Author's note: Right, so I haven't written shoujo-ai in a while, and I got inspired by a packet of chips and salsa dip yesterday. XD; No, I don't know how my mind works, either. Anyway, just a short ficlet. Isn't a first chapter of anything, though.

Pairing: Kisara x Mana.

Disclaimer: Don't own Yuugiou, Kisara or Mana.

Warnings: This contains femmeslash, which is love between two girls. It's very light in this fic, though; barely even there, in fact. Also, much angst.

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Pretend

She knows where the girl is, knows her name and knows her face – unlike any other she's encountered during her life in Egypt.

Blue, crystalline, pale, bittersweet, moonstruck, and sad for the disappearance of a thousand suns that could have warmed her skin on a cool day. Temples, brothels, the palace; everything whizzes past so quickly in these war-torn days that she hopes will come to pass. People don't notice as she ducks and weaves, in and out of the crowd as fast as a bolt of lightning; frenzy, hurry, get there before it's too late, her mind is repeating to her.

She obeys.

Desert stretches for miles around her; she's come to the furthest reaches of the city, where thieves and bandits skulk in the dark alleyways; she's not here to stop and pity them – someone else is calling to her. Her pace is quick, panicked; the sand beneath her feet seems to drop away with every step, urging and urging her on.

Down the stairs, staff tossed aside, she falls to her knees before the dungeon in which the girl is kept. Her fingers curl around the iron bars tightly; she blinks back tears. It's not fair; not right, nor just, nor humane to see the listlessness in those pale blue eyes, or to feel the clamminess of her skin.

Eyes that used to be so vibrant are now lacklustre; Mana reaches for the girl's hand anxiously, but there's no sign of life, no sign that her presence has been noticed – only the girl's huddled form in the corner, back to Mana, head on her knees, and hair acting as a curtain to shield her face from view.

"Kisara," she whispers, "it's me."

There's a moment of silence; Mana's praying to every god she believes in there's still some fight left inside Kisara.

"Kisara…" Her voice is on the verge of cracking, hand barely reaching the fabric of Kisara's clothing. It's rough, but her skin beneath is smooth and the bruises – oh, the bruises are purple and blue and Mana knows how it happened but has to get the girl out.

Out, out, out.

"Please…" Tears spring to her eyes and, with a final effort, she lunges, fingers curling around Kisara's. The girl starts, turning her head to face Mana, pale eyes wide with surprise; but a small smile follows soon after.

"You came back," Kisara says softly, as her fingers grip Mana's tightly, and she turns more toward the girl pressed against the bars. Mana's eyes are bright, now, but glossy with tears, and Kisara leans against the bars; weak as she is, she feels like she can do anything now that Mana's there. "You came back…"

"I-I'm sorry," Mana whispers, clutching Kisara's hand as though she's about to be torn away. In a way, she is; the other girl's smile is still small, but sad, because that smile will never glance down at Mana beside her, warmed by the sun, ever again.

Tears are spilling freely from Mana's eyes; Kisara's heart is wrenching in her chest. If only she didn't have to be so different; if only she hadn't come into Mana's life – they'd be better off without each other…

"Things will be okay," Kisara murmurs, drawing Mana's hand to her lips and pressing a kiss to it, before slipping an arm through the bars and wrapping it around Mana's shoulders as best she can. After all, one of them has to be strong for the other, and she can feel her clothes dampening with Mana's tears.

For now, they can just pretend.

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A/N: That ends another undate for me, as far as today goes. I've got an Azureshipping trilogy set coming soon, as soon as I've finished writing up the first part to it (I wrote the second part first, but it has a prequel). Anyway, any reviews are greatly appreciated, especially constructive criticism. :D I've never written these characters before, really, so I hope I did okay.-sweat- Anyway, until next time. :3