Uniform
Carol fucking Danvers.
She had knocked on Maria's door like she did every morning, except this morning was a little different. They had to report to the base wearing their dress uniforms, some senator or someone was visiting.
Maria didn't know.
Maria didn't care.
She straightened her navy jacket and opened the door. Her breath stuttered and caught in her throat as she drank in the image of her best friend in her dress uniform standing in front of her. Hair pulled back in a neat bun, aviators hanging off her face and a cocky smirk. Her uniform hugged every part of her perfectly and Maria's pretty sure her brain short circuited.
Her best friend was a smokeshow.
"Rambeau, let's get moving c'mon!" Carol bounced on her feet and Maria smiled at the childish enthusiasm. Maria shook her head and closed her door and they headed out to their cars.
"Calm yourself Danvers, we have plenty of time." Maria coolly replied. The stepped outside and were immediately engulfed in the California heat. Of all the months to be wearing the damn dress uniform, they had to do it in July.
"Race you?"
Maria smirked at the question and ran to her Camaro.
"Hope you like the taste of dust, Danvers!"
They spent all day in the presence of some powerful politician, listening to him talk to their superiors about the Air Force and different projects. Maria couldn't wait to get home and throw on some casual clothes. She didn't mind putting that off for a bit longer though, because she had spent all day staring at Carol in that perfectly pressed uniform.
"Rambeau, are you listening to me?" Maria turned to her friend Mark.
"I'm sorry, guess I spaced out there for a second." She shook her head and adjusted her sunglasses, willing the image of Carol out of her head.
"Mhm, you sure did." He had a knowing smile and Maria felt her cheeks flush. Mark was someone she had grown close to on the base, he had a boyfriend back home but that was a secret he had shared with Maria and Carol, and no one else. Maria felt Mark move closer to her, close enough to whisper in her ear.
"I can't blame you, your girl looks hot as hell in that uniform." He winked and watched Carol approach them, that damn strut that twisted Maria into knots.
"I just overheard that we can go home pretty soon, you guys up for some beers? Pancho's?" Carol's eyes locked with Maria's.
"C'mon Rambeau, I'm dying to drink you under the table." Maria snorted and stepped closer to Carol, the air charged between them.
"I know your white ass did not just say she can out drink me."
"Prove it."
Carol and Maria were each on their fourth beer, smiles wide and uniforms still intact. Maria watched Carol as she engaged in conversation with Mark. The more drunk Maria had gotten, the harder she found it to keep her eyes off of Carol. She wanted that uniform on her bedroom floor, and the occupant of the uniform in her bed. It didn't help that they were both touchy drunks, wrapping their arms around each other as time passed in Pancho's, hands brushing against each other's and gazes lingering longer than usual.
Carol got up to head to the bathroom and Maria couldn't keep herself from checking out her best friend's retreating figure. She didn't know how she hadn't snapped yet, her control was hanging on by a thread at this point.
Mark walked up to her, beer in hand and a smile on his face.
"You look like you're ready to maul her, Rambeau." He chuckled and Maria smacked his arm before downing the rest of her beer.
"Just for the record, she's been looking at you like that all day too." He winked and walked away, leaving Maria speechless.
They walk through Maria's door tipsy and giggling, both clinging to each other like they'll fall if one of them lets go. Maria flips on the light and turns back to Carol, taking in the sight of flushed cheeks and that million watt smile, eyes dancing with mirth.
"So I guess we're both even in the drinking category." Maria commented. She felt the heat of Carol's hand on her waist.
"Just until next time, don't worry. I let you take this one." Carol smirked back, Maria watched her best friend bite down on her lower lip and felt something inside of her snap.
"Oh, fuck it."
Maria crashed their lips together with force, grabbing onto the lapels of Carol's uniform and pushing her into the closest wall. She bit the shorter woman's lower lip, forcing her tongue in. She felt Carol relax against her before aggressively returning the kiss. They eventually pulled away for air, foreheads resting against each other's.
"That fucking uniform has been driving me insane all day." Maria breathed out.
"I knew the uniform was doing it for you." Carol winked and Maria kissed her again, hard and fast. She pulled at Carol's bun and let her blonde locks cascade down her back.
"Like you weren't checking me out all day too, Danvers." Carol flushed pink.
"Mark told me." Maria smirked, feeling like she had finally won against her best friend.
"Fucking Mark."
Both women laughed and Maria took a step back, eyeing the blonde, an unspoken question in her eyes.
Is this okay?
Carol stepped up to Maria, her lips a breath away from the taller woman.
"I could use some help getting out of this uniform, Captain."
Who was Maria to deny someone help?
1995
"Auntie Carol! Mom kept all your stuff, including your fancy uniform you only wore when important things happened on the base." Carol raised her eyebrows. Her memories were coming back quicker since arriving in Louisiana, flashes of her and Maria saying things, doing things that others wouldn't approve of.
"Could you lead me to it, Lieutenant?" Carol watched the young girl nod her head enthusiastically. She followed Monica up to her Mom's bedroom and opened her closet door. She reached back and pulled out the uniform.
Carol eyed the blue outfit, still perfectly pressed and ready to be worn. She thanked Monica before heading into the bathroom to change into the uniform. It could bring back more memories.
At the very least, Carol could admire how good she looked in it.
She smoothed her hands down the jacket one more time before stepping out of the bathroom and heading downstairs. Monica had given her the dress shoes to complete the look.
"Well my damn look at you." Fury's voice made Carol smile, a sense of pride filling her. She knew she had worked hard in the Air Force, she earned everything on that uniform.
"Captain Carol Danvers, it has a nice ring to it." Fury finished as he took in the uniform.
"Your girl is outside, Cap." He winked and walked away toward Talos, leaving a slightly stunned Carol Danvers in his wake. She shook her head before heading to the backyard where Maria was sitting with a beer, eyes focused on the label of the bottle.
"I didn't know beer bottles were that interesting." Carol stepped outside and watched Maria turn her head. Her eyes went wide and she stood up, her breath catching in her throat just like it did all those years ago.
"You found your uniform."
"You kept my uniform."
Silence filled the space between them and Maria couldn't keep her gaze from wandering down, drinking in Carol.
The blonde sauntered over to Maria, she hesitantly put an arm on her waist and looked up into dark eyes.
"I remember. I remember us." She whispered.
"You remember." Maria's voice cracked, tears streaming down her face. Carol was pretty sure she was crying too, but it didn't matter.
Carol didn't waste another second, she pulled Maria down for a searing kiss. Lips relearning one another and tongues dancing.
They pulled back, smiles on their faces. Carol hadn't felt this full, this happy in…well since the last time she was on earth. When she was Maria's, and Maria was hers.
"Captain Rambeau, do you think you can remind me how to take this thing off?"
Maria's eyes darkened and Carol felt the grip the woman had on her waist get tighter.
"Oh Captain Danvers, not only will I help you, but I'll make sure to be very thorough in my instruction."
The two laughed and Maria tangled their hands together.
This was home. This was everything.