We're in the Endgame Now | Endgame [2]

Chapter 10

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      Late-Fall 2016

Irina walked the empty path in amazement. Paris was just as beautiful as the movies, pictures and videos depicted it, if not even more. "I can't believe we're actually here," she giggled like a little kid, the surrounding buildings and the Eiffel Tower lit up in the night sky.

"Well," Yelena looked around, "we are."

  "And you didn't believe me .  .  ."

  "Believe what?"

Irina had stopped, turned and faced Lane, who was two arm lengths back from the dark-haired woman. "When I told you you're this big softy with a romantic side."

  "Am not."

Irene chuckled, hands held out at her sides as she gestured to their surroundings, "Then what do you call this . . . Another one of your 'vacations'? Remember three weeks ago? That was the last 'vacation' where you choose the destination."

  "I didn't know—"

"That snakes like to hide in the toilets?"

Lane laughed, boisterously, "That was funny. You should have seen your face."

With narrowed eyes, Irina said, "I'm still scared to lift the lid of any toilet I use. And I probably always will be. Thanks for that." As she turned back around —to look up at the Eiffel Tower—, Yelena caught her hand and spun her.

"Come here . . ." Lane drawled under her breath, as she snaked her right-arm around Irene's lower back and pulled the dark-haired woman to her frontside. "We have fun together." Despite Irene's attempts to look annoyed, she smiled, and placed her hand on the Widow's shoulder. "You can't deny that."

Playfully, Irina rolled her eyes, "Whatever." And to her surprise, Yelena only smiled —until she's suddenly dipped by the blonde-haired woman, and screeched, "Yelena!" She was silenced by the Widow's lips on hers, and she hummed as she smiled into the kiss. "That was unexpected."

  "It's romantic," Lane mocked, lowly. "Did you not just say I was 'romantic'?"

  Confused, Irene's forehead creased, "What? You just denied it, like, two seconds ago!"

  "Did I?"

  Irina shook her head, "Oh, Yelena .  .  ." she buried her face in the crook of the Widow's neck, " .  .  . you're lucky I love you." In an instant, Irina's bug-eyed and frozen. "Oh, crap." She pulled back, face white as a sheet and heart thumping rapidly, "I-I .  . uh .  .  ."

  Yelena did the complete opposite Irina had expected. Her shocked expression turned into one of pure happiness, and she pulled Irina to herself, their lips connecting. Irina deepened the slow kiss that spoke more than words as she snaked both arms around Yelena's neck.

  When air became a necessity, they simultaneously pulled back, and their foreheads touched, swollen lips nearly touching.

"Lyubimaya, ya lyublyu tebya (I love you, darling)." They pulled back enough to look into each other's eyes, "Now and always."