Mariam wiped some ocean hued hairs out of her emerald eyes as she stared longingly at the door. Mariah was supposed to be home hours ago... Mariam hoped nothing had happened.
Today was the day that Mariah had agreed to tell her friends and family that she and Mariam were going out as a couple, and planned to get married when they were of age. And the SaintShield knew of Mariah's family to be a little more strict than her own, so she was at a decent amount of worry when Mariah had decided she'd better go alone.
Now the blue-haired girl sat on her couch in the living room closest to the stairs of her porch, so she could hear and eagerly await her girlfriend's arrival back home. Mariam looked at the clock, biting her lip.
Three hours had passed since Mariah left.
....What if they'd gotten really really angry, and hurt her...?
....Or if they locked her in her room, and said they wouldn't let her out till Mariah agreed to never see Mariam again...? The girl sighed heavily. All of it was too scary to think about.
Mariam knew that Mariah always told her not to worry. But that's what Mariam always did; Worry. Even if she didn't seem like the type. Mariah would say that she was a big girl, and that she could take care of herself. Which Mariam knew. But almost like a mother cares for her child, Mariam cared about Mariah's well-being and grew worried if the mountain cat was even twenty minutes late for a dinner date.
Just then, the house door opened.
Mariam's head shot in the direction of the stairs before getting off the couch and calling her girlfriend's name.
"Mariah..?" Mariam felt relieved at hearing the reassuring voice answer back.
"Yeah Mary, it's me." Mariah said, kicking off her shoes and walking up the stairs with a small smile. Mariam smiled weakly and crossed her arms at seeing the feline emerge on the top floor.
"I was worried.... What took you so long?" The shark asked, rubbing her arms against the chill that flew in from Mariah opening the door. Mariah just giggled, pulling off her coat and throwing it down onto a wall hook in the porch then running her hands through her wet pink hair.
"The rain. I tried to wait it out at the corner store, but it only started to rain heavier. So I knew I'd better rush home before-" Mariah's sentence was cut off as a loud crack of thunder cut the rainfall.
"...That happened." Mariah smiled, sitting down on the couch and heaving a sigh. Mariam sat down next to her, and took her friend's hand.
".....How'd it go?" She asked, watching Mariah's golden orbs for a hint of good news.
Mariam almost jumped for joy when she saw more than just a hint.
"They're happy for us. And aren't ashamed at all. Just a little surprised!" Mariah laughed, jumping forward and wrapping her arms around Mariam tightly.
Mariam couldn't help but laugh with her and hug the shorter girl tightly, burying her head in the mass of pink locks while Mariah did the same to her blue ones.
"I'm so happy Marie!" Mariam said with a bright grin, rubbing Mariah's back and rocking slightly with the girl. Mariah nodded quickly as she pulled back from the hug, her still wet bangs drooping in front of her joyful eyes and matting around her tanned face.
"Now we get to spend forever and ever together..." Mariah said romantically, leaning in and brushing Mariam's temple with her cool lips. The taller girl giggled as Mariah's wet hair drifted across her cleavage not hidden by her tank top, and got off the couch.
"I know. And I'm happy." Mariam smiled, her own bangs shadowing her left eye mysteriously. "But for now, let's get you into a warm bath." Mariam extended her hand, and smiled kindly as Mariah took it and followed her Love into the washroom.
Mariam bent over the bathtub, and turned the taps, smiling as the clear water began to rush out in a delightful temperature for her lover. If Mariah didn't get the chill out of her bones soon, she would catch cold.
And neither of them wanted that, so Mariah began to strip down, her soggy sweater hitting the floor with a loud 'whop' and her damp trousers following it. Mariam stood up straight again with her arms crossed and smiled weakly as the pinkette dislodged her light pink bra and next her light pink panties.
Then she slipped down into the bathtub, sighing softly as the hotness of the water made her fingertips and toes tingle with the change of temperature. Mariah turned her head to Mariam as the girl was walking out of the bathroom.
"..Where are you going?" She asked. Mariam turned her head back to her.
"...Out?.. I thought you'd want to enjoy your bath alone..?" Mariam said, a smirk tugging at her lilac lips. But, Mariah smirked too, and raised a finger, beckoning her Love to come back over. Mariam sighed jokingly, pushing the door closed gently, and walking back over to the tub.
The tall girl sat down on the rug in front, staring into Mariah's eyes peacefully.
"I thought you were a big girl. Big girls bathe by themselves." The blunette said softly, reaching into a drawer on the vanity and pulling out a lighter. She next took an ivory candle, and lit it aflame, the room beginning to smell of sweet vanilla. While at the same time, with one of the lights off especially, it cast a beautiful, melancholy glow across the skin of the two females.
"I know. And I am. But, sometimes I just want someone to talk to." Mariah said lovingly, her wet hand extending over the pale tiles of the tub, and grasping the cool hand of her partner. Mariam smiled weakly at it, drops of water running down her wrist and dripping onto her jeans from Mariah's limb, and then raised it to her own lips, and kissed the soft skin.
A small purring sound began to resonate from the pinkette's throat, and Mariam smiled at it. Mariah, Ray, Lee, Gary and Kevin were the only ones who could do that. And it was a beautiful sound.
"I'm so happy, Mariam..." Mariah said a few moments later. "I was so scared too..." Her voice quivered a little, causing Mariam to look at her calmly, the light of the candle flame casting shadows and a golden glow upon her pale skin. "I thought.. I thought maybe they wouldn't approve.... That maybe, after we met again months ago, that you wouldn't come and live with me... I.. I need you." Mariam scanned her face with her emerald orbs.
Mariah had never talked like that about her before...
"........I don't know what to say......" Mariah's eyes almost widened a little at that.
........What did Mariam mean?
".....I didn't know where I was going, just a few months ago. Now, after the thing with the bitbeasts... I find myself somewhere I never thought I'd be." Mariah's heart continued to sink. "I was... Swimming in my own head... Going round in circles, ...Thinking about you and me."
"......What are you trying to say?" Mariah gulped, her golden eyes laden with worry. Mariam looked at her again, before looking back at her hands, free from Mariah's now, wrapped around her bent knees.
".....How do I explain it when I don't know what to say?...... So much has changed......"
"....................................Do you want to leave me?" The White Tiger said, minutes later. Mariam looked back at her again quickly.
"....No.. Nothing I've ever known has made me feel this way..... Nothing but you." With that, Mariam got to her knees and leant over the tub, caressing Mariah's damp cheek before kissing her softly; But with all the Love in the world.
Mariah felt her cheeks turn a shade of pink almost as bright as her hair. Then she began to move her lips over Mariam's.
Mariah knew this was difficult. Mariam had left her team.. Her family, ...Behind in her old village, to come and live with Mariah here. Things did change. But Mariah wanted Mariam with her so much.. The first day she'd met her, things seemed to lighten in her world.
She saw purpose, and life in Mariam's beautiful, mysterious face. Mariah wanted to solve, and be a part of those mysteries.
The kiss broke.
"Nothing I've ever known, Mariah, has ever made me feel this way." Mariah watched her, tears welling in her eyes. "I want you to know I'm ready. For you. I... I feel home here. I've never felt something so strong...." Mariam voice trailed off, as did her eyes.
Mariah thought she was crying too.
Mariam was the one she was looking for, after Ray. The one she needed.
"Mariah, the day after we first met, I followed that star that we looked at together on the roof of the BBA building. I wished on it...... We found eachother again." A tear fell down the neko-jin's cheek. ".....I know, ...I know where I'm going." Mariah let out a cry, and threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around Mariam's waist and pulling the girl into the bath as well.
Mariam sighed at the hot water, wrapping her arms around Mariah. The water that had splashed across the floor has succeeded in hitting the candle, and the flame doused, as lightning cracked and rain hit the windows of the bathroom harder than before.
The two were left in darkness, left in eachother's arms.
To think; There are people in the world who would call it wrong.
Love as strong as this, was wrong.
Mariam thought about it as she cradled Mariah's head, stroking the girl's soaked hair. The ends of her own were now damp as well, and clung around her water-stained tank top.
'Here I am,' she thought, 'Here I'll stay.' Mariam turned her head towards the doused candle.
Then, extending one arm, grasping the lighter and lighting it again.
Mariam knew where she was going.
Time for a new beginning.
Right now I feel...
Just like a leaf on a breeze..
Who knows where it's blowin' ..
Who knows where it's goin'..
I find myself somewhere I, I never thought I'd be.
I'm goin' round in circles..
Thinkin' about you and me.
How do I explain it when, I don't know what to say.
What do I do now,
So much has changed..
Nothing I have ever known, has made me feel this way.
Nothing I have ever seen, has made me want to stay.
But here I am, ready for you...
I'm turnin', I'm fallin',
I hear my home callin',
Yeah...I've never felt somethin' so strong, oh no.
It's like nothing I've ever known.
Now you're the one I'm looking for,
You're the one I need.
You're the one that gives me, a reason to believe.
Following a star, has lead to where you are.
It feels so strong now..
This can't be wrong now.
Nothing I have ever known,has made me feel this way.
Nothing I have ever seen,has made me want to stay.
but here I am,ready for you...
I'm turnin', I'm fallin',
I hear my home callin',
Yeah... I've never felt somethin' so strong, oh no.
It's like nothing I've ever known.
It's like nothing I've ever known.
Right now I feel.... Like a leaf on a breeze.
Who knows where it's blowin'...
And who knows where I'm goin'....