it’s just meant to be a test.
she settles the headset into place,
giving mako a nervous little nod.
since she piloted scrapper on her own,
she hasn’t ever attempted an actual drift.
liwen closes her eyes and takes a deep breath,
as the drift pulls her in.
it’s a veritable rush – emotions and thoughts and memories swirling, blurring,
and their edges bleed together as she feels mako’s mind press against hers.
she watches these moments in mako’s life flash by,
wonders what moments mako can see of her own –
her mother’s death by radiation poisoning,
the scarce memories she has before her father left them,
the years she spent feeling like she had no family and no one in the world.
but then, she’s surrounded by mako again,
in a way she knows is making her heart beat faster,
and she hopes mako can’t tell somehow, and –
oh.
she’s definitely going to know about liwen’s feelings now, isn’t she?
shit shit shit, this is going to be so awkward, she thinks,
… before she feels some sort of feeling bubbling through her, through them,
and o h, that’s not liwen’s feelings this time, is it?
and then it feels like, as soon as they’ve finally settled into the drift,
mako taps her arm and they retreat back into their own minds,
and now liwen’s is reeling.
❝ That was… intense. 嗯 … ❞
she definitely hadn’t imagined that, right?
she’s… not completely alone in how she’s been feeling?
or is she just projecting? she mentally assesses herself,
and finally finds it in herself to look up at mako.
IT HAD BEEN A LONG TIME since mako last shared a drift with anyone , her first & only time having been shared with her former drift partner , raleigh becket. since his retirement from the jaeger program , mako has moved on from piloting jaegers , still doing her part in helping keep the world prepared for the next time they would need to fight back. after the events that had occurred only just a few days ago , it only made it clear to mako that she was no longer supposed to be in the shadows anymore. no , she was always a warrior , & it was time she joined in the effort & begin to do what she does best. what she knows best.
THE TEST WAS SOLELY SUPPOSED TO BE THAT.a test. when liwen suggested that she do this with her , the warrior couldn’t help but feel just a twinge of fear hang upon her wearied countenance. it wasn’t that she didn’t think she & liwen weren’t compatible , as their EEG patterns matched up well , but more so the whole principal of the matter. raleigh was the only one to see her most deepest feelings & fears ------ to see the most vulnerable side of her that she doesn’t allow many to see. to allow liwen the opportunity to see & learn more in-depth things about her ? she couldn’t help but feel slightly flustered about the whole ordeal. wait ------ flustered ? why am i flustered ?
THE DRIFT QUICKLY WELCOMES HER BACK into its arms , the feeling similar to that of reuniting with an old friend you’ve once lost contact with. the swirling images of old fallen heroes quickly mark her memory , along with what had happened the days leading up to the closing of the breach the first time. chuck , pentecost , wei-tang’s , kaidanovskys ------ so many people lost from mako’s life. she sees a glimpse of the day her family was taken from her , but she does her best not to cling on. this was the memory that broke her from the drift the first time , & even now it was a memory that brought more pain than she’d like to admit. soon , her own memories begin to mesh with liwen’s , catching glimpses of her life as well. there’s something WARM about the way her memories looked , immersing herself deeper into the swirling void. the warmth seems to spread across her body , straight through her fingertips & down to her toes. what was this ? suddenly , she catches a memory of their many interactions: stolen glances mixed with ------ longing ? there’s a gasp that catches in her throat , realizing what this was symbolizing. did she ------ did liwen like her ? & did i like her back ?
IT ALL ENDS ALMOST AS QUICKLY AS IT BEGAN , the warrior gently removing the helmet & shaking out short raven locks in the process. well , that was definitely an unexpected outcome. while the test proved that her headsets were in peak condition , it also proved something else: the mutual feelings they were beginning to feel for one another. it was something mako had no intention on acting upon initially , always putting business before anything else. but now ? now that she knew just how deeply liwen’s feelings ran , it would be stupid of her not to comment on it.
❝ LIWEN. ❞ her voice is breathless , placing the helmet off to the side as she met the other woman’s gaze. a steady step is taken toward her , hand gently resting upon her shoulder. ❝ ------ that wasn’t just my imagination right ? did you feel that ? ❞
