Author's Note: This is a work of shoujo-ai fiction. Shoujo-ai translates to "girl love". That means lesbians. If this makes you in any way uncomfortable, afraid, emasculated, or otherwise, please hit the back button. And you may want to avoid me or any products of my homo-centric imagination in the future.
Innocent Conversation
"Mako-chan?" Ami's voice trembled slightly.
Makoto looked up, gazing across the dining room table at her friend. She'd sensed, earlier that day, that Ami had something she was feeling uneasy about. Determined to discover what was bothering her best friend, Makoto had invited her over for dinner. As she'd hoped, Ami appeared to be bringing up the issue on her own. "Yes, Ami-chan?"
Looking down at her plate, Ami folded her hands in her lap. A faint blush coloured her cheeks, adding to her nervous appearance. "Have you… um, I mean… well, have you ever wondered… what it was like… to…" She hesitated. "To kiss a girl?"
A wistful smile broke on Makoto's lips. "Yeah… I wondered. Some time ago…" she shook her head. "That doesn't matter. Why?"
Ami mumbled something in the general direction of the floor. Shaking her head, Makoto asked for clarification, but was shocked when Ami's voice came out suddenly loud. "I've been wondering, lately."
Smiling broadly, Makoto said, "I stopped wondering, awhile ago."
"What? Why?" Ami's confusion and apprehension – now where did that come from, Makoto wondered – were written all over her. Her eyes were wide as she searched Makoto's face.
She grinned again. "I found out. You remember Tomoko-chan, my writer friend?" At Ami's nod, she continued. "She and I weren't just friends." Makoto's smile was tinged with reminiscence, no less happy, but a touch wistful. "We never went very far, neither of us were comfortable enough for that. But we kissed. We went out on dates a few times." She shook her head. "It was mostly hero worship, on both our parts. She admired me because I didn't take any crap from anyone. I admired her because she had a beautiful mind.
"In the end, I don't think you can generalize it that way." At her friend's confused expression, Makoto cleared her throat sharply and continued. "Well, I think it's probably different with everyone. I mean, no two people hug the same way, so why should they all kiss the same way? Especially dependent on gender," she said. "No, I think everyone is a little different."
Flushed, Ami bowed her head again. "What… well, how… do you think I would?"
Laughing, Makoto stepped around the table and crouched by Ami's chair, fighting the urge to lift her face to look at her, knowing it would only embarrass the poor girl further. "Tomoko-chan's kisses were artistic. Everything was delicate, like making a picture out of cobwebs. Gentle and soft, actually, almost wimpy." Makoto smiled softly. "I think your kisses would be just like you, Ami-chan."
"What, sad and unwanted?" Ami's voice was tainted with a heavy bitterness. The tone didn't suit her. Ami's fists clenched in her lap, tightening into hard balls. If possible, she pulled her face even further from Makoto's.
Makoto frowned, shaking her head, and placed one hand lightly on top of one of Ami's balled up fists. "No, Ami-chan. I think your kisses would be sweet and gentle, but when you push harder, you find that there's not so much give as you thought." She smiled. "I think you would find a lot of passion, hidden under a delicate and breakable surface."
"Is… is that what you think of me? Mako-chan?" Uncertainty crept into Ami's voice, making it tremble again.
"Ami-chan… what is this all about?" When Ami shook her head, Makoto knelt by her chair to look up into her eyes. "Ami-chan, talk to me. What's going on?"
"I'm…" Ami wrenched her eyes away, refusing to look at Makoto for her confession. Long moments passed while Ami's mouth worked, part of her trying to force the words out while fighting the urge to press her hands to her lips, keeping the words inside. "I'm in love with you, Mako-chan."
Makoto blanched. This was – unexpected, to say the least. A faint spark in her heart sang, growing brighter as it burned with joy. What was this? Makoto shook her head inwardly; she already knew. A more appropriate question would be, why hadn't she seen it before? Tomoko's beautiful mind was here, in Ami-chan, but more. Somehow perfected, and altered to be more real at the same time. Makoto made a mental note to kick herself later.
For a moment, there was silence. Ami felt her heart beat, once, twice, until she found herself so distracted by the turmoil of emotion running through her that she lost count. She wasn't sure if it was mere moments or days later that she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her. "Ami-chan." She almost winced hearing the softness in Makoto's voice. "How long has this been bothering you, Ami-chan?"
Ami gave a bitter, tired laugh. "Not long. Just since I met you. Three or four years."
Then, something happened. It was something that no one really expected, least of all the two people sitting in that room together. Makoto grabbed Ami's wrist and stood, pulling her with her, and kissed her.
The world spun. Inside herself, Makoto couldn't help but smile softly, realizing that she had been exactly right. Ami's kisses were exactly like the girl herself; unwilling to fight on the surface, with a rock-hard core that could make your head spin and your knees buckle.
It was amazing, what could come of a little innocent conversation.
This is a one-shot fic, no further chapters. All reviews greatly appreciated!
