"She's not home yet." Sasha heard Anne say, turning her gaze from the TV to gaze at her wife who had a concerned look on her face, pulling the wet gloves off her hands that she wore to do the dishes. Sasha hummed in response. "I tried to call her but she ain't answering."
"Probably playing games at the cafe and put her phone on DND as usual, Anne." The blond woman muttered with a grimace.
"I hope she didn't get into some trouble." Anne pulled the curtains, looking over the heavy rain outside with concern. "She clearly didn't take her umbrella, she can't make it to the stop and catch the bus. Why don't you go pick her up?" Sasha sighed, scrolling idly on her phone.
"What do you think, Marcy tripped and injured her leg, lost her phone and now she's crying somewhere on the street alone or something?" Sasha asked sarcastically.
Anne gave her a skeptical look. "That was oddly specific."
"I'm improving my imagination, I guess." She shrugged innocently, turned back to the TV and sipped her can of soda, a single drop came out of it. She shook the empty can in her hand before slumping back in her seat and passed it out to Anne. "Yo, baby doll, get me a drink, will ya'?"
Anne cheeks blushed red bashfully, narrowing her eyes and slowly turning to her. She knew Sasha was messing with her on purpose and she was in no mood for this. A wet apron suddenly hit the blonde's face. "Go get your own fucking drink. And for the last time, don't call me that. " Sasha pulled the apron off her face to give her wife a puzzled look.
"Why, I'm literally your wife?"
"You can do that without being cringe." Anne snatched the remote from her and turned off the TV. "Like, maybe stop bullshitting around and go get our wife home."
"Anne, for fuck's sake, Marcy goes to work and she comes back home every damn day. Stop being such a worrywart, let her handle her stuff. A little rain isn't doing any harm, she'll make it to the bus stop once it subsides, and your adorable wife will be back home like barely an hour late."
Anne leaned over, firmly grasping her shoulder and spoke in a low voice. "You do remember what happened the last time Mar Mar was left alone around water, right? She still have flashbacks about the incident. We can't risk her another attack." Sasha's gaze trailed back and forth , processing the statement, slowly nodding.
Marcy had been remarkably phobic to liquid, especially when she was alone ever since they returned from Amphibia when they were teenagers (still felt like yesterday somehow). It had managed to occasionally cause her panic attacks about the rejuvenation tank a few times. She claimed to have overcome it, but they suspected it was more out of her not wanting to worry them. Despite that she could clearly handle it better when they were there to reassure her. Sasha started to see why Anne was being so stressed that she wasn't picking up the phone.
Anne looked away, tugging her arm in discomfort. "Look, if you're not going, then I will. But that means you prepare us dinner in the meantime. Think you'll manage, Sash? I want the kitchen in one piece when I return." Sasha sighed, here came the dinner threat. Nonetheless Anne had a point, plus there was no way she was gonna sit here alone, burning the kitchen just for the sake of not going out.
"Fine, okay. I'll go get her, whatever." Getting up, she walked over to the closet to grab her jacket. Anne breathed out, silently walked over and gently brushed off the wrinkles on Sasha's jacket.
"I just worry about her, Sash. She's always being so hard on herself. I want to make sure she knows we're there for her when there's any possibility for the nightmares to return."
"I know, Anne, I get it. And of course we will be." Grasping the fabric on her shoulder, Anne leaned her head against hers. Sasha gently stroked the side of her head, smirking at the mirror before them. "Besides, I know I have to go because no way I'm sitting here burning the kitchen alone while you go on a romantic drive with Mar Mar." she teased.
Anne chuckled before twirling her wife around and placing a kiss on her lips, embracing her shoulders into her arms. Sasha closed her eyes and leaned in, softly wrapping her arms around her back securely and pulled her closer. They parted slowly, staring dreamily into her eyes, Sasha curled a bang of Anne's hair behind her ear who snickered. "I love you, Sash."
"I love you too, Cupcake."
"Stop ruining it." Anne rolled her eyes.
"Never." She kissed her forehead. "You love it and you know it."
"Sash?"
"Mmm?"
"I've got the keys."
"The keys to my heart is what you've got…"
"No, Sash, I mean I've got the car keys. Jeez, you're so cheesy." Anne said, jingling the keys in her hand. "Here."
"Oh." Sasha blinked, embarrassed, much to Anne's amusement. "Err, of course. Forget I said anything else." She took the keys and went over to the door to put on her boots.
"...And let Marcy drive the way back."
This seemed to have struck a nerve with Sasha. "Why?" She hissed. "You'd rather trust Marcy behind the wheel? You've gotta be kidding me."
Anne sighed stressfully, she didn't want this argument again. "The last time we let you drive, you nearly got us chased by the police."
The blond woman rolled her eyes. "As if Marcy doesn't drive like the highway is the freaking Gran Turismo racetrack."
"At least she doesn't break traffic rules just out of spite." The brown-haired girl folded her arms with a scowl, Sasha gritted her teeth.
"Hey, I did that one time!"
"That's illegal and dangerous, Sash."
"Not if I do it right and make sure there are no cops around-"
"I'm not having this argument again. You drive one way, without denting my car, and she drives the way back, no talkbacks. I don't want any scratches on my ride when you guys return." Sasha's eyes narrowed as she clutched the keys in her fist, stomping out in rage.
"FUCK YOU."
"You take care as well, moron."
The door slammed shut.
Sasha drove down the highway, headlights illuminating the rain-damp dark road ahead, the wiper sweeping the raindrops off the windscreen. Taking a deep breath and inhaling the pleasant lavender fragrance in Anne's car, she hummed to the metal music on the radio.
Moments later Sasha spotted her wife, waiting for her outside a cafe, waving her hand high above and basically jumping enthusiastically as soon as she saw the familiar blue car incoming.
"Sasha, Sasha, Sasha!" Marcy cheered, bouncing on her toes as the window opened, dressed in her white coat and black trousers and boots, her usual attire at work, a pair of round spectacles on her nose, a bandage on her forehead apparently. Clutching her briefcase shyly as Sasha eyed her dreamily as if she had never seen her in her work uniform before. "Gosh, thank god. I knew you'd come."
"Hey, lady." Sasha wiggled her eyebrows smugly, brushing the strands of her short blonde hair back. "Need a ride?"
"Oh, Sash." Marcy would've rolled her eyes, but blushed instead, gazing around in embarrassment.
"How was work, Marshmallow?" Sasha exited the car and stretched her arms loose. "You look like an actual marshmallow in that coat."
"It was good! Sorry you had to bother. I...forgot to bring the umbrella again, heh."
"Yeah, figured. Classic Anne was losing her shit being worried you tripped on a puddle and broke your leg somewhere. Worrywart."
"Yeah…" Marcy scratched the back of her head nervously as the other woman leaned against the car, raising an eyebrow. "Um, she's dealt with that before."
Sasha leaned against the wall outside the cafe, sipping her coffee, silently watching over Marcy who bought candies for the little kids that were also waiting out at the shop for the rain to subside. She watched in amusement as her wife struggled to tell off one of the stubborn kids who kept insisting he also wanted to have coffee.
"I'm grown up!"
"Heck no, you're not. It's not healthy for you." Marcy reproved, a firm finger pointed at him.
"What do you know?" He pouted.
"Yes, I do. I do science for a living, remember?" She smirked, the boy pouted harder.
"Marce, come on. What happened to science when you used to gulp three mugs of coffee at our sleepovers in primary school and recite the entire script of the Bee movie?" Sasha jeered.
Marcy facepalmed, her face going red in embarrassment before giving Sasha a death glare as the kids giggled. "Who are you siding with here, honey?"
"Nobody, I'm just saying don't lie to the dang children, Marbles." Sasha shrugged innocently and muttered before looking away.
"W-Well, I didn't know any better and…" Marcy sighed, this wasn't going anywhere, but there was no way she was gonna let herself be persuaded into this. She looked determinedly into the kid's eyes. "I'll give you three chocolates to drop this coffee discourse and keep the Bee movie thing a secret, Aaron."
He eyed her offering for a moment, and after spending a good amount of time thinking, he agreed. "Deal." Marcy pulled it back.
"Psst. Where's the magic word?"
" Please? "
"You got it!" She winked, "Now go back quick, your mom's waiting. And remember the deal." The kid marched off with the candy. Marcy stood up and walked over next to Sasha, sipping her drink.
"How long have you known those kids?"
Marcy shrugged. "Quite some time, I guess? Aaron's mom has been my co-worker. Some of them live in the neighborhood; I often run into them on a regular basis after work when I wait at the bus stop, we infodump, sometimes I even give them treats, they seem to look...happy when I do."
The blonde scoffed and elbowed her. "Why, you softie!" She ruffled her hair as Marcy snickered.
"I guess it just feels nice to see them have what we couldn't. Y'know, being actual kids... not being magically zapped into a world of warzone to escape from reality, and end up hurting those we love and…" she paused, suddenly clutching the fabric of the coat on her chest, her breath growing uneasy. "...everything else that comes with it."
She placed her hand over the said spot on Marcy's chest, feeling the faint sound of her fast heartbeat. Marcy slowly grasped her hand, as if wanting to keep it sealed there, feeling the toughness of Sasha's knuckles against her palm, the comforting sensation of her palm over her scar that always made her feel better, feel safe.
"Are you okay? You've been a bit off. Also," Sasha pointed at the bandage on her forehead. "What's up with that?"
"Well, the thing is..." Marcy touched the bandage with dismay, biting her lip before whispering. "I...I can still hear it sometimes. And...today was one of those days." Her voice cracked, Sasha stared at her with concern. "I panicked and...banged my head on the bathroom counter. It went away but... I just know it's still somewhere in there." She cupped her forehead stressfully. "I've just been afraid. That…what if it took over again, like all those years ago? What if I...hurt someone again, Sash?" Sasha could feel Marcy pressing her hand on her knuckles harder and her heartbeat felt getting faster.
Sasha put her cup aside to wrap an arm around her wife, pulling her closer.
"None of it was your fault, Mar Mar." Sasha assured, "Besides, that was several years ago. Things have changed, and you're safe. You're got me and Anne always here to help you out with it." Marcy leaned into the hug, resting her head on the blond girl's shoulder.
"Thanks."
"Dr. Marcy?" Another voice came. A young girl was smiling gleefully at them. "I almost forgot I got this rock for you from the beach the other day, you said you have a collection, I thought you'd like it." She said, presenting a smooth bluish-dark green rock. Marcy slowly took it, eyeing it observantly.
"That is a Serpentine." She smiled at the kid. "It's a type of silicate, did you know its name originates from its snake skin-like color? Fascinating catch, Xin. You sure you want me to keep it?"
"Sure, tell me if you want to see more, I've got plenty!"
"Of course I'd love to, some other day. We could share our collections if you'd like."
"Sweet! Thank you for the treat, see you tomorrow!" Marcy waved slowly as the kid rushed off and they were left alone there.
Sasha watched in silence as Marcy slumped against the wall with a sigh, continuing to observe the Serpentine.
"...That is a nice rock." Sasha commented, scratching the back of her head awkwardly.
Marcy snorted. "Thought you used to find rock collecting dumb?"
She coughed. "Well…to be fair, it's convenient to keep some around just in case you need something to throw at people, like assholes who put pickles where they don't belong." Marcy chuckled at the statement, putting the rock in her pocket and gazing at the raining street. "You feeling better, Marshmallow?"
"Yeah. Whenever that happens I guess reminding myself that I'm more than what the Core said I am always helps. I'm glad I get to help people, and I'm more than glad I've got you and Anne."
"And you can always count on us to remind you of that, honey." Sasha smiled, relieved as Marcy seemed to have calmed down, except the slightest shiver that still remained, she knew the girl always got cold when she was anxious.
Sasha took off her coat and put it over her shoulders, Marcy blushed and tugged onto it closer. With a warm smile, she took the opportunity to clasp Sasha's hand, jerking her closer and pressed her lips on hers. Sasha blinked before she leaned in and kissed back, interlocking their fingers, while wrapping her other arm around Marcy's neck. The rain began to slow down and the shining moon peeked from among the clouds. Sasha peeped through one eye to glance at Marcy's face illuminated under moonlight before slowly parting. Slightly short on breath, Marcy grinned dreamily at her. "I love you, Sashy! I love you so much,"
"I love you too, lil' Marshmallow." She cupped her cheeks. "And whenever you feel that thing creeping up on your mind, we'll make sure you beat it, like you did the first time."
Marcy nodded, a teardrop managed to escape her eye.
"I've also been thinking, since you've turned out to be such a big dote on kids," Sasha begun, sipping the last bit of her coffee which was already cold and glancing over to the empty raining street. "What do you say we start a family?" She joked, elbowing her teasingly.
Marcy blinked, snorting at the suggestion. "Pfft. As if Anne would say yes to that." She muttered, proceeding to imitate her other wife's voice. "We will adopt a child the day the two of you actually start acting like mature people!"
Sasha scoffed and put her hands on her hips. "Everyone knows I'm more mature than she ever will be." She looked at her wrist watch. "Let's head home. She's waiting for us."
"Did Anne specify if she wanted me to drive the way back?" Marcy asked, standing at the car door as Sasha raised an eyebrow to herself. How did she even know?
"Nope." She lied, buckling the seatbelt before noticing Marcy was smirking knowingly at her. Shit. "What? Ugh, fine. Yeah, she did offer. But…you see, I do it just fine, so why don't you rest your legs while I drive us back, if you want."
Marcy rolled her eyes and shook her head before taking a seat. "Suit yourself. Also I saw the new dent on the rear."
Sasha's hands froze at the wheel. "W-What are you talking about?"
"Relax, I won't tell Anne it was you." Marcy chuckled, getting a puzzled look from her wife.
"Really?"
"Yep. But," she smirked. "Only if I get to choose the playlist."
"Of course." Sasha rolled her eyes. "Whatever, nerd."
Marcy clapped in enthusiasm and kissed her cheek. Sasha blushed and brushed a strand of her hair back, as she started the engine.
"And no, you won't be playing your K.K Slider playlist, Marcy."
Sasha heard her partner groan as they headed back home.
