"Layla's calling."

Ana swiveled around in her chair, just in time to watch Kamilah cock her hand back for a throw.

"Wait–!"

She half-stood in panic, flinging both hands out to catch her phone. It bounced off a palm and she scrabbled frantically, snatching it from the air and slapping it flat to her chest.

"The fuck, Milah. It could've dropped to the floor."

"But it didn't, did it?" Kamilah started to move farther down the corridor, but popped back into the study's doorway. "By the way, you didn't drop all your clothes into the washer either." She shook the laundry basket she held against her hip.

"What clothes."

"From the boxes."

"They're old clothes. Not like I'm gonna wear them any time soon." Ana glanced down at her phone, pressing it to her ear when Kamilah walked away with a frown. "Hey babe."

A near-inaudible groan was her only answer. Ana waited for a follow-up, be it in actual words or even more groans, but nothing came.

"Lay? You alright?" She waited again, hearing a sniff before it went silent again. "Are you okay? Do you need help?"

"I'm fine…" Layla finally croaked her first words out. She cleared her throat, then took another sluggish sniff.

"Are you sick?"

"No."

"Are you drinking?"

"No…"

"You sure? You always get sniffly when u drink."

"I was…I'm not now."

"Okay," Ana said slowly. "Where are you? Need a ride?"

"No. In bed."

"Uh, your own bed?"

"Ya…"

"Okay," Ana repeated, trying to divine what the drunk lump wanted. "Want me to sing you a lullaby?" A prolonged, throaty whine reached her ear. "Lay, you sure you're okay–?"

"Why's she have to leave."

Ah. "Mesi?"

"Don't want her to leave…"

"I don't think any of us wants that."

"Then why's she going…"

"Paycheck, babe. I mean, you get a raise and you get to order more people around. Who doesn't want that?" Ana's smile slowly faded as she listened to Layla's weak groan. "Do you want me to come over?"

"No." A pause, then shuffling. "No, I–" Layla grunted, and Ana heard something clattering to the floor. "I'm going…"

"What? Going where?" Ana said hurriedly. "Lay, I don't think you should be going anywhere right now–"

"Call you back."

"What, no. Lay–"

"I'll be fine," was all Layla said before she cut the call.

Naturally, Ana tried calling her again, but to no avail. She strode out of the study in worry, and would've driven over to the barracks herself if Kamilah hadn't forced her to sit down after learning what had transpired. Ana dialed Mesi's number, hoping to get someone to check on Layla, but she was hung up on before the call even went through.

"Maybe she went to look for Mesi," Kamilah said.

"Maybe. I'll get Khalid to go see–" Ana glanced at her wife when a hand clamped over hers.

"You really have no idea what's going on?"

"She's drunk, Milah. She's done stupid drunk stuff before." She stared back at Kamilah, not comprehending the odd look on her partner's face.

"Leave her alone for a while." Kamilah held up a hand when Ana started to protest. "Just–, one hour. Give her one hour, then you can do whatever you want. Okay?"

Ana gave a very reluctant agreement, and had her phone pried away when she kept checking it by the minute. She paced around the living room, eyes constantly wandering back to the clock, only sitting in place when Kamilah made her channel that restless energy into folding their clothes. The instant the clock ticked to an hour later, Ana snatched her phone back from Kamilah and made the call.

"Hello."

"Lay? Are you–" Then she realised who had just spoken. "Mesi?"

"Yup."

"Is Lay with you?"

"Yeah. She's sleeping though, so she can't talk right now."

Relief washed over Ana. "Thank god. I thought she was going to leave the barracks."

Mesi laughed softly. "In this state, I don't think she'd get far anyway. Did you two talk before…?"

"Yeah. She's pretty upset."

"I know. She was a mess. Kinda difficult trying to talk and cry at the same time."

"Trust me, I know," Ana chuckled, and sank onto the couch. "So did you straighten things out?"

"Yeah. For now, anyway." Mesi sighed, going quiet for a moment. "Do you think I should stay?"

"Only if you want to. I mean, even if you leave the squad, you're still in the same company." Ana hugged an arm around Kamilah's shoulders. "Not like you're transferring out or anything." She looked at Kamilah pointedly, and snickered when she got swatted on the nose.

"Right… And we're still friends, huh? Family."

"Yup. Not going to kick you out of our chat or anything."

"I'm so touched," Mesi deadpanned. "Anyway, I'm turning in soon. See you tomorrow."

"Alright. Sleep tight."

Ana heaved a sigh of relief, leaning back as she dropped her phone onto the seat. Then she noticed Kamilah still scrutinising her rather closely. "What?"

"So…do you know what's going on?"

"Why do you keep asking that?" Ana said. "What's going on?"

Kamilah cocked a brow. "Nevermind."

They had two more weeks left with Mesi, and it seemed the squad had reached an unspoken agreement to make it the best they could. Not only by huddling together after their duty shifts like penguins in deep winter, but by pouring their best efforts into training, blasting through the exercises without problem and with minimal injury. During these training sessions, Ana spent more time with her squad physically as well, instead of staying hidden or on higher ground with Khalid. This also meant less time with her stealth kit and beloved sniper rifle; the assault rifle became her best friend for the time being, and its thunderous rattle coupled with her position as the head of the team made her feel very exposed indeed.

Lucky it was that, despite a vastly different role, it fit Ana like a tailor-made glove. Working with a familiar squad helped much; they moved as though they were extensions of her body. And as Mesi pointed out with good humour, she seemed to have been born to order people around. No hesitation, no second guesses. Her orders were clear and efficient; rather rash at times, but she would find that delicate balance between patience and urgency in due time. In the meanwhile, the squad would have to suffer through a few traps whenever Ana made a misstep.

The switch from obeying orders to giving them was rather tiring indeed; now she understood Kamilah's groans when the medic had been made squad leader years ago. She found herself analysing the day's tactics over and over, trying to refine them and predict their results in her mind's eye. Then she would sigh with a smile when Kamilah told her to relax and stop thinking too much. How the tables have turned…

As much attention as she had given her new role, Ana did notice something a little odd.

"Oi, Lay," Ana said, playing with the damp towel in her hands. "So you coming to the bar with us or not?"

"Er–, no."

"But they changed their menu."

"I have something on," Layla muttered. She grabbed her belongings from the shower locker and threw them into her bag.

"But…burgers."

"And their fries. Don't forget the fries." Mesi sat down beside Ana with a smile, hair wet from her shower as well. "You know that's the deal for her."

"Yeah. You could stuff your face with just fries. We won't judge."

"I really can't go, Ana." Layla slung her bag over one shoulder, slicking back her short wet bangs with a hand. Her eyes darted towards the side, fingers drumming restlessly against her thigh, as if she felt uneasy standing in one spot. "I have to do something."

"Or someone." Ana snickered when Layla's palm smacked into her forehead. "So touchy."

"It's alright. The bar will always be there, hm?" Mesi said.

"Yeah. And the fries." Layla patted her head much more lightly, before swatting back at Ana again for muttering something about 'favouritism'.

Ana massaged her head, watching Layla make her way past the lockers and turn out of sight. "Is everything alright?" she asked, folding her towel. "Lay's been kinda twitchy lately."

"She's fine."

"Really. Not going to stage an intervention?"

Mesi huffed. "You're never going to let that slide, are you?"

"No." Ana smiled, stuffing the rest of her dirty clothing into her bag, and stood along with Mesi. "Time to shove her own medicine into her mouth. Maybe I can set her up with two. At the same time."

"Don't. She's…figuring out some stuff for herself right now."

"Yeah? What kind of stuff?" Ana asked as they walked out of the showers, the evening air refreshingly cool on her skin.

"Personal stuff." Mesi waited, fixing her with a stare that was oddly familiar. She continued when Ana cocked her head curiously. "You…really have no idea?"

"Why do people keep asking me that?"

Mesi raised her brows appraisingly. "Huh. I thought you would've noticed. Or…at least been told by now."

"Wait, notice what? Who's telling me what?"

A thoughtful expression sat on Mesi's face, before she smiled. "You've a sharp eye, Ana. I'm sure it'll come to you."

"What will come to me?" Ana asked, frustrated when Mesi just shrugged and took out her car keys. "What's happening?"

"The best answers are the ones you find for yourself."

Ana groaned loudly, practically stuffing herself into Mesi's car in her impatience. "Fuck the best answers. I like 'right now' answers."

"Then I hope you like disappointment too."

"You're a disappointment."

Mesi remained a 'disappointment' until a week later, when her last day with her squad arrived along with Kamilah's. All was promptly forgotten, and she became the 'best damned soldier ever' – a title conferred upon her by an emotional Ebo while he was crushing her in a hug. They had to lead him away and ply him with drinks, so that drunk Ebo would emerge to turn the farewell party into an actual celebration. Their friends were being promoted after all, not reassigned to some remote outpost far from Cairo.

The night ended on a surprisingly mellow note, and they dispersed from the barracks' break room, all soft and pleasantly drunk. Ana carried Kamilah on her back halfway through their walk home, noticing how sleepy she had gotten. Kamilah spent the short journey nuzzling into Ana's hair and giggling softly to herself, having downed a fair share of drinks at her squad's behest. Her hands and lips wandered all over Ana when they reached home, but it was fairly easy to tuck her into bed instead. She fell asleep quickly, and Ana smiled softly at the sight, pressing a kiss on her temple.

Kamilah would need this peaceful night's rest; of that, Ana had no doubt. Who knew when she would get a proper night's sleep after her new duties flooded in.

The answer was: not any time soon.

It didn't take long before Kamilah was whisked away by her advanced training courses, which would prep her to take command of her newly-assigned company. Being in charge of over a hundred soldiers was quite a step up, and the course spared no expense at whipping the officers into shape. Within the first week, Kamilah could often be found sprawled lifelessly on the sofa while Ana caressed her head, reading Mesi's groans over their group chat as well.

The only times Ana managed to see her wife, were early in the morning when she looked marginally alive, and late in the night when she seemed marginally dead. Ana missed being able to see Kamilah more often throughout the day, but for the time being, her soft snoring when she fell asleep on top of Ana would have to do.

But even that was taken away from them after the first two months of her training. With the first phase complete, the group of officers would be sent out into the field for a month-long exercise to round up their entire course. Ana did manage to steal a moment with Kamilah before she left though, lighting two candles on top of a homemade, slightly-too-sweet cake to celebrate her 27th. She was given a loving kiss and a few tips on how to make the cake fluffier, before Kamilah left the next morning.

With an entire month and an empty house to herself, Ana took to spending more time in the barracks with the squad, and feeding them so many of her cake experiments that they begged her to stop before they started losing their teeth. She relented by reducing the portions into more manageable cupcakes, which she still fed to them during their D&D sessions. The only reason they kept eating her food was because she actually got better with every try, and also to keep her from moaning about being apart from her wife.

[I'm not that bad]

Khalid: [yeah whatever helps you sleep at night]

[You know what really helps me sleep at night]

Khalid: [wow such a hard question. i gotta think]

[IT'S QUIET HERE YOU SINGLE ASS]

[DO YOU KNOW HOW QUIET A HOUSE CAN GET]

Hakim: [My wife knows. Ha]

[At least your wife has a kid]

Hakim: [So why don't you have a kid]

[…]

[:(]

Khalid: [there she goes again]

Layla: [For what it's worth I feel you babe]

[What]

[Feel my what]

Ebo: [Wait Lay are you gonna]

[Gonna what]

Ebo: [Unbelievable]

Layla: [Waiting for your girl, Ana. I feel you]

[Uh]

[Wait. You have a girl?]

Hakim: [Hooooly shit Ana]

[You knew?]

[Who is it]

Ebo: [My fucking god]

Khalid: [SHE'S DATING MESI YOU DENSE FUCKING CUPCAKE]

[SINCE WHEN]

Layla: [1 month]

[What THE FUCK]

[DOES EVERYONE KNOW?]

Layla: [Yep]

Layla: [Kamilah knows too btw. Tsk]

[AND NONE OF YOU BOTHERED TO TELL ME]

Khalid: [yeah it was priceless]

Khalid: [was]

Khalid: [it's like your gaydar went dead]

[How was I supposed to know?]

[They spend so much time together anyway]

[…Come to think of it they were pretty fucking gay]

Khalid: [you dense cupcake]

[Layla changed group name to 'Dense Cupcakes']

Ebo: [Yo Ana can you make those caramel cupcakes again. Those were good]

[Fuck you]

Layla: [I want mine with rainbow sprinkles]

Adofo: [I want one with sprinkles too]

[You can't eat]

Adofo: [:(]

Adofo: [Please?]

[…Fine]

The squad dropped by her house one night for their caramel cupcakes, and the treats seemed to have bought their silence over her broken gaydar. Layla made only one joke at her expense, before they kicked back for the rest of the night, with their little cakes in hand. Adofo took photos of his own cupcake, savouring it visually before giving it to Ebo so it wouldn't be wasted.

The rest of the month went by in a breeze; uneventful except for the time when Ana skinned her elbows in an accident during training. They hurt each time she bent her arms, but that didn't stop her from baking yet another batch of cupcakes in anticipation for Kamilah's return. Her wife flew into her embrace the moment she opened the door, before clicking her tongue when she noticed the bandages on Ana's elbows. Her frown didn't stay long though, and soon Ana had her recounting everything she had gone through for the past month, all the while reaching for one cupcake after another.

With her training done, Kamilah seemed more relaxed than before. After all, her day-to-day duties would be more manageable than the course's tight, teeth-grinding schedule. And due to the time of her return, she had a longer weekend to spend lying down at home, enjoying the peace and quiet that she had dreamt of for the whole month. That was just as well – it put her in a better mood when they were invited to a neighbour's dinner party that weekend.

A tight-knit community did come in a package with living on base – everyone knew and treated one another as if they were extended family. Apparently, that also applied to full-time soldiers of whom they only caught the occasional glimpse as well. Ana and Kamilah were greeted warmly by Fatimah, a middle-aged housewife who immediately pulled them into her house, introducing them to her family and guests before leading them to the gorgeous buffet spread. They stuck together for a while, working their way through the food that Fatimah had piled onto their plates. Then Kamilah found a fellow bike enthusiast in Fatimah's son – a quartermaster sergeant – and was led to the garage for a look at his own bike.

Ana herself flitted from guest to guest, all the while taking bites from her plate which never seemed to go empty, thanks to her hostess. But when she found Kamilah walking back into the house some time later, it wasn't a plate of food that she held in her hands.

"Milah, look!" Ana said, bouncing the little toddler in her arms. He giggled and clutched onto Ana's collar as she ruffled his unruly mop of hair.

"Oh. Hi," Kamilah said uncertainly, and the boy waved clumsily in response. "Whose is this…?"

"Fatimah's grandson. Look at this." Ana faced the boy and shook her head rapidly. "Brrr!"

"Brrr!" He copied Ana, raising his fists and vibrating his whole body in reply.

Ana cackled, and the boy laughed along with her.

"Is it safe for the baby to do that?" Kamilah asked.

"I think so? His brother showed me how to do it." Ana adjusted the boy in her hold. "Here, wanna hold him?"

"I–, no wait, I don't know how to–," Kamilah stuttered, but Ana had thrust the boy into her arms. She stood awkwardly with the child clutched flat against her chest until Ana came to her rescue, adjusting her arms so that the boy was sitting comfortably in the crook of her elbow. "Ana…"

"See? Easy. It's like…how you hold a puppy. Except the baby is your own species this time." She grinned when Kamilah shot her a withering look.

"You don't hold puppies like this," Kamilah said, quickly holding the boy close when he fidgeted.

"Yeah, but I'm trying to give you an example you're familiar with."

"Ugh." Kamilah twitched her head when a little hand knocked into her jaw, then found its way to the fine chain of her necklace. She kept still, letting the boy play with her jewelry as she squinted at Ana, who was trying not to laugh. Kamilah had not a single idea what to do with the baby, and Ana could practically see her squirming on the inside.

"Amal," Ana cooed, finally stepping in. "Come, let's get more yogurt."

"Yay!" He threw his hands up, leaning excitedly into Ana's hold once more.

After his tiny serving of dessert, Amal spent the rest of the night toddling back and forth between the guests, treating each one to a good earful of his disjointed babbles. He made a few trips back to Ana and Kamilah as well, who gave him little pieces of crackers which he still held in his hands when he waved goodbye at the end of the party.

"Think we fed him a little too much?" Ana asked, swinging their hands back and forth as they strolled down the pavement from Fatimah's house.

"Maybe. He stopped eating those crackers a while ago."

"Ah well. At least he's happy with them." Ana's lips curved in a lop-sided smile. "So this is it for us, huh?"

"What is?"

"We're going to be one of those couples who have puppies as children."

Kamilah heaved a long-suffering sigh. "What, because I don't know how to handle human babies?"

"Handle them? You didn't even know how to carry them." Ana snickered when Kamilah rolled her eyes. "You know what? Let's give you some practice now."

"Prac–?" Kamilah didn't have time to finish even one word before Ana leapt at her, the medic's arms rising automatically to catch her unbidden quarry. She uttered a curse, shifting her feet apart to keep from falling over. "Seriously?"

"Hey, if you can carry an adult, you can carry a baby," Ana stated, hugging about Kamilah's neck.

"Not the point, Ana." She shifted her arms so she could carry Ana more comfortably. Kamilah looked as if she had an argument on her tongue, but sighed at Ana's expectant look and resumed walking down the pavement. "Sometimes I don't know if I married a woman or a child."

"I know you're enjoying this, love. No need to pretend." A lop-sided smile curved her lips, and she leaned closer to Kamilah's ear. "How about this? I'll carry you to bed when we get home," Ana purred in a low timbre.

"And what, you'll tuck me in too?" Kamilah deadpanned.

"Oh I'll tuck you in, alright."

"Fuck!"

Ana looked up from her tablet at the shout from the garage, followed by something heavy and metal clattering to the floor. She waited, then turned back to her device when no more sounds came from the–

"Ana!"

Frowning, Ana tossed the tablet aside and rose from the sofa. She moved towards the hallway, just in time to catch sight of Kamilah flying past the garage's doorway. "Milah?"

"Shit!"

More rapid footsteps, then Kamilah burst through the open door, with every bit of panic written across her face. "Ana, catch it!"

"Catch what–?" Her question was answered when a small dark shape scurried through the door as well. Kamilah let out a shriek and jumped onto Ana's back, hands gripping tightly onto the front of her t-shirt as her legs clamped around Ana's hips.

"Catch it!"

"Oh." Ana looked down at the little thing on the floor, and the whole picture became crystal clear. As much as Kamilah loved animals, there was but the one that she was deathly afraid of.

The rat squeaked and scampered into the study, causing the arms around Ana's neck to tighten.

"Ana!"

"Okay, okay. Chill." Ana hitched Kamilah higher up on her back and followed the rat into the study as well. It was quiet at first, but as they scanned the room, a squeak gave its position away and prompted another yelp from her wife.

"There, there! Catch it!"

"I'm on it, jeez." Ana chased after the rat, jogging as she followed its haphazard circuit around the room. It circled around the study table, disappeared behind the bookshelf for a second, then reemerged to navigate around the wheels of their chair. Kamilah yelled at her again when it darted towards the door, and Ana sprinted after it, bringing her foot down to trap the rat against the floor, where it writhed and scrabbled fiercely for freedom.

"Get it out!"

"Really? I wanted to keep it as a pet."

"Ana!"

"Fine, fine." Ana started to bend down towards the rat, but found herself being suffocated by the arms squeezing tightly about her neck, pulling her back up. "What?"

"What are you doing!"

"I'm trying to take it?" Ana said, bending down again.

"What!" Kamilah exclaimed, and her arms pressed hard against Ana's throat once more, forcing her to stand straight again.

"Honey, I can't take it out if I can't reach it."

"Are you going to take it with your hand?"

"No, I was planning to pick it up with my mouth–, of course with my hand!"

"It's dirty!" Kamilah argued.

"And so are you," Ana stated, looking down at the grease-stained hands still holding her shirt in a death grip. "But you don't hear me complaining about it."

Kamilah grumbled and went silent for a second. When she spoke again, she seemed to have calmed from her previous state of panic. "Let me down. I'll get you a box."

"Milah," Ana groaned as Kamilah got off her back. "Seriously, I can just pick it up right now."

"You are not touching that thing," Kamilah insisted, stepping gingerly around Ana and slinking out of the door. She reappeared just moments later, and tossed Ana one of the smaller cardboard boxes they had used for the move.

Ana sighed, then bent down as Kamilah hid behind the door, poking her head over the frame so she could watch Ana quickly roll the rat into the box. She followed Ana as she walked through the garage and out towards the roadside, where she turned the box over and set the rat free. Thankfully, it didn't run back into the garage where Kamilah was standing beside her bike, wearing a look of utter relief on her face.

Leaving the box beside the green trash bin, Ana strode back into the garage. "Happy?"

"Yes," Kamilah said, scratching her head and looking a little abashed. "Thanks."

Ana cocked her head, resting both hands on her hips as she ran an eye over her wife. Kamilah was in a rather dirty state, as she had been tinkering with her bike for half the afternoon. Her hands were covered in dark oil and grease, some of which were splattered across her tank top and smeared over one cheek. The first time Ana had seen Kamilah like this, 'dirty' was definitely how she felt as well.

Then she looked down at herself, finding similar stains around her shirt's collar and sleeves, from when Kamilah had clung onto her like a tree. Ana sighed, then joined Kamilah by the bike. "Since I'm already dirty, need some help?"

"Mm." Kamilah looked her bike over, as if going through a mental checklist. "I'm going to be done soon. You can help me wash it later."

"Yay, more work." She smirked when Kamilah raised a brow at her. "Are you really doing all this for that Medical Corp gathering?" Ana gestured at the row of tools laid out on the floor beside the bike.

"I just wanted to wash it," Kamilah said, raising a hand to her head before stopping it midway, frowning at her dirty fingers. "Then I started checking the oil and the filter and the engine and then everything just…" She threw her hands up in the air.

"I could drive you there, you know."

"No, I'll just take my bike."

"Why? You wanna look cool with your bike?"

"No," Kamilah drawled. "I don't want them to see my ball and chain." She laughed at Ana's pout, then leaned in to kiss it away. "I'm kidding. You're the wings on my back."

Ana chuckled, wrapping her arms around Kamilah's waist as their lips met again. "You're getting too smooth, albi."

"I thought you liked it?"

"No." She grinned. "I love it."