Work Text:
-+- March's Worries -+-
On journeys where the night is rough, the wind cold and whipping, March dreams. She dreams of the ice, she dreams of becoming one with the ice, all alone with no one to watch her die, and then there’s darkness. She dreams of forgetting herself and having to start all over again. She sits up with a start and looks over to an empty spot next to her. Stelle was there before but it seems she’s disappeared. Just like March’s dream. Her heart begins to race and she pinches herself to see if she’s still sleeping. Pain. Darn it. She breaks out into a cold sweat and she quickly crawls out of the tent, looking around. They had taken camp in a forest, a very snowy forest. She feels tears slide down her face and she begins to sob, wailing in the process.
Warmth. A sudden warmth. It surrounds her and in a way makes her cry harder. It was the same type of hug Stelle used to give but she was gone now and the memories were painful.
March tried to pull away but a soft, deep voice calls out to her instead.
“My world, March, what troubles you?”
March looks up, her eyes wide. She meets Stelle’s kind, loving face. Her eyes filled with such care and worry that March can’t help but cry harder. She hides her face back into Stelle’s embrace. Her lover knew her so well, giving her soft kisses on the top of her head and speaking soft words to her.
“My daffodil, it’s okay now. I’ve got you. There’s no need to weep, you’re safe now. I shall protect you from whatever makes you so sad. You are not alone anymore in space for you are with me and I will never leave.”
The only way March can respond is with a sniffle and her hands wrapping around Stelle as well, her breathing slowing down.
Stelle put a hand under March’s chin, lifting her gaze to look into her lover’s eyes. “Do you trust me in what I’m saying? Can you trust me?”
“I trust you with my life, my sun. Always and forever.”
-+- Stelle's Worries (+ hanahaki disease) -+-
Some would say that March is nosey. She doesn’t try to be, she just notices little things.
Like how she was the only one to notice the darkness in Stelle’s eyes. They were usually glowing and yet for the past week, their eyes were dull and empty like a void.
One day, March finally got the confidence to ask. In her usually cheery nature, she plopped down next to Stelle who looked extra distressed. The moment she sat down, Stelle got up and walked quickly away to which March followed.
“Hey! Are you ignoring me? That’s not cool!” March said, her voice loud and full of emotion. Stelle just kept walking, slamming the door to her bedroom behind her.
Or like how Stelle hides away more than usual. March had originally thought it was just that time of the month but when she knocked on Stelle’s door, asking if she wanted anything like snuggles (March was actively trying to find more ways to touch Stelle and be close to her even if she didn’t want to admit anything just yet), her friend told her it was all right and for her to “please leave.”
“No, I won’t leave,” March said stubbornly after 5 days of this. “I care about you, Stelle. Whatever you’re going through, I am going to stick by you no matter what. Your pain is my pain.” She felt tears prick her eyes as she leaned against the door. Thoughts raced through her mind as she waited for Stelle’s answer. What was wrong? Did she do something wrong? Did she overstep her boundaries? If she did why didn’t-
“……Okay…” Stelle said softly snapping March out of her thoughts.
“Wait- What?”
The door opened slightly and March straightened up when she saw Stelle’s dark eyes, even darker circles under them. Her face looked pale like the snow. Stelle’s skin had always been like the sunlight in the afternoon, warm and comforting. This color was unusual and cold. Her eyes looked wet with tears and oh how March wanted to hug her tightly and take all of her pain away.
She did just that.
Not even thinking about what was happening, March rushed forward, the door swinging open, and gave Stelle a bear hug, holding her tightly to her chest as if that would take all the heartache away. Stelle was stiff in her embrace at first but slowly sank in, her shoulders falling, leaning her head forward onto March’s shoulder. She sighed heavily which made March’s heart squeeze with pain, or was it love? She couldn’t tell at this point. Stelle wrapped her arms around March as well, holding the pink-haired girl close, as if at any moment she would fade away.
“Tell me, my star, what’s wrong? Tell me so I can take your pain away forever,” March whispered, resting her head on Stelle’s.
“Tell me, my earth, my daffodil, would you ever hate me? Can you hate me?” Stelle cried softly. Her voice was barely a whisper as her tears fell. “Could you ever love me? A person made by the enemy, the people who’ve hurt you.”
“My star,” March sighed, a smile now playing on her lips, “I would have to care for you first to hate you. Otherwise, there would be nothing to hate. So yes, I could hate you but I don’t want to. I don’t care where you’ve come from, or how you were created, so as long as you stay by my side through the ups and downs. Through all the good moments and the bad, I shall love you. Always and forever.”
“Do you promise?” Stelle said, pulling away from the embrace, daffodils blooming on her face. “Even if I turn into an unloveable monster?”
For a moment, March was stunned by the flowers but tried to hide it. She knew Stelle was feeling vulnerable right now and showing she loved her was the most important thing even if the flowers made her worried. “You could never be a monster to me,” March said, smiling brightly, a comforting smile.
“Even if I cough out petals and blood, and flowers bloom on my face? Could you love me even then?”
“Yes, my Stelle. Yes, the answer has always been yes. The moment I laid eyes on you, I fell in love with you. I’ve been falling ever since,” March whispered, tears sliding down her face. She felt so overwhelmed with emotion, her heart so full of love and sadness she couldn’t handle it.
March leaned forward before Stelle could ask another question and kissed each of the flowers blooming on her face. She kissed them over and over as the petals slowly fell away, the cracks receding.
“I’m always here to hold you, to kiss away your worries, your fears, and your doubts. I shall stand by your side for as long as I am alive,” March smiled before kissing Stelle on the lips. The kiss was soft and warm like the sunlight in the morning, they sank into the kiss. Like the breeze in the spring, like the new snowflakes at the beginning of winter. Slowly but surely, the warmth returned to Stelle’s face. They pulled away from the kiss and held each other tight.
“I love you, March.”
“I love you more, Stelle.”
The End~