SleepOver
(( After an exhausting mission, rivals Tara and Rose are forced to stay in the same room with only one bed. ))
They stared at the single twin-sized bed in the center of the hotel room from their spot at the doorway. It was just their luck that the only room available would be this one. They could go to a different location if they weren't stuck in the middle of nowhere. They also had no gas in their stolen vehicle, and honestly, who wants to get caught in this storm?
Tara looked rather annoyed, a blush crossing her cheeks. "There's only one bed, and I am NOT sleeping on the floor." She huffed, arms crossed.
Rose, on the other hand, wanted to just rest. It was a terribly long mission they had to endure, and having to be forced to work together took a lot of energy. Tara was brash and very unpredictable, giving Rose migraines when things went south due to Tara blowing up on someone.
Rose wasn't making things easier either. She was damn stubborn and wanted things to go her own way, causing her to refuse many of Tara's ideas.
She wanted stealth while Tara wanted action.
Tara won that argument by going in guns blazing and no plan in motion.
It was also how Rose got this rather nasty injury on her side, trying to save their asses. It looks way worse than it is, but it still hurts with every movement.
Rose gave Tara a tired smile.
"I can't sleep on the floor either. Did you forget I'm injured?" Or Tara didn't care, Rose was betting on the latter.
Tara turned her piercing stare towards the redhead, eyebrows furrowed as she caught a glimpse of blood that had soaked through the bandages underneath Rose's civilian clothing. There was an unreadable emotion flickering across her face that Rose couldn't place before it disappeared, annoyance taking over.
"... I'm gonna go scream at the manager!" As Tara made a move to leave, Rose reached out, catching her arm in a loose grip. Tara could easily pull away if she wanted to.
"Please dont do that. We can share the bed."
They stood staring at one another, tension thick; Tara glaring and Rose pleading. Tara didn't know what it was that made her relent, but with a huff she didn't make a move to leave anymore.
"...I'd rather sleep on the floor." Tara mumbled, unable to meet Rose's eyes.
"You sure?" Rose asked, making her way inside the room and pulling the covers down once she knew Tara wouldn't storm off. She patted the pillow closest to her. "You can even have the fluffier pillow."
Tara frowned, her blush deepening into a darker shade of red.
"I need to shower!" With that she went to the bathroom and slammed the door shut. There was a click of the lock afterwards.
Rose stared at the empty spot. Tara was standing a few seconds ago, a confused frown stretching her lips.
She then shrugged and chalked it off as Tara being weird.
When Tara came out from the bathroom, she caught Rose cleaning her wound. It was still oozing blood. However, it looks like it's lessening, there was also other small cuts and bruises littering any visible skin. Tara felt slightly guilty for them. It wasn't the first time she's gotten someone else hurt due to her rash decisions.
Tara rubbed her towel on her hair, debating whether to say something or not, but the way Rose's face winced in pain made her decision.
"... if you clean it like that, you'll only irritate it more and cause an infection."
Rose looked up, not realizing when the other appeared. She gave a snort, "Well, since you're such an expert, 'Dr Ender.' Why not help me out, yeah?"
Tara coughed in her hand to hide the way her heart fluttered at the title. It was a profession she wanted before ending up here as an assassin. Tara threw her towel on the dresser and walked over to where the other was sitting.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever. Give me that." Rose gave whatever Tara asked of her as she cleaned the wound thoroughly.
Her touch was gentle and light. Every touch was made with purpose, and it surprised Rose seeing this side of Tara. The 'compassionate side' as Sheika would've called it.
As the silence stretched on, the only noise was the things Tara used to clean up the wound. Rose's thoughts drifted, and she couldn't help but notice how long Tara's eyelashes were before now. Or how many freckles she had littering across her cheeks bones.
Rose really wanted to move that fallen hair strand behind Tara's ear.
Her eyes lowered to Tara's lips, plump and pink. Are they as soft as they look? Would she kiss like she battles, full of wreckless power and sharp edges? Or would she be gentle like the way she carefully wraps this bandage around Rose's waist, muscled arms surrounding her in a warm embrace before they were gone.
Rose could've sworn some of those touches lingered longer than they should've, but it could just be her exhaustion playing tricks on her. After all, she's been thinking a lot of things she wouldn't normally.
Tara's frown deepened, her cheeks heating up once more to a nice red shade, highlighting her freckles. It was quite adorable how Tara's nose would scrunch up in concentration or how easily she blushed.
"You can stop staring at me at any moment, Sinclaire."
Rose blinked, she didn't realize she was staring for that long. She averted her eyes.
"Sorry."
They soon settled down, Rose took the bed, and Tara begrudgingly took the floor. Rose peaked over the edge of the mattress and stared at Tara with a small, worried smile.
"Look, if you change your mind..." Rose started.
Tara rolled her eyes, throwing a plush pillow at her. "I won't! Now shut it and go to sleep!"
And with that Tara rolled to her side so her back faced the redhead. Rose stared a bit longer before settling back down with a deep sigh.
"Okay..."
Tara stayed awake, unable to sleep. It was late. She was tired, both mentally and physically, yet she couldn't relax enough to drift off.
When she starts too, the window will creek and startle her awake. To her own team, it wasn't anything new to know that Tara was quite terrified of the dark. But she wasn't sharing a room with her teammates. This was her rival, the one she sworn to take down and surpass in every way. This was the person she loathed and hated. She'd rather die than admit she was scared.
A flash then a loud boom shook the floor, as rain poured down. The storm turned heavy, the wind blowing harshly against the window, causing the branches of a nearby tree to clink against the glass.
Tara gasped, sitting up quickly. She stared at the window, her blue eyes wide with fear.
A gentle grip wrapped around Tara's shoulder. "Tara-?"
The whole room tilted on its axis. The wind was knocked out of her, and her wound throbbed by the sudden movement. Tara had launched at Rose on instinct, her braided hair forming into a sharp dagger that was now held by trembling fingers against Rose's throat.
Rose had both hands up in surrender cautious about triggering any more reflexes.
Tara blinked, trying to get her vision to clear from her rush of adrenaline. She realized it was tears that obscured her view. They flowed down her cheeks, mixing with her sweat.
Rose didn't show any sign of judgement, nor pity. Instead she asked, ".. do you want to sleep in this bed with me?"
"IM NOT A FUCKEN COWARD SINCLAIR!" Tara couldn't help but shout. Her anxiety and vulnerability were out in the open and Rose could see her fear clear as day.
Rose blinked, unphased by this reaction. It wasn't the first time she's dealt with someone consumed by fear, though it was a first that she wasn't the cause of it.
"... of course not. You're the leader of a fearsome group. You've faced things most people can't even imagine. You are far from being a coward."
Tara took a deep breath, hearing those praises calmed her racing heart and filled her head with reassurance. She started to lift her chin up with pride.
" H.. Hell yeah, I am." Her voice trembled, and if Rose heard it, she didn't mention it.
Instead Rose repeated her earlier words, voice softer; more gentle.
".. Would you like to sleep in this bed with me?"
Tara begins to refuse. Before she could argue and deny the idea more strongly, Rose interjected, choosing her next words carefully, since there's still a blade near her throat held by an unstable coworker.
"I'm scared of the bad weather." Rose admits. "I don't think I've ever gone through one without Miyu... if we share this bed, it would help me a lot.."
Tara rubbed her face with the back of her hand, smearing her tears across her flushed cheeks. Rose wanted to wipe them away but stayed firmly where she was. She doubts Tara would appreciate the gesture.
Tara clears her throat, trying to stop her voice from trembling. She moved her dagger away as it formed back into soft hair strands. No longer the sharp edge of a blade.
"Yeah, okay." Tara nodded. "I guess I'll have no choice but to protect you if you're that scared." Rose went along with it. Whatever helps the other assassin get through the night.
"But im the big spoon. So don't even think about it." Tara climbed off the other, and settled down on her choosen spot on the bed.
As two fully grown adults, it was gonna be a tight squeeze, and they had no choice but to be pressed up against each other unless they wanted to fall off. Rose, however, couldn't help but tease. She flashed a suggestive smirk towards Tara.
"I didn't realize we would be spooning."
"What?" Tara stared for a second, Rose's eyebrow lifted waiting for it to click. Tara's face burned bright red, as she quickly stood up.
"No!" Tara looked back to the bed then to Rose, looking cornered.
"Ugh! Shut up! I knew getting on here was a bad idea!" She crossed her arms and started to move towards the door. Rose didn't expect Tara to actually leave. It caused a cold shiver to run down her spine.
"Wait, Tara!" Rose reached out, and for a split second, she was desperate to do anything to have Tara stay. It was a humiliating emotion.
"I'm sorry I was teasing, okay? Come back and lay down. It's late and we are both tired."
Tara stood there stubbornly, arms crossed and eyes averted. Okay, Rose can work with that. At least she stopped moving towards the door.
Rose gave a soft sigh, and couldnt help but roll her eyes.
".. I'll let you be the big spoon."
The change in Tara happened instantly. She smirked, giving off an air of triumph, chin raised high. She finally looked at Rose, climbing back onto the mattress.
Rose couldnt help but find it endearing.
They moved around trying to get comfortable. It was kind of awkward the intimacy of laying this close to one another. Tara's heart was hammering in her chest, and Rose could feel it thumping frantically.
Rose guided Tara's arm around her waist and held her hand. She moved her thumb in circles, trying to comfort the other, not sure if this was too intimate. The body behind her stiffened, Rose was sure Tara was going through every stage of panic.
They laid there for a few minutes in silence. Rose was trying to find a way to make this situation less tense because Tara was gripping onto her side too tightly, causing her injury to sting.
"Why do you want to be the big spoon so much?" Rose whispered.
There was a pause. Then Tara let out a breath, some tension leaving her shoulders with it.
"Because everyone knows that the big spoon is the more dominant one, obviously."
"Pfft, yeah, obviously." Rose laughed. She tried muffling it with her hand. It was really adorable and very childish. Something Tara doesn't show anyone, especially Rose.
"You know, you could be pretty cute sometimes.." Rose was caught in the moment and froze, realizing what she just said.
She quickly faked a yawn. "Well, im beat. Goodnight, Tara."
Tara's heart continued to hammer away, her hold tightened, her grip almost painful.
"... goodnight.. Rose."
Rose tried to calm Tara down backfired, and if anything, she made it worse. They both didn't get much sleep that night, too flustered to relax.
The next morning extraction came quickly, and they were out of there less than thirty minutes. Their room was clean and neat like the way it was given to them the night before and there was no trace of them ever using it.
"So~ How'd you guys sleep last night?" Sheika asked, rocking back and forth on her heels, hands clasp behind her back. Miyuki stood beside her with a lifted eyebrow. Sheika had a sly smile on as if she knew far too much, but neither of them mentioned their bedding situation.
Tara's eyebrow twitched. She looked absolutely worn out. Rose, on the other hand, smiled brightly.
"Actually pretty good! Right, Tara?" Rose directed her smile at the orange haired assassin. Tara looked back caught off guard, eyes wide. She remembered Rose's words from last night.
//"You know you could be pretty cute sometimes.."//
Tara's face reddened. She looked away, hiding behind her mug of coffee, a scowl forming.
"Uh, yeah, sure, whatever you want."
Sheika blinked, tilting her head. She stared at Tara.
Rose and Miyuki didn't even realize something was off as they conversed with each other.
Sheika side stepped closer to Tara, poking her on the arm. Tara tensed waiting for the inevitable.
" 'Whatever you want' ? What is that about?" Sheika side eyed the other, taking note of the blush spreading across her teammate's cheeks.
"What exactly happened between you two? You are still rivals, correct?"
"Nothing happened! It's none of your business!" Tara shoved her way out of that conversation and left the conference room, grumbling the whole time.
Sheika stared after Tara then at Rose, tapping her chin with a hum.
"Curious."