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The first thing Anita opens her eyes to is Ajay leaning over her.
“Huh. Didn’t know angels carry guns.”
Ajay scoffs. “That’s the pain meds talkin’. Now get your sweet ass up.”
Anita pushes herself up. She feels exhausted. Her body aches as she stands. “Where’s Bloodhound?”
“Keeping watch. And looting the enemy squad.”
“You guys finished them off?”
Ajay raises her eyebrow. “I wouldn’t be able to get you up if we’d lost that fight.” She tugs at Anita’s arm. “Sit. Need to get you patched up the rest of the way. Hound'll let us know if any squads show up.”
Anita sits. Half a second later, D.O.C is humming pleasantly beside her. One of his tubes latch onto her and apply the healing she so desperately needs. One latches onto Ajay as well.
“You got hurt too?”
Lifeline takes a seat next to her. “You’re not naive enough to think I didn’t.”
“Nah, but I can hope.”
Ajay digs in her bag and pulls out some shield batteries. “Recharge. Only two squads left, so we’ve got this. Especially when you’re back on your feet.”
“With you taking such good care of me, how could we not win?” Anita is feeling better as her body reacts to the little robot's medicines. Plenty good enough to flirt with her favourite squadmate.
“I'm a healer, Anita. It's what I do.” She pauses. “But… you might get special treatment for being such a sweet talker.” Ajay winks.
“There's always more where that came from.”
“Oh?” She perks an eyebrow up, interested.
“Just have to ask.” Anita's voice has gone all husky and sensual. She knows it drives Ajay crazy; it's one of her stronger turn ons. Anita likes to use that to her advantage.
Lifeline licks her lips and her eyes flicker down to Anita's. D.O.C is all finished up with healing. They're both healthy and their shields are charged. They should be moving on, but instead they're sitting here staring at each other.
Finally, Ajay stands. “Come on, dumpling. Let's get back to Bloodhound.”
Just then, Bloodhound's voice comes through their earpieces.
“Single enemy headed towards your position-- seems injured.”
“Copy that,” Ajay says just a moment before the door to their hideaway busts open. Anita manages to get off two shots, but Ajay's gun fires faster and the enemy goes down without a fight.
ATTENTION: THERE IS A NEW KILL LEADER.
The banners on the wall beside them change and Ajay's picture appears. They both look at it for a moment before Anita stoops down and kisses her. It's short and sweet, as they don't have time for more, and they part with smiles on their faces.
“One squad left,” Bloodhound announces solemnly. “It is time to end this.”
So, maybe kissing on the battlefield wasn't the greatest idea. The whole damn place is covered in cameras. Of course their kiss hadn't been a private moment, but one that was broadcast for the whole damn planet. And probably more.
Anita can't take two steps in a goddamn grocery store without someone asking her about her relationship with Ajay. She isn’t ashamed of her relationship, she simply wants people to butt out of her business. What she and Ajay do on their own time is their business and no one else's.
She’s seen her own face as well as the kiss she shared with Ajay in her last match on the top story of everything related to it. Sure, some of the sensible blogs talk about their win or the fights that happened before it. Her favourite article discussed Ajay taking out the last of the penultimate team. But every single one that didn't focus on fighting seemed to focus on them.
It's Anita's relationship and not the world's. The only people who need to know about it are herself and Ajay.
Anita unlocks the door and heads inside. Ajay's apartment is small but well decorated. She's got the comfiest couch Anita has seen in years-- maybe a little too cushy, but it's a good place for them to cuddle. Shoved in one corner of the living room is a well-loved drum set. Music is playing. It's loud, some musician Anita's never heard before, and coming from Ajay's bedroom.
Anita heads down the hallway and knocks. “Hey, Ajay--”
The door opens before she finishes and Anita is tugged inside. “Anita! Come dance with me.”
The music is louder inside but Anita is much more focused on Ajay’s lack of shirt. Instead, she’s just in a pink bra. It’s a bit distracting, especially when she pulls Anita's hands to rest on her sides.
“You can dance, can't you?” She moves her hips as she pulls Anita closer.
“Haven’t in a while,” Anita admits. “And it gets distracting with you like this.”
Ajay smiles and stretches on her tiptoes to kiss Anita. “Sweet talker.” She encourages Anita’s hands to travel over her torso. “You’re allowed to touch.”
Anita does. She trails her fingertips down Ajay’s side and feels the shiver down her girlfriend’s back. It’s a good distraction. The problem Anita had come here for is far from her mind when whats under her hands is so much more important. She leans down and kisses Ajay. Ajay stops dancing and smiles into it. Anita pulls her closer, practically picking her up off the ground. Ajay's arms hook around Anita's neck with one hand going to grip the curly locks of her undercut.
When they finally part, they're both smiling and happy.
“Hm, you know, I think I like when you drop by unannounced.”
That jogs Anita’s memory. “Oh, that reminds me. Have you seen just about any crappy news report or blog about the fighting?”
“I don’t follow any,” Ajay says with a chuckle. “But I might know what you’re talking about.”
“How every single one of them has a picture of us?”
“Thought it might be that. Suppose we should’ve thought about the cameras, yeah?”
Ajay seems unaffected. She’s still in a good mood, bubbly and warm beside Anita. She’s still got her arms hooked on Anita’s shoulders. Her lipstick is a bit mussed, and Anita is sure she wears a similar shade on her own lips now.
“We’re okay with it?”
Ajay gives her a soft look. “Is there a reason we shouldn’t be?”
Anita knows that this is Ajay asking specifically about her and what she feels about it. She’s not terribly sure how she’s gotten such a sweet and empathic girlfriend, but she’s thankful nonetheless.
“I… I don’t know. I sort of feel guilty since I kissed you without even thinking about the cameras... And I’m just not a big fan of everyone trying to get into our business-- you wouldn't believe the question some asshole asked me when I stopped for food last night.” She buries her face against Ajay's neck and growls out, “I swear I'll break the neck of anyone who asks about me being between your legs.”
Ajay runs a hand over the back of Anita's neck and massages gently at the sensitive skin there. “Shh, sugar dumpling, I get it. That's no one's business but ours. And I like you kissin’ me, by the by.”
Anita relaxes at the attention. There are innumerable reasons she enjoys Ajay's presence, but one of her favourites is how easy she can put her at ease. One touch, one look…
“Now, you know I'd love to see you show off, but we have to ignore it.” Ajay hums. “Don't wanna see my woman locked up for assault.”
Anita doesn't know why she enjoys Ajay laying that claim on her, but she does. There's very little better than the warmth she feels with Ajay.
“I know, I know. I just… Hate anyone saying crap about you.”
Ajay smiles. “And I wouldn’t want anyone saying a thing about you. But there are ways around it.”
She guides Anita onto her bed and lays down beside her. The space between them is minimal; both prefer each other’s arms to the sheets. Ajay gets comfortable, with Anita’s head resting on her upper chest. Anita has one arm tossed across her stomach so they’re well and truly intertwined.
“Next time someone asks, you can ask them about their personal life,” Ajay suggests. “A really personal question that no one in their right mind would answer.”
Anita snorts. “I don’t think I can do that-- I’m plenty confident, but that runs the risk of being answered, and then I get stuck in the frozen food isle listened to some schmuck tell me exactly how much he can fit up his ass.”
Ajay laughs, bright and beautiful. “Then maybe instead you ignore them. It’s harder to do, but it’ll stop that from happening.”
“Ugh. I don’t know how you’re so level headed about this. Aren’t you supposed to be the impulsive one?”
Her next laugh is nothing more than a chuckle. She sits up after nudging Anita off her and looks down at her girlfriend on the bed. “Been a long time since I was impulsive as everyone thinks I am. But that just helps me get the upper hand.”
Anita rolls onto her back and grins up at her girlfriend. “Underestimating you comes with a death wish.” Her expression falls a bit as something occurs to her. “Are you really okay with this? Everyone-- not just our friends-- knowing?”
Ajay traces her eyes over Anita’s form. And then she shrugs. “I have my reasons. Can I ask yours first?”
“My what?”
“Why you don’t like that people know. Is it just the crappy questions?”
Anita thinks about that. The questions from random men and women-- mostly men, annoy her beyond belief, but there’s more than that. A whole planet and more know who she shares a bed with. An entire fanbase is spreading things about them; people are drawing things with them, writing things, and more. And, she supposes, it’s flattering in a way, but it’s still none of their business.
Another thing occurs to her.
“I guess… I am pretty annoyed with people bugging me about it. And I don’t know if you’ve seen some of the art being made about us… but it’s a lot of just, it’s our business. You and me, we’re the only ones that matter in our relationship. I had an old bitch of a dude try to tell me women wouldn’t be together, which… fuck, how antiquated is that?” She closes her eyes and shrugs.
“That it?”
Anita opens her eyes again. “I mean… a lot of people know about us now. And… I’m wondering if my family back home has heard about us yet. I was sort of hoping I’d get to tell them about you.” She closes her eyes again, finally done with the train of thought. She feels Ajay lean down and kiss her cheek.
“Dumpling, I understand. We are about us. And you keep having bad experiences with it too… but can I tell you why I’m okay with it? With my family, I’ve got some experience in the public eye.”
“Of course. You’re one half of this too.”
Ajay smiles. “There are people like us out there. And it might be antiquated, but there are still homophobes out there. But I had a girl, maybe fifteen, ask me about us. I told her the truth and she was ecstatic, sugar. Someone had told her it was impossible or a publicity stunt. But she was amazed that she was like us. Women who love women.”
Ajay takes Anita’s hand and plays with her fingers almost absentmindedly.
“As for your family… I’m more at a loss for that. But even if they know about us already, you still get to have me meet them. You’ll control that interaction. You know the real me and you’ll get to tell them about the real me. No one else.”
"I guess.. Ignoring it will have to be what I do. It's... strange to think of myself as a role model though." Anita hums. “Mom will like you. And probably embarrass me, but… I miss her. I don’t care how much she embarrasses me just so long as I get to see her.” She focuses on the feel of Ajay’s attention on her hands. “My brothers…”
Ajay feels the tension building up in Anita’s body. She knows what happened to Anita’s brother; he’d sacrificed himself to save her. Anita hasn’t talked about it and Ajay has no wish to pry. But she’ll still ask.
“Do you need to talk about it? Or do you want a distraction?”
Anita looks up at Ajay then. Her expression is mixed. Sad, certainly, but that sort of wistful where she’s probably got a hundred stories about her brothers, Jackson included, that she wants to reminisce in. But she shakes her head. “I don’t want to talk about it… Not right now. But… A distraction. I could go for that.”
At some point, there will be stories shared. But right now isn’t the time.
A distraction. Ajay can definitely handle that.
She reaches behind her own back and pinches the clip of her bra. It falls away and gives Anita a clear view of her breasts. “This work, sugar dumpling?”
Anita’s breath catches in her throat, but she smiles. “I’ll say.”
Ajay tosses a leg over Anita in order to straddle her. “Then let’s get to the distracting.”
Anita is only too happy to agree. She reaches up for Ajay's breasts but pauses just before. "Sure we aren't being recorded?" she jokes. "I don't need any more news articles."
Laughing, Ajay leans into the waiting hands. "No cameras here, just your woman who wants you to touch her."
"Well, I better oblige, huh?"