The Unified Soul

Shower Storm

The sky was dark and the clouds were gray as they prepared to drop rain all over the neighborhood. Airis sat on Aaron's lap drinking a cup of warm milk as Aphmau was pacing back and forth across the living room anxious and sad that her plans for the day were ruined because of the upcoming storm.

"Aw! This can't be happening!" Aphmau cried, "I wanted the maid cafe to have its grand opening this week, too!"

"It's probably better that it's not this week. I mean, who knows how long the storm will last."

"True, but still..." Aphmau looked down disappointed for a moment, but then looked up happily, "Wait, actually this might be great after all! Kawaii~Chan still hasn't finished a few uniforms so instead of rushing her to do it, she'll have all the time in the world now!"

Airis sipped the last of her milk just as a thunder clap echoed across the sky. Startled, she dropped her empty cup and curled up into Aaron's chest. Airis could hear the roars of her escape a while back, the storm that took her from that awful place and brought her to this place.

"Airis?" Aaron asked holding her close, "Are you okay?"

Airis shook her head and curled up even further into Aaron's embrace, "I'm okay." She said softly, "I just... don't like thunder a lot."

"Thunder?" Aphmau asked looking out at the dark sky from the window.

"It.... reminds me of bad things.."

Aphmau and Aaron understood, even if Airis didn't say very much. It was another part of her past that she wasn't ready to talk about, but was slowly opening up. They didn't want to make her tell them, but they were glad to know more about their little girl. Aphmau smiled and sat down next to Aaron, placing her hand on Airis' head and gently stroking her hair. She looked on the floor and saw the forgotten empty cup.

"How we get you another cup of warm milk and head upstairs? That sound good, Mija?" Aphmau asked.

Airis almost jumped at the name Aphmau called her. Mija, an affectionate way of saying my daughter in Spanish. She looked up at Aphmau and smiled,almost forgetting about the rain outside.

"Okay..." She whispered. Aphmau picked up Airis and carried her to the kitchen to get the milk. As Aaron watched the two, he couldn't help but feel at peace, thinking that he had the family he wanted. And one day, he'll finally ask her and sign the papers himself. Then they would really be a family.

After Aphmau made the warm milk and handed it to Airis, they went up to their room and saw the little girl on the bed so she could relax with her warm drink. All of a sudden, they heard a scream outside.

"Did you hear that?" Aphmau asked.

"Hear what?" Aaron replied.

"That..." Airis said, pointing towards the window that faced Kawaii~chan and Katelyn's house next door.

"Try it on, Katelyn! I just need to sew a few parts!" Kawaii~Chan shouted chasing Katelyn around with a maid outfit in her hands.

"No!" Katelyn shouted back.

"Hey, Kawaii~Chan! You leave Katelyn alone!" Aphmau shouted through the window.

Kawaii~Chan turned around with a sweet smile on her face, with just a hint of cheekiness, "Eheheheheue, does Aphmau~Senpai want to help?" 

"Hehe..." Aphmau chuckled but then regained her composure, "Hahaha...! N-No thanks! Haha! Katelyn, good luck!"

Aphmau turned around and ignored all the screams coming from next door. Airis laughed as she watched the scene take place and sipped on her milk while staring out at the rain. Though the thunder reminded her of bad things, the rain was oddly soothing for her. It reminded her of her old home, and how her Papa and Mama would take her out for walks in the rain, but that was only on the full moon. She loved feeling the rain drip on her skin. Yukisa would always lick off the rain when they got back and it would tickle so much.