A/N: This story is a sequel to Dark Fae'ed, which I've also posted here in its entirety. It works well as a stand-alone, so you don't need to read DF to understand it, mostly- but you might get confused as to why there are so many bromances.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, or make profit from unofficially borrowing them. All rights reserved to Showcase, Scyfy, Jay Firestone, etc.,
Violence: As per usual, bloody fights and the occasional decapitation.
Swearing/Profanity: The main character is Tamsin, so yes, expect it in handfuls.
Sex: You know me, if you're looking for smut-y, porn-y goodness you're in the wrong place, but there will be brief scenes of love making between two consenting adult women.
Bromances: Abundantly, yes.
Mush-ball scale: High. Yes, Tamsin is badass and there won't be a shortage here, but love truly softens the heart and I believe we all have an inner mush-ball waiting to get out.
Swag: (see the swearing/profanity clause above)
Comments: Any suggestions, improvements, constructive criticism is always welcome.
Most importantly: I sincerely hope you'll all have fun and enjoy reading this.
Gentle swaying; dull and empty sounds. Eyes opening in chock; vision blurry. Though there wasn't much to be seen in the dark abyss surrounding the woman like a cold blanket.
Pressure compacting against a heavily armored chest; panic settling in as her first breath drew in water instead of oxygen.
Throat and lungs suddenly contracting; one wanting to let the liquid run through its normal course of action while the other desperately tried to push it outwards as if it had been identified as poison.
Pain tore into her shoulder blades like sharp steel searing the delicate skin, tearing through muscles and tendons.
Panicked, disoriented and with no focal point for green eyes to latch onto, Tamsin was, however, sure of one thing: she had to get rid of this armor. Now.
Moving frantically, fingers fumbled with the leather straps that held the protective shell around her torso. Eyelids clamping shut, teeth clenching together, pain travelled to her head and thumped rhythmically on either side of her temple.
Finally, the armor came loose and with it, an extra thirty pounds from her shoulders had been shed. Instantly folding into herself, her knees pressed against her abdomen and her hands clutched to her chest tightly.
Her body almost reached boiling point, or so she thought, before the tension was released all at once. Her back arched in a quick jerk; arms and legs spread as stark-white wings deployed to their full length.
The ache in her chest spoke of the word burning on her lips; Lauren. She wanted to shout, let the pain and anger out, but the vast waters around her prevented it, encased it, muffled it, and dulled it to a barely audible murmur.
The valkyrie awoke, finally able to let her voice surface. Her torso shot straight up, her whole body rigid. A strong heartbeat drummed into her ears, drowning the concerned voice of the bed's other occupant.
A chilled hand came into contact with her back, sending goose bumps all over her body and nearly freezing the sweat that coated her pale skin. Taking a deep breath, Tamsin's disoriented eyes came out of their stupor as she let the air fill out of her lungs slowly.
Another hand touched her skin, this time it was on her face, cradling her cheek. The hand gently turned her head, and faint green melted into warm and inviting whiskey colored eyes. Man, I could really go for a Snickers right now.
"What's wrong, honey?" The soft, sleep roughened voice asked.
"Chocolate? I-erm, I mean," A pause, an audible swallow. "Fine. I'm fine."
"You don't sound fine." Scooting closer to the faintly shaking body, the human pressed her lips against Tamsin's shoulder. "Nightmare?"
Her ego wanted to huff, jut out her chest and proudly exclaim that Valkyries don't have nightmares and that's just absurd! Yet the blur in her mind troubled the tall blond. "I don't know." Pale brows creased. "I don't remember".
"I'll get you a glass of water," the doctor proposed, but just as she moved the sheet covering her body, an arm circled her waist, holding her firmly.
"Don't bother, I can't sleep now." Leaning down slightly, she kissed the head of dark blond hair and moved away from Lauren's warm body. Sliding from underneath the bed sheets, Tamsin stood up and soundlessly walked over to the upright dresser. The tension almost fully left her muscles, leaving nothing behind but a lingering sense that the dream had been far too realistic. Riffling through the neatly folded clothes, Tamsin picked out a pair of navy exercise pants and a loose fitting red tank top.
Sighing softly, the doctor's worried eyes followed her lover's every motion as she watched her slip on the familiar clothing. "Come back to bed, it's still dark out."
Tamsin bent over at the waist, tying the laces of her neon orange running shoes (Lauren was never particular fond of them, but the valkyrie had assured her that if she has to kick someone's ass she'd rather make a bold statement out of it). "Good. There won't be a lot of smelly and sweaty people running at this time." She offered the woman a toothy smile as she approached the bed.
Her voice became more forceful, yet still gentle, as she attempted to reason with lover, knowing in advance she was fighting a losing battle. "Tamsin, you've barely had any sleep. I worry-"
A single hand and knee sunk into the mattress as Tamsin moved in closer towards her goal. She pressed a finger to the woman's lips, cutting her protest short. "Way too much." Replacing her finger with her lips, she tasted and nibbled the doctor's bottom lip.
A quiet moan rumbled in her chest as the valkyrie pulled back and peered down into a pair of eyes shining bronze from the moonlight. "I'll be fine. Rest up, and I'll be back before you know it-with food," was added with an eyebrow wiggle.
Lauren let her shoulders deflate, relenting the fact that there wasn't anything she could say to change the detective's mind. Am I mothering her? Perhaps I should let up; she is a super-human being after all. Ugh, I will have trouble going back to sleep without her next to me though. The doctor ended her mental tirade with a pout. She eyed her lover expectantly as she asked:"Pancakes with Nutella?"
Tamsin dropped her head and chuckled, loving the fact that the answer neither surprised her nor had been guessable. "Done and done." Her tone was definitive and accompanied with a firm nod of her head. They shared a few kisses before Tamsin left for her routine five mile run, not knowing it would be long before their lips would touch again.
Is it unethical to eat chocolate and workout at the same time? She stared at the half eaten candy bar in her hands, not interrupting the pace she had set up from the beginning, pondering on the pros and cons of committing such a felony. The only pro that mattered greatly outweighed every con a health nut could think of: its fucking chocolate.
Besides, there wasn't anyone out here, except the occasional soldier she crossed paths with, and it was still dark out. I never gave a shit what people thought of me, ain't gonna start now, the valkyrie deduced just as the famous Corey Hart song invaded both her ears. She had no choice but to sign along and alter the lyrics, just a little. Okay, a lot.
"I eat chocolate bars at night-'cause I can, 'cause I can-and if you talk shit I'll make you eat it!" The more she got into it, the less she cared how much of a complete lunatic she probably looked like to any passers-by. In a few moments, the detective was half-jogging, half-tip toe dancing like a two-bit gangster along the narrow gravel path.
"And I'll still eat chocolate bars at night-'cause I can, 'cause I can-let's see you try and keep a killer bod like mine!" She started snapping her fingers with her free hand and took a gigantic bite of the Snickers bar.
The tone deaf woman continued signing, while happily munching on the candy. Of course, most of the words sounded like she was reading an Arabic bible with a pillow stuffed in her nose and strangely, that didn't stop her enthusiasm, or stop her from signing horribly loud.
"I TURNED AROUND AND SAID: DON'T YOU PULL A CARROT ON MY CHOCOLATE- OH NO! DON'T-" Silence. The signing stopped, the chewing stopped, and by the grace of the gods, so did the horrid dancing.
Tamsin stood face to face with a grinning beard on legs. "Dyson?" She squeaked, not quite finding her voice. She gulped down the half-chewed chocolate and cleared her throat, trying again. The dear-in-the-headlights look gone, and a scowl firmly in place. "What are you lookin' at, pube-face?"
He doubled over with laugher, she growled…and slammed her knee into his wolf junk and then knocked him to the ground with a charged shoulder block.
The two idiots proceeded to wrestle on the ground, the high sugar percentage running through Tamsin's veins granting her reaction time a noticeable boost. They squirmed, pinched, kicked, bit, punched and attempted to insult each other by using the ancient Chinese technique of name-calling:
"Skeletor!"
"Sheep humping puppy!"
"Only fairies have wings!"
"You have crabs in your beard!"
Eventually, the duo agreed on a tie and would settle this by way of arm wrestling once they would arrive to Lauren's apartment. Before that, however, they made a quick detour to a 24 hour corner store for Nutella and almond milk (after a dreadful half day spent running back in forth between her bed and the bathroom, Tamsin had since then swore off any dairy product).
They both promptly ignored the weird look they received from the clerk and explained they were chasing the white rabbit, claiming it would lead them to Alice in Wonderland.
With their daily dose of theorizing the world's populace done, the two detectives raced to the Doctor's home, the last to arrive would have to cook everyone breakfast in the nude and only allowed to wear a 'kiss the cook' apron.
With the stakes being obviously very high, the valkyrie pondered the cost of having to watch Dyson's naked, yet oddly hairless backside against having to parade herself around naked. She then decided she'd much rather watch her partner awkwardly stumble around the kitchen while trying to hide his wolf junk. Thus, to conclude, Tamsin only slightly cheated by shifting into a dark raven and blazing past the furry, four-legged Dyson.
The two idiots, now back to their human forms, earnestly argued as they crossed the quiet halls that would eventually lead them to Lauren's apartment.
"Cheater."
"You shifted too!"
"Cheater."
"Fine, we can settle this with an arm wrestling match."
"Absolutely not, my fairy friend." As soon as the words left his mouth, hard knuckles came into contact with his shoulder. Rubbing the sore spot, Dyson sent a large grin her way: "We've already agreed that the arm wrestling would be to resolve our literal wrestling match."
"Who made up these retarded rules?" Tamsin grumbled indignantly, knowing the answer, yet dreading hearing it.
The wolf took an elegant bow as he spoke: "You did, O most humble Lady."
"You're a horse's ass, y'know that?"
"Graceful and strong?" The wolf answered, puffing out his chest in an exaggerated manner and invading the blond's personal space.
"No, you stupid Orangutan," pushing him away with a hand placed against his chest, Tamsin turned to him with a smug expression as they arrived to the human's door, both of them stopping just in front. "Unnecessarily large and reeking of shit." Oh yes, so very proud of herself she was, as she scrunched up her nose and cocked her head sideways.
"Uh, Tamsin?" Dyson froze as she watched what was behind his partner, or more precisely, what was not behind her.
"What? Did I hurt your feelings?" Her brows creased as she watched his demeanour grow somber and concerned. "Oh shit, did I really? Dude."
"Tamsin-does Lauren usually have a door?"
"What kind of moronic question is that, Dyson?" The only answer that was given to her was a nod from a curly, Chris Martin-like head. Tamsin turned around and instantly she regretted her action. The door was not missing per say, but just barely hanging off its hinges. From what the valkyrie could see of the apartment could be described as a war zone; Ruined furniture, papers scattered, broken class and blood coating things blood should probably not be coating in normal circumstances.
It was all too much to take in at once, the near sight of the mess sent Tamsin into a complete frenzy. "LAUREN!?" She ran in, canvassed every room in under a minute, the same letters which formed the same word was shouted again, and again.
A hand grasped her forearm and she turned around sharply, only to come face to face with the wolf. She recognized that look in his eye: the stress lines around them and the tension in his jaw. No good news was going to come out of his bearded mouth anytime soon.
"Dyson…" was uttered faintly, yet thick with emotion. Don't you say it. Please, don't say what I think you're gonna say. Her mouth pleaded, her eyes begged while her mind and heart implored it not to be true.
"She's not here, Tamsin. I'm sorry." Dyson recognized the look in her eyes: red-rimmed with both furry and grief, tears not quite knowing whether to be pushed back down or fall over. Two large hands covered her shoulders and he knew that letting go would be her undoing. He was the only thing keeping her apart in this moment, and his next works would have to be chosen carefully, "I smelled fae. I think one of them was Evony."
A deafening shout resounded, along with a string of curses. From outside, all that could be observed of the uproar was a white sectional couch breaking through the patio's sliding glass doors and letting gravity take it five floors down and landing in the middle of the street.
Perhaps Dyson could use a class on how to tell your best friend her girlfriend was just kidnapped by individuals who most likely want her dead or keep her alive long enough to use her as bait. Perhaps silence would be a better option. On the upside, civilians were not injured by Lauren's-formerly Lauren's white couch.