To Love Again | LingOrm AU

Chapter 13: A Valiant Heart

AUTHORS WARNING: Today is Friday the 13th Chapter.😰😭

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The soft glow of the hallway light cast long shadows as Ling lingered in Orm's doorway, reluctant to leave despite the urgency of the impending events. She had promised Orm she'd be there during Nut's arrest, but practicality demanded a brief separation. Ling needed to return to her own apartment to change into more suitable attire - it would serve her better than borrowed clothes for what lay ahead.

"I'll meet you at Dr. Nadir's clinic?" Ling asked, her voice low and steady, hiding the complex interplay of emotions raging within her.

Orm nodded, her eyes never leaving Ling's face. "I'll see you there," she replied, her words carrying a promise that went beyond their literal meaning.

Ling inclined her head in acknowledgment, preparing to turn away. But before she could take a step, Orm moved with a suddenness that belied her usual calm demeanor. In an instant, Ling found herself enveloped in Orm's arms, the embrace so fierce and unexpected that it momentarily stole her breath.

Time seemed to slow as Ling's world narrowed to the points of contact between them. Orm's arms encircled her fully, fingers pressing into Ling's back as if afraid she might disappear if not held tightly enough. The weight of Orm's chin settled on Ling's shoulder, and Ling could feel the rapid beat of Orm's heart against her chest.

As the embrace lingered, Ling felt something unfamiliar stir within her - a warmth that spread from her core, melting the icy barriers she had built around her heart over years of isolation and combat. It was a feeling unlike any she had experienced before, simultaneously comforting and terrifying in its intensity.

Slowly, almost reluctantly, Orm began to pull back. But instead of breaking contact completely, she shifted, bowing her head to rest her forehead against Ling's shoulder. The gesture was achingly vulnerable, a silent plea for connection. Then, with agonizing slowness, Orm turned her head, her nose brushing against the curve of Ling's neck as she inhaled deeply, as if trying to memorize Ling's scent.

The intimacy of the action sent a shiver down Ling's spine. She stood frozen, caught off guard by the enormity of emotion Orm's gesture evoked. For a moment, all her training, all her carefully cultivated control, fell away. She was simply Ling - not the soldier, not the survivor, but a woman teetering on the edge of a monumental and life-altering moment.

As if awakening from a trance, Ling's arms, which had hung limply at her sides, finally moved. She wrapped them around Orm, returning the embrace with equal fervor. Her fingers splayed across Orm's back, pulling her impossibly closer. Ling turned her face into Orm's hair, breathing in the faint scent of jasmine and something uniquely Orm.

In that moment, a wordless exchange passed between them, rich with silent promises, hidden fears, and a tentative hope for what might be. When they finally parted, both women's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. A thousand words hovered on Ling's lips, but in the end, she simply nodded, a gesture laden with meaning, and turned to leave.

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The door to Ling's apartment clicked shut behind her as she moved with practiced efficiency towards her bedroom.

Her fingers trailed along the cool metal of her closet door before pulling it open. Inside, standing out vividly compared to her few civilian clothes, was her signature all-black attire. As she reached for it, a familiar tension coiled in her muscles, muscle memory from countless missions past.

For a fleeting moment, Ling found herself wishing she were still in the military. The thought surprised her, a bittersweet pang in her chest. If she were, she'd have access to all the gear she instinctively felt she needed - her sidearm, a life vest, comm units. The tools of her former trade that had become as much a part of her as her own skin.