When school finally ended Mariposa was nervous. Not because they'd received a massive report due in three days, she'd get that done in one night, no the main issue was her best friend and possible girlfriend eagerly waiting for her outside. Normally this was an extremely common occurrence but not this time.
Why did I let her talk me into holding hands?
Sure, we'd done it before but was nothing but young kid stuff. Now it's different… I just couldn't say no after seeing that adorable tail o hers swishing back and forth when she asked. Aaarrhhh! Why is this so weird? It's not like you haven't' thought about dating her in the past.
Silently cursing her indecisiveness, she got up and made her way outside where Meteora hesitantly raised her hand and after a moment she grabbed hold and held on knowing full well of her friends excitable strength.
During the walk home instead of talking about anything they could both girls simply walked in silence one overjoyed about holding hands while the other was thinking and overthinking her situation.
Oh, gods why is this so strange? Are people gossiping about us… no we live in a world where people have dragon insurance on their cars. Two girls holding hands is quite possibly the least strange thing they see. And just look at how happy she is, I never tire of seeing that smile.
As they walked Mariposa thought back to just hours earlier when Meteora had kissed her. And more importantly how it had gone just like the fantasies she'd had.
They'd started about a year ago. She and Meteora had been training with Marco and as she watched they two of them spar she started noticing how good she looked when fighting. How her grin turned wicked or when she scored a point, she beamed so hard she thought she'd start glowing.
At first her fantasies had been casual and simple. A brief dream about Meteora rescuing her from a castle where she'd been imprisoned before granting her a kiss on the cheek as a reward. Of course, after she'd told her about this Meteora had mockingly but sweetly called her "princess" for week.
Something that only spurred her fantasies. And now that that their relationship could change tomorrow, she needed something that could at least solidify her position.
"Soooooo…. not to make our situation any more awkward but can I ask you something?" she asked waiting for the heard of rats to cross the street.
"OF course."
"Okay I know you said that you're interested in me so I kind of want to know when exactly you started feeling that way?"
Meteora thought for a moment trying to locate the exact moment she started thinking that Mariposa should be more then just her best friend forever.
When was it exactly? That time we had a sleepover and I saw just how adorable her face looked while sleeping? No that wasn't it, Oh maybe it was that time she said she couldn't imagine her life without me. Not that's not it either but it's close.
As the light changed green it hit her. "I remember now! It was after you told me about that dream, and I called you princess."
"What? Really that was it?"
"Yeah I know it sounds strange but after that night I looked back at some of the old portraits of the former butterfly queens and kind of imagined you standing there next to me. Then I realized that you standing beside me on portrait meant that we were married and that kind of put things in motion."
"Wait you never told me that."
"It's embarrassing alright. I mean after that every time I looked at you I felt something and at the time I didn't know how to deal with it and so I pushed it down thinking that it would pass. But it only got stronger."
They walked for a brief distance in silence each one thinking about the other. As they reached the fork in the road that led to their various house Meteora started to let go only for Mariposa to grip tighter.
"Uh Mari?"
She took a deep breath and thought about what she was about to do next.
Okay Mariposa take a page out of Star and Meteora's book and be spontaneous. Don't overthink it like Marco does.
In a quick flurry of motion she pulled Meteora in for a quick kiss pulling back to see her shocked but her face quickly turning into her excited grin that she loves so much.
"I'll see you tomorrow!" she screamed running down the road hearing her excited screech as she ran.
Once she was back in her guest room at Marco's house she grabbed the nearest pillow and screamed into it.
"Why did I do that! I wanted to go for a quick peck on the cheek but then I thought maybe just maybe go for the forehead but then I just kissed her."
After rolling on her sides thinking about how she'd never normally do something like that she reached under her bed and pulled out her notebook.
"Alright you can do this, just lay out the pros and cons of going into a relationship. Pro she's your best friend and you know how strongly she feels for you. Con her monster side makes her possessive and territorial. Not quite a pro or con but you do rather like her possessiveness. Aright come on what else… Pro she always makes you happy. And our families are already extremely close, not to mention you haven't felt anything romantic toward anyone besides her. Actually now that I think about it I've never even considered being with anyone but her."
The longer she thought the more she wrote. By the time she'd written down everything she could possibly think off the pros were up to twenty-five while the cons where at a measly seven.
"Alright I'll give it a shot." Grabbing her phone, she looked at her phots laughing at the two of them goofing off and having fun eventually landing on her favorite.
It was a simple picture really just Meteora sleeping on bench her face resting on her hand while the other gripped a small package.
"I still remember that birthday. How she'd called me in the middle of the night to meet up but feel asleep before I got there." The present hadn't been anything fancy or intrigue. Just a old bone helmet she'd found in a pawnshop.
But to her this picture was worth more then any gift.
"Knowing her she'd beg me to delete this but no matter how bad or stressful my day is one look at this and it puts a smile on my face."
"Yeah Star had a similar picture like that years ago. Although it turns out she had father time send it to her past self."
She looked up seeing a smiling Marco leaning in the doorway. Stashing the phone and list away she tried to explain.
"I was just looking at old pictures!"
"Uh huh and do you always have such a wishful look on your face while looking through pictures. Or is that only after you make an elaborate list about dating your friends?"
"You were here for that part?"
"I came in when you were halfway through. Would have said something but you seemed to be in your own little world."
"I don't suppose you could offer me some worldly advice?"
He sat down on the bed gently patting her head. "Well in my experience with relationships, both with Star and the two other women I was interested and semi interested in it's best if you honestly just ask yourself do I like this person enough that I want to go beyond friends?"
She tuned him out as he started telling about the past as she knew from experience that he would be at this for a while but as he spoke she thought about what he said and her experiences with Meteora.
It would be nice to know I had someone like that in my life. And maybe once we're dating she'll calm down a little on the whole monster obsession. After all how can we go on a date when she threatens everyone that gets close?
As Marco started to get really into the story she quickly grabbed his arm and led him out.
"Well thanks bro really helpful advice but I got stuff to do and a possible girlfriend to deal with tomorrow so night don't bother me again."
With the door closed she collapsed onto the bed grabbing her phone and writing a short message for Meteora.
"Looking forward to tomorrow." After a moment she added something she probably shouldn't have
"Your G-friend Mariposa"
The message had just been sent out when not two seconds later she received her reply which was in true Meteora style blunt and loud.
"Tomorrow!"
Rolling her eyes she put her phone away and turned in trying her best to prepare for the coming storm that was her possible girlfriend in the morning.