"Will you ever kiss me again?"
Luna froze for a second, completely taken aback by Lynette's question.
It was true. Since leaving the House of the Hearth, she hadn't kissed Lynette's cheek even once, despite how, as children, they had needed at least one kiss every day to be content.
Lynette's face remained expressionless, but her cat ears twitched forward.
Clearly, she was anxious about Luna's response.
What if she couldn't?
Taking that first step meant accepting the consequences, but Lynette desperately wanted to know Luna's thoughts.
Luna smiled gently. "Lynette wants me to do this?"
"Yes... just like before. Even though I know nothing can ever truly go back to the way it was, no matter who or what... I still..."
Lynette fell silent.
Yet she still yearned to do the same things with Luna as they used to.
The next moment, a damp sensation pressed against her cheek. Lynette's cat ears instantly perked up, her eyes widening slightly—the gesture had come as a complete surprise.
Luna whispered, "Is this alright?"
Lynette clenched her fingers, her voice light and quick. "Yes... this—"
...is this enough?
Her gaze drifted to Luna's lips. She could still vividly remember that moonlit night, when Luna had parted her lips slightly, her hand outstretched with unwavering confidence as she declared:
"With the moonlight guiding us, everything will be fine!"
Lynette couldn't help but ask, "Do you remember what you said to me back at Lefebvre Mansion?"
"I wanted to touch your ears?"
"Why is that the only thing you remember?" Lynette frowned.
Could it be she only remembers things related to "Father"?
"...You said, 'With the moonlight guiding us, everything will be alright.'"
Luna's eyes lit up with recognition. "Ah, that's from back then! You were quoting Adventures in the Night Kingdom."
Lynette nodded, gently grasping her wrist. Her voice softened as she continued, "But whether we were captured at the mansion or here now, I know clearly: the moonlight never guided me."
"You were the one who truly led me out of that darkness."
Though she had never voiced this to anyone, or even consciously acknowledged it herself, Lynette now understood: in that moment, Luna had stolen her heart.
Yet, due to her own immaturity, she hadn't been able to hold onto Luna.
Regret was inevitable.
Luna had already made peace with her past, choosing to accept the sword that was rightfully hers. Lynette knew she too needed to move beyond this lingering regret.
Then, reaching further, she extended her hand towards the moonlight.
A gentle kiss.
The fleeting softness of their lips vanished in an instant. Luna gasped, "Lynette..."
"From the moment we first met, my heart must have been stolen by you," Lynette confessed.
"I'm sorry, Lulu. I didn't notice your pain and fear, and I didn't chase after you to ask you to stay... I even thought you had betrayed our promise."
Words of love and apology poured from Lynette's lips.
From the moment we first met?
No wonder Lynette has always been so clingy, Luna thought, suddenly understanding. She had always assumed it was just the affection between friends and family.
Luna smiled. "This conversation is long overdue. I made mistakes too, and leaving home opened up a whole new world for me—"
"And you met new women?"
"You're not making it easy for me to continue," Luna teased.
Lynette shifted her gaze. "...And then?"
"And then what?"
"I confessed to you."
Her expression remained calm, but her ears and tail betrayed her nervousness, and her grip on Luna's hand tightened considerably.
"I heard you."
"And your response?"
"It was unexpected, but I'm very happy."
Lynette narrowed her eyes. "Of course you'd be happy. Another woman likes you—how could you not be? But I want to know if you accept my feelings."
If Luna accepted, that would be perfect.
If she rejected, Lynette would understand.
She'd heard that childhood friends had a lower success rate than newcomers. If she failed, she'd just be another statistic... Just kidding, she'd probably mope in her room for three days and nights.
Until her body's mechanisms kicked in, forcing her to calm down.
"Why would I reject you? Of course I accept."
"..."
Luna added, "Though I never imagined we'd end up in this kind of relationship."
"I didn't either, but I don't want to stay stuck where we are."
"If being your 'childhood friend,' 'friend,' and 'family' wasn't enough to keep you by my side—if it meant you might fly away—then I want to add 'lover' to that list. I want you to stay by my side always."
"I would do the same, because..."
Lynette leaned against Luna, feeling both relieved and regretful. "I don't want to have any more regrets or feel sorry for myself."
Luna gently stroked her ear. "I see... but you don't have to go that far, you know... Mmph..."
Lynette silenced her with a kiss.
"Whether I should or shouldn't, whether it's meaningful or not, that's for me to decide."
Her cheeks flushed, she exhaled warmly, still savoring the lingering taste of the kiss. So this is what it feels like to kiss Luna, she thought. It's so much better, so much more wonderful than kissing her cheek.
Lynette pulled Luna down to sit beside her and eagerly leaned in again.
The sweet, warm taste filled her mouth. Exactly like this... Lynette thought. This is perfect.
"From today onward," Lynette declared, "we're going back to one kiss a day, just like before."
"The clingy Lynette is back, huh?"
Lynette's face flushed even deeper, but her expression remained unchanged. "After all, we can't skip what we're supposed to have. What we had before, we still need now. And what we didn't have before... I hope we'll have it from now on."
Luna tilted Lynette's chin up and gently scratched it.
Lynette's eyes narrowed as she purred contentedly, a soft rumbling sound escaping her throat.
"Like this, for example?"
"Mm-hmm. This too."
Luna gently massaged and rubbed Lynette's cat ears, especially at the base. Though it tickled, causing the ears to twitch against her fingers, a drunken blush crept across Lynette's cheeks.
That's it!
Luna's gaze was drawn to Lynette's tail. Could she finally touch it now?
Lynette naturally caught the gleam in her eyes—a look that seemed to say, I want to, I really want to... Ignoring the unspoken desire, Lynette pretended not to notice. If Luna wants to touch it, let her.
But... Lynette pressed her lips against Luna's once more.
"If you're going to touch it, do it like this," she whispered.
"But if you do, I can't guarantee what will happen. Every machine has a switch, and the human body does too... You know what mode you'd be activating."
That was why Lynette had always forbidden Luna from touching her cat tail.
If Luna's fingertips grazed it, if her soft pads caressed it... Lynette couldn't imagine, nor dared to. Her body tensed slightly, yet she still craved Luna's fragrant warmth.
What mode does it activate?
Luna pondered for a moment, then her eyes widened in realization. Still, she insisted, "I'm touching it now, okay?"
"...First, say the password."
"Password? 'Open Sesame'?"
"Wrong."
Luna pondered further. "I love Lynette?"
"We're close now."
If we're close, then that must mean— Luna whispered into Lynette's ear, "I love you, Lynette."
Lynette smiled contentedly. "Correct password. You're allowed."
Luna reached out and, the moment she touched Lynette's cat tail, a sharp pain shot through her lips. As she gently stroked the tail and cat ears, the blush on Lynette's face deepened, her consciousness seemed to drift further away, and her body went limp, collapsing against Luna like a boneless doll, her only remaining action being to breathe in and out.
Then... Lynette bit down on Luna's coat button.
Berserk Mode activated!
-
Lynette collapsed weakly against Luna, who wiped the water from her lips with a handkerchief, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and gently kissed her cheek again.
"You were so cute just now, Lynette."
"..."
Lynette couldn't bring herself to speak, only managing a feeble bite.
I went too far.
"Luna," she said suddenly, using no endearment.
"Hmm?"
"Let's make a promise again... We... as family, will always stay together and face the future together," Lynette murmured softly.
A promise, Luna thought. I've already broken my promise to her once. I've lost my credibility. But this time, she vowed never to betray her promise again.
"Mm, promise."
Lynette raised her little finger, and Luna, understanding instantly, hooked her own finger around Lynette's.
As Luna prepared to withdraw her hand, Lynette grasped her wrist.
"One more time," she insisted.
"But aren't you already..."
"Exhausted? Dazed? I won't deny it. But if that's the case, then let me faint. This moment is too precious. I don't want to close my eyes and sleep. Please, just let me sleep."
Lynette sat up, her cheeks flushed crimson. "Activate 'Non-Stop Mode'... Come on."
Let me lose consciousness, close my eyes, and drift into slumber in your arms.
Only then can all the emotions within me finally erupt and spill forth.
And then...
The next day.
Freminet asked anxiously, "Is Lynette still unwell?"
Lyney nodded. "Yes, let her rest properly."
Arlecchino sipped her black tea in silence. She could sense another presence in Lynette's room—her daughter, Luna.
Lynette lay in bed, still feeling utterly exhausted.
"We went too far," she murmured.
"Wasn't that what you wanted, Lynette?"
Luna rested her cheek in her hand, smiling.
"...But that doesn't change the fact that we both went too far. You and I."
Her legs were still weak from the exertion.
Luna, on the other hand, seemed completely unaffected. Her stamina is terrifying. Who could possibly restrain her?