Rest for the Weary
Sasha Zura awoke in a cozy hotel room bed, with Maya Kaido next to her, still asleep in the husky's arms and against her body. Sasha could feel Maya's easy breathing, felt her calm heartbeat next to her own. The dark furred feline was so beautiful here, looked so at peace, so secure in Sasha's gentle embrace. Everything about this moment somehow felt right, and Sasha was content to let this moment last as long as it could.
A few minutes of this morning bliss passed, and it occurred to Sasha just how much they'd done last night. The husky's body was still somewhat damp with the sweat she'd worked up, plus her golden fur had been matted and shaken up, and her pale hair mussed and tangled. A shower and morning cleanup would do her good.
Careful not to disturb Maya's peaceful sleep, Sasha eased her way out of the bed, and started toward the hotel room's bathroom, stepping past a few bits of scattered lingerie on the way. She wasn't wearing anything at all then; neither of them were. After the exciting night they had, it didn't occur to them to put anything on when they were done, and they'd simply fallen asleep in each others' naked embrace. Sasha didn't mind the morning nudity, and neither did Maya. They've had so many fun times together very similar to last night, that it almost seemed to settle into a kind of lewd routine.
A few moments later, and Sasha was in the bathroom's shower, cleaning herself up to face the new day.
This was a short vacation that Sasha had taken during her leave time, and that she'd invited Maya to come with her for.
When Sasha had some leave time coming up, her parents highly recommended the Salenar Retreat in the Glamis mountains, where they had stayed during Kell's own leave time earlier. Sasha could easily see why they liked it so much. The scenery was astounding: rugged alpine mountains, lush wooded valleys, crystal clear lakes, and crisp clear air that freshened ones lungs and spirits. The small, quaint market town of Backridge in the valley provided the needs of civilization, while still remaining relatively isolated, and quiet. The Salenar Retreat was a place to get away from the bustling of city life, away from the cares and problems of the brewing system-wide tensions. It was a place, and time, for Sasha to get away from the rigid military routine, and spend some time with the one she loved, if only for a while.
All the husky needed, she had here, and was content to relish it for the time she had here.
Sasha soon finished up her shower, and exited the bathroom wearing only the towel she'd wrapped around herself.
The husky came back into the hotel bedroom, and saw that Maya had awoken, and was up and about. The dark furred feline had donned a bathrobe, and seemed to be waiting for Sasha, whom she greeted with that sweet smile of hers.
"Good morning, beautiful," Sasha said with a simmer to her voice, while stepping through with her best seductress's walk.
Maya let out a cute, amused giggle, and replied in kind, "looking good yourself, Sash."
"Well, I do try..." the husky responded with a coy smirk. She bent down and opened a well-stocked drawer, picking out the day's clothes. As she did this, Sasha prominently showed off her rear toward Maya, adding a few waggles for good measure. All the while, she also discussed plans they had for the day. "The weather is supposed to be gorgeous today, so I'm thinking we could definitely hit some of the scenic hiking trails around the area. The mountain views in the Glamis have plenty of spectacular sights, while also being quiet and out of the way. This makes them absolutely fantastic romantic places, perfect for a couple of lover-girls like us."
During the talk, Sasha had changed into a set of tight, athletic undergarments. It wasn't the most stylish, but the tight, formfitting material would serve as a functional base layer. That was more important with these rugged excursions. In some ways, Sasha found this sort of prep-work similar to wilderness military deployment.
"Can we talk about that?" Maya asked.
"Of course!" Sasha agreed, while she slipped into a pair of jeans. Although the weather would be nice, it would still be cool, and the rugged hiking trails weren't forgiving toward elegant fashions. Simple but practical would be the mainstay of the day's outfit. "I did some research, got some possible routes marked out, and even made a list of necessary supplies. Anything you'd like to add to the list? Maybe a bottle of something special?"
"What I mean is..." the husky felt Maya's gentle hand grasp her shoulder, "let's talk about us, as 'lovers'."
At those words, Sasha's flurry of activity ground to a halt. Her motions became slower, more careful as she turned to face Maya. The husky's face was working to remain calm, collected, but it was an artificial calmness, a facade.
"Okay Maya," Sasha said in a quiet voice, "let's talk."
The cat took Sasha's fidgeting hands, and guided her to the edge of the bed where the two sat down.
"We're friends first and foremost, Sasha," Maya began, with a tone to her voice and a look that was meant to be reassuring. "We always have been, and always will be, no matter what."
"Yes... I know," the husky said in a quiet voice as she nodded.
"I... don't know how else to say it, but that's just it," the dark feline draped an arm across Sasha's shoulders, gently holding her. "You and I: we're friends."
"What are you saying?" Sasha asked, as she simply looked out and ahead.
"Sasha, I'm trying to say..." Maya started, trying to find the right way to say what she wanted to, "all this... isn't exactly the kind of life I want to settle down to." She made a wide gesture around the room with her free hand.
Sasha went even quieter, and dropped her head low as she sucked down a long breath, closing herself off.
"No, don't you jump to conclusions like I can see you doing now, Sasha," Maya consoled, shaking her head. "When you first kissed me that day when I was down at my rock bottom, in your way, you showed me an absolute, unconditional support and compassion. For that, I am so grateful, and I love that you've been there for me that way. Thing is, even though relationship with Evan went completely sour, I was trying to settle down with my life then. It's something I've wanted for a long while, Sasha, something I thought I might have with Evan. It's that deep sense of emotional intimacy, that sort of trust that I feel where I can hand my heart to someone, and know they'll take care of it: that undying sense of true, meant-to-be love. That's what I wanted, Sasha –what I still want– not with Evan anymore, but with someone who cares."
"And that... is exactly how I feel about you, Maya," Sasha insisted in a quietly desperate voice, while she grasped the cat's hand in hers, "I love you."
"I love you too Sasha, but..." the cat dropped her arm down, holding Sasha by the waist, "It's not the same love."
"What do you mean?" the husky asked, leaning her head onto Maya's shoulder. "Last night–"
Maya quickly, but gently, placed a finger on Sasha's lips, cutting her off.
"Last night, like so many nights before, was amazing." she assured in a confident, sincere tone, "It's so very rare, and special, to find someone who is as caring and gentle as you are. So believe me when I say that our times with each other are some of my absolute all-time favorites."
"Then..." Sasha grasped Maya's hand, gently, "What's our problem?"
"It's like I said: it's not the same love."
There was a moment: a moment when Sasha was sorting out her feelings, putting her wants and needs in their places. It was a moment that raised so many questions, so many uncertainties and personal mysteries. It was also a moment that did not last...
Sasha's personal comm went off, its ringtone shattering the tense silence like a stone to a glass house. The husky nearly jumped up, so startled she was by the interruption. The comm itself was on the bedside table, buzzing and blaring impatiently with the incoming call.
After taking a second to compose herself, Sasha stepped up and went to check the comm for the caller, and found that it was Connor Griffon. She thought about it for no more than a few seconds, then blocked the call. If Griffon really needed to speak with Sasha, he could do it later, after she'd sorted out a few of these uncertainties with Maya.
The husky set her comm back down where she found it. When she turned to go back, she found Maya was already waiting for her right there.
"That's your commander," the cat stated plainly.
"How do you know?"
"Because I know that look, Sasha," Maya admitted as she slowly approached closer to the husky. "You had this same helpless, apologetic, desperately conflicted look to you after you first kissed me."
When they were close enough, Maya leaned into Sasha, and planted gentle, reassuring kiss on her conflicted, uncertain lips. The husky felt her up against her, felt her warmth, as well as her coolness. She couldn't leave now, not while there were so many questions. A few moments later, Maya backed off, giving Sasha a smile, as if to say 'it's okay, go on'.
"I'm not going to walk out on you, Maya," the husky quietly declared, holding her lover in her arms, "not this time."
"You've always been such a dedicated person, Sasha," the dark feline reminded her. "In a lot of ways, I really do admire that stubborn sense of duty you have. You stuck by me for me all these years, then went into officer cadet training, and before I know it you're serving with our Special Forces. You didn't get there by blowing off your commitments."
"But I–"
Sasha's comm rang again, buzzing and screaming with that impatient, unfeeling electronic wail. She wanted nothing to do with it, just wanted it to not be an issue anymore, to leave her alone.
"I can't keep you from answering that call," the cat said, pointing out the comm.
"No..." Sasha shook her head, fighting back the tears that were welling up. "Maya, we need to have this talk. I'm not leaving you!"
"And we will finish this talk, I promise," Maya held the husky's hands, looking into her eyes, "but not now, not while Lylat needs your help."
The comm rang out again, and Sasha cringed at the unapologetic noise of it. After a moment, the husky relented, giving Maya a slow nod, and picked up her comm. It was all Sasha could do as she turned away from her feline lover, and exited their hotel room into the hallway outside. At least she had gotten dressed before all this commotion, so she wouldn't have to let Maya hear this conversation, and only worry more.
As much as it Pained Sasha to admit to herself, Maya was right. This was her duty, and she knew that from the moment she accepted being apart of Special Forces. Whatever Connor Griffon had to say to Sasha, it wasn't for Maya to hear.
Having restored her composure, at least externally, Sasha accepted the call, and brought the comm up to her ear.
"Sasha?" Griffon's voice asked, oddly desperate in its tone, "Sasha Zura, are you there?"
"I'm here," the husky answered flatly.
"Oh thank goodness! For a second I thought I'd lost you."
"Lost me? To what? I'm on leave..." Did Connor suspect that she might have been targeted?
At that thought, Sasha's soldier instincts clicked on. She continued through the hotel hallway, eyeing the exits, and quickly sizing up everyone she passed, while she did what she could to remain inconspicuous.
"There's something wrong, isn't there?" she felt her voice take on that grim, precise tone she used in military communication.
"In a word: yes," the avian spymaster answered. "In more words: Venom Intelligence has a major situation on our hands, and you're the only person in the area I can trust to assist."
"There's no one else?" Sasha began to make her way to the hotel lobby, taking stairs as opposed to elevators.
"The Glamis Mountains are fairly isolated and out of the way; probably why you're taking your leave time way out there. The next nearest assets I can call would take a few hours to get there, which is a few hours we might not even have," try as he might to mask it, there was a very true sense of desperation in Connor's voice.
"Alright, point taken," Sasha said with an agreeing nod. "So what's the situation?"
From what Sasha could hear over the comm, there seemed to be some kind of commotion on Grffon's end. She heard him shout an order to someone else on the other end, and occasionally another voice or two would bleed through the channel to her ears.
"Janice Moreau is in the area, in Backridge. She was tracking a specific lead related to the crisis, and it's her findings that prompted me to pull you in. Moreau will brief you on the details, and you will assist her in any capacity you're able to. I'm sending GPS data for your rendezvous now. Proceed there immediately."
"I'm on my way."
The channel closed almost immediately, but not before a GPS destination was transferred to Sasha's comm. The location was an address in the nearby town of Backridge, just a short drive from the Salenar Retreat. She could be there in five minutes.
\
/
Author Notes:
Ah yes, the classic "trouble on vacation" scenario, and once again, Sasha's time with Maya is torn up by her work. Familiar stuff, I know. However, there is some major plot twists coming up in the next chapter; twists that may or may not relate to several elements from before.
Thing is, I had originally intended this chapter to be longer, in order to get to those juicy plot-bits. The way the dynamics are working now though, it's probably better to cut this chapter off here, and give a little breathing room for the next one. Too much extra length would probably just get in the way of things; I've seen it happen enough times that I'd want to avoid that pitfall if I can. Plus, I haven't updated this in forever, and I want to give you all at least a little something to tide you over until the next!
Anyways, that's probably enough yammering from me. As always, your feedback is most welcome, an I appreciate everyone that reads and reviews.
