Boxer AU (Anarcia)
Marcia loved having a boxer for a girlfriend, she truly did. She loved the way people would stare when they walked down the street together, how any man who hit on her when they were out would scurry away with his tail tucked between his legs as soon as Anetra came back over, she loved how Anetra could lift her and throw her around without breaking a sweat. More than any of that though, Marcia loved that she was the only one who got to see the soft side of Anetra. She got to go home after a brutal match and hold her girlfriend. She got to hear her sing in the shower, got to admire the way her tongue poked out from between her lips when she was focusing, the secret smiles that broke through the tough exterior for Marcia’s eyes only. Yeah… Marcia loved that she got to keep that side of Anetra for herself.
She didn’t love everything about having a boxer for a girlfriend though. In fact, at the moment Marcia wished her girlfriend were anything except a boxer. She couldn’t help but wince and look away as the other girl in the ring landed a sharp uppercut that hit her jaw so hard the sound seemed to echo. No… the concept of a boxer girlfriend was wonderful, but having to actually see her girlfriend get beat up day in and day out? Marcia could hardly stand that part. But she loved Anetra, more than anything. So if her girlfriend felt better having Marcia there to cheer her on, she was going to come, no matter what. So there she found herself, as she did almost every weekend, her girlfriend's boxing robe wrapped around her slender frame as she watched the match anxiously.
— — — —
Anetra grimaced as she tried to duck away and her opponent's fist came into contact with her jaw in a move she was sure would bruise. The coppery taste of blood in her mouth was something she was incredibly used to by now but it never got any less unpleasant. She dodged out of the way before the girl across from her could land another strike, countering with a few jabs to get herself enough space to land a real hit. She could feel Marcia’s eyes glued to her, and could practically hear her girlfriend’s nervous thoughts spiraling. She wished she could turn to look at her, to soothe her nerves and let her know she’d be alright, but having her back to her opponent wasn't an option, so she tried to focus on holding her own until the end of the round. She was up by one at the moment, with only one round left after this one, and she could already tell this round wasn’t going to go her way, so it was all coming down to the final round.
Really, it was her own fault for letting her guard down. The other girl had been just barely restraining herself from making illegal moves every round, so Anetra should have realized that if she lost focus for even a moment, the girl would pounce on her. But Anetra didn’t expect to feel a strong arm wrapping around her torso, holding so tight she could hardly catch a breath before the girl landed an exceptionally hard punch right below her sternum, making her gasp out and double over, scrambling to try and get her off.
“That's your girl, right? The blondie who looks like barbie?” The girl managed to sneer out as Anetra finally shoved her off, glancing immediately to the judges, only to find them throwing a penalty her way for having pushed her opponent, even though she had clearly been illegally grabbed. Her head whipped to look over to look to Marcia for a split second before turning her gaze back to the other girl in the ring
“I wouldn’t bring up my girlfriend if I were you… I might not be such a rule follower next round” She snarled, feeling pure unadulterated protectiveness and anger curling in her gut at the thought of anyone, but especially this person, daring to say anything bad about Marcia, or perhaps even worse in her mind, trying to take Marcia from her. Her emotions were clear on her face, a look Marcia knew well, a look that made her extremely dangerous, but it only seemed to egg the other boxer on.
“What a sweet little flower she is… I wonder what she’ll be like when I win the match and she comes home with me. I bet she’s a screamer” she purred and Anetra was seeing red, but before she could reply - or beat her to a pulp like she was itching to do, the bell rang, signaling the end of the round. She glared sharply before going over to her corner, immediately moving to where Marcia was nervously fiddling with the silk robe, tugging one of her boxing gloves off her hand as she walked.
“Marcia… Baby, come here. Take my hand. I’m okay, I promise. Breathe” She murmured, trying to shake the prior conversation out of her mind to focus on reassuring her girlfriend. Of course, she had no doubts about Marcia’s feelings for her, or the security of their relationship, but the gall of bringing Marcia into the fight only made her more determined to win, for Marcia's sake. But she also didn’t need Marcia to know about what the other fighter was saying. Marcia stressed enough about these fights, she didn’t need another thing to scare her. She leaned down to catch her in a quick kiss, ignoring the throbbing pain in her jaw and already swelling lip “I’m okay. Just three more minutes and the match is over. And I'll buy you something nice with the prize money…” she murmured into the kiss before pulling away to get a quick sip of water and talk to her coach before the next round.
— — — —
Marcia could tell something was up, but Anetra was like a butterfly, impossible to pin down. So she took the gentle kiss and squeezed her hand tight, not wanting to let go “Hey, Nee. I love you, more than anything. Just come back to me in one piece…” She said softly, pulling Anetra’s hand to her mouth so she could place a kiss on the back of it, leaving a perfect pink lip mark on the tanned skin. Anetra's face softened ever so slightly at that and Marcia felt her heart flutter as she watched her.
For as much as it stressed Marcia out to watch her girlfriend put her own safety on the line night after night, there was no denying it was in Anetra’s blood. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Anetra was in love with the sport. She loved the rush of adrenaline the fights gave her, and the fun of it always outweighed the danger. That was how Marcia knew something was wrong this time. Maybe the average onlooker couldn’t tell the difference, but Marcia knew how to read Anetra's expressions better than her own. She was genuinely upset, tense, and coiled up, ready to spring. The final round felt much more like a real fight than the typical almost choreographed boxing rounds she watched. She could see their lips moving, whispering in sharp tongues too quiet for Marcia to make out.
By the time the final round ended and Anetra was declared the winner, Marcia was certain something had happened. The only time she had seen Anetra fight like that before was when guys would harass Marcia while they were out together. The second Anetra ducked under the rope to exit the ring, Marcia was rushing to her side, throwing her arms around her girlfriend and holding her tightly
“Don’t scare me like that, ‘Netra… You know how worried I get…” she scolded, pulling back ever so slightly and trailing off with a frown. “You're bleeding…” her voice was softer this time, more concerned as she swiped her thumb along Anetra’s cheekbone, wiping away the beads of blood gathering at the small gash she’d gotten there.
“Good thing I’ve got a sexy nurse for a girlfriend then…” Anetra replied instantly, her familiar charming smirk lighting up her face as she sat down on the chair beside them so she could properly remove her gear as Marcia grabbed the first aid kit from her purse.
“Well, you clearly don’t have a concussion, if you’re still flirting with me after that showdown” Marcia giggled softly as she grabbed the antiseptic “This is going to sting slightly, you know the drill. I can only do so much here, you’ll need an ice bath when we get home, or those bruises are gonna be killer tomorrow...”
“Only if you get in with me” She wiggled her eyebrows, only egged on by Marcia’s dramatic eye-roll, biting back a smile at her partner's antics.
“You’re lucky I love you. Those ice baths are a bitch when there’s no injuries that need soothing” She muttered, kissing her forehead as she cleaned all the cuts and scrapes she could see with the antiseptic, placing bandages on them to keep them covered until she could properly patch her up at home “of course I’ll get in with you. I do every time. I’m still gonna complain though.” Marcia couldn't help but smile as she leaned her forehead against Anetra's, just staying there for a moment “I love you. You were amazing out there. My big tough girlfriend. Let’s get ourselves home so I can show you just how proud I am of you…” she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, earning herself a bright glowing laugh from Anetra.
“I can’t think of anything I’d rather do, sweetheart” She chuckled, shifting so she could give Marcia a proper kiss before standing back up to get her coat and shoes on. She held Marcia close by her side as they made their way out to the car, and if she pulled Marcia in for a slightly more heated kiss right as they passed the girl she’d just beat? Well, that was nobody's business but her own.