if you have an ig account plz go vote for the group vma on mtvs story! WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT AT THIS RATE. I need to see what they would wear to an award show in this era its DIRE (I know they wouldn't show up either way but let me have this)
Pairing: Zhou Yao x F!Commander (no specific name or race)
Chapter 5 [AO3 Link]
Word count: 1089
Genre: Toothrotting, cliché fluff, awkward silliness and good friends meddling
A/N: The last part! Thank you so much everyone, you've left me such sweet comments and tags that will fuel me for weeks <3 <3 <3 Can't wait for the next in-game patch with hopefully more Yao so I can write more fic 8D
“Aaaand? How did it go?” Taimi bounced straight towards the commander when she entered Joon’s lab the following morning.
The commander stayed completely calm, giving away no hint of emotion while she picked up the holopad. “You know how it went. Your lackeys were there. And you’re not off the hook by a long shot. Romantically stunted, how dare you.”
Taimi’s ears drooped a bit, then perked up. "I told Gorrik to stay quiet! I mean, I only wanted to help. I will take any punishment, but I have to know how it ended with Yao. Commander, tell me please?”
"Hmm, the commander simply responded. She tapped on a few buttons. "How’s the situation with the undead?"
"Noooo commander!" Taimi wailed as she understood that her punishment was happening now. She pulled at the commander’s clothes. "I’m sorry, I’m sorry sorry sorry, tell me pleeeeaaaseeee!"
The commander tried not to let slip a tiny grin as Taimi continued to beg and plead, pacing around her like a puppy desperate for treats.
“I promise I'll never do it again!”
"Do what again?" they heard behind them. It was Joon, with a new type of mech traipsing behind her. In her arms was a big stack of yellowed old documents.
"Oh Joon! Hi," Taimi chuckled nervously and let go of the commander.
“Hey Joon,” the commander greeted her with ease. Joon narrowed her eyes at the two of them with suspicion.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but Taimi, could you help me with these?”
Taimi gave the commander a look and walked away with Joon. The commander giggled to herself and leaned on the nearby counter, pretending to stare at her pad when she was deep inside her thoughts.
She’d tell Taimi soon enough. Yao had made no agreement with her to keep it quiet, though they both didn't feel like yelling about their date from the Kaineng rooftops. Their date, the commander repeated in her head, and it was still unbelievable even though she couldn't deny it. Even the kiss felt fresh. She pushed her face into the holopad to smother the tickly feeling that ran up her spine.
Her ear intercom rang. She held a finger against the device around her ear to activate it.
"Hey commander," she heard through her ear intercom.
“Rama?” she said, surprised. She hadn’t expected to hear from him this soon. “Sup?”
Ever since Rama joined the Best Friends Detective Agency (“Don’t call it that!”), he was part of their private network. Taimi had even set up one on one connections so that not everyone would have to hear every detail that wasn’t relevant for them.
"Hey… I want to apologize. In my head it was all fun and necessary but afterwards I considered that maybe it was a terrible idea. I’ve breached my trust with a good friend as well. Yao hasn’t responded to me all morning."
The commander smiled. Despite his don’t-care-eff-off attitude, Rama had a heart as big as his hat. She decided to cut him some slack.
“I don’t think they’re ignoring you. Probably sleeping off last night.” She knew she had said too much now.
His voice rose an octave from his usual timbre. “Wait, really?” She could hear him mutter congratulations to himself. Then he coughed and steadied his voice. “I mean, I’m really happy for you two.”
The commander rolled her eyes, even if Rama could not see it. “Please keep it to yourself."
"I would not dare spread this around town like a gossipy grandpa. I have standards. Some, that is."
"Good. And you can make it up to us by joining us at a sushi place Yao recommended.”
“Aw what? You know I hate that stuff. Can’t I buy you two a few drinks instead?”
“You’ll have to ask Yao that, not me,” the commander finished, all smug.
A loud sigh and Rama surrendered. The commander ended the call, knowing Yao would follow up and let Rama go on sushi-free. There was just something fun about holding your friends hostage after they pulled a stunt.
Truthfully, not much had happened. They had spent a long time making out and by the time they were able to disconnect from each other, it was really, really late. It was a bit embarrassing to discover how entangled their limbs were. Yao offered to make her more tea in one of their hip flasks so she could drink it and stay awake walking back. But there was no way she could sleep with all the adrenaline in her body.
She thought about how hard it was to leave, and so tempting to stay the night, were it not that both she and Yao needed to do important work in the morning. About how they both had wonky smiles when Yao didn't want to let go of her hand, and the promise to see each other soon.
She didn’t walk, she floated on a cloud of hearts all her way back to her apartment in Kaineng, courtesy of Navan. A trio of Brotherhood cronies interrupted her happy thoughts and they were lucky to live to regret it.
Last evening had been awkward because they were both so stubborn in their own way… but she’d do it all over again. It was worth it.
Like the devil, when Joon and Taimi returned, Yao entered the lab, wearing their usual gear. They hadn’t seen her yet and waved at Joon. Taimi’s ears flew up as she immediately locked her sight on the commander. The commander tried so hard to keep her facial reactions as passive as possible.
But there was no point. The second Yao looked her way, their whole face brightened with a smile and raised eyebrows. The commander could not stop the blood rushing to her cheeks or her eyes from darting away then quickly looking back. Nor could she fight the smile that crept onto her lips.
Taimi gasped, balled her fists and became a tiny siren, excited squealing underneath her breath.
“Taimi, are you okay?” Joon asked.
“Yep! Totally fine!” Taimi almost yelled, then she grabbed Yao’s wrist and forced the poor engineer to hobble along.
“You two are going to tell me everything!” Taimi grabbed the commander’s hand as well. The two of them were dragged by the tiny asura who was stronger when she was determined, leaving poor Joon alone and confused.
The commander made a note to let her know soon. After all, there were no secrets amongst friends, old and new.
