It was, absolutely, one hundred percent, a dirty move--it just also happened to be exactly the right one to make. One glance at Penny's huddled form, feeling the tremble in Asher's hand, and finally, looking up at her second's face--she could see the fear behind the calm. Smell it in the air. Feel it running off of them in waves. Fear of the attack, fear for her, but also--however great or small it may be--of her.
That was wrong. They shouldn't be afraid of her. Respect her...but she didn't want their fear, she wasn't like Gunner.
Especially not them. Never them.
And just like that, the Haze and the strength she drew from it slipped from her grasp. She shifted her arm in Asher's grip so she could hang on to him, as her knees suddenly felt shaky, and on instinct reached out with her free arm to pull Penny into her embrace. Since she only had so many arms, Asher reached around her to catch the edge of Terry's jeans and pull him into the huddle.
"I'm sorry," Tyleigh breathed, closing her eyes as they faded from vivid gold to hazel green.
"For what," Asher huffed shakily in disbelief. "Saving our lives? Taking like three assassins on by yourself?"
It was seven...but who was counting. And who cared? Tyleigh shifted her grip on Asher to reach up and curl a bloody hand around the back of his neck, pulling him for a kiss, her heart thudding with the dredges of adrenaline spiking anew, for different reasons.
Mine. Ours. No more fighting. No more hiding. Mine.
Asher's eyes widen for a split second before fluttering shut, the moment Ty's lips sealed to his, like...like a dislocated joint being yanked into place. He'd thought that he understood before, but now...he could see it, feel it so deep down in his bones--this was what it meant to be truly complete. Every piece in place. Even the stroke of her thumb over his cheek, wet and sticky with drying blood, felt like...like something reverent. An anointment.
He was dazed as Tyleigh eased back and turned into Penny to kiss her as well--and his awestruck expression faded with a blink as his inner fourteen year old boy's lizard brain jumped to attention. Horny, horny, attention.
Like, this was a big moment. For all of them. Emotionally. But also...pretty girls kissing, hot.
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That was wrong. They shouldn't be afraid of her. Respect her...but she didn't want their fear, she wasn't like Gunner.
Especially not them. Never them.
And just like that, the Haze and the strength she drew from it slipped from her grasp. She shifted her arm in Asher's grip so she could hang on to him, as her knees suddenly felt shaky, and on instinct reached out with her free arm to pull Penny into her embrace. Since she only had so many arms, Asher reached around her to catch the edge of Terry's jeans and pull him into the huddle.
"I'm sorry," Tyleigh breathed, closing her eyes as they faded from vivid gold to hazel green.
"For what," Asher huffed shakily in disbelief. "Saving our lives? Taking like three assassins on by yourself?"
It was seven...but who was counting. And who cared? Tyleigh shifted her grip on Asher to reach up and curl a bloody hand around the back of his neck, pulling him for a kiss, her heart thudding with the dredges of adrenaline spiking anew, for different reasons.
Mine. Ours. No more fighting. No more hiding. Mine.
Asher's eyes widen for a split second before fluttering shut, the moment Ty's lips sealed to his, like...like a dislocated joint being yanked into place. He'd thought that he understood before, but now...he could see it, feel it so deep down in his bones--this was what it meant to be truly complete. Every piece in place. Even the stroke of her thumb over his cheek, wet and sticky with drying blood, felt like...like something reverent. An anointment.
He was dazed as Tyleigh eased back and turned into Penny to kiss her as well--and his awestruck expression faded with a blink as his inner fourteen year old boy's lizard brain jumped to attention. Horny, horny, attention.
Like, this was a big moment. For all of them. Emotionally. But also...pretty girls kissing, hot.