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Chapter Text

Gardenias and Eggs

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The smell of gardenias greeted Six as she woke up. And also the crisp sea breeze of the coast.

Six rubbed at her eyes, sitting up and rolling over. Looking for a shirt to throw on and greet her girlfriend outside of the tent they struck up on the coastline of Palma, an island in Spain, her girlfriend’s “home” country.

This was their fourth spot on the tour of Europe, the ones prior being Belgium, France, Italy, and the UK. They had been taking a well-deserved vacation after the shitty war with the Mogadorians, and now could finally relax together. Since it had been Marina’s turn to pick, she decided to visit an old friend before residing in Palma, a place that Marina would often fantasize about visiting one day while she grew up in the orphanage.

Six left the tent, wearing a novelty pair of green alien patterned boxers and a black wife beater. Her girlfriend was making breakfast on the sand, laid out under a towel and letting the eggs cook next to her on a portable grill. Leave it to Marina to be up this early and already making food.

The shorter girl kicked Marina lightly in the top of her head, to which her head snapped up to look at Six.

“A warning would have been nice,” Marina scolded jokingly, getting up and giving the eggs a quick stir before focusing her attention back on Six.

Six only shrugged, hugging Marina. “I like to keep things interesting.”

The two stood together, watching the sun rise. It was a type of peace the girls had experienced a handful of times together, much more coming from after the war than before it. Still, Six could remember how her feelings started to become unignorable. When they sat together on the Skimmer, unknowing if the fight coming up in Camakul would leave them alive or dead, is when Six couldn’t shove any of her feelings down. They kissed, whispered as to not disturb Adam, and spent the night in each other’s arms.

The memory brought a stubborn, but nostalgic smile up to Six, and she moved to kiss Marina again. The taller girl reciprocated, letting out a soft sigh against Six’s lips and letting her eyes slide shut.

The days after Camakul were fast-paced, to say the least. Only after nearly dying back to back could Marina relax with Six. The feeling of not having someone chasing you, or literally wanting to drain your life force was comforting. Marina’s feelings for Six used to be painful, each graze of skin on skin sending an electric shock, but also a dull ache on Marina’s chest. After Eight’s death, it seemed that her life had almost derailed. But Six brought her back. Six was Marina’s anchor.

Marina opened her eyes and took a step back, patting Six’s shoulder and turning around to serve up breakfast.

“Would you mind grabbing some cutlery from the tent? I think I forgot the forks.”

Six gave a salute, going back inside the tent and looking for the plastic forks. But, she saw an envelope sitting on the floor. On it, it was signed “To, 6 + 7. From, 4.” Six grabbed it along with the forks, bringing it back to Marina and handing it to her.

She tore open the envelope, scanning over the contents inside and handing it back to Six. “Think we should go for it?”

Six kissed the back of Marina’s neck, and sat down in the sand. “We’ve got all the time in the world.”

Chapter Text

Marina laid on Six’s chest, in the firm Academy bed that they took up. It was a few days before Christmas, and the pair were invited down to Nine’s Academy to celebrate the holidays together. Six was silently scrolling on her phone- anti-bugged, of course- while Marina was starting to drift off. Then, an article caught the shorter girl’s attention.

“Did you know they’re making a movie about us?”

Marina looked up, blinking at Six’s screen as she settled in next to her on the bed. “What? Why would anyone make a movie about such a traumatic war? It’s only been a year!”

Six shrugged, clicking on the article and scrolling through some parts of it. Then, snorted and showed Marina a picture of her actress. “Look, they’re getting Teresa Palmer to play me. That looks nothing like me!”

The Spanish girl glanced back between the picture and Six, then shrugged.

“I mean…”

“Shut up.”

Marina rolled her eyes, leaning in a bit closer to see what the details were. “Oh, this takes place back in Paradise. This looks nothing like you for the time, I get it. Didn’t you have black hair?”

Six threw up her hands, nearly hitting Marina in the nose. She didn’t flinch.

“Exactly! They didn’t even do their research. Or get our permission to do this anyways. I nearly died and you’re not even gonna discuss what's going on in the movie? Who gave all the details, anyways? Last I remember, most of the stuff of the time was a whole bunch of misinformation about John being a terrorist.”

Marina gave a tired smile, kissing Six and shaking her head. “Such a travesty.”

Six smiled, giving Marina a peck back before scrolling through more of the article. “Hm… they haven’t cast you yet, since the directors are only doing the first film yet. But, there are a lot of fancasts. I just saw this one TikTok saying they should have Olivia Rodrigo play you.”

Marina snorted, shaking her head. “What? She looks nothing like me.”

“Now you know how I feel,” Six murmured, lightly tapping Marina on the forehead before scrolling onwards. “At least the actor for Sam looks kind of like him. But they forgot the glasses.”

“Sam had glasses?” Marina mused, wrapping her arms around Six’s torso with her head in her shoulder. “You learn something new every day.”

“Speaking of TikToks,” Six started, while switching over to the other tab. “I just saw a thirst trap edit of Nine. And apparently there are a lot of women thirsting over either John or me.”

Marina laughed, tilting her head to look at the screen. “Are there any of me?”

“Eh, a few. You haven’t shown up in the press a lot to get enough good clips. Sorry, babes.” Six pressed a kiss to Marina’s nose, and put her phone on the nightstand. Then, curled the blankets around their shoulders like a shield.

Just as the couple was cozying up and getting ready for bed, Nine burst in through the door, waving around his phone with the article on it. “Dude! Did you know they’re making a movie about us?!”

Chapter Text

“She even has a crush on you. Blegh, unnatural.”

Duanphen felt a sharp shock of mortification go through her body. Currently, she was in the middle of a fighting pit where she got beaten within an inch of her life. Just another way Lucas was suppressing her. But through a crack in the floor, Duanphen could see everything.

But now, she quickly sprinted away, putting her head in her hands and internally screaming. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK! Why would he say that! And now Isabela knows, oh god…

Duanphen groaned, knocking her forehead into her hand. She could distantly hear the grunts and smashes of the fight, but she felt like curling up into a ball and dying. Her secret was out. Fuck that son of a bitch, Lucas. Duanphen bit down on her thumb, taking a deep breath. When this was over, she would just tell Isabela Lucas was playing mind games. That’s it. Just… anything to keep the truth from coming out.

But then as Dunaphen’s plan was forming in her head, the world went black with a sharp rush of pain.

~~~~~~

Duanphen woke up in the bay of the Skimmer, feeling a stupid amount of pain in her arm. Instinctively, she cried out in pain. Isabela and Einar’s attention flitting to her, and Ran nearby to give some pain meds.

Einar looked down at Duanphen, giving a compassionate look, but only as much compassion your boss would have for you on a sick day out. “You alright?”

Duanphen gritted her teeth, nodding and trying to assess her injuries. Meanwhile, Einar just nodded and looked down at the tablet in his hand. “Good. We should be able to get you to a healer soon and fix you up. Though, Five stitched you up.”

Duanphen glanced down at her arm, where there were thin lines of stitching in her arm. She felt a cold shiver of dread go down her spine at the idea of Five touching her when asleep. But, brushed it off.

Einar walked away, while Ran got up to get a blanket for Duanphen. Leaving just Isabela and her in the bay of the Skimmer.

“Look, I-“

Isabela cut her off with an arch of a well-manicured eyebrow, kneeling down in front of Duanphen. Then, without warning, kissed her on the lips.

After being there for a moment, Isabela pulled away. And Duanphen was too shocked to say anything.

Isabela flashed her a bright smile, and waved Duanphen goodbye while walking out the door. The blood roaring in her ears made it hard to hear much, but she was sure she caught one thing.

“Good thing Lucas was there- or I’d still be dropping hints.”