Mari doesn't say a word, throughout Dia's entire speech. She lets her fingers circle Dia's hands on her waist, feels her breath on her neck as she speaks, and listens carefully to every word. Dia's calmer this way; she can tell already. Even if she'd kill to see the look on her face, to hear her speak so smoothly, when she could barely get a sentence out before...it's much better like this. Feeling her push up against her back, she can feel her heartbeat, and she's happy to hear that it isn't pounding out of her chest. She makes every effort to keep their breaths synchronized, even in the wake of Dia's confession.
But the longer Dia speaks, the more Mari starts to sniffle, though she tries her best to stay steady. She's suddenly grateful that Dia had her turn around; for her to get emotional like this twice in one day, it's really not like her at all, but Dia's words are as bittersweet as can be. Not a day goes by when she doesn't regret leaving Dia and Kanan by themselves for those two years, and now that she knows the truth of what happened, it pains her to think of that lost time. She thinks of all of the cold nights Dia must have spent throughout those lonely years, and her heart starts to ache; in light of her confession, leaving for so long feels that much worse, a terrible decision that she feels like an idiot for even considering, much less taking up.
But despite the throbbing that's welled up in her chest and the lump that's made its way to her throat, she's relieved, thrilled, even; even after those two years away, Dia's still here, with her arms wrapped tight around her belly and her chin on her shoulder, telling her how much she cares, how much she's always cared. Yes, she has her regrets, and yes, she's far from perfect, but, Dia, her Dia, her precious, wonderful, genuine Dia...
She turns her upper body, through Dia's grasp, brings her hand to cradle the back of Dia's head, and pulls her in for a kiss, right there on the couch. She doesn't have to worry about who's going to see them under the stairs, and she doesn't give a damn about how awkward it is or how uncoordinated they are. They'll have plenty of time to get better at it. The only way to do that is to practice, and if it means bringing her lips to Dia's like this all day, having the taste of her strawberry lip balm on her lips until the sun goes down and rises all over again, so be it. And just when she thinks she's ready to break it off, she goes in for another kiss, and another.
And when she finally, finally gives Dia a chance to breathe...
"You won't ever get the chance to. ...Let me go, that is. I won't let you be alone. Not now, not ever again. That's a promise from me."
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But the longer Dia speaks, the more Mari starts to sniffle, though she tries her best to stay steady. She's suddenly grateful that Dia had her turn around; for her to get emotional like this twice in one day, it's really not like her at all, but Dia's words are as bittersweet as can be. Not a day goes by when she doesn't regret leaving Dia and Kanan by themselves for those two years, and now that she knows the truth of what happened, it pains her to think of that lost time. She thinks of all of the cold nights Dia must have spent throughout those lonely years, and her heart starts to ache; in light of her confession, leaving for so long feels that much worse, a terrible decision that she feels like an idiot for even considering, much less taking up.
But despite the throbbing that's welled up in her chest and the lump that's made its way to her throat, she's relieved, thrilled, even; even after those two years away, Dia's still here, with her arms wrapped tight around her belly and her chin on her shoulder, telling her how much she cares, how much she's always cared. Yes, she has her regrets, and yes, she's far from perfect, but, Dia, her Dia, her precious, wonderful, genuine Dia...
She turns her upper body, through Dia's grasp, brings her hand to cradle the back of Dia's head, and pulls her in for a kiss, right there on the couch. She doesn't have to worry about who's going to see them under the stairs, and she doesn't give a damn about how awkward it is or how uncoordinated they are. They'll have plenty of time to get better at it. The only way to do that is to practice, and if it means bringing her lips to Dia's like this all day, having the taste of her strawberry lip balm on her lips until the sun goes down and rises all over again, so be it. And just when she thinks she's ready to break it off, she goes in for another kiss, and another.
And when she finally, finally gives Dia a chance to breathe...
"You won't ever get the chance to. ...Let me go, that is. I won't let you be alone. Not now, not ever again. That's a promise from me."