Chapter Text
“Come now Sheena, would it really be so bad if Black Sheep tagged along?” Grey playfully elbowed her as they made their way down the clinical halls of VILE. They had an hour before they would meet the rest of the near-graduates down at the shore for a fire and drinks. Graduation day less that 24 hours away this was the last night they could let loose without the hot breath of classes or exams breathing down their necks.
“She's eighteen and didn't pass her classes, so no” she snapped. Grey had convinced the team to let their outlier classmate join the party- despite technically not graduating- except for Sheena. He'd strategically left asking her until last hoping the votes of their classmates would wear her down.
Alas- she hadn't even blinked.
“Eighteen is an appropriate drinking age and you know perfectly well she should have passed” Grey's voice dropped slightly from his playful convincing, it may not have been his score that was rigged but he was still pissed off.
“You are way too soft on her,” Sheena rolled her eyes. “She wouldn't be any fun- it would just be like baby sitting.”
“Excuses.”
“She can't come.”
“Why not?”
“The faculty would say no.” Mentally, Grey was punching the air. She was starting to cave.
“And since when have we ever enjoyed following rules? We are literally thieves, Sheena.” Grey huffed “Look, I know you've never seen eye to eye with Black Sheep-”
“It's because she's short.”
“-but you've both had your moments as classmates and I'm sure she would appreciate the invite regardless. Remember when she got rid of that spider for you? Or when she stole back your mp3 player from the Cleaners because they thought it could be tracked? or-”
“Ok! I get the picture jees-” Sheena groaned and closed her eyes in frustration. Letting out a dejected sigh and let her head fall forward she finally caved. “Fine! Fine. She can come but you are the baby-sitter. I have a bottle of tequila with Tigress written on it and I refuse to let it go to waste.”
“I would never deprive a lady of her liquor.”
Unable to hold back the smirk that plastered itself to his face, all too pleased with the idea of bragging to the rest of their classmates about how he managed to make the cat swim. At least that's what he told himself and nothing more to do with the fact that Black Sheep was now going to the graduate night and that meant spending more time with her.
Black Sheep, since the score results, had become a watered down, passive version of herself. Gray knew it was selfish but he wanted the Black Sheep he knew back, and what a better way to cheer someone up that with a stiff drink and surrounded by friends? Right?
-
Black Sheep had been starring at the ceiling on her bunk when the door slammed open. Bolting upright she blinked through teary, blood shot eyes at the intruder.
“Wakey wakey, I might have something you can wear but it's nothing fanc- ew have you been crying?” Sheena stopped when she turned to face Black Sheep. Technically she had been crying but she wasn't about to admit it, quickly rubbing her tear stained face with the back of her hand to remove any evidence.
“Of course not” She sneered, not wanting a bar of whatever new and improved taunt Sheena had to offer she turned her back on the blonde and lay back down with the intention opf continuing her pity party. “Don't you have a party of something to go to? Or are you here to rub it in my face for the 37th time about our grade scores?”
“37 is oddly specific-”
“I've been counting!” Black Sheep snapped, anger rearing it's ugly head. Quickly turning her face into her pillow to smother any pathetic expression Sheena might get a glimpse of. Couldn't she just be left alone? It was bad enough that everyone would leave and she would be alone, again. She would still have Player which gave her a small sense of security but Grey leaving left a hole in her chest she wasn't sure what to fix with-
“Well? Are you coming or what?”
Black Sheep blinked and sat up again. Sheena had been speaking and she hadn't been listening (it was usually easier that way).
“I said," Sheena rolled her eyes and huffed, “Crackle wants you to come so we all agreed it's fine. Obviously, the Faculty doesn’t know so don't go bleating about it-”
“Wait, I can come? To the party?” She was trying to process what was being said without getting excited too quickly out of fear she had misheard and be disappointed.
“Yes, God, do I have to repeat myself a third time?” Sheena arched an eyebrow as Black Sheep scrambled down from her bunk. She had on her casual wear black top and overalls, her hair skewed to one side like she had just woken up and eyes still puffy from her existential crisis.
“No! No- sorry, I just didn't expect to be able to come and I've never been to a party,” she sniffed and was aware she was failing miserably to contain the flood of internal excitement. Sheena was silent for a moment and for the first time since she had to give Black Sheep the 'talk' two years ago (because God forbid the Faculty explain what a period was, Sheena was still agitated by their negligence in that department) she felt an inkling of pity.
“Well, you can't wear that,” Sheena sniffed “And you need to fix your hair and face, you look a bit pathetic.”
“What should I wear?” Ignoring the insult, because she realized it probably had some truth to it, she began to smooth down her mane of russet hair. Through the tangles to looked Sheena up and down- she wore a dark green crop halter top with burnt orange dress pants and wedge heels. Not something Black Sheep would have thought complemented each other nor practical shoes for the beach but Sheena somehow made it work and what does Black Sheep know about fashion? (her extent was Cookie Booker and Countess Cleo and neither brought forth inspiration for a beach bonfire party).
“Not that” Sheena went to her bunk and threw on the bed a pile of clothing. “Pick one of those, I don't wear them anymore but it beats overalls.” The way 'overalls' rolled off her tongue sounded like it was the most disgusting thing she'd ever said. On any other day Black Sheep would jump to her wardrobes defense but the retort building was just as quickly smothered. Black Sheep settled with rolling her eyes out of Sheena's line of sight not wanting her to see in case she retracted the rare kindness (which she still deemed to strong of a word). Instead she picked up one of the shirts and held it out.
“What's 'The Rolling Stones'?”
Sheena choked on air.
“It's a band,” Sheena turned to survey the younger operative. “Just wear that one.”
By the time Black Sheep had pulled herself together in her casual band crop, leggings and converse (she could almost pull for a casual teenager) hair brushed and with some light make up, (Sheena's pity went as far as mascara and lip stain) Sheena was tapping her foot impatiently.
They began to make their way down to the shore where music thrummed through the warm night air and the glow of a bon fire outlined the many students. Black Sheep was giddy with the idea of getting to experience something considered quite normal for her age (Player had insisted parties were overrated) even if it was with a bunch of criminals for an import/export company.
Once they had almost reached the bottom of the dune that led down to the group Sheena put a hand on her arm stopping her.
“Wait in there until I tell you to come out, I don't know who is already there. I don't want to get in trouble if you get caught with me, especially if the Cleaners are around” Sheena waved her hand towards the shrubs.
“Why would the Cleaners be here? Black Sheep raised her eyebrow.
“You should know better than anyone those fuckers are anywhere and everywhere at the same time” Sheena rolled her eyes “Just wait in the shrubs”
She shrugged and reluctantly Black Sheep stepped into the course shrubs. For a moment she thought Sheena might just want her to get in the shrub as a joke but she could see Sheena’s reasoning, the Cleaners would drag her back by her ears if they knew she was at a graduation party without the authorization of the Faculty.
“Sheena” She suddenly blurted. Sheena turned just her head to side eye Black Sheep.
“What?”
“Thank you” Black Sheep meant the awkward words but still had to force them out of her mouth. Sheena’s face glossed over with shock for half a second before she shrugged.
“Don't mention it. Like ever” She waved her hand like no big deal and continued up and over the dune towards the glow of the bonfire. Black Sheep smiled and rolled her eyes at Sheena’s hostility she knew would likely never dull.
She crouched in the shrubs and crept forward up the dune towards the party, ignoring the twigs and leaves tugging at her clothes and hair. She could just make out the back of Greys head and refrained from throwing a twig at him. Not yet she could hear Sheena’s voice in her subconscious and for once listened and waited.