Sorry this one is a bit late but RL got in the way.
Hope you enjoy.
"Well you mother has a nephew that is competing in the festival." Tammy began "One you have a bit of a dislike for."
"You mean Gilles?" Beurling asked.
"The very same." Tammy smiled "If you want to get back at her beat him."
"That was what I was going to do anyway, plus it doesn't explain why you're here." Beurling growled at Blau.
Blau let out a huff "You see, your mother is renting the club from my father, now she's behind on the rent, now to try and get out of it she had a bet with my father, if her nephew wins, she keeps the place a little longer, he loses she loses her club and her nice little deal with the upper classes of Atlas goes with the club to."
"So you want me to beat him so your dad can replace my mother." Beurling summed up, hating the idea right off.
"Pretty much." Blau said with a disinterested look to her face as she examined her nails.
"So what you think Beurling?" Tammy asked.
"I'm waiting to be impressed, I like this idea even less then the last one."
"I know it's not ideal." Tammy sighed "But given the situation we have, it's all you can do."
"So all I'm doing is replacing one racist with another racist." Beurling spat.
"Beurling, please, it's the only satisfaction either of us will get, do it for the pair of us." Tomoko whispered in the brawler's ear.
Beurling let out a sigh "I really hate this place." Beurling muttered "Fine, Gilles knocked out you want then that's what you'll get."
"Good, I would say pleasure to do business with you, but we both know I'd be lying." Blau said as she went to leave.
"Before you go!" Beurling said after her "I'm not doing this for you, but when I kick his arse, you leave Tomo alone for good from then on."
"Sure fine." Blau huffed "Just keep your cross breeding to yourselves." Blau spat as she walked off.
"Tomo?" Beurling heard Tomoko and Maple ask out loud, the brawler was sure she could hear Frenda smile as her ears light up.
"Oh yeah, Beurling's been saying that name for a while now."
"Frenda!" Beurling growled as she could see her teammates and the teachers smiling "I told you keep that to yourself."
"Not my fault you blurt it out."
"I think it's rather cute." Horatia said as she and team SHAD exited the shadows, they had been hiding in.
"Yeah, us to." Dorcha smiled.
Beurling sighed "You know this isn't a fair fight."
"Fun though." Horatia smiled as everyone giggled.
"I need a cigarette." Beurling huffed as she set of to leave, she felt Tomoko pull her jumper tight.
"Mind if I come with?"
"Your always welcome." Beurling leaned in a whispered to avoid more jokes before the pair set off.
(Ten minutes later – on top of the barracks)
Beurling blew out the smoke of her cigarette as she watched the sunset in silence with Tomoko resting her head on Beurling's lap while the twos hands were interlocked, Beurling was feeling exhausted, the stress and worry she had felt from the time Tomoko got that call and now had drained her far more than any fight she'd had since coming to Atlas.
"Hey, are you ok?" Beurling asked noticing that Tomoko hadn't let go of her since she grabbed her at the entrance, Tomoko just responded by pushing in closer to Beurling.
"Hey, what's up?" Beurling prodded.
"It's just…for a moment there I thought you were about to go." Tomoko sniffed "I meant what I said but I was terrified I'd have to do it."
"Tomoko, do you really think I would trade you, even if it is to get back at that witch."
"Sorry I… just…"
"Shh." Beurling interrupted her fingers through the girl's hair "I get it, you were right, it's just, when I'm with you I feel different."
"How?"
"Before, I always told myself I was never the most important person in that person's life, even with Klara I always told myself I wasn't the most important, it allowed me to keep a sense of distance which meant I could reign myself in a bit, but now, with you and us, I can't, my emotions are more in control of me then they ever have been, I guess I do need you to stop me."
"Do you hate it?" Tomoko asked quietly.
"Never!"
"But…"
"Tomoko, don't ever think I want to give this up, I cherish this too much, so if I'm get like that again, tell me ok?"
"Ok, my knight." Tomoko smiled.
"Thank you, my good luck charm."
"Do you really think you can win?" Tomoko asked.
"I promise you and your family I will win and I honour my promises, plus it's for you so that is all the reason I need to win."
"Such a knight." Tomoko sighed happily "Seriously though can you win?"
"While you were away, Matilda came a visited us."
"What did she want?"
"Well she knows that guys semblance, she was explaining it to me." Beurling said as she lit another cigarette.
"That hardly seems fair." Tomoko countered as shifted so she could look up at Beurling.
"He doesn't care about a fair fight, neither does my mother, I know given half a chance I expect they will try something to steal the win, they are worse than Blau, she at least has the decency to not go for underhanded tactics therefore when I kick her arse, I face her fairly." Beurling said as she breathed out the smoke.
"How do you know?"
"My mother has everything to lose if her nephew loses." Beurling sighed "And I can just tell by his attitude he puts his pride before all, he's only training to be huntsmen to get the fame it brings and he doesn't want to be famous for losing." Beurling huffed "If they won't fight fair why should I?"
"Because your better than them."
"Thanks Tomoko, but I'm not above doing the wrong thing for the right reason."
"Is this?"
"Getting my mother back for leaving me and hurting your mom, as well as knocking that guy down a peg, easily the right reason and I'm not going to lose sleep over it." Beurling sighed.
"Still seems underhand."
"It's likely their middle name."
Tomoko giggled a little before asking "When we get back home can we go on a proper date?"
Beurling could feel her cheeks burn slightly "Where did that come from?"
"Sorry, it's just after all this, I want a nice quite relaxed time with you."
"Sounds lovely." Beurling said as she patted Tomoko's head "Are you thinking of Vacuo as your home now?"
"Huh?"
"You said when you get back home, not Vacuo, you identifying as a Vacuon now?"
"I'm not sure yet."
"I hope you do, no disrespect to your mom and sister but I really don't want to come here again." Beurling said as she closed her and leaned her head back on the wall while she kept playing with Tomoko's hair.
"I know, honestly the more time I spend with you the further from Atlas I feel, yet I was born here and I grew up here, there is still a pull."
"I understand." Beurling smiled before it dropped with a sigh "Look Tomoko, can you not go to the arena tomorrow?"
"Don't you want me there to cheer you on?" Tomoko said with a hurt look in her eyes.
"I do, but I don't trust my mum to not pull something too." Beurling sighed as she put her cigarette out "And I can't beat him while worrying about you at the same time."
"I can look after myself."
"I know you can, but, just for me please stay inside the barracks."
Tomoko huffed as she buried her face in Beurling's stomach "If that's what you want then fine."
"I know you want to be there and I would want nothing more, except for you to be safe and I just don't know what she will do, so please just stay here with the others for me, as thanks I'll treat you to that date."
"Only if you promise me you will take me on that date."
"I promise." Beurling smiled. Beurling closed her eye for a second as she played with Tomoko's hair, as she did three little words kept dancing around her head wishing to be said, she'd wanted to say them since their first kiss but just never felt the time was right or her negative voice would speak up, deciding she had waiting long enough she mustered her courage the best she could "Tomoko?"
"Yeah?"
"I…" Beurling started to say only for her negative voice to speak "What are you doing this will condemn her!"
"You?" Tomoko said as she sat up and looked Beurling in the eye which made it hard to say the rest of the words out loud as her throat suddenly felt like a string was tied tight around it by her fear.
Beurling, forced her fear down the best she could for a second and looked away before she let out in a quiet voice "…Love you."
Beurling lft Tomoko cup her chin and force her to look her in the face, Tomoko fixed Beurling with a stare that Beurling had never seen Tomoko have before "Say it again."
"I…love you." Beurling said noticing her fear falling away as if it had been pushed off a cliff
"I love you too." Tomoko said as she captured Beurling's lips in kiss, the kiss felt normal at first till she felt Tomoko push Beurling on her back, and the kiss suddenly felt much hungrier "Now, you really have to win." Tomoko said breathing heavily.
"I will." Beurling said "We should head inside it's getting late."
(Next Morning)
"Would you mind keeping this for me for the fight?" Beurling asked as held her beret in her hand
"Are you sure?" Tomoko asked.
"It's fine." Beurling said as she walked up to Tomoko and placed the beret on her head "Besides, it's kind of suits you." Beurling said as she placed a kiss on Tomoko's head, before turning to leave.
"Beurling!" Tomoko said as she hugged Beurling from behind "Be careful and make sure you win."
"I will." Beurling whispered as she parted from Tomoko's arms.
As she cloes the door to their room she saw Maple and Frenda standing by the door "Thanks for doing this." Beurling smiled.
"It's fine, honestly we agree with you." Frenda replied.
"You worry about winning, we'll worry about Tomoko." Maple added.
"I owe you, both of you." Beurling smiled as she left. As she left her scroll buzzed, taking it out she smiled as she read the message from Tomoko "Good Luck x." Beurling smiled after she read it before replying "You watching me is all the luck I need."
After a short and relatively uneventful flight to the arena Beurling dismounted the craft alone, just then a voice caught her attention.
"Excuse me?" came a young man's voice.
"Can I help you?"
"Erm, my boss asked me to give this to you." The man said offering a note, Beurling took the note from the man's hand before reading it.
"Sabine, I know the two of us have had a difficult relationship, however I know you wouldn't wish your mother to be out on the streets, should you face Gilles if you could let him win…"
Beurling folded the paper back over before handing it back to the man "Did you…?"
"Tell your boss I have no interest in rubbish and I'm done with her lies, I'll beat her nephew today and finally tell her I hope she enjoys the streets." Beurling growled as she pushed past the man "Oh and add to that, never lay a hand on my girlfriend's family again or I'll break it off."
Time for a smack down.
As i said sorry this one took a while.