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Stelle laid in her bed, it was the middle of the night but she couldn't sleep. She looked around her room, listening to the background noise of the Astral Express chugging along while watching the stars fly by right outside of her window. She reached out a hand, almost trying to reach out to the stars, not that she could reach them.
Stelle rolled over to the other side of her bed, no matter how hard she tried she couldn't fall back asleep. It felt like everything in her life had progressed so fast, she was brought into existence and immediately thrusted into a life of combat and adventure with the Astral Express crew. Not that she minded, life at Herta’s space station would have been too boring for her.
She laid there letting all these thoughts swirl around in her mind like a never sleeping hurricane. She sighed. Maybe a snack would help.
Stelle got out of her bed and opened her door a little bit to slip out. She didn't want to make much noise in fear of waking people (she knew Himeko would scold her if she did.) She made her way through the corridors of the express, trying to remember where Pom-Pom had said they kept food.
It might seem strange that she didn't know where the food was but in her defense she had no reason to. Usually she didn't eat dinner and when she did it was just her and March eating something March had made.
She continued to tread down the hallway noticing how she had accidently been making the floor creak as she walked. She looked away, feeling guilty even though it didn't seem to be bothering anyone. Stelle got a little sidetracked, looking out of the large windows in the common area of the express. The stars were so beautiful to her, they seemed to be flying away at every moment recreating themselves into something new.
She heard a creak from behind her, instantly causing Stelle to turn around in a fighting stance until she saw who was responsible for the noise.
Stelle saw March peering out into the common area from her room, a cloudy look in her eyes, Stelle could tell she was tired.
“Was I um..interrupting something?” March asked her, looking at Stelle perplexed at what she had just witnessed.
“Nono, I was just looking at the stars.” Stelle replied, flashing her a friendly smile. She walked over to March’s door, looking down at the shorter girl. She was wearing a pink matching shirt-short pajama set. Looking down at her own pajamas Stelle suddenly felt underdressed.
“Sorry for waking you..” Stelle apologized to the pink haired girl.
“It's fine.” She replied while yawning a bit.
Stelle noticed how March was still almost fully in her room, peeking out from behind her door. March seemed to be surveying the area outside.
“I was gonna go get a snack but I don't really remember where they are..” Stelle said to break the awkward silence between them (She also noticed she had been staring at March).
March’s attention snapped back to the gray hair girl in-front of her. “Oh !! I can show you if you want.”
Stelle was happy to see March’s usual upbeat demeanor returning. “Yes please.” She said while stepping out of the doorway so March could come out. March stepped out into the light of the hallway, allowing Stelle to get a better look at her, her hair was rather messy and she looked a little nervous.
Am I making her nervous..? Stelle worried. She knew she could be a bit off putting sometimes but she didn’t want to scare March off..
She watched March start down the hallway and hurriedly followed her.
“H-Hey, wait up !”
March realized how fast she had been walking. “Oh..I'm sorry.” She said.
“Don't run away from me now..!” Stelle teased her.
March giggled. “Don't worry, I could never run from someone as pretty as you~!” She replied.
Stelle blushed at the girl’s sudden comment. It was quiet for a second.
“Well anyways we should probably get going because y’know i'm hungry and we wanna hurry up and-” Stelle rushed out.
“I know, let's go.” The pink haired girl replied with an all knowing look.
They walked to the other end of the Express together. March seemed to be in a hurry to get there but they did stop to joke with each other a few times. Eventually the pair reached the kitchen area of the train and Stelle started to rummage through the cabinets until she found a pack of some off brand crackers. March, who was sitting to the side, didn't seem to approve of her choice of snacks but oh well.
March sat holding her knees and legs almost in a ball. After a little bit Stelle noticed her sitting down and came to sit next to her.
“March..dont take this the wrong way but you're being kinda weird.”
She let out a rather loud laugh, “I mean I don't dig through trash cans but ok.” March giggled, while looking at the taller girl sitting next to her.
Stelle turned red out of embarrassment. “March..i'm being serious..” She whined.
“I know.” March said back to her. “Truth is, the dark freaks me out, something about it is just so eerie.”
Huh. That made sense.
“I get that.” Stelle said to her.
“Oh cmon, I think we both know you're not afraid of anything” She chirped.
“That's not true..” Stelle murmured, slowly becoming more and more flushed.
“What are you afraid of?” March said, still laughing a bit until she saw the embarrassment in Stellle’s eyes.
“You not liking me.” She plainly said.
March paused for a second. “Well good thing I do like you.” She plainly said while taking one of the other girl’s crackers.
They sat there for a minute, sharing the mediocre pack of crackers.
“..Well good thing I can protect you from anything that might be hiding in the dark.” Stelle said, proud of herself.
March blushed a little bit. She knew that Stelle didn't know, but she really was adorable, her long gray hair, sparkling eyes, fighting spirit..
“I'm sure you can.” She said softly, looking at the taller girl with nothing but love in her eyes.
“We should probably head back to our rooms..?” Stelle said, almost asking for permission.
“Sure.”
They started to head back down the corridor, Stelle would squeeze March’s hand whenever she noticed her getting afraid. After walking hand in hand, in silence together they had reached March’s room.
“Goodnight March.” Stelle said, letting her hand begin to slip out of March’s
The pink haired girl grabbed her hand to bring it back. “Why don't you sleep here for the rest of the night? You don’t wanna accidentally wake Himeko, you know how she is.”
“Oh thats, um, ok, I don't wanna intrude in your space or anything..-” Stelle replied nervously.
“I insist~!!” March smiled at her.
“I mean, uh, ok. What harm could it do..?” She replied looking at the sparkle in the other girl’s eyes.
The smaller girl squealed a little bit before shushing herself, conscious of her volume. They both stepped into her room. The first thing Stelle noticed was stars. Glowing plastic stars everywhere, it was magical to her. March’s room looked like the home of a princess, with plushies in the corner, polaroids of her and her friends scattered across her desk. Everything about this room oozed March 7th.
Stelle watched March hop onto her bed, getting cozy under the covers while Stelle lowered herself onto the floor.
March looked over the edge of her bed. “Excuse me.” She said, looking displeased.
Stelle stared at her, confused. What had she done wrong?
“No guest of mine is going to sleep on the floor !!”
“Well I guess I could go on the chair-”
“Nonsense, come here~!” She cut off Stelle happily while pulling the blankets back to make room for her.
Stelle obliged, turning very red. Thank god it was dark so March couldn't see how much a mess she was. She climbed into bed next to March, trying not to look at her as to not come off as weird.
Play it cool Stelle..
March giggled and covered her mouth.
“Shit..did I say that outloud..?” Stelle said, looking down at embarrassment.
“Yeaah..” March confirmed.
Stelle sunk down into the bed. It smelled like March’s perfume.
“Don't worry you’re plenty cool Ms.Stellaron~” March said, teasing her while laying at about the same level as Stelle.
Stelle shifted around in the bed a little bit. “Nahh..”
“Yes !!!” The girl next to her replied eagerly. “No friend of mine is gonna discredit herself !!”
Stelle sighed, “Fiine, you win. Youre lucky youre so cute..”
It was quiet in the room for a second. And then another second.
March stared at Stelle, seemingly mesmerized.
“Um..March..-”
“My bad.”
March’s eyes flicked away from the girl before her and it was quiet again. Until she felt an arm around her. March glanced over to see Stelle next to her, putting her arm around her and looking away.”
March was fully blushing now. “Wow..you really know how to make a girl feel special, huh?”
“Yeah, yeah, I know I'm bad at this kind of thing.” Stelle said back to her, still not looking at her.
“It's sort of charming actually.” March said while snuggling up against Stelle.
At this point they were both blushing messes, one was just more confident than the other.
“Hey March..does this change our relationship..?” Stelle looked down at the girl that was against her.
“Hmm..” March sat up a little bit to give Stelle a quick kiss on the cheek before yawning while getting comfortable again.
“That’s tomorrow's problem.” She announced.
“Ok.” Stelle agreed. Both of them were just happy to enjoy this moment together before eventually falling asleep.