Love is in the Stars? (for CaptainL)

[CaptainL]

Sanae blushed a little as the last few words had left her mouth, and she glanced down at the floor, hugging her arms closer to her chest. She was embarrassed of what she'd said. She knew it had to have been too corny, and she was rushing things by making another move like this. She'd tried to play it coy, still leaving enough plausible deniability that she wasn't trying to come on to Lyra - but it was all too obvious that that was exactly what she was doing. Now, she thought to herself, she'd blown it; that was a step too far. Lyra would almost certainly laugh at her. She'd get weirded out by it, and want to leave, and...

Wait. Was she...crying?

Sanae's jaw hung open in a gasp as she leaned closer in her seat, moving closer to Lyra. For the first few seconds, she was completely taken aback - she never expected a reaction quite like this, certainly not to a speech she was sure would have been thrown out as too cliche and sappy by any rom-com director. When the confusion passed, she was afraid she might have upset Lyra. But as the fortune teller reached out to take her by her shoulders, drawing her in closer, Sanae let her smile grow just a little wider, and she nodded her head to Lyra. She knew, in that moment, it didn't matter what she thought about her words. To Lyra, they were enough. And that was all that mattered.

As she stared into Lyra's eyes, Sanae's smile began to grow wider and wider, and she nodded her head in recognition of her date. She, too, moved her hands up to rest them gently on her shoulders, and she let out a soft sigh at the sensation of being this close to Lyra - of sharing contact with her. What made her smile most of all, though, was knowing that Lyra was happy. If Sanae had done that...she had done something right.

"It's okay, Lyra," Sanae said, squeezing her hands a little tighter. "If you need to cry...I'll never judge. If the universe is telling you that's the right thing to do, who am I to get in the way?"

And when Lyra told her that she had found someone who loved the real her...that was enough to send a warm feeling up through Sanae's chest, tickling her from the inside. She nodded her head to Lyra. She knew exactly what she'd meant, and she was perfectly okay with it. Sanae didn't need to hide any more, and she didn't need to be embarrassed. Now, they could both agree - everything about this felt right. It felt nice. It felt like it was meant to happen. And both of them were eager to pursue it.

Lyra pulled Sanae into a kiss, and the green-haired girl was happy to accept it. She leaned even closer toward her, her lips locking around the blonde's own, and as she felt the warmth of her breath traveling down her throat, she began to let herself relax, sinking lower in the chair. She'd worried long enough, but now, at last, she wouldn't have to worry any more. Lyra loved her, and she loved Lyra. They were open about it, they admitted it, and they knew it would work. Now, she was happy to feel that warmth, and let it into her heart - she was lost in that moment, letting everything else fall away.

...At least, until she heard the waiter come back by their table with their order. "Um...are you two alright?"

"Sorry, sorry-!!" Sanae hopped back with a nervous chuckle, waving to their server. She'd lost track of where she was, sharing in Lyra's company. But...at the same time, she knew it was worth it.

[Pegasus]

You could say the old saying is true: it will come when you least expect it. Boy, Lyra did not expect to see Sanae as her significant other and she hadn’t the slightest thought of becoming a lesbian. However, it seems that no matter the gender, man or woman, a person that has a heart of gold and caring enough for their lover is the right person to be with. Sanae and Lyra were fighting to prove themselves when it came to Apex and now, their next step is officially becoming a couple. The first kiss sealed the deal for the both of them and Lyra took in Sanae’s heavenly scent. Her date really loved her mint toothpaste and the soft taste of Sanae’s lips wanted Lyra to explore a little further.

The waiter caught their attention as Sanae broke the kiss and Lyra was in a spilt-second daze before rubbing the back of her neck smiling nervously. She cleared her throat and helped the waiter pass out their food making sure she got what she ordered. Lyra really didn’t have words to say. Her rosy cheeks were words enough that the kiss had a powerful impact on her. Someone finally gave a damn about her in a romantic sense. Sanae didn’t have to buy her anything or bribe her with sweets. She just had to be human and a lover to Lyra. This may have been the first date, but it was the most magical one Lyra had been on in quite awhile.

The waiter left their side as Lyra giggled in a fit and smiled at Sanae.

“That….was nice. I guess it’s official then. We’re a couple now. Of course, we’ll take it slow and keep a low profile for the press concerns, but I’m glad we have our foundation set. I wouldn’t want it with anyone else,”

[CaptainL]

When she had Lyra at her side, nothing else mattered. Sanae was happy to be lost in the fortune teller's company, knowing that no matter what happened - no matter where their journeys led them, or what might change in their lives, they would still mean everything to each other. They wouldn't judge - it didn't matter that Sanae was famous, or that Lyra had strange gifts. It wasn't about that. All it was about was the happiness they found in each other's company. Sanae was new to exploring feelings like this, but she knew that, too, didn't matter. Being with Lyra was all she needed to tell her that she didn't have anything to fear. One way or another, it would work out.

But the rest of the world was still going on around her - and Sanae would soon receive a reminder of that, as the waiter made his presence known. With a yelp, Sanae drew back from Lyra, her face still a vivid red. Her heart was pounding - how long had they been kissing like that, and how many people could have seen them? She cleared her throat a few times, but she was still at a loss for words, staring back blankly and stammering as the confused waiter paused by their seats. Soon enough, though, they were able to get everything sorted out - they collected their dishes, and the server stepped aside, leaving them to each other's company. Sanae let out a sigh, letting the tension leave her body. She still needed a moment to calm down before she set to her sandwich, but at last, she was able to look back up at Lyra with a smile.

"Yeah, I...I guess we are." She blushed a little harder thinking about it - their first date had been a success, and it had served its purpose. They were here to find out if they wanted to take things further; if they felt comfortable being around each other - and they had come away from it all assured that whatever they had was meant to be. It felt surreal to even think that - that they had entered the next step of their relationship. But there was no denying it had happened. In some ways, Sanae felt it a relief to know she didn't need to worry about what it was she felt and how she was supposed to deal with it any more. Now, they had their answers.

She nodded her head to Lyra as she explained the plan going forward. And she understood every word. Yes, there would be a day where she would have to take her relationship public. Yes, it would get quite a bit of buzz, and that could potentially threaten her career if the media hounded them about it. But those were all questions for another time. Right now, Sanae didn't need to worry about anything. She could be happy. Being with Lyra made her feel fulfilled, wanted - and understood. She didn't look at her with the worshipful admiration of a devoted fan, but as an equal - as another person who was looking to find love and happiness to call her own. Sanae liked that. And from the sounds of it, Lyra did too.

"I'm glad, too..." Sanae said, looking up at Lyra with a smile that grew wider the longer her gaze lingered on her. "Then let's make the most of it!"

[Pegasus]

THE END