Welcome to Edenia, is what the worn sign reads, the paint chipped and faded. The sun stoops low in the sky as she kicks her heels into the ribcage of her equine, signaling for him to start to plod along into the town. It had been quite a while since she had visited and she decided it was time for a visit. Her first stop immediately came to mind as the Sheriff's station. However the thought of one of the inhabitants deterred her almost immediately.
That would be like walking straight to a minefield, and she wasn't that stupid. Despite what everyone else thought. She brushed her long dark hair back from her face, the strands trying to escape the tight confines of her braids.
She keeps her head low, green eyes looking at the ground. Her bronze skin was covered with bruises, quite the contrast to the rich blue of her outfit. It wasn't really her colour, but she needed a cover. The locals might recognize her, that she didn't doubt, but it may be harder for them to recognize her before she was out of sight.
Whispers rode up from nearby women in their long flowy dresses, their eyes darting between her not so feminine attire and what was underneath her low tipped hat. She wouldn't let them see until she was sure of who was still here. Her first destination was a small inn right at the heart of the town. After trying her horse up to the railing outside and making a mental note to rent a stable for him - she was rich now after all - as she pulled open the heavy wooden door.
Her faded green pack held only a spare pair of clothes and a sum of the money hidden in her pockets, saddle bags, and other odd places. Like in a small pouch under the seat of her saddle. As the door slammed shut, she was greeted with a masculine and feminine voice. She allowed herself to finally look up at the familiar sound.
Sure enough, a lady sat with a blue ribbon laced through her dark hair, which was pulled back in a tight bun. Next to her was a man, hair ruffled and shirt hastily thrown on like normal. She quickly scanned the room to make sure they didn't have any other company before she removed the hat with a grin.
"Miss me?" She asked gruffly, her throat slightly scratchy from the intense heat of the desert and how little water she drank to try and conserve it as much as possible. She swipes at her bangs again as her identity sinks into those sitting before her.
The girl is up and throwing her arms around her neck faster than she can comprehend, almost knocking her down with the force. "What are you doing back here!?" She hisses as her deep brown eyes meet her own green ones. "They're looking for you, you know! The Sheriff especially!"
"I figured you wouldn't be hanging around there," she muses, returning the hug with a crushing grip. It had been too long indeed. "Besides, they can't exactly accuse me of anything."
"Word spreads fast, Jade," the man says with an air of disappointment lacing his voice. It didn't deter her in the slightest. "Your face is everywhere."
Jade nods, not letting go of her friend. "That may be, but I'm not worried about it. You share the basement do you not? You both could let me stay down there for a while until this all blows over."
"This isn't something that will just 'blow over', Jade! You know that, I know you do. For whatever reason you decided that going on a practical suicide mission was a good idea was beyond me!" The woman, Kitana, had varying levels of concern in her voice as she pulled back to stare Jade down.
Jade put a hand on her cheek. "I'm not worried about it, and you shouldn't be either, Tana," she coos. "I know what I'm doing."
Kitana leans into the touch with a grumble. "You always say that. Now look where it got you."
"I have to agree with her, this is ridiculous. Stealing little things like meat and bread to stay alive is one thing, but leading a while heist? You're out of your mind this time."
"Many will say I'm often out of my mind," she pauses, giving him a hard look, "but not this time. It took place halfway across the desert. No one would bother looking somewhere as lively as Edenia. They would suspect I'd hide in smaller, less noticable towns."
"How long have you been thinking about this?"
"Long enough to plan out the smallest of details, Tana. However, I did think the two of you would be more open to allow me to stay. Especially you, Kitana."
"Harboring a criminal is punishable by death, Jade. I quite like my head."
"You know, Liu, for someone who likes his head you sure are friends with a fair amount of 'criminals'."
Liu Kang huffs. "You're the only criminal in here."
"Are you sure about that?" Jade raises a brow with a faint smirk plastered on her face. Kitana gives her a look. "Because I can recall plenty of reasons that-"
The dark haired girl shoves a hand over Jade's mouth before she can finish, semi-effectively cutting her off. She shoves it away with a laugh.
"Let her finish, Tana," he narrows his eyes at her. Kitana flushes and shakes her head fiercely.
"Fine, fine you win. You can stay down there with us," Kitana begrudgingly relents with some protest from Liu Kang. "But you have to earn your keep, missy. I mean cleaning and running out to gather supplies."
"Won't be a problem, Tana. I've got plenty of coins to go running around town to gather things for you. Free of charge."
Liu Kang lets out a huffing laugh. "If you think you're going to get away running around with a large sum of coins attached to your hip, then clearly you haven't actually thought about anything."
"It won't be a large sum. Just enough to make me look as simple as possible. I hope you have some of my old clothes, Tana. If I'm going to make this work I'll need to play the doting wife role. Liu be a dear and go place my horse in the stables out back. If you bring inside all my gear I'll tip you handsomely."
Liu rolls his eyes, muttering something about her and her stupid tips, but does end up walking out to gather the horse, shutting the wooden door loudly.
"I missed you Tana," Jade murmurs, stepping closer to the other girl as soon as the door clicks shut. Her eyes dart up slightly so search Kitana's, trying to get a read on her.
"I missed you too, Jade. What took you so goddamn long?" She says quietly, returning Jade's stare, facial features softening.
Jade rests her head against Kitana's lightly, closing her eyes briefly. Kitana hums, setting a hand on the other woman's hip. "I had to lay low for a while to make sure I could get back here."
"It's been months," she says, voice dropping to a small whisper. "Kotal was sure you were off rottin in a ditch somewhere."
Jade's mouth crinkles at the thought of Kotal. "Is he still the Sheriff?"
"He never was. He's the deputy, Jade. You of all people should know that, what with his infatuation with you since we were kids," she laughs a little at the sight of Jade's semi-appalled face.
"Oh don't remind me." She shudders, remembering all the half dead weeds he had brought her once for her birthday. Jade had hidden in the back room of the Sheriff's office with Kitana hiding from him. She pulls Kitana forward so they are chest to chest, giving her a fond look before leaning forwards to connect their lips.
Kitana presses herself impossibly closer, draping her arms loosely around Jade's neck. The aforementioned sighs, pulling back slightly, to take in Kitana's face. She purrs, speaking against her lips, "I've missed you. I regret leaving for such an amount of time. Allow me to make it up to you?"
"Liu will be back in soon. The stables are not a far walk," she responds as Jade presses a feather light kiss right to the side of her jawline.
"Then allow me to later, yes?" Jade takes a step back, her head tilted almost imperceptibly to the side. Kitana nods, taking her own step back as the door opens as predicted. However not to Liu Kang, but rather Kotal. Jade suppresses a groan at the sight of him.
"Sorry to interrupt this reunion of sorts, but I was told there was an unfamiliar rider in town as of a few moments ago. Not as unfamiliar as I had expected, however." Kotal's stern gaze is fixated on Jade and his eyes are narrowed. "I wasn't expecting to see you here in the coming months. Or ever for that matter."
"I heard you had assumed me dead, Kotal. But death is a rather easy feat to escape around here."
"Only for you," Liu Kang's voice chimes in from behind Kotal as he shoves open the door a little bit too hard. Jade scoffs with a roll of her eyes but Kotal's unamused expression does not falter.
"You aren't welcome here Jade," he all but snaps at her. Ah yes, he must've grieved over the faux death that only he had truly believed. She felt no pity towards him.
"I left by choice if I remember correctly. Although you may not." She says cooly, watching as Liu Kang and Kitana pull up a chair each their own. "I don't know what put you under the notion I was dead."
"It's been almost nine months, Jade. That's not usually a normal travel time for a run to get a few more horses, of which you've returned with only one. That one being the one you left with nonetheless."
So that must've been what the two had come up with after she had left. Liu was never good at coming up with lies. "I had the horses and was on my way back but I got a little held up." Not technically a lie. She doesn't miss the fact that Liu did not bring in her saddle.
He must have stashed it somewhere for her. Good on him. Bringing saddles in was unusual anyways and would only cause her more trouble from the Deputy. "A little huh," he scoffs, giving her a look. "I don't think something so miniscule would keep you 'held up' for that long."
"I never said it was miniscule, now did I?" Kotal huffs, but Jade doesn't let him get a word in. "Now if you don't mind, it's been a long day and I'm tired."
He gives her a look. "We aren't done here."
Jade is already ignoring him, turning back towards Kitana. "Mind showing me my room?"
Kitana stands and makes her way towards a brown painted door with equally chipping paint as the rest of the building and a brass handle. "Not at all, come on."
"Jade-"
"We are done here. Now if you could let me be it would be very appreciated," she all but snaps at him as Kitana pulls open the door to the downstairs. She keeps a tight grip on her bag as Kitana and Liu Kang exchange a few words about it being his turn to close up tonight before Kotal storms out of the building with a few muttered choice words. As soon as the other girl joins her on the stairs, she throws her a smug look.
Kitana pulls the door shut behind them. "I think he had forgotten about your sharp tongue," he muses.
"That isn't the only sharpness my tongue holds," she teases back, reaching the bottom of the stairs. Kitana snorts, shoving open a door to the left of them.
"You can stay in here with me," she purrs, pulling Jade into the room, pushing her against the door effectively closing it. Jade tosses her bag to the side, resting her hands on the other girls' hips. "Maybe you can prove to me how sharp your tongue really is."
Jade smirks, allowing Kitana to push her down onto her knees. "Eager are we?"
"Take a look and find out," is the response she gets as she begins to unbutton her top. Jade's hands stayed glued to Kitana's hips, thumb brushing lightly over her upper thigh. The top hits the floor, leaving Kitana in a faded and worn blue bra. Jade takes in the sight above her, lower lip between her teeth.
"What are you waiting for, my love?" Kitana murmurs, smoothing down Jade's flyaways with a hand. Jade's hands in turn run down her thighs and back up once more to undo the clasp of her pants, allowing them to drop to the floor with a soft noise. Her green eyes look up to meet Kitana's blue ones as she runs her hands over the sensitive areas of her inner thighs.
She shivers and gives an almost imperceptible nod. Jade continues to touch the skin for a few more seconds before sliding her hands up to the hem of Kitana's panties. Kitana draws in a sharp breath, the same breath catching in her throat as Jade pulls them down, letting them pool around her ankles. She steps out of them and then kicks them away from her.
Jade rises, ignoring a look from Kitana before turning them and all but shoving her against the door. Kitana hums, leaning in to kiss her a short kiss, nipping her left lip as she draws back. Jade runs her finger tips lightly along Kitana's ribcage a moment, making her skin prickle with goosebumps.
Then Kitana is pushing Jade back down onto her knees, hand on the back of her head. "Don't be a tease now," she breathes with her head tilted down to watch Jade.
"No promises," she says, knowing it would simply frustrate Kitana. As predicted, Kitana loops a leg around the small of her back, pulling her closer. Jade lets out a breath over her and Kitana gives a breathy whine, canting her hips up slightly, indicating her impatience.
She finally gives into Kitana's wants after the pale girl half growls her name, glaring down at her. Jade licks over her, slipping her tongue just barely into her cunt before repeating the process. One of her hands reaches back up to grip Kitana's hip, pinning her fully against the door.
Kitana's grip tightens as Jade fully licks into her, curling her tongue just enough. Her head tips back against the wood, finger loosely weaving into Jade's dark hair. The aforementioned uses her other hand to apply varied pressures to her clit, pulling a whine from Kitana's throat.
Jade licks into her a few more times before taking her hand and running a finger through her, licking her lips while watching Kitana. She slips a finger into her, causing Kitana's hips to jump once more. Jade grins, thrusting it slowly at first and gradually increasing her speed before slipping in another.
Kitana tugs her hair, fingers gripping it tighter. Jade slowly curls her fingers up against Kitana's spot, dragging out a quiet moan from her lips. She begins to pant as Jade takes her clit into her mouth, still pushing Kitana firmly into the door. Kitana's hips move on their own, half grinding against Jade's face as the other girl maintains her pace.
She can tell she's getting close when Kitana starts to subconsiously push Jade's face closer to her sex for more friction. She hums against her, the slight vibrations making Kitana whine out her name. Her fingers don't stop, and neither does her mouth as Kitana tenses, biting down onto her hand so as not to tip off Liu Kang had he happened to head to bed early.
Jade doesn't slow until her lover's hand relaxes its grip and her muscles untense. She pumps her fingers once more before pulling them from her, letting go of her clit as well. She taps the other girl's thigh to get her attention, before sucking her fingers clean under her gaze.
Kitana sinks to the floor next to Jade, allowing the aforementioned to pull her onto her lap to straddle one of her thighs before hastily pressing their lips together, swiping her tongue into Jade's mouth to taste herself on her tongue. Jade bounces her leg somewhat awkwardly underneath Kitana, making sure to hit her clit.
She whines, but Jade doesn't allow her to break the kiss quite yet. She unclasps Kitana's bra and pulls it away from her chest, cupping a breast and pinching one of her nipples. She breaks the kiss, pulling the opposing one into her mouth. She bites down as Kitana groans, taking it upon herself to grind down against Jade to further the friction.
It doesn't take long until she's moaning Jade's name into her hair and she covers the other girls' clothing with her slick. Her thighs shake subtly as Jade licks over her nipple and begins to press kisses along her neck and collarbone. Kitana's arms are wrapped around Jade's neck as she leans down to kiss her again, this time much softer.
She sighs, her lover shifting underneath her to pick her up and carrying her towards the bed. She strips off her own ruined clothing, wiping Kitana down with them before tossing it towards the pile of clothes near the door. Kitana pulls her down next to her with a lazy grin. "It'll be nice to have you around again."
Jade wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her close, letting Kitana curl up next to her. "It'll be nice to be around again. I missed you."
"I missed you too, my love."