel any better," Lara interrupted, reaching into her bag with a sly look, "I kept yours."
Y/N's eyes widened as Lara pulled out her photobooth strip. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the small heart Lara had drawn over one of the photos.
"You... you kept mine?" Y/N asked, her voice soft, almost shy.
Lara shrugged, twirling the strip between her fingers. "Seemed like a shame to throw them away. And I liked the bunny hat," she added with a small smile, her gaze locking with Y/N's.
Y/N blinked, caught between embarrassment and a flutter of something warmer. "That's... unexpected," she managed to say, her voice quieter now.
Lara chuckled, the sound light and teasing. "Guess we're both sentimental, huh?" she said, looking Y/N up and down, as if savoring the moment.
Before Y/N could reply, the sound of a car pulling up broke the moment. Her driver had arrived. She glanced at Lara, still holding her photo strip with that faint, teasing smile.
"Thanks for sharing your umbrella," Y/N said, taking a step back, her mind still spinning.
"Anytime," Lara replied, her eyes sparkling with that same teasing glint. "I'm holding on to these," she said with a sly smile, holding up Y/N's photos. "You know, in case you ever decide to follow through on that dinner thing."
Y/N felt her heart skip a beat as she climbed into the car, Lara's playful words echoing in her mind. As the car headed toward the dorm, she rummaged through her bag, grabbed a purple marker, and carefully drew a matching heart on Lara's photo strip.
After all, it seemed fair to return the favor.
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tysmm for all of the reads and votes ðð!!!! ill try to publish as much as I cannn!!!!! love youuu sm ð«¶ð«¶ð«¶