Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Beloved, look at what the Princess gave me today,” Aneka walks into the home she shares with Ayo twirling the new technology that Shuri gave her to test out.

Okoye is a stickler for tradition, and Shuri knows that, so whenever she makes new gear for the Dora, she gives them to Aneka to try out for her. Aneka has always been the one to challenge tradition and is willing to try out new gear and toys for Shuri.

“Whatever it is, you know The General is going to allow it,” Ayo says and doesn’t bother looking up from where she is making dinner.

“I know, but you know Shuri likes for me to try out her different inventions.” Aneka walks up behind Ayo at the oven as she makes dinner for the two of them. She wraps her arms around the other woman and lays her head on her shoulder, looking over her shoulder at the meal she is making.

“Look at them, Ayo. They look so cool.” Aneka still has the daggers in her hands so that they are in front of Ayo for her to see.

Ayo takes one of her kimoyo beads and beeps it so the food will continue to cook without burning the house down. Then, she turns around in Aneka’s arms and crosses her own arms across her chest to look at her girlfriend. Aneka takes a step back and presents the daggers to Ayo for her to look at. Ayo takes the weapons offered to her and balances them in her hands.

The daggers are light in her hands and do seem like they may be efficient in battle and better for close combat.

“They are light, and I am sure they will work better for close combat. But I just don’t know how well they will hold up against our spears, especially now, after the Princess’ most recent upgrade,” Ayo says as she hands the daggers back to Aneka.

“I would love to test them out against the spear. I definitely think they could work better.” 

Ayo looks at Aneka challengingly and isn’t surprised when she sees the mischievous smirk on the other woman’s face. “Is that so? Do you want to test it out and see what works better?” Ayo challenges.

“Is that a challenge, my love?” The glint of excitement in Aneka’s eye is unmissable. She is always in the mood for a challenge, and it isn’t often that she and Ayo have the chance to spar outside of training sessions, so just the thought of getting to go back and forth with Ayo is exciting to her.

“Unless you are too afraid to go against a captain of the Dora Milaje?” Ayo steps closer until she is standing toe to toe with Aneka. She is taller than the other woman and doesn’t let her forget it, often standing over her and teasing her for being the smaller of the two of them.

“Are you sure your ego will not be too hurt after you lose to me? I don’t want to bring shame to a captain by beating her in combat.” Aneka teases, stepping even closer to Ayo, invading her personal space and wrapping her arms around the taller woman. 

Aneka lets her hands travel up the back of the other woman, taking the time to caress and enjoy the strong muscles of her back and shoulders. She lets her arms settle around Ayo’s neck and leans in as they both smile into the kiss that is inevitably about to happen.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

The sounds of Ayo’s kimoyo beads startle the women just as their lips are about to touch, and they jump back from each other. 

“You don’t want to burn the food, my love,” Aneka pecks Ayo on the lips before taking a step back, flipping the daggers in her hands then puts in her pockets. 

Ayo turns back to their food and finishes it up so that she does not burn it.

“We’re going to settle this after dinner. I won’t believe those tiny things are better than my spear until I see them in action.”

After dinner, Ayo and Aneka go to the training facility to settle their previous argument. The two rarely get to spar because of their roles in the Dora Milaje, so they try to make the most of it anytime they have this chance. Although they are both very competitive and do not like to lose, Ayo takes pride in her position as captain and has worked so hard to get to where she is at. But she also knows that Aneka is one of their top warriors, and she should go into this as seriously as she would any other competitor.

“Do not think I am going to go easy on you. I will fight you like any other opponent,” Ayo says as she takes out her spear and begins circling the mat as she stands opposite Aneka. 

She walks the perimeter of the small sparring arena, twirling and spinning her spear in her hands. It isn’t that she has to warm up to having the spear in her hands. The spear is an extension of who she is, it is like having an extended part of her arm, but she just likes to toy with it; it makes her feel powerful.

On the opposite side of the arena, Aneka takes out the daggers that were tucked into the waistband of her athletic tights and, much like Ayo, twirls them in her hands, letting her hands get acclimated to the feeling of the smaller weapons in her hands. She circles the mat, remaining opposite of Ayo, bouncing on the balls of her feet, remaining loose as she anticipates the potential of Ayo striking first.

“I would expect nothing less, my love. I wouldn’t want you to hold back just because you are afraid I cannot keep up,” Aneka teases.

Just as Ayo opens her mouth to respond, Aneka sprints towards Ayo, dagger in each hand, prepared to attack. However, Ayo easily blocks Aneka’s attacks with her spear protecting her body and putting space between them.

The two of them trade blows back and forth, with Ayo being able to keep Aneka more at arm’s length and attack from longer distances. At the same time, Aneka was able to move differently without the burden of the spear taking up more space and was able to move quicker and sometimes more efficiently. She was excelling when it came to closer combat quarters.

“If you wanted to be close to me, my love, that is all you had to say.” Ayo jokes as she manages to use Aneka’s closeness to her advantage and traps her against her chest, using the spear to keep her in place. “You didn’t have to use sparring as an excuse for me to hold you.”

Aneka, in turn, uses one of the daggers in her hand and administers a shock to Ayo’s thigh, causing her to lose her balance and grip on Aneka. She quickly regains her balance, but Aneka is on her, landing soft blows, showing the daggers’ efficiency in close, hand-to-hand combat. 

Ayo holds her own, protecting herself as best as she can while she waits for the perfect opportunity to strike. However, the force and quickness of Aneka’s attack have the women moving across the room so that Aneka has Ayo pressed with her back against the wall.

“You know you look really cute when you are about to lose. Yield, captain. I know my last hit must have left a bruise.” Aneka has always had a cockiness about her that Ayo loves, she can back it up where most people cannot, but sometimes she lets it get the best of her.

Ayo quickly shuffles out of Aneka’s grip and is able to reverse the roles so that she now has Aneka pressed against the wall. 

Before she can try and regain position, Ayo uses her height advantage and strength to lift Aneka off the floor just enough so that her toes are sweeping the floor.

“Now you just want to show off,” Aneka pouts. But she’s not really upset; she knows how strong Ayo is, and her exertion and show of strength make Aneka want to stop this whole thing and take her beloved home.

She doesn’t let her mind wander for long because, ever the competitor and warrior, Aneka is thinking of how she is going to counter Ayo’s strength. On instinct, Aneka wraps her legs around Ayo, using her foot to kick Ayo in the back of the knee and cause the other woman to buckle and fall to one knee. Aneka uses this to her advantage, using the momentum from being above Ayo to maneuver her body so that she is straddling the captain’s waist. They hear the sound of Ayo’s spear hitting the ground beside them, and Ayo reaches for it. However, Aneka quickly grabs her hand and pins both hands beside Ayo’s head while holding the daggers. She leans into them Ayo’s hands, adding pressure so she can’t move them.

Aneka leans down so that her lips barely brush against Ayo’s as she speaks, “Do you yield?” Aneka asks.

Ayo knows that she can break the hold Aneka has on her wrist easily, but with her beloved so close and the adrenaline from their fight, her mind has turned to other ways in which they can test their strength and stamina. She would be embarrassed if the other Dora saw how she was letting herself be bested and taken down because of a pretty face, but they aren’t here, and the face in front of her is one that she loves and has no problem admitting defeat to.

“I yield,” Ayo answers, looking Aneka in the eye before letting her eyes linger down to full lips just out of reach of her own.

Aneka’s cocky smile spreads across her face at Ayo’s answer, and she sits back on her heels, still keeping her position straddling Ayo’s waist. 

“Very well then,” Aneka says as she tucks the daggers back into the waistband of her tights. 

Ayo sits up and wraps an arm around Aneka’s waist to keep her in place while using her other hand to grab her spear and retract it so that she can make it compact again.

“You definitely can’t bring those on the mission. You know that, right?” Ayo tells Aneka.

“I know, but they are pretty cool.” Aneka smiles as she puts her arms around Ayo’s neck.

“Yes, they are, but we know the general isn’t going to like them. Maybe show her what they can do before bringing them on a mission.” Ayo suggests. Aneka shrugs and gets up so she can help Ayo stand as well.

“I’ll set up a time with her once we get back. But we have a mission tomorrow, so we must get home and get some rest. I don’t want you blaming me when you’re tired in the morning when it is time to get up.” Aneka has a certain sparkle in her eye, letting both women know that they are definitely going to be tired when they leave for their mission in the morning, but it is not going to be from their sparring session.

Ayo just shakes her head and laughs as she enthusiastically and willingly lets Aneka drag her back to their home for something more. They both know that Aneka is going to bring the daggers on their mission anyways, and they just hope that Okoye doesn’t get too upset.