(Season 2: Part 2)
WC: 2.5k
Warnings: Izogie's mental ain't healthing.
Taglist: @masterajoy314 @mybonafidefeelings @gr00vyminibus @blacksapphhicmaddonna @xenaizogie @blkbinz @scribblecake @iinkonde @6-noir @briacreations96 @slytherinmates
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As time went on, the days seemed to mesh together and keeping track of the days of the week proved to be futile. The weekends didn’t feel like the weekends, and everyday felt like an ordinary Tuesday.
The only time she knew what day it was was when Nawi let her know that she was outside her door to check in on her. It was the only time Izogie would text back, saying she was alright, but Nawi would only leave if she sent a “wellness picture”.
She was anything but well though. Physically, she was great, but mentally, she still felt like she was shot.
Remembering how many times she got injured on the battlefield, she couldn’t help but compare her current capabilities with her past ones.
A gunshot is what killed her back then, and she survived one now. So why was it that she’s been lying on her couch for the past few weeks, unable to face the world again?
Sure, she had dealt with a lot in this life, most of the traumas being parallel to the past, but what was missing now was her ability to get up again.
There was that time she got a scar on her neck that she remembered. It was in her earlier days of becoming a warrior that she got it. An enemy soldier took a slice at her neck, and she had just barely dodged it for it to not hit an artery. It wasn’t the wound itself though, it was the infection she caught after that almost killed her.
Bedridden for a week and a healer constantly on stand-by, the second she felt half-better, she was hacking at a test dummy at night with her machete to regain her strength. Despite the pain, her determination and hunger to be the best overcame it with ease.
And now there she lay, no pain to overcome, but still can’t will herself enough to go out.
Searching for you definitely wasn’t helping either. She tried every social media known to man, but nothing. She even looked on Pinterest! In modern day New York where no one would bat an eye at the two of you being together, this was the perfect time for your love. But you were nowhere to be found.
Just my luck. She sulked.
Her apartment quickly became a place to ruminate in her thoughts as deadend after deadend blocked her from experiencing a love across lifetimes. Insecurities birthed from the back of her mind and crawled to the front to take up more space.
What if you were in a relationship?
What if she wasn’t your type in this life?
Would you still feel the same way towards her despite not remembering anything?
She ended up finding the worst possible answers that would make her groan and sob into her pillow.
At some point in the afternoon, she finally lifted herself from the couch… only to fetch a tub of ice cream from the freezer. As she walked into her room to reminisce and sulk for the third time that day, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Halting abruptly in her tracks, she backpedaled until she could see her full frame.
She put the tub down on her dresser and leaned into her reflection.
Her eyes were baggy and bloodshot. A knitted blanket was wrapped around her shoulders, and she was in a linty hoodie and sweats. Her plaits even lacked their distinct rows due to frizz.
She peeled the blanket off and noticed her arm muscles were less toned, and that alone was the wake-up call she needed to get it together; staying at home by herself was not helping anymore. She needed to get into that gym as soon as possible and get her hard-earned body back.
Snatching the ice cream and chucking it in the garbage, she pulled her phone out of her pocket to send the clearance request from Dr. Raf. In less than five minutes, she received a text notification from the hospital: Your work clearance is ready to be picked up!
Now all she needed to do was refresh her hair and body before she stepped out back into her life.
Her neck was craned to look up at the proud sign that highlighted her workplace. Her home away from home.
Security Warrior & Fitness.
The clearance paper slightly crinkled in her hand as her nerves began to ramp up. Her gaze dropped down and peered through the windows. She saw more familiar faces than she could mentally handle, buzzing back and forth as they carried on with their tasks.
“Deep breath, Zo. And just go in, don’t overthink.” She told herself. After an inhale and exhale, she pulled the door open and entered with a bell chime from above her head.
Along with the chatter of clients and her sisters on their breaks, the relaxing tunes of Lo-Fi Afrobeats waved through the lobby from ambient speakers. The secretary at the front desk looked up and beamed when she saw her. Standing up from her chair, she loudly welcomed her, promptly ending every conversation in the lobby.
They all began to hound her with plenty of variations of ‘welcome back!’, ‘how are you!’, and ‘you look great!’. She felt hugs coming from all directions while she struggled to thank and answer questions the best she could.
Nawi cut through the crowd and waved some of them away, telling them to give her some space. Izogie was confused for a short second as to why she was cutting the reunions short, until she felt some wetness on her cheek.
She raised a hand to them and realized she had started to cry, and Nawi and others held sympathetic expressions.
They thought that the joy she had to be back was overwhelming her, but it was really the faces of fallen sisters that she never expected to see again.
Maybe I came back too soon? She internally doubted. Nawi placed a hand on her arm.
“What’s wrong?” She asked. Izogie shook her head and waved her hand off playfully.
“Nothing, nothing. Just happy to be back. Where’s miganon?” She asked. Nawi held back a laugh.
“Miganon? Are we an army?” She teased. The warrior’s eyes widened slightly as she realized her mistake.
“Nanisca, where’s Nanisca?” She corrected herself. The young woman pointed to the staircase that led up to her office.
“Miganon, is upstairs in her office.” Izogie rolled her eyes at Nawi dragging out her mistake.
“Do not tell Nanisca I called her that.” She warned before walking off. The giggle she heard behind her as she ascended the steps made her sigh exasperatedly.
Face-to-face with her general’s door, she knocked before could let her doubts get in the way. She waited until she heard the confirmation to enter and opened it.
Her boss was sitting behind her desk, dressed perfectly in a dark blue suit with Bomba lining in its interior. Nanisca nodded for her to sit and she obliged. They proceeded to have small talk about her recovery until Izogie segwayed the conversation to her returning.
“I got cleared by my doctor.” She handed over the paperwork. “Is it possible for me to start today?”
Nanisca didn’t answer right away. She took her time, reading each line of the document, before setting it aside.
“No.” Her mentee’s eyes popped open in shock. She began to respectfully object but her mentor’s raised hand cut her short. “I can tell by the baggy hoodie you're wearing that you’re not in shape. You’re not one to head your figure. In the meantime, you will lead the self defense classes instead while you use our gym to get back where you need to be.”
Izogie slouched back in the chair in defeat, sighing. “Okay, better than nothing.”
Nanisca softly smiled and reassured her that she’d be back to her original position before she knew it. She welcomed her back again and dismissed her once that was all.
Hopping off the last step, she returned to the lobby and Amenza caught her. As they stood off to the side updating each other on the past few weeks, Nanisca and Ghezo walked past them into the center of the lobby, facing the entrance. Izogie’s attention trailed from the conversation and she pointed at them.
“Are they expecting someone?” Amenza glanced up from her phone and hummed.
“Mhm, a new intern. Ghezo’s cousin apparently.”
The sentence sucked out her breath. She turned to the door fully, almost giving herself whiplash.
It has to be you.
Dense crowds of Yankee civilians migrated to and fro outside of the building, and her eyes flitted from one face to another, hoping to spot you in the crowd. A nudge came to her arm and she didn’t bother looking to see who it was.
“Hm?” She answered in a slightly annoyed tone.
“You seem more excited to see the intern than Mr. Ghezo.” Nawi poked her.
“Go away, Tsetse.” She swatted her away, shocking the younger one at her use of Fon all of a sudden.
The bell at the door rang and her head snapped to the door, and there walked in her heart.
You entered, a bit of uncertainty in your step, but when you laid eyes on your cousin you smiled big.
Oh, that smile. Her memories did it no justice whatsoever. She could melt into a puddle right there if she was made of weaker stuff.
Your corduroy forest green baggy pants made subtle sounds as you walked forward. The flowy, wide sleeves of your top swayed with the slightest movements as if you had your own air. Your knotless braids were half-up, separated into three buns as if they were the peaks of a tiara. Your royal beauty still managed to transcend time and space.
The look was different. A good — hell, great different even. It was more you. Perhaps you got to wear what you truly wanted in this life, without the permission or instruction of others.
She took a few steps forward but remained a few paces behind her bosses. Your eyes flickered to the movement behind them and locked with her glossy dark orbs.
A chill ran through your body unexpectedly, and you clutched to the straps of your purse tighter.
The fuck was that? You wondered.
Your cousin engulfing you in a big hug was the only thing that broke your trance. You kept your voice steady as you greeted him, trying to push the image of the warrior looking at you with such intensity.
You exchanged greetings with Ms. Nanisca after with a firm handshake. While Ghezo started asking about your family in California, all Izogie could do was stare in disbelief.
All those weeks of her trying to find your whereabouts, only for you to waltz in in all of your glory at her workplace. The same day that she returned. Fate really did exist after all.
Your eyes met hers again, only for a split second before returning to Nanisca, but Izogie caught it nonetheless. A searing feeling of longing grew in her gut as her mind began to race.
Do you feel it too? Please feel, remember, something!
Nanisca turned to the lingering crowd of employees and told them to line up. Izogie went to move but she stopped her, “Not you. Security guards only.”
Her heart sank as she slinked back, shoving her hands into her hoodie pocket.
“Okay, ladies. This is our new intern Y/N, who is also Mr. Ghezo’s cousin. She will be frequenting the business for the time being, but she is required to have a personal bodyguard when she is not at the building, including weekends. Of course, you’ll get increased pay and extra benefits… if she chooses you.”
Just my fucking luck, again.
Every pair of eyes trained on you made you even more nervous than starting this internship. You scanned the faces and physiques of each guard, not exactly knowing what to look for to see who was more qualified to protect you. However, you appreciated that they were all women.
You noticed that the woman you locked eyes with earlier wasn’t in the lineup, and a small part of you was disappointed. You didn’t understand why, though. It’s not like you knew her.
You hummed and pointed out the tallest one.
“Amenza? Good choice.” Ms. Nanisca said. The rest dispersed as Amenza walked up to you to formally introduce herself.
I’m the better choice. Izogie rolled her eyes and turned away, not wanting to see you interacting with her. I should’ve worked out during my break, fuck!
She wanted to kick something. Punch something. Let out steam in some way because the rollercoaster of emotions she’s been dealing with all day is starting to get to her.
Nawi’s observant gaze shifted from your wandering eyes to Izogie’s yearning expression. As she went to ask if Izogie knew you, Izogie cursed out loud in Fon without realizing.
Many heads, including yours and her bosses, turned to her in slight shock and confusion. She inhaled sharply and turned to Nawi, attempting to save face.
“Oh, I think I forgot my dumbbells at home.” Izogie scratched the back of her head. Nawi’s eyebrows knit together.
“... We have dumbbells here?” The older one gave her a pointed look and then she finally caught on. “Oh! Oh yeah, you have your own special dumbbells with the um, grip uniqueness…”
A few beats of louder silence passed as people exchanged further confused looks.
Grip uniqueness?! Gods, strike me with lightning right now.
Nanisca and Ghezo turned back to you and continued to talk about your internship. As the focus of the room shifted away from her, she realized how fast her heart was beating. This day has been more than her mind could handle.
She quickly excused herself and hastily trudged out of the building, not sparing another glance in your direction. You couldn’t help your eyes locking onto her when she brushed past you. Her energy seemed… different.
“That was Izogie.” Ghezo said. You turned around fully as she pushed the door open to leave.
“Izogie.” Her name slowly rolled off your tongue. “Pretty name.”
She was two blocks down when her cell chimed. Kissing her teeth, she pulled it out expecting to see Nawi’s name on the screen. Her footsteps slowed to a stop when she read “DNA” instead.
“Who the he–”
“AYO, move out the fucking way!” A New Yorker cursed her out as he shoved past her. She returned the energy, despite being in the wrong, and moved closer to the buildings away from the foot traffic.
She returned to her phone screen and opened the message.
Hey, I heard you came back today. How’ve you been? I meant to check up on you but I didn’t know if you wanted me reaching out – 2:32 PM
Izogie was confused as to who this person could possibly be. She began to type back that they had the wrong number, but the message bubble popped up, so she decided to delete and wait.
Since you’re feeling better, I think it’s about time we talked about what happened, Izogie. – 2:33 PM
“…Huh?”