Chapter Text
"You're gonna be okay, right, Marbles?" Sasha asked softly, already at the door of their shared apartment, bags already packed. It was too late to turn back now, and the weekend long conference was too good of an opportunity to pass up, but it tugged at Sasha's heartstrings to see her lover pad to the door in Sasha's oversized hoodie, hugging her one last time before she departed. "It's one weekend, baby, and you can call whenever you want. You'll be alright. You've got your bus card, right?"
Enfolding herself into Sasha, subconsciously trying to tug her back in the apartment, Marcy nodded. "Yeah."
"Good girl. That'll get you to the library, and the coffee shop, and- hey, if that guy at the bus stop starts messing with you again-"
She cut off as Marcy lifted a hand to her girlfriend's cheek, thumb brushing over her scar. "You're right. I'll be fine."
Sasha leaned gratefully into the contact, and for a moment, they just stood there, frozen, neither daring to break it off, to go their own way. Marcy eventually did, though, not wanting to delay Sasha and have her driving late into the night. Sasha stooped down and sweetly kissed the shorter girl in farewell before gathering her bags and heading out. Marcy watched from the doorway, arms crossed over her chest to fend off the cold and the hole Sasha left as she peeled out, honking once in acknowledgement.
With a deep sigh, Marcy shut the door, hating herself for being so attached. It wasn't all her fault, though, lifetimes worth of trauma bonding you to a childhood crush was bound to result in romance. And it did. Upon returning home all those years ago, the two separated for several years, but you know what they say about absence and fondness. Eventually, Marcy missed LA too much and moved back, eager to start her adult life in the city she grew up in. Sasha was more than willing to let Marcy crash as she gained her bearings, but one thing led to another and Marcy simply stayed. This was home. Sasha was home, she always had been.
Sometimes Marcy felt like Sasha was the only person who truly understood her. Though the blonde was dismissive of her and manipulative as a teen, their journeys changed them, Sasha more than anyone. There was a soft side to Sasha, one reserved for few people- Anne, Grime, and especially Marcy, that made her melt.
As much as Marcy appreciated the fierce, confrontational side of Sasha, ready to fight anyone who even thought of giving her Marcy a hard time, the sweet side was what she fell in love with. The simple gestures, the silent, unwavering protection; remembering where Marcy left her keys when she would forget, holding her hand in busy stores because she knows Marcy hates the crowd and the noise, listening to Marcy babble for hours on end about whatever she's obsessed with on a given week. Doing all of that without being asked. Doing all of that because she cared.
Marcy shuffled back into the kitchen to start dinner, smiling upon seeing a note stuck to the fridge reading, "Don't forget to eat, Marbles. And hydrate! -S". Her Sasha. Always so thoughtful.
As she boiled a pot water on the stove, Marcy's phone began to ring in her hoodie pocket. Expecting Sasha, she pulled it out excitedly, deflating only slightly when the caller was her best friend.
"Hey, Anne," Marcy greeted, popping in her headphones to continue working on dinner. "What's up?"
"Hey, Mar-Mar!" Anne said, cheery as ever. "You sound kinda tired, dude. Don't tell me you stayed up all night again."
"No," Marcy laughed lightly. "Just missing Sasha. And it's only been... ten minutes."
"Oh, right, her conference. Can you believe they asked Sasha to speak, of all people?"
"Well, she's always been outspoken."
"This is true." Anne paused, voice softening. "Hey, you gonna be okay tonight? I meant to ask earlier, but I got caught up at work. Frogs don't stop hoppin', you know?"
"Anne at work. It's so weird being fully fledged adults now. Look at me, I'm cooking dinner and haven't started a fire. At least not yet."
"Should I come over there with a fire extinguisher?"
"No, I'll be alright. One weekend without Sasha. I'll be fine."
"You sound unconvincing, but I'm gonna chalk that up to your tone problem."
"Wise move, Boonchuy." Pouring her pasta in the stove top pot, Marcy titled her head in question. "Wait, why'd you call me, again?"
"Missed my dork. Let's get coffee or something on Monday, yeah? I don't wanna interrupt your weekend, I know it's a good time to work on your comic."
"Oh yeah, my comic." Adding salt to her pot, Marcy sighed. "Well, I gotta focus before I drop something, Anne. I'll talk to you later, okay?"
"Sounds good, Mar-Mar. And I'm serious, call me if you need me. I know how rough being alone is sometimes."
"Don't be silly, Anne. I always need you. Both you of you."
"Alright, dork. Love you, bye."
"Love you."
Marcy hung up, focusing her full attention on making dinner without spilling scorching water everywhere or burning her sauce. Usually, Sasha cooked the meals (Marcy washed the dishes) knowing Marcy wasn't the most coordinated or confident in culinary escapades, and the blonde never shied away from more responsibility. She shouldered everything in her life so effortlessly, or at least, that's how it looked from the outside.
Truthfully, Sasha was deeply scarred, and not just on her face, or even her back, where Marcy (or, Darcy) had cut so deeply all those years ago. Though often shrugged off by the strong, stoic woman, Sasha had her own struggles, especially with sleeping. A turbulent home life led to restless tendencies, and that only worsened on their other worldly journey.
A sleep deprived, frustrated Sasha had once divulged that sleeping alone made her feel like she was back in her Toad Tower cell, terrified and confused in a world she didn't understand. That night, after Sasha tearfully confessed, Marcy stayed with her, held her, as she had every night since. Now, Sasha would again be alone in an unfamiliar city, and the thought unnerved Marcy.
"She'll be fine," Marcy mumbled to herself, cleaning up her meal. She ended up just eating straight out of the pot, so washing dishes was not too overwhelming. "She's Sasha. She can handle anything."
Several cities away, similarly anxious thoughts swam around Sasha's head as she checked into her hotel, yawning from the monotony of the drive. She pulled out her phone as she lugged her suitcase to the elevator, expecting a text or call from her girl, but no dice. This was good, she thought, maybe they weren't codependent after all.
Not that she actually thought they were. They were basically physically attached at the hip, yes, with Marcy latching on to Sasha's back on walks through the city or perching on her lap as she looked over paperwork, but what they had was healthy. Devoted. Unquestioning. Brought along by years of yearning and wanting, waiting for the right time. This was their time, their era, and Sasha wished to spend every moment she could with the little nerd she adored.
"What's one weekend, Waybright?" She said lowly, flopping onto her comfortless hotel mattress. "Who am I kidding? It's forever." Too tired to change but too anxious to sleep, she typed out a text to Marcy.
The notification broke Marcy out of her fugue state, entranced by the work on her tablet. Anne was right, this was a good opportunity to work on her comic with a quiet apartment and no Sasha begging her to come to bed or watch Game of Thrones, but as she sketched, she kept coming back to her sunshine. Doodles of Sasha in her armor, her elegant dual wielded heron swords, her shockingly muscular arms that picked Marcy up with ease. Just Sasha. Her Sasha.
Dragging her eyes away from the drawings, she glanced at the text, just a little message letting Marcy know she made it safely. Even after all these years, simple acknowledgement from a woman like Sasha still made her heart swell, her stomach fill with butterflies.
Knowing she would not be getting any additional work done, Marcy called it a night, contemplating a response as she crawled into her unfortunately empty bed. Cuddling the stuffed mint green newt Sasha gifted her, Marcy snapped a selfie.
Marbles, 11:36 pm: you've been replaced, sunshine
Sashimi, 11:37 pm: glad you've got someone keeping watch. Though I hoped you'd be asleep by now
Marbles, 11:37 pm: I haven't gone a night without you in two years. Cold turkey sucks
Sashimi, 11:37 pm: yeah, I agree. Is it corny to say I miss you already?
Marbles, 11:38 pm: more like relieving. I miss you too
Sashimi, 11:40: try to get some sleep, okay? I know that cartoon you like is on early tomorrow. Don't want you to miss it
Marbles, 11:41: you're sweet. I think I am going to bed, but only if you promise to try and sleep soon
Sashimi, 11:41: promise.
Marcy offered no further response, and Sasha smiled fondly at the idea of Marcy curled up with her newt, probably still in her pink hoodie, safe and sound asleep. Fulfilling her promise, the blonde tried desperately to find rest herself, but as she expected, was wholly unsuccessful.