"Is there a reason you're naked in my bed?" Shaundi's voice came from the doorway, sounding equal parts exasperated and amused.
Kaiya groaned and looked around, trying to figure out where she was. The ex's apartment. Right. She raised her head from the pillow, brushing away the strands of purple hair that fell into her face. She blinked blearily at the sight of Shaundi, hands on her hips, eyebrows raised.
Honestly Kaiya couldn't even remember coming home; she did remember being captured by Loren, escaping him with Shaundi and then the ensuing flight to Shaundi's ex's apartment. She remembered the helicopter landing and the adrenaline wearing off from the fight. Her grief over losing Johnny had hit her then, cut through her like a whit-hot knife. She remembered leaving, brushing aside Shaundi and Pierce's protests. And then... a bar, she realized. She knocked back shot after shot and must have stumbled back here. As for her nudity, well...at least she had come home alone.
"Well, there is only one bed so.." Kaiya trailed off. Her head was pounding though, and and Johnny's loss was a constant pain in her chest. She shifted under the covers, the thin sheet slipping off her, leaving her back bared. Shaundi's eyes were still on her, she almost seemed to be examining her.
"See something you like?" She tried joking, but it came out sounding foreign, the broken voice of a stranger. Shaundi sighed heavily and locked eyes with her. Kaiya looked away uncomfortably, trying to hide the sadness there.
"Boss...about Johnny." As if reading her thoughts Shaundi started off with the one thing neither of them wanted to think about. "Are you," her voice broke and when Kaiya looked back, she could see the tears glittering in Shaundi's eyes.
When she started again her voice was barely a whisper. "Are you okay?"
Kaiya winced. She was anything but okay right now, but she had to be strong, if not for herself then for the Saints, for Shaundi. The loss of Johnny was still too fresh for her to think about without the risk of breaking down and she struggled to come up with a reply.
She bit her lip, indecision clouding her. She finally made up her mind, whispering a simple command. "Just come here."
Shaundi didn't hesitate, didn't question, simply kicked off her boots and strode over to the small bed. Kaiya moved over, making room. As Shaundi laid down, Kaiya buried her head in Shaundi's shoulder, not wanting the other woman to see the tears springing to her eyes.
"You don't have to pretend you know," Shaundi murmured. Kaiya bit her lip harder, tasting blood. "Not around me." Her tears spilled over then and she fought to suppress a sob.
They laid like that for a long time, her tears soaking through the fabric of Shaundi's shirt, Shaundi stroking her back soothingly.
When Kaiya awoke hours later, their limbs were entwined, her hand in Shaundi's. She felt a warmth in her chest as she looked down at Shaundi's still sleeping face. Smiling contentedly, she snuggled back down again.