An Article of Interest (Immortal Rain, Rain/Machika, #2)
Title: An Article of Interest
Author: Zukirin
Pairing: Rain/Machika
Fandom: Immortal Rain/Meteor Methuselah
Theme: #2, News; Letter
Disclaimer: I do not own Immortal Rain.
Warnings: PG. Do not leave the stove while you're cooking.
Posted to: 30 Kisses
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“Hey, Rain! What are you looking at?”
Machika had momentarily neglected her cooking in order to catch a glimpse of her companion at the kitchen table. He had been perusing an article in the newspaper with a remarkable amount of attention. Machika found this strange. For at least ten minutes, Rain had been staring at the same page without skimming the rest of the paper. Rain was usually flipping back and forth through the paper, making that annoying crinkly, wrinkly sound until Machika told him to shut up and introduced the frying pan to his skull.
Machika stood on her tiptoes, trying meet his gaze over the slightly crackling material. The black print was close to Rain’s face, and obscured the scythe-wielder’s view of him.
“Hm? Oh.” The immortal glanced up for a second and flipped the paper around to face her. The front page featured a shocking six by five color photo of two people. Machika glimpsed a splotch of blonde hair and her scythe.
The assassin said in a curiously serene tone, “What’s so significant about it? It’s only a picture of us.” She had noticed that Rain was trying to gauge her reaction. But she blushed, nevertheless.
Rain expressionlessly handed her the newspaper. He stated calmly, “No, it isn’t that. Read the title of the article, Machika.”
The youth’s eyes examined the paper, searching for what could possibly have been fascinating enough about the duo that made it suitable for front-page news.
Her sky-blue orbs widened to the size of dinner plates.
“What the hell?!” Machika was absolutely scandalized. “‘Immortal Has Found His Soulmate’?” An angry, tomato-red blush surfaced as she fumed. “How could they?!!”
Rain grinned.
“This isn’t funny, asshole!!” The girl threw a spatula at him, bonking him soundly in the head. Rain fell out of his chair and onto the tiled floor.
“Serves you right, jerk.” Machika gave him the evil eye as she returned to cooking the eggs.
During her exchange with Rain, what appeared to be a small campfire had materialized in the pan. “Crap! It’s burning!” She waved a towel at it, trying to blow it out.
Seconds later, the entire stove was engulfed in flames. “Gah! What the hell?!” She waved her hands in front of her face, coughing hoarsely as the ashy smoke entered her nostrils and lungs.
Machika’s hands scrabbled around blindly for the fire extinguisher and found it, luckily. She aimed the nozzle and fired. A stream of foam escaped and doused the flames in what looked like cloud-fluff.
The whole stove was burnt black. The girl sighed in relief. At least it hadn’t exploded or something. “Rain… Why didn’t you help?” she asked in exasperation, shifting her gaze to the table.
“…I did help?” Machika whipped around to see that Rain had been beside her all along. “I handed you the fire extinguisher, I think.”
Machika meant to say, “Thanks.” Instead…
“…You think?” came the incredulous response.
Completely unruffled, he replied, “Yup.” Rain seemed to ponder something for a moment. “And I know.”
“…” His statement perplexed Machika, who raised her left eyebrow. “You know… what, exactly?”
“I know the article isn’t funny.”
Machika rolled her eyes. “Took you a while.” She frowned and turned back to the scorched stove.
“But it’s true, isn’t it?”
Machika blushed, still staring at the dysfunctional kitchen appliance.
Rain kissed her forehead.
Only to be whapped by her closed fist.
“…Jerk.”