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"Bronya, I- uhh... I want to tell you something important to me...
No, it feels weird. There's something I wanted to tell you about for a long time and..."
Seele took a long pause. She stood in her room alone, staring at her reflection. She took a deep breath, readying herself.
"Would you like to go ... Umm..."
Words seemed to get stuck in her throat and refuse to leave. They suddenly felt heavy, as every one of them carried the weight of the world. It shouldn't have been this hard.
"Truly pathetic."
Seele almost squeaked. She turned around to see Seele starting at her, with what could pass as pity. Her alter-ego, "dark Seele" as she called herself, or simply, her protector, shook her head. Seele let a puff out.
"Wow. You know that I am more than painfully aware of your feelings for your dear Bronya, right?"
Seele nodded. It felt wrong to hear it, even if she knew it was true.
"You know how hard it is to watch you like this?"
Seele leaned on the wardrobe, slowly sitting down as she felt her legs turn into jelly. She stared at the floor. She could feel the piercing gaze of scarlet eyes. She wasn't ready to face her own feelings, how in the world would she confess to Bronya?
"What's so hard about it?" Seele's head perked up. She found some courage to look into the red eyes. It seemed as if Seele genuinely didn't understand her host's struggles.
"Well... We have known each other for a very long time and... You know."
Seele tilted her head like a lost puppy. She didn't know. Bronya would do that often, whenever she was confused or worried.
"It's that... If she doesn't like me back, then it's going to be really awkward between us and we've always relied on each other and-"
She let out another flustered huff as she hid her face in her hands. Seele studied her for a little before putting her hands on her hips.
"I almost don't recognize you, Seele. Don't you remember what happens when we got trapped in the Sea of Quanta?"
She shyly looked up with doubt as her cheeks got redder. Of course, she did. How could she accuse her host of such a thing?
"You mean when Bronya took part in X-10?"
"No, you moron, I am talking about when you kissed her!"
Seele couldn't do anything besides open and close her mouth as a wave of memory and sensations hit her. She could drown in it. She wanted to. She would never forget how Bronya's lips felt touching hers. The warmth of her body as just seconds ago they clung onto each other for dear life. And the slightly dazed look in her eyes afterward as she disappeared from Seele's sight. It wasn't overwhelming. Seele felt almost the same way she did in The Sea of Quanta, buried beneath her thought, enveloped by darkness, with the same memory replaying in her mind over and over again.
"Can't you just say you love her?"
Seele pulled her legs close to her chest and rested her head on her knees. Seele was staring at her, standing in the same place as before, waiting.
"I want to, but every time I try I just can't bring myself to tell her."
"..."
"I guess I am afraid."
Red-eyed Seele signed and plopped next to her host. "What am I doing?" She thought as she gently patted sobbing Selle on her back. "When did I get so soft?"
She coughed, finally deciding to speak her mind. "That's for what I am for, right? I protect you and guide you when you're lost, is it right, Seele?"
She quickly regretted her words as she realized Seele was staring at her with wide, glassy eyes. Oh no. "Uh, Selle? Are you alright?"
"You've always been protecting and keeping me company, Selle. Thank you for all of that."
"S-Selle! Please, don't cry!"
She giggled, wiping her tears. Suddenly someone knocked on the door. Seele got up and cleaned her skirt.
"Coming!" She ran up to the door. "Bronya?"
"Good afternoon, Seele."
The short girl stood in front of her. Seele threw a glance at the place where she was just sitting but didn't find anyone there. She was completely alone for this one. At least she kept the promise of not interfering with her confession plans.
"Are you alright? Bronya heard crying when passing by." "
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure, Seele? Your eyes are puffy."
Bronya reached out to hold her face. Seele leaned in. She put her hand over Bronya's. It felt just right.
"I'm okay. I swear."
"If you say so."
"Bronya, do you remember my promise?"
Bronya nodded.
"To take you to the sea."
Seele hesitated.
"Not that one."
Bronya tilted her head to the side. She thought for a while.
"When you took the X-10 test and we meet, I kissed you." Seele continued. She could see the anticipation shining in Bronya's eyes. "And I said, You'll have to kiss me back when you return to take me home."
Bronya stared at her in silence. Seele felt like she was about to melt when Bronya looked at her like that. Her gray eyes studied her face, slowly drifting from her eyes to her lips. Bronya tucked away a strand of hair behind her ear and took a long pause.
"Can we go on a date when all of this is over?" Seele felt her hands shaking as she mumbled. "Just the two of us."
"It would be nice." Bronya nodded. "A promise is a promise after all."
Their lips meet as Bronya pulled her's face toward her own. Seele felt her heart pounding inside her chest. She closed her eyes, once again drowning in warmth. When they kissed for the first time, it was sudden and quick. Seele felt like it was suddenly cut short by the circumstances.
This felt different. Bronya kissed her gently. She kissed her slowly as they had all time they could wish for. She kissed her as if nothing else mattered. And for this short time, nothing did. Seele kept her eyes shut for a little after she felt Bronya parting away, Bronya's hand still on her cheek. She finally opened her eyes. Bronya looked at the other end of the corridor with wide-open eyes as she swallowed a gulp. Her face was probably as flushed as Seele's.
Doctor Einstein must have walked by as she now stood with coffee in one hand and a bundle of files in the other, staring at them. She awkwardly coughed, looking away.
"Bronya. Mister Welt asked me to fetch you, but I see you're busy, so I'll just-"
"Nyet, Bronya will go to see ms. Welt. Where is he right now?"
"Research lab number five, to the left of the cafeteria."
"Thank you, doctor Einstein, Bronya shall head this way immediately."
Bronya threw a hesitant glance toward Seele. She nodded to Bronya, managing to give her a quick smile. Bronya quickly joined doctor Einstein, following her to the lab, still glimpsing at Seele when she thought the doctor wasn't looking at her.
"And Bronya?"
"Yes, Doctor Einstein?"
"Maybe consider kissing your girlfriend in a more private place instead of the hallway next time."
Seele closed the door to her room and leaned on them. She sighed, closing her eyes, trying to comprehend what has happened.
"Oh my, my, someone's braver than I thought so."
Seele shrieked as she just now noticed her alter ego staring at her, smiling widely. She usually only smiled when she was wreaking havoc or being a menace to those around her. A rare sight to behold, as neither was happening, that Seele was aware of, that is.
"What are you going to do now?"
Seele tried to avoid looking at her, hoping that she wasn't blushing as much as she felt she may be.
"With what?"
"With that little date of yours."
"I didn't think I would get this far."
"Seele, you're an idiot."
"I know."
She walked over to her bed, sat down, and took her shoes off. Seele fell over, grabbing the nearest pillow and hiding her face in it. She wanted to scream but it was late and she was living next to at least forty people. She let out a squeak as she recalled things from not full minutes ago. It felt so vivid yet like a dream. She hugged the pillow close to her chest. "I've got a date! A real date with Bronya." She smiled as she fell asleep, dreaming of one day holding Bronya like this when they would be older and have their own cozy place they could call home.