Revenge
After she turned the corner, Mari slowed down to assess her new surroundings. She crept through the hallway and slowly peered into each new room until she caught a glimpse of that familiar red plugsuit.
Asuka was in the lounge with the vending machines. Mari watched from the corner of the doorway as Asuka paid for a drink. But before she could open her cold treat, Mari had snuck behind her and gently tugged on a half-pigtail. In less than a second, multiple things happened: Asuka's head tilted backward, causing the cat-ear cap to fly off, her unopened drink was launched out of her grip, and she let out a sharp yelp. Her hands fumbled to catch the slippery can.
Mari couldn't stop laughing as she knelt down to retrieve the hat.
"Now it's my turn to ask: what the hell was that for?!" Asuka snarled as she turned around to face her partner. Mari stood up, brushed off the cap, and made a downwards motion with her free hand. Asuka complied, tilting her head down so Mari could put the cap in its proper place. As she did so, her hand drifted down to gently stroke the same lock of red hair she had grabbed mere moments ago. When Asuka realized what the brunette was doing, she quickly turned her head away.
"I pulled your hair 'cause you pulled my hair. It's simple, petty, harmless revenge. I thought it'd be funny and I was right! You're cute when you're startled, princess. But tell me, why'd you yank at me in the first place?"
Asuka pouted and continued to avoid Mari's gaze. She placed her drink on the ground and sat down onto a bench. "You were late to the meeting! And when you finally did show up, you didn't sit with me! We're pilots, we're supposed to sit together, so everybody knows, or whatever…" she trailed off. "Afterwards I went searching for you to give you a piece of my mind. But when I saw you weren't alone I kind of… panicked."
Mari lowered herself onto the bench, her palm flat against the surface. She turned towards Asuka. There were only a few inches between them.
"You messed up my hair 'cause you just need a little attention, is that it?"
Asuka only gave a curt nod.
Mari scooted closer down the bench. One hand went to stroke Asuka's hair again, the other to cup her cheek and turn her face so they were staring eye to eye. Or, they would be, if Asuka hadn't shut her eyelid tight. "Look at me?" Mari coaxed. Asuka simply shook her head and turned her chin upward. Oh, Mari thinks. I know what you want, princess.
Mari gave a gentle tug to Asuka's hair once again, this time using it to pull the redhead towards her and close the distance between their lips.
The kiss was short, but when they parted, Asuka's breaths were fast against Mari's cheek. Mari couldn't help but smile while she reached upwards to remove the cat cap and placed it further down the bench as to not get in their way. With the obstruction gone, she ran both hands through Asuka's hair. As she did so, a content sound escaped Asuka's throat. The two finally looked at each other. "You know," Mari began, twirling red hair between her fingers. "I'll always be there for you when you need me, right?" She pulled downward, ever so slightly. "Just give me the signal."
In less than a second, multiple things happened: Asuka pulled both of Mari's pigtails towards her, Mari slammed one hand back onto the bench to prevent herself from knocking down Asuka, and the two shared a much deeper kiss than the first.
By the time they were finished, Asuka's forgotten drink was no longer cold.