A/N: Very much enjoying season 2 as I hope you all are! So, here's another chapter. I'm not sure how many of these chapters may pop up...but I like writing them and I'll post whatever I can get that makes the cut. As an aside, this chapter picks up a little further down the timeline than last we saw them.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but plot bunnies.
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Chapter 2 – The Better Part of Valor
The moment Abigail walked away from Tally after the latter moved in for a kiss in the mess hall, Raelle knew there was going to be drama.
She could already hear the arguments from both sides which would be compelling and sensible, and their bond would pull her in both directions simultaneously. Had this been one of their intimate encounters, the idea of dealing with them would be nothing but pleasurable. As it was, the blonde resigned herself to playing mediator, a role normally occupied by the redhead because she was so much better at it.
Raelle huffed in resignation and moved to comfort Tally – who looked absolutely devastated at the snub – taking her lover into her arms and guiding the softly crying girl out of the room while whispering comfort into her ear.
"Hey, come on Tal, don't cry." Though they were passing several curious witches, Raelle paid them no mind. "She didn't mean anything by it."
Tally sniffed, wiping a hand over her eyes. "That's not what it felt like. She didn't even look at me, Raelle! Just brushed me off like I wasn't even there and looking like an idiot."
Grabbing her hand, Raelle squeezed and then pecked her on the lips as they entered their room. "You need to remember something about Abigail, sweetheart. She's been brought up to follow decorum to the letter her entire life. That's come to include minimizing – if not outright doing away with – signs of weakness. In this case, public displays of affection."
Sitting on her bed and pulling Tally with her, Raelle continued. "You know how hard it is for her when it comes to her mother's expectations. There are literally eyes everywhere who report back to the good general, Tal.
"You kiss me," Tally reasoned. "You hold my hand."
"I know I'm not as closed off with my affections in public as our dear Bellweather, but I have my limits too." Raelle brought their joined hands up and kissed Tally's knuckles, offering her a smile. "Neither Abigail nor I are as expressive as you are though. You're in a league of your own when it comes to love and affection, Tal."
"I second that."
Looking up, both girls saw Abigail leaning in the doorway, a fond smile on her lips.
"Heard that did you?" Raelle asked, eyebrow arched.
Their unit's namesake shrugged, entering the room and closing the door behind her. "Heard enough. You two should work on your situational awareness." She winked at Raelle before focusing her attention on Tally, who had turned away and hidden her face in the blonde's neck.
Kneeling in front of the redhead, Abigail took their Seer's free hand in both of hers. "I'm sorry, Tally. I'm sorry for acting like that in the mess, but I want you to know that I wanted nothing more than to kiss you. I just…Rae's right. The two of you mean everything to me. But if word got back to my mother that there was even a chance you guys could become a distraction and keep me from War College, she would do everything in her power to fast track me in and ship you two to the front lines." She unknowingly mimicked Raelle's earlier actions and kissed Tally's knuckles. "And I do not want that for you, understand?"
Raelle gently nudged Tally's head up off her shoulder, nodding encouragingly toward Abigail. "Hear that, sweetheart? Our Bellweather would rather come with us to the front lines than follow prestige to War College."
"That's not what she said," Tally responded with a giggle, her eyes finding Abigail's and squeezing both girls' hands.
"It's what I meant," Abigail said, moving to sit next to Tally and wrapping an arm around her waist. "If push comes to shove…" she kissed her forehead. "Fuck War College."
Deafening silence filled the room as both Tally and Raelle gaped at her declaration. Since day one of basic, there had been a single constant with Abigail Bellweather – getting into War College. To hear that idea be condemned, from the very mouth who'd spouted it non-stop for weeks on end, was a staggering thing.
"Who are you and what have you done with our fearless leader?" Raelle asked after a beat, her eyes twinkling madly.
"Shut up, shitbird," Abigail said with a laugh, poking the blonde in her side, grinning wide at the squeak of surprise the action elicited. "I'm allowed to love you guys more than family ideals. I – mmph!"
Raelle fell over, a deep belly laugh shaking her small frame, when Tally tackled the brunette to the bed with an enthusiastic kiss. It was a rare sight to see her asserting dominance over anyone, much less the mighty Bellweather, and as much as it filled the blonde with positive tingles to see the two reconcile, it also sent a jolt of arousal through her body.
Her girls were going to be the death of her.
After a rather enthusiastic few seconds, Tally pulled back and stared down at Abigail, adoration plain on her face.
"Do you mean that?"
Though she did her best to act composed, Abigail's thoroughly flushed look gave away everything she was feeling in that moment. "Huh?"
Including that she hadn't quite gotten control of all her faculties yet.
"Do you love us?" Tally rephrased her question and even Raelle stiffened, waiting for an answer.
"I…," Abigail swallowed, blinking rapidly to clear her head. Her voice was breathy when she spoke again. "Yes."
Tally kissed her again.
Heart beating rapidly, Raelle found herself hard pressed to pin down what exactly she was feeling.
During Beltane, at the height of their union, she'd felt the same overwhelming emotion coursing through her but had been unable to identify it then too. Now, hearing Abigail so unabashedly declare her love for both of them, and feeling Tally positively radiating the same sentiment, Raelle finally knew what it was.
Happiness.
Joy in finally knowing despite already knowing – inferring really – that what they had wasn't just some lust-fueled romp of orgasms and midnight mischief. Not that there was anything wrong with that. Raelle could appreciate a good old-fashioned dalliance between the sheets as much as the next girl, but she'd always favored the 'love you long time' types of stories and relationships. It'd lead toward a lot of heartbreak for her in the past – hence the initial icy façade – since she loved hard, fast, and totally.
That was the other thing.
Staring at Abigail and Tally, eyes shining, Raelle felt whole. As the other two girls nuzzled close and giggled quietly, the blonde felt the ugly scar on her heart left by her mother's death begin to heal.
"Rae, get over here!"
Blinking rapidly, Raelle met two pairs of warm brown eyes, one full to bursting with innocent excitement and the other watching with gentle concern, but both overflowing with love. Tally was holding out a hand, smile blinding as she waited for the fixer to take it and join them. Abigail's smirk spoke volumes, though no trace of her past condescension remained as she too opened for an embrace.
"Come on, Collar. You heard the lady."
"Sir, yes sir!"
She crawled to them and actually purred when their arms wrapped around and pulled her close, settling the small blonde in between them.
"Oh, you did not just purr!" Abigail mock gasped, tapping Raelle on the nose. "Does this mean I'm going to have to call you shitcat instead?"
Tally giggled and kissed Raelle before dropping another peck on her forehead. "Now you've done it, Rae. All those naughty Bellweather-isms have gone up in smoke!"
"And here I was finally getting used to them." Raelle grinned at Tally before turning to Abigail and waggling her eyebrows. "Well Bellweather? What are you going to do about it? Huh?"
She felt the other girl's hand pulling her forward a second before their lips crashed together. That same tingly feeling in her belly from earlier was back, though now she relished in it, using it to fuel the kiss as she and Abigail battled for dominance. When neither yielded to the other after a few moments, both decided – mutually – to pull away.
"Love you, shitbird."
"Love you, Bellweather."
A shuddering sigh pulled their attention from each other as they turned, coming face to face with Tally's hungry eyes.
"Whoa." The redhead looked like she wanted to say more, but words failed.
Abigail looked at Raelle, a glint of mischief in her eyes, and nodded toward Tally. "What do you say? Wanna help me with this one?"
Catching on immediately, the fixer's smile turned impish. "You go right, I go left?"
"Copy that."
They pounced, hands finding purchase on either of Tally's sides, fingers deftly working their way up and under her shirt, tickling any and all available stretches of skin they could get to.
"AH! N-No!" Tally squealed, squirming under the assault of fingers, her words quickly devolving into stuttering laughter. "N-No! Stop it! Hahaha! Stop! I'm ticklish!"
Her peals of laughter brought full blown smiles to her attackers faces and they followed suit.
"We are aware, beautiful," Raelle said with a giggle, working her fingers teasingly over Tally's ribs, and humming in satisfaction when their lover shrieked again.
"Doesn't mean we're not gonna do it though," Abigail added through her own mirth focusing her offensive around Tally's flat, toned belly and laughing outright when she jolted desperately away.
After a good minute or so of the non-stop deluge, all three girls collapsed in a breathless heap.
"I love you."
They'd said it simultaneously without even trying. The words didn't need to be specified to any one individual – all three knew the statement was fact and meant for them. And, as they stared up at their ceiling catching their breaths and holding hands, it was enough.
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A/N: There you go! A little fluff for our lovely ladies - and maybe a little healing for us as an audience - after watching them going through all their shit. I have to say I'm liking the background and character building we're finally getting for Scylla. It's what I was wanting and what would've really endeared me more toward Raelle/Scylla in the first season.
At any rate, let me know what you think and stay tuned - who knows what other ideas will poof into existence inside my mind.
