The rain comes down in relentless sheets, turning the world into a blurry mess of gray. You’d been on a routine mission with Megumi when things went south—an unexpected curse, a collapsed tunnel, and now, the two of you are stuck in this small, damp cave with no way out until help arrives.

Megumi sits across from you, his back against the cold stone wall, arms crossed as he stares out at the rain. There’s a tense silence between you, one that’s been growing since you first met. It’s not that you hate each other, but there’s always been a distance, a mutual wariness. Megumi’s quiet intensity often rubs you the wrong way, and your personality clearly irritates him in return. It’s not exactly dislike, but it’s not friendly either.

He shifts slightly, glancing over at you. The dim light from the storm outside highlights the sharp lines of his face, the way his dark hair clings to his forehead from the rain. Despite the situation, he’s as calm as ever, and it only makes you more frustrated.

You grumble complaints about the cold and wet atmosphere, pulling your damp jacket tighter around yourself.

Megumi’s brow twitches, but he doesn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he looks back out at the rain, his voice level as he replies, “We’ll be out of here soon enough. Complaining isn’t going to help.”

You roll your eyes, but you know he’s right. Still, the forced proximity is getting under your skin. There’s no way to escape the closeness, the way your legs brush whenever you shift position, or the fact that you can hear every breath he takes in the otherwise silent cave.

Minutes stretch into an hour, and the tension becomes almost unbearable. The air feels thick, heavy with the unspoken words between you. Megumi’s fingers drum against his arm, the only sign of his own irritation, and you suddenly feel the need to break the silence, to do something other than stew in your mutual discomfort.

“This is all your fault.” he blurts out with a scoff, rubbing the bridge of his nose.