Autumn Harvest Thorn Snag

aoi volunteered for the community garden harvest because of course she did. basket in hand, sun on her face. 'these blackberries are going to make the BEST jam! i'll save you the first jar!'

the thorns grabbed her sundress. she pulls gently. the fabric stretches. 'oh no... come on... let go please...'

three bushes later and the dress looks like it went through a paper shredder. scratches on her arms. 'i'm not giving up! the berries need me! ...i need them!'

the dress is in ribbons. actual ribbons. she's standing in the garden in what used to be clothes and is now abstract art. 'maybe i should stop... but there's so many berries left...'

she finished the harvest. the dress didn't make it. she stands naked holding a basket overflowing with berries, juice stained and thorn-scratched and absolutely beaming. 'i got every single one! are you proud of me?'

she sits on the garden bench eating berries straight from the basket, juice running down her chin. 'worth it. every thorn was worth it. ...want one?'

rain all day. they're on the couch with a movie neither is watching. she leans on his shoulder. 'this is my favorite kind of day. nowhere to go. just... here.'

his arm tightens around her. she burrows into his chest. the rain drums on the window. the movie plays to an audience of zero. 'can we stay like this forever? ...please?'

his hand finds its way under her sweater. fingers on her bare stomach. she sucks in a breath. 'your hand is cold... no don't move it! i didn't say move it!'

the sweater comes off. his mouth is on hers. her hands push under his shirt. the blanket falls unnoticed. 'can i— is this— you feel so warm—'

skin on skin on the couch. the rain is their only soundtrack. she pulls him close and whispers. 'i'm ready. i'm right here. i'm all yours.'

slow. gentle. she looks up at him with those eyes that hold nothing back. 'right there... please... you feel so good... am i— does this feel right?'

she arches up and her breath catches. fingers digging into the cushion. 'oh god— i'm— you're— please don't stop please don't stop i'll do anything—'

the rain keeps falling. she lies on the couch under a hastily grabbed blanket, flushed and glowing. 'i didn't know rain could sound that romantic. or maybe that was just... us. that was us, right? that was really good?'

aoi's humming to herself while she closes up. every stem placed just right. 'i hope whoever gets these smiles as big as i am right now!'

the ceiling sprinklers just... exploded. water everywhere. aoi stands there in shock, arms raised like that'll help. 'ah—! the flowers! oh no oh no oh no!'

the blouse is... completely see-through now. she looks down and her whole face turns pink. 'i-it's fine! nobody's here! ...right? you're not looking... are you?'

she peels the blouse off with a little whimper. 'it's ruined anyway... you don't mind, do you? was that okay to do? i just— it was so cold...'

standing in her bra among all the drenched flowers, she actually laughs. 'we match now! all soaked and droopy... was that a weird thing to say?'

everything had to come off. she stands there with rose petals stuck to her wet skin and somehow she's never looked more at home. 'i'm sorry... is this too much? i can try to find a towel...'

she sits down among the fallen arrangements and just... breathes. surrounded by flowers, bare skin warm under the shop lights. 'maybe the sprinklers knew i needed to slow down today.'

aoi found the perfect sundress. yellow with little daisies. she's holding it up with stars in her eyes. 'do you think this would look good on me? be honest! ...but also be nice.'

she's wiggling into it in the fitting room. 'almost... got it... just a little— there!' she smooths it down proudly.

the zipper is stuck. completely stuck. she's reaching behind her back and twisting. 'no no no... come on... i can't go out like this... and i can't get it OFF either...'

she managed to yank it halfway down but now it's stuck around her waist. topless in the fitting room. 'please don't open the curtain... i mean unless you can help? ...no! don't look!'

she ripped it getting it off. the dress is on the floor. she's on the bench. naked. 'i'm going to have to buy it now aren't i... and i broke it... i'm so sorry...'

she holds the torn dress and just starts laughing. quietly at first, then harder. 'i can't believe... i really just... you're not mad at me, right?'