Hi there! It's been a while since I wanted to write a SumiBanba fic, so here it is. I have a confession to make. SumiBanba is actually my AnR otp. I know, surprising uh? With all the OtoShie fics I do, but I swear, SumiBanba is my fav, with OtoShie coming second. It's just that I'm so much obsessed by OtoShie that I neglect my true otp. But it's never too late to fix a mistake, so here it is, my SumiBanba fic! I'll take the manga epilogue, the anime epilogue and Koakuma no Riddle 6 in consideration, all three being canon to me. I hope you'll like it!
There was something above her. Even asleep, Sumireko could tell. Her survivor's instinct immediately woke her up. As she suddenly opened her eyes, she discovered that it wasn't something, but someone, who was on top of her. Sumireko relaxed a little, more confident.
"Oh my, going on top of me when I am asleep, how bold of you, Mahiru-san."
"G-Give...give it back…"
Banba looked rather gloomy, but it didn't worry Sumireko. Not in the daytime.
"Give you what back?" Sumireko asked, as if she didn't already know.
"The...the strap…"
Since she failed to kill Haru during Class Black, Sumireko was back to her mansion, with in addition Banba, who she managed to take home with her. Since then, she was working there as her maid. But to ensure that Banba won't leave her, Sumireko had taken the strap Haru gave her, as a way to keep her by her side, and also to make sure Shinya would come after her seriously. Sumireko had still not given up her desire to become stronger, to be the strongest queen, and fighting with Shinya was a good training. So she got to keep Mahiru by her side and trained, two birds one stone.
"Oh? But if I remember well, I told you to come to take it back by strength. Do you perhaps intend to attack me? Or kill me?"
Mahiru froze for a moment. Her hands made a move towards Sumireko's neck, but suddenly started to shake and then she froze back. Sumireko was absolutely not afraid. She was used to having her life threatened. But unlike the other times, she made no attempt to protect herself. She wouldn't want to hurt Mahiru, and she was confident that it won't get too serious.
"You cannot, right? That is why Shinya-san exists after all, to do it for you. She kills for your sake because you cannot do it yourself," Sumireko said as she suddenly sat, making Mahiru fell on the bed. "So I have no reason to fear you in your current state, nor listening to your request. If you do not intend to fight me, then wait for nighttime and Shinya-san will."
Mahiru started to shiver, much to Sumireko's consternation.
"Are you...afraid of me? There is no need to be. I do not intend to hurt you. I am not mad or anything."
"I...I don't like this...this situation...I really don't like it. I...want the strap back…"
Sumireko didn't like to see Banba like that. It made her feel bad. She did know it was wrong of her to have stolen the strap, that it made her no better than Takechi. But she didn't know what else to do. She wanted Banba to stay with her, and she desperately needed to become stronger.
"I cannot give it back to you. Not now. But in exchange, you are allowed to live here. Is it not a fair deal? I do not know in what condition you lived before, but I believe that living here with me must be much better."
"I...I do appreciate...to live here...with you. But...not like that. I feel...forced to be here, and...I don't like that."
"I am not...forcing you. I let you a choice, and you agreed to stay here."
"You...stole my strap...and I want it back. So I have no choice….but to stay here..if I want to get it back…"
"I just want you to stay with me, I did not mean to...I really appreciate you, Mahiru-san. No, more than that. I...I love you!"
Sumireko wasn't the type to be easily flustered or embarrassed, she couldn't even remember the last time she was. But when she was with Banba, she had all sorts of new feelings she wasn't used to. And there she was, confessing her feelings to her. Mahiru remained quiet for a moment, before she blushed.
"I...I appreciate you too...I like you...you're kind to me, but...there used to have someone else who was kind to me, but then...he hurt me...he kept me captive...because he loved me too much. And Shinya...killed him. I...hate him...and I don't want...to feel that way towards you. I don't want...Shinya to kill you. But….I'm afraid. I'm afraid that...I'll end up in the same situation again. I don't want that...never again…"
Sumireko suddenly felt awful. Mahiru never talked about her past before, but she knew it wasn't pretty, given her personality and the existence of Shinya. It was what made her interested by Banba in the first place, her madness. Sumireko found it so beautiful, she liked how strong her soul had become after what she went through. But right now, it made her feel bad. The girl she loved suffered so much, and what she was doing to her reminded her of her of the terrible things that happened to her in the past. Sumireko didn't want to remind Mahiru of the person who hurt her so much as a child.
"I...I am not like this person! I would never hurt you, I swear. I am sorry...if I made you feel that way, it was not my intention. All I wanted...was for you to stay with me. But...I do not want you to feel like you are forced to, I do not intend to keep her against your will. I want you to stay with me...because you want to," Sumireko said.
"I don't...intend to leave you. So...could you give me back...my strap, please…?"
Sumireko hesitated. This strap was the only thing that assured her that Mahiru will not leave her. Sure, she said you won't leave, but could Sumireko really trust her? After all, everyone let her down. Her family, her friends, her bodyguards, none of them were able to protect her from the multiple kidnappings and assassination attempts she went through, despite the fact they told her they would protect her. But somehow, she felt like she could trust Mahiru. She was different from all those people who disappointed her, those people who were the reason why she preferred to fight alone. It was better to only count on herself than rely on useless people who fail to protect her. She was a queen after all, and a queen must endure solitude. Then, would it be better if Banba leaves her so she could be alone again? Sumireko didn't know. All she was sure of, was that she didn't want Banba to leave her and that the strap was the only way she could be sure of it.
"I do...intend to give it back to you, one day. I wanted to give it back to you...as a relic," Sumireko replied.
"Uh? How…?"
"I will become stronger, thanks to Shinya-san. And then, I will defeat Ichinose-san once a for all. So both our wish will be granted. I will have proved to be the strongest, and the strap will be a relic. Then I will give it back to you…"
"But...I want it...now. It doesn't matter...if I have it now or later...right? I could still become...a relic."
"Why do you want it so much? It is just a strap, it is not even a relic yet…"
"Because...it's still from...someone that I appreciate. Ichinose-san...was gentle. So seeing the strap, holding it, it reminds me of her."
"But you wish for her death, right?"
"N-No, not really...I just wanted...the strap to become a relic. This way...it'll fill my heart, and I won't be lonely anymore. Ichinose-san would have been in my heart forever, like all those people I received relics from. But since I'm with you...I feel less the need to have relics. I wonder...why. But I still want the strap back. It's precious to me, even though...it's not a relic. In fact, I don't mind...if it never becomes one. The strap as it is now...is enough."
Sumireko didn't know what to think of that. She couldn't help but feel a little bit happy to know that she had such an impact on Banba, but at the same time, she was worried about the relic. If Mahiru didn't want one anymore, then what was the point of defeating Haru? Only her would benefit of it. She should be fine with that. After all, she only lived for herself, so why did it bother her so much?
"Because...if she doesn't benefit of this too, it would be like I'm just using her…"
Sumireko was stuck in a dilemma. A part of her still wanted to be the queen, the strongest, to defeat Haru. But another part just wanted to be together with Banba and live peacefully with her. But both of those weren't compatible. A queen must endure solitude, meaning she couldn't be with Mahiru. But there she was, foolishly trying to have both despite the fact it was impossible.
"I could give it back...but I want something in exchange," Sumireko suddenly said.
"W-What do you want…?"
"A kiss...Just kiddi-"
Mahiru suddenly approached her face from hers. Their lips were only a few centimetres away. The silver haired girl was blushing intensely. Sumireko couldn't help but finding this adorable. But she didn't want her to do something she was uncomfortable with simply because she asked her.
"Mahiru-san, it is okay. I was merely joking. You do not have to do it if you do not want to."
"But...I want to."
Sumireko suddenly felt her heart racing. She knew she must be blushing too. Were they really going to kiss, the thing she was longing for so long since she understood her feelings for Mahiru? She may be the one who asked for it, but she wondered if she was really ready. Banba continued to approach and their lips were about to touch. Sumireko closed her eyes. But she felt nothing against her mouth. She actually felt something soft on her cheek, near her lips. She opened her eyes. Mahiru had kissed her on the cheek. Banba then recoiled, avoiding her gaze, all flustered.
"You...you didn't say it had to be...on the mouth,"Mahiru nervously said.
"You are right," Sumireko replied with a soft smile. "Worry not, there is no need to rush things."
Sumireko realized that she had to respect her promise. She had to give her back the strap. Sumireko wasn't sure how she felt about that. She was about to give away the only thing that assured her that Mahiru would stay. What if she left her after? Sumireko realized how obsessed she was about power. She wanted to be the strongest, and she wanted to have control over Banba. She knew it wasn't healthy, that it wasn't good for either her or Banba. She didn't want Mahiru to suffer because of her own issues. Both of them went through enough misery, she would like for them to have something more positive. They both had been broken by their past, but perhaps it wasn't too last for them to pick up the pieces, together.
Sumireko rose up and went searching in her drawers. She then came back to sit on the bed next to Mahiru. She opened her hand, revealing to Banba what she have retrieved: the strap.
"Here, you can have it back."
Mahiru's eyes seemed to sparkle as she took the strap and lift it, gazing at it with a warmful smile.
"T-Thanks!" Mahiru said, truly grateful.
Just for the sight of such a happy Mahiru, Sumireko considered that giving her the strap back worth it. Seeing her in so much joy warmed Sumireko's heart. Then Banba suddenly touched Sumireko's hand with her. Sumireko could tell, she had captors under her fake skin that allowed her to feel pressure. But it wasn't the same thing as the sensation of a real hand. It was in that kind of moment that she somewhat regretted to have cybernetic limbs, a choice she made in order to become stronger, just because it refrained her from feeling Banba's hand. Once again, her obsession for power got between her and the girl she loved.
"When I'm with you...I feel like my heart is being filled...with something good. Not really the same as a relic, but still...nice. I feel...less empty when I'm with you, less alone. So I won't leave, because I...like being with you. And so does Shinya."
"I'm glad to hear that. I love both you and Shinya-san."
Giving up the strap was the first step to have a better relationship with Banba, to learn how to trust again and perhaps let go of the past. Sumireko wasn't sure how she could be both a queen and be with Banba, but she still had time to figure it out. She didn't want to ruin the moment with those thoughts. She gently grabbed Mahiru's hand and looked at her in the eyes.
"How about we have tea?" Sumireko proposed.
Mahiru smiled softly to that.
"I'll make some."
Thanks for reading! I don't intend to let this fic as a one-shot, I have planned many other chapters for this story. So if you're interested be sure to tell me, it will encourage me. Seeya!