I just feel like jaehee would be so gentle just in general UGGG like imagine you come home from work stressed and he draws you a nice relaxing bath and just gently washing you and then to get some stress off your mind he gently just like eats you out 🥹🫣
#ovulation
omg ovulation anon you just- I'M WRITING THIS THOUGHT BUT THEN I'LL TURN IT INTO A LONGER THING
you push open the front door with the weight of the day heavy on your shoulders. your mind still buzzing with fragments of frustrated arguments with colleagues and every muscle screaming for relief. but as you step inside, the scent of lavender and steam greets you, soft and inviting, pulling you from the edge.
jarhee appears from the hallway, already comfortable in his clothes—a loose sleeve shirt and pants that hug his frame just right—his dark hair slightly tousled.
"hey, love" he murmurs, crossing the room to wrap his arms around you and then rub circles on your back. "i've got everything ready for you."
he doesn't wait for your response. instead, he guides you toward the bathroom while helping you get rid of your clothes. the door opens to reveal the tub filled with steaming water and bubbles foaming at the surface and candles flickering along thr edges. towels folded neatly nearby and your robe hangs on the hook. his fingers brush your skin gently, helping you get bare for him, unclasping your bra, then pulling down your bottoms.
"just relax." he whispers, voice low and soothing as he eases you into thr water. the heat envelops you immediately, making you sink back with a sigh. jaehee kneels beside the tub, rolling up his sleeves to wash you. his hands are magic, you swear, massaging the knots from your neck while lathering soap over your skin, pressing firmly to coax out the irritation. then he reaches your chest, his palms gliding over your skin, thumbs circling your nipples until they harden under his attention, sparking your arousal.
the bath lingers, stretching as he tends to every inch of you—legs, feet, even washing your hair, gentle fingers scrubbing your scalp just right. by the time he's done the water has cooled and you're as light as a feather, irritation long gone.
jaehee helps you out, wrapping you in a fluffy towel, helping you dry with pats that soon turn into caresses before wrapping you in your robe.
then he leads you to bedroom, dressing you calmly. he starts with the shorts, kneeling and sliding them up your legs, hands smoothing the fabric over your thighs. when he stands to help with the top, his body presses close, chest to chest, then leans in, kissing your neck. "you deserve it all..." he murmurs against your skin. "let mr take care of you completely, love."
and you settle onto the bed, propped against the pillows and jaehee doesn't hesitate, climbing between your legs, sliding the shorts he had just slipped up, down. he parts your thighs with reverence, gaze locked on yours as his tongue flicks out, a teasing lap aling your slit that has you gasping already.
he groans softly at your taste, vibration humming against you as he delves deeper. lips seal around your clit, sucking gently at first, then with more pressure, drawing it between them while his tongue swirls in tight circles.
your hands fist the sheets, the day's exhaustion forgotten as pleasure coils low in your belly. he eats you out with passion, his mouth relentless—licking broad strokes from your entrance to your clit, then plunging his tongue inside you, fucking you with it in shallow thrusts that make your hips buck.
one hand grips your thigh, holding you open, while the other slides up to tease your entrance, a finger circling before pushing in, curling to hit that spot that makes you gasp. he then adds a second finger, pumping them steadily as his mouth works your clit harder, sucking and flicking until stars burst behind your eyelids.
jaehee's free hand reaches up to intertwine with yours, grounding you even as he drives you higher, his own breaths coming ragged between laps and kisses.
the build is intense. your body arches, thighs trembling around his head, and when you come, it's shattering. your pussy clenching around his fingers, juices flooding his mouth as he laps it all up, humming his approval. and he doesn't stop right away, easing you through it with softer licks, until you're spent, boneless and utterly relaxed.
finally, he pulls back, lips glistening, and crawls up to gather you in his arms. "better?" he asks, kissing your forehead, his voice laced with satisfaction.
One of the things I like about the Kinnikuman Lady manga is that it gives a little bit of time for each character to shine.
From Bellman having a fight with Robin when he wasn't even in the original anime, to Skyman and Kintaman fighting Kinkotsuman to stop him from buying the rifle with which he would shoot Terry.
You can really tell that the author loves the franchise by the way he treats many of the minor characters.
If anyone knows where I can continue reading it, please tell me, I've only found up to chapter 8 translated into English and I really want to continue reading it (TwT). Thank you for reading!!!
So... I need to get this thing out of my head before the weekend ends and work starts again. If you have watched 5x10 and have thoughts on why Maya is so focused on her captaincy, Carina's insecurity, and what might happen next - I think you might like this.
I don't have an AO3 account (and too lazy to create one) so I'll just post it here. Share your thoughts! :D
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Carina was leaning against the counter with a tablet in her hand. She updated a few more details in her report for the last patient that she checked and was ready to grab herself a cup of coffee before going back to her office.
She glanced at her phone screen when it lit up with a text notification :
<NO REPLY NEEDED> Congratulations! Your appointment has been confirmed...
She didn't have to open the message to know it was from the sperm bank and she let out a heavy sigh when she remembered her initial frustration.
Their original appointment was supposed to be at 9 am today but Maya only told her at the last minute that her shift would be ending at noon. Her mind traveled to the conversation they had before she headed to work.
*****
"I told you, Didn't I? You said you were listening."
"I did! I was! But I just forgot about it! I'm really sorry, Carina." Maya furrowed when the immediate response she received from Carina was another frustrated sigh. She didn't know why that seem to hurt her a little - maybe it made her feel as if she was doing all this on purpose, "I swear I really forgot and it is not a mere excuse although it sounds like one."
She walked closer to Carina who was sitting at the edge of their bed with a pillow in her lap. She looked... sad, or maybe hurt. That image looked so familiar to Maya - oh! This looked like a flashback to the last time they had a similar conversation and Carina left the room, leaving her alone fidgeting on their wedding band. Remembering how much that sucked, Maya tried her very best to do what she is most terrible at before one of them had to leave - she was trying her best to... well, talk.
Throw her into a burning building, put her on a crumbling cliff, force her to run on a sprained ankle - she would put the fire out, claw her way up, and win a gold medal - but talking about her thoughts and feelings? How is this so hard?
"It's okay." Her thoughts preparation was cut off by Carina's voice. "Your career is more important to you than anything else anyway."
Maya was now sitting in front of Carina, trying to catch her gaze, "What do you mean?" She asked. Carina was still hanging her head low and chewing on her bottom lip.
"Carina? You are the most important part of my life. Nothing is more important to me than you. But I need to set a certain focus on my career too. I need to learn how to balance it, I know and I'm trying. I promise you - I'm trying." she said but she knew that didn't do much to convince Carina.
Funny, how in relationships, we are so attentive (at times, to a point of scrutinization) to our significant other's action because, for some twisted reason, it's hard to believe their words alone. BUT we need the words to be spoken out still. We definitely need it to be said but their actions speak louder. We need that loudness because silence breeds doubts and doubts are the perfect fuel to our overthinking.
Carina nodded, stayed in silence for a short while, before saying, "Yea. Okay. I guess we will just put this on hold until you get your captaincy back."
Maya didn't expect that immediate submission from Carina. Carina has always been understanding, loving, and caring and all the perfection that she is, BUT let it be known that she still comes with that Italian sassiness, at times it grows into a temper, that makes her all the more wonderful than she already is. So when Maya didn't get that sting that she was expecting, she knew immediately something was not right. "I don't want to put it on hold," she said.
"And I don't want to feel like..."
"Like?" Maya quizzed when Carina paused, assuming she was trying to find the right word.
"Like I'm just another event that you could postpone. We will just get back to this when you are ready." Carina stood up from the bed and walked towards the dressing table to get her phone before heading out.
"You are not-," Maya stopped again - tasting her words before spitting it out. 'Why is everything so bitter?'
Knowing how easy it is to hurt others when one is hurting, she turned the focus of the conversation from feelings to actions:
"Can we do it on Friday? The appointment with the sperm bank? I promise to be there."
Carina turned to look at Maya and their gaze spoke their language as always.
One was seeing how hard the other was making an effort. So she knew she had to be understanding but calming her own doubts and anxiety is not an easy task too - especially when she grew up always as an option and never a priority to her father.
Carina has always been cursed with the blessing of empathy and a strong sense of responsibility. That curse made her strong and unbreakable as a daughter, sister, and friend. It made her an amazing physician who is loved by every single soul she touched. It also turned her into a vulnerable lover whose insecurities are annoyingly convincing and persistent. 'I'm not in a habit of fixing broken people' is something that she tells herself as a reminder because she knows everyone is broken in one way or another - she fixed herself all on her own so, her empathy would convince her that it's possible for everyone else to be fixed too and her sense of responsibility would make her stay until all is fixed. A kind heart in a cruel world is such a bad deal. But she knows Maya is good for her - they are fixing each other, together. Maya showed her the more uninhibited way of coping with her curse when Andrea was murdered and she showed Maya the more tender way of accepting injustice when she unfairly lost her captaincy to save a boy's life. They are good for each other. Being with someone is easy, but staying beside them when they are less likable and choosing them for the rest of your life? Not so much - but it is worth it, if and only if, both are making the same choice. But that's the scariest part for Carina - how is she supposed to know? That Maya would always choose her? Vincenzo chose his career. Arizona chose her daughter. Andrea chose his crusade. Based on history, her fear is valid.
The other was seeing how the love of her life, once again - she presumed, was hurt by her actions. She knew she needs to reassure her wife that she is all in and that her promise wasn't a blunt decision she made at the spur of the moment or it was her grief talking.
Growing up 'embracing the pain' and having to put her 'eyes forward at all times' really doesn't help to build Maya's communication skills in relationships. All that matters is the finish line, the outcome, the end goal - and now she has to explain each step and reason to a... partner? A relationship is a team sport, running is not. You don't stop to help another injured runner when you are racing - not if you want to win. She always reminds herself that she is dark and twisted, and Carina is so light and perfect so, she is always careful not to scare her away. Her anger burnt both of them last time but Carina accepted her tearful apology - partially thanks to Teddy. She almost lost her, again, when all she tried to do was to make her stay - when she was updating Andy about it, she was convinced that maybe Carina finally realized she didn't want her enough, maybe now she could finally break away. Luckily Carina changed her mind and got married for her. She was terrified when Carina walked out when she said she couldn't have a baby - but Carina only threatened her with no sex (that was a five-alarm fire for her, honestly) and they managed to talk it out. That was also partially thanks to Sullivan for being a brazen asshole who tried to start a conversation with Carina after a long day. Also, thanks to the boy who was trapped in a car on a meltingly hot day that made her realize that she could probably do it after all - that she wants what Carina wants, but not yet. But even after Carina said that was enough for her at the moment, she was still worried that Carina might hate her for delaying and keeping things in consideration. But losing Miller bore a hole in her heart and seeing how Carina beamed with happiness with Pru - she knows immediately, she wants that smile to be her finish line of her every day, for the rest of her life. She loves Carina, and she chooses her, forever.
But Maya couldn't help but think that, It almost seems that all this while, she has been lucky and that's the only reason why Carina is here beside her.
What if one day, she ran out of luck and there is no more help from the universe to change Carina's mind or heart. And finally, finally, Carina would realize she doesn't need her to be... well... Carina.
Carina was the first one to stop deciphering their gaze and said, "Friday. I'll book an appointment for Friday. But we need to talk about this, Maya."
"Okay."
"I don't want to push you to talk, because that usually doesn't end well."
'It is easy to hurt others when one is hurting.'
Maya was fidgeting with her wedding band again, focusing her sight on it so that her blue eyes wouldn't spill any more secrets or give her mind more things to interpret.
"Okay.
I love you."
There was no reply. Worried, she finally lifted her head up, and soon enough, she heard Carina's voice from the hallway, "I'm heading out first! Love you."
******
"You look familiar."
Carina's thoughts were interrupted by that statement that made her turn to her left finding the source of the voice.
"Maya? What are you doing here?" Her eyes widened at the sight of her wife in normal clothes with a cup of coffee with her name written on it.
" I just finished my shift. I wanted to go for a run but I figured we need to talk. So here I am, hoping that you are available to talk. You look beautiful by the way."
Carina smiled amusedly at her wife being all nervous and rambling. " I'm in my scrubs."
"Yea. How can someone be this beautiful in scrubs?" and that made her chuckle before she twisted her mouth, trying to hide her joy.
"Is that coffee for me? Or did you give my name to the barista?"
"Yes! This is for you. I hope it's better than the one I make because if not I'll burn that cart down since they got the order wrong and spelled your name wrong the first time."
Maya started fidgeting with her wedding band as soon as her hands were freed from holding the cup of coffee.
"Let's go to my office?" Carina suggested and started walking slowly knowing that Maya would agree.
Maya just nodded and trailed behind her wife. Her nervousness was elevated by Dr. Carina DeLuca's charisma that she oozes out every time she is in that white coat and walking around the hospital.
She wished she had worn her turn-out and helmet instead, or whatever uniform she has so that she could feel a little authoritative too - maybe that would help her to walk a little taller beside Grey-Sloan's respected Head of OB-GYN. Now she just felt like... a patient... and if she is not careful, she might become one.
They entered Carina's office and Carina waited for Maya to come in before closing the door behind her.
"So..." Carina placed the coffee on her desk and leaned back against it, "you want to talk?"
"Yes!" Maya was standing only a few steps from the door. "Ummmm... how are you?"
"What?" Carina raised an eyebrow and gave Maya her signature glare which was not helping the nervous blonde in any way.
"I mean... I want to know how you feel. Wait. I'm not making any sense.
Fine. Let me try again," she cleared her throat, "Bear with me, Carina," she requested.
"Okay.
I'll just start with anything. Right now, I'm trying to get my captaincy back and I'm frustrated because it has been on hold, swept under the carpet, and shat on by McCallister. Now that Chief Ross is here, I think there's a chance for me, to AT LEAST, proceed with my case. I think I deserve it. I think I deserve to, at least, get a fair investigation. I just want some closure, Carina. And if I'm lucky, I'll get my post back," she took in a deep breath and exhaled a breath that she never knew she was holding. "Okay. Now you tell me what's on your mind."
She didn't fail to notice that Carina's expression changed at the slightest - it wasn't a positive response to her statement but that's okay, 'This is talking, right? This is what healthy couples do.'
Maya felt like Carina was thinking too much and to be honest, the pause was too long and patience was never her strongest virtue, so she prompted her wife, "You can just tell me what's on your mind. It might hurt but I would prefer that than letting us hurt inside and hurting each other with sarcasm and not going anywhere. Seriously, just tell me. I won't run away."
Carina looked at her wife and decided to take that advice. Her empathy is making her filter every single thing she has in mind - afraid that it might hurt Maya too much. But she has to trust her, that's why she married her, right? She trusted her enough to change her stand against marriage - so might as well trust again to fight for it.
She took a deep breath and exhaled.
"Right now, my focus is on starting a family with you - something that we agreed on. I know you are focusing on your career but what I am focusing on right now, needs your focus too. And I feel like you are focusing more on getting your captaincy back than on building a family.
I respect that and like I said before, I like how you want to change a lot of things in the fire department and I fully support you but..." she stopped. Her empathy was messing with her thoughts again - a part of her wanted to demand to be Maya's priority, another argued that it was unfair of her to force that on Maya.
"But?" Maya cued.
Just say it, Carina. "But I don't think the captaincy should be the most important thing in your life. I mean, I never understand why is it so important anyway? Why is it more important than building a family? Why is your career more important than me?" Her voice was breaking at the question - 'Why do I always come second?' "Why do I always come second?"
"Always? You never come second to me."
"Well, it sure feels like it! Particularly when Chief Ross comes into the picture. I guess, that change gave you hope, and suddenly your focus just shifted, and everything that we agreed on, everything you promised just got... de-prioritized."
"I told you I am trying to balance it out!"
"Well, it's not balanced right now, Maya! All I feel is that all our plan has been pushed aside, and you have in mind now is your captaincy, your career, and your path. There's no US or OURS! It's all just... YOU!"
Carina stopped herself when she finally noticed that she was screaming again and Maya already had her hands balled into fists, clenched at her sides. Her head hung low from her scrunched shoulders.
'Shit. Damn it, Italian temper!' she cursed her ancestral trait for her lack of control over her tone whenever she is carried away.
"Maya... I-" she pushed herself up from the desk to a stand.
"It is for us. It was for me before, but now it is for us." Maya spoke lowly. Her hands uncurled but quickly distracted with the fidgeting again. She was looking at the floor, her lips occasionally parted to say something but it seemed as if she couldn't read out her script that was on the gray floor.
"When I met you at Joe's, I was so proud to introduce myself as a captain. It usually impresses people and made me feel... well... impressive. But for the first time, I had someone introduce herself as a doctor and it was my turn to be impressed and almost taken aback. I didn't have the capacity to build my confidence or broken self-esteem that night to talk to you but you were extremely hard to ignore. And plus, you insisted." her lips curved into a little smile.
Carina smiled too as she reminisced their first meeting but was quick to turn her focus on Maya who was still refusing to meet her gaze.
"And then I learned that you are not just some doctor - you are THE head of OB-GYN in Grey-Sloan. I am competitive, Carina. I like to win but in this case, for some reason, I want you to feel like you have won something."
"Like an Olympic gold medal?"
"Well... I like that better than 'trophy wife'. But yeah... I want to be someone you could be proud of. I want to be someone our kids could be proud of."
Carina's eyes widened at Maya's wishes.
"All my life, love has always come with a... requirement? That I need to offer something in exchange for love like gold medals for my father's attention. When I lost my captaincy, I feel like I lost one more thing to offer you - not that I had a lot, to begin with. I told you I was broken, and you decided to stay so, I want to give you more reasons to stay, Carina."
Carina was about to reply but was cut off by Maya,
"I couldn't save Andrew back then."
Carina was surprised at the mention of her brother's name.
"I couldn't save him back then but I could get to you. I could do all in my power to get to you and try to protect you. Even with all that I gave, I still couldn't save you from losing your brother.
When Miller was injured, on my way back to the station, I couldn't help but run all the protocols in my head and list out what I could've done for everyone if I was the captain. Maybe I can save his life. And it struck me - if I was a Lieutenant when Andrew's case happened, I wouldn't have been able to do what I did. I wouldn't be able to deliberately choose to skip an inspection or use my connections with PD to help you. I would've been more helpless than before and I already felt helpless then. Now, I have less to give to protect you and my family. If I'm in a position of power, I could do more - to protect you... I just want to come home to you and keep you safe.
Maybe then, I could give you more reasons to stay and feel safe. I could protect you and our child better. I want to have more to give to this family that we are building.
Also, I would definitely be earning a little more too! Then maybe we can get a good house with a good estate for our kids to have a space to play. But for some reason, every time I try to do something, I just kept on disappointing you and end up giving you more reasons to leave, or hurting you.
I don't know why. I have it planned but it keeps on- I think the universe finally gave up on me. And I-"
She was finally forced to stop talking by a pair of lips pressed against hers. She was forced to look up by Carina's hands that lifted and were cupping her face. She saw her wife - her eyes closed, pouring her feelings into the kiss. It took Maya a few seconds before she gave in to the comfort of her wife's lips and reciprocated the kiss with all of her feelings that she had yet to put any word to. Her hands finally found their home on her wife's waist and for the first time that day, they stopped fidgeting and firmly pulled her wife's body closer to her. Her hands weren't so nervous anymore - she wasn't so nervous anymore.
Carina reluctantly pulled her lips away but they still lingered so close to her favorite craving. Their foreheads were touching and they were speaking that language again - of labored breaths, gazing eyes, and tender touches.
She raked her fingers slowly through Maya's hair, making the latter close her eyes again - and that took them back to their wedding night when everything started; the end of Maya's captaincy, the betrayal of a friend, the unfairness of the department, and the start of their life together.
That night, Maya felt vulnerable, breaking down into Carina's shoulders and she vowed to build herself back again for her wife. But here she was again, still struggling to build herself and still holding on to Carina for support. She could feel Carina's loving gaze on her but she was trying to avoid them just like before - she didn't want to see the pity in Carina's eyes again, she didn't want to make another promise that she didn't know she could keep.
No.
Eyes closed.
Because eyes forward meant eyes on Carina - and she couldn't provide herself a reason why she would deserve to look into those eyes at the moment.
"Bambina," Carina softly called out, "look at me?"
Maya shook her head gently. Her jaws clenched. Her lips quivered.
"Bambina, please?" she felt the lack of proximity as Carina pulled away from their touching foreheads.
How can this person be my weakness and my strength at the same time?
"I'm sorry," Maya apologized with her voice breaking and tears threatening to fall.
"Bambina, I need to see those eyes."
Maya finally did but tilted her head back slightly, still trying to compose herself, "I can't keep on doing this."
Carina raised her eyebrows, prompting for an explanation.
"Breaking down in front of you for no reason."
"No reason?"
"I wanted to comfort you but I end up being the one who is comforted."
Carina smiled. "But you like being comforted and I like comforting you. You are always the small spoon anyway."
"Hey! Not always!" She corrected while shaking her gently by her waist. "Only when I have bad shifts."
"You do have a lot of bad shifts."
"I'm a firefighter. The only good thing that could happen during a shift is when we have cats to save or babies to catch."
Carina raked through her wife's blonde hair again. "I love you and you are my home. You are the only one I want and will always need."
Maya pursed her lips.
"You are my gift. My greatest blessing. Not your title, not your money, not anything else - just you and our life together. I don't need more. I have enough. You are enough.
The only thing I ever wish for whenever you are away is just for you to come home to me."
"Well... if I am the captain, that increases the chance of that too."
Carina raised her eyebrows quizzically before remembering that, as a captain, Maya wouldn't have to run into a burning building as much unless needed.
Maya chuckled as she saw her wife's expressions unfold before her eyes. "You just remembered that, didn't you?" earning a nod from Carina while her squinted eyes and twisted lips told Maya that she was thinking harder than she was before.
"Are you going to let me fight hard for my captaincy now?"
"Fight your hardest. Heck, sign me in!
BUT! You still need to balance and give more attention to me and our family in the making. I will call you out if you are out of balance again! And never ignore me over a protocol binder!"
Maya slowly closed the gaps between their lips, smiling into the kiss and Carina wrapped her arms around Maya's neck, pulling her closer.
Her hands that were on Carina's waist traveled to her thighs before lifting the brunette off the floor and had her legs wrapped around her waist, earning a small gasp from Carina.
Their kissing stopped but the tension heightened between them as Maya made her way, carrying her wife to her desk, and sat the brunette down on it with herself between those long legs.
"I'm so sorry~" she landed a soft peck on her lips, "I will give you so much attention, you will beg me to stop, my love.
And I will start right now."
"Really?~" Carina bit her lower lip while peeling her wife's coat off, letting it hang on her arms, "I demand you to do just that, my Captain Maya Bishop."
Maya shook her coat off to the floor before pulling her wife closer by her waist and back, pressing their fronts together.
One of her hands now was on her the brunette's neck, gripping it ever-so-gently while looking into those brown eyes,
"It's your Captain Maya DeLuca-Bishop," she corrected before giving her wife the attention they both have been longing for.
She whispered softly into his ear, "Can you hear me?"
She heard his light snore knowing he was out. She kissed his raven locks and so quietly it was almost white noise, "I'll love you forever, my heart is yours"
She watched him as he slept. Slowly putting her head down. Thinking what he might be dreaming of.
As she woke up, she felt for him. He wasn't there.
She noticed coffee on the night stand with a note.
Apologizing for his absence and he'll call around noon.
To think the sun and the stars aligned that they could be together again. She just hopes after this murder mystery is solved. They can leave Riverdale forever.
7 years was a long time to be apart. They both needed it. She needed to grow up. He needed to know he won't be his father.
The place she hated the most always gave her, her one true love and this time she was going to keep it. She loved him. She loved him since they were 5 but that love grew sophomore year and know matter how she tried to mend her broken heart. Only one raven haired blueish green eyed male with a smile that melted her insides came to mind.
She drank her coffee thankful fate had played a part. Working on her own project. Come nightfall the duo will be back at it.
OK, so I warned @sugarfey that I was going to play in her ‘90s Band AU (which you should read because it is fun and hot and angsty at times Naomi x Drummer). So here’s a little Bobbie and Chrisjen ficlet (Bobbie/Chrisjen if you squint, I guess) set in the same universe.
Bobbie knew that the track she was recording was good. She nearly felt like she did when The Belter Sisters played live -- the beat drove her whole body, drove her bandmates, drove the audience. She knew that her contribution to album would be overlooked by most listeners and critics. They'd be occupied with Camina's guitar and Naomi’s vocals. But she knew that the audience's bodies would crash together to this rhythm; that punches would be thrown on this song's beat.
"That's good, Bobbie." Avasarala's voice cut in from the control room. "That'll be it for today."
Bobbie played on for a few more seconds before bringing her drumsticks down in one last resounding crash. "Woo!" she yelled. She stepped away from her drum set and pulled out a towel. She wiped sweat from her forehead, her chest above the curve of her tank top and realized she didn't know what she where she was going to go next. Julie had gone to a meeting to agitate for undocumented people's rights, which meant that Camina and Naomi were in the apartment alone. She was happy for her friends' relationship, but had no desire to walk in on them. Besides, they deserved some time alone. She supposed there had to be a bar nearby with cheap booze and a decent burger.
She ran into Avasarala in the hallway. She was wearing a deep red suit, gold rings flashing in the florescent light as she pulled out the bobby pins holding her elaborate updo. "Arjun is in New York all month and I'm sick of eating alone. Come have dinner with me."
"I'm not exactly dressed for it," Bobbie said, pointing to her ripped jeans and black tank top.
Avasarala smiled and Bobbie noticed that for the first time since she had known Avasarala, the smile reached her eyes. "I'm not going to take you to some shitty restaurant that exists only to be a circle jerk over how we're all so famous and I have to worry if I'm kissing the right ass. We'll go to my place."
Dumbfounded, Bobbie nodded.
*
Bobbie thought that the long drive to Avasarala's house overlooking the Pacific Ocean would be torture. She was pleasantly surprised about how much she enjoyed the other woman's company. They listened to stations up and down the FM dial, dismissing some songs as shit, discussing what worked on others. Avasarala would let out long strings of profanity whenever one of Sadavir Errinwright's client's songs played. She told Bobbie stories about her grandchildren, including the day her daughter called her up yelling about how one of the girls said fuck at school. She was good at getting Bobbie to unwittingly open up, discussing Bobbie's dreams for The Belter Sisters and how she missed her family and New Zealand.
Bobbie looked around Avasarala's living area as she talked to her cook in Farsi. Bobbie walked past the sole gold record hanging in the house ("My first one," Avasarala would tell her later.) and looked at the numerous framed photos of her family. Avasarala joined her, carrying a bottle of wine. "Who's he?" Bobbie asked about the young man who seemed to disappear halfway through the pictures.
Avasarala's smile faltered. "Our son, Charanpal. He died, awhile ago."
"I'm so sorry."
Avasarala cleared her throat. "You didn't kill him. You have nothing to be sorry about." The cook saved them from more awkwardness by announcing that the food was out on the patio.
*
Bobbie relaxed to the rhythm of the waves crashing into shore. The meal was simple - lamb and rice - and probably one of the better ones she's had since they had moved to LA. Avasarala poured more wine into both of their glasses. "Help me to understand Camina," she asked.
Bobbie's unease must have shown on her face. "I'm not asking you to divulge her deepest secrets. I'm trying to understand how the group works and how to get the best music out of you."
"You do this with all the bands you work with?"
"Male groups are much easier to figure out." Avasarala rolled her eyes. "Most either confuse their instruments with their dicks or have mommy issues or both. Simple, but fucking annoying."
Bobbie nodded. She knew she should be wary around Avasarala, the way that Camina and Naomi were, but her gut was telling her she could trust the other woman. "Camina doesn't really let me in." Bobbie traced the outlines of what little she knew about Camina's past, about her life-long friendship with Naomi.
"So the key to Camina is Naomi," Avasarala stated.
"Do not try to overtly manipulate Naomi, though," Bobbie warned. "She hates that and she'll just . . . retreat from you. If Naomi is quiet and withdrawn and Camina is yelling, you'll lose us."
Bobbie looked out to the ocean as Avasarala contemplated what she had told her. Bobbie wondered if her bandmates would view what she had just told Avasarala as betrayal. She sighed. "It's hard to believe that home is on the other side of that water." She was startled when Avasarala placed her hand on her wrist, rings cold against Bobbie's skin.
"When you tour, I'll make sure you have time there," Avasarala promised.
Bobbie nodded. "Do you miss home?"
Avasarala looked away. "Every goddamn day."
Bobbie covered Avasarala's hand with her own and gave it a gentle squeeze.
