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Maya and Claudine had always been more than mere rivals but ,despite all of that, they never managed to sort out their issues together. When it came down to feelings one was always waiting for the other to make the first move because the possibility of rejection was too much to bear. They were strong women but beneath all that, still humans.
One day, a chilly January day, during winter break, Claudine made the move and Maya's confession was neither rushed nor messy but rather composed as her appearance was at the moment but Claudine couldn't see how Maya's hands were trembling behind her back. Claudine, on the other hand, was also very visibly trembling and she was pretty sure her beating heart had either exploded or stopped definitely.
Their battle had come to a point where none of them wanted to fight anymore, it had worn them out.
Let it all out
And they did, they freed their feelings for each other from the cage they had built in order to protect themselves and since they both spoke the truth their lives became a lot less tense, they could finally be together as they wished to be. It all seemed to be so perfect and in a way it really was. Their connection had really grown to another level ,in fact, it was more than just a connection, their performances had Improved incredibly, they had reached heights no one even thought existed
s̶o̶ ̶w̶h̶y̶ ̶d̶i̶d̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶h̶a̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶g̶o̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶w̶r̶o̶n̶g̶?
...
It was a plain and ordinary Saturday evening and, as previously decided, all their dorm would go out to have a little fun and relax a bit after a tough week of training. Maya was uncharacteristically enthusiastic and Claudine couldn't help feeling enthusiastic as well. So, that's how the 9 stage girls found themselves in the shopping centre, a place where they often hang out, without a destination.
After some time of walking around they opted for a café they all liked and, because finding something they all enjoyed was quite rare, the evening couldn't have gone better.
Claudine felt happy in knowing that all the people she truly cared about got along so well.
Her girlfriend was happy, she was happy and their friends were happy.
She continued drinking her tea while daydreaming about who knows what
s̶o̶ ̶w̶h̶y̶ ̶d̶i̶d̶ ̶I̶ ̶a̶s̶k̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶? ̶T̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶n̶ ̶e̶n̶o̶u̶g̶h̶
“I have a request”
“What is it Ma Claudine?”
She huffed, Maya calling her that was something that made her cheeks redden every single time
Sure, they were partners both on stage and out now but still Claudine couldn't get used to the idea that, indeed, it was all real and not just another session of daydreaming.
She looked at Maya, at those beautiful violet eyes of hers and for a moment she forgot she had been asked a question
Tendou Maya, no, Maya had chosen her and Claudine had chosen her as well
“Kuro-chan?”
The high pitched voice made her regain consciousness
“Hm,ah yes.. Can we go to that French pâtisserie that I really love?”
“Uh, Uh, Kuro-han needs sweets...”
Why did everything Kaoruko said always seemed so ambiguous and perverted?
“Maya, you will accompany me,right?”
She spoke in a soft but demanding tone
“Of course”
“Guys… it's almost curfew time”
“Junna-chan is right”
Nana said patting Junna's head
“C'mon Miss Class-Rep… It's Tendou-han, I bet she could even stay out all night and no one would dare speak a word”
“Don't worry, we won't get to that point and besides, if anything had to happen I'll speak to sensei personally. I can make up a story just fine”
“If you say so Maya-chan,then, we'll see each other later?"
“Sure”
The Top Star and her Top Star waved goodbye to their friends and made their way to the bakery which was rather far from there, its location was in a very deserted area which was thought to be popular among bad people, the kind you don't want to run into and that's why they rarely went there and preferred to do so when they knew there were other people around
When they arrived an unpleasant surprise was waiting for them. The bakery, and every other shop for that matter, were closed
“What the hell is going on here?”
Claudine was rather annoyed at the view
“Here she is, Saijo Claudine in all her glory, looking quite confused and kinda... disappointed?”
“What are you doing?”
“Filming us”
“And, hm, may I ask you why Tendou Maya?”
Maya smirked and replied
“You are remarkably stunning today”
Claudine blushed and tried to avoid Maya's eyes with all her might
This woman was gonna kill her, definitely
“Now she's being cute”
“T-Tendou Maya stop filming right now”
Claudine didn't usually stutter but Maya's words sometimes were just too much
“Fine, fine”
Maya only pretended to do so but Claudine was unaware of that
“It seems like there is some sort of holiday, I don't know, sorry mon amour, maybe next time?”
French always sounded so good coming from Tendou Maya's lips.
They spoke French a lot, mostly when they wanted to talk about something private but also to keep practicing the language. Maya had become almost fluent and Claudine was very proud of her because she knew how much she had worked for that. It made her happy to be able to speak with Maya in her native language and was more than happy to keep their private conversations as such
“Fine, let's just head back to Seisho”
Claudine took Maya's hand into hers and was happy at the sudden warmth it radiated. Maya's hold tightened and she found herself thinking that was all she really needed and that feeling Maya embrace her tight ,as she was doing now, filled her with joy.
They cherished their moments alone together, there was no need to pretend to be someone else, they could be themselves fully and show the parts of them that only the other knew.
“Maya?”
“Hm?”
Maya turned her head and faced her girlfriend.
“You know I love you, right?”
Maya seemed surprised at the words. It took her a second more to understand what had been said
Claudine didn't know why but she felt she had to say it
“What's with the serious face all of a sudden?’
“I don't know… It just seemed right “
She really didn't know, it just seemed the right thing to do
“I love you too, deeply”
She said it with a smile that brightened all the surroundings.
They kissed and such tenderness was pure bliss. She cherished every little moment with Maya, whether it was a tender or a heated one and everything in between. She simply cherished Maya.
“Well, well, look what we have here”
An unknown voice spoke, one hard to forget later on
Maya and Claudine turned their backs and saw two men coming their way. Maya's hold tightened for the second time that day, as a reassurance this time, that everything was gonna be okay
“This is no place for such ladies so I'mma ask you very politely to hand whatever valuable thing you possess to me” the other said
Claudine was shocked and frightened and she believed Maya was too
“Okay, okay gentlemen”
Maya spoke with a firm voice while Claudine was just speechless
Maya reached for her phone and gestured Claudine to do so.
One of the men came close to take what they were handing but he saw something else he was interested in
“That too”
He gestured to Claudine's right wrist
Oh no, not Maya's present
It was the very first present Maya had gifted her and one of her most valuable possessions
She moved her arm and the man saw hesitation in her eyes so he grabbed her wrist and Claudine hissed in pain
Maya was soon before her and grabbed the man's hand and pushed it away
“Don't you dare touch her”
The man appeared to be surprised at the words
“Or? What are ya gonna do princess?
He took the gun Claudine hadn't noticed he had and showed it to them
“If you speak like that to me again, I'm gonna blow your head off”
Maya didn't make a single move
“Move and let me talk to your friend”
He pushed her and she feel to the ground. All his attention was on Claudine now, he put his hand on her wrist again, she almost wanted to cry and as soon as Maya saw what was happening she used her pepper spray on the man. He cursed and then a loud sound pierced the silence
It was soon gone, almost as if it never had existed at all
What was that?
Claudine didn't understand what had happened until the other man yelled
“WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT? WE ONLY HAD TO SCARE THEM . NOW WE HAVE TO RUN. RUN!!”
“But…”
“RUN”
And just like that the two men were gone. Claudine still hadn’t understood what was going on
“C-Claudine”
Claudine turned and she saw it
Her Maya was laying on the ground and her shirt was covered in red
Maya's hand was right on top of that, stained
blood
In that moment something broke in Claudine’s body
Like a glass that falls to the cold ground breaking into millions of pieces
“M-M-Maya?” She stuttered
Claudine hurried to the ground and put Maya's head on her lap
“H-Hey, M-Maya, stay with me, don't you dare…”
She felt her tears dripping and saw as they fell on Maya's body
“I love you Claudine”
“I know that ,you dummy, don't say it like that though ,please, please Maya”
“Claudine, j-just know, this isn't your fault, okay? I know what you'll think, you'll blame yourself, I know you'll suffer b-but it wasn't your fault… please Claudine live”
“S-Stop that, stop saying those things as if… as if…”
“I'm tired... will you kiss me goodbye?”
Maya really seemed tired and her eyes were almost closed
“This isn't goodbye”
“Please, Claudine”
Maya smiled weakly and she couldn't refuse to do what had been asked to her
Claudine kissed Maya, whispering love words, one last time, feeling her last breath on her lips
She picked her phone, still embracing Maya's body
“119, What's your emergency?”
“I think my girlfriend is dead”
She said and put her phone in her pocket without bothering to hear what the speaker was saying. She also picked Maya's phone and saw that it was still recording
“Tendou Maya, you really are annoying” she whispered while still holding onto Maya's lifeless body
She caressed Maya's face and whispered softly
“... but I still love you”
…
The ambulance came soon after and from that on it was all blank
…
…
…
Claudine was in Maya's room, laying on the bed that still smelled like her and where they often ,if not always ,slept together.
Maya's parents had begun cleaning her stuff but most of it was still there. Claudine didn't know how much time had passed since… since that but time didn't matter anymore.
She hugged Maya's pillow and cried her eyes out once again.
A knock at the door made her stop for a second and she decided to get up and see who was there.
Kaoruko was there, holding something like a book
They looked at each other silently for a while.
Claudine didn't have the strength to speak or to do anything at all so she just waited for something to happen
Kaoruko, as expected, was the first to speak
“It's Maya’s diary, she often asked me to keep it when she knew you would come over to her room. She wanted to show it to you one day. I never opened it, it's something just between you and her. I would have given it to you sooner but I didnt't think you could have handled it then”
She handed the diary to Claudine and closed the door without another word
Claudine was sure she heard Kaoruko cry her eyes out on the other side of the door
They were all hurting
Claudine read, read Maya's wishes and fears, she read it all and when she came across a page that talked about being forever with ‘Ma Claudine’ she cried again
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‘I know I'm young and I know it's early but one day Claudine’s gonna be completely mine and I'm gonna be completely hers. I just know it’
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They caught the murderers thanks to the video Maya recorded and Claudine made sure her lawyers ensured they rotted in a minuscule black hole forever, although, there was no punishment that was even nearly enough.
…
Claudine had become Top Star, something she believed she wanted but in reality all she wanted was to be Maya's Top Star.
She reached incredible heights but she knew that only with Maya she could have gone even higher, could have been even more dazzling.
Maya never left her heart, no matter how many days, how many months, how many years, she was always with her and despite thinking a lot of joining her soon ,only when her time came she really did it
She hurt and she hurt, her heart never really mended, sometimes she just wanted to be with her and end it all but Maya had asked her to live… and in a way, she did
b̶u̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶l̶i̶v̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶i̶f̶ ̶M̶a̶y̶a̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶n̶'t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶r̶e̶?
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Is there a place where I'm forever yours and you are forever mine?
Claudine wanted to believe there was