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In hindsight, perhaps McQueen should have known better than to believe that negotiating with Gold Ship came easy.
It’s the night of her birthday celebration and all she can think about is her. Or her noticeable absence, that is. Everyone—friends, family, and some other guests her parents had invited—is right outside waiting for the party to start, yet here she is, stalling it. She refuses to believe Gold Ship actually stood her up. It makes her jaw tick in annoyance just thinking about it. She’s pacing in front of her vanity, sweating beneath the layers of her dress and actively resisting the urge to bombard Gold Ship’s phone with more texts, asking of her whereabouts.
The banquet hall is filled with lively chatter. It has great atmosphere for a party and an even greater atmosphere for Gold Ship to be in and still, she’s nowhere to be found. A sulky pout makes its way to her face. Gold Ship promised to be here. She even made sure to remind her multiple times, so why is she late now of all times?
One of her butlers pokes his head from the doorway. “My lady, please pardon my intrusion. Your grandmother is asking for your presence now.”
McQueen bites her lip as she unlocks her phone to check for any response, any at all. Much to her chagrin, she’s met with her own messages from thirty minutes ago.
She sighs and sets it aside. She knows it’s childish, certainly unbefitting for a Mejiro to whine and threaten someone over text but tonight, she means it. This evening is special; she had sworn to herself that she would finally introduce Gold Ship to one of the most important people in her life and she couldn’t let all the courage she had mustered to face her grandmother just go to waste. She had everything planned out, she had already chosen all the right words to appeal to her. The only thing left was Gold Ship’s cooperation.
As she follows the older man through the corridor, she can’t help but ask, “Is Gold Ship-san still not here?”
“I’m afraid not,” He answers apologetically. “But I shall make sure to inform you once she arrives.”
McQueen lets out a scoff. “If she arrives, that is.”
“I’m sure she wouldn’t miss this for the world, my lady.” He offers her a gentle smile.
The pout on her lips deepens. She wishes that was the case. However, as she scans the suite, her usual grace wavers. She sees her lovely classmates from Tracen through the crowd—Ryan, Dober, Oguri, Teio, Rice. Even Trainer is there, beaming at her with that fond look she always has. She’s thankful for everyone that had made time for her tonight, truly, she is. But it doesn’t feel right when the one person she wishes is right beside her, is nowhere to be found.
She tries plastering a confident smile back on her face as the family butler leads her to where her grandmother is elegantly seated on one of the plush, velvet seats. Her eyes crinkle with warmth as McQueen approaches with the same practiced finesse she always displayed with others. She offers her a bow, lowering her eyes as a sign of respect and smiling once more when she lifts her head.
Her grandmother reaches up to tuck a strand of McQueen’s hair behind her ear. “There you are. Happy birthday, my dear.”
“Grandmother,” McQueen greets politely. “I really can’t thank you enough for this. Everything looks perfect.”
It’s mostly the truth. Though, she would rather die than let her know she isn’t satisfied just yet.
“Only the best for you, McQueen. You know that,” Her grandmother says before her eyes flit over to the crowd, all of them drinking and roaring with laughter. “And for the guests, too. They’ve been waiting quite a while.”
McQueen’s grin falters. Of course, she noticed, she always does. She thinks back to the phone on her nightstand, foolishly wondering if her texts had finally been answered. Knowing Gold Ship and her penchant for spontaneity, the chances are slim. Her shoulders slump in disappointment ever so slightly, expression twisting with a tight-lipped smile. “You’re right, I apologize. I was just—” She cuts herself off before shaking her head. “I’ll go tell them to start now.”
Her grandmother gives her a firm nod and that’s all McQueen needs. It has to start, with or without her.
McQueen crosses the room in polished strides, her shoulders now raised in a confident, composed manner. She taps the host’s back and the woman’s demeanor lights up in glee upon seeing the birthday girl. She tries searching the sea of faces again, hoping for any sign of Gold Ship but when there is none, she powers through and instructs them to start. The host nods obediently, shooting McQueen a quick thumbs-up.
Before any of them can make any other move, however, the lights shut off all of a sudden, prompting surprised gasps from the crowd. McQueen’s eyebrows furrow together. From beside her, the host makes a confused little sound and if that's anything to go by, it seems like this is not part of the itinerary at all.
Then, slowly, almost dramatically, the lights come back on, this time more atmospheric, just enough for the guests to make out each other’s matching bewildered expressions.
Enough for McQueen to catch Gold Ship before the spotlight can even reach her.
There she stands, in all her glory, dressed in a clean-cut suit that emphasizes her height and broad figure perfectly. There she stands, confident, as if she hadn’t just worried McQueen to an early grave. She has her chin held up high, a single rose perched rather awkwardly in her mouth.
McQueen’s jaw drops, her heart suddenly picking up pace at the sight. Her eyes flick towards her grandmother’s direction and sees the baffled frown etched on her face. A pang of guilt then goes through her when she realizes she doesn't care that everyone else is confused, unable to catch on with Gold Ship's whims. She can't bring herself to care, not when Gold Ship is staring right at her, eyebrows wiggling goofily when they make eye contact. A faint huff escapes McQueen's lips as the other girl grumbles something along the lines of ugh, too thorny, before spitting the rose out and tossing it aside.
There are distant murmurs now, from family members, asking who is making a scene in front of them, and from her friends, asking if Gold Ship is part of the program. McQueen pays no mind to any of them, she can’t, when she has been longing for her presence as soon as the sun dipped.
She watches, transfixed, as Gold Ship reaches for the microphone tucked in her back pocket.
“My dear McQueen,” Gold Ship starts, her tone low and smooth. McQueen nearly shivers. “You thought I wasn’t comin’, did you?”
McQueen is still frozen on the spot but a small grin is gradually forming on her lips. Always with the theatrics, this girl.
“Thought you knew me well enough to trust me by now. I’m almost offended, Mac-chan!” Gold Ship continues, clutching at her chest dramatically.
Gold Ship holds her hand out and to McQueen’s surprise, a bouquet of flowers—cauliflowers, it seems—is handed to her in an instant. Her head snaps to the side to look at where the bouquet had come from and there she sees her butler bowing once before leaving. She jolts lightly when she feels fingers gripping at her chin. When did she get so close? McQueen thinks as she tries to keep her composure. She tries, she really does. Especially with everyone watching, but it’s no use. She fails miserably when Gold Ship uses her hold to bring her gaze back to her.
She’s giddy. And there’s no denying it.
Gold Ship takes her mouth off the mic when she says, in the softest voice she can muster, “Happy birthday, princess.”
McQueen flushes uncontrollably this time, her cheeks quickly turning red and her tail swishing happily behind her.
Though, predictably enough, the softness doesn’t last for long. McQueen isn’t able to ask her why she’s late, why she’s doing all this, because Gold Ship is already running away, the spotlight once again scurrying to follow her. She returns quickly, pushing a cart of takoyaki to the center. Rows of different flavored takoyaki and a singular cupcake are stacked neatly on the surface, making McQueen’s eyes widen. “Behold! My best gift yet! I got a little help from my trainer but this is all homemade, believe me.”
She turns to the onlookers gathered before them and salutes. “Sorry, everyone. As much as I want all of you to taste my amazing cooking, these are for the birthday girl and the birthday girl only!”
“You—” McQueen starts when Gold Ship looks back at her. “What did you go and do this time, Gold Ship-san?”
“Me? 'M just celebratin' like everybody else!” Gold Ship exclaims, plucking the cupcake off and jamming a small candle in the middle. She reaches into her front pocket for a lighter and flicks it on before holding it out to McQueen. “Now, now! Here you go, a birthday party can’t start without a birthday wish!”
“Wishes usually come before the cutting of the cake, you know.” McQueen rolls her eyes fondly.
“And make you wait until then? Hell no! Not on my watch!” Gold Ship waves a hand. “C’mon, close your eyes and make a wish.”
McQueen figures Gold Ship won’t let up until she has her playing along with whatever schemes she has now, so she follows. I wish to spend my days with Gold Ship, tonight, tomorrow, the day after that and the day after, too. When she opens her eyes back up and is met with the sight of Gold Ship staring at her like she had hung the stars in the sky, she can’t help but blush deeper.
“You finished? What was it? Tell me, tell me,” Gold Ship says excitedly. “It took you exactly eleven seconds for that wish, I counted!”
McQueen snorts as she takes the cupcake from the other girl’s hands. “It would be pointless if I told you.”
“What, but it’s just me! Who knows, maybe I can grant it to you!” Gold Ship complains.
“Absolutely not—”
“McQueen, what is this?”
McQueen flinches. Grandmother. She turns to face her, an apology already right at the tip of her tongue. She must say, she’s surprised Gold Ship even managed to hold out her little plan for this long without any interruptions, knowing the estate’s rigid standards.
“Grandmother!” McQueen yips, eyes flickering between her and Gold Ship, still standing by her cart. She has no idea where to even begin explaining Gold Ship’s love for chaos. “Um—This? T-This is Gold Ship-san…”
Her grandmother’s expression hardens, looking guarded and stiff, now faced with the storm that is Gold Ship. Not a good mix, it seems, McQueen thinks. Her heart rate quickens when she speaks up. “Gold Ship? This is the classmate you’ve been talking to me about?”
“Yup, that’s me! McQueen’s most beloved!” Gold Ship swings an arm around McQueen and pulls her close before the younger girl can respond. “You must be her granny! She talks about you all the time too.”
McQueen rolls her eyes. She is so ridiculous; of course she would talk about her all the time, she’s her grandmother for heaven’s sake. It would be odd not to. Still, as her gaze darts between them, she can’t resist cowering slightly. The crowd has settled back into their own conversations at this point, yet McQueen still feels the tension. It surely doesn’t help that Gold Ship is unable to read the room.
“I am her grandmother, yes,” Grandmother corrects subtly. “And please, make yourself at home. Though, it seems you already have. Still, anyone who is a friend of McQueen is, of course, welcome to the estate. I simply did not realize she sought out such eccentric acquaintances.”
McQueen grimaces as she hangs her head in shame. Shame from letting her poise slip so easily in front of her own grandmother and shame from not being courageous enough to correct her that Gold Ship isn’t just a friend. She had been hinting at this each time she talked with her and she knows it’s unfair to feel taxed about this, especially that it’s her own cowardice that made her unable to be honest and tell her directly. But she feels it anyway.
“Oh, it’s the other way around, definitely. I’m the one who’s been chasin’ her all this time,” Gold Ship exclaims proudly, uncaring.
“Have you now?” Her grandmother hums. “And may I be assured that there has been no harassment on anyone’s end in this… pursuit of friendship?”
“What?” McQueen gasps, mouth agape. “Grandmother, no, you are sorely mistaken! Gold Ship-san is someone very dear to me and i-it’s not like that at all! It’s entirely mutual, I assure you.”
The air falls thick in a matter of seconds. There’s light jazz playing faintly in the background and there’s the distant chatter of the guests among them but everything feels too loud now. She blinks back tears, her mood immediately souring at the mere implication that Gold Ship would do such a thing. And from her grandmother, no less. Sure, she has thought that way at first; when the latter would stuff her in sacks or squirt hot mustard on her cake, but she has come to learn just how sweet Gold Ship is. It’s bewildering to hear such a preposterous thing from someone else. Have I made Gold Ship-san feel the same way all this time?
McQueen takes a peek at Gold Ship and sees her, completely unbothered. Relief almost washes over her but it’s cut short when her grandmother starts speaking again.
“Very well,” Her grandmother concedes before turning to Gold Ship. “However, Gold Ship, I hope you know you have disrupted the flow of the party with this stunt of yours.”
What can she even say? What a joke. She’s spineless when it comes to speaking up, after all. Her grandmother is still studying them with that same piercing stare and all she can do is wither.
“I don’t think she minds, though?”
McQueen’s head jerks up at Gold Ship’s voice and when their eyes meet, the latter only grins like she has struck gold, like defiance is something that comes so easy for her. Perhaps it does. The younger girl flails for a response when her grandmother looks back at her. “W-Well, I-I suppose it’s not too bad. We haven’t formally started yet so I don’t think Gold Ship-san disrupted anything.”
“McQueen.” There’s an obvious scowl on her grandmother’s face now.
“Yeah, go easy on her, granny,” Gold Ship chirps before McQueen can open her mouth to apologize. “It’s her special day! She deserves surprises too!”
Her grandmother looks aghast, clearly not expecting McQueen to favor Gold Ship’s side over hers. But something flashes her eyes, a glint of what she can only hope is understanding. She relents with a sigh. “Was that shameless display something you truly wanted?”
“Well, I—” McQueen coughs behind a fist. “I can’t say it’s not appreciated. Gold Ship-san has a knack for surprises, even when it’s not my birthday and receiving things from the person I cherish the most is… always welcome.”
There’s another beat of silence between them. McQueen prays that her grandmother had caught on but all she does is nod. “So be it. Let’s continue as planned, then. I’ll go talk to Shizuka-san and ask her to start.”
McQueen catches her bottom lip between her teeth again. Her grandmother now dons an unreadable expression and she doesn’t know if she wants to decipher what that can possibly mean.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
The party went exactly as planned, moving along with the smooth, steady pace that comes from weeks of meticulous preparation. As expected. After her grandmother had ordered for the program to start, everything fell into place without a single hitch. McQueen wasn’t lying earlier—she really is grateful that they prepared such an extravagant night. They even got all her favorite desserts! She owes them everything.
The only dent to their plans was Gold Ship’s entrance. Not that she minded, although it seemed like her grandmother certainly did. It was definitely not how she had planned their meeting to go. She wondered then if she could give it another shot some other time.
She managed to socialize with her guests well enough to keep up appearances before the noise eventually got too much. She knows she’s supposed to be right there at the center of all the fanfare, performing seamlessly the way a Mejiro should at events like these, but instead, she found herself slipping away from the commotion to seek solace from the quiet breeze in the balcony.
Now, here she is, picking at her takoyaki, with nothing but the gentle sway of trees to accompany her.
The conversation with Gold Ship and her grandmother keeps replaying in her head. She knows Gold Ship doesn’t easily take offense to peculiar remarks, especially from people who she had just met but it hurts to think about the possibility of McQueen herself giving off that impression and letting others think that she doesn’t want her around. She had vowed before to accept all of Gold Ship’s weird little quirks. It’s disgraceful that she still can’t measure up to the version of herself that she promised Gold Ship would be proud of loving.
Her peace and quiet doesn’t last very long.
“Visual confirmed,” A playful voice pipes up. “Yup, I’ve got eyes on the target. Preparing to engage.”
McQueen whips her head around at the sound. She doesn’t get a word in before Gold Ship is already lunging towards her, caging her beneath her arms. “Got you! Mac-chan, that was on you, you were in the kill zone!”
“Gold Ship-san!” McQueen cries out as she tries to break free from her grasp. “What are you doing?! My takoyaki!”
That makes Gold Ship gasp. She pulls away and goes to reach for the plate of takoyaki, fortunately kept safe in McQueen’s hands. “What?! Hey, hey, be careful! That’s my baby.”
“I should be telling you that.” McQueen scoffs. “You’re the one that pounced on me.”
“‘Cause you were bein’ all sad and mopey. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Mac-chan, but it’s kind of your birthday,” Gold Ship says.
McQueen puffs her cheeks up in defense. “I wasn’t being… mopey.”
“Yes you were, I was watchin’ you for eight minutes.”
“Why on earth were you watching me for eight minutes? Where were you hiding?”
“Shhh, a good magician never reveals her secrets.”
“You are incorrigible,” McQueen says through gritted teeth. “In your words, you saw I was sulking and you didn’t think to approach me?”
“Why, did you want me to?” Gold Ship grins slyly, bumping her shoulder against McQueen’s. “Aye, look at you. Festivities makin’ you honest, mhm?”
McQueen looks down, mindlessly stabbing her fork in her takoyaki. “I would’ve preferred it if you came to me earlier, yes.”
The playful atmosphere evaporates as quickly as Gold Ship’s mood changes.
So McQueen holds her breath, already formulating apologies in her head to ready herself if she brings up that weird encounter with her grandmother. Confrontation doesn’t come, however, and Gold Ship only squeezes next to her, a wistful sigh on her lips as she looks beyond the view from the balcony.
“Is this ‘cause I did all that earlier without your permission?” Gold Ship asks, her tone now hushed, nothing like the mischievous cadence she usually has.
McQueen’s eyebrows knit together. There it is again, that tinge of insecurity gnawing at her chest. “Gold Ship-san, of course not! I-I didn’t get to say this at that moment but it truly did make me happy. Everything was just going so fast, with you and my… my grandmother, I wasn’t able to thank you. I apologize.”
“Hey, no apologies allowed from you, missy.” Gold Ship chuckles softly. What a pretty sound it makes.
“I’m serious.” McQueen pouts. “It was arguably the best thing that happened tonight, if I were to be honest.”
“Yeah?” Gold Ship breathes. “You’re sayin’ my takoyaki is better than the chocolate fountain that you guys had over there? Better than the parfaits?”
McQueen’s eyes narrow. “Obviously, if you put it like that…”
Gold Ship laughs again, boisterous and hearty this time. The infectious one, the one that makes McQueen’s own lips curve up into a small grin. The one that she secretly treasures the most out of all of them. She takes the plate from McQueen's hands before her arms come to wrap around the other's smaller frame, gentle but still protective. “Sounds like everything’s great then. Your family and friends, your favorite food, you even got to taste my awesome cooking! So what’s got you all pouty like this?”
“I just feel silly,” McQueen says after a beat.
“‘Bout what?” Gold Ship asks.
“About my grandmother, I suppose,” replies McQueen. “You probably already forgot but this wasn't how I planned this night to go. I intended to introduce you to one another but I didn’t even get the chance before things went sideways. I didn't like how she talked to you.”
Gold Ship hums, rocking them to the rustle of the wind before she speaks again. “That’s it?”
McQueen lands a light slap on Gold Ship’s arm, pulling a giggle out of her.
“Just sayin’ you shouldn’t think about it too hard,” Gold Ship explains. “I probably gave her a shock by bein’ so sudden with my surprise. I mean, your type’s a little dry with humor, after all. I knew we wouldn’t see eye to eye from the jump.”
“That’s not an excuse,” McQueen whispers.
“It’s not? It’s what I always told myself when I was still tryin’ to win you over, though,” Gold Ship responds with another light giggle.
Her words leave McQueen a little stunned, pulling her into deep thought. She has grown to understand that Gold Ship was wise in her own way but it hadn’t occurred to her that she might have already reached these conclusions long before McQueen even started fussing over them.
“Give it time, McQueen,” Gold Ship says, pressing a kiss behind her ear. “Like how you gave us time. If there’s anything that I learned from dealing with you Mejiros, it’s that you’re all sweet and understanding at your core. I might not have made a good impression now but it’s not the end of the world. She’ll come around! Hopefully.”
“Gold Ship-san…”
“And I know how much your grandmother means to you so maybe I’ll put in some effort too,” Gold Ship teases. “But I think I’m already makin’ progress ‘cause before I came here, she offered me cake! Said I must be tired from all that dancin’ I did!”
McQueen’s eyebrows quirk, taken aback. “Really?”
“Yeah, I was sweatin’ buckets under the collar of this damn suit.” Gold Ship whines childishly.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Huh? Then what?”
“You know what, nevermind. I'm just glad you're your usual self.” McQueen chuckles as she looks down at her suit. “What’s the deal with this anyway? I thought you were deciding between a mermaid and an A-line dress.”
“Well, you know me, always full of surprises!” Gold Ship cackles before turning McQueen around and putting her arms out. “And I was thinkin’ you might like this outfit better. What do you say? ‘M handsome tonight, aren’t I?”
McQueen looks at Gold Ship carefully—her cheeks are turning ruddy from the cold, her collar is pulled loose, and her tie is askew. A fond smile settles on the younger girl’s features as she reaches up to cup Gold Ship’s cheek. “Very.”
“Thank you, m’lady.” Gold Ship tips her imaginary hat. “And you look gorgeous as always.”
A fond scoff leaves her lips.
Gold Ship then blurts out, “Aha, there it is!” as she points directly at McQueen.
The younger girl’s expression ebbs away into confusion once more. “Huh? What is?”
“This!” Gold Ship says as she pulls the corners of McQueen’s mouth. “A genuine smile. C’mon, do it again! You look so cute!”
McQueen swats her hands away, turning to the side to avoid letting Gold Ship see how red she’s getting. “What? No I don’t—Stop.”
“C'mon before I unleash Golshi-chan on you again.”
“You 'unleash' her onto me regardless!”
“What, you think I’m joking around? I’m not. C’mere, you punk!” Gold Ship wrestles McQueen into a tight grip, throwing an arm around her to keep her from running away. This makes her laugh, finding it endearing how aggressively charming she is.
McQueen taps her on her bicep three times. “Wait! Fine, I concede, Gold Ship-san!”
“Do you?”
“Yes, yes, please release me. You're wrinkling my dress.”
“Ha, thought so.” Gold Ship releases her, a smirk on her lips. “But you’re not completely off the hook yet. You still owe me a debt that can only be repaid by eatin' cake until you can't even move.”
“Eating what? That makes—”
“Hush! Now, take my hand! You’ve got some compensatin’ to do.”
The moonlight catches the soft expression on Gold Ship’s face and McQueen swoons. When she looks at her, she sees the love of her life, she sees her home. Her worries fade away, slowly but surely, and all she can think about now is spending the rest of the night with the one person she had been yearning for the most.
“Can't I repay it with a kiss instead?” McQueen asks, laying out the bait with a flirty lilt on her voice.
This makes Gold Ship pause. It's like she can see the cogs in her head turning with how transparent she is. “Depends on your bargain. How many are we talkin' about?"
“M-Many?” McQueen stammers. ”As many as you want, I suppose. Hey, hold on, I'm the birthday girl, shouldn't I be the one in charge?“
”Do you want to be?“
”Naturally.“
Gold Ship taps a finger against her chin. “Mhm, if you insist then! C'mere and I'll kiss all your worries away, Mac-chan.”
“Wait, I don't think that's how it wor—” McQueen frowns.
Gold Ship doesn't let her finish. Her hands slide from the small of McQueen's back, to her slender waist, and before she knows it, she's being enveloped in a deep, tender kiss. McQueen quickly loses herself in the feeling and here, beneath the moonlight, she thinks, they'll be okay.