Archive of Our Own

“I’m exhausted!”

After running after the triplets for this long, March’s legs were starting to ache a little. So she finally sat down on one of the sofas in the party car, watching the other Chrysos Heirs savor one of the rare moments of peace they’d been missing for far too long. They’d all earned it! Nothing could compare to the Amphoreus expedition in terms of complexity, risk, and length. In all honesty, March was relieved that this whole ordeal was behind her. Spending half her time on the Express encased in ice — again ! — and the other half in Amphoreus, invisible to others, hadn’t been the most pleasant experience. But the worst part of it all… was saying goodbye to Evernight.

March had managed to keep a smile on her face during their last conversation. More or less. With maybe a few tears shed. But that wasn’t the point. March was still just as sad that Evernight had sacrificed her own freedom for her. She deserved just as much to live a normal life. She deserved just as much to create her own memories. But no. All the self-loathing Evernight harbored had overwhelmed March’s arguments. The only solution was to “merge” or nothing, becoming one despite Evernight’s existence. How could March possibly agree to such a proposal?! But it was too late now. They hadn’t even had time to take a photo together…

“March? Are you okay?”

The soft voice brought her back to reality, and she finally noticed the golden eyes looking at her with concern. Stelle sat down next to her and handed her a cup of hot chocolate that was already half empty. Half full? It didn’t matter. Stelle knew what cheered her up. March took the cup and took a few sips before answering.

“I miss Eve.”

“Given the weird place we’re in, I’m surprised we didn’t see her around.”

March smiled faintly at Stelle’s remark. March also held onto that hope deep in her heart, but she hadn’t imagined that Stelle felt the same way. But then again… the reality was quite different.

“No way Eve’s here. We ‘fused’ together, Stelle.”

“Just like in that anime Welt made us watch!”

“Not even close! Where were my special effects??”

The usual back-and-forth of lame jokes with Stelle still made March smile. She finished the hot chocolate, set the mug on the table, and rested her head against Stelle’s shoulder. It wasn’t the most comfortable spot—or position—in the world, but March needed that warmth and that presence. Ever since she’d arrived on the Express, Stelle had always been there, despite all the dangers they’d all faced. March loved her with all her heart and would give anything for the feeling to be mutual. But oh well… not like that was possible.

The relief March felt in that moment, knowing their adventures wouldn’t end there, was… priceless. But Evernight’s absence weighed heavier this time. All the other members of the Flame Chase had managed to achieve some semblance of a happy ending. On one hand, a healed Castorice cuddling Ica, with Hyacine alive and Mydeimos free from the constraints of his heritage. On the other hand, Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon having finally reached their “tomorrow” and reunited at last.

But Evernight hadn’t been so lucky. And March was going to have to live her whole new life carrying the weight of her guilt. Even though she’d promised Evernight she’d live life to the fullest, March was less and less sure how capable she’d be of doing so without Eve by her side. She wasn’t just a part of her; she was someone unique, whom she loved as much as she loved Stelle. She was someone she didn’t want to be separated from, someone she wanted to keep in her life. By her side.

“Come here, March.”

Stelle wiped away a few tears that were already beginning to fall and pulled her into a big hug. The strength that surrounded March gave her a sense of composure, but above all, immense comfort, which only made her cry harder. She could barely manage to stammer out a few whimpers between her sniffles.

“It’s—a sniffle—not fair! She—another sniffle—deserves just as much happiness as—yet another—all of us!”

“I know, March. But that’s what she wanted…”

“Because—more sniffling—she’s incapable of saying what she wants, that idiot!”

March continued to cry for at least two minutes into Stelle’s neck before a strange sensation made her jump. Not a physical sensation, but rather a mental one. Someone… no, something was calling her? She pulled away from Stelle’s arms, rubbed her eyes, and blew her nose into the tissue her friend handed her. March finally looked up.

Evey was floating right in front of her.

“You?”

So that’s where the strange sensation had come from. March placed her hand on the soft membrane of the jellyfish.

“What are you doing here?”

The strange sensations continued to spread through March’s body. They were rather warm and comforting, but lacked clarity. March still managed to understand what was being communicated to her.

“Go to my room… okay ? If you want, Evey. Anyway… after what happened, I need to write lots of things in my journal.”

Evey spun around and rubbed her “head” against March’s forehead. A new sensation, a new message. A little more impatient this time.

“Right now? It’s urgent?! I have no idea what’s going on there, but I’m going!”

March jumped to her feet and shot a panicked glance at Stelle for barely a second. She hoped it wasn’t anything serious. March ran toward the exit of the dining car, with Stelle following close behind. In her haste, she missed a step and nearly tumbled down the stairs. As she got back up, she noticed Cipher coming down the stairs, staring at her with a slight smirk. March hadn’t spoken to her much in the past, but she’d heard about her temper. Afraid of becoming a target when she didn’t have time for that, March hurried into the next car. Stelle’s hand grabbed her shoulder and stopped her in her tracks.

“March! What did Evey tell you?!”

“Nothing! Except that we have to hurry!”

Stelle pulled out her baseball bat and gripped it tightly. She nodded to March. After making it through the second car without incident, the two of them came to the door of March’s room, which was closed. Stelle put her hand on the doorknob and whispered.

“I’ll go first. Cover me.”

But March grabbed her hand and pulled it away immediately.

“Not a chance! It’s my room!”

March pushed Stelle aside and grabbed the doorknob herself, her bow in the other hand. She exhaled, took a deep breath, then opened the door to step inside. March scanned the room, but her gaze settled on the person on the bed. Evernight.

“Eve?!”

Her “double” was lying on her bed and didn’t seem to have much interest in the ones who had just barged into the room. March tried to call out to her.

“That’s my bed!”

March also noticed her private diary open on the visitor’s lap.

“And that’s my diary!”

And it contained some embarrassing things! March set her bow down on the floor and slowly approached Evernight to retrieve the diary. But Evernight shot her a look that would have made March’s hair stand on end if she hadn’t known her so well. It still stopped her in her tracks. Evernight sighed without closing the diary.

“No one knows how to knock on this train.”

Evernight sighed again, but this time she slid the journal over to her side. She also rolled onto the bed to reach the edge and stood up. Her eyes rested on March for a moment, then looked behind her, stopping on Stelle.

“Leave the room, Stelle. I need to talk to March. Alone.”

“What makes you think I’ll obey ? Maybe you’re just planning to keep her for yourself.”

“You’re a little possessive, aren’t you? Don’t worry about your girlfriend; I’ve learned from my past mistakes. Anyway, it’s not like anyone could really make much of a difference in this space. Except Cyrene, I suppose, since she’s probably the owner.”

“My girlfriend ?! And whatever, in that case, you can’t force me to lea—”

“Stelle.”

March cut Stelle off and grabbed her hands to get her attention. Her golden eyes were worried, and her battle-ready body relaxed instantly. The time she’d spent on Amphoreus and the battle against Irontomb still had her on edge, ready to teach a lesson to anyone who challenged her. But there was no need to fight anymore. In any case, March definitely didn’t want to fight with Evernight now that she was back, for some reason. She wanted to enjoy this moment and talk with her, for real this time. March pushed Stelle’s arms down and looked her straight in the face, placing all her trust in her eyes.

“Thanks for worrying, Stelle. But it’ll be fine; I trust Eve. And worst-case scenario… I know some Xianzhou martial arts."

“Hmm. If you trust her, then I do too. I’ll wait outside.”

March let go of Stelle’s hands, and she hurried out of the room. But she stopped before closing the door, turned around, and pointed a finger at March.

“And above all, Marchie, don’t hide your feelings!”

March didn’t need to be reminded, but she never turned down a few words of encouragement from Stelle. She closed the door, leaving her alone with Evernight. She was now standing in front of the bed, arms crossed and looking aloof—though a little less so than when Stelle was still there.

March didn’t really know how to start the conversation, since she never would have imagined seeing Evernight again. To tell the truth, she had only one desire. March wanted to take her in her arms and hold her very tight. She took a few steps closer, but when she got too close for Evernight’s liking, she shifted back a little, intensifying her glare. March hesitated again, then smiled at Evernight, tilting her head to one side. She tried to start the conversation.

“Hey, Eve.”

“…”

“I was going to say it’s been a long time, but… not really.”

“…”

“Still… I’m going to ask you anyway. How are you?”

“Fine.”

And that was it. March couldn’t read Evernight’s eyes, couldn’t understand her thoughts. Why had she invited her here if not to talk? Or maybe it was to talk, but Evernight didn’t know how to bring up the subject? How could March make her feel more at ease?

If Evernight was like her, then there was just one thing she needed to do. She walked over to her desk and opened the small refrigerated cabinet underneath it. She took out some fruit juice and poured it into two glasses within reach. She placed everything on a small tray and went to sit on her bed.

“Are you coming?”

She patted the mattress next to her as she asked Evernight. She came and sat down next to her, though a little further away than where March had indicated. No big deal—it was already a good start. March handed her a glass.

“I know you prefer grape juice, so here.”

Evernight didn’t say a word, but picked up the glass and took a few sips. She set it back down on the nearby nightstand, being careful not to spill a drop on the diary. March appreciated seeing her so attentive to the things she held dear.

“Thank you, March.”

“You’re welcome?”

March didn’t really understand the thank-you that came out of nowhere, and Evernight must have noticed because she explained her thoughts.

“Thank you for making sure Stelle respected my request.”

“Oh, no problem. It’ll be more comfortable for me—and especially for you—if we talk without anyone else around.”

“And yet I still can’t bring myself to say anything.”

March didn’t like it when Evernight put herself down like that. Everyone had their own area of expertise, and it didn’t matter if they weren’t as good at other things. March looked down at her glass without even touching it.

“I’m just happy to see you, Eve, even if we don’t talk.”

It was a simple truth, yet so strong, that made March’s heart beat faster than she would have liked. Oh, but that could be misinterpreted. She corrected herself, looking at Evernight with a hint of panic.

“Not that I don’t want to talk to you! On the contrary! It’s just… I figured you wanted to talk to me, otherwise you wouldn’t have asked Evey to bring me here…”

“Mhm.”

“So, don’t worry, take as much time as you need, Eve. Anyway, I don’t plan on leaving here until I’ve confessed a few truths of my own.”

And there it was, the bomb had been dropped. No turning back now. March sipped a few gulps of grape juice, taking special care to avoid Evernight’s gaze, out of embarrassment and fear of her reaction.

“I read your whole diary, March. I’m sorry.”

March had already figured it out. She glanced over at Evernight, who now had the book open on her lap and was flipping through it, pausing on every page. March also had the feeling that she’d moved closer? No, surely that was just her imagination. She answered her anyway.

“After everything we’ve shared, I don’t think you’ve learned much about me.”

“True. But it’s more interesting to see how someone writes down whatever’s on their mind.”

“And embarrassing, above all!”

“Given all the paragraphs about Stelle, I can understand.”

March’s cheeks flushed, and she shot an annoyed glance at Evernight. She’d barely gotten back, and she was already starting to tease her! What next?!

“It’s none of your business, Eve!”

“Since my feelings have long been influenced by your life, a little.”

“Yeah, right! I’m sure you’re just jealous of Stelle!”

Evernight’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Her cheeks, however, grew a little closer to the red of her eyes. No… March couldn’t have hit the nail on the head. Could she? She tilted her head.

“Eve… is it true?”

“Shush. It’s more complicated than that. And anyway, that isn’t the point right now.”

“…”

And there she went again, hiding her feelings. Given her defensive stance, March didn’t dare press the issue any further. Besides, if it also meant she could avoid talking about her crush on Stelle for now, then so much the better. Maybe the subject would come up again later, though. It had to.

Evernight clicked her tongue and took two sips of grape juice before setting the glass back on the table.

“I meant that if I kept a journal like yours, there would be plenty of entries about you, March.”

March wasn’t quite sure how to respond. Given Evernight’s past behavior, it didn’t surprise her much. And at the same time, she’d just admitted it out loud, which made it all the more significant. But before March could come up with a good comeback, Evernight continued.

“While reading your journal, I was happy to see that you mentioned me. Especially about the Valentine’s Day chocolates. Thanks, by the way. I would have loved to taste them.”

March remembered that double-page spread in her diary perfectly. It had been a month ago. March had gotten it into her head to make chocolates for a couple of specific people. Namely, for Stelle and Evernight. March liked Welt, Himeko, Dan Heng, and Pom-Pom, of course. But when it came to Stelle and Evernight… just thinking about them made her heart beat faster. And now that Eve was back… it was now or never to show her feelings. March stared into her glass, gathered her courage, and took the leap of faith.

“Next time, if you want? I promise they’ll be even better.”

“Next… time? What do you mean, March?”

“Eve… I’d really like you to be here for next Valentine’s Day.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. March really hoped Evernight wouldn’t take it as a betrayal of all the resolutions they’d made during Amphoreus. March really wanted her to understand her feelings. But damn, it was hard to talk about it. After two minutes, Evernight’s curt reply sounded like a death knell for the conversation.

“We agreed on this, March. I can’t stay.”

No! March didn’t agree—quite the opposite! She dropped her glass on the floor and moved closer to Evernight to grab her hands, just in case she tried to run away. March fixed her gaze on those eyes—so bright red, yet so sad—and shouted a single question right in Evernight’s face.

“And why not?!”

A brief flash appeared in the crimson of Evernight’s gaze, but she quickly lowered her head, staring at March’s hands holding hers.

“I don’t have the right, March. After everything I’ve done and tried to do, I don’t deserve this. You’re the one who deserves to live your life, without worry, to the fullest.”

“Even though you’ve spent so much time protecting me?! Are you kidding me?”

“Overprotecting you, March. Limiting your life’s possibilities. Hiding all traces of your past so you wouldn’t discover them. It was an obsession, March, not protection.”

March knew that Evernight was incapable of seeing her actions from a different perspective. Yet it was precisely because of those actions that March had been given the chance to become her true self after waking up. She had no regrets—except for one thing. She cupped Evernight’s chin to lift her head and forced her to look her in the eyes. A slight blush rose to her cheeks, but her eyes were even sadder than before. March smiled gently at her.

“Eve. If I were unable to live fully without you, what would you do?”

“…”

“Come on, come on! Answer me!”

Evernight grabbed March’s hand to pull it away from her chin, but a second hand stopped her and placed it on the mattress. March winked at her with a laugh.

“You’re trapped, Eve. I don’t plan on letting you disappear this time.”

But Evernight looked away anyway, averting her gaze from March’s eyes. The blush on her cheeks didn’t fade, though. She sighed.

“If you couldn’t live without me, I suppose I’d have to stay, March. But I’d really rather not intrude on your life or on your body.”

March was starting to get to know her. Evernight was a master of half-truths, and what she’d just said was one of those. But… she was also right about one thing. Evernight didn’t have a body of her own.

…

March burst out laughing at the thought. Not because it was a funny subject, but rather because the solution was particularly simple. She moved a little closer to Evernight, keeping her hands in hers, gently stroking their backs with her thumbs. This time, Evernight didn’t pull away. March calmed her laughter a bit to finally reveal to Evernight what she wanted.

“We can share, Eve.”

“Share? Share what?”

“Forget everything we set up during Amphoreus; we should never have tackled such an important issue without thinking it through seriously. And without discussing it openly, without rush.”

“Okay… but you did not answer my question. What do you want to share?”

And just like that, Eve took the bait. March gave her an even bigger smile. It was time to confess all her feelings.

“I want to share my life with you, Eve.”

“But I don’t have a body to—”

“If that means you’ll stay, I want to share mine with you.”

Evernight stood there with her mouth agape and eyes wide open, staring at March, her cheeks finally reaching their limit of blushing and spreading all the way to the tips of her ears. It was hard to keep from laughing at the sight. March found her utterly adorable. She wanted to kiss those lips. She wanted to caress those cheeks. She wanted to show Evernight the depth of her feelings. But she had to wait a little longer. The ball was in her court. Evernight composed herself after a good minute and looked away again.

“And how do you plan to organize this, March?”

“No idea!”

“What do you mean, no idea?!”

March laughed heartily. She really loved teasing Evernight, and if she could get her to share her daily life… she wouldn’t hesitate. But March couldn’t do it alone. She brought Evernight’s hands together, raised them slightly, and squeezed them tight.

“I have no idea how to organize this, Eve. I’ve never experienced anything like this before. But there are two things I’m certain of.”

“What are they?”

“First, as for organizing our life together… we’ll figure it out when the time comes! And most importantly, together! This isn’t something I want to set the rules for on my own.”

March began stroking Evernight’s hands again, and Evernight watched the movements of her thumbs with great attention. She didn’t answer, so March continued.

“We’ll have to communicate, Eve. But if it’s with you, I’m sure we’ll figure it out, won’t we?”

“Mhm. And the second thing you’re certain of?”

“I love you, Evernight. Not just platonically.”

It was finally out. March kept a smile on her lips, but couldn’t bring herself to hold Evernight’s gaze. Her eyes were too hard to read, and too embarrassing. March was good at talking and expressing her feelings, but to show herself so vulnerable… that was a first. Now, all she could do was hope it had been well received. During the few moments of silence, March didn’t dare look up to check Evernight’s reaction. But Evernight finally responded after what felt like a long minute. No, actually, she didn’t respond. Her hands simply slipped from March’s grip to cup her face and lift it up. The warmth of Evernight’s palms on her cheeks comforted her. And her crimson gaze showed no sign of irritation. No, Evernight’s eyes were shining, and not just because of the light in the room. Evernight opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again after a few more seconds of hesitation, then finally spoke.

“Do you really mean what you’re saying, March?”

“You know very well that I never lie. I mean… never about the important things. And you’re important, Evernight. I don’t want to lose you again. I want you in my life, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen. The short time I spent without you… was complicated, you know?”

“I know…”

Oh? March raised an eyebrow when she heard Evernight. Was this the start of her opening up? It had to be. Evernight took her hands off March’s cheeks and turned away completely, so she was no longer facing her.

“March… ever since I showed up here, I’ve been hesitating to come find you.”

Evernight sat down on the edge of the bed and began fiddling with her fingers.

“But if I called you here, it was to talk to you, March. Because I wanted to cancel our deal in Amphoreus. And because I missed you.”

March didn’t interrupt her; she just wanted to listen to her talk. March still got closer and pressed herself against Eve, shoulder to shoulder. A good way to show her affection without words. Evernight didn’t pull away—good news!—and continued her speech.

“At the same time, March, how could anyone not miss you? Always adorable, with a smile that brightens any day and a kindness that’s almost too much to handle.”

“Eve?”

“And your eyes that sparkle all the time. If I could look at nothing but them, I wouldn’t even mind. Everything about you is wonderful, for Aeons’ sake. How could I have been so stupid? I could never live without you, March. I’m sorry if my past words hurt you.”

March knew full well that Evernight didn’t mean those past words. She still was relieved to hear her speak that way, and to finally hear her express what was on her mind. March rested her head against Evernight’s and placed a hand on one of her. Before she could answer, Evernight took March’s hand in hers, squeezed it, and continued speaking.

“I know you’re kinda dense so in case you still haven’t figured it out, March, I love you too.”

“Look who’s talking! You’re the one who’s dense, given how long it took you to come to that conclusion!”

“Me, dense?! Do you want to talk about Stelle?”

March swallowed as Evernight let out a little victory laugh. But at the same time… obviously, they had to bring up the subject. Stelle was part of her daily life, and March loved her with all her heart, too. The few feelings Evernight had shown regarding Stelle were… coldness and a bit of jealousy. But who knows what else she was hiding? March gave Evernight a little nudge with her shoulder and pressed her head against her again.

“Evernight, I’m willing to talk about Stelle. On one condition.”

“What is it?”

“That you start by talking about her first.”

Evernight was so loud that March could hear her swallow. She even loosened her grip on March’s hands, but launched into her reply without even waiting.

“Stelle is taller and more muscular than her clothes suggest. And she’s lucky to spend so much time with you. I am actually a little jealous of that. And from all her interactions with you, she enjoys making jokes—often bad ones. But that’s her way of cheering people up by showing she’s there. And when she goes a little overboard, she quickly changes her approach to one more suited to the situation.”

“You observe her in detail, don’t you.”

Evernight let go of March’s hands completely and started fidgeting with her fingers again.

“It’s not… I mean… of course, since I was inside your head.”

“In that case… tell me something I don’t know, Eve.”

March wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Evernight’s reactions to the topic of conversation known as “Stelle” exceeded all her expectations. It didn’t sound much like the words of someone so jealous of another person that she disliked them. Quite the opposite, in fact. Evernight waited two minutes before answering.

“Stelle impresses me, March. I’d love to have her confidence and her laid-back attitude. Every time I see her and she talks to me, I lose my composure. It’s as if the walls I build around myself mean very little to her. And no matter what gets in her way, she’ll never let anyone walk all over her. And she’s way too good at lightening the mood, way too open-minded, and way too relaxed. I could never be like her, March.”

“Is that a problem?”

March hadn’t expected such high praise for Stelle coming from Evernight’s mouth, but it was a pretty good sign. Maybe even a very, very good sign. Perhaps there was a chance she shared those same feelings as her for Stelle? March really wanted to get her to spill the beans and confess everything, but… one thing at a time. Evernight seemed to notice her smile, so she sighed.

“Yeah, it’s a problem, March. I could never give you what she gives you. Plus, everyone on the Express knows how much of a crush you have on her. And how much of a crush she has on you. I can’t risk ruining your chance.”

“Pfft.”

March burst out laughing at that silly remark.

“Stelle just sees me as a friend, you know? And the way she talks about you, Eve, I think she’s got her eyes on you instead.”

A silence fell over the room. Evernight pulled away from March, turned to face her, and grabbed her shoulders. A huge smile spread across her face. It was almost unsettling.

“March. I didn’t think you were that dense. Stelle loves you with all her heart. She’s just as stupid as you and thinks you only like her as a friend.”

Ever since she first appeared, Evernight had always been good at reading people. So March knew full well just how true those words surely were.

“That can’t be…”

As hard as it was for March to believe, this revelation explained a lot about Stelle’s behavior. No, not just “a lot”—rather, all of Stelle’s behavior. Her reaction to the chocolates she’d been given on Valentine’s Day, the nights they’d spent together, the cuddles during each of those nights, the baths they’d shared after their reunion in Amphoreus. But also all the times Stelle had taken care of her while she was learning the martial arts of Xianzhou, during the few colds on Jarilo, and even the headaches in Penacony. It was just as Evernight had said; March had been stupid. Stelle too, but that was kind of usual—no offense intended.

But on the other hand… it was a problem. March placed her hands over Evernight’s on her shoulders.

“I don’t want to have to choose between you and her!!”

March didn’t want that kind of stupid dilemma!

“I want you to stay, Eve, really. And if I have to reject Stelle to—”

“Shush.”

March obeyed. Evernight clasped March’s hands together and began to stroke them. Her eyes were reassuring, despite their ever-so-mysterious red hue.

“March. Regarding our living arrangement, I have my first condition—or request, whatever you want to call it. And given how important it is, I won’t budge on this.”

“Yes?”

“I want you to keep living the way you want to, March. Don’t stop yourself from doing anything just because I’m here. And that includes a relationship with Stelle.”

March knew this was what Evernight had been fighting for all this time. It was a reasonable request, though a bit surprising—and worrying. March tried to smile at Evernight to hide her apprehension.

“And you, Eve? Are you just going to… I don’t know… accept this like it’s no big deal?”

“To be honest…”

Evernight let go of March’s hands to resume fidgeting with her own. But she didn’t finish her sentence. She just lowered her gaze and fell completely silent. March pressed a finger to her nose.

“Don’t forget to communicate, Eve. If I’m as dense as you say I am, I’m not likely to know what you’re thinking.”

March was lying. Given their conversation earlier, she had a vague idea of what Evernight was still trying to hide. Evernight let out a long sigh, covered her mouth with her hand, and looked away.

“Well… if Stelle’s okay with it… I don’t mind spending some time with her either… in a slightly more intimate way…”

No way?!

It was better than anything March could have imagined. And it was everything Evernight deserved. This happy ending after all the effort she’d put in. It was all too good to be true, and yet it was. Now she just had to talk to Stelle about it, but March was absolutely certain the conversation would go well, as long as she didn’t joke around too much. By all the Aeons…

“Eve. I can’t hold back anymore.”

“From what?”

March threw herself at Evernight and wrapped her arms around her, rolling them both onto the bed.

“MAAAARCH!! What are you doing?!”

But March didn’t respond. She couldn’t care less about the embarrassed protests Eve might be spouting at top speed. Nothing could stop March’s onslaught of hugs. And anyway, she knew full well that Evernight was enjoying it. So March went at it with even more enthusiasm, accompanying the hugs with kisses on every patch of bare skin she could find: neck, nape, forehead, cheeks, nose, lips…

“Maaaarch…”

“I’m so happy!!”

“March… calm down…”

Just as March was losing herself even more in her burst of affection, she found the palm of a hand pressing against her face to push her away. It brought her back to reality very quickly, and March stopped immediately, sitting back up without hesitation. Evernight was lying beneath her, sprawled out on her back against the mattress, out of breath, disheveled, and much redder than her eyes. Seeing her victim, March felt compelled to apologize.

“Sorry, Eve.”

“It’s… okay. Just not… used to it.”

Evernight looked adorable lying beneath March. It was incredibly hard to resist throwing herself against her again, but she knew full well that Evernight preferred to take things at her own pace. So March simply placed a hand on one of Evernight’s cheeks and stroked it gently. Evernight pressed her face against her hand and rubbed against the palm, smiling.

“Thank you, March. For giving me a second chance. And for giving me all this. I really love you very—”

Three knocks sounded at the door, then Stelle’s voice reached their ears.

“Is everything okay? I heard a scream and some commotion.”

“Everything’s fine! Just wait a little longer!”

“Got it! Take your time.”

March felt Evernight tense beneath her fingers; she cast an anxious glance at the door, which hadn’t opened. She was stressed—it was obvious. March continued to stroke Evernight’s cheek.

“Hey, Eve.”

“Mhm?”

“Since when have you been interested in Stelle?”

“Good question…”

Evernight looked away, her cheeks still as red as before. March noticed where her eyes had landed: directly on the wall of photos across from the bed. Evernight smiled faintly.

“You know I share most of your memories, right? I remember the space station, Belobog, Xianzhou, and Penacony very well.”

“Ah… that’s embarrassing.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone how many pastries you ate on your first day on the Luofu.”

If March wanted to keep her perfect reputation, she had to keep this information secret for as long as possible. Knowing Evernight, she’d have to pay her somehow—probably with food. She’d have to be careful in the future. Evernight cleared her throat.

“Anyway. At first, I only felt jealous of Stelle. And annoyed by her personality, which I found, let’s say… unbearable.”

“Really?”

“Yes. From the moment she started spending time with you, I think I was pretty resistant to her now obvious charms. Especially since you only had eyes for her, right from the moment you met.”

So Evernight knew even that… March let go of her cheek and crossed her arms, looking away, feeling the heat rise to her head.

“You don’t have any proof, Eve…”

“Besides all the photos you take of her in secret?”

“That’s because Stelle’s a great model!”

“And besides all the pages about her in your diary?”

“I had to write down everything that happens to us!”

“And besides the dreams where she shows up way too often? Including the erot—”

“STOOOOP!”

March hurried to attack Evernight by pressing one hand over her mouth and the other against her waist to tickle her. But she didn’t even react, except with a smile that March felt forming in her palm. She pulled her hand away, and Evernight quickly snickered.

“So, March? Disappointed by my resistance—  AH!”

Tickling Evernight’s tummy turned out to be the miracle solution to get the better of her. March started giggling as she felt Evernight try to squirm while laughing. March’s weight sitting on top of her kept her from escaping, so she kept stroking and tickling Eve’s belly.

“Maar— sto… p…”

March obeyed and switched from intense tickling to gentle caresses on her stomach, around her waist, on her arms—all over. There really was no better sight than that of a helpless, gasping Evernight beneath her. She wanted to keep going, but she had to hold back and let Evernight finish what she’d been saying earlier.

“You’re… unbelievable… ahh…”

“You just shouldn’t talk about such embarrassing things, Eve.”

“You asked for it… by denying truths like that.”

“Hmph. What about you? How did you go from being “super-jealous” to “super-in love” with Stelle?”

Evernight looked away again and crossed her arms, lost in thought for a few moments.

“It wasn’t just one single moment that changed my perception of her. But maybe it was the accumulation of all those little gestures. But if I had to give an answer… I think it started when she protected you at the station.”

“Right from the moment we met, then!”

“Calm down, March. I didn’t like her back then, but after that, she kept showing her kindness, time and time again. I didn’t think I’d find anyone who cared about you as much as I do, and yet… Stelle proved she was capable of it time and time again. I’m grateful to her for that, and at the same time… maybe it really did break through the walls I’d built around myself. I had no idea, but as time went on… I started to appreciate her the way you do.”

Evernight placed her hands on March’s thighs to caress them and continued speaking.

“For a long time, I thought these feelings came only from you. That by living inside your head, I felt the same things you did. Ah… I admit it may have taken me far too long to accept that I loved Stelle. Amphoreus and everything she did for you really helped me finally open my eyes.”

Evernight was adorable. She had finally managed to lift her head and eyes toward March, though her cheeks remained flushed from revealing so many secrets. March held back from throwing herself at her once again, and Aeons knew just how hard that was. To make up for it, she simply took one of Evernight’s hands and brought it to her lips to kiss it.

“Thank you for opening up to me, Eve. How do you feel after this new experience?”

“Confused? Unsure? Embarrassed?”

“Is that all?”

“Happy, I think? Relieved, too. And I’ll be a little more once you get off me, March. You’re starting to hurt me a little.”

Of course. March hurriedly moved away from Evernight to get up, reluctantly. She took the opportunity to secure the glass she’d dropped earlier and toss the fruit juice-stained rug into her laundry basket. She had to keep her room tidy, after all! Evernight got up too, but stood rooted to the spot, watching March bustle about.

“Can I help?”

“Don’t worry, Eve. I’m already… done!”

March had the habit of always rushing to tidy everything up before Pom-Pom or Himeko came to visit her room. It wasn’t as important when Stelle visited, except… except when she had to confess her feelings! Which was the case right now! How was she going to handle this?!

“March?”

And not only would March confess, but Evernight would too! A double confession aimed straight at Stelle! No one could possibly react positively to such an onslaught, right?! If everything wasn’t perfect, their chances of everything going well would be ruined!

“MARCH!”

March found herself caught in Evernight’s arms and held tightly against her, one hand stroking her head, the other rubbing her back. It was unexpected enough to cut short her racing thoughts. Evernight smelled good, too. And surprisingly, the scent was different from the perfumes March usually wore. Less floral, more of a blend of ocean salt and a few woody notes. Where did she find that perfume?! It was incredibly effective at calming her down. March sighed into Evernight’s neck as she whispered a few words in her ear.

“Before we welcome Stelle, I have a small request, March.”

“Anything you want.”

Evernight loosened her embrace and released March with one last stroke to ruffle her hair. March watched her as she walked over to the photo wall. She grabbed the camera from the shelf below and hurried back to stand next to March. No, not just next to her. She literally pressed herself up against her. Evernight held the camera at arm’s length, keeping the lens pointed at March and herself.

“I want a selfie together, March. I hope that’s okay with you.”

“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this.”

“March. I’ve been waiting even longer.”

March laughed at Evernight’s remark. She didn’t want to start a competition over this, just show a little affection toward Eve, nothing more.

“Three.”

March quickly smoothed her hair as she heard Evernight begin the countdown.

“Two.”

“Say cheese, Eve!”

“Mhm.”

A perfect idea popped into March’s head. She turned toward Evernight, her eyes fixed on the camera lens and her face stiff. She really wasn’t used to taking pictures. It was way too cute.

“One. Ready—”

March crossed the tiny distance that still separated her from Evernight and pressed her lips to her cheek just before the photo was taken. A moment long enough for Evernight’s look of surprise to be forever captured on the polaroid as it printed. Evernight mumbled a few inarticulate words, set the camera on the nightstand, and stood right in front of March. It went without saying, but she was bright red. March smiled at her with all the feigned innocence she could muster.

“What is it, Eve?”

“One last thing, before we finally let Stelle in.”

“Yes?”

Evernight’s gaze suddenly turned stern.

“Close your eyes.”

March obeyed and closed them immediately, anxious about what lay ahead. She had complete trust in Evernight, but she also knew full well that she was capable of playing tricks on her. March swallowed hard when she felt the touch of a palm against her cheek. Being unable to see only heightened her eagerness for what would happen next. But March had to wait a little longer.

“Eve?”

“You’re quite impatient, my dear March.”

Evernight whispered these few words into March’s ear in a voice far too sultry compared to what she had expected. She couldn’t stop her hair from standing on end. Nor her cheeks from growing warm. Nor her breathing from becoming irregular.

March still had to wait a few more seconds before she felt Evernight turn to face her, without letting go of her cheek. 

“Mhm…”

Evernight’s breath was much closer than before, tickling her lips, mingling with her own. She must be only a few centimeters from her mouth. March had only to lean in a little to kiss her— Evernight clicked her tongue twice.

“Relax, March.”

They were supposed to let Stelle in! Not make her wait any longer! It must have been at least ten min—

A gentle sensation touched March’s lips for a very—too—brief moment, but it was pleasant enough to interrupt her train of thought. And pleasant enough to make her want much, much more. Evernight could probably guess March’s desire from the excitement she was struggling to hide on her face.

“Your shade of red is lovely, dearest.”

With her eyes still closed, March had no idea when the next kiss would come. Which only heightened her anticipation and her desire to receive it. Would it be longer? More passionate? Her heart was practically jumping with excitement just imagining what else Evernight might have in store for her.

Evernight’s breath grew very close again, her lips—so soft—surely just a few strands of hair away from March’s. But nothing more happened. She simply let March lose her mind for what felt like an eternity, breathing in her scent.

“Eve…”

“I’ll never tire of this sight.”

March barely had time to feel the words whispered against her mouth before Evernight’s met hers. The soft, slightly damp texture of Evernight’s lips pressed against hers again and again, stringing together kiss after kiss, tracing the outline of March’s uncontrollable smile, never leaving her lips for more than two kisses in a row.

Evernight pulled away when March tried to catch her lower lip between her teeth, making her wait a few more seconds during an unbearable pause.

“Eve… please…”

A finger made her jump when it pressed against her nose.

“You do know Stelle is still waiting for us, March?”

“…just one more?”

“Just one more then. It’s only because I love you, my dearest March.”

I love you too.

March would have loved to say the words to Evernight, but she stopped her by pressing her lips against hers with unbridled passion. First, she simply traced the contours of March’s lips with her tongue. Then she slowly ventured inside her mouth. March let herself go in this warmth they both needed to make up for the past few months, the sensations intensified by her eyes still closed. Especially since they wouldn’t be able to enjoy it as much in the future, when the universe would return to normal and Evernight would once again reside in March’s mind.

It was their little moment together, outside of time, free from temporal and physical constraints. A unique, intimate moment that would remain forever etched in March’s memory, and no doubt in Evernight’s as well. Their mouths caressing one another, their tongues dancing together, their breath mingling until their heads spun, their lips pulled by each other’s teeth, their hair gripped firmly to reassure themselves of the other’s presence.

Their moment lasted several minutes that March didn’t even count, too swept up in this most incredible exchange of passion. When she and Evernight parted, both were breathless, their hair messy, not to mention the more than obvious flush on their cheeks and ears, or the love visible in their eyes.

March smiled at Evernight as she stroked her cheek. No words were needed; she knew. Everything would be all right now. Even if she and Evernight faced difficulties, they would overcome them without doubt.

And the first of those difficulties was still waiting patiently—very patiently—in the train car’s hallway, behind the door to March’s room. She’d waited long enough. March shot a confident glance at Evernight.

“Ready, Eve?”

“Ready.”

They both nodded in unison, and March finally went to throw open the door to her room. Stelle was still there, sitting on one of the chairs in the hallway and playing a game on her phone. Hearing March approach, she instantly closed the app, put her phone away, and stood up quickly, joining her in two long strides.

“March!”

Her golden eyes sparkled as she scrutinized March from far too many angles. They lingered on her ruffled hair, on her cheeks—which must have been very red, given the heat they were still radiating—and on her clothes, which were more wrinkled than usual. Stelle’s eyebrows furrowed, and she placed a hand on March’s shoulder, whispering.

“Are you okay, March?”

She smoothed her hair and patted her skirt to make it look a little neater.

“Of course! I’m fine! Everything went great!”

March flashed a big smile at Stelle, which made her sigh with relief. Her eyes regained their usual liveliness, and she glanced over March’s shoulder, straight into the room.

“I suppose Evernight prefers to be alone. We can go back to my room, March. If you want to, of course.”

March stood there smiling as she looked at Stelle. Her cautious nature and the way she offered this without pushing it, her way of worrying about both March and Evernight while still being able to give them some space when needed… March loved all of that about Stelle.

“Eve and I need to talk to you.”

“Okay…”

Just to test a theory, March took Stelle’s hand and led her into her room, closing the door behind them. They walked over to Evernight, but March didn’t let go of the hand yet. Instead, she turned toward Stelle to get a better look at her face. Her eyes were wide and fixed on their clasped hands, and her silly smile melted March’s heart. How had she not realized sooner that her feelings were mutual?

March let go of Stelle, noticing the brief flicker of disappointment in her eyes, and joined Evernight, pressing close to her and winking at Stelle.

“I have the honor of announcing that Eve and I are finally reconciled!”

“Is that true?”

Stelle was now looking at Evernight, addressing her question directly to her. But Evernight looked away—not surprisingly—so March gave her a little nudge in the ribs, just to encourage her. Eve shot her a shy little glance in return, but finally turned to face Stelle after a sigh.

“It’s true, Stelle. I realized just how much my selfish decision to simply disappear was a problem for March. And since it affected you too…”

Evernight clasped her hands in front of her stomach and bowed before Stelle.

“I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you, Stelle. You were just supporting March in a different way than I was, and I should have accepted sooner that it was the right way to do things. Or at least, a much better way than overprotecting her without asking her opinion. And above all, more important than my apologies…”

Evernight bowed even lower.

“Thank you, Stelle. For always being there for March. Through good times and bad. My words will never do justice to how grateful I am, so I’ll keep it simple.”

Evernight straightened up to lock eyes with Stelle.

“I’ll say it one last time. Thank you.”

Hearing all these words, March moved even closer to Evernight, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pressing their heads together. Evernight was putting in so much effort in such a short time that it made her feel so proud. March was sure of it: she was going to become a master of communication in barely a month.

Judging by the look on Stelle’s face as she gazed at Evernight, she was probably just as impressed by what she’d just heard. She sighed and started to chuckle.

“Goodness… March, Evernight… You have no idea how relieved I am for you. I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks to you too, Evernight, for your words. And your actions. But… I need to get down to business.”

Stelle shifted her feet a little and clasped her hands together. She was facing Eve, but she hesitated to ask the big question that March had already guessed. Evernight grew impatient.

“What is it, Stelle?”

“Well…”

Evernight grew a little more impatient.

“I’m going to repeat the words of an adorable girl who won’t leave me alone.”

Evernight shot a sidelong glance at March, who was still glued to her, cleared her throat, and mimicked her.

“We’ll have to communicate, Stelle. But if it’s with you, I’m sure we’ll figure it out!”

And she coughed again. March turned her gaze toward Stelle and saw her doing her best to hold back a laugh. Evernight imitating March was quite a sight.

Stelle bit her lip for a few seconds and managed to regain her usual composure. Though it was a bit different, given the seriousness in her eyes as she looked at Evernight. She addressed the latter, her voice low and her tone worried.

“Are you staying?”

“Yes. March offered to let me share her body once the universe returns to normal.”

Hearing it firsthand reassured March that the proposal was real. But Stelle needed time to process the new information. And given her gaping mouth, she was going to need a little help with that. Since Evernight didn’t jump in, it was March’s turn to speak.

“We don’t know yet how we’re going to work it out. Maybe we’ll let the other take control every other day, or whenever we feel like it, or some other idea we’ll come up with together with Eve.”

“If that’s a joke, it’s in very poor taste. Please don’t give me false hope like that.”

Stelle didn’t believe them. Understandable, given how the last discussion in Amphoreus had ended. Words didn’t convince her… but March had another solution in mind. It might embarrass Evernight, but displease her… surely not. March burst out laughing and turned her head toward Evernight, who did the same, raising an eyebrow.

“Don’t look at me like that, March. I couldn’t convince her any better myself.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got a much better idea.”

“Oh yeah?”

March first replied with a big smile, which made Eve squint. Then March kissed her without warning, pressing her lips against Evernight’s. She didn’t pull away, but simply closed her eyes and parted her lips slightly to let March in. Understanding the invitation, March let herself go a little more passionately, drawing a few moans from Evernight before she pushed her away after about fifteen seconds, panting.

“Ma… rch, I think… the message got through.”

March followed the finger Eve was pointing at Stelle. She was covering her mouth with both hands, and her eyes seemed to be welling up. March took Eve from her arms and ran over to Stelle, holding out a tissue.

“Why are you crying?!”

“I’m… just too damn hap—she blew her nose—py for you guys…”

Stelle finished blowing her nose and wiped away a few tears that had fallen. She glanced at Evernight, then at March.

“Can I give you both a hug and—”

March didn’t wait for her to finish her sentence before jumping into Stelle’s comforting arms. The only person missing was the second person she cherished most. She turned her head toward Evernight, who hadn’t moved from where she was standing. Obviously, it was more complicated for her. She must be thinking that the hug wasn’t meant for her, or something like that. March pressed her head against Stelle’s left shoulder to make a little room next to her, and whispered to her.

“Stelle?”

“Don’t worry, March. I’ve got this.”

Stelle gently ruffled her hair and held out her arm that wasn’t already wrapped around March. Of course she got this; we were talking about Stelle, after all. She even gave Evernight a wink and nodded toward her empty shoulder.

“We’re waiting for you, Eve.”

“Really?”

“Of course. After all the effort you’ve put in, you deserve a little comfort. Come here.”

Evernight mumbled a bit and took an unsure first step forward. Her eyes weren’t as passionate as they had been earlier when she and March were still kissing. They glistened with tears that were beginning to flow. She took another step forward, but stopped again. She hugged her arms and seemed to be in the midst of an internal struggle. Knowing Evernight, she wouldn’t stop thinking until someone interrupted her. So March brought her back with a single word, spoken a little louder than usual, though not shouted.

“Eve.”

She jumped and immediately looked in March’s direction, her eyes misty. March gave her a simple wave of the hand, asking her to come.

It was the last brick to be removed from Evernight’s walls. She flashed her best smile—for the moment—and rushed toward Stelle and March, letting her tears fall. She pressed herself against Stelle’s free shoulder and was instantly embraced by everyone’s arms. Evernight cried silently into Stelle’s neck while March stroked her back to comfort her. It clearly worked, as her trembling grew less intense with each passing second.

March was overjoyed. In one arm, Evernight, who had finally accepted her feelings and decided to stay for good. In the other, Stelle, who had forgiven her and was ready to treat her just as well as March. Ah… being surrounded by her two closest friends was priceless. Well… “friend” couldn’t really be used for Evernight anymore. And she still needed to check that point with Stelle before referring to her as anything else.

“Ah… what a night.”

“Pfft.”

March blurted out those few words without even realizing it. And it was Evernight who burst out laughing beside her. She pulled away from Stelle’s neck and wiped her cheeks before continuing.

“And to think March and I haven’t even said everything yet…”

“There’s more?!”

Stelle screamed and pushed March and Eve away with both hands to keep them at a distance. Her panicked gaze darted from one to the other without really lingering on either for long. But after facing Evernight and March’s almost nefarious smiles for so long, she finally stopped, closed her eyes, and let out the biggest sigh of her life.

“Go ahead. I’m listening. After what happened… I’m prepared for anything.”

Oh… she was SO not ready, was the thought shared between March and Evernight.. That made their smiles widen even more. The two looked at each other for a moment, then Eve nodded to March to let her begin. March cleared her throat and turned back to Stelle.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Mar—”

“Romantically.”

“…”

“With love, Stelle. Not just as a best f—”

“Sheesh, I got it!”

Stelle was speechless. She turned to Evernight for some support, but Evernight just smirked even wider. She continued with follow-up to the combo..

“I might love you a little too, Stelle.”

“You’re kidding—”

“No, Stelle. I don’t just love you as March’s partner, but truly on my own. Even if it took me a long time before I actually noticed it…”

“I must be dreaming…”

March and Evernight laughed together at the reaction of their soon-to-be girlfriend. She clutched her head as she slowly backed away. Her gaze kept shifting from one of them to the other. But their combo wasn’t over yet. March delivered the next blow with a step forward to counter Stelle’s retreat.

“You’re not dreaming, Stelle. Eve and I have talked about this a lot.”

Eve continued, also taking a step forward, while Stelle kept backing up toward the bed at the far end of the room.

“March couldn’t believe it either, by the way.”

The game and their attacks continued in turn, pushing Stelle closer and closer to the bed. First March, then Evernight, then March, and so on.

“But Eve and I have come to an agreement.”

“Even if it means sharing a body…”

“And a life…”

“Why not share even more?”

“Only if you agree too, Stelle.”

“Of course, we wouldn’t want to force you. I’ve done enough of that in the past.”

“Eve…”

“What, March? Too soon?”

“Too soon.”

Evernight rolled her eyes as she took one last fateful step. The three of them had crossed the entire room, and Stelle found herself with her legs pressed against the mattress. It was time to deliver the fatality. March stepped forward and took one of Stelle’s hands.

“I’ve loved you for so long, Stelle. Will you go out with me?”

“March…”

Stelle brought the hand to her mouth and planted a little kiss on it.

“Of course I want to go out with you! I’m sorry I didn’t see your feelings until now, March.”

“Don’t worry, I’m no better.”

The two laughed heartily, looking at each other a little dumbfounded, until a cough interrupted them. Evernight approached in turn, but without taking Stelle’s free hand. She just clasped her own hands together at her stomach and spoke up.

“Stelle. I love you too. Not for as long as March did, but the feelings are real. Would you like to go out with me?”

Adorable—she’d completely copied March’s confession. Now all that was missing was a “yes” from Stelle. But she seemed to hesitate a little before answering.

“I want to say yes to you, Eve… but I already said yes to March. And I don’t think she—”

“Stelle.”

March cut her off before that dummy could spout any more nonsense. She couldn’t believe what she was about to propose. And yet… how she wanted to. March moved closer to Evernight and put an arm around her before smiling at Stelle.

“Stelle. I love Evernight, she loves me. And Evernight and I love you. So… would you like the three of us to go out together?”

“By the way, the suggestion comes from both March and me, Stelle. We already talked about it together earlier.”

Stelle was speechless again, and so shocked that she had to sit down on the bed.

“March, Eve, can we really do that? Is it… allowed?”

“Steeeelle!”

“Pfft.”

Even Evernight burst out laughing at such a question. March took it upon herself to answer in the meantime.

“We do whatever we want, Stelle! If it suits us, why should we stop ourselves?”

“You’re not wrong.”

“And besides, I’m sure we won’t even be the first ones to do this! The universe is big, you know?”

“I know, March… I know…”

“So?”

Stelle could be unbearable at times—not really. She finally looked up at Evernight and March. And she managed to give them a big smile.

“Do I really have the right to say yes?”

“Stelle… are you looking for a fight?”

“Sorry, Eve. I just wanted to confirm. In that case… let me do things properly.”

Stelle stood up and brushed off her blazer to regain the confidence she usually exuded. She turned first toward Evernight and held out an open hand toward her.

“Evernight.”

“Yes?”

Eve placed her hand in Stelle’s. The atmosphere had become almost ceremonial, thanks to the seriousness Stelle was projecting.

“Evernight. On Amphoreus, I was happy to learn of someone doing so much for March. And after meeting you, I’ve never been able to get you out of my head. I don’t hold what you have done against you—on the contrary. I’m more curious about what in your past made you try to go so far to protect her. I wanted to get to know you better; I wanted to know who you were. And the more I learned, the more I realized how much I was drawn to you.”

“Stelle…”

That was typical of Stelle. It was rare to see her so serious, but she really knew how to be when the need for it became impossible to ignore. She continued.

“It’s as you said, Evernight, maybe I love you a little, too. And I’d be happy to go out with you. And get to know you better.”

Evernight’s cheeks flushed as red as her eyes, and she moved closer to her hand, intertwined with Stelle’s, to press both against her chest.

Stelle then turned to March to begin the second part.

“March.”

“Stelle?”

“Thank you for being a part of my life since the very beginning. I love you.”

Oh, wow. March hadn’t expected such specific words, so it caught her a little off guard. Her heart skipped a beat, which she tried to calm down as best she could, setting her entire face and body ablaze. She didn’t wait for a single move from Stelle before grabbing her free hand and pressing it against her.

“And finally…”

Stelle began the third part by bringing Evernight and March’s hands up to her face.

“I love you both. And since you seem to agree about including me in your relationship, I’d be oh so very happy to date both of you. I don’t know exactly how we’ll handle things, but I know it’ll work out. I trust you. Both of you.”

“You just said yes.”

March couldn’t believe her ears.

“Stelle, did you really just say yes?”

“Yes.”

March still couldn’t believe her ears. So she turned to Evernight, but she looked just as skeptical as she did.

“March, did she just say yes?”

“I think so…”

“Damn it, now you’re the ones who don’t believe me…”

Stelle sighed and pulled March close to her. She leaned toward her face and kissed her briefly on the lips.

“St— Stelle?”

“I love you, March.”

Stelle then pulled Evernight toward her and March, and gave her exactly the same kiss on the mouth. Evernight mumbled a few incomprehensible words, to which Stelle replied without hesitation.

“I love you too, Evernight.”

Watching her girlfriend kiss her other girlfriend. What an amazing sight. As she turned to look at Stelle and then at Eve, March noticed that everyone’s cheeks were bright red. Understandable. Given the feigned look of anger Evernight was giving her, she must have read her mind. But no, Eve simply crossed the distance between her and March to give her a tiny kiss on the tip of her nose.

“Is that all?!”

March was disappointed and unsatisfied. So before Eve could pull away, she reached for her lips to kiss them—perhaps a little roughly. It was worth it.

“I’d still like to ask…”

Stelle interrupted them, speaking in a tone that was almost a little shy, or embarrassed.

“How are we going to handle all this once things are back to normal?”

March smiled at her with all the mischief she had in her.

“Good question. If there are two of us in the same body… you might have to give us twice as much affection…”

Stelle nodded at her with a chuckle.

“That sounds fine to me.”

“Oh, really?”

Evernight gently pushed March away and stepped right in front of Stelle. She was smiling. Not that usual, scheming smile. It was something else. She pressed her index finger against Stelle’s chest.

“I have a good idea to see if you’re capable of it, Stelle.”

Evernight kept nudging her until Stelle found herself with her legs pressed against the edge of the bed again. She wasn’t planning to…?

“But… why think about the future when March and I each have a body of our own right now?”

She was definitely planning to suggest that. March couldn’t believe her eyes. She would have loved to take a photo of this moment to immortalize it forever, but Evernight would undoubtedly hold it against her. Evernight nudged Stelle even more with her index finger so she would sit down on the bed.

“I was pondering, Stelle… an opportunity like this is pretty rare, don’t you think?”

“Ri—right…”

Stelle stammered the word through her flustered breathing, her head lifted toward Evernight, who was still standing over her. Evernight removed her finger from Stelle’s chest, raised her hand in the air, and snapped her fingers.

“Evey!”

Evey? The jellyfish appeared right behind Stelle’s back, floating silently and casting her ethereal bioluminescent lights against the mattress sheets. Evernight glanced at her, nodded, and smiled even more brightly.

That was enough for the jellyfish to understand the order.

She unfurled two of her tendrils, which wrapped around Stelle’s wrists and pulled them slightly, arching her back. By the Aeons, Eve doesn’t waste any time.

And she was right. This moment, with one body each, where the three of them could see and touch one another… who knew when such a miracle would happen again? By the Aeons, I want to join them.

So March strode over to her two girlfriends and stood next to Eve, looking at Stelle, who seemed oh so vulnerable. March cupped her chin and lifted her head.

“I love you, Stelle.”

March smiled at her girlfriend.

“Don’t mind if I do.”

March finally kissed those lips that had made her dream for so long. She delighted in dancing with Stelle’s tongue, hearing her adorable moans beneath those sensations, while she could do nothing about it with her hands tied by the jellyfish’s tendrils.

Evernight walked past them during their kiss and sat down on the bed, quickly removing Stelle’s blazer. She snapped her fingers again, and March let herself be swept up in Stelle’s fall as Evey pulled her wrists to pin her back against the mattress. March broke the kiss for a moment to watch Stelle panting, Evernight beside her, caressing her body through her T-shirt.

Yes. No matter how they handled the situation in the future. With these two girls, everything would be perfect. And for now…

They would cherish this fleeting moment for as long as possible.