Work Text:
The day had come for the two enemies to settle their battle once and for all, a battle they had been preparing their whole lives for. They wore their best armor, ones that glowed silver in the twilight. Tara had pulled her golden blonde hair back in an elegant chignon, because even in battle she couldn’t abandon fashion. Margo had pulled her short blue hair back into a messy low ponytail, and each nemeses’ hair choices reminded of just what they hated about each other.
Their choice of scenery for this battle was a beautiful forest not that far from their own lodgings that screamed death in the darkness. The floor was covered in a rug of dead, matted autumn leaves. The dark, desolate branches reached out into the darkness and attacked anyone who wandered their way. It was the perfect place for a battle between enemies, and that was why it was chosen.
These two enemies had a long history behind them, one that they hoped to settle today. Their castles have been a safe haven for both of them, and when disturbed in that sacred haven, both ladies have had trouble putting those moments behind them. Tara has never like Margo’s taste in music, which can only be described as rock music, and she has developed a hatred for hard music from all of the times she has heard it from within her castle walls. Margo has never agreed with Tara’s views on humans, for Tara has always been a judgmental person, one who deems not fashionable people and nerds as lesser human beings.
Tara’s soft features were made sharp in the bright moonlight, and her small and delicate lips were pursed in disgust. Her blue eyes sparkled with hatred as her tiny, delicate but graceful figure prepared for battle. Margo’s dark black eyes glistened with hatred, her sharp features made sharper by the lights. Her dark skin made her hard to see in the darkness, a stealthy advantage she now had. Her muscle-y body rippled as she got ready to face her foes. Both women were ready for battle, their hearts beating out of their chest, both women believing they will be the one to come out of this alive.
Neither person waiting for a starting signal, feeling in their chests when it was best to start the hunt. Tara crouched low to the ground, hoping to avoid Margo spotting her, but with no such luck. Margo easily spotted her, Tara’s golden hair a beacon that beckoned Margo. She unsheathed her sword, and leapt over to face Tara.
“Hello, Tara. What an unfortunate predicament you are in here. I really wish I could help you,” Margo snarled with malice, a smirk on her face. Tara looked up, terror clearly written on her face. Margo brought her sword to her side, in a position that was ready for battle.
“Get up. I want a fair fight, one that I can be proud of when I win,” Margo said, the smirk leaving her face. Tara, relief washing over her features, scrambled up and straightened her armor. She shakily pulled out her sword, while she takes a deep breath to help her gain control over her nerves.
“You want a fair fight? Well, here you go, Margo. I’m ready to finally bring you down,” Tara announces before lunging toward Margo, her sword cutting through the air before meeting Margo’s sword near her body. Both girls push against the weight of the other, until finally Tara leaps back, her sword scraping the ground. Margo cackles, revealing in her small victory. She rushes forward towards Tara, sword slashing the air in fast movements that Tara had no hope to block.
So Tara broke off into a sprint, deathly aware of the sword that was coming ever nearer to her head. In one last hurrah, she leapt to the nearest tree, scrambling up its branches while she can hear the sword slashing into her hair, cutting the chignon off of her head and giving her a sleek pixie cut. She continues climbing, while Margo makes one more slash, cutting into Tara’s calf. Margo gave up on cutting Tara off of the tree, so she starts her climb after the girl.
“Tara, you’re being a baby again. I don’t want to play tag with you, you should be courageous and fight!” Margo pants, out of breath from climbing up after Tara.
Margo, out of breath, finds Tara sitting on a sturdy branch, sword point at her. Margo slides across the branch, sword pointing towards Tara too.
“I just thought that if I could beat you, I could finally get over how you make me feel,” Tara whispered, lowering her sword.
“I mean, hatred is a strong emotion but it shouldn’t be one that you need to get over,” Margo responded, sheathing her sword away, as she scooted towards Tara.
Tara laughs, tears forming in her eyes. “I wish it was that simple. Hatred would be so much easier than the mix of emotions I have for you. Some days I wish it was hatred instead of this inexplicable love I have.”
Margo looks over at Tara, sympathy on her face as tears start to stream down Tara’s face. She looks down at her sword, unsheathes it and sees the damage it has done to someone who hurts.
“Is that why you look down on so many people? Is that why you bring down people that are different from you, because you deem yourself worse than them and want to bring them down so they aren’t happy?” Margo whispers, still looking at her bloody sword, not able to look at Tara’s face.
“I mean, I guess. I’ve never really looked at it that way, but now you say it, it makes so much sense,” Tara wipes the tears away from her face and turns towards Margo. “If you’re going to kill me, do it now. It be better if I was off of this Earth.”
Margo’s head snaps up, and she looks Tara in the eyes. She raises her sword, trying to call back the burning hatred she vaguely remembers feeling. She calls to mind all of the things she hated about Tara, but comes up empty. She doesn’t hate Tara anymore. Margo shakily lowers her sword, and sheaths it.
“Tara, you’ve got so much to live for. Don’t put down all of your fantastic qualities just because you have feelings for me,” Margo whispered, scooting closer to Tara so that their thighs touch. “And I don’t want you to give up your life when I am right here.”
Margo leans in, her hands placed on Tara’s face. Her lips meet Tara’s, which are soft and taste of sweets. The kiss was gentle and sweet, crossing no boundaries not yet discussed, but proving that the two were ready to try a relationship.
“And I can’t lose you now, not after falling in love,” Margo whispers, her forehead resting upon Tara’s. The sun was rising in the east, creating a beautiful soup of blues, pinks, and purples that was layered to see the separate colors, but mixed like a fresh bowl of stew.
“Oh, Margo. Are we really starting a relationship? Can I finally give in to all of these bottled up feelings?” Tara questions, looking straight into Margo’s eyes, a small smile slowly spreading on her face while a single tear rolls down her cheek.
“I would like to think so. I would like more than anything to start cuddling you instead of killing you,” she says, pulling Tara into a soft embrace. “I love you more than anything, and maybe we could go out to eat on Saturday?”
“I would love that. But maybe, we should get off of this tree first? Cause I would love to make out with you, but not on this tree,” Tara jokes, unwrapping her arms from Margo’s body, while she starts to shimmy down the tree.
“Wait. wait! Wait for me!” Margo playfully calls after her, laughing and climbing down the tree after her love.