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Plopping herself on to the old leather couch Claire laid her head back in exhausted defeat. She had just returned home to her small city apartment after being in another country put in near ruins by more bio terrorism. Being away for weeks really made Claire miss her small crappy corner of the world.
A loud beep rang out and Claire forced her exhausted body to shuffle off the couch and into the tiny kitchen, if you could even call it that. It was warn out, the size of a closet and in need of some repairs but it didn't really matter much, at this point in her career Claire had spent more time outside the country as she threw herself into her work taking any opportunity (or in her case distraction) she could.
Opening the microwave with a satisfying click Claire pulled out a warm tv dinner that had been rotting in her freezer for the past month or two.
Leaning against the counter Claire to a strained bite, trying not to think about how truly gross it was.
While she leaned against the counter munching on her dinner, Claire suddenly heard a faint click come from the living room quickly followed by a cool breeze from the night invading her warm apartment.
There were faint whispers of footsteps in the living room and Claire quickly put two and two together. Claire let out an annoyed huff as she abandoned her half eaten dinner on the cool kitchen counter and made way for the living room.
Swiftly turning the corner Claire was met with none other than Ada Wong's face staring back at her.
“You're getting sloppy,” is the first thing that comes out of Claire's mouth.
Claire watched as Ada's dark brown eyes lightened a little at the playful comment.
“I'm glad to see you too, Red,” Ada said in an almost weak tone, well at least weak for Ada.
Claire felt something ping in her chest at the familiar nickname.
The two women stayed there staring each other down. Ada was the first to break eye contact, attempting to walk to Claire but it seemed her movements were weak, Ada stumbling and almost tripping over her own feet.
The bored expression on Claire's face was quickly replaced with one of concern upon noticing the out of character behavior Ada was displaying.
Claire closed the distance between them as she reached her arm out to gently help Ada sit down. Claire's hand softly made contact with Ada's bicep and was met with red semi dried up blood. Feeling her stomach lurch Claire suddenly had a million and one questions, but instead she bit her tongue and helped Ada sit down on the couch, the exact spot Claire was on not too long ago, the cushions were still probably warm.
“Wh- What happened?” Claire muttered as her eyes scanned Ada's figure and discovered more and more bloody injuries that were previously hidden by the night's darkness.
“It's nothing,” Ada started, her voice raspy. “Just a job that got a little out of hand.”
A little upset washed over Claire at the mention of Ada's job. Claire hated everything about what Ada did. The spy business always put Ada in harm's way and it also took up all her time keeping her away from Claire.
That previous anger at the mention of Ada job was replaced by an even deeper concern when Claire's eyes zeroed in on the worst injury yet. The large gash had ripped through Ada's tights and skin leaving a deep, nasty cut.
“I'll get you water,’ Claire said after a moment. She quickly stood up and walked off to the kitchen before Ada could give her a half ass “thank you” that Claire never could tell if she meant or not.
Pulling down a glass cup from the overhead cabinet Claire filled the glass with cool water. As she turned back towards the living room, she stopped in her steps and momentarily left the glass on the counter as she grabbed a first aid kit from under the kitchen sink and a granola bar from the cabinet.
Claire returned to the living room to see Ada had taken her shoes off and was agonizingly peeling away her stockings.
“Here,” Claire spoke up from across the living room.
Ada's attention was immediately on Claire as she crossed the small room and settled down on the couch next to Ada.
“Drink this,” Claire then handed off the glass of water to Ada's bloody hands. Ada quickly downed the water before placing the glass down on the coffee table.
“Thanks,” Ada said, her voice already gaining back its deep tone that emanated confidence.
Claire silently nodded as she handed off the granola bar to Ada, she then unzipped the first aid kit and began pulling out band-aids and running alcohol to clean all the cuts and blood.
She then got to work, cleaning and patching up small and large cuts starting from Ada's jaw.
There was a charged quiet between the two, both wanting to say everything and yet the words got stuck in their throats at any attempt of conversation, especially Adas.
“You seem tired,” Ada said, eventually breaking the silence, though her words were more of a whisper that only Claire could hear due to their close proximity.
“And you look like shit too,” Claire snapped back but there was no venom behind her words.
“I mean it,” Ada started, suddenly cupping Claire's face in one of her hands, the pad of her thumb slowly dragging across the broad of Claire's smooth, freckled cheek.
Claire was abruptly stopped by the gesture as her hands dropped from the cut on Ada's shoulder and fell onto her lap.
“I haven't seen you in months,” Ada stated, her voice laced with guilt.
Claire wanted to scream and kick and push Ada right out the window she entered through, but any anger and resentment she held against the other quickly began to fade away under Ada's soft touch.
Another charged moment passed as dark browns quietly gazed into Claire's bright blues. This time Claire was the one to break the silence, pulling away before she did something stupid like kiss her.
“And who's fault is that?” Claire spoke returning to tend to Ada wounds, her touch much gentler then her words
Claire felt Ada's body flinch a little and she knew it wasn't the rubbing alcohol sizzling on a fresh cut that did it.
“Im sorry Red, I- I wish things weren't the way they are,” Ada's voice was low and vulnerable which did nothing but push Claire closer to her breaking point.
“Then why aren't they?” Claire suddenly spoke up, her voice teetering on the edge of yelling.
“You know why,” was all Ada could come up with and they both knew it was a lame defense.
“I don't though!” Claire yelled this time, her voice cracking.
Ada's head began to hang low in shame as all she could do to try to salvage anything that was left between them was say “I'm sorry Claire.”
A strangled sob rose up in the back of Claire's throat as she squeezed her eyes shut trying her hardest to hold back tears.
“I know,” Claire eventually murmured, her gaze was now shifted down to Ada's lap where their hands unconsciously laced together, fitting together like puzzle pieces.
“I know,” Claire repeated one more time before continuing. “You're here tonight and then by tomorrow morning you'll be gone. Then I won't see you for days? Week? Months?” A sob finally broke through Claire's throat as tears began lightly flowing down her face.
Claire lifted her hand, keeping the one holding Adas down while the other came up to hastily wipe away her tears.
“Jesus Ada,” she spoke through short, broken sobs, “I don't even know anymore.”
Ada didn't know what to say, she was always more of a person of action then words so Ada lifted her free hand and tangled her fingers in Claire's auburn hair as she pulled her into a slow kiss.
Claire melted into the kiss immediately as her body shook slightly, tears still streaking down her face.
The kiss tasted of desperation, regret, and salt but neither of them wanted to pull away.
Claire didn't know how long she sat there pushing her face desperately into Ada's as her hand untagged itself of Ada's as it slid slowly down the other woman's thing. Ada clothes felt dirty to the touch and what brought Claire back down to earth was the largest cut on Ada's body still left unattended.
Hesitantly Claire pulled away but kept their foreheads connected.
“I love you,” Claire spoke in a small voice.
Some time during the kiss Claire stopped crying so she finally pulled away fully and whipped away any remaining tears.
“You leg,” Claire said as she looked up to see Ada giving her a pained look, her dark eyes filled with something Claire for once couldn't read.
Slipping off the couch Claire settled on the floor in between Ada's legs. She began pulling down Ada's filthy and blood soaked tights to reveal her pale smooth legs underneath. The action felt so familiar to Claire but it definitely wasn't time for anything like that right now.
With the tights now fully off Claire raised shaky hands to attempt to clean the gash. Looking at it closer now Claire realized that Ada's probably gonna need stitches… great.
As Claire worked she felt Ada's eyes bore into the top of her head but she didn't dare to look up at them.
“I love you too,” Ada said once again catching Claire off guard tonight.
“Don't-”
“I mean it,” Ada quickly said, cutting Claire off as she leaned in closer so she could carefully take Claire's face in her hand.
“I love you Claire.”
Looking down Adas saw the sad smile on Claire's face and as new tears began to prick at the corners of her eyes.
“Don't say that Ada,” Claire spoke in that same defeated voice.
“Or else I'm gonna start believing you.”