Stormy Days

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/9796439.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: F/F
Fandom: Love Live! School Idol Project
Relationship: NozoEli, Nozomi x Eli - Relationship
Character: Nozomi Tojo, Eli Ayase
Additional Tags: Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Angst
Stats: Published: 2017-02-17 Words: 1477

Stormy Days
by wolfwalkerspirit

Summary

Nozomi and Eli spend a rainy day together.

"Thank you for having me over," Eli said, shutting Nozomi's door behind her. Quickly, the quiet of
the lonely apartment washed over her. It was a feeling Eli never got over, even after visiting her
friends home so many times. Each time she came inside, it was like a wave of solitary silence
flooded the place, empty and lonely. How Nozomi lived like that, Eli had no idea, but it wasn't her
place to judge. It's not like Nozomi was happy to be living all on her own. It was either that or keep
transferring schools, and she had gone through enough of that. She finally found a home at
Otonokizaka and she couldn't just leave.

"Of course, I love your visits, Elichi," Nozomi replied with a polite smile, slipping off her shoes.
Crossing the room, Nozomi tugged out the hair bands holding in her signature twin tails. Shaking
her head, she let her hair fall in long waves against her back. Stepping into her modest kitchen,
Nozomi reached out for her teapot, gently removing the top. "Do you want some tea?" She asked,
taking a moment to look back into the living area, giving Eli a questioning glance.

"Sure, that sounds nice today," Eli replied, taking a look out the window. All day, it had been
overcast and drizzly. Now was no different. Rain dripped down from the clouds, leaving droplets
to cover the window pane. Reaching one hand up to touch the cold glass, Eli let a quiet sigh slip
past her lips. These kinds of days could be rather depressing. They just had this dreary haze over
them. It seemed like the cold, rain, and darkness would drag on forever. These kinds of days were
the ones that made Eli just want to curl up and sleep the day away until the sun was shining again.

Taking in a breath, Eli turned away from the window, finding Nozomi standing attentively over the
teapot. A smile flickered over the blonde's features as she thought back to the many nights she had
spent just like this. At least once a week, she spent time outside of school or practice with Nozomi.
And after three years, the number of nights they had spent together was quite a lot. Nozomi's
apartment had become Eli's second home. She knew she was always welcome there, no matter
what the circumstances.

The whistle of the tea kettle caught both girl's attention, startling Eli from her thoughts. She
watched as Nozomi carefully removed the kettle from the stove, turning off the heat. As she
worked to ready the tea, Eli found herself coming to sit down at the table, watching the other girl
from a distance. There was a sort of gentleness about Nozomi, some kind of wistfulness. It was
almost like she was always thinking, always wondering. But, the way she went about it was unlike
any other girl Eli had ever met. Nozomi was truly one of a kind. She was unique.

After just a few moments, Nozomi brought over a tray of their tea, setting it in the center of the
table. Pouring a cup for Eli, as well as one for herself, Nozomi set the teapot back in the middle of
the tray. Gingerly picking up the warm cup, she blew on the surface of the liquid inside, hoping to
cool it faster. Taking a sip, she let a small smile tug at her lips. Jasmine was one of her favorite
teas, and she knew Eli liked it as well. There was just something about a hot cup of tea on a dreary
day that was so warm and comforting. Other than the soft sound of rain hitting the roof, the
apartment was quiet. The two sat together, thoughtfully looking down at their respective cups.
Even without words, there was just something therapeutic about spending time with someone you
cared about.

"Hey, Nozomi?" Eli asked softly, breaking through the comfortable silence that had settled over the
two.

"Hm? What is it?" Nozomi asked in return, shifting her gaze up from the table to Eli's shinning,
blue eyes. She took another small sip from her cup. The tea was still rather hot, but just tasted so
good that she couldn't help herself from taking just one more sip. That seemed to be how it always
went. Just one more little drink.

"I was just thinking. What if, back when we were first years, you didn't have the courage to
introduce yourself to me? What would I be like?" Eli questioned, setting her cup down after taking
a sip. The porcelain clicked against the saucer, the sound carrying through the room. "Even now,
with you and the rest of the girls, I'm a cold and awkward mess. And, that's okay, I guess. But,
what if you never came around?" Eli asked, her voice growing somber.

"You think too much, Elichi," Nozomi replied with a ghost of a smile, shaking her head. Setting
her own cup down for a moment, Nozomi folded her hands together, placing her elbows of the
table. Her chin came to rest on her hands while she studied Eli carefully. "You'd be fine. You don't
need me to be you," Nozomi assured, brushing a stray hair behind her ear.

"But, who I am today is not who I was then," Eli said, sending a glance out the window. The rain
seemed to be picking up. Hopefully it would clear out by the time she had to walk home. A stray
thought about not having an umbrella crossed her mind before she refocused on the conversation at
hand. "I was pushy and cold. I put up walls and shut everyone out," Eli started, her voice rising in
volume and intensity. "I didn't have any friends. I was all alone. I was a mess. I-" Eli bit back her
words, realizing how loud she had gotten and how tears had begun to burn, hot in the back of her
eyes.

"I wasn't in a good place then," Eli said, quieting herself down. She had just moved back from
Russia before her first year of high school, had given up ballet, and couldn't seem to find a way to
fit in. "But, you understood me. You saw past all those flaws, and you still do."

Taking a moment to consider what Eli had said, Nozomi let a bittersweet smile make its way to her
face. "You've always felt things so much stronger than everyone else. Your emotions are ten times
more intense than their's. But, you bottle up your feelings and build up walls. That's why I've
always been interested in you, Elichi." Nozomi noted, keeping her voice low and controlled.

Eli let the words resonate for a moment, seeming to hang heavily in the air. For some reason, they
didn't do much to comfort her. Instead, that only served to make her tears fall, droplets landing on
the knit fabric of her skirt. "I hate it," Eli whispered, hands clenching into fists at her sides. "It hurts
to keep everything in. But, it's too scary to let people really know me."

A crack of lightning flashed outside the apartment, briefly lighting up the dim space. Mere
moments after, it was followed by booming thunder. It took a moment for the dreary quiet to
restore itself. "I'm horrible," Eli murmured through the tears, her voice thick with emotion. There
was some sort of resignation in her voice that caught Nozomi a bit off guards. She took another sip
of her tea, attempting to gather her thoughts. Having emptied the mug, she placed gently placed it
on the table.

It hurt, watching Eli cry, while she sat across the table, unable to stop the insecurities and
depression. So, Nozomi stood from her seat, walking around the worn table until she stood behind
Eli. She wrapped her arms around Eli, letting her head come to rest on the other girl's shoulder.
Breathing in the comforting scent of Eli's shampoo, she let her own anxieties melt away.

"I know the real you," Nozomi whispered, a warm, genuine kindness in her voice. "You aren't
horrible, Eli. You're caring and generous and amazing," Nozomi added, hoping her honest thoughts
and feelings would help soothe Eli's pain.

They stayed like that for what seemed like hours, listening to the calming sound of raindrops
pattering against the roof. Nozomi kept Eli in a warm embrace until her tears subsided, needing her
to know that she was loved.

"Thank you," Eli finally replied, turning in her chair to face Nozomi. She was the only one who
was always there for Eli. A gentle smile played on Nozomi's lips as she pulled away from Eli.

"Any time," she replied happily. And with that, the sun seemed to peek through the clouds, pushing
the dreary rain away until another day.

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