The Light Within The Darkness

The BRAVE Arsenal

"I can't believe they benched me, again!" The Young Wolf exclaimed from her spot leaning back against her girlfriend's naked chest from where they were both standing in their shower with the water cascading down both of their bodies.

The Queen had her hands in the Guardian's hair and now that the blood had been washed away, she was trying to get all the knots out of her curls which was proving to be a very difficult task, more so than she had originally thought it'd be.

Mara tsked as she ran her digits against a particularly large tangle, drawing a wince from her girlfriend when the action pulled at her scalp, "Sorry." The Awoken murmured softly before replying to the young Titan's earlier comment, "They're just looking out for you love, they don't want to overwork you, especially now when we're so close to the end." She said, causing her girlfriend to huff and turn in her arms.

The Guardian reached up and wound her arms around Mara's neck and brought their bodies as close as they could be, chest against chest as the water flowed down their bodies.

Mara smiled at the action and lowered her arms and wrapped them around the Young Wolf's waist as she leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead, her lips lingering on the Titan's skin as the Queen inhaled a mix of Vanilla Rose and Lavender Jasmine, both of their scents mixed together.

Once the monarch pulled away, the Guardian smiled up at the Awoken lovingly as her fingers traced small patterns behind Mara's neck, "I get why they're doing it...but, I've been out of combat so long! It'll be good for me to sharpen my skills in the field before I face whatever is on the other side of that portal."

Mara pursed her lips at her girlfriend's words, seeing her point but at the same time she couldn't help the worry that coursed through her body at the thought of sending her girlfriend back out into the field.

They had made so much progress, she didn't want to lose all of that now...

The Titan must've seen her conflicting emotions for she smiled sadly up at the Queen, "I get it." She whispered, laying her head down just above Mara's naked breasts, nuzzling against her wet yet soft skin, "I do, but we both know that ignoring what's going to happen isn't going to prepare us for it." She whispered but before Mara could cut her off, she continued.

"I see how you look at me...how you've looked at me these last few months and I know how happy you are with the progress I've made...progress we've made together. But...I won't be able to ever experience that if the Witness succeeds, and you know that."

Mara exhaled shakily, "I do. But I just...I wish things could be different. That you didn't have to always carry the weight of the world on your shoulders." She whispered.

The Titan raised her head and smiled lovingly at her girlfriend, "This will be my last world ending fight." She said softly, yet firmly at the same time, telling Mara that she was very serious, "I promise you My Darling, I'm not going to, go off and face against impossible odds everyday any longer. I'm not going to fight gods every other week because after I kill the Witness and stop the Final Shape you and Isabella will be my priority." She said, raising her hand to cup the Queen's face between her palm, "After this fight...it'll be just you and and our family, and what WE make of our lives."

Mara stared down at the woman who she loved in shock. She knew how her lover was, she knew how fighting was an intrinsic part of what made her girlfriend, well...herself.

For the Young Wolf, her need to fight wasn't just a need, it was a response, a passion but most of all it was who she was as a person.

She was a fighter, and Mara understood that and accepted that about her so for the guardian to come out and say she was shifting her focus form, well being a Guardian...