Characters: Marie/Miranda
Warnings: Semi-public sex with sensory deprivation.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Senses
Miranda is by far the worst at walking. It's not that people don't like her, but they can't trust her to carry a plate or boxes lest she trip and injure herself or drop something dangers.
And Noise Marie is by far one of the quietest on his feet. Despite his height and his bearing, he is graceful, just as his Innocence is.
Such contrast. And yet nearly everyone agrees, without saying it out loud, that they were made for each other. They don't say it out loud because who wants to be known as the Order's gossiper?
Besides, Marie probably already knows what they're thinking. He can hear heartbeats and tell if they're lying. One does not go against that sort of skill.
But they certainly did try to make it happen. Matchmaking rarely goes well; everyone has a thing for Lenalee but she's got a crazy brother. They might as well try with Marie and Miranda. It just seemed right.
_-|||:|||-_
"This isn't a dare, is it?"
"No, no, of course not!" Allen pats Marie on the back, still all smiles. Howard Link stands almost discreetly in a corner. Lavi is on the other side of Marie, also smiling. "Tell him, Lavi."
Lavi breaks a cookie in half, speaking in between bites. "We just think that you ought to go for it because Miranda could use someone like you."
"Someone like me?"
"The two of you worked very well. I noticed that when Headquarters was being attacked." Allen steals one of Lavi's cookies.
"Seems to me that's assuming a little too much."
"Are you saying that you and Miranda are the only ones who haven't picked up on it?" Lavi gapes at him. "Seriously?"
"…maybe I have." He has good ears. "But is it true that people are betting on me."
"…" Ha. He can hear the hesitation. "How high?"
"Lenalee bet the most."
"And who doesn't believe?"
"…her brother. If he loses, he has to destroy his robots and do his paperwork for a whole week without complaining."
"And of course the stakes must always be that high," Marie comments, finished his food.
Allen scarfs down more cookies. "I refuse to believe you haven't at least thought out it."
"Maybe I have. Maybe I haven't."
"If it make you feel better, I didn't bet." Lavi's smile is loud and cheery. "Allen did, but then Allen never loses."
"You didn't have to tell him that!"
"Course I did~"
"You—"
"I'll take my leave." Marie picks up his tray and begins dodging them.
"Marie! At least give it try!" Allen calls out to him while struggling with Lavi. "It would make her happy."
He pretends to not notice them as he walks out, but the seed has been planted.
_-|||:|||-_
Maybe some deity was at work here.
They're on a mission together in Venice.
And so far, Miranda has fallen out of a boat, nearly forgot her password again, and lost half her luggage. Marie has ended up lending his coat, and the two of them are sitting as still as possible.
"A-are you sure you don't want your coat back? It's gotten a little chilly."
"Don't worry. I'm not cold." It's not cold for him, and her clothes are probably still wet. The Finders are giving him knowing looks (he doesn't even have to see to notice them) and he is humming to himself in order drown out some of the distracting noises.
Somehow, they reach their hotel in one piece, with Marie more or less lifting her off the boat. Usually they wouldn't even need to stay, but this mission required it. Staking out and searching for Innocence in some of the older buildings that would probably take a few days. They wanted Marie for his hearing, and Miranda for her ability to restore time and maybe figure out some of the fallen ruins.
Poor Miranda looks quite dejected; Marie has been thinking over it for a while, but he finally says it. "Miranda."
"Ah…yes?"
"We have some time tonight. Would you like to see some of the shops?"
"But aren't we busy?"
"We have the whole week. I doubt it will take that long, and I'm sure you've never seen Venice before."
"Have you?"
"Yes, years ago" Before he met Kanda, before, when he still had his sight. "It was very enjoyable and I think you would like it too."
"I'll go, then!" She stands, and then stop. "…once I change."
"I can wait."
It doesn't take her long; they set out. He listens and then guides them to the busier streets; here there were vendors of all sorts. HE thought about buying something to feed the pigeons with at the Piazza San Marco, but decides against it because the huge amount of birds flocking might make her nervous. So instead they shop. She says she has forgotten money, but he has his. He buys her a glass necklace, as well as masks for the both of them. Food is also purchased, and he is glad to hear her laughing. She trips occasionally, but he keeps an arm around her and it is nothing too bad.
…maybe there was something, for them. The happiness in her form, her heartbeat steady and not unsure, and how he feels around her…
This is nothing about dares or bets. He truly does care about her.
Night is edging in by the time he remembers the time. She is eating a pear when he asks her if she is tired.
"No, not very." Fruit crunches in her mouth.
"I know how to end the day."
"What is it?"
"You'll see." Hand in hand, they walk. He finds the area where one could rent a boat on an hourly basis and uses his sparse Italian to attain one for them.
Miranda is slightly nervous; her last boat ride had been a soaked one, and Venice waters were hardly pure.
"I'm afraid I'll fall again."
"I'll make sure you don't." He keeps his hand on her and they sit down in the boat. "Is that all right?"
"Yes, it is." She curls her fingers against his. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He hands some money to the man. "Two hours, please."
"Enjoy your ride, sir."
Marie rows easily and smoothly. Miranda sits a little stiffly, hands gripping the sides. To take her mind off it, he keeps up a steady stream of conversation, and before long, she's smiling again.
"Are we going anywhere?"
"You'll see." His memory is one of best, and he has a location in mind. He turns at an alleyway which he knows while lead into a quiet, mostly empty area.
When she gasps, he smiles. "I though you would like it."
"It's beautiful."
"I hope it is." He hasn't seen this sunset for so long.
"Shall I describe the sun to you?"
"If you want to."
"Ah." Miranda clears her throat. "The sun is red and the clouds are this…this beautiful shade of purple and blue. I can also see orange and yellow and yet it reminds me of cotton candy. They're fluffy. And…the water. It has the sun's glow and the ripples add to the effect. It's so beautiful. I'm sorry if I'm not any good at this…"
"No, it's wonderful." He touches her arm. "I can picture it." It's what he remembers, how it ought to be.
"I wish…you could see it."
"But I've already seen it."
"And now?"
"I'm okay with it." He does not really miss his sight; his hearing makes up for it, and he has little troubling fighting Akuma. He sees with sound and he is surefooted.
"But I'd be afraid of never having my sight." She shivers. "And I would trip even more than I always do."
"Maybe, maybe not." An idea has formed in his mind. "I could…show you what it is like. Being blind, that is."
"Really?"
"You don't have do if you don't want to."
"I…I think I would like to. Even though you're blind, you seem to see so much more than I do, a-and I want to know how."
Her blush is practically audible. He reaches out to trace her cheek, and listens to her pulse increase. "Only if you are sure."
"I am."
His own heart beating faster, he tells her to take off her coat and then he ties it over her eyes. "Only concentrate on what you hear."
She nods, frame shaking a little.
"Tell me what you hear." He holds her hands.
"I…I hear the water. It's not very loud, but it's rocking this boat. There's some birds, too." Miranda tilts her head. "I might be hearing some voices. The wind is blowing over us and I can hear something moving in it. Our clothes, I think."
"Good." He strokes his thumb over her hand repeatedly. "What else?"
"My heartbeat. My breathing. My own voice." She bits her lip. "I can hear you breathing as well."
Marie guides his hands up to her shoulders.
"That was the sound of your hands…"
"…there is also touch. You can tell me what you're feeling as well."
She nods; unbeknownst to her, she has stopped shaking. "Your hands are warm. They're on my shoulders…no, on my waist now. You're holding me?"
"I am holding you."
A breathy laugh. "You're smiling, aren't you."
He returns the laugh. "Yes, I am."
"Is this something like what you do?"
"You're getting there." His hearing is enhanced, too, by his Innocence. She is not doing a bad job.
She continues. "You're stroking my side…and…oh, one of your hands is on my leg. A-and the other…"
"And the other?"
"Its…oh, I can't say it!" She inhales noisily. "I—"
"I can stop if you're uncomfortable."
"No, don't." A shake of her head. "No. This is…this is new. You can go on."
"Then you have to tell me what you're feeling."
"Do I?"
"It'll make you more aware." Not really; he's just giving into his desires and he…curious as to how far she'll go with him.
"Oh." She swallows and continues. "Your hand—it's on my breast." Her teeth stutter over the last part. "You're rubbing it…and now the other. Your hand on my thigh is squeezing and—" A quick exhale. "You're squeezing my breasts as well."
"Does it feel all right?"
"It feels…It feels nice." Her hands reach for his arms. "It feels very nice." She is leaning towards him.
His pants have become a little tight. "And this?" He suddenly pulls her against his body.
"Ah—" She doesn't move at first. "I can feel you against me. You're warm and you're not like the boat. You're alive. You're very solid."
This is too slow. While he is patient, he wants a little more. So he inches his hand to her pants. Here she hesitates again until he asks; she undoes her own belt and unzips it. Just as he is about to slip his hand in, she stops him.
"A-aren't we still outside?"
"We are."
"Someone could see us!"
"No, listen." He runs a hand through her hair. "Hear anything?"
A pause.
"Only the wind and water."
"There is no one." The people are very far away. "We're not doing to entirely undress, if that help."
She nods against his shoulder, and then she gasps when he cups her through a thin layer of underwear. In a shaky voice, she narrates.
"I'm feeling…strange. But it's a good sort of strange. Y-your finger is…ah, in the right place. It's going around and around and I…it's nice. I'm…oh, I d-don't know anymore." Her fingers tighten on his shoulders.
"Have you ever done this yourself?"
"N-no." She moans and then puts her hand over his mouth. "I haven't. But is it supposed to feel this way?"
"Yes." He dips his fingers slightly into her. He wants to loosen his pants to find relief for himself. "And it will only get better."
"B-better." Her heart rate elevates. "Better's good."
"Its very good." And then he stops.
"…N-Noise Marie?"
"One moment." Unzipping himself when he's shaking isn't a good idea. But it's been a while since he has been with anyone, and the anticipation of waiting has driven him long enough. He wants her.
He aligns their bodies and pillows her head with her hand. His other hand pushes her pants down.
"If you don't want to do this, we don't have to," he whispers. "Miranda, are you all right with this?"
"Yes." And then to his surprise, she seeks out his face with her fingers, and then she kisses him. Some sort of emotion rises in him, and he kisses back forcefully. Their tongue touch and it is like they're sharing a bit of each other, with these kisses. There is a lot of regret that he can taste from her, many broken dreams and let downs, but as bitter as it is, he can also taste the hope, the want, and still more dreams.
Still, he has to ask. "Do you trust me?" There is still time for him to pull away, for them to pretend this never happened.
"I've always trusted you."
Such words reassure him. When he enters her, she does not tremble, but rather seems to welcome him. The boat shifts, but she has forgotten her anxiety as she whispers his name.
He draws in his breath, one hand braced against rough wood. "Are you all right?"
"Yes." When he shifts, she arches her head back. "A-ah."
Marie forces himself to go slow, for her sake. By now it's dark and there even less chance of anything seeing them. They move together and he marvels at the softness of her lips and how fragile her frame is.
For one moment, when she melts against him and gasps, her heart rate accelerating, he wishes he could see her face. He has already seen it with his fingers and hearing, but he wants to see her face and the color of her eyes, one look. She must be beautiful, more beautiful than he could ever imagine.
"Miranda," he exhales, fingers trapped in her hair and her name stuck on his tongue.
They kiss again; their breathes mixed together as their chests heave and limbs turn leaden. She doesn't let go of his hand, and neither does he. Together, they lay side by side on the boat.
Miranda first breaks the silence. "It's more vivid than I thought, being unable to see." She pulls off her coat. "So many things I could hear and feel better without sight."
He strokes the side of her face with a finger, letting her speak.
"I think…you're amazing, Noise Marie. I'm sorry if…if I didn't do a thing." She fidgets. "B-but, thank you."
"No, thank you." He kisses her cheek. "Thank you for trusting me. And you don't need to say sorry. You were wonderful."
Her laughter might just be the most beautiful sound tonight, like music to his ears.
When they return, the man they rented the boat from is mad at first, but Marie pays him generously for the extra time. He ends up carrying her in her arms. One of the Finders give them a knowing look, and he knows he'll probably be peppered with questions when they go back to the Order.
It was still worth it, the chance to be with her.
Author's Note: I apologize for any inaccuracies regarding Venice. It's been more than ten years since I toured Italy.