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On the day of what was meant to be the eighth challenge, Vasey had called the cast of Clash 2 Be Champion to gather in the hotel lobby. The announcement had called it “important news,” but with this group, Yearbook doubted it would be all that important at all. At the time, she and Mirror were in their room preparing for the contest, but when the announcement sounded, Mirror was still struggling with the smudges on her glass.
“I can go if you need me to,” Yearbook volunteered, gathering up her developed photos and stashing them in their usual case. “I can tell you what she says if you're not done by the time she is.” Yearbook usually would've taken any chance to stay near Mirror as long as possible, but this was an exception. Mirror looked incredibly distressed, anyways, and if it really was important, Yearbook didn't want to miss it.
“Yes, thank you, that'd be wonderful, you're the best!” Mirror said hurriedly, dashing across the room to get to her emergency cleaning cloth stash. She rummaged in the bag, clearly stressed. Yearbook didn't like it when she was like this, but it wasn't like she could just stop worrying, she supposed.
“Oh, alright! Well, I'll hopefully see you down there?” Yearbook offered, and Mirror yelled out a “Yeah!” as she rushed back to the bathroom.
Yearbook didn't blame her for being so busy, she sighed, fidgeting with her camera as she shut the hotel room door behind her. She just wished that Mirror didn't care about her looks so much. She looked beautiful as she was. Smudges, crooked flower, anything she had imperfect just added to her beauty, in Yearbook’s opinion. She just wished Mirror could see herself the same way.
(Of course Yearbook knew she was crushing hard. It was hard not to notice when you've had your camera nearly slip from your hands from how sweaty they were when photographing her, or when you've laid awake at night staring at her peaceful form lying in her bed, so desperate to be close to her but too scared to make the first move. Yearbook knew– She just wished that she didn't.)
Once most of the contestants were gathered, Vasey stood in the center of the room and told them that, due to a scheduling error, they'd have the day off for today, free from any challenges or other stressors associated with the gameshow. When she'd announced this and stepped back towards the hotel's phone, most people immediately began discussing how they were gonna use their free day. Yearbook heard Fireball and Pound whispering to each other, likely about spending the day together. Caramel Apple and Chipstack were both discussing several plans, one of which included Caramel Apple taking Statuette out on a date. Yearbook slightly cringed at that idea, unable to imagine such a sight. Though, she did suppose it would be kind of cute.
She did try looking for her best friend, but she wasn't anywhere to be seen in the bustling commotion. Probably adjusting her appearance still, Yearbook reasoned as she looked for a good spot to snap a photo of the crowd. She'd found a nice framing shot where Glitchy was in focus around the bottom-left corner, in line with the rule of thirds. It was a plus that Beer Keg stood slightly in the foreground, creating a nice leading line that drew the viewer to the center of Glitchy’s abstract form.
Yearbook finally snapped the photo, happy with how the shot had turned out. She couldn’t wait to get this one developed. As she stood up from her crouched position, though, she felt someone tap her shoulder.
“Ah– sorry, am I in your way?” She asked, standing back up to face the smaller figure she recognized as Jester Hat.
“Oh, not at all, my picture-taking friend! Me and my lovely cork buddy just wanted to know how you were going to spend your day,” Jester Hat said, gestures grand and extravagant as he spoke. Corky, who was standing next to him, stood up on her tip-toes as she grinned at Yearbook.
“Yeah! We were going to go to the park. It's so pretty out. You might want to take your camera there! There's all the butterflies and the flowers and– ooh! You could even take Mirror out there! Her prettiness would fit right in! Her nice little flower could even–”
Corky rambled on, but Yearbook herself blanked. Take Mirror out?
“Like– on a date?” She asked, her mouth moving before she could think to stop it.
Corky paused. “Ooh, I didn't know she was your girlfriend! That's so sweet! You two are so cute together…” Corky swooned. Yearbook yelped.
“Ah– No! No, we aren't, I was just–!”
“Oh, it's alright, Yearbook-y!” Jester Hat grinned. “I'm sure you two can still hang out there together as friends. She'd like that, wouldn't she? Me and Corky will stay out of your pictures. Though, I wouldn't mind being in one myself. Just don't post it anywhere public, okay? The CIA doesn't need to know my whereabouts just yet!” Jester Hat laughed. Yearbook felt herself increasingly disturbed by the duo. Though, she did have to admit that it did sound like a good idea to have Mirror go with her to the park. Even if the duo was… Odd, they did have a good idea between the two of them.
Three people had already left, and it was only ten o'clock. Noting that pretty much everyone else was busy with their own activities, Yearbook finally decided to head back up to her hotel room and pop the big question to Mirror.
Mirror, to Yearbook, was a pretty thing on a high shelf. She could look, she could stare, she could yearn all she wanted to, but she was always somehow too small to reach out and grab her no matter how far she stretched. She wanted Mirror; she had since the competition started. But she couldn't have her. There were moments when she'd thought about grabbing a ladder to finally bridge that gap, to finally make the move to obtain her, but those fantasies rest in the back of her head, where she wouldn't dare touch them. She couldn't have Mirror, and that was something she couldn't change.
There are moments in photography where the glare of a reflective object disturbs the shot, and you can try to move it, or change the lighting, or move yourself to try and find a place where the light misses the lens– but sometimes it's a lost cause. Sometimes you have to accept that you can't always change the things you want to, and you have to give up and take another photo elsewhere.
Yearbook wanted to snap a picture of herself and Mirror in a world where they were together and Yearbook could love her how she wished she could, but no matter how hard she tried, that perfect shot would never exist.
She paused briefly upon the stairs, letting a new thought invade her mind, if only momentarily. She could be pining after someone she'd never have, sure, but what if Mirror actually loved her back? What would happen then? Would she be able to find that ladder and climb up to that impossibly high shelf, finally finding the strength to hold on to that glimmering impossibility? Would she finally find just the right angle to capture a moment between them where they loved each other beyond words? Beyond thought?
Yearbook felt just the slightest swelling in her heart as she thought of it, but she knew better than to indulge in the idea. Mirror didn't feel any type of way towards her. They were just friends.
As she climbed up the stairs, Yearbook wished she couldn't feel the weight of disappointment growing heavy in her chest.
When she finally reached the door to their room, Yearbook raised her fist to knock, but paused just before making contact with its wooden surface. What if Mirror didn't want to go out after all? What if she was embarrassing herself by asking? What if–
Before Yearbook could get a hold of her thoughts, the pale door swung open, hitting her square in the face.
Yearbook clutched her camera at the first sign of impact, saving it from getting crushed, but the force of the door sent her clambering to the ground. She heard Mirror gasp as a wave of pain swept through her front cover and her pages, and the hand that wasn't gripping her camera flew to her face as she sat up, head throbbing.
“Oh my God! Yearbook, are you alright?” Mirror rushed out of the doorway to help her up, and Yearbook gladly took her hand. She only lingered on the feeling of contact for a moment before she let Mirror help pull her to her feet, still feeling that pulsing ache behind her eyes.
“Oh, goodness… Yeah, I'm okay, thanks for checking,” Yearbook groaned, eyes flitting to her camera. It was fine, of course–she wouldn't let it get damaged–but the visual confirmation that it was okay still helped to ease her mind. Mirror rushed to her aid, seemingly scanning for any scuffs or creases on her hard cover. When she found none, Mirror let out a breath, and Yearbook smiled. She did care for her, at the very least.
“I was about to come find you. Did Vasey tell you what that was about?” Mirror asked, holding the door open for Yearbook to enter. Yearbook stepped through the doorway and pressed her hand on the door to prevent it from swinging into Mirror as she followed.
“Yeah. She told us that our challenge was canceled for today.”
“Canceled? What are we gonna do, then? Please tell me she's not leaving us like Football Ring left the season one guys.”
“Oh, no, no! Goodness no. Pound told me all about that the other day. She just said there was a scheduling error, that's all.” Yearbook sat down on her bed to examine her camera further. She did want to look back on the picture she got earlier, anyways. Mirror sat down beside her to observe what she was doing, and Yearbook tilted the camera in her direction so she could see the photo if she wanted to.
“Oh, good! So… Did you wanna spend today together?”
“Together?” Yearbook stopped fidgeting with her camera as she felt her face heat up.
“Oh, not– not together, together, but, y’know–”
Yearbook felt all the stress she'd accumulated over asking about the park dissipate, and the weight she'd been carrying in her chest disappeared with the grateful breath she let out.
“Yeah. I'd love to, Mirror. I was actually coming to ask about that, before you bashed my face in–”
“–I'm still really sorry!”
“No, you're all good! I was gonna see if you wanted to go down to the park. Corky suggested it. I know she and Jester Hat are gonna be there, but we won't have to talk to them. It can just be…”
Yearbook swallowed. She could do this.
“It can just be the two of us. I-If that’s okay with you, of course!”
Mirror seemed to ponder for just a moment. “Yeah, actually, that sounds… Really nice. I'd like that.”
Maybe those impossibilities weren't so impossible at all.
When Yearbook and Mirror left the hotel, it was eleven o'clock, and there were plenty of people bustling about. It was nice to be able to spend the day together without any cameras in their faces, completely able to experience everything off-the-grid. Of course, Yearbook was already scanning for artistic shots, but to her dismay, there were hardly any places where there wasn't a crowd. It was early on a Saturday, after all, not to mention the fact that everyone else was also out and about. Yearbook could see a few familiar faces; Caramel Apple pouting with Chipstack comforting him; Beer Keg arm-wrestling with Jester Hat (surprisingly, the latter was winning); and she swore she caught a glimpse of Fireball and Pound walking hand-in-hand, but they disappeared into the crowd too quickly for her to tell.
Mirror was commenting on everything Yearbook observed, almost as if they were in sync. She questioned what was wrong with Caramel Apple, she cheered Jester Hat on against Beer Keg, and she even whispered to Yearbook about Fireball and Pound possibly getting together.
It was funny how they did that. They were two halves of a whole, in Yearbook's eyes. She could be the one to process it all, the one to take everything in to relive later, while Mirror could be the one to vocalize everything she saw and live in the moment like nobody else. It was fun how they balanced each other out in that way. Yearbook didn't talk much, whereas Mirror had a lot to say. Yearbook kept to herself, whereas Mirror could fill an endless silence. It was nice to have that when it's only ever been quiet for Yearbook. She could have someone fill the empty space with fun and bright phrases, while she could capture all of the emotion with a single click for the rest of time.
They didn't walk (or talk, in Mirror's case) long before they reached the park. There were surprisingly few people there, and a nice, shady area beneath a tree caught Yearbook's eye. The colors were warm-toned, and all the greens would contrast nicely with…
“Hey, Mirror, wanna take some photos?” Yearbook asked, holding up her camera. Mirror stopped rambling, and Yearbook swore she saw stars cross over her eyes.
“Of course! You know I love taking pictures with you. Do I look alright? Where do I stand?” Mirror asked while adjusting her flower, attempting to look her best. Yearbook just laughed.
“You look great.” She paused. “Perfect, even. Just sit under that oak over there, okay?” Yearbook felt her face heat up, and she thought she could see that look reflected across Mirror's face, from what little she could tell. Mirror took a breath and nodded, then went to sit under the shade.
Yearbook knew that the light would make her look nice, but she didn't expect her to look this nice. She seemed almost as gentle as she was in person under the shade, and the morning sun highlighted the edge of her body as it crested over the buildings in the distance. Yearbook felt her heart speed up, and when Mirror asked if she got the picture, she had to pause and think.
“I… Do you mind if I do something different for this one?” Yearbook asked, and she hoped that Mirror's confidence would have rubbed off on her after all.
“Oh, yeah, sure! It's not because of me, though, right?”
“No, not at all! I just… I just wanted to take a picture of something I've wanted to capture for a while now.”
Yearbook sat down in the grass next to Mirror, her pulse racing in her ears as Mirror looked at her with confusion. She slid the strap of her camera off of her shoulders, flipping it to where the lens faced them, and lifting it up to a position where both her and Mirror were in frame. With everything she had in her, she managed to reach out for Mirror's hand and grasp it in hers. Mirror opened her mouth to speak, but Yearbook quickly quieted her by leaning forward and pressing her lips to Mirror's as she clicked the camera's capture button.
All of the words they couldn't say before finally passed silently between the two at that moment, and every half of every whole they'd ever been finally came together to be that perfect singular image that Yearbook had both metaphorically and physically been yearning for since the start.
On a Saturday morning, in the short while Mirror and Yearbook had to themselves, Yearbook kissed Mirror.
And after she took the picture, and Mirror had a chance to collect herself for just a split second, Mirror kissed her back.
And she kissed her back again. And again. And soon, it didn't matter that they were in public, or that they'd already gotten the picture, or that they still had to get lunch. They were able to exist in a single moment together, loving each other and kissing each other and holding hands and being.
When Mirror finally pulled back, Yearbook almost felt disappointed. Almost, since she could hardly comprehend any of her thoughts with how quickly they were moving.
After a minute that felt like ages, Mirror finally spoke.
“I love you, Yearbook.”
And Yearbook fell deeper in love than she ever had before.
For once, her camera was her second priority, discarded off to the side as she leaned in to kiss Mirror one last time.
When she pulled away, she finally felt like she had enough sense to speak.
“... I love you, too.”
The picture turned out perfectly. When Yearbook showed Mirror, she seemed much more bashful than she had even in the moment captured. The light framed Yearbook's figure, capturing the edges of her stray photos as she leaned forward, and the surprise on Mirror's face only accentuated the emotion in the shot. It didn't matter that Jester Hat was visible in the background–smirking very obviously, even with the selective blur–it was still a photo that Yearbook knew she was going to cherish for a long time.
“Hey, the challenge is about to start,” Mirror tapped Yearbook's shoulder, stirring her girlfriend from her thoughts. She nodded, still lost in the memory, and placed the photo down on her desk, slipping her camera strap around her shoulders.
“Thanks, love. I'll see you after, okay?” She kissed the corner of Mirror's mouth, smiling when Mirror laughed.
“Okay! I look fine, right?” Mirror dusted off her flower. Yearbook nodded.
“You look beautiful,” she affirmed, taking her girlfriend by the hand and leading her into the hotel's hallway.
Maybe they'd take another photo together after the challenge. For now, though, feeling Mirror's hand in her own was enough.
After all, there are only so many emotions to be photographed in a moment. Feeling the love radiating off of Mirror was enough for a lifetime.