Running on Affection

Fireworks blossomed in the night sky, showering the dark in glowing hues of red and purple. The crackling explosions reverberated off the buildings and echoed through the streets, the sound of celebration and joy filling the air.

Well, at least that's what it looked like through the screen of Miyami's smartphone.

She and Hinoka were watching a clip of the festival's previous year on the website. The pair were in pajamas, cuddling on the couch as early morning light filtered in. The weather had cooled down enough to where they could start huddling under a blanket with the windows open, and the ponytailed woman had her head rested on her partner's shoulder as they watched.

Miyami, though, was too distracted by the feeling of Hinoka's warmth to pay much attention to the video.

Last night had been… something, to put it lightly.

There had definitely been more exploration of boundaries and, erm, experimentation than she'd anticipated. For the first time, she'd felt her girlfriend's bare flesh beneath her fingertips and vice versa, their bodies intertwined in the heat of passion.

She couldn't remember the exact sequence of events that had led them to that point, but intense didn't begin to describe how she'd felt as her mind and body had overloaded with sensations and desires.

Heat bloomed across her face as she recalled the memory. The feeling of skin on skin. The touch of lips on hers. Hands tracing over bodies in the darkness. Voices intertwined and harmonizing with each other's. And—

*KABOOM!* *crackle-crackle*

"To think that this year's show is going to be even bigger than this," Hinoka noted, shifting slightly. "I'm super excited to see what it's like~"

"Y-yeah, me too," Miyami replied, trying to keep the waver out of her voice. She still found it hard to believe that last night had actually happened.

The video faded to black, and the two settled in silence as it ended, the dark-haired girl still lost in her own world.

'You're really lingering on those feelings, aren'tcha?' Chibi Hinoka suddenly taunted from the depths of her mind. 'If you really wanted to, you could always ask for more~'

Miyami tried to ignore the abrupt intrusion, distracting herself with the real Hinoka instead. Her girlfriend was so beautiful in the light of dawn—

'You're allowed to think that, you know? The two of you are partners, and it was clear she enjoyed every moment of it,' the mental imp continued. 'So just ask her. All you have to say is: Hey Hinoka, I want to feel your hot bod again—'

The dark-haired girl cast a silencing spell on the little devil before she could go any further, shivering from the phrasing. The chibi's 'advice' was not helping her at this time.

"Something on your mind?" the real Hinoka asked, noticing her tensing up.

Miyami's eyes darted to the side, and her cheeks glowed like embers. "Um… just thinking about last night."

"Oh?" the shorter girl said, her brow rising suggestively.

Miyami's blush deepened, and she shot up like a rocket. "A-anyway! What shall we do today? W-we have the entire weekend to ourselves."

Hinoka's lips twitched upwards. "I'm down for whatever you wanna do. Especially if it involves a return to bed—"

Miyami's face erupted in a blush again as she shoved her finger against her partner's mouth. "W-we could try check something small off my list. Or maybe we can go for a run—"

*nibble*

"Ack!" The penguin yanked her hand back as lips nipped at her digit.

Noo! Not again!

The ponytailed girl merely laughed at the reaction. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You're just too fun to resist—just like last night." She planted a kiss on the taller girl's cheek as she stood up, turning Miyami's insides to mush.

Miyami pouted as her defense mechanism kicked in, and her phone came to life in her hands.

Fingers blazed across the screen as the device amplified her confidence tenfold.

*ping!*

────────⊳⋆⊲────────

 > I can't believe you're so brazen about teasing me this morning! ( `ε´ )

 > You said it was your first time too! You should be just as embarrassed! Right?! ヽ(`⌒´メ)ノ

────────⊳⋆⊲────────

Hinoka's eyes flickered away guiltily after reading it. "W-whatever. Say, do you have anything in mind for breakfast yet?"

Miyami's fingers paused mid-tap.

Breakfast sounded lovely right now actually, and a picture of it manifested in her mind. The smell of fresh-brewed tea, a plate of fluffy pancakes, and maybe a side of eggs and jelly toast?

Wait, no! Curse her easily distracted self! She needed to get some jabs in first!

"…" Her eyes narrowed as she continued typing.

────────⊳⋆⊲────────

 > Don't change the subject! (｡•ˇ‸ˇ•｡)

 > This penguin can only take so much teasing before her feathers are ruffled!

 > Especially in the lair of her own home!

 > Understood?! (≖､≖╬)

────────⊳⋆⊲────────

Hinoka nearly doubled over in a fit of laughter at the message. "God, I love you so much. But fine, I'll tone it down a notch."

Miyami's cheeks puffed out like balloons at how she'd just brushed it off.

That wasn't fair! She was supposed to be embarrassed, not entertained!

"Aw, don't be like that." A hand reached to stroke her head. "I'm just glad to experience all of these sides of you. So thank you, my penguin princess."

The dark-haired woman pouted even harder. She felt her resolve soften at the kind words, and her shoulders drooped.

"…"

But not before stealing a kiss.

*smooch*

The shorter woman's face lit up as Miyami drew away, tactically retreating to the kitchen. She could hear her girlfriend sputter behind her as she shuffled away.

Hah! That was much better.

"Th-that was dirty!" her partner finally managed to squeak out.

Miyami just stuck out her tongue in response as she set to work on cooking.

***

Crisp air billowed past as the two girls jogged down the trail, ponytails trailing behind like streamers. It was late morning now, a couple of hours after their breakfast had settled, and a few other runners passed by on the forested path.

Hinoka's feet pounded against the soft ground in a steady rhythm, her chest filled in the fresh atmosphere. She continued to diligently lead her partner at a reduced pace along the now familiar route.

Miyami had been getting better at exercising recently with these shared excursions into the outdoors, much to Hinoka's delight. Sure her endurance still wasn't that good, but considering how she no longer flopped on her face halfway through, she'd come a long way.

Speaking of though, it looked like the penguin was beginning to tire.

*phew!*

*phew!*

Her breaths were getting heavier than the wrist weights she wore, and her eyes were starting to look glazed. Hinoka slowed down a little more to match her pace, deciding it was probably a good time to take a water break as they veered off the path.

She took out a couple of bottles from her pouch as they collapsed on a nearby bench.

"Good job," the sporty girl assured, patting Miyami on her slouched shoulders. She handed her a bottle and began drinking from her own, feeling the cool liquid parch her thirst.

*exhausted but probably happy wheezing*

Hinoka smiled at the efforts of the former fulltime shut-in as she indulged in the water. Beads of perspiration dotted the taller girl's forehead and neck, and her limbs had finally begun to resemble something other than noodles.

To think that Miyami had actually humored her enough to exercise alongside her, and then continued doing so regularly…

Ah, she just wanted to hug her right now!

It was legitimately impressive just how much Miyami had changed since they'd met. Like how much more open and confident she'd gotten. And to think that she'd already had an entire list of life goals for herself. That was just… wow.

Hinoka rolled her shoulders and stretched a little in the breeze.

Still, there was a lot that both of them still had to improve. For herself, she still had to crack down on her impulsiveness; Miyami might've tolerated it, but that was because of their relationship. There were her anger problems too, although that had thankfully only slipped out recently on some rather annoying customers.

Hinoka glanced at her dark-haired companion, now slumped over with a half-empty water bottle.

When it came to Miyami, the biggest thing she was worried about was getting her to speak more normally with others, or more accurately, just being more normal around others in general.

A few runners jogged past them on the trail, and Miyami subtly flinched inward, as if illustrating the point.

It would likely be a long road until something like that would happen. However, there was one step they could take now to progress that journey a bit further.

Hinoka took out her phone, palming the device in her hand.

For that, she'd already begun plotting with the boss while waiting for breakfast. It was an idea blunter than a hammer, but she figured it could be effective enough, and Miyami probably wouldn't be opposed to it.

The only roadblock was that because of how the work schedule lined up, Kaitoji didn't exactly have the same days off as the two of them did. So, the option they were floating around now was going to use one of the lunch breaks early in the upcoming week. 

She'd have to man the shop by herself for the ruse to work, and he'd be coming in on one of his usual days off, but it'd probably work out.

*ping!*

"…?" She blinked as her phone vibrated in her hand.

∘₊✧─────────────✧₊∘

 >> Should we start running again? ε=ε=┌( >_<)┘

 >> I think I've rested enough. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

∘₊✧─────────────✧₊∘

A smirk. "Sure, but let me know if you're starting to feel too winded. Don't want you tripping over air like our last run."

Miyami pouted at the playful jab, and her cheeks puffed out like balloons.

*ping!*

∘₊✧─────────────✧₊∘

 >> Hmph! I'll show you! I bet I can beat you back to the apartment!

 >> If I lose, you can tease me all you want when we're back home! (*`ω´*)

 >> But if I win, you can't tease me at all for the rest of today! σ( •̀ ω •́ σ)

∘₊✧─────────────✧₊∘

Hinoka felt her competitive spirit ignite as her musings faded into the background. The odds were obviously in her favor with her superior endurance and all, but the prize was tantalizing.

"Alright. You're on, penguin. Don't think I'll go easy with them fighting words though—"

*thump-thump-thump*

And she was gone, dark-hair whipping around as she sped away on wobbly legs—a pace that'd be sure to burn her out fast.

Hinoka shook her head at the enthusiasm and casually stood up, giving her calves a preemptive stretch as Miyami partook in a head start. She knew she'd be able to catch up easily enough, but she couldn't help but admire the misplaced confidence.

That was her girlfriend, alright. Stronger than anyone she'd ever met, and cuter than all the fluffy animals in the world.

Hinoka's smile turned to a grin as her legs began pumping again, relishing the outdoors nearly as much as the thought of winning.

Unfortunately for Miyami though, none of those endearing traits would change the outcome of this little contest.

That bird was already toast.