Last little wrap-up!
Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.
Epilogue.
After a hearty dinner and some long, much-deserved showers, the girls wish each other sweet dreams and retreat to bed.
When they are the only two left in the hallways, Maya casts Claudine and inquiring glance. Claudine huffs softly, then struts onward past her own bedroom and heads with Maya toward hers.
They leave the lights off as they go straight to the bed and collapse softly together.
Claudine reaches for Maya's face tenderly, brushing her thumb gently across her temple.
"How's your headache?" she murmurs. Maya hadn't said anything explicitly, but Claudine had caught her flinching now and then during supper and swaying dizzily after her shower.
Maya smiles and leans into her palm.
"As good as gone."
Claudine huffs.
"At least now you know how I feel at all times when I'm with you. The headache is almost constant."
Maya purrs and leans in to kiss the bridge of her nose.
"My sincerest apologies."
Claudine pouts.
"You're forgiven. For now."
Maya chuckles and kisses her lips, slowly moving herself to lie on top of her. Claudine loosely tangles her hands through Maya's hair, stroking up and down her back.
Maya kisses her slowly, hazily, until she can feel Claudine tensing. She eases back to let her breathe, then peppers a few softer kisses along her hairline.
"I suppose you are a bit too tired to continue our activities from earlier?"
Claudine sputters.
"You remember that-?"
"Of course I do. It was me, after all." Then, Maya loses her playful smile for a moment, and her eyes grow concerned. "I… didn't truly frighten you at the time, did I?"
Claudine laughs and pulls her down into another kiss.
"Of course not. I just didn't have the time then. You're fine, Maya."
Maya sighs with relief and hugs her tenderly.
They're quiet for a moment, settling comfortably in against each other until Maya eases back to look at her again.
"My apologies, Claudine," she murmurs. "I didn't mean to hurt you or make you feel uncomfortable, or-"
"Mechate va!" Claudine sighs. "I know that, Maya. Those parts of you didn't have full control of themselves. Don't worry. I'm fine. I promise." Claudine brings her down to kiss her again, to make sure Maya knows her honest feelings. "If anything, I should apologize. I invaded your most personal and intimate thoughts and memories… I'm sorry, Maya."
"Claudine…" Maya almost smiles, but her mind flashes back to the difficult memories and feelings she'd recently been made to relive. For a moment, her eyes fill with tears, and Claudine's heart twists with dismay. But then, Maya breaks out into a beautiful smile.
"Claudine," she murmurs, easing down to hug her once more. "There is no one else I would have rather shared such things with. Thank you for coming to find me once again. Thank you."
Claudine lets out a breath that withers with relief as she hugs her tighter.
"Of course. I'll go find you as many times as it takes, Maya. I'll always come, no matter what."
She hears a soft sob, and feels a slight dampness seeping into her shoulder. But Maya's pulse is light and happy over her own.
Claudine holds her for a long while, savoring her closeness. She caresses her until her touch has made Maya too happy for tears. Maya chuckles instead, turning her face to peck a soft kiss to Claudine's neck. Claudine hums.
"I never knew you were that addicted to baumkuchen," she mutters. "And to see you with a hoard of puppies and kittens… my heart nearly melted. For as annoying and infuriating as you are, you're awfully precious and adorable, too."
Maya blushes in the darkness.
"So you recall all of that, too."
"I do. And I won't be forgetting those anytime soon," Claudine says smugly. Maya retaliates by running her nails lightly up over her ribs, and Claudine squeals. "H-Hey!"
"Oh my, it was a mistake."
"Why, you-"
They wrestle for a moment, and then lose themselves to the laughter, until their lips come together and they quiet down once again. Tired smiles meet in another kiss as they sigh against each other.
"Claudine?"
"What is it?"
"I didn't know we were engaged."
Claudine chokes.
"What?!"
"That is what you'd told me," Maya says innocently. "Who else would you be engaged to?"
"I never said it was to you!"
"You never said it wasn't me, either."
"Enough! I'm going to sleep!"
"Very well."
Claudine pouts up at her, but she's gotten so comfortable and warm holding Maya on top of her that she lets her stay.
Maya kisses her one more time before moving down to lie her head on Claudine's chest. The soft beat of her heart does wonders to ease Maya's lingering headache away, and it puts her into a state of cozy slumber.
Claudine finally closes her eyes, keeping her arms wrapped protectively around Maya, daring anything to come and try to take her away from her. Nothing does, because it wouldn't have stood a chance.
"Bonne nuit, Ma Maya," Claudine whispers, leaving one last kiss on top of her head.
Maya hums back.
"Bonne nuit… Ma Claudine… Je t'aime."
Claudine tells her right back.
"Je t'aime."
And at last both girls drift off into a much-deserved slumber, where they dream of having a picnic together amidst a beautiful rose garden.
A/N: And there you have it! Thanks again to 0mn for this really neat concept! I had a lot of fun with it!
Please review!