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The first time Angel Lawrence saw the woman of her dreams, her Uncle Tim was helping her unpack into her college dorm.
He'd just returned with the last of the boxes when a small robot came whizzing around the corner and nearly tripped the man.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry," shouted a young woman barrelling after it, "Deathtrap get back here!"
Angel stuck out her foot effectively tripping the little robot and bringing it's rampage through the dorms to an immediate halt.
"Aptly named robot you got there," Tim grumbled moving past his niece and into the room.
"Thanks," the woman gushed sticking out her hand, "I'm Gaige Mechem, what's your name?"
This was the part Angel hated most, they always asked about her father once they put it together, always, "Angel Lawrence," she shook the other woman's hand briskly.
She watched Gaige's eyes light up with interest; here it came, the - oh Angel Lawrence, you're Handsome Jack's daughter, right? Is he's still in prison? What's it like having a murderer for a father? Is he still CEO of Hyperion? Did you help him kill people?
"Cool tattoos!" Gaige exclaimed examining her arm, "they're so well done, so bright!" The woman's other hand shot out and the cool metal of a prosthetic limb wrapped around Angel's wrist as Gaige turned her limb over to see the other side.
Angel blushed, "oh uh, thank you, my Uncle did them actually."
Tim stuck his head back around the corner, "someone else admiring my artwork?"
"It's really amazing Sir," Gaige said grinning as she leaned down to scoop up her robot, "course not half as pretty as the canvas, but I don't think that's possible."
Angel blinked, and she could feel her face flushing, had she just been hit on, by an attractive woman who hadn't immediately asked awkward questions? Maybe everything really was better in college. What should she say, something clever right? Could she do clever?
"Well it was super nice to meet you Angel," Gaige finally continued when she didn't get a response, "I'll see you around though, my rooms right down the hallway!"
"Yeah okay that'd be...yeah, uh good, I mean - seeing you is good," Angel stumbled awkwardly over her words.
Gaige winked, "I like good."
And with that she was off hurrying off down the hall, scolding her robot like it was a small child.
Tim elbowed Angel in the side, "I see you got your flirting skills from me."
"I wasn't flirting!"
"Well, I mean no, but ya know that whole 'good' ramble was an admirable first attempt."
"That wasn't, she's just...she's nice."
"Uh huh," Tim raised one eyebrow, "yooooou like her."
Angel crossed her arms, "shut up."
"Gaige and Angel sitting in a tree-"
"Oh my god!" She pushed her Uncle bodily into the dorm room.
"K-i-s-s-i-n-"
"What're you five?!"
Tim grinned, "always divide your age by ten Angel, life is just better that way, you can copy that down if you want, wow your philosophy teacher. Are you taking philosophy?"
"No, because I don't want to be a tattoo artist," she stuck her tongue out before turning her head back to look at the hall and smile faintly. A crush, that was nice, normal, she hadn't had one of those since...before, this could be good.
It would be another week before she'd see Gaige again. The energetic robot wielding woman excitedly knocking on her door at eight in the morning. Sleepy and still in her pyjamas Angel pushed the door open and then suddenly wished she'd put on real clothes.
"You're super cute in pyjamas, I mean you're always super cute, but wow, pyjama’s are totally your look," the woman rambled eyes wide.
"Hi Gaige," Angel smiled shyly, "did you need something? Uh, not that you need a reason to knock but...well."
"Oh, yeah totally! There's a party to celebrate school starting, and I was wondering if you wanted to go? Like, with me?"
"Like with you, with you?"
Gaige laughed and it was like sunshine breaking through the clouds, "yeah with me, with me - like a date."
Angel flushed, "yes, yeah that's it'll be, good." There was that word again. Good. This was so much more than good.
But Gaige didn't seem to mind, in fact she was positively beaming at the response, "good, I'll pick you up at eight tomorrow okay?"
"Yeah, yes - that's," don't say good again, "perfect."
Angel spent hours agonizing over every single detail, what clothes to wear, what liquor to buy, if she should buy liquor in the first place? What kind of party was this? She had forgotten to ask in her excitement.
When the time for the party arrived she felt like an absolute wreck. Was she underdressed? Did she mishear the time? Maybe this was some prank to mess with her?
A knock sounded at the door and Angel's heart leapt to her throat.
Cracking it open she was relieved to find Gaige with a goofy little smile holding up a case of beer, "hey pretty lady, I realized I didn't say it was BYOB so you can have some of my beer if you'd like?"
Angel smiled, "that's okay I bought some coolers just in case."
"Awesome," Gaige grinned and held out one arm, "m'lady?"
Giggling slightly at the other woman's antics Angel scooped up her coolers and took the offered arm. The party as it turned out wasn't very far, one of the halls had been rented out and filled with video game consoles.
Immediately feeling more comfortable Angel found herself relaxing a little bit more as they stood in the door. She'd been worried it would be one of those big crazy drunk bashes you always see in the movies. But this was much more her pace.
Gaige motioned to the hall, "behold the nerdom of Pandora University!"
They ended up settling down to play Mario Kart with a couple of other students who introduced themselves as Tina and Scooter.
After Angel won the first six matches Gaige elbowed her gently in the side, "you didn't tell me that you're a pro gamer."
"Oh, I don't think I'm that good, I just really like video games, that's actually what I'm here for, to learn how to make them."
"Comp sci major huh, brains, looks, and kicks ass at a video game," Gaige smiled softly, "boy am I in trouble."
They duo played a few more games and then at midnight most people started collecting around a projector in the middle of the room.
"What's going on now?" Angel asked putting her controller down.
"Tron time!" Gaige declared cheerfully.
Gaige nabbed them a huge fluffy beanbag chair and Angel settled into it next to her. As the movie played Angel noticed Gaige fidgeting slightly until finally as on the screen Kevin Flynn declared "now that is a big door" she reached out her arm and wrapped it around Angel's shoulders.
"Is this okay?" Gaige whispered.
Smiling to herself Angel turned to curl more effectively into the other woman's side, "yup, it’s good."
“Good.”