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It was all too much.
The failed plan to kill Hal Nex, the torture, all the deaths that were left in their wake.
Just too much.
Thaniea sat in the bedroom of the Crowned Lear ship which had so nicely been given to her for her rest. But her time in the bedroom was nothing but sleepless.
She stared down at the hands, uncovered from the gloves that were usually stuck to her arms. It had been so long since she had seen her bare arms, she was beginning to think she had forgotten what they looked like.
But no, she could never forget.
A small, gentle tear dropped down from her face, falling into her lap with a soft thud. It was so silent all alone in the room that she could hear her own deep breathing with each second that passed by.
A knocking at the door alerted her light grey eyes to peer upwards.
"Hey, mind if I come in?" Zena was standing at the door, her shoulder peeking into the room with her body dangerously close to passing the doorway. Thaniea weakly smiled, nodding to the other woman. Zena entered, closing the door behind her while she slowly made her way to the bed, placing herself down next to Thaniea.
They were both silent for a moment before their voices picked up again.
"I'm sorry for not getting to you sooner. If I had known-"
"It's not your fault, Zena, I shouldn't have been so reckless in the first place." Thaniea sighed, but Zena was left with a smile.
"That's what I like about you though, acting all proper while you're as reckless as me." Thaniea turned to face Zena, seeing the smile lit up on the other woman's face. The princess was quick to return her own smile.
"You like me?" Thaniea questioned.
"Of course I do, Princess, there's many things I like about you." Thaniea smirked.
"Such as?" Zena looked at Thaniea with a smirk of her own.
"My, my, trying to get compliments now, are we, princess?" Zena tutted while her lips grinned.
"Well, you did start it." Zena seemed to accept this, looking down at the princess before returning to look at her eyes.
"If you really need to know for that massive ego of yours, I guess I better tell you then." Zena sighed, closing her eyes for a second before opening them back up. "I like how you don't smile with your teeth until you are truly happy, I like how you cross your arms when you're angry, I like the way you style your hair! I like the way you play with your fingers when you're stressed or lying, I like that you can't make tea, I like the way you're not afraid to speak your mind. I like you!" Zena gasped for air, looking over at Thaniea who just stared back in complete stunned awe.
"You really like all those things about me?" Zena nodded.
"Of course I do, Princess." Thaniea could feel herself smiling. She moved, laying down on the bed, her back facing Zena. "Hey, you ignoring me?" Zena jokingly asked, standing back up to walk all the way to the other side of the bed, just so she could lay down on top of the blankets and covers, her eyes meeting with Thaniea's slowly.
Thaniea hummed out a pleasant noise.
"Of course not, I would never." She sarcastically replied, a small smirk on her lips. "I actually have my own thoughts about you as well, actually." Zena grinned, moving to lay down closer to the Princess.
"Really, tell me." Thaniea grinned.
"Now who's got an ego?" This small comment caused a chuckle to erupt from Zena, her hand lifting up to pat Thaniea on her shoulder twice.
"So, are you going to tell me?" She asked, a small smirk on her face as she rested her cheek on her own wrist. Thaniea sighed, a weak smile spread on her lips.
"Fine, calm down. I like your hair."
Zena raised an eyebrow.
"My hair?"
"I'm not done." Zena mimicked closing her lips, letting Thaniea continue with what she wanted to say. "Yes, I like your hair, but I also like your eyes. I like how your nose scrunches when you're annoyed, I like that you scratch the back of your neck and bite your nails when you're anxious. I like the way you call me princess. And I like you." Thaniea could feel a faint blush on her face.
"You like it when I call you Princess, huh?" Thaniea nodded. Zena moved closer, her hands reaching to hold onto Thaniea's cheek. "Well between you and me, you're more than just a princess to me." The stars in Thaniea's eyes appeared to light up with Zena's words.
"I am?" Zena nodded.
"You are. But don't tell anyone that." Zena scratched the back of her neck before she realised what she was doing and stopped. Thaniea smiled.
"I won't, I promise." Thaniea looked down at her outfit. "Titans, I look awful." A small chuckle escaped Zena from the outburst of hatred. Thaniea's eyes trailed back up to meet Zena's. "Please tell me you have something that is better than this." Zena nodded, sitting back up and putting her feet to the ground.
She swung her legs around, leaving Thaniea laying on the bed while she turned to the opposite wall of the bedroom.
Thaniea turned around, looking over to where Zena was standing as the other woman pulled out a dress from the wall.
The dress was long and white, no sleeves but it did have a cape that was as equally long as the dress with a jewel that kept the cape attached to the dress. At the same time, Zena pulled out a pair of plain white gloves that went up to the elbow.
Thaniea's eyes went wide.
"You… kept my clothes?" Zena nodded.
"Yep, I had no need for them and I didn't know if you would want them or not. Plus, this gem seems pretty important to you, didn't want to get rid of it just in case." Zena restrained from biting her fingernails, instead reaching her hands out to hand the clothes back to Thaniea. "Here, I'll leave while you change back." Thaniea shook head.
"No, it's fine. I'll change now, just close your eyes for a bit." Zena nodded, letting Thaniea take the clothes from her while she placed her hands over her eyes, squeezing her eyelids down in order to shut her eyes.
Thaniea was quick to change, she had mastered changing by now. She slipped out of the outfit she was wearing, letting the dull fabric fall to the floor while she stepped into her dress. She pushed her dress up her body, lifting it up until it rested comfortably.
Grabbing the cape, she threw it over her head, letting the cape flow behind her, strongly attached to her dress with a light blue jewelled item. With one last push on her dress to straighten it out, Thaniea smiled, pulling her gloves back up and covering her arms like she always did.
She turned to face Zena, whose eyes were still sealed shut.
"You can open your eyes now." Slowly, Zena's eyes open one at the time, looking over at Thaniea. Zena could feel the air leave her lungs. Thaniea tucked her hair behind her ear. "Well, what do you think? Do I look the same in my outfit as I did last time you saw me?" Zena coughed.
"Yeah, you do. It's just-" Zena's eyes met Thaniea's long hair that reached down onto her shoulders. "Your hair, it's beautiful when it's down." Thaniea smiled.
"So you like my hair then?" She smirked.
"As much as you like mine." Zena smirked back.
A silence fell between them, a cough leaving Zena who scratched the back of her neck.
“You know, Princess, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.” Thaniea turned to look at Zena, a small confused look on her face. “I , well I have always liked you.” Thaniea smiled, placing a hand onto Zena’s shoulder.
“Oh, Zena, when I opened my eyes and saw you after so long, I felt a relief I had never felt before. Like, I needed you, and now I know, I do.” Thaniea’s hand moved to Zena’s face, a small happy smile. “I love you.”
And with a short kiss from two soft lips, Thaniea realised she is where she needed to be.
With Zena, always and forever.
So, as she held Zena's hands, laying down on the bed, she smiled to herself: knowing that Zena wouldn't judge her for anything and that no matter what, they would be with each other. And as she laid there, in Zena's arms, she could feel a happpiness she has never felt before.