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"I can't do this."
Marcy sighed for the hundredth time that evening. "Anne. My sweet, sweet Anna-Banana. You survived in another dimension for months, destroyed an evil regime, literally blew up an entire moon, died, then freaking came back to life. I think you can survive a date."
"But it's not just a date!" Anne wrung her hands as she paced the length of her cluttered room. "We're going to a dance. Dances are fancy. And I'm not fancy!"
"Yeah, and neither is Sasha." Marcy shooed Anne back into her chair. "Now, sit! I'm almost done with your hair."
"But–"
"No buts!" Marcy shoved Anne into the chair, hands settling over her head. "You're a literal hero, Anne, and an even better friend. You're stressing about nothing. Sasha will love you, whether you're fancy or not."
Anne's heart pounded as she stared into the mirror, watching Marcy set to work on her hair. She was practically bursting with nerves, but was too scared to punch anything for fear she'd rip her dress. It was a soft blue that turned a gentle green at the tips, with pink lily pads stitched across the collar. It was beautiful and amazing and why was Anne wearing it?
She wasn't fancy, she wasn't pretty, she wasn't… she wasn't even sure if she was really Anne. How could she possibly go on a date with amazing, beautiful, wonderful Sasha?
How could she possibly be enough?
"You're stressing," Marcy mumbled as she pinned her hair back. "You're fancy, Anne. It's okay."
"I know," Anne whispered. "But it doesn't feel okay."
Because, in truth, she felt great. Her hair was pulled back with intricate gold pins and frog earrings dangled from each ear. A slim gold bracelet hung from her wrist, and this dress was beautiful.
But was it good enough for Sasha? Was she good enough for Sasha?
Because Anne really wanted this to go well. She wanted Sasha to have the best date ever! She wanted to be the best girlfri–date ever. (Not there yet, Boonchuy. Slow down.) Sasha had been through so much crap, especially now that they entered high school. She deserved to have a fun night, the best night.
But Anne wasn't sure she could give that to her.
"Aaaaand done!" Marcy stepped back, a proud twinkle in her eye. "I think this is my finest work yet!" She glanced around with a grin. "And nothing's even on fire!"
Anne chuckled softly. "Thanks, Mar-mar. You've… you've been amazing."
"Ah, don't mention it." Marcy started to pack away her hair supplies. "Just have a fun time on your date, okay?"
"You, too." Anne smirked as Marcy stiffened, cheeks flushing bright red. "Come on, you're wearing make-up. Since when do you ever wear make-up?"
Marcy twirled a piece of her hair, chuckling softly. "You got me there." Marcy blushed. "Do… do you think I look… good enough?"
"You look perfect." Anne stood up, helping brush some stray hairs off of Marcy's denim jacket. "She'll love you."
Marcy bit her lip, eyes watering. "But… everything I did…"
"Is in the past. I've seen the way she looks at you. She doesn't care, and never will. She just likes you for who you are." Anne raised an eyebrow. "Though, you're not in a dress for the school dance, so where…?"
Marcy grinned, sly and ever so devious. "One never reveals her secrets."
Anne crossed her arms. "You're going to find an empty parking lot to make out in, aren't you?"
Marcy spluttered. "We–we're gonna see a movie first, Anne, jeez! One step at a time!"
"And then go make out in an empty parking lot?"
"I–It's–"
"Yeah, that's what I thought." Anne stretched towards the ceiling, letting the gown swish around her ankles. "We've all done it, Marbles, don't worry."
"Oh? You have?"
"I–" Anne froze, cheeks heating up. "Well, not yet, but–" Oh, shoot, I should NOT have said that–!
Marcy smirked. "Well, well, well. Let's just hope we don't end up in the same parking lot, because that would be really awkward."
"Out!" Anne shoved Marcy towards the door. "You've done your job! Now get out!"
"Hey!" Marcy elbowed her back, laughing. "Come on, Anne, don't be so sensitive, because apparently we've all done it–"
"OUT–"
"Or at least, have plans to tonight, maybe with a certain blonde cheerleader…?"
"Get the frog out!" Anne shrieked, cheeks flaming.
Marcy just laughed. "You're bluuuushing!"
"Am not!"
"Yes, you aaaaare–"
"Marcy– "
Ding!
"Anne! Door!" Mom shouted.
Marcy and Anne froze.
Right.
The date.
Anne suddenly couldn't breathe. Her dress was too tight, the lights were too bright, everything was wrong– she was wrong, not real, not–
"Anne, breathe." Marcy's hand was on her arm, a firm and gentle presence. "It's okay."
"I–I can't do this," Anne gasped, a hand coming to her throat. Tears welled in her eyes as the ground spun. "I'm not…"
"Yes, you can." Marcy pressed a kiss to her hair, soft and gentle. "You deserve this, Anne. You need this just as much as she does. So go. It's okay." She smiled. "I know it's hard to move on from everything we've experienced, but… I've learned it's okay to accept love. We don't have to save the world every day."
"B-but–"
"No buts." Marcy wiped her tears away. "There's nothing else about it. What did you tell me when I asked out Marissa last month?"
"It–it doesn't matter, just as long as you do it?"
"Exactly." Marcy gently pushed Anne forward. "So just go, Anne. Go get her."
Anne took a shaky breath. "O–okay." She swiped the back of her hand across her face. "I… I will."
"Good." Marcy smiled. "I'll sneak out the window so I don't interrupt the intense sexual tension between you too."
"Absolutely not! Go through the back door! You nearly broke your arm the last time you tried that!"
"But I almost–"
"Back door!" Anne shouted as she ran down the stairs.
"Ugh! Fiiiiiine…." Marcy groaned, but Anne wasn't paying attention anymore.
She raced to the door, heart thumping and skin buzzing. Marcy was right–Sasha deserved this, Anne deserved this, they needed this. Anne could do this!
She ripped open the door–
…and promptly fell on her face.
"Anne!" Strong hands grabbed her arms as she tried to scrabble to her feet. "Hey, hang on! Let me help you."
"S-sorry," Anne mumbled, heat ripping across her face. "I didn't mean–"
"It's fine. At least nothing caught on fire." Sasha pulled Anne upright, her grip firm and steady. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I just… slipped." Anne squeaked as her gaze caught on Sasha again, because Hooooooooooooly frog, she was hot. Sasha was wearing a suit, and it looked so good on her. It was sharp and perfectly tailored to her frame, showing off her curves, with the black and red highlighting her perfect skin and… and did she smell like flowers? "Sorry?"
"Stop apologizing already, jeez! You're worse than Marcy." Sasha grinned, blue eyes glinting in the starlight, and since when were they so close…? "I hear that my date's looking beautiful tonight."
"O-oh?" Dang it, Marcy, curse you, why did you–
"Yep." Sasha's hands still gripped Anne's elbows, and she was pulling Anne closer, or was Anne stepping closer? Did it really matter, because suddenly they were sharing the same air and Anne was shaking but it felt good, it felt so good and right and holy frog, was Anne about to have her first kiss? "But my source neglected to tell me how drop-dead gorgeous she would actually be."
"W-well…" Breathe, Anne. Remember… you both deserve this. "My source didn't tell me you were going to wear a suit tonight."
"Yeah?" Sasha's eyes sparked. "You like it?"
"Like it? I fell on my face because of it." Anne scoffed. "How am I supposed to look fancy and graceful if I'm next to you, huh?"
"Oh, trust me, you look plenty beautiful," Sasha murmured, her hands dropping from Anne's elbows. Anne felt a spark of disappointment, but as she opened her mouth to say something, Sasha's arms were winding around her waist.
"Sash…?"
"Really beautiful," Sasha whispered, her breath brushing Anne's skin. "And I'm realizing what a fool I was not asking you out earlier."
Anne raised her hands, slow and careful, before cupping Sasha's cheeks. Despite how flushed she was and how hard her heart pounded, her hands didn't shake. She drew in a breath, steady and strong, as she brushed her thumb over Sasha's cheek.
"Well…" Anne's voice was soft, but not terrified, just gentle because this felt so delicate but so right. "I'm glad you finally did."
"Oh?"
"I've been waiting for three years now, Commander." Anne traced the scar underneath Sasha's eye, her fingers tingling with warmth. "Maybe longer."
"Guess I shouldn't keep you waiting any longer, then." Sasha ducked forward, blue eyes glowing in the darkness. "May I?"
Anne closed the gap between them.
Her lips were chapped, strong but soft, and tasted like strawberries and honey. And when Sasha pulled back, cheeks flushed and eyes bright, Anne wanted more of it. Her hands crept up into Sasha's hair, so perfectly golden in the moonlight. Anne's fingers tangled in the threads as she pulled Sasha in again. Sasha responded by pulling Anne in closer, cradling her close, so gentle and strong, so Sasha, and it was–
"HA! I TOLD YOU!"
Anne screeched, jumping backwards. Sasha swore, settling into a fighting stance as Anne spun around. Her mother stood there in the doorway, hands on her hips and a triumphant grin on her face.
"What? What?" Anne's father rushed over, eyes wide.
"I told you they'd kiss before they left! I knew it!" Her mother held out her hand, smirking. "You owe me ten dollars now."
"Aw, man!" He groaned as he handed over the money. "I can't believe I lost…"
"Dad! Mom!" Anne shrieked, face turning redder by the minute. "What are you doing here?"
"Seeing if I won, of course." Anne's mother stuck the money in her pocket, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "And seeing you off, I suppose."
Anne might have fainted right then and there if it weren't for Marcy snickering quietly in the background. She snapped back to attention because Anne refused to give her any more blackmail material than she already had.
"W-well, we're going! You saw us off! Thanks!" Anne shoved her mother back inside. "I'll be home by ten, like I promised!"
"Okay, honey, have fun. But that kiss did look a little… intense. Do we need to have the talk again, because–"
"OKAY, LOVE YOU MOM, GOODBYE!" Anne slammed the door shut and leaned against it, just to make sure no one else tried to come through.
Silence fell across the porch as the slam rang through the air… well, mostly. Anne could still hear the warped "Okay, but be safe!" shout through the door. She promptly put her face in her hands and screamed.
After a moment, Sasha cleared her throat. "Well. That was…"
"Horrible? Awkward? Mortifying?" Anne slid to the ground, groaning as she buried her face in her hands. "I'm so sorry…"
"It's fine. We'd have to have the… talk–" Anne could practically hear Sasha's shudder– "sooner or later."
"But on our first date?"
There was silence for a moment. Then… "First date?"
Oh, crap.
"I–I mean, first date, as in, our first date, not as in we're going to have more dates, which would make this our first date, but if you want to, I'm not opposed–"
"Anne." A hand settled on her shoulder. "I would love to go on another date with you."
She peeked between her fingers. "Really?"
"Really." Sasha smiled, so blinding and perfect and beautiful. "Why wouldn't I?"
"Well, for one, we haven't actually started our date yet."
"And it's already been amazing." Sasha's lips turned down, her brow pinching. "But… that's not what you're really worried about. Is it?"
Anne ducked her head down, shame twisting her stomach into knots. She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her knees around them. "It's stupid," she whispered.
"I promise, it's not. Especially if it has you this worried." Sasha sat down next to her and scooted close enough that their shoulders were pressed together. "What's wrong?"
Anne looked away, shame rising in her core. "It's fine. W-we shouldn't have to worry about it, not tonight. This is supposed to be fun, so let's go and have fun. It's fine. I'm fine."
Sasha was silent for a moment, and Anne bit her lip, feeling embarrassment rise in her. That was it, she ruined it, she ruined their date and any chance with Sasha and–
"You've been doing that lately."
Anne nearly fell over from her surprise. "What?"
"That stutter." Sasha's brow was drawn, her eyes focused so intently on Anne it hurt. "Ever since we got back from Amphibia, whenever you get nervous, you stutter. You never stuttered before."
Panic flared in Anne, and she wanted to run, she wanted to cry, she wanted to– No, no, she can't see that… that I'm not me, but shouldn't she, because she doesn't want a fake, a mistake, not– "W-what are you talking about?"
"That! That right there." Sasha leaned forward, concern radiating from her every movement. "And you never got flustered before Amphibia. At least, not like this."
"Maybe Marcy's just rubbing off on me," Anne said, her voice trembling and weak.
"No. That's not it." Sasha leaned forward. "Something's different.”
You're different.
"Anne, what's wrong?"
You're wrong.
"Please, talk to me."
You don't want me.
"Anne?"
"I–I'm sorry!" Anne shot to her feet, tears filling her eyes. "I–I have to go."
"Wait, Anne!" Sasha caught her arm before she could sprint away. "I'm sorry, what did I say? Tell me what's going on, please. Just talk to me. What's wrong?"
"I'm wrong!" Anne exploded. "I'm wrong, I'm different, and you don't want me, and I'm sorry!" She tried to yank her arm away, tried to escape, tried to just run. "Please, just–!"
"Anne!" Sasha spun her around, grasping her wrists as her blue eyes shone with fear. "Anne-"
But Anne didn't hear it. All she could feel was the burning in her chest, disintegrating, flying away, dying… She couldn't breathe, she couldn't feel, she couldn't–
"...Hey, hey, look at me! Deep breaths, Anne, in and out. There we go, that's good. Big breaths, nice and steady, there we go. Shhh, sweetheart, just breathe."
Anne blinked back to awareness. Arms wrapped around her, strong and steady, as black fabric pressed into her cheek. She gasped for air, head swimming. "W-wha…?"
"You're having a panic attack, sweetheart. It's okay, you just have to breathe." Sasha ran a hand up and down Anne's back, slow and steady. "Come on, just like this." She took an exaggerated breath, then slowly released it. "Can you do that?"
Anne nodded sluggishly, then attempted to copy Sasha's slow breaths. But it was hard, because it felt like she was breaking apart. Piece by piece, dying and dying and…
"Hey…" Sasha rubbed her back, pressing a soft kiss to her hair. "Breathe, Anne. It's okay. I got you."
Anne grit her teeth, gripping the front of Sasha's coat. Her hands trembled, her head spun, and the world was falling away, but dang it, Anne breathed. She forced air in and out of her lungs, and slowly, the darkness faded.
Soon, she stood there, shaking and panting in Sasha's embrace, and wondering where the heck it had all gone wrong.
"I'm sorry," she murmured.
"You have nothing to apologize for, Anne. Just… just talk to me, okay?" Sasha settled her cheek on Anne's head. "Please, help me understand."
"It's just…" Anne sniffled, squeezing her eyes shut. She should keep it to herself, brush off this disaster, and go on a perfect date. She should be fine. But Anne was tired, and she felt safe in Sasha's arms and… she didn't want to fight it anymore. She was just so tired. "I… I'm a fake, Sash. When I-I d… died in Amphibia, I was… replaced. That's w-what…" Anne's voice shook, and she buried her face into Sasha's shoulder. She couldn't do this…
But Sasha just held her tighter, humming a soft response. I'm here. And somehow, that gave Anne strength. Enough to take a breath and try again.
"That's what he said, w-when he s-saved me… and it's awful, it hurts and I don't… I'm just a copy, a mistake, I should never had… I'm not her… " Anne broke, slumping against Sasha as she sobbed. "I'm… I'm not Anne. I'm not the girl you… you love, I'm not…"
I'm not real.
Sasha leaned away, and Anne's heart broke. So. That was it, then. This really was over. Everything was ruined all because–
"Anne." Sasha cupped Anne's cheek. Oh-so carefully, she tilted her face upwards. Her blue eyes met Anne's, steady as always. "I don't care."
Her heart froze. What?
"Actually, let me clarify. I do care. I care about you, Anne. So what if you're a copy? You're still Anne, aren't you? You're not a mistake. You're real and you have every right to be happy and to be whoever you want to be." Sasha's eyes blazed with belief, love, and kindness. "And anyone who tells you otherwise deserves to be drop-kicked all the way to the moon."
Anne snorted. "To the moon?"
"Actually, the sun. The moon's too good for them." Sasha brushed away some of her tears. "Listen, Anne… if you are a copy–and that's a big if, because I'm not sure I trust that guardian guy–then so what? I fell for you in Amphibia, but I fell again when we came home."
"You… you did?" Anne's heart fluttered, hope filling every inch of her body.
"Yep. How could I not?" Sasha grinned, rubbing their noses together until Anne laughed. "Anne, even when you weren't saving an entire world, you're strong and brave. You're kind and care about everyone, and you never give up. I liked the one-shoed girl with leaves in her hair and a sword in hand. But I love the woman standing here, in a beautiful dress and wearing a perfect smile."
"You do?" Anne couldn't believe it, but Sasha's hands were on her skin and it felt so real, Anne felt real, and it… it had to be true. Anne wanted it to be true.
"Yes. I do." Sasha smiled. "Anne, I love you, and I would love to go on many, many more dates after tonight. That is… if you want to."
"Yes, yes, I do!" Anne laughed, more tears spilling out as she leaned into Sasha. "I really do!"
"Good." Sasha swayed, back and forth. "I'm glad."
Anne stumbled as Sasha swung her across the porch. "Sash! What are you–?"
"I'm dancing, obviously!" Sasha spun them in a circle, laughing freely. "That's what we're supposed to do, right?"
"Not here–!"
"Well, too late. Guess Mar-mar's gonna get a lot of blackmail tonight."
"Sasha–!"
"Come on, Anne! Just dance with me!"
Anne laughed, but leaned into the motion. "Why do I love you again?"
"Uh, because I'm hot?"
"When did I say that?! I didn't say that!"
"Yes, you did! You said I looked hot in a suit!"
"You said I looked beautiful!"
"And you do!" Sasha smirked, before dipping Anne down. "You, my dear Anne, are the most gorgeous woman I've laid my eyes on, and I'll be danged if I don't make this the best night of our lives. So, what do you say?"
"I…" Anne's mouth went dry. Suddenly, the world stilled as she hung in the air, terrified and scared.
"Come on, Anne." Sasha whispered. "I don't care if you're a clone of fourteen year old Anne. You're still my Anne, maybe more than she ever was. I love who you are right now. You're real and you're beautiful and… and I want you. Isn't that enough?"
You deserve this.
"Yes," Anne whispered. "It's more than enough."
I’m enough.
"Then, Anne Savisa Boonchuy, will you go on the best date ever with me?"
Anne smiled, her heart filled with happiness and light and joy. "Yes."
"Then let's get going!" Sasha yanked her back upright, flashing her a wild grin. "You ready?"
Anne didn't hesitate. "Have been for years."
She didn't look back as they walked to the car.