As promised, Claudine found herself heading towards the school's library later on in the day with her pink-haired friend, her hands clenching and unclenching nervously as they searched for a quiet and isolated table for them to sit. Usually at this time, she would be sharing her free period with Maya, and they would mostly talk and chat with each other. But today, the blonde could not bring herself to bear another moment with the top student. Miraculously, her friend had a plan set for that.
Futaba somehow managed to convince Kaoruko to distract Maya during this time, but of course not without a verbal fight. Unfortunately for Claudine, Futaba was not the only one who witnessed what happened in the morning, and the blue-haired devil was relentless when it came to new juicy gossip – especially if it pertained to the two top students. According to Futaba, Kaoruko had once referred to them as her "daily dose of soap opera." Claudine did not dare to ask for further elaboration.
As soon as the two sat down, her shorter friend gave her an expectant gaze, a hint of concern in her violet eyes, and Claudine was oddly reminded of the very person she was avoiding. If Futaba grew out her hair and dyed it brown, she was positive she would be staring at Maya's twin of sorts. Luckily for her, that was not the case. She tapped her fingers impatiently on the table as she collected her thoughts, very much aware that time was of the essence – especially if she wanted to spill everything out to her friend.
Much to her displeasure, the time she took to collect her thoughts were all in vain as everything just spilled from her in a jumble of words. In short, it was a mess. Claudine blurted out everything and anything that came to her mind, starting from the beginning where she gave the dating advice to their classmates and up to the very present. Futaba figured there was some sort of chronological order to what the blonde was saying, but she quickly became lost as her friend continued to breathlessly explain the situation. There were some hand motions as well, as if to emphasize the French girl's frustrations at how breathtakingly gorgeous and infuriating Maya was – or at least from what Futaba was able to pick up on.
"I think I'm in love with Maya," she uttered out lastly in a hushed voice, taking in a sharp intake of breath as she realized she was rambling on.
Futaba had an unreadable expression on her face, blinking incredulously at her blonde friend. "Really? You just now figured that out?" she asked bluntly.
Claudine's cheeks started to heat up at her friend's dead-panned look, completely taken aback by the indifference at her confession.
"Wh-what do you mean? O-of course I did-…!" the French girl stuttered profusely, the tips of her ears now beginning to turn the same shade of red when the pink-haired girl rolled her eyes.
"Come on, Claud. It was pretty obvious to me that you were in love with Maya before. I don't think I've ever seen you not lovestruck by her."
"C-c'est impossible...! I was never-…," Claudine choked.
Futaba raised up a hand to stop her taller friend from talking and stared at her with a serious expression, a stark contrast from her usual.
"Even with all your talk of rivalry and wanting to beat Maya, you never once said anything bad about her behind her back. In front of her, maybe, but even then, you aren't really talking bad." The pink-haired girl crossed her arms over her chest. "Let's face it: you're absolutely smitten about her, and you can't bring yourself to talk negatively about someone you love."
As much as the blonde wanted to argue with her shorter friend, Claudine knew she was in a losing battle. She simply grumbled and hid her face behind her arms, resting her head down on the table to avoid any more embarrassment.
"So let me get this straight – you're definitely not. And so, when some girls come up to Maya with gifts and high praises, you feel jealous and you don't want people to be flirting with her?"
"…I'm not… jealous…," she muttered.
"You are absolutely jealous, and you can't fucking change my mind otherwise. Pardon my French," Futaba huffed.
"That. Is. Not. French," Claudine finally lifted her head to send her friend a chilling glare, somehow managing to sound angry despite looking like a blushing idiot.
Her friend let out a frustrated sigh, simply ignoring the comment. "And here I thought you were going through some sort of mid-teen-life crisis," she rubbed her temples and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Why don't you just tell her?"
"…I don't know how she would react to it…," she admitted, averting her attention
"Oh come, on Claud. Just be honest with her! If anyone knows her better, then it would be you. Besides, I'm pretty sure she has the hots for you too." The shorter girl kept her eyes closed, feeling a headache coming on from trying to deal with the dysfunctional gay in front of her.
There was a jarring silence. If it had not been for Claudine's sharp gasp, Futaba could have sworn the girl went into cardiac arrest.
"Quoi?" The color in the blonde's cheek flushed, her eyes widening in complete shock. "…what do you mean that?"
"…you're joking, right?" the red-haired girl sat up a little straighter, narrowing her eyes at her friend. "Don't tell me you didn't know…"
The silence and the gaping jaw from the French girl were all Futaba needed to know before slamming her head down against the table. "You're a fucking useless gay."
Just as Claudine was about to argue with her friend, a sudden crash from behind made her jump up from her seat, a rather high-pitched squeak escaping from her lips. Futaba had reacted similarly, sitting upright while blinking in surprise. The French girl searched around for the source. Her eyes landed on an open book that fell to the ground with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. She picked it up, her hands carefully smoothing out any folds on the pages, and she glanced up toward the shelves, her eyes narrowing.
There was no one to be seen, but Claudine could not help feeling someone was there. She turned back towards her friend who was staring peculiarly at her. "Did you see what happened?" Futaba shook her head, but she could see her friend's attention was elsewhere.
"No," her friend responded briskly, causing the blonde to raise an eyebrow.
"This book couldn't have fallen out on its own. Are you sure you didn't see anything?" Claudine pressed on. Her eyes drifted back down to the book, glossing over the contents before putting it back on the shelf.
"Nope. I didn't see anything," Futaba said and leaned back in her chair a bit. "But, honestly, I think that book is the last thing you should be worried about," the shorter girl said, trying her best to hide a knowing grin.
Lunchtime came around and it was almost near impossible for Claudine to avoid Maya now. She had run out of excuses and based on how insistent the brunette was about having a meal together, it became clear that she would not be able to escape. It vexed the blonde to no end that a single dejected look from Maya could make her resolution crumble.
But after her conversation with Futaba, it was easy to see why.
There was a lot more to Maya Tendou than her cool exterior and fierce passion for the stage. Claudine may not have been the first person to recognize this, but she was certainly the first person to ever see it - to see how much the brunette cared for others, and how easily the littlest things could hurt Maya's tender heart.
It was not a singular event that confirmed the blonde's suspicions; rather, it was more of the subtle signs and cues she's observed from the heiress over the years - the way Maya would suddenly grow quiet when she's thinking, the way she glanced away when asked a hard question, and even the way she hesitated for half a beat before giving her signature smirk.
To her knowledge, Claudine was probably the only person who understood this about the brunette. Her extensive studies and research on Maya, that were perhaps border-line stalkerish, would have gone to waste had she not understood. She reminded herself it was because she wanted to beat her rival, and thankfully it seemed like the brunette was just as determined to stay on top. But perhaps that was why their relationship together felt so special and so unique.
No one understood each other as well as they did. As much as Claudine knew about Maya, her rival knew just as much about her. If she was being completely honest, it was unnerving. There wasn't anything the French girl could hide for long from those prying, lilac eyes and likewise with the other. Since when did creepily staring at each other become the norm in their relationship?
She thought hard. Claudine glanced up towards the brunette across the table from her in the cafeteria, biting down on her lips slightly. Maya was happily munching down on the baumkuchen Nana had made this morning, and the blonde debated whether or not to scold the star for not eating something more nutritional. Of course, she couldn't really say much since she hasn't even touched her own food yet. But here she was - already critically judging the brunette's unhealthy lifestyle by fiercely glaring a hole into the pastry.
As if on cue, Maya let out a soft chuckle, attracting Claudine's attention back up to her. "See something you like?" she said with a smirk.
"Yeah. To slap that abomination off your plate," the French girl retorted without missing a beat. "Honestly, Maya. Do you even know how to take care of yourself?"
"I'm alive and talking to you, aren't I? I would say that's quite a feat, even by my standards," the brunette said while taking another bite, purposefully exaggerating the way she chewed to get a rising out of her rival.
"Ugh. You are insufferable, and I mean that in the meanest ways possible, Tendou," Claudine huffed out. With one swift motion, she passed her own plate over towards Maya and glanced away, ignoring the surprised look on the other's faced. "Here. I'm not all that hungry anyway."
Maya shook her head and tried to pass it back. "Oh no, I can't possibly just take -," she stopped mid-sentence when someone suddenly walked up behind her.
Claudine did not need to turn around to see exactly what was happening. Another one of their classmates had gone up to the brunette, and like with previous encounters, the top star was greeted with a bouquet of flowers. A very faint pink colored her face upon receiving the gift, as well as some words of praise. After that, the blonde completely drowned out whatever conversation the two girls were having. She did not need to hear how much the other girl loved Maya's acting, or how beautiful Maya was herself.
It was everything she already knew about the brunette, but she would have never said it out loud. Perhaps that was why she was never able to make Maya blush, even a little, like their classmate had so easily done. But something else really bothered the French girl: the fact that Maya seemed so relaxed around other girls who were not herself.
She continued to watch the heiress accept the gifts from her admirers and something churned in her stomach. With the way that Maya was acting, she couldn't help but wonder.
Was Maya growing tired of her? Seeing as Claudine was always getting second best, it would make sense if she grew bored while waiting for the blonde to catch up. Maya Tendou never once slowed down, and she certainly never once looked back at Claudine. Even when the top star was within her grasp, it didn't seem like she paid any heed to the blonde.
That had to be it. Maya was probably tired of waiting for her, so she had to go find her next challenge in order to stay on top of her game. The thought depressed Claudine greatly, and the next thing she knew she was up from her seat, her metal chair scraping roughly against the floor.
Whatever conversation the brunette was having was promptly paused, and Maya glanced up at her, concern clear as day in her eyes. "Claudine...?"
"Pardon. I just remembered I had to meet up with someone before lunch ends," she said briskly before turning. She could feel Maya's worried gaze searing into the back of her head. "I'll catch up with you later if I have time," she added - more for the brunette's sake than for hers - and walked away as calmly as she could, even though she was anything but.
She needed to be alone for a bit, and she didn't really want anyone to see just how in pain she was, especially not around Maya.
No more dance practices.
At least, not for tonight.
There were too many thoughts and feelings swirling inside of Claudine, clashing and pulling herself apart from the inside. She was not feeling herself and it would not be wise for her to practice on such unsteady feet. She needed to do something different; something that she hasn't done yet since attending the school, and something that she hasn't done in years.
She was going to go find the piano room.
Kept as a secret between her parents and herself, no one truly knew of Claudine's passion for the percussion instrument. Acting and singing were the only talents the world knew of her, and it was majorly due to her career as the child star. She was recognized for her extraordinary control of her vocals at a young age, but even then, it was something she had to work hard for. The blonde always needed to practice, to hone in on her skills, in order to continually come out on top. It was a struggle, to say the least. The piano, on the other hand, seemed to come naturally to her – and it was thanks due to her mother.
Both Claudine and her mother shared an intense love for music. Her mother was a talented musician of many instruments, playing everything from the guitar to the flute. But even so, nothing could compare to her mother's love for the classics: the piano. As a child, she always followed her mother into their living room and watched in awe as she played. Enchanted by how her mother fully immersed herself in the songs, how the melody seemed to speak from her heart, young Claudine knew she wanted to follow in her footsteps.
So, when the French girl sat down at the keys for the first time and started to play "Ode to Joy" by memory alone, her mother was ecstatic. From there, they were able to cultivate the brilliance that Claudine possessed, away from the prying eyes of the public. It was something meant for only her mother and her, and the blonde wanted to keep it that way.
Claudine soon found herself in the academy's music room, and her eyes immediately focused in on the beautiful black grand piano in the middle. Through the windows, the soft moonlight poured in. casting a small beam on the side where the pianist sat like a spotlight. Even from a distance, she could see the way the keys radiated, beckoning her forward. As if she was being pulled by an invisible force, the blonde walked over towards the piano with bated breaths. It had been ages since she last felt the urge to play, and it was calling to her.
With soft, slender fingers, she gently traced along the smooth edges of the piano, her eyes silently admiring the masterpiece in front of her. Up close, Claudine saw some signs of wear on the instrument, most notably on the headboard and the pedals; otherwise, it looked perfect. An overwhelming sense of homesickness overcame her as it reminded her of when she used to play at home.
How long has it been since she last talked with her parents? Since she went home? Claudine reflected back on the past couple months, and she realized it was too long – too long without speaking to her mother. She had been so preoccupied and caught up in her time here at the academy with her classmates, and more importantly with Maya Tendou. Perhaps if her mother was here, she could help Claudine on how to cope with her feelings.
But she was alone, and there was only one thing that could help her at this moment. Claudine was in her sanctuary now; a place where she could give herself in and forget about the world for a brief moment. Her gaze lingered on the keys, and soon she took her seat.
There was a moment of uncertainty in her fuchsia eyes as her fingertips lightly ghosted over the keyboard, and the French girl doubted herself. Is she still able to remember the notes? Would she still be able to play, after taking such a long break from it? All of them were silly questions, of course. It would take a lot more for Claudine Saijou to forget about a part of her life. It was not long when her hands started moving on their own, remembering and playing what her mind could not.
The melody started out slow, her fingers dancing lightly over each key. Claudine moved with exact precision, striking each chord purposefully as she tried to get a sense of the rhythm, the sound echoing in the empty room with each note hanging in the air. After the first or second score, the tempo started to quicken, and Claudine steadily felt her confidence returning.
She did not know exactly what she was playing. But her heart seemed to take charge and every emotion she was feeling came pouring out onto the keys. There was a sense of pain, of loneliness, and even the sense of longing that had been buried deep within her. What could not be expressed in words were understood in every chord of the heartfelt song.
It was not until halfway into the piece that the blonde finally remembered where the tune came from, and everything seemed to fall in place. Although she did not remember all of the lyrics, she could recall the most prominent parts of it – the parts that reflected her own inner thoughts. And so, Claudine quietly started to sing.
Your appearance resembles mine.
Your speed resembles mine.
But my silent cries echo within my heart.
In the skies where brakes no longer work,
Will I really be alright as long as I persist?
Claudine's voice blended in effortlessly with the chords, her head nodding gently in sync with the chorus. With her every breath, she could feel the heavy weight that hung on to the words as they escaped her lips, sinking her down further and further into the depths of her tender heart. It was not hard to figure who the recipient of her song was – there was only one person in the world who could top the blonde, and her heart ached for Maya Tendou.
But then it begs the question: when exactly did Claudine fall in love with the Top Star?
Her mind flashed back to the times the two of them were alone together, sitting underneath the pavilion while sharing tea – the moments where she would catch the gorgeous smile that graced Maya's lips and the way her amethyst eyes gleamed. Claudine felt the corner of her mouth twitch slightly upwards.
Or perhaps she fell during the times they danced together, where Claudine placed her whole trust in her partner – to lead them in the correct number and to make sure she didn't fall. It was where she felt safe and secure in the top star's arms. The more the blonde pondered on it, the more she realized there were so many instances where she could have easily fallen for Maya Tendou.
They say ignorance is a bliss,
But I don't think I'll be content with it.
No. Perhaps Futaba was right. Perhaps it was during their first meeting in that audition room together where she asked the dark-haired girl to stretch with her. She was probably in love all along – masking it under the pretense of a rivalry and refusing to see it as anything but.
But it was probably too late for Claudine to come to terms with her feelings.
In the skies where breaks no longer work,
Will I really be alright as long as I persist?
The song slowly came to an end as her hands rested on the last notes, dragging the sound out and then letting it gradually die down into silence. She closed her eyes as she inhaled a large breath of air, her shoulders sagging down noticeably upon exhaling. Her heart was now out in the open, and Claudine has never felt more vulnerable. Her fingers quivered as they hovered over the keys. It was painful – but it was also liberating.
The silence hung on for another moment longer when all of a sudden a soft clap resounded into the room. The blonde was jolted out of her daze and she immediately snapped her attention up towards the source, Claudine's eyes widening in shock at the newcomer. It was foolish of her to think she would be alone when she realized who it was. She should have known she was going to be followed by a certain brunette.
Maya Tendou stood at the doorway with her infuriating smile, her applause growing louder with each passing second. Her clapping consequently stopped when her rival glared at her, but it did little to dull her expression. "That was beautiful," she spoke softly as she took a couple steps in, the moonlight casting a shine at the perfect angle on her face where her lilac eyes glinted. "I didn't know you could play the piano so well."
Infuriating. That was what Maya was. Even in her most private moments, the brunette somehow managed to fluster Claudine with a simple lilt of her voice. Fearing the moonlight would betray the blush that crept on her face, she averted her gaze away, her soft blonde locks covering her face slightly. She refused to acknowledge the compliment, and a stiff silence hung in the air.
Neither party wanted to speak up, and the tension grew. Both of the girls seemed wary; both of them afraid to speak up, but the brunette more so. Claudine finally drew in a deep breath and spoke up.
"What do you want?" she asked in a hushed voice, the usual fire in her gone. A feeling of exhaustion washed over her as her shoulder sagged down. Her lips thinned into a small frown, and Claudine realized just how hollow she felt. She had no more fight left in her to deal with the sorrow she felt when she looked at the heiress. "Why did you come after me?"
"I was just worried about you," the heiress confessed, surprising Claudine with how frail she sounded. It did not suit her well, but the brunette made no attempt to cover it up. She cautiously stepped forward and made way towards her rival, stopping right beside the piano with her hand folded neatly and gently on top of the instrument. "You haven't been acting like yourself lately… Are you okay?"
"Oui, bien sûr. I'm fine," Claudine lied. Her jaws tensed up as she felt Maya's discerning gaze on her. When the other girl gingerly placed a hand on her shoulder, it took everything in her not to jolt at the contact.
"Claudine," Maya breathed out, causing the blonde to turn in her direction. Her eyebrows furrowed in concern and there was a pleading gleam in her lilac eyes. There was an indescribable sense of hurt written across her face. "I know you better than this. Please… don't lie to me," she pleaded, her grasp tightening.
Claudine gasped at the sudden pain in her shoulder, biting down on her lips as she tried to meet the top star's gaze. What she saw completely caught her off guard and there was a harsh tug in her chest.
Desperation.
There was an unmistakable sense of desperation in the way Maya held her, in the way she pursed her lips, and the way her gaze bore into Claudine. And it hurt. Not because it was a completely different side of the brunette that she's never seen, but because she was the one causing Maya this despair.
She didn't want that.
She never wanted that.
"I-it's… silly… stupid really-... I-I…," Claudine stuttered. It was not like her to be so inarticulate, but it seemed to be a recurring pattern when it came to the top star. It also did not help that Maya picked up on it and her frown grew tenfold. She bit down hard on her lips.
Futaba was right. To alleviate the brunette and cease this searing pain in her chest, she needed to come forward with her feelings - to speak the whole truth and lay it all out on this moonlit night. Claudine Saijou, after all, was not one to do things half-heartedly.
"I think I'm in love with you," she professed, turning to gaze at Maya before averting it to the keys again.
There. She said it. She finally let the words come out, and for a brief moment there was relief. She had been holding it in for so long, it just felt so right to let it out.
But now Claudine started to feel the full weight of her suffering as she thought about how her rival was going to react. Her heart pounded against her chest, threatening to jump out of her chest. Her ears drummed incessantly from her quickened pulse, drowning out the dreadful silence that ensued. After what felt like an eternity, she felt Maya's grip on her loosen.
This was a mistake. Claudine should have never revealed her innermost thoughts. The voice in the back of her head nagged at her harshly, hurling insults at her foolishness.
But it was too late to take it back.
It was up to Maya now to reject the French girl and end her misery – to let her feel the heartbreak and let her move on in peace. It would be a great struggle among the many, but Claudine could find solace in the fact that she spoke her mind rather than keeping it in and regretting it for the rest of her life. Which is why she was taken aback from what Maya told her next.
"Could you play the piece again?" the dark-haired girl had asked quietly, a strange gleam of determination in her eyes, and Claudine made little attempt to mask her bewildered expression.
"…Quoi? Pourquoi?"
Was she doing this on purpose? Was she trying to taunt Claudine and see how far she could torture her? Was Maya Tendou really this cruel?
The heiress must have noticed her partner's confusion and her gaze softened.
"Please?"
Claudine was brought back to reality when she stared up at Maya, slowly reminding herself of exactly who the top student was. Maya never purposefully did anything to hurt her, and despite her usual cold demeanor, Maya was not a callous person. The blonde let out an exasperated sigh before composing herself once more, her hands precariously in position on the instrument to begin playing once again.
For some reason, it was a lot harder to start the song with Maya watching her now. A small ball of anxiety started to build up in her stomach as she felt the brunette step closer to her, the other's warmth radiating off of her. If it weren't for all those classes she took on how to control her stage fright and her breathing, Claudine would have surely fainted right on the spot from a heart attack.
Miraculously, she eventually found the strength to start moving her hands. Like before, the song started out slowly. Each melancholic note danced lightly in the air and like before, a sense of longing grew in Claudine's chest. Why was she doing this? It was a rather disheartening song, and probably to Maya, it was unusual given the blonde's haughty attitude. She had no idea why Maya wanted her to play the piece again. Not unless if she knew the reason why it was played in the first place.
As if to answer her thoughts, Claudine suddenly felt the top student come up from behind and her arms brushed up against the other's. Maya had strategically positioned her hands to each side of the French girl's, and Claudine watched closely as her movements were mirrored.
Just like with everything else they did together, they synced up with each other and fell into the rhythm. Claudine shuddered when she felt Maya's warm breath against her neck, and she almost lost track of what chords to play.
Each time the brunette's hands brushed across hers, there was an electrifying sensation that passed through her. It was different from the usual spark they had when they danced together, where they stepped in line with each other, twirling and swaying with precise and practiced steps. but at the same time, it wasn't — it was still the same passion, the same intensity, only magnified, but it was more intimate.
Both of their hands moved gracefully over the keys, but as Claudine listened more closely, she realized they were not playing the same tune. Unlike her own part, it was more elevated – more spirited. Maya's higher notes added a sense of possibility to the once disheartening song.
Every time Claudine's chords slowed down, Maya's quickened; every time her notes grew quieter, there was a crescendo that grew in intensity. For every single one key the blonde played, the top star would play three – no, four times as much. Each minor had a major to counteract it, and oh, what a difference that made! Claudine's despairing moonlight sonata had changed into a lively symphony.
There was no way it was the same song, the French girl thought. She was playing the same exact parts as before, but somehow the piece felt more upbeat, and dare she say, more hopeful. It was not the same piece, she argued.
But then Maya started to hum under her breath, and suddenly the blonde's conviction was thrown right out the windows.
Your appearance resembles mine,
Your speed resembles mine.
In the skies where brakes no longer work,
The two of us can end this if we try.
Like with anything she did, the heiress's voice perfectly carried itself along with the piano. Claudine held in her breath when she realized Maya was singing the missing lyrics – and then it all clicked into place.
Not only did Claudine forget about some of the lyrics, but she had also been playing the incomplete version of the composition. Maya knew this, and that was precisely why she made the former child star play it again. The revelation hit her hard, and Claudine's hands suddenly stilled when she felt the brunette's chin rest on her shoulder, her chest tightening upon the contact. She recognized it was an unspoken signal from the other, and she had to summon all of her strength to keep playing.
I will make a promise to you.
Maya's voice continued with an oddly serious, yet sincere tone.
Claudine took a chance and glanced over towards the other, her heart stopping almost immediately when she was met with those lilac eyes. Their faces were mere centimeters away from each other, and Claudine thought about just how beautiful Maya was underneath the moonlight.
When you turn your sights and fly towards me someday,
I won't escape from your vision.
It felt like Maya was speaking to her directly, her word choice careful and so meticulously practiced, as if she had been waiting for this moment to come. Her voice was soft, and Claudine could not help but notice the faint rosy-pink color on the brunette's cheeks.
Knowing that you are there and looking at the same world as me,
I am not able to lose heart even till the end.
And I will definitely receive you better than anyone else.
The song came to a slow end. There was a moment of silence as the last note lingered in the air, and suddenly everything became a blur for Claudine as Maya leaned in. Maya's lips were warm, and just like how she imagined it, they were also incredibly soft. It was a chaste kiss, but it was long enough for the French girl to know she was not the only one who felt this.
Claudine's cheeks flushed when the top star pulled away, her nose brushing lightly against the other's. It was a tender moment when their gaze met each other, and she was close enough to see a similar pink shade on Maya's cheeks.
Neither one of them wanted to move, drinking up each others' sweet scent. Claudine never knew how much she loved the smell of jasmine. She truly did not want for the moment to end. She wanted to engrave it into her memories, to relive it again when she could.
But then Maya gave her that infuriating smirk, a playful gleam clear in her eyes.
"I do hope that clears some things up?" she mused, giggling softly when Claudine blushed even more and let out an indignant huff.
"You are such a vexing woman, Tendou!" the blonde hissed out, shoving the laughing brunette away from her. "You always find a way to ruin things!"
The heiress grinned cheekily and tried to close the gap between them again, letting her arms drape over Claudine and drawing her in for a hug. Maya rested her head gently on top of the other's.
"I don't think that's ruining anything. I'm just trying to get some confirmation and see where exactly we stand, ma cherie," she hummed out softly and giggled when she felt a sudden fluctuation of heat from her partner.
"Mechant va..! You… you can't just say that after we.. we…," Claudine could not finish her sentence and covered her face in embarrassment, her ears practically turning to the same shade of red as their bows.
"You know, you're awfully cute when you're blushing," the top star added, knowing full well of what she was doing to Claudine. It was even more amusing to her when she heard some muffled screams from the blonde, and she had to use her strength to prevent the girl from slamming her head down on the keys.