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You were so beautiful people couldn’t help but stare.
Of course, you would try to convince her that the tables were turned when it came to who had captured a great deal of the room’s attention, but she wasn’t so naïve. To make such a claim that bringing you with her from Themyscira had been one of the greatest hesitations in Diana’s life would be a terrible understatement. The thought had planted her metaphorical feet deep into the dirts, rooting and affirming that she would not risk you getting hurt, especially in the wake of her aunt’s death. For once, that befallen expression of disappointment in her that you made perhaps once every two years did not stir a change in this. There would be no way she would risk another person she clutched so close to her heart to slip away – by her fault, even more. She had even dealt with the tantrum like silence you delivered, no longer perceiving her existence as anything except a past thought. It hurt…mm, somewhat. But the Amazonian princess knew the game you played, and were she not so accustomed to it, she might’ve fallen into it.
The night she makes to leave, you are waiting at the boat with Steve, who appeared just as surprised and confused as Diana had been to see you setting sail to leave, back to her without a word. She wanted to fight you on it, but at the time, she only smiles small and shakes her head, climbing aboard and allowing you the opportunity to get comfortable, pulling you into the crook of her arm when you inevitable fell asleep. Whatever confusion Steve might have carried about your relationship vanishes when she plants a delicate kiss on your lips in your sleeping state, resting her head back and doing the same.
Truthfully, she is pleased to have someone from home traveling with her and Steve. The further they strayed from where your small boat had washed up, her awareness of her almost immediate melancholy become clear. And without you there? She could very well be a wreck, though you seemed to disagree.
The room of men and women dancing seemed like such a lovely sight. An open arena for couples and playful friends to go about dancing. In asking Steve what this situation was, he explained that it was a banquet made for officers and their wives. What you were doing there had been lost to Diana. She, in a shameful truth, had sort of tuned out Steve when he made a heavier deal of the details regarding why you were there. If it was any sort of credible redemption, she listened well to the part where he explained that she or you would not have to do anything. Just allow him to slip away and speak to someone for a moment. Anyone else might read this as a directive to perhaps lay low and not draw too much attention, but Diana had not heard much else beyond what was said. She was not foolish, but admittedly she did not read between all the lines.
It had been such a small banquet that people were modestly elegant – a look that was quite drawing to Diana. She liked it, though there was a sort of stiffness about the area that she did not exactly like. Though, again, your presence eased the tension somewhat. She asks you to dance at one point. The question seems to touch you so much, to a degree that is surprising to Diana. She never felt she was so distant with you that asking you to dance would cause you to beam and nod so quickly. She briefly looks about for Steve but does not seem him, assuming he has finally made it to the back with his friend or associate, or other. She takes your hand and helping you up, leading you forward. The moment her hand is to your waist, she can feel people look. For a moment, they almost seemed amused. Amused in the way you would be to see two small children dance about together. Unseen to Diana, however, is the withdrawal of amusement once her movements and holding position become more intimate. It becomes clear; this is not two women playfully moving about while their husbands are elsewhere. You were here.
Together.
Diana leans forth slightly, nose softly buried in the hair topping your head. She takes in the scent a moment, making an involuntary humming sound that provokes a titter out of you. Diana looks up a moment, noticing a few more people staring. She wants to
laugh. You had been so adamant that the dress you were wearing would not be fitting of your figure and look now. You were clearly the one to be with tonight. She moved in step with you, leaning her nose back into your hair, though this time it was to speak quietly in your ear, your other hand clasped in hers gently.
“You mocked me when I chose this for you.”
You snort, only softly, but just so. You retort, “I could never eclipse your beauty, Diana. I am only a silver to your gold.”
“You’re so hard on yourself,” She whines in a faux annoyance, “Goodness, you could conjure the impressions of Aphrodite herself and you would still say she was just being kind. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t think it was true. And you know that.”
You did. But it was hard to take compliments from certain people sometimes. For her few inches she has on you, you’re able to look up at her, moving your feet seamlessly with her own to the draw of the violins that set the ambience of the dancing couples – the few that were still dancing. You curve your head partly, looking her with a knowing bit of smugness, void of awareness to your surrounding spectators, “I do know that.”
She falls in the fight of not smiling back, damn near beaming at having you so close. Was the first time in weeks she was able to truly take a moment to be with you, feel you in her hands, savor you. You were close to a portal back to Themyscira. Those wide eyes that were filled with experience, shrouded in the appearance of naivety. Knowing you long enough, the princess was more than aware of your intellect and strength. It is something that has always drawn her back to you. Something that has always snared her, for lack of a more appropriate term, arousal towards you entire being as a whole. For Diana, these spectators who looked on with expressions of almost sickened jealousy were to be expected. Why else would they look?
Why wouldn’t they look?
“I promise I’ll keep you safe,” Diana vows, softly yet so abruptly.
Your lips upturn, “Diana…”
Her hand clenches yours gently and she pauses in the slowness of your dancing, turning her head a moment in obvious efforts the closer she leans in. Your fingers become limp in her hold and you lightly begin to close your eyes.
Smash.
At the first sound of the glass, Diana withdraws from her efforts, as do you. She pulls you a little closer, brows furrowed and body ready on the first signs of attack. Your stance isn’t all that different. The sight of the “threat’ is little more than a mess caused by Steve Trevor. What looks like two glasses, shattered and in bits on the ground to his side. But the way the other glasses are positioned, pushed to the back of the table to avoid such a mistake, there is no way they have been spilled and dropped without intentional intervention. He apologizes excessively, violently signaling you to come towards him with his arm. You and Diana exchange confused expressions before following, being taken as lightly as he can muster by the arms and lead out of the place.
Rather than the front, he directs your trio through a back door, pitting into yet another alleyway. With you standing in the middle of all three of you, Diana leans forward and looks at Steve Trevor with a confused expression, “I am beginning to think you have an unhealthy affinity for alleyways, Steve.”
“You’re either crazy or completely suicidal. Either way, getting the hell out of here is the best next thing.” These are the first words that come out of his mouth. You take your coats from him, buttoning up quickly and following him out. When it comes to his statement, you are the first to speak, “What are you talking about, Steve? We did nothing uncommon to our surroundings.”
“It was a simple dance,” Diana adds faithfully.
“That was already really fucking pushing it,” He affirms gruffly, shaking his head before gesturing towards Diana, pantomiming his apparent former gestures, “Didn’t you see me waving you down? I swear we locked eyes twice.”
“I never saw anyone else,” Diana speaks gently. You look at her with a small smile, clasping your hand around hers. Steve pauses midway through the alleyway, standing in front of you and sighing. There is a hesitation about him. In the midst of your quick strides down this darkened way, he had managed a limp cigarette between his lips. He pulls it out almost immediately, tucking it in his pocket. The pilot gradual stands directly in front of the both of you, taking either wrist of your unified hands, pulling them apart.
“Look…” he sighs, shaking his head, “I don’t really…I don’t actually care at all about the two of you being together. But time paces differently in different places. You can’t – the dancing, the kiss I had to break up, the hand holding?” He shakes his hand, gesturing towards you, “The fact that we’re traveling at all with someone who isn’t completely white is already pushing our chances of not being noticed. But more so with what you have going on. Just…”
He shakes his head, “That’s just not how things work around here.”
Diana scoffs, taking your hand again, “Then I will make it work.”
She begins to walk forward again, Steve moving in front of you quickly, “Diana, it’s not like that. You can’t just blaze way or anything. People will legitimately hurt her if they see you doing things like that enough. It’s fucked, and I know it but for now, I need you to just lay low for now. I wouldn’t be telling you to do this if I didn’t actually think one of you would be getting hurt or called something or whatever. Between the three of us, you could clearly take on whoever said something but…” he sighs, clearly exhausted, though it seems to be less with the both of you and more with the situation, “Just. Not now.”
Diana pauses, looking over at you. She’s without words, but she is certainly asking for your blessing taking on the façade of simple friends. You look down a moment, brows furrowed in confusion. Given Themyscira was strictly women, this felt so strange a thing to have to accustom to. You look up after a moment, hiding your confusion with a determined look, “After we deal Ares, we will make them deal with it. Together.”
To commit such a feat with you along side her, Diana thinks, is the only way she would have it.