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The celebratory party that had taken place had just ended. And not only did it leave a mess in the Winglet, it also had made the hostess of the party Sandrone's head pounding.
It had been the grandest event the Seventh Harbinger had ever hosted. The people attending were most than the people she originally invited to her tea parties, not to mention she wasn't even acquainted with most of the attendees.
That gathering had used most of Sandrone's social battery it made her reluctant to even consider going out for days.
Whatever,all she wanted was to rest and for good.
She was relieved that all of the guests had left and she could finally sleep.
Well...
Almost all...
How could she have even imagined that when she opened the door of her cabin an unexpected visitor would have been waiting for her.
"AHHH!" Sandrone screamed, clutching the door handle. She was sure the shaman next door could have awakened by how loud Sandrone's yell was.
"Is everything alright Sandrone? You look pale." Columbina asked looking innocent as ever.
"COLUMBINA!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY BEDROOM?!" Columbina's head titled upon hearing her best friends question.
"We didn't have time to talk privately before so I figured we could talk after the party ended." Columbina explained.
"AND YOU THOUGHT SNEAKING INTO MY ROOM WAS APPROPRIATE!?" Sandrone stomped her feet as she declared.
"Uhh, yes? Besides we've slept together multiple times I didn't think it would be a problem."
"Slept together!? DON'T PUT IT LIKE THAT!" Sandrone thought. If Citlali was hearing them right now Sandrone would be so embarrassed.
"Ugh... Columbina, I'm so tired right now. If you want to stay stay. Just you know there will be no talking done until the morning though! We can go out and talk about whatever you want tomorrow."
"Yay Sandrone you're the best!" Columbina jumps at her best friend embracing her.
The way Columbina's arms wrapped around her made her mechanical heart skip a beat. SERIOUSLY!? Right after she accepted those anomalies as part of herself and her as her feelings ,she reacts like that to Columbina's touch?
Before Columbina can notice the blush that is creeping up on her best friend's face, Sandrone pulls her away and pushes a finger in front of Columbina's mouth.
"Hush! No talking, remember?" Columbina nods as Sandrone lies down in her bed. She follows and does the same.
Sandrone lies on her side and Columbina lies face front of her. Columbina extends her arms, enveloping Sandrone's body as she leans in in Sandrone's ear.
"Sleep well,Sandrone." She whispers ignoring Sandrone's rule of her not talking for the rest of the night.
But how could Sandrone sleep well when she has those gorgeous pinkish purple eyes in front of her.
Come to think of it, Sandrone has never seen Columbina's eyes until today.How could she if Columbina constantly wore that veil around her eyes.
That god awful veil. All it did all this time was to prevent the doll from seeing those gorgeous purple eyes. Those eyes that reminded her of a beautiful evening sky before the moon came to show her beautiful gaze to the earth.
Those eyes whom she could watch all day as if they were the magnificent twilight sky above.
Sandrone turned her head in order to hide how red her face was becoming from the breath taking goddess beside her.
Those dammed emotions she thought as she tried to fall asleep.
Soon, dawn came. The yellow luminescent hue of light crept into the Marionette's room, signifying the hour of the early morning.
Sandrone flipped her head only to find Columbina gone from her side. She turned around and around trying to find any trace of her former colleague. Her name she called until disappointment hit her.
She got dressed and went up to the deck for fresh air. There she finally found the woman she was searching for waiting for her eagerly.
"You're up! You promised me a date today Sandrone don't you remember?" Columbina asked with the energy akin to a puppy running up to its owner.
Well just thinking of her going out with her best friend as a date was enough to make those darn butterflies rise up to her stomach again.
But of course she remembers of that promise she had made out of tiredness last night, how couldn't she?
"Obviously I do remember Columbina, so where do you want to go?"
"Well, I figured since you're the one who's form here you'd know where to take me."
Shoot! Sandrone had completely not considered that. Obviously, if they were going to chat about what had taken place in the time they were apart they'd most likely would want to sit down at a café of some short. But what café would be most to Columbina's liking. Evidently Hotel Deboard would be the most classy option given the plethora it's menu has to offer but on the others hand Café Loutece would provide nice scenery for the change of pace...
"WAIT WHAT AM I EVEN THINKING!?" Sandrone thought as she came to the realisation that she was overthinking their designation to much.
"Snap out of it Sandrone, it's not like Columbina would mind so why the fuck are you thinking about it so much?" Sandrone had her hand in her chin and was turning her head around and around as if she was having a spam or something.
Columbina took notice of that and went out of her way to ask Sandrone if everything was alright, which nevertheless made Sandrone more embarrassed.
In the end Sandrone decided to just deck the ship and they'd figure where they'd sit down as they toured the city of Fontaine.
"So Sandrone, how long has it been ever since you turned on?" The question was posed by Columbina as they strolled the Court of Fontaine.
Sandrone stopped in her steps as she turned around and look Columbina in the eyes with a deadpan expression, questioning internally if she should yell at her for her indecency or slam her palm in her head due to her friend's poor choice of words.
"Columbina!! That NOT how you say it!" Sandrone yelled.
"What did I say wrong?" Either Columbina acted like an idiot or she was one. Yet Sandrone couldn't but be attracted to that characteristic of hers.
"YOU- ugh nevermind. If you're asking how long since I've awakened it wasn't been more than a few months."
They continued talking until they had reached Café Loutece, there Sandrone asked Columbina if she had any objections of them having their brunch there, which Columbina had none.
"So, things in Nod Krai have settled down, haven't they Columbina?" Sandrone asked, in her metallic blue eyes emotion stayed hidden.
"Yes, I now reside with the Frostmoon Scions, it's nice they don't treat me like they did some hundreds of years ago. Lauma and the others are so understanding I feel right at home." Columbina said munching on the delicious pastries they ordered.
"I see..." Sandrone's tone was rather melancholic. They had just reunited but they couldn't bask in eachother company for long. Soon Columbina would have to return to Nod Krai and Sandrone to the Fatui.
Their brunch soon came to an end after a couple of hours. Still they wanted to continue their walk, the two girls didn't want to part but they didn't admit it or at least one of them didn't.
They walked, asking questions about eachothers lives during their separation. Whilst ignoring the unspoken tension within them.
Columbina talking about all the fun times she experienced during that time but still deep in her heart she still missed her best friend. Sandrone wouldn't comment, instead she felt a pang of jealousy every time Columbina talked about those nice memories. She was jealous about how she wasn't there to admire Columbina's smile, her laugh, her... Everything.
Not that Sandrone would ever admit that though! She'd rather waste her second chance at life rather than admit to Columbina about her admiration towards her.
Sandrone blamed that dammed heart of hers for not taking her eyes off of that Moon Goddess.
Sandrone was so caught up in her thoughts she didn't even notice when Columbina placed her hand atop of hers whilst she talked.
She didn't notice Columbina's yearning desire in her eyes as she started at her best friend. She didn't notice how Columbina smiled extra wide and blushed as she took in the image of Sandrone.
It was until Columbina asked Sandrone a very heartfelt question that she was pulled out of her thoughts.
"All of this time I've been talking about how I spent the time leading up to our reunion. What did you do during that time. Did you miss me?"
"Huh!? Like I said before I didn't even notice you were gone!" Sandrone titled her head to the side in a failed attempt to hide her reddened face.
She didn't expect Columbina to ask that question, nor she didn't expect a soft laugh escaping Columbina's lips as she cupped the brunette's face pulling it closer to her.
Sandrone was sure her face was more red than the skirt she was wearing as her best friend did such an intimate gesture to her. She was left speechless.
Nevertheless, that moment didn't last long as Columbina pulled Sandrone's hand instead and took her behind a building. She took her somewhere where none could see them. Some place where they could do whatever without the prying eyes of people watching.
Before Sandrone had the chance to ask Columbina whatever she was doing, Columbina pulled her in for a deep kiss.
Sandrone's heart started pounding like it was going to stop.
Columbina's lips on her felt so wrong yet so right. Her lips were plump and tasted of cherries. If only she could have that taste in her mouth forever.
Soon, that moment of heaven and earth colliding came to an end because they both needed air.
As Sandrone was catching on her breath Columbina's eyes shining brighter than any star and moon she had ever seen.
"I know you may never acknowledge your feelings, but those were mine. I missed you Sandrone."
Once again Sandrone was left speechless.
"It's okay if you don't feel the same though, we can always go back to whatever we were, during our separation I realised how much you ment to me. Now that I've found you I never want to lose you again. I love you Sandrone." Columbina continued, the colour of her face matching the Marionette's.
"I-I ..." For once in her life Sandrone didn't have the right words in mind. The logic in her head had completely faded leaving only her feelings in charge.
However instead of saying something she pulled Columbina into a tight embraced and kissed her cheeks once before moving her lips to where they belonged and where they longed to be. Her mouth.
This time the kiss was more intimate than before, tasting of longing and "I love yous".
As they caught their breath, Sandrone finally managed to pour out the words she had kept inside for years.
"I-I love you too ... Columbina..." Her gaze fell into the ground cause if she starred to that beautiful face now she feared she would faint.
A laugh escaped Columbina as she charged to the other girl for a hug.
"I've... Loved you for archons know how long." Sandrone continued deepening the hug. In exchange she got another kiss from the gorgeous Moon Goddess she had loved for years.
They continued their walk towards the ship, this time holding hands and feeling the love that surrounded them. They enjoyed the silence cause words weren't what they needed right now. Whatever had to be said had already been spoken.
The saying was true, Fontaine truly was the city of love after all.