PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter 26: Getting To Know You Part 2

Maya sat up a bit straighter in her bed, taking a moment to think. She had a few things she wanted to ask Carina, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

She started, her voice a little soft, "Alright, my turn to ask you something."
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Carina nodded, immediately paying attention to Maya's question. "Yeah, go ahead. Ask me anything."

Maya's expression turned a bit serious for a moment, a question on the tip of her tongue that she'd been curious about for a while.

She hesitated for a second before asking, "What's your biggest fear?"

The sudden shift in Maya's tone didn't go unnoticed by Carina. She could tell this question was more serious than the previous ones.

She took a moment to think, her lips pursing slightly. "Biggest fear, huh? That's a tough one."

She paused, then said quietly, "I guess...I'm afraid of losing the people I care about. The thought of losing you..."

Maya's heart ached at Carina's words. The thought of anything happening to her clearly weighed heavily on the other woman's mind.

She reached out, her hand finding Carina's. "Hey. Nothing's going to happen to me. I'm not going anywhere."

Carina clung to Maya's hand, drawing comfort from her touch. She tried to offer a small smile, appreciating the reassurance. "I know. Logically, I know. But still..."

She shook her head, trying to shake off the negative thoughts. "What about you? What's your biggest fear?"

Maya squeezed Carina's hand, holding onto her tightly. She hated the worry in Carina's eyes and wanted to ease it anyway she could.

She thought for a moment, before answering honestly, "My biggest fear is failing. Failing in my job, failing as a person...and failing you."

Carina's heart ached at Maya's words. She knew how hard the other woman was on herself, and how much she struggled with feelings of inadequacy.

She inched her chair closer to the bed, still holding Maya's hand. "Hey, you know you haven't failed me. At anything. And you never will."

Maya swallowed hard, feeling the emotions rise in her chest. She had always had a hard time accepting herself, fearing disappointment from herself and others.

She looked down at their intertwined hands, the contact grounding her. "I just...I want to be good enough for you. Good enough for everyone."

Carina's heart broke a little at how vulnerable Maya sounded. She knew the other woman tried so hard to be everything to everyone, and it wore her down.

She gently reached out, tilting Maya's chin up to look at her. "You are more than good enough, Maya. You always have been. And I don't want you to ever doubt that."

Carina couldn't help but notice that Maya's energy seemed to be flagging. The conversation had been intense, and it had been a long day.

She leaned in, gently stroking Maya's hair. "Hey, you look tired. Maybe you should get some rest."

Maya didn't want to admit it, but she could feel exhaustion creeping in. The day's events, combined with the emotional talk, had taken a toll.

She let out a small sigh, leaning into Carina's touch, "Yeah, maybe you're right. I am kind of tired..."

Carina smiled, relieved that Maya was agreeing to rest. "Yeah, rest is important. You've been through a lot, you need your energy to heal."

She continued to run her fingers through Maya's hair, hoping to soothe her into sleep.