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“So, we’re a thing, right?” asked Ramone “We’re both…”
“Dating? That’s right, surfer.” America laid back on Kate’s couch, looking utterly relaxed. Ramone wished she could borrow some of that. For the past few days, her nerves had been buzzing and her mind swarming with thoughts. Thoughts like is she actually looking at me, oh my gosh, I can’t believe she’s hanging around me, she’s so strong, how could she like me.
Ramone gulped and stepped closer to the couch, cautiously sitting down by America. Just being this close was setting off all the alarms in her head. She had to bite her lip to suppress a tiny scream when she felt America’s hand snake up to her own.
“Come here.” With America’s arms guided her, Ramone gingerly laid down on the couch with her. Reaching with her own arms, they pulled each other. My god, she’s so warm, thought Ramone, and her face is so close…
“Your heart’s beating so fast”, said America. “Scared?”
Ramone strained herself to smile. “Scared? Nahhh. Of what? These wimpy string bean arms?” she said, nestling deeper into America’s monster-punching biceps.
America chuckled. “I might’ve been skipping arm day. Guess I better catch up. I hear swimming’s good for them. You give lessons, surfer?”
“Sometimes. But you’re gonna have to really push yourself if you want to stay in my class.”
“Sure thing, coach.” America lightly pushed her forehead against Ramone’s and closed her eyes. “But for now, let’s sleep.”
Ramone lay there and listened to America’s breathing. So calming. She sounded just like the sea, as the waves settle on the shore. It was all Ramone to need for her heart to relax and let her drift away.
***
A little groggy from her sleep, Ramone reached over to realize America wasn’t there. Had she gone somewhere? Probably the bathroom. Looking around in the dark room, Ramone spotted her seated by the table. She was sitting quietly, her back to Ramone, deep in thought.
“America?”
“Hey. We should talk.”
Ramone sat up on the couch, stretching lightly. “Something up?” America turned to face her, not turning the chair. She let her gaze drop to the floor.
“So…”
“So…?”
America sighed. “If we’re going to do this, you know, actually be together… there’s something you should know about me.”
Ramone watched her attentively. America didn’t look like she was joking about this. “Alright.”
“How much do you know about my powers?”
“Well…” mused Ramone. “I know you’re strong. You can fly, and you’re durable. And you can make portals.”
“To anywhere”, said America.
“Right. Kate’s told me. You can even travel to other universes.”
“Yup. Anyone I want. There’s an endless amount of universes out there.”
America said it so casually, but the thought was stunning to Ramone. She could barely imagine that. “And I want to see them with you.”
“The important part is, though…” America hesitated. She took another breath before saying, “There’s countless alternate universes. And only one of me.”
“Okay.” That seemed important, although Ramone wasn’t sure how yet.
“You know what that means, when new universes are being constantly born but I can only ever be in one?”
Ramone tried not to sound foolish for not spotting it. “What?”
“It means one day, there’s going to be a new universe forming from this one where we’re together. And when there’s two of them, we can only be together in one.”
“…ohhhh.”
“Also, that’s going to keep happening. New universes are going to keep being made from this one, over and over. What that means is that, if we keep this up, at some point you’re going to wake up looking for me… and I’m not going to be there.”
Ramone thought it over. “Because you’ll be with me somewhere else.”
“Exactly.”
This was a lot to take in. All the implications… “You sure you can’t, I dunno, gather all my alternate selves?”
America smirked. “As entertaining as a Ramone harem might be”, she said, blushing a bit, “it wouldn’t fix the problem. I bring eight of you to one place, universe splits, now there’s eight of you that have me and eight of you that don’t.” America sat up straighter in her chair, looking right at Ramone, watching her closely for response. “So, you’re going to have to decide if you really want to go forward with this… with me. That at any day you just might not see me anymore… and that’s all I can do.”
Ramone mulled the thought. “So when it happens… it happens. I just move on with my life.” She looked back at America and smiled, trying to make it look unconcerned. “And I’ll know that it means that I’m happy with you elsewhere.”
America held their gaze. “You’re sure?”
“I’m sure.” Ramone held out her arms. “Come here.”
She expected America to get up and walk over, so it took a moment to realize America was already sitting right next to her. “Whoa. That’s pretty spooky.”
“Boo.” America rested her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder.
Eventually they settled down on the couch again, laying side by side, fading off to sleep. But Ramone kept her senses active, listening to the soothing hum of America’s breath, feeling her arms’s warm skin, taking in the smell of America’s hair. I want to remember all of this, being close, for as long as we have together.