Work Text:
precious gemstones (a thawing heart)
1
“M—Miorine?” Suletta rubs at her eyes, but the shock of white hair is still there when she focuses again.
Miorine’s wearing her sleep clothes, chest heaving like she’d run all the way here. There are dark circles under her wide eyes, her face paler than usual. For a moment Suletta worries that she’s been attacked by something, but she seems unhurt.
When there comes no response, Suletta says, “Um, did y—you need something?”
That seems to snap her out of it. Miorine flinches at Suletta’s (admittedly loud) question, throwing up her hands to silence her. “Hush! Move out of the way and let me in, you big lug!”
Confused and still half-asleep, Suletta does as she asks.
It’s nearly four in the morning. Suletta had hardly seen Miorine at all today—yesterday—having spent the day busy with classes and hanging out—hanging out!—with the rest of Earth House. To make up for it, she’d planned on walking Miorine to her classes in the morning, but it seems like that plan may be unnecessary now.
“Um,” Miorine says, strangely rattled. Her voice sounds weird, almost high-pitched, as if she’s trying too hard to keep it from wobbling. “I don’t know what I’m doing here. I think—well, I was having trouble sleeping, and—”
“Oh,” says Suletta listlessly. “Did you have a nightmare?”
There’s a tinge of a flush on Miorine’s face like she’s embarrassed, though she has no reason to be. “If you say it’s silly, I'll smack you. I know it’s silly. I just—”
“It’s not silly,” Suletta says, interrupting her. She hadn’t meant to, it’s just that it isn’t silly, not at all, and she doesn’t want Miorine to think she’s just putting up with her. Suletta doesn’t dream as often as she might want, but she knows how badly some nightmares can shake someone to their core. Sometimes she dreams of Aerial being taken apart, piece by piece, and Suletta can do nothing to stop it. Usually she ends up calling her mother afterwards.
This must be Miorine’s equivalent of that. She can’t exactly call her father about it, after all, and Suletta can’t stop the doltish tinge of pride that forms in her chest when she thinks about it that way. Miorine’s upset, and she came to her.
“...Whatever,” Miorine finally replies. Stretching on her tiptoes, she peers around Suletta towards the room with all the bunk beds. “Do you happen to know if there’s an empty bed for me tonight?” Something flashes across her face like she’s about to give another disclaimer, but this time she holds it in.
Suletta doesn’t think so, and she tells her as much. “They don’t tend to have extras of anything. Martin says it’s to save funds.”
“Oh.”
“B—But you can stay with me,” Suletta goes on, finally gaining the courage to offer. “I—I know it won’t be the same as having your own bed, but we’ve done it b—before, and you can’t just go back now, s—so—”
“Stay with you?” Miorine’s expression could be carved from stone, it’s so carefully blank.
Suletta panics. “We’ve done it before, right?” She already said that. “It’ll be a little s—smaller than the one in your room, but I d—don’t mind!” A pause. “If you don’t want to, I’ll walk you back to the office or wherever you’d like to go i—instead.”
Miorine hesitates. She doesn’t meet Suletta’s eyes, instead choosing to flit her gaze elsewhere, studying the walls of Earth House. Finally, she says, “...You really wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course not.” Fear gradually fading away, Suletta takes a few steps backward, gesturing for Miorine to follow her. “Come on?”
And then, only waiting a second more as if she thinks Suletta will suddenly change her mind, Miorine does indeed follow her into the mass bedroom.
No one else is awake; Chuchu is snoring on the other side of the room, though not as loudly as she’s capable of. Suletta’s top bunk is completely empty; she’d opted for the bottom one after falling right out of bed to the floor the first night. Being up higher isn’t worth the bruised ribs.
After squinting through the dark to get a read on the situation, Miorine gestures for her to climb in first.
Suletta’s bunk isn’t too horribly small, but it’s impossible for them to both lay down without at least touching each other in some way. Miorine curls up near the edge of the bunk, Suletta’s back pressed against the wall, and even then the wisps of Miorine’s hair tickle the point of Suletta’s nose. There’s almost nowhere for her hands to go, and she eventually settles for laying them awkwardly underneath the pillow.
Neither of them say a word. Miorine’s shoulders are still tense, her entire body stiff and unyielding. She’ll never get to sleep like that.
Suletta’s not sure what possesses her to do it. She’s never even considered something like this before, not with anyone else, even her best friends in Earth House. Suletta knows she’s a fairly touchy person, likes contact and likes the way it makes her feel, but she also knows immediately that this is different.
Leaning forward, she places a soft kiss on top of Miorine’s head.
Nothing happens. Well, Miorine stiffens for a moment, but she doesn’t end up saying anything in the end, just reaching up to tug the covers slightly higher. She has to be aware, but she doesn’t scold or do anything at all. Suletta considers that a win.
Satisfied now, she closes her eyes. They drift off together, Miorine’s soft breaths calming Suletta’s nervousness enough to relax. It’s nice, Suletta thinks, to have someone nearby. It’s nice.
She hopes Miorine feels the same way.
Suletta’s awoken the next morning from Miorine trying to slip out of bed, having gotten themselves tangled together sometime throughout the night. Suletta’s arms are wrapped around her waist, Miorine’s legs hooked around one of Suletta’s ankles, and it’s not exactly awkward as Suletta tries to get her still half-asleep muscles to move, but it’s something close.
“Good morning,” she mumbles, blinking blearily up at her. “Is everything okay?”
It’s still early; the sun’s barely up. It takes Suletta a second to realize that Miorine is trying to sneak out without anyone seeing her, but she’s not offended by it. Miorine is a very private person, and she doesn’t like to show off her vulnerability. It’s enough that she even came to Suletta in the first place.
“I’ll see you later,” Miorine whispers. For a moment she looks as if she wants to say more, but clearly deciding against it, she turns and heads for the doors.
“Oh,” Suletta says, too late. “Wait, you’re just going to—”
Miorine’s already gone. Almost immediately there comes a sound from the other room; she’s run into Aliya, who’s always up early to tend to the animals. Whoops.
Hoping she’s not in trouble, Suletta scrambles to get to her feet and out the door as well, ready to do damage control. Horribly, the first person she sees when she steps into the open area, is neither Miorine or Aliya: it’s Chuchu. Chuchu, who’s almost never awake before she absolutely has to be.
Miorine is clearly trying to stand her ground, but she’s still visibly waking up, face screwed up and frozen like Mr. Peluda whenever he’s in front of Aerial.
“What are you doing here?!” Chuchu’s normal speaking voice would be considered loud coming from anyone else, and she’s making zero effort to lower her tone. “Who let you in?”
“I—I did!” Suletta says quickly, before Miorine can make a snarky reply and spark the flame even more. “S—Sorry, she just—” she bites her tongue before she can give away the fact that Miorine had had a nightmare; that’s not for her to share. “I would’ve asked, but it was so late at night and I d—didn’t want to wake a—anyone!”
Miorine opens her mouth to add something, but Chuchu’s not done. “So what, you just let her sleep here? What if—”
“What if what?” Miorine snaps finally, straightening her spine. “As if you have anything here that I’d want.”
Suletta scrunches up her face. That had not been a good thing to say to Chuchu; she rears back with an outraged expression, fingers curling into fists as if she’s resisting the urge to punch Miorine square in the face. She opens her mouth, Suletta preparing herself to step in between them, and—
“Well,” Aliya says calmly, butting in with a gentle smile. “Since you’re here now, you may as well stay for breakfast.”
“Excuse me,” Chuchu grunts, deflating, but Aliya only waves a dismissive hand in her direction, ignoring her completely in favor of giving Miorine a gentle look.
“Just make sure you write down what you use so we know what to buy next month! Suletta can show you where everything is.” Her smile never fades for a second.
Stunned into silence, Miorine looks very much like she’s not sure what to say. “...Thank you,” she replies after a moment of hesitation, sending Chuchu an apprehensive glance. “But that won’t be necessary. I wouldn’t want to take any of your resources.”
Miorine doesn’t eat enough. Suletta says, “It w—wouldn’t be a problem! We can eat breakfast together.”
“We insist,” Aliya adds politely. “Please, Martin would be upset if you didn’t get proper Earth House hospitality.”
“Don’t make me laugh—”
Once again Aliya cuts Chuchu off, this time with a backhand to the face. Chuchu sputters in reply, stumbling backwards a few steps from the shock of it. This time it seems to work for longer, and Aliya doesn’t waste the moment. Taking the shoulder of Chuchu’s jacket firmly in her hand, she begins to walk away, dragging her along with her.
“See you later!” she says, waving to Suletta with her other hand. Dumbly, Suletta waves back.
Apparently giving up in the face of Aliya’s forced politeness, Chuchu slumps in her grip. “...Whatever.” Then, as they turn the corner, “But next time, Suletta needs to let us know her girlfriend’s sleeping over! That’s just common sense!”
It’s entirely too early in the morning for Suletta to already be flustered, let alone by something that Chuchu of all people said, but her body doesn’t seem to get the memo; her face burns, and as she turns back to Miorine with an apology ready on her tongue, she doesn’t seem to be doing much better.
“Look,” Miorine says, stiff and through gritted teeth. “I really don’t need to eat, I’ll just go and—”
“No.” Embarrassment gone in an instant, Suletta sets her jaw and squares her shoulders. “You heard Aliya! It’d be i—impolite for you to turn her offer down.” Miorine gives her a look, stating very clearly that she does not care much for being impolite. Suletta needs to switch tactics. “Class isn’t for a few more hours at least, there’s plenty of time. I’m hungry,” she says, tilting her head to the side. “Don’t you want to eat together?”
At last, something in Miorine’s face flickers. Her eyes cut away, avoiding Suletta’s gaze as if she’s trying to escape. Whatever her plan is, it doesn’t work. Finally she turns with a sharp movement, heading towards the kitchen area. “Fine.”
So they eat breakfast together.
Later, they walk to class side by side. They have different schedules most of the time, but Suletta’s class starts at the same time as Miorine’s does and it’s not too far away, so it’s never a problem to walk her there. Suletta’s instantly distracted by the beauty of the day—artificial it may be, it’s still gorgeous—but Miorine is fidgeting at her side.
She wants to say something, but whatever it is isn’t coming easily. Suletta keeps her mouth shut and waits. She’d never want to rush her.
“Thank you,” Miorine says finally to break the silence; her voice is quiet, like she’s trying to make sure Suletta’s the only one who hears. She wonders if people eavesdrop on Miorine often; unfortunately, it wouldn’t be a surprise if that’s the case. “For letting me stay the night.”
Suletta smiles down at her. The truth is that she likes it when Miorine needs to rely on her, that she enjoys the feeling she gets when she’s helped, but she doesn’t know if Miorine would be happy knowing that or not.
So instead, she just says, “Anytime.”
And that’s enough.
/ /
2
Suletta thinks, somewhat dazedly, that Miorine Rembran may very well be the most beautiful person in the universe.
She’s always known that she’s very pretty, of course—you’d have to be blind not to think so—and it’s not as if Suletta hasn’t met some truly gorgeous people ever since coming to Asticassia, but Miorine beauty is different.
It’s just—she’d been so confident, standing in front of everyone that could ever be important and making up a company’s plan on the fly. She’d drawn graphs from scratch, made the presentation on her feet while actively talking, and she’d done it flawlessly. It’s the confidence and it’s the opposite; the way she’d bowed to her father with only the slightest of hesitation.
For Suletta. All for Suletta.
So now they have a company.
GUND-ARM. A catchy name for something that will undoubtedly become more and more important as time goes by. Suletta’s not sure at all how to run a company, but she is sure that Miorine can figure it out, and she’ll be right there to help. It’s the least she can do.
Suletta finds her afterwards, the banquet nearing its end and Miorine seeming as if her social battery is close to running out. Nika and Martin have left already and there’s classes tomorrow; it’s not getting late quite yet, but by the time they make it back to the school it’ll be nearly time to go to bed, which is a shame. Suletta doesn’t think she wants this night to end quite yet.
Miorine is talking to someone when Suletta finally comes across her, a man who seems very important, with his tailored black suit and matching tophat. With his broad shoulders and long legs the man effectively towers over Miorine, but as Suletta approaches them, it becomes very clear that he’s hanging onto her fiancée’s every word.
“We’ll be getting to work immediately,” Miorine’s saying as Suletta comes into earshot. “If you’d like, I can keep you updated on our progress so you can decide whether or not to invest fully. I’m putting together a list.”
“O—Oh, yes!” the man says, half scrambling to reply. “Er, I think that would be fine.”
“Wonderful,” Miorine says sharply. Then noticing Suletta, “Well, it seems I’ve been spotted. Was there anything else?”
The man follows her gaze; Suletta waves sheepishly back, halting in her tracks. “Ah, I see. No, Miss, I believe that was all I needed from you.” He runs his hands down the front of his suit, soothing imaginary wrinkles. “Have a good night. Good presentation.”
They don’t shake hands when he leaves, and Suletta finally approaches her, watching him disappear into the crowd.
“Who was that?”
Miorine tilts her head. “Technically no one important, but we need all the interest we can get right now. He’s the CEO of one of the lower companies in the Group, though he has a few ties to higher-ups. He’s an idiot,” she says, and Suletta stifles a laugh. “It seems as if we’ve attracted him, at the very least.” Then, with a short glance towards Suletta, “Are you ready to leave?”
“If you are,” Suletta says. “Did you want to stay and talk more?”
“No. I think less is more right now,” Miorine tells her. She starts to walk, heading towards the exit, and Suletta follows her. “Especially since we don’t exactly have a full mission plan right now.”
Suletta hardly understands what she’s talking about, but Miorine seems completely in her element, like she has all night. Despite being much shorter than Suletta herself, Miorine seems to fill the space more than she ever could, eyes sharp and intelligent and determined. Tonight she looks even more stunning than usual, her dress so blue and hair flawless.
Easily the most beautiful person Suletta’s ever met.
Her chest feels like it’s expanding, the realization that Miorine’s done this for her hitting once again. She can’t imagine how Miorine had felt standing up there with her head bowed to her father, but she’d endured it so that Suletta would be safe, so that she wouldn’t be separated from Aerial. She doesn’t know how she’ll ever be able to repay her. Be the best company assistant she can be for sure.
Still, that’s not enough.
They’ve left the room by now; it’s only a short walk to the tram and an even shorter ride back to their stop (Suletta plans to walk her back to the office, since it’s dark) but Suletta’s already dreading the eventual parting. Tonight’s been scary, been strange; she doesn’t know at all how she feels about Aerial being a Gundam or the fact that her mother hadn’t told her beforehand, but it’s also been nice, in so many ways.
“Wait,” Suletta says, stopping Miorine in her tracks. “I need to—to thank you properly.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Miorine says flippantly. “You’re my groom. I can’t have a fiancée who’s locked up for something that she wasn’t even aware of.”
“Still,” Suletta insists. “I—just let me—”
She doesn’t know how to articulate it properly, the words coming slow and stupid on her tongue. Finally she groans, gives up on saying anything at all, and leans down to kiss Miorine carefully on the cheek.
Miorine’s face is soft under her lips, which Suletta hopes isn’t a weird thing to think, and though she flinches at the touch, she doesn’t go far. Suletta pulls back away and tries to ignore the way her heart is pounding against her ribcage, ricocheting against her lungs and making every intake of air something to fight for.
“Thank you,” she says breathlessly. It’s all she can think of to say, dizzy with relief and chest and face burning with something that she doesn’t recognize. “You d—didn’t have to do all this, but I’m so thankful.”
It takes Miorine a moment to reply, eyes wide and a flush rising high on her cheeks. She always gets like this whenever Suletta initiates contact—something she’s still working on, desperate not to make her fiancée uncomfortable—and when she finally does respond, it’s without a trace of her usual bite. “Yes, well. You’re welcome.” She lets out a small chuckle. “So much for sticking it to my father, hm?”
“You’ll still find a way, I know it. You’ll make GUND-ARM the best company in the Group!” Suletta says, believing it to her core. “And I’ll help as best I can.”
Miorine rolls her eyes, beginning to walk. Suletta scrambles to keep up with her. “You’d better. I’m not doing this on my own.”
“N—Never! Whatever you need, just let me know and I’ll do it.” Suletta swerves to avoid a rock and their knuckles brush; she swallows harshly, but Miorine doesn’t react. “Um, thank you.”
With another sigh, this one softer than the last, Miorine slowly tilts her head up towards the sky. “You said that already, dummy.” Then, “Do you want to sleep in my room tonight?” It’s said so casually, without hardly even a pause, and Suletta has to blink before she even fully processes the question. “You’ll have to bring back the dress anyway, so…”
“Oh!” Suletta smiles at the thought. It’s been a while since she spent the night in Miorine’s office, and she always enjoys it there. “Yes! That s—sounds nice. I’ll message Martin to tell him where I'll be.”
“Good idea. Wouldn’t want him to suffer a heart attack when you don’t go back tonight.”
That does actually sound like something that would happen to him. Still, Martin is Suletta’s friend, and she feels compelled to defend him, at least slightly. “I’d be worried, too! It can be dangerous out at night.”
Miorine sends her a deadpanned glance. “Then it’s a good thing we’re going together, yes?”
“Yeah.” Suletta thinks her smile may be getting a little stupid, but that’s okay; Miorine won’t mind.
Miorine Rembran is easily one of the most beautiful people to exist. Suletta’s always known that on some level, but as time goes on and she continues to learn more, she’s starting to think that Miorine may be just as beautiful on the inside as she is outwardly. She’s a little tough to get to know at first, quick to anger and slow to understand that someone may just want to help, but so far it’s been nothing but worth it. Suletta has a fiancée with a wonderful heart.
So tonight, there’s nothing wrong. Suletta can forget her worries about her mother hiding things from her, about Aerial being wrong in some way, about Suletta being kept in the dark. Tonight, she can ignore everything except the girl walking beside her right now.
Suletta can discover how to run a company tomorrow.
For now, they go home.
(After, after, after, Miorine finds that she has to work to keep her breathing steady.
Suletta’s clearly grateful. Of course she is; Miorine is giving up a lot for her, for Aerial, and she’d made sure Miorine understood her gratitude. Nothing’s wrong with that, even if Suletta is often a tad too genuine for Miorine to immediately process. It’s just… for a moment when Suletta was leaning in, just a fraction of a millisecond, Miorine thought that she would—that she’d—
Well. It’d crossed her mind, is all.)
/ /
3
It takes them a long time to pull apart.
Plant Quetta has felt eerily quiet to Suletta ever since they arrived, but now, with Miorine’s soft, wobbly breaths in her ear and Miorine’s tears on her uniform and Miorine’s weight in her arms, she thinks this place might be the warmest she’s ever been.
Miorine is so small. Suletta’s always known that, of course, has seen her without her heels on multiple occasions and has even taken the opportunity to tease her about it, but she seems even more petite when she’s in Suletta’s arms, chest still trembling with choked sobs.
Suletta’s never felt like this before. This is a given—she knows just how strangely she’d grown up, knows how much she’s missed out on while languishing alone on Mercury—but the brightness that expands in her lungs is nothing like she’s ever felt, nothing like anyone’s ever described to her. After being effectively chased throughout the station, terror and a desperation to get away overpowering all else, this is a warm salve placed to the wound.
Carefully gentle, Suletta tightens her grip around Miorine’s waist. Then, unable to resist the urge any longer, she leans down to lay a soft kiss on her forehead, barely visible underneath white bangs.
On a whim: “I like hugging you.”
Maybe that would be an embarrassing thing to admit in any other situation, but here, all alone in this room inside this space station floating through the depths of space, the aftershocks of truths told still shimmering gently down her spine, there’s not a moment’s hesitation to continue the truth-telling tenfold.
“Ugh.” Miorine’s head drops forward to land somewhere on Suletta’s shoulder, but Suletta can hear a smile in her voice as she goes on. “You’re such a romantic.”
The way she presses herself ever closer tells Suletta that she doesn’t necessarily mean that as a bad thing. Suletta beams, dipping her own neck once more to press her nose gently against the top of Miorine’s head. She smells nice.
This is the Miorine that hardly no one gets to see, this kind, headstrong girl who had to punch Suletta in the gut to get her to listen to her. All this time they’ve been orbiting each other, unsure about how to communicate exactly what they want, and all Suletta would have had to do is ask. Ask what Miorine wants from her, whether or not she still wants her around. She’d been terrified of the answer, fear clouding her thoughts and making her act in ridiculous ways, but now she knows for sure.
Miorine says she wants Suletta to stay by her side forever. Suletta thinks she might be okay with that.
“Oh!”
She’d completely forgotten. Suletta pulls away with a wince, just far enough so that she’s able to extract one of her hands to dig through her right pocket. It takes a moment, somewhat awkward from the angle of still trying to keep the hug happening, but Suletta refuses to let go entirely.
Miorine tilts back her head, apparently having wiped enough of her tears onto Suletta’s uniform to justify showing her face once more. “Oh?”
“I—have something for you,” Suletta says nervously, still trying to get a good grasp on them. Finally her fingers close on something hard metallic, and she smiles. “Okay, okay, close your eyes.”
“...What?”
“Please?” Suletta meets her gaze with what she hopes is a pleading expression. “It’s a surprise. You’ll like it!” She hopes. She’s deathly terrified of Miorine hating it, not wanting anything to do with it, giving it back to Suletta with an expectation of needing something better. She pushes those thoughts back down. She can do this.
With another pointed sigh, Miorine closes her eyes.
“Okay,” Suletta says, wasting no time. She takes the things and holds them up, dangling them so that they’ll be directly in Miorine’s line of sight. “You can open now!”
Then something wonderful happens: as she opens her eyes, Miorine forgets to hide any part of her expression. She looks at the keychains for the first time and her eyes begin to soften the moment she realizes what they are, who they represent. Her eyes soften, head tilting to the side ever so slightly as she studies them, and a small smile dawns on her face.
“So, t—this one’s mine,” Suletta says quickly, the grin frozen on her face. “The r—red one, I mean, since, uh—” she points quickly to her head. “The blue o—one is meant to be yours, though you can d—definitely have the red one if you’d rather. Either way, we both get one!” She has to bite her tongue before she adds, So you can see it and always think of me. Somehow, that feels still too vulnerable.
Slowly, Miorine reaches out to take the blue keychain from her, their fingers brushing and sending a spark of heat down Suletta’s spine. She studies it for a moment, turning it over in her palm, all while Suletta sweats, still nervous.
Then Miorine says, smiling wider than Suletta’s ever seen, “It’s so ugly.”
And with how she says it, how her voice has dropped and gone all honey-like, smile warm and surprised and more tender than ever before, she can’t possibly mean it as anything but the sweetest compliment in the world.
/ /
4
Things are—weird.
Suletta doesn’t like it.
Truthfully, she’d been surprised to get a message from Miorine at all today, given that she’s pretty sure they’d fought. She’s not sure at all what about, just that Miorine had thrown wild scenarios at her and then stormed away when Suletta responded, but even if she doesn’t understand why, there’s a tight knot in her stomach which conveys very clearly that she doesn’t like it at all.
If your mother asked you, would you use Gundams to kill people? Miorine had demanded.
Suletta had danced around the question as best she could. She may not understand why her answer upsets Miorine so much but she did realize that she would not be giving her the answer she wanted to hear. Eventually, though, it’d been torn from her: Yes.
If mother said.
Now Miorine lays with her back to her, arms curled into herself. This is their usual layout—Suletta has no problems with sleeping behind her, enjoys the comfort of being able to protect her even in sleep—but something is different tonight, and not in a good way.
Miorine’s usual silence is stiff, her breaths coming sharp and fast. Her back is lined with tension, nearly trembling with the force of it. There’s a horrible feeling to the air, the same feeling that had cloaked them in the greenhouse, filling Suletta’s lungs and threatening to choke her. Miorine’s upset, and Suletta has a feeling this isn’t something that will be fixed easily.
Still, she doesn’t pull away when Suletta slowly moves to put her arms around her, and maybe that’s enough for now.
“I’m sorry,” Suletta whispers into the dark, still unsure as to what she’s apologizing for. “I wish I could do better.” I want to be better, she thinks, though she doesn’t know how. For you, if I can.
When there comes no response, Suletta shuts her eyes and leans closer.
It’s not much, really, just a gentle press of lips against an ever so freckled shoulder, but while Miorine shudders under her touch, she still doesn’t pull away, instead sinking backwards, further into Suletta. Her hand reaches behind her and Suletta takes it without hesitation, intertwining their fingers and laying their hands carefully on Miorine’s hip.
Miorine still doesn’t say a word, but her fingers tighten around Suletta’s so much that it nearly starts to hurt. Suletta doesn’t say anything either, sensing that it’s better to stay silent. They go to sleep like that; Suletta’s hand covering hers and Suletta’s arms draped carefully over her shoulders, pressing her closer into Suletta’s front. She knows that nothing’s been fixed; they haven’t spoken, and there will only be more uncertainty when they both wake up in the morning.
But this is a good sign. Miorine isn’t pushing her away, still wants her around. They can get through this, whatever this is, and they can go back to how they were before everything at Plant Quetta happened. Suletta can believe everything will be okay again, that it will eventually be worth it.
She just has to keep moving forward.
/ /
5
It’s been so long since Suletta saw her last.
Towering over her in Aerial’s half-destroyed cockpit, her face carved from stone. Tossing back the keychain as if it never mattered to her in the slightest. Saying the most cruel things, that Suletta’s misread everything, that she isn’t needed anymore. Miorine had broken her heart, had shattered her entire body and left behind only the faintest of fragments. She’d taken her dignity, her hope; she’d even taken her sister. Suletta hasn’t slept much since, but in the few times she was able to drift off, she’d always be taken to that exact moment. There was no escape.
Logically, it’s only been a few weeks, but confusion and terror and heartbreak had slowed time, lengthening it so that every second felt like hours. It’s only been a few weeks since Suletta saw Miorine last, but it felt much longer, and now she looks so different that it only makes Suletta’s heart ache even more.
Hair tangled and messy, eyes with bruises underneath; a pale, worn face. Still beautiful, always beautiful, but battered and broken.
Suletta wants to hug her so badly, but she’s not sure if Miorine would crumble into dust at her touch. She’s trembling from just holding Suletta’s hand, fingers shaking in Suletta’s grasp, and at this point she’s not even sure how long they’ve both stood here. Minutes, maybe; it’s going to be time to go soon, but Suletta couldn’t tear herself away for the world.
She opens her mouth, then closes it. Then, swallowing the lump in her throat: “I missed you.”
More tears track slowly down Miorine’s cheeks. Her shoulders—bony; has she not been eating at all?—are shaking even harder than her hand. “I’m so sorry.”
Suletta shakes her head. “I understand,” she says, and it’s true. She’d spent days after Guel beat her wondering why, wondering how Miorine could just throw her away like she was nothing. Now she gets it—the whole problem was that Suletta was way more than nothing, was everything, in a way. It doesn’t take back all those days of pain, of grief, but having a clear answer is almost more fulfilling than anything else.
She’s not sure what else to say, what else there is to say at all. Miorine has already opened the door for her, Suletta already forgiven her—it’s not hard, it is but it’s not—and it’s only that familiar need for more that keeps her standing still, unable to tear her eyes away.
In lieu of words, Suletta raises Miorine’s hand to her face. She kisses her knuckles softly, dipping her head with the reverence that Miorine deserves. I’m here, she thinks, heart aching and so, so full. I’m sorry. I forgive you. I missed you so much.
I’m here, she thinks. I won’t let you be alone again.
Before, such a touch would have had Miorine pulling away and hiding her face, if only to pretend that she wasn’t seeking it out in any way, but now, after everything they’ve done and had to do, all she does is flinch. It’s not for the same reason as before, back when she would act as if she wanted nothing to do with Suletta’s contact; this time it’s because she doesn’t think she deserves it. She does. Suletta’s more sure of that than anything else.
Still, she doesn’t call attention to Miorine’s reaction, instead only tightening her grip ever so slightly. She says nothing, doesn’t dare let go.
“We have to leave,” Miorine finally says in a wispy voice. “Soon.”
Suletta looks at her. Looks at the way she’s visibly steeling herself, taking long breaths and squaring her shoulders and meeting Suletta’s gaze with a new fervor. “We will,” she replies, giving Miorine’s hand another gentle squeeze. “But we have time.”
“Yes. I—have to change,” Miorine says, casting a short glance over her shoulder. “Do you think…?”
“I’ll wait,” Suletta tells her. “We’ll go together.”
Let me stay forever, she thinks; doesn’t say. Like you used to want. If I survive this, let us never be apart again. Whatever you need. Whatever you want, she thinks. I’ll give it to you.
“Afterwards,” Miorine says, and her voice cracks. She swallows, tries again. “Afterwards, will you still want to—could we—”
Suletta smiles down at her. This time, it’s Miorine who doesn’t get it, still doesn’t realize how important she is. Suletta has done horrible things for her, things that will haunt her for the rest of her days, and while there’s regret now, the realization that she’d done wrong, Miorine still being alive isn’t part of that. Miorine still being alive is one of the best things in Suletta’s life.
“If you want me gone, you’re going to have to work harder,” Suletta finally replies, teasing gently. It works: Miorine’s face lightens ever so slightly, and she nods, sharp, still the same person she’s always been.
“Careful what you say,” she says back, and her eyes are still tired but there’s a new spark inside them now; one Suletta recognizes. “I might just keep you around forever.”
Suletta beams. “I think I’d be okay with that.”
There’s a lot she has to do before they reach that point; stop her mother, stop her sister, make sure that Quiet Zero can never be used again and keep everyone important to her safe while doing it. She has no idea if she can get through to her mother or not, has no idea if Eri will attack her or stand down. She has no idea if connecting to Calibarn will simply kill her, Permet resistance be damned.
But Miorine says, Careful or I might just keep you around forever and there’s nothing she could say that would better encourage Suletta to try harder, push farther. After today, she and Miorine will be able to talk again, to be with each other. After today, she’ll finally get to say all the things she’s been wanting to say for so long.
She just has to survive this.
/ /
+1
After the destruction of Quiet Zero, after Miorine carries her inside after coming this close to death, after tears have already poured down Miorine’s cheeks, happy and otherwise, Suletta stays unconscious and in a coma for the next two weeks.
It’s hell.
Miorine splits her time in an even thirty-seventy between overseeing the mass liquidation of Benerit Group assets and sitting in the supremely uncomfortable chair set up next to Suletta’s hospital bed. It seems that despite her brief statement about it, giving away hundreds of thousands of resources to many, much smaller upstarts is not as easy as it should be, but neither is waiting for Suletta to wake up.
There are plenty of other things to worry about. Doctors promise that she’ll wake up, that she’s simply exhausted, and when there’s time, Miorine buries herself in other matters.
Ericht is alive somehow, trapped in the body of Suletta’s little red keychain. She communicates through morse code—Miorine had thought she was hallucinating the first time she noticed—and at her request, Ojelo and Nuno have teamed up to make a proper communication device for Suletta’s sister to be able to use. Nika is helping, but she’ll be turning herself into the Assembly League soon enough, per her own decision.
Prospera Mercury is declared dead, vanished alongside Quiet Zero and everything else that went with it, but Elnora Samaya is thriving, as much as one can as they slowly begin to lose their ability to walk. She’s been confined to a wheelchair, likely for the rest of her life, and Miorine tries not to be too relieved about that. She has enough to deal with already without having to worry about Suletta’s possibly still homicidal mother.
The rest of Earth House help as they’re needed; no one leaves the area for fear that they’ll miss Suletta’s big reawakening and with the school still undergoing massive construction, it’s not as if they’re missing anything there.
Miorine works and oversees and hardly sleeps and avoids her father and argues with a keychain and hardly even allows herself to consider an after; no future can exist yet and nothing matters until Suletta’s by her side again. She exhausts herself because it’s easier to be busy than to be stuck alone with her thoughts. For Suletta. All for Suletta.
Eventually, it’s all worth it.
She’s in Suletta’s room when it happens.
Dozing as best she can (these chairs are not very comfortable), Miorine’s half-asleep when suddenly she starts awake, fingers grasping for the armrests and heart nearly pounding itself out of her chest.
For a moment she’s not sure what woke her, sleep-deprived and confused, but as her gaze turns to Suletta on an instinct that’s been formed after weeks of sleeping in this horribly uncomfortable chair, her heart nearly stops and she knows exactly what disturbed her enough to jolt her out of the half-sleep.
Suletta’s eyes are open.
Miorine is out of her chair in half a second, nearly falling flat on her backside from her haste. She grasps for Suletta’s hands, fingers curling into hers as gentle as she can manage. Her gaze seeks Suletta’s, her bleary blinks and slow smile.
In a raspy, unused voice: “...Miorine?”
There are tears already streaming down Miorine’s cheeks, and as she feels Suletta’s hand squeeze back ever so slightly, they come even harder. Instantly the bedding directly underneath her is soaked, but she can’t find herself to care in the slightest.
“Suletta…” Miorine’s down on her knees now, pressing Suletta’s hand to her chest. She can hardly see through her tears, but she knows Suletta’s still smiling at her. “You’re okay. It’s going to be okay. Suletta,” she says hoarsely, squeezing tighter, though careful not to hurt her. “It’s going to be okay.”
And then the doctors begin to pour into the room.
For nearly half an hour they examine her, checking her temperature and asking her questions and jotting everything down on a shared tablet. They talk about nerve damage, about physiotherapy and muscle rebuilding and working every day and it goes in one ear and out the other. Miorine listens, she does, but she’s also unable to focus entirely, not when Suletta is alive and awake and right fucking there, staring up at her with wide, tired eyes.
So she’s somewhat paralyzed. So she won’t be able to walk by herself for a long time, if ever. So she’ll be scarred for the rest of her life and it will very likely be years until she’s back to anything close to normal. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter. She's still alive.
And so long as she’s wanted, Miorine will be with her for the rest of her life.
Eventually the doctors leave; the rest of Earth House have been sent for, though, selfishly, Miorine hasn’t yet informed Elnora. She will if Suletta asks, of course, but for now she wants these few minutes to herself.
Suletta hasn’t stopped looking at her.
Even when they were being talked to by the doctors, explaining what the next years of her life will probably look like, Suletta had hardly paid them any attention, eyes always returning to Miorine’s own, sticking and freezing her in place under the weight of Suletta’s warm gaze. She looks tired, looks like she hardly has any energy at all, but she’s still smiling.
“Hi,” says Suletta.
Her voice is weak, but hearing her speak sets Miorine off once more; she sniffs, trying to save face, but it’s too late. The tears have returned, and Suletta grunts softly as her hand comes up to wipe Miorine’s face clean, shaking with the effort. Her smile is hanging off her face in exhaustion, but her eyes are so impossibly tender that it’s not even necessary.
Miorine says, wobbly and so, so happy, “Hi. How are you feeling?”
A small cough. “The doctors already asked me that.”
“I’m asking you, too.”
“Nothing hurts,” Suletta whispers. “I’m just… tired. Really, really tired.”
She’s going to be tired for a long time yet, despite the previous two-week sleep. According to the doctors—Miorine was listening!—she may never get all her energy back, the way she moved so easily and excitedly. She’ll be tired for a long time, unable to walk without help and easily exhausted. That’s all right. She’s still alive.
“Save your strength,” Miorine tells her, brushing strands of soft red hair out of her eyes. “You’re okay.”
Suletta continues to smile helplessly up at her, blinking tenderly at Miorine’s gentle touch. “Is everyone else okay?”
Miorine nods, heart aching. She can’t imagine the fear Suletta must have, wondering if she’d been able to accomplish everything she was trying to do. “Everyone’s okay. Eri’s even okay. She can’t wait to see you.”
“I know," Suletta says, her eyes focused on something glassy and far away. “Somehow I knew she was here somewhere. You’re okay, too?”
“Better now that you’re awake.”
“Oh.” Something in Suletta’s face turns sly; for better or worse, this too is terribly attractive. “You missed me?” Her head tilts to the side in a slow motion, eyes scrunching in delight and rustling her pillow. “I’m sorry.”
None of it has ever been her fault, but Miorine is pretty sure she’s mostly joking anyway, mouth curling up into something more lopsided than usual. Miorine wants to say something else, but she’s already made a fatal error: her eyes get stuck on that little smile, zeroing in for more than a few seconds. She wants—
“Miorine?”
“I—yes, I missed you,” she says, snapping out of it. “So much. It’s been—” ducking her head, Miorine takes a few deep breaths. It’s been horrible, but she can’t start crying again. “I’m just… very glad you’re awake now.”
“I missed you, too,” Suletta replies. “I think I could tell when you were here.” Her voice turns a little warmer, a little teasing. “You were here a lot.”
Miorine isn’t embarrassed. Suletta would have done the same if it were her, she’s sure of it. “Right, well. It was worth it.” Inhaling deeply once more, Miorine says, “Suletta—”
“Hm?”
“Do you think I could—well.” It feels as if there’s a fishhook caught in Miorine’s stomach, tugging her patience lower and lower until there’s nowhere else for it to go. Now isn’t the time, not when Suletta’s still bedridden and has only just woken up, who can hardly move her legs at all and who’s still managed to smile this entire time. Now isn’t the right moment, but Miorine can’t wait any longer. “May I kiss you?”
She can hardly even believe they haven’t before. Suletta’s wormed her way so deeply into Miorine’s heart that it’s hard to remember a time before she didn’t know her; they’ve slept in the same bed, fought for each other, killed for each other, but not this. Not yet.
In any case, all she receives in response is silence. Then Suletta’s eyes go wide, darting down for a split second before meeting Miorine’s gaze once more. “I—I mean, if you—” she pauses again to collect her thoughts, the tired sheen to her face suddenly gone entirely. “Yes, please.”
Permission granted, here’s no further reason to hesitate.
Miorine scoots closer. Her knees are beginning to ache from the hard floor, but she hardly even notices the slight pain, too enraptured by the way Suletta’s looking at her now, dazzled and animated. Still holding Suletta’s hand in her own, Miorine reaches out with her other hand to tuck behind Suletta’s head, holding her up to angle it better.
When their lips finally touch for the first time, it feels as if the entire universe slots together. A whimper tears its way out of her throat, which would be embarrassing if Suletta weren’t also leaning desperately into the kiss. It’s like everything that’s ever existed is part of a massive puzzle and Miorine and Suletta are finally in the place they’ve always been meant to be in. Suletta is so warm, leaning into the contact as best she can with her limited mobility. Miorine can hardly breathe, can’t hear a thing over the blood roaring in her ears.
There had been a time in her life when Miorine was convinced she’d never want anyone at all. Everyone that she could have had a legitimate interest in was always just out for the position of Holder and the power that came with the title, and she had given up on the thought of finding someone she would genuinely care about.
Suletta is different. Suletta’s always been different. Miorine can feel that more now than she ever has before, pressing in as close as she can without hurting her. It’s impossible to be near enough, ridiculous to think she could ever be happy without Suletta’s presence around. It’s terrifying. It’s wonderful.
In the end, Miorine can’t help herself.
“Marry me,” she breathes against Suletta’s lips, eyes still shut. “P—Please. I love you. I love you, Suletta. Marry me?”
The funny thing is that asking isn’t scary at all. Miorine’s over pretending, beyond done with acting as if she doesn’t care about anything but herself. She cares about Suletta, cares about her more than anything else in the universe, and she’s going to make damn sure Suletta knows that.
Almost immediately, Suletta dissolves into a fit of giggles, which isn’t exactly the reaction Miorine was expecting or privately hoping for. Her body shakes first from laughter and then exhaustion only a moment later, strength immediately spent, but even as her chuckles turn into soft wheezing, the delight on her face never fades. She inhales long and deep, trying to regain her breath, and then says, voice rich with joy, “Mio—rine!”
Miorine’s hands go to her face, fingers brushing against those scars as she resists the urge to kiss her again. “What?” She can’t wipe the smile off her face, her cheeks already starting to ache from the weight of it. “You can’t be that surprised.”
Suletta’s not an idiot. If she hadn’t realized Miorine loved her before that last duel, then she certainly had to have figured it out when they found each other again. Everything has always been about her; she has to have realized that.
“I’m not, but—”
“But what?” Miorine’s painfully aware that she hasn’t exactly gotten an answer yet. Not verbally, at least, and she’d very much like to get one despite the clear joy shining in Suletta’s eyes. Call her old-fashioned.
“But I’m the groom,” Suletta continues to whine, her smile shining brighter than anything Miorine’s ever seen. “Aren’t I the one who’s supposed to ask?”
Horribly, Miorine’s crying again, but to brush the tears away would mean to let go of Suletta’s cheeks, and she simply can’t make that sacrifice right now. She’ll never stop touching her again for the rest of their lives if she can help it.
Suletta goes on. “And I can’t even walk! How am I supposed to get down the aisle to see you?” She pouts exaggeratedly; Miorine’s eyes follow the motion without her full permission. “We’ll have to wait for me to walk again, r—right?”
Anything, Miorine thinks. Whatever you want, no matter what. Tell me what you want and I’ll get it for you, I’ll wait a hundred years if that’s what it takes. I love you, she thinks, the words catching in her throat. It won’t be waiting when I’m beside you the entire time.
Aloud, she says, “Is that a yes?”
“Miorine.” Suletta looks at her for a long time and leans further into Miorine’s hand, still cradling her face. “How could I say no?”
She said yes. Miorine beams. She leans forward again, pressing her forehead gently against hers. Suletta’s eyes go a little crossed as she tries to follow her gaze, and Miorine laughs, giddy with relief and with warmth and with a love that burns so deeply in her bones it almost hurts. Unable to help herself (this may become a problem, Miorine’s up-and-coming selfishness), she goes further down once more, slotting their mouths together for the second time.
Suletta giggles again, dislodging them slightly, but Miorine doesn’t care. Her heart is pounding harder than it ever has, her hands beginning to shake from the energy of it all. Still, Suletta is warm and pliant against her, and Miorine thinks that if she could, she would freeze time and exist in this single moment forever.
Unfortunately, she can’t.
“Oh, hell.” Chuchu’s voice suddenly makes itself known, at the exact same time that someone who sounds awfully like Lilique lets out an excited squeal: “You guys!”
Miorine sighs, reluctantly pulling away from Suletta with a frown (though she never lets go of Suletta’s hand). Trust them to have the worst timing in the galaxy.
Earth House have arrived.
She isn’t embarrassed to be caught, not really. Miorine’s been through too much to be flustered by the idea that other people have seen their displays of affection. It’s not embarrassing, but it is annoying. How dare Suletta be so popular.
She says, dryly, “Well timed, that,” but is ultimately ignored (probably for the best).
The next few minutes are full of happy hellos and tearful thank yous and well-wishing, their friends just as happy to see Suletta awake and smiling as she had been. They all crowd around her, Miorine being sure to guard her spot by Suletta’s bedside, and though it’s got to be close to overwhelming, Suletta’s happy expression never drops.
“Hi!” she says, once she can finally get a word in. “Guys, I have a wife!”
Now Miorine’s face explodes in heat, as if making up for her lack of reaction earlier. It’s the word, being applied to Miorine. It’s a word she’ll be able to apply to Suletta. She nearly can’t breathe. “I—we’re not married yet!”
“Congratulations!” Ojelo is the first to speak up alongside Martin and Lilique, who’s clapping her hands happily. Till meets Miorine’s eyes with a calm smile. He gives her two thumbs up, which for him is the equivalent of a tight hug.
Chuchu says, “You’re both so weird.” But she’s biting back a grin as she says it, and so Miorine doesn’t take it as an insult in the slightest. She’s been called worse. “Now you’re going to be even more annoying.”
“I think it’s sweet,” Lilique says defensively, Nika patting her on the shoulder. “Congratulations, you two!”
Another wave of similar-sounding affirmations goes around the room, and Miorine ducks her head, unsure how to respond. It’s overwhelming in the best way, ensuring that her smile stays on her face and drawing a pleasing tingle down her spine. It’s nice to have people who care.
Here in this tiny little medical room, Miorine’s heart is more full than it’s ever felt. Here, her hands tangle with Suletta’s, her entire body thrumming with so much warmth that she can hardly stand it. She never thought anything could feel this way, could engulf her so wholly and still be pleasant. She’d once believed that she was destined for a loveless life, full of cold and irritation. She’s glad she was wrong.
Suletta, still weak but so, so incredibly strong, squeezes her hand back. She finds her eyes, brimming silver meeting that familiar Mercurian blue filled with tenderness, and Miorine feels so much she can hardly stand it.
She cannot wait to marry this girl.