Love, Truth and Reconciliation
By Kamen Rider Omega and Major Mike Powell
"I'm sorry. I love you." Umi's words hit Honoka just a second after the vicious palm to her cheek.
"You're the worst..." Honoka looked at Umi in disbelief, her vision blurry with tears, lifting a hand to her stinging cheek. Umi's own amber eyes were overflowing with tears as well. The salty drops were dripping past her chin in a few seconds. "YOU'RE THE WORST!"
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"I'm sorry. I love you." Umi's words still haunted Honoka long after that fateful day on the rooftop.
Everyone has a breaking point.
Honoka took all the blame, no matter how badly her dear friends and fellow school idols told her otherwise: Overexerting herself before their live performance and passing out after the first song because of it...Muse pulling out of the run for the Love Live contest...That really, really hurt. But for Honoka...what hurt the most was Kotori.
Umi, Honoka and Kotori were lovers. They had been lovers since Valentine's Day.
Lovers were supposed to tell each other everything. Lovers were supposed to share everything. No secrets, right?
And yet Kotori kept it from Honoka. Umi knew all along, yet neither of them told Honoka anything.
Honoka was disappointed, angry, heartbroken.
Muse had gone into an indefinite hiatus, Eri had told her. Muse could only work if it had nine members, so had Nozomi said.
Umi nor Kotori had talked to Honoka since the day she had quit being a school idol. The auburn-haired girl was almost desperate, praying to God that their beautiful relationship wouldn't crash and burn. Honoka missed Umi and Kotori's touch, their kisses, their embrace, their warmth.
Umi's words, however, "I'm sorry. I love you" gave Honoka just a tiny bit of hope.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Honoka felt her heart plummet like a stone, her mind unsure of what to do. Her face still stung where she had been slapped. And as she looked at the idol group listings, the pain of knowing that they would not make it to Love Live hit her in the heart, her tears flowing as she felt it all overwhelm her.
She pulled out the box that had held the chocolates that Umi and Kotori had given her, where she also kept the picture that they had taken in the Ferris wheel.
Umi and Kotori were sitting on her sides, planting a kiss on her cheeks.
The picture had been taken by Kotori in a spur of the moment, and Honoka's face was lit up brighter than a Christmas tree.
Honoka's baby blue eyes shone with tears, yet they looked warmly at the picture. The auburn haired girl held the box of chocolates and the picture with her beloved close to her chest.
She loved them dearly. They were her closest friends. They were her dearest lovers.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Pulling back and releasing the bowstring was a feeling Umi enjoyed
She focused on her mark, and set her arrow in its course, until it was released, finding its target.
Umi felt a twinge of melancholy fill her mind, as the most important arrow she ever fired was not one she ever intended to let go, and it was now lodged in Honoka and Kotori's hearts.
She blushed despite herself, realizing she was comparing herself to cupid.
Still, Umi didn't want their relationship to end. Not like this. There was hope for Honoka. She was sure, after all, she had enough presence of mind to say "I'm sorry, I love you" to Honoka before she slapped her in her outburst, but her heart clenched at the thought of Kotori leaving her, leaving them. She needed to tell Honoka how she felt, however. They hadn't talked for days since the incident on the rooftop.
Fortunately, she would get her chance, and she would see that Honoka and Kotori still loved her and each other just as much as ever.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
And then, a few days later, Honoka was invited to a girls' day out by three of her classmates, who she now felt bad for neglecting so much.
That afternoon of fun definitely lifted Honoka's spirits, and she was particularly confused when it was her turn to play on a DDR machine. Before she knew it, Honoka was dancing to the music, scoring perfect steps, one after the other.
And it was after she had practically aced the song that Honoka realized that she loved it; she loved to dance. She loved to sing. She LOVED being a school idol. She loved to perform so, SO very much...she now understood how big of a fool she was to let it all go like that. She was a victim of circumstance. She was driven to her breaking point...and acted on impulse because of it.
And not only did Honoka realize how much she loved being a school idol. She also realized she had to get Umi and Kotori back.
She HAD to get them back.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Honoka woke with her heart still encased in a blanket of uncertainty.
She went about her morning as per usual, but every moment with the thought of not seeing Kotori and being at the receiving end of Umi's frustration clouded her judgment. However, the young girl in love steeled her resolve. She WOULD get her lovers back.
She felt her fingers reach tentatively for her phone, before swallowing her fear and rapidly dialing Umi's number, asking her to meet her in the auditorium
Honestly, Honoka almost feared that Umi wouldn't even show up. So, it was with immense relief that Honoka saw her bluenette girlfriend step into the auditorium.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"I am used to being pushed around by you. Kotori is just like me, you know?" Umi's words rang in Honoka's mind as she stared, panting and sweating, into her beloved Kotori's surprised golden eyes. "She needs you to push her into what you want to do."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Kotori truly felt divided for the first time in her life.
She had a great chance to study fashion. To become educated by experts in America…but it would mean leaving u's behind, and most importantly, to leave behind the loves of her life. She would've loved to see them again before she left…she would've loved to give them a smile, to embrace and give them a kiss…anything to part ways with a smile on her face.
Kotori gasped loudly when she heard a very familiar voice.
"Please don't go, Kotori-chan!" Honoka cried out, tugging the beautiful ash-brunette into her arms, holding onto her beloved like her life depended on it.
"Kotori-chan...please...I know I'm being selfish, but I don't want you to go! Please...let me be selfish again, Ok? I love you too much to let you go..." Honoka cried into the other girl's neck, before pulling away, cupping Kotori's soft cheek in her hand, moving her fingers into her ash-brown locks and pulling her in for a long, deep, desperate kiss.
Kotori didn't take long to melt into Honoka's kiss, as she wrapped her own arms around her blue-eyed lover as her will to leave went out like a candle light in the wind. Soon, she was kissing Honoka back with as much passion and love as she could possibly muster.
It didn't matter that they were in a crowded airport in public. All of that flew out the window as they became filled with nothing but affection, for what seemed like an eternity.
Soon, Honoka and Kotori came back from their passion-driven moment and walked off, hand in hand, out of the airport, meeting Umi at the entrance. She was waiting with a beaming smile on her face.
The three beautiful lovers embraced each other tightly before Umi kissed Kotori and Honoka softly on the lips.
"Let's go, girls. We have a concert to perform."
Kotori and Honoka nodded with determined smiles.
And so it was that hope was restored in the love between Umi, Honoka and Kotori, as well as the rest of Muse as they sang their original song, finally as a full group, "Start Dash!". They performed flawlessly in front of a completely packed auditorium, just as Honoka had said the first time they performed there, that time when it was only Umi and Kotori dancing and singing with her.
The concert was an overwhelming success.
The crowd had left after some time, many asking for autographs, others asking for pictures, but the Muses took the press with humble enthusiasm
After the masses had left, Honoka pulled Umi and Kotori into the back room behind the stage. "Umi-chan, kotori-chan," she said to them in a very soft tone. "I'm so sorry for being so selfish…" She would have said more, but Umi and Kotori each placed a finger on her lips, silencing her instantly, both of them bearing radiant smiles, which made Honoka smile in return. They then embraced each other tight.
The other Muses, in the mean time, were aware that they needed a moment alone. However, as they waited, Hayano began to kiss Rin softly on the lips, Eri had pulled Nico into a passionate makeout session, and Maki and Nozomi were wrapped up in each others arms, the Muses galvanizing their bonds even more.
And that night, Umi, Honoka and Kotori had their own private, most intimate celebration, willingly losing themselves to each other, enjoying the sweetest of embraces, quickly becoming reacquainted with each other's sweet, loving touch.
The three lovers fell asleep that night with joyous smiles on their faces, sharing a quiet "I love you".
~Fin~
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Authors' Notes: Hey yo, everybody~!
So, is anybody surprised that Omega-kun and I wrote a story based off episodes 12 and 13? Anybody? Nobody? LOL Yeah, that's what I thought. But, dayum if this story wasn't fun to write! :3 We're both quite happy with how this story turned out, and just so you know: this was my idea, initially. I focused mostly on Honoka, while Omega-kun handled Umi and Kotori. Because UmixHonokaxKotori ish lurv~ (Heart) And of course, the rest of the Muses weren't left behind. ;3 That was Omega-kun's idea. (Playfully chops Omega-kun on the forehead)
Omega-kun: I enjoyed helping Major craft this wonderful story, and though I was having technical issues, Major was patient and understanding throughout.
Many thanks for letting me be a part of this project.
Major-kun: you're most welcome, my friend. :3
Omega-kun: Also, I want to see reviews dammit!
(Sweatdrops) Yesh. Me too, Omega-kun. XD
So, with that said, we sincerely hope you enjoyed this little one-shot and will show your appreciation with a lovely li'l review. Thanks~!
Till next time~!
Semper-Fi! Carry on!