Work Text:
Franziska stared at the textbooks, the textbooks stared back.
She wasn’t sure what made the textbooks make no sense to her, she really wasn’t. Perhaps it was the fact that she hadn’t slept in over 24 hours, perhaps it was because the author was foolish and refused to even be the slightest bit coherent, perhaps it was because she was foolish, or perhaps it was all three. Otherwise, the words that usually made sense to her were unintelligible, as though they refused to make sense to her just to spite her and her alone. Franziska closed her eyes and massaged her temples, in a hope that relaxing her eyes would help her. She opened them, and still the words were unintelligible gibberish. Franziska groaned, bashing her head on her desk.
It seemed that, in the hours of what could only be described as early morning, the world was still. Like nothing was moving, like every being Franziska knew and loved were at that moment asleep, which probably was true. It was in the awkward hours of the day, when the stars were about to fade away and the sun about to rise from the east. Both night and day, morning and evening, dark and light, other things that it was both were and not. The only light in the bedroom came from Franziska’s desk lamp, illuminating the textbooks as though they were the spotlight in her private play. Franziska rested her eyes again, opening them once more. Still, the textbooks were gibberish.
Goddammit.
Perhaps she needed another cup of coffee.
Actually…what cup of coffee was she already on?
The fact that she had to resort to coffee was telling enough.
The lights turned on, startling Franziska and causing her to almost scream.
Once she was done being startled, she turned to the doorway, where the light switch was close by. She spotted Maya, obviously having just woken up, standing by the light switch and giving Franziska a quizzical look.
…Since when had Maya Fey woken up? Last thing Franziska knew she was sleeping in their bed.
“…Hello, Maya Fey.”
“Franzy, it’s 3 AM, why are you still up?” Maya asked.
“I was studying.”
“Franzy, you said you’d stop studying at 12 AM.”
“I did stop…for three minutes.” Franziska said.
Maya raised a brow. “Did you take the break ‘cause you needed to pee?”
“…Yes.” Franziska admitted sheepishly.
Maya sighed. “Franzy, you don’t need to study so much. You’ll do fine.”
“You don’t understand, Maya Fey, this is position for the Chief Prosecutor of the district that we’re talking about. And the hearing is to be held in five days! You do not simply earn that title by being unprepared! It is a privilege that I must earn, a privilege that requires my upmost dedication. I have to earn such foolish relaxations like sleep-”
“Franzy.” Maya cut her off. “You don’t earn relaxing, and you certainly don’t earn it by working yourself half to death. You’ve been studying for 28 hours, if you haven’t earned sleep by now then I’m concerned for you.”
“I need to earn this, Maya Fey.”
“Franzy, what if I spent more than 24 hours studying a case where I had to defend someone? Would you let me?”
“Maya Fey, this is different. I have to-” Franziska tried, but she was interrupted.
“You have to sleep.” Maya insisted, grabbing Franziska by the arm and dragging her to their bed. “And that’s what I’m gonna make you do.”
Franziska frowned. “You are foolish.”
“I’m just doing this so you take care of yourself, Franzy.” Maya said, as she tucked Franziska into bed, covering her snugly with the blankets.
“…You are aware that once you have fallen asleep, I will go back to studying, are you not?”
Maya grinned. “Nope, you are not! I have a secret weapon!”
Franziska was concerned. “A secret weapon…?”
“Yep!”
“I am concerned.”
“C’mon Franzy, just humor me!”
“…Alright, but if this does not make me sleep, I will stay studying.”
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take.” Maya said.
Franziska rolled her eyes.
Maya cleared her throat, and in a surprising turn of events, she started to sing.
A very…familiar song.
“The other night, dear. As I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you, in my arms.” Maya began to sing. “When I awoke dear, I was mistaken. So I hung my head and I cried.”
It was the song, the same song Maya had sung to her when they were children, the same song that still comforted her to this very day. Franziska still remembered those days, days when she had little worries in life, days when it seemed that her and Maya Fey were the only things that mattered in the world. Hearing the song that Maya had sung to her, the song that comforted Franziska, it brought her back to those times, brought her back to before she had worries that seemed to bury her under their weight. Yet now, it seemed that Maya Fey’s voice alone made those worries go away, like those responsibilities on her shoulders were merely sugar in hot water.
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away.” Maya continued to sing. “I’ll always love you, and make you happy. And nothing else could come between, but if you leave me to allow another, you’ll have shattered all of my dreams.”
Even now, years later, Maya’s voice was still as beautiful as ever. It was different from when they were kids, a slight bit deeper, a little bit more mature, but still as bubbly and vibrant as ever. Maya’s personality shone through her singing, somehow the way she sang the song sounded as though she were smiling, if that was even possible. The positivity, the love and care she felt for Franziska, it all seemed as though it were pouring out from each word that she sang, flowing through like the calm oceans of the sea. No, these were not the raging storms that made Franziska dread, they were gentle ocean waves, never too strong to make Franziska scared, enveloping her in its warm embrace and letting her relax in their warm loving waters.
Franziska felt her eyelids slowly close, and at this point she wasn’t even fighting it. Not when she could hear Maya’s beautiful voice, not when she knew that Maya will be by her side until the end of their lives, not when Franziska could practically feel the love emanating from Maya Fey’s words and touch. No, like back then when they were children, all that mattered were her and Maya Fey, that the worries were no more.
She didn’t have to earn relaxing, she didn’t have to earn love. Maya had taught her that, was still teaching her that.
And Franziska von Karma was willing to learn.
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray. You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.”
Just as Maya had finished the song, her last final sung words soon settling into the air, notes seeming to last even when the words were done, she heard the familiar sound of Franziska’s soft snoring.
“Rest, my sunshine.” Maya whispered, pressing a kiss on Franziska’s forehead. “I love you, Franzy.”
“I love you too, Maya Fey…” Franziska murmured, half asleep.
Maya smiled.