Stress

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Summary: (Kiss Prompt) Kisses because everything hurts right now including being loved by you but you're also the only thing that makes it feel better. Yorkalina.

Carolina let out a frustrated yell as she threw her helmet across the locker room. Even with two AI she still couldn't beat Tex.

She sat down on the bench and held her head in her hands. Everything ached. Her head, hands, arms, legs and torso. It also didn't help that the two AI in her head wouldn't shut up.

Ever since Tex had showed up Carolina felt like everything had begun to fall apart. Everything that she had worked so hard to achieve was being undone in front of her eyes. It seemed that it was all slipping from her grasp no matter how hard she tried to hold on.

She held her head up and closed her eyes as she tried to calm her mind enough to think.

"Why am I not surprised to see you here?" York said as he entered the locker room with a chuckle. His gaze fixed on her.

His smile fell and he made his way over to her when he saw the flash of pain that crossed her face.

"Carolina?" He said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Carolina took a deep breath and looked up at York. She both appreciated and loathed the look of concern on his face.

She knew that York loved her and deep down she was sure she loved him too but times like now it was too much. Sometimes she wished she had never allowed herself to get so close to York. He knew all her hopes, dreams, insecurities and fears. She felt strong yet vulnerable in his presence, especially when the two were alone. Normally it was a reprieve from being 'Agent Carolina'. It allowed her to relax and let her walls down for a little while.

Now though, she hated it. She couldn't be weak!

Not when she had pushed so hard to get to where she was.

Her mind raced with so many thoughts that she couldn't keep track of it all. York sat down getting increasingly worried about Carolina as she simply stared into space.

Before he was aware of movement (that damn left side) he felt Carolina press her lips against his and quickly kissed her back. Kisses with Carolina were rare and he savoured them whenever he got the chance.

Before Carolina could stop them tears began to run down her cheeks. She kissed York more forcefully hating that she felt so weak in that moment. York however had other ideas.

Upon feeling wetness on his cheek he began to pull away. Resting his forehead against hers he took in her appearance. It wasn't the firs time that he had seen her cry but it still shook him every time he did. He supposed it was because he was used to the Project's fearless leader, like everyone else.

Before he could collect his thought Carolina pressed her lips back onto his. The two made out in the locker room for a couple of minutes, aware that anyone could walk in on them. For Carolina it allowed her to fill the kisses with her emotions while also distracting her. She knew it wasn't healthy but it was one of the few things in her life that was a positive and made her feel good.

York pulled back again, this time to allow them both to catch their breath.

Carolina held on to York tighter than she had done in a long time. Tears still spilled down her cheeks. Her emotions deciding to get the better of her tonight. A tremble ran through her and she felt York's arms tighter around her.

"Carolina?..." York whispered. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "York. Not now, please. Just...no questions tonight."

York stared at her with wide eyes. Again another rare occurrence, Carolina had said please. He nodded but otherwise didn't move. Now he knew something was very wrong. In the back of his mind he knew what it was but he could never say no to the woman in his arms, although he did want to talk to her about it.

After a brief pause Carolina wiped her tears away and stood up. Heading towards the door she appeared to once again be 'Agent Carolina'. She paused at the door and looked back. York hadn't moved and simply stared at her, questions in his eyes...well, eye.

"Well...you coming along or not?" She asked the confident seemingly back in her voice to the untrained ear.

York's attention returned and it only took a few steps to reach her. Together they headed to her room. Whatever it was that was between them was a badly kept secret on the Mother of Invention. It was well known but never spoken about that they were lovers. York could only imagine the wild stories that others had conjured up about them. Although he did smile realising that the reason for no-one saying anything was because everyone was too scared of Carolina. Entering the room he shook his head and began to remove his armour while Carolina did the same.

In bed the two simply laid together. "Carolina..." York said, not even sure what it was that he wanted to say.

Carolina leaned up and supported herself on her elbow as she looked down at York. "York, shh." Her red hair cascading down over her shoulder, "I said no questions. Besides your mouth should be busy with something else." She replied before leaning down and kissed York again.

Their kisses were slow but passionate.

The intensity and depth of York's feelings for her often scared her and she knew that they more than likely would never have the future that York wanted. He'd told her one night while drunk that he wanted to marry her, get a house even have a couple of kids. Just get as far away from Freelancer as possible. It was a nice dream but unrealistic and in all honesty it terrified her. She had seen what happened when that kind of life went wrong.

So she deepened the kisses as she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind.

York's kisses didn't make everything better. Tex was still beating her and Carolina felt like she was losing control, but this she could control. York knew how to distract her long enough that she wouldn't get overwhelmed by her own emotions and could get herself back under control.

It wouldn't fix any of her issues but kissing him certainly felt good.

Reviews welcome