Work Text:
It was barely a week since they moved into their new home at the Cession, only a few miles from Edwin’s house and his auto shop. Thanks to Thelma, who gave an astounding reference about them to the council and the housing developer, they managed to secure that small two-bedroom house with a veteran price. This means Raelle managed to use up most of the army pension money to pay for the house fully while the rest of it was either used to buy some vintage furniture and other necessities that they need to get the house fully operational. Even then, there was still some good amount of money left which the blonde didn’t even hesitate to give to her dad and wife. Though both of them refused, she practically insisted they take it without another debate.
Scylla was meshing up some scrambled eggs on the pan for breakfast when Raelle walked into the kitchen, with her blonde hair dancing freely on her shoulder, wearing a dark blue industrial jumpsuit that she only wore halfway and tied up the rest to her waist with a white shirt underneath. Her eyes and hands were scanning the many opened boxes in the living room and roamed at the pile of books on the end table. When she couldn’t find what she was looking for, the blonde immediately pranced towards the kitchen to find her wife plating the eggs and the toast.
“Hey, Scyl have you seen my wallet?”
“Yeah, I put it in your bag already. With everything else you need.”
When the blonde made her way to the living room to retrieve the bag, she did a double-check just to ensure that she had all the tools she need. “Goddess, you’re a star,” she said after seeing all of them in her bag, plus a few snacks for her to munch on while working.
Raelle walked over to her wife and landed a peck on her cheek from behind before she poured a cup of coffee for herself and tea for Scylla. Then, both of them made their way to the cluttered dining table to have breakfast together.
“Oh shit, I forgot I need to unload the laundry first, or else they’ll smell.” Scylla stood up from her chair instantly and was about to move before Raelle spoke up.
“Oh, I did it already. I hung them up too,” said the blonde after she took a sip of her black coffee.
“You did? Awe thanks babe,” said the brunette with awe on her face.
“Scyl, what did I tell you? There’s no need to thank me for doing the things that I should do as a homeowner and partner.”
Scylla’s lips broke open with a grin, “I know. But can I just appreciate how good of a partner you are? Like the fact that we’re finally doing this? You know, normal, boring stuff?”
Raelle’s lips mimicked her wife’s as well as she gazed at the cerulean blue eyes lovingly. “Of course. Well then, in that case, thank you for making me breakfast for the past five days and making sure that I won’t starve while working.”
“Pleasure’s all mine, Raelle.” Scylla’s head leaned closer to Raelle before the blonde closed their distance and kissed her gently.
When they broke apart, the blonde landed one more peck on her wife’s forehead which gifted her with Scylla’s delightful giggle. Then, their attention shifted back to the food on the table.
“By the way, I might be able to get off work early today. So, are you on for that grocery run? We can stop by that pizza place after,” said Raelle after she took a bite of her toast.
“Oh, we definitely have to go for groceries today, Raelle. We have nothing left. What we’re eating right now is basically the last of what we have,” the brunette replied as she was munching on her eggs.
“Okay, I’ll be back around 4-ish but I’m gonna charmed the hell out of pops so that he’ll let me off earlier.”
“Just say that I need you for something at home. You and I both know that he can’t say no to this face,” Scylla wiggled her eyebrows with a grin on her lips.
“Trust me, it’s not just him that can’t say no to you.”
“Yeah, I know,” Scylla continued to plaster a grin on her face as she took a bite of her toast and gave a teasing wink to her wife who was staring at her with suggestive eyes.
***
It was around noon when Scylla heard a knock on the front door. She knew it couldn’t be Raelle because she had packed her work bag and made sure to put the house key there. And truth be told, she wasn’t prepared to receive any guests just yet because their house was still a giant mess with opened and untouched packages. She tried to stay put in her kneeling position, stopping her hands from rummaging through the boxes so that she won’t make a noise. She thought that if she ignored it and pretend she was not there, the unknown guest would give up and leave. When the knocking stopped, she lets out a relief thinking that the person had decided to forgo their visit but then suddenly the unknown guest spoke in front of the closed front door.
“I know you’re in there, Ramshorn. You better open this door before I blasted it wide open and you won’t have an ounce of privacy with your wife for the rest of the week.” The familiar sound practically commanded.
Scylla lets out a huge sigh and walked toward the front door. After she tore the door open, she was met with Anacostia in a long-sleeved emerald green button-up shirt tucked under her black jeans. The older woman was carrying two paper bags in her hands and she held a smirk on her lips as their eyes met.
“Ramshorn-Collar, Anacostia. That’s issued by the state now remember? Technically, not calling me by that name could be considered a hate crime,” Scylla bantered teasingly after she gestured to the other woman to enter her messy home.
“Goddess, it’s just a damn fucking name. Y’all are so dramatic. That goes for Raelle too,” said Anacostia as she walked around the boxes and scattered items on the floor carefully before she put the paper bags on the kitchen cabinet.
Scylla pushed some of the things to the side so there would be some space for them to walk easily in the house. “Is this your off day? And what’s in those bags?”
“Yep, desperately need it after what happened last month. To be honest, I might need more than just a couple of days,” Anacostia replied as her hands began putting some of the items from the paper bags away into the cabinet compartment and some inside the bare refrigerator.
“And you chose the first day off for a house visit?” Scylla leaned her body backward to the cabinet as she eyed her curiously. Her gaze went back and forth as they followed the older woman’s movement.
“Sterling is in Geneva with Wade for that UNICEF conference. So, I’m bored.”
“So, you decided to buy us groceries to fill that time?” Scylla’s teasing tone was not missed by Anacostia as she stopped in her tracks.
“Oh, so you don’t want it? I could just take them back to my truck. Pretty sure they’re worth like two weeks of supplies here,” the older woman clapped back as she re-focused her gaze on the younger brunette.
Scylla immediately retracted and began to help Anacostia put away the groceries as well. “I didn’t say I don’t want it, okay.” The older woman shook her head and broke into a slight grin as she watched her store the proteins, carbs, and snacks.
“Thank you,” the younger brunette finally said after a few seconds of silence with a soft smile on her face.
“I know you’ll be busy with unpacking and Raelle with work. So, thought I could help out a bit with this,” said Anacostia before she reciprocated the smile.
***
“Has Bellweather and Craven made the house call yet?” Anacostia asked Scylla as she was organizing the books on the empty shelves behind the couch.
“They did help us with the move. Even stayed the night because they got so tired of helping us carry the stuff. We didn’t even sleep in the bedroom, we just splayed out together on the floor in the living room with blankets and pillows. Even Adil and Gregorio joined us. Well, except Khalida. She wanted privacy, she said, so we gave her the guest room,” Scylla smiled at the memory of the sleepover that they had a few days ago as she was placing some photo frames on the console table. “It was kinda fun, actually.”
“I’m glad it was.” The older woman smiled upon hearing that, imagining the chaotic energy that had prevailed with them all being in one room together.
Scylla was gathering all the leftover photos that did not make the cut on the console table. She was actually going to hang the rest of them given that Raelle had already drilled the holes and placed a hook in few places for her to work with. The brunette examined one of their wedding photos which will go straight above the fireplace as it was the biggest and the best one. A smile crept up on her face as she remembered that magical day like it was just yesterday. Technically, it was a month ago.
As she rummaged through the pictures, she found some baby and kid pictures of her wife that Edwin had given her for keepsakes. She also asked for a picture of Edwin and Willa too which made it to the console table alongside a picture of Raelle with her sisters and a picture of just the two of them that her wife had taken while they were at the lighthouse.
But then, her eyes landed on a small worn-out picture of a couple that she hadn’t seen for a long time. She slowly picked it up and traced the feature of the crumpled material on her fingers, as if she was tracing the faces in reality. Scylla could feel the sting in her eyes as tears began to form and begged their way to fall on her cheeks. When she felt like she couldn’t hold them in anymore, she let them fall drip by drip. The first few fell into the photo but she instantly patted the droplets with her maroon sweater in hopes that it won’t destroy the last remaining picture of her parents.
“Hey, this shelf is finally filled. Do you know where I could put these remaining books? Or do you just want to toss them in the storage room?” Anacostia broke the silence as she counted the leftovers that did not make the cut on the bookshelf.
The older woman’s head shifted to meet the back of the younger brunette’s as her question was met with silence. She puts down the book on the couch and walked slowly towards Scylla, not wanting to surprise her. When she stood on her side, she realized that the brunette had tears on her cheeks as she gazed at a small photo in her hand.
She stared at the photo of the older couple for a moment, remembering the time when she gave it back to the younger brunette before she helped her escape custody.
“They would’ve been so happy to see you right now, Scylla,” Anacostia placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“I don’t know about that,” Scylla shook her head as she closed her eyes momentarily, letting a waterfall of tears fall even more on her cheeks. “If they knew what I did, I’m sure they’ll be disappointed because it was against what they believed and what they had taught me. And honestly, I think they should be.”
“Or they would’ve understood. They might not support what you did but you’re their daughter and you will always be.”
“Yeah, that’s the worst part, isn’t it? That they would forgive me in a heartbeat even after knowing the violence and deaths that I caused to innocence. I would have made them throw away what they fought for and believed in just so they could still have me in their life. Maybe them being dead isn’t so bad after all for their own sake,” Scylla’s head remained downwards, still staring at the photo in her hand.
Anacostia gently swayed Scylla’s body so that she would face her. “Don’t say that. They would have forgiven you because that’s what you do for people you love. That no matter what fucked up shit they got themselves into, you just know that they’re worth fighting for and forgiveness is part of loving them.”
Scylla tore her gaze away from the photo for a moment to stare at Anacostia. Her eyes were rimmed red as traces of tears still lingered. “How did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“After what happened with your parents, how did you keep your faith in the military and their stupid, ridiculous rules? How did you keep your anger intact? How did you survive, keeping those pain to yourself?” Scylla’s voice was shaky as each question was posed.
Anacostia lets out a sigh as she leaned the left side of her body to the fireplace. “Who said I did? I was so angry at the military for that damn rule but I think I was even madder at my parents for still having their pride and loyalty intact even on the brink of death. Goddess, I was just a kid, yet they chose death rather than watching me grow up. They put aside their role as parents for the sake of their devotion to the military. How the hell would that make me feel as a twelve-year-old?”
“Yeah, well still didn’t warrant you to join any terrorist organization,” Scylla’s voice was sympathetic and low.
“Oh, trust me. I had my fair share of mistakes. Sure, joining a terrorist group was not one of them, but they were still things that I regretted doing. Especially when they hurt the people that I cared about.”
The younger brunette remained quiet as she waited for the older woman to continue.
“My point is, sometimes anger is needed. Being angry means that you care about something or someone. I had the privilege to channel my anger somewhere healthier and in a safer place. But even then, I almost fucked things up as well. I couldn’t imagine how it would be for you, with your anger, alone in the streets after what happened to your parents. You must’ve felt tired of constantly being vulnerable and broken. I knew because I saw them in your eyes when I first looked at you in the cell.”
Scylla only managed to hum her response as her finger traced the couple’s faces on the photo once more.
“I didn’t say what you did was right. But I understood why. And if me and your wife; the woman who loves you more than this world itself and even her whole family managed to understand it now, I’m a hundred percent sure that your parents, the people who brought you into this world, who protected you, cared for you and loved you, would’ve forgiven and continued to love you without a beat.”
Scylla’s teary eyes landed on Anacostia once more as she nodded her head slowly. She would never admit it to anyone but seeing the younger brunette in tears or in pain would always do something to her heart. She admitted to herself though that she felt distraught every time she saw Scylla get upset. It’s like her protective mode was switched on instantly and she wanted nothing more than to take the pain away or if she could, transferred it to herself. So, Anacostia did the only thing she could offer at the moment which is to pull Scylla in for a warm embrace.
They stayed like that for a while, with Scylla burying her head in the older woman’s shoulder blade as Anacostia’s hand cradled her head in a comforting manner. Then, a few minutes later, they broke apart due to the sound of jingling keys on the front door.
“Hey, Scyl uhh whose truck is that out front?” Raelle sauntered in with her bag pack strapped on her shoulder before her eyes landed on the two women in front of her.
“Anacostia? Hey? What are you doing here?” The blonde let out a slight giggle upon seeing her former drill sergeant standing in her living room. But when her eyes landed on her red-cheeked and teary-eyed wife, her smile was replaced with concern.
Raelle dropped her bag on the floor and immediately walked toward Scylla with worried eyes. “Oh baby, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?” The blonde’s hands captured the brunette’s cheeks as her thumbs wiped the tears away. Then her gaze shifted to their guest. “What did you do to her?” Raelle’s voice was laced with accusation and fury.
“Excuse me?”
“She didn’t do anything, Raelle.”
Both Anacostia and Scylla answered her at the same time. The older woman looked offended when the blonde dared threw such an accusation at her while the brunette’s sad feature was now replaced with a slight chuckle.
“Then why are you crying?” Raelle’s eyes were back on her wife with even more worry.
Scylla didn’t answer but held out her hand that was holding her parents’ photo to her wife. When the blonde saw the photo, she gave the brunette a soft reassuring look.
“Where are you going to hang that?” asked Raelle without a beat.
“I don’t think I will. It’s the only picture I have of them left and I’m scared that it might get ruined later. I’m just gonna keep it somewhere safe.”
“Hey, I can take it to a photo shop and have them restore this and make a copy?”
“They can restore now?” Anacostia’s eyebrows jutted upwards in question.
“Yeah, apparently. Pops have been going in and out of it, trying to restore old photos of us when I was a kid. What do you think, Scyl?” Raelle’s thumb caressed her wife’s cheek softly.
“I would love that, Rae,” Scylla gave her wife a smile as she wiped her remaining tears.
“Cool. We can go after we did groceries.” Raelle pulled away gently as she walked back toward her bag pack.
“Oh, we don’t have to go for groceries anymore. We’re all stocked up.” The brunette’s lips were stretched to the side, plastering a sly grin on her face when she answered Raelle. Her eyes motioned toward Anacostia multiple times.
Raelle followed her wife’s gaze with her eyebrows raised in question. Then, upon realizing what she tried to say, her lips broke open with amazement. “Awe, Anacostia. You didn’t have to.”
“Don’t mention it. Like, seriously. Don’t ever mention this to anyone. Especially to Bellweather and Craven. And if you do Collar, I would make sure that…”
“Wrath will be issued on me, I wouldn’t know what peace is, yadda, yadda, yadda. Yes, I got it. And it’s Ramshorn-Collar by the way.” Raelle immediately corrected her before she continued. “Did you know that you are obligated to call us…”
“Oh, spare me the lecture again, damn it. I don’t give a shit, I would call you the way I see fit,” Anacostia interrupted her before she could continue.
Scylla watched them with a tiny smirk on her face. Her agony and sadness somehow disappear and the burden in her head felt lighter. She loved how Raelle and Anacostia would always know what to say and what to do to lighten her up.
“Can I tell my dad, though?” Raelle asked her again with inquisitive eyes.
“What part of ‘anyone’ you didn’t understand?” Anacostia glared at the blonde playfully.
“Okay, I thought we were going to a photo shop and pizza?” Scylla chimed in, not wanting to let their banter escalate. “You’re joining us for pizza, right?” She asked the older woman.
“As long as it’s your treat, then yeah, I’m in.”