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“So what did you want to speak with me about?”
Still in Love remained calm while asking the question, but she couldn’t deny that she was a little nervous. Admire Groove, in her customary way, had led her into this empty classroom with only the shortest of explanations why. It had been just after Still had finished a session with her trainer. She had caught a glimpse of Aruv watching the two of them from across the track field. Aruv mostly had her eyes on Still, but then that cold blue-violet gaze would travel over to Still’s trainer, and Still could have sworn she saw Aruv’s eyes narrow. She wasn’t sure, though, as she was focused on running.
It wouldn’t have surprised her, though, as Aruv was prickly around most people. However, she was never aggressive. She had waited dutifully at a distance until Still’s trainer had left, leaving her by herself. Weeks ago, Still would have had her trainer walk her back to her dorm, or perhaps off-campus where they could spend some alone time. However, lately she had found herself and her trainer growing a bit distant emotionally. The quality of their training sessions hadn’t changed, and Still’s trainer always took every opportunity they could to be affectionate towards her. And while Still appreciated it, her affections had gravitated elsewhere.
She felt them now, like a rapid fluttering of wings thrashing about her insides, as Aruv approached her.
Still wondered if Aruv had any idea just how deeply Still had grown to care about her. The Valentine’s present she had given Aruv the month before might have been a dead giveaway, but Still had gone to great efforts to make the gift seem innocuous… tried to, anyway. She was always making various treats, and often shared them with her dormmates. Valentine’s Day was no different. She had made a small batch of chocolate meltaways to disperse amongst her friends, but she wouldn’t give any to Aruv. The other mare had mentioned that she detested chocolate. She might have accepted it as a gift, especially from Still, but Still wanted to err on the side of caution.
Instead, she had made Aruv a batch of brown sugar cookies, dusted with deep red sugar crystals and a little sea salt in case Aruv found them too sweet. Still thought back fondly to Aruv’s face when Still had given her the box of cookies. Her long blue ears stood straight up and, for just a moment, Still saw Aruv’s eyes light up like a child’s on Christmas morning. Growing up in an orphanage, it was possible that Aruv hardly ever received gifts of her own that she wasn’t expected to share. Her stoic expression had returned instantly, but Still could tell by Aruv’s swishing tail that she was at least somewhat pleased.
Oh had Still wanted to confess her feelings to Aruv then, but she found herself feeling too uncertain. She wasn’t entirely sure that Aruv was interested in romance, given how much she looked down on Still’s bond with her trainer. The last thing she wanted to do was make their friendship awkward, or worse, scare Aruv off entirely. They were still rivals, after all. Remembering how coldly Aruv had acted towards Still before their bond deepened… that was something Still never wanted to experience again.
Granted, things might be different now, as Aruv had become considerably more relaxed since Air Groove had decided to be somewhat of a mentor towards her. But an unwarranted confession would undoubtedly cause Aruv to keep a comfortable distance from Still. Distance from those she held dear was something Still had never handle, unfortunately. It was better to keep this secret. Aruv had later told Still that she had enjoyed the cookies, and that was enough to keep Still in good spirits for days after.
Aruv had seemed happy that day too, but today Still wasn’t so sure. She seemed more intense than usual, telling Still that she needed an audience with her without elaborating further. They couldn’t stay near the track, as someone else was waiting on their turn, so Aruv had guided Still to an unused classroom. Aruv closed the door behind them, and Still’s ears had perked up immediately when she heard the lock slide into place.
Aruv turned around to face Still again. She actually looked a little less intimidating now: in fact, she seemed to be having trouble meeting Still’s eyes directly. Looking off to the side, she started to speak. “I… well… apologies for being so cryptic. I just… wasn’t sure how to say this.”
Still tilted her head, feeling a little concern for her friend. “Are you not feeling well?”
Aruv seemed to consider the question for a moment, then shook her head. “That’s not it. Although… something has been troubling me.”
“Oh?” Still couldn’t help but smile, pleased that Aruv had thought to reach out to her first for assistance. “If there’s any way I can help, I’ll gladly do it.”
Aruv fell silent again, exhaling gently before locking eyes with Still. That determined look of hers had once seemed daunting, but now it only captivated Still's full attention. On the racetrack, it brought her so much excitement that she could barely focus on anything else.
“Those cookies you made for me on Valentine’s Day. I never properly thanked you for them,” Aruv stated, a little scornfully, and Still quickly realized that Aruv was directing that venomous tone towards herself.
“Ah, that’s not the case!” Still quickly responded, and one of Aruv’s ears twitched in surprise. “You looked so happy when I gave them to you… that’s plenty of thanks for me.”
Aruv didn’t look convinced, though not because she doubted Still’s words. Not that Still could glean that: Aruv could already see the sadness creeping into the smaller mare’s expression, fearing that she had somehow disappointed Aruv. She had to stop stalling immediately: after all, she had requested Still’s company to make her day better, not worse.
Still moved to sit on top of the desk beside where Aruv stood so that she could properly look the other mare in the eye. “Please believe that,” she said, hand to her chest and looking so dejected that Aruv couldn’t stop herself from sighing. Even after all the times Aruv had seen Still unleash her beastly strength, she managed to look so pitiful, somehow having the softest heart of anyone Aruv had ever known. Maybe that was why she felt the need to protect her. Still couldn’t have asked to be born with such a terrifying gift, one that caused many to label her a monster. It couldn’t be an easy thing to bear.
“I do believe you,” Aruv said, and Still immediately perked up, “but that doesn’t make things right. Hopefully this will change that.”
Aruv reached into the schoolbag she had carried into the classroom with her, removing a deep blue gift box with a dark brown ribbon affixed to it. She studied it for a moment as if searching for any imperfections, then thrust it in Still’s direction when she was satisfied. “Happy White Day,” she said, eyes firmly locked on Still’s, which were now widening in surprise as she looked first to Aruv, then at the box in her hands.
“'Happy'… you got me a gift?” Still said, a smile spreading across her face, then she shook her head with a small laugh. “Ah, stupid of me to say that, you obviously have.”
“Well…” Aruv’s eyes wandered to the blackboard across the room, as if she was intent on studying the remnants of some racing diagram left over from that day’s lesson. “I made you something, actually.”
Still couldn’t stop her tail from swishing back and forth in elation, which drew Aruv’s gaze back to her companion. She let out an amused little ‘hmph’, the sight making her smile and calming her nerves. Aruv had been staring at that box in her dorm with contempt for a week now, going back and forth on whether or not Still would be pleased with it. And yet here she was, taking it from Aruv’s hands as if it were a rare jewel.
“You didn’t have to do that, but I’m… very happy that you thought of me!” Still said, many thoughts swirling around in her head now. This. Couldn’t mean that Aruv returned her feelings. Feelings that Aruv wasn’t even aware of… right? But then again, was it normal for friends to give one another White Day gifts? Still had never received one before now. There was also the possibility that Aruv was unaware or ignoring the romantic implications of this holiday, simply looking for an opportunity to give Still a gift. Yes, that was what Still should be focusing on right now. She could consider the other implications afterward.
“Is it okay if I open this now?” Still asked. “Or would you rather I do it alone?” Aruv was still looking a bit shy about the whole thing, and Still didn’t want to embarrass her.
Aruv shrugged, though it was obvious from the tiny smile on her face that she wasn't entirely indifferent. “Either is fine.” In truth, she was happy that Still seemed so eager to reveal the box’s contents. She also didn’t think she could handle the anticipation of waiting to hear Still’s opinion of the gift should she take it back to her dorm with her.
Still’s grin widened, and she carefully removed the brown ribbon on top of the box before raising its lid. She did it in a slow, methodical way, just in case what was underneath could be fragile. She opened the box completely, and started staring at the object inside so intently that she almost dropped the lid onto the floor.
It was seemingly ordinary chocolate, a hefty piece probably weighing about five ounces. What really captured Still’s attention was its shape: a rapier with a long, thin blade and a sturdy-looking hilt, topped with a smooth round pommel that helped support a crescent moon-shaped ornament, the bottom half of this resting on the tiny sword’s hilt. Still was familiar with fencing, and knew that Aruv had taken an interest in it, so she recognized this kind of sword instantly. However, she had never seen anything like this tiny replica, not in any sweets shop close to Tracen or the next town over.
“Aruv…” Still finally said after letting out a small gasp, her eyes still on the chocolate. “This is… really beautiful. Did you… oh?” Under the parchment paper where the chocolate rested, Still noticed a small slip of paper sticking out. Even without seeing it up close, she could make out the tiny blue characters on it, unmistakably Aruv’s handwriting. She reached for it, and her heart skipped a beat as she read the words there.
Should anything pierce your heart, I’ll run it through with this blade tenfold.
Still didn’t know how she should react to that message. How serious was Aruv? Why was she so invested in protecting Still’s heart? Aruv’s unmovable expression gave nothing away, so Still would have to take matters into her own hands.
“Aruv… what you wrote, I…” Now Still was the one at a loss for words, her eyes flitting back to the slip of paper, blinking in disbelief.
Aruv looked at her neutrally. “Hm? Was somethingout of line?”
“No, but… sorry, I have to ask… what exactly do you mean by it?” Then, worried she might hurt Aruv’s feelings, she added “You see… your words are just as enchanting as the gift you made me. I want to know what you were thinking when you wrote them.”
“Ah,” Aruv said with a slow blink. She didn’t acknowledge Still’s praises outright, though Still could see that Aruv was holding her head a little higher, the beginnings of a smile returning to her face. “Don’t worry, I won’t actually be stabbing anyone. It’s just that…” Her expression turned a little darker, and she looked away from Still. “I see you struggling sometimes. Others ignore you or say unkind things. I don’t like it.”
“Aruv…” Still murmured, and found herself following Aruv’s gaze to the ground, ears folding back in shame. On one hand, she felt quite touched that Aruv was concerned for her well-being. And yet, it was obviously troubling Aruv, and Still hated to be a burden to someone she considered a close companion.
“It’s unfair, and you’ve done nothing to deserve it. So,” Aruv looked straight at Still again. “Just know that if I see it happening, I won’t be silent about it anymore. That’s why I wrote that.”
Still continued to look at the ground, considering Aruv’s words. It was then that the taller mare seemed to sense the tension hanging in the air and exhaled. “Honestly, I should have been stepping in a long time ago.”
Still shook her head before slowly raising it again. “Mmm, it’s not your responsibility to look after me. But… the fact that you want to… well, it means more than I can say.” This was the truth, as Still was having trouble finding her words at the moment. In most cases, Still was content to be in the background for fear of drawing attention to herself, which sometimes was more trouble than it was worth. Aruv clearly believed that Still should be upheld, celebrated. Still could accept praise in regards to her racing career, but taking any directed to herself as a simple mare… that was something she had yet to master.
It was certainly something she would have to get used to, but… judging by the way she was feeling now, it could be a plausible adjustment. Her guilt was ebbing away the longer Aruv continued to look at her with one of those warm glances that were seemingly reserved for Still.
“Just don’t trouble yourself for me, okay?”
Aruv huffed, crossing her arms. “You should know by now that I don’t trouble myself with things that don’t interest me.”
Still laughed softly, appreciating Aruv’s bluntness. “I guess that’s true.”
They silently regarded one another for a few minutes, Still finding herself so enamored with having Aruv’s gaze on her that she forgot to speak. Aruv broke the silence for her, motioning with her head to the open chocolate box. “Do you want to try it?”
“Oh!” Still exclaimed, a little embarrassed that she had been staring at her rival for so long. She was used to attention from Aruv, of course, but not this much. Looking back down at the tiny sword inside its box, Still felt her heartrate quicken as her eyes quickly darted over that note again. “I should. It just looks so perfect that I almost don’t want to.”
Aruv shrugged, then after a pause said “Right. You don’t have to eat it. Might not be sweet enough for you, anyway. It’s my first time making something like this.”
At Aruv’s tone, which sounded slightly disappointed, Still quickly backtracked. “Don’t be silly! I’m sure it will taste wonderful.”
Still placed the box on the desk where she sat, then picked up the chocolate sword with both hands. She once again found herself marveling at the small details: each groove in the blades’ ornate handle, the way the tip of the sword looked so sharp that it might actually prick her finger. A generic, store-bought mold could not make such an intricate piece of art. Still wondered just how many hours Aruv had spent making this, how many times she may have had to start over from scratch over one thing out of place. Still wasn’t even sure she herself could make something like this, even with all her experience.
She would savor this gift.
With great care, she firmly held the chocolate in one hand while she used the other to break off the tip of the sword with her thumb and forefinger. She popped it slowly into her mouth, then hummed in delight at the taste. Definitely milk chocolate, though it didn’t have as much sweetness as the kind that Still usually preferred. The richness made up for it: even such a small piece felt like it was melting in her mouth.
“How is it?” Aruv inquired, and Still was suddenly aware that Aruv had been watching her intently.
“It’s good! A little bitter, but that’s alright. Very… Aruv,” Still said, smiling. Some might say that Aruv was more bitter than sweet, but Still had come to know how caring Aruv could be. Towards her, anyway. Still seemed to be one of the few people that Aruv sought to look after, though the blue-haired mare would be loath to admit it.
“Is that a compliment?” Aruv asked dryly.
“It is,” Still confirmed. “There’s no one like you… to me.” Still couldn’t help but blush when she uttered the words. Aruv took notice too, blinking twice in quick succession, her ears raised high, tail going straight out in surprise for a brief moment before starting to twitch back and forth with renewed intrigue. Still’s heart was beating a little faster now, a familiar tightness in her chest forming. She took another bite of her chocolate, just in case the rush of adrenaline combined with her low blood sugar might make her faint. She usually got something to eat with her trainer after an hour at the track, though Aruv’s request for her company obviously took priority today. She didn’t know if it would have done much good anyway: given how intently Aruv was observing her right now, Still would have felt lightheaded even on a full stomach.
Still didn’t use her fingers this time, biting directly down on the chocolate, her canines peeking out as she did. She could have sworn she saw Aruv gulp at the sight, which only made Still’s heart race even more. The way Aruv was reacting to her words, watching Still’s every move… Aruv was clearly excited. Excited about Still. And not the one that frequently opposed her on their paths toward racing titles. Still often thought that her ability to win races with such ease and ruthlessness was the only reason anyone would remember her. With Aruv, she felt differently.
Thinking about the way she had held onto her feelings for weeks, longing for Aruv at an emotional distance… it all felt so foolish now. There had to be something mutual here, surely… and even if the chance was small, Still had to know. Love was too precious and fleeting not to seize it when the opportunity arose.
“Hey, Aruv?”
She placed the chocolate sword back in its box, her gaze lingering on it before she met the eyes of her rival again. “I know it’s White Day, and with this gift we’re technically even. But I hoped that… you might let me do one more thing to repay you.”
Aruv seemed surprised, tilting her head. “Why?”
Still exhaled steadily. “There’s something else that I wanted to give to you on Valentine’s Day, but… I wasn’t sure if you would welcome it.”
Still tried to search Aruv’s eyes for signs of fear or hesitation, anything that might denote that Still’s intuition was mistaken. However, Aruv just looked at her in quiet contemplation for a moment before responding. “Hmph. You could have just asked me.”
“I’m asking you now,” Still said, a little sheepishly, a coy smile appearing on her lips.
“Well, that's fine,” Aruv said. She looked at Still’s hands, then took a little glance around the perimeter of where they were positioned in the classroom. “Do you have it here? Whatever you wanted to give me?”
It was clear that Aruv meant to say the words with her usual nonchalance, but the last sentence came out much too hurried. There was a nervous eagerness about Aruv now, tail thrashing, and Still noticed with delight that Aruv had to make a great effort to stop a broad grin from spreading across her face. The slivers of lingering doubt that Still had had about Aruv’s true feelings towards her were melting away as sure as the chocolate had in her mouth moments ago. The air around them felt absolutely charged now, and she could see that Aruv’s body was at full attention. They both knew something was about to happen...after all, they were rivals. They had watched each other run countless times, knew one another’s movements. Memorized the exact motions the other made whenever they were about to weave through the paths of their fellow racers, or make a final burst towards the finish line. Still knew Aruv’s body language well, and Aruv knew hers. Such was the intimacy that came with choosing an umamusume as a running partner.
And sometimes, a partner of a different nature.
“I do,” Still answered, sliding herself off of the desk. She reached for Aruv’s hands, which were slack at her sides, and held them in her own as she moved closer. She looked into Aruv’s eyes for one long moment, breathing steadily, before standing up on her tiptoes so that she could better reach Aruv’s face. The taller mare’s breath hitched when Still angled her head, now mere millimeters away from her face, but made no attempt to move away as Still pressed her lips against hers.
In recent months, Aruv had found herself getting used to warm feelings. The ones that she felt whenever Air Groove would offer her advice, or when Rob Roy would ask for her company at lunch, or when Uni would pull her aside to talk about some constellation she had seen recently. The sense of belonging, of feeling like her presence was invaluable to someone. She liked it well enough. However, once she had adjusted to the sensation of Still's slight body pushing against hers, eyes closing instinctively as Still intertwined their fingers… Aruv felt a completely new kind of warmth. More exhilarating: she had never felt her heart beat so wildly outside of the turf. And yet, it was somehow comforting too, her body surrendering to Still’s touch almost instantly. She couldn’t remember the last time she craved this kind of physical closeness.
The feeling was so strong that Aruv found herself letting out a small whine when Still pulled away, like something had been unfairly taken from her. Still’s eyelids fluttered open, revealing the wide red irises underneath, and she nervously grinned as she looked at Aruv with her small ears pinned back. “Did that feel okay?”
Aruv nodded instantly, practically in a trance. “Yeah.”
The look in her eyes was one that Still knew well: hunger. Maybe Aruv didn’t even realize it herself, after years of becoming accustomed to going without any sort of close contact with other people. Still wouldn’t let her be deprived any longer. She went back in for another kiss, this time placing her hands on either side of Aruv’s cheeks. Aruv began to tentatively kiss Still back, and her hands wandered to Still’s waist. She wasn’t sure if that was the right thing to do, having only seen kisses in movies. She didn’t have to consider the idea for too long, as Still’s soft sigh against Aruv’s mouth spoke volumes. Aruv pulled Still inward, their bodies flush together now.
Still was experiencing quite a bit of hunger herself. It had been quite a while since she had kissed anyone, much less someone that she had been yearning after for so long. She found herself going back in for more, each press of Aruv’s lips sending a rush of delight coursing through her, sweeter than any confection she could make on her own.
There was another sensation too, this one far more familiar, like a hot red tidal wave bubbling in the back of her mind. The feeling of that other girl draping herself over Still’s consciousness, awakened by the taste of Aruv’s lips, warm and inviting flesh that called for her to bite down and sample the sweet blood beneath. Still couldn’t deny that she herself wouldn’t mind doing that either, but there was a time and place for such things. If Still let this creature have her way, she would probably pin Aruv over the desk and devour her this minute. And despite Aruv’s willingness to dance with that devil on the racetrack, Still didn’t want to risk letting her inner self out in such an environment where she couldn’t exhaust her energy properly. Still was also feeling quite possessive: this was a moment for her and Aruv alone.
“Not today,” Still said internally, authoritative, no pleading. She was going to be fully present for this. Co-consciousness would tire her out too quickly, and she wanted to keep kissing Aruv for as long as she could. She could feel some sort of discontent from within, and wondered if that demon inside her meant to put up a fight. But then the feeling subsided suddenly, and Still felt a heavy weight leave her shoulders.
She sighed once more against Aruv’s mouth, this time with relief, before guiding her into a slightly deeper kiss. Her tongue ran slowly over Aruv’s lips, causing the other mare to shiver. It took a few moments, but Aruv’s lips parted slowly, her fingers latching onto Still’s waist tighter. Still’s tongue gently moved forward, flicking over Aruv’s tongue and wrapping it in a warm embrace. Aruv was clearly stunned, gasping softly at the unfamiliar sensation, lost in a daze as she let Still explore her mouth. Then Still made a needy noise that awakened something slightly more primal in Aruv, and she pulled up enough confidence from within to return Still’s oral advances. Still welcomed it all, hands resting on the back of Aruv’s neck, fingers threading through the blue hair there as Aruv’s kisses became pleasantly more insistent.
Still found herself needing air first, and pulled away from Aruv’s lips with a long and satisfied exhale. Aruv’s eyes snapped open to affix Still with that ardent gaze of hers, chest rising and falling quickly. It made Still feel a little unsteady on her feet, and she leaned back against the desk where she had been sitting a few… no, it had been at least several minutes that they had been kissing. Still could tell by the progression of the sunlight across the walls.
When Aruv didn’t say anything after a few moments, Still smiled at her reassuringly. “Happy White Day, Aruv.”
Despite the fact that Aruv had obviously given consent to kissing Still, her demeanor had turned a stark neutral again, seemingly devoid of any of the pleasure that Still was feeling. She looked at Still for a moment, then looked to her feet. This caused a pang of insecurity to course through the shorter mare, and she felt her confidence waver slightly. “I… hope my feelings don’t offend you.”
This made Aruv’s head shoot up instantly. “No, I… don’t mind,” she said, and Still let out the breath that she had been holding. After another lengthy pause, Aruv continued. “But, maybe…”
“Hm?” Still was trying her best not to pester her companion, but she was terribly anxious to know how Aruv felt in this moment. “Yes?”
“We should go out together sometime. I’ll buy you those crepes that you like so much. Since I owe you again, now.”
Still wasn’t sure where to start with that response. The fact that Aruv had remembered one of her favorite treats, that she had seemingly just asked Still out on a date… the fact that Aruv apparently found their kissing so wonderful that she considered it a gift in and of itself. Still could feel herself falling dangerously fast for Aruv all over again.
“Aruv,” Still said fondly, shaking her head. “If you agree to keep me company, stay by my side… then you won’t ever owe me a thing. That’s what being in love is,” and here Still paused as Aruv visibly reacted to the word "love", raising her eyebrows and flicking one of her long blue ears in thought. “Don’t you agree?”
“Yeah, I guess,” Aruv said after a moment. When she noticed Still’s smile faltering, Aruv quickly clarified her words. “I mean, I’ve never been in love before. What does it feel like?”
Aruv asked the question so sincerely that Still was almost taken aback. Falling in love seemed to come as naturally to her as breathing, so she had never really considered such a question before. “Well… it can feel like a lot of things,” she said after thinking it over for a few moments. “For me… I just want to be with the person that I love. All the time-” She stopped herself, looking away from Aruv shyly. “Ah… that makes me sound clingy.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Aruv responded so quickly that Still’s ears perked up in surprise. “I don’t want you to feel lonely.”
Still nodded enthusiastically, looking back up at Aruv. “Things like that too, looking out for another person. I think that’s also part of being in love. I would never want you to be lonely, either. You’ve had enough loneliness for a lifetime.” Aruv looked a little uncomfortable at that remark, so Still quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, then there are physical things. Hugging, holding tails, kissing…” she couldn’t stop a blush from spreading over her face as she glanced at Aruv’s lips, eyes lingering at the small beauty mark beneath them. She allowed herself to think about kissing it briefly before Aruv interrupted her thoughts.
“Does it ever hurt?”
Still’s eyes leapt up to Aruv’s. “What?”
Aruv shifted on her feet, holding one of her arms with her hand as she spoke. “Sometimes, when I’m around you… my chest feels tight. I thought I was just feeling intimidated because you’re my rival. But even when we’re not on the track, I look at you and my heart starts racing.”
Still smiled knowingly, as her heart was doing the same thing right now. Stepping closer to Aruv, she said “That happens to me sometimes, too. Here.” She gently took Aruv’s hand in hers, placing it over the left side of her chest. Aruv’s breath hitched as she felt Still’s rapid heartbeat through her track jacket, and now they were both blushing.
“Something like that, right?” Still said, in a voice barely above a whisper.
“Y-yeah,” Aruv managed. She was clearly flustered by this turn of events, but her eyes were on Still’s, regarding her with a kind of wonder. The kind of love that Still was describing to her now, letting Aruv feel it for herself… felt much different then that overpowering, pervasive kind that Still could seemingly only receive from her trainer. Granted, it still made Aruv feel like something was aflame inside her, but not enough to burn her alive. It was comforting, like sitting in front of a fireplace after being out in the cold for much too long. If she had known that Still was capable of a love like this too… perhaps Aruv would have sought it out sooner.
She must have been looking moonstruck, as Still laughed breathily and removed Aruv’s hand from her chest, though she still held it.
“Still, are you… in love with me?” Aruv asked.
“Mmm…” Still hummed for a moment in thought, her face turning an even darker shade of pink as she cast her eyes downward, then back to Aruv the next moment. “I believe so, yes.”
Aruv’s tail, which had been swishing back and forth idly, stopped dead in shock. The statement confused her, as Aruv couldn’t think of anything special she had done to deserve affection of this degree, especially from Still. It couldn’t be pity either, as Aruv was quite familiar with feeling. Pity was often linked with lying, too: she had received endless platitudes to make her feel better about being a solitary orphan. Still, on the other hand, had never lied to Aruv. In fact, Aruv wasn’t sure if Still even had the capacity for it. She was so sincere, even about the parts of herself that she considered ugly. Watching Still now, with her flushed face and eyes glittering vibrantly, her warm hands around Aruv’s… there was no way that Aruv would consider her anything other than beautiful.
A beautiful mare that she cared for, wanted to protect, wanted to kiss…was that…
“And you, Aruv?” Still asked quietly, rousing Aruv from her thoughts. Still was looking a bit vulnerable now, eyes darting around the room instead of looking at the mare in front of her. “Um, you don’t have to answer-” she started, attempting to release Aruv’s hand, then squeaked as Aruv moved to take Still’s hand gently in her own.
“I’m in love with you.” Aruv said with perfect certainty, and Still felt like her knees might have given out if Aruv hadn’t been holding her steady. “Based on what you’ve told me, anyway. You seem to be the expert.”
Still laughed a little shakily, her entire body feeling floaty after hearing Aruv’s confession. “I don’t know if you could call me an expert. If anything, I express my feelings a little too recklessly sometimes.”
“I know,” Aruv replied, gripping Still’s hand a little tighter. “I worry about you.”
It was an unspoken acknowledgement and Still knew it. Of the intense desire she had once held over her trainer, of her capacity to love so fully and violently that she might harm herself in the process. And, most glaringly of all, her vicious inner self that allowed her to reach her peak potential when running alongside Aruv.
“You really shouldn’t,” Still said in a more sober tone, looking down at their joined hands. “I can handle it.”
But Aruv did worry… maybe that too, was a sign of love? She had to believe so. For so long she had only been concerned with herself. When you were truly on your own, like Aruv had been, you had no other choice. Was love really that strong that it could help her break out of her old ways so easily? If so, what a power it was... no wonder Still could draw so much of her strength from it.
Aruv sighed before speaking again. “If there ever comes a time when you can’t, promise that you’ll let me help.” Still looked up at her like she meant to object, but Aruv was quick to cut her off. “I meant what I wrote. I’ll protect you. That’s… what being in love is.”
She said it so confidently, despite having only just come to understand the concept minutes before, that Still couldn’t help but laugh. “So it is,” Still agreed, brushing her thumb idly over Aruv’s hand as she stared at the taller mare serenely. Aruv nodded as if pleased with herself, looking back at Still now with a much softer gaze. For the longest time, Still had wished that someone would look at her like that. Even the ones she held the closest, like her trainer, often regarded her with confusion or concern. Still was an incredibly gifted runner, and therefore compelling to many, but there were many times where she had to mask her true emotions. This had caused roadblocks in many of her relationships, both platonic and romantic.
Aruv’s gaze was full of adoration, despite the fact that she had never been given much love to begin with. Aruv usually understood Still and, even at times when she didn’t, she wouldn’t let Still alone until she had. How nice, Still thought, to not be the one constantly chasing after someone else. Aruv had been right next to her the whole time.
“You have my word, Aruv,” Still continued after a long pause. “We can depend on one another from now on. How does that sound?”
Aruv’s ears folded back shyly for a just a moment before she regained her cool composure again. “Sounds… nice.”
Still grinned and angled herself upward again, pressing a long kiss against Aruv’s cheek. “It really does.”