Chapter Text
Claudine wasn't comfortable in her own bed. She shifted three times but couldn't find sleep again. She needed to go away, to stop her mind and her thoughts.
She slowly got up, and opened her eyes to look around her now lonely room. But something caught her eye and she felt someone moving at her side, she shrieked away. She rubbed her eyes, shocked at the sight.
There... There was Maya sleeping safe and sound.
Claudine could not believe it and without thinking she took Maya's nightgown and made the brunette sit still asleep. The sudden movement woke her up, and before she could open her lilac eyes she tasted soft cherry lips. Maya tried to kiss her back in laziness, but she didn't understand what was happening.
Then she heard how her wife start sobbing silently. Maya broke the kiss.
"What's wrong, my love?" She asked, barely touching Claudine's cheeks, her eyes slightly closed, she felt so tired she was falling asleep again.
"You... You are alive..." Claudine mumbled throwing herself in her arms, Maya who was still sleepy managed to catch her as perfectly as she could.
"Well, yes. Are you okay, Ma Claudine?" Maya whispered starting to feel worried. Her wife was a crying mess, if they were to do much noise, their daughter would wake up in the middle of the night.
Claudine shook her head, her tears flowing down and a little smile on her face. She squeezed the brunette, bringing her closer, feeling her heart beating strong in her chest.
It was a nightmare. It felt so real, so intense and so credible, Claudine believed that Maya was truly dead.
Thank God it was just a horrible nightmare.
"Should I call a doctor or something?" Maya asked her, her tone of voice full with worry.
Claudine laughed with her tears still flowing down her face. She kissed Maya on the lips not once but twice, she did not care if her kisses tasted a little bit salty, all she cared about was the woman breathing in front of her.
Desperately, she tried to feel as much of Maya’s skin as possible. The sole memory of her going home to an empty bed made her insides crumble into nothingness. She needed Maya in that moment. Claudine caressed every inch of skin available with her hands, to finally reach under her nightgown, she started tracing patterns on Maya’s abdomen.
The brunette groaned at the touch.
“Claud… What’s-” Claudine silenced her lips. She wasn’t willing to hear a word. She only needed her there physically.
And Maya, as surprised and worried as she was, understood the message her wife was trying to send.
Maya leaned forward and kissed her again with more fervor than before, with the darkness of the room and the bed as the only witnesses of their need, Maya’s hands running slowly into her blonde wavy hair and down over her clavicle and along her arms. The warmth was starting to increase in her body, the blonde was being unfair. Not that Maya disliked the passionate kisses and the urgency of touching in Claudine’s fingertips. But she wanted to know what was happening, why was Claudine crying? Why she looked so sad and lonely?
The French woman pushed Maya under her in the mattress, her hands now reaching a sensitive zone on her wife’s body.
So soft. Claudine thought at the touch of Maya’s skin. Please be real, please. She rubbed her thumb over her favorite area, knowing perfectly how responsive the brunette becomes whenever she decides to play for a little bit longer.
Maya moaned softly. Not wanting to make much noise. She was enjoying herself, but Claudine’s hands were shaky and cold. Slowly she tried to recover the dominance in their kisses, but the blonde wasn’t cooperating.
As they kissed, she found herself carried away by the memory of their first time together when they got married. Yes, I waited quite some years but it was all worth it. Maya smiled against Claudine’s lips. Ah, she’s so perfect. But why do you look so heartbroken, my love?
However, Tendou Maya knew better than to let herself get lost on such enjoyable matters. With all the rest of her will power and the intuition on her heart she broke apart from her lover.
Claudine looked like a lost and confused puppy, her eyes swollen by all the crying, and she had a deep blush on her cheeks and ears.
“Now-“ Maya’s voice came out high. “Dearest, I can see in your eyes pain and desperation. Please tell me, what’s going on in that beautiful diamond mind of yours?”
The half French woman starts to process what just happened, what she did. And the more she analyzed it, the more embarrassed she was getting.
Sure, the nightmare was horrible. It was one of her worst fears. But it was just that. A bad dream.
She had acted so childish and needy, she wanted to hide away from Maya and dissappear in the sheets of the bed.
"I... I had a nightmare."
Claudine expected Maya to laugh her ass off, and get teased by her but instead of it she found a smiling face with love on her eyes.
"Go on, I want to know what made you so sad." The brunette kisses her on the cheek, and Claudine feels her heart racing as she was again in her school days.
"You died." Claudine whispers, feeling traitorous tears coming to her eyes. But Maya's peppering kisses on her face, on her eyelashes. Erasing them. "I went to the funeral, I didn't get the chance to say that I loved you one last time." Her voice cracked. "I was mad at you, yet your last message was the words I wanted to say." Claudine's hands clenched on Maya's nightgown. "Don't you dare leave us behind Tendou Maya." She breathed.
At that Maya chuckled softly. "Oh, dear." Another kiss on her forehead. "As long as I'm alive, I promise to be a constant tease for you and our child."
Claudine felt her heart blooming with love.
Than Maya stopped kissing her to stare at her with a serious and apologetic look. "Claudine... If something happens-"
The blonde didn't want to know her next words. So the best thing she could do, was kiss her full on the mouth. Maya sighed in the kiss, Claudine was trying to avoid something she really needed to say.
"If something happens to me." Maya broke apart, and cupped Claudine's face on her palms. "I want you to know that you delighted me with your radiance my whole life. And that you, my star, taught me how to love and be loved back."
Claudine bit her lip. Stupid tears, she's a grown up woman now!
"Also..." Maya's gaze and left hand traveled to Claudine's hand. She intertwined their fingers. "You will have to show our kid how to shine the brightest on my behalf."
The blonde groaned and squeezed Maya against her. "I don't want to. Not if you are not here pestering me."
Maya kissed her on the tip of her nose. "I understand, however if it were the other way around, God forbids, I would try my best."
"Are you saying that you would be prepared?"
Maya looked at her shocked. "Not at all my dear. I would be crushed, and wanting to die myself in order to find you in the afterlife. But..." Maya glanced at the door, knowing well someone was coming to them. "She's here with us."
Koharu opened the door, and looked at them with sadness.
Claudine hide her face from their daughter. Snuggling against Maya's shoulder.
"What's wrong little bird?" Maya asked smiling at her.
"I couldn't sleep."
Claudine glanced from her spot at the clock on the drawer, it was midnight. She cleaned her eyes rubbing her face against Maya's nightgown sleeve. The brunette only sighed.
"Come here, I will sing you a song." Claudine says weakly.
Koharu nods, and walks hugging her onigiri plushy. She climbed up the bed and Maya extended her free arm welcoming her into an embrace. Claudine wrapped her arms around Maya, and took Koharu's hand in hers.
Sleep is a rose
But I only hear the gale wind
Blowing cold against my window
At the sudden silence in the room Maya starts singing softly, encouraging Claudine to start singing. Their daughter was waiting expectantly for her.
As I fold and I curl
My leg around yours in a hold
Claudine started singing, silencing Maya's voice with her own. Koharu giggled at the usual competitiveness between the two. The blonde did the same as the lyrics of the song she was singing. Maya sent her a warm smile.
I said "Darling I'm scared of growing old"
I'm sorry if I'm loud, I'm just worring about that now
As I'm laying here, I'm still waiting for the sun
Koharu looked worriedly between her mothers, something was off. But when Maya kissed her Mamman's forehead her mind found peace. They were more affectionate when one of the family members was with low spirits.
"Is Mamman sad, Oka-san?" Koharu whispers in Maya's ear.
You said "sleep is a rose"
But I wanna tell you
It only brings me fear
Maya kisses Koharu's cheek. "Yes, little bird. Mamman is upset."
"Did you make her mad?" Koharu asked squeezing her plushy. Maya wanted to laugh. "I did not." Another kiss, now at the top of her raven hair. "You should sleep baby girl."
Yeah, you said "sleep is a rose"
But I wanna tell you
It only brings me fear
The song Claudine had chosen was matching perfectly her mood. And Maya knew, how difficult it was to open up the heart and translate into words. It was so much easier with music, with acting, with dancing.
I started to listen to every little sound
And so how am I supposed to forget silence
As I fold and I curl my own hand around yours in a hold
Claudine hugged tightly the brunette. She was tired, happily tired in the arms of her favorite person in the world. But now, they had a little daughter who learned fast, who liked to dance and sing. Who now chased the same star they had longed for.
You said "My love I'll take you to the fairground"
I know you're not around
You're sleeping and talking now
And I'm still laying here just waiting for the sun
Maya noticed how her wife and daughter were falling asleep in her arms. Her chest bubbled with happiness and excitement, in her younger life she was denied of the family tender love, she was denied true friendship and freedom. But now... Everything was so much better and different.
Yeah, you said "sleep is a rose"
But I wanna tell you
It only brings me fear
Claudine's voice was slowly getting softer, turning into whispers. Maya gave her one last peck on the lips, and started singing softly again.
And I said "Girl , you better know that you got this love"
The blonde sighed and whispered the same line again, succumbing into the unconsciousness.
Yeah, you said "Girl, you better know that you got this love"
Maya waited some seconds to continue singing, Koharu was deep asleep and Claudine was tangling her hands in the chocolate locks sleepily.
You said "sleep is a rose"
But I wanna tell you
It only brings me fear
She decided to wait for both of them to wake up in the morning. Yeah, she will protect them from the nightmares all she can, until Morpheus claims her.
Yeah, you said "sleep is a rose"
But I wanna tell you
It only brings me fear
So I hope morning comes 'round soon