A/N: Hey, look, I'm back! I've changed my URL. I was previously RiverAri and I am now Valnixyrie. It's still me, though, with my stupid cliffhangers, Valkubus obsession, and severe lack of smut unless you guys bug me enough, I promise. I decided that I would check up on reviews and such today and noticed that a lot of you have been asking me to continue my other stories and update soon and all that jazz...so naturally I chose to start yet another story that I will forget to update on a regular basis. Because I challenge myself too much.
This one is a bit different for me. I had a request to do a story where Bo and Kenzi were the ones fighting for Tamsin rather than everybody and their mother trying to claim rights to Bo's snatch. I liked the idea so I'm running with it! I'm not sure how it will play out yet. The characters are pretty much writing this one for themselves. I hope they don't veer too much from their written personas. I look forward to hearing your thoughts! I'm going to go ahead and rate it M just in case. It does use profanity and will probably involve sexual situations if things go as they usually do when I'm the one writing.
Sidenote: Apparently I have a thing for using variations of the word 'game' in the titles for my fics. Don't bring it up, I'm already aware, okay? Okay.
Disclaimer: This disclaimer will be applicable to any chapters that may or may not follow. I don't own Lost Girl or its characters, yada, yada, yada. You know the drill!
Tamsin could hear the despicable bickering the moment she exited the vehicle and, judging by the simultaneous eye-roll she and Dyson shared, she knew the wolf heard it as well. Not that that was ever a concern, what with his canine hearing and all, but the look of mutual distaste served to further solidify the knowledge. Though, at this point, she was fairly certain that the high-pitched banter was clearly audible even to pedestrians three blocks away.
The detectives were lazily positioned on the side of a suburban neighborhood street, responding very unenthusiastically to a domestic disturbance call. The so-called 'disturbance' became overtly evident as the pair made their way across the all-too-green front yard of the modest cookie-cutter style house. Usually, cases like this were assigned to lower-ranking officers of the 39th division, but apparently there was some sort of parade in the center of town that was demanding the attention of virtually every available officer in the precinct. Hence, why two of the city's most respected and experienced police detectives were currently responding to a call that was far beneath their usual standards.
As they reached the cherry red front door, Dyson shot a weak half-smile at the tall blonde to his right. "Ready, partner?"
Tamsin returned the gesture with a hefty sigh accompanied by a look of sheer annoyance and dread. "Let's just get this over with so I can blow my paycheck at the Dal, okay?" She lifted her hand to the wood in anticipation of knocking, when Dyson's strong hand clasped suddenly around her pale wrist.
The Valkyrie jerked her appendage back and away from her comrade, darting her gaze in his direction, her eyes filled with a mixture of disgust and contempt. She opened her mouth to deliver something that would undoubtedly verge on utterly insulting but stopped short when she took in the wolf's expression. His eyes were narrowed in concentration and his head was barely tilted to the side. He took a good-sized inhale through his nose, obviously noticing a scent that was purely undetectable to Tamsin.
His face flashed from confusion, to recognition, to relief, to worry, then back to confusion again in a matter of a few seconds, ultimately making one of the most amusing series of expressions that had ever graced the man's features. If the situation were different, Tamsin was sure she wouldn't have been able to contain her laughter – or her teasing, for that matter. Instead, she simply stared quizzically at Dyson, waiting for some sort of explanation. When it didn't come, she felt her eyes roll so far back into her skull, she's surprised she didn't get a glimpse of her brain in there, and impatiently folded her arms across her chest.
"You know, not all of us were blessed with impeccable wolf scent, D-man. Last time I checked, I couldn't read minds either, so unless that ridiculous string of stupid faces was you finally acknowledging the massive stick up your ass, maybe you wouldn't mind filling me in on what you're freaking out about?" Okay, so maybe that last bit wasn't entirely called for, but she didn't exactly like the idea of waltzing into an unfamiliar house uninformed on matters that her partner clearly had insight on and with the wolf taking his sweet time in revealing said matters, the Valkyrie's patience was running thinner by the second.
Far too used to his partner's often insulting jabs, Dyson brushed off the comment unfazed. "I- Bo is here," he muttered as if he didn't fully believe the words for himself. Tamsin's posture stiffened slightly upon hearing this but let him continue, "and...Kenzi, too, I think. Why would they be all the way out here?"
"Well, I know one way to find out," Tamsin said flatly. With this new bit of information, she decided not to wait around any longer. The blonde put her hand on the brass knob of the door and let herself in. She didn't even look to see if Dyson was behind her, rather she followed the onslaught of raised voices that assaulted her eardrums until she reached a room at the back of the house, briefly noting that said house was completely void of furniture, pictures – anything that would usually be present in a home, especially in a neighborhood like the one they were in, was not present in this one.
She stopped in the doorway of the room where the two friends stood, a few feet apart. She crossed her arms in front of her and leaned casually against the empty door frame, deciding this was too good of a moment to mess up. So she watched in silence, perpetually entertained.
Kenzi stood in the far right corner of the bare room, stomping her precious boots against the cream-colored carpet like a frustrated child. Bo was about four or five feet in front of her roommate, arms flailing dramatically as she argued loudly with the small human. Neither of the girls seemed to notice the detective standing in the doorway as they continued their screaming match. Just as Tamsin was growing bored of the encounter and was moving to break up the madness, her ears tuned in to something the succubus was saying.
"Kenzi, you don't even like girls in the first place! I don't know why you're making such a big deal out of this, it's not like you've ever shown any interest until now!" the brunette shouted over her friend's higher-pitched voice. The Valkyrie's interest piqued and she settled back into her place at the room's entrance.
"Yeah, well, maybe I like this girl, Bo! Last I checked, I was still allowed to make that particular decision for myself, thank you very much! Sorry if that messes up your little succu-fuck quadrilateral, sweet heart-"
"You say that like you don't make decisions for yourself already, Kenz! God, I told you about this thinking that you'd be happy I finally made my choice, little did I know you would freak out on me!"
"Made your choice!? Are you kidding me!? You could have anyone you wanted, Bo! You've already got two hot and perfect people pining after your snatch, but, noooo, that's not good enough! You have to go and choose the one person I've actually had feelings for in- fuck, I don't even know how long! Didn't you consider that at all before you sprang this shit on me?!"
"You made it perfectly clear plenty of times that you are STRAIGHT, Kenzi! So, no, when I told you that I may be falling for someone – a woman – I definitely didn't expect you to turn full-blown crazy Russian psycho!"
"THAT'S IT!" Kenzi screamed, apparently unable to take the tension any longer. In a split second, the little human had launched herself across the short distance that separated her from her best friend and tackled her to the ground. In a mess of leather and dark hair, the two landed on the carpet with a dull thump.
Tamsin bolted from her position and grabbed the tiny screeching goth by her waist, prying her madly flailing figure off of that of the succubus. Dyson, having joined her at the door barely a moment prior to the physical attack, was already in place, pulling Bo to her feet and dragging her back away from Kenzi by her arms, now pinned securely behind her back.
The brunette settled almost immediately, realizing who exactly had broken up their tiff, and stopped struggling, for the most part. Her body remained rigid, her breathing heavy, and her glare sharp on the raven-haired girl on the other side of the room. Kenzi, however, continued to fight, not yet figuring out that it was Tamsin who had her and definitely not yet finished with her assault on the succubus. When Kenzi managed a particularly well-aimed kick to Tamsin's shin, the blonde made the executive decision to use their significant height difference to her advantage.
She swiftly adjusted her grip on Kenzi's arms to wrap her own arms tightly around the younger woman's torso, successfully pinning the wiggly appendages down. Once she was satisfied with the restraint, she effortlessly lifted the human completely off the ground, leaving her with no choice but to succumb, though stubbornly, to her captor.
"Wha- hey! Put me down!" she continued to scream, though she did stop fighting, even if for a moment. "I don't know who you think you are, buddy, but let me tell you-"
"Kenzi, I swear on Acacia's shitty grave, if you do not stop squirming around like a blasted earthworm, I am going to end you," the Valkyrie snarled menacingly through gritted teeth, directly into the other girl's ear. She sported a smug smirk when she felt the small woman's body grow stiff as a board in her grasp.
"Tamsin?" she squeaked, suddenly sounding uncharacteristically unnerved.
"You're lucky I'm in a good mood, short-stack, otherwise you'd probably already be dead after that kick to my leg," the blonde spat back distastefully. Kenzi gulped loudly in response but remained otherwise silent.
"Now, are we done trying to kill each other, ladies?" Dyson's baritone voice asked from his position behind Bo. The women in question mumbled a less-than-convincing affirmative in reply but he decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. "Alright then." He nodded to Tamsin after making brief eye contact and the two released their captives.
"Much better, thank you. Was any of that really necessary?" the wolf mused, biting back a grin.
"She started it," Kenzi grumbled under her breath, causing Tamsin's eyes to roll.
"Here we go again," she drawled, irritation seeping from her pores as she met Dyson's similarly-unamused stare. They could practically feel the heat radiating from Bo as her anger re-inflated at her friend's accusation.
"I started it!? You attacked me, Kenzi! How the hell is that my fault!?" the succubus reeled.
"Well, I wouldn't have attacked you if you hadn't called me a psycho! And it's your fault for starting the conversation in the first place!" Kenzi retorted, stubbornly.
"Looks like we're going to have to do this the old fashioned way, eh partner?" Dyson said casually, his brow raised as he pulled a set of steel handcuffs from his pocket and looked expectantly at Tamsin.
The blonde puffed out her cheeks in a dramatic sigh, reaching around to withdraw her own set of cuffs. "Looks like..." she muttered gruffly as both detectives began the process of properly restraining their newest suspects.
Fifteen minutes later, the unofficial police vehicle that Tamsin and Dyson arrived in, had gained two more occupants. This time, Tamsin nominated herself to be the driver, not really giving anyone the chance to protest before climbing in behind the steering wheel. Despite Kenzi's adamant protests of "why does she get to ride shotgun" and "that's so unfair, she always gets special treatment", the wolf secured Bo into the passenger seat, deciding it would be less hazardous for everyone if the roommates remained separated. This left Kenzi strapped in the seat directly behind Tamsin while the wolf himself got situated in the remaining space behind Bo.
A few minutes of less-than-comfortable silence passed within the car before Bo decided to speak up.
"I can't believe you guys actually cuffed us. Not only that, but you're actually taking us in for questioning like we're criminals. This is ridiculous, you know you don't have to do this, you could've just-"
"Could've just what, succubus? Let you guys explain yourselves like normal people without bringing you in? In restraints, might I add?" Tamsin interrupted, clearly agitated. "Because, in case you forgot, we tried that first. But apparently the two of you are so incapable of being even remotely civil with each other long enough to have a rational, grown-up conversation that you leave us with no choice other than dragging your melodramatic backsides in for questioning like criminals."
"Point taken," Kenzi huffed quietly, flopping back against the seat in sheer defeat. The car was quiet for the remainder of the short trip back to the precinct. Once their destination was reached, the detectives escorted their respective detainees through the station and into the back interrogation room.
Once both girls were seated – on opposite ends of the table – Dyson left to get himself and Tamsin each a cup of much-needed coffee. The room was silent until he returned with the hot beverages. The Valkyrie leaned against the wall beside the door while her partner opted to sit atop the corner of the interrogation table. When no one started talking, he took the task upon himself.
"So, does someone want to tell me what that was about?" he shifted his gaze back and forth between the two girls.
Instead of answering, Bo lifted her wrists objectively to show the cuffs. "Are these really still necessary?"
The wolf looked at her pointedly before responding, "I don't know, are we going to have to break you two apart again?"
Bo opened her mouth to argue but Kenzi beat her to the punch. "No. If I wanted to jump her again I would've done it twenty minutes ago because, uh..." she wriggled her hands a bit in her lap only to reveal them a second later in the process of dropping the steel cuffs onto the table. She coughed nervously and cleared her throat, chewing on the inside of her cheek while avoiding eye contact with all three bodies in the room.
Tamsin rolled her eyes at the girl's absurdity. Dyson chuckled a bit to himself and shook his head. Bo simply gaped at her roommate incredulously.
"Wha- how long have you-," the succubus, having found her voice, sputtered in disbelief before the human interrupted with an answer.
"Since we got in the car. I've been popping out of these things since I was thirteen; must be a habit now I guess," Kenzi said matter-of-factly with a shrug of her thin shoulders.
Dyson sighed and motioned for Bo to offer her wrists. She did, and he unlatched the cuffs, securing them safely back on his person. "No more deflecting, you two. What happened back there?"
"They were fighting over a girl," Tamsin's bored voice spoke for the first time since the conversation in the car. Two pairs of wide eyes snapped to her face so fast, she was surprised they didn't come flying at her head like rockets. She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at the girls' reaction to her observation. Dyson just looked lost and a little jealous, as he glanced briefly at Bo, then back to Tamsin.
"What?" he asked dumbly.
The blonde pushed away from the wall and began slowly stalking towards the table in a predatory manner, eyes narrowed viciously as she spoke."That's right. We got called on a stupid domestic disturbance report all because these two dumbasses were having a petty fight over a fucking crush."
A knock on the door pulled all their attention to an interrupting officer. The intruder poked his head into the room and curtly informed the detectives that Dyson's presence was needed elsewhere. Without much more interaction, the wolf nodded professionally, patted Tamsin on the shoulder, and made his exit.
"So you heard that part, huh?" Bo asked once the door was once again shut, sounding a bit embarrassed. She began to fidget with her fingers on the table before her when Tamsin took her partner's place, choosing to sit at the table though, as opposed to on top of it.
"I heard enough of it to know it was stupid. I don't see the point of fighting over anyone. It's completely useless and a big waste of my precious time," she said haphazardly as she took a sip from her coffee.
"Why?" Kenzi asked after a moment of prolonged silence in the smallest voice either of the other women had ever heard come out of her mouth.
"Why what?" Tamsin questioned, her brow furrowed.
"Why is it useless to fight for someone? Why is it such a massive waste of time?" the little goth clarified, beginning to pick at a spot on the table.
"I didn't say that. I said fighting over someone is a waste of time. Not fighting for them. Fighting over someone whose decision you have ultimately no control over is stupid and pointless. In the end, they're going to choose who they want to choose, no matter how loud you yell or how much you hit the other person," she shoved away from the table and stood, turning towards the door. "So stop trying to slaughter each other over something that neither one of you have a say in. Let this mystery chick settle the fight for you; see who she wants."
Tamsin paused with her hand hovering above the doorknob. Without turning around, she asked, "What were you two doing at that house in the first place?"
Both girls began spouting nonsensical excuses that were so plainly bullshit that the Valkyrie just decided to leave the question alone. "Whatever, I probably don't want to know anyways," she said with a hefty eye-roll over the continued stammering.
She turned the handle and pulled the door open smoothly. As she walked away, she called over her shoulder, "You can go, now. But if I have to break you two up again, I won't be as forgiving." And with that, she was out of sight.
The two dark-haired friends glanced at each other.
"I'm so confused. Is she saying that she knows, or...?" Kenzi wondered aloud as they moved to stand from the table.
"Do I think she knows that we just nearly killed each other in a fight over her and that she basically just gave us the green light to try and win her over? I don't know, Kenz. Your guess is as good as mine. Let's just hope your game is worse than your guess," Bo said, as a determined smirk stitched itself on her lips. That was the face of a challenge, no doubt about it.
Kenzi's eyes narrowed skeptically as they exited the precinct. "What exactly are you saying, BoBo?"
Once outside, they paused. Bo's grin widened as she took in her best friend's knowing expression. "I'm saying we let her choose. May the best woman win." The brunette stuck her hand out towards the shorter woman.
The ice-eyed girl stared at the appendage momentarily before breaking out in a devious grin. She grabbed Bo's outstretched hand and gave it a solid shake. "Oh, game on, succubus. Game on."
A/N: And that's a wrap on chapter one! Hope you guys enjoyed. I think I'm going to enjoy this one. It won't be nearly as angsty as my other fics but also will probably not go on as long either. Let me know your thoughts! I know not everyone agrees with the idea of Kenzi being into women, which is why she is not interested in women, rather she is interested in one woman in particular.
So what did you think? I look forward to your feedback! Thanks for reading :)
xRiver