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It’s cold out as she stumbles through Ragunna’s dark and shady alleyways.
There is blood on her fists; not her own, never her own. Only the blood of those that try to disrupt her home’s peace and quiet. Those that would not step back from hurting others to gain what they desire. Truly the ones she despises the most.
Her nightly routine is always the same. After long hours spend at Averado Vault, the sun having already set long ago, she makes her way back to her empty apartment. Another energy drink to replenish her energy before she heads out once more.
Ragunna is her home; not the home she was born into, but the home that has picked her up after all her struggles in the past. And she needs to protect it from any harm.
But most of all...
She needs to protect her. The one woman who never judged her for her physical features, for her beliefs or for her affiliation unlike many of her kin.
She doesn’t need protection; she is so strong in her own way and proves it to Zani every day they spend together.
Yet, when she heard these men talk about her Phoebe like that, like she was nothing more than a piece of meat they could use and abuse to their will, something in her had snapped.
A sigh escapes her mouth as she thinks back to it.
Phoebe would tell her she went too far, should have rather ignored them, but she couldn’t stand by idly. They needed to be taught a lesson, and if she did this right, they would get it in the morning when they are found.
.
The horned woman’s feet drag across the street’s pavement as the moon shines brightly onto her silver hair. It is far past midnight, far past Phoebe’s bedtime. She can image the blonde woman lying in bed, curled up hugging one of her favourite plush toys as she has seen her do many times.
Sometimes she wishes she had the time and freedom to be the plush instead. But alas, only the weekends allowed for them to enjoy each other’s company freely. For now, she will happily be supporting her girl from the shadows, even if she doesn’t know.
The tall apartment building comes in view, and her body suddenly feels so much heavier. Just a bit more and then she can finally rest her worn muscles and dream about her love until the morning sun wakes her again.
Stuck in her own thoughts, she does not notice the barely noticeable light of the hallway lamp through the crack below her door. She gets blinded when she opens it and stumbles backwards.
Had she left it on before she left? Unlikely, she usually doesn’t even turn it on when she returns. Weird.
Stepping inside, she goes to remove her heels. Her movements halt when she notices a different pair of shoes neatly placed in the entryway; the white boots she knows better than any others.
What?
“Oh Zani, thank the Sentinel you are back! I was starting to get worried when I arrived and you weren’t home.” An angel has appeared in the doorway and speaks to her.
“Phoebe?” Zani rasps out. “What are you doing here?” Her voice is coarse, still tired out from her earlier battle. Disbelief is clear in her tone; Phoebe should be at her dorm in the Cathedral but instead she is standing before her wearing nothing but a thin nightgown.
Phoebe looks are her questioningly. “Did I forget to mention I had tomorrow off? I thought I told you...” She keeps going. “I let myself in using the spare key you gave me last time when you didn’t answer my knocks.”
She shouldn’t be here right now, Zani is filthy.
“Oh, look at your hands, what happened?” The blonde speaks up again and steps forward. She reaches for one of her gloved hands, and Zani lets her.
She shouldn’t, she should pull away. Her gloves are covered in blood and grime; she can’t let Phoebe stain her hands like that.
But she can’t move as the Acolyte pulls the glove off; underneath her knuckles are bruised from one too many punches she has dealt. Gentle fingers run along the reddened skin.
“Darling, what happened?” Worried blue eyes look up at her, meeting her own red ones.
But instead of answering Zani pulls her closer into a tight hug, careful to not stain her light-coloured nightgown with her remaining glove. Her nose buries in blonde hair; the familiar scent of flowery shampoo greets her nose right away and comforts her.
Gentle arms circle around her; one hand placed on her back and rubbing slow circles on her skin while the other buries in her messy hair. “Zani...?”
“Don’t worry, amore. It’s not important.” Zani mumbles, pulling her tighter. “All that matters to me, is that you are here with me now.” Her heart beats slow but strong, her love must hear it from her place against her chest, feel the calming effect her presence has on her.
They stand there for a beat or two, neither moving.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Phoebe breaks the silence, distancing herself just enough to look at Zani’s face.
“When I’m with you, everything is perfect.” She replies teasingly. Her smile suggests a joke, but it’s truly what she believes; no harm can come to them when they are together. Her little sun brights up every room and removes and shadow from her mind.
All she gets is a hmph before she is pulled in close by the hand still om her head. Satin like lips brush over Zani’s chapped ones with certainty. No rush or urgency, just the two of them in this moment.
Quickly they separate again with a breath. “Come, let’s get you some rest. I’ve been waiting for you”
A soft hand grabs hold of her ungloved one, gently dragging her along through her apartment. Heels haphazardly kicked off; coat shrugged off her shoulders to fall onto the hallway floor; the other small hand not holding her own loosens her tie and removes the remaining glove as they walk towards their goal.
With each step they take together, her feet feel more and more heavy; tiredness rising tenfold as the adrenalin leaves her body and is replaced by the soothing comfort of her partner.
Before Zani knows it, she lands on her back in her own personal heaven surrounded by the softest of clouds and the kindest angel any deity can bestow upon her. Her eyes may be closed, but she’s sure, the tender touch on her cheek must be the work of a benevolent creature of light.
“Haha, are you going to fall asleep on me so quickly?” a melodiously soothing voice breathes into her ear.
Her eyes open and what she sees above her is nothing but gold and sapphire raining onto her. “And miss even a moment I can spend with you? Never in my life.”
Her arms snake their way around Phoebe’s waist quickly, fingers gripping onto the silky nightgown before she pushes her girlfriend to the side.
Before Phoebe has a chance to react, they lie side by side.
A moment of silence before both of them burst into laughter. “Oh, you’re so silly. You have to sleep eventually.” Phoebe continues; her face just slightly flushed but happiness is apparent on it; her hand moving to the horned woman’s cheek again and gentle running her thumb along the edge.
She leans into the hand as best as she can in this position. “Maybe, but at least I can be with you until I do fall asleep and awake again to your pretty face.”
Her eyelids feel heavy.
The arms still wrapped around Phoebe’s wait pull her in closer before her strengths leaves her for the night. She presses a kiss to her love’s lips carefully before slotting her head underneath the Acolyte’s chin, tucking her face into the soft skin there.
Hands move from her face into her hair, massaging her scalp and running fingertips along the base of her horns, a comforting gesture she knows very well at this point. A kiss is placed onto her silver hair.
Her arms loosen their grip as they become heavier, and she can feel the muscles in her back untense slowly with each stroke of those lovely hands.
“I will be here when you wake up always, my dear.”
Another kiss and her consciousness starts to slip from her mind.
“I love you.”