AN: Took longer on this than I'd planned to, but sometimes that's just how things work out. Hopefully, I'll be able to get the next chapter out in a shorter timeframe.
BEEP BEEP BEEP
Sam's eyes snapped open, and she resisted the urge to leap out of bed. There was no actual sound going off, that was the whole point of this ritual, but she'd trained her internal clock sufficiently that her body still reacted the way it normally would to an actual alarm clock. Namely, blind panic.
Forcing herself to calm down, and not for the first time lamenting that she may have trained herself just a little too well, she glanced at the very real clock on the nightstand nearby, and allowed herself a small smirk. 6 a.m. on the dot. She really was just that good. However, there was no time to bask in her glory.
Gently detangling herself from her girlfriend's embrace (Luna was a hugger, and Sam had reason to suspect it was genetic), Sam sat up upon their motel bed. Pausing to gently cup Luna's still slumbering, slightly drool-dampened face, the blonde planted a brief kiss on the brunette's cheek, and lightly leaped to her feet, her eyes scanning the room as she did so. Numbers whirled through her head as she evaluated the distance between the bathroom, and the space currently passing for their kitchen. Eventually, she settled on a work order that seemed like it would match the timeframe available to her, and with a satisfied nod, she started forward, intending on setting about her tasks.
She stopped just short of a full stride, however, and pivoted on her heels, instead propelling herself to a small dresser, from which she withdrew a fresh pair of jeans. As she slipped on the pants, Sam let out a sigh of relief. Good thing she'd remembered, this time. A horny Luna was definitely a fun Luna, but time was a bit of a factor here.
BEEP BEEP BEEP
Fifteen minutes later, the actual alarm clock resounded, remarkably similar to the phantom sound she'd used to psyche herself awake.
Sam glanced toward the bed, flicking her head to dislodge a clump of waterlogged hair from her face as she did so, waiting to see how things would play out. Mercifully, the Luna-shaped lump under the blankets unfurled itself with a loud groan of displeasure and dragged itself upright.
"Shower's ready for you, babe," She called over her shoulder as she busied herself with the assortment of plastic containers she'd arrayed across their small countertop. "Make it a quick one, you're burning daylight."
"Urrrrgh", Came Luna's zombie-like reply. But nevertheless, she obediently pulled herself to her feet and shambled towards the bathroom, her sleepwear falling off her like the a snake shedding its skin. Thumbing the power button of the already primed microwave, Sam took the opportunity to deftly pick up Luna's discarded clothing and toss it into the hamper, before again returning to the dresser and procuring a fresh selection for her favorite gal.
"No civvies today," She muttered to herself, as she passed over the skirts and skull-emblazoned t-shirts Luna had always been so fond of, and instead opted for an ensemble of plain black clothes. A black shirt, and a pair of black pants. One trip to the closet later, and they were joined by a similarly plain and colored overcoat and shoes. The outfit wasn't especially flashy or memorable, which was the point, but it was definitely striking in its own way. In other words, it was a solid work outfit. For a particular kind of work, that is.
"I live," Luna grumbled as she emerged from the bathroom, naught but a towel draped around her shapely body. Sam allowed herself a nanosecond to admire the view before stepping forward and shoving the bundle of clothing into Luna's hands.
"Get dressed," She said, planting a quick kiss on the other girl's lips before she pushed past her, returning to the "kitchen".
"I've got breakfast ready. Mostly." She called over her shoulder as she fixed her gaze upon the microwave's digital readout, watching as the last few seconds counted down.
Beep
"Coffee?" Came Luna's voice over her shoulder. Another backward glance revealed that Luna getting dressed was still very much a work in progress, but maybe Sam could hurry that along, just a bit.
"Here," Sam replied, sliding a still-steaming mug down the countertop, and into her girlfriend's waiting hands. Luna gave her a hurried nod of thanks, before lifting the mug with both hands and greedily drinking it down. Shaking her head in bemusement, Sam popped open the microwave and retrieved the plastic bowl that lay within.
"All we've got is oatmeal," She said apologetically, carefully placing the bowl down in front of Luna. The coffee had done its work, the brunette was significantly better dressed than she had been only seconds ago, and now there were signs of life in her eyes.
"Guess we should have made time to do some shopping," Luna said with a small sigh of annoyance.
"I'll make time today," Sam promised as Luna pulled up a chair and started on her breakfast. She fished around underneath the counter and produced a small, brown, paper bag. "But I was able to do a lot better with your lunch."
Luna took the sack from her and unfurled the top, taking a quick sniff of the interior.
"Tuna?" She asked, hope dripping from every syllable of the word.
"Mhmm," Sam replied, pleased at the way her mood shifted for the better. "We had one more can left. I'll pick up some more while I'm out."
"I love you," Said Luna, taking Sam's hand in her own and gently squeezing it. The gratitude in that small gesture was palpable.
"I know," Said Sam, responding in kind before releasing Luna's hand. "Now hurry and eat. Day's not over yet."
"You think..." Luna's gaze drifted across the room, eventually settling on a small pile of electronic equipment. Which, uncoincidentally, included the transmitter. Their lifeline to Lincoln's apartment.
"Not now," Sam gently chided her, "You've got that job to worry about. Besides, he's probably not even awake yet."
"He might be," Luna protested. Nevertheless, she focused on her meal once more and resumed eating.
"We'll make time to listen tonight," Said Sam, laying one hand on Luna's shoulder and giving her a reassuring squeeze. "It'll be a fun way to unwind after work."
"Thanks, Sam." Said Luna, her voice uncharacteristically quiet.
"It's fine. I get where you're coming from, I miss him too. But you need to get your head in the game. Work first, unresolved familial affections second."
"Really wish you'd stop calling it that."
"I call a spade a spade, hun," Sam stuck out her hand and beckoned. "Now come on, focus. You've got the details for the job, right?"
"They're on my phone," Luna jerked her thumb back towards the nightstand as she resumed her meal. Sam daintily stepped around her partner and snatched up the other girl's phone.
"No names?" She asked, thumbing through Luna's messages. "Not even aliases?"
"It's not unusual." Luna replied, "Especially when someone's hiring temporary members on the down-low. Besides, I already asked around and these guys are nobodies. This is supposed to be their big debut as a team, but they're just knocking over a convenience store. Check out the abstract breakdown they sent over. Even at their combined threat level, they probably won't be looking at much pushback."
"I certainly hope so," Sam said, wincing as she read on. "Three Brutes and a single Defender? What kind of a team comp is that?"
"The kind that makes people desperate enough to hire unlicensed help." Said Luna, finishing the last of her meal. "Which...probably means the payout's not going to be great. But that's not exactly new for us."
"I guess not," Sam murmured, glancing worriedly at Luna. "I know you're not on board with this hero/villain stuff, but it'd make things a lot easier, not to mention safer, if you could just get a license, even temporarily. But..."
Luna sighed as she stood up and took her now-used dishes to the sink.
"I looked into it while I was gathering intel. Nothing's changed, I'm still blacklisted. From everything, apparently. I can't even get a friggin library card."
Sam shook her head in frustration. "Still? It's been years. It's not fair! They said going to that stupid boot camp was your choice!"
"It was my choice," Luna replied, crossing their scant living space and clasping Sam's hands in her own. "And I don't regret making it."
For a few precious seconds, the pair simply stood there, drinking in each other's gazes. Then Sam broke the spell by shaking off Luna's grip, and flinging her arms around her girlfriend, clasping her tightly. By her own estimation, it was a hug worthy of an aspiring Loud.
"Just be careful, alright?" She asked, resting her head on Luna's shoulder. "I know you're beyond this stuff. But still, things happen."
"It'll be fine," Luna replied, returning the embrace. "One of the few perks of being outside the system is that I'm not factored into the team's threat level. That's why we're doing this under the table. Anyone who shows up expecting to deal with those dopes is gonna be totally unprepared for me."
"I guess that's reassuring," Sam admitted. "Even so, if you really want to hedge your bet..."
As Sam trailed off, her eyes drifted towards the closet on the far side of the room. Not the one where they were currently stashing their clothes, and other certain items that demanded a level of...discretion, the other closet. The one that Sam had spent the better part of a day adding six different locks to, collectively running the gamut between traditional, electronic, and biometric.
"No," Luna said, shaking her head emphatically. "I took this job specifically so you wouldn't have to get involved. We're trying to keep a low profile here, remember? Besides, like I told you, the job should be cake. There's a pretty good chance it'll be a literal milk run."
"Fine," Said Sam, raising her hands in mock surrender. "But if you're really committed to staying incognito, then you're gonna do it right."
Luna sighed. "You mean—"
"That's right." Sam walked back to the dresser, fished out a slim piece of black cloth, and lobbed it towards Luna. "You're wearing the mask."
"I hate the mask," Luna grumbled, raising one hand and deftly snatching the bundle of cloth out of the air. "All it covers is my eyes! There's no way it could possibly—"
"And the hood!" Sam continued gesturing towards the base of her own neck. "It's a layered disguise, babe. That's why I got you the coat."
"I hate the hood," Luna muttered, even as she obediently pulled it over her head. "I look and feel like a reject from one of Lucy's stories."
"Well, you certainly sound the part," Sam said, her eyes alight with mischief as she fussed with her girlfriend's attire, making sure that all that could be seen through the head were Luna's sexy, smoldering eyes. It really was a shame Luna had to settle for anonymous gigs like these, she could have been a real heartbreaker if she'd been allowed to go legitimate.
"There," She said, nodding once Luna's costume had been arranged to her satisfaction. "And last but not least..."
"The name," Luna groaned, making zero effort to hide her distaste, however illogical it was.
"Yes, the name," Sam confirmed. "Unless you're going to go out there as the feared villainous, Luna Loud?"
Luna's face devolved into a mass of angry twitching. To an onlooker, it would likely look like the brunette was suffering some kind of seizure, but Sam had gone through this enough times to know it was just a matter of waiting her out. Just as she predicted, it wasn't long before Luna composed herself, and let out a sigh of resignation.
"No," She growled through gritted teeth. "I guess I don't want to do that."
"I figured you wouldn't," Sam replied. She leaned forward, giving her girlfriend one last kiss on the lips. And then, for good measure, an affectionate slap on the girl's shapely rear. "Now come on, you're burning daylight. Better get out there, Siren."