november yumary otp prompt challenge!

hand kiss

"Excuse me, miss," a familiar voice called from behind Mary.

She hauled her extravagant gown to turn around and find her favorite face in this whole town.

"I think we've met before," Yumeko extended her hand, glove in shiny, white silk.

Mary smirked, "Maybe once or twice." She mocked the fact that they'd spent almost every day since they'd met together.

Ever since their rendezvous in the tennis court tent, they met up at the local saloon at noon every day. Mary has had the time of her life memorizing Yumeko in the warm light of the bar, both her features and her personality.

Mary took Yumeko's hand and leaned forward to place a kiss on the back of her palm. It was almost like their own special greeting after Yumeko started it from their first encounter.

"How has the night been treating you?" and by that, Yumeko meant her date. She could tell by the empathetically tired eyes.

"Oh pretty easy so far. Carlyle hasn't really looked in my direction the whole night," and Mary sighed, because he is not the easiest man to handle or even talk to.

"Oh, you are so lucky," Yumeko leaned into the wall, plastered in gold. She took a quick look at the painting right behind her before placing her head on the wall too. "I had to literally tear myself off of Roberts to meet you here."

"Is he clingy in a desperate way or in a creepy way?" Mary asked, taking off her unnecessarily heavy hat and holding it by her side.

"Desperate. He wanted to show me to all his friends and link arms the whole night," Yumeko groaned lightheartedly then smiled. "But he has a good heart. I can tell."

Mary laughed, "That's the difference between you and me. I find it hard to get attached to any of my clients."

"I'm not getting attached," Yumeko crossed her arms in playful protest. "I just have to have a little sympathy for them."

Mary had thought about that a lot since talking with Yumeko. Sure, a lot of the men who request her aren't terribly horrible. It's just hard to make a connection with any of them on a romantic level.

"You do have to be pretty pitiful to buy women for dates," Mary teased with a wide grin.

Yumeko laughed, shaking her head. Then she paused, and a smug look curled her red lips and raised her thin eyebrows. "Would you request me?"

Her cheeks burned with pink. "What kind of question is that?" she sputtered, refusing to look at the amused expression of the girl in front of her.

"It's just like any other question. One that deserves an answer," felt fingers lifted her chin back up, punching the wind out of Mary's lungs. Her eyes connected with confident, burgundy eyes that gently demanded an answer. "So?"

Mary is so thankful that she had been invited to this mansion enough times to know that Carlyle doesn't even know this hallway exists.

Not only would they be destroyed if they were caught in a situation like this, but she also feels like this moment doesn't deserve to be observed by anyone else.

Mary mimicked the assertion with a sly smile: "Why would I buy you, when I can just ask you on a date for free?"

She could see Yumeko melt inside just by looking at her eyes. Mary clasped the wrist attached to her chin, sweetening her gaze.

Something hung in the air. Now that all the tension had built, an ominous force lurked between them. It wasn't scary or unpleasant. It was anticipation and curiosity, and Mary didn't know how to fix it.

Then Yumeko pulled their lips together, and everything clicked into place. Her eyes shut. Hat dropped from her hand, and she wrapped the free arm around Yumeko's waist, where it had been not too long ago.

Her lips felt angelic, like paradise, and so sweet. Sweeter than Mary ever imagined indulging in.

It was gone before she was ready, but that's most likely an unattainable state. Mary found it hard to see herself being ready to leave those lips.

Yumeko's eyes studied her carefully, searching for a negative reaction.

"You're incredible," Mary confessed, her stomach felt like butterflies were warming through it.

Yumeko looked relieved, finally falling into a smile. "I'll accept a date from you anytime, anyplace."

"As long as we're not working."

"As long as we're not working."