Work Text:
Movie night. Her team’s little tradition for some time now. The games are finished and Makoa or Ajay get their living rooms ready for guests.
The guests have cycled. Used to be anyone could be invited. But now, it’s almost always her people. Makoa, Ramya, Ajay, Loba. Silva never comes; he thinks it’s too boring. Sometimes Ajay will get Renee and Natalie in on it too. But even then, that’s rare.
Tonight, it’s just her people. Her team is who she likes to be around most, so it works for her.
The group is at Ajay’s tonight. Her living room is big enough for a gathering and she’s splurged a bit for a big screen to watch on. Everyone has their spot. Ajay has a big armchair in the corner that Makoa takes. Ramya plays out on the loveseat or, occasionally, on a bright pink bean bag chair that Ajay has. The couch is left to Loba, Ajay, and herself.
Anita likes that part, honestly. Most often, Anita finds herself with Loba on one side and Ajay on the other. Both prefer leaning on her as opposed to the arms of the couch. By the end of the movie, Ajay has tucked herself under Anita’s arm and Loba has laid claim to the other. Sometimes she’ll mirror Ajay and be tucked under it. Other times, she’ll have grabbed Anita’s hand into her lap. She plays with her fingers with her eyes on the screen.
There are times Anita can’t focus on the movie because of it. The attention these women give her has always made her more flustered than she’d like to admit, but it’s not like she can’t dish it back. The absolute pride she finds in surprising either of them with a flirty line… Both seem well affected when she drops her voice low.
As the movie ends this time round, Ajay and Loba are both asleep. Makoa offers Anita help. Ramya makes a joke at her expense. Anita sends them both off, letting them know she’s going to give the women another ten minutes before she disturbs them.
They depart, leaving Anita on the couch.
She leans her head back to wait. Loba and Ajay had been exhausted at the beginning of the movie. A bit more rest would do them both good. Anita is tired herself. She’s looking forward to a warm bed. She can head home after she wakes them.
Instead, Anita falls asleep on the couch with a woman on either side of her.
The soldier wakes some indeterminent amount of time later. The clock nearby lets her know it’s three am.
She nudges Ajay awake and fails to do the same with Loba. When Loba doesn’t wake, a bleary eyed Ajay suggests just letting her sleep. She asks Anita to carry Loba to bed, assuring her they’ve slept beside each other before. The woman seems mostly asleep, but Anita isn’t terribly awake either.
Loba is placed carefully on Ajay’s bed-- much larger than Anita expects. Ajay practically collapses into it. Before Anita can head out, Ajay hooks a hand on her arm and tells her she can sleep here too.
Anita doesn’t question it. Why would she? Sleep beside two women she cares about… Even better in practice than theory. Better in bed than on the couch too.
As Anita falls back asleep, she can’t help but hope this becomes part of the tradition that is movie night.