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The first thing you remember is the colours.
The vivid reds, the enthralling golds, the fuchsias and the greens. They burst through the sky, seemingly out of nowhere, like the darkness itself had given birth to life in the form of colours. The brightness hurts your eyes but you cannot look away. You're captivated. A world once dark is brought to life by a rainbow, dancing above you to some unheard melody.
Next is the noise.
The boom stills your heart, echoing around you, bouncing from bone to bone. The symphony that follows is astounding; sounds you never could have dreamed existed fill your ears. Sounds so mighty that they make the ground tremble beneath you.
Your senses are overwhelmed by the sensations. All you can do is stand and try to take it all in, all else is forgotten. Just the black sky brought to life with the most exquisite colours, like a canvas being filled by the most beautiful art you've ever seen. The booms and the crackling and the overwhelming loudness of it all.
It's magic.
And this is the first time you realise that magic is real.
Then everything fades; the colours disappear, fading back into the blackness from which it came. The shocking booms, which had shaken you to your very core, are dissipating, reducing to silence yet again. The world around you begins to come back into focus, and you remember the arms around you.
"Did you enjoy the fireworks sweetie?" The voice of your mother makes you smile and giggle, so she smiles back, ruffling your hair and kissing you on the head.
Everything is dark and cold, and you toss and turn, a cold sweat covering your body. You open your eyes to see your room, cold reality crashing down on you.
Man, dreambubbles are intense.
This one had taken you back to your first memory, the first thing you remember of this life. The beautiful colours of the fireworks in your garden as your mother held you in her arms. The first of many Bonfire Night's that you remember. One of the few memories you have of your mother which doesn't involve the smell of alcohol, fear and confusion. One of the scarce positive memories of your childhood that you'd cherished without even realising it.
It was the first time you'd believed in the impossible, in something so bright.
It was magic, and now you're a witch lying in bed on a meteor hurtling through paradox space.
Your head hurts.
A knocking disturbs you from your contemplation, and you groggily get out of bed to answer the door. Kanaya stands there, looking at the ground, hands behind her back. "Hello Rose." She says, the hint of a blush on her cheeks.
"Hey Kanaya." You reply, a small smile on your lips dragged out of you by the cutest troll on the meteor. "Come in." You move out of the doorway to allow her access to your messy bedroom, wondering why she's looking so nervous. She sits on your bed and motions for you to join her. You sit, trying to get as close as you can to her, wishing you could simply be swept up in her arms.
You sit in silence for a little too long, your curiosity getting the better of you. "So Kanaya, not that I'm anything but thrilled for you to visit, but I was wondering if you had a specific purpose for visiting?" You look down at her hands, which lie folded in her lap, longing to just take them in yours.
She bites her lip and opens her mouth to speak, then closes it, almost like a goldfish, and you hold back a laugh, knowing she'll get there eventually. "I..." She trails off, clearly struggling with what to say. You smile as softly as you can, trying to encourage her. "I... Just woke up." She looks at you, obviously hoping this conveys some mysterious meaning to you so she doesn't have to say the rest. You frown, confused, so she continues. "I think I may have accidentally... Entered one of the dream bubbles with you."
Your heart stops. Your mouth falls open mutely. You have no idea how to feel about her seeing that memory. You'd been too taken in by the fireworks to consider anyone else being there.
She clears her throat and continues. "I just thought you should know I was there. Also, that I thought the colours were lovely." She's smiling now, and you wish you could just smile back, but you're still dumbfounded. "Anyway." She stands, clearly having as much of an idea of what to say as you do. "I should leave you to prepare for the day. I hope we can still meet in the library later?" You nod and she visibly relaxes before exiting the room, the door clicking shut behind her.
You let out a breath you didn't know you'd been holding and consider what she'd actually seen. A five year old in her mum's arms, watching fireworks. It didn't seem like such a big deal when put that way, but it was just... Did it have to be that memory? The one you'd had locked away your entire life, the memory of magic and joy and, well, an actual feeling of your mother's love? Well it was hardly her fault. What were you going to do, be mad at her for falling asleep? No, it was just something she'd seen now. That was that.
You try your best to shrug it off and stand up, running a hand through your hair as a makeshift hairbrush and rubbing at your face to try and get it to wake up.
grimAuxiliatrix [GA] began trolling turntechGodhead [TG]
GA: Hello Dave
TG: sup kan
GA: I Have A Question
GA: A Human Question
TG: k go ahead
GA: It Is About The Human Practice Of 'Fireworks'
TG: what do you wanna know kanaya
GA: What Are They
GA: Are They Basic Human Magic
GA: Or Perhaps A Repeated Chemical Reaction In Your World's Sky
TG: howcome you aint asking rose about this
GA: I Thought You Might Have Some Insight Into The Phenomena
TG: yeah whatever kanaya like you wouldnt ask my sis if you thought it was about 'Human Magic'
TG: you two had a lovers tiff or somethin
GA: I Am Going To Ignore That And Ask Again
GA: What Are Fireworks
TG: well i hope youre ready kanaya because im about to lay some sweet knowledge on your ass
GA: I Am Always Ready For That Sweet Knowledge
TG: haha yeah you know it
TG: when a light bulb and some magic love each other very much
TG: they come together and make a baby firework
TG: and it dies 5 seconds later
TG: the end
GA: Are You Sure This Is Correct
GA: It Sounds A Lot Like Your Human Sarcasm
TG: i cant believe youd doubt my knowledge of human magic
TG: k kan im busy so im gonna cut this conversation way short and cut out all that juicy 'is that sarcasm' part
TG: go ask rose
turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering grimAuxiliatrix [GA]
You stare at the screen and try to figure out what to do next. You couldn't ask Rose about them, she'd turned so pale and looked so upset when you'd told her that you'd accidentally ended up in her dream bubble. It's not like you could've chosen where your sleeping mind wandered to. You had no way of researching it on your own; no human books to speak of, Dave had been unhelpful, and there was simply no one else to ask.
You suppose you'd better get creative with some magic and chemicals.
Sighing, you rise from your chair and exit the room. You were meeting Rose soon, but after that, it was down to the labs to try and find a way to recreate the second most beautiful thing you'd ever seen.
The first, of course, being the girl of your dreams.
The rest of the day is uneventful in the extreme.
You push this morning's conversation with Kanaya as far back in your mind as is humanly possibly and head to the kitchen, grab some breakfast, watch Dave and Karkat jam for a bit before he's called away for a 'mysterious board meeting of the up-most importance'. You just shrug at Karkat and make your way to the library, getting there early simply because there's nothing else to do.
In walks perfection.
You hadn't been able to take her in properly this morning, what with your half-asleep and still incredibly anxious mind preoccupying you in the extreme. She's perfect. Why couldn't you just pluck up the courage to ask her out or something?
"Hello Rose." Her voice is smooth and deep, drawing out that smile, the only genuine one you'd ever really given anyone, as she always does.
"Hey Kanaya." You move up so that she sits next to you, your bodies so close together it was maddening.
You discuss the book you've been reading and she fills in any cultural gaps which have made it difficult to understand. You do the same for her. You talk about your day and she talks about the skirt she's been making. You reassure her that it'll look great. You stretch out each moment for as long as you can until it's way past the time you should both have gone to bed. You hold back so many words and, unbeknown to you, she does the same. You kiss her on the cheek and say goodnight. It's a perfect evening and you wish every day could be the same.
You fall asleep with a smile on your lips and a heart full to bursting.
You look at your toast with contempt and grumble yet again that it's cold. You take a bite and chew enthusiastically. It's tasteless and horrid.
You haven't seen Kanaya in a week.
An entire week.
And it's really starting to show.
No one has seen her for the entire time. Dave told you yesterday that she dropped him a message and he did his best impression, reporting that you shouldn't worry and she's okay. For once, his impression didn't get so much as a chuckle from you.
"Rose you can't sit and grumble until your girlfriend comes out of hiding."
Dave's words feel sharp, and although you know he has good intentions for once, you can't help but snap. "It's been a week. She's clearly not my girlfriend. So just stop, okay? Unless you have any news from her, don't talk about this. And also why the hell is she only talking to you?!"
He shrugs and replies. "That would be talking about it." Touché Strider.
You open pesterchum halfheartedly. You hear a ping and you look over, your heart skipping a beat as you see a bunch of messages from the only person you want to talk to right now.
grimAuxiliatrix [GA] began trolling tentacleTherapist [TT]
GA: Hello Rose
GA: I Hope You Can Forgive Me
GA: I Know It Has Been Many Days Since We Last Spoke, In Person Or On A Screen
GA: I Have Missed Your Company In Every Way Imaginable
GA: It Has Been Lonely Without You
GA: However
GA: I Do Not Regret Locking Myself Away As I Have
GA: I Have Been Working On Something And I Think I Have Finally Been Successful
GA: So My Dearest Rose
GA: If You Forgive Me
GA: I Would Appreciate Your Company
GA: I Will Be In My Room
grimAuxiliatrix [GA] ceased trolling tentacleTherapist [TT]
You're stood and walking before your mind has any time to process the messages, and you've arrived at her door before it hits you that you'll actually get to see her again in a matter of seconds. You knock tentatively, a mixture of joy and apprehension filling you. The door opens silently and you enter the dark room. "Kanaya?" You whisper, fear starting to grip you as you squint and try to see anything in the perfect blackness.
And suddenly, it's not dark.
Red, gold, green and pink.
Your eyes are overflowing with tears as the realisation hits you. The fireworks are small but they fill the tiny room, the booms just as powerful as you remember. The colours are so bright, and you know this time there is definitely some magic involved as they explode in the small room. You're sobbing as arms go around your waist and you bury your head in her chest, taking in the familiar smells and the softness that is Kanaya. "I missed you Rose." Her voice stops your tears and you look into her perfect eyes.
You're not sure who took the leap but your first kiss with Kanaya Maryam is fireworks. Soft and urgent and perfect.
And as you pull away, the words that tumble out of their own volition are the ones you've been looking for all along. "Kanaya, this is who you are to me." You wave your hand towards the colourful display. "You are my fireworks. You're my rainbow of colours, the excitement, the reason I believe in magic. You're my spark and my energy. You're beautiful and captivating. You're perfect."
Tears are falling silently from her eyes as she smiles and whispers "Oh, my Rose. That's why I had to recreate your wonderful dream for you. Because fireworks are the second most beautiful thing I've ever seen, and the first is, of course, you."
You kiss her again, joy humming through you. You're both crying with joy as you take her hand and sit on the floor, watching the rest of the display in silence, your head lying on her chest. Everything fits together, like a piece of you that's been missing this whole time, and you smile.
Your name is Rose Lalonde, and your girlfriend is Kanaya Maryam. You are each other's fireworks.