The fourth and "last" time
Days go by and all Claudine can think about is the premiere's night of the play, growing more and more nervous every day that pass yet also getting busier, trying to make sure that every last detail is perfect.
She tries on the costumes she has to use for the play one last time to see if they fit her well or if they need some last hour retouch. She recites out loud her lines, making sure she had memorized them perfectly and takes extra good care of her voice. She also talks with her director about the last remarks for the upcoming play...
She's actually so busy going from here to there that she shouldn't have time to think about Maya, but she does.
She can't stop thinking about the brunette to the point that after much deliberating, she decides to buy her a ticket for the premiere night in front row, just in case they meet again so she can give it to her, wanting nothing more than the brunette to see her shining in such an important day.
Every time she walks through the crowded and cold streets of Tokyo on her way home and catches a glimpse of a brunette with dark clothes, she can't help but quickly turn around and follow the woman's trail trying to see if she is Maya.
Needless to say that none of them are the woman who keeps consuming her thoughts and dreams, the woman that ended up stealing her heart without her knowing it.
Once she makes sure the woman isn't Maya, she turns around to continue her way back home disappointed and frustrated.
As soon as she reaches her apartment complex and walks through its little garden, she can't help but divert her way to go to the alley behind the building, the place that unfortunately became their particular spot to find it empty.
And even though part of her is relieved that Maya isn't there bleeding out to death, she can't help but feel dejected, shaking her head and telling herself that not finding the brunette there is a good thing, before she goes up to her apartment, entering and closing the door behind her to sink in the most absolute darkness and silence.
She never thought her home could feel so empty and cold without the brunette's presence taking all her couch or her bed. She never thought she could feel so alone after she had been passing so many days with the brunette…
As she thinks about Maya again, the first timid tears start to roll down her face, falling onto the carpet. She wipes them away with the back of her hands and turns the music player on to fill the suffocating silence reigning in the apartment, wanting desperately to stop thinking about Maya, wanting to stop missing her.
She leaves it on while she showers, letting the water run cold to try and clear her mind off. Once fresh enough, she steps out of the shower and puts some comfortable clothes on before going to the living room to dance around it, practicing her lines out loud until she's completely sure she knows them by heart and goes to have dinner on her own, feeling the loneliest than ever before.
She sighs, finishing washing the pieces of cutlery she just used to go to her bed early to have a proper rest, closing her eyes and inhaling Maya's soft scent that still lingers on her sheets as it lures her to sleep.
She has an important and eventful day the next day.
In another part of the city, a brunette is crouched in the hard ground of an abandoned house, embracing herself to protect herself from the cold winter night as she goes meticulously over her plans for the next day one last time.
- Sorry ma Claudine but it seems that I won't be able to see you shining in your premiere – she sighs, passing her fingertips over a pamphlet with Claudine's face on it announcing the premiere of the ash-blonde's upcoming play.
Then, she presses it to her heart and closes her eyes to sleep, a tear rolling down her cheek.
When Claudine wakes up the next day, there's a mix of excitement and anxiety running through her veins. She lets out a shaky sigh, nuzzling the faint scent of Maya still lingering on her sheets before she gets out of her comfy bed to prepare her usual breakfast, some croissants buttered with marmalade and a mug of hot coffee.
She sits by the kitchen's table and swipes the screen of her phone to read the latest news.
She's scrolling down them when her eyes see a sparkling black gem that immediately catches her attention, remembering have seen it before.
Her eyes linger over the news, the exhibition of the beautiful silver chained necklace with a sparkling black gem in its middle, in one of the most prestigious jewelry shops of the city.
She sighs, thinking about how beautiful it looks yet how expensive it is for somebody like her, recalling again the conversation she had with Maya about it not much time ago, and shakes her head, trying not to think about the brunette again and keeps scrolling down to read other news as she sips her coffee mug.
The rest of the hours previous to the premiere are uneventful, trying to read some book or doing the house chores to distract herself, making the day pass in a flash, and sooner than expected, the hour in which Claudine has to leave her apartment comes.
She takes a deep breath of the calming scent her apartment always gives her and heads to the front door. As she does that, she falters in her steps at seeing the ticket she bought for Maya lying on the nightstand of her bedroom.
She looks at it warily, hesitating, before she decides to take it and puts it safely in her pocket, silently praying that she can see the brunette before the play starts to give it to her.
Claudine crosses her apartment and reaches the entrance, putting her shoes on before she closes the front door behind her and locks it.
As she gets out of the apartment complex, she diverts on her way out slightly to make a last minute check to the alley behind the building, making sure Maya isn't there before she resumes her walking towards the theater, taking in her surroundings to help herself to calm down.
Once she arrives to the theater and enters, she's greeted with the sight of the backstage of the theater being a hive of people rushing from one side to another in between yells and last hour retouches.
Claudine smiles happily, feeling now more excited than nervous and waves to the busy cast as she makes her way to the dressing room to get ready for the play.
At the same time she's putting her costume on, a brunette is putting on a pair of black gloves and a ski mask along her dark clothes to cover and hide her identity to the rest of the world.
Claudine gets out onto the stage with firm steps and a confident smile on her face, not letting it falter in the slightest as she scans over the theater rows, trying to catch a glimpse of brown hair, amethyst eyes and a unabashedly smirk.
Even though she didn't see the brunette and couldn't give her the ticket she still has saved safely in the pocket of her jeans in her dressing room, she still hopes the brunette keeps her word and had bought a ticket on her own to see her performing, even if Claudine can't find her anywhere.
She sighs disappointed but doesn't let it affect her. She puts the best smile she can muster on her face and focuses on the play, carrying her performance extraordinarily, shining as brightly as the star she dreams to be.
Maya, for her part, is trying to enter the planned place by the adjoining building, trying not to raise any suspicions.
She makes a hole in the wall cautiously and sneaks in the planned building, quickly shutting down all the alarms and breaking the cameras.
She takes a deep breath and takes a quick look to the map she carries with her, heading to the loot's room to see the infamous black gem sparkling intensely in the middle of the room, shielded by a crystal box as soon as she reaches the room.
Carefully, she takes tentative approaching the box, avoiding the lasers light on the floor and raises up the crystal box to take the object of her desires, before she goes back in her steps, avoiding the laser lights once again until she can finally run off, trying to escape before any unknown alarm could go off.
Fuck.
She curses, getting out of the jewelry shop by the adjoining building and running as fast as she can as she starts to hear an alarm going off.
Of course it wouldn't be so easy, there must have been some other inner alarm she wasn't aware of.
The sound of applauses fills the theatre, resonating as strong as Maya's strides against the concrete as she keeps running to hide in a nearby abandoned house.
She rests against its wall to catch her breath and peeks out her head from behind one of the almost ruined walls of the place to see if anybody has followed her or has saw her, seeing the street completely empty. She sighs alleviated and quickly changes her dark clothes into some casual jeans and a purple jersey under a coat that she had hid previously in the abandoned house as part of her plan.
She hides the gem in a safe place and walks out of the house as calmly as she can, pretending to be going for a casual walk around the place.
She keeps her calm façade as the strolls down the streets, hearing a far commotion as she heads towards the only place she had ever felt safe.
Claudine smiles brightly, bowing at the audience between applauses and cheers before the curtain falls.
Soon, she feels herself being enveloped in a tight hug and laughs, hearing her castmates congratulating her for her performance and for the great success they had in their first night.
- Saijo-san, you were wonderful – the director congratulates her, hugging her after the rest of the cast steps back, leaving her free.
- Thank you director and everybody, but it wouldn't have been such a great success if it wasn't because all of you too – she says, almost tearing up as she applauds at them.
All of them smile contentedly and get out onto the stage once again acclaimed by the public, bowing at the audience one last time before getting back inside. Claudine's eyes never cease to scan over the audience in the hope that she catches a glimpse of the brunette.
Just when she thinks she caught a glimpse of her, the woman turns slightly around to talk to her companion and Claudine is deceived once again.
She tries to conceal her disappointment with a happy smile on her face, congratulating the whole cast and crew once again before she goes to her dressing room to change back into her casual clothes to go back to her apartment. As much as she's happy and would like to stay with the cast to celebrate the succeed of their premiere night, the feeling of disappointment feels too heavy in her chest.
As soon as she steps outside the theater, she's greeted by a gust of cold air and the sound of sirens rushing at full speed to god knows where. She frowns briefly but brushes it off and buttons her coat up to start walking calmly.
- Agent number 16, there's been a robbery at the Seisho jewelry shop.
She hears in one of the police car's radio as she passes by on her way back home.
The Seisho jewelry shop.
She can't quite figure out why the name of the jewelry shop sounds so familiar to her until she realizes that it's the one that was exhibiting the beautiful black gem silver chained necklace she liked.
She shakes her head sadly. It was something to be expected. It was something really beautiful to not be stolen.
She sighs and keeps walking.
As she approaches to her apartment complex, she bites her lip debating if she should take a quick look to the alley behind the building or not, pausing at the entrance before she decides to go against it.
She doesn't think she can take any more disappointment concerning Maya, especially not today in such an important day.
Her feet resume their walking and she greets the doorman in his cabin before she enters the elevator, quickly reaching the front door of her apartment and introducing her key in the lock to twist it open with no resistance.
How strange, I thought I locked it before I left to the theater.
She thinks to herself, furrowing her brows as she opens the door slowly and cautiously. She finds the lights turned off, just like she left them before getting out so she turns them on, not finding anything unusual in her apartment.
She lets an alleviated sigh escape her lips and enters completely, closing the door behind her. As soon as she turns around, she yells out of fear.
- Aaaah!
- I apologize ma Claudine, it wasn't my intention to scare you – Maya says calmly, an apologetic smile playing on her lips.
- What...? How did you…? – Claudine stumbles over words, confused at how Maya entered her apartment and why is she there.
Upon thinking about the last part, Claudine starts to fume, stepping straight towards Maya to poke her chest furiously.
- You, infuriating woman! I told you not to leave and not only you disappear for days, leaving me worried and wondering about you and your wound, but you come back to my apartment, breaking into my home like nothing! – she yells at Maya angrily, poking her chest repeatedly to emphasize her reprimand until her finger hits something hard, retreating her finger in mild pain, holding it to her chest – What do you have? An iron chest?
- I apologize again, I needed to leave – Maya simply says infuriating Claudine more with her lame apologize.
Maya laughs lightly at the other woman's fuming expression before she takes Claudine's injured finger to leave a soft kiss on it, making her blush furiously and take her finger back.
- Méchante va! Don't do that! – Claudine squeals – and that doesn't explain how did you even enter my apartment!
Maya tilts her head, bringing a finger up to her lips in a silence gesture, a cheeky smile playing on her lips.
- That's for me to know and for you to find out.
Claudine groans, wanting to hit the brunette again but refrains and simply turns around, crossing her arms across her chest to try to hide her pout and light blush from Maya while thinking about how well Maya looks in casual clothes and not hurt at all.
Maya looks at her fondly, with a smile on her face and approaches her to place something around her neck, taking advantage that Claudine is with her back turned.
Upon feeling something being placed around her neck, Claudine brings her hand up to touch the object and gasps at its texture, staring wide eyed at the black gem resting on the palm of her hand.
- What the hell… How did you get it?!
Maya smiles at her softly, without saying anything.
- Oh my god! Don't tell me you…!
She exclaims, turning around so quickly that she almost gets dizzy, obliging Maya grab her by the elbow to steady her, seeing how Claudine looks at her with evident shock on her face.
- Please, don't tell me you… – she says in a low voice, hurt evident in her voice.
- I... I'm sorry – Maya says regretfully, lowering her head in embarrassment.
Claudine looks at her with sadness in her eyes, moving away from her towards the living's room table. Maya alarmed by the sudden distancing, rushes to grab her wrist and turn her around out of fear, crashing their lips to silence her and prevent the ash-blonde from calling the police.
Claudine upon this, struggles in her grip, managing to push Maya apart.
- What do you think you're doing!?
- I'm sorry, I just… please Claudine, don't call the police, I beg you.
Claudine sighs and shakes her head, leaving the necklace on the table.
- I wasn't going to call the police, silly. I'm just... not comfortable wearing this – she says, brushing her fingertips over the precious gem, looking at it mesmerized but dejected.
Maya looks at her with equal sadness, grabbing her own arm speechless, not knowing what to say or do to make Claudine look less sad.
They stay in an awkward silence not knowing what do to or say, Maya bracing herself while Claudine stares intensely at the gem in front of her, finding hard to believe that the gem is really there resting in her living room's table. It really is the gem she saw in the morning's news, the one she told Maya she liked a lot some time ago...
Now all the sirens and the radio calls of the police make sense.
- Did you... steal it? – she breathes out puzzled, bracing herself like Maya does, scared of the ugly but obvious truth.
- I… yes – Maya admits. There's no point in denying the evident.
- Why?
Maya gazes at Claudine, hearing the hurt laced in her voice, seeing it flashing in her eyes. She gulps, trying to control the feeling of disappointment and remorse growing inside her.
She hates to see Claudine looking at her like that.
- I… I don't' know… – she mumbles, lowering her head in embarrassment and disappointment, not wanting to tell Claudine the true reason of why she did it. She doesn't want to disappoint her even further.
But this answer only angers Claudine more, not understanding the brunette neither her attitude one bit.
- Idiot! How can you not know why you did it!? The police is behind you! You could go to jail! – she says angrily, poking Maya's chest once again.
- I know, Claudine... but... don't worry, I would never put you in danger nor in troubles. I promise.
Maya takes Claudine's hand to place a soft kiss on it before approaching dejected to the table, not bearing to take a look at Claudine's angered face. Then, she takes the necklace in her hand, hiding it from the ash-blonde sight and heads to the front door ready to disappear from Claudine's life once again, this time forever.
Claudine looks at her the entire time, following her movements with a mix of anger, sadness and bewilderment evident on her face. She sighs heavily and quickly crosses her living room to grab Maya's wrist and stop her.
She's quite disappointed at her and in all honesty she doesn't know what she's doing or even thinking properly for the matter, but she knows she doesn't want Maya to leave her apartment.
She doesn't want her to disappear from her life once again even in if that means to be involved in a big robbery scandal with such a gorgeous thief.
- Don't leave, just… stay. Please. We can talk about it and see how we can solve it – she tells her softly, resting her head on Maya's shoulder while grabbing Maya's hand to rub soft circles on it.
She looks at the brunette with a soft smile on her face, seeing Maya's face soaked in tears.
Maya blinks, spilling some more tears that Claudine quickly catches with her thumbs to wipe them away.
- Let's... let's talk about this more calmly, okay? – Claudine says softly, extending a hand towards Maya who smiles teary at her and a bit hesitantly, but gladly accepts it, letting Claudine guide her to the comfort and safety of her bedroom.
They sit on the bed in silence, Maya reorganizing her thoughts while Claudine waits for her patiently, her thumb never ceasing to rub circles on Maya's hands with the necklace trapped in between her hands.
- I… I don't know – Maya huffs frustrated, tightening the hold in the necklace, not knowing how to tell Claudine the true, scared of her reaction.
- Remember what you told me not long ago? Take a deep breath.
Maya smiles at Claudine's advice, recalling herself saying those words to a scared Claudine and follows it, taking a couple of deep breaths, feeling less frustrated and more calm thanks to the ash-blonde.
- You seemed to like the necklace when we saw it on the tv so I thought it would be nice to get it for you. I really wanted to see you wearing it so I thought, why not steal it to give it to you? But then I thought you wouldn't be happy about it so I thought it could be a big robbery with which I could get a big reward in the black market, so I planned everything out meticulously while you were away. Then I decided that it'd be the best if I left so I didn't put you in danger.
Maya sighs heavily and Claudine tightens her hold around Maya's hands, not knowing what to say, a swirl of emotions running wild inside her.
- The days we spend together… I... I loved them. I loved to stay with you, see you sleep or watch movies together... but they also served me to realize that I'm not good at anything but to steal and sometimes I'm not even good at that, you know? Proof of it are all my wounds and scars – Maya says humorlessly, showing Claudine the scar of the already healed wound on her stomach – Somehow it feels like I always manage to mess things up and get injured and have to leave without the loot before anybody can really catch me except this time. It's still a miracle that I managed to steal the necklace.
She chuckles then sighs, feeling Claudine's soft touch still on her skin.
- I'm… I'm not worthy of you Claudine… I'm just a useless thief…
Maya whispers the last part barely audibly and Claudine's heart shrinks painfully at her words and the way Maya sees herself.
- Maya… – Claudine breathes the brunette's name out softly, hugging her tightly and kissing her hair before she caresses her back up and down in a soothing way – I'm sure there's something else you can be good at that doesn't imply to steal. And hey! you still managed to get out of that alive so that's something – she tries to humor Maya, making her giggle a bit as she hugs her back – We'll find something. I promise.
Maya hears Claudine saying reassuringly, tightening her hold around her, and Maya somehow relaxes believing her words, hugging Claudine's waist tighter, yet she still chuckles hidden in her chest, wanting to laugh and cry at the same time.
She doesn't deserve the understanding and affection of this kind girl.
- And Maya? – Claudine says her name again, obliging her to look at her – You're more than just a thief. You're worthy enough of me. You really are, silly.
She ends up saying softly, cupping and stroking Maya's cheeks before kissing her tenderly, surprising Maya who quickly kisses her back.
They break the kiss in search for air and when Maya's eyes meet Claudine's, she can see for the first time in her life reassurance, understanding and hope.
She observes an intense glint in her deep magenta eyes that she doesn't understand what it is but it manages to take her breath away and charm her, drawing her to Claudine and leading her to kiss her again, this time more urgently.
Claudine quickly kisses her back, passion flowing through it and soon, she finds herself straddling the thief, the stolen gem necklace forgotten on the floor, hidden from their gazes under the bed.
Maya's hands rest on the actress' waist before they start roaming up, taking Claudine's shirt off to toss it away and then unclasp her bra quickly.
The ash-blonde does the same, stripping the brunette of her jersey and bra. Then, she pushes Maya down against the mattress.
Her eyes immediately notice all the scars marking the brunette's body, especially the ones she took care of and healed and she can't help but let her fingertips graze over them with delicacy, before her lips replace her touch, kissing every single scar and mark she comes across.
She takes special care of the one on her stomach, recalling how scared she was to lose the brunette.
- You did a good job healing it – Maya tells her softly, caressing her cheek as she notices Claudine going back to that day.
- You really made it hard to – Claudine whispers back, tracing the scar fleetingly.
- I know. I'm really sorry.
Claudine sighs and shakes her head before leaving another kiss on it.
- It's okay, you're healed and alive, and that's all that matters now.
She tells her softly, smiling tenderly at the brunette and Maya can already feel tears prickling out her eyes feeling the tenderness and affection of Claudine's touch, kisses and words. She never in her entire life felt like this, she never felt so much love and care, not even remotely by her parents.
She combs Claudine's hair in a desperate attempt to make her feel cared too and trying to not end crying but it's futile as Claudine looks right into her eyes so tenderly that her heart clenches and the first tears finally make their appearance, rolling down her cheeks until they're caught and wiped away once again by Claudine's thumbs.
- Don't cry, you look ugly when you do – Claudine tells Maya playfully and Maya can't help but laugh at her words, remembering a past time when she told her something similar.
- And whose fault do you think that is?
Claudine giggles, smiling at her once again, coming up to kiss her tenderly before going back to cherish her body, caressing and kissing every patch of skin and scars she comes across until slowly and almost without letting Maya realize of it, she strips her off the rest of her clothes and takes her own lower clothes off too, being the both of them naked.
A blush tints both of their cheeks as they admire one another's naked bodies, taking in their beauty.
Maya sits up slightly to pull Claudine into another sweet kiss before their hands and lips start to roam and explore the other's body with delicacy and tenderness, a fluttering feeling going over their skins until they end up reaching their climaxes together several times, yelling the other's name out.
Claudine exhausted after so many times coming, rests over Maya's chest, hearing her heart beating fast and hard against her ear, luring her into slumber.
- Stay – she mumbles sleepily over her chest, caressing it and kissing it.
- I… Claudine...
- Please Maya... I... I don't want you to go – Claudine confesses in a low voice, fisting her hand over Maya's chest and Maya can't help but sigh, opening Claudine's fist and intertwining their fingers.
- Okay – Maya complies, kissing the ash-blonde's hair to then stroke her bare back to help her fall asleep, following her close enough.
Morning comes soon, the first timid sunrays sneaking through the window of the bedroom to bathe Claudine's skin, standing out the blonde of her hair and waking Maya up.
The brunette gets lost admiring fondly the naked beauty in her arms, feeling a nasty pressure settling in her chest as she does it. She hugs the ash-blonde tightly but carefully, thinking about the previous night and the way she made her feel, the way her touch and words made her feel so cared and loved… but when she thinks about how they met, about who they are, coming from very different worlds and how many troubles and pain she has brought into Claudine's life, she can't help but feel unworthy of her again.
Maya sighs and places a soft kiss on Claudine's hair before she carefully detaches herself from the warm and smooth woman in her arms, sitting over the edge of the bed to search for her clothes to get dressed and leave stealthily, wanting to disappear from Claudine's life once and for all, but before she can move, a strong arm surrounds her waist, pulling her back to bed.
- Where do you think you're going? – a voice dragged with sleep asks behind her.
- I…
- I hope you weren't thinking about disappearing again – Claudine says again, placing a soft kiss on the low part of Maya's back.
- I... yes… – Maya exhales, admitting defeated.
- Méchante va…
Maya hears the ash-blonde murmuring before she feels the woman behind her sit up and press her front against her back, making her blush at the touch of her rounded breasts with her skin.
Then, she feels herself being engulfed in Claudine's warmth in a tight hug.
- What did I tell you about leaving, you infuriating woman? – Claudine whispers, tightening her embrace around Maya as she places another kiss on her shoulder, resting her head on it.
Maya sighs and takes Claudine's hands in hers, intertwining them.
- And what did I tell you about not being good enough for you? Claudine, please, understand that-
- No.
Maya sighs and Claudine just tightens her embrace around her even more.
- Claudine…
- No Maya... you're the one that has to stop being so stubborn and needs to understand that I don't care about any of that. I want you to stay, I want to be with you. We will find a way to solve everything, just please...
Claudine's voice cracks and Maya starts to cry moved by her, by the affection in her voice and words, the love she feels in them, her will to fight and help her. She turns around and captures Claudine's lips in a deep and tender kiss.
- Okay, I will stay – she says teary and softly, happily against Claudine's lips, stealing another kiss from those plump lips, before resting their foreheads together – but-
Claudine shakes her head and presses a finger against Maya's lips to silence the stubborn woman.
- But nothing Maya. Just stay and for god's sake, shut up, I need to sleep more.
Maya looks at her amused, giggling quietly yet with an arched eyebrow.
- Don't look at me like that, a certain gorgeous brunette kept me up until too late and I need to sleep more – Claudine says amusedly, half faking a yawn and Maya can't help but laugh, complying happily to lay back down onto the mattress, letting Claudine rest and sleep on her chest, wrapping her tightly in her arms as a happy smile plays on their faces.
- Ma Claudine?
- Mmh?
- Congratulations on your premiere night, I bet you were incredible – Maya says softly, nuzzling Claudine's hair who just grumbles.
- You didn't come to watch me – Claudine murmurs, almost pouting as she caresses Maya's chest, just over her heart with fingertips.
- Sorry, I... I couldn't – Maya sighs, kissing the ash-blonde's hair in regret – but... but if you let me, I-I'll like to go another night.
Maya says timidly, blushing and Claudine can't help but smile, gazing up at her to kiss her, feeling her heart race at the cute sight of Maya blushing.
- I'll like you to go and watch me perform. E-Every night if you want – Claudine says blushing too and Maya can't help but feel her heart about to leap out of her chest from so much happiness, kissing Claudine again, to then oblige her to rest her head on her chest again to sleep.
- Every night then...
Claudine hums contentedly and the both of them close their eyes to sleep again with a happy smile on their faces.
Ironically, a necklace wasn't the only thing Maya managed to steal, as well as she didn't expected to get her heart stolen by the ash-blonde in her arms in the most unexpected way.
They don't know what the future holds for the both of them but they sure know they'll face it together...