Work Text:
Snow never ceased in the merciless winter. Looking out of the window, the white color faintly reminded the Damselette of the moon’s, her dress beneath the long coat matching them. One her home, one a poor imitation of it. Though lately, she was thinking whether she was capable of having enough space for two homes in her heart. Not about the joke of it, but regarding a space that smelled of engine oil, with the only different - and pleasant - fragrance being the perfume of the one that owned it. She was yet to find an answer, but she longed to have it.
Just as the snow never ceased, neither did Marionette’s workload. She spent almost all her time in her workshop, project after project. After Marionette yelled at her for scaring her subordinates and disturbing her attempts to catch up on sleep, Damsellette had moved her sleep to the day in order to sing to the former at night. The door was never locked - no one other than her passed by anyway - but unless she felt too bored, she would stick to sitting outside of it. It seemed to overwhelm the doll, after all. As much as she wished to see her pretty face adorned with a cute blush, she could settle for rarity over causing more distress than she already did.
What differentiated a doll from a robot? Damselette did not know. What she knew was that Damselette indeed had human-like qualities, such as sleeping and drinking. She had emotions and feelings, not just thoughts. Most importantly of it all, Marionette was also a woman under all her titles. She related in that regard. When stripped of all her titles, she too was just a woman. Two women, each with eyes capable of holding such tenderness for the other, even when one was blindfolded and the other turned her head away. In the end, it mattered not what she was, as long as she was her dear.
When she entered the room, the Damselette and Marionette were no longer; then Columbina and Sandrone. Per usual, the beige haired woman was engrossed in a prototype the maiden could not be bothered with. Without words, she approached the woman, sat down and rested her head on her lap, ‘’Take a break, Sandrone. I can sense your calculations are already deviating.’’
At first, Columbina was ignored with a sigh. ‘’See, you are too tired to even yell at me. I promise I won’t tease you. Just take a break.’’
With rare agreement, Sandrone put down her pen and paper, ‘’You really have been getting on my nerves.’’
While reaching for her doll’s hand, the maiden smiled into her skirt before pressing a soft kiss, ‘’You can forget about that just for tonight.’’
────୨ৎ────
The Marionette was once again reduced to Sandrone when Columbina started inviting herself to her tea parties like many winters ago. She wanted to stay angry at the maiden, she really did, but failed to keep her rage in the face of how much she had missed her, especially when they were just two women side by side, not colleagues alongside others.
That time, rather than the bureau she was charged with overseeing, they were at the Moon Goddess’ cave, summoned against her will. The ache in her heart overcame the bitterness when no one else was around; reluctantly offering a “Since you used your already fragile power to bring me here, I will be nice enough to indulge you for just a little while,” in comfort. Honesty was not her strong suit, but she could justify making a half exception in memory of all the nights Columbina had overlooked her words to spend their nights together.
The woman walked to her, stilling when she came to stand in front of her. ‘’You are not upset at me just for leaving… What’s the other reason, Sandrone?’’
Sandrone's efforts to maintain a refined and polite manner went out of the window the moment she heard those words. As if it wasn’t irritating enough that Columbina could see through her, she was even feigning innocence.
‘’What makes you even think you are important enough to upset me? All this Kuutar worship stuff has been getting to you, have you gotten so used to being revered that you now think you are capable of upsetting me?’’
‘’Sandrone…’’ The maiden reached out for her doll’s hand, but before she could take it, the she stepped back.
‘’What’s with all that friends talk? One moment you give me an unknown last kiss and disappear for years and the next you want to start over as if nothing ever happened? I am not your friend, Columbina. I would rather everything end once and for all than ever have to lower myself to whatever this is. You are left to my mercy, you know the Palestar Edict is still in effect. Maybe try not to push further if you want to face the consequences of your carelessness.’’
Without a word of defense, the woman embraced the other like she never had. Any embrace before had been careful, gentle and took a lot to convince the beige haired girl. But at that moment, it was desperate as much as it was sudden, like Sandrone would leave forever if Columbina let go. She couldn’t put how much she had missed her beloved into words, but she could at least try to soothe her aching heart.
‘’I’m sorry, Sandrone…’’ The maiden spoke when her doll finally wrapped her own arm around her. She raised her hand to undo her bun. The hair framed the rest of her delicate body with Columbina running one hand over the soft locks.
‘’You will always be the one in my heart,’’ she whispered while lowering them both onto the sea of flowers, placing Sandrone’s head on her lap.
Minutes that felt like hours passed as Sandrone kept silent, Columbina stroking her hair. ‘’We can have your favorite tea later, just know that I won’t be leaving you.’’
Her heart couldn’t take it to add yet. It was only partially true after all; Sandrone would forever be in her heart, a part of Columbina’s being that she would never be apart from her unless the goddess ceased to exist.
But for then, she would kiss her beloved’s forehead, preferring to be yelled at than the defeated look on her beautiful face she loved so much.