Chapter Text
The hard clop of boots hitting the porch made Akali wake with a jump, fear of sleeping in and missing her chores pounding behind her chest as she scrambles out, excuses already leaving her tongue.
“Mom- I mean- Mayym- I- fuck-“ Akali stumbled down the stairs, wood buckling under her weight. Splitters and nails digging into her palms and knees as brown eyes dug into the back of a short black mess of hair.
Mayym stood, arms crossed and sneer crowded on her brow trying to size up whoever was behind the door. Akali could see the dark curve of her snakeskin boots invade the strangers' space, even though the stranger was much taller than her. Dark greasy hair fell over freckled shoulders between the crack of the doorframe, shoulders hunched as a scoff left Mayym.
“What's your name, boy?” The rough drawl left her lips like a drag of cigarette smoke, creaking of leather as she stepped even closer, the venom of her lipstick humid between them.
A warbling voice cleared, parched from the heat sinking into their skin. She tried to stand tall even with a predator breathing down his neck, a straw hat pressed to her chest to better show her face.
“I ain't got none, ma’am, on account of my ma havin’ passed givin’ birth to me” Akali can’t help but feel a pang of envy before the click of Mayym’s tongue pulls her back in.
“Well that's a real damn shame, son,” but her voice carried no empathy, “there somethin’ you need from me?”
“Well ma’am, I ain't too good at cookin’ or sewin, but I’m mighty fine with cattle and I could mend them broken fences I saw comin on up.”
Akali let out a muted gasp, as the high arc of sun kissed cheek bones peaked like a lighthouse above Mayym’s head, crooked teeth in an awkward smile as rough hands rubbed the back of her neck. “Won’t ask for nothing more than a hot meal and a warm barn to sleep in.”
Another harsh grunt as Mayym sizes up her target, lips in a thin line as she scrutinizes the stranger like a piece of meat at the market.
“Alright,” relief flooded the stranger's face before a hand gripping her chin stopped her, “start with the fence. If I catch ya slacking or stealin’ I’ll run ya off my property with my .45 faster than you can say stop.” The audible gulp and nervous nod bound the snake and stranger together as the blunt jut of Mayym’s thumb pointed at Akali.
“Kid’ll show ya where the tools are.” Veil of gawking broken, Akali jumped to her feet, back straight as a board as Mayym manhandled her out the door and into the strangers sweat drenched chest, large hands cradling her hips. “Don’t keep wastin’ daylight now, or no dinner for the both of ya.”
Flick of her wrist and a click of the door and they were alone.
Poppy seed scattered freckles dusted pink as the stranger's adams apple bobbed inches away, hands still nervously holding her hips steady.
“Didn’t mean to uh grab ya like that,” she gave an awkward cough as she dragged her hands away from Akali’s belt loops.
The phantom brush of the crusted rind of her callouses against her ribs made a shudder ripple down the notches of her spin.
“S’lright,” blush bled across her cheeks as she shuffled awkwardly off the porch. The harsh arch of the strangers brow gave her a queasy feeling as she rushed over to the shed on the edge of the property.
“So,” the hard crunch of dirt and gravel under their boots filled the awkward air as the stranger began. “You gotta name?”
“I could ask ya the same thing.” The thick lock and chain jingled as Akali clicked the key in place. “I know ma don’t rightly care who works here, as long as they get the job done, but havin’ a name to a pretty face is useful.”
Hot breath trailed down the back of her neck as the words bunched up in her throat, “if ya don’t wanna end up in an unmarked grave that is.”
Akali holds her breath keeping the key steady in the lock as her palms sweat.
“…Kai’sa.”
Hook, line, and sinker.
“Akali.”
The lock opens with a satisfying click.
The door opens with a squealing groan as Akali tips toes in the cramped space, the stranger, now Kai’sa, walks near on her heels as she lights a lantern. The sweltering heat sends deep gouges of sweat down her back.
Kai’sa paced around her in the small shed, like a stray dog jumping from her leash finding a steak. Leering at her sweat drenched back, the smell of nicotine invading her dry-bed mouth as heat ghosted down her collarbones.
Every glance and turn filled her head, distracting her from the shovels about to fall on her head. A swift hand pulls her away to a heart thumping chest.
Akali’s breath hitches as a thumb pulls at her belt buckle, but not dragging her away from those eyes; purple invades brown and a chuckle fills the space between their mouths.
“Careful ere’ pretty boy,” the groan of the shed meets her back as Kai’sa thumbs the edges of her jaw, “Don’t wanna hurt yerself now.”
Her coyote cackle shakes behind Akali’s ribs, the roll of her tongue dusting her ears bright pink.
“What happened,” Akali licked her lips as hands tipped her jaw closer to Kai’sa’s grin, “to the gentleman who grabbed my hips earlier.”
“Hm, oh I’m sure he’ll come out,” noses brushed against each other, heat rolling off sweat kissed skin as Akali’s eyes nearly shut close; just a bit closer and-
“But he’s gonna have to come out later.”
The sharp clang of metal rang behind her ears as a shovel seemingly appeared in Kai’sa’s hands, grin wide as a fox who caught the canary.
“Come get me when ya catch yer breath, pretty boy, I’ll be waitin’.”
Akali falls flat against the wall, watching Kai’sa walk away, her jeans clinging tight to her hips as Akali feels her breath leave her and blush take its place.
This game of theirs is either gonna end really bad or really, really good.
She licks her lips, hopping to her feet, excited to find out which ending it's gonna be.
------------------------------------------
Sweat dripped off the steep curve of Kai’sa’s nose, the shade of her hat pushing slick hair flat to her skull as the rough wood of the shovel dug into blistered hands.
Crunch of gravel breaks her mindless digging, the groaning of wood like a breath of fresh air as the old hag’s kid,- Akali, she rolls the name on her tongue trying to savor its taste- leaned up against the new fence she just put up. Sweat drenched rippling muscles tight against her tank top, jaw bunched up like bundles of ropes as she heaves another load of dirt away.
“So why lie about yer name?” The drawl of her voice was proud on the jut of her chin, as Akali looked Kai’sa up and down with those big brown newborn calf eyes.
“Why talk such a big game and not act on it?” A sure-fire grin escaped her lips, crooked teeth poking out the corners.
Akali met her head on, scoff leaving her grin as she flicked the edge of her hat back with her finger. “I ain't the one who showed up flirten’ and ass-kissin’ my new boss' kid.”
“If ya don't like it yer welcome to tell on me,” sweat bunched up around her hips as she dragged the edge of her shirt around the crown of her head, the drag of the kid eyes on her stomach not going unnoticed. “But somethin’ tells me ya like the attention.”
A hum pulled back on Akali’s lips, her eyes still focused on the downy hair of Kai’sa’s happy trail. “Can ya blame me? A hot southern gentleman shows up on the farm and starts man-handlin’ and whiskin’ me away, whisperin’ those pretty lil words in my ear,” Eyes dart up and meet her nows, the lump in her throat going dry, “why I’d say you just as rustled up to meet a gal who will bite back.”
“And If I am?”
“Then I best warn ya,” a hand shot out and clutched the ends of her shirt, “my ma keeps a 45. by ‘er bed. In case the coyotes get too close. Since you’ll be yowlin’ like one once I’m done with ya’.”
“How do ya know you won’t be the one beggin’ like a rabbit in heat for me?” Kai’sa dropped the shovel now, dust flying around her as she met Akali by the fence.
Akali curls her thumbs in her belt loops, dragging their faces together until their noses touch. “Guess we’ll just have to find out then cowboy.”
She could so easily just fill the gap there; pluck at those heartstrings until their lips touch and melt into a kiss like caramel dripping off an apple- the sweet, sweet dip of her hips grinding into legs until she shakes like a whelp in the wind.
Her daddy always said to be a gentleman to them, those good girls with bad intentions, but god if she doesn’t wanna sink her mouth full of thorns into that cocky grin and drink the pretty red from that face.
Trace that bug-bitten- poppyseed-kissed- barn-cat- barbed-tongue skin until her ankles lasso laced around her waist whispering that liquored lips kept secret in her ear, that they both know ain’t much a secret no more.
Call her optimistic but Kai’sa feels she’s caught the dixie chick after her own heart.
“Cat caught your tongue?” Those firefly lit eyes pulled her back to the weight in her arms.
“More like a cheeky street dog,” Kai’sa hummed as Akali gave an undignified snort, her mouth open for reply before a voice interrupted her.
“Akali!” The jump near brought both of them to the ground as Akali immediately went ramrod straight, as if she weren't just orbiting around Kai’sa a few seconds ago. “You get those dirty paws off the new farmhand or I’ll knock yer head so hard your teeth will bleed.”
The dark black of her snakeskin boots was a blotch of darkness on the pale sands and grass of the ranch, that ever present scowl made Kai’sa’s chest cave in with a sour note. “I ain't gonna make up a new accident for you for church tomorrow if ya mess up again- now back inside.”
“Yes ma’am!” Akali ran off, tail between her legs as Mayym and Kai’sa watched her go.
“Now you,” the flat point of Mayym’s thumb grated at her bobbing throat, “Stay away from that girl and fix the damn fence before I chase you off my property.”
Without a nod or no Mayym walked off back to the house with that smug brow, leaving Kai’sa worried, confused, and sad for what this might entail for later.
------------------------------------------
“For all yer lollygagging earlier I'm only givin’ ya half a roll tonight,” Mayym practically spat the words out, the hard rock of the roll hitting the table. “You take that stew out to the farmhand, now. If I find you’ve eaten’ off it I’ll string you up like a pig ‘till you squeal.”
Akali nodded, mouth drooling as she took the bowl before those jagged fingers gripped her cheeks red as the harsh stench of nicotine rolled of Mayym’s tongue. “This is me bein’ nice', Akali. Just ‘cause you blood don’t mean I won’t leave you for dead.”
Mayym ripped her hands away from her face like her skin burned, the sneer pulled back on her lips made Akali’s chest hurt as she slowly ambled out the door where the crickets sang their twangy tune.
The wall of heat made her eyes sting, making her squint in the low glow of the moth-brown lamp by the front door.
Red webs of dying light spread their arms out wide in the sky as Akali slowly trudged to the dilapidated barn, the creaking of the swinging lantern keeping her company. The buzz of cicadas and lighting bugs helped clear the damp fog around her head.
Gathering up her courage, Akali slowly leans open the barn doors. Balancing bowl and light on her arms, she sweeps her eyes across the room looking for Kai’sa.
“Hello? Kai’sa?” The shuffle of hay falls like snow off the loft as the floorboards creak.
“Kali?” The rich whiskey-drenched crackle of Kai’sa’s voice echoed down and sent a shudder down Akali’s spine. Kai’sa has bits of hay and dirt stuck to her clothes but what really stole her attention was the open buttoned flannel cutting into perfect V shaped abs. “Is somethin’ wrong sweetheart?”
“Uh buh augh,” It was not fucking fair how handsome she was. For fucks sake Kai’sa practically walked out playboy magazine and into her barn with those thick arms and perfect ass with those boxers hanging around her hips-
“Akali? Are you ok?” The warm pad of her thumb gently kissed the tip of her bottom lip and parted them as Kai’sa leaned down further into Akali. “Did somethin’ happen’ with yer ma’? I can-“
“NO! No, I-uh nothin’ happen’ Kai. Just uh bringin ya some dinner.” Looking away from that chiseled jaw and furrowed brow, Akali shoved the bowl of stew into Kai’sa hands. “…thank yew though, for uh bein’ worried.” Her words trailed off into a whisper.
Kai’sa stood dumbfounded for a second, before nodding and moving to sit on the floor with her meal. The sudden pop and slosh of a flask brings Akali’s attention to Kai’sa’s now liquor-shined lips. The crook of her brow made Kai’sa grin as she snapped the lip shut and ate her dinner.
“Here.”Akali caught the flying object, confused when she looked down at a rusted flask, “saw you eyein’ it when ya came in.”
She thumbed the worn leather, turning over her mothers words about treading on sleeping snakes in her mouth before a sun-kissed hand gently pressed into the small of her back. Smell of whiskey was pungent on Kai’sa’s lips as the lantern flickered in the middle of the night, laughter scrunched up in the corner of her eyes.
“Ya do know how to drink right?” Blush bled down her cotton stuffed chest, before fingers twisted the grooved top off, tossing it away like a quarter flip.
It goes down hard. Burns her virgin throat like hot wax dripping off her cracked lips, until she has to rip it off her tongue with a wet pop. Whole chest set on fire like the old blackened remains of the school house down by the river. Every rib being plucked by the devil's fiery fingers, fiddle echoing in her ears as harsh coughs try to douse the flames.
A deep seeded rumble pulls the flask from her fingers, the smell of creaking-leather and blazing grass mixing with the plumes of the devil's water as Kai’sa leans on the rickey barn doorway. The yellow of her teeth adding kindling to the shakey limbed fire in Akali’s chest, trying to taste the leftover lacquered laughter on her lips.
“Best head on home before ya ma starts ta worry,” the slow drag of metal to lips makes Akali shudder as she watches Kai’sa gulp down the burning fire like air after swimming in the river, trying to savor something other than the liquor.
Eyes gleaming as she licks her lips clean, tipping her hat back with a coyote wide grin, “wouldn’t want ta’ worry ‘er now would ya?”
Akali jumps, scrambling for the lantern as she tries to dust off any lingering hay off her baby blue jeans. Boots rapid tapping against the molding wood as she tries to flee from whatever feelings hide behind her tongue, blush bleeding down her face as the night air shudders down her cotton top.
“Don’t run off with any ideas now,” her bark of laughter lassoed around Akali’s legs, the skin of her adam's apple tight to the knife of teeth and the heat left on her cheek.
It was too late for that now.
She could feel those calloused hands pull at the soft skin of her peach bruised heart, the whittled down slices shaking, tongue lapping at the excess with a coyote smeared grin. Crushed cinnamon candies twinkling within those dark apple butter eyes as her hips tenderly press her into hay bales; oh she’s got it bad.
She could feel her walls crumble away like the edge of butter slick cornbread, heat filling her from head to toe as she ignores the way Mayym glares when she walks up to bed.
Shrugging away her clothes as the thin sheet of her blanket tucks around her hands like a prayer;
For the first time in a long time, Akali dreams of cowboys. Wild west. Nicotine stained teeth and sand crusted hands, it's all so much but still she is thirsty for more.
She’s got it bad.
------------------------------------------
Akali wipes the dog spit and grass stains off her jeans, picking out the cherry pits and sunflower seeds from her pockets. Summer’s sticky kiss still smeared on her cheeks as she tucks the edge of her good shirt between the belt and pants. Dew damp ankles toe on her church shoes, the black leather tips shining in the morning motes of light.
“Akali!!” The shrill yell of Mayym rattles the old peaceful morning out of her head, the looming dread of Sunday's hands clawing down her back, looking for a chance to pick apart her plum-skinned heart.
The grass is still blue in the morning hues as she barrels down the stairs two steps at a time. Best to rip the bandage off now.
“Yes ma’am?” Spine stiff like a sailor caught with liquored lips, Mayym stood scowl on her brow and shoulders squared proud.
Mayym grabbed her wrist and forced her to her knees without a word. She didn't need to, Akali knew what came next.
“Ain’t no child with my name gonna drag me down to the pits with 'em’, so long they live ‘ere.” The first tangles of hair met the spiked ends of the brush as Akali bit into her forearm.
“‘Member now, good and well; Good boys always keep their hair slick back, and smiles bleached bright like in pepsi cola ads,” knots rip and tear as Mayym attacks her wild head of hair, the silent sobbing into the teeth clenched flesh ignored with another pull.
“The devils always gotta hand in ya chest,” salt floods her mouth as her chin tips like a pitcher to the mirror, hiccups spilling from her spout, “just ask ya pa’s grave.”
Another tug, another weep.
Iron rusted salt bleeds from puffy gums as Akali ground her teeth from the pain, noise like nails to a chalkboard as her forehead and arm throbbed from the pain.
“‘Member now child,” another twist of Mayym’s wrist wrung out the strangled cry from her throat as she finally set aside the wretched hairbrush, “you fuck up again and I’ll skin ya ‘till theres nothin’ left.”
Akali didn’t do anything, just sat there and let her sobs petter off as Mayym huffed with a roll of her eyes and walked away. “When ya stop your crocodile tears fix that shirt of yours.”
She stayed crumpled on that floor, shaking with tears as the rusted nails and splinters dug into her skin. Hiccups leaving a wretched hot bile in the back of her throat as the thrumming headache of the stupid ponytail pounded her head red.
It was always like this with her. Routine pain down to a T since she could remember. Even after years her scalp still aches with the pounding of her skull against her skin.
Her knees are that red bluish purple again, the same kind you find built up around the edges of rotting figs. It hurts but the pain is slowly fading into a dull throb as Akali slowly picks herself up.
It's just sniffling now as she hobbles her way to the sink to wipe away the red around her eyes, the water feels good and cold and after taking some deep breaths until her lungs hurt, she’s composed enough to start the day.
“I’m going ahead so people don’t see you with me,”the voice has her back stiff, the fear flooding back in as Mayym stomps her way out the door. “Don’t be late.”
The door slams and Akali wants to cry again.
------------------------------------------
The rosy-fingered dawn broke through the last whispers of fog, the chatters of church goers with the crunch of their boots filling the space.
Akali shuffles her feet towards the looming church, Mayym keeping a mile-long pole between them. Her plastered smile waxed free of any guilt as she laughs at some ladies joke.
Her stomach churns as the sun beats down her neck, sweat already puddling against her skin and shirt as she dips her fingers in the holy water. The groan of the pew under her weight is a small comfort as the cliques gather in their bundles.
“Mornin’.”
“Holy shit-'' Akali nearly jumped out of her skin at the silky voice, Kai’sa suddenly standing just next to her, still with a bed head as she took a seat.
“Don’t think ya should be cursin’ in a church, pretty sure that's bad luck or somethin’ of the sort.” Kai’sa snorted, the morning hymns beginning to fill the room but Akali keeps her eyes trained on Kai’sa.
Her grin is cocky as she rolls her shoulders into the pew, “Gonna rat me out to god now?”
“Wont hav’ta if ya keep lookin’ at me like that.”
Akali laughed at that, her knees knocking into her partners, without care for the glares the old croons gave her. The warm butterflies of silence leave as a coughing fit as she turns back to those purple eyes.
“Ya know, they say where sunflowers grow- that's where the sun kissed the earth good morning.”
Kai’sa gave a smirk, tipping her hat back as she rested her arm behind Akali on the pew. “Yeah? What’s that gotta do with me?”
The sudden soft rub of calloused hands met her jaw, brown butter eyes melting as a thumb traced loose patterns just under her eyes.
“You’re freckles look like their ‘bout ta sprout a whole field of sunflowers.”
Kai’sa’s mouth goes dryer than a communion wafer, the image of the wine red parting of Akali’s lips smeared against the rim of the glass thumps hard behind her ribs.
“Well now,” Jaw set hard, teeth aching as Kai’sa licked her lips wet, watch the motes of light behind Akali fall like snow in the desert heat. “If ya ever wanna kiss em’ good mornin’ I won’t stop ya.”
Akali gave a giggle before being shushed by a neighboring visitor, dragging her hand away slowly. The crooked points of Kai’sa’s grin beamed brighter than the sun pouring in from the stained glass windows, turning her attention back to the yapping Priest.
The sudden humming and dragging of blunt nails across her shoulders rips her eyes away to the smirking smoking gun next to her.
Nails pull and tug at the roasy beads of her spine sending shudders throughout her chest before a finger curled in her back pocket, grabbing a fistful of her ass with a click of Akali’s tongue. Blush filled her speckled face, jaw aching from the tension as a brush of air greeted her red-tinted ear.
“Darlin’ I’d kiss those cheeks ‘til the sky calls the sea home.” Kai’sa felt another blush bleed down her chest at the rough edged chuckle bouncing around her head like a halo, “kiss em bittersweet goodbyes and laughter filled hellos, over a steamed coughing plate of eggs or in front of this ‘ole church. Honey,” fingers finally pulled her face towards sinking brown, “I’ll kiss ya ‘til the devil repents, beggin’ just ta get a taste of what you given me.”
“What,” Kai’sa gasped for air, trying to keep her heart from leaping out her throat, “What’ve I given ya?”
Fingers twirled black curls as Akali dragged her head down to meet hers, breath leaving dew dripping lips aching for their match.
“Come get me when ya catch yer breath, pretty boy,” Akali gave a chuckle as she patted Kai’sa’s thigh, “I’ll be waitin’.”