A/N - hello, hello! I'm completely moving fandoms with this fic, and it'll be my first try at a multi-chapter fic. These next few chapters take place during the time after the hug in episode 9. My updates will be pretty consistent, unless noted otherwise I hope to get one chapter up every week/week and a half. This will be my only super-long A/N!

Anyway, I hope you guys like it!

Edit - Thank you so much to sunokasai for commenting about me checking the format, because I seemed to of forgotten :ooo

Mari watched Kanan's arms open and listened as she spoke the single word. She felt as if time would stop in that moment. She just slapped her former best friend and now she was asking for a hug? Mari felt the emotion run across her face as the tears began to burst out of her eyes. She quickly went to Kanan's hold as she sobbed. Mari clutched the back of the blue-haired girl's shirt as she wept. She could feel the tears Kanan shed fall on top of her head as well.

They needed this. They'd needed this for a while now.

Mari sobbed and sobbed until she could cry no more, but she stayed in the warm embrace Kanan provided. She knew Kanan wouldn't mind that her shirt would be soaked with salty tears. Her hands still grabbing hold of the back of said shirt, as she was afraid if she'd let go, Kanan would disappear and this would all be a dream. But whenever Mari felt Kanan pull her in closer or leave the tiniest of kisses atop her head, her hands would loosen just a tad as she continued to feel comfort from her friend.

Mari cared for Kanan in ways she'd never cared about anyone before. Dia was her best friend as well, but Mari cared for the two in different ways. She couldn't explain it, and she didn't want to think about it now as she listened to Kanan whisper sweet apologies in her ear and promises that she would never let go again.

Mari closed her eyes and listened to the gentle thuds of Kanan's heartbeat. They still stood, even though Mari's legs felt as if they would collapse at any second. But Kanan held her close and was like a support beam for Mari. The blonde gently began to unclench her hands from the back of the now wadded up shirt. She let them fall just above Kanan's waist and simply went for a tight embrace now. Kanan didn't mind, as she simply pulled her even closer and continued the whispering of sweet nothings in Mari's ear.

The rain continued to trickle on outside, booms of thunder were also heard now and again. But still, all Mari heard was the thump thump thump of Kanan's heartbeat. Her head would burrow deeper into her chest, and she could swear she heard the other girl's heart skip a beat, if just for a second.

They stood like that for what seemed like hours, but had only been 45 minutes. Mari didn't want to break the embrace, however her face began to sear with pain.

She probably should've been more careful running in the rain.

As she gently pulled back, she looked at Kanan. Eyes that were rimmed with red stared back at her own that were most likely in the same condition. A hand came up to gently caress Mari's cheek, but a minor flinch made Kanan quickly retreat.

Mari wished she hadn't. No matter how much it hurt, she wanted to lean her face into Kanan's hand. But the other girl's face was laced with worry due to the tiniest of flinches that Mari had given. She slowly backed away, still close enough to hold Mari's fingers as she examined her face. Kanan gave a small smile as she whispered under her breath about Mari being a clumsy fool.

The blonde let out a giggle as she went back to Kanan's arms. She wrapped them around her friend's waist and simply laid her head on her shoulder. Kanan slowly wrapped her arms around Mari's waist as well and leaned her head against the blondes. Silence filled the room once again, but neither minded right then. Mari knew Kanan would scold her about falling like that, but for now that could wait.

After a few minutes, Kanan broke their quiet haven.

"Mari… I'm so sorry," She said it in a quiet, breaking voice, but Mari could hear her still, "I'm sorry for making you go away. I'm sorry for breaking our group up. I'm sorry for telling you I never wanted to see you again. I was just doing what I thought was best for you. I wanted you to see the amazing future you have ahead of you. I just… I'm just sorry for hurting you." Tears slipped down Kanan's cheek as she gave her apology.

Mari squeezed Kanan tighter as she felt the tears on her head once again. She would've cried again, but she was truly out of tears, so she just hugged Kanan tighter and tighter.

"All I've wanted since I came back here was to reclaim what I lost when I left. What I had with Dia. What I had with you. Both of you made it so frustrating, mainly you," She felt Kanan squeeze a bit tighter at that, ", but I think it was a bit foolish of me to expect that we could make everything the same again. I don't want it the same though. I want it better than it was when we were first years. I care so much about you Kanan, more than you'll ever know," Mari spoke only what her heart told her to say, and ignored the nagging thoughts at the back of her head that told her she said too much.

She wanted to be honest with her best friend, so she was.

Mari felt more tears breach her skin and was drawn closer to Kanan as the other girl cried once more. Mari could be the one to hold Kanan as she cried this time. They held each other in a warm embrace, Mari gently brushing her hands through the purple hair that was in a high-pony.

A loud boom of thunder sent both of the girls into a short frenzy. Heads snapping up and each letting out quick shrieks as they tried to pull each other closer in shock. After the fast-fear was over, Mari let out a tiny laugh as she realized they reacted like young children during a thunderstorm. Kanan simply stared at Mari before letting out a few small laughs as well. They stared at each other, both with content smiles on their faces.

Their moment was broken when Mari's face suddenly began to pulse with pain. Flinching, she removed her hand from Kanan's waist and raised it up to her cheek and winced as she barely touched it. Kanan looked at her in worry as she lightly pushed her back to get a better look at her face.

A gash on Mari's cheek was now evident, as a flush from before had covered it. She had a slight cut on her lip and there was the beginning of bruising on her forehead. Kanan shook her head as she led Mari over to the table and told her to wait as she got the medical bag from the cabinet. The purple-eyed girl hesitated as she removed her hand from Mari's. This was the first time they weren't in contact with each other since their hug. It made Kanan feel off, so she quickly went for the first-aid bag and went to stand in front of Mari's legs from where she sat.

Mari watched as she grabbed cotton and a brown bottle out of the bag. Kanan poured liquid from the bottle onto the cotton before taking Mari's hand. She told her to squeeze her hand because it would sting. Confused at first, Mari gently squeezed Kanan's hand. What did she mean by it would sting?

And then the cotton reached her face.

Mari let out a squeal as she clutched Kanan's hand. She whined throughout the entire process of her cleaning the wounds on her face. Kanan's hand was numb by the time it was over, but she still reached up to gently wipe the tears that fell off Mari's face. Kanan began to apply a cream to the lip cut as she smiled at Mari's complaining about how much it hurt.

Mari didn't see what was so funny. It hurt and it stung her face, and she didn't like it. But Kanan was quick and gentle with it, so that made it better. It was all over soon and Kanan was cleaning her hands once again. Mari pouted as she grumbled on about how much it hurt.

"Next time you shouldn't have a meeting with, what, the concrete? And you won't be in this situation again," Kanan said slyly as she went to quickly put up the kit before going back to stand in front of Mari to examine if she missed anything. She didn't, Mari would just need painkillers now.

"Well, I was upset and it was raining! I couldn't see and I slipped. It's not like I could've prevented it." Mari pouted more as she spoke.

"You could have caught yourself, Mari. Would've made it less painful."

"It was sudden and I didn't have time to!"

"All you needed to do was stick your arms out."

"But what if I broke my wrist?!"

"I think you would've been more upset if you broke your nose," Kanan said matter of factly.

Mari grumbled back in response, knowing it to be true. She still had her eyes squinted as Kanan went to sit on the table next to her. She felt Kanan wrap an arm around her waist and lay her head on her shoulder. Mari's pout went away as her face relaxed. She scooted closer to Kanan and grabbed the hand that wasn't around her waist and laced their fingers together. She put her head atop of Kanan's and closed her eyes, as she assumed the other girls were closed as well.

"I've missed you Kanan. I've missed you so much. I've missed you and Dia. I don't want to leave you two ever again. I don't think I could handle it…" Mari trailed off as she brushed her thumb over Kanan's hand.

"I've missed you too Mari. I've missed you ever since the day you left. Over 730 days without you made my heart hurt, and I know I've been… mean to you at points. I was just trying to get you back on the track for a better future. I thought it'd of been what you wanted. I didn't think that being a School Idol would be able to get you where you wanted to be, but I can tell that there is no way I can stop you from it now. I know I've said sorry, but I'm going to say it even after you've forgiven me, because there will never come a time that will make what I did okay." Mari could feel Kanan's jaw move with each word she spoke.

Her heartbeat picked up as she felt Kanan bring her closer to her body. They were practically melting together. But she didn't mind. She never wanted to leave Kanan's side again. She needed the person who's always taken care of her. Even just minutes ago, Kanan cleaned up Mari's wounds. Mari didn't even have to think about the words she'd say next.

"Kanan I… thank you. For being there for me. For loving and taking care of me. You've always been doing what you thought was right for me, and while I wished you'd of talked to me about it, I understand. And I just wanted to thank you for it, because I don't think I ever have and I should of." Mari felt Kanan nestle deeper into Maris shoulder and how she squeezed her hip just a bit tighter.

They once again surrounded themselves in a cloud of silence. Mari wondered if Kanan could hear her heartbeat. Could she hear the beat against her ribcage? The gentle thump thump thump that Mari heard from Kanan's. Could she hear how it skipped a beat whenever Kanan squeezed her side or brushed her thumb gently over the back of her hand? She could only wonder at what Kanan could hear.

Mari wondered if Kanan was even listening for a heartbeat at all.