Title: a long-awaited birthday present
Rating: G
Fandom: Atelier Arland games, specifically Atelier Lulua
Relationship: Totori Helmold/Mimi Houllier von Schwarzlang
Wordcount: 1001
Short summary: Mimi is drunk on her 29th birthday. Totori treats her out, but Mimi seems unhappy for some reason...
“Did something bad happen at work today?”
Since today was Mimi’s 29th birthday, Totori had taken Mimi to Sunrise Café for a small celebration. But instead it being a happy celebration, Mimi had arrived in a sour mood. Mimi had tried to hide it with false cheer and alcohol, but after 15 or so years of knowing Mimi, Totori knew better and couldn’t let this slide.
“Nothing.” Mimi dropped some of her false cheer and downed half of her second wine glass in one go. “Just one of my juniors’ comments,” she grumbled.
“About what?” Were they complaining about Mimi being a hard taskmaster again?
“Making fun of me for turning 29 and still not having been kissed…”
Totori put her hand over Mimi’s. “Mimi…”
Mimi looked dejectedly at her wine glass as she continued to ramble. “I mean so what? It’s not like people should just go around kissing others. That’s idiotic. And besides I want my first kiss with someone special.”
Her first kiss? “You haven’t kissed anyone?” Totori blurted. She couldn’t help herself; this wasn’t something Totori thought Mimi cared about, but now Totori really wanted to know…
“Have you?” Mimi looked up straight into Totori’s eyes. “Are you saying you’re better than me too?”
“No, I haven’t!” Totori quickly replied. She didn’t want Mimi to get mad at her! She had just been curious, because…
Mimi sighed and looked away. “I mean, the one person I want to kiss… She’s my best friend so it’s off limits right? But it’s not like anyone else would do.” She laid her head down on the table. “If it’s not Totori… Ah, I’m stupid.”
“Mimi!” Totori was shocked. Mimi didn’t usually talk like this, but more importantly…
Mimi lifted her head up laughed wryly. “Well, it’s no one else’s business anyway. Stupid gossip.”
Totori frowned. “Mimi…”
“Totori, why’re you looking so scrunched up?” Mimi lifted her half-full wine glass up and swung it back and forth. “it’s my birthday, drink some more!”
Totori sighed. She didn’t think Mimi getting more drunk would be good, considering all the information she just suddenly learned and what she wanted to do with it. But they did pay for these drinks already… “Okay, Mimi.” Totori lifted her glass up to her lips. “But just a little more. Then we should head home.”
“Already?” Mimi whined. “I haven’t gotten—"
Totori interrupted Mimi by putting a finger to her lips. “I still have a present for you,” she said quietly. She hoped she wasn’t blushing too badly.
Mimi perked up. “Oh! That’s nice.” She drank the rest of her wine. “Let’s go then!”
Totori chuckled. She decided not to finish her wine after all, putting the glass down on the table and standing up.
“I hope you like it…” she murmured to herself as she took Mimi’s hand and led them out the door.
*****
“So what is it?” Mimi asked, clinging onto Totori’s arm as the two of them made their way into their shared room. It seemed, unfortunately, that the weight of the alcohol had hit Mimi once she had stood up. Totori did her best to keep calm with Mimi leaning onto her and breathing onto her neck. If she was too drunk…
“Mimi, patience.” Totori maneuvered Mimi until she was sitting properly on the bed. “I made you a new accessory.”
Mimi brightened. “Oh!”
Totori pulled the item out from her wardrobe. It was a simple pendant with a red jewel, similar to the one she wore around her own neck. While making it, she had been thinking that it’d be nice to have something matching between her and Mimi, since they were best friends and all…
Mimi pawed at the item, but Totori held it up and away. “Can I put it around your neck?”
Mimi smiled. “Yes…”
Totori carefully slid her hands around Mimi’s neck, trying not to touch Mimi’s skin too much. She was actually a little nervous even though it wasn’t like she hadn’t put jewelry around Mimi’s neck before. But before she was only thinking of Mimi as a friend, and now... It felt more intimate.
Once the short pendant was secured, Totori pulled back to admire her work. Good, she had estimated the right length for the chain. The red jewel sat below Mimi’s choker and rested at the top of Mimi’s blouse. “It looks perfect on you.”
“Totori…” Mimi blushed as Totori leaned in closer.
“Happy birthday, Mimi.”
She took a deep breath before closing the distance between them, placing her lips softly on top of Mimi’s. Mimi’s lips were warm and soft, but as this was also Totori’s first kiss, Totori pulled away before she could mess it up. Even so, she felt like the kiss had taken her breath away.
“Totori?” Mimi’s eyes were wide.
“That was okay, right?” Totori suddenly felt very nervous. What if she had been delusional earlier and heard Mimi wrong? What if Mimi ended up hating her?
“Mmm…” Mimi murmured. She smiled and reached out for Totori’s face. Totori felt herself relax. “Did I really have to wait this long?” she wondered aloud.
Totori giggled. “Well, you should have told me earlier.”
Mimi giggled too. “I guess…” She pulled Totori’s face in closer and closed her eyes. Totori’s heart skipped at Mimi’s cuteness before kissing Mimi again, holding the kiss longer this time.
“I like you Totori,” Mimi said with a smile after they broke the kiss for air. Her hands wandered down from Totori’s face to her arms, before burying her face in Totori’s neck.
Totori smiled. “I like you too Mimi. Shall we call it a day?” She wrapped her arms around Mimi, bringing them into a proper embrace.
“Okay…”
It took a little bit of maneuvering, but Totori didn’t want to let Mimi go just yet. As they laid down together on the bed, as Mimi nestled her face against Totori’s chest…
Totori hoped her 29th birthday would be just as nice as Mimi’s…