Healing Kisses (ch21)

EARLY RELEASE FOR MY $20+ PATRONS!

This is a reward for nadie95! They asked for another AU-like thing for Mayakuro, so I did sort of the same thing as the Black Lions/Sun Nation chapter where it's an act, used as an excuse to create an AU, ahaha

It's mafia-esque mob boss Maya and her partner Claudine~ I just gave it a generic title to help pinpoint it through the other 20+ chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.

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												Chapter 21. Life Of Crime

The stage is set over a popular underground casino and pub, where friendly smiling faces come to gather and socialize during the day.

But as soon as the sun sets, a certain switch is flicked, so to speak. The amiable farce that exists during daylight is quietly smothered by the devious and dangerous reality.

Every kind of crime culminates and festers through the building, anything from drugs to weapons to prostitution to murder.

It isn't exactly the place for a young girl such as Maya, aged only 7 at the time. But being that she is to inherit the family 'business' from her father, he'd been sure to bring her out onto the front lines as soon as she could walk in order to allow her to begin learning the ropes. He was a cruel and cunning man, all traits he hoped to pass onto her in order to continue reaping the seeds of his successes even long after he'd retired.

Even at such a young age, Maya had suspected what her father was doing was wrong, but she'd known far better than to speak out against him or try to oppose him.

After all, other kids at school had said they would inherit their family business as well when they grew up. So Maya felt she had the same duty.

She just wasn't going to be a CEO or a farmer or a factory owner.

She was going to be a crime boss. Whether she wanted to or not.

Maya's father brought her around to observe and learn, testing her with questions and hypothetical scenarios about what she would do if police ever arrived or how she might handle a trade, where the money was kept, and so on. And little by little, Maya became accustomed to the life of crime.

But her father could tell she needed someone her own age to relate to and play with on the side. After all, none of the children at her school particularly liked or played with Maya, due to rumors about her father (even though he'd never actually been apprehended or caught in the act of anything illegal).

And so the Tendo family took it upon themselves to adopt a girl Maya's age from the local orphanage.

Claudine had lost her parents when they'd all moved here from France, and not many native-speakers were willing to adopt a foreign child. She was both excited and nervous about meeting this new family.

Upon their initial meeting, she was a little hesitant around the parents. But what made her happy was that they had a daughter the same age as her. Claudine felt relieved to know she'd be going somewhere with another girl she could make friends with and treat like an older sister.

However, Maya was cautious of the girl - or perhaps she was cautious for her. She knew if Claudine made one wrong move or let anything slip, Maya's father would have her kicked out onto the streets or sent away forever. With what she was being brought into, perhaps either of those options would be better for Claudine in the long run.

The day they brought Claudine home, Maya was unsure of how to act around her. She knew it was only a matter of time before her father began revealing his true colors to her new adoptive accomplice. But after dinner, Claudine was so exhausted from the exciting day she fell asleep in Maya's bed, and Maya couldn't help but cuddle her.

Claudine only ended up living with her for a few days, though, as Maya's father soon made arrangements for her to live with a couple he had connections with, even though he officially still had the responsibility of providing for her financially.

Maya and Claudine didn't become sisters, but merely acquaintances.

And that's when Claudine came to understand that the Tendos were no ordinary family.

The first night when she was brought into the casino and bar, she would have cried if not for the fact that Maya was there with her holding her hand. She'd never seen so many scary people before in all her life, or inhaled so much smoke.

That was when Maya began telling her the truth about her father's secret organization. And she'd warned Claudine about the consequences of telling.

And at first, Claudine thought it would be better to run away and tell anyway. But she could see it in Maya's eyes that she still cared about her father and her family, and didn't want any of that to happen. And Claudine also knew that doing so would put both herself and Maya at risk of ending up in an orphanage again.

If there was one thing Claudine had learned in her difficult and short life thus far, it was not to bite the hand that feeds you.

And so she'd kept quiet and done as her adoptive family and the Tendos ordered. She began learning the ropes from Maya, who had in turned learned from her father.

The two young girls kept up the facade perfectly, leading normal lives by day and conquering the dark by night.

And before they even knew it, Maya and Claudine were on their way to becoming some of the most successful partners in crime.

Ten years have passed since Claudine had been brought into the Tendos' lives. After her initial misgivings had been pushed aside, she'd decided she'd best strive to impress the boss with everything she had in order to earn her keep and show her trustworthiness and value to him.

In fact, she worked so hard over the years that she believed she was on-par with Maya.

And at first, she'd taken great pride in the prospect of potentially being even more skilled than the boss' daughter herself. But recently, she's been beginning to wonder if there's more to it than that.

So one late night, after the last of their unceremonious guests has left the pub, and after both she and Maya have finished handing over their winnings made from swindling and pit-pocketing their very own patrons, Claudine approaches Maya as they begin cleaning up the bar.

"So," she begins with a smirk. "How much did you make tonight?"

Maya doesn't look up at her as she begins washing out a glass.

"About $1,200."

"Cute. I made $1,700," Claudine grins. "You'd better watch yourself, Tendo Maya. What is your father going to say if he finds out an orphan like me is bringing in more earnings than his own flesh and blood?"

It's her typical goad, one that normally sparks the response of motivation and a challenge in Maya's eyes. But tonight, just like in recent nights, Maya's reaction is rather disappointing.

"Perhaps I am losing my touch…"

Claudine winces. Of all the people she'd robbed and duped, nothing's ever made her feel as guilty as this.

"Hey," she says, nudging Maya with her elbow. "What's gotten into you lately? I'm sure you know better than anyone that you're not in a position where you're allowed to be 'losing your touch.' Not in this line of work."

Maya's hands stop cleaning out the glass she's holding, and her eyes seem to glaze over.

"Yes… You're right."

"Listen." Claudine checks again to ensure they're completely alone before giving Maya a kiss on the cheek. "If something's bothering you, you can talk to me. You know that by now." After all, they've been dating for over a year now - not that anyone knows. The fact that they've known each other so well and for so long, coupled with the fact that there weren't many girls their age in this sort of establishment, made it an easy choice for the both of them.

Maya tries out a brief smile and leans her head on Claudine's shoulder.

"Thank you," is all she says.

Claudine huffs.

"You're so infuriating… Let's just finish up here. I'm tired."

Maya sighs, hoping it just sounds like she's tired, too.

And she is, just not in quite the same way Claudine is. Maya isn't just tired from a long night of work.

She's tired of… this. All of it.

After her family had dragged Claudine into its dangerous clutches, and as she'd grown older, Maya had once again revisited the doubts and fears she'd had as a child. Now she was able to see firsthand what her father's business entailed. The drugs and weapons they sold and trafficked were killing people, and Maya can't help but feel that a lot of that blood is on her hands. She doesn't want to do this anymore.

And she knows that breaking away and fleeing from her own father could very well mean certain death.

Which is why she plans to do it without warning, and without breathing a word to anyone.

Not even Claudine.

She knows it will hurt her, but Maya doesn't want to force Claudine to choose between her newfound career in crime and Maya. After all, Claudine truly is proving to be the more skilled of the two of them. She would make for an excellent crime boss, and one who was smart and skilled enough to never get caught. Of course Maya would always rather she didn't follow such a dangerous path. But if it's what Claudine wanted…

"Hey, Tendo Maya!" A wash rag is slapped lightly against her shoulder to get her attention. Maya looks up and shakes her head.

"My apologies."

"Honestly. For making me wait, I'm staying at your place tonight." Claudine turns on her heel and struts out from behind the bar. Maya follows more quietly.

They make sure the place is locked and secure, and leave the rest to the men guarding the outside of the building before they retreat to Maya's apartment together.

She and Claudine make quick work of lying down in bed side by side, and Claudine drifts off in minutes. Maya pulls her in close and buries her face into her hair. She weeps softly, knowing this will be the last night she will ever get to spend with her beloved partner.

The following day, Maya presents herself to everyone as she normally does. She gives away no indications of what she plans to do at the stroke of midnight - not to her clients, not to her father, and not to Claudine. She runs her usual patrols around town, meets the people she is supposed to meet, makes the deals she is supposed to make, and collects the funds she is supposed to collect.

When evening rolls around, she works the bar with Claudine, putting on her renown charismatic mask and conversing with her customers as always.

And then at midnight, she tells Claudine she's running to the restroom for a moment. Maya wants to kiss her one last time before she departs, but she knows doing so would only raise her girlfriend's suspicions.

So Maya is forced to settle for one last heartbroken look over her shoulder at the radiant love of her live before she slips away.

She weaves through the crowds at a slow and orderly pace, giving nothing away as she nears the doors. The guards there let her out on the assumption she's going to smoke (Maya doesn't actually smoke, but she likes to let people believe she does).

It allows her access into the back alleyways, which are now dark and vacant, though she suspects a few rats of various kinds to still be lurking in the shadows.

This is her plan. The club doesn't close officially until 3AM. If she'd merely waited until then to slip away, it would be so easy for someone to track her down. To leave at midnight - when clients and customers are still pouring in and out and partying - would buy her some time and keep the other members of the family distracted and occupied.

She's taken nothing with her but the clothes on her back and a single handgun for protection. Other than those, she hadn't brought anything along. This was both to dissuade anyone from suspicion when they would later surely search her room, and also too because she truly doesn't have anything from this life that she wants to bring with her.

Well, there is one thing. But Maya can't have that.

Even so, she sheds no tears now as she begins strutting down the long dark alley at a quick pace. She knows she only has moments before her father's men come looking for her, as she isn't really supposed to be leaving when the casino is open. There's no turning back now.

She hurries onward, keeping her senses alert as she tries to ignore the ache in her heart.

It's only seconds later that she realizes she's being followed.

Her pursuer's footsteps are swift and silent, indicating it's clearly one of the Tendos' best men.

But so is Maya.

In one swift and fluent motion, Maya pulls her gun and rounds on her attacker. But before she can so much as glimpse them, her feet are knocked from under her as her opponent ducks out of range of the gun and kicks her ankles. Maya barely hits the ground for a second before she's flipping backward onto her feet, but before she can aim her gun again she feels a hard impact. The other person slams her hard up against the alley wall, pinning her wrists uselessly to either side of her head. Maya grits her teeth and prepares to jump up and smash both feet into her attacker's stomach-

-until she realizes who it is.

"C-Claudine?"

"Mechante!" Claudine gives her another push against the wall and growls into her face. Maya immediately drops her gun and lets it clatter to the ground. Claudine releases her and backs away, but not enough to let her dash off. She glares daggers at her and curls her lip back into a snarl. "Just what on earth do you think you're doing, Tendo Maya?!"

Maya shakes her head in utter disbelief.

"But… how did you-?"

"Idiote!" Claudine barks. "Did you really think I was that stupid? After we've known each other for so long? What kind of fool do you take me for?"

"I-"

"I didn't think you'd actually be this dumb. Trying to sneak away from all this? From your father? Do you have some kind of death wish?"

"Claudine-"

"And another thing!" she shouts. "You weren't even planning on telling me? You just planned to slip away into the night without so much as a goodbye? ...Without so much as a kiss…?"

She's crying now, though her eyes are still full of anger.

Maya is certain she's never felt more wretched in all her life.

"Claudine…" She reaches out toward her, but doesn't touch her. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you feel like you had to choose-"

"Choose?" Claudine snaps back. "Between what? A life of crime and murder, or you? You really are an idiot, Tendo Maya. To me, that isn't even a choice!" She wipes her eyes vigorously and glares at Maya as much as she can.

Maya can only blink and try to make sense of it all.

"But if I left, it means you could take over the business. You'd be rich. You'd be able to do anything you want-"

"Screw that!" Claudine gets right up in her face again and backs her against the wall again. "Did you seriously think I stuck around this long just for the money? Just because I was good at it? You're even dumber than you are pretty."

"…Eh?"

Claudine groans. "You really need me to spell it out for you? I stayed for you, you idiot! You're the only reason I stuck around that place with those people! Because you're such an idiot you needed someone to keep an eye on you! But if you're gone, then I have no reason to stay. How dare you even think I would want to stay if it meant you weren't there by my side?"

"Claudine-" But once again, Maya is cut off, only this time it's by a furious kiss. Claudine huffs against her lips.

"I'm coming with you. Deal with it."

Maya sobs softly and wraps Claudine in her arms for a long moment.

"Thank you, Claudine."

"Don't thank me yet. We aren't out of the woods."

As if on cue, the two of them pull apart at the sudden sounds of shouting and footsteps. Maya and Claudine wipe their eyes as they turn to face a gang of Tendo's men rushing for them.

"Looks like we'll have to fight," Claudine says, crouching a bit.

"What a shame," Maya says, standing back-to-back with her. "I suppose it's unavoidable."

As the men rush at them, Claudine and Maya take them head-on, kicking and flipping and jabbing them, knocking them out one by one. They take care of the first wave, but just as the next group is rushing toward them, a loud choppy droning sound suddenly fills the sky. A gust of wind billows down through the alleyway, knocking the men back.

"Oh my," Maya calls to her partner. "It would appear or ride is here."

"A chopper? Seriously?" Claudine yells. "You're always so dramatic!"

"I'd call it romantic!"

A ladder is lowered down to them from the chopper, and both girls grab hold as it lifts them up and carries them away-

"-to a far-off land where they'll start a new life together, free of crime! Oh! Maybe they'll open up a bakery!"

Nana finishes narrating their play with a giggle. Claudine and Maya are hand-in-hand onstage, pretending to be clinging onto a helicopter ladder as they fly away into the night. The other girls - who had played the villains - are strewn across the floor after receiving their staged injuries. Now, Karen pops up from the pile.

"A bakery? That's so cute, Banana!"

"Really?" Kaoruko grimaces. "Don't you think they should be using the skills they've acquired to start their own shady business elsewhere?"

"No way," Futaba frowns. "They're done with all the crime stuff. They're going on a romantic honeymoon, I bet."

"All right, that's enough," Junna says, also getting to her feet now. "The ending is gonna be left for the audience to interpret. All we have to show them is that Saijou-san and Tendo-san escaped happily together."

"It's such a beautiful story," Mahiru sighs.

"I'm glad no one dies," Hikari agrees.

As the girls wrap up their rehearsals for the upcoming play they'll be putting on, Maya and Claudine head backstage together. Only now do they realize they're still holding hands, and Claudine quickly pulls herself free.

"That was better than last time," she says with a grunt. "I believed your disbelief a bit more this time."

"Indeed," Maya purrs. "And I believed your romantic feelings more this time, Saijou-san. That last kiss was rather convincing, if you ask me."

"Really? And what about this one?" Claudine gives her no warning before she grabs Maya by the collar and yanks her into a hard kiss. Maya actually makes a small surprised yelp, but she can't kiss back quickly enough. When she's finished, Claudine pushes her back and smirks up at her. "Well?"

Maya hums.

"It was all right. But I know you can do better. I think we should continue practicing."

"Mechante." Claudine rolls her eyes and Maya laughs.

Together, they head off to join their classmates for supper.

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A/N: So convenient I can just use a play as an excuse for an AU like this ahah! I liked the challenge of the word limit for this one! I could have done all of this as a huge drawn-out multi-chapter fic, but it can actually still be covered more briefly like this! And I like it as a play where no one will actually get hurt or anything~