“Have a good night,” Ava leaned against the door, guiding the last remaining stragglers out of the bar “I’ll see you tomorrow”
It was nearing 3 in the morning, the quiet chatter of the drunk bar goers echoing in the dimly lit streets. Ava lingered near the door, watching for a moment or two as the regulars disappeared around the corner. She had grown used to spending the majority of the late night hours desperately trying to convince them to leave. They always seemed to be celebrating something, the close knit group almost always cheering and excitedly dancing the night away. Ava wished for that, the freedom to drink and dance without worrying about what could happen the next morning. She was young, this was the time in life where she was supposed to be staying out all hours of the night, kissing strangers, dancing to whatever music was playing, drinking whatever she could get her hands on. But no, she had somehow stumbled her way into the OCS, and was destined to fight demons. It was an even trade off if it meant getting a second chance at life, but she couldn’t ignore those moments when all she wanted was a sense of normalcy.
“That’s everyone,” She called over her shoulder, happily smiling at the near empty bar “Hans run while you can,” Ava gestured dramatically towards the door, laughing at her own humor as Hans silently excused himself from the building. “one of these days I’ll make you laugh, you’ll see”
Hans was a tough nut to crack, a challenge Ava didn’t take lightly. She understood his hesitance, especially when it came to her. If the roles were reversed and she had been working away for years just to have some stranger come in and get promoted to manager, she’d be pissed too. Bea deserved it, she worked hard, day and night to bring some organization to the bar. But then again, Hans knew all the patrons by name, had their drinks memorized and truly loved every single inch of the bar. Ava saw both ends of the dilemma, and while she knew she’d take Bea’s side regardless, it didn’t make it any easier to see the disappointment constantly plastered across Hans’ face.
She scanned the bar from her position at the door, debating if everything would be up to Bea’s impossibly high standards. Surely there were more chores that needed to be done, a glass to be rinsed, a tile to be scrubbed. After going back and forth for what seemed like an eternity, Ava decided it was tomorrow’s problem. It was far too late to be running around the bar making sure everything was clean, her body ached for sleep and she knew without a doubt there was a warm glass of tea waiting for her at home.
Quickly locking the doors, she tucked the keys into her back pocket prepared to drop herself directly into bed when she got home. Despite how late it was, Ava was hoping Bea would still be awake. For the most part she would wait for Ava, but every now and then she’d get home and Bea would be fast asleep, with a book resting against her chest and the tea kettle positioned perfectly on the stove.
“Arhh-” The small yawn turned into an almost animal-like scream, Ava physically shaking her extremities to keep herself awake.
The journey back to the apartment wasn’t long, a few minutes at the most. Ava didn’t mind the walk most days, but tonight’s shift had gone longer than expected and with all the ups and downs it brought, she was especially tired.
There was a shift in the darkness, the distinct sound of crouching gravel quickly approaching Ava. Her reflexes weren’t as fast as some of her sister’s, but in one quick motion she spun to greet the invader. Rather than come face to face with what she assumed would be some demon, she stared down at a pair of warm chocolate eyes, and a toothy grin.
“Hi there buddy,” She sang, squatting down to greet the sweet face “what are you doing out here”
Dogs weren’t her area of expertise, but Ava guessed he was a couple months old. One ear stood straight up, while the other flopped down on his head. His eyes remained fixated on Ava, intently watching her every move.
Ava cautiously lifted her hand to his head, giving him a soft pat “Are you lost?” She searched for a collar, hoping to find an ounce of information “Okay…no collar…no leash…”
The street was abandoned, Ava and her new companion the only two living things in earshot. She was still relatively new to the area, and because of that she didn’t know if this was common. Perhaps this dog lived down the street, and used the night to explore. Or maybe he ran away and his family is searching everywhere for him.
“What are we gonna do?” She paused, as if waiting for him to give an answer “I’m talking to a dog”
As far as her life went, talking to a dog wasn’t anywhere near the strangest thing she had done. Yesterday she had literally walked on water and discussed the correct approach on taking down an ancient douchebag, who framed himself as an angel. That being said, talking to a dog made perfect sense for her.
Taking a final survey of the street to ensure there wasn’t an owner lingering in the darkness, Ava snapped her fingers gesturing for the dog to follow. “Come on friend”
With every step closer to the apartment Ava made it a point to check over her shoulder. He was still there, panting and smiling as he followed along. She hadn’t quite figured out how she would explain to Bea that they’d have a roommate for the night, but it was hard to say no to his sweet little face.
“You’re late” Bea called out as soon as she heard the front door
Ava cursed under her breath realizing her first plan of simply sneaking him in was ruined. “Stay here, I’ll be right back” She whispered to her floppy eared friend, pointing at the doormat “sorry, Fergus wouldn’t leave”
It wasn’t a lie, not completely at least. She was held up for a while trying to get him and his friends out, what happened after that wasn’t all that important.
“Don’t be sorry,” The squeak of the kitchen faucet bounced off the walls, Bea gracefully shaking the water off her hands “I was just getting worried, I don’t like when you have to walk home alone”
Though it was unethical, Bea continually debated if she should align her schedule with Ava’s. It made sense on the surface, they’d have more time to train together, they’d always be there in case something happened. But she knew what it would look like to others, more specially Hans. Everyone at the bar knew she and Ava were roommates, and close friends. If she made the choice to match her schedule with Ava’s she could easily be called out for preferential treatment. And despite the daily back and forth she had with herself, she hadn’t quite gotten to the point of saying f-it yet.
“It’s funny you say that,” Ava wrapped her hand around the doorknob, “don’t be mad” She sent Bea a cheeky smile, throwing the door open to allow her new friend entrance
Bea didn’t speak, her eyes glued to the four legged mutt that invited himself inside. She had seen him around once or twice, his distinctive ears engraving itself in her mind. Every now and then he’d greet her outside the bar after a late night shift, she didn’t think much of it. She’d leave out food to ensure he was eating, and water on the days when it felt too hot for a dog. Beyond those basics, Bea had no other interaction with him, nor did she truly think of him.
Ava lowered herself onto the floor, wiggling her fingers in an attempt to grasp his attention “Look at this sweet face”
“I’m looking,” Bea stated matter of factly, her eyes fixed on Ava rather than the dog “we don’t have time for this”
Despite how hard Ava tried to make it seem, this wasn’t a vacation. Day in and day out Bea worked and plotted to find a solution to the many problems that were arising. Adriel was gaining ground, and the OCS was spread dangerously thin. Any time Beatrice and Ava had needed to be devoted to training and ensuring they were prepared for the unexpected. Bringing a dog into the mix wasn’t part of the plan.
Ava remained on the ground, doing her best to win the dog’s affection. From the moment she opened the door for him it was as if she no longer existed. His eyes scanned the small apartment and fell on Bea, and they hadn’t moved since.
“We can’t have a dog.” Bea spoke sternly, connecting glances with the young pup “Don’t look at me like that” She wagged her finger at the dog, desperately attempting to ignore the hypnotic state of his eyes “Ava,” Bea refocused her attention, assuming it would be easier to turn her down than the actual doe eyed dog “seriously”
Both Ava and the dog shared the same sad goo-goo eyes. It was hard enough for Bea to say no to Ava under normal circumstances, but adding a defenseless puppy into the mix didn't make it any easier. While the last thing she wanted was a dog living in her apartment for the next few days, she knew it wasn’t at all possible to deny Ava of her wishes.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Bea accepted defeat “Fine,” She groaned, shaking her head at Ava “he can stay for a few nights, but you need to find him a permanent home”
“Did you hear that?” Ava celebrated, crawling towards the puppy “You can stay” For the most part, she ignored the second half of Beatrice’s statement, she figured a few days with him and they’d both be hooked.
Bea fought against the smile that had begun creeping across her lips. It had been a while since she saw Ava as happy as she was now. With the ways things had been, the constant worry of Adriel and the lack of news regarding Mary’s whereabouts, there seemed to be more lows than there were highs. Carving out time to have fun and actually enjoy life was challenging, so much so, Bea was seriously considering letting the stray stick around for as long as Ava needed.
“Your tea is on the stove,” Bea pointed towards the kitchen “it might need to be warmed”
Ava tapped her fingers against the floorboards, pulling for the german shepherd's attention. With all the excitement that had erupted, she had almost forgotten how late it was. And despite how much she wanted to remain in place, playing with her new friend, sleep was beginning to call out for her.
“Thank you,” Fighting back a yawn Ava tiptoed towards the kitchen “you’re my favorite person, you know that right?” She took a sip of the tea, humming contently as it crossed over her lips
Bea nodded nonchalantly in response to Ava’s compliment. Every night was the same in that sense. She’d prepare tea for Ava, knowing how much she secretly loved the delicate drink. After just one sip Ava would sing her praises, sending Bea an assortment of compliments to boost her ego. She tried her best to act unaffected, but Bea’s heart fluttered each and every time Ava sent a good word her way.
Ava slurped down the rest of her tea, gently balancing the cup in the sink. “I’ll clean it in the morning,” She promised, already knowing Bea would pester her about it “what time am I scheduled tomorrow?” She quickly shifted the topic as she made her way towards the bathroom
“The schedule is posted in my office, why didn’t you check before you left?” Bea approached the bed, pulling the comfortable down “I don’t know why I bother printing it if you’re just going to ask me every day”
“You’re better than me at remembering,” Ava muttered, toothpaste slipping out of the corner of her mouth “plus you’ve been scheduling me differently lately” She spit into the sink, peeking out from the bathroom “we never work together anymore”
Bea was hoping she hadn’t noticed that slight change. Normally, they’d have overlapping hours. Bea would open up the bar, do inventory, quick clean ups, small things like that. Ava would typically come in before the afternoon rush, and the two of them would have a few hours to work together before Bea left. The last couple days have been different. While Bea continued to open the bar and keep things running smoothly, she made a concerted effort to keep from working with Ava.
“I know, I just don’t want people thinking I’m favoring you” Bea lowered herself onto the mattress, tucking her self beneath the heavy blanket
It was the quickest excuse that Bea could muster up. While it technically was partly true, it didn’t fully explain the separation. Bea had noticed it about a week ago, or rather a customer had noticed it. Whenever Bea allowed herself to work with Ava, she became distracted. While working on last week's schedule, she sat staring at Ava for nearly twenty minutes, until a customer broke her from the trance. It had become too easy for Bea to get distracted, and thus she was slowly forging a wall between them.
“Screw them,” Ava teased emerging from the bathroom, “I am your favorite, let them be jealous” She launched herself into the bed, knocking her shoulder against Bea’s “I miss you, it’s boring without you there”
Bea refocused her attention onto the lamp on the nightstand, ignoring the mesmerizing look that Ava was sending her way.
“I’m taking your silence as confirmation that I’m the favorite,” Ava laughed at her words, kicking her legs out underneath the comforter “uh–where–” Her eyes shifted around the apartment
“Have you lost the dog already?” Bea paused, taking a moment before flicking off the light
Ava kept her eyes moving about the space, searching for any sight of the pup “No,” She lied, biting down on her bottom lip “I just misplaced him”
Bea exhaled, nodding her head towards the edge of the bed “Ava”
All eyes were on the dog, his tail wagging happily as he stared up at the bed. Ava tried not to be jealous at the fact that he had positioned himself on Bea’s side of the bed, his wishful eyes glancing straight into her soul.
“I think he likes you,” Ava grinned maneuvering herself on the bed so she was sprawled out across Bea’s legs “can he sleep with us?”
“No” Bea answered far faster than she intended to, Ava’s face dropping at the sudden disapproval “Fine-fine” She backpedaled “Just for tonight”
Ava let out a happy giggle, reaching down to grab the dog. “This is exactly why you’re my favorite” She closed the distance between her and Bea, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek “goodnight”
“Good-goodnight” Bea sputtered momentarily stumbling over her words
She felt her breath hitch in the back of her throat as Ava pulled their bodies closer, resting her head on her chest. She had grown used to having Ava intrude into her personal space, the halo bearer not at all interested in maintaining any amount of distance. Her body was frozen under Ava’s touch, consciousness only returning to her once she felt the cold chill of the puppy’s nose as he wriggled comfortably into the tight near nonexistent space which floated between her and Ava.
Just as soon as Ava had fallen asleep, it felt like the alarm rang out five minutes later forcing her to start the day. Ava was far from a morning person, her body simply not wired to wake up before noon. She figured living with Bea would change her, considering she was up at 5 everyday. And while Ava had some hope that she’d learn how to appreciate the mornings, she hadn’t quite picked up that skill yet.
“Sitz,” Bea’s faint voice drew Ava’s attention “good boy”
Though she longed to stay hidden under the covers, Ava forced herself onto her feet. The apartment was filled with the smell of bacon, a faint smoky coverage extending itself into the bedroom.
Ava grabbed the throw blanket off the bed, wrapping it around her shoulders “Morning” She groaned, yawning loudly as she entered the kitchen
“Oh, hi” Bea cleared her throat, clasping her hands behind her back “I didn’t realize the time,” She threw a look over her shoulder, double checking the clock flashing on the stove “I should get ready for work”
“But-” Ava opened her mouth to protest, Bea already disappearing into the bathroom without hesitation “okay?” She sighed, pouting slightly as she treated herself to the small plate of bacon
Despite how often Ava woke up late, she had gotten used to being greeted by Bea. They would sit together, even if it was just for a few minutes, the two of them rattling off their plans for the day. Ava liked their morning routine, while it almost always ended with Bea dashing off to work, she sank in the comfortability and normalcy it brought to her life.
“You think it was something I said?” She asked in between bites of bacon, her eyes drifting down to the uninterested dog “Okay, definitely something I said” Ava watched in disbelief as the pup dashed away, trotting happily to the bathroom door
Without a word, Bea cracked the door open just enough to let the dog slide through. Ava could see what was happening, just one night with the dog and Bea was already falling in love. She figured it would happen eventually, although she thought it’d take longer than a few hours.
“Don’t forget you work at 12”
“Got it,” She stared at the now empty plate, debating if she was hungry enough to attempt cooking something for herself “who am I scheduled with?”
Bea finished rinsing off her toothbrush, “Me” She could already picture the overly enthusiastic grin that would greet her as she exited the bathroom “yeah, I figured you’d be pleased”
She took it upon herself to refrain from informing Ava that the only reason they would work together was because someone had called out. She could see the pure happiness that Ava exuded just based on the fact that they’d have time together. Despite working, living, training and basically existing within two steps of each other, it was as if they could never have enough time together.
“Finally,” Ava smiled, maneuvering herself towards the kitchen sink “do you know how long it’s been since we’ve worked the bar together?”
Bea nodded matching Ava’s energy “An eternity”
“An eternity” Ava repeated, widening her eyes to add extra emphasis “What do you think about Whiskey?”
The sudden shift in conversation thru Bea for a loop, “It’s barely 9 am”
Ava laughed to herself, carefully balancing the newly cleaned dishes “Not for breakfast,” She clarified grabbing the rag near the sink “for him”
Bea followed Ava’s eyes, “You can’t feed a dog whiskey!”
Drying off her hands Ava let out a sigh, giving Bea a moment to get on the same wavelength as her “Not to eat,” She tossed the rag on the counter “for his name”
“Its preposterous to name a dog we aren’t keeping,” Bea struggled to keep a stern voice, “naming him will just make you feel more attached”
Ava smiled to herself knowing full well that Bea was clearly already attached to the pup “He needs a name”
Despite the fact that Bea wasn’t much of a drinker, Ava was hoping she’d approve of the name. There was something about his eyes that screamed Whiskey, his toothy lopsided grin bringing Ava the same sense of warmth that the familiar drink did.
“Whiskey is a ridiculous name for a dog,” Bea mused, her eyes scanning the excited puppy in front of her “but I suppose it’s better than nothing”
Not that she would admit it outloud, but Bea had also been thinking over names for the pup. She knew having him around wasn’t permanent, but she couldn’t lie, waking up this morning to see him and Ava snuggling up next to her wasn’t the worst wake up call.
Taking a prolonged breath, Bea straightened out her shirt “I’ll see you at the bar?”
Going into work was the last thing she wanted to do. While she understood the idea of laying low, the time and effort her position at the bar took away from Ava’s training and the reality of their situation was more than she wanted to deal with.
“You’re leaving already?” Ava fiddled with her hair, forcing it out of her face “What am I supposed to do until 12?”
Bea maneuvered herself towards the front door, grabbing a jacket from the poorly constructed line of hooks “I don’t know,” She shrugged playfully, a proud smile forming on her lips as she prepared herself to launch the punchline at Ava “maybe do the dishes you promised you would”
Ava’s eyes found their way to Bea’s, doing her best to ignore the smug expression on the taller girl’s face. If she could avoid daily chores, Ava would literally jump through hoops to make it happen. Washing dishes, folding laundry, vacuuming, they were all duties Ava would gladly ignore if she had the choice. It wasn't that she was lazy, or messy, but after some of the things she had been through, little chores like this didn’t seem all that important.
Dramatically resting herself against the counter, Ava laid the back of her hand on her forehead “I don’t know how I’m supposed to do this all by myself”
“Oh, she’s feeling funny today,” Bea teased stifling her laughter as she and Whiskey watched Ava continue to play out her dramatics “don’t forget to make the bed”
Knowing she’d be tempted to stay if she waited around any longer, Bea forced herself from the apartment. Living with Ava had not been like what she imagined it to be; not that she imagined it frequently or anything. When she first learned they would be stationed together, Bea assumed their days would be spent training and planning for the next battle. And while that was true sometimes, for the most part her Ava spent their days working, exploring and simply enjoying their time together. It was those moments that she would miss the most when they would eventually have to return to the battlefield. After spending so many years enthralled in the fight against good versus evil Bea had truly forgotten what it was like to take a step back and breathe.
The rest of the work day faded away with each passing minute. Bea had spent so long avoiding working with Ava that she had forgotten how quickly she made the shift go. Between Ava’s constant jokes, and semi-distracting nature it was as Bea blinked and 8 hours had passed.
“I’m just saying by all accounts I’d be considered one” Ava held the door for Bea, throwing her apron over her shoulder
Bea pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail “I’m not saying you’re not a superhero, but you don’t suddenly get a new name because you can…” She paused gesturing with her hand “hover”
“I take offense to that,” Ava argued “I do way more than hover.” Instinctively she reached out to link her arm with Bea’s “Didn’t you see me run on water the other day?” She wasn’t ready to let Bea forget about the skills she had shown off at their latest training session “I don’t want to toot my own horn but I don’t think Jesus could even do that”
“Don’t bring him into this,” Bea pleaded not wanting to get into another back and forth about who Ava had lovingly begun referring to as the Gandalf in the Sky. “I am very impressed with your skills, you’ve definitely been improving”
“I’m sensing a but” Ava groaned, instantly picking up on Bea’s uncertain tone
Despite how confident she allowed herself to appear, Ava knew she wasn’t ready to face Adriel. If their last meeting was any indication of how things would go, Ava found it hard to place any faith in her skills. Truth be told it was one of the reasons she was planning on fighting so hard to keep Whiskey around. It was obvious Bea liked him, and worst scenario if things went wrong at least she would have his sweet face to keep her company.
The pair approached their apartment, their arms still firmly intertwined together “but” Bea added sliding her free hand into her pocket to retrieve the keys “you still have a long way to go, before you’re ready for Adriel”
“Please,” Ava mused finally unlocking her arm from Bea’s “I could kick his ass any day any time” She threw up her fists, faking a boxing match “look at this form”
“Your elbow is too low,” Bea eyed Ava for a moment before turning her attention on the lock “plus you need to move your right foot back”
Ava scrunched her eyebrows, staring down at her stance in utter confusion. It seemed almost impossible for Bea to be good at everything, but everyday she continued to surprise her. If she were anyone else, Ava would have been jealous, but since it was Bea the only thing she was, was incredibly and inexplicably proud.
Bea swung open the apartment door, quickly hanging up her jacket. She bit the inside of her cheek as she watched Ava stumble inside, carelessly dropping her jacket on the floor directly below the row of open hooks. It was moments like this that Bea realized how different they were from each other, and while it may have made things harder for them, she learned early on that their differences was what made them work so well together.
“Look at how cute he is,” Ava spoke in a baby voice, tiptoeing towards the bed “all curled up in our blankets”
Both Ava and Bea had made countless trips back and forth between the bar and the apartment throughout the day to check in on Whiskey. It wasn’t until Bea found herself trudging to the apartment for the third time that she realized how excited she was to see the puppy. Only a day had passed since welcoming him into their home, but Bea adored his mushy little face more than she could even explain.
“What do you think about a movie night?” Ava was already buried underneath the blanket, her head positioned directly beside Whiskey “We could just postpone training to tomorrow”
Bea placed her hands on her hips, frowning at the pair in front of her. She was responsible for Ava’s training. It was up to her to ensure they were prepared for Adriel when the time came. And while it was clear that Ava had made an impressive amount of progress, it was a far cry from where she would need to be to truly end the threat that was Adriel.
Whiskey gave a quiet yawn, Ava practically crying as she watched him flip onto his back “Bea, please” She begged, pursing her lips “I’ll even let you pick the movie”
Bea sucked in a deep breath “Fine,” She grinned happily “make some popcorn while I change, I’ll think of what movie to watch”
The utter glee on Ava’s face was unmatched. She had learned to have fun with their training sessions, honestly anytime spent with Bea was fun for her. But having a night in was well deserved for the both of them.
“This is gonna be amazing” Ava cheered, carefully tossing herself back into bed, balancing the popcorn between the two of them as she rested her head on Bea’s shoulder “So? What are we watching?”
Bea never meant for this to become a tradition, but then again she never meant for Whiskey to stay longer than a night. After what seemed like countless nights of their makeshift family hiding away from the world, taking in as much trash tv and mediocre movies as they could, it changed. Suddenly it was just Bea and Whiskey, the two of them waiting impatiently for Ava to return from whatever realm she had been thrust into. Bea knew it was only a matter of time before Ava came back, and if meant waiting months, or even years, she would wait. Until then she would watch after Whiskey, because as much as she hated to admit it, Ava was right, they needed a dog.