Work Text:
Cold night air hits Noura as she wakes up, it’s late, some time in the early hours between 1 and 4. The curtains to the balcony door are open and the light from the streetlamps filters in, illuminating the empty side of the bed, Scarlet is gone.
Scarlet is always gone by this time, it’s become a tradition as cigarettes have turned to drinks and drinks have turned to kisses and those, eventually, to even more.
Noura had been surprised at first, considering Scarlet’s past she didn’t think they would want to be with someone again but gradually it became clear they had more than just an affinity for tobacco and cheap wine. They had an affinity for each other, well, almost.
The thing was, throughout all of their risque rendezvous and impromptu moments of intimacy Scarlet had never told Noura they loved her. Noura had come to the conclusion that Scarlet simply didn’t love her, they were using her, just the same way those men had used them.
But Noura loved Scarlet so much she was happy to be used if it meant she was useful and now Noura had learned to bite her tongue whenever the dreaded words “I love you” dared to enter her mind.
She couldn’t pretend much longer, though.
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Noura stood behind the counter of the store like she did everyday, yawning from her interrupted night. The shop was quiet and Noura was drawing on a scrap piece of paper when the bell on the door rang and Scarlet’s voice filled the small store.
“Morning!” Scarlet called, wandering over to the pandan muffins they liked to grab some. Noura barely glanced up, engrossed in her drawing- her drawing of Scarlet, that was.
When they weren’t looking Noura stole glances at them through the shelves, the way the light caught their cheekbones, the way they moved with a strange kind of easy elegance, Noura was so engrossed she barely noticed as Scarlet reached the counter.
“Oh, whatcha drawing?” Scarlet asked.
Noura quickly hid the drawing. “Oh, just adding up the prices for the next delivery, there’s been a bad crop of wheat in the villages and it’s affecting costs” She lied fluently.
Scarlet handed over some change. “Right. You seem tied, Nor” -Finally a flash of genuine concern? Noura prayed silently- “Maybe you should host less late night company” Scarlet joked, of course, why would they be serious?
Noura sighed a little. “Maybe my guest shouldn’t leave at a quarter to two in the morning and leave the balcony door open”
Scarlet shrugged. “Maybe your guest wanted a smoke.” They lowered their voice a little. “Im sure they would have stayed in that bed forever if they could”
Noura blushed a little. “They’re always welcome,” She responded.
Scarlet grinned, leaving to the chime of the bell once again.
They’ll say it one day, Noura was sure of it.