Archive of Our Own

“Cress and I were thinking of grabbing some shakes, want to come with?” The blonde pinked slightly, and Iko almost laughed out loud. 

Come with? And ruin a chance to get these two alone? 

Not a chance in Luna.

As it appeared, Scarlet and Winter weren’t the only oblivious sapphics around these parts.

Giving them a knowing look which was received by immediate fluster, Iko’s grin turned cheeky. “I was actually just about to head home, but you two have fun.” With a wink, she grabbed her board and stepped on, kicking towards the exit.

The midafternoon sun glared in Iko’s eyes as she made her way down the winding neighborhood roads she knew by heart. The view was almost always the same. Tree, tree, house, sign, car, tree, mailbox, the occasional frustrated mother, pretty stranger, tree, house, car… wait.

Pretty stranger?

Iko slowed, curiosity piqued.

She was pulling grocery bags out of the car, bright brown eyes twinkling all the way from where Iko was standing. Her long silky hair swayed above her cute floral skirt and high tops.

Then she turned her head, caught Iko’s eye, and smiled. In that moment, she had only one thought. Pretty girl. She felt she had died and ascended completely, risen from her body…

Until her body crashed into a pole.

“Aargh!” With what seemed like remarkable speed, Iko was shaken and fell. She landed with her back onto her board, and it promptly slid out from under her, leaving Iko sprawled onto the pavement.

Now she really did feel like she’d died, just without the ascension.

“Ughhhhhh.” Iko groaned, wondering what she’d ever done to deserve this embarrassment. Maybe the universe still hadn’t forgiven her from throwing pebbles at that annoying kid in kindergarten. Kennedy? Kinley? Kaleb? Whatever.  He’d said her fluffy and frizzy space buns she’d spent two hours on looked stupid, so she threw a pebble at him.

“Oh my stars are you okay?” A light voice laced with worry caused Iko to brave the world and open her eyes slightly, only to find another pair just above her own.

Iko’s mouth would’ve dropped if she’d been vertical and had gravity to pull it down. Her almond shaped deep brown eyes were even prettier up close, imploring Iko’s own. When their gazes met, the mystery girl’s eyes widened the smallest bit, a light flush forming on her cheeks. 

Is the pretty girl blushing…. At me??

Giving the girl a bright smile that she hoped didn’t look too much like a wince, Iko replied with added enthusiasm. “Totally!” She then tried to prop up on an elbow, but the skin was rubbed off, and she got a burst of pain as it gave out.

 Sympathy filled the girl’s face, and she pulled a handbag over her shoulder. The second Iko saw it, she almost screamed.

“Oh. My. STARS! That’s a Tashami Priya bag!” 

The girl’s face immediately lit up, which brought butterflies to Iko’s stomach.

“You know her? She’s, like, my favorite designer!” Bag girl gushed, and Iko was filled with excitement as she squealed. 

“Same! The fabulous designs got me first, but when I learned about her vegan and cruelty free rules and how she donates to all these recuperating animals, she’s just perfect. And I adore her floral prints … is your skirt from her as well?”

Bag girl stood up to show off her skirt, and Iko sat up as well, trying not to think too hard about how she’d been talking to an incredibly cute girl with perfect fashion taste while on her back.

“Ta-da! It is!” The girl gave a dorky little spin, and Iko couldn’t help but smile at the sheer adorableness of it all.

“I love it!” Iko clapped her hands together. “It looks so cute on you!”

The girl ducked her head the tiniest bit and smiled, making Iko’s heart soar. With a sigh, she tried to set her hands back on the ground, only to immediately flinch.

“Oh stars I forgot…” The girl reached in her bag and pulled out a small first aid baggie. Getting out an antiseptic wipe, she kneeled down so they were eyelevel before reaching out to swipe the pad across Iko’s cheek.

Their proximity made Iko shiver, and she hoped she wasn’t blushing too much, though that was probably futile. Iko couldn’t believe her luck. A pretty girl, tenderly taking care of her wounds after gushing about vegan designer skirts? 

In the great words of Cress from when they watched the after school skating rink, “it doesn’t get much more lesbian this this.”

Next she applied antibacterial from a swab- Iko couldn’t believe that despite Cinder’s protests, she wasn’t the only one who used a proper swab- and Iko swore she got cuter every second. 

She needed to say something before this got awkward. Was it getting awkward? Maybe she was just thinking too hard.

“I use swabs too!”

What kind of conversation is THAT?  Iko mentally screamed, but the girl simply met her gaze, bemused. 

“My friend Cinder says that no one uses swabs besides school nurses, but I think they’re important for proper health.”

The girl laughed, putting it down. “My brother Kinney- well technically Liam but he thinks going by our last name makes him sound cooler, which isn’t true but he’s an idiot- says the same thing! I think it’s simply abhorrent that he puts medicine on with his dirty fingers though.”

“Liam Kinney?!” The words flew out of her mouth before she recognized she’d said them. The girl halted, looking curious, “Do you know him?”

Iko couldn’t help it. She started laughing. “I was actually just thinking about that kid but I couldn’t remember his name… I threw pebbles at him in kindergarten for insulting my hair. I was wondering if running into the pole was universal retribution for doing that.”

Surprisingly, the girl started giggling too. “You threw pebbles at him? For insulting your hair?!” She gave Iko an impressed smile. “You have no idea how many times I wanted to do that when I was younger, but my mom would’ve killed me.”

Iko laughed with her for a second, feeling pleased. 

“So thank you for doing what I couldn’t.” She winked, and Iko glowed.

“It’s an honor.”

“Now, time to get you some bandaids…” She pulled out a box, and after a moment of rifling, returned looking bashful with a box of teenage mutant ninja turtle band aids in hand. 

It was then that Iko knew; this was her dream girl.

“I’m sorry, these are the only ones I have…” She trailed off, and Iko was bobbing her head. 

“No worries! I actually lowkey love them, even though they’re clashing with my top.”

Mystery-girl-Iko-still-didn’t-have-the-name-of (she had to work on that) looked relieved and thankful, and made quick work of applying them- one on her nose, and one left of chin. 

“Thank you so much.” Iko gave her a great big smile, and the girl beamed back. 

Iko looked down at her shirt, biting her lip a bit as she mourned her outfit. The girl watched her, as if thinking. 

Then, as if hit with an idea, Cute Girl took out another bandaid and put it on her own nose, looking entirely ridiculous. 

“Now we’re matching!” The bounce in the girl’s voice lifted everything, and suddenly, the whole thing seemed sweet. Iko wanted to kiss her right then and there.

The girl gave Iko a hand to pull her up, and they bumped into each other. Iko hopped back, her hand flying to wind itself, flustered, in her curls.

“I’m Iko!” She stuck out her (not bandaged) hand, and the other girl took it. 

“I’m Tressa.” The girl… Tressa smiled brightly and sweetly, and Iko felt the flutter return.

Patting down her pockets, Iko pulled out a pen, jotting down her number on a half crumpled napkin in her pocket. “Maybe we could hang out sometime at the skatepark?” She suggested, trying not to sound like she was glitching out.

“That would be amazing! I’ve always wanted to try skateboarding!” 

“Maybe I could show you some tricks?” Iko had a vision of standing on a board with Tressa, hand on her hips, as she showed her how the ropes.

“I would love that!” Tressa said, with earnest excitement. Iko could’ve died from elation.

“Tressa, Mom wants you in the house!” A boy, probably Kinney, called. Tressa rolled her eyes and seemed to visibly deflate- as did Iko. 

“Well, I’d better be off. It was amazing meeting you!” Iko couldn’t agree more.

“I’ll give you a call later to work out the skating?” Tressa’s tone was questioning, and Iko gave another jump of excitement. 

“Perfect!”

Tressa met Iko’s gaze with a final bright smile. “Well, bye then.” She waved as she ran off, and Iko waved back, feeling like she was floating on air, despite the stinging cuts and bruises she was littered in.

As Iko got back on her board towards her house, she knew one thing was for sure.

She was absolutely smitten.