Artistic Liberties

By spheeris1

Pairing(s): Utena/Wakaba, Utena/Anthy

Warnings/Notes: See first chapter

"Perhaps you should let her go…"

"No! I cannot do that…I love her…"

And so Utena searches all night for Wakaba. The café, friends, shops and stores. She goes to every bus stop, every bus station…train station…flags down taxis as the hours go on…

"How much do you love her? How long will you go on hurting her…the one you claim to love?"

"What the hell…? How dare you say that! I would never hurt Wakaba!"

Utena did not find her. Utena cannot find Wakaba…because she does not want to be found. She finally sits down on the steps to her own apartment. The watch reads five a.m. One hour until the start of dawn.

The night before is over. The day is new. But nothing is the same.

"You are hurting her…even now…you are hurting her…"

Yuriko shuts the door and lets Wakaba in. She does not question Wakaba, just lets her walk to the couch and sit down. Yuriko continues making some tea and makes Wakaba a cup.

"Did the party fall apart?" Yuriko asks.

Wakaba does not answer. She takes the mug from Yuriko and sips on it.

"What …flavor is this…?" Wakaba asks.

Yuriko smiles slowly, sits her own cup down and faces Wakaba. The girl is just staring at her mug, the question hanging in the air.

"Rose-flavored." Yuriko answers.

And Wakaba stands up. And she hurls the mug toward the wall. Yuriko watches it crash and shatter. Pieces of the cup go sliding and flying outward.

"Should I call Utena?" Yuriko asks.

Wakaba stares over at her, the eyes wide and the mouth open, all prepared to apologize…and she freezes…

Yuriko chuckles.

And Anthy smiles from behind the couch.

I can end it then. I started it, I can end it…

Utena gathers all her papers, every scrap and every piece that has anything to do with her story. She puts them in a pile and then shoves them in a folder.

I created her. I can end her. I can stop this.

And Utena digs through every room, looking for a match or a lighter. She never took up smoking and she was never much for candles. But Utena keeps looking, turning the place inside-out.

Then I can find Wakaba. I can make this right. I can have her back again and we can be alright…

A white stick. A red-tip of salvation. Utena strikes it and watches it light up.

She brings it closer and closer. The corner of one page starts to curl and to turn black.

"You are hurting her…even now…you are hurting her…"

Utena pinches the flame out.

And she lays down next to her story. And she wishes to never wake up.

TBC