Chapter Text
When Dalia opened the door, she was met with the sight of Marika soaked from head to toe. She was completely drenched and messy; Dalia could even see droplets of water dripping from Marika’s hair. Despite her disastrous appearance, Marika was smiling like usual, as if she didn’t want Dalia to worry about her. Dalia didn’t ask anything. Instead, she ushered Marika to come in, then lent her a towel as well as her clothes; urging the brown-haired woman to go to the bathroom so that she could shower and change her outfit before she could catch a cold.
“Marika, do you want me to prepare you for something to eat?”
“No need, I already ate... Hey, Dalia, can I spend the night here?”
“Yeah, no problem.”
Even in this unusual situation, Dalia still managed to keep her composure. Even so, her heart was pounding as she didn’t know how to act in the presence of the person she loves.
Marika was sitting at the edge of Dalia’s bed. Her hair was still damp from the shower. She was wearing Dalia’s white shirt and grey shorts, but because of their size difference, it looks like an oversized shirt on Marika. For a split second, Dalia thought that Marika looked cute in it, but she quickly discarded the thought as she sat down next to Marika. Silence hung heavy in the air, making things awkward between them.
“Marika.” Dalia was the one who broke the silence. “What happened-”
“Can I have a beer, Dalia? My throat is dry.” Marika interrupted Dalia. Without asking any questions, Dalia complied with the task and went to the kitchen, returning with two beers.
“Thanks.” Marika thanked her before opening the beer. “Ah it feels good~ Nothing can’t be better than drinking a good beer at night,” Marika exclaimed as she drank almost the entire can in one gulp.
Silence filled the room once again. Dalia didn’t know what to do, so she started gulping down her drink to hide her awkwardness. But compared to Marika, she drank slowly and only a little. The situation was too weird and confusing for her to enjoy drinking. She wanted to ask Marika, but once again she felt helpless; unable to do anything, unable to simply face Marika.
“Dalia.” It was Marika’s voice calling out to her, interrupting her from her thoughts. When she turned around to see the brown-haired woman, she was pushed onto the bed, and before she could even figure out what just happened, Marika was already on top of her. Her face was flushed.
“Ma-Marika are you drunk..?”
How did we get into this situation? Isn't it too fast for someone to get drunk?
Marika lowered herself. “Does Dalia… want to believe that Marika is drunk?” As if reading Dalia’s thoughts, Marika whispered into Dalia’s ear in an unusually seductive voice. Dalia was unable to say anything as she was frozen on the spot.
Did I go too far...? What am I even doing...? Hey, Dalia... Did you notice...? I don't know myself. I don't know anything. Will you continue to love me even though I'm not like the image you have of me? Right now, I feel like I’m suffocating and drowning.
“Hey, Dalia. What do you want to believe?” Marika whispered once again.
Dalia could feel her soft, tempting breath. The way Marika whispered, breath hot and ticklish, could be comparable to that of a devil. It was only a matter of time before her feelings for her might burst at any time. Before Dalia could even respond, Marika had already stopped her act and released her from her weak hold, getting out of bed. Yet, probably because Dalia was used to observing Marika, she could see how Marika was trembling vaguely. How she was nervous.
“Marika, wait!” Dalia grabbed her wrist delicately and pulled her back onto the bed. Marika could have refused, but she let herself be pulled back without putting up any resistance. Marika looked so helpless then.
Dalia was now on top of Marika, staring down at the latter solemnly. But Marika said nothing as she refused to meet Dalia’s stern gaze. So Dalia stayed still, perfectly knowing this might be the only opportunity for her to let Marika know how much she could count on her, how much she is willing to do anything for her.
“I don’t care if you’re drunk or not. You know, I will do anything for you, Marika…” Dalia said in a serious but desperate voice all the same.
“It isn’t fair, Dalia… The way you talk and act is always so cool…” Marika finally looked up, facing Dalia properly. While staring straight into her desperate and piercing turquoise-greyish eyes, her right hand reached for Dalia’s cheek, caressing it softly. “If you keep talking like this, Marika will really faint from your coolness, you know? Ahahaha… Why are you so cool, Dalia~?” Marika laughed, teasing Dalia.
It was the first time that Marika ever laughed tonight. It was the same usual smile that Dalia fell in love with. The usual Marika.
The usual Marika...? Huh? Then what about all of the other Marikas..? The Marika who was soaked? The one who was inviting me with a very sweet voice? The one who was trembling?
“Marika, you..” Dalia trailed off as she finally got a hint as to why Marika was acting like that tonight. “You don't have to force yourself. Every part of you is really charming,” Dalia honestly said.
“Is that so?” Dalia could see that Marika's eyes started to get moist, but she was smiling tenderly like she was satisfied with Dalia's answer. "Dalia will do anything for Marika, right?" Marika was blushing slightly. “I-I know I am greedy... but... right now...”
Marika’s cheerful voice was slowly but surely replaced by her shy voice. Marika being shy was unusual, however Marika looked so weak at that very moment that Dalia wanted nothing but to protect her from all the harm.
“I want to be spoiled by you. I want to feel lost in your arms. I want to get intoxicated by your love. Dalia… Please take Marika somewhere far away.” Marika slowly took Dalia’s hand and directed it to her burning cheek. “Can you do Marika this little favor, Dalia?” Her tone was pleading yet inviting all the same.
Naturally, Dalia couldn’t refuse Marika’s request. After all, Marika has a mysterious charm that makes people unable to leave her alone, let alone say no to her requests. It made Dalia wonder… Does Marika know about her irresistible charm? Or is it all calculated from her part? Dalia might not be able to know the answers, but for Dalia it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter as long as she could take Marika in her arms then hug her tightly, her own feelings be damned.
Marika could feel how warm Dalia was. “Why... Are you so gentle...?” Marika asked and suddenly tears were flowing already, wetting her cheeks.
I knew about your feelings for me a long time ago, but I kept pushing you away. So why..?
“Marika can be dumb sometimes. Hehe,” Dalia chuckled without looking at Marika, combing the latter’s hair softly.
“Eh..?”
“Because…” Dalia paused, “because we're friends, aren't we..?” Dalia said with a wry smile.
Even if Dalia tried to hide it, I can feel in her tone... how painful it was for her to say that. Why did you fall for me in the first place...? Why do you always look at me with such gentle eyes...? Aren't I such a jerk for playing with your feelings? Aren't I just using you because I need someone to sooth me from my own worries? Marika thought while responding to Dalia’s hug, placing her hands carefully behind her back.
“Hey, Dalia… Why do you even love me?” Marika asked, burying her face in Dalia’s embrace, not wanting the silver-haired woman to see her watery eyes and melancholy expression.
“So you already know…” Dalia’s eyes widened for a moment before it was quickly replaced by a puzzled look. “Why do I love you again…? What do you think?”
“Returning my question… Not fair.” Marika started sulking and pouting. Despite that, she answered, “Hmm… Because Marika is cute…?”
Indeed, Marika is cute... The cutest, if I could say. Seeing her answering with such childish behavior… I want to hug her so badly. But… that is not the main reason why I fell for you.
"Dalia…?" Concerned by Dalia’s silence, Marika tried to call her, reaching for her arm. But then, Dalia broke their comfy hug, wanting to see Marika's face. She wanted to see Marika's beautiful amethyst eyes which were hidden by her bangs, so her hand softly brushed up her hair.
“Is that what you really think? You’re indeed cute... But Marika, tell me how could I not love you when you made my heart flutter like crazy even by doing nothing. Just by being you.” Dalia's fingertips gently wiped Marika's remaining tears away. “When I look at you, when I hear your voice, when you talk to me, when you smile at me, when you... Everything about you gives me so much joy. I don’t understand how you can have such an effect on me. Yeah, everything about you has driven me crazy, Marika.”
“Eh..?” Marika, surprised by Dalia's long and warm response, instantly looked away in an attempt to hide her embarrassed face. Her cheeks were completely red once again. However, it didn't take more than a few seconds for Marika to regain her composure. “Unfair, Dalia. Totally unfair,” Marika muttered, pouting again. Afterwards, Marika didn’t say anything aside from giving a flirtatious smile before wrapping her arms around Dalia’s neck then pulled her face close to her.
It seems that everything was a lie... With your semi-soaked shirt, you brought me down to your level... Ah, it all seemed like a dream. I don't want it to end. I don’t want to lose that kind of happiness, especially since at that moment you… closed your eyes. At this very moment, time seemed to stand still.
Even now, I still find it difficult to understand her, but I do know that Mizushima Marika is such a greedy, cunning, and unpredictable woman. Asking things indirectly, knowing perfectly that I can't say no to her favors while not saying anything about herself... There are so many facets of Marika that I don't know yet… in spite of that, I was happy. Happy that Marika was not the perfect person that I think she was, that she showed me who she really was even without saying anything, happy that she relied on me.
Yeah, I really love every inch of Marika.