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“Listen Lara… You learned 200 years ago that Merfolk and humans can’t love each other,” Lisa muttered, her eyes narrowing at her sister’s naïveté. “No matter what.”
Lara opened her mouth, preparing to protest before the words died in her throat. Her sister was wrong, she was sure. It was possible for a human and mermaid to fall in love, had she not done it once before?
“Things could be different tomorrow,” She pleaded, her eyes begging desperately as her fingers strained against the bag of taiyaki. Her sister didn’t understand. She didn’t understand the kindness each human possessed. How the Otsu family had welcomed and provided her with a home she looked forward to returning to each day, how Himeka supported her dreams of finding a prince, how the manager gruffly acknowledged her determination and thus allowed her acceptance into the bakery.
And most importantly, how Mari would lend her those oversized shirts and sweatshirts too big for her. How those deep, warm eyes would constantly track her to observe and intervene if needed. How she realized Mari would easily crumble in a fraction of a second if Lara pleaded enough, with earnest, puppy eyes that were apparently too hard to resist.
There was love in this world, and there could be love between a human and a mermaid, Lara was sure of it. She knew she was close to finding it.
Lisa scowled, her green eyes pierced Lara’s blue ones as the dimming rays of the sunset illuminated the cracked pavement between them. The tense moment of silence dragged on as Lara’s fingers twitched nervously, battling her instincts to flee or shout reasoning. If her sister saw the bakery, the ‘school,’ the Otsu family, surely she would change her mind. If she met Mari, things could be different.
“It was a good idea to send Kota,” Lisa uttered, taking in a shaky breath as she attempted to relax her posture as Lara perked up. “I won’t allow a mermaid and a human to love each other.”
Lara blinked, taken aback. Her sister didn’t understand, that was it. Her thoughts unconsciously drifted to Mari, and that smile that would tug on her lips when Lara did something silly. A small gesture Mari constantly tried to play off, but one that set Lara’s heart fluttering each time.
“You don’t need them,” Lisa said, her tone lowering into a cold, dismissive voice as if she was speaking of something below them. “Not that home, not that girl.”
Lara stiffened, her posture immediately becoming rigid as she wracked her brain around her sister’s words.
“Girl?”
Suddenly, Lara’s axis tilted as she stumbled to the side, just barely managing to get a foot under her before undoubtedly falling. Mari. She was talking about Mari. She sent a panic-stricken look towards her sister, her eyes wide and searching, as if desperately pleading for her assumption to be wrong. Yet, Lisa, her sister, remained frozen and void of emotion, only the gentle sway of her hair in the breeze was visible. She wanted to shout, to yell, to beg, but when she opened her mouth it remained dry and hoarse. Surely her sister wouldn’t…
She needed to leave.
Abruptly, she turned on her heels and sprinted as fast as her legs would allow her towards the Otsu household, turning her back towards her sister, her last connection to her kingdom. The Taiyaki bag fell with a dull, distant thud as thoughts of Mari overwhelmed her. Yota was undoubtedly already on his way, unless he was already there. If he was already there, then Mari…
“Mari!” She yelled into the dusk air as tears formed in the corner of her eyes. She didn’t know if it was due to the wind biting her face or the thought of harm befalling Mari. Mari, who was innocent and had shown her so many beautiful aspects of the human world.
A vibrating thrum sounded somewhere behind her followed by a panicked shout, yet she paid no heed as a piercing pulse echoed within her soul. She gasped, grasping her chest lightly as she stumbled, but quickly regained her footing and control of her sprint.
Shortly after, she vaguely recognized a large crash behind her, the distinct sound of metal colliding with something heavy, but she continued on. Everything else was just a detached blur that passed by her unfocused eyes. The cool air scorched her lungs as she swallowed heavy breaths. Thankfully, she went on those morning runs with Mari, or she would have never had the stamina or balance to make it this far.
Mari…
She didn’t realize how dusk had slowly given away to night, the distant streetlights barely revealing the path in front of her as she stumbled on. Her mind was still running through all of the scenarios, what she would find when she opened that door, so much so that the keen pain radiating from her leg became a vague concern. Lara was panting hard as the Otsu household finally came into view. Warm lights illuminated the windows of the house, but that did nothing to quell the panic rising in her heart as she urged her aching legs to stretch forward. One after one strained step at a time she took towards the door, her legs and arms shaking from exhaustion and dread. She gripped the knob under her hand, feeling the cold sweep into her fingers as she thrust the door open, her eyes wide and searching.
She was faced with the surprised faces of Yoshiya, Ena, and Makoto, the latter who had asked her a question that she couldn’t process. She moved her mouth, attempting to speak, but her eyes frantically searched for Mari, who was seemingly absent from the first floor. With a silent whine, she rushed forward and staggered up the stairs, the stabbing feeling in her chest increasing in pain as she ascended.
She flung open the door to find… Mari, who looked behind her in surprise at the sudden noise and declaration of her arrival. Mari opened her mouth to question the undeniable distressed state of the mermaid but was quickly silenced when Lara took one grueling step forward and collapsed, taking the boxer down with her.
“Mari,” She wailed, using a vice-like grip to hold onto the girl beneath her, to prove she was safe, to prove that she wasn’t going to go anywhere.
“Lara,” Mari stared blankly forward before awkwardly wrapping her arms around the distraught girl. “…is everything okay?”
“Im such a fool,” Lara sniffed and let out a watery laugh as she buried her face into Mari’s shoulder. Her grip slightly relaxed, yet she still held a firm hold on the girl beneath her. Her mind remained hyperactive, focusing on the breathy sigh Mari released as the hold on her back slightly tightened.
“You are a fool,” Mari agreed. Her blank expression didn’t change despite Lara’s clingy proximity. “But don’t let that stop you from doing anything.”
The painful stabbing sensation within Lara’s chest began to fade to a dull throbbing as the exertion of her body began to catch up with her. She managed to prop herself onto her elbows despite the sting and look down onto Mari with her watery, crystal blue eyes. Stray strands of red hair framed her face as Mari blinked questioningly upwards towards her.
Lara offered a wobbly smile down towards the other, her lips quirked upwards despite the small tears forming at the corner of her eyes. Mari unhooked an arm and gently wiped the wetness before it fell.
“You always manage to get yourself in some sort of trouble,” Mari hummed, peeking upwards once she was finished. She had found herself… tolerating Lara’s use of physical touch since she had arrived, even if she still admitted it was embarrassing. But it was evident something had distressed the mermaid so much for her to sprint here from wherever. So, she would do her best to comfort the other until Lara would speak.
However, an electric sensation formed between the two as their gazes connected. Unable to look away from the crimson princess holding herself above her, Mari swallowed. Suddenly, the faint, lingering scent of tart and citrus emitting from the girl above her became overwhelming. The smell invaded her nose, her mind, as her fingers slightly curled against Lara’s dress. Her mind was solely focused on Lara, and she was too weak to look away.
Lara tracked the movement of Mari’s throat, her own mind going blank as she studied the indifferent girl who still showed obvious signs of nervousness.
“Mari…” Lara whispered into the still darkness of the room, only the faint conversation below could be heard. She leaned forward, her lips slowly moving towards Mari’s as she gazed downwards through her long lashes.
Mari’s gentle hold suddenly became stiff as she gripped onto Lara’s back, but she didn’t pull away. Her eyes widened as a faint blush appeared under her eyes. She blinked once, twice, before offering the slightest, most subtle pull towards her own body.
Lara complied, moving her face towards Mari’s until their foreheads brushed against one another’s. Time seemed to slow, the faraway sirens becoming a muted melody as they gazed into each other’s souls.
Mari opened her mouth to say something but was silenced when Lara’s soft lips finally connected with her own. The two leisurely lowered their eyelids as Mari delicately pushed forward to return the weight. The kiss wasn’t perfect, nor was it the kiss Lara had envisioned in those dramas; Mari’s slightly chapped lips stood rough against Lara’s too wet ones, and she could taste the saltiness of her own tears. But, the gentle pressure between the two refused to let up. It was the most perfect thing she could have ever asked for. Her dearest Mari…
The two slowly separated when they needed more space to properly breathe, the soft puffs of air felt cool against the other’s lips within this silent domain.
“You are a fool,” Mari grinned, pulling Lara’s forehead onto hers as she closed her eyes. Lara laughed and ran her fingers through Mari’s dark locks. “But be a fool with me.”
The two rested in each other’s arms, the memories from earlier faded as Lara succumbed to the warmth beneath her. Her sister was wrong. There was love here in Shiga, and it was in front of her.