Arkangel || A Winter / Karina / WinRina Adventure

Closing Space

[Adult 18+ content.]

About 6pm, Winter decided to get out of the house. "Going for a run. I'll be back in a couple of hours, Karina," she called to the kitchen.

"Have fun, baby!" Karina said, slightly distracted by her cooking.

Winter pushed the lobby door open and took off. For the next two and half hours she ran around New York at breakneck speed, even passing the spot where the marathon had ended. About ten blocks from home, the clouds opened up and a deluge of heavy rain fell hard on the city. It was sunset. Low, distant thunder rumbled. Winter felt euphoric, and sped up as much as she could, the rain stinging her face and running down the neck of her shirt as she ran. She was alive and young at this incredible time, in this incredible place.

When she returned home, she was soaked and proud of herself. She had run 23 miles at a faster pace than even the marathon, and would have run more had some of the streets not been closed for a festival. For the last four blocks, she walked slowly, letting herself cool down until she had the relaxed, blissful feeling exercise produces. A delicious aroma floated through the house.

"CORNDOGS!?!" Winter yelled joyfully.

Karina stuck her head from the kitchen. "Yes! And grape Kool-Aid. Dang girl, where did you learn to eat?"

"Are you sure you want to know? It's another sad 'homeless girl' story."

Winter stuck her head out again. "This time, I'll pass. Believe it or not, this is supposed to be a romantic dinner."

Winter blushed. "What's the plan?"

"First, you shower. I love you, but you do not smell attractive. Then, we put on our pajamas, sit on the couch, pull a blanket over us so you can't see what my hands will be doing to you, and then binge shows for the next eight hours."

"H... h... hands?" Winter asked, her face tomato red.

Karina smiled. "Let me worry about that, baby," she winked, "You just focus on healing."

. . . . .

At 2am they prepared for bed. When Karina laid down, Winter was still brushing her teeth. After a minute she walked into the room in just her underwear, ready to put on her pajamas. Of course, she had seen Winter like this countless times, but it never got easier. There were scars all over Winter's body from her youth as well as her work. Dozens. She had suffered so much in her life, and rather than find a humdrum job and live an approximation of a normal life, she had chosen to do something that was even more terrifying. But she did something better than anybody:

Kim Min-jeong protected people. And she'd protect them at any cost, even Karina's. It was horrible to think about, but Karina thought that the pain she would feel if she lost Winter would at least contribute to making the world just a tiny bit better.

"Lay down on your back," Karina gently ordered her.

Winter could tell when Karina really meant what she said, and this was one of those times. So she did as commanded.

Once she was comfortable, over the next ten minutes Karina kissed each scar on Winter's body and each time whispered "You can't hurt her anymore."

Tears streamed down Winter's cheeks. There was a time and a place for hands, but it was never a bad time to be set free.