I rinsed myself off watching the soap bubbles flow down the drain.  I thought about the previous conversation I had with Arisa and hung my head in embarrassment.

"What do you mean we can't use the futon?" I stood startled in the hallway.

"Well, like I said earlier, I washed it and left it out to dry but...it suddenly started to rain and we'll...it's soaked again..." she rubbed the back of her head as she apologized.

"It's okay there nothing to be sorry for."

This means Umi would have to sleep with me. 

I let the water fall on top of my head as my hair covered my flustered face at the thought of sharing a bed.  I mean, Nozomi and I sometimes sleep together but we're used to that level of closeness...it's different when it's with someone you've never really spent a lot of time with and it's definitely different when your feelings are in a mix.

I finished my bath and headed back to my room while drying my hair with a towel.  As I walked in, Umi was reading one of the books that was on my shelf.

"Sorry, but our futon isn't really in condition to be used..." I said walking over to my vanity that had the brush I wanted to use.

"It's no problem, Arisa told me what happened."  She closed the book and set it back on the shelf.

"Here let me help you."  She walked over to me and took the brush from my hand.

"Oh you don't need too." I said reaching back for the brush.

"It's the least I can do for you letting me stay the night."  She smiled.  I sighed and faced the mirror in front of me as I felt her fingers run through my hair along with the teeth of the brush.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sweet pleasure of being taken care of, it was almost mother like the way Umi was being so gentle.  After a few strokes she paused.  This caused me to open my eyes.  I saw her look away at the ground as if she wanted to ask me something.

"Is there something wrong?"  I turned to face her directly instead of the mirror.

"Oh, sorry, no..." She feigned a smile.

"Come on, lets go to bed.  You must still be tired even after that long nap."  I walked over to the bed and untucked the covers.  Once Umi sat on the edge I turned off the lights and sat next to her, all while avoiding eye contact.

"Eli..." Umi managed to mutter out my name though it sounded forceful.

"Hm?" I looked over to her, only visible from the subtle moonlight shining through the window. 

There was a pause of silence, quiet enough to hear the light raindrops outside hitting the window.

"How...how did you do it all..." Umi avoided my eyes and looked down at her lap, holding herself.

I was going to question what she meant, but I already knew exactly what she was talking about.  I sighed and laid down looking up at the ceiling.

"I didn't." I said closing my eyes.

"What?" She looked down at me confused.

"I didn't do it all...I couldn't.  When I tried to do everything myself I did nothing but put myself in world of suffering.  But when I finally opened up to Nozomi and found all of you...that's when I could do anything." I watched her lay herself down facing me.

"Umi...you can't do everything yourself...and it's the same with doing things without you.  I can't imagine holding a muse performance with you."  I looked over and faced her directly.  It was hard to see her face in the dark but I knew she was staring right back at me.

"You won't get help if you don't ask for it.  We are all here for you just like how you are for all of us."  I placed one of my hands on top of hers.    It was hard to make out her expression.

"Eli...can you...-"

She was cut off by a flash of light followed by a loud rumbling.  The rain had picked up.  The sudden flash caused Umi to fly into my chest.

"Sorry...I got startled."  She muffled from under the covers.

If the rain wasn't as loud as it was, the only thing you'd hear would be my heart pounding out of my chest.  I could feel my body become tense and frozen. 

"Thank you...Eli..." She looked up into my eyes.

She looked so vulnerable, so different from the face she tries to hold up.

"Umi..." I whispered her name, scared that if I was any louder she'd back away.

"Hm?" I felt the slight vibration from her voice against my chest.

You're fine just like this. You don't need to hold up your mask anymore. Just stay like this...at least in front of me...

"E-Eli?"

"Huh?" I realized my eyes began watering and I was holding Umi close to me.

"S-sorry, I don't know what came over me..." I smiled and let her go.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She sat up and looked down at me.

"Yes, I'm fine." I sat up and made sure my face was out of the moonlight.

"Okay...let's go to bed." She laid down facing me.

"Yeah." I laid down facing her then turning away. I couldn't look at her. Not after nearly confessing to her...

After a few minutes of silence, I finally wiped my eyes hoping she was asleep.

Umi...these feelings are a lot more of a burden than I hoped for.