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Distant voices from the outside corridor echoed through the training room, bouncing against the stark, white concrete walls and thin, plastic mats. There was the muffled movement of soft feet that Ela almost didn’t catch as she wrapped gauze-like tape around her palms. She huffed, blowing strands of her green fringe from her eyes as she glanced over to the far wall.
Dark eyes glared back at her below sharply-angled brows, her arms crossed over her chest and an unimpressed pout on her lips. Ela noted the very professional cut of her uniform with ‘BOPE’ and ‘PEREIRA’ emblazoned on her biceps, the streaks of white and black on her face that always gave Ela the heebie-jeebies , and the picture-perfect shape of her fishtail braid slung over her shoulder.
Although they had worked together for years previously, -- broken plenty of terrorists’ bones and defended bombs with tooth and nail together -- Ela felt like Taina had put a firm barrier between them now. When she glanced down at herself, Ela hummed at her whimsical tank top that she had graffitied herself and galaxy-print leggings, and found herself regretting not wrapping herself up in kevlar and camo like Taina.
She met her gaze again and Ela felt the joy and vitality in the room get sucked out of the air by Taina’s stern scowl.
With a roll of her eyes and a sarcastic scoff, Ela spoke up. “Y’know, you could at least pretend to be interested, Cav. I’d hate to think I’ve bored you already.”
Taina pushed herself forwards, unwinding her arms from her chest instead to plant them firmly on her hips as she moved to stand in front of Ela, her shadow darkening the room and forcing Ela to squint up at her.
“I’m not bored.” She snapped, venom laced in her words. “I’m confused. I’m not a babysitter, Bosak.”
A grin tugged at the corners of Ela’s mouth as she giggled, a challenge glinting in her eyes as she rose up to Taina’s height. “Maybe they thought you could learn a thing or two from me.”
Taina narrowed her eyes, a sharp, humourless bark of laughter leaving her lips. “Don’t be mistaken. I’m here because Sam asked me to make sure you haven’t forgotten how to survive when you were stuck in your pretty Nighthaven castle-- oh, wait !”
Ela rolled her eyes. “Is that why you’re moping around? Because of Kali and Nighthaven?”
“You deserted Rainbow, Bosak. How am I supposed to know you’re not here as some…” Taina tutted, looking Ela over and contemplating her next words. “ Spy ?”
Ela scoffed. “That’s the difference between Rainbow and Kali. You care so much for the people in the world outside that you forget the people inside are real, too. Zofia didn’t understand that, and neither do you, but Sam does. That’s why I’m here, Taina, so are you going to keep sulking or are you going to train me, boss ?”
Taina’s dark eyes roved up and down twice before she waved a beckoning hand and stepped further into the room, the mats creaking lightly beneath her.
“All right,” She said. “Let’s see if you’re as good as you think you are.”
A grin wriggled back onto Ela’s lips as she tapped her thigh once with her forefinger. When Taina turned back around, Ela pounced, footwork quick and agile, but packing strength behind her fist, just like she had always been taught. Taina nimbly dodged with a quick, fluid movement before slamming into Ela and knocking her off balance.
She grunted, stumbling back into position. She tutted at Taina’s relaxed shoulders and slack hands.
‘Fine .’ Ela said to herself. ‘ I’ll show you .’
She jerked forwards again, probing for an opening, but Taina swatted away her hands with minimal effort and disinterested noises.
It irritated Ela.
A joke along the lines of ‘ something something, respecting your elders, something something’ bubbled on her lips to ease her frustrations and temper the tension in her shoulders but the lazy tilt to Taina’s eyes made her bite it down and swing a hard punch at her. Taina, swift and graceful as ever, ducked to the side and jabbed her in the side, humming unenthusiastically.
“Must run in the family.” She wondered and Ela frowned.
“What?”
“Recklessness.”
This time the smirk lit up Taina’s features like firelight, plucking up her lips and smoothing out the harsh lines of the powdery skull painted on her face. Ela would’ve poked the dimples hollowing her cheeks and made fun of the big, bad Caveira for showing emotion, but the simple fact that her enjoyment came from Ela’s belittlement made her gnash her teeth.
Taina’s fist was a blur as Ela blinked herself from her cloudied rage and she barely managed to block in time with the swift movement of her forearms. The force behind Taina’s hit sent a jolt of pain arcing through Ela’s arms and she gritted her teeth, sucking down the sting in her muscles.
“Be quicker .” Taina hissed and Ela huffed out a strained breath, her face red and flush as she met the woman’s cold gaze.
“Just a warm-up.” Ela muttered.
Another fist came at Ela -- this time even faster -- with more force than before and Ela danced to the side, the sharp gust of air whizzing against her cheek with the jut of Taina’s punch. Ela twisted her body, angling herself just right to drive her knee into Taina’s gut. It made contact with a proud ‘whoop !’ and the woman grunted.
Ela, distracted by her small victory, smiled at Taina, eyes twinkling with glee, and she failed to notice the flash of white fangs and Taina’s hard frown.
Caveira lashed out with a hand, catching Ela’s wrist and snagging it in an iron-like grip. She twisted her arm behind her back and Ela gasped, legs faltering beneath her as Taina threw her weight forwards and they both tumbled down to the ground. Ela groaned, wrestling to shift the power in their position, but Taina’s other palm came to press firmly into the side of her face and pin her down. She thrust her hips back into Taina’s pelvis to throw her back but the efforts were smothered by Taina’s knee digging into the small of her back.
Ela’s arm ached and she sighed.
“Too predictable. You’ve gotten emotional with Nighthaven.” Caveira tutted, leaning down until her lip skated along the rim of Ela’s ear.
Her breath was hot against her cheek and Ela stiffened, eyes flicking to Taina’s half-obscured face above her. They were so close, the heat of Caveira’s body warming Ela from behind as she frowned. She hated the way Taina’s apathetic voice could get under her skin.
“You talk a lot, Caveira.” Ela huffed.
The grip on her wrist tightened and she hissed.
“Is that what you think? That’s rich.” Taina scoffed, her tone low and rumbling like a growl.
There was a danger lingering below the surface of her words but Ela knew Taina would do nothing to hurt her right now. Ela had known Caveira for years; had understood her solitary and caustic demeanour better than anyone else, and she also knew that Taina Pereira was dedicated. Antisocial disorder or not, Caveira had loyalty; loyalty to Sam, in particular. Ela respected that. If Taina wanted to poke and prod, then Ela could do the same with little repercussions.
She did wonder just how far she could push before Taina snapped, though.
Grinning through the discomfort, Ela said: “Prove me wrong, Diabeł .”
Taina’s eyes flashed with something dark and menacing as she loosened her grip just quick enough for Ela to spin around on her hips. Something had shifted in the brief moment where Ela met Taina’s gaze face-to-face, the cool control melting into something whetted and sharp like the cut of a knife.
Ela jerked upwards, aiming to knock Taina off balance, but the woman retaliated with an elbow into her gut, knocking the air from her lungs and she was quickly on top of her again, reaching to pin Ela’s wrists down. She grunted, straining against Taina’s tight hold, and she realised this was where the Caveira thrived.
Heat radiated from Taina’s skin, her black nails digging trenches into Ela’s wrists and her chest rising in lurching, up-and-down heaves. Dark eyes bore into her, harsh and unrelenting, and Ela writhed beneath her. Her breaths came shallow, her throat dry.
A faint smile tugged at Ela’s lips and despite the weight pinning her fast and for a few moments, neither moved, holding steadfast onto their convictions and refusing to admit to the victory. Ela wanted to conserve her bruised and battered ego, while Taina wanted to bite back any wordy response that could give Ela more fuel. It was disappointing to Ela.
Taina slowly leaned back, the movements languid and catlike, and Ela watched with interest, tracing the angle of her body. Their eyes locked after a moment when Taina rose to her feet silently. She offered her hand and Ela took it, nodding at the unspoken words between them.
There was a hardness to her gaze still when Ela dusted off her leggings and smirked up at Taina. Caveira’s fingers squeezed Ela’s wrist tightly.
“I’m not here to hold your hand, Bosak.” She said quietly, a threat lingering on her tongue. “But you’ll survive the mission so long as you put your pride aside.”
Ela scoffed, chuckling sardonically. “Careful, Pereira, I’ll start to think you care.”
Taina’s eye twitched, followed by her lips. “Don’t push your luck.”
Rolling her eyes, Ela pulled away, feeling the coldness from where Taina’s hand once was and she wasn’t quite sure whether she preferred it that way or not. The nerves seemed to settle. She turned her back to Taina and began to untie the tape around her knuckles when she heard Taina clear her throat. She glanced over her shoulder.
“I think you should talk to Zofia.” She said and Ela frowned. This was unlike the edgy and hostile Caveira she was so used to. “I hate my brothers but… I would still burn the world for them. Blood is blood. I think you might feel the same.”
Ela’s lips were a thin line as she narrowed her eyes at Taina. She shrugged and forced a fake laugh.
“What does that American say? Something about scorched earth?” She asked with a sharp chuckle.
The corners of Taina’s eyes crinkled. She shook her head with a smile. “Sure, Ela. I’ll see you at the briefing.”