Wren once again found herself at BLINK karaoke bar.
Guardian Ebej had dismissed her for the day, saying that her presence at Yael’s event was “too distracting.”
She didn’t know what he was on about.
None of her fans had come up to ask for a photo or an autograph.
How was she distracting?
She had asked Naz what she thought, but didn’t get a solid answer.
Nonetheless, Wren was forced to make other plans.
It wasn’t all bad though.
Now she had time to catch up with an old friend.
Wren stood on her toes, looking around the lobby for a head of copper hair.
But she didn’t see Monica anywhere.
Maybe I should call her?
“Dove!” A voice called.
Only one person called her that name.
Wren barely had time to turn around before Monica rushed forward and wrapped her in a hug.
She was warm and smelled like cinnamon.
It always reminded her of their shared childhood.
Monica released Wren from the hug, but kept her at arm’s length, beaming, “How have you been darling? How’s your sister?”
“Things have been absolutely crazy,” She said. “We have so much to catch up on, but first—”
“Shots?” Monica finished for her.
Wren grinned, “Shots.”
———
The first shot burned all the way down.
Monica’s lips puckered, “This is worse than I remember.”
“It’s been a minute since we’ve gone drinking together.” Wren said, passing her a second shot glass. “We’re out of practice.”
Pink and yellow lights danced across Monica’s face, her eyes filled with mirth and a vibrant sunset.
She accepted the drink, chuckling, “Is this your way of saying we need to hang out more?”
“Oh, absolutely.” Wren knocked her glass against Monica’s and they tossed them back together.
Monica was one of the few people Wren felt comfortable drinking with.
When she went out with other ZYNE trainees, she would only have one drink, and it was always something light on alcohol.
She needed to have complete control over her words and actions.
Drinking loosened lips.
Lowered inhibitions.
It would be too easy to slip up and give another trainee ammunition to use against her.
Wren felt a little more at ease drinking with her classmates.
She didn’t have to keep her guard up, or worry that a scandal could come out of anything she said or did while drunk.
But the second time she drank with them, about five shots in, kissing Naz on the mouth started to sound like a perfectly reasonable thing to do, and Wren resolved to never get drunk in her presence again.
Since then, Wren only got drunk with Monica, which was always a good time.
Probably because they were the same kind of person with a few drinks in them.
Wren slammed her empty glass down on the table.
The burn wasn’t as sharp this time, but her eyes still watered.
“Fuck. Okay, okay, one more.”
Monica handed her the final shot glass, spilling some of it over the rim “For good luck.” She said.
Wren nodded, “For good luck.”
They clinked their glasses and knocked back the last of the clear liquor.
It was a ritual for them.
Three shots for good luck.
Wren couldn’t remember exactly how it came about.
Monica couldn’t either.
They ordered food, a bottle of lighter liquor, and some mixed drinks.
Wren’s was dark red and fizzled on her tongue, equal parts sour and sweet.
Monica’s was frozen and bright purple.
The same shade of purple as Isla’s hair.
Wren smiled to herself.
The two chatted for a while, catching each other up on the latest happenings in their lives since they last spoke.
A medley of songs faded in and out as the karaoke machine cycled through its tracks on offer.
After paying for another hour of their session, Wren finally asked the question she’d been holding back.
“How are things with Isla?”
Monica cheeks turned bright red.
“Huh? Uh, well—”
Even after all these years, bringing up Isla was still the easiest way to fluster her.
Monica looked away, “Things are… fine. Just like they always are.”
“Boo, that’s boring.”
“Sorry my endless pining isn’t exciting enough for you.” She said flatly. “It’s not going to change.”
“But it can change. Just tell Isla how you feel!”
“Why? I know she would reject me.”
“She wouldn’t reject you.”
“How do you know?”
Wren reached for Monica’s hand and looked her straight in the eyes, her tone as serious as she could manage, “Mona — and I’m gonna hold your hand when I say this — Isla has been deeply in love with you for years.”
Monica’s already flushed face darkened further, “W-What?! No way!”
She nodded gravely, “Yes way.”
Monica tried to pull her hand away, “You’re wrong! Absolutely, one hundred percent, wrong!”
Wren tightened her grip, smirking, “The only way to prove me wrong is to ask her yourself.”
“I’m not doing that.” Monica shook her head fervently, “It’s way too risky.”
“Life is risky, my dear Mona.” Wren said. “And sometimes you gotta grab life by the balls until it begs for mercy.”
Monica made a face, “Isn’t that kinda extreme?”
Wren shrugged, “All is fair in love and war. And this is definitely love.”
“I don’t know, Wren. Sure, Isla may like me enough to be friends—”
“—Very close friends.” She interjected.
Monica ignored her, “But am I likable enough for her to love me that way?”
Wren barked out a laugh, “Are you kidding? Of course you’re likable. I had a huge crush on you when we first met.”
Monica choked on her drink, sputtering, eyes wide, “You did?!”
“You couldn’t tell?”
“No???”
Her incredulity only made Wren laugh harder.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because it was so obvious Isla liked you! I wasn’t gonna get in the middle of that.” She said. “And also Naz.”
Monica smiled sharply, “Now that is something obvious.”
Wren rolled her eyes, “Well yeah. I don’t make it a secret that I’m into her.”
“No, no, no.” She shook her head. “Not you. Naz.”
“Great Anakt, you’ve gone mad.”
Monica pounded her fist against the table. “I have not!”
Wren grabbed her hand, another laugh bubbling up and out before she could suppress it, “Mona, you’re gonna get us kicked out!”
She swatted her hand away, aiming to look serious but landing on a pout, “I let you say your piece, so let me say mine dammit.” She said. “That woman is in love with you, Dove.”
Wren’s traitorous heart flipped at the mere thought.
“How can you be so sure she is?”
Now I sound like Monica…
“How can you be so sure she’s not?
That was easy to answer.
“Because she loves Akane, and I am very much not Akane.” Wren said.
“But Akane is—”
“I know.” She sighed.
They both fell silent.
Monica frowned, “You know you can love more than one person, right?”
“Can you love two completely opposite people?”
Wren knew the answer to that too.
She’d seen proof of it in Tov, with Himei and Tallis.
But they were both gone now.
The taste of her drink turned bitter at the thought.
“You can’t know for sure until you give Naz a chance to try. Grab her by the balls or whatever you said.”
Wren coughed hard, pounding her fist against her sternum.
Monica just smiled.
“I don’t want to grab anyone by the balls, especially not Naz.”
“But you want to grab her in other places?”
Wren wheezed, “HELLO???”
“Don’t lie to me! I’ve seen the way you look at her!!”
“And how is that?!”
“It’s like— Ah damn, how does that one song go?” Monica snapped her fingers three times, “Something like ‘consume me, yes me’.”
“I don’t like the implications of this.”
“It’s the truth, Dove. You want her to consume you, or vice versa.”
Wren reared back, “Vice versa?!”
“She invited you to sleep in the same bed, next to her, practically cuddled up.”
“She was just being nice!”
“Naz is not ‘nice.’ She has never just been ‘nice.’ If it were anyone else, she would’ve told them to fuck off and sleep on the floor.” Monica tapped her finger against the table with each word. “She wants you, intimately.”
Her emphasis on the word “intimately” made Wren’s cheeks hot.
Out of embarrassment, of course. No other reason.
“I should’ve told you to grab Isla by the tits.” She grumbled around her straw.
Monica gasped, scandalized, “I would never!”
Wren leveled her with a look.
Monica broke eye contact, “…Okay, maybe I would.”
She snorted, “We got a woman enjoyer over here.”
“You’re one to talk!” Monica countered.
“I do like to talk about women. Well, one woman in particular—”
“So what are you going to do about it?”
Wren sat back and shrugged, “Keep all of my feelings bottled up inside me until one day I die?”
“No, no, none of that! And you’re not dying. You’re going to live forever!!”
“That’s very nice of you to say.”
Monica puffed out her cheeks, “Stop making me lose my train of thought.”
She stifled a chuckle. “Sorry, go on.”
Monica grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Her steadfast gaze sobered Wren immediately.
“Dove, if you really want to be with Naz, you should tell her that. Yes, she loved Akane, but I know that she loves you too. Even if you don’t see it yet.” She said. “But like you told me, you’ll never know for sure if you don’t ask.”
Well, she got me there.
“Same goes for you.”
Monica sighed, “Yeah, I know.”
They were two drunk hypocrites in the same karaoke room.
The thought made her chuckle.
Maybe it was the alcohol, or Monica’s encouragement, but for the first time in years, Wren wanted to try.
What if I just said ‘fuck it?’
What’s the worst that could happen?
She mulled the thought over for another moment, before coming to a decision.
“Alright, one more shot.” Wren let go of Monica’s hand and grabbed the bottle at the center of the table, recklessly over pouring two shots. “I’ll take a risk as long as you promise to take one too.”
She extended her pinky to Monica, just like they used to secure a promise as kids, “I will try with Naz if you promise to try with Isla.”
Monica hesitated, pressing her lips together in a thin line, “I don’t know…”
“Do you trust me?” Wren asked.
“Of course I do.”
“Then trust me on this, okay?”
The apprehension in her watery grey eyes was still evident as she searched Wren’s gaze.
But as the pink and yellow lights eclipsed across her face, bathing her in a warm orange glow, something in her gaze shifted.
“Okay, but you have to trust me too.”
Wren smiled, nodded, and raised her glass, “Here’s to saying ‘fuck it’ and grabbing life by the balls.”
Monica snorted, but raised her glass anyway, hooking her pinky with Wren’s.
“Until it begs for mercy.” She said, clinking their glasses.
The spirit was warm at the back of her throat, like lying in a sun spot outside in Anakt Garden.
She rested her chin in her hand, looking at Monica.
A toothy grin graced her lips in the wake of their liquor sealed promise.
Wren remembered the gap Monica had between her two front teeth when they were kids.
It was gone now, her guardian got rid of it years ago, but sometimes Wren swore she could still see the imprint if Monica smiled a certain way.
Sunlit affection bubbled up in her chest.
“You know,” Wren started, “In our next life, we should just date each other. It would be so much easier than all this.”
Monica giggled, nodding, “Agreed. Next time around, we’ll get engaged as soon as legally possible and have a spring wedding. Maybe in a botanical garden or something like that.”
Wren smiled, the warmth in her mouth spreading across her cheeks, “A spring wedding would be lovely.”
———
Four shots was a bad idea.
Four shots plus two mixed drinks was an even worse idea.
Monica called a car to take her back to her guardian, but the hotel was close enough to the karaoke bar that Wren decided to walk.
Big fucking mistake.
The sun had set hours ago, and the temperature dipped significantly.
Now she was drunk, tired, and cold.
All she wanted to do was lay down and sleep for the next three days.
The closer she got to the hotel, the dizzier she felt. The alcohol was really starting to set in now.
Wren leaned against the elevator wall to keep from swaying.
Luckily, there were no surprise run ins with Yael on her way to Naz’s room.
She fiddled with the key for a moment before getting the door open and ditching her heels as soon as possible.
Her feet ached as she staggered inside.
It was dark, but Naz was still awake, reading under the soft light of the bedside lamp.
She looked over as Wren shut the door behind her, “Where’ve you been?”
“I went to BLINK.” Wren said.
“With Asuka?”
Naz’s tone sounded off again.
Wren didn’t have the capacity to try to make sense of it.
“Nope, I met up with Monica. She said to tell you hi, by the way.” Wren rubbed her hands together for warmth, “Geez, it’s fucking freezing out there.”
She grabbed a shirt and sweatpants from her bag and tossed them on the edge of the bed.
“That’s what you get for staying out so late— What the fuck are you doing?”
Wren paused halfway through taking off her shirt, swaying slightly as she looked over her shoulder at Naz.
Her cheeks had darkened, and she wouldn’t meet her eyes.
…Huh?
Wren blinked, confused, “Changing?”
“Then go to the bathroom?” Naz sounded as confused as Wren felt.
“Ugh, too far.” She grumbled, pulling off her shirt. “I drank too much.”
“Obviously—” Naz made a choked off noise as Wren stepped out of her skirt.
Slowly, the gears started to turn.
“She wants you, intimately.” Monica had said.
Was that really true?
Monica said to trust her.
So Wren would trust her.
“Are… you okay?” Wren asked.
She didn’t turn around this time.
Too cautious to interrupt whatever was unfolding.
Naz coughed once, “Fine. I’m fine.” Her voice was stilted, “I’m… gonna lie down now.”
The rustle of sheets behind her was uncoordinated.
She didn’t even turn the lamp off.
Wren shrugged on her new shirt and pants and took a deep breath.
Liquid courage don’t fail me now.
Without giving herself another moment to doubt, she crawled up the bed and laid down right next to Naz.
“Ooh, you’re warm.” She said, rolling over and wrapping an arm around her.
Naz tensed up immediately, her voice strained, “Wren—”
“Just for a little while,” Wren said quietly. “Until I warm up.”
Naz muttered something under her breath.
She rested her head on Naz’s chest and turned to look up at her through her lashes, “Please?”
The heavy thump of Naz’s heartbeat against her ear picked up speed.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
“I…” Naz looked away, sighed, and hesitantly looked back, “Alright.”
Her voice sounded so timid.
Wren had never heard it like that before.
She relaxed into her newly approved spot and closed her eyes, suppressing a smile, “Thanks.”
“…No problem.”
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Naz cleared her throat, “Uh… so what did you and Monica talk about?”
“We spent most of the time catching up, until I asked about Isla.” She said.
“Geez, those two…”
“Tell me about it.” Wren chuckled. “I can’t believe Monica still hasn’t told her by now.”
“She’s probably scared.”
Wren frowned, “But she doesn’t need to be. Everyone can tell Isla is in love with her, but she doesn’t see it. How could she miss something so obvious?”
Naz made an awkward wheezing noise. “I can’t imagine.”
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The rhythm of Naz’s heartbeat was lulling her to sleep.
“What would you do, if you were Monica?” Wren asked.
Naz didn’t answer.
Wren chanced a glance up at her, only to find Naz already looking back.
Her eyes had an unfamiliar sheen to them, catching the warm light of the lamp.
Wren sighed, biting back the question she really wanted to ask, “Me either.”
Not yet.
But soon.
————————————————————
Wrenica started as a crack ship, but these two and their relationship is so important to me y’all I love them 🥹
Rip Naz thinking Wren is serial dating their classmates by taking them out for drinks and karaoke lmao
Like Naz! Bestie!! She doesn’t NOT want that gay man or that lesbian (even tho she lowkey did at one point when they were kids, but regardless). She’s trying to yuri it up with you!!!
Anyways this is the beach episode.
Monica and Isla belong to @nottoonedin
Naz, Yael, Himei, and Tallis belong to @lookatmysillies
Here, have the rest of the Triumphant fusions I've done so far!
On the left, we have the fabulous Mistress Wraith. They'll be sure to tempt you into madness. (Wing: @unluckiest-black-cat )
In the center we have Rache, the fusion between Wraith and Black Widow, that is, Triumphant Veronica. (My thought process was Black Widow -> arachnid -> arachne -> rachne -> Rache? Rache sounds cool and means revenge). I look at them and see a witch so I'll say they're an excellent manipulator of shadows. (Veronica: @andyfire122 )
And on the right we have Glamour! (Their full title is The Glamorous and their theme is definitely Death by Glamour) Wraith and Triumphant Kage (I think Hellion is his working title) make a very interesting combination. (Kage: @riathedragongirl )
