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Angela stood in the garage, hands on her hips. A variety of bracelets hung on her wrist, matching her frilly shirt. Two sleds; one red, one blue, stared at her from the wall. Mercy estimated the dust at about two millimeters thick. There was no memory of buying them, either. Maybe the previous tenants left them to rot. Well, if no one else was going to make use of them, the avid watcher of Antiques Roadshow sure was. All that was left was to convince Fareeha it was exercise.
Speaking of exercise, being stuck inside wasn’t doing Pharah much good. Morning jogs had been replaced by a hefty exercise bike right next to the television. Angela complained at first, but couldn’t deny she spent more time watching her than whatever episode of Cutthroat Kitchen was on. Anyway, this was that time of day. Major Amari was hunched over the handlebars, standing up as her legs worked in rotation. Sitting down is for quitters. Her breath ran ragged from her mouth as she pushed towards the ten mile mark.
“Sweetheart!” Angela burst from the door to the garage, dragging the sleds behind her. Fareeha stopped, pulling to a sudden halt and catching her breath before Mercy could make her daily joke about heavy breathing.
“What?” Pharah grabbed her towel off the handlebars, wiping her face before dropping it across her bare shoulders, wearing one of her multiple tank tops. “I’m busy.”
“We’re going to go sledding today! Doesn’t that sound delightful!?” Angela clasped her hands together, enthusiastic. Fareeha let silence overtake the room before opening her mouth.
“Not really? Isn't that for kids?”
“Sledding is a practical form of winter exercise, it’s a good chance to get outside!” Pharah swayed at the convincing argument. Exercising outside, whatever it may be, was too good to pass up.
“Alright.” Fareeha crossed her arms, trying to look unconvinced. “Show me how it’s exercise.”
The heavy snowfall had parted in favor of a light sprinkle, Angela and Fareeha standing at the top of a very, very steep hill looking over the quiet town.
“I didn’t even know there was a place like this around here.” Pharah muttered, watching as her wife ran around in childlike excitement, her board above her head. “Babe.” She snagged Angela by the sleeve as she ran by. “Explain to me what we’re doing and where exactly exercise comes into play.”
Mercy grinned, patting her confused soldier’s shoulder, making an indent in the oversized down jacket she insisted Pharah wear. “Maybe you don’t understand because you spend all your time going up , but i’m sure you’ll figure it out when we start. Do you have your sled?” Fareeha half-heartedly lifted her blue sled, none of her questions answered. “Okay, great. Sit on it and go downhill. Don’t hit the trees.”
“I’m not…” Pharah surveyed the slope in hesitation. “I’m not going to do that.”
“...pussy.” Angela quipped under her breath, setting her own sled down. “Would it help if I went first? Or we could go at the same time. Or..” Her eyes gleamed. “We could race~ ”
“.....” Fareeha paused before dropping down into her sled, never one to pass on a challenge. But two could play at pushing buttons “What’s the bet?” Angela tensed before letting a smile stretch across her face, Pharah playing on her deep gambling streak.
“I’ll bet a pint of gelato against you using the exercise bike naked.” Now it was Fareeha’s turn to tense up, her face surpassing red into a purple-ish hue.
“W..What the fuck is wrong with you?! I’m...that’s not even close to worthwhile!” The security guard clenched the sled’s handles, gritting her teeth in frustration and determination.
“Too late! onetwothreeGO!” The virtuous, pure doctor called out, laughing as she pushed off, getting a solid second after before Fareeha could react.
“YOU’RE A FILTHY CHEATER!” Fareeha called out after her, focusing her body weight on the front of her sled, doing her best to catch up. A few seconds later and the two were neck and neck, Angela reaching out and trying out push her wife into the snow. “YOU’RE CRAZY!” Pharah swung back, catching Angela’s shoulder and throwing her off-balance.
“SWEETHEART JUST GIVE UP YOU KNOW YOU SECRETLY WANT TO LOSE!” Mercy shouted, not looking forward as she, abruptly, smashed into a tree. Fareeha watched in slow-motion as dramatic music played in the background. Not good dramatic music, but like b-list action movie dramatic music.
“Babe?!” Fareeha stuck out her leg, sliding to a short stop, jumping out and running over to her possibly-deceased spouse. Angela laid unconscious in the snow, absent of breath as Fareeha kneeled down, placing Mercy’s head in her lap.
Angela kept holding her breath, waiting for the fabled mouth-to-mouth restoration. Fareeha, in line with standard CPR methods, cupped both her hands on Mercy’s chest and pumped her arms with enough force to break ribs. Angela jolted up in surprised pain. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!”
The look of relief of Fareeha’s face shut her up, partnered with a strong embrace and her face being shoved into Pharah’s shoulder. Angela slowly held her back, not speaking another word.
“Well, I think it was exercise.” Angela argued, sipping her coffee as the two sat snuggled on the couch in a nest of blankets. The snowfall had picked up again, prompting the two to put the television on the Yule Log channel. The competition had come to a tie, and Fareeha had reluctantly agreed not to hide Fareeha’s sports clothes as well. Everything was looking up for an enjoyable winter season.