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Climbing the attic stairs, they reach the top floor of the fire-damaged house that Mika may now call home.
"Sorry," she calls over her shoulder, "there's no light up here. Still need to fix that."
"You can?" Taryn asks from right behind her, a tinge of awe and excitement in her voice.
"Sure." Though she has no clue, Mika shrugs nonchalantly. After all, she's learning to fix bodies, and brains... how hard can it be to fix the light? Turning around, she takes Taryn's hand in her own. "Come, it's over here."
The attic is completely empty, as Meredith and her family took all their belongings with them, which helps to reach the other side without stumbling despite the darkness around them. And once there, they can actually see a little, with the hole in the roof serving as an unintentional skylight.
"Oh wow," Taryn exclaims, "That's... way bigger than I expected. Is it safe?"
Mika shrugs again.
"According to the firefighters, it is. I might call them again though, for another check. They're not the worst looking people to invite." The second the words are out, she wants to kick herself - seriously, who starts about hot people in a moment like this?! - but thankfully Taryn simply agrees with her.
"Amen to that," she grins. "So why isn't it covered?"
For a moment Mika just stares at her, stunned by the question that seems the best she's ever heard - though that might be the booze messing with her brain. But then she bursts out laughing. "I have absolutely no idea!" she snorts. Looking up, she squints her eyes thoughtfully. "It should, shouldn't it?"
Taryn rubs her chin, examining the situation like a pro, then slowly nods. "I'd think so. Knowing the Seattle weather and all... It would also explain that thing over there." She points at a piece of tarpaulin lying lost on the floor.
"Oooh yeah, I remember now," Mika chuckles, "We took it down."
"You took it—" Taryn turns to her in astonishment. "Why would you take it down?!?"
Mika takes her hand again, leading her to sit down on the floor with her. "Here, I show you."
She leans backward, resting on her elbows, then nods at the sky above them. Taryn follows her gaze.
"Ah, stars," she remarks dryly, "You're right, we never could have seen them from the garden."
"Shut up!" Mika laughs, playfully bumping her with her shoulder, which makes Taryn lose her balance. Mika already goes on. "You've got to close your eyes first, for a minute at least. To make it even darker."
Taryn, now lying flat on her back, frowns up at her. Doubt clouds her face, but she doesn't fight or mock Mika's suggestion; instead she takes a deep, surrendering breath and does as told - following Mika's example.
They lie like that in silence, counting the seconds while listening to the party noises downstairs, until Mika decides they're ready.
"Alright," she quietly speaks up, "Take a look now."
Opening her eyes - slowly, as if she suddenly wants to postpone the moment a little longer - Taryn exults again.
"Holy fuck, where did— how did you double them?!"
She wants to look at Mika, her eyes wide open now, but they seem glued to the sky.
"I didn't do anything," Mika laughs right next to her, "They were there all along. You just manage to actually see them now."
Taryn sighs blissfully. "Wow... this is... it's really amazing," she mumbles, almost to herself. "Are you sure this isn't the bourbon?"
"Pretty sure," Mika grins, glancing sideways. "You get it now? Why I haven't fixed it yet?"
"You mean why you have made it worse?" Taryn points out, still mesmerized by the view, and then, realizing what Mika just said, "Wait, you want me to belief you're going to fix this? Yourself?"
"You think I can't do it?" Mika questions indignantly, which draws another laugh from Taryn.
"Oh, I would never say so," she giggles. "I mean, look at the planetarium you built here!"
For a moment their laughter reverberates through the attic again, before they both stare back up at the night sky - peaceful and at ease.
It's Mika who breaks their silence, pointing up. "Can you see her?"
"Who?"
"The woman in the moon."
"No," Taryn answers, "I only see you."
Somewhat taken by surprise, Mika looks aside. Taryn, propt up on one elbow again, smiles down at her, not saying another word. Mika swallows, yet her eyes sparkle like the stars above them.
"Yeah?"
Slowly but determined, Taryn closes the distance between them, wiggling her brows halfway. "Yeah."
The kiss that follows doesn't come as a surprise to either of them. It's been in the air all night - maybe even since they met? But that doesn't make it any less good. Au contraire!
Fueled by their anticipation, it's eager, almost hungry, but also sweet, passionate and right - so right. Their lips are a perfect match, and their hands, that quickly start wandering, find their way like water in a stream - comfortable, naturally and without stopping.
Until Taryn pulls back.
Mika, not understanding, narrows her eyes. "What is it?"
Taryn sighs deeply, and not just because she's basically out of air. "If we don't stop now, I might not be able to stop at all," she pants.
"And that's a problem why...?"
Gently brushing a strand of hair from Mika's forehead, Taryn smiles at her again. "Because I like you. And I think I don't just want to see the stars with you." She briefly averts her eyes, blinking shyly. "I want to see the galaxy."
Mika's lips curl into a soft smile, one that encourages Taryn to go on.
"This isn't the time, or the place." She knocks on the hard, wooden floor. "Don't you think we deserve more than this?"
"I do," Mika slowly nods, "Besides, it's getting suspiciously quiet downstairs. We'd better check out what's going on there."
They scramble to their feet, adjust their clothes and swiftly make their way back to the living room, yet right before they get there Mika stops Taryn in her tracks.
"Hey," she calls under her breath, directing her toward the side, "I uhm... I forgot to tell you..."
She falters, and her pause is long, too long for Taryn's liking. Suddenly scared that Simone isn't the only one with a surprise fiancé, she frowns.
"What?"
Mika shakes her head. "It's nothing. It's just that..." Another grin sneaks on her face. "...that I like you, too."
Before Taryn can even say anything in return, Mika presses her lips onto hers again, already addicted to the taste of them. No longer worried, Taryn welcomes her without a second thought, pulling her close against her as they kiss each other deeply, stealing each other's breath away just like before.
Which is why they're still panting quite heavily when they finally make it to the living room - after a quick detour to grab a snack, as their raising hunger for each other screams for at least some kind of substitute. They can't care less though, just like they don't mind their messy hair, and—with all that—the fact that their recent activity is written all over them.
Instead, they focus on Lucas, who's sulking in silence, and the now dead party around him.
"This is sad," Taryn states, as she treats herself to another crisp.
Mika, fully agreeing, jumps into action straight away. "I can fix it!" she cheers, already speeding away to connect her phone to some speakers.
Taryn just watches her, unable to suppress another smile. She might question the broken light, and would never put her money on the broken roof, but about this, this capacity of Mika to fix people, she's pretty convinced.
After all - without knowing it, or even trying - she may just have fixed her too.
... ...