Lillian would be lying to herself if she claimed she couldn't hear Irene's cries through the walls. She wanted to get up and at the very least check on Irene, but she had a very tired and very clingy girlfriend entangled in her arms. Mitsuki was dead asleep, but Lillian knew any move she made would wake her in an instant. And then Lillian would have to explain herself.

Lillian let out a sigh as she laid in bed. She'd been lying in bed for an hour now unable to get any sleep. Mitsuki had fallen asleep in almost five minutes and had not stirred since. Lillian was starting to grow frustrated and sweaty with another human being pressed against her, especially as she heard Irene's cries continue.

Lillian sighed and slowly pushed Mitsuki's arms away as she sat up in bed. The chill of the house hit her as she moved the covers aside.

Just as she feared from her light-sleeper girlfriend, Mitsuki began to stir.

"Mm...you okay?" Mitsuki muttered, half-asleep.

"Just going to go get a drink of water," Lillian replied, rising out of bed. She moved to the bathroom and gulped down a big drink. The light to Irene's room was still on, but it was deathly quiet inside there now. Lillian only hoped she had managed to find some rest.

Lillian was tempted to check in on her, but she guessed Mitsuki would be waiting up for her. As she suspected, Mitsuki was doing just that. The lamp had been turned on, and Mitsuki was sitting up, rubbing her eyes.

"What did you turn the lamp on for?" Lillian asked. "It's not that late. Go back to bed."

"It's okay. I'm already awake. I didn't want you to blindly stumble in here," Mitsuki stated.

Lillian slowly crawled back into bed, trying her best to make herself yawn, as if she had been sleeping before she had gotten a cup of water.

"I can go back to my room if I'm a nuisance," Mitsuki said quietly.

"You're not a—it's okay. You can stay," Lillian responded, squeezing onto her hand. She moved the curtain of the window behind her bed and peered out of it curiously.

"I bet if we turn the lights off, we can see the stars well," Mitsuki said quietly. One click, and the room was dark again. Mitsuki was right. Even through the windowpanes, Lillian could see the outlines of hundreds of stars in the winter sky.

"I thought you were going to make me actually step outside," Lillian joked.

"It's too cold for that," Mitsuki said, laughing faintly. Lillian felt Mitsuki's hand wrap around her waist until she was being pulled closer to her girlfriend. Lillian silently looked outside the window, admiring the peaceful view. Mitsuki leaned her head against Lillian's shoulder as they both stared at the night sky together, watching the stars twinkle under a crescent-shaped moon.

A sigh wracked its way through Lillian's body.

"What?" Mitsuki murmured.

"Nothing," Lillian replied.

"You haven't fallen asleep yet, have you? What's bothering you?"

"I heard Irene crying," Lillian murmured.

Mitsuki slowly moved her head and arms away, closing part of the curtain. She sat in bed, unresponsive.

"Mitsuki, don't act like that..."

Mitsuki slumped back against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling. Lillian stared at her curiously, wondering if she was ever going to reply.

"I'm sorry. I know you don't like me talking about Irene or talking to her, period. I'm really not doing it to make you jealous. I promise," Lillian said quietly.

Mitsuki let out a long sigh this time. "I know that, Lillian. It's okay. Just do whatever."

"I don't like when you're moody," Lillian said as she slunk back down on the bed. She turned her body to Mitsuki's as Mitsuki stared up at the ceiling, playing with her hands. Mitsuki reached one arm upward and set it back down.

"I don't want you to cut off all connection with her. I don't want to ruin your other relationships. I promised I'd try to get along with her, right, so it shouldn't matter to me if you talk to her not, if you go comfort her or not," Mitsuki murmured.

"It does bother you."

"Yes, I know! I don't like that it bothers me. I don't want it to bother me. I trust you. I know you don't have feelings for her anymore because that's what you told me. So just ignore me. Don't let me hold you back," Mitsuki said, turning her back toward Lillian now.

Lillian draped an arm over her and nestled close to her body.

"Hey, back off. I don't like being the little spoon," Mitsuki growled as Lillian curved her body around hers.

"Deal with it for two seconds," Lillian said. She threaded a few fingers through Mitsuki's hair, admiring the silky texture. "I'm sorry. I don't want you to feel jealous or upset. Is there anything I can do to make it better, besides not interacting with Irene at all?"

"Um...you could kiss me twice as much. And maybe tell me you love me a minimum of five times a day," Mitsuki figured.

"Is that all?"

"And I could sleep in here every night."

Lillian let out a groan. "You have your own bedroom, you know!"

"Fine, fine. Too extreme. I get it."

"I'll agree to the first two requirements then," Lillian said, kissing Mitsuki on the cheek. "If you need me to prove my love again and again to your insecure ass, then so be it."

"I'm not insecure," Mitsuki whined.

Lillian chuckled. "Okay, sure." She shut her eyes, breathing in deeply.

"Wait," Mitsuki said, jolting Lillian from her doze.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Could you hold me extra close tonight and not let go until I wake up in the morning?" Mitsuki asked.

"Don't I do that every night?"

"Please."

"Your wish is my command," Lillian said. Mitsuki turned her body, scrunching up against Lillian as Lillian wrapped an arm around her and held her tight.

I'm dating such a drama queen, Lillian thought as she drifted off to sleep.

...

Lillian found Irene eating breakfast by herself the next morning. Mitsuki was busy at the counter, fixing herself a meal as Lillian pulled out a chair next to Irene.

"Good morning," Lillian said cheerfully as she bit into a bagel.

"Well, aren't you always a ray of sunshine," Irene grumbled as she took a sip of coffee.

"I heard you crying last night," Lillian muttered quietly.

"Oh..."

"I'm going to eat breakfast in the living room," Mitsuki told Lillian. 

Lillian nodded, surprised her girlfriend was allowing her and Irene to remain alone in the same room together, but it made sense, considering Lillian had acted especially kind to Mitsuki the night before.

"I didn't realize I was that loud," Irene admitted quietly.

"I mean, I was still awake and trying to fall asleep, so any sound would have caught my ear," Lillian explained. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. I just got a little emotional last night after caring for Elijah," Irene said, lowering her voice as Elijah was playing with toys in the vicinity as she ate.

"Oh. How did it go?"

"Well. I showed him a picture of when he was a baby and I was holding him. He let me read to him and tuck him in, and he was acting pretty adorable last night. It made me wish he was only mine," Irene murmured.

"At least you're getting along better," Lillian said. She looked up at Francesco walked into the kitchen, looking exhausted. He had been off for a few weeks lately, it seemed. He was usually resting in bed, complaining of soreness. He would joke around, claiming his old age was coming after him, but Lillian was finding herself growing a bit concerned.

"Would you like me to make you breakfast?" she asked him.

"Oh, I'm okay. I need to get my lazy self moving. I've been sleeping way too much," Francesco said, chuckling a bit as he fixed himself breakfast.

Lillian turned her gaze back to Irene, trying not to show blatant concern for Francesco. After all, this was supposed to her comforting Irene right now.

"We-we're getting along better. I wish I could have more nights like that with him, but he likes Cassie so..." Irene continued.

"He doesn't understand everything right now. The most you can do is be there for him. The more you're a constant figure in his life, the more he'll appreciate you," Lillian promised, placing her hand on Irene's arm.

Irene smiled weakly. "Thanks, Lillian."