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Niya isn't sure how to classify her relationship with Stela. Yes, sure, they kissed (multiple times), held hands (also multiple times), spent quite some time together, especially since the trials and the apocalypse, and talked about everything and anything except for their feelings for each other. But does that mean they're dating? Or that they have any romantic feelings for each other?
Teo says that their relationship obviously has something romantic to it. He also says she should talk to Auristela about it, just to make sure. Of course, he is right. He always manages to make sense of Niya's thoughts. That's one of the good things about their friendship—on one hand, they can talk about anything; on the other, they can have fun.
Auristela Niya
Stela
Can we meet up for coffee tmr?
sure what's up?
Need to talk to you abt sth
Tell you tmr
ok
see you
See you
•○●○•
Niya knows fear, the numbness of her limbs, the shake of her hands and the buzzing in her ears. She knows that. But the knot in her stomach is unfamiliar. She supposes it's anxiety, a feeling Teo once described to her. She never had the reason to feel it before, but there's a first time for everything.
Her thoughts are going a hundred miles an hour. In less then three hours (two hours and twenty-two minutes, to be exact), she'll be grabbing coffee with Stela. She'll be telling her she likes her. She'll, inevitably, be rejected.
Auristela, the daughter of Lumbre, was never the one for relationships. Except for her brother and Ocelo, she didn’t interact with other semidioses at the Academy much if not needed. She didn’t form any attachments.
After the Sunbearer Trials and the apocalypse, Stela started opening up more, making real friends with people instead of useful aquintances. But, it's been a good six months and she still didn't form any kind of romantic relationship with anyone, expect the mess of a relationship she had with Niya. That doesn't count. Which must mean she doesn't want anything like that. She barely formed platonic relationships for most part.
That's all the proof Niya needs to know she's going to be rejected, but she decided on telling Stela about her feelings, and she will. She needs to know if there's even a silver of chance of a romantic relationship between her and Stela. And she needs to get it off her chest.
Teo Niya
Teo
Teoooooo
TEO
Answer your phone
Teooo
TEOOOOO
Its been 15 minutes
Whats up
Im having a coffee with Stela in two hours
What do I do?
Talk to her idk
How?!
Verbally
Not helping
Just tell her you like her
Then ask her how she feels
And shell admit how she feels for sure
After you do yes
She doesn’t seem to be interested in romance though
you mean she hasnt dated anyone
Shes obvi interested in you is why
How do you know?
I just know
Intuition
Go get ready
Itll be fine
Niya now youre not answering
Call me if you aren't convinced
No, I am
Im choosing what to wear
Dont wear anything neon and youll be fine
Says he with no sense of style
NIYA
What?
Its true
🙄
Just tell me how it went when its over
Good luck
Oh now its good luck, is it?
•○●○•
Auristela is already in their usual café and their usual spot when Niya arrives, two cups on front of her. One is a matcha, which she is drinking, and the other one is a hot chocolate for Niya.
Stela is wearing a tight red crop top and black pants, her usual combo. Simple but classy and revealing her muscles. Her black hair, in a ponytail during training, is falling over her shoulders. She added red lipstick, eyeliner and golden circular earrings similar to the ones Niya is wearing. She looks stunning.
Next to her, Niya, in a even shorter brown crop top and beige linen shorts, with her hair in braids, feels a bit like she missed the theme of a Halloween party.
Auristela smiles when she sees Niya approaching. "You look pretty."
Niya, involuntary, blushes. "You, too."
"You wanted to talk?" Stela asks when Niya sits down across from her, taping her dark read acrylic nails on the glass. She looks nervous, nothing like Niya had seen her before, except maybe during the trials and the apocalypse.
"Oh! Yes. I—" Niya trails off. She didn’t hope it would go so fast. Teo said it was best to rip the bandaid right off. "I like you. Like, I like like you. And I just wanted to see where our relationship stands, I guess."
Stela smiles and, surprisingly, blushes. Her fingers are still tapping against her matcha, but less nervously. "I hoped you'd ask. I... I like you, too." Auristela pauses for a second, as if contemplating to say something. "Particularly your laughter and easygoingness. I could never be like that. But I like you whole."
After a short pause, Niya asks, "You know what I like about you the most?"
"What?" Auristela replies, raising her eyebrow. She may appear confident, but by the nails still clicking against her drink and the small puff of her bottom lip, Niya knows Stela is nervous to her the answer.
"Your bravery and your confidence. You always stand with your chin high, even in the worst of situations. And the love you have for Aurelio. It's—it's inspiring."
For a bit, Stela doesn't say anything. Then, quietly, "He's all I had for most of my life. All I was allowed to have. Relio is my only family."
"You can have me, now," Niya says gently. "And I'll gladly have you."
With new found confidence, Stela kisses Niya across the table. Unlike their kisses before, which were frantic, rushed and heated, this kiss is slow and gentle. They had time.
Stela's lips are soft, moving in perfect sync with Niya's. Her hand is on the back of Niya's neck, pulling her closer. Niya cups Stela's cheek, cradling it. They can't get enough of each other. The kiss and they kiss and they kiss, ever so gently.
When they finally part, the girls lean their foreheads against one another, softly but quickly breathing, their breaths mixing and tickling. Niya's hand slides at the back of Stela's neck, stroking it. Stela's hair is soft under her fingers.
"You almost gave me a heart attack with your text yesterday," Auristela breaths. "It was worth it."
Niya laughs and Stela smiles.
They kiss again, lips still pressed into smiles.