Healing Kisses (ch36)

EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS! THANK YOU!

Due to popular demand, I decided to continue off of the previous chapter directly in order to write Maya's real proper first meeting with Claudine's parents!

Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.

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					Chapter 36. Tendos And Saijous (Part 2)


"Maman, Papa. This is my girlfriend, Maya."

Claudine watches her parents smile and nod invitingly to the couch across from them. Claudine keeps a reassuring grip on Maya's hand, which has started to tremble a little bit from the nerves of a re-introduction.

This is the real Tendo Maya; a girl who is nervous about meeting her girlfriend's parents, especially after botching it the first time around. The girl Maya had been earlier this morning - arrogant and confident and expecting them to approve of her instantly - had been someone Claudine had never known.

Now, Maya sits rigidly beside her on the couch, but not a second later she stands right back up again. Facing Claudine's parents, Maya throws herself forward into a deep bow, so quickly that her hair flies up over her shoulders.

"U-Um-! I would like to offer my sincerest apologies!"

Claudine is just as taken aback as her parents are by the sudden display of repentance. She reaches for Maya's hand again, taking it gently.

"Maya…"

But she stops herself with a realization. She knows Maya blames herself for acting obnoxiously and ruining their day together, even if the actions she'd taken had been mostly subconscious. Claudine refrains from stopping her, and lets Maya do what she feels is necessary to make things right. So she just squeezes her hand quietly in support of her.

Maya doesn't lift her head just yet, but continues on in a serious tone.

"Today… my behavior was unforgivable. My reasons for accompanying Saijou-san back here to visit you both was so that we might all enjoy a relaxing experience together. But my actions have caused the opposite effect. I wasted so much of your precious time together with your daughter, and for that I am truly sorry."

At that point, Claudine, her mother, and her father all chime in at the same time.

"Maya-"

"Oh dear-"

"You've got it all wrong."

As all three Saijous speak up simultaneously, Maya slowly raises her face again. A sense of calm gradually eases its way into her troubled heart.

She should have known. After all, Claudine's family is very different from her own. They are the kind of people who can't bear to listen to someone apologize for something they believe required no apology. The fact that they've all called out to stop her in her rambling makes Maya's eyes tear up - in a good way.

Claudine shares a look with each of her parents, then meets Maya's gaze as well. She gives a light tug to her wrist, having her step back to sit down beside her once more. Claudine clasps both of her hands over Maya's now, one underneath and one on top, as if trying to keep her warm and show her all-encompassing support. She clears her throat first.

"Maya," she begins. "I believe Maman, Papa, and I all agree that you have nothing to apologize for."

"Claudine is absolutely right," her mother says instantly. "Maya-chan- May I call you Maya-chan?"

"Please, be all means…"

"Maya-chan." Claudine's mother continues with an achingly kind smile. "Please don't apologize. Papa and I both know you were only trying to prove to us - in your own way - that you were a suitable match for our Claudine."

"At first," her husband says. "We had our misgivings. It's us who should be apologizing for judging you so sternly after only one day." He dips his head, and so too does his wife.

Maya tenses up in a panic.

"Eh? Not at all, please-"

Sensing her distress, Claudine laces her fingers through hers to calm her down. Maya glances at her and remembers to take a breath, then continues a bit more collectedly.

"Of course you would judge me based on my behavior today. Your first impression of me was less-than-reassuring, I'm certain. And I've got no one but myself to blame for that."

"Actually," Claudine cuts in a little gruffly. "I think there are other Tendos to blame for this…"

In spite of her frazzled emotions at the moment, Maya cracks a tiny smile to see Claudine get so defensive of her against her own parents. The atmosphere in this room - and throughout the entire Saijou estate - is completely different from the Tendos' place of residence. Everything here feels warm and welcoming, with love and acceptance serving as the foundation.

Maya reaches her free hand across her lap to cup Claudine's in a silent display of gratitude before she continues.

"I was not myself today," she confesses. "I was the Tendos' daughter, but I was not the 'Maya' that Saijou-san knows. I was not my true self. I apologize for introducing you to a complete stranger today."

Claudine's parents share a tranquil smile.

"We understand," her mother says. "Meeting us for the first time, and having to fly all the way out here in order to do so… It must have been very nerve-wracking for you."

"But it just goes to show," Claudine's father says. "If you went through such great lengths as to try and become someone you're not, just so you could hope to impress us and earn our favor… You must truly care for our Claudine."

At this, Claudine blushes.

"Papa…"

But beside her, Maya blurts out a reply immediately.

"Yes! I love her very much."

"Wh-" Claudine's jaw drops, and her face turns several shades redder. Maya is blushing as well, but her eyes are firm and clear about what she'd said.

Both of Claudine's parents flush a bit, but smiles curl their lips and their eyes soften.

"Oh my," her mother coos. "That is quite the statement."

"We're very glad to hear it," her father agrees.

Claudine is still sputtering, her face becoming so warm she feels like she might pass out for a second. She can't meet Maya's gaze directly right now, as simply glancing at her steadfast profile is making Claudine's heart pound.

In all Maya had done, said, and expressed now, it's very clear to all three Saijous that her feelings toward Claudine are nothing short of genuine, and stem from only the purest and deepest affection.

When she does finally turn her face and meet Claudine's eyes, her mouth is curved into a wobbly kind of smile, embarrassed at having said such things out loud, and yet also very proud of it. Claudine gapes a moment longer before drawing in a deep breath, then letting it out in a huff.

"Honnêtement… You're really something else, Tendo Maya."

If her parents hadn't been sitting right there in front of them, Claudine probably would have kissed her.

Maya smiles a bit more brightly, and they squeeze each other's hands a little tighter.

Whatever awkward air that had been filling the atmosphere until now finally dissipates at long last now that the real Maya has revealed herself, and Claudine and her parents have made their feelings known as well.

"Now then," Claudine's mother says, leaning forward with a spark of interest in her eyes. "Please tell us about yourself, Maya-chan."

"That's right," her father nods. "We've heard plenty about your parents and your family in general. But we don't really know much about you."

Maya blinks, and then frowns faintly.

"About myself…?" She flashes Claudine a worried glance. "I… The truth is, I put on that facade earlier because I hoped to impress you both." She bows her head a little shamefully. "The honest truth is that I am really not a very interesting person…"

Claudine won't hear a word of that.

"Excuse you?" she cries. "Tendo Maya, just what on earth are you saying? Maman, Papa, please excuse her, she must be tired. Because the Tendo Maya I know is anything but uninteresting.

"As you already know, she is an excellent dancer, singer, actress, and performer. She works herself to the bone, sometimes to the point where I'll literally have to drag her out of the studio to make sure she eats. And she loves to eat. With how much she can stomach in a single sitting, it's a wonder she doesn't get sick at just about every meal. I suppose her metabolism is as flawless as the rest of her. Oh, but she does have one weakness. Unfortunately this girl struggles a bit in art class, but she's been improving a lot recently."

Maya's ears grow hot as she listens to Claudine rant more and more about her.

"S-Saijou-san-"

"Oh, and listen to this-" As Claudine continues, her parents nod their heads and listen with intrigue. "In the past, Maya played the role of a character named Mariavera, and there's this darling little girl who lives in town who went to see that play. Whenever she spots Maya at the mall or at the park, she runs up to her with the biggest smile and the brightest sparkle in her eyes."

"Mon Dieu, how precious!"

"She's loved by her fans, isn't she?"

Claudine nods proudly, leaning slightly sideways to bump her shoulder with Maya's.

"Although she can be a bit prideful at times, she's really a big softie at heart."

By now, Maya has gone almost completely red, even though she's still sitting up properly and trying to be as polite as possible.

"Saijou-san, please…"

"What? I'm only telling them the truth."

"Perhaps, but even so…"

After that, Claudine gets so invested in telling her parents about Maya that she actually reverts to speaking in French to them without fully realizing the transition. They respond back in their native language as well, and Maya can only understand about half of it in total, but she can discern they're essentially fawning over her.

Claudine keeps hold of her hand all the while, but occasionally flashes her a bit of a smug smirk to boast that she's saying whatever she pleases about her. Maya accepts this minor punishment for a while, considering the way she'd acted earlier.

But eventually, she decides to counter. She waits for a lull in their conversation, at a point where Claudine's parents are chuckling happily, to cut in.

"If I may," she says politely. "I trust Saijou-san has only been saying the most painfully-honest things about me, such as about my art and cooking skills. But might you perhaps like to hear about what she is like at school?"

Claudine's laughter cuts off with a choke, and she quickly switches back to Japanese.

"Hey, Tendo Maya-"

"Oh yes!" her mother smiles. "Please tell us everything, Maya-chan. Claudine always writes and calls us to tell us about the performances you're all putting on at the time. But she tends to leave out the details about how she's doing."

"Tell us," her father says. "Does she still get nervous before going onstage?"

"P-Papa!"

"That's right!" her mother coos. "When Claudine was little, she used to get so nervous before going onstage. A few times it was so bad she would cry for nearly half an hour."

"Maman!"

"Oh my," Maya purrs. "Well, thankfully I can report she does not cry quite so often. If at all, it's typically after a performance instead of before one, and they're usually tears of joy. I must say, Saijou-san is quite adorable when she cries."

"Hey, you-!"

"She really is, isn't she?"

"I really shouldn't be admitting it, but I agree."

"Maman! Papa! Traîtres!"

"But aside from that," Maya continues. "Saijou-san is a very hard worker. I can only assume that in her communication with you both, she humbles things to some degree.

"But in reality, she is often the first one at practice and the last to leave. Her passion is unparalleled, and the lengths she goes to in order to demonstrate her skills are extensive. Her dedication to the stage is second-to-none, and her exemplary performances are all results of her painstaking work to be the best she can possibly be. But please don't worry. I myself and our friends do all we can to ensure she doesn't push herself too hard."

Claudine's parents couldn't look more proud than they do in that moment listening to their daughter's girlfriend sing her praises.

"We're very grateful, Maya-chan."

"Please continue to look after Claudine in our stead."

Maya bows forward.

"It would be my pleasure."

By now, Claudine has gone redder than before as she flails her hands around to interject.

"Hey! That's enough out of you, Tendo Maya!"

"Oh my. But you told them all about me, did you not? I'm simply returning the favor."

"Cette femme, mechante va!"

"As you can see," Maya teases. "Saijou-san will get rather animated at times."

"Quiet, you!"

Now it's her turn to be flustered as Maya talks about her to her parents. But before long, Claudine cracks a smile and joins in on the conversation as well.

As the evening progresses, Claudine's mother brings in some pie and macarons. Maya is mindful to try not to eat too many of them, but Claudine sees right through her and distributes a handful of them onto her plate for her.

"It's our vacation," she reminds her. "You don't have to hold back."

And so they eat and chat and enjoy themselves well into the night.

Claudine and Maya tell about their friends and their performances, while Claudine's parents tell them briefly about their work, but are mostly engaged in listening to the girls.

Claudine's heart lifts higher and higher by the minute. Now that Maya is relaxed enough to be her true self, it has alleviated the stress on all of them. Her parents are holding nothing back now either, and from what she can tell they really love Maya.

After the day of high tension and reservation, the evening is exactly the opposite. Everyone is smiling and laughing and showing their truest selves, sometimes getting so carried away or caught up in the moment that they burst out laughing or lose their formal speech for a moment.

In the end, they stay up chatting until midnight, and only then do Maya and Claudine both begin to yawn. Claudine's parents share a bemused look and smile.

"Well," her mother begins. "This has been very fun. But I think the both of you should get some rest now."

"You did just fly here yesterday," her father reminds them. "I'm surprised you've stayed awake this long."

Now, Maya and Claudine share a glance to find the other is equally as bleary-eyed, though the smiles still remain.

"They're right," Claudine says. "We should get some rest so we can enjoy the rest of our vacation."

"I agree. I would very much like to continue sightseeing together with everyone tomorrow, and I promise there will be no more false pretenses. Again, I do apologize."

"Don't worry at all, Maya-chan," Claudine's mother says. "But on that note, I'm very glad to have met you properly."

"As am I," her father agrees.

Maya dips her head humbly to them.

"The pleasure is all mine."

With this, it's time for bed. Claudine and Maya get up together to clean up the dishes, while Claudine's parents begin turning off the lights. The four of them reconvene in the main hallway, where Claudine's parents each hug and kiss her goodnight.

"Bonne nuit, ma douce."

"Bonne nuit, Claudine."

"Bonne nuit, Maman. Papa."

When they part, her parents dip their heads to Maya, who reflects the motion. Then the pairs head their separate ways to the bedrooms.

As she follows beside Claudine, Maya realizes she'd dropped off all her luggage in Claudine's room earlier in the day.

"Ah, Saijou-san? Is there perhaps a guest room I should be-?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Claudine mutters. "Of course you're staying with me."

Maya sighs, admittedly a bit relieved.

"Very well. I was worried it might not be appropriate."

"Please. We aren't children. Besides, we sleep together all the time at school…"

"Indeed we do."

"Why are you smiling so much…?"

Claudine leads Maya by the hand to her bedroom. Maya had entered earlier, but the lights had been off and she hadn't really gotten the chance to look around either.

Now, as Claudine turns on the bedside lamp, Maya closes the door behind them and takes in her girlfriend's childhood room.

It's very similar to her room back at school, as though that were the miniature version and this was the original. The walls and carpet are a pale creamy color, and the large bed is surrounded by a pink canopy. Bookshelves are lined with dozens of French and Japanese novels alike, most of which Maya recognizes as plays or other classic stories. One shelf along the wall above her dresser is lined with small glass and porcelain statues of various animals, birds, and dancers. A painting of Paris runs above the headboard, all in light blues and purples and pinks.

Maya makes a mental note to ask her about things more in the morning, but for now she is simply humbled to be in the very place where Saijou Claudine grew up. She wonders how many secret diaries Claudine has hidden here, how many nights she had cried here, and how many hours she'd spent curled up dreaming…

"Hey, earth to Tendo Maya." She feels a prodding in her side and turns to find Claudine giving her a puzzled look. "What are you spacing out for? You'd better lie down before you keel over."

Maya smiles and shakes her head.

"Not to worry. I was simply admiring your room. I'm very honored to have stepped foot into such a special place, Saijou-san."

Claudine sits down on the edge of the bed and pats the space beside her.

"It's not that amazing, though it is nice to be back here." She smiles, her eyes shimmering in the golden lamplight. Then she clears her throat as Maya sits beside her. "Anyway, enough of that."

"Pardon?" Maya tilts her head as she removes her slippers. Claudine looks into her lap bashfully.

"That… you've been calling me 'Saijou-san' around my parents all day. But they're 'Saijou-san' too, aren't they? You can use my first name you know…"

Maya's heart does a little flip.

"Of course. It was my mistake, Claudine."

"It's fine, really…" She says as much, but Maya doesn't miss her smile when Maya calls her by her first name again.

They sit together for a moment, gradually feeling the effects of their flight and the long day traveling around. Claudine breaks first with a yawn, but Maya still has something she wants to say before they go to sleep. Fiddling with her fingers, she catches her eye shyly.

"Claudine…?"

Claudine can already read her.

"You don't have to apologize again. Really, Maya." She reaches out and wraps her arms around Maya, pulling her into a warm hug. "Everything's fine now. My parents really adore you, you know. I've never seen them like that around other guests before. So don't worry. They know the real you, and I can promise you they approve."

Maya slowly lifts her hands and hugs her in return, humbly letting Claudine's reassurances wash away her insecurities once more.

"Do you really mean it…?"

"Of course I do. And they're right; the fact that you thought you had to put on an act to try and win their favor for my sake just goes to show how much you care about me. So… merci."

Maya feels another rush of emotion stirring in her chest. She squeezes her harder, nodding into her shoulder.

"Yes… I love you, Claudine."

"I love you too, Maya."

They hold tight for a moment, then gradually ease back to share a sweet kiss. When it eventually gets interrupted by a yawn, they come to a mutual agreement.

They remove their headband and ribbon respectively and place them on the night stand. Claudine turns off the lamp and pulls her legs up onto the bed, getting herself situated beneath the covers. Maya waits for her to get comfortable first, then lies down beside her.

Once the room is dark, and the soft mattress and blankets are surrounding them, both girls start to fade almost instantly. But not before they turn to each other and open their arms, snuggling close to share their warmth.

Maya sighs, nestling up against her heartbeat as Claudine presses a few more kisses into her hair. Their eyes close before much longer, and tired mumbles pass between them.

"Bonne nuit, Ma Maya…"

"Bonne nuit, Ma Claudine…"

Claudine is glad to have been able to bring her into her life like this, to the point where Maya could meet her parents and come to sleep with her in her childhood room.

And likewise, Maya is honored to have received the privilege of getting that much closer to her heart.

Sleep comes quietly, and together they dance even in their dreams.

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A/N: Ah, I know people probably wanted a real first 'date' with Maya and the family exploring France again, but this just felt right. Having them all sit together and talk properly and honestly, in their home where they could focus and relax and get to know each other better. I hope it's okay!

I feel Claudine's mother would start calling her "Maya-chan" right away and she and her husband would both more or less automatically adopt Maya into the family ahha