Work Text:
Marsha rushes in the woods, trying to find the fleeing Blackbird. She was taken aback when her former squad-mate ran upon learning that the Timekeeper and her assistant were around. Merel has told Marsha about them and how the Timekeeper’s assistant knows her from school. Despite her heavy medical bag, she gave chase to find Merel, unaware that there was someone walking towards her; a map held in her face and murmuring to herself.
—“So I should walk past this forest to- umpf!” —The map lady bumps with the medic, colliding and crashing down. Marsha lands on the ground and the map woman falls on top of her, the weight makes it almost impossible to breathe.
—‘She's so soft…’ —Marsha thought while under the pressure of her chest expanding against hers with every breath she takes. She gets used to the rhythm of her heartbeat, fully aware that the other woman is still on top of her. Clearly the map lady is distracted.
—“Um, excuse me miss…” —She said, two emerald green eyes looking up at her from the darkness.
—“Can I- oh sorry! I was not focused on the road.” —The stranger gets up, brushing the dust off her uniform. Marsha notices the woman’s ears had turned red.— “Do you want help getting up?” —She extends a gloved hand to Marsha.
The redhead reaches out to her and the mysterious woman helps her get up from the ground; the cold leather gloves feel firm against her sweaty hands. Marsha blinks rapidly, remembering the reason why she was in such a hurry.
— “I’m so sorry, I have to find someone. Apologies again for the disturbance, Mama- I mean Ma’am…” —Marsha jogs away while dusting off her clothes, clearly blushing due to the awkwardness of the situation. The constant crunching of dried leaves under her boots almost drowns her swirling thoughts.— ”What…just happened?” —She whispers to herself. Marsha shakes her head, no time for that now; there are lives at stake. Her comrades need her and there’s no room for mistakes.
The medic leans against a tree to catch her breath, thinking of her next move. She looks into the never-ending foliage around her, every green leaf making those emerald eyes pop into her head again. Every earthy scent blown her way by the wind, a reminder of her perfume.
—”Marsha?” —Suddenly, a voice calls out to her. A voice she immediately recognizes.— “Oh thank goodness you’re here.” She looks around, unable to locate the source of the voice. A small bird lands on top of her head, getting tangled in her hair. Gently, she picks up a shape-shifted Merel with both of her hands.
—”It’s good to see you too, Merel. Did you find the General’s hideout?”
The bird nods, hopping off her hands. Merel shifts into her usual appearance, her clothes now covered in moss and dry leaves.
—”I did!” —She said, puffing her chest proudly.— “They’re hiding in an abandoned village, about 3 kilometers northwest…Are you feeling alright, Ms. Marsha?” The girl eyes her up and down with concern.
—”Don’t worry, I just…ran into someone on the way here. I’m fine, really.”
—”You did?! That’s quite surprising considering we’re in the middle of nowhere. Could it be one of Igor’s soldiers?”
The medic folds her arms, deep in thought. Trying and failing to think straight; every time she remembers those emerald eyes her heart skips a beat. Marsha can feel the blood rising to her ears again, so she shakes her head.
—”I’m…not sure. She was carrying a map of the area and…looked quite lost. She even bumped into me. I wasn’t expecting to find such a nice-looking woman in the forest– I mean, find another person.”
Merel raises an eyebrow and transforms into a bird, they’ve spent enough time in this location. She flies up, just above the medic’s head.
—”Follow me, Marsha. I’ll guide you to the village.”
Upon arriving in the village, Marsha and Merel noticed the vacancy. Thinking it is abandoned, Marsha lowered her mace and sneaked deeper into the crumbling buildings. Undergrowth and trees have made most of the houses their home. The medic picks up her pace, she doesn’t want to be stuck here when the night falls.
—”Wait, I hear something.” —Marsha signals to Merel, pointing to the nearby plaza.
A figure with a dark coat towers over the soldiers, they talk in hushed tones around a large map in the middle of the village’s plaza. She weighs her options, she could send Merel to spy on them and gather what they’re saying or go herself. Before she can make a decision, she notices the little bird flying in the direction of the bombed plaza and the General.
—”Gott verdammt.” —She whispers to herself. Marsha gets ready to volt towards them in case anything goes wrong, eyes fixed on Merel. Her communicator beeps, she takes a deep breath to calm down.
—”Marsha, do you copy me?” —Merel’s voice cuts in and out, the signal must be weak in this area.
—”What the hell were you thinking?! Give me a warning next time you go flying off like that, you hear?”
From the noise on the other side of the call, she can tell she’s shaking the device.
—”I know, I know. Listen, it looks like they’re preparing for something important, an operation involving a nearby city. The General sent his second hand to scan the place with a map of the area.”
The description sets an alarm inside Marsha’s mind. She remembers the woman with emerald eyes, her beautiful visage and the map on her hands. As the sudden realization strikes her, she hears footsteps behind her. As if she was hearing her thoughts, the Lieutenant raises her gun at her; that gentle face full of warmth nowhere to be seen.
—”Don’t move, or it’ll be the last thing you do.” —The woman stares at her like a hound looking down at her prey.
—”It’s you…I shouldn’t have let you go .Are you really going to shoot me? An innocent medic?”
The gun clicks in her hand.
—”You’re far from innocent and you know it, knight.”
Marsha’s expression darkens, however she maintains her gentle smile. She nods.
—”I see, so you really want to do this. Very well.”
She covers her face with her gauntlet and charges towards Moldir; she opens fire. One bullet ricochets off her steel gauntlet, the other goes right through her left thigh, but she doesn’t stop. The Lieutenant gasps in shock as Marsha tackles her, pinning her against the dusty floor.
—”Don’t underestimate me, Miss.” —The redhead says with a smile.
However, Moldir breaks free from her grasp in an instant. Striking the side of her head with her elbow.
—”I didn’t.” —The situation changes in a mere second, once again she feels the familiar weight of this woman on top of her. Keeping her in a choke-hold.
The medic tries to open her mouth to talk, she can feel the blood on her teeth.
—”It’s not too late…to surrender, Miss.” —She says, squeezing the hands that are choking her.
—”Now why would I–” —An unexpected kick in the stomach interrupts her, followed by a headbutt. Marsha hits the Lieutenant’s forehead with her heavy helmet, causing a stream of blood to flow down her face. Once again the redhead towers over her, looking at her with those cyan eyes that seem to glow in the dark. She crouches next to her, as if the wound in her leg didn’t bother her at all.
—”Looks to me like you could use some medical assistance.” —She picks her up from the collar and smashes her against the brick wall. Their faces now dangerously close, close enough to feel each other’s ragged breathing.— “Should we call it a draw?” —Marsha whispers in her ear.
Emerald eyes are fixed on her.
—”Looks like I did underestimate you.” —She says with a soft laugh.
The medic pulls her collar once again, this time towards her. Catching her mouth in a kiss, Marsha can taste the iron as the woman’s blood mixes with hers. She presses her against the wall, getting a sharp exhale out of Moldir.
—“For a woman bleeding from her mouth, you taste surprisingly sweet.” —Moldir, shocked by the compliment, kisses the redhead back just to shut her up.
Out of breath, the Lieutenant pulls away. She gasps for air as Marsha pulls her collar to kiss her again. Slowly they collapse against the wall, intoxicated in the moment. Marsha cleans the dried blood off Moldir’s lips by wiping it with a cloth she obtained from her medical bag.
—”You’re surprisingly good with combat, medical assistance and making a woman weak on her knees. I commend you for that.” —The Lieutenant mutters, catching Marsha’s hand with hers. Then she shakes her hand, emerald eyes piercing through cyan ones like arrows to Marsha’s heart.— “Lieutenant Moldir Ulanova, a pleasure to meet and experience you.”—Marsha shakes her hand in return.
—”Nice to meet you, Lieutenant. Marsha Rosenhart. It’s actually a pleasure to fight you… in more ways than one.” —This comment made the Lieutenant laugh.
—”As much as I’m getting comfortable with your presence and your soft lips, I advise you to escape. I will not mention anything to that old man.” —Marsha nods, rising from her position on the ground, extending her hand to help Moldir up.
—“Thank you again for that session. At least I know I still got it in me. Glad I found a worthy opponent in you, Lieutenant.” —She winks. Moldir rolls her eyes but smiles anyways.
—”A worthy opponent? Or a good kisser?”
—”Both, without a doubt.” —The medic picks up her radio and gets ready to head out, glancing at the woman. Moldir, for the life of her, pulls Marsha by the arm, kissing her lips again. Marsha melts into Moldir’s embrace, hands wrapped around her waist. After a while, they broke apart, with Moldir letting Marsha go. Marsha looks back at her one last time.
—”See you around, Marsha.” —Moldir gives her a small salute with Marsha putting her hand on her chest and offering a small bow.
—”Take care, Lieutenant.”
—”You can call me Moldir.”
Marsha smiles.
—”Alright. Take care, Moldir.” —Moldir nods before turning her back, heading towards the plaza. Marsha sighs before grabbing her medical bag and heading in the opposite direction.
Hours later while with the Timekeeper and Merel, Marsha periodically touches her bottom lip, the kiss with Moldir still lingering in her. Meanwhile back at the village plaza where Igor and his men are resting, Moldir lays on her bunk, touching her lips too. It’s clear that the kiss left a mark on both women.