The makeshift lair Dinah chose to train in is an old gym owned by Lance Consolidated. Dinah's pushed all the exercise bikes out of the way, clearing the space in the middle so there's a space for her to spar - with Nyssa.
"Don't forget to turn your hips, Dinah," Nyssa says, panting as she wields her bo-staff, and she blocks Dinah's punch easily with her elbow. "It's where the power comes from."
Dinah tries again and manages to get Nyssa in the shoulder this time. "Like that?" Dinah says breathlessly.
In a split second, though, her eskrima stick is knocked out of her hand and Nyssa flips Dinah over so Nyssa's sprawled on top of her. For a second Dinah can feel Nyssa's warm breath flutter against her neck.
"Yes," Nyssa replies, and quickly, the spell is broken and she gets to her feet, offering Dinah her hand to help her up. "Do not ever hesitate, though, lest your opponent best you in battle in the heat of the moment."
"Copy that," says Dinah. "We gotta stop for now, though. I've got to be in court in an hour."
"As do I," Nyssa says, stifling a yawn with her hand.
Automatically Dinah yawns too, and she stretches, trying to shake out the ache in her arms.
"Are you all right?" asks Nyssa.
"Yeah," Dinah says. "Just - tired. I can't remember the last time I had a good night's sleep."
"Most likely it was over five years ago," Nyssa guesses.
"Where did you learn all this?" Dinah asks, quickly changing the subject.
"My father was a martial arts teacher," Nyssa explains. "He was… formidable, to say the least. Ruthless. I would not be half the fighter I am today without him."
"Well, you're one hell of a teacher yourself, Nyssa." And she means it. They've only trained twice now and already Dinah finds she's learned a lot.
"Thank you."
Dinah turns around, intending to head for the shower, but unexpectedly she feels a warm hand close around her wrist.
"What's up?"
"I - can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
When their eyes meet, though, Dinah can see the seriousness in Nyssa's and her shoulders sink, having a feeling she knows what's coming next.
"I read the medical report done when you first came back to Starling City. The doctor said that twenty per cent of your body is covered in scar tissue."
Dinah becomes acutely aware of the fact that she's in a crop top, and the scars that decorate her abdomen and lower back are clearly visible. She ends up looking over Nyssa's shoulder. "Yeah. Something like that."
But Nyssa is now right in front of her, looking more closely at her scars.
"Who did this to you?"
"I said I was the only one on the island."
"You lied," Nyssa guesses.
"Yeah. The truth is… I was tortured by the people who were on the island with me."
"That's how you got all these scars?" Nyssa says softly.
"Some of them," Dinah says. "Others… it's a long story."
To her surprise, Nyssa reaches out, touches the longest one that runs down her abdomen and disappears at about hip level. Her touch is feather-light, so Dinah can barely feel anything, but she still jerks back as though burned.
"How did you survive this?"
"There were times when I wanted to die," Dinah says. "In the end… there was something I wanted more."
And she's not imagining it, the sudden proximity between them; she can't be, because all of a sudden Nyssa's eyes are alight with this beautiful fire that makes Dinah's breath catch in her throat.
"And what was that?" Nyssa whispers.
"To see my family again. To… come home again."
And in the end she's not sure who does what; all she knows is that seconds later they've closed what little gap there was between them and Dinah's lips are on Nyssa's, and she can taste sweat and something sweet on Nyssa's tongue as it darts into her mouth. But then, just as suddenly, Nyssa pulls away with a gasp, and her eyes widen with something looks like horror as they meet Dinah's while her hand goes to her mouth.
"Nyssa…" Dinah begins to say, but Nyssa's already turning on her heel, picking up her bag and leaving. "Nyssa, don't go -"
And to her surprise Nyssa actually turns back for a second, as if reconsidering, but as soon as she does she turns away again and walks out. Dinah wants to follow her, but something stops her, for some reason, and she stays where she is, letting her go. Her hand automatically goes up to her lips, and she closes her eyes, remembering their kiss just seconds before.
She doesn't know why it happened. It's not like Nyssa would ever see Dinah like that - not after dating Dinah's sister, surely. But for Dinah - it's not a stretch for her to get why it happened on her part. She's always liked Nyssa, and if she let herself she knows it's never been completely platonic. Not on her part.
But this is not meant to happen. Not ever. Sara's exes were strictly off limits, just like Dinah's were off limits to Sara. That's how it's always been with them.
She checks her watch then swears under her breath; she's due in court in half an hour. Trying to put this behind her for the time being she rushes off, hoping things will get better later.
Night falls, and Dinah finds it hard to concentrate while on patrol. She's alone tonight, and somehow even though it's only been a week in which she's partnered up with Nyssa, she misses the presence of her by her side, more than Dinah thinks she would.
She looks out for Nyssa, but the Black Canary is nowhere to be seen that night, at least, as far as Dinah can tell. She gets shot that night, in the leg, and the Kevlar catches it but it still hurts. Dinah makes her way gingerly back to the lair, takes a look at her leg, but it seems to be okay, thank God. She's about to turn out the lights and leave, when the sound of familiar footsteps make her stop and turn around.
"What are you doing here?" asks Dinah.
"Looking for you, actually," says Nyssa. "I… thought we should talk."
"Okay." Dinah sits on the nearest table then looks at Nyssa expectantly. Nyssa's wearing regular clothes, and without her bo-staff she has nothing to play with in her hands and it seems she doesn't know what to do with them.
"Dinah… I want to be your friend."
"I want to be yours too," Dinah says.
"But I cannot… we cannot… nothing can ever happen between us."
"Because of Sara?" Dinah says softly.
"Yes. It would be… sacrilege of the highest order. Even after everything she has done."
"I get it." Dinah gets up from the table, and Nyssa seems surprised, as if she was expecting more of an argument.
"Really?" Nyssa breathes.
Dinah nods. "Really. I know it would… hurt Sara. Us being together. And truth be told, I think it's too soon for me to be with anyone."
"Because of what happened to you on that island?"
"Something like that," she says. "You… were shocked to see my scars. The truth is - I don't sleep. I barely eat. And I am just about holding myself together right now and you… you deserve better than that."
"I am sure that's not true."
"It is true. I'm damaged, Nyssa. Fucked up. And you're probably better off as far away from me as possible."
"That is not true," Nyssa repeats, and when Dinah tries to go past her Nyssa stands in her way.
"Get out of my way, Nyssa."
"Not until I have an assurance from you that you will not be going through this alone."
She halts in her tracks. "What's that supposed to mean?" Dinah demands.
"It means… I want to continue working with you. If that is something you are comfortable with, of course," Nyssa says.
"Why?"
"Like I said," says Nyssa, and though she seems to hesitate for a moment, she then puts her hand on Dinah's shoulder, "you seem to be in need of a friend. One who knows about what you do at night."
"I have Sara," Dinah tries, but it's like Nyssa can tell just from the look on Dinah's face that she doesn't really count.
"I am assuming she is not too keen on you taking on your mother's mantle."
"She doesn't like it," Dinah admits. "At all."
"I guessed as much," Nyssa tells her. "Look, Dinah, the truth is, perhaps you are damaged. But that does not mean you have to push away those who want to help. Those who care. And I care. Far more than you might think." She holds out her hand. "Friends?"
And Dinah can't help but smile back, and after a moment she takes Nyssa's hand and shakes it. "Okay, fine. Friends."