Duty & Pleasure

"Two cuba libre, here you go boys” 

One could hear the smile Ava had as she served the customers in front of her. 

We really took the right decision staying here.

At the right corner of the bar counter, Beatrice was watching Ava, maybe long enough for someone to notice it, as the Warrior Nun was taking their undercover job very seriously and she dared to say, Ava was enjoying it. 

Upon arriving at this little town and its bar, Beatrice never thought she would be able to relax at all, but here she was, without her habit and looking like a regular young adult, spending her summer away in Switzerland with a friend. 

"And, one earl tea for the old lady trapped in a young manager's body. Congratulations, by the way." said Ava, an octave lower, fondness in her voice.

Beatrice's eyes quickly went from the fuming cup to the face of her friend, who had both elbows on the counter to be as close as possible. 

The news came the very morning, the bar's owner decided that Beatrice and her compartmentalizing skill, carefulness and rigor were perfect for a managing position. 

Thank you, self control.

Ava was looking at her, a huge smile on her lips and pride in her eyes. 

Her gorgeous hazel eyes. 

Her recently cut short hair was tied in a small ponytail and she was wearing her now favorite type of outfit; crop top, small shirt with bright design and denim shorts. 

"Thank you Ava." 

Beatrice replied after a few seconds. It was getting harder to stay focused when Ava looked like this. 

All smiley and cute, yet the mischief in her attitude never fading.

The spark, or as she decided to call it, Beatrice felt when they were training back at Arq-Tech was getting out of control. Obviously spending almost every hour with Ava since then, having time to get to know more of her in both time of life threatening danger and cozy breakfast on a sunny Sunday morning, she was due to become closer to the Warrior Nun. 

Until now she managed to contain that longing in a box, but she could feel its wall getting thinner and it frightened her.

“So, that means I can make you cut my morning shift right ?”

“No special treatment Ava, we need to keep the act. But it might be easier to program our training sessions now that I can manage our schedules here” Beatrice said with a knowing smile.

“Ugh, bummer.” Ava made a face. 

Her stamina grew a lot, but it didn’t mean she liked to run and do cardio for hours. Beatrice was a strict teacher, but she also knew how to be patient and was overall impressed by Ava’s determination and progress in a matter of weeks. Sure enough, having an angel halo on her back enhancing her capabilities helped a lot, but Beatrice knew Ava was finally taking her Warrior Nun role seriously, driven by her new sense of leadership but also revenge.

Their training took a lot of their time, and they certainly did not help Beatrice to tame her crush. Again, boxes. And she gladly put her focus on her duty to train their leader for the battles to come rather than noticing how her body and mind would react everytime she would have Ava on a chokehold.

“Oh I know, we should celebrate! " The Warrior Nun continued, wiggling like an excited puppy, taking Bea’s left hand with her own, her smile even brighter.

Just like that, the two of them were in their bubble. Beatrice noticed how quickly they could forget about the world around them, how any mundane talk could be entertaining, thrilling even. Ava was easy to talk with,and her glee for life was contagious.

"You want to celebrate the fact I can officially boss you around?"

“No silly, you don’t need a manager title to do that. I thought maybe we could grab something to eat tonight. We’re both off, remember ?”

“Now you’re just using my promotion as an excuse to go out.”

Ava pout at that. 

Oh, so she wanted to be like that ?

“I just want to spend time with the best person I know. Remember that Korean restaurant down the street ? You promised we would try it sometime.”

Ava said, using the puppy eyes.

Ugh

Beatrice was only human, she could not fight Ava’s puppy eyes.

“Fine, let’s make a reservation then.” she said, a light blush because of the girl in front of her, already jumping from excitement.

While Beatrice was searching the restaurant’s number on her phone, Ava went on about everything she wanted to eat and try, about the soju and beer trick she saw on tik tok, how she also needed to learn how to use chopsticks. 

Both women were lost in their world and did not notice the few more customers near the bar counter. 

Hans saw them talking to themselves and didn’t have the heart to interrupt and went to take Ava’s spot, allowing them a few more minutes.

Maybe he should have, because immersed with each other, the Warrior Nun and Sister Warrior weren’t aware of their surroundings, aware of the people near the counter.

Still smiling at the antics of his coworkers, Hans held out the beer to the latest customer. The man wasn’t looking at him, but at Ava and Beatrice. 

Nothing odd until there, as he knew they often made heads turn. But upon seeing them, the man’s face changed, like he just saw a ghost, something felt off. He became pale and obviously used the counter to support his weight like his legs gave up.

“You’re okay buddy ?” asked Hans, troubled by the man's change of attitude. He was looking fine a minute ago as he ordered his beer.

But the man wasn’t paying attention, his eyes were locked on his fellow bartender. Hans started to feel worry, not for the customer but for Ava, who he quickly became protective over, almost like she was a relative of him.

“Ava, that guy’s looking at you like a creep” He said in German while nudging her shoulder.

The Warrior Nun turned to her friend, still grinning like a fool from her conversation with Beatrice.

“What ?” she replied, not yet aware of her surroundings.

Hans sneakily pointed to the man with his thumb and Ava just froze.

“JC ?!” she said out loud.

“A…A..Ava ?” the man said, trembling in his voice. He started to take a few steps back, his arms and hands doing a poor job following the rest of his body and pushed the beer bottle on the ground.

The crashing sound made Beatrice look at the scene, confusion written all over her face.

“Shit, JC !! What are you- Fuck! Hey, wait up !” Ava exclaimed, not looking very well herself.

It was like God himself decided to trick her. In all places, all bars across the damn Europe, the only non OCS person who knew about her capacity had to be in front of her.

JC took more firm steps as we turned around and walked out the bar, running away even, knocking a couple of people in his path.

Ava took a few steps of her own, her eyes on the exit he just took.

“Fucking hell” she said, taking her apron off and putting it on the counter with more force than required. She resumed her path, determined to follow the man.

“Ava, wait !” Beatrice suddenly exclaimed. 

It stopped the Warrior Nun who looked at her friend’s eyes. 

She couldn’t say it out loud but Ava understood, she almost phased through the counter to run after JC.

“Let’s go Ava” said Beatrice, jumping off the bar stool.

Both women exited the bar, leaving a confused Hans.

—---------------------------

After fleeing away from the bar, JC turn on the left as soon as he could and was running on small and narrow alley

“Jeez JC, stop running !” 

Ava and Beatrice were following, quickly catching up.

The alley was packed with boxes and in front of him, JC saw high fences blocking the way. He made the highest jump he could with his remaining stamina, however he hurt his right ankle while falling on the ground. 

“What the hell man!” he could still hear Ava, but his ankle only allowed him a few more steps.

“Stay away from me !” he yelled, without looking back, still trying to escape.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him right on his track.

“Stop it JC, look like it hurts” 

It was Ava, but how could she be here so fast ?

He flinched at her touch and pushed her hand away, missing the look of hurt in her eyes.

He was ready to walk away but a sharp pain on his ankle made him stop.

“Hey, it’s just me JC, I won’t hurt you” Ava said, her voice soft.

“How did..How did you-”

“I can walk through walls, remember ?” she replied

“Ava !” he heard the other woman exclaim. As he turned around and found a box to sit on, giving up on any escaping road, he saw her landing on her feet as she also jumped from the fence.

“What ? There is no point hiding it, he literally saw me do it already, he wouldn’t be shitting his pants otherwise.”

“Hey, I’m not shitting my pants !”

“Dude, seriously ?”

Beatrice quickly trotted toward the duo, anxiety fuelling her veins.

“Who..Who are you ?” Asked JC.

Somehow his tremor lessened, but he was far from feeling safe.

“JC, this Beatrice, she’s my sister”

“What?”

“Ava?” 

Both JC and Beatrice said at the same time.

“Sorry, I mean she’s a sister, a nun, remember when I was running away ?”

“How many of you are there ?”

“You don’t need to know that.” quickly replied Beatrice, highly defensive.

She was fixing him, her eyes sharper than the cruciform sword itself.

Why did Ava’s past have to make an appearance ?

It was a major breach in protocol, their cover was blown by the very presence of this man.

“Are you going to kill me ?” JC asked

“What ? No, no ! we don’t do that here.” said Ava.

She lifted her hands as a peace offering. She was still high from the adrenaline rush, millions of thoughts running in her head at the same time.

“JC what are you doing here?”

“Well until 5 minutes ago I was having a good time in Switzerland !”

“Right, shit, sorry.” 

Beatrice was oddly silent during the whole exchange, unsure of how to react. Her eyes were switching from Ava to JC as they talked, her arm crossed.

“Listen, I don’t want any problems Ava, same as before.”

Ava was nervous, walking back and forth in a small pattern. 

She was conflicted, she never thought she would see JC again and she had to be honest, the man completely slipped out of her mind. But she felt guilty about what happened, about how she left him, the truth was the least he deserved.

“I..I…JC, I think we need to talk, okay ?”

He did not reply. Instead he kept looking at them suspiciously.

“Listen, Beatrice here knows 50 ways to kill someone with just her index finger. If we wanted you dead you would not have walk out of that bar”

“Ava, this is an exaggeration of my skills.”

“The point is, we mean no harm. Look, I have a lot to explain and I’m sure you have questions as well…let’s go back inside and talk it out, okay ?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Bea, please, I don’t see any other choice here.”

“We can’t expose ourselves like this Ava.”

“I trust JC to not rat us out, and I owe him much.”

Beatrice took a deep breath, clearly uncomfortable. She knew who that man was to Ava and all feelings aside, he was just a civilian. Civilians were not supposed to know about the OCS.

“I never told anyone about what happened…it’s not like they’d believe me.”

“See ? If you don’t trust him, Bea, trust me okay ?”

Ava was facing her, her hand on her left shoulder. She could feel the Warrior Nun adding pressure, slightly massaging it. Ava knew how to read her body language and at that moment, Beatrice was more than bothered.

Her friend was trying to convey reassurance and as she looked her in the eyes Beatrice had to admit that it was working.

“Please, Bea ?” she pleaded softly. 

Beatrice sighed, she had run a dozen scenarios in her head but she knew Ava was right.

“Fine.”

—----------------------

Ava chose a table on a corner, poorly exposed which she knew was the quietest spot available at La Vasseur. 

The evening was starting and people usually gathered here after their day of work, the bar was getting busier.

“Here, put that on your ankle” 

JC was already seated, at the edge of his seat ready to jump and run away again. Ava gave him a cloth enveloping ice cubes to tend his hurting ankle.

As she took them from behind the bar counter, Hans cornered her to ask the meaning of the rumpus earlier. The best she could go with was that JC was her ex-boyfriend and they had issues to settle.

“Thank you” JC replied, following her with his eyes as she took a seat in front of him. Their table was a small and round wooden one.

As they were coming back to the bar, Ava asked Beatrice to let her do the speaking, she noticed how JC was defensive around her.

“I mean it in the best way possible Bea, but you can be intimidating.”

“I just doing my job at keeping us safe Ava”

“I know and I appreciate it a lot, but I think it will be for the best that I speak alone with him.”

“I understand, but if he tries anything-”

“I’ll let you punch him harder than Lilith did.”

“I’m sorry JC.” started Ava, nursing one of the bottles of beer she brought earlier between her hands.

“I…I should have stayed with you after the Tarask’s attack I-”

“The Tarask ?” 

“That thing who attacked us in the warehouse, it’s a demon, it’s called a Tarask.”

“A demon..” said JC much to himself. He took a sip of his own beer, looking everywhere but in direction of Ava. He would call her a liar if he had not witnessed it.

“Demons are a thing, a real thing.”

“Yeah..I still have a hard time believing it myself” replied Ava, mostly talking to herself.

“And the nuns ?”

“They’re fighting them.”

He snickered at her answer and soon started to laugh. Ava quickly joined him.

It was a nervous laugh as she knew the man’s reaction to danger was similar to her own, well, her past self reaction.

“Ava do you realize how ridiculous it sounds ? Demons are real, and there’s a bunch of nuns fighting them ?” he said between laughter.

“I know and I wish I was bullshiting you right now !” Ava said, her own laugh dying.

“And why are you in the middle of all this then ?”

“Remember on the ferry ? When I told you about my past ?”

Plenty of things happened that day, and Ava wondered if things would have been different if she had been totally honest with him back there.

“About you stealing a ring ? Please, now you’re bullshiting me.”

“No, really…I, I was just sugarcoating the truth.”

“And what is the truth then ?”

“Well, I’m indeed an orphan, I was raised in an orphanage. But I was left quadriplegic after the car accident that killed my mother when I was 7.”

“But you’re walking now ? How ?”

“Well, that’s the ring’s doings.”

“What ?”

“Along with bringing me back to life because, surprise, I died.” She said, jiggling her hands in the air.

JC choked on his beer.

“It’s not any ring, not a ring really, it’s an angel halo.”

“Wait a minute Ava, I’m not following.”

“Beatrice and the other nuns are part of a very old catholic order which protects an angel halo, they’re real just like demons, I was killed by my caretaker and somehow this halo went on my back, bringing back to life and healing me in the process”

“On your back ? Wait..so that round scar..?”

“Yup.”

“Holy Shit Ava!”  he exclaimed.

Shock could be seen all over his posture. His eyes were wide open and his hands on top of his head. the handmade ice pack dropped on the floor.

“Holy shit” he repeated, clearly lost for words.

“I know, that’s a whole mess”

“A mess ? it’s beyond this Ava !”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

There was a moment of silence, Ava could almost see the cog of JC’s brain at full speed while he was trying to absorb everything she told him.

“Somebody killed you.”

“Yeah….not my favorite part. I was in a catholic orphanage and she was the nun assigned to care for me, she was a real psycho who killed other kids before me, some sort of power trip she thought she was saving us.”

“Shit Ava, I can help, she’s dangerous she could-”

“She’s dead... The night before we took the ferry when I went to help my friend, Diego..She was about to do to him what she did and to me. We fought I..I killed her..I couldn’t control the power of the halo.”

“It has power ?”

“Duh, I can heal and phase through shit ! Also I have super strength and I can levitate.”

“So all the time you were covered in blood ?”

“Yup, mine.”

“Shit, Ava…it’s insane.” JC said. 

Once again they fell into silence. 

Ava’s head started spinning, she did not think she would have to go through everything again. As her a co-worker walked by their table, she asked for a bottle of tequila and 2 shot glasses, they were past the beer level of discussion. She quickly poured them drinks and she drank hers almost immediately.

“I..I don’t know what to say Ava, I can hardly believe everything.”

“Trust me, I understand you, I did not want to be part of this at first, there so much more I did not tell you, I don’t want to break your brain.”

For his own safety, she definitely didn’t want to tell him about Adriel.

“Tell me one thing though, are you safe ?” he asked, looking straight into her eyes with such intensity he could be looking at her soul.

Ava smiled, despite every traumatizing things he saw and her revelations, he still cared.

He’s a good man.

“I can’t speak too far ahead in the future but for now I am” she replied, still smiling. By instinct she turned head to the left, to look across the bar where Beatrice was, as she could sense her watching them. They shared eye contact and her smile only grew wider.

“She seems nice.” she heard JC say. 

He had followed her stare to Beatrice and noticed their interaction.

“She is, once she lets you in.”

Ava poured them another drink and they both emptied it at the same time.

“They’re a family and I’m part of it now, even if I’m not a nun. They care for each other and would die for each other.” she said, her thoughts going to Mary and how much her absence was worrisome.

“I…fuck Ava, the other nun, I’m so sorry.” He suddenly said.

It took her a few seconds to realize what he was talking about.

“Oh you mean Lilith ? Don’t worry she’s fine.”

“She’s not, she was stabbed to death by that monster.”

“Well….she eventually came back and she’s healed, please don’t ask me for more detail I’m not sure how to explain it.” 

It was still new to deal with part demon Lilith. She seems mostly fine as she said it herself and was quickly learning how to use her powers. Given her abilities, Mother Superion tasked her to find Mary and she teleported to their place a couple of times to catch up with them.

“Well I don’t think I can take more of your story anyways.” he started as he took another drink.

“But I can say that they care, your other friend quickly left after the attack, but before she checked on me and gave me a few bills before searching for you, talking about how she could not lose you too.”

It only added to her pain. Mary was an essential member of their family and an essential part of her life, and it was killing her not being able to do anything to help looking for her. But their orders were clear, and she knew going rogue would make things escalate to a critical level.

They all had specific roles for the fights to come and more than ever, she had to trust her team. And she was, to the fullest. 

Lost in her thoughts, she once again turned her head toward Beatrice.

Dear Beatrice, what would she do without her ?

Since their reunion during their escape from Cat's cradle, she had not spent a day without her calming presence and her kind eyes. After their debacle at the Vatican, Mother Superion quickly ordered them to hide somewhere and specifically tasked Beatrice to train and protect her. 

The first couple of weeks were tough, they didn’t stay in the same place for more than 24 hours. Beatrice had this small Swiss town as their hideout in mind but wouldn’t come near it until she was certain no one was following them.

It was her childhood safe place and nobody knew about it, and upon walking on its paved roads, Ava felt like she was discovering a new side of her friend. They quickly found their job and a routine grew around it, alternating between bartending, endless runs and intense training. Beatrice would also teach her how to cook and help her improve her writing skill while Ava made a top 50 of movies she would show Beatrice during movie night where they’d cuddle on the sofa.

Beatrice was kind and patient, strong and wise but could also be witty and cute. She was still opening up to Ava regarding her personal life and internal struggles and the Warrior Nun felt honored to be able to help her with it.

She thought back to what she told JC, about the OCS being her family. Beatrice was so much more for her. Ava grew up being told she was worthless, but Beatrice cared so much she would go to the Moon and back just to make her smile. And Ava knew she’d do the same for her. She was certain Beatrice was her soulmate.

“Ava, you good ?” 

JC's voice burst her bubble. He was looking at her with a fond smile

“You were lost in your thoughts looking at her.”

“Shit, sorry.” 

He didn’t reply, but had a knowing smile as he poured them another drink.

“You like her.” he said, more as a statement than a question.

It was Ava’s turn to be out of words, which was unusual for her. Instead she started to blush.

“Oh my god, you want to bone a nun!” he exclaimed as hit the table with the palm of his hand.

“Shut up!” she quickly said, hitting his arm at the same time. Her blush only got worse and he started laughing.

“But I get you, she’s kinda hot.” 

“It’s not just that you know.” she said in a small voice, feeling shy being exposed like this.

When did their talk take this turn ? It was awkward to talk about her feelings to Beatrice with someone she had a crush on only a few months ago.

Months ? damn, it felt like years.

She remembered how Mary told her what she felt toward JC wasn’t love and she had to agree. What she felt for Beatrice was so much stronger it only took a few seconds for the latter to understand it. 

“Well if you ever act on your feelings, she better treats you right, you had enough shits in your life. You deserve the best Ava.” 

The potential end of the world was waiting for her at the end of the journey, thinking about her future was not something Ava allowed herself to do. Instead she was focusing on making the most of each day spent in that small town, and she was thankful to each moment she could spend with Beatrice. But if she had to think of a future, she could not see something better than waking up beside her every morning and tending their actual routine.

“How long are you staying in Switzerland ?” 

“I’m just passing by really. After you left I found Chanel again. We spent a few weeks in Spain together but she wanted to stay to join other people, and well my current destination is Munich.”

“Well…” Ava started as she poured them yet again another drink.

They really should stop drinking.

“It was unexpected, but I’m glad we could talk JC.” 

“Yeah, me too. despite everything I was worried about you, you know ?”

“Same here, I panicked and I left you alone, that was a shitty move.”

“Good for you I don’t hold grudges so….friend ?” he said, raising his shot glass.

“Friend” Ava replied, smiling and meeting him halfway with her own.