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Siuan Sanche wasn’t drunk, not yet anyway, but she was certainly heading that way.
The bar she’d chosen was cozy, and filled with people sitting down or playing pool. Leane had roped her into karaoke two times and she’d belted out Total Eclipse of the Heart like her life depended on it.
She was glowing, giddy and just a little flushed.
One week until the wedding.
Her cheeks ached from smiling.
Every time someone said “congratulations” she looked around like they were talking to someone else. She still couldn’t believe it. Moiraine had proposed to her.
Moiraine, who she had loved for three years now. Who was so so so guarded that Siuan had to break down her walls with the determination she never had possessed before.
She never thought Moiraine would propose, with how much trust issues she was still carrying from her childhood, so it had come as a surprise when she did.
A pleasant one. A happy one.
Siuan wanted to marry that woman since they shared their first kiss. But she told herself she had to be patient, Moiraine needed time… But now… She smiled. Now she was here.
This was everything she ever wanted.
She took another sip of the fruity monstrosity Leane had paid for and glanced at her phone for the fifth time that hour. Nothing. No texts from Moiraine.
Siuan had told herself she wouldn’t check.
They’d agreed to separate parties, separate bars, no checking in unless something was on fire. Still, she was curious. She couldn’t quite imagine Moiraine letting go.
Moiraine was the kind of woman who kept her closet color coded. Who made Siuan start to use a shared calendar that Moiraine updated down to the minutes of her every day.
The idea of her drunk, actually, properly drunk, was almost too strange to picture.
Her phone buzzed.
Siuan’s stomach flipped but it was not Moiraine, only Lan, Moiraine’s best friend.
Siuan read the message twice.
Hey. You might wanna come get your girl. She’s… very drunk
Siuan blinked and then smiled.
Then her phone buzzed again.
Please come before she challenges someone to a fight or starts crying about how pretty you are. I’m begging you.
Siuan was already grabbing her coat, her heart warm and fizzy with affection. She texted back.
On my way. Don’t let her fight anyone.
Siuan laughed out loud, waving over to Leane to come with her.
As she stepped out into the cool night air, Siuan couldn’t stop smiling. She had a feeling this was going to be a night to remember.
Siuan and Leane stepped inside, the bass of the music thudding low through the walls, and Siuan’s eyes swept the bar that was very different from the one Siuan had chosen for herself.
First thing she noticed was the lights. It was dark and noisy with fluorescent lights everywhere.
But it didn’t take long to find her.
Moiraine Damodred, soon to be Sanche, perched on a stool near the bar, looking like she was barely upright.
Her blood boiled when Siuan saw a tall brunette woman in a red top that was standing far too close, leaning in with an unmistakable look of interest. To her credit, Moiraine was trying to pull away, shaking her head and frowning, but her coordination was clearly not at its peak.
“Oh absolutely not” Siuan growled, already cutting through the crowd.
Leane trailed after her, muttering, “Showtime”
Siuan reached them just in time to hear the other woman say, “Come on, just one dance, your boyfriend won’t mind, I’m sure”
“She doesn’t have a boyfriend” Siuan said firmly over the music, stepping between them. “She has a fiancée. That’s me and I would very much mind”
The woman blinked in surprise and looked Siuan up and down as if assessing whether she was serious. Siuan didn’t even blink. Her expression was the very definition of don’t fucking test me.
After a second, the woman huffed, hands up in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. No need to get territorial”
“Fuck off” Siuan said and she watched the woman retreat back into the crowd.
Then she turned to Moiraine.
The woman she loved looked up at her with disoriented confusion. Her pupils were slightly dilated from what she could see in this low light.
“Oh, my love” Siuan whispered, reaching for her hand. “What did they do to you?”
Moiraine pulled her hand back like she’d been burned. She squinted at Siuan with suspicion, then pointed an accusing finger at her. “Listen…” she slurred, “I appreciate the help with that woman, and you’re very pretty, but I am not interested and I have a fiancée. She would beat you up if she saw you trying to grab my hand”
Siuan’s mouth fell open.
Leane let out a small wheeze of laughter behind her.
“Moiraine” Siuan said, stunned. “It’s me”
Moiraine narrowed her eyes. “No”
“Yes, I am Siuan! You’re so drunk!”
Moiraine sniffed, as if that was offensive. “I’m a little drunk yes, but I am also very loyal. My fiancée has the best arms in the world. You think you have arms like that? Hah”
Siuan blinked. “This is exactly why we shouldn’t have done separate parties”
Leane leaned over to whisper, “She’s kind of adorable like this” Then she paused “Don’t tell her I said that”
“I’m going to kill Lan” Siuan muttered, rubbing her temples. “And Alanna. Where are they? Why would they leave her alone like this?”
As if summoned, Alanna’s voice floated from across the bar. “We were gone three minutes!”
“You left Moiraine alone in a bar while she was drunk!” Siuan shouted back, gesturing toward the swaying woman still suspicious of her identity.
“I thought she could handle herself!”
“Well, clearly she can not” Siuan said helping Moiraine up. “We’re going home now, love”
At that, Moiraine stiffened.
Her head snapped up. She stared at Siuan with wide, suspicious eyes again. “No”
Siuan blinked. “What?”
“I won’t go with you” Moiraine said, swaying slightly, but trying to make her voice firm. “You’re not Siuan. She’s at her party. I won’t cheat on her”
“You’re not” Siuan muttered. “She’s me. I’m her. We’re the same”
“Nice try,” Moiraine said, jabbing an unsteady finger at Siuan’s nose. “She would never try to trick me. She’s honorable. Noble. She smells like lavander. You smell like beer”
“I am your fiancée and I was at a bar too, you goat brained…”
Moiraine gasped. “She would never say that to me!”
Leane was leaning against the bar now, shoulders shaking with laughter. “Oh, this is so much better than karaoke”
Siuan glared at her. “Help me!”
Leane held up her hands. “She’s your fiancée”
Moiraine tried to push herself upright “If you are Siuan, prove it”
“Fine” Siuan said through gritted teeth. “You have a birthmark behind your left knee, you hate lilies because they remind you of your father’s funeral, and you once cried watching a documentary about horses”
Moiraine gasped again, clutching her chest. “You spied on me!”
Siuan groaned and grabbed her arm. “Okay, we’re done here. I’m taking you home right now”
But Moiraine yanked her arm away and stumbled backward, drunk.
“I said no!” she shouted. “I’m engaged to Siuan Sanche and I would never leave a bar with a strange woman, no matter how nice her arms are! You’ll have to fight me!”
Siuan stared at her in disbelief. “Are you challenging me to fight?”
“I am”
She heard Lan and Alanna dying of laughter behind them. She glared.
“I’m trained. I’ve done kickboxing”
“You went to one class and sprained your ankle”
“I was ferocious!”
Leane was wheezing with laughter behind them too, doubled over at the bar.
Siuan took a deep breath and turned to Lan.
“Help me”
He kept laughing but tried to calm down enough to say “Moiraine” She turned to him, recognizing him at least “Go with her, she’s Siuan, I promise”
“Are you sure?” Moiraine asked.
“I promise” He said.
“Okay” Moiraine admitted defeat “But if you’re lying, the real Siuan is going to kill you”
He laughed so hard and stared at Siuan’s glare.
“I’m sure she will either way”
By the time they reached their apartment, Moiraine was leaning most of her weight on Siuan, her heels clutched in one hand, hair a tangled mess.
Siuan guided her inside gently, locking the door behind them, then kicked off her own shoes and helped Moiraine to the bedroom.
“I’m going to help you out of this dress, alright?” Siuan said softly, crouching down to ease off Moiraine’s earrings first.
Moiraine froze.
“Wait” she whispered, looking down at her. Her eyes were wide again, glassy but serious. “Are you sure you’re Siuan?”
Siuan stilled. Not again. “Yes, love. I’m sure”
Moiraine squinted at her.
“Because I really love her. Just… her”
Siuan smiled softly. She cupped Moiraine’s cheek and whispered, “I’m here”
“You’re really her?”
“Yes”
“But like… really really?”
“Yes, Moiraine” Siuan rolled her eyes, but still felt full of love for her girl.
Moiraine let out a small breath and reached out, pressing her hand to Siuan’s chest like she needed proof, feeling the warmth there.
Moiraine sniffed. “Good. Because you’re the only person who can see me like this. You promise?”
“I promise”
“Because I’m a lady,” Moiraine added solemnly “and only my fiancée gets to see my boobs”
Siuan bit back a laugh. “I know. And I’m very honored by that privilege”
Moiraine nodded seriously. “So if you’re an imposter, I’ll be so mad…”
“I promise I’m me. I love you” Siuan said, brushing her thumb across Moiraine’s cheek. “I’ve loved you since the moment you spilled coffee on my sweatshirt, I’ll love you in the morning when you’re hungover and embarrassed about this. I’ll love you every day after we get married and every day after that”
Moiraine’s lips wobbled.
“Oh”
Siuan helped her stand, began unzipping her dress carefully, reverently. “I’ve got you”
“You do” Moiraine whispered, tears clinging to her lashes. “You really do”
As the dress slipped from her shoulders, she reached for Siuan’s hand, gripping it tightly. “Will you marry me?”
Siuan leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I already said yes to that question, but sure, I will marry you”
Moiraine exhaled shakily, her eyes fluttering closed as Siuan helped her step out of the dress and into a soft nightgown.
She got on the bed and pulled the cover over her body.
“Only Siuan gets to see my boobs” She promptly fell asleep.
Siuan smiled into the dark, heart so full of love almost hurt.
“Lucky her”