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Let it be said that Talanah Khane Padish was, by all accounts, a very brave woman.
She kept a level head at all times. When she hunted, not even a meteorite crashing into the earth could startle her into releasing an arrow too early. She was nimble, strategic, willing to jump into battle at any given moment.Additionally, she rarely shied away from any social interaction that needed to be had- her experience as a Hawk in the lodge was ample reason for her to despise passive aggression and snide remarks.
But as she started the final leg of her climb up the mountain that Aloy’s home was nestled into, she began to feel very, very scared.
Because there was music playing.
Music that was nothing like what she’d heard back at home in the Sundom. No delicate string music, tasteful percussion, or the soothing whistle of a flute. This music pulsed even louder than her own heart, making her head throb and her teeth chatter as she drew nearer. She could hear lyrics being chanted behind it, too, decidedly vulgar.
What the hell was she getting into?
As she finally approached the door to The Base, she paused and pursed her lips as she studied it. How had Aloy taught her to open ancient doors again? A twist of the wrist, or-
Before she could remember, the door slid open and a head popped out.
“Talanah!” Someone said, very red faced with a huge grin. There was sweat pouring down her face and her carrot colored hair practically plastered to her forehead, with a face identical to Aloy’s.
It took her a second to recall the name of Aloy’s newfound sister. “Beta! How are you?”
“I’m good, I’m good!” her head bobbed up and down with every word. She looked profoundly excited. “Here wait, let me go ask them to…” Her voice faded out, unintelligible over the ear-splitting music.
“What?” Talanah shouted, leaning closer. “You’re going to ask them what?”
Beta opened her mouth again and tried to speak without much success. She shook her head and gave Talanah a one second gesture and promptly closed the door in her face.
Talanah huffed and crossed her arms, pulling out a small hand mirror. Might as well fix her hair if she’s going to be left outside.
And sure, she normally wouldn’t care about what her hair looks like. Did she care then? Yes.
Before she could examine that, the door opened again and this time it was another one of Aloy’s friends, the music considerably quieter now.
“Sorry about that,” The Utaru woman said, a serene smile on her face. Her carefully applied face paint was starting to run a little from sweat, but her hair was pulled back as neatly as ever. “They’ve just discovered it, can’t blame them for being a little excited.”
“Discovered what?” Talanah asked, starting to feel a little irritated, though she was careful not to show it.
The Utaru- Zo, she finally remembered- gave her a funny look. “You’ll see.” She stepped aside from the door, motioning for Talanah to come inside. “Shall we?”
And so the pair descended into the base. There were many trinkets and trophies scattered about, and Talanah’s heart warmed when she saw the flower she left for Aloy still standing proud, albeit a little wilted.
Nothing could have prepared her for the sight she was met with in the main living area, though.
Aloy was… dancing.
Not just awkwardly shimmying from side to side like she’d imagined she would (Yes, Talanah imagined Aloy dancing, obviously). She was moving her entire body, her hips, arms, legs and head engaged and hitting every single beat cleanly and with finesse.
I may be bad but I’m perfectly good at it
Sex in the air, I don’t care, I love the smell of it
The movements even matched the risque lyrics, with much hip shaking and dropping, kicking and turning and…
Talanah gulped. She felt like she was staring down the snout of a charging Ravager, only this was much, much scarier.
Aloy didn’t dance. She was a huntress, the epitome of being above trivial things like parties, galas, performances, and, well, fun. While Talanah wasn’t much of a dancer herself, even she could be considered less uptight than her Thrush.
And yet here she was, watching the beautiful object of her affections (fine, she admits it) perform some of the sharpest and most impressive choreography she’d ever seen. It was like nothing she’d ever seen before, completely foreign and tantalizing.
It’s only when the song was over that Talanah realized that there were other people in the room watching with her. Beta, Zo, Kotallo, Alva, and that one super annoying Banuk dude were scattered about, all clapping for Aloy after her display.
“Oh, hey, Talanah,” Aloy said, snapping Talanah out of her stupor as she approached. “I didn’t see you there.”
“Yeah, well…” Talanah cleared her throat, regaining her composure. “I certainly saw you.”
Aloy’s face looked red, but Talanah couldn’t tell if it was a blush or just exertion. Aloy was the type who’s face turned bright red whenever she did so much as walk somewhere, and Talanah thought it was adorable.
“Sorry about that. This new game has everybody excited.”
Alva laughed, sounded a lot like a baby bird chirping when she did. “More like it has you excited! We can’t tear you away from this thing.”
Aloy furrowed her brow. “It’s good exercise.”
“Right, right. Now it’s my turn, so…” Alva stepped into the space where Aloy used to be, scrolling in the air in front of her.
“Wait, can someone please explain to me what we’re doing?” Talanah asked, stepping in front of Alva’s display. “Is this, like, a dancing competition?”
“Close,” Annoying Banuk said. He had risen off of the couch where he was previously stationed and somehow appeared directly behind Talanah’s back, like a Stalker that just can’t shut up. “My name is Sylens. I don’t believe we’ve been previously acquainted.”
Talanah stared at his offered hand and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you’re the annoying Banuk who screws things up. I’ve heard a lot about you already, trust me.”
Aloy chuckled a little and Sylens wrinkled his nose. “I suppose that title isn’t necessarily unearned.. Can you tolerate me long enough for me to explain this recreational program?”
Everything he said had an air of sarcasm about it. Talanah could see why everyone got irritated by this guy.
“Fine,” she bit out. Sylens gave her an unimpressed look and pulled up a graphic in the air that Talanah could see.
JUST DANCE 2057! Some garishly colorful words read, surrounded by dancing animals and shiny sparkles.
“The Old Ones enjoyed this dance game as a way to release energy and enjoy themselves while exercising,” Sylens explained in the most condescending tone she’d ever heard. “It was extremely popular at the time, so while Aloy and Beta were out helping an Oseram salvage crew-”
“We found a full copy, preserved in a data cache!” Beta gushed. “According to some other data we found in the apartment, a dance teacher used to live there and would use it to practice!”
“-So naturally, we downloaded a complete copy and brought it back to base. For… personal merriment.”
“How do you make even a dancing game sound about as fun as licking a hot forge?” Erend grunted, a characteristic mug of ale in his hand. “Sorry about the blue buzzkill, Sunhawk.”
“Oh, you don’t have to apologize, I deal with far worse in my everyday life.” She grinned at Sylens. “You probably wouldn’t want to hear about how I deal with them.”
Sylens frowned at her and spun on his heel to go sit down with all the dramatic flair of a spoiled little noble boy.
“There are several songs sung by the Old Ones,” Kotallo chimed in, wearing his prosthetic arm. “The program tracks your movement and will score you based on how accurate you are to the dancing avatar, hence this… attachment.”
“Yeah?” Talanah scanned the room. “Who’s the current champion?”
All eyes turned to Aloy, who looked like she wanted to eat her own skin. “Like I said, it’s good exercise.”
“I’m sure it is. You seemed really into it.”
“Here, Talanah!” Alva said, removing the Focus from the side of her head and pressing it into Talanah’s palm, interrupting Talanah’s attempt to make Aloy blush for real . “You can have a go before me, to get a feel for it!”
Talanah stared at the focus in her palm, then up into Aloy’s eyes. She looked hopeful, almost nervous.
“Can Aloy go with me?”
“Huh?” Aloy looked caught off guard for a single delicious moment. Talanah made it her personal goal to have Aloy make that face at her all the time, adorably thrown off and not on top of things for once in her life. “But-“
“Does anyone have an extra focus?” She called into the room, and caught Beta’s when it was tossed to her. “You can play this thing with two people, right? We can make it into a little challenge.”
“Yeah?” Aloy asked, her eyes wide. Though she tried to conceal it, Talanah knew how much Aloy loved competition. “What does the winner get?”
Talanah leaned in close so only Aloy could hear her, pressing a hand to her hip. “Whatever you want, Thrush.”
She could feel the way Aloy’s heart sped up. She was definitely blushing now.
“You’re on.”
And so there they stood a few moments later, Talanah watching Aloy as she browsed the menu of music.
“Since it’s your first time going, I was thinking something slower,” Aloy said, a smirk on her face. “That fine?”
“More than fine,” Talanah responded with a smile. “All the more embarrassing for you when you lose.”
“Yeah, I’m sure.” Aloy selected a song and stepped back, rolling her neck a little. “Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
As it turned out, Talanah really was not ready.
The beat began, a steady rhythm pounding into her skull. The dancing avatar on her screen began to move, the neon blue silhouette outlining her moves a few seconds ahead of when she needed to perform then.
Wanna know what’s like, mm,
baby show me what’s like
Talanah picked up the groove of it fairly quickly. Dancing was just like fighting, just with a lot more hair flipping. Both required precise and practiced choreography.
It only took her a few moments of playing to realize that the song Aloy had picked was… sexy.
The beat, the lyrics, the movements, the way it involved more intimate gestures and movements…
Talanah risked a glance to her side.
Aloy was staring right back at her.
Oh, so that’s how it is.
If Alloy wanted to flirt, then Talanah would gladly reciprocate.
Still half paying attention to the choreography displayed in the air in front of her, she subtly turned her body to face her dancing partner. The next time the dance called for a drop in her hips, she very purposefully showed Aloy she knew exactly how to do it.
You’re exciting, boy, come find me
Your eyes told me
Talanah’s hand connected with Aloy’s waist.
Girl, come ride me
Aloy gasped, though it was almost inaudible over the music. Instead of stopping, Aloy only seemed to dance more suggestively, taking Talanah’s sudden forwardness in stride.
Soon, Aloy’s hands were resting on Talanah’s shoulders, modifying the moves to better suit a duet dance than a solo one. An outstretched arm became a caressed cheek, a roll of the hips was suddenly done right into the other’s torso. Aloy’s expression was dazed, her eyes half-lidded and her head tilted, allowing access to her neck.
Talanah took the opportunity and rested her head on Aloy’s shoulder, turning her face into the sweaty expanse of her Thrush’s skin.
And like that, they swayed together. Talanah was sure Aloy dipped her low to the ground at some point, the hair of her ponytail brushing the floor.
The song was almost over.
Talanah didn’t want it to end.
In the final seconds of the song, Aloy spun them both in a smooth circle and Talanah’s hands went up to the back of Aloy’s head. Aloy made a noise that made gooseflesh break out all over Talanah’s skin.
She got ready to launch into the next movements, but the music was… gone.
The room was silent for almost ten seconds. Aloy’s hair was wrapped around her fingers, one of her legs in-between Talanah’s. They were all over each other, so close that Talanah couldn’t escape the feeling that if she just pressed up against her a little bit harder they’d become one person, sharing the same soul.
“Shit,” Aloy said so quietly that Talanah would’ve missed it if her mouth wasn’t pressed to her temple.
“Yeah,” Talanah huffed. “I think I won.”
Aloy exhaled, a subtle laugh. She pulled her face away from Talanah’s shoulder. “Maybe you did.”
“Well that was enlightening!” Someone called. Talanah startled, jumping back from the heavy embrace. “As much as we’d all like to see another, I would like to not lose my innocence tonight!”
“Beta!” Aloy gasped, sounding scandalized.
“What?” Beta rose off of the couch. “I am only sixteen, after all. I’m not even old enough for an R-rated movie.”
Though Talanah didn’t know what that meant, Aloy apparently did. Her and her sister began to squabble, trading verbal blows that made the rest of the room wince.
“Aloy,” Talanah interrupted, coming up behind Aloy and resting a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s go outside.”
“Yes, please,” Sylens muttered. “The rest of us want to continue without witnessing public displays of affection.”
“You don’t mind public displays of affection when they involve characters from your holo-shows,” Alva said quietly. Sylens made a sound between a squawk and a shout, nearly falling off the couch.
“What holo-shows?” Beta shrieked, whirling her head around to face him so quickly Talanah worried she’d get whiplash. “Did you watch Second Time Around? Oh my god, or Lampshade? You seem like someone who would like that show, honestly-”
Leaving Sylens to his personal hell, Talanah grinned and grabbed Aloy by the arm, gently leading her out of the room and out to the area near Varl’s memorial. It overlooked the entire Forbidden West, far more beautiful at night.
“Talanah, I didn’t mean for-” Aloy began as soon as the door was shut behind them. “Well, I didn’t mean for all of that to happen. Sorry.”
“Really?” Talanah asked, turning around to look Aloy in the eye. “Are you sure about that?”
“What?” Aloy’s expression was guarded, confused. “Of course I am.”
Talanah huffed an agitated sigh. “Yeah, well, it really doesn’t seem like it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“If you didn’t mean for all of that to happen, then what’s all this for?” Talanah took a step back, gesturing widely. “You, leaving me after Meridian. You, acting all pissed off when I’ve found someone new. You, inviting me up to your base and then practically grinding on me-”
“I was not grinding.”
Talanah rolled her eyes. “Please. I was doing it too. At least I’m not over here denying it.”
Aloy looked down, so Talanah continued. “Listen, you’ve been sending me a lot of mixed messages. And I know I’ve been sending them too, but I know what I want now.”
“Well, what if I don’t know what I want?” Aloy responded. “What if I never will?”
“Then you better tell me now,” Talanah said quietly. “Because I’m not going to chase you around anymore.”
It was like a cord had finally snapped in between them. The fragile tether holding up what shard of secrecy or obliviousness that remained was gone, and all that was left was their feelings, raw and laid out for the whole world to see.
“I’ve had too many people lie to me, Aloy,” Talanah said, willing her voice not to break. “I want to be with you, but only if you’re sure that’s what you want too.”
There’s a long silence between them, like Aloy is arguing with herself. Talanah almost considered leaving her there, standing on the mountain, when Aloy finally spoke.
“I didn’t want to lie to you.” Aloy was still looking down, staring at the ground bitterly. “I never did. It’s just…” She raised her head and made eye contact with her. “I couldn’t afford to make attachments. I never could.”
“Well obviously you can now,” Talanah shot back, an argument hot on her tongue. “Don’t tell me you can’t make attachments when everybody in that base loves you and would be devastated if you left them the way you left me.”
“I know, I know,” Aloy was starting to sound upset, hesitant and frantic at the same time. “I know. I’ve been trying to accept people into my life, let them get closer to me for the first time in a while. And none of this is your fault.”
“Then what’s stopping you?” Talanah stepped closer to Aloy, getting in her space. “What makes me different?”
Aloy met her eyes. There was so much behind them, a whirlwind of unreadable emotions, but they were not afraid. Her expression was determined.
“I’m scared of how badly I want you.”
Talanah’s breath stopped.
“Aloy, I want to kiss you,” She whispered harshly. “Aloy, I want to, can I please-”
“Yes, please, oh god please-”
When their lips met, it was like the entire world was tilted on its axis.
Talanah grabbed Aloy by the back of head and twined her fingers into her hair, and she could barely hold in a groan when Aloy’s arms wrapped around her back, pulling her impossibly close.
They were ravenous, practically devouring each other. Somewhere in the middle of it all, Aloy’s fingers found Talanah’s ponytail holder and tugged it out, giving her leverage to tug on her hair and that was just amazing.
“Oh, god,” Aloy sighed in between kisses. “This is so awesome, how have I never done this before?”
“Wait, really?” Talanah pulled back a fraction. “This is your first kiss?”
“Uh, yeah?” Aloy licked her reddening lips. “I was an outcast, who was I supposed to kiss? A Sawtooth?”
Talanah laughed, tilting her head back and thanking the sun for this moment. “Oh, you’re so cute, I love you so much.”
“I- really? You-”
Talanah went in for another kiss which Aloy happily accepted, humming against her lips and tilting her head a little to make it deeper, somehow more intimate.
They stood there for so long that the snow began to settle on their shoulders, happily in the other’s embrace and surrounded by love. When they finally parted, they sat in front of Varl’s memorial, Aloy's head on Talanah’s shoulder.
“I feel kind of bad for making out in front of him,” Talanah muttered. “I hope he’s not too offended.”
“Oh no, Varl would’ve gotten out some snacks and fine wine to watch,” Aloy joked. “He just loved to tease me about it. I think it would’ve made him happy that we finally, um,” She gestured to the space between them. “You know.”
“What, sucked each other’s brains out through our mouths?” Talanah laughed. “Yeah, I’m sure it would’ve.”
“Oh, shut up.” Aloy had a huge smile on her face, and Talanah couldn’t describe how happy that made her. “Just don’t get too flustered when we go back in. Nobody will shut up about it for months.”
“I hope not. I think I’ll need constant reminders of how much you want me.”
“Talanah, if you don’t stop, I swear I will push you off this cliff.”
“I doubt that’ll make the rest of your gang very happy. Varl will smite you from the heavens for daring to do such a thing.”
“I hope Varl will be on my side for this one. Rost and my mom too.” Aloy suddenly tensed. “I mean, Elisabet.”
Talanah smiled softly and raised her arm to wrap around Aloy’s back. “Do you think your mom would like me?”
And that was just the way they understood each other. Implicitly and unendingly. Aloy snuggled in a little tighter and said, “Yeah, probably. She liked girls too, you know.”
After blinking a few times, Talanah huffed a surprised laugh. “Wow, really? I guess that makes sense.”
“Beta too.”
“By the sun, your whole family is just full of people who love boobs, huh?”
“TALANAH!”
~
Instead of being pushed off the cliff, Talanah was invited to spend the night at the base. And the night after that. And… the night after that.
Safe to say they played Just Dance several more times.