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February 14th in Stilwater looked the same as every other place in the world, it was Valentine’s Day. A lot of people were well aware of this commercial holiday that put the emphasis of giving presents as a token of love or validation, despite it being a thing that could occur for more than one day throughout the year. Storefronts all over the city were covered with heart themed decor advertising all Valentine’s offerings from candy shops, jewely stores, to sex shops and the latter ended up being the type of stores to have a line out the door. Saints members throughout Stilwater weren’t an exception to the day’s craze with various young adults going around town searching for the best type of present for their significant other which can vary to all kinds of relationships.
“Happy Valentine’s Day Shelly!” The tall Saints member greeted his close friend in the gang by getting her small valentine’s themed candy bag with various types of fun sized candies inside.
“Thanks Tommy, same to you. I appreciate the small gesture.” Sheila said to the skater. While the two knew each other prior to the gang, within the past year, both of them have grown more closer after working together in the drug operations team. The smaller woman felt bad that she didn’t have something in return for Hal, but returned his favor with a hug. She knew that he likes hugs more than most people within the gang.
“Do you and Jonathan have any plans for today?”
“Nothing too special, we’re going to spend the day at the special race car exhibition at the Arena, you can tag along if you don’t have plans.” Hal responded, He knew that his close friend was a single lady.
“That’s okay, I got some important duties to do and I know Boss wouldn’t want me to slack off, just remember to send out that shipment before the night ends, Tommy.” Sheila wanted to remind Hal about his task to deliver some Saints imports to a client of the gang.
The military brat felt much indifference about Valentine’s day, with her history of not being in any long term relationships, or any of them that had lasted long enough to reach that holiday. However, she felt a deep connection with one of her exes, one of the few that she still dearly cared about after breaking to the point of being close friends. Sheila dated Shaundi before she joined the Saints when the two met at a music festival in the summer and instantly hit it off after the end of the opening band’s set. Both women were together for several months, but it didn’t have any growth within the relationship in that duration, the hippie didn’t have the maturity for it. Sheila had commitment issues as well, as a person that moved from place to place her whole life, it was hard for her to constantly keep a relationship brand new. They ended up calling it quits, but have agreed to remain friends. Whenever anything went sour with a partner, Sheila would let the lieutenant stay over at her place to the point that the two women were practically roommates.
Sheila was patient with the lieutenant when they were together and if anything got closer than before when the two were just friends. She sympathized with Shaundi when it came to her homelife and why it was rough for her, being a child of divorce meant a fear of commitment. When the Saint's enforcer got more comfortable with her identity, she couldn’t do the same with maintaining a long-term relationship out of those worries. The lieutenant loved Sheila, but felt that she needed something better than herself. The two agreed in mutual terms to end the relationship since both weren’t mature enough to be committed in the long run.
Sheila lived in a comfy two bedroom apartment rented by her father that was located in a complex that was just outside the university neighborhood. The military brat had the apartment for herself ever since her father flew up northeast to take care of his mother, her grandmother. Sheila didn’t mind it whenever Shaundi stayed over from time to time since she enjoyed the company. The enforcer teased the brunette about offering her a spare key for the apartment, but opted for the hidden key under the welcome mat instead. The lieutenant was over at the apartment later that night with no plans. Ever since joining the Saints, Shaundi didn’t have much time for some hookups with the amount of things the Boss had her do for the gang. The brunette didn’t really think seriously about Valentine’s Day, it was a fun holiday for her to be showered with gifts by admirers when she was younger, but not much as an adult. The lieutenant was tired out with the day’s work, she had to help out the Boss with taking out Masako lackeys that were snooping around the gang’s main hideout. Before Shaundi lit a newly rolled joint, the door of the apartment unlocked and got greeted by the smell of pizza.
“At least wait for me before you smoke that…'' Sheila responded, she figured that the lieutenant was at her apartment by the end of the day given that she’d stay over throughout the week. The black haired woman placed the pizza box in the center of the table before Shaundi took a hit of the joint before passing it to Sheila.
“No plans tonight? I’m shocked as Hell, I know some of the ladies in the gang admire you and all. Not even a single hookup?” The lieutenant asked, while Sheila was one of the tougher women in the Saints and could have a cold interior, few of the female members admired that about her.
“Nothing much, I got some gifts from a few of them but nothing too serious. I don’t know Shaundi, it’s really not a big deal of a holiday. Sucks that we couldn’t celebrate it when we were together.” Sheila said before she took a hit, it’s been months but bringing up the relationship still makes her nervous. The military brat isn’t someone that would use the gang’s own product being aware of the dangers of them, but on the occasion she’d smoke something mild on the side.
Seeing the military brat look a little down on herself, Shaundi gave her a hug, Sheila didn’t want to admit it but she loved receiving hugs from her friends. The lieutenant's sign of affection startled Sheila a bit, eventually she warmed up to it. Despite the failure of a serious relationship, there was still a sense of looking out for each other. There were nights where Shaundi complained about how awful some of her exes were or when Sheila had to deal with being up against some shady clients whenever she needed to look over a deal.
“Shelly, that's silly. We don’t need to be together to enjoy some bullshit day. Let’s just enjoy tonight. Our little own Galentine’s Day, I got the goodies, and you got our munchies!” Shaundi relaxed the black haired girl, assured that she got nothing to worry about. The taller woman smiled a bit, she felt more at ease.
“Thanks Shaundi, now that you’ve reminded me of munchies...I do remember having one of those special brownies one of the guys made for us..”