Work Text:
Ring ring ring.
Pling pling pling.
Ring ring ring.
The sound rang with an unmistakable familiarity. The bit crunched mid 2010’s ringtone was one Rei bought during her 2nd year of middle school. It was a ringtone she had designated to only be for one person. The notes of a xylophone mixed with the chiming of small bells reminded her of the meek person that she knew then. A person she liked well enough that, even as a selfish 12 year old, she was willing to fork out a crisp dollar to hear a song that reminded her of a presence she found so comforting.
That’s why hearing it now, as an adult, in the space of her own very adult apartment, it sent a shiver up her spine of familiarity but also surprise. The name lit up on the screen, an unfortunate reminder of the person she once thought she knew. She always meant to change her contact but had totally spaced on it over the last year.
A year? Has it really been more than a year now? For some reason the notion made her stomach twist, but Rei quickly swallowed the feeling down as she picked up the phone.
“Hello?” Rei made her voice as clear as she could in hopes of portraying some kind of confidence.
“Oh hey, uhhhh-” The voice on the other end was so foreign to Rei that for a moment she could’ve sworn it was a stranger. This woman she was hearing surely couldn’t be…
“It’s um, me, Melody.” Suddenly the similarities of this voice finally clicked into a familiar rhythm for Rei. The shyness, the rasp, they were different, sung in a different cadence but there was no doubt that the person on the other line was the same girl she bought this ringtone for.
“Oh, what’s up?” Rei put on a false air of unpracticed nonchalance, concerned that if she showed how much this call actually meant to her that it would scare off the woman on the other end of the phone.
“Nothing much.” A beat of too long silence filled the air after Melody responded. “I was calling in cuz my mom is having me over for Christmas.”
Rei had almost forgotten that was coming up. Her own family being mostly Japanese immigrants, they tended to treat the day as an excuse to hold a small get together with fried chicken. So the holiday had managed to stealthily approach her.
“Oh yeah?” Rei responded, realizing she was eager to hear more of the pretty voice on the other end. Pretty?
“Um yeah and…” Melody was silent for a moment. “Well, I’m gonna be busy the 24th and the 25th but I was wondering if I could see you after that? It's okay if not,” Melody quickly added in an almost half stumble. “I just feel like I haven’t seen you in a while and…” her voice trailed off.
Rei recognized this pattern all too well. Melody would want something, get embarrassed by how bad she wanted it, and try and play it cool. It was the same all the way back in middle school. Something about how nostalgic the notion, the voice, the words all where, made Rei smile.
“I’d love that Melody,” Rei responded.
A moment of silence passed.
“I’m glad,” Melody let out with a sigh of relief.
The rest of the call went by with relative briskness as the two made their plans for December 27th.
The week leading up to it had Rei’s mind racing. Melody was a terrible mix of a familiar person she felt a need to impress like a family member, but a stranger she felt she had no longer had an understanding of. Her mind raced with a mix of memories and unanswered questions.
Melody’s family had moved to Washington when she was 11 years old so that her mother could make more money at a local hospital. But unfortunately for Melody that meant a lot more lonely nights of her mom working overnight shifts.
It was around this time Rei met her. It was through a shared school assignment in Mr. Hindleber’s history class that they were partnered and quickly formed a deep bond. The two were the only kids in class who were second generation immigrants so a friendship quickly formed between the two. Shared whispers, inside jokes, and running together as the school bell rang made the two inseparable. Rei remembered Melody as she was through those years. A sad and timid boy who hid herself from the world. The two bonded over their shared interests. Rei being the tomboy that she was, was into Magic the Gathering, video games and skateboarding - boyish hobbies she was able to engage with Melody on. Meanwhile Melody shared her love of make up and sleepovers. Though Melody didn’t want Rei telling anyone at school what they did when they hung out, and in hindsight, Rei thinks she may now have an inclination as to why Melody felt so ashamed of her wants.
Her sheepishness around her own joy was something that Rei never understood until Melody came out as trans a week after prom.
Oh god, prom.
Rei winced at the nearly two year old memory. At the time neither her or Melody had dates, so to try and make Melody feel better she offered that they could go together as a sort of best friend style favor. But the night had just seared itself into her memory. How uncomfortable Melody looked in her suit, how much she hated the slow dance, how she left early, how in the dim light of a dance floor it looked like she had been crying.
A week after that Melody came out as transgender to everyone who was close to her. Rei remembered the words Melody used on one of their last late night walks. “I can’t keep pretending to be someone who I’m not.” A week after Melody said that she left for college. That was the last Rei had heard from her.
But now she had a chance to answer all the questions she was left with. The biggest question of those was “how much of what Rei was attached to was a facade?” And the other question that held her awake those seven nights, “Did Melody, despite all of her changes, still feel the same attachment that Rei did?”
Rei reached her hand up and rang the doorbell. The chime was familiar and reminded her of summer cookouts and sleepovers. The door swung open.
“Oh hello dear!” It was Ms. Stephanni, Melody’s mom.
“Oh h-hey,” Rei effused. Even though she was in front of Ms. Stephanni’s house she wasn’t expecting to see her opening the door. Ms. Stephanni was wearing full scrubs as a cat rubbed itself along her shoes and purred.
“She’s upstairs, she’ll be down in a minute. How have you been I haven’t seen you in-“ Ms. Stephanni was about to enter one of her usual practiced small talk barrages that made her such an efficient doctor, but before she could finish her thought her phone buzzed. She quickly looked at it before looking up to Rei. “Sorry, I gotta head off to work, but make sure to have fun! Also do tell me if there’s anything you want to chat about when I get back tomorrow.”
“Oh sure,” Rei affirmed as Ms. Stephanni gave her a swift hug and left for her car.
Wait, tomorrow? Does she think I’m staying the night? The questions shot through Rei’s head. It wasn’t uncommon for her to stay the night when the two were kids, but now?
“Hey, sorry about my mom, she doesn’t wanna admit it but she misses you.”
Rei snapped her head as the voice she heard from the phone a week ago had now sang out in ear shot. Turning the corner from the stairs that lead to the front door was Melody. The girl stood tall next to the steps but she seemed taller than when Rei had last seen her. Melody stood with a confidence Rei had never seen from her. Melody eventually reached the bottom of the stairs, and Rei could get a much closer look and really drink in the differences of her friend.
Melody was soft, far softer than she ever was when Rei knew her. The woman tied her dark curls behind her head in a loose ponytail, though she didn’t tie back her curly bangs that shaped her face and smooth dark skin in a feminine fashion. She wore a heavy sweater and jeans that fit nicely across her legs. The only part of the ensemble that she recognized from their youth was Melody’s worn winter boots that she got as a present junior year.
“Oh yeah no I totally get it, I was like her other kid.” Rei tried her best to avoid staring by forcing herself into polite conversation. “How are you doing?”
“I’ve been really lovely! How about you?” Melody asked.
Lovely? It was a word that Rei could never imagine Melody saying before her transition but here in this moment the silk of her new voice had drawn Rei to quite like how it sounded.
“I’ve been good,” Rei answered.
“Nice! Here-“ Melody donned her winter jacket before stepping out and closing the door. “How about we catch up on the drive over?”
“Sounds good,” Rei beamed as the two girls walked over to Rei’s hand-me-down Ford. Rei was the only one between the two who had a car, making her the designated chauffeur for the last four years. The two walked through crunching snow. The gray sky somehow made the truck even bluer against the monochromatic sky.
The two sat themselves in their familiar places in the front pair of seats. “Did you ever fix that thing with the heating that makes your car sound like it's growling?” Melody asked just as Rei turned the key. She immediately had her answer.
Burrrrr, burrrrrr, burrrrr
“No…” Rei almost felt embarrassed in how much she hadn’t changed. She was about to burn up with her signature blush until she heard the softest laugh. Turning her head she saw a woman smiling back at her with a freedom she had never seen from her. Seeing such joy from her made her heart jump. After a moment Melody’s light laughter subsided and she suddenly fell to an expression that was more familiar to Rei.
“Do I got something on my face? You’ve kind of been staring for a second.” Melody herself looked embarrassed as she asked.
“Oh um,” Rei had to think of a lie, she was totally just caught staring. “I was looking at your eyelashes,” she blurted out.
Oh for fuck sake I just made it worse, that’s just as charged as what I was thinking! The realization and subsequent embarrassment slammed across Rei’s head like the world's most sour note.
“Oh yeah, I’m not good at doing eyeliner so sorry if I look a bit crazy,” Melody responded in a polite manner.
“No, I mean they look really great!” If Rei was digging this hole at least she wanted to make sure that she thought Melody was nice to look at.
“Thank you!” The words fell from Melody’s lips with a certain sweetness and pride that caught Rei’s attention.
After the awkward exchange blew over, the two pulled out of the parking spot and began their drive.
The drive was filled with familiar scenery. The snow painted the streets of Olympia in a way that evoked the two's shared history. The afternoon sun was entirely blocked out by the dark and heavy clouds overhead as three chimes of a church's bell guided the people of the neighborhood to their Sunday afternoon routines of grocery shopping and dinner preparations.
As the car drove through the streets the two made the type of small talk they felt they ought to in this situation. Using the growl of the car as a backdrop to fill each other in on what had happened in the last year. Rei discussed her new job as a legal assistant at her uncle's law firm and the challenges of moving into her own apartment. She joked it was the most peace she’s ever had since she grew up with five siblings.
It was through this idol chit chat that Rei started getting small glimpses into Melody’s life since moving away. Getting HRT medication, getting her own dorm room due to her transition status, her classes and the difficulties in them.
Before Rei could dig any deeper into Melody's life her thought was interrupted.
“So when did you dye the tips of your hair?” Melody questioned.
Rei was so wrapped up in Melody’s changes that she totally forgot how she must look different.
“Oh ummm like, a while ago,” Rei choked out, totally unable to admit it was during a guilt spiral three months after Melody left. Fortunately for her, unlike many other depressive episode induced hairstyle changes, she decided she actually liked how the dyed tips looked and decided to keep it.
The car snapped to a stop as the two had finally arrived at their destination, Jessie's, a local arcade that was built in the early 2000’s by a foreign arcade machine enthusiast. “Oh my gosh! I missed this place so bad!” Melody bubbled upon seeing the neon lights. “C’mon I wanna see what games they still have,” she chirped excitedly, pulling Rei’s arm along.
The pair paid for two hours on the free play game floor, taking their tickets and walking out into the neon bathed yet dimly lit game room. Melody shifted her feet and took a deep breath, returning to the familiar sounds of Hatsune Miku machines and Gundam blasters.
Rei looked up at Melody. “Having fun already?” she teased.
Melody looked back and with the biggest grin replied, “Sure am! I missed this place a lot.”
“Then why didn’t you come here earlier while you were in town?” Rei wondered.
“Cuz it wouldn’t have been the same without you. Duh!” Melody said it in such a matter of fact way, but something about hearing those words made Rei’s heart feel warm.
It was a feeling that she couldn’t ruminate on for long before she was dragged along by Melody to look around at the machines. The two stumbled and laughed with Dance Dance Revolution and raced in an Initial D machine. But before long the two settled in for a good while on some early 2000’s japanese fighting game that made for a good spot in the corner of the arcade. A small pocket of peace where this relatively unloved game sat.
The two girls fought fiercely with their chosen characters. Melody chose some girl with a large katana because she “served cunt.” In turn Rei chose an androgynous character with some kind of laser gun. Unfortunately since the two didn’t speak Japanese the mystery of this character's gender went unsolved.
As the two fought they made idle chit chat, splitting their attention between remarks and combos.
“Y’know when you used to only pick girl characters all the time I thought it was because you were mondo straight,” Rei said, and then there was a beat of silence after those words slipped out of her mouth. Her blood went cold, for a moment she wondered if that was an appropriate thing to say to a trans girl. She was so distracted by the fight that she totally forgot to pass that thought through an appropriateness filter.
Melody broke into a light chuckle “Yeah I was such a egg.”
Rei sighed in relief. If she was being honest she had no clue what the hell Melody meant by being an “egg” but the fact that the observation brought Melody a small laugh was enough of a win that she dare not challenge it by asking questions that may reveal her ignorance.
After almost an hour at the machine, a sound bellowed from behind the machine that everyone at the arcade quickly recognized: a sore loser.
“Aaaaargh goddamn it! I was so close to winning that one!” Cursed Rei.
“Not very sportsmanlike Rei~” Melody teased with the self satisfied smile that could only come from someone who also didn’t understand why they won.
“Pfft, whatever dude, you weren’t very sportsmanly when I was kicking your ass at DDR!” Rei snapped back feeling a flare of competitiveness that she hadn’t since Melody left.
Melody theatrically gasped, “You didn’t beat me at anything, I was playing those songs on medium, you were playing them on easy! If anything that should make me a double winner!”
The two looked at each other for a beat before breaking out into laughter as they both realized in unison how silly the whole exchange was. And Rei at that moment felt like the two had never stopped talking.
“Maybe even a triple win cause I was working out yesterday so I’m kinda sleepy!” Melody added. Rei knew Melody didn’t really care about winning the exchange, she added that statement as a way of continuing the joke.
Rei was familiar with this song and dance so she went to her old go-to response. “Oh shut up dude!” As she wiped a tear from her eye she went to push on Melody’s chest as a playful bit of physical contact.
But all she was greeted by was a handful of Melody's breast. And it was a pretty damn big one from what she was feeling.
Alarm bells immediately rang out in Rei’s head.
Her eyes shot open as she heard Melody take a sharp breath in response to the touch, making Rei pull her arm back as quickly as she could. Suddenly nothing seemed funny, suddenly Rei felt the entire gulf that the year introduced crash in on the two without warning.
The arcade suddenly felt too quiet. The two women both sat and stared at each other.
“Melody I’m so-“ Rei started but before she could get the words out.
“I think our two hours are almost out,” Melody stated quickly before regaining her poise and adding, “you wanna head out?”
“Y-yeah that’d be cool,” Rei stumbled out. She realized the gift Melody gave her pretty quickly. The gift of a segue out of this moment. She stood and left the arcade with Melody.
It was silent in the parking lot as cold wind howled across the cement expanse. Rei couldn’t believe she had been so stupid. They were having such a good time and she totally blew it! She was told that Melody started hormones but just forgot it the moment a sweater was in the way. But even beyond that, calling her dude? Acting the way she did with her felt so deeply inappropriate in the light of that moment.
The two sat in the car. “The uh, defrosters gotta work for a sec,” Rei informed, just trying to cut through the tension by any means.
As the car finally entered a drivable state Rei asked, “So where to now?” She winced, the response she felt she deserved at this moment was something along the lines of Home, asshole . But that wasn’t the response she got.
“You remember that playground on the hill at Newbury Park we used to always hang out at?” Melody asked.
“Yeah?” Rei couldn’t gauge where Melody’s head was at but she was willing to go along with anything to try and pull this awkward situation back together.
“I wanna go there, I think I’m missing those swings right now.” Melody looked back with a casual sort of half smile.
“Sounds good!” Rei responded with a renewed vigor. The car growled in approval and they took off.
At the park the song of chiming bells in the cold wind could be heard as the sun was setting. The park was empty except for the two visitors, a likely result due to the time of day and weather. Without missing a beat Melody sat on the swing set furthest to the left. Her swing. Rei took the hint and sat on the swing next to her. These two used to come to the park during their teenage years whenever they were both pissed at their parents to share stories and gossip. But tonight it wasn't a place to judge the adults in their life for failing them, it was a haven from their own embarrassing adult mistakes.
The two began their long practiced ritual of starting to pick up speed on the swing and allowing themselves to gently sway as they spoke to each other without the judgment of eye contact. The soft sounds of wind chimes provided the two the comfort of a sound to fill the silences in their Conversations. As they began to swing the metallic structure began to creak under the friction of their movement.
The soft repeating creaks made a perfect metronome for the two’s words.
Creak
“You’ve looked like something’s on your mind all day,” Melody started the conversation.
Creak
“Yeah I guess I got a lot to think about,” Rei replied.
Creak
“Anything you wanna talk about?”
Creak
“I dunno,” Rei mumbled.
Creak
“Okay, well let’s start with what you're thinking about. What’s got you so in your head?” Melody asked.
Creak
“You.” Rei could never bring herself to lie to Melody, she was too important to her.
Creak
“Yeah I thought that would be the case,” Melody responded.
Creak
“Why didn’t you talk to me at all this last year?” Rei couldn’t hide the hurt in her voice.
Creak
“I was afraid,” Melody started.
Creak
“I was afraid everything in this town would make me feel like when I was a boy,” she finished.
Creak
“I’m sorry that you had to feel that way,” Rei responded before biting her lip. She couldn’t stop thinking of prom. Why did she have to tell Melody that the suit looked good on her? It looked awful, she knew it and she still made Melody wear it. All because Rei couldn’t tell Melody the truth. All because Rei was just as wrapped up in the role the world made her play.
Creak
“It’s okay,” Melody sighed.
Creak
“No it’s not,” Rei responded sharply.
Creak
“I’m sorry I made you feel that way, I’m sorry everyone in this town made you feel that way, you didn’t deserve that.” Rei didn’t know how to connect the many different ideas of Melody she had in her head. But she knew the first step was hearing her.
Creak
“Rei…” Melody spoke softly.
Creak
“I want you to know that nothing you do can change how I feel about you at this moment. And if anything hurts you I want to know,” Rei responded.
Creak
“Thank you…” Melody’s voice was weak.
Creak
The wind brushed past the two gently and the wind chimes bells rang out louder.
Creak
After some time Melody broke the silence. “Did you like me when we were in school?”
Creak
“No… yes… kinda… it’s complicated,” Rei sighed
Creak
“Care to elaborate?”
Creak
“I guess I thought I did, but at some point I realized that you were like…” Rei stopped to think for a moment.
Creak
“You were zoned out, like something was keeping you from living your own life.”
Creak
“So I didn’t think it was fair to like you when I wasn’t able to get through to the real you,” Rei added.
Creak
“That actually makes me feel much better,” Melody lightly chuckled.
Creak
“Weirdo, why does that make you feel better?” Rei lightly exhaled before asking the question.
Creak
“Cuz I didn’t tell you cuz I thought you’d only like me if I was a guy,” Melody responded.
Creak
Taking a cue from Melody’s play book, it was now Rei’s turn to bring out the exaggerated gasp. “I resent such an accusation!” Rei performatively raised her hand to her chest.
Creak
“Sorry for misjudging you. I see now that I should’ve told you sooner,” Melody said, a light smile forming on her lips.
Creak
It was against the usual protocol of the tradition, but Rei stopped the swing and looked over at Melody. She saw the smile forming on her lips. For the first time today Rei really took in the color of her lips.
Creak
Melody noticed that Rei stopped and slowed herself down to sit alongside her.
“Melody I um-“ Rei started to stumble on her words.
“Don’t rush it,” Melody paused, “whatever you want to ask me, whatever you want to know I’ll tell you. I promise I won’t run again. You’re my best friend. So don’t worry about hurting me.”
Rei felt a sting behind her eyes, and to distract from the sensation she tackled Melody into a hug making the two fall off the swing and into the soft wood chips below.
“I missed you so much,” Rei sniffled.
“I probably missed you more,” Melody responded.
The two laid locked in the embrace, eyes closed for a moment. Rei was more than happy to stay and drink in this moment forever. The moment that she finally connected with the most important person in her life. It was however unfortunately short lived as she suddenly felt Melody shudder.
As the two separated they looked up to see snow gently falling down.
“Hey do you wanna go back to my house and watch a movie on the good TV? My mom’s still gonna be out for a while,” Melody asked. The words left her mouth with a puff of condensation.
“Sure! I’d be down!” Rei beamed.
Melody quickly smiled back. “Nice!”
The snow fell gently as the car hummed to a stop. A pair of footsteps leading to the front of the Staphanni residence were beginning to fade away as quickly as they had been made.
The unfamiliar cat Rei saw earlier had now found itself wrapped up around her legs, purring greedily in the hopes of acquiring the stranger's affection.
“He’s really friendly!” Rei’s voice fell as she quickly crouched to pet the cat, being the sucker she was for anything cute.
“Yeah my mom got him after I moved out, his name is Oboe,” Melody grunted as she struggled to take off her sweater. As the fabric pulled away, all that was left was a white t-shirt in its place. Rei tried her best to focus on the cat, but for the first time today Melody’s new form was unobscured due to the lack of winter clothing.
“You want some mint tea?” Melody asked.
“Yes please!” Rei bubbled. It wasn’t till this exact moment that Rei realized just how badly she missed this family’s mint tea.
Rei followed Melody up the stairs to the kitchen swiftly followed by Oboe. On their way Rei couldn’t help but notice Melody’s eyes, they wandered across the family photos on the wall with a tenderness she couldn’t place. Did it hurt her to see these photos, or was it some kind of nostalgia?
The two finally passed the archway into the kitchen. Rei sat in the wooden chair at the small table off to the side. She used to joke that it was “her chair” in middle school. But for some reason the chair felt so much more like “her’s” now more than ever. Oboe found a spot in Rei’s lap and Rei leaned her head on her hand as she watched Melody work her magic.
Click click FWOOSH
The gas stove top lit underneath the traditional engraved Moroccan tea pot. The light of the fire was weak enough that none of the light could be seen on Melody’s body, but it could be seen reflected in her brown eyes.
“You kinda look like your mom right now,” Rei hummed.
“What?” Melody had a hue of exasperation in her tone.
“What, is that not a little flattering?” Rei asked.
“Not really, like what kind of girl takes it as a compliment when you say you look like her mom? Like do I look old or something?” Melody responded as she grabbed the mint and began the process of steeping.
“No, no, I didn’t mean it like that!” Rei tittered, “More like, you both have this quiet focus about you. Very cool and mysterious,” as she finished the thought she couldn't help but notice the smile creeping its way onto Melody’s face.
“Sure, I guess,” Melody tried to play it cool by turning away to grab the sugar but she was given away by the tones of her smile that sung in her voice.
“Here,” after a few minutes Melody set a cup full of the golden warmth in front of Rei. After a dutiful couple of blows on the tea Rei took her sip and hummed in delight at the flavor. Melody on the other hand sipped the tea, fully accepting its scalding heat, and as the taste formed on her palate she wore a self satisfied smile.
Rei turned her head and saw Melody’s bass guitar case sitting in the living room. It was familiar with its stickers and worn sides, though it showed signs of a new life far from here. A trans pride sticker, a sticker for Washington state university, “love yourself” painted in a white paint marker and the name Layla scratched on its side.
Wait-
“Layla?” Rei wondered. Melody raised her head from the tea, clearly confused by the abrupt dropping of the name.
“Ummmm what about her?” Melody responded. Rei immediately kicked herself for how stupid she must seem for randomly blurting the name out.
“It’s on the guitar case, who is that?” Rei asked.
“Oh she’s another trans girl I met at a queer club I was playing at,” Melody answered matter of factly. “She has a habit of carving her name on anything left unattended, so naturally my poor case was vandalized.” Melody continued. “She’s cool though, let’s me borrow her amps every now and then.”
Rei let out a sigh of relief. Just a friend from a show.
Melody looked back at the case before returning to sipping her tea.
Over the rest of the cups the two had a discussion about the shows Melody had done since leaving and the people she’d met. As soon as the last sip was taken Melody stood up. “Movie time?” She grinned.
“Of course!” Rei answered.
The living room was exactly as it was when Rei was last here, except for the distinctly non-religious Christmas decorations of course. Melody took the time to close the blinds before sitting on the couch next to Rei. Rei’s heart jumped seeing how close the girl was willing to get.
“Wanna watch Laser Blast!” Melody grinned.
“S-sure,” Rei managed to stammer out. She would gladly accept the distraction from Melody’s eyes and lips illuminated under the soft glow of Christmas lights.
As soon as the movie started Rei immediately felt her guts untangle. Laser Blast was easily the two’s favorite good-bad movie. It had everything you would want from a good-bad movie. The worst sex scene known to man, slightly problematic elements, an awful script, strange acting and bizarre editing. But it also had some genuine impressive VFX and stop motion animation. Enough bad to be funny but enough good to be fun to watch. The two snickered at the lines they memorized. They both squealed at the awful sex scene, they both said “awwwww” at the stop motion aliens they thought were cute. It was how they had practiced it for years, but somehow even better.
The credits rolled after the much enjoyed anti-climax of the film.
“What time is it?” Rei asked.
Swiftly grabbing her phone Melody responded, “Like almost 10.”
There was a beat of silence as the two girls expected that the other would have to bring an unfortunate end to the night. Melody stood up and opened the blinds, seemingly to cut the tension.
“Holy shit…” Melody fretted.
It didn’t take long before Rei looked out the window and witnessed what elicited that response. A massive snowstorm painting the entirety of the neighborhood in a thick layer of ice. Rei looked at the weather app for today but it had only warned for a “bit of snow.”
Melody checked her phone again and finally noticed a notification she’d ignored the first time. “My mom just texted me she’ll be out till the storm passes tomorrow,” she stated.
“Oh fuck, I gotta get home!” Rei sputtered.
“Are you nuts!? It’s already like 12 inches of snow out there! There’s no way I can let you drive in that. Y’know around 29% of traffic accidents related to weather are from snow right?” There Melody went, she had a habit of using her second hand accounts of her mother’s medical knowledge as a way to communicate her concerns.
But unlike usual, Rei found it more so comforting than overbearing.
“So like, you want me to stay here?” Rei asked hesitantly.
“Why not, it’ll be just like old times!” Melody let her enthusiasm shine in her tone. Melody’s voice was a beautifully sweet tune and hearing it in such an enthusiastic tone broke down any defenses Rei had.
“If you’ll have me,” Rei sighed.
“Yessss!” Melody cheered.
In all honesty this was the result Rei had hoped for, though not quite under the circumstances that she had expected.
“But I’m gonna have to bum some pajamas,” Rei challenged.
“Sure but all my shirts are way too big for you,” Melody giggled.
Melody ran upstairs to fetch the pajamas, leaving Rei alone to pet the cat and wait.
“Here you go,” Melody returned and tossed a small stack of clothing to Rei. “Sorry if they're a bit ugly, they were from when I was a boy. Only spare clean pajamas I had.”
“Should be fine,” Rei said the last word slowly as she began to investigate what she had been handed. On the top was a faded black graphic tee with the Yamaha logo and underneath was a pair of reddish sweatpants.
“You can get changed in the bathroom. I’ll be in my room waiting,” Melody said. Rei only replied in the form of a kinda sorta nod before the woman turned the corner and left her line of sight.
Rei found her way to the bathroom. As she closed the door behind her she finally had a chance to take in the space. There were makeup products laid out across the counter next to the sink, tubs filled with skin care products and in the shower was a bottle of hair removal cream. The first thought she had seeing all this was Damn this girl cleans up better than I do! Rei was never the girliest of girls and something about seeing these beauty products and comparing that to her morning routine of wake up and shower, she was suddenly feeling like more of a girl in the face of an actual woman. It didn’t help that the Yamaha shirt was way too big, and the sweat pants had to be tied incredibly tight just to stay up. She washed her face in the sink, pulled together her courage and left the bathroom.
Before she could lift her hand to knock on Melody’s door she heard… music? The soft hum of a bass guitar slowly rang in the air. Heavy, sweet and thick, the tones of it rang like honey on chicken or like salted caramels. As much as she wanted to sit and listen, Rei knew the polite response was to knock.
Knock knock knock
Melody’s head perked up at the shy sound. “Come in?” Melody responded. Rei gently opened the door and took in the scene. Melody sat on the bed with her shaggy curls down to her shoulders. She was wearing a graphic tee for some indie band called “Just Intonation” and a pair of high cut booty pajama shorts. Melody’s bass rested in her hands like an old friend, shiny and black. The room’s walls were bare except for the few posters Melody deemed “too mannish” to take with her. A lonely Fight Club poster and Matrix poster were all that was left of what had been taken. The book shelf was now empty except for the many yearbooks that lined it.
“Sorry if the playing was weird, I try my best to practice daily,” Melody said.
After drinking in the sight of the gutted room and the girl who came out of it, Rei opened her mouth. “Can you keep playing?” She was shy about how much she wanted it. Melody answered with a smile and kept playing.
Rei sat in the bed next to Melody. Soon the room was once again filled with the sounds of dark and heavy comforts. The bass hummed softly as Rei closed her eyes and thought of her dad handing her warm freshly pounded mochi, steam rising in the cold air. She thought of her first time having Japanese karage at eight years old. She remembered sharing the Valentine’s Day chocolates she got from a boy she rejected with Melody at study hall as the two snickered about what’s-his-face’s audacity.
Rei opened her eye’s to see Melody with her bold eyelashes shut in concentration. In this light, in those clothes she could finally take a look at her new but still familiar body. The scar on her thigh she got during a camping trip with Rei’s family, her first tattoo on her upper arm of the Fool tarot card, and while Rei recognized these elements they were painted in on a totally different canvas. She was curvy, tall and strong. She was filled with a warmth and confidence that Rei had never seen before.
As the song came to an end, Melody lifted the guitar over her shoulder and back into the case that now sat at the end of her bed’s headboard.
As Melody shuffled Rei spoke. “Melody… you’re really beautiful.”
Melody stopped, still turned away from the girl. “Please don’t say that…” she sighed.
“Why?” Rei was worried that she may have committed a grave faux pas.
“Cuz I don’t think I can stop feeling the way I do about you if you keep this up,” Melody lamented.
Rei knew exactly what she meant. “What if that’s what I want?” Rei whispered.
Melody slowly crawled up from the edge of the bed till her hands were at either side of Rei’s body. The two stared into each other’s warm brown eyes. Melody’s a deep golden brown and Rei’s a complex hazel. Rei broke the silence with the question on both of their minds.
“Can I kiss you?” Rei pleaded.
“Of course,” Melody replied.
Perhaps a touch too eagerly, Rei lifted herself up to kiss the woman in front of her. Her lips sang of coconut lip gloss and warm tea.
Rei gasped as their lips separated. “Is it okay if we take this further than kissing? I think I really fucking need you.” Rei knew it was desperate, but fuck it she was desperate for Melody and she didn’t care who knew!
Melody smiled. “Please, I want you to see me.”
The two were completely in sync with the rhythm of the moment.
Soon Rei’s hands had found themselves on Melody’s hips as their lips found respite in each other once again. The kissing turned hungrier much quicker. Rei was drunk on the sounds of Melody’s feminine gasps and moans against her tongue. In her excitement Rei bit down on Melody’s lip and felt the woman jump against her.
“Oh I’m sorry I ju-“ Rei started but was quickly interrupted.
“Don’t apologize for hurting me, just focus on how good I feel,” Melody’s words were swiftly met by a return to the kissing. Rei felt a rush of excitement from the woman’s determination.
It was only after a few more moments of kissing before the song of gasps and heavy breaths that filled the air were interrupted by a request.
Melody pulled back from the kiss so that she was no longer on top and her body was easier to reach. “Please,” Melody murmured. Her eyes were glazed with a passionate want.
“Please what?” Rei responded, almost panicked by the sudden needy tone.
Melody giggled, “I want you to touch me silly.”
Rei felt her heart race as she was stared down by golden eyes glazed over in desire for her touch. She felt her heart pound, a percussion of want that melted into a feeling of need between her legs. Her hand slowly reached and soon made contact with the breast she had felt earlier today.
Melody let out a quick gasp. Rei was almost tempted to pull her hand away until she heard Melody’s voice respond, “I’m sorry if I startled you, they’re… sensitive.” Rei could feel her face immediately explode into a hot flush in response to this beautiful woman’s pleas.
Rei began to feel Melody’s breasts with both of her hands and was amazed by what she felt. Their warmth, their weight, their shape, when was the last time Rei had explored a body this foreign to her own? She needed to see more. Soon her hands were lifting Melody’s shirt and the two humble breasts poured out of her black shirt.
Rei continued to feel the breasts in front of her and leaned into Melody’s ear. “Can I suck on them?”
Melody swallowed and answered with a whimper in her voice. “Please.”
Rei’s head lowered past Melody’s shoulder and down to her tits. Her hot tongue soon danced along Melody’s nipple accompanied by the song of Melody’s heady gasps and groans. Rei felt Melody’s hands move to her ass and quickly accepted the touch as she continued teasing the mounds in front of her. A small bite, a lick, the warmth of a palm. Rei was giving it her all until-
“Um,” Melody’s voice fell into Rei’s ear as her hands left Rei’s body.
“What is it?” Rei asked.
“I’d like it if you could…” Melody paused as she gathered confidence, “touch me, y’know, down there.”
Rei gulped heavily. She had, whether intentionally or not, been avoiding anything that might put Melody off or give her dysphoria. She wouldn’t say it out loud but there was one difference between the two girls’ bodies that intimidated her more than the rest. She had no game plan for what she was going to do but the tenderness in Melody’s gaze broke her defenses.
Rei reached her hand down and went past the waistband of Melody’s shorts. She first felt the softness of a panties’ waist line, then she felt a hardness that she had expected, but after taking in those sensations she found something that she wasn’t expecting.
“Do you feel how wet I am for you?” Melody hummed the question with an almost proud grin.
“Y-yeah,” Rei swallowed. Against her palm she felt panties soaked in the woman’s slick and hardness. A sensation totally foreign to her but deeply intoxicating. Her hand rubbed up and down the length she felt and soon she felt twitching and heard the sound of Melody’s groans.
Melody looked into Rei’s eyes. “Take off my shorts.”
Rei responded dutifully by pulling the shorts away. She was soon treated to the sight of Melody’s exposed form.
“What should I call your ummm-” Rei felt the words get caught in her throat. She had never had to ask a question like this one.
“It’s my cock,” Melody hummed. For some reason when Melody said it, the word “cock” sang with such powerful femininity that it almost intimidated Rei. Like the body she was feeling was somehow more well constructed and thought about than her own.
Melody took her hand and used it to guide her panties’ waistband down, and soon her wet cock poured out. Rei could feel her eyes widen and soon she couldn’t help but guide her own hand up and down the length, and precum soon started pouring into her palm. Melody moaned and gasped so gently against Rei’s touch and the feeling was intoxicating.
“Soon-”
Rei knew what she meant with just one flustered word.
“Would you like to use my mouth to cum?” Rei suddenly felt much more confident seeing how far just a hand got Melody.
“Fuck! Please-“ Melody hissed in her pleasure.
Rei’s mouth was immediately around Melody’s cock, bobbing up and down. Her tongue vibrated with notes of moans as she tasted the sweet, salty, sticky sex that poured out of Melody. And in only a few moments she heard the sound she was waiting for.
“Ahhhhh~!” Melody’s voice broke as she arched her back and Rei felt cum gently pour into the back of her throat. She took a moment to savor the feeling of Melody twitching against her tongue. She lifted her head and watched the wet cock fall.
Rei stayed and watched Melody gasp and recompose herself.
“Did I do a good job?” Rei asked timidly.
“You were fucking perfect,” Melody purred. “Good enough that I think you deserve a reward,” she added as she gently pushed Rei onto her back. Rei’s heart raced, feeling the sweatpants come undone. Melody stuck her fingers into the sides of the waistband of Rei’s panties. “May I?”
Rei nodded in stunned silence.
Melody tugged the sweatpants down along with Rei’s black panties and watched as a thick string of her slick trailed between the two.
“Wow~ you’re so fucking wet,” Melody teased with a note of pride.
Rei’s pussy was exposed and her heart raced as she felt the heat and thrum between her legs be exposed to the cool air, prepared for even the slightest contact. She didn’t have to wait long, after Melody was done tossing the panties and sweatpants off to the side, she brought her head down and Rei felt her lips being teased by the woman’s hot breath.
Then electricity as wet lips were met by a hungry mouth. Rei moaned as pleasure shot all throughout her body. Rei began to gasp and moan, taken by the overwhelming pleasure. She quickly covered her mouth and gripped the bed sheet in fear of how loud she was being. She’d spent far too much time only focusing on Melody and unintentionally riled herself up beyond belief. She wasn’t prepared for just how good Melody’s mouth would feel against her wanting cunt. She felt a familiar hot breath between her legs.
“Please don’t do that, I wanna hear you~” the words poured out from Melody’s lips before she went back to her lover with full force. Melody’s tongue and mouth soon became focused on Rei’s clit. Rei’s voice rang out heartily and heavy gasps lifted into the air.
“Please Melody-” Rei paused as a deep gasp poured from behind her teeth, “I’m gonna cum soon!”
Melody moaned hearing the girl’s begging and increased her focus. The vibrations of Melody’s moans rubbed against Rei’s folds. Soon the efforts of the mouth she was feeling became too much and the feeling took over her. Rei finally came, shaking hard against Melody. Melody simply held her thighs as she shook. Rei nearly screamed but clenched her teeth as pleasure rang at a deafening pace through her. Her pussy throbbed, sending waves of lightning and heat through her.
After a moment, Melody lifted herself and kissed the still panting girl. Their tongues were still wet and rich with each other's passion. The room sang with the smell of sex and the tenor of heady breathing as the pair laid back down, exhausted by the whole affair.
It was only after a minute that Rei interrupted the rhythmic breathing. “I really needed you.” She couldn’t hold back the desperation that soaked those words.
“Thank you,” Melody breathed heavily.
The two laid in post orgasmic bliss for what felt like ages as they both looked into each other's eyes, as if in an attempt to memorize the moment. It couldn’t last forever though, the silence was quickly cut through.
“Meeeeeooooooorrrrwwww~”
The sound made Melody’s head jump up. “Oh shit, I forgot to feed Oboe…” Melody growled. She got up with a heavy sigh. She slowly put her panties back on and pulled her shirt back down, as to make herself presentable for her feline overlord. Rei took the time to take note of each curve of Melody’s body and how they moved in this situation. Fortunately this also gave her an opportunity to ogle at Melody’s ass which had been mostly unseen during the sex.
After a short break Melody returned to the room. When she walked in the first thing she noticed was Rei missing from the bed. It only took her a beat of confusion before realizing the girl she was looking for was digging through her closet.
“Whatcha looking for?” Melody asked, befuddled by the scene playing out in front of her.
“Oh, the bedding stuff, I think your mom might have moved it since you moved,” Rei responded as if this was the most expected response in the world.
Rei had spent hundreds, maybe even thousands of nights here before and the routine was always the same. Take the bedding stuff from Melody’s closet and sleep on the floor with it.
It was only after Rei heard a chuckle over her shoulder that she took the time to stop digging and look behind her.
“You can just sleep in my bed, silly!” Melody breathed those words between soft squeaky chuckles. Rei burned up in embarrassment. It was so obvious that’s how things would play out and she had totally blanked it. It was only after a moment of hearing Melody’s breathy laughter that her heart melted enough to break through the embarrassment and join in on the laughter as well.
Crunch crunch crunch
The next morning, Melody walked Rei back out to her car as cool air blew past the two. Redressed in their winter gear, each holding a shovel to unbury Rei’s poor truck. The streets were recently visited by the salt trucks and fortunately Rei’s car had generously received a portion of the salt so it was a surprisingly easy task. As the two shoveled they discussed how Melody’s college was only a couple hours away and how Rei would see her every weekend and holiday and summer breaks to coordinate times to be together. After that they moved onto their old favorite topics: video games, movies, and recent gossip. The conversation made the time pass quicker and before they knew it the car was freed of its icy prison.
Melody stood at the driver side door of the truck. Rei walked over and met her eyes.
Despite Melody being the first there, Rei was the first to break the silence.
“So ummmm, I should get off work early on Friday if you want to meet up again before you leave,” she sang these words with the same puppy dog look she used to use to get Melody to buy her smoothies at the mall.
Melody smiled a deeply wistful grin. “I’d love that,” she responded.
“Awesome!” Rei almost cheered, totally unable to hide her excitement. She swiftly turned to Melody before gesturing for her to come closer. Melody, ever the eager listener for anything Rei wanted, dutifully leaned down.
Rei kissed the woman on the lips. Melody’s lips were now as warm and familiar as the rest of her being to Rei.
“I love you,” Rei confessed.
She hadn’t planned on saying that part out loud for a while, but something about the moment drew it out of her.
Melody smiled. “I don’t think I ever stopped loving you.” The words made Rei’s eyes sting. Melody’s voice, those words, it was like she had finally come home for the first time. She hugged Melody and Melody held her until she was ready.
Rei released her grip and opened the car door.
“See ya later?” Rei sniffled.
“Nah, see you soon!” Melody promised.