Chapter Text
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Firefly rounded the corner to the teacher’s office a little too fast and collided with a stranger.
“Are you alright?” Her words trailed off as she was quickly enamoured by her beauty.
“I’m alright,” the beauty spoke.
This stanger’s voice is as beautiful as her features. It sounded familiar but yet not. The two locked eyes and Firefly found herself incapable of looking away. Her emerald eyes had a shine in them, as if they were actual jewels.
She thought she had seen her fair share of beautiful people and grew some resistance to it. She lives with Kafka for goodness sake. That woman could seduce any man or woman and have them begging on their knees. But unlike her devilishly charming guardian, the student in front of her was much younger and innocent looking despite her sharp features.
Before Firefly could wonder further, a bellowing call from her teacher broke her free from the trance. She bowed to the stranger once more and scurried off to the teacher’s office. She half listened to the teacher’s reprimanding of yet another late assignment, her mind still lingered on the dark haired beauty she bumped into earlier.
“Did you get a chance to retake the test?” Sunday asked as his sister entered the car. He motioned to the driver to take them home.
Robin shed her wig and shook her hair free as her wings fluttered at the freedom, “Just two assignments and they’ll average it as my test score,”
Sunday hummed in acknowledgement. “Did something happen? You seem rather chipper for someone who got extra homework?”
“It’s nothing. I just…” Robin’s eyes drifted to the side. She gazed out the window but her mind was still stuck on dawn coloured eyes. Her lips quirked into a smile, “I saw a cute little bug.”
Sunday raised his brow in confusion. To his knowledge, Robin was deathly afraid of spiders. He brushed away the thought and briefed the star on her upcoming schedules.
“I think you saw a ghost.” Stelle pointed her sandwich at Firefly, its contents at the edge of spilling.
Firefly stared at her ash grey haired friend incredulously, “What? That’s ridiculous. I know what I saw.”
Said friend continued to scarf down her sandwich as Firefly stared on in disbelief. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and fished out her phone. “Hey, I’m just saying if you saw a black haired beauty in the hallway alone when the school was about to close, it really sounds like the start of a horror mystery movie.”
“She was not a ghost! She is human, probably a student above our grade,” Firefly made it a point to glare at her friend in disbelief.
“And her name?” Stelle glanced up from her phone with an eyebrow raised.
Firefly bit back a remark. She didn’t ask for it yesterday. As much as she wanted to set the record straight, she doesn’t have a lead on the mysterious figure might be. With looks like that surely, she would have been popular gossip among the students.
Stelle snickered at the lack of answer. To further her point, she showed Firefly her chat message with Love of my life <3<3. “See? Even March said she’s never heard of someone like that and March knows everyone.”
“What are you nerds talking about?” Silver Wolf sat down haphazardly to the seat next to Stelle. She bit down on her blown gum, making a resounding pop before chewing again.
“Firefly saw a ghost,” Stelle said as a matter of fact.
“I told you it’s not a ghost!” Firefly gave an accusatory glare at Stelle.
Silver Wolf clapped her hands, breaking the tension between the two, “Alright, alright. Let’s take it from the top ladies.”
Another round of explaining yesterday’s events later, Silver Wolf sat back on her seat as she finally got the picture. “They must be drop dead gorgeous since you’re always gushing about that idol of yours for once.”
“Hey! I can appreciate beauty. It’s not my fault Robin is superstar diva with amazing vocals and visuals-”
“Anyway,” Silver Wolf cut the girl’s rant short, else they would have to sit through the entire lunch break hearing about it. “I think I’ve heard rumours about that chick. Black haired Halovian who rarely comes to school. I think she’s two grades above us. They say she’s rich, like stupid rich, comes and goes with a private driver and everything. She only comes once a few months or something, practically a ghost if you ask me.”
Firefly smiled triumphantly as she was indeed not hallucinating. Stelle only stuck her tongue out at her. The conversion soon shifted to making plans after school. In the end, they decided to grab some crepes on their way home and stop by a game centre. Hanging out with her friends was fun but still Firefly couldn’t get the mysterious girl out of her head.
“If you feel any persisting dizziness or visual problems be sure to get it checked,” the school nurse yelled over her shoulder before getting back to her reports.
“Yes, ma’am,” Firefly bowed and shut the door to the school’s infirmary.
What landed her in the infirmary was beyond embarrassing. In her attempt to save a point for her team, Firefly tried to receive a spike from a volleyball member. A big emphasis on tried . Not only did she fail to receive the ball with her arms, she had ungracefully bounced it out of the court with her face innstead. She prayed her friends would stop talking about it within a month.
With a long sigh, she walked down the stairs as she passed by a dark haired student. A glimpse of Halovian wings in her peripheral had her snapping her head back in rapt attention. The other party must have realised Firefly’s sudden movement as she too looked back. For just a split second they locked eyes before the beautiful lady slipped.
Thanks to her quick reflexes, Firefly managed to catch the girl before she tumbled down the stairs. “Are you alright?”
“Yes, thank you-”
A loud clatter caught their attention. Firefly’s heart dropped as she saw the source of the noise. At the foot of the stairs lay Firefly’s bag with its contents spilled out. Grimacing at the sad display of her items, she made sure the girl was steady before dashing down to her bag. Firefly crouched down to gather her things and prayed that her prized possession survived the horrible crash. The stranger joined her soon after.
“Oh no…” The girl held out Firefly’s prized possession.
In her hand, the limited edition Robin keychain that Firefly lined up for two hours for, had been broken into three pieces. Firefly let out a sad sigh. Sadly, it didn’t survive the fall.
“I’m so sorry. It broke when you caught me didn’t it?” the girl said with guilt, lacing her voice.
Firefly stood up and shook her head, “No, it’s alright. What matters is that you’re unharmed.”
She took the broken object and stuffed it into her pocket. While it is a shame, a keychain is just a keychain in the end. Another person’s safety matters more than material objects.
The girl flashed a grateful smile, “Well, that’s all thanks to you, um?”
“Firefly. I’m a first year,” Firefly reached out her hand.
The girl shook her hand, “I’m-”
Rise up into my world~
Their conversation was interrupted by Firefly’s ringtone. She cursed inwardly at the horrible timing and rummaged through her bag for her phone that thankfully survived the flight of stairs. The caller ID showed Kafka.
Odd, she rarely calls her, “Yes? Hello?”
“ Firefly dear, where are you? We’re going to be late.”
“Okay, I’ll be out soon.”
Firefly took a deep breath and swallowed down her embarrassment. She flashed a sheepish smile at the girl, “I’m sorry I really have to go now. I’ll see you around?”
The girl’s wings drooped a little as her eyes looked somewhat dejected, “Oh, Thanks again for saving me. See you.”
Firefly nodded and bounded down the stairs. She casted one last glance at the girl. The girl barely moved from her spot, she gave a soft smile and a little wave.
Firefly gave a shy one of her own before dashing down the stairs. An unusual sensation spread in her chest. Her clothes felt a little too warm and her heartbeat was picking up. She blames it on the summer heat.
The next day, Firefly finds a lavender envelope in her shoe locker. Her mind went into overdrive. Surely this wasn’t what she thought it was. She had seen these kinds of clichès in anime and manga. Perhaps the sender slipped it into the wrong locker?
Alas, the letter had her name written in beautiful cursive. It was intended for Firefly. Oddly enough, it had some weight in it. Curiosity got the better of her so she opened it then and there. Inside was a short letter and a keychain. A Robin keychain. It’s even a design she didn’t have. Her eyes lit up in happiness. It must have been that girl from yesterday.
Thank you for saving me yesterday. Consider this a token of apology for breaking your keychain.
From a grateful Robin
It was cute that the girl was hiding behind an alias. Honestly, it was embarrassing to have her love for the idol blatantly exposed like that yesterday. But if it was to a fellow fan, Firefly didn’t mind. It was refreshing to meet someone like-minded, compared to her own friends who liked to poke fun at her. She immediately put the keychain where the old one had broken. With a spring in her step, she marched to class, oblivious to the figure hiding right behind the corner.
Robin stepped away from the shoe lockers and rushed to the awaiting car. She didn’t expect Firefly to come in so early in the morning. She hid herself in a moment of panic when she saw the girl walking through the school gate. In all honesty, handing the gift by herself would be less creepy than stuffing it into someone’s locker but it was too late for that now. Still, she was glad Firefly liked the gift enough to put it on right away. Hopefully it was enough to earn her forgiveness.
“Did you give it to your friend?” Sunday asked as Robin entered the car.
Robin mused for a moment. Could she even call Firefly a friend? They only met twice, both by accident, and only exchanged their names. The girl seemed nice and acted normally around her, albeit a little shy. She smiled and looked out the window, “You could say that.”
Sensing that his sister was lost in thought, he didn’t pry further. It was rare enough that Robin asked for a merchandise of her own but going to school so early in the morning, raised a few suspicious flags. For now he’ll trust his sister, he sincerely hoped she wasn’t being extorted for her popularity. Having transfer papers on hand wouldn’t be a bad thing to prepare.
Today wasn’t a good day for Firefly. She was cranky and in pain. You think having entropy loss syndrome would somehow make her reach menopause much faster than her peers. But nope, it just makes it hit harder than most.
She considered downing a third round of painkillers to help deal with the pain. After an extra 15 minutes of agony, she decided she couldn’t take it anymore. She excused herself from PE class to get the pills. She sluggishly dragged herself back to class.
On her way back, she spotted a now familiar sight of dark hair in the building across. Either the pills had worked its magic or the adrenaline pumped into her system numbed all the pain, she sprinted after the retreating figure.
She managed to catch up to her in a secluded hallway. She wanted to call out the girl’s name. The problem was she didn’t know what her name was. Gathering her courage, she called out, “Ex-Excuse me!”
The person in question jumped from the call and whirled around. Firefly winced at herself. Her voice came out louder and more threatening than intended.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to call out so loudly or so suddenly. You were so far away and I thought I wouldn’t make it in time.”
She was rambling. Oh god, what was coming out of her mouth. The poor girl probably thinks she’s a complete weirdo.
“It’s okay,” Robin looked around for a moment, checking if Firefly did indeed call out to her. Where in the world the girl came from she didn’t have a clue. How is it that everytime she visits school Firefly is always there? This was very interesting.
Robin flashed her a smile, “Did you need me for something?”
Firefly short circuited. This was the first time she saw her smile and Aeons it was lovely.
Robin tilted her head when she saw Firefly unresponsive. The girl just stood there blinking at her. She had a star struck look that Robin has seen countless times on and off stage. This girl was definitely a fan of Robin and yet she captivated her, not Robin. She couldn’t help but let out a giggle.
Firefly mentally slapped herself for her rudeness. Not only was she blatantly staring but she felt the girl hanging. “Ah- sorry, I just wanted to thank you for the keychain. You didn’t have to get me a replacement. These things can be a little pricey. It didn’t sit right with me to receive this much for what I did. So if there’s anything I could do to repay the favour? ”
“How are you sure that was me?” Robin teased.
“Huh? But the letter said- There was no one else- I-”
Watching the colour drain from the girl’s face, Robin decided to have mercy. “I’m just joking. Yes, it was me.”
Just as quickly as she paled, Firefly was also quick to brighten up into deep scarlet. It was all oh so cute. Robin couldn’t help but laugh.
Realising she had been teased, Firefly wanted to bury herself in a hole and never come out. Silver Wolf had told her she needed to work on people skills. Making her teammates answer all those interviews on her behalf is biting her in the ass.
Firefly wanted to snap back like she usually would with her friends but hearing the girl laugh made all the fight disappear from her body. Instead she felt warm and tight in her chest. She had to look away from the smiling Halovian.
Robin walked up to her and stepped into her line of sight, “You said you wanted to repay me?”
The girl was a little too close. Firefly could see how the light made her emerald eyes sparkle. If she reached out, she could tread her finger through those soft looking wings. She held back the impulsive thought and just nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment.
Being an idol, Robin had a habit of carrying a marker or pen on hand. She fished one out and flipped her notebook to the last page. Holding out both items to Firefly, she gave her a sweet smile, “Then, I’d like your number please.”
Her jaw dropped. A pretty girl like her was asking for her number. Was this what a dream is supposed to be like?
Robin shoved the pen and paper into FIrefly’s hands and Firefly wrote down her digits before giving it back to the owner.
The girl mumbled out a thanks. “I say with this we’re even. I’ll text you later, little bug,” Robin turned out and took her leave.
Firefly felt something the moment the pet name escaped the girl’s lips. Too stunned to move or say anything back, she only stood there and watched her leave. The beauty disappeared around the corner, leaving behind the scent of flowers. The perfume smelled like flowers, really nice flowers. It got her curious as to which kind exactly.
Later that night an unknown number contacted her and Firefly dived for her phone.
Hi, it’s Robin. I hope I’m not bothering you too late
It was her . Firefly felt immense relief and thanked the Aeons above that the girl actually contacted her and included her name. She immediately added her to her contact list.
Robin 🕊️
The two exchanged a few texts before both calling it a day.
It only clicked to Firefly that Robin was referring to herself in that letter, not the bird. What a coincidence she shared the same name as her idol. She turned to her side and eyed one of her many Robin posters on her wall. They are both Halovians with the same name, what if?
She shook the thought away. Robin is a stage name. It isn’t necessarily the idol’s actual name. Besides, there are many people who share the same name. There are like three Mei’s, two Kafka’s and three Seele’s that she knows of. People have similar names all the time. But one thing for sure was everyone has a distinct smile or laugh. Dare she say Robin’s was otherworldly.
The thought of her smile got her feeling that same warm sensation again. She touched her face, it was indeed warm. Her pulse was rising and her chest felt tight. She might need to consult Kafka if these symptoms persist.
The two have gotten quite close ever since they exchanged numbers. Not a single day goes by without them sending at least a good morning and a good night. It was only now that Firefly understood the truth behind the saying “ distance makes the heart go fonder ”.
Robin hasn’t replied to her and yet here she was bolting to her phone at any notification, eagerly waiting for a reply to her good morning. Firefly often finds herself missing Robin these days. Her thumb hovers over the call button a few times throughout the day. She wonders if calling would be alright. But she shook her head and put her phone down and her head on the table.
Robin was probably busy. She hasn’t been coming to school either. While Firefly is curious why, she won’t pry if Robin isn’t comfortable in sharing. Besides, Firefly hasn’t been completely honest either.
Sitting alone in the library, Firefly sighed and checked her phone again. Still no text from Robin and there was still an hour left before Kafka picks her up. With nothing better to do, she might as well familiarise herself with the upcoming track. She opened up the track video and positioned herself as if she was sitting in a race pod. Pretending as if she was behind the wheel, she did some mental training for a few laps.
After around 10 replays, she was pleased that she already got the gist of the track. Firefly sat back upright and stretched her arms upwards. It was only then she noticed there was someone sitting next to her. She turned her head to find emerald eyes just inches away from her.
Firefly was about to scream but Robin had surprisingly quick reflexes and shut her mouth with her hands. Her voice was muffled by the hands on her mouth. That familiar floral scent filled Firefly’s nose once more and she could feel her heartbeat picking up. She blamed it on Robin scaring the daylights out of her. It was as if the girl suddenly materialised right next to her.
Willing herself to calm down, Firefly grabbed the hand that silenced her and lowered them. “You scared me!” Firefly whisper yelled.
Robin gave her a sheepish smile, “Sorry, you were so concentrated I didn’t want to bother you.”
Firefly packed her things and the two walked them out of the library. They leisurely walked down the hallway shoulder-to-shoulder. “You should’ve told me you were coming to school.”
“I wanted to surprise you!” Robin playfully bumped Firefly’s shoulder.
“Well, consider me very surprised.”
“So, what were you doing?” Robin snuck a peek at the girl who stiffened at the question.
Firefly stiffened slightly and her eyes wandered to the side, “Um, watching a video?”
Robin huffed and pouted, not believing the obvious lie. “Firefly, you watched the same video of a car going down a racetrack 6-7 times. Plus, you kept squirming in your seat. An odd way to watch if you ask me.”
Firefly tried to come up with an excuse. She casted a glance at her winged companion. Clear emerald with a shade of cerulean eyes greeted her back and she found her will to keep the secrecy fading. She doubted nothing but the truth would satisfy her. Nervously she answered, “That was me.”
“What?”
“I was the one driving. It was a recording of my lap.”
“You’re a racer?”
“E-sport racer. Yes. I’m with the Stellaron Racers.”
The cat was out of the bag. Robin is the first person to know aside from her team that Stellaron Racer SAM was in fact a simple high school girl. The question was what would Robin do with this information.
“I wanna watch,” Robin exclaimed. Her eyes sparkled with childlike fascination. In all honesty, Robin didn’t know a thing about racing or e-sport racing for that matter. But if it was something that her dear little bug put so much effort and dedication into, she would have to do a little digging later.
Firefly pulled out her phone, “Oh, you can get on this website. It’s popular for streaming racers.”
“No, I want to watch you race.”
Firefly nearly dropped her phone. Robin wanted to watch her race. She didn’t ridicule her as a false athlete. She didn’t make fun of her job as just a game . Instead, she wanted to watch. It felt nice being acknowledged for once.
Robin grew nervous when Firefly didn’t respond after a few seconds. The girl just stood there unblinking. She worried if she had overstepped, “I can’t?”
“No, no!” Firefly shook her head vigorously. She clenched the phone in her hand, “It’s just that I’m embarrassed.”
Robin let out a sigh of relief. “It’s okay. You don’t have to win. I won’t think of you any less even if you get last place,” she patted Firefly’s back in assurance.
That struck Firefly’s pride a little. She was actually a renowned player. Even if Robin might not know about her sport, she still wanted to set the record straight. “If I can’t help it, I won’t be losing to anyone. I’ve actually won several cups already.”
Robin’s eyes widened. It seems that her little bug wasn’t an amateur after all. A decorated athlete, perhaps even a pro. Perhaps she shouldn't have underestimated her after all. She smiled with glee, “Wow. Competitive and credible. I like it.”
Firefly blushed at the compliment. Willing her heart to calm down, she gathered her courage to ask, “I have a race coming up. It’s next saturday and it’s a live event too. I can get you a backstage pass if you want?”
While Firefly chose to keep her identity a secret, it didn’t mean that she has never done any live races. She just uses a 3D model of her persona to make up for it. Besides, each team has their own private booths, so interactions with fans and opposing teams are all done virtually.
Robin was ecstatic Firefly asked her to come but the timing was quite unfortunate, “Next Saturday?”
“No good?”
Robin swore she could see Firefly’s imaginary puppy ears drop. How a person could be so adorable is beyond her. Robin is 90% she couldn’t make it. Still she felt bad making her disappointed like this. She’ll have to make it up somehow.
“It might be difficult. I’ll ask if I could go or not but don’t get your hopes up,” Robin reached her hand out, the back of her fingers softly grazing Firefly’s cheek. She let her fingers linger for a few seconds before tucking loose silvery blond hair behind Firefly’s ear. “I’ll text you later.”
The moment Robin touched her cheek, Firefly almost stopped breathing. Her heart thundered her chest and that now familiar warm feeling engulfed her whole body. She felt faint. Was she about to pass out right here in front of Robin?
Luckily the girl pulled back and walked away. The sensation that overcame her body slowly disappeared as Robin walked away. Firefly wonders if she has an allergy to Robin’s perfume or something. She has been feeling odd… ever since they met.
“Firefly dear, there’s a delivery for you.”
“Coming!” Firefly made her way to Kafka. It wasn’t rare to get letters or presents from fans during game day. But the sheer amount for items stacked in front of her was beyond the usual.
Vitamins and supplements lined the table. All packaged nearly and named separately for each member of her team. Whether it was luck or deep investigation, the brand the sender sent was the same ones Kafka gets them.
“What’s all this? Did we get sponsored or something?”
“It seems our little bug has captured the interest of a certain songbird,” Kafka hands her a letter.
Firefly looked at her manager quizzically. She grabbed the letter offered and gave it a once over. The paper was lavender just like the one Robin put in her locker. A faint smell of her perfume also lingered. Maybe it was lavender?
Good luck on your race. I’ll be rooting for you, little bug <3
With love, Robin
PS. I got something extra for a dear fan of mine
Robin did say she was sending her something to make up for her absence. Firefly didn’t dare assume the girl’s wealth from the rumours. But perhaps there was some truth in them after all.
Checking the gifts once again, she noticed an extra package under her name. A peek inside the white bag revealed a familiar white and lavender box. Her eyes squinted in disbelief. Firefly has been counting down the days when she could pre-order Robin’s latest Inside album. She could recognize the shape and design anywhere.
Taking the album out of the bag dispelled any thoughts that she might be wrong. It was in fact Robin’s, her favourite idol, the global superstar Robin’s album. Better yet it was a signed album.
To Firefly. May you shine the night bright as your name.
Firefly has Robin’s latest album. She has a signed copy of Robin’s latest album. In her hands was a personally signed unreleased copy of her favourite singer’s album. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run around the course instead. She wanted to jump and squeal. Unbridled joy, excitement and thankfulness filled her body. After calming herself down, she clutched the album close to her chest and whispered to herself, “Thank you, Miss Robin.”
Not long after one of the staff members came in and requested for the racers to take their position. The young racer turned to Kafka and handed her the bag of her newest prized possession. Her eyes fueled with fiery determination, “Please keep this safe for me.”
Kafka was stunned for a moment. That look on Firefly was something to behold. It was something she hadn’t seen in a while. Kafka smirked, “Sure darling. Show them all what SAM is capable of.”
Firefly nodded and stepped into her station. For once in her life, she felt calm before a race. Her hand didn’t shake with nervousness. No cold sweat breaking out of her skin and her heart was beating at a normal rate. She felt good. She felt confident. There is this fire in her that’s raging, unwilling to be tamed.
One Red.
She took a deep breath and double checked her setup.
Two Red
Firefly gripped her wheel securely and exhaled slowly.
Three Red
Her eyes focused on the road ahead.
Four Red
She decided to dedicate today’s race to Robin.
Five Red
Today she will win this race for Robin.
Green.
The starting whistle blared in her ear and Firefly was off. The tight turns posed no problems as Firefly expertly weaves through them without losing momentum. But a slight nudge from the car behind her caused her to slip to third place on the 14th lap and fell to fifth on the 23rd. A minor setback didn’t worry Firefly. She had seen the habits of the racers in front of her. She didn’t have to resort to petty tricks to win. She was better after all.
With each lap she inched closer and closer to take back the first spot. On the 29th lap, she rose to fourth. The racer in front of her made a mistake allowing her to pass to third place on the 32nd lap. Racers tend to lose focus after so many repetitive laps but not Firefly. Her engine was still blazing hot.
On the 40th lap, Firefly was back in the lead. This time she was gonna keep it that way. Her turns were perfect. She pulled ahead of all the other racers by a mile. She kept the momentum until the last 42nd lap. That day Firefly broke the best time for the circuit. A new personal best and a new historical best. All thanks to Robin.
Robin flopped onto her bed after a long day of signing and fan meeting. She wondered all day if Firefly received her gift well. Opening up their chat, all her worries flew away instantly. Firefly sent her a multitude of thank you’s and even a selfie of her with her new album. The picture brought a smile to Robin’s face. Firefly sure is cute. A few taps on her screen and Robin saved the picture to her photo album.
She fired off a few texts of her own, asking if her race went well. Luckily it seems that Firefly was still awake and started to type a reply already. She told her that everything went well and that she even won first place. Robin felt proud for her and congratulated Firefly’s achievement. Now she really wanted to see Firefly race one day. She pouted, it was such a shame she had plans today.
There was a prickle in her chest. It felt like something was missing. Robin wanted more of Firefly. Perhaps it’s because she met so many people all day and yet she couldn’t see the person she wanted to meet. Robin misses her, quite a lot actually now that she’s letting the feeling sink in. She bit her lip and pressed the green call button. She curled into herself, hugging a pillow tight to her chest. Her nervous heart prayed that Firefly would pick up.
“H-Hello?”
Just hearing her voice brought a smile back to Robin’s face. “Hi, little bug.”
“Is there something wrong?”
“No, I was just tired of typing. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Not at all. I’m just nervous…”
A shy Firefly is always a cutie. “Hmm? Do I make you nervous?”
“Yes? You’re you after all.”
“I’m me?” Robin pondered.
“Miss Robin, why didn’t you tell me you were the Robin?”
Robin somehow found Firefly’s whines very endearing. It makes her want to tease the poor girl. “What? I thought you knew? It was quite an obvious little bug. Also, what’s with the Miss?”
“But you looked so different at school! How dare I call my favourite idol so casually?”
“It’s called a disguise. I even gave you my real name! Just use it”
Firefly was reluctant at first but after much persuasion from Robin, she gave her word to try. She thanked Robin once again for her gift and support profusely and wondered if there was something she could do to return the favour.
Robin thought for a moment, then a brilliant idea popped into her mind, “Firefly’s team jacket”
“Mine? I did hear they were restocking. I’m sure I can ask for one”
Robin puffed out her cheeks, “I gave you a personal copy of my album with a personal sign too. So, I want a more personal gift than a store bought jacket.”
“I do have several team jackets but they’re all worn. Are you sure you don’t want a new one? I’ll also sign it?”
“Nope! I want yours. I don’t care if it’s breaking down or not,” Robin said as a matter of fact.
Firefly sighed but relented anyway. Robin on the other hand was pleased with her reward. “I’ll send you the time and place later.”
The two chattered on and about their day. Eventually Robin found her eyes drifting close.
“Miss Robin? Are you tired?”
“Hmm, no. I still want to talk with you,” Robin could hear a soft chuckle from the other end.
“We can talk more tomorrow. Get some rest.”
A yawn slipped through her lips, “Promise?”
“I promise. Good night Robin.”
“Good night, little bug.”
That night Robin had one of the best sleep she had in a very long time. The promise to call each other again soon brought a spring in her step. She couldn’t wait for night to fall again.
As promised Robin did tell her the time and place, but Firefly didn’t expect it to come in the form of a back pass to one of her performances. Nonetheless, Firefly is a woman of her word. If she was going to watch Robin perform, she might as well go all in. She brought her two lightsticks, a small Robin towel and hand made board to support her favourite idol. She also brought the promised item, Firefly’s cleanest but unfortunately oldest team jacket.
It was her first team jacket ever and she only got to wear it once before a new design came out. So, in a sense it is somewhat a collector’s item but she didn’t mind giving it to Robin. How the idol whined and begged last time was honestly not good for Firefly’s heart. She had to relent. Honestly the size worried her. It was big on Firefly so on Robin, who Firefly assumes is slimmer, it would engulf her.
Shaking away her worries, Firefly enters the venue before she is late. The staff recognized the pass and politely led Firefly to Robin’s dressing room. Firefly knocked on the door and had the wind knocked out of her.
“Firefly! You came!” Robin answered the door with a bright smile.
An angel had descended. Firefly momentarily forgot how to breathe. She had seen Robin on stage many times in person. She had been seeing her in disguise at school. Having her idol in front of her, having this divine beauty talking to her, having this gorgeous sweet Halovian without disguise dolled up in her presence was like a dream.
Robin giggled when Firefly just stared at her with her mouth slightly agape. Normally she would be used to people complimenting her on her beauty, but as always Firefly’s attention makes her feel bashful. She tugged at the hem or her sleeve, “Are you coming in?”
Firefly nodded frantically and followed Robin inside. Thankfully it was just them. No one saw how Firefly stood there and dumbly gawked at her idol. “Sorry, I stared at you. You look really beautiful Miss Robin.“
Robin shook her head, “From you, I take it as a compliment.” She flashed her a smile, “So did you bring it?”
Firefly flushed at her response and fished out the jacket Robin wanted to hide her reddening face, “Yes, here is my team jacket. It’s a little big on me so it might be a little big on you too.”
Robin gratefully accepted the gift and tried it on. As expected it was big on her. The jacket stops right on her mid thighs and only the tip of her finger tips peeked through the sleeves. Firefly wondered if it was because Robin is an idol but the jacket still looked good on her. Robin looked really cute wearing oversized clothes, her oversized clothes.
Suddenly, Robin grabbed the collar of the jacket, brought it to her nose and gave it a good sniff.
Firefly panicked, “Ahhhh! Miss Robin!?”
Robin smiled softly at her, “Hehe, it smells like you, little bug.”
While all the panic left her, her heart was still pounding, perhaps even faster than before. It felt like it was going to explode. Her face felt like it was aflame and her chest felt itchy inside. She’s been feeling like this every time she sees Robin smile or hear her laugh. It was particularly bad right now. All she could think about was Robin. This feels different from admiration or nervousness. It’s not a panic attack either. Just what is she feeling for Robin?
Their time was cut short when a knock on the door interrupted them. The staff outside said that Robin would be performing soon. Firefly took this opportunity to see herself out or else she might faint from her heart hammering in her chest. “Then, I’ll be cheering you on stage. See you later.”
Robin saw Firefly out and waved her goodbye. The moment the door closed behind her Robin sank to her knees. She buried her blazing scarlet face in her hands. That was dangerous. The way Firefly looked at her was so intense. She thought she was used to it being an idol and all but that look Firefly gave made her knees weak.
She knew she was interested in her little bug being so cute and utterly fun to tease. She didn’t expect someone so cute could look incredibly charming as well. A note to self an intense Firefly is incredibly dangerous for her heart. It was still hammering in her chest. Now there is no denying that she has it down bad.
Pulling all the stops to give Firefly gifts and actually having the gall to boldly ask for Firefly’s clothes, but most of all Robin whined at Firefly. An idol does not whine. Robin does not whine even if her workload is immense, even if she is worked to the bone even if she is lonely or sad. But in front of Firefly, Robin didn’t have to hold herself back. She didn’t have to force anything with Firefly. Being around her was so easy. She hopes that getting with her was that easy too. Robin pulled the jacket tighter around her and gave it another sniff. It really does smell like Firefly. She could only wonder if Firefly’s hugs were as warm as well.