Me before you

chapter 16

They got back to the mayor’s house just before one in the morning, high on music and champagne, piled into the wheelchair, giggling.

Sana could hardly believe it. Giggling. She hadn’t done that since she was ten. Let alone with someone she might actually have romantic feelings for. This was all so unexpected… If she hadn’t known her own tolerance so well, Sana might have thought the alcohol had gone to her head. Her legs bumped against Y/n’s they whirred their way down the dark annex hallway.

“So,” Y/n said, through a blinding grin, as she pressed the right buttons to push them through the wedged-open bedroom door. She shot her a look; they were pressed so close by the night and the chair their noses were nearly bumping. “How was that for a first date?”

Sana arched an eyebrow, chest fizzing and popping. “Are you sure all those romantic movies we watched don’t count?”

“Oh, shut up,” Y/n muttered, nudging her head with her own. Sana guessed that was her version of a playful punch. “I didn’t even know I had a shot then.”

“Well, you do.” Sana told her lightly. The mechanical whirr of the wheelchair stopped abruptly as Y/n’s chair came to a standstill in the centre of the room. They’d left the curtains open; outside the night was dark blue and the stars were cold, but she was impossibly warm. Y/n caught her eye, smile frozen in place. Sana opened her mouth cautiously. “More than a shot, if I’m being honest.”

The air around them suddenly seemed so still and silent. Y/n stared at her. There were still fireworks going off between her ribs. They were so loud, she was almost surprised the neighbors hadn’t complained.

“Good,” Y/n spoke crisply, cleanly, through lips curled into a smile. She waited a moment, eyes sparkling. A small smile twitched at her lips as she leaned her forehead closer and whispered, like a little kid telling a secret, “I really like you.”

Sana’s breath caught in her throat. “I like you too.” She confessed slowly. Her hand rested lightly on the woman’s shoulder. Beneath the material of her white shirt, her skin was warm. “More than I’ve liked anyone for… a long time.”

“Oh,” The Y/n’s smile softened. “In that case…”

Y/n’s wide eyes trailed up to find hers. They leaned in at the same time, in the same way: slowly, silently, soundly. She let her eyes fall closed, sparks shooting through her veins the instant their warm lips touched. Something in her chest danced at the soft, gentle pressure. When they pulled apart, it felt like they were still attached, a tangle of warm limbs and hair. They just stayed there for a minute in the moonlight, looking at each other, saying nothing. But it was the kind of nothing that meant everything.

“What'd you say, Minatozaki?” Y/n said eventually, mouth curling into a lopsided smile. “You wanna give this a go?”

Sana took a breath, studying the way Y/n’s doll-eyes trailed over her, all silvers and greys in the moonlight. They were still close enough that their eyelashes were nearly touching; not that Sana could tell where they were and weren’t touching anymore, a tangle of legs and dresses and wheelchair. A breeze from the open window stirred through the curtains. Her heart was beating harder in her chest than it had done in years. God, what was she – what was she doing?

She blinked, mouth dry. Without thinking, her hands went to cover Y/n’s on the arms of the wheelchair, making the woman smile wide. After a few more heartbeats, she spoke, the smallest of smiles pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“I want to give this a go.”

++++++

It was frosty and brisk the morning Sana finally found herself waiting on the front porch, arms wrapped around herself, for her son to come home. He was scheduled to arrive in approximately six minutes. Her eyes flicked down to the watch at her wrist again.