Work Text:
The moon was bright tonight, casting a silvery light through the darkness of the night. Under the cover of the darkness, Reyna lay in wait, diguised as her alter ego; Bellona. She guarded the priceless jewels, currently on display in the city’s museum. She knew a challenge like this would be something her arch nemesis, Lightening, couldn’t pass up.
"Well, well, well, we meet again."
"All that time lying in wait and that’s the best you could come up with?"
"Oh excuse me, I was too busy defending this city to think of anything less cliche."
"Yeah, yeah, come on let’s just get this over with."
Reyna laughed softly before stalking towards Lightening.
Lightening grinned at her, half her face obscured by a mask, all but her electric blue eyes hidden. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other and jutting out her hip cockily, Lightening rolled her head and threw her shoulders back to loosen her already warm muscles, before stepping towards Reyna.
The battle that commenced was more like a well practised dance. They had both done this so many times they could predict the others next move. Every week, Lightening attempted to steal something priceless, while Reyna attempted to defend it.
They kept a running tally of the wins:
Bellona:17 Lightening:18.
Reyna was even more determined to win tonight, if only to even the score.
Ducking Lightenings right hook, Reyna spun as she threw out her leg to knock Lightening off balance. Seeing it coming, Lightening simply hopped over Reyna’s leg, shoving her backwards.
Knocked on her back, Reyna attempted to rebound back onto her feet, but was intercepted halfway by Lightening lunging at her. They wrestled on the ground, very much a battle of will as well as strength.
Painful as it was to admit, Reyna knew that Lightening was more skilled than her. She was ever so slightly stronger and there was about half a foot height difference, to Lightenings advantage.
But this fight wasn’t based on strength alone. Reyna didn’t earn her superhero status for nothing. She knew how to strategise, hoe to fight smart. They had fought so many times now, Reyna knew Lightenings tells. And then there was the fact that, tonight, Reyna wanted it more.
Reyna had to stop herself from grinning when she saw Lightening bite her bottom lip. She was getting tired.
Reyna relaxed her muscles for just a second or two, the lack of resistance throwing Lightening off balance. Grinning for real now, Reyna flipped them over, straddling Lightening where she now lay on the ground, arms pinned above her head.
Hovering inches above Lightenings face, Reyna laughed a little.
"Ha! I win!"
Lightening just sighed.
"Fine, this one’s yours. Just don’t get used to it."
Reyna grinned in victory and then her eyes connected with Lightening’s.
Reyna instantly knew where her nemisis’ alias name has come from. Her eyes were simply electric. Reyna felt as if she couldn’t move as if she had been struck by Lightening itself.
Shaking herself, Reyna got off Lightening before extending a hand to help her up.
"You know the deal." Lightening teases.
"Fine, whatever, you’re free to go."
Reyna caught one more glimpse of that infuriating smirk before Lightening turned on her heel and took off into the night.
At some point, in the middle of their feud for victory, the pair had come to an agreement. If Bellona won the fight, Lightening had to back off. However if Lightening won, Bellona would turn a blind eye to Lightenings misgivings. She would leave it to the police to demand justice.
Now usually, Reyna wouldn’t even dream of coming to an agreement like this with an criminal. But Lightening was different to all the others. The worst thing she did was steal. And only from people who were so sickeningly rich, a couple thousand didn’t even make a dent in their bank account.
Not only that, Lightening has never wounded a single person. Reyna now knew as a fact that she didn’t even carry a weapon, only tools to help her steal whatever she had her sights set on.
If Reyna didn’t know any better, she would even say she liked Lightening. I’m another life, they might even have been friends. Reyna kept having to remind herself that Lightening was a criminal, her nemisis. Yet dispute this, Reyna often found herself looking forward to their encounters.
Shaking herself, Reyna looked back once more at the precious jewels on display, safe for tonight. Reyna smiled at her victory before following in Lightening’s footsteps and taking off into the night
Thalia leaped off the edge of the roof of an apartment building, landing gracefully on the edge of the neighbouring building.
Tonight, a painting valued at 10 millions dollars was being transported from te museum to city hall, where it would be auctioned off. Well that was the plan for it. Thalia fully intended on stealing it. Se needed the payoff after losing the last fight to Bellona.
Bellona. Now wasn’t she something. Thalia was entranced by her. She had to admit how much she respected the superhero. She must have morals of steel to continue fighting Thalia every week.
Landing softly on the roof of the transport vehicle, Thalia lay down flat to survey the guards flanking it. She had yet to spot Bellona. Thalia was grudgingly impressed with how well Bellona seemed to know her. She didn’t even know Thalia’s real name but never failed to know what Thalia would hit next. Thalia has done everything to throw the vigilante off track, but nothing worked.
Thalia readjusted her position as the transport van started its engine.
The first pair of armed escorts set off, followed by the van which was then flanked by two more police escorts.
About halfway to destination, Bellona appeared, as if out nowhere next Thalia.
"Nice of you to join us." Thalia drawled, turning towards her leisurely.
"Some of us have actual lives you know."
"Wait, you mean stalking me isn’t the only thing you do?" Thalia gasped sarcastically.
"Haha" Bellona paused.
"You know I wouldn’t have to stalk you if you just got a day job like a normal person."
"Ugh but being normal is boring." Thalia whined.
Bellona huffed out a little laugh. Thalia mentally patted herself on the back.
“So, why do you steal all this stuff?"
"Student loans."
Bellona blinked. "Wait. What?"
"Uh yeah," Thalia continued, "Do you know how expensive third level education is? Hella, that’s how much."
Bellona laughed for real this time.
"You became a criminal masterminds to pay off student loans?”
"It seemed like a good idea at the time." Thalia grumbled.
Bellona’s head tipped backwards as she laughed, exposing her jawline, sharp enough to cut diamonds.
“Surely you’ve paid them all off by now."
"Sure, my own. Then I paid my brothers, then my cousins followed by friends of mine."
"And after all those?”
"I anonymously pay off GoFundMe’s and things like that.”
“A criminal with a code.”
Thalia grinned. “That’s me, a modern day Robin Hood.”
Bellona groaned. “How am I supposed to stop you now, when all the moneys being used for good?"
Thalia bit her lip. “How about you let me have this one, then next time, we can go back at it like normal?”
Bellona snorted. “Yeah okay.”
“Wait, really?”
“Don’t get used to it”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
“So, what’s your major?” Reyna panted, as she somersaulted off a ledge to land behind Lightening.
“What?” Lightening cries as she aimed a perfect roundhouse kick towards Reyna.
Jumping back out of the way and striking while Lightening was off balance, she repeated her question.
“Your major. You said you do this to pay off student loans, so what do you study?”
“Oh right.” Lightening flipped backwards to avoid one of Reyna’s lethal punches.
“Classical studies, with an emphasis on feminism through history.”
“Huh,” Reyna huffed. “That’s pretty interesting.”
“Yeah I find it fascinating.” Lightening agreed.
“So what about you Bellona? Are you in college?”
“Yup”
Lightening laughed at her non answer. “Are you going to elaborate on that?”
Reyna shot her a wicked grin beside feinting right, then going left, all the way around Lightening, trapping her in a headlock.
“I’m pre-law.”
Despite Reyna literally having Lightening in a headlock, Lightening laughed.
“A vigilante studying law. Could you be any more cliche?”
Reyna had to laugh at that, she had never even looked at it that way.
“I suppose not.”
Wanting to take back control of the conversation, Reyna couldn’t help but move her lips right next to Lightening before she breathed, “I win.”
Reyna could feel Lightenings pulse under her fingers, she could have sworn it sped up as her breath hitched, before she replied, “Yeah, you win this one. Don’t get too comfortable, it won’t happen again.”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Reyna responded before releasing Lightening and taking off into the night.
Thalia bounced a little on the balls of her feet as she tried to stay warm.
“Where are you?” She muttered to herself, searching for her favourite vigilante.
Thalia had the document in her hand. She had disabled all the alarms, waltzed right in and simply plucked the historical document from its glass pedestal. And there had yet to be a whisper of Bellona.
Thalia knew she had to be crazy. What kind of thief waited to be caught? But here Thalia was, waiting around in the cold. She was starting to get a bit worried to be perfectly honest. She couldn’t deny that she had gotten rather attached to the feisty superhero. And the other night... Thalia’s toes curled, even now, just to think about it. Her heart had honestly stopped for a second. It had taken all of her control not to twist out of the headlock and push Bellona against a wall.
Thalia shook herself. There was no point dwelling on such things. They were technically enemies for fucks sake!
Thalia tilted her head back to look at the ceiling as she turned in a full circle looking for any trace of Belllona. It was totally her style to lie in wait, then dramatically drop from above. But she normally would have appeared long before now.
Thalia sighed before leaving. She should count this as a victory. It was the easiest theft in months. Yet she just felt a little empty inside, disappointed.
“Bellona you little shit, you better fucking be okay.”
“Well, nice of you to show up, slacker.”
Reyna spun around towards the direction of the familiar voice.
“Aw did you miss me?”
“Ha you wish.” Lightening quipped, but made no move go begin their usual spat.
“Sorry mom, I was sick, okay?”
“A little headcold kept you down? Maybe you’re not so invincible.”
Reyna laughed. “I’ve never claimed to be invincible”
Lightening rolled those gorgeous blue eyes. “You’re a superhero, you all claim to be invincible, it comes with the title.”
Reyna laughed again. “So? Are we going to do this or not?”
“I wasn’t raised to fight a dying woman.”
“But you were raised to steal?”
“Obviously.”
They both laughed.
“Rock paper scissors?”
Reyna raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? You wanna leave this up to rock, paper, scissors?”
“Sure why not?”
Reyna huffed. “There are like a billion reasons why not.”
Lightening just kept looking at her, challenging her.
“You are such a bad influence on me.”
Lightening punched the air in victory.
“If-“ Reyna continued.
“If?” Lightening questioned.
“If you tell me your real name.”
“Ooh aren’t you just playing with fire?”
Reyna just tilted her head in question.
“Thalia. My name’s Thalia.”
“Huh, that’s really pretty.”
“Don’t sound so surprised.”
Reyna laughed at her indignation. “I’m Reyna.”
Thalia’s eyes lit up, gleaming with the new information.
“Okay, are you ready for this epic battle?”
“Oh you’re so on.”
Shaking her hands, Reyna stood opposite Thalia, standing as if they were about to draw pistols and fire.
“Rock.”
Their eyes met. Swirling brown on startling blue.
“Paper.”
Reyna watched as Thalia purses her lips in an incredibly infuriating little smirk.
“Scissors.”
Reyna’s hand was curled in a fist. Rock.
Thalia’s index and middle finger were extended, her thumb turned upwards towards the sky. Her hand looked like a gun.
“Ha! I win!” Thalia exclaimed.
“No! You do not! That’s cheating!” Reyna protested.
Thalia stalked closer to Reyna. “That’s what you get for playing with a criminal. We don’t have to play by the rules..”
Reyna groaned. She had been played. Like a fool.
The half of Thalia’s face that Reyna could see formed an expression of mock pity. Quickly, so fast Reyna would later debate if it really even happened, Thalia leaned in and deftly pecked Reyna’s cheek.
“To make you feel better.” Was her only explanation.
“Until next time!” Thalia called out in a sing-song voice as she took off into the night. Reyna remained where she was for a good few moments after, touching her cheek where Thalia’s lips had been, a soft smile frozen in place.
What had Thalia done? She was still kicking herself for potentially ruining everything she and Reyna shared. Was there even a word to call your arch nemesis, who’s not really your arch nemesis because you act like friends?
Thalia couldn’t believe what she had done. It had happened so fast she hadn’t had time to stop herself.
Reyna’s cheek was cold from the night air and she smelled faintly of grapefruit and something else Thalia couldn’t identify.
Thalia strolled into the bank she was robbing, taking her own sweet time.
“And her highness finally deigns to grace us with her presence.” Reyna emerged from the shadows, cloaked in darkness.
“A queen is never late.” Thalia began, then delighted when Reyna finished the Princess Diaries quote with her.
“Everyone else is simply early.”
They both laughed before Reyna fully emerged from the shadows, taking a step towards Thalia.
Thalia mirrored her movements, stepping closer to the incredible woman before her.
“I’m sorry about the other night.” Thalia started, “I wasn’t thinking.”
“I’m not.”
“What?” Thalia asked, slightly confused.
“Sorry.” Reyna clarified.
“Oh.”
A pause.
“Wait, you’re not?”
Reyna smirked and Thalia would be lying if she said her knees didn’t go a little weak.
“Nope. Well I am a little annoyed I guess.”
Thalia’s heart sank.
“Annoyed?”
“Annoyed that you ran away before I could kiss you properly.”
And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the exact moment Thalia Grace stopped breathing.
Reyna completed the few steps between them, reaching up to cup the back of Thalia’s neck.
“Can I kiss you?” Reyna asked, as if it was even a question.
“Fuck yes.” Thalia breathed, before leaning down to finally kiss her.
Thalia knew where Reyna’s superhero name came from. This girl was a fucking goddess.
Reyna pushed Thalia backwards until Thalia was pressed up against a wall. Thalia gasped as Reyna nipped her bottom lip lightly, asking for permission inside. Thalia granted her full access without a moments hesitation.
Thalia spun them, so now Reyna was against the wall. Thalia has used her arm as a cushion, so Reyna wouldn’t hit her head, and Reyna hummed into her mouth as thanks, shattering any lingering restraint Thalia thought she had.
Reyna’s leg hooked around Thalia’s waist and Thalia hoisted her off the ground with ease. This wasn’t the first time Thalia had lifted the other woman, but it was definitely her favourite.
The wall supporting most of her weight, Reyna tightened her legs a around Thalia, pulling her impossibly closer and Thalia groaned in pleasure.
Thalia pulled away, just slightly, panting heavily. She grinned when Reyna whimpered at the lack of Thalia’s lips on hers.
“Can I see your face?” Thalia asked.
Thalia knew that, for them, this question was more intimate than asking the other to strip naked, but Reyna didn’t falter. Didn’t hesitate to reach behind her head to untie the mask obscuring her face, as Thalia did the same. She had never once taken off her mask in front of someone. People knew her as Thalia or as Lightening. Never as both. Until now.
Masks off, Thalia couldn’t tear her eyes away from the woman in front of her.
“Fuck, you’re so beautiful.” Thalia muttered, partially to herself, slightly awestruck.
Reyna blushed lightly. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
Thalia laughed, falling comfortably back into their playful banter.
“So uh, do you maybe wanna grab coffee or something sometime?” Thalia rushed out.
“I guess I could leave catching criminals to the police for one afternoon.” Reyna responded, grinning.
“It’s totally on you though cause you’re loaded.” She added.
Thalia tipped her head back laughing as she gently set Reyna on the ground.
“Fair enough.”
They began to walk out the door of the bank, and Thalia reached her hand out to link Reyna’s.
“Don’t think this means I’ll stop stealing.”
Reyna spluttered. “Oh yes you will! I’m not dating a criminal!”
Thalia bumped her with her hip.
“Uh, yes you are. You’d miss my bad girl appeal.”
Reyna groaned.
“Once a year.”
Thalia scoffed. “More like once a week.”
“Once a month.”
“Twice a month.”
“Deal.”
Thalia grinned, before Reyna continued, “Don’t think this means I won’t still stop you.”
“Ha! More like try stop me.”
“Oh you are so on.”
The End.
Thank you so much for reading! I had so much fun writing this. I’m thinking about writing some follow ups or making this a little series. Lemme know what you think, yes or no. And as always, I’m totally open to any prompts or requests you have.