A warmth that Sanora hasn’t felt in a small eternity lies in her arms when she wakes up. Most of her body is still aching but the gentle feeling she has in her chest is making it bearable. How she missed waking up like this, under the blanket with someone she loves in her embrace. If it wasn’t for the ungodly amount of dried blood on them, this would be an absolutely perfect moment.
“I can’t believe you actually came into the bloody bed.” Sanora mumbles and Mari stirs awake.
“Mhh I was tired what do you want.” She stretches her arms and sits up.
“It was quite a night.” Sanora yawns and tries to sit up but falls back into bed when her back cracks painfully.
“You alright?”
“No. My back is killing me.” Sanora groans.
“I’d tell you to take it easy but…” Mari looks down at herself and Sanora. “We should take a bath. Or two.”
“Make that three.” Sanora slowly sits up, hissing as pain shoots through her. She clumsily peels off her tunic with her left arm and tosses it into the room, gracefully exposing her chest to Mari whose face shoots from normal to beet red in record time.
“What’s wrong?” Sanora tilts her head.
“Oh wow.” Mari says quietly, unable to hold eye contact with Sanora.
“Be a dear and pass me a tunic when you’re done staring.” Sanora chuckles and Mari breaks from her stupor.
“Oh yeah, s-sure.” She says after stealing one last glance at Sanora. She puts it on and falls straight back into bed.
“Just gonna go back to sleep now?” Mari raises an eyebrow as she sits down on the bed.
“Yes. Nighty night.” Sanora says and rolls over, snuggling into the blanket. At least most of the blood was dried the night before, so only their clothes are ruined.
Mari lets herself fall into bed again with a sigh.
“Maybe just a little longer.” She yawns and closes her eyes. Sanora turns around and looks at the girl, pondering.
“Hey Mari.” She says and shuffles over.
“Huh?” Mari opens her eyes and looks at Sanora when she suddenly moves in and kisses her. She freezes, relishing in the warmth of Sanora’s lips on hers as her heart goes into overdrive. After a way too short moment Sanora moves back and smiles at the girl.
“Thank you.”
===========================
The two of them cuddle a bit longer before getting out of bed to take a direly needed bath. The Vixen’s wooden tubs are by no means luxurious, but a bath is a bath. Even though they were just joking earlier the two of them have to actually take two baths to get properly clean.
Afterwards they meet up with Kera in the lobby.
“Slept well?” She greets them as they walk in.
“Like a stone.” Sanora says.
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“Good to hear. How you feeling? Think you’re ready for work?”
“Does she look like she is?” Mari frowns at the woman who looks at Sanora. She still has a limp in her walk, her right arm can barely handle even the most basic tasks and the vision in her still bloodshot right eye is blurry.
Sanora opens her mouth, but Mari cuts her off.
“Don’t you even dare say you’re fine.” She raises a finger at Sanora. “You need to rest yesterday.”
“I know I know. But if they open without me around, they are taking a risk every day.”
“Then they’ll have to find a new bouncer for the time being.”
“But-“
“No buts. You promised to take it easy.” Mari pouts.
“Well, I figured as much.” Kera sighs. “We’ll just stay closed for a few days until I find someone to stand in for you. I’d rather you stay alive after all.”
“Are you sure? What about money?”
“Please Sanora, you know what we make.” Kera snickers. “We won’t go bankrupt from a three-day vacation. You go and take a rest. You deserve it after all you’ve done for us so far.” The woman smiles kindly.
“But I also kind of live here.”
“You can stay with me. Problem solved.” Mari nods.
“Wait, really? Are you sure about that?” Sanora looks at Mari surprised.
“Sure. Unless you mind sharing a bed?” She smirks at Sanora who chuckles.
“I can imagine worse.”
“It’s decided then.” Kera clasps her hands. “Go and get your things.”
“Already? Just like that?” Sanora says a bit deflated.
“Yep, you don’t work here, and I won’t let you scrounge a whole room. Go, shoo.”
“Charming as always.” Sanora rolls her eyes and limps upstairs to gather her few belongings.
Once she is out of sight Kera plops into her chair with a sigh.
“Finally.”
“Finally?” Mari furrows her eyebrows.
“Yes, finally. You think I can’t see how she’s destroying herself? Knowing her, I’m surprised she went so easily.” Kera snorts. “But this can’t go on. She’s been here for too long as is. Would hate to see such a nice girl wither away in a place like this. There aren’t many people this selfless, you scored big time, young lass.” She winks at Mari.
“I know. She really is special. I’ve never in my life met someone like her. It’s almost like she isn’t from this world.” Mari says with a smile while looking up at Sanora’s room.
“She’s certainly lost enough to be.” Kera chuckles. “You take good care of her.”
“I will.” Mari nods.
Soon Sanora comes down again, her stuffed backpack slung over her shoulder.
“I guess this is goodbye then, for now at least.”
“Considering how you ended up here the first time let’s hope it’s not just for now.”
“You’re making it really hard to miss you.” Sanora scoffs. “Thank you, Kera. For everything.” Sanora smiles at the woman who just nods.
“Go now, get your life together.”
Sanora rolls her eyes before she and Mari turn to leave. But just when they reach the door Sanora turns around one last time.
“Hey, when you see Elle say goodbye for me. And thanks for all the ‘emotional supprt’.”
“Will do.”
Sanora nods and they finally leave the Dancing Vixen.
Kera sighs.
“You can come out now.”
The door behind the counter opens and Elle comes out.
“You sure you didn’t want to see her off?” Kera turns to her.
“Yeah. After all, my irresistible charms might have made her stay after all.” Elle says with a smirk.
“Yeah yeah, keep acting all tough but I can see how watery your eyes are.”
“You mean like yours?”
“Touche.” Kera chuckles wryly. “I’ll miss the lass.”
==============================
Mari and Sanora slowly walk through the town. It’s been a while since Sanora had a leisurely walk like this. It’s been so many days since she arrived in Deepvalley, but she can remember it as if it was yesterday. How she met Vadia in the woods, how they came here together, tinkering on her story as Sanora of Ginaeris. Her first meeting with the late lord of the city, the first time she met Liddy and Gia in the bath. The days spent in the castle, wandering in its lonely halls. How she met Jared. The members of Bullwind and their adventures. The pit she fell into after Vadia’s betrayal and the agonizing days she spent alone in her room in the Dancing Vixen crying herself to sleep. So much has happened in her short live it is hard to believe.
Melancholy washes over her as she looks around these streets that felt like a maze not too long ago. Somewhere deep inside she knows that even though she said she would return, her days as the bouncer of the Dancing Vixen are over now. Ahead lies the live with Mari, and whatever that may bring. She still has to find the moon and return to River’s rest someday. A smile spreads on her face when she thinks about finally hugging Amni again, raising a toast with Bawarag as he wears his usual grin, telling Genny all about her adventures as she hangs onto every word with her curious smile.
Truly, this isn’t the end of Sanora’s journey, it is just the start.